The Scattering and Gathering of Israel
228. The Lord decreed that the Jews would be scattered among the nations of the world.
230. Moses delivered the keys of the gathering of Israel to Joseph Smith.
232. The ten tribes will be gathered in from the "land of the north."
233. In the last days many Jews will return to Jerusalem still not believing in Jesus Christ.
234. Only when the Jews believe in Christ will the Lord fully and finally gather them to Jerusalem.
227. It was foretold by prophecy that the people of Israel would be scattered among the nations of the earth because of their wickedness.
It has been said, that "if a complete history of the house of Israel were written, it would be the history of histories, the key of the world's history for the past twenty centuries." Justification for this sweeping statement is found in the fact that the Israelites have been so completely dispersed among the nations as to give to this scattered people a place of importance as a factor in the rise and development of almost every large division of the human family. This work of dispersion was brought about by many stages, and extended through millenniums. It was foreseen by the early prophets; and the spiritual leaders of every generation prior to and immediately following the Messianic era predicted the scattering of the people, as an ordained result of their increasing wickedness. . . . AF:286
Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared like unto an olive-tree, whose branches should be broken off and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
13. Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth. (Nephi's writings, 600-592 B.C.) 1 Nephi 10:12-13
In the Book of Jacob, chapter five, in the Book of Mormon, we have one of the most remarkable parables ever written. It is a parable of the scattering of Israel. The Lord revealed to Jacob that he would scatter Israel, and in this figure, Israel is a tame olive tree. It is an olive tree that begins to decay. The branches that are dying are cut off. But the gardener takes certain of those branches off that tree that seem to be decaying and plants them in all parts of the Lord's vineyard. . . .
He planted them all over his vineyard, which is the world. . . .
The interpretation of this parable is a story of the scattering of Israel and the mixing of the blood of Israel with the wild olive trees, or Gentile peoples, in all parts of the world. Therefore we find in China, Japan, India, and in all other countries that are inhabited by the Gentiles that the blood of Israel was scattered, or "grafted," among them. MPSG1972-73:280-81
Related Witnesses:
Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. (Isaiah speaks Messianically, [the Messiah speaks]) Isaiah 50:1
And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. (Revelation to Moses for the children of Israel) Leviticus 26:33
The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. . . .
37. And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee. . . .
64. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. (Israel, if disobedient, shall be cursed) Deuteronomy 28:25,37,64
Wherefore, the things of which I have read are things pertaining to things both temporal and spiritual; for it appears that the house of Israel, sooner or later, will be scattered upon all the face of the earth, and also among all nations.
4. And behold, there are many who are already lost from the knowledge of those who are at Jerusalem. Yea, the more part of all the tribes have been led away; and they are scattered to and fro upon the isles of the sea; and whither they are none of us knoweth, save that we know that they have been led away. (Nephi interprets the things he has read from the plates of brass, about 588-570 B.C.) 1 Nephi 22:3-4
Israel was scattered because she apostatized; because she broke the Ten Commandments; because she rejected the prophets and seers and turned to wizards that peep and mutter; because she forsook the covenant; because she gave heed to false ministers and joined false churches; because she ceased to be a peculiar people and a kingdom of priests. When she became as the world, the Lord left her to suffer and live and be as the world then was. (The Millennial Messiah, p. 186) DGSM:65
All the Jews in Palestine at the time of Christ's birth constituted but a small remnant of the great Davidic nation. The Ten Tribes, distinctively the aforetime kingdom of Israel, had then long been lost to history, and the people of Judah had been widely scattered among the nations. JTC:61
228. The Lord decreed that the Jews would be scattered among the nations of the world.
And behold it shall come to pass that after the Messiah hath risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people, unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem shall be destroyed again; for wo unto them that fight against God and the people of his church.
15. Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations; yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered by other nations. (Nephi explains Isaiah's prophecies, about 559-554 B.C.) 2 Nephi 25:14-15
recorded in Luke
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Jesus tells of the signs that shall precede his Second Coming) Luke 21:24
receiving the Word of the Lord
And now ye behold this temple which is in Jerusalem, which ye call the house of God, and your enemies say that this house shall never fall.
19. But, verily I say unto you, that desolation shall come upon this generation as a thief in the night, and this people shall be destroyed and scattered among all nations.
