1 Nephi 6

Working with metals

Nephi is such a great and a noble soul.  His great desire was for room to write the things of God.  As important as genealogy is, it was enough for him to note that his father's family descended from Joseph.  He couldn't write everything from his father's record, but someday that record will also come to light.  Nephi was making an abridgment of his father's record on plates that he made with his own hands. (1 Ne. 1:17)  Thus the beginning of the Book of Mormon is a son's abridgment of a father's record.  The end of the Book of Mormon also contains abridgments, by a father Mormon, and by his son Moroni.  As I see it, these book-end, father-son relationships are microcosmic symbols of the unity between Jesus Christ and His Father, with that macrocosmic relationship most salient in the heart of the Book of Mormon.

When Nephi painstakingly inscribed these words, I'm not sure that we fully grasp what it meant for him to "write the things of God."  Nephi was not interested in pleasing the world.  He was not concerned about anything other than pleasing God and persuading men to come unto Christ:

"For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.

Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world." (1 Ne. 6:4-5)

It makes sense that if our aim is to please God, and if we are not of the world, then we will also be pleased by the things of God.  It is also interesting to note that at this point in the record, Nephi wrote of persuading men "to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," because this was Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament.  Nephi was inscribing these words almost 600 years before the Lord's first coming to the old world and the new world (as well as to other sheep).  He was also writing retrospectively after many years of toil and hardship.  In any case, the whole purpose of his writing, the "fulness of [his] intent," was to lead souls unto salvation.

First Nephi chapter 6 is a great mission statement, or a thesis statement for the Book of Mormon.

Click here for more commentary.  

1 Nephi 5

Lehi searches the plates of brass

I will be very brief in this post, because I want to be ready for chapter six of first Nephi tomorrow. A couple of things caught my attention. First of all, there seems to be a lot of giving of thanks thus far in the Book of Mormon. These were people who were in dire circumstances in a rough wilderness, but they were continually giving thanks. It also occurred to me, and I'm sure I'm not the first one to notice this, that there is a kind of repetition when Lehi receives the brass plates and is filled with the Spirit and begins to prophecy. Does this remind you of something?  It reminds me of Lehi's original vision in which he received a book and was filled with the Spirit while reading it. The first time he prophesied concerning the destruction of Jerusalem.  This time he prophesied: 

"That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.

Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. And he prophesied many things concerning his seed." (1 Ne. 5:18-19)

The brass plates will come forth again eventually.  These scriptures, and all scriptures, connect generations, from Adam and Eve to the present.  Lehi discovered his connection to Joseph, and Nephi explained that the plates were desirable, "even of great worth," because they "preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children."  So many good reasons to search the scriptures.

Here's what Dr. Peterson has to say about going up to and coming down from Jerusalem in 1 Nephi 5.

1 Nephi 4

Nephi obtains the sword of Laban

I'm cruising through these first few chapters, but I hope to reach a steady pace of a chapter per day with one or two observations of my own.  As my goal takes shape, I think that I will make "small plates" kinds of comments first, and if I have time and space, I will delve into some "large plates" things.  What I mean by that is that I will try to write first about spiritual matters, or things that stand out to me as doctrine and principles of the Gospel, and then if time allows, I might make a side note or two about other things that I found interesting or worth exploring.  If anyone who is reading the Book of Mormon along with me wants to chime in with comments, ideas, observations, corrections, suggestions, or anything else (within reason), that would be most welcome.

In 1 Nephi 4 there is a perplexing account of Nephi's decision to kill Laban.  It seems to me that by this time Nephi was becoming much more advanced in his faith, or at least his faith in Jesus Christ was becoming much stronger.  It is not typical, at least in my experience, for the Spirit to constrain a person to do something that directly opposes commandments that God has given previously.  This is to say that only in rare circumstances does the Lord give commandments such as that which was given to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.  Nephi had reached a level in his faith where he was being lead by the Spirit, no knowing beforehand the things which he should do (v. 6), as had Abraham, but when the Spirit constrained him to kill Laban, Nephi records that he "shrunk" and did not want to slay him.  The Spirit urged him forward again, and again, providing not only promptings, but strong reasons in support of the action.  After much hesitation, and after communing with the Spirit, Nephi followed through and was obedient.

