3 Nephi 20 – The Fulfilling of the Covenant

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Jesus administers the sacrament, as He did the day before. However, this time, He provides the bread and wine Himself.

Then, He continues His sermon from the prior day. He explains that his listeners are “the children of the prophets” and “the children of the covenant.” The words of prophets, including Isaiah, will be fulfilled. Jesus will also fulfill His covenants with Israel, including His promise to gather them and establish them in Jerusalem and in the New Jerusalem.

Chapter Outline

  1. Jesus administers the sacrament again (v. 1-9)
  2. “I will gather my people together” (v. 10-22)
  3. The children of the prophets and of the covenant (v. 23-29)
  4. Isaiah’s prophecies fulfilled (compare Isaiah 52) (v. 30-46)

My Takeaways

  1. The sacrament nourishes our souls and helps us become more like Jesus Christ.
  2. We can “gather” to the gospel of Jesus Christ without moving locations.
  3. Covenants can give us a sense of purpose, connectedness, and confidence.

Featured Blog Posts

❖ The sacrament – 3 Nephi 20:1-9

Where Did the Sacrament Prayers Come From?

The prayers offered over the sacramental bread and water were given by revelation to Joseph Smith in 1820 (Doctrine & Covenants 20:75-79). They are nearly (but not precisely) identical to the prayers offered in the ancient American church as recorded by Moroni (Moroni 4, 5). Moroni recorded those prayers in about 421 A.D. But much…

What Does It Mean to Eat and Drink the Bread and Water to Our Souls?

When Jesus visited the American continent following His death and resurrection, He introduced the sacrament. Breaking and blessing bread, He told the people to eat in remembrance of His body. Passing a cup of wine, He told them to drink in remembrance of His blood. After the people ate the bread and drank the wine,…

His Soul Shall Never Hunger Nor Thirst – 3 Nephi 20:8

8 And he said unto them: He that eateth this bread eateth of my body to his soul; and he that drinketh of this wine drinketh of my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled. (3 Nephi 20:8) When we partake of the sacrament, we eat…

❖ Gathered – 3 Nephi 20:10-22

Then Shall the Remnants…Be Gathered In – 3 Nephi 20:13

13 And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them. (3 Nephi 20:13)…

Then Is the Fulfilling of the Covenant – 3 Nephi 20:12-13

12 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel. 13 And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the…

❖ Children of the covenant – 3 Nephi 20:23-29

I Am He of Whom Moses Spake – 3 Nephi 20:23-24

23 Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet…

Ye Are the Children of the Covenant – 3 Nephi 20:25-26

25 And behold, ye are the children of the prophets; and ye are of the house of Israel; and ye are of the covenant which the Father made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26 The Father having raised me up unto…

❖ Prophecies of Isaiah – 3 Nephi 20:30-46

“Loose Thyself”

Do we make repentance harder than it needs to be by thinking of it as the beginning of the process instead of the end? The Savior has already paid the price for our sins in full. All we have to do is set aside our chains, let them go, and walk away.

3 Nephi 20:38 Redeemed Without Money

38 For thus saith the Lord: Ye have sold yourselves for naught, and ye shall be redeemed without money. (3 Nephi 20:38) I love the symmetry in this verse.  Here we have two complimentary one-sided transactions: 1. When we sin, we trade ourselves and our potential for temporary advantages which quickly evaporate, leaving us empty-handed.…

So Shall He Sprinkle Many Nations – 3 Nephi 20:43-45

43 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 44 As many were astonished at thee—his visage was so marred, more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men— 45 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at…

Old Testament Foundations

Belonging

One of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is to assure us that we belong, that because of “the covenants of the Lord,” we “are not cast off forever.” Jesus taught that we belong to the covenants God made with our ancestors, and that He will not forget us.

Without Money

The gift of eternal salvation is priceless. It can’t be bought. No amount of time, effort, or money would match its value. Perhaps that’s why Isaiah emphasizes twice that money is not required to receive it: Thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. Isaiah 52:3 Ho, every one that thirsteth,…

My Cruse of Oil

When Elijah requested “a morsel of bread” from the widow of Zarephath, she responded, “I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse.” She explained that she was about to prepare a final meal for herself and for her son. Elijah told her not…

Father of Many

Why did God change Abram’s name? The name Abram (a variant of Abiram) consists of two parts: ab (אָב), meaning “father,” and rum (רוּם), meaning “exalted” or “lifted up.” You could translate the name as “exalted father,” or “father who is respected and admired.” When Abram was 90 years old, God appeared to him and…

“My Covenant”

A covenant is an alliance, a formal relationship, with a promise that the relationship will endure. When David and Jonathan became close friends, “their souls were knit together,” and Jonathan loved David “as his own soul.” As an acknowledgement of that love and as a promise of continued friendship, they made a covenant with each…

“Look unto Abraham…and Sarah”

After reminding Israel that God has not abandoned them (Isaiah 50, 2 Nephi 7), the prophet Isaiah invites them to look back to their roots. “Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged” (Isaiah 51:1, 2 Nephi 8:1). Specifically, he wants them to look to their ancestors and remember…

What Are the “Vessels of the Lord?”

Part of the law which Moses received on Mount Sinai was a detailed description of the tabernacle which the children of Israel were to build and in which they were to worship. In addition to the large objects—two altars, the laver, tables for the candlestick and the shewbread, the ark of the covenant—there were numerous…

How Will the Remnant of Jacob Be Like a Lion Among Sheep?

The prophet Micah, who was a contemporary of Isaiah, wrote about a time when the children of Israel would not be oppressed any more. In a future day, he prophesied, God’s people would be far more powerful than their enemies. In contrast with earlier times, when they were scattered and taken captive, they would be…

Who Is the “Prophet” that Moses Promised Would Come?

Moses wanted to prepare the children of Israel to enter the presence of God. He hoped to make them “a kingdom of priests and an holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). But when the people heard the voice of the Lord, they were frightened, and they asked Moses to be their intermediary: he could speak directly with God,…

New Testament Parallels

Made Known Abroad / Pondered in Her Heart

After the shepherds visited the stable, they shared what they had seen enthusiastically. In contrast, Mary pondered these things in her heart. We can follow both examples. There is time for both sharing and meditating, and we can find joy in both.

The Promise and the Law

Abraham received promises long before God gave the Law of Moses to his descendants. Here’s the lesson for us: God makes promises to us when we believe in Him. Then, He teaches us how to receive those blessings.

“This is My Body”

Jesus taught that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood. A year later, He gave His disciples bread and wine saying, “This is my body” and “This is my blood.” During His visit to the American continent, He added that we eat and drink to our souls.

Church History Connections

Three Covenants

One of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is for us to “know the covenants of the Lord” (Title Page). The Savior emphasized three of those covenants during His visit to the American continent, following His death and resurrection: Israel will be gathered: “Then will I gather them in from the four quarters of the earth;…

Wisdom > Cunning

During His visit to the American continent, the Savior quoted most of Isaiah 52, including this passage: Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: Isaiah 52:13-14 (See 3 Nephi…

The New Jerusalem

The Savior prophesied that He would establish a group of people on the American continent, that they would build a city called the New Jerusalem, and that He would gather His people to this new city: And it shall come to pass that I will establish my people, O house of Israel. And behold, this people will I…

Old Testament Prophecies of the Second Coming

Four Old Testament prophecies quoted by Moroni to Joseph Smith teach us how to prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ: 1. Strengthen families with priesthood power 2. Gather Israel and preach the gospel 3. Hear Him 4. Receive personal revelation

All Posts Referencing 3 Nephi 20

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