Moroni Lifted Up

President Hinckley once quoted Revelation 14:6-7 in general conference, saying, “The figure of Moroni, atop many of our temples, is a constant reminder of the vision of John the Revelator: ‘And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.’” I love the fact that John saw Moroni in vision and described him as an angel that did “fly in the midst of heaven,” just as he now stands atop so many temples in the act of flying or at least standing high up in the air. Moroni’s last words in the Book of Mormon also allude to the fact that he would one day “fly” up from the ground: “And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead” (Moroni 10:34). He is indeed “triumphant through the air” as he stands on temples across the world. It is fitting that this final image in the Book of Mormon points us to the temple—the place the whole Book of Mormon is supposed to lead us to as we become converted and enter into covenants with the Father.

               There is one other passage in the Book of Mormon that alludes to Moroni being raised up. In a letter to his son, Mormon said to Moroni, “My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever” (Moroni 9:25). Of course he was talking about Moroni being “lifted up” symbolically, to feel of Christ’s strength and help in him, but it is fitting that this would be the language he would use because statues of Moroni would be quite literally lifted up for all to see on top of countless temples. As we see Moroni on top of temples today we should remember that one of his messages is that we will all be raised up, resurrected, to be brought before the Savior to be judged. He declared, “And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep… and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar.” He wrote of “that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God” (Mormon 9:2,13). Because of the Savior we will all be resurrected and will be lifted up, like Moroni, to stand before God. What matters most is how we prepare now for that day.