This is a topic that seems to get alot of attention in the speculative crowd - and for once, I have zero formed opinion. The Fundamentalists seem to have alot to say while the mainstream LDS are largely silent on the matter.
The one thing I do know is that Section 85 is clear that there will be one who will come and set things in order after the purge has begun in the Church and the chaff has been separated out. I look forward to this event with great anticipation. For over 140 years we have largely been adrift - acutely so in the last 50 years. World political and social events dictate that we are on the cusp of major change which will necessitate folks to move one direction or the other.
This is the best grouping of information I have seen yet on the matter (click on the colored text):
http://www.archive.org/stream/onemightystronga00clarrich#page/38/mode/2up/search/Bishop
ENJOY!!
The one Mighty and Strong is Christ himself coming as man again to the people.
ReplyDeleteMoroni clearly tells Joseph Smith who he is in JSH 1:40
40 In addition to these, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that prophet was Christ; but the day had not yet come when “they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people,” but soon would come.
In the last days Jesus will suddenly come to his temple. What is his temple? His body.
The Book of Mormon makes it clear that he will "set his hand again the second time" to recover his people.
He is the one like unto Moses.
3 Nephi 20:23
23 Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people.
Notice that he will be raised up from "your brethren." Why? because he'll be a man amongst us.
His ministry will be among the LDS first. It will begin at his house.
Unfortunately, many of the LDS will reject him.
3 Nephi 16
10 And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.
When he went to the Jews as a man the majority of the Jews rejected him so the gospel went to the Gentiles. This time he is coming as a man to the Gentiles. This time the Gentiles are going to reject him so the gospel is going to go back to the Jews. The last will be first and the first will be last.
Can Jesus condescend to help his children more than once?
Doesn't the Master of vineyard come to work in his vineyard a number of times? Isn't the vineyard this earth?
Jacob uses the plural in describing God's condescensionS.
7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.
Nephi describes his condescensions as well.
53 And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of his greatness, and his grace and mercy, he has promised unto us that our seed shall not utterly be destroyed, according to the flesh, but that he would preserve them; and in future generations they shall become a righteous branch unto the house of Israel.
Until this is properly understood, no one will be able understand the last days and what will happen.
All the scriptures that talk about what happens in Jerusalem in the last days are NOT talking about Israel, they are talking about SLC, the New Jerusalem.
The two sons or prophets killed in Jerusalem are both Christ. Christ in the meridian of time and Christ will again be killed in Jerusalem (SLC) in our day.