Chapter 9
The Secret Re-establishment of the Davidic Dynasty
Reuniting of the Kingdom of Israel and The Kingdom of Judah
The Secret Reason for Polygamy
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During the nearly seven years that I have been blogging I have had several people ask me to explain who the Jews and Gentiles are in the scriptures and why it is relevant to the Latter day Saint restoration movement. They want to know why tribal lineage was important anciently and if it continues to be important in modern times. In this chapter I will briefly discuss this.
Many Protestants that claim to be Biblical Christians see absolutely no significance in tracing lineal descent because they are oblivious to, or simply don’t believe the doctrine of British Israelism[1]. They consider themselves to be Gentiles that do not originate from the House of Israel. Even many Mormons are oblivious to the fact that modern revelation is pregnant with the doctrine. My contention is that it is essential to understand this amazing doctrine in order to understand who we are and where we come from. Furthermore, it is essential to understand this in order to understand the events of end times prophecy. For this reason, we need to briefly address this topic.
It is really important to understand how and why the twelve tribes of Israel were split up as a kingdom after the death of Solomon and the prophecies that related to this historical event. Ancient prophets foretold the great mystery about how the divided kingdom would eventually be reunited by a descendant of King David, prior to the return of the Lord and the final establishment of Zion. I believe Joseph Smith is the Davidic Servant spoken of in prophecy and that he began the process of restoring the two houses of Israel and their fragmented branches during the second watch. This grafting together of the House of Israel into the Gentile church was prophesied of by Christ in 3 Nephi 16. Although Joseph began this grafting process in the 2nd watch, he will complete the process in the third watch. Interestingly, the following passage from the allegory in Jacob seems to have reference to the mystical reuniting of the fragmented kingdom.
“And the branches of the natural tree will I graft in again into the natural tree; And the branches of the natural tree will I graft into the natural branches of the tree; and thus will I bring them together again, that they shall bring forth the natural fruit, and they shall be one.”[2]
Book of Mormon Terminology
The Book of Mormon people such as the Nephites and Lamanites are sometimes called “Jews”, and “House of Israel”. The term “Jew” in the scriptures is sometimes used in a broad sense, to generally refer to the “House of Israel” and other times it is used in a more limited sense, referring to the tribe of Judah or remnants of the ancient Kingdom of Judah.
Conversely, the Book of Mormon refers to the American pilgrims from England that settled in America and their descendents, including many of the American settlers that accepted the gospel at the time of Joseph Smith’s early ministry, as “Gentiles”.
What many Mormons don’t realize is that Christ makes reference to the LDS converts that would migrate to Nauvoo from the British Isles after the early Kirtland years, as the “House of Israel”, tribally differentiating them from the believing and unbelieving “gentiles” already located in America.
Few people catch that because they assume that the rejection of the Gospel by the Gentiles as prophesied by Christ in 3 Nephi 16, is referring to a period of time that is yet future. Some fundamentalists might contend that the rejection of the fulness of the gospel took place at the turn of the century when the church began rejecting the practice of polygamy and other heretical doctrines taught by Brigham Young.
Other fringe groups contend that we have seen this event take place more recently or that it is still a future event. Nevertheless, it is clearly documented in several chapters of this book, that the fulness was offered and rejected to the newly restored gentile church between 1831-1834.
Prior to the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836 the restored church was primarily composed of “Gentiles”. After the second great apostasy in Kirtland, many of the gentiles of the restored church defected from the church. Shortly after that, Joseph Smith announced that “something new must be done for the salvation of the church” and he began grafting other branches of the House of Israel into the church. He did this by commissioning the Twelve apostles to establish foreign missions.
It is no coincidence that it took about five years for the witnesses of the Book of Mormon to finally get around to obeying God’s commission to identify and call a quorum of Twelve Apostles. It is no coincidence that they were not called and ordained until AFTER the fulness had been rejected. It was no coincidence that their ministry took place while they as a quorum were in a full blown apostasy. Their initial calling was not to be endowed with power from on high and go forth for the last time, as described in section one of the D&C. Unlike the high priests that were referred to as the first laborers of the last kingdom that would go forth in power, they had a preliminary assignment from the Lord.
God was actually using them for a special interim purpose. On the surface, we are informed that they were taking the knowledge of the fulness of the gospel, as contained in the Book of Mormon, to the world so that those with believing blood could be nourished with God’s holy word during the four generation “little season” of chastisement and learning that we are currently in. This period of nourishment from reading the word of God that was delivered through Joseph Smith is what helps to keep the roots of the tree alive according to the allegory in Jacob. However if we drill down deep enough, a parallel narrative emerges. The Lord was using Joseph Smith and these good brethren of the Twelve to restore an ancient Kingdom to the earth.
Because of the apostate condition of the Twelve Apostles, Thomas March was concerned about his brethren of the Twleve and he petitioned the Lord, through Joseph Smith to provide greater understanding about what the calling of the Twelve entailed and how they would be brought out of their darkened state. In answer to this petition, a revelation to Thomas Marsh and the Twelve was received. It is documented in section 112. In it, the Lord informs them that they are recipients of a priesthood that came down from the patriarchal fathers:
“For unto you, the Twelve, and those, the First Presidency, who are appointed with you to be your counselors and your leaders, is the power of this priesthood given, for the last days and for the last time, in the which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.
31 Which power you hold, in connection with all those who have received a dispensation at any time from the beginning of the creation;
32 For verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which ye have received, have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being sent down from heaven unto you.
Of course they were currently living during the dispensation of the “last days” that began with the new testament apostles taking the gospel to the gentiles. The dispensation of the “last days” lasts for a long time and it incorporates other dispensations within it. It will eventually incorporate the dispensation of the “fulness of times”. Several years later, in 1842, Joseph would note that the dispensation of the fulness of times was just beginning to be ushered in. (See D&C 128:18) Additional comments from Joseph Smith and passages from Section 124 revealed that the fulness would not be ushered in until the Saints repented and completed the Nauvoo Temple.
But getting back to section 112, given to the Twelve Apostles in 1837, notice which dispensational “keys” had already been ushered in, and given to the First Presidency and the Twelve, it was a dispensation that had “come down from the fathers“!
It is remarkable that even though Joseph and Oliver had been commanded to not reveal the details of the secret visitation of Christ and the patriarchal fathers, as documented in section 110, the Lord himself was making explicit reference to it in this revelation. Anyone paying attention to the details of this revelation must have been scratching their heads wondering when these dispensational keys from the Old Testament “fathers” had been delivered. It is remarkable that because the documentation of this sacred event was preserved, those of us living in a future generation realize that the patriarchal fathers spoken of in section 112 are represented by Abraham, Moses and Elijah. Some of the early unpublished revelations referred to this ancient priesthood as the “evangelical priesthood”, referring to the fact that Abraham was an evangelists that converted people to the gospel. Other revelations and teachings of Joseph Smith referred to this priesthood as “patriarchal priesthood” and the “priesthood of Abraham”, etc.
