1 Nephi 11:35

[askandanswer]

35  And the multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto the building which my father saw.  And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom thereof; yea, behold the house of Israel hath gathered together to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

 

What percentage of the population of the great and spacious building do you think the House of Israel make up? The way this verse is worded makes it hard for me to work out whether few, many or all of the inhabitants of that building are of the House of Israel. Like many of you here, I’ve read this verse many times, but this is the first time I’ve realised that it was the House of Israel who were fighting against God’s apostles. Normally, the House guys are the good guys.

 

[CV75]

1 hour ago, askandanswer said:

35  And the multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto the building which my father saw.  And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom thereof; yea, behold the house of Israel hath gathered together to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

What percentage of the population of the great and spacious building do you think the House of Israel make up? The way this verse is worded makes it hard for me to work out whether few, many or all of the inhabitants of that building are of the House of Israel. Like many of you here, I’ve read this verse many times, but this is the first time I’ve realised that it was the House of Israel who were fighting against God’s apostles. Normally, the House guys are the good guys.

I think every accountable person occupies the great and spacious building a one time or another, on one subject or another (and obviously enticed or tempted to at least); the aim is to repent and get back on the right path.

I think that once Israel became apostate (whether in the centuries leading to Christ's time or in the Great Apostasy), all that was left was the wisdom of the world. That is why the Lord led Lehi out of that situation, in an opportunity to extend the blessings of at least that remnant of a tribe and prepare for the eventual full return of all of Israel to the Lord (see Title Page).

I think the next verse alludes to what happens in the Restoration, when Israel is gathered again under the proper keys, which doesn't happen until after Chapter 12 and well into Chapter 13.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, askandanswer said:

What percentage of the population of the great and spacious building do you think the House of Israel make up? The way this verse is worded makes it hard for me to work out whether few, many or all of the inhabitants of that building are of the House of Israel. Like many of you here, I’ve read this verse many times, but this is the first time I’ve realised that it was the House of Israel who were fighting against God’s apostles. Normally, the House guys are the good guys.

Any vision like this (with so much detail, yet clearly metaphorical) is one where you look for multiple periods of application and multiple meanings.  The vision is not just a metaphor for the average guy trying to make his way in the world.  It is also a metaphor for Christ's earthly ministry and the aftermath towards the apostasy.  It is also a metaphor for the times of tribulation prior to the Second Coming.

Look at it from the multiple time periods perspective and I think you'll see what is really going on.

Edited April 26, 2016 by Guest

[tesuji]

Unfortunately, according to the Bible, the house of Israel has often been disobedient to its own God.

Isaiah, for example, talks a lot about this.

Jesus said he came into his own and his own received him not. In the book of Acts, the main opponent to the church is the Jews. The Jewish leaders at that time were apparently pretty apostate.