Ether 13 talks about how the land upon which we live is a choice land above all other lands in the world. We learn from Ether 13:2 that it became a choice land after the great flood. In Ether 13:3 we learn that this land will be the place where the New Jerusalem will be built. I’ve always taken an interest in these verses because my patriarchal blessing states, “you will be involved in the gathering of Israel and in the preparation for the building of the New Jerusalem here upon the earth.” I don’t know to what extent I’ll be involved in the preparation for the building of the New Jerusalem.
Scriptures, Quotes and Notes on The New Jerusalem
The Old Jerusalem in New Times
Zechariah 14 describes what will happen to Jerusalem before the Second Coming of Christ. The Lord will fight for Israel and He will stand on the Mount of Olives. He will be King over all the earth. Referring to Jerusalem, Zechariah 14:11 says, “And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.”
Isaiah 65:17-25 “I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.” There will be peace on the earth and the wolf and the lamb will feed together. This passage refers to the Jerusalem in Israel.
The New Jerusalem
These two passages refer strictly to the Old Jerusalem. There will also be a New Jerusalem built in the Western hemisphere.
Isaiah explains that the old Jerusalem and new Jerusalem will be world capitols where one will administer the law and the other will preach the word. Isaiah 2:2-3 says, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
“And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us ago up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (see also Micah 4:1-7)
Joel also mentions two world capitols, “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” (Joel 2:30-32)
“The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
“So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.” (Joel 3:16-17)
The Lord told Enoch, “And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah;
“And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve;
“And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem. (Moses 7:60-62)
John the Revelator saw the New Jerusalem, “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Revelation 21:2-3)
Ether, the Jaredite prophet prophesied of the New Jerusalem, “And that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lord.
“Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land.
“And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come—after it should be destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore, it could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a time of old; but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should be built unto the house of Israel.
“And that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type.” (Ether 13:3-6)
Modern revelation says the following of the New Jerusalem, “And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God;
“And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion.
“And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.
“And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another.
“And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand.
“And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy.” (D&C 45:66-71)
“The graves of the saints shall be opened; and they shall come forth and stand on the right hand of the Lamb, when he shall stand upon Mount Zion, and upon the holy city, the New Jerusalem; and they shall sing the song of the Lamb, day and night forever and ever." (D&C 133:56.) Among other things they shall sing:
The Lord hath brought again Zion;
The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel
According to the election of grace,
Which was brought to pass by the faith
And covenant of their fathers.
The Lord hath redeemed his people;
And Satan is bound and time is no longer.
The Lord hath gathered all things in one.
The Lord hath brought down Zion from above.
The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath.
The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength;
And truth is established in her bowels;
And the heavens have smiled upon her;
And she is clothed with the glory of her God;
For he stands in the midst of his people.
Glory, and honor, and power, and might,
Be ascribed to our God; for he is full of mercy,
Justice, grace and truth, and peace,
Forever and ever, Amen.
—D&C 84:99-102
In D&C 84:2-3 we learn of the location of the New Jerusalem, “Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem.
“Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased.”
Another Nephite and Jaredite Parallel
The Land is Cursed
In Ether 14:1, we read of a great curse on the land. “If a man should lay his tool or his sword upon his shelf, or upon the place whither he would keep it, behold, upon the morrow, he could not find it.”
The Nephites were cursed similarly. “And behold, if a man hide up a treasure in the earth, and the Lord shall say—Let it be accursed, because of the iniquity of him who hath hid it up—behold, it shall be accursed.” (Helaman 12:18)
Helaman 13:31, 33, 36 and Mormon 1:18 document the curse on the land as well.
Endless War
The war among the Jaredites became very bloody. Coriantumr became the target for many warriors, but he would not die. “So great and lasting had been the war, and so long had been the scene of bloodshed and carnage, that the whole face of the land was covered with the bodies of the dead … [there were] none left to bury the dead.” (Ether 14:21-22)
The Final Battle
Coriantumr was injured by Shiz. During his recovery, “he began to remember the words which Ether had spoken to him.” (Ether 15:1) Two million people had already died. He tried to make peace with Shiz, but the people did not desire peace and the war continued.
For four years, all the people were gathered to one place to battle … men, women and children. They finally met. Every day for a week, the people battled. The numbers grew smaller until there were only a handful of people left. “Satan had full power over the hearts of the people” and they continued to fight. Finally, all men were killed except for Shiz and Coriantumr. Coriantumr then cut off the head of Shiz and the battle was finally won.
Ether witnessed the last scene, made a record and hid it so that the people of Limhi would find it. Coriantumr eventually recovered from the war and lived among the people of Zarahemla for about nine months. (Omni 1:20-22)
Showing posts with label Ether. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ether. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Ether 12
Faith, Hope and Charity
This chapter is Moroni’s discourse on faith, hope and charity.
I’ve tried to really understand how faith, hope and charity all relate. I think I finally understand how these three attributes combine to become the “fountain of all righteousness.” (Ether 12:28)
Ether 12:4 sums up how the three attributes relate. A person comes to believe in God with a hope in a better place (better than this life or earth that we are on). This hope comes from having faith. This hope, which comes from faith, makes an anchor for our souls. We are not swayed by the persuasions of the world; rather we are persuaded that there is a better life that we can attain if we do what is right. Believing that if we do what is right, we’ll obtain a better place, we therefore choose good works, thus faith turns into charity.
Later on in Ether 12:6, Moroni explains a little more about how to obtain faith. He says that “faith is things which are hoped for and not seen.” So we begin with hope (not a sure hope); just simple hope. What do we hope for? We hope for a better world than this. We hope that we’ll live with Christ and God. We hope that we will be with our family and loved ones forever. We hope that Christ’s mission was real and that we will attain forgiveness of sins so that we are pure and can live with God. We hope for a better life. We hope that everything that we’ve been taught is true, because if these things are true, then we will have a better life – we will be eternally happy. So this simple hope turns into faith. We hope for these things, but we do not see them nor are we 100% sure that they are true or real. We have faith in them. Now, going back to Ether 12:4, if we believe in God or if we have faith in God, then our hope is more sure. With can hope with a for a better world with a surety. This sure hope comes from faith. This sure hope also anchors our souls into doing good. Now comes the trial of our faith (Ether 12:6). If we are sure in our faith and hope in God, then we will do as he has commanded us. Our faith is put on trial. Do you have faith? Prove it! I will prove my faith through my works. My faith will be put on trial through my works. After we do, then we receive a witness.
