Uuuum.. it applies today. It is a law and it stands forever! God is an unchanging God, remember? It is plain to understand. We are also commanded to apply all scriptures for our benefit and learning. Don't get it confused as history.Durzan wrote: ↑December 5th, 2017, 6:42 pm Marco, what exactly are you trying to point out here?
For a surety, this scripture first and foremost is talking about Joseph Smith... after that, we can argue all day about how it applies to the modern day. It could be a general rule for Prophets, or it could be specific to Joseph.
Who really knows? All I know is that Thomas S. Monson is the current prophet here on the earth.
The Prophet Joseph explained in the winter of 1832-33 that "no true angel from God will ever come to ordain any man, because they have once been sent to establish the priesthood by ordaining me thereunto; and the priesthood being once established on earth, with [the] power to ordain others, no heavenly messenger will ever come to interfere with that power by ordaining any more. ... You may therefore know, from this time forward, that if any man comes to you professing to be ordained by an angel, he is either a liar or has been imposed upon in consequence of transgression by an angel of the devil, for this priesthood shall never be taken from this church."