When Jesus Christ came to the American continent, He told the house of Israel many things that the Father commanded Him to say. A verse that is of particular importance to us, the Gentiles, is found in 3 Nephi 16:10. It reads,
“And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.”
This verse is a prophecy given to the house of Israel from the Father through the Son. It is packed with information of the last days, our day. We need to break this verse down to understand its implications fully and be able to make sure we don’t fall into the pitfalls it mentions.
First, “thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you…” Jesus Christ shares all things the Father commands Him to share. Do we do that? This is an important topic. One I’ve considered much and wondered if I fully understand and apply properly.
When the Father Commands, Do It!
There are examples in the scriptures over and over again of men and women sharing with the people the words given to them from Father, Jesus Christ or from heavenly messengers. Starting in the very beginning of the Book of Mormon, Lehi shared those things communicated unto Him from the Lord (1 Nephi 1:18, 2:1). Because of this the Jews sought to kill him (1 Nephi 1:20). Nephi repeatedly shares the words that the angel of the Lord spake unto him when he was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord (1 Nephi 11-14). King Benjamin shared the words given him from an angel (Mosiah 3:1-4). Abish urged her people to believe in the power of God because of a vision communicated to her father from the Lord (Alma 19:16-17). And the ultimate example was Jesus Christ. Because He lived like His Father (John 5:19) and spoke the truths the Father gave Him, the Jews killed Him (John 3:19-21).
I could share many more examples in scripture of people being given the words to share or actions to take directly from Father, Jesus Christ or heavenly messengers. There is no other authority needed then a direct command from the divine. Here, in 3 Nephi 16:10, Jesus shares with us that Father commanded Him to say these things unto the people, and so He did.
To package this principle of light into a simple phrase we might say, “when the Lord commands, do it.” We need no other authority than God telling us to do something. The scriptures are full of records of great men and women who acted according to the word of the Lord communicated to them, no matter the consequences.
Gentiles
The second phrase is, “At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel,...” This is packed with important words and prophecies. We first need to look at who He is referring to as Gentiles before we can make sense of the rest of this phrase and verse.
In the Bible Dictionary we are given a lot of insight about who the Gentiles are. Reading through the index in the back of the Book of Mormon under “Gentile,” and going to the verses cited in the index brings a lot of light as to whom the Book of Mormon is referring to when it uses the word, “Gentile.”
The Bible Dictionary says this, “The word Gentiles means “the nations” and eventually came to be used to mean all those not of the house of Israel. It is first used in Genesis with reference to the descendants of Japheth (Gen. 10:2–5). As used throughout the scriptures it has a dual meaning, sometimes to designate peoples of non-Israelite lineage and other times to designate nations that are without the gospel, even though there may be some Israelite blood therein. This latter usage is especially characteristic of the word as used in the Book of Mormon.”
To add emphasis to the latter usage addressed in the Bible Dictionary, we can look at Joseph Smith. It was said that he was a pure Ephraimite and yet the Book of Mormon clearly states that the Book of Mormon will come forth through the Gentiles (“Of the House of Israel,” Ludlow, Ensign, January 1991).
The title page of the Book of Mormon, written by Moroni, helps us understand who the Gentiles are according to the Book of Mormon. It relates that the Book of Mormon was written as a record of the Lamanites and Nephites and that it was, “...Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile...hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile...And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations” (Title page to the Book of Mormon). This confirms that “Gentile” is referring to “non” Jew and that Joseph Smith Jr. would be of “Gentile” blood. Joseph was an Ephraimite, of the house of Israel, but also a “Gentile,” because he was not considered a Jew. This can be confusing but as one reads the Book of Mormon with this understanding, the prophecies and declarations become very valuable to us, the Gentiles.
