Cleon Skousen taught that;
1. As the Ten Tribes migrated north a more righteous group divided from the less righteous and were transferred to a separate planet as had occurred with the City of Enoch.
2. The less righteous group of the Ten Tribes eventually became the Anglo-Saxons and the tribes who occupied Northern Europe.
3. When this miraculous highway emerges from the deep, it will be so spectacular that the crossing of the Red Sea in the days of Moses will seem like practically nothing compared to it.
4. Those who were “left behind” from the tribe of Ephriam will greet their long lost relatives and share with them the blessings of the Temple.
5. The returning Ten Tribes will bring riches and scriptures and be led by prophets.
D&C 133
26. And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord; and their prophets shall hear his voice, and shall no longer stay themselves; and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence.
This verse raises a whole series of questions. First of all, where have the ten lost tribes been for the last 2,600 years? And how did they happen to show up in the midst of the ice and rugged rocks of the Arctic Circle? Since the gospel was restored we have the answers to some of these questions.
For example, we now know the ten northern tribes broke away from the tribe of Judah in 921 B.C. and the tribe of Aaron (the Levites) subsequently joined Judah. The remaining ten tribes were conquered by the Assyrians in 721 B.C. but the ten tribes escaped in 606 B.C. when the Assyrians were conquered by the Babylonians. For two centuries or more, the ten tribes settled near the Black Sea, but they felt threatened when the Roman legions began conquering that territory. As a result, the ten tribes began a long, tedious migration to the far north. The Jewish Apocrypha describes this northward migration by saying:
"But they took this counsel among themselves that they would leave the multitudes of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt, that they might there keep their statutes which they never kept in their own land." Esdras 13:40-44, The Apocrypha According to the Authorized Version, Destiny Publishers, 1946, pp. 56-57.
A careful reading of Esdras indicates that the more righteous Israelites apparently divided from the less righteous and were transferred to a separate planet as had occurred with the City of Enoch. Esdras does not tell us what happened to the righteous segment, but he does speak of those who were "left behind," Esdras 13:48 clearly indicating that there was a separation.
It was Brigham Young who learned from Joseph Smith or by direct revelation that the righteous segment of the lost tribes are "on a portion of the earth -- a portion separate from the main land." Brigham Young quoted in Matthias F. Cowley's biography on Wilford Woodruff, p. 448
But, as we have seen in verse 26 of this section, it is the Lord's plan in the near future to have the ten lost tribes make their appearance among the Rocky Mountains and cliffs of ice in the north country. These returning Israelites will be led by God's prophets and the ice will flow down at their presence as the ten tribes prepare to unite with the Saints in Zion.
Now the Lord tells us how they will reach Zion:
27. And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep.
Isaiah describes this great highway and says:
"And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it.... No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon ... but the redeemed shall walk there." Isaiah 35:8-9.
According to Esdras, the returning tribes of Israel will be astonished when they come to Zion and find that the priesthood and Saints of God in charge of Zion are the descendants of those whom the more righteous Israelites "left behind." [Esdras 13:48] This suggest that those who were "left behind" were the Anglo-Saxons and the tribes who occupied Northern Europe. They not only remained behind, but when the gospel was restored, they provided the early membership of the Church. And since that time, it is from them that the prophets and leaders of the Church have mostly descended.
Now one final comment concerning the Lord's mighty highway over which the lost ten tribes will return. Jeremiah says that when this miraculous highway emerges from the deep, it will be so spectacular that the crossing of the Red Sea in the days of Moses will seem like practically nothing compared to it. Jeremiah 16:14-15
28. Their enemies shall become a prey unto them,
Even though one-sixth of the Gentiles armies of Gog and Magog will survive the battle of Armageddon, they will not be allowed to impede the return of the lost tribes as they pour out of the north on this great highway.
29. And in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of living water; and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land.
30. And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants.
The lost tribes will bring great treasures from their former residence to enrich the New Jerusalem and embellish the temple. They will also bring with them vast quantities of sacred records to help them perform their ancestral temple work.
