Sherem
Jacob 7 describes how Jacob confronts and deals with an Anti-Christ whose name was Sherem. We must note first, the qualities of Sherem. He was very smart and slick. If there were such things in his day, he probably had a Ph.D. in religious studies or something of that nature … he knew the teachings of the Nephites very well. He also had a deep knowledge of the language. He knew the meaning of words and he knew how to use words to convince people of his beliefs. And because he knew the language very well, he could use “much flattery, and power of speech.” But all of his power was from the Devil and not from God (v. 4).
The Confrontation
When Jacob confronted Sherem, Jacob went right to the point of debate. He asked Sherem if he denied the Christ. Sherem, with his useless flattery said that if there were a Christ, he would believe. Jacob moved to the next point of debate, and asked if Sherem believed the scriptures. Sherem said he believed. Jacob replied that Sherem did not understand the scriptures.
Sherem continued to contend with Jacob and tempted Jacob to show him a sign that there is a Christ. This was the last thing Sherem did. He was struck by the power of God and died shortly thereafter. He denied the Christ when he knew and believed in Christ. But he allowed himself to be deceived by Satan and his evil spirits. Satan lied to Sherem. Satan will lie to us. Satan is the father of all lies.
The Aftermath
After Sherem was smitten by the Lord, he desired to speak to the people. I imagine that all those who had believed Sherem had a particular interest in what Sherem would have to say. Verse 17 says, "that on the morrow the multitude were gathered together; and he spake plainly unto them (emphasis added. See verse 18 too). Just a few verses prior to this verse, we read of the cunning and power of speech Sherem possessed. Yet on his deathbed, he desired not to use this flattering speech, but to use plain words so that all could easily understand him. I suspect that in Sherem's mind, he felt that what he needed to say on his deathbed was far more important than what he wanted to say when he was healthy.
Plainness
To me, this idea teaches us that the Gospel is indeed plain and simple and does not need flattery to be taught.
How many times has Nephi warned us that many plain and precious things were taken from the Bible (see 1 Nephi 13)? How many times has Nephi told us that he delighted in plainness (see 1 Nephi 19:3; 2 Nephi 25:4, 7, 20, 28; 2 Nephi 31:2-3; 2 Nephi 32:7, 2 Nephi 33:5-6)? Nephi even explicitly tells us that he glories in plainness (2 Nephi 33:6). Nephi is not the only one who delighted in plainness when teaching the Gospel. Jacob, Enos, Amulek, Mormon, Nephi (who preceded Christ) and King Benjamin have all spoken plainly when they taught the people. And many of the other prophets have also used plainness when teaching the Gospel (search the on-line Book of Mormon for the word plain to see many references).
This is one of the many beauties of the Gospel … it is so plain to understand that anyone and everyone can understand it and live it.
The idea of plainness reminds me of the quote by J. Reuben Clark with regards to teaching the youth of the Church. In fact, there is no reason to strictly apply this quote to the youth only. President Packer used this quote in his October 2000 General Conference talk. "President J. Reuben Clark described our youth as 'hungry for things of the spirit; they are eager to learn the Gospel, and they want it straight, undiluted.
'They want to know about … our beliefs; they want to gain testimonies of their truth; they are not now doubters but inquirers, seekers after truth. …
'You do not have to sneak up behind this spiritually experienced youth and whisper religion in [their] ears; you can come right out, face to face, and talk with [them]. … You can bring these truths to [them] openly. … Youth may prove to be not more fearful of them than you are. There is no need for gradual approaches'" (“The Charted Course of the Church in Education” in Boyd K. Packer, Teach Ye Diligently, rev. ed. [1991], 365, 373–74).
"I agree with President Clark and will speak plainly to the youth about things I have learned and know to be true." (Boyd K. Packer, “‘Ye Are the Temple of God’,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 72).
Search the Scriptures
Jacob's line of questioning to Sherem about believing the scriptures and understanding them (v. 10-11) may have prompted the people to re-devote their time to studying the scriptures. In verse 23 we read that the people "searched the scriptures."
Trust in God
In verse 25 we read of the Nephites' efforts to defend themselves against the Lamanites. After all their work in defending themselves, they put their trust in God who is the rock of their salvation. This reminds me of a lesson I've always kept in my heart. One of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
To me this means we must first and foremost trust in the Lord and keep his commandments. If we do this, then everything else will take care of itself (see 3 Nephi 13:33). It takes faith to live like this, but I believe we are far better off putting our trust in the Lord than in our own understanding.
Showing posts with label Jacob. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jacob. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Jacob 7
Monday, February 26, 2007
Jacob 6
After explaining the history and future of the House of Israel, Jacob concludes his sermon by pleading to the people, with all his heart that they repent. Chapter 6 has some wonderful verses on repentance.
Their Own Place
Verse 3 reminds me of Alma's counsel to his son when he taught him that "all things shall be restored to their proper order" (Alma 41:4). He went on to instruct his son that "if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil" (see Alma 41:2-6). Jacob teaches us that those who repent not in this life will be "cast out into their own place." What this means is that those who desire evil all the days of their life will remain on the earth and will be burned with the world when it burns with fire.
Repent With Full Purpose of Heart
Next in verse 5, Jacob implores, “I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.” Heavenly Father loves us so much, but he cannot force us to come unto Him. He will constantly “be there” for us, but we must choose to come back to him. We also cannot half-heartedly repent of our sins and turn to God. We must turn to him "with full purpose of heart." In other words, we must give all our heart, might, mind and soul.
My brother Richard spoke at my missionary farewell. In his talk he related a story about a feast a king held for his subjects. The king sent out invitations to all the people in the kingdom. Everyone was invited, but there was one stipulation that must be met before a person was allowed into the feast … every person must bring water. The king did not specify how much water a person should bring, but just that they needed to bring water. The day of the feast came and the people began to arrive. Every person admitted brought water … some brought the water in buckets, some in cups, some in thimbles and some in large barrels. The king's men took each container, dumped the water into a pool and admitted the guest. The people enjoyed a day of feasting and activities. At the end of the feast, the king stood and thanked his guests for attending his feast. He informed them that when they departed each of their containers would be returned to them … not empty, but full of gold, jewels and riches. Those that brought water in thimbles received a timble-sized portion of riches. Those that brought water in barrels received barrel-sized portions of riches.
And so it is with our allegiance and loyalty to God in His kingdom. The greater our loyalty and diligence in keeping the commandments and serving in his kingdom, the greater our reward (see Alma 41:15).
In Summary
In verses 11 and 12, Jacob effectively summarizes what every prophet has attempted to teach the people. He admonishes the Nephites to repent, enter in the gate and continue on until they've obtained eternal life. And then he succinctly teaches us to be wise.
Their Own Place
Verse 3 reminds me of Alma's counsel to his son when he taught him that "all things shall be restored to their proper order" (Alma 41:4). He went on to instruct his son that "if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil" (see Alma 41:2-6). Jacob teaches us that those who repent not in this life will be "cast out into their own place." What this means is that those who desire evil all the days of their life will remain on the earth and will be burned with the world when it burns with fire.
Repent With Full Purpose of Heart
Next in verse 5, Jacob implores, “I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.” Heavenly Father loves us so much, but he cannot force us to come unto Him. He will constantly “be there” for us, but we must choose to come back to him. We also cannot half-heartedly repent of our sins and turn to God. We must turn to him "with full purpose of heart." In other words, we must give all our heart, might, mind and soul.
