Where Prophecies Run Together: Part 2 (This is also Re-creation and Rebirth: Part 4: Turtle Island)

I ended Part 1 of the Seven Fires Prophecies topic with a note that there was more I hadn't addressed and that I had yet to understand how to explain. I think I am ready to do this now. This post also is Part 4 of my Re-creation and Rebirth series that I began with. It was originally going to be titled Turtle Island. Both these topics run together here, though, so they have been combined.

The complete combined seven prophecies can be found in the video link in part 1, in Edward Benton Banai's The Mishomis Book, or found on different internet sites, including this wikipedia page. One important part I have noticed in the prophecies begins in the very first prophecy.

"In the time of the First Fire, the Anishinabe nation will rise up and follow the sacred shell of the Midewiwin Lodge. The Midewiwin Lodge will serve as a rallying point for the people and its traditional ways will be the source of much strength. The Sacred Megis will lead the way to the chosen ground of the Anishinabe. You are to look for a turtle shaped island that is linked to the purification of the earth. You will find such an island at the beginning and end of your journey. There will be seven stopping places along the way. You will know the chosen ground has been reached when you come to a land where food grows on water. If you do not move you will be destroyed."

Dual Fulfillment

To begin, the idea of dual fulfillment is described well here. It basically means that scriptural prophecies often have an immediate fulfillment and a more future one. Here, an immediate fulfillment is obvious and is the fulfillment attributed to it in the resources that make the prophecies available. Since this prophecy precedes the colonization of the continent by Europeans, the immediate fulfillment is the destruction of the Anishinaabe that came due to that. According to tradition this was the cause of the Anishinaabe migration from the East Coast to where they are presently spread from the Great Lakes to as far west as Montana. The migration history even accounts for the turtle shaped islands at the beginning and end of this physical journey.

A dual or secondary fulfillment of this prophecy takes on a much more spiritual meaning, as the mention of the sacred shell of the Midewiwin Lodge would indicate. The link I have attached, takes you to Part 3 of the Re-creation and Rebirth, which discusses how the religion of the Midewiwin Lodge mirrors that of the scriptures. I believe the mention of the turtle shaped islands also reinforces this idea. This specific reference comes from the Anishinaabe (and many other tribes') creation story, which can be found beginning in Part 1 of the Re-creation and Rebirth series, The Muskrat. The prophecy containing a reference to the Creation, makes me think that this prophecy has a greater meaning than first glance would give it, one that perhaps has yet to be fulfilled.

The Beginning and the End, and the Muskrat

In the Ojibwe creation story, particularly, the only creature able to bring some earth above the flood level, for the first people to dwell on is the "humblest of all" creatures, the muskrat. He alone is able to descend below to retrieve it, and sacrifices his life to achieve this feat that was impossible to all the other creatures. He is the one whose hand provides the "foundation of the world."

I believe these actions are identifiers meant to inform both the Anishinaabe and Christian about who we each remember and worship. There is a passage found in both Isaiah and quoted also in the Covenant of Christ that I think was meant to tie these two things together. In the passage, Isaiah is quoting the Lord:

I am the First, and I am also the Last. Mine hand hath also laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens; and I call unto them and they stand up together. Isaiah 17, paragraph 2

I Am the First, and I Am also the Last. My hand has also laid the foundation of the earth, and My power upholds the organized heavens. I’ve ordained it all and the creation continually obeys Me. Covenant of Christ 1 Nephi 6, paragraph 3

In this passage He declares His often repeated title and role of being the first and also the last, or the Alpha and the Omega. Similarly the prophecy says the turtle shaped island (whose foundation of earth was provided by the muskrat) would be at the beginning and end of the Anishinaabe journey. The turtle island grew to be this American continent in the story, the place where the Anishinabe were given to live. What if this reference was meant to point to Him as being the beginning of their journey, and the end of their journey?

