Sariah and Lehi

1 Nephi 5:1 - 8, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 21

And it came to pass that after we had came down into the wilderness unto our father, behold he was filled with joy.  And also my mother, Sariah, was exceeding glad, for she truly had mourned because of us; for she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness.  And she also had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man, saying, Behold, thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness.  And after this manner of language had my mother complained against my father.  And it had came to pass that my father spake unto her saying, I know that I am a visionary man, for if I had not seen the things of God in a vision, I should not have known the goodness of God, but had tarried at Jerusalem and had perished with my brethren.  But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness.  And after this manner of language did my father Lehi comfort my mother Sariah concerning us while we journeyed in the wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem to obtain the record of the Jews.  And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold, their joy was full, and my mother was comforted; and she spake, saying, Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness; yea, and I also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons and delivered them out of the hands Laban and gave them power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them.  And after this manner of language did she speak.

I have to confess that up to this point I have always read this part of the Book of Mormon and simply thought to myself, Well here we see the unbelief of Sariah and the patience of Lehi.

I really believe that I have been incredibly wrong and in need of repentance.

I have never before read the Book of Mormon with the understanding in mind that God chose what was to be included and therefore, in my mind, there is an important lesson to be learned by this experience that does not, in my present understanding, include showing Sariah in a bad light.

From the principles that I have learned from our little Book of Mormon study group I am now inclined to believe that this event was recorded with the intent that we be able to see a real and tender exchange between a husband and a wife at a very trying time when they do not know what the outcome of what the Lord commanded will be.

I cannot remember any other recorded event in the Book of Mormon of a husband and a wife having a conversation or discussion together concerning an important matter.

In my mind that would make this exchange between Sariah and Lehi a very important recorded event.

As a group we believe that there is one way individuals can obtain a fullness of joy even as God possess it; That is by being in a loving faithful vibrant marriage between one man and one woman.

I would like to present a couple of things to give some background as to why we believe this.

I served a Spanish speaking LDS mission many years back.  In the Spanish language if a group of people mentioned, even if it is only two people, and just one of them is male then the group is refered to with a masculine pronoun.

I did not know that Hebrew is the same. 

In both Spanish and Hebrew a married couple would be refered to with maculine pronouns.

With that in mind let's look at scripture.

"And I, God, created man in my own image. In the image of my Only Begotten created I him. Male and female created I them.  And I, God, blessed them." (Moses, OC Genesis 2 par 8)

God created man, male and female, in God's own image and in the image of God's Only Begotten Son.

What is the image of God?

The image of God is a man and a woman; a husband and a wife.

Is this also the image of God's Only Begotten Son from the beginning?

Only in this image is it possible to obtain a fullness of joy.

There is much more light and truth given concerning this matter in two talks. 

One of the talks I will only refer to here, "Our Divine Parents," Denver Snuffer, April 2018, given in Mesa Arizona.

The other talk, Marriage and Family, I would like to quote at length to persuade all to believe that the image of God is in a loving, light filled marriage between one man and one woman.

If you go to Genesis chapter 2 verse 18 it says: "And the Lord God said, It is not good that the
man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." [If it is not good for man to be
alone, we have to necessarily conclude that if you're going to be "good" in the sense that God
desires for man to be good, you have to be with a woman. There has to be a union of the man and
the woman. Otherwise no matter who you are, no matter what you are, no matter what virtues
you may hold, you cannot be, in the eyes of God. Meaning "good" in the sense God uses the
word "good" to describe the condition of man in his separate, single state.]
The work of God, after all, is to bring to pass "the immortality and the eternal life of man." That
is not even a possibility if you do not have the man and the woman together. The condition of
“eternal life” requires procreation. Therefore, it is not "good" for man to be alone.
In the creation, this is preceding chapter of Genesis chapter 1, the creation of man is described:
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female
created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and
replenish the earth, and subdue it." (Genesis 1:27 - 28) [You see, when it comes to the image of
God, the image of God is both male and female. That is who the Eloheim are. When we talk
about the “Eloheim” a singular verb is used. That is, the Eloheim “is.” This singular verb is used
despite the fact that the word “Eloheim” is plural. Why would you use a single verb with a plural
noun? The reason you would do that is they two are one. It is because there is no difference
between the Father and His Consort, the one about whom so little is said. ("Marriage and Family," St George, Lecture 9, Denver Snuffer, July 26, 2014)

If the Book of Mormon is the keystone to the religion that Joseph was seeking to restore, the religion of Adam, then it necessarily must include teachings about the image of God, or in other words marriage between one man and one woman.

