Turn To Their Fathers

In his recent article about the everlasting covenant, President Nelson said this: “In the closing text of the Old Testament, we read of Malachi’s promise that Elijah will ‘turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers’ (Malachi 4:6). In ancient Israel, such reference to the fathers would have included fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This promise is clarified when we read the different version of this verse Moroni quoted to the Prophet Joseph Smith: ‘He [Elijah] shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers’ (Joseph Smith—History 1:39). Those fathers surely include Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (See Doctrine and Covenants 27:9–10.)” Typically when I have thought about this promise of Malachi, especially in connection with family history work, I have considered the “fathers” to be our direct ancestors. But it makes sense that Malachi may have also been referring specifically to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to whom we should look. This is indeed what the above verse in the Doctrine and Covenants seems to suggest: “And also Elijah, unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse; And also with Joseph and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham, your fathers, by whom the promises remain.” Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph are our fathers and from them come down the promises of the Lord through His covenant He made with them. As we seek to turn our hearts to the fathers we should follow the invitation of Isaiah: “Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you” (Isaiah 51:2). Abraham and Sarah, along with the other patriarchs and their wives, are indeed our fathers and mothers to whom we should look.

                So how do we “look unto Abraham” and turn our hearts to him and our other scriptural fathers and mothers? Surely one way is to seek to learn about their lives and then follow their examples of faith, sacrifice, and covenantal living. In the scriptures of the Restoration we are blessed to have significant addition text about Abraham which can help us know how to be like he was. In the book of Abraham we learn that this great prophet “sought for the blessings of the fathers” just as we should do in looking to him. In particular he sought to “be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest” (Abraham 1:2). As we look to Abraham we should seek for the same things in our lives: to possess great knowledge, to receive instructions from the Lord, keep His commandments, build eternal families, and ultimately receive the blessings of the priesthood through the temple. Because of Abraham’s focus on following Jehovah and keeping His commandments, the Lord blessed him in these words, “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.” I love the words of Abraham after this: “Now, after the Lord had withdrawn from speaking to me, and withdrawn his face from me, I said in my heart: Thy servant has sought thee earnestly; now I have found thee…. I will do well to hearken unto thy voice” (Abraham 2:9-13). More than anything else, his example in the book of Abraham invites us to seek the Lord with all our heart and then to hearken unto His voice. Abraham received great blessings of knowledge and posterity because He sought out the Lord with great earnestness. He saw the great premortal council in heaven and learned that he was chosen before he was born to do the work of God on earth, and from that vision we have this powerful summary of our purpose on earth: “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:25). Abraham was willing to do whatever the Lord commanded him, and as we look to him and the other “fathers” we can seek to do likewise in our lives so that “all the blessings reserved for the faithful posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” can be ours.