Questions: Members of the Restored Church say
they are members of the tribes of Israel. Aren’t the tribes lost? What do the
tribes matter anyway?
“And if thou do
this, I have prepared thee for a greater work. Thou shalt preach the fulness of
my gospel, which I have sent forth in these last days, the covenant which I have sent forth to recover my people, which are of
the house of Israel.” Doctrine and Covenants 39:11
“[A]nd then shall ye begin to be gathered
with your families, every man according to his family. …” Doctrine and
Covenants 48:6
“Behold, I will
reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the
coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to
the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If
it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.”
Doctrine and Covenants 2:1-3
Members of the Restored Church believe
that the tribes of Israel began to be gathered with the restoration of the
gospel of Jesus Christ, and that the tribes would be the means of blessing all
the families of the world from the beginning of time.
The tribes of
Israel are the descendants of Abraham. Because of Abraham’s faithfulness God
made a covenant with him. God blessed him with a promised land, with seed as
numerous as the sands of the sea, and that these children would be the means of
blessing the nations of the Earth and indeed the all the families of the entire
Earth.
“Now the LORD had
said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from
thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee
a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt
be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that
curseth thee: and in thee shall all
families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis
12:1-3
“And I will make thy seed as the dust of the
earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy
seed also be numbered.” Genesis 13:16
“And I will
establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their
generations for an everlasting covenant,
to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” Genesis 17:7
“And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be
fruitful and multiply; a nation and a
company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy
loins.” Genesis 35:11
“Seeing that
Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.” Genesis
18:18
After Abraham, his
children the nation of Israel went into captivity in Egypt. When the Israelites
came out of captivity from Egypt, they received this promised land again.
“And the LORD spake
unto Moses, saying, Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye
come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an
inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof.)” Numbers 34:1-2
But through disobedience
and wickedness Israel lost the promised land, and over and over parts of Israel
were carried off and scattered over the whole Earth, in every nation.
“And thy seed shall
be as the dust of the earth, and thou
shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the
south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed.” Genesis 28:14
“Joseph is a
fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall.” Genesis 49:22
“And the LORD shall scatter you among the
nations. ...” Deuteronomy4:27
“And the LORD shall
scatter thee among all people, from the
one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other
gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.” Deuteronomy
28:64
“But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all
the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that
no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.”
Zechariah 7:14
This scattering was
the result of Israel’s wickedness. However, God knew it would come to pass.
“And I will
persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and
will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a
curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven
them.” Jeremiah 29:18
“Yet will I leave a
remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the
countries.” Ezekiel 6:8
“My God will cast
them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.” Hosea 9:17
“For, lo, I will
command, and I will sift the house of
Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve. …” Amos 9:9
They would become a
reproach and curse in the Earth.
“[Y]e might be a curse and a reproach among all the
nations of the earth.” Jeremiah 44:8
“And I will
persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and
will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an
hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:
because they have not hearkened to my words. …” Jeremiah 29:18-19
The scattering amongst
the nations of the Gentiles caused them to lose their promised lands. In the
Old Testament the name of Christ was prophesied to become great among the Gentiles.
The people of Israel would remain scattered in what is called the Time of the
Gentiles.
“For from the
rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles. …” Malachi 1:11
“[A]nd he shall
shew judgment to the Gentiles. …And in
his name shall the Gentiles trust.” Matthew 12:18, 21
“And
they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into
all nations: and Jerusalem shall be
trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
Luke 21:24
The Time of the
Gentiles began after the resurrection of Christ when He commanded His apostles
to bring His gospel to all the world.
“But the Lord said
unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of
Israel.” Acts 9:15
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15
History shows us
how the name of Jesus Christ has been spread over the entire Earth. Billions of people have learned to call upon
the name of Jesus Christ since his resurrection. It is telling, however, that
the great caution of apostasy that would signify a loss of priesthood in the
book of Ephesians, carries with it also a warning about the Gentiles.
