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.
Verses 10, 11, and 12 really go together to show why the Lord
is doing what he’s doing. And actually, as I look at it, this statement really
begins in verse nine, where Nephi tells us that through the Abrahamic Covenant,
“all the kindreds of the earth [shall] be blessed.” Verse ten says that cannot
happen unless the Lord “shall make bare his arm in the eyes of all the
nations.” Verse 11 tells us that in order to make bare his arm he needs to
fulfill his covenant with the house of Israel. Verse 12 tells us that the
gathering of Israel is evidence of the lord making bare his arm, or fulfilling
His covenant to bless all the kindreds of the earth through Abraham’s seed.
Then when you go back to verses seven and eight of this chapter, we learn the
important role played by the gentiles in the Lord’s effort to keep the
covenant. D&C 35: 25 makes it clear that this gathering will be led by
those holding the priesthood keys, which is where the Restoration enters. The
keys of the priesthood had been removed from the earth, so they had to be
restored in order to ultimately bless all the kindreds of the earth. In
essence, the covenant made between God and Abraham has shaped world history
significantly. That thought drives home the notion that one man can really make
a difference in the world. Abraham’s righteousness in keeping his side of the
covenant has been significant. What role do I play in this covenant?
- Psalm 80: 19 (17–19)
- 1 Nephi 19: 15
- D&C 35: 25