To summarize: simple hope leads to faith, faith (especially in Christ) leads to sure hope, sure hope anchors our souls because we believe if we do what is right, we’ll receive blessings, so we put our faith on trial by showing God that we keep his commandments (enter charity) and as we keep his commandments, God witnesses to us that the things we hope for are indeed true and our hope and faith turn into knowledge. Hope, faith and action lead to charity and a witness.
Elder Maxwell calls this sure hope “ultimate hope.” “For a variety of reasons, brothers and sisters, today’s society seems to struggle in order to be hopeful. The associated causes and effects co-mingle ever so subtly.
“Our everyday usage of the word hope includes how we “hope” to arrive at a certain destination by a certain time. We “hope” the world economy will improve. We “hope” for the visit of a loved one. Such typify our sincere but proximate hopes.
“Life’s disappointments often represent the debris of our failed, proximate hopes. Instead, however, I speak of the crucial need for ultimate hope.
“Ultimate hope is a different matter. It is tied to Jesus and the blessings of the great Atonement, blessings resulting in the universal Resurrection and the precious opportunity provided thereby for us to practice emancipating repentance, making possible what the scriptures call “a perfect brightness of hope” (2 Ne. 31:20).” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, Nov 1998, 61)
Examples of Faith and Hope
In all the examples that Moroni cites, the believers acted upon their faith. Alma and Amulek taught the people in faith knowing that God would protect them. At the opportune time, God delivered them from the prison according to the prayers of Alma.
Nephi and Lehi acted on their faith by believing that they could convert bloodthirsty Lamanites. So powerful was their faith, that they converted thousands of Lamanites and in this way regained the Nephite lands which were at the center of their battles.
Ammon and his brethren believed that they could convert the Lamanites of their day. They hoped that they could be the means of saving many souls. The Lord wrought a great change among many Lamanites through the work of Ammon, Aaron, Omer and Himni.
Another example from the Bible is that of Moses. I don’t know if this is scripture, but I’ve heard that Moses had to take a few or even quite a few steps into the Red Sea before the waters would part. Can you imagine what faith he had to have had? He could not doubt. He could not be thinking, “I hope this works!” He knew that God would deliver them and he took a course of action that led God to help them. He acted on his faith. This is the same with all the other prophets who have preached and made prophesies and who have wrought miracles. They had faith in God, nothing doubting, that God would deliver them.
“And neither at any time has any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believe in the Son of God.” (Ether 12:18)
Consider the Prophet Joseph Smith. When he was considering which church to join, he had a degree of hope of finding the correct one to join. He didn’t feel right about any church, but he did not let the matter drop. He pressed on and read the Bible and found the passage of James. In his heart stirred emotions and a swelling of faith that God would be good on his word and that if God promised something, God would deliver. Joseph challenged God on His promise and acted on faith. He went to the Grove and prayed. He was seized and he was delivered. He saw God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ. There in that meeting, Joseph received wisdom, just as God had promised. Joseph hoped, had faith, acted and then received a witness.
Our Weaknesses
Later in the chapter, Moroni talks about weaknesses and how if we are humble, we will know of our weaknesses and the Lord will help us to make those weaknesses into strengths.
Neal A. Maxwell also discussed this point in the same talk. “Because God wants us to come home after having become more like Him and His Son, part of this developmental process, of necessity, consists of showing unto us our weaknesses. Hence, if we have ultimate hope we will be submissive, because, with His help, those weaknesses can even become strengths (see Ether 12:27).
It is not an easy thing, however, to be shown one’s weaknesses, as these are regularly demonstrated by life’s circumstances. Nevertheless, this is part of coming unto Christ, and it is a vital, if painful, part of God’s plan of happiness. Besides, as Elder Henry B. Eyring has wisely observed, “If you want praise more than instruction, you may get neither” (“To Choose and Keep a Mentor,” Addresses Delivered at the 1993 Annual University Conference, Brigham Young University [1993], 42).” (Maxwell, Ensign Nov. 1998)
This is a tremendous sermon on hope, faith and charity. I encourage anyone to read and ponder the words found in Ether 12.
This chapter is Moroni’s discourse on faith, hope and charity.
I’ve tried to really understand how faith, hope and charity all relate. I think I finally understand how these three attributes combine to become the “fountain of all righteousness.” (Ether 12:28)
Ether 12:4 sums up how the three attributes relate. A person comes to believe in God with a hope in a better place (better than this life or earth that we are on). This hope comes from having faith. This hope, which comes from faith, makes an anchor for our souls. We are not swayed by the persuasions of the world; rather we are persuaded that there is a better life that we can attain if we do what is right. Believing that if we do what is right, we’ll obtain a better place, we therefore choose good works, thus faith turns into charity.
Later on in Ether 12:6, Moroni explains a little more about how to obtain faith. He says that “faith is things which are hoped for and not seen.” So we begin with hope (not a sure hope); just simple hope. What do we hope for? We hope for a better world than this. We hope that we’ll live with Christ and God. We hope that we will be with our family and loved ones forever. We hope that Christ’s mission was real and that we will attain forgiveness of sins so that we are pure and can live with God. We hope for a better life. We hope that everything that we’ve been taught is true, because if these things are true, then we will have a better life – we will be eternally happy. So this simple hope turns into faith. We hope for these things, but we do not see them nor are we 100% sure that they are true or real. We have faith in them. Now, going back to Ether 12:4, if we believe in God or if we have faith in God, then our hope is more sure. With can hope with a for a better world with a surety. This sure hope comes from faith. This sure hope also anchors our souls into doing good. Now comes the trial of our faith (Ether 12:6). If we are sure in our faith and hope in God, then we will do as he has commanded us. Our faith is put on trial. Do you have faith? Prove it! I will prove my faith through my works. My faith will be put on trial through my works. After we do, then we receive a witness.
