Thoughts on Joseph, part 2

My last post was about Joseph and how the prophecies about the arc of the House of Israel map pretty cleanly onto the story of Joseph and his brothers.

In today's post, I'd like to go into some depth on the nature of Joseph's famous "coat of many colors." We'll talk about how it probably wasn't a "coat of many colors" and what it symbolizes.  We'll also talk about how the coat/garment is a very ancient symbol that can teach us quite a lot about Jesus Christ -- what He's done for us since before the foundation of the world, and how we go about binding ourselves to Him.

The Coat of Many Colors -- (Hebrew 'ketonet passim')

I don't know about you, but just hearing that phrase conjures an image of Donny Osmond on Broadway in my mind.

 

However, the translation of the Hebrew 'ketonet passim' suggests that we should probably think about this coat a little bit differently:

The familiar rendering “a coat of many colours” … is certainly incorrect. It is literally “a tunic of palms,” i.e. reaching to the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, differing from an ordinary tunic by having sleeves, and by reaching to the feet. The same word is used in 2 Samuel 13:18 of a dress worn by a princess … (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, my emphasis added)

And he made him פּסּים כּתנת: a long coat with sleeves …, i.e., an upper coat reaching to the wrists and ankles, such as noblemen and kings' daughters wore, not "a coat of many colours"  (Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, my emphasis added)

Although some scholars favor an interpretation that the coat was actually a patchwork of different fabrics passed down since Adam, I think it's most helpful if we think of Joseph's coat as a symbol of nobility or favored status.  He wore a garment suitable for a royal court, not the clothing of a laborer in the field.

A Symbol of the Knowledge of Divine Heritage

I don't know how Joseph felt about his coat, but when I think about his coat, I liken it to a knowledge of my divine heritage.  We are strangers here in mortality, gifted with a deep sense that we belong to something much grander than this fallen world. The coat is the symbol of this.

To expound on this point, I could go into tremendous detail about all the various ways this coat symbolizes elements of the grand design of God and our role in that design. Instead, in an effort to keep this post from becoming book-length, I'll limit my focus to just two key points, both of which can best be understood in the context of the clothing worn by the high priest of Israel:

Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honor (Exodus 28:2)

If you have difficulty connecting Joseph's coat to the temple, consider the Israelite High Priest's attire, which is described in exquisite detail in the Old Testament. This clothing included:

• White linen undergarments (a symbol of holiness, discussed in more detail below)
• A blue cloth robe (colored with a very expensive dye and woven to resemble a coat of mail). The robe had cloth pomegranates and golden bells along the bottom.
• An ephod (waistband and golden chains running over the shoulders). The chains held stones over the priest's shoulder containing the names of the twelve tribes.
• A breastplate with pouches for the Urim and Thummim.
• A turban with a golden plate upon which was inscribed the words: "Holiness to the Lord."

(An excellent source summarizing the priestly clothing is found here.)

The connection seems pretty clear to me. Like so many other aspects of the covenant, the symbolism of the sacred clothing flows two ways -- from God to man and from man to God.

1. In the sense that it is given by God to those with whom He covenants, the coat is a symbol of God's promises to the faithful.

Here are a few thoughts of mine about this first point.

• God promises great things to those who love Him -- things which cannot be discerned by the natural senses. The ornate coat is a symbol of this.
• God made coats of skins for Adam and Eve as they were being expelled from the Garden of Eden. The skins must have come from somewhere.  The association of the coats of skin with the principle of sacrifice is undeniable.
• Many centuries later, the symbol of the coat as a token of the covenant between God and His covenant people remained deeply engrained in Nephite culture. Alma 46 is a great example of this (see this post for more details).

2. In the sense that it is worn by faithful covenant keepers as a sign of their fidelity to that covenant, the coat is a symbol of a person's devotion to God.

The royal clothing is a reminder that we are 'strangers and pilgrims' on the earth. We don't belong here and this isn't our final destination. Paul teaches this beautifully when he teaches about the faith of Abraham and Sarah:

13 All these people died in faith without receiving the promises, but they saw the promises from a distance and welcomed them. They confessed that they were strangers and immigrants on earth. 14 People who say this kind of thing make it clear that they are looking for a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking about the country that they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return to it. 16 But at this point in time, they are longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God isn’t ashamed to be called their God—he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11, CEB)

I think of this royal clothing as an outward sign that a person is seeking the "heavenly country" that God has prepared those who will have Him to be their God.

