Elijah and the Sealing power

[alter idem]

I'm reading in Helaman 10 where the Prophet Nephi is given the sealing power. This was in appx. 20 BC. As I was reading these verses it reminded me of Elijah the Prophet in the old testament, so I went to the Bible Dictionary to read about him. It said this:

"We learn from latter-day revelation that Elijah held the sealing power of the Melchizedek Priesthood and was the last prophet to do so before the time of Jesus Christ."

This is my question, from the description in Helaman, Nephi holds the sealing power and he lived after Elijah and before Jesus Christ, so I'm wondering if this in an error in the Bible Dictionary-or are they ignoring New World prophets? I'm also wondering about the prophets after Elijah, such as Elisha. Are we saying no other prophets had this sealing power? What do you guys think?

[Senator]

I'm reading in Helaman 10 where the Prophet Nephi is given the sealing power. This was in appx. 20 BC. As I was reading these verses it reminded me of Elijah the Prophet in the old testament, so I went to the Bible Dictionary to read about him. It said this:

"We learn from latter-day revelation that Elijah held the sealing power of the Melchizedek Priesthood and was the last prophet to do so before the time of Jesus Christ."

This is my question, from the description in Helaman, Nephi holds the sealing power and he lived after Elijah and before Jesus Christ, so I'm wondering if this in an error in the Bible Dictionary-or are they ignoring New World prophets? I'm also wondering about the prophets after Elijah, such as Elisha. Are we saying no other prophets had this sealing power? What do you guys think?

Interesting find AI. I think it also interesting the manner in which he receives this authority. The record says that a voice came unto him which later reveals Himself to be God. However there is no mention of any personal appearance, as we find with Joseph Smith. We of course would understand that Nephi already held the Priesthood. Does this mean that the declaration from the Lord was simply a means of "activating" latent keys he already held?

[ERMD]

As you say, it's obvious that others had the sealing power given to them after the time of Elijah. He also held the keys of the sealing power. I'm not aware of anyone after him and before Christ who is said to have held the keys.

The entry in the Bible Dictionary is confusing. Perhaps it refers to keys.

[alter idem]

You both mentioned 'keys' and I think we are thinking along the same lines. I understand the concept that Elijah was the steward of the 'keys' to the sealing power, as in, the authority to bestow these on a Prophet--as in what happened with Joseph Smith.

If this is the case, I think the Bible dictionary should have clarified this. As it is written, it gives the impression that no Prophets from Elijah who lived before the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 721 BC to Jesus held this 'power' (though clearly Nephi II did) so I think as it is written, it is incorrect.

[Senator]

Deleted

[kamenraider]

Joseph Smith said that "Elijah was the last Prophet that held the keys of the Priesthood..."(TPJS pg. 172) but I think he just meant the last that held them in succession, since Elijah was translated in order to be able to restore them later to Peter James and John or Joseph Smith or whoever. That's my understanding of it anyway.

[rpn]

My guess is that since this was the BIBLE dictionary, the Nephi references just got missed.