Nursing Fathers

Nursing Fathers and Mothers

Nursing Fathers

"I will Lift Up Mine Hand to the Gentiles." Promises were made to the Gentiles in the blessings conferred upon Abraham. In part these blessings have been fulfilled, and are now being fulfilled, through the scattering of Israel and the mingling of the blood of Israel among the Gentiles. Even in the punishments which were meted out to these chosen people who had been the recipients of the greatest blessings, we find much good. While they were being punished at the same time they were leavening the Gentile lump with the blood of Abraham, according to the promise. The result is that the Gentiles are also of the house of Israel by descent. Particularly is this true of the nations of Protestant Europe and America.

In the gathering of Israel in these last days, the Gospel has first gone to the Gentiles. Ephraim, who was rebellious in former times and mixed himself among the nations, is the first to be honored in this last dispensation. From the Gentile nations he is being gathered, and the time will come when he will be called upon to minister to his fellows of the other tribes, including gathered Judah.

Zechariah declared that four horns (nations) were responsible for the scattering of Israel, and four carpenters (nations) will be instrumental in the gathering of Israel. While it may be a matter of speculation in attempting to name these four carpenters, nevertheless it is plain to see that Great Britain is one nation which is called upon to play a leading part. The following prediction is from Isaiah and was spoken of the gathering of Israel:

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.

And kings shall be thy nursing fathers and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.—Isaiah 49:22-23.

Britain's Mission in the Return of the Jews. Today we see the fulfillment of this prophecy in the gathering of the Jews to Palestine. It is very evident that Great Britain is acting the part of one of these carpenters, and, as a leading nation of the Gentiles, is carrying their sons and daughters back to their ancient home of Israel. This is their right, for the blood of Israel is abundantly distributed among the British people. No nation has loved liberty and exercised more tolerance than Great Britain. Wherever her conquests have led her, the people have been benefited. Their government has been bettered, their liberties preserved and founded upon British law which has stimulated and influenced the world for good.

Today the Jews are returning to Palestine. In a marvelous manner we see the promises, made by all the prophets concerning the return of Israel, being fulfilled. This return of the Jews to Palestine is occurring as repidly as they can be cared for by those who have the control over that land. The set time to favor Judah and Ephraim has come. For one hundred years Ephraim has been gathering to the land of his inheritance. Since the World War Judah has been gathering to the land of his inheritance. The Arabs, kinsmen of Judah, who have occupied the land for many generations, are complaining at the return of the Jews. In the bitterness of their spirit, the Arabs are harassing the ancient people and their protectors. Notwithstanding this, Britain is a nursing father to the Jews and is protecting them in their return. Does the great powerful nation of Great Britain, which has been favored of the Lord for more than a thousand years, and which still has a magnificent and important work to perform, realize to the full the part she is playing in the divine purpose of this gathering? If she realizes it, and in part we may say she does, her understanding is only partial, not fully comprehending the true greatness of that mission. On the shoulders of the Philistines shall Israel continue to fly, until the purposes of the Lord are all fulfilled.

Great Britain is a wonderful nation. She has been greatly blessed and guided. Her mission is not ended. The Lord is calling on her now, to fight his battles and carry out his designs, and will continue to do so if she will continue to serve him until he comes to reign.

(Joseph Fielding Smith, The Progress of Man [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1964], 457.)

In the Hands of "Infidels"

We have seen this fulfilled in our day. After the destruction of Jerusalem, the Jews were scattered over all the earth, and there were scarcely 8,000 Jews left in Palestine. Jerusalem became a prey, and so did Palestine, to the Gentile nations. Many times the fanatical Christians of Europe attempted to wrest the Holy Land from the grasp of the "infidel." in the so-called "crusades." In all these attempts they were defeated and the Holy Land remained in the hands of the "infidels." They were not infidels any more so than the so-called Christians who went to fight them. Until 1917, Jerusalem was trodden down of the Gentiles. In December, 1917, General Allenby, the British general, took his forces into Palestine and captured it almost without opposition, and this land fell into the hands of the British where it has been ever since.

I forgot to say something I intended to say earlier, but it fits better here. When I read the Book of Mormon and the Book of Isaiah and learn that the Lord predicted that the kings of the Gentiles would be nursing fathers to the House of Israel I am greatly impressed. Have they not been nursing fathers to scattered Israel? Have they not carried them in their ships both to this land and to Palestine?

A Jewish Ruler

After England got possession of Palestine and after the armistice they received the mandate of Palestine, they sent a Jew down there to be governor of that land, Sir Herbert Samuel, and he had more power down there than the King of England has in England. From the days of our Lord until Sir Herbert Samuel was sent to Palestine, there had never been a ruler in that land who was a Jew. This was a sign to us that the words of the Lord were about fulfilled, and the days of the Gentiles were coming to their close. The Lord does not do many things in an instant, but the sign was given for the transition of authority from the Gentiles to the House of Israel. This will naturally take some years.

