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God in 2 Nephi 5

God  • Lord  • Lord God   • Lord my God

2 Nephi 5:21

Their hearts became like a flint

The Book of Mormon teaches that those who harden their hearts against God

will be cursed

And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing,

because of their iniquity.

For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him,

that they had become like unto a flint;

wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome,

that they might not be enticing unto my people

the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.

This looks like a very literal changing of skin color from light to dark.  

There are several theories about this.  One theory is that the darkness of the Lamanites was a spiritual darkness, and there was never any physical change in their skin color.  This seems to be an idea that fits well in our current culture, but it does not seem to be borne out by the plain reading of the text.

Another theory is that God caused a genetic change which gave more pigment to the skin of Lamanites, so there were literally two races of people among the children of Lehi.   There is archaeological evidence for this idea.  

Here is my idea about it:  We learn later that those who are cursed bring the cursing upon themselves.  (Alma 3:19)  It may be that the Lamanites abandoned the Middle Eastern style of clothing which their family would have worn, in favor of the style of clothing that the native Americans were wearing when Columbus encountered them, that is, very little.  Several hundred years later, Alma 3:5 records that they were naked.  Obviously the Nephites weren’t equally unclothed, naked, or it wouldn’t have been something to note in the record.

The scripture does not say that God found this darker skin unappealing.  In fact, the pigment He gave his children in various parts of the world is a sign of His love, as it provides more protection for those who live in areas with stronger sunlight.        The scripture says that this dark skin would not be enticing to the children of Nephi.  

Western culture likewise has, in the past, considered dark skin unattractive and not enticing.  That’s why pioneer girls were required to wear sun bonnets – to protect their fair complexions.  They preferred to use a physical barrier against the sun and retain their white skin, rather than utilize the pigment which God had already provided them.  Today, of course, the tables have turned, and people spend hours in the sun or artificial sun to allow their skin to develop its pigment.  Those who have not achieved some bronzing of their skin are mocked by those who have.  Fair skin is no longer desirable, appealing, or enticing.

2 Nephi 5:22

Save they shall repent of their iniquities

And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities.

Once again, God reiterates the purpose of the dark skin: to repulse the Nephites, in order to protect them from falling into apostasy by this means.  The scripture does not say that these newly-colored dark-skinned people were loathsome to God, but that they were loathsome to their cousins.  It doesn’t even say that God caused the Nephites to be repulsed by them, as He is incorrectly credited with hardening Pharaoh’s heart in the Exodus story.  God caused a physical condition on the Lamanites that He knew, because of their cultural conditioning, would be off-putting to the Nephites.  God created this earth as a testing and learning arena, and He created racial and cultural differences to further the purposes of that test. Racism is a very natural reaction to the “other,” experienced by all cultures throughout history.   It would remain for a future generation for God to use race to teach us about love.  But in this early generation, He used the natural aversion to further His purposes at that time.

2 Nephi 5:23

The Lord spake it, and it was done

And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed;

for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing.

And the Lord spake it, and it was done.

This verse suggests that there was some sort of genetic change in the Lamanites to cause their skin-darkening cursing, because of course “mixing seed” or breeding will result in characteristics from both parents being manifested in the offspring.  If the dark-skin cursing was inadequate to prevent inter-marriage, then the Nephite who participated and the resulting family would have Lamanite characteristics.

The next verse (which does not mention God) describes the cursing more in terms of behavior than skin color.  They became “an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety,” . . . hunters rather than farmers.

If anyone chose to mix seed with them, their posterity would live that more primitive lifestyle.  Culture-mixing and lifting the Lamanites above their scrabbling existence would have to wait for many generations.

At this early period the cultural background of both groups was identical.  While their skin color was probably different, (which issue causes major angst in 21st century America), the more significant difference was their lifestyle.  Today we are comfortable with and celebrate all sorts of cross-racial marriages.  But who wants to “mix their seed” with people living under the curse of idleness, trouble-makers, deceitful and unscrupulous, scammers rather than honest workers?  Only those who admire those traits and don’t recognize their unsustainability.

Unfortunately, many otherwise responsible people get sucked into relationships with these very people, because they often present themselves as normal people.  The beguiled partner may later leave the relationship and establish a normal life, but the children are forever cursed with their own relationship with the deceiving parent.  Then the responsible parent has a much harder job teaching responsibility to these children.  The lazy lifestyle can seem so alluring to children, feeding upon the natural man.  

2 Nephi 5:25

Stir them up in remembrance

The Book of Mormon suggests we sometimes need bad things to happen to us,

in order that we clear our vision and remember Him.

And the Lord God said unto me:

They shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in remembrance of me;

and inasmuch as they will not remember me, and hearken unto my words,

they shall scourge them even unto destruction.

This verse made no sense to me when I was younger, and I’m not sure I fully understand it now.  This is God giving us a glimpse of His work of managing people groups.  

In our society we study people groups (sociology, anthropology), but no one admits to managing them.  However, western rulers have engaged in nation-building, and we are now seeing the disastrous results of such meddling in the Middle East and in Africa, where the current nations do not reflect the people groups comprising them, often cutting across tribal boundaries.  These nations were carved out to serve European and/or American interests, but whatever those rulers might have been thinking of or conniving at that time is unnatural and unsustainable.   

God’s work of nation-management is much more precise.  He sees the end from the beginning, and, while He blesses each person personally in his heart, he also sees the big picture, and works for the betterment of whole groups of his children.  He works in all areas, including the political.  From our vantage point we may say that conditions are bad, that they ought to be changed, that our nation would be better off if this or that happened.  But it may be that our afflictions are meant to be a scourge to us.  It may be that we should spend less time complaining about how things are changing and deteriorating, and more time on strengthening faith and families in the face of difficulties.

As Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar learned,

 

“This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones, with the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest [or humblest and lowliest] of men.”  (Daniel 4:17)

2 Nephi 5:30

Good in my sight

The Book of Mormon and its record is good in God’s sight;

what other recommendation does it need?

And it came to pass that the Lord God said unto me:

Make other plates;

and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which are good in my sight,

for the profit of thy people.

Nephi has described in brief the situation of his people, but in the previous verse he says that he had kept the record of his people.  All the details of their living were on the first plates.  He was no doubt surprised to receive a command to make other plates.  He probably thought that what he had already written was good in God’s sight, and would be profitable to his people.  But now, 22 years into their residence in the Promised Land, the Lord is giving Nephi another Great Adventure – to see the spiritual in all aspects of their lives, and to refine even more his perspective of his own people and God’s plans.

2 Nephi 5:31

To be obedient to the commandment of the Lord

The Lord commanded that the Book of Mormon be written.

Wherefore, I, Nephi, to be obedient to the commandments of the Lord,

went and made these plates upon which I have engraven these things.

This is Nephi’s signature line:  “To be obedient to the commandments of the Lord.”  All through the saga of 1 Nephi he stressed the importance of obedience to the Lord.  Now, when he is no longer recording the events of the past, but has brought the plates up to the current time of writing, he notes that his philosophy is the same:  Obey the Lord.

2 Nephi 5:32

That which is pleasing unto God

Those who are pleased with the Book of Mormon

are pleased with the things of God.

And I engraved that which is pleasing unto God.

And if my people are pleased with the things of God

they will be pleased with mine engravings which are upon these plates.

Nephi is presenting a story, a logical narrative.  First God commanded him to make these new plates, so he obeyed.  Then he consulted with God as to the content of the plates, so that he can now declare that God is pleased with what’s on them.  Now he presents a challenge:  If you want to know how closely your mind aligns with that of God, measure your reaction to these plates (The Book of Mormon).  Do you find it pleasing?  Then you are pleased with the things of God.   You are learning to think and feel in a holy manner.

God in 2 Nephi 5 by the Numbers

34 verses

God is mentioned by name:  15 verses = 44%

God:  3

Lord:  10

Lord God:  4

Lord my God:  1