Other Occurrences of the
Progressional Pattern

Another witness that these parallels could be legitimate is that the progression they set forth--temporal and/or spiritual--can be found in several other significant places.

The foremost example of the temporal progression is found in the Jaredites' history, recorded in the book of Ether. The same sort of comparison we have drawn between the Lehites and the Israelites can be made between the Lehites and the Jaredites. Several of those similarities are briefly shown in Appendix D. Not all, but many of the key overlapping elements between the Lehites and Israelites are also common to the Jaredite history.

Another occurrence of this progressional patter is found in Alma 5. There, Alma (son of Alma) apparently gives the first portion via history and the second by directly discussing key steps of spiritual maturation in the same order they are presented in the pattern.

His brief historical account in the first portion of the chapter contains likenesses to elements of the "first gathering": the Israelites' exodus from Egypt and their journey through the wilderness and into the promised land. It summarizes the story of a group of people, who had been converted to God, escaping from the tyrannical grasps of king Noah into the wilderness where they then began to multiply and prosper in the land of Helam. (Alma 5:3,4.) It also recounts that they were then brought into captivity, later to be delivered again, reflecting the apostasy and second gathering. (5:5.)

From there, Alma gives an extensive discourse on being born again, which is the important turning point in an individual's "second gathering." In the latter portion of this chapter, Alma lays out important steps required for progression towards exaltation. He talks about evils of pride, the persecution it brings upon the saints, the destruction it will bring to those who will not repent, and of the need to overcome it. (Alma 5:53-56.) Then he invites those who desire to follow the good shepherd to "come...out from the wicked, and be...separate, and touch not their unclean things...." (5:57.) He next mentions that the names of the wicked will be blotted out, that they may "not be numbered among the names of the righteous...." (5:57.) Finally, he declares that "the names of the righteous shall be written in the book of life, and unto them will [God] grant an inheritance at [His] right hand." (5:58.)

Adding to the list of those who have admonished us to seek to have our calling and election made sure, Alma concludes this chapter with the following words: "I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church; and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life." (Alma 5:62.)

The tree of life, of which Alma spoke, is apparently the one that both Nephi and his father, Lehi, saw in a vision. (1 Ne. 14:26,29.) Looking closer at this vision of the tree of life, we observe that key elements of it can be compared with events in Lehite history that correspond with the first gathering of the House of Israel. (See Appendix E.) What is even more amazing is that those very same elements can be compared with events in Lehite history that correspond to the second gathering. (See Appendix F.) We know that if elements of X match with Y, and the same elements of X also match with Z, then elements of Y and Z should also match. Sure enough, we find that events from the first part of Book of Mormon history can be paired up with events from the latter part. (See Appendix G.) In other words, the progressional pattern set forth in the first part of the Book of Mormon (from 1 Nephi to Omni) is comparable to the that set forth in the second (from Omni to Mormon).

The corollary of this is that the first and second gatherings of the House of Israel and of the individual are in many ways comparable. This realization opens up the door to making a whole multitude of additional comparisons. For example, we live during the time when the House of Israel is about to be gathered to the lands of their inheritance a second time, so the lessons learned from their first gathering can provide important insight about what will take place again. (Micah 7:15.) In the second gathering--like the first--the Lord's penitent people will be led from bondage. They will pass through a probation-like era, overcome the influences of evil around them, and inherit their lands of promise. Also, as for the individual who is in his personal "second gathering," he can glean helpful insights by applying pertinent principles of the first gathering and vise versa.

Understanding this overlapping nature of the first and second gatherings aids us in recognizing additional occurrences (and there are many) of this progressional pattern in the scriptures. Sometimes only one "gathering" episode is presented, but it can apply to the other gathering as well. Each additional source we find that presents this pattern, further enhances our understanding of the whole picture: both the temporal and spiritual aspects.

A prime example of this can be found in what was apparently a concise temple prayer in Old Testament times. This temple utterance draws upon prominent events of the first gathering of the House of Israel to portray its complete, spiritual message. Notice the advancement from bondage in Egypt to salvation in the promised land:

"...A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: and the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: and when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labor, and our oppression: and the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: and he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey." (Deut. 26:5-9.)

We have already considered (Chapter Four) many of the spiritual implications symbolized in this era of history. Therefore we find it noteworthy that Moses was inspired to use this particular historical account to present eternal truths of personal advancement in a temple setting. Every verse of this ancient temple prayer appears to hold fundamental parallels with basic sequential components of the modern temple ceremony. (We might note that each verse parallels a particular room.) But should this surprise us? Aren't the principles of exaltation constant from generation to generation? Considering the paramount importance of temples--in modern times as well as in antiquity--what sort of message does this give us regarding the validity of the thesis that history carries designed spiritual parallels?

"Would God that ALL the Lord's People Were PROPHETS"

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