1 Nephi 10:18

18  For he is the ^asame yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.

     “he is the same yesterday”

            -Nephi could not be more blatant or clear unless he were to say “God is ready to show you these things also if you would only prepare yourselves for the experience.”  Do not think for one second that we are any different than he or are operating under different rules.  The level of technology might have changed, but how God deals with his children is constant and always will be.

            -God is constant, He does not change and cannot be swayed.  He is absolutely secure in who and what He is.  Compare this to mortal man who is so equivocal, liable to be swayed, unsettled and unsure.  Paul identified this tendency and urged us to be more like God: “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, wheeby they lie in wait to deceive.” (Eph. 4:14). 

            -we are not, like God, unchangeable mostly because we –to be honest- need to change.  We need to become more righteous, more pure.  We need to work toward a more Christlike character.  To stay the same yesterday and today would be to remain unqualified for eternal life.  Some people stubbornly cling to their character weaknesses and faults.  On the other hand, in those things we can be perfect in  -in Sabbath observance, in payment of tithing, in honesty- we should be constant, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.  By being such, people can count on us.  God can trust us.  There are few things that generate more security for a spouse than knowing exactly how their partner will act in a certain situation  -that they will be true, that they will be reliable in a specific situation or while doing a specific thing.  This is equally true and vital for children who need a sense of security in their lives:  to know that dad and mom love each other, to know that mom is around when they walk through the door from school and yell out, “Mom!?”.  The psychological and emotional assurance of such things is incalculable.  When we have achieved this type of righteous consistency we have become like God by being the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.

     “the way is prepared… from the foundation of the world”

            -God’s plan, the plan of salvation, is not some hastily conceived or constantly evolving plan.  It took shape before the seeming chaos and complicated scenarios of this life rolled out.  There is no situation that breaches the parameters of the plan.  The way leading to salvation accounts for all contingencies.

            -our plans are frequently much less prepared or well thought out.  This applies to our life plans, to our vacation plans, to the prepartions we give to our callings, etc.  Mortals are masters of improvisation and procrastination.  God does not organize his reality in this manner and neither should we  -if, that is, we wish to be successful in our endeavors.  For example, a Young Men’s Wednesday activity deserves much more advanced and careful planning than we often give it.  It is subsequently much less successful or impactul than we hoped.  We will answer for this one day.

1 Nephi 10:17

17  And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the ^awords of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a ^bvision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God—and the Son of God was the ^cMessiah who should come—I, Nephi, was ^ddesirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the ^eHoly Ghost, which is the ^fgift of God unto ^gall those who diligently seek him, as well in times of ^hold as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.

     “after I… having heard …”

            -what would we do?  What would be our reaction?  What IS our reaction?

     “which power he received by faith on the Son of God”

            -power (the ability to navigate and operate at a celestial level, to see and understand eternal truths) comes from our level of faith in Jesus Christ.  If we have little faith, we will have limited power to handle celestial processes, environments and associations.  We may have great telestial power but our dominion will be limited to processes, environments and associations of a telestial order.  Lehi is not concerned with or foretelling the sociopolitical hierarchy of Jerusalem… he is not concerned with these events in the least.  He is preoccupied with eternity which is on an entirely different level.

     “was desirous”

            -what is entailed in this little but powerful word?  Generally my desire is weak and flighty (not to mention the motives behind it).  How can I ever expect a similar experience as Nephi is about to have with this kind of behavior?

    “I might see, and hear, and know”

            -you can sense his excitement and zeal.  He wants to experience it, to know in every way –see, hear, know!

            -to see and to hear are physical senses.  These are the foundations of temporal learning.  We come to know things, even the things of God, while in this temporal existence by seeing and hearing.  To “know” however takes this process a step further.  It is the leap from things happening outside of us (that we perceive with our senses) to things happening inside of us   -in our brain, mind and spirit.  We see and hear many things that we do not know (or we might also say “that we do not understand”).  We see something and then we begin to question it with the passage of time or when subjected to sufficient scrutiny or doubt.  How does something that we see and hear become something that we then know?  And furthermore, how does something that we know retain its permanence, that is, how does the conviction of our knowing resist a natural erosion.  Knowing, like elements of the natural world appears to have a half-life.  The more spiritual and experience (as compared to a physical experience) seems to have greater permanence and resists doubt and erosion… why?  Possibly because “knowing” is rooted in the spirit rather than the body.

            -it appears that there is a pattern that leads to Nephi’s viewing of the things his father saw:

              1.  he “heard”:  I think we can also assume that he listed and considered as well as

                   simply hearing.

