Scriptures
CHAPTER 19
Nephi makes plates of ore and records the history of his people—The God of Israel will come six hundred years from the time Lehi left Jerusalem—Nephi tells of His sufferings and crucifixion—The Jews will be despised and scattered until the latter days, when they will return unto the Lord. About 588–570 B.C.
1 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the arecord of my people. And upon the plates which I made I did bengraven the record of my cfather, and also our journeyings in the wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also many of mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them.
2 And I knew not at the time when I made them that I should be commanded of the Lord to make athese plates; wherefore, the record of my father, and the genealogy of his fathers, and the more part of all our proceedings in the wilderness are engraven upon those first plates of which I have spoken; wherefore, the things which transpired before I made bthese plates are, of a truth, more particularly made mention upon the first plates.
3 And after I had made these plates by way of commandment, I, Nephi, received a commandment that the ministry and the prophecies, the more plain and precious parts of them, should be written upon athese plates; and that the things which were written should be kept for the instruction of my people, who should possess the land, and also for other bwise purposes, which purposes are known unto the Lord.
4 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did make a record upon the aother plates, which gives an account, or which gives a greater account of the wars and contentions and destructions of my people. And this have I done, and commanded my people what they should do after I was gone; and that these plates should be handed down from one generation to another, or from one prophet to another, until further commandments of the Lord.
5 And an account of my amaking these plates shall be given hereafter; and then, behold, I proceed according to that which I have spoken; and this I do that the more sacred things may be bkept for the knowledge of my people.
6 Nevertheless, I do not awrite anything upon plates save it be that I think it be bsacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the cweakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself.
7 For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at anaught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men btrample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words—they set him at naught, and chearken not to the voice of his counsels.
8 And behold he acometh, according to the words of the angel, in bsix hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem.
9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they aspit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving bkindness and his clong-suffering towards the children of men.
10 And the aGod of our fathers, who were bled out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the cGod of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, dyieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of ewicked men, to be flifted up, according to the words of gZenock, and to be hcrucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a isepulchre, according to the words of jZenos, which he spake concerning the three days of kdarkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the lhouse of Israel.
11 For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall avisit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his bvoice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the cthunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by dsmoke, and evapor of fdarkness, and by the opening of the gearth, and by hmountains which shall be carried up.
12 And aall these things must surely come, saith the prophet bZenos. And the crocks of the earth must rend; and because of the dgroanings of the earth, many of the kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God of nature suffers.
13 And as for those who are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet, they shall be ascourged by all people, because they crucify the God of Israel, and turn their hearts aside, rejecting signs and wonders, and the power and glory of the God of Israel.
14 And because they turn their hearts aside, saith the prophet, and have adespised the Holy One of Israel, they shall wander in the flesh, and perish, and become a bhiss and a cbyword, and be dhated among all nations.
15 Nevertheless, when that day cometh, saith the prophet, that they ano more bturn aside their hearts against the Holy One of Israel, then will he remember the ccovenants which he made to their fathers.
16 Yea, then will he remember the aisles of the sea; yea, and all the people who are of the house of Israel, will I bgather in, saith the Lord, according to the words of the prophet Zenos, from the four quarters of the earth.
17 Yea, and all the earth shall asee the salvation of the Lord, saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tongue and people shall be blessed.
18 And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that perhaps I might persuade them that they would aremember the Lord their Redeemer.
19 Wherefore, I speak unto all the house of Israel, if it so be that they should obtain athese things.
20 For behold, I have workings in the spirit, which doth aweary me even that all my joints are weak, for those who are at Jerusalem; for had not the Lord been merciful, to show unto me concerning them, even as he had prophets of old, I should have perished also.
21 And he surely did show unto the aprophets of old all things bconcerning them; and also he did show unto many concerning us; wherefore, it must needs be that we know concerning them for they are written upon the plates of brass.
22 Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to them, which were engraven upon the aplates of brass, that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old.
23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the abooks of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet bIsaiah; for I did cliken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our dprofit and learning.
24 Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a aremnant of the house of Israel, a bbranch who have been broken off; chear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written.
CHAPTER 20
The Lord reveals His purposes to Israel—Israel has been chosen in the furnace of affliction and is to go forth from Babylon—Compare Isaiah 48. About 588–570 B.C.
1 aHearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, or out of the waters of bbaptism, who cswear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, yet they swear dnot in truth nor in righteousness.