As I mentioned, this does not seem to me to be a typical scenario, but Nephi had come to the edge of his faith, to the edge of the light, until he could see no further, and only at the edge of the light could the Spirit guide him through to the other side.  Although God doesn't normally ask anyone to do the kind of thing that Nephi was asked to do at this time (the example of David and Goliath comes to mind as another exception), it seems to be true for all of us that the Lord leads us to the edge of our faith, and in order to grow in our faith in Christ, we trust God and take another step toward the unseen light ahead. (See Elder Packer's The Candle of the Lord)  It occurred to me that perhaps this is what led Eve to partake of the forbidden fruit (mind you, these are just my speculations).  In any case, Nephi was obedient to the voice of the Lord, and blessings followed from his obedience.

I was  curious about Nephi's interest in the sword of Laban.  He wrote in detail about the sword, the pure gold, the workmanship, the hilt, the blade, and so forth.  I'm sure that someone has already written oodles about metals in the Book of Mormon.

Even though I read the chapters and make my own comments first, I noticed that Dr. Peterson addressed the same topic, more eloquently of course, in his post on 1 Nephi 4.  He pretty much wrote what I meant to write.  Lol. 

1 Nephi 3

Just FYI, here is a new tool to assist us in our study of the Book of Mormon.  It may come in handy.  And here is a comprehensive study tool that looks very promising.  (Thanks to my brother for sharing)  And before I forget, here is the LDS Class Member Study Guide and the Gospel Doctrine Teacher's Manual for the Book of Mormon.  There are many other good outside sources to consider in our study of the Book of Mormon (see some suggestions here), but don't let outside resources, my comments, or any other materials interfere with direct engagement with the text, and more importantly, with the Holy Spirit that undergirds the text.

This reminds me, however, that there is one other study tool that I have found especially useful and enlightening.  It is a slim volume by Elder Jay E. Jensen called Treasure Up the Word.  I highly recommend it.  Here is a brief sample of what the book contains that teaches an important principle:

"Looking at the scriptures is like looking at a favorite tree, one half of which is above ground and has always been open to study and examination, either close up (micro) or from a distance (macro). But now you realize that one half of the tree is hidden beneath the ground - the roots. These life-giving extremities of a tree send nourishment to all that is visible above ground. What we can see of the tree above ground can be likened to reading and studying. Like the tree that can be examined close up or at a distance, the scriptures written in columns, verses, sentences, paragraphs, words, and so forth, can be examined either close up or at a distance. However, the roots under the ground are hidden to the mortal eye. It is so also with the scriptures: much is hidden to the mortal eye. Only by searching, pondering, likening, and prayerful reflection will we discover hidden truths. / Until we discover in the scriptures the full tree- roots, trunk, branches, and leaves- we have yet to find the promised height, breadth, and depth in those holy books. It is a truth that some of the most precious truths in the scriptures are hidden the deepest and with the greatest care. The Prophet Joseph Smith reminded us that 'the things of God are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out' (TPJS, p. 137)"

Precious, hidden truths.  That's something well worth pondering.

It will be a long time before any of us "see" the whole tree, but in the mean time we can do our best to appreciate as much of the tree as we can.

There is just too much to comment on in 1 Nephi 3, but one thing that is perhaps noteworthy is Nephi's commitment, with an oath, to obtain the plates of brass.  Nephi knew exactly what the Lord had commanded them to do, and he wasn't about to turn back before accomplishing the commandment that the Lord had given them.  "As the Lord liveth, and as we live," Nephi promised, "we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us." (v. 15)  He then exhorted his brothers (and us), to be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord.  Nephi knew that they were on the Lord's errand, and that therefore they would succeed in the Lord's way and time.  This is a valuable reminder for all of us when things don't seem to work out as planned after a first attempt, or even a second and a third attempt.  

