/
RSS Feed
We begin with a discussion of the Book of Lehi and the lost 116 pages, and then dive into the first two chapters of 1 Nephi. Topics include what it means to have goodly parents, to be highly favored of the Lord, and Lehi’s sacred experience that wasn’t “too sacred to talk about”.
D&C 3:12-14
1 Nephi 1:16-17
1 Nephi 19:1-2
D&C 10:38-51
Mormon 9:33
Ether 1:34
Ether 10:13
1 Nephi 17:35
1 Nephi 3:6
Mosiah 10:13-14
2 Nephi 1:19
Alma 48:20
Alma 27:27- 30
Alma 9:20-24
2 Nephi 1:17-20
1 Nephi 9:3-6
2 Nephi 5:28-31
1 Nephi 19:18-19
2 Nephi 11:2
2 Nephi 25:3-4
2 Nephi 33:3-9
1 Nephi 1:7-11, 18
D&C 76:20-21
1 Nephi 2:19
Lectures on Faith 6:5
Jeremiah 5:25-31
Jeremiah 7:1-11
1 Nephi 2:16-18
D&C 46:13-14
Mosiah 2:41
Great podcast as always. I was wondering if it was possible to easily add a forum to the website where we can discuss gospel topics etc. Instead of simply having comments. I just thought that might be more useful for having more in depth discussions.
For example something like this: https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-add-a-forum-in-wordpress-with-bbpress/
I’ll look into it.
If you enter the coupon code (it is case sensitive) “ONEFIVE” (so all caps) on the lulu site they will give you 15% off of the purchase of the printed versions of the reformatted scriptures. I just found this out as I went to purchase some. I thought maybe someone else might find that code beneficial. Great job on these scriptures. That is a lot of hard work and I appreciate your efforts. Thank you.
knowing what the prophet’s were testifying of and telling the people to repent of is important. What was said that caused Jerusalem to threaten and kill the prophets is covered in Jeremiah 5 and 7 and be destroyed and carried off into Babylon? Also note that Jacob, Nephi’s younger brother was more specific as to how they (Jerusalem) committed adultery. Jacob chapter 1:15-16, 2.:23‐34, 3:5-8. Jacob 2:31 suggests the multiple wives and concubines (polygamy) was being practiced in Jerusalem at the time of Lehi and Jeremiah and the people of Jerusalem were called to repentance.
31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands.
32 And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Lehi even warned and commanded the people of Nephi not to practice this.
34 And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments were given to our father, Lehi; wherefore, ye have known them before; and ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have done these things which ye ought not to have done.
Great scriptures to back things up.
I love this translation of Jer. 5:31 from the New KJV.
The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?
Their own power being the key.
I have recently found 1 Nephi 1:4-6 rather interesting.
4For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king
of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year
there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the
great city Jerusalem must be destroyed. 5Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as
he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.
6And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon
a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw
and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
I have always assumed that Lehi was either one of the “many prophets” or he immediately accepted the invitation to repent that the prophets that came to Jerusalem offered. I have always assumed that Lehi’s prayer that he offered was for those in Jerusalem who needed to repent to prevent destruction. Could it be possible, however, that his prayer was for the “many prophets”? Could he have prayed that the “many prophets” would be corrected in their deviating from the present teachings of the leaders of the Jews? Could he have been praying for the ‘apostate’ individuals who called for repentance and preached of Jerusalem’s impending destruction?
It wasn’t until AFTER his pillar of fire experience and his subsequent vision that we see that Lehi “began to prophesy” (v.18). So it seems that he BECAME one of the “many prophets”, but prior to his visionary experience was he ‘kicking against the pricks’?
Is this a doctrinally important note? No. I simply find it an interesting side note that Lehi could have possibly been a ‘yes-man’ Jew who prayed in behalf of those who were rebelling against the mainstream beliefs and that the Lord stepped in and corrected this error by turning him directly to the Lord. This then becomes one of the “tender mercies” that Nephi speaks of in the first verse of chapter 2.
So, I’m surprised no one noted this; There is a reason why Nephi split his work into two books. All of the events in the first book were completed and done prior to him writing. It is not clear how far into the second book we were before he started, but most certainly, he caught up to present and then continue to add as needed from that point.
The reason we have assurance that the events in the first book were completed prior to him starting is because the entire book of 1 Nephi is one big Chiasmus. This is why so many chapters separate the two places where it talks about Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life. What do you find when you get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? I mean a big Chiasmus? Christ. Christ is at the center of it: 1 Nephi 11:21
Plot it out in both directions from there and you will see the structure of it. Nephi was truly learned in all the learning of his father!
