HOW ZION SHALL BE ESTABLISHED

One of the things that "Spencer" said to do in the audio of the previous blog post, was to go back and review the scriptural accounts of Zion - and what our role is in establishing it.  First, we have to find it in our hearts, then our families, then our extended circles at church and work until it becomes universal. 

That takes a righteous people with good leadership - who lead in a simple manner without the pride of the world.  If the people fall short, the leadership cannot lead - as agency must prevail in all things.  Rarely, does the leadership pull the people along by sheer force of celeb or charisma as Joseph Smith was largely able to do - it is usually the hearts and desires of the people who make Zion happen, which is why the initial attempt had failed in this last dispensation.  The only two cases I am aware of where the leadership was able to be of such a strength that the people fell in behind them and took it the distance - Melchizedek (Shem, son of Noah) , Enoch, the twelve in America under the leadership of Jesus.  The Old World apostles did not have it - though they made a valiant effort, there was so much Babylon ingrained in the people that rooting it out became problematic and then it got bogged down.  In describing some of the things I do at work that get tedious because of complexity, I call it "Running a marathon in quicksand......".  Notice the three cases where forming an enduring terrestrial society was possible on a telestial earth - it was all after the people could be hand selected, isolated, taught, and where a form of isolation could be maintained.  The attempt was made with Nephi's group - the isolation nearly complete and they had fantastic leadership, but they eventually stumbled and fell.  Even if they could have completely cut themselves off from their errant brethren, the Lamanites, which they did by dissociation, they still managed to mess things up.

In the case of Melchizedek (or Shem, as Joseph Smith taught in TotPJS), they were isolated, established a city of Peace (or Salem or Shalom) in the location where Jeru Salem is today (arguably quite isolated since the place the ark rested was in the "mountains (foothills) of Ararat", quite some distance to the north in present-day Turkey).  They were able to most likely draw on what they saw of the Enoch society that had been previously taken up into heaven in what I would assume was Shem's lifetime, and just before the flood.  I have not done the math - but assume that there was some interaction there - but that their mission was to stay and leave a posterity to inhabit the baptized earth and provide a Savior for the wicked who had rebelled in the days of Noah.  So Shem had a model to follow - one that was fresh in the memory.  He was able to resist the siren call of Babylon precisely because he, his wife and children were it - Japheth and Noah having gone East, Egyptus and Ham having gone further south in the north of Africa.  If only I could raise my kids in that pristine/clean environment - without picking up the filth in the babylon sea of trash we all swim in.

In Enoch's case, he was able to find a location where he could extract himself from the world (Mount Zion) and where the hordes of angry, bitter, sick and degenerate people could not molest him - much as one of those monastic fortresses on the top of the monolithic rock faces around the world, like these:

 MONOLITH MONASTERIES

While he could not be molested by the wicked around him, they could see his peoples' good works and they could choose to join him in his quest for the perfect society.  Many, having chosen Zion's hill, were also able to look down on the plain and were enticed away from their spiritual abode to join the masses below - some heeding the call of the music, dancing and revelry being played on the ancestor of our modern tuba, invented by Tubal Cain, the artificer of brass.  In that day, Zion was terrible because of her righteousness - the wicked dared not enter because any weapon formed to be used against her would not prosper - just as it will be in the Modern Zion once the curse is lifted from that area and beauty reigns once more, though the nations attempt it, they will be crushed in their vain attempts.  It was interesting to note that Spencer mentioned what I have always said would be the case (previous post) for those living approx below 2400' elevation in the mid-west area, they will be swept with the wicked when the city of Enoch and that portion of the earth that was taken up with her returns to the Gulf of Mexico area - sending the water sweeping north after the righteous have gathered to the foothills and everlasting hills - before the triumphant return to the millennial abode.  Someone in a comment on a previous post challenged me on that statement (and I do not mind that - this stuff is off the charts), but you now have a second witness.

The Lord will have a Zion people from the residue that remain of the righteous saints.  We will follow the type given in the Book of Mormon - where our perfection comes only after much tribulation, "if it so be by the things that they must suffer" - and I will say destruction.  Babylon will be destroyed around us - and there will be no more to follow - all worldly constructs having come to an end.  Most areas of the west where the Saints are gathered will be broken up - the entire face of the land.  According to Sols, the areas around Cardston will be relatively untouched, but there will be much destruction in most other areas, including the Kalispell area.  The amount will depend on the level of the Saints' collective righteousness (which is why its probably good to get that home teaching done.... our part towards making inroads to a Zion people).  I have tried to see it for my own family - but I cannot pierce that view of our future.  It might be de-motivating; we have a long way to go as a family unit.  After the destruction and thinning or cleansing, there will be the translation of the Book of Mormon by a Seer that will be raised up again to that end.  We have not had one in the Church who has exercised that gift since the 1830's.  That is a long dry spell - but then, the condemnation of not taking the Book of Mormon seriously has not been lifted yet - and it was given at that time, as was most of the bulk of the revelation at that time - and little since......  Once the reality settles in and we see similar destruction to what has occurred as recorded in 3 Nephi, we will say, "Truly this Book was written for our day.".  When we see what is restored when the Savior comes, and we begin to live the gospel fully as we have covenanted in the Temple - that the membership has rejected almost across the board in our past, we will see that 2 Nephi 28-31 was written for us.  Only in our extremity will we see that, only in our need will we feel after our Lord and become a truly consecrated people who follow His word with exactness because we see Him as He is and we will have a Zion heart.