Click here for some very pertinent observations on 1 Nephi 3 from professor Daniel Peterson at Patheos.

1 Nephi 2

Lehi counsels with his sons Laman and Lemuel

Feel free to join in with your own comments, ideas or suggestions.  In this study of The Book of Mormon, my primary goal is to strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ and to increase my understanding and appreciation for His word, and His Spirit.  Nevertheless, I am certainly not opposed to seeking a greater understanding of any aspect of The Book of Mormon, whether it be linguistic, cultural, political, geographical, historical, archeological or otherwise, for which reason, I will link to other commentary and if I notice something relevant, I will comment on that as well.

Here are a couple of things that struck me about this chapter:

Lehi loves his sons Laman and Lemuel very much, and his admonitions toward them echo through the ages.  He counsels Laman to be like the river, and to run to the fountain of all righteousness.  He counsels Lemuel to be firm, steadfast, and immovable like the valley.  These counsels and admonitions came after he had built an altar, offered sacrifice, and prayed with thanksgiving.  Again, I am impressed by Lehi's attitude in prayer.  Here he was, in the wilderness, having given up his possessions and his comfortable life in Jerusalem to be obedient to the Lord, and his first thought is to offer sacrifice and to give thanks to God.  Temple parallels are strong in the first couple of chapters of The Book of Mormon.

Another thing that caught my attention this time is not just that Laman and Lemuel murmured because they didn't understand the ways of the Lord, but that Nephi followed Lehi's example of prayer.  But what really stood out to me is that when Nephi prayed and desired to know the mysteries of God (v. 16), he didn't immediately receive an answer like that of his father.  There was no pillar of fire that came to dwell upon a rock.  No visions.  No angels.  Instead, in answer to his prayer, the Lord softened his heart.  Think about that.  In response to his earnest and sincere prayer, the Lord softened Nephi's heart so that he believed the words of his father Lehi, and did not rebel.  This is a pattern for receiving revelation, and a starting point on the path of discipleship.  Notice how Nephi's early revelations came from the Lord through his father, through the priesthood channel (see Elder Oaks Two Lines of Communication).  Thus the starting point was for Nephi to believe the truth that his father taught.  Sam was just as faithful, believing in the words alone of his faithful brother Nephi. This ability to believe was a natural byproduct of the softness of Nephi and Sam's hearts.  When the ground was soft and fertile, seeds of faith in Christ could be planted and nourished.

After Nephi had believed the words of his father, or in other words, after he had aligned himself with the Lord's channel of revelation through his father and priesthood leader Lehi, he was enabled to receive his own personal revelation in the marvelous verses that follow (v. 19-24).

Thus Nephi reveals a pattern for seeking the Lord, with faith, diligence and humility as prerequisites to revelation:

"And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart." (1 Ne. 2:19)

For more commentary on 1 Nephi 2, click here.

1 Nephi 1

Lehi and a pillar of fire

I will only comment briefly on the first few chapters in First Nephi.  Even in the opening passages of The Book of Mormon, if a reader is alert and attentive, and if a reader pauses to listen with his or her heart, he or she will begin to feel the whisperings of the Holy Ghost.  And it really is a whisper.  It is quieter than quiet, and more still than stillness, but it pierces to the heart, enlightens the mind, and causes the soul to expand with a feeling of joy.

The things that stand out to me will differ from those that stand out to you, because of our different circumstances, but I invite anyone who would like to read along with me to comment on anything that speaks to them personally.  The Book of Mormon is much too rich and too complex to be able to expound upon everything, but one or two impressions or insights should suffice.

In the first place, I was impressed with Lehi's attitude in prayer.  Nephi's preface to his book and the first chapter make it clear that The Book of Mormon begins as a record that is focused on Jesus Christ and the family.  As soon as Lehi caught wind of prophetic exhortations to repentance, and as soon as he understood that the great city of Jerusalem was on the brink of destruction, he turned to the Lord.  

