My thoughts are going along so many different story elements and details that either need to get tied in, or need to be explained or resolved. I think I underappreciated the overall impact of this line of thinking. I continue to think of both things that make more sense in this more 'expansive' view of 'Earth' and of people travelling across space to reach its several lands, but I also continue to think of major issues, or at least some pretty fundamental topics or assumptions that would need to be wholly reconsidered.
In other words, making the Liahona into the Anor Stone, and allowing Lehi and his family to travel to another world has more implications and ramifications than I had originally thought. But, we are here and haven't reached a dead end yet, so I am going to keep going.
In yesterday's post, I openly thought through the notion that Brigham Young might be the Man among the Gentiles who, along with Gentiles who will follow him, will carry a Book that has been corrupted by the Great and Abominable Church (the GAC) on their way to arriving in Eressea #2.
How is this possible, or what events would lead Brigham Young, of all people, to have these words and be the one to arrive in that Promised Land? That was the major question in my mind. In thinking through this more, it is possible (in fact, if this story is true, likely) Brigham Young is among that sub-group of people who the words are first delivered to. It would then be under his direction, in harmony with other Beings (some on this world, many on another), who will then recraft the Book to mean what he thinks it ought to mean, before the Book is then published and sent out for many other Gentiles to read and to believe in. This Book and the Story on it will lead Brigham and those that follow him to Eressea #2.
It was in thinking of why this particular story would be believable, that I arrived at Nephi's prophecy in 2 Nephi 27 as a potential explanation, or more detail on what exactly happens that gives Omar-Dairon-Brigham Young access to these words in order to be able to alter them.
I had done a short post on this chapter way back in July, the month I started this blog. The post "2 Nephi 27 and Martin Harris as not the man taking words to the 'Learned'", basically made the case that the traditional Mormon reading of Martin Harris taking Book of Mormon characters to Charles Anthon as a fulfillment of this prophecy was not true. However, in that post, I didn't provide any alternative reading, primarily because I didn't have a good answer or really any ideas, other than a general thought that this was still something to be done in the future, and that it would involve events surrounding the Sawtooth Stone.
This post, then, will provide my view (as of this morning), as to what might be referred to in that cryptic chapter, and how Brigham Young is involved.
I believe that what is being described in this chapter with Books and words being delivered involve the words that will result from Eowyn-Ilmare and Faramir-Eonwe reestablishing the link through their stones. Thus, 2 Nephi 27 ties to the earlier vision of Nephi, of Gentiles using a Book and its words, as well as Jesus' words at Bountiful about a servant that will bring forth Words.
So, in tying those things together, in addition to what I have thought through and written on this blog, I think we have the following rough story outline:
- A Book is brought forth (2 Nephi 27:7) which contains both 'sealed' words and words that are meant for distribution. The sealed words are sealed (not meant to be read or translated) because they are a prophecy of our entire story from beginning to end (which I take as Joseph of Egypt's vision back in Valinor before Ungoliante destroyed the Trees).
- This 'Book' is the Sawtooth Stone, and it is delivered to Faramir-Eonwe, with some specific instructions.
- The Three Disciples from Bountiful (which include Gandalf) are involved in this delivery and with the Story itself, as they will be primary witnesses for Faramir about the Book and its contents (i.e., the 3 witnesses mentioned in 2 Nephi 27). In other words, the witnesses are for the benefit of Faramir, so he can trust that what he has been given is True (and not some trap, or false story). In this, think of the analogy of the True Messengers from the Temple Drama, who assure Adam (Michael) that what is about to be shared is from God.
- Faramir will dictate the words from the Stone and, as I imagine it, it will be recorded in two places: in Tirion/Valinor (by Eowyn, over the Anor-Ithil Stone link), and on our world (by a yet-to-be revealed scribe).
- That story is further added to with the words or stories that comes from Eowyn, which Faramir will also dictate and the scribe will record.
- After the complete and combined story is written out (not just a sample as was the Anthon Transcript), Faramir will be instructed to give the entire story to another person, who in turn will give it to the 'Learned'.
- This first other person - the Delivery Man - might (probably is, in my current view) be the same Being as the scribe who recorded the story in the first place. If so, it is the scribe, who is familiar with the story and how it came about, that is charged with giving them to somebody else and asking them to read.
- The "Learned" who the Story is to be given to is none other than Brigham Young (this is crazy!) and his posse.
- Brigham Young, as I have mentioned elsewhere, is here on this Earth and is fully expecting to have this Story, I think. Well, the Delivery Man will ensure he gets it. Unknown to Brigham Young, this is the beginning of the end for him.
- In receiving it, both the Delivery Man and Brigham Young will take part in the dialogue that Nephi spells out. Brigham will ask for the Book/ Stone that the words came from, to which the Delivery Man will inform him that it is sealed and can't be delivered. Shockingly, both will have this dialogue knowing full well that Nephi said they would, though each will interpret the ramifications of this differently.