Although the High Priests that had been ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood would have to wait until the third watch before they would receive their endowment of power from on high and go forth among the nations for the last time, an amazing interim event was taking place to keep the roots alive. The quorum of the twelve had been ordained with the keys of the priesthood of Abraham, and were now engaged on a mission endeavor that would begin reuniting the ancient Kingdom of Judah with the ancient kingdom of Israel.
Because of the success of this new missionary endeavor, converts from the House of Israel began migrating from the British Isles to Nauvoo. This period of time saw the tribal ancestry of the church membership begin to transition as various branches of the dispersed tribes of Israel began to be grafted back in to the “natural tree” that had branches that had become wild.
Little did these apostles realize that God was using them to re-establish the Davidic Kingdom that had been prophesied of anciently.
The Book of Mormon does not speak highly about the gentile church that Joseph Smith restored.
Most of the prophecies in the book of Mormon about the problems with the restored gentile church are referring to the restored Gentile church at the time of Joseph Smith’s ministry. They are not referring to those of us living four generations later, although much of the criticism is certainly applicable to us, since we have inherited much of the false tradition of our fathers.
For instance in Mormon 8, when the Gentiles are reprimanded for transfiguring the holy word of God and of polluting the Holy Church of God, it is the Kirtland Saints living during Joseph Smith’s ministry that is being specifically referred to, not us. Mormon 8 is primarily referencing the rejection of the gospel by the Gentiles as prophesied of by Christ in 3 Nephi 16. The holy Church of God and the fulness of priesthood that always accompanies it, has not been on the earth since that time. It has not been on the earth for four generations. The term “Holy Church of God” when used in Mormon 8, and in modern revelation, refers to the “true and living Church” that briefly emerged for a period of 3 1/2 years, that was attempting to embraces the fulness of the gospel and priesthood.
The Holy Church of God Fled back into the Wilderness
The timeline chart shown below that was introduced in an early chapter illustrates that the holy Church and kingdom of God came forth out of the wilderness for 3 1/2 years, just as John the Revelator and the Book of Daniel prophesied that it would. Following that, the Saints would be overcome until the ancient of days returns.
The 3 1/2 year period that the fulness would be offered and ultimately rejected by the Saints, began in June of 1831 when the fulness of priesthood was restored at the Morley Farm and 23 high priests were called by the voice of God out of heaven. It then fled back into the wilderness as soon as the saints cumulatively broke the everlasting covenant as foretold in Isaiah 24.
Exactly 3 1/2 years after the Melchizedek priesthood was restored at the Morley Farm, the Lord gave a revelation declaring that the saints and their leaders were under condemnation and needed to have a reformation in ALL THINGS. Shortly after that, the Lord announced that the covenant of consecration had been broken and that the Saints must wait for a little season to live the law of Zion and the heavens began to close.
LDS scholars and apologists tell us that the heretical teachings that infiltrated the church during the Nauvoo period, that contradicted the early teachings during the revelatory period during the early Kirtland years, were the result of progressive revelation. They contend that Joseph was more illuminated and revelatory in Nauvoo, than he had been in Kirtland. But I would suggest that is not the case. The eyes of the seers were being covered after the fulness was rejected, just as Isaiah had prophesied. Progressive revelation always builds upon and complements previous revelation, it never contradicts it. The above chart shows that the first five and a half years of Joseph’s public ministry represented the revelatory sweet spot of the LDS restoration movement. Over 100 canonized revelations came forth during that time. Only about 20 came during the remaining ten years! The heavens were closing as the saint rejected the fulness and progressed further into apostasy.
Brigham Young’s use of the terms Jews and Gentiles
Further complicating things for Mormon’s trying to make sense out of all of this Jew and Gentile lingo, is the fact that Brigham Young referred to non-members of the church categorically as “Gentiles” and members of the church categorically as Israel. Brigham’s uses of these terms is not congruent with how the terms are used in the Book of Mormon.
As noted earlier, one of the great secrets of Mormonism is that the gathering of converts to Nauvoo from the British Isles represented the gathering of remnants of the ancient kingdom of Judah as well as other remnants of the ancient kingdom of Israel.
Interestingly, Brigham Young also used the term Jew differently than the Book of Mormon does, insisting that the Jews would not believe in Christ before they are gathered. He felt they would not accept Christ until after everyone else had the opportunity for salvation.[3] Conversely, the Book of Mormon teaches that the Jews would begin to believe and then gather in the last days as a result of their belief in Christ[4]. One of the great irony’s is that many of the Saints that followed Brigham Young to Utah were remnants of the ancient kingdom of Judah. Indeed, it is completely conceivable if not probable, that Brigham Young himself was a descendant of the ancient House of David and kingdom of Judah.
Kingdom of Judah = Jews
Kingdom of Israel = Gentiles
To provide a little broader context for the use of these terms and for better understanding the prophecy in 3rd Nephi, I am going to need to get into a little bit of history[5].
I believe the Lord intended this topic to be confusing so that prophecy can take place. There is a reason why most latter days saints don’t really understand who they are, because in order for things to prophetically play out the way they are going to, these people need to be oblivious to the fact that most of the major last days prophecies about “Jerusalem” and “Babylon” and the “Jews” are going to take place in America, not the Old World. Because of this, they will not understand the prophetic events that are taking place around them until it is too late.
In modern revelation the word Babylon is used about nine times. Sometimes it is referring to spiritual Babylon which is a perverse and pervasive worldwide spiritual sickness that worldly people have, other times it is referring to a geographical area referred to in other scriptures as Babylon the Great, which the elect are commanded to flee from at the appointed time. Obviously it is not talking about the Babylon of the Old World. Clearly, America is the center place that is referred to in end times prophecy as Babylon the Great.
America represents the right arm of destruction of the great latter day kingdom that pollutes and oppresses all other kingdoms. America is the most evil war mongering empire in the entire world ( which is secretly governed by sinister forces that can be traced through the Crown to the Vatican). Those that are still looking to the Old World as the Babylon of the end times simply don’t understand prophecy, and rightly so. The masses are always taken by surprise by the fulfillment of prophecy. God has covered the eyes of the people.
Historical Background of the two Houses of Israel
Anciently the twelve tribes of Israel had lived as a federation under leaders referred to as “Judges” until the people chose to have a King rule them. At that time, their system of government transitioned into a monarchy and they became the United Kingdom of Israel, ruled by a king. It was first led by King Saul, then King David, and then David’s son, King Solomon. David and Solomon began a dynasty that would ultimately be divided during the reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, but according to prophecy, the Davidic dynasty would re-emerge in the last days. According to ancient prophecy, once it emerges, a king from the Davidic bloodline will continue to sit on the throne until Christ and his servants return to the vineyard.