What does Jacob have to say about this subject?

"But the word of God burthens me because of your grosser crimes.  For behold, thus saith the Lord, this people begins to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms because of the things which are written concerning David, and Solomon, his son.  Behold, David, and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.  Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.  Wherefore, I, the Lord God, will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.  Wherefore, my brethren, hear me and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife, and concubines he shall have none, for I, the Lord God, delighteth in the chastity of women.  And whoredoms are an abomination before me, thus saith the Lord of hosts.  Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.  For if I will, saith the Lord of hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people.  Otherwise, they shall hearken unto these things: For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem,..." (Jacob, NC Jacob 2 pars. 6 - 8)

Jacob clearly stated that if the Lord intended a people to take more wives and concubines to raise up seed He would have commanded it but He has not commanded any such thing.

Jacob further stated,

"Behold, the Lamanites, your brethren whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursings which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you.  For they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord which was given unto our fathers, that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them.  And now this commandment they observe to keep.  Wherefore, because of this observance in keeping this commandment the Lord God will not destroy them, but will be merciful unto them, and one day they shall become a blessed people.  Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands, and their husbands and their wives love their children,..." (Jacob, NC Jacob 2 par. 11)

It would appear from what Jacob declared that their family life qualified the Lamanites to be preserved inspite of the other incorrect and filthy things the Lamanites did because of their cursings.

What should a marriage be like to qualify to be in the image of God or something that God would want to preserve into the next life?

Can it be said concerning your own marriage, that it is not good for the man to be alone? Are the
two of you together, better than what each of you are alone? Is your marriage a source of joy, of
happiness, of contentment, of companionship? The Lord told them to multiply and replenish the
earth. Do you find within your family relationship there is joy, rejoicing and happiness as a
consequence of the environment you and your wife have put together in your home?
As a woman, is your relationship in the image of God? Is there godliness about the way in which
you and your husband interact? If you had to reckon whether or not someone, looking at the two
of you, would see in you the image of God, would they? These are not just happy notions for the
afterlife, these ought to be descriptions of what your marriage could and should look like. Can
you sense the glory of God in your marriage? Remember, we looked at this in D&C 93:36. "The
glory of God is intelligence, or another words Light and Truth." The glory of God being light,
the glory of God being truth. Is that something present in the marriage that you now have? Is
your marriage filled with life? With light? With truth? With understanding?
Turn back to D&C 121, there a couple versus there that I want to call to your attention,
particularly if you view the man and the woman together as one. Read these verses as if they
describe "the one," which is you and your wife. This is beginning at verse 40. "Many are called,
but few are chosen. No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the
priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love
unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without
hypocrisy, and without guile."
Within your family, within your marriage, are you and your wife learning to use persuasion?
Within your marriage, are you and your husband learning to use gentleness in dealing with one
another? Are the two of you together, facing one another, in all the difficulties that come as a
result of being married, are you facing that together in meekness? Do you find that, in all the
relationship troubles, turmoil, and challenges, together you face it all with mutual kindness? Is
there a search for understanding that results in pure knowledge, when it comes to any dilemma
you two confront?
Look at verse 37: "That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to
cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or
compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the
heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen
to the priesthood or the authority of that man." [It has been my observation that as soon as the
Spirit of the Lord withdraws, that quickly will another spirit step in to assure you that you right,
that you should be vindicated, that you ought to proceed on in the arrogance of your heart to feel
yourself justified and vindicated. There are false spirits that go about, but there is no better an
audience to receive the whisperings of those false spirits, than the abusers of their authority.
Those who, having grieved the Spirit and caused it to withdraw, then accept counsel from
another spirit saying: "You are right, press on! Well done! You are good and you are doing good
using this great authority from God! You will be vindicated. This is all God's work, and you're a
great man because you are engaged in God's work! Do not back down, do not relent. Forget
about persuasion, you should never be long-suffering, you should make those under your rule
suffer if they resist your power. They should yield to your rule. There is no place for meekness.
We believe in a God of strength, a God of power, a God whose work can be done despite the
frailties of man! God’s work cannot fail, and you are doing God’s work! There is no need for
men to be meek. And it's kind in the end, to punish, and to force, and coerce, because we have a
good objective in mind." This false spirit influences much of what happens today among the
Latter-day Saints. It grieves God, and leaves the Saints in a state of confusion.]
All the lies and all the deceit that led to Catholicism falling into the abyss it fell into are presently
in play with the Latter-day Saints. Those same deceiving spirits who worked this deception out
long ago, are now taking the Restoration of the Gospel as another opportunity for them. And so
they once again whisper to the priests and the priests listen. As soon as the Spirit of God is
withdrawn, another spirit convinces men they have God’s power, and therefore cannot go astray.
So, does your marriage help you avoid covering your sins? You are never going to solve this
problem in a community of Zion, until you first begin to solve it the walls within your own home. You are never going to have Zion somewhere in a community, until first that community
has been composed of those who have a marriage that is in the image of God.
Does your marriage help you to avoid “gratifying your pride?” Does it help hold down your
“vain ambition?” Is your ambition to exalt the two of you, rather than the one of you? Does it
bring you time and time again, to not exercise control, but to respect the freedom to choose?
Your children will make mistakes. It is not your job to force them to avoid the mistakes. It is
your job to counsel them, and to let them have the experience through which your counsel then
makes sense, and is vindicated. You hope the mistakes they make are not too serious, but even if
they are serious and they involve lifelong struggles, it is their right to choose. It is your
obligation to teach and to persuade, and then to rejoice when they return after they are tired of
filling their bellies with the husks the pigs are fed. It is your job to go and greet them and put a
robe on their shoulder and put a ring on their hand and to the kill the fatted calf. It's not your job
to beat them and chain them to the farm so that they cannot go away and behave foolishly. They
need to know that your bonds of love towards them are stronger than death itself.5 They need to
know that they will endure as an object of your love within your heart into eternity. Not only
your children, but one another, because we all make mistakes. Do not exercise dominion, do not
exercise compulsion; but exercise long-suffering, gentleness, meekness and kindness. Some of
the biggest disasters come when you did not give people the right to choose freely, and you
attempt to coerce them. Be wise, be prudent, be someone who they would respect and who they
would gladly listen to. Your children will correctly measure you in the end, even if they do not
do so at the beginning.
Look at Doctrine and Covenants section 130, starting with verse 18. We have looked at these
verses in several contexts, but we need to look at them again today in this context: "Whatever
principle of intelligence (and understand that means Light and Truth) we attain unto in this life, it
will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in
this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in
the world to come. There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this
world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it
is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."
Think about those verses and as an invitation to work this out inside your marriage first. To work
out, inside the relationship between you and your wife, the principle of intelligence that gives
you the opportunity to be diligent, the opportunity to be obedient, the opportunity to gain
experience that will make you more like God. Your marriage is a laboratory to prove you, and to
let you become more intelligent." ("Marriage and Family," St George, Lecture 9, Denver Snuffer, July 26, 2014)

As we look at the conversation between Sariah and Lehi can we see any of the above principles in action in their marriage during this very trying time?

Is there a search for understanding here that results in increased knowledge?

Is there persuasion?

Is there light and truth shared?

I don't know if I am right but I get the feeling that this conversation took place over time. 

Is it possible that it took a significant amount of time to retrieve the plates of brass?

Was Sariah being impossible when she pointed out the dire situation they were in being in the wilderness and possibly losing their sons?

Isn't it interesting that the record states that Lehi's response to Sariah's concerns was to comfort her?

Did Lehi ever use any appeal to his authority as father to answer Sariah's concern?

Did Sariah grow in light as a result of this experience?

Is it important that she shared her witness of her surety that the Lord had sent them into the wilderness and that the Lord had protected their sons?

Is this account included in the Book of Mormon to show not only growth but also to show a good example of a husband and a wife working together to uphold and sustain each other in a very difficult time?

Would it be important for such an event to be recorded to demonstrate actions the Lord would approve of between a husband and a wife?

I am constantly mentioning the inadequacy of being able to share all that is possible to find in the Book of Mormon in this blog but it is reality.

I do believe that this account of Sariah and Lehi together is meant for us to look into in order to learn and grow in our relationship with our spouse.

I would strongly encourage anyone who is interested in this subject to read and study both talks and also a book called Bonds That Make US Free.

These are most excellent resources to assist a husband and wife seeking to create a home that reflects heaven.