To summarize: simple hope leads to faith, faith (especially in Christ) leads to sure hope, sure hope anchors our souls because we believe if we do what is right, we’ll receive blessings, so we put our faith on trial by showing God that we keep his commandments (enter charity) and as we keep his commandments, God witnesses to us that the things we hope for are indeed true and our hope and faith turn into knowledge. Hope, faith and action lead to charity and a witness.
Elder Maxwell calls this sure hope “ultimate hope.” “For a variety of reasons, brothers and sisters, today’s society seems to struggle in order to be hopeful. The associated causes and effects co-mingle ever so subtly.
“Our everyday usage of the word hope includes how we “hope” to arrive at a certain destination by a certain time. We “hope” the world economy will improve. We “hope” for the visit of a loved one. Such typify our sincere but proximate hopes.
“Life’s disappointments often represent the debris of our failed, proximate hopes. Instead, however, I speak of the crucial need for ultimate hope.
“Ultimate hope is a different matter. It is tied to Jesus and the blessings of the great Atonement, blessings resulting in the universal Resurrection and the precious opportunity provided thereby for us to practice emancipating repentance, making possible what the scriptures call “a perfect brightness of hope” (2 Ne. 31:20).” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, Nov 1998, 61)
Examples of Faith and Hope
In all the examples that Moroni cites, the believers acted upon their faith. Alma and Amulek taught the people in faith knowing that God would protect them. At the opportune time, God delivered them from the prison according to the prayers of Alma.
Nephi and Lehi acted on their faith by believing that they could convert bloodthirsty Lamanites. So powerful was their faith, that they converted thousands of Lamanites and in this way regained the Nephite lands which were at the center of their battles.
Ammon and his brethren believed that they could convert the Lamanites of their day. They hoped that they could be the means of saving many souls. The Lord wrought a great change among many Lamanites through the work of Ammon, Aaron, Omer and Himni.
Another example from the Bible is that of Moses. I don’t know if this is scripture, but I’ve heard that Moses had to take a few or even quite a few steps into the Red Sea before the waters would part. Can you imagine what faith he had to have had? He could not doubt. He could not be thinking, “I hope this works!” He knew that God would deliver them and he took a course of action that led God to help them. He acted on his faith. This is the same with all the other prophets who have preached and made prophesies and who have wrought miracles. They had faith in God, nothing doubting, that God would deliver them.
“And neither at any time has any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believe in the Son of God.” (Ether 12:18)
Consider the Prophet Joseph Smith. When he was considering which church to join, he had a degree of hope of finding the correct one to join. He didn’t feel right about any church, but he did not let the matter drop. He pressed on and read the Bible and found the passage of James. In his heart stirred emotions and a swelling of faith that God would be good on his word and that if God promised something, God would deliver. Joseph challenged God on His promise and acted on faith. He went to the Grove and prayed. He was seized and he was delivered. He saw God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ. There in that meeting, Joseph received wisdom, just as God had promised. Joseph hoped, had faith, acted and then received a witness.
Our Weaknesses
Later in the chapter, Moroni talks about weaknesses and how if we are humble, we will know of our weaknesses and the Lord will help us to make those weaknesses into strengths.
Neal A. Maxwell also discussed this point in the same talk. “Because God wants us to come home after having become more like Him and His Son, part of this developmental process, of necessity, consists of showing unto us our weaknesses. Hence, if we have ultimate hope we will be submissive, because, with His help, those weaknesses can even become strengths (see Ether 12:27).
It is not an easy thing, however, to be shown one’s weaknesses, as these are regularly demonstrated by life’s circumstances. Nevertheless, this is part of coming unto Christ, and it is a vital, if painful, part of God’s plan of happiness. Besides, as Elder Henry B. Eyring has wisely observed, “If you want praise more than instruction, you may get neither” (“To Choose and Keep a Mentor,” Addresses Delivered at the 1993 Annual University Conference, Brigham Young University [1993], 42).” (Maxwell, Ensign Nov. 1998)
This is a tremendous sermon on hope, faith and charity. I encourage anyone to read and ponder the words found in Ether 12.
Ether 9-11
Jaredites Nearly Destroyed
Because of the secret combinations among the Jaredites, they are nearly wiped out. The war between the sons of Akish and Akish lasted many years and destroyed “nearly all the people of the kingdom, yea, even all, save it were thirty souls, and they who fled with the house of Omer.” (Ether 9:12)
The Righteousness of Emer
Once Akish and his sons were destroyed, Omer was restored as king of the land. His son Emer became king and prospered in the land because of his righteousness. Emer “saw peace in the land; yea, and he even saw the Son of Righteousness, and did rejoice and glory in his day; and he died in peace.” (Ether 9:22)
Jaredite Cycle
We often refer to the Nephite Cycle as the cycle where the Nephites would be righteous for many years and then turn wicked, were punished and then turned back to righteousness again and the cycle would begin anew. It seems that the Jaredites had their own cycles. After nearly being destroyed, the Jaredites repented and prospered before turning again to secret combinations.
In Ether 9:26 we read the great-grandson of Emer, whose name was Heth, “began to embrace the secret plans again of old, to destroy his father.”
Prophets began to cry repentance to the people (Ether 9:28), but the people and the king simply killed the prophets.
A dearth was sent by the Lord to the land and people began to die. Poisonous serpents pursued the people and the beasts. “When the people saw that they must perish they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord.” (Ether 9:34) When they humbled themselves, the Lord sent rain again to the land and the people were preserved.
In Ether 10, we read how the cycle continues to repeat over and over again.
Nephite and Jaredite Parallels
Riplakish and Noah
There are many similarities between Riplakish and King Noah. Both had many wives and concubines and laid heavy taxes on the people to support themselves and their wives and concubines. (Mosiah 11:6 and Ether 10:5) Both built lavish buildings and thrones and had them ornamented with many fine things. (Mosiah 11:8 and Ether 10:6-7)
Robbers in the Land
In Ether 10:33 we learn that the Jaredites had robbers among them and that these robbers adopted the old plans referring to the secret oaths and promises. The king of the land at the time (Com) fought them much, but he was not able to prevail against them.
