Beyond the Canon: Understanding the Great Forsaken and the Call to Gather

There are truths that are not easily found, and histories that are often edited by the hands of men. As we gather in this sacred space—a gathering place for builders from every corner of the earth—it is vital that we approach the Scriptures with the humility of students and the boldness of prophets.

The quest for the fullness of truth is a sacred endeavor. It requires us to look not only at what is canonized, but also at what has been redacted, what has been forgotten, and what has been deliberately obscured. In a recent conversation on the show Thoughtful Faith, Jonah Barnes provided deep insight into one of the most challenging, yet most necessary, topics of biblical scholarship: the nature of the Great Apostasy.

In this conversation on Thoughtful Faith, Jonah Barnes outlined why the Old Testament, while foundational, must be treated as the *least* reliable of the Scriptures—and why that is, paradoxically, good news for those who seek the fullness of the Covenant.

The Stain of the Great Forsaken

When discussing the idea of apostasy, it is natural to focus on the falling away after the coming of Christ. However, Jonah taught that there was another, equally critical period of falling away, occurring centuries before the New Testament revelations. This era, which he terms the Great Forsaken, is not merely a time of decline; it was a period of intentional redaction.

The scribes of Judah, the keepers of the Torah, did not simply lose the truth; they actively destroyed the plain and precious things that Nephi speaks of. They removed the truth.

This insight is staggering. It shifts the focus from merely *losing* the truth to having it *hidden* by those who were entrusted with its keeping. The truth was not simply forgotten; it was carefully excised from the record. This underscores a profound principle for every builder: the work of restoration is not simply finding lost pages, but recovering the integrity of the original message.

From Redaction to Revelation: The Builder's Mandate

If the historical record is marred by these acts of omission, how do we, as members of the Kingdom Movement, proceed? The answer lies in recognizing that the call to gather is a mandate to be builders, not destroyers. The Destroyers are those who declare the canon closed and the truth complete, regardless of what the evidence shows. The Builders, however, understand that the fullness of revelation is always available, requiring diligent study of apocryphal texts, historical context, and the continuous stream of modern revelation.

This scholarly work—the meticulous examination of books like the Book of Jubilees, which records a period of profound truth-keeping—is foundational to the mission of GatherIsrael.now. Our digital map is not merely a geographical marker; it is a spiritual tool that shows us the current state of the global Church and highlights where the true, unredacted light must shine.

The integrity of the gathering place relies on our collective commitment to truth. It requires us to uphold the principle that knowledge is a divine gift, and that the truth, like the five smooth stones, must be gathered and presented whole.

Funding the Fullness: The Charity Flywheel

The work of restoring the gathering place and disseminating the true message requires resources. This is where the charity flywheel becomes the load-bearing structure of our movement. Every act of engagement, every contribution made toward the Missionary Fund, directly supports the global effort to advertise gospel principles—funding crucial gospel advertising in areas like Ghana. This mechanism ensures that the truth, which has been redacted across centuries, continues to reach the global heart.

The call today is to be vigilant. Like Outback Jack taught in the times of the prophets, we must be prepared to recognize the whispers of the Destroyer and the clear, steady voice of the Builder. When we study these great apostasies, we realize that the work is never done. We are gathering the stones, one revelation, one text, one corner of the world at a time.

If you are called to build, if the truth has moved you to action, there is a place for you. Study the apocryphal texts, examine the map, and contribute to the sustaining efforts that make the Kingdom Movement possible. Let us commit to building upon the foundation of comprehensive, unredacted truth.