The Book of Mormon is essential for helping us understand both the religious and political realms of the kingdom of God. The parallels are a clear evidence of that reality, and they are a key in and of themselves. They are discernable only by the Spirit of God, so only those who are wise in the Lord will fully understand them. Through the Spirit, the Book of Mormon parallels provide us with a bulwark of understanding to help us avoid being led away captive by Satan. When unveiled, the precious truths, concealed in this ancient American record, lay out in great plainness the interrelationship of the governmental and religious realms of God's kingdom. When the Holy Spirit is our instructor, the hidden messages these parallels contain will become illuminated in our lives. The oil in our lamps will be sufficient in preparation for the wedding feast soon to come. "Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear," is what Jesus said to his disciples anciently. (Matt. 13:16.) In this light, John the revelator's statement, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," can be seen as more than just a plea; it is a promise -- repeated eight times in the book of Revelation. (Rev. 2:7,11,29; 3:6,13,22; 13:9.)

The parallels vividly illustrate how the principles of salvation that apply to the religious realm of God's kingdom also apply to the political. In both cases -- spiritual and temporal -- disobedience brings captivity, while obedience maintains freedom. When transgression occurs, whether it be in the case of an individual or a nation, the Lord's redeeming intervention is required to deliver from captivity and restore to freedom. Agency hangs in the balance in both counts. Gospel principles such as faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost also have their counterpart roles in the governmental realm of God's kingdom.

When destruction comes upon the hypocrites in the latter days, it will be due to their disregard of the religious and the political realm of God's kingdom. The Lord's anger will be kindled against them because they will "have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." (2 Ne. 15:24,25 = Isa. 5:24,25.) The "law" refers to those eternal principles of freedom that God has ordained for the government of nations (as embodied in the Constitution).⁽¹⁷⁾ The "word" refers to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which could be thought of as those principles of freedom that enable an individual to govern himself in accordance with God's will. Like the Israelites anciently, the Christian Gentiles -- especially the Latter-day Saints -- "were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men." (D&C 103:9,10.) Have we become instead "as salt that has lost its savor..., thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men"? (103:9,10; 3 Ne. 12:13 = Matt. 5:13.)

In professing devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ -- to the exclusion of the political struggle that faces our generation -- the Gentiles have become corrupt on both counts, the religious and the political: just like the Jews, when they rejected their Messiah. The light of Christ is given "to every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9) "that he may know good from evil" (Moro. 7:16). That light enables man to discern truth from error, whether it pertains to the governmental or to the religious realm of God's kingdom. Repelling that light on any count results in the general diminishing of that light. To the extent that the Gentiles have rejected that portion of the light, which would testify to them of the truthfulness of God's word concerning the temporal realm, they have lost a measure of that light they have been given, which testifies of the importance of the religious realm. Whenever those who have been enlightened harden their heart to the word of God, not only are greater things withheld, but the Lord will also "take away their talent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto them who shall have more abundantly." (Ether 12:35.) This was spoken concerning the Gentiles of the latter days. It was told to the Jews at the time of Christ: "Whosoever receiveth, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever continueth not to receive, from him shall be taken away even that he hath." (Matt. 13:12 -- JST.) Will we be numbered among those seeming "devout saints" who, notwithstanding having "done many wonderful works" in the name of the Jesus Christ, will hear Him "profess..., I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (3 Ne. 14:22,23 = Matt. 22,23.) Will we be partially responsible for the Lord's wrath coming down "upon [His] house..., first among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me..."? (D&C 112:25,26; 1 Pet. 4:17.)

The main issue of our time, which we Gentiles have so fully neglected, is to prepare for the second coming of the Savior of mankind. (D&C 45:9.) John the revelator explained that "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Rev. 19:10.) Those who do not treasure up the word of God, watching for the fulfillment of the signs and preparing for the day (JST-M 1:46,5 = Matt. 24:42,4), will not be prepared for that day. Isaiah said, "Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not"? (Isa. 6:9,10 = 2 Ne. 16:9,10.) Jesus quoted these words to his disciples when he explained why he spoke in parables to the Jews. (Matt. 13:10,14,15.) This commentary applies to the current-day Gentiles, to whom the Lord has delivered a "sealed" message as well. (2 Ne. 27:1,2,5,8.)

