Times and Seasons (, Hancock Co., IL), 15 Feb. 1842, vol. 3, no. 8, pp. 687–702. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.
Historical Introduction
Though this issue was the beginning of JS’s editorship of the Times and Seasons, he did not actually begin direct supervision of the newspaper until the following issue. See Historical Introduction to Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842; and “To Subscribers” in the 1 Mar. 1842 issue.
that saith unto Zion thy God reigneth! Thy watchman shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”—Isa. lii, 1–10. Isaiah in another place speaking of this work says: “O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasent stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall for it shall not come near thee.”—Isa. liv, 11–14. We learn from the foregoing quotations that the watchman of Zion, shall see eye to eye; or in other words, be of one mind with regard to the things of God; and also that all their children shall be taught of the Lord. Isaiah says in another chapter: “Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders: but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.”—Isa. lx, 18–22. The above is not only a description of the majesty of the Lord when he will reign over his people in Mount Zion; but of the purity of the saints: for says the prophet, “Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever.” The reader will also remember, that the prophet is here speaking of those that shall dwell in Zion.
Isaiah in another place says: “For behold, I create new heavens, and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy. And I will rejeice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days, for the child shall die an hundred years old: but the sinner, being an hundred years old shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble: for they are the seed of the blest of the Lord, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer: and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.”—Isa. lxv. 17–25. We learn, first, from the above that the earth will be restored; second, that there shall be no wasting nor destruction, nor sorrow or mourning; but that the people of God shall dwell in peace and quietude, and long enjoy the work of their hands; third, that the Lord will give them an abundance of revelations; for says Isaiah, “before they call, I will answer: and while they are yet speaking I will hear;” fourth, the wild beasts will become peaceable and harmless and eat vegetable food. The prophet says in another place; that the Lord will cause peace to flow like a river to his people.
Zepheniah writes thus: “Therefore, wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation. even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my [p. 688]