In my last post I mentioned that several things popped out at me while reading Zeniff's record (chapter 9 and 10 of Mosiah).
Knowledge and Learning: "I, Zeniff, having been taught in all the language of the Nephites, and having had a knowledge of the land of Nephi..." (Mosiah 9:1). Compare this with the words of Nephi: "...I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father... having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God... ...I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians." (1 Nephi 1:1-2). It seems that Zeniff, like Nephi, and probably many Nephites as well, were taught in languages and other important knowledge. This would have included knowledge of traditions of their ancestors as well as truths relating the branch of Israel that they came from. It is likely that this included traditions pertaining to the relationship between Nephites and Lamanites (to me, some of what Zeniff writes about the Lamanites sounds like handed-down traditions, peppered with first hand knowledge).
In reading the Book of Mormon, one of the major differences that I can see between the Lamanites and the Nephites is how knowledge is passed on. The Nephites kept records, they taught each generation from those records; they communicated from a well documented language. The Lamanites, on the other hand, probably passed down stories from mouth to ear throughout the generations. In our day, knowledge of the world (science, trades, the arts, professions, etc.) is critical to sustaining comfortable lives. Knowledge of society and social skills (meaning how to relate to each other, how to have and keep friends, how to fit in social circles) provides a bedrock for creating and maintaining relationships and friendships. Having spiritual knowledge (meaning knowing how to relate to God, understanding His place in your life, feeling at peace with Him and with yourself) provides a counterbalance to the base nature of being a mortal. Knowledge is important; Knowledge balanced in all areas is critical to having a happy life. Most of this important knowledge is taught from documented sources, i.e. books, etc.
The other thing I take from this topic is that keeping records is important. Writing your thoughts, especially thoughts related to your spirituality, is important for your children and their descendants. Recording important things keeps them fresh in our minds. Without writing things down, the facts and feelings can be misconstured, dropped, lost or changed. Record something about what you think or feel. Write your testimony. Write down spiritual experiences and how they made you feel. Let the future experience some of the things that inspired or moved you. Let your posterity hear your testimony first-hand.
Protection and Preparation: Zeniff wrote about two battles his people had with the Lamanites. In the first battle, those Nephites who escaped the initial onslaught fled to the city of Nephi. Zeniff says: "And it came to pass that I did arm them with bows, and with arrows, with swords, and with cimeters, and with clubs, and with slings, and with all manner of weapons which we could invent, and I and my people did go forth against the Lamanites to battle. Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies" (Mosiah 9:15-17).
In the second major battle, Zeniff wrote: "...I caused that there should be weapons of war made of every kind, that thereby I might have weapons for my people against the time the Lamanites should come up again to war against my people. And I set guards round about the land, that the Lamanites might not come upon us again unawares and destroy us... And it came to pass that they came up upon the north of the land of Shilom, with their numerous hosts... And it came to pass that we did go up to battle against the Lamanites; and I, even I, in my old age, did go up to battle against the Lamanites. And it came to pass that we did go up in the strength of the Lord to battle" (Mos. 10:1,2,8,10)
In both battles, the Lord's hand of protection was upon the people. The Nephites were victorious in the second battle in part because of the preparations they had made for potential war. In both cases, they had prepared spiritually so that the Lord could bestow his divine protection upon them. We see that there are different types of preparation; both spiritual preparation and physical preparation. Today we face many dangers, both physical and spiritual. Both types of preparation are important in our lives as we face our daily trials. We shouldn't neglect either type of preparation in our lives.
Time Lines: The account of Zeniff, Noah and Limhi in these chapters of the book of Mosiah include dates that give us insight of when things happened during this time of the Book of Mormon. I could give examples but have run out of room in this post, so no specific details are included here. Suffice it to say, I feel that the time line in one of my previous posts (see my April 30th post ) fits nicely with the details in the records of Zeniff and his successors.
There are more discussions to come which will include Abinadi, Alma, and others. Stay tuned! Meanwhile, I have a testimony that these things that we read in the Book of Mormon really did happen and have been accurately written for our benefit. I testify this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Don
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
The Record of Zeniff: Mosiah 9 - 10
In my last post I set the stage to examine the story of the people of Nephi who returned to the land of Lehi-Nephi. They were led by a man called Zeniff. Zeniff had seen the land the Nephites left behind, which was since peopled by the Lamanites. He was desirous to go and dwell there. Not only did he want to go himself , he wanted as many others as he could get to come with him. Apparently he was pretty successful in enlisting others; in the book of Omni Amaleki writes: "And now I would speak somewhat concerning a certain number who went up into the wilderness to return to the land of Nephi; for there was a large number who were desirous to possess the land of their inheritance. And it came to pass that they also took others to a considerable number, and took their journey again into the wilderness. And I, Amaleki, had a brother, who also went with them; and I have not since known concerning them." (Omni, 27, 29-30). Zeniff himself records: "...I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to go up to the land... " (Mosiah 9:3). Zeniff must have gathered a lot of people. After living in Lehi-Nephi for 13 years, Zeniff led his people to battle against a large and aggressive Lamanite army. Zeniff's people withstood them, slaying over 3,000 of their number. My uninformed guess is that the Lamanite army must have been 3 or 4 times the number of men who were slain. With this in mind, I think Zeniff's population may have been more than a thousand people, including the women and children. My question is this: How many righteous Nephites does it take to withstand a Lamanite horde?
