By Frank M. Keele
In the previous post we discussed what President Nelson had to say about “Jesus Christ” presiding “over this Church in majesty and glory” and what Daniel had to say about the 42 months. We then went on to show the close association between the 42 month prophecy followed by great destruction or “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time” and the Lord’s coming to Adam Ondi Ahman.
If you’ve read my book or some of my more recent posts you know by now that I believe that we entered into the 42 months in the fall of 2016 and that we shall emerge from the same this spring… most likely on Passover. And of course we also know that something else is going to happen this spring don’t we, President Nelson recently stated:
“As you seek Jesus Christ in these efforts, God will prepare you to receive further light. It is your personal preparation that will help April’s general conference become for you not only memorable but unforgettable. The time to act is now. This is a hinge point in the history of the Church, and your part is vital.”
Wow, we get to participate in an “unforgettable… hinge point in the history of the Church”…
Now, if we are understanding Daniel’s prophecy correctly, and have applied it correctly in saying that the 42 months started in the fall of 2016 and will, therefore, expire in the spring of 2020, we should not be terribly surprised if other Old Testament prophets had spoken of these same events and could, therefore, verify some of the details, should we? And guess what… that is absolutely the case, we go to Isaiah 18 and read:
The Lord will raise the gospel ensign, send messengers to His scattered people, and gather them to Mount Zion.
1 Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
2 That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!
3 All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
4 For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
5 For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
6 They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.
7 ¶ In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.
We are blessed to have an inspired commentary on these verses by Elder Orson Pratt, who explains that the land shadowing with wings is none other than America, we read:
“Read the 18th chapter of Isaiah. Isaiah, when standing in Palestine delivering his prophecy, looked off to the south‐west and saw the rivers of Ethiopia, or Africa; and after having seen these rivers in vision he also sees a land shadowing with wings away beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. What kind of a land was that, away beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, from where Isaiah stood in Palestine? Why it is a land that had the appearance of wings. You have been struck doubtless, with the great resemblance that North and South America have to the two great wings of a bird. While Isaiah was thus gazing upon a land away beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, it looked so much like the wings of a bird that he says—A land shadowing with wings, away, beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.”
Elder Pratt goes on to explain:
“Well, Isaiah, what have you to say about that land? Why, says he, there is a proclamation to be had there. How extensive, Isaiah? To all people. Hear the words of Isaiah. Says he “All ye inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth, see ye whenhe lifts up an ensign on the mountains.” Not on the low places of that land shadowing with wings, next to the seashore, but in the mountains. What is the nature of this ensign? It is characteristic of a standard, often spoken of by the Prophets, and called by the name of standard. Isaiah speaks of it as an ensign in a number of places. What would naturally be a standard? The kingdom of God is a standard to which the people rally and gather together. Does it affect all people, Isaiah? Yes. “All ye inhabitants of the world.” What could be more extensive than that? “And dwellers on the earth, see ye when he lifts up an ensign on the mountains, and when he bloweth a trumpet hear ye.”
Here Elder Pratt explains that the latter‐day kingdom is to be established in the mountains and within “the land shadowing with wings”. He says, “a proclamation to be had there” and it is to “All ye inhabitants of the world, says Isaiah.” And we learn that it is from this land that the gospel is to go unto all nations. But there is a dark side to Isaiah’s message as well. We continue with Elder Pratt’s commentary:
“What else is to take place, Isaiah? He says that a severe judgment is to take place on that land shadowing with wings. What kind of a judgment, one that is to be very severe, Isaiah? Yes, for he says—”Afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut own the branches. They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth; and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.” When will this be, Isaiah? After this proclamation, after all the nations of the world have heard it, after the people have heard the sound of the warning message… there will be the commencement of a most terrible judgment, so much so that the people on that land will not have time to bury their dead, and the fowls shall summer upon them. Why is all this? Because they will not hearken when that sound goes to all people; they will notrepent of their sins; they will not receive the message that God has sent by his angel, he therefore visits them first, because they are the first to hear those glad tidings. No wonder, then, that Zion, that brings good tidings, was commanded by the ancient Prophet to get up into the high mountain.”
In the above segment Elder Pratt quotes verses 6‐7 and confirms Isaiah’s prophecy of judgment on America. It is to be so swift and so severe that they shall not have time to bury their dead, for “the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them”. What other than a nuclear attack could be so swift and have such devastating and widespread consequences? Hard to imagine…
This judgment, according to Elder Pratt is to come “After this proclamation, after all the nations of the world have heard it, after the people have heard the sound of the warning message.” However, what Isaiah tells us is surprisingly specific, for he gives us the precise season in which this destruction shall come upon America, says he “afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower”. So we conclude that the great judgment upon the Gentiles which we have been calling the abomination of desolation shall commence in the spring of the year.
And does this great destruction of which Isaiah and Elder Pratt Speak, lead to the Lord’s Second Coming as we would expect? We continue reading his commentary:
“Let us go a little further, and see what immediately follows this. Isaiah says—”For behold the Lord God shall come with a strong hand.” What! The coming of the Lord going to take place after Zion has gone up into the mountains? Yes, that is one of the great events that will transpire, when the people of the nations are careless and indifferent, when they are eating and drinking, buying and selling, and their minds wholly swallowed up with the various occupations of life. “Behold, the Lord comes with a strong hand, his arm will rule for him and he will reward his people; then the glory of the Lord will be revealed and all flesh will see it together.” (Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter‐day Saints’ Book Depot, 1854‐1886], 18: 183.)
In verse 7 of Isaiah 18, we learn that “In that time” or when this great destruction comes upon America, “shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people… to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion”. In other words, after the abomination of desolation is unleashed, the Lord’s people shall gather to Zion or more specifically, to Adam Ondi Ohman for the coming of the Bridegroom.
Now, the challenge which I leave with the reader is this, take some time and compare the prophecy of the 42 months which was spoken of quite extensively in the previous post with what we learn here via Isaiah 18 and Elder Orson Pratt’s commentary.
1- Both of these prophecies are speaking of events that unfold in America.
2- Both prophecies speak of great destruction, Daniel says “there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time”… Isaiah says, “Woe to the land shadowing with wings… he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them”.
3- If the prophecy of the 42 months did start in the fall of 2016 it follows that it will see fulfillment in the spring of the year and Isaiah confirms this timing, says he, “For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.”
4- Daniel says, “But the judgment shall sit, (at AOA) and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom”… Isaiah confirms this, says he, “In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people… to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.”
It should be abundantly clear to the reader that both Daniel and Isaiah saw this same event, an event that shall soon become our reality and shall surely unfold in the spring of the year! And from my perspective, it’s the spring of 2020…
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