Deuteronomy 30 Analysis

In the last post we began our topical study of the word "gather" by identifying the first reference that uses our subject as it relates to the gathering of Israel. Once identified, the next step is to thoroughly review the passage and see what we can learn by looking for key words/phrases, historical examples or types and scriptural precedent. We will also need to look for divine definitions in the standard works. Lets begin our analysis of Deuteronomy 30:

Chapter 30 begins by telling us that once Israel has suffered both blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 29 (which includes being scattered among the nations), Israel begins to recall their covenant blessings and curses in the lands where they are scattered. (vs.1) Israel collectively begins to return to the Lord. They will obey his voice according to the Lord's commandments (vs.2) (D&C 1:14 & 38) they and their children "with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;" When Israel actively seeks covenant blessings to escape covenant curses with all their heart the Lord's promise to Jeremiah will be fulfilled: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

As we continue on our study of "gather" it is important to remember why this word was chosen. We want to know about the gathering of Israel. If, (in the course of our study) we find references that relate to the gathering so much the better. Each reference gives us pieces to the puzzle we are assembling so the more the merrier. When I turned to Jeremiah 29:11-13 I noted a cross reference I had written, Deuteronomy 4:29 which says: "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." In turning to read this passage I noted verses 25-40 were highlighted so I examined their subject matter and determined it referred to the gathering of Israel and it is mentioned earlier than our reference in Deuteronomy 30. We will set aside Deuteronomy 30 for a moment and examine the earlier prophetic words. Deference to the earlier passage is because these prophecies are frequently built upon one another. An example is the notion that Jeremiah originated the thought that if Israel would seek the Lord with all their heart they would find Him. We now know the thought originated with Moses and was merely being applied in Jeremiah's day. So I believe it is important to find the earlier references if possible. In most instances it will fulfill the law of witness where the testimony of two or three witnesses substantiates the thought.

Deuteronomy 4:25-40 begins: "When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat nor smell. But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thous seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;)he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Did ever people her the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God; there is none else beside him. Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardst his words out of the mists of the fire. And because he loved thy fathers therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt. To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day. Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever. (Deuteronomy 4:25-40)

Before we proceed I would like us to step back from our study and contemplate what just happened. As we began to study Deuteronomy 30 we read the following verse: "..., when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shall call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee." (vs. 1) What we read in Deuteronomy 4 is among the most important things latter-day Israel begins to remember. Israel begins this process when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in and the veil of partial darkness begins to be removed from their understanding. May I suggest more than coincidence led us to Deuteronomy 4 at this particular time. May I suggest the Holy Spirit wanted us to have Deuteronomy 4 so we could understand exactly what it is the scattered of Israel would begin to remember. The Lord wants us to remember to. He wants us to know He is a man of His word. God keeps His promises. He wants us to know He knows how things will end and is anxious for us to know His prophecies so we like ancient Israel can know the "expected end" so we can have faith in His promises and written word.

Nephi taught the Doctrine of Christ is: "Do you not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could you speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost? Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words Christ; for behold, the words Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark. For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do. Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ...," (2 Nephi 32:1-6) We want the Holy Ghost to show us all things what we should do. Feasting on the words of Christ (as we are doing now)leads to prayer and our own spiritual MTC experience where we want to be trained in the "tongue" of angels so we can interact with heavenly beings and find God, (when we seek Him with all of our heart and soul.) That point right there is the only reason people are ever rejected by God. They promise God they will seek, "always remember that they may have his Spirit to be with them", and then renege on their promise. Instead of covenant blessings they receive covenant curse. It applies to Israel now (which they will rediscover) and applies to us because we have made greater covenants than they and if we fail to honor our covenants we will face covenant curses.

It is the doctrine of Christ that we all seek God with all of our hearts and souls and when we do so He promises us we will find Him. I know that with all my heart and that is why I spend so much time studying the words of Christ. I am trying to prepare myself to speak with the tongue of angels. I want to know and speak the words of Christ. Let us all work to that goal is my hope and prayer.

We will continue tomorrow.