So, that is our future - as depressing, and as glorious as it is.  It would have been far better had the people of the early Church not tossed out the Prophet or (fully heeded or been able to heed) his counsel so that he could have lived to 85 years of age.  We are on the alternate path that was laid down in Section 101 - there have always been two since the beginning of days, since Adam and Eve were innocent in the Garden of Eden; the easy road where the burden is light, and the school of hard knocks path where we have to stumble in the dark until we get it right.

Here is Section 101.  I hope you enjoy it and feel the spirit of Zion within it.  May we all do our part to redeem it:

1–8, The Saints are chastened and afflicted because of their transgressions; 9–15, The Lord’s indignation will fall upon the nations, but his people will be gathered and comforted; 16–21, Zion and her stakes will be established; 22–31, The nature of life during the Millennium is set forth; 32–42, The Saints will be blessed and rewarded then; 43–62, The parable of the nobleman and the olive trees signifies the troubles and eventual redemption of Zion; 63–75, The Saints are to continue gathering together; 76–80, The Lord established the Constitution of the United States; 81–101, The Saints are to importune for the redress of grievances, according to the parable of the woman and the unjust judge.

 1 Verily I say unto you, concerning your brethren who have been afflicted, and ^apersecuted, and ^bcast out from the land of their inheritance—

 2 I, the Lord, have suffered the ^aaffliction to come upon them, wherewith they have been afflicted, in consequence of their ^btransgressions;

 3 Yet I will own them, and they shall be ^amine in that day when I shall come to make up my jewels.

 4 Therefore, they must needs be ^achastened and tried, even as ^bAbraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son.

 5 For all those who will not ^aendure chastening, but ^bdeny me, cannot be sanctified.

 6 Behold, I say unto you, there were jarrings, and ^acontentions, and ^benvyings, and ^cstrifes, and ^dlustful and covetous desires among them; therefore by these things they polluted their inheritances.

 7 They were slow to ^ahearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.

 8 In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their ^atrouble, of necessity they ^bfeel after me.

 9 Verily I say unto you, notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with ^acompassion towards them. I will not utterly ^bcast them off; and in the day of ^cwrath I will remember mercy.

 10 I have sworn, and the decree hath gone forth by a former commandment which I have given unto you, that I would let fall the ^asword of mine indignation in behalf of my people; and even as I have said, it shall come to pass.

 11 Mine indignation is soon to be poured out without measure upon all nations; and this will I do when the cup of their iniquity is ^afull.

 12 And in that day all who are found upon the ^awatch-tower, or in other words, all mine Israel, shall be saved.

 13 And they that have been scattered shall be ^agathered.

 14 And all they who have ^amourned shall be comforted.

 15 And all they who have given their ^alives for my name shall be crowned.

 16 Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine ^ahands; be still and ^bknow that I am God.

 17 ^aZion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered.

 18 They that remain, and are pure in heart, shall return, and come to their ^ainheritances, they and their children, with ^bsongs of everlasting joy, to ^cbuild up the waste places of Zion—

 19 And all these things that the prophets might be fulfilled.

 20 And, behold, there is none other ^aplace appointed than that which I have appointed; neither shall there be any other place appointed than that which I have appointed, for the work of the gathering of my saints—

 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 ^astakes, 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 ^agather together, and ^bstand in holy places;

 23 And ^aprepare for the revelation which is to come, when the ^bveil of the covering of my temple, in my tabernacle, which hideth the earth, shall be taken off, and all flesh shall ^csee me together.

 24 And every ^acorruptible thing, both of man, or of the beasts of the field, or of the fowls of the heavens, or of the fish of the sea, that dwells upon all the face of the earth, shall be ^bconsumed;

 25 And also that of element shall ^amelt with fervent heat; and all things shall become ^bnew, that my knowledge and ^cglory may dwell upon all the ^dearth.

 26 And in that day the enmity of man, and the ^aenmity of beasts, yea, the ^benmity of all flesh, shall cease from before my face.

