20. And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God has given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let us remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our heads, for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better land, for the Lord has made the sea our path, and we are upon an isle of the sea.
. . .
23. Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.
This is the last part of Jacob's sermon that Nephi includes before quoting extensively from Isaiah. Here Jacob speaks to the people about the promises of the Lord to them. He reminds them that they are a branch of the house of Israel. He prophesies of the Savior's crucifixion by the Jews and says their iniquities will bring upon them destruction, but that in the day they choose to believe in Christ and follow him, they will be restored to the land of their inheritance. To fulfill his covenant, the Lord needs to destroy the works of darkness before he can restore to the house of Israel the promises he has made.
The Nephites are a branch of the house of Israel, and the Lord's promises apply to them as well. Their seed will be afflicted by the Gentiles, but in the end they will receive this land as their inheritance. It's important that they remember this, that they see the big picture and recognize what the Lord is doing. Remembering the Lord will ensure that they receive the land of their inheritance rather than the hand of destruction.
How does remembering the Lord help us lay aside our sins and keep our heads from hanging down? Verse 20 uses remembering the Lord in the context of feeling cast off, forgotten, isolated, driven from what you thought was your inheritance. The Nephites have been driven not just from Jerusalem, but also from their first settlement in the Americas. Then they have just heard prophecies about the destruction and scattering of the house of Israel. They may very well feel cast off and forgotten, like the promises will never be fulfilled to them.
I think we all have moments when we feel this way. In these times it's easy to hang our heads, get depressed, and not care if we sin a little here and there. In fact, we might even search out a little sin as we try to satisfy the flesh with immediate gratification in an effort to feel something besides sadness, hopelessness, or just plain numb. But if we will remember the Lord, we will gain strength to lift our heads and look forward to the better land to which he is leading us. We will be cheerful and confident and gladly put our sins aside because we no longer desire them or their effects. We need to always remember that he keeps his promises.
Verse 23 tells us to remember that we are free to act for ourselves, to choose life or death. No matter how strong a temptation, we can overcome it through Christ. Because of the atonement, we can choose. It is always our choice.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
2 Nephi 9:44, 51-52--Words
44. O, my beloved brethren, remember my words. Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood.
. . .
51. Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.
52. Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice.
Jacob is finishing up his sermon for the day. He wants to keep teaching, but apparently it's late and he'll have to wait until tomorrow. He has a strong desire to teach, and I think a result of that desire is the repeated use of the word remember towards the end of this chapter. In verses 44 and 51 he tells us to remember his words, and in 52 he tells us to remember the words of our God. I think it shows how important these words are.
At this point in the Book of Mormon we have quite a few of Jacob's words. It's a lot to remember. But then he tells us to remember the words of the Lord, which would encompass all scripture. So my original quest to find out what exactly it is we are to remember seems to be at an end since the answer appears to be everything. I guess that should have been obvious. It just puts us back to the next question, which is how. How are we supposed to remember all of Jacob's words, let alone all of the Lord's words? It seems the only way is to read them, study them, and think about them every day. Application of the words is also helpful. I think if I write in my journals about experiences I've had where I've applied the words of the Lord, it will help my kids to remember those words.
. . .
51. Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.
52. Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice.
Jacob is finishing up his sermon for the day. He wants to keep teaching, but apparently it's late and he'll have to wait until tomorrow. He has a strong desire to teach, and I think a result of that desire is the repeated use of the word remember towards the end of this chapter. In verses 44 and 51 he tells us to remember his words, and in 52 he tells us to remember the words of our God. I think it shows how important these words are.
At this point in the Book of Mormon we have quite a few of Jacob's words. It's a lot to remember. But then he tells us to remember the words of the Lord, which would encompass all scripture. So my original quest to find out what exactly it is we are to remember seems to be at an end since the answer appears to be everything. I guess that should have been obvious. It just puts us back to the next question, which is how. How are we supposed to remember all of Jacob's words, let alone all of the Lord's words? It seems the only way is to read them, study them, and think about them every day. Application of the words is also helpful. I think if I write in my journals about experiences I've had where I've applied the words of the Lord, it will help my kids to remember those words.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
2 Nephi 9:41--The Lord's Paths are Righteous
O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.
I'm not sure why Jacob wants us to remember that the Lord's paths are righteous. It seems obvious, and it also doesn't seem to change anything if you think of the definition of "righteous" as morally upright--a standard set by the Lord himself. I can't really separate righteousness from the Lord, so to say "remember the Lord because he is righteous" feels no different to me than "remember the Lord because he is the Lord," or "remember to be righteous because that's the only way to be righteous." I'm probably missing something.