In verses 5 and 6 we learn that Lehi prayed unto the Lord, and that his prayer was earnest and sincere because he prayed "even with all his heart, in behalf of his people."  Lehi loved his people and did not wish for their destruction.  But no matter how strong was his love for his people, the pillar of fire that came and dwelt upon a rock before him brought news that caused him to "quake and tremble exceedingly."  And this was only the beginning of visions.  In another vision, while on his bed, he received a book, which, when he read it, filled him with the Holy Ghost and moved him to prophecy.  

This pattern reminds me of the way in which The Book of Mormon was brought to light through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  Like Lehi, Joseph Smith prayed earnestly and sincerely.  Like Lehi he was troubled by rampant iniquity, or as he put it, he was living in the midst of a "war of words and a tumult of opinions."  Like Lehi, in response to his prayer, Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, and like Lehi, he received a book (The Book of Mormon) that moved him to prophecy.  What is even more meta is that when we study The Book of Mormon, we can also be moved to prophecy, or in other words, we can receive revelation for our own personal circumstances and inspiration for the benefit of those within our stewardship or sphere of influence. 

Another thing that caught my attention is that Lehi and Nephi both emphasized faith and the mercy of God.  Nephi's thesis statement in verse 20 is that he will show us that "the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty, even unto the power of deliverance."  Jesus Christ, family, faith, charity... these are central to the first chapter of First Nephi, and they are central to The Book of Mormon.

If I had more time, I would delve into other aspects of 1 Nephi 1, such as the relationship between Lehi and Nephi, Nephi's responsibilities as a political and a spiritual leader ("reign and ministry") or any number of interesting items, such as the pillar of fire.  But one last thing that stood out to me is that Nephi was a real person, and that his record is true, just as he testifies in verse 3.

Click here for more discussion on 1 Nephi 1.  

   

Title Page of the Book of Mormon

From time to time I hope to post ideas, links, citations, references to books, pictures, and so forth in connection with this year's study of The Book of Mormon.  The Book of Mormon is much too rich to make comments that are in any way worthy of its power and plainness, but even from a cursory peek at the Title Page I am lead to testify that this book is true.  It is what it claims to be, namely, another testament of Jesus Christ.  I know it is true.  As soon as I read the title page, the Spirit of God witnessed with my spirit that it contains the truth, the word of God, and the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Since it would be impossible to comment on every aspect of any portion of The Book of Mormon, I will just mention a few things that stood out to me in the Title Page.  Then I will link to Daniel Peterson's Patheos blog Sic et Non for insights by more experienced and more qualified students of The Book of Mormon.

What was impressed upon my heart and mind by the Holy Ghost first of all is that The Book of Mormon was indeed recorded, abridged, compiled, hid up, sealed, brought forth, interpreted and translated by the gift and power of God.

As I consider the people mentioned in the Title Page who were involved in the production and transmission of The Book of Mormon (Mormon, Nephi, Moroni, the Lord, the Gentile... Joseph Smith), and as I consider the peoples and audiences of The Book of Mormon (the people of Nephi, the Lamanites, Jew, Gentile, house of Israel, the people of Jared, the remnant of the House of Israel, their fathers, all nations), it is clear to me that this book contains what it claims to contain, namely, "the things of God."  

In other words, that which impressed me most about the Title Page is that to be understood, The Book of Mormon must be studied in the same manner in which it was produced, namely, under the influence of the Holy Ghost.  Anyone who studies The Book of Mormon with righteous desire, real intent and humble prayer can know by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is true. (Moroni 10:3-5)  What I gather from the Title Page is that there is a hierarchy of truth; some truths matter more than others.  Furthermore, whether it is to discover the truth concerning Jesus Christ, His Atonement, Salvation, and Eternal life or to whether it is to understand authorship, geographical setting, political organization, or literary nuances, the Holy Ghost is the most vital element in the unfolding of the truths that are embedded in The Book of Mormon.

