Zion
Abraham received a covenant from God that the literal seed
of his body would be the ones entitled to the blessings of the gospel including
the priesthood, celestial marriage and eternal life. Jacob whose name was changed to Israel,
Isaac’s son and Abraham’s grandson, had 12 sons who became the House or Tribes
of Israel. Israel was scattered over the
whole world and in the last days must be gathered.
Through this covenant with Abraham, the House of Israel is
the lawful heirs to the celestial kingdom. But, any Israelite must also be faithful in
all things and obey the full law of the gospel to become heirs to the Celestial
Kingdom. In addition, others regardless
of their literal blood ancestry become of the house of Israel through adoption
into the lineage of Abraham if they accept the gospel and are faithful in all
things. Joseph Smith said regarding
Gentile converts who receive blessing of the House of Israel, “...the Holy
Ghost literally purges the old blood and makes him actually of the seed of
Abraham.” (Teachings p 150). In any
case, people who inherit the Celestial Kingdom will be those who receive their
covenants, are faithful in all things and obey the full law of the gospel, and
will be either direct descendents or adopted to become direct descendents of
Abraham.
Zion is the name given by the Lord to his people. They are always identified as Zion. Zion can refer to a condition of existence
for his people – the pure in heart, of one heart and one mind, dwelling in
righteousness and no poor among them.
(DC 97:21, Moses 7:18) Zion is
also referred to as a place including; the City of Enoch, the hill where
Solomon’s temple was built, the new Jerusalem in Jackson County, Stakes of
Zion, etc.
We are engaged in gathering Israel to Zion in our missionary
work. The Lord said we are to, “…find
them that will receive you ye shall build up my church in every region.” (DC
42:8) One of the unique things about the
gathering today is that Israel will no longer run from or leave the wicked in
search of a promised land. Separating
themselves from wickedness was done repeatedly by Israel over the ages. For example, Israel leaving Egypt, Lehi
leaving Jerusalem, the Nephites leaving the Lamanites, the Pioneers leaving
Nauvoo and immigration of saints to Utah.
Israel will from now on stand its ground and fight wickedness where ever
Zion is.
We are gathering Israel to Zion in the last days when
plagues, war, wickedness and destruction are prophesied. During this gathering in the last days, Zion
will be a place of peace, refuge and safety for the Saints. The wicked will not come unto it. People who will not take their sword against
their neighbor will flee to Zion. The
righteous will gather there from all nations and it will be the only people who
shall not be at war one with another.
The wicked will not go there for fear of the Saints. In 1831 this was Jackson County, Missouri:
“66 And it shall be called
the New Jerusalem,
a land of peace,
a city of refuge,
a place of safety for
the saints of the Most High God;
67 And
the glory of
the Lord shall be there, and the terror of
the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it,
and it shall be called Zion.
68 And it
shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his
sword against his neighbor must
needs flee unto Zion for
safety.
69 And
there shall be gathered unto
it out of every nation under
heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one
with another.
70 And it
shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for
the inhabitants of Zion are terrible;
wherefore we cannot stand.
71 And it
shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all
nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of
everlasting joy.”
(DC 45:66-71)
After the Saints had been driven out of Jackson County by
mobs the Lord said Stakes would be formed as the strength of Zion and would
become holy places:
“16 Therefore, let your hearts
be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands;
be still and know that
I am God.
21 Until
the day cometh when there is found no more room for them; and then I have other
places which I will appoint unto them, and they shall be called stakes,
for the curtains or the strength of Zion.
22 Behold,
it is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to
mine everlasting gospel, should gather
together, and stand in
holy places;” (DC 101:16-22)
In the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland Temple the Lord
again declared that Zion is to be found in the Stakes of the church. The last days are a time when the judgments
of God will be sent out on the inhabitants of the earth, but the people in Zion
will not faint and the Lord’s peace and salvation will be upon Zion:
38 … all
those judgments thou art about to send, in thy wrath, upon the inhabitants of
the earth,
because of their transgressions, that thy people may not faint in the day of
trouble.
39 And
whatsoever city thy servants shall enter, and the people of that city receive their
testimony, let thy peace and thy salvation be upon that city; that they may
gather out of that city the righteous, that they may come forth to Zion,
or to her stakes, the places of thine appointment, with songs of everlasting
joy; (DC 109:38-39)
The Lord declared that Zion is to be a light to all
nations. Zion and her Stakes will be a
defense and refuge from storm of the wrath that will be poured out upon the
whole earth in the last days. Zion’s
borders must be enlarged and strengthened:
“5 Verily I say
unto you all: Arise and
shine forth, that thy light
may be a standard for
the nations;
6 And that
the gathering together
upon the land of Zion,
and upon her stakes,
may be for a defense, and for a refuge from
the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out
without mixture upon the whole earth.”
(DC 115:4-6)
14 For Zion must increase in
beauty, and in holiness; her borders must
be enlarged; her stakes must be strengthened; yea, verily I
say unto you, Zion must arise and put on her beautiful garments. (DC82:14)
So here we are; missionaries during the last days. We are armed with righteousness and our numbers
are few as prophesied by Nephi. (1Nephi 14:13-14) We are gathering Israel to the
Stakes in Zion; the pure in heart. We
are building the 5th Stake as a protection for the people of Belgium
and the Netherlands. The Stakes will be
the only place of refuge for Saints in a world growing wickeder, where people
are warring against each other. We know
those in the Stakes of Zion are promised protection for the most part from the
destruction, wars, wickedness and plagues.
Those in Zion will be preserved.
(Rev 9:4). The great pit which hath been
dug for the destruction of men shall be filled by those who dug it. Nations that war against Zion shall turn
against one and other and fall into the pit they dug for the Saints. (1Nephi
14:3, 22:13-14) The Stakes will be the only place of refuge since there is nowhere
to run.
As missionaries, we have been blessed as we go forth in this
great work. We are promised, as James
Covill was, a blessing so great as we never have know, great faith, power, the
Savior will go with before our face and we will rejoice and flourish.
“10 …you shall receive my
Spirit, and a blessing so great as you never have known.
11 And if
thou do this, I have prepared thee for a greater work. Thou shalt preach
the fullness of
my gospel, which I have sent forth in these last days, the covenant which
I have sent forth to recover my
people, which are of the house of Israel.
12 And it
shall come to pass that power shall rest upon
thee; thou shalt have great faith, and I will be with thee and go before thy
face.
13 Thou
art called to labor in
my vineyard, and to build up
my church,
and to bring forth Zion,
that it may rejoice upon the hills and flourish. (DC 39:10-12, 13)
Elders and Sisters, this should give us courage to do our
best to gather Israel. Our cause is just
and the need to build the 5th Stake is critical.
President Robinson
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