CHAPTER 5

Zenos was an Old Testament prophet. Although his works did not survive the scriptural slaughters that occurred as teachings of prophets were wrested from the sacred writings throughout the ages, he was respected and cited by prophets during the Book of Mormon era. Jacob quoted Zenos’s allegory of the tame and wild olive tree. The allegory personifies both Israelites and Gentiles, powerfully representing the“Scattering and Gathering of Israel."

God made covenants with Adam and Eve, and then throughout the centuries since, these sacred covenants have been renewed among righteous people and when it is necessary and appropriate, other covenants have been added. Abraham, a great and noble pre-mortal stalwart, was chosen before he was born (Abraham 3:23) to receive added covenants in a special way. The Lord augmented special responsibilities as well as special promises to Abraham’s descendants’ covenants. 

This covenant of Celestial glory and therefore Celestial increase is available to all of God’s righteous children. The Lord also told Abraham that through His line, the whole world would be blessed. This foretold that the Savior of this and countless (to us) other worlds would be born on Earth through Abraham’s line. In this way worlds of people are blessed with immortality and the opportunity for Eternal Life. 

The covenant people were to be like lodestones, drawing others of God’s children to the Gospel. (Isaiah in Isaiah 49:6 was told “I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the Earth.”) Because, as a group, they failed to live up to their part of the covenant, Abraham’s descendants were later “scattered” throughout the world. But the Lord never forgets His covenants. Abraham was also told that the Promised Land would be for his righteous descendants. They would finally remember their Lord, Jesus Christ. This would take place during the last dispensation and would be called the “gathering of Israel.” 

Descendants from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s bloodline were given special blessings, and they were given special responsibilities (Abraham 2:9) that went with that birthright. 

Through approximately 4,000 years since the time of Abraham until our lifetimes, the Children of Israelhave been scattered throughout Earth, and descendants of Israel inhabit countries all over the world. And all of Adam and Eve’s descendants, whether or not of Abraham’s blood lineage, may become part of spiritual Israelthrough worthiness. Jews and Gentiles can all be part of the “Abrahamic covenant.” (2 Nephi 10:18) 

Because of his special calling and promises, these covenants are often called the “Abrahamic covenant.” But the covenants began with Adam and Eve and that all righteous posterity of Adam and Eve will be part of these covenants. All righteous people will be members of the House of Israel. (See 2 Nephi 30:2.)

Zenos used an allegory of a tame and wild olive tree (verse 3). He described blood-lineage Israel, descendants of the patriarch Israel. This people had been blessed, protected, and nourished by God (Jesus Christ). Then later, Zenos incorporated an explanation of spiritual Israel, which inclusion integrated worthy Gentiles.

Surface and Deeper Meanings in the Allegory:

Lord or Master of the vineyard

 Jesus Christ

Vineyard

 Earth

Tame olive tree

 House of Israel (Blood-lineage Israel)

Wild olive tree

Gentiles

Branches

Sub-groups of both the House of Israel and Gentiles

Servants

 Prophets and other helpers and workers in the Lord’s Kingdom 

The roots of the tame olive tree

The Gospel, including covenants, promises, ordinances, and Priesthood blessings

Grafting of branches

Spiritual birth or re-birth—sometimes, but not always, done by moving people to another area of the world to start on a “clean slate”

Fruit of the tree

People on earth and their behaviors, choices, and works

Decaying branches

Wickedness and apostasy

Casting branches into the fire 

Judgment of God which the wicked bring on themselves

Note:

A “tame” olive tree only becomes and stays tame with careful grafting, pruning, and cultivating from its master. It takes about seven years to produce fruit, and almost fifteen years to go into full production. It requires a master with tender patience! If given care, a tame olive tree can give fruit for centuries. Even then it can send more fledgling trees from its roots; thus, from one tame olive tree, fruit can be harvested for over a thousand years!

Given nourishment and care, tame olive trees would be expected to be domesticated and do their part in giving good fruit to their master.

In the allegory, the Master of the vineyard saw His olive tree began to decay; And He pruned it, and digged about it, and nourished it according to His word. “Pruning, digging about, and nourishing” are all metaphors comparing these actions to how the Lord reached out with mighty caring to save Israel, as He continues to reach out now to everyone. Israelites were decaying from within—succumbing to Satan’s enticings, becoming proud and greedy, causing the helpless to suffer, worshiping idols, indulging in immoral practices, and persecuting and even killing the saints and the prophets.

The Lord prunes (clears out rotten branches), digs about (puts new life into the soil), and nourishes (feeds “living water” and “food without price”—2 Nephi 9:50; 26:25) everyone who will come unto Him. As Zenos prophesied, the Lord pruned, dug about, and nourished the House of Israel. 

The “pruning and digging about” helped a few of the Lord’s children. A small number became righteous, believing God’s holy prophets; “young and tender branches” (verse 6) represented these converts. But the “main top,” that represented the rulers and large majority of Israelites was wicked.

After the flood, God led descendants of Adam and Eve to various parts of the Earth (His vineyard) even before Israel’s time (such as the Jaredites, of whom we will later read in “the book of Ether,” and likely many more groups of which we presently have no account). Before and after the breaking up of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the Lord led Israelites from the land of their inheritance to other parts of Earth.

Because grafting—or spiritual renewal of covenants—was made with believers in Christ, (young and tender branches), it did not matter if the root, the Gospel covenants, promises, and Priesthood blessings, were taken from the main tree; as He transplanted young and tender branches, His work continued to survive. The fruit represents righteous people doing good works as they brought more souls back to God.

There were always some righteous people on the main body of the tree. Some Israelite captives were strong believers in God (such as Daniel, a prophet and an interpreter of dreams, who was taken captive as a young boy and first served king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia [Daniel, 1-12] and Ezekiel, a prophet to the captured Israelites).

When Persia overcame Babylonia, eventually some Israelite captives were allowed to return to the Holy Land, after having lived about seventy years in Gentile nations. Many of these Israelites, joined by some Gentiles, became stronger.

Over time people continued to change the true intention of the Law of Moses, which was meant to direct Israel to Christ. In spite of some periods of righteousness, they eventually grew in iniquity, killing prophets and persecuting saints.

Although Jesus was the great God who covenanted with the Jews during Old Testament times, descendants of these very Jews in the eastern hemisphere Promised Land during the Earth life of the Savior—as a nation—rejected Him, rejected their covenants with Him—and this lead to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The last scattering of Israel took place after Christ’s death.

But then Christ’s holy word went forth to the Gentiles, taken by faithful Jewish missionaries far from the original “Promised Land.” 

Huge numbers of Gentiles accepted the Gospel, and much of the Gentile world became Christian. So branches of wild olive trees were grafted into the tame olive tree as Gentiles accepted Old Testament prophets and also the new law given by the Savior. They were then nourished by “roots,” “obeying the commandments of the covenant.”

The Lord has always blessed His righteous servants with the privilege of working in His vineyard—to bring others back to Him.

As the Lord grafted in Gentiles, they added strength to the dying Israelite tree. The Gentiles were also sons and daughters of God and descendants of Adam and Eve; they fell under the original covenant given to Adam, and now they became part of spiritual Israel.

Parts of blood-Israel, the natural branches of the tame olive tree, were placed throughout the whole world.

Because of missionary labors and inspiration by the Holy Spirit, Gentiles throughout Europe embraced Christianity. The new converts accepted Bible teachings and gained testimonies of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and of Old Testament teachings, including creation of the world which replaced myths and idolatry.

Many of Heavenly Father’s children had but recently left His holy, Presence to be born as natural descendants of Adam and Eve. They were quickened by the Light of Christ, and they recognized the truth of the Gospel. 

The Bible was preserved by worthy secluded scholars—although   the devil persuaded some translators to corrupt certain of its important messages and some translators made honest mistakes in translation. Nevertheless, new Christian converts drew nourishment from the “roots,” or blessings and covenants God gave our first parents—the same blessings that were later given to Abraham. When Christ came to Earth, He restored the understanding of the blessings and covenants He had revealed in previous righteous dispensations. After His death, His Apostles and other Christian missionaries spread His glorious Gospel, containing blessings and covenants, throughout the world.

Early Christians, with the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, recognized and drew inspiration from the “roots”— blessings and covenants given by God. With prophets and scriptures providing nourishment, and their commitment, faithfulness, and their belief in the Savior, they became sons and daughters of Jesus Christ. They brought forth good fruit—which were good works—causing many more souls to accept the holy Gospel.

