The imagery Isaiah used to describe the splendor of
the gathering of the House of Israel in latter days is stunning. Picture if you
will lambs whose “pastures shall be in all high places, who shall not hunger
nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for he that hath
mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide
them” (1 Nephi 21:9,10). Isaiah says we shall be led from the four corners of
the earth for the God of Israel who had once been rejected shall have mercy on
the offspring of them who rejected Him. He expresses the proof of that mercy by
saying it is more likely that a nursing woman would forget her child before He
forgets His covenant children (v 15).
So great will this gathering be that the House of
Israel will far exceed the children it once had. They will be brought to Zion
by the Gentiles who will establish a standard for God’s people, meaning the
restored Church (v 22). Yet again the imagery of children being carried in
their arms and daughters carried upon their shoulders is overwhelmingly
endearing and suggestive of Jehovah’s spiritually begotten children whose
importance shall far exceed that of the kings and queens of the earth who will
‘bow down to Israel’s covenant children and lick up the dust of their feet’ (v
23). Such a global event this will be that ‘all flesh shall know that He is our
Saviour and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob’ (v 26).
The gathering of Israel is yet in its infancy. That
which is yet to come will be a global event to behold. When the main body of
the Ten Lost Tribes return, who are now hidden from us, they alone will affect
a migration of gigantic proportions (D&C 133:26-34). It will be of greater
magnitude than the diving of the Red Sea in the days of Israel’s Exodus. The
massive miracle of the Exodus will be forgotten compared to the Ten Lost Tribes’
return. In awe, we will no longer say, “The Lord liveth that brought up the
Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but the Lord liveth that brought
up the Children of Israel out of the North” (Jeremiah 16:14-15). So great will
this migration be that the ‘boundaries of the everlasting hills (North America)
shall tremble at their presence. The Lost Tribes will come to be crowned with
glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the
children of Ephraim’ (D&C 133:31,32). We will then come to Zion singing songs
of everlasting joy (D&C 101:18). We will kiss them and rejoice that what
was lost is found.
But even this is not all. Ín Jeremiah’s words: “Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they
shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt
them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the
rocks." (Jeremiah 16:14-16). Right now we are just ‘fishing’ through the missionary work, but
after the return of the Ten Lost Tribes and before the Lord comes, there will
be 144,000 high priests appointed, 12,000 from each tribe who will be ordained
and receive power to ‘hunt’ out the House of Israel, wherever they are
scattered, to be brought to Zion (D&C 77:11,18; Orson Pratt, Journal of
Discourses, 16:325; 18:25). Not one, with the ‘believing blood of Israel’
coursing through their veins will be overlooked.
The Holy One of Israel will gather His own… He is our
Shepherd who will feed us in green pastures and assuage our thirst with living
waters, who will lead us to rest in the shadow of His mighty wings…..our King
of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jehovah the king of heaven and earth……‘for the
mighty God shall deliver His covenant people’ (v 24a JST).
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art by Yongsung Kim)
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