The Parable of the Redemption of Zion – Introduction

The Lord provided a parable outlining some details as to how the many prophecies concerning the redemption of Zion are to be fulfilled in the last days. The parable of the redemption of Zion (sometimes called the “parable of the nobleman and the olive trees“) contains crucial information about the condition of the Lord’s house in the last days and how the Lord will execute Zion’s redemption. What does the parable mean?

📖 Study guide

📃 Transcript

To understand the parable of the redemption of Zion, we have to understand that Joseph Smith actually restored three orders of the gospel. We’ll be getting into the details and the specifics of this in a later zoom meeting, but he restored a terrestrial order, the church of Christ. He restored a celestial order, the Church of the Firstborn and a telestial order, the Church of the Latter-day Saints, or the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham. Now, each order of the gospel has a different purpose. It has a different body of doctrine and Joseph Smith taught different things to different people based on the time and place and the spiritual level or the spiritual order that they belonged to.

Second, the purpose of a terrestrial order of the gospel is to do exactly what it says, in D&C 84 and in D&C 84 verses 23 and 24, it says “now Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God.” This is what a terrestrial order of the gospel does. And Joseph Smith’s name and Moses’s name are interchangeable in these verses just as Moses sought to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God so did Joseph Smith.

And how did they seek to diligently sanctify their people? Through getting their people to take upon them the names of Christ by offering up a broken heart and contrite spirit, to receive the baptism of fire and the baptism of the Holy ghost. That is what prepares a man, a woman or a people to then at a future time enter into the rest of the Lord, which rest is the fullness of his glory.

Introduction to the Parable – Defining Terms

Now let’s turn to D&C 101 and start the parable of redemption of Zion and the parable of the redemption of Zion starts in verse 43: “and I will show unto you a parable that you may know my will concerning the redemption of Zion.” Now do you have to redeem something that has not fallen or been ransomed? So this is about the redemption of Zion. The only reason that Zion must be redeemed is because at some point it either falls or has been ransomed.

Verse 44: “a certain nobleman had a spot of land, very choice. And he said unto his servants go ye unto my vineyard. Even upon this very choice piece of land and plant twelve olive trees.” Now the nobleman in this parable is the Lord. “Had a spot of land, very choice.” It’s North America. And, in that choice piece of land, he plants a vineyard or directs his servants to plant a vineyard. That is the establishment of Zion and the restoration of the gospel under Joseph Smith.

First Laborers in the Last Kingdom

And he said unto his servants, you know, his servants are those who the Lord calls in D&C 88, the first labors in the last kingdom. He also calls a group of men before 1835, when the Twelve are called to the church office of apostle in the telestial Church of the Latter-day Saints. Before that period, he calls a group of men “my apostles” and “my friends.” And in this parable, he calls them my servants or those about whom when Oliver Cowdery gave his apostolic charge to the newly called Twelve in 1835: you have come this far based on other men’s testimonies. Now you must part the veils to the face of God and be ordained by Jesus Christ.

Who were these other men that they had come this far based upon their testimonies? What these men were, the first laborers in the last kingdom, these servants that are being talked about here, are those who the Lord prior called “my apostles” and “my friends.” So these are the servants.

Olive Trees

We find in some of Joseph Smith’s other sermons that the 12 olive trees represent the 12 tribes of Israel, which started to be gathered under Joseph Smith’s first ministry. It got cut short and then “the marvelous work and a wonder” when the gathering of the 12 tribes is to continue and is to culminate, we’ll start again with his second ministry.

Watchmen on the Tower

Verse 45: “and set watchmen round about them and built a tower that when they overlooked the land round about to be a watchman upon the tower, that mine olive trees may not be broken down when the enemy shall come to spoil and take upon themselves the fruit of my vineyard.”

Alright, so we have the introduction of the term watchmen. Watchman are those who come after the initial servants, you know, including the 12 apostles called in 1835, the 70, the high council, state presidents. We have the introduction of building a tower and setting a watchman upon the tower to provide a safety and protection to the olive trees or to the newly gathered 12 tribes of Israel and the establishment of Zion.

The Meaning of the Tower

Now, when you start at the bottom level of a tower and you go to the top of the tower, what are you doing? You’re ascending. So, to build the tower and to set a watchman on the top of a tower means to fulfill that charge given by Oliver Cowdery. Now you must part the veil, see the face of God and be ordained by Christ. It is the path of ascension and it is by ascending to that level, that one receives that level of revelation which is needed and required to take care of the Lord’s vineyard (the 12 olive trees) to keep the enemy from breaking down the hedge and destroying the vineyard.

