Chapter 1—"For a Standard unto My People"
Israel reached its golden age in tenth century b.c. Their prosperity brought decadence and distraction. Having prominence and power, King Solomon engaged in extensive commercial endeavors and entertained political alliances. Solomon’s riches and wisdom exceeded that of all the kings on earth, but eventually he and his people succumbed to temptation and did not follow the Lord’s decrees with exactness.
Pride, idolatry, unbelief, and greed brought the decay, decline, and division of Israel. Continued reforms in worship assured their demise so holy prophets like Joel, Amos, Micah, and Lehi were raised up to alert the nation of their apostasy, warn of forthcoming destruction, and proclaim faithful repentance as the only means whereby God’s wrath would be stayed. Their vital message applies to all people, even today.
God’s servants hope to awaken and prepare people for deliverance not destruction, for salvation not sorrow. Although many testified of the abominations and encouraged a real return to God, the world had a firm hold on Israel’s heart. In spite of their stubbornness and rebellion, God continued calling to His people. When they still refused to repent, the result was captivity, death, and destruction, even of their temple.
Just as in ancient times, in modern times “another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done” (Judges 2:10, NLT). Therefore, “knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth” in modern day, warning again comes: “Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh” (D&C 1:17, 12).
We cannot inherit celestial glory unless we receive all the Aaronic priesthood offers. Jesus Christ’s first laws and ordinances are the preparations that lead to the Melchizedek gospel of peace. “For if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you” (D&C 78:7). Faithful and strict obedience that leads to sanctification defines a true Saint.
Angel Moroni blowing a trumpet was placed on the original Nauvoo temple—a call to awake, repent, and prepare for the Lord. Priests blow trumpets to assemble people, to sound an alarm, to make known someone’s coming, and to gather people. Trumpets are blown in times of battle— and no greater battle rages than that for our souls. Qumran’s War Scroll describes “trumpets of summons” and “trumpets of alarm.”
Ancient trumpets were inscribed according to their function. One trumpet read, “The mysteries of God shall undo wickedness,” while another testified of judgment: “God will remember to extract vengeance in the appointed season.”
Trumpets express glad tidings or announce solemn feasts. For thousands of years, Israelites have annually observed Rosh Hashanah, ‘a day of blowing’ (Numbers 29:1), by sounding a shofar. “Like trumpets at a coronation, a shofar acknowledges God’s continued kingship. When blown on Rosh Hashanah, the first of ten holy days of repentance, a sounding trumpet is to awaken us from spiritual sleep, even “the sleep of hell” (2 Nephi 1:13). We must heed the call.
In the end, He “shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect” (JST Matthew 24:40). Those “who live in the world” are commanded to “come out of her . . . that ye be not partakers of her sins” (Revelation 18:4).
There were ten days between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement holy days. Heralded by sounding trumpets, ten days were given that mankind could prepare to meet the Lord. With the trumpet sounded, how are our days now spent? Those who repent and reconcile themselves to God will find the judgment on the Day of Atonement a blessed event but those who do not know God have reason to fear.
We demonstrate our devotion to the living God when we raise an ensign in righteousness. An ensign, nes (H5251), is a standard, banner, warning, or distinguishing mark. Israel’s tribes differentiated themselves by their ensign, which designates to whom we belong. Moses “built an altar and named it the Lord is my banner” or ensign (Exodus 17:15, NASB). But counterfeits abound: “Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations. They set up their ensigns for signs” (Psalm 74:4). Only an ensign of truth raised in righteousness gathers us to the true and living God.
God heavily rebukes the priesthood for failing to watch or sound the warning because not fulfilling this obligation leaves people vulnerable and deceived. He will cut off those who worship falsely, profane what is holy, and take His gospel lightly. We cannot assume having the gospel is enough. Members of the Restored church, called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (hereafter LDS), were asked, “Do the Elders of Israel understand all that the Lord requires of them? They do not.” “We ought therefore, brethren, to learn accurately concerning our salvation, lest the Evil One, having effected an entrance of error in us, should” destroy our souls (Barnabas 2:10).
Jesus said, “The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge [us] in the last day” (John 12:48) so having scripture increases our responsibility.9 We must understand His word because we will be judged by it.
Nephi knew that “the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles which shall be of great worth unto our seed . . . unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham” and their posterity (1 Nephi 22:8–9). For this reason, He
His restored gospel offered the latter day Gentiles an opportunity to fulfill this role to bring truth to the lost, but they must ascend to Him to perform this work and fulfill their covenant responsibilities. But have they stepped forward to fulfill this obligation?
