Then Will I Gather Them InLesson 40

Then Will I Gather Them In

3 Nephi 20-21

BOM Manual: Lesson 40

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3 Nephi 26:6

And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part

of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto

the people

The Gathering of Israel

It is a principle I esteem to be of the greatest importance to those who are looking for salvation in this generation. We do not fully understand who we are as a people, the covenants that God has made with us, or the destiny that is ours until we gain a meaningful understanding of this doctrine.

Today’s objectives

Understand who we are as a people

Understand the covenants that God has made with us

Understand our destiny according to those covenants

The Scattering of IsraelElder M. Russell Nelson

As descendants of Abraham, the tribes of ancient Israel had access to priesthood authority and blessings of the gospel, but the people rebelled. They killed the prophets and were punished by the Lord. Ten tribes were carried captive into

Assyria. From there they became lost to the records of mankind. Two remaining tribes continued a short time and then, because of their rebellion, were taken captive into

Babylon. When they returned, they were favored of the Lord, but again they honored Him not. They rejected and vilified Him. A loving but grieving Father vowed, “I will scatter you

among the heathen,” and that He did—into all nations.

You belong to the house of Israel

“A patriarchal blessing includes a declaration of lineage, stating that

the person is of the house of Israel—a descendant of Abraham, belonging

to a specific tribe of Jacob. Many Latter-day Saints are of the tribe of

Ephraim, the tribe given the primary responsibility to lead the latter-day

work of the Lord.”

The Gathering of Israel

It is a principle I esteem to be of the greatest importance to those who are looking for salvation in this generation. We do not fully (1) understand who we are as a people, the covenants that God has made with us, or the destiny that is ours until we gain a meaningful understanding of this doctrine.

The Gathering of Israel

It is a principle I esteem to be of the greatest importance to those who are looking for salvation in this generation. We do not fully understand who we are as a people, (2) the covenants that God has made with us, or the destiny that is ours until we gain a meaningful understanding of this doctrine.

The Abrahamic Covenant

8 My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee.

9 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;

10 And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father.

11 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.

Promises of the Abrahamic Covenant

1. A promised land (3 Nephi 20:14,22)

2. A great posterity ( D&C 132:30)

3. The promise that the priesthood will continue with our descendants (2 Nephi 23-24)

4. A mission of salvation to others (3 Nephi 20:25-27)

3 Nephi 20:10-13

10 And it came to pass that when they had all given glory unto Jesus, he said unto them: Behold now I finish the commandment which the Father hath commanded me concerning this people, who are a remnant of the house of Israel.

11 Ye remember that I spake unto you, and said that when the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled—behold they are written, ye have them before you, therefore search them—

12 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel.

13 And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them.

Spiritual gathering

In short, the gathering of Israel is

primarily their restoration to the

knowledge of Christ. Is is not the place of gathering that will save the scattered remnants but the

message of salvation that

comes to them in their Redeemer’s

name…Salvation is thus found not in a

place but in a person. It is in

Christ.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie. The Millenial Messiah, 200.

Physical Gathering“The ‘gathering of Israel’

is effected when the people of the faraway countries accept the gospel and remain in

their native lands. The gathering of Israel for

Mexicans is in Mexico; in Scandinavia, for those of the northern countries; the gathering place for

the Germans is in Germany; and the Polynesians, in the

islands; for the Brazilians, in Brazil; for the

Argentines, in Argentina”

Ensign, May 1975, 4.

The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 1982 Page

436

When will the gathering happen?

3 Nephi 21:1-2;71 And verily I say unto you, I give unto you a sign that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to take place—that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion;2 And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign—for verily I say unto you that when these things which I declare unto you, and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, and by the power of the Holy Ghost which shall be given unto you of the Father, shall be made known unto the Gentiles that they may know concerning this people who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who shall be scattered by them;7 And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel.

The Gathering of Israel

It is a principle I esteem to be of the greatest importance to those who are looking for salvation in this generation. We do not fully understand who we are as a people, (2) the covenants that God has made with us, or the destiny that is ours until we gain a meaningful understanding of this doctrine.

The Gathering of Israel

It is a principle I esteem to be of the greatest importance to those who are looking for salvation in this generation. We do not fully understand who we are as a people, the covenants that God has made with us, or (3) the destiny that is ours until we gain a meaningful understanding of this doctrine.

The destiny that is ours…

Abraham’s and Sarah’s descendants are a chosen people. They are chosen not because they have an easier path to salvation, or because God loves them more than other people. They are chosen to service. The Lord has called the house of Israel to carry the gospel to the world.

The Abrahamic Covenant, Ensign. February 1990.

What can you do?Here on earth, missionary work is crucial to the gathering of Israel. The gospel was to be taken first to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Consequently, servants of the Lord

have gone forth proclaiming the Restoration. In many nations our missionaries have

searched for those of scattered Israel; they have hunted for them “out of the holes of the rocks”; and they have fished for them as in

ancient days.

Elder Russell M. Nelson

What can you do?The invitation to “come unto

Christ” can also be extended to those who died without a

knowledge of the gospel. Part of their preparation requires earthly

efforts of others. We gather pedigree charts, create family

group sheets, and do temple work vicariously to gather individuals

unto the Lord and into their families.

Elder Russell M Nelson