What'S Going On Here?

[Kenngo1969]

Malachi 2:2-4 says this:

2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:

3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. [Emphasis mine.]

Malachi is also quoted in the Book of Mormon in 3 Nephi 24:1-3 (ostensibly by the Savior, although those of you who dismiss modern-day purported scripture are free to postulate why you think Joseph Smith apparently cribbed this from the Old Testament):

1 And it came to pass that he [Jesus] commanded them that they should write the words which the Father had given unto Malachi, which he should tell unto them. And it came to pass that after they were written he expounded them. And these are the words which he did tell unto them, saying: Thus said the Father unto Malachi—Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.

2 But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap.

3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. [Emphasis mine.]

From Doctrine & Covenants 13, when Joseph and Oliver were ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood, we get this:

1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. [Emphasis mine.]

What’s going on here? What’s the significance of the sons of Levi being purified so that they can "offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness"? And why is Joseph Smith, of all people, so concerned about this? If the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants are forgeries from Joseph’s fertile mind, why, of all possible scriptures to crib, use this scripture from Malachi in not just one but both of his forgeries?

[Kenngo1969]

The commentary from the Old Testament Institute Student Manual regarding this scripture from Malachi says this:

(34-10) Malachi 3:3–6 . What Is the Offering in Righteousness to Be Made by the Sons of Levi?

There is more than one meaning for the “offering in righteousness” to be made by the sons of Levi at or near the Second Coming of the Lord. With regard to animal sacrifice, Joseph Smith said:

“It is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the Great Sacrifice [i.e.,] the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus was offered up, and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in [the] future; but those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the Priesthood, or with the Prophets.

“The offering of sacrifice has ever been connected and forms a part of the duties of the Priesthood. It began with the Priesthood, and will be continued until after the coming of Christ, from generation to generation. We frequently have mention made of the offering of sacrifice by the servants of the Most High in ancient days, prior to the law of Moses; which ordinances will be continued when the priesthood is restored with all its authority, power and blessings. . . .

“These sacrifices, as well as every ordinance belonging to the Priesthood, will, when the Temple of the Lord shall be built, and the sons of Levi be purified, be fully restored and attended to in all their powers, ramifications, and blessings. This ever did and ever will exist when the powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood are sufficiently manifest; else how can the restitution of all things spoken of by the holy prophets be brought to pass. It is not to be understood that the law of Moses will be established again with all its rites and variety of ceremonies; this has never been spoken of by the prophets; but those things which existed prior to Moses’ day, namely, sacrifice, will be continued.” (Teachings [of the Prophet Joseph Smith], pp. 172–73.)

The commentary from the Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual regarding Section 13 adds this:

President Joseph Fielding Smith further explained that “we are living in the dispensation of the fulness of times into which all things are to be gathered, and all things are to be restored since the beginning. Even this earth is to be restored to the condition which prevailed before Adam’s transgression. Now in the nature of things, the law of sacrifice will have to be restored, or all things which were decreed by the Lord would not be restored. It will be necessary, therefore, for the sons of Levi, who offered the blood sacrifices anciently in Israel, to offer such a sacrifice again to round out and complete this ordinance in this dispensation. Sacrifice by the shedding of blood was instituted in the days of Adam and of necessity will have to be restored.

“The sacrifice of animals will be done to complete the restoration when the temple spoken of is built; at the beginning of the millennium, or in the restoration, blood sacrifices will be performed long enough to complete the fulness of the restoration in this dispensation. Afterwards sacrifice will be of some other character.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:94.)

The Commentary on D&C 128:24 from the same source says this:

D&C 128:24 . Who Are the Sons of Levi, and What Is Their Offering?

