“For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left, and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.“ (KJV Isaiah 54:3, LDS 3 Nephi 22:3)
When Jesus appears to the Nephites, he tells them of things to come concerning them and their posterity. While there are reasons to rejoice for the next three and four generations, He gives them this devastating news,
“But behold, it sorroweth me because of the fourth generation from this generation, for they are led away captive by him even as was the son of perdition; for they will sell me for silver and for gold, and for that which moth doth corrupt and which thieves can break through and steal. And in that day will I visit them, even in turning their works upon their own heads.“ (LDS 3 Nephi 27:32)
This is equivalent to the prophecy of the Lord that Samuel, the Lamanite had given them, “And four hundred years shall not pass away before I will cause that they shall be smitten; yea, I will visit them with the sword and with famine and with pestilence. Yea, I will visit them in my fierce anger, and there shall be those of the fourth generation who shall live, of your enemies, to behold your utter destruction; and this shall surely come except ye repent, saith the Lord; and those of the fourth generation shall visit your destruction.” (LDS Helaman 13:9-10)
After four generations, the seed of the Nephites will reject the teachings of Jesus and their whole posterity will all be wiped off the face of the earth. This is obviously devastating news to hear. The Nephites are filled with sorrow.
This is the same sorrow that Nephi felt when he saw in vision what Jesus is describing. His reaction to seeing his seed utterly destroyed is, “And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great above all, because of the destruction of my people, for I had beheld their fall.” (LDS 1 Nephi 15:5)
Is that it? Is that the end? They’ll just live for a brief window of history and then be utterly destroyed and forgotten?
Despite the utter genocide of the race known as Nephites, Jesus does offer them a ray of hope. Though the Nephite line will be left desolate, in some far off day, he promises that things will eventually change. He uses the words of Isaiah to describe what will happen in the last days.
“Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left, and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.” (Isaiah 54:1-3 ; LDS 3 Nephi 22:1-3)
Why is there some reason for hope? Because in the last days, the Nephite line will be remade by inheriting the Gentiles. The Gentiles can inherit the promises made to the Nephites and be numbered among their seed. Once devastated by the utter destruction of their posterity, the Nephite fathers will one day find themselves no longer barren. In the last days, they will have more posterity than the line that was not broken. One day, there will be reason for their mourning to turn to rejoicing when the line is remade and the covenants of the Lord to the Nephites are remembered,
“Then shalt thou say in thine heart: Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive and removing to and fro? And who hath brought up these? Behold I was left alone: these where have they been? Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders” (1 Nephi 21:21-22, KJV Isaiah 49:21-22).
Who are these Gentiles that have an opportunity to inherit the promises made to the fathers of the Nephites? As the book of Mormon title page identifies them, the Gentiles are those who will bring forth their record in the last days. “Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile” (Book of Mormon Title Page). This passage identifying the Gentiles in the book of Mormon as the people who will bring forth their record in the last days, was written upon the last leaf of the plates by the hand of Moroni, who used the term “Gentiles” to speak to this group who would bring this record forth.
What must latter day Gentiles do to be considered the seed and inherit the promises made to the fathers of the Nephites? Unfortunately, the process won’t go smoothly.
“these sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed, who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer … 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, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them. And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them. … 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.“ (LDS 3 Nephi 16:4,10-13)
The Gentiles will receive the record of the Nephites, receive the gospel then treat it lightly and come under condemnation (see LDS 3 Nephi 16:10 and LDS D&C 84:54-57). But if they will repent and remember the covenant which God made with the Nephites, even what is contained in the book of Mormon, they can be numbered among their seed. Therefore:
”Hearken, O ye Gentiles, and hear the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, which he hath commanded me that I should speak concerning you, for, behold he commandeth me that I should write, saying: Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel.” (LDS 3 Nephi 30:1-2)