The Keys of Moses

In the marvelous series of visions that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had shortly after the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, they were visited by Moses. The account reads as follows: “After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north” (Doctrine and Covenants 110:11). It does seem fitting that the prophet who gathered the Israelites out of the land of Egypt would be the one who would restore the keys to gather out Israel in our day. Though we don’t typically think of Moses as a great missionary, surely that’s what he was to the children of Israel as he taught them the laws of God and invited them to follow Jehovah. He gathered them physically and spiritually as he delivered them from bondage, revealed to them the law of the Lord, and led them to the promised land. As we seek to do missionary work today, we are gathering Israel to spiritual safety and delivering them from the bondage of sin in the similitude of Moses and through the power of the keys he restored to the Prophet Joseph.

               The keys that Moses gave were twofold: (1) for the “gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth” and (2) the “leading the ten tribes from the land of the north.” The first is straightforward and is generally how we view missionary work today as we send missionaries literally to the four corners of the earth to gather out all those who will receive the gospel message. The second part seems to be something that has not yet taken place. According to the scriptures, there is a group of ten tribes in a body somewhere north who will be led down to join the saints in some future day. And the keys to lead them back were given by Moses. Another revelation describes this future event: “And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord; and their prophets shall hear his voice, and shall no longer stay themselves; and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence. And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep…. And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants. And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence. And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim” (Doctrine and Covenants 133:26-32). They will join the saints at the New Jerusalem. I love the connection that this seems to have with Moses: he led the children of Israel across the Red Sea on dry ground in a miraculous way, and future prophets will lead the ten tribes from the land of the north down across ice that will miraculously flow down at their presence to allow them to come through. We certainly don’t know where these people are or when this will happen, but these scriptures make it clear that this is a real future event for us to look forward to in preparation for the Second Coming. The keys have been restored and the gathering of both scattered individuals now and the group of ten tribes in the future will take place because of this restoration of priesthood power.