Today’s reading assignment seemed to have a strong theme of illustrating that signs and intellectual proofs do not convert one to the Gospel, but that faith is required and the signs and proofs will follow faith.
1 Nephi 6: Nephi states that his purpose for writing is to persuade the reader to come to God and be saved.
1 Nephi 7: Ishmael’s family joins Lehi’s, since Lehi’s sons will need wives in order to have posterity. Interesting that the two families seemed to have similar numbers of unmarried children, in appropriate genders to match up. L&L are still stubbornly clinging to their pride and refusing to listen to what they don’t want to hear, even when they’re hearing it from an angel. This would seem to be one of many examples given in Scripture as to why one should not look for signs or manifestations to gain faith. These things only make an impression on one who already has faith, and those who do not will find some way to avoid believing what they saw or heard. However, they’re still at least somewhat capable of repentance at this point, since they do apologize to Nephi and to God for misconduct.
1 Nephi 8: Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life, the Iron Rod, and so forth. To me, the only thing someone who believes in God and His words can do is to hold to the Iron Rod, stay focused on the goal of the Tree of Life, and disregard distractions. Letting go of that rod to wander off into the mists of darkness (such as by giving heed to materials meant to tear down faith) or to join the “in crowd” or self-proclaimed “intellectual elite” in the great and spacious building to join in mockery of believers will certainly lead to destruction. Note that the great and spacious building has no solid foundation in this vision, but is in the air.
1 Nephi 9: Nephi is instructed to make two sets of plates. He doesn’t know why, but for him, it’s enough that the Lord commands it. This is definitely a lesson on how we should approach God’s commands: we don’t need to know why (and might well not understand, given the limitations of our knowledge and understanding while we’re here in mortality), we need to trust that God has His reasons and purposes for all that He requires. (Of course, modern readers know that this has to do with the loss of the first 116 translated pages, and Joseph Smith needing to have a second source for the information covered therein, 2400 years later.)
1 Nephi 10: Lehi knows of Christ, 600 years before His coming, and knows about what He will do. Lehi compares Israel to the olive tree (this comparison will be greatly expanded on in Jacob 5).
1 Nephi 11: Nephi believes his father, but wants to know for himself, so inquires of God and is granted a vision that covers the Tree of Life and Jesus’ life and ministry. Nephi makes the point that we do not need to know all things to believe, but that knowledge is a gift coming from the Holy Spirit by faith.
Section 5: discussion of the Three Witnesses – Martin Harris is invited by God to repent in order to become one of those three, but is warned that he must let go of pride and humble himself before God. Joseph Smith is told that God’s word will come to this generation through him, and the Lord states that those who will not believe His words wouldn’t believe signs. The Lord says He will prove His words. (The statement about God’s word and Joseph Smith was fulfilled in great measure, with the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, and many sermons and writings that are not considered Scripture but are still of spiritual value.)
Section 6: The first five verses appear four times in the D&C, the first nine twice. This level of repetition means this is important information. We are to seek to do God’s work, remembering that eternal life is of greater worth than worldly riches. We are to keep sacred things among the faithful, who are equipped to understand them. Those built on God’s rock will prevail.
Section 7: John the Beloved Disciple will tarry on the Earth until Christ’s return, in order to minister to the heirs of salvation.
Section 8: revelation is given by the power of the Holy Ghost, according to one’s faith.
Moses 3: spiritual creation took place before physical. There are details here that have me wondering about the exact sequence of the physical creation, since Adam is described as the “first flesh” on the earth. Does this mean that the physical creation had Adam arriving first, then plants, animals, etc.? Does it really matter that much? In any event, Adam is instructed not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. He’s told that it’s his choice, but if he does, he will die in that day. As we see as the narrative progresses, Adam experiences spiritual death shortly after partaking of the fruit, by being cast out of the presence of God. From then on, God the Father only communicates directly with man a very few times, to introduce the Son and command the listener to hear Him. (Note: elsewhere in Scripture, we’re told a day of God’s time is 1000 years in our Earth time. Adam is stated in Genesis to have died at age 930. Thus, his physical death DID occur in that day.) Adam names the animals. Eve is created, and she and Adam are married. Since there is not yet death in the world, their marriage is for eternity.
Moses 4: the Lord tells Moses about Satan’s rebellion against the Plan of Salvation, and how he was cast down. Satan shows up in the Garden of Eden and tempts Eve, who chooses to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam chooses to stay with Eve so that they can obey the command to multiply, and partakes. They discover their nakedness and make aprons of fig leaves to cover themselves. When God calls for them, they hide. They finally emerge and explain the situation, in history’s first recorded case of “passing the buck”. Adam tries to give responsibility for events to Eve, saying she gave him the fruit. Eve responds by passing responsibility to Satan, saying he beguiled her into eating. The Lord curses Satan and places enmity between him and the seed of the woman (a reference to Christ, since He was the only person ever to come of mortal woman without the seed of a mortal man being involved). Satan will bruise Christ’s heel (I see this as a reference to the Crucifixion, with nails through His feet or ankles), Christ will either bruise or crush Satan’s head (different verbs are used in different places to indicate what will happen). Adam and Eve are given coats of skins to cover themselves. This to me represents the sacrifice of Christ’s life to “cover” or pay for our sins, with shedding of blood. Note that the covering Adam and Eve attempted to make for themselves was inadequate, thus God supplied a covering to meet their needs. Both receive labor and suffering (Eve by childbearing, Adam by working to provide for his family) as a result of their transgression, Adam is given presiding authority over Eve. The Earth is cursed to bring forth unpleasant things and to only give Adam and Eve their needs by toil. They are cast out of the Garden of Eden, and a guard is placed at the Tree of Life to keep Adam and Eve from partaking of that fruit, which would lead to them living forever in their sin.
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