Those who embrace their covenant with God understand it as a promise of protection.  It's literally a covering from destruction and other curses.  The Hebrew word for atonement is 'kafar,' which has reference to a covering or a close embrace.  Hugh Nibley explains:

The basic word for atonement is kafar, which has the same basic meaning in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic—that being “to bend, arch over, cover; 2) [to pass over with one’s palm &c., to wipe out, rub] … to deny, … to forgive, … to be expiated, … renounce.”  The Arabic kafara puts the emphasis on a tight squeeze, such as tucking in the skirts, drawing a thing close to oneself. Closely related are Aramaic and Arabic kafata, meaning a close embrace, which are certainly related to the Egyptian hpt, the common ritual embrace written with the ideogram of embracing arms. Hpt may be cognate with the Latin capto and the Persian kaftan, a monk’s robe and hood completely embracing the body.  ... Most interesting is the Arabic kafata, as it is the key to a dramatic situation. It was the custom for one fleeing for his life in the desert to seek protection in the tent of a great sheik, crying out, “Ana dakhiluka,” meaning “I am thy suppliant,” whereupon the host would place the hem of his robe over the guest’s shoulder and declare him under his protection...In reply, according to the ancient custom, the Master would then place the hem of his robe protectively over the kneeling man’s shoulder (kafata). This puts him under the Lord’s protection from all enemies. They embrace in a close hug, as Arab chiefs still do; the Lord makes a place for him and invites him to sit down beside him—they are at-one. (source)

We'll end this post with the poetic words of Nephi, who encapsulates the beauty of the symbol of the heavenly garment and the protection and promise it offers:

O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! (2 Nephi 4:33)

"Taken unto himself"

As mentioned in a recent post, I looked at Alma 46, in which Moroni quotes a prophecy of the patriarch Jacob/Israel comparing the preservation of a remnant of the coat of Joseph to a righteous remnant of his seed. In making this comparison, he uses a unique phrase, highlighted in red below:

24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment.

25 Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall be taken unto God.

26 Now behold, this was the language of Jacob. (Alma 46)

This post will explore this phrase along with a few similar phrases in an effort to link this "preserved remnant" to Enoch's Zion.

 

Moses-Alma Metalepsis

The phrase "taken unto himself" is rare in the Book of Mormon.  It only occurs twice, once in Alma 46, which is quoted above, and once in the preceding chapter, in reference to how the end of Alma's days resembled Moses:

19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the Spirit, or buried by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself; and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his death and burial. (Alma 45)

Connection to Enoch?

It is here that I begin to see a connection to Enoch's Zion: those who are "taken" by the Lord "unto Himself" are preserved for a righteous purpose -- therefore nothing is known "concerning [their] death and burial." Something similar is said of Enoch's Zion:

69 And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion; and it came to pass that Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, Zion is Fled. (Moses 7)

I'll have more to say about this part of Moses 7 in future posts. The final verses of Moses 7 tie in with many latter-day prophecies and promises related to New Jerusalem. For now, let's focus on the words in blue. Not identical to the wording in Alma 45 and Alma 46 -- "taken unto himself" -- but very similar. And the similar sequence of gradually increasing righteousness of Alma-2, Moses, and Enoch is also readily apparent.  Notice this statement from God to Moses:

4 And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease.

5 Wherefore, no man can behold all my works, except he behold all my glory; and no man can behold all my glory, and afterwards remain in the flesh on the earth.

6 And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; (Moses 1)

I find this so interesting.  Here is the logical chain revealed in these verses as I see it:

• God's works are endless.
• Man's work on the earth is finite.
• If a person beholds all of God's work, he would also behold all of God's glory, and could not afterwards remain on the earth.
• God still had a work for Moses to perform, therefore Moses only beheld a portion of God's work.
• It follows logically from all of this that once God's work for a given person is complete, they enter His rest, or perhaps another way to say this is that they behold all His glory.

Moses eventually completed the work God had for him, at which point he entered His rest.  Alma 45 suggests the same process happened with Alma-2. 

Enoch is the archetype of this process.

67 And the Lord showed Enoch all things, even unto the end of the world; and he saw the day of the righteous, the hour of their redemption, and received a fulness of joy; (Moses 7)

Enoch beheld "all things" and received a "fulness of joy" and entered into the rest of the Lord.

