Day 4 1 Nephi 19-22, 2 Nephi 1-2, D&C 13-16

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Discussion

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Who are Zenos, Zenock and Neum?
Outside of what is written in the Book of Mormon, we have no record of…these ancient prophets….Their writings must have been recorded on the [brass] plates.
Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 4:138

First Nephi chapters 19 through 22 introduce us to Zenos, Zenock, and Neum and give us our first quotations from Isaiah. Little is known of the prophets Zenos, Zenock, and Neum, although their importance to the Book of Mormon prophets is evident in that Nephi, Jacob, Alma, Amulek, Nephi the son of Helaman, Samuel, and Mormon all quote from them. They are important to the Nephites for at least three reasons:
First, the Nephites appear to be descendants of these prophets and of Joseph who was sold into Egypt (3 Nephi 10:16-17).
Second, these prophets spoke of that which would happen to all the house of Israel as well as to Lehi's seed (1 Nephi 19:16-17; Helaman 15:11).
And third, and probably most important, they testified of Christ, and hundreds of years before his birth prophesied in detail of his atonement and the circumstances surrounding it (1 Nephi 19:10-12; Alma 33:12-17). We also learn that these messianic prophets gave their lives for their testimonies of Christ (Alma 33:17; Helaman 8:19).
Exactly when and where Zenos, Zenock, and Neum lived is not known except we do know that they lived prior to Lehi's departure from Jerusalem, otherwise their writings would not have appeared on the brass plates. It is likely that they lived after the time of Abraham and before the days of Isaiah, and that Zenos preceded Zenock. This assumption is based on the following scripture, and assumes that since Isaiah and Jeremiah are listed in chronological order, the other prophets are also.

And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly; for the which he was slain.
And behold, also Zenock, and also Ezias, and also Isaiah, and Jeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the destruction of Jerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed according to the words of Jeremiah. O then why not the Son of God come, according to his prophecy? (Helaman 8:19-20.)

Since these prophets were descended from Joseph, it is postulated by some that they may have lived in the north of Israel, rather than in Judah and that is the reason their prophecies were not recorded in Jewish scripture. It may also be possible that these plain and precious prophecies were deleted by unrighteous Jews who did not want these statements on the death of Christ in their scriptures (see 1 Nephi 19:13-14). Until the Lord reveals more information, however, we won't know the whole story.
Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., First Nephi: The Doctrinal Foundation, p.272-273

Zenos

I do not think I overstate the matter when I say that next to Isaiah himself—who is the prototype, pattern, and model for all the prophets—there was not a greater prophet in all Israel than Zenos. And our knowledge of his inspired writings is limited to the quotations and paraphrasing summaries found in the Book of Mormon.
Bruce R. McConkie, The Doctrinal Restoration, Chap. 1 in The Joseph Translation, p. 17

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1 Nephi 20:1
“Out of the waters of baptism”
This clause first appeared in the 1840 and 1842 editions of the Book of Mormon. It did not appear again until the 1920 edition, and it has been in all editions since that time. It appears to be a prophetic commentary by Joseph Smith to explain the meaning of the phrase “out of the waters of Judah.”…If this phrase were a restoration of the original text, as found in the more pure version on the brass plates from which it comes, it would have appeared in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon….Through the use of this phrase, Joseph Smith is calling our attention to the fact that the ordinance of baptism was as common to the people of the Old Testament as it was to the people of the Book of Mormon.
Robert Millet and J.F. McConkie, Doctrinal Commentary of the Book of Mormon, 1:151-152

[KeithLBrown]

I remember when I was still a member of the Baptist faith and attending Bible College, one of the most important lessons that I learned from my professors was that the best commentary on the Scriptures is the Scriptures themselves. I find that to certainly be true as I read and study the Scriptures and endeavor to liken them unto myself. There is so much we can learn if we prayerfully seek for knowledge and understanding as we read and ponder the Scriptures. That is one reason that I love to read the Scriptures again and again.

Yesterday I mentioned that the theme that stuck out in my mind was the commandments of God must be fulfilled.Today's reading follows in that same pattern of thought by teaching us that ". . . .a man must be obedient to the commandments of God" (1 Nephi 22:30), and ". . . .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 Nephi 22:31). As we learn in 1 Nephi chapter 18, it is our obedience to the commandments of God that yields the greatest blessings.

One of things that God commands us to do is to preach His Gospel and to declare repentance unto the people. As given in a revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith to both John and Peter Witmer this is "the thing which will be of the most worth unto you" (see D&C 15, 16). As we preach His Gospel and declare repentance unto the people, we are to speak His words which He has given us according to His commandments.

As we live our lives, we should strive to be less like Nephi's brothers Laman and Lemuel who were constantly murmuring, complaining, and disobeying the commandments of the Lord, and more like Nephi who even through trials and hardships remained faithful and obedient to the commandments of the Lord. The Lord said "Go" and Nephi went. The Lord said "Do" and Nephi did. He did not stop to constantly ask the Lord "why?", but instead he determined in his mind and heart that whatever the Lord commanded, that is what he should be doing. As we labor in our Heavenly Father's vineyard, may we be found to be faithful and obedient servants doing those things which He commands us to do.

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I'm a day behind..and I'm having a hard time focusing on this reading assignment. It's not as clear to me as the previous chapters were.

More with Chapter 21 than the others.

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1 Ne 22:8 Lamanites nourished by the Gentiles

Spencer W. Kimball
“A loving father does not despise his children. These [Lamanites] are a chosen people, and this Church has an important part in restoring them to their rightful inheritance. The chasm between what they are and what they will be is opportunity. The gospel furnishes that opportunity; it is ours to give.” (Ensign, Dec. 1975, p. 7 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.70

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Why was Israel scattered? The answer is clear; it is plain; of it there is no doubt. Our Israelite forebears were scattered because they rejected the gospel, defiled the priesthood, forsook the church, and departed from the kingdom. They were scattered because they turned from the Lord, worshipped false gods, and walked in all the ways of the heathen nations. They were scattered because they forsook the Abrahamic covenant, trampled under their feet the holy ordinances, and rejected the Lord Jehovah, who is the Lord Jesus, of whom all their prophets testified. Israel was scattered for apostasy. The Lord in his wrath, because of their wickedness and rebellion, scattered them among the heathen in all the nations of the earth.
Bruce R. McConkie, New Witness, p. 515

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2 Nephi 1:7


If it so be
Prophecy is of two kinds: conditional and unconditional. Unconditional prophecies are divine proclamations of that which will be, irrespective of what men or nations do. The first and second comings of Christ, resurrection, and the day of judgment are classic examples of the unconditional prophecy. Conditional prophecies are prophetic assurances or warnings of what will or will not be, dependent upon the obedience or disobedience of those to whom the prophecy is given. The promise of liberty to the inhabitants of the American continent was obviously conditional.
Millet & McConkie, BOM Commentary, Vol. 1, p. 184

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2 Nephi 2:1–2. Great Blessings from Difficulties
President Spencer W. Kimball said: “We knew before we were born that we were coming to earth for bodies and experience and that we would have joysand sorrows, ease and pain, comforts and hardships,
health and sickness, successes and disappointments, and we knew also that after a period of life we would die. We accepted all these eventualities with a glad heart, eager to accept both the favorable and unfavorable. We eagerly accepted the chance to come earthward even though it might be for only a day or a year. Perhaps we were not so much concerned whether we should die of disease, of accident, or of senility. We were willing to take life as it came and as we might organize and control it, and this without murmur, complaint, or unreasonable demands” ( Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 106).

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In regards to 2 Nephi 2:12:

To add a touch of humor to our discussion:

Ronald Reagan has been quoted as saying, “sometimes when I’m faced with an atheist, I am tempted to invite him to the greatest gourmet dinner that one could ever serve. And when we have finished eating that magnificent dinner to ask him if he believes there’s a cook.” (Quote Book #4, compiled by James H. Patterson, p. 5)