Jesus' First Prophecy

I have written extensively about the word of God because I love His words and they have made all the difference in my life. There is one aspect of His words that I have not written about as often--that is-- his words are always associated with prophecy. 

In the Book of Mormon we see both the Spirit of Revelation (gaining a personal knowledge of what has been revealed and recorded) and the Spirit of Prophecy (the testimony of Jesus and prophecies concerning Jesus) spoken of by Alma (Alma 5:46-47), the Sons of Mosiah (Alma 17:2-3), and others, always associated with receiving the word of God. Also the gift of prophecy is one of the gifts of the Spirit that he has blessed me with and because of this gift I have been able, as King Benjamin said, to "have great views of that which is to come" (Mosiah 5:1-3).

In this post I want to focus on Jesus' prophecies concerning the House of Israel in 3 Nephi 20, and then follow it with a post concerning His second prophecy concerning the Gentiles in 3 Nephi 21. 

These are the same prophecies given by Nephi and all pertain the Lord's great and marvelous work (1 Nephi 14:7). Nephi's prophecies are found in 1 Nephi 12-22 and then in 2 Nephi 30. Nephi's sequence in 2 Nephi 30 depicts: 

1) the coming forth of the Book of Mormon among the Gentiles and their carrying it to the Lamanites (2 Nephi 30:3); 

2) the Lamanites, or Lehi's descendants, coming to know Christ and to know that they are descendants of Jews (2 Nephi 30:3); 

3) the Lamanites becoming a delightsome people within the space of a few generations (2 Nephi 30:6); 

4) a beginning of belief in Christ among scattered Jews and a beginning of their gathering (2 Nephi 30:7); 

5) the Lord's work among all nations of the earth to restore his people (the House of Israel) (2 Nephi 30:8); 

6) a great division among the people, leading to the destruction of the wicked (unrepentant) and the deliverance of the Lord's people according to divine justice (2 Nephi 30:9-10); 

7) peace restored to the earth (2 Nephi 30:11-15); 

8) the revelation of all secrets pertaining to the nations of the earth and to the Lord's revelations (2 Nephi 30)16-18); and 

9) the millennial era (2 Nephi 30:18).  

Nephi's sequence thus serves as yet another witness of the Lord's great and marvelous work, and sets the stage for the Christ prophecies in 3 Nephi 16, 20 & 21).

Mormon pronounces, in connection with the great and marvelous work, "Wo be unto him that will not hearken unto the words of Jesus, and also to them whom he hath chosen and sent among them; for whoso receiveth not the words of Jesus and the words of those whom he hath sent receiveth not him; and therefore he will not receive them at the last day; and it would be better for them if they had not been born." (3 Nephi 28:34). The Lord will complete His great and marvelous work, but for some it will be great and terrible (3 Nephi 28:31-33).

Jesus' prophecies in 3 Nephi 20 and 21 serve as a key not only to Nephi's sequence but to all scriptures about the last days. Jesus shows that the judgments of God in the last days fall primarily on the wicked Gentiles. The people of God who incur His wrath at that time are not the house of Israel, the Jews, 10 tribes or Lehi's descendants, but are the Ephraimite Gentiles--us!

Jesus' prophecies are not given chronologically like Nephi's, but are structured nevertheless, using a chiastic structure and deal with events conceptually rather than chronologically. A chiastic structure, or chiasm, is an ancient literary device that sets off the words of a passage in climactic parallels leading to a central idea.

Third Nephi 20:10 through 21:29 contains two consecutive prophecies about the last days that Jesus gives to the Nephites. Both deal essentially with the same subject. The first deals primarily with the House of Israel coming to believe the words of God, and the second deals primarily with the Gentiles who do not believe the words of God. This is also the reason for the division prophesied by Nephi, those who believe His words on one hand, and those who do not believe His words on the other. There is no question, we as the Lord's people in these last days, are identified with the Gentiles and not the House of Israel. It is from us that the gospel is taken because we reject the fulness of His gospel, and given to the House of Israel--the Jews, 10 Tribes and Lehi's descendants (3 Nephi 16:10-12). 

In this post I will write about Jesus' first prophecy and follow it up with a subsequent post concerning Jesus' second prophecy.

The order of events varies in Jesus' prophecies, but that is not important because they are not chronologies. The second prophecy for the most part repeats what the first contains. Together they are a twofold witness of major events of the last days and they come from the Savior Himself.

Let's look at Jesus’ first prophecy found in 3 Nephi 20:10-46. Note the 'h' in the chiastic structure. It is the highlight of the parallel surrounding events in a-g.

