In part 1 of “Today’s Headlines” the prophecy of Moses was considered and the outcome of that prophecy ending with the cutting off all who fail to heed the words of Christ. We are told that should be the headline for exactly this time. When that day comes, a line is drawn in the sand and those crossing over the line suffer greatly.
Our understanding of the prophecy of Moses is aided by the new translation of the Book of Mormon into modern English. We have not had sufficient time to become familiar with the differences between the Covenant of Christ and prior editions of the Book of Mormon. This is likely the beginning of a grace period where the Lord allows time for us to consider what He and His servants have given us. In October a sustaining vote will be called for and we are given the opportunity to accept or reject the Covenant of Christ. That is not the proverbial line in the sand but what is done thereafter distinguishes between the Gentiles who are convinced of the continuation of the Restoration and find peace and “life eternal and those who do not.
“Then the Angel told me: You’ve seen that if the Gentiles repent, it will turn out well for them. You also know about the Lord’s covenants with the house of Israel. And you’ve also heard that whoever doesn’t repent must perish. As a result, if the Gentiles harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, I will afflict them. Because the time will come, says the Lamb of God, when I’ll bring about a great and awe-inspiring work among mankind, one that will be everlasting-one way or the other-either to convince them, resulting in peace and life eternal; or to give them up to their hard hearts and blind minds, bringing about their slavery and temporal and spiritual destruction, under the accuser’s enslavement which I’ve spoken about” (Covenant of Christ, 1 Nephi 14:5-7, p.20, emphasis added).
The Lamb of God, Christ, does “an awe-inspiring work” which begins with the servant of Christ bringing the words of Christ to fulfill the prophecy of Moses. For the Gentiles the awe-inspiring work is a closing of the chapter for their covenant opportunity and the beginning of the final chapter for Israel, the family of God.
“And the Lamb’s words will be revealed in the records of your descendants as well as in the records of the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses. So they’ll both be witnesses together because there’s one God and one Shepherd over the whole earth. At a future time, He’ll reveal Himself to all nations, both to the Jews and to the Gentiles. And after He has revealed Himself to the Jews and to the Gentiles, He’ll then appear to the Gentiles and to the Jews [this is exactly where we are at this time]. The last will be first and the first will be last” (Covenant of Christ, 1 Nephi 13:41-42, p.20, emphasis added).
I suspect the Lord’s approach with us follows a similar pattern applied to Israel and the early saints. A Gentile covenant beginning and end, then a transition to Israel.
The Lord explained to Joseph Smith the importance of heeding all of God’s revelations.
“And I now give unto you a commandment to beware concerning yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life, for you shall live by every word that proceeds forth from the mouth of God. For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatever is truth is light, and whatever is light is spirit, even the spirit of Jesus Christ. And the spirit gives light to every man that comes into the world, and the spirit enlightens every man through the world that hearkens to the voice of the spirit, and everyone that hearkens to the voice of the spirit comes unto God, even the Father. And the Father teaches him of the covenant which the Father has renewed and confirmed upon you, which is confirmed upon you for your sakes, and not for yours only, but for the sake of the whole world.
And the whole world lies in sin and groans under darkness and under the bondage of sin, and by this you may know they are under the bondage of sin, because they come not unto me, for whoever comes not unto me is under the bondage of sin. And whoever receives not my voice is not acquainted with my voice and is not of me. And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groans under sin and darkness, even now.
And your minds [early Latter-day Saints, at the beginning] in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received, which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation rests upon the children of Zion, even all, and they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon, and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say but to do according to that which I have written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom. Otherwise, there remains a scourge and a judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion, for shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Verily, verily I say unto you, nay” (RE T&C 82:18-20, emphasis added).
The early saints, and all mankind are admonished by God to give “diligent heed” to the words of Christ. If we are diligent in searching and pondering His words we are naturally drawn to the Father and Son and become familiar with Their voices. Those who are vain and lack faith will not become familiar with His voice and not come to the Father and receive instruction about His covenant with a humble, contrite and faithful heart.
