In a recent entry to this blog, I
quoted Mormon speaking to latter day Gentiles. In that entry I said,
"It seems to have been
abundantly clear to Mormon, even if it fails to take hold in the hearts of the
latter day gentile church, that what is needed for the latter day gentile
church is exactly what might have saved the Nephite nation. "Repent ye,
and humble yourselves before him, lest he shall come out in justice against
you—lest a remnant of the seed of Jacob shall go forth among you as a lion, and
tear you in pieces, and there is none to deliver." (Mormon 5: 24 see
verses 12-24)
Mormon's prophecy to the latter day
Gentiles about "a remnant of the seed of Jacob (who) shall go forth as a
lion, and tear you in pieces, and there is none to deliver," is a direct
quote by Mormon of the words of the Lord Jesus. Speaking to the Nephite people
at Bountiful, the Lord said to them:
"Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth
among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye
shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a
young lion among the flocks of sheep, who,
if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver." (3
Nephi 20: 16, see also 3Nephi 21: 12)
It will help us if we dissect the
Lord's words in this verse so we can better understand His meaning.
"Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob...
The Lord is speaking face to face
with the Nephites here. He calls them a "remnant of the house of
Jacob." Throughout the Book of Mormon narrative, the offspring of Lehi,
Nephi's father, are referred to as the "remnant of Jacob" or the
"remnant of Israel." (1Nephi 13: 34, and 1Nephi 15: 13-14, and 1Nephi
19: 24, and 2Nephi 28: 2, among many others)
"Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth
among them;"
"them" referred to by the
Savior here points back to 3 Nephi 20: 15 in which the Lord says, "And I
say unto you, that if the Gentiles do not repent after the blessing which they shall receive, after they have scattered my
people—" So, "them," means the latter day Gentiles. The Gentiles
are those immigrants of European descent on this continent who were to bring
forth The Book of Mormon and other scripture and the fullness of the gospel.
(1Nephi 13: 34-40 and 3Nephi 16: 4, and D&C 109: 60) The Gentiles are
Joseph Smith and the latter day gentile church he established.
"and ye shall be in the midst of
them who shall be many;"
The remnant of Israel will be a
minority among the Gentiles who shall be "many."
"and ye shall be among them as a
lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of
sheep".
The Lord is telling the Nephites the
remnant of their seed in the latter days will be "as a lion among the
beasts of the forest." There can be no question the Lord is implying here
a rise in supremacy of the remnant of Israel among the Gentiles. This will only
happen after the remnant has been scattered and driven by the Gentiles. (1Nephi
15: 17, and 3Nephi 20: 15) And after the Gentiles fall into sin and
error. (3Nephi 16: 10 and 3Nephi 21: 14-21) The favor of the Lord will flip
from the Gentiles to this remnant of Israel. (3Nephi 16: 7-9 and 11-12) the
fullness of the Gentiles will end in a reversal of favor with the Lord. The
Gentiles and the Gentile church will decrease, the remnant of Israel will
ascend to the promises of the Lord and His blessings to their fathers. The Lord
has promised them, "And behold, this people will I establish in this land, unto the fulfilling of
the covenant which I made with your
father Jacob; and it shall be a New Jerusalem. And the powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people; yea,
even I will be in the midst of
you." (3Nephi 20: 22) The remnant of Israel, Nephi's latter day seed will
rise up and realize the blessings and covenants of the Lord. It will be the
remnant of Israel that will establish the city New Jerusalem. (3Nephi 20: 22
and 3Nephi 21: 23)
"who, if he goeth through
both treadeth down and teareth in
pieces."
The implications of this phrase by
the Lord shows the completeness and the totality of the rise in the gospel of
the remnant of Jacob. It will happen with a fury. Efforts of the Gentiles to continue to assert their
supposed "supremacy" and control over the gospel of Jesus Christ and
the remnant of Israel (3Nephi 16: 12) will be met by the remnant "treading
down" and "tearing in pieces."
"and none can deliver."
Despite the doubts, the scoffing, and unbelief of the
great latter day gentile church, the words of the Lord will be fulfilled.
(3Nephi 29: 4-5) The days of the fullness of the Gentiles will pass away. The
remnant of Israel will rise up, and receive the fullness of the gospel. And
none can deliver. It will be so even as the Lord God has spoken it.
*00016117
ReplyDelete