As we’ve been focusing on the scripture project, which we
hope will bring about receiving a covenant from the Lord, Jesus Christ, I’ve
begun to realize something: there is currently no scripture canonized today
that teaches a people in word and by example how to bring about Zion.
The last time Zion was accomplished was in the days of
Melchizedek with Salem, the City of Peace.
The only other time Zion has been accomplished was previous to Salem with
the City of Enoch. The scriptures
contain references to these cities, but no actual recordings from the
participants about how they governed themselves other than what little is said
in scripture, “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.” Moses 7:18
The Old Testament begins with the book of Genesis, “written”
by Moses, or as some scholars believe, by four different sources, the
“Yahwists”, “Elohists”, “Deuteronomists” and the “priestly document”. Whomever
it was written by, one thing is certain, the Old Testament recorders lived long
after both Zions had fled from the earth.
“And
Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion;
and it came to pass that Zion was not, for God received it up into his own
bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, Zion is Fled.” (Moses 7:69)
We do not have any actual existing records in today’s known
world of scripture which was written by any of the Patriarchs or “Fathers in
Heaven”. Because of this we do not know
how to organize ourselves under a Patriarchal system where all people are equal
and function more as a family rather than an institution.
After Salem, the City of Peace, the people of the Old
Testament failed to bring about Zion.
The people of the New Testament failed to bring about Zion. The people of the Book of Mormon came very
close in 4th Nephi but in the
end failed to bring about Zion. The people
of the Doctrine and Covenants failed to bring about Zion. These groups all
failed because they organized themselves into institutions that were hierarchical
rather than equal.
Is it wisdom in the Lord to keep the ideals, principles and
guidelines followed by the people who were successful in bringing about Zion
hidden from the world? If we had the
records from Adam down to Ephraim (the Fathers in Heaven) would the world have
even more pretenders? Would the
knowledge damn us even more? Would it be used by conspiring men to enslave us
even more? Or is it that we are too
stubborn and stiff-necked to even understand the patriarchal model at all and
therefore it is kept hidden from our view out of mercy in order to spare us
greater condemnation and judgement?
All we know for sure is that both Enoch and Melchizedek
preached repentance unto their people. Their people repented from all their
wickedness and peace was established.
Today we have been sent a true messenger from the
Father. He has been sent from the
Fathers clothed with power and authority as an authorized servant to give us a
message. The message is to repent! But
it is also about how to govern ourselves so as to bring about Zion. As my family and I have been repenting and implementing
the teachings we are learning, I am beginning to see how bringing about Zion
can take centuries to accomplish.
One of the difficult struggles I have been witness to lately
is that of equality: what it means and how we go about implementing it.
One of the lessons God has been teaching me lately is that Equality
is not just between men but also extends to women. “ God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him;
male and female created he them.”
Genesis 1:27 I have been greatly blessed
to be married to a man who has treated me as his equal and walked side by side
with me throughout our journey on this earth.
I generally associate with other men who treat their wives and other
women with respect and equality.
Recently I have interacted with men who are all so busy
trying to be equal with other men that they trample on the tender hearts of
women. Men may have knowledge but
without the wisdom of women there is not true equity. Recent events have left
me feeling that far too many men do not see women as their equals in spiritual
matters. Interactions with men outside
of my family and friends have left me feeling unappreciated, overlooked and
minimized. Some interactions have even left
me feeling embarrassed and humiliated.
This has caused me to think about the women mentioned in
scripture from the Old Testament to the Pearl of Great Price. While there are stories about women there are
no books which have been penned by women. As I’ve pondered on this, I thought
about all the women of great faith, even prophetesses whose stories are in the scriptures. Surely, some of these women wrote about
becoming daughters of Christ and receiving His testimony. This world has been a male dominated world
since sin was introduced. Men are generally
the ones who form committees to compile and canonize scripture, therefore, it
only makes sense that men, threatened by and jealous of women having greater
light and knowledge, would remove any writings penned by women.
As I have been pondering the current scripture project and
the desire for equality among believers, the Lord has whispered to my heart
that one of the tests underway in regards to equality is whether His Daughters
will rise up and whether or not His Sons will allow us to. It is not just equality between men that God
desires for us but equality among all people, male and female, young and old.
“Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and
cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my
commandments, shall see my face and know that I am” D&C 93:1
“For there is no respect of persons with God.” Romans 2:11
Unless we take
seriously that women are created equal to men we will continue to fail to bring
about Zion.
Part of this responsibility lies on the shoulders of the
women; we must rise up; we must speak up; we must expect respect and equality
and we must extend it to each other. Christ
wants His daughters to speak up, to be more involved. If women cannot learn to
respect and treat other women with equity we can never hope to be treated as
such by men. If we cannot learn how to
be equal we will never bring about Zion.