When England received the mandate of Palestine, Mr. Balfour, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, sent this written communication to Lord Rothchild:

"I have much pleasure in conveying to you on behalf of His Majesty's Government the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionists aspirations, which has been submitted to and approved by the Cabinet:

"His Majesty's Government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.

"I would be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation."

Here was a proclamation inviting the Jews to return to Palestine which was made a Jewish state. The American Congress ratified this act a short time later. Is it not significant in regard to this that our missionaries have been withdrawn from practically all lands except on this continent? In the Third Book of Nephi, Chapter 16, the Lord said He would withdraw His Gospel from the nations of the Gentiles, if they would not repent. The day for the House of Israel is now at hand.

Dedicated for Return

The land of Palestine was dedicated for the return of the Jews, October 24, 1841, by Orson Hyde, but the time had not come, then, for the return of the Jews. President George A. Smith again dedicated the land, in March, 1873. In 1878 an organization of Jews was formed called the Lovers of Zion, the purpose being to establish the Jews in Palestine. The Zionist Federation was commenced in 1896, and the first conference of this organization was held in Basel, Switzerland, in 1897, and the old nationalistic spirit was revived.

To return to the saying that the Gentiles should be nursing fathers to the Jews, do you know that Great Britain has spent—well, I do not know how much, but up until some ten years ago, that nation had spent upwards of 50,000,000 pounds. A pound is about five dollars. I have here the official report of the Palestine Royal Commission. It is filled with interesting information. Great Britain has spent millions in rehabilitating Palestine, making farms, planting vineyards, orchards, building canals, reservoirs, hydro-electric plants all over the country and establishing industries. Other forces have also been at work. The ships of Great Britain and the United States have carried these people back to their ancient home. While the Lord is permitting England to be punished for her sins, yet He will, I believe, not let her wholly down, for she still has a mission in carrying on the work of the Lord in this great restoration.

Palestine Today

At the beginning of the war in 1914, there were about 80,000 Jews in Palestine. They have been returning rapidly ever since. In 1925, there were over 121,000, and ten years later there were upwards of 400,000. The progress in agriculture, manufacturing of numerous products, the development of the natural resources, has reached remarkable proportions. Schools and a university have been established; vineyards, orchards and farms have been developed all over the land of Palestine. The amount of land in Jewish ownership has risen from 844,000 dunums in 1925, to 1,332,000 dunums in 1936. A dunum is about a quarter of an acre. There are now more than 200 agricultural settlements containing 100,000 people on these plots. Yet the urban population is more impressive in its development. Tel Aviv, a strictly Jewish city, with more than 150,000 inhabitants had less than 200 houses and 2,000 inhabitants in 1914. Other cities have also sprung up and old cities have been developed anew. Haifa in 1936 had a population of 100,000 inhabitants.

Jews Returning Home

So we see that since the armistice in 1918, the Jews have been returning in great numbers, encouraged by both the United States and the nation of Great Britain, the latter taking over the great responsibility in this gathering movement. The prophecies are rapidly being fulfilled. The Jews are returning only partly believing in Jesus Christ. They are willing to accept Him as a great prophet among the prophets of Israel and Judah, but not as their Deliverer, or Messiah. When our Lord shall come to them in the calling of Deliverer, the whole land will be in siege. Jerusalem will be at the mercy of its enemies. There will be a great earthquake and the Mount of Olives will cleave in twain forming a great valley into which the oppressed people will flee from the city for safety. At that time the enemies of the people will be destroyed. Christ will appear to the Jews and show them His hands and His feet and then will they accept Him as their Messiah. Then, as Zechariah has predicted, every family will mourn apart, and there will be weeping and wailing because they rejected their King. After those days there will come peace and Israel will come back into his own. As Ezekiel has proclaimed:

(Joseph Fielding Smith, Signs of the Times [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1952], 57.)

Two of the most difficult verses in all of Isaiah's writings come in chapter 49: "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. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me." (1 Ne. 21:22-23.) We find Nephi's prophetic commentary on these verses in 1 Nephi 22:7-14.

