A letter from Ezekiel,
As you know, I, like your father am called to minister among my own. By revelation I am called to preach and warn Israel. Our friend Daniel and his partners are in the palace and I thus trust they are called to preach and warn the King’s court. But for me, I dwell with my own. I am called to say “Thus saith the Lord” and when our people harken they will surely live. I am a watchman unto the House of Israel. It is not an easy work to say unto the wicked they will surely die if they do not harken to my words. But these are God’s words.
It is a merciful God to warn His children, yet in vision I see how Israel will be smitten and scattered. God has shown me the wickedness of Jerusalem. It is full of wickedness. Idolatry consumes the people. It is made known to me that judgement will include famine, pestilence, war, desolation, and the scattering of her inhabitants.
Yet I see in our merciful God that those who receive His word and harken to the warnings will be saved. Nephi, I see this as an individual’s responsibility. I see many that will forbear and reject the warnings. They will be destroyed.
Just as many of us are taken captive and dwell away from our beloved Jerusalem, we are protected and are being chastened by the Lord. I know that if I do not warn others, their sins will be on my head. I am comforted that some will harken and be saved.
I see the destruction of Jerusalem. It will be but a few years from now. We have lived here in Chaldea now seven years. I also wish to give you some hope.
God promises to restore Israel. I see in the last days where Israel which as been scattered among all nations will be gathered. Jerusalem will be destroyed and held captive for many generations. But in the last days Israel will be gathered and the Lord will restore his gospel covenant.
I may seem to repeat myself but repentant sinners will be saved and the righteous who turn to sin will be damned. God will judge each one of us individually for our ways. The warning to me personally is clear. As a watchman, if I do not warn my people, I will be held responsible for those who might have been saved had I fulfilled my duty. I thus seek to be free of the sins of my people.
I share one more thing with you Nephi. This I testify is from God. God said, “take thee one stick and write upon it for Judah. Take another stick and write upon it for Joseph, the stick of Ephraim. These two sticks are to be joined together. They shall become one in our hands.
The records we keep of Gods dealings with the house of Israel are the stick of Judah. I believe that since your family is of Ephraim, your responsibility will be to write upon the other stick. One day in the future out two records will be joined together into one testament of the Messiah.
One more: According to our friend Jeremiah, our sojourn here in Babylon will be some seventy years.
Ezekiel
Jeremiah 25-29 a letter to Ezekiel from Jerusalem.