Here’s a rough outline from Satterfield’s REL121 class at BYU Idaho:
CHIASTIC STRUCTURE OF 1 NEPHI
A Lehi prophesies warnings of destructions to the Jews and foresees the mercy of God (Ch. 1)
B Lehi’s family departs from Jerusalem (Ch. 2)
C Nephi and his brothers obtain the brass plates (Ch.s 3-4)
D Sword of fine steel (4:9)
E Plates of brass as a guide (Ch. 5-6)
F The sons of Lehi get the daughters of Ishmael and Ishamel’s family joins Lehi’s family (Ch. 7)
G Lehi’s dream and his prophecies of the coming of the Lamb to the Old World (Ch.s 8, 10)
G’ Nephi’s vision of the coming of the Lamb and the New World (Ch.s 11-15)
F’ The sons of Lehi marry the daughters of Ishmael (Ch. 16:1-18)
E’ The brass ball as a guide (Ch. 16:9-17, 26-33)
D’ The bow of fine steel (16:18)
C’ Nephi and his brothers build a ship (Ch. 17)
B’ Lehi’s group arrives at the promised land (Ch. 18)
A’ Nephi prophesies concerning the fate of the Jews and concerning the mercy of the Lord in gathering Israel in the last days (Ch.s 19-22)
And here’s an alternate one from Michael Cook’s book “Nephi’s Journey: The Lord Prepares a Way”
A) Lehi preaches and prophesies before leaving Jerusalem (ch. 1).
B) The Lord commands Lehi to depart Jerusalem (ch. 2).
C) The group stops at a resting place where Lehi names the land and river. The Lord tells Nephi of the journey ahead. Laman and Lemuel complain about leaving Jerusalem and desire to kill Lehi. Lehi speaks to them in the energy of soul and confounds them. The Spirit shakes their frames (ch. 2).
D) Nephi discusses the Lord’s preparations in obedience (ch. 3).
E) Two commandments are fulfilled. During this time, the brass plates are obtained, Sariah complains, and an angel appears. In the first, the group fails to obtain the plates, but Nephi succeeds alone. Laman and Lemuel murmur and are angry with Nephi, Nephi encourages the group, and Laban’s sword is obtained. In the second, Ishmael enters the account, a rebellion ensues, Laman and Lemuel desire to kill Nephi and return to Jerusalem, and Nephi discusses the angelic visit (ch. 4-7).
F) The group gathers seeds of all kind in the valley of Lemuel (ch. 8).
G) Lehi discusses the tree of life with Laman and Lemuel, and exhorts them with great feeling and energy of soul (ch. 8-9).
H) Lehi discusses the olive tree (ch. 10).
I) Nephi sees the Jewish nation reject Jesus and gather together to battle against His apostles (ch. 11).
J) Nephi sees the Nephite nation reject Jesus and gather to battle the Lamanites in America. He sees the Apostasy, Satan’s false church, and the altered Jewish record (ch. 12-13).
J’) Nephi sees a mother Gentile nation gather to battle the Gentiles in America. He sees the Restoration, Christ’s true church, and the pure Nephite record (ch. 13).
I’) Nephi sees all Gentile nations reject Jesus and gather together to battle the covenant people in the last days (ch. 14).
H’) Nephi discusses the olive tree (ch. 15).
G’) Nephi discusses the tree of life with Laman and Lemuel, and exhorts them with great feeling and energy of soul (ch. 15).
F’) The group gathers seeds of all kind in the valley of Lemuel (ch. 16).
E’) Two trials are endured. During this time, a brass compass is obtained, Ishmael’s daughters complain, and the Lord appears in a cloud. In the first, the group fails to obtain food, but Nephi succeeds alone. Laman and Lemuel murmur and are angry with Nephi, Nephi encourages the group, and a new bow is created. In the second, Ishmael leaves the account, a rebellion ensues, Laman desires to kill Nephi and return to Jerusalem, and Laman denies the angelic visit (ch. 16).
D’) Nephi discusses the Lord’s preparations in their journey (ch. 17).
C’) The group stops at a resting place where they name the land and sea. The Lord tells Nephi to build a ship. Laman and Lemuel complain about leaving Jerusalem and desire to kill Nephi. Nephi speaks to them in the energy of soul and confounds them. The Spirit shakes their frames (ch. 17).
B’) The Lord commands Lehi to sail for the promised land (ch. 18).
A’) Nephi preaches and prophesies after arriving in the promised land (ch. 19-22).
I think he gets lost in the weeds a bit in the middle. This is easy to do, because many of the chapters and several sequences of verses in 1 Nephi are in Chiasmus. Nephi was super-fond of this way of writing. It can make it trickier to pick the exact apex of the overall structure, since the verse in question is part of three of four Chiasmic structures.
Anyway, further evidence no one could have just made this up on the spot and had it make sense like it does.