2 Nephi 30:1-18 Nephi offers words of clarification so his seed do not assume they are more righteous than the Gentiles. Everyone must keep the commandments of God or perish. Nephi explains the words spoken do not foretell the total destruction of the Gentiles. (utterly destroyed) (vs.1) “As many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord;” As many of Israel that will not repent are cast off, “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.” (vs.2) Nephi resumes his prophecy of the Jews and Gentiles. After the book which the Lord has “spoken” comes forth, (it will be written “unto the Gentiles” and “sealed up” again unto the Lord. (see D&C 19:26-27) Many will believe the words which are written and carry them to the remnant of Nephi’s seed. (vs.3) The remnant of Nephi’s seed know concerning us, how that we came out from Jerusalem and that they are descendants of the “Jews”. (vs.4) The Gospel of Jesus Christ will be declared among them and they are restored to the knowledge of their fathers, and to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers. (vs.5) Then shall they know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God. Their scales of darkness will fall from their eyes and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and a delightsome people. (vs.6 a righteous branch of Joseph) The Jews “which are scattered” (Israel) also begin to believe in Christ; and gather upon the face of the land. “As many as shall believe in Christ shall also become a delightsome people.” (vs.7) At that point the Lord commences His work among “all nations, kindreds, tongues and people” to bring about the restoration of all people on the earth. (vs.8) “With righteousness will the Lord God judge the poor and reprove with equity “for the meek of the earth with the rod of his mouth.” (vs.9, Isaiah 10:24-27) “The time “speedily cometh” (Isaiah 13:2, 58:8, JST Luke 18:7-8, 1Nephi 22:14-19, 2 Nephi 28:16 “speedily”) that the Lord God shall cause a “great division among the people.” The wicked the Lord will destroy but He spares “His people.” The wicked are destroyed by fire. (vs.10, 1 Nephi 22, “fire”) Nephi begins quoting Isaiah 11:5-9, (vs.11-15) “for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (vs.15) “The things of the nations shall be made known; yea all things shall be made known unto the children of men.” (vs.16) “There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed; there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth save it shall be loosed.” (vs.17) “all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed and Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time.” (vs.18) This ends Nephi’s prophecy of the last days.
2 Nephi 33:9-46 Nephi has charity for the Gentiles but “for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled to Christ, and enter in the straight and narrow gate, and walk in the straight path which leadeth to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.” (vs.9)
3 Nephi 15:22-24- The Savior’s disciples in Jerusalem believed the Lord referred to the Gentiles when He said, “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold…,” After making this point the Savior states His disciples in the old world did not understand the Gentiles would be converted through their preaching. (vs.22) The original Apostles failed to understand the Gentiles “should not at any time hear my voice.” The only way the Gentiles would witness the Savior and have Him manifest to them is through the power of the Holy Ghost. (vs.23) Descendants of Lehi both saw the Lord and heard His voice, unlike the Gentiles. (vs.24)
3 Nephi 16:4-20 The Lord issues a command to the Nephite survivors instructing them to write the things He taught them as a contingency plan in the event His original disciples fail to ask the Father in the name of Christ for knowledge of the other tribes of Israel. Knowledge of the other tribes is available through the power of the Holy Ghost for all diligent seekers. The things the Nephites write will be “kept” and “manifested” to the remnant of the Nephites through the “fulness of the Gentiles.” (Romans 11:25) Through this process the Nephite descendants are “brought in” or restored to the knowledge of their Redeemer. (vs.4) After they gain this knowledge (with the other scattered tribes) the Lord begins to gather them from the “four quarters of the earth” and fulfill promises made to their forefathers. (vs.5) The Gentiles are blessed because of their belief in the Redeemer and their belief in the Holy Ghost (which witnesses to the Gentiles of the Father and Son.) (vs.6) The Gentiles believe in Christ through the power and testimony of the Holy Ghost. In the “latter-days” the truth comes to the Gentiles and the “fulness” of these things are made known to the Gentiles. (vs.7) Some Gentiles will not believe the truth when plainly manifest and the Lord pronounces a “wo” upon them for disbelief, (which implies a condition of deep suffering). The Gentiles scatter the Nephites, casting them out and treading them under foot. (vs.8) Because of the Lord’s mercies and His judgments on Israel (through Gentile persecution and scattering) “after all this” Israel is “smitten”, “afflicted”, “slain”, “cast out” and “hated by the Gentiles” becoming a “hiss” and a “byword” among the Gentiles. (vs.9) “At that day” when the Gentiles “sin against my gospel” and “reject the fulness of my gospel”, becoming prideful above all nations and people, “filled” with lyings, deceits, mischiefs, hypocrisy, murders, priestcrafts, whoredoms and secret abominations. When the Gentiles are actively engaged in all these things the Lord brings to the Gentiles a “fulness of His gospel”. When the Gentiles reject the fulness of the Gospel it is taken from them. (vs.10) This becomes the time the Lord remembers His covenant with Israel and brings His gospel to them from the Gentiles. (vs.11) The Lord proceeds to “show thee” (Israel) the Gentiles have no power over Israel. The Lord remembers His covenant with Israel and they receive the fulness of His Gospel. (vs.12) If the Gentiles repent and return to the Lord they are numbered with the children of Israel. (vs.13) He will not “suffer my people, who are of the house of Israel, to go through among them and tread them down, saith the Father.” (vs.14) But if the Gentiles will not “turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread 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.” (vs.15) The Father has commanded the Son to give the descendants of Nephi this land for their inheritance. (vs.16) Prophecy of Isaiah 52:8-10. “The Lord hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all nations; and the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God.” (vs.17-20)
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