 27 And in that day ^awhatsoever any man shall ask, it shall be given unto him.

 28 And in that day ^aSatan shall not have power to tempt any man.

 29 And there shall be no ^asorrow because there is no death.

 30 In that day an ^ainfant shall not die until he is old; and his life shall be as the age of a tree;

 31 And when he dies he shall not sleep, that is to say in the earth, but shall be ^achanged in the twinkling of an eye, and shall be ^bcaught up, and his rest shall be glorious.

 32 Yea, verily I say unto you, in that ^aday when the Lord shall come, he shall ^breveal all things—

 33 Things which have passed, and ^ahidden things which no man knew, things of the ^bearth, by which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof—

 34 Things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven.

 35 And all they who suffer ^apersecution for my name, and endure in faith, though they are called to lay down their lives for my ^bsake yet shall they partake of all this glory.

 36 Wherefore, ^afear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your ^bjoy is full.

 37 Therefore, care not for the body, neither the life of the body; but care for the ^asoul, and for the life of the soul.

 38 And ^aseek the face of the Lord always, that in ^bpatience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life.

 39 When men are called unto mine ^aeverlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the ^bsalt of the earth and the savor of men;

 40 They are called to be the savor of men; therefore, if that ^asalt of the earth lose its savor, behold, it is thenceforth good for nothing only to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.

 41 Behold, here is wisdom concerning the children of Zion, even many, but not all; they were found transgressors, therefore they must needs be ^achastened—

 42 He that ^aexalteth himself shall be abased, and he that ^babaseth himself shall be exalted.

 43 And now, I will show unto you a parable, that you may know my will concerning the ^aredemption of Zion.

 44 A certain ^anobleman had a spot of land, very choice; and he said unto his servants: Go ye unto my ^bvineyard, even upon this very choice piece of land, and plant twelve olive trees;

 45 And set ^awatchmen round about them, and build a tower, that one may overlook the land round about, to be a watchman upon the tower, that mine olive trees may not be broken down when the enemy shall come to spoil and take upon themselves the fruit of my vineyard.

 46 Now, the servants of the nobleman went and did as their lord commanded them, and planted the olive trees, and built a hedge round about, and set watchmen, and began to build a tower.

 47 And while they were yet laying the foundation thereof, they began to say among themselves: And what need hath my lord of this tower?

 48 And consulted for a long time, saying among themselves: What need hath my lord of this tower, seeing this is a time of peace?

 49 Might not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is no need of these things.

 50 And while they were at variance one with another they became very ^aslothful, and they hearkened not unto the commandments of their lord.

 51 And the enemy came by night, and broke down the ^ahedge; and the servants of the nobleman arose and were affrighted, and fled; and the enemy destroyed their works, and broke down the olive trees.

 52 Now, behold, the nobleman, the lord of the ^avineyard, called upon his servants, and said unto them, Why! what is the cause of this great evil?

 53 Ought ye not to have done even as I commanded you, and—after ye had planted the vineyard, and built the hedge round about, and set watchmen upon the walls thereof—built the tower also, and set a ^awatchman upon the tower, and watched for my vineyard, and not have fallen asleep, lest the enemy should come upon you?

 54 And behold, the watchman upon the tower would have seen the enemy while he was yet afar off; and then ye could have made ready and kept the enemy from breaking down the hedge thereof, and saved my vineyard from the hands of the destroyer.

 55 And the lord of the vineyard said unto one of his ^aservants: Go and gather together the residue of my servants, and take ^ball the strength of mine house, which are my warriors, my young men, and they that are of middle age also among all my servants, who are the strength of mine house, save those only whom I have appointed to tarry;

 56 And go ye straightway unto the land of my vineyard, and redeem my vineyard; for it is mine; I have bought it with money.

 57 Therefore, get ye straightway unto my land; break down the ^awalls of mine enemies; throw down their tower, and scatter their watchmen.

 58 And inasmuch as they gather together against you, ^aavenge me of mine enemies, that by and by I may come with the residue of mine house and possess the land.

 59 And the servant said unto his lord: When shall these things be?

 60 And he said unto his servant: When I will; go ye straightway, and do all things whatsoever I have commanded you;

 61 And this shall be my seal and ^ablessing upon you—a faithful and ^bwise steward in the midst of mine house, a ^cruler in my kingdom.

 62 And his servant went straightway, and did all things whatsoever his lord commanded him; and ^aafter many days all things were fulfilled.

 63 Again, verily I say unto you, I will show unto you wisdom in me concerning all the churches, inasmuch as they are ^awilling to be guided in a right and proper way for their salvation—

 64 That the work of the ^agathering together of my saints may continue, that I may build them up unto my name upon ^bholy places; for the time of ^charvest is come, and my word must needs be ^dfulfilled.

