These posts on Repentance are intended to be read in order beginning with Repentance: Introduction. At the bottom of each post is a link to the next post.
Michael from Duchesne spent about 20 days driving to various locations in Salt Lake City, and other places along the Wasatch Front, even down to St. George, Utah. He would stop frequently, get out of his van, and with the aid of the speakers on his van, deliver to the people the words he was commanded to say, that had been delivered to him. He would always deliver the same message, and then move on to another location. He started in Logan, Utah at Utah State University and at gatherings in parks. He stopped by the Logan Temple as people were entering and leaving.
As he moved further south, word had preceded him and there were people gathered to hear what he had to say. At BYU, for example, he traveled to several places on or near the campus, where there were always people waiting to hear him. He traveled from Provo, with stops along the way, the St. George, Utah.
He came back to the Greater Salt Lake Area, and spent more time there, even being present near the Conference Center during a General Conference.
His words were always delivered with power and authority, which caused many, who were skeptical, to tremble in his presence. Others reacted with skepticism. Many were angry and tried to shout him down. Others called the police and some even threatened him with violence. But he was not deterred and knew the Lord would allow him to deliver what he had been commanded to say.
There were many who heard and believed the words of Michael and started the process of turning to Christ, feeling the urgency and heeding the words of God. Like the people who heard King Benjamin’s words delivered to him by an angel, many cried unto the Lord for the Lord’s mercy. They believed the words which Michael had delivered to them. Many cried with one voice, saying: We believe all the words which you have spoken to us; and also, we know that they are the true words of God. The Spirit of the Lord has made a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to turn to Christ, repent of our sins, and cried: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
There were many who did not believe the words of Michael and were angry with him. In fact it was the more part of the people who did not believe and were angry. Others asked “who is this Michael from Duchesne, and that we should be judged of him? “What right does he have to call us to repentance and to say that we shall be destroyed? We are a righteous people and need no repentance. He has sought to stir us up to anger one against another and to raise contentions among the people.” This is a great city and surely the Lord will protect it and the other cities. We are a blessed and chosen people. Surely this man is mad calling us to repentance! The eyes of these people were blinded, and therefore they hardened their hearts against the words of Michael. But the Lord protected Michael from those who were angry with him, who wanted to take him and have him thrown in jail, or worse, who wanted to attack him. Michael was always able to deliver the words given to him by the Lord.
Others tried to get law enforcement to silence him or have him taken into custody. Local law enforcement became aware of him, and some even threatened him and told him to move on, that he didn’t have the proper permit. Many wanted to bring him before church leaders.
Because he addressed Church leadership, there were meetings held. Some said let him be, because he was calling people to repentance. Others said that he needed to be disciplined, but could find no church records. Some just thought he was crazy.
Michael became a big story for the media in Utah. Reporters and camera crews followed him, and as a result his message was on the nightly news on all the major television stations. He became the subject of radio and television talk shows and pod-casters. Social media was predictable with the haters, the doubters, the uninformed, the liars and the accusers.
The question for you, however, is how did you respond to Michael's words? Did they bring glad tidings to you? Were they too depressing or too negative? How did you respond to the justice of God?
How did you respond to the messenger--Michael from Duchesne? I purposely did not describe him because, I believe, that may distort how you receive his message. I have always objected to depictions of prophets by artists who have no idea what they look like. Remember that these prophets could be anyone, and it is their message that is important, not who they are or what they may look like.
Let's compare how some responded to Christ when he came in the flesh.
Some said "this man blasphemeth" (Matthew 9:4). To these Christ asked why "think ye evil in your hearts" (Matthew 9:5)?
Some marveled and glorified God (Matthew 9:8).
Others laughed him to scorn (Matthew 9:24).
There were those who called him a friend of publicans and sinners (Matthew 11:19).
Others accused Him or His disciples by claiming that what they did was not lawful to do on the sabbath day. To which He responded "in this place is one greater than the temple" (Matthew 12:2;6).
Councils were held against him to decide how they might destroy Him (Matthew 12:14).
Some asked "Is not this the carpenter's son" (Matthew 13:55)?
Others asked for a sign (Matthew 12:38).
They were offended in him (Matthew 13:57).
He was accused of transgressing the tradition of the elders (Matthew 15:2).
Others said he was John the Baptist; Elias, or Jeremiah (Matthew 16:14).
Jesus was betrayed unto the chief priests--condemned him to death (Matthew 20:18).
Many were too busy with the things world to attend the wedding feast to which they were invited (Matthew 22:8).
To those who tried to catch him in an error, he replied "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29).
Judas betrayed him and He was spit upon and crucified (Matthew 27:3;30;50).
How did Christ respond to these Scribes and Pharisees?
"...all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at the feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues. And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi" (Matthew 23:5-7).
"...he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (Matthew 23:11-12).
There is a long list in Matthew 23, but this concluding statement is applicable to our response to Michael of Duchesne:
"Wherefore, behold I send unto prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth..." (Matthew 23:34-35 emphasis added).
"How often should I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chicken under her wings, and ye would not" (Matthew 23:37)!
Those who recognize the glad tidings are those who are "brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them--" (Mosiah 15:7 emphasis and double emphasis added).
Michael suffered many of these same responses as have the Lord's prophets and messengers, who have been called to say nothing but repentance. But like Samuel, Michael from Duchesne, when he had completed his mission in Utah, was not heard from again. This is not because there was no effort to find him. Local church authorities in Duchesne, on their own and at the insistence of priesthood leaders in Salt Lake City tried to find records of him in the Church. There were a few named Michael, but no church records of any Michaels from Duchesne, Utah.
What is the catalyst for the Lord's endtime judgments?
I used to think that it was because of the wickedness of the world that these endtime events would come, but while they also will suffer, the unrepentant Mormon Gentiles are the catalyst for these endtime judgments, just as unrepentant Israel was the cause of the 10 tribes being captured by the Assyrians, the Jews being taken into Babylon, the destruction of the Nephites at the hands of the Lamanites, which are types (has been) of that which is to come.
Let me say one more time: just as the Lord's people Israel suffered the Lord's covenant curses when they were taken by the Assyrians (10 Tribes) and were captured and taken to Babylon by the Babylonians (Judah), we too, as the Lord's latter-day people, will suffer the Lord's covenant curses in the Lord's day of judgment. And it will be for the same reasons.
The catalyst for the captivity of the Lord's people anciently by Assyria and Babylon is the same catalyst for a latter-day Assyrian/Babylonian king (as prophesied by Isaiah) to destroy the wicked of the Lord's people and the wicked of the world before the Lord's coming. Moreover, that catalyst is the apostasy and worship of other Gods by the Lord's people, and the failure to search and treasure up His words, to hear the Lord, see and repent. It is always the failure of the Lord's people to repent.
Scriptural patterns of attacks on God's people by world powers, moreover--as with Assyria's and Babylon's world conquests and invasions of the Promised Land--show that they occur as a consequence of God's people's apostasy. In Nephi's scenario, God's people who apostatize are the Ephraimite Gentiles to whom the gospel has been restored, while those saved from destruction are the house of Israel (Jews, 10 Tribes and Lehi's descendants) and only Gentiles who repent, who will then be numbered among the house of Israel (1 Nephi 14:12; 3 Nephi 16:13).
Our failure to repent will be particularly bad for us as no people in modern times have been so blessed with an abundance of God’s Word as the Mormon Gentiles. Do we realize our lives are on the line, depending on whether we live by it, not by a muddled or watered down version of it?
I call your attention to Tim Merrill's Owl of the Deseret latest post on faith, as it is faith that leads us to repentance. It is one of his best writings on faith as he captures the words of God for us and delivers them in a way that is enlightening and refreshing.
And the main message of God's Word to us: Repent and receive mercy. Unbelievable glad tidings!
Next: Repentance: Summary