During this morning’s reading, these disparate ideas came to mind.
Music ordained?
There is a phrase of a symphony caressing this soul in conjunction with the subsequent question, but it remains unidentified. Curiously, with it comes the thought: why does our music have 12 (chromatic, 1/2 step) tones, and why does the major (Ionian) scale have 7 steps? Why those two numbers? Is it possible that the ladder to the eternal comprises a couple of half steps? That certainly makes it look less arduous, even if that last 1/2 step is a killer. What then of the numerous octaves?
And, what is that piece of music….
Keys and Ordinances?
If we presume 1) that in order “to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15),” Jesus had to receive baptism by one holding the necessary keys (John), and by extension 2) that He would have similarly received all the essential ordinances of salvation, including 3) the new and everlasting covenant of marriage sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise by 4) one duly anointed (keys?; D&C 132:5-6), then by whom and when was Jesus sealed?
Is this part of what happened on the Mount of Transfiguration? Is that why Elijah was there? Were his keys required? Were others present that we don’t know about (e.g., wives)?
Also, if Elijah and Moses came to convey keys, why; did they possess keys that Christ did not? Is this related to why keys will be passed (to and then) from Adam to Christ at Adam-Ondi-Ahman? (see: Joseph Smith 1839 discourse)
While we are at it, how is it that Moses and Elijah came to Joseph and Oliver to deliver keys in a vision (Doctrine and Covenants 110:11–12)? Is this what happened on the mount? Was the prior visit of John also a vision (Joseph Smith—History 1:68–72) ? What about the ostensible visit from Peter, Jacob, and John?
Is D&C an Echo of the Bible?
Let’s make a couple of assumptions: Joseph Smith is of “Jewish” descent (see: 2 Nephi 3:5–19), you are probably a gentile, and the church, well, you know.
The following scripture is (quite reasonably) understood to be about the bible. The question is, what might it teach us about D&C (highlights added):
21 And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the book [D&C]?
1 Nephi 13:21–29
22 And I said unto him: I know not.
23 And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew [Joseph Smith]. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles [us].
24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.
25 Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.
26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.
27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.
28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.
29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
Now, that would be be kinda unsettling. No?
Interestingly, what follows might give more than a degree of comfort (highlights added):
30 Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the land of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren.
31 Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the seed of thy brethren.
32 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen.
33 Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be merciful unto the Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment.
34 And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the remnant of the house of Israel—and this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father—wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb—I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.
35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.
36 And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation.
37 And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
38 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.
39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
(1 Nephi 13:30–40)