Verse 46: “now the servants of the nobleman went and did as their Lord commanded them and planted the olive trees and built a hedge round about and set watchman and began to build a tower.” So the servants, the original servants, they fulfill their charge, and now we have a transition from the original servants to the watchmen.

What Need Hath my Lord of This Tower?

“And while they were yet laying the foundation thereof, they began to say among themselves and what need hath my Lord of this tower and consulted for a long time saying among themselves, what need hath my Lord of this tower? Seeing this is a time of peace.”

Now, I would cross reference this with what Joseph Smith counseled the relief society near the end of his life, and paraphrasing, he said your minds have been darkened because you have relied too much upon me and neglected your own relationship with Christ. The problem wasn’t that they had relied upon Joseph Smith. The problem was that they had neglected building their own tower or the relationship with Christ. They had neglected their own ascension. Joseph Smith’s whole purpose wasn’t to point the saints to him, it was to get them to build their own tower, but the saints were lazy and instead of building their own tower, relied too much upon Joseph Smith and neglected their own responsibility.

Might Not This Money be Given to the Exchangers?

But, in verse 49, it actually gets worse than that. “Might not this money be given to the exchangers for, there is no need of these things.” Money in this metaphor is the same thing that money represents in our day. It’s it’s a store of time and effort and diligence. So, not only did they become lazy in building their own tower, but it says that they invested their time, their effort with the exchangers. I would ask you to ask the Lord what that means “might not this money be given to the exchangers.” I would think, think about the money changers in the temple during Christ’s day.

And in verse 50: “while they were yet at variance with one another, they became very slothful and they hearkened not unto the commandments of the Lord and the enemy came by night and broke down the hedge. And the servants of the nobleman arose and were affrighted, and fled. and the enemy destroyed their works and broke down the olive trees. Now behold, the nobleman, the Lord of the vineyard called upon his servants and said unto them.“

“Why, what is the cause of this great evil? Ought ye not to have done as I commanded you- after you had planted the vineyard and built the hitch run about and set watchmen upon the walls thereof- built the tower also and set a watchman upon the tower and watched for my vineyard and not have fallen asleep, lest the enemy should have come upon you? And behold, the watchman upon the tower would have seen the enemy while he was yet a far off. And then you could have made ready and kept the enemy from breaking down the hedge thereof, and saved my vineyard from the hands of the destroyer.”

Return of the Servant

And in verse 55, we have a transition. “And the Lord of the vineyard said unto one of his servants.” And as we’re going to read in D&C 103, the Lord declares that this servant that the Lord is talking to is in fact, Joseph Smith. Not in his first ministry, but in his second. “Go and gather together the residue of my servants.”

So not only does Joseph Smith return on the scene in the last days, right before the coming of Jesus Christ, but so do all of those who the Lord called my servants initially. They all returned, and the first thing that Joseph Smith does is he gathers them together. “And take all the strength of mine house, which are my warriors, my young men, and they that are of middle age also among all my servants, who are the strength of mine house, save those only whom I have appointed to tarry.“

So once Joseph Smith assembles the servants, they go into the church and they gather out those the Lord calls “the strength of mine house. My young men, my warriors, they that are of middle age.” Now, when Joseph Smith came in his first ministry and when Christ came in his first ministry, they came as lambs. But in Christ second coming, he comes as a lion and as a warrior and so does Joseph Smith.

The Strength of the Lord’s House

Now, the strength of Lord’s house are those in the restoration branches who have seen the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the scriptures of the restoration or the doctrine of Christ, the path of ascension, which is entering into the new and everlasting covenant, taking Christ’s name upon us, offering up a broken heart and contrite spirit as Christ outlines in 3 Nephi 9.

However, we only know in small measure, you know, what that even means and the rest of what it means to offer a broken heart and contract spirit must be received by revelation. And whatever spiritual level we are at the key to ascending to the next spiritual level whether it’s seeking after and receiving the baptism of fire, baptism of the Holy Ghost, or even Jesus Christ himself as he is in the garden of Gethsemane and he’s crying out unto the Father, saying, Father, I know what is coming.

If there be any other way, let’s take that way. But if not, thy will be done. Even Christ to ascend to his next spiritual level, entered into the new and everlasting covenant with Father and it was revealed to him by the spirit about exactly what he had to do to do that. And so it is with us. And that is how we become the strength of Lord’s house. That is how we qualify to be among those who will be gathered out.

Mission of the End-time Servants

Verse 56: “go ye straightway unto the land of my vineyard and redeem my vineyard for it is mine. I have bought it with money.” Or in other words, Christ has invested his time and his effort and his blood in his people and he seeks to redeem them. They are his. “Therefore get ye straight away unto my land, break down the walls of mine enemies, throw down their tower and scatter their watchman.” So, notice that in verse 57, the enemies of the Lord also have walls. They have a tower. And they’ve got watchman and the charge that is given to the servants and to the strength of the Lord’s house who are first gathered out is to destroy the works of the enemies of the Lord.