Because of vanity, unbelief and treating lightly the Book of Mormon and former commandments in scripture the saints were condemned by God. This condemnation has never been lifted and remains to this day.
When the Gentile Fullness Ends, A New Generation of Gentiles are Given a Second Opportunity to Remove the Condemnation
Joseph Smith introduced the Gentile Restoration. In 1831 the Lord revealed to Joseph a day comes when a light appears again to the Gentiles when their fullness is complete.
“And when that day shall come shall a remnant [of Israel] be scattered among all nations; but they shall be gathered again, but they shall remain until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled. And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion. And men’s hearts shall fail them and shall say that Christ delays his coming until the end of the world, and the love of men shall wax cold and iniquity shall abound. And when the times of the gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fullness of my gospel, but they receive it not, for they perceive not the light and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men.
And in that generation shall the times of the gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be men standing in that generation that shall not pass until they shall see an overflowing scourge, for a desolating sickness shall cover the land. But my disciples shall stand in holy places and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices, and curse God, and die. And there shall be earthquakes also in diverse places and many desolations. Yet men will harden their hearts against me, and they will take up the sword one against another and they will kill one another” (RE T&C 31:6-7, emphasis added).
A light breaking forth among those who sit in darkness is where we find ourselves at exactly this moment of time. The prognosis for the outcome is not favorable for the majority of the Gentiles because they suffer the worst kind of blindness. The blindness of ignorantly thinking they know the truth when their knowledge barely approaches an Aaronic understanding.
The pattern is the same at the transition from the beginning of one dispensation to its end. Tradition and the precepts of men corrupt doctrine that is pure and the process of doctrinal entropy begins. Like pouring water into wine, eventually the result is very little wine and slightly colored water.
The Angel of the Lord showed Nephi how this happened when the record of the Jews is given to the Gentiles in purity. First the Angel shows Nephi the Gentile nations throughout the world. Among them, Nephi is shown a church accompanied with a vivid description.
“. . . I saw among the Gentile nations a large and powerful church was built up. Then the Angel said to me: Notice the building up of a fully corrupt church, worse than all other churches, which kills God’s holy ones, and tortures them, ties them down, subjugates them, and enslaves them with an iron yoke. I saw this corrupt and utterly wicked church, and I saw that the accuser was the foundation of it. I also saw gold, silver, woven and scarlet clothing, fine knit linen, and all kinds of costly apparel, and I saw all kinds of corruption. Then the Angel said to me: The gold, silver, woven and scarlet clothing, fine knit linen, costly apparel, and corruption are the things this utterly wicked church considers valuable. And it’s to get praise of the world that they destroy the holy ones of God and enslave them” (Covenant of Christ, 1 Nephi 13:4-9, p.17, emphasis added).
The general tendency when reading Nephi’s account is to identify the church. Because some version of this church is prevalent in all societies it is more beneficial to identify the characteristics and apply them in contemporary times. The most redundant attributes in these verses are frequently repeated derivatives of the word “corruption”.
This church is “fully corrupt,” “corrupt and utterly wicked,” has “all kinds of corruption.” One definition of corruption is “the process by which something, typically a word or expression, is changed from its original use or meaning to one that is regarded as erroneous or debased” (Oxford Languages). As it applies to the church Nephi sees among the Gentiles, the utterly corrupt and wicked church following a pattern of taking what is pure and complete and adulterating it for deceptive purposes.
“ . . . Then the Angel of the Lord said: You’ve seen that the book came from the Jews. When it came from the Jews, it contained the fullness of the gospel of the Lamb, whom the Twelve witnesses testified about. And they testified truthfully of the Lamb of God. So these things were delivered in purity from the Jews to the Gentiles relating the truth of God. After they’re delivered by the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses, from the Jews to the Gentiles, you see the establishment of that corrupt and utterly wicked church, which is the most detestable of all other churches. For they removed from the Lamb’s gospel many clear and extremely valuable parts and they’ve also removed many of the Lord’s covenants. They’ve done all this in order to corrupt and pervert the right ways of the Lord, to blind people’s eyes and hardened their hearts. Therefore you see that after the book has passed through the hands of that corrupt and utterly wicked church, many clear and extremely valuable things are gone from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God. And after these clear and valuable things are gone, it was passed along to all the Gentile nations.
