Pathways Of The Prophetic- Seeing God In All Things

"A fanciful and flowery and heated imagination beware of; because the things of God are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity—thou must commune with God"
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 137 (25 March 1839))

One of the teachings passed down from the ancient Schools of the Prophets is the need for functional revelation- revelation that provides knowledge that will elevate or transform our world in the here and now.  The pure knowledge or intelligence of Chokmah (wisdom) inspires and the discerning intellect of Binah (understanding) confirms and organizes the pure knowledge we receive so that the fruits of the spirit manifest in the material world. The two together (Chokmah and Binah) form a complete and balanced whole. This was what was known as the ancient secret.

Revelation can be received in a moment.  It only takes a few lessons to begin the art of the prophetic. But like a muscle it takes the hard work of organizing and exercising this divine knowledge so that it becomes strong and capable of having real function.  If we feed and build our minds with the nourishment God provides then we will find that they are not only created but can be recreated in the image of God.

"And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 

In the mind of an Israelite the heart is the center and fountain of all thought.  Focus of the heart (thoughts) is the foundation of all prayer/meditation.  Where the thoughts go the attention will be found.  It was through the purification of the heart (thoughts) that prophetic focus and concentration could be accomplished. For the student who followed the path of the prophetic in the ancient prophetic schools purity of thought comes from the discipline of filling the heart (thoughts) with the words of the Torah (scriptures). This is why the recitation of passages of scriptures such as the Shema (i.e. Hear O’ Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One...) were taught as a disciplined daily practice to all Israel. Purity of heart (thoughts) was taught as essential for one to be able to discern between good and evil both in this world and in the world of the spirit.

Above the level of the word was the power of the image or symbol.  As a picture is worth a thousand words, symbols were also employed as object of focus and attention not because the image of itself had any power but because of the word of God connected with those symbols.  As such, there were divine symbols or archetypes used a points of focus in spiritual endeavors.  Some of these symbols included the tree (menorah, as in the tree of life), a dove, a flame of fire, the star of David, letters if the alephbet, among many others.

No less important was the importance of the environment. Surrounding ourselves in set apart environments whether they be synagogues, temples, withdrawing to the wilderness, or a mountain top, or even a cave served as places of refuge and correction until the the spirit of man was willing and able to submit to the directions of the God. This withdrawal from the hustle and bustle of the world into places of quiet and solace are demonstrated by the Messiah:

"And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed." (Luke 5:16)

As well as the Prophet Enos:

"Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart. And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens. And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed." (Enos 1:3-5)

Our hearts (thoughts) are cluttered with the baggage we carry from the world.  It is often because of our environment that we cannot sit still for a moment to learn to quiet our thoughts and focus before being bombarded from the continual stimulus that comes from television, radio, family concerns, etc. For one to bond or ascend to God means that the individual or group is being filled with God:

"And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost." (3 Nephi 12:6)

If one's heart is already filled how then can we expect for God to be able to fill us with his spirit.  This is also one of the meanings of the Messiah when he said:

"And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better."  Luke 5:36-39)

Connecting or bonding with God is not about what we gain but what we are willing to leave behind. The baggage of the heart (guilt, tumult, pride, envy, fear, etc) must be willingly left behind before bonding with God becomes possible.  The presence of God in all places, circumstances, or conditions of the heart must be acknowledged in all things. It is the natural man who seeks to hide their nakedness before the all seeing eyes of YHVH:

"And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." (Genesis 3:8-10)

PRACTICING THE PRESENCE

One teaching passed down from Ancient Israel is the discipline of practicing the presence.  This discipline is summed up by two key scriptures Psalm 16:8 and Isaiah 6:3.

"I have set the YHVH always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." (Psalm 16:8)

This scripture contained the teaching that cleared the heart of all the uncleanness we experience and partake of in this world. It was a practice to place the holy name of God everywhere and to acknowledge his presence both in the light and the darkness, in prosperity and suffering, in the evil we experience and the good.  Knowing the conflict, the chaos, and the contradiction that this earth experience produces causes us to feel the need to hide from the existence of God who sees all things, we often hide in shame. As one placed the name, prayed in the name, and took upon the name of God, they acknowledged his voice among all the trees of the Garden until they experienced the reality of Isaiah 6:3:

"And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."

