Ezekiel, Nephi and Isaiah set up the last days conditions.

Scripture defines the wickedness of the latter day and how mankind would toss aside truth, ordinance,and covenant following after the dictates of their own conscience.

“Knowing this first, that in the last days there shall come scoffers, walking after their own lusts. Denying the Lord Jesus Christ, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things must continue as they are, and have continued as they are from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that of old the heavens, and the earth standing in the water and out of the water, were created by the word of God; And by the word of God, the world that then was, being overflowed with water perished; But the heavens, and the earth which are now, are kept in store by the same word, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:3-7)

Isaiah sets up the next steps showing what was to come in the sifting out of the righteous. There are some things that we have seen happen but that the scriptorians ignore or disregard in their unbelief.

“Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away,  the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. (Isaiah 24:1-6)

To counter this, a time was appointed to start a restoration of the ordinances and truth to a world in despair.

“Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:” (Ezekiel 37:16)

These are the Bible and Book of Mormon or better stated the record of the descendants of Judah and Joseph.

“And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?” (Ezekiel 37:17-18)

These verses are a segway into why this was done. The purposes of the Book of Mormon together with the Bible. In the following I intend to show you these purposes or what was meant by these.

Whats meant by the bringing forth of the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon is to: 

-Gather scattered Israel

-Combine the Tribes into one nation

-Move them into a place they can call their own

-Rid them of Idolatry and cleanse them

-Bring them back to God so they can be his people

-They shall have a king

-They will have a Davidic Servant to feed and shepherd them forever

-The everlasting covenant will be re-established

-The Lord sanctuary will be set up in the midst of them

-Christ will, in his tabernacle of the flesh dwell with them as their God.

Nephi states that all things spiritual are literal as well as spiritual and vice versa. This means that Prophecy is intended to happen in the flesh and in the Spirit.

“For by the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the children of men according to the flesh. Wherefore, the things of which I have read are things pertaining to things both temporal and spiritual; for it appears that the house of Israel, sooner or later, will be scattered upon all the face of the earth, and also among all nations.” (1 Nephi 22:2-3)

In the following vision hearts are to be hardened and Israel scattered. After which a standard would be brought forth and a people established to fulfill the covenants. to Israel.

“Nevertheless, after they shall be nursed by the Gentiles, and the Lord has lifted up his hand upon the Gentiles and set them up for a standard, and their children have been carried in their arms, and their daughters have been carried upon their shoulders, behold these things of which are spoken are temporal; for thus are the covenants of the Lord with our fathers; and it meaneth us in the days to come, and also all our brethren who are of the house of Israel.” (1 Nephi 22:6)

This standard spoken of is the calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith and establishing of the Book of Mormon.

Verse 2 explains that everything revealed by the spirit and written is literal and not subject to some fanciful meaning. It has to do with the House of Israel and reaches back to the promises of and covenants to the Fathers. 

This context we see here is setting the stage for something else. It is giving us a preview of an event prior to a pivotal moment in the fulfilling of them in the last days… Our days.

“And it meaneth that the time cometh that after all the house of Israel have been scattered and confounded, that the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles, yea, even upon the face of this land; and by them shall our seed be scattered. And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the ^bGentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed” (1 Nephi 22:7-8)

This is the establishment of the Book of Mormon through the calling of a true Messenger (Joseph Smith)

In the 1820’s when Joseph was given his visions and prepared, the U.S. population was 9,638,453. Just over 1% of the world population. It was in its infancy. It became great after the Book of Mormon was established and unfurled as a standard. After its great establishment we can see the fulfillment of prophecy again.

“And the righteous need not fear, for they are those who shall not be confounded. But it is the kingdom of the devil, which shall be built up among the children of men, which kingdom is established among them which are in the flesh— For the time speedily shall come that all churches which are built up to get gain, and all those who are built up to get power over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh and the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity; yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake; they are those who must be brought low in the dust; they are those who must be consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words of the prophet.” 1 Nephi 22:22-23)

Lets analyze what happened after the Book of Mormon was established.

-Israel was scattered (Lehis descendants are among them as well as virtually all the populations of the world)

-A Nation was established among the seed of Nephi

-A Marvelous work is beginning to be prepared

-The Book of Mormon comes forth among the great Nation

-The kingdom of the Devil is overthrown. 