And after all Gentile nations receive the book, a great number of people make a great number of mistakes that gives Satan power over them. That altered book is what the Gentiles who crossed the sea to escape captivity bring with them. It lacks many clear, understandable things about the Lamb of God. Nevertheless, you see the Gentiles have left captivity and have been liberated by God’s power to independently control the land. The land is better than all other places on earth. The Lord God covenanted with your father to inherit it, and your descendants will mix with your brothers’ descendants and survive. God won’t let the Gentiles destroy all your brothers’ descendants, or leave the Gentiles in the awful blind condition you see that resulted from that utterly wicked church removing the clear and extremely valuable parts of the Lamb’s gospel. Therefore, the Lamb of God says, I’ll have mercy for the Gentiles and will judge and punish the remnant of the house of Israel.
. . . I’ll show mercy to the Gentiles. They’ll make a great many mistakes because of the extremely clear and valuable parts of the Lamb’s gospel that have been removed by that utterly wicked church, which is the mother of harlots [offspring or churches that sell themselves for money]. But by My power I’ll bring to light for them more [but not all] of My gospel, which will be clear and very valuable. After your descendants are destroyed and fall away in unbelief, along with your brothers’ descendants, these writings will be hidden and protected, to later be delivered to the Gentiles by the gift and power of the Lamb. My gospel will be written in them, says the Lamb- My rock and My salvation [this marks the beginning of the Restoration of Joseph Smith. He brings to light “more” of the Savior’s gospel but not all]. I’ll bless those who then want to bring about My Zion [Zion was never established in Joseph Smith’s day. In fact, Zion is not established until Israel is gathered and Joseph Smith’s work is vindicated in the last days[1]]; they’ll [repentant Gentiles] have the gift and power of the Holy Ghost[2]. And if they continue faithful to the end, they’ll be raised up on the last day and saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb.[3] Therefore, any who proclaim peace, the joyful news, how beautiful shall be their presence upon the mountains!” (Covenant of Christ, 1 Nephi 13:24-37, emphasis added).
In the secular view of a Gentile scholar, the reason for these events could be attributed to political, social and economic events. But the Covenant of Christ attributes these events to the quality and substance of the content found in scripture. Like the gas pedal on a car, the more light and knowledge from God given to the sons and daughters of God they accept, the level of righteousness increases. Not receiving the light contained in scripture leads to hard hearts and spiritual retreat from God. The first leads us to God the Father and increased agency and the second to captivity and darkness both temporally and spiritually.
The symbolism of the Covenant of Christ also comes into play with the scriptures. In Lehi’s dream of the Tree of Life, the “iron rod”, or word of God leads those on the straight and narrow path through the dark mists to the Tree of Life and love of God. The corrupt and utterly wicked church of the accuser removes from the scriptures clear and valuable knowledge and covenants. The reduced light is described by the Angel to Nephi as an “iron yoke.” It contains some of the rod of iron but what is lacking yokes them in ignorance, keeping them from advancing to the Father and His covenant.
For this reason, the Gentiles who receive the Book of Mormon only have “more of My gospel, which shall be clear and very valuable ”[4] as opposed to all my gospel. Having more of the Lord’s gospel is a mixed blessing for the Gentiles because, like previous dispensations, after the dispensation head is removed, the philosophies of men mingled with scripture fill the void where revelation from the dispensation head once stood. After Moses was taken from Israel, the light of revelation gradually withdrew and the body of scripture and sacred truth became corrupted with it. What was once sacred and holy was replaced by rabbinical scholars to whom people looked to for uninspired guidance. In the days following the death of Joseph Smith, the Doctrine and Covenants ceased to expand and authoritarian license was exercised to introduce innovation on the doctrines of Christ’s gospel. Rabbinical scholarship among the Gentiles was present in the Journal of Discourses and the gradual erosion of doctrinal interpretation through semi-annual general conference sermons and random changes in policy.
