This Way
To Understanding
The
By The Red Headed Hostess
House of Israel
Š The Red Headed Hostess www.theredheadedhostess.com
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There once was a man named Abraham Abraham means “Father of a Multitude�
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And he made a covenant with the Lord
I promise‌
I promise ‌
A covenant is a two-way promise
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We call the covenant God and Abraham made:
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In this covenant, God gave Abraham some divine promises. Among them were 3 things.
P …. P… P… And you can remember them because they all begin with the letter “P”
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The first
P
that God promised
Abraham was:
Posterity (or children) Genesis 13:16
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P
The second
that God
promised Abraham was:
Property (or land) Genesis 17:8 8
P
And the third
that God
promised Abraham was:
Power (or Priesthood) Abraham 2:9
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But this is not all‌
God promised Abraham that if he kept his end of the covenant,
For ALL of
Abraham could have those things forever! 10
eternity!
Which means that he can have
Posterity Property and
Power
Do you know what THAT means?
OW!
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Just like Heavenly Father has! Only those like Heavenly Father have those 3 P’s forever.
They have what is called This exists in the highest degree of the
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Celestial Kingdom
So Abraham was promised that he could become like Heavenly Father!
You should read Doctrine & Covenants 132:29
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And‌ guess what!
Abraham was not the only one promised that!
All of his family received those promises as well! NOW, You should read Doctrine & Covenants 132: 30 and 31 14
The Covenants offered by the Priesthood are all a part of the Abrahamic Covenant. In the Bible Dictionary it says: “Abraham first received the gospel by baptism…. Then he had conferred upon him the higher priesthood, and he entered into celestial marriage (which is the covenant of exaltation), gaining assurance thereby that he would have eternal increase (The first “P”:
eternal posterity.)
“Finally he received a promise that all of these blessings would be offered to all of his mortal posterity. (That is us!) “…Included in the divine promises to Abraham were the assurances that (1) Christ would come through his lineage, and that (2) Abraham’s posterity would receive certain lands as an eternal inheritance…. These promises taken together are called the Abrahamic Covenant.
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Remember that a covenant is a two- way promise
I promise… Eternal Posterity Eternal Property Eternal Power
I promise… …
So, what did Abraham promise in return? This is your
promise too. 16
I promise……
―To bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations‖ (Abraham 2:9)
Or in other words, Abraham promised that his family will be the family that will try and save all of Heavenly Father’s children. Make sure to read Abraham 2:10-11 17
They will be the missionaries!
What is more Christ-like than trying to save as many of Heavenly Father’s children as possible? So, as Abraham and his seed try and save others, Heavenly Father promises them everything that He has. In other words:
Abraham, if you save my family, I will save yours.
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So… who is Abraham’s family?
Listen up kids.
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Abraham had a son named Isaac
Hi, I am Isaac
Isaac was not his only son; however, Isaac was the birthright son.
And we are following the birthright line.
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And Isaac had a son named Jacob
Hi, I am Isaac
The Abrahamic
Hi, I am Jacob
Covenant was renewed with Isaac, and again with Jacob
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And Jacob had Twelve Sons
Reuben
Simeon
Dan
Gad
Levi
Judah
Asher
Naphtali
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Zebulon
Joseph
Issachar
Benjamin
Also, Jacob’s name was changed to Hi, I am Jacob, I mean Israel
So, his 12 sons are referred to all of the following names:
House (family) of Israel Israel means: One who prevails with God
Israelites 12 tribes of Israel Children of Israel
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Do you know the story of those 12 sons?
Hi, I am Joseph
Jacob gave his second to youngest son, Joseph, the birthright
Anciently, fathers would give their firstborn sons the right or inheritance known as birthright.
This would
include, inheritance of property as well as the authority to preside.
Birthright sons were expected
to care for the family when the father was gone. However, in Jacob’s case, he needed to choose a son who would preside over the Priesthood and carry on the Abrahamic covenant, and he chose Joseph who was the second youngest.
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The rest of Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him and they came up with a plan. One day, they cast him into a pit and then sold him as a slave to a group of merchants going to Egypt. Poor, poor Joseph
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But Joseph was such an amazing person, that he rose to the top in Egypt Joseph, you are my righthand guy.
I try‌
And he became the Pharaoh’s righthand man Go, go, go Joseph
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The Pharaoh had a dream and Joseph interpreted it. He prophesied that after 7 years there would be a great famine.
So, Egypt stored food for 7 years.
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When the famine came, Egypt had plenty of food. However, those in surrounding countries had to come to Egypt to buy food.
Genesis 45
Like‌ Joseph’s brothers. When they arrived, Joseph forgave them. And they all came to Egypt with their families and lived there. 28
So the 12 Tribes of Israel and their families lived in Egypt as honored guests until they died.
And their children lived there. And their children’s children. “And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
And the children of
Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them..