According to Nephi, Isaiah was speaking of the establishment of the ensign to the nations, the restoration of the everlasting gospel in the last days. Such would come in a day following the persecution and scattering of the Lamanites—the native Americans— and would take place in that great Gentile nation we know as the United States of America ("upon the face of this land"). It is through Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saints—cultural Gentiles (see D&C 109:60)—that the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ would go to the house of Israel—the Lamanites and the Jews—in the last days. The Lord thereby treats his covenant people to a royal banquet, to a "feast of fat things," a "supper of the house of the Lord" (D&C 58:8-9); it is a dispensational era wherein men and women of faith may receive and partake of the bread of life and the living waters available only through the church and kingdom of God. The presentation of the message of the Restoration—the delivery of that voice which speaks from the dust—"is likened unto [the house of Israel in the last days] being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders." Such a missionary effort results in "making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." (1 Ne. 22:8-9.) That is, by means of the glorious work brought to pass through Joseph Smith and thereafter set in motion by the Saints, the "promises made to the fathers" are to be fully realized. (See Abr. 2:8-10; D&C 2; 110.)

The passage "Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet," is given meaning later by Jacob, the brother of Nephi. Jacob explained that the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy is millennial and pertains to the final destruction of the enemies of the covenant people of God: "And blessed are the Gentiles," he wrote, "they of whom the prophet [Isaiah] has written; for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and abominable church, they shall be saved . . . . Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah." ( 2 Ne. 6:12-13; cf. 10:7-9.)

Regarding those who afflict Israel in the last days, the Lord warned through Isaiah: "I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob." (1 Ne. 21:26.) Nephi's commentary upon this verse is insightful. Having learned through conversion of their own identity and their place in the royal family, Israel is restored to the knowledge of their Lord and God and also to the lands of their inheritance: they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel. Further, those nations and elements and organizations that comprise the whore of all the earth—any institution or individual that fights against the church of the Lamb (2 Ne. 10:16)—shall eventually factionalize themselves into ruin and decay through internal strife: "The blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with their own blood." (1 Ne. 22:13.)

(Kent P. Jackson, ed., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 7: 1 Nephi to Alma 29 [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1987], 80.)

Verse 7: "But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth. And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from their long dispersion." Then the gathering-of course, this is important. This is the standard pattern we had before in this tenth chapter. "Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them." Which they have been all through the ages, whether they wanted to be or not, consciously or not. Remember, we talked about the various royal families that you find in the Assizes of Jerusalem, for example, that ruled the world-all related to each other throughout Europe, etc. They were all heavily intermarried with Jews, especially Jewish women, who had an irresistible appeal to the kings, princes, and dukes of Europe. And their main ministers of finance were smart Jews they depended on, like Abravanel who financed Columbus, Joseph C. Oppenheimer who financed the Duke of Saxony, and other important men. They could be thrown out on a moment's notice; they had no rights and no defense at all. But they were mingled in everywhere. For 700 years they were not only in France but in Toulouse which we mentioned last time. Toulouse was practically a Jewish enclave. It became Moslem and the Moslems were very tolerant for a while. It became the Kingdom of Toulouse with a Jewish center, mostly of those who had fled from Jerusalem when it was destroyed at the time of Christ. In southern France you will find them all along there in the Vaudois etc.

When I was on a mission a very interesting thing happened. I went up to practically a lost village in the Black Forest. It was called Pinache. The French name attracted me, so I went up and tracted. They immediately gobbled up the gospel. I noticed in the cemetery that they all had French names. Well, they were Waldenses who had been driven out in the seven-teenth century. They had come there and settled, lived by themselves, and married among themselves. They taught these things, and they were just waiting for the gospel. It was a remarkable thing. Immediately, a man came all the way down to Durlac so he could come to meeting and see what was going on. But these little enclaves are scattered everywhere that we don't know about. When he says the Jews are scattered everywhere, he really means it. On the isles of the sea, you see their features everywhere and things like that which you don't expect. Well, the time is more than up now, and we had better scamper.

(Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon--Semester 1: Transcripts of Lectures Presented to an Honors Book of Mormon Class at Brigham Young University, 1988--1990 [Provo: Foundation for Ancient Re 309.)

I am informed that both England and Russia, have extended protection to the Jews in Palestine; and proffer to aid them in their return. Let Kings become nursing fathers, and Victoria a nursing mother; and I will say, roll on thy righteous cause, thou King of saints.

(Nauvoo, Ill. July, 1840., Times and Seasons, vol. 1 (November 1839-October 1840), Vol. 1 No. 10 August, 1840 157.)

A MARVELOUS WORK FOR THE GENTILES

Nephi saw that great promises were made to the Gentiles upon this land, and that the Lord had a marvelous work for them to do in bringing forth the fulness of the Gospel and taking it to the seed of his brethren. The promise was made that after the Gentiles had scattered the Lamanites and had ill-treated them, the time would come when they would become nursing fathers unto them, and not only unto them but unto others of the scattered house of Israel. It was reserved for the Gentiles to gather the remnant of Israel, and to give them the blessings of the Gospel. It was written that the time would come when the Lord would make his truth manifest to all nations, "both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles," and after he had manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he would manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last should be first, and the first should be last. All of this has been fulfilled according to the promise.

(Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection [Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1949], 144.)

The Gathering of Israel Foretold Anciently

The gathering has three phases: the gathering of Israel to the land of Zion, the American hemisphere; the return of the ten tribes from the countries of the north: and the re-establishment of the Jews in Palestine as God's chosen people.

This miracle of the return of the Jews was to be one of the events to precede Christ's second coming, and the scriptures are very clear with reference to this fact. Isaiah said that they shall gather "the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth" and "set them in their own land," that they will "build the old wastes," and "repair the waste cities." (Isa. 11:11-12.)

Jeremiah, who predicted so clearly their dispersion, also states that the Lord will "cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it," and "build them as at the first." (Jer. 30:3; 33:7.)

The prophets of the Book of Mormon even more clearly predict the conditions under which they will gather. These prophets also foresaw the time when they would begin to believe in Jesus Christ, that the kings of the Gentiles would be as nursing fathers and their queens nursing mothers in helping to bring about their return. These prophets make it clear that eventually the fulness of the gospel will be carried to Jerusalem and to the descendants of Judah.

(Ezra Taft Benson, So Shall Ye Reap, compiled by Reed A. Benson [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1960], 67.)

2. Continuing his journey, and calling on leading rabbis in the larger cities of Europe and in Asia, he finally arrived in the Holy Land. Early on Sunday morning, October 24, 1841, he ascended the Mount of Olives and there, finding a quiet spot, knelt and offered his prayer of dedication, for the gathering of the Jews and for the return of the house of Israel. This is a very inspiring prayer, that can be read with interest and profit. A brief synopsis is here given:

He plead with the Lord to listen to his prayer, to forgive all his follies, weaknesses, vanities, and sins, and strengthen him to resist all such in the future. He declared that he had been obedient to the heavenly vision which the Lord had given him before he left America, and had arrived safely in the land of Israel, to dedicate it and consecrate it to the Lord, for the gathering of Judah's scattered remnants, as predicted by the holy prophets. He gave thanks that the violence of men had been restrained, and by the protection of the Lord he had arrived at the place of his destination.

"O Thou, Who didst covenant with Abraham, Thy friend, and Who didst renew that covenant with Isaac, and confirm the same with Jacob with an oath, that Thou wouldst not only give them this land for an everlasting inheritance, but that Thou wouldst also remember their seed forever. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have long since closed their eyes in death, and made the grave their mansion. Their children are scattered and dispersed abroad among the nations of the Gentiles like sheep that have no shepherd, and are still looking forward for the fulfillment of those promises which Thou didst make concerning them; and even this land, which once poured forth nature's richest bounty, and flowed, as it were, with milk and honey, has, to a certain extent, been smitten with barrenness and sterility since it drank from murderous hands the blood of Him who never sinned." (D.H.C. 4:456-457.)

He prayed that the land might be healed; that living waters might break forth and the vine and olive tree produce in strength once again. Likewise he prayed that the curse that had been placed upon the land might be removed; that the nations appointed to take a hand in the restoration of the land and of its ancient people, might be blessed, and that they might know it is the pleasure of the Lord to restore the kingdom of Israel, raise up Jerusalem, and make of the people a distinct nation. "Let the large ships of the nations bring them from the distant isles; and let kings become their nursing fathers, and queens with motherly fondness wipe the tear of sorrow from their eye." He also prayed for Zion and her stakes. "She has been grievously afflicted and smitten; she has mourned; she has wept; her enemies have triumphed, and have said, 'Ah, where is thy God?' " He prayed for the Presidency of the Church, and the apostles, that they might have strength to bear a fruitful testimony, and to finish the work entrusted to their hands.

On top of the Mount of Olives he erected a pile of stones as a witness according to the ancient custom, and another on Mount Moriah where the ancient temple stood. Many Jews listened to his story. He said that Jerusalem at that time had about 20,000 inhabitants, and about seven thousand of that number were Jews. (D.H.C. 4:456-459.)

(Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1946-1949], 4: 90.)

Gentiles to Aid in Gathering Israel

1 Nephi 22:6-9

6. Nevertheless, after they shall be nursed by the Gentiles, and the Lord has lifted up his hand upon the Gentiles and set them up for a standard, and their children have been carried in their arms, and their daughters have been carried upon their shoulders, behold these things of which are spoken are temporal; for thus are the covenants of the Lord with our fathers; and it meaneth us in the days to come, and also all our brethren who are of the house of Israel.

