1 Nephi 22

Nephi gives a nice little summary of the Gospel in this chapter.

"But, behold, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people shall dwell safely in the Holy One of Israel if it so be that they will repent.

And now I, Nephi, make an end; for I durst not speak further as yet concerning these things.

Wherefore, my brethren, I would that ye should consider that the things which have been written upon the plates of brass are true; and they testify that a man must be obedient to the commandments of God.

Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen." (1 Ne. 22:28-31)

Repent.  Be obedient.  Endure to the end.  Simple.  True.

1 Nephi 21

It's been a delightful Sabbath day.  It's been a difficult Sabbath day.  This is the section of chapter 21 that always stands out to me:

"But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not.

For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." (1 Ne. 21:14-16)

1 Nephi 20

The mercy of the Lord stands out to me:

"Nevertheless, for my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.

For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

For mine own sake, yea, for mine own sake will I do this, for I will not suffer my name to be polluted, and I will not give my glory unto another." (1 Ne. 20:10-12)

The furnace of affliction.  I think that most of us have felt the heat of that furnace to some degree in our lives.  It is my understanding that the heat will only intensify.  But the furnace is a blessing.  It refines us.  It burns away the dross.  This reminds me of a favorite hymn:

"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume,
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine." (How Firm a Foundation, verse 5, Robert Keen)

As children of God, we are golden.  When trials and afflictions burn, when the flame intensifies, we can be grateful, for the Lord is consuming our dross, purifying us, and refining the gold within us.

1 Nephi 19

Nephi prophesies of the coming of Christ, His crucifixion, and the scattering and scourging of the Jews.  The Lord bears scourging, smiting, spitting, and suffering because of his loving-kindness and long-suffering towards the children of men.  Nephi's desire is to persuade  his people to remember the Lord their Redeemer, but he also speaks unto all the house of Israel.

Why does Nephi use the verb "speak" instead of "write"?  These words speak from the dust.  The words of prophets whose records we don't yet have access to: Zenos, Zenock, Neum.  Nephi teaches his brothers from the plates.  He teaches them of the doings of the Lord among people of old.  He teaches them from the books of Moses.  Remember verses 23 and 24:

"And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.

Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written." (1 Ne. 19:23-24)

"And I, Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, have spoken it.

These words are not of men nor of man, but of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man;

For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power you could not have them;

Wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words." (D&C 18:33-36)

1 Nephi 18

Three verses stood out to me:

3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.

16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.

21 And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm.

Do we want the Lord to show us great things?  Do we want to praise God?  Do we want the winds and the storm to cease, and to have great calm?  If so, Nephi shows us a great pattern for obtaining these blessings.  Attend the temple.  Pray.  Look unto the Lord.  Be grateful and praise God.  Pray again.

1 Nephi 17

What a great chapter.  One verse in particular struck me:

"And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led." (1 Ne. 17:13)

The Lord is the light of the world.  He leads us to the promised land, and promised blessings.

1 Nephi 16

A couple of thoughts.  Why is it that Laman and Lemuel are continually rebelling, murmuring, and then humbling themselves before the Lord while Nephi does not murmur, rebel or complain?  This is Nephi's record, but there is a consistent pattern or theme with his brothers, and in this chapter, even with his dad.  They harden their hearts and murmur, but then they are humbled, as Nephi writes, they are humbled before the Lord.  The Lord chastens them continually, and Nephi suffers with them.  But Nephi understands the dealings of the Lord, and therefore does not murmur.

But Lehi understands the dealings of the Lord, so why does he murmur?  I don't think that there is any mortal who at one point or another has not murmured because of afflictions.  Afflictions are not fun.  They hurt.  I imagine that Lehi was murmuring more because of his sons' murmurings than because of their lack of food.

Another interesting thing.  When Nephi and his brothers marry the daughters of Ishmael, Nephi writes that thus his father had fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord, and that he had been exceedingly blessed.  In 1 Nephi 5:20 we read that "thus far" Nephi and his father had kept the commandments of the Lord.  But when Nephi and his brothers and Zoram marry, it is Lehi fulfilling of the commandments of the Lord.

When I read this chapter I wonder: could Joseph Smith have come up with these things on his own?  Words like Zoram, Shazer, Nahom?  A round ball?  Who talks like that?  A straight stick?  Who writes like that?

In any case, Nephi was exceedingly blessed of the Lord.