What Is Priesthood? Powers of Heaven

D&C 121:36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness

This is the priesthood. Lets examine this piece by piece. What are these "rights".

9 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;
10 And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father;
11 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is,thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal. (Abraham 2:9-11)

Abraham is blessed with "this right" that it shall continue in thee (that is in thy priesthood). What was this right? The right is associated with Abrahams promise. The defintion of "rights" is "entitlement".The promise is that all those who receive "this gospel" shall be called after thy name (Abraham), and shall be accounted thy seed (Abraham). Also it associates "in thee" with "thy seed" with 'thy priesthood". Are these the same thing? Is it that "priesthood" comes from "seed" or "posterity" or "powers'? The right he received was that his seed shall have the blessings of salvation, even life eternal. It was through that right, that his seed or "thy priesthood" would endure.

Lets look at "continue" in D&C 132.

31 This promise is yours also, because ye are of Abraham, and the promise was made unto Abraham; and by this law is the continuation of the works of my Father, wherein he glorifieth himself.

22 ...narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives [lives, or thy seed, or thy priesthood, this extends not to yourself only but those of your posterity or powers]

19 ...and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.

What are the works of the Father?

39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)

So the blessings or "entitlements" of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the "powers that are in heaven".  So we use this verse to define "priesthood" often in the church.

Powers that are IN heaven
What are the powers that are in heaven? Lets examine a bunch of scriptures.

Mark 13:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 

Moses 7:27 And Enoch beheld angels descending out of heaven, bearing testimony of the Father and Son; and the Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught up by the powers of heaven into Zion. 

3 Nephi 20:22 And behold, this people will I establish in this land, unto the fulfilling of the covenant which I made with your father Jacob; and it shall be a New Jerusalem. And the powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people; yea, even I will be in the midst of you.

Lets look at some Aposcypha.

[God] spake the word, and they all came into being, Angel, and Archangel, and Cherubim, and Seraphim, and Thrones, and Divine Governors, and Dominions, and all the Powers that are in the heavens, and all the army of heaven. (Discourse of Abbaton, here) 

Do you see how the Powers of Heaven are associated with angels? With the heavenly hosts of God? Or as his name states the Lord of hosts? Another way to phrase this would be the Lord of the Powers of Heaven. Or Lord of "thy seed" or "thy priesthood".

Powers of Satan
This next verse talks about a different type of "powers", those of satan. The 1/3 part that were cast out. Do you see how these angels are associated with "powers". "powers of the earth" or as before it was "powers of heaven".

39 Now this change was not equal to that which shall take place at the last day; but there was a change wrought upon them, insomuch that Satan could have no power over them, that he could not tempt them; and they were sanctified in the flesh, that they were holy, and that the powers of the earth could not hold them (3 Nephi 28:39)  

11 For all flesh is corrupted before me; and the powers of darkness prevail upon the earth, among the children of men, in the presence of all the hosts of heaven—
12 Which causeth silence to reign, and all eternity is pained, and the angels are waiting the great command to reap down the earth, to gather the tares that they may be burned; and, behold, the enemy is combined. (D&C 38:11-12)

Lets look at a source written by a Catholic member who pulls from some Apocrypha.

There were defections, probably, from almost every Choir of the heavenly Hierarchies. Saint Paul mentions Principalities and Powersamong the fallen angels, who try to seduce man with their deceits: "Put you on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against Principalities and Powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places."[45] As Saint Paul never gives a complete enumeration of all the Choirs of the good Angels at one time, we may surmise that he follows the same rule with the fallen angels. The mention of Principalities and Powers in this passage should not be taken as complete and exclusive, but only as more representative and as implying the great natural power and cunning of our adversaries. Even though deprived of all supernatural grace and superadded gifts, the fallen angels retain their natural power which, in itself, is far superior to the natural power of man. For this reason the Apostle demands that the faithful put on the "armor of God" and "the shield of faith" in order to be able to resist and to conquer. Yet, in view ofthe fact that in another list of fallen angels, the Apostle mentions again only these two Choirs: Principalities and Powers, we believe that the largest number of fallen angels must have come from them. Speaking of Christ's victory over sin and the Devil, Saint Paul says: "Despoiling the Principalities and Powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open show, triumphing over them in himself "[46] (Chapter 3 of the book The Angels, by Pascal P. Parente., here)

The Discourse of Abbaton (cited above) also says this about Satan, or his powers.

"Thou shalt shew compassion neither upon small nor great, and thou shalt carry all away mercilessly. The Powers shall be under thy control, and thou shalt send them after every soul.

