2 For behold, they rejected all the words of Ether; for he truly told them of all things, from the beginning of man; and that after the waters had receded from off the face of this land it became a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord; wherefore the Lord would have that all men should serve him who dwell upon the face thereof;
We see that they rejected all of Ether's words. As discussed in Ether 12, he was a prophet of the Lord, which means his words here are the words of Christ. Are we able to only accept some of the words of Christ? The words of Christ do not represent a buffet in which we can accept the words we like and reject all others. While some may try to only focus on a part of His words, we need to be open to ALL of His words. If you read His words, don't just assume you know what He is trying to say, because we often assume using our background and filters rather than taking the words at face value or what they really mean.
Joseph Smith said the following about interpreting scripture: What is the rule of interpretation? Just no interpretation at all. Understand it precisely as it reads.I have a key by which I understand the scriptures. I enquire, what was the question which drew out the answer, or caused Jesus to utter the parable? (Teachings pg 276)
"He truly told them of all things, from the beginning of man", what would that include? Did he teach about the fall, and how the atonement would be performed on our behalf, such that faith and repentance were needed? He probably mentioned baptism by immersion and by fire and the Holy Ghost, along with the need for us to see Christ in this world. If we look at D&C 132: 22-23, it says, " 22 For strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.
23 But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also."
What does it mean to receive Him in the world?
See 2 Nephi 32:6
" 6 Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do."
Is receiving Him in the world the same as Him manifesting himself unto one of us?
If we pair those verses with a quote from Joseph Smith about knowledge, it begins to be clear.
"Knowledge saves a man.." - King Follett discourse. What knowledge is it?
And finally, Joseph came out and said that seeing Christ will "peradventure from this time henceforth occupy your attention while you live." King Follett sermon. Knowing God is part of the journey. How can we become like Him if we don't know Him?
Back to all things.
Is it significant that he told them ALL THINGS? When was the beginning of man? Was it before or after the fall?
This land did become a choice land, what's so special about this land? Why do All MEN need to serve Him who dwell on this land? What happens if we don't serve Him? What waters receded off this land? Were they the waters of the flood? Or was this land under water before the flood?
I'm not here to give you all the answers, but to encourage you to ponder these things for yourself.
The next several verses represent what Moroni included as part of ALL THINGS. Let's take a look at them individually.
3 And that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lord.
This land is the place for the New Jerusalem. It will come down from heaven. Here we see a parallelism much like what we see in Isaiah to define words. What is the HOLY SANCTUARY of the Lord? Is it not heaven itself? The New Jerusalem will come down from the presence of the Lord.
When will it come down? I do not know, but I suspect that the New Jerusalem is the city of Enoch that must return. The city of Enoch is spoken in Moses 7:62 and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an 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.
Moses 7: 63
And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy 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;
So, the New Jerusalem shall come down from heaven, there will be a gathering from the 4 quarters of the earth, and those with Enoch will receive those that are gathered. It is interesting to note that the Lord said "we will kiss each other". He includes himself in that ritual or ordinance. Why? Because he will dwell with them.
Back to Ether
4 Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land.
Wow. Ether had at least one vision of Christ's life. Was it anything like what Nephi saw in 1 Nephi 13? What about what alma saw in Alma 7:11-14? What about every other prophet in the book of Mormon as discussed in Helaman 8:19-23?
If you are unsure that these prophets saw Christ, please read the verses in Helaman carefully.
Ether spoke concerning a new Jerusalem upon this land. What land is that?
5 And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come—after it should be destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore, it could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a time of old; but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should be built unto the house of Israel
Is this verse still yet in the future? Or did it already happen? Has Jerusalem been rebuilt to be a holy city of God? No. Therefore, it must be destroyed and rebuilt as a holy city.
6 And that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type.
7 For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there; wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph that he should perish not.
8 Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away.
The New Jerusalem will be for the remnant of Joseph upon this land. There has been a type going on with all of this. Joseph was taken to Egypt and had an inheritance there. His seed were brought here, and have an inheritance here. Egypt is spoken of in Isaiah, the nations upon this land are represented by Egypt in Isaiah. This can be a reference to that type as well.
We learned in verse 3 that the New Jerusalem will come down from heaven, but verse 8 speaks of the remnant of Joseph building up a holy city. Could there be a combination of both?
9 And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all things have become new.
10 And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant of the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of Israel.
11 And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old; and the inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who were scattered and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God made with their father, Abraham.
What does a new heaven mean? How will that happen? Does it have something to do with the elements melting with fervent heat?
The New Jerusalem will come after there is a new earth. Why? Will their coming burn us up and make a new earth? What is significant about those that dwell in the New Jerusalem?
Is being washed in the blood of the lamb the only requirement? What are the others? What are the requirements to be numbered with Joseph's seed? What about being numbered with the seed of Israel as a whole or Abraham? Are there requirements for those as well?
Then the old Jerusalem will be restored. They also will have been washed clean from the blood and sins of this generation by the blood of the Lamb. There will be people from all over the world that gather in the old Jerusalem. Including the lost ten tribes that went north.
12 And when these things come, bringeth to pass the scripture which saith, there are they who were first, who shall be last; and there are they who were last, who shall be first.
I don't have much to say about this verse, but who was first? Who was last? Why does it reverse?
13 And I was about to write more, but I am forbidden; but great and marvelous were the prophecies of Ether; but they esteemed him as naught, and cast him out; and he hid himself in the cavity of a rock by day, and by night he went forth viewing the things which should come upon the people.
Here we see that we are not given the things that Ether told his people. Yet we find it so easy to be lifted up in pride that we have the book of Mormon and so we have more knowledge than everyone else. This people were taught things that we cannot understand. We know so little that we are as infants.
Perhaps our understanding of future events has been quite skewed, and hopefully these words have helped you think about what is to come. There is more to the chapter than first meet the eye. While there are more verses, I will not be discussing them as they are mostly about the history of the remaining people.
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