“Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfil; For verily I say unto you, one jot nor one tittle hath not passed away from the law, but in me it hath all been fulfilled.”
The Lord sends ministers with a commission to transition from one dispensation of the Gospel to another. From Adam until Enoch there was an order, but with Enoch that order changed. Wickedness and rebellion required a new approach, and Enoch was commissioned to bring it about. (Moses 6: 32-34.) Mankind was in such a state of rebellion that their time was to end. Enoch gathered together people upon a high mountain where he established a city which would survive the destruction by becoming Zion. (Moses 7: 17-21.)
Soon after Enoch was called, the Lord called another, giving him also a dispensation of the Gospel. He, however, was to remain on the earth. (Moses 7: 42-43; Genesis 6: 12-14.) With him a new covenant was made. (Genesis 9: 8-9.)
Both Enoch and Noah were contemporaries, but each had been given a dispensation of the Gospel. The covenant with Enoch did not disannul the covenant with Adam. Nor did the covenant with Noah contradict the covenant with Enoch.
Abraham also received a dispensation of the Gospel. (Abr. 2: 8-12.) Moses also. (Moses 1: 3-4.)
Christ also received a dispensation of the Gospel in the same manner as all those who went before. (Matt. 4: 11; Matt. 17: 1-3.)
Christ fulfilled all the law. Not merely the Law of Moses, which indeed pointed to Him (Galatians 3: 24), but also every part of the Gospel from Adam to Christ’s earthly ministry. (Jacob 4: 4; also 7: 11.) All have testified of Him and He has completed His ministry in strict conformity with all that was foreshadowed, all that was prophesied, all that was anticipated of Him. Just how completely He did this is not possible to understand with the current state of our scriptures. But He did fulfill all righteousness, complete every assignment, accomplish every task and live in conformity with every prophesy concerning Him.
Not one matter respecting Him was left undone. From His hair to His feet, all that was foreshadowed or prophesied was done by Him. He turned not His face from those who spit at Him. (Isa. 50: 6; Matt. 26: 57.) He let Himself be shorn as a sheep and kept silent as it was done. (Isa. 53: 7.)
He inherited Kingship, but deferred His reign to another time. (John 18: 36.)
He fulfilled, but did not destroy. In this He was like those whom He sent before to complete and open anew. In one hinge point of history a dispensation closes and another opens. Enoch and Noah, Abraham and Moses were all commissioned to open and close. For the Lord, however, He divided the spoil. He sent John to close (D&C 84: 27-28), leaving it to Himself to open (John 8: 12). Mankind cannot measure humility or meekness, but in Christ was a fullness of both.
Men in their insecurity and vanity want honors, awards, recognition and fame. The Lord has hidden from us most of what He did, most of what He is. He is content to confine the record of His doings to the minimum necessary for our understanding so we may have faith in Him. But the extent of His doings mankind has yet to find out. (D&C 76: 2.) This is more than a tribute to Him. He has understated His accomplishments. He has hidden His glory from us. He has made less of Himself, that we may not be unable to identify with Him. He is meeker and more humble than mankind understands.
He can be trusted with all power because He will never abuse it. (Matt. 28: 18.) He will use it to serve others. (Luke 22: 27.)
In Christ was all fulfilled. In Him is all fulfilled. In Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Col. 2: 9.) He is the light who came to His own, but we will not receive Him. (John 1: 10-11.)
He was, He is, and He has risen. Above all others and all else, He has risen. And because of this He has made it possible for others also to rise. Everything He has done was in fulfillment of the law, pointing for us the way. Now it is only left for us to follow, trusting in Him.