When the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, Gentiles from the Mormon traditions are “yoked” with false traditions and precepts of men. Combine those precepts with the firm conviction the “more” given by Joseph Smith was enough until the men presuming Joseph Smith’s authority for this dispensation say so. The same men who have shown no revelation for two hundred years since the advent of the Restoration. Like Christ in the days of His mortal ministry, the Lord calls someone from outside a tradition that created a narrative of lies about its founder, embellished their history, withholds historical facts, and reviles against transparency for their finances out of fear the membership will withhold tithes.
Conditions at the times of the fullness of the Gentiles according to the Lord’s revelation to Joseph Smith are:
“And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth.
And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound” (RE T&C 31:6).
Into these conditions a light breaks forth and comes in among those who sit in darkness. The world in general is in darkness because the accuser ready’s his forces to fight against new light. The Gentile version of the corrupt and utterly wicked church of the accuser knows light is coming and marshals its resources to counter the added light that destroys darkness.
Joseph Smith said the following about the building of Satan’s kingdom.
“In relation to the kingdom of God, the devil always sets up his kingdom at the very same time in opposition to God” (TPJS. p.365).
The kingdom of the devil is not set up in a separate institution uniquely established for his purposes. His tools are lies, deceit, misdirection and co-opting organizations that began with God as their author but become corrupt when Satan replaces divine revelation with lies to deceive.
The accuser exercises his power until the light foretold to Joseph Smith appears to the Gentiles under similar circumstances faced by the Savior during His mortal ministry. What is the light breaking forth in darkness? The Angel showed Nephi the light and it comes confirming the truth of the Bible, Covenant of Christ and more.
“Then I saw my brothers’ descendants and the book of the Lamb of God, which had come from the Jews, and that it came from the Gentiles to my brothers’ descendants. After it had come to them, I saw other books that came by the Lamb’s power from the Gentiles to them-these convinced the gentiles and my brothers’ descendants, and also the Jews who were scattered throughout the earth, that the records of the prophets and the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses are true.
Then the Angel told me: The last records that you’ve seen among the Gentiles will confirm the truth of the first ones-which come from the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses-and will reveal the clear and valuable things which have been removed from them and reveal to all people that they must come to Him or they cannot be saved. And according to the words of the Lamb they must come to Him. And the Lamb’s words will be revealed in the records of our descendants as well as in the records of the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses. So they’ll both be witnesses together because there’s one God and one Shepherd over the whole earth . . .” (Covenant of Christ, 1 Nephi 13:38-41, pp.19-20, emphasis added).
The Lord set strict parameters for receiving the “other books” for the Gentiles and Israel. Those parameters were explained by Moroni as part of his commentary for the account of the brother of Jared.
“. . . I’ve written on these plates the very things Jared’s brother saw. Greater things were never revealed than those things revealed to Jared’s brother [the fact Jared’s brother was able to pierce the veil and stand in God’s presence means all mankind may learn to do so from his record]. Therefore the Lord has commanded me to write them down and I’ve written them. He also commanded me to seal them up under His care. He has also commanded me to protect the ability to translate them, so I’ve sealed the interpreters according to the Lord’s commandment. The Lord told me: They must not go to the Gentiles until they repent of their iniquity and become clean before the Lord. The Lord said: When they exercise faith in Me, then I’ll show them the things Jared’s brother saw, even providing all my revelations to them. This is what Jesus Christ said, who’s the Son of God the father of the heavens and the earth, and everything in them.
Let any who fight against the Lord’s word be cursed. And any who deny these things, let them be cursed, as Jesus Christ has said: I won’t show any greater things to them for I Am the one who speaks. At my command, the heavens open and shut, and at My word the earth will shake. At My Command, those living on earth will die by fire. Those who don’t believe My words don’t believe My disciples [when these things are manifest, it will be by the Lord’s servant]. If you think I don’t speak, decide for yourself; but you’ll know on the last day that I Am the one who speaks. And I’ll visit those who believe the things I’ve spoken by the manifestations of My Spirit. They’ll know and testify; because of My Spirit, they’ll know these things are true, since they persuade mankind to do good. Anything that persuades people to do good comes from Me, because good comes from no one other than Me. I Am the same one who leads people to everything good.
Those who refuse to believe My words won’t believe in Me, that I Am. And those who refuse to believe in Me won’t believe in the Father who sent Me. For I Am the Father. I Am the light, the life, and the truth of the world. Come to Me, Gentiles, and I’ll show you the greater things in store for you from the foundation of creation that you haven’t received because of unbelief. Come to Me, O house of Israel, and it will be revealed to you how the Father has great things in store for you from the foundation of creation that you haven’t received because of unbelief. When you move aside the veil of unbelief that causes you to remain in your awful state of wickedness and hardness of heart and blindness of mind, then the great and miraculous things that have been hidden away from you from the foundation of creation will come to you. When you call on the Father in My name with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then you’ll know, O house of Israel, that the Father remembers the covenant He made to your fathers. Then the revelations I had My servant John write will be understood by everyone. Remember, when you see these things, you’ll know that the time is near when they will be revealed. Therefore when you receive this record [Book of Mormon or Covenant of Christ?], you can know the Father’s work has begun throughout the land. So repent, everyone, throughout the world. Come to Me, believe in My gospel, and be baptized in My name. Because anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved, but anyone who doesn’t believe will be condemned. Signs will follow those who believe in My name. Those who are found faithful to My name on the last day will be blessed, for they’ll be lifted up to live in the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of creation. I Am the one who has spoken it. Amen” (Covenant of Christ, Ether 4:4-19, pp.419-420, emphasis added).
In part 1, we read the headline of the story. In part 2 we’ve read the body of the story. The prophecy of Moses is fulfilled when a servant of Christ brings forth the words of Christ to the Gentiles. Those who receive Christ’s words through His servant receive the “other books” and all revelation hidden since the world began. Those who rebel against the words of Christ and His servant suffer the consequences described in part 1 by Denver Snuffer. Hopefully the loss of all you’ve come to rely upon turns you to repentance and the Lord. He is the only source of comfort to be found in the last days.
[1] “And again, a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of your loins [Joseph Smith from the loins of Joseph of Egypt]. And unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of your loins — and not to the bringing forth my word only, says the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word which shall have already gone forth among them in the last days. Wherefore, the fruit of your loins shall write, and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of your loins and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah shall grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of your loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, says the Lord. And out of weakness he [Joseph Smith] shall be made strong in that day when my work shall go forth among all my people, which shall restore them who are of the house of Israel in the last days” (RE Genesis 12:39, emphasis added).
[2] “. . . And I saw the great mother of abominations assembled in large numbers all over the earth among all Gentile nations to fight against the Lamb of God. Then I saw the power of the Lamb of God descend upon the holy ones of the Lamb’s congregation and upon the Lord’s covenant people, who were scattered across the earth. They were armed with righteousness and God’s power in great glory” (Covenant of Christ, 1 Nephi 14:13-14, p.21, emphasis added).
[3] “Because the time will come, says the Lamb of God, when I’ll bring about a great and awe-inspiring work among mankind, one that will be everlasting-one way or the other-either to convince them, resulting in peace and life eternal; or to give them up to their hard hearts and blind minds, bringing about their slavery and temporal and spiritual destruction, under the accuser’s enslavement which I’ve spoken about” (Covenant of Christ, 1 Nephi 14:7, p.20, emphasis added).
[4] Covenant of Christ, 1 Nephi 13:34, p.19, emphasis added.
Scott Roderick
7/23/24
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