Comments on 3 Nephi 21 In this chapter Jesus focuses mainly on the role of the Gentiles in the restoration of Israel (v. 1-10), and the reaction the Gentiles will have to that role. Some will reject him (v. 11-21) and some will accept him and therefore assist in the gathering of Israel (v. 22-29). v1-10 Jesus gives a sign of when the work to gather Israel will start (v. 1, 7) and provides a couple of parenthetical comments (v. 4, 6) to explain why the Gentiles are going to be involved in it. The sign that the gathering of Israel has commenced in the last days (v. 1) is when these Scriptures written to the Lehites (v. 2) are brought forth to scattered Israel through the Gentiles (v. 3). It is part of the Father's plan to have the Gentiles set up on this land promised to Lehi's children because they will bring the gospel to the remnants of Israel (v. 4). Thus, the historical, contemporary, and future words written by the Lehites will go to the Gentiles in the last days, and they will give them to the remnants of the Lehites (v. 5). Again, it is part of the Father's plan to do it this way because then the Gentiles will have the opportunity to accept te gospel, repent, and be adopted into Israel's covenant (v. 6). So, when people see these writing come among them in the last days, they will know that work to gather Israel have started (v. 7). Jesus then paraphrases a number of OT Prophets to explain and contextualize his plan for the Gentiles and Israel (v. 8-10). v1 "I give unto you a sign", in Isa. 66:18-20 it says the Lord will give a sign among the Gentiles for the gathering of Israel. Jesus' comments here are probably in reference to this passage in Isaiah. v4 Compare 16:4. v8-10 The paraphrase in verse 8 is intended to draw on the context of Isa. 52:15 where the powerful kings of the Gentiles will be stunned and awed at the manner in which the Lord gathers Israel. Verse 9 draws on the sealed book context of 29:10-14 and then draws on Hab. 1:5 to invoke the message of Gentile nations being used to accomplish the Lord's goals with Israel (there in Hab. 1 the Lord is describing His plan to use the Chaldeans to suit His needs, but will then turn and punish the Chaldeans when they offend Him, just as the latter-day Gentiles do when they reject the gospel when it is sent among them). Verse 10 then paraphrases Isa. 52:14 to say that though Israel will be smitten at hands of the Gentiles, the Lord will relent from His anger and heal Israel per Isa. 57:17-19. v10 Note Jesus is quoting Isa. 52:14 in reference to Israel and not himself, indicating plainly that passage has a broader application than only referring to the Messiah. Also compare 20:44. v11-21 Jesus states plainly that whoever will not believe his words, which will come through the Gentiles, will be cut off from the covenant with Israel (v. 11). Then, the Lord's people will have power over the Gentiles (v. 12) when the Gentile's worldly power and ways will be thrown down (v. 13-19). Because whoever will not accept Jesus Christ will be cut off from Israel (v. 20) and the Lord will execute terrible fury upon them, the likes of which have never been seen before (v. 21). v12-19 are a compound of various OT Prophetic statements. Verse 12 is another quote of Micah 5:8. And, not surprisingly, v. 13- 19 are quite derivative of Isaiah's descriptions of Babylon, cp. Isa. 13:19, Isa. 21:9, Isa. 43:17, Isa. 47:9-13. Also cp. Isa. 2:6-20 and Isa. 5:8-23 where apostate Israel is castigated for being like the Philistines. v21 is referring to the Day of the Lord, which in NT parlance is called the Second Coming. v22-29 However, if the Gentiles hear the words of Christ and repent, then the Lord will establish the Church among them and they will be included in Israel's covenant (v. 22), and assist in the gathering of natural Israel so New Jerusalem will be built (v. 23). If and when New Jerusalem is built, then the believing Gentiles will further assist in gathering natural Israel (v. 24), and the power of God will be with them and Christ himself will be among them (v. 25). Then the work to gather in the Lehites and all the remnants of Israel will be in earnest (v. 26) so there will be a way made for all the remnants to return to the Lord (v. 27) and be gathered to their ancestral lands (v. 28). Scattered Israel will go out from among the nations with the Lord watching over them (v. 29). v23 "that they may build a city...New Jerusalem", the early saints were commanded through Smith to start building New Jerusalem so as to establish Zion (cf. D&C 84:3-4), but as a result of various difficulties this was never achieved (cf. D&C 124:51). However, this did not preclude the world wide missionary effort discussed in v. 26-28. If we compare v. 23-24 with Ether 13:6-8, we will note in the passage in Ether it states New Jerusalem will be built by the remnants of Joseph. In v. 23 it says the Gentiles "shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob" when the New Jerusalem is built. This suggests the time when New Jerusalem will be built is when the Church is composed of a significant portion of natural Israel, and perhaps even a majority. This might seem arbitrary or irrelevant, but in the context of Enos' allegory of the olive trees the tame olive tree ends up doing best and producing the most good fruit after the wild grafts which have gone bad are removed and replaced with grafts of returning tame branches. v29 quotes Isa. 52:12 again as did 20:42. The imagery of the Lord as their vanguard and rearward invokes the original exodus where there was a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day which lead them at the front and protected them at the rear. Copyright © 2001 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.