October 1, 2009
Re: Article of Faith #10
From: Dad, Grandpa, etc. Richard Marden Pratt
“We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the ten Tribes; that Zion (or the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.”
Boy! What a mouthful, I doubt I can cover it in less than two memos after all, thousands of pages have been written on the subject. Let me start by breaking it down into its several categories.
1. “The literal gathering of Israel.” all the tribes, not the Jews only, who are now gathering, but all the tribes and they have been scattered world wide and perhaps, like the people of Enoch, the main body could also be abiding the time of their return on a portion of this earth now out in space. Time will soon tell.
2. “Restoration of the ten tribes.” they were last heard of about 721 B.C. So far as I know our church is the only group of people now living on earth who know anything about them or have any knowledge of their return and the world could care less. So this will be very interesting to develop.
3. “That Zion, (or the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent .”
(this is a total No NO, to the world and they wouldn’t even believe it if they were watching it happen.)
4. That Christ will reign personally upon the earth. Volumes and volumes have been written of this and the world has many different ideas to its meaning, mostly false.
5. The earth will be renewed and receive its Paradisiacal Glory. To this the worlds response is, “What are you talking about?”
So we will start with number 1. “ the literal gathering of Israel.” Who were they and who are they? The name first appears in the Old Testament in Genesis 32:28 there is recorded a fantastic experience of Jacob, grandson of Abraham and the father of twelve sons by four wives who became the heads of the original twelve tribes who passed from slavery to the most powerful nation in the then known world. Some changes were made over the next four hundred years finally winding up as thirteen tribes but still known as twelve. I will point these out as the tale continues.
Jacob was spending the night alone and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. Gen. 32:24 and the man said, “let me go, for the day breaketh”. And he (Jacob) said, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.”
And the man said, “What is thy name.” And he said, “ Jacob.”
And he said, “thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed... and Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
So the name means Prince or as applied to his female descendants, Princess. And as a prince or princess may become what? A KING , a QUEEN and or GOD and GODDESS. The name also means Jacobs descendants and in another sense Israel means the true believer in Christ as explained by Paul in Romans 10:1; 11:7
The name Israel is therefore variously used to denote 1. The man Jacob, 2. Literal descendants of Jacob, and 3. The true believers in Christ regardless of their lineage or geographical location. Bible dictionary.
All others are Gentiles which means, “other people” or not God’s people.
God and Goddess is just another way of saying Good King, Good Queen.
You temple goers, notice the wording in the endowment or initiatory the next time you attend.
But Israel began long before that naming event. Israel began before the world was as the following scriptures testify. Israel was known in the preexistence.
In Moses farewell talk to Israel, “Remember the days of old, (before earth life) consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
When the most high divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
The number of Israelites was known before the world was and God therefore knew how big to build it to accommodate them.
In Acts we read, “God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before (the earth was) appointed, and the bounds of their habtitation.
And Abraham was explicitly given an inheritance for his Israelite descendants with Jerusalem as capital and stretching North and East to cover what is today called the near East.
An area larger than the U.S.A. Today it is mostly desert but will be returned to a fertile state when the Lord comes and the earth is renewed and receives its Glory.
Also that land grant includes North and South America. Together they include the choicest lands on earth. However, when the earth is renewed and terrestrialized it will be even more choice.
We conclude, therefore, that there must have been a division of the spirits of men in the spirit world, and those who were appointed to be the children of Israel were separated and prepared for a special inheritance. (Doc. of Salvations 59)
Jacob was born about 1856 B.C. If Israelites are his descendants and they are designated as Princes and Princesses, then what about all who lived prior to Jacob. Remember that another definition of Israel = True Believer in Jesus Christ.
“And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the Archangel.
And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him: 'I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee and thou art a prince over them forever.'" D.&C. 107:54-55
Then it appears that Jacob was a link between those who lived prior to the flood and those who followed after. Or a new dispensation of the gospel.
Father Adam then is designated by the Lord as a “Prince”, the “Arc (first) Angel,”
“The first flesh” on this earth, he was not subject to death when first put in the garden. His spirit could not be separated from his body unless and until he violated the law that would bring death. And the Lord provided the law so it could happen. Because in our present mortal state it is absolutely necessary to our exaltation.
