Nehemiah 12:44- The Gathering and Sanctification of Priests and Levites

After rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah is concerned with the re-dedication and re-population of Jerusalem. One of his first steps is to call priests and Levites from Babylon and cleanse and sanctify them so they can do the same for the people. Many of the steps mentioned in previous examples are apparent here. Reference to David and his pattern occur three of four times in the chapter. Verse 37 caught my attention near the end of the verse when it refers to the "house of David", the "watergate", and "eastward gate." Those three points of reference are interesting because each may be relevant to Ezekiel's vision of Zion in the last days. The "prince" spoken of in Ezekiel 37:25 is referred to as "David" in verse 24. In chapters 40-47 Ezekiel is shown the lay out of inheritances beginning at the Temple, which is the center point. On the east side is the inheritance for the "prince" as well as the east entrance into the Temple which is reserved strictly for the Savior and the "prince." Reference to the "watergate" on the east side is also interesting because water comes from underneath the front porch and flows down to the Dead Sea healing everything in its path. (Ezekiel 47:1-12)

Nehemiah 12 couples the cleansing of the priests and Levites with tithing and offerings which also follows the pattern in Malachi. (Nehemiah 12:44,Malachi 3:1-3,8-12)

The issue of cleansing the Levites tends to be dismissed because the Doctrine & Covenants expands the meaning of Levites to include all faithful holders of the Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods:

"For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and 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." (D&C 84:33-34)

Provision is made for Ephraim to function in these capacities so Temple ordinances could be administered until the "fulness of the Gentiles" is come in. When the Gentile opportunity concludes descendants of these tribes will gather and holders of the Melchizedek priesthood will relinquish these positions to allow those who are literal descent to fill these positions. They are Aaronic in nature.

I have to confess, this study has surprised me by taking us where I never anticipated going. Clearly there is a template or pattern in play here.

Nehemiah 1:9

Our next reference departs from the pattern with one variation. Nehemiah, as far as I can tell was not of the royal lineage. His prominence came from his proximity to Artaxerxes, the Persian king. Nehemiah was a cup bearer for the king, a highly trusted position due to his proximity to the king and royal family. Nehemiah was likely a eunuch as well. Given his trusted status before the Persian throne, Nehemiah, a Jew, was sent by Artaxerxes to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall surrounding that city. In a manner, this was the Lord's way of hearing and responding to Nehemiah's prayers:

"And I said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandest thy servant Moses. Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandest thy servant Moses, saying If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cup bearer." (Nehemiah 1:5-11)

Nehemiah's assignment to rebuild the walls surrounding Jerusalem placed him in a unique position to petition the Lord for covenant restoration on behalf of himself and Israel. His concern was clearly focused on covenant restoration with the Lord and gathering Israel again to the lands of their inheritance. Nehemiah became essentially governor over Jerusalem, a position that filled the void left when there was no king on the throne of Israel and the Jews were occupied by a foreign government.

The following description of Nehemiah's efforts is taken from Wikipedia. Look how closely his efforts follow the pattern we have outlined:

"In the 20th year of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, (445/444 BC), Nehemiah was cup-bearer to the king. Learning that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down he asked the king for permission to return and rebuild them, and Artaxerxes sent him to Judah as governor of the province with a mission to rebuild the walls. Once there he defied the opposition of Judah's enemies on all sides - Samaritans, Ammonites, Arabs and Philistines - and rebuilt the walls within 52 days, from the Sheep Gate in the North, the Hananel Tower at the North West corner, the Fish Gate in the West, the Furnaces Tower at the Temple Mount's South West corner, the Dung Gate in the South, the East Gate and the gate beneath the Golden Gate in the East.

He then took measures to repopulate the city and purify the Jewish community, enforcing the cancellation of debt, assisting Ezra to promulgate the law of Moses by reinstituting the Feast of Tabernacles (sukkot), enforcing the divorce of Jewish men from their non-Jewish wives, and in other ways separating the Jews from their neighbors.

