THIS HANDOUT IS ONLY A DRAFT--WILL BE COMPLETED SOON.

Gospel Essentials: The first shall be last, 

and the last shall be first.

The Bible, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants discuss four critical eras in the life of Jesus’ Gospel on earth.  These eras are extremely important to understand because they reveal God’s ‘plain English’ explanations of circumstances in the church and world in the latter days, the gathering of His covenant people, and the establishment of Zion.  These are outlined in this paper.

This paper also outlines scripture explaining why Zion hasn’t been intended to be established yet, but through Jesus word, we’ll understand that it will indeed happen, by studying some scriptural signs of the times which mark when this great event shall happen.

Finally, we will study how the restored church is living in the third of the fourth of these eras, an era called the ‘Times of the Gentiles,’ and see what blessings and warnings existed for our day and age from thousands of years ago.

 THIS HANDOUT IS ONLY A DRAFT--WILL BE COMPLETED SOON.

Characteristics of these 4 times:

• The Gospel was on the earth
• The point was to draw men to Christ
• Priesthood were present
• Three of the four eras end with the covenant people sinning against the light and truth of the Gospel.

Introduction and Background

Part 1

When was the Gospel of Jesus Christ first preached on earth?

Who Had a Testimony of Jesus

Did Moses have a Testimony of Jesus

Why then, did the Law of Moses come to pass?

Why does the Law of Moses and its affect on the Israelites occupy the huge majority of the Old Testament?

What was the Law for?

Was it to last forever, for the life of all God’s covenant people?

How did the Law of Moses relate to Christianity?

Imperative to understand this:  The Gospel of Jesus Christ was known, preached, taught since the beginning of time.  There has never been an alternate means of salvation.

Background:  Part 2

Who did the Gospel come to?

What did covenants have to do with the Gospel of Jesus?

What important covenants were made?

BOM explains by making a parallel:

Passage: 1 Nephi 3:195 - 1 Nephi 3:205

197 For there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth;
198 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews, and also unto the Gentiles;
199 And after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles, and also unto the Jews,
200 And the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.

Therefore the first being last, describes the gospel coming to the Jews First, and ultimately the Jews Last.  It comes to the Gentiles second, and again the Gentiles third, therefore the Jews to the Gentiles, back to the Gentiles, then to the Jews

Historically it is like this:

*All supportive scripture will be cited below.

Knowing this, helps explain parables in Matthew (explain here)

Our day is the 3^rd gospel quadrant:  The times of the Gentiles, the Days of the Gentiles, the Fulness of the Gentiles.

Prior to House of Israel, clear understanding of Christ was maintained.  Can see this through the King James, but it is more fully manifest through the Inspired Version

Gospel came to Jews first:

Even in days of Moses, and Ezra, people understood, at times.  Ezra causes to give “understanding to the words”

Interesting factoid:  Gentiles mentioned by Nephi, then not again until Christ’s discourse in  3 Nephi chapter 7

Key is knowing which group of Gentiles are being referred to:  Believers or unbelievers.

Nephi primarily talks about the Gentile nations and unbelievers, but specifically mentions the group to which the Gospel will come.

Jesus mentions both, but then shares in depth of those to whom the Gospel would come, and how they sin and reject it.

Many scriptures help us define:

Jacob 3:127 Graft in the branches; begin at the last, that they may be first, and that the first may be last, and dig about the trees, both old and young, the first and the last, and the last and the first, that all may be nourished once again for the last time.

Ether 6:13 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.

DC 28:8c that the first shall be last, and the last shall be first in all things, whatsoever I have created by the word of my power, which is the power of my Spirit; for by the power of my Spirit, created I them;

DC 28:8d yea, all things both spiritual and temporal: firstly spiritual, secondly temporal, which is the beginning of my work; and again, firstly temporal, and secondly spiritual, which is the last of my work;

THIS HANDOUT IS ONLY A DRAFT--WILL BE COMPLETED SOON.

All groups have a warning given:  (also salt of the earth symbol)

Jews first

Deut 31

Gentiles next Matt 24, miserable wicked men

Gentile next (Jesus, Nephi at length)

Passage: Matthew 21:38 - Matthew 21:48

38 Again, he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did unto them likewise.
39 But last of all, he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
40 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
41 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
42 And Jesus said unto them, When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
43 They say unto him, He will destroy those miserable, wicked men, and will let out the vineyard unto other husbandmen, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
44 Jesus said unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord's doings, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
45 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
46 For whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
47 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
48 And they said among themselves, Shall this man think that he alone can spoil this great kingdom? And they were angry with him

49 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they learned that the multitude took him for a prophet.
50 And now his disciples came to him, and Jesus said unto them, Marvel ye at the words of the parable which I spake unto them?
51 Verily, I say unto you, I am the stone, and those wicked ones reject me.
52 I am the head of the corner. These Jews shall fall upon me, and shall be broken.
53 And the kingdom of God shall be taken from them, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof; (meaning the Gentiles.)
54 Wherefore, on whomsoever this stone shall fall, it shall grind him to powder.
55 And when the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, he will destroy those miserable, wicked men, and will let again his vineyard unto other husbandmen, even in the last days, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
56 And then understood they the parable which he spake unto them, that the Gentiles should be destroyed also, when the Lord should descend out of heaven to reign in his vineyard, which is the earth and the inhabitants thereof.

Jews finally

(Jews will believe according to Nephi)

So, how does this Zion fit in.

Jesus says twice, if the Gentiles repent, they shall be numbered among the remnant of Joseph to whom this land (the choicest land) was promised.

Now, repent from what?  Sin.  Sin requires knowledge?  Of  what?  The gospel—rejecting the fullness of Gospel

Discuss breaking covenant in days of Jews (Jesus)

Gentiles have been told that our covenant is the Book of Mormon (DC 83:)

What are the signs of the events of the gospel going to the Jews in the last days?

Abomination of Desolation  will happen in same generation

1948 is significant.  Israel had been scattered for 2600 years, Jews had no home for 1900.  how could anyone have guessed that in the generation of Daniels abomination of desolation, the Jews would be restored to their homeland for the first time in two millennium?

Also, it equates this event with the Son of Man returning within one generation and the gospel being rejected by the gentiles to whom it came in its fullness!

Has rejection of Gospel ever been prophesied?

Every time:

Jews through Moses

Nephites through Alma, Nephi, others

Gentiles (first time) through Jesus

Gentiles (Last time) through Jesus

Jaredites through Ether

Last days will not be rejected, although little season at end of Millenium (some begin to deny God).

What were Jews told about rejection of truth?  What did this cause them?

      Ezekiel 4:13 And the Lord said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.

      Hosea 8:8 Israel is swallowed up; now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.

 

Did Joseph Know this “position” of Gentiles in the Last days?

By inspiration, the Joseph Smith Jr. was given to render Matthew 21 in this manner:

Matthew 21:50 And now his disciples came to him, and Jesus said unto them, Marvel ye at the words of the parable which I spake unto them?
51 Verily, I say unto you, I am the stone, and those wicked ones reject me.
52 I am the head of the corner. These Jews shall fall upon me, and shall be broken.
53 And the kingdom of God shall be taken from them, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof; (meaning the Gentiles.)
54 Wherefore, on whomsoever this stone shall fall, it shall grind him to powder.
55 And when the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, he will destroy those miserable, wicked men, and will let again his vineyard unto other husbandmen, even in the last days, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
56 And then understood they the parable which he spake unto them, that the Gentiles should be destroyed also, when the Lord should descend out of heaven to reign in his vineyard, which is the earth and the inhabitants thereof.

(Two major points to glean:  First, Kingdom of God is taken from Jews and given to Gentiles after Christ’s death; Second, in the last days, is taken from the gentiles and given to those who will render the fruit he desires: obedience, repentance, works of faith.)

DC 85:19b tarry ye, tarry ye in this place, and call a solemn assembly, even of those who are the first laborers in this last kingdom; and let those whom they have warned in their traveling, call on the Lord, and ponder the warning in their hearts which they have received, for a little season.

DC 85:20a Behold, I will hasten my work in its time; and I give unto you who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment, that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves; and sanctify yourselves;

DC 45:3f And this I have told you concerning Jerusalem; 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. (1948, 1967)

DC 45:4b And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound; and when the time 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; (i.e. When time of Gentiles is fulfilled, gospel will go to the remnant of House of Israel who are lost from the truth)

DC 45:4d and in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled; and there shall be men standing in that generation that shall not pass, until they shall see an overflowing scourge, for a desolating sickness shall come over the land;

DC 12:5b wherefore, I must bring forth the fullness of my gospel from the Gentiles unto the house of Israel.

DC 42:11c for I will consecrate of the riches of those who embrace my gospel, among the Gentiles, unto the poor of my people who are of the house of Israel.

DC 87:3c that through your administration, they may receive the word, and through their administration, the word may go forth unto the ends of the earth, unto the Gentiles first, and then, behold, and lo, they shall turn unto the Jews;

2 Nephi 11:116 But behold, in the last days, or in the days of the Gentiles; yea, behold all the nations of the Gentiles, and also the Jews, both those who shall come upon this land, and those who shall be upon other lands; yea, even upon all the lands of the earth; behold, they will be drunken with iniquity, and all manner of abominations;

Fullness of Gentiles

1 Nephi 3:19 Or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fullness of the gospel, the natural branches of the olive tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.

1 Nephi 3:151 And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles; that they did prosper, and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceeding fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.

1 Nephi 3:179 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall for ever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen.

