Restorationmeans the act of re-establishing, or putting back to its original state, a former thing or condition, unimpaired. Also, it sometimes means to bring back to a healthy state, or to reinstate in a former favorable position something that has been abused or degraded. To give back again, as in Matt. 12:13.
But to begin the discussion of the term, restoratoin, let us not limit its meaning to a dictionary definition, nor confine its objective to the prescribed area of material things. It has a deep significance in the spiritual world if but seen by us and accepted will make known to us many things that otherwise we would see only “as through a glass darkly.”
Since the very first, opposition to His righteousness has endured in the hearts of some of God’s children. In every generation and among all peoples there have been those who preferred the pseudo-joys and follies of the world to keeping His laws and testimonies. They have sought for the world’s goods instead for that “which maketh truly rich.” They have not searched for their Father’s Kingdom, but instead have bartered away their birthright for husks which are given to swine. Some have wandered far, and are in a strange land.
Their Father, in the meantime, has prepared for them, the rings, the robes, the shoes, and has sent His messengers looking for them that they might be found and their heritage renewed. The holy prophets are His messengers. Likewise, in every age of the world, even before Israel was established as the Lord’s Chosen People, the Lord God repeatedly sent His holy servants to proclaim forgiveness, and the restoration of all the blessings which had been promised the righteous since the world began. The Nephites had a record of these promises written upon the Brass Plates of Laban which they had brought out of Jerusalem when first they left the Land of their father’s inheritance. What were these promises? In spite of the plainness with which God speaks to His children, and notwithstanding His mercy and His grace, many among the Nephites twisted and turned the plainest of His teachings into misshapen and conflicting statements which could not be understood by even the wisest. Like many others, they excused themselves in doing that which was most to be eschewed. They offered pretexts and apologies for the things they did, knowing all the time that their actions needed defending because they were contrary to the Word of the Lord.
2 Ne. 28:14) And also, O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell. (Ibid. 28:15) Again: And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless fear God—He will justify in committing a little sin, yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the Kingdom of God. Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark. (Ibid. 28:7-9)
Now, listen to David, King of the Jews:
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, Thou desireth truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean! wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit. (Ps. 51)
In our own generation the Lord has said through the Prophet Joseph Smith:
This is wisdom in Me; wherefore, marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the Earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fulness of My everlasting Gospel, to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the Stick of Ephraim;
And also Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days. (D&C 27:5-6)
Now, among the Nephites, there were many who believed, as many among us now believe, that for His glory God will look with forbearance upon evil, or will refrain from enforcement of His laws and commandments. That is not true; He will not, and cannot. He is merciful and long-suffering, but to any evil, however little we may conceive it to be, He stands adamant. His Kingdom is rounded upon obedience to His commands; it is upheld and sustained by the righteousness of His children everywhere. Evil is the enemy of all truth and of that which is just. God, whom we worship, is the Father of truth and justice, and until all evil and error are conquered and brought into subjection to Him, His Kingdom will not fill the Earth, and in just the same ratio His will done in Heaven will not be done here below. May we in all humility insert here the full prayer offered by the Prophet Joseph Smith at Hiram, Ohio, October 1831. “The Prophet designates this revelation as a prayer.—Commitment of the keys of the Kingdom of God unto man.—The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven named separately.—Supplication that the Kingdom of God, already on Earth, may go forth that the Kingdom of Heaven may come.” (Heading)
Hearken, and lo, a voice as of one sent down from On High, Who is mighty and powerful, whose going forth is unto the ends of the Earth, yea, Whose voice is unto men—Prepare ye the Way of the Lord, make His paths straight.
The keys of the Kingdom of God are committed unto man on Earth, and from thence shall the Gospel roll forth unto the ends of the Earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole Earth.
Yea, a voice crying—Prepare ye the Way of the Lord, prepare ye the supper of the Lamb, make ready for the Bridegroom.
Pray unto the Lord, call upon His Holy Name, make known His wonderful works among the people.
Call upon the Lord, that His Kingdom may go forth upon the Earth, that the inhabitants thereof may receive it, and be prepared for the days to come, in the which the Son of Man shall come down in Heaven, clothed in the brightness of His glory, to meet the Kingdom of God which is set up on the Earth.
Wherefore, may the Kingdom of God go forth, that the Kingdom of Heaven may come, that Thou, O God, mayest be glorified in Heaven so on Earth, that Thine enemies may be subdued; for Thine is the honor, power and glory, forever and ever. Amen. (Doctrine and Covenants, D&C 65)
Alma recognized the evil existing among the Nephites—that in spite of the inspired teachings of the prophets who had ministered among their forefathers, and notwithstanding that now they were guided by men who were sent of God, many well-meaning and righteous people “had gone astray” because of false teachings. Some of their teachers and leaders had put into the Scriptures, by wresting them, otherwise by twisting and turning them, meanings that were not true. Corianton’s mind had become perplexed along with others because “of this thing.” Errors and foolishness had dulled his gifts and abilities to discern the truth. His father, Alma, perceived in Corianton’s demeanor that he was also influenced by this “loose thinking.” But, Alma said, “I will explain it unto thee,” he meaning the restoration of all things.
God, who is just in all His Ways, has decreed that all things here below shall return to their normal state in the which they were in their very beginning. Justice requires it so to be. If it were not so, then repentance and forgiveness, for example, would consitute an empty show of faith; a sacrifice with no meaning; a scale having no harmony. These Gospel principles—repentance and forgiveness—would have no place in God’s Plan of Life and Salvation. His divine purposes would be “as a mill without a miller, continually grinding and grinding, but grinding out no meal for His hungry children.” It is requisite to the promise He has made—that the Earth shall be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory. “The Earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof,” … and we are readily assured that before He claims it as His own, its goodness and its purity will be restored as it was when He created it. Restoration “to their proper order” is something required by the very nature of things; it is necessary, or a thing demanded to bring to pass the end of His work which He has in view. And as long as one soul, or a thing, remains an enemy of His, or its desires are unrighteous, His work will not be finished. Through the power of Christ’s resurrection not only will the mortal body and the spirit of man be restored one to the other, but also it made possible that all things, both good and bad, evil and righteous, should return to their place of origin, or to where they were born. It is impossible for such opposites to dwell together eternally. Goodness will be restored to the good, and evil to the realm of Satan.