Eventually, after the death of Solomon, the kingdom was led by Solomon’s son Rehoboam who taxed the people heavily. Because of this, part of the kingdom rebelled, splitting the United Kingdom of Israel, into two kingdoms, a northern kingdom and a southern kingdom. The southern kingdom was called the “kingdom of Judah” which was composed mainly of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, and a portion of the Levites. This kingdom continued to be led by Rehoboam who reigned for about 17 years.
The northern “Kingdom of Israel” was composed of the remaining tribes. The tribe of Levi represented the priests responsible for overseeing the sacrifices and statutes and temple rites. They were not granted land inheritances because of their priestly calling. It is not insignificant that this priestly tribe was divided in the midst of both kingdoms. The kingdom of Israel was initially led by Jeroboam, an Ephraimite. It is believed that he reigned for about 22 years.
Long story short, both kingdoms sinned before God[6]. Because of this, both kingdoms lost the land they had been given and were moved out of their place of geographical land inheritances[7]. The kingdom of Judah was dispersed from their lands while the kingdom of Israel was cast out of the Lords sight. Eventually these two groups would be referred to as the “dispersed of Judah” and the “outcasts of Israel”.
Despite being dispersed, the Kingdom of Judah retained their tribal identity while the outcasts of Israel mingled among the gentile nations, remained scattered, and lost their tribal identity along with the integrity and purity of their lineal tribal bloodline.
The Jews from the kingdom of Judah later gathered back to the Old World Jerusalem and reconstituted their tribal kingdom prior to New Testament times, within the Roman Empire. These are the Jews Christ dealt with during His ministry in the meridian of time.
The Kingdom of Israel, was losing their identity by assimilating into the gentile nations. They did not reconstitute their kingdom like the Jews did. Rather, they remained somewhat scattered during New Testament times. Nevertheless, reference is made to them by the Disciples of Christ in the New Testament.[8]
After the Jews rejected Christ during the meridian of time, they were once again “destroyed” as a kingdom and “dispersed” and “scattered among the nations” even though the scriptures continue to refer to them as “Jews” and “House of Israel”. It is because of this that the law of adoption becomes necessary in the latter days when God gathers his people and needs to cleanse them with a spiritual rebirth.
When Joseph Smith declared that something new must be done for the salvation of the church and began establishing foreign missions, he noted that the missionaries were being sent to gather the “the outcasts of Israel” (remnants of the ancient kingdom of Israel) and “the dispersed of Judah” (remnants of the ancient Kingdom of Judah).
In modern times the remnants of the ancient kingdom of Israel (outcasts of Israel) are generally referred to “gentiles” because they have been scattered among the gentile nations and have mingled their seed and bloodlines with the gentile nations. Many of these gentiles ended up in America prior to the LDS restoration. There are generally two classifications of Gentiles living in America according to the book of Mormon,
1) the believing Gentiles and
2) the unbelieving Gentiles.
The book of Mormon reminds us that as many of the Geniles as believe, are the covenant people of the Lord:[9]
The kingdom of Judah (Jews) in the New Testament were scattered after they rejected Christ. At this time, they also finally lost their tribal identity, just as the kingdom of Israel did. Nevertheless, the scriptures continue to refer to them as the Jews and the House of Israel. This may be simply for reasons of differentiating them from the other kingdom, or it may be that they have largely been able to reproduce within their tribal heritage.
An understanding of this history is important for many reasons. One is that it provides valuable context for the prophecy that Christ gives in the 3rd Nephi 16. The influx of people that converted to the knowledge of the fulness of the gospel and migrated to America as a result of the foreign missions established by the quorum of the Twelve, are referred to as the House of Israel by Christ, in contradistinction to the gentile saints from the Kirtland era. These converts were had the same general appearance as the gentile saints they were being grafted into. They were largely clueless about their tribal heritage descending from the ancient kingdom of Judah.
The Real Jews Begin to Believe Before Being Gathered
The Book of Mormon informs us that the Jews will begin to believe before they are gathered in the last days. Again, this is referring to the converts coming to America from the British Isles. The So-called Jews that began gathering to the Old World Jerusalem in the 1940’s do not believe in Christ. This is one of many reasons we know that they are not the Jews spoken of in prophecy.
When the LDS restoration movement began, most of the American settlers that responded to the call of the restored Gospel during the Kirtland era, were “Gentiles” who had originated from the kingdom of Israel. Hence the Lord revealed in February of 1834 (D&C 103) that these gentiles saints of the restoration were the latter day Children of Israel:
“For ye are the children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham”
In section 109, the Lord referred to Joseph Smith and the first elders of the church as the “sons of Jacob”
“That from among all these, thy servants, the sons of Jacob, may gather out the righteous to build a holy city to thy name, as thou hast commanded them.”
But in the same section, he also acknowledged that they are “Identified with the Gentiles” or called, gentiles, because their tribal ancestors had been mingled among the nations:
“Now these words, O Lord, we have spoken before thee, concerning the revelations and commandments which thou hast given unto us, who are identified with the Gentiles.”
The Secret Re-establishment of the House of David and Judah
One of the great secrets of the LDS restoration movement is that shortly after the rejection of the fulness of the Gospel, a secret intervention took place that greatly changed the trajectory of the church and the following events began to take place:
1- The Lord had mercy on the children of Jacob
2- The Lord began to redeem Jerusalem (in America)
3- The yoke of bondage began to be broken off of the House of David.
4- The Children of Judah began to return to the lands in America that the Lord promised to Abraham their father[10]
The dedicatory prayer offered up in the Kirtland Temple provided an intercessory prayer by Joseph and others petitioning that “Jerusalem” would begin to be redeemed from that very hour and that the yoke of bondage would “begin” to be broken off of the “house of David”, and that the “children of Judah” would begin to return to the lands of the Abrahamic land covenant (America)
“We therefore ask thee to have mercy upon the children of Jacob, that Jerusalem, from this hour, may begin to be redeemed; And the yoke of bondage may begin to be broken off from the house of David; And the children of Judah may begin to return to the lands which thou didst give to Abraham, their father.”
The above passages have nothing to do with the land of Jerusalem in the Old World or with the Ashkenazi Jews that are claiming the Old World Jerusalem as the lands of their inheritance. The smokescreen gathering that took place in the Old World in about 1948 that was financed by the Rockefellers, did not begin in 1836. It began over 100 years later. Nothing happened “from that very hour” in the Old World.
What was happening from that very hour was the restoration of the keys of gathering followed by the establishment of foreign missions to take the message of the gospel to the remnants of the House of David and the Children of Judah and to gather them to the land of America that God had promised as the Abrahamic land covenant land to ALL of the tribes of Israel. The ancient prophecies pertaining to the house of David and the kingdom of David were beginning to take place even though the eyes of the saints were blinded to what was going on.
