1 Nephi 15:12 - 18, NC 1 Nephi 4 par. 3
Behold, I say unto you that the house of Israel was compared unto an olive tree by the spirit of the Lord which was in our father. And behold, are we not broken off from the house of Israel? And are we not a branch of the house of Israel? And now the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fullness of the gentiles is that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief — yea, for the space of many years and many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men — then shall the fullness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the gentiles, and from the gentiles unto the remnant of our seed. And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel and that they are the covenant people of the Lord. And then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him. Wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved. And then at that day, will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock, and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God? Behold, I say unto you, yea, they shall be numbered again among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree, into the true olive tree; and this is what our father meaneth. And he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the gentiles. And he meaneth that it shall come by way of the gentiles, that the Lord may shew his power unto the gentiles for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel. Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days, which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying, In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
The Stick of Joseph in the Hand of Ephraim 1 Nefi 4 par. 3
not a branch of the house of Isra’el? And now the thing which our father means concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the Milo HaGoyim is that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief — yes, for the space of many years and many generations after the Mashiach shall be manifested in body unto the children of men — then shall the fulness of the besorah of the Mashiach come unto the Goyim, and from the Goyim unto the remnant of our seed. And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Isra’el and that they are the covenant people of yhwh. And then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the besorah of their Redeemer, which was taught unto their fathers by him. Wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved. And then at that day, will they not rejoice and give praise unto their El Olam, their rock, and their salvation? Yes, at that day, will they not receive strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yes, will they not come unto the true fold of Elohim? Behold, I say unto you, yes, they shall be numbered again among the house of Isra’el; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree, into the true olive tree; and this is what our father means. And he means that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the Goyim. And he means that it shall come by way of the Goyim, that yhwh may show his power unto the Goyim for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Y’hudim, or of the house of Isra’el. Wherefore, our father has not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Isra’el, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days, which covenant yhwh made to our father Avraham, saying, In your seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
If we look back, is it possible for us to see that Lehi talked to his sons about many many things?
Didn't Lehi rehearse to his sons concerning the destruction and captivity of the Jews as well as their return to Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah and the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist?
Didn't Lehi talk to them of the baptism of the Messiah and also of His sacrifice and resurrection?
Didn't Lehi speak concerning the gospel that the Lord would preach among the Jews and the Jew's eventual dwindling in unbelief because of their rejection of His words?
Didn't Lehi speak to them of the Messiah manifesting Himself to the gentiles by the power of the Holy Ghost after His resurrection?
Didn't Lehi speak of all these things before speaking of the House of Israel and how they would be scattered and how it would be by the coming forth of the fullness of the gospel to the gentiles that all of the scattered branches of the House of Israel who had dwindled in unbelief would be grafted back in to the true vine?
With all of these many great things that Lehi declared, all of them being future expectations, why was the question from Nephi's brothers a question about the gentiles and the natural branches needing to be grafted back in?
As I ask this next question I want to clarify that I am not, by asking this question, seeking to denigrate Nephi's brothers. I consider that their situation in posing the question mirrors my own situation. I hope that by looking into a possible reason for their asking of the question I might be able to discover a weakness I possess and maybe focus on getting rid of it.
The question I have is, is it more difficult to understand things that are spoken to us by the power of the holy ghost if we have strongly held traditions coloring our views?
Is it possible that Nephi's brothers struggled with what Lehi had declared concerning the branches of the House of Israel being grafted back in through the gentiles possessing the fullness of the gospel because their tradition dictated that the House of Israel would never be confounded and that the gentiles remained outside of the the promises given to Abraham; they, the gentiles, were not blood of Abraham?
One reason I wonder concerning this is the following statements from Nephi's brothers.
And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceeding sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts. And now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful, they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying, We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work. And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart. Yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years. And our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things save it were death. And it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions. Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy. And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people, for they keep the statutes and the judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people. And our father hath judged them and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his word; yea, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain against us. (1 Nephi 17:19 - 22, NC 1 Nephi 5 par. 17)
Is it possible that Nephi's brothers considered that it was impossible for the House of Israel to dwindle in unbelief and be scattered because they knew, from their deeply held tradition, that the people at Jerusalem were righteous because they did strictly observe the law of Moses?
John the Baptist, seeking to disabuse the Jewish rulers of his day of their false ideas, declared the following to them concerning their tradition of being children of Abraham.
