Priesthood

So, I've been thinking about the Priesthood a lot recently. There's the "Women in the Priesthood" movement who think women should receive the Priesthood and I've met those who resent the Church for denying the Priesthood to Blacks for a time. I'm going to start with definitions and then back track to the Old Testament and work my way forward in time.

Priesthood definition according to lds.org, "The word priesthood has two meanings. First, priesthood is the power and authority of God. ... Through the priesthood, God created and governs the heavens and the earth. Through this power, He exalts His obedient children, bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man” ( Moses 1:39; see also D&C 84:35–38).

Second, in mortality, priesthood is the power and authority that God gives to man to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God’s children. The blessings of the priesthood are available to all who receive the gospel. (“Priesthood Authority,” Handbook 2, Administering the Church)" (https://www.lds.org/topics/priesthood?lang=eng)

To me that means that the Priesthood is the power of God and permission and authority to use God's power. The Priesthood is required in order to perform any saving ordinance, like baptism or the Sacrament.

Now, back to the Old Testament. I'm going to talk mostly about the Levitical/Aaronic Priesthood and not the Melchizedek Priesthood. Jacob or Israel had 12 sons. The first was Reuben. Reuben had the birthright until he "uncovered the nakedness of his father". Then the second born was Simeon and third born was Levi. Simeon and Levi slaughtered a whole group of people because one of them had defiled their sister and then tried to make it right by marrying her, but Simeon and Levi wouldn't let it go and slaughtered a whole tribe/nation/town of people. The birthright is then passed on to Judah. Reuben, Simeon and Levi are all chastened when Jacob/Israel is giving blessings to his sons and decides to claim Ephraim and Manasseh (of Joseph) as his own. Later, after they have left Egypt by following Moses, all are given an inheritance except.... Levi. Levi is to be scattered throughout Israel and is to be servants to the rest of Israel. Granted Israel is supposed to take care of them but technically good slave owners took care of their slaves so they would be able to perform what their masters wanted of them, so I believe the Levites were in a similar position. They were to be taken care of, but that does not mean they have a lofty position and means to make money, but merely to be able to live and fulfill their purpose. So, this is the beginnings of the Priesthood. To me it comes across as more of a punishment. They had nothing to their name except by generosity of the tribes they lived among. They were to serve others. I feel Levi was given the Priesthood so they would learn to serve others. In other words, they needed to learn something from their assigned, humble position. 

Jump forward to the mid 1800s. Blacks were denied the Priesthood. Actually I'm going to backtrack just for a moment. The Church was restored in 1820. Why? Didn't the people who lived between when the Apostles were on the Earth and 1820 deserve the Gospel and blessings of it? There was a speech called "Why 1820?" by I think Franklin R Covey that speculates as to why the Lord didn't restore His Church sooner. Without reading it too recently, what I remember is that the Church needed a country to establish religious freedom in order for it to survive a restoration. And the Church wasn't immediately restored after religious freedom was gained here, and even when it was restored, the Church struggled at first to survive. The Church was not popular and was persecuted. It was persecuted for its beliefs but also for polygamy. The Civil War was fought and before that Blacks were not recognized by this country as even a full person. How much more would the country have persecuted the Church if Blacks had the Priesthood? And even after the Civil War, things did not magically get better for the Blacks. They were persecuted for several more years before they had other rights. When the Black finally received the Priesthood they at least officially had the same rights as their White counterparts (even if there is still racism- which is a different matter, legally they should have the same rights now). I believe that the Lord has a purpose to His timing, and I believe that the conditions relating to Blacks in this country at least played a part in why the Lord waited. Just like the Lord waited to restore His Church, the Lord waited to give the Priesthood to all men.