 

a--Jesus fulfills the Father’s commandment concerning the house of Israel (20:10b)

 

  b—The prophecies of Isaiah will be fulfilled (20:11)

 

    c—The Father’s covenant with the house of Israel is fulfilled by their gathering from throughout the earth, their knowing the Lord their God, and their receiving a land of inheritance (20:12-14)

 

      d—The Gentiles do not repent after receiving the Lord’s blessing (20:15)

 

        e—The house of Israel treads down the Gentiles (20:16-20)

 

          f—The house of Israel is established in fulfillment of the Lord’s covenant with Jacob; the New Jerusalem; the powers of heaven and the Lord abide in their midst (20:21-22)

 

            g—Moses testifies of Jesus Christ (20:23ac)

 

              h—All who will not hear the words of Christ will be cut off from among the Lord’s people (20:23d)

 

            g—The prophets from Samuel testify of Jesus Christ (20:24)

 

          f—The Gentiles receive the Holy Ghost in fulfillment of the Father’s covenant with Abraham after the house of Israel defaults; they are mighty above all (20:25-27c)

 

        e—The Gentiles scatter the house of Israel (20:27d-28a)

 

      d—The Gentiles harden their hearts after receiving the fullness of the gospel (20:28b)

 

    c—The Lord’s covenant with his people is fulfilled by their gathering together, receiving a land of inheritance, and believing in Jesus Christ (20:29-31)

 

  b—The prophecies of Isaiah will be fulfilled (20:32-45; compare Isa. 52:1-15)

 

a—Jesus reiterates the Father’s commandment to him about his people (20:46)

         

Jesus' first prophecy emphasizes what happens to the house of Israel, or more specifically, the first prophecy deals with the Lord fulfilling his covenant with the House of Israel (3 Nephi 20:12, 22, 25-27, 29, 46). The Gentiles (us) feature in the prophecy only so far as we receive an opportunity to be blessed under the covenant. The Gentiles (us) do enjoy this blessing for a time, but in the end, many harden their hearts against the word (3 Nephi 20:27-28). At that point the House of Israel treads down the wicked (3 Nephi 20:15-17). The idea of permanence in the promised land, which the Lord's fulfillment of the covenant exemplifies, we find only in connection with the House of Israel.

At the center of the structure ('h') appear the words of Christ (3 Nephi 20:23). Many refuse to hear his words and are cut off from his people (compare 3 Nephi 21:11). Thus, it is against the words of Christ, even the new words that are revealed by the Lord's servant (see 3 Nephi 21:9). In this context keep in mind that the Book of Mormon contains less than a hundredth part of Jesus' words to the Nephites; the remainder are written on the large plates of Nephi (3 Nephi 26:6-8). Other ancient records yet to come forth also contain the words of Christ, whether spoken directly or through the Lord's prophets (1 Nephi 14:20-26; Ether 4:4-17).

The House of Israel reacts differently to the words of Christ. They come to believe in Christ and to know Him (3 Nephi 20:13, 30-31). As the House of Israel accepts Christ, the people gather together to the lands of their inheritance (3 Nephi 20:13-14, 29). At that time the wicked Gentiles suffer the Lord's justice (3 Nephi 20:13-22). The Gentiles are destroyed after they reject the words of Christ, which they reject after enjoying the blessings of the Gospel and after having additional words of God given to them (compare 3 Nephi 16:10-16; 26:6-11; Ether 4:8-9).

A further contrast between the Gentiles and the House of Israel is shown by the Gentiles receiving the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 20:27). When the House of Israel accepts the Gospel, however, and then establishes the New and Old Jerusalem, Christ himself and the powers of heaven dwell in their midst (3 Nephi 20:22). This represents a higher reality than prevails among the Gentiles and brings to mind Jesus' statement that "they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice--that I should not manifest myself to them save it were by the Holy Ghost" (3 Nephi 15:23). Of course, Jesus is here speaking of the Gentiles as a people, not as individuals, for there are individual Gentiles who do hear the voice of God through His words.

Jesus also quotes Isaiah in this first prophecy which have to do with the fulfillment of the Father's covenant with the House of Israel (3 Nephi 20:12, 46). To that end the Father will "bare his holy arm in the eyes of all nations" (3 Nephi 20:35; compare Isaiah 52:10, emphasis added). In the same context, Jesus cites Isaiah's prophecies about the Lord's servant. The servant declares the Lord's message to the kings and nations of the earth (3 Nephi 20:40-45); compare Isaiah 52:7, 11-15). The Lord's servant or arm, is directly instrumental in converting the House of Israel to the Gospel of Christ (3 Nephi 20L30-45). When the House of Israel comes to know their Redeemer, as a result of good tidings being preached to them, they exit Babylon, embark on an exodus and gather to the lands of their inheritance (3 Nephi 20:32-42; compare Isaiah 52:1-3, 6-12).

Only those Gentiles who believe the words of God and repent will be numbered among the House of Israel (3 Nephi 16:13).

Jesus' first prophecy also clarifies something about which Nephi's sequence is not clear--the coming forth of the words of Christ. They are the deciding factor in the Lord's acceptance again of the House of Israel and his cutting off the Gentiles. The chiastic structure of Jesus' prophecy highlights and contrasts events that otherwise would not stand out as so significant. It highlights the polarization of peoples of which Nephi calls an irrevocable division. While Nephi was not allowed to speak of the exodus or the Lord's servant, Jesus' is. Nephi did however, insert two chapters of Isaiah into his record which speak of both (Isaiah 48 & 49).

The message to us, the Ephramite Gentiles is both clear and frightening, and which is either joy or sorrow. On which side of the division do you want to find yourself? Those who believe the words of God or those who do not? 

It is important to note, that these prophecies come directly from Christ. To dismiss them because you do not hear them from the pulpit is the very reason Christ made sure they were included in the Book of Mormon--for you to find them for yourselves by searching His words and believing them. He makes it clear what will happen if you do not search and believe His words! 

As His Father said "Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him" (3 Nephi 11:7).