Commentary for Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 16- 22

Chapter 16

Laman and Lemuel's Test 

Throughout this commentary series, I've been striving to challenge the way we think about how to come unto God and also to get us thinking about what God expects of us.

One aspect that is important to God is our faithfulness during trials. We may think that trials are incidental to the gospel. This is incorrect; they are the gospel. The purpose of trials is for the Lord to test us in order to gauge the extent of our loyalty to him -- as only those who truly love him (expressed through unbending loyalty can be trusted to have what he has).

Consider these verses

... O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart... (Jeremiah 20:12)

Or From Doctrine and Covenants

11 I know thy heart, and have heard thy prayers concerning thy brethren. Be not partial towards them in love above many others, but let thy love be for them as for thyself; and let thy love abound unto all men, and unto all who love my name. 

12 And pray for thy brethren of the Twelve. Admonish them sharply for my name’s sake, and let them be admonished for all their sins, and be ye faithful before me unto my name.

13 And after their temptations, and much tribulation, behold, I, the Lord, will feel after them, and if they harden not their hearts, and stiffen not their necks against me, they shall be converted, and I will heal them. 

14 Now, I say unto you, and what I say unto you, I say unto all the Twelve: Arise and gird up your loins, take up your cross, follow me, and feed my sheep. (Doctrine and Covenants 112) 

Another verse from Doctrine and Covenants

14 Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy. 

This trials will increase the closer we approach the Lord

12 For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith.

And this is to yield fruit of righteousness (correct standing before God)

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (Hebrews 12) 

Trials then are the way the Lord refines us. By breaking us, he's able to remold us more into his image. If we endure the trial by not hardening out heart, we'll be given greater portions of the Spirit.

This was the problem with Laman and Lamuel; they were never able to remain faithful through their trials and thus never able to change and improve. Reading Nephi's account, we learn that after Laman and Lemuel erred, they would "humble" themselves, recognizing, to some degree, their error. We see one example of this in   verses 1-4, we learn that Nephi had explained to them "hard thing" that we "difficult to bear." But exhorted them to keep the commandments of the Lord. We then learn in verse 5 that

5 And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness.

Thus after they humbled themselves, the real test to was to see if they were committed to the Lord was to test them.

Later in the chapter, Lehi discovers the liahona, which directs them were to go and where to find food. Initially, things go well.

15 And it came to pass that we did travel for the space of many days, slaying food by the way, with our bows and our arrows and our stones and our slings.
16 And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness.

But then we learn,

18 And it came to pass that as I, Nephi, went forth to slay food, behold, I did break my bow, which was made of fine steel; and after I did break my bow, behold, my brethren were angry with me because of the loss of my bow, for we did obtain no food.

Nephi breaking his bow was the moment for the Lord to test the hearts of Laman and Lemuel. Up to this point, Laman and Lemuel's temptation seems to be blaming others for misfortunes. Since they had not overcome that character flaw, the Lord tests them again.

Yet, true to form Laman and Lemuel succumb to temptation causing them to to "murmur exceedingly...because of their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness" eventually leading them to "murmur against the Lord." Because they succumbed to this temptation, and as we learned last weeks commentary, their hearts become hard "again." (see 1 Nephi 16:22). In other words, the failed the test and a result, harden their hearts causing them to become spiritually blind. They also failed to prove their loyalty to God.

Judging Laman and Lemuel 

But instead of judging Laman and Lemuel, we should compare their experiences to ourselves. Are there trials or challenges that continue to repeat themselves? Have we shown faithfulness during those trials or do we harden our hearts by cursing God, or distracting ourselves with worldly activities?

As we know, Laman and Lemuel could never overcome the temptation of blaming others and God. Trial after trial, they blamed others instead of asking God. And each time, they accepted more and more darkness, until eventually they fully rebelled against the Lord.

Seeing the real reason why Laman and Lemuel failed to fully repent is illuminating, but it should also be provocative. And this is because it holds a ugly mirror to us.

When we read the 1 and 2 Nephi, most read as if we were Nephi. We reason that because we are members, attend the temple, and keep the commandments, that we must be Nephi. But this comparison is superficial and also diminishes the righteousness and character of Nephi. It also minimizes the gap between Nephi and most of us. This is not to say Nephi is perfect. But it is to say that Nephi’s obedience extends beyond superficial and is of a different order than we realize.

Consider Nephi’s experience and character

• He prays constantly for his brothers, even though they are and will try to kill him 
• He takes time to teach 
• He takes joy when Laman and Lemeul humble themselves 
• He becomes extremely sorrowful when they sin 
• He obeys the Lord in every command
• He has seen what few have seen 
• He risked his life to keep the Lord’s command 
• He ponders and mediates upon the scripture
• His prayers lead to direct communication with the Lord 

Now that you’ve seen Nephi’s character, how do you stack up? I’d imagine that most of us fall short. If so, perhaps we’re more like Laman and less like Nephi? After all, Nephi teaches us that the Lord is no respecter of person. Thus what Nephi has experienced and the blessings he’s received are available to us all. If we haven’t received those blessings, we aren’t (yet) deserving of them.

Thus instead of seeing ourselves as Nephi, maybe we’ll more out of the books of Nephi if we see ourselves as Laman and Lemuel. Remember, Laman and Lemuel failed by failing the tests the Lord set for them. What about us?

With this in mind, we should scrutinize ourselves and character, measuring how we respond to trials. And one way to gauge how well we do is whether we are changing as a person. The gospel is growth and progression -- line up line. If we aren't changing as a person, then we may be falling the test the Lord's placed in our way.

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Chapter 17 

Laman and Lemuel Fail Again

In chapter 16, we learn of Laman and Lemuel succumbing to the temptation to blame Nephi.

17 And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters. 

18 And thus my brethren did complain against me, and were desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that I could build a ship; neither would they believe that I was instructed of the Lord. (1 Nephi 17 

Israel's Hardness

Like Laman and Lemuel, Nephi sees that cause of Israel's wickedness -- their hearts were hard. Nephi explains to his brothers,

30 And notwithstanding they being led, the Lord their God, their Redeemer, going before them, leading them by day and giving light unto them by night, and doing all things for them which were expedient for man to receive, they hardened their hearts and blinded their minds, and reviled against Moses and against the true and living God.

The Lord sought to call a people as his own. Having tried in the past to enter into a co-partnership with humanity, and being rejected, the Lord tries again with Israel. Yet, they refused to obey his voice. Instead they succumbed to temptation, leading them to have heard hears and become spiritually blind.

41 And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished. 

42 And they did harden their hearts from time to time, and they did revile against Moses, and also against God; nevertheless, ye know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the land of promise. 

Ripe In Iniquity

In addition to explaining Israel's hard heart problem, Nephi also gives us insight into the Lord passing of judgment against other nations.

35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this (Canaanites) people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it. (Clarification Added) 

This verse yields important insight. First, we learn that although the Lord "esteems all flesh as as one", those are are righteous are favored. Second, we learn that God judges nations when they are ripe in iniquity. We tend to think of iniquity as a synonym for sin. This is incorrect. Nephi is using this word intentionally.

Webster's 1828 defines iniquity as "particular deviation from rectitude (moral uprightness)" To be ripe in iniquity means that the society has deviated so much from moral uprightness that they must be destroyed. Additionally, the Hebrew word for iniquity (avon) which literally means to bend, twist, or distort, connotes the idea of sin without repentance, a rebellion that is twisted. Thus a iniquitous society is not just sinning, but their acceptance of darkness for so long as caused them pervert the ways of God.

Third, which is a corollary to point (2) is the link between rejecting every word of God and being ripe in iniquity. What does it mean to "reject every word of God?" Jeremiah gives us an idea.

Although speaking to the wicked Jews, his statements are applicable for any society that is not just wicked, but ripe in iniquity.

15 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words. (Jeremiah 19) 

An iniquitous society does not want to hear the Lord's voice. They avoid listening. And instead of being open to the Lord's voice the chose to: walk after [their] own devices... do[ing] the imagination of his evil heart. (Jeremiah 18:12).

And because of this state, they become a nation that: "obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth." (Jeremiah 7:28).

Having lived in sin for so long, which leads them to seek after their desires hearts, they ultimately reject correction and therefore truth. A society ripe in iniquity then can't bear to hear things that go against their belief. Having mistaken darkness for light, they are more comfortable allowing the darkness to hide what they don't want to see -- choosing to create a system of false beliefs to insulate them from the light.

It is when a society gets to this point that God issues his judgment, because there is nothing else He can do. They are no longer teachable.

Are we there? Despite the growing wickedness in our society, have we finally reached the point where we refuse to be corrected? What about us individually? When someone presents something that challenges our belief system, do we reject it outright?

In his later years Jospeh Smith grew in frustration with the Saints stubbornness. He explains:

I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions: they cannot stand the fire at all. How many will be able to abide a celestial law, and go through and receive their exaltation, I am unable to say, as many are called, but few are chosen" (History of the Church, 6:184–85)

We sometimes believe the word is wicked, but we, as members of the LDS church are right standing before God. But consider this: If Jospeh felt the saints, who received great manifestations from heaven, were stubborn, what about us, who've received far less?

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Chapter 18

What Nephi's Trial Can Teach Us

Praise God During the Storm 

As I explained above, Laman and Lemuel were unable to pass the trials the Lord gave them. When faced with their weakness to complain and blame others, they succumbed to their weakness.

But in looking at this concept of proving faithful in trials, let's turn to Nephi's example (once again).

After being bound up by his brothers for four days, suffering "exceeding" soreness, he remarks:

16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.

Nephi did nothing wrong and definitely nothing desiring of his treatment. But instead of complaining, he "praised" the Lord.

Seeing Nephi's reaction is once again a helpful barometer to measure our own. How do we respond when faced with a trial? Do we respond in the same way as Nephi?

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Chapter 19 

These Things Are Sacred 

Nephi explains that on his small plates (which is the record we're reading) he chose to write the sacred things. This means that what Nephi has written, he considers sacred. Thus if Nephi has allocated space to the words of Isaiah, we should take Isaiah's words seriously. But do we?

Nephi laments that

7 For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words—they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels. 

If Nephi took time to quote Isaiah, it means his words are important. Thus Nephi "esteems" Isaiah to be of great worth. Have we set those things "at naught and trampl[ed] under [our] feet" by choosing to not study Isaiah's words? What does this mean for us?

Chapter 20 and 21 -- Portion of Isaiah 

As we learned in 1 Nephi 19, Nephi quotes Isaiah because Isaiah has enormous value in teaching us about Christ.

23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning. 

Thus for Nephi, he sees that Isaiah can teach us about the Savior. This is perhaps why the Lord commands the Nephite and Lamanites to read and "search" the prophecies of Isaiah.

Here, then, we have two people extolling the importance of Isaiah -- with Christ commanding the Nephites and Lamanites to read Isaiah. This suggests that the Isaiah is important and should not be treated lightly.

As we read Isaiah, we should, as Nephi recommends, think about likening them to ourselves. To liken means that we look for principles and apply them to our experience. Although some scriptures lend themselves to likening compared to others, the prophecies of Isaiah are lend themselves to likening. This is because of the nature of Isaiah's prophecy. Instead of referring to future events for one group, Isaiah's prophecy apply both to the Jews and to modern days. Therefore, we Isaiah prophecies or even describes a current condition, that condition is prevalent today, in some form or another.

With that in mind, let's turn to the first two portion of Isaiah that Nephi records.

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Chapter 20

Since Isaiah is rich with detail but also hard to follow, my comments on Isaiah are going to follow a different format than the other chapters. Instead of expounding on deeper themes and principles, I've going to track what each verse means, highlighting the main points. This is to aide you in your own study of Isaiah.

Verse 1: Lord speaks to Israel ("house of Jacob") who proclaim to follow the Lord ("swear by [the Lord's name and make mention of the God of Israel), yet their actions show otherwise.

[Liken to ourselves: As members of the LDS church do our actions align with our professed belief in the Lord? Or are we like the Israelites who assumed that their status was enough to save them?]

Verse 2: The people claim their city is holy, but they don't rely on God.

Verses 3-7 Lord explains that he revealed things to them so that they wouldn't turn to idolatry (or seek after other gods beside him). And he did it because the Israelites were stubborn (imagery of neck as iron conveys the idea that they can't turn, they are stuck in their ways -- similar with brass brows). The Lord showed them even hidden things, but they couldn't understand it because of their hard hearts.

Verses 8-11: Lord explains that he knew the Israelites would be disobedient from the beginning ("called transgressor from the womb) but for the sake of his reputation he will not utterly destroy the House of Israel. But this doesn't mean they escape his judgment either. The House of Israel is wicked and stubborn. They must be refined before the Lord can regather them ("chosen thee in the furnace of affliction")

Verses 12-13 : The Lord exhorts Israel to listen to him. In verse 13, he then gives the reason for why they should listen to him -- he created the earth and the earth and creation obey his commands.

Verse 14: Who is the "him" in the clause, "the Lord hath loved him.."? Next chapter I'll explain more. For now, the "him" refers to the Lord's servant historically (like Cyrus) and the servant in the future (the end-time servant -- aka, the one mighty and strong; the Davidic Servant; "the messenger" The remainder of the chapter (verses 15-22) is about the reason for the servant and what the servant will do.

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Chapter 21

This chapter is not as difficult as it seems. One challenge with reading Isaiah is that he switches voices without telling us. Because of this, we have to pay close attention to each verse to identify who is speaking. For this chapter, I'll indicate the speaker by brackets.

The Davidic Servant 

But before looking at the chapter, it's important to explain (briefly) the idea of the Davidic Servant. In short, before the Lord's second coming, he will send an forerunner, like he did with John the Baptist, to prepare his way. This forerunner is a special person, who has been preserved by the Lord to gather and fight for Zion. He will be of both the tribe of Judah and Ephraim. And he'll be a descendant from the line of king David. We'll learn more about him later in 2 Nephi. But here is what the Lord taught up the Davidic Servant when he visited the Nephites and Lamanites. In speaking about today (the fullness of the Gentiles), he states

9 For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them.
10 But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.

The Lord is speaking and says that the life of "my servant" shall be in my hand. The Lord then is referring to someone besides him. This statement is quoting Isaiah 42 (often referred to as the marred servant chapter). Many people think the marred servant is the Lord. But here the Lord is identify the marred servant as "his servant." Thus the servant is someone else. This someone else is the Davidic Servant. This is who Isaiah is referring to in 1 Nephi 21.

The Davidic Servant goes by many names. Another name he goes by is Elijah, after the prophet Elijah who was a forerunner to Elisha. Consider this statement by Joseph Smith

“How shall God come to the rescue of this generation? He will send Elijah the prophet. [notice the future tense] The law revealed to Moses in Horeb never was revealed to the children of Israel as a nation. Elijah shall reveal the covenants to seal the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers.” -- History of the Church, 5:529-531 (Annotations Added) 

[Some might think that Joseph Smith was referring to Elijah's coming to the temple. However, this is not the case. Elijah presumably appeared to Joseph and Oliver Cowdery in 1836. Jospeh gave this statement (the quoted statement above) in August 27th, 1843 -- 6 years after the event in Kirkland Temple. Moreover, he says that Elijah will come instead of Elijah came.]

If you're interested, here is a great post on the Elijah Doctrine: https://areturning.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/a-brief-history-of-the-elijah-doctrine/

For ease, I'll use "DS" to refer to the Davidic Servant

Verse 1: [Lord Speaking] Lord addresses all of the House of Israel. He explains that their leaders [both political and religious] have caused them to be scattered.

[Interesting note. The first five lines of verse 1 are not found in the Bible. In the Bible, the verse starts as "Listen, O isles.."]

Verse 2: [DS] Explains that the Lord has, like a arrow in quiver, been preparing him for his mission. The idea of being hidden likely refers to the idea that most people won't know who he is.

Verse 3: [Lord] Given the name of Israel, the DS will glorify the Lord.

Verses 4-5: [DS] Although endowed with power, the DS's servant work and efforts will initially go unnoticed. Working hard to call people to repentance, his efforts have not yielded much (or any) fruit. Yet despite his initial failures in failing to gather Israel by calling repentance, he'll be revered in the Lord's eyes and given strength.

Verses 6-8 [Lord] Lord explains that despite his failure, the DS is the Lord's servant in restoring the remnant ("preserved") of Israel and in also being a light to the Gentiles. The DS is to be the Lord's instrument to bring salvation. The Lord (in verse 8) then turn his attention to the scattered House of Israel ("Isles of the sea") explaining that, in due time, he will restore them and will give to them the DS as a covenant to restore and gather them.

[Note: Some commentaries explain that Isaiah is the servant being referred to in this chapter. But verse 6 shows this can't be the case as Isaiah was never a "light to the Gentiles" nor did he help gather Israel.]

[Bear in mind what Jospeh Smith said about the future Elijah, who will reveal the covenants to heal and restore the nations]

Verses 9 - 13[The Lord] Explain to the House of Israel that the DS, who will liberate the scattered members of the House of Israel, will give them power to free the people living in darkness ("mayest say to the prisoners: Go forth; to them that sit in darkness"). And by so doing be lead to the Lord and shall prosper. The Lord will gather the House of Israel from all corners of the world. This will be so great of work that the heavens will sing for joy, for the "Lord hath confronted his people [Isarel], and will have mercy upon" them.

Verse 14 [Zion Personified] Zion is described as mourning that fact that she has no inhabitants. Zion has not been established and is waiting.

Verses 15-21 [The Lord] The Lord promises Zion that he not forgotten her. Soon she will have "children" (inhabitants) who will put an end to those preventing Zion (metaphorically speaking). In verse 19, the Lord explain that Zion will have so many "children" that the land will become "narrow."

Verses 22-23 [The Lord] Explains that he will use the Gentiles to gather in the lost tribes of Israel.

Verses 25-26 [The Lord] Affirms that he will fight agents those who fight against Zion and Israel. And those who do will face serious judgment

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Chapter 22

Nephi Explains the Chapters of Isaiah He Quoted

Nephi has a lot of things to stay and much to be pondered. For this chapter, I'd like ask a few question.

Verse 3: What does Nephi mean that all the things he has read in Isaiah pertain to things "both temporal and spiritual."

Verse 5: What does "these things" refer to?

Verse 6: Who is the "they" in verse 6? (Nevertheless, after they shall be nursed by the Gentiles...)

Verse 7: Who is the mighty nation?

Verse 9: What shall be of worth to the Gentiles? Why shall it be of worth to them?

Verse 10: Why can't all the people of the earth be blessed if the Lord does not "make bare his arm in the eyes of the nation?" What is the link between being blessed and Lord's arm being made bare?

Verse 12: Who is the "they" that are brought out of captivity?

Verse 16-18: What do these verses tell us about the end times? What will it be like?

Verse 25: What does it mean that the Lord's sheep will know him?

Commentary for Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 11-15

Chapter 11 

Receiving Answers to Prayers 

In this chapter, Nephi's statement (and promise) of God showing us His mysteries based on our diligence comes to fruition.

Nephi explains

1. For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.

Here, Nephi provides three steps to receiving answers from the Lord.

1. Have desire 
2. Believe That the Lord Will Answer 
3. Ponder 

Additional to these three components, notice what Nephi is praying for. He is praying to see what his father saw. Thus he is specific in his request. 

Pondering In The Heart 

Nephi states that has he sat pondering in his heart, he was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord. 1828 Dictionary defines pondering as the "weigh[ing] in the mind....to view with deliberation; to examine."

Furthermore, why does Nephi say he was "pondering in [his] heart." The heart pumps blood -- why does Nephi associate the heart with cognition? 

Since the Book of Mormon is a Hebrew based book, understanding the meaning of heart (Lev) in Hebrew elucidates Nephi's statement. In Biblical Hebrew (Ancient Hebrew) the heart is associated with the inner essence of the person. The heart, in other words, is who one really is. 

Seeing this, the Lord's statement in Ezekiel about creating a new heart makes sense. 

26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36)

This statement is referring to future gathering of Israel, where those who are gathered to Zion are given a new heart, a heart of flesh, not stone. This statement is then referring to a complete inner change of the people gathered to Zion. 

For Nephi then, his statement of pondering in his heart could refer to the degree of pondering. He thought deeply about what he desired to see. To do this kind of thinking likely didn't happen in a few minutes. Rather, it might have taken a long time. And since pondering refers to deliberation and evaluation, this type of thinking can't be rushed. 

This could be a lesson for us. Perhaps the reason why we feel the Lord doesn't answer us is because we don't seek him long enough for him to answer us. 

Based on this info, we could then describe the steps as follows: 

1. Have a desire
2. Believe that the Lord will answer
3. Ponder (deliberate, evaluate) deeply within the soul
4. Be specific in what you're asking for 

Questions To Consider

Nephi's vision is quite amazing and it goes on for a few chapters. I don't have time or space to examine each detail, but I do want to ask from questions for pondering, since there are details in this vision worth pondering on. 

Question: Why does the Spirit of the Lord, before showing him Lehi's vision, ask whether Nephi believes that Lehi saw the tree? In verse 6, the Spirit says that Nephi will see the things he desired because of his belief. How is belief and receiving answers connected? Could Nephi have seen what he desired if he didn't believe? Why is belief seemingly necessary? 

Question: Two messengers visit Nephi during his vision: 1) The Spirit of the Lord and 2) The angel. Who might the Spirit of the Lord be? 

Question: In verse 7, Nephi is told that the things he'll see are "give unto thee for a sign." What might this mean? 

Question: The Spirit explain that after Nephi sees the Tree of Life, he will see the Savior. How is the Tree of Life and the Savior connected? 

Question: Nephi sees what his father saw, but how does what he saw also differ from what his father saw? Why might this matter? (E.g., who does Nephi see in the Great and Spacious Building compared to Lehi?)

Chapter 12 

Two Groups Saved By Faith 

Continuing Nephi's dream, let's explore some additional themes. As stated above, Nephi's vision is rich, complex, and full of meaning and significance into God's working among humanity.

The first theme, which I won't discuss much of, is to pay attention to the two groups that Nephi sees.

1 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Look, and behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren. And I looked and beheld the land of promise; and I beheld multitudes of people, yea, even as it were in number as many as the sand of the sea.

Throughout this chapter, Nephi sees the his seed (the Nephites) and the seed of his brethern (the Lamanites) and their outcome. It's worthwhile to track the outcome of each group throughout this chapter.

In addition to this, Nephi also describes those, in juxtaposition to the wicked, are saved in Christ. Let's look at both groups:

Group 1 -- the 12 Nephite Ministers

10 And these twelve ministers whom thou beholdest shall judge thy seed. And, behold, they are righteous forever; for because of their faith in the Lamb of God their garments are made white in his blood.

Group 2 -- Those of the 3rd Generation

11 And the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments were white even like unto the Lamb of God. And the angel said unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him.

A good rule-of-thumb in the scriptures is that if a word or phrase is repeated, it's for a reason. Here, Nephi sees that both the 12 Ministers and Those of the 3rd Generation (aka--those living after Christ's ministry to the Americas. He notes that for both of these people they were saved (made white) because of their faith.

Thus Nephi links faith to each group's salvation. Seeing this, we should ask: what does it mean to have faith that saves? Although not comprehensive, reading about each of these groups is illuminating into what it means to have saving faith. I won't look at them here, but it's worthwhile to read about each group and their behavior.

Mist of Darkness

The last comment deals with the mist of darkness Nephi sees. From Lehi's vision, we learn of the mist of darkness that covers and blinds people, preventing them from reaching the Tree of Life. Yet Lehi's dream doesn't tell us what the mist of darkness represent. We instead learn that in Nephi's vision.

Nephi explains that the mists of darkness represents the temptations of the devil. Most of us know this. But most of us also don't consider the entire verse as whole.

17 And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.

Not only does Nephi tell what the mist of darkness represent, but he also explains its effect -- causing spiritual blindness, which leads to hardening of one's heart. This hardening ultimately leads to becoming lost.

Thus the danger of succumbing to temptation is that is leads to spiritual blindness, which blindness ultimately leads to becoming lost. And what are we lost from? The Tree of Life.

This is a complicated topic that requires adjusting the lens we read scripture with. But suffice it to say that Nephi is showing us the real reason why temptation is bad. Most of us think if we succumb to temptation, we've sinned and therefore we have some "stain" on us. Yet, Nephi doesn't bring that up. This is not to say that there is no stain. But it is to say that merely thinking to temptation giving us a "stain" misunderstands the gravity of temptation.

The real danger in succumbing to temptation is that in blinds our spiritual eyes. And by being blinded, we harden our hearts. In other chapters, Nephi is explicit that Laman and Lemuel don't understand the Lord's ways because of their hard hearts. It's their hearts that are the problem. If you read the scriptures, you will learn that the Lord's objective is to change our hearts. And as we learned earlier, our heart is who we (truly) are.

Ultimately then, when we succumb to temptation, our core-self becomes hardened, less receptive to God's spirit and influence. And being more dull to receiving the Spirit, we don't know the way forward, thus becoming lost.

To put this is another context, the Hebrew word translated as repentance (and the names of this blog) is teshuvah. The word teshuvah simply means to return. Thus to repent means to return to God. In some sense, our mortal probation is a actual journey back to the Tree of Life (the presence of God). But temptation causes us to become lost.

Therefore, temptation occurs when we are prompted to do something we know is wrong. If we heed that temptation, then we've willfully gone against light and truth. As a result, we've rejected light and accepted darkness. By so doing, we metaphorically turned off the lights in our room and chosen to dwell in darkness. If we fail to repent and correct our conduct, we'll remain in darkness. And if we remain, we'll continue accepting more and more darkness until we aren't able to comprehend the light -- this is what it means to become past feeling.

Viewed for this perspective, the reason why we are to avoid temptation is more subtle than having a "stain" or becoming unclean, but it concerns our relationship to God and our ability to access Him. Like Lehi's dream, if we are in the a dark, we can't find God.

Thinking of temptation in this way helps us to recognize that God doesn't give commands for the sake of giving them. He gives commands for us to accept more light. That is the entire purpose of God's commands. This also means, as discussed in the previous blog, that each of us will have different personal commands. We stunt our growth if we believe the only commands to follow are the one's given by the church.

Consider this verse from Doctrine and Covenants about the saints in Zion (and by Zion, I mean the millennial kingdom, not SLC).

3 Yea, blessed are they whose feet stand upon the land of Zion, who have obeyed my gospel; for they shall receive for their reward the good things of the earth, and it shall bring forth in its strength.
4 And they shall also be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time—they that are faithful and diligent before me. (Doctrine and Covenants 59)

To be part of Zion is to be blessed with additional commandments. This is because part of living in Zion involves growing in further light and truth.

But we don't have to wait for Zion to gain further light and truth. Nephi, Brother of Jared, and others were able to obtain the mysteries of God while not living in a Zion society. We can all do the same.

Chapter 13 

For this chapter, I would like to comment on two ideas: 1) The Great and Abominable Church and 2) The Significance of the Book of Mormon

The Great and Abominable Church

Despite what many may think, the Great and Abominable Church (or GAC for short) is not the Catholic Church. This for two reasons.

4 And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the formation of a great church.
5 And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity.

The first reason GAC is not the Catholic Church is based on other verses in the 1 Nephi 14, where the angel explains:

10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; 1) the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and 2) the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth. (1 Nephi 14) 

 Since there are two churches, the GAC must mean something more than the Catholic church, since there are only two churches. Otherwise, every other philosophy and world organization is part of the church of the Lamb of God. This can't be true. Evil exists in many form within this world. It can't all come from the Catholic Church.

This verse allows tells us that Nephi is using the word "church" broadly. He is not using it as we use it today. Instead, "church" refers to an organization or collection of people based on their thought and beliefs -- you either believe in good or evil.

The second reason is based on other books in the Bible. In 1 Nephi 14, it tells that another person, who is a disciple of Christ and named John, saw what Nephi saw and wrote about it. This John is, of course, John who wrote the Book of Revelation. He also talks about the GAC, except he refers to her as "the whore." Nephi does as well (she is the whore of all the earth.) 

In Revelation,

1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: (Revelation 17)

Later we learn who the "whore of the earth" is.

5 And upon her forehead (the whore of the earth) was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Id.)

Thus, connecting Revelation's "whore of the earth" with Nephi's GAC, we learn that GAC is Babylon. Not the literal Babylon, but the spiritual Babylon, representing the evil ideology of the world.

The Significance of the Book of Mormon

In verse 20, Nephi "beholds a book" carried by the Gentiles living in the Americas. The angel then explains the following:

23 ... Behold it (the book) proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles. 

24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.

The book contains the following:

1. Record of the Jews
2. Contains covenants of the Lord 
3. Record like those in the plates of brass, except not as many as are in the plates of brass 
4. Proceeds from the "mouth of a Jew"

We know this is referring to the Old Testament because the New Testament, as a compiled book, was not compiled until long after the 12 apostles. This book is the Old Testament. The Jew referenced is likely Ezra the Scribe. Verse 24 suggests that he was responsible for compiling the Old Testament. The Bible, as we know it, was complied after Babylon captivity.

In the subsequent verses, we also learn that when it was first compiled, the Old Testament contained the fulness of the Gospel. It later is distorted and many things are taken out, causing many to stumble, giving Satan power of them.

Interesting that the angel says many precious things were taken out. He never says that false things were put in? Does this difference mean anything?

Towards the end of the chapter, we learn

40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved. 

41 And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth.

These last records refers to the Book of Mormon and other records that will come forth and will teach us about the plain and precious things which were removed from the Old Testament. They will also teach that Christ is the savior of the world.

...and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; (1 Nephi 13:41) 

Thy seed refers to Nephi's seed. This is where Nephi likely learns of the need to keep a record of his ministry, so that the words of God can be preserved for the Gentiles.

This is why the Book of Mormon is so important. Yes, it's the most correct of any other book. But what does that mean? It means that it contains the things we need to know in order to avoid be taken over by Satan. Through the Book of Mormon we are able to learn about the complete gospel. The Lord did this for us in the last days so that we, like the ancients, would have a record that is accurate and complete in describing the gospel.

And what are some of those things?

• How mysteries are made known unto man 
• To process for receiving revelation and inspiration
• The role of the gentiles in assisting the House of Israel 
• The lost teachings of Zenos 
• How to retain a remission of sins 
• The office and calling of a seer 
• The relationship between justice and mercy 
• How to receive the sealing power 
• The need to enter God's presence in mortality. 

Chapter 14

What The Gentiles Have to Gain 

It's important to remember that the plates did not have chapters. They were not divided into categories of chapter and verse like our Book of Mormon. This is important because sometimes the beginning of the chapter is not necessarily the beginning of a new thought, but is instead a continuation from the previous chapter. This is the case here. The beginning of chapter 14 is continuing from the end of chapter 13.

1 And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks— 

2 And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded.

That day refers to day when the Lord brings forth the records containing the previous and plain truths of the gospel. That day, in other words, is now. This verse is referring to us. These two verses explain what we, the Gentiles, need to do.

Let's then rephrase the verses. The Lord says that if the Gentiles (us) hearken unto Christ in the day he reveals other books containing the fulness of the gospel and not hardening our hearts against God (see verse 2), the following will occur.

• God will manifest himself unto us in word, power, and in deed. 
• Be numbered us among the Lamanites (i.e., seed of thy (Nephi's father)) 
• Be blessed 
• Be brought into captivity no more
• House of Israel will longer be confounded (be in disorder) 

Have these things occurred? 

• Has God brought the House of Israel out disorder? Or are they still scattered? 
• Are we out of captivity? Captivity in the Book of Mormon often refers to spiritual captivity? Are we free from temptation? 
• Are we numbered among the Lamanites? 
• Has God manifested himself unto his power? Can we confidently say that we have the same power of heaven as the ancients before us? Are we able to move mountains like Enoch? Part the Red Sea like Moses? Heal the sick and afflicted like the apostles? 

If we can't answer yes to any of these, then we have not properly hearkened to the Lord. That being the case, what are we doing about it? Are we surrender ourselves to the Lord daily, allowing our will to be subsumed in his? 

These are the things that the Lord is looking for. If going to church, fasting, and attending the temple are not producing the fruits listed above, then maybe we should reexamine what the Lord really requires of us. 

And even if we answer yes to all. What about verse 3 and 4, which states if the Gentiles hearken to the Lord the pit of the Great and Abominable church (Babylon) will be filled. Has Babylon fallen or is it stronger than ever? 

Two Great Works of God 

Nephi describes two great works that God will initiate before the Lord's Second Coming. They are the 1) Marvelous Work and Wonder and 2) Work of the Father. 

Marvelous Work and Wonder 

We may think that these two works are one and the same. But a close reading of the passages shows that this is not the case. Let's first start with a Marvelous Work and Wonder 

7 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.

The Lord appears to speaking to Nephi, explaining that soon the Lord will work a great and marvelous work.

This work will serve two purposes: 1) convincing humanity of peace and eternal life OR 2) delivering humanity to the hardness of their heart and blindness of mind.

There are only two responses we, as humans, can chose: be convinced of peace OR be delivered to a heard heart because we rejected the gospel.

Why does God need to convince of us peace and eternal life? Could it be that the real truths of the gospel and what is required of us go against our intuition -- inasmuch that we need convincing?

Notable, the 1828 Webster's Dictionary have a few definitions for the word convince:

1. "To persuade or satisfy the mind by evidence; to subdue the opposition of the mind to truth, or to what is alleged, and compel it to yield its assent; as, to convince a man of his errors; or to convince him of the truth."
2. "To convict; to prove guilty; to constrain one to admit or acknowledge himself to be guilty."
3. "To envince; to prove."

Definitions (1) and (2) are illuminating. Although they have slightly different meaning, they both denote the idea of convincing us of our guilt or wrong. Definition (1) is also interesting because one of the definition is of convince is to "convince man of his errors" or "to convince him of truth." 

Perhaps in order to be convinced of peace and eternal life, we have be convinced of our errors and also convinced of the truth of peace and eternal life. 

If we reject the gospel, we are turned over to the hard hearts and become spiritual blind, lead in spiritual captivity and facing both spiritual and temporal destruction. The stakes are high. 

Work of the Father 

The next work, after the Marvelous Work and Wonder, is the Work of the Father. Verse 17 reads, 

17 And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil, then, at that day (the day of God's wrath), the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to his people who are of the house of Israel.

The first indication when the Work of the Father begins is the day of God's wrath. In verse 16, we learn that this day occurs when "there [begins] to be wars and rumors of wars among all the nations which [belong] to the mother of abominations (Babylon).." 

Thus when all nation are engaged in war, God's another work, the Work of the Father begins. Unlike the Marvelous Work and Wonder, this work is specific to the House of Israel. 

The Gentiles rejection of God's gospel, will unleash his wrath. By rejecting the Gospel, the Gentiles are now under judgment. God will then turn back to the House of Israel to call them to repentance.  

We may think this is already happening through missionary work, but it appears the true gathering happens once the Gentiles reject the Gospel. It is then that the Lord will remember his covenant with the House of Israel, and bring all who repent to Zion. 

Are we there yet? Have we embraced the gospel as God intended? Again, refer to chapter 14 (verses 1 and 2). Have we seen any of those results? Has God manifested himself to us in power? Are we free from temptation?  

To receive what the Lord is offering, requires us to believe. Consider these verses from Doctrine and Covenants:

64 Therefore, as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you again, that every soul who believeth on your words, and is baptized by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost.
65 And these signs shall follow them that believe—
66 In my name they shall do many wonderful works;
67 In my name they shall cast out devils;
68 In my name they shall heal the sick;
69 In my name they shall open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf;
70 And the tongue of the dumb shall speak;
71 And if any man shall administer poison unto them it shall not hurt them;
72 And the poison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them.

Doctrine and Covenants 84 gives us the sings of those who believe. If you truly believe in Christ, you're able to perform miracles. Note that doing these miracles are done through belief in Christ; one does not need the priesthood to do these things.

Have these signs followed us? Do we perform these miracles? If not, we may not truly believe in Christ. And because of these, we have not fully accepted his gospel. This ultimately means that we may be more under Satan's control then we think.

If so, what are we doing about it?

Chapter 15

Because of space, I will briefly comment on chapter 15.

• In verse 11, Nephi repeats the way we receive answers from God. Let's track the elements: 1) Not harden our heart (hearts are soft)l 2) ask in faith; 3) believe that you shall receive; 4) be diligent in keeping God's commands. 
• Perhaps one explanation for not receiving answers to our prayers is that we are not satisfying all or at least one of these elements. 

• In verse 13, we learn that through us, the Gentiles, the fullness of the gospel will go forth to the Lamanites. 

Commentary For Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 8-10

Chapter 8

This chapter describes Lehi’s dream. Instead, however, of reviewing the things that Lehi saw, I’d like to take a different approach and look at two elements of the dream that are often overlooked. These elements are the man in white that Lehi follows and the different groups of people.

The Man In White

Lehi starts off explaining to this sons that he had a vision. He begins,

5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.

The relevant question is who is the man in white? At first blush, we may assume that he is a heavenly messenger. After all, he is dressed in white robe (symbol of righteousness) and directed Lehi to follow him. But notice what happens to Lehi after he follows him. He is led further and further into darkness. Lehi explains that he followed the man in the white rob, he was led into a dark and dreary waste. Further note in verse 8 that he journeyed into the dark and dreary waste lasted for the space “many hours.” And the only thing that ended it was him praying to the Lord.

And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me… [and] after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.

Praying to the Lord appears to have ended Lehi’s walking in darkness. Did Lehi make a mistake following the man in the white robe? Was the man in the white robe a false messenger? Why would Lehi have prayed to the Lord to have mercy on him? If he was following a true messenger, it wouldn’t have to do this. The fact Lehi asked for mercy suggests that he made a mistake. Could his mistake be that of following the man in the white robe? (For further comparison, see Moses' response to Satan in Moses 1.)

To explore this concept further, consider the following teachings:

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 

A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book! The voice of Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light! (Doctrine and Covenants 128:20).

Following a false messenger however doesn’t have to be through an angelic or spiritual visitation; it could also be from relying upon men. Consider the following:

President Joseph Smith read the 14th chapter of Ezekiel–said the Lord had declared by the Prophet, that the people should each one stand for himself, and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish church–that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls–applied it to the present state of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints–said if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall–that they were depending on the Prophet, hence were darkened in their minds, in consequence of neglecting the duties devolving upon themselves, envious towards the innocent, while they afflict the virtuous with their shafts of envy. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg 237)

5 Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. (Jeremiah 17)

12 And my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they who lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths. (2 Nephi)

The Lord is clear that leaders can leads us astray. Do we allow what men, by what they say, to dictate the extent of what we’ll believe? Is it possible, no matter how inspired a man is, that he could be wrong in certain areas? Is there anything in the scriptures that shows a prophet is infallible? That leaders of religious institutions are free from error?

9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? 10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. (Jeremiah 8)

11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow. (Isaiah 11)

What does it mean to walk in the light of your fire? Was it the result? How do we walk in our own light? How do we avoid this?

2 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors (religious authorities, teachers) that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 23)

Of course we may counter that God won’t allow leaders to lead us astray. Things are different.

82 And inasmuch as a President of the High Priesthood shall transgress, he shall be had in remembrance before the common council of the church, who shall be assisted by twelve counselors of the High Priesthood (Doctrine and Covenants 107)

If our leaders can’t lead us astray,  then why does the Lord provide a mechanism for dealing with the President of the High Priesthood (The President of the Church) if he transgresses?

For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him… Behold, thou art Joseph, and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall. (Doctrine and Covenants 3:4, 9)

If Joseph Smith could fall, what makes our current leaders any different? History furthermore shows that the LDS Church has made mistakes. Is there any reason to suggest things would be different?

Different Groups of People

In Lehi’s dream, we learn of three different people who commence walking on the straight and narrow

1. Numberless Concourses of People
2. Those Who Were Clinging to the Rod
3. Those Who Partook and Ignored The People In the Great and Spacious Building ("Those Who Ignored")

Numberless Concourses of People

In verse 21, we read the Lehi say numberless concourses of people who commenced on the path. Later in verse 23 we read

… They who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

They refers to the numberless concourses of people. They started on the path, but the mist of darkness caused them to lose their way. The fact that numberless concourses of people we lost is telling as it reveals how unique of a path it is to follow the Lord.

Clinging To The Rod

The next group is the one clinging to the rod. This group is noted for their clinging to the rod in order to reach the tree of life. Yet, we later read that after they partook of the fruit from the tree they fell away due to embarrassment.

What does this mean for us as members? May some of be more life this group, clinging but heeding the world?

Those Who Ignored

The last group is the one who succeeded. Notable description of this group is that instead of being characterized as clinging, they are described as

… Press[ing] their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree. (verse 29)

Is there a difference between clinging and continually holding fast? What would be different between the two?

Chapter 9 -- Two Different Plates

Two Plates

In this chapter, we learn about two different plates. 1) Plates of ministry (referred to as these plates); 2) Secular plates (other plates). Confusingly enough however is that Nephi also refers to both of these plates as the “plates of Nephi.”


Seeing this, let’s see how this plays out by tracking these terms throughout the chapter.

2 And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates (plates of ministry), behold they are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore, they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and these plates also are called the plates of Nephi.

3 Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I should make these plates (plates of ministry), for the special purpose that there should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people.

4 Upon the other plates (secular plates) should be engraven an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people; wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings and the wars and contentions of my people.

Following the Lord

Nephi doesn’t know the purpose for keeping a separate record. He writes,

5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.

What the Lord commands us is unique to our ability and circumstance.

As a reminder, the Lord commanded Lehi and his family to flee Jerusalem, but did not issue the same command to Jeremiah.

What one person is commanded to do may be, and often is, different from another person. This mean that are focus should be on knowing the will of the Lord and following it. It also means that we should be wary of judging people when we think they are not being obedient to God. As Lehi’s example shows, obedience comes in different ways.