The Nephites and Lamanites were also plagued with many robbers and fought them much too. (3 Nephi 2:11-19)
Prophesy of Complete Destruction
Both the Nephites and Jaredites were warned by prophets that if they did not repent, they would be completely destroyed from the face of the land. (Helaman 13:10 and Ether 11:6)
Another People to Possess the Land
In both the Nephite and Jaredite histories, it was foretold that another people would possess the land. (1 Nephi 13:14 and Ether 11:21)
Because of the secret combinations among the Jaredites, they are nearly wiped out. The war between the sons of Akish and Akish lasted many years and destroyed “nearly all the people of the kingdom, yea, even all, save it were thirty souls, and they who fled with the house of Omer.” (Ether 9:12)
The Righteousness of Emer
Once Akish and his sons were destroyed, Omer was restored as king of the land. His son Emer became king and prospered in the land because of his righteousness. Emer “saw peace in the land; yea, and he even saw the Son of Righteousness, and did rejoice and glory in his day; and he died in peace.” (Ether 9:22)
Jaredite Cycle
We often refer to the Nephite Cycle as the cycle where the Nephites would be righteous for many years and then turn wicked, were punished and then turned back to righteousness again and the cycle would begin anew. It seems that the Jaredites had their own cycles. After nearly being destroyed, the Jaredites repented and prospered before turning again to secret combinations.
In Ether 9:26 we read the great-grandson of Emer, whose name was Heth, “began to embrace the secret plans again of old, to destroy his father.”
Prophets began to cry repentance to the people (Ether 9:28), but the people and the king simply killed the prophets.
A dearth was sent by the Lord to the land and people began to die. Poisonous serpents pursued the people and the beasts. “When the people saw that they must perish they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord.” (Ether 9:34) When they humbled themselves, the Lord sent rain again to the land and the people were preserved.
In Ether 10, we read how the cycle continues to repeat over and over again.
Nephite and Jaredite Parallels
Riplakish and Noah
There are many similarities between Riplakish and King Noah. Both had many wives and concubines and laid heavy taxes on the people to support themselves and their wives and concubines. (Mosiah 11:6 and Ether 10:5) Both built lavish buildings and thrones and had them ornamented with many fine things. (Mosiah 11:8 and Ether 10:6-7)
Robbers in the Land
In Ether 10:33 we learn that the Jaredites had robbers among them and that these robbers adopted the old plans referring to the secret oaths and promises. The king of the land at the time (Com) fought them much, but he was not able to prevail against them.
The Nephites and Lamanites were also plagued with many robbers and fought them much too. (3 Nephi 2:11-19)
Prophesy of Complete Destruction
Both the Nephites and Jaredites were warned by prophets that if they did not repent, they would be completely destroyed from the face of the land. (Helaman 13:10 and Ether 11:6)
Another People to Possess the Land
In both the Nephite and Jaredite histories, it was foretold that another people would possess the land. (1 Nephi 13:14 and Ether 11:21)
Monday, September 24, 2007
Ether 8
Secret Plans to Obtain Kingdoms and Great Glory
Secret combinations enter into the Jaredites’ hearts in Ether 8:8-9 when the daughter of Jared (a wicked man) sees that her father is sad because he has lost his kingdom. She tells him of the ancient secret plans which are mentioned in the records the Jaredites brought with them. She dances for Akish and Akish desires her for a wife. Jared asks Akish to kill the King Omer and then Akish can have the daughter of Jared. Akish then administers the secret oaths to his friends and family and thus the secret combinations begin among the Jaredites.
Moroni teaches us that these evil practices have been passed down from Cain who was “a murderer from the beginning.” (Ether 8:15) Moroni explains that the devil has kept up these secret oaths.
Moroni warns all nations in Ether 8:22 that those nations who embrace these secret combinations, will eventually be utterly destroyed. This is manifest among the Jaredites and among the Nephites and Lamanites.
I have wondered to what extend secret combinations have crept into our (American) government and businesses. Some have suggested that powerful business men and government officials are behind many of the wars our country has fought. Some have suggested these same individuals are responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks, thus prompting a new war among the people of the earth. Personally, I don’t know if these accusations are true or not. But it would not surprise me if at some future day we find out that secret combinations in our government and/or businesses have been responsible for many of the wars and destructions we see on the news today.
Moroni’s loud warning is for all of us: “O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you.” (Ether 8:23) Note how he phrases this warning … we should not suffer that these combinations get above us, implying that they are in our leadership positions.
In Ether 8:26, Moroni is commanded of the Lord to write these warnings so that someday, evil might be overcome and Satan will have no power over the children of men again.
A Modern Prophet’s Testimony
Ezra Taft Benson said in 1988, “I testify that wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. (See D&C 1:14–16; D&C 84:49–53.) It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world. (See Ether 8:18–25.)
“I testify that the church and kingdom of God is increasing in strength. Its numbers are growing, as is the faithfulness of its faithful members. It has never been better organized or equipped to perform its divine mission.
“I testify that as the forces of evil increase under Lucifer’s leadership and as the forces of good increase under the leadership of Jesus Christ, there will be growing battles between the two until the final confrontation. As the issues become clearer and more obvious, all mankind will eventually be required to align themselves either for the kingdom of God or for the kingdom of the devil. As these conflicts rage, either secretly or openly, the righteous will be tested. God’s wrath will soon shake the nations of the earth and will be poured out on the wicked without measure. (See JS—H 1:45; D&C 1:9.) But God will provide strength for the righteous and the means of escape; and eventually and finally truth will triumph. (See 1 Ne. 22:15–23.) (Ezra Taft Benson, “I Testify,” Ensign, Nov 1988, 86)
Secret combinations enter into the Jaredites’ hearts in Ether 8:8-9 when the daughter of Jared (a wicked man) sees that her father is sad because he has lost his kingdom. She tells him of the ancient secret plans which are mentioned in the records the Jaredites brought with them. She dances for Akish and Akish desires her for a wife. Jared asks Akish to kill the King Omer and then Akish can have the daughter of Jared. Akish then administers the secret oaths to his friends and family and thus the secret combinations begin among the Jaredites.
