Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
Ezekiel has the best chapter in scripture describing the role of a shepherd. He also teaches how the responsibilities of a prophet are like those of a watchman on a tower. Ezekiel prophecies how the Book of Mormon and the Bible would grow together in our day and confound false doctrines, establish peace, and bring the world knowledge of God.
Outline of Ezekiel
Themes stressed in Ezekiel
Themes stressed in Ezekiel
Ezekiel makes visible that which Jeremiah sees in his mind's eye:
Outline of Ezekiel
- 1-3 Ezekiel's Prophetic Call
- 4-24 Prophecies against Disobedient Judah and Jerusalem
- 25-32 Prophecies against Foreign Nations
- 33-37 Restoration
- 38-39 Gog and Israel
- 40-48 A New Jerusalem and a New Temple
Themes stressed in Ezekiel
- It was sin that brought the people's judgment of exile.
- The people must repent and return to God.
- The exile would last for seventy years, even though false prophets were preaching an early return.
- There would be a future restoration of Israel, for a believing remnant.
Themes stressed in Ezekiel
- It was sin that brought the people's judgment of exile.
- The people must repent and return to God.
- The exile would last for seventy years, even though false prophets were preaching an early return.
- There would be a future restoration of Israel, for a believing remnant.
Ezekiel makes visible that which Jeremiah sees in his mind's eye:
Jeremiah |
Ezekiel |
Sees a vision of a pot boiling from the north (1:13). |
Commanded to get a pot, put water in it, place in it the choicest pieces of meat and mix them with spices, and pile logs under it (24:1). |
Prophesies that a sword is coming (25:15). |
Takes a sword and shaves his beard and hair (5:1). |
Told neither to marry nor to mourn (16:5). |
Wife dies and he is forbidden from mourning (24:15). |
Told that the bones of the leaders of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will be removed from their tombs and will be spread out to be scorched by the sun like dung on the surface of the ground (8:1-3). |
Witnesses the transformation of dry bones to living and breathing fleshly bodies (37:1-14). |
God puts His word on Jeremiah's lips (1:9). |
Ezekiel is made to eat the scroll (3:1). |
Appointed to pluck up and pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant (1:10). |
Plucked up and pulled down, he builds miniature battle scenes before which he play acts the future of Jerusalem (4:1-17); he measures out the building plan for the new Temple (41). |
Idolatry in Jerusalem. |
Idolatry in Jewish camps. |
Persuade the people that Jehovah would allow Jerusalem to be destroyed (Lehi had the same challenge). |
Persuade the people in the camp that Jehovah would allow Jerusalem to be destroyed. |
Four Living Creatures (1:4-14)
4 ¶ And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind [xwr ruwach wind, tempest, or storm] came out of the north [Nwpu tsaphown], a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself [xql laqach catching itsef: similar to Moses and the burning bush], and a brightness [was] about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber [a brilliant metal compounded of gold and silver], out of the midst of the fire.
5 Also out of the midst thereof [came] the likeness of four living creatures. And this [was] their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said: "I make this broad declaration, that whenever God gives a vision of an image, or beast, or figure of any kind, He always holds Himself responsible to give a revelation or interpretation of the meaning thereof, otherwise we are not responsible or accountable for our belief in it. Don't be afraid of being damned for not knowing the meaning of a vision or figure, if God has not given a revelation or interpretation of the subject." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 291.)
6 And every one had four faces [Mynp paniym], and every one had four wings [Pnk kanaph skirt, corner (of garment)].
Not only were there four distinct living creatures, but each of the four had four faces and wings. The four points of the compass indicating totality.
7 And their feet [were] straight feet [lgr regel that is, they walked the straight path]; and the sole [Pk kaph ‘hallow’] of their feet [was] like the sole of a calf's foot [solid firmness of the round foot of a calf]: and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass.
There is scarcely anything that gives a higher luster than highly polished or burnished brass. KJV translates it as amber and represents beauty and glory (see D&C 110:2-4; Daniel 10:6; Revelation 1:15; 2:18)
8 And [they had] the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
Their hands were behind their veils.
9 Their wings [were] joined [rbx chabar this is the same verb that is used to describe the veil of the temple] one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
This is setting the reader up for Ezekiel’s treatment of the temple at the end of the book.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
D&C 77:3. Q. Are the four beasts limited to individual beasts, or do they represent classes or orders? A. They are limited to four individual beasts, which were shown to John, to represent the glory of the classes of beings in their destined order or sphere of creation, in the enjoyment of their eternal felicity.
In the "visions of God" which he saw, Ezekiel also spoke of four beasts who had the faces of a man, a lion, an ox (John says a calf), and an eagle. ("#ezek. 1:10Ezek. 1:10.) The presumption is that both prophets were seeing some of the same things. (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3: 469.)
§Man = pre-mortal
§Ox (calf) = mortal [the sacrifice]
§Lion = millennial
§Eagle = celestial
11 Thus [were] their faces: and their wings [were] stretched [drp parad] upward ["were parted from above"]; two [wings] of every one [were] joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; [and] they turned not when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance [was] like burning coals of fire [denoting the intensely pure and burning judgments of God], [and] like the appearance of lamps [dypl lappiyd torches]: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning [sheet lightning].
“In his vision, Ezekiel saw four creatures, each of which had four faces. ‘They four had the face of a man, … a lion, … an ox … [and] the face of an eagle’ (Ezekiel 1:10). The Apostle John had a similar vision. In his vision, the creatures were described as being ‘like a lion, … like a calf, … [having] a face as a man, and … like a flying eagle’ (Revelation 4:7). The Prophet Joseph explained that the four beasts in John’s vision were representative of classes of beings (see D&C 77:3). The faces of the creatures in Ezekiel’s vision seem to represent the same thing. The following interpretation, from an ancient Jewish commentary, is in harmony with that view: ‘Man is exalted among creatures; the eagle is exalted among birds; the ox is exalted among domestic animals; the lion is exalted among wild beasts; and all of them have received dominion, and greatness has been given them, yet they are stationed below the chariot of the Holy One’ (Midrash Shemoth Rabbah 23; in D. Guthrie and J. A. Motyer, eds., The New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 667).
Ezekiel’s Wheels (Ezek. 1:16-21)Light of Christ (D&C 88:7-13)
Vs. 16 “ the color of a beryl” (beauty, brilliance) Vs. 7 “which shineth”
Vs. 18 “rings were full of eyes” (knowledge) Vs. 11 “the same light quickeneth your understandings”
Vs. 18 “rings … so high that they were dreadful” Vs. 6, 12-13 “in all things”; “proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space”
Vs. 19-21 the wheels were associated with the living creatures wherever they went Vs. 13 “the light which is in all things … which is the law by which all things are governed”
Vs. 20-21 “the spirit of the living creatures (or the spirit of life) was in the wheels” Vs. 13 “the light … which giveth life to all things”
President Russell M. Nelson: “…I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, ‘What sign do I want to give to God?’” (“The Sabbath Is a Delight,” April 2015 General Conference).
Elder Mark E. Petersen: “We can readily see that observance of the Sabbath is an indication of the depth of our conversion.
“Our observance or nonobservance of the Sabbath is an unerring measure of our attitude toward the Lord, personally and toward his suffering in Gethsemane, his death on the cross, and his resurrection of the dead. It is a sign of whether we are Christians in very deed, or whether our conversion is so shallow that commemoration of his atoning sacrifice means little or nothing to us.” (Ensign, May 1975, pg. 49)
Elder Erastus Snow: “The Lord showed Ezekiel a valley full of dry human bones; and he asks him if those bones can live…The Lord then tells the Prophet that these are the whole house of Israel; and that they complain of the non-fulfillment of the promises upon their head, saying, "Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: all are cut off for our parts. But he further tells him to prophecy unto them, saying, "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel," etc. And by whom shall this great and marvelous work be accomplished?
“I answer, by the thousands of Manasseh and the ten thousands of Ephraim; by this same people who shall search out and gather together the house of Israel, and who will come up as saviors upon Mount Zion.” (Journal of Discourses, 23:181-189; Delivered at Logan, May 6 1882)
“We have not, neither can we receive here, the ordinance and the keys of the resurrection. They will be given to those who have passed off this state of action and have received their bodies again….They will be ordained, by those who hold the keys of the resurrection, to go forth and resurrect the Saints....” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 15:137-139; Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, May 1977, pg. 49)
Ezekiel 37:16
Perhaps the New English translation of the Bible is then preferred
“Man, take one leaf of a writing tablet and write on it ‘Judah and his associates of Israel.’ Then take another leaf and write on it. ‘Joseph, the leaf of Ephraim and all his associates of Israel.’ Now bring the two together to form one tablet; then they will be a folding tablet in your hand…”
The Fulfillment of Ezekiel’s Prophecy
Elder Boyd K Packer: “The stick or record of Judah—the Old Testament and the New Testament—and the stick or record of Ephraim—the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ—are now woven together in such a way that as you pore over one you are drawn to the other; as you learn from one you are enlightened by the other. They are indeed one in our hands. Ezekiel’s prophecy now stands fulfilled.” (Ensign, November 1982, pg. 53)
“Parley P. Pratt has offered an explanation of the battle of Gog: Chapters 38 and 39 present us with a view of many nations united under one great head, whom the Lord is pleased to call Gog; and being mounted on horseback, and armed with all sorts of armor, they come up against the mountains of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; their object is to take a prey, to take away silver and gold, and cattle and goods in great abundance.
