As general as was the scattering of Israel so must the gathering be. If the dispersion was over all the earth, and among all nations, so the gathering must be out of all nations, and from all parts of the earth.
When we reflect that it is thirty-two centuries since the enemies of Israel began to oppress them in the land of Canaan, that about one-third of the time they were a people in that land, they were, more or less, in bondage to their enemies; that seven hundred years before the coming of Christ the ten tribes were scattered throughout western Asia; that we have no record that any have as yet returned to the land of their inheritance; that nearly 600 years before Christ the Babylonish captivity took place, and that, according to the Book of Esther only a part of the Jews ever returned, but were scattered through the 127 provinces of the Persian empire; that Asia was the hive from which swarmed the nomadic tribes who overran Europe; that at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans the Jews were scattered over the known world; we may well ask the question, Does not Israel to-day constitute a large proportion of the human family? With this comprehensive view of the subject of the scattering, we the better understand such passages as the following, "I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them;" Jer. 23. 3. "Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity, and out of darkness;" 1 Nephi 22. 12.
Our Savior had a clear conception of the magnitude of this gathering when he said, "He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other;" Matt. 24. 31.
"And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled;" Luke 21. 24. That is until the Gentile rule shall wane before the growing power of Israel, when, "Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation;" Isa. 45. 17. When "They shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors;" 14. 2.
Then will the promise made to Abraham be fully realized by his children, "And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;" Gen. 22. 17. Then will Abraham be the heir of the world, "Through the righteousness of faith;" Rom 4. 13.
It is evident from the Book of Mormon, that the Jews, as well as other portions of the house of Israel, will believe in Jesus Christ and accept the Gospel, before they are gathered to the land of their inheritance.
The first Nephi, about 600 years before the final dispersion of the Jews, recorded the following very comprehensive prophecy about their gathering: "And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations, for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation, until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind; and when that day shall come, that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time. The day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things, and the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvellous work and a wonder among the children of men;" 2 Nephi 25. 15, 16, 17.
Bible.
Deut. 30. 3 Lord will gather Israel from all nations whither he has scattered them.
Neh. 1. 9 the Lord will gather those that are scattered from the uttermost part of heaven.