Other examples of similar wording

As I said, this wording is pretty unique in scripture.  Here are some additional examples of related wording:

In Alma 14:11 the phrase "receive them up unto himself" appears, in reference to the innocent believers killed in Ammonihah:

11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day. (Alma 14)

In Jacob 5 the phrase "preserve ... unto myself" appears many, many times in reference to the the fruits (see verse 8, 19, 20, 23, 29, 31, 33, 46), the roots (see verse 11, 53, 54), the branches (see verse 13).  (Thanks to Stisa for bringing this to my attention). Verse 74 combines branch, root, and fruit into a metaphor that is very interesting with Enoch in mind:

74 And thus they labored, with all diligence, according to the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard, even until the bad had been cast away out of the vineyard, and the Lord had preserved unto himself that the trees had become again the natural fruit; and they became like unto one body; and the fruits were equal; and the Lord of the vineyard had preserved unto himself the natural fruit, which was most precious unto him from the beginning. (Jacob 5)

Finally, notice this crafty wording that describes the state of one who pursues unrighteous dominion:

38 Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. (Doctrine & Covenants 121)

Conclusion

The phrase "taken unto himself" tells a really important story in only three words.  It is meant to evoke Enoch's blessings and remind us of what God has in store for those who, like Enoch, receive of His fullness.

In a future post, I'll discuss the word "bosom" which appears in Moses 7:69 in the context of God receiving Enoch's city. This word has a very interesting set of meanings which fit nicely into the Enoch/New Jerusalem/Temple context.

Another parallel between the word of God and the covenant people

14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever. (2 Nephi 29)

Writing about the miraculous preservation of a remnant of Joseph of Egypt's coat (see here) got me thinking about the verse above.

The preservation of the coat is a symbol of both the promises made by God about His seed and also about His word. Both would be miraculously preserved by the hand of God until the day comes when they shall be gathered in one. We live in the day when that has begun. The covenant people are the ones who make sacred promises to live by the word of God. Both are miraculously preserved by the Word of God, who came into the world to be a light unto it.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John 1)

In this post, I will review some of the key verses which detail how these promises are written about in the Book of Mormon.

The Words of Jacob/Israel

Here are the words of Jacob as quoted by Moroni as he rallied an army (by covenant) to defend the liberty of the Nephites:

24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment.

25 Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall be taken unto God.

26 Now behold, this was the language of Jacob. (Alma 46)

(The phrase "taken unto himself" in red is interesting and related, but outside the scope of this post, It will be the subject of a post in the next few days.)

Notice how Israel describes the remnant: "preserved and not decayed." He prophesies that the same will happen to a remnant of his son's seed.  What will make the difference between decaying and being preserved?  The word of God, of course. Having it and "keeping" it. In a magnificent and directly relevant sermon to his son Joseph, Lehi teaches this very clearly:

23 Wherefore, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book. (2 Nephi 3)

As I read the words of Joseph of Egypt in Alma 46, I was immediately reminded of two key phrases in the Book of Mormon which revolve around the same theme, which equally apply to the people of God and the word of God and which have been the subject of several previous posts:

• "Kept and Preserved" (see this post)
• "Retain their Brightness" (see this post)

"Kept and Preserved"

Summarizing from the post linked above, we find various contexts in which the phrase "kept and preserved" appears in the Book of Mormon:

• the plates of brass (see Mosiah 1:3-5, Mosiah 28:11, Alma 37:3-4 and 14)
• the plates of Nephi (see 2 Nephi 25:21, Mosiah 28:11)
• righteous leaders (see Mosiah 2:11)
• God's people (see Omni 1:6, Mosiah 2:20, Mosiah 7:20, Alma 9:22, Alma 44:4)
• the Urim and Thummim (Mosiah 28:14)

The express purpose of the word of God is to bring about covenants (see 1 Nephi 13:40-41), thereby creating a covenant people.  Keep in mind that the word of God goes far beyond the written word.  It includes all that is necessary to walk to the tree of life.

"Retain their brightness"

Another phrase/symbol that can be applied to the word of God and the people of God is the concept of brightness. 

