Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations

We read Doctrine & Covenants 115:3-6 in our Sunday School class today, and when the teacher asked for insights about verses 5 and 6, people mentioned that the Church and the Gospel are a refuge from the storms of life or the world. No one seemed to pick up on the framing for these verses, which is very clear: we are to “arise and shine forth” so that our light will be “a standard for the nations“. Not just a few individuals or families. The whole world. We are to “arise and shine forth” so that “the gathering together“- not just coming yourself into the Church; gathering together, in strength, for refuge – “may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm”. This isn’t about regular, metaphorical ‘storms of life’: it’s the storm that is coming – or is already developing, quite clearly, around us – as Satan ratchets up his efforts and marshals all the forces of evil to bring destruction to the souls of men and attack the work of God.

Zion and her stakes need to be a refuge “from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth“. Nothing here about peace from the difficulties of mortality; this is Last-Days, Revelation-esque warning and prophecy – judgements and “all things… in commotion”. The Church, as Zion, is God’s appointed ‘Ark’ of the latter days: the only place where men’s hearts will not fail them and brothers and neighbours won’t be forced to fight one another. Only here can peace be found – together. Zion isn’t one person or family; it’s all of God’s people, who have covenanted that they will support each other, as they follow Christ. It’s a peace and refuge that can only be created by people working together, motivated by the Light of Christ. A place where things are built with truth and beauty.

I do get it; parents are focused on their families as discrete units, and on bringing up their children well. They’re predisposed to interpret Gospel truths in that context. There’s a habit in our church – at least here, anyway – of interpreting scriptures as metaphorical instructions for personal situations. Often, that’s very useful, and applicable. But there are also direct, definite predictions, warnings, and instructions that are much bigger than this. God’s work is grand, and He has all of humanity in His sights. We are His helpers in that whole work.

Zion isn’t just a refuge for individuals and families, all living separately, part of the same church, serving each other as required, and so on. It is God’s alternative – or the original – to Babylon. An actual place, and, with her stakes, many actual places, modelled on the City of God. That is why we have a structure of prophets, apostles, seventies, stakes, bishops, Relief Societies, seminaries and institutes, and missions. It’s why we develop and teach self-reliance in all areas. Zion is an alternative city; a place where true civilisation is built and preserved; where all who would build and preserve it might come, and join in that work. Where humanity will be saved. It will, in the end, be the two great cities, with all their satellites: Babel/Babylon, and Zion.

I think that members of the Church are, at least here, too colloquial or provincial about this. The family is emphasised as an objective, because it’s the foundation of society, and the place where good is taught and practised. But it’s not the end. It’s not the only thing to look towards. We must all look towards each other – and, of course, God, first. I’m relatively sure, without really knowing, that Heaven will not be nice little families, happily living in cottages surrounded with flowers and vegetable gardens, meeting each week for church. It will be all of God’s exalted children, working together to further His purposes for eternity.

My point is this: we, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are about building the only refuge for humanity in the last days that will be a protection from the wrath to be “poured out without mixture upon the whole earth“. There will be nowhere else they can go. This is our mission. We are to save the world – quite literally. (Or perhaps I should say, save people from the world…).

How do we do this?

By standing, very firmly, in holy places – sustaining those called and ordained to govern within the structures the Lord has placed to undergird the great city Zion, committing ourselves to act in the name of the Lord in all things, and standing by our holy covenants which purify us over time and protect us in the meantime – and doing all in our power, and in the great power God bestows upon us, as Nephi foresaw, to gather our brothers and sisters in from the storm – all who will come. By purifying our hearts and living with charity and virtue. It is an urgent, essential, life-encompassing work that goes beyond our duty to our individual families or selves. We do it through ‘saving’ ourselves and our families, and others. We do it through building ourselves into communities of spiritual strength and God-given light.