Book of Mormon Feast
God in 1 Nephi 13
God • Holy Ghost • Lamb
Lamb of God • Lord • Lord God
Savior • Shepherd • Son of the Eternal Father
Spirit of God • Spirit of the Lord
1 Nephi 13:27
Pervert the right ways of the Lord
The Book of Mormon teaches that the evil church deliberately confused people
And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord,
that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.
Whenever and however this diminution of the scriptures occurred, the angel attributes it directly to evil intentions, nothing like “scribal error.”
Perverting the right ways of the Lord, to the intent of blinding the eyes and hardening the hearts, will have at least two results:
1. Those who are trying to follow the Lord will be misled, and not actually following in His ways.
2. Others will observe the reported “ways of the Lord” and reject them, and therefore reject faith in God and respect for Him.
In either case, those who made the changes will also have power to become the de facto lords of the people. In the first case, the changes they make can enable them to have power over the believing people. In the second case, when these people reject the Lord and become unbelievers they will be more ready to follow earthly philosophies that are presented to them.
1 Nephi 13:28
Plain and precious things taken away
The Book of Mormon teaches that the Bible is the Book of the Lamb of God
Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth
through the hands of the great and abominable church,
that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book,
which is the book of the Lamb of God.
It is the Book of the Lamb of God because, after the Genesis introduction, it is the story of a people bound by the Law of Moses, which focused on sacrifice. It is the story of the mistakes of those people, and their continual need for repentance and redemption. What is missing from the Old Testament is a clear exposition that this Law is symbolic of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, and not just for Israel, but for all mankind.
1 Nephi 13:29
The plainness which is in the Lamb of God
The Book of Mormon teaches
that the diminished Bible causes its readers to stumble
And after these plain and precious things were taken away
it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles;
and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles,
yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles
which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest -
because of the many plain and precious things
which have been taken out of the book,
which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men,
according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God -
because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb,
an exceedingly great many do stumble,
yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
The angel credits Satan as being at the bottom of the project of removing parts of
the scriptures. He credits power-
1 Nephi 13:30
Lifted up by the power of God above all other nations
The Book of Mormon teaches that
the new nation which He raised up would not completely destroy the native peoples
Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations,
upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands,
which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father
that his seed should have for the land of their inheritance;
wherefore, thou seest that the Lord God will not suffer
that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed,
which are among thy brethren.
This verse teaches us that God has done three things in this promised land:
1. He lifted up the Gentiles above all other nations. We may credit the natural resources (placed there by God), or the heritage of freedom (an historical process begun during the Reformation as people sought God) or specifically the Constitution (a “heavenly banner,” as Joseph Smith said). It was God who orchestrated the American rise to prominence, power, and wealth.
2. As we already know, he covenanted that this promised land would be the inheritance of the children of Lehi forever. Even while he would raise up the (Gentile) American nation, He didn’t forget that promise.
3. Because of that promise He did not allow the Gentiles to completely annihilate the children of Lehi on this land. It is true many native Americans were killed, many tribes were completely obliterated, and the native nations were broken up. But some of the people remain, and whatever plans He might have for their future will come to pass.
This must have been a very consoling part of the vision/explanation. Nephi had previously seen that his brothers’ seed destroyed his own seed. Now he learns that there are some left – not necessarily a righteous branch, but just a remnant. This will be cause for him to continue to attend well to the angel’s explanation – his own people are still in the game.
1 Nephi 13:31
Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the seed of thy brethren.
Latter-
1 Nephi 13:32
That awful state of blindness
The Book of Mormon teaches that God will remedy the Bible’s lacks
Neither will the Lord God suffer
that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness,
which thou beholdest they are in,
because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb
which have been kept back by that abominable church,
whose formation thou hast seen.
This part of the narrative reminds me of a novel nearing its climax: The Nephite remnant are in danger of destruction – but God will save them. The Lamanites are about to be destroyed – but God will save them. The Gentiles are stumbling around in the dark – but God is about to do something wonderful for them.
1 Nephi 13:33
I will be merciful
The Book of Mormon teaches that sometimes
God’s mercy toward one group necessitates severe judgements on another group
Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be merciful unto the Gentiles,
unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment.
The judgment of God comes upon the remnant of the house of Israel by decreeing that they will no longer possess the land of promise. They’ll still be there, as He already assured, but it won’t be their exclusive land, subject to their culture. The landlord has given notice.