              2.  he believed/had faith:  just as he recognized his father’s endowments by virtue of

                   faith, he did as well!

              3. was desirous:  this must be  a level of desire that is very rarely achieved.  What does it

                  entail?  How is it achieved?

              4.  see, hear and know:  he believed that he could have the whole experience.

              5.  he knew from what source to look:  by the power of the Holy Ghost.  We need to

                   know who or what will be the bestower of what we seek.  Heavenly things follow an

                  order and we must align ourselves to it.

              6.  he knew how the Holy Ghost operated:  to see, hear and know required the

                   instrumentality of the Holy Ghost.  Therefore, the Holy Ghost must be understood

                   and its operative guidelines abided by.

              7.  he knew that consistent and strict obedience to the entire gospel was a prerequisite: 

                   “diligently seek him”.  “Diligently” is a word too quickly read over.  It signifies

                   devotion and commitment.  It implies “difficulty or opposition.  We are not diligent

                   in things that come easily.  Seeking God is an overriding guiding attitude.

     “the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him”

            -this phrase is a direct reference to the Holy Ghost and the subsequent priveledge of obtaining knowledge/conviction from the Holy Ghost.  This is one of God’s most precious and substantial gifts to man.  It is available for the claiming.  But it is obtained with a price.  We have to earn this gift.  The reward is too valuable, too consequential, too heavy for casual or apathetic acquisition.  As has been said regarding temporal matters, “what we obtain to cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.”  There is nothing more valuable than a sure confirmation of truth, of things as they really are, of God and of our relationship to Him.  Surely such a gift is obtained after tremendous effort.

1 Nephi 10:15-16

15  And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and speak unto my brethren, and also many more things which I do not write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were expedient for me in mine ^aother book.

16  And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my father dwelt in a ^atent, in the valley of Lemuel.

            -what a period of profound revelation and instruction!  Is there a connection between the tremendous sacrifices made by Lehi and his family (in leaving their homes and putting their unrestrained trust in the Lord) and this period of revelatory outpouring?

1 Nephi 10:14

14  And after the house of ^aIsrael should be scattered they should be ^bgathered together again; or, in fine, after the ^cGentiles had received the fulness of the ^dGospel, the natural branches of the ^eolive-tree, or the ^fremnants of the house of ^gIsrael, should be grafted in, or ^hcome to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.

     “grafted in”

            -what constitutes, what physical or identifiable events are the culmination of, the grafting?  Baptism?  Belief in Christ?  Reception of the Priesthood or saving ordinances?

These events can be plotted on a timeline to see the long-term vision of the Lord:

1 Nephi 10:13

13  Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the ^aland of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.

            -because of his knowledge (testimony, understanding, stuffy of scriptures, spiritual tutelage) Lehi was able to gain advanced perception as to their role in the plan.  He could answer the question, “why is this happening to us, why do we have to leave our homes?”  Contrast this with the many times that we find ourselves in the middle of a trial and we have no idea why these difficult experiences are befalling us.  Are there ways to better perceive and hence have a more peaceful heart when challenging situations cause us to ask:  why/what is this happening to me?

1 Nephi 10:12

12  Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared like unto an ^aolive-tree, whose ^bbranches should be broken off and should be ^cscattered upon all the face of the earth.

            -why the recurring comparison, experience with and environment of olive trees for sacred happenings?

            -many Christians note the prevenlance of olives and olive trees in the Bible and pose similar questions: What is the significance of the olive tree, and olive oil, in the Scriptures?  Why were olive trees “shaken,” and why were the berries “beaten,” and “trodden down”? Why were kings and priests anointed with olive oil?  What does olive oil and the olive tree symbolize?  There is far more mystery and truth hidden about the humble olive than most begin to imagine!  Here is new insight into this remarkable plant, its oil, its wood, its ancient usage, and its function and typology:

1 Nephi 10:11

11  And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be preached among the Jews, and also concerning the ^adwindling of the Jews in ^bunbelief.  And after they had ^cslain the Messiah, who should come, and after he had been slain he should ^drise from the dead, and should make himself ^emanifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto the Gentiles.

            -Christ went to the people/the keepers of the covenant first.  These were represented by the Jews and other remenants of the house of Israel.  When these largely rejected him and refused to give him his rightful place, he went to the Gentiles –those outside the covenant group.  He extended the covenant to them and made them his covenant people. 

1 Nephi 10:9-10

9  And my father said he should baptize in ^aBethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should ^bbaptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water.

10  And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the ^aLamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world.

