Hope of the Restoration

Hope of the Restoration

A Personal Letter from Jan Griffith

Dear friends,

Some of you have heard my testimony, and where it all began for me back in 1994, and how I've planted hundreds of thousands of "seeds" since that time, learning very quickly that caring for a garden also requires occasional "weeding."

When my true conversion came, one of the first things that was taught to me (from church members) was that the second coming of Jesus Christ was very near, and that his coming would be as a Lamanite. Like a thief in the night, I was told, he initially would show himself only to those who "recognized him."

I appreciated the enthusiasm of my teachers, and I learned a lot from them. I started planting a host of seeds, many of which have been very helpful as I've continued my quest for truth. For example, I was able to consider that 2 Nephi 2 identifies a coming Choice Seer from the seed of Lehi who will have a spokesman, much like Aaron was the spokesman for Moses. I also was able to consider that a "second Exodus" was in our future, an understanding that has magnified itself over time, and is still magnifying itself.

However, in that periodical weeding of my garden, the Lord has shown me the errors in some of those early teachings. That Jesus' second coming would be as a thief, for example, certainly did NOT mean that only a few would recognize him, while the rest of the world would remain temporarily blinded. What "thief" means is that the majority of the world will be UNPREPARED to receive him -- frightened out of their wits when he comes, if I may put it that way -- you know, like a THIEF in the night would frighten us out of our wits.

In the course of my studies, I have come to realize that the counterfeit Restorationers seem to have a goal in mind when it comes to our [lack of] knowledge concerning the word "Restoration." Their agenda, if I may call it that, seems geared to having us believe in a counterfeit definition of immortality, of which “endowment” plays a part – a supernatural awakening that will "quicken" us into eternity, rather than being immortally RESTORED (even quickened) with flesh and bone. I might add that variations on "reincarnation" play into this delusion as well, though not in the way that many might think. That Christ would return as a "Lamanite," for example, being raised up in the flesh having been born again in the womb, is -- like it or not -- Reincarnation. Ask anyone who believes in Reincarnation and they will affirm that such a belief implies "incarnation."

We have been given the most, so more is required of us – it is called the fullness of the gospel – the RESTORED gospel. What is this gospel of the RESTORATION?

[Alma 19:5-59] Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of which have been spoken by the mouths of the prophets. The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost, but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame. And now my son, this is the restoration of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets. And then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God.

Alma also said:

[Alma 19:62] And now my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the restoration of which has been spoken: for behold, some have wrested the scriptures, and have gone far astray, because of this thing.

I think the “some” have turned into “many.” As collective groups, the Jews do not anticipate a resurrection. The Catholic Church is silent on the resurrection. And until recently, most Protestant churches believed that spirits (undefined) reside permanently in heaven. So what about us? We should understand these promises better than anyone, given that we have the RESTORED gospel.

Judgment day is coming. It’s called the Day of the Lord, or the Lord’s Day. Sometimes I forget that some of my most basic understanding is not so basically understood by many of our people. So I have a burning passion to spell it out right here – a subject which spans the width and breadth of the entire Book of Mormon. Please hold tight to your chair.

God redeemed his ancient Israelites with judgment. He will redeem Israel again with judgment.

It was by judgment that he brought them out of Egypt:

[Exo 7:4] But Pharaoh will not hearken unto you, therefore I will lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, my people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

This judgment will happen again:

[Isa 1:27] Zion shall be redeemed with judgment.

[Jer 23:7-8] Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

It was by judgment that they knew him:

[Exo 6:7] And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

This judgment will happen again:

[1 Ne 6:56] And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh: they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob.

It was by judgment that the Egyptians also knew him:

[Exo 7:5] And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

This judgment will happen again:

[Ezek 36:23] And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

The “restoration of Israel” is not only for those who remain upon the earth, but for all of Israel. The Lord has a plan for all of Israel to know him:

[Rom 11:25-26] For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And then all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob

[Ezek 37:6] And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

We think we know the Lord today, and hopefully we will spend our whole lives trying to know him better. But when this day comes, when the Lord sets his hand THE SECOND TIME to recover his people out of captivity, there will be no mistaking the Lord our God. We will know him in ways we could not possibly know him today.

The Book of Mormon was given first to the Gentiles (that’s us) so that we might understand this RESTORATION – so that we would not be deceived by the enemy in secret chambers who has reinterpreted everything for us and for our forefathers (the restoration delusions did not begin in our generation, but have been widespread since the 19^th century).

Take another look at this beautiful prophecy found in Isaiah 51 and repeated in 2 Nephi 5:

“Awake, awake! Put on strength O arm of the Lord: awake as in the ancient days. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; That hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion.”

AWAKE! AWAKE! Yes, we are commanded to “awaken to our situation,” but this is a cry to RESTORE. Ours is the fullness of the RESTORED gospel – the gospel of the RESURRECTION. This is the gospel of the GOOD NEWS.

[Sec 43:5c] Ye saints arise and live; Ye sinners stay and sleep until I shall call again!