This foundation of Christendom was “laid against the season,” in spite of later storms of apostasy and withdrawal of light; good people (such as reformers) continued to seek after truth based on fruit originally laid against the season. 

Finally, the true Gospel, speaking “…to them with a familiar spirit,” (2 Nephi 26:16) was recognized when it was later restored to Earth in its fullness.

When the Lord carried His people to other parts of Earth, He did not leave them without guidance. Verse 19 refers to the Lord and His prophet(s) visiting the people in whichever land they dwelt. 

Verse 20 tells us that He nourished them for a long time. This preparation for the Restoration took a long time.

In some places in the world, the Lord placed people where the prophets or servants wondered, “Why there, Lord?”  The spiritual “soil” seemed poor to them.

The Lord teaches us! It does not matter that the spot of ground is rich or poor—if it is nourished by God. With this sacred nourishment—any branch in any place—can bring forth good fruit! 

Many assume—because of unfortunate temporal circumstances or physical attributes—they cannot produce or perform like “others” and thus cannot be happy because of what they lack. Yet history has shown that with determination, courage, and help from God, disadvantages, including poverty and disabilities, can be overcome. 

The Lord has always nourished His young and tender branches throughout the whole world. They have flourished under this divine nourishment and brought forth much good fruit.

Jacob likely put special emphasis on verse 25, because his listeners directly fulfilled Zenos’s prophecy, having been “planted” in a rich abundant Promised Land. Part of them had brought forth tame fruit, leading righteous lives (originally the Nephites), and part of them (at first the Lamanites) brought forth wild fruit. Yet, during the entire Book of Mormon period, until the majority became so “ripe” with wickedness that they absolutely refused God’s love and protection and turned to Satan, God always nourished them.

Not bloodline, but righteousness, determines those Christ claims as His covenant people.

There was symbolic wild fruit and tame fruit among the people in the Promised Land—notwithstanding the Lord nourished all of them for a long time. Both good fruit and wicked fruit continued throughout Book of Mormon history until the most wicked was finally swept off the face of the land.

Rather than annihilate the wicked, the Lord’s servant wanted to “nourish,” or preach to them and teach them longer—to try to bring them back to the point where they would produce good fruit.

Jacob, a prophet and servant of God, while quoting Zenos, was fulfilling Zenos’s prophecy. Although many Nephites were steeped in wickedness, Jacob called them to repentance, “nourishing” them.  The Lord constantly nourished the Nephites. Righteous Lamanites who listened to the Lord and His servants were also nourished.

The next part of the allegory began by telling the condition of the world, or vineyard, prior to the Restoration of the Gospel; some of the corruption happened centuries prior to the Restoration (such as the great apostasy within the Christian church as it strayed from original Gospel principles); we do not know when the corruption occurred in other parts of the vineyard. It also tells the final destruction of the Nephite nation.

The Lord of the vineyard and His servant went to the original tame olive tree that had done so well when the wild-branches were grafted into the tree. But now, as they looked at the tree, they saw all sorts of fruit cumbering it.

Over the centuries, although the Lord nourished His people and gave them straightforward scriptures, corrupt rulers and power-seekers hearkened to Satan, deliberately removing many “plain and precious things” from God-inspired scriptures. They also changed or eliminated sacred church ordinances, adding their own philosophies and rules as truth. The church fell into apostasy, adhering to self-seeking practices of the devil and of man.

Alien fruit was on the tree whose source of nourishment had once been the spiritual roots, or the Gospel with priesthood blessings and covenants with God. It had started out well; first it produced good fruit, and then it was spoiled by evil.

This part of the allegory could refer to many civilizations throughout the world where—although the Lord gave people the pure Gospel—they “cumbered” it down eventually with false doctrine.

In past years, the “tree,” consisted of Old Testament teachings and the fulfilled law of Christ, brought forth much good fruit and saved many souls. But then true Gospel principles were substituted with many pagan philosophies and man-made ideas. The church was no longer Christ’s; “It profited Him nothing.”  He felt grieved, after all His caring labor, to lose the tree.  

The Lord is all-knowing and does not expect us to “counsel” Him.  However, He does encourage us to think for ourselves rather than to expect everything will be given to us. In verse 33, the Lord of the vineyard complimented the servant by asking him what he thought should be done to solve the problem.

In all sincerity, the servant analyzed the problem, and said the wild-olive branches gave strength to the roots and the roots were still good.

