Key
Concepts:
One problem I have found with research on the
Second Coming of Christ has been the practice of focusing in on certain aspects
of the work and leaving out key prophetic events. The battle of
Armageddon is a good example, many books have been written on this
subject. The problem is they don't address the key issues leading up to
the battle nor do they deal with other key issues that must interplay.
Any work on the Second Coming must bring all key issues into focus. Once
all key issues are understood then the total picture will unfold before your
eyes making the full mosaic evident. Many key issues are highlighted
throughout LDS scriptures and provide a view unseen by most Christians.
While trying to put together a complete template dealing with the last days
let's keep in mind the following key issues:
The role of the
House of Israel:
John 4:22 "For Salvation is of
the Jews"
Dispensationalism, a distorted view of Gods plan for the salvation of
His children, invented in the1500s, by Jesuit
priest Francisco Ribera, and firmed up in the 19th century by
John Nelson Darby, has most of the Christian
faith believing that events leading up to the second coming don’t pertain to
them and are limited to the House of Israel., and that they are on a separate
plan for Salvation. Dispensationalism teaches that the law was one way to
salvation not understanding that it never was an end unto itself simply a
teaching tool. (Galations 3: 24…Wherefore the was our to bring us unto
Christ…) Paul’s teachings in Romans was all about spelling that out.
Abr 2:9-11 All who accept the gospel
will be counted of the seed of Abraham.
In the book of Mormon when the prophets talk
about the last days they reference the Great and Marvelous Work. The Great and
Marvelous Work is all about the restoration of Gods one and only plan for the
salvation of mankind. One of the major portions of which is the gathering
"restoration" of the House of Israel. This includes the lost ten
tribes! Although a remnant has gathered in, the major scene has yet to unfold.
You will recognize this event when the gathered do so believing in Jesus Christ
as their Savior.
2 Neph 10:7
3 Neph 20:31
Mormon 5:14
The Book of Isaiah is all about the
Great and Marvelous Work of restoration of the House of Israel.
This event will be so grand that the world will
reference the house of Israel by it. Jer 16:14-15
The Lion of Jacob prophecies are Key to this
gathering. When the House of Israel wakes up to their role in the
salvation of mankind and the ushering in of the millennium, they will gather
home with such force that it will be an event in and of itself. 3 Nep 20:18-46,
D&C 64:43
For another view on this see
http://www.allanstime.com/Spiritual/who_is_israel.htm
The work
performed by the remnant of the House of Israel:
A remnant of the House of Israel has
gathered in and established the rock that will go forth to conquer the rest of
the world.
The restoration work was made possible by the
establishment of the United States through the constitution.
One key event that is yet to unfold is the
preservation of the US constitution by the Elders of Israel and the establishment
of the Government of Zion. D&C 63:29
The origin of the prophecy concerning the
elders and the constitution is in question. But it has been supported by
many of the Prophets. We do have a Prophecy by John Taylor concerning
this event. Let's go to the Encyclopedia of Mormonism under the topic
Constitution of the United States, by Ralph Hancock;
"LDS attachment to the Constitution has been further
encouraged by an important oral tradition deriving from a statement attributed
to Joseph Smith, according to which the Constitution would "hang by a
thread" and be rescued, if at all, only with the help of the Saints.
Church President John Taylor seemed to go further when he prophesied,
"When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United
States the Elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the
earth and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men" (JD 21:8). To
defend the principles of the Constitution under circumstances where the
"iniquity," or moral decay, of the people has torn it to shreds might
well require wisdom at least equal to that of the men raised up to found it. In
particular, it would require great insight into the relationship between
freedom and virtue in a political embodiment of moral agency."
(RALPH C. HANCOCK. CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 1)
The key point I want to highlight is the
statement by John Taylor, "When the people shall have torn to shreds the
Constitution of the United States the Elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the
nations of the earth and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all
men". This may assist us when we try to understand the original
prophecy by Joseph Smith. With President Taylor's comment we gain a
clarification as to what the conditions will be when the prophecy is fulfilled.
The fate of the US government and the need for the Elders to protect the
constitution is another issue that must be kept in mind. I know that
Brigham Young taught that the US flag would be flying over the Saints when
Christ returned but, I believe that Isaiah 19 is in reference to the fate of
the US and sets the stage for the need of the Elders to step in and preserve
the constitution of the US, ( or the concepts embodied by that document).
I believe that the Saints, like Moroni seeking a rallying "Title of Liberty", will use
the flag to represent the only place on earth where freedom still
remains. We know that the Americas have been set up as the Promised Land and will only be
inhabited by righteous people. Is that the condition of the present United States? I don't think so! Have the Prophecies given
by Joseph Smith concerning the United States and the wrongs committed on the Saints came to pass?
These are two reasons requiring a cleansing of the US and I think it will come as Isaiah has said. This
fits with the prophecy concerning; there being no peace accept in Zion. (speculative food for thought)
Another role the Remnant of the House of
Israel will provide will be the Temple blessings.
