Joseph Smith & A Marvelous Work and A Wonder
A “marvelous work and a wonder” is the Lord’s description of His efforts to gather and save his elect from the most severe bondage and destruction plot in history. Joseph Smith laid the foundation of Zion 190 years ago. But he’s returning again with vengeance to scatter watchmen, tear down hedges, destroy their towers and redeem the Lord’s vineyard. Zion will return triumphant.
📖 Summary & Study guide
The chapters of 1 Nephi 20-21 (Isaiah 48 and 49) are the backbone of this topic and the summary below. Most citations are the chapter and verse of those 1 Nephi references.
Why is a Marvelous Work & Wonder Necessary?
The discussion Isaiah begins by addressing members of the restoration branches that participate in a form of incorrect temple worship (Isaiah 20:1). Latter-day Saints claim to have the “fulness of the restored gospel,” but they rejected the path of ascension, or doctrine of Christ, whereby they would become Zion (ibid 20:2). Isaiah lays out the foundation for the big question regarding the marvelous work and a wonder: “why is it necessary?”
The Latter-day Gentile Apostasy
Nephi prophesied that latter-day gentiles (LDS church) believe “all is well in Zion” and hearken unto the precepts of men. Thus, they mistakenly esteem and revere false prophets for true ones. These saints “deny the power of God” and the path whereby they might receive the true ordinance of baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost (2 Nephi 28:24-27).
God made prophecies through Joseph Smith during his first ministry (1805-1844) that have and will come to pass (Isaiah 20:3). However, God is giving the gentiles (LDS) opportunities to come unto him, even though they hardened their hearts (ibid 20:4). God declared prophecies to Joseph during his first ministry, lest we think this marvelous work and wonder was performed by those who lead the latter-day gentiles as false prophets (20:5).
LDS gentiles will hearken unto the precepts of men, put their trust in man, and “make flesh their arm.” And thus, they deny the power of God and words of true prophets (2 Nephi 28:26,31).
26 Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!
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31 Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.
The Doctrine of Christ Returns
The Lord’s prophesied end-time servant declared, and will yet declare, new doctrine. Our responsibility is to declare the doctrine of Christ after we learn it and believe it. But in general, most will not (20:6).
81 Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.
Again, the servant will declare that former prophecies that he declared (during his first mission) as fulfilled. He will also declare new prophesies (20:7).
Another Chance, Despite the Condemnation
In the past we have hardened our hearts against God’s doctrine and the prophesies of His true prophets (20:8). The lord condemned the early church in 1832 for this very reason:
54 And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—
55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—
Even though the Latter-day Saints rejected Christ and the fulness of His gospel, God will give us another chance (20:9, 2 Nephi 28:32). The Lord is refining his people across many generations as they sojourn in the spiritual wilderness. He has not allowed our enemies to destroy the saints, as of yet (20:10). The Lord will redeem his people, those who choose to “take the Holy Spirit as their guide” and enter into his covenant (D&C 101:56).
The Lord’s House
The Lord still brings his people into the LDS church and the restoration branches that they might “awake and arise.” God’s glory is providing the path and opportunity to exalt his children, if they will (20:11). Those among the Latter-day saints who recognize and hear the Lord’s voice are his people. They are they who opened their ears to hear and hearts to understand, following only the precepts confirmed by the Holy Ghost (2 Nephi 28:28).
Christ prophesied to the Nephites that Latter-day gentiles (LDS) who repent and return become the house of Israel. This refers to those who enter into the new covenant and receive the baptism of fire and baptism of the Holy Ghost.
13 But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.
Gathering the gentiles who “return” to the Lord and preserving them from bondage and destruction is a major part of the marvelous work and a wonder.
The End-time Servant
The Lord’s servant participated in the creation and hears and obeys his voice (20:13). The Lord’s end-time servant receives an endowment of power to lead the marvelous work and a wonder. He who will destroy almost the whole world will not be able to destroy the end-time servant. Rather, the servant will have power to destroy the tyrannical oppressor (20:14). This servant will speak for God, be His true prophet and will have God’s protection (20:15).
