The Moses Prophecy- (conclusion)

Jerusalem is the land of Judah. Zion/New Jerusalem is the land of Joseph to be established in North America, Jackson County, Missouri. Traditional thought in the Church often associates the city of Enoch as a type for Zion. Zion is referred to as the pure in heart. Both of these conclusions are accurate. What is often lost in the discussion is the historical fact Zion was the fortress where David dwelt near Jerusalem. This raises the possibility that the New Jerusalem is home to the new David. Could this be the descendant of David (spoken of by Joseph Smith) who raises the ensign and gathers Israel?

Israel gathers to the ensign and then is led to Ephraim to receive their Temple covenants. Being “crowned” suggests the dispersed of Israel receive their washing, anointing, endowment and sealing in the temple at the New Jerusalem. In addition to restoring Israel to their Melchizedek Priesthood covenant status, the servant raising the ensign extends to Israel covenant protection because of his covenant loyalty to the Lord. Existing governments with established boundaries act as barriers to the gathering. All impediments to gathering must be removed. Triggering the gathering are revelations that become the “ensign” and lead to the rebellion/implosion of Gentile nations from within. Nephi foretells these events in the last chapter of his first book:

10 And I would, my brethren, that ye should know that all the kindreds of the earth cannot be blessed unless he shall make bare his arm in the eyes of the nations.
11 Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations, in bringing about his covenants and his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel.
12 Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
13 And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with their own blood.
14 And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord. And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed, and that great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea, that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and great shall be the fall of it.
15 For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned.
16 For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.
17 Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire.
18 Behold, my brethren, I say unto you, that these things must shortly come; yea, even blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke must come; and it must needs be upon the face of this earth; and it cometh unto men according to the flesh if it so be that they will harden their hearts against the Holy One of Israel.
19 For behold, the righteous shall not perish; for the time surely must come that all they who fight against Zion shall be cut off.
20 And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people. (1 Nephi 22:10-20, emphasis mine)

Focus on three questions:
1. What do the Gentiles know?
2. How do the Gentiles know it?
3. When do the Gentiles know it?

At the beginning of this reference the Lord “makes bare his arm”, which is an appendage or extension of the Lord. The Lord introduced this phrase in section 1 of the Doctrine & Covenants. The result is the Lord makes known the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the covenants to the dispersed of Israel. That is what they know!
How do they know it and when they know are intertwined? Nephi identifies the time all nations will know and how they know in the following passage:

38 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.
39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
41 And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth.
42 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. (1 Nephi 13:38-42, emphasis mine)

Note that three parties are all “convinced” of the truth. The Gentiles, descendants of Lehi and Israel are all convinced. That is the same as “they know” in the previous passage. No doubt exists in their minds. All three groups “know” or become convinced of the truth. It would be a mistake to think this statement implies conversion. Many factors come into play in their decision to accept what they hear. The Gentiles spend their lives amassing wealth, power and prestige. Making a decision to relinquish those things and having all things common amongst them may not be an offer they find attractive.

The way the Gentiles, descendants of Lehi and Israel “know” is by the coming forth of “other books.” Many members of the Church apply this passage to the Doctrine & Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. While those books are significant in their contribution, they have a long way to go towards convincing the three parties mentioned by Nephi.

Another way the three groups become convinced may be the manner in which these books are brought forth by the Lord. The Lord provides a pattern/type for this process when we read of King Mosiah and how he merged members of Joseph and Judah together, restoring both groups to covenant status with the Lord. Mosiah may also be a type for the “Joseph” component in the lineage of the “root of Jesse” spoken of in D&C 113:5-6.

In two chapters, using a key word as well as tracing the Moses prophecy we have covered a tremendous amount of prophetic ground. The vast majority of our references were taken from the scriptures or teachings of Joseph Smith. We have come thus far with very little scholarly direction. We have gleaned from our search evidence suggesting the “fulness of the Gentiles” refers to a time when Gentiles reach a fulness of iniquity. When the fulness of the Gentiles “comes in” the Lord remembers promises made to Israel and her forefathers bringing them from darkness into light. The event lighting the way are the additional sacred books of scripture that restore plain and precious truth and the Lord’s covenants with His people. These records will likely be the “ensign” spoken of in some of the passages we have read. The Moses Prophecy is fulfilled near the end of the world (or end of wickedness) and the Moses Prophecy is fulfilled by a servant of Christ who brings forth His words. Evidence suggests the time when these events occur is referred to by Joseph Smith as “a day in David.” The Davidic servant spoken of provides covenant protection to the tribes of Israel through his devotion and obedience to the Lord. After Israel is gathered His servant leads Israel to Zion where they receive their endowments at the hands of a righteous remnant of Joseph.

We have covered a lot of ground but all roads lead to the fulness of the Gentiles, the raising of an ensign, gathering of Israel and establishment of Zion. There were many roads but they all lead to the same events.