And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair and a leather girdle about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan. And many were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Why is it that you receive not the preaching of him whom God has sent? If you receive not this in your hearts, you receive not me. And if you receive not me, you receive not him of whom I am sent to bear record; and for your sins, you have no cloak. Repent therefore and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. And think not to say within yourselves, We are the children of Abraham, and we only have power to bring seed unto our father Abraham; for I say unto you that God is able, of these stones, to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also, the ax is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore, every tree which brings not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. (Matthew 3:4 - 10, NC Matthew 2 par. 2)
Is it possible to look at history and see that scripture, throughout all time, has been either misapplied or wrested or both by people, whether well intentioned or not, and that results in the creation of traditions that are handed down from parents to children over time until these false traditions are riveted in the hearts of children so that the children are unable to see truth because it runs up against their tradition?
Do we have any examples of this in the Book of Mormon?
Now the Lamanites knew nothing concerning the Lord nor the strength of the Lord, therefore they depended upon their own strength; yet they were a strong people as to the strength of men. They were a wild, and ferocious, and a bloodthirsty people, believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is this: Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers, and that they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren, and they were also wronged while crossing the sea, and again, that they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance after they had crossed the sea — and all this because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord. Therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness. And his brethren were wroth with him because they understood not the dealings of the Lord. They were also wroth with him upon the waters because they hardened their hearts against the Lord. And again they were wroth with him when they had arrived to the promised land, because they said that he had taken the ruling of the people out of their hands; and they sought to kill him. And again they were wroth with him because he departed into the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him and took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, for they said that he robbed them. And thus they have taught their children that they should hate them, and that they should murder them, and that they should rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them. Therefore they have an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephi. For this very cause has king Laman — by his cunning, and lying craftiness, and his fair promises — deceived me, that I have brought this my people up into this land that they may destroy them. Yea, and we have suffered this many years in the land. (Mosiah 10:11 - 18, NC Mosiah 6 par. 12)
Didn't it take several generations before the Lord, who sees the thoughts of all men's hearts, determined that He could send His servants, the sons of Mosiah, and later the brothers Nephi and Lehi, to preach righteousness among the Lamanites at a point in time where the Lamanites would be able to let go of the traditions of their fathers?
Prior to these times hadn't the Nephites tried to restore the Lamanites and the Lamanites would not be restored because of their traditions?
And now it came to pass that I, Enos, went about among the people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come and testifying of the things which I had heard and seen. And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God, but our labors were vain. Their hatred was fixed, and they were led by their evil nature, that they became wild and ferocious, and a bloodthirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness, feeding upon beasts of prey, dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness with a short skin girted about their loins and their heads shaven. And their skill was in the bow, and the cimeter, and the ax; and many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat. And they were continually seeking to destroy us. (Enos 1:19 - 20, NC Enos 1 par. 5)
Do I adhere to traditions today that have the effect of blinding my eyes to truth?
Is it possible for me to hold traditions that cause me to reject the words of the Lord sent through one of His servants?
I would recommend a book titled Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, "Cultural Studies in the Gospels".
Two things occurred while I was reading this book.
1) I saw how my own personal and cultural traditions, handed down through generations, have always colored how I have interpreted the New Testament Gospels and the teachings of Jesus.
2) I saw how the Lord's mission to the Jews both confronted and offended the traditional views the Jews held onto. In Nazareth, the Lord's home town, this was exceedingly enraging to the local populace. It was always enraging to the ruling class.
I believe, for me, that it is only by being willing to listen to and being willing to consider things that possibly oppose my own deeply held traditions and by being willing to let go of traditions handed down to me for generations, if I am persuaded that they are false, that I will ever be able to be a truth seeker.
Do children hold traditions when they are small or do they allow traditions to keep them from listening to other views?
Are children easily entreated?
Is it possible that these are qualities that the Lord had in mind when He declared that we need to become as a little child?
Would it be easier for me to ponder upon and give careful and solemn thought to the Lord's words if I am willing to listen to and consider others' points of view?
Is it possible that the Lord's words may come from completely surprising and unexpected sources?
Is it possible that to study out something in your mind before approaching the Lord, which applies to us as well as it did to Oliver Cowdery, includes listening to and considering points of view that may contradict our deeply held traditions concerning a matter?
Should I consider that if I were in the position of being one of Nephi's brothers that I would find myself in just the exact situation as they were at this time in the record?
Nephi begins to expound on his father, Lehi's, words by explaining a topic that repeats several times in the Book of Mormon; this being the second repeat of this topic in the Book of Mormon record during their sojourn in the valley of Laman by the river of Lemuel among Lehi's family.
If a subject is repeated in scripture, should I consider that it would be important to understand?