Indeed, here was a prophet's take on the beginning of the journey given to us by the Creator:

Now if the Lamb of God, being holy, needed to be baptized by water to fulfill all righteousness, then how much more do we, being unholy, need to be baptized by water! I want to ask you, my dear people, how did the Lamb of God fulfill all righteousness by being baptized by water? Don’t you know that He was holy? However, despite being holy, He showed mankind that in the flesh He humbled Himself before the Father and witnessed to the Father that He was willing to obey Him by keeping His commandments. After He was baptized with water, the Holy Ghost descended upon Him in the form of a dove. This shows mankind the precise path and the exact gate through which they were to enter, since He provides the example for them. He has told mankind: Follow Me. Therefore, my dear people, can we follow Jesus without being willing to keep the Father’s commandments? The Father says: Repent, repent, and be baptized in the name of My Beloved Son. And the voice of the Son also spoke to me, saying: The Father will give the Holy Ghost to those who are baptized in My name, just like He did to Me. Therefore follow Me and do the things you’ve seen Me do. So, my dear people, I know if you follow the Son with all your heart — without being hypocritical or deceptive before God but acting with pure intent, repenting of your sins, showing to the Father you are willing to take upon yourselves the name of Christ by baptism, by following your Lord and Savior down into the water according to His word — then you will receive the Holy Ghost. Then the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost comes, and then you can speak the words of angels and shout praises to the Holy One of Israel. Covenant of Christ 2 Nephi 13, paragraph 2

It is not only by His example of entering into the waters of baptism that puts Him at the beginning of our journey, but also because He is the one who opens the gate to the path for us to enter.

Then, my dear people, come to the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that His paths are righteousness. The way for man is narrow, but it lies in a straight course before him. And the gatekeeper is the Holy One of Israel, and He doesn’t use any servant there. There’s no other way except through the gate, and He can’t be deceived since His name is the Lord God. He’ll open to whoever knocks. And the worldly, the educated, and those who are rich, who are inflated with pride because of their knowledge, education, and wealth — they’re the ones He looks down upon. And unless they abandon these things and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, He won’t allow them through the gate. Real wisdom and real understanding will be hidden from them forever, and shared only with the holy ones to give them joy. Covenant of Christ 2 Nephi 6, paragraph 11

A scriptural interpretation even fits a metaphorical explanation of the "land where food grows on water" in the prophecy. The prophet Nephi describes baptism by water as the entry gate to our journey, which when executed in sincerity, "...with all your heart — without being hypocritical or deceptive before God but acting with pure intent, repenting of your sins, showing to the Father you are willing to take upon yourselves the name of Christ by baptism..." that we then receives the Baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost. To which Nephi says:

Don’t you remember I told you that after you had received the Holy Ghost, you could speak the words of angels? Now, how could you speak the message of the angels unless you did it by the Holy Ghost? Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; as a result, they speak Christ’s words. Therefore I told you: Feast on Christ’s words — because the words of Christ will tell you everything that you should do. 2 Nephi 14, paragraph 1

If the words of prophecy about the water can also be understood as the waters of baptism, then the "food which grows on water" can also be understood as the words of Christ we are meant to "feast upon" after having entered the waters of baptism, which is the gate to the path which leads to Christ, putting Him at the beginning and the end of the journey.

Nephi's words about the end of the journey:

I tell you again, if you will enter through the way and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show you everything you should do. This is Christ’s doctrine. No more doctrine will be given until after He visits you here on earth. Once He shows Himself to you here on earth, you must obey what He tells you. Covenant of Christ 2 Nephi 14, paragraph 1

Also similar to the Anishinaabe creation story about how the sacrifice of the muskrat allows for the birth and survival of Sky Woman's children, the baptism described by Nephi is a metaphor of birth. Those who are baptized in sincerity, emerge from the water, having taken upon them the name of Christ, as a child takes on the name of its father when it is born in this world. The Anishinaabe attribute this occurrence as the beginning of their people, their birth. Perhaps it was in more ways than one. Perhaps the "turtle island" is meant to represent the birth of a covenant people, a people who have entered the gate and are following the good path, the Creator's people, whom He is keen to bless and protect. A people like this is described in Lehi's words as those who will serve Him according to the commandments which He gives them. He further explains that this land (like the turtle island) is promised to his (Lehi's) descendants and others that the Lord will bring here, and that there remains a conditional promise on it: "if iniquity abounds, the land will become cursed because of their failure to serve Him." Anyone's heavenly right to it, depends on their diligence in following the path of the Creator, Him whose hand has laid the foundation of the earth.

If this hypothetical has a basis in truth, the meaning of all of this would be that Christ was known to the ancestors of the Anishinaabe (though probably by another name) before He was ever preached to them after the European colonization. It would mean they would have at one point been among the "other sheep" He spoke of to those at Israel after His resurrection.

And I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. St. John 6, paragraph 26

With the words "one fold and one shepherd," Christ also ties in to the oneness spoken of in first part of the fourth fire.

"In this way, two nations will join to make a mighty nation. This new nation will be joined by two more so that four will form the mightiest nation of all."

Coincidence?

Chiasmus

As a disclaimer, I am not the best at recognizing when chiasmus is being used, but I think the complete 7 fires are in a chiastic structure.

This type of literary tool is described here, and here is a blog that has a good write up of chiasmus also. 

The Lord also appears to use a pattern of chiasmus when He declares His titles as the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, and when He says the the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. Even Noah's flood, and the destruction by fire the world is prophesied to experience, mirror each other in a way similar to chiasmus. They also mirror that baptism of water and by fire that are part of the straight and narrow path in scripture.

The First and the Last fire

Likewise, the Seven Fires appear to mirror each other from beginning to end in a chiastic way. The first fire is a message of restoration and potential destruction to the Anishinaabe. The last is a message of restoration and potential destruction to the white race (referred to in the Covenant of Christ as the gentiles) and the Anishinaabe. It does so in a pattern of the first being last and the last being first, where the roles are reversed. The destruction spoken of in the first fire is to the Anishinabe, the destruction spoken of in the seventh fire is described as being brought back on the white race, which it says will effect not just them, but all the earth.

The first fire speaks of the "purification of the earth," "Sacred Megis," and the "turtle shaped island," and "a land where food grows on water," all of which involve water and its symbol of purification. The Anishinaabe story of creation is the story of a flood, in which the earth was purified from wickedness. Similarly, The seventh fire speaks of "a rekindling of old flames," the "sacred fire will again be lit," in some versions the wrong road will be "black and charred," and "the seventh fire will light the Eighth and final Fire, an eternal fire of peace, love, brotherhood, and sisterhood." Fire scripturally is also a purifying agent, such as the "refiner's fire." A baptism by fire and the Holy Ghost, is a moment when a person is spiritually purified by God, and they are made Holy. Both of these elements are essential parts of the sweat lodge purification ceremony as well. Fire, particularly, is believed by the Anishinaabe to be connected to the power of the spirit world. I believe that these two purifying agents being emphasized in the both the first and last prophecy follows a chiastic structure.

By referencing the "purification of the earth" and the "turtle shaped island," invoking the Creation story, the first fire is reminding the people of their own creation, when they were a "new people." Likewise the last fire speaks of a "New People" that will emerge.

These two fires also introduce a choice that both peoples' will need to make between different paths or roads. The Anishinaabe are warned that if they do not "rise up" or move, they will be destroyed. The light-skinned race will also have a choice to make, symbolized by roads. This imagery is used in the scriptures as well.

Repent therefore and enter in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat, because strait is the gate and narrow the way that leads unto life, and few there are that find it. Matt 3, paragraph 45

The easier way is always the one that leads to destruction, like the choice of the Anishinaabe to stay as they were, like the choice of the "light-skinned race" to follow greed, rather than harmony with our Creator and the creation.

The Second and the Sixth fire

In both the second and sixth fire, a falling away and loss is described. Although, a reason for hope is indicated in each one. In the second fire, a beginning back to the correct path is promised. The reason for hope in the sixth fire is a little trickier to recognize. It says that, "the promise of the Fifth Fire came in a false way." The reason this gives for hope is that for it to have come in a false way indicates that there is a true way for it to come. It says that the "cup of life will almost become the cup of grief." But the use of "almost" is also reason for hope. It indicates that something will change that.

