3 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.
We learn in the Doctrine and Covenants that all things are
spiritual to the Lord, and He has never given a law that was temporal (see
D&C 29:34). This could easily carry over to prophecies as well as laws. In
verse two Nephi says that if nothing else, because the Spirit gave these
prophecies they are spiritual. Then he goes on to say that these prophecies of
Isaiah are both temporal and spiritual. He’s telling his brethren that this
scattering of Israel will be an actual, physical scattering. I wonder if it’s
beginning to hit them that even if they had not left Jerusalem it wouldn’t be
too long before they lost their inheritances. I wonder if it was finally
getting through to them that they were better off in this new, Promised Land,
instead of back in Jerusalem where they would have lost everything. Is that why
they asked whether this was a spiritual or temporal scattering? It’s
interesting that although Laman and Lemuel still have a problem with Nephi,
there is no more record of them complaining about leaving Jerusalem. Now they
complain about things to do with jealousy, directed at Nephi (see 2 Nephi 5:
3). So I wonder if it is finally sinking in that they are better off.
For Nephi’s part, I think this scattering of Israel had a
profound effect on him because he was keenly aware that his family was
literally a part of that scattering. They were being scattered, and he
recognized that fact. He and his brother, Jacob, revisit this topic later in 2
Nephi. Clearly there is some connection between the scattering and gathering of
Israel, and the Atonement of Christ. I think he possibly sees the scattering
and gathering of Israel as a type for the fall of man through Adam’s
transgression, and the Atonement through Christ’s sacrifice. Scattering = Fall;
Gathering = Atonement. That would definitely account for these prophecies being
both spiritual and temporal.
- 1 Nephi 10: 12 (12–14)
- 2 Nephi 25: 15 (14–16)
- D&C 29: 34 (31–34)
