Moses 7:68 - Establishing Zion
Moses 7:68 - And all the days of Zion, in the days of Enoch, were three hundred and sixty-five years.
The Lord revealed to Enoch that prior to his last and final coming, he shall establish “an Holy City...and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem” (Moses 7:62). This prophecy has been taught by others throughout history, most notably Isaiah and Joseph Smith, among others. Many today now look forward to the coming of the Savior and to that holy city, the new Jerusalem.
There are many misconceptions about the city of Enoch, or Zion. We sometimes have difficulty looking beyond our own filters. I have heard some lament that it took Enoch and his people 365 years to build Zion before they could be taken up by the Lord. They wonder how we in our day are supposed to build Zion prior to the Lord’s coming if it took so long for Enoch to do it. For the next several posts, let’s clarify what we know about Zion and the establishment of this Holy City based upon what is revealed through the holy scriptures.
The Days of Zion
Enoch began to prophecy and preach unto the people at age 65 when the Lord spoke to him out of the heavens (Moses 6:25-26). “And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God.... And Enoch continued his preaching unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that’s was called the City of Holiness, even Zion” (Moses 7:13, 19). We know that Enoch began to build the city of righteousness very soon after he commenced his preaching. We know this because Zion was upon the earth 365 years (Moses 7:68) and all the days of Enoch upon the earth were 430 years (Moses 8:1). Subtracting those numbers equals 65.
During the time Enoch was establishing the city there were many wars and great bloodshed throughout the land, “but the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness” (Moses 7:16). The Lord blessed these people and called them Zion “because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Moses 7:18).
How long did it take these people to build Zion? It appears from the scriptures that Zion was established from the very beginning, as soon as these holy people began to gather, for immediately after they gathered the Lord dwelt with them and called them Zion. It was after the Lord came and dwelt with them and called them Zion that the scriptures say Enoch “continued” to preach and build the City of Holiness. So it appears there was a group of people who were righteous to begin with and grew and expanded until they became a “city”. Lord called them Zion from the beginning.
Waiting On Zion
It did not take Enoch 365 years to build Zion, though I am certain it grew and expanded throughout that time, and they flourinshed in their knowledge of the mysteries of God, in principle at a time. The Lord dwelt 365 years with his people before he took them up to himself. Zion is not a place or city so much as a state of heart and condition of righteousness. They were called Zion because of who they were, not where they lived, and then they built a city called Zion, or the City of Holiness, around them. Notice how the Lord called his people Zion, and the people later called the city Zion. The people came before the city.
Zion will be established again in the last days, and at that time, the Lord will dwell with his people again upon the earth. The Lord dwelt with Zion anciently 365 years. In the coming days, the Lord will dwell with his people for 1,000 years. “And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years” (Moses 7:65).
How long will it take to establish Zion in these last days? It will not take 1,000 years, that’s for sure. It will take as long as it takes for the hearts and minds of a people to be of Zion caliber and not longer. Zion will be established before the coming of the Lord and will stay upon the earth for 1,000 years. All that is asked of us is to prepare ourselves to become a Zion caliber disciple. Then we watch, wait, and believe. He will establish Zion for us. We do not and cannot do it, but the Lord does it,
The Lord revealed to Enoch that prior to his last and final coming, he shall establish “an Holy City...and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem” (Moses 7:62). This prophecy has been taught by others throughout history, most notably Isaiah and Joseph Smith, among others. Many today now look forward to the coming of the Savior and to that holy city, the new Jerusalem.
There are many misconceptions about the city of Enoch, or Zion. We sometimes have difficulty looking beyond our own filters. I have heard some lament that it took Enoch and his people 365 years to build Zion before they could be taken up by the Lord. They wonder how we in our day are supposed to build Zion prior to the Lord’s coming if it took so long for Enoch to do it. For the next several posts, let’s clarify what we know about Zion and the establishment of this Holy City based upon what is revealed through the holy scriptures.
The Days of Zion
Enoch began to prophecy and preach unto the people at age 65 when the Lord spoke to him out of the heavens (Moses 6:25-26). “And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God.... And Enoch continued his preaching unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that’s was called the City of Holiness, even Zion” (Moses 7:13, 19). We know that Enoch began to build the city of righteousness very soon after he commenced his preaching. We know this because Zion was upon the earth 365 years (Moses 7:68) and all the days of Enoch upon the earth were 430 years (Moses 8:1). Subtracting those numbers equals 65.
During the time Enoch was establishing the city there were many wars and great bloodshed throughout the land, “but the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness” (Moses 7:16). The Lord blessed these people and called them Zion “because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Moses 7:18).
How long did it take these people to build Zion? It appears from the scriptures that Zion was established from the very beginning, as soon as these holy people began to gather, for immediately after they gathered the Lord dwelt with them and called them Zion. It was after the Lord came and dwelt with them and called them Zion that the scriptures say Enoch “continued” to preach and build the City of Holiness. So it appears there was a group of people who were righteous to begin with and grew and expanded until they became a “city”. Lord called them Zion from the beginning.
Waiting On Zion
It did not take Enoch 365 years to build Zion, though I am certain it grew and expanded throughout that time, and they flourinshed in their knowledge of the mysteries of God, in principle at a time. The Lord dwelt 365 years with his people before he took them up to himself. Zion is not a place or city so much as a state of heart and condition of righteousness. They were called Zion because of who they were, not where they lived, and then they built a city called Zion, or the City of Holiness, around them. Notice how the Lord called his people Zion, and the people later called the city Zion. The people came before the city.
Zion will be established again in the last days, and at that time, the Lord will dwell with his people again upon the earth. The Lord dwelt with Zion anciently 365 years. In the coming days, the Lord will dwell with his people for 1,000 years. “And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years” (Moses 7:65).
How long will it take to establish Zion in these last days? It will not take 1,000 years, that’s for sure. It will take as long as it takes for the hearts and minds of a people to be of Zion caliber and not longer. Zion will be established before the coming of the Lord and will stay upon the earth for 1,000 years. All that is asked of us is to prepare ourselves to become a Zion caliber disciple. Then we watch, wait, and believe. He will establish Zion for us. We do not and cannot do it, but the Lord does it,
What is the condition of our preparatoin to be a Zion people?