1 Nephi 12:7 - 12:11
1 Nephi 12:7 And I also saw and bear record that the Holy Ghost fell upon twelve others; and they were ordained of God, and chosen.
Nephi bears testimony first to Jesus’ coming to his descendants in the future but to the ordaining of the Twelve Apostles who lived in Palestine. Nephi feels the need to testify as to their reality to us. I assume because Jesus can’t be with us all the time, that the Apostles are His representatives. That we need to look to them as we look to Christ. Nephi bears his testimony as to that fact.
As I have thought about it over the years, it is the Twelve that really got the church up and running. They were the ones that established the church creating congregations, setting apart leaders, etc. I sure that if Jesus had only did what he did without putting in place the twelve, the Gospel would have died with him and we would know nothing about either Him or that there is a need for a church. Indeed, Jesus was a trainer of priesthood leadership and an example of how a leader should conduct themselves. It was up to the Twelve to really get the church established and functioning, just as it is today.
1 Nephi 12:8 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the twelve disciples of the Lamb, who are chosen to minister unto thy seed.
Nephi is next shown twelve others among his own descendants who are also set apart as Apostles to his own people. I assume because of the great distance between Palestine and Central America and the shear difficulty in traveling over such distances that twelve representatives would be needed here for the same reason as the others in Palestine.
Have wonder how many other such Twelves were established on other parts of the world? I bet there were many others. Because we do not know about them, they and the church they establish disappeared like the twelve in the Americas.
1 Nephi 12:9 And he said unto me: Thou rememberest the twelve apostles of the Lamb? Behold they are they who shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel; wherefore, the twelve ministers of thy seed shall be judged of them; for ye are of the house of Israel.
However a line of authority is set up between these separate quorums. The first ones in Palestine are to be the head of all the other groups of twelve at least in Nephi lands and I suppose in other parts of the world where other branches of the House of Israel are set up. And I think it would included in whatever time they were in authority. The original twelve will be over all other twelves regardless of what time period they served in. So the twelve who are in place now will have their PPIs with this original group when the time comes.
1 Nephi 12:10 And these twelve ministers whom thou beholdest shall judge thy seed. And, behold, they are righteous forever; for because of their faith in the Lamb of God their garments are made white in his blood.
We are told that their callings and election are made sure because of their faithfulness in carrying out the assignments given to them in their service to their own people.
1 Nephi 12:11 And the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments were white even like unto the Lamb of God. And the angel said unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him.
Nephi sees about 200 years after Christ’s coming among his descendants. He sees that they are a righteous people and their callings and election are also made sure like the twelve that administered to them were. It was their faith in Christ that brought about this condition. Nothing on their own caused this to happen.
If no faith in Christ, then no calling and election made sure. Christ is the key to continuing in their progression towards perfection. There is no other way. No philosophy, political system or psychology that will accomplish this goal that we all have.
Many have tried other ideas, but they all fall short and eventually are forgotten. It is strange to me that people are willing to try all sorts of ideas, but will not try the one that actually works. They’re like little children, they want to do by themselves with no help so they can use that to show how great they are. But it is useless. When you surrender to God you get the power and perfection you seek with his help. You can’t learn to tie your shoes without your someone showing you how.