A word about the land of Lehi-Nephi. It is not clear to me where this might be in relation to Zarahemla. Zeniff says that his party wandered "many days" as they journeyed there from Zarahemla (see Mosiah 9:4). Ammon's party, who left Zarahemla seeking word of the people in Lehi-Nephi, wandared for 40 days before arriving at their destination (see Mosiah 7:4). If we assume that Ammon's party traveled at a very moderate pace of 10 miles per day, they could have traveled 400 miles. I speculate that it is likely not that far (going directly, that is), since Ammon and his men had to guess which direction to take as they traveled. Trips back to Zarahemla, mentioned later in the account and taken be at least two groups, do not talk about the trip other than it was done.
I also speculate about how the land Lehi-Nephi fits in to Nephite history. Is it the place that Lehi and his family landed after a long ocean voyage? Is it the land where Nephi and his people fled to shortly after Lehi's death? Is it the land that King Mosiah - Benjamin's father - and his followers fled from when they discovered the people of Zarahemla? I don't think the records contained in the Book of Mormon give us any hints. Either of these three locations could be the case, but consider this: At the time that Zeniff and company left the people of Zarahemla, it probably had been less than 50 years since Mosiah and his people left their former homes. It makes sense to me that this is where the people of Mosiah and Benjamin thought of as the land of their inheritance. They had lived in that place for centuries. It also makes sense that the people of Zarahemla felt threatened by the inhabitants of their former home and would send men to spy out their intentions and plans.
So Chapter 9 and 10 of Mosiah relate some of the experiences Zeniff's people had the first 23-25 years of their inhabiting the land of Lehi-Nephi. Several things popped out to me while reading Zeniff's record. More on this in my next post. Let me leave with this thought: Sometimes God leads his children to where he needs them to be. Sometimes God's children go where they feel they should be. In either case, the important thing is to rely on God, live His precepts, and accept the blessings and responsibilities that accompany living a Godly life.
Don
A word about the land of Lehi-Nephi. It is not clear to me where this might be in relation to Zarahemla. Zeniff says that his party wandered "many days" as they journeyed there from Zarahemla (see Mosiah 9:4). Ammon's party, who left Zarahemla seeking word of the people in Lehi-Nephi, wandared for 40 days before arriving at their destination (see Mosiah 7:4). If we assume that Ammon's party traveled at a very moderate pace of 10 miles per day, they could have traveled 400 miles. I speculate that it is likely not that far (going directly, that is), since Ammon and his men had to guess which direction to take as they traveled. Trips back to Zarahemla, mentioned later in the account and taken be at least two groups, do not talk about the trip other than it was done.
I also speculate about how the land Lehi-Nephi fits in to Nephite history. Is it the place that Lehi and his family landed after a long ocean voyage? Is it the land where Nephi and his people fled to shortly after Lehi's death? Is it the land that King Mosiah - Benjamin's father - and his followers fled from when they discovered the people of Zarahemla? I don't think the records contained in the Book of Mormon give us any hints. Either of these three locations could be the case, but consider this: At the time that Zeniff and company left the people of Zarahemla, it probably had been less than 50 years since Mosiah and his people left their former homes. It makes sense to me that this is where the people of Mosiah and Benjamin thought of as the land of their inheritance. They had lived in that place for centuries. It also makes sense that the people of Zarahemla felt threatened by the inhabitants of their former home and would send men to spy out their intentions and plans.
So Chapter 9 and 10 of Mosiah relate some of the experiences Zeniff's people had the first 23-25 years of their inhabiting the land of Lehi-Nephi. Several things popped out to me while reading Zeniff's record. More on this in my next post. Let me leave with this thought: Sometimes God leads his children to where he needs them to be. Sometimes God's children go where they feel they should be. In either case, the important thing is to rely on God, live His precepts, and accept the blessings and responsibilities that accompany living a Godly life.
Don
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Mosiah 7-8; What Became of Them?
It's been 3 years now since Mosiah was anointed king of the people of Nephi. Little is said of his tenure as king, either in these 3 years or, for that matter at all, except this: He walked in the ways of the Lord, observed the Lord's judgments and kept the Lord's commandments. We also read that he followed his father's ways; he did all he could for his own daily maintenance so he wouldn't be a burden to the people. Mosiah, like Benjamin, his father, was a great man, leading by example and inspiring those they served. We can also be inspired by their example.
Chapter 7 and 8 of Mosiah deal with concern for the people who had gone off to inhabit the land of Lehi-Nephi. This is the land where the Nephites settled after separating themselves from the Laman and Lemuel and their followers. A man named Zeniff desired to return to that area and actively enlisted others to go with him, as we read in Omni, v.27-30. The writer, Amaleki, tells us that a considerable number of people accompanied Zeniff as he returned to the land of Lehi-Nephi, including Amaleki's brother.