31. And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence.
The vast hosts of Israelites will be so numerous they will thunder across the American continent and cause the everlasting hills to tremble with the vibrations of their millions of marching feet.
32. And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim.
These joyous lost tribes will pour out over God's great highway and direct their course to the temples of the Lord. There they will receive their temple blessings under the hands of the tribe of Ephraim. We recall that the Ephraimites turned out to be the Anglo-Saxons who were "left behind" when the more righteous segment of the lost tribes were taken to their new planetary home.
33. And they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy.
The Savior says these multitudes of lost relatives will receive these most sacred blessings in the temple with triumphant songs of everlasting joy.
34. Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim and his fellows.
The Lord also says it will be Ephraim that will feel so abundantly blessed to have the overwhelming joy of sharing the temple blessings with the returning tribes.
35. And they also of the tribe of Judah, after their pain, shall be sanctified in holiness before the Lord, to dwell in his presence day and night, forever and ever.
But we must not forget about the Jews. The Lord says they will also be given their temple blessings after they are converted at the time of Armageddon. As members of the Church, they will dwell in the presence of God both day and night, forever and ever.
From; Section 133, Early Church History and the Doctrine and Covenants, A Verse-by-Verse Audio Commentary Historical Commentary by W. Cleon Skousen
11. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
This verse is talking about something far more exciting than these simple words would seem to imply. The details of how the children of Israel will use the mountains for their thoroughfare, and have a mighty highway "exalted" (or lifted up) for them are described by the Lord in a modern revelation as follows:
"And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord; ... and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence.
"And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep....
"And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim....
"And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim." D&C 133:26-27; 30, 32
This is describing the return of the lost Ten Tribes of Israel. They will come out of the north on a mighty highway which will be raised up in the deep so that they can come with their multitudes and their treasures to receive their endowments from the Ephraimite Saints in America. Jeremiah says the raising up of this highway "in the midst of the great deep" will be so spectacular that people will no longer talk about the miracle of dividing the Red Sea for Israel. [See Jeremiah 16:14-15]
That will seem insignificant compared to the latter-day highway in the great deep.
12. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
Isaiah says these remnants of Israel will "come from far." Just how far is impossible to say, but there is a hint scattered throughout the scripture that some of them may come from another planetary home where God transplanted them. If such is the case, then they will have to reach the earth by a highway from the depths of space. Note the strange way in which Jesus described to his disciples the manner in which the great latter-day gathering would take place. Jesus said he would bring together his people "from one end of heaven to the other." [Joseph Smith -- Matthew 1:37] We also note that Isaiah speaks of Judah being dispersed among the nations of the earth, but the main body of Israel being outcasts. [Isaiah 11:12; or 2 Nephi 21:12] It may turn out that these Israelites who come down "from the north" will have come from very far indeed. And their highway in the "great deep" may turn out to be a highway to the earth from the depths of the heavens.
Page 619, Isaiah, Chapter 49, Isaiah Speaks to Modern Times by W. Cleon Skousen
THE COMING OF THE TEN TRIBES FROM THE NORTH
The second great project, and one which will be undertaken contemporaneously with the conversion of the Lamanites, will be the revealing of the whereabouts of the lost Ten Tribes and the gathering of them from the North. This will not be any ordinary event. For over a hundred years, their prophets have been preparing them. As early as 1831 the Lord revealed that the translated Apostle John was fulfilling a mission among the Ten Tribes preparing them for their journey to Zion. [Joseph Fielding Smith, Essentials of Church History, p. 126] When the Lord commands it, and the earth has been prepared for it, the prophets who are among those tribes will "no longer stay themselves," [D&C 133:26] but will bring multitudes forth.
Where are the Ten Tribes today?
