From Joseph to Joseph: One Kolob Revolution
"Transferring the Priesthood"

by Lynn Ridenhour

I don't know if it's the millennium bug or what--but it just dawned on me. Two men named Joseph set the course for a thousand years; both dramatically determined history's outcome. And both had leading roles in this earthly drama. I'm talking about Joseph of Arimathaea and Joseph Smith, Jr., the Mormon prophet. One lived during the earlier part of this millennium; the other lived during the end of our previous millennium. From one Joseph to another Joseph is one Kolob revolution. To be blunt--I believe the Holy Grail was transferred from one Joseph to the next. It took a millennium.

What do we know about Joseph of Arimathaea? For one thing, he's one of those Bible characters easily overlooked. At Easter pageants he's briefly mentioned. He's the one who prepared the Lord's body for burial. Other than that, God's people, for the most part, have overlooked this man's serious contributions to the Christian faith. Let's take a look at....

Joseph of Arimathaea

According to the Gospel of Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathaea was an early leader in the church. After AD 70, Joseph set out to establish a church in the "far north." According to the Celts, Joseph came to England and lived at Glastonbury where he ordained his successors. The Celtic Church claimed this was an apostolic succession. When Joseph left Jerusalem, he brought the Grail with him. And herein lies the Grail's importance--it is a visible, tangible symbol of an alternative apostolic succession.

The priesthood didn't go to Rome! It stayed with Joseph of Arimathaea and went an alternate route to the "....far north." It was no coincidence that this man would be the one to prepare the Lord's body with the proper garments [of the priesthood] for a resurrection. Priesthood authority was about to be resurrected.

Who is Joseph of Arimathaea?

In some versions of the Grail romances, Joseph is taught "....the secret words of Jesus by the Lord himself." His successors claimed to have had secret knowledge "....unknown to the established church." According to the Grail romances, the holder of the Grail [the priesthood] was called the "rich fisher" or "fisher king." An apparent reference to Peter, the fisherman, who held the first keys to the Church. A "rich fisher" is a person who understands the restoration of priesthood.

How important is Joseph of Arimathaea?

Without him, we would not have today the keys of the priesthood preserved for the descendants of Ephraim and Manassah! Possession of the Grail symbolizes that priesthood authority took an alternate route from Roman Christianity. Because of Joseph of Arimathaea, we can today trace our authority back directly to Christ--without going through Rome. In fact, the town of Glastonbury is referred to in medieval literature as a "second Rome"--far older than that of Rome, and built on stronger foundations.

That priesthood [the Grail] would be lost and hidden--until later another Joseph would dig it out of the earth. Want to know what year medieval literature says the Grail was lost?

570 AD!

It would lay lost in the earth for 1260 years. Add 570 + 1260 = 1830!

On April 6th, 1830, apostolic succession, power and authority was once again restored to this earth by another Joseph. The Holy Grail was transferred.

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