            -the specifics of John and his baptizing of the Savior appear to have a tremendous impact on Nephi.  It is a detail of the Savior’s life that seems small and yet Nephi repeats the details of it twice –once at the beginning of his record, and then again at the end.  It is almost as if he begins and ends with this detail.

1 Nephi 10:8

8  Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness: ^aPrepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.

     “make his paths straight”

            -what  does this mean?  How is “his path” made straight?  How do we “make his paths straight”?  Is it fair to say that we are expected to straighten out our lives by walking the path he outlined?

            -John’s exhortation was largely ignored, at least by the prevailing culture shaping contingent of society.  The recognized Jewish leaders, the “in crowd” did not change the trajectory or the substance of their lives.  Perhaps the humble group of John’s disciples lived with a higher level of attention to righteousness and spiritual matters  -they more conscientiously walked the straight and narrow path.

    “there standeth one among you whom ye know not”

            -why did the people not know the Savior, the light of the world, when he stood right amongst them?

            -they were not looking           

            -they were not paying attention

            -the Savior was not abnormally noticeable

            -they were too busy

            -they were expecting something else (as the Messiah)

Is it, therefore, terribly odd that people don’t readily accept the gospel light today due to the very same reasons listed above.

            -we sometimes talk about “hiding in plain sight” or phrased as it often is in the scriptures, “having eyes to see, they see not”.  This mortal blindness to spiritual, ethical or moral things appears to be a common characteristic of the natural man and of the temporal estate.  Are we caught up in this same mortal condition?  Why is it that we cannot see the reality of things (things as they really are) even to the degree that if God stood among us, we would not recognize Him?  This is the most damning self-indictment there is.

    “he is mightier than I”

            -there is a beautiful testimony of the Aaronic priesthood buried in this declaration.  Clearly John is drawing attention to the superlative might or power of the Savior but he is also acknowledging that he is mighty, that he has legitimate and significant power.  We should never diminish the power held by a righteous man of the Aaronic priesthood.  He has power greater and more lasting than the kings and rulers of the Earth.  For that matter, a woman of virtue and faith possesses great power as she also connects herself into the powers of heaven.  Yes, the Christ is the mightiest, but John –as a legitimate bearer of the Aaronic priesthood- possesses mighty power.  This is the power to change the eternal trajectory of men and women, to open the gates of the father’s kingdom and set them on the road to their unfathomable eternal destiny.  This is might indeed!

1 Nephi 10:7

7  And he spake also concerning a ^aprophet who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord—

      "to prepare the way of the Lord"

            -What does this mean?  What needed prepared?  How did John accomplish this?  What would have been different if there was no John the Baptist whose preaching came before Jesus?  What impact did John have on the people, on attitudes and actions? 

            -where did John receive his training for his mission?  How did he know what his purpose was?  He was the first convert to Christianity.  His testimony that Jesus was the Messiah preceeded that of Peter or any of the apostles.  He was literally a man before his time.  He was the first missionary of the meridian of time. He was also the first Christian martyr. 

-is there a significant difference in what John did if the word “for” was used in place of the word “of”?

1 Nephi 10:6

6  Wherefore, all mankind were in a ^alost and in a ^bfallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.

    “all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state”

            -this condition, as a common element of the mortal existence, was brought about when Adam and Eve transgressed the law of God.  Since God and sin are incompatible, the two became disjointed and separate.  Man literally fell from a state of being in God’s presence which is obviously a higher “standard of existence/living” than we now navigate.  Hence the fallen state.  It is a state defined by temptation (rather than self-disciplined righteousness), death (rather than perpetual life), sorrow, pain, cruelty (rather than compassion/love), division (rather than unity).  The term “lost” describes our potential eternal standing at the moment of the fall.  We fell through the grasp of our heavenly parents.  It is “lost” in a sense of “lost control” or “lost the championship”.  It is not that they could not find us.  There is a sense, however, of our being unable to find the way by ourselves.  This is by virtue of the veil and our disobedience which further clouds our minds and leads to confusion rather than truth and additional revelation.  The veil prohibits our complete clarity of understanding and spiritual sight but our rebellion and disqualification from the Spirit –which teaches, clarifies and imbues with intelligence- blinds our minds and hearts much more.  Our lack of vision into heavenly things is much less a function of the veil and is a condition largely self-imposed by our own actions.  We could nearly see into heaven and mortality with heavenly eyes if we lived so that the Holy Spirit could teach us all things.

     "rely"

            -a curious verb to use, but what a beautiful picture it creates!  We must depend, trust, lean on the Savior.  We are helpless were it not for this person who will assist us.

