The Brightness of the Scriptures

Not only are the scriptures of great worth, they are enduring.  The metal upon which they were recorded is a symbol of the timelessness of their message.  As demonstrated in this post, a fundamental aspect of the 'way of life' is that it is unchanging -- it transcends time. This creates a variant of the past/present/future symbolism we find in many places in the scriptures.  A reminder that pursuing the way of life leads us to a state of never-ending happiness in God's presence.

I noticed this from Nephi's summary of the words of his father Lehi after receiving the brass plates:

19 Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. (1 Nephi 5)

This parallels similar statements from other Book of Mormon prophets.

Nephi makes this comment:

11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness. (2 Nephi 33)

He knows his words will be around all the way until the last day.

Jacob puts it this way:

1 Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain;
2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us... (Jacob 4)

King Benjamin says this:

23 And now I have spoken the words which the Lord God hath commanded me.
24 And thus saith the Lord: They shall stand as a bright testimony against this people, at the judgment day; whereof they shall be judged, every man according to his works, whether they be good, or whether they be evil. (Mosiah 3)

Alma-2 tells his son Helaman this about the records as he puts him in charge of their safekeeping:

4 Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be kept and handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon.
5 And now behold, if they are kept they must retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ. (Alma 37)

The prophecy Alma mentions is probably the one Lehi makes in 1 Nephi 5. Alma does a few other really interesting things with his words to Helaman, which I'll detail in my next post.