Is it reasonable to conclude from the contents of the scripture record and from world history that Lehi's words concerning the dwindling of his seed in unbelief and their scattering by the gentiles and the scattering of the whole House of Israel have been fulfilled?
If the dwindling in unbelief and the scattering has been completed then where are we now with respect to the fulfillment of Lehi's other words then shall the fullness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the gentiles, and from the gentiles unto the remnant of our seed. And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel and that they are the covenant people of the Lord. And then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him. Wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved. And then at that day, will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock, and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God? Behold, I say unto you, yea, they shall be numbered again among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree, into the true olive tree; and this is what our father meaneth. And he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the gentiles. And he meaneth that it shall come by way of the gentiles, that the Lord may shew his power unto the gentiles for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel. Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days, which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying, In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.?
As I presently understand it, an opportunity to receive the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah was presented by the Lord to the gentiles at the beginning of the Restoration, with the Prophet Joseph possessing the power and authority to establish this fulness among the gentiles if the gentiles would repent and respond to the words of the Lord through Joseph.
During this time, at the very beginning, the first mission labor was to the Lamanites.
The following is a history of that attempt.
fought a war in 1812, and our enemies from Great Britain managed to co-opt the Indian tribes as
their ally in the war of 1812. We fought Great Britain back in 1776, then again in 1812. In 1812 they
managed to persuade the Indian tribes to come aboard with them and fight. So Americans were
fighting Indians in addition to the Brits. We decided we can't have that.
On September 21, 1823, through the night to September 22, the angel Moroni visited Joseph Smith.
By June of the next year (1824), the Rev. Isaac McCoy was in Washington D.C. lobbying for a new
law to be adopted. He would stay, lobby, irritate, agitate, persuade and finally convince Congress
there needed to be something done to prevent anything like the Indian alliance with a foreign power
from ever threatening the United States again. We've learned by sad experience, that when Indians
get a foreign power, as they are pleased to call it, they will immediately begin to excise Americans.
So Isaac McCoy made his case. In April 1830, the church was organized. Six weeks later, after the
organization of the church, the Indian Removal Act was passed in May 1830. The work that the Rev.
McCoy undertook had borne fruit. With the adoption of the Indian Removal Act, all Indians inside
the borders of the United States (as it was then configured), were forcibly removed from the Eastern
United States and placed into part of the property purchased in the Louisiana Purchase. This area
was given the name "the Indian Territory." All Indians were relocated west of Missouri, on a north south
line, that divided the United States from Indian territory.
Just as the mission among the Lamanites began, President Andrew Jackson, enforcing the law
adopted in 1830, was forcibly moving all the Indians. Remember the Trail of Tears and all the rest of
that? This was part of the Indian Relocation Act. Have you asked yourself why the Delawares
wound up living in the Louisiana Purchase area?
President Andrew Jackson was relocating all Indians to just over the western border of the Missouri
line. Therefore, at that moment in time, when the first four missionaries left on their mission, if they
were going to locate any of the American Indians, they had to go to Missouri. That was where to
encounter them. There was no other choice, you had to go there.
As it turned out, the location of Independence, Missouri was exactly in the middle of the areas
allocated to the different Indian tribes. Independence was at the center of the land adjacent to the
place the Indians were located. It also happened to be the trailhead for the only trail that came out
West, the Santa Fe Trail. This was the only trail west from Missouri to the Pacific.
At the moment when the first missionaries went out, Independence was the center of the relocated
Indians. As for the Delawares, we have a state on the East Coast named after their tribe. But the
tribe was located at that time on the other side of Missouri, in the Louisiana Purchase property.
Parley Pratt, as one of the first missionaries, went and preached to the Delawares. Have you ever
scratched your head and wondered what it was the Delaware were doing on the other side of
Missouri's Western boundary? Chief Anderson (that was his American name) Chief Anderson of the
Delaware tribe was taught by Parley Pratt. Parley gave him a Book of Mormon. You've read about
that in The Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt.
At the time the Indian agent was Richard W. Cummins. The Indian agent forced the missionaries to
leave the Indian territory. In fact he threatened to take them to Fort Leavenworth and incarcerate
them if they didn't leave the Indian territory.
Delilah McCoy Likens, was the daughter of the Rev. Isaac McCoy. This was the same Isaac McCoy
who was responsible for the adoption of the Indian Relocation Act. Delilah was happy to inform
her father in a letter she wrote on July 31,1831 of the following. "The Mormonites are about to take the
country. They are preaching and baptizing through the country, and are trying to proceed West to find the new Jerusalem, which they say is toward the Rocky Mountains. The agent has driven them off this side of the line and forbids their crossing it."