1 Nephi 3:180 Wherefore, saith the Lamb of God, I will be merciful unto the Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment.

1 Nephi 3:183 And after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which has been kept back, by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb, I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb;

1 Nephi 4:16 And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fullness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years and many generations, after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fullness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed;

3 Nephi 7:28 That these sayings which ye shall write, shall be kept, and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fullness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth, because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer.

3 Nephi 7:31 Behold, because of their belief in me, saith the Father, and because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the latter day shall the truth come unto the Gentiles, that the fullness of these things shall be made known unto them.

3 Nephi 7:34 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 fullness 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;

(NOW I ASK, WHAT IS JESUS DEFINITION OF MURDER---HATING ONES BROTHER.  Get definitions for the others, these all describe the church today.)

3 Nephi 7:37 And I will shew unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you, but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fullness of my gospel.

3 Nephi 9:65 And after that ye were blessed, then fulfilleth the Father the covenant which he made with Abraham, saying, In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed, unto the pouring out of the Holy Ghost through me upon the Gentiles, which blessing upon the Gentiles, shall make them mighty above all, unto the scattering of my people, O house of Israel: and they shall be a scourge unto the people of this land.

3 Nephi 13:54 And now behold, I say unto you, that when the Lord shall see fit, in his wisdom, that these sayings shall come unto the Gentiles, according to his word, then ye may know that the covenant which the Father hath made with the children of Israel, concerning their restoration to the lands of their inheritance, is already beginning to be fulfilled;

Mormon 2:43 And also that the seed of this people may more fully believe his gospel, which shall go forth unto them from the Gentiles;

Ether 1:34 And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God, that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fullness come, that ye may not bring down the fullness of the wrath of God upon you, as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.

Times of the Gentiles

Luke 21:23 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Luke 21:25 And he answered them, and said, In the generation in which the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled, there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, like the sea and the waves roaring. The earth also shall be troubled, and the waters of the great deep;

Luke 21:32 Verily I say unto you, this generation, the generation when the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, shall not pass away till all be fulfilled.

What are the “times of the Gentiles”

What does scripture say about when this Gentile time-period starts?

What does scripture say about when this Gentile time-period ends?

What events happen during this time?

Who are the Gentiles, according to scripture?

When scripture talks of Gentiles, are they always talking about the same group of them?

How does Nephi differentiate the true church among the Gentiles vs the Gentile Nations?  (Talks of the fullness coming to them)

What were the Gentiles Told about rejecting the doctrine and what promises were made to the remnant of Jacob

Micah 5:8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people, as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

Now cross reference this with the Book of Mormon (Jesus words, first person to Nephites):

3 Nephi 9:52 And ye shall be in the midst of them, who shall be many; and ye shall be among them, as a lion among the beasts of the forests, and as a young

lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through, both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

What is the point?  Jesus told the Nephites that their descendants would be the ones to be among the Gentiles of whom Micah was speaking.  What does this mean? 

1. The remnant of Jacob spoken of by Micah were the Nephite/Lamanite descendants;
2. The Gentiles would be the Gentiles of the land were the above remnant lived, therefore Americans;
3. The prophets of Israel also knew of God’s purposes in breaking away Lehi and others, and the spiritual impact this would have on the world in the covenants being fulfilled.

Were the Jews Told About this?

      Isaiah 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

      Isaiah 49:22 Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders

      Isaiah 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

      Isaiah 60:16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings; and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

      Isaiah 66:12 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream; then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

      Malachi 1:11 For, from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering; for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.

      Luke 3:6  (Was said of Jesus: ) Yea, even the dispersed and afflicted; and also to prepare the way, and make possible the preaching of the gospel unto the Gentiles;

      Romans 11:12 Now if the fall of them is the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?

      Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

     The Gospel Returns to the Jews

What does this mean

When does this happen

How significant will this be?

Jeremiah 23:  so significant that the Hebrew Exodus will be pale in comparison to God’s gathering of Jews to Zion in the last days.

Also xref this with Matthew 24, and how this describes the elect—the Jews—and how they will be “raptured” to Zion (loose use of word).  This is the real conveying of people that the world mis-interprets to be a swiping of the good from off the earth before the end comes.  They don’t realize this was a message to the Jews for the Jews, by the Jews.

What covenant was made with the Jews and House of Israel?

 16 Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared like unto an olive tree, whose branches should be broken off, and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
17 Wherefore he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.

1 Nephi 3:18 And after the house of Israel should be scattered, they should be gathered together again;

When will this covenant be fulfilled?

3 Nephi 9:47 - 49

47 Ye remember that I spake unto you, and said that when the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled, behold they are written, ye have them before you; therefore search them.
48 And verily, verily I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled, then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people.
49 O house of Israel, and then shall the remnants which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east, and from the west, and from the south, and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them.