In the latter days, the Messiah is coming in glory to vanquish every foe, to subdue the "kingdoms of the world...under [His] feet," and to give the earth "unto the saints to possess it forever and ever." (D&C 103:7; Dan. 7:18,27.) Secret combinations that seek "to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries," will be utterly destroyed, and the yokes of captivity burst. (Ether 8:25; 1 Ne. 14:2; Ne. 6:14-17; 10:15,16; Isa. 10:27; 49:25.) All this will be so that the covenant made to Abraham might be fulfilled. (2 Ne. 6:14; 10:15.) The slothful, who have hidden their talent will end up by default in Satan's camp where "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 25:30); for "they who are not for me are against me, saith our God" (2 Ne. 10:16). While claiming to be with the Lord, in actuality, they are among that number who "have blasphemed against [God] in the midst of [his] house..." (D&C 112:26.)

Few realize the calamities that will be incurred because of unbalanced emphasis on the gospel-centered "three-fold mission of the Church," to the exclusion of members' other "mission, namely, the perpetuation of the free agency of man and the maintenance of liberty, freedom, and the rights of man."⁽¹⁸⁾ Both have been admonished to the membership by prophets of God, but most members have hardened their hearts to the latter. The emphasis on the three-fold mission has indeed brought millions of souls into the gospel net; but what sort of fish are they? Jesus Christ explained, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away." (Matt. 13:47,48.) Commenting on this scripture, Ezra Taft Benson said:

"The Lord distinguishes between the Church and its members. He said he was well pleased with the restored Church, speaking collectively, but not individually. (D&C 1:30.) ...There are some who, for the time being at least, are member of the Church but not in harmony with it. These people have a temporary membership and influence in the Church; but unless they repent, they will be missing when the final membership records are recorded."⁽¹⁹⁾

Ironically, the political salvation from which the Gentiles have shirked is the very salvation that the Jews were so zealous to receive when the true Messiah came among them. Even after the forty days of instruction with Jesus after his resurrection, when Jesus was about to ascend into heaven from the mount of Olives, his Apostles -- as James Talmage described it -- "still imbued with their conception of the kingdom of God as an earthly establishment of power and dominion, asked of Him, `Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?' (Acts 1:6.)"⁽²⁰⁾

These devout followers would not have possessed this zeal if there were not abundant prophetic utterances of such a salvation to come. Had not John the baptist proclaimed that Christ would thoroughly "purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire"? (Matt. 3:12.) Just because the Jews missed the mark in understanding when these things would take place, does not mean that the prophecies are no longer valid. As the Resurrected Savior said to the Nephites: "...Because I said unto you that old things have passed away, I do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning things which are to come. For behold, the covenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me." (3 Ne. 15:7,8.)

The Law of Moses, which was given last (after the Abrahamic Covenant), was fulfilled first, in the meridian of times. The Abrahamic covenant, given first, will be fulfilled last. The Jews, expecting the temporal salvation but getting the religious, crucified Jesus Christ. The Gentiles, focusing on the religious salvation, have disregarded the temporal. By so doing, they reject God, "[crucify] him unto themselves and put him to an open shame."⁽²¹⁾ (D&C 76:35; 3 Ne. 28:31-35; Jacob 6:7-10.) Thus the Lord said: "The first shall be last, and...the last shall be first in all things whatsoever I have created by the word of my power, which is the power of my spirit. For by the power of my Spirit created I them; yea, all things both spiritual and temporal -- first spiritual, secondly temporal, which is the beginning of my work; and again, first temporal, and secondly spiritual, which is the last of my work." (D&C 29:30-32.) When the Lord set forth his hand to redeem his people anciently, he started with the Jews ("Jews" in the Book of Mormon sense, i.e. house of Israel). Then the gospel was taken to the Gentiles, after the Jews rejected it, consummated by their crucifying Jesus Christ.⁽²²⁾ In the latter days, when the Lord set his hand the second time to recover his people, through Joseph Smith, He began with the Gentiles. Now that the Gentiles are rejecting the gospel (this will culminate in the rejection of Christ again -- via rejecting his servants (3 Ne. 28:34,35)), the gospel will soon be taken once again to the Jews (the house of Israel) (3 Ne. 16:11).