My brother Richard spoke at my missionary farewell. In his talk he related a story about a feast a king held for his subjects. The king sent out invitations to all the people in the kingdom. Everyone was invited, but there was one stipulation that must be met before a person was allowed into the feast … every person must bring water. The king did not specify how much water a person should bring, but just that they needed to bring water. The day of the feast came and the people began to arrive. Every person admitted brought water … some brought the water in buckets, some in cups, some in thimbles and some in large barrels. The king's men took each container, dumped the water into a pool and admitted the guest. The people enjoyed a day of feasting and activities. At the end of the feast, the king stood and thanked his guests for attending his feast. He informed them that when they departed each of their containers would be returned to them … not empty, but full of gold, jewels and riches. Those that brought water in thimbles received a timble-sized portion of riches. Those that brought water in barrels received barrel-sized portions of riches.
And so it is with our allegiance and loyalty to God in His kingdom. The greater our loyalty and diligence in keeping the commandments and serving in his kingdom, the greater our reward (see Alma 41:15).
In Summary
In verses 11 and 12, Jacob effectively summarizes what every prophet has attempted to teach the people. He admonishes the Nephites to repent, enter in the gate and continue on until they've obtained eternal life. And then he succinctly teaches us to be wise.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Jacob 5
While I was a missionary, I used a study guide from a Book of Mormon student manual to help me break this chapter down into parts so that I could understand it better.
Here is a list of items described in the chapter and what they represent:
PART I (vs.1-14) – In this first part, Zenos introduces the allegory by stating that he will liken the House of Israel to an olive tree, a tame olive tree to be exact. This olive tree was in a vineyard owned by the master of the vineyard. The master is Jesus Christ and the vineyard is the world we live on. The master has his servant to help him with all the labors of the vineyard. The servant represents a prophet.
In verse 6, the tame olive tree’s top begins to perish. One thing that we need to remember about olive trees is that the caretaker of the tree must keep it balanced. What I mean by balanced is that the branches and roots need to stay balanced or the tree will go bad. If the branches are too heavy or not pruned, they will ‘overtake’ the roots. If the roots are not cared for or are left unattended, they will ‘overtake’ the branches. The overall tree must be balanced. So in v.6, the tame tree is unbalanced, with the top beginning to perish. The answer to the master’s problem is to take the bad branches off the tame tree and replace them with good branches. The master takes some good branches from a wild olive tree and grafts them into the tame tree where the bad branches were. The bad are burned in a fire. Then he takes some young branches from the tame tree and grafts them into several other trees spread throughout the vineyard, that he preserves the natural branches of the tree.
This first part represents the apostasy and the scattering of Israel.
In verse 15, a time passes and the master and servant go down again to the vineyard. This time their mission is one of observation and preparation. The footnote for 15a says “Millennium, Preparing a People for.”
PART II (vs. 17-28) – In the second part of the allegory, the branches begin to bear fruit. The tame tree with the wild branches bore good fruit. The master notes that the root of the tame tree “brought forth much strength.” The roots represent the covenants of the Lord. After observing the tame tree with the wild branches, the master and servant go to observe the rest of the vineyard.
In verses 20-25, the master and servant observe four different trees. The first “brought forth much fruit” which was good. The servant noted that this tree was planted in the poorest spot of the vineyard, but the master replies that he knew it was a poor spot, but that he nourished the tree and it bore good fruit. They observe the second tree and noted that it was planted in a spot poorer than the first and that it too bore good fruit. They go on to observe the third tree and it too bore good fruit. The finally come to the last and the master notes that this one was planted in a good spot of ground and that it has born half good fruit and half bad or wild fruit. The master was disappointed at this tree that only half of this tree’s fruit was good. He told the servant to take the bad half and pluck the branches and burn them. But the servant replied that they should prune, dig about, and nourish the tree a little longer. The master agreed and they nourished the tree.
The second part represents the Lord and his prophets preparing the people of the world. The fourth tree is a representation of the Nephites and Lamanites. The Nephites being the good fruit and the Lamanites being the bad fruit on the same tree.
Again, some time passes before the master and servant visit the vineyard again.
PART III (vs. 30-50) – When the master and servant arrive to the vineyard again, they first visit the tame tree which has wild branches grafted in it. They discovered that it had all kinds of bad fruit. The servant notes to the master that the branches nourished the roots, but the master responded that the roots mean nothing to him if the tree doesn’t produce fruit. He states in verse 35, “The tree profiteth me nothing, and the roots thereof profit me nothing so long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.” I think that this is a significant statement. I read a talk by Elder Maxwell once where he said, "So it is that discipleship requires all of us to translate doctrines, covenants, ordinances, and teachings into improved personal behavior. Otherwise we may be doctrinally rich but end up developmentally poor." (Neal A. Maxwell, “Becoming a Disciple,” Ensign, Jun 1996, 12) If we don’t make the necessary changes in our life after we make covenants with God, then the covenants mean nothing. The results of the covenants are what is important.
After visiting the tame tree, the master and servant visit the other trees of the vineyard. They found that the other trees had gone bad too. Verse 40 notes that the one tree that had had both good and bad fruit was not all bad. The bad overran the good. This is of course referring to the Lamanites destroying the Nephites. Verse 44 makes reference to the Jaradites.
After the master grieves for a few moments, he asks his servant who corrupted his vineyard. The servant replies that the loftiness of the branches is the reason the trees have gone bad. As the olive tree must remain balanced, the branch's strength overtook that of the roots. As the footnote indicates, this loftiness represents the pride. Again the master wants to burn the vineyard, but the servant persuades him to stay his hand and to spare the vineyard a little longer.
The next part talks about the action the master takes to save his vineyard.
PART IV (vs. 52-72) – The master’s plan of action is to take the natural branches that were grafted all over the vineyard in the four different trees and to graft them back into the original tame tree. As for the wild branches, the master commanded that the servant only burn the most bitter-fruit-producing branches and burn them.
In this season of labor, the one servant is not adequate enough for all that is required. The master commands him to call other servants to help with the great project (v. 61). In verses 65 and 66, the master instructs the servants to not be too hasty with the clearing of the bad branches. He warns them that they must clear away the bad “according as the good shall grow.” From what I understand of this, the master understands that there must be opposition in all things. He all the bad were taken away at once, the good would not be as strong as hoped. But the bad will strengthen the good.
PART V (vs. 73-77) – After much labor, diligence and obedience, the good and natural fruit began to appear again in the vineyard and as verse 74 notes, “they became like unto one body.” The master is pleased with his servants for laboring so well. He commends them and tells them that they will have joy with him in the vineyard.
To end the chapter, the master states that when bad fruit begins again to appear, he will cause the whole vineyard to be burned by fire. This is obviously in reference to the earth’s baptism by fire.
I enjoy reading this chapter whenever I come to this point in the Book of Mormon. I like its vast scope of time and geography. It greatly simplifies the Lord’s plans with the House of Israel.
Additional Links on this chapter:
Olive Trees and the Book of Mormon by Jeff Lindsay
Multidimensional Commentary for Jacob 5
Here is a list of items described in the chapter and what they represent:
| The vineyard | The world |
| Master of the vineyard | Jesus Christ |
| The servant | The Lord’s prophets |
| Tame olive tree | The house of Israel, the Lord’s covenant people |
| Wild olive tree | Gentiles |
| Branches | Groups of people |
| The roots of the tame olive tree | The gospel covenant and promises made by God that constantly give life and sustenance to the tree |
| Fruit of the tree | The lives or works of men |
| Digging, pruning, fertilizing | The Lord’s work with his children which seeks to persuade them to be obedient and produce good fruit |
| Transplanting the branches | Scattering of groups throughout the world or restoring them to their original position |
| Grafting | The process of spiritual rebirth wherein one is joined to the covenant |
| Decaying branches | Wickedness and apostasy |
| Casting the branches into the fire | The judgment of God |
PART I (vs.1-14) – In this first part, Zenos introduces the allegory by stating that he will liken the House of Israel to an olive tree, a tame olive tree to be exact. This olive tree was in a vineyard owned by the master of the vineyard. The master is Jesus Christ and the vineyard is the world we live on. The master has his servant to help him with all the labors of the vineyard. The servant represents a prophet.
In verse 6, the tame olive tree’s top begins to perish. One thing that we need to remember about olive trees is that the caretaker of the tree must keep it balanced. What I mean by balanced is that the branches and roots need to stay balanced or the tree will go bad. If the branches are too heavy or not pruned, they will ‘overtake’ the roots. If the roots are not cared for or are left unattended, they will ‘overtake’ the branches. The overall tree must be balanced. So in v.6, the tame tree is unbalanced, with the top beginning to perish. The answer to the master’s problem is to take the bad branches off the tame tree and replace them with good branches. The master takes some good branches from a wild olive tree and grafts them into the tame tree where the bad branches were. The bad are burned in a fire. Then he takes some young branches from the tame tree and grafts them into several other trees spread throughout the vineyard, that he preserves the natural branches of the tree.
This first part represents the apostasy and the scattering of Israel.
In verse 15, a time passes and the master and servant go down again to the vineyard. This time their mission is one of observation and preparation. The footnote for 15a says “Millennium, Preparing a People for.”
PART II (vs. 17-28) – In the second part of the allegory, the branches begin to bear fruit. The tame tree with the wild branches bore good fruit. The master notes that the root of the tame tree “brought forth much strength.” The roots represent the covenants of the Lord. After observing the tame tree with the wild branches, the master and servant go to observe the rest of the vineyard.
In verses 20-25, the master and servant observe four different trees. The first “brought forth much fruit” which was good. The servant noted that this tree was planted in the poorest spot of the vineyard, but the master replies that he knew it was a poor spot, but that he nourished the tree and it bore good fruit. They observe the second tree and noted that it was planted in a spot poorer than the first and that it too bore good fruit. They go on to observe the third tree and it too bore good fruit. The finally come to the last and the master notes that this one was planted in a good spot of ground and that it has born half good fruit and half bad or wild fruit. The master was disappointed at this tree that only half of this tree’s fruit was good. He told the servant to take the bad half and pluck the branches and burn them. But the servant replied that they should prune, dig about, and nourish the tree a little longer. The master agreed and they nourished the tree.
The second part represents the Lord and his prophets preparing the people of the world. The fourth tree is a representation of the Nephites and Lamanites. The Nephites being the good fruit and the Lamanites being the bad fruit on the same tree.
Again, some time passes before the master and servant visit the vineyard again.
PART III (vs. 30-50) – When the master and servant arrive to the vineyard again, they first visit the tame tree which has wild branches grafted in it. They discovered that it had all kinds of bad fruit. The servant notes to the master that the branches nourished the roots, but the master responded that the roots mean nothing to him if the tree doesn’t produce fruit. He states in verse 35, “The tree profiteth me nothing, and the roots thereof profit me nothing so long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.” I think that this is a significant statement. I read a talk by Elder Maxwell once where he said, "So it is that discipleship requires all of us to translate doctrines, covenants, ordinances, and teachings into improved personal behavior. Otherwise we may be doctrinally rich but end up developmentally poor." (Neal A. Maxwell, “Becoming a Disciple,” Ensign, Jun 1996, 12) If we don’t make the necessary changes in our life after we make covenants with God, then the covenants mean nothing. The results of the covenants are what is important.
After visiting the tame tree, the master and servant visit the other trees of the vineyard. They found that the other trees had gone bad too. Verse 40 notes that the one tree that had had both good and bad fruit was not all bad. The bad overran the good. This is of course referring to the Lamanites destroying the Nephites. Verse 44 makes reference to the Jaradites.
After the master grieves for a few moments, he asks his servant who corrupted his vineyard. The servant replies that the loftiness of the branches is the reason the trees have gone bad. As the olive tree must remain balanced, the branch's strength overtook that of the roots. As the footnote indicates, this loftiness represents the pride. Again the master wants to burn the vineyard, but the servant persuades him to stay his hand and to spare the vineyard a little longer.
The next part talks about the action the master takes to save his vineyard.
PART IV (vs. 52-72) – The master’s plan of action is to take the natural branches that were grafted all over the vineyard in the four different trees and to graft them back into the original tame tree. As for the wild branches, the master commanded that the servant only burn the most bitter-fruit-producing branches and burn them.
In this season of labor, the one servant is not adequate enough for all that is required. The master commands him to call other servants to help with the great project (v. 61). In verses 65 and 66, the master instructs the servants to not be too hasty with the clearing of the bad branches. He warns them that they must clear away the bad “according as the good shall grow.” From what I understand of this, the master understands that there must be opposition in all things. He all the bad were taken away at once, the good would not be as strong as hoped. But the bad will strengthen the good.
PART V (vs. 73-77) – After much labor, diligence and obedience, the good and natural fruit began to appear again in the vineyard and as verse 74 notes, “they became like unto one body.” The master is pleased with his servants for laboring so well. He commends them and tells them that they will have joy with him in the vineyard.
To end the chapter, the master states that when bad fruit begins again to appear, he will cause the whole vineyard to be burned by fire. This is obviously in reference to the earth’s baptism by fire.
I enjoy reading this chapter whenever I come to this point in the Book of Mormon. I like its vast scope of time and geography. It greatly simplifies the Lord’s plans with the House of Israel.
Additional Links on this chapter:
Olive Trees and the Book of Mormon by Jeff Lindsay
Multidimensional Commentary for Jacob 5
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Jacob 4
Plates and Hearts
Jacob makes an interesting point in the first few verses of chapter 4. He comments on that fact that anything that they write upon, except plates (or metal), will eventually perish or decay (v. 2). Metal plates will last longer than paper or any other medium, but plates will stay brilliant as long as they are cared for properly. If you take this point a step further, metal plates can be destroyed too and all that is written on them will be lost. Really, there is nothing that can truly preserve words, ideas, thoughts, teachings and other writings except the “fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:3). And this process of writing on the fleshy tables of the heart can take years. And since this process takes years, men and prophets write down what is written on their hearts and minds onto paper, plates, disk and other mediums so that other men can “download” it into their hearts and minds. One of the quickest and most powerful ways of downloading is through the Spirit – “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God” (2 Cor. 3:3). Once “downloaded” into one’s heart, there the teachings will remain for years, even a lifetime, if he continues to remember what has been written there.
What are we to download into our minds and hearts? We are to learn the words of Christ. This is what Jacob and all the other prophets of old wrote about. Jacob continues by saying that they have studied the prophets’ words and that he has many revelations and is filled with the spirit of prophecy. We too can have personal revelations regarding our own testimony if we study the words of the prophets. If we seek, we will find.
Command in the Name of Jesus
Next, Jacob explains how his faith in Christ enables him to “command in the name of Jesus” (v. 6). He understands that man is weak and that it is through God and the atonement that man has power to command in the name of Christ. He explains in verse 9 that if God was able to speak and the world was created and man created, then surely he can command the elements and the earth and they will obey. Jacob and the other prophets understood the power Christ and therefore according to Christ’s will, can command the earth and she will obey.
Seek Not to Counsel the Lord
Jacob admonishes the Nephites to "seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand (v. 10). Neal A. Maxwell had this to say about seeking to counsel the Lord, “Church members will live in this wheat-and-tares situation until the Millennium. Some real tares even masquerade as wheat, including the few eager individuals who lecture the rest of us about Church doctrines in which they no longer believe. They criticize the use of Church resources to which they no longer contribute. They condescendingly seek to counsel the Brethren whom they no longer sustain. Confrontive, except of themselves of course, they leave the Church but they cannot leave the Church alone." (Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Becometh As a Child’,” Ensign, May 1996, 68)
We walk on dangerous ground when we become critical of the Lord and his prophets. President Hinckley once said, "[criticism] sows the seeds of inactivity and finally apostasy" (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Continuing Pursuit of Truth,” Ensign, Apr 1986, 2). Not only should we not be critical of the Lord, but we should reduce the negative in our lives and accentuate the positive. For an excellent article on this subject, read the aforementioned talk by President Hinckley.
Reconciliation
Again, in verse 11, Jacobs reminds and commands us to reconcile ourselves with Christ (see 2 Nephi 10:24 and commentary on this chapter).
Looking Beyond the Mark
One final comment on Jacob chapter 4; in verse 14 he talks about the Jews despising plainness and looking beyond the mark. At one time I did not understand this and wondered what he meant by “looking beyond the mark” until one day I was driving to work and I was behind this car that was moving kind of slow. Instead of concentrating on the slow car immediately in front of me, I began to look at the car that was in front of it … I was trying to figure out why this car was going slow. Suddenly, the slow car in front of me slowed down even more. I was caught off guard and almost hit the car because I wasn’t paying attention to the car in front of me. In essence, I was looking beyond the mark. I didn’t want to see the plainness of the car in front of me. I was more concerned with the car in front of the car in front of me. The Jews were the same way. They weren’t concerned with the plain truth that was in front of them. They wanted to see what was behind the truth and consequently they did not understand.
In the next chapter, Jacob will explain the history of the House of Israel with an allegory.
Jacob makes an interesting point in the first few verses of chapter 4. He comments on that fact that anything that they write upon, except plates (or metal), will eventually perish or decay (v. 2). Metal plates will last longer than paper or any other medium, but plates will stay brilliant as long as they are cared for properly. If you take this point a step further, metal plates can be destroyed too and all that is written on them will be lost. Really, there is nothing that can truly preserve words, ideas, thoughts, teachings and other writings except the “fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:3). And this process of writing on the fleshy tables of the heart can take years. And since this process takes years, men and prophets write down what is written on their hearts and minds onto paper, plates, disk and other mediums so that other men can “download” it into their hearts and minds. One of the quickest and most powerful ways of downloading is through the Spirit – “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God” (2 Cor. 3:3). Once “downloaded” into one’s heart, there the teachings will remain for years, even a lifetime, if he continues to remember what has been written there.
What are we to download into our minds and hearts? We are to learn the words of Christ. This is what Jacob and all the other prophets of old wrote about. Jacob continues by saying that they have studied the prophets’ words and that he has many revelations and is filled with the spirit of prophecy. We too can have personal revelations regarding our own testimony if we study the words of the prophets. If we seek, we will find.
Command in the Name of Jesus
Next, Jacob explains how his faith in Christ enables him to “command in the name of Jesus” (v. 6). He understands that man is weak and that it is through God and the atonement that man has power to command in the name of Christ. He explains in verse 9 that if God was able to speak and the world was created and man created, then surely he can command the elements and the earth and they will obey. Jacob and the other prophets understood the power Christ and therefore according to Christ’s will, can command the earth and she will obey.
Seek Not to Counsel the Lord
Jacob admonishes the Nephites to "seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand (v. 10). Neal A. Maxwell had this to say about seeking to counsel the Lord, “Church members will live in this wheat-and-tares situation until the Millennium. Some real tares even masquerade as wheat, including the few eager individuals who lecture the rest of us about Church doctrines in which they no longer believe. They criticize the use of Church resources to which they no longer contribute. They condescendingly seek to counsel the Brethren whom they no longer sustain. Confrontive, except of themselves of course, they leave the Church but they cannot leave the Church alone." (Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Becometh As a Child’,” Ensign, May 1996, 68)
We walk on dangerous ground when we become critical of the Lord and his prophets. President Hinckley once said, "[criticism] sows the seeds of inactivity and finally apostasy" (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Continuing Pursuit of Truth,” Ensign, Apr 1986, 2). Not only should we not be critical of the Lord, but we should reduce the negative in our lives and accentuate the positive. For an excellent article on this subject, read the aforementioned talk by President Hinckley.
Reconciliation
Again, in verse 11, Jacobs reminds and commands us to reconcile ourselves with Christ (see 2 Nephi 10:24 and commentary on this chapter).
Looking Beyond the Mark
One final comment on Jacob chapter 4; in verse 14 he talks about the Jews despising plainness and looking beyond the mark. At one time I did not understand this and wondered what he meant by “looking beyond the mark” until one day I was driving to work and I was behind this car that was moving kind of slow. Instead of concentrating on the slow car immediately in front of me, I began to look at the car that was in front of it … I was trying to figure out why this car was going slow. Suddenly, the slow car in front of me slowed down even more. I was caught off guard and almost hit the car because I wasn’t paying attention to the car in front of me. In essence, I was looking beyond the mark. I didn’t want to see the plainness of the car in front of me. I was more concerned with the car in front of the car in front of me. The Jews were the same way. They weren’t concerned with the plain truth that was in front of them. They wanted to see what was behind the truth and consequently they did not understand.
In the next chapter, Jacob will explain the history of the House of Israel with an allegory.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Jacob 3
Chapter 3 is an amazing chapter. Reading it this time, I realized that Jacobs words are fulfilled when you think upon the whole history of the Nephites and Lamanites. And not only were his words of counsel and warning useful in his day, but they are probably the most important teachings our world needs today.
Counsel to the Pure in Heart
Jacob begins chapter 3 with counsel for the pure in heart. He pleads with them to "pray with exceeding faith" and then the Lord will 1) console them in their afflictions, 2) plead their cause and 3) send down justice upon those who seek their destruction (v. 1).
This counsel from Jacob reminds me of Alma the Elder and those who fled King Noah. After finding Alma and his people, Amulon was appointed ruler and latter enslaved Alma and his followers. The people cried before the Lord to be rescued, but the taskmasters kept them from praying out loud. So the people prayed in their hearts and the Lord listened.
"And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
"And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions (Mosiah 24:13-14).
Miraculously, the Lord delivered his people by placing the Lamanite guards in a profound sleep and Alma and his people departed into the wilderness and latter reunited with the people of Zarahemla (see Mosiah 24:19-25).
Alma and his followers were pure in heart. They prayed with exceeding faith, they were consoled in their afflictions, they plead their cause before the Lord and the Lord sent down justice upon those who sought their destruction … in other words, the Lord indeed delivered the pure in heart.
Jacob continues his counsel to the pure in heart. He teaches them to lift up their heads and "receive the pleasing word of God and feast upon his love (v. 2). Is there any doubt that Alma and his followers did feast on the Lord's love? After they were delivered, they paused in a valley and "poured out their thanks to God because he had been merfiful unto them (Mosiah 24:21). I think that when we feast on the Lord's love, our hearts truly are full of gratitude.
Prophecy Fulfilled: The Lamanites Possess the Land
Jacob warns the Nephites that unless they repent of their fornications, lasciviousness and every kind of sin" (v. 12), the Lamanites will possess the land of their (the Nephites') inheritance. He tells them that the Lord will lead away the righteous out from among them. We may safely assume that the Nephites did not fully repent as this prophecy was fulfilled. In Omni 1:12 we learn of the great migration of the Nephites from the Land of Nephi to the land of Zarahemla. Eventually the Lamanites took possession of the Land of Nephi.
Prophecy Fulfilled: Lamanites Become a Blessed People
Again, Jacob teaches the Nephites that because the Lamanites observe the commandment of having only one wife and being faithful to her, they will not be destroyed, but will become a blessed people (v. 6). Perhaps the blessing of Lehi helped the Lamanites keep this commandment as his blessing ensured them that they would not be destroyed (see 2 Nephi 2:3-9). We read of the fulfillment of this prophecy in 3 Nephi 2:12-16.
Can we not apply Jacob's counsel to our world today? If we observe to keep the law of chastity, then we will be a blessed people. But if we fail to observe this very important commandment, then we will suffer the same fate as the Nephites. Our modern-day prophets have warned us with similar counsels. "We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets (The Family: A Proclamation to the World).
Love One Another
In verse 7, Jacob’s counsel is as good today as it was as good then. In our day where the prophet counsels us to love our families, we can look to the Book of Mormon for examples of how to love our families. The Book of Mormon also serves as a reminder of the importance of families in this life and in the lives to come.
Revile Not
Verse 9 teaches a valuable lesson about judging and comparing. Jacob tells the Nephites not to revile against the Lamanites because of their cursing nor because of their filthiness, rather that they should remember their own sins. Sometimes we tend to look at others and say, “I’m glad I’m not him. I am doing better than him and this makes me feel good.” We may not say that with the same words, but that is the thought we have. We think we are better than others. This is pride manifesting itself again. We should not compare ourselves to others, rather we should compare ourselves to the Standard who is Christ. In all cases, we will find ourselves “filthy” and we should be humbled by that thought and try to do better. But never should we compare ourselves to others for the sake of making ourselves look better than them or to make ourselves feel better.
Teach Your Children
In verse 10, Jacob reminds us that unless we teach our children the ways of truth and righteousness, their sins will be upon our heads. The Doctrine and Covenants teaches the same thing in section 68 verse 25.
Counsel to the Pure in Heart
Jacob begins chapter 3 with counsel for the pure in heart. He pleads with them to "pray with exceeding faith" and then the Lord will 1) console them in their afflictions, 2) plead their cause and 3) send down justice upon those who seek their destruction (v. 1).
This counsel from Jacob reminds me of Alma the Elder and those who fled King Noah. After finding Alma and his people, Amulon was appointed ruler and latter enslaved Alma and his followers. The people cried before the Lord to be rescued, but the taskmasters kept them from praying out loud. So the people prayed in their hearts and the Lord listened.
"And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
"And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions (Mosiah 24:13-14).
Miraculously, the Lord delivered his people by placing the Lamanite guards in a profound sleep and Alma and his people departed into the wilderness and latter reunited with the people of Zarahemla (see Mosiah 24:19-25).
Alma and his followers were pure in heart. They prayed with exceeding faith, they were consoled in their afflictions, they plead their cause before the Lord and the Lord sent down justice upon those who sought their destruction … in other words, the Lord indeed delivered the pure in heart.
Jacob continues his counsel to the pure in heart. He teaches them to lift up their heads and "receive the pleasing word of God and feast upon his love (v. 2). Is there any doubt that Alma and his followers did feast on the Lord's love? After they were delivered, they paused in a valley and "poured out their thanks to God because he had been merfiful unto them (Mosiah 24:21). I think that when we feast on the Lord's love, our hearts truly are full of gratitude.
Prophecy Fulfilled: The Lamanites Possess the Land
Jacob warns the Nephites that unless they repent of their fornications, lasciviousness and every kind of sin" (v. 12), the Lamanites will possess the land of their (the Nephites') inheritance. He tells them that the Lord will lead away the righteous out from among them. We may safely assume that the Nephites did not fully repent as this prophecy was fulfilled. In Omni 1:12 we learn of the great migration of the Nephites from the Land of Nephi to the land of Zarahemla. Eventually the Lamanites took possession of the Land of Nephi.
Prophecy Fulfilled: Lamanites Become a Blessed People
Again, Jacob teaches the Nephites that because the Lamanites observe the commandment of having only one wife and being faithful to her, they will not be destroyed, but will become a blessed people (v. 6). Perhaps the blessing of Lehi helped the Lamanites keep this commandment as his blessing ensured them that they would not be destroyed (see 2 Nephi 2:3-9). We read of the fulfillment of this prophecy in 3 Nephi 2:12-16.
Can we not apply Jacob's counsel to our world today? If we observe to keep the law of chastity, then we will be a blessed people. But if we fail to observe this very important commandment, then we will suffer the same fate as the Nephites. Our modern-day prophets have warned us with similar counsels. "We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets (The Family: A Proclamation to the World).
Love One Another
In verse 7, Jacob’s counsel is as good today as it was as good then. In our day where the prophet counsels us to love our families, we can look to the Book of Mormon for examples of how to love our families. The Book of Mormon also serves as a reminder of the importance of families in this life and in the lives to come.
Revile Not
Verse 9 teaches a valuable lesson about judging and comparing. Jacob tells the Nephites not to revile against the Lamanites because of their cursing nor because of their filthiness, rather that they should remember their own sins. Sometimes we tend to look at others and say, “I’m glad I’m not him. I am doing better than him and this makes me feel good.” We may not say that with the same words, but that is the thought we have. We think we are better than others. This is pride manifesting itself again. We should not compare ourselves to others, rather we should compare ourselves to the Standard who is Christ. In all cases, we will find ourselves “filthy” and we should be humbled by that thought and try to do better. But never should we compare ourselves to others for the sake of making ourselves look better than them or to make ourselves feel better.
Teach Your Children
In verse 10, Jacob reminds us that unless we teach our children the ways of truth and righteousness, their sins will be upon our heads. The Doctrine and Covenants teaches the same thing in section 68 verse 25.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Jacob 2
In chapter two, Jacob warns the people of two sins in which they are beginning to labor: 1) Pride/love of money 2) committing fornication.
Pride and Seeking Riches
Just as President Benson explained in his talk on pride, Jacob explains that the Nephites are in competition with one another in the seeking of money. Pride is wanting to have more of something than the next person has. This is not the absolute central meaning of pride, but it is a major faucet of pride. President Benson quotes C.S. Lewis when he said, “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man…It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone” (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109-110). President Benson also states in his talk that “the proud make every man their adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any other worldly measure device against others” (Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” Ensign, May 1989, 4). Jacob clearly testifies of the Nephites’ pride when he said, “ye suppose that ye are better than they” (v. 13).
President Benson makes another point in his talk concerning pride. He states that, “our motives for the things we do are where the sin is manifest.” Jacobs tells us of the poor example of the Nephites’ motives in verse 13, “because some of you have obtained more abundantly that that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts.” The Nephites desired to obtain more than their brethren and thus their motive for seeking riches is manifest. Jacob teaches them the true motive for seeking riches in verses 17 through 19. He counsels them to think of their brothers as themselves and to be “free with [their] substance, that they (their brothers) may be rich like unto [them].” Next, Jacob sets our priorities by stating that we must first seek the kingdom of God before seeking riches. And if we still desire riches after obtaining a hope in Christ, then we ought to seek riches with the intent to do good (to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, liberate the captive, and administer to the sick and the afflicted).
Before continuing on, I’d like to make a commentary on something else of a similar nature that has something to do with Jacob’s counsel. When I was a student in the Marriott School of Business Management, I took a class from a Dr. Doug Moore. He taught business law as well as practiced law in Provo. During one of his classes, he mentioned to us that we ought to read a book entitled The Richest Man in Babylon. It is a book by George Clauson in which the author explains the governing principals of saving money and making it work for you. Before I ever opened the pages of the book, I speculated in my mind that the richest man in Babylon probably became rich by giving it away. Of course, I found this not to be the case, rather it is a book about the governing principals of finance. What perplexed me the most when I was thumbing through this book the other day was the dialogue between two of the characters essentially said, “I want money so I can be happy.” Nevertheless, what the book teaches is still true no matter what the motives of the two characters were. I’d like to contrast the example of the richest man in Babylon to perhaps the richest man in Zion.
Probably one of the richest men in Zion (and the world) is Jon Huntsman. He spoke at Jill’s graduation at BYU after receiving an honorary degree of some sort. But what I remember most and what obviously stuck with me is the story of this man’s life. Currently, he owns and manages one of the largest biochemical companies in America. He has at least one Lear Jet that he has designated for the use of the Prophet’s travels. He was not always rich. In fact, when he and his wife were poor college students, they decided that they would 1) always pay a full tithe and 2) donate as much money as they could to charity. John testified that the more he gave away to charity (to help the poor, feed the hungry, free the captive, and relieve the sick and the afflicted) the more money he got back. It then became a recurring cycle of giving and receiving more and more. We cannot forget that he also must have worked very hard and diligently and sought after money with the intent to do good.
I am grateful for Jacob’s counsel on obtaining riches. Jill and I have tried to do our best with our finances. We haven’t always done our very best, but we have always paid a full tithe and donated to charity. Time and time again, we have seen the hand of the Lord in our lives regarding our finances. The most recent example concerns the purchase of our 2nd home.
In 2006, we began to prepare to sell our 1st home. We knew that we were either going to move to Houston (company move) or we'd sell and buy a bigger home for our growing family. When we found out in October of 2006 that the company was not going to move us to Houston, we decided to sell our home. For me it was a difficult decision because of the costs of selling and buying and moving. I thought that it would break us financially in the long run. But I kept analyzing our budget and put together several forecasts and I finally came to a comfort level with our decision. With all that said, we still felt a confirmation by the Spirit that what we were doing was the right thing.
January 31, 2007 came and we sold our 1st home and bought our 2nd home. We were in a little hole from the move and closing costs and all, but we knew we could work ourselves out of it on the income that we had. But we also knew that a raise would be coming in March. The question was how big it was going to be. I determined the percentage at which I'd feel comfortable and then we prayed and waited. During this waiting period, whenever my worries would begin to surface, I'd simply remind myself that we have always paid a full tithe and have given a generous fast offering.
My boss finally called me into his office one day and gave me the news regarding my raise. He handed me the post-it note with the numbers on it. The raise better than hoped. We feel so blessed, again, and know that the hand of the Lord is watching over us.
It is and always has been my testimony that the Lord blesses those who pay a full tithe and give a generous fast offering. Countless are the blessings we have received by obeying this counsel. Indeed I testify of the truthfulness of the prophet Malachi when he said "prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Unchastity
The next part will deal with Jacob’s counsel on immorality. Interestingly enough, these two subjects (riches and immorality) are both connected to pride and both afflict the world and Zion today.
The Lord clearly states here in Jacob the law of chastity. Men are to have one wife and no concubines. In other words, men are not to have any sexual relationship except with his wife. For the Nephites, they were not to have other women in their lives. The same goes for the saints today. To keep this from happening, barriers must be placed around this principal so that this temptation is avoided altogether. We are counseled not to be alone in any situation with other women. We need to guard our thoughts at all times and to stay far away from any content that is of a pornographic nature. As you make these barriers and fences and rules, you are building a stronger fortress against evil and temptation.
What is the major consequence and harm in breaking the law of chastity? First of all, in the temple we make a covenant to keep the law of chastity and second, the tender hearts of our wife and children would be crushed knowing that their husband and father were unfaithful to them.
This same problem has plagued the saints in our day too. In my parent’s lifetime, they may encounter less than half a dozen close friends or family who will divorce (which divorce may or may not have anything to do with immorality). I think I can make a pretty safe assumption that when my dad was my age (25 when this was written) he did not have any friends whose parents were divorced. Today as I write this, we personally know two women whose first husbands either abused them or had an affair. What is even more sad is that they are part of my generation. Growing up as a kid, I had several friends whose parents were divorced and where the husband had an affair. The common denominator in all this is the broken hearts of the wife and children. My friends did not lead normal lives after the divorce. I felt sorry for them and wished they had childhood experiences like I had.
I am grateful for Jill and our children. I love them so much and I can’t imagine life without them. I am grateful for Jill’s parents and for my parents. They are a couple of the many faithful saints who raised us kids in a struggling generation.
Pride and Seeking Riches
Just as President Benson explained in his talk on pride, Jacob explains that the Nephites are in competition with one another in the seeking of money. Pride is wanting to have more of something than the next person has. This is not the absolute central meaning of pride, but it is a major faucet of pride. President Benson quotes C.S. Lewis when he said, “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man…It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone” (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109-110). President Benson also states in his talk that “the proud make every man their adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any other worldly measure device against others” (Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” Ensign, May 1989, 4). Jacob clearly testifies of the Nephites’ pride when he said, “ye suppose that ye are better than they” (v. 13).
President Benson makes another point in his talk concerning pride. He states that, “our motives for the things we do are where the sin is manifest.” Jacobs tells us of the poor example of the Nephites’ motives in verse 13, “because some of you have obtained more abundantly that that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts.” The Nephites desired to obtain more than their brethren and thus their motive for seeking riches is manifest. Jacob teaches them the true motive for seeking riches in verses 17 through 19. He counsels them to think of their brothers as themselves and to be “free with [their] substance, that they (their brothers) may be rich like unto [them].” Next, Jacob sets our priorities by stating that we must first seek the kingdom of God before seeking riches. And if we still desire riches after obtaining a hope in Christ, then we ought to seek riches with the intent to do good (to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, liberate the captive, and administer to the sick and the afflicted).
