The Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord

[Karl Rand]

"Nope. Not waiting for a flesh and blood Christ to return. Resurrected beings do not have blood in their veins. Blood is the source of life for a mortal. Christ is immortal. He has Flesh and Bones but no blood.”
Well, that raises some tricky questions about the nature of the Eucharist.

 

[onefour1]

Regarding the 7th seal, in the book of Revelation it is spoken of in chapters 8-11 and partially in some of the remaining chapters of Revelation. We read in chapter 8 that when the 7th seal is opened, there is silence in heaven for the space of half an hour. I tend to believe that this half hour is according to God's time. If one day to God is as a thousand years of our time, and 24 hours in a day according to God and his time, then the half hour would be 1/48th of a thousand years of our time. 1000/48 = 20.8333 years of our time. So approximately 21 years.

2 Peter 3:8
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

This would push the second coming to some time after 2054 if the 6th seal ends in 2033 and if the half hour is approximately 21 years. If the half hour is according to our time, these events will happen soon after 2033. Once the silence in heaven has ended, these are some of the things that will occur thereafter:

Seven angels sound their trumpets and certain events are associated with each sounding of the trumpets:

1. The first angel sounds his trumpet:

Revelation 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

2. The second angel sounds his trumpet:

Revelation 8:8-9
8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

3. The third angel sounds his trumpet:

Revelation 8:10-11
10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

4. The fourth angel sounds his trumpet:

Revelation 8:12-13
12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

This ends chapter 8 and we continue with chapter 9.

5. The fifth angel sounds his trumpet which is the first of the 3 woes mentioned in Revelation 8:13 above.

Revelation 9:1-12
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

6. The sixth angel sounds his trumpet which is the second of the 3 woes mentioned in Revelation 8:13 above.

Revelation 9:13-21
13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

John continues in Chapter 10.

(To be continued)

 

[onefour1]

Revelation 10:1-11
1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

John, still speaking of the 2nd woe, continues into chapter 11.

Revelation 11:1-14
1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy cityshall they tread under foot forty and two months.
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

This finishes the 2nd Woe and the sounding of the sixth angel. The event of sounding of the seventh angel will be to usher in the second coming of Jesus Christ. So if you live long enough to see the two witnesses spoken of in Revelation 11 who will perform mighty miracles, know that their time of their prophecy is three and a half years. Know also that their time of lying in the streets of Jerusalem is three and a half days. After this, they will arise from the dead and ascend into heaven. This will end the 2nd woe and usher in the 3rd woe which is the coming of our Lord and the destruction of the wicked. Chapter 11 ends by speaking of the that time.

7. The seventh angel sounds his trumpet which is the third of the 3 woes mentioned in Revelation 8:13 above.

Revelation 11:15-19
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

 

[Karl Rand]

Revelation 10:1-11 etc etc

For those of us who are familiar with this partular book your constant regurgition of it in a fit of evengelical hyeteria it’s no more than downright annoying.

 

[onefour1]

It is interesting that before the 3 woes and during the sounding of the first four angels that he destroys a third part of something. For the first angel it is a third part of the trees. For the second angel it is that a third part of the sea became blood and a third part of the creatures of the sea and a third part of the ships of sea were destroyed. For the third angel a third part of rivers and fountains were made bitter which caused many men to die. For the fourth angel it is a third part of the sun, moon, and stars that they are darkened and our days are to be shortened by a third. Why do you suppose it is a third? what is the meaning of one third?

 

[Karl Rand]

It is interesting that before the 3 woes and during the sounding of the first four angels that he destroys a third part of something. For the first angel it is a third part of the trees. For the second angel it is that a third part of the sea became blood and a third part of the creatures of the sea and a third part of the ships of sea were destroyed. For the third angel a third part of rivers and fountains were made bitter which caused many men to die. For the fourth angel it is a third part of the sun, moon, and stars that they are darkened and our days are to be shortened by a third. Why do you suppose it is a third? what is the meaning of one third?

I’m sure the Almighty will whisper in your ear the correct answer. Prophet that you are you’ll relay the truth our way. So very comforting.