Enemies of the Lord

And as we finish and as we go into the discussion period after, I would ask you to inquire of the Lord and ask him: who are the enemies of the Lord who are being talked about? Who will have their watchman scattered, their towers, toppled, and their hedges destroyed by the first labors in the last kingdom and the strength of Lord’s house?

“And inasmuch as they gather together against you, avenge me of mine enemies, that by and by I may come with the residue of my house and possess the land.” So again, here we’re talking about the restoration or the redemption of Zion. The residue of my house are those who will eventually awake and arise to the doctrine of Christ and the fullness of Christ’s gospel. However, they have not yet awakened at the point at which the strength of the Lord’s house is gathered out. And the reason being initially those who comprise the strength of Lord’s house are gatherers.

They are the ones who joined with the servants to go back into the church and preach the doctrine of Christ, or the path of ascension, the new and everlasting covenant for one last time before that final separation of the wheat and the tares. And that’s when most people will wake up. Most people are not awaking at this point because, you know, they have not been called to be gathers, but they will yet awaken and so mostly what is being done right now is the planting of seeds, and those seeds will be harvested at a later point.

Time of Harvest – Fulfillment of Wheat & Tares

Verse 59: “and the servant said unto his Lord: when shall these things be? And he said unto his servant, when I will; go ye straightway, and do all the things whatsoever, I have commanded you. And this shall be my seal and my blessing upon you, a faithful and wise steward in the midst of mine house, a ruler in my kingdom… his servant went straightway and did all things whatsoever his Lord commanded him. And after many days, all things were fulfilled. Again, verily. I say to you, I will show one to you wisdom in me concerning all the churches insomuch as they are willing to be guided in a right and proper way for their salvation.”

Well, the term “churches” at the time of Joseph Smith means something different than we define it as today. This term “churches” as used in verse 63, refers to those who have awakened to the covenant path, through the scriptures of the restoration. They are doing all in their power to enter into the new and everlasting covenant to receive the baptism of fire, baptism of the Holy Ghost for that is when you become a member of the terrestrial order or the Church of Christ. Those men and and women who awaken, who enter into this covenant, who are seeking after the baptism of fire, baptism of the Holy Ghost, and to enter into the rest of the Lord are those who are the churches.

Verse 64: “that the work of the gathering together of my saints may continue that I may build them up on to my name upon holy places; for the time of the harvest is come, and my word must needs be fulfilled.” The time of the harvest was not during Joseph Smith’s first ministry. At least the last harvest was not. The harvest began, but it continues.

“I must gathered together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the tares that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life and to be crowned with celestial glory. When I shall come in the kingdom of my father to reward every man, according to his work shall be; While the tares shall be bound in bundles and their bands made strong that they may be burned with unquenchable fire.”

D&C 103 – The Lord’s Commentary on the Parable

Now let’s turn to D&C 103. In D&C 103, we begin the commentary on the parable of the redemption of Zion and verse 1 literally starts with us in our day.

D&C 103:1 – “verily. I say to you, my friends behold, I will give him to a revelation and commandment that you may know how to act in the discharge of your duties concerning the salvation and redemption of your brethren who have been scattered on the land of Zion.” So, this is talking specifically to those who are both the servants and those who are considered the strength of Lord’s house, because it is their responsibility to go in and to gather out the rest of the Lord’s house so that Zion might be redeemed.

Verse 2: “being driven and smitten by the hands of my enemies on whom I will pour out my wrath without measure in my own time for, I have suffered them thus far that they might fill up the measure of their iniquities, that their cup might be full. That those who call themselves after my name might be chasing for a little season with a sore and grievous chastisement, because they did not harken altogether unto the precepts and commandments, which I gave them to them.”

During Joseph Smith’s first ministry, the saints, instead of entering into the rest of the Lord, instead of offering up a broken heart and contrite spirit, receiving the baptism of fire and baptism of the Holy Ghost, they hardened their hearts just as did the children of Israel. Therefore they did not enter into the rest of the Lord as did Moses and as did Joseph Smith. Because we rejected the fullness of the gospel as is recorded in D&C 84, if we would not, there remain a scourge and a judgment that would be poured out upon the saints. This is what is being talked about in these verses: “chastened for a little season.” You know, that was the time from December, 1834 until now.

[episode cut short due to technical difficulties] – see The Parable of the Redemption of Zion – D&C 101 & 103 for continuation of the topic.