Preparing the Way

Barry A. Baker

Description

Thoroughly researched and supported, this study invites you to embrace the knowledge that the same church that Jesus organized in the ancient Holy Land has been restored to the earth.

“From small and simple to grand and glorious” sends an immediate message to many readers, but to those who do not instantly envision examples before them, Preparing the Way seeks to reveal elements of past, present, and future events, woven together to set the stage for the great and dreadful day of the Lord. This paradigm stage is set for all to discover.



One of the clearest principles of world history is that everything we see before us today had a small beginning somewhere, somehow, influenced by someone. Remarkably enough, these events have prepared the way for the restoration of the church that Jesus Himself organized in His day and age. Through miraculous occurrences, His church is again upon the earth to prepare the way for His second coming to preside over His kingdom for the one-thousand-year millennial rule and reign—Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords.



Thoroughly researched and supported, this study invites you to embrace the knowledge that the same church that Jesus organized in the ancient Holy Land has been restored to the earth.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Jesús de Nazaret
• Jesus
• Latter Day Saint movement
• Spirituality
• Book of Mormon
• Religion
• Jésus de Nazareth

Informations

• Publié par: Archway Publishing
• Date de parution: 02 septembre 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781665705264
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

PREPARING THE WAY
For the World to Receive the Restored Gospel of Our Savior, Jesus Christ, in these Latter-days

Barry A. Baker


Copyright © 2021 Barry A. Baker.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
 
 
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.archwaypublishing.com
844-669-3957
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6657-0525-7 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6657-0526-4 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2021906711
 
 
 
Archway Publishing rev. date: 10/20/2022
CONTENTS
In Appreciation
Preface
About the Author
Synoptic Contents of Preparing the Way
 
1. Defining and Understanding the Title and Mission of Elias
2. English Has Become the International Language (EIL) Most Institutions Still Call It ESL
3. England Prepares the Way for the British Empire
4. Preparations for Political and Religious Choice
5. Preparations for the Restoration to a Free Land, Choice above All Other Lands (See 1 Nephi 2:20)
6. Looking at Apostasy within the Major Dispensations
7. Apostasy from the Early Christian Church was Foreseen.
8. The Need for a Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ
9. Understanding Isaiah (See 2 Nephi 25:7–8)
10. Interpreting Isaiah 54 and 3 Nephi 22 (Latter-day Saints Church History)
11. What Has Been the Role of the US Government in Preparing the Way?
12. Go Ye Therefore and Teach All Nations
13. What about the Lost Tribes of Israel; Where Are They?
14. The Descendants of Ishmael and Others
15. What Can the Descendants of Abraham Expect Heretofore?
16. The Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord
17. Continuing the War
18. What Type of Life Will the Millennium Bring Us?
 
