For behold, it came to pass after my father had made an end of speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews, that after they should be destroyed — even that great city Jerusalem — and many be carried away captive into Babylon, according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return again, yea, even should be brought back out of captivity. And after that they should be brought back out of captivity, they should possess again their land of inheritance. Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews, even a messiah, or in other words, a savior of the world. And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified of these things concerning this Messiah of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world. Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.
This is not the first time Lehi has spoken to his sons, Laman and Lemuel, concerning these things.
We know that he spoke and prophesied to his children.
And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father had 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. (1 Nephi 1:16 - 17, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 4)
We also know that Lehi was sent to prophesy to the people at Jerusalem concerning the coming destruction and concerning the coming Messiah and the redemption of the world through the Messiah. (1 Nephi 1:18 - 20, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 5)
Wouldn't Lehi have shared this information with his children at the very beginning of his ministry?
Isn't it because of this prophetic message that the Lord commanded Lehi and his family to leave Jerusalem?
We know that later on during a time of rebellion that Nephi reminded Laman and Lemuel of what they had been told concerning the destruction of Jerusalem.
Wherefore, let us be faithful to him. And if it so be that we are faithful to him, we shall obtain the land of promise. And ye shall know at some future period that the word of the Lord shall be fulfilled concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, for all things which the Lord hath spoken concerning the destruction of Jerusalem must be fulfilled. For behold, the spirit of the Lord ceaseth soon to strive with them; for behold, they have rejected the prophets, and Jeremiah have they cast into prison, and they have sought to take away the life of my father, insomuch that they have driven him out of the land. Now behold, I say unto you that if ye will return unto Jerusalem, ye shall also perish with them. And now if ye have choice, go up to the land and remember the words which I speak unto you, that if ye go, ye will also perish. For thus the spirit of the Lord constraineth me that I should speak. (1 Nephi 7:6 - 15, NC 1 Nephi 2 par. 3)
How could Laman and Lemuel not know concerning these things?
Why is it important for Nephi to record Lehi telling Laman and Lemuel these things at this time and it wasn't as important to record Lehi telling Laman and Lemuel these things the first time?
Why would Laman and Lemuel need to be told concerning this again?
I have one thought about this. I don't know if it is right but it is what comes to mind.
I believe that the Lord knows the hearts of all individuals.
I do believe that the Lord, in His mercy, extends to everyone, light, and knowledge at moments when He sees that they might be the most receptive to His words.
Are Laman and Lemuel, after hearing their father exhort them with all the feelings of a tender parent, in a more humble state?
Are they open in this moment to allow some light and knowledge to enter their hearts?
Is this a moment when Lehi is able to expound on his prophecies to them because they are in a more receptive place?
Do the words of their father concerning the Jews and the Messiah cause them to ask questions now, where before they did not?
We know from further on in the record that they still possess a flaw in their thinking that is fatal spiritually. They do not believe that the Lord will answer their questions or that He will make the answers known to them.
The reason I wonder these things is that I wonder how many times in my life I have been presented with prophetic light and knowledge from God and I haven't responded, asked questions, or repented.
Am I at a point where I am finally, after multiple invitations and exhortations and pleading by the Lord through an authorized servant like Lehi and His Spirit, willing to allow light and knowledge to enter into my soul?
Is this event with Laman and Lemuel a reflection of where I am at?
As I look at my life I have to truthfully say that the path I have followed reflects more the path Laman and Lemuel have been on to this point and not the path that Nephi followed.
How many times have I read and "studied" the Book of Mormon but it is not until now that I am open to be taught by the message the Lord has sent through it rather than trying to read into the book my own traditions in order to justify myself?
If I happen to be in a state where I am more open can I maintain that state?
What do I need to do to remain in a more open state?
Just as importantly, do I believe that the Lord will make known unto me the answers to my questions concerning the message He has sent so that I don't continue on in darkness?
Can I change paths?
I believe so.
The first thing Lehi explains is how the history of the Jews is intertwined to bring events to where the Messiah comes.
Then Lehi does precisely what the Lord did on the road to Emmaus.
Lehi, "spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified of these things concerning this Messiah of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world."
If we return to the account of the resurrected Lord with two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus we see the same principle in action.
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25 - 27, NC Luke 14 par. 3)
Christ, who could have revealed innumerably remarkable things to testify of Himself, spoke of the words of the prophets and showed from those words who He was.
Should I take away from this that the words and the testimonies of the prophets concerning Christ are the most powerful witness of Christ which the Father has sent into the world to persuade men to follow Christ?
Christ, during His life, spake a parable, part of which taught of the power of the words and testimonies of the prophets.
Truly I say unto you, I will liken you unto the rich man. For there was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus who was laid at his gate, full of sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table; moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried of the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise, Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that they who would pass from here to you cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from there. Then he said, I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one should rise from the dead. (Luke 16:19 - 31, NC Luke 9 par. 20)
I believe that there are many things that could be learned from this parable but at the very end, I believe the Lord is declaring just how powerful the words of the prophets are unto the convincing of men to believe in Christ.
The Lord clearly teaches that if people will not be persuaded by Moses and the prophets then they would not be persuaded even if one who rose from the dead were to appear to them and warn them.
That seems to me to be a really solemn warning as to how I ought to treat and consider the words of the prophets in the scriptures.
Should I be mindful that as an example of the power of the words of the prophets that when Jacob declared that he was going to prophesy to the people of Nephi that he read the words of the prophet Zenos and then declared that his prophecy was that the words of Zenos are true?
If, as a parent, I desire to persuade my children to follow Christ is the most powerful tool to do that the words of the prophets found in scripture?
Is this what Lehi is doing here?
Is Lehi expounding scripture to his sons just as the Lord expounded scripture to His two disciples on the road to Emmaus?
One of the things Lehi explains here is the real situation we are all in here on this earth.
Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.
I have always considered in the past that to be "lost" means that at some point in time the Lord during the judgment would point his finger to a dark place and say something like "Be gone" and I and/or others would sadly lower my/our/their heads and walk away to the dark place where we would be "lost".
My understanding of the matter has changed.
From what I have read from the Prophet Joseph, and the scriptures, and Denver Snuffer I now believe that this mortal experience is an opportunity to receive grace precisely because of the trials, difficulties, temptations, contradictions, and so forth that exist here on this earth.
I now believe that these are gifts, so to speak, that allow all men to experience and learn and come to exercise faith in Christ if they will.
I believe that through all of these things that exist in this mortality, every member of the human family is being added upon by what experiences they face here.
I believe that through the eons of time the human family will continue to be "added upon" by experiencing all that mortality entails.
I presently believe that when the Lord declared to Abraham that He is more intelligent than all of us that maybe part of that means that He has been "added upon" throughout the eons of time, or in other words, he has been through all of the experiences that a mortality can provide (all of the contradictions, afflictions, trials, sicknesses, temptations, faith, sacrifice, and so forth; He knows it all from firsthand experience) in order to understand it all. Then He possessed the capacity to descend below it all, all at once, during in His atonement (this time experiencing all the guilt Himself; He being the redeemer instead of another) in order to provide the means for the rest of us to continue to be "added upon".
There is way too much to share here at this moment to explain how I have arrived to have this present understanding so please just accept that this is my understanding presently.
My present understanding of being "lost" when it comes to all of this, is that we are "lost" if we find ourselves, after the experiences of a mortality, unable, because of our shame, to come back to peace with our Father in Heaven.
Mormon said this concerning being "lost", as I understand it.
Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a consciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws? Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and a just God under a consciousness of your filthiness before him than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell. For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you. O then, ye unbelieving, turn ye unto the Lord. Cry mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus that perhaps ye may be found spotless, pure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, at that great and last day. (Mormon 9:4 - 5, NC Mormon 4 par. 6)
The Prophet Joseph said this concerning judgment.
A man is his own tormenter and his own condemner. Hence the saying, They shall go into
the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. The torment of disappointment in the mind of man
is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment of man. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 357)
There is something very important to understand concerning what happened to the Lord during His Atonement for us.
Christ participated in the ordinance of the atonement to acquire two things, the first of which is knowledge (see Isaiah 19:2). It is through His knowledge that He is able to justify many. This knowledge was acquired through His suffering the pains of all mankind, which allowed Him to know exactly what weaknesses afflict mankind and how to overcome them. This allows Him to succor, relieve, and teach mankind how to overcome every form of guilt, affliction, and weakness (see Alma 5:3). This knowledge was gained by suffering guilt and remorse for sins He had not committed, exactly as if He were the one who perpetrated them. He performed this great burden in the presence of His Father, who would never leave Him, even in His hour of temptation, despite the fact that all His followers would abandon Him (see John 9:18). When He suffered the guilt of all mankind, it was necessary for His Father to draw near to Him (see Luke 13:9), because it was impossible for Christ to know how to redeem mankind from the guilt and shame of sin unless He experienced the pain of uncleanliness before God the Father, just as mankind will do if they are unclean in the day of judgment (see Mormon 4:6). Unlike all of mankind, however, Christ knows how to overcome this shame, because He has done so. Secondly, Christ acquired the keys of death and hell by suffering, reconciling, dying, rising, and reuniting with the Father (see Revelation 1:6). Because the keys of death and hell belong to Him, He has the power of forgiveness. He can forgive all men all offenses, but He requires them to forgive others (see T&C 51:3). If they fail to forgive others, they cannot be forgiven (see Matthew 3:30). (Teachings and Commandments, Glossary of Terms, "Atonement")
The Lord had to come to peace in the presence of His Father with all of the anguish that He experienced in order to not be "lost".
