I Know Your Doing

As I have read and listened to several voices with differing points of view, I felt it necessary to revisit this post. Please read Mike's comment. He asked the critical question.

Moroni in Mormon 8 is prophesying that the records which he is keeping shall come forth "out of the earth" (vs 26) and that they shall come in a day when it "shall be said that miracles are done away...when the power of God is denied...when churches become defiled and lifted up in the pride of their hearts..." (vs 26-34). 

Then he says "Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you" (vs 35). The phrase "great and marvelous" is used consistently by Book of Mormon prophet writers to describe events associated with the Lord's Great and Marvelous Work (1 Nephi 14:7), the commencement of which began with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of the same Gospel taught to Adam, in this the last dispensation (3 Nephi 21:4;6-7;9).

Speaking of the churches that shall be built up in that day, he asks: "Why have ye transfigured the holy word of God, that ye might bring damnation upon your souls? Behold, look unto the revelations of God; for behold, the time cometh in that day when all these things must be fulfilled" (Mormon 8:33). Just what does he mean by 'transfiguring the word of God' and what are the 'churches that shall be built up in that day?' 

The only other time that transfigured is used in the Book of Mormon is in reference to being changed from a mortal to an immortal state (3 Nephi 28:2). So in this context we can say that transfigure means to change or alter the word of God, and changing or altering the word of God is to pervert it. Another definition of transfigure is to accommodate and in this context to transfigure the word of God could mean to accommodate His words to make our way seem to be His way. We have to ask if Moroni is asking this question of us since he later states that he is seeing us.

As a further indication that he is talking about us, he refers to churches that have been 'built up' in our time. The phrase 'built up' helps us to determine what he means by churches. 

The Savior uses the phrase 'built upon' in 3 Nephi 27:8, 10 & 11 in referring to His church. He says that it is His church, "if it so be that they (notice He does not say it) are built upon my gospel," but we are not of His church, nor is any organization His church if not built upon His gospel. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and His Church are not the same.  

His gospel is the truth. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should get us in the right way through baptism (by authority), and then continually nourish us with the word of God, not a watered down version or the words of men mingled with scripture.

His church are those who are built upon His Gospel (baptized unto repentance). 

And because He is the Gospel or Good News-- 

His Church are those who are built upon Him.

Linking that phrase to what Moroni is telling us indicates that any members of the organization (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) who are not built upon His gospel are not of His church, but are built upon the works of men or the works of the Devil (3 Nephi 27:11), regardless of the name of the Church! As He said, "if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel" (3 Nephi 27:8). If If, If!

And any church (members or organization) that transfigures the word of God is not built upon His gospel. The irony is that by transfiguring the word of God, a people and/or an organization, even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are not, or are no longer, built upon His gospel. His Gospel and church culture are not the same.

Churches in this sense also means how each of us defines, perverts and/or reacts to His gospel. Or in other words there are many versions of churches as defined by us or as 'built up' by us because we do not know His gospel, having transfigured the word, and our 'church' therefore is not built upon His gospel, and is not His church. This is true of published materials by the organized church, or talks given by church authorities where His words are transfigured.

In a broader sense we are also told that there are only two churches, one of the Lamb of God and one of the devil (1 Nephi 14:10; Alma 5:39). In this sense every organization or people on earth that pervert, or are not built upon His gospel, as defined by Christ in 3 Nephi 27:13-21, and who fight against the Lamb of God, are of the church of the devil.  

The devil is the founder of the great and abominable church (1 Nephi 13:6; 1 Nephi 14:19). Abominable in this context means anything that is contrary to the revealed word of God. Abomination is that which departs from or is different from, the revelations of God. (Transfigured) All righteousness comes through faith in God, which is loving obedience to His revealed word, not obedience to church leaders. "Omin" is the equivalent of "omen," which refers to revelation. "Ab" means away from.

Abomination means, therefore, that which is away from, contrary to, or a perversion of the revealed word of God.

An illustration of this comes from a friend of mine who wrote me the following:

"One of the things that continually stands out is our vain imagination. To me Satan gets rid of truth by twisting it so that even though you have 70% of the concept right the remaining 30% warps it just enough to turn it into a perversion of the right way and of the true doctrine. After all it might just be easier for him to get us to imagine a half truth rather than a complete lie. It also makes me think that Satan loves to start in the mind before he starts work on our behavior, because if he can get us to believe in a half truth he can get us into believing that according to our vain imaginations we are consistently living right. The end result is a people living a perversion, teaching it to their children, and believing they are in the right way and need no such thing as repentance."

As Moroni uses the phrase "why have ye" in reference to transfiguring the word of God, he uses the same phrase when he asks "why have ye polluted the holy church of God?" (Mormon 8:38). Both are personal questions to us who are members of record of the organized church, and He is reminding us that just because we are members of record of a church that bears His name, that does not mean we are of His Church, which is made up of only those who are repenting or turned to Him, or, in other words, are built upon His gospel (D&C 10:67-68). 

Given the fact that these records were preserved for our benefit and that we are to liken them unto ourselves, we can clearly say that Moroni is indeed talking to us. He makes this clear when he says: "Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ has shown you unto me, and I know your doing" (Mormon 8:35). And what does Moroni describe as our doing?

He says, 

"...I know that ye do walk 

in the pride of your hearts...

and your churches, yea, 

even every one, 

have become polluted 

because of 

the pride of your hearts" 

(Mormon 8:36 emphasis added). 

He uses the word polluted the same way it is used in the Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob 5, where "taking strength unto themselves" (Jacob 5:48) is what corrupts or pollutes the Lord's vineyard. 

Then Moroni describes more of our doing when he says 

"ye do love money, 

and your substance...

more than ye love the poor and needy, 

the sick and the afflicted...

and ye sell yourselves 

for that which will canker" 

(Mormon 8:37-38).

Then he zeroes in on us specifically when he asks: 

"(1) Why have ye polluted the holy church of God? 

(2) Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? 

(3) Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies--because of the praise of the world? 

(4) Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life?" (Mormon 8:38-39 emphasis added). 

Let's examine the verbs in these four questions, and the objects of each and link them to other references to get a clearer picture of what Moroni sees. 

(1) Why have ye polluted the holy church of God? 

The verb pollute is used in scripture to denote our:

• "awful, sinful and polluted state" (Mosiah 25:11; Alma 26:17);
• being polluted by the world (Acts 15:20; 2 Peter 2:20);
• polluting the land (D&C 84:59);
• the temple (D&C 109:20; 110: 8);
• our lost and fallen state or our state of corruption (Jacob 5:45);
• polluting His name and His church (the people and the organization); and
• polluting His words by perverting or transfiguring them. 