Moroni teaches us that these evil practices have been passed down from Cain who was “a murderer from the beginning.” (Ether 8:15) Moroni explains that the devil has kept up these secret oaths.
Moroni warns all nations in Ether 8:22 that those nations who embrace these secret combinations, will eventually be utterly destroyed. This is manifest among the Jaredites and among the Nephites and Lamanites.
I have wondered to what extend secret combinations have crept into our (American) government and businesses. Some have suggested that powerful business men and government officials are behind many of the wars our country has fought. Some have suggested these same individuals are responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks, thus prompting a new war among the people of the earth. Personally, I don’t know if these accusations are true or not. But it would not surprise me if at some future day we find out that secret combinations in our government and/or businesses have been responsible for many of the wars and destructions we see on the news today.
Moroni’s loud warning is for all of us: “O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you.” (Ether 8:23) Note how he phrases this warning … we should not suffer that these combinations get above us, implying that they are in our leadership positions.
In Ether 8:26, Moroni is commanded of the Lord to write these warnings so that someday, evil might be overcome and Satan will have no power over the children of men again.
A Modern Prophet’s Testimony
Ezra Taft Benson said in 1988, “I testify that wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. (See D&C 1:14–16; D&C 84:49–53.) It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world. (See Ether 8:18–25.)
“I testify that the church and kingdom of God is increasing in strength. Its numbers are growing, as is the faithfulness of its faithful members. It has never been better organized or equipped to perform its divine mission.
“I testify that as the forces of evil increase under Lucifer’s leadership and as the forces of good increase under the leadership of Jesus Christ, there will be growing battles between the two until the final confrontation. As the issues become clearer and more obvious, all mankind will eventually be required to align themselves either for the kingdom of God or for the kingdom of the devil. As these conflicts rage, either secretly or openly, the righteous will be tested. God’s wrath will soon shake the nations of the earth and will be poured out on the wicked without measure. (See JS—H 1:45; D&C 1:9.) But God will provide strength for the righteous and the means of escape; and eventually and finally truth will triumph. (See 1 Ne. 22:15–23.) (Ezra Taft Benson, “I Testify,” Ensign, Nov 1988, 86)
Ether 5-7
The Three Witnesses
This chapter almost reads like a revelation from the Doctrine and Covenants. It seems as though Moroni were directing his words specifically to Joseph Smith.
After or as this chapter was being translated, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris asked Joseph to inquire of the Lord about these three witnesses. These three gentlemen later were shown the gold plates by Moroni. Moroni also showed them the Sword of Laben, the Liahona and the Urim and Thummim. (See D&C 17)
The Jaredites Cross the Sea
In chapter 6, we resume the account of the Jaredites crossing the great ocean. They travel for 344 days on the water (Ether 6:11). When they arrived at the Promised Land, they bowed themselves down on the land and were humbled and cried. Is this not symbolic of our journey through life? After a long, tough journey, will we not bow ourselves before the Lord and shed tears of joy before the Lord?
The Brother of Jared’s Counsel
The people want a king and the Brother of Jared warns that kingships will lead to captivity. (see Ether 6:22-23) His prophesy is fulfilled many times.
The first king established is Orihah. Orihah passed the kingship to his son Kib. Kib had a son named Corihor. Corihor rebelled against his father and eventually took the king captive, thus fulfilling the Brother of Jared’s prophecy in just a few years. (see Ether 7:5)
This chapter almost reads like a revelation from the Doctrine and Covenants. It seems as though Moroni were directing his words specifically to Joseph Smith.
After or as this chapter was being translated, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris asked Joseph to inquire of the Lord about these three witnesses. These three gentlemen later were shown the gold plates by Moroni. Moroni also showed them the Sword of Laben, the Liahona and the Urim and Thummim. (See D&C 17)
The Jaredites Cross the Sea
In chapter 6, we resume the account of the Jaredites crossing the great ocean. They travel for 344 days on the water (Ether 6:11). When they arrived at the Promised Land, they bowed themselves down on the land and were humbled and cried. Is this not symbolic of our journey through life? After a long, tough journey, will we not bow ourselves before the Lord and shed tears of joy before the Lord?
The Brother of Jared’s Counsel
The people want a king and the Brother of Jared warns that kingships will lead to captivity. (see Ether 6:22-23) His prophesy is fulfilled many times.
The first king established is Orihah. Orihah passed the kingship to his son Kib. Kib had a son named Corihor. Corihor rebelled against his father and eventually took the king captive, thus fulfilling the Brother of Jared’s prophecy in just a few years. (see Ether 7:5)
Ether 4
The Benjamin-Mosiah Name Change
In original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 21:28 and Ether 4:1 both refer to King Benjamin. In subsequent editions, Benjamin was changed to Mosiah.
The Maxwell Institute at BYU has the following under its FAQ section:
“King Benjamin's death is recorded in Mosiah 6:5, so why does the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon have him living at a later time (see Mosiah 21:28 and Ether 4:1), while subsequent editions changed the name to Mosiah in the later references?
“King Benjamin lived for three years after his son Mosiah2 was made king. It was at the end of these three years that the expedition was sent to the Land of Nephi, where the plates of Ether were found. After relinquishing his kingship, Benjamin may have continued to act as a seer for the three-year interval. The chronology in this part of the book is not all that clear. We do not know how long Ammon and his brethren were in the Land of Nephi. It could have been only a matter of weeks or months. It is not inconceivable then, that Benjamin passed away shortly after their return, which still would have been "after three years" (Mosiah 6:5). It is certainly possible that the keeper of the record of Zeniff or Mormon and Moroni (Ether 4:1) may have erred in compiling the records. After all they were mortals, capable of making mistakes (which both Mormon and Moroni admitted). The issue of whether the individual was Mosiah or Benjamin is not that important as far as salvation is concerned (the Bible displays similar apparent anomalies). It is also possible that this was an example of a scribal error, later corrected by Joseph Smith the translator.