Up to this point, one theme is following the Lord. Yet this following isn’t an abstract one, but involves a person directly communicating with the Lord. Like Nephi, our interactions with God should be personal and intimate. Nephi didn’t rely on his father Lehi, a prophet, for direction about writing the plates or to receive promises about his posterity; he revived those things from the Lord.

Applied to us, how do we compare?

• Do we wait for what our leaders tell us before acting?
• Do we have a relationship with the Lord to such a degree that we are certain of his will for us.
• Have we received promises directly related to us?
• Is our obedience to the Lord reduced only to the general commandments to the church, or do we also follow personal commands?
• What is Nephi’s obedience like? Is it limited to static commandments or open to a fluid and progressive one?

Chapter 10 -- The Gathering

Notable Features

• Lehi prophecies of a future Messiah.
• He also prophecies of John the Baptist -- a forerunner to Jesus Christ.
• We learn about the gathering
• And we receive instructions how to receive answers from God

Here, I’d like to focus on the last two: The Gathering and Receiving Answers from God.


The Gathering

14 And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.

We learn here that the House of Israel won’t be gathered (at least fully) until the Gentiles receive the fulness of the Gospel. Joseph Smith's ministry was to bring forth the fulness of the gospel?


The Lord speaking in Doctrine and Covenants 1 in explaining his purpose for calling Joseph Smith explains:

20 But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;
21 That faith also might increase in the earth;
22 That mine everlasting covenant might be established;
23 That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.

The Book of Mormon is one way the Lord is proclaiming his everlasting gospel.

8 And gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon;
9 Which (referring to the Book of Mormon) contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;
10 Which was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the world by them (Doctrine and Covenants 20)

Thus by reading the Book of Mormon, we're able to learn about the fulness of the Gospel. And what does the fulness mean?

Let’s first define the gospel:

6...This is my gospel—repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom. (Doctrine and Covenants 39)

Not only is it baptism by water and fire, but to be taught the Holy Ghost. Thus connected to the gospel is receiving knowledge. This knowledge is given to exalt us.

4 But to as many as received me, gave I power to become my sons; and even so will I give unto as many as will receive me, power to become my sons. (Id.)

We receive Christ through his gospel. Having received him, we then become sons of God (for we are not his sons until we fully come unto him) This is what the Restoration restored. This is what Christ wants us to know.


Receiving Answers from God

Nephi desires more than just knowing the things that Lehi saw; he desires to see and hear them as well.

17 … I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost… (1 Nephi 10)

His desires are specific; it entails wanting to three things when in relation to Lewi’s dream—1) seeing what Lehi saw; 2) hearing what Lehi saw; 3) knowing what Lehi saw.

If we feel we don’t receive answers to our prayers, perhaps we should look at incorporating Nephi’s approach. It is very possible that if Nephi asked to see, or even understand the things, the Lord would have helped him to understand, but that wouldn’t necessitate a vision like he had. He received the vision because he was specific in his desires. We should do the same.

Nephi then leaves us with a promise

19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round. (1 Nephi 10).

This is promise to all. Nephi states that "for he that diligently seeketh." He is used to refer to both man and women. Another way of phrasing this is saying, "whatever person diligently seeks will find."

I wrote an essay a while back about the real meaning of faith. For those of you who are interested, I invite you to read it. You can find it here on my blog, under essays. The essay is titled "Oh Say, What Is Faith: A Commentary About Faith, Hope, and Promises.

 But I'm also aware that meaning don't have the time (or patience). In sum, I argue that faith is about trusting in God's promises. We exercise faith by relying on those promises, observing when they are fulfilled.

In verse 19, Nephi provides us a promise (from the Lord) that if we diligently seek after something we will find. He also promises us that based on our diligent searching, the mysteries of God will be revealed to us.

Seeing how great of a promise this is, do we take his promise seriously? What do we spend our time and attention on? How much of the day do we allocate to the Lord and diligently seeking after Him?


Additional Resources


There are two great podcasts I listened to last week that some of you might find helpful.

https://overcast.fm/+InpKJDEo0 -- Bible Project Podcast on the Tree of Life in the Bible and Ancient Near East

https://overcast.fm/+FtEF2y8s4 -- Q &A on 1 Nephi 1-7. This podcast is done through the Book of Mormon Central. A lot of the question address topics I didn't discuss but are worthwhile to consider.

Commentary for Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 1-7

Nephi 1

1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

• Here Nephi explains three things about himself: 
• Seen many afflictions
• Highly Favored of the Lord 
• Has great knowledge of God's goodness and his mysteries. 

1. Question: How are these related? It appears for Nephi that having many afflictions is linked (in some way) to being highly favored. Moreover, it appears that being highly favored means that one has "great knowledge of God's goodness" and knows his mysteries". 
2. What does it mean to know God's mysteries? 

2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

1. Question: What does Nephi mean by "learning of the Jews" and "language of the Egyptians"? 
2. Question: What would it mean that the record consists of the learning of the Jews?  

3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (the last Judahite king) (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed. 5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people. 

• Despite the wickedness of the people, Lehi prays on behalf of them. This is called intercession. The Lord expects for us to intercede on behalf of others. Lehi is praying to God and interceding for them. Further note that his interest and concern is about the people. This is a true characteristic of a person who is born of God. 

6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire (fire is often used to represent God's presence) and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly. 7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

• Question: What might have Lehi seen? Perhaps he saw the destruction of the Jews, causing him much pain. Such a vision would not be uncommon since many of the prophets that prophesied of Jerusalem's destruction were deeply pained and moved by the destruction and captivity of the Jews. 

8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God. (this is divine council imagery. In the Old Testament, the main sign of one being called a prophet was whether they we brought into God's divine council.)

• The Book of Amos states that God does nothing unless he reveals his secrets to the prophets. The Hebrew word secret is sod. Sod often connotes God's divine council. Lehi's experience of being called in God's divine council aligns with other prophets. 

9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending ( Christ) out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day. 10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

• Most of believe that the twelve following him are the twelve apostles. While possibly true, nothing in the verse tells us directly. All we read is the twelve others following after him. Perhaps it is twelve angels? 

11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read. (see Revelation, Ezekiel, Isaiah).

• The image of Lehi reading a book is common in the Old Testament. Ezekiel, for instance, was instructed to read from a scroll. Although Ezekiel, unlike Lehi, ate the scroll, the imagery of both Lehi and Ezekiel reading and eating a scroll serves to emphasize the prophets calling to administer the words given to them. They are not speaking or prophesying on their own, but are saying that the Lord would have them say. 

12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord. (compare Ezekiel 3). 13 And he (Lehi) read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read (in the book given to him) concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon. (Lehi's vision of Jerusalem's destruction

14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!

15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.

16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life.

• Nephi is planning on making two records:
• Record 1: Nephi is going to abridge Lehi's record. The original record would have been the plates of Lehi, which were lost by Martin Harris. That fact that its abridgment further informs us that the plates of Lehi were not a full record, but abridged. Much happened that we don't have information about. 
• Record 2: Nephi's account consists of 1 and 2 Nephi. 

18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.

• This is the role of a prophet to act as mediator between the Lord and man. Seeing what he has seen, Lehi must go forth and declare to the people so that they are have knowledge of their sins and thus accountable before God. 

19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.

• Interesting that Nephi says that Lehi testified of the coming of "a Messiah" instead of "the Messiah." Many Biblical scholars argue that the Jews at the time of the Lehi and other prophets did not fully understand the meaning of the future messiah. By using the phrase "a Messiah" instead of "the Messiah" suggests that Lehi 

20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

• This last sentence is key to unlocking Nephi's writing of his family -- he is going to show us that the Lord is mighty to deliver the people he chooses because of their faith. Thus, when we read the next chapters, we should read them through this lens, making note of when this happens. 

Nephi 2

Verse 3:  And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.

• Note that obedient unto the word of the Lord means doing what the Lord commands, not what man commands. 
• Is it possible to spend our life supposing that we are doing what the Lord wants us to do, where in reality we are not? What might this look like? Lehi knew the Lord's will. Do we? Some might argue that Lehi was a prophet and the rest of us are not. Should that make a difference? Wouldn't it be in our best interest for us to know the Lord's will?
• Consider this quote from Lectures on Faith: An actual knowledge to any person that the course of life which he pursues is according to the will of God, is essentially necessary to enable him to have that confidence in God, without which no person can obtain eternal life. 
• According to Joseph Smith, having an actual knowledge that your life is accord with God's will is necessary to obtain eternal life. If we don't have this knowledge, it appears that we aren't able to receive eternal life. 

Verse 4: And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.

• Notice what is often required by the Lord to follow him -- loss of things. It appears that Lehi was a wealthy man. Yet to follow the Lord, which involved Lehi and his family feeling into the wilderness,  required Lehi to let go of his material possessions. 

Verse 16: And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

• One trait that distinguishes Nephi from Laman and Lemuel is Nephi's desire to know the mysteries of God. 
• What does it mean to know the mysteries of God? 1828 Dictionary defines mysteries as follows:
• A profound secret; something wholly unknown or something kept cautiously concealed, and therefore exciting curiosity or wonder
• That which is beyond human comprehension until explained. In this sense, mystery often conveys the idea of something awfully sublime or important; something that excites wonder.
• Have you learned of God's mysteries? Recall in 1 Nephi 1 that Nephi links knowing the mysteries of God to being highly favored. If you haven't received the mysteries of God (the hidden knowledge) can you say that you're highly favored of God? 
• If you haven't learned of God's mysteries, what might you do to learn them? According to Nephi, having a great desire to know is one step to take. How might we show that we have a great desire to know God's mysteries. 
• See verse 19. Lord tells Nephi that he is blessed because he has sought the Lord 1) diligently and 2) with lowliness of heart. Is having a great desire and seeking diligently related. If so, how? What does it mean to seek the Lord with lowliness of heart? 
• In the scriptures, heart refers to a person's essence -- who they truly are. Knowing that, what does it means to have a lowly heart? (Look up lowly in 1828 Webster's Dictionary). 
• http://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/lowly

Verses 20 - 24

A notable feature of verses 20-24 is the the usage of ye and thou. In King James English, ye refers to plural you -- such as you all or you guys. Thou refers to singular you -- e.g., Thou (You) are great. 

Many of us think that the difference between you and thou is due to formality. This is incorrect. The name of the game in King James English is plural vs singular. 

Based on this understanding, let's see the verses again 

• These 4 verses consist of the following logic 
• verse 20: If ye (you all) keep commandments, then ye (you all) will prosper AND be led to promise led. 
• verse 21: If your brothers rebel against thou (you, singular) (Nephi), then they (Nephi's brothers) will be cut off from the presence of the Lord
• verse 22: If thou (you) keep my commandments, then thou (you) will be a ruler and teacher over your brothers.
• verse 23: When your brothers rebel against me, they will be cursed AND have no power over you posterity unless you posterity rebels against the Lord. 
• Each one of these contains conditions. Did they conditions come true? 

Interesting to note that the first conditional promise is directed to more than just Nephi. Who then is it referring to you? Nephi's family, Nephi's posterity? 

Thus the first promise is to more than Nephi. Later on, the Lord then conditions his promise based on Nephi's obedience. 

Nephi 3

Verse 1: And it came to pass that I, Nephi, returned from speaking with the Lord, to the tent of my father.

• Note that Nephi is interactions with the Lord is a conversation. Do your prayers involve conversations with the Lord, similar to Nephi? Remember, in 1 Nephi 2, the conversation between the Lord and Nephi consists in dialogue. Nephi speaks and then the Lord responds. Do your prayers involve dialogue with the Lord?  
• Further note that at this point in time, Nephi is not a prophet. But this doesn't stop him from engaging with the Lord in direct and personal way. 

Verses 2-4

• Why is it important for Lehi and his family to obtain the brass plates? 
• What is contained in the brass plates? 
• 1) Record of the Jews
• What might be part of the Jewish record? Why is that important? 
• Read Ether. Did the brother of Jared and his posterity have scriptures with them? What was the result of not having a written record of God's word?
• Read 1 Nephi 2: 19-20
• 2) Genealogy of Nephi's forefathers
• If Laban had records of the genealogy of Nephi's forefathers, then it would stand to reason that Laban is a related to Nephi. This is further supported in 1 Nephi 5:16. If so, Nephi's command to kill Laban might have involved in having to kill a relative, again showing what is required to follow the Lord. 

Verses: 12-31; 1 Nephi 4: 2

• Compare Nephi's behavior to yours (ours). How does Nephi respond when both attempts fail? How does his response compare to ours? 

Nephi 4

Verses: 12-18

• By remembering the Lord's promise to him that if Nephi keeps the commandments, he should prosper, Nephi understands the Lord's purpose in having him kill Laban. 
• Although graphic and distirbuing, consider the law of retribution given by the Lord in Doctrine and Covenants 98:23-48

Verse 13: Dwindle in Unbelief

• The importance of the scriptures is quite clear. Without the record, Nephi and his posterity (seed) would have dwindled in unbelief. Thus scriptures serve to prevent us from dwindle in unbelief. 

Nephi 5

Verses 10-22 show the importance of the scriptures. 

• What was contained in the plates of brass? 
• Why were the records obtained considered to be of "great worth?" 
• What does that saw about our own life? 

Nephi 6

Here we learn about two records: Lehi's record and Nephi's record

Lehi's Record:

• Contains the genealogy of Nephi's fathers 

Nephi's Record

• Referred as "this part" or "these plates" 
• Only contains the things "which are pleasing unto God." 
• Only those things of worth are in Nephi's record. 

We read the following in other verses  

1 Nephi 6

17. But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life. (1 Nephi 6)

• Nephi abridges Lehi's record and then provides his own account. 

1 Nephi 9

2 And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates, behold they are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore, they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and these plates also are called the plates of Nephi. 3 Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I should make these plates, for the special purpose that there should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people.

• Nephi makes two plates. One set contains the full account of the history of his people. The other, the plates he is currently writing in, contains an account his people's ministry. 
• In chapter 10, Nephi begins his account. 
• And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon ^athese plates of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of my father, and also of my brethren.