The Secret Prophecy and Vision
In fulfillment of the obscure petition documented in section 109, the Lord secretly appeared to Joseph and Oliver on the eighth day after the dedicatory prayer and accepted the temple. This appearance was followed by angelic messengers who secretly ushered in the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, which opened up the way for the petition in the dedicatory prayer to be fulfilled. Additionally, Joseph and Oliver were given the keys of the gathering of Israel by Moses so that the scattered remnants of the ancient kingdom of Judah could “begin” to believe, and to gather. (one of the trademarks of modern Mormonism is that they only “begin” to believe. They have not been able to accept the fulness of the gospel, they can only accept a preparatory gospel)
During that visitation Elijah the prophet declared that the keys of the ancient dispensation that would enable the hearts of the fathers to the children, and children to the fathers, had been fully restored. He was referencing not only the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham that had just taken place, but also the fact that he, Elijah the Tishbite, who was also known as John the Baptist, during New Testament times, had restored these keys of an ancient priesthood to Joseph and Oliver seven years earlier. (See section 13.)
It was the ancient priesthood keys that were delivered by the appearance of our ancient fathers, Abraham, Elijah and Moses that the Twelve apostles had been commissioned with in section 112!
The history of the church provides documentation that Joseph did organize the Quorum of the Twelve apostles and sent missionaries to Canada, and Great Britain, etc., to begin this amazing gathering of the House of David, the Children of Judah, and other remnants of ancient Israel, in fulfillment to the petition offered in section 109, as well as the prophecies in the OT. This event also fulfills the prophecy of Christ in 3 Nephi 16.
Following the events that took place during the eight day string of rituals in the Kirtland Temple, wherein the petition was offered and granted, the message of the gospel was taken to those of the House of David and the Children of Judah, as well as remnants of the ancient kingdom of Israel. Many of the converts that began flowing into Nauvoo from across the ocean are remnants of the ancient kingdom of Judah as well as some of the scattered remnants from the ancient kingdom of Israel. These remnants are sometimes referred to as the “Jews” and as the “house of Israel”. (The Book of Mormon sometimes uses those two terms interchangeably)
3rd Nephi 16
Below I am going to break down the prophecy of Christ into three distinct historical events. The first two have taken place. The last one is about to take place.
The prophecy of Christ in 3rd Nephi details this exact sequence:
Part 1- The Gentiles Reject the fulness that is offered for 3 1/2 years between June 1831 and December of 1834
“And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles (Latter day restored church of Christ) shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.”
Part 2- The “knowledge” of the fulness of the gospel is taken from the Gentiles to the House House of Israel: Joseph Smith declares that the Lord has revealed to him that “Something new must be done for the salvation of the Church”. He then established foreign missions to take the “knowledge of the gospel” to the “Outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah”. Thousands of converts began flowing into Nauvoo and eventually to Utah. Following the succession crisis, the Jewish members of the Church overtook the leadership positions of the church and the Gentiles no longer had priesthood power over the remnants of Judah. The kingdom of Judah was secretly re-established in the last days and is now disguised as the church that was restored through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith
And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them.
And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel.
Part 3- In the third watch, the original servants of God will return and repent at the conclusion of the acceptable atonement offering. The fulness of the gospel will then be restored and the dispensation of the fulness of times and the Marvelous work will be ushered in and the righteous and repentant among both houses of Israel during the last four generations will be reunited in fulfillment of prophecy.
“But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.”
One of the great secrets is that we are currently living during the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham, not the dispensation of the fulness of the Gospel. As you can see from the above illustration, the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham lasts for about four generations after the church is rejected with their dead. Following that, Christ and his servants return to the vineyard, a remnant of the gentiles will repent and the fulness will once again be ushered in.
To recap our brief history lesson; the united kingdom of Israel was divided and both houses were eventually dispersed. The remnants of the Kingdom of Judah retained their identity and returned to Jerusalem where they cumulatively rejected Christ’s ministry. Conversely, the remnants of the Kingdom of Israel were cast out of the Lords sight, and they mingled among the gentile nations and lost their tribal identity. As prophesied by Christ, the remnants of the Kingdom of Judah that had rejected Christ during the meridian of time had their kingdom destroyed and the survivors were dispersed once again. This time they lost their tribal identity as well even though the scriptures continue to refer to them as the House of Israel and the Jews.
The Reuniting of Two Kingdoms in the Latter days
Having just reviewed a brief summary of the division of the united kingdom of Israel anciently and the fact that Joseph Smith and the Twelve Apostles were instrumental in grafting some of the branches together during the LDS restoration movement, let us now review some of the ancient prophecies that foretold the re-establishment of the United Kingdom of Israel and the re-emergence of the Davidic Dynasty. It is important to realize that according to ancient prophecy, one of the things that the Davidic descendant of David does, is to reunite the two kingdoms together again. This is largely what Joseph Smith was doing when he established foreign missions!
Listed below are some of the Old Testament prophecies relating to the reuniting of the two general branches of Israel. Keep in mind that the reuniting of the two kingdoms is a process that takes place over a substantial period of time. It began during Joseph Smith’s ministry in the 2nd watch, but is not finalized until the return of God’s servant and the beginning of the Marvelous work in the 3rd watch:
Zachariah
“And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them”.[11]
Jeremiah
“In those days and in that time,’ says the LORD, ‘the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together; with continual weeping they shall come, and seek the LORD their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces toward it, saying, “Come and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that will not be forgotten”
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more”. [12]
Ezekiel
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
¶ And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
¶ And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all[13]“
Isaiah
AND there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
¶ And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.[14]
Another great secret is that Joseph Smith is the descendant of King David that was to restore the two ancient houses of Israel back into one kingdom and establish the throne of David which was to continue until the secret return of the Lord of the vineyard and his servant.
Now lets go back into the Old Testament passages and drill down a little bit regarding God’s promises to King David. An important part of the King David narrative is that David desired to build a house for the Lord to dwell in but did not build it because the Lord would not allow David to build it.
“Thus sayeth the Lord, thou shalt not build me a house to live in”[15]
Although Bible scholars do not all agree as to why the Lord did not allow David to build the house although it appears as if it is because of wars and the shedding of blood that David had been involved it[16]. It becomes clear from the text and the hindsight of thousands of years, that it was not the appointed time for the particular house that was being spoken of.
It is documented in both 1 Chronicles 17 and 2nd Samuel 7 that through Nathan the prophet the Lord told David about a descendant of his that would build a house for the Lord and that the Lords people would not be moved out of their place anymore:
1 Chronicles 17
“Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning..”
It is apparent from history, as documented in the Bible, that the Lord was referring to a time in the latter days when he would plant his people in their appointed place and they would be moved no more. It nevertheless appeared, at the time it was given, as if the Lord is referring to the reign of David’s son Solomon.
A few passages later the Lord informs David that a descendant of his will be raised up and the Lord would establish his kingdom. ,
“And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:
But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.”
Again, the above prophecy is speaking about the emergence of a descendant of David in the last days whose throne will be established for evermore. The same narrative is contained in 2 Samuel 7 but with greater detail.
