See Sermon by O. Pratt, J. of D., Vol. 18, page 57.
" " " " " 15, " 53.
" " W. Woodruff, J. of D., Vol. 15, page 275.
History of J. Smith, April 6, 1843.
THE SCATTERING OF ISRAEL.
During the administration of Moses, the Lord promised Israel, conditionally, many blessings and curses. The former if they were obedient to his commandments, the latter if they were rebellious. These promises were, in their nature, prophetic. Evidently, no man, unless inspired by the Holy Ghost, as was Moses, could have thought of blessings and curses so varied and comprehensive in their nature, much less have spoken and recorded them.
The subject of the scattering of Israel is historical, and needs to be well understood, in order to comprehend the great work of their gathering in the latter times. A moderate comprehension of the scattering of Israel requires much careful study of their history in the Old Testament, and as written by that eminent Jewish historian, Josephus, a general knowledge of history, and of the many prophecies yet to be fulfilled concerning them.
If a complete history of the house of Israel were written, it would be the history of histories, the key of the world's history for the past twenty centuries. The student is particularly recommended to study the last chapters of Deuteronomy, from the beginning of the twenty-seventh to the end of the book.
The scattering of the seed of Joseph, among all nations, was foreshadowed in the blessing of his father, Jacob: "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall;" Gen. 49. 22.