We pollute these when we are not repenting and remain in a state of wickedness. Moroni is describing us in our unrepentant state. In the Book of Mormon those who are repenting are considered righteous because they have turned to His righteousness, and those who are wicked are those who are not repenting. We pollute or corrupt His vineyard and His church when we are not repenting. And in 3 Nephi 27 where He defines His Gospel, He says: "Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth..." (3 Nephi 27:20).

The object of the verb pollute is the holy church of God. Understanding how He defines His Church helps us understand why Moroni is asking this question of us. He tells us that it is His Church only if it and we are "built upon my gospel...but if they be not built upon my gospel, and are built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil" it (and they) are not my Church (3 Nephi 27:10-11). 

So one way we pollute His Church is by perverting His gospel. Transfiguring the word of God, watering it down so it does not nourish, preaching false doctrines, teaching the precepts of men and perverting the right way of the Lord, are also ways we pollute His Church (the organization and the people) (2 Nephi 28:14-15; Isaiah 5).

He tells us that only those who "repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church" (D&C 10:67). Also "whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church" (D&C 10:68).  And if we are not of His church, and since there are only two churches, then we must be of the church of the devil.  

The next question uses the phrase 'ashamed to take upon you' His name. 

(2) Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? 

Being ashamed includes feeling shame, or being embarrassed, but also includes an unwillingness or restraint because of fear of ridicule or disapproval. This one is easy to measure in each of us.  All we have to do is to honestly evaluate our willingness to tell others of Christ and His Gospel, and whether we do so or not.  

We do witness before him each Sunday when we partake of the Sacrament that we are willing to take upon us His name, but do we hold back a little for fear of others disapproval or ridicule? 

If we were truly like Alma, we would be telling everyone we knew about our Savior and His great and marvelous plan of salvation. We would want all to taste of His love as we have tasted, and we would want all men everywhere to repent so that they too would receive His mercy. 

But the difference between us and Alma is that Alma experienced his unworthiness, was harrowed up by the memory of his sins, then tasted of His goodness, repented, was born again--changed from his carnal state to a state of righteousness and wanted everyone to taste as he tasted and know as he knew.

The next question Moroni asks of us concerns one of the main causes of wickedness among many of the Book of Mormon people, and is related to the previous question in that it is the opposite of being ashamed to take upon us the name of Christ. 

(3) Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies--because of the praise of the world? 

It is wanting the praise of the world and the praise of those around us. Our culture has a tendency to create awe and wonder in other human beings, particularly our church leaders. Succumbing to the awe and the title pose a particular danger, and draw a comparison to the Savior's description of those who love to greet each other by title in the marketplace. One of the particular dangers of succumbing to the praise of others is that we can easily come to think of ourselves as good, thereby deceiving ourselves because of the praise of the world. 

Anything that causes us to transfer our trust to ourselves and others instead of our God, is Anti-Christ, and yet Moroni is describing us and as he says, "I know your doing."

His knowing 'our' doing is right on with his next question, 

(4) Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life? 

Moroni, before asking this question, says of us that 

we "love money and 

(our) substance, 

and (our) fine apparel, 

and the adorning of (our) churches, 

more than (we) 

love the poor 

and the needy, 

the sick 

and afflicted" 

(Mormon 8:37 emphasis added). 

The 'churches' referenced here are those churches we build up unto ourselves (4 Nephi 1), part of the church of the Devil, and are contrasted with His church which He says, and I repeat for emphasis, is "my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel" (3 Nephi 27:8 emphasis added). Churches in this sense also signifies that which we worship and that which becomes our god or that which is most important to us, in this case, the things of the world.

This is a major and repeating theme among the people of the organized church in the Book of Mormon. In fact the reason Alma decides to leave the judgment-seat but retain the office of being high priest over the church is because the "people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver...which they had obtained by their industry" (Alma 4:6). 

This was "the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to many of the people whom Alma had consecrated to be teachers, and priests, and elders over the church" (Alma 4:7). They were "sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be among the people" of the church (Alma 4:7 emphasis added).

"They saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon the riches and upon the vain things of the world" (Alma 4:8).  

This became a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress and there existed great inequality among the people (Alma 4:11-12).

And it was because of this that Alma himself began to "go forth among the people...of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among the people, seeing no other way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them" (Alma 4:19 emphIasis added).  

And there is no question of what Alma knew they needed to be reclaimed from--the same conditions and behaviors Moroni saw in us!

Given that the Book of Mormon was written for us and for our time, it is a little (actually more than a little) unsettling that this theme is so prevalent among the prophet writers of the Book of Mormon, and that the Lord saw fit to inspire Mormon to include so many references from the records that describe us. The problem with the Lord's people has always been the same and of this we are reminded time and again. Here are some examples.

1. We can begin with the Lord's people at the time Lehi left Jerusalem and learn that even though they were called to repentance (in Hebrew means 'return'), they did not heed the command.  Of interest to us is what they needed to repent of and return to, and we can read the detail in Jeremiah 4-7. Suffice it to say that it was the same wickedness as Alma described above, with these observations (prophecies) from Jeremiah:

"To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it" (Jeremiah 6:10 emphasis added).

"And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them" (Jermiah 5:13).

"The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so" (Jeremiah 5:31).

"Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words" (Jeremiah 6:19).

"But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward" (Jeremiah 7:24).

2. Then there are several similar accounts in the Book of Mormon beginning with Jacob's discourse to his people in Jacob 2. The entire chapter is applicable, but he says in this discourse:  

"And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren, ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they" (Jacob 2:13).

After Alma's description of the people in the church found in Alma 4, there are many other accounts describing this same wickedness. 

Note in each of these discourses to the people of the church, they are in trouble only if they persist in their wickedness, meaning if they do not repent. The problem is not that people set their hearts upon the things of the world, but that they refuse to turn away from them and repent or turn to Christ relying wholly upon His merits.

3. The teachings of Alma and Amulek in Alma 9; 10 & 12-14 is of particular interest because of Alma and Amulek's use of the word of God to the church in Ammonihah and the description of the wickedness among the people of the church.  

4. The people of the church at the time of Nephi in Helaman were accused of "great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength...and because of their iniquity the church had begun to dwindle and they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy and in the spirit of revelation" (Helaman 4:13;23).  