The mercy of God on the Gentiles is that, although they first came as faithful refugees, He will remove the native inhabitants of the land in front of them, so that they will have a place to grow a civilization and a culture that will fulfill His purposes.
1 Nephi 13:34
I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power
The Book of Mormon teaches that God showed His mercy
in giving us the Book of Mormon and the restoration of the gospel
And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying:
Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the remnant of the house of Israel
-
wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment,
and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles,
and after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly,
because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb
which have been kept back by that abominable church,
which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb -
will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day,
insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.
The stories of the children of Lehi and the Gentiles are interwoven in these verses, with their ups and downs, their two steps forward and one step backward, their contributions to each others’ advancement, connected to each other like a binary star system.
Here the Lord says that His mercy consists in the Restoration of the gospel, where the Gentiles will receive much (not all?) of His gospel. This will be done by His own power. Many people want to know exactly the process of translation of the Book of Mormon, and some onlookers have given their observations and interpretations of it. But Joseph Smith himself only said it was done by the gift and power of God.
1 Nephi 13:35
Plain and precious
The Book of Mormon teaches that the Book of Mormon, which was hidden,
came by the gift and power of God
For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed,
that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them,
which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed,
and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren,
behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles,
by the gift and power of the Lamb.
Nephi’s vision has progressed, not only chronologically, but in its presentation.
It began with Nephi silently beholding the tree. Discussion with the Spirit followed.
Then an angel became the guide, with Nephi looking at literal and symbolic events,
and an active back-
The previous verse introduces another level of vision: Although it is still the angel who is narrating the scene for Nephi, he is directly quoting the Lamb of God. This is significant and appropriate.
God has been there throughout the history. He has allowed His children to make their own choices and create their own lives and society, but at critical points He has stepped in to direct that history to His goals of providing the opportunity of eternal life to mankind. He has not allowed the history to stagnate. The angel has explained all this.
Now that the explanation approaches the glorious events of the Restoration, the angel begins to quote the Lord, just as during the Restoration it was the Lord Himself who personally came to Joseph Smith a number of times.
This verse has another reassurance to Nephi. The Lord says, “After thy seed shall be destroyed. . .” Generally, after something is destroyed it is no more. That’s the end of the story. But He goes on to say, “and dwindle in unbelief.” Thus we know that the destruction is of the society, not of every single individual who carries Nephi’s blood.
This situation is analogous to Prussia. Prussian society began in the 1200’s, and
was organized into a kingdom in 1701. Its power and influence grew until post-
Finally, in this verse the Lamb reiterates and expands on what He said previously: He had already said that He would be giving much of His gospel to the Gentiles. Now He explains how that will occur, and, doubtless to Nephi’s surprise, Nephi himself is a player in this work. Nephi’s seed will be the ones who write these plain and precious things. No wonder Nephi’s children kept the record, and felt the responsibility of it, even if they didn’t have the full vision of it. Some of them may not even have read Nephi’s own words. But they fulfilled their duty in keeping the record. No wonder Nephi later says that his soul delights in plainness: The Lord has told him that the plainness of his record will make it precious to the Gentiles and his own later seed.
The Lord has already said that this expanded gospel will come forth through His power. Now he adds “gift.” It comes through the “gift and power” of God. A gift is to be received with delight and gratitude, not to be critiqued and looked in the mouth. Joseph Smith received the gift of translation. No one can explain this gift any better than he can explain the workings of the Holy Ghost, which “goeth where it listeth,” and no onlooker can explain the “change that is wrought” in the heart and life of the believer (See John 3:8; “The Touch of the Master’s Hand,” by Myra Brooks Welch).
The Book of Mormon itself is a marvelous gift. How foolish are those who grasp onto criticisms of this sacred book, and as the perceived mistakes are found to be instead more evidence for the book’s veracity, they hurriedly look for the most current criticism and latch onto it. May we each value and esteem the Book of Mormon, appreciate and use it, as a precious gift of truth.
1 Nephi 13:36
In them shall be written my gospel
The Book of Mormon teaches that within its pages
we can find the gospel of the Lamb, His rock, and His salvation
And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb,
and my rock and my salvation.
The angel continues to quote the words of Jesus, saying that His gospel, His rock, and His salvation will be written in the Book of Mormon. This looks like an essential verse in understanding, from the Lord’s perspective, what we should look for as we read the Book of Mormon, what He considers to be of most worth, what we should find in both the history and the sermons. This is another thesis statement, not from an author but from the One who commissioned the work.
“Gospel” may mean two different, though related, things. Originally it means “good news” – the good news that God has sent His Son to redeem us. Thus, the Gospels in the New Testament tell the story of that Son’s mortal life. In that regard, 3 Nephi may be considered a fifth gospel, with a rich abundance of Jesus’s words and His brief interactions with the people of the New World. Furthermore, the many prophets who foretold His advent in their times to their people, and their people’s responses to the good news, are more of the gospel.
In the Old Testament we see the gospel through a glass darkly. The Book of Mormon gives us clear views of the gospel and its reception by people before Christ came. The Bible gives us four precious narratives of the gospel as He walked among them. The Book of Mormon gives us the marvelous scenes of the gospel of the resurrected Lord. The Book of Mormon truly is another testament of Christ, and its words complement and enhance the message of the Bible.
We cannot receive the message of the gospel as the people of ancient Judea, or as
the people of 3 Nephi’s Bountiful; He does not walk among us. But we can receive
it as the people of Jacob, Mosiah, Alma. They received it through the words of their
prophets foretelling His life. We, on the other side of the Meridian of Time, likewise
receive it through the words of prophets. The words have been written for us by
a host of witnesses of the pre-
A second meaning which has accrued to “gospel” is the proper manner of life of a follower of Christ. The Book of Mormon, like the Bible, gives abundant instruction in this regard. In fact, most Sunday school lessons focus on this meaning, and one can always find, in the Book of Mormon, inspiration to live a better life.
Jesus says the Book of Mormon contains His rock. But He is the Rock, as He is the good news and He is the Savior. The rock is a symbol used in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and sacred hymns. The rock is a firm surface on which to build. It represents trustworthiness and reliability. It is the North Star. The histories and stories in the Book of Mormon show us the stability and progress and happiness of people as they keep themselves firmly anchored to the Rock, and the slippery slope and decline and disaster that befall those who do not.
We live in a time of myriads of ideas and opinions at our fingertips, numerous lifestyle choices, a maze of paths supposedly leading to happiness, incomprehensible to previous generations. King Solomon observed, “There is nothing new under the sun.” There is still the Lord’s way and not the Lord’s way. There may be many or few other paths. They may be superhighways or cow trails. The details of the other paths are not significant. The Book of Mormon shows us that staying on the Rock is the only safety, security, and lasting happiness.
Finally, Jesus says the Book of Mormon contains His salvation. We have seen that Nephi stated that one of his major purposes was to prove to his readers that God delivers His people. We will find this throughout the Book of Mormon. The Lord delivers, Jesus saves. But of course when we speak of salvation, we really want to know about what happens after death. Do we go into oblivion? Are we saved from that? Do we go to Purgatory, because “all have sinned”? Are we saved from that?
While there are many witnesses and examples of people being blessed in this life by following the Lord’s plan, there are in the scriptures only the briefest mentions of people returning through the veil. Jesus is the only one who came back to prove there is life – glorious life – after death. The New Testament tells us very briefly of His visits after His resurrection; the Book of Mormon narrative is much more extensive. Jesus told us that He is the way, and we can see that He can lead us through the shadow of death to the life that He now enjoys.
In both the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, the Holy Ghost is spoken of as an “earnest” of eternal life. The Lord gives us the Holy Ghost, which we can know and experience, as evidence, or like earnest money in a real estate purchase, indicating that, at the proper time, He will conclude the deal and give us eternal life. In a similar manner, we can view the many instances in the Book of Mormon of the Lord saving and delivering His people as evidence that He has the concern and interest and power to ultimately give them eternal life, or salvation.
In the Book of Mormon we read the gospel – the Good News on every page, as He is intimately interested in and involved with the people in this record. This very study proves that point. In the Book of Mormon we read of how He is the Rock, of His faithfulness toward His people, and how He keeps His promises. The Title Page of the Book of Mormon informs us that one purpose of the book is that we may know “the covenants of the Lord.” In the Book of Mormon we read how the Lamb of God is the Savior of the world, and that “there is no other name given, whereby men salvation cometh” (Mosiah 5:8). Truly the Book of Mormon testifies of His gospel, His rock, and His salvation.
Here is a fruitful challenge for Christians who have come to know the Lord through the Bible: Read the Book of Mormon with the question in mind, “Is this the same Jesus that I have come to know and love, to whom I have given my heart and my life?” You may discover the surprise of a lifetime!