It was not sufficient that we simply believe in God.  We must learn to see him and his presence in all things on this earth- both the good and the bad.  In doing so we begin to come out from our hiding places.  In doing so we begin to know God.  This is why both in ancient Israel and even in the history of the restoration, men would mark their homes, their tools, their door frames, etc with the outward phrase, "Holiness To The Lord (YHVH)" or other instruments containing scriptures (i.e. mezuzah) because whether in life or death, sin or obedience, the acknowledgment of the presence of God in all things brought the person out from under the power and shame produced by our adversary and back into the presence of God and the path of true healing and redemption.  By putting up signposts (whether physical or spiritual) we open ourselves to the divine presence- we begin both outwardly and inwardly acknowledge his living presence or eye.  It was not the question of "Why bad things happen to good people" or the declaration that  "Prosperity follows the Righteous", but that the presence of God fills the whole earth in the here and now.  In fact we walk in it daily and with every breath we breathe.

This discipline of practicing or acknowledging that we live continually in the presence of God is also demonstrated by the teaching of the "eye" of God.  The Prophet Jacob declares:

"O, my beloved brethren, remember my words. Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood." (2 Nephi 9:44)

and

"But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing eye of the Almighty God." (Jacob 2:10)

The Prophets of Israel walked in the discipline of living/practicing the presence of God.  This discipline was taught to their students as in doing so they began to come out from their spiritual hiding places, experience their nakedness before God, and walk in the path of his presence in this world.  Their acknowledgment of God's presence in their heart (thoughts) and in the world around them was a key discipline by which they lived and governed their lives and in doing so unleashed a fundamental power of transformation.

© 2018 Robert Kay

All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Pathways Of The Prophetic- Prayer Circles and The Mystery Of The Aleph

"The grand key word was the first word Adam spoke and is a word of supplication...It is that key word to which the heavens is opened." (Joseph Smith, The Journals of William Clayton, June 15, 1844)

The pathway of the prophetic needs to be walked again.  The grand key words must once again be spoken and the throne of God must once again be approached. This calling upon the name after the manner of the ancients will open the way whereby any man or woman may converse with God.   It was taught in the ancient School of the Prophets that words mean things. They are instruments of power and transformation. But, it was not enough that one simply knows a word and has ritual in which they use it.

The first rule of approach was kavanah- sincere intention or direction of the heart.  No prayer or meditation was considered effective without sincere intention and desire. Without this sincere desire, the words would be like having the fastest car on the lot but with an empty gas tank. You may have the best machinery but with no fuel the machinery is useless.  This same rule was also communicated by the Prophet Moroni:

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost."  (Moroni 10:4)

The sincere intention or direction of the heart connected with pure love. When one is property fueled by sincere intention or strong passion they will experience the intense desire to approach God to seek his face and to seek the truth.  This desire to know God is as real and as intimate spiritually as the intimate physical relationship when Adam "knew" Eve.

The Power Of The Group

In the ancient Schools of the Prophets it was taught that a group of ten men formed a prayer group or minyan.  The purpose behind the group was that the magnification of desire, intention, and direction of the heart. It was taught that even if a person's intention is imperfect, if he prays with a group and the group has a oneness of desire or intention then because of the collective intention (however imperfect) the prayers will be heard.  This same principle of collective oneness and desire is also represented by what constitutes a circle of individuals for prayer or a prayer circle. Where oneness of desire exists the eternal fire is stoked and like incense upon an altar the prayers of desire ascend to the Throne of Heaven.   This symbol of desire as the flame which carriers pure prayer or intention to Heaven is what is symbolized by the horned altar before the veil before the Holy of Holies.

When a person approaches heaven with the desire to receive from God to bestow upon others true power is unleashed.  When two or more are gathered together offering to God the desire to receive to bestow upon each other and others outside the group without covetousness, the power of God is magnified exponentially.  This is the true meaning behind the power of the circle or what was termed anciently as the point within the circle- individuals and couples without covetousness offering their purest desire to receive to bestow to the God of Heaven.  When done in sincerity Heaven always responds in kind.