Toward the end of D&C 29, the Lord proceeded to explain what he meant when he said, "First spiritual, secondly temporal, which is the beginning of my work; and again, first temporal, and secondly spiritual, which is the last of my work." (29:32.) When Adam and Eve were cast out from the Garden of Eden, from "the presence of the Lord," it was "because of his transgression, wherein he became spiritually dead, which is the first death, even that same death which is the last death, which is spiritual, which shall be pronounced upon the wicked when [the Lord] shall say: Depart from me, ye cursed." (29:41.) After Adam's spiritual death, came his temporal death. In the latter days, when the Lord comes in his wrath, he will cut off the wicked from the land of the living, and the hypocrites will then die spiritually, "for they cannot be redeemed from their spiritual fall, because they repent not; for they love darkness rather than light, and their deeds are evil...." (29:44,45.) Thus we might summarize this pattern as follows:

spiritual death of an individual
temporal death of an individual

temporal death of a hypocritical people
spiritual death of a hypocritical people

These remarks were directed to those "having knowledge," whom the Lord "commanded to repent." (29:49.) (Those who will repent will be redeemed, for the Lord "will be merciful unto them...if they will repent and come unto me" (2 Ne. 28:32).)

Jesus' statement to the Jews anciently is applicable once again: "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." (Matt. 21:43; Jacob 5:7,9.) Paul cautioned the Gentiles, "For if God spared not the natural branches [referring to the house of Israel], take heed lest he also spare not thee." (Rom. 11:21,17; Jacob 5:7,9.) The only way to not be "cut off" is to "continue in [God's] goodness," he said; "Be not highminded, but fear." (Rom. 11:22,20; Jacob 5:69,65,48.) "...If thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?" (11:24; Jacob 5:36,37,54.) The Lord of the vineyard's instructions to his pruners is, "Begin at the last that they may be first, and that the first may be last...." (Jacob 5:63.)

Not all Gentiles will reject their Lord. Those Gentiles who repent will be numbered among the house of Israel and Zion (2 Ne. 30:2; 28:32; Rom. 11:17; Jacob 5:64); just as the Jews who followed Jesus when he came among them, were numbered among the Christians who then carried the gospel into all the world. Following the example of the few humble followers of Christ at his first coming, we must respond to the issues set forth by both the religious and the governmental aspects of the kingdom of God on earth today if we are to be numbered among his people. The Book of Mormon parallels can help us understand and then act in accordance with our responsibilities.

We live in a day in which many of the prophetic parables uttered by Jesus during his ministry will now be literally fulfilled: the parable of the talents, the wise and foolish virgins, the wedding feast, the pounds. (All these just mentioned have direct bearing on the themes we have been discussing.) Take the conclusion of the parable of the entrusted talents, for example: "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath." (Matt. 25:29.) The "good and faithful" servants will hear the exalted welcome, "Enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (25:21) while the "unprofitable" servants will be "cast...into outer darkness..." (25:30).) Not only is our Messiah speaking to us again in parables -- or parallels -- but, as we have seen briefly in the above discussion, the very time in which we live parallels the time in which He lived.

Endnotes:

22. James E. Talmage gives the following commentary on the rending of the veil of the temple at the moment of Jesus' death on the cross: "It was the rending of Judaism, the consummation of the Mosaic dispensation, and the inauguration of Christianity under apostolic administration." Jesus the Christ, Deseret Book, SLC, Utah, 1974, p. 662.