20. And this temple which ye now see shall be thrown down that there shall not be left one stone upon another.
21. And it shall come to pass, that this generation of Jews shall not pass away until every desolation which I have told you concerning them shall come to pass. . . .
24. And this I have told you concerning Jerusalem; and when that day shall come, shall a remnant be scattered among all nations; (Christ reveals signs of his coming as given on the Mount of Olives) D&C 45:18-21,24
Related Witnesses:
and Willard Richards
[F]or there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (Acts 4:10, 12); but of this the Jews were ignorant, although they themselves crucified Him; and they have been going about wandering among all the nations of the earth ever since, for the space of eighteen hundred years, trying to establish their own righteousness, which is of the law of Moses, which law can never make the comers thereto perfect (Hebrews 10:1); (From "Election and Reprobation," in Millennial Star, about which Joseph Smith wrote, "It is one of the sweetest pieces that has been written in the last days") HC4:265
229. It was foretold by prophets that the gathering and redemption of Israel would take place in the latter days.
It is also the concurrent testimony of all the Prophets, that this gathering together of all the Saints, must take place before the Lord comes to "take vengeance upon the ungodly," and "to be glorified and admired by all those who obey the Gospel." The fiftieth Psalm, from the first to the fifth verse inclusive, describes the glory and majesty of that event. ("A Proclamation of the First Presidency of the Church to the Saints Scattered Abroad. . . ;" the Prophet encourages the Saints to gather to Nauvoo, Ill., Jan.15, 1841) HC4:272
Comparison with other prophecies relating to the gathering will conclusively prove that the great event was predicted to take place in the latter times, preparatory to the second coming of Christ. AF:250
Related Witnesses:
The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
2. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
3. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
4. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
5. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. Psalms 50:1-5
[E]ven the apostles sought yet to learn of the fulfillment of the prophetic word concerning Israel the chosen. "When they therefore were come together, . . . they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"
. . . . The kingdom was not to be restored to Israel in their day. . . . The promised day of restoration, the day of Israel's triumph and glory, the day of millennial glory—all this lay ahead. It was scheduled for the last days. (The Millennial Messiah, 309-10) DGSM:66
And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.
28. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
29. But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
30. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
31. (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. (Moses records that Israel shall be scattered among all the nations when they worship other gods) Deuteronomy 4:27-31
230. Moses delivered the keys of the gathering of Israel to Joseph Smith.
After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north. (Visions manifested to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple, April 3, 1836) D&C 110:11
Moses held the keys of the gathering of Israel. He received the first commission to gather them and lead them out of Egypt and plant them in their promised land. When Moses appeared on the mount with Elias, he conferred the keys of this authority to lead Israel on Peter, Jesus and John for the dispensation of the meridian of time. On the third day of April, 1836, this same Moses came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple and conferred upon them "the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north." In this way the authority for the gathering was restored. (The Restoration of All Things, p. 142) TLDP:211
From the early days of Joseph Smith's ministry he taught the doctrine of the gathering as imposing a present duty upon the Church; and this phase of Latter-day Saint labor is one of its most characteristic features. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery affirm that the commission for prosecuting this work was committed to the Church through them by Moses, who held authority as Israel's leader in the dispensation known specifically as the Mosaic. AF:17
In the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836, Moses appeared and gave the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the keys of the gathering of Israel. (The Restoration of All Things, CR April 2006)
Related Witnesses:
Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days. (Joseph answers certain questions on the writings of Isaiah, March 1838) D&C 113:6
Why is it that you are here today? and what brought you here? Because the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four quarters of the earth have been committed to Joseph Smith, and he has conferred those keys upon others that the gathering of Israel may be accomplished, and in due time the same thing will be performed to the tribes in the land of the north. It is on this account, and through the unlocking of this principle, and through those means, that you are brought together as you are today. (At dedication of Logan Temple, May 1884; JD25:179) DGSM:66
231. The Lord will gather Israel from the four corners of the earth: He will gather up His scattered peoples from all lands and nations.
Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards
But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance.
