Restoration Clues from the Lord through Joseph Smith
If not for statements from Nephi and the Savior in Covenant of Christ, we would be unaware of the significance of Isaiah’s prophecies. This information was given in the original Book of Mormon, and now with greater nuance, through the Covenant of Christ. Through these and the Lord’s servant bringing to light a growing body of revelation, God is opening doors to greater understanding.
The presence of another servant of God today is a witness the “first shall be last and the last shall be first prophecy” entered a final phase. The introduction of a new servant does not supplant the first or denigrate earlier contributions by Joseph Smith. The two build upon one another to lift those willing to receive the Lord and His covenant. First, closing the Gentile covenant offer and beginning Israel’s last covenant.
When the Lord reveals information from Himself and Nephi to Joseph Smith, it would be wise to pay attention. The Lord also revisits the subject through a later revelation to Joseph Smith. Repetition and added light should draw attention and appreciation to the significance of the subject for us.
In relation to Isaiah, the Lord explained a cryptic portion of the eleventh chapter of Isaiah [Isaiah 5 RE]. I’ve written extensively on this subject and limit my focus to one element the Lord reveals to Joseph Smith. Addressing the metaphor used by Isaiah, the Lord describes Israel as a tree cut down leaving a stump [Stem of Jesse, Christ], and a “rod,” water sprout, or “sucker” growing out of the stump. Life remains in the stump because the roots remain viable to support the restoration of the felled portion of the tree. In nature, a “sucker” grows rapidly, straight up but must have a graft to bear fruit. The Gileadi translation of Isaiah 11 alters the verbiage, providing insight into the message the metaphor conveys.
“A shoot spring up from the stock of Jesse and a branch from its graft bear fruit” (The Book of Isaiah, A New Translation with Interpretive Keys from the Book of Mormon, Avraham Gileadi, p.117).
Israel is a felled tree or appropriately, “cut-off” from her stump, which is Christ. The felling of the tree occurred when the Jews crucified the Savior. Of the three components, stump, sucker, and root, only the stump or stem are identified.
“Question: Who is the stem [stump] of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah? [RE Isa. 5:4]Answer: Verily thus says the Lord: It is Christ” (RE T&C 129:1, emphasis added).
The remaining parts are two men identified but remain unnamed.
“Question: What is the Rod [sucker or “water sprout”] spoken of in the 1st verse of the 11th chapter [RE Isa. 5:4] that should come of the stem of Jesse?Answer: Behold, thus says the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse [Judah] as well as of Ephraim, or of the House of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power” (RE T&C 129:2, emphasis added).
The “Rod” or “sucker” is described as a man descending from Jesse and Ephraim or “House of Joseph.” Although the Savior doesn’t identify the “rod,” the metaphor suggests it is Joseph Smith. How so? If Joseph Smith’s efforts are isolated to the natural role in the metaphor, the covenant Restoration to the Gentiles begins with him. Because life remains in the stump and roots, the stump [Christ] begins the trees restoration by sending out a rod. This is the first step in restoring the felled portion of the tree. Failure at Nauvoo reflects the natural characteristics of a “Rod.” The church expanded rapidly but in the end failed to complete the Temple and were driven out following Joseph Smith’s death. In effect, they failed to bear fruit when the opportunity to establish Zion ended in failure. Their failure became the realization of a cautionary warning from the Lord by revelation to Joseph Smith prior to his martyrdom.
“And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name that I may reveal my ordinances therein unto my people, for I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fullness of times. And I will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this house and the Priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built. And you shall build it on the place where you have contemplated building it, for that is the spot which I have chosen for you to build it. If you labor with all your mights, I will consecrate that spot that it shall be made holy. And if my people will hearken unto my voice and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place.
But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blessed, because they pollute my holy grounds, and my holy ordinances and charters, and my holy words which I give unto them. And it shall come to pass that if you build a house unto my name and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfill the promises which you expect at my hands, says the Lord. For instead of blessings, you, by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies and by all your abominations which you practice before me, says the Lord” (RE T&C 141:10, emphasis added).
