Saturday, December 4, 2021

Joseph Smith and His Contemporaries on the Ancient of Days being Michael/Adam

The following are some examples of either Joseph Smith or his contemporaries offering reasons for identifying the "Ancient of Days" in Daniel 7 with Michael and/or Adam:

 

Ancient of Days.— one came to the Ancient of Days—Many suppose this was the son. after jud[g]ment. sat son of man comes to Ancient of Days. the most Ancient man of God that lived in days. else he could not have been the Ancient of Days. Father Adam is to come, and organize a great Council to prepare for the coming of the 2d advent— Jesus comes to the Ancient of Days (Minutes and Discourses, 6–8 April 1843: [86-87]

 

The last revelation says ye shall not have time to have gone over the Earth until these things come. It will come as did the Cholera. war. & fires burning Earthquake one pestilence after another &c until until the Ancient of Days come then judgment will be given to the Saints. (Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–A, as Reported by Willard Richards)

 

With these feelings, and desires, and believing that, that Being, who holds the destinies of nations of the earth in his hands, will overrule all things for the furtherance of the work, which he has set his hands to perform in these days, till the throne shall be cast down, The Ancient of days sit and the Kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high— Whose kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and dominions shall serve and obey him (Elias Smith, Letter with postscript by Joseph Smith, to Elias Higbee, March 7, 1840; Joseph’s postscript reads “I heartily concur in the above sentiment”)

 

Commencing with Adam who was the first man who is spoken of in Daniel as being or “the Ancient of Days”  in other words the first and oldest of all, the great grand progenitor of whom it is said in another place he is Michael because he was the first and father of all, not only by progeny, but — — — — the first to hold the Spiritual blessings to whom was made known the plan of ordinances for the Salvation of his posterity unto the end and to whom Christ was first revealed, and through whom Christ has been revealed from heaven and will continue to be revealed from henceforth. Adam holds the keys of the dispensation of the fulness of times, i.e. the dispensation of all the times, have been and will be revealed through him from the beginning to Christ and from Christ to the end of all the dispensations that are to be revealed Ephesians 1st. ch 9 & 10 (Comments recorded from October 5, 1840 as found in History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]: 16 [addenda])

 

So shall it be with my father: he shall be called a prince over his posterity, holding the keys of the patriarchal priesthood over the kingdom of God on earth, even the Church of the Latter Day Saints; and he shall sit in the general assembly of patriarchs, even in council with the Ancient of Days when he shall sit and all the patriarchs with him— and shall enjoy his right and authority under the direction of the Ancient of Days (Blessing to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, between circa 15 and 28 September 1835)

 

And again I understand from Daniel, Chap. VII. 13. verse that this person like unto the Son of man will receive his kingdom when the Ancient of Days shall sit and not before; and I further understand at that time this character will appear as the Deliverer who Paul says is to come out of Zion; and that then the saints shall prevail, and at length possess the earth. (Gladden Bishop, Letter to Joseph Smith, September 26, 1843)

 

In the course of the lecture he threw much light on the subject of the “Ancient of Days,” showing him not to be the Lord Jesus Christ, nor God the Father, but that he is old father Adam, who shall sit as a great patria[r]ch at the head of the whole family; when the second Adam, the Lord fom heaven, the Son of Man shall come with the clouds, and come to the Ancient of Days, and the saints should take the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, according to Daniel, chapter vii. ("Latter Day Saints, or Mormons," in Times and Seasons 3, no. 17 [July 1, 1842]: 835)

  



Further Reading


Orson Pratt and the Identity of the Ancient of Days (1843)