Temple: Powers of Heaven: 144,000: Zion

Please read this post: What is the Priesthood: Powers of Heaven. We will go from there.

15 Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen. (Mosiah 5:15)

"may seal you his"
Hugh Nibley defines a Seal as the following in his text "Ancient Ordinances" a discussion on the ancient temple.

The sign of recognition with the Lord is to stretch out the hand and receive the sign of the cross in the hand. 

(The final rite of the crowning of the Egyptian kings was an embrace which a priest have the king as a representative of the king’s father through a canvas in a special manner, whispering certain blessings in his ear.)

Three types of greeting coming from Adam’s time:
1) a call
2) a sign in the hand,
3) an embrace. These three signs are seals.

Joseph Said,

This is the spirit of Elijah, that we redeem our dead, and connect ourselves with our fathers which are in heaven, and seal up our dead to come forth in the first resurrection; and here we want the power of Elijah to seal those who dwell on earth to those who dwell in heaven. 

History of the Church, 6:252. (also here)

Friendship: What kind of relationship do you need to do this?

Moses 7:63 And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy a city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other;

A connection to the Powers of Heaven? Someone you know, talked with, familiar with? It seems like one form of embrace. 

"that you may be brought to heaven",

I wish to pull one sentence from the LDS endowment. This sentence is almost identical to the published version written by Brigham Young and many published documents in the early church. 

Brethren and sisters, if you are true and faithful, the day will come when you will be chosen, called up, and anointed kings and queens, priests and priestesses, whereas you are now anointed only to become such. 

You see the endowment is conditional, its not the real blessings. Its an ordinance we are asked to receive in this life, that also points us to something higher, just like baptism, and the gift of the holy ghost point us to something greater. Its in a way a witness and testimony of what we have or will do.

Look at the word "called up" or as the Mosiah verse uses the terms "that you may be brought to heaven". Is this what the temple is pointing to? Is this how we receive the real thing? To converse with the Lord through the veil? While in the flesh? Lets look at some more examples.

Not lawful to utter

The scriptures have used this phrase a lot. Lets examine some of them to see how they relate to being "called up' or being "brought to heaven" or our "endowment".

13 And behold, the heavens were opened, and they were caught up into heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things.
And it was forbidden them that they should utter; neither was it given unto them power that they could utter the things which they saw and heard; (3 Nephi 28:13-14)

Behold, it came to pass on the morrow that the multitude gathered themselves together, and they both saw and heard these children; yea, even babes did open their mouths and utter marvelous things; and the things which they did utter were forbidden that there should not any man write them. (3 Nephi 26:16)

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)

Look at Josephs Experience in Section 76 when he was caught up to Heaven. He testifies he has seen Him! This is not what is not lawful to utter. He testifies He saw God the Father. This is not what is not lawful to utter.

114 But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpass all understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion;
115 Which he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for man to utter;

These are the mysteries that are not lawful to utter. Go read what he did reveal. Those are mysteries we should testify of.

The revelation ends with these words.

116 Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him;
117 To whom he grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves;
118 That through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the world of glory.

1 THE words of God, which he spake unto Moses at a time when Moses was caught up into an exceedingly high mountain, (Moses 1: 1)

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (Revelations 21:10)

Lehi:

8 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.
9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.
10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.
11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read. (1 Nephi 1:8-11)

The scriptures are full of accounts of people receiving the fulness. They are accounts for us to teach us how to pierce the veil. The what, the why, and the how.

Kings and Priests
Lets look at the visions of John.

5 Therefore, I, John, the faithful witness, bear record of the things which were delivered me of the angel, and from Jesus Christ the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.
6 And unto him who loved us, be glory; who washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God, his Father. To him be glory and dominion, forever and ever. Amen. (JST Revelations 1:5-6)

Being washed from the blood and sins of this generation is directly related to those who receive the holy order, or the power in their priesthood, or a fulness of the priesthood. In the post on the Holy Order I quoted this verse in Alma 13 vs 11, "Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.". Remember this verse in D&C 88:68.

68 Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will. (D&C 88:68)

"ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life"
We have NOT repented and come to Christ. Had we done that, we would have been embraced in those opened arms of our Lord. In five points of contact with a loving God, we would have heard unspeakable things and know we escaped the wo's pronounced by Nephi. You need to figure out what it is that is NOT working in your repentance. 

"through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen"

The 144,000 High priests
Lets talk about the 144,00 High priests. Joseph received the following revelation.

11Q. What are we to understand by sealing the one hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel—twelve thousand out of every tribe? 

A. We are to understand that those who are sealed are high priests, ordained unto the holy order of God, to administer the everlasting gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given power over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn. (D&C 77:11)

They are ordained by the angels, sealed up as High Priests to gather as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn. These servants gather others that will come. Two phrases I want to bring up.

"ordained unto the holy order of God"
Where are they ordained from? Is this a church ordination or perhaps its the ordination that I have just talked about to be "ordained by God Himself" as all prophets were (TPJS) and "caught up to heaven".

How about the ordaination by God's voice? JST Gen. 14: 28-30.

"by the angels to whom is given power"Who are these angels? Where do they come from? Will others know about these 144,00 if its angels that ordain them?

These 144,00 are given the terms "power" and "angels". Interesting enough its the same type of association as the "Powers of Heaven". Is it this association that keeps us from being burned when the "hosts" come down out of heaven? (Moses 7).

The Four Angels In Heaven Seal the Servants

Revelations 7:1-3 tells us that the four angels are the ones that seal the servants before the final harvest so they will not be burned.

Priesthood Ordination by God's Voice (Holy Order)

42 And wo unto all those who come not unto this priesthood which ye have received, which I now confirm upon you who are present this day, by mine own voice out of the heavens; and even I have given the heavenly hosts and mine angels charge concerning you. (D&C 84:42)

Put on Thy Strength, O Zion

7 Questions by Elias Higbee: What is meant by the command in Isaiah, 52d chapter, 1st verse, which saith: Put on thy strength, O Zion—and what people had Isaiah reference to?
8 He had reference to those whom God should call in the last days, who should hold the power of priesthood to bring again Zion, and the redemption of Israel; and to put on her strength is to put on the authority of the priesthood, which she, Zion, has a right to by lineage; also to return to that power which she had lost. (D&C 113:7-8)

Awake, Arise
Lets read the version of Isaiah 52:1 in 2 Nephi.

24 Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
25 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
 (2 Nephi 8:24)

The reason why Israel cannot build Zion is because they are all asleep, held captive, they won't wake up, and put on "thy strength" or this priesthood. They remain unclean. First step is to Awake. The Next Step is to Arise. The reason why WE cannot build Zion is because WE ARE ASLEEP. "Awake to your awful situation" the scriptures inform us. Awake to your awful state of wickedness. They will not become Sanctified! So that they can be washed from the blood and sins of this generation.

Even though there are some awake, they to must to Arise. While many are asleep, there are a few awake, and even a fewer who do what it takes to Arise. Perhaps a another post I will focus on this more.

Sit Down

And ascended into heaven, to sit down on the right hand of the Father, to reign with almighty power according to the will of the Father; (D&C 20:24)

And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out (Helaman 3:30)

How to Worship 

19 I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness. (D&C 93:1)

Search the scriptures to know how, to know what, that you may come unto the Father. The lectures on faith says without a correct idea of his character, pefections, and attributes we cannot lay hold upon eternal life. Their purpose is to teach us the What, the Book of Mormon also does but also shows us HOW. 

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.