Twenty-Nine (1834)were also taught from on high.”^29 But what was it that the Jaredites were “taught from on
high”? Was it the same things that were given to Moses when he was instructed from on
high and given the “law of the Lord” for the Jewish people? Did the Jaredite
commandments and religious law include ordinances, rites, sacrifices, and the priesthood
authority that administered them? When he met with Christ on Mount Shelem, was the
brother of Jared instructed in the same things as Moses? If the biblical religious principles
and ordinances were so important to the salvation of the people, one would think that the
brother of Jared would have been given a law similar to that which was given to Moses.
Nevertheless, there is no mention, whatsoever, of any ordinances, priesthood,
church, temple, leaders, church authority, or anything vaguely associated with a religion
throughout the entire history of the Jaredite people. It only mentions the presence of
prophets who were sent to call the people to repentance. However, Moroni does mention
that the brother of Jared met with Christ and that “[Christ] ministered unto him even as he
ministered unto the Nephites.”^30 In other words, Christ taught him the “fullness of the
everlasting Gospel” exactly as he delivered it to the Nephites.
Unlike the Nephites, who questioned Christ after he had delivered the fullness of the
Gospel to them, “and wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses for they
understood not the saying that old things had passed away, and that all things had become
new,”^31 the brother of Jared had never heard of Moses or any of the “old things.” Christ
didn’t “groan within” when he dealt with the brother of Jared—like he did when he dealt
with the “wickedness of the people of the house of Israel” (the Nephites)^32 —and therefore,
he wasn’t forced to give the Jaredites commandments regarding ordinances, priesthood, or
anything else associated with the Law of Moses.
The Jaredite people were taught how to treat each other properly according to the
eternal code of humanity that Christ incorporated into his teachings, which were given
equally to the Nephites as they had been to the Jews.^ The Jaredites were a completely
separate people from the “house of Israel”; and, at least at first, they didn’t see themselves
as a chosen people or having any other special standing before God; nor did they have the
need to establish a religion among themselves.
The book of Ether was meant to be the last divinely inspired hyperbolic presentation
in the unsealed record. It was meant to give the people another clue as to the importance of the
words of Christ outside of an organized religion. It also delivers a grave portend to the
Gentiles (Americans) that live in the Western Hemisphere. It specifically explains what will
happen if the people disregard the simple code of humanity in treating each other with
equality and righteousness and choose instead to pursue worldliness. It speaks of “secret
combinations,” which have become a vital part of American politics, religion, and business.^33
The book of Ether was meant as the final warning to the American people who
would accept the Book of Mormon (the LDS/Mormon people). The warning and hidden
clues were prepared carefully by Moroni, who knew that most of the people who would
accept the Book of Mormon, would reject the sealed part because of “that veil of unbelief
which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of
heart, and blindness of mind.”^34
Moroni is one of the advanced humans who monitor the Marvelous Work and a
Wonder® of the latter days. He knew exactly what he needed to do to take away the excuses
that the Latter-day Saints would have for not understanding the simple message of the Book
of Mormon and disregarding the “fullness of the everlasting Gospel as delivered by the
Savior,” both during Joseph’s lifetime and later when the sealed portion of his work would