After 12 years as governor, during which he ruled with justice and righteousness, he returned to the king in Susa. After some time in Susa he returned to Jerusalem, only to find that the people had fallen back into their evil ways. Non-Jews were permitted inside Jerusalem on the Sabbath and keep rooms in the Temple and even a son of the High Priest had married a foreign woman. Greatly angered, he purified the Temple and the priests and Levites, enforcing the segregation of the Jews from their neighbors and the observance of the law of Moses."

It appears Nehemiah was doing many of the things contained in the pattern we have discussed.

Nehemiah would soon be joined by Ezra, a high priest who was sent by Artaxerxes to Jerusalem from Babylon to restore adherence to the law of Moses among the Jews. Here we have a king like/governor collaborating with the high priest to restore Israel.

Happy Mother's Day to All! The Interesting Irony Continues

Our next reference using the word "gather" is in 2 Chronicles 24:5 and the story of king Joash. Verse 5 is where "gather" appears but the first few verses frame the circumstance for us:

"Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters. And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord. And he gathered together the priests and Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened not." (2 Chronicles 24:1-5)

We see the theme of Temple repair, gathering of Israel (including priests and Levites)and restoration of Covenant worship repeated again in this passage.
The pattern continues.

Return to Our Topical Study of the Word: "Gather"

Well, I just opened the concordance to look for the next reference in the Old Testament using the word "gather" and the subject matter takes us back to king David. The reference is found in 1 Chronicles 13:2. The context of this chapter is similar to what was studied in the passages of Josiah and Hezekiah. David consults with his "captains" of thousands and hundreds, (the body of leadership) about what should be done next. Focus is turned to returning the Ark of the Covenant from Kirjathjearim to Jerusalem. This is the same chapter where Uzzah, (a non Levite) sets forth his hand to steady the ark and is smitten dead by God.

Before we address the story of Uzzah let us look at what David was doing. In verse 2 David has completed his deliberations with his captains and decides on the following course of action:

"And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us: And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul. And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering in of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jerim." (1 Chronicles 13:2-5)

David is gathering Israel for the purpose of restoring true covenant worship in Israel after the Northern and Southern kingdoms are united. Reference to the fact Saul stopped inquiring of the Lord during his fallen reign suggests David was returning to the practice of seeking the Lord's guidance at the Ark of the Covenant. In essence David was seeking to restore Israel's covenant relationship with the Lord.

Included in this restoration was the gathering of the priests and Levites, (a point that we have linked to Malachi 3:1-3 where the Lord promises to sanctify the Levites.)

The story of Uzzah also has a link to modern prophecy. In section 85 of the Doctrine & Covenants we note a veiled reference to the story of Uzzah:

"And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words: while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found, and the names of their fathers and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God; While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning." (D&C 85:7-8)

Preceding the rise of "one mighty and strong" will be someone who oversteps the bounds of his authority as Uzzah did when he steadied the ark. Interestingly, what Uzzah did was well intended, he simply exceeded the bounds of his authority. Only Levites were authorized to handle the ark and Uzzah was not a Levite. In the prophecy of "one mighty and strong" it is clear this prophetic figure replaces someone who oversteps their bounds even as David replaced fallen king Saul. There are similar types or examples of this in both modern and ancient history that are worthy of study by outside the scope of our current examination.

Another point (that may be coincidental or not) is that 1 Chronicles 12, the chapter prior to the gathering of Israel and the return of the ark by David contains an account of David's "mighty men". These men may represent the Lord's definition of what "one mighty and strong" may be. Couple the strength of David's mighty men with the spiritual strength of the "one mighty and strong" and you have someone of tremendous stature before the Lord. Another interesting point is to reflect on the type of person David would have to be to lead these types of men. Perhaps David may be a type for the "one mighty and strong." Note the "one mighty and strong" carries a "scepter", normally associated with kingship.

One story reveals the devotion the mighty men felt toward king David:

When David was in exile from Jerusalem he "longed, and said, Oh that one wold give me a drink of he water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord." (2 Samuel 23:13-16)

These men were a few of the "mighty men" of David and I doubt very seriously they would have followed David if he was not "mighty and strong."

Do you feel the scriptures becoming one our hands?

Additional Examples of the Pattern

We identified three examples, two historical and one prophetic. We compared Josiah and Hezekiah as examples of the path the Lord followed to restore true worship in Judah. The third example was a "Davidic King" mentioned in Ezekiel 37 who will arise after the Book of Mormon and Bible become one in both the Lord's hand and our hands.