7. And it meaneth that the time cometh that after all the house of Israel have been scattered and confounded, that the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles, yea, even upon the face of this land; and by them shall our seed be scattered.

8. And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders.

9. And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

SC1 Ne 22 61 Ne 22 71 Ne 22 81 Ne 22 96-9. In these verses Nephi elaborated on Isaiah's promise that the Gentiles would be nursing fathers and mothers to gathering Israel in the last days. He noted that the promise had specific application to Lehi's descendants (numbered among the American Indians) and in the more general sense to all the house of Israel. Nephi saw the prophecy as having both a temporal and a spiritual fulfillment. The temporal fulfillment would center in aid and help extended by a mighty gentile nation—obviously the United States of America. The spiritual fulfillment would center in the restoration of the gospel and all the blessings that flow from it to those who embrace it.

1 Ne 22 77. A mighty nation among the Gentiles] This is the United States of America.

(Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1987-1992], 1: 171.)

The entry of Turkey into the Great War led to the invasion of Palestine by the British forces. Attacking Gaza in March, of 1917, Sir Archibald Murray, commander of the British forces, said:

"What should we do with Palestine liberated from the Turkish grip? There can be no doubt that we should revive the Jewish Palestine of old."

Such was the first great Zionist declaration of 1917. But it could not bind the British Government. By the summer of 1917, General Edmund Allenby had assumed command of the Palestinian Expeditionary Force and was thrusting northward from Gaza, menacing Jerusalem and striving to cut the Turkish line of communication. His successes had been brilliant and on November 2, 1917, the British Foreign Office through Arthur James Balfour wrote a letter to Lord James Rothschild, vice president of the English Zionist Federation. That letter will go down as the greatest document in Jewish political life since the year of 70 A. D. Great Britain, with all her mighty energies strained in a life and death struggle with a colossal military machine, spoke to scattered Israel in words of comfort, hope and in fulfillment of prophecy, as follows:

"His Majesty's Government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."

One month later, in December, 1917, Allenby had entered Jerusalem and the Turkish armies were in retreat.

There are few passages in history that surpass the story of Allenby's brilliant surprise attack on the Turkish positions in the Plain of Sharon, near the old battlefields of Thothmes and the Hittites. The story of the British Horsemen charging into Nazareth in the grey dawn and later galloping with drawn swords through the streets of Damascus pursuing the fleeing Turk, and hearing the cries of Arab and Jew, both sons of Abraham, of deliverance and praise to Jehovah, will furnish stories that shepherds guarding their flocks at night will tell oft and again.

No sooner had the British ensured the safety and order of Jerusalem than the Zionist executives began to link the interests of their organization in Palestine with those scattered throughout the world and work out the program that had existed in theory during the years of waiting. "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream."

Following closely on the declaration made by the British government, came those of France, Italy, Serbia and Greece, and later an expression of sympathy from Pope Benedict 16. Due, however, to the circumstance that the United States and Turkey, not being formally at war, the United States could not express itself in an official endorsement. But in August, 1918, President Wilson wrote Dr. Stephen S. Wise in Palestine expressing the sympathy of the American people and their satisfaction and interest in the laying of the foundation of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

The consummation of the political recognition desired by the Zionists came on July 24, 1922, at London, when the League of Nations confirmed the Mandate for Palestine and made Great Britain their Mandatory for the Administration of Palestine.

So, in part, has the aim and dream of the modern leaders of Jewish Israel been fulfilled, who sought to establish her among the nations; and the prayer of Orson Hyde, uttered in October of 1841, received answer: "Let them come like clouds and like doves to their windows. Let the large ships of the nations bring them from the distant isles; and let kings become their nursing fathers, and queens with motherly fondness wipe the tear of sorrow from their eye."

(The Jewish State in Palestine by H. C. Singer, Improvement Era, 1929, Vol. Xxxii. January, 1929 No. 3 .)

Prophecies Pertaining to the Return of Judah That Have Been Fulfilled or at Least Partially Fulfilled

1. Elijah the Prophet to return to the earth. (Mal, 4:5-6; 3 Ne. 24-25; D&C 98:16-17; D&C 110:13-16; JS-H 1:36-39.) April 3, 1836, Kirtland Temple; on the same day, Moses visited Joseph Smith and restored the keys for the gathering of Israel.

2. Descendants of Judah to gather. (Isa. 11:12; Jer. 16:14-21; Zech. 2:11-12; 10:6-9, 12; 1 Ne. 19:13-17; 2 Ne. 10:7-8; Ether 13:11-12; D&C 110:1; 111:1; JS-H 1:40; HC 4:456; 5:336-37.) In 1881, only one out of three hundred of the world's Jews were in Palestine; in 1882, Russian May Laws resulted in large-scale emigration (mostly to the United States) and the first major immigration wave to Palestine; other waves followed, until by 1980, approximately one out of five Jews were in Israel.

