2025 Study Summary 1: “THE PROMISED RESTORATION GOES FORWARD”
The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
“THE PROMISED RESTORATION GOES FORWARD”
This material was prepared by Daniel Rona who was born in Israel – educated in America – and has been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1950. He was a radio broadcaster in Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Chicago, and New York, as well as an international newscaster for the “Voice of Israel” in Jerusalem. In 1974, he returned to Israel with his wife, Marilyn, and their three children, now grown to five children. Like all Israelis, his sons and daughters served in the Israeli Military before their full-time missions.
Rona directs the nonprofit ENSIGN FOUNDATION which helps unite the people of Judah and Joseph in educational, cultural and scientific activities. The Ensign Foundation also provides learning experiences in the Holy Land. For almost 50-years, He has been the only LDS licensed tour guide in Israel. His background is unique: he is an American, an Israeli, and a Jewish member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Latter-day Saints, who have experienced ISRAEL REVEALED with Brother Rona, tell of greater enrichment in their lives through his spiritual and cultural insights. He harmonizes the language, the culture, the time and the places of the Holy Land, sharing the deep feelings and spirit of ancient and modern Israel. These are reflected in this Come Follow Me Supplemental Study Material along with weekly printable summary sheets which he also provides on the Internet, www.IsraelRevealed.com. His book, ISRAEL REVEALED, is an authoritative work bringing the ethnic cultures and traditions of the Holy Land into a spiritual and pictographic review. He also produced a TV mini-series about Israel. These six TV-films are also on home-videos and the YouTube channel ‘Israel Revealed with Daniel and Steven Rona.’ Brother Rona has served many years in the presidencies of the Israel District and Jerusalem Branches. He and his late wife, Sister Marilyn Rona (1941-2024) served as Senior Missionaries in the Church History Department since 2012.
It is important to read the actual scriptures. These Holy Land and Jewish insights are added to help the teacher and student “go back” to the setting in which the scriptures were given, to better understand the general Jewish “echoes” of those scriptures. Jewish views have varied with time and dispersion. Yet understanding the Jews (basically Judah) will help Joseph in the prophetic mission of reuniting “Joseph and Judah.” This knowledge may amplify your understanding to the original truths which God gave to his children, yesterday and today as well as tomorrow.
Prophesies about the apostacy:
Deuteronomy 29:18 – Israel had to guard against their hearts turning away from the Lord.
Proverbs 29:18 – Where there is no vision, the people perish.
Isaiah 24:5 – They have broken the everlasting covenant.
Matthew 7:27 – The winds beat upon that house, and it fell.
Galatians 1:6 – I marvel that ye are so soon removed unto another gospel.
1 Nephi 8:23, 1 Nephi 12:17 – They commenced in the good path but lost their way in the mist.
1 Nephi. 8:28 – After they had tasted of the fruit, they fell away into forbidden paths.
Alma 4:6-12 – Nephite apostasy caused a stumbling block for nonbelievers.
Helaman 3:33-34, Helaman 4:11–13; 5:2–3. Many members of the Church became proud and persecuted other members.
Helaman 12:2; 13:38 – When the Lord prospers his people, they sometimes harden their hearts and forget him.
3 Nephi 2:1-3. – The Nephites hardened their hearts and fell under Satan’s power.
Mormon 8:28, 31-41 – Moroni prophesied about apostasy in the last days.
Doctrine and Covenants 1:13-16 – Apostasy will precede the Second Coming.
Warnings of early Christian Church apostasy:
Isaiah 29:10, 13 – This people draw near me with their mouth.
Isaiah 60:2 – Darkness shall cover the earth.
Amos 8:11 – The Lord will send a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
Matthew 24:24 – There shall arise false Christs and false prophets.
Acts 20:29 – Grievous wolves shall enter in among you.
Galatians 1:6 – I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 – There will be a falling away before the Second Coming.
2 Timothy 2:18 – Some people err concerning the truth.
2 Timothy 3:2-5 – Some people have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 – The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine..
2 Peter 2:1 – There will be false prophets and false teachers among the people.
Jude 1:4 – Certain men crept in denying the only Lord God.
Revelation 2:2 – Some men said they were Apostles and were not.
1 Nephi 13:26 – Nephi saw the formation of a great and abominable church.
2 Nephi 26:20 – The Gentiles have stumbled and built up many churches.
Doctrine and Covenants 1:15 – They have strayed from mine ordinances and have broken mine everlasting covenant.
Doctrine and Covenants 112:23 – Darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people.
Joseph Smith-History 1:19 – Joseph was told that the churches were all wrong; their hearts were far from God.
