Keys to Identify God's Endtime Servant
Article by Rodolfo Vergara on the Discover Isaiah Facebook Group from 23 May 2021 (used by permission)
Some Keys to Identif[y] God's end-time Servant and the Great and Marvelous Work
I shared with Avraham some scriptures about the “Great and Marvelous work,” [w]hich is the work where the [Servant] will be empowered to gather and restore Israel and fulfill [the Father's] covenants, while the wicked shall be destroyed or the wheat be gathered and the tares burn ( Matthew 13:39-40, D&C 86:7). I also shared with the volunteers at the Institute a high level view of the great and marvelous work and some of the key elements and what scriptures actually mention. It is key to have an idea of how this will begin.
Christ said about the words of Isaiah:
Ye remember that I spake unto you, and said that when the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled—behold they are written, ye have them before you, therefore search them—And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel. (3 Nephi 20:11-12)
The words of Isaiah are the fulfillment of the “covenant” that [F]ather made unto the house of Israel, which covenant hasn’t [yet] been fulfilled. Nephi said this about this covenant:
Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. (3 Nephi 15:18).
However, Nephi also said that this covenant can’t be fulfilled unless the “arm of the Lord” or his servant shall be revealed in the eyes of all nations:
And I would, my brethren, that ye should know that all the kindreds of the earth cannot be blessed unless he shall make bare his arm in the eyes of the nations. Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations, in bringing about his covenants and his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel. (1 Nephi 22:10-11)
The arm of the Lord is the trigger! See the parallel phrase “the Lord will proceed”:
· “I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder:” (Isaiah 29:14)
· “The Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations” (1 Nephi 22:10)
· “The Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles” (1 Nephi 22:88)
· “The Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words of the book” (1 Nephi 27:14);
· “I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, yea, a marvelous work and a wonder, (2 Nephi 27:26)
· I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them (2 Nephi 29:1).
The hand/arm [being] the Servant, he is the one who will prepare the way for the Lord to come:
My righteousness shall be at hand and my salvation proceed; (Isaiah 51:5).
“Righteousness shall be at hand” represents the [S]ervant.
“Salvation” is Christ [in] what he will proceed to [do via] the [S]ervant. Thus the servant is an “Elias” as he will prepare the way for the second coming of Christ.
And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men. (2 Nephi 25:17)
That is why recognizing the [S]ervant is absolutely crucial/vital when he comes onto the scene. Also, it is very important to notice that because God’s endtime [S]ervant is coming, Satan will deceive many by making them believe to some “they are the [S]ervant” and to others to be deceived by believing them.
However, when it comes to the great and marvelous work, the scriptures are ABSOLUTELY clear on three things on how this will begin. Here are some keys to recognize the [S]ervant:
1. The Servant will be revealed in the eyes of all nations.
Even when the work shall start among the Gentiles, because it has to begin among the Gentiles ([a]nother discussion), his work is a global work.
The Lord has bared his holy arm in the eyes of all nations (Isaiah 52:10)
The Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations (1 Nephi 22:10)
This won’t happen in a secret gathering, or a zoom call, a blog post, or a stake conference just for some. This will be something that everyone will have the chance to see and listen to.
And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; (D&C 1:14).
If anyone who claimed to be “this [S]ervant” [doesn't] have the ability to make his work globally, then he is not the [S]ervant.
2. The Servant will bring forth records
Another aspect of the mission of God’s [S]ervant is the ability to bring forth records. These are not just “new revelations” that someone can publish in a new book, or as some are trying to do to publish "The [B]ook of [C]ommandments." The upcoming records are ancient records, and those records will also have the ability to reach a global audience:
And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be even unto the end of the earth. (2 Nephi 27:11).
The phrase “from the house tops” is another parallel that indicates the global aspect of the work or in the eyes of all people.
Another parallel on the mission of the [S]ervant bringing forth records is in 2 Nephi 29:1-2:
1 But behold, there shall be many—at that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel;
2 And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a "standard" unto my people, which are of the house of Israel; (2 Nephi 29:1-2)
Here we have [H]is hand that will recover God’s people, and that the words of seed of Nephi, which includes the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon, and the large plates of Nephi, “shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth”.
Here the word “standard” applies to the words of the Nephites, and also applie[s] to the [S]ervant (Isaiah 49:21, D&C 113:6), [w]hich tells us the intermingled relationship with the Servant and these records.
* This is probably one of the biggest tangible pieces of evidence. If anyone claims to be the Servant, but has not the power to bring forth those records, then he or she is not [the Servant].
3. The Servant will expose secret combinations
And it shall come to pass that there shall be a great work in the land, even among the Gentiles, for their folly and their abominations shall be made manifest in the eyes of all people. For I am God, and mine arm is not shortened; and I will show miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name. (D&C 35:7-8)
And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed. (D&C 1:3)
Wherefore, for this cause, that my covenants may be fulfilled which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh, I must needs destroy the secret works of darkness, and of murders, and of abominations. (2 Nephi 10:15)
Nephi said the Lord can’t fulfill his covenants unless he revealed his arm in the eyes of all nations, and Jacob added that for the Lord to fulfil his covenants he must also destroy the secret works of darkness.
This is also part of the great and marvelous work, secret combinations shall be exposed and destroyed, this also needs to happen in the eyes of all people (D&C 35:7) and spoken from the house tops (D&C 1:3).
This is going to require massive opposition and persecution that will follow the [S]ervant. But again, the [S]ervant will have the power to reveal the secret works of darkness as a preparatory work to gather and restore Israel.
*If anyone who claims to be the [S]ervant is not brave enough, and does not have the ability to expose secret combinations in the eyes of all people, then he is not the servant.
We don’t know when these things are going to [come to] pass, but we know the Servant is the trigger for the Great and Marvelous work to begin. We have been given “signs” to identify the time and [S]ervant, for the ones who have eyes to see and ears to hear.
We need to be patient, careful and watchful to avoid deception and not to be overcome.