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work
of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children,
tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby the lie in wait to deceive;
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working
in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of
itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other
Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened,
being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them,
because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”
Ephesians 4:14-19
“[E]ven as the
Gentiles which know not God.” 1 Thessalonians 4:5
The Gentiles in
ancient times had cultures based on vanities and idols. They had no understanding of God. The Time of
the Gentiles in which the Gentiles would trust in the name of the Lord is
marked with wars, strifes, murders, envyings, and yes, apostasy. It has all come about because of vanities,
because of idols, and the lust for power. The name of Christ has been abused
for centuries for the sake of power. In the name of Christ there have
disputations, crusades, contentions, wars, inquisitions, murders, theft, and so
much more in search of power and kingdoms. All this, even though the Lord said:
“My kingdom is not of this world: if my
kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” John 18:36
Yet, the Time of
the Gentiles has delivered fruit. In this time, despite all the evil done in
the name of Christ there have been those who learned of Him, and in their
hearts knew that He was good, and that He was God. Despite the world using His name for power,
the power of His teachings has seeded faith the Earth over. Nations look to the
name of Jesus Christ and know of His promised return. When shall we see the
Lord?
He will be in
heaven until after the restitution of all things, the restitution of all the
knowledge that God had given the prophets since the beginning of time. Before
the Lord comes there must be a preparation for Him. The fulness of His gospel precedes His
coming.
“Repent ye
therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times
of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus
Christ which before was preached unto you: Whom
the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which
God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”
Acts 3:19-21
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to
preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and
tongue, and people. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to
him; for the hour of his judgment is come:
and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of
waters.” Revelation 14:6-7
With the
restoration of truth the Time of the Gentiles would begin to end, and the
gathering of Israel to Christ would commence in the start of what is called the
Fulness of Times.
“And they shall
fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations:
and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of
the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Luke 21:24
“For I would not,
brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in
your own conceits; that blindness in part
is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so
all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the
Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant
unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he
might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in
heaven, and which are on earth, even in him.” Ephesians1:10
“And in that day
there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people;
to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall
come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second
time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria,
and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from
Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the
outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four
corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the
adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall
not vex Ephraim.” Isaiah 11:10-13
“And
when the time of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them
that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel; But they
receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts
from me because of the precepts of men. And in that generation shall the times
of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Doctrine and Covenants 45:28-30
“And he
will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them
from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly.”
Isaiah 5:26
In the latter-day
the sons of Aaron would be purified.
“Behold, I will
send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and they Lord, whom
ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant,
whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may
abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like
a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and a
purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as
gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in
righteousness.” Malachi 3:1-3
This began with the
restoration of the gospel. Aaron and Moses were Levites. Some genealogies show
that in the early days of the Restored Church there were descendants of Levites
among the converts of the church, which statistically is not just possible but probable.
“Therefore, as I
said concerning the sons of Moses- for the sons of Moses and also the sons of
Aaron shall offer an acceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the
Lord, which house shall be built unto the Lord in this generation, upon the
consecrated spot as I have appointed- And
the sons of Moses and of Aaron shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, upon
Mount Zion in the Lord’s house, who sons are ye; and also many whom I have
called and sent forth to build up my church. For whoso is faithful unto the
obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying
their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.
They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the
church and kingdom, and the elect of God.” Doctrine and Covenants 84:31-34
“And I will also
take of them for priests and for Levites,
saith the LORD.” Isaiah 66:21
We see there is also
an adoption of sorts of men to Moses and Aaron, of those who keep their
covenants and receive the priesthood.
The gathering of
Israel would be done through the Spirit by the priesthood. This glorious
priesthood would help construct the holy house of God, and present the nations of the Earth as an offering to the Lord. The
offering of the nations is the offering that the Levites will present to the
Lord Jesus Christ at the time of His coming. By this covenant nation of
priesthood holders, all the families and nations of the Earth are being blessed
by building the house of Christ, through gathering the fallen daughters and
sons of God. This is literally the
reconstruction of the kingdom, of the house of God.
“I will gather all nations and tongues;
and they shall come, and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them, and I
will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud,
that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not
heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory
among the Gentiles. And they shall bring
all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon
horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beats, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the
LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the
house of the LORD. And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites,
saith the LORD. Isaiah 66: 18-21
In the Doctrine and
Covenants, a companion to the book of Isaiah, we see God’s command to the
priesthood for the fulfillment of this Isaiah prophecy.