2nd Samuel 7
“Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.[17]
We have previously established the fact that the above prophecy is not speaking of Jesus as the literal fulfillment, he can only be considered a vague, shadow fulfillment for several reasons, including the fact that he never committed sin. We also know that it cannot be speaking of Solomon because he was not chastened by the rod of man and he was not successful in establishing the throne of David with the posterity of King David sitting in the throne perpetually until the Lord of the vineyard returns. The Lord told Solomon that He would rend the kingdom during the reign of Solomon’s son, which happened..
Nevertheless, many Bible scholars erroneously assume that the descendant spoken of is referring to Solomon. Indeed it becomes evident that David thought the prophecy was referring to his son Solomon[18] indeed, the Lord does inform David that his son Solomon would build a house with the conditional promise that if he remained faithful, his kingdom would endure and he would be the one to fulfill the prophecy in its fullness.
David’s son Solomon also assumed the prophecy was about himself and during the dedication of Solomon’s temple he pronounced himself to be the fulfillment of the prophecy and then petitioned the Lord to verify it.
The dedicatory prayer is very much worth reading. It is remarkable how the dedicatory prayer in the Kirtland Temple mirrors it in several ways. Here are some pertinent questions to be asked.
Does the Lord verify that Solomon is the descendant of King David that is to build the temple of the Lord?
Does the remainder of Solomon’s life fit the prophetic profile of the prophecy?
The answer is no on both accounts.
With regard to the verification that Solomon requested from the Lord, the Lord spake to Solomon for the second time as follows:
“AND it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do,
2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
As you can see, the Lord’s promise to Solomon that the kingdom would be established forever, with a king on the throne over the united kingdom of Israel, was a conditional one with a stern warning that if Solomon should turn from the Lord and serve other gods, and worship them, then the Lord would cut Israel off out of the Land, defile the temple and the United Kingdom of Israel would be cast out of the Lord’s site and would become a proverb and a byword.
Needless to say, that is exactly what eventually happened. Solomon did sin and his kingdom was divided as a result
Provided below are five places where the promise from God to David is mentioned, regarding a descendant of David that would establish the throne of David.
The following table shows side by side comparisons of the initial Davidic promise, the two accounts of David asking for verification from the Lord that he was the one to fulfill the prophecy, and the two accounts of the conditional verification that God gave him. Bible scholars often get mesmerized by these accounts and neglect to focus on the hard reality that Solomon failed to meet the terms of God’s conditional promise. :
The Davidic Promise
There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel
After Solomon became very wise, wealthy and famous, he married pagan wives and forsook the Lord, and began worshiping other gods.
The Lord Revokes the Promise as it Relates to Solomon
Following Solomon’s transgressions, the Lord spoke to Solomon a third time informing him that he had not been faithful and that his kingdom would be rend from him during the reign of his son:
And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.[19]
Clearly, the dynasty was broken during the reign of Rehoboam. Jeroboam, an Ephraimite who was not from the direct line of David, took part of the kingdom. It became known as the kingdom of Israel.
Although King Solomon might be considered a partial, shadow fulfillment of the Davidic prophecy in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17, he was not the literal fulfillment. There would be a descendant of King David in the last days that would re-establish the dynastic kingdom of David. Furthermore, we learn from the above passages that the Lord had promised David that after the establishment of his latter day descendant, ” There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.”
We shall now demonstrate that Joseph Smith is the literal fulfillment of the prophecy and that the promise that “There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel” has huge implications regarding those that succeeded the Prophet Joseph Smith in presiding over the latter day saints[20].
The Lord’s House vs. David’s House
The literal fulfillment of the Davidic prophecies contained in the Old Testament are among the most misunderstood and tortured prophecies in the Bible. Those prophecies have specific reference to a latter day descendant of David, not to King Solomon and clearly not to Christ. Christ never committed sin. Solomon did not establish the throne for evermore. Because of his transgressions, his kingdom became divided during the reign of his son. Modern revelation is pregnant with references to the reestablishment of the Davidic Dynasty through Joseph Smith Sr.
Joseph’s House
Notice in the passages above that the Davidic servant builds the Lord a house[21] for the Lords kingdom on earth and conversely, the Lord makes the Davidic Servant an “house”, referring primarily to promises regarding his posterity, as well as a physical structure. This cryptic wordplay takes on more clarity when it shows up in modern revelation. Notice what the Lord says about Joseph Smith’s “house” or posterity, having the same blessing of having the right to have a place in the physical “boarding house” of the Lord.
“And now I say unto you, as pertaining to my boarding house which I have commanded you to build for the boarding of strangers, let it be built unto my name, and let my name be named upon it, and let my servant Joseph and his house have place therein, from generation to generation.
For this anointing have I put upon his head, that his blessing shall also be put upon the head of his posterity after him.
And as I said unto Abraham concerning the kindreds of the earth, even so I say unto my servant Joseph: In thee and in thy seed shall the kindred of the earth be blessed.
Therefore, let my servant Joseph and his seed after him have place in that house, from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord”.[22]
The Lawgiver over the House of Israel
Just as the term “house” is used to refer to Joseph Smith’s posterity after him, as similarly used in the passages referring to king David and his house, Hyrum Smith is also given a promise pertaining to lineal priesthood that came to him by “right” and “blessing”. It is from this lineal priesthood of Hyrum’s, that William Law is granted priesthood office in the “room” of Hyrum.
“And again, verily I say unto you, let my servant William be appointed, ordained, and anointed, as counselor unto my servant Joseph, in the room of my servant Hyrum, that my servant Hyrum may take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father, by blessing and also by right;
92 That from henceforth he shall hold the keys of the patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all my people,”
The Secret Doctrine of the Davidic Bloodline
One of the best kept secrets of the LDS restoration is the fact that Joseph Smith was a direct descendant of King David, Jesse, and Judah. This seems odd and unlikely because virtually every indication of Joseph’s tribal heritage that has been made public, informs us that he comes from Joseph and Ephraim. Nevertheless, if one drills down deep enough, it is not difficult to gather the missing pieces of the puzzle relative to the fact that he was of mixed lineage. Perhaps the obvious clue as to his secret identity is found in his patriarchal blessing given by Oliver Cowdery:
Notice the following declaration and then compare it to the snippet from Judah’s patriarchal blessing from his father Jacob:
“By the keys of the Kingdom shall he lead Israel into the land of Zion while the house of Jacob shouts in the danse and in the song..