Wikipedia states in the article on Christian angelic hierarchy.

The Powers are the bearers of conscience and the keepers of history. They are also the warrior angels created to be completely loyal to God. Some believe that no Power has ever fallen from grace, but another theory states that Satan was the Chief of the Powers before he Fell (see also Ephesians 6:12). Their duty is to oversee the distribution of power among humankind, hence their name. 

Their duty is the distribution of power among human kind. "by the voice of heaven" we receive the power of the priesthood. Or through our connection to these powers (heavenly hosts) we gain Power in the "Priesthood" or thy seed. Or Gods Seed or Abrahams seed. Abraham's Priesthood perhaps than is "Abrahams Powers". It can only be given to us from God Himself.

Lets look at the Book of Enoch and what Hugh Nibley said about Satan. This is published in the Ensign and it was a summary of the book that Hugh Nibley wrote. This is Part 8 of the series.

"God saw that Satan, because of his boundless ambition and total lack of humility, could no longer be trusted with celestial power and commanded the angels to remove him from his office. This ordinance they performed with great sorrow and reluctance: They “removed the writing of authority from his hand. They took from him his armor and all the insignia of priesthood and kingship.” Then with a ceremonial knife, a sickle, they inflicted upon him certain ceremonial blows of death which deprived him of his full strength forever after. (14a.) Other accounts say that after these cuts he retained only one-third of his former power, even as he was followed by one-third of the hosts".
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1976/12/a-strange-thing-in-the-land-the-return-of-the-book-of-enoch-part-8?lang=eng

Hugh Nibley in another source has said Satan was stripped of his power or priesthood "member by member".

Knowledge to Subject Satan

Do you see now how the keys of the kingdom are associated with signs that the elders must know to detect false spirits? Or thist kind of knowledge (keys) are associated with "priesthood"?

I preached in the grove on the keys of the Kingdom, Charity &c The keys are certain signs and words by which false spirits and personages may be detected from true, which cannot be revealed to the Elders till the Temple is completed--The rich can only get them in the Temple, the poor may get them on the mountain top as did Moses. The rich cannot be saved without charity, giving to feed the poor when and how God requires, as well as building. There are signs in heaven, earth and hell: the Elders must know them all, to be endowed with power, to finish their work and prevent imposition. The devil knows many signs, but does not know the sign of the Son of Man, or Jesus.

Or how knowledge ties into this.

A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge for if he does not get knowlede he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world as evil spirits will have more knowledge & consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. hence it needs Revelation to assist us & give us knowledge of the things of God. What is the reason that the Priest of the day do not get Revelation They ask ownly to consume it upon their lust their hearts are corrupt & they cloak their iniquity by saying that their is no more Revelations But if any Revelations are given of God they are universally opposed by the priest & christendon at large for it reveals their wickedness & abominations

Lets look at one more source.

The POWERS are so called because they have power over the devil, in order to restrain the power of the demons, to repulse the temptations brought upon people by them, and to prevent the demons from harming anyone to the degree that they would wish. The powers strengthen the good ascetics in spiritual struggles and labors, protecting them so that they may not be deprived of the spiritual kingdom. They help those wrestling with passions and vices to cast out evil thoughts and slanders of the enemy and to conquer the devil. (The Holy Angels, here)

The Order of Heaven 

In the scheme of things Jesus Christ is far above these other creations. So Paul knew something about the order in heaven since he had been there in vision. (2 Corinthians 12:3)

Remeber this quote above from the Abbaton?

[God] spake the word, and they all came into being, Angel, and Archangel, and Cherubim, and Seraphim, and Thrones, and Divine Governors, and Dominions, and all the Powers that are in the heavens, and all the army of heaven.

Its giving us a key of the different type of "Powers" in the heavens. There are many scriptures in D&C and the book of Mormon that talk about these different types search them. Post is already too long so I won't do it.

The Gods:
Powers in Heaven...
Micha El
Rapha El
Gabri El
Uri El

El means God.

And the voice of Michael, the archangel; the voice of Gabriel, and of Raphael, and of diversangels, from Michael or Adam down to the present time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood; (D&C 128:21)

Study Abraham 3-4.

Handled by Righteousness
Do you see now why "the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness."? We cannot control these "Powers" unless its by "persuasion, longsuffering...". The heavenly hosts are for the most part (but not only) the hosts of the city of Enoch. As soon as we attempt to do anything contrary to the way its meant to be handled we lose the connection to heaven, unless we repent.