 

[onefour1]

It is interesting that before the 3 woes and during the sounding of the first four angels that he destroys a third part of something. For the first angel it is a third part of the trees. For the second angel it is that a third part of the sea became blood and a third part of the creatures of the sea and a third part of the ships of sea were destroyed. For the third angel a third part of rivers and fountains were made bitter which caused many men to die. For the fourth angel it is a third part of the sun, moon, and stars that they are darkened and our days are to be shortened by a third. Why do you suppose it is a third? what is the meaning of one third?

I’m sure the Almighty will whisper in your ear the correct answer. Prophet that you are you’ll relay the truth our way. So very comforting.

You don't need to be a prophet to learn from the scriptures. I believe that the one third has reference to those who rebelled against God in the pre-mortal world when Satan rebelled against God and convinced one third of the hosts of heaven to follow after him.

Revelation 12:3-4, 9
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

One third is an expression of the third part of the Hosts of Heaven that Lucifer was able to turn away from God and they became angels of the devil. Their destruction is typified in the destruction of one third of things during the sounding of the first four trumpets by the angels of God.

 

[Karl Rand]

It is interesting that before the 3 woes and during the sounding of the first four angels that he destroys a third part of something. For the first angel it is a third part of the trees. For the second angel it is that a third part of the sea became blood and a third part of the creatures of the sea and a third part of the ships of sea were destroyed. For the third angel a third part of rivers and fountains were made bitter which caused many men to die. For the fourth angel it is a third part of the sun, moon, and stars that they are darkened and our days are to be shortened by a third. Why do you suppose it is a third? what is the meaning of one third?

I’m sure the Almighty will whisper in your ear the correct answer. Prophet that you are you’ll relay the truth our way. So very comforting.

You don't need to be a prophet to learn from the scriptures. I believe that the one third has reference to those who rebelled against God in the pre-mortal world when Satan rebelled against God and convinced one third of the hosts of heaven to follow after him.

Revelation 12:3-4, 9
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

One third is an expression of the third part of the Hosts of Heaven that Lucifer was able to turn away from God and they became angels of the devil. Their destruction is typified in the destruction of one third of things during the sounding of the first four trumpets by the angels of God.

As is too often the case, your obsessively narrow vision makes meaningful discussion impossible. Sadly you have not the slightest awarness you’re preaching to an empty room.

 

[onefour1]

why do you bother?

 

[hobelim]

It is interesting that before the 3 woes and during the sounding of the first four angels that he destroys a third part of something. For the first angel it is a third part of the trees. For the second angel it is that a third part of the sea became blood and a third part of the creatures of the sea and a third part of the ships of sea were destroyed. For the third angel a third part of rivers and fountains were made bitter which caused many men to die. For the fourth angel it is a third part of the sun, moon, and stars that they are darkened and our days are to be shortened by a third. Why do you suppose it is a third? what is the meaning of one third?

The marking of Gods servants occurs between the breaking of the sixth and seventh seals securing the faithful from destruction.

 

[Karl Rand]

why do you bother?

Exactly the question I’ve asked myself too many times when dealing with fundamentalists.

 

[onefour1]

Regarding the 144,000, 12,000 are to come from each of the 12 tribes of Israel according to Revelation 7. This seems to indicate that a gathering of all the lost tribes of Israel take place. The 12 tribes of Israel were originally the 12 sons of Jacob. There seems to have been a slight change in these tribes over time where the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, are representing a tribe of their own, and Dan is not listed in Revelation 7. These are the original 12 tribes:

Reuben
Simeon
Levi
Judah
Zebulun
Issachar
Dan
Gad
Asher
Naphtali
Joseph
Benjamin

Joseph was given a double portion among the tribes of Israel and those portions are divided among his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh.

Ezekiel 47:13
13 Thus saith the Lord God; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.

These are the twelve mentioned in Revelation 7:

Juda
Reuben
Gad
Aser
Nepthalim
Manasses
Simeon
Levi
Issachar
Zabulon
Joseph
Benjamin

It appears that Joseph is being given a double portion (Manasses and Joseph, which would be Ephraim), but they have left out the tribe of Dan. Why Dan is left out I do not know. It has been prophesied that there will be a gathering of the lost tribes of Israel. See Isaiah 11:10-16, Jeremiah 3:18, Jeremiah 16:14-21, 1 Nephi 22:4-12, 2 Nephi 10:21-22, 3 Nephi 15:13-15, 3 Nephi 16:1-5, Doctrine and Covenants 133:26-35. The lost tribes will need to be partially gathered to select 144,000, 12,000 from each tribe.