If Adam had not brought death into the world, he would have remained in the Garden of Eden forever. Eve would have been cast out and they would have been eternally separated.
Did Adam and Eve come out in direct opposition to God? NO and a double NO! NO! Eve was deceived but Adam knowingly broke the law that would further the plan of our Father for all his children.
Not to eat of the forbidden fruit was the only law God has ever given in which he added, “Nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself.” in other words God said, I’m leaving the choice up to you but I want you to know the consequences if you do and if you don’t.
Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jarred, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all high priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing. D&C107:53
One wonders why fifty year old righteous Lamach, the son of Methuselah is not mentioned as being at this great conference, that is all we can do is “wonder” until we receive the Book of Enoch in which the records of that time will be revealed.
And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him; I have set thee at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou are a prince over them forever. D&C107:55
And Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation; and, not withstanding he was bowed down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation. vs. 56
So as we talk of the gathering of Israel, we are not only talking about those who have descended from Jacob but also of those who extend back in time to Adam and Eve.
After Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden it must have been a very interesting
time for them indeed. They had to create or find a place of shelter and food would have been a challenge. Apparently they were temporarily fixed for clothes. Hope they made some home videos. They will surely be interesting to watch.
We don’t know which direction they went or how far but eventually they made their home in the Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman (means the place where Adam lived) This is about fifty miles Northward from Independence, Jackson County, Missouri where the Garden of Eden was located.
As already mentioned, there it was that the great conference was held three years before Adam’s death. And now we look forward to a second council being held prior to the Lord appearing to the world in Adam-ondi-Ahman.
Adam and all Priesthood leaders from Adam down to the present will be there. Surely the corresponding sisters will also be present. The world will not know of it. The bulk of the church may not know of it.
How do we know that it hasn’t already happened? The only indication we have is that the general authorities still speak of it as being yet in the future.
At this conference of all conferences all keys, powers and jurisdictions will be returned to the Savior, who will be presiding, Adam of course will conduct.
Now there is nothing written, but I can’t help but think that Adam will stand and say something like this: “My brothers and sisters we have concluded the purpose of this grand conference and it is now proposed that all who can sustain Jesus Christ as Lord of Lords, King of Kings and our Savior and Eternal Ruler please make it manifest by the uplifted hand.” Oh! Wow!
Will a negative vote be called for? Of course. But don’t expect any hands to be raised.
Then officially, shortly thereafter will transpire that glorious moment. “When the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the Arch-angel, and trumpets blaring. The resurrection will take place of those prepared and the living saints together with them will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
The Lord will then officially reign upon the earth as has been promised from the beginning.
So Israel will triumph and those who have stayed true and faithful from Adam to the present will rejoice together forevermore. The judgement will take place at the end of the millennium. The earth will die and be resurrected and will be prepared for the “meek” who will inherit it forever.
But the ten tribes still have a mission to preform and I will go into that in more detail next memo.
A note on current Adam-ondi-Ahman. When Mother and I returned from our Iowa mission we visited this beautiful site. It is a lovely valley thru which a small river flows. At that time the church had purchased 1800 acres, including the site of the remains of an alter built by Adam on which to offer sacrifices. They had missionaries stationed there including my cousin Max and Marge Folsom.
Their mission was to restore the valley to its original condition. Old buildings, fences, dead trees etc were being removed. The natural forest pruned and new trees planted. About 600 acres of level land was being farmed by a local farmer who had to keep it “show place” perfect. And would likely be the site of this great gathering.
Now a funny little incident. Joseph Smith pronounced a small pile of rocks as the remains of an alter built by Adam. Our bus driver pointed it out to us. And while looking around every so often a souvenir seeker would approach the pile snatch up a small rock and put it in his pocket until the bus driver saw it. Then he announced that the originals were long gone but the obliging farmer as he cleared rocks from his field dumped them there. Needless to say several pockets were emptied.
So again this is what we believe and it is true. You are watching it happen.
“We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the ten Tribes; that Zion (or the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.”
It’s exciting to study the scriptures and words of the prophets seeing how much has been fulfilled and knowing that the rest will be fulfilled.
I love you my dear family and know we can be an eternal family.
With all my love,
Dad, Grandpa, brother, etc.
Richard Marden Pratt
