This exposure will include both those in His Church and outside, who have been caught up in Satan’s subtle deceitful ways. The Lord has given us the tools so that we can avoid deceit and know the truth. In the midst of all the storms of life, how perfect is His Plan of Happiness prepared for the righteous? In His fairness, all nations will know of Satan’s deceit, as these ancient records are brought to light.
Records by the Gift and Power of God
We are so fortunate to have the Book of Mormon—translated by the “gift and power of God,” and we can anticipate exciting and extremely important ancient records coming forth by that same power. We will see what an enormous blessing they will be when they come forth. The scriptural accuracy of these records is of profound value in our search for truth versus error. We have God’s promise that if we will treasure up His word, we shall not be deceived (JS-M 37; JS Matt. 24:30; JS Mark 13:26 in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word will be established (2 Corinthians 13:1)).
Translation Errors in the Scriptures
Translation errors are not uncommon. We are all imperfect and what can we expect other than a translator will introduce his/her paradigm into the translation—believing it to be correct. I share in my new book that Sir Isaac Newton found significant Bible translation errors. David Bercot, after studying the teachings of the primitive Church, wrote the book, Will the Real Heretics Stand Up? He determined that current Christianity is influenced more by St. Augustine, Martin Luther, and others, than by the pure teachings of Christ due to translation errors and misinterpretations of the Bible.
Translation Errors in the Scriptures of the Restored Church
Even in the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have mistranslations that have crept into the Book of Mormon because of people’s paradigms. For example, a dear friend of ours, Gwen Winters, pointed out that in the original Book of Mormon, which was translated correctly by the “gift and power of God,” Alma 37 reads:
21 And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four plates [the Jaredite record], that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these directors.
22 For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore the Lord said if they did not repent they should be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.
24 And now, my son, these directors were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:
25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations, and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land. [bolding is mine]
Directors to Guide; Interpreters to Translate
The word directors were changed over the years to interpreters, which has a very different meaning. Directors are like a Liahona that guided the Lehites to the Promised Land of America in 592 B.C. Interpreters are like the Urim and Thummim (seer stone) used by the Prophet Joseph to translate the Book of Mormon by the “gift and power of God.”
Directors to Guide “my servant Gazelem” to Obtain Ancient Records and Translate with Seer “stone” for “my people who serve me” to Discover the Secret Works of Darkness, Wickedness, and Abominations of “their Brethren”
As stated in verse 24, “These directors were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled.” In the future, we have these extremely important events where the Lord, “will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.”(Bolding is mine)
So the Lord will do this for those who are serving Him—true disciples of Christ—to reveal “secret… works of darkness” among “their brethren.” In other words, the rank and file were caught up in this “wickedness and abominations.” Further, these secret works of darkness will be made known “unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.” In other words, these secret works of darkness, wickedness, and abominations will be made known to Americans, who have come into the possession of this “Promised Land.”
This special “servant Gazelem” will use the “directors” to take him to the “Hill Shim” (see New Book of Mormon Miracles | It’s About Time (itsabouttimebook.com)) which is the grand repository of ancient records. Then with the seer “stone” mentioned in verse 23 and by the “gift and power of God” he will translate the “24 gold plates” and the “brass plates,” which reveal the end from the beginning and “their secret works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations” in due process as the Lord guides this monumental effort. The Lord has promised, “I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations.”
Moroni Saw our Day and these Goings on
Moroni, who saw our day more clearly than any other prophet, Who Is Moroni? | It’s About Time (itsabouttimebook.com), describes how these secret combinations destroyed the Jaredite nation about 600 B.C., and the Nephite nation about 385 A.D., and he gives this profound warning to us in Ether Chapter 8:
20 And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites.
21 And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking [the Jaredites], and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.
22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.
23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.
25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.
26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.
It is fascinating that the coming forth of these ancient records by the “gift and power of God” will help “clear the air” and prepare a people for Christ’s glorious millennial reign. These secret works of darkness and abominations will be revealed and destroyed along with those who uphold them. Note, the Lord commands us to be awake when these things come among us–implied to do what we can to help expose them and put them down.
A more Recent Translation Error
We take it as a given that Joseph Smith’s translation was by the gift and power of God. I noticed a more recent mistranslation error that crept in over the years. For Christmas in 1954, my parents gave me a most wonderful gift—the 1953 edition of the scriptures for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was that book that helped me bring many souls to Christ during my Eastern States Mission (1956-1958), and I truly fell in love with the author of them. I learned in my recent research that the phrase “and shall reject the fulness of my gospel” (3 Nephi 16:10) had been removed from this 1953 edition. I noticed it had been put back in my 1979 edition of the scriptures. This scripture is a central message of both of my books, (It’s About Time and Time & Eternity, the End-Times and Beyond Revealed, available from Amazon and from www.ItsAboutTimeBook.com), as the Savior declares as He has been commanded by the Father do so: “At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel [the Bible gospel], and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations…”
The only ones who can reject the “fulness” are those who have it through the restoration of the Prophet Joseph Smith in bringing forth the Book of Mormon containing the “fulness of mine everlasting gospel” (D&C 27:5). So, the Savior is saying, “when,” not “if,” that happens and the Gentiles commit the atrocities listed in Third Nephi 16:10 then, “I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them. And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O House of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them” (3 Nephi 16:10-11). I am guessing the above phrase was removed because they felt we hadn’t rejected the “fulness.” The signs are evident; we are at that juncture when the FIRST (Israel) is becoming the LAST, and the LAST (the Gentiles) have become the FIRST with the restoration, but have now “rejected the fulness of my gospel,” as we see far too many Americas [the Gentile nation spoken of] are in moral decline and doing all the sins listed in 3 Nephi 16:10D
How Blessed we are to have our Good God in Charge
We live in that exciting time when “nothing shall be withheld” (D&C 121:28), as the Lord opens up the path to prepare the way for His Coming. For those who are serving Him, they have the very bright hope that the records coming forth—translated by the gift and power of God—will destroy the secret abominations and those who perpetrate them. Clearly, the most important thing we can do is to repent and come fully to the God of this land, who is Jesus the Christ, and to love Him and serve Him and love Him with all our heart, might, mind, and strength.
David W. Allan
Photo: CC Wikimedia Commens