Historically, the sons of Levi, including the sons of Aaron and the sons of Moses (see Exodus 6:16, 18, 20 ), were the custodians of the house of God and were responsible for its ordinances (see Exodus 25–28 ; Numbers 8:24–26 ; 10:21 ). Today the Lord promises that men who are called by the Lord to “build up my Church” and who are “faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling,” become the “sons of Moses and of Aaron” ( D&C 84:32–34 ; see v. 31 ). The Aaronic Priesthood is responsible for the “preparatory gospel” ( v. 26 ; see v. 27 ). In the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood, including temple work, “the power of godliness is manifest” ( v. 20 ; see vv. 19–22 ). As righteous Saints serve the Lord in holy ordinances, including those of the temple, the sacrifice they offer through their service will be part of the “offering in righteousness” that the sons of Levi, including the sons of Moses and Aaron, will present to the Lord before His coming.

Never has a people had the opportunity to do so much for so many as do the Latter-day Saints. If they fail to fulfill their duty, they do so at the “peril of their own salvation” (Smith, Teachings, p. 193; see also p. 356). The dead cannot receive the ordinances that lead them to salvation unless they are performed by the living, and the living must bind themselves to their ancestral families for their own salvation. Little wonder that the Prophet Joseph Smith expressed such strong feeling for the Lord’s saving plan. All Saints should feel the same urgency.

Thoughts?

Edited July 26, 2011 by Kenngo1969

[Nathair/|\]

One possible explanation is to connect the following:

Doctrine and Covenants 59:8

8 Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Of course, it's also possible that actual animal sacrifice will be restored at some point, at least once in the restored Jerusalem temple.

[Kenngo1969]

One possible explanation is to connect the following:

Doctrine and Covenants 59:8

8 Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Of course, it's also possible that actual animal sacrifice will be restored at some point, at least once in the restored Jerusalem temple.

Thank you for commenting. What do you think of President Joseph Fielding Smith's position that the "restoration of all things" means that actual blood sacrifice will be restored? And do you think that the privilege of officiating in that ordinance will be reserved solely to actual, converted "blood" sons of Levi, or will holders of the restored Aaronic/Melchizedek priesthoods at large officiate in such an ordinance (see D&C 84:31)?

Edited July 27, 2011 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

The prophet Malachi prophesied that in the latter days the sons of Levi would offer an offering unto the Lord again. (Mal. 3:3.) John the Baptist reaffirmed this divine appointment at the time of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood. (D&C 13.) The Lord also indicated that this ordinance would take place at the temple to be built in Jackson County, Missouri. (D&C 84:31, D&C 124:39, D&C 128:24.)

The brief practice of sacrifice in the latter days was explained by Joseph Smith as being an essential part of the restoration of all things of former gospel dispensations. He said:

“… it is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the Great Sacrifice [i.e.,] the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus was offered up, and there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in future; but those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the Priesthood, or with the Prophets.

“These sacrifices, as well as every ordinance belonging to the Priesthood, will, when the Temple of the Lord shall be built, and the sons of Levi be purified, be fully restored and attended to in all their powers, ramifications, and blessings. This ever did and ever will exist when the powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood are sufficiently manifest; else how can the restitution of all things spoken of by the Holy Prophets be brought to pass. It is not to be understood that the law of Moses will be established again with all its rites and variety of ceremonies; this has never been spoken of by the prophets; but those things which existed prior to Moses’ day, namely sacrifice, will be continued.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 172–73.)

Edward J. Brandt, “The Priesthood Ordinance of Sacrifice,” Ensign, December 1973, accessed on-line July 27, 2011 at the following address: http://lds.org/ensign/1973/12/the-priesthood-ordinance-of-sacrifice?lang=eng&query="sons+of+Levi"

Joseph Smith … discussed Malachi 3:2–3 [Mal. 3:2–3] in notes added to his letter on baptism for the dead. (D&C 128:24; see also D&C 13.) The offering by the sons of Levi prophesied of in Malachi 3:3 [Mal. 3:3] will follow the “restoration of all things” spoken of by the prophets. (Teachings, p. 171–73.)

Monte S. Nyman, “Restoring ‘Plain and Precious Parts’: The Role of Latter-day Scriptures in Helping Us Understand the Bible,” Ensign, December 1981, accessed on-line July 27, 2011 at the following address: http://lds.org/ensign/1981/12/restoring-plain-and-precious-parts-the-role-of-latter-day-scriptures-in-helping-us-understand-the-bible?lang=eng&query="sons+of+Levi"