"To this city, and to its several branches or stakes,
shall the Gentiles seek, as to a standard of light and knowledge. Yea, the
nations, and their kings and nobles, shall say, Come and let us go up to the
Mount Zion, and to the temple of the Lord; where his holy priesthood stand to
minister continually before the Lord; and where we may be instructed more
fully, and receive the ordinances of remission, and of sanctification, and
redemption; and thus be adopted into the family of Israel, and identified in
the same covenants of promise." (James R. Clark. Messages of the First
Presidency. Vol. 1, p.259 - p.260)
The Gentiles:
The Gospel went first to the House of
Israel then to the Gentiles. It was the Gentile nations that brought
Christianity down through the ages to the dispensation of the fullness of times
when the Full Gospel was restored. Romans 11 and Jacob 5 and 6 talks about this
process of grafting from Israel to the Gentiles and the need to graft back into the House
of Israel. The Gentiles seeing the need to be grafted back into the
Abraham covenant for their salvation will play a key role in events leading up
to the last days. This is a key point in the overall template of Last Days
prophecies. During the restoration phase the work is still within the Gentile
nations. When the time of the gentiles comes to an end you will see a dramatic
turn to the portion of the Great and Marvelous Work which most scriptures point
to, the time when the Arm of the Lord is raised, the grafting period is focused
back on the House of Israel. The Arm raised period will be the Ensign to all
nations to prepare for the final phase the burning/cleansing, Arm falls phase.
To recap the Template; 1. Restoration phase (Time of the Gentiles). 2.
Restoration of the House of Israel, grafting, Arm of the Lord raised phase. 3.
Cleansing, Burning, Arm of the Lord falls phase.
In addition to the Key Issues listed
above. I believe it will be instructive to keep in mind the Prophetic
visions of our day. The following is a high level overview of prophecies
concerning our day.
Nephi's Visions of our day:
Nephi was a very visionary prophet, he saw
many aspects of our day and recorded them for our benefit. Let's review
the ones centered around second coming events at a high level.
1 Neph 13-15
Nephi sees many nations and the great and
abominable church (the devil being the founder of it). The history of the
Bible to include the manipulation of the contents of the Bible. The
restoration of the Gospel. The theme of the first being last and the last being
first. In chapter 14:1-2, Nephi give a glimpse into the great and marvelous
work "If the Gentiles shall harken,....manifest....word, also in power....taking
away of their stumbling blocks...they shall be numbered among the house of
Israel" continuing in 7, He will remember the covenants made.
He then goes on to define the state in our time; Only two churches.
The whore has dominion over all the earth. Church of the lamb small but
also upon all the earth. Power descends on the saints and they are armed
with power the mission of John the revelatory. Nephi was told to quit
talking about the last days. That role is given to John. (This is the
reason for Nephi quoting Isaiah so much. He hopes that we will understand
what Isaiah is saying so that we too can understand the last days). He
also uses the olive tree grafting story to help us understand that which he was
told to leave to John see Chapter 15.
1 Neph 19-22
Nephi states that this record is kept
for a more wise purpose. Signs of Christ's coming reviewed. Nephi
goes on to review past prophets and likens Isaiah to his people. Chapters
20 and 21 are Isaiah 48 and 49 taken from the brass plates. After
reviewing Isaiah Nephi talks plainly about the last days. 10 tribes lost,
Jews scattered. A mighty Gentile nation raised. A marvelous work
among the Gentiles. Verse 10 "earth cannot be blessed unless he
shall make bare his arm in the eyes of the nations" 22:11, ..make
bar his arm by brining his covenant and gospel to the house of Israel. 22:12 ...they
shall know that the Lord is their Savior. All that fight against zion shall be destroyed, the great and abominable church shall fall.
2 Neph 11-30.
In my estimation all of 2 Nephi was
written for us, it is about our day and events that directly concerns us.
This book starts out with a farewell from Lehi then Jacob (following Nephi's
request) reviews events concerning our day and then Nephi wraps things up with
chapters 11-30 dealing directly with our day. Let's review what Nephi has
to say starting with Chapter 11; Nephi takes over where Jacob left off and
quotes Isaiah chapters 2-14. Nephi delights in plainness and teaches the
words of Isaiah in plainness to us and his people. Nephi then goes on to
prophecy about Christ's first advent and the resurrection., destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jews. In 25:16 we again
see an introduction to what the Great and Marvelous work is and when it takes
place (when they believe in Christ). Then in Chapter 26 Nephi reviews
events leading up to the last days and in verse 14 we have the coming forth of
the Book of Mormon. In 27 we have the same pattern; the apostasy,
restoration, coming forth of the Book of Mormon (Minus the sealed portion. 6-9)
Then the start of the Great and Marvelous work (27:34- The work is the
restoration of the House of Israel) Chapter 28 then looks at the status
of the people in their state of apostasy. Chapter 29 starts with the definition
of the Marvelous work "Remember my covenant...recover my people, which are
of the house of Israel". The people reject the Book of Mormon.
Chapter 30 starts with a warning to both Jew and Gentile and then we move into
a very key sequence in verse 3; a view of the last days and after the Book of
Mormon (Written unto the Gentiles) then it goes to the "remnant" of
the house of Israel (the lamanites). The Jews begin to believe and are
gathered in, then the Lord begins His work, a great division occurs then the
millennium begins.
Jacob's Visions of our day:
Jacob learned well from Nephi and continued in
His footsteps. Let's review that provided by Jacob;
2 Neph 6-10
Following the loss of their father and the
building of the Temple Jacob (at the request of Nephi) provides a glimpse of the future
using Isaiah as his base. He starts in with the Great and Marvelous work
(Yet to come) Please take note of the defining properties of the work; 6:11 "when they shall come to a knowledge of their
redeemer", 6:14 "When they shall believe in Him", 9:2
"restored to the true Church" and 10:7 "When they believe in
me". In chapters 7 and 8 Jacob's reviews the work of Christ, the
atonement, resurrection and the land of America to be given to the Gentiles as a gathering place.
Jacob 5-6 (Prophecy of Zenos. The olive
tree)
A direct answer to Romans 11. (Israel was chosen (foreordained) according to the election of grace—But some harden their hearts against it—The Gentiles are adopted into the house of Israel—The gospel goes preferentially to the Gentiles until the fulness of the Gentiles.)
Return to index.