Literally, when the Gentiles were first converted to Christianity, they accepted the Lord’s covenants and blessings. They honored these “roots,” sincerely committing to Christ. Because of their true conversion, they gave life to these “roots”, or to the covenants. The covenants themselves were good, but as people did not keep them, they did not do any good. 

The Lord acknowledged that the roots were strong and good, but that when the roots only strengthened branches that brought forth evil fruit, they could not do any good. The Lord of the vineyard explained to the servant how the branches “overcame” or “overruled” the roots or the “true covenants and blessings.”

Literally, leaders of Christian churches misused God-given doctrine, perverting true meanings and procedures of the covenants and ordinances that were intended to give blessings and point people to God’s Kingdom. Instead, they taught “for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but [denying] the Power thereof” (The History of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, 2:19).

Evil and apostasy became so prevalent that the olive tree, the House of Israel, was about to perish. It would perish unless something was done to preserve it.

Centuries earlier, the Children of Israel were scattered throughout the world; this included “young and tender branches,” who God placed throughout the world; it embodied many captive slaves; it included now unknown others in various capacities and circumstances.

As God nourished the young and tender branches in the foreign soil, at first they produced “good fruit.” But after a “long time,” corrupt branches overcame good branches, producing corrupt fruit. As with the original tame olive tree, wild fruit finally overcome the tame fruit.

Jacob, a righteous servant of God, sorrowed when he knew of corruption of many people in the world. But “also the last” referred to his own people. This sad knowledge must have given him special heartache.

Although it may seem obvious that the Lamanites overcame the part of the tree that brought forth good fruit, the Nephites, through their own wickedness, brought about their own downfall. At the time of their destruction, Nephites were evil. (Jacob saw this destruction in vision—centuries before it happened.)

 Although the Lamanites were a scourge to the Nephites, the Lord always protected the Nephite nation from this scourge when they lived His commandments. The Nephites became so wicked at the end (about A.D. 400-421) that Mormon did not even want to be their general. The Apostles—and most terrible, the Holy Spirit—were both withdrawn from their midst. They lost the Light of Christ. The wild fruit was wild within the Nephites themselves; they lost God’s special protection through their own chosen wild (wicked) lives.

Our Lord was full of sorrow to see this last righteous nation turn evil. Although He saw it happen in other parts of the world, when this “branch,” whom He nourished so carefully and had given the choicest land in His vineyard, turned from Him and His righteous teachings, it caused Him special grief.

The written record of the fallen Jaredite nation had not yet been discovered (Mosiah 21:25-28), but Jacob likely knew of them from the Lord. Jacob referred to Zenos’s mention of another wicked nation that was taken from the land about the time Lehi’s company and the Jewish colony of Zarahemla—of whom the general population of Nephites did not yet know, were led to take their place.

Earlier, the Lord of the vineyard discussed getting rid of corrupt parts of the tree so they would not infect the good parts; the servant pled for more time to nourish the bad parts; now the bad parts overcame the good.

As the Lord surveyed the apostate world, He was discouraged. All inhabitants of the world chose the Lord’s side in the pre-mortal life. Satan, the ultimate recruiter of evil and misery, now persuaded many more to join him—notwithstanding the wonderful nourishment everyone always receives from our Savior.

Sometimes when our family members or friends make poor life choices, we ask ourselves what more we could have done to help prevent their catastrophes.

The Lord of the vineyard also asked that question—yet He knew that He had done everything possible without jeopardizing the people’s agency.

Although He knew He was not at fault, the Lord recognized that the end was near and He grieved to have to cut down branches from the trees and cast them into the fire to be burned. He asked the servant what seems like a rhetorical question: Who corrupted the vineyard?

The servant was becoming wise by working with his Master. He said that it was pride of the people who put their own interpretations on the roots instead of adhering to their intended meanings. They got so “big in their own sight” they grew faster than the strength of the roots and took the strength, or importance, of the roots upon themselves.

Then the Lord of the vineyard said they had better get at the sad job of cutting and burning the trees that had become corrupt from the corrupt branches. Again he asked a question which, though rhetorical—reflected His sorrow over losing the trees—“What more could I have done for my vineyard?”

Instead of attempting to answer, the servant asked the Lord if they could not spare the vineyard a little longer (verse 50). This showed that the servant also loved the trees.