2 Nevertheless, they call themselves of the aholy city, but they do bnot stay themselves upon the God of Israel, who is the Lord of Hosts; yea, the Lord of Hosts is his name.
3 Behold, I have declared the aformer things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them. I did show them suddenly.
4 And I did it because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy aneck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
5 And I have even from the beginning declared to thee; before it came to pass I ashowed them thee; and I showed them for fear lest thou shouldst say—Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image hath commanded them.
6 Thou hast seen and heard all this; and will ye anot declare them? And that I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
7 They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee, lest thou shouldst say—Behold I knew them.
8 Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a atransgressor from the womb.
9 Nevertheless, for my aname’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.
10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of aaffliction.
11 For mine own sake, yea, for mine own sake will I do this, for I will not suffer my aname to be polluted, and I will bnot give my glory unto another.
12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called, for I am he; I am the afirst, and I am also the last.
13 Mine hand hath also alaid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens. I bcall unto them and they stand up together.
14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; who among them hath declared these things unto them? The Lord hath loved him; yea, and he will afulfil his word which he hath declared by them; and he will do his pleasure on bBabylon, and his arm shall come upon the Chaldeans.
15 Also, saith the Lord; I the Lord, yea, I have spoken; yea, I have called ahim to declare, I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
16 Come ye near unto me; I have not spoken in asecret; from the beginning, from the time that it was declared have I spoken; and the Lord God, and his bSpirit, hath sent me.
17 And thus saith the Lord, thy aRedeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I have sent him, the Lord thy God who teacheth thee to profit, who bleadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go, hath done it.
18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my acommandments—then had thy bpeace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.
19 Thy aseed also had been as the sand; the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
20 aGo ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the bChaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter to the end of the earth; say ye: The Lord hath redeemed his cservant Jacob.
21 And they athirsted not; he led them through the deserts; he caused the waters to flow out of the brock for them; he clave the rock also and the waters gushed out.
22 And notwithstanding he hath done all this, and greater also, there is no apeace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.
CHAPTER 21
The Messiah will be a light to the Gentiles and will free the prisoners—Israel will be gathered with power in the last days—Kings will be their nursing fathers—Compare Isaiah 49. About 588–570 B.C.
1 aAnd again: Hearken, O ye house of Israel, all ye that are broken off and are driven out because of the wickedness of the pastors of my people; yea, all ye that are broken off, that are scattered abroad, who are of my people, O house of Israel. Listen, O bisles, unto me, and hearken ye people from cfar; the Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
3 And said unto me: Thou art my aservant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
4 Then I said, I have labored in avain, I have spent my strength for naught and in vain; surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.
5 And now, saith the Lord—that aformed me from the womb that I should be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him—though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my bstrength.
6 And he said: It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the atribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel. I will also give thee for a blight to the cGentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth.
7 Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nations abhorreth, to servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful.
8 Thus saith the Lord: In an acceptable time have I heard thee, O isles of the sea, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee amy servant for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
9 That thou mayest say to the aprisoners: Go forth; to them that sit in bdarkness: Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their cpastures shall be in all high places.
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my ahighways shall be exalted.
12 And then, O house of Israel, behold, athese shall come from far; and lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
13 aSing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; for the feet of those who are in the east shall be established; and bbreak forth into singing, O mountains; for they shall be smitten no more; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his cafflicted.
14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not.
15 For can a awoman forget her sucking child, that she should not have bcompassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may cforget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the apalms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
17 Thy children shall make haste against thy destroyers; and they that made thee awaste shall go forth of thee.
18 Lift up thine eyes round about and behold; all these agather themselves together, and they shall come to thee. And as I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on even as a bride.
19 For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants; and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
20 The children whom thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the first, shall aagain in thine ears say: The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell.
21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart: Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am adesolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? And who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where have they been?
22 Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the aGentiles, and set up my bstandard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their carms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
23 And akings shall be thy bnursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that cwait for me.
24 For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the alawful captives delivered?
25 But thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
26 And I will afeed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall bknow that I, the Lord, am thy cSavior and thy Redeemer, the dMighty One of Jacob.
Come Follow Me Manual
Who are the house of Israel and the Gentiles?
The house of Israel are the descendants of the Old Testament prophet Jacob, who was given the name Israel by the Lord (see Genesis 32:28; 35:10; see also Bible Dictionary, “Israel”). The Lord made certain covenants with Israel, and his descendants were considered God’s covenant people. However, generations later, many of them turned away from the Lord and were eventually scattered across the earth.