This is an event which is to transpire after the return of the Jews and the rebuilding of Jerusalem; while the towns and the land of Judea are without walls, having neither bars nor gates. But while they are at the point to swallow up the Jews, and lay waste their country, behold, the Lord's fury comes up in his face, a mighty earthquake is the result, insomuch that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all the creeping things, and all men upon the face of the earth shall shake at his presence, and every wall shall fall to the ground, and every man's sword shall be turned against his neighbor in this army, and the Lord shall rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him an overflowing rain, great hailstones, fire and brimstone.
“And thus he will magnify himself and sanctify himself, in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that he is the Lord; thus they shall fall upon the open field, upon the mountains of Israel, even Gog and all his army, horses and horsemen; and the Jews shall go forth and father the weapons of war such as hand staves, spears, shields, bows and arrow; and these weapons shall last the cities of Israel seven years for fuel, so that they shall cut no wood out of the forest, for they shall burn the weapons with the fire; and they shall spoil those that spoiled them; and rob those that robbed them, and they shall gather gold and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
At this time the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field shall have a great feast; yea, they are to eat fat until they be full, and drink blood until they be drunken. They are to eat the flesh of captains, and kings, and mighty men, and all men of war. But the Jews will have a very serious duty to perform, which will take no less than seven months; namely, the burying of their enemies. They will select a place on the east side of the sea, called the Valley of the Passengers, and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude, and they shall call it the valley of Hamon Gog. And the scent shall go forth, insomuch that it shall stop the noses of the passengers; thus shall they cleanse the land. (Voice of Warning, pp. 45-46.) (Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Old Testament, 343 - 344.)
Joseph Smith: “The battle of Gog and Magog will be after the millennium. The remnant of all the nations that fight against Jerusalem were commanded to go up to Jerusalem to worship in the millennium.” (DHC, Vol. 5, p. 298, March, 1843)
Bruce R. McConkie: “This may at first be somewhat confusing, since the vast armies of the Gentiles which are to gather against Jerusalem just before the second coming are also referred to as the armies of Gog and Magog. Evidently, Gog is a name symbolical of all that is evil, militarily speaking, and thus is used to describe both great conflicts. According to President Joseph Fielding Smith, however, the first of these battles is more appropriately titled the battle of Armageddon, and the second at the end of the Millennium as the battle of Gog and Magog. "Before the coming of Christ, the great war, sometimes called Armageddon, will take place as spoken of by Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39. Another war of Gog and Magog will be after the millennium." (Doctrines of Salvation, (, comp.), Vol. 3, (Bookcraft: Salt Lake City, 1956), Vol. 3, p. 45.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith: “Ezekiel predicted the building of a temple in Jerusalem which will be used for ordinance work after the gathering of Israel from their long dispersion and when they are cleansed from their transgressions” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:244).
