A Light for The Gentiles

          Prophetically speaking, we live in interesting times. Often attributed to a Chinese proverb, the phrase, “May you live in interesting times” is neither of Chinese origin nor a curse. “Interesting times” suggest periods of turmoil, upheaval, and strife. Considering current events, clearly our times are interesting.

          It is intriguing to discern how prophecy applies to our day. Isaiah saw our day and received revelations from God foretelling our future. His revelations are frequently quoted in the Book of Mormon and, for greater Gentile clarity, the Covenant of Christ.

          One example is a prophecy of Israel’s latter-day gathering and a servant of God accomplishing it.

“And now the Lord has decided — He [the Lord] who formed me [servant] in the womb to be His servant to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel may be restored, and has honored me in His sight, my God has given me strength. And He said: Is it not enough that you should be My servant I use to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel? Then I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. This is what the Lord said, the Redeemer of Israel, His Holy One, to the despised ones, to the hated nations, to the slaves of rulers [Israel]: [Gentile] Kings will see and stand up, princes and nobles will fall down before you to honor the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel. The Lord said: In an hour of favor I answered you [scattered of Israel] even if on the islands of the sea,[1] and on a day of salvation I helped you. And I’ll preserve My people and will yet show My will through them, to restore My covenant with a remnant upon the earth, and they’ll inherit My renewed birthright as the chosen people, Saying to the prisoners [Israel]: Go free; and to those in darkness[2] [Gentiles]: Move yourselves into the light. They’ll feed along the roadways, and on every high place will I feed them. They won’t be hungry or thirsty, hot winds and the sun won’t oppress them; because He who loves them will lead them. He’ll guide them to springs of water [revelation]. I’ll make My temple a path to the heavens and the roads from it will exalt [Spirit of Elijah]. Then, O house of Israel, Look! They’re [Israel] coming from far away, amazingly, from the north, and from the west, and these from the far east” (CofC 1 Nephi 6:7, Isaiah 49, emphasis added).

There are multiple meanings to this prophecy. Parts of it suggest this is a Messianic prophecy. It may also apply to Isaiah. A more compelling assertion is a latter-day prophet the Lord raises up to perform two functions:

1.     Gather Israel from her scattered state.

2.     Become a light to the Gentiles bringing salvation to all mankind.

The last days servant delivers Israel from captivity in modern Babylon. Their true religion is diluted with their cultural traditions over generations.[3]

The light to the Gentiles represents a final covenant offer from the Lord before the covenant is rejected by the majority of Gentiles. A number of Gentiles carry the covenant to a remnant of Israel in the last days.

Who Carries the Prophetic Mantle for Gathering Israel in the Last Days?

          Isaiah writes of a prophetic figure who gathers Israel, beginning with a reunion between Judah [right to Israel’s throne] and Ephraim [the birthright lineage] through which the Gentiles receive firstborn privileges. Right to the throne and the right of the Firstborn are united under one great head prior to the Savior’s Second Coming.

“ . . . And in that day [last days], there shall be a root of Jesse [David’s father] who shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the gentiles seek [Lord’s servant, “light to the Gentiles,”] and his rest shall be glorious.

And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second [4]time to recover the remnant of his people [Israel] which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he [“root of Jesse,” servant] shall set up an ensign for the nations [repentant Gentile and Israel], and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth.[5] The envy [throne] also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off. Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim [birthright] . . .” (RE Isaiah 5:4-5, emphasis added).

What facilitates the reunification of Judah and Ephraim is a servant with dual lineages of Judah and Ephraim. The Lord revealed a description of the servant in a revelation to Joseph Smith in RE T&C 129:3.

“Question: What is the Root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter [Isa. 5:4]?Answer: Behold, thus says the Lord: It is a descendant of Jesse [Judah] as well as of Joseph [Ephraim], unto whom rightly belongs the Priesthood and the keys of the Kingdom, for an ensign and for the gathering of my people in the last day” (RE T&C 129:3, emphasis added).

The “root of Jesse” is a descendant of Jesse, the father of David and Ephraim, the son of Joseph of Egypt. The presence of both lineages in one leader consolidates claims for the throne, and birthright of Israel in one person.

          The servant, “root of Jesse” has priesthood keys for raising an “ensign,” and gathering Israel. Denver Snuffer explained a meaning for the ensign raised in the last days.