 65 Therefore, I must gather together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the ^atares, that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial ^bglory, when I shall come in the kingdom of my Father to reward every man according as his work shall be;

 66 While the ^atares shall be bound in bundles, and their bands made strong, that they may be ^bburned with unquenchable fire.

 67 Therefore, a commandment I give unto all the churches, that they shall continue to gather together unto the places which I have appointed.

 68 Nevertheless, as I have said unto you in a former commandment, let not your ^agathering be in haste, nor by flight; but let all things be prepared before you.

 69 And in order that all things be prepared before you, observe the commandment which I have given concerning these things—

 70 Which saith, or teacheth, to ^apurchase all the lands with money, which can be purchased for money, in the region round about the land which I have appointed to be the land of Zion, for the beginning of the gathering of my saints;

 71 All the land which can be purchased in Jackson county, and the counties round about, and leave the residue in mine hand.

 72 Now, verily I say unto you, let all the churches gather together all their moneys; let these things be done in their time, but not in ^ahaste; and observe to have all things prepared before you.

 73 And let honorable men be appointed, even ^awise men, and send them to purchase these lands.

 74 And the churches in the ^aeastern countries, when they are built up, if they will hearken unto this counsel they may buy lands and gather together upon them; and in this way they may establish Zion.

 75 There is even now already in store sufficient, yea, even an abundance, to redeem Zion, and establish her waste places, no more to be thrown down, were the churches, who call themselves after my name, ^awilling to hearken to my voice.

 76 And again I say unto you, those who have been scattered by their enemies, it is my will that they should continue to importune for redress, and redemption, by the hands of those who are placed as rulers and are in authority over you—

 77 According to the laws and ^aconstitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the ^brights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles;

 78 That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral ^aagency which I have given unto him, that every man may be ^baccountable for his own sins in the day of ^cjudgment.

 79 Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in ^abondage one to another.

 80 And for this purpose have I established the ^aConstitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the ^bshedding of blood.

 81 Now, unto what shall I liken the children of Zion? I will liken them unto the ^aparable of the woman and the unjust judge, for men ought always to ^bpray and not to faint, which saith—

 82 There was in a city a judge which feared not God, neither regarded man.

 83 And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying: Avenge me of mine adversary.

 84 And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself: Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

 85 Thus will I liken the children of Zion.

 86 Let them importune at the ^afeet of the judge;

 87 And if he heed them not, let them importune at the feet of the governor;

 88 And if the governor heed them not, let them importune at the feet of the president;

 89 And if the president heed them not, then will the Lord arise and come forth out of his ^ahiding place, and in his fury vex the nation;

Quick side note - there is duality in Verse 89 depending on how bad the driving this time around is.  The Law of the Harvest is in effect.....

OUR TREASURE HAS BECOME SLIPPERY

When people will not adhere to good principle (such as the Zion belief in consecration), what they cling tightest to, will begin to fade and slide into obscurity. I have felt this in my own life when I am not centered on a Zion life.

Interesting words - I had to share:

Slippery Treasures--A Prophecy
By Larry Barkdull

When I first read the Book of Mormon as a boy, I encountered Samuel the Lamanite’s prophecy of “slippery treasures.” After discounting the notion that the treasures were greased, I wondered how they had slipped away. Did the treasures simply vanish? Did the Nephites experience widespread thievery? Over the years, knowing the Book of Mormon was written for us in the last days, I have pondered how the slippery-treasures scenario might play out again.

I need not speculate any longer. The event is upon us. The Book of Mormon story is more than account; it is a prophecy!

Mormon had the ability to foresee our day and marry latter-day troubles with Nephite events. One intriguing entry is Samuel the Lamanite’s prophecy of “slippery treasures.”

That Mormon would record Samuel’s words in such detail should signal to us their latter-day import. That Samuel delivered his message only years before the advent of the Savior, listing attendant destruction should add more weight to our latter-day consideration. That the resurrected Jesus would draw attention to Samuel and insist that his missing prophecies be recorded accurately should draw us into Mormon’s account and cause us to dissect and apply the principles.

Let us consider Samuel’s denunciation of the Nephites’ Babylon as that denunciation parallels Babylon today.

Samuel the Lamanite’s Denunciation of the Nephites’ Babylon

A few years before the birth of Christ, Samuel, a Lamanite prophet, entered the land of the Nephites to warn the people, cry repentance and prophesy of simultaneously glorious and catastrophic events. To set the stage, Mormon describes the Nephite world as one of “great wickedness.” Only a few “did observe strictly to keep the commandments of God.” The Nephites’ reaction to the prophet’s preaching ranged from disregard to violence.[i] Immediately, we see our latter-day condition mirroring that of the Nephites.