Ezekiel 43:1-12
The Temple is the place where…
1) …the ‘glory of God’ resides (vs. 2) [D&C 84:2]
2) …the throne of God is located (vs. 7) [Revelation 4:2]
3) …the God of heaven walks (vs. 7) [D&C 38:17)
4) …the Father dwells with His children (vs. 7) [D&C 124:27-28]
5) …the holy name of God is found (vs. 7) [D&C 109:26]
6) …the holy ordinances of God are initiated (vs. 11) [D&C124:39]
7) …the laws of God originate (vs. 11) [D&C 97:12-17)
Ezekiel 44:17-28
The Temple is the place where…
1.…the clothing of the world is removed (Ez. 42:14; 44:19)
2.…the garments of God are worn (Ez. 44:17-18) [Ex. 28-29] (linen breeches, linen bonnets)
3.…the patron is reminded [clothing] the difference between the holy and the profane and to discern between clean and unclean (Ez. 44:23)
4.…avoiding worldly appearances, controlling appetites, shunning sin
5. …the patron is reminded [clothing] of their ownership to God and of Him as their inheritance and possession (Ez. 44:28)
Joseph Smith: “Judah must return, Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the temple, and water come out from under the temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to rebuild the walls of the city and the temple, Etc.; and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make his appearance.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 286-287)
“The prophecy regarding the waters flowing from the temple and the healing of the Dead Sea may speak of literal waters and an actual healing of the Dead Sea, or it may be figurative, or both. Unfortunately, Ezekiel’s words remain somewhat veiled to us. In any case, the symbolic elements of Ezekiel's passage are important. The waters that flow from God’s temple… refer to Jesus Christ and the blessings he extends to those who worship in his temples…The Dead Sea seems to represent all who are dead spiritually, or in whom there is little or no spiritual life. The living waters of Christ flow through us, changing our individual ‘Dead Sea,’ and we are cleansed and renewed as we attend the temple and keep the covenants we make there.” (Donald and Jay Parry, Understanding the Signs of the Times, pg. 129)
Teaching Thoughts:
1.Emphasize how the responsibilities of a prophet are similar to those of a watchman on a tower.
2.“…My attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father.”
3.Being a shepherd today.
4.Identify how the Book of Mormon and the Bible work together to confound false doctrines, establish peace and bring the world knowledge of God.
4 ¶ And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind [xwr ruwach wind, tempest, or storm] came out of the north [Nwpu tsaphown], a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself [xql laqach catching itsef: similar to Moses and the burning bush], and a brightness [was] about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber [a brilliant metal compounded of gold and silver], out of the midst of the fire.
5 Also out of the midst thereof [came] the likeness of four living creatures. And this [was] their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said: "I make this broad declaration, that whenever God gives a vision of an image, or beast, or figure of any kind, He always holds Himself responsible to give a revelation or interpretation of the meaning thereof, otherwise we are not responsible or accountable for our belief in it. Don't be afraid of being damned for not knowing the meaning of a vision or figure, if God has not given a revelation or interpretation of the subject." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 291.)
6 And every one had four faces [Mynp paniym], and every one had four wings [Pnk kanaph skirt, corner (of garment)].
Not only were there four distinct living creatures, but each of the four had four faces and wings. The four points of the compass indicating totality.
7 And their feet [were] straight feet [lgr regel that is, they walked the straight path]; and the sole [Pk kaph ‘hallow’] of their feet [was] like the sole of a calf's foot [solid firmness of the round foot of a calf]: and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass.
There is scarcely anything that gives a higher luster than highly polished or burnished brass. KJV translates it as amber and represents beauty and glory (see D&C 110:2-4; Daniel 10:6; Revelation 1:15; 2:18)
8 And [they had] the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
Their hands were behind their veils.
9 Their wings [were] joined [rbx chabar this is the same verb that is used to describe the veil of the temple] one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
This is setting the reader up for Ezekiel’s treatment of the temple at the end of the book.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
D&C 77:3. Q. Are the four beasts limited to individual beasts, or do they represent classes or orders? A. They are limited to four individual beasts, which were shown to John, to represent the glory of the classes of beings in their destined order or sphere of creation, in the enjoyment of their eternal felicity.
In the "visions of God" which he saw, Ezekiel also spoke of four beasts who had the faces of a man, a lion, an ox (John says a calf), and an eagle. ("#ezek. 1:10Ezek. 1:10.) The presumption is that both prophets were seeing some of the same things. (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3: 469.)
§Man = pre-mortal
§Ox (calf) = mortal [the sacrifice]
§Lion = millennial
§Eagle = celestial
11 Thus [were] their faces: and their wings [were] stretched [drp parad] upward ["were parted from above"]; two [wings] of every one [were] joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; [and] they turned not when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance [was] like burning coals of fire [denoting the intensely pure and burning judgments of God], [and] like the appearance of lamps [dypl lappiyd torches]: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning [sheet lightning].
“In his vision, Ezekiel saw four creatures, each of which had four faces. ‘They four had the face of a man, … a lion, … an ox … [and] the face of an eagle’ (Ezekiel 1:10). The Apostle John had a similar vision. In his vision, the creatures were described as being ‘like a lion, … like a calf, … [having] a face as a man, and … like a flying eagle’ (Revelation 4:7). The Prophet Joseph explained that the four beasts in John’s vision were representative of classes of beings (see D&C 77:3). The faces of the creatures in Ezekiel’s vision seem to represent the same thing. The following interpretation, from an ancient Jewish commentary, is in harmony with that view: ‘Man is exalted among creatures; the eagle is exalted among birds; the ox is exalted among domestic animals; the lion is exalted among wild beasts; and all of them have received dominion, and greatness has been given them, yet they are stationed below the chariot of the Holy One’ (Midrash Shemoth Rabbah 23; in D. Guthrie and J. A. Motyer, eds., The New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 667).