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Exodus 1:6-7
“Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply, and it come to pass that, when there falleth out any war, they join also our enemies, and fight against us…”
Exodus 1:9-10
When a new pharaoh came that didn’t know Joseph and his family, he was threatened by all of the House of Israel and he made them slaves. And they were slaves for many years. 30
Taskmasters were set over them, and they built treasure cities for the Pharaoh.
How could they fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant when they are slaves? They need someone to deliver them!
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Do you know this story?
When Moses led the Children of Israel, out of Egypt, and through the Red Sea? You can read about this in the Book of Exodus, which means Exit.
It is named
after the Exit of Israel from Egypt. 32
And how they camped at Mount Sinai and Moses went up and received the Ten Commandments?
Can you say the 10 commandments?
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And how they camped in the wilderness for 40 years?
What has been your longest camping trip?
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And then, when they finally came to the land of Israel they divided it up by tribes?
(after being gone for hundreds of years),
Hi
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In ancient Israel, this was a perfect location for Abraham’s family to be since they were right in the middle of major world powers. Assyria
Mediterranean Sea
Israel
Babylon
Egypt
And everyone would have to travel through Israel. It was a bridge-land 36
Why do you think Heavenly Father would put them there? Right in the middle of everything?
If you want them to be righteous, why not put them off on some deserted island where the world could not influence them?
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So they could fulfill their end of the Abrahamic Covenant!
What better way to be missionaries than to live somewhere where other of Heavenly Father’s children were always passing through? “And we will be the Lord’s missionaries to bring the world his truth”
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For a while, things were going good in Israel.
They had prophets and the tabernacle
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However, as time went on, the children of Israel started watching all of the people coming through their country.
And they wanted to become like them. How sheepish
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Have you heard of the Prophet Samuel? ―Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.‖ 1 Samuel 8:5
When he was the prophet, the people came to him and said that they wanted to have a king like other countries. Samuel warned them that a king would be very bad for them.
The Old Testament mistake was wanting to be like the world. The New Testament mistake was thinking that they were too good for the world, and separated themselves from them. Both mistakes will stop them from fulfilling the 41
Abrahamic Covenant.
The
He warned them that a bad king would take their sons to be his horsemen, and he could take their crops to eat, and he would tax them, and take their daughters to be his bakers.
A king is a baaaaad idea
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“Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; That we also may be like all the nations.� (1 Samuel 8:19-20)
I wonder how this is going to turn out.
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So they got a king.
And his name was Saul. 1 Samuel 9
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Saul started out being a good person and a king.
But eventually he becomes bad. Strike One
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Then the next king is David. The same one that killed Goliath.
However, after David is made King, he makes some very bad choices. Strike Two
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After David, came King Solomon.
He starts out good too, but he makes some bad choices as well. And‌ strike three. They should have listened to the Prophet.
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Duh.
Solomon’s son Rehoboam became the next king. ―Now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpoions. 1 Kings 12:11
He was a foolish king. He and his young counselors decided to increase the burdens (like taxes) on Israel even though the older men told him not to do so. “But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him…
1 Kings 12:8
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10 of the 12 tribes rebelled against Rehoboam. I am the new king over 10 of the 12 tribes!
Jeroboam
I am the former king of the 12 tribes, and now king over 2 tribes. Judah and Benjamin
Rehoboam
They moved North and made a man name Jeroboam their king. From this point on in the Bible, the 2 southern tribes will be known as JUDAH or the JEWS.
The Northern tribes will
be referred to as ISRAEL
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And from this point on, Abraham’s family will be divided King of Judah
King of Israel
They will exist like this for years and years.
Both Israel and Judah
will have their own kings.
They
will have good kings and bad kings. They will both have prophets.
badAnd years. they will
both have good
years and bad years.
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Eventually the 10 Northern tribes will get pretty wicked. They end up going to war with Assyria.
And they lost.
Then Assyria came in and carried the Israelites off.
Israel was now captive. The Assyrians were some mean dudes.
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Israel is carried off to Assyria, where over time, they will become as the Assyrians.
They will now be scattered to the world; hence, begins the “Scattering of Israel”.
Like a flock of sheep who don’t know who their shepherd is.
They are still part of Abraham’s family, but they don’t know who they are.
Please help gather my family back together Who am I?
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Later, the Jews (Judah or the 2 southern tribes) will also be taken captive.
Not by Assyria, by Babylon.
You may know some of these stories.
Like when Daniel was taken to Babylon and thrown in the lion’s den. Lehi and his family left Jerusalem before this happened.
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After a while, some Jews returned to Jerusalem.
But not all of them, many of them were now “scattered” or “lost” like the 10 northern tribes. 54
Out of the twelve tribes, the only tribe that has stayed intact is the Jews. There are about 14 million of them in the world today. Shalom They should have55 listened to the
What would Abraham think about all of this?
How is his family supposed to fulfill their end of the covenant when most of them are scattered to the world? Good question, eh?