After Mosiah had been king for several years the people began to be anxious about the welfare of those who returned to Lehi-Nephi. Much concern expressed to the king - "...therefore, they wearied him with their teasings" (Mosiah 7:1) - and he agreed to send a party to search for the lost group. King Mosiah calls on a group of 16 men to send to the land of Lehi-Nephi to determine status of the lost people.
So the setting is placed for the next several chapters in the book of Mosiah. There are some great details to be learned from them.
Ammon, the leader of the search party and a descendant of Zarahemla, takes his men through the wilderness and wanders for 40 days. It isn't clear if the length of this trip is due to distance or if it is because they were unsure of which way to go. I believe it is probably mostly due to the distance to travel and the hard-going labor of trekking through the wilderness. They must have carefully kept a record of their journeys, since we don't really hear anything about the difficulty of the trip back to Zarahemla when they eventually return. Ammon and his party finally arrived at their destination and proceeded to determine the status of the people. Being a careful leader, he left the majority of his group nearby while he and two companions approached the people now living in the land of Lehi-Nephi.
I initially wondered why Ammon left most of his men behind, but in thinking about it, to me the reason was logical. Ammon didn't know how they would be greeted by the people they had just found and probably wanted some of his men to be able to return and relate the things that happened, should go wrong. Ammon took two others with him. Some say there is power in the number 3; in my thinking, I agree with this to the extent that no matter which of the 3 they questioned, there were two witnesses to corroborate his story. Ammon and his two companions were likely questioned carefully about their origin and their aims before the people of the land trusted him... (given the circumstances of this people, I don't really blame them for being so suspicious).
Ammon was a good representative of the people of Zarahemla. The king of the people at Nephi-Lehi, Limhi, recognized the truth of Ammon's story because of the spirit Ammon carried with him. Ammon "bowed himself before the king; and rising again he said: O king, I am very thankful before God this day that I am yet alive, and am permitted to speak; and I will endeavor to speak with boldness; For I am assured that if ye had known me ye would not have suffered that I should have worn these bands. For I am Ammon, and am a descendant of Zarahemla, and have come up out of the land of Zarahemla to inquire concerning our brethren, whom Zeniff brought up out of that land" (Mosiah 7:12-13). Ammon used boldness, yes, but it was boldness in righteous doing. King Limhi immediately knew Ammon was speaking the truth.
The appearance of Ammon and his companions brought a much sought-for commodity to the people of Limhi: Hope. They had a Lamanite problem and needed help from the Lord. It is interesting to me that at the time when Limhi was so desperate that he sent a party out, at risk of punishment by the Lamanites, to search for Zarahemla, that the people in Zarahemla were being touched by the spirit of concern for these people. The Lord knew Limhi's circumstances. Working in His miraculous way, the Lord inspired the people of Zarahemla with concern for the welfare of they who had left years earlier. The Lord inspired Mosiah to take action as his people wanted. The Lord had Mosiah choose the right person to lead the search party, one who was divinely inspired himself. When you think about it, the Lord works this way in all of our lives. Have you ever gotten a call from the one person who could relieve your burden just when you needed them? This happens time and time again. This happens because the Lord knows us, He knows our circumstances, and He wants to ease our burden and to help us to become more like him. It has always been this way.
Ammon was the right person to lead the search party and to meet with king Limhi. The king had all the people come so that Ammon could speak to them. After Limhi rehearsed to the people their present circumstances and the reasons they were in such a mess, he had Ammon talk. Ammon told them of the things that had happened in Zarahemla. He told the people about king Benjamin's last address. "And he also rehearsed unto them the last words which king Benjamin had taught them, and explained them to the people of king Limhi, so that they might understand all the words which he spake" (Mosiah 8:3). Side note: Notice that the verse says "so that they might understand all the words...". The key word there is "might". It is up to each of us, when we hear truth, to recognize and understand it. Ammon could not make the people recognize the value of the things Benjamin taught, but he presented the truth to the people for their edification; seeing and understanding the truth is up to the individual. We need to prepare ourselves to be able to recognize and act on truth as it is revealed to us.
King Limhi told Ammon about the plates that his people found when they were searching for Zarahemla and he asked if Ammon could interpret the plates. This brought a discussion about seers... Ammon indicated that his king, King Mosiah, was a seer and could translate the plates that were found. Two points to bring up about this discussion:
1) Ammon gives us further indication of the kind of man that King Mosiah was. He was living his life such that he was worthy to look into the interpreters when commanded. Mosiah, like his grandfather (see Omni v.20) and undoubtedly his father, was the prophet-leader of his people. Oh, that the priesthood leaders of each of our families would be like these men and lead their "kingdom" righteously.
2) Ammon refers to the interpreters... "And the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish" (Mosiah 8:13). These interpreters are, I believe, what we know as the Urim and Thummim. I believe these interpreters were with the plates that Joseph Smith was entrusted with and the very instruments that he used in the translation of the Book of Mormon. There appears to be more than one set of interpreters; This set was different than the set that is referred to in the Old Testament as being used by Moses (Exodus 28:30). It is possible that this set is the same that was used by the Jaredites, but that set could be different as well.