With so much at stake, the Lord admonishes us to be persistent in our preparations. “Go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way, that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other fruit . . . This is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand and the season speedily cometh” (Jacob 5:61, 71).
Pride, idolatry, unbelief, and greed brought the decay, decline, and division of Israel. Continued reforms in worship assured their demise so holy prophets like Joel, Amos, Micah, and Lehi were raised up to alert the nation of their apostasy, warn of forthcoming destruction, and proclaim faithful repentance as the only means whereby God’s wrath would be stayed. Their vital message applies to all people, even today.
God’s servants hope to awaken and prepare people for deliverance not destruction, for salvation not sorrow. Although many testified of the abominations and encouraged a real return to God, the world had a firm hold on Israel’s heart. In spite of their stubbornness and rebellion, God continued calling to His people. When they still refused to repent, the result was captivity, death, and destruction, even of their temple.
Just as in ancient times, in modern times “another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done” (Judges 2:10, NLT). Therefore, “knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth” in modern day, warning again comes: “Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh” (D&C 1:17, 12).
We cannot inherit celestial glory unless we receive all the Aaronic priesthood offers. Jesus Christ’s first laws and ordinances are the preparations that lead to the Melchizedek gospel of peace. “For if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you” (D&C 78:7). Faithful and strict obedience that leads to sanctification defines a true Saint.
Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you to prepare and organize yourselves by a bond or everlasting covenant that cannot be broken. This is the preparation wherewith I prepare you, and the foundation and the ensample which I give unto you, whereby you may accomplish the commandments which are given you . . . that you may come up to the crown prepared for you and be made rulers over many kingdoms, saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Zion. (D&C 78:11, 13, 15)Preparation is needed to preach His gospel in power and obtain the fulness of His priesthood. The Lord promises to be with the faithful as they perform “a greater work [to] preach the fulness of my gospel . . . to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel” (D&C 39:11). Before we can engage in this marvelous work, we are to “organize yourselves, prepare every needful thing” (D&C 109:8).
I have appointed unto you to be stewards over mine house, even stewards indeed. And for this purpose I have commanded you to organize yourselves, even to print my words, the fulness of my scriptures, the revelations which I have given unto you, and which I shall, hereafter, from time to time give unto you—for the purpose of building up my church and kingdom on the earth, and to prepare my people for the time when I shall dwell with them, which is nigh at hand. (D&C 104:57–59)Trumpets sound to warn and remind us of this great work. Sounding trumpets represent “the preparing and finishing of [the Lord’s] work . . . the preparing of the way before the time of his coming” (D&C 77:12).
Angel Moroni blowing a trumpet was placed on the original Nauvoo temple—a call to awake, repent, and prepare for the Lord. Priests blow trumpets to assemble people, to sound an alarm, to make known someone’s coming, and to gather people. Trumpets are blown in times of battle— and no greater battle rages than that for our souls. Qumran’s War Scroll describes “trumpets of summons” and “trumpets of alarm.”
Ancient trumpets were inscribed according to their function. One trumpet read, “The mysteries of God shall undo wickedness,” while another testified of judgment: “God will remember to extract vengeance in the appointed season.”
Trumpets express glad tidings or announce solemn feasts. For thousands of years, Israelites have annually observed Rosh Hashanah, ‘a day of blowing’ (Numbers 29:1), by sounding a shofar. “Like trumpets at a coronation, a shofar acknowledges God’s continued kingship. When blown on Rosh Hashanah, the first of ten holy days of repentance, a sounding trumpet is to awaken us from spiritual sleep, even “the sleep of hell” (2 Nephi 1:13). We must heed the call.
In the end, He “shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect” (JST Matthew 24:40). Those “who live in the world” are commanded to “come out of her . . . that ye be not partakers of her sins” (Revelation 18:4).
All you who live in the world, you inhabitants of the earth, look to the ensign when it is lifted up in the mountains; heed the trumpet when sounded! (Isaiah 18:3, Gileadi)We must see (‘look to the ensign’), hear (‘the trumpet’), and do (‘heed’) what is required to separate from the world. God revealed it is not given “unto you that ye shall live after the manner of the world” (D&C 95:13).
There were ten days between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement holy days. Heralded by sounding trumpets, ten days were given that mankind could prepare to meet the Lord. With the trumpet sounded, how are our days now spent? Those who repent and reconcile themselves to God will find the judgment on the Day of Atonement a blessed event but those who do not know God have reason to fear.