This Kingdom of the Devil is contemporary counterfeit. Something made to look Holy is abominable. It exists among the Churches that are established due to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and revealed truth in that day.  These churches have the following characteristics:

-They are built up to get gain

-Gain power over the people

-Become popular

-Seek lust, the things of the world and to do iniquity

What does it mean to “get gain”? It means churches that have commerce, use titles for businesses, buildings, worldly affairs and investments. They establish a worldly hierarchy and a paid clergy. 

“He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish. And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish. For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.” (2 Nephi 26:29-33)

All of this was prophesied to happen after the coming forth of the Men have used the restoration of scripture and revelation through Joseph to establish Churches that are built up unto themselves and their Priesthood offices. To set themselves up as a light as intermediaries between God and Man. They get Gain and the Praise of the world by working from lavish offices visiting members of their congregations and being received with cultural celebrations and served the best the world has to offer all the while denying the actual laborer in Zion while there goods come at the expense of the laborer in Zion, abstaining to clothe and feed them. They have gained power of the people through exacting tithing money paid to themselves and their organizations to be spent on themselves and their counterfeit initiatives. Nephi says in verse 23 that these are they that belong to the kingdom of the Devil. 

Isaiah also says the following:

“His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.” (Isaiah 56:0-13)

Those that were supposed to be set as watchmen have become ignorant and disconnected with God. They because of their office, position and power deny the power of God and dictate terms to him. They love their day to day operations and their earthly increase more than they love God. In delusion they believe they serve God’s purposes while working at cross purposes to him. They are ever learning but never coming to a knowledge of the truth. They are lovers of themselves and their earthly titles and accomplishments. They scoff at the coming of Jesus Christ and miss the signs set forth and appointed in the Heavens. They tell their followers to plant a spruce tree so their descendents will rest under its shade before the second coming arrives.

Going back to Ezekiel 37, the Stick of Joseph has been established but have any of the other things come to fruition?

What of the following has happened? Below is the bullet pointed list 

-Gather scattered Israel

-Combine the Tribes into one nation

-Move them into a place they can call their own

-Rid them of Idolatry and cleanse them

-Bring them back to God so they can be his people

-They shall have a King

-They will have a Davidic Servant to feed and shepherd them forever

-The everlasting covenant will be re-established

-The Lord sanctuary will be set up in the midst of them

-Christ will, in his tabernacle of the flesh dwell with them as their God.

In any of these organizations has any of this been accomplished? Some have sent the Book of Mormon abroad. Some have tried to establish a place they call their own but increasingly these supposed New Jerusalems are being overcome by Babylon. 

Who’s their King?

Who and where is their Davidic servant?

Where and what exactly is the everlasting covenant?

Which Temple is the Lord’s Sanctuary?

For a restoration to be complete there are a lot of things that have to occur

“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.” (Isaiah 11:11-12)

The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him. (Isaiah 56:8) We see here that they are being gathered out of both Israel and the World. 

The first time the Lord set his hand was with Joseph Smith and the second time is now. This is in advance of those who the Lord would have established a sanctuary and present it to him and in accepting dwell among those gathered in the flesh in his tabernacle. Literally taken as his coming.

Question 7: What is the Son?

A: First, He is a personage of tabernacle. (Lectures on Faith lecture Fifth)

What is the purpose in establishing his Sanctuary?

“Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. (Isaiah 56:5-7)

In preparation for this the Lord restored the Priesthood to the Earth.

 “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.” (D and C 13)

This priesthood is not wholly owned by organizations. One can; prompted by God, leave the organizations and ask God for permission to use this right (previously conferred through a lineage) just as Alma did when he left the organization of King Noah because of belief in the words of Abinadi, went into the wilderness and established truth from error. (Mosiah 11)

We need to get over the fact that organizations organize words of the Prophets into compendiums but that organizational book produced by the Catholic Church with the Bible or the LDS with the Doctrine and Covenants does not grant authority from God. Only God can do that. He commands that all write his words. 

“I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.” (2 Nephi 29:12)

Religions throughout the world know and have truth. As mentioned before this new Temple will be a place of prayer for all people. It will be built in preparation for the second coming when the Lord’s people both above and below will meet as one. The Lord will be in their presence.

The Book of Mormon is just the first in a list of records that must be restored. No one person or religion can own all truth to declare so would be tantamount to those scaling the Rameumpton in their fine clothing and declaring their superiority to their brethren.

Ezekiel, Isaiah and Nephi all speak from the ground and declare the same truths. They declare the salvation of the Lord and fe there be that find it.