Question: Who are the saints and covenant people of the Lord mentioned in 1 Nephi 14:14, on whom the power of the Lamb descends, and has that happened yet as some have announced over the pulpit?
Answer: The scripture you are referencing says, “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14).
The preceding verse tells us the timeframe: “It came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God” (1 Nephi 14:13). That means the Lamb’s power does not descend until the saints and covenant people of the Lord are mortally threatened.
Joseph Smith calls that the “day of power,” when God’s servant David fulfills his end-time mission: “Christ, in the days of His flesh, proposed to make a covenant with them [the Jews], but they rejected Him and His proposals, and in consequence thereof, they were broken off, and no covenant was made with them at that time. But their unbelief has not rendered the promise of God of none and then His people, Israel, should be a willing people” (TPJS, p. 14; cf. Psalms 110:3).
Isaiah concurs: “See, my Lord Jehovah comes with power; his arm presides for him. His reward is with him; his work precedes him” (Isaiah 40:10). In other words, when he calls his servant—his “arm” of righteousness (Isaiah 51:5)—to prepare the way before his coming, that is when the Lord manifests his power to his servant and people. He delivers them from the king of Assyria in his Day of Judgment upon the world: “I have charged my holy ones, called out my valiant ones: my anger [the king of Assyria] is not upon those who take pride in me” (Isaiah 13:3).
Israel’s ancient deliverance typifies this: “Awake, arise; clothe yourself with power, O arm of Jehovah! Bestir yourself, as in ancient times, as in generations of old. Was it not you who carved up Rahab, you who slew the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the Sea, the waters of the mighty deep, and made of ocean depths a way by which the redeemed might pass? Let the ransomed of Jehovah return! Let them come singing to Zion, their heads crowned with everlasting joy; let them obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing flee away” (Isaiah 51:9–11).
Those who gather the covenant people are the spiritual kings and queens of the Gentiles: “Thus says my Lord Jehovah: I will lift up my hand to the nations, raise my ensign to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosoms and carry your daughters on their shoulders. Kings shall be your foster fathers, queens your nursing mothers” (Isaiah 49:22–23); “There shall be highways and roads which shall be called the Way of Holiness, for they shall be for such [as are holy]. The unclean shall not traverse them; on them shall no reprobates wander” (Isaiah 35:8).
That is the time when the power of God descends not only on his servant and the kings and queens of the Gentiles but also on his covenant people: “Awake, arise; clothe yourself with power, O Zion! Put on your robes of glory, O Jerusalem, holy city. No more shall the uncircumcised and defiled enter you. Shake yourself free, rise from the dust; sit enthroned, O Jerusalem. Loose yourself from the bands around your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion. Thus says Jehovah: You were sold without price, and you shall be redeemed without money” (Isaiah 52:1–3).
