3 Nephi 29

3 Nephi 29

The Lord Will Remember His Covenant People

3 Nephi 29:1–2

1 And now behold, I say unto you that when the Lord shall see fit, in his wisdom, that these sayings shall come unto the Gentiles according to his word, then ye may know that the covenant which the Father hath made with the children of Israel, concerning their restoration to the lands of their inheritance, is already beginning to be fulfilled.

2 And ye may know that the words of the Lord, which have been spoken by the holy prophets, shall all be fulfilled; and ye need not say that the Lord delays his coming unto the children of Israel.

Comments

In the 1830 edition, these nine verses were part of the preceding chapter. They continue the things that Mormon decided to write after he said that “I, Mormon, make an end of speaking concerning these things for a time” (3 Nephi 28:24). There will be a total of 25 of our verses that he added after he said that he was making an end. Clearly, he thought of more that he wanted to say.

In the previous chapter, Mormon had been speaking of the Three Nephites, and the last verse of that chapter would have led directly to verse 1 of this chapter. It spoke of the Three Nephites remaining until the last days.

These two verses pick up on the theme of the last days, but now Mormon has shifted away from the Three Nephites, who had ministered to him (3 Nephi 28:26), to the work that he was writing, which also was destined to be part of the beginning of the last days. When Mormon says, in verse 1, that “these saying shall come unto the Gentiles,” he is referring to the Book of Mormon. It will be made known first to the Gentiles, and then to all, that we “may know that the words of the Lord, which have been spoken by the holy prophets, shall all be fulfilled.”

3 Nephi 29:3–4

3 And ye need not imagine in your hearts that the words which have been spoken are vain, for behold, the Lord will remember his covenant which he hath made unto his people of the house of Israel.

4 And when ye shall see these sayings coming forth among you, then ye need not any longer spurn at the doings of the Lord, for the sword of his justice is in his right hand; and behold, at that day, if ye shall spurn at his doings he will cause that it shall soon overtake you.

Comments

In the last days it will be clear how the Lord has been faithful to his covenant and will have redeemed his covenant people.

When the Book of Mormon comes among the future generations, it will be another testament of Jesus Christ.

3 Nephi 29:5–9

5 Wo unto him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord; yea, wo unto him that shall deny the Christ and his works!

6 Yea, wo unto him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost!

7 Yea, and wo unto him that shall say at that day, to get gain, that there can be no miracle wrought by Jesus Christ; for he that doeth this shall become like unto the son of perdition, for whom there was no mercy, according to the word of Christ!

8 Yea, and ye need not any longer hiss, nor spurn, nor make game of the Jews, nor any of the remnant of the house of Israel; for behold, the Lord remembereth his covenant unto them, and he will do unto them according to that which he hath sworn.

9 Therefore ye need not suppose that ye can turn the right hand of the Lord unto the left, that he may not execute judgment unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel.

Comments

After the positive comments of the preceding verses, Mormon pronounces a wo upon those who will deny “these sayings,” or the Book of Mormon. They will be denying the revelations of God, and therefore denying the Christ as well. In keeping with the black and white preaching in the Book of Mormon, there will be those who will accept the sayings and become heirs of the kingdom, and there will be those who will not accept the sayings, and upon those, judgement and condemnation will be pronounced.

This ends a chapter in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon.