All Nations

Moroni wrote that one of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is this: “To the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations” (Book of Mormon Title Page).  We see this same kind of language from both Nephi and Mormon.  Mormon said this as he spoke about the destiny of what he was writing: “And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose” (Mormon 5:14).  The purpose of his words is to persuade that Jesus is the Christ.  A statement from Nephi’s words is even closer to what Moroni wrote in the Title Page: “And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God; And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people” (2 Nephi 26:12-13).  Confirming Moroni’s stated purpose, Nephi confirmed that Jew and Gentile needed to be convinced that Jesus is the Christ.  The first Book of Mormon writer also affirmed the universality of God’s manifestations: Christ would manifest Himself to “every nation” in the last days.  

                Other scriptures in the Book of Mormon confirm this bold notion that at some point the message of the Savior would reach all nations on the earth.  All previous gospel dispensations have been limited in geography to some extent or another, but in the last dispensation, Jesus Christ would be manifested to all nations.  Nephi taught, “Yea, and all the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord, saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tongue and people shall be blessed” (1 Nephi 19:17).  The angel revealed this to King Benjamin, “The time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people” (Mosiah 3:20).   Abinadi put it this way: “And now I say unto you that the time shall come that the salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people” (Mosiah 15:28).  He reemphasized the same idea a little later: “The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just” (Mosiah 16:1).  Alma taught his son Helaman that the records which they were writing would “be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue and people” (Alma 37:4).  All of these verses confirm the incredible idea that in these last days a knowledge of Jesus Christ would spread across the whole earth. 

                I think we are witnessing the fulfilment of this Book of Mormon promise.  With the advent and development of computers and the internet, the message of Jesus Christ is just about available to “every nation.”  Even those countries without formal missionaries have access to the teachings of the gospel found online.  More people than ever in the history of the world can learn about and come unto Jesus Christ, being taught “the great plan of the Eternal God” that is the message of the Book of Mormon (Alma 34:9).