He shall be a lawgiver to Israel and shall teach the house of Jacob the statutes of the Most High…
In his hands shall the Urim and Thummim remain and the holy ministry, and the keys of the evangelical priesthood, also, for an everlasting priesthood forever, even the patriarchal; for, behold, he is the first patriarch in the last days. He shall sit in the great assembly and general council of patriarchs, and execute the will and commandment of God under the direction of the Ancient of Days”[23]
As you can see, Joseph will return to lead Israel into the land of Zion with the keys of the Kingdom that he holds, just as is prophesied in sections 101 and 103 of the D&C. But notice also that he shall be the LAWGIVER to Israel! That Biblical term is very definitive and revealing. Now look at the promise to Judah:
“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”[24]
As you can see, the right to the scepter of leadership over Israel and the calling of LAWGIVER over the twelve tribes, belongs to Judah! Joseph Smith’s patriarchal blessing is clearly identifying him as the last great lawgiver over all of Israel who sits directly under father Adam in authority. That would make him the last great Davidic Servant leading up to Christ. Clearly, he has to be from the loins of Judah as well as Joseph.
The Sceptre of Power
The term sceptre is also a term used to describe the rights of Judah, that is also verified in the blessing from father Jacob to his son Judah. It is no coincidence that the Lord refers to Joseph’s sceptre in Section 121 when teaching him about the righteous use of priesthood authority:
“The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.”[25]
It is really quite incredible that modern revelation acknowledges Joseph’s “unchanging scepter of righteousness” and his “dominion”!
These passages may provide additional clues to the identity of the “One Mighty and Strong”. The term scepter is also used in describing the one mighty and strong, in section 85 as follows.
“And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God..”[26]
One of the apparent discrepancies, explained by modern revelation and the restoration movement, having to do with the blessings that Israel gave to his sons, has to do with the fact that Judah clearly held the right to reign over Israel, yet Joseph’s blessing revealed that from his loins, would come “the shepherd”, also referred to as the “stone of Israel”, and that the blessings of his progenitors would be on the “crown” on his head, implying that he would reign over Israel.
This narrative about Joseph ruling over Israel, of course is reiterated when Joseph has a few prophetic dreams that he shares with his brethren indicating that they would all bow down to him. After hearing his first dream about the sheaves of his brothers all bowing down to Joseph’s sheaf, his brothers angrily replied:
“Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.”
This was very offensive to his older brothers and especially to Judah since he held the right to rule. Displaying a lack of diplomacy after the first response, Joseph shares a second dream with his father and brothers :
” Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.”[27]
Although these dreams were typologically fulfilled when Joseph was sold into Egypt and became a leader who would eventually rule over them, in a sense, as he helped his brothers and parents during a time of famine, the literal fulfillment is obviously future and literal.
Judah’s blessing not only informs us that Judah has the right to the sceptre and to be the lawgiver over Israel, it also informs us that he has the exclusive right to gather Israel.
“..unto him shall the gathering of the people be”
It is no coincidence that Joseph Smith was given the keys to the gathering of Israel!
“After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.”[28]
It appears that Josephs lineage through Judah and King David was supposed to be kept a secret until just before the events of the Marvelous Work take place. In hindsight, as we review all of the amazing information that is now so easily made available through search technology, we can see that Joseph Smith meets all three of the criteria listed in Judah’s blessing:
- He is the lawgiver
- He holds the sceptre of power
- He gathers the people
In addition to the above three criteria, Joseph Smith is the one who reunites the divided kingdom which is also one of the roles played by the Davidic Servant.
Clearly, Joseph Smith is of mixed lineage. He is not only of Joseph through Ephraim, but also of Judah and King David! The fact that the latter day servant is of mixed lineage, is what Isaiah 11 is speaking about and that is why Joseph Smith expounded on those passages to clarify that the Davidic servant is from both Jesse and Ephraim.
“What is the root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter?
Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days“.[29]
Re-establishing The Davidic Dynasty
Although apologists come up with many creative motivations for Joseph Smith’s involvement in polygamy, one of the most profound, yet best kept secrets, is that Joseph was aggressively taking on wives in an effort to re-establish the Davidic Dynasty as prophesied anciently. Joseph’s most widely known revelation on polygamy is contained in section 132 because it was canonized by Brigham Young, however people erroneously assume that was the only revelation on polygamy. Because of this, they assume it is the only authoritative template from which to determine the original doctrinal explanation upon which Polygamy was revealed. Hence they use section 132 as the exclusive template from which to understand Joseph’s motivations with regard to the practice.
Another revelation on polygamy, whose origins are much less questionable than section 132, is one that Joseph presented to Newel K. Whitney, explaining how Bishop Whitney was to perform the ceremony of giving his daughter to Joseph in a polygamous marriage. The doctrinal narrative presented in that revelation provides a total disconnect when compared to the narrative contained in section 132[30]. Indeed the Whitney revelation had a completely different motivational narrative of entering into polygamy than section 132 provides.
Joseph apparently was led to believe that part of his process of establishing David’s ancient throne in the last days, in fulfillment of ancient prophecy, necessitated the grafting together of various ancient bloodlines through the marriage covenant. Notice the following snippet from the revelation that Joseph delivered to Newel K. Whitney, containing the verbiage to be used as he married Joseph Smith to his daughter Sarah:
“All these things I do in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that through this order he may be glorified and [that] through the power of anointing David may reign King over Israel, which shall hereafter be revealed”
The revelation is obviously revealing that Joseph needed to wed Ms Whitney in order that “David may reign King over Israel“!
It is hard to believe that so few articles have been written about this amazing revelation by LDS scholars in connecting the emergence of polygamy with the re-establishment of the Davidic Kingdom in the last days.
It would appear from the above snippet, that the sole motivation for polygamy in this particular situation had to do with the re-establishment of the Davidic Dynasty. The revelation spoke of this great honor coming to the Whitney family because of “the lineage of my Priesthood” and the “holy progenitors by the right of birth” and “powers to concentrate in you and through to your posterity forever”
Clearly, this revelation was promoting polygamy in the context of merging bloodlines and creating a dynastic power base based on Davidic bloodlines and the merging together of the two houses of Israel that had been split anciently.
It is clear from statements made by Joseph Smith’s successors that Joseph had told them that not only he, but many of them, had the blood of Davidic royalty running through their veins. During a Solemn Assembly held on the 2nd of July 1899, President George Q Cannon made the following declaration which was afterwards confirmed by President Lorenzo Snow:
“There are those in this audience who are descendants of the old Twelve Apostles-and shall I say it, yes, descendants of the Savior Himself. His seed is represented in this body of men..”
Other general authorities have made similar statements. Heber C. Kimball believed that he was personally a literal descendant of Jesus Christ. Although this doctrine has largely been kept secret, it has not always been quite so hidden. Victor L. Ludlow is one of the more recent LDS scholars to let the cat out of the bag. He has mentioned in his writings that “..a number of the brethren, including Joseph Smith, claimed that they shared lineage with Jesus in the tribe of Judah“[31]
[Editorial Note: I provide this information for purposes of context, historical documentation and full disclosure of what was taught and believed by some of the early brethren. My personal opinion after searching the scriptures is that Jesus did not have physical offspring during his earthly ministry because he was not conceived through carnal intercourse, nor did he have human blood flowing through his veins. The virgin birth as described in the Bible and Book of Mormon is an accurate portrayal of Christs miraculous conception.