We demonstrate our devotion to the living God when we raise an ensign in righteousness. An ensign, nes (H5251), is a standard, banner, warning, or distinguishing mark. Israel’s tribes differentiated themselves by their ensign, which designates to whom we belong. Moses “built an altar and named it the Lord is my banner” or ensign (Exodus 17:15, NASB). But counterfeits abound: “Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations. They set up their ensigns for signs” (Psalm 74:4). Only an ensign of truth raised in righteousness gathers us to the true and living God.
God heavily rebukes the priesthood for failing to watch or sound the warning because not fulfilling this obligation leaves people vulnerable and deceived. He will cut off those who worship falsely, profane what is holy, and take His gospel lightly. We cannot assume having the gospel is enough. Members of the Restored church, called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (hereafter LDS), were asked, “Do the Elders of Israel understand all that the Lord requires of them? They do not.” “We ought therefore, brethren, to learn accurately concerning our salvation, lest the Evil One, having effected an entrance of error in us, should” destroy our souls (Barnabas 2:10).
Jesus said, “The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge [us] in the last day” (John 12:48) so having scripture increases our responsibility.9 We must understand His word because we will be judged by it.
Out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged, for by them shall their works be known unto men. And behold, all things are written by the Father; therefore out of the books which shall be written shall the world be judged. (3 Nephi 27:25–26)“Nations who possess [scripture] shall be judged of them according to the words which are written.” His words are given that we “may remember the promises” made to righteous fathers. “My words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth for a standard unto my people” (2 Nephi 25:22, 29:2). Scripture proclaims our great responsibility to recognize and turn from “the error of their ways.”10 Only after realizing our sins can we truly declare His gospel to others. “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet and show my people their transgression” (Isaiah 58:1).
Every man should take righteousness in his hands and faithfulness upon his loins and lift a warning voice unto the inhabitants of the earth . . . that desolation shall come upon the wicked. (D&C 63:37)Proclaiming the sins of this generation is necessary to awake and prepare people. We are to vigorously proclaim as with a trumpet, “Lift up a standard toward Zion!” (Jeremiah 4:6, NASB). An ensign of truth and righteousness must be raised so the earth won’t be utterly destroyed.
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand . . . for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly. Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts. Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her[s]. (Joel 2:1, 11, 15–16)When an ensign of truth and righteousness is raised, believing remnants who honorably covenant with God will “come with speed swiftly” (Isaiah 5:26). “Many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths” (Isaiah 2:3).11 Having His power, protection, and presence, Zion will be established and rejoice at the great things the Lord has done.
For, behold, I say unto you that Zion shall flourish and the glory of the Lord shall be upon her; and she shall be an ensign unto the people, and there shall come unto her out of every nation under heaven. (D&C 64:41–42)The Lord will “set up my standard to the people” and all who “gather themselves together and come” (Isaiah 49:22, 18) will be endowed with power from on high. In answer to the prayers of many holy prophets,12 they are commissioned to preach His gospel to those “lost from the knowledge” of God (1 Nephi 22:4). As God’s spirit is poured out, “both men and women” are rewarded with visions, dreams, knowledge, prophecy, and revelations (Joel 2:29, 28, NIV).
Nephi knew that “the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles which shall be of great worth unto our seed . . . unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham” and their posterity (1 Nephi 22:8–9). For this reason, He
sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me. Wherefore, come ye unto it. (D&C 45:9–10)While today a comma is inserted after the phrase “for the Gentiles to seek to it,” the original transcript had no punctuation so we may read it that Gentile recipients of His covenant are commanded to seek His everlasting covenant and “to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me.” Nephi also understood this, saying, “The Lord has lifted up his hand upon the Gentiles and set them up for a standard” (1 Nephi 22:6).
His restored gospel offered the latter day Gentiles an opportunity to fulfill this role to bring truth to the lost, but they must ascend to Him to perform this work and fulfill their covenant responsibilities. But have they stepped forward to fulfill this obligation?
With so much at stake, the Lord admonishes us to be persistent in our preparations. “Go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way, that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other fruit . . . This is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand and the season speedily cometh” (Jacob 5:61, 71).
And what I say unto one, I say unto all men: Watch therefore, for ye know not at what hour your Lord doth come . . . Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. (JST Matthew 24:49, 53)
For footnotes and references, click HERE.