America is full of the blood of “many nations.” This promised land was settled by “the nations” of the world. Ephraim was to receive the gospel and be charged with the duty to take the gospel to all the world. In the “Guide to the Scriptures,” it states, “Ephraim was given the birthright in Israel (1 Chr. 5:1–2; Jer. 31:9). In the last days their privilege and responsibility is to bear the priesthood, take the message of the restored gospel to the world, and raise an ensign to gather scattered Israel (Isa. 11:12–13; 2 Ne. 21:12–13). The children of Ephraim will crown with glory those from the north countries who return in the last days (D&C 133:26–34).” (See https://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/ephraim/the-stick-of-ephraim-or-joseph).
One more evidence from the dedication of the Kirtland temple in Doctrine and Covenants 109, the dedication prayer given by revelation to Joseph Smith Jr. He said, “Now these words, O Lord, we have spoken before thee, concerning the revelations and commandments which thou hast given unto us, who are identified with the Gentiles“ (Doctrine and Covenants 109:60).
At That Day
Now that we’ve established who the Gentiles are, let’s look at the phrase, “at that day.” This phrase is used so often in scripture that I won’t take the time to spell out every instance it is used, but rather I will mention that it is used often to point to an end-time scenario in the history of the earth leading up to the second coming of the Lord. In my understanding, the Lord uses this phrase in this verse to add emphasis to the timing of when the Gentiles will reject the fulness of the gospel. He says, “At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel” (3 Nephi 16:10). We, the the gentiles, in the last days have taken the gospel to many nations, yet the gospel has been rejected in large measure. Not only have the nations of the world rejected the gospel but we, the Gentiles-the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have also rejected much of His gospel. This will develop later through the Book of Mormon and latter-day revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants.
In 3 Nephi 16:4-15, the pattern is the gospel will come forth through the believing Gentiles to the unbelieving house of Israel. Then the gospel will be rejected by the Gentiles and be given back to the house of Israel, the Nephites and Lamanites in this covenant land. There is a caveat for any of the remnant of the Gentiles that do repent and return unto Him. If they do, they can be numbered among His people of the house of Israel (3 Nephi 16:13).
This same pattern happened in the old world but in reverse. The gospel was given to the Jews and then to the Gentiles (Romans 1:16). Jesus took His gospel to the Jews but then He was rejected by them and then caused the gospel to be taken to the Gentiles. Remember Peter being commanded to now take the gospel to Cornelius (Acts 10). The door was opened to any that received the Holy Ghost, to covenant with God and be baptized and come into the fold of God.
All through history this pattern is fixed. There is a believing group. They are given the gospel. They become hardened and fall into unbelief. The gospel is then taken from among them and given to another. This happened with the Jews before the time of Christ too. Lehi lived in 600 BC. The Jews had had the gospel and left Egypt with Moses. They came to the promised land in Israel and were blessed with the covenant blessings of the Fathers; land, posterity, prosperity, and the priesthood (an Aaronic Priesthood level) but by the time Lehi came on the scene, they had apostatized from the true gospel. Thus, there were many prophets in the land prophesying and telling the people to repent or Jerusalem would be destroyed (1 Nephi 1:4). Lehi’s remnant believed and were brought out from among the unbelieving Jews and sent to America. They were of the house of Israel. This same house of Israel that is the audience Jesus is speaking to in 3 Nephi 16. Jesus is telling them they will be unbelieving and in a state of apostasy and then the believing Gentiles will bring the gospel to them. But, they will repent and the Gentiles will fall away and depart from the truth.
It’s really remarkable. It’s the pride cycle spoken of over and over again in the Book of Mormon. It happens at a macro level for nations or groups of people and at a micro level for families and individuals. The bottom line is to be believing, repent and come unto Christ and be perfected in Him.
So, are we in “that day.” Are we, the Gentiles, falling into a state of unbelief and apostasy, rejecting the fulness of His gospel? This brings us to the phrase, “...when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel…” To know if we have, we must dissect the gospel. What is His gospel?
The Gospel
When Jesus visited the house of Israel in America, this is what He said His gospel was,
“Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you--that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me...that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world...And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end...Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day. Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day” (3 Nephi 27:13-22).
“And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us--
That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;
That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him;
Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:40-43).
So, the gospel is this process of sanctification that cometh through the atonement of Jesus Christ and the reception of the Holy Ghost. As we exercise faith in Jesus Christ and His power to cleanse us, we repent, we change. We are baptized and lay down our old life in the grave and arise a new creature unto Christ. Then we receive the Holy Ghost. As we receive the Holy Ghost we are sanctified and purged from darkness. Jesus pays the debt and releases us from the demands of justice and then the reception of the Holy Ghost purges the darkness out of us. As we enter into this process over and over again of coming unto him, we have our weakness revealed to us (Ether 12:27). We exercise faith in Christ again and repent and recommit to live the new life again in Christ that we just discovered by coming unto Him again. This formally happens at the sacrament when we are cleansed as we’ve given up more sins to know Him (Alma 22:18). We see more and more darkness as we continually come unto Him. At that point we choose if we will deny Him or come unto Him and enter the work of changing or repenting. We either hate the light and turn away from Christ, or we love the light, come to the light and change and become one with the Light and Truth of the world (John 3:19-21).
This is the gospel! It is simple to understand but difficult to truly love light and truth to the point that we give up everything of this world for it. In other words, we love Jesus and His goodness more than we love all the worldly lusts of the flesh and the pride of this telestial world. We give all our sins to know Him and give up every relationship necessary to do His will (see Alma 22:15, 18; Luke 14:26-27).
The Doctrine of Christ
Eventually this path is literally what He says it is, a path of coming unto Him. In a great discourse by Nephi he discloses beautifully what the doctrine of Christ truly is. I believe the doctrine of Christ and His gospel are basically synonymous or at least the end of each has the same purpose, to enter into the rest of the Lord. He gives more details about this process we just discussed.
He talks about entering the gate of baptism and the way, receiving the Holy Ghost, hearing the voice of the Son and then the voice of the Father. These words are a feast unto us and tell us all things we should do and as we receive all His words then we receive the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost shows us all things we should do (2 Nephi 32:3-5; 2 Nephi 31-32). Then we come to this concluding statement before Nephi says the Spirit stoppeth his utterance (2 Nephi 32:7). He says, “Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do” (2 Nephi 32:6). For most of my life I read through that verse without giving it much thought. It has now become a pearl to me. That is powerful and that is the true doctrine of Christ!
The Fulness of His Gospel
In Doctrine and Covenants we learn more about the fulness of His gospel and where to find it. It reads, “And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fulness of my gospel, which I have sent forth unto this generation...And I have sent forth the fulness of my gospel by the hand of my servant Joseph; and in weakness have I blessed him;” (Doctrine and Covenants 35:12, 17). “And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:12). So, the Bible and the Book of Mormon contain the fulness of the gospel. A few verses later reveals, “And all this ye shall observe to do as I have commanded concerning your teaching, until the fulness of my scriptures is given” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:15).
This is interesting. We are told the fulness of His gospel is found in the Bible and the Book of Mormon but then we are told that in the future the fulness of His scriptures will be given. This can cause some confusion. We keep reading, “Thou shalt ask, and my scriptures shall be given as I have appointed, and they shall be preserved in safety; And it is expedient that thou shouldst hold thy peace concerning them, and not teach them until ye have received them in full [again, a future event]. And I give unto you a commandment that then ye shall teach them unto all men; for they shall be taught unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people. Thou shalt take the things which thou hast received, which have been given unto thee in my scriptures for a law, to be my law to govern my church; And he that doeth according to these things shall be saved, and he that doeth them not shall be damned if he so continue. If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things--that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:56-61). So, in a future date these saints would have the fulness of the scriptures. Then in verse 61 we learn that we should keep seeking revelation upon revelation and we would receive that which bringeth joy and life eternal.
This section 42 was given in February 9 and 23 of 1831. Later on March 7, 1831, in section 45 of the Doctrine and Covenants, we learn more of what the Lord is saying when He says the fulness of scripture will come in a future time. In Doctrine and Covenants 45:60-61, the Lord has just referred to the parable of the 10 virgins and then He says, “And now, behold, I say unto you, it shall not be given unto you to know any further concerning this chapter, until the New Testament be translated, and in it all these things shall be made known; Wherefore I give unto you that ye may now translate it, that ye may be prepared for the things to come.” This whole section has been about the signs and wonders preceding His second coming. So, in order to help us prepare further, He tells us that Joseph is to translate the New Testament. This translation is called the Joseph Smith Translation. To learn more about this translation you can hear about it here in this article by Bruce R. McConkie, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/bruce-r-mcconkie_joseph-smith-translation-doctrinal-restoration/. Some in the church today don’t even know there is a Joseph Smith Translation. This is not by accident. The adversary doesn’t want us to have a fulness of scripture.
Times of the Gentiles
Let’s look at the prophecy of the Lord again, “At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel…”. Now compare that to a few words later in the verse, “...and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel…” (3 Nephi 16:10).
“When” implies the Gentiles shall sin against His gospel and shall reject the fulness of His gospel. In other words, we shall not desire to come unto Christ and do the will of Father and we shall not know or live according the fulness of the gospel found in the Joseph Smith translation of the Bible nor in the Book of Mormon. And since many reject these things then they definitely would not ask to, “receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things--that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:56-61).
Now look at “if”. “If” implies that the Gentiles might reject the gospel and might reject the fulness. So, which is it? Is the prophecy that the Gentiles “will” or “if”. The pattern that we discussed gives us some clues. We discussed above that a group is given the gospel, they live it for a time and then reject it and it is given to another group. There is a remnant of the original group that continues to believe and live the gospel. As we discussed, the Jews were given the gospel and then as a whole group rejected it. Remnants were led away from the whole. Lehi was led out from among the Jews in Jerusalem and so were the Mulekites. Mulek was the son of King Zedekiah of Judah. The gospel was taken from them and given to the Gentiles. The time of the Jews having a fulness came to an end but a remnant retained the gospel.
It appears that our Lord is saying the same thing of the Gentiles, that they will receive the fulness of the gospel and then a majority will reject it. In Doctrine and Covenants and the Book of Mormon Jesus reveals, “And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel; But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men. And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:28-30). “Behold, because of their belief in me, saith the Father, and because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the latter day shall the truth come unto the Gentiles, that the fulness of these things shall be made known unto them. But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles...At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel” (3 Nephi 16:7-8,10). Two witnesses from the Lord that the Gentiles will receive and then reject His gospel.
The JST of Luke 21 gives us more understanding about the times of Gentiles. Jesus is speaking and He mentions this pattern of the gospel going to the house of Israel, in this case to the Jews, and then upon their rejection of the gospel, the gospel going to the Gentiles until they reject it. Here is what is said,
“And they [the Jews] 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. Now these things he spake unto them, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. And then his disciples asked him, saying, Master, tell us concerning thy coming? And he answered them, and said, In the generation in which the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled, there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars…[many of the signs of the second coming are listed] So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, this generation, the generation when the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, shall not pass away till all be fulfilled...Let my disciples therefore take heed to themselves, lest at any time their hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come upon them unawares” (JST Luke 21:23-34).
We have seen the great solar eclipse of the summer of 2017. Another eclipse will occur in 2024. The paths of both of these eclipses will make an “X” over the center place of Zion in Jackson County Missouri, over the center of the Gentile nation of the United States of America. The blood moons have recently made their great tetrad on the 4 great feast days of Passover, feast of tabernacles, Passover and feast of tabernacles, two years in a row, 2014-2015, on those days of significance to the Jews (see https://images.app.goo.gl/EMqqhyhvnwarjwEYA). The times of the Gentiles is coming to pass at the same time the Lord said it would. The Lord is warning the Jews and the Gentiles that now is the time to repent and come unto Him.