This reminds me of something that Elder Maxwell once wrote:

"For my part, I am glad the book will be with us 'as long as the earth shall stand.' I need and want additional time. For me, towers, courtyards, and wings await inspection. My tour of it has never been completed. Some rooms I have yet to enter, and there are more flaming fireplaces waiting to warm me. Even the rooms I have glimpsed contain further furnishings and rich detail yet to be savored. There are panels inlaid with incredible insights and design and decor dating from Eden. There are also sumptuous banquet tables painstakingly prepared by predecessors which await all of us. Yet, we as Church members sometimes behave like hurried tourists, scarcely venturing beyond the entry hall to the mansion.

May we come to feel as a whole people beckoned beyond the entry hall. May we go inside far enough to hear clearly the whispered truths from those who have 'slumbered,' which whisperings will awaken in us individually the life of discipleship as never before."

I love this!  It is true.

For more insights and discussion on the Title Page of The Book of Mormon, see here.

Introduction to The Keystone

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

There are 239 chapters in The Book of Mormon.  I have created this blog as an impetus to study one chapter of The Book of Mormon each day, and to finish reading the entire Book of Mormon before the end of 2016.  Feel free to study along with me.  This goal is inspired in part by Elder David A. Bednar's recent address at BYU Education Week To Sweep the Earth as With a Flood, in part by the 2016 curriculum for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in part by professor Daniel Peterson's Sic et Non blog at Patheos, and in part by the desire that I have felt to renew my appreciation for The Book of Mormon, and to strengthen my faith in the Savior Jesus Christ.

On Sunday, November 28, 1841 the Prophet Joseph Smith recorded:

"I spent the day in the council with the Twelve Apostles at the house of President Young, conversing with them upon a variety of subjects. Brother Joseph Fielding was present, having been absent four years on a mission to England. I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." (History of the Church 4:461)

Last year I started a personal blog that I entitled The Most Correct of Any Book, in which I have recorded one verse from The Book of Mormon each day along with my own commentary.  I have already completed a verse per day in the book of First Nephi.  Since this project will probably take the rest of my life to complete, in The Keystone I will focus on one chapter of The Book of Mormon each day.  

I already maintain several blogs on a variety of topics (The Good Report - a repository for all things virtuous, lovely, of good report and praiseworthy; The Most Correct of Any Book - described above; The White Horse - a compilation of notes on my ongoing experiences as a graduate student at Hillsdale College; Psychiatric Survivors - a blog for exposing the truth about psychiatry and the history of psychiatry; Corléan - a creativity blog in which to organize poetry, paintings, and other creative works; Aether - a blog for political commentary; and Verseball - a blog that has yet to be written about the most exciting new sport of the 21st century), but the primary purpose of this blog, The Keystone, as mentioned above, is to increase appreciation for The Book of Mormon and to strengthen faith in the Savior Jesus Christ.

There are many ways to read The Book of Mormon, and ideally, as disciples of Christ, we arrive at a point in which, with a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men, we press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, feasting upon the words of Christ, and endure to the end. (2 Ne. 31:20).  As Elder Bednar explained in an earlier speech at BYU (A Reservoir of Living Water), reading is a prerequisite to studying, which is a prerequisite to searching, all of which are prerequisites to feasting upon the words of Christ.  As I understand it, feasting also implies that savoring and applying more fully the truths that we discover, as Devin G. Durrant has emphasized in a recent talk in General Conference: My Heart Pondereth Them Continually.  

In the 84th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord rebuked the early Saints for their pride and their vanity:

"And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—

Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.

And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.

And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—

That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion." (D&C 84:54-58)

Thus we see that, along with the rest of the Lord's revelations, The Book of Mormon is not to be treated lightly.  Some serious students of The Book of Mormon have indicated that there is a distinction to be made between mere devotional reading of The Book of Mormon and a more profound, scholarly approach to the Keystone of Our Religion.  As I see it, both of these approaches are commendable, as long as they are sincere and result in a greater commitment to Jesus Christ and His gospel.  However, it seems to me that no matter how we approach The Book of Mormon, the Lord desires that our study of this most correct book will lead us to repent, to remember the new covenant, to apply the precepts found therein, and most of all, to bring forth fruit meet for Heavenly Father's kingdom.

So without further ado, let's begin our chapter by chapter study of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ...