Ephraim and the
Building of the New Jerusalem
Although temple
building is going on today at an unprecedented pace, there are yet more temples
to be built. As Ephraim continues his tireless work, a great temple will
eventually be built in a Divinely designated spot in Jackson County, Missouri.
Brigham Young contemplated what would be necessary to build the New Jerusalem
wherein the great temple would be constructed. He said,
Take the people in
the east, west, north, and south who have obeyed the gospel, and, so far as the
spiritual gifts are concerned, they are all of one heart and one mind, but not
one soul knows how to build up Zion. Not a man in all the realms and kingdoms
that exist knows how to commence the foundation of the Zion of God in the
latter days without revelation. If the people in the world could sanctify
themselves and prepare themselves to build up Zion they might remain scattered,
but they cannot, they must be gathered together to be taught, that they may
sanctify themselves before the Lord and become of one heart and of one mind. By
and by the Jews will be gathered to the land of their fathers, and the ten
tribes, who wandered into the north, will be gathered home, and the blood of
Ephraim, the second son of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt, which is to be
found in every kingdom and nation under heaven, will be gathered from among the
Gentiles, and the Gentiles who will receive and adhere to the principles of the
gospel will be adopted and initiated into the family of Fathr Abraham, and
Jesus will reign over His own and Satan will reign over his own. This will be
the result. (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 12, p. 38, Brigham Young, April 14th,
1867)
Some have
misunderstood certain passages in The Book of Mormon about the building of the
New Jerusalem. They seem to feel that the Lamanites will take charge of the
building and the mighty sons of Ephraim will play a supportive role. President
Joseph Fielding Smith clarifies the doctrine by saying,
Now do the scriptures
teach that Ephraim, after doing all of this is to abdicate, or relinquish his
place, and give it to the Lamanites and then receive orders from his branch of
the “remnant of Jacob” in the building of the New Jerusalem? This certainly is
inconsistent with the whole plan and with all that the Lord has revealed in the
Doctrine and Covenants in relation to the establishment of Zion and the
building of the New Jerusalem . . .
That the remnants of
Joseph, found among the descendants of Lehi, will have part in this great work
is certainly consistent, and the great work of this restoration, the building
of the temple and the City of Zion, or New Jerusalem, will fall to the lot of the
descendants of Joseph, but it is Ephraim who will stand at the head and direct
the work. (Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 2, p.
251)
When will we return
to Jackson County, Missouri and build up the New Jerusalem? The exact date has
not been revealed to the rank and file of the Church. We can be comforted to
know that we are where we are supposed to be for the present time. Melvin J.
Ballard said,
He has brought them
to the right place. Joseph’s blessings were to obtain above the blessings of
his progenitors, even to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills. It is no
chance circumstance that we are here. Notwithstanding all the drivings, the
sorrows and distresses, at Nauvoo and Missouri, the difficulties in gathering
the Saints form the Old World—these were but God’s providences in gathering his
people to the right places. (Melvin J. Ballad, Conference Report, October 1924,
p. 29)
When we do return, it
will be by the invitation of the living Prophet. The Lord described that return
to “redeem Zion” in these words,
Behold, I say unto
you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power;
Therefore, I will
raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead them as Moses led the children of
Israel.
For ye are the
children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham, and ye must needs be led out of
bondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm.
And as your fathers
were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be.
Therefore, let not
your hearts faint, for I say not unto you as I said unto your fathers: Mine
angel shall go up before you, but not my presence.
But I say unto you:
Mine angels shall go up before you, and also my presence, and in time ye shall
possess the goodly land. (D&C 103:15-20)
It is not to be
thought that the entire Church will abandon their stronghold in the Ricky
Mountains and return to Missouri. Wilford Woodruff recounts a meeting where the
Prophet Joseph Smith was quizzing the brethren about their vision of the future
of the church and kingdom. He said,
On Sunday night the
Prophet called on all who held the Priesthood to gather into the little log
school house they had there. It was a small house, perhaps 14 feet square. But
it held the whole of the Priesthood of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints who were then in the town of Kirtland, and who had gathered together to
go off in Zion’s camp. That was the first time I ever saw Oliver Cowdery, or
head him speak; the first time I ever saw Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball,
and the two Pratts, and Orson Hyde and many others. There were no Apostles in
the Church then except Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. When we got together
the Prophet called upon the Elders of Israel with him to bear testimony of this
work. Those that I have named spoke and a good many that I have not named,
before their testimonies. When they got through the Prophet said, “Brethren, I
have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here tonight,
but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the
destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mothers lap. You
don’t comprehend it.” I was rather surprised. He said, “It is only a little
handful of Priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and
South America—it will fill the world.” There will be tens of thousands of
Latter-day Saints who will be gathered
in the Rocky Mountains and there they will open the door for the
establishing of the Gospel among the Lamanites, who will receive the Gospel and
their endowments and the blessings of God. This people will go into the Rocky
Mountains, they will there build temples to the Most High. They will raise up a
posterity there, and the Latter-day Saints who dwell in these mountains will
stand in the flesh until the coming of the Son of Man. The Son of Man will come
to them while in the Rocky Mountains.
I nave these things
because I want to bear testimony before God, angels and men that mine eyes
behold the day, and have beheld for the last fifty years of my life. (Wilford
Woodruff, Conference Report, April 1898, p. 57)
As future prophesied
events are contemplated, the mind begins to reel. What would it be like to have
the privilege of helping construct the New Jerusalem? Even further, we may be
there to welcome the “Lost 10 Tribes” as they return from their nearly three
millennia of exile. Not having been privileged to have the fulness of the
temple blessings, the sons and daughters of Ephraim will again enjoy a signal
opportunity. President Wilford Woodruff described their return and the part
Ephraim will play after they return.
Again, here are the
ten tribes of Israel; we know nothing about them only what the Lord has said by
his prophets. There are prophets among them, and by and by they will come
along, and they will smite the rocks, and the mountains of ice will flow down
at their presence, and a highway will be cast up before them, and they will
come to Zion, receive their endowments and be crowned under the hands of the
children of Ephraim, and there are persons before me in this assembly today who
will assist to give them their endowments. They will receive their blessings
and endowments, from under the children of Ephraim, who are the first fruits of
the kingdom of God in their dispensation, and the men will have to be ordained
and receive their priesthood and endowments in the land of Zion, according to
the revelations of God. (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, p. 119. Journal
of Discourses 4:231-232, February 22, 1857). (R. Wayne Shute, Monte S.
Nyman, and Randy L. Bott, Ephraim: Chosen of the Lord—What is Means to be of
the Tribe of Ephraim [Salt Lake City: Millennial Press, 1999], 87-91)