What would be the fate of any individual appearing before God who is not redeemed from their sins?
Alma the younger gives us a glimpse.
But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins. Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments. Yea, I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror. Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.(Alma 36:12-15, NC Alma 17 par. 3)
When Isaiah was caught up to the heavenly temple and realized he was in the presence of God he declared,
Wo is unto me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips; and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts. (2 Nephi 16:5, NC 2 Nephi 9 par. 2)
This is the universal reality of all our situation before God. Our nakedness or shame before Him is so absolute that we would shrink before Him if we are not cleansed by the blood of His only Begotten Son.
Christ must redeem us from our sins if we are going to be able to stand before God's throne and not shrink and be "lost".
As a type, to remember to look to the blood of Christ and what it will do, we learn in the temple that coats of skins (garments) were prepared to cover nakedness (or shame before God). Something had to die, being sacrificed, to supply the coats of skins; emphasizing that the coats of skins (garments) represent the sacrifice and death of Christ to cover the nakedness of an individual.
What the Father looks upon and sees covering an individual who is redeemed from sin is the righteousness of His Son, the sacrifice and blood of His Son, not the shame or nakedness of the individual. This is what enables an individual to have confidence in the presence of God. They see that Christ has covered their shame or nakedness. Christ lends them His righteousness so to speak.
In the parable of the wedding feast in (Matthew 22:11-13, NC Matthew 10 par. 19) we see that each guest is supplied with a wedding garment (ie. robe of righteousness, the righteousness of Christ covers them). When the King enters he sees one who does not have on a wedding garment (ie. robe of righteousness). The King has His servants bind the guest and cast him out. The only way to be allowed into the wedding feast is to be wearing the wedding garment (ie. covered with the righteousness of Christ).
In the parable of the wedding feast the Lord stated that both the bad and the good were invited to the wedding feast.
Is redemption through Christ meant to cover both the bad and the good?
In the Book of Mormon we have the account of Ammon with King Lamoni.
If we consider the implications of the account we can see that King Lamoni, with some regularity, killed his servants because competing Lamanites took the king's sheep at the waters of Sebus.
Could we reasonably state that King Lamoni was "bad"?
Was he also invited to the wedding feast?
What happened to King Lamoni?
We know that Ammon preached to him and Lamoni believed the words of Ammon and was overcome by the Spirit of the Lord for several days and then we have the following occur as the queen is watching over her husband.
And it came to pass that she watched over the bed of her husband from that time, even until that time on the morrow which Ammon had appointed that he should rise. And it came to pass that he arose according to the words of Ammon; and as he arose, he stretched forth his hand unto the woman, and said, Blessed be the name of God, and blessed art thou; for as sure as thou livest, behold, I have seen my Redeemer; and he shall come forth and be born of a woman, and he shall redeem all mankind who believe on his name. Now when he had said these words, his heart was swollen within him and he sunk again with joy; and the queen also sunk down, being overpowered by the spirit. Now Ammon, seeing the spirit of the Lord poured out according to his prayers upon the Lamanites — his brethren — who had been the cause of so much mourning among the Nephites, or among all the people of God, because of their iniquities and their traditions — he fell upon his knees and began to pour out his soul in prayer and thanksgiving to God for what he had done for his brethren; and he was also overpowered with joy, and thus they all three had sunk to the earth. Now when the servants of the king had seen that they had fallen, they also began to cry unto God, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them also, for it was they who had stood before the king and testified unto him concerning the great power of Ammon. (Alma 19:11 - 15, NC Alma 12 par. 20)
Is it apparent that Lamoni's shame was taken away through Christ?
Is it apparent that Lamoni's shame was taken away through Christ?
Did Christ provide Lamoni with a wedding garment to wear at the wedding feast?
Could Lamoni now have confidence in the presence of the Father because he was covered by Christ's righteousness even though he had been "bad"?
If Lamoni had not exercised faith in the message delivered by Ammon would he have remained in a "lost" state, even a fallen state; unable to appear before the Father without shame?
I believe that this is the purpose of redemption through Christ.
In order to move forward in the eternities, we must be able come back before the Father without shame or we remain cycling endlessly through, worlds without number.
In order to start to receive light and then to grow in light, we have to have the burden of our past sins lifted by Christ.
Christ has promised that to those He redeems, because of their faith on Him, He remembers their sins no more and I believe that allows the individuals to also remember their sins no more.
With the shame gone, they receive a new life and are able to receive and grow in light.
I know that the Book of Mormon is a compressed account and I wonder what was all shared by Lehi with Laman and Lemuel that Nephi, because of constraints, was only able to describe as speaking concerning the redemption brought about by Christ and the necessity of that redemption.
I hope that by looking into the matter and pondering on it, that someday I may be able to see and hear their conversation.
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