“The ensign Isaiah prophesied refers to a zodiacal map, or to the constellations overhead. This is a depiction of the heavens themselves. The ensign to be reared will tell those in Zion how to walk in the paths of God, through the heavens, back into God’s presence. Zion will be a connection between heaven and earth, where those living will learn the ways of the God of Jacob. They will walk in His paths. Heaven and earth will be connected. The stairway connecting the two will be opened. The heavens and the earth will be reunited. This will happen in the top of the mountains” (Snuffer, Denver. Preserving the Restoration, p.277, emphasis added). Mill Creek Press).

The temple in Zion is constructed on a mountain top. The “ensign” forms a connection between heaven and earth through which the kingdoms in heaven and earth form a permanent connection between two worlds.[6] The effect of this connection was described by Isaiah in chapter 49 or 1 Nephi 21.

“ . . . He who loves them will lead them. He’ll guide them to springs of water. I’ll make My temple a path to the heavens and the roads from it will exalt . . . ” (CofC 1 Nephi 6:7, emphasis added).

The “ensign” raised when the “root of Jesse” presides relates to the temple constructed at the top of the mountains in Zion. It represents the opening of a passage traversing the heavens. A conduit where angelic ministrants and the Lord descend to minister to mortal residents of Zion.[7]

“ . . . For, behold, I say unto you that Zion shall flourish, and the glory of the Lord shall be upon her; And she shall be an ensign unto the people, and there shall come unto her out of every nation under heaven. And the day shall come when the nations of the earth shall tremble because of her, and shall fear because of her terrible ones. The Lord hath spoken it. Amen” (RE T&C 51:10.)

Not only is the ensign a literal, permanent connection between the kingdom of God on earth with His kingdom in Heaven, it entices the righteous to gather as latter-day Israel.[8]

          The servant the Lord gives as a light to the Gentiles is the light referred in a last days prophecy given to Joseph Smith foretelling the Gentile response when His servant appears.

“And when that day shall come shall a remnant [of Israel] be scattered among all nations; but they shall be gathered again, but they shall remain until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled. And in that day [last days] shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion. And men’s hearts shall fail them and shall say that Christ delays his coming until the end of the world, and the love of men shall wax cold and iniquity shall abound. And when the times of the gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fullness of my gospel, but they [Gentiles] receive it not, for they perceive not the light and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men.

And in that generation shall the times of the gentiles be fulfilled . . .” (RE T&C 31:6-7, emphasis added).

The Gentile rejection of the Lord’s servant closes the covenant opportunity for the Gentiles and brings in their fullness. Nephi wrote of his father Lehi’s teachings about these events.

“After my father said these things, he talked to my brothers about the gospel that would be preached among the Jews, and about the Jews falling away in unbelief. And after they kill the coming Messiah, following His death, He would rise from the dead and make Himself known to the Gentiles by the Holy Ghost. Understand, my father spoke extensively about the Gentiles and about the house of Israel, comparing them to an olive tree whose branches would be broken off and scattered throughout the earth. Therefore he said it was part of God’s plan for us to go to our promised land, to fulfill the Lord’s word that we would be scattered across the earth; and after the house of Israel has been scattered, they would be gathered back together; or in other words, in the end, after the Gentiles receive the fullness of the gospel, that the olive tree’s natural branches (meaning the remnants of the house of Israel), would be grafted in or learn to worship the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer. My father prophesied and taught my brothers this. He said many more things that I’m not writing in this book since I’ve written about it in my other book. All of this happened as my father lived in a tent in the valley of Lemuel” (CofC 1 Nephi 3:4, emphasis added).

After Nephi witnessed Lehi’s dream of the Tree of Life, he returned to his brethren discussing the meaning of the dream. Having witnessed what his father saw, Nephi explained Lehi’s dream to his brothers.

“ . . . The thing our father means about the natural branches being grafted in through the fullness of the Gentiles is that in the last days, when our descendants have fallen away in unbelief for many years over generations, and after the Messiah will have appeared in person to mankind, then the fullness of the gospel of the Messiah will come to the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles it will go to our descendants. At that time, they’ll learn that they’re from the house of Israel and are the Lord’s covenant people. Then our descendants will learn about their forefathers and learn about the gospel of their Redeemer, which He taught their ancestors. So they’ll come to know about their Redeemer and the correct details of His doctrine, so they can know how to come to Him and be saved. At that time, won’t they be glad and give praise to their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Won’t they receive strength and nourishment from the true vine[9] at that day? Won’t they come to God’s true fold? Yes. They’ll be included with the house of Israel again; they’ll be grafted into the true olive tree, being a natural branch of it. This is what our father means. He also means that it won’t happen until they’ve been scattered by the Gentiles. And he means that it will come through the Gentiles, so the Lord can show His power to the Gentiles, specifically because He’ll be rejected by the Jews or by the house of Israel. Therefore our father hasn’t just spoken about our descendants, but also about all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant to be fulfilled in the last days; the covenant the Lord made with our father Abraham, having said to him, All the families of the earth will be blessed through your descendants” (CofC 1 Nephi 4:3, emphasis added).