After Ammon and Limhi discuss the attributes of a Seer and Prophet, it is obvious that Limhi's mind is relieved of a great burden. In his excitement "...the king rejoiced exceedingly, and gave thanks to God, saying: Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates, and these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of unfolding all such mysteries to the children of men. O how marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long doth he suffer with his people..."
May we each be excited about the Lord's workings in our lives. May we recognize the truth he offers to us and embrace His love which is offered freely.
Don
Chapter 7 and 8 of Mosiah deal with concern for the people who had gone off to inhabit the land of Lehi-Nephi. This is the land where the Nephites settled after separating themselves from the Laman and Lemuel and their followers. A man named Zeniff desired to return to that area and actively enlisted others to go with him, as we read in Omni, v.27-30. The writer, Amaleki, tells us that a considerable number of people accompanied Zeniff as he returned to the land of Lehi-Nephi, including Amaleki's brother.
After Mosiah had been king for several years the people began to be anxious about the welfare of those who returned to Lehi-Nephi. Much concern expressed to the king - "...therefore, they wearied him with their teasings" (Mosiah 7:1) - and he agreed to send a party to search for the lost group. King Mosiah calls on a group of 16 men to send to the land of Lehi-Nephi to determine status of the lost people.
So the setting is placed for the next several chapters in the book of Mosiah. There are some great details to be learned from them.
Ammon, the leader of the search party and a descendant of Zarahemla, takes his men through the wilderness and wanders for 40 days. It isn't clear if the length of this trip is due to distance or if it is because they were unsure of which way to go. I believe it is probably mostly due to the distance to travel and the hard-going labor of trekking through the wilderness. They must have carefully kept a record of their journeys, since we don't really hear anything about the difficulty of the trip back to Zarahemla when they eventually return. Ammon and his party finally arrived at their destination and proceeded to determine the status of the people. Being a careful leader, he left the majority of his group nearby while he and two companions approached the people now living in the land of Lehi-Nephi.
I initially wondered why Ammon left most of his men behind, but in thinking about it, to me the reason was logical. Ammon didn't know how they would be greeted by the people they had just found and probably wanted some of his men to be able to return and relate the things that happened, should go wrong. Ammon took two others with him. Some say there is power in the number 3; in my thinking, I agree with this to the extent that no matter which of the 3 they questioned, there were two witnesses to corroborate his story. Ammon and his two companions were likely questioned carefully about their origin and their aims before the people of the land trusted him... (given the circumstances of this people, I don't really blame them for being so suspicious).
Ammon was a good representative of the people of Zarahemla. The king of the people at Nephi-Lehi, Limhi, recognized the truth of Ammon's story because of the spirit Ammon carried with him. Ammon "bowed himself before the king; and rising again he said: O king, I am very thankful before God this day that I am yet alive, and am permitted to speak; and I will endeavor to speak with boldness; For I am assured that if ye had known me ye would not have suffered that I should have worn these bands. For I am Ammon, and am a descendant of Zarahemla, and have come up out of the land of Zarahemla to inquire concerning our brethren, whom Zeniff brought up out of that land" (Mosiah 7:12-13). Ammon used boldness, yes, but it was boldness in righteous doing. King Limhi immediately knew Ammon was speaking the truth.
The appearance of Ammon and his companions brought a much sought-for commodity to the people of Limhi: Hope. They had a Lamanite problem and needed help from the Lord. It is interesting to me that at the time when Limhi was so desperate that he sent a party out, at risk of punishment by the Lamanites, to search for Zarahemla, that the people in Zarahemla were being touched by the spirit of concern for these people. The Lord knew Limhi's circumstances. Working in His miraculous way, the Lord inspired the people of Zarahemla with concern for the welfare of they who had left years earlier. The Lord inspired Mosiah to take action as his people wanted. The Lord had Mosiah choose the right person to lead the search party, one who was divinely inspired himself. When you think about it, the Lord works this way in all of our lives. Have you ever gotten a call from the one person who could relieve your burden just when you needed them? This happens time and time again. This happens because the Lord knows us, He knows our circumstances, and He wants to ease our burden and to help us to become more like him. It has always been this way.
Ammon was the right person to lead the search party and to meet with king Limhi. The king had all the people come so that Ammon could speak to them. After Limhi rehearsed to the people their present circumstances and the reasons they were in such a mess, he had Ammon talk. Ammon told them of the things that had happened in Zarahemla. He told the people about king Benjamin's last address. "And he also rehearsed unto them the last words which king Benjamin had taught them, and explained them to the people of king Limhi, so that they might understand all the words which he spake" (Mosiah 8:3). Side note: Notice that the verse says "so that they might understand all the words...". The key word there is "might". It is up to each of us, when we hear truth, to recognize and understand it. Ammon could not make the people recognize the value of the things Benjamin taught, but he presented the truth to the people for their edification; seeing and understanding the truth is up to the individual. We need to prepare ourselves to be able to recognize and act on truth as it is revealed to us.
King Limhi told Ammon about the plates that his people found when they were searching for Zarahemla and he asked if Ammon could interpret the plates. This brought a discussion about seers... Ammon indicated that his king, King Mosiah, was a seer and could translate the plates that were found. Two points to bring up about this discussion:
1) Ammon gives us further indication of the kind of man that King Mosiah was. He was living his life such that he was worthy to look into the interpreters when commanded. Mosiah, like his grandfather (see Omni v.20) and undoubtedly his father, was the prophet-leader of his people. Oh, that the priesthood leaders of each of our families would be like these men and lead their "kingdom" righteously.
2) Ammon refers to the interpreters... "And the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish" (Mosiah 8:13). These interpreters are, I believe, what we know as the Urim and Thummim. I believe these interpreters were with the plates that Joseph Smith was entrusted with and the very instruments that he used in the translation of the Book of Mormon. There appears to be more than one set of interpreters; This set was different than the set that is referred to in the Old Testament as being used by Moses (Exodus 28:30). It is possible that this set is the same that was used by the Jaredites, but that set could be different as well.
After Ammon and Limhi discuss the attributes of a Seer and Prophet, it is obvious that Limhi's mind is relieved of a great burden. In his excitement "...the king rejoiced exceedingly, and gave thanks to God, saying: Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates, and these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of unfolding all such mysteries to the children of men. O how marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long doth he suffer with his people..."
May we each be excited about the Lord's workings in our lives. May we recognize the truth he offers to us and embrace His love which is offered freely.
Don
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Benjamin's Address - Mosiah 2-6
I've spent a lot of time on the first few chapters of Mosiah. It makes sense to do so, at least to me, since this is my favorite part of the Book of Mormon. What a great experience it must have been for the people to listen to the leader of their country as he gave his farewell speech and to have his farewell speech be so profound as to make them fall to the earth and cry for forgiveness. And little wonder that they did, because Benjamin had just related to them the angelic message that Christ would come to the earth and atone for the sins of the world.
Benjamin proceeded to tell them what they needed to do in order to receive the miracle of forgiveness that the atonement of Christ provided. The final words of chapter 4 were all-encompassing: "...if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not" (Mosiah 4:30).
At this point, Benjamin wanted to know if the people believed his words. He sent his ministers out among the throng to ask them this very thing. The response? "...they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come... And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy. And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days..." (Mosiah 5:2-6).
This was precisely what Benjamin had hoped for. His response: 1) He revealed the new name for them that he had promised. 2) He held them to their commitment, recording the names of those present during that spiritual event.
1: New name:
Benjamin said to the people: "...the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant...because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters. ...this is the name that I said I should give unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out of your hearts. Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his..." (Mosiah 5:6,7,11,15). From that time forward, Benjamin's people (and now Mosiah's people) would be known as the Children of Christ. This is the new name that he gave them once they committed to live God's commandments. There is a lesson here for us. Many people SAY they are Christians... but do their words prove them out? I once heard this said: If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? We need to live the admonitions that Benjamin gave his people in order to be true Children of Christ. Only then are we worthy of being called that name. Have you truly committed yourself?
Here's a thought that just popped into my head: Benjamin said: "whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God" (Mosiah 5:10). This reminds me the when the Lord came to the Nephites. He told the disciples, when they said there were disputations about what to call the church, " ...the Lord said unto them: Verily, verily, I say unto you, why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of this thing? Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day; therefore ye shall call the church in my name... And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel" (3 Nephi 27: 4-5, 7-8)
The name "Mormon" is truly a sacred name; it comes from two places in the Book of Mormon; one from the Waters of Mormon, where many of the people converted by Alma the elder were received into the fellowship of the saints of that day by baptism. The other is the great prophet/general of the conclusion of the Book of Mormon, he who abridged the Nephite records into the account we read in the Book of Mormon. It is a good name. But if we are truly disciples of Christ, perhaps we should call ourselves that. We should be people who are striving to be Children of Christ; striving to be worthy of being called members of the Church of Jesus Christ. I think my point is that whatever we call ourselves should reflect the way we live our lives, and the way we live our lives should make us worthy to be called by His name.
After thinking this through, I think that when I am asked if I am a Mormon, I am going to respond "I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". I may even say "I am trying to be the kind of person that Jesus would be happy to call His son". I don't mean to come across as a self-righteous snob or some better-than-others kind of snoot. I just think that it is better to known as a person trying to live a Christ-like life than to be known as someone who is living the culture of a group of people. Enough said...
2: Commitment:
Before everyone left the gathering, Benjamin recorded the names of everyone who had made the covenant with God, spoken of in chapter 5. It must have been very satisfying to the king to find that "...there was not one soul, except it were little children, but who had entered into the covenant and had taken upon them the name of Christ" (Mosiah 6:2). Records are kept of who enters into a covenant to take Christ's name upon themselves in this day as well. At baptismal time, these records are kept by our Church, just as in ancient times, as shown here in Mosiah. It is interesting to note that records are also kept by the angels of these things, and we are judged by the records here and in heaven.