• Nephi's brother Jacob knew the things which were written upon plates "must remain" (Jacob 4:1), whereas anything written "upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away."
• Lehi, upon receiving the plates of brass, states: "these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time." (1 Nephi 5:19)
• King Benjamin says this about the words he was commanded to deliver to his people by an angel: "They shall stand as a bright testimony against this people, at the judgment day" (Mosiah 3:24)
• Alma-2 tells his son Helaman that "if they are kept they must retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ." (Alma 37:5)

Conclusion

This promise given by God to the ancient patriarchs underscores the intimate connection between God's covenant people and His word.  The connection between covenant-making and the scriptures is emphasized in our modern temples, too, in several important ways. I'll close this post with a prophecy of Joseph in Egypt about a Latter-day Joseph who restore this everlasting covenant to the earth and begin the final gathering of Israel:

7 Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers. (2 Nephi 3)

"Cutting" covenants in Alma 46

This post is a follow-up of Stisa's most recent post about the ancient understanding of how covenants are made. (To summarize, covenants are 'cut' and those who break them are 'cut off.')  It is always interesting to me to learn how ancient people thought about covenants and the stark imagery and symbols associates with keeping their covenants. Often, I am also surprised to see examples of this in the Book of Mormon. (I probably shouldn't be at this point, now that I've found dozens of examples, but that's another story.)

In this post, I'd like to demonstrate how an understanding of the ancient practice of "cutting covenants" can help us find more meaning in of the Book of Mormon.  This reality should reaffirm our assertion that the Book of Mormon was authored by ancient writers who understood covenants according to the ancient Hebrew tradition.

Alma 46 will be our text.  First, we'll discuss the more obvious symbolism, then I'd like to take it a little bit deeper and see if we can take this all the way back to Adam, Eve, and Jesus Christ.

The Symbol of the 'Rent' Garment

We know certain aspects of the storyline of Alma 46 very well. A wicked Nephite dissenter conspires to overthrow the covenant people. A righteous man named Moroni (the "Captain") rallies an army to defend the liberty of the people.  But other parts of the story aren't as familiar. What did he write this covenant on?

12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole. (Alma 46)

The covenant is written on Moroni's torn coat.  This detail is repeated in verse 13 and verse 19.  Then, as the people come forth covenant to defend their freedoms, they rend their garments:

21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had rent their garments.

22 Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We covenant with our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall into transgression. 

The message seems to be: 'As it is with our garments, so let it be with us if we break our covenant.'

The highlighted phrase in verse 21 grabs my attention, too.  What does the garment have to do with taking upon them the name of Christ?' To answer that, let's take a look at the coat of skins given to Adam and Eve.

Christ's Sacrifice and the Garment

Now let's take this deeper and think about Adam and Eve and what they knew about sacrifice. The Book of Moses teaches us that God made "coats of skins" for Adam and Eve as they were expelled from the Garden of Eden (Moses 4:27). I've pondered where those skins came from and have come to the same conclusion others have drawn -- the coats of skins is intimately connected to the principle of sacrifice and is meant to point the mind to the ultimate sacrifice, the atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

Only ten verses after God clothes Adam and Eve, we find Adam and Even being taught by an angel how to offer sacrifice to God:

5 And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord. (Moses 5)

I can't think of a more powerful symbol of the protection offered by obedience to the covenant than wearing a coat of skins connected to the sacrifice of the firstling of their flocks. To fulfill the covenant that was 'cut' between Jehovah and His people, Jehovah came to earth and offered Himself as a sacrifice, which covers the sinner and is symbolized by a covering.  If we reject this covenant (and His power to save/exalt us) we will suffer spiritual death -- permanent separation from God. In other words, He was sacrificed so that we might not be cut off. It's a powerful message.

The Hebrew word for atonement is 'kaphar' which literally means 'to cover' (see Brown-Driver-Briggs definition #2 here). 

With this symbolism in mind, the connection between Christ's sacrifice and the coat of skins given to Adam and Eve seems quite obvious. It is also easy to see the connection between the coat of skins and the everlasting covenant.

So verse 21 makes perfect sense -- wearing the garment is a symbol of faith in Christ. This most likely  would have set the Nephites apart culturally from any other people in the area. I believe this helps explain a somewhat cryptic statement offered centuries later by the lone surviving Nephite:

1 Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me.

2 For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ.

3 And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life. (Moroni 1)

While it is possible that Moroni is simply referring to an oral denial of the Christ, I think it makes more sense that his very clothing bore his witness of Christ.

Getting back to Alma 46

Interestingly, Jewish rabbis speculate that the coat given to Adam in the Garden of Eden made its way down through the generations to Jacob and was the same garment given to Joseph. I don't put a lot of weight on that as a historical fact, because I see the coat as a metaphor representing the knowledge of the Messiah, the but legend is nonetheless interesting.

As we get back to Alma 46, notice that Moroni ties the covenant of freedom back to Jacob and Joseph, from whom the Nephites directly descend, and the miraculous preservation of a portion of that famous coat:

23 Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain.

24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment. (Alma 46)

The preservation of a remnant of the coat symbolizes how the everlasting covenant brings about eternal life for the remnant of God's children who accept Christ and live according to His Gospel.

Righteousness -- Part 2

In part 1, I placed the term, righteousness, in a certain context; as the means to establish or restore the bonds and peace of all creation. Righteousness is one of God's primary attributes but he needs a righteous people to work with him and fulfill his purposes. Searching for the term, "righteous" or "righteousness" in the Book of Mormon gives more than a hundred results. I have not gone through all those verses, but I have seen a clear pattern: God is extremely concerned about establishing and preserving a righteous people. This can be divided into several categories:

• Raising up a righteous branch
• Separating the righteous from the wicked
• Destroying the wicked and preserving the righteous
• Blessing the land of the righteous
• Saving the righteous

I find there is a logical link between these, perhaps even a sequence, and they also fit the context discussed in part 1. Just to repeat a small part of Margaret Barker's paper giving that context:

Righteousness describes both the action needed to restore the broken covenant, and also the result of that action. Righteous people had been restored to their intended place in the creation, and they then had to work to restore other parts of the covenant system. Righteousness meant the activity of making righteous, protecting and maintaining the covenant.

I will give a few examples for each category.

Raising up a righteous branch

Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom. (2 Nephi 3:5)

And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of his greatness, and his grace and mercy, he has promised unto us that our seed shall not utterly be destroyed, according to the flesh, but that he would preserve them; and in future generations they shall become a righteous branch unto the house of Israel. (2 Nephi 9:53)

Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph. (Jacob 2:25)

This reminds me of a couple of scriptures shared in part 1 where righteousness would "spring up" or God wanted to find righteousness in his vineyard. The Hebrew word for "spring up" used in that Isaiah verse is the same as the one in Genesis 2:9, where God made every tree grow (spring up) from the ground in the Garden of Eden. The righteous branch is perhaps also an allusion to Zenos' allegory and the branches that were grafted and produced good fruit.

Separating the righteous from the wicked

And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things; and behold, their names shall be blotted out, that the names of the wicked shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people (Alma 5:57)

And the time speedily cometh, that except ye repent they shall possess the land of your inheritance, and the Lord God will lead away the righteous out from among you. (Jacob 3:4)

This is similar to the wheat and the tares. In order to let righteous people restore the covenant system, they must be clearly distinguished, separated out and gathered.

Destroying the wicked and preserving the righteous

36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it.
37 And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked.
38 And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes. (1 Nephi 17)

16 For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.
17 Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire. (1 Nephi 22)

This is a similar to the previous point, but it goes even further. It sounds brutal, but it seems necessary for God to achieve His purposes. The covenant bonds cannot be maintained by wickedness. Unless the wicked repent, they must eventually make way for the righteous to do the work that is ultimately for the benefit of the whole creation. 

Blessing the land of the righteous

15 And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things to Helaman, he blessed him, and also his other sons; and he also blessed the earth for the righteous’ sake.
16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God—Cursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. (Alma 45)

the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people. (Ether 2:7)

the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous’ sake. (Alma 46:10)

A lot of the scriptures about righteousness or righteous people are connected with land/earth/creation. We saw that also in part 1 of this series. This makes sense given the creation-covenant context that Barker explains.

Exalting the righteous

he has also said that the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb. (Alma 34:36)

and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day (1 Nephi 16:2)

When they righteous people have been established, they can restore the covenant system, the bonds of creation. Finally, the righteous people on earth are taken up to God in heaven, like the City of Enoch

17 The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish.

18 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.

19 And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion.

20 And it came to pass that Enoch talked with the Lord; and he said unto the Lord: Surely Zion shall dwell in safety forever. But the Lord said unto Enoch: Zion have I blessed, but the residue of the people have I cursed.

21 And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold mine abode forever. (Moses 7)

Sorry but not sorry for overloading this post with scriptures. But there are many more fitting examples that I didn't include. The Book of Mormon also talks about God's righteousness, which I haven't addressed, but what really stood out for me was how desperately God wants to establish, protect, preserve and bless a righteous people.