1 Nephi 17 and the Creation-Covenant Connection

A few weeks ago, I posted about the creation-covenant connection. The quick summary is that the creation was brought about to allow us to participate in the Everlasting Covenant (according to Margaret Barker, "creation" and "covenant" share a primitive Hebrew root and relate to an idea of putting things together.)

I came across this passage in 1 Nephi 17 and thought about the creation-covenant connection. I've highlighted the phrases related to the righteous and the wicked.  Notice that the righteous are blessed in ways directly related to the land, and the wicked are cursed in ways directly related to the land.

32 And after they had crossed the river Jordan he did make them mighty unto the driving out of the children of the land, yea, unto the scattering them to destruction.
33 And now, do ye suppose that the children of this land, who were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers, do ye suppose that they were righteous? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.
34 Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice than they if they had been righteous? I say unto you, Nay.
35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.
36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it.
37 And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked.
38 And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes.
39 He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this earth is his footstool.
40 And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt. (1 Nephi 17)

Here is a summary for the righteous:

• “Make them mighty”
• Righteous
• Favored of God
• “Land of Promise”
• “Bless [the land] unto their obtaining power over it”
• “Raiseth up and righteous nation”
• “...he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands”
• “He loveth those who will have him to be their God”
• “He remembered the covenants which he hath made.”

Here is a summary for the wicked:

• “Scatter to destruction”
• “Ripe in iniquity”
• “Fulness of the wrath of God”
• “Curse the land against them”
• “Destroyeth the nations of the wicked”
• “...the wicked he destroyeth and curseth the land unto them for their sakes”

In addition to representing yet another manifestation of the Two Ways concept, this passage reinforces a few things to me:

1. The "Land of Promise" is included as a blessing reserved for the righteous, covenant-keeping people of God.
2. This pattern of blessing and cursing is linked directly to the purposes of the creation (see verses 39-40 especially).
3. It is increasingly clear to me that the "Land of Promise" concept is both a literal place to which the Nephites were led and a metaphor for the blessings that come from keeping the covenant.
4. Since the purpose of the creation is to bring about our opportunity to participate in the Everlasting Covenant, it is no wonder that rejecting the covenant would bring a creation-related curse upon us.
5. This is a major theme of the Book of Mormon, and can help us learn many things about our covenants if we think about this connection.