Awaken to what? Awaken as in the ancient days (Egypt) when the Lord dried the Red Sea and made a way for the ransomed to pass over. He will do it again.

[Isa 11:15] And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry-shod.

Israel of old was brought out of captivity with great judgments by the Lord’s stretched out arm. He will bring Israel out of captivity again – the physical captivity of governments and the spiritual captivity of death – when he sets his hand a second time.

Our time is running out. When I say “our time,” I mean times of the Gentiles. We, who are identified as Ephraim, are as a “fading flower” according to Isaiah. We have become “drunkards.” One time, I made this comment about Ephraim’s drunkenness to a fellow restorationist brother, and he said, “Where’d you come up with that one?” Isaiah 28, I told him.

If we do not desire to have this fundamental understanding of the “restored” gospel, God will keep the veil of darkness over our eyes until the time comes that we are rudely awakened by his coming as a thief in the night. The greater mysteries of the kingdom are there for the taking, but before we can eat the meat, we need to feast on whole milk. Otherwise, we’ll be spoon fed a side of beef by the enemy in secret chambers who seeks our lives (and by beef, I mean of the golden calf variety).

Compare the entire book of Revelation to the entire exodus of Egypt. Compare latter day revelation, like Sections 45 and 85 to the days of Moses. See if it wasn’t the sound of trumps, plagues – hence judgments – that delivered the Lord’s people out of Egypt.

Egypt is no longer defined as that little country in the Middle East. Egypt represents sin and bondage, and therefore death. To be freed from the captivity of Egypt will free us from the bondage of sin and from the power of death. This is what we have to look forward to on JUDGMENT DAY. God came to save the lost – to recover his people, not to torture them for all of eternity as it is believed today in many Christian denominations. This is the hope we have in Jesus Christ, who loved us so much that he conquered death for us.

At some future time, the Lord is going to bring forth another deliverer “like Moses” – who will not only bring forth God’s word (as Joseph Smith, Jr. did), but will convince us of his word – even the same word that has already gone forth among us. Yes, an even greater one than Moses will help to bring “much restoration” to the house of Israel – not the Christ, but a prophet like unto Moses.

[Gen 50:24] And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die, and go unto my fathers; and I go down to my grave with joy. The God of my father Jacob be with you, to deliver you out of affliction in the days of your bondage; for the Lord hath visited me, and I have obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of my loins, the Lord God will raise up a righteous branch out of my loins; and unto thee, whom my father Jacob hath named Israel, a prophet; (not the Messiah who is called Shilo;) and this prophet shall deliver my people out of Egypt in the days of thy bondage.

The Lord will be mightily involved in that scenario, along with his first fruits, his armies of heaven.

[Sec 100:3f] 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 before you, and also my presence, and in time ye shall possess the goodly land.

In the book of Revelation, where Zion’s redemptive judgments are at their pinnacle, we find two witnesses performing a work much like that of Moses and Aaron. They will prophecy for 3 ½ years:

[Rev 11:3] And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Those two witnesses are identified in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 2:

[2 Nephi 2] And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel. And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt. But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins; And not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.

I am currently undertaking a study of the return of Jesus Christ. From what I can tell so far, the events just preceding his return will include delusions of a magnitude this world has never seen, to include a number of “false prophets” and even “false christs.” I am hoping the study I put together will be helpful as pertaining to the order of events. A study alone, though, will not be sufficient to prepare us for such a day. Our best hope to withstand the coming delusions is to feast on God’s words – feast like there’s no tomorrow, and desire understanding – so that if this “true” prophet of the Lord manifests himself in our day, we will not reject him, as scriptures foretell we will. And by “we,” I mean the drunkards of Ephraim – the Gentiles, as well as the majority of the world, otherwise known as the Great and Abominable Church.

If our hearts are soft, nothing I write will be “hard” to hear. And we cannot afford to harden our hearts at this eleventh hour, which is now much nearer to midnight than it was in 1830.

[Alma 9:57-59] And now my brethren, behold I say unto you, that if ye will harden your hearts, ye shall not enter into the rest of the Lord; Therefore your iniquity provoketh him, that he sendeth down his wrath upon you as in the first provocation, Yea, according to his word in the last provocation, as well as the first, to the everlasting destruction of your souls; therefore, according to his word, unto the last death, as well as the first.

The “provocation” he is speaking of is a future provocation, likened unto the time when ancient Israel “provoked” her Lord in the wilderness.

[Jac 1:7] Wherefore, we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation, while the children of Israel were in the wilderness.

The admonition given to Jesus’ disciples has never been more clear.

[Luke 21:34-36] Let my disciples therefore take heed to themselves, lest at any time their hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come upon them unawares. For as a snare it shall come on all them who dwell on the face of the whole earth. And what I say unto one, I say unto all, Watch ye therefore, and pray always, and keep my commandments, that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man when he shall come clothed in the glory of his Father.

We are still in the eleventh hour (Section 32), but midnight is not far away.

[Exo 11:4-5] And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt; And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.

[Mat 25:5-9] And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Lest there be not enough for us and you, go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut.

May God bless us and further our understanding,

Jan

February 8, 2007