The Lord expresses His desire to reveal to the church hidden things from before the foundation of the world pertaining to this dispensation. It was His intention to reveal everything relating to the Temple and associated Priesthood to Joseph Smith. In the two hundred year history of the church there is no evidence the Lord’s desire to reveal that knowledge was fulfilled. Certainly the greatest testament is the absence of progress toward establishing Zion, let alone a dearth of revelation. In the two hundred year history of the church, no one claiming Joseph’s authority has produced revelation as he did. It is farce and self-deception to believe the church has. Endless temple building and vast wealth accumulation are no substitute for “one heart, one mind, and dwelled in righteousness, and there was no poor among them.”[1]
The Lord warned the saints building the structure was not sufficient to obtain His blessings. That is why the Lord thwarted David of old when he sought to build the temple. The Lord’s people had to follow the Lord’s commands including receiving direction from Joseph and Hyrum Smith. How do we judge the outcome in Nauvoo? The Lord provided the plainest criteria for judgment. Were the saints moved out of their place or not? The Historical outcome supports the conclusion Nauvoo was a failure in complying with the Lord’s commands.
People may dispute historical facts, but it requires significant mental gymnastics to argue obvious outcomes. With regard to this revelation, the outcome is a witness the Lord’s warning presaged the fulfillment. The saints in Nauvoo failed to complete the temple in the time allotted. Consequently, they were “moved out of their place” and suffered “instead of blessings, . . . cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments” brought upon themselves by their follies and abominations. To deflect responsibility away from the church and its members, focus is placed at the feet of their persecutors and the following adversity. Afflictions the Lord promised to shield them from if they followed His commands and the directions from His appointed servants.
Setting aside the historical debate, the metaphor in Isaiah supports the idea that Joseph Smith’s efforts would fail because they never produced fruit, or Zion.
“And your minds 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 82:20, emphasis added).
According to Isaiah’s prophecy, fruit would not be produced until a graft from a branch from the “Rod” [Joseph Smith] occurred with the “Root of Jesse.” T&C 82 was received in 1832. If the church was no longer under condemnation what evidence exists that the cause of Zion has been advanced? Current conditions provide no evidence the church has achieved Zion or advanced her cause. At some point the definition of insanity applies. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome.” If what has been done for two hundred years has yet to produce Zion. At what point does one question what must be done to bring Zion about? As we approach the second centennial of the church, nothing approaching the description of Zion has been achieved. Past efforts and policy changes have yet to bear fruit. Unless Zion has moved to the church’s new development in Florida, evidence from church history provides no support for a Zion outcome.
Gileadi’s translation of Isaiah 11:1 refers to a graft between a branch from the “Rod” into the “Root of Jesse.”[2] Only then is Zion established and bears fruit “meet for the Father’s kingdom.” The Lord’s description of the “Root of Jesse” is similar to that of the “Rod” in terms of lineal descent:
“Question: What is the Root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter? [RE Isa. 5:4]Answer: Behold, thus says the Lord: It is a descendant of Jesse [Judah] as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the Priesthood and the keys of the Kingdom, for an ensign and for the gathering of my people [Israel] in the last day.
The “Root of Jesse” and his people unite with a remnant [branch] of “the Rod” described as a graft. Both the “Root” and the “Rod” are from the lineages of Judah and Joseph.
Lineages of Jesse [Judah] and Joseph represent two competing claims to authority in Israel. Jesse, father of king David is the lineage of kings and bears the right to Israel’s throne. The lineal birth rights of the king typically passes to a surviving first born son. However that outcome is never certain. Joseph, through his son, Ephraim bears the birthright or right of the firstborn. This includes a lineal right and bears responsibility for the temporal and spiritual welfare for all tribes of Israel. Both of these tribes could argue primacy over the other. That explains why the “Rod” and “Root” share the same lineages. The “Rod” [Joseph Smith] has “much power” to prepare for the “Root” [as John the Baptist did for Christ]. The “Root” holds the keys to the kingdom of Israel, raising an ensign and gathering Israel. The “Root” builds upon the foundation laid by the “Rod.” Primacy is not an issue if both claims are legitimately consolidated in one man. The issue of equal standing by right goes away removing an obstacle to a union or “graft” between tribes.
“The Lord also told me [Joseph of Egypt]: I’ll give your descendants also a prophet [Joseph Smith, “Rod”] and make a spokesman for him [“Root of Jesse]. I’ll inspire the one [Joseph Smith] to write the record of your [Joseph of Egypt’s] descendants to bless your offspring. And that spokesman will declare that record. The words he’ll [Joseph Smith] write will be the words that, in My wisdom, I consider important for your [Joseph of Egypt’s] offspring to read. It will be as if your descendants called out to them from the dust [3], because I know their faith. They’ll call out the need for repentance from the dust for their brothers and sisters many generations after they’ve died. Their words will go forth in a way that is a direct, clear message. Because of their faith, their words will go from Me to their brothers and sisters who are your offspring. I’ll make the simplicity of their words result in strong faith as they learn about the covenant I made with your fathers” (CofC, 2 Nephi 2:6, emphasis added).
Joseph Smith was given “much power” to bring forth the words of Joseph of Egypt’s descendants in writing, and the “spokesman”or the “Root of Jesse” becomes the spokesman for Joseph Smith and his teachings when the Gentile offer of covenant concludes.
In the same prophecy Joseph of Egypt states Joseph Smith’s ministry is transformed from weakness to strength when Israel is gathered. The “Root of Jesse” bears the keys for Israel’s gathering, by building upon the foundation laid by Joseph Smith.
“Therefore your [Joseph of Egypt] offspring will write, and Judah’s offspring will write. The Lord says: The things your offspring write, and the things Judah’s offspring write, will grow together in order to expose false doctrines, settle disputes, and establish peace among your offspring and bring them, in the last days, to understanding their ancestors and comprehending My covenants. The Lord said: His [Joseph Smith’s] weakness will be made strong. My work will then begin among all My people. I’ll restore you, O house of Israel” (CofC, 2 Nephi 2:4, emphasis added).
This quote from the record of Joseph of Egypt is from the Covenant of Christ. It is plain and more easily understood than the Book of Mormon account. The prophecy states two records, Judah and Joseph, grow together prior to Israel’s gathering. Taking the prophecy of Joseph of Egypt as fact, let’s see if Joseph of Egypt’s prophecy can “grow together” with RE Isaiah 5 to see if false doctrines can be exposed, settle disputes and begin establishing peace among Joseph of Egypt’s offspring of which repentant Gentiles are included.
Joseph of Egypt and RE Isaiah 5 Unite
Are there common threads emerging from these records? Isaiah 11 or RE Isaiah 5, referring to the “Root of Jesse” states:
“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. And in that day [last days], there shall be a root of Jesse who shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the gentiles seek, and his rest shall be glorious” (RE Isaiah 5:4, emphasis added).
In the last days the knowledge of the Lord covers the Earth concurrent with the rise of the “Root of Jesse.” The prophecy of Joseph of Egypt foretells a day when the records of both tribes “grow together” and play an important role in covering the Earth with truth.
In addition to covering the Earth with the Lord’s knowledge, we see the Lord “setting His hand again the second time” to recover the remnant of His people [Israel].” Reference to the “second time” is an allusion to the prophecy of the “first shall be last and the last shall be first.” The second time refers to the last quarter of the prophecy when Israel is gathered for the last time. Nephi’s brother Jacob explained the definition of the “second time” in his record in the Covenant of Christ.
“Now, my people, since I said that I would prophesy, this is my prophecy: That the things this prophet Zenos said about the house of Israel, comparing them to a tame olive tree, will certainly happen. When He sets about a second time to recover His people, that will be the very last time the Lord’s servants will go out in His power to tend and prune His vineyard — following that, the end will happen quickly. And how blessed are those who have worked diligently in His vineyard! But how cursed are those who will be thrown out to where they belong! And the world will be burned with fire. How merciful God is to us! He remembers the house of Israel, both roots [ancestors] and branches [posterity], and reaches out His hands to them all day long. But they’re a stubborn, quarrelsome people. Nevertheless, all those who don’t harden their hearts will be saved in God’s kingdom” (CofC, Jacob 4:1, emphasis added).
The last time the Lord sends His servants to gather Israel with His power to prune and tend His vineyard is “setting His hand again the second time.” When the “Root of Jesse” sets up an “ensign,” it’s interesting to note the Gentiles gather to it as well as the “outcasts of Israel.” The tribal reunion is made possible by the “Root” consolidating the birth right with the right to the throne of Israel. Together two tribes set out to gather their people from among Gentile nations.
The Divine Symmetry of Isaiah
The book of Isaiah is controversial for many reasons. Isaiah is a prophet, poet, historian, and visionary. He was the last prophet presiding over unified Israel. Considering previously examined clues introduces some order and insight to the message conveyed through Isaiah. But it is only a beginning.
The writings of Isaiah intend to communicate meaningful content to all people, Israel and Gentile. A reoccurring theme is the relationship between Joseph and Judah. Ezekiel refers to the same events in his 37th chapter but will not be examined at this time.
To summarize references to Joseph and Judah, we find Joseph of Egypt’s prophecy uniting the records as a precursor to resolving disputes and establishing peace among descendants of Joseph.
In RE Isaiah 5:4-5 we read of reconciliation between the two tribes:
“The envy of Ephraim [Joseph] shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah [Israel] shall be cut off. Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines [Israel’s common enemy, latter-day Gentiles] toward the west, they [Judah and Ephraim] shall spoil them to the east together. . .” (RE Isaiah 5:5, emphasis added).
The resolution of Ephraim and Judah’s differences occurs after the appearance of the “Root of Jesse” raises the “ensign” and initiates Israel’s gathering. According to RE T&C 129:3 declaring the lineage of the “Root of Jesse” is both Jesse [Judah] and Joseph and holds the keys of raising an “ensign” and “the gathering of my people [Israel] in the last day.”
By assembling the clues given by the Lord or allowing the records to “grow together,” a picture of current or future events emerges. The writings of Isaiah are divided in two parts. The first part is a record of contemporary events in Isaiah’s day. The second part has given rise to the idea the latter half of Isaiah’s record was written by someone other than Isaiah. It addresses events and individuals in future accounts related to Israel, but involving a Gentile king liberating Israel from Babylonian captivity. The dual authorship theory has given rise to the term “Deutero-Isaiah” suggesting another person recorded future events in the second half of Isaiah’s book.
An alternative view of the two parts of Isaiah’s writings is the notion Isaiah followed the prophecy of the “first shall be last and the last shall be first” revealed by the Lord as a framework for his prophecies. The first half of Isaiah’s record is directed toward Israel, more specifically to Judah and the right to Israel’s throne. The second half of Isaiah is directed to descendants of Joseph and the Gentiles as an extension of Ephraim. Ephraim bears the birthright or “right of the firstborn.” Under the head of the “Root of Jesse” both tribes unite to defeat their common enemy and gather scattered Israel from among Gentile nations.
There’s a great deal more involved in sorting out the prophetic meaning in Isaiah. For our purposes, we begin identifying the Lord’s symmetry in Isaiah’s writings by examining details we’ve learned thus far. The symmetry is based on the concept there has to be opposition in all things or there is no meaning, no God, discussed in part A.
Isaiah does not openly state what the Lord has shown him. Based upon his knowledge of Israel’s history back to Eden, Isaiah writes after the manner of an attorney. His prophecy is presented through historical precedent described by metaphors drawn from past events like Noah’s flood, Moses parting the waters and the curses on Egypt while Israel is in bondage, to name a few.
Isaiah provides what is essentially a script to be repeated over time. It is relevant because among mortal man, “there is nothing new under the sun,” and “what has been, shall be.”
Beginning with the first half of Isaiah’s book, the cast begins with the primary characters being the Lord and Satan. Extending from them we have angelic beings, both mortal [Isaiah] and immortal [angels] and those who serve Satan, both mortal and immortal. They are not always visible but play key roles in earthly events.
Next we have mortal servants who represent the interests of the Lord and Satan. For the Lord, Hezekiah is placed on Israel’s throne [once occupied by David], a contemporary of Isaiah. Servants of Satan are easily identifiable by one key characteristic. They seek to subject or destroy the agency of man. The opposition to Hezekiah is the Assyrian king and his vastly superior army. Numerically, the forces of evil appear dominant and exceed to the secular eye the number following God. But the righteous are ever mindful that “they that be with us are more than they that be with them”[4] as well as the words of the Savior to His disciples when He declared: “Do you think that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?”[5] This repetitious pattern was established when a young boy [David] faithfully relying on the Lord and slew the Philistine champion Goliath. To the secular world the odds will always favor those who oppose the Lord. In the end, the Lord prevails because no matter how small His numbers are, they are always enough.
