The gathering of Israel is underway, and each of us can be part of it.
Jeremiah said, “The days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers” (Jeremiah 16:14-15). Then, he explained how this would be done:
Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Jeremiah 16:16
Isaiah also made it clear that people would participate in the gathering:
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.
Isaiah 49:22, 1 Nephi 21:22, 2 Nephi 6:6
Here’s how the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob described our role in this process:
They shall be gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance.
2 Nephi 10:8
President Russell M. Nelson said:
Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that.
“Hope of Israel,” Worldwide Youth Devotional, 3 June 2018
Today, I will be grateful that God allows us to participate in His work. I will find ways to be a “hunter” and a “fisher,” looking for opportunities to help with the gathering of Israel by bring people closer to Him.
The above treatment of this scripture skirts the question (misses it entirely) of what the difference is between “fisher” and “hunter” in Jeremiah 16:16. The verse is clearly discussing two differing (though somewhat related) thoughts. First – fishers: Missionaries today are all referred to as “fishers of men.” they are not called “hunters.” Then, as if a separate event, the Lord says: “AND AFTER will I send for many hunters….” I see this as a clear distinction in both timing AND job function. There seems to be an indicated difference in both the type of work, how it is to be done, and in timing, when it is to be done. Though both are seeking the Gentile to be united to the church, there are two distinctions recorded here. I have found no one, as yet, in the church or out, that has explain the real meaning of this verse of O.T. scripture. They all speak of the first, what is happening now. But leave the second entirely untouched.
Fishers (anciently, and somewhat today) use general techniques that either net what ever is out there, or hook what ever is out there. Hunters, in general, are after one specific species. Therefore, this use of the term “hunter,” in Jeremiah, being both a difference in timing, and a differing technique, seems (to me) to be indicating a change in both timing and in technique, and possibly in intensity. And yet, I have found nothing in scripture, in talks from the church web site, or in outside information from other churches, nor in any scholarly overviews, that understands and explains either the difference in wording, or the indicated difference in timing.
Am I the only one out there that sees this?
I think that’s an interesting interpretation.
I have always thought of the fishers and hunters as two metaphors for the same activity: sharing the gospel and gathering Israel. However, I’m intrigued by your suggestion that there may be value in considering the differences between the two activities. I like the concept that fishing is more general in scope, while hunting is more specific. We know that personal invitations are generally more effective than blanket advertising, so maybe “hunting” represents a more individualized approach to sharing the gospel.
If you can’t find a source where someone else has written about this, I’d encourage you to develop the idea further and see what insights you can glean from it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Paul