Maybe what I'm missing has to do with remembering that the Lord's paths are righteous. I don't know why paths is plural when way, it, and gate are all singular. Maybe I'm looking beyond the mark. Maybe it's just a reminder to be righteous and to remember on our own to be righteous. Can't a prophet tell us that without being scrutinized?
I'm not sure why Jacob wants us to remember that the Lord's paths are righteous. It seems obvious, and it also doesn't seem to change anything if you think of the definition of "righteous" as morally upright--a standard set by the Lord himself. I can't really separate righteousness from the Lord, so to say "remember the Lord because he is righteous" feels no different to me than "remember the Lord because he is the Lord," or "remember to be righteous because that's the only way to be righteous." I'm probably missing something.
Maybe what I'm missing has to do with remembering that the Lord's paths are righteous. I don't know why paths is plural when way, it, and gate are all singular. Maybe I'm looking beyond the mark. Maybe it's just a reminder to be righteous and to remember on our own to be righteous. Can't a prophet tell us that without being scrutinized?
Saturday, April 5, 2008
2 Nephi 9:40--The Greatness of the Holy One of Israel
O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words. Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Do not say that I have spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker. I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken.
After recounting their departure from Laman and Lemuel and the establishment of the Nephite people, Nephi then includes in his record some of the words of his brother Jacob, who has been ordained to teach the people. Jacob begins his message by teaching from the words of Isaiah so the people will know the covenants of the Lord and the blessings that await them if they are faithful. He then teaches them the great plan of happiness and the power of the atonement.
The reason the atonement is necessary is because man is fallen and subject to laws he will inevitably break. The atonement will save those who repent, but Jacob gives a long list of wo for those who break the laws. Verse 39, which is what I wrote about yesterday, is the first verse following this list of wo. Jacob naturally urges the people to remember the awfulness of transgressing the law and to remember that to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life eternal.
In verse 40, Jacob encourages the people to remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. After such a long list of things that will thrust them down to hell, it's understandable that the Nephites might need a reminder of the Lord's goodness. But even though his words might seem hard, they are only hard to those who are not righteous. The righteous do not fear the truth; they love it and are not shaken.
We are often reminded of the awful punishment that awaits those who break the commandments. Some of those reminders come when we ourselves give in to temptation and suffer because of it. The sorrow is painful, but we must remember the greatness of the Lord. What we have to remember in those times is not the punishment we are receiving, but that the Savior performed the atonement so we wouldn't have to suffer the full effects of our sins, which culminate in spiritual death. That should always be at the forefront of our minds. The Lord is great because he overcame all things. We are often weak and give in to temptation, but he resisted temptation.
I will make an effort to reveal in my journals the greatness of the Holy One of Israel as I have experienced the power of the atonement lifting me from death and hell and filling me with joy. My children need to know of his greatness, and they need to know that I knew of that greatness.
After recounting their departure from Laman and Lemuel and the establishment of the Nephite people, Nephi then includes in his record some of the words of his brother Jacob, who has been ordained to teach the people. Jacob begins his message by teaching from the words of Isaiah so the people will know the covenants of the Lord and the blessings that await them if they are faithful. He then teaches them the great plan of happiness and the power of the atonement.
The reason the atonement is necessary is because man is fallen and subject to laws he will inevitably break. The atonement will save those who repent, but Jacob gives a long list of wo for those who break the laws. Verse 39, which is what I wrote about yesterday, is the first verse following this list of wo. Jacob naturally urges the people to remember the awfulness of transgressing the law and to remember that to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life eternal.
In verse 40, Jacob encourages the people to remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. After such a long list of things that will thrust them down to hell, it's understandable that the Nephites might need a reminder of the Lord's goodness. But even though his words might seem hard, they are only hard to those who are not righteous. The righteous do not fear the truth; they love it and are not shaken.
We are often reminded of the awful punishment that awaits those who break the commandments. Some of those reminders come when we ourselves give in to temptation and suffer because of it. The sorrow is painful, but we must remember the greatness of the Lord. What we have to remember in those times is not the punishment we are receiving, but that the Savior performed the atonement so we wouldn't have to suffer the full effects of our sins, which culminate in spiritual death. That should always be at the forefront of our minds. The Lord is great because he overcame all things. We are often weak and give in to temptation, but he resisted temptation.
I will make an effort to reveal in my journals the greatness of the Holy One of Israel as I have experienced the power of the atonement lifting me from death and hell and filling me with joy. My children need to know of his greatness, and they need to know that I knew of that greatness.
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