Initially the Assyrian king achieves success in his conquests including subjecting most tribes of rebellious Israel. Like a river overflowing its banks, Assyria’s army rises up to the proverbial “neck” of Israel, Hezekiah and Jerusalem. In a rebuke for his [Assyrian king’s] pride and mockery of the Lord, the Assyrian general standing outside Jerusalem with an army of 185,000 men are decimated by divine intervention the following day. The Lord intervened to save His king and sustain Israel’s throne. Some form of this scenario is repeated throughout Israel’s history in both records of Judah and Joseph.
Isaiah Part 2
The first half of Isaiah was directed toward Judah and Israel’s eventual fate. The second half of Isaiah follows a similar pattern. Like the first half, it begins with the Lord and Satan as parallel figures. The historical prophetic figure is a contemporary of Isaiah, Jeremiah. Satan is represented by mortal and immortal servants but the most visible is the Babylonian king. He takes many nations captive like the Assyrian king but meets his end when the Lord’s servant, the king of Persia conquers Babylon, releases Israel’s captives with the command to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.
The Persian king’s name is Cyrus, whom Isaiah calls by name over two hundred years prior to his birth. The fact Isaiah mentions Cyrus by name prior to his birth points to a future prophetic role for the Persian king. Another point to consider is Cyrus was not from Israel. He is a Gentile who delivers Israel from Babylonian captivity. The Gentiles gain access to covenant blessings through the descendants of Joseph through Joseph’s lineage. As the first half of Isaiah points to a descendant of Jesse [David] at Israel’s head, the second half points to one who receives Israel’s blessings through Joseph [Ephraim]. Cyrus liberated the remnant of Israel and released them with the command to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
Events in the first half of Isaiah represent Israel’s rebellion and scattering. Second half events allude to Israel’s repentance and deliverance from Babylonian captivity. Emerging is a New Jerusalem and the gathering of Israel. When the Lord “sets his hand again the second time” in the manner of speaking. The first represents a literal deliverance from the Lord’s enemies and the second is the latter-day deliverance from spiritual Babylon.
“Yea, verily I say unto you again, the time has come when the voice of the Lord is unto you: Go out of Babylon, gather yourselves out from among the nations, from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. Send forth the elders of my church unto the nations which are afar off, unto the islands of the sea. Send forth unto foreign lands, call upon all nations, firstly upon the gentiles and then upon the Jews. And behold and lo, this shall be their cry, and the voice of the Lord unto all people: Go forth unto the land of Zion, that the borders of my people may be enlarged, and that her stakes may be strengthened, and that Zion may go forth unto the regions round about. Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom. Behold and lo, the Bridegroom comes, go out to meet him; prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord. Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Let them therefore which are among the gentiles flee unto Zion, and let them who be of Judah flee unto Jerusalem, unto the mountains of the Lord’s house. Go out from among the nations, even from Babylon, from the midst of wickedness, which is spiritual Babylon. But verily thus says the Lord: Let not your flight be in haste, but let all things be prepared before you; and he that goes, let him not look back, lest sudden destruction shall come upon him” (RE T&C 58:2, emphasis added).
With this template we are prepared to look at the war chapters in the Covenant of Christ because they, like Isaiah provide types of what lies before us and why the call to establish Zion should be among our highest considerations, but not in haste.
[1] “And from that time forth there were wars and bloodsheds among them, but the Lord came and dwelled with his people and they dwelled in righteousness. The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains and upon the high places, and did flourish. And the Lord called his people Zion because they were of one heart, and of one mind, and dwelled in righteousness, and there was no poor among them. And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days that he built a city that was called the city of holiness, even Zion” (RE Genesis 4:14, emphasis added).
[2] Type for the latter-day graft from a branch from the “Rod” into the “Root of Jesse”: “I’m Amaleki, Abinadom’s son. I’ll tell you something about Mosiah, who was made king over Zarahemla. He was warned by the Lord to flee from the land of Nephi [departing branch from Joseph, the “Rod”]— and all those who were willing to respond to the Lord’s voice were also warned to go with him into the wilderness. And he did what the Lord commanded him, and all those who were willing to respond to the Lord’s voice went into the wilderness. They were led by continual preaching and prophesying and were constantly admonished by God’s word. They were led through the wilderness by His power, until they came down to the land called Zarahemla. There they discovered a people who were called Zarahemla’s people. Now Zarahemla’s people rejoiced greatly and so did Zarahemla, because the Lord had sent Mosiah’s people with the brass plates containing the record of the Jews.
Mosiah discovered Zarahemla’s people left Jerusalem [Root of Jesse, Judah] at the time Zedekiah, king of Judah [see CofC Helaman 2:29], was taken away as a prisoner to Babylon. They traveled across the wilderness and were brought by the Lord’s hand across the sea to the land where Mosiah discovered them; and they had lived there since their arrival. When Mosiah discovered them, they had become very numerous. Nevertheless, they had many wars and serious conflicts and had been killed by the sword from time to time. [type for Israel in their scattered state] Their language had become corrupted, and they hadn’t brought any records with them. In addition, they denied their Creator’s existence, and Mosiah and his people couldn’t understand them. But Mosiah had them taught to understand his language. After they were taught Mosiah’s language, Zarahemla gave his ancestors’ genealogy from memory; and it’s written down, but not in these plates.
Zarahemla’s people and Mosiah’s people united [graft], and Mosiah was accepted as their king [Root of Jesse]. During Mosiah’s rule, a large stone containing engravings was brought to him and he translated the engravings by God’s gift and power [see T&C 58:3]. They gave an account of a man named Coriantumr and his slaughtered people. This Coriantumr was discovered by Zarahemla’s people and he lived with them for nine months. The stone also mentioned Coriantumr’s ancestors — that the earliest ones had come from the tower when the Lord confused the people’s language. But the Lord’s justice resulted in severe judgments on them, and their bones lay scattered in the land northward” (CofC, Omni 1:6-8, emphasis added).
“And now I [Joseph Smith] am prepared to say by the authority of Jesus Christ, that not many years shall pass away before the United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our nation; pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake will sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land, to open and prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north country. The people of the Lord, those who have complied with the requirements of the new covenant, have already commenced gathering together to Zion, which is in the state of Missouri; therefore I declare unto you the warning which the Lord has commanded me to declare unto this generation, remembering that the eyes of my Maker are upon me, and that to Him I am accountable for every word I say, wishing nothing worse to my fellow-men than their eternal salvation; therefore, "Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come." Repent ye, repent ye, and embrace the everlasting covenant, and flee to Zion, before the overflowing scourge overtake you, for there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in death until they see all these things, which I have spoken, fulfilled. Remember these things; call upon the Lord while He is near, and seek Him while He may be found, is the exhortation of your unworthy servant (Signed) JOSEPH SMITH, JUN. —DHC 1:312-316” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (pp. 16-17, emphasis added). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Edition).
“I [Joseph Smith] prophesy, that that man who tarries after he has an opportunity of going, will be afflicted by the devil. Wars are at hand; we must not delay; but are not required to sacrifice. We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object. When wars come, we shall have to flee to Zion. The cry is to make haste. The last revelation says, Ye shall not have time to have gone over the earth, until these things come. It will come as did the cholera, war, fires, and earthquakes; one pestilence after another, until the Ancient of Days comes, then judgment will be given to the Saints” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (pp. 180-181, emphasis added). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Edition).
[3] “But I prophesy to you about the last days, concerning the time when the Lord God brings these records to light for mankind. After my descendants [Nephi] and my brothers’ descendants have fallen away in unbelief and been defeated by the Gentiles — after the Lord God has surrounded them on every side, besieged them with fortifications, and raised towers against them, and after they’ve been humbled to the dust, to the point that they’re considered as nothing — in spite of that, the words of the righteous will be written and the prayers of the faithful will be heard and those who have fallen away in unbelief won’t be forgotten. Those who have been slain will leave for them a message to be read after their bodies have turned to dust in the grave, and their message will bring a familiar testimony because the Lord God will have inspired the writings, so that the message will come with conviction, as if they were speaking from the dust” (CofC, 2 Nephi 11:13, emphasis added).
[4] “And when the servant of the man of God [Elisha] was risen early and gone forth, behold, a host encompassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master, what shall we do? And he answered, Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed and said, Lord, I pray you, open his eyes, that he may see [Elisha intervened so his servant could see heavenly hosts invisible to the naked eye, Spirit of Elijah, Patriarchal Fathers beyond the veil]. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord and said, Smite this people, I pray you, with blindness. And he [Angel] smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. But he led them to Samaria” (RE 2 Kings 2:22, emphasis added).
[5] “Then came they and laid hands on Jesus and took him. And behold, one of them who was with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again your sword into its place, for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Do you think that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (RE Matthew 12:11, emphasis added).
Scott Roderick
12/12/2024