Ether 13:1-5
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The Book of Mormon > Ether > Chapter 13
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Questions
In verse 3 what does it mean when Ether says that the New Jerusalem will "come down out of Heaven"?
Lexical notes
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Exegesis
Verse 1
Moroni returns explicitly to the question of "the destruction of the people," the Jaredites. As it turns out, this focus on destruction will be vital to this chapter.
Verse 2
This verse opens by pinning the destruction mentioned in verse 1 on the Jaredite reception of Ether: in that the people reject the words of Ether, they go on to destruction. This point will turn out to be absolutely vital in understanding the importance of the few handful of verses in this chapter, because it is precisely because the Jaredites refused to believe the words that Moroni will attribute to Ether here that they were destroyed. And curiously, they are words that outstrip--undeniably outstrip--Jaredite concerns. The message comes as an untimely one, but one that meant the difference between exaltation (literally, it appears) and absolute destruction.
As Moroni begins to summarize the message of Ether, he offers first a sort of blanket statement: "he truly told them of all things, from the beginning of man." The point is curious, because it gives one a sense that Ether is a prophet in the same full sense that the Brother of Jared had been a prophet: both have had visions that encompass the whole of everything. The odd thing is that the Brother of Jared was commanded to seal all of these things up until Christ should come upon the earth, but Ether is commanded--or at least he feels he ought to--announce these things to everyone. In contrast, Moroni is forbidden to write more about Ether's prophecies in verse 13. Nevertheless, the contents of Ether's visions may have been somewhat more limited than the Brother of Jared's: Ether's concerns "all things, from the beginning of man," whereas the Brother of Jared's visions seem to have extended beyond the realm of "man." At any rate, there is an interesting tie between the first and last prophets of the Jaredite history--not unlike the curious tie between Nephi's language and Moroni's language.
As Moroni moves onto the actual content of Ether's teachings, the first subject to be taken up is the sanctification of the Promised Land. It is not quite clear, it must be admitted, whether "after the waters had receded from off the face of this land" refers to the waters of the creation as described in Gen 1 or to the waters of the flood. If one, however, takes this reference in the much broader scope of LDS scripture and the sayings of the early prophets, it seems clear that this is referring to the flood, since the antediluvian patriarchs lived in the Americas. If this is an appropriate reading, then the flood seems to have sanctified and cleansed the American continent to prepare it for a new people, and the Jaredites did not arrive too long after the flood.
The teachings are summarized so briefly that it is not entirely clear why this land should be "a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord," but much of what Ether goes on, reportedly, to say will open up some interpretive possibilities. The final phrase of the verse is quite clear, but perhaps should be emphasized: all who come upon this land in particular are to "serve him," which implies some sort of covenant relation. All of these details open onto the shocking revelation of verse 3.
Verse 3
The particularity of "the New Jerusalem" suggests that Ether's hearers (or least latter-day readers: it will be difficult throughout the following verses to decide how much of what is written is summary of Ether and how much of it is Moroni talking to his eventual audience--though here the assumption will be that the words are Ethers) are supposed to understand the reference perfectly. That is, whatever "the New Jerusalem" is, whoever heard this discourse was apparently already quite aware that there would be one. The shocking revelation is that it was to be on this continent. The phrase, "which should come down out of heaven," does seem to function here as a further explanation of the New Jerusalem, but rather as a further explicitation, that is, it is meant to make sure that hearers of the prophecy know exactly what Ether is talking about. If the phrase is read this way, then "the holy sanctuary of the Lord" is supposed to be a parallel reference just as obvious to the people as "the New Jerusalem." In order to begin to think about what this revelation is announcing, one must begin with these two phrases as parallels: "the New Jerusalem" and "the holy sanctuary of the Lord."
While "the New Jerusalem" is certainly a biblical phrase, "the holy sanctuary of the Lord" is not, though "sanctuary of the Lord" shows up in Ezek 48:10, a passage that might well be connected with the Revelation vision of the New Jerusalem. If there is some sort of absolute reference for Ether's words here, it must begin to be thought in the intersection between Ezekiel and Revelation. Perhaps more: while it is clear in this verse that "the New Jerusalem" is to "come down out of heaven," verse 6 describes "a New Jerusalem" that will "be built up upon this land." There are--and it must be pointed out from the very beginning--probably two different "New Jerusalems" at work in this passage, one from heaven and one on the earth. This much said, interpretation of this verse might be undertaken.
Twice in Revelation is the New Jerusalem mentioned: Rev 3:12 and Rev 21:2. Both of these references specifically mention that this New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven, specifically from God. Of the two references, the former is more difficult to interpret because the New Jerusalem is mentioned simply as a promise within another context, but the latter is part of a vision of the New Jerusalem as it descends. That seems to be the place to begin to interpret. The New Jerusalem descends just after the new creation is completed, a new heavens and a new earth. It descends adorned as a bride for the bridegroom (the Lamb in the passage). The city itself is described as a great cube, something like a gigantic holy of holies, and it is paradise itself within, the place of the tree of life. From all of these details, it seems clear that the New Jerusalem is a heavenly thing, not an earthly creation, and that it comes down to give the righteous a place to dwell.
Parallel to this is "the holy sanctuary of the Lord," which might, as mentioned above, be connected with Ezek 48:10. The sanctuary there is the holy of holies of the eschatological temple: that is, it is apparently the New Jerusalem itself. The only detail in this verse that would suggest otherwise is the "and" that seems to separate the two ideas. But it seems best to read "and the holy sanctuary of the Lord" as simply doubling the reference to the heavenly Jerusalem descending. Now, all of these details may connect this with the city of Enoch: in Moses 7:63, the Lord explains to Enoch that at the last day, "Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them [those in an earthly "New Jerusalem"] there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other." All of this suggests a meeting of two New Jerusalems, a heavenly one and an earthly one, as it is put in D&C 84:100: "The Lord hath gathered all things in one. The Lord hath brought down Zion from above. The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath."
Verse 4
With all of these details, it is possible to approach verse 4, where Ether begins to speak of "a New Jerusalem upon this land," apparently another New Jerusalem, but one built up by men. What is perhaps odd about this verse is that this business is somehow connected with "the days of Christ." At first blush, one would probably assume that "the days of Christ" would refer to the time when Jesus was on earth. A closer look, however, reveals that things may be somewhat more complicated here. Since everything surrounding the phrase is referring to the last day when the two New Jerusalems meet, it seems it might be better to understand the phrase to be referring to the days in which Christ reigns among the people. On this account, it might be important that the name "Christ" is used instead of "Jesus" (a name Mormon and Moroni seem at times to prefer): this is the time of the coming again of the Messiah, the time of the issuing in of peace, etc.
Verse 5
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