The Mystery Of The Aleph

Praying or meditating upon the names of God was a common practice taught in the Ancient School of the Prophets. The Power of the Holy Names of God is a discipline found within many of the remaining traditions of the House of Israel to this day.  Some choose to meditate upon the name YHVH or El Shaddai as a recitation, repetition, or for lack of a better word a mantra of prayer to focus their prayers of desire through and to God.  One of the most ancient disciplines was the specific meditation upon letters of the Hebrew Alephbet (alphabet) wherein it was taught lay certain spiritual devices that caused the spirit of man to resonate with the Spirit of God.  One such meditation was upon the Letter Aleph in the Hebrew Alephbet:

The Aleph represented the oneness of God, his throne, and reaches into what is termed Worlds Without End (Ayin Soph).  It's expression as a symbol, Aleph represents the organization of order or creation out of chaos. It represents the sacred breath being breathed into Adam and the first expression he uttered. It is the letter upon which when intentionally contemplated and meditated would draw Heaven and Earth together; connecting the worlds above with this world down below.  The discipline of the Aleph Prayer was passed down in some surviving traditions of Judaism and even then only passed on by word of mouth.  It was taught that by employing the prayer or meditation upon the Aleph one's voice of pure desire would ascend to Heaven before the sacred throne. It was considered a part of a very sacred discipline of prayer.

The letter Aleph while one is composed of three elements of letters in its outward representation. Aleph Lamed Peh.  Since man was fallen and unclean he could not enter directly into the presence of God. In order to connect with God the Aleph Prayer or Meditation was by tradition the manner by which fire from Heaven was called down to consume the sacrifice of which prayer was an integral part.   The Meditation or recitation of this ancient prayer was vocalized by praying/meditating/ mantra-ing the outward letters that composed the ALEPH in the reverse fashion as follows:

PEH LEH EL

While there are many who seek for God to hear the words that their mouths produce, it was taught anciently that the Prayer or Mediation upon the Aleph brought about a condition of the heart of oneness with God wherein true connection was established and Heaven and Earth Connected. This discipline among many other ancient disciplines of prayer/meditation were also preserved but were only taught among certain traditions within Judaism. In these traditions, it was taught that the language of God was a not only an instrument of creation wherein creation was sung into existence, but it was also an instrument of transformation, bonding, and unity for man in this world as well.In this state, the mind of God dwelt in the vessel of man and as such the living soul became a living Urim and Thummim.

Rather than treating the discipline like a magic word or ritual, it was seen as a focal point of sincere desire whereby an individual or group of individual could become one with the Spirit of God and create the conditions whereby God's will is completed on Earth as it is in Heaven.  The echoes of this discipline once existed in the restoration and among those familiar with what are termed the Mysteries of Godliness or Temple. Those who have ears to hear, will hear.


© 2018 Robert Kay

All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Pathways of the Prophetic- Those Who Know and Those Who Believe

In the schools of the Prophets it was taught that there were two categories of people.  The first category is those who know from first hand experience of God and the world of the spirit.  The second category were the people who believed them but did not have direct, first hand experience of God or the world of the spirit.  The believers were the students or talmidim of those who knew such as the Messiah and the Prophets.

The difference between one who knows and one who merely believes is that the "knower" is the one who makes the effort and sacrifice to surrender themselves as a vessel to God to complete his will upon the earth.  The believer, however, are those who are still in process of becoming and learning the pathway of God and the prophetic. The main difference being the distance traversed on the path. In Israel, true Prophets were the "Knowers" while their students who did yet have first hand experience were "Believers".

This same teaching is exemplified in the Book of Mormon by the Prophet Moroni:

"And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men. For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.

 And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him. And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men." (Moroni 7: 29-32)

In Israelite thought the ministration of angels was a direct experience with Heaven.  Those who received their teaching would be considered the Chosen Vessels, Prophets, or "Knowers".  These Chosen Vessels or Prophets would then take those teachings from Heaven and reveal them to the residue of men or "Believers" so that they too could learn and progress along the the pathway of the Prophetic back into the presence of God.   In ancient Israel those Chosen Vessels of Prophets were compared to the Sun while the believers were compared to the Moon.  The Sun as a symbol of a source of light while the moon reflecting the light which it receives from the Sun.

