Summary Lesson 9: “The Only True and Living Church”

GOD CHOOSES THE DAY: To better understand the miracle of the restoration and the day that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially organized, let us go back to Biblical times. Isaac, a miracle child, was born of barren Sarah who was ninety-years old. “According to the Aggadah, Isaac was born to Sarah on the first day of Passover.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
RESTORATION ON JESUS’ BIRTHDAY, PASSOVER: Per revelation, the Savior was born on the same day as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, April 6, 1830. In the Biblical/Jewish calendar, that day was the first day of Passover in 1830. That means, that the Son of God was born to Mary on the first day of Passover, the holiday representing the redemption and restoration of Israel. It is also the holiday that anticipates an even greater redemption of Israel in the future that includes restored temple activity and the advent of the Messiah.
GOD SPEAKS BEFORE HE ACTS: The modern-day restoration included the priestly powers in an organizational structure. “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7) In Hebrew, the words, secret, counsel, advice and insight are all related in meaning! “. . . Amos, preached a powerful message that sounds as relevant in the Western world of the twentieth century as it did in Erez (land of) Israel in Amos’ own day.” Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.

JEWISH CUSTOM OF WINE AND BREAD: In a religious Jewish home, every Sabbath Eve begins with an old ritual of a blessing and pouring of a little pure wine (or living [spring] water if wine is not available). It is followed by a blessing, breaking and eating of a little piece of the “Hallah” bread. This old weekly ritual using wine and bread (in that order) also includes a remembrance of the first Passover deliverance from Egypt and expectation of a future deliverance.
OLD WINE MADE NEW: At Cana, Jesus graciously turned water into wine (very new) and it was better than the old. The prophetic metaphor of New Wine (Joel 1:5, Luke 5:39) was fulfilled when Jesus, at the Last Supper, instituted a new meaning for the old ordinance of “wine and bread.” Taking “bread and wine” he said “. . . this do in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25)
SABBATH DAY CHANGED: “The Sabbath bears record of Christ: from Adam to Moses it was the 7th (weekly) day to signify that our Lord rested on that day from his creative labors (Ex. 20:8-11); from Moses to Christ, the (annual Passover) Sabbath day was a different day each year to commemorate our Lord’s leading of the children of Israel out of bondage (Deut. 5:12-15); and from the apostolic day until now, the Sabbath has been the first day of the week to point attention to our Lord’s resurrection on his holy day.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, Pg.452)