A Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel 41

A Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel 41

"_Universal Apostacy," a pamphlet by O. Pratt_.

 

 

 

THE JERUSALEM OF THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE.

 

The earliest account we have of Jerusalem is in the fourteenth chapter

of Genesis, under the date of 1913 B. C.

 

When Abram was returning from the slaughter of the five kings,

Melchisedek, king of Salem, brought him refreshments. He was a

righteous prince and a priest of the Most High God; and he blessed

Abram.

 

Josephus, the Jewish historian, states that this city of Salem was

afterwards called Jerusalem; _Ant. of the Jews, B_. 1., _Chapter_ 10.

It has been the scene of many great events connected with the ministry

of the holy Priesthood on the earth.

 

Abram was commanded to offer his son Isaac, on one of the mountains in

the land of Moriah; _Gen_. 22. 2. Josephus says, that the mountain on

which Abram built an altar, to offer his son Isaac, was the same on

which king David (Solomon) afterwards built a temple.

 

The Jebusites retained possession of the city of Jerusalem until 1048

B. C., when it was subdued by David. He first took the stronghold of

Zion; "The same is the city of David." At that time, this was only a

strong outwork or fortification for the defence of the city; 2 _Sam_.

5. 6-9.

 

In the days of Solomon, Jerusalem became a great and strong city, with

a magnificent temple towering on Mount Moriah.

 

From its conquest by David, until the death of Solomon, it was the

capital city of Israel, and afterwards of the kingdom of Judah. B. C.

585, Jerusalem was burned by the army of Nebuchadnezzar, and the better

part of the inhabitants of the land were carried captive to Babylon; 3

_Kings_, _chapters_ 24 and 25.

 

The city was re-established at the end of the seventy years' captivity.

It afterwards played an important part in the history of that part of

Asia.

 

Almost under the shadow of its walls, our Savior was born. It was

the central place of the scenes of his earthly mission. In it he was

scourged and condemned to death. Just outside of its walls, and in

sight of its towers, and the glorious temple built to his name, the God

of Israel died the death of a malefactor.

 

It was here, and near here, that he consummated his earthly mission,

and ascended to his Father.

 

In A. C. 70, the land of Judea, and city of Jerusalem, were made a

desolation by the Roman armies, and the Jews, as a nation, entirely

rooted out of their heritage, and scattered among all nations.

 

For information on this subject, the student should read, carefully,

Josephus' "_Wars of the Jews_."

 

Up to this time, in her history, many prophecies were fulfilled. In

her future many more are to be fulfilled, for she is yet to take an

important part in the great work of the latter days. Like the New

Jerusalem of the American continent, this city will descend out of

heaven, after the final change of the earth to its celestial condition;

_Rev_. 21. 10-27.

 

It is often called Zion in the Old Testament, and will be the capital

city of gathered Israel on the Eastern hemisphere, in the latter days.

 

There are many passages in the scriptures relating to this important

city. A few are appended to assist the student in further researches

concerning it.

 

Bible.

 

_Deut_. 31. 29 evil will befall you in the latter days, because ye will

do evil.

 

1 _Kings_ 11. 11-13 Lord declared he would rend the kingdom from

Solomon.

 

14. 15 Lord shall root up Israel, and scatter them beyond the river.

 

2 _Kings_ 20. 17, 18 treasures laid up by the fathers, to be carried to

Babylon.

 

23. 27 I will remove Judah out of my sight, as I have removed Israel.

 

2 _Chron_. 36. 21 the land shall enjoy her Sabbaths seventy years.

_Jer_. 29. 10.

 

_Isa_. 4. this chapter evidently refers to the latter days, and to the

Zion of the Western Hemisphere, and to the city of Jerusalem, on the

Eastern.

 

25. 6-12 in this mountain shall the Lord make a feast of fat things.

He will destroy the face of the covering cast over all people, He will

swallow up death in victory.

 

32. 9-18 land of Israel to be desolate, until the Spirit is poured out

from on high.

 

52. 9, 10 sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem.

 

51. 17 stand up, O Jerusalem, which has drunk of the cup of his fury.

 

_Jer_. 25. 11 these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy

years.

 

18 to make Jerusalem and her kings a desolation, and a curse.

 

26. 18 Micah prophesied that Zion should be plowed like a field.

 

50. 4 in those days Israel and Judah, together, shall come, going and

weeping.

 

51. 19-23 Israel the rod of the Lord's inheritance, with which he will

break in pieces their enemies.

 

_Ezek_. 38 and 39. these chapters are a prophecy of the gathering of

the nations against Jerusalem in the latter days.

 

_Zeph_. 1. this chapter is, evidently, a prophecy of the desolation of

Jerusalem.

 

_Haggai_ 2. 9 the glory of this latter house, shall be greater than

that of the former.

 

_Zech_. 12. the restoration of Judah.

 

_Chap_. 14. in the latter days the Lord will deliver Jerusalem from the

nations that will go up to battle against it.

 

_Matt_. 24. Destruction of Jerusalem foretold. _P. of G. P., page_ 38.

 

_Luke_ 19. 41-44 Christ foretells the destruction of Jerusalem. _Chap_.

23. 28-30.

 

_See Article, by C. W. Penrose, Mil. Star, Vol. 30, page 353_.

 

"_New Jerusalem," a pamphlet by O. Pratt_.

 

 

 

NEW JERUSALEM.

 

The Jaredite prophet, Ether, predicted, 600 B. C., that a city which

should be called a holy city, should be built on the land of North

America, and that it should be built up unto the remnant of the seed

of Joseph. He further informs us, that it should be called the New

Jerusalem, to distinguish it from Jerusalem which should be built on

the eastern hemisphere; _Ether_ 13. 3-8.

 

Ether also saw that this New Jerusalem was the one that John the

Revelator saw, in vision, coming down out of heaven. "Until the end

come, when the earth shall pass away, and there shall be a new heaven

and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old, save the old have

passed away, and all things have become new. And then cometh the New

Jerusalem;" _verses_ 8-10. _Rev_. 21. 2.

 

Our Savior, in his personal ministration among the Nephites, six

hundred years after the predictions of Ether, renews the promise that a

New Jerusalem should be built upon this land.

 

Speaking to the Nephites, he says: "This people will I establish in

this land, unto the fulfilling of the covenant which I made with your

father Jacob; and it shall be a New Jerusalem;" 3 _Nephi_ 20. 22.

 

The Savior again says, speaking to the Gentiles, that those who shall

come into the covenant, shall "be numbered among this the remnant of

Jacob." "And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and

also, as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build

a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem; and then shall they

assist my people that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon

all the face of the land in unto the New Jerusalem;" 21. 22-24.

 

We learn from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, that this New

Jerusalem is to be the city of Zion, of the latter days. "And it shall

be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place

of safety for the Saints of the most High God; And the glory of the

Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there,

insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called

Zion;" _Doc. & Cov_. 45. 66, 67.

 

This is, also, the Zion spoken of by the ancient Jewish prophets,

as separate and distinct from the Zion, or Mount Zion, that was in

Jerusalem, in the land of Palestine.

 

In the following passages, evidently, two distinct places are intended.

"Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation;" _Isa_. 64. 10. "For the

law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem;"

_Micah_ 4. 2.

 

There are three Zions spoken of in the sacred writings--the Zion on the

American continent, the Zion at Jerusalem, and the Zion of Enoch. For

some account of the Zion of Enoch, _see Pearl of Great Price, pages_

18-22. On the 22d page we learn, that, when Christ shall come, the Zion

of the western hemisphere and the Zion of Enoch shall be united in one.

There the Lord will reside, and it will be the gathered Zion "which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made."