generations Archives — Denver Snuffer

When the final work in the vineyard begins, and the natural fruit reappears, the process of casting the bad branches producing bitter fruit accelerates. The bad is cleared away to make room for the good. (5: 74.) The remaining gentiles will be swept away and their cities will be inhabited again. This time they will be swept away by the natural fruit, to whom the land belongs. (3 Ne. 22: 3.)

Though there are two gatherings in the last days, when the natural fruit returns it will be to both. Servants will minister to both. They will all be gathered in, and Israel will gather together in Zion and the long dispersed of Judah will also be given their land in peace. (Isa. 11: 12.) The Lord will hasten His work when the natural fruit reappears. (D&C 88: 73.) Some will say it is like before and everything continues from day to day uninterrupted and the Lord delays His coming. (Luke 12: 45.) Some will think the Lord will allow everything to be destroyed and still not return. (D&C 45: 26.)

Then will be the time when “they became like unto one body” though gathered in both Zion and Jerusalem. (5: 74.) Zion will have her kings (D&C 133: 32) and Judah will have her prophets. (See Rev. 11: 3; D&C 77: 15; Isa. 51: 19-20; Zech. 4: 11-14.)

It begins with the regrafting. Joseph Smith began that process. The purpose was to establish a relationship where it is possible for natural fruit to return. It would take generations before the natural fruit would reappear.

In the work to reestablish the natural fruit, the Lord of the vineyard would send both servants, like Joseph Smith, and He would work alongside them. In other words He would appear to them. (See JS-H 1: 17-19; D&C 84: 35; D&C 93: 1.) The Lord will be present for the work of producing natural fruit in the last days. He will appear to them, and both He and the Father will take up their abode with them. (John 14: 23.) These will be those who are the natural branches, capable of producing the fruit for the final harvest. (John 15: 4-5.) This is the culmination of the final chapter in the vineyard. His work and glory is to bring this about. He knows the end from the beginning. His work has always pointed to this great, final labor.

Those who will be gathered will not need to tell one another to “know ye the Lord” for those who remain will all know Him, from the least to the greatest. (Jer. 31: 34; D&C 84: 98.) These are those who have been redeemed from the fall, for they have been back into His presence. (Ether 3: 13.) These are those who receive a testimony from Christ that they are saved. (D&C 76: 51.) Those who claim to follow prophets, but have not received the testimony of Christ that they have part with Him will be burned at His coming and appointed their place in sorrow and suffering. (D&C 76: 98-106.)

There will be no lukewarm saints allowed to stand in that day. If they have received and followed the truth, they will be saved. If they have not, they will be gathered in bundles and burned. The result will be an era of peace in which the entire vineyard, as if one body, produces again natural fruit. (5: 75.) There will be joy at that day. The Lord and His servants will rejoice, and the Lord will give praise to those servants who labored with Him. (Id.) When He could take credit, instead He shares it. And He promises to those servants: “behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard.”

2 Nephi 30: 6:
 
“And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a  blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of darkness  shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass  away among them, save they shall be a pure and a delightsome people.”
Once the remnant is in possession of the Gospel, they will “rejoice.” What does that mean? What form would “rejoicing” take as a result of  receiving the Gospel?
What does it mean to “know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God?” How would they recognize that?
What are the “scales of darkness” which cover eyes? How would the  scales have been over their eyes in the first place? What does it mean  to have the scales “begin to fall from their eyes?” Does “begin to  fall” mean something about a gradual process, rather than a single quick  event? How do scales continue to remain in place, even as they “begin  to fall?” What does that imply about the difficulty in overcoming  errors because of false understanding or traditions? Even the remnant  will struggle to fully remove the “scales of darkness.”
Why are there “not many generations” involved in this process? Do you  need “generations” to pass away in order to fully remove darkness?
Why is it not possible to accomplish this in a single generation?
If the Lord’s purposes in redeeming the remnant will take “not many  generations” then why do we think we can accomplish it in one? How  gradual a process is involved?
What does it mean to become a “pure and delightsome people?” (For many editions of the Book of Mormon, this phrase used to be, “white and delightsome.” It was changed back to the original, “pure”  rather than “white” in the 1980 edition.)
 
Why does purity and being “delightsome” to the Lord go together?
If this process is going to involve “not many generations” then how far away are we from this unfolding?
When we read prophecy like this, we should realize we are looking at  unfolding history from the Lord’s perspective.  We want to  know what will happen in our single lifetime. We are impatient. He  is interested in having us know the truth.
Nephi’s prophecy gives us a perspective that helps put our own time  into context. We are in a hurry. History is not. There is a great  deal left to do. There is a great deal left to happen. Nephi is  letting us see this lengthy agenda.