The prophecy shown to Joseph Smith describes the Gentiles rejecting the fullness of the Gospel before it goes to Lehi’s descendants. There is a remnant from the Gentiles who accept the gospel fullness. These Gentiles know what Israel does not. They know the covenants God made with their Patriarchal forefathers. The believing Gentiles restore Lehi’s descendants to that knowledge and divine blessings of Israel that are theirs.

          As part of the Lord’s promise to Abraham that all families of the earth would be blessed, the Lord endows the Gentiles with sufficient strength to scatter Israel through His gift of the Holy Ghost.

“And now you [Lehi’s descendants] are the children of the prophets [Patriarchal Fathers], and part of the house of Israel [descendants of Abraham], and you have part in the covenant the Father made with your fathers, when He promised to Abraham: Through your posterity all the families of the earth will be blessed. The Father has raised Me up before all men and sent Me to you covenant children first, to bless you and turn you from your sin. Now this blessing to you is to keep the Father’s covenant He made with Abraham, saying: Through your posterity all the families of the earth will be blessed. The Holy Ghost will be poured out on the Gentiles through Me, and this blessing given to the Gentiles will give them power to scatter My people, the house of Israel. However after they receive the fullness of My gospel,[10] then if they [Gentiles] harden their hearts against Me, I’ll cause them [the Gentiles] to experience the same fate of being scattered [the same as the Gentiles scattered Israel, divine justice through reciprocity], says the Father. I’ll remember the covenant I made with My people. I’ve covenanted with them that I would bring them back together at the right time; I’ll give them back the land of their ancestors as their inheritance, which is the land of Jerusalem, which is the promised land for them forever, says the Father” (CofC 3 Nephi 9:8, emphasis added).

The Lord empowers the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Ghost. This is perceived to be a spiritual endowment but has tangible, physical effects as well. The endowment of the Holy Ghost gave the Gentiles in this land power to scatter descendants of Israel as well as other lands. The gift was taken from Israel when they hardened their hearts against the Holy One. Israel’s rejection led to the Father giving the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles. This endowment was the means by which the Lord fulfilled His promise to Abraham that his posterity would bless all the families of the world. Israel’s rejection led to the Gentiles blessing.

          When the light breaks forth among the Gentiles the majority are blinded because of the precepts of men.

“And the Lord will also tell the one [Joseph Smith] who will read the words assigned to him: Because these people [Gentiles] draw near to Me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their respect for Me is taught by the doctrines of men, therefore I’ll proceed to do a marvelous work among these people, yes, a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise and learned will pass away, and the understanding of their prudent will become confused.[11] And woe to them who work carefully to hide what they’re up to from the Lord, and they scheme in the dark, and they say: Who can see what we’re doing? And who can identify us? They’re perverse, regarding the potter [Creator, the Lord] as if he were the clay. But I’ll show unto them, says the Lord of Hosts, that I know all their works. For should what’s made say of his maker: You didn’t make me? Or should what’s formed say of him who formed him: He doesn’t understand? But listen, says the Lord of Hosts, I’ll show you that in a very short time Lebanon will be turned into farmland, and the farmland will be regarded as merely a thicket. And in that day the deaf will hear even written words, and the eyes of the blind will see even in the darkness.[12] Then the humble will have increasing happiness because of the Lord, and the poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For as certain as the Lord lives, they’ll see that the tyrant is brought to nothing, and the scoffer is removed; and all that are eager to do iniquity are wiped out, along with those that testify falsely in court to make the innocent guilty in order to pervert justice. Therefore the Lord who redeemed Abraham declares, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob will no longer be ashamed, neither will his face grow pale. But when he sees his children, the work of My hands, they’ll keep My name holy, and acknowledge the Holy One of Jacob, and will be in awe of the God of Israel. Those who strayed from the truth will return and be willing to accept instruction without complaining” (CofC 2 Nephi 11:21, emphasis added).