Some students have adopted the views of the Anglo-Israelites, who claim that the countries of northern Europe constitute the tribes of Israel. The word of the Lord on the subject, however, is that they are "separated" [3 Nephi 15:20] and that the main body of them is not among the gentiles at all. 3 Nephi 15:15-24
The authorities of the Church confirm this fact. Brigham Young taught that "the Ten Tribes of Israel are on a portion of the earth -- a portion separate from the main land." [Matthias F. Cowley, Wilford Woodruff, p. 448] Joseph Fielding Smith says:
"The Ten Tribes were taken by force out of the land the Lord gave them. Many of them mixed with the peoples among whom they were scattered. A large portion, however, departed in one body into the north and disappeared from the rest of the world. Where they went and where they are we do not know. That they are intact we must believe, else how shall the scripture be fulfilled? There are too many prophecies concerning them and their return in a body for us to ignore the fact." Joseph Fielding Smith, Way to Perfection, p. 130
Parley P. Pratt wrote:
"The Jews are called dispersed because they are scattered among the nations; but the Ten Tribes are called outcasts because they are cast out from the knowledge of the nations into a land by themselves." Pratt, P. P., Voice of Warning, p. 30
We may rest assured that the first people on earth to whom this great secret will be finally revealed will be the prophets and chosen Saints of God. They will know the exact location and whereabouts of the lost tribes long before any scientist or society will discover it. "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7
Regardless of where the Ten Tribes are, it will require a miracle to bring them forth. It will be of greater magnitude than the dividing of the Red Sea in the days of Israel's Exodus. The day is coming when the seed of Jacob will no longer say, "The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the North." Jeremiah 16:14-15.
Mountains, ice and a continent of water will stand between the Ten Tribes and the land of Zion when they first appear, but they will "smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence." [D&C 133:26] As they come to the great body of water, dry land will be cast up in the midst of it so that a mighty highway will spread before them. [D&C 133:27; Isaiah 11:16] Thus will the God of Jacob fulfill his promise to bring them back to the land of Joseph and crown them with mighty blessings under the hands of the Ephraimite Saints. D&C 133:32
Where will the hosts of Israel dwell?
It has been previously pointed out that if the great gentile civilization now inhabiting this land should become unworthy of it, the Lord has warned that he will rid the land of them. Joseph Smith predicted that there would be ample room for the hosts of Israel when they come. He said that the judgments of the Lord "will sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land, to open and prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north country." [Teachings of Joseph Smith, p 17] It is apparent that this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled.
It would appear that some of the gentiles who are driven by war and pestilence will seek respite in the northern portion of the continent where they can continue their lives after the design of their own wickedness. Such a people would no doubt resist the migration of the multitudes of Israel as they pour across the great highway. The scriptures plainly speak of the Ten Tribes being confronted by "enemies" who will become their "prey' as they march over them on the way to the capital city of the New Jerusalem." D&C 133:28
And any people, not of Israel, who think they can avail themselves of the great highway and thus flee into the former habitation of the Ten Tribes will be as surprised and disappointed as the armies of Egypt who attempted to cross dry-shod on the miraculous thoroughfare that opened up suddenly in the midst of the Red Sea. The mighty highway of the latter days will be equally unsafe for the wicked who trespass on it, for Israel alone shall pass over it. Isaiah 35:8-10
The uniting of the Ten Tribes with the Saints at the New Jerusalem will be glorious indeed, for the hosts of Israel will bring all their records, histories, and scriptures with them. 2 Nephi 29:12-13
They will tell of their strange experiences and describe the memorable occasion when the Messiah visited them in the meridian of time. See promise of the Savior in 3 Nephi 15:12-20; 16:1-3
Furthermore, they will bring with them the treasures of their former habitation -- precious metals, rare gems, works of art -- all of which will be used, no doubt, to embellish the temple in the city of the New Jerusalem. [D&C 133:30] Then they will receive of the blessings to be had in that sacred edifice, for "there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim." D&C 133:32
Pages 55-59, Prophecy and Modern Times, by W. Cleon Skousen
For more on W. Cleon Skousen’s teachings on the Lost Ten Tribes read pages 34-39 of The Cleansing of America