Jesus’ twin chiastic discourses to the Nephites after his resurrection from the dead show a great reversal of circumstances between the Gentiles and the house of Israel that precedes his second coming. While the Gentiles are identified as those who migrated to the Americas—specifically Latter-day Saints or “my people who are of the covenant” (3 Nephi 21:11)—those whom the Book of Mormon identifies as the house of Israel are the Jews, Israel’s Ten Tribes, and Lehi’s descendants. Though not chronological but conceptual, Jesus’ discourses contain many prophetic details about the circumstances under which God fulfills his covenants with the house of Israel.
Comparing individual verses within the chiastic structures with their parallel counterparts reveals important points of doctrine and predicts the order of the reversal of circumstances—while the whole of these events fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah. Likewise, the twin center points of the chiasms themselves teach that the great reversal occurs when the Lord’s end-time servant brings forth the words of Christ. At that time, many persons who are “of the covenant”—the Latter-day Saints—who will “not hear” his words and “not believe” the true nature of the Lord’s great and marvelous work, but instead “mar” the messenger, will be “cut off” from among God’s people.
- a—Jesus fulfills the Father’s commandment concerning the house of Israel (20:10b)
- b—The prophecies of Isaiah will be fulfilled (20:11)
- c—The Father’s covenant with the house of Israel is fulfilled by their gathering from throughout the earth, their knowing the Lord their God, and their receiving lands of inheritance (20:12–14)
- d—The Gentiles do not repent after having received the Lord’s blessing of the gospel (20:15)
- e—The house of Israel treads down the Gentiles (20:16–20)
- f—The house of Israel is established in fulfillment of the Lord’s covenant with Jacob; the New Jerusalem; the powers of heaven and the Lord abide in their midst (20:21–22)
- g—Moses testified of Jesus Christ (20:23a–c)
- h—All who will not hear the words of Christ will be cut off from among the Lord’s people (20:23d; compare Deuteronomy 18:15–19)
- g—The prophets from Samuel testify of Jesus Christ (20:24)
- g—Moses testified of Jesus Christ (20:23a–c)
- f—The Gentiles receive the Holy Ghost in fulfillment of the Father’s covenant with Abraham after the house of Israel defaults; they are mighty above all (20:25–27c)
- f—The house of Israel is established in fulfillment of the Lord’s covenant with Jacob; the New Jerusalem; the powers of heaven and the Lord abide in their midst (20:21–22)
- e—The Gentiles scatter the house of Israel (20:27d–28a)
- e—The house of Israel treads down the Gentiles (20:16–20)
- d—The Gentiles harden their hearts after having received the fulness of the gospel (20:28b)
- d—The Gentiles do not repent after having received the Lord’s blessing of the gospel (20:15)
- c—The Lord’s covenant with his people is fulfilled by their gathering together , their receiving lands of inheritance, and their believing in Jesus Christ (20:29–31)
- c—The Father’s covenant with the house of Israel is fulfilled by their gathering from throughout the earth, their knowing the Lord their God, and their receiving lands of inheritance (20:12–14)
- b—The prophecies of Isaiah will be fulfilled (20:32–45; compare Isaiah 52:1–15)
- b—The prophecies of Isaiah will be fulfilled (20:11)
- a—Jesus reiterates the Father’s commandment to him about his people (20:46)
- a—The dispersed house of Israel gathers together and is established in Zion (21:1)
- b—The Book of Mormon comes forth from the Gentiles to the house of Israel (21:2–3)
- c—The Gentiles are established in America as a free people—after the house of Israel defaults—by the power of the Father (21:4–6a)
- d—Some Gentiles, who do not harden their hearts, repent and come unto Christ; they are numbered among the house of Israel (21:6b)
- e—The Father fulfills his covenant with the house of Israel (21:7)
- f—The kings of the Gentiles shut their mouths when new things are preached to them (21:8; compare Isaiah 52:15)
- g—The Father does a great and marvelous work among the Gentiles (21:9a)
- h—Many among the Gentiles do not believe the great and marvelous work when it is declared to them (21:9b)
- g—The Lord heals his servant after he is marred by the Gentiles (21:10)
- g—The Father does a great and marvelous work among the Gentiles (21:9a)
- f—The Lord’s servant brings forth the words of Christ to the Gentiles by the Father’s power (21:11a–c)
- f—The kings of the Gentiles shut their mouths when new things are preached to them (21:8; compare Isaiah 52:15)
- e—The Gentiles are cut off from the Lord’s covenant with the house of Israel and are trodden down by them (21:11d–21)
- e—The Father fulfills his covenant with the house of Israel (21:7)
- d—Some Gentiles, who do not harden their hearts, repent and hearken to the words of Christ; they are numbered among the house of Israel (21:22)
- d—Some Gentiles, who do not harden their hearts, repent and come unto Christ; they are numbered among the house of Israel (21:6b)
- c—The house of Israel is established; they gather to the New Jerusalem; the power of heaven and the Lord abide in their midst (21:23–25)
- c—The Gentiles are established in America as a free people—after the house of Israel defaults—by the power of the Father (21:4–6a)
- b—The gospel comes forth from the Gentiles to the house of Israel (21:26a)
- b—The Book of Mormon comes forth from the Gentiles to the house of Israel (21:2–3)
- a—The Lord’s dispersed people gather home to the land of their inheritance (21:26b–29)
