When the end-time Gentiles exercise greater faith—(“even as the brother of Jared”)—the Lord responds by pouring out greater light and truth—even to the “unfolding unto them all [God’s] revelations” (Ether 4:7). The light possessed by such individuals will then serve as an ensign of righteousness to the rest of the world (Isaiah 42:6; cf. Isaiah 11:12).
The revelation of greater light will have a dual effect in empowering the righteous (and those who love truth) on the one hand, and condemning the wicked (those who “love and make a lie”) on the other. In essence, it will be a catalyst for the ripening of both wheat and tare, “either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts…unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction” (1 Nephi 14:6).
As Isaiah foretold, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isaiah 9:2; cf. D&C 45:28). As light breaks forth, it exposes what was before unseen. Not only does this mean that new truths will be had pertaining to the building up of Zion, but wickedness and corruption will also be exposed at a greater level as well. Things that were obscure before will be seen in greater clarity. Thus, “there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops” (Luke 12:2-3).
Nephi also prophesied at length regarding this last days’ revelation, noting specifically its role in exposing works of darkness: “…the revelation which was sealed shall be kept in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may come forth; for behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof. And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ… And wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord! And their works are in the dark; and they say: Who seeth us, and who knoweth us?… But behold, I will show unto them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that I know all their works” (2 Nephi 27:10-11, 27; cf. 3 Nephi 21:11). “There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed; there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth save it shall be loosed” (2 Nephi 30:16-18; cf. Luke 8:17-18).
Such is the pattern the Lord has ordained for exposing secret combinations and works of darkness. As the prophet Alma taught his son: “And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations. And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying: I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land” (Alma 37:21-25).
Isaiah predicted a similar scenario would unfold in the last days among the Lord’s people “in Zion,” wherein the Lord would commission a stone (or seer) to come and reveal works of darkness: “You have supposed, by taking refuge in deception and hiding behind falsehoods, to have covenanted with Death, or reached an understanding with Sheol, that, should a flooding scourge sweep through the earth, it shall not reach you. Therefore, thus says my Lord Jehovah: I lay in Zion a stone, a keystone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. They who believe it will not do rashly” (Isaiah 28:15-16).
As the earth was baptized by water in Noah’s day, so must it be baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost in the last days preparatory to the millennial day. Righteousness and truth will sweep the earth “as with a flood,” purifying the Lord’s elect, and purging mankind as gold and silver (Moses 7:62; cf. Malachi 3:4). Because false structures and agreements can only persist in darkness, the revelation of such secret combinations constitutes their demise. As Paul wrote, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (1 Corinthians 3:13).
