President Benson gave a most wonderful talk below, that everyone of us should share with all those we know. His love for the Promised Land of the United States is such a testimony to me. This talk has strengthened my love for our country and helped me understand our role to spread the Gospel to the world. We have made a Covenant with the Lord to share the Gospel and if we don’t we will be held accountable. Those on other lands of the world have also been blessed as the Lord loves them as much as He love us. President Benson in my opinion, makes it very clear that this land of the United States is the Promised Land spoken of in the Book of Mormon. My friend Rod Meldrum has summed up this Covenant from his wonderful article. I quote a portion below. For Rod’s complete article visit here. “The Scriptural Basis for the Heartland Model”
Blessings of the Promised Land Covenant by Rod Meldrum
“Once Adams posterity rebelled against God, they were swept from this Promised Land [USA] by the great flood. After the flood, Noah’s three sons, Ham, Shem, and Japeth, and their families dispersed from Turkey’s Mount Ararat into three regions roughly known as Egypt, Canaan and Asia respectively. Following their departure from righteousness, Abraham, a descendant of Shem, left his homeland of Canaan for Egypt for a time, returning again to the lands of his ancestors. Upon his return he was commanded to sacrifice that which was most precious to him, his son Isaac, on what today is Mount Moriah, or the temple mount of Old Jerusalem. Because of his unflinching obedience to God, Abraham was promised a land known as Canaan (Gen. 13:14-15, Abraham 2:18-19), which is present day Israel for his posterity, together with a covenant that as long as his children would keep His commandments, they would be blessed in the land [Israel] by covenant.
This Promised Land Covenant included: (see overviews in Leviticus 26:1-9, Deut. 7:11-23, Deut. 28:1-13 )
- A Promised Land (a specific location), (see Genesis 13:14-15, 48:3-4, Abraham 2:18-19 )
- Posterity (seed), (see Genesis 13:16, 48:3-4, 1 Kings 2:3, 1 Chron. 22:13, D&C 132:30, Abr. 2:10-11 )
- Prosperity (wealth), (see 1 Kings 2:3, 1 Chron. 22:13, Leviticus 26:4 )
- Security (protection/peace) Leviticus 26:5-8, Ezekiel 28:26, 34:25, Isaiah 5:5 “hedge” of protection for Israel)” Rod Meldrum
President Benson said, “The Constitution of the United States has served as a model for many nations and is the oldest constitution in use today. “I established the Constitution of this land,” said the Lord, “by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose” (D&C 101:80). For centuries the Lord kept America hidden in the hollow of His hand until the time was right to unveil her for her destiny in the last days. “It is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations,” said Lehi, “for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance” (2 Ne. 1:8)… Our Father in Heaven planned the coming forth of the Founding Fathers and their form of government as the necessary great prologue leading to the restoration of the gospel. Recall what our Savior Jesus Christ said nearly two thousand years ago when He visited this promised land: “For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth” (3 Ne. 21:4). America, the land of liberty, was to be the Lord’s latter-day base of operations for His restored church…
During his first inaugural address in 1789, President George Washington, a man who was raised up by God, said: “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the affairs of men, more than the people of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency” (First Inaugural Address, 30 Apr. 1789)…
Unfortunately, we as a nation have apostatized in various degrees from different Constitutional principles as proclaimed by the inspired founders. We are fast approaching that moment prophesied by Joseph Smith when he said: “Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction” (19 July 1840, as recorded by Martha Jane Knowlton Coray; ms. in Church Historian’s Office, Salt Lake City)…
Only in this foreordained land, under its God-inspired Constitution and the resulting environment of freedom, was it possible to have established the restored church…”
“Two great American Christian civilizations—the Jaredites and the Nephites—were swept off this land because they did not “serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ” (Ether 2:12). What will become of our civilization?… I have faith that the Constitution will be saved as prophesied by Joseph Smith. It will be saved by the righteous citizens of this nation who love and cherish freedom. It will be saved by enlightened members of this Church—among others—men and women who understand and abide the principles of the Constitution.
I reverence the Constitution of the United States as a sacred document. To me its words are akin to the revelations of God, for God has placed His stamp of approval upon it.
I testify that the God of heaven sent some of His choicest spirits to lay the foundation of this government, and He has now sent other choice spirits to help preserve it.
We, the blessed beneficiaries of the Constitution, face difficult days in America, “a land which is choice above all other lands. (Ether 2:10)” Ezra Taft Benson “Our Divine Constitution Ensign Oct 1987
Entire Talk https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1987/10/our-divine-constitution?lang=eng
Download Video Link https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1987/10/our-divine-constitution?lang=eng#download-drawer
I know if you listen to this talk by our Prophet Ezra Taft Benson, you will have a strong feeling like I do about the United States of America being the “Promised Land”. Not Mexico or Canada or South America simply because they are contiguous lands. Just as Jerusalem was the Promised Land, not Syria, Jordan or Egypt simply because they have borders with them. There are simply two promised lands, One in the Old World Jerusalem, and one in the New World, New Jerusalem.
Ether 3:3-6
We know by Revelation that the New Jerusalem will be in Missouri, which is the Promised Land in the New World, and we know the Old Jerusalem is in Israel which is the Promised Land of the Old World. Once the Lord sets these lands apart, he does it forever. Only those who keep the Covenants however will remain on those Promised Lands.
As we celebrate our Country’s birthday July 4th, may we love and respect all those who have fought to protect and serve us. We love our military of the United States and of the Land Bountiful. We thank the Lord for His trust in us and may we keep these sacred Covenants we have made with Him.