Frighteningly, Samuel warned that “the sword of justice hangeth over this people…. Yea, heavy destruction awaiteth this people, and it surely cometh unto this people, and nothing can save this people save it be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Nephites’ condition had resulted from “the hardness of the hearts of the people.” That hardness of heart was being manifested in a variety of ways:

The misuse of money that the Lord had given them.
Setting their hearts on acquiring riches.
Not hearkening unto the Lord or his prophets.
Neither remembering the Lord nor his blessings nor thanking him for them.
Always thinking about their riches and how to acquire more of them.
Their hearts were not “drawn out unto the Lord.”
“Great pride, unto boasting, and unto great swelling, envyings, strifes, malice, persecutions, and murders, and all manner of iniquities.”
Mocking and rejecting the prophets.[ii]

Following “Blind Guides”

Another sinful condition of the Nephites was their willingness to follow, idolize and uphold people who flattered their egos—“blind guides,”[iii] Samuel called these deceivers. The Nephites were more interested in the philosophies of these smooth-tongued “guides” than the prophets. The Nephites would enrich these people and canonize their words as if they were scripture.

“But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth--and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet. Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.”[iv]

“Blind guides” are those people who receive our support and adoration for flattering us with their mouth, but more often with their life-style. We give them riches for what they do not produce or contribute; we give them riches for being famous. These blind guides flatter us by parading the rewards that come from a lifestyle that glamorizes Babylon, and we applaud them for their having legitimized a life of wealth, self-indulgence, power, recognition, and excess.

Ripe for Destruction

The Lord’s spirit cannot abide in such wickedness. In Samuel’s day, only the presence of a few righteous individuals was holding back the judgments. But the clock was ticking. The gathering of the righteous was taking place. Soon the faithful few would be called out (or cast out). Then the wicked would be ripe for destruction,[v] and only the repentant would be spared.

The word ripe is intriguing. A fruit that is ripe will separate itself and fall from its mother tree. Ripeness is an interesting analogy for separating one’s self and falling away from the Tree of Life. In its insistence for a sinful, independent life from the tree, the ripe and fallen fruit can ultimately do nothing on its own except lie on the ground and rot.

Curses

Speaking for the Lord, Samuel pronounced a series of curses:

“I will take away my word from them.”
“I will withdraw my spirit.”
“I will suffer them no longer,” that is, I will not allow them to continue living this way.
“I will turn the hearts of their [enemies] against them.”
“I will cause that they shall be smitten…with the sword and with famine and with pestilence….I will visit them in my fierce anger.”
“Whoso shall hide up treasures in the earth shall find them no more…save he be a righteous man.”[vi]


Slippery Treasures

If the people cared little about the first five curses, the last one was sure to get their attention. This curse was aimed at what they loved most: their treasures. The curse stipulated that a righteous person was exempt; he could “hide up” his treasure unto the Lord—consecrate it—and he and the treasure would remain safe.

But a wicked person or a good person who still trusted in Babylon would not be so fortunate. Because he was in the selfish habit of hiding his treasure unto himself and not unto the Lord, he would soon discover to his horror that his treasure had become “slippery.”[vii]

Consequently, the fortunes of those who were wicked or those good people who still trusted in Babylon would slip away from them; the economy would collapse, and financial ruin would result: “And behold, the time cometh that he curseth your riches, that they become slippery, that ye cannot hold them; and in the days of your poverty ye cannot retain them.”[viii]

Vulnerability to Enemies

Then things would go from bad to worse. In the people’s impoverished situation, they would be vulnerable to attack from their enemies, particularly those enemies who constituted secret combinations. We note here that Samuel’s prophecies were followed by the near destruction of the nation by the Gadianton robbers.[ix] Samuel foretold that following the economic collapse the people would “flee before their enemies”[x] Their lamentations should strike fear in every person who trusts in his riches and adores Babylon:

And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure; and then shall ye weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts. And then shall ye lament, and say:

O that I had repented, and had not killed the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out. Yea, in that day ye shall say: O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us.

Behold, we lay a tool here and on the morrow it is gone; and behold, our swords are taken from us in the day we have sought them for battle.

Yea, we have hid up our treasures and they have slipped away from us, because of the curse of the land.

O that we had repented in the day that the word of the Lord came unto us; for behold the land is cursed, and all things are become slippery, and we cannot hold them.

Behold, we are surrounded by demons, yea, we are encircled about by the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls. Behold, our iniquities are great. O Lord, canst thou not turn away thine anger from us? And this shall be your language in those days.

But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.