The Third and the Fifth Fire

If the "land where food grows upon the waters" spoken of can be understood not just in the obvious way, but also in the metaphorical way I mentioned earlier, then it can also be understood as feasting upon the words of the Creator after entering into baptism. If this has any basis in truth then it has a connecting meaning with the fifth fire, in which the "promise of great joy and salvation" comes in a false way. The third fire speaks of the true promise of great joy and salvation. The fifth speaks of the word of the promise coming without the fulfillment of the promise. I personally see this as the plain and precious things that Nephi describes as being missing from the bible and Christianity by the time it reaches this land. Among the plain and precious things missing is the Doctrine of Christ, Christ's direction on baptism, how He performed the sacrament, etc. Basic things that have huge repercussions when they are lost. Things that the Covenant of Christ has kept intact as they were given to and preserved by some of His other sheep.

The Fourth Fire

The fourth fire has two separate parts, and as the middle of this chiastic collection of prophecies, I find that particularly interesting.

One thing I notice is an emphasis on water in both the first part and the last. This may be a confusing idea since the first part does not actually use the word "water" at all. However there is imagery that applies quite accurately to water as it flows from streams to rivers, and so on into the ocean.

"They will bring new knowledge and articles that can be joined with the knowledge of this country. In this way two nations will join to make a mighty nation. This new nation will be joined by two more so that the four will form the mightiest nation of all."

Like two streams, two nations will join together to form one mighty nation (river). This mighty nation will then be joined by two more nations (rivers), becoming the mightiest nation (ocean) of all. This powerful nation is created through pure intentions and actions. This metaphor of water would require that the water likewise be pure. This joining of two nations is mentioned in the Covenant of Christ too:

So why do you complain that you receive more of My word? Don’t you know that the testimony of two nations is a witness to you that I Am God, and I remember one nation like another? That being the case, I speak the same words to one nation as I do to another; and when the two nations unite, their testimonies will also unite. I do this to prove to everyone that I Am the same yesterday, today, and forever, and I deliver My words according to My own pleasure. 2 Nephi 12, paragraph 12

The nations "uniting" in testimony of the Creator is mentioned as a very good thing, a joining of witnesses of what is true.

Conversely, in the second part of the fourth fire, when the "rivers run with poison," it is a result of greed. While waters running with poison has an obvious literal meaning, it also has a metaphorical one.

This comparison to pure waters and filthy waters is one used in the Covenant of Christ, but in that more metaphorical way, as seen in a vision by Nephi.

Then I realized the iron railing my father saw was God’s word. It led to the source of living waters or to the tree of life, whose waters represent God’s love. I also concluded the tree of life represented God’s love. 1 Nephi 3, paragraph 10

Then the Angel said to me: See the filthy river your father saw and talked about; its depths are the depths of hell. And the dark mists are the temptations of the accuser, who blinds people’s eyes, hardens their hearts, and leads them away into wide roads, to perish and be lost. The large and spacious building your father saw represents false and foolish thinking and the pride of mankind. A great and terrible gulf divides them — which is the sword of the justice of the Eternal God and Messiah, who is the Lamb of God, whom the Holy Ghost testifies of, from the beginning of the world until now, and from this time forth and forever. 1 Nephi 3, paragraph 17

Perhaps following the Word of God can and should lead to pure waters both literally and figuratively.

The emphasis of this fire is on the intentions of the white race. There are two ways in which they may come. This tells me that there will be two ways in which the white race will come, and not just one way of the two. Some will come one way. Some will come the other way. This fits Nephi's description of events:

Now, my dear people, I wish to talk to you. I don’t want to let you think you are more righteous than the Gentiles will be. Unless you keep God’s commandments, you’ll all likewise be lost. And because of the words provided to you, don’t conclude the Gentiles will be completely destroyed. I tell you: All the Gentiles who repent are the Lord’s covenant people, and all the Jews who refuse to repent will be rejected. The Lord only covenants with those who repent and believe in His Son, who is the Holy One of Israel. 2 Nephi 12, paragraph 11

This really is the crux of the matter for every individual, regardless of identity and race: "For the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel."

A reasonable question to ask after reading through this is, Just what is chiasmus doing in a prophecy that is supposed to predate European and Hebraic influence? Fascinating, isn't it? It speaks to me of the patterns the Lord uses to help us to identify His presence in different places, among diverse people. It's like leaving His stamp or His signature in the message. Hopefully, we can use these patterns to recognize a commonality, and these can help us to come together as diverse people, rather than finding cause to fight and hate one another.