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HIDDEN LDS/JEWISH
INSIGHTS #12
DOCTRINE & COVENANTS Gospel Doctrine Supplement by Daniel Rona
Weekly E-mail Reminder
<< THE GATHERING OF MY PEOPLE >>
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(1.) JEWISH VIEW OF A LATTER-DAY JOSEPH:
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When the Chief Rabbi, Avraham HaKohen Kook was appointed in Palestine in the 1920's, he was asked if the Jews could now build the Temple (destroyed
since year 70 A.D.). He said that priestly rights were gone and referring to the great 12th century rabbi Moses Maimonides, said, in effect, “We are waiting for a Messiah Ben-Joseph, to him will be
given the keys of the gathering of Israel, he will restore Temple worship.”
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(2.) MORMONS IDENTIFIED AS ISRAEL TRIBES?
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In Tel Aviv, the Diaspora Museum displays the travels and dispersion of Israel. The museum curators also identify “Mormons” as those claiming to be
part of the lost tribes, for the most part as Ephraimites from the Israelite tribe of Joseph.
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(3.) GATHERING HERALDS MESSIAH’S COMING:
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“The Talmud teaches that the ingathering of the exiled kingdoms will be part of the coming of the Messiah.”
(Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) The State of
Israel has special emissaries assigned throughout the world to assist the Jews in gathering to Israel. This is a frustrating thing to some religious Jews. They feel that the State of Israel should
only be established by the Lord through a Messiah, (Messiah ben Joseph).
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(4.) JOSEPH SMITH:
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The keys of the gathering of Israel were restored to the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. during Passover week in 1846. Special emissaries are assigned throughout the world to find
and assist the “Blood of Israel” to gather to the Lord. On one hand, the Jews, without knowing the Lord, are making an exodus from the far-flung reaches of the world and are being gathered home. On
the other hand, throughout the world, Latter-day Saints are making an exodus from not knowing the Lord and are being gathered to an eternal home.
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(5.) BALFOUR DECLARATION:
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“The meetings with Weizmann eventually led to the Balfour Declaration, which he signed in 1917. This was England's declaration of approval that ‘a national home for
the Jewish people’ be built in Palestine.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
At the same time, Anti-Semitism raised its ugly head. As in ancient times, when enemies of the Jews prevented them from building
or settling their ancient country, even Orthodox Jews maintain that the State of Israel is not legitimate because the Messiah did not restore it! Yet it prospers.
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(6.) ANTI-MISSIONARY MOVEMENT:
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A similar example of dissent and subsequent success is when Israel’s government approved the building of the “Mormon” center where the BYU Study program is
currently located. The building was well under way when an Orthodox Jewish group (dedicated to crushing Christian activities) started a twofold campaign. Their first objective was to discredit the
government (which they did not support anyway) for allowing the BYU facilities to continue. Second, striking a chord of antisemitism, they called the center a “missionary activity.” (There are three
kinds of antisemitism to the Jews; 1. kill the Jews, 2. let someone else kill the Jews, and 3. convert the Jews.) This same group attempted to pass a law against proselytizing in Israel and failed.
There is NO Israeli law prohibiting missionary activity. However, missionaries are deemed highly insensitive and antisemitic.
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(7.) ISRAELI LAW:
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They did manage to pass a law prohibiting any bribe or payment inducing Jews to change religion. (Mormons don’t pay, they charge!) BYU did sign a statement announcing they had
no intention of missionary activity. President Howard W. Hunter also signed a similar statement adding the clause, “. . . so long as such activity is prohibited by the government of Israel.” The
reason Latter-day Saints are not proselytizing in Israel is because it is the Lord’s will. “. . .the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.”
(1 Nephi 13:42) Israeli government leaders kept
their commitment to allow the building. The anti missionary group did not manage to convince the government to stop the BYU project. No legal precedent was established that might affect the Latter-day
Saints nor, for that matter, any other church.
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