O ye people of the land, that ye would hear my words! And I pray that the anger of the Lord be turned away from you, and that ye would repent and be saved.[xi]

First economic collapse then vulnerability to attacks from our enemies!

Failure to Repent

After Samuel’s martyrdom, his prophecies began to be fulfilled. But the Nephites did not repent. Mormon reported that “there was but little alteration in the affairs of the people, save it were the people began to be more hardened in iniquity.” Neither economic cataclysms and vicious attacks from terrorists within their borders prodded them from their insanity.

Even when “great signs [were] given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled,” the Nephites hardened their hearts.”[xii] They simply would not believe the signs or respond to the Lord’s warning to repent.

Mormon identified four reasons why the people did not repent:

1) Prophecies are nothing more than good guesses: “Some things they [the prophets] may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken.”

2) Prophecies do not make sense: “And they began to reason and to contend among themselves, saying: That it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come.

3) Prophecies are false traditions: “But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass… therefore they can keep us in ignorance.”

4) Prophets deceive us to keep us bound to them: “And they [the prophets] will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the evil one, work some great mystery which we cannot understand, which will keep us down to be servants to their words, and also servants unto them, for we depend upon them to teach us the word; and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves unto them, all the days of our lives.”

Satan’s Great Hold on the People’s Hearts

Mormon informed us that the Nephites “began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom.” They “imagine[d] up in their hearts” “many more things” “which were foolish and vain.”

Mormon said that the people “were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come. And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.”[xiii]

Latter-day Application

It is difficult to read this account and not see the condition of Babylon today.Clearly, we are mere years away from the Savior’s advent. The prophets are widely mocked, ignored, and often soundly rejected. Only a few Zion people practice righteousness, and perhaps for their sake the Lord is holding back the prophesied destruction.

The condition of Babylon’s citizens is defined by their hardness of heart.

They love their money and selfishly misuse it.
They always think about their riches and how to acquire more.
They will not hearken unto the Lord or his words.
They will not remember or thank the Lord for their blessings.
Their hearts are not “drawn out unto the Lord.”
Their lives are marked with “great pride,” boastings, envyings, strifes, malice, persecutions, and murders, and all manner of iniquities.”
They follow “blind guides,” who use flattering words to stroke their egos and legitimize a lifestyle that glamorizes wealth, self-indulgence, popularity, power and excess.

Now the curses of the Lord are becoming apparent and the prophecy of the slippery treasures is being fulfilled. Personal treasures are becoming unstable; economies are lying in ruins. In this condition, the people of Babylon are vulnerable to their enemies, especially those of secret combinations. Despite devastating events, they will not repent and return to the Lord. Rather, they find all sorts of reasons not to repent, and they grow in wickedness. Samuel might as well have been warning and prophesying to us today!

Go ye out from Babylon

Knowing the condition and future of Babylon, why do we try so hard to embrace her? The Lord has instructed us implicitly:

Go ye out from Babylon. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord…. Yea, verily I say unto you again, the time has come when the voice of the Lord is unto you: Go ye out of Babylon; gather ye out from among the nations, from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other…. Go ye out from among the nations, even from Babylon, from the midst of wickedness, which is spiritual Babylon.[xiv]

As we know, Babylon is simultaneously a location, the sum of false philosophies and doctrines, and a vile condition of the heart. While our present circumstances might not involve moving away from physical Babylon, we nevertheless must flee from spiritual Babylon. In unmistakable language, the Lord has commanded us to “forsake the world,”[xv] and “lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better.”[xvi] He charges us to escape for our own safety:

For after today cometh the burning--this is speaking after the manner of the Lord--for verily I say, tomorrow all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts; and I will not spare any that remain in Babylon.[xvii]

If we choose to remain in spiritual Babylon, we do so at our own risk. Most certainly, we will be caught up in the destructions: “…that great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea, that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and great shall be the fall of it.”[xviii]

Come to Zion

The Lord’s command to leave Babylon is also an invitation to come to Zion with the Lord’s offer to help us arrive safely. Still, there is nothing easy about leaving Babylon and converting to a Zionlike way of life founded on celestial doctrines. Occasionally, we must be “stirred up” so that we might see the truth about Babylon and decide once and for all to leave. Blaine Yorgason writes:

Whether we think we need to give up [the things of Babylon] or not, it seems that the Lord is frequently willing to help us in the giving up of worldly things. He might do this by allowing financial reversals to occur, bringing loss of homes, cars, boats, and incomes; personal or corporate bankruptcy; and so forth. We might also experience a severe loss of health or death of a loved one, which can do the same thing by making worldly things unattractive or meaningless….

This is called being stirred up unto repentance. In this case, however, I will substitute the word humility, which always strikes at the heart of pride, vanity, and worldliness! ‘Behold, the world is ripening in iniquity; and it must needs be that the children of men are stirred up unto humility, both the Gentiles and also the house of Israel’ (D&C 18:6); and, ‘The kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they…perish’ (2 Nephi 28:19). When we experience this divine assistance in leaving behind the things of the world—and to some degree we will all experience it—then above all else we ought to be filled with joy and rejoicing in the Lord’s goodness and mercy (D&C 52:43).”[xix]

Zion is and always has been the safety and security of the Saints. However, having one foot in Babylon and the other in Zion will never work. We simply cannot choose both ways, because Zion and Babylon are mutually exclusive—exact opposites.

Samuel warned the Nephites that they had to choose, and we need only read the account to see the consequences of those who chose Babylon over Zion. The Book of Mormon testifies that the few who chose a Zion way of life were kept safe from the calamities, and shortly thereafter, the Lord came and established Zion among them. And, depending on our choice, so it shall be with us.

A ZION PEOPLE - UNLEARNING THE ART OF WAR

I actively and strongly yearn for a Zion environment. One where there is no war - except in strict defense of our wives and children, our liberty and our religion (ability to worship God how and where we please).

Denver Snuffer (what a name, huh?), is one of my favorite bloggists and he really did a great job on this piece the Zion people we should all be striving to be.

I defer to him on this topic:

CLICK LINK

http://denversnuffer.blogspot.com/2012/03/nephis-brother-jacob-part-7.html

WE MUST SUFFER IN ORDER TO BECOME A ZION PEOPLE

I may be a hopeless romantic - too idealistic to function in today's fallen world - or I am a realist.

God WILL have a Zion people that will be caught up into the heavens to meet Him when he comes in glory. In my opinion, this people has gone "a whorin' after Babylon" just a little too much and is filled with pride to the point that the mighty gulf between where we are now as a people, and where we need to be as a people is just too much to deal with unless there is a radical intervention.

I think the Lord hinted where the path we are on would take us:

CLICK LINK

Surely, none of us wants to go down this path - but I am afraid the lot is cast and our future determined. Heaven help us all.

IRAN IS ON THE BRINK

One thing I always pound home when talking to people about world events is that we must never interfere with Israel's destiny. If we do, we are in direct opposition to God and His purposes. If God has declared certain things prophetically, then those who oppose those things are doing the adversary's work. An attempt to thwart the inevitable truly embodies the spirit of "kicking against the pricks".

I also state that Israel has the right to self-determination and a right to exist and to reparations, etc; almost because of how others have treated them through the last 2,000 years. Much as we have given certain groups in our nation certain privileges even above the rest of us to make up ground for haven been given the short end of the stick for so long, so do the Jews have a right of sorts to have "it made up to them" for all the wrongs committed against them by almost all Western peoples. Truly, them they have been driven as a "dumb ass" - warranted or un-warranted - and its time to give them a rest from those worries and afflictions.

I am happy to report that Israel may be exercising their right towards Iran - a nation whose leadership has vowed to openly (and who has worked surreptitiously through hamas and other channels) to "wipe Israel off the map". May the nation with the just cause win this one - even though I fear anything Israel does may ignite some serious bloodletting in the middle East.

Here is an article that talks about some elimination of some Shahab III missiles from Iran's arsenal:

http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=245352

You can't deliver a nuke to wipe out Israel, if your ballistic missiles are smoking pile of rubble..... I love a good pre-emptive strike.... LONG LIVE ISRAEL! May they have a Zion heart and find success in their endeavors!

BUILDING ZION - THE SPIRIT AND FAITH OF THE ANCIENTS

For those who plan to survive what is coming, I am going to pass on a key. This key will provide the spirit and the essence of what we have to do and be in order to move to the next level (Millennially speaking). Those who cannot or will not, will be swept from the face of the earth by the destroyer - for God will only bear up a Zion people - and I remind my older kids of this who know the principles of Zion, when they are not sharing or bickering amongst themselves of some petty thing.

When I first read the following account, it made me weep and touched me to the core. If it does not resonate with you, then I am sorry for you if you are a bearer of the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood. As I go over to buy my mini Montana ranch which has been had through miracles, I again feel this story resonate with me as I feel God's hand directing my footsteps of faith:

A REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE ON OUR MONTANA RANCH

We were trailing 600 head of cattle from the upper Little Bighorn Valley to our Wolf Mountain ranch, a distance of 65 miles. The drive lasted four days.