The term Gentiles in these passages refers to people that do not yet have the gospel (see Bible Dictionary, “Gentile”). Isaiah taught that in the latter days the Gentiles would be given the gospel and be instrumental in teaching and gathering the house of Israel (see 1 Nephi 21:22; 22:8–12; see also Isaiah 60; 66:18–20).
For Further Reading on Chapter 21 and Chapter 19 except on likening scriptures. I'll go back for Chapter 20 and anything in 19 that I skip today for the next post.
Seminary Manual
1 Nephi 19
Nephi records prophecies concerning Jesus Christ to persuade us to remember Him
After arriving in the promised land, Nephi prophesied concerning the coming of the Savior and how He would be received by His people. Read 1 Nephi 19:8–10, and identify phrases that teach about the nature and character of Jesus Christ.
- Record in your scripture study journal how what you learned in 1 Nephi 19:8–10 increases your love for the Savior.
Conclude today’s lesson by reading 1 Nephi 19:18–19, 23 and underlining what Nephi desired to persuade his people and all those who read the Book of Mormon to do. Look for an opportunity today to share your testimony of the Savior with a friend or family member, or bear your testimony in a Church setting. In doing so, you might help them remember and believe in their Redeemer.
- Record in your scripture study journal ways in which you could follow Nephi’s example in your own life.
1 Nephi 21:1–17
Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah will not forget His covenant people
In 1 Nephi 21:1–13, Nephi recorded one of Isaiah’s prophecies about Jesus Christ, who would be the Messiah. Christ (a Greek word) and Messiah (a Hebrew word) both mean “the Anointed” or “the Chosen One.” Jesus Christ was chosen to be the Redeemer of both Israel and the Gentiles.
As you read 1 Nephi 21:6–13, mark in your scriptures those phrases that describe Jesus Christ and what He would do as the Redeemer of Israel.
As a consequence of their sins, the children of Israel had distanced themselves from the Lord and felt forgotten and forsaken by Him (see 1 Nephi 21:14). Although they felt forsaken by the Lord, search 1 Nephi 21:14–16 for evidence that the Lord loves us, and He will never forget us. You may want to mark any phrases in these verses that are meaningful to you.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how the Savior retained the wounds of His crucifixion as evidence that He would never forget us: “Christ will not forget the children he has redeemed or the covenant he has made with them for salvation in Zion. The painful reminders of [His] watch care and covenant are the marks of the Roman nails graven upon the palms of his hands” (Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 84).
- Write short answers to the following questions in your scripture study journal:
- Why do you think people sometimes feel that the Lord has forgotten them?
- What do you think it means to be graven upon the palms of the Savior’s hands? How does this help you appreciate the Savior’s suffering on the cross?
- What experiences have helped you know that the Lord has not forgotten you?
- Imagine that you have a friend who said that he or she no longer feels worthy to attend church because of past sins. In your scripture study journal, write a short letter of encouragement to the friend, using what you have learned from 1 Nephi 20–21 and President Uchtdorf’s statement in the study section for 1 Nephi 20.
1 Nephi 21:18–22:22
Nephi explains Isaiah’s prophecy of the scattering and gathering of Israel
Nephi included one of Isaiah’s prophecies about the gathering of Israel in his record. It is found in 1 Nephi 21:18–26. In 1 Nephi 22, Nephi provided his own explanation and commentary on Isaiah’s prophecy. As you read 1 Nephi 22:4–12, look for Nephi’s explanation of how Israel will be gathered in the last days.
It may help to know that in the Book of Mormon the term “Gentiles” often refers to people who are not descendants of Judah. The phrase “a marvelous work” refers to the latter-day Restoration of the gospel. Also notice how often Nephi mentions covenants—you may want to mark these in your scriptures.
The Lord promised to restore the gospel and gather Israel in the last days. Mark in your scriptures what will happen to Satan because of the righteousness of the people as you study 1 Nephi 22:17, 19–22, 25–28.
Institute Manual
1 Nephi 21:1–17
Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah will not forget His covenant people
In 1 Nephi 21:1–13, Nephi recorded one of Isaiah’s prophecies about Jesus Christ, who would be the Messiah. Christ (a Greek word) and Messiah (a Hebrew word) both mean “the Anointed” or “the Chosen One.” Jesus Christ was chosen to be the Redeemer of both Israel and the Gentiles.