Prophecies and commandments about the restoration:
Joseph Smith-History 1 – Doctrine and Covenants 128:20-21 – God’s reestablishment of the truths and ordinances of His gospel among men on earth. The gospel of Jesus Christ was lost from the earth through the apostasy that took place following the earthly ministry of Christ’s Apostles. That apostasy made necessary the Restoration of the gospel. Through visions, the ministering of angels, and revelations to men on the earth, God restored the gospel. The Restoration started with the Prophet Joseph Smith and has continued to the present through the work of the Lord’s living prophets.
Isaiah. 2:2, Micah 4:2; 2 Nephi 12:2 – The Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains.
Isaiah 29:14, 2 Nephi 25:17-18, Doctrine and Covenants 4:1 – God will do a marvellous work and a wonder.
Daniel 2:44 – God shall set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed.
Matthew 17:11, Mark 9:12, Doctrine and Covenants 77:14 – Elias will come, and restore all things.
Acts 3:21, Doctrine and Covenants 27:6 – There will come times of restitution of all things.
Ephesians 1:10 – In the dispensation of the fulness of times, God will gather together in one all things.
Revelation 14:6 – I saw another angel, having the everlasting gospel to preach.
1 Nephi 15:13–18 – The fulness of the gospel will come unto the Gentiles.
2 Nephi 9:2 – The Jews shall be restored to the true church.
3 Nephi 16:7 – In the latter day shall the truth come.
Doctrine and Covenants 13, Joseph Smith-History 1:69 – Upon you I confer the Priesthood of Aaron.
Doctrine and Covenants 27:6, 13–14, Doctrine and Covenants 128:19–21 – have committed the keys of the kingdom for the last times.
Doctrine and Covenants 77:9 – Gather together the tribes of Israel and restore all things.
Doctrine and Covenants 110:16, Doctrine and Covenants 65:2 – The keys of this dispensation are committed.
Doctrine and Covenants 112:30 – The priesthood is given in the dispensation of the fulness of times.
Joseph Smith-History 1:17 – I saw two Personages.
Joseph Smith-History 1:38, Malachi 4:5–6 – I will reveal unto you the priesthood, by the hand of Elijah.
What latent echoes do religious Jews convey about an “Ephraim fostered” restoration?
In the Torah, the firstborn is usually the primary inheritor and is given the responsibility to lead the next generation. Jacob blesses his two grandsons, and in doing so, may have discomfited his son, Joseph. He stretches out his hands in a cross fashion so that his right hand rests on the younger Ephraim’s head and his left hand on the older Manasseh’s head. He reordered their hierarchy without physically moving anyone from their designated positions. Jacob had dropped a hint earlier—as Joseph stated, “Ephraim and Menashe are mine.” (Genesis 48:5) Ephraim is mentioned first. Jacob proceeds to bless his two grandsons, stretching out his hands in a crisscross fashion so that his right-hand rests on the younger son’s head. The doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints relates that at no time in history is the contribution of Ephraim as manifest as it is today. Jewish thought is similar; “The wandering sons that went into the darkness will generate new light upon their return, with a teshuva (return and repent) marked by the great love of reunion. Only through teshuvah with love can darkness itself be transformed to light. There’ is more profit; we create more light than was initially put into the world. This light rebounds all the way up to the Divine worlds, beyond the level from which it was even launched! The truth has embraced the highest to the nethermost worlds.” (see Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, pp. 432-438, Gitty Stolik, editor of Our Vogue, a publication highlighting the beauty of Jewish modesty).
What name is the restorer called by Jews?
There are rabbinic suggestions of expected heaven-sent visitors that include a latter-day Messiah, Ben-Joseph, who will receive the keys of the gathering of Israel and restore temple worship. When the Chief Rabbi, Avraham HaKohen Kook was appointed in Palestine in the 1920’s, he was asked if the Jews could now build the Temple (destroyed since year 70 A.D.). His response was that the priestly rights were gone and referred to the great 12th century rabbi Moses Maimonides, who said, in effect, “We are waiting for a Messiah Ben-Joseph. To him will be given the keys of the gathering of Israel. He will restore Temple worship.” There is a chiasmus here that memorializes ancient Joseph, who saved his family, yet they did not know who he was. Latter-day Joseph is saving his brothers again, (more foreign aid goes to Israel from the U.S.A., the land of Joseph, than from all other countries combined) and they don’t know that it is “Joseph.” The center of the chiasmus is in the meridian of times. There was “One” who saved us all – and still most people don’t know Him.
What was the “timing” of being restored?
