I’m not one to focus on the end times. In fact, I’m not sure about this one servant who gathers all the people the world over — often referred to as the Davidic Servant. There are no previous role models for this. Moses delivered his people, but not all of the people living on the earth at that time. As I have suggested previously, I believe there are many gates to God’s city and many servants. I understand that Joseph Smith said another would take the throne of King David in the last days by the name of David — but again, we are talking only about the Kingdom of David. And that does not imply that whoever that is will be a servant to the world. We forget that in ancient times people lived in small communities that were to them a “nation” or an “earth” or “the world” — today, when we talk about the earth, we mean the whole planet.
I believe that God will gather his followers through so-called servants. I think Joseph Smith was trying to fulfill the role of gathering the descendants of the Book of Mormon. He was reaching out to the Native Americans because he believed they were to be restored to their homelands as recorded by their ancestors.
Joseph didn’t get to finish that work. According to Parley P. Pratt, he will.
My servant Joseph still holds the keys of my kingdom in this dispensation, and he shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh, and fulfill that to which he is appointed. (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, p. 371)
Although he died, he could return as an”exalted” resurrected being who comes with power. I see the pattern in Jesus — the Jews were looking for their messiah who would come with power, and so they missed the messiah Jesus who came as a lowly man and died. They will be surprised (but happy, I guess) when Jesus the Messiah appears resurrected with power. That pattern could be the same for the servant who comes to the gentiles to restore Israel and establish Zion and translate records. Joseph Smith came as a lowly man, and few knew who he was, though his people believed he was called to build Zion. Both Jesus and Joseph came to earth unrecognizable, both died, and both will return. I think the pattern is interesting of the last shall be first, and the first shall be last, and what the Jews go through flips to the gentiles. I would love to think that Joseph has suffered for the cause of Zion and gave himself up for his people who wanted him to come back and face charges. Joseph knew he was going to be slaughtered but willingly went to his death. That whole scene when he could have left for the Rocky Mountains and then got the letter from Emma, etc., is so heart-wrenching.
“‘If my life is of no value to my friends, it is of none to myself.’ Joseph said to Rockwell, ‘What shall I do?’ Rockwell replied, ‘You are the oldest and ought to know best, and as you make your bed, I will lie with you.’ Joseph then turned to Hyrum, who was talking with [Reynolds] Cahoon, and said, ‘Brother Hyrum, you are the oldest; what shall we do?’ Hyrum said, ‘Let us go back and give ourselves up and see the thing out.’ After studying a few moments, Joseph said, ‘If you go back, I will go with you, but we shall be butchered.’ Hyrum said, ‘No, no; let us go back and put our trust in God, and we shall not be harmed. The Lord is in it. If we live or have to die, we will be reconciled to our fate.’ After a short pause, Joseph told Cahoon to request Captain Daniel C. Davis to have his boat ready at half-past five to cross them over the river.” Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 volumes, edited by Brigham H. Roberts, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), {{{vol}}}:547-550.
The other quote is from Essentials in Church History –1922 by Joseph Fielding Smith — I looked it up on Google book; since I have stored all my books, I like to make sure that the quotes are from good sources.
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Interesting new daguerreotype of Joseph Smith that has been hidden, so-to-speak. (link)