The gathering of Israel has already begun. The reason Israel was scattered was because of their disobedience unto God. The gospel of Jesus Christ is now being taught in many parts of the earth. I myself am a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ. I am of the tribe of Ephraim. We see that in 1948 the Jews were able to reclaim the land that God gave them of old. This prophesy is transpiring in the 6th seal. From among all the tribes of Israel, God will select 12,000 from each tribe until he has selected a total of 144,000 who will have the seal of God in their foreheads. They will go forth to prepare a people to look forward to great day of the Lord to come. Those who gather are the remnant of Jacob.

 

[onefour1]

I would add that if you do not have the blood of Israel in your veins, the lord will adopt any who are willing to keep his commandments and obey his truths.

BD Adoption
There are two types of adoption spoken of in the scriptures. A person who is of non-Israelite lineage becomes a member of the house of Israel through faith in Jesus Christ when it is accompanied by baptism in water and the reception of the Holy Ghost. In addition, all candidates for the fulness of salvation are accounted as sons and daughters of Jesus Christ, being His children by obedience to the gospel (Mosiah 5:7–8). Although the word adoption is not actually used by John the Baptist, he taught the concept as recorded in Matt. 3:9 and Luke 3:8 (compare JST Matt. 3:36 [Appendix]; JST Luke 3:8 [Luke 3:8 note d]). See also Rom. 8:15–17; Gal. 4:5–7; Eph. 1:5; Abr. 2:10.

 

[onefour1]

Let us turn now to Matthew 24 and see what Jesus taught his Apostles when they asked him about the destruction of the temple and his second coming.
Matthew 24 starts off with the following verses:

Matthew 24:1-2
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

In these verses Jesus meets up with his disciples as he is departing from the temple. His disciples seem to be coming to show him the buildings of the temple.
Jesus, referring to all these buildings, including the temple, tells them that "there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
If we look back in history, in 70 A.D. Rome took the city of Jerusalem and killed many of the Jews. They also proceeded to tear down all the buildings including the
temple so that not one stone was left upon another. It was at this time that the wickedness of the Jews was so great that the Lord allowed their enemies to come
upon them and destroy their city and scatter them among the peoples of the world. The rest of Israel was carried away due to their wickedness around 721 B.C. by the
Assyrian army. The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. is also referred to as the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet. Jesus tells of these
things in Matthew 24. Now that Jesus had told them that their temple would be destroyed, I am sure that the disciples wanted to know more. We then read in Matthew 24:

Matthew 24:3-31
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand
16 Then let them which be in Judæa flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And 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.

What some people don't realize is that this prophesy is a dual prophesy. Jerusalem was seiged upon by Rome in 70 A.D. as a first fulfillment of this prophesy. But in the last days Jerusalem will again be seiged
upon right before the second coming of our Lord in the beginning of the 7th seal. This is why in verse 27 Jesus teaches of how he will come after the second
fulfillment of this prophesy. Verse 29 tells of sun, moon, and stars being affected which in Revelation 6 is a prophesy of the 6th seal. Verse 30 tells us that
Jesus will come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. This is yet to occur. Verse 31 tell of the great gathering of His elect.

The prophet Zechariah prophesied of the time when all nations would gather together against Jerusalem. This would be just before Jesus' glorious return.

Zechariah 14:1-5
1 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

Surely these things did not occur in 70 A.D.

 

[onefour1]

During the time when all nations shall gather together against Israel there will be a great battle in the Valley of Esdraelon near the Mount of Megiddo (Har Megiddo) or Armageddon. A good description of this battle can be found at The Battle of Armageddon: A Prophetic View.

One of the scary things of this battle is when God rains down upon the invading nations a hailstorm of stones where each stone is the weight of a talent. According to the article, a talent is roughly equivalent to 75 lbs.

I also find it interesting that when the Israel has their backs against the wall (Mount of Olives) that it will be then that Christ comes and sets his foot upon the Mount of Olives and causes a world wide earth quake. The Mount divides in two and creates a valley which serves as an escape for the Jews.

Another interesting thing is that the two witnesses are holding off a million man army.

I find it interesting that the word 'Gentile' means nations. Those who come against Israel will come from the North countries which are primarily Gentile countries. So when they say that All nations shall gather against Jerusalem, perhaps the word 'nations' means Gentiles in this situation.