The Gentile devotion to the Lord is little more than lip service. Their hearts are not aligned with the words from their mouths. The hypocrisy of the Gentiles leads the Lord to withdraw His Spirit from them generally. People who were wise and learned become foolish. Because the Gentiles replace the Lord’s counsel with precepts of men they err in their understanding and interpretation of His commandments.[13] Like Adam and Eve partaking of the forbidden fruit, the Gentiles hide their works in darkness thinking the Lord who created them will not see their works. Tyrants, scoffers, those who are eager to do iniquity and bear false witness are destroyed.

          Gentile churches are filled with pride, corruption and hypocrisy. They are self-absorbed because of their fine places of worship and expensive clothing while neglecting the poor.

“Indeed, they’ve [the Gentiles] all departed from the pathway [14]and become corrupted because of pride. And because of false teachers and false doctrines, their churches will have become corrupted and prideful; because of pride they’re full of conceit. They rob the poor because of their fine places of worship and they rob the poor because of their expensive clothing. They [Gentiles] persecute the humble and poor in heart because they’re inflated with pride. They’re unyielding and arrogant; and because of pride, wickedness, abominations, and whoredoms, they’ve all gone astray except for a few who are Christ’s humble followers. However, they’re led by false teachings, so that in many cases they go astray because they’re taught to obey man-made rules and principles.

The Lord God Almighty has said: Woe, woe, woe [each woe conveys a deeper level of suffering] to the wise, the well educated, and the rich who are prideful to their very center, and to all those who preach false doctrines, practice whoredoms, worship idols, and corrupt and pervert the Lord’s right way! They will be thrown down to hell.

Woe [single woe] to those who disregard the just for something of no value and loudly condemn what’s good and say it’s worthless, because the time is soon coming when the Lord God will visit the inhabitants of the earth in judgment. And when they’re fully ripe in iniquity, they will be destroyed. However, the Lord of Hosts has said, if the inhabitants of the earth repent of their wickedness and abominations, they won’t be destroyed. But that powerful and utterly wicked church — the whore of all the earth — will fall to the ground in ruins; and its fall will be impressive. Indeed, the accuser’s kingdom must shake. And those who belong to it must be motivated to repent, or the accuser will grab them with his everlasting chains and they’ll become angry and be lost, since at that time he’ll rage in mankind’s hearts and cause them to be angry against all that is good. And he’ll pacify others, lulling them into worldly security, so that they’ll say: Everything is fine in Zion; in fact, Zion is prospering. Everything is fine! And so the accuser swindles them and leads them away carefully down to hell. And he beguiles others, telling them: There’s no hell. He says to them: I’m not the accuser — because there isn’t one. This is how he whispers in their ears until he imprisons them with his awful chains,[15] from which there’s no rescue. They’re imprisoned by death and hell and the accuser [fail to repent and take advantage of the Atonement]; and all those who have been captured by these will stand before God’s throne and be judged according to their works. From there they’ll go to the place prepared for them — a fiery lake that burns like lava, which is endless torment.[16] Therefore, woe to those who are at ease in Zion!

Woe to those who cry out: Everything is fine! Woe to those who follow the worthless teachings of men and deny God’s power and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Woe to those who say: We’ve received enough of the truth and we don’t need any more. In short, woe to all those who shake with anger because of God’s truth. Because those built on God’s rock are glad to receive truth. But those built on a sandy foundation are afraid of falling” (CofC 2 Nephi 12:2-5, emphasis added).

Latter-day Gentiles are in a sorry state. They labor under the guidance of the “powerful and utterly wicked church.” Those who are objectionable before the Lord are the prideful who are “wise [in their own eyes], well educated, and rich.” They are consumed with pride in their earthly accomplishments. Theirs is a prosperity gospel where earthly accomplishments relative to others is their measure of success rather than bringing “forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom.”[17]

          Humble Gentiles who resist prideful conduct remain in a cloud of deception. They believe in false teachings, leading them away from the Lord’s path.

“They’re unyielding and arrogant; and because of pride, wickedness, abominations, and whoredoms, they’ve all gone astray except for a few who are Christ’s humble followers. However, they’re led by false teachings, so that in many cases they go astray because they’re taught to obey man-made rules and principles (Ibid).

The majority of Gentiles are immersed in cultural “Babylon,”[18] which the Lord counsels all to flee from and go to Zion.