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The prophets in the Bible kept a good record of how much grief they felt about the scattering of their family. And they wrote extensively about the day when those tribes would be gathered back together in the “Last Days”. Isaiah wrote about it
―And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth‖
Isaiah 11:12
Jeremiah wrote about it
―Behold I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.‖
Jeremiah 16:16
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Nephi wrote about it
―And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.‖
1 Nephi 22:25
Amos wrote about it
―And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them… And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord they God.‖
Amos 9:14-15
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Check out what it says in the chapter heading for 3 Nephi 21:
―Israel shall be gathered when the Book of Mormon comes forth – the Gentiles shall be established as a free people in America – They shall be saved if they believe and obey; otherwise they shall be cut off and destroyed – Israel shall build the New Jerusalem, and the lost tribes shall return.‖
The gathering of Israel is a major topic in the Book of Mormon.
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And the Bible.
And Joseph Smith started what they were all writing about! And they wrote about him starting it!
―But a seer will I raise up… and out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel… and his name shall be called after me [Joseph of Egypt]; and it shall be after the name of his father [Joseph Smith Sr].‖
2 Nephi 3:11-15
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The Gathering of “Scattered” Israel was on every Prophet’s mind! And they made it clear that in the Last Days Israel would be gathered again.
And they were talking to YOU! So, how do we gather scattered Israel? 61
By Baptizing!
When someone makes the baptismal covenant they are part of the Abrahamic Covenant again, and have now been gathered. They are brought back into the fold. 62
Missionaries are out searching for those of the House of Israel that want to be found.
Then once someone is baptized, they can receive their Patriarchal Blessing which will reveal what particular tribe they are a descendant of. Some of you weren’t gathered by missionaries because someone else in your family had already been gathered before you were born, and you were therefore born “in the covenant”. However, you will renew the covenant for yourself when you are baptized.
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We also gather on the other side of the veil. By doing baptisms for the dead.
When we do temple work we are gathering those who have already lived and didn’t have the chance to be gathered.
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Do you know why the Temple Font looks like this?
Each of the 12 tribes have a different symbol. Benjamin is the wolf Judah is the Lion Zebulun is a ship
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Ephraim and Manasseh are the oxen
Who are Ephraim and Manasseh, you ask? You may have realized that they are not one of Jacob’s 12 sons.
Hi, I am Joseph- remember me? You may be one of my descendants! A
Hi, I am Ephraim. I am Joseph‘s birthright son. So my descendants have a lot of responsibilities.
Hi, I am Manasseh. Because my father was Joseph, the birthright son out of all of the 12 tribes, my descendants have a lot of responsibilities too.
If you are a descendant of Joseph, usually you will be told which son you come through in your Patriarchal Blessing 66
Our symbol is the oxen because they are such a strong animal. Because we are sons of the birthright son, we are supposed to gather the rest of our family back together. So on the baptismal font, you have 12 oxen – symbolizing us gathering the family back together. There are 12, symbolizing one for each tribe in our family. And they are facing every direction, symbolizing our descendants going out into the world searching.
“His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of [the wild ox]:
with
them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh. Deuteronomy 33:17
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―It is essential in this dispensation that Ephraim stand in his place at the head, exercising the birthright in Israel which was given to him by direct revelation. Therefore, Ephraim must be gathered first to prepare the way, through the gospel and the priesthood, for the rest of the tribes of Israel when the time comes for them to be gathered to Zion. The great majority of those who have come into the Church are Ephraimites. It is the exception to find one of any other tribe, unless it is of Manasseh. ―It is Ephraim, today, who holds the priesthood. It is with Ephraim that the Lord has made covenant and has revealed the fullness of the everlasting gospel. It is Ephraim who is building temples and performing the ordinances in them for both the living and for the dead. When the ‗lost tribes‘ come—and it will be a most wonderful sight and a marvelous thing when they do come to Zion—in fulfillment of the promises made through Isaiah and Jeremiah, they will have to receive the crowning blessings from their brother Ephraim, the ‗firstborn‘ in Israel.‖ Doctrines of Salvation, 3:252–53
Check out what President Joseph Fielding Smith said!
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And Look what others have said! There was a group of tested, tried, and proven souls before they were born into the world, and the Lord provided a lineage for them. That lineage is the house of Israel, the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their posterity. Through this lineage were to come the true and tried souls that had demonstrated their righteousness in the spirit world before they came here. Elder Melvin J. Ballard, The Three Degrees of Glory, 22
For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming of the Lord…. In all ages prophets have looked down through the corridors of time to our day. Billions of the deceased and those yet to be born have their eyes on us. Make no mistake about it – you are a marked generation. President Ezra Taft Benson BYU Speeches of the Year, 1979, p.59
It was arranged before we came here how we should come and through what lineage we should come. President George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, p.89
To bring to pass the salvation of the greatest possible number of his spirit children the Lord, in general, sends the most righteous and worthy spirits to earth through the lineage of Abraham and Jacob. Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 216
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―We are Joseph‘s spiritual heirs, called ages and ages ago – in the ―there and then‖ – for the duties which await us ―here and now!‖ Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, May 1986, p.36
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