The Inspired Version informs us that he was conceived differently than mortals. “He was not born of [mortal] blood..”[32]. The Book of Mormon confirms the fact that His “great and last sacrifice” would not be “a sacrifice of man.. for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.”.
All of the standard works testify that Christ was not a carnal mortal man and that he was literally God in the flesh. It seems unlikely to me that God would have carnal sex with women and have mortal children with human blood when in fact He did not have human blood flowing in his veins.
It seems to me that the claims of men to be the literal offspring of God may well fall under the topic “strong delusion”. I do, however, believe that Joseph Smith, members of the quorum of the Twelve, and other converts to the restoration had the blood of King David flowing through their veins.
Furthermore, I reject the revelation to marry Sarah Ann Whitney. I believe it is a false revelation. I provide it to show that building the dynasty was a motivating force in Joseph’s mind, but I think Joseph’s eyes were covered at this point in time and he was deceived. There are some disturbing things in the revelation that don’t square with the scriptures or with the context of history. Here is a snippet from the revelation:
“..you both mutu[al]ly agree calling them by name to be each others companion so long as you both shall live presser[v]ing yourselv[es] for each other and from all others and also through [o]ut all eternity..”
How can they preserve themselves for each other? Joseph was married to Emma.Was Emma cast aside? I don’t think so.
Why did Joseph keep marrying women if he was supposed to preserve himself for Sarah Ann?
Why did Sarah marry someone else if she was to preserve herself for Joseph? Sarah ended up getting married and having a bunch of kids with someone else.
What about the polygamous marriage for eternity BS which is contrary to scripture? Clearly, celestial polygamy does not hold up against the word of God.
What about the fact that their union did not produce offspring when in fact that was one of the primary purpose of the union, to create a Davidic heir to the throne?
The revelation is problematic on many levels to say the least. It is just one more piece of cognitive dissonance that testifies against the validity of the whole spiritual wife delusion that resulted in the apostasy of latter day Israel.]
It is interesting to note that on March 17 1963, a fellow by the name of J. Ricks Smith from Burbank California wrote a letter to Joseph Fielding Smith asking him what Isaiah 53:10 was speaking about:
“..he shall see his seed..”
He was obviously looking for verification that Jesus had physical offspring. He was probably surprised when he got the following reply:
“*Mosiah 15:10-11 Please read your Book of Mormon”
“And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?
“Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.”
The fact that Joseph Smith saw himself as the Davidic Servant establishing a kingdom is identified not only by his polygamous attempts at merging together family bloodlines to re-establish a dynasty, but also in his attempt to establish the political and military kingdom of God spoken of by Daniel the Prophet[33]. On March 11, 1844 he had himself anointed as King of Israel and he establish the council of Fifty which was meant to be a political kingdom. Various quotes from historians and authors are provided below to provide additional information:
“Joseph Smith established a secret organization called the Council of Fifty, in Nauvoo, Illinois, which was designed to carry out his plans for political empire. This theocratic-political kingdom or body of men met a number of times in Nauvoo before Smith’s death on June 27, 1844. The goal of this theocracy was world government. They further believed they would govern and rule the earth during the millennial reign of Christ.”
On April 11, 1844, the Council of Fifty installed Joseph Smith as king on earth..This theocratic-political body believed they were receiving God’s “law” for the whole earth. On January 1, 1845, William Clayton summarized the goals and accomplishments of this council during 1844[34]:
“The organization of the kingdom of God on the 11th March last is one important event. This organization was called the council of fifty or kingdom of God and was titled by revelation as follows, ‘Verily thus saith the Lord, this is the name by which you shall be called, the kingdom of god and his law, with the keys and power thereof and judgments in the hands of his servants Ahman Christ.’ In this council was the plan arranged for supporting president Joseph Smith as a candidate for the presidency of the U.S. Prest. Joseph was the standing chairman of the council and myself the clerk. In this council was also devised the plan of establishing an immigration to Texas and plans laid for the exaltation of a standard and ensign of truths for the nations of the earth. In this council was the plan devised to restore the Ancients to the knowledge of the truth and the restoration of union and peace amongst ourselves. In this council was prest. Joseph chosen as our prophet Priest, & King by Hosannas. In this council was the principles of eternal truths rolled forth to the hearers without reserve and the hearts of the servants of God made to rejoice exceedingly.[35]
It is no secret that Brigham Young and others that succeeded Joseph Smith had themselves anointed king of Israel[36]. It is probable that this secret right has continued to this very day and that the leading brethren of the church secretly continue to believe that they are vessels of the holy bloodline from King David through Jesus and the Twelve Apostles.
It is also no secret that entrance into the highest quorums in the church have largely taken into consideration what lineage a person comes from. This is why virtually all of the members of the first presidency and quorum of the twelve can trace their ancestors back to Nauvoo where the grafting in of the two houses of Israel began in the latter days.
A recent LDS author has taken issue with the good old boys club that requires people to be of a certain lineage, in order to become one of God’s anointed that presides over the kingdom. Nevertheless he and others experiencing this jealously may not be fully aware of the deeper reason as to why this is important to the brethren. If in fact the two houses of Israel were being reunited and the ancient throne of David was secretly being established after the fulness of the gospel was rejected, in order to keep the roots of the tree alive until the Marvelous Work could begin, then certainly, bloodlines are important and the re-establishment of the ancient Kingdom of Israel does have its purpose. We learn from the Old Testament narratives that Kings were not necessarily smart, wise, inspired or even decent people. They were, nevertheless, Kings whose right to reign over the Houses of Israel was given by the providence of an all knowing God.
It may be considered snobbery and even a form of racism, but the highest councils of the church probably have a long secret tradition of viewing themselves as the elect and elite of God through the bloodline of King David, Jesse, and Judah. There are lots of people, including myself, who question the status of the modern corporate church as a “church” and we question the veracity of church leaders having themselves sustained as prophets, seers and revelators, nevertheless, those that are privy to these secret things having to do with ancient bloodlines realize that these leaders that sit in the seat of Moses currently hold the “legal lease” pertaining to the Kingdom of Israel, until the Lord of the vineyard and his anointed servants come back. Those who think they can thwart the foreordained purposes of God are pissing directly into the wind. God is the one that will set things right.
“And when the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, he will destroy those miserable, wicked men, and will let [lease] again his vineyard unto other husbandmen, even in the last days, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons”.[37]
There have been a long line of people claiming to be prophets who attempt to set the church in order and establish a Zion community. There are also those who consider themselves learned in Hebrew and in the ways of the Jews, that look down their noses at what they consider to be the lowly and uninspired “Gentile” and “Ephraimite” saints as being unable to receive personal revelation. Some of these folks authoritatively declare that Joseph Smith and his successors cannot be of the Davidic bloodline because they descend from Joseph. These people categorically reject Joseph as the Davidic Servant based on their false perception of what his lineage is. Many of them have yet to figure out who the real Jews are and where the real Jerusalem of end times prophecy really is, despite setting themselves up as Hebrew prophecy scholars. These folks have a surprise awaiting them.