This same ancient principle as taught in ancient Israel was also revealed to Joseph Smith:

"These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical.

 And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament...

And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.

And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.

 And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;

For these are they who are of Paul, and of Apollos, and of Cephas.

These are they who say they are some of one and some of another—some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses, and some of Elias, and some of Esaias, and some of Isaiah, and some of Enoch;

But received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant.(D&C 76:71-72,96-101)

Here communicated in ancient symbolic language is a pattern of those who experience God directly and those who experience his Chosen Vessels and those who are believers who follow a specific Prophet or "knower".  The Messiah himself demonstrated this principle we he said, "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." (John 12:46)

The Messiah and the Prophets were considered as lights to the people.  While they were living and among the people they delivered the teachings of bonding and ascending with God and were a living example of walking the path.  Once dead, all that was left are the teachings and the believers.  If the believers have never learned to experience the direct bonding with God they are only a reflector of the light like the moon is to the sun.  After a few generations, the light grows dimmer and all that is left is the skeleton of institutional religion with performances and ordinances replacing the direct experiential knowledge of God.

As the light dimmed, institutional programs were developed in an attempt to maintain the life and charisma of the original teacher or prophet.  Without the connection with Heaven, the religious establishments of the day resorted to hyper emotionalism as well as hyper intellectualism to control the mass of believers.  While the institution continues to teach some of the original teachings of the original prophet who connected with Heaven, the crucial element of connected-ness is missing and they are unable to accomplish the original work of God.  This slow demise has been experienced by many whether it be Pharisees, Tzadokkim, Christians, etc. Those who were once called by God himself as, "The Apple of his eye" or "The righteous sons" soon became the persecutors of those who sought or displayed the direct connection with Heaven.

© 2018 Robert Kay

All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Pathways Of The Prophetic- The Power Of The Word

CALMING THE STORM

We must calm the storm. The first step in passing through the storms of the veil into the realms of the spirit is essential.  The student of the prophetic must be extended a lifeline from the celestial realms by which they are guided and empowered to face the dark clouds through which one must descend in order to emerge in the realm of the spirit. This life line is the scriptures or word of God. It was taught in ancient Israel that the words of the Torah are personified as angelic beings whether delivered by the hidden from beyond the veil through the unseen spirit of God or by the manifestation of the angelic.  This ancient understanding is supported and clarified in the words of the Prophet Nephi:

"Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?

 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:2-3)

Anciently it was taught that as one read the words of the Torah or the Prophets the spirit of the person would begin to resonate with the spirit of God that delivered that word to the Prophet that originally declared them.  This technique of using words from the scriptures as the focus of intentional prayer or meditation was considered a tried, tested, and true discipline.  When the mind and spirit of man enters into the storm, cloud, darkness, or earthquake of the veil the words of the scriptures or the names of God were used to sooth the tumult experienced before one passed into the realm of the spirit.  This same teaching is also demonstrated in the Book of Mormon by the Prophet Alma:

"And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!" (Alma 36:17-20)

As our minds catch hold upon the words of holiness or the Names of God, it is as if they were catching hold upon this celestial life line that comes from the throne of God.  It was taught that praying or meditating upon these words or names not only brought a calm to the storm or the clearing of the clouds of darkness but they also began to pave a path that the spirit of man can use and reuse to approach the throne of heaven. In the mind of an Israelite, God, his word, and his people are one.  Taking hold of these lifelines brings us back into a state of oneness, connection, and bonding with God.

Regardless of the space or distance between God and man, God's words are connected with him and through his spirit and his word we remain connected.  Whether those words were spoken thousands of years ago, the power that is both behind the words and that comes through the words is the same power given at the time the words were uttered from God to man.  As we undertake to carry out and observe those words given, we become living vessels that contain the light of God here in this mortal and fallen world.  The purpose being so that that which is in Heaven is manifest on Earth (i.e. Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven).

One of the greatest tools of prayer and meditation was found within the Psalms.  The Psalms as a point of intentional mediation or contemplation were used to connect the spirit of man to God even when that spirit which is in man feels exhausted or depleted of strength. It was even taught in these schools that the the continuous reading of the Psalms would change the state of the reader so that by reading they would receive as if it were spiritual nourishment like an umbilical cord of a baby in its mother's womb.  When one directs the mind and spirit in the direction of God a connective power is unleashed and in that condition great and marvelous lessons are taught and comprehended in a manner in which eye hath not heard, nor ear seen the great things for those that love God and guard his commandments/words.  As we receive this nourishment, our souls absorbs the elements of the eternal.  They then begin to manifest the spiritual into action and being in this world.  We become living vessels through which the light and truth of God (intelligence) enables us to receive to bestow--or to Love God and to Love our neighbor.

The Prophet Nephi also states the importance of this type of feasting on the word:

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting (intentional prayer/mediation)  upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end (i.e walking in it until the purpose is manifest), behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." (2 Nephi 31:20)

These techniques of recitation of the scriptures (Psalms, Prophets, Torah, etc) were used in the ancient School of the Prophets. Some of these disciplines dating back as far as Moses and Abraham. In following these disciplines, great transformative power was unleashed and the pathways of spiritual revelation were opened.

© 2018 Robert Kay

All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Pathways Of The Prophetic- Understanding The Veil

In the ancient Schools of the Prophets the spirit and mind of man was trained to pass through the veil (Klipah).  This veil was described using many different symbols such as the cloud, the storm, the voice of thunder, the darkness, the strong wind, the earthquake, and the fire etc. This Israelite veil imagery was described by the Prophet Elijah:

"And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." (1 Kings 19:11-12)

We can also see this imagery used by the Prophet Ether in regard to the brother of Jared:

"And it came to pass that when they had come down into the valley of Nimrod the Lord came down and talked with the brother of Jared; and he was in a cloud, and the brother of Jared saw him not.

And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been. And it came to pass that the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud, and gave directions whither they should travel...

And it came to pass at the end of four years that the Lord came again unto the brother of Jared, and stood in a cloud and talked with him. And for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and chastened him because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord." (Ether 2: 4-5,14)

The same imagery was employed by Nephi in the Book of Helaman:

" And it came to pass that they were overshadowed with a cloud of darkness, and an awful solemn fear came upon them. And it came to pass that there came a voice as if it were above the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to declare good tidings...  And notwithstanding the mildness of the voice, behold the earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison trembled again, as if it were about to tumble to the earth; and behold the cloud of darkness, which had overshadowed them, did not disperse— " (Helaman 5: 28-29,31)

The Prophet Alma and the sons of Mosiah were confronted by an Angel through the veil also relates this same imagery in being confronted with the veil:

"And now it came to pass that while he was going about to destroy the church of God, for he did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of God, or even the king—

And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood" (Mosiah 27:10-11)

The Patriach Lehi also utilizes the veil imagery in his vision of the Tree of Life:

"And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field. And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy." (1 Nephi 8:8-10)

The purpose of Israelite prayer/meditation was to fulfill the commandment given by God to bond with him.  The mind and spirit of man in order to fully bond or connect with God must pass by these veils or barriers that are designed to separate the carnal from the spiritual or that which is holy from that which is profane. The experience being of such a nature that whether in the body or out of the body, or in the physical or spiritual plane, the experience is of such a nature that heaven and earth connect in such a way that its' reality cannot be questioned by the prophet or the people who experience the veil.  Once experienced those prophets and people who connected with God became a conduit of connected heaven and earth-- "And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!" (Numbers 11:28)

The words of the prophecy or revelation spoken by the prophets whether it be Abraham, Moses, The Brother of Jared, Lehi, Nephi, etc came from a world far more exalted that this sphere.  The words of the prophecy being of such a nature and layered with both plainness and instruction far deeper than human language could fully convey that it took the same infusion of the spirit to experience the words of the Prophets so that one could fully understand these exalted instructions.  The experience of this type of exalted experiential communication is described by the Nephites in the land of Bountiful as follows:

"And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father; And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father."