The "power" of the angels "over the nations of the earth" (D&C 77: 11) is needed to prevent Zion from being overrun or destroyed by the nations of the earth. These other nations, if they oppose Zion, will be destroyed. (Daniel 2: 31-45; D&C 87: 6.) The "powers of heaven" which will hover over Zion will discourage any army from battling her. (D&C 45: 70.)

This is why Zion cannot be built without the Fulness of the Priesthood. And why so few have ever built up Zion. They were unworthy and incapable of receiving this priesthood. Joseph and Sidney joined the holy angels who stood before God. (D&C 76: 21.) Therefore, they would be among those who "came to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn." (D&C 76: 67.)

Both male and female can have this same fellowship. Do you see what it means to call upon the "Powers of heaven" or to call upon the priesthood of God, because His priesthood are His hosts or "Powers". 

If you didn't get the message
Hood: Neighborhood, motherhood, fatherhood, sisterhood... Its an association of a group of people.

Priesthood is always a relationship between man on earth and the "powers" or hosts of heaven. These angelic or heavenly beings were those who escorted men to the first heavenly Zion (Moses 7: 27), and will do so again.

Cleansing of the Church: The End of the World: AntiChrist's

The voice of the People: When Does it Begin?

25 Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord.26 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people.27 And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land. (Mosiah 29: 25-27)

Persecution of the Few humble followers of Christ: Why Does it Begin?

8 For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure10 And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges; and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress. (Alma 4:8,10)

Cleasing of the Lords House: Where does it Begin?

23 Verily, verily, I say unto you, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face.
24 Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord.
25 And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord;
26 First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord. (D&C 112: 23-26)

Taking the Lords name in Vain: Who are those that have professed to know Him?

Taking the name of the Lord thy God in vain. What does this mean? Lets look at Doctrine and Covenants 63.

61 Wherefore, let all men beware how they take my name in their lips—
62 For behold, verily I say, that many there be who are under this condemnation, who use the name of the Lord, and use it in vain, having not authority.
63 Wherefore, let the church repent of their sins, and I, the Lord, will own them; otherwise they shall be cut off. (D&C 63: 61-63)

Hebrew: Invoking of God’s name to justify doing something that God clearly did not ask you to do.

No wonder he will begin upon his own house to those "who have professed to know my name and have not known me" and it also relates to those who in the authority of Jesus Christ do things that god did not ask them to do.

Tares Choke the Wheat: What happens with the Wheat and Tares?

"The tares choke the wheat and drive the church into the wilderness" (D&C 86:3)(refer to my post here)

So it appears the tares will be left to be burned (bundled up) and the wheat will escape destruction and angels will gather them together in the Last Times. What at first seems to be persecution, affliction, chastisement, punishment, turns out to be a blessing as the tares choke the wheat.

The Righteous Preserve the City: What is the Sign of the voice of the people choosing iniquity?

Helamen 13, a type of the future.

12 Yea, wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved; yea, wo unto this great city, for I perceive, saith the Lord, that there are many, yea, even the more part of this great city, that will harden their hearts against me, saith the Lord.
13 But blessed are they who will repent, for them will I spare. But behold, if it were not for the righteous who are in this great city, behold, I would cause that fire should come down out of heaven and destroy it. [and so it will be in the end, fire will destroy the wicked]
14 But behold, it is for the righteous’ sake that it is spared. But behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for destruction; yea, wo be unto this great city, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her. (Helamen 13:12-14)

When the righteous are cast out, ye are ripe for destruction.

Rejection of a Servant: What does a warning voice sound like?

25 And now when ye talk, ye say: If our days had been in the days of our fathers of old, we would not have slain the prophets; we would not have stoned them, and cast them out.
26 Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds are evil.
29 O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light? (Helamen 13:25-6, 29)

A Voice of Warning Precedes Destruction: Does the Lord always warn us?

2 And it came to pass that in this year there was one Samuel, Lamanite, came into the land of Zarahemla, and began to preach unto the people. And it came to pass that he did preach, many days, repentance unto the people, and they did cast him out, and he was about to return to his own land. 5 And he said unto them: Behold, I, Samuel, a Lamanite, do speak the words of the Lord which he doth put into my heart; and behold he hath put it into my heart to say unto this people that the swordof justice hangeth over this people; and four hundred years pass not away save the sword of justice falleth upon this people. 6 Yea, heavy destruction awaiteth this people, and it surely cometh unto this people, and nothing can save this people save it be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, who surely shall come into the world, and shall suffer many things and shall be slain for his people. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord hath declared it unto me, and he did bring glad tidings to my soul. And behold, I was sent unto you to declare it unto you also, that ye might have glad tidings; but behold ye would not receive me. (Helamen 13:2, 5-7)

Never hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the prophets (2 Nephi 25: 9)

Where was he sent from? Where did He come from?