          There are Gentiles who heed the Lord’s call and respond by having charity towards the scattered of Israel. They nurture them as they gather Israel. The Gentiles who recognize the light the Lord sends respond to His servant when he appears. They embrace the words of Christ he delivers. The words of Christ are the light. His servant is the messenger delivering the light.

          Faithful Gentiles are referred to with royal titles. There are Gentile kings in latter-day Babylon who are stunned when the Lord gathers Israel again, but they are not the royalty who nurture Israel as they gather.

“ . . . This is what the Lord said, the Redeemer of Israel, His Holy One, to the despised ones, to the hated nations, to the slaves of rulers [Israel]: [Gentile] Kings will see and stand up, princes and nobles will fall down before you to honor the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel . . .” (CofC 1 Nephi 6:7, emphasis added).

The repentant Gentile royalty [priests and kings to the most high God] bowing down before Israel in deferential respect. They don’t bow in fear but do so to honor the Lord gathering Israel. They honor Him because He keeps His promises to Israel. They do so as a witness and acknowledgement of the spiritual and historic significance of Israel’s gathering. Repentant Gentiles are not ashamed to bow before Israel because witnessing the fulfillment of the Lord’s will is more important to them than anything worldly.[19]

          In contrast, Gentile kings share a shocked response, not from understanding but surprise. They witness the Lord’s power manifest from the perspective of ignorance and arrogance. They are unaware of the prophecies as that which they knew not appears in plain sight before them.

“I tell you the truth. And I’ll give you a sign to identify the time when these things are about to happen, when I will gather My people, the house of Israel, from their long-scattered state, and will again establish My Zion among them. This is the sign for you: When the things that I’m declaring to you now and after this by the power of the Holy Ghost that are given to you by the Father are then revealed to the Gentiles, and taken as a message through them to you, that is when the Father’s covenant is being fulfilled. You are descendants of Jacob and will be scattered by the Gentiles. But the Father will reveal these things first to the Gentiles, then from them to you. It’s the Father’s plan for the Gentiles to be established in this land as a free people through His power, to allow the history and prophecies to come from them to a remnant of your descendants. That vindicates the Father’s covenant with His people, O house of Israel. Therefore the record of these events, and the events that will take place among you after this, will come from the Gentiles to your descendants. But your descendants will first fall away in unbelief because of iniquity. That’s an essential part of the Father’s plan. The covenant requires this record to come from the Gentiles, so the Gentiles will understand His direct involvement. Then the Gentiles, provided they don’t harden their hearts, will be able to repent and come to Me and be baptized in My name and know the true points of My doctrine, so they can be included with My people, the house of Israel. When these things happen, and your descendants begin to know these things, it will be a sign to let them know the Father’s work is underway, to fulfill the covenant He made to everyone who’s part of the house of Israel. When that time comes, kings will be at a loss for words not knowing what to say, for they’ll see what they were never told about and be forced to consider what they never expected” (CofC 3 Nephi 9:11, emphasis added).

Content from the Book of Mormon and Covenant of Christ is given first to the Gentiles and then to Lehi’s descendants numbered among the house of Israel. A reason for the transfer from the Gentiles to Lehi’s people is because the majority of Gentiles harden their hearts against the light breaking in their midst. The Lord’s servant bearing the words of Christ is the light.

          Gentile covenant rejection was foreseen by Nephi in the vision shown to him by God’s angel.

“Then the Angel told me: You’ve seen that if the Gentiles repent, it will turn out well for them. You also know about the Lord’s covenants with the house of Israel. And you’ve also heard that whoever doesn’t repent must perish. As a result, if the Gentiles harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, I will afflict them. Because the time will come, says the Lamb of God, when I’ll bring about a great and awe-inspiring work among mankind, one that will be everlasting — one way or the other — either to convince them, resulting in peace and life eternal; or to give them up to their hard hearts and blind minds, bringing about their slavery and temporal and spiritual destruction, under the accuser’s enslavement which I’ve spoken about” (CofC 1 Nephi 3:26, emphasis added).

The Gentiles who don’t harden their hearts are the kings, queens, and princes to the most high God. They carry Israel in their arms and nurture them. Gentiles who harden their hearts against the words of Christ and the servant fall into slavery, temporal and spiritual destruction at the hand of the “accuser.”    

          What is the nature of suffering experienced by the Gentiles? It will mirror the suffering experienced by Israel when they were scattered by the Gentiles.

“. . . then if they [Gentiles] harden their hearts against Me, I’ll cause them [the Gentiles] to experience the same fate of being scattered [the same as when the Gentiles scattered Israel, divine justice through reciprocity], says the Father. . . “ (CofC 3 Nephi 9:8, emphasis added).