3. Gold and silver from the nations to revive the land. (Isa. 6-9, 14; Zech. 14:14; Jer. 32:41; 43-44; MS 41:244; JD 15:272.) In 1897, the first Zionist Congress was held in Basel, Switzerland. Shortly thereafter, the Jewish National Fund was organized to purchase land in Palestine as an eternal inheritance for the Jews. After 1948, large financial contributions (especially from American Jews) were necessary to keep Israel economically solvent with a large defense budget and trade balance deficiencies.

4. The land of Jerusalem to be made productive. (Isa. 35:1-2, 5-7, 10; Ezek. 36:34-36; Amos 9:14-15; 2 Ne. 27:28; HC 4:457.) In 1920, England assumed mandate over Palestine after the Balfour Declaration and the British conquest of Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks; research stations were established, plagues were reduced, millions of trees were planted, Jezreel valley was drained, and citrus crops began to be exported. In 1975, Israel exported over $290 million worth of food and flowers.

5. The descendants of Judah to be attacked and delivered. (Isa. 54:3, 8, 17; Zech. 12:6, 9; Jer. 23:5-8; 44:28; 2 Ne. 6:8; 24:12; 3 Ne. 22:12, 17.) In 1948, Israel fought a war of independence against all her Arab neighbors. She fought Egypt in the Sinai conflict during 1956. In June 1967, she used a strong first strike and air superiority to acquire the Sinai from Egypt, East Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six Day War. In October 1973, Egypt and Syria took the initiative and inflicted great losses on Israel in the Yom Kippur War before the Jews used brilliant strategy across the Suez Canal and in the Golan to gain a cease-fire. In November 1977, Anwar Sadat went to Jerusalem and encouraged peace talks. In March 1979, Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty and exchanged ambassadors.

6. Jerusalem will come under the control of Israel. (Isa. 62:5-12; Zech. 2:12; 12:6 see also Zech.7-8]; 3 Ne. 20:29, 33-34; HC 4:457.) On June 7, 1967, with serious hand-to-hand combat, Israel used a three-pronged attack across northern Jerusalem and moved into the Old City of Jerusalem through the Lion's Gate. Israeli forces soon moved to the Wailing Wall for an emotional reunion between the Jews and their most sacred site.

7. The Jewish people will begin to believe in Jesus Christ. (Isa. 49:26; 66:21-23; Deut. 4:25-31; Jer. 16:21; 31:31-34; Matt. 24:14; 1 Ne. 10:14; 15:16; 3 Ne 20:29-31, 46; Morm. 5:12-14; D&C 133:8; JD 2:200.) In October 1975, in a meeting with regional and mission representatives, President Spencer W. Kimball repeated three times, "Now is the time of the Jew." In November 1975, a special committee prepared missionary discussions and pamphlets for the Jews (which were revised four years later). In January 1977, the first "cultural representatives" of the Church entered Israel. By 1980, a few hundred missionaries were teaching Jews in the United States and some other countries with limited success.

Many other important prophecies about the Jews in the last days remain to be fulfilled:

Prophecies Pertaining to the Return of Judah That Are Largely Still in the Future

1. A new temple will be built in Jerusalem. (Isa. 60:13; Zech. 8:7-9; Ezek. 40:48; D&C 124:36-37; MS 52:740; HC 5:423.)

2. A leader named David . . . will lead Israel. (Isa. 11:1-6; 55:3-4; Ezek. 37:21-25; Jer. 23:3-8; 30:3-9; Hosea 3:4-5; Zech. 3:8-9; 6:11-13; HC 6:253; HC 4:457.)

3. The nations . . . will gather . . . and Judah will be smitten. (Isa. 65:11-12; Zech. 14:2; Rev. 11:1-13; D&C 45:26-27; JS-M 1:4; 12-19; WW, pp. 509-10.)

4. Two prophets are to be raised up to the Jewish nation. (JST Isa. 51:18-20; Rev. 11:2-3; 6:12; 2 Ne. 8:18-20; D&C 77:15; JD 16:329; IDYK, p. 197.)

5. The Savior to appear to the descendants of Judah. (Isa. 63:1; Zech. 12:10; 13:6; 14:9; D&C 45:51-59; JS-M 1:20-27; JD 15:277-78.)

6. The Messiah to lead Israel to victory and rule as King of Kings. (Isa. 63:2-6; Zech. 14:3, 9; D&C 133:41-42; WW, pp. 509-10; MS 21:583.)

7. Two great world capitals are to be established, Zion and Jerusalem. (Isa. 2:2-3; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 3:12; Ether 13:4-11; D&C 133:19-25, 35; Improvement Era 22:815-16.)

