The phrase, he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, has both a literal and a spiritual meaning. The context of verses 11-14 show that the Lord will fortify the land of America against all other nations. This is not a spiritual fortification but a military one and will remain in force as long as the inhabitants of the land are righteous. This interpretation has been applied to this scripture by many of the brethren.
Matthias Cowley
"Another striking prediction contained in the Book of Mormon is the following: ’And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles; and I will fortify this land against all other nations; and he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God; For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words.’ (II. Nephi x: 11-14.) Gradually, yet with certain progress, has the government of kings been abolished from the American continent until nearly all governments in North and South America are republics. Canada is still under the rule of Great Britain, but is managed in such a manner that the liberties of the people are almost, if not quite equal to those of a republican territory. Those who know the history of the effort to make Maximilian a king in Mexico also know how terribly the words of the Book of Mormon have been verified: ’For he that raiseth up a king unto me shall perish.’
“This continent is the land of Zion, ’and he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God.’ Before the late Spanish-American war, George Q. Cannon read these predictions from the Book of Mormon before a congregation in the Tabernacle, and with a knowledge that these prophecies were given of the Lord foretold the result of the war and the certain banishment of Spanish kingly power from the American isles. Other prophecies of the sacred volume have been verified since its publication to the world. Those verified should establish faith in reasonable minds that the unfulfilled parts will surely come to pass.” (Cowley’s Talks on Doctrine, p. 183-4)
B. H. Roberts
“[speaking of World War I]… Does this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stand in any relationship to this great calamity that has come upon the inhabitants of the earth--upon the nations of Europe? Do we as a Church have any relationship to the great world movements? I believe that we do….We have in a general way, a foreknowledge of the destiny of the nations that shall inhabit this choice land of America. We had read to us this morning by Elder Joseph F. Smith, Jr., the conditions on which nations may maintain themselves and their dominion upon this choice land, dedicated as it is to free institutions and to be the habitat of a righteous people. And they may maintain themselves here, whether of Israel or of the Gentile races; if they comply with those conditions--acceptance of the God of the land--who is declared to be Jesus Christ--and of his righteous law. The same message was delivered to the Nephites. They were told that both the House of Joseph--son of Jacob--and the Gentiles should have special inheritance in this land, and that the Gentiles should be great in the eyes of the Lord, but there should be no kings that should raise up unto the Gentiles in this land; ’for he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish,’ said the Lord, ’for I, the Lord, the King of heaven, will be their King.’ The land is consecrated to free institutions, then, and to a righteous people and God, under these conditions is pledged ’to fortify this land against all other nations.’ It is the land of Zion, ’and he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God’ (II Nephi X).” (Conference Report, Oct. 1916, p. 141)
Spencer W. Kimball
“But these promises, glorious though they be, desirable as they are, can come only ’… if they will but serve the God of this land who is Jesus Christ....’ (Ether 2:12.) There is only one way. That infallible cure is simply righteousness, obedience, Godliness, honor, and integrity. There is no other cure. Mountains of arms and ammunitions will not guarantee safety, for enemies can also build fortifications and missiles and bomb shelters. If we would but believe the prophets! For they have warned that if the ’inhabitants of this land are ever brought down into captivity and enslaved, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land.’ (See 2 Nephi 1:7.)” (Conference Report, Oct. 1, 1961, p. 31)
The spiritual interpretation of the phrase, he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, is apparent from the context of verse 16, Wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish; for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me, saith our God. In this sense, those who fight against the kingdom of God, or Zion, shall perish with the destructions pronounced upon the great and abominable whore.
Hugh Nibley
“For him as for Nephi there are just two sides to the question. He groups all factions and complexions of people into two arbitrary categories. After naming seven different groups, he adds, ”But I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall call Nephites“ (Jacob 1:14). In the same way, Nephi had explained: ”He that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile … are they who are the whore of all the earth“ (2 Nephi 10:16; italics added). By this reasoning there are never more than ”save two churches only" in the world, and indeed Nephi’s much-commented remark to that effect (1 Nephi 14:10) reads more like a statement of general principle than the denunciation of one particular church among many. (An Approach to the Book of Mormon, p. 161)
Finally, the doctrine is repeated in 2 Nephi 27:3-5:
’And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto them, even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty man which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion.
For behold, all ye that doeth iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry; yea, ye shall be drunken but not with wine, ye shall stagger but not with strong drink.
For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.’