• Enos
• Jarom
• Omni
• Amaron
• Chemish
• Abinadom
• Amaleki

Chronologically, this section of the Book of Mormon covers a large span of time, where we learn very little about the societal developments of the Nephites or Lamanites. However, we do get enough insights that give us enough of a picture of what is going on. Here are some highlights:

Book of Enos

Enos is the son of Jacob, and is most famous for his day-long prayer in the woods. His story is one of conversion and redemption; when he feels his sins taken away, he is told it is possibly:

“Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Enos 8)

After this experience, Enos prays for the well being of his friends and of his enemies, and he eventually replaces Jacob as the Nephite spiritual leader. His faith and convictions are evident in his last recorded words:

“And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: ‘Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father.’ Amen.” (Enos 27)

Book of Jarom

Jarom becomes the next leader and custodian of the plates. Despite his dilligence and righteousness, he feels that he cannot add much to the content of the plates so far:

“For what could I write more than my fathers have written? For have not they revealed the plan of salvation? I say unto you, Yea; and this sufficeth me.” (Jarom 2)

On a more secular note, however, we learn that Jarom recorded (or had someone record) the Nephite saga of wars and political events on the large plates of Nephi, the translation of which was lost in the 116 pages.

Book of Omni

Omni was charged with the record keeping responsibility by his father Jarom, but it appears that Omni himself was a fearsome warlord with little interest for the things of God or righteousness. After Omni, the plates go hot-potato to his son Amaron, then to Amaron’s brother Chemish, both of whom have little to say. Chemish’s son Abinadom likewise has little to report other than wars, but we later learn from his son Amaleki that in Abinadom’s day, a Nephite named Mosiah had been warned by God to leave the land of Nephi, and took whoever would follow him north to the land of Zarahemla, where they meet another civilization: the Mulekites. Amaliki is born, and records the story of the Nephite integration into the Zarahemla. And finally, Amaleki reaches the end of his account, stating that “these plates are full. And I make an end of my speaking.” (Omni 30)

Words of Mormon

The Word of Mormon are awkwardly out of place, as they were written centuries later, by Mormon, as he was compiling the records. He originally intended to include only his abridgment of the large plates of Nephi, but after digging around his repository, he came across the small plates, and he felt inspired to include them. So, he felt the need to explain himself in doing so. To grasp the deeper significance of his actions, please see the past post: The Small Plates of Nephi in Our Lives.

The first recorded instance of Lehites interacting with external people is found in Jacob chapter 7, where we meet Sherem. Sherem is numbered among the villains and anti-Christs of the Book of Mormon, but if we carefully analyze the details of his story, we learn much more about him and his circumstances than we might initially expect.

First, we should consider the chronology up to this point to give ourselves a time frame reference. At this point, Jacob is the leader, but we may assume that he is in the sunset of his tenure. Jacob was born in the Arabian wilderness after Lehi and his family left Jerusalem, so we may assume that that majority of Jacob’s lifespan has transpired since the Lehite landing. It would be reasonable to assume that Jacob is a grandfather at this point, or at least that a third generation is emerging. In the meantime, the Nephites have split from the Lamanites and established themselves in a separate community, the “Land of Nephi.” The Nephite community then, would be, given an even split between Nephites and Lamanites, about half of the Lehite family. So it is fair to infer that the Nephite population is still rather small, and presumable quite tight-knit at this point. Any numerical guess of the population is probably as good as the next, but it is doubtful that the Nephites number over a few hundred. Given the cooperative nature of rural, agricultural, and developmental communities, it would additional be reasonable to say that everyone was more or less familiar with everyone else.

White the Nephites were developing in their community, the Lamanites were also turning into a distinct culture. We learn that:

“…their hatred was fixed, and they were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a bloodthirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax. And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to destroy us.” (Enos 20)

If a Lamanite were to encounter a Nephite, it seems quite clear that he would attack and kill, or at least capture him, or in some other means express violence and hatred.

With this sociological framework in mind, let us consider the story of Sherem, and determine if he fits the description of either a Nephite or a Lamanite at this point in time. Jacob 7 begins:

“And now it came to pass after some years had passed away, there came a man among the people of Nephi, whose name was Sherem.”

If Sherem “came among” the Nephites after “some years,” it would seem that Sherem was not originally a Nephite, or at least was not a resident in the land of Nephi. Jacob tells us that Sherem “was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people.” This is another clue that suggests that his first language was not the Nephite language, but rather he picked it up during his time among them. His passive behavior and initial ignorance of the Nephite language also essentially rules out the possibility of him being a Lamanite, who at this point, would still be speaking the same language as the Nephites.

At length, Sherem meets Jacob, and puts forth a doctrinal proposal. He says:

“Brother Jacob, I have sought much opportunity that I might speak unto you; for I have heard and also know that thou goest about much, preaching that which ye call the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ. And ye have led away much of this people that they pervert the right way of God, and keep not the law of Moses which is the right way; and convert the law of Moses into the worship of a being which ye say shall come many hundred years hence. And now behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you that this is blasphemy; for no man knoweth of such things; for he cannot tell of things to come. And after this manner did Sherem contend against me.”

Jacob, sensing Sherem’s misunderstandings of the prophesies, says:

“Deniest thou the Christ who shall come?”

To which Sherem responds:

“If there should be a Christ, I would not deny him; but I know that there is no Christ, neither has been, nor ever will be.”

Noting his initial appeal to the law of Moses, which he most likely learned from the Nephite brass plates, Jacob asks:

“Believest thou the scriptures?”

Sherem responds:

“Yea.”

At this point, Jacob is able to demonstrate that Sherem’s attempts to grasp the Nephite doctrines and scriptures have not been sufficiently thorough. He says:

“Then ye do not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ.”

The Sherem narrative continues, and we learn a good lesson about seeking signs and blaspheming. But through it all, it becomes almost certain that Sherem was an outsider who discovered the Nephite culture, tried to integrate himself into it with the hopes of gaining power, but he was unsuccessful in doing so.

This revelation, of course, opens a whole new can of worms about the demographics of the promised land. Where did Sherem come from? What is the origin of his society? And what else might we need rethink about our traditional Book of Mormon assumptions?

• Treating the Decaying Olive Tree by Pruning and Digging
• Treating the Decaying Olive Tree by Grafting and Transplanting
• Revival of the Olive Tree
• Additional Decay
• Treating the Further Decay by Grafting and Burning
• A Final Effort
• Recovery and Success
• Additional Decay Foretold
• Jacob’s Comments

The symbolism is rich and complex, and as is the case with most figurative expositions, can be understood on several levels. Generally, it is understood as a historical recounting of certain aspects of the house of Israel, as well as a foretelling its future and destiny.

As a starting point for comprehension, the CES institute manual proposes the following interpretations for the symbolic elements of the story:

For an overview of the narrative, please refer to the Olive Tree Allegory page.

The take home message from the allegory is the untiring efforts, labor, and love that the Lord and his servants put into the vineyard, or us.

Jeffery R. Holland refers to this allegory in a deeply moving way as he illustrates to love of God, his concern for us, and his sadness and frustration when we use our free will unwisely.

“In the midst of a grand vision of humankind which heaven opened to his view, Enoch, observing both the blessings and challenges of mortality, turns his gaze toward the Father and is stunned to see Him weeping. He says in wonder and amazement to this most powerful Being in the universe: “How is it that thou canst weep? … Thou art just [and] merciful and kind forever; … Peace … is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end; how is it thou canst weep?”

Looking out on the events of almost any day, God replies: “Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands. … I gave unto them … [a] commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood. … Wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?”

That single, riveting scene does more to teach the true nature of God than any theological treatise could ever convey. It also helps us understand much more emphatically that vivid moment in the Book of Mormon allegory of the olive tree, when after digging and dunging, watering and weeding, trimming, pruning, transplanting, and grafting, the great Lord of the vineyard throws down his spade and his pruning shears and weeps, crying out to any who would listen, “What could I have done more for my vineyard?”” (“The Grandeur of God,” Ensign, Nov. 2003, 70)

While Jacob 5 is typically hard to read, it is well worth it for those who are seeking understanding, and read it in an open and interpretative state of mind.

“Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old. (Jacob 4:13)

Jacob here is speaking about truth; specifically, truth revealed by the Spirit, which “speaketh the truth and lieth not.” The acquisition of truth has been humanity’s quest through the ages, and great mysteries have remained unsolved because what is often true in one situation can be false in another. Even so, Jacob seems to indicate that there are truths of an absolute nature amid those truths that are relative, when he mentions as “things as they really are, and of things as they really will be.”

First, it should be plainly noted that the scriptures often use figurative devices to teach truth. Parables, allegories, even certain visions are presented through symbols, metaphors, and other elements with relative applications. Typically, however, their interpretation yields insights that are universal.

One biblical example of this is the vision of Ezekiel, where he sees wheels, and a part-man part-eagle part-ox part-lion creature, all in the context seeing the throne of God. The physical descriptions of what Ezekiel is seeing are not to be directly applied to an understanding of the physical characteristics of God, but rather are to be understood figuratively.

Of course, the methods of figurative interpretation are as varied as the scriptural symbols themselves, and thus we see an wide array of debates between literal and figurative interpretations, and discord between orthodox figurative interpretations and liberal figurative interpretations. While there may be no universally clear-cut answers regarding every scriptural instance of what is literal and what is symbolic, it does seem clear that regardless, there is an absolute level of reality that all true teachings (figurative, literal or otherwise) point to.

Primary among these is the central fact that humanity’s existence on earth is backed by purpose and plan that was devised by God, with the intent of fostering our progression. The restoration of the gospel added greater emphasis on this with its additional revelations regarding the plan of salvation and the purpose of life.

Neal A. Maxwell was adamant on illustrating this absolute layer of understanding to the body of gospel knowledge. He stated:

“Brothers and sisters, we dare not hold back the restored gospel’s declaratives! We dare not hold back the reassuring revelations and truth-telling translations about “things as they really are, and … things as they really will be.” These are so needed by those whose weary hands hang down because they suffer from doctrinal anemia, which can best be treated by the red blood cells of the Restoration. To hold back would be to restrain repentance and to obscure the beckoning spiritual alternative, which will become “fair as the sun, and clear as the moon” (Ensign, Nov 2003, 99)

Some uncertainty still exists regarding which aspects of conventional wisdom are indeed congruent with ‘”things as they really are.” Some commandments and laws that are currently observed are actually preparatory laws that do not have universal or eternal applications. Tithing for example is a preparatory law, and will be dissolved when the saints are prepared to become the Zion that has been prophesied of. The Word of Wisdom also has an application that is unique to our dispensation, and cannot be projected retroactively on those of the past. Even the law of Moses was given in relative terms to the Children of Israel, with the eventual plan to fulfill it. Other commandments, however, such as “Thou shalt have no other God before me,” are universal in their application, and have maintained constant throughout time. The mission of Jesus Christ also emphasized the universality and absolute nature of his atoning sacrifice for humanity.

When these nuggets of absolute truth are harvested through the fields of gospel study, they need to be cherished and shared. Recently, Elder Uchdorf stated:

“When we bear testimony, we declare the absolute truth of the gospel message. In a time when many perceive truth as relative, a declaration of absolute truth is not very popular, nor does it seem politically correct or opportune. Testimonies of things how “they really are” are bold, true, and vital because they have eternal consequences for mankind. Satan wouldn’t mind if we declared the message of our faith and gospel doctrine as negotiable according to circumstances.” (Ensign, Nov 2006, 37–39)

As we go on our quest to glean truth from all that we encounter, I hope that we will have the perspective and the foresight to realize when we come across something that truly illustrates “things as they really are, and…as they really will be.”

“…the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand.

“Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.” (Jacob 4:14)

While Jacob here refers to the historical Jews specifically, this scripture has an incredible amount of relevance and applicability to us today.

The tragic flaw of the Jews lies in their dissatisfaction with “words of plainness,” which led them to place increased importance on more tangential or logistical matters.  Neal A. Maxwell explained:

“Intellectual embroidery seems to have been preferred to the whole clothing of the gospel—the frills to the fabric. In fact, one can even surmise that complexity was preferred over plainness by some because in conceptual complexity there might somehow be escape, or excuse, for noncompliance and for failure. In any event, this incredible blindness which led to the rejection of those truths spoken by prophets and which prevented the recognition of Jesus for who he was, according to Jacob, came ‘by looking beyond the mark.’ ” (On Being a Light [address delivered at the Salt Lake Institute of Religion, 2 Jan. 1974], p. 1 )

Often times the answers to many of our questions are in closer proximity than we might think—sometimes they are in plain sight. The tendency to seek wisdom in the unknown while ignoring the resources that are available to us too often proves to be counter-productive or detrimental.

“Jacob speaks of people who placed themselves in serious jeopardy in spiritual things because they were unwilling to accept simple, basic principles of truth. They entertained and intrigued themselves with “things that they could not understand” (Jacob 4:14). They were apparently afflicted with a pseudosophistication and a snobbishness that gave them a false sense of superiority over those who came among them with the Lord’s words of plainness. They went beyond the mark of wisdom and prudence, and obviously failed to stay within the circle of fundamental gospel truths, which provide a basis for faith. They must have reveled in speculative and theoretical matters that obscured for them the fundamental spiritual truths. As they became infatuated by these “things that they could not understand,” their comprehension of and faith in the redeeming role of a true Messiah was lost, and the purpose of life became confused. A study of Israel’s history will confirm Jacob’s allegations.” (Dean L. Larsen, “Looking beyond the Mark,” Ensign, Nov 1987, 11)

The departure from (or de-emphasis of) the foundational and core doctrines and principles of the gospel has been responsible for a great deal of confusion and even apostasy.  Quentin Cook said:

“Some people seem to be embarrassed by the simplicity of the Savior’s message. They want to add complexity and even obscurity to the truth to make it more intellectually challenging or more compatible with current academic trends. The Apostasy occurred in part because of this problem. The early Christians adopted the Greek philosophical traditions, trying to reconcile their own beliefs with the existing culture. The historian Will Durant wrote: “Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it. The Greek mind, dying, came to a transmigrated life.”” (Quentin L. Cook, “Looking beyond the Mark,” Liahona, Mar 2003, 21)

So then, what is “the mark” that we must strive not to “look beyond”?  I think the answer to that comes in a New Testament account of an exchange between Jesus and a Pharisee:

But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

“Master, which is the great commandment in the law?”

Jesus said unto him,

‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt 22:34-40)

I believe the passage speaks for itself.  Here the higher law is set forth, and all other aspects of the law and gospel are herein included.  The majority of religious quandaries can be resolved by appealing to Jesus’ words.  The life, example, and redemption wrought by Christ are the central elements of the gospel, and should be the central focus—the mark—of the Saints.

Unfortunately, the gospel is too often immaturely perceived as a collection of do’s and don’ts, or a checklist of things to do in order to obtain a reward.  This line of thinking invariably leads to nit-picking over things like behavioral standards, the questions of how far is too far, how much is too much, what is or isn’t OK to consume, what is or isn’t appropriate to view, who we should or shouldn’t associate with, where we should or shouldn’t be seen, or any other number of “strivings about the law” which the apostle Paul condemns as “unprofitable and vain.” (See Titus 3:9)

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ has come to save that which is lost—us.  The way to him is by turning our lives over to him, and making him our foundation.  Well did Helaman tell his sons Nephi and Lehi:

“And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”  (Helaman 5:12)

Jesus Christ, and the divine love that he embodies, is “the mark“.  Let us not look beyond him, but rather look to him, and live.

“Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God.”

His emphasis seems to imply that despite whatever light and knowledge we may have received, we are light years away from fully grasping the most profound depths of the concepts relating to the nature and works of God.

The Book of Mormon, as well as other volumes of scripture, make several references to the “fulness of the gospel.” Along these same lines, the phrase “full truth” seems to have crept into latter-day saint vocabularies when noting the additional insights brought about by the revelations of the restoration. However, having the “fulness of the gospel” does not equate having “full truth.” Bruce R. McConkie explained:

“The fulness of the gospel consists in those laws, doctrines, ordinances, powers, and authorities needed to enable men to gain the fulness of salvation. Those who have the gospel fulness do not necessarily enjoy the fulness of gospel knowledge or understand all of the doctrines of the plan of salvation. But they do have the fulness of the priesthood and sealing power by which men can be sealed up unto eternal life. The fulness of the gospel grows out of the fulness of the sealing power and not out of the fulness of gospel knowledge.” (Mormon Doctrine p. 333, emphasis added)

Joseph Fielding Smith, in reference to the statement that the Book of Mormon contains the “fulness of the gospel”, added:

“[The Lord] did not mean to convey the impression that every truth belonging to exaltation in the kingdom of God had been delivered to the Nephites and was recorded in the Book of Mormon, to be delivered to Gentiles and Jews in this dispensation. Neither would this statement imply that every truth belonging to the celestial kingdom and exaltation therein was to be found within the covers of the Book of Mormon. There are many truths belonging to the exaltation that have not been revealed, nor will they be revealed to man while he is in mortality. We must concede it to be a fact that there are many things related to the exaltation which cannot be received now and do not concern mortal man. These truths were not given to the Nephites; neither can they be given to us in this present day, for they do not in any way apply to the needs of the mortal condition, nor could we comprehend them while we are in mortality. These things belong to the kingdom of God and will be revealed to those who attain to the celestial exaltation.” (Answers to Gospel Questions Vol 3, p 95, emphasis added)

Even the apostle Paul, who was blessed with an exceptionally broad understanding of the gospel, explained how even he realized how incomplete and myopic his perspective was. Despite this, he looked forward to the day that he would understand things more fully:

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (1 Cor. 13: 12)

Jacob’s admonition to “despise not the revelations of God” goes hand in hand with the latter-day affirmation that:

“We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” (9th Article of Faith)

With all this in mind, I believe it is critically important to approach our level of gospel understanding and perspective with a heavy dose of humility. Often times, the gaps in our understanding are subconsciously colored in by assumptions or speculations, and these in term sometimes get rolled together with canonized truth as conventional wisdom.

Through it all, an open mind that is prepared to welcome additional insights and revelation (sometimes at the expense of dismissing long-held traditional, yet unfounded views) is crucially important to nurturing a healthy progress of gospel knowledge. The restoration is a work in progress, and while we continue to learn and absorb spiritual substance, let us remember that at this point, “it is impossible that man should find out all [God’s] ways.“

• Nephi charges Jacob with the record–keeping responsibilities.
• Jacob works hard to persuade people to believe in Jesus Christ.
• Nephi gets old, and a system for naming his successors as king is established.
• Nephi dies.
• Under the rule of their second king, the people get prideful and begin practicing polygamy.
• Jacob gives a sermon at the temple in response to his people’s pride and sins.
• Jacob writes to future readers of his record.

Most of these narrative elements are found it chapter 1, but the the majority of the text covered in this lesson comprises Jacob’s temple sermon, where he covers the issues of pride and polygamy.

It should first be noted that the temple that Jacob delivers his sermon in is doubtless the temple constructed by Nephi after the pattern of Solomon’s temple. And it is made clear here that Jacob uses the Temple as a house of instruction and learning.

Jacob first expresses his reluctance to address uncomfortable issues with his people.

“Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained, because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.” (Jacob 2:9)

Nevertheless, Jacob hits his first topic, that of riches, particularly in the context of pride. He explains that setting proper priorities is essential to obtaining a hope a Christ:

“Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.” (Jacob 2:17-19)

The other heavy topic that Jacob discusses is about marital relations. It appears that some of the Nephites used the scriptural accounts of Solomon and David to justify either promiscuity or outright polygamy. Jacob explains that these practices are only acceptable when the Lord specifically commands them:

“Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women.
And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.
For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.” (Jacob 2:27–30)

After his sermon in the temple, Jacob devotes some his record to his reader. This is contained in Jacob chapter 4. Here, he addresses the future reader of his record; his central theme is that of reconciliation with God through the atonement of Christ.

“Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works. Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first–fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh.” (Jacob 4)

Jacob’s words have a special relevance to modern readers. Riches, interpersonal relationships, and redemption through Christ encompass concepts and principles that are very applicable to us. Jacob’s words can offer many great insights for us.

In examining the Book of Mormon narrative, we learn of several women, some well behaved, and some not, who had a great deal of influence on those around them and had pivotal roles in the sequence of events in which they found themselves.

1. Sariah
   The opening words of the 1 Nephi narrative mention Sariah where Nephi speaks of his “goodly parents.” Sariah had a brief lapse of faith when she complained against Lehi, but she soon came around, and in Lehi’s dream, she was among those who partook of the fruit of the tree. She gave birth to Jacob and Joseph in the Arabian Desert, and despite the anguish she suffered because of the behavior of Laman and Lemuel, she makes it to the Promised Land where she spends the remainder of her life as the colony’s matriarch.
2. Isabel
   Little is known of this mysterious woman, but she did have a strong impact on the missionary work in Antionum. Alma’s son Corianton was included in the team of missionaries that went to preach to the Zoramites. Corianton got distracted, and went to what appears to be the neighboring land of Siron, where he solicited services from Isabel, a local prostitute. Word seems to have gone out, and as a result, the other missionaries suffered image and credibility issues with the people.
3. Abish
   Abish was a member of King Lamoni’s court. We learn that prior to Ammon’s visit, she had personally been converted years earlier, reportedly due to a vision that her father had. When Lamoni and his household is converted and falls to the ground, incapacitated, Abish is the one who calls the townspeople to come and see. After some commotion as the people react to the scene of all the people lying lifeless on the ground, Abish goes up to the queen and raises her up. From that moment on, the process of widespread Lamanites conversion begins in the land.
4. Morianton’s Maid
   As the unsung heroine of the Book of Mormon, Morianton’s maid averted disaster in the land northward. Morianton, the leader of his city, after a border dispute with the land of Lehi, planed to conquer the entire land northward. He would have gone forward with his plan, but he beat his maid prior to executing his plan. His maid escaped, and alerted Teancum, who rounded up his troops, intercepted Morianton, and after a battle, successfully stopped him.
5. Isaiah’s Prophetess
   In Nephi’s quotation of Isaiah we read of a prophetess. This is generally understood to be a reference to Isaiah’s wife; she bears Isaiah’s child, and names him “Maher-shalal-hash-baz.” Beyond this, it is unclear what her role was, or why she was referred to as a prophetess. Some believe that she was called a prophetess simply because she was the prophet’s wife, but others believe that she may have had a more active role in the prophetic and revelatory process.
6. Jared’s Daughter
   In the Jaredite era, we read of a man named Jared (not the original Jared) who gained and subsequently lost his father Omer’s kingdom. He had a daughter who wanted to help him regain his throne. In order to do this, she planed to seduce a hit man, Akish, and have him kill Omer. She executed her plan, and danced for Akish. Akish asked to marry Jared’s daughter, at which point she set forth her terms. Meanwhile, Omer abandons his kingdom, and Akish and Jared are able to obtain the throne without a fight.
7. Lamoni’s Wife
   Along with Abish, Lamoni’s wife (the Queen) had an important part in the conversion of Lamoni’s household. When she hears that Lamoni had died, she suspects he is still alive, and summons Ammon to go see Lamoni. Ammon confirms that Lamoni is not dead, but only sleeps. The Queen admits that she has only Ammon’s word to rely on, but believes none the less. Ammon commends her, saying “there has not been such great faith among all the people of the Nephites.”
8. Amalickiah’s Wife
   Amalickiah was a renegade Nephite who rose to power among the Lamanites. After gaining control of the Lamanite army, he makes his way to the Lamanites royal palace, and manages to have the Lamanite king killed. Upon hearing about the King’s death, the Queen calls for Amalickiah, who convincingly blames the crime on some innocent servants. Eventually, the Lamanite Queen marries Amalickiah, hence making her the means of Amalickiah’s ultimate ascension to the highest rung of Lamanite hierarchy.
9. Nephi’s Wife
   After obtaining the brass plates, Lehi’s sons are once again instructed to go back to the Jerusalem—this time to find some women. They persuade Ishmael’s family to come with them. Ishmael had a number of daughters, one of whom eventually marries Nephi. We infer that she also bore Nephi’s children in the wilderness when we learn that she and the children pleaded and wept that Nephi might be released when he was tied up on the boat. However, despite her best efforts, Laman and Lemuel’s hearts were not softened—at least not immediately.
10. Mary
    Mary, the mother of Jesus, is mentioned several times in the Book of Mormon. First, Nephi sees her in his vision, and notes that she is “most beautiful and fair.” Later, King Benjamin related what an angel told him, and identifies her by name. Lastly, Alma, while preaching in Gideon, prophesies of the coming of the Messiah and notes that she is a “precious and a chosen vessel,” and would “bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.”

The people of the Book of Mormon, although far removed from the Holy land, were well aware of the promise of the Resurrection. Alma taught the Zoramites:

“…Begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead…” (Alma 33:22)

In addition to demonstrating understanding of the physical and eternal nature of the resurrection, the Book of Mormon also uses the resurrection in symbolic terms to illustrate the more abstract concepts of redemption and rebirth that are otherwise more difficult to grasp.

For example, Lehi teaches about salvation, and explains that Christ’s grace is the sole means of obtaining salvation. He then reinforces his point by juxtaposing it with words about Jesus’ resurrection:

“Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.” (2 Nephi 2:8)

We are just as powerless to resurrect ourselves as we are to escape physical death. Likewise, we all become trapped into spiritual death (ie. alienation from God,) and the only way to overcome either of these deaths is through the saving power of Christ. Jacob explains:

“And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.” (2 Nephi 9:12)

When we consider the parallels and the figurative connections between spiritual and physical salvation, many passages that may only have described a physical event in the past or a promise for the future suddenly take on increased significance for the present. Jacob later comments along these lines, by speaking of “obtaining,” resurrection. Given that everyone will resurrect regardless of anything, it seems clear that his allusion to the resurrection goes beyond the realm of bodily reconstitution:

“Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh.” (Jacob 4:11)

Samuel also notes the critical link between the resurrection and the receipt of salvation:

“For behold, he surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord.” (Helaman 14:15)

Abinadi, in speaking of the universality of God’s power and the plan of salvation, teaches:

“But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.” (Mosiah 16:8)

As we consider the implications of the resurrection, I invite you to visit several places on the internet that might enhance your observance of Easter:

• A collection of Easter scriptures (scriptures.lds.org)
• Video: “The Bread of Life” (jesuschrist.lds.org)
• Video: “The Atonement of Jesus Christ” (youtube.com)
• Gordon B. Hinckley: This Glorious Easter Morn (lds.org)

Finally, please watch a brief clip from “Special Witnesses of Christ,” in which the late Gordon B. Hinckley speaks of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and its meaning and effects with regards to humanity.

President Hinckley says:

“Never had this occurred before. There had been only death without hope. Now there was life eternal. Only a God could have done this. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ was the great crowning event of His life and mission. It was the capstone of the Atonement. The sacrifice of His life for all mankind was not complete without His coming forth from the grave, with the certainty of the Resurrection for all who have walked the earth. Of all the victories in the chronicles of humanity, none is so great, none so universal in its effects, none so everlasting in its consequences as the victory of the crucified Lord, who came forth from the tomb that first Easter morning.”

• Nephi’s Addition to his Record
• Importance of Baptism
• Enduring to the End
• The Doctrine of Christ
• The Necessity of Prayer
• Nephi’s Conclusion
• Nephi’s Last Goodbye

The essence of Nephi’s words is captured in his admonition to his readers:

“Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: ‘Ye shall have eternal life.’” (2 Nephi 31:19–20)

These chapters are some of the most poignant of Nephi’s writings, and carry with them some very signficant teachings. Let’s explore some of what he has to say.

Nephi teaches of the doctrine of Christ.
In an attempt to illustrate to path the path to God, Nephi emphasizes the need to emulate and follow Christ, and do as he did. This idea is presented in conjunction with the symbolism of rebirth in Christ that is embodied in the ordinance of baptism. Nephi explains that Jesus himself would be baptized, and that those who wish to follow Christ must strive to become the person that he is.

“And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!” (2 Nephi 31:5)

Nephi teaches that we must press forward and endure to the end.
When Nephi mentions the concept of enduring to the end as a prerequisite for the receipt of eternal life, a variety of ideas come to mind. “Enduring to the end” is often cited as an integral step of the gospel, but it is rarely articulated as anything beyond that. In his book “Following Christ,” LDS theologian Stephen E. Robinson explains:

“Enduring faithfully to the end does not just mean ‘coping’ successfully with our problems or suffering affliction with stamina, although some have been called upon to do these things in order to endure. Certainly it has little to do with overcoming personal obstacles or achieving personal goals. Rather it means staying put in the kingdom by holding on to Christ and to his church without altering our commitment—no matter what. Neither ‘enduring’ nor ‘being faithful’ means being perfect or living from our baptism until our death without sinning…” (Following Christ, p. 65.)

Nephi speaks of the importance of feasting on the words of Christ.
Adding to his original statement that we must feast upon the words of Christ, Nephi says:

“Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” (2 Nephi 32:3)

From this, it seems clear that scriptures are of little no value unless they are used as a directive for our behaviors and actions, and even attitudes.

Nephi declares that people will believe his words if they believe in Christ.
In what seems to be an effort to express the universality of Christ’s teachings, Nephi states that those that believe in Christ will embrace his words—all Christ centric teachings lead people to do good.

“And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.” (2 Nephi 33:10)

Nephi expresses his devotion and gratitude for Jesus
Finally, Nephi sings praises to the Lord, and while accepting his mortal flaws, revels in the truth of God which brings prospects of deliverance from hell:

“I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell.” (2 Nephi 33:6)

Most likely we would all like to be better missionaries by setting good examples and hoping that someone just might show some interest. However, chances are that whenever such circumstances arise and there is even a glimmer of interest, we don’t know exactly how to articulate the Gospel or our beliefs, even if we know them well.

So what are our beliefs? How do we explain who we are and what we know? The following contains several excerpts from the 11th chapter of “Preparation Precedes Power”, where Randy L. Bott gives us a pretty good idea of how to explain what we believe using the Book of Mormon.

“The most comprehensive outline [of the gospel] was given by the resurrected Savior to the Nephites. In 3 Nephi 27:13-21 the Lord defines eight points of what He terms “My Gospel.”

I. The first point defined by the Savior is the Atonement (verses 13-14)

“Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me.”

II. The second is the Resurrection (verse 14) which “second part of ‘My Gospel’ is put into effect because of the first — the Atonement. Without the atonement no one could be resurrected. ”

“That as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father”

“Before we can die, we must be born.. ‘For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfill the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection” (2 nephi 9:6).

III. Third is Judgment (verses 14-15)

“That as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.”

“We are born and live to have experiences. We live so we can one day die. We die so we can be resurrected. We are resurrected so we can stand judgment. We are judged to determine what kingdom of glory we have qualified to live in for the rest of our eternal existence.”

IV. The fourth, Faith in Jesus Christ (verse 19)

“And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith”

“As we develop ‘faith in Christ’ we see that He holds the key to our eternal life. By learning of Him, and following Him, we become like Him and therefore able to live eternally in His presence. Our faith motivates us to action.”

V. Repentance (verse 19)

If we are able to teach a little about that Gospel, faithfully, to those who may be interested, or in whom we may be interested. Randy L. Bott explained that if we can explain our beliefs so clearly and desirably, others my be willing to do anything (or give up anything) required to learn more to join the church.

But what’s next?

VI. The sixth definition of the Gospel is Baptism (verse 20)

“Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name…”

“…Baptism is.. the manifestation that God has established as an observable action indicating the inward conviction to follow Christ. Mormon said: ‘Therefore, there were ordained of Nephi, men unto this ministry, that all such as should come unto them should be baptized with water, and this as a witness and a testimony before God, and unto the people, that they had repented and received a remission of their sins.’

VII. The Gift of the Holy Ghost (verse 20)

“That ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.”

“The Holy Ghost acts as a Guide to help us detect and avoid the pitfalls placed in our pathway by the devil and his angels. Without that Divine help we are destined to stumble and fall frequently. Remember: ‘The Holy Ghost is a revelator. No man can have the Holy Ghost without receiving revelation’”

“The Holy Ghost will not only lead you away from spiritual traps of Satan but will inspire or prompt you [in teaching the Gospel] and bear witness to the truthfulness of what you are teaching. With the Holy Ghost you cannot fail; without it, you cannot succeed. The Holy Ghost is the Divine influence that ‘fills your soul with joy’.”

VIII. Lastly Endure to the End (verse 16)

Finally we believe that we must press forward! We must endure to the end!

“If he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.”

“Often as continue through life we struggle, sometimes due to our own choices or even the choices of others. We may find ourselves wondering what we need to do and our Savior Jesus Christ has told us just that and asked the very question, “What manner of men ought ye to be-” and responded, “Verily I say unto you, even as I am!”" (3 nephi 27:27)

“Enduring to the end is not difficult — you do it just one day at a time.”

We can all be missionaries, in fact that is one main reason why we are here! I would suggest reading 3 Nephi 27:13-21 to gain a better understanding of what the Gospel is, and to learn how to better teach it.

Idle speculation can indeed be counterproductive, but it might come as a surprise that the Book of Mormon actually contains a considerable amount of information regarding the contents, origin, and purpose of the sealed portion. The pedigree of what became the sealed portion can roughly be characterized as follows:

1. Obtained by Brother of Jared
2. Compiled and hid by Ether
3. Discovered by the Limhi’s search team
4. Translated by Mosiah
5. Kept by Alma
6. Passed down to Mormon
7. Translated and compiled by Moroni
8. Received by Joseph Smith
9. Anticipating the unsealing

Obtained by the Brother of Jared

If we consult the story of the Brother of Jared, we learn that he requested that the Lord touch the 16 stones he had made in order to illuminate them. Having shown his spiritual finger, the Lord proceeds to show himself entirely. Having done this, we learn that:

“When the Lord had said these words, he showed unto the brother of Jared all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would be; and he withheld them not from his sight, even unto the ends of the earth…and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.” (Ether 3: 25, 4:4)

After showing this marvelous vision, the Lord said:

“Write these things and seal them up; and I will show them in mine own due time unto the children of men.” (Ether 3:27)

We assume that the vision was recorded, “sealed up” and kept with the Jaredite records.

Compiled and hid by Ether

Ether was the last Jaredite prophet, and it was he who took the challenge of writing the history of his people:

“And as he dwelt in the cavity of a rock he made the remainder of his record” (Ether 13:14)

Ether then took the Jaredite record, which doubtless contained the vision of the brother of Jared, and secured them in some repository:

“And he went forth, and beheld that the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled; and he finished his record; (and the hundredth part I have not written) and he hid them in a manner that the people of Limhi did find them.” (Ether 15:33)

Discovered by the Limhi’s search team

Limhi, the son of King Noah, was of the third generation of the group that left Zarahemla and recolonized the land of Nephi. The Lamanites had invaded, however, and the people of Limhi were subjected to a heavy tax. Remembering their origins, Limhi sent a sent a search team out to find Zarahemla. The team sets out, but lacking direction, they completely overshoot Zarahemla and instead reach the land northward, where they discover Jaredite ruins:

“Nevertheless, they did find a land which had been peopled; yea, a land which was covered with dry bones; yea, a land which had been peopled and which had been destroyed; and they, having supposed it to be the land of Zarahemla, returned to the land of Nephi.” (Mosiah 21:26)

In these ruins, they found the Jaredite record that had been left by Ether, and brought it back to the land of Nephi with them:

“And they brought a record with them, even a record of the people whose bones they had found; and it was engraven on plates of ore. And for a testimony that the things that they had said are true they have brought twenty–four plates which are filled with engravings, and they are of pure gold.” (Mosiah 21:27, 8:9)

Unfortunately, Limhi’s people were unable to translate the records because “there [was] no one in the land that [was] able to interpret the language or the engravings that are on the plates” (Mosiah 8:11), so they remained an elusive mystery. A few days later, Ammon and his team, dispatched from Zarahemla, encounter Limhi’s people. Ammon tells Limhi about the prophet Mosiah in Zarahemla, and Limhi expresses his desire to have the records translated:

“For I am desirous that these records should be translated into our language; for, perhaps, they will give us a knowledge of a remnant of the people who have been destroyed, from whence these records came; or, perhaps, they will give us a knowledge of this very people who have been destroyed; and I am desirous to know the cause of their destruction.” (Mosiah 12:18)

Translated by Mosiah

Limhi’s group is eventually led by Ammon back to Zarahemla. There, Mosiah got the records, and “translated and caused to be written the records which were on the plates of gold which had been found by the people of Limhi.” (Mosiah 28:11) Based on the account in the book of Mosiah, we can rest assured that these plates is in fact the record of the Jaredites, which included the sealed vision of the Brother of Jared:

“Now after Mosiah had finished translating these records, behold, it gave an account of the people who were destroyed, from the time that they were destroyed back to the building of the great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people and they were scattered abroad upon the face of all the earth, yea, and even from that time back until the creation of Adam.” (Mosiah 28:17)

However, it seems clear that Mosiah suppressed the publication of his translation, and presumably only gave an oral summary to the people:

“…They were forbidden to come unto the children of men until after that he should be lifted up upon the cross; and for this cause did king Mosiah keep them, that they should not come unto the world until after Christ should show himself unto his people.” (Ether 4:1)

Even so, the people seemed satisfied with whatever information they received:

“Now this account did cause the people of Mosiah to mourn exceedingly, yea, they were filled with sorrow; nevertheless it gave them much knowledge, in the which they did rejoice.” (Mosiah 28:18)

Following this, it appears that Mosiah put the 24 Jaredite plates and his translation in the Nephite record repository.

Kept by Alma

Alma eventually become the Nephite record keeper, and we have sufficient evidence to believe that he was keenly aware of the Jaredite record and what it contained, although it is unclear whether he had read the contents of the brother of Jared’s vision. In speaking to his son Helaman, Alma said:

“And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty–four plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be made manifest unto this people.” (Alma 37:21)

Passed down to Mormon

Many generations later, Mormon was charged with the responsibilities of record keeping. He received the Nephite records from Ammaron, who had deposited them in the hill shim. He instructed Mormon:

“Therefore, when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; and when ye are of that age go to the land Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings concerning this people.” (Mormon 1:3)

Mormon does as commanded, and, based off of the Nephite records, he writes the account of the Nephites on his own plates. Having done this, he passes the record keeping responsibilities to his son Moroni.

Translated, compiled and sealed by Moroni

While the complete hand-off sequence is unclear, we know that Moroni ended up with at least the plates of Mormon (Mormon 6:6), and the 24 Jaredite plates. (Ether 1:2)

Moroni begins translating the 24 plates, and writes his summary of it in what eventually became the book of Ether. When Moroni reaches the point where the brother of Jared’s vision is recorded, he makes a full and complete account of it, although it would seem in a separate section of the plates:

“Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared. Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them.” (Ether 4:4)

Having written the vision, he warns the translator of his record not to include this sealed vision:

“I have told you the things which I have sealed up; therefore touch them not in order that ye may translate; for that thing is forbidden you, except by and by it shall be wisdom in God.” (Ether 5:1)

Moroni then completes the record, and hides it up.

Received by Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith unearthed the record in the late 1820’s. Joseph noted that a portion of the plates were sealed:

“These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings, in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed.” (Letter to John Wentworth, editor of the Chicago Democrat)

Martin Harris was aware of this when he went to Colombia University to settle his mind regarding the authenticity of the project his would undertake. He sought out Professor Charles Anthon, who after examining a transcript of characters copies from the gold plates, issued Martin a certificate of authenticity. Martin explained:

“I took the certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him. He then said to me, ‘Let me see that certificate.’ I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying that there was no such thing now as ministering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, ‘I cannot read a sealed book.’ I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation.” (Joseph Smith History 1:64-65)

This seems to be the fulfillment of an obscure Isaiah prophesy:

“And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.” (Isaiah 29:11-12)

This prophesy was further expounded by Nephi, who added the Lord’s words regarding the sealed portion:

“But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither shall he deliver the book. For the book shall be sealed by the power of God, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may come forth; for behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof… Touch not the things which are sealed, for I will bring them forth in mine own due time; for I will show unto the children of men that I am able to do mine own work.” (2 Nephi 27:10-21)

Anticipating the unsealing

It would be a terrible waste if the Brother of Jared, Ether, Mosiah, and Moroni all went through the trouble of recording, compiling, or translating the sealed portion if it was simply destined to be forever locked up. We do learn that the sealed portion, will indeed come forth, but the conditions must be right. The Lord told Moroni:

“They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord. And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.” (Ether 4: 6-7)

Joseph Smith was given the keys of unlocking the sealed portion—keys which are still active today:

“And I have given unto him the keys of the mystery of those things which have been sealed, even things which were from the foundation of the world, and the things which shall come from this time until the time of my coming, if he abide in me, and if not, another will I plant in his stead.” (D&C 35: 18)

Bruce R. McConkie weighed in on the subject as such:

“Sadly, the book is sealed; as contents are being kept from men in this day. Indeed, it is not even now in the possession of mortals; it was returned by Joseph Smith to Moroni, its divinely appointed custodian. Nor did even Joseph Smith either read or translate it. We know of no one among mortals since Mormon and Moroni who have known its contents. It was known among the Nephites during he nearly two hundred years of their Golden Era. But for the present, the book is kept bent us; only the portion upon which no seal was placed has been translated. Why are these plates of Mormon sealed? The answer is obvious. They contain spiritual truths beyond our present ability to receive. Milk must precede meat, and whenever men are offered more of the mysteries of the kingdom than they are prepared to receive, it affects them adversely.” (New Witness, p. 443.)

Regarding its contents, Elder McConkie also said:

“Of this much we are quite certain: when, during the Millennium, the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon is translated, it will give an account of life in preexistence; of the creation of all things; of the fall and the atonement and the Second Coming; of temple ordinances, in their fulness; of the ministry and mission of translated beings; of life in the spirit world, in both paradise and hot of the kingdoms of glory to be inhabited by resurrected being and many such like things.(”The Bible—A Sealed Book,” CES Address, August 1984.)

Whatever its exact contents, the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon is doubtless full of fascinating and insightful information. Who knows when the day will come that its contents will be revealed, but in the meantime we would do well to remember that we are still under condemnation for not taking seriously the part of the Book of Mormon that we do have. So how can we take this book of scripture more seriously? Well, for starters, you cans start exploring http://bookofmormononline.net/ and see where that leads you.

Nephi discusses a variety of of topics, including a prophesy of the coming of Christ, predictions regarding the last days, and a foreshadowing of the Gospel’s restoration. Nephi also speaks of the judgments of God, and warns of the devices of the devil that will prove to be detrimental to the humanity.

Through it all, Nephi continues to emphasize the goodness of God, saying:

“He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.” (2 Nephi 26:33)

Much of Nephi’s message can be categorized as follows:

Nephi prophesies of the Savior’s ministry among the Nephites.
As we learn of the future visit of Jesus Christ, we gain additional insight regarding God’s motivation and plan. We are given the picture of a compassionate, magnanimous God, who desperately wishes for everyone to come unto him.

“He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.” (2 Nephi 26:24)

Nephi testifies of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
Alluding to Isaiah’s “sealed book” prophesy, Nephi foresees a vignette in the process of the Book of Mormon’s production in which Martin Harris brings transcribed characters from the Book of Mormon plates professor Anthon and Dr. Mitchell for verification.

“But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto him to whom he shall deliver the book: Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may show them unto the learned, saying: Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say: Bring hither the book, and I will read them.” (2 Nephi 27:15)

Nephi prophesies that Satan will spread false doctrines in the last days.
One of most deceptive devices the devil uses to the detriment of humanity is complacency and apathy. When people they there is nothing to fear, and no cause worth fighting for, that is when they are the most vulnerable.

“And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.” (2 Nephi 28:21)

Nephi teaches about the importance of the Book of Mormon.
Finally, Nephi makes a very good case for being open to additional scripture from God. Concerning those who would consider the Bible to be the final pronouncement from heaven, we read:

“Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews? Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?” (2 Nephi 29:6-7)

In these chapters, Nephi provides us with a large amount of very pertinent information that has particular application for us, who live in the times that we do. Just as Nephi spent that past few chapters likening Isaiah unto him, we can now take Nephi’s words and liken them unto us.

“For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.”

These words come in the context of the Lord ’s anger at Israel’s arrogance, and often comes at the tail end of a stanza that describes the plagues, calamities and judgments that will befall an unrepentant Israel. Yet the words are often interpreted as “even though God is angry, his hand of mercy is still extended to Israel.” We see this interpretation in the CES Book of Mormon student manual:

“Isaiah prophesied that Israel would refuse to heed the Lord. Yet, in spite of Israel’s rejection of the Lord, ‘his hand is stretched out still’” (Link)

While the scriptures make amply clear that God’s mercy is accessible to even the vilest of sinners, there is substantial reason to doubt that this is the message of this “hand is stretched out still” chorus.

The Book of Mormon’s original source text is unavailable, but we are able to consult Hebrew texts when dealing with some of the brass plate passages that have survived through the Bible. Nephi’s Isaiah quotation in this instance can be found in Isaiah 9, specifically verse 21.

The King James version is identical to the Book of Mormon rendering:

“For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.”

We do indeed have the original Hebrew text that this is translated from, which reads:

“וְהָעָ֥ם לֹא־שָׁ֖ב עַד־הַמַּכֵּ֑הוּ וְאֶת־יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹ֖ות לֹ֥א דָרָֽשׁוּ׃”

Unfortunately, most people don’t speak Hebrew, making these original texts fairly useless. However, if we consider that the KJV is not the only English translation derived directly from Hebrew, we can look at alternative translations that also consulted the original Hebrew in their making. Let’s sample Isaiah 9:21 through the lens of a variety of translations, and see if helps illuminate the actual meaning of the original.

The Message Bible

“But even after that, he was still angry,his fist still raised, ready to hit them again.”

New Living Translation

“But even then the Lord’s anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike.”

Contemporary English Version

“But even this did not stop him from being angry, so he kept on punishing them.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible

“In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised to strike.”

New International Reader’s Version

“Even then, the Lord is still angry. His hand is still raised against them.”

New International Version

“Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.”

Additional translation comparisons are available here.

Given that these translations all looked to the original Hebrew for their meaning, it seems very doubtful that Isaiah penned this as a message of mercy towards Israel. Again, merciful themes are expressed in multitudes of other passages, but this “hand is stretched out still” reference appears to actually be an articulation of God’s continued displeasure with Israel’s rebellion.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!” (2 Nephi 24:12)

This does indeed bear striking resemblance to the apocalyptic account of the fall and exile of the dragon:

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Revelation 12:7-9)

But is the connection between these two passages as clear cut as we might like to think? Let’s examine the context that Isaiah gives to his passage as we search for increased understanding.

Isaiah had previously been speaking about Babylon—particularly in reference to its opposition to Zion and Israel. All of 2 Nephi 23 (Isaiah 13) is dedicated to prophesying of the fall of Babylon, and the prevailing of God’s people. In 2 Nephi 24 (Isaiah 14), we see this prophesy comes to pass, and Israel rejoices over “how hath the oppressor ceased.” Back in chapter 23, Isaiah used astronomical imagery (stars, constellations, sun, moon) to describe the realized power of God against those who oppose him (ie Babylon). Turning back to chapter 24 we see what turns out to be a parallel fulfillment of this prophesy, which is the scripture we are examining:

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”

Given the context of Isaiah’s words, it seems very unlikely that he is interjecting an aside about the primeval war in heaven. Rather, it makes much more sense that he is continuing his train of thought regarding the fall of Babylon using an astronomical metaphor. But what does astronomy have to do with this passage? First, it should come as no surprise that the word “heaven” is not only a designation for the dwelling of God, but is also a generic term meaning “sky.” And “Lucifer,” as it turns out, is defined by the dictionary as the planet Venus, the morning and the evening star.

Lucifer is a Latin word meaning “light bearer” (from lux, lucis, “light”, and ferre, “to bear, bring”), and a Roman astrological term for the “Morning Star” the planet Venus. Venus is one of the first and brightest stars to appear in thy sky (due to its proximity to the setting sun,) but it also falls below the horizon very early on in the night. Perhaps for this reason it was used as a symbol to describe something of greatness that fell into essentially oblivion (In Isaiah’s case, Babylon). Lucifer came to be identified with Satan by Christendom largely due to John Milton’s religious epic entitled Paradise Lost, where that identification is taken as a given, lack of scriptural support notwithstanding. But the word “Lucifer”only appears in the standard works three times, two of which are the Isaiah and 2 Nephi renderings of this scripture, and the other is in D&C 76: 26, in a vision of the pre-mortal world and war in heaven.

The traditional understanding of Lucifer is that it was the Devil’s name before he was expelled from heaven, when he became known as Satan. But if “Lucifer” is simply referring to Venus, how do we understand it in the D&C context, which is clearly about the fall of Satan? Let’s have a good look:

“And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son, And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him—he was Lucifer, a son of the morning. And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning!” (D&C 76-24-26)

If we look at this carefully, we see the Devil is referred to in three ways:

1. An angel of God
2. Perdition
3. Lucifer

It says that “Perdition” is what he was called, and “Lucifer” is what he was. It should be noted that both references are in past tense, so it does us no good to try to determine which is which in terms of pre or post fall. If we understand both the literary concept of a metaphor, as well as the symbolic significance of the Morning Star (ie Venus/Lucifer,) the allusion to the fall of Venus seems entirely appropriate to describe the fall Satan.

However, back to the Isaiah reference to Lucifer, it appears that it is not a reference to Satan at all, but is a description of the fall of Babylon. In all fairness, Babylon could in turn be understood as a symbol for Satan, but even so, the Isaiah connection between Lucifer and Satan is at best indirect. While I am sure there are some who would continue to quibble over satanic nomenclature, I believe that the case is clear that the word “Lucifer” is not an original designation of the Devil.

For a concise overview of the Nephi’s Isaiah quotations, click here.

While Isaiah is general respected and revered, the “Isaiah chapters” are dreaded by many readers. Some of the reasons for this include the absences of any cohesive narrative; symbols, metaphors, and allegories that seem very obscure or cryptic, and a prose that is difficult for untrained readers to follow. Acknowledging these issues, Boyd K. Packer said:

“The Book of Mormon is a book of scripture. It is another testament of Jesus Christ. It is written in biblical language, the language of the prophets. For the most part, it is in easy-flowing New Testament language, with such words as spake for spoke, unto for to, with and it came to pass, with thus and thou and thine. You will not read many pages into it until you catch the cadence of that language and the narrative will be easy to understand. As a matter of fact, most teenagers readily understand the narrative of the Book of Mormon.

“Then, just as you settle in to move comfortably along, you will meet a barrier. The style of the language changes to Old Testament prophecy style. For, interspersed in the narrative, are chapters reciting the prophecies of the Old Testament prop