Ezekiel’s Wheels (Ezek. 1:16-21)Light of Christ (D&C 88:7-13)
Vs. 16 “ the color of a beryl” (beauty, brilliance) Vs. 7 “which shineth”
Vs. 18 “rings were full of eyes” (knowledge) Vs. 11 “the same light quickeneth your understandings”
Vs. 18 “rings … so high that they were dreadful” Vs. 6, 12-13 “in all things”; “proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space”
Vs. 19-21 the wheels were associated with the living creatures wherever they went Vs. 13 “the light which is in all things … which is the law by which all things are governed”
Vs. 20-21 “the spirit of the living creatures (or the spirit of life) was in the wheels” Vs. 13 “the light … which giveth life to all things”
President Russell M. Nelson: “…I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, ‘What sign do I want to give to God?’” (“The Sabbath Is a Delight,” April 2015 General Conference).
Elder Mark E. Petersen: “We can readily see that observance of the Sabbath is an indication of the depth of our conversion.
“Our observance or nonobservance of the Sabbath is an unerring measure of our attitude toward the Lord, personally and toward his suffering in Gethsemane, his death on the cross, and his resurrection of the dead. It is a sign of whether we are Christians in very deed, or whether our conversion is so shallow that commemoration of his atoning sacrifice means little or nothing to us.” (Ensign, May 1975, pg. 49)
Elder Erastus Snow: “The Lord showed Ezekiel a valley full of dry human bones; and he asks him if those bones can live…The Lord then tells the Prophet that these are the whole house of Israel; and that they complain of the non-fulfillment of the promises upon their head, saying, "Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: all are cut off for our parts. But he further tells him to prophecy unto them, saying, "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel," etc. And by whom shall this great and marvelous work be accomplished?
“I answer, by the thousands of Manasseh and the ten thousands of Ephraim; by this same people who shall search out and gather together the house of Israel, and who will come up as saviors upon Mount Zion.” (Journal of Discourses, 23:181-189; Delivered at Logan, May 6 1882)
“We have not, neither can we receive here, the ordinance and the keys of the resurrection. They will be given to those who have passed off this state of action and have received their bodies again….They will be ordained, by those who hold the keys of the resurrection, to go forth and resurrect the Saints....” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 15:137-139; Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, May 1977, pg. 49)
Ezekiel 37:16
Perhaps the New English translation of the Bible is then preferred
“Man, take one leaf of a writing tablet and write on it ‘Judah and his associates of Israel.’ Then take another leaf and write on it. ‘Joseph, the leaf of Ephraim and all his associates of Israel.’ Now bring the two together to form one tablet; then they will be a folding tablet in your hand…”
The Fulfillment of Ezekiel’s Prophecy
Elder Boyd K Packer: “The stick or record of Judah—the Old Testament and the New Testament—and the stick or record of Ephraim—the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ—are now woven together in such a way that as you pore over one you are drawn to the other; as you learn from one you are enlightened by the other. They are indeed one in our hands. Ezekiel’s prophecy now stands fulfilled.” (Ensign, November 1982, pg. 53)
“Parley P. Pratt has offered an explanation of the battle of Gog: Chapters 38 and 39 present us with a view of many nations united under one great head, whom the Lord is pleased to call Gog; and being mounted on horseback, and armed with all sorts of armor, they come up against the mountains of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; their object is to take a prey, to take away silver and gold, and cattle and goods in great abundance.
This is an event which is to transpire after the return of the Jews and the rebuilding of Jerusalem; while the towns and the land of Judea are without walls, having neither bars nor gates. But while they are at the point to swallow up the Jews, and lay waste their country, behold, the Lord's fury comes up in his face, a mighty earthquake is the result, insomuch that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all the creeping things, and all men upon the face of the earth shall shake at his presence, and every wall shall fall to the ground, and every man's sword shall be turned against his neighbor in this army, and the Lord shall rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him an overflowing rain, great hailstones, fire and brimstone.
