A prophet only when acting as such, part 1: A prophet like unto Moses

D&C 107:91-92.  "And again, the duty of the President of the office of the High Priesthood is to preside over the whole church, and to be like unto Moses ... to be a seer, a revelator, a translator, and a prophet, having all the gifts of God which he bestows upon the head of the church." (As quoted by Gordon B. Hinckley in his 11th year as Church President, Ensign, Dec. 2005, 46.)

Moses 1:25.  "Blessed art thou, Moses, for I, the Almighty, have chosen thee, and thou shalt be made stronger than many waters; for they shall obey thy command as if thou wert God."

Moses was told that the waters would obey his command "as if thou wert God" and they certainly did.

Helaman 12:7-8 (7-16).  "O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.

"For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God."

The dust of the earth is always obedient to God whereas the children of men are not always obedient. Possibly for this reason, the children of men are here referred to as "less than the dust of the earth." The elements are obedient to God and his prophet. Shouldn't we likewise follow the prophet who is "like unto Moses" as if he were God?

Exodus 4:15-16.  Defining his relationship as Prophet to his brother Aaron, God said to Moses: "And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth,... and will teach you what ye shall do.

"And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God."

President Harold B. Lee, while a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, used these verses to explain the relationship that the prophet has with other Church leaders: "I think that is as clear a relationship as you can find anywhere — the relationship of the prophet of the Lord and the President of the Church, the prophet, seer, and revelator, to others of us to whom he may delegate authority." (As quoted in LDS Church News, April 15, 2000.)

D&C 28:2-3, 6-7.  In September of 1830, the First Presidency had not yet been organized, but Oliver Cowdery was the Second Elder of the Church. The question arose concerning who might receive revelations for the Church when Oliver Cowdery took the Prophet Joseph Smith to task for not accepting certain revelations that had been received by others. In answer to the Prophet Joseph's prayer about this matter, the Lord revealed section 28 of the Doctrine and Covenants and gave the following instructions to Oliver Cowdery (see verses 2-3, 6-7):

"No one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses.

"And thou shalt be obedient unto the things which I shall give unto him, even as Aaron, to declare faithfully the commandments and the revelations, with power and authority unto the church....

"And thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the church.

"For I have given him the keys of the mysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead."

D&C 43:1-4.  The Lord plainly states that only the President of the Church is appointed to receive commandments and revelations, and "there is none other appointed ... to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken." (Italics added.)

D&C 100:9-11.  In 1833, the Lord reminded Sidney Rigdon, a counselor in the First Presidency, that he was to be a "spokesman" for the Prophet, and that the Prophet should "be a revelator unto thee."

The scriptures teach that the Prophet is "like unto Moses." Some say if we had a prophet like Moses, we would be led with greater manifestations of power than we now are. But the same spirit of revelation that rested upon Moses and enabled him to lead the children of Israel through the Red Sea rests upon the President of the Church today. Today's Prophet is truly "like unto Moses."

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