“History doesn’t repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes.” In scriptural accounts, details may vary but human nature has been tested through many mortalities and found predictable by God. An Old Covenant scripture alluding to this fact says:
“ . . .The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done, and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It has been already of old time, which was before us. There is no remembrance of former things, neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come, with those that shall come after” (RE Ecclesiastes 1:1, emphasis added).
God has been engaged in bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man for longer than we can comprehend. It is both folly and ignorance to think otherwise. Limiting His understanding to of our limitations is naive and short sighted as well.
“And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the residue of the people and he wept. And he beheld, and lo, the Heavens wept also, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains. And Enoch said unto the Heavens, How is it that you can weep, seeing you are holy and from all eternity to all eternity? And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, and millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of your creations. And your curtains are stretched out still, and you are there and your presence is there. And also you are just, you are merciful and kind for ever. You have taken Zion to your own bosom from all your creations. From all eternity to all eternity, naught but peace, justice, and truth is the habitation of your throne, and mercy shall go before your face and have no end. How is it that you can weep?” (RE Genesis 4:16).
The handiwork of God encompasses “millions of earths like this.” To God, nothing is new under the sun. Mankind’s behavior is predictable and God has been a witness to all circumstances over eons of time. In God’s context time does not exist.[1] Occasionally the Lord shares with us insights from His efforts to bring to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man”[2]:
“ . . .We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion. Hence many are called, but few are chosen” (RE T&C 139:5, emphasis added).
Those few men who show restraint when given authority from God are those whom God calls, and chooses.[3] Men like Jesus, and Kings Mosiah, Benjamin and Mosiah, are men who understand the nature of God’s call. It is to serve mankind in bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.[4]
They are men and women who over eons and cycles of time are proven, trustworthy agents of God. Couples like Adam and Eve are proven prior to mortality. God possesses foreknowledge of their earlier faithful achievements and they willingly condescend [from Celestial heights] at some peril and discomfort to assist in the redemption of mankind from their fallen state.[5]
“In addition, my people, I would remind you of the moment the Lord God gave His children these commandments. Remember the Lord God ordained priests according to His Holy Order, which was according to the Order of His Son, to teach the people these things. Such priests were ordained to the Order of His Son in such a way, so that by it [Holy Order] the people would recognize how to look forward to His Son for redemption. And this is how they were ordained: they were called and prepared from the foundation of creation according to God’s foreknowledge, because of their great faith and good works. In the first place [pre-mortality], since they were permitted to choose good or evil, they chose to do good and exercised great faith. As a result, they’re called with a holy calling that had been prepared with and according to the planned redemption for those who qualified. Therefore they were and are called to this holy calling because of their faith, while others chose to reject the Spirit of God because of their hard hearts and blind minds, and if it hadn’t been for this, they could have had the same status as their brothers. Or to be brief: in the first place they had the same opportunity as the others and this holy calling was available from the beginning of creation for any who chose not to harden their hearts. It was made available by the Only Begotten Son who was prepared to provide the atonement [the price demanded by justice for the salvation and redemption of mankind]. So they’re called by this holy calling and ordained to the High Priesthood of the Holy Order of God to teach His commandments to mankind, so they [mankind] also [because the faithful had done so previously according to a “planned redemption.”] could enter His rest. This High Priesthood is according to the Order of His Son, which Order existed from the foundation of creation.[6] In other words, it is without beginning of days or end of years, having been prepared from eternity to all eternity according to His foreknowledge of all things. Now this is how they were ordained: having qualified to receive a holy calling, they were ordained with a holy ordinance which confers upon them the High Priesthood of the Holy Order — which calling, ordinance, and High Priesthood has no beginning or end. So they become high priests forever conforming to the Order of the Son, the Father’s Only Begotten, who has no beginning of days or end of years, and who’s full of grace, fairness, and truth. And so it is. Amen” (CofC, Alma 10:1, emphasis added).
Bringing to pass the immortality and Eternal life of man has been a collaborative effort between the Godhead and those choosing faith and good works. They are tried and tested over eons of time and numberless cycles. The collaboration between them, like a rising tide, lifts all boats toward endlessly expanding societies of Zion.
