Zion Built and Established for the Millennium

This is a subject as little understood by the community at large, perhaps, as any one that we could mention; yet we consider

it a glorious one, and one of great importance to the world; but before we proceed any farther,-we will here take the opportunity to state that it is somewhat difficult to seperate [separate] the various subjects strewed over the face of prophecy, in consequence of their amalgamation with each other The subjects of the gathering of Israel, building of Zion, second coming of Christ, and the Millennium, are in some instances all mentioned in the same chapter; therefore, it is not an easy matter to treat upon one, without interfering with the others; consequently in the course of our work we are obliged to quote the same passage more than once. However, in this respect, we have so far endeavored to avoid all possible repetition, and at the same time treat upon each subject seperately [separately], that the reader may have a more clear, and lucid idea of each subject in its true character.

Again, in treating upon this subject we shall, for the sake of brevity d spense [dispense] with much comment that might be made: for indeed, the scriptures are plain of themselves, so much so, that they even point out the materials of which Zion shall be built. But to hasten.

We will commence with the prediction of Joel upon this subject, speaking of the great and notable day of the Lord, when there shall appear signs and wonders in the heavens, and on the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke, the sun darkned [darkened] and the moon turned into blood, he says: "And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call." Joel, ii. 32. Obadiah says, verse 17th: "But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance, and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions." Thus Mount Zion and Jerusalem are to be places of deliverance for those who call on the name of the Lord, at the great and notable day, when he shall cause destruction to come upon the wicked. Hence, we see the importance of a knowledge of this work. Isaiah in the lx chapter of his prophecy describes the materials for the building of Zion; we insert the whole ch.

"Arise, and shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come far and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, & flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Epah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew [show] forth the promises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Neboath shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine alter [altar], and I will glorify the house of my glory. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favor have I had mercy on thee. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually: they shall not be shut day or niget [night]; that men may bring unto me the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The City of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no men went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck

the breasts of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour [Savior] and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteous. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders: but thou shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory: Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time."

In the above it is said that the ships of Tarshish are to be engaged in bringing the people from far; also that the Gentiles shall come unto it, and that the Lord shall make it an eternal excellency, a joy of Many generations. Isaiah says in another place: "In that dayshall [day shall] the bough the of [of the] Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgement [judgment], and by the spirit of burning. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence [defense]. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day-time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain."-Isa. iv. 2-6. Again, Isaiah says: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And 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: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.-Isa. ii. 2,3. From this latter quotation, we learn that Zion is to be a place where people shall gather to, from all nations; and that the law of God shall go forth from Zion to all nations. This is what we have before proved while speaking of the ensign that was to be reared upon this land. (See also Micah iv.)

Christ speaking to the Nephites is very plain upon this subject; Book of Mormon page 485, third edition.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, all these things shall surely come, even as the Father hath commanded me. Then shall this covenant which the Father hath covenanted with his people, be fulfilled; and then shall Jerusalem be inhabited again with my people, and it shall be the land of their inheritance. And verily, I say unto you, I give unto you a sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to take place, that I shall gather in from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and establish again among them my Zion. And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign, for verily, I say unto you, that when these things which I declare unto you, and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, and by the power of the Holy Ghost, which shall be given unto you of the Father, shall be made known unto the Gentiles, that they may know concerning this people who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who shall be scattered by them; verily, verily, I say unto you, when these things shall be made known unto them of the Father, and shall come forth of the Father, from them unto you, for it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel; therefore, when these works, and the

works which shall be wrought among you hereafter, shall come forth from the Gentiles unto your seed, which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity: for thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may shew [show] forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause, that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel; and when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things, it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel. And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings shall shut their mouths; for that woich [which] had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them."

Much more might be said upon this subject; but we think it unnecessary at present: for enough has been said to convince every candid mind that a Zion or New Jerusalem will be built and prepared for the Millennium; also, that the ancient city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt.