In 1 Nephi 1:14, part of Lehi's throne theophany, we read:
And it came to pass
that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did
exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works,
O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and
goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because
thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they
shall perish!
This is important for many reasons.
Firstly, in the theology of the Lehi, God is localised in heaven and sits on a
throne, notwithstanding his power being everywhere (on this, see Lynn
Wilder vs. Latter-day Saint (and Biblical) Theology on Divine Embodiment; Does
Jeremiah 23:24 pose problems for LDS theology?; Psalm
139:7 and Latter-day Saint Theology). Furthermore, the theme of a
prophet/seer joining in songs of praise with the heavenly court is seen in many
ancient texts. For instance, in the Apocalypse of Abraham (first to second
century A.D.), we read the following:
3 And I wanted
to fall face down on the earth. And the place of highness on which we were
standing now stopped on high, now rolled down low. 4 And he said, “Only
worship, Abraham, and recite the song which I taught you.” 5 Since there
was no ground to which I could fall prostrate, I only bowed down, and I recited
the song which he had taught me. 6 And he said, “Recite without ceasing.”
7 And I recited, and he himself recited the song:
8 Eternal One, Mighty One, Holy El,
God autocrat
9 self-originate, incorruptible,
immaculate,
unbegotten, spotless, immortal,
10 self-perfected, self-devised,
without mother, without father,
ungenerated,
11 exalted, fiery,
12 just, lover of men, benevolent,
compassionate, bountiful,
jealous over me, patient one, most
merciful.
13 Eli, eternal, mighty one, holy,
Sabaoth,
most glorious El, El, El, El, Iaoel,
14 you are he my soul has loved, my
protector.
15 Eternal, fiery, shining,
light-giving, thunder-voiced,
lightning-visioned,
many-eyed,
16 receiving the petitions of those
who honor you
and turning away from the petitions of
those who restrain you
by the restraint of their provocations,
17 redeemer of those who dwell in
the midst of the wicked ones,
of those who are dispersed among the just
of the world,
in the corruptible age.
Showing forth the age of the just,
you make the light shine
before the morning light upon your
creation
from your face
to spend the day on the earth,
19 and in your heavenly dwelling
place
(there is) an inexhaustible light of an
invincible dawning
from the light of your face.
20 Accept my prayer and delight in
it,
and (accept) also the sacrifice which you
yourself made
to yourself through me as I searched for
you.
21 Receive me favorably,
teach me, show me, and make known to your
servant
what you have promised me. (R.
Rubinkiewicz and H.G. Lunt, "The Apocalypse of Abraham," in James H.
Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Volume 1: Apocalyptic
Literature and Testaments [New York: Yale University Press, 1983], 696-97)