Nephi, like Alma, gave up the judgement seat and "took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days, and his brother Lehi also, all the remainder of his days" (Helaman 5:4).  Of particular interest is Helaman Chapter 12:1-4.

5. Following this account we hear from Samuel the Lamanite who is commanded by God to deliver God's word to the people and the organized church at Zarahemla. The same wickedness is described and the call to repentance ever more urgent.

6. Another account that hits home is found in 3 Nephi 6. This is only four years before the terrible destruction which preceded the Lord coming to those who remained. Keeping in mind what Moroni described when he saw us, read and ponder this carefully, and see if you can 'hear' what the Lord is saying to us.

Following great prosperity among the people of the church, it came to pass "that some were lifted up unto pride and boasting because of their exceedingly great riches... For their were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers and many officers. 

And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches.... And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up" (3 Nephi 6:4-15). 

And we are told that "they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did willfully rebel against God" (3 Nephi 6:18).  

For this cause "there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent forth, standing among the people in all the land, preaching and testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people, and testifying unto them concerning the redemption which the Lord would make for his people..." (3 Nephi 6:20 emphasis added). 

And what was the response among many of the people? They were "exceedingly angry because of those who testified of these things..." (3 Nephi 6:21).

7. Moroni's warning to us has dire consequences if we fail to heed his warnings and say that it does not apply to us. When he says "I know your doing" we know that he is talking about us, and how we respond is the key.  

Are we repenting as the Lord defines repentance?  

These accounts and Moroni's description of us, along with his call to repentance, should help us understand that repentance means to turn away from the things of the world and put our faith and trust in Christ, and feast upon His words. There is no description in Moroni's vision of any other type of wickedness, but there is this warning: "Behold the sword of vengeance hangeth over you" (Mormon 8:41).

And to make clear that there is no question but that Moroni is describing us in Mormon 8, he next addresses "those who do not believe in Christ" (Mormon 9:1).

Each of these accounts from Jeremiah in 600 BC to Moroni "speaking unto us as if ye were present..." (Mormon 8:35) describes the exact same conditions, i.e., being lifted up in pride and loving the things of the world, of which the people needed to repent (turn away from and turn to Christ relying wholly upon His merits), and refusing to do so, will suffer the justice of God.  

These accounts, and many others, have been recorded for us as a reminder that repentance is a full time job for us as well as for all those 'bad people' who do bad things. The call to repentance rings clearly throughout each of these accounts as does the reminder that the sword of justice hangs over our heads if we do not repent.  

The word of God which delivers the message to us is a two edged sword and we will be found on one side of His word or the other, for as Christ said, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him:  the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48 emphasis added).  

By continuing to "feast upon the words of Christ" we will be told all things that we must do, of which the number one command is to take advantage of the Lord's gift of repentance and rely on His merits and His goodness to save ourselves and then others by teaching them the word of God.

Note:  I sent a copy of this to my friend Mike, and he wrote the following comment:

I read "I Know Your Doing" and have always felt those scriptures are specifically speaking to us...the Mormons, not anyone else. The struggle I have, this is His church. If I think otherwise I could be headed down a wrong path. So how do I reconcile knowing Moroni is speaking to LDS people and believing this is His church?

I sent the following answer:

You have asked the right question. As I look at the word 'church' in the scriptures I see it is used in different ways, but the problem begins by making the statement that the 'church is true' when He tells us it is only His church if 'they' are built upon the works of the Father, otherwise it is not His church. This confusion comes, I believe, by focusing on the organization as the 'true' church. But by asking the question is the organization true? we can begin to see that His church is not the organization. In fact in D&C 10:67 we read that "whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me, therefore he is not of my church." 

President Benson addressed this once and said "...the Lord defines a member of His kingdom in quite a different way. In 1828, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, He said, 'Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.' (D&C 10:67; italics added.) To Him whose Church this is, membership involves far more than simply being a member of record" (Teachings of the Prophets, Ezra Taft Benson). So we again come back again to repentance.

The purpose of the organized church is to bring us to Christ and get us started on the right path. How are we doing in this regard?Do we teach children to understand the doctrine of repentance before they reach the age of accountability? Do we teach baptism unto repentance? 

We don't do a good job of keeping members in the right way. They are taught a watered- down version of the word of God. We have the organization, and the ordinances, the organization makes policies, but the church just does not nourish us continually by the word of God (Moroni 6:4). We substitute inspirational talks for the Word of God. Isaiah says we (Ephraim) water down His words so that they are no longer nourishing. So when Moroni asks why have we transfigured the word of God, he is telling us why he sees what he sees.

The emphasis on His words cannot be overstated. It is through His words that we obtain faith in Christ. It is through His words that we learn of our condition and the necessity of the atonement. It is through His words that we get in the strait and narrow path and it is through His words that we continue in that path. The only truth is His word. And close is not enough. His words must be revealed to each of us personally. Otherwise all we have is information and cannot testify that we know. 

Look at 3 Nephi 27:13-21 where Christ defines His Gospel, and tells us that we will all stand before Him to be judged of our works. He then offers an alternative to God's Justice, and that is to be found guiltless at that day because of His goodness and mercy. 

After reminding us of what happens as a result of His Justice, He explains why He gave us the commandments to repent, be baptized by water and by fire, and to endure in repentance to the end--so that we can obtain His mercy and be of His Church. By the way, only His definition of His Gospel is true--His words--not our version of what we think His gospel is.

This statement by Hugh Nibley makes it even clearer: "While the Church has been under condemnation from time to time, the gospel has never been. They are not the same thing. The one is the truth; the other, an organization to foster that truth. Is the organization free to adjust and control the truth? Can it decide on the basis of public relations what would be most appropriate for what audience and for what occasion? Can it substitute its individual opinions for the truth? Does any organization through its officers have that discretion?" I would add, can it/they willfully, or even ignorantly, transfigure His word?

"Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church. Now remember the words of him who is the life and light of the world...(D&C 10:68-70 emphasis added). "Therefore, go forth unto the people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth" (3 Nephi 11:41 emphasis added).

Can it be any clearer? Moroni asks why we have transfigured the word of God and then tells us what he sees, when he is allowed to see us, and what he sees is not only the result of, but the reasons for, transfiguring the word of God.

Ether 4

A Test To See How We Are Doing

Between Ether 3 (the brother of Jared seeing the Lord) and Ether 5 (the three witnesses to the record of Mormon), is Ether 4, which I will call the chapter by which we can measure ourselves.

There are certain writings in the Book of Mormon we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can use as a barometer to see how we are doing. Ether 4 is at the top of the list.

This chapter begins with the Lord commanding the brother of Jared to go down out of the mount from the presence of the Lord, and write the things which he had seen.

Moroni then tells us that the things or words written by the brother of Jared were forbidden to come unto the children of men until after Christ came and showed himself unto his people. For this reason did king Mosiah keep them. It was only after Christ had showed himself unto his people that He commanded that these things should be made manifest.

When Christ did come to the Nephites he said "These scriptures, which ye had not with you, the Father commanded that I should give unto you; for it was wisdom in him that they should be given unto future generations" (3 Nephi 26:2).

Christ did expound all things unto them, even from the beginning until the time that he should come in his glory, even unto the great and last day, when all people, and all kindreds, and all nations and tongues shall stand before God, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.

Jesus then said that there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of all the things which He did teach unto the people. In other words, He hid up again all that had been revealed to the brother of Jared. 

Lehi then tells us that the plates of Nephi contain the more part of the things which Jesus taught the people, but the things which Lehi had written were a lesser part of the things which Jesus had taught, and that they would be brought again unto his people, from the Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus had spoken.

And why did we receive only the lesser part? Lehi explains:

"And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them" (3 Nephi 26:9).

We received the lesser part as a test of our faith and if it so be that we will not believe what we do receive, then shall the greater things be withheld from us, unto our condemnation. Fast forward to 1832 and we were under condemnation for treating lightly what we had received, and that condemnation has not been lifted. (D&C 84:54-55), and we have not received more.

The link to Ether 4 is clear, and because the Nephites had all dwindled in unbelief, and the Lamanites had rejected the gospel of Christ, Moroni was commanded that he should hide these the 'greater things' up again in the earth.

He then tells us that he had written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.

He was then commanded to seal them up again, along with the interpreters.

And now the test.

Moroni was told by the Lord that these writings of the  brother of Jared, these things of which Moroni says there are none greater, will not be given to us until…

"For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord" (Ether 4:6).

What does the fact that they are still sealed up, and that we do not have them, say about us? Answer: We have not yet repented of our iniquity and become clean before the Lord. 

But there is more.

"And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are" (Ether 4:7).

These "none greater things' do not come from the pulpit. In fact perhaps because we prefer talks from the pulpit, we do not have these revelations, do not even think about them, or desire them. Perhaps it is because we do not think verses 6 & 7 apply to us, we who are religious, attending and working in the temple, and "living the gospel."

And not only do we ignore these greater things because we believe we have enough (2 Nephi 29:3), but we transfigure what we do have (Mormon 8:33).

And Jesus' response to us?

"And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh" (Ether 4:8). 

Let me repeat "for unto them will I show no greater things." Says who? "Saith Jesus Christ."

And who is Jesus Christ?

"And at my command the heavens are opened and are shut; and at my word the earth shall shake; and at my command the inhabitants thereof shall pass away, even so as by fire" (Ether 4:9).

And who are we? Could we be those who do not believe His words?

"And he that believeth not my words believeth not my disciples (his disciples speak His words); and if it so be that I do not speak (directly), judge ye; for ye shall know that it is I that speaketh, at the last day" (Ether 4:10).

Or those who do believe His words?

"But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record (They will always speak His words). For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things (His words) are true; (how) for it persuadeth men to do good" (Ether 4:11).

And how does He define good?

"…for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God (Moroni 7:16). And anything that even distracts us from Christ is not good and is of the devil (Moroni 7:17).

Those that "know and bear record" do good by working by the power and gifts of God (Moroni 10:25). And they do the "greatest good" by proclaiming the Gospel of Christ (D&C 81:3-4).

Jesus then says:

"And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me (good cannot come of men, but men can point us to good). I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

Jesus then bids us.

"Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief" (Esther 4:13). We could say hid up because of our unbelief.

The same is true of the house of Israel.

"Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you (yet), because of unbelief" (Ether 4:14).

Note that Jesus says to the House of Israel that "the Father hath laid up for you" great things. He does not say the same to us, the Gentiles. But He tells us in 3 Nephi 16, that if we do repent we shall be numbered with the House of Israel.

Jesus then tells us that the House of Israel will rend the veil of unbelief, and how they will rend the veil of unbelief. And by implication He invites us to do the same.

"Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel" (Ether 4:15).

The Lord links the "great and marvelous things" which have been hid up with His prophecies that these great and marvelous things shall come forth as part of His great and marvelous work (3 Nephi 20 & 21), and that the house of Israel will believe His great and marvelous things, and that the Gentiles will not believe them.

In addition to the coming forth of the great and marvelous things revealed to the brother of Jared, Jesus says there is more.

"And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed" (Ether 4:16).

Jesus tells us that the last days work of His Father has already commenced, and how we know it has commenced. 

"Therefore, when ye shall receive this record (The Book of Mormon) ye may know that the work of the Father has commenced upon all the face of the land" (Ether 4:17).

And what should be our response? Without variation, it is always the same.

"Therefore, repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name; for he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that believe in my name" (Ether 4:18).

Nothing is said about being religious, living the gospel, following the prophet, being in the covenant path, living righteously, staying in your lane, using thee and thou in your prayers, paying tithing, daily scripture study, and the myriad of other religious duties expected of active church members. It is only when we rend the veil of unbelief that we will receive these greater things. What does it say about us given the fact that we don't have them?

It is to Christ and only to Christ that we are to turn. He alone is our salvation. We are to live by every word that "proceeded forth from the mouth of God" (D&C 84:44). 

"And blessed is he that is found faithful unto my name at the last day, for he shall be lifted up (delivered from Babylon) to dwell in the kingdom prepared for him from the foundation of the world. And behold it is I that hath spoken it. Amen" (Ether 4:19).

Gentiles in Prophecy Part II

The "Fulness of the Gentiles" 

An important key to understanding our Latter-day Saint role and identity, particularly as Gentiles or more accurately as Ephramite Gentiles, can be found in the expression “the fulness of the Gentiles.” This expression occurs five times in the scriptures, each helping to define the interrelationship of the Gentiles with the house of Israel. 