Now, on to women and the Priesthood. Let's consider the nature of men and women. How many married women who step up and take over things in their marriage have spouses who try to fight them for leadership? How many men gladly take the back seat and allow the wife to lead in things when they want to? I know my husband would gladly let me be in charge of all household duties. If I took over making all the money he would gladly step back (and likely play video games in his new spare time, instead of doing what I do with our kids and around the house). Now, this is not true of all men, some will fight for the ability to lead, but most men need a responsibility in order to take charge. Giving men the Priesthood gives them something they feel responsible for. It is that responsibility that often will motivate them to work and become better. The Priesthood is meant to serve and many women are conscious of others and are willing to serve without having the responsibility of the Priesthood. I don't know if I'm explaining this part well, but I feel men need the Priesthood to become better people and active members in the Church and to help them be aware of the needs of others. The Priesthood teaches them to be kind and forgiving of others.

Now back to the definition. The Priesthood is the power of God. Well what can God do? We know that with the Priesthood God created the world. What office in the Priesthood allows men to create? None of them. Men and women can create--life, buildings, roads, computers, furniture, a home... For some of those, both a man and a woman is needed and for others, one can do it based on their talents. God can do other things as well. The Priesthood callings given to men revolve around the power to perform ordinances and to speak for God and lead His Church. Lets analyze those backwards.

Lead His Church. A Prophet is called. This is a man. Why? I don't know. Maybe because He symbolizes Christ (a man). Maybe because He can perform any saving ordinance. Maybe because men need to learn how to lead. Maybe so that by becoming responsible for so many, their hearts grow. Maybe women don't need that. But for whatever reason, the Prophet is a man. But the Prophet calls a General Relief Society Board and Young Womens Board and Primary which is usually full of women. So women are needed to lead, in local branches all the way up to the top. But the man is the head- whether it's because they need to grow the most, because they perform any saving ordinance or because they represent Christ or another reason, this is the case.

To speak for God. This kind of goes hand in hand with the previous statement. Any woman (or man) can speak for God in reference to those for whom she is responsible as designated by her family or calling.

The power to perform ordinances. Men perform baptisms and confirmations. They bless and pass the Sacrament. They can perform temple ordinances (including initiatories and endowments). But wait a second.... I'm a woman. I worked in the temple. I was not given the Priesthood. I was set apart, but the same as I am when I become a teacher or ward greeter. Yet, as a temple worker I performed initiatories and endowments for women. How is this possible unless I have the Priesthood? It isn't.

My conclusion: Women have the Priesthood. I may never be a deacon, teacher, priest or elder. I do not know what my calling within the Priesthood is called, but I have the power of God in me. And it's not just about bearing children. Perhaps I am capable of all that a man is. Perhaps I am not allowed to do certain things because just as men need to learn to serve, I need to learn to depend on them. But I am allowed to do a great many things, and just because it is different or not publicly recognized (welcome to motherhood) does not mean that I do not have the power of God in me. But everyone needs to learn to step up and become the best they can be. Perhaps if women were to claim the Priesthood- the same Priesthood that men have, the men would not step up... or not enough would... and then there would be 80 women to 20 men in the Celestial Kingdom....

One last thing to consider- in the world we have doctors. Doctors can save lives and perform surgeries on others. They cannot perform surgeries on themselves (yes I've seen shows where they take a bullet out themselves or sew themselves up or direct someone else but they cannot perform in depth surgeries on themselves alone.) In the world is it more important that everyone becomes a doctor or that everyone has access to a good doctor that their lives may be saved and they can receive proper care and be healthy? I think it's the same with the Priesthood. I may have some of the power of God within me, but regardless of that, it is not as important who the doctor is (who holds the Priesthood) as it is important for everyone to be able to be blessed by the doctors (Priesthood). Just as doctors cannot perform surgery on themselves, neither can the Priesthood be used by oneself for their personal gain. And unlike doctors, there is no money or prestige to be made by holding the Priesthood. It may seem like there's prestige because we honor and know who holds the Priesthood, but I would argue that we only know them so we know where to turn for help and blessings and so that the Church stays a Church of order. Matthew 23:11, "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant."

