YET TO COME

 

I am sure many of us know of more records that are yet to be revealed. In relation to this, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: “Today we carry convenient quadruple combinations of the scriptures, but one day, since more scriptures are coming, we may need to pull little red wagons brimful with books” (A Wonderful Flood of Light [1990], p 18). Does this seem overwhelming to those of us who do not study the scriptures now??? It should, because we cannot be given more if we are not ready to receive it.

This is what is yet to come: writings of Enoch (D&C 107:57); writings of Apostle John (Ether 4:16); records of the Lost Tribes (2 Nephi 29:13); the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon comprising approximately two thirds of the record (2 Nephi 27:10,11; see Elder Maxwell’s quoted book). Does it not blow your mind that what we have now is only one third??? Do we know the one third well enough to be given another two thirds to study?. This is what caught my eye the most as I studied 2 Nephi 27 in relation to the sealed portion: the revelations contained in the sealed portion ‘reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof….and the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops’ (vs 10,11).

And this is the most intriguing part of the sealed portion. Besides the writings of Apostle John which are also contained therein (Ether 4:16), Moroni wrote upon the sealed section ‘the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared’ (v4). I can only assume these revelations are those that ‘reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof’. Moroni also states that the Lord commanded him to write these revelations and seal them up together with the interpretation thereof (v5).

And here is something that we need to know. The Lord said to Moroni that these revelations will not be revealed until: 1. the Gentiles shall repent and become ‘clean before the Lord’ (v6) and 2. The Gentiles exercise faith in the Lord even as the brother of Jared did (v7). 'The Gentiles' here refers to us, His Church. He says the revelations were manifested to the Brother of Jared and the Lord will manifest them to us. The operative word here is MANIFEST. Why? Because the brother of Jared did not have just any old weak as water faith….he had a manifesting faith that he exercised when he saw the finger of the Lord.

I am fascinated with the concept of ‘manifesting faith’. I remember when Jesus was walking towards Jerusalem with His disciples. He was hungry and sought figs on a barren tree. He cursed the tree and it withered before their eyes (Matthew 21:19-22). This is manifesting faith….when you bring into reality something that aligns with your belief. This is the faith that manifested the Lord’s finger to the Brother of Jared. This is the faith that is going to be required of us to bring the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon into reality. I think we have some work to do…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Brother of Jared by Emily Pugmire)