The Lord of the vineyard agreed, seeming glad for a reprieve.

Immediately, the Lord of the vineyard directed His servant to put a plan into action:

• Pluck out the most corrupt branches of the original tree (the most wicked of God’s spirit children—those who changed to Satan’s side in the war of good versus evil).

• Take the branches of the trees from the nethermost parts of the vineyard. (God’s children throughout the world who are not so wicked that they will refuse to listen to Him).

• Graft them into the original tree instead of the corrupt branches that were plucked out (Give them an opportunity to be gathered into the Lord’s fold).

In literal terms, the gathering of Israel would begin.

Long scattered, the original House of Israel, branches of the tame olive-tree, would begin to come back to the Lord.

Since the roots of the trees planted throughout the vineyard have always remained good, the Lord of the vineyard would graft into them some of the branches from the original tame olive tree. 

 The Lord and His servant would graft back the branches from the transplanted trees into the mother tree. Although branches to be grafted into the trees were still wild, the Lord would give them a chance to take nourishment again from the good roots of all the trees.

Literally, the Israelites would be “grafted” or gathered back to be blessed by the covenants and promises made with the Lord Jesus Christ thousands of years previously, at the beginning, during Adam’s time—then later with Abraham.

The Lord of the vineyard was compassionate. He reached out to save His trees, grafting in (making or renewing covenants) with those who had not completely hardened their hearts. The prophets were told not to pluck the “wild branches from the tree” unless they were too “ripe” (with iniquity). The other wild branches would then be given the grand opportunity to (repent and…) be nourished from the good roots of the tree.  But those too “ripe” with iniquity would be cast out to be burned.

Gentiles and Israelites not “ripe” with wickedness will gradually be grafted into the covenants as they can handle them. The roots are God’s true Gospel—with attendant blessings and covenants; there will not be toleration for people to change or embellish these roots with additional false ceremonies or meanings as people did in the early Christian church. 

The roots of the original tree are strong because they are naturally good, and because they would have fresh blood coming from the new “natural” branches to interact with.

Because the most corrupt branches would be cut off, the new branches, although still wild, would have opportunity to gain goodness from the roots and gradually overcome their corrupt nature.

Sending the branches from the mother tree throughout Earth to join with trees originating from “young and tender branches” (so they have good roots although they eventually became corrupt), likely refers partly to groups of righteous early Israelites and also later when Lamanites, remnants of all Lehi’s children—also Israelites—were scattered, and the doctrine of all these Israelites, good to start with, was corrupted.

Because they came from good roots—(Their “young and tender branch” ancestors had true and sacred covenants as their foundation.) many of these scattered misled branches (descendants) have been, and will continue to be, grafted into trees with good roots intact, they will have the opportunity to overcome their corrupted ideas while the goodness from these roots nourishes them that they might bring forth good fruit.

It is the love of God that will gather us all back into His fold if we listen to Him. Although this metaphorof the fruit in Zenos’s allegory has a different meaning from the metaphor in Lehi’s dream, there are similarities—people bringing forth good works, living righteous lives, and bringing souls unto God are manifestations of accepting Christ’s love and mission of love to mankind.

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The Lord of the vineyard then stressed the urgency of doing the great work—because it would be the last chance for the Salvation of the trees.

It is wonderful and humbling that the Lord does not just “send” the servants out to do the work, but that He goes with them. Think of people you would like to be involved with in projects or teams; then think of being on the same team as the Lord when He says, “let us go to…”

“The last” often refers to the Gentiles. The Jews were given the Gospel first; when they rejected it and also rejected the Lord, it was restored in a mostly Gentile nation. There was an intermingling Israelites and Gentiles in events surrounding the Restoration. Joseph Smith was inspired to “ask of God” after reading James 1:5-7, written by a Jew. Although the Gospel was restored in a mostly Gentile nation, (1 Nephi 13:35), Joseph Smith’s lineage included the noble Joseph of Egypt (2 Nephi 3:14).

Sometimes “the last” refers to the Israelites. The allegory says that the children of Lehi are “the last” transplanted branch.  A great missionary effort to the Lamanites, part of this last branch, began in early Church history.

There was mixing of brothers’ families in the original choice to follow Nephi or to stay with Laman and Lemuel; after Christ came following His Resurrection, there were no “ites” in the land. The “Lamanites” descended from all of Lehi’s sons and also from Judah’s lineage through the people of Zarahemla (Mosiah, Vol. 4).  

