We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

The Gathering of Israel

The Mormon Church agrees with the biblical and secular historical accounts of the dispersion of the people of Israel. After the death of Solomon, the twelve tribes of Israel divided in two. The people of Judah and Benjamin became the kingdom of Judah, and the other ten tribes became the kingdom of Israel. The Assyrians invaded the kingdom of Israel about 721 B.C. and carried them away captive. No historical information yet exists regarding this people after this and they are the lost ten tribes. The kingdom of Judah repelled an Assyrian invasion, but was taken captive by the Babylonians in 588 B.C. Later, many of the Jews were restored to Jerusalem, but never again could they restore their formerly great kingdom. They were under Roman rule during the ministry of Jesus Christ, and Roman rule resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem in 71 A.D. The Jewish people have largely remained scattered since then, and have continually struggled to regain their homeland (and, although war-torn, there is an Israel again now).

The Mormon Church teaches that, according to prophecy, the scattering and gathering of Israel are literal. The scattering has taken place as described above. The Mormon Church considers itself engaged in the great work of gathering of Israel through its missionary effort. Mormon missionaries are sent throughout the world to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. In one sense, the people of Israel are the ethnic group, most of which has been lost and assimilated into various parts of the world, but part of which survives as the Jews. The Mormon Church also uses the term “house of Israel” to refer to all believers, all those willing to accept the promise given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Those converts to the faith are adopted into the house of Israel and the Abrahamic covenant. Therefore, the missionary work of the Mormon Church is gathering the lost ten tribes by preaching to all nations, in which descendants of the ten tribes now live, and is adding to the covenant people of the Lord generally by inviting all people everywhere to join.

Zion

One of the purposes of the gathering of Israel is to establish Zion. Zion has both a literal and figurative meaning for the Mormon Church. First, it means the pure in heart, or the people of God. In this sense, Zion can be wherever there are believers living righteously. This definition comes from Mormon scripture, specifically the Pearl of Great Price: “And the Lord called His people Zion, because they were of one heart, and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them” (Moses 7:18). This is an account of the prophet Enoch, who established a city with no wickedness in it, that was so righteous it was taken up into heaven. This is the goal of the Mormon Church on earth, to separate itself from the wickedness of the world in order to live in perfect righteousness. However, the Mormon Church also teaches that Zion is a specific city that will be built by the believers of God according to prophecy. Before the Lord’s second coming, Jerusalem will be restored to the house of Israel and Zion will be built upon the American continent by the house of Israel, as revealed in Doctrine and Covenants section 57. The ultimate goal of the Mormon Church is to merge the two ideas of Zion into one: the revealed location for the city of Zion and the righteous society of the pure in heart, the believers of God.

Millennium

The Mormon Church also teaches of Christ’s millennial reign on earth. The time of the second coming of Jesus Christ is unknown to all but the Father. However, it is known how he will come. He first came to earth humbly, in a manger, and lived as a carpenter’s son. Although he developed a following during His ministry, He was still despised and reviled of men. He established the kingdom of God on earth, a spiritual kingdom that existed as the Church of Jesus Christ, and today exists as the Mormon Church. The second coming of the Lord will be far different. He will come in all His power and glory to reign. The spiritual kingdom of God will take power as the physical government to rule the earth. Every nation and people will accept him as Lord and Savior, and King. He will reign over the earth a thousand years, during which time Satan will be bound and prevented from tempting mankind. As a result, all will live in peace-the lion will lay down with the lamb. People will still give birth, grow old, and die, but their death will be an immediate change to a resurrected state. The Mormon Church teaches that the great work of the millennium will be done in Mormon temples.

Ordinances for all who have died throughout the history of the world will need to be done and it will take constant labor during the thousand years to accomplish it. At the end of this thousand years, Satan will again be loosed for a little while before the end of the world and the judgment of God.

Renewal and Resurrection

During the millennium, before the end of the world and the final judgment, the earth will be changed to a state like it was before the Fall. No longer subject to the Fall, and the temptations of Satan, it will be a paradise for those living. This too will be a phase in preparation for the end of the millennium, when the earth will go through a process of resurrection and be changed to a perfect state. John saw this in his revelation, “AND I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea” (Revelation 21:1). This will prepare the earth to be a residence for the resurrected faithful followers of Christ. The resurrection of the dead will also conclude at this time and all will stand to be judged of God. The Mormon Church teaches that all will be resurrected who have lived on this earth. This is the result of Christ’s victory over the grave. There are two general resurrections, the resurrection of the just and the unjust. The resurrection of the just began with the Lord’s resurrection. After He rose from the dead, “the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Matthew 27:52-53). Jesus Christ was the first ever to rise from the grave a resurrected being, but since then many of the faithful have also risen, and dwell with Christ in heaven. At the advent of the second coming of Christ, all the faithful and just people who lived on earth will be resurrected and associate with those living on earth to help complete the Lord’s work. The wicked and unjust will wait until the end of the thousand years, and then they too will be resurrected when the Lord’s plan is complete and all will be judged and rewarded according to their deeds.

The Mormon Church preaches the literal truth of the Lord Jesus Christ’s plan of salvation for mankind. The covenant people of God, whether through lineage or adoption, will be gathered together at Zion in preparation for the second coming of the Lord. During Christ’s thousand-year reign on earth, Satan will be bound and the work of salvation for all people will be completed with help from the resurrection of the just. At the end of the millennium, with the work of salvation done, all will be resurrected; Christ will deliver the kingdom to the Father, and stand to judge the world.