The Remnant of Jacob

When the Savior taught the Nephites during His visits recorded in 3 Nephi, He quoted often from the Old Testament.  There is one passage from Micah that he actually referred to three times.  Speaking of the Gentiles, He said, “If they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down” (3 Nephi 16:15).  This had language clearly taken from Micah 5:8 which says that “the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest… who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces.”  The Savior then quoted almost word for word Micah 5:8 in 3 Nephi 20:16 and again in 3 Nephi 21:12.  So why did He emphasize these words of Micah in His teaching to the Nephites?  And what does it mean for the remnant of Jacob to “tread” on the Gentiles?  To me it seems to be a message that the righteous remnant of Israel will have great power and will be able to defend themselves against the wickedness of the world.  It reminds me of the Savior’s description of Zion in our day.  He said that there would be “gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven…. And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand” (D&C 45:69-70).  The pure in heart that will be a part of Zion—largely the descendants of Jacob—will have great power against the wicked Gentiles who will be at war one with another.  So perhaps the repetition of the words of Micah by the Savior is really a reminder to us that the only true safely will lie in Zion in the last days, and so our lives need to be in order if we are to qualify to be among the pure in heart in Zion.