            -we rely on different people for different things.  Nephi is quite specific on what and why we need to rely on the Savior:  because we are "lost" and "fallen".  Hence he will help us find the way, ourselves, home, etc. and he will lift us up to where we once were.

     “Redeemer”

                -redeem (verb): to make (something that is bad, unpleasant, etc.) better or more acceptable; to exchange (something, such as a coupon or lottery ticket) for money, an award, etc.;  to buy back (something, such as a stock or bond).

 

 

What would life be like without a Savior

 

1 Nephi 10:5

5  And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had ^atestified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.

Old Testament Propheies/Testaments of the Messiah:

Jesus will come from the line of Abraham. (Genesis 12:3)                                   Fulfilled: Matthew 1:1.

Isaiah:  Jesus’ mother will be a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14)                                             Fulfilled: Matthew 1:18–23.

Jesus will be a descendent of Isaac and Jacob. (Gen. 17:19 Num. 24:17)            Fulfilled: Matthew 1:2.

Micah:  Jesus will be born in the town Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2).                         Fulfilled: Luke 2:1–7.

Hosea:  Jesus will be called out of Egypt. (Hosea 11:1)                                       Fulfilled: Matthew 2:13–15.

Jesus will be a member of the tribe of Judah. (Genesis 49:10)                             Fulfilled: Luke 3:33. 

Malachi:  Jesus will enter the temple (Malachi 3:1).                                            Fulfilled: Luke 2:25–27.

Jeremiah:  Jesus will be from the lineage of King David. (Jeremiah 23:5)          Fulfilled: Matthew 1:6.

Jeremiah:  Jesus’ birth will be accompanied with great                                       Fulfilled: Matthew 2:16

suffering and sorrow. (Jeremiah 31:15).

Jesus will live a perfect life, die by crucifixion, resurrect from death,                 Fulfilled: 1 Peter 2:21-22

ascend into heaven, and sit at the right hand of God. (Psalm 22:16;                     Luke 23:33, Acts 2:25-32

Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:10–11; Psalm 68:18; Psalm 110:1).                                  Acts 1:9; Hebrews 1:3.

            -one of the primary priveledges and responsibilities of a prophet is to speak (to testify) concerning the reality of the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Savior of the world.  All other messages (like repentance, getting on the ark, marking your door posts with lamb's blood, fleeing Jerusalem, Egypt or Missouri, getting out of debt, keeping the Sabbath day holy) circumnavigate  and point us to this one, all important message.

1 Nephi 10:4

4  Yea, even ^asix hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a ^bprophet would the Lord God raise up among the ^cJews—even a ^dMessiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.

            -HERE is the great difference between the expectations and faith of the family of Israel in the new world and the family of Israel (mostly from Judah or the “Jews”) in the old world!  Israel of the America’s began with a solid doctrinal understanding that within a very specific time frame the Messiah would come to earth.  Their was no ambiguity in the expectation.  The “prophet” who would be raised up among the Jews would be the Savior!  The Jews did not have such a specific, time delimited expectation.  They had plenty of prophecies which would point clearly to the Messiah –where he would be born, that a prophet would prepare the way, etc., but when Jesus was born most of them clearly missed the mark.

1 Nephi 10:2-3

2  For behold, it came to pass after my father had made an end of speaking the words of his ^adream, and also of exhorting them to all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews—

3  That after they should be destroyed, even that great city ^aJerusalem, and many be ^bcarried away captive into ^cBabylon, according to the own due time of the Lord, they should ^dreturn again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again the land of their inheritance.

     “should be destroyed, even that great city Jerusalem”

 

  605 Nebuchadnezzar becomes king of Babylon

605 The Babylonians invade Judah

605 First wave of deportation of Jews to Babylon

605 Daniel is taken captive and begins to prophesy

601 Babylonians battle Egypt, both sides suffer losses

601 Judah decides to realign itself with Egypt, Jeremiah warns

597 Jehoachin becomes king of Judah

597 Babylonians capture Jerusalem

597 Second wave of deportation to Babylon from Judah.

597 Ezekiel is taken captive to Babylon

597 Zedekiah becomes king of Judah

593 Ezekiel begins to prophesy

586 The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and the Temple (9th of Av)

586 Jerusalem’s walls and gates are burned with fire

586 Third wave of Jews deported to Babylon

586 Babylonian Exile (Galut Bavel) begins

586 End of Biblical (First Temple) Period

586 The end of the monarchy in Judah

539 The Fall of Babylon

539 Beginning of the Persian Period to 332

539 The Decree of Cyrus II allowing Jews to return

516 The Jews rebuild their Temple (70 years)

     “many be carried away captive into Babylon”

           -what was the impact of this instance of the diaspora?  How significantly did it disrupt the Jewish community and society at Jerusalem?  The following description provides some insight:

     "...return again,... brought back out... possess again...