Before continuing on, I’d like to make a commentary on something else of a similar nature that has something to do with Jacob’s counsel. When I was a student in the Marriott School of Business Management, I took a class from a Dr. Doug Moore. He taught business law as well as practiced law in Provo. During one of his classes, he mentioned to us that we ought to read a book entitled The Richest Man in Babylon. It is a book by George Clauson in which the author explains the governing principals of saving money and making it work for you. Before I ever opened the pages of the book, I speculated in my mind that the richest man in Babylon probably became rich by giving it away. Of course, I found this not to be the case, rather it is a book about the governing principals of finance. What perplexed me the most when I was thumbing through this book the other day was the dialogue between two of the characters essentially said, “I want money so I can be happy.” Nevertheless, what the book teaches is still true no matter what the motives of the two characters were. I’d like to contrast the example of the richest man in Babylon to perhaps the richest man in Zion.
Probably one of the richest men in Zion (and the world) is Jon Huntsman. He spoke at Jill’s graduation at BYU after receiving an honorary degree of some sort. But what I remember most and what obviously stuck with me is the story of this man’s life. Currently, he owns and manages one of the largest biochemical companies in America. He has at least one Lear Jet that he has designated for the use of the Prophet’s travels. He was not always rich. In fact, when he and his wife were poor college students, they decided that they would 1) always pay a full tithe and 2) donate as much money as they could to charity. John testified that the more he gave away to charity (to help the poor, feed the hungry, free the captive, and relieve the sick and the afflicted) the more money he got back. It then became a recurring cycle of giving and receiving more and more. We cannot forget that he also must have worked very hard and diligently and sought after money with the intent to do good.
I am grateful for Jacob’s counsel on obtaining riches. Jill and I have tried to do our best with our finances. We haven’t always done our very best, but we have always paid a full tithe and donated to charity. Time and time again, we have seen the hand of the Lord in our lives regarding our finances. The most recent example concerns the purchase of our 2nd home.
In 2006, we began to prepare to sell our 1st home. We knew that we were either going to move to Houston (company move) or we'd sell and buy a bigger home for our growing family. When we found out in October of 2006 that the company was not going to move us to Houston, we decided to sell our home. For me it was a difficult decision because of the costs of selling and buying and moving. I thought that it would break us financially in the long run. But I kept analyzing our budget and put together several forecasts and I finally came to a comfort level with our decision. With all that said, we still felt a confirmation by the Spirit that what we were doing was the right thing.
January 31, 2007 came and we sold our 1st home and bought our 2nd home. We were in a little hole from the move and closing costs and all, but we knew we could work ourselves out of it on the income that we had. But we also knew that a raise would be coming in March. The question was how big it was going to be. I determined the percentage at which I'd feel comfortable and then we prayed and waited. During this waiting period, whenever my worries would begin to surface, I'd simply remind myself that we have always paid a full tithe and have given a generous fast offering.
My boss finally called me into his office one day and gave me the news regarding my raise. He handed me the post-it note with the numbers on it. The raise better than hoped. We feel so blessed, again, and know that the hand of the Lord is watching over us.
It is and always has been my testimony that the Lord blesses those who pay a full tithe and give a generous fast offering. Countless are the blessings we have received by obeying this counsel. Indeed I testify of the truthfulness of the prophet Malachi when he said "prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Unchastity
The next part will deal with Jacob’s counsel on immorality. Interestingly enough, these two subjects (riches and immorality) are both connected to pride and both afflict the world and Zion today.
The Lord clearly states here in Jacob the law of chastity. Men are to have one wife and no concubines. In other words, men are not to have any sexual relationship except with his wife. For the Nephites, they were not to have other women in their lives. The same goes for the saints today. To keep this from happening, barriers must be placed around this principal so that this temptation is avoided altogether. We are counseled not to be alone in any situation with other women. We need to guard our thoughts at all times and to stay far away from any content that is of a pornographic nature. As you make these barriers and fences and rules, you are building a stronger fortress against evil and temptation.
What is the major consequence and harm in breaking the law of chastity? First of all, in the temple we make a covenant to keep the law of chastity and second, the tender hearts of our wife and children would be crushed knowing that their husband and father were unfaithful to them.
This same problem has plagued the saints in our day too. In my parent’s lifetime, they may encounter less than half a dozen close friends or family who will divorce (which divorce may or may not have anything to do with immorality). I think I can make a pretty safe assumption that when my dad was my age (25 when this was written) he did not have any friends whose parents were divorced. Today as I write this, we personally know two women whose first husbands either abused them or had an affair. What is even more sad is that they are part of my generation. Growing up as a kid, I had several friends whose parents were divorced and where the husband had an affair. The common denominator in all this is the broken hearts of the wife and children. My friends did not lead normal lives after the divorce. I felt sorry for them and wished they had childhood experiences like I had.
I am grateful for Jill and our children. I love them so much and I can’t imagine life without them. I am grateful for Jill’s parents and for my parents. They are a couple of the many faithful saints who raised us kids in a struggling generation.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Jacob 1
Come Unto Christ
In verse 7, Jacob mentions how they labored diligently to persuade people to come unto Christ and partake of the goodness of the Lord that the Nephites (and the saints today) might enter into his rest.
Firstly, no one can be forced to Christ. Only by "persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness and pure knowledge" (see D&C 121:41-42) can we convince people to come unto Christ. In our fast-paced, on-demand world, we tend to be impatient with our children or anyone who fails to grasp the importance of the Gospel quickly. We must remember to have patience and long-suffering and we must humble ourselves and take the time to really love those whom we serve. When we fill our schedules to the hilt, we may lose track of the importance of taking the time to understand, to listen and to love. Only when we take the time to understand, listen and love can we hope to persuade those we love to come unto Christ.
"Partaking of the goodness of the Lord" not only is an event that can happen in the life to come, but it can happen in this mortal life. In John 10:9-11 Christ said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good Shepard: the good Shepard giveth life for his sheep."
Joseph B. Wirthlin gave a wonderful talk in the April 2006 General Conference entitled "The Abundant Life." In that talk he said, "The abundant life is a spiritual life. Too many sit at the banquet table of the gospel of Jesus Christ and merely nibble at the feast placed before them. They go through the motions—attending their meetings perhaps, glancing at scriptures, repeating familiar prayers—but their hearts are far away. If they are honest, they would admit to being more interested in the latest neighborhood rumors, stock market trends, and their favorite TV show than they are in the supernal wonders and sweet ministerings of the Holy Spirit." (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Abundant Life,” Ensign, May 2006, 99–102)
I think this is what Jacob was trying to convince the Nephites … that a life as a disciple of Christ is much more rewarding than a life spent in the pursuit of riches and lusts.
If we choose the abundant life and we prove to be worthy servants on this earth, then we will be received into heaven and there find rest from all our trials and troubles in this world. But if we are not diligent in keeping the commandments and tempt God, then he will swear in his wrath that we will not enter into his rest. The children of Israel provoked the Lord by tempting him. Consequently, the Lord decreed that the children of Israel would not enter into the Promised Land and were made to suffer for 40 years in the wilderness and were given the lower law (the Law of Moses). Not until the first wicked generation was completely dead did the children of Israel enter the Promised Land. Moses was not even permitted to enter in the Promised Land.
We can apply this counsel on a national or personal level. If we rebel against God (or apostatize) then we will be “cursed” unless we repent quickly and thoroughly. If we do not, then God will curse us or we will be left alone to fend for ourselves and end up in Satan’s power. We only live this life once. We cannot go back and correct our mistakes and sins. We have to live with our actions. I think this is why we feel such urgency from Jacob’s words in this chapter. He doesn’t want the Nephites to be cursed or to have the Lord swear in his wrath that they will not enter into his rest. Instead, he counsels them to view the death of Christ and suffer his cross.
