Zion


richard7900
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This has a potential for more than one meaning:

1) An Old Testament experience, paraphrased, "There are more with us than withe them," and eyes were opened to see legions of angels protecting the city. 
2) As we are a people that will defend ourselves, a united strong front is enough to detour wicked mobs, even by force. For a blunt cliche, "Don't wake up the sleeping bear." Don't attack Zion, for they are great and terrible, and if not by legions of angels, then by sheer power from the people physically which detours others to fight against you. If you are the kid that beat up the school bully, you are less likely to be attacked by other bullies.
3) We may be like the 3 prophets in Jerusalem, the ability to call forth elements through power (righteousness) and authority (keys) of the priesthood. 

These are current thoughts I have on this matter, and it could be a combination of all three.

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I think your question is referring to D&C 45 (see quote below). I'm also fascinated by the idea of Zion - when, where, what, how will it be?

To start with, here's the official church blurb about it:

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Zion

The word Zion has various meanings in the scriptures. The most general definition of the word is “the pure in heart” (D&C 97:21). Zion is often used in this way to refer to the Lord's people or to the Church and its stakes (see D&C 82:14). It has also been used to refer to specific geographical locations.

Additional Information

The word Zion appears repeatedly in all the books of scripture of the Church. In latter-day revelation, Zion is defined as “the pure in heart” (D&C 97:21).

In the early days of this dispensation, Church leaders counseled members to build up Zion by emigrating to a central location. Today our leaders counsel us to build up Zion wherever we live. Members of the Church are asked to remain in their native lands and help establish the Church there. Many temples are being built so Latter-day Saints throughout the world can receive temple blessings.

The word Zion can also refer to specific geographic locations, as follows:

The city of Enoch (see Moses 7:18-21).

The ancient city of Jerusalem (see 2 Samuel 5:6–7; 1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 9:28).

The New Jerusalem, which will be built in Jackson County, Missouri (seeD&C 45:66-67; 57:1-3; Articles of Faith 1:10).

—See True to the Faith (2004), 189-90

https://www.lds.org/topics/zion?lang=eng

 

D&C 45:

Quote

64 Wherefore I, the Lord, have said, gather ye out from theeastern lands, assemble ye yourselves together ye elders of my church; go ye forth into the western countries, call upon the inhabitants to repent, and inasmuch as they do repent, build up churches unto me.

 65 And with one heart and with one mind, gather up your riches that ye may purchase an inheritance which shall hereafter be appointed unto you.

 66 And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land ofpeace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God;

 67 And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terrorof the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion.

 68 And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.

 69 And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nationunder heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another.

 70 And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion areterrible; wherefore we cannot stand.

 71 And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy.

 72 And now I say unto you, keep these things from going abroad unto the world until it is expedient in me, that ye may accomplish this work in the eyes of the people, and in the eyes of your enemies, that they may not know your works until ye have accomplished the thing which I have commanded you;

 73 That when they shall know it, that they may consider these things.

 74 For when the Lord shall appear he shall be terribleunto them, that fear may seize upon them, and they shall stand afar off and tremble.

 75 And all nations shall be afraid because of the terror of the Lord, and the power of his might. Even so. Amen.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

In the Book of Mormon they sometimes were given where and how to fight their enemies as well.

"God promised Abraham and his descendants that in the latter days their posterity would...be gathered to places of safety. The Father commanded the Savior to teach these promises to the Nephites." (3 Nephi 20-22 Bof M SG 122-123)

I think the big thing though is the Abrahamic promises of protection for the righteous. I was reading recently in a student manual  (quote above) that being gathered to places of safety is also an Abrahamic promise. We are told that someday the Saints will be gathered to the New Jerusalem for safety, how much of North America the New Jerusalem might include before the tribulations I don't know, but my guess would be probably not the valleys/cities (my neighbors both LDS and not have already told me that if things get bad they are coming to my house and will beg, borrow or steal what they need...and I have a LOT of neighbors and we know that the brethren have said that very few LDShave followed the commandment to be prepared for the prophesied calamities/tribulations).

But for at least right now we know that we are to be building Zion in our stakes where ever that is. So IF that ever changes from our existing stakes to going somewhere else...that could be God keeping His promises to the Fathers and we should go (make sure you have what is needed to survive) if we want to be with the brethren in Zion of the very Last Days.

 

 

Edited by lds2
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The tenth article of faith states: “We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.”

 

 

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President Benson talks of the difficulties yet to be experienced...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhIQZGxeY6E

"But to an otherwise gloomy picture there is a bright side—the coming of our Lord in all His glory. His coming will be both glorious and terrible, depending on the spiritual condition of those who remain.

One appearance will be to the righteous Saints who have gathered to the New Jerusalem here in America. In this place of refuge they will be safe from the wrath of the Lord which will be poured out without measure on all nations.

Modern revelation provides this description:

“And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion."

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, Finrock said:

Being filled with the Spirit, means being filled with God's power, which is priesthood. Millions of individuals full of the Spirit of God, or full of God's power, can't be messed with, to put it in mundane terms. And when I say full, I mean full.

-Finrock

To attain the fulness of the priesthood is to attain His presence as with Melchizedek, Enoch, Moses and others, who as "priests" unto the most high God, by the sealing power, which comes from the calling of His own voice, can and will reign down terror upon a telestial people who fight against Him and His people.

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JST Genesis 14:26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.

 27 And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch,

 28 It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God;

 29 And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.

 30 For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;

 31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.

 32 And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.

 33 And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace...

This is why Zion will be terrible to the people of the world who will be at war against each other and against the people of Zion. They are people who will not simply walk into Zion untested and unprepared. One does not simply take up residence without being cleansed. One becomes a Zion individual before coming unto Zion. One must have the kind of faith required to sacrifice all things, to lay down this life for a more excellent one. 

 

 

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Moses 7:13 And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him.

 14 There also came up a land out of the depth of the sea, and so great was the fear of the enemies of the people of God, that they fled and stood afar off and went upon the land which came up out of the depth of the sea.

 15 And the giants of the land, also, stood afar off; and there went forth a curse upon all people that fought against God;

 16 And from that time forth there were wars and bloodshed among them; but the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness.

 17 The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish.

 18 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.

The people of Zion are of

1. One heart
2. One mind
3. Dwell in righteousness
4. Have NO poor among them

They do not suffer anyone to be unequal, for all are equal in temporal things, and thus are made equal by God in heavenly things. 

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This is a fascinating topic, thank you.

Isaiah 2:3

And many peoples shall go, and they shall say, "Come, let us go up to the L-rd's mount, to the house of the G-d of Jacob, and let Him teach us of His ways, and we will go in His paths," for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of the L-rd from Jerusalem.

 גוְהָלְכוּ עַמִּים רַבִּים וְאָמְרוּ לְכוּ | וְנַעֲלֶה אֶל הַר יְהֹוָה אֶל בֵּית אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב וְיֹרֵנוּ מִדְּרָכָיו וְנֵלְכָה בְּאֹרְחֹתָיו כִּי מִצִּיּוֹן תֵּצֵא תוֹרָה וּדְבַר יְהֹוָה מִירוּשָׁלִָם

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