This servant will declare that his prior prophecies from his first ministry are recorded and published in scripture (20:16). Those who follow God through the direction of his servant will receive guidance and protection (20:17). These are the wheat. Those who do not hearken unto the Lord, by the voice of his servant, will not receive covenant blessings. Instead they suffer destruction by the hand of the King of Babylon/Assyria (20:18). These are the tares. Those who do not hearken to the Lord, through His servants won’t make it into the millennium and will be destroyed.
A Strange Thing in the Land – A Wild Man Among Us
The end-time exodus will consist of the end-time servant leading the wheat out of Babylon (20:20). This miraculous exodus is similar to the one Moses led, when he delivered Israel from the Egyptians.
15 Behold, I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power;
16 Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel.
17 For ye are the children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham, and ye must needs be led out of bondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm.
18 And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be.
The Lord will provide for his people through his servant. Those who will not listen, will not receive the covenant blessings (20:21-22).
The mission of the end-time servant includes preaching to the house of Israel with bold, uncomfortable and even inflammatory messages. This is what all true prophets do, and always have done. Abinadi, Alma, Nephi, John the Baptist, etc. Key messages include declaring that all your religious leaders are in apostasy, including among the Latter-day Saints. But he is the Lord’s servant who will begin to gather in the strength of the Lord’s house who are not deceived (21:1).
The Lord’s end-time servant will return with those who will assist him in this marvelous work and wonder. He is commissioned, and begins his work (D&C 101:50-55).
A Marvelous Work & A Wonder
During this time, the “humble followers of Christ” among the Latter-day Saints suffer great persecution (2 Nephi 28:14). Strategies are laid to silence them, discredit them, cast them out and in some cases assassinate them in secret.
This end-time servant will speak by the power and authority of the Holy Ghost. While he learns, awakes, arises, ascends and is endowed with power, he remains hidden by the Lord (21:2).
The marvelous work and a wonder is the end-time gathering of Israel. No power on earth will thwart the doctrine of Christ being taught by the power and authority of the Holy Ghost. If we desire and act, we can assist the Lord’s end-time servants in this work. The choice is ours.
1 A great and marvelous work is about to come forth unto the children of men.
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3 Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.
4 Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God.
In this mighty battle, the spirit is the sword (D&C 27:18). The Lord declares that the mission of his end-time servant is to gather Israel into the Church of Christ (21:3).
Rejected As A Church With Your Dead
Joseph Smith, the end-time servant laments that he failed to establish Zion during his first ministry (21:4). However, he was called to “lay the foundation” for the great and marvelous work which is to come (D&C 64:33). Joseph succeeded in that mission. However, “all things must come to pass in their time” and the Lord’s words are “sure and shall not fail” (D&C 64:31-32).
In January 1841, the Latter-day Saints received the opportunity to “repent and return” during the allotted time frame given (Joseph’s lifetime). However, if they failed to “repent and return” in that time frame, the sign would be that they would not finish the Nauvoo temple (D&C 124:31). The Lord boldly declared that if that were the case, He would reject them as a church with their dead:
31 But I command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me; and during this time your baptisms shall be acceptable unto me.
32 But behold, at the end of this appointment your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me; and if you do not these things at the end of the appointment ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead, saith the Lord your God.
This is why the end-time servant lamented that he spent his strength in vain during his first ministry.
Second Commission of the End-time Servant
So, the servant shall gather Israel in his second commission: “to bring Jacob again to him” (21:5). Joseph is to restore the fullness of the gospel to the Latter-day Saints and to the whole earth, and to gather out all who will receive it (21:6).
The Latter-day Saints as a whole will reject the servant. Nevertheless, those who have “taken the Holy Spirit as their guide” will recognize and receive him, because they are close to the Lord. He ushers in the opening of the heavens and God’s elect awake, arise, and ascend (21:7).
The Holy Order Returns to the Earth
Alma taught the prerequisites for ordination to High Priest in the Holy Order:
3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.