We are informed that when the light shines forth for the last time it will first go to and be rejected by those that sit in darkness.
And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel;
But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men.
And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (D&C 45:28-30)
Just as the wicked Kingdom of the Jews had previously been established to greet Christ in the Meridian of Time, I am going to suggest that the kingdom of the Jews has once again been re-established to meet greet Him and His Servants when the last RESTORATION takes place in the 3rd watch. Prophecy has been happening all around us. Very few people see it. Joseph Smith gave us the following view of what is about to take place. Will you be blindly looking at the smokescreen events in the Old World when this take place”
“What is to be understood by the two witnesses, in the eleventh chapter of Revelation?
A. They are two prophets that are to be raised up to the Jewish nation in the last days, at the time of the restoration, and to prophesy to the Jews after they are gathered and have built the city of Jerusalem in the land of their fathers.” (Section 77:15)
To be continued in very deed?
[1] British Israelism, also known as Anglo-Israelism, as used in this chapter, is the belief that many or all of the “lost ten tribes” of Israel migrated to Europe and then to England and became the primary ancestors of the British people, including the pilgrims that came to
the United States from England. British Israelism was made popular by the Worldwide Church of God and Herbert Armstrong, but long before Armstrong came on the scene, the doctrine was substantiated in many of the revelations received by the prophet Joseph Smith. Other Christian groups have embraced the doctrine as well. The doctrine often includes the tenet that the literal descendants of king David continue the dynasty to the present day and that the British Royal Family is directly descended from the line of King David. In Mormonism there are numerous reasons to suppose that the Joseph Smith Sr. family represented the re-emergence of the Davidic dynasty. Some of these evidences will be presented in this chapter.
[2] Jacob 5:67-68
[3]” We might say much on this point, showing you why things are as they are concerning the inhabitants of the earth receiving or rejecting the Gospel. Do you suppose they believe in Jesus Christ at Jerusalem? Can you make a Christian of a Jew? I tell you, nay. If a Jew comes in to this Church, and honestly professes to be a Saint, a follower of Christ, and if the blood of Judah is in his veins, he will apostatize. He may have been born and bred a Jew, have the face of a Jew, speak the language of the Jews, and have attended to all the ceremonies of the Jewish religion, and have openly professed to be a Jew all his days; but I will tell you a secret–there is not a particle of the blood of Judaism in him, if he has become a true Christian, a Saint of God; for if there is, he will most assuredly leave the Church of Christ, or that blood will be purged out of his veins. We have men among us who were Jews, and became converted from Judaism. For instance, here is brother Neibaur; do I believe there is one particle of the blood of Judah in his veins? No.. it is impossible to convert the Jews, until the Lord God Almighty does it ” Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 2 (1854), p. 142.
[4] It appears that Brigham Young had very little affinity for the Book of Mormon and that is why Brigham Young seldom read or preached from the Book of Mormon. My contention is that he simply did not believe many of the doctrines in it.
[5] This summary of the two houses of Israel throughout Biblical History will be extremely short. There are numerous articles on the Internet that do a good job of detailing who the two kingdoms are, how they were divided, and the various prophecies foretelling that they would once again be reunited in the last days. This is one well written article although the author did not have the advantage of the additional standard works http://www.herealittletherealittle.net/index.cfm?page_name=2houses-of-Israel
[6] 2 Kings 17:18-23 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
19 Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
20 And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.
22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;
23 Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
[7] This has great typological significance to the latter day saints since they were removed from their land inheritances in Kirtland, Jackson, Far West and Nauvoo because of their own transgressions.
[8] James 1:1 “JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting….”
[9] 2 Nephi 30:2
[10] D&C 109:61-4
[11] zach 10:6
[12] Jeremiah 50:4-5, 31:31-34
[13] Ezekiel 37:15-32
[14] Isaiah 11:1-13
[15] 1 Chronicles 17:1-15
[16] 1 Chronicles 22:8-10
[17] 2 Samuel 7:12-16
[18] 2 Chronicles 22:5-11
[19] 1 Kings 9-13
[20] If joseph’s claim as the Dividic Servant of the last days is authentic, then even though the church was rejected with its dead in Nauvoo, there is a tribal remnant of the House of David/United House of Israel, that has had davidic heirs presiding over it ever since. Herein lies the strongest claim of authority of modern Mormonism, although they do not openly make this claim.
[21] “House” in this context refers to the Davidic royal dynasty ( 2 Sam 7:11, 16)
[22] D&C 124:56-59
[23] http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/blessing-from-oliver-cowdery-22-september-1835#!/paperSummary/blessing-from-oliver-cowdery-22-september-1835&p=1
[24] Gen 49:10
[25] Sometimes spelled “scepter”
[26] D&C 85:7
[27] Gen 37:9-11
[28] D&C 110:11
[29] D&C 113:1-6
[30] Section 132 is problematic on many levels. For one thing, the original revelation does not exist. Only and hand written copy exists. Secondly, there is historical evidence to suggest that the original revelation was much shorter than the one we have today without much of the theology that is currently present in it. Another consideration is that it was never accepted by the law of common consent during Joseph’s life and Joseph apparently had no plans to canonize it. Perhaps the most disturbing thing about section 132 is that it is incoherent and inconsistent with the scriptures that have have been accepted by common consent and canonized, see the following article https://onewhoiswatching.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/analysis-of-section-132/
[31] (See Life of Heber C. Kimball [1988], p. 185; JD 4:248; Journal of President Rudger Clawson, pp. 374-75; Ivins Journal, p. 21.)
[32] JST John 1:13
[33] “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Dan 2:44
[34] http://mormonthink.com/grant8.htm
[35] William Clayton Journal, 1 January 1845, D. Michael Quinn Papers
[36] Following Smith’s death, the Council anointed Brigham Young its leader, and as the “king and president” of the Kingdom of God See minutes of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 12 February 1849, p. 3 [LDS Archives], cited in Quinn 1997, p. 238. John Taylor’s coronation that took place on February 4, 1885, is also a matter of public record. He was “anointed & set apart as a King Priest and Ruler over Israel on the Earth, over Zion & the Kingdom under Christ, our King of Kings.” There is no reason to suppose that this tradition is not continued to this very day. It is that authors opinion that the presidents of the LDS church from Joseph Smith to the present, represent the literal Kingdom of David, re-established upon the earth, in fulfillment of the ancient promise that it would be re-established and that after being established, the throne would be inhabited until he comes
[37] JST Matt 21:55
*Several quotes by the early leaders of the church about being of the Davidic Bloodline are contained in the Book “Dynasty of the Holy Grail: Mormonism’s Sacred Bloodline, by Vern G. Swanson. Another book on the subject is “Joseph Smith and his Royal Lineage, A Blood Descendant of Jesus Christ, by R. Merle Fowler
Because I am Watching 