I absolutely think so. I find few anxiously (excitedly) watching and waiting. The closer you get to the top, the worse it seems to be:
Not "less prepared", rather "as much mistaken".
As others have found and shared, Brigham Young said "the Gentiles will be as much mistaken in regard to his second advent as the Jews were in relation to the first". (JD Vol 8 p.115)
I have two other ideas for your consideration.
1) How mistaken were the Jews regarding the first?
They all mistook his mission, and some mistook him (did not recognize him).
There were those among the Jews who recognized their prophesied Christ and followed him, becoming Apostles and Disciples. Even these righteous and devoted followers expected a military deliverer, and in this they were mistaken.
The rest of the Jews did not recognize Jesus as their Christ. This is the group that we typically think of when we say "Jews" here, led by the highly antagonistic leadership. We could say that they were twice mistaken, first because they expected him to come as a military deliverer, and second because they did not recognize him when he came.
2) Did Brigham Young say "Gentiles" to mean only members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Or did he say it to mean all people in the Gentile nations? Or something different?
I conclude that he is saying that ***the Gentile nations as a whole will be as mistaken regarding the Second Coming as the Jewish nation as a whole was mistaken about the First Coming***.
I analyzed his use of the term "Gentiles" in JD Vol 8, and he uses it to refer to non-Jews as a whole, and sometimes even uses it to EXCLUDE members of the restored Church. I did not find any usage of "Gentiles" that meant exclusively members of the restored Church.
Analysis:
Within the same discourse, the very next thing Brigham Young said was about the Gentiles, making a distinction between those that understand by the Spirit and those who do not:
"The eyes of the Gentiles are like the eyes of the fool, wandering to the ends of the earth. They are deceived, blinded, and far from understanding the things of God. All who would understand the things of God must understand them by the Spirit of God."
This leans toward "Gentiles" meaning all of those among the Gentile nations (JD vol 8 p.58), and not specifically church members.
I searched this volume of the Journal of Discourses for the term "Gentiles", and found that he presented
1. "Jews and Gentiles" (JD vol 8 p.146), and
2. "our Elders" vs. "the Gentile priests" (JD vol 8 p.198).
In the first, he uses "Gentiles" in the broader sense of everyone who is not a Jew, and in the second he even uses "Gentile" to exclude those in the church.
When referring to church members, he typically uses "Elders", "brethren", "saints".
I conclude that he uses Gentiles to mean non-Jews in general, sometimes including members of the restored church, and sometimes excluding them.
The Lord has clarified that gentiles are described as anyone who is a mix between the heathen races, and the white race. This is characterized as a white person with brown eyes. True Israelites are white and blue eyes. And yes, you can have both in a given family. The official gathering of Israel will literally involve the gathering of all blue eyed people so the nation of Israel can be restored (not the state of Israel in the middle east). The Lord said no one will stop this process. See more at 2BC.info
ReplyDeleteOdd.. I didn't know that Gentiles were other than the white race and blue eyed besides that. Don't know where to find that. Actually I believe the Israelites to be a white, blond, red and brown hair before they begin intermarrying with others people in their scattered state after Rome beat the crap out of them around 79 AD. Jews in Spain and middle east are going to look more brown and Jews in Russia and other east European countries look generally like any other white person in those regions. BofM referes to the Nephites white and delightsome, who came from Israel in the around 600 BC. Doesn't sound semite to me.
DeleteThat said, I take a gentile being anyone attached to cultures counter to the principals of the gospel. In the BofM it refers those who populated America after the Nephites had been destroyed, which description was not meant to be derogatory in any way.
Tends to have a double meaning, when considering that the tribes of Ephram and Manasseh have been scattered throughout the world mostly in Western Europe, who initially populated America.
BofM states that the Lamanites will eventually become white and delightsome, I would presume that would be available to all.
Race and skin color, eye color obviously have nothing to do with being accepted of the Lord as his people. He set the standard and it is clearly open to all. Even as members of the Church and being baptized are adopted in, but even at that many fall away to the world, and have been adopted Babylon to various degrees.
Infact I believe many active members have adopted Babylon to lessor degrees by attaching themselves to various philosophies that can eventually cause them to eventually fall.
Woah, that sounds very Arayn. There are so many kinds of Israelites, for one. For two, I just read somewhere (with authority) that those who are gathered are gathered because of their nature—they wish to do God’s will Blue eyes are welcome, so are many colour’s of eyes. God loves diversity; not “rebellion diversity,” although he still loves the individual. He just may not help gather them to a unified group until they are ready. By unified I mean more of a citizen of Zion; not a member of the church. The church is a gathering place, I believe, and a place to prepare its members for either their place in the world of spirits or type of “city of Zion” or gathering like it.
ReplyDelete“Gentiles” became more of a broad definition, once the Lord told Peter about the vision of the unclean and the clean and once the apostles were told to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost…” Matthew 28:19
But maybe I should schedule eye surgery so I can be part of the House of Israel? I think I need a change of heart or repent surgery instead. 🤪
1) How mistaken were the Jews regarding the first?
ReplyDeleteThose with the eyes to see and ears to hear.
To be as a child, in the sense you are willing accept information without prejudice.
Intellect has no corner on on perceiving truth. If anything it has proven to be a hinderance.
I don't see us as all that different from the Jews at Christ's time.
It is easy to accept something universally accepted, but what happens when information we come in contact with does not meet with our preconceptions. Joseph said that when he presents some new doctrine some people with break apart like glass. Many have turned against Joseph Smith Jr, called him a fallen prophet during his time and even today. A fallen prophet who interpreted through revelation the BofM who met with God the Father and His Son, John the Baptist, Peter James and John, Moroini and others, with witnesses to the BofM as well as who never denied it no matter even when they had left the Church. The one man responsible for restoring the gospel of Jesus Christ had some how fallen????? The long waited for event leading up to return of the Savior.
That is like saying maybe Moses was a fallen prophet or Isaiah, Samuel or all the rest just couldn't quite cut the muster.
I diverge, the issue is will we accept new challenging doctrine.
Church Leadership does not challenge us as in JS day.
I believe there will be a day coming when we will be challenged and many will fall away. For some of us Leaderships compromises to a corrupt government is challenging enough.