Parallels

[changed]

Proposed Plan of Salvation Parallel??? Have you read something like this from another?

the idea - 1 Nephi parallels our journey through plan of salvation
roough outline of how it works:

Pre-existence

Jerusalem, our heavenly home
"22 ...the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, ...
(New Testament | Hebrews 12:22)"
"my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 1:4)
Jerusalem can be used to represent the home of our Heavenly Father, the origin of our journey, the place where we dwelt before coming to Earth.


first lessons in the world of spirits
"56 Even before they were born, they, with many others, received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due ctime of the Lord to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men. (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 138:56)
compare with:
1 I, NEPHI, having been aborn of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many eafflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a frecord of my proceedings in my days. (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 1:1)
We learned and progressed in the pre-existence to the extent that we were able. (Some things you cannot learn without a body / fall / experiences of mortality. )

council in heaven
"26 And the Gods took counsel among themselves ....
(Pearl of Great Price | Abraham 4:26)
2 ... my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 4:1 - 4)
compare with:
there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his aheart, in behalf of his people.
6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.
8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.
9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.
10 And he also saw atwelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 1:4 - 10)

We are told that the plan including repentance/atonement is the only way to progress (9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ.
(Book of Mormon | Alma 38:9)) So, ""many prophets prophesying that they must repent or Jerusalem will be destroyed"" is presenting to everyone the only way to progress - telling everyone, you have to fall, then repent, go through the atonement process, there is no other way. Without going through this process, no one progresses, our heavenly home would be destroyed.
"


Plan presented, contention over plan
"1 AND I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.
2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy dwill be done, and the glory be thine forever.
(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 4:1 - 4)
compare with:
19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 1:19)
"
some rejoiced over the plan
"7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
(Old Testament | Job 38:7)
compare with:
15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 1:15)

some did not
"4 ... Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.
(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 4:4)
compare with:
20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also bsought his life, that they might take it away.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 1:20)
1 FOR behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 2:1)
Satan seeks to take away our eternal life that we would gain through following God's plan

war in heaven
"7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his cangels fought against the dragon; and the ddragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in aheaven.
9 And the great dragon was acast out, that old serpent, called the bDevil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud avoice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the daccuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their btestimony; and they loved not their lives unto the cdeath.
(New Testament | Revelation 12:7 - 11)

3 Wherefore, because that Satan brebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;
4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not fhearken unto my voice.

(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 4:1 - 4)"

compare with:

"13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 1:13)

Those who stay behind, who choose not to come to Earth, are carried away captive by Satan to Babylon as slaves.


3 groups of people: 1/3 or one out of three groups follow satan, 2 groups come to Earth.
"4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven
(New Testament | Revelation 12:4)

2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family (consisting of future Nephites and Lamanites) and depart into the wilderness.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 2:2)

Several have guessed that 2/3 were not 66%, but rather two different groups of people who decided to follow the plan. Perhaps the Nephites and the Lamanites represent the two groups of people who ended up coming to earth. The 1/3 who followed Satan, that is the group that stayed behind in Jerusalem, who were taken captive by Babylon.


For those who choose to come to earth… the journey begins.
We are taken from our heavenly home, and sent to Earth (wilderness in comparison to heaven)
"4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 2:4)
" They leave their property / precious things behind – just as we leave behind our heavenly home when we come to earth. Dwelt in tents - tents being a temporary dwelling place, our current bodies are temporary houses for our spirit.

Adam walked with God
"14 And they heard the voice of the Lord God, as they were walking in the garden, ...
(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 4:14)
Lehi walks near the Red Sea / river of water
5 And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea; ... he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 2:5 - 6)
Lehi blesses his children in the valley… see ""Adam-ondi-Ahman"" -translated ""the valley of God in which Adam blessed his children""
(three years - three days)"
" LIVING WATER. See also Jesus Christ
A symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ and his teachings.
(Guide to the Scriptures | L Living Water.:Entry)

ADAM-ONDI-AHMAN. See also Adam
The place where Adam blessed his righteous posterity three years before he died (D&C 107:53–56) and where he will come before the time of the Second Coming (D&C 116).
(Guide to the Scriptures | A Adam-ondi-Ahman.:Entry)

The term Adam-ondi-Ahman has been translated as the ""Valley of God, where Adam dwelt"" (by Orson Pratt),[11] Adam-ondi-Ahman ""the valley of God in which Adam blessed his children"" (by John Corrill),[12] see Adam-ondi-Ahman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(looks like valley where Lehi blesses his kids - be firm like the valley, ever flowing to righteousness etc.)

Adam first on the scene, then Eve
"18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him ban help meet for him.
(Old Testament | Genesis 2:18)

1 ...the Lord spake unto him again, saying that it was not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to wife, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of promise.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 7:1)


given commandments
"22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply
(Old Testament | Genesis 1:22)
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest bfreely eat:
17 But of the atree of the bknowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
(Old Testament | Genesis 2:16 - 17)

9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the afountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and bsteadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 2:9 - 10)
" Lehi teaches commandments to his sons, just as God teaches Adam about the tree of life

forbidden fruit / gaining knowledge of good and evil "
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and cevil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for afood, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
(Old Testament | Genesis 3:5 - 6)

compare to Nephi CHAPTER 3

Lehi's sons return to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass—Laban refuses to give them up—Nephi exhorts and encourages his brethren—Laban steals their property and attempts to slay them—Laman and Lemuel smite Nephi and are reproved by an angel. About 600–592 B.C.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 3:Heading)

24 And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven upon the aplates of brass, for which we would give unto him our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.
25 And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, he did alust after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he might obtain our property.
26 And ait came to pass that we did flee before the servants of Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it fell into the hands of Laban.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 3:24 - 26)


Snake in the tree of knowledge, Laban in posession of the plates. Snake/Laban seek to take away lives in exchange for the knowledge they posess. Eat the fruit, lose their life, lose their precious posessions etc.

hiding
"10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
(Old Testament | Genesis 3:10)



26 And ait came to pass that we did flee before the servants of Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it fell into the hands of Laban.
27 And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness, and the servants of Laban did not overtake us, and we hid ourselves in the cavity of a rock.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 3:26 - 27)

I like that Nephi hides himself in "the cavity of a rock" considering that Christ is our rock and our salvation.

"God cloths us
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
(Old Testament | Genesis 3:21)" "
11 Put on the whole aarmour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we awrestle not bagainst cflesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the drulers of the edarkness of this world, against spiritual fwickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins agirt about with btruth, and having on the cbreastplate of drighteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of apeace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of afaith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery bdarts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of asalvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 aPraying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all bperseverance and supplication for all saints;

(New Testament | Ephesians 6:11 - 18)
" "18 Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own asword.
19 And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 4:18 - 19)

I find it interesting that Nephi arms/cloths himself through a process in which he reveals Laban. Laban is perhaps a wolf in sheeps clothing. Once a knowledge of good and evil is obtained, once evil is revealed for what it really is, we are armed with knowledge. The wolf id stripped of it's sheep's clothing, while at the same time we become armed with it.
…the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.(Old Testament | Ezekiel 33:4)
15 Their sword (the sword of the wicked) shall enter into their own heart,
(Old Testament | Psalms 37:15)
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that akilleth with the sword must be killed with the sword.
(New Testament | Revelation 13:10)

"
sacrifices to the Lord "
6 And after many days an aangel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.
(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 5:6)

7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 2:7)
"

endure to the end "
29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
(Old Testament | Deuteronomy 5:29)

20 And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.
(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 1:20)
"


"1 PRAISE ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

(Old Testament | Psalms 106:1)
"

[spiritseeker]

Thank you changed for posting this it is fascinating!

[Justice]

I have come to see that the Book of Mormon is a powerful teacher of the pre-mortal existence. I had not delved this deeply into it, but I noticed that the war in heaven is spelled out very clearly in certain chapters in Alma and 3rd Nephi. However, I have just recently discovered this (this year) and hope to gain greater insight in the near future.

Alma 43 and 44 outline the war in heaven.
3 Nephi 5 and 6 outline the war in heaven also, concentrating on how it may have started.

Notice the key players and how they parallel to the players in the was in heaven.

Notice the similarities between the 2 wars outlined.

Hint: I love the term in these chapters "fell to the earth."

[changed]

Thanks justice! That is cool - "fell to the earth" - very cool.

consider:
12 And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 42:12)

We are still waiting for some things to be revealed (sealed portion, etc.) and yet we are also told that we already have the "fullness of the gospel".... so.. how can we have the fullness, if we are still waiting for things?

In GD class, the beginning of this year, we talked about JS translating the BoM. We were also told to "liken the scripts to ourselves". when we read the scripts, do we interpret them, or like JS, do we "translate" them... line upon line - the fullness is there, all the details of everything is there - you just have to translate it I think.

thanks again.

[Justice]

Originally Posted by changed

We are still waiting for some things to be revealed (sealed portion, etc.) and yet we are also told that we already have the "fullness of the gospel".... so.. how can we have the fullness, if we are still waiting for things?

The Bible contains the fullness of the Gospel, yet we receive and accept the Book of Mormon as also containing the fullness of the Gospel

3 Nephi 11:
31 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine.
32 And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear brecord of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.
33 And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.
34 And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.
35 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost.

And now this post contains the fullness of the Gospel.

An interesting thing happened to me a while back. Someone asked me if people will be condemned just because they don't believe in Christ. The thought was put into my mind, which I had never supposed before, and I said, "Men are condemned already, not for not believeing in Christ, but the only way to be saved is to believe in Him."

This thought opened my eyes a bit more to the purpose of the Gospel.

[changed]

Originally Posted by Justice

"Men are condemned already, not for not believeing in Christ, but the only way to be saved is to believe in Him."

You cannot believe in someone whom you do not know.

I am a convert, I did not always know the true nature of Christ / God... I saw them as hypocritical, if they created everything, then they created evil - how can you trust someone who created evil? so I never joined a church, I did not think real love existed, I did not think selflessness existed - thought the whole morality thing was just a ruse - people calling a block of ice greenland sort of thing, just another way to take advantage... Then I learned that God did not create everything - intelligences were not created nor made, that They are cleaning up a mess They did not make - and I felt the Spirit, that it was all real, and the knowledge changed everything.

The more we understand about the plan of salvation, the more we understand what we are supposed to be doing - where we are coming from, where we are, where we are going - have to have a clear path if you are going to get anywhere. The more clear the path is, the faster you can travel along it... IMO.

Line upon line, eternal progression, there is so much more to all of it than just he first steps of being born again...

[changed]

One more parallel:

compare:
11 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had bspoken concerning the wicked.
12 And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work.
13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea...
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 18:11 - 16)

to

John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him...
Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day...

[Traveler]

Changed: Very good post and thread. I would add that when one understands scripture, history, current events and that which is to come they will realize that there are parrallels in all things.

See Eccl 1:9-11

The Traveler

[changed]

Originally Posted by Traveler

Changed: Very good post and thread. I would add that when one understands scripture, history, current events and that which is to come they will realize that there are parrallels in all things.

See Eccl 1:9-11

The Traveler

9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
(Old Testament | Ecclesiastes 1:9 - 11)

Thanks

here is another one:
14 And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived...
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 52:14)

2 And behold, it must be done according to the pattern which I have given unto you.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 94:2)


Pattern (see also Example; Form; Image)
Ex. 25:9 after the p. of the tabernacle, and the p. of all the instruments
Ex. 25:40 (Heb. 8:5) make them after their p., which was shewed thee in the mount
Num. 8:4 candlestick ... according unto the p. which the Lord had shewed Moses
1 Chr. 28:11 David gave to Solomon his son the p.
1 Tim. 1:16 a p. to them which should hereafter believe
Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a p. of good works
Heb. 9:23 p. of things in the heavens should be purified
D&C 24:19 they shall do even according to this p.
D&C 52:14 I will give unto you a p. in all things
D&C 88:141 gird himself according to the p. given in ... John's testimony
D&C 94:2 it must be done according to the p.
D&C 97:10 (115:14) house should be built ... like unto the p.
D&C 102:12 church of Christ is regularly organized, according to the foregoing p.
Moses 6:46 book of remembrance ... according to the p. given by the finger of God.
(Topical Guide | P Pattern:Entry)


The Lord has not placed us in this lone and dreary world without a blueprint for living. In Doctrine and Covenants 52, we read the Lord’s words: “I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived.” (D&C 52:14; italics added.) ... He has given us patterns in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price; and he has given us patterns in the temple ceremony. As we study these patterns, we must continually ask, “Why does the Lord choose to say these particular words and present it in just this way?” We know he uses metaphors and symbols and parables and allegories to teach us of his eternal ways. We have all recognized the relationship between Abraham and Isaac that so parallels God’s anguish over the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ. But, as women, do we stretch ourselves and also ask about Sarah’s travail in this experience as well? We need to search in this manner, and we need always to look for deeper meaning. We should look for parallels and symbols. We should look for themes and motifs such as those we would find in a Bach or a Mozart composition, and we should look for repeated patterns.

One obvious pattern is that both the Bible and the Book of Mormon begin with a family theme, including family conflict. I have always believed this symbolized something eternal about family far more than just the story of those particular parents or those particular children. Surely all of us—married or single, with children and without—see something of Adam and Eve and something of Cain and Abel every day of our lives. (see something of HEavenly Father and us as his children) With or without marriage, or with or without children, we all have some of the feelings of Lehi, Sariah, Laman, Nephi, Ruth, Naomi, Esther, the sons of Helaman, and the daughters of Ishmael.

Those are types and shadows for us, prefigurations of our own mortal joys and sorrows, just as Joseph and Mary are, in a sense, types and shadows of parental devotion as they nurtured the Son of God. These all seem to me to be symbols of higher principles and truths, symbols carefully chosen to show us the way, whether we are married or single, young or old, with family or without.

And, obviously, the temple is highly symbolic. ...Maybe it was coincidence (someone has said, “Coincidence is a small miracle in which God chooses to remain anonymous”), ....
as I attended the endowment session, I asked myself if I were the Lord and could give my children on earth only a simplified but powerfully symbolic example of their roles and missions, how much would I give and where would I start? I listened to every word. I watched for patterns and prototypes.

....

link

another link

“No man or woman can come out of the temple endowed as he should be, unless he has seen, beyond the symbol, the mighty realities for which the symbols stand. …"

We need to learn how to see the patterns/parallels/parables/symbols - the realities behind them to understand what we read...

[Traveler]

I would add one other concept. Many feel that just because G-d has said something once that there is no reason for G-d to say the same thing again. This is one of the big arguments concerning the Book of Mormon. That it is not needed because the Bible has sufficient to learn of G-d.

But we know from scripture (Genesis 41:25 and again in verse 32) that it is the method of G-d to tells of things from him more than once or in more than one way. G-d will always provide a parrallel.

The Traveler