8. And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance. (Jacob recites the words of the Lord to the people of Nephi, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 10:7-8
That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. (Moses foretells the gathering of Israel) Deuteronomy 30:3
It is evident that the plan of gathering comprises:
1. Assembling in the land of Zion of the people of Israel from the nations of the earth.
2. Return of the Jews to Jerusalem.
3. Restoration of the Lost Tribes.
The sequence of these events as here presented is that of convenience and has no significance as to the order in which the several gatherings are to be accomplished. AF:305
If all things are to be restored in the dispensation of the fulness of times, as Peter and Paul predicted, then there must come as part of that great restoration the gathering of Israel. It is well known that the prophets predicted the scattering of Israel into all parts of the earth, long before that dispersion commenced. This fact is one of the evidences of the divine origin of the prophecies in the Bible, since the scattering was literally fulfilled.
The promise of the return of Israel was just as emphatically proclaimed and must be fulfilled just as surely as the dispersion. (The Restoration of All Things, p. 138) TLDP:208
And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture. (Nephi explains the prophecies written on the plates of brass, 588-570 B.C.) 1 Nephi 22:25
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory. (The tenth of the thirteen Articles of Faith; letter to John Wentworth, March 1, 1842) Articles of Faith :10
And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, 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.
9. And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
10. And I would, my brethren, that ye should know that all the kindreds of the earth cannot be blessed unless he shall make bare his arm in the eyes of the nations.
11. Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations, in bringing about his covenants and his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel.
12. Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel. (Nephi explains the prophecies written on the plates of brass, 588-570 B.C.) 1 Nephi 22:8-12
Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
6. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; (The Lord speaks to Israel) Isaiah 43:5-6
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (Isaiah prophesies, 740-659 B.C.) Isaiah 11:11-12
For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
16. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. (In the last days the Lord will gather the lost sheep of Israel) Ezekiel 34:11-16
(First Presidency)
The Lord Jesus Christ . . . ere long, will set his feet again on Mount Olivet, and make himself manifest unto Israel, according to the predictions of the ancient prophets; for Israel must be gathered from all nations, and be again established in the land of their inheritance, and behold the wounds in the hands and side of Him whom they have pierced, and acknowledge Him as their Saviour, their Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. The gathering of Israel has already commenced; Jude a is receiving its ancient inhabitants, and the Holy City is re-building; which is one prominent sign of the near approach of the Messiah.
. . . . The unparalleled spread of the Gospel, in so short a space of time [twenty-one years at this writing], and the rapid gathering of the saints, is another token of Messiah's near approach. (First Presidency of the Church "Fifth General Epistle" to the Saints, April 7, 1851) MOFP2:63-64
I read that in the last days one of the conditions preceding the return of the Christ to earth shall be the gathering of the Jews at their ancient capital, and in the land round about; and that another sign shall be the gathering of the people who have been scattered among the nations. . . . CR1916Oct:76
The Lord has caused Israel to mix with the nations and bring the Gentiles within the blessings of the seed of Abraham. We are preaching the gospel now in all parts of the world, and for what purpose? To gather out from the Gentile nations the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It is by this scattering that the Gentile nations have been blessed, and if they will truly repent they are entitled to all the blessings promised to Israel, "which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal." (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:57) TLDP:210
Related Witnesses:
And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another. . . .
71. And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy. (Revelation received March 7, 1831) D&C 45:69,71
Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom; behold and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord.
11. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour.
12. Let them, therefore, who are among the Gentiles flee unto Zion.
13. And let them who be of Judah flee unto Jerusalem, unto the mountains of the Lord's house.
14. Go ye out from among the nations, even from Babylon, from the midst of wickedness, which is spiritual Babylon.
15. But verily, thus saith the Lord, let not your flight be in haste, but let all things be prepared before you; and he that goeth, let him not look back lest sudden destruction shall come upon him. (All are commanded to flee from Babylon, come to Zion, and prepare for the great day of the Lord) D&C 133:10-15
Jeremiah
For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. (He speaks of the last days) Jeremiah 30:3
O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3. And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. Psalms 107:1-3
232. The ten tribes will be gathered in from the "land of the north."
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
By and by the Jews will be gathered to the land of their fathers, and the ten tribes, who wandered into the north, will be gathered home. (In Tabernacle, April 14, 1867; general instructions to missionaries, JD12:38) DBY:121
Why is it that you are here today? and what brought you here? Because the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four quarters of the earth have been committed to Joseph Smith, and he has conferred those keys upon others that the gathering of Israel may be accomplished, and in due time the same thing will be performed to the tribes in the land of the north. (At dedication of Logan Temple, May 1884, JD25:179) DGSM:66
After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north. (Visions manifested to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple, April 3, 1836) D&C 110:11
And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord; and their prophets shall hear his voice, and shall no longer stay themselves; and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence.
27. And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep. . . . (At the Second Coming the lost tribes of Israel shall return) D&C 133:26-27
In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. (Revelation to Jeremiah, about 628 B.C.) Jeremiah 3:18
And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old; and the inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who were scattered and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God made with their father, Abraham. (Moroni's abridgement of the writings of Ether, who wrote, about 550 B.C.) Ether 13:11
Related Witnesses:
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory. (The tenth of the thirteen Articles of Faith; letter to John Wentworth, March 1, 1842) Articles of Faith :10
quoted by Mormon
And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister.
2. For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them.
3. But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them. (Jesus will visit others of the lost sheep of Israel) 3 Nephi 16:1-3
quoted by Mormon
But now I go unto the Father, and also to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them. (After Jesus tells the people to ponder his words, he tells them he will visit the lost tribes of Israel) 3 Nephi 17:4
And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.
14. And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever. (The Lord will remember the seed of Abraham forever) 2 Nephi 29:13-14
233. In the last days many Jews will return to Jerusalem still not believing in Jesus Christ.
The Jews have got to gather to their own land in unbelief. They will go and rebuild Jerusalem and their temple. They will take their gold and silver from the nations and will gather to the Holy Land, and when they have done this and rebuilt their city, the Gentiles . . . will go up against Jerusalem to battle and to take a spoil and a prey; and then when they have taken one-half of Jerusalem captive and distressed the Jews for the last time on the earth, their Great Deliverer, Shiloh, will come. They do not believe in Jesus of Nazareth now, nor ever will until he comes and sets his foot on Mount Olivet and it cleaves in twain, one part going towards the East and the other towards the West. Then, when they behold the wounds in his hands and in his feet, they will say, "Where did you get them?" and he will reply "I am Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, your Shiloh, him whom you crucified." Then, for the first time will the eyes of Judah be opened. They will remain in unbelief until that day. This is one of the events that will transpire in the latter day. (In 13th Ward, Jan. 12, 1873, JD15:277-78) TLDP:349
We are drawing near the great day for the appearing of our Lord in the clouds of glory to take his place as King of kings. Before that day can come, there must be a restoration of a remnant of Jews to Palestine, and a remnant of Israel to Zion. Israel has been gathering to Zion for one hundred years and more. The Jews are only commencing to gather. They will return to Jerusalem only partially believing in Jesus Christ, but not accepting him as their Redeemer. (The Restoration of All Things, p. 154) TLDP:208
Related Witnesses:
I read that in the last days one of the conditions preceding the return of the Christ to earth shall be the gathering of the Jews at their ancient capital, and in the land round about; and that another sign shall be the gathering of the people who have been scattered among the nations. . . . CR1916Oct:76
[Another item of the signs of the final preparatory work] is God's promise that he would gather Jews to Jerusalem, and I think perhaps we may well now not [italics added] continue saying the Jews are going to gather in Jerusalem. I think now we may well say they have gathered. The ultimate returns will come later as they develop this land and are joined by others.
In a writing issued recently this statement was made: "About two million Jews have returned to restore land which has lain desolate for centuries. In little more than ten years fetid swamps have been transformed into fertile valleys. Orchards now blossom on stony hillsides. Farms have sprouted the desert, and towns and cities have been built on the site of ancient settlements." (Know the World: Israel, "Around the World Program," by Peggy Mann)
It goes on to explain . . . that this movement started about 1880 when pogroms against the Jews drove them from Europe, and they began to trickle into Palestine. . . .
In 1948, with a population of 600,000, the Declaration of Independence was issued, and the State of Israel was established. An army of 35,000 Jews was opposed by an army of nearly 80,000 Arabs. In about nine months peace was declared, and they set up their government. They planted more than 53 million trees. Martyr's Forest has six million trees, one for each Jewish life lost in Nazi Europe.