Benjamin did one more thing for the people. He "...appointed priests to teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the oath which they had made..." (Mosiah 6:3). Why does the church have everyone participate in callings? For this very purpose: to teach us about the God's commandments and to remind us of the covenants we have made to keep them. As we serve we remind those we teach, as well as ourselves, of the things we need to do in order to be more Christ-like. We learn to be worthy of being called His children.
What a great experience Benjamin and his people had. How fortunate we are to have a record of the proceedings of this gathering! We are fortunate as well to have the proceedings of each of our modern day general conferences. We should show our appreciation by studying the words of the modern day prophets and applying them to our lives.
Don
Benjamin proceeded to tell them what they needed to do in order to receive the miracle of forgiveness that the atonement of Christ provided. The final words of chapter 4 were all-encompassing: "...if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not" (Mosiah 4:30).
At this point, Benjamin wanted to know if the people believed his words. He sent his ministers out among the throng to ask them this very thing. The response? "...they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come... And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy. And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days..." (Mosiah 5:2-6).
This was precisely what Benjamin had hoped for. His response: 1) He revealed the new name for them that he had promised. 2) He held them to their commitment, recording the names of those present during that spiritual event.
1: New name:
Benjamin said to the people: "...the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant...because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters. ...this is the name that I said I should give unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out of your hearts. Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his..." (Mosiah 5:6,7,11,15). From that time forward, Benjamin's people (and now Mosiah's people) would be known as the Children of Christ. This is the new name that he gave them once they committed to live God's commandments. There is a lesson here for us. Many people SAY they are Christians... but do their words prove them out? I once heard this said: If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? We need to live the admonitions that Benjamin gave his people in order to be true Children of Christ. Only then are we worthy of being called that name. Have you truly committed yourself?
Here's a thought that just popped into my head: Benjamin said: "whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God" (Mosiah 5:10). This reminds me the when the Lord came to the Nephites. He told the disciples, when they said there were disputations about what to call the church, " ...the Lord said unto them: Verily, verily, I say unto you, why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of this thing? Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day; therefore ye shall call the church in my name... And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel" (3 Nephi 27: 4-5, 7-8)
The name "Mormon" is truly a sacred name; it comes from two places in the Book of Mormon; one from the Waters of Mormon, where many of the people converted by Alma the elder were received into the fellowship of the saints of that day by baptism. The other is the great prophet/general of the conclusion of the Book of Mormon, he who abridged the Nephite records into the account we read in the Book of Mormon. It is a good name. But if we are truly disciples of Christ, perhaps we should call ourselves that. We should be people who are striving to be Children of Christ; striving to be worthy of being called members of the Church of Jesus Christ. I think my point is that whatever we call ourselves should reflect the way we live our lives, and the way we live our lives should make us worthy to be called by His name.
After thinking this through, I think that when I am asked if I am a Mormon, I am going to respond "I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". I may even say "I am trying to be the kind of person that Jesus would be happy to call His son". I don't mean to come across as a self-righteous snob or some better-than-others kind of snoot. I just think that it is better to known as a person trying to live a Christ-like life than to be known as someone who is living the culture of a group of people. Enough said...
2: Commitment:
Before everyone left the gathering, Benjamin recorded the names of everyone who had made the covenant with God, spoken of in chapter 5. It must have been very satisfying to the king to find that "...there was not one soul, except it were little children, but who had entered into the covenant and had taken upon them the name of Christ" (Mosiah 6:2). Records are kept of who enters into a covenant to take Christ's name upon themselves in this day as well. At baptismal time, these records are kept by our Church, just as in ancient times, as shown here in Mosiah. It is interesting to note that records are also kept by the angels of these things, and we are judged by the records here and in heaven.
Benjamin did one more thing for the people. He "...appointed priests to teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the oath which they had made..." (Mosiah 6:3). Why does the church have everyone participate in callings? For this very purpose: to teach us about the God's commandments and to remind us of the covenants we have made to keep them. As we serve we remind those we teach, as well as ourselves, of the things we need to do in order to be more Christ-like. We learn to be worthy of being called His children.
What a great experience Benjamin and his people had. How fortunate we are to have a record of the proceedings of this gathering! We are fortunate as well to have the proceedings of each of our modern day general conferences. We should show our appreciation by studying the words of the modern day prophets and applying them to our lives.
Don
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Benjamin's General conference - Mosiah 2-6 Part 2
Continuing with the wonderful address that King Benjamin made to his people... Previously I talked about how much like a general conference this gathering was. In this post, I want to explore the messages that were covered in King Benjamin's address... if we are using the general conference theme, the different "talks" that were given. (Let me just say that, although I quote extensively in this post, there is much that I have not included. For a true feeling of Benjamin's address, please read Mosiah 2-6 carefully).
Benjamin prefaces this part of his remarks by telling his people the source of what he was about to tell them. "...for behold, I have things to tell you concerning that which is to come. And the things which I shall tell you are made known unto me by an angel from God..." (Mosiah 3:1,2). The angel told Benjamin of the importance of his message and emphasized that it was joyous news: "...for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy" (Mosiah 3:3).
