And now I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in this part of my record, neither at any time shall I give it after upon these plates which I am writing, for it is given in the record which has been kept by my father, wherefore, I do not write it in this work. For it sufficeth me to say that we are a descendant of Joseph. And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full account of all the things of my father for they cannot be written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write of the things of God. For the fullness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and be saved. Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world. Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.
Here we can plainly see that there is another record kept by Nephi's father Lehi.
What would we find in Lehi's record if we repented and were counted worthy to receive it?
As a group we have learned a principle concerning prophecy as demonstrated when the Lord spoke with Isaiah when he, Isaiah, ascended to the heavenly temple and saw the Lord.
Why did Ammon also have to rehearse to Lamoni concerning the rebellions of Laman and Lemuel as well as all the other things in order to inspire the king to have faith in Christ?
What were the Lamanite traditions concerning the Nephites at that time?
If it was necessary for Lamoni to sluff off that tradition in order to exercise faith in Christ unto salvation what traditions do we have that the Book of Mormon strikes at that we need to sluff off in order to exercise faith in Christ unto salvation?
Is pointing out false tradition something that is pleasing to those who are of the world?
Does God know what we need to shed from our hearts that is trapping us from exercising faith in Christ?
When Nephi declares wo to things in the Book of Mormon who is he talking to?
Is he talking to people who will never read the book?
As an example,
And now behold, my brethren, I have spoken unto you according as the spirit hath constrained me; wherefore, I know that they must surely come to pass. And the things which shall be written out of the book shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel. For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other, Behold, I, I am the Lord’s, — and the other shall say, I, I am the Lord’s, — and thus shall everyone say that hath built up churches and not unto the Lord. And they shall contend one with another, and their priests shall contend one with another, and they shall teach with their learning, and deny the holy ghost which giveth utterance. And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel. And they say unto the people, Hearken unto us and hear ye our precept, for behold, there is no God today, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men. Behold, hearken ye unto my precept. If they shall say there is a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work. (2 Nephi 28:3 - 6, NC 2 Nephi 12 par. 1)
Who is Nephi talking to here?
Who would say we have God's power so listen to our precept?
Who would teach with their own learning and deny that the Holy Ghost is able to give utterance to anyone else but the priests?
Who is in a position to deny the power of God?
If the Book of Mormon teaches that Christ is the keeper of the gate and He does not employ any servant there at the gate and then it quotes the Lord declaring that to come back into His presence, at the gate, in the flesh (this life) is the definition of redemption then what does that mean for a church who's priests declare that they hold the power to save and that if anyone teaches that we must enter back into the presence of the Lord in this life it is a tactic of the adversary (Satan)?
If what is written in the Book of Mormon is pleasing to God and a religious tradition teaches contrary to it what should be followed; the Book of Mormon or the religious tradition?
Were the Jews able to recognize the Lord while He dwelt here or were they blinded by their religious tradition?
The Book of Mormon sounds like a very challenging book to read.
Also, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but they understood not, and see ye indeed, but they perceived not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And he said, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man and the land be utterly desolate, and the Lord have removed men far away, for there shall be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. (2 Nephi, NC 2 Nephi 9 par. 2)
Why would the Lord send someone with a word of prophecy that would be spoken in a manner that those hearing would not see or hear or understand?
Is there a responsibility upon the hearers to work to find understanding of prophecy?
If everyone understood the prophecy could wicked men profit from it?
If we knew exactly what the Lord is up to could we possibly hinder His work or could evil men destroy His work?
Would the wicked or the evil have any interest in doing the things necessary to be able to understand the prophecies?
After the prophecy is fulfilled is it possible for everyone to look back in retrospect and see that the Lord knew all along what was going to happen?
After the cities are wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land is utterly desolate is it easy to see what the prophecy was referring to?
Why would the Lord work this way?
For after this manner has the prophet written: Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, (or out of the waters of baptism), who swear by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel, yet they swear not in truth nor in righteousness. Nevertheless, they call themselves of the Holy city, but they do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel who is the Lord of Hosts; yea, the Lord of Hosts is his name. Behold I have declared the former things from the beginning, and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them thee, and I shewed them for fear lest thou shouldst say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image and my molten image hath commanded them. Thou hast heard and seen all this, and will ye not declare them? And that I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not, they were declared unto thee, lest thou shouldst say, behold I knew them. Yea, and thou heardest not, yea, thou knewest not, yea, from that time thine ear was not open. For I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously and was called a transgressor from the womb. (1 Nephi 20:1 - 8, NC 1 Nephi 6 par. 2)
The Lord is talking about baptized people who make mention of His name and call themselves the Holy city not understanding what He has sent as prophecy.