Because this is not Their “first rodeo” they learned through experience and instruction every scenario imaginable. This vast library of knowledge and light is shared by God with the Holy Order who advance in Godliness by assisting less experienced mortals in acquiring light and knowledge from God through their faith and obedience.[7] As mankind receive light and knowledge through obedience, they become continuously linked or “sealed” together forming one great Eternal Family of God.[8]
Men entering this order in mortality are re-introduced to their “Record of Heaven” residing within them. They become friends with the Lord and the Lord shares with them what He is doing.
“This is my commandment: That you love one another as I have loved you. No man loves more than when he is willing to sacrifice his life to save his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I communicate to you. Beginning now, I will no longer call you my servants because a servant does not share his Lord’s life. But I make you my friends because every thing I received from my Father I have shared and will yet share with you. You did not choose me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should progress and become fruitful, that your fruit [posterity, righteousness, power] will testify on your behalf forever, that whatever I direct you to seek from my Father you will be able to obtain. I have taught these things to you to enable you to share my love[9] among one another” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 10:19, emphasis added).
Those willing to receive and obey what the Lord shares with them from the Father become the Lord’s friends and He shares His life with them. The depth of that sharing is impossible to overstate.
While there are many examples of men whom the Lord shared vast knowledge, one in particular is noted in the Restoration scriptures, the Prophet Isaiah.
“But I [Nephi] continue with my prophecy, being direct and clear, and I know that no one can go wrong by it. Nevertheless, when Isaiah’s prophecies are fulfilled, people will understand them, once they’ve actually happened. Therefore they’re valuable for mankind. And I’ll mainly speak to those who don’t value them, and limit the discussion to my own people, because I know they’ll be very valuable to them in the last days, since they’ll understand them at that time. Therefore I’ve written it down to benefit them” (RE 2 Nephi 11:3, emphasis added).
The prophecies of Isaiah will be understood in the “last days” because they are fulfilled at that time. Nephi directs his comments to Lehi’s descendants specifically but they are relevant to Gentiles as well.
“Now I [Christ] tell you that you ought to carefully study these things. In fact, I give you a commandment to study these things diligently, because Isaiah’s prophecies are critical. He clearly focused his prophecy on My people[10] who are part [because others of Israel are scattered among the Gentiles] of the house of Israel. Therefore he necessarily prophesied about the Gentiles. And everything he prophesied has happened, or will happen, precisely as he foretold. [“nothing new under the sun”] Therefore pay careful attention to My words. Write down the things I’ve told you. At the time decided by the Father, they will be provided to the Gentiles. And anyone who obeys My words, repents, and is baptized, will be saved. Carefully study the teachings of the prophets, because many of them explain these things” (CofC, 3 Nephi 10:4, emphasis added).
The Covenant of Christ is directed to the Gentiles and Lehi’s descendants. It is extraordinarily beneficial to the Gentiles and Lehi’s descendants because the content relates to them prophetically. The Gentiles ultimately reject the Lord’s offer of covenant generally, but a small portion of Gentiles embrace the Lord and His covenant and assist Lehi’s descendants in fulfilling their prophetic role as joint bearers of Israel’s birthright through Joseph.[11]
Isaiah’s Visionary Teachings to Israel and the Gentiles
There are many ways of interpreting the writings of Isaiah. Too numerous to address in this paper. However, for the purposes of this paper, Isaiah provides a perfect platform for understanding the relevance of the war chapters in the Covenant of Christ and how they relate to both Israel and the Gentiles.
There is a saying found in the scriptures generally and explicitly referring to a pattern the Lord follows with His covenant and mankind. Summarized, it states: “The first [Israel] will be last. And the last [Gentiles] will be first.” This has been explored in my previous writings and plays a prominent role in my book, “Our Future is Our Past.”
The Lord offered His covenant to Israel following their liberation from Egyptian bondage. The covenant was rejected by Israel at Mount Sinai when Israel refused the Lord’s invitation to ascend to the mountain top and enter His presence. Both Moses’ and the covenant were removed[12] from Israel. The Lord provided Israel a lesser covenant intended to assist and prepare them for a day when the covenant would be reintroduced to their posterity through John the Baptist. The Baptist prepared the way [according to the words of Isaiah] for the Coming of Jesus Christ thereafter.
Following the crucifixion of Jesus, (the consummate rejection of the Son of God and His offer of covenant to Israel), the Lord instructed His disciples to extend the offer of covenant to the Gentiles. Unlike Israel, who was given two offers for the greater covenant, (a beginning and end, both rejected at Sinai and the crucifixion of Jesus), the covenant was then offered to the Gentiles. A few Gentiles accepted the covenant but over time their posterity abandoned it.[13] This concluded the first half of the prophecy or “The first shall be last.” Israel received the Lord’s offer of covenant with Moses at Sinai and again with the coming of Jesus Christ. The covenant offer was given to the Gentiles and eventually disappeared through entropy.
Following an extended break through the dark ages, the Lord determined it was time to return the offer of covenant to Earth. In fulfillment of the second half of the “First shall be last and the last shall be first,” the covenant was again offered to the Gentiles through Joseph Smith Jr.. The offer of covenant to the Gentiles remained in place until the Nauvoo era, when the Temple, was not constructed in the time allotted by the Lord.
Similar to Israel’s outcome at Sinai when they lost Moses and the greater covenant, the Lord first withdrew the greater Priesthood from the body of the church[14] and allowed Joseph and Hyrum Smith to be martyred.
Following their removal the Priesthood of Hyrum Smith continued through patriarchal descent until the church eliminated Hyrum’s office when Spencer W. Kimball placed Eldred G. Smith on emeritus status. Eldred was the last heir to Hyrum’s Priesthood by lineal right, which ended with his death. After Eldred passed, the office of Patriarch ceased to exist in the church and all claims to Priesthood authority were lost by a self-imposed exile.
Thereafter the church became a rudderless ship focused on a financial empire built on claims of non-existent authority and the works of a righteous servant of God, even as they abandoned all defense of Joseph Smith’s legacy.
Like the Jews at the time of Christ extolling their ties to Moses, the residual of Gentiles claiming Joseph Smith’s legacy correctly preach the Book of Mormon and Restoration by Joseph Smith. Over time the religious practice has retreated to a gospel of financial sacrifice including the poorest among them in exchange for the promise of preserving families in eternity. A promise they have no authority to make or keep. In contrast, a loving God invites all to come to Him freely.
“My dear people, I [Nephi] tell you the Lord God doesn’t act in darkness or do evil. He doesn’t do anything unless it’s for the world’s benefit, since He loves the world, even laying down His own life so He can draw all mankind to Him. As a result, He doesn’t command anyone to reject His salvation. Does He cry out to anyone: Go away! I tell you: No. On the contrary, He says: Come to Me, everyone on earth; buy milk and honey for free. Has He commanded anyone to get out of synagogues [temples] or houses of worship? I tell you: No. Has He commanded anyone not to share in His salvation? I tell you: No. On the contrary, He’s given it freely to all mankind. And He’s commanded His people to lead everyone to repentance. Has the Lord commanded anyone not to share in His goodness? I tell you: No. On the contrary, all people are equally invited, one like the other, and no one is forbidden.
He commands there to be no priestcrafts. Priestcrafts are when preachers set themselves up as a light to the world, so they can make money and receive praise from the world, but they have no desire for Zion to advance [In the two hundred year existence of the church, has the cause of Zion advanced or is it only bank accounts and assets that grow?]. The Lord has forbidden priestcrafts. So the Lord God has commanded everyone to have charity — that is, love — and unless they have charity, they’re nothing. As a result, if they had charity, they wouldn’t allow those who labor in Zion to waste away. But laborers in Zion must work for the good of Zion since they’ll perish if they work only for money. Again, the Lord God has commanded people not to murder, not to lie, not to steal, not to misuse His name, not to envy, not to hate, not to fight with each other, not to commit whoredoms — not to do any of these things. Because whoever does them will perish, since none of these iniquities come from the Lord. Indeed, He does what’s good among mankind. And He doesn’t do anything without it being clear to mankind. He invites everyone to come to Him and share in His goodness and doesn’t deny anyone who comes to Him, black or white, enslaved or free, male or female; and He remembers those who don’t worship Him or know anything about Him. All are the same to God — Jews and Gentiles” (CofC, 2 Nephi 11:17, emphasis added).
The Gentiles have come to the same crossroad the Jews faced in their day. Joseph Smith began as a latter-day Elias[15] preparing the way for a latter-day servant who God would send to the Gentiles. He initiates their covenant transition closing and begins gathering God’s family of Israel from among both Jews and Gentiles. This is where we find ourselves currently. Prior to this paper I’ve written extensively on this subject in previous blogposts.
The Lord values all mankind, believers, as well as non-believers. Jews and Gentiles. The final quarter of the “first shall be last and the last shall be first” prophecy is the only portion left unfulfilled. Isaiah describes the completion of this prophecy providing insights into future events through metaphors and references to past precedence in Israel’s history. In effect, the precedents act as types used to explain “what will be.” This is valid because “there is nothing new under the sun” and the future is but a repetition of the past.
The Lord has not declared me to be His friend. Nor has He called me as His servant. So He neither appoints nor directly instructs me to do anything in His name and the only credible claim I make is that I’ve devoted my adult life to studying His word. From that process His Spirit has attended and instructed me. It does not substantiate my assertions or absolve you from discerning what I say because you project some authority you presume God has given me. I make no such claim. I believe God has sent His servant bearing His words. I am not him. Because of the scriptures I devote my time to receiving those words so my family and self will not be “cut-off” as Moses said, from Israel.[16] With that admission, I close part A and will soon post part B.
[1] “Now there’s necessarily a period of time between the time of death and the time of the resurrection. Now I wanted to know about what becomes of the spirits of mankind from this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection. Now whether there’s more than one time appointed for people to rise, it doesn’t matter, because everyone doesn’t die at once, and that doesn’t matter. Everything is as one day with God, and time is only measured to mankind. Therefore there’s a time appointed to people when they will rise from the dead; and there’s a period of time between the time of death and the resurrection” (CofC, Alma 19:5, emphasis added).
[2] “And it came to pass that Moses spoke unto the Lord, saying, Be merciful unto your servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens; and then your servant will be content. And the Lord God spoke unto Moses of the heavens, saying, These are many and they cannot be numbered unto man, but they are numbered unto me for they are mine. And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof, even so shall another come. And there is no end to my works, neither my words. For behold, this is my work and my glory: to bring to pass the immortality and the eternal life of man . . .” (RE Genesis 1:7, emphasis added).
[3] “Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen, and why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson — that the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the Powers of Heaven and that the Powers of Heaven cannot be controlled nor handled, only upon the principles of righteousness. That they may be conferred upon us, it is true, but when we undertake to cover our sins or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control, or dominion, or compulsion, upon the souls of the children of men in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the Heavens withdraw themselves, the spirit of the Lord is grieved, and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God” (RE T&C 139:5, emphasis added).
[4] “And when the ten heard this, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them and said, You know that the princes of the gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant, even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life, a ransom for many” (RE Matthew 10:3, emphasis added).
“ . . . I tell you that I’ve been permitted, up to now, to spend my days in your service. I haven’t wanted gold, silver, or anything of value from you. I haven’t allowed you to be imprisoned in dungeons or to enslave each other or to murder, plunder, steal, or commit adultery. I haven’t allowed you to commit any kind of wickedness. I’ve taught you to keep the Lord’s commandments in everything He’s commanded you. I’ve even worked with my own hands to serve you so you wouldn’t be burdened with taxes, and so nothing difficult or distressing to bear would be imposed upon you — and today you know everything I’ve said to be true. But, my people, I haven’t done these things to boast, nor do I tell you this to complain about you. I tell you this so you know I can answer before God today with a clear conscience. Now I told you I had spent my days in your service, but I don’t say that to brag, for I’ve only been in the service of God” (CofC, Mosiah 1:7, emphasis added).
[5] “ . . . It is foolish to believe we can inherit everything without any idea of what it takes to make the ascent. We have no idea what is required for one of the El to descend into mortality. It is not pain-free. The Son of God condescended to come here; so did Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, and Uriel. Any who condescend to lay aside glory and come here on a rescue mission makes a sacrifice. Because of our ignorance, we take a great deal for granted” (Snuffer, Denver. Preserving the Restoration, p.197, emphasis added. Mill Creek Press. Kindle Edition”
“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was, and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones. And God saw these souls, that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them and he said, These I will make my rulers. For he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good. And he said unto me, Abraham, you are one of them; you were chosen before you were born. And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him, We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell. And we will prove them herewith to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them. And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon, and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever” (RE T&C 145, Abraham 6:1-2).