Why did the Lord want Benjamin to know what the angel came to tell him? Benjamin probably felt that it was so he could share the glad message with his people. I believe this is correct. The angel also gave another reason: "...the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayst rejoice..." (Mosiah 3:4). The last part of this verse confirms what Benjamin felt was the main reason for receiving this message: "...and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy" (ibid).
I learned from this passage the pattern of receiving revelation from the Lord. That pattern follows these steps:
-- Pray fervently for the Lord to grant the knowledge needed for your life (calling, relationships, etc.).
-- Live your life so that you are judged of the Lord to be worthy of receiving the answer to your prayers.
-- Listen when the answer to your prayers is given; be ready to share the message; share the message as directed.
These steps are not always easy to follow; sometimes one or more of the steps may require patience, endurance and long suffering. I believe that ultimately, though, that the Lord, in His loving wisdom, will respond to us when we diligently follow this pattern.
The joyous message that Benjamin was instructed to share was this: "...the time cometh...that with power, the Lord Omnipotent ...shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay...[he] shall go forth working mighty miracles...he shall cast out devils...he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body...for behold blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish... And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God..." (Mosiah 3:5-9). The angel emphasized the purpose of Jesus' mission among men: "...he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might com upon the children of men. For behold...His blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God...or who have ignorantly sinned." (Mosiah 3:10-11). The great, joyous message that the angel shared with Benjamin was that God the Father prepared a way for the children of the earth to be able to return to His presence. God prepared a way that involved the coming of a Savior - His Son - to the earth. Joyous is this message; we all have the opportunity to be able to be reconciled with God, in spite of any sins we have committed.
Benjamin continued with the angel's words. He emphasized the importance of understanding the need for a Savior and the effect His coming would have on mankind. "....salvation cometh to none...except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ...whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins. I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ..." (Mosiah 3:12-13). The old king also admonished his people to live Godly lives: "...men drink damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and become little children, and believe that salvation is... For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be...unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ..." (Mosiah 3:18-19). Benjamin defines Christ-like attributes as he continues: "...becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him..." (ibid).
These great verses in the book of Mosiah, uttered by the aged King Benjamin, give us hope. They give us a roadmap by which we can plan the journey of our lives, and by following these simple directions, we have the true road to our Father's kingdom.
Benjamin then indicated that this was the end of the message that the angel declared to him. Benjamin told his people: "[these words] shall stand as a bright testimony against this people, at the judgment day; whereof they shall be judged, every man according to his works..." (Mosiah 3:24). When each of us are given the message that King Benjamin gave his people, we also will each be given the opportunity to choose... whether to follow God's commandments or not. We each will be held accountable for the choices we have made in this life.
Apparently Benjamin's words - his conveyance of the angel's joyous message - overcame the people who were in attendance. "...he cast his eyes round about on the multitude and behold they had fallen to the earth...They had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins..." (Mosiah 4:1-2). Imagine hearing a conference talk that moved you so greatly that you fell to the ground, and cried out to the Lord for forgiveness. That would be one great conference talk! Benjamin heard their cries and told them: "...if the knowledge of the goodness of God has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness...if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God... and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared...this is the means whereby salvation cometh... Believe in God...Believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them...ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; if you believe all these things,see that ye do them... always retain in remembrance the greatness of God...humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come..." (Mosiah 4:5-11).
Benjamin promises his people (and us as well) that by living up to the message and admonishments he has given: "...I say unto you that if ye do this, ye shall always rejoice and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins...ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably...ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God... But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth an dsoberness...to love one another and to serve one another... and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain..." (Mosiah 4:12-16). These are the signs that follow them that believe (which are also spoken of in the New Testament). Are such signs evident in our lives? (Along these lines, I recently went to Temple Square in Salt Lake City; as I entered into the gates I was approached by a person who was asking for money. Having been there several times in the past couple months I recognized this person as having been there each time I had visited. Each time the person was begging for money from those entering into the temple grounds. I know what my response was (and I'm not inferring that I did the right thing); I am curious what others - you, the reader - would do when approached regularly at this place by a person who is constantly there begging for money each time. Please comment!)
Benjamin counsels his people to be wise in integrating their new found knowledge and faith into their lives: "See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize..." (Mosiah 4:27). In our lives we must use wisdom in how we introduce and implement changes for good. For instance, it would do no good to vow that we will read the scriptures for 2 hours a night only to give up after only a week because it was too hard to keep up. On the other hand, we can't justify not self-improving our lives by saying that we're "easing into it". "All things must be done in order" (Mosiah 4:27). I love Benjamin's final words on the matter: "...I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them. But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds...ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not" (Mosiah 4:29).
In my next post, I will talk about the conclusion and the results of Benjamin's address. Meanwhile, let us all follow the admonitions that Benjamin gave his people. If we can do this, we will indeed be able to rejoice.