(Victor L. Ludlow, Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 415.)

Official British involvement in Jerusalem had already begun in 1838 with the establishment of a consulate there. Other nations followed suit: France, Prussia, and Sardinia-Piedmont set up consulates in 1843, Austria in 1852, Spain in 1854, the United States and Russia in 1858, and Mexico in 1865. In fact, the first building constructed outside the walls of the Old City was the summer house of British consul James Finn, in the early 1850s.Unofficially, the British consulate soon began to perform the role long predicted of them—that of "nursing fathers, and . . . nursing mothers" (Isa. 49:23; 2 Ne. 10:8-9). Being exiles from other countries, Jewish immigrants generally held passports valid only for one year; after twelve months in Palestine, they forfeited citizenship in their homeland, and the Ottoman Empire refused to grant them new citizenship in Palestine. In 1839, British Foreign Secretary Palmerston instructed the consulate in Jerusalem "to protect the Jews generally" and to serve "as their advocate." fn

Britain's intense interaction with the Jews culminated in the issuance of the Balfour Declaration on 2 November 1917. It stated that "His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people." fn Unfortunately, this declaration created problems because, a year before, Arab leaders had been given the impression that they would be rewarded with the leadership of an independent Arab nation in return for aiding the British war effort. fn

After Orson Hyde

(David B. Galbraith, D. Kelly Ogden, and Andrew C. Skinner, Jerusalem: The Eternal City [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996], 337.)

Prayer of Orson Hyde on the Mount of Olives.

"O Thou! who art from everlasting to everlasting, eternally and unchangeably the same, even the God who rules in the heavens above, and controls the destinies of men on the earth, wilt Thou not condescend, through thine infinite goodness and royal favor, to listen to the prayer of Thy servant which he this day offers up unto Thee in the name of Thy holy child Jesus, upon this land, where the Son of Righteousness set in blood, and thine Anointed One expired.

"Be pleased, O Lord, to forgive all the follies, weaknesses, vanities, and sins of Thy servant, and strengthen him to resist all future temptations. Give him prudence and discernment that he may avoid the evil, and a heart to choose the good; give him fortitude to bear up under trying and adverse circumstances, and grace to endure all things for Thy name's sake, until the end shall come, when all the Saints shall rest in peace.

Now, O Lord! Thy servant has been obedient to the heavenly vision which Thou gavest him in his native land; and under the shadow of Thine outstretched arm, he has safely arrived in this place to dedicate and consecrate this land unto Thee, for the gathering together of Judah's scattered remnants, according to the predictions of the holy Prophets—for the building up of Jerusalem again after it has been trodden down by the Gentiles so long, and for rearing a Temple in honor of Thy name. Everlasting thanks be ascribed unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast preserved Thy servant from the dangers of the seas, and from the plague and pestilence which have caused the land to mourn. The violence of man has also been restrained, and Thy providential care by night and by day has been exercised over Thine unworthy servant. Accept, therefore, O Lord, the tribute of a grateful heart for all past favors, and be pleased to continue Thy kindness and mercy towards a needy worm of the dust.

"O Thou, Who didst covenant with Abraham, Thy friend, and who didst renew that covenant with Isaac, and confirm the same with Jacob with an oath, that Thou wouldst not only give them this land for an everlasting inheritance, but that Thou wouldst also remember their seed forever. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have long since closed their eyes in death, and made the grave their mansion. Their children are scattered and dispersed abroad among the nations of the Gentiles like sheep that have no shepherd, and are still looking forward for the fulfillment of those promises which Thou didst make concerning them; and even this land, which once poured forth nature's richest bounty, and flowed, as it were, with milk and honey, has, to a certain extent, been smitten with barrenness and sterility since it drank from murderous hands the blood of Him who never sinned.

"Grant, therefore, O Lord, in the name of Thy well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to remove the barrenness and sterility of this land, and let springs of living water break forth to water its thirsty soil. Let the vine and olive produce in their strength, and the fig-tree bloom and flourish. Let the land become abundantly fruitful when possessed by its rightful heirs; let it again flow with plenty to feed the returning prodigals who come home with a spirit of grace and supplication; upon it let the clouds distil virtue and richness, and let the fields smile with plenty. Let the flocks and the herds greatly increase and multiply upon the mountains and the hills; and let Thy great kindness conquer and subdue the unbelief of Thy people. Do Thou take from them their stony heart, and give them a heart of flesh; and may the Sun of Thy favor dispel the cold mists of darkness which have beclouded their atmosphere. Incline them to gather in upon this land according to Thy word. Let them come like clouds and like doves to their windows. Let the large ships of the nations bring them from the distant isles; and let kings become their nursing fathers, and queens with motherly fondness wipe the tear of sorrow from their eye.

