As a singular type of the end-time Gentiles’ kings and queens who restore the house of Israel (Isaiah 49:22–23; 2 Nephi 10:8–9), the brother of Jared had obtained a “knowledge” that led him to see the Lord: “Because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil, . . . Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus; and he did minister unto him” (Ether 3:19–20).
That “knowledge”—a covenant term—signifies that he knew how the terms of God’s covenants work that have operated through all time. Those terms are identical with the terms of the Davidic Covenant, God’s covenant with King David and his heirs. Isaiah encapsulates them in a passage depicting the role of God’s end-time servant: “Because of his knowledge, and by bearing their iniquities, shall my servant, the righteous one, vindicate many” (Isaiah 53:11).
In that sense, the brother of Jared was “highly favored of the Lord” (Ether 1:34) precisely because he had already been willing to bear others’ iniquities by acting as a proxy savior for their temporal salvation. On his account, the Lord “had compassion upon Jared” and upon their friends not only in not confounding their language but also in blessing them with all the blessings of his covenants—a Promised Land, offspring, and divine protection (Ether 1:35–43).
Contrast that with the “knowledge” of God’s people today: “My Lord says, Because these people approach me with the mouth and pay me homage with their lips, while their heart remains far from me—their piety toward me consisting precepts of men learned by rote—therefore it is that I shall again astound these people with wonder upon wonder, rendering void the knowledge of their sages and the intelligence of their wise men insignificant” (Isaiah 29:13–14).
Of course “knowledge” means other things. Those who keep the law of the Davidic Covenant, however, God empowers in ways impossible otherwise. Alma’s and the sons of Mosiah’s successes happened because they willingly paid a price on behalf of others: “After much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth” Mosiah 23:10; 27:36).
Nephite priests similarly paid the price of ministering to the people, receiving no monetary support: “The priests were not to depend upon the people for their support; but for their labor they were to receive the grace of God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of God, that they might teach with power and authority from God” (Mosiah 18:26). Contrast that with end-time shepherds who feed themselves off the sheep (Ezekiel 34:2).
When the house of Israel—Jews, Lamanites, and Ten Tribes—comes to “the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel,” therefore (3 Nephi 16:12), it will be from those spiritual kings and queens of the Ephraimite Gentiles who are willing to pay the price of acting as proxy saviors on their behalf under the terms of the Davidic Covenant. These covenanters with God “will know Jehovah in that day” as they “make vows to Jehovah and fulfill them” (Isaiah 19:21).