“It is interesting that the Bible has a situation similar to that found in the Book of Mormon. We read in 1 Kings 14:29-15:5 that Abijam (also called Abijah, as in the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 12:16) became king of Judah after the death of his father Rehoboam and that, despite his sins, the Lord preserved his kingship for the sake of his ancestor David. Then, in the verses that follow (1 Kings 15:6-7), we read, "And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam." The name Rehoboam is anachronistic, since he was dead and the passage was intended to describe events in the days of his son Abijam. The error is actually corrected in a few Hebrew manuscripts and in the Peshitta (Christian Syriac) version to read, "And there was war between Abijah the son of Rehoboam." The parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 13:2 reads, "And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam." (http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/faq.php?id=14&table=questions)
Never Were Greater Things Shown to Man
In Ether 4, Moroni continues his narration with some commentary of his own. He tells us that there were never greater things shown to man than to the Brother of Jared. (Ether 4:4) He tells us that he has sealed his writings concerning the things which the Brother of Jared has seen. (Ether 4:5)
The Power of God
In Ether 4:9, we are reminded of the great power that God has over his domain of which the Earth is a part. He can make the heavens open and shut. He can cause earthquakes and he can cause the Earth to burn. This knowledge is important to have since it reminds us that God is all-powerful; and that if we do not keep his commandments, he can destroy us. In this age of independence, we could do well to remember that God is still our Maker and that if we choose not to obey His law, then we will suffer the consequences.
Whatsoever Thing Persuadeth Men to do Good is of God
The Lord persuades men to do good. This is one of the ways we can tell if something is of God or of the devil. If it persuades us to be good and to do good, then it is of God. If it persuades us to do evil, then it is of the devil. (Ether 4:11-12 see also Moroni 7:17)
Found Faithful
“Blessed is he that is found faithful unto my name at the last day.” (Ether 4:19) Just as the parable of the workers, there are those who are called to labor in the fields all day and there are those who are called to labor in the field in the final hour. (see Matthew 20:1-16) What is important is that we are found laboring in the field when the Lord comes. Our eternal destination does not depend on how far you’ve walked on the path, but that you are on the path and that you are moving forward.
In original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 21:28 and Ether 4:1 both refer to King Benjamin. In subsequent editions, Benjamin was changed to Mosiah.
The Maxwell Institute at BYU has the following under its FAQ section:
“King Benjamin's death is recorded in Mosiah 6:5, so why does the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon have him living at a later time (see Mosiah 21:28 and Ether 4:1), while subsequent editions changed the name to Mosiah in the later references?
“King Benjamin lived for three years after his son Mosiah2 was made king. It was at the end of these three years that the expedition was sent to the Land of Nephi, where the plates of Ether were found. After relinquishing his kingship, Benjamin may have continued to act as a seer for the three-year interval. The chronology in this part of the book is not all that clear. We do not know how long Ammon and his brethren were in the Land of Nephi. It could have been only a matter of weeks or months. It is not inconceivable then, that Benjamin passed away shortly after their return, which still would have been "after three years" (Mosiah 6:5). It is certainly possible that the keeper of the record of Zeniff or Mormon and Moroni (Ether 4:1) may have erred in compiling the records. After all they were mortals, capable of making mistakes (which both Mormon and Moroni admitted). The issue of whether the individual was Mosiah or Benjamin is not that important as far as salvation is concerned (the Bible displays similar apparent anomalies). It is also possible that this was an example of a scribal error, later corrected by Joseph Smith the translator.
“It is interesting that the Bible has a situation similar to that found in the Book of Mormon. We read in 1 Kings 14:29-15:5 that Abijam (also called Abijah, as in the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 12:16) became king of Judah after the death of his father Rehoboam and that, despite his sins, the Lord preserved his kingship for the sake of his ancestor David. Then, in the verses that follow (1 Kings 15:6-7), we read, "And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam." The name Rehoboam is anachronistic, since he was dead and the passage was intended to describe events in the days of his son Abijam. The error is actually corrected in a few Hebrew manuscripts and in the Peshitta (Christian Syriac) version to read, "And there was war between Abijah the son of Rehoboam." The parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 13:2 reads, "And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam." (http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/faq.php?id=14&table=questions)
Never Were Greater Things Shown to Man
In Ether 4, Moroni continues his narration with some commentary of his own. He tells us that there were never greater things shown to man than to the Brother of Jared. (Ether 4:4) He tells us that he has sealed his writings concerning the things which the Brother of Jared has seen. (Ether 4:5)
The Power of God
In Ether 4:9, we are reminded of the great power that God has over his domain of which the Earth is a part. He can make the heavens open and shut. He can cause earthquakes and he can cause the Earth to burn. This knowledge is important to have since it reminds us that God is all-powerful; and that if we do not keep his commandments, he can destroy us. In this age of independence, we could do well to remember that God is still our Maker and that if we choose not to obey His law, then we will suffer the consequences.
Whatsoever Thing Persuadeth Men to do Good is of God
The Lord persuades men to do good. This is one of the ways we can tell if something is of God or of the devil. If it persuades us to be good and to do good, then it is of God. If it persuades us to do evil, then it is of the devil. (Ether 4:11-12 see also Moroni 7:17)
Found Faithful
“Blessed is he that is found faithful unto my name at the last day.” (Ether 4:19) Just as the parable of the workers, there are those who are called to labor in the fields all day and there are those who are called to labor in the field in the final hour. (see Matthew 20:1-16) What is important is that we are found laboring in the field when the Lord comes. Our eternal destination does not depend on how far you’ve walked on the path, but that you are on the path and that you are moving forward.
Ether 3
Stones of Light
In Ether 3, the Brother of Jared goes into a large mountain and melts rock to make 16 clear, white, small stones and then takes them before the Lord. He asks the Lord to touch them and he believes that if the Lord touches them, then they will be lit up and will provide light for them.
The Faith of the Brother of Jared
The faith of the Brother of Jared was so great, that he saw the finger of the Lord. The Lord then revealed himself to the Brother of Jared. From that point on, the Lord could not withhold anything from the Brother of Jared.
I find his faith fascinating as I read about his faith in Ether 3:4, 5 and 12. He says, “I know,” “We know,” and “I know” in each respective verse. His faith is almost to the point of knowledge when the Lord reveals himself. At that point, he has knowledge and no longer has faith. We also learn that he is redeemed from the fall – he is brought back into the presence of the Lord.
Because of the Brother of Jared’s faith, the Lord revealed to him everything … all that has been and all that will be “even unto the ends of the earth.” (Ether 3:25) This seems to be the same vision Nephi and John the Revelator saw too.
Urim and Thummim
In Ether 3:23, the Lord gives him two stones, the Urim and Thummim, to be sealed up with his account of his personal visitation. These stones are to be the means of translating his sealed record of the Lord. D&C 17:1 states that the Urim and Thummim that Joseph Smith used are these two stones. How they fell into the hands of Moroni, we do not know. When we first learn of how the 24 gold plates of the Jaradites are obtained by the people of Limhi, there is nothing said of two stones. Later on, we learn that King Mosiah had the gift of seership. We do not know if he had a separate set of Urim and Thummim. I would imagine that at some point, these stones fell into the Nephite prophet’s hands and then were eventually passed down to Moroni who passed them to Joseph Smith.
In Ether 3, the Brother of Jared goes into a large mountain and melts rock to make 16 clear, white, small stones and then takes them before the Lord. He asks the Lord to touch them and he believes that if the Lord touches them, then they will be lit up and will provide light for them.
The Faith of the Brother of Jared
The faith of the Brother of Jared was so great, that he saw the finger of the Lord. The Lord then revealed himself to the Brother of Jared. From that point on, the Lord could not withhold anything from the Brother of Jared.
I find his faith fascinating as I read about his faith in Ether 3:4, 5 and 12. He says, “I know,” “We know,” and “I know” in each respective verse. His faith is almost to the point of knowledge when the Lord reveals himself. At that point, he has knowledge and no longer has faith. We also learn that he is redeemed from the fall – he is brought back into the presence of the Lord.
Because of the Brother of Jared’s faith, the Lord revealed to him everything … all that has been and all that will be “even unto the ends of the earth.” (Ether 3:25) This seems to be the same vision Nephi and John the Revelator saw too.
Urim and Thummim
In Ether 3:23, the Lord gives him two stones, the Urim and Thummim, to be sealed up with his account of his personal visitation. These stones are to be the means of translating his sealed record of the Lord. D&C 17:1 states that the Urim and Thummim that Joseph Smith used are these two stones. How they fell into the hands of Moroni, we do not know. When we first learn of how the 24 gold plates of the Jaradites are obtained by the people of Limhi, there is nothing said of two stones. Later on, we learn that King Mosiah had the gift of seership. We do not know if he had a separate set of Urim and Thummim. I would imagine that at some point, these stones fell into the Nephite prophet’s hands and then were eventually passed down to Moroni who passed them to Joseph Smith.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Ether 2
Deseret
In Ether 2:3, we learn that deseret means honey bee. I always found this interesting since during my mission, I learned K’ekchi (Mayan dialect) and the word for bee in K’ekchi is ser. Take off the de and et from deseret and you have ser! But I'm not a linguist and so this is simply interesting to me.
Divine Explorers
"And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been." (Ether 2:5)
The Decree from God
As with the Nephites and every other nation that possessed the Promised Land, the Jaredites were warned of God that if they did not serve God, they would be "swept off" when they are fully ripened in iniquity. (Ether 2:8-10)
At this point, Moroni makes it a point to remind us Gentiles that unless we repent, we too will be "swept off."
Barges, Air holes and Light
In Ether 2:6, we learn that they had built barges in which they did cross many waters including the "sea in the wilderness" (Ether 2:7). At some point they arrive at the ocean (or the "great sea that divideth the lands" Ether 2:13) and dwelled there for the space of four years. At the end of those four years, the Lord came to the Brother of Jared and chastised him for three hours for not praying. Then the Lord told him to build more barges. After they had built the barges, the Brother of Jared
went to the Lord and asked him two questions. One, how will they see in the barges because of the lack of light and two, how will they breath. The Lord responds to his second question immediately by giving the solution of making a hole in the top and bottom and putting corks in them. Again, the Brother of Jared did as he was told and then posed the question of light in the barges to the Lord again. The Lord responds by asking the Brother of Jared what he would like him (the Lord) to do.
At this point, my next question comes up. If they had built barges previously, why were the issues of breathing and light not discussed with the Lord? My only guess is that they had a pretty good idea of what they could endure. They probably arrived at some large body of water and figured that they could reach the other side without light and with the air already in the barges. This idea may be supported by the fact that when they arrived at the ocean, they stayed there for four years and probably did not do much in the manner of ship-building. They did not act until the Lord chastised the Brother of Jared. Whereas the other bodies of water were probably manageable in their view and they figured they could cross without major risk.
Another way of looking at it is perhaps after building these barges, they endured the lack of air and light and when confronted with crossing the ocean, the brother of Jared realized that this next crossing would take a long time compared to previous crossings.
In Ether 2:3, we learn that deseret means honey bee. I always found this interesting since during my mission, I learned K’ekchi (Mayan dialect) and the word for bee in K’ekchi is ser. Take off the de and et from deseret and you have ser! But I'm not a linguist and so this is simply interesting to me.
Divine Explorers
"And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been." (Ether 2:5)
The Decree from God
As with the Nephites and every other nation that possessed the Promised Land, the Jaredites were warned of God that if they did not serve God, they would be "swept off" when they are fully ripened in iniquity. (Ether 2:8-10)
At this point, Moroni makes it a point to remind us Gentiles that unless we repent, we too will be "swept off."
Barges, Air holes and Light
In Ether 2:6, we learn that they had built barges in which they did cross many waters including the "sea in the wilderness" (Ether 2:7). At some point they arrive at the ocean (or the "great sea that divideth the lands" Ether 2:13) and dwelled there for the space of four years. At the end of those four years, the Lord came to the Brother of Jared and chastised him for three hours for not praying. Then the Lord told him to build more barges. After they had built the barges, the Brother of Jared
went to the Lord and asked him two questions. One, how will they see in the barges because of the lack of light and two, how will they breath. The Lord responds to his second question immediately by giving the solution of making a hole in the top and bottom and putting corks in them. Again, the Brother of Jared did as he was told and then posed the question of light in the barges to the Lord again. The Lord responds by asking the Brother of Jared what he would like him (the Lord) to do.
At this point, my next question comes up. If they had built barges previously, why were the issues of breathing and light not discussed with the Lord? My only guess is that they had a pretty good idea of what they could endure. They probably arrived at some large body of water and figured that they could reach the other side without light and with the air already in the barges. This idea may be supported by the fact that when they arrived at the ocean, they stayed there for four years and probably did not do much in the manner of ship-building. They did not act until the Lord chastised the Brother of Jared. Whereas the other bodies of water were probably manageable in their view and they figured they could cross without major risk.
Another way of looking at it is perhaps after building these barges, they endured the lack of air and light and when confronted with crossing the ocean, the brother of Jared realized that this next crossing would take a long time compared to previous crossings.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Ether 1
Personal Questions about the Jaredites
The Book of Ether is a really interesting history of a people who were not confounded by the Lord at the building of the Tower of Babel. Instead of being cursed with the rest of the people, Jared asks his brother to plead before the Lord that he would not curse them. The Lord does not curse them and instead promises to take them to a promised land.
It is here that I pose the first of many questions that I hope I might be able to answer or someday find the answer to them. Maybe I can do some more reading and research on this to find out, but I can’t help but ask this: Why were Jared and his brother and their families not cursed? Were they not helping build the Tower of Babel? If they were not helping and were just afraid of being cursed, then everything makes sense. Perhaps they were not taking part in the building, but the vast majority of the people were and therefore if the vast majority of the people were not going to be able to understand each other, then there may have not been any point in staying in that land. I don’t know … this is all speculation.
The Greatest Nation on Earth
The Lord promises them that they will be taken to the Promised Land and that they will be the greatest nation of the earth.
In reading about the Olmecs and ancient civilizations in Mexico, I came across a book (“Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs, 5th ed.” By Michael D. Coe and Rex Koontz) on amazon.com. One of the summaries mentioned this about the Olmec civilization, “Prof. Coe presents recent archeology showing that Mexico had developed the elements of a true civilization between 2300 B.C. - 1800 B.C. This Olmec Civilization predates the Jewish presence in Israel and occurred before there was a single town or city in all of Western Europe.
“(By the time Solomon built the First Temple in Isreal in 960 B.C., the Olmec capital at San Lorenzo was already over 400 years old.)”
If indeed if the Jaredites and the Olmecs were one and the same, then it would appear that the Lord’s promise was fulfilled.
Jaredites Origins
Joktan
"Some have suggested that the Jaredites may have been descendants of Shem. The reasoning is as follows. Moroni begins his abridgement of the Book of Ether by saying that he is omitting those parts of Ether's record that are had in the Bible; he says he will begin where the biblical record leaves off. He then begins with a genealogy, going from Ether back to Jared. This may imply that his point of departure from the biblical record is also a genealogy.
"In the Bible, Genesis 10 lists the descendants of Shem (Shem - Arphaxad - Salah - Eber). Shem's great-grandson Eber (or, Heber) is said to have two sons, Peleg and Joktan (or, Yoktan), noting that in their day, the earth was divided. The record briefly lists Joktan's children but then his line dead-ends. The record returns to Peleg and follows his line after telling the tower of Babel story.
"Some interpret "the earth was divided" to mean that the covenant line was divided into two groups, one of which went to America. They point out that one of Joktan's sons is named "Jerah," which is similar to Jared. They propose that Moroni's genealogy of Ether begins where Genesis 10 leaves off. Some have further hypothesized that the word Yucatán is derived from Joktan. (The above is from an uncited Wikipedia entry. I searched Gospelink.com and found similar claims in Reynolds and Sjodahl's work. See Commentary on the Book of Mormon vol. 6 George Reynolds and Janne M Sjodahl)
Olmecs
"Some Mormon scholars have argued for substantial parallels between the Jaredites and the Olmecs. For example, one scholar pointed to writings by an ancient Native American historian Ixtlilxochitl who wrote in his history about a group of people who came from the great tower to Mesoamerica. According to Ixtlilxochitl's writings, they lived in an area in the northern parts of the land along the Gulf Coast of Mexico." (Allen 1989, 55)
The above quote is also from Wikipedia. The citation is incomplete and so I assume it is citing Joseph L. Allen's Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon which was published in 1989.
Adding to this hypothesis is the following section from the Wikipedia entry for the Tower of Babel:
"Various traditions similar to that of the tower of Babel are found in Central America. One holds that Xelhua, one of the seven giants rescued from the deluge, built the Great Pyramid of Cholula in order to storm Heaven. The gods destroyed it with fire and confounded the language of the builders. The Dominican friar Diego Duran (1537-1588) reported hearing this account from a hundred-year-old priest at Cholula, shortly after the conquest of Mexico.
"Another story, attributed by the native historian Don Ferdinand d'Alva Ixtilxochitl (c. 1565-1648) to the ancient Toltecs, states that after men had multiplied following a great deluge, they erected a tall zacuali or tower, to preserve themselves in the event of a second deluge. However, their languages were confounded and they went to separate parts of the earth.
"Still another story, attributed to the Tohono O'odham Indians, holds that Montezuma escaped a great flood, then became wicked and attempted to build a house reaching to heaven, but the Great Spirit destroyed it with thunderbolts. (Bancroft, vol. 3, p.76; also in History of Arizona)"
In that first paragraph, it mentions Xelhua, one of the seven giants. In reading Ether 1:34 today, I noted that it said the brother of Jared was a "large and mighty man."
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