When the Lord is speaking of his covenants, he is not confining them to the descendants of Lehi, but applies them to all the house of Israel. ‘And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they [the covenants as recorded by Isaiah] shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel.
And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them. And the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you this land, for your inheritance.’ [ 3 Nephi 20:12–14.]
Much of our misunderstanding, however, seems to come out of the interpretation placed upon the succeeding verses: ‘And I say unto you, that if the Gentiles do not repent after the blessing which they shall receive, after they have scattered my people—Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. Thy hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off. And I will gather my people together as a man gathereth his sheaves into the floor.’ [ 3 Nephi 20:15–18.]
Are we justified in applying this merely to the Lamanites and saying that they are to go forth as a young lion pouring out vengeance upon the gentiles? Also does the phrase, ‘Ye who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, ’ in verse 16, have reference just to the Lamanites? The verses which follow indicate that it has reference to the remnants of Israel, which had been scattered in all lands. To apply it to the Lamanites in face of the entire theme of this discourse, in my judgment, narrows it too greatly. Then again, this prophecy was also given to Micah and has reference to ‘many people, ’ not merely to the gentiles on this land.
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:249–50)