Jerusalem Then, America Now, and the Gathering of the Tribes

For over a century, the world has endured war after war. From global conflicts like World Wars I and II to regional and civil strife, the last 125 years have tested the endurance and hope of every nation. Yet, amid this turmoil, a quiet, sacred truth has continued to grow: Zion is not far off. Zion is here.

According to the Tenth Article of Faith, revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe:

“We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent…”

When we study ancient Jerusalem, we find a city ordained for holiness—set apart as a center of worship, law, and divine presence. It was meant to be the spiritual heart of a covenant people. Prophets walked its streets. The temple stood as a beacon between Heaven and Earth. Yet even Jerusalem, chosen and anointed, fell when its people turned from righteousness.

Today, I see the United States of America as standing in a similar role—a modern land of covenant, established under divine providence as a land of liberty and preparation. Just as Jerusalem was built on divine law and prophetic mission, so too was America founded with purpose: to prepare a people for Zion.

Just as there has always been a Newfoundland, a New York, and a New Mexico—places named with the hope of something greater—the United States is the New Jerusalem. A land anointed for gathering. A nation marked not only by its founding documents but by its spiritual destiny: to house the covenant people of God in the latter days.

There are shared traits between ancient Jerusalem and America today:

  • Both were chosen for covenant purposes—Jerusalem for the old law, and America for the restoration of the fullness of the gospel.
  • Both held temples—Jerusalem’s physical temple, and now many across the U.S., each a house of the Lord.
  • Both face opposition—from within and without, as the adversary works to divide and distract.
  • Both are called to rise in righteousness—to welcome the King of Kings.

To me, the United States stands as the promised land of the New Jerusalem—a land where liberty was planted with divine intent. It is a place of preparation, and a beacon to the world. And if we begin once more to uphold righteous boundaries—not only physical walls for protection but moral walls of covenant and accountability—we fortify the foundation of Zion.

This belief is embedded in our national expressions of faith and unity: “In God We Trust” and “One Nation Under God.” These are not just phrases—they are declarations of divine reliance and covenantal responsibility. When we pledge allegiance to the flag, we declare allegiance to the values of liberty and justice that prepare the way for Zion.

This nation was built to be a place where accountability, truth, freedom, justice, and equality prevail. As Americans, we are not simply citizens of a country—we are children of God, called to rise and lead from North Pole to South Pole. We are Invictus—unconquered in our faith, united in our purpose, and unwavering in our covenant.

And now, as Latter-day Saints, we know that our very bodies are temples. As we walk these streets with freedom bells ringing and our grand old flag waving, we carry the Spirit of Zion within us. Every step we take on this sacred soil is a declaration that Christ lives, that liberty endures, and that Zion rises wherever righteousness walks.

We also remember this vital truth: there shall be no kings upon this land. As declared in 2 Nephi 10:11–14, this land was consecrated for freedom and righteousness—not rule by monarchs or tyrants. No man, no matter his title or power, shall raise himself above the people.

No king shall reign over this land—because Jesus Christ is our King.

Any leader who acts as a ruler over the people of this land, who forgets that power belongs to God and to the people, stands in opposition to the covenant foundation of America. This is not a land of dominion. It is a land of divine preparation. No King but Christ.

This gathering is not only a physical migration but a spiritual homecoming. It is a divine intercession—a time foreseen by prophets when the children of Israel, scattered across the world, will awaken, remember who they are, and return, not by force or conquest, but through covenant and peace.

The wars of men will end not through treaties alone but through transformation. When hearts turn to God, swords become plowshares, and former enemies become brothers. This is the gathering. This is the return. And this is the promise.

We live in a time where technology gives us a bird’s-eye view of the Earth—a living, growing, round creation without edges, made by divine design. From above, we see the oneness of humanity and the continuity of land. This global vision affirms the spiritual truth: Zion is not confined to a single location. Zion is wherever Christ is King.

The gathering of the Ten Tribes is unfolding now—not in distant caravans or fabled cities, but in homes where families pray, in communities where service replaces pride, and in hearts that choose light over fear. Zion is already beneath our feet, growing as we walk with Christ.

Each act of kindness, every courageous step toward truth, every time a soul chooses peace over contention—we are building Zion. We are fulfilling prophecy.

Let us remember: Zion isn’t waiting for us to find it. Zion is waiting for us to become it. And the more we honor the covenants, laws, and freedoms divinely established on this land, the more clearly we will see Zion rising in America, stretching outward until every tribe is gathered, and peace reigns.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.