“[F]or the sons of Moses and also of Aaron
shall offer an acceptable offering and sacrifice. …” Doctrine and Covenants
84:31
“Therefore, go ye into all the world; and
unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go
from you into all the world unto every creature.” Doctrine and Covenants
84:62
“O, ye nations of
the earth, how often would I have
gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but
ye would not!” Doctrine and Covenants 43:24
“After this vision
closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us,
and committed unto us the keys of the
gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth. …” Doctrine and
Covenants 110:11
In these final days
before the Lord returns the temple would return, which is a place of
instruction of the knowledge of God and where the families of the Earth are
sealed, or gathered, together. It is called the mountain of the Lord, mount
Zion, the house of the Lord, Jerusalem, or the holy mountain in the previous
Isaiah 66 scripture.
“And it shall come
to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains,
and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And
many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the
LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and
he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of
Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” Isaiah
2:2-3
There will be more
than one temple, and at some point there will be a manner of manifestation that
will provide protection to the children of Zion, as noted earlier.
“And the LORD will
create upon every dwelling place of mount
Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of
a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.” Isaiah 4:5-6
The Gentiles, those
who are not direct descendants of Abraham, are brought into the Abrahamic
Covenant and the house of Israel through Jesus Christ, and are made children of
Israel. (Though I want to say, also, Abraham lived at such a distance from us,
statistically every person now alive could be his descendant.)
“That the blessing of Abraham might come on
the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the
Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:14
“For thou shalt
break forth on the right hand and on the left: and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles. …” Isaiah 54:3
Zion and the lands
of Israel will begin to be redeemed at the end of the Time of the Gentiles.
“And they shall
fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations:
and Jerusalem shall betrodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Luke 21:24
“Zion will be redeemed with judgment, and
her converts with righteousness.” Isaiah 1:27
“For the LORD will
have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land. …” Isaiah 14:1
“And they shall
build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the
fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant,
and another eat. …” Isaiah 65:21-22
“But ye, O
mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit
to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. For, behold, I am for
you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown: And I will
multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the
wastes shall be builded: And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and
they shall increase and bring fruit. …” Ezekiel 36:8-11
But it goes beyond
that. In the time of the Lord’s coming, only the meek will remain to inherit
the Earth. For the meek of Israel and those adopted into it, the entire Earth
is a promised land.
“Blessed are the
meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5
“But the meek shall inherit the earth;
and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Psalms 37:11
“The meek will he guide in judgment: and the
meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth
unto such as keep his covenants and his testimonies. For thy name’s sake, O
LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. What man is he that feareth the
LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell
at ease; and his seed shall inherit the
earth.” Psalms 25:9-13
And the land will
be as the Garden of Eden, as one of the principles of a true Zion people and
land is abundance.
“And it shall come
to pass in that day, that the mountains
shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk. …” Joel 3:18
“For the LORD shall
comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden
of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the
voice of melody.” Isaiah 51:3
“And I the LORD
will be their God, and my servant David [Jesus Christ, son of David] a prince
among them; I the LORD have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of
peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall
dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them
and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to
come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her
fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in
their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of
their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves
of them. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the
beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make
them afraid. And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be
no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen
any more. Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that
they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the LORD God. And ye are
my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the LORD
God.” Ezekiel 34:24-31
“That our sons may
be as plants grown up in their youth; that
our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a
palace: That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that
our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: That our
oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that
there be no complaining in our streets. Happy is that people, that is in such a
case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.” Psalms 144:12-15
This process of
building Zion, of redeeming Zion, began with Joseph Smith at the restoration of
the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, through the establishment of God’s
priesthood.
“Your prayers are
acceptable before me; and in answer to them I say unto you, that you are now
called immediately to make a solemn proclamation of my gospel, and of this
stake which I have planted to be a
cornerstone of Zion, which shall be polished with the refinement which is after
the similitude of a palace. … [T]hose [priests] whom I have set to be
plants of renown, and as watchmen upon her walls.” Doctrine and Covenants
124:2, 61
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