Anciently, when his brothers sought “foreign aid” from the Egyptians, their own brother, Joseph, was the “servant” to save them. First, he did so without revealing his true identity. When he finally revealed himself it was in humble family circumstance and he apparently prophesied that in latter days another Joseph would save his family again. From the Book of Mormon we find a reiteration of that prophecy: “. . . For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt. And great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph. Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light–yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom . . . Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers . . . And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation . . . who shall do much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and do that thing which is great in the sight of God, unto the bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel, and unto the seed of thy brethren.” (Excerpts from 2 Nephi 3)
Who is the latter-day Joseph?
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know that this prophecy has been fulfilled in the nineteenth century through the mission of Joseph Smith Jr. Ancient Joseph overcame his “pride” and served his brothers forgivingly (at first without identifying himself). He, thereby, established a pattern for a latter-day Joseph, who, for the time being, is keeping his identity from Judah and should release all forms of pride as he serves his family forgivingly.
What are the repeated restoration signs?
“The phenomenon of heavenly visions occurred throughout time. Whether it was Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Ezekiel or any of the prophets of old, the people=s reaction was either very negative or supportive. Some of those visions happened outside of Israel (Ezekiel) and even came to what Jews call AGentile Prophets,@ (Baalam). Many of those visions foresaw the time of the restoration. AEzekiel was the only prophet to prophesy outside the Land of Israel. Ezekiel saw the entire history of Israel as one continuous breach of the Covenant, for which the destruction of the Temple was the just and predicted punishment. From the prophet’s call until the start of Jerusalem’s siege the prophecies are condemnatory. During the siege years and briefly thereafter the prophecies condemn Israel’s neighbors who were involved in Judah’s revolt but failed to support her. However, although the Book of Ezekiel starts on a note of doom, it continues with consolation, and the news of Jerusalem’s fall is followed by consolatory prophecies of its restoration. Ezekiel is transported in a vision to the future Jerusalem and describes the future Temple in detail. He also gives a blueprint for the reorganization of the priesthood and the allocation of the Land of Israel to the respective tribes. Among the most striking prophecies in the Bible is Ezekiel’s vision in Babylonia, of the valley of dry bones which become miraculously reconstructed and come to life. Such a message must have been of great encouragement to the depressed exiles of Judah.” “AIn his vision of the end of days, the prophet Zechariah foretells that all the nations of the world will assemble for the festival of Sukkot in Jerusalem to worship God.@ (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
What happened to the restoration dreams?
When visions and revelations were interrupted for a time, because the people were not worthy to accept such divine manifestations, their importance faded and hope for future revelation diminished. ADreams have fascinated people through the ages. The Biblical view was that dreams are divine communicationBevents transpiring on a supernatural plane. Thus, dreams were regarded as omens, which could be interpreted only by visionaries or prophets, who were in touch with this >divine dimension.= In the Bible, >dreamer,= >prophet,= and >magician= are related terms.@ (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) The Biblical accounts of Joseph and Daniel have a great basis in dreams. Some of them irritated family or friends, and others brought hope for redemption, as well as condemnation, of people in the lands where they lived.
Where will the restoration begin?
The prophecies of the AColonization of America@ in the Book of Mormon echo the blessings, prophecies and visions given to Joseph, son of Jacob (Israel). The fascinating geographic connection in his blessing is the term, Aeverlasting hills.@ Mountainous Israel is the ACrossroads of the East.@ On the other hand, Utah (ATops of the Mountains@ in the Navaho language) is the ACrossroads of the West.@ There are only two land masses on this planet that have a perpetual, unending range of mountains or Aeverlasting hills,@ Israel and USA. The connection to God=s everlasting ways is also noted. AIn the blessing given by Jacob to his son Joseph, the inheritance of America is foreshadowed and predicted in the following words: >Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall . . . The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.= (Genesis 49:26)@ (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation Vol.3, Pg.68)
How can I recognize the true restoration?
AWhenever God has called and authorized men to perform a work in any age or dispensation, it has been done by revelations, and not by mere impressions, or some undefinable, internal feelings, which leave the mind in uncertainty and doubt. Noah was called by the word of the Lord to be a preacher of righteousness, and to build an ark. Abraham, Lot, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, were called by revelation to perform a great variety of duties. Moses and Aaron were called to the priest’s office by the word of the great Jehovah. Seventy elders of Israel were called by revelation to assist Moses. Joshua was appointed by the word of the Lord through Moses to be his successor in leading Israel. The successors of Aaron were appointed to the priesthood by revelation. The Judges of Israel were called by visions, by angels and by the inspiration of the Spirit. Samuel was called by the voice of the Lord. And finally, all their officers, wise men and prophets, down to the days of Malachi, were called by new revelation. @ (Orson Pratt Divine Authenticity of BofM, No. 2 (1850), p.17)
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