It occurs first in Ephraim’s patriarchal blessing given by Jacob. When Jacob knowingly crosses his hands to lay his right hand on Ephraim and his left on Manasseh, he declares that Ephraim’s offspring will become “the fulness of the Gentiles” (Genesis 48:19). Although the King James translation of that expression translates as "a multitude of nations," many translations, including the King James, footnote the word m˘el¯o) as “fulness” or “fulfillment,” its literal meaning. The word gôyîm means “Gentiles,” though it also designates “nations.” The construct of the two Hebrew nouns, literally means “the fulness/fulfillment of the Gentiles.” Because the future context of Jacob’s blessing is the last days (compare Genesis 49:1), this context means that Ephraim’s offspring in the last days would become “the fulness/fulfillment of the Gentiles.” 

The prophet Hosea sheds some light on Jacob's prophecy on the head of Ephraim when he says, “Ephraim . . . hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned” (Hosea 7:8). Hosea’s description of Ephraim foresees an important step toward the fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy, namely Ephraim’s exile and mingling among the nations of the world. Because Hosea’s two statements appear in parallel, they help explain one another. This suggests that Ephraim literally assimilates among the peoples or nations of the earth. 

We recall that Ephraim himself was born in Egypt of mixed lineage. His father Joseph was a Hebrew, but his mother was an Egyptian, daughter of the priest of On (Genesis 41:50, 52). The patriarch Jacob implies that Joseph’s long separation from his brethren serves as a type. It foreshadows the future separation of Joseph’s offspring in new lands away from the other tribes of Israel: Joseph’s “branches” will “run over the wall” (Genesis 49:22). Joseph’s land will extend “unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills” (Genesis 49:26). Such is Jacob’s blessing “on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren” (Genesis 49:26). 

The migration of Lehi and Ishmael with their families to the American continent fulfills a part of Jacob’s prophecy about Joseph (compare 1 Nephi 7:1–2; 2 Nephi 3:1–5). In the last days, after Lehi’s and Ishmael’s descendants are scattered by the Gentiles, “they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree” (1 Nephi 15:16–17). A modern scripture additionally suggests that the willing and obedient among the Gentiles are of the lineage of Ephraim, Joseph’s son (D&C 64:34–36). The assimilation of the tribe of Ephraim among the earth’s peoples brings to mind the blessing of Abraham. The Lord promises Abraham that in him all families of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12:3; 18:18). The Lord confirms that promise on Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 26:4; 28:14), heirs of Abraham’s birthright. Ephraim receives this birthright through Jacob because Ephraim’s father, Joseph, had politically become an Egyptian, a “Gentile.” In the birthright blessing, Jacob pronounces that Ephraim’s offspring will become “the fulness of the Gentiles.” Jacob’s patriarchal blessing of Ephraim, reclaiming him from Gentile status, serves as a type and shadow of a latter-day reclamation. Modern patriarchal blessings, too, declare converted Gentiles to be of the house of Israel, many of them, if not most, through Ephraim. 

From Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim and its fulfillment, we see how the Lord blesses mankind. All nations of the earth have intermingled with Israel, more especially with Ephraim. All nations, by right of lineage, therefore, may be blessed with the blessings of Israel. That point is important because the Lord has ordained no salvation or plan of salvation outside of the covenant with his people Israel. The blessing promised on all the earth’s families is a blessing of salvation, both temporal and spiritual, that passes to mankind through Israel. 

Jesus’ atonement for sin features in the Lord’s covenant with Israel. Jehovah/Jesus Christ is himself Israel’s King; that is, he is Israel’s covenant Lord. Jesus delivers his people from the effects of sin—death—as part of a covenant obligation. Temporal salvation nonetheless also flows out of the covenant. 

A list of blessings Moses gives that pertains to the Lord’s covenant with Israel is largely temporal in nature. A blessed land and posterity, with increase, fruitfulness, and protection, are the essence of covenant blessedness (Deut. 28:2–13). We observe, for example, how the Lord manifests these covenant blessings in the latter days. The prosperity the Gentiles enjoy on the American continent pertains to his blessing of Israel (2 Nephi 10:10–11; Mormon 5:10). When the house of Israel forfeits the blessings that are its birthright, the Gentiles receive them instead (Mormon 5:19). The Lord’s latter-day deliverance of a remnant of all nations is also a blessing through Israel (1 Nephi 22:13–28). If they repent, “all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people shall dwell safely in the Holy one of Israel” (1 Nephi 22:28). The destroying angel will pass by those who obey the law of the Lord’s covenant “as the children of Israel” (D&C 89:18–21). We may go so far as to say that in the Gentile nations the Lord fulfills his promise to the fathers that “a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee” (Genesis 35:11).

The United States has strong roots in the righteous desires of an oppressed band of Christians. The Pilgrim fathers and others sought diligently to keep the law of the Lord’s covenant with Israel. These devoted men and women paid the price for the blessings that followed. Their Christianity is underscored by the added factor that among them the mingled blood of Ephraim was strong. Even being the world’s leading nation belongs to the Lord’s covenant with Israel (Deut. 28:10–13). 

If the Lord’s people keep his commandments—the law of the covenant—they will become the head of the nations. If they do not, they will be the tail (Deut. 28:13, 44). We may similarly view the British Commonwealth of Nations, the European Community, and other Christian nations as manifestations of the Lord’s promise to the fathers. That these are Gentile peoples does not disqualify them from receiving the blessings of Israel. Indeed, their prosperity is best explained by the fact that ethnic Israel for a time forfeits her blessing and that Ephraim assimilates predominantly among these nations. The Lord’s promises to the fathers lend Israel’s exile a proper perspective. Israel’s exile into the world at large, following her wickedness, was not an accident but an integral part of the Lord’s plan of salvation. Assyria took Israel captive about 720 b.c.; yet, the Ten Tribes’ very removal to other parts of the world paved the way for Israel’s assimilation. Judah’s exile into Babylon in 587 b.c. accomplished much the same thing. Although a sizable portion of Jews returned to rebuild the temple (Ezra 1:5; 2:64), the majority remained in Babylon. Those Jews who have retained their ethnic identity through centuries of dispersion represent a small yet significant body of the house of Judah. The Lord’s people who assimilated into the nations among whom they were scattered must at some point stand up and be counted: the scriptures provide for the righteous Gentiles to be numbered among the house of Israel (3 Nephi 16:13). 

The salvation of all peoples, therefore, to a large degree flows out of Israel’s dispersion. The fact that Israel was absorbed into the nations of the earth lays a groundwork for the gospel to come to them. Because the gospel belongs to Israel by right of election, there was now a reason for the Lord to offer it to the world. After Israel’s exile, two kinds of Israelites would exist: (1) those who would retain their identity or ethnic integrity; and (2) those who would lose their identity by assimilating among the nations. The Gentiles thus play an essential role in fulfilling the Lord’s covenant with Abraham that in his offspring all kindreds of the earth would be blessed with the gospel (1 Nephi 15:13–18). 

Referring to the Jews’ demise when they reject Jesus, Paul says, “If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” (Romans 11:15). Each portion of Israel, in its own way, dies so that the Lord may show forth the power of his redemption. The Lord, in his foreknowledge anticipates Israel’s apostasy. He then uses it as a means of reconciling the world to him. The Gentiles receive the blessing of salvation when the Lord’s covenant people default. Israel’s exile and partial assimilation among the nations, therefore, form an integral part of God’s salvation. In that sense, Israel’s apostasy and exile resemble the fall of Adam and Eve and their banishment into the world. God foresaw both events in his plan to redeem humanity. The plan of redemption would materialize through Israel as a covenant blessing. As far as the nations are concerned, they would largely identify with the house of Joseph (compare D&C 90:10). The Gentiles, all nations with whom Israel has mingled, are for that reason indebted to Israel. 

In summary, the Gentile nations experience a “fulness” or “fulfillment” as a result of intermingling with Israel. Ephraim’s birthright blessing, with its promises of populousness and new lands of inheritance, exemplifies this fulness or fulfillment. In short, if the Gentiles are to receive the covenant blessings they must be numbered among the house of Israel; with Israel they may inherit her promises. That inheritance is at once the Gentiles’ self-fulfillment and their redeeming feature. A key to this reversal of identities—of Israel with the nations and of the nations with Israel—we find in Ephraim’s birthright blessing. What the Lord promises Abraham, He in fact fulfills in Ephraim. 

The intermingling of Ephraim’s blood opens the way for all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people to receive the gospel as a covenant blessing. Based on Jacob’s patriarchal declaration, we equate the expression fulness of the Gentiles with Ephraim’s mingled offspring in the latter days. Through Jacob, heir of Abraham’s promise, the Lord defines a unique role for Ephraim. Two scriptures containing the expression fulness of the Gentiles link that expression to the allegory of the olive tree. Paul and Nephi both discuss figuratively the interrelationship of Israel and the Gentiles. The olive tree’s tame or natural branches represent the Lord’s people of the house of Israel. Wild branches—those grafted in from another source—represent the Gentiles. 

Here, I will emphasize just the fulness of the Gentiles—Ephraim’s mingled offspring in the latter days.) Paul makes the point that although the Jews reject Jesus and although the Gentiles come into the covenant, “God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew” (Romans 11:2). In Latter-day Saint terms, a people whom God “foreknew” refers to those who were valiant spirits in humanity’s first, or pre-mortal, estate (compare Abraham 3:21–26). Paul predicts that the Lord will again accept the Jews as His covenant people (compare Romans 11:15, 23–24, 26–27, 31). In the meantime, God has blinded them so that he may save the Gentiles (Romans 11:7–11, 32). The Jews’ blindness, Paul observes, will remain until the fulness of the Gentiles comes in (Romans 11:25). Then, he says, all Israel will be saved and their sins taken away (Romans 11:26–27). We read a clearer meaning into Paul’s prophecy when we substitute what we learn from Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim. When Paul says a “blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25), he is saying, in effect, that a partial blindness rests on the house of Israel (the Jews and other natural lineages of Israel) until the mingled offspring of Ephraim has gathered. Once the offspring of Ephraim has been gathered the times of the Gentiles will be fulfilled (D&C 45:25).  

The verb come in, according to the context, refers to grafting into the olive tree—the fulness of the Gentiles, the mingled offspring of Ephraim, will be grafted into the olive tree. The grafting process, according to Paul, will ultimately also involve the Jews, “for God is able to graft them in again” (Romans 11:23). 

Paul’s time frame for these events we determine from Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim: the latter days. In explaining the allegory of the olive tree to Laman and Lemuel, Nephi too cites the fulness of the Gentiles. He says, “Now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief . . . then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed” (1 Nephi 15:13). Like Paul, Nephi does not limit God’s salvation to one category of people. The allegory of the olive tree deals with all people. It illustrates the Lord’s covenant with Abraham—that in his offspring all kindreds of the earth would be blessed (1 Nephi 15:18). 

At the time the Lamanites receive the gospel, they experience a renewed self-awareness as Israelites (1 Nephi 15:14). They learn of their Redeemer and come into his fold (1 Nephi 15:14–15). In this same context Nephi predicts the restoration of the Jews: once they are restored, he says, the Jews will no more be scattered (1 Nephi 15:19–20). 

According to Nephi, the Gentiles will take the gospel to the house of Israel. Israel’s salvation comes “by way of the Gentiles” (1 Nephi 15:17). That event will occur in the latter days, after the Gentiles have scattered Lehi’s descendants (1 Nephi 15:17). In Nephi’s terms, therefore, those who take the gospel to Lehi’s descendants he calls Gentiles. Obviously, these Gentiles can only be those who have the fulness of the gospel. 

Although Nephi numbers these Gentiles with the ones who scatter Lehi’s descendants (because from his perspective they are one and the same people), he nonetheless singles out “the fulness of the Gentiles.” These Gentiles in particular serve as the agent for grafting in the olive tree’s natural branches—the Lamanites and other ethnic lineages, including the Jews. 

As we have seen, the fulness of the Gentiles represents the mingled offspring of Ephraim among the nations. They are Gentiles, it is true; but they also possess the literal blood of Israel through Ephraim. 

As Nephi directs his words primarily to the Lamanites, so Jesus directs his words primarily to the Jews. (The Lamanites too, however, constitute a remnant of the Jews; see D&C 19:27.) Jesus refers to the fulness of the Gentiles as the means by which the Jews will gain a knowledge of him. He tells the Nephites, “These sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed [the Jews], who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer” (3 Nephi 16:4). First, then, the Book of Mormon comes forth among the Gentiles (compare 3 Nephi 16:7). Following that, it goes to the Jews “through the fulness of the Gentiles” (3 Nephi 16:4, 11). Jesus says that will happen in the latter days, after the Gentiles have scattered his people (3 Nephi 16:7–8). 

When the Jews gain a knowledge of their Redeemer, they gather in from the four quarters of the earth. Their gathering fulfills the Father’s covenant with the house of Israel (3 Nephi 16:5). Again, according to these definitions the Gentiles form a singular category. Those who scatter the house of Israel are also those through whom a knowledge of the gospel comes. 

