Random thoughts from my reading of 2nd Nephi. By the way, it would be great if you were reading along together. Perhaps what I observe and write about will be more meaningful if we were on the same page. I would welcome your comments on what I say.
OK, I'm just going to blow through some of these observations. My apologies up front; it probably seems like I'm overlooking some important points but in reality I don't want to write so much that you, the readers, will be scared away through sheer volume! I am carefully reading these chapters, hi-lighting the things that jump out to me. As I read, I have some notions that strike me as something I should mention in this blog. But the bottom line for me in this read-through is that I am getting a lot more than I ever have before. I guess the blog idea has worked!
In chapter 5, the Lehi family separates themselves due to mounting conflict and tension; Nephi is warned and takes all those who would go with him and flees into the jungle, several days journey from where they all had originally settled. It's interesting to me to see who went with Nephi: Sam, Jacob, Joseph; Nephi's sisters (who are unfortunately unnamed to us); Zoram; others who would accompany them. I wonder how that all went down... did they flee in secret, so that Laman, Lemuel and their camp didn't know they were going? Or were they given the boot as they left? It seems that their departure couldn't have been too much of a secret to anyone who was truly observing since they took all they needed to survive (see v7). They also brought the brass plates of Laban and the ball or compass. I can't help but wonder if there was any fuss at the time... my curiosity about this partly comes from knowing that later in the Book of Mormon Lamanites talk about how the Nephites robbed them of these artifacts.
The narrative in this chapter covers a 10+ year period of time, so not a lot is discussed of the happenings. Nephi mentions that his people are industrious and prosper. He also mentions that in that time they had war and contention with the Lamanites.
In chapters 6 - 10, Nephi records a sermon that was delivered to the people by his brother Jacob. It seems that during this time-period not much was written about, Jacob had been busy teaching and preaching, learning and growing and getting close to the Lord. In these chapters, Jacob quotes Isaiah (from the brass plates, obviously). He dwells on the future of Israel and of the tribe of Joseph (their people). These chapters are a textbook example of how to develop a good scripture-based sermon or talk. Jacob executes it flawlessly, not because he was a skilled orator or superior speech writer, but because he spoke with the Spirit and because he was passionate in urging the people to be righteous.
Isaiah writes that Israel would be blessed to have the Messiah come from it's numbers but will be so wicked that they will slay Him. The result will be that they will be hated, persecuted, smitten and scattered and many would perish. But Isaiah points out that they would not be utterly destroyed and the Lord would ultimately remember His promises to them. Jacob develops his sermon from this theme and discourses how his people should live to be able to receive the Lord's promises.
A few interesting quotes: 2 Ne 6:18 - "I will feed them that opreess the with htheir own fles and they shall be drunken with their own blood". A perfectly ickky thought!
2 Ne 7:11 - "Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the hlight of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand - ye shall lie down in sorrow." Makes me think of self-important people who aggrandize themselves at the expense of humbler, kinder, more righteous people.
2 Ne 8:11 - "Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion: and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy...". That's the side I want to be on, but it sometimes hard to remember or to envision that. I want to be a glad head.
2 Ne 9:8-9 - (to paraphrase) Without the plan of salvation, without the resurrection, we would all become like Lucifer, spirits forever, and remain in misery. But we do have the way to escape this doom and to return to our Heavenly Father's kingdom!
2 Ne 9: 28-31 - (More paraphrasing) Wo to the learned who think they are wise but do not hear the God calling them. Wo to the rich as to the world but are poor as to the spirit. Wo unto they that are deaf to the Spirit. We see this so much today! People who think that religion is not needed anymore, that moral values are subjective and that consider things of the Spirit is passe. I don't want to be in those shoes at the last day.
2 Ne 10:3 - Jacob names the name of the Savior, as told him by an angel in the night. Certainly Jacob shows himself as the prophet and leader that will step in for Nephi when the time comes. Nephi tells us in a later chapter that Jacob has seen the Savior, just as he had. Jacob turned out to be a great and righteous leader, too.
Well, as I said, there are many great things in these chapters that I have skipped over in the interest of brevity. (yeah, I was really brief, wasn't I). I encourage you to study these chapters carefully and dig the golden nuggets out of them.
Don
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