What is the End of the World?

"Joseph Smith first distinguished between the words world and earth (a distinction not made in the King James Version of the Bible) in 1832 when he translated Matthew 24 (see JS-M 1:4, 55; see also the 5 January discourse: "The world and the earth are not synonymous terms. The world is the human family." By this reasoning the "end of the world" would mean "the end of the wicked part of the human family." Words of Joseph Smith P. 25

They will not endure sound doctrine: How does this Falling away happen? 

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
“And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Tim. 4:3–4.)

Fable:
A story or statement that is not true (Merriam Webster Dictionary)

Who are those that do not endure sound Doctrine? Who are those with the sound doctrine? The voice of the people (majority) choose a fable, a story, a belief that is not true thus bringing the destruction upon the people? 

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)

What causes the falling away?
Who are those falling away?
Why do they fall away and not endure sound doctrine?
Why do the voice of the people choose this way of life?

Son of Righteousness:

3 Nephi 26: (quick summary of the Saviors Sermon)

Notwithstanding all persecution—behold, [The righteous] are they which shall not perish. (vs 8)

But the Son of Righteousness shall appear unto them; and he shall heal them (vs 9)
When the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction (vs 11)

Prophesy of the Last Days:

I prophesy unto you concerning the last days; (vs 14)

20 And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling block [Alma 4:8,10, the church became one when the voice of the people choose iniquity], that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor.
21 And there are many churches built up which cause envyings, and strifes, and malice.

Blind Guides: What is a Blind Guide?

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: (2 Peter 1:4-10)

Will not Enter in themselves: How do you Recognize a Blind Guide?

 Well by their fruits is one way but what did Christ say about the Pharisees?

"Ye blind guides" (Mathew 23, vs 16,17,19, 24, 26) they are called a blind guide.

13 ¶But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye paytithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. (Matthew 23)

Cannot Find Fault: Why do a group of people not recognize a Blind Guide? 

28 Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him. 
29 O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light? (Helamen 13:28)

One Has Not Seen Heaven: What was the difference between Sherem the Antichrist and Jacob?

The scriptures are taken from Jacob 7.

Jacob: 5 And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken.

Sherem: 4 And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil.

So Jacob had revelations, visions, angels, and the voice of hte Lord, Sherem was merely learned. Sherem understood the scriptures, so he professed (vs 10). Yet he did not understand them (vs 11) and claimed to be only saved by the law of Moses (vs 7).

It is Vain to Minister Without This: Must one see Heaven to be a Minister of Christ?

Salvation cannot come without revelation; it is in vain for anyone to minister without it [revelation]. No man is a minister of Jesus Christ without being a Prophet. No man can be a minister of Jesus Christ except he has the testimony of Jesus; and this is the spirit of prophecy. Whenever salvation has been administered, it has been by testimony. Men of the present time testify of heaven and hell, and have never seen either; and I will say that no man knows these things without this.
Joseph Fielding Smith (editor), Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 160

 This is exactly what Sherem did, the AntiChrist. Revelation is how one had knowledge to confound the AntiChrist.

No Reverence for Blind Guides: Who are the Gods we should have reverence for?

to the Christian world, who are blindly led by the blind.1 I will refer to another Scripture. “Now,”says God, when He visited Moses in the bush,2 (Moses was a stammering sort of a boy like me)3 God said, “Thou shalt be a God unto the children of Israel.”4 God said, “Thou shalt be a God unto Aaron, and he shall be thy spokesman.”5 I believe those Gods that God reveals as Gods to be sons of God,6 and all can cry, “Abba, Father!”7 Sons of God who exalt themselves to be Gods, even from before the foundation of the world,8 and are the only Gods I have a reverence for (TPJS, pg 375)

False Christs: Are we deceived Today?

24For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24)

Why is it almost possible if it is? What allows them to not be deceived?

Will Testify of Christ: Will a true servant testify of Christ?

2 And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in yourwords, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins. (3 Nephi 12:2)

Manifestion for Themselves: Shall we always rely on Human Testimony?

Q. Is the knowledge of the existence of God a matter of mere tradition, founded upon human testimony alone, until a person receives a manifestation of God to themselves?
A. It is. (LOF, Lecture 2, here)