This statement by a writer is very interesting:
"Strangely enough when the State of Israel was reborn in 1948, it was a nation of 600,000, the same number which the Bible reports that Moses led out of bondage in Egypt. It now numbers some two million, the same number which it is said populated the ancient Kingdom of Solomon, when Israel was in all its glory. (Idem)"
That is why we may now say that the Jews have returned to Palestine. On a land one-tenth the size of Utah they have nearly a half million more people than we have in our whole Church. [In 1960] They have about 258 people for each square mile in Palestine, which is a dense population. We have about ten a square mile in Utah. [In 1960] CR1960Apr:101
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
When the Savior visits Jerusalem, and the Jews look upon him, and see the wounds in his hands and in his side and in his feet, they will then know that they have persecuted and put to death the true Messiah, and then they will acknowledge him, but not till then. [Italics added] They have confounded his first and second coming, expecting his first coming to be as a mighty prince instead of as a servant. They will go back by and by to Jerusalem and own their Lord and Master. We have no feelings against them. (In Tabernacle, Dec. 23, 1866, JD11:279) DBY:122
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
Jerusalem is not to be redeemed by the soft, still voice of the preacher of the Gospel of peace. Why? Because they were once the blessed of the Lord, the chosen of the Lord, the promised seed. They were the people from among whom should spring the Messiah; and salvation could be found only through that people. The Messiah came through them, and they killed him; and they will be the last of all the seed of Abraham to have the privilege of receiving the New and Everlasting Covenant. You may hand out to them gold, you may feed and clothe them, but it is impossible to convert the Jews, until the Lord God Almighty does it. (In Tabernacle, Dec. 3, 1854, JD2:142) DBY:121
receiving the Word of the Lord
And this I have told you concerning Jerusalem; and when that day shall come, shall a remnant be scattered among all nations;
25. But they shall be gathered again; but they shall remain until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Revelation received March 7, 1831; signs and wonders to attend the Second Coming) D&C 45:24-25
234. Only when the Jews believe in Christ will the Lord fully and finally gather them to Jerusalem.
quoted by Nephi
But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance.
8. And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance. (Jacob recites the words of the Lord to the people of Nephi, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 10:7-8
It is evident from these and many other scriptures that the time of the full recovery or redemption of the Jews is to be determined by their acceptance of Christ as their Lord. When that time comes, they are to be gathered to the land of their fathers; and in the work of gathering, the Gentiles are destined to take a great and honorable part, as witness the further words of Nephi: "But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance. And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God, carrying them forth to the land of their inheritance. Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hath spoken it, and who can dispute?" AF:303
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
When the Savior visits Jerusalem, and the Jews look upon him, and see the wounds in his hands and in his side and in his feet, they will then know that they have persecuted and put to death the true Messiah, and then they will acknowledge him, but not till then. They have confounded his first and second coming, expecting his first coming to be as a mighty prince instead of as a servant. They will go back by and by to Jerusalem and own their Lord and Master. (In Tabernacle, Dec. 23, 1866, JD11:279) DBY:122
Related Witnesses:
quoted by Nephi, son of Lehi
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (Nephi records the words of Isaiah from the brass plates, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 21:12
Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel. (Nephi expounds on the prophecies regarding the scattering and gathering of Israel written on the plates of brass, 588-570 B.C.) 1 Nephi 22:12
Now I call your attention to the facts, set forth in these scriptures, that the gathering of Israel consists of joining the true Church, of coming to a knowledge of the true God and of his saving truths, and of worshiping him in the congregations of the Saints in all nations and among all peoples. ACR(Mexico City)1972:45
235. The object of gathering the people of God in any age is for their salvation, that they might obtain the ordinances administered in holy temples.
George Albert Smith (1817-1875)
What was the object of gathering the Jews, or the people of God in any age of the world?. . .
The main object was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation; for there are certain ordinances and principles that, when they are taught and practiced, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose.
It was the design of the councils of heaven before the world was, that the principles and laws of the priesthood should be predicated upon the gathering of the people in every age of the world. Jesus did everything to gather the people, and they would not be gathered, and He therefore poured out curses upon them. Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed. All must be saved on the same principles.
It is for the same purpose that God gathers together His people in the last days, to build unto the Lord a house to prepare them for the ordinances and endowments, washings and anointings, etc. . . .