- Brigham will by this time be accustomed to changing the words of others to fit what he and those that work with him think they ought to say. I have already covered how he did this in early Utah Mormonism (and even before then... thinking of you, D&C 132).
- In fact, Brigham will likely suspect that the Story has been delivered to him so that he can rescue it and correct it of any incorrect influence. Such will be his confidence and pride in his own ability and sources at this point, he will suspect that Faramir and the Delivery Man are confused, wrong, and probably themselves working for the GAC.
- The GAC will work hard to ensure that both Brigham and those who will follow him that the Story he has now produced is the correct and complete story (perhaps assisted and aided by miracles of their own).
- After making the necessary changes under what he feels is divine guidance, Brigham will distribute these words to a broader audience.
- This Story will allow Brigham and all of those who believe in this modified Story to travel (I am not sure how this happens...) to Eressea #2.
- Like a group of stone-less Bananas, they will charge into this new world and scatter a people engaged in a Civil War that has been going on for quite some time (the Lamanites). They are blind and in an awful state of wickedness, despite their faith and belief, because of what Brigham did to the Story.
- Once there, however, certain things will occur, including the discovery of records that will show to many Gentiles (and Lamanites) that the Story that Brigham gave them was not complete - it had been modified.
- Many Gentiles, after realizing this, will humble themselves and repent. They will wish to join with and assist the Lamanites, who also now know who they are (Israel) thanks to these new stories that set things right. This will ultimately result in the Lamanites/Israel and these Gentiles becoming part of living in the New Jerusalem in a reunited Eressea.
- Brigham, caught in his lies but likely unable to repent, will have landed in a place where these things matter. He (not a Gentile) and those Gentiles who followed him but do not repent will be completely cut off from God's people forever. In Jesus' words at Bountiful:
- "them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel; And I will execute vengeance and fury upon them, even as upon the heathen, such as they have not heard."
- The redemption of the Lamanites on Eressea #2,
- The salvation of as many Gentiles as will believe and repent
- The utter destruction of Omar-Brigham Young (Son of Perdition) and those that follow him
I can't shake this idea that the Gentiles are not just a catch all bucket of everyone besides Israel or any other distinct groups and covers the hordes of humanity. In reading your last two posts, I wonder if the Gentiles are the mormons. D&C 109 says those early saints were "identified with the Gentiles" which I think could mean they are just the advance party of other Gentiles (mormons) who would follow.
ReplyDeleteIf that idea holds water, the "mother gentiles" could be those in power within mormonism, meaning the GAC. 1 Nephi 13 uses the word "mother" to describe the GAC as well as to describe this subset of gentiles that later gather in war against the gentiles that have repented after raiding the promised land. In both cases, the "mother" is fighting against God. This reading would also make sense of the gentiles escaping "out of captivity" of the GAC when they head to the promised land. They get to escape from the influence and curses that the mother GAC has inflicted on the mormons/gentiles.
In fact it might be simpler to say "gentiles" are those who belong to the GAC in heaven who at times are born here, perhaps mostly as mormons. 1 Nephi 14 is pretty adamant that there are only 2 churches and that one is the devil's. I suspect we aren't talking about any religions we know about here but likely a church in heaven that has been set up in opposition to the church of the Lamb. I suspect it has enticed more than a few in heaven and that group is what we would call the gentiles.
ReplyDeleteSo when the mother gentiles gather upon the waters to war against the gentiles that have fled from captivity, we perhaps have the GAC from Eressea #1 coming to battle against Eressea #2 and it is the repentant gentiles w repentant Lamanites that are endowed w power to withstand the GAC mother gentiles b/c of the book they carry.
Leo:
ReplyDeleteDefinitely could be that Gentiles was meant to be more specific than everyone who isn't "Israel". Interesting thoughts.
I would hesitate to say Gentiles are simply 'Mormons', but I think you also got there in your second comment. Something like describing individuals who belong to the GAC might be a better definition, as you say, regardless of where they end up here in our world, or in others.
I like your thought that the GAC and mother Gentiles might originate from somewhere other than Earth - this is where my head is leaning, and this gets to my open question as to who they are and where they come from (I don't think they have the ability to do so from Earth given technology limitations as I mentioned in that post).
Building on this idea of yours, perhaps these 'mother' Gentiles exist on Valinor in addition to Eressea #1. Lehi first states, and then Jesus reconfirms, that those at "Jerusalem" (which I think is in Valinor, maybe) don't know anything about Eressea #2 (if all of this is accurate). Thus, it might be that with the Gentiles being brought from our world to Eressea #2, the GAC finally is made aware of this hidden location, and thus go to try and take it over. This, however, would defeat God's plan and not allow either the Lamanites or the Gentiles on that Eressea #2 an opportunity to repent (which has to happen for all those who are Israel among the Lamanites, and may happen for many of the Gentiles), so God ensures that they can fend off the GAC and be set up free for the time being.
Could that work?