Don
Benjamin prefaces this part of his remarks by telling his people the source of what he was about to tell them. "...for behold, I have things to tell you concerning that which is to come. And the things which I shall tell you are made known unto me by an angel from God..." (Mosiah 3:1,2). The angel told Benjamin of the importance of his message and emphasized that it was joyous news: "...for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy" (Mosiah 3:3).
Why did the Lord want Benjamin to know what the angel came to tell him? Benjamin probably felt that it was so he could share the glad message with his people. I believe this is correct. The angel also gave another reason: "...the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayst rejoice..." (Mosiah 3:4). The last part of this verse confirms what Benjamin felt was the main reason for receiving this message: "...and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy" (ibid).
I learned from this passage the pattern of receiving revelation from the Lord. That pattern follows these steps:
-- Pray fervently for the Lord to grant the knowledge needed for your life (calling, relationships, etc.).
-- Live your life so that you are judged of the Lord to be worthy of receiving the answer to your prayers.
-- Listen when the answer to your prayers is given; be ready to share the message; share the message as directed.
These steps are not always easy to follow; sometimes one or more of the steps may require patience, endurance and long suffering. I believe that ultimately, though, that the Lord, in His loving wisdom, will respond to us when we diligently follow this pattern.
The joyous message that Benjamin was instructed to share was this: "...the time cometh...that with power, the Lord Omnipotent ...shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay...[he] shall go forth working mighty miracles...he shall cast out devils...he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body...for behold blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish... And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God..." (Mosiah 3:5-9). The angel emphasized the purpose of Jesus' mission among men: "...he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might com upon the children of men. For behold...His blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God...or who have ignorantly sinned." (Mosiah 3:10-11). The great, joyous message that the angel shared with Benjamin was that God the Father prepared a way for the children of the earth to be able to return to His presence. God prepared a way that involved the coming of a Savior - His Son - to the earth. Joyous is this message; we all have the opportunity to be able to be reconciled with God, in spite of any sins we have committed.
Benjamin continued with the angel's words. He emphasized the importance of understanding the need for a Savior and the effect His coming would have on mankind. "....salvation cometh to none...except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ...whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins. I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ..." (Mosiah 3:12-13). The old king also admonished his people to live Godly lives: "...men drink damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and become little children, and believe that salvation is... For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be...unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ..." (Mosiah 3:18-19). Benjamin defines Christ-like attributes as he continues: "...becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him..." (ibid).
These great verses in the book of Mosiah, uttered by the aged King Benjamin, give us hope. They give us a roadmap by which we can plan the journey of our lives, and by following these simple directions, we have the true road to our Father's kingdom.
Benjamin then indicated that this was the end of the message that the angel declared to him. Benjamin told his people: "[these words] shall stand as a bright testimony against this people, at the judgment day; whereof they shall be judged, every man according to his works..." (Mosiah 3:24). When each of us are given the message that King Benjamin gave his people, we also will each be given the opportunity to choose... whether to follow God's commandments or not. We each will be held accountable for the choices we have made in this life.
Apparently Benjamin's words - his conveyance of the angel's joyous message - overcame the people who were in attendance. "...he cast his eyes round about on the multitude and behold they had fallen to the earth...They had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins..." (Mosiah 4:1-2). Imagine hearing a conference talk that moved you so greatly that you fell to the ground, and cried out to the Lord for forgiveness. That would be one great conference talk! Benjamin heard their cries and told them: "...if the knowledge of the goodness of God has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness...if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God... and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared...this is the means whereby salvation cometh... Believe in God...Believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them...ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; if you believe all these things,see that ye do them... always retain in remembrance the greatness of God...humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come..." (Mosiah 4:5-11).
Benjamin promises his people (and us as well) that by living up to the message and admonishments he has given: "...I say unto you that if ye do this, ye shall always rejoice and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins...ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably...ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God... But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth an dsoberness...to love one another and to serve one another... and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain..." (Mosiah 4:12-16). These are the signs that follow them that believe (which are also spoken of in the New Testament). Are such signs evident in our lives? (Along these lines, I recently went to Temple Square in Salt Lake City; as I entered into the gates I was approached by a person who was asking for money. Having been there several times in the past couple months I recognized this person as having been there each time I had visited. Each time the person was begging for money from those entering into the temple grounds. I know what my response was (and I'm not inferring that I did the right thing); I am curious what others - you, the reader - would do when approached regularly at this place by a person who is constantly there begging for money each time. Please comment!)
Benjamin counsels his people to be wise in integrating their new found knowledge and faith into their lives: "See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize..." (Mosiah 4:27). In our lives we must use wisdom in how we introduce and implement changes for good. For instance, it would do no good to vow that we will read the scriptures for 2 hours a night only to give up after only a week because it was too hard to keep up. On the other hand, we can't justify not self-improving our lives by saying that we're "easing into it". "All things must be done in order" (Mosiah 4:27). I love Benjamin's final words on the matter: "...I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them. But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds...ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not" (Mosiah 4:29).
In my next post, I will talk about the conclusion and the results of Benjamin's address. Meanwhile, let us all follow the admonitions that Benjamin gave his people. If we can do this, we will indeed be able to rejoice.
Don
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