The Gathering Of Israel 2
Latter-day Revelation Concerning the Gathering-We have found abundant proof of the severely literal fulfilment of prophecies relating to the dispersion of Israel. The predictions relative to the gathering have been but partly fulfilled; for, while the work of concentration has been well begun, and is now in active progress, the consummation is yet future. It is reasonable, then, to look for revelation and prophecy concerning the subject in modern scripture as well as in the inspired writings of former times. Speaking to the elders of the Church in this dispensation, the Lord declares the purpose of gathering His people “even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings” and adds: “And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts; Wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the Father that they shall be gathered in unto one place upon the face of this land, to prepare their hearts and be prepared in all things against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked.”
Hear further the word of the Lord unto the Church in the present day, not only predicting the gathering of the saints to Zion, but announcing that the hour for the gathering has come: “Wherefore, prepare ye, prepare ye, O my people; sanctify yourselves; gather ye together, O ye people of my Church Yea, verily I say unto you again, the time has come when the voice of the Lord is unto you: Go ye out of Babylon; gather ye out from among the nations, from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
Extent and Purpose of the Gathering-Some of the prophecies already cited have special reference to the restoration of the Lost Tribes; others relate to the return of the people of Judah to the land of their inheritance; yet others refer to the rehabilitation of Israel in general, without mention of tribal or other divisions; while many passages in the revelations of the present dispensation deal with the gathering of the saints who have numbered themselves with the Church of Christ as reestablished. It is evident that the plan of gathering comprises:
1. Assembling in the land of Zion of the people of Israel from the nations of the earth.
2. Return of the Jews to Jerusalem.
3. Restoration of the Lost Tribes.
The sequence of these events as here presented is that of convenience and has no significance as to the order in which the several gatherings are to be accomplished. The division first named constitutes an important part of the current work of the Church, though the labor of assisting in the restoration of the Lost Tribes is included. We are informed by revelation, given in the Kirtland Temple, that the appointment to and the authority for the work were solemnly committed to the Church. And through none could such authority be more fittingly conferred than through him who had received it by divine commission in a former dispensation of united Israel. Moses, who was the representative of Israel’s God when the Lord set His hand the first time to lead His people to the land of their appointed inheritance, has come in person and has committed to the latter-day Church the authority to minister in the work now that the Lord has “set his hand the second time” to recover His people.
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, each of whom had been duly ordained to the apostleship, testify of the manifestations made to them, in these words: “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, and the leading of the Ten Tribes from the land of the north.” The importance of the work thus required of the Church was emphasized by a later revelation, in which the Lord gave this command: “Send forth the elders of my church unto the nations which are afar off; unto the islands of the sea; send forth unto foreign lands; call upon all nations, first upon the Gentiles, and then upon the Jews. And behold, and lo, this shall be their cry, and the voice of the Lord unto all people: Go ye forth unto the land of Zion Let them, therefore, who are among the Gentiles flee unto Zion. And let them who be of Judah flee unto Jerusalem, unto the mountain of the Lord’s house. Go ye out from among the nations, even from Babylon, from the midst of wickedness, which is spiritual Babylon.”
The last sentence of the foregoing quotation expresses the purpose for which this work of gathering the saints from the nations of the earth has been ordained. The Lord would have His people separate themselves from the sins of the world and depart from spiritual Babylon, that they may learn the ways of God and serve Him the more fully. John the Revelator, while in exile on Patmos, saw in vision the fate of the sinful world. An angel came down from heaven, “and he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”
The faith of the Latter-day Saints teaches that in the day of the Lord’s righteous fury safety will be found in Zion. The importance which they associate with the work of gathering, and the fidelity with which they seek to discharge the duty enjoined upon them by divine authority in the matter of warning the world of the impending dangers, as described in the Revelator’s vision, are sufficiently demonstrated by the great extent of the missionary labor as at present prosecuted by this people.
Israel the Covenant People-The Lord has designated the people of Israel as especially His own. With Abraham He entered into a covenant and said: “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.” This was to be an everlasting covenant. It was confirmed upon Isaac, and in turn upon Jacob who was called Israel. The promises regarding the multitudinous posterity, amongst whom were to be counted many of exalted rank, have been literally fulfilled. No less certain is the realization of the second part of the prediction, that in and through Abraham’s descendants should all nations of the earth be blessed. For, by world-wide dispersion the children of Israel have been mingled with the nations; and the blood of the covenant people has been sprinkled among the peoples. And now, in this the day of gathering, when the Lord is again bringing His people together to honor and bless them above all that the world can give, every nation with the blood of Israel in the veins of its members will partake of the blessings.
But there is another and a more striking proof of blessings flowing to all nations through the house of Israel. The Redeemer was born in the flesh through the lineage of Abraham; and the blessings of that divine birth are extended, not only to the nations and families of the earth collectively, but to every individual in mortality.
Restoration of the Lost Tribes-From the scriptural passages already considered, it is plain that, while many of those belonging to the Ten Tribes were diffused among the nations, a sufficient number to justify the retention of the original name were led away as a body and are now in existence in some place where the Lord has hidden them. To them the resurrected Christ went to minister after His visit to the Nephites, as before stated. Their return constitutes a very important part of the gathering, characteristic of the dispensation of the fulness of times.
To the scriptures already quoted as relating to their return, the following should be added. As a feature of the work of God in the day of restoration we are told: “And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord; and their prophets shall hear his voice, and shall no longer stay themselves; and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence. And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep. Their enemies shall become a prey unto them, And in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of living water; and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land. And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants. And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence. And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim. And they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy. Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim and his fellows.”
From the express and repeated declaration, that in their exodus from the north the Ten Tribes are to be led to Zion, there to receive honor at the hands of those who are of Ephraim, who necessarily are to have previously gathered there, it is plain that Zion is to be first established. The establishment of Zion will receive attention in the next chapter.