It was also conveyed by the Apostle Paul (Shaul):

"How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." (2 Corinthians 12:4)

The keys of the knowledge to pass by the veil are contained within the scriptures and the spirit that animated the prophetic experience in those prophetic words become living celestial seeds in our hearts that plant living trees of life that enable our ascent back into the presence of God. These keys of knowledge coupled with the planting of these seeds literally produce the conditions that transform the fallen into the exalted and connect this world with the world above. What is often taught in Sunday School as a childs parable of the The Seed by the Prophet Alma is in actuality an ancient handbook of the process of transformation and ascension written to a child but encoded with instruction for those who seek to learn the science of the Fathers:

"And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen."

The encoded words and instructions in this Israelite teaching contain not only the plain meaning and child instructions but also the deeper instruction or what is referred to in ancient Israel as the "Holy Names" or "Vessels" whereby God's world is physically and spiritually manifested in this world. This is why the record of the Nephites is so important to our spiritual development and progression because it contains these holy mechanisms in a more pure and less tamper with state for the express purpose of recreating the conditions where heaven and earth connected as with the Nephites at the Temple in the Land of Bountiful.

In a grand account written in symbolic form Nephi in 3 Nephi relates the storms and destruction upon the land at the time of the Messiah's crucifixion.  It is also an instruction manual of passing through the storms and clouds of the veil documented using real events but communicated in an ancient Israelite manner to serve as both an actual account of events and at the same time instruction on establishing Zion-sacred space where Heaven and Earth connect:

"And it came to pass in the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land. And there was also a great and terrible tempest; and there was terrible thunder, insomuch that it did shake the whole earth as if it was about to divide asunder... And it came to pass that when the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the storm, and the tempest, and the quakings of the earth did cease—for behold, they did last for about the space of three hours; and it was said by some that the time was greater; nevertheless, all these great and terrible things were done in about the space of three hours—and then behold, there was darkness upon the face of the land. " (3 Nephi 8:5-6)

The imagery employed by these prophets was not happenstance.  The only way to pass through the storm or veil is found within the darkness of the soul first by descending to reach a state of silence in your land.  The words of God revealed through this and other accounts are repetitive instruction manuals (or keys of knowledge) to understand the veil, pass through it, commune with Heaven, and then connect Heaven and Earth.  This Book of Mormon is what has been sealed from the eyes of the understanding of the Gentiles is also a book that if we understand and embrace the message can liberate the fallen or trapped soul to experience the liberation of Messiah and The Assembly of the Firstborn-an exalted assembly to which no earthly institutional church can compare.


© 2018 Robert Kay

All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

PROPHECY BEING FULFILLED

Dividing The People 

"And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land." (3 Nephi 7:2)

Many people view the idea of Zion with religious and communal eye glasses.  Strangely enough if we were to examine closely the Israelite idea of Zion we would find that it was a place where God's people were secured in the blessings of life and liberty.  It was a place where peace and safety for all of God's people would be secured under the rule of his law- so that equity, liberty, and justice would be meted out for all being blind to class, wealth, or color. Ironically we could summarize Zion as follows:

" ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL"

Even in this pledge of allegiance we hear the echoes of Israel as recorded in the Shema:

"2 That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:

5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." (Deuteronomy 6)

This blessing of Oneness under God and his laws is preserved by the obedience of the People to God's laws. What we are witnessing now in this country is division-division based on wealth, race, etc.  This division is part of the covenant curses coming upon the Land.  It is also a part of the plan of the Adversary and his secret combination that seeks to overthrow the liberty of all lands as described in Ether:

" Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.

For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning."  Ether 8:24-25.

