Old Testament Summary Lesson 42: “I Will Write It In Their Hearts”

Higher or Lesser Law? Could it be that Israelites preferred to follow Moses the man rather than Jehovah the Lord when they said, “Moses, let God talk to you, and you’ll talk to us?” Unable to recognize that with higher responsibilities (statutes) they would receive higher rewards (judgments), they chose a lesser way, resulting in many written commandments, rules and regulations. Instead of relying on the “Rock of Salvation,” the pattern of self-sufficiency became the millstone of Israel – each time they forgot the Lord, they were on their own. They turned down the higher statutes (commandments) and lost the highest judgments (rewards) God wanted to give them. (Ezekiel 20:25-26)
Wandering Jews: The children of Israel wandered first for forty years and later wandered and became scattered throughout the world. The Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv plots the far-flung dispersion of Jews throughout the world. It includes references to many people claiming to be of the House of Israel (including Mormons). The museum is also chronicling the gathering of Israel as more than six million have made their way back to the land of their inheritance.

The Work of Gathering: This exodus from the Diaspora, when viewed in its complete scope, will be greater than the exodus from Egypt. The State of Israel has special emissaries assigned throughout the world to assist the Jews in gathering to Israel. This is a frustrating thing to some religious Jews. They feel that the State of Israel should be established by the Lord through a Messiah. They have strong traditions of a latter-day “Messiah ben Joseph, a Joseph, son of Joseph, who would receive the keys of the gathering of Israel and restore Temple worship.”
The Time Has Arrived: “. . . when the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has set his hand again the second time to recover the remnants of his people . . . and with them to bring in the fulness of the Gentiles, and establish that covenant with them, which was promised when their sins should be taken away. See Isaiah 6: Romans 6:25, 26 and 27, and also Jeremiah 31: 31, 32 and 33. This covenant has never (before) been established with the house of Israel, nor with the house of Judah . . .” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section One 1830-34 Pg.14)