So, have we as Gentiles accepted the fulness of the gospel and the doctrine of Christ? Do we really believe the doctrine of Christ? Do I exercise faith unto repentance and unto Christ?
There is much we could discuss. Let’s consider a few verses and words of the prophets.
In Doctrine and Covenants 84 we read,
“And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—
Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—
That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:54-58).
President Ezra Taft Benson said this,
“In 1829, the Lord warned the Saints that they are not to trifle with sacred things (see D&C 6:12). Surely the Book of Mormon is a sacred thing, and yet many trifle with it, or in other words, take it lightly, treat it as though it is of little importance.
In 1832, as some early missionaries returned from their fields of labor, the Lord reproved them for treating the Book of Mormon lightly. As a result of that attitude, he said, their minds had been darkened. Not only had treating this sacred book lightly brought a loss of light to themselves, it had also brought the whole Church under condemnation, even all the children of Zion. And then the Lord said, “And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon” (D&C 84:54–57).
Has the fact that we have had the Book of Mormon with us for over a century and a half made it seem less significant to us today? Do we remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon? In the Bible we have the Old Testament and the New Testament. The word testament is the English rendering of a Greek word that can also be translated as covenant. Is this what the Lord meant when He called the Book of Mormon the “new covenant”? It is indeed another testament or witness of Jesus. This is one of the reasons why we have recently added the words “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” to the title of the Book of Mormon.
If the early Saints were rebuked for treating the Book of Mormon lightly, are we under any less condemnation if we do the same? The Lord Himself bears testimony that it is of eternal significance. Can a small number of us bring the whole Church under condemnation because we trifle with sacred things? What will we say at the Judgment when we stand before Him and meet His probing gaze if we are among those described as forgetting the new covenant?” (The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion, General Conference October 1986).
Now consider all the invitations the Presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have made to read the Book of Mormon. I can remember invitations from Presidents Benson, Hinckley, Monson, and Nelson to read the Book of Mormon. Surely the Lord isn’t satisfied that we have received this great witness of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and the pearls of truth that it teaches and the prophecies that are contained therein. Our minds are darkened until we embrace this witness.
Pondering upon this condemnation, let us consider a few more verses in 2 Nephi 28 of the Book of Mormon:
I went to cut and paste the most meaningful verses of that great chapter and I couldn’t do it. We have to read that full chapter and read it prayerfully and the Lord sheds tremendous light upon the humble soul as they do so.
Now consider Moroni’s warning and exhortation in Mormon chapters 8-9. So powerful! Mormon 8:23 is where Moroni invites us to search the words of Isaiah, just as the Savior did (3 Nephi 23:1-5). All these verses shared above and then studied and pondered diligently with 2 Nephi 28, Mormon 8-9 and Isaiah and all the prophets, create a beautiful tapestry to understand the Lord’s warning and invitation in 3 Nephi 16:10.
The Spirit will lead us along as we prayerfully consider these powerful verses preserved for us through the ages. By the power of the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of all things (Moroni 10:5).
Here are some additional scriptures that may be helpful to consider:
Doctrine and Covenants 18:3-5
Doctrine and Covenants 35:12, 17, 23
Doctrine and Covenants 45:57
***Doctrine and Covenants 109:60
JST Matthew 24:39; JS Matthew 1:37
JST Luke 11:53
1 Nephi 15;13-18
3 Nephi 26:8-11
2 Nephi 26-28
3 Nephi 20-23
In 3 Nephi 21, notice the shift of the gospel coming forth from the Gentiles unto the House of Israel and then from the House of Israel unto the Gentiles. The servant is involved as the gospel goes from the House of Israel unto the Gentiles.
Mormon 8-9