The division we see now in our nation is fulfillment of prophecy as declared in the Book of Mormon.  While people are being divided by economic forces, media forces, and subversive governmental forces a war is being waged for the very soul of this country.  If we do not awaken to our awful situation, this nation will creep closer and closer to levels of division and warfare that will make the Civil War look like a day in the park.  We will see race pitted against race, men pitted against women, women pitted against men, wealth pitted against the workers, and children against parents.  In a nation once united we will see the emergence of governments and city states- some of whom will seek to maintain the laws of liberty and freedom while others will seek to establish tyrants and kingmen. Even as the forces of division and violence increase there will be those who will be led to set apart places where civilization is maintained and freedom will be secured. There are many at this time whom God has lead out from those areas that are the more populous and wicked to places that will serve as states or nations of protection appointed by God for those in whose hearts still burn the fire of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of Liberty.  It will be those who understand that liberty was purchased with the price of sacred life and can only be preserved by eternal vigilance and the establishment of God's laws.  If our nation continues to walk the path it is walking, a day will come when confidence will be lost and God's wings of protection will be withdrawn.  It will then be said again:

"And only a few years have passed away, and they were a civil and a delightsome people. But O my son, how can a people like this, whose delight is in so much abomination— How can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment against us?" (Moroni 9:12)

There is a path to healing.  There is a path to covenant rebirth.  But I wonder how many will hear this familiar cry, "O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and then would our brethren have been spared, and they would not have been burned in that great city New York.

And in another place they were heard to cry and mourn, saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and had not killed and stoned the prophets, and cast them out; then would our mothers and our fair daughters, and our children have been spared, and not have been buried up in that great city Los Angeles. And thus were the howlings of the people great and terrible." (see 3 Nephi 8:24-25)

Pathways Of The Prophetic- Dreams, Visions, And Anchoring The Soul

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions" (Joel 2:28)

While our language skills develop as we mature, our first and primary level of communication is the world of pictures. If I were to say a fruit that is orange and sweet it might conjure pictures of a juicy sweet orange or tangerine.  Or if I were to say a feathered creature flying in the air it might conjure pictures of an eagle soaring in the sky or a hawk gliding overhead.  In the world of the prophetic words such as 'orange' or 'eagle' were constructs to represent these images. Pictures are the most fundamental level of communication.

It was taught in ancient Israel that dreams were messages from the worlds above.  It was said by some sages that a dream left uninterpreted was like a scroll left unread.  When we enter the world of the visionary or dreamer, information is communicated in images and symbols. Spiritual communication does not follow the same rules as our natural mind. The language of images and symbols was considered the language of heaven and divine messengers.  The gift of the angelic visitation, the dream, or the visionary was considered so powerful and elevated that prophets would declare:

"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him." (Isaiah 64:4)

and

"And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father..." (3 Nephi 17:16)

Divine communication in visions or dreams was part of the pathway of the prophetic. The visions were so powerful to the receiving prophet that they would be almost overwhelming in some cases leaving the body of the prophet without strength:

"And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen. And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God." (1 Nephi 1:7-8)

The ancient Schools of the Prophets preserved this understanding of the power of images, but they also taught the discernment of these communications as well. Significant training was given to the student to teach them to discern between the the common thoughts of the mind and true communications from God. This pathway of ascension and discernment was typified in scriptural language using images or symbols of the storm, clouds, fire, and darkness symbolizing the Klipot, barrier, or veil.  The instruction included the methods of  the submissive will by which one parted the veil.

YHVH- An Anchor To The Soul

One of the key anchors of the soul in its ascent taught in the ancient Schools of the Prophets was God's name YHVH. Whenever a prophet walked the pathway of the prophetic and came up against the darkness, cloud, barrier, veil (klipot) they were taught how to overcome this barrier.  To submit through this veil or barrier they would perform the prophetic technique involving the a meditation/prayer of calling on the name of God- YHVH. The prophet Lehi gives an example of this submission past the veil of darkness by meditating or calling upon YHVH:

"And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me. And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him. And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste. And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies. And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field." (1 Nephi 8:5-9)

This same manner of submitting past the veil was experience by over 300 Lamanites who came to kill the Prophets Nephi and Lehi in the Book of Helaman.

"And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?

And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you.

 And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.

And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire." (Helaman 5:40-43)

Calling upon the holy name of God (YHVH) acted as an anchor to the soul and connected the mind of the submissive to the mind of God (YHVH). In calling upon the name or meditating upon the name of God the barrier/veil/klipot was dispersed and the seeker gained entry into the presence of God. The meditating or calling upon the name YHVH is still used today as a method of casting the spiritual anchor for those sincerely seeking to bond with God. Yet the calling upon the name alone was not sufficient to breach the barrier it must be accompanied by the sincere intention and desire to receive correction and deliverance (i.e. repentance) of God. In doing so the mighty cleansing power of God was unleashed and the person performed the act of surrendering their will to God which is the one single force that blocks the process of spiritual bonding.  This same ancient process is exemplified with King Lamoni when upon calling upon the name of God he fell to the earth as if he were dead:

"Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness (klipot) having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame, and he was carried away in God" (Alma 19:6)

As we surrender our will to the will of God, sacred space is created in the heart preparing the student to receive the greater things of God.  The observance of the commandments that comes from this submission of the will is the fruit meet or that comes from this submission. In doing so the darkness of the mortal world falls away and the student of the prophetic is then carried away in God.  One who has no real desire or intent to surrender their will to receive the things of God will never pass the veil that separates this world from the world above.

Pathways Of The Prophetic- Dangers Along The Path

"Who shall ascend into the Mountain of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." (Psalms 24:3-4)

God's gifts and revelations are in direct proportion to the level of our spiritual maturity.  To the extent that we resonate with Heaven, Heaven becomes a reality to us in the here and now.  Because of the fall, there are barriers of physical and spiritual noise in the souls of men and women.  These veils or barriers are what are referred to in Hebrew as the Klipot- shells or barriers.  Unlike Adam we do not possess the celestial capabilities that the civilization of Adam possessed because of these barriers. The ancient schools of prophets were well aware of these veils or barriers and their training included instruction of the nature of these barriers and the methods of entry through these veils.

According to some writings, during the time of Israel when the prophetic was manifest in great power and abundance it was said that there were millions who gathered to enter into the life of the talmidim, or students, of these schools of the prophets. At the same time while there were true prophets to be found in abundance there was also the reality of false prophets who sought power and to get gain. Because of the danger that came from the results of institutional and false prophets, God declared to Moses the penalty of death for the false prophet. (Deuteronomy 13: 1-6) In other words, the God of Israel had no tolerance for those falsely claiming to speak in his name.

The discernment between those legitimately sent from God and those who were not has always been a difficult task.  In order to discern between the two God gave the scriptures to teach us the commandments and the covenant bounds wherein people can walk. At the same time while the commandments can be strictly observed, there is still a chance that a person can be deceived even when their heart is in the right place as there are forces that exist whose desire it is to keep men and women from bonding with God.

The true nature of evil is never experienced as devils with red horns and pitchforks. It is often experienced through those whose disposition is carnal (governed by the physical body), sensual (governed by the passions and emotions), and the devilish (those without law). The existence and power of the natural man and the adversary's ability to influence the natural man is experienced by all; from prophet to lay person, from old to young, both male and female. There are enough prophetic ego maniacs to go around in this world just as there many prophetic/religious figures that done holy garb and who seek to exert dominion and control by demanding loyalty beyond reason to them and their respective churches/institutions.  These are those who sincerely believe God has spoken to them and yet their fruits are the fruits of chaos, the breaking of the God's commandments, or the supplanting of God's commandments with the commandments of men.  With their words they draw near to God with their mouths (comparable to false advertising) while their actions are those of totalitarian control, secret combinations, the ignoring of God's commandments, and indifference in upholding justice and mercy. The power of the false prophetic can be experienced individually as well as institutionally.

The spirit that resides within men and women is powerful. All have the ability to ascend and to rend the veil that separates this world from the worlds above, but in doing so there is the possibility of being seduced by evil influences- both mortal and spiritual. In order for the students of the prophetic to ascend they had to walk a path of correction and cleansing.  The commandments of God serve to display the image or countenance of God that enable the prophetic student to separate the holy from the profane, the prophetic from the false prophetic in order to perceive the true spiritual reality of God.

© 2018 Robert Kay

All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.