Through the writings of the prophet Nephi (in about 559-545 B.C.), the Lord addresses those who would fight against the additional scripture He would bring forth in the last days. He addresses the Gentiles hardened view of what He would or wouldn’t do in terms of additional scripture and contrasts their sense of possession towards the Bible against their lack of appreciation towards, and general mistreatment of, the Jewish people whose ancestors brought it to them.
“…My words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel; And, because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible. But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles?” (2 Nephi 29:2-4)
“O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people. Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?” (2 Nephi 29:5-6)
Questions:
-Is much of the full meaning and message of the Bible lost if there is not a deep appreciation and love for the people through which the Lord brought the Bible into being and an understanding of the eternal covenants He made with them regarding their descendants?
-Is a religion that does not give proper attention and nourishment to its roots truly living and viable? Is it fully alive if the same power of continuing revelation that created the roots does not animate the branches?
-Do you believe the words above are the Lord’s and that a large portion of Christianity needed a strong wakeup call, through the Book of Mormon and other Restoration scriptures, regarding their relationship with — and actions towards — the Jews and the house of Israel more generally? Is the Lord’s use of the word “fool” indicative of the depth of the folly He was addressing?
-How much of the tragedy that unfolded during the first half of the 20th Century in Europe could have been avoided if the Lord’s voice would have been respected and heard when these verses were published as part of the Book of Mormon in the early part of the 19th Century?
Teachings of Latter-day Prophets, Seers, and Revelators:
“We, the members of the Church, and particularly the missionaries, have to be the ‘hissers,’ or the tellers and testifiers, of the Book of Mormon unto the ends of the earth” (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon Is the Word of God,” Ensign, May 1975, 65).
Messages of the Book of Mormon 