|
“The Gathering of My People”
|
Lesson
12
Summary |
Scripture
Summary: |
Doctrine and Covenants 29: 1–8; velation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to his father, Joseph Smith, Sen., at Harmony, Pennsylvania, February 1829. HC 1: 28. 1—4,
Valiant service saves the Lord’s ministers; 5—6, Godly attributes qualify them for the ministry; 7, Things of God must be sought after. |
Doctrine and Covenants 33:3–7; Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to his brother Hyrum Smith, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, May
1829. HC 1: 39—46. This revelation was received through the Urim and Thummim in answer to Joseph’s supplication and inquiry. “History of the Church” suggests that this revelation was received
after the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood. 1—6, Laborers in the vineyard will gain salvation; 7—14, Seek wisdom, cry repentance, trust in the Spirit; 15—22, Keep the commandments and study
the Lord’s word; 23—27, Deny not the spirit of revelation and of prophecy; 28—30, Those who receive Christ become the sons of God.
Doctrine and Covenants 37: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Joseph Knight, Sen., at Harmony, Pennsylvania, May 1829. HC 1: 47—48. Joseph Knight believed the declarations of
Joseph Smith concerning his possession of the Book of Mormon plates and the work of translation then in progress, and several times had given material assistance to Joseph Smith and his scribe,
which enabled them to continue translating. At Joseph Knight’s request the Prophet inquired of the Lord and received the revelation. 1—6, Laborers in the vineyard are to gain salvation; 7—9, All
who desire and are qualified may assist in the Lord’s work.
Doctrine and Covenants 38:24–41; Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to David Whitmer, at Fayette, New York, June 1829. HC 1: 48—50. The Whitmer family had become greatly interested
in the translating of the Book of Mormon. The Prophet established his residence at the home of Peter Whitmer, Sen., where he dwelt until the work of translation was carried to completion and the
copyright on the forthcoming book secured. Three of the Whitmer sons, each having received a testimony as to the genuineness of the work, became deeply concerned over the matter of their
individual duty. This revelation and the two next following (Sections 15 and 16) were given in answer to an inquiry through the Urim and Thummim. David Whitmer later became one of the Three
Witnesses to the Book of Mormon. 1—6, Laborers in the vineyard will gain salvation; 7—8, Eternal life is the greatest of God’s gifts; 9—11, Christ created the heavens and the earth.
Doctrine and Covenants 52:2–5; 42–43; Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to John Whitmer, at Fayette, New York, June 1829. HC 1: 50; see also heading to Section 14. The message is
intimately and impressively personal, in that the Lord tells of what was known only to John Whitmer and himself. John Whitmer later became one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon. 1—2,
The Lord’s arm is over all the earth; 3—6, To preach the gospel and save souls is the thing of most worth.
Doctrine and Covenants 57:1–3; Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Peter Whitmer, Jun., at Fayette, New York, June 1829. HC 1: 51; see also heading to Section 14. Peter Whitmer,
Jun., later became one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon. 1—2, The Lord’s arm is over all the earth; 3—6, To preach the gospel and save souls is the thing of most worth.
Doctrine and Covenants 110:11; Revelation to Joseph Smith the Prophet, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer, given at Fayette, New York, June 1829. HC 1: 60—64. When the Aaronic Priesthood was
conferred, the bestowal of the Melchizedek Priesthood was promised. See heading to Section 13. In response to supplication for knowledge on the matter, the Lord gave this revelation. 1—5,
Scriptures show how to build up the Church; 6—8, The world is ripening in iniquity; 9—16, The worth of souls is great; 17—25, To gain salvation, men must take upon them the name of Christ; 26—36,
The calling and mission of the Twelve are revealed; 37—39, Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer are to search out the Twelve; 40—47, To gain salvation, men must repent, be baptized, and keep the
commandments.
Articles of Faith 1:10; We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ
will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be erenewed and receive its paradisiacal glory. |
Supplemental
Holy Land
and Jewish
insights:
|
Jewish View of a Latter-day Joseph: 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.” | Mormons Identified as Israel Tribes?
“Although the ten tribes disappeared, the prophets . . . promised that . . . they would be reunited with the remainder of the Jewish nation. “Numerous attempts have been made by travelers and
explorers to discover the ten tribes, or to identify them with different people . . . including the Japanese, Persians, the Falashas of Ethiopia, Red Indians, and the British . . .” (Encyclopedia
Judaica Jr.) 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.
Gathering Heralds Messiah’s Coming: “The Talmud teaches that the ingathering of the exiled kingdoms will be part of the coming of the Messiah. The day of the ingathering, the rabbis write,
will be ‘as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created’.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) This exodus from the Diaspora will be greater than the exodus from Egypt. 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 be
established by the Lord through a Messiah; hence, the traditions of a latter-day “Messiah ben Joseph.
Joseph Smith: A parallel gathering is taking place since the keys of the gathering of Israel were restored to the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. during Passover week in 1846. Special emissaries are
also assigned throughout the world to find and assist the “Blood of Israel” to gather to the Lord. The scope of this gathering is the greatest gathering the world has ever known. Calculating for a
moment, we see that just before Prophet and President David O. McKay was leading the Lord’s work there was one Mormon for every 100,000 persons on the earth. Now, Prophet and President Gordon B.
Hinckley is leading the Lord’s work with one Mormon for every 600 persons on the earth!
Follow the Prophets: 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. They are striving to follow the modern prophets who, like the ancient prophets,
wanted them to know the Lord
Get Out and Go, Where? The subject of the ingathering of the Jews rippled through Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century. Schemes were hatched to “get the Jews out” of Europe or
maybe they should gather to Uganda! “. . . Weizmann was among the opponents of this plan, unwilling to agree to Zionism without Zion. By a quirk of fate this adamant stand gained him an introduction
to British leader Arthur James Balfour, who was later to play an important role in the establishment of the Jewish state. Balfour had been puzzled by the Zionist rejection of the Uganda plan and
asked Weizmann to explain this step. Weizmann then asked Balfour whether, if he were offered Paris he would abandon London. Balfour answered, ‘No, London is the capital of my country.’ Weizmann
replied, ‘Jerusalem was the capital of our country when London was a marsh’.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
Balfour Declaration: “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. In 1925 Balfour accepted an invitation to open the Hebrew University . . . in Jerusalem.” (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.
Anti-missionary Movement: 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 anti-Semitism, they called the center a “missionary activity.” (There are three kinds of
anti-Semitism 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 anti-Semitic.
Israeli Law: 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 with the clause added, “. . . 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. This Orthodox 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. |
|