Magnify Our Office
Ezekiel 33:2-9 clearly explains the role of a prophet of God. He is to warn the people. If he fails to warn the people, then he is found guilty. Jacob felt the urgent need to preach repentance to the Nephites as he saw them begin to "indulge themselves" and seek riches of the world (v. 15-16).
Earlier we read where Jacob tells the Nephites that he has done his best in teaching them and trying to turn them to repentance. In 2 Nephi 9:44 he tells them, "Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood."
As a missionary, we often quoted Jacob 1:19 in zone conference. Usually when we quoted that scripture, we would couple it with the following quote from John Taylor, “If you do not magnify your callings, God will hold you responsible for those whom you might have saved had you done your duty.” (Deseret News Semi-weekly, 6 Aug. 1878, 1.)
In this post-mission life, how are we to apply this scripture? In a Book of Mormon class I took as a freshman at BYU, our teacher gave each student a piece of paper to insert into our scriptures for Alma 36. This is what that paper read:
In June of 1965, a group of brethren in the Physical Facilities Department of the Church was doing some work outside the Hotel Utah apartment of President David O. McKay. As President McKay stopped to explain to them the importance of the work in which they were engaged, he paused and told them the following.
"Let me assure you, Brethren, that some day you will have a personal priesthood interview with the Savior, Himself. If you are interested, I will tell you the order in which He will ask you to account for your earthly responsibilities.
First, He will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you actively been engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?
Second, He will want an accountability report about each of your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a family stewardship report but will request information about your relationship to each and every child.
Third, He will want to know what you personally have done with the talents you were given in the pre-existence.
Fourth, He will want a summary of your activity in your Church assignments. He will not be necessarily interested in what assignments you have had, for in His eyes the home teacher and mission president are probably equals, but He will request a summary of how you have been of service to your fellowmen in your Church assignments.
Fifth, He will have no interest in how you earned your living, but if you were honest in all your dealings.
Sixth, He will ask for an accountability on what you have done to contribute in a positive manner to your community, state, country, and the world."
(From the notes of Fred A. Baker, Managing Director, Department of Physical Facilities. Quoted by Robert D. Hales, Presiding Bishop of the Church, at a BYU Devotional assembly, March 15, 1988) the full text of this talk entitled "Understandings of the Heart" can be found here (click then scroll down to talk).
In verse 7, Jacob mentions how they labored diligently to persuade people to come unto Christ and partake of the goodness of the Lord that the Nephites (and the saints today) might enter into his rest.
Firstly, no one can be forced to Christ. Only by "persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness and pure knowledge" (see D&C 121:41-42) can we convince people to come unto Christ. In our fast-paced, on-demand world, we tend to be impatient with our children or anyone who fails to grasp the importance of the Gospel quickly. We must remember to have patience and long-suffering and we must humble ourselves and take the time to really love those whom we serve. When we fill our schedules to the hilt, we may lose track of the importance of taking the time to understand, to listen and to love. Only when we take the time to understand, listen and love can we hope to persuade those we love to come unto Christ.
"Partaking of the goodness of the Lord" not only is an event that can happen in the life to come, but it can happen in this mortal life. In John 10:9-11 Christ said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good Shepard: the good Shepard giveth life for his sheep."
Joseph B. Wirthlin gave a wonderful talk in the April 2006 General Conference entitled "The Abundant Life." In that talk he said, "The abundant life is a spiritual life. Too many sit at the banquet table of the gospel of Jesus Christ and merely nibble at the feast placed before them. They go through the motions—attending their meetings perhaps, glancing at scriptures, repeating familiar prayers—but their hearts are far away. If they are honest, they would admit to being more interested in the latest neighborhood rumors, stock market trends, and their favorite TV show than they are in the supernal wonders and sweet ministerings of the Holy Spirit." (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Abundant Life,” Ensign, May 2006, 99–102)
I think this is what Jacob was trying to convince the Nephites … that a life as a disciple of Christ is much more rewarding than a life spent in the pursuit of riches and lusts.
If we choose the abundant life and we prove to be worthy servants on this earth, then we will be received into heaven and there find rest from all our trials and troubles in this world. But if we are not diligent in keeping the commandments and tempt God, then he will swear in his wrath that we will not enter into his rest. The children of Israel provoked the Lord by tempting him. Consequently, the Lord decreed that the children of Israel would not enter into the Promised Land and were made to suffer for 40 years in the wilderness and were given the lower law (the Law of Moses). Not until the first wicked generation was completely dead did the children of Israel enter the Promised Land. Moses was not even permitted to enter in the Promised Land.
We can apply this counsel on a national or personal level. If we rebel against God (or apostatize) then we will be “cursed” unless we repent quickly and thoroughly. If we do not, then God will curse us or we will be left alone to fend for ourselves and end up in Satan’s power. We only live this life once. We cannot go back and correct our mistakes and sins. We have to live with our actions. I think this is why we feel such urgency from Jacob’s words in this chapter. He doesn’t want the Nephites to be cursed or to have the Lord swear in his wrath that they will not enter into his rest. Instead, he counsels them to view the death of Christ and suffer his cross.
Magnify Our Office
Ezekiel 33:2-9 clearly explains the role of a prophet of God. He is to warn the people. If he fails to warn the people, then he is found guilty. Jacob felt the urgent need to preach repentance to the Nephites as he saw them begin to "indulge themselves" and seek riches of the world (v. 15-16).
Earlier we read where Jacob tells the Nephites that he has done his best in teaching them and trying to turn them to repentance. In 2 Nephi 9:44 he tells them, "Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood."
As a missionary, we often quoted Jacob 1:19 in zone conference. Usually when we quoted that scripture, we would couple it with the following quote from John Taylor, “If you do not magnify your callings, God will hold you responsible for those whom you might have saved had you done your duty.” (Deseret News Semi-weekly, 6 Aug. 1878, 1.)
In this post-mission life, how are we to apply this scripture? In a Book of Mormon class I took as a freshman at BYU, our teacher gave each student a piece of paper to insert into our scriptures for Alma 36. This is what that paper read:
In June of 1965, a group of brethren in the Physical Facilities Department of the Church was doing some work outside the Hotel Utah apartment of President David O. McKay. As President McKay stopped to explain to them the importance of the work in which they were engaged, he paused and told them the following.
"Let me assure you, Brethren, that some day you will have a personal priesthood interview with the Savior, Himself. If you are interested, I will tell you the order in which He will ask you to account for your earthly responsibilities.
First, He will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you actively been engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?
Second, He will want an accountability report about each of your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a family stewardship report but will request information about your relationship to each and every child.
Third, He will want to know what you personally have done with the talents you were given in the pre-existence.
Fourth, He will want a summary of your activity in your Church assignments. He will not be necessarily interested in what assignments you have had, for in His eyes the home teacher and mission president are probably equals, but He will request a summary of how you have been of service to your fellowmen in your Church assignments.
Fifth, He will have no interest in how you earned your living, but if you were honest in all your dealings.
Sixth, He will ask for an accountability on what you have done to contribute in a positive manner to your community, state, country, and the world."
(From the notes of Fred A. Baker, Managing Director, Department of Physical Facilities. Quoted by Robert D. Hales, Presiding Bishop of the Church, at a BYU Devotional assembly, March 15, 1988) the full text of this talk entitled "Understandings of the Heart" can be found here (click then scroll down to talk).
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