These events are still future, for the Jews have not yet received the Book of Mormon. The offspring of Ephraim that assimilate among the nations here serve as agent of the Jews’ salvation, even as they do toward Lehi’s descendants. Of that saving mission, Joseph in Egypt, Ephraim’s father, is a type (compare Genesis 50:20–21). 

Lastly, in the Prophet Joseph Smith’s account of his first vision, the angel Moroni tells him that “the fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come in” (JS—H 1:41). Moroni quotes both Old and New Testament prophecies. All have to do with events that usher in the Millennium. Judging from this latter-day context, Moroni has in mind Ephraim’s gathering from among the nations, which at that point had not yet happened. The Lord’s cleansing judgment of the earth and His fulfilling the covenant with the house of Israel round out the scenario Moroni presents to Joseph Smith (compare JS—H 1:36–41). 

In summary, we can read the fulness of the Gentiles as a unique expression that connotes the mingled offspring of Ephraim among the nations. Wherever this expression occurs in the scriptures, it defines a relationship between the Gentiles and the house of Israel. On the one hand, the Gentiles receive Israel’s blessings after Israel apostatizes and is exiled. On the other, Israel receives back her blessings through the agency of the fulness of the Gentiles. The Lord restores ethnic Israel as soon as the fulness of the Gentiles has come in—as soon as the mingled offspring of Ephraim have gathered. The turning point for these events occurs in the latter days, just before the millennial era begins.

My thanks to the Lord for guiding me to Avraham Gileadi whose gifts have blessed my life.

Gentiles in Prophecy Part I

Joseph Smith recorded in the Kirkland Temple dedicatory prayer that we, the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "are identified with the Gentiles." (D&C 109:60).

By analyzing the term Gentiles wherever it appears, it becomes easy to trace the Gentiles’ history and future. Putting together a scriptural picture of what happens to the Gentiles serves as a second witness not only of the Gentiles’ ¹saving role toward the house of Israel, but ²of the reversal that ultimately occurs between the Gentiles and the House of Israel (Jews, 10 Tribes and Lehi's Descendants). Most of the scriptural references cited contain the term Gentiles. 

The New Testament shows that the Jews receive the first opportunity to accept the gospel. But when these “judge (them) selves unworthy of everlasting life,” the gospel turns to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46).

The blessing of Abraham, instead of resting on the Jews, now rests on the Gentiles who accept Christ (Galatians 3:14). God pours out the Holy Ghost on the Gentiles. Many are converted.

The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants details the Gentiles’ latter-day experience. Nephi calls the latter days “the day of the Gentiles” (2 Nephi 27:1). He identifies them as primarily the Europeans who go out of captivity to the land of America (1 Nephi 13:2-4, 10-14, 13-16, 30).

The Gentiles who migrate to America obtain the land for their inheritance (1 Nephi 13:15; Mormon 5:19). The Lord blesses the Gentiles, and they prosper in the land (1 Nephi 13:20; 2 Nephi 10:10).

The Gentiles afflict Lehi’s descendants and act as a scourge to them (2 Nephi 10:18; 3 Nephi 20:28). Yet, the Gentiles do not utterly destroy them (1 Nephi 13:30-31).

The Lord raises up a mighty nation among the Gentiles in America (1 Nephi 22:7). This is a land of liberty to the Gentiles and they have no kings (2 Nephi 10:11; 3 Nephi 21:4). The Lord makes the Gentiles on this land mighty above all (1 Nephi 13:30; 3 Nephi 20:27). He delivers the Gentiles on this land from all other nations (1 Nephi 13:19).

The Gentiles have a book that is of great worth to them (1 Nephi 13:20-23). They receive it from the Jews (the Bible), and they carry it to Lehi’s descendants (1 Nephi 13:26, 38; Mormon 7-8).

Plain and precious parts of the Bible are removed by the mother of abominations, the church of the devil (1 Nephi 13:26-28). A defective gospel makes the Gentiles stumble, giving Satan great power over them (1 Nephi 13:29, 34).

God does not leave the Gentiles in a state of blindness. In the day the Gentiles hearken to the Lamb, he takes away their stumbling blocks (1 Nephi 14:1). The truth comes to the Gentiles as a blessing (3 Nephi 16:7; 20:15). 

The Book of Mormon supplies what the Bible lacks, and comes forth from the Nephites to the Gentiles (1 Nephi 13:34; 3 Nephi 16:4; 21:2). Many of the Gentiles believe the Book (2 Nephi 30:3). The Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the Gospel (D&C 20:8-9).

God also pours out the Holy Ghost as a blessing upon the Gentiles (3 Nephi 16:6; 20:27), and they are convinced that Jesus is the Christ (2 Nephi 26:12). The Lord establishes his Church among the Gentiles, and they come into the covenant he made with the house of Israel (3 Nephi 21:22). The Latter-day Saints are identified with the Gentiles (D&C 109:60).

The Book of Mormon is given to try the faith of the Gentiles: it contains but the “lesser part” of Jesus’ words to the Nephites (3 Nephi 26:8). If the Gentiles believe that portion—the Book of Mormon—the Lord will manifest to them the greater things also (3 Nephi 26:9). If they don’t it shall turn to their condemnation (3 Nephi 26:10; D&C 84:54-57).

The Book of Mormon contains warning to the Gentiles. Two consecutive histories of fallen peoples on this land forewarn the Gentiles of their own imminent fate (Ether 2:11; 8:26-26). Mormon also describes the destruction of the Nephites as a warning to the Gentiles  (Mormon 6:1-22).

The Lord bids the Gentiles to come unto Him (Ether 4:13). In Him they may be cleansed and sanctified (Ether 4:6-7). The Book of Mormon teaches that people can rend the veil of unbelief—which has caused them to remain in an awful state of wickedness, hardness of heart, and blindness of mind—by calling on the Father in the name of Jesus with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. It further teaches that the great and marvelous things hidden up from the foundation of the world are the Father’s fulfillment of his covenant with the house of Israel, as contained in the revelation of John. These great and marvelous things, however, have not yet been revealed (Ether 4:15-16). As adverse as it may seem, we conclude from these scriptures that many of us as Gentiles still remain in an awful state of wickedness.  We have not yet rent the veil of our unbelief.

Moroni shows us in Ether how the Brother of Jared “rent the veil” (Ether 3:1-20). The Lord now bids the Gentiles to do the same (Ether 4:13).