“And thus he will magnify himself and sanctify himself, in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that he is the Lord; thus they shall fall upon the open field, upon the mountains of Israel, even Gog and all his army, horses and horsemen; and the Jews shall go forth and father the weapons of war such as hand staves, spears, shields, bows and arrow; and these weapons shall last the cities of Israel seven years for fuel, so that they shall cut no wood out of the forest, for they shall burn the weapons with the fire; and they shall spoil those that spoiled them; and rob those that robbed them, and they shall gather gold and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
At this time the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field shall have a great feast; yea, they are to eat fat until they be full, and drink blood until they be drunken. They are to eat the flesh of captains, and kings, and mighty men, and all men of war. But the Jews will have a very serious duty to perform, which will take no less than seven months; namely, the burying of their enemies. They will select a place on the east side of the sea, called the Valley of the Passengers, and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude, and they shall call it the valley of Hamon Gog. And the scent shall go forth, insomuch that it shall stop the noses of the passengers; thus shall they cleanse the land. (Voice of Warning, pp. 45-46.) (Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Old Testament, 343 - 344.)
Joseph Smith: “The battle of Gog and Magog will be after the millennium. The remnant of all the nations that fight against Jerusalem were commanded to go up to Jerusalem to worship in the millennium.” (DHC, Vol. 5, p. 298, March, 1843)
Bruce R. McConkie: “This may at first be somewhat confusing, since the vast armies of the Gentiles which are to gather against Jerusalem just before the second coming are also referred to as the armies of Gog and Magog. Evidently, Gog is a name symbolical of all that is evil, militarily speaking, and thus is used to describe both great conflicts. According to President Joseph Fielding Smith, however, the first of these battles is more appropriately titled the battle of Armageddon, and the second at the end of the Millennium as the battle of Gog and Magog. "Before the coming of Christ, the great war, sometimes called Armageddon, will take place as spoken of by Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39. Another war of Gog and Magog will be after the millennium." (Doctrines of Salvation, (, comp.), Vol. 3, (Bookcraft: Salt Lake City, 1956), Vol. 3, p. 45.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith: “Ezekiel predicted the building of a temple in Jerusalem which will be used for ordinance work after the gathering of Israel from their long dispersion and when they are cleansed from their transgressions” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:244).
Ezekiel 43:1-12
The Temple is the place where…
1) …the ‘glory of God’ resides (vs. 2) [D&C 84:2]
2) …the throne of God is located (vs. 7) [Revelation 4:2]
3) …the God of heaven walks (vs. 7) [D&C 38:17)
4) …the Father dwells with His children (vs. 7) [D&C 124:27-28]
5) …the holy name of God is found (vs. 7) [D&C 109:26]
6) …the holy ordinances of God are initiated (vs. 11) [D&C124:39]
7) …the laws of God originate (vs. 11) [D&C 97:12-17)
Ezekiel 44:17-28
The Temple is the place where…
1.…the clothing of the world is removed (Ez. 42:14; 44:19)
2.…the garments of God are worn (Ez. 44:17-18) [Ex. 28-29] (linen breeches, linen bonnets)
3.…the patron is reminded [clothing] the difference between the holy and the profane and to discern between clean and unclean (Ez. 44:23)
4.…avoiding worldly appearances, controlling appetites, shunning sin
5. …the patron is reminded [clothing] of their ownership to God and of Him as their inheritance and possession (Ez. 44:28)
Joseph Smith: “Judah must return, Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the temple, and water come out from under the temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to rebuild the walls of the city and the temple, Etc.; and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make his appearance.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 286-287)
“The prophecy regarding the waters flowing from the temple and the healing of the Dead Sea may speak of literal waters and an actual healing of the Dead Sea, or it may be figurative, or both. Unfortunately, Ezekiel’s words remain somewhat veiled to us. In any case, the symbolic elements of Ezekiel's passage are important. The waters that flow from God’s temple… refer to Jesus Christ and the blessings he extends to those who worship in his temples…The Dead Sea seems to represent all who are dead spiritually, or in whom there is little or no spiritual life. The living waters of Christ flow through us, changing our individual ‘Dead Sea,’ and we are cleansed and renewed as we attend the temple and keep the covenants we make there.” (Donald and Jay Parry, Understanding the Signs of the Times, pg. 129)
Teaching Thoughts:
1.Emphasize how the responsibilities of a prophet are similar to those of a watchman on a tower.
2.“…My attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father.”
3.Being a shepherd today.
4.Identify how the Book of Mormon and the Bible work together to confound false doctrines, establish peace and bring the world knowledge of God.