These people match this description: They received the second comforter, became part of the Church of the Firstborn, received ordination and sealing as a High Priest in the Holy Order (or Patriarchal order of the Melchizedek priesthood) and thus became Kings and Priests unto the Most High God (D&C 76:53-58).
These are the true High Priests, which are not the same as the old guys sleeping on the back row during Elders Quorum lessons.
Reestablishment of the Everlasting Covenant
Through his servant, the Lord will gather his people and reestablish his everlasting covenant with them (21:8). Although the heavens closed for a time, they will open again and the everlasting covenant will return again (21:9). Those who the servant leads out on the end-time exodus will receive covenant blessings including protection and sustenance (21:10).
After the return of the Holy Order, then the fullness of the gospel will go to Israel in all the earth. Those who receive the gospel in its fullness will have a way of delivery from bondage prepared (21:11). The gatherers will gather Israel out from the four quarters of the earth and lead them on this end-time exodus to Zion (21:12).
Joseph Smith is the End-time Servant
Joseph Smith is the “man like unto Moses” who will lead the end time exodus:
15 Behold, I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power;
16 Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel.
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21 Verily, verily I say unto you, that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., is the man to whom I likened the servant to whom the Lord of the vineyard spake in the parable which I have given unto you.
22 Therefore let my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., say unto the strength of my house, my young men and the middle aged—Gather yourselves together unto the land of Zion…
The Lord delivers from bondage and affliction His people who repent and return. Which they brought on themselves because they would not hearken to the voice of the Lord (21:13). However, even the elect will go into bondage, which will prove a test for them. They will either ascend or descend (21:14), but God will not forget his covenant people (21:15).
Christ Remembers His Covenant People
Isaiah teaches us that Christ has purchased us with a price. Specifically those who have and will become his sons and daughters through the new covenant (21:16). Christ has ransomed his sons and daughters through his blood, and claims them as his own (D&C 101:56).
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ pleaded for those whom the Father had given him out of the world. These were those who of their own free will and choice would offer the new sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit, thus entering into the new covenant becoming Christ’s sons and daughters through the ordinance of baptism of fire and baptism of the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 19:28-29).
God Makes His Elect Equal to the Task
Lord restores his covenant people to their covenant land by making his people equal to the task (21:17). The servant and servants return, gather Christ’s covenant people, and proceed to bring down Christ’s “enemies” (D&C 101:55-58).
Those who keep their covenant with God become his elect. The elect (chosen) qualify for one of the 144,000 High Priests to help them ascend and enter into the Church of the Firstborn. These go on to become Kings and Priests (21:18).
11 Q. What are we to understand by sealing the one hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel—twelve thousand out of every tribe?
A. We are to understand that those who are sealed are high priests, ordained unto the holy order of God, to administer the everlasting gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given power over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn.
The Lord’s elect will enjoy the covenant blessings of the Lord’s people (21:19-22). The “strength of the Lord’s house” will commence a great missionary effort on the exodus that will eventually extend to the entire world. This missionary force will include High Priests from the Holy Order (21:22-23).
Marvelous Work & A Wonder Establishes Zion
The Lord will deliver his people from seemingly insurmountable bondage (21:24-25). The wicked that planned for the destruction of the Lord’s people will have their plans turned upon their own heads (21:26). The Lord’s people receive protection in the New Jerusalem from the dark powers of the adversary.
Zion and the New Jerusalem will be successfully redeemed and established as a remarkable success (D&C 97:18-28). Joseph Smith will have both successfully laid the foundation and redeemed Zion in the Lord’s due time. The marvelous work and a wonder will be complete.
Key scriptures
1 Nephi 20 (Isaiah 48); 1 Nephi 21 (Isaiah 49); 2 Nephi 28:14,24-28,31-32; D&C 88:81; D&C 84:54-57; 3 Nephi 16:13; D&C 103:14-18; D&C 6:1,3-4; Alma 13:3; D&C 103:15-22; D&C 97:18-28;