Now many thousands of faithful saints, descending from Father Lehi and Mother Sariah and from the people of Zarahemla, have joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are partaking of the covenant of Adam and Eve and Abraham and Sarah.

Digging, pruning, and fertilizing are 

metaphors for forms of nourishing. We may accept spiritual nourishment in many different ways. We are nourished when we truly feel adoration for our Savior and a deep abiding thankfulness for His great atoning Sacrifice and His love for us. As we nourish others, we ourselves are nourished.

We must learn line upon line and precept upon precept (Isaiah 28:10); strong sacred covenants cannot be given all at once. The Lord of the vineyard counseled His servants to clear away the most corrupt branches; as less corrupt branches become more righteous through the influence of nourishment of the good roots, more wickedness could be cleared away. The roots at their strongest are too much for new graft to absorb at once and they might perish.  

Wickedness will be cleared away according to how fast the newly grafted branches become righteous and how strongly committed they are to obtaining righteousness. As more of God’s children are able to live the most sacred covenants, more wickedness can be cleared out. If the strength of the covenants and blessings is too much for those not ready, they might give up and lose all blessings.

In literal terms, when Israel is gathered, blood descendants of Abraham, who accept the Lord Jesus Christ, will be grafted back into the House of Israel tree and all other descendants of Adam and Eve, who accept the Lord Jesus Christ, will be of spiritual Israel, therefore they will also be grafted into the House of Israel tree—and together a united House of Israel will be righteous and will bring more righteous souls unto the Lord.

As Zenos prophesied, the Gospel was restored in the latter days.  God’s servants immediately went out into His vineyard and began to labor. The Lord gave them instructions, and then He told them this would be the last time the trees would be given nourishment; the end would come quickly. 

Joseph Smith was given the keys to the gathering of Israel and all other keys necessary to administer all covenants and ordinances on Earth. As Prophet of the Restoration, he obeyed God’s commandments; other faithful saints, or servants, also obeyed God’s commandments. The Lord labored with them’ He continues to labor with all of us who will be His servants.

In accordance with the Lord of the vineyard’s promise, “there began to be natural fruit again in the vineyard; natural branches began to grow and thrive exceedingly; wild branches began to be plucked off and cast away; and they did keep the root and the top thereof equal, according to the strength thereof."

Missionaries laboring with the Lord began bringing in converts from all areas of the world. Apostates, in evil ugliness, cut themselves off from the restored blessings and covenants and did not prosper. As the “branches” strengthened, they received more and more revelation; the roots and branches maintained a balance.

Zenos saw the gathering happening; likely Jacob also saw the gathering happening. They saw our day, when keys to the “roots” were restored.

 They saw faithful saints labor with the Lord in His vineyard. Then they saw beyond our day to the ultimate success of this labor, when Israel is gathered and everything corrupt and evil is cast out of the vineyard. There will be absolutely no place for evil in the renewed world.  The bitterest branches will be swept from the vineyard; the devil and his followers will be swept from the world.

God’s work and glory is to bring Eternal Life to us (Moses 1:39)!  When we work humbly with the Lord, keeping His commandments and bringing worthy souls unto Him, we have an inheritance in His glory.

Zenos saw the last phases of the great Plan of Salvation, which Heavenly Father in Heaven presented eons ago in our pre-mortal life, come into “fruitation.” With great urgency, the Lord and His servants are even now laboring to bring forth good fruit.

The good fruit means good people making righteous decisions and performing righteous actions, or works, by choice. These righteous decisions and works will continue through the grand Millennial years—with the Lord of Hosts reigning over Earth. Good people performing temple work in thousands of temples throughout the vineyard will be much of the good fruit. Honored covenants and blessings bring forth righteous works—fruit inspired by the love of God and of spirit brothers and sisters.

At last—near the end of the Millennium, final choices will again be made as evil is allowed into the vineyard for one last time. Those who choose evil will join those who originally made the selfish, greedy, and wicked choice to join Satan, and have labored in vain to upset God’s marvelous Plan. The Lord will gather the good to Himself; the wicked will be sent to their own place that they, through their chosen works, have selected. Then Earth will burn with Celestial Glory for those who will inhabit Celestial bodies, continuing to progress, following the Lord along the covenant path to eternal life.