In each example David was mentioned as the pattern or example of how Josiah and Hezekiah sought to restore the Temple and true worship. David is also the example of reuniting Judah with the other tribes. (Reunion of he Northern and Southern kingdoms) His life was in fact a type that Ezekiel refers to many years after David's death. (Ezekiel 37:22, 24-25) The life of king David would be a fruitful study filled with types for the gathering and restoration of Israel.

Kings Benjamin and Mosiah are interesting studies of this pattern. Benjamin's people were led to a higher covenant wherein they were visited by the Spirit of the Lord and experienced a miraculous change of heart. (Mosiah 4:2-3) When their hearts were changed they entered a covenant with Christ and became His sons and daughters. (Mosiah 5:7) The union between Benjamin's people and the Mulekites (Mulek being an heir to the throne of Judah) and how the king restored their language, introduced new scriptures (with the benefit of a Urim and Thummim) and restored their knowledge and faith in Christ. Is it a coincidence Benjamin was a descendant of Joseph and the Mulekites descended from Judah? I do not believe so.

Numerous other examples exist but following them takes us away from our stated path. The power of this example lies in opening the door to another way of learning. Looking for "types" in the scriptures introduces to the student a whole new way of searching for truth. Familiarizing ourselves with the loyal servants of God exposes us to the same scenario's the Lord will use in gathering His people and restoring Israel to Zion in the last days.

What all this means to me

I sat at the dining room table with my daughter Madison yesterday eating lunch and talking. We talked about this blog and some of the findings that have come out of this research. Maddie has not read the blog primarily because I have done nothing to draw anyone's attention to it. My daughter Lauren has read parts of it and posted about it on face book and that was the source of the only comment that appeared here. Notoriety is not my purpose in writing this blog.

My purpose in writing this blog is to give a written record of my findings for when it is needed. When current events make this content interesting, it will be available to friends, family and anyone else the Lord may guide to it. Clearly we are not there yet as evidenced by the limited readership. I have no idea who has read this and who has not. I do know from experience there are few people interested in this type of in depth research. Most of us are like Joe Friday from "Dragnet". "Just the facts ma'am!" The few who expressed interest want to know how I study so this is pretty much how I do it. For most this is probably like chloroform in print. For me it is exciting.

Anyway, while talking to Maddie at lunch the other day she listened patiently for a while and then said, "I'll be honest with you, I don't understand much of what you just said." Maddie is never one to mince words and I love that about her. She speaks her mind. I suspect many who try to read this are in the same boat. So, this is what all this means to me. Hopefully, seeing it through my eyes, (in a manner of speaking) will help understand why these findings excite me.

I have studied this subject for a very long time and had a sense of where this particular study might take us. I suspected a pattern or type would emerge at some point. In fact, I was certain of it because of previous patterns identified in the scriptures. I believe there truly is nothing new under the sun and that history is simply repeating itself. That being the case, if we see how the Lord worked anciently, we can study those events and patterns and see their repetition in the future. Names and faces may change but the patterns stay the same.

Our inability to understand prophecy comes from trying to "bend the prophecies" to fit our preconceptions. For example, we are raised to believe the Church is going to magically waltz into Zion and Israel will just kind of miraculously follow when the Lord is ready. We resist considering alternatives the scriptures discuss because what that might mean. Among Church scholars is a resounding fear that any conclusion that threatens conventional wisdom among scholars is unacceptable because it opens the possibility the cynic's and skeptics of the Church might be right. Somehow Church leadership may lead us astray or worse, fail in their mission. Anything but the fairy tale ending in establishing Zion is more than the body of the Church can handle in the minds of Church scholars. The scholars speak the truth amongst themselves privately but you rarely hear their candor in public forums.

This does not mean I am a cynic or skeptic. Ultimately the Church will prevail. Ultimately Israel will be led to the Church and the Church will administer ordinances of the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood to the lost tribes. I do not believe the leadership of the Church will fail or mislead us. I do believe, (and this is where I do part company with Church scholars) that there are two projects in progress here. The first involved the restoration of Priesthood keys and the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The second project is the gathering of Israel that occurs prior to Israel's reunion with the tribes of Joseph. The second project, I believe may be away from the organizational structure of the Church initially but not from the Priesthood keys. The second project will be performed in accordance with Priesthood keys but not follow the conventional path so many assume will be the case.

The pattern we have studied is repeated in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. When I find the pattern repeated in both ancient and modern scripture I believe the Lord reveals to us exactly what is going to happen but we prefer to listen to scholars tell us, "It has not been revealed" or more accurately, "Not been revealed to me! Therefore, it has not been revealed." The responsibility to keep an open mind seems to dissipate when someone gets tenure and assumes they know all there is worth knowing.

These things are hidden in plain sight and the Lord will not excuse our ignorance because we were too busy with life to look for answers ourselves. Instead we trust in the arm of flesh, waiting for some scholar or Church leader to explain what the Lord would have learn ourselves.

Ezekiel 37 - Modern application of this type

I find myself most receptive to the promptings of the Spirit of God early in the morning when I first awake from sleep. Yesterday morning I was directed to move forward to Ezekiel 37 and given the following explanation on how this prophecy reflects the same pattern we have studied.

I was in the process of "drilling down" more deeply in the two previous examples but felt it was becoming more confusing if someone was actually trying to follow with me. Consequently I will limit this analysis to the pattern as we have identified it thus far.

Ezekiel 37 is one of the more frequently quoted prophecies in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because it is viewed as compelling evidence supporting the Book of Mormon. We commonly read of the sticks of Judah (the Bible) and Joseph (the Book of Mormon) often declaring the prophecy fulfilled when a "Quad" is held up to prove the two records have been joined together as one. Content to rest on the evidence, the prophecy spoken by Ezekiel thereafter tends to be over looked. Today we will compare events that follow thereafter to the pattern exemplified by Hezekiah and Josiah. If the pattern is embedded in the prophecy it substantiates the claim the pattern is relevant to the last days and has a modern application.

We begin our examination with verse 20 of Ezekiel 37, after the two "sticks" have become "one in mine hand":

"And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be m people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore." (Ezekiel 37:20-28)

Elements from the Pattern found in this prophecy:

1. If you accept the "sticks" of Judah and Joseph represent the Bible and Book of Mormon the reader must accept this prophecy is chronologically linked to the last days.

2.The Lord commences gathering Israel from amongst the Gentile nations to the lands of their inheritance.

3. When Israel is gathered there is one king over all of Israel.

4. The division between two nations refers to the time when David was king of Judah and post Saul, Israel was without a king and the elders of Israel petitioned David and asked that he assume Israel's throne as well as Judah. Under one head, (David) Israel was again united.

5. When the two nations become one, Israel follows the same pattern of cleansing described by Josiah and Hezekiah. Idol gods were cast away along with all "detestable things" and repents. In return for solemn repentance, the Lord "will cleanse them." After Israel's gathering and cleansing the Lord accepts Israel as "my people" and Israel accepts the Lord as "their God."

6. The Lord's servant carrying out this work is "David." Initially (vs.24) David is declared a "king" and the Lord's shepherd who "shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them."

7. Israel and their children for several generations reclaim the lands of their father's inheritance.

8. David experiences a change in title in verse 25 wherein he was noted as a king over Israel to a "prince for ever." The change in title reflects priesthood/covenant advancement for both David and his people. The title of "king" is temporal, temporary and transient. The title "prince for ever" implies permanence and likely moving from Aaronic, vicarious representation before the Lord and personal representation before the Lord, (only available through Melchizedek Priesthood. This may reflect the same title sought by Abraham when pursuing the Patriarchal Priesthood. (Abraham 1:2, "prince of peace."

9. The Lord makes an everlasting covenant of peace with Israel. The Lord's sanctuary is set in the midst of Israel. (Temple)

10. The Lord's tabernacle will be with Israel so the higher blessings of the Melchizedek Priesthood can be ministered to Israel. Part of the higher covenant is the reaffirmation that Israel are the Lord's people and He is their God.

11. The "heathen", (Gentiles, all non covenant inhabitants in the world will "know" God is sanctifying Israel and God will forever dwell in Israel's midst.

3.