"Stretch forth thine hand" -- Part 3 (Book of Mormon)

This post will take us back to continue a series of posts from a few weeks ago on the phrase "stretch forth thy hand."

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Old Testament

In today's post, we'll look at how this phrase is used in the Book of Mormon. 

So far, we've seen (in part one) that Nephi subtly compares himself to Moses using this phrase in 1 Nephi 17. In part two, we noted that the underlying Hebrew term 'shalach' is used in Genesis 3 both to describe God send Adam and Eve out of the Garden and to describe why He expelled them -- to prevent them from stretching forth their hand and partaking of the tree of life. 

As is often the case, the Book of Mormon sheds a lot of light on how this phrase relates to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We find this phrase many time in the Book of Mormon, often in the context of calling a people to repentance.  

I've already cited two examples from the Book of Mormon back in part 1.  See Helaman 13:4 and 1 Nephi 17:53.)

Here are a few more examples:

In Jacob 5, the Lord of the vineyard weeps and laments the corruption of his fruit (see verse 41):

47 But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it? Nay, I have nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long, and the end draweth nigh. And it grieveth me that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard, and cast them into the fire that they should be burned. Who is it that has corrupted my vineyard?

As he calls King Noah and his wicked priests to repentance, Abinadi says this:

2 Yea, wo be unto this generation! And the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thy hand and prophesy, saying: Thus saith the Lord, it shall come to pass that this generation, because of their iniquities, shall be brought into bondage, and shall be smitten on the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall be slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the wild beasts, shall devour their flesh. (Mosiah 12)

And again:

1 And now, it came to pass that after Abinadi had spoken these words he stretched forth his hand and said: The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just. (Mosiah 16)

Alma-2 and Amulek stretch forth their hands on multiple occasions as they preach repentance:

25 But Amulek stretched forth his hand, and cried the mightier unto them, saying: O ye wicked and perverse generation, why hath Satan got such great hold upon your hearts? Why will ye yield yourselves unto him that he may have power over you, to blind your eyes, that ye will not understand the words which are spoken, according to their truth? (Alma 10)

21 And now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a mighty voice, saying: Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh; (Alma 13)

7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld, who were truly penitent, and said unto them: (Alma 32)

The soldier who smote off the scalp of Nephite dissenter Zerahemnah uses this gesture as he invites the enemy soldiers to lay down their weapons and enter into a covenant (I discussed covenant imagery contained in this chapter in this post):

13 And it came to pass that the soldier who stood by, who smote off the scalp of Zerahemnah, took up the scalp from off the ground by the hair, and laid it upon the point of his sword, and stretched it forth unto them, saying unto them with a loud voice: (Alma 44)

Finally, we see Christ stretching forth His hand twice before "crying" unto the people:

9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. (3 Nephi 11)

1 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been called, and received power and authority to baptize, was twelve) and behold, he stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying: Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am. (3 Nephi 12)

There is a definite theme here.  Prophets are an extension of God, sent to fallen man to proclaim repentance. It is also interesting to note that Alma-2 explains the reason why God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden before they had a chance to partake of the fruit of the tree of life. It was to grant them time and space to repent prior to partaking of the fruit of the tree of life:

2 Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee. For behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were taken—yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden, cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the tree of life—

3 Now, we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live forever, the Lord God placed cherubim and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the fruit—

4 And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God.

5 For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated. (Alma 42; see also Alma 12:23-24)

What I've learn from these verses is that God always warns His children of the danger of turning away from Him. This is accomplished by messengers, descending from Mount Zion, stretching forth their hand, and calling the covenant people to repentance. 

I believe Jacob summarizes it best when he says:

4 And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long; and they are a stiffnecked and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden their hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God. (Jacob 6)

We read several times in Isaiah chapters quoted in 2 Nephi the the hand of the Lord is "stretched out still" (see 2 Nephi 19:12, 17, 21; 20:4). I typically see this referenced in a positive sense -- and it surely is a positive thing that we have time and space granted to us to repent and prepare to meet God.  Scholars note that the imagery referred to by Isaiah is actually harsh and threatening. (See this paper by Ann Madsen for a more detailed discussion.) I enjoy the dual nature of this phrase: at the same time a loving invitation to the penitent and a stern reminder to the rebellious. This is yet another manifestation of "the two ways."


In the final installment in this series, we'll look at the Book of Moses. We find there are remarkable and unique example of "stretching forth" of hands during a visionary experience Enoch had with God.