This is interesting:
Jacob 5:8,13,14 the young and tender branches are hid in the nethermost parts of the vineyard
This is the scattering of Israel when the natural branches are taken and spread all over the world. Note that the execution of most of the work to this point has been done by the servant (v. 10). This act, the scattering of Israel, is done only by the Master of the vineyard himself, the Lord of the vineyard went his way, and hid the natural branches of the tame olive-tree (v. 14).
Later in the chapter we learn that the Lord hid three distinct branches (v. 20-25). The only branch whose identity is known is the last, which is a representation of the descendants of Lehi. This helps us understand the chronology. It implies that the other three branches hid up by the Lord were taken before Lehi and his family in 600 BC. One of these three branches is probably a representation of the ten tribes which were taken in 721 BC. The identity of the second branch is unknown.*
I really like this explanation by Joseph Smith,
Joseph Fielding Smith said,
"Now in that parable the olive tree is the House of Israel, as I have said. In its native land it began to die. So the Lord took branches like the Nephites, like the lost tribes, and like others that the Lord led off that we do not know anything about, to other parts of the earth. He planted them all over his vineyard, which is the world. No doubt he sent some of these branches into Japan, into Korea, into China. No question about it, because he sent them to all parts of the world.
"Time came when in these distant parts the trees began to decay, so the Lord sent out for the last time to gather the fruit into the harvest...
"Now there is your answer. That is the answer to these people who approach me with the question, what's the use of going out among the Chinese, the Japanese, the Koreans, and the people of the Far East to preach the gospel to them? The answer: because they are branches of the tree, they are of the house of Israel. The Lord took the branches of the tree, grafted them into the wild olives, the Gentiles, and is bringing the Gentiles into the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"When you read that chapter through if you cannot say in your soul, 'This is absolutely a revelation from God,' then there is something wrong with you. That tells you of history. Are we going to preach the gospel in Korea, in Japan, in China? Yes, we are. Why? Because the blood of Israel is there. And the Lord did just what he said he would do with Abraham and his posterity. He scattered them over the whole face of the earth. So now the Gentiles are sanctified by the blood of Abraham" (Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 4, pp. 204-7 as taken from the Book of Mormon Student Manual, 1981, p. 143)
This third branch clearly refers to the descendants of Lehi. The part of the tree which produced tame fruit represents the righteous Nephites, and the part of the tree which produced wild fruit represents the Lamanites. Interestingly, the allegory teaches us that this group was the last to be scattered and the first to be gathered (v. 63)."
-If people aren't part of the house of Isreal they are adopted into the family, temple work has a lot to do with this chapter and being able to do God's work for His children here on earth. Which is interesting because I was reading a conference talk about temple work last night and I got the impression that I need to go to the temple soon. I think God lets us know in many ways the tings that we need to do, we just have to listen.
Blessing: God gives us guidance and driection every single day.
Jacob 5:8,13,14 the young and tender branches are hid in the nethermost parts of the vineyard
This is the scattering of Israel when the natural branches are taken and spread all over the world. Note that the execution of most of the work to this point has been done by the servant (v. 10). This act, the scattering of Israel, is done only by the Master of the vineyard himself, the Lord of the vineyard went his way, and hid the natural branches of the tame olive-tree (v. 14).
Later in the chapter we learn that the Lord hid three distinct branches (v. 20-25). The only branch whose identity is known is the last, which is a representation of the descendants of Lehi. This helps us understand the chronology. It implies that the other three branches hid up by the Lord were taken before Lehi and his family in 600 BC. One of these three branches is probably a representation of the ten tribes which were taken in 721 BC. The identity of the second branch is unknown.*
I really like this explanation by Joseph Smith,
Joseph Fielding Smith said,
"Now in that parable the olive tree is the House of Israel, as I have said. In its native land it began to die. So the Lord took branches like the Nephites, like the lost tribes, and like others that the Lord led off that we do not know anything about, to other parts of the earth. He planted them all over his vineyard, which is the world. No doubt he sent some of these branches into Japan, into Korea, into China. No question about it, because he sent them to all parts of the world.
"Time came when in these distant parts the trees began to decay, so the Lord sent out for the last time to gather the fruit into the harvest...
"Now there is your answer. That is the answer to these people who approach me with the question, what's the use of going out among the Chinese, the Japanese, the Koreans, and the people of the Far East to preach the gospel to them? The answer: because they are branches of the tree, they are of the house of Israel. The Lord took the branches of the tree, grafted them into the wild olives, the Gentiles, and is bringing the Gentiles into the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"When you read that chapter through if you cannot say in your soul, 'This is absolutely a revelation from God,' then there is something wrong with you. That tells you of history. Are we going to preach the gospel in Korea, in Japan, in China? Yes, we are. Why? Because the blood of Israel is there. And the Lord did just what he said he would do with Abraham and his posterity. He scattered them over the whole face of the earth. So now the Gentiles are sanctified by the blood of Abraham" (Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 4, pp. 204-7 as taken from the Book of Mormon Student Manual, 1981, p. 143)
This third branch clearly refers to the descendants of Lehi. The part of the tree which produced tame fruit represents the righteous Nephites, and the part of the tree which produced wild fruit represents the Lamanites. Interestingly, the allegory teaches us that this group was the last to be scattered and the first to be gathered (v. 63)."
-If people aren't part of the house of Isreal they are adopted into the family, temple work has a lot to do with this chapter and being able to do God's work for His children here on earth. Which is interesting because I was reading a conference talk about temple work last night and I got the impression that I need to go to the temple soon. I think God lets us know in many ways the tings that we need to do, we just have to listen.
Blessing: God gives us guidance and driection every single day.
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