At the outset, I became very despondent. A gloom settled over me like I had never known before. Try as I would, I could not get relief from it, nor could I determine it's cause. There was no known reason for it. It seemed that prayer was of little consequence. On the fourth day, we were nearing our south range where the cattle would enter the ranch. I was not too well acquainted with the country, so I went on ahead of the herd to scout the best route. I pondered me feelings all the way and without hardly knowing it, I came to the gate where we would enter the ranch with the herd. Not feeling inclined to dismount, and to open the gate, I sat thinking over the situation. I had prayed earnestly while riding along to get an answer to this problem, when to my astonishment, a voice said to me, "What are you doing with your Priesthood? Why don't you use your Priesthood and bless your ranch?" I, therefore, dismounted and, obedient to the voice, I blessed by the authority I held, the grass, the vegetation of all varieties, the air and sky above, the water resources, the springs, the wells, the reservoirs; I blessed the cattle and all else pertaining to our property. Then I rebuked each and every agency of destruction that would in any way harm the property. Having done this, I mounted and headed back to the herd.

Out of time! Gotta go now and bless my own piece of Montana - do check back in a few days. The rest of the story is astounding and makes me believe that most of use live well below our means.... This will be one of my favorite jewels of this blog.

INSTITUTIONAL HYPOXIA

This is a topic that has long been on my mind and it has caused me great distress - how we as individuals (me and my family included) and as a group can be basically asleep at the wheel of life when there is so much going on around us.

I am a guy who runs perpetually on too little sleep - and more than once it has almost led to my demise. More than just a few of these blog pieces were written under the influence of too little sleep - thus the rambling nature of most of them.

Once, I was in a situation where sleepiness was brought on by too little oxygen - a nice little state of drowsiness called hypoxia (hypo oxia). I was working in Flight Test Engineer and, as part of a test, we had commanded an (cabin pressurization) outflow valve open by opening a breaker and then inadvertently left it open, thinking it was closed. As we were climbing up to 37,000 feet, I began to feel very light headed and then my thought processes began to slow and a nice feeling of well-being came over me at around 14,000 feet. If someone had given me some terrible news, I would have been just fine with it - I didn't have a care in the world.

At that point, I was just behind the flight deck and heard the warning sirens going off and the masks suddenly dropped. I had enough presence of mind to then grab the mask and activate for a nice whiff of oxygen which then quickly revived me and my full cognition returned and my mind comprehended the slow state of death I was entering into that could have taken my life had I not acted.

So it is in this life. We must never get too distracted or complacent and lose awareness of the danger around us and the fragility of our situation so that we are too slow to react before it is too late. When the warning bells begin to go off and the Spirit is warning us to our imminent demise, we must spring into action and put our full effort into maintaining focus and acting according to the commands we are given. When I tell people they should be ready - and watching and waiting, people perk up and then slowly descend back into that dreamy spiritually hypoxic state where it is so comfortable and there are no cares. Truly it was that very condition that Isaiah warned about in the Book of Mormon:

2 Nephi 1:13 O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.

2 Nephi 27:5 For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.

In talking about that condition, a friend of mine last night mentioned that one of her relations perked up when told about what may be coming, asked for the expected date, and promptly fell right back into metaphorical sleep. Its like, C'MON!!! Makes you want to shake people. Is it just me? Or is anyone else as frustrated with people??
I guess we are just creatures of habit. We will wait until there is no more time, maybe see which team is winning and then go root for that team. Fence sitters most of us - and we all know what happened to that lot in the high-stakes game in the pre-existence.

So lastly, I want to draw attention to the quote on the right side of the blog near the top. It is God's expectation that we be watching and waiting with our lamps trimmed and ready to go.

WHY SHOULD WE STUDY THE HIDDEN THINGS RELATED TO THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST?
But the Latter-day Saints are not in darkness; they are the children of light, although many of us will actually be asleep. We shall have to wake up and trim up our lamps, or we shall not be prepared to enter in; for we shall all slumber and sleep in that day, and some will have gone to sleep from which they will not awake until they awake up in darkness without any oil in their lamps. But, as a general thing, the Saints will understand the signs of the times. Others have their eyes closed upon the prophecies of the ancient Prophets; and not only that, but they are void of the spirit of prophecy themselves. When a man has this, though he may appeal to ancient Prophets to get understanding on some subjects he does not clearly understand, yet, as he has the spirit of prophecy in himself, he will not be in darkness; he will have a knowledge of the signs of the times; he will have a knowledge of the house of Israel, and of Zion, of the ten tribes and of many things and purposes and events that are to take place on the earth; and he will see coming events, and can say such an event will take place, and after that another, and then another; and after that the trumpet shall sound, and after that certain things will take place, and then another trump shall sound, &c., &c.; and he will have his eye fixed on the signs of the times, and that day will not overtake him unawares.
JD, O PRATT 7:190

God does not look favorably on the last-minute lookie-lous that want to just jump in at the last minute knowing they were going to get a free ride.