The Purpose of the Gathering of Israel and a Warning to Modern America
Book of Mormon Notes - Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 3 Nephi 16
The Lord taught the ancient Nephites gathered at the Temple in Bountiful that He had yet other sheep besides them and besides His sheep in Palestine. These other sheep of whom the Lord spoke were not from the American continent or the original Holy Land. Where were they? Where are they? Let’s read the first verse in this chapter a little more carefully first:
And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have aother sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister. (3 Nephi 16:1)
As I understand it, the Lord had already ministered among His sheep in the land of Jerusalem, on the American continent, and other places. These other places include “that land round about whither” the Lord had been to minister. I take this to mean that the Lord’s other sheep of whom He spoke to these ancient Nephites were not of the Old World (Jerusalem and the surrounding regions) or of the New World (America, broadly understood). Which other sheep were these? If the Lord withheld knowledge of the Lehites from those at Jerusalem, did He withhold knowledge of His other sheep from those at the Temple in Bountiful? Let’s read on:
For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them. (3 Nephi 16:2)
To me, this is a very interesting and exciting verse. Where did Jesus go to minister after His ministry among the Lehites? Think of the many different places where He could have gone, and where He probably went, including India, China, Japan, Australia, Russia, Scandinavia, Africa… yes, Africa. I’m sure He went to Africa. He must have gone to Africa. Wherever He went, consider Heavenly Father’s commandment to His Beloved and Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ:
But I have received a acommandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall bhear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them. (3 Nephi 16:3)
The Lord appears to speak of a very specific people, just as the Lehites, the remnant of Jacob, were a very specific people in a very specific place. These sheep were part of the lost tribes of Israel, even though none of the tribes, and none of us, are lost to the Lord.
Fortunately, the Lord doesn’t leave us to figure these things out on our own. He invites us to ask, to seek, and to knock:
And I command you that ye shall awrite these sayings after I am gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they who have seen me and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, and also of the other tribes whom they know not of, that these sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be manifested unto the bGentiles, that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed, who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth because of their cunbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a dknowledge of me, their Redeemer. (3 Nephi 16:4)
Thus, we can ask the Father in the name of Jesus Christ for knowledge, by the Holy Ghost, of the Lehites and the Lost Tribes. The Lord is gathering these tribes in order to fulfill His covenant to them, the covenant to Abraham and the House of Israel. But they have to be gathered first. Hence the crucial role of missionaries. Hence the crucial role of each one of us:
“Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that” (Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel,” worldwide devotional for youth, June 3, 2018, churchofjesuschrist.org/broadcasts)
What is the purpose of the gathering? It isn’t just gathering for the sake of gathering. Elder D. Todd Christofferson recently taught:
It has been prophesied since at least the days of Isaiah1 that in the latter days, the Lord’s ancient covenant people, the house of Israel, should be “gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth”2 and restored to “the lands of their inheritance.”3 President Russell M. Nelson has spoken often and powerfully about this gathering, calling it “the most important thing taking place on earth today.”4
What is the purpose of this gathering?
By revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord identified one purpose as the protection of the covenant people. He said, “The gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon her stakes, [will] be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth.”5 “Wrath” in this context may be understood as the natural consequences of widespread disobedience to the laws and commandments of God.
Most importantly, the gathering is for the purpose of bringing the blessings of salvation and exaltation to all who will receive them. It is how the covenant promises given to Abraham are realized. The Lord told Abraham that through his seed and priesthood “all the families of the earth [should] be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.”6 President Nelson expressed it this way: “When we embrace the gospel and are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Baptism is the gate that leads to becoming joint heirs to all the promises given anciently by the Lord to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity.”7
The Lord is gathering the lost tribes, or scattered Israel, from the four quarters of the earth in order to fulfil the bcovenant which the Father hath made unto all the people of the chouse of Israel. What is this covenant? It is the Abrahamic Covenant. It is a topic worthy of deep study and pondering. The LDS Bible Dictionary is helpful:
Abraham first received the gospel by baptism (which is the covenant of salvation). Then he had conferred upon him the higher priesthood, and he entered into celestial marriage (which is the covenant of exaltation), gaining assurance thereby that he would have eternal increase. Finally he received a promise that all of these blessings would be offered to all of his mortal posterity (D&C 132:29–50; Abr. 2:6–11). Included in the divine promises to Abraham were the assurances that (1) Christ would come through his lineage, and that (2) Abraham’s posterity would receive certain lands as an eternal inheritance (Gen. 17; 22:15–18; Gal. 3; Abr. 2). These promises taken together are called the “Abrahamic covenant.” It was renewed with Isaac (Gen. 26:1–4, 24) and again with Jacob (Gen. 28; 35:9–13; 48:3–4).
The portions of the covenant that pertain to personal salvation and eternal increase are renewed with each individual who receives the ordinance of celestial marriage (see D&C 132:29–33). Those of non-Israelite lineage, commonly known as Gentiles, are adopted into the house of Israel and become heirs of the covenant and the seed of Abraham through the ordinances of the gospel (Gal. 3:26–29).
Being an heir to the Abrahamic covenant does not make one a “chosen person” per se but does signify that such are chosen to responsibly carry the gospel to all the peoples of the earth. Abraham’s seed have carried out the missionary activity in all the nations since Abraham’s day. (Matt. 3:9; Abr. 2:9–11.)