It was impossible because of the law, the agents, the circumstances, and the threat of arrest for “Mormonite” missionaries to get any closer to the Indians than Independence, Missouri. If they
stepped across the boundary they would have been arrested and sent to Fort Leavenworth. Rev. Isaac McCoy was quoted in the daily Missouri Republican, November 28, 1833 as saying: "The Mormons as I suppose from information, came here so ignorant of laws regulating intercourse with the Indian tribes,
that they expected to pass on into the Indian Territory, procure lands of the Indians, aid them and adopting habits of civilization, and attach them to their party. At the western line of Missouri they were arrested by the proper authorities of government."
It becomes increasingly clear the original target of the first missionary effort had nothing to do with
stopping at Independence, Missouri. It had a great deal to do with going into the western mountains,
the Rocky Mountains, and establishing Zion. But the good Rev. Isaac McCoy, the father of the
Indian Relocation Act, whose daughter was there on the scene married to a minister, combined to
stop the missionaries. All these parties were motivated by false religious ideals. Of course, both then
and now, the best way to oppose Zion is always to have false religious ideas. The required false
religionists were right on the spot at the very moment when, at its incipient stage, under the
guidance of Joseph Smith, the first effort began to establish the New Jerusalem. They couldn't
accomplish it then...
...I want to read to you from Joseph Smith's history, at the very end of his life on Saturday, June
22,1844 five days before he would be slain. You can read this in The Documented History of the Church, volume 6, page 547. "Hyrum came out of the mansion and gave his hand to Reynolds Cahoon, at the same time saying, 'The company of men are seeking to kill my brother Joseph, and the Lord has warned him to flee to the Rocky Mountains to save his life. Goodbye brother Cahoon, we shall see you again.' In a few minutes afterward Joseph came
from his family, his tears were flowing fast. He held a handkerchief to his face, following Brother Hyrum without uttering a word." So Joseph received a revelation on June 22, 1844 telling him to go to the Rocky Mountains. In June 1844 there were no more Indians in the area around Independence. They left. The location in 1831 was temporary, the circumstances were fluid, and by 1844 things had changed. (Forty Years in Mormonism Series, Denversnuffer.com, "Zion", Lecture 6, pgs. 161 - 164 )
My present understanding is that a necessary part of completing the Restoration is to present the fulness of the gospel to the children of Lehi in a way that they can be grafted back in to the natural tree. That is part of the responsibility of possessing the Book of Mormon; to present it to the descendants of the writers of the text and to the Jews who are also children of promise.
I also presently believe that this must be done while the power and authority is present on earth to re-establish the religion that was had among Adam in the beginning, the fulness of the gospel. Joseph was given this power and authority from heaven.
I believe that when Joseph and Hyrum were killed by the conspiracy of traitors, the saints having failed to live up to the requirement the Lord had established in Nauvoo, that power and authority to complete the Restoration was taken from the earth; Heaven was offended.
This was prophesied to happen by the Lord at the time He visited the Nephites following His resurrection.
...and, thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fullness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations, and if they shall do all these things, and shall reject the fullness of my gospel, Behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fullness of my gospel from among them. And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them. And I will shew unto thee, O house of Israel, that the gentiles shall not have power over you, but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fullness of my gospel. But if the gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold, they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel. And I will not suffer my people who are of the house of Israel to go through among them and tread them down, saith the Father. But if they will not turn unto me and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them — yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel — that they shall go through among them and shall tread them down and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden underfoot of my people, O house of Israel. (3 Nephi 16:8 - 15, NC 3 Nephi 7 par. 5)
Again, as I presently understand it, the task to take the fulness of the gospel to the seed of Lehi is still a future expectation for a group of gentiles who will finally repent and work towards obtaining the fulness of the gospel that the gentiles or gentile church initially rejected.
I believe that the founding of the New Jerusalem and Zion as well as the grafting back in of the scattered tribes of Israel, with the descendants of Lehi being one of the scattered branches, are events that are connected and will necessarily occur alongside each other or one will come about as a result of the work to accomplish the other.
do our part. The Lord is going to be the one who ultimately decides where the actual
accomplishment will take place. When it takes place, it's going to be in the mountains, and you need
not guess which mountains. The mountains are going to be out here in the West. It will be exactly
where the first missionaries were sent. They were stopped by the confluence of the law, hostile
society, and the management of the Indian tribes in 1831. When they tried to cross and go west, they
were threatened with arrest. They decided if they couldn't go west to find the location for a New
Jerusalem, they would do what they could as close to their target as they could get. They made the
practical decision to take the local, relocated Indians, and establish Zion right there on that spot.