As you read 1 Nephi 21:6–13, mark in your scriptures those phrases that describe Jesus Christ and what He would do as the Redeemer of Israel.
As a consequence of their sins, the children of Israel had distanced themselves from the Lord and felt forgotten and forsaken by Him (see 1 Nephi 21:14). Although they felt forsaken by the Lord, search 1 Nephi 21:14–16 for evidence that the Lord loves us, and He will never forget us. You may want to mark any phrases in these verses that are meaningful to you.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how the Savior retained the wounds of His crucifixion as evidence that He would never forget us: “Christ will not forget the children he has redeemed or the covenant he has made with them for salvation in Zion. The painful reminders of [His] watch care and covenant are the marks of the Roman nails graven upon the palms of his hands” (Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 84).
- Write short answers to the following questions in your scripture study journal:
- Why do you think people sometimes feel that the Lord has forgotten them?
- What do you think it means to be graven upon the palms of the Savior’s hands? How does this help you appreciate the Savior’s suffering on the cross?
- What experiences have helped you know that the Lord has not forgotten you?
- Imagine that you have a friend who said that he or she no longer feels worthy to attend church because of past sins. In your scripture study journal, write a short letter of encouragement to the friend, using what you have learned from 1 Nephi 20–21 and President Uchtdorf’s statement in the study section for 1 Nephi 20.
1 Nephi 21:18–22:22
Nephi explains Isaiah’s prophecy of the scattering and gathering of Israel
Nephi included one of Isaiah’s prophecies about the gathering of Israel in his record. It is found in 1 Nephi 21:18–26. In 1 Nephi 22, Nephi provided his own explanation and commentary on Isaiah’s prophecy. As you read 1 Nephi 22:4–12, look for Nephi’s explanation of how Israel will be gathered in the last days.
It may help to know that in the Book of Mormon the term “Gentiles” often refers to people who are not descendants of Judah. The phrase “a marvelous work” refers to the latter-day Restoration of the gospel. Also notice how often Nephi mentions covenants—you may want to mark these in your scriptures.
The Lord promised to restore the gospel and gather Israel in the last days. Mark in your scriptures what will happen to Satan because of the righteousness of the people as you study 1 Nephi 22:17, 19–22, 25–28.
Commentary
1 Nephi 19:1–6. Two Sets of Plates
- Nephi wrote about the two sets of plates he made (see 1 Nephi 9). The large plates of Nephi contained a detailed account of his people. The small plates of Nephi were a sacred religious record. In 1 Nephi 19:1–6, “first plates” and “other plates” refers to the large plates of Nephi; “these plates” refers to the small plates of Nephi (see commentary for Words of Mormon on page 134).Bill Hill, © 1982 IRI
1 Nephi 19:7–9. The World Shall Judge Him to Be a Thing of Naught
- Nephi recorded that Jesus Christ was smitten because people of His day judged Him “to be a thing of naught.” The Savior was unimportant to them. He was deemed to be “good for nothing, but to be … trodden under foot of men” (Matthew 5:13). Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles noted how men today often follow the same fateful thinking: “For many moderns, sad to say, the query ‘What think ye of Christ?’ (Matthew 22:42) would be answered, ‘I really don’t think of Him at all!’” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 27; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 22–23).
- On another occasion Elder Maxwell taught that regardless of what the world says, we must stand fast in our testimony of the Savior: “At the center of the Father’s plan is Jesus Christ, mankind’s Redeemer. Yet, as foreseen, many judge Jesus ‘to be a thing of naught’ (1 Nephi 19:9), or ‘consider him’ merely ‘a man’ (Mosiah 3:9). Whether others deny or delimit Jesus, for us He is our Lord and Savior! Comparatively, brothers and sisters, it matters very little what people think of us, but it matters very much what we think of Him. It matters very little, too, who others say we are; what matters is who we say Jesus is” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1984, 27; or Ensign, May 1984, 21).
1 Nephi 19:10–16. Zenock, Neum, and Zenos
- Nephi quoted from Zenock, Neum, and Zenos. These were prophets of Old Testament times whose detailed prophecies of Jesus Christ were recorded on the brass plates; therefore we know they lived before 600 B.C. They spoke plainly about the life and ministry of the Messiah and the destiny of the house of Israel (see also Helaman 8:19–20). Without the Book of Mormon, we would know nothing about these three prophets or their witnesses of Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment