I am tackling the Book of Mormon in 60 days. My plan is to have the Book of Mormon studied by the end of 2011. During my challenge, I will post a daily blog of my reading, in this blog I will share with you... my thoughts, feelings, opinions and knowledge about the Book of Mormon. Do you have questions? Comments? Please... lets start a discussion. I would be more than happy to answer your questions, comments or concerns!
What I read: (this is a short cartoon quickly summarizing what I read)
Book of Mormon Stories - Chapter 9: http://youtu.be/3ggp5j5gWs0
Request a FREE copy of the Book of Mormon: http://mormon.org/free-book-of
How the Book of Mormon came about: http://youtu.be/FMQEb9A9L2g
Scripture Thought (What I Learned):
The last chapter in 1 Nephi (Chapter 23) ends with a manifestation from the brass plates, that says: Israel will be scattered upon the face of the earth, the wicked will burn, and the kingdom of the devil will be destroyed. Satan will be bound.
2 Nephi starts off with Lehi prophesying before his death. He talks about a land of Liberty (The United States of America), and about how the people who live there shall be blessed as long as they follow the commandments of God, but if the people decide to bound in iniquity they shall be overrun by other nations and shall be brought down into captivity. (2 Nephi 6-10) Hmmm, this sounds like today. Politics, wars, etc. We have the Tea Party, the Occupy Wall Street people, immigration issues and being indebted to foreign nations. Sounds like Lehi knew exactly what was going to happen to the land of Liberty!
Lehi goes on to talk with everyone of his sons and proclaims to Jacob that "Salvation if Free" (2 Nephi 2:4) for all men. He tells Jacob of the importance of the knowledge of the Redeemer upon mankind (2 Nephi 2:8), and that there must be opposition in all things, good and bad. (2 Nephi 2:11) He goes on to explain that those who think that there is no law or no sin... then there must also be no righteousness, and if there is no righteousness there is no happiness, if there be no happiness, then there be no punishment or misery, without these things there be no God, and without God there be no earth, nor creation of anything... nothing to act or to be acted upon, therefore all things must have vanished away (2 Nephi 2:13). Lehi was teaching that there is in fact a God and he has created all things, but God gives agency that "...he should act for himself..." (2 Nephi 2:16). Lehi teaches about the devil, saying that he had "fallen from heaven, and therefore became the devil", the devil because of his wickedness had become miserable, and therefore sought that others be miserable like him.
The devil or the "serpent" tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, as a consequence Adam and Eve were driven forth from the Garden of Eden to till the Earth. Because of this Adam and Eve brought for all the family of the earth.
Here we learn something that is a true scripture gem... "And they brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth. And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents. And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery, doing no good, for they knew no sin.... Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy... the Messiah cometh in the fullness of time, that he might redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law... and the commandments of God... and they (men) are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." (2 Nephi 2:22-27)
This is something that is really different in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that the fall of Adam and Eve was a good thing and that because of their fall, we are here today. We are NOT born with an "original sin". But because of Adam and Eve we must work our way back to God, and through Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer we have a way back to God.
Lehi ends his prophecies and counsel to his children with the foretelling of the last days when Joseph Smith would be called a prophet and the Book of Mormon would "...bring them (the inhabitants of the Americas) the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days..." (2 Nephi 3:12)
Lehi details that the Book of Mormon would be written by the fruit of the loins of Joseph (the inhabitants of the Americas) and that the Bible would be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah (or the people of the old world - the middle east), that with the Book of Mormon and the Bible they "...shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins..." (2 Nephi 3:12).
Lehi ends his address and dies of old age.
Scriptures to Note:
1 Nephi 22:2; "... they were manifest unto the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the voice of the Spirit are all things made know unto the prophets..." - God will always make his ways know to Prophets and through individual revelation by the Holy Ghost.
1 Nephi 22:13-15; "And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves... that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and great shall be the fall of it... the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men..."
The devil will be defeated and God's people shall triumph.
1 Nephi 22:23; "For the time speedily shall come that all churches which are built up to get gain... to get power... to become popular in the eyes of world, and those who seek the lusts of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity; yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil are they who need fear, and tremble and quake; they are those who must be brought low in the dust...consumed as stuble".
Today we see that many churches are built up to get gain, to have power or to be popular in the eyes of the world. Going to church is not about how you can be entertained... it is about feeling the spirit, which is quiet. Loud noises or screaming is not what God wants... (Isaiah 42:2). Those who do this, shall have reason to fear in the last days.
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