Okay. In my research and meanderings, I came across a particularly frank criticism of the LDS and RLDS faiths; specifically their belief in a truly physical Zion here in the United States. I won’t name the source here, simply because I found it terribly biased and negative. It did bring to the forefront of my mind, the fact that a truly physical Zion here in Jackson County, Missouri (or anywhere for that matter) is going to be seen and judged as a fairy tale. This is mainly due to the fact that so many other attempts at utopian societies have failed miserably over the course of time. There are other reasons though.
One such reason is that a true Zion, here on the North American continent, is literally a slap in the face of the modern establishment. The government “for the people and by the people” cannot coexist with Zion. Zion is God’s city, not man’s. He makes the rules and He is the ultimate authority. The semblance of freedom that we enjoy in America and other Democratic states throughout the world will be sacrificed in Zion, for a much better way. Do not misunderstand, Zion will be a place where freedom is sacred, more so than any other place on Earth. However, the laws that govern her will be God’s laws, not man’s. Those who shelter behind her walls, actively choose to live by those tenants. Those who do not wish to live there, may freely leave at any time they desire. Heavenly Father asks us to do what is right. He tells us the benefits and the consequences of the choices laid before us. He will never force anyone to live His laws. However, the citizens of His Zion will live by those laws with exactness, because they love their God and choose to abide by His standards.
So, the questions before us are:
• Is Zion real?
• Can Zion exist here in the United States, where latter day prophesy says it must?
• What do the ancient scriptures say about Zion?
Full version:
Okay. In my research and meanderings, I came across a particularly frank criticism of the LDS and RLDS faiths; specifically their belief in a truly physical Zion here in the United States. I won’t name the source here, simply because I found it terribly biased and negative. It did bring to the forefront of my mind the fact that a truly physical Zion here in Jackson County, Missouri (or anywhere for that matter) is going to be seen and judged as a fairy tale. This is mainly due to the fact that so many other attempts at utopian societies have failed miserably over the course of time. There are other reasons though.
One such reason is that a true Zion, here on the North American continent, is literally a slap in the face of the modern establishment. The government “for the people and by the people” cannot coexist with Zion. Zion is God’s city, not man’s. He makes the rules and He is the ultimate authority. The semblance of freedom that we enjoy in America and other Democratic states throughout the world will be sacrificed in Zion, for a much better way. Do not misunderstand, Zion will be a place where freedom is sacred, more so than any other place on Earth. However, the laws that govern her will be God’s laws, not man’s. Those who shelter behind her walls actively choose to live by those tenants. Those who do not wish to live there may freely leave at any time they desire. Heavenly Father asks us to do what is right. He tells us the benefits and the consequences of the choices laid before us. He will never force anyone to live His laws. However, the citizens of His Zion will live by those laws with exactness, because they love their God and choose to abide by His standards.
So, the questions before us are:
• Is Zion real?
• Can Zion exist here in the United States, where latter-day prophesy says it must?
• What do the ancient scriptures say about Zion?
There are more questions, many more, but for now I’m going to focus on these three; and we’ll take them in reverse order.
First: “What do the ancient scriptures say about Zion?
Within the King James version of the Bible, there are one hundred and fifty three references to Zion. David is particularly fond of mentioning Zion in his Psalms (he mentions Zion thirty seven times), and Isaiah refers to it heavily throughout his work as well (forty seven times). Other ancient prophets from the bible, such as Jeremiah, Micah, and Joel, touch on Zion too. I do not claim to be a biblical scholar. I do not understand the nuances of the history, culture, and language that ancient scripture represents. What I do see represented in these ancient scriptures is a decisive acknowledgement that the concept of Zion was understood and celebrated by the old prophets.
Three scriptures that plainly, at least to my mind, distinguish Zion as a true place are:
Micah 4:2
And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Isaiah 59:20
And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 3:14
Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Now, if we were to only reference the Old Testament, it would be plain that Zion is a real and physical place. The Zion of the Old Testament references the City of David, which is Jerusalem. It is the consecrated City of God, and a holy place, but I ask you this: is it the only City of God? If there is one, can there not be more? The answer is a resounding yes! A city dedicated to God can be built up anywhere, by any of His children.
This is the entire focus of the New Testament. Jesus Christ taught us how we were supposed to live our lives, in order to qualify for Zion. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the law that will govern the Holy City. It is the standard by which men will live, and the entire reason why Zion will succeed where all other attempts at a utopian community have failed.
Thus, established by ancient scripture, we know that Heavenly Father expects His children to build up a city to Him. The next question: Can Zion exist here in the United States, where latter-day prophesy says it must?
The establishment of Zion in the heart of the United States seems offensive to many. How could anyone have the audacity to build up a city to God, in a country built on the tenants of religious freedom for all? Wouldn’t we be infringing on the rights and freedoms of men and women, just contemplating such an enterprise? I say yes, and I say no. Yes, we would be coming together to build a community that believes in living the Gospel of Christ to its fullest expression. Yes, that would most likely be offensive to various people. However, as stated above, there is no requirement that states an individual must live in Zion. The very thought of it may turn the stomachs of some, and they would likely not appreciate the environment growing around them. Some will fight against it, but I suspect that the majority would simply choose to live elsewhere; someplace that conforms to their ideals.
But that still doesn’t answer the question of whether Zion can exist in Jackson County, Missouri. The answer to this query hinges on one thing and one thing alone: Was Joseph Smith a prophet of God? If no, then there is no worry, for such an endeavor is destined to fail, regardless of intent. God would not support it, and without that support then Zion could never be built. If yes, if Joseph truly was a prophet of God, then the city must be built, for it was prophesied to happen.
I subscribe to the latter over the former, as do millions of others. So how, in a country where religion is becoming more and more a bothersome hobby, will such a community be built up? Line upon line, precept upon precept. There are many instructions and prophesies concerning the building of Zion in the Doctrine and Covenants. In D&C 101:17, it states:
Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered.
The Saints were driven from Missouri, and scattered across the face of the continent. Yet, Zion remains dedicated. In the next verse (D&C 101:18) the Lord goes on to qualify that there will be a return.
They that remain, and are pure in heart, shall return, and come to their inheritances, they and their children, with songs of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion—
I find this scripture to be interesting, mainly because of the imagery in the last part of the scripture. The pure in heart, and their children shall return “to build up the waste places of Zion…” Now, I will freely admit that I am speculating here, and my interpretation may not be certain, so receive this in the spirit it is given. No city is built overnight. It takes time to build up a community. Some believe that there will be some great cataclysm that will come and lay waste to the city, and it will be the Saints that rebuild it. That very well may be true, but I have an alternate theory; one that can coexist with this point of view, or stand on its own.
It is my interpretation that God will gather together his children, those of like mind and pure hearts, slowly over the course of years and generations. I submit He has already been doing so, for many years now. The community of the Saints will continue to grow as the Lord needs and, as it does, the spirit of that community will slowly build to become more unified with God’s needs and spirit. The undesirable “waste places” will be transformed into a beautiful community. The laws and interests of the community will shift with the hearts of the people, and Zion will gradually blossom like a rose. Such a gradual change requires the leadership of the priesthood, and an intimate trust in God’s purposes. It requires unifying ourselves underneath God’s banner, setting aside personal desires and tired traditions.
But what of the opposition to such an initiative? How can we justify supplanting an entire community? Isn’t that what got the Saints driven from Missouri in the first place? I find myself asking these questions a great deal. Currently, I don’t really have any hard answers to these questions. I have ideas, but no hard facts. There has always been opposition to God’s work, and there likely always will be. It is a necessary thing; otherwise the achievement of Zion would be meaningless.
The second question has always worried me yet, as I sit here and write this, the Spirit whispers that there need be no justification, because there will be no displacement. Zion will be built by like-minded and like-hearted people that God has gathered from the four corners of the Earth. They won’t all be LDS, (not at first ;)…) but they will be people who desire the same thing: a place of peace and safety. From there everything will build and grow until the true Zion comes to fruition.
Heavenly Father alone knows how Zion will be built. Whether the United States needs to suffer some calamity, just as the Nephites did prior to the visit of the Savior to this hemisphere, or Zion comes to pass slowly, in a gradual evolution – it doesn’t matter. What does matter is the last question: Is Zion real? I submit that Zion is as real as we desire it to be. Some will scoff and deride Joseph Smith for even dreaming of such an idea, but I counter their defamation with the question: Why not? What more laudable goal can mankind aspire to, than to build a city of such beauty and perfection that God Himself would feel welcome and comfortable walking its streets?
Is Zion real? Yes. Resoundingly, YES!
Until next week,
Jeffrey
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