[6] “Now Melchizedek was a man of faith who wrought righteousness. And when a child, he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire. And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained a high priest after the Order of the covenant which God made with Enoch, it being after the Order of the Son of God, which Order came not by man, nor the will of men, neither by father nor mother, neither by beginning of days nor end of years, but of God. And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name” (RE Genesis 7:18, emphasis added).
[7] “And this greater Priesthood administers the gospel and holds the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest, and without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the Priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto man in the flesh, for without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
Now, this, Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God, but they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence. Therefore, the Lord, in his wrath (for his anger was kindled against them) swore that they should not enter into his rest — which rest is the fullness of his glory — while in the wilderness” (RE T&C 82:12-13, emphasis added).
[8] “Now these are the words king Benjamin hoped to hear from them. Therefore he told them: You’ve said the words I wanted to hear, and the covenant you’ve made is a righteous covenant. Now because of the covenant you’ve made, you’ll be called the sons and daughters of Jesus Christ. Today, He has spiritually begotten you. You’ve said your hearts have changed through faith in His name. As a result, you’re born of Him and have become His sons and daughters. You’re now free under His wings, and there’s no other Savior under whose wings you can be sheltered. There’s no other name given through which salvation comes. Therefore all of you who have made the covenant with God to be obedient for the remainder of your lives, take upon yourselves the name of Christ. Those who do this will be found at the right hand of God and will answer to the name of Christ” (CofC, Mosiah 3:2, emphasis added).
[9] “After I had prayed to the Lord, I saw a large and spacious field. Then I saw a tree with fruit that would make people happy. I went and ate some of the fruit, discovering it was sweet beyond measure, better than all that I had ever tasted before. I noticed its fruit was white, brighter than I had ever seen.
As I ate the fruit, it made my soul very joyful. So I began to wish my family would eat some of it too, since I knew it was better than all other fruit . . .” (CofC, 1 Nephi 2:8-9, emphasis added).
[10] Isaiah was the last prophet to preside over collective Israel prior to their dispersal. Isaiah would not live to witness Israel’s scattering but it was appropriate for the Lord to reveal to Isaiah prior to his death the day when Israel would again be reunited as the collective family of God in the last days. Isaiah used prophetic events from his day as “types” or examples of what occurs in the last days.
[11] “ . . . Therefore those [Gentiles] who won’t believe in My words, and I Am Jesus Christ, which the Father will give and empower that servant to set before the Gentiles, it will result exactly as Moses said: They [Gentiles] will be cut off from My people who are part of the covenant [Israel]. And then you [Lehi’s descendants], a remnant of the house of Jacob, will rise up from them. And you’ll be mixed in with them who will outnumber you. You’ll be among them [Gentiles] like a lion among his prey in the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who moves unopposed to take down and tear to pieces. Your [Lehi’s descendants] hand will be against your opponents and all your enemies will be cut down. Yes, woe to the Gentiles unless they repent: For when that day comes, says the Father, I’ll take away your strength from you, and I’ll destroy your security. Your cities will fall and I’ll break open your guarded borders. Your sciences and learning will turn into foolishness, and your false beliefs will cause your failure. I’ll expose the fraud of those in authority, and your trusted institutions will lose everyone’s loyalty. False prophets and false ministers will be brought to shame and humiliation. All lying, deceiving, envying, strife, priestcraft, and whoredoms will come to an end. At that time, says the Father, I’ll cut down anyone who won’t repent and draw near to My Beloved Son to preserve My people, the house of Israel. I’ll take vengeance and unleash My fierce anger on all the unbelieving, beyond anything they expect” (CofC, 3 Nephi 9:12, emphasis added).
“Hearken and hear, O you inhabitants of the earth, and listen you elders of my church together, and hear the voice of the Lord, for he calls upon all men and he commands all men everywhere to repent. For behold, the Lord God has sent forth the angel crying through the midst of Heaven, saying, Prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight, for the hour of his coming is nigh, when the Lamb shall stand upon Mount Zion and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. Wherefore, prepare yourselves for the coming of the Bridegroom. Go all you, go out to meet him, for behold, he shall stand upon the mount of Olivet and upon the mighty ocean, even the great deep, and upon the islands of the sea, and upon the land of Zion. And he shall utter his voice out of Zion and he shall speak from Jerusalem, and his voice shall be heard among all people and it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found. He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries and the islands shall become one land, and the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided. And the Lord, even the Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people and shall reign over all flesh. And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord, and their prophets shall hear his voice and shall no longer stay themselves, and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence, and a highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep. Their enemies shall become a prey unto them, and in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of living water and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land. And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants, and the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence, and there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim, and they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy. Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the heads of the tribes of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim and his fellows. And they also of the tribe of Judah, after their pain, shall be sanctified in holiness before the Lord, to dwell in his presence day and night, for ever and ever” (RE T&C 58:3, emphasis added).
[12] “Now, this, Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God, but they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence. Therefore, the Lord, in his wrath (for his anger was kindled against them) swore that they should not enter into his rest — which rest is the fullness of his glory — while in the wilderness.
Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also. And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holds the key of the ministering of angels, and the preparatory gospel, which gospel is the gospel of repentance, and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron, among the children of Israel, until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the holy ghost from his mother’s womb. For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power: to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power” (RE T&C 82:13-14, emphasis added).
[13] “Thus after this chosen family had rejected Christ and His proposals, the heralds of salvation said to them, “Lo we turn unto the Gentiles”; and the Gentiles received the covenant, and were grafted in from whence the chosen family were broken off; but the Gentiles have not continued in the goodness of God, but have departed from the faith that was once delivered to the Saints, and have broken the covenant in which their fathers were established (see Isaiah 24:5); and have become high-minded, and have not feared; therefore, but few of them will be gathered with the chosen family . . .” (TPJS., p.15, emphasis added).
[14] “And again, verily I say unto you, let all my saints come from afar, and send swift messengers, yea, chosen messengers, and say unto them, Come all of you, with all your gold, and your silver, and your precious stones, and with all your antiquities, and with all who have knowledge of antiquities that will come, may come. And bring the box tree, and the fir tree, and the pine tree, together with all the precious trees of the earth, and with iron, with copper, and with brass, and with zinc, and with all your precious things of the earth, and build a house unto my name for the Most High to dwell therein. For there is not place found on the earth that he may come and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he has taken away, even the fullness of the Priesthood” (RE T&C 141:10, emphasis added).
[15] “In the first place, suffice it to say, I went into the woods to inquire of the Lord, by prayer, His will concerning me, and I saw an angel, and he laid his hands upon my head, and ordained me to a Priest after the order of Aaron, and to hold the keys of this Priesthood, which office was to preach repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, and also to baptize. But I was informed that this office did not extend to the laying on of hands for the giving of the Holy Ghost; that that office was a greater work and was to be given afterward; but that my ordination was a preparatory work, or a going before, which was the spirit of Elias; for the spirit of Elias was a going before to prepare the way for the greater, which was the case with John the Baptist . . .” TPJS., p.335, emphasis added).
[16] “At that time, to advance My cause, the Father will begin a work, which will be a great and awe-inspiring work among them [Gentiles]. There will be many [Gentiles] who won’t believe it, although a man will tell it to them. But the ministry of My servant will be led by My hand; therefore they won’t be able to harm his work, although he’ll be opposed and discredited by them. Yet I’ll support him; I’ll show them My wisdom is greater than the accuser’s deceitful scheming. Therefore those who won’t believe in My words, and I Am Jesus Christ, which the Father will give and empower that servant to set before the Gentiles, it will result exactly as Moses said: They will be cut off from My people who are part of the covenant. And then you, a remnant of the house of Jacob, will rise up from them. And you’ll be mixed in with them who will outnumber you. You’ll be among them like a lion among his prey in the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who moves unopposed to take down and tear to pieces. Your hand will be against your opponents and all your enemies will be cut down. Yes, woe to the Gentiles unless they repent: For when that day comes, says the Father, I’ll take away your strength from you, and I’ll destroy your security. Your cities will fall and I’ll break open your guarded borders. Your sciences and learning will turn into foolishness, and your false beliefs will cause your failure. I’ll expose the fraud of those in authority, and your trusted institutions will lose everyone’s loyalty. False prophets and false ministers will be brought to shame and humiliation. All lying, deceiving, envying, strife, priestcraft, and whoredoms will come to an end. At that time, says the Father, I’ll cut down anyone who won’t repent and draw near to My Beloved Son to preserve My people, the house of Israel. I’ll take vengeance and unleash My fierce anger on all the unbelieving, beyond anything they expect” (CofC, 3 Nephi 9:12, emphasis added).
Scott Roderick
12/7/24
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