"Thou, O Lord, did once move upon the heart of Cyrus to show favor unto Jerusalem and her children. Do Thou now also be pleased to inspire the hearts of kings and the powers of the earth to look with a friendly eye towards this place, and with a desire to see Thy righteous purposes executed in relation thereto. Let them know that it is Thy good pleasure to restore the kingdom unto Israel—raise up Jerusalem as its capital, and constitute her people a distinct nation and government, with David Thy servant, even a descendant from the loins of ancient David to be their king.

"Let that nation or that people who shall take an active part in behalf of Abraham's children, and in the raising up of Jerusalem, find favor in Thy sight. Let not their enemies prevail against them, neither let pestilence or famine overcome them, but let the glory of Israel overshadow them, and the power of the Highest protect them; while that nation or kingdom that will not serve Thee in this glorious work must perish, according to Thy word—Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted."

"Though Thy servant is now far from his home, and from the land bedewed with his earliest tear, yet he remembers, O Lord, his friends who are there, and family, whom for Thy sake he has left. Though poverty and privation be our earthly lot, yet ah! do Thou richly endow us with an inheritance where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.

"The hands that have fed, clothed, or shown favor unto the family of Thy servant in his absence, or that shall hereafter do so, let them not lose their reward, but let a special blessing rest upon them, and in Thy kingdom let them have an inheritance when Thou shalt come to be glorified in this society.

"Do Thou also look with favor upon all those through whose liberality I have been enabled to come to this land; and in the day when Thou shalt reward all people according to their works, let these also not be passed by or forgotten, but in time let them be in readiness to enjoy the glory of those mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare. Particularly do Thou bless the stranger in Philadelphia, whom I never saw, but who sent me gold, with a request that I should pray for him in Jerusalem. Now, O Lord, let blessings come upon him from an unexpected quarter, and let his basket be filled, and his storehouse abound with plenty, and let not the good things of the earth be his only portion, but let him be found among those to whom it shall be said, 'Thou hast been faithful over a few things, and I will make thee ruler over many.'

"O my Father in heaven! I now ask Thee in the name of Jesus to remember Zion, with all her Stakes, and with all her assemblies. She has been grievously afflicted and smitten; she has mourned; she has wept; her enemies have triumphed, and have said, 'Ah, where is thy God?' Her Priests and Prophets have groaned in chains and fetters within the gloomy walls of prisons, while many were slain, and now sleep in the arms of death. How long, O Lord, shall iniquity triumph, and sin go unpunished?

"Do Thou arise in the majesty of Thy strength, and make bare Thine arm in behalf of Thy people. Redress their wrongs, and turn their sorrow into joy. Pour the spirit of light and knowledge, grace and wisdom, into the hearts of her Prophets, and clothe her Priests with salvation. Let light and knowledge march forth through the empire of darkness, and may the honest in heart flow to their standard, and join in the march to go forth to meet the Bridegroom.

Let a peculiar blessing rest upon the Presidency of Thy Church, for at them are the arrows of the enemy directed. Be Thou to them a sun and a shield, their strong tower and hiding place; and in the time of distress or danger be Thou near to deliver. Also the quorum of the Twelve, do Thou be pleased to stand by them for Thou knowest the obstacles which they have to encounter, the temptations to which they are exposed, and the privations which they must suffer. Give us, [the Twelve] therefore, strength according to our day, and help us to bear a faithful testimony of Jesus and His Gospel, to finish with fidelity and honor the work which Thou hast given us to do, and then give us a place in Thy glorious kingdom. And let this blessing rest upon every faithful officer and member in Thy Church. And all the glory and honor will we ascribe unto God and the Lamb forever and ever. Amen."

On the top of Mount Olives I erected a pile of stones as a witness according to ancient custom. On what was anciently called Mount Zion, [Moriah?] where the Temple stood, I erected another, and used the rod according to the prediction upon my head.

I have found many Jews who listened with intense interest. The idea of the Jews being restored to Palestine is gaining ground in Europe almost every day. Jerusalem is strongly fortified with many cannon upon its walls. The wall is ten feet thick on the sides that would be most exposed, and four or five feet where the descent from the wall is almost perpendicular. The number of inhabitants within the walls is about twenty thousand. About seven thousand of this number are Jews, the balance being mostly Turks and Armenians. Many of the Jews who are old go to this place to die, and many are coming from Europe into this eastern world. The great wheel is unquestionably in motion, and the word of the Almighty has declared that it shall roll.

(Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols., introduction and notes by B. H. Roberts [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932-1951], 4: 459.)