To fulfill the covenant God made with Abraham—having particular reference to the fact that the literal seed of his body would be entitled to all of the blessings of the gospel (Abr. 2:10–11)—a number of specific and particular things must take place in the last days. The gospel must be restored, the priesthood must be conferred again upon man, the keys of the sealing power must be given again to mortals, Israel must be gathered, and the Holy Ghost must be poured out upon the Gentiles. All this has already taken place or is in process of fulfillment. See also Adoption; Gentile.
Thus we see that the gathering of Israel serves higher purposes, including those mentioned in the LDS Bible Dictionary and by Elder Christofferson. When I consider the protection that the Lord offers for His covenant people - like the protection of a mother hen’s wings over her chickens, and the promised blessings of salvation and exaltation to those who make and keep the Lord’s covenants, it increases my desire to invite others to enjoy the same blessings. It reminds me that the worth of souls is great, and that it is crucial to share the Gospel with everyone. Or as Lehi taught his son Jacob:
Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, asave it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who blayeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the cresurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. (2 Nephi 2:8)
But missionary work, as we call it, or the gathering of Israel, is not just a matter of importance because of the protection and blessings that it ensures. Even more importantly, it is central the very purpose of life itself. Lehi continued to teach his son Jacob:
But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who aknoweth all things.
aAdam bfell that men might be; and men care, that they might have djoy. (2 Nephi 2:24-25)
Elder Christofferson has also beautifully expounded upon this very principle in his most recent article in the Liahona: “The Lasting Joy of Gospel Living.” It is simple. It is true. It is one of the best articles that I have ever read on the topic. Check it out.
It is significant to me that Lehi named one of his sons Jacob. Thus when Lehi teaches Jacob, we may remember Isaac’s son Jacob, who received the new name Israel. By teaching his son Jacob, Lehi teaches us, and he teaches Israel. Israel includes all those who desire to let God prevail in their lives.
All of this helps me to better understand one of the angel’s questions to Lehi’s son Nephi:
And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these words, he said unto me: Rememberest thou the acovenants of the Father unto the house of Israel? I said unto him, Yea. (1 Nephi 14:8)
Do we remember and understand the acovenants of the Father unto the house of Israel? Can we, like Nephi, respond to the angel’s question in the affirmative?
All of this also helps us to read more carefully and more fully understand the next verse in 3 Nephi 16:
And then will I agather them in from the four quarters of the earth; and then will I fulfil the bcovenant which the Father hath made unto all the people of the chouse of Israel. (3 Nephi 16:5)
The Lord has made these things known through the fulness of the Gentiles, the ongoing Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and He is gathering the remnant, scattered Israel, from the four quarters of the earth in order to fulfil the bcovenant which the Father hath made unto all the people of the chouse of Israel. Notice that God the Father made this covenant unto all the people of the house of Israel, and His Beloved Son Jesus Christ fulfills this covenant.
In His instruction to the ancient Nephites at the Temple in Bountiful, the Lord blessed the future believing Gentiles who receive the Gospel and help to nourish and gather scattered Israel. The Lord blessed them for receiving the Holy Ghost that witnesses of Him and of His Father. In the latter day, the Gospel has gone first to the believing Gentiles because scattered and unbelieving Israel did not receive it. But woes are pronounced upon the aunbelieving of the Gentiles:
And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall asin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be blifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and cmurders, and dpriestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall ereject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them. (3 Nephi 16:10)
We modern Americans especially need to read, and re-read this particular verse very carefully because the Lord is talking about us. Although there have been many believing Gentiles - including the early Pilgrims, colonists, and Founders of the United States, and Joseph Smith and the early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - who received the Gospel of Jesus Christ and became a blessing to scattered Israel (including the scattered seed of Lehi in America), the Lord Jesus Christ prophesied to the ancient Nephites gathered at the Temple in Bountiful that that time would come when the Gentiles would asin against His Gospel, reject the fulness of His Gospel, and be blifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth. The Lord Jesus Christ prophesied that these modern Gentiles would be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and cmurders, and dpriestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations.
Notice that the Lord doesn’t prophecy that the modern Gentiles might sin against His gospel and reject the fulness of His Gospel but that they shall. These are the conditions in which we - especially we in modern America - now find ourselves, in the midst of pride, lyings, deceits, mischiefs, hypocrisy, cmurders, dpriestcrafts, whoredoms, and secret abominations. Because such is the case, the Lord is taking the fulness of His Gospel away from the wicked Gentiles and back to the House of Israel:
And then will I aremember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them. (3 Nephi 16:11)
Mercifully, however, the Lord extends this invitation:
But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be anumbered among my people, O house of Israel. (3 Nephi 16:13)
Otherwise, there will be trouble:
But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall atread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel. (3 Nephi 16:15)
Will the Gentiles repent and return unto the Lord? If not, we should not be surprised when the Lord’s people shall come among us and atread us down, or tear us into pieces like a lion. (see especially 3 Nephi 20:16, 3 Nephi 21:12, and Mormon 5:24)
The Lord then teaches the Nephites that the Lord has given them, the seed of Lehi, this land, America, as their Promised Land, and when Lehi’s seed begins to inherit this land, the awords of the prophet Isaiah shall be fulfilled:
aThy bwatchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God. 3 Nephi 16:17-20)
It’s always good to pay close attention to Isaiah’s prophecies because they shall be fulfilled. But when the Lord quotes Isaiah directly, we might want to pay particularly close attention.