Bibliography
IN APPRECIATION
For their many hours of proofreading and patience as Preparing the Way was in the making, I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to my brother and sister-in-law, Raymond and Susan Baker. They showed keen understanding and insight, as well as encouragement in my completing this multi-year project that commenced in the year 2004.
My sister, Marlene Seegmiller and niece Patrice Shaffer have given beneficial suggestions and insight as they reviewed the manuscript. Their comments and suggestions proved so helpful.
Additionally, for his computer skills in finalizing the draft copy of the manuscript, securing the footnotes, and page numbering on their proper pages, I am indebted to my son, Jeremy.
For her patience and additional computer expertise, I thank my daughter, Heather Bailey. She spent numerous additional hours of pre-editorial and chapter-merging effort in qualifications I lacked, as well as arranging the bibliography to conform to the Chicago Manual of Style to aid in preparation for my publishing team at Archway Press.
My lifelong and eternal companion wife, Tamra admits it has been an on-and-off project that she wondered, at times, if it would ever be finished. I sincerely thank her for her patience and moral support since I began this writing.
And finally, I am truly much indebted to my grandson, Seth Argyle, for his willingness to tackle the all-important indexing of the names and terms of the complete manuscript. I commenced this part of the project, but soon realized it required much more detailed and technical computer skills than I had been prepared to complete in its final format.
—Barry A. Baker, 2021
PREFACE
“From small and simple to grand and glorious” sends an immediate message to many readers. To those who do not instantly envision examples before them, this book is written to reveal what is seen of certain past, present, and future events, setting the stage for the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
But one of the most obvious principles in world history is that of how everything we see before us today had a small beginning somewhere, somehow, and by someone. One prime example is evident when studying the history of how England became Great Britain and then the seat of the great British Empire.
Interestingly enough, the Lord has revealed to His prophets in past dispensations, the history of this planet we call earth from its unorganized mass of molecules to its present telestial, soon to be terrestrial, and then, finally, celestial form. Such prophets as Abraham (Abraham 3:5), Moses (Moses 1:8), Enoch (Moses 7:67), Moroni’s reference to John (Ether 4:16), Mahonri Moriancumer (Ether 3:25–26), Lehi, Nephi (1 Nephi 14:18–27), and certainly the prophet of the restoration, Joseph Smith Jr. (Moses 3:5–9, 2 Nephi 2:22, D&C 88:14–26) revealed, through their understanding, the doctrine of preparation. All of these prophets are powerful examples of those who have seen it all.
It is my hope that you, the reader, will see the mission and principle of Elias through the same window as do I. This vision helps me understand and tolerate better what is going on in a world so seemingly confused and corrupt. To those who seem to think there is no hope, I declare, there is hope —hope for the righteous soul who knows where holy ground lies.
Even though I retired after thirty-four years as a full-time employee and instructor in the classrooms of the seminary and institute arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I take personal and full responsibility for the content of this book. I did not seek endorsement or approval from the church to commence or produce this project.
Barry A. Baker
Ephraim, Utah, 2021
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Barry A. Baker is an experienced educator, full-time missionary, and church and public servant. In August 1963 he married Tamra Hyde in the Salt Lake Temple.
Barry graduated from high school in Beaver, Utah, in 1956. He received his BS degree in speech and English from Utah State University in 1966 and his MEd in Ed. Admin. at Brigham Young University in 1970. Before being transferred by the Church Educational System to Minnesota, he taught seminary in Utah, at the Coalville and Kamas LDS Seminaries. While doing his graduate studies at BYU, additionally, he taught one year at the Lehi LDS Seminary.
In 1970 he was transferred to St. Cloud, Minnesota, where he taught and coordinated home study and early morning seminaries and institutes in portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, as well as in Manitoba and Ontario, Canada.
He was transferred back to Utah in 1983 to teach at the Ephraim LDS Institute of Religion. In 1990 he was assigned to teach as the LDS Institute Instructor/Coordinator at the opening of the new state prison, the CUCF, (Central Utah Correctional Facility) in Gunnison, Utah, teaching afternoon classes after teaching morning institute classes in Ephraim. His Ephraim Institute specialty was in teaching Religion 130, Missionary Preparation.
Barry and Tamra have served three full-time missions for the church. They were the first Latter-day Saint full-time missionaries to serve in the country of Kazakhstan (2002–03); followed by a second humanitarian mission, this time to the people in the Russia Vladivostok Mission in 2006–08; then an LMS (Leadership-Member-Support) mission in the Florida Jacksonville Mission in 2011–2013.
An interesting and unique part of Barry’s leadership experience is that he has served as branch president four times, two of those at both ends of the globe, in New Zealand and Russia. He has also served as bishop, high councilor, district presidency, teaching and administrative positions in the church as well as Ephraim City Council member.
Last, but certainly not least in his life’s experiences, Barry served our country for six years in the Utah Army National Guard, with an honorable discharge in 1967 as a staff sergeant.
SYNOPTIC CONTENTS OF PREPARING THE WAY
Chapter 1. Defining and Understanding the Title and Mission of Elias
Elias is the title of one who has the foreordained duty/calling to perform a certain mission/work that precedes a later work that is even greater and more far-reaching in its immediate and eventual goals.
Perhaps the foremost example of the mission of Elias is John the Baptist, as stated in JST Matt. 11:13–15, JST Matt. 17:10–14, and JST John 1:20–28. These passages are sufficiently clarified to show that anciently, two Eliases were spoken of, one as a preparer and the other a restorer. John was sent to prepare the way for Jesus, Jesus Himself being the Restorer who brought back the gospel and the Melchizedek priesthood to the Jews in His day. See JST John 1:20–28, (Appendix section of the Holy Bible , published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bible Dictionary p. 663.)