What does the Lord say concerning what these baptized people would say concerning events that have occurred if He had not sent prophecies concerning those events before the events happened?
What would be an idol to these people?
What would be a graven image?
Why would a baptized people who make mention of the name of the Lord and call themselves the Holy city attribute the causation of events to their idols and graven images?
What does that look like?
Isaiah prophesied concerning our day.
Can we see it?
Isaiah prophesied concerning our day.
Can we see it?
The Lord uses the same language concerning these baptized people as he did with Isaiah when Isaiah volunteered to go and prophesy, ie when thou hearest them not, they were declared unto thee.
By hearing prophecy but not seeking understanding of it from God and then attributing events to our idols and graven images are we dealing treacherously?
If the Book of Mormon is written for us what must we take away from this statement of the Lord?
We believe that those who understand prophecies that God sends are individuals who have proven themselves faithful to God and who are trustworthy not to reveal anything the Lord does not allow.
What does all this have to do with Nephi writing, "For it sufficeth me to say that we are a descendant of Joseph"?
We believe that the Lord makes sure that a record is created that shows that all of His words and promises as spoken by the Holy Prophets have been vindicated when they are vindicated.
We spoke in the previous post of Jacob's prophetic blessing pronounced upon Joseph declaring that his posterity would be sent to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills.
Nephi, writing these things 40 years after his family left Jerusalem, would be entering into the scriptural record the vindication of Jacob's prophetic pronouncement by declaring the genealogy of Lehi's family.
Does this occur elsewhere in scripture?
And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus which was from Jerusalem sixty furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass that while they discussed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were held or covered, that they could not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these which you have one with another as you walk and are sad? And one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Are you a stranger in Jerusalem and have not known the things which have come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel. And besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done, yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished who were early at the sepulcher. And when they found not his body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. And certain of them who were with us went to the sepulcher and found even so as the women had said, but him they saw not. Then said he unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:13 - 27, NC Luke 14 pars. 2 - 3)
Wasn't the Savior here entering into the scriptural record through Luke that the words of the prophets had been vindicated in Him by His life and sacrifice?
And now it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words, he said unto them again, after he had expounded all the scriptures unto them which they had received, he said unto them, Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write that ye have not. And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi, Bring forth the record which ye have kept. And when Nephi had brought forth the records and laid them before him and he cast his eyes upon them and said, Verily, I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me, that there were many saints who should arise from the dead and should appear unto many and should minister unto them. And he said unto them, Were it not so? And his disciples answered him and said, Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words and they were all fulfilled. And Jesus said unto them, How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them? And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written. And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written, therefore it was written according as he commanded. (3 Nephi, NC 3 Nephi 10 par. 5)
Here again the Savior is particular to make sure that the vindication of a prophecy given through one of His Holy Prophets is entered into the scriptural record.
Why would it be important for us to see that every word proceeding forth from the mouth of God will be fulfilled?
What does understanding the importance of God's words being fulfilled mean for the future?
Are there promises God gave to the early Fathers, found in scripture, that are yet to be fulfilled?
Can we have faith that God fully intends to fulfill these prophecies and promises as well in order to vindicate His words to the Fathers?
What does that potentially mean for us if we are willing to repent and return to Him so that we no longer deal treacherously?
Nephi is very clear that what he writes is intended to be pleasing to God and to those who are not of the world.
He also declared that he would give a commandment unto his children to do the same.
What is it that would be pleasing to God that would be written in the Book of Mormon?
Therefore, it is said, and appropriately too, that without faith it is impossible to please God. If it should be asked, Why is it impossible to please God without faith? — the answer would be, Because without faith it is impossible for men to be saved. And as God desires the salvation of man, he must of course desire that they should have faith, and he could not be pleased unless they had, or else he could be pleased with their destruction. (T&C 110 Lectures on Faith, Lecture 7, par. 7)
Does the Book of Mormon contain anything that teaches concerning faith?
What is it that would be pleasing to God that would be written in the Book of Mormon?
Therefore, it is said, and appropriately too, that without faith it is impossible to please God. If it should be asked, Why is it impossible to please God without faith? — the answer would be, Because without faith it is impossible for men to be saved. And as God desires the salvation of man, he must of course desire that they should have faith, and he could not be pleased unless they had, or else he could be pleased with their destruction. (T&C 110 Lectures on Faith, Lecture 7, par. 7)
Does the Book of Mormon contain anything that teaches concerning faith?
Does the Book of Mormon contain anything that teaches concerning salvation or redemption?
What is the definition of redemption the Lord used with the brother of Jared?
What is the definition of redemption the Lord used with the brother of Jared?
What does it take for one to come unto the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob to be saved?
Let us here observe that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. For from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things: it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life, and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know most assuredly that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life. It is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them, who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life, unless they in like manner offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the knowledge that they are accepted of him. (T&C 110 Lectures on Faith, Lecture 6, pars. 7 - 8)
Does the Book of Mormon teach these things?
Does the Book of Mormon teach things that are contrary to what is shared in such books as Odds Are You Are Going to be Exalted which I understand was a hot seller?
Is it necessary to strike at tradition in order to inspire faith in Christ unto salvation?
Now when Ammon had said these words, he began to the creation of the world, and also to the creation of Adam, and told him all the things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before him the records and the holy scriptures of the people which had been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their father Lehi left Jerusalem. And he also rehearsed unto them (for it was unto the king and to his servants) all the journeyings of their fathers in the wilderness, and all their sufferings with hunger and thirst, and their travel, etc. And he also rehearsed unto them concerning the rebellions of Laman, and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael — yea, all their rebellions did he relate unto them. And he expounded unto them all the records and scriptures from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem down to the present time. But this is not all, for he expounded unto them the plan of redemption which was prepared from the foundation of the world; and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them. (Alma 18:36 - 39, NC Alma 12 par. 16)
Let us here observe that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. For from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things: it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life, and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know most assuredly that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life. It is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them, who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life, unless they in like manner offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the knowledge that they are accepted of him. (T&C 110 Lectures on Faith, Lecture 6, pars. 7 - 8)
Does the Book of Mormon teach these things?
Does the Book of Mormon teach things that are contrary to what is shared in such books as Odds Are You Are Going to be Exalted which I understand was a hot seller?
Is it necessary to strike at tradition in order to inspire faith in Christ unto salvation?
Now when Ammon had said these words, he began to the creation of the world, and also to the creation of Adam, and told him all the things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before him the records and the holy scriptures of the people which had been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their father Lehi left Jerusalem. And he also rehearsed unto them (for it was unto the king and to his servants) all the journeyings of their fathers in the wilderness, and all their sufferings with hunger and thirst, and their travel, etc. And he also rehearsed unto them concerning the rebellions of Laman, and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael — yea, all their rebellions did he relate unto them. And he expounded unto them all the records and scriptures from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem down to the present time. But this is not all, for he expounded unto them the plan of redemption which was prepared from the foundation of the world; and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them. (Alma 18:36 - 39, NC Alma 12 par. 16)
Why did Ammon also have to rehearse to Lamoni concerning the rebellions of Laman and Lemuel as well as all the other things in order to inspire the king to have faith in Christ?
What were the Lamanite traditions concerning the Nephites at that time?
If it was necessary for Lamoni to sluff off that tradition in order to exercise faith in Christ unto salvation what traditions do we have that the Book of Mormon strikes at that we need to sluff off in order to exercise faith in Christ unto salvation?
Is pointing out false tradition something that is pleasing to those who are of the world?
Does God know what we need to shed from our hearts that is trapping us from exercising faith in Christ?
When Nephi declares wo to things in the Book of Mormon who is he talking to?
Is he talking to people who will never read the book?
As an example,
And now behold, my brethren, I have spoken unto you according as the spirit hath constrained me; wherefore, I know that they must surely come to pass. And the things which shall be written out of the book shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel. For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other, Behold, I, I am the Lord’s, — and the other shall say, I, I am the Lord’s, — and thus shall everyone say that hath built up churches and not unto the Lord. And they shall contend one with another, and their priests shall contend one with another, and they shall teach with their learning, and deny the holy ghost which giveth utterance. And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel. And they say unto the people, Hearken unto us and hear ye our precept, for behold, there is no God today, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men. Behold, hearken ye unto my precept. If they shall say there is a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work. (2 Nephi 28:3 - 6, NC 2 Nephi 12 par. 1)
Who is Nephi talking to here?
Who would say we have God's power so listen to our precept?
Who would teach with their own learning and deny that the Holy Ghost is able to give utterance to anyone else but the priests?
Who is in a position to deny the power of God?
If the Book of Mormon teaches that Christ is the keeper of the gate and He does not employ any servant there at the gate and then it quotes the Lord declaring that to come back into His presence, at the gate, in the flesh (this life) is the definition of redemption then what does that mean for a church who's priests declare that they hold the power to save and that if anyone teaches that we must enter back into the presence of the Lord in this life it is a tactic of the adversary (Satan)?
If what is written in the Book of Mormon is pleasing to God and a religious tradition teaches contrary to it what should be followed; the Book of Mormon or the religious tradition?
Were the Jews able to recognize the Lord while He dwelt here or were they blinded by their religious tradition?
The Book of Mormon sounds like a very challenging book to read.
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