The covenant path is plain, not in the sense of being mundane, but rather in the sense that it is not complicated or convoluted. The Book of Mormon states this repeatedly in many different ways, often centering the description on the word 'plain.' This post will offer an overview of how this word is used in reference to God's word and God's way.
Here are a few key themes I've taken away from this study:
- God delights in plainness, and those who love Him should as well. (2 Nephi 25:4)
- The wicked despise plainness, because it exposes their wickedness (Alma 14:3)
- Plainness can lead those who turn away to seek to destroy the work and servants of God (Alma 14:2, Alma 24:30, Helaman 8:4)
- God's word is plain, but over time wicked men take away the plainness, causing many to stumble. (1 Nephi 13:26, 28-29)
The metaphor of the "plain road"
- In his psalm, Nephi asks God: "O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road! O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy ! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine ! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy." (2 Nephi 4:32-33)
- "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." (Isaiah 40)
- "Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies." (Psalm 27)
In addition to the references above, a slight variant of this metaphor is prophesied as a literal manifestation of Christ's death:
And behold, there shall be great tempests, and there shall be many mountains laid low, like unto a valley, and there shall be many places which are now called valleys which shall become mountains, whose height is great. And many highways shall be broken up, and many cities shall become desolate. (Helaman 14:23-24)
This same prophetic metaphor was emphasized again at the time of its fulfillment:
13 And the highways were broken up, and the level roads were spoiled, and many smooth places became rough. (3 Nephi 8)
The Restoration is one of Plainness
40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved. (1 Nephi 13)