Christ’s was a call to a higher righteousness. His repeated message of “Ye have heard such and such, but I say unto you … ” clearly establishes his place as God, as one who spoke with authority, as one who could supplement and even expand upon the ancient prophetic word. His was a reminder of the need for pure thoughts and desires as well as for legal and just actions. His was a call to live the spirit of the law as well as the letter.
“Bowed Himself Before the Lord and Did Kiss His Feet”
Those who have served the Master most faithfully and have hearkened to his words most closely are the ones who know him most intimately.
Nephi’s gesture of worship, as described by Mormon, gives us a small glimpse of the love and adoration that Nephi had for his Savior. His entire ministry was one of testifying of Jesus Christ and teaching his people to turn to Christ; now he was able to personally worship the Only Begotten as an eyewitness of the Resurrection.
What greater reward could there be for a faithful follower and disciple of Christ! Perhaps we can better understand not only Nephi’s action but also his innermost feelings when we read the words of a modern-day special witness of the Savior. Demonstrating a Nephi-like love for and intimate knowledge of the resurrected Christ,
Elder Bruce R. McConkie declared:
“I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears. But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way.”
(CR, April 1985, p. 12, italics added.)
“I Will Send You Elijah the Prophet”
When Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith he quoted Malachi 4:5-6, but with significantly different wording from the way it appears in either the Bible or the Book of Mormon versions (see Joseph Smith History 1:38-39; see also D&C 2). Moroni’s version adds important doctrinal insights into this prophecy.
For whatever reason Moroni changed the words, it is clear that the mission of Elijah is significant to the restoration of the everlasting gospel and that understanding that mission is essential to understanding and appreciating the fulness of the gospel. The Prophet Joseph taught extensively concerning Malachi’s prophecy and the critical mission of Elijah.
“Elijah was the last prophet that held the keys of the Priesthood, and who will, before the last dispensation, restore the authority and deliver the keys of the Priesthood, in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in righteousness..... Why send Elijah? Because he holds the keys of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the Priesthood, and without the authority is given, the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness.”
(Teachings, p. 172.)
The fulfilment of this prophecy occurred on April 3, 1836, in the Kirtland Temple, when Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and restored these keys to the earth in this final dispensation (see D&C 110:13-16).