Eminent Women from History

I would like to share a video- and honestly I didn't recognize all the names.  The video tells about the signers of the Declaration and many other eminant men that came to Wilford Woodruff in the St. George temple just after it was dedicated and wanted to have their temple work done. This I had heard about, but Wilford also said that there were also many women from history that had their temple work done. Wilford Woodruff's record does not say that the women appeared to him (like the men did), but whether they did or by revelation he picked these women from the whole lot of influential women in history, I still thought it was interesting.  The person who put together the video has been researching these women and has started to do individual videos of them, feel free to explore his other videos as well.

Daughters of Onitah and the wife of Ham

There is only one verse on the daughters of Onitah, but I find their lineage interesting to their story as well, of which we can find more scriptures.

Abraham 1:11 "Now, this priest had offered upon this altar [the one Abraham was also offered upon, though Abraham was saved] three virgins at one time, who were the daughters of Onitah, one of the royal descent directly from the loins of Ham.  These virgins were offered up because of their virtue; they would not bow down to worship gods of wood or of stone, therefore they were killed upon this altar, and it was done after the manner of the Egyptians."

They were of royal birth, and direct descendants of Ham.  The descendents of Ham- it talks more about them in Abraham 1: 21-22 and even a little in verse 23.  "Now this king of Egypt was a descendant from the poins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth.  From this descent sprang all the Egyptians, and thus the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land." (Abr. 1:21-22)  The footnote for Canaanites is given in both verses, one footnote being the same in both- Moses 7:6-8 which tells us who the Canaanites were, for their blood to be passed down, or in other words, the people of Egypt were related to the Canaanites.  "... and the people of Canaan shall divide themselves in the land, and the land shall be barren and unfruitful, and none other people shall dwell there but the people of Canaan; For behold, the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever; and there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people." (Moses 7:7-8)  So these were the same people that were initially cursed because of their wickedness, now to take it down to Noah's time...

Moses 8:28-30, "The earth was corrupt before God, and it was filled with violence.  And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.  And God said unto Noah: The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence, and behold I will destroy all flesh from off the earth."  EVERYONE was wicked.  There was not one nation that was righteous- cursed or not cursed.  And then back to Moses 8:27 "And thus Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord; for Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation; and he walked with God, as did also his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth." (emphasis added) Back briefly to Abraham 1:23 "The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus, which in the Chaldean signifies Egypt, which signifies that which is forbidden".  Many people say this shows that Ham's wife was forbidden.  That's what it seems her name means, and regardless we know she was of the lineage of the people of Canaan.  BUT, (here's a shout out for the wife of Ham) a man, Ham, who walked with God, chose to marry her when all the world around him was becoming more and more wicked.  ALL the wicked were destroyed and his wife was not.  "Cursed" or not, she was a righteous woman, otherwise she would not have survived the floods. 

Now back to the book of Abraham 1:24-25, "...from Ham, sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land.  Now the first government of Egypt was established by Pharaoh, the eldest son of Egyptus, [I'm unsure as to whether there are two Egyptus's or if it is the same that was mentioned in verse 23] the daughter of Ham, and it was after the manner of the government of Ham, which was patriarchal."  So we have the beginnings of the royal line in Egypt from which the daughters of Onitah came.  Now verse 26, "Pharaoh, being a righteous man, established his kingdom and judged his people wisely and justly all his days, seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generations, in the days of the first patriarchal reign, even in the reign of Adam, and also of Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom..."  The beginnings of the leadership in Egypt was righteous- its people were righteous and over time people began to turn from the Lord and worship idols instead.  The people of Egypt may have carried the result of the curse in their blood, but as we can see here, it has nothing to do with their ability to be righteous and to be chosen.  The wife of Ham was chosen to survive the flood because of her righteousness, even above those of lineages which were not cursed.  The daughters of Onitah were faithful, even unto death, refusing to worship idols and are noted for their virtue.  It reminds me of Daniel who refused to worship idols and was thrown into a lion's den, but these three women went to meet their God a little sooner.  These women practiced virtue and were faithful.  They along with the wife of Ham, are women worthy of emulation.