The Lord gave a series of Revelations in which He essentially said, "If you can do that, then do that.
And that is acceptable to me and that will be Zion. Go to and have at it." When they failed He
essentially said: "Here is why you didn't pull it off: your jarrings, your envies, your lusts, your
contentions, that's why you didn't pull it off." But He has also said, in one of those extraordinarily
clever things the Lord does throughout history: "Zion will not be moved out of its place." (Forty Years in Mormonism Series, Denversnuffer.com, "Zion", Lecture 6, pg. 164 )
Is now such a time when it is possible again, following four generations of cursing, for a repentant group of gentiles to seek after the fulness of the gospel and fulfill the responsibility to take the fulness of the gospel to the seed of Lehi so that they can receive everything Nephi told his brothers here?
And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel and that they are the covenant people of the Lord. And then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him. Wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved. And then at that day, will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock, and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God? Behold, I say unto you, yea, they shall be numbered again among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree, into the true olive tree; and this is what our father meaneth.
Please consider the following as we look at how this must be accomplished.
It cannot come from any source other than from the Father. The Father and Christ being one. The authority to minister and to deliver His Gospel must come from Them. The power to baptize before the end will be brought forth from some remnant of the Gentiles who will bear it.
“For it is wisdom in the Father that they [the Gentiles] should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them [the Gentiles] unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel.”
“O house of Israel” is much more than one group. “O house of Israel” is inclusive of all the scattered bits and remnants, wherever they may be found anywhere on earth. I talked about fulfillment of covenants when we were in Centerville. All the covenants that apply to His people Israel, and the remnants, need to be gathered into one group.
“Therefore, when these works and the works which shall be wrought among you hereafter shall come forth from the Gentiles.” [Not their “book,” but their “works.” Not their book, which has been brought out in 1830, but the “works” to bring the Doctrine of Christ to them. Someone must establish repentance, declare Christ’s doctrine, and baptize by the authority of Christ, to have people then baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost. These are the works.]“Shall come forth from the Gentiles, unto your seed which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity; For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles.”
That is what He now needs to do with some who will assist in the work. That is what He intends to do if you will receive it. “For this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.”
You can’t get there except through the power of the doctrine and the power of the ordinance of baptism performed with power. God has given us the way, and told us how it is to be performed with the exactness, fidelity and language given to us by Christ Himself. “And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel.”
All of Israel will receive this witness that His work has commenced. “And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings shall shut their mouths; for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them. But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil. Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall cause him to bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto him power that he shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it shall be done even as Moses said) they shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant. Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ…”
These are Christ’s words. We touched on these words in the beginning back in Boise. It was quoted by the angel Moroni referring to Joseph Smith, Acts 3, verses 22- 23. “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”
That prophet is Christ. It does not say Christ is going to come and deliver His words, it says “His words.” “Those who will not believe my words, who am Jesus Christ, they shall be cut off.” And the angel Moroni said to Joseph in verse 40 of the Joseph Smith History, “The day had not yet come when “they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people,” but soon would come.”
That prophet is Christ. His words are what I have spoken to you today. We must all respond to His words, because if we will not we will be cut off from among the people. ("98: God in Our Day, Part 2", Denver Snuffer Podcast, December 18, 2019)
In the previous post "The House of Israel Shall No More Be Confounded" I shared my living witness that this is the time presented to us now as gentiles where we have again the opportunity, with the power and authority existing on the earth, to repent and be a part of this work now underway.
The Lord is setting forth His hand again this second time to recover His people Israel and He has established ordinances which are intended to bring gentiles into the House of Israel which places upon those adopted gentiles the responsibility to take these ordinances and this gospel to scattered Israel.
This is a reoccurring theme throughout the Book of Mormon.
My present belief and understanding is that the fulfillment of these words of father Lehi are underway among a group of repentant gentiles who have accepted a covenant that God has provided for everyone on the earth if they so desire to receive it.
It is impossible for me to say what ought to be said concerning this matter in this blog.
I invite everyone to participate in the work now underway and I again give my living witness that this work is God's work.
I have studied the scriptures and the words the Lord is declaring now, I have partaken of the ordinances He has renewed again, and I have participated in a very small way in this work. All of this has enlarged my soul and has become delicious to me. That is how I know that this work is God's. This is my living witness.
I believe that this topic is critical to understand if we are to be able to get our bearings, where we are before God, in the history of the world we now find ourselves in.
I believe that this topic is critical to understand if we are to be able to get our bearings, where we are before God, in the history of the world we now find ourselves in.
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