Gospel Doctrine Commentary
Lesson No. Five

The Pattern the Lord uses to Gather Israel in the Last Days

The gathering of Israel is described in 1 Nephi 22:3-11: A very important aspect of understanding Isaiah is to realize that whenever a Book of Mormon prophet quotes Isaiah he then explains in plainness the doctrine that Isaiah is teaching. (For more detail see Lesson 10 in this Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Commentary). Nephi follows this pattern when he quotes Isaiah 49 in 1 Nephi 21 and then he interprets this Isaiah chapter and applies it to the last days in 1 Nephi 22. 1 Nephi 22 is one of the greatest discourses we have on the gathering of Israel:

“Israel…will be scattered upon all the face of the earth, and also among all nations” (Vs 3, see also Vs 5). Israel was so thoroughly scattered that the DNA of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is found in all nations.
Israel will be scattered physically, and confounded spiritually because of disobedience. Then “the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation (the United States) among the Gentiles, yea, even upon the face of this land…” (Vs 6-7).
"The Lord God will do a marvelous work among the Gentiles (the restoration), which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders” (Vs 8).
The Father covenanted with Abraham saying: “In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed” (Vs 9). This covenant of the Father is fulfilled as the gospel is taken to all nations by latter day missionaries. (See Abraham 2:9-11)
The only way the gospel can go throughout the earth is for the Lord to “bare his arm (show forth his power) in the eyes of all nations” (Vs 10-11).

The pattern the Lord uses to gather Israel is described in 1 Nephi 22:12:

The Lord first brings the house of Israel “out of captivity” (Vs 12). Nephi uses the word “captivity” to refer to temporal or physical bondage. For example, the Pilgrims “went forth out of captivity” and those “who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord…and the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity were delivered by the power of God” (1 Nephi 13:13, 16, 19). When the time is right “the Spirit of God [will] wrought upon” (1 Nephi 13:12-13) the various nations and they will obtain enough religious and political freedom for the gospel to come to those nations. This is what happened in the founding of the United States. It happened in Eastern Europe when the Berlin Wall came down. And it will happen, on the Lord’s schedule, in China, in Islam, and throughout the earth.
Those the Lord delivers out of captivity are then “gathered together to the lands of their inheritance” (Vs 12). The land of inheritance for Brazilians who join the Church is Brazil, the land of inheritance for Japanese who join the Church is Japan, etc. There will be wards and stakes organized and chapel and temples built throughout the earth.
Israel “shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness” (Vs 12). As people accept the gospel they will be brought out of spiritual darkness. As they join the Church, the Church and its members will be brought out of obscurity. This will raise an ensign to all nations. This is happening as the Church and its members are being recognized by more and more people as an example, and as a standard, and for the good that is done.
Israel “shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel” (Vs 12). Individual members of the house of Israel will have a certain knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and of the power of his atonement. It is in this way that we can have peace in our lives and look forward to the future with great hope and confidence.

The Lord’s pattern for gathering Israel includes the prayers and faithfulness of members of his Church: In June 1975 Church conference President Spencer W. Kimball asked members of the Church to petition the Lord that he would open the nations of the earth to the preaching of the gospel. President Kimball said:

“For the entire era of the existence of the Church, we have been preaching the gospel to the nations, but in 145 years we have sent about 200,000 missionaries into the field. We have hardly scratched the surface, though we have opened up a number of missions for proselyting and many, many good people have accepted the truth. We are sure the Lord is conscious, as we are, of the great world outspread before us which is without the gospel. Relatively small groups of members huddle in scattered areas in the world, and as we attempt to go into new nations and cultures, we come to locked doors; but we know of a surety that the Lord would never command us to do something for which he would not prepare the way, for as Nephi said, “I know,” and with Nephi we also know that “… the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7) And also Nephi says again, “… the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words” (1 Nephi 9:6).

“With this in mind, we have launched a prayer campaign throughout the Church and hope that all people, parents, youth, and children, will join in a serious continuous petition to the Lord to open the gates of the nations and soften the hearts of the kings and the rulers to the end that missionaries may enter all the lands and teach the gospel in the approved way” (Ensign, October, 1975 pp. 70-71).

Carvings from the Mesa Arizona Temple

Below are eight carvings from the Mesa Arizona Temple representing the gathering of Israel. (Click image to expand)

1. Early Latter-day Saints crossing the plains.

2. English, Welsh, and Scottish ships land in America.

3. Latter-day Saint pioneers traveling by handcart.

4. People of Mexico leaving their homes to join the Saints.

5. Native American people go to unite with the Church.

6. Pacific Islanders (notice they are not represented as traveling).

7. French and Swiss people traveling to Holland followed by the Italians.

8. German Saints preparing to cross the Atlantic followed by the Dutch.

President Monson affirmed that prayers to open the nations are heard and answered: In his opening sermon in October 2008 Conference President Thomas S. Monson noted that there were areas of the world where the gospel cannot be shared freely. He then referred to President Kimball’s 1975 request that members pray that nations then closed would be opened:

“As did President Spencer W. Kimball over 32 years ago, I urge you to pray for the opening of those areas, that we might share with them the joy of the gospel. As we prayed then in response to President Kimball’s pleadings, we saw miracles unfold as country after country, formerly closed to the Church was opened. Such will transpire again as we pray in faith.”

President Monson was referring to the opening of Russia and Eastern Europe to the preaching of the gospel, and he recognized that it was an answer to prayer. President Monson concluded: “Such will transpire again as we pray in faith.”

Testimony: We live a most remarkable and exciting time where the gospel is going to the nations of the earth as the Spirit of God touches those nations. Prayers are answered, and in one way or another nations have been or will be given enough freedom for the gospel to be preached.

Another way prayers are answered and nations are opened is when the Lord sends one of his apostles to dedicate a nation for the preaching of the gospel. This is often done with little or no publicity. A recent example is that in 2012 Elder David A. Bednar dedicated Cuba for the preaching of the gospel. Then three years later in 2015 after over 50 years the United States and Cuba re-established diplomatic relations. While not officially recognized the Church now has permission of the government to meet, and there are two branches functioning in Cuba. The first Cuban missionary has been sent. Joseph Smith’s prophecy is being fulfilled when he wrote:

“Our missionaries are going forth to different nations . . . the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” (History of the Church 4:540)

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