“As a Young Lion among the Flocks of Sheep”

Stephen Fleming

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At times like these, I thinks it’s valuable to review one of the Book of Mormon’s most repeated prophecies.

Quick review: Gentiles=white people. Remanent of Jacob=Natives. If Gentiles repent, they can join with the remnant.

3 Nephi 16:

8 But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles—for notwithstanding they have come forth upon the face of this land, and have scattered my people who are of the house of Israel; and my people who are of the house of Israel have been cast out from among them, and have been trodden under feet by them …

10 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 …

13 But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.

14 And I will not suffer my people, who are of the house of Israel, to go through among them, and tread them down, saith the Father.

15 But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down …

3 Nephi 20:

Jesus talking to the Nephites and Lamanites

14  And the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you this land, for your inheritance.

15 And I say unto you, that if the Gentiles do not repent after the blessing which they shall receive, after they have scattered my people—

16 Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

Then continues quoting Micah 5

3 Nephi 21

21 And I will execute vengeance and fury upon them [the Gentiles], even as upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

22 But if they will repent and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance;

23 And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem.

DC 87:

Sometime after the Civil War

5 And it shall come to pass also that the remnants who are left of the land will marshal themselves, and shall become exceedingly angry, and shall vex the Gentiles with a sore vexation.

Quiz: whose land is this according to the Book of Mormon?

Comments

6 responses to ““As a Young Lion among the Flocks of Sheep””

  1. enterprisecaptain

    ??

  2. enterprisecaptain

    My earlier comment got mangled to the point of showing up the opposite of my intention. The intended comment is:

    !!

  3. Jack

    This land is promised to the seed of Lehi. And as one who believes that Sorenson’s model is the best fit for the Book of Mormon’s geography I’m of the opinion that Lehi’s descendants spring from southern Mexico and Guatemala–and thereabouts. And that means that most of the folks who are crossing the southern border could very well be the remnant that the Lord speaks of–and that we would do well to carry them on our shoulders as the–scriptures require–rather than be faced with the wrath of a “young lion” so to speak.

    In saying all of that, I’m not suggesting that our immigration policies should allow all comers. I’d like to see a system that is both soft and organized. In being generous we need not admit hardened criminals–and the U.S.’s immigration policies are really quite generous comparatively speaking.

    Even so, I’m of the opinion that we should make it as easy as possible for Mexican citizens to immigrate–especially if their primary purpose for coming here is to find work. They are our neighbors–and that fact alone IMO should grant them access to a “fast track” of sorts.

    Re: Trumps campaign promises: I’m all for rooting out hardened criminals–but I’d like to see a change in the current system that will allow good illegal aliens to remain in the U.S. while they get their papers in order–especially!–if they have a family here.

  4. Jack

    Also, I wanted to say that I believe the Post-Civil War American Indian War fulfills Joseph Smith’s prophecy about the remnant becoming exceedingly angry and vexing the gentiles. Of course I could be wrong–and perhaps we’ll see and even great “vexing” in the future. Time will tell.

  5. RL

    Thanks for these, in my reading of the BOM this past year I too came away impressed that the White American is not the main character in the Restoration. We are nursemaids or a part of the Olive “vineyard.”

  6. Stephen Fleming

    Glad you got to express yourself, enterprise!

    Good points, Jack. It does strike me as wise to be a whole lot nicer than Trump and Miller are being to immigrants if we take the Book of Mormon seriously. I see DC 87:5 linked to these BoM passages and the lines about “go[ing] forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many” sounds more like our current situation that late 19th century US. The description of what the remnant of Jacob will do sound more substantial that the minor fight the Natives put up after the Civil War.

    Thanks, RL. Sounds to me like the Gentiles could improve on being nursing fathers.

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