Joseph Smith was aware of this outcome and foretold these events on several occasions.

“I prophesy in the name of the Lord God anguish & wrath & [indecipherable] & tribulation and the withdrawing of the spirit of God await this generation, until they are visited with utter destruction. This generation is as corrupt as the generation of the Jews that crucified Christ and if he were here today & should preach the same doctrine he did then why they would crucify him. I defy all the world & I prophecy they never will overthrow me till I get ready [implying an overthrow will come]” (Words of Joseph Smith, Ehat and Cook, pp.256-257, emphasis added).

“And I prophecy that the day will come when you will say Oh that we had given heed but look now upon our public works the store schoolhouse for instance the Simoon [violent, dust laden wind] of the Desert has passed over it the people will not hearken nor hear And bondage Death and destruction are close at our heels. The Kingdom will not be broken up but Judgements awaits man we shall be scattered and driven gathered again & then dispersed reestablished & driven abroad and so on until the Ancient of Days shall sit and the kingdom and power thereof shall be given to the Saints and they shall the possess it forever and ever, which may God hasten for Christ’s sake Amen” (Words of Joseph Smith, Ehat & Cook, p.67, emphasis added).      

“The Savior said when these tribulations should take place, it should be committed to a man who should be a witness over the whole world: the keys of knowledge, power and revelations should be revealed to a witness who should hold the testimony to the world . . .” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (pp. 413-414, emphasis added). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Edition).

The Covenant of Christ removes a cloud of uncertainty around our future and provides a somber warning to the Gentiles. A servant sent by the Lord as a light to the Gentiles sitting in darkness because of the precepts of men. Failing to repent holds catastrophic consequences similar to what native Americans suffered when scattered by the Gentiles.

[1] “Now, my dear people, since our merciful God has given us such great information about these things, let us remember Him and abandon our sins and not hang our heads down, because we aren’t rejected. Although we’ve been removed from our inherited land, we’ve been led to a better land; the Lord has made the sea our path and we’re on an island of the sea. But the Lord’s great promises include those who live on the islands of the sea. Therefore since it says islands, there have to be more than this one, and our fellow Israelites also inhabit them. The Lord God has led some of the house of Israel away from time to time according to His plan and faithfulness. And the Lord remembers all those who have been broken off; consequently, He remembers us also. So be of good cheer and remember you’re free to act for yourselves, to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. So, my dear people reconcile yourselves to God’s will, not to the will of the accuser and the flesh. And remember that after you’re reconciled to God, it’s only in and through God’s grace that you’re saved. Therefore may God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and from everlasting death by the power of the atonement, so you can be received into God’s eternal kingdom, so you can thank Him for divine grace. Amen” (CofC 2 Nephi 7:5, emphasis added).

[2] “And when that day shall come shall a remnant be scattered among all nations; but they shall be gathered again, but they shall remain until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled. And in that day [last days] shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion. And men’s hearts shall fail them and shall say that Christ delays his coming until the end of the world, and the love of men shall wax cold and iniquity shall abound. And when the times of the gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fullness of my gospel, but they receive it not, for they perceive not the light and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men” (RE T&C 31:6, emphasis added).

[3] “ . . . And that wicked one comes and takes away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers. But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth” RE T&C 93:11, emphasis added).

[4] “ . . . When He sets about a second time to recover His people, that will be the very last time the Lord’s servants will go out in His power to tend and prune His vineyard — following that, the end will happen quickly. And how blessed are those who have worked diligently in His vineyard! But how cursed are those who will be thrown out to where they belong! And the world will be burned with fire. How merciful God is to us! He remembers the house of Israel, both roots and branches, and reaches out His hands to them all day long. But they’re a stubborn, quarrelsome people. Nevertheless, all those who don’t harden their hearts will be saved in God’s kingdom” (CofC Jacob 4:1, emphasis added).

[5] “Question: What are we to understand by the four angels spoken of by John, 7th chapter and 1st verse of Revelation [Rev. 2:13]?Answer: We are to understand that they are four angels sent forth from God, to whom is given power over the four parts of the earth, to save life and to destroy. These are they who have the everlasting gospel to commit to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, having power to shut up the heavens, to seal up unto life, or to cast down to the regions of darkness” (RE T&C 74:8, emphasis added).

[6] “Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth, as it is done in Heaven . . . ” (RE Matthew 3:29}.

[7] “The temple ceremony confirmed angels were intended as God’s authorized means to minister to men, women and children, just as the Book of Mormon teaches. The temple tells us to look for true messengers sent by Him, bearing signs and tokens, having hidden knowledge, who will inform us in the way of truth and light. As originally portrayed, these angelic ministers would become the exclusive conduit through which the Lord would give us guidance and instruction” (Snuffer, Denver. Passing the Heavenly Gift (p. 277, emphasis added). Mill Creek Press. Kindle Edition).

[8] “I know that... well... the fact is that a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of smoke by day is an allusion, an attempt to refer to things we are familiar with to describe things that we are not familiar with. A conduit that reaches up into heaven as the temporary appearance of the Lord to Joseph in the First Vision is intended to be a permanent connection at some place. It will be one of the reasons why people say, let’s not go up against the people of Zion because Zion is too terrible. The presence of God is dreadful to the wicked, it’s frightening to them. They get near it and it convicts them of their unworthiness. They dare not go up. But the pure and the humble and the noble are drawn to it. They will want to be there. And so that conduit, that fiery pillar, that stairway to heaven, Jacob’s ladder, the chariot of fire, all of those things are an attempt to describe that heavenly connection, that heavenly presence. To the unworthy and the ungodly looking at it, they may or may not be able to see anything about it but they will sense extraordinary dread. It will frighten them. To the worthy there will be something enlightened about the very presence of the place. It will not seem to them to just be another place. It will seem as though the God of heaven has some base established there. That’s when you know that an ensign has been established in the tops of the mountains to which nations will flow saying, come, let us go up and learn from the god of Jacob, because that ensign is actually something godly, holy, edifying, instructive, revelatory, filled with light, and redemptive, and the god who dwells there is going to be the Lord. So we don’t have time... If you think about it, Enoch taught for 365 years before his people were prepared enough to go up, and we have to be prepared enough for them to come down and not destroy us by the brightness of their presence” (Cursed-Denied Priesthood, Denver Snuffer Jr., p.25, emphasis added).

[9] “I am the true vine or head of the Father’s family, and my Father is the husbandman over that family. Every branch connected to me that does not produce fruit, he will remove, and every branch that produces fruit he will prune back so that it produces better fruit. You will bear fruit if you follow the things I have taught you. Stay connected to me as part of the Heavenly family, and I will nourish you. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit if it is not connected to the vine, neither will you be able to bear fruit unless you remain connected with me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. He that stays connected to me, and I to him, will be abundantly fruitful; but without the connection to me you will perish. If a man loses his connection with me, he is merely a withered branch; and men take the withered branches, cut them away and burn them. If you stay connected to me, and my words live in you, you will ask according to my will, and you will be given the ability to accomplish my will. It will please and vindicate my Father if you produce abundant fruit, and that will prove you follow me. Just like the Father has loved me, I have in turn likewise loved you. Therefore, remain connected with me and my love will be with you. If you practice my teachings you will always remain connected with me; just as I have kept my Father’s teachings and have remained connected with him” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 10:17, emphasis added).

[10] “And again, the elders, priests, and teachers of this church shall teach the scriptures which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fullness of the gospel . . . “ (RE T&C 26:5, emphasis added).

[11] “At that time, to advance My cause, the Father will begin a work, which will be a great and awe-inspiring work [a great and a marvelous work] among them. There will be many who won’t believe it, although a man will tell it to them. But the ministry of My servant will be led by My hand; therefore they won’t be able to harm his work, although he’ll be opposed and discredited by them. Yet I’ll support him; I’ll show them My wisdom is greater than the accuser’s deceitful scheming. Therefore those who won’t believe in My words, and I Am Jesus Christ, which the Father will give and empower that servant to set before the Gentiles, it will result exactly as Moses said: They will be cut off from My people who are part of the covenant. And then you, a remnant of the house of Jacob, will rise up from them. And you’ll be mixed in with them who will outnumber you. You’ll be among them like a lion among his prey in the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who moves unopposed to take down and tear to pieces. Your hand will be against your opponents and all your enemies will be cut down. 14Yes, woe to the Gentiles unless they repent: For when that day comes, says the Father, I’ll take away your strength from you, [Gentiles, Holy Ghost] and I’ll destroy your security. Your cities will fall and I’ll break open your guarded borders. Your sciences and learning will turn into foolishness, and your false beliefs will cause your failure. I’ll expose the fraud of those in authority, and your trusted institutions will lose everyone’s loyalty. False prophets and false ministers will be brought to shame and humiliation. All lying, deceiving, envying, strife, priestcraft, and whoredoms will come to an end. At that time, says the Father, I’ll cut down anyone who won’t repent and draw near to My Beloved Son to preserve My people, the house of Israel. I’ll take vengeance and unleash My fierce anger on all the unbelieving, beyond anything they expect” (CoC 3 Nephi 9:12, emphasis added).

[12] “And righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out my own elect from the four quarters of the earth unto a place which I shall prepare, a holy city, that my people may gird up their loins and be looking forth for the time of my coming. For there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem. And the Lord said unto Enoch, Then shall you and all your city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom. And they shall see us, and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other; and there shall be my abode. And it shall be Zion which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made, and for the space of a thousand years shall the earth rest” (RE Genesis 4:22, emphasis added).

[13] “Wherefore, I, the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph and spoke unto him from Heaven, and gave him commandment, and also gave commandments to others that they should proclaim these things unto the world. And all this that it might be fulfilled which was written by the prophets: the weak things of the world should come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh, but that every man might speak in the name of God, the Lord, even the Savior of the world, that faith also might increase in the earth, that my everlasting covenant might be established, that the fullness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world and before kings and rulers. Behold, I am God and have spoken it” (RE T&C 54:4, emphasis added).

[14] “Now I can’t write everything that was taught to my people, and I’m also not as effective a writer as I am a speaker. Because when anyone speaks by the power of the Holy Ghost, the power of the Holy Ghost impresses people’s hearts. But there are many who harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, so there is no room for it within them. So they reject many written things, regarding them as worthless. But I’ve written what I’ve written, and I think it’s very valuable, especially for my people. I pray continually for them by day, and my tears wet my pillow at night over them. I cry to God in faith, knowing He’ll hear my cry. I know the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the benefit of my people. He’ll make what I’ve written in weakness powerful for them, since it persuades them to do good, tells them about their ancestors, speaks about Jesus, and persuades people to believe in Him and to persist to the end, which is life eternal. And it speaks harshly against sin in plain truth. So no one will be angry at the words I’ve written unless they embrace the spirit of the accuser. I glory in plainness, I glory in truth, and I glory in Jesus, because He has redeemed my soul from hell. 7I have charity for my people and great faith in Christ that I’ll meet many souls spotless at His judgment seat. I have charity for the Jews — I say Jews referring to those who I came from. I also have charity for the Gentiles. But I can’t hope for any of these unless they’re reconciled to Christ, enter through the narrow gate, walk in the precise pathway that leads to life, and stay on that path until their probation ends” (CofC 2 Nephi 15:1, emphasis added).

[15] However those who harden their hearts are given less of His word, until they know nothing about His mysteries. Then the accuser captures them and leads them by his will down to destruction. This is what the chains of hell mean” (CofC Alma 9:3, emphasis added).

[16] “The great misery of departed spirits in the world of spirits, where they go after death, is to know that they come short of the glory that others enjoy and that they might have enjoyed themselves, and they are their own accusers” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (pp. 354-355, emphasis added). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Edition).

[17] “And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received, which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation rests upon the children of Zion, even all, and they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon, and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say but to do according to that which I have written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom. Otherwise, there remains a scourge and a judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion, for shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Truly, truly I say unto you, Nay” (RE T&C 82:20, emphasis added).

[18] “Yea, truly I say unto you again, the time has come when the voice of the Lord is unto you: Go out of Babylon, gather yourselves out from among the nations, from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. 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, firstly 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 forth unto the land of Zion, that the borders of my people may be enlarged, and that her stakes may be strengthened, and that Zion may go forth unto the regions round about. Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom. Behold and lo, the Bridegroom comes, go out to meet him; prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord. Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Let them therefore which are among the gentiles flee unto Zion, and let them who be of Judah flee unto Jerusalem, unto the mountains of the Lord’s house. Go out from among the nations, even from Babylon, from the midst of wickedness, which is spiritual Babylon. But truly thus says the Lord: Let not your flight be in haste, but let all things be prepared before you; and he that goes, let him not look back, so that sudden destruction won't come upon him.

[19] “And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off. Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west, they shall spoil them of the east together, they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon shall obey them. And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and with his mighty wind he shall shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over with dry feet. And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria, like it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt” (RE Isaiah 5:5, emphasis added).

Scott Roderick

6/19/25

A Light for The Gentiles.pdf

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