Appearance 1 New Jerusalem

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BM, 3 NEPHI 20:22

Some argue that the statement that, "the powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people; yea, even I will be in the midst of you" indicates that this must be millennial. President Harold B Lee states this is not necessarily the case.

22 And behold, this people will I establish in this land, unto the fulfilling of the covenant which I made with your father Jacob; and it shall be a New Jerusalem. And the powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people; yea, even I will be in the midst of you.

HB LEE
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE SEMINAR
APR 3, 1970

Harold B Lee states that the Savior reigns in their midst indicating that this promise does not only fit millennial appearance.

Is there anyone here who doubts as to whether this is the time of which the Lord spoke over a hundred years ago, when peace has been taken from the earth and the devil has power over his own dominion? But listen to the calming voice of the Lord, "And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world" (DC 1:36).

HB LEE
ENSIGN, NOV 1971

Harold B Lee states that the Savior reigns in their midst indicating that this promise does not only fit millennial appearance. (Also see Teaching of Harold B Lee New HLINK 9-10)

In the preface to the revelations by which the Lord established his work in this dispensation, the predictions of today’s horrors were clearly predicted, and the author of the wickedness in this world was revealed. Note what he said: The time is not yet but soon (now this was 140 years ago) when “all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion." (D&C 1:35.)
As I say, that was 140 years. ago, in 1831. Does anyone here in the sound of my voice doubt, as the Lord foretold, that peace has been taken from the world, and that the devil has power now over his dominion and is ruling with blood and horror upon this earth? That is what it means.
So powerful was he in the Master’s day that the Master referred to Satan as “the prince of this world," but he added, “… the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." (John 14:30.) We must be able to say, as did the Master, that though the power is evil on every side, “as for me and my house, we shall serve the God of this land." The prince of this world is coming to tempt every one of us, and the only ones who will stand through these evil days are those who have founded their houses upon the rock, as the Master said; when the storms descended and the winds blew and the rains came and beat upon the house, it fell not because it was founded upon the rock. That is what the Lord is trying to say to us today.
But there was a brighter day that was promised, when these judgments would descend as we see them now in great evidence: “And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world." (D&C 1:36.)
How does he reign in our midst? How shall he have power over his saints? If you had been in the meeting of the priesthood last night, you would have seen the great power that was in evidence there, where there were two thousand holders of the priesthood, the power of God by which he works through men to the accomplishment of his purposes. He is reigning in our midst through them.

BM, 3 NEPHI 21:23-26

After the Savior appears to those at the New Jerusalem the work will then commence among the Ten Tribes.

23 And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem. (This scripture gives a sequence of events.  First the New Jerusalem will be built.)
24 And then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem.  (People will be gathered to the New Jerusalem.)
25 And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also will be in the midst.  (Then there will be power among those at the New Jerusalem and the Savior will appear and be in their midst.)
26 And then shall the work of the Father commence at that day, even when this gospel shall be preached among the remnant of this people. Verily I say unto you, at that day shall the work of the Father commence among all the dispersed of my people, yea, even the tribes which have been lost, which the Father hath led away out of Jerusalem.

BM, JACOB 5:63-64

 The natural branches, or groups of Israelites, are to be grafted back or restored to the olive tree.  This restoration is complete PRIOR to the millennium which is described in Jacob 5: 75-76.
This helps in understanding the sequencing in 3 Nephi 21:23-26.  We know that if the Ten Tribes are restored prior to the millennium and that the Ten Tribes can not return until after an appearance by the Lord at the New Jerusalem then the appearance that is described in 3 Nephi 21 to those at the New Jerusalem is a pre-millennial appearance.
63 Graft in the branches; begin at the last that they may be first, and that the first may be last, and dig about the trees, both old and young, the first and the last; and the last and the first, that all may be nourished once again for the last time.
64 Wherefore, dig about them, and prune them, and dung them once more, for the last time, for the end draweth nigh. And if it be so that these last grafts shall grow, and bring forth the natural fruit, then shall ye prepare the way for them, that they may grow.

D&C, 42:36

After the New Jerusalem is built, the Lord's covenant people will be gathered in one for the day when Christ comes to his temple.

36 That my covenant people may be gathered in one in that day when I shall come to my temple. And this I do for the salvation of my people.

D&C, 45:67-69

67 And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion.
68 And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.
69 And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another.

JD, O PRATT 14:334

 That is what the Lord intends to fulfil on this land. Jesus is coming here as well as to many other places. When the New Jerusalem is built on this land, Jesus will visit that city, his glory will be upon its dwelling places. Isaiah the Prophet has declared that upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion there shall be a cloud and smoke by day, and a shining, flaming fire by night. This will not only be on the New Jerusalem, but on the Holy City that is built up on the land of Palestine; and when the people have repented and become sufficiently righteous, and made preparation for the coming of the Lord Jesus, he will come, and they will behold the Shepherd that is promised to them.

JD, O PRATT 15:339

 Let me make a few remarks here in relation to the difference between Zion and Jerusalem. Zion will be favored with the presence of the Lord before the Jews are permitted to behold him. The Lord will come to the Temple of Zion before he comes to the Temple at Jerusalem. Before he comes in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, he will manifest himself in the city and Temple of Zion; or in other words all the pure in heart who are permitted in those days to enter into the Lord's Temple in Zion, which will be built on this continent, the Lord will reveal his face unto them, they will see him and he will dwell in the midst of Zion.

JD, O PRATT 15:366

 When the Temple is built the sons of the two Priesthoods, that is, those who are ordained to the Priesthood of Melchizedec, that Priesthood which is after the order of the Son of God, with all its appendages; and those who have been ordained to the Priesthood of Aaron with all its appendages, the former called the sons of Moses, the latter the sons of Aaron, will enter into that Temple in this generation, or in the generation that was living in 1832, and all of them who are pure in heart will behold the face of the Lord and that too before he comes in his glory in the clouds of heaven, for he will suddenly come to his Temple, and he will purify the sons of Moses and of Aaron, until they shall be prepared to offer in that Temple and offering that shall be acceptable in the sight of the Lord. In doing this, he will purify not only the minds of the Priesthood in that Temple, but he will purify their bodies until they shall be quickened, renewed and strengthened, and they will be partially changed, not to immortality, but changed in part that they can be filled with the power of God, and they can stand in the presence of Jesus, and behold his face in the midst of that Temple.

MILLENNIAL STAR, CW PENROSE SEP, 1859 P 581

 Among the first-mentioned of these three classes of men the Lord will make his appearance first; and that appearance will be unknown to the rest of mankind. He will come to the Temple prepared for him, and his faithful people will behold his face, hear his voice, and gaze upon his glory. From his own lips they will receive further instructions for the development and beautifying of Zion and for the extension and sure stability of his kingdom.