Topical Study of the "Gentiles" Part 7

3 Nephi 20:11-46 Following the administration of the sacrament the Lord takes up when the words of Isaiah will be fulfilled. (vs.11) This is significant because Isaiah was the last Prophet to preside over Israel collectively, before Israel was scattered. The Lord was giving Isaiah, (and us) an “expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11) by revealing to Isaiah Israel’s future and assuring him the Lord would not forget His people or promises after Israel is scattered. By sharing Isaiah’s prophecies with the Nephites the Lord was letting the Nephites know of future blessings coming to their posterity as members of the tribes of Israel. The Lord assures the Nephites the time Isaiah’s words are fulfilled is the same time the covenants the Lord made with their fathers are fulfilled. (vs.12) At that time the remnants of Israel are scattered throughout the earth and will be gathered in. They are “brought” to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who redeemed them. (vs.13) The Nephites are given the land of the America’s as the land of their inheritance. (vs.14) The Nephites are told if the Gentiles “do not repent after the blessing they receive after they have a hand in scattering Israel. (vs.16) Then the descendants of the Nephites, (who will be in the midst of the Gentiles, who shall be many) will go through the Gentiles and “both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.” (vs.16) The Lords/Nephite hand will be “lifted up” (to bless or to spank, Isaiah 5:25) against the Gentiles who refuse to repent. Those who will not repent are “cut off!” (vs.17) The Lord gathers “his people” (Israel) as a man “gathereth his sheaves” (Psalms 126:6, Elder Bednar conference talk 4/5/09, Elder Neal A. Maxwell explained: “Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should be gathered is the holy temple” (in John L. Hart, “Make Calling Focus of Your Mission,” Church News, Sept. 17, 1994, 4). {D&C 133}) (vs.18) The Lord will “make his people” of the covenant like a, “horn iron”, “hoofs brass” and they will “beat in pieces many people”. The gain they receive from their conquest is consecrated to the Lord and the Lord is He that does it. (vs.19) The “sword of my justice shall hang over them at that day” (the unrepentant) and except they repent it will fall upon them, even all the Gentiles. (vs.20 {see D&C 1:9-14}) Through this act against the Gentiles the Lord establishes His covenant people, Israel. (vs.21) The Lord will establish the Nephite descendants “in this land” (America’s) to fulfill a promise the Lord made to Jacob and it will be a “New Jerusalem” and the powers of heaven will be in the midst of the people and the Lord himself will be in their midst. (vs.22) The Lord introduces the Moses Prophecy that is discussed later. (vs.23-26) After “the children of the prophets” (vs.25) have the Messiah sent to them to turn away the iniquity from Israel the Lord blesses the Gentiles through the descendants of Israel by pouring out the Holy Ghost upon the Gentiles which has the effect of making the Gentiles “mighty above all people” and in turn they scatter the tribes of Israel throughout the earth. (vs.27) The Gentiles become a “scourge” to the children of Israel until the Gentiles receive a “fulness of the gospel” at which time, (if the Gentiles “harden their hearts” against the Lord,) the “Father” returns the Gentiles iniquities back to their own heads. (vs.28) This marks the time when the Lord remembers the covenants He made with Israel and the Lord gathers Israel in His “own due time” (to be discussed later). The Lord restores Israel to her land in Jerusalem, which is a promised land to them forever. (vs.29) The “fulness” of the Lord’s gospel is preached to the house of Israel. (vs.30) Israel will believe in Jesus Christ and pray to the “Father” in His name. (vs.31) When they pray to the Father in the name of the Son, Israel’s “watchmen” (Prophets) “lift up their voices” and together sing because they see their Savior “eye to eye”. (vs.32) When they see the Son, the Father will give to them Jerusalem for the land of their inheritance. (vs.33) Israel breaks forth in joy, singing together, (the song of redeeming love, Alma 5:26) because the “Father” has comforted His people (with the presence of the Second Comforter, Jesus Christ [John 14:18]) and redeemed Jerusalem. (vs.34) The Father has “made bare his holy arm” in the eyes of all nations (plain sight) and all the nations of the earth shall see the salvation of the “Father”. The Father and Son are one. (vs.35) After the Father “makes bare his holy arm” the prophecy of Isaiah 52:1-3 is fulfilled. D&C 113:7-8 provides a brief explanation about this prophecy: “He had reference to those whom God should call in the last days, who should hold the power of priesthood to bring again Zion, and the redemption of Israel; and to put on her strength is to put on the authority of the priesthood, which she, Zion, has a right to by lineage also to return to that power which she had lost.” Commentary on this prophecy is further explained in D&C 113:10-11. (vs.36) Regarding the meaning of “loosing herself from the bands of her neck” the Lord explains: “We are to understand that the scattered remnants are exhorted to return to the Lord from whence they have fallen; which if they do, the promise of the Lord is that he will speak to them, or give them revelation. See the 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th verses.