The Lord’s great and marvelous work typifies the greater things spoken of by Moroni in Ether. The Lord performs that work among the Gentiles (1 Nephi 22:8; 2 Nephi 29:1; D&C 35:7). To that end He sends among them the three Nephites (3 Nephi 28:32). The great and marvelous work involves the coming forth of the words of Christ (3 Nephi 28:32-34). The Father empowers a latter-day servant to bring forth the words of Christ to the Gentiles (3 Nephi 21:8-11); compare Isa. 52:13-15). 

The Book of Mormon contains less than a hundredth part of Jesus’ words to the Nephites (3 Nephi 26:6). Yet, in the last days, the fulness of Jesus’ words comes forth to the Gentiles (3 Nephi 16:7) in accordance with the servant’s mission (3 Nephi 21:11).

The plates of Nephi contain the greater part of what Jesus taught the people (3 Nephi 26:7). They, therefore, are among the “other books” to come forth (compare 1 Nephi 13:39). They “make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world” (1 Nephi 13:40). They make known the folly and abominations of the Gentiles (3 Nephi 21:9, 11; D&C 35:7).

Prophecies about the Gentiles in the latter-days thus show two facets. Those ¹Gentiles who are under condemnation—which causes the Lord to withhold from them the greater things (3 Nephi 26:10)—²will remain under condemnation if they do not repent. For that reason, the Gentiles must turn from their evil ways (compare Mormon 5:22).

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In the latter days, the gospel turns first to the Gentiles (D&C 90:9). But when the Gentiles reject the fulness, His gospel turns to the Jews and other natural lineages of Israel (1 Nephi 13:42; 3 Nephi 16:10-11; 20:28-31).

Many Gentiles will not believe the great and marvelous work—will not believe the words of Christ (3 Nephi 21:9, 11). The words of Christ and the Brother of Jared’s vision cover the entire history of humanity (3 Nephi 26:1-4); Ether 3:25, 27). In that respect, they resemble the Bible more than the Book of Mormon does. The two full accounts will come forth to the Gentiles—and turn from the Gentiles to the house of Israel (3 Nephi 26:7-9; Ether 4:4-6; 12:22).

From these scriptures we gain a clearer idea of how so many Gentiles will sin against the gospel of Jesus Christ (compare 3 Nephi 16:10). They will disavow the new revelations the Lord will bring forth. Having formerly received the gospel, many Gentiles will now reject it (3 Nephi 16:10; 20:15, 28). Refusing to come unto Christ and obey his voice, these Gentiles will be as “salt that hath lost its savor” (3 Nephi 16:15; D&C 101:39-40).

At the time they reject the fulness of the gospel, the wicked Gentiles are “lifted up in the pride of their hearts” (3 Nephi 16:10). Being “lifted up in the pride of their eyes,” they “put down the power and miracles of God” (2 Nephi 26:20; Moroni 10).

Publishing for money, they “preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor” (2 Nephi 26:20). These Gentiles have no charity for their fellow beings (Ether 12:35-37). They don’t thank the Jews nor Lehi’s descendants for the scriptures they have received from them (2 Nephi 29:4; 33:14; Ether 12:23, 35). The Lord lengthens out his arm to the Gentiles all the day long (2 Nephi 28:32). But they mar the Lord’s servant who brings forth His words (3 Nephi 21:10-11). Nephi offers no hope for the Gentiles unless they reconcile themselves to Christ (2 Nephi 28:32; 2 Nephi 33:9).

When the ¹Gentiles reject His words, the ²Lord cuts them off from His people (2 Nephi 21:11, 20). He removes the fulness of his gospel from among the wicked, giving it to those who receive it (3 Nephi 16:10; 20:28-31). With the wicked Gentiles’ apostasy and its aftermath, the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (D&C 45:28-33).

The wicked Gentiles bring down the fulness of God’s wrath, just as the Jaredites and Nephites did (compare Ether 2:11). The Lord visits the Gentiles “with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire” (2 Nephi 27:2; compare Isa. 29:6). The sword of Justice falls on the wicked Gentiles (3 Nephi 20:20; Ether 8:23).

 

Lehi’s descendants, whom God empowers, marshal themselves and vex the wicked Gentiles (D&C 87:5). They go among the Gentiles like a lion among the beasts, treading down and tearing to pieces (3 Nephi 20:16; 21:12; Mormon 5:24; compare Micah 5:8). Lehi’s descendants, who are of the house of Israel, inherit the Gentiles’ lands and cities (3 Nephi 22:3; compare Isaiah 54:3).

Some Gentiles will, however, turn from their evil ways and will repent and be numbered among the house of Israel (3 Nephi 16:6; 21:22).

The gospel goes first to the Gentiles and then to the house of Israel (1 Nephi 10:14; D&C 19:27). The Gentiles take the gospel to Lehi’s descendants (1 Nephi 15:13, 17; 3 Nephi 21:5) and also to the Jews (3 Nephi 16:4; D&C 14:10). The Twelve, the Seventy and other Latter-day Saints assist in carrying the gospel to the Jews (D&C 107:33-35; 133:8).

The house of Israel receives the Book of Mormon through the fulness of the Gentiles (3 Nephi 16:4; 21:5). That involves the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon and “other books” (2 Nephi 27:21-23; Ether 4:407, 13-15; 1 Nephi 13:39-41).

The Lord softens many Gentiles’ hearts toward Lehi’s descendants (2 Nephi 10:18). Many care for the house of Israel and sorrow for their destruction (Mormon 5:10-11). They nurse the house of Israel and serve as fathers and mothers to them (1 Nephi 22:6, 8; 2 Nephi 10:9, 18). They minister the gospel’s fullness to Lehi’s descendants (1 Nephi 15:13-14). 

When the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, the Jews again gather to Jerusalem (D&C 45:24-25). The righteous Gentiles assist the house of Israel in gathering them from dispersion; they carry the house of Israel to the lands of their inheritance (2 Nephi 10:8).  They assist Lehi’s descendants to gather to the New Jerusalem (3 Nephi 21:24). They help Lehi’s descendants to build the city (3 Nephi 21:23). The Lord blesses the righteous Gentiles by numbering them with the house of Israel (2 Nephi 10:18; 3 Nephi 16:13). The righteous Gentiles are also the covenant people of the Lord (2 Nephi 30:2; 3 Nephi 21:22).

To more clearly understand our being identified with the Gentiles, see:

Gentiles in Prophecy Part 2