Why gather the people together in this place? For the same purpose that Jesus wanted to gather the Jews—to receive the ordinances, the blessings, and glories that God has in store for His Saints. (At the Stand in Nauvoo, Ill., June 11, 1843) HC5:423-424,427
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
We have been gathered to the valleys of these mountains for the express purpose of purifying ourselves, that we may become polished stones in the temple of God. We are here for the purpose of establishing the Kingdom of God on the earth. To be prepared for this work it has been necessary to gather us out from the nations and countries of the world, for if we had remained in those lands we could not have received the ordinances of the holy Priesthood of the Son of God, which are necessary for the perfection of the Saints preparatory to his coming. (In old Tabernacle, Feb. 16, 1868, JD12:161) DBY:121
What is the gathering for? Why was it that the Savior wished the children of Israel to gather together? It was that they might become united and provide a place wherein he could reveal unto them keys which have been hid from before the foundation of the world; that he could unfold unto them the laws of exaltation, and make them a kingdom of Priests, even the whole people, and exalt them to thrones and dominions in the celestial world. (In Tabernacle, March 18, 1855, JD2:214) TLDP:209
Related Witnesses:
When the day comes that the Gentile nations shall close their doors, and their time is ended so far as preaching the gospel is concerned, then cometh the day when the promise of the Lord made to the house of Israel—all branches of the house shall be remembered—and he shall fulfill his promises. I declare unto you that the day of the dawning of the redemption of all branches of the house of Israel is at hand. The Lord has brought the Latter-day Saints up into these mountains to put them in training to prepare them to perform a great service, even as he took Joseph away from his brethren, and separated him from them and took him into the land of Egypt to make him a Savior for all of the house of Israel. In a like manner he has separated and brought out from the nations of the world Joseph's descendants to make them in the last days a Savior to all the branches of the house of Israel. (Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin J. Ballard, p. 145) TLDP:209
Now, the gathering of Israel consists of joining the true church and their coming to a knowledge of the true God. . . . Any person, therefore, who has accepted the restored gospel, and who now seeks to worship the Lord in his own tongue and with the Saints in the nations where he lives, has complied with the law of the gathering of Israel and is heir to all of the blessings promised the Saints in these last days. (Honolulu Area Conference, June 1978) (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 439) TLDP:212
The Lord has caused Israel to mix with the nations and bring the Gentiles within the blessings of the seed of Abraham. We are preaching the gospel now in all parts of the world, and for what purpose? To gather out from the Gentile nations the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It is by this scattering that the Gentile nations have been blessed, and if they will truly repent they are entitled to all the blessings promised to Israel, "which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal." (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:57) TLDP:210
An Angel from on High, 5th verse
HYMNS:13
Lo Israel filled with joy
Shall now be gathered home,
Their wealth and means employ
To build Jerusalem,
While Zion shall arise and shine
And fill the earth with truth divine,
While Zion shall arise and shine
And fill the earth with truth divine.
Come, O Thou King of Kings
HYMNS:59
Come, O thou King of Kings
We've waited long for thee,
With healing in thy wings
To set thy people free.
Come, thou desire of nations, come;
Let Israel now be gathered home.
Come, make an end to sin
And cleanse the earth by fire,
And righteousness bring in,
That Saints may tune the lyre
With songs of joy, a happier strain,
To welcome in thy peaceful reign.
Hosannas now shall sound
From all the ransomed throng,
And glory echo round
A new triumphal song;
The wide expanse of heaven fill
With anthems sweet from Zion's hill.
Hail Prince of life and peace
Thrice welcome to thy throne
While all the chosen race
Their Lord and Savior own,
The heathen nations bow the knee,
And ev'ry tongue sounds praise to thee.
The Morning Breaks, verses 3,4)
HYMNS:1
The Gentile fulness now comes in,
And Israel's blessings are at hand.
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Shall in their promised Canaan stand.
Jehovah speaks Let earth give ear,
And Gentile nations turn and live.
His mighty arm is making bare,
His mighty arm is making bare
His cov'nant people to receive.
Go, Ye Messengers of Heaven
HYMNS:327
Go, ye messengers of heaven,
Chosen by divine command;
Go and publish free salvation
To a dark, benighted land.
Go to island, vale, and mountain;
There fulfill the great command;
Gather out the sons of Jacob
To possess the promised land.
When your thousands all are gathered,
And their prayers for you ascend,
And the Lord has crowned with blessings
All the labors of your hand,
Then the song of joy and transport
Will from ev'ry land resound;
Then the nations long in darkness
By the Savior will be crowned.