            -why go through all the trouble taking Israel away and brining them back time and again?

            -experience is a priceless and unequalable thing.  Nothing can equal its effect.  Mortal man must be put through it, not just read about it or study it afar off.  We are poor    learners except by hands-on learning.

1 Nephi 10:1

1  AND now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon ^athese plates of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of my father, and also of my brethren.

            -this is a transition, in Nephi’s mind at least, between the experiences of his father and his own.  He becomes the “owner”.  It becomes personal and the responsibility rests upon him.  Let’s see if we can sense some changes in the details of his record.

     “to proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of my father, and also of my brethren”

            -Nephi’s life, like ours, is fundamentally imbedded in the life of his family.  He is the person he becomes because of his family.  There is no separating him out from the things of his father and of his brothers.  The family is our primary context and the group which influences our mortal experience.

1 Nephi 9:6

6  But the Lord ^aknoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all ^bpower unto the fulfilling of all his words.  And thus it is.  Amen.

            -30 years later Nephi still did not know the Lord's reason, but he did it!

            -the Lord, like a conductor of a symphony, orchestrates a marvelous production.  And just like a conductor, he does not make the members play correctly, they have the ability and right to play out of tune, rhythm or gate of the larger orchestra –but if they choose to do so, the music will be ugly, chaotic and will not elevate.

    “the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning”

            -TRUTH!  Not only does God know all things, but he pre-knows it.  He knows it before it happens.  Others have described this prescience as the simultaneous occurance of all things.  There is no element of time to God –he lives outside of time.  While we cannot comprehend this, it does not invalidate it or make such a condition impossible.  There are many things that “are” but are incomprehensible to us.  Many earthly processes or conditions are beyond our understanding and yet we know that they transpire.  If such happen on a telestial level, how is it that we doubt their existence on a much higher –a celestial- level?

            -how does this truth change the way we live?  The way we trust God?  The decisions we make during the difficult times of our life?  If we really believe that He knows all things that are now or will happen to us in the future  -both positive things and what we call “tragedies” or “disasters”- and likewise prepares a way for us to successfully navigate through them, if we really have an abiding faith that this is true then there is no place for fear or despondency.  We are in the hands of God  -hands that we know are all powerful, all loving, all merciful!

   “wherefore he prepareth a way”

            -this is the merciful part.  An omnipotent and all knowing God who is able to know all things is one thing.  That is an amazing power (or can we say, “spiritual gift”) but what to do with that power is another thing entirely.  Mortal men would become manipulative and use that power for their own benefit.  We would do terribly small things like bet on the outcome of the Super Bowl, put ourselves in positions to take advantage because of our foreknowledge.  Alternately, God could simply sit back and let things play out as He has forseen.  He does neither of these.  While still holding agency and free will sovereign, he prepares a way for the elevation and exhaltation of his children.  To know all things is a tremendous gift.  To use that gift in righteousness is a quality of and a qualification to be God.

     “he hath all power"

            -notice how many times “all “ is used in this verse.  To receive a totality requires the strictest and unfaltering obedience to the laws that lead to that endowment.  All could not be his if he was not first obedient to all imposed upon him.

            -Christ and the Father have ALL power, including power to override the agency of man, just as they have power to sin, but hey will never exercise that power.  We would do well to recognize that although we may possess the ability to do certain things it is not as valid  to conclude that we should then take that ability to fulfillment.  Power in its fullest is not a good thing if not counterbalance by “all-loving” or “all-self-disciplined”.

    “he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words.”

            -whatever God declares, he is able to accomplish.  He is in total control of bringing about what he says.  This power comes because He knows all things.  We do not have this amazing power to bring about what we say.  Sometimes we say, I want to do such and such or I promise not to let anything happen to you” but our power to make those things effectual (to bring them about absolutely) is limited.  We may speak things out of an emotional motivation and tremendous desire but we frequently do not deliver on the things we say.  This is largely because we do not know the end from the beginning.  If we had this knowledge we would know what to promise/what to speak because we know of its eventuality.    So the power of God is to know all things and then to speak in accordance with what we know.  In other words to make sure our words are in perfect harmony with the truth of things to come.  So the central question is, how is it that God is able to achieve all knowledge?  What laws predicate the acquisition of all knowledge?