Land of our inheritance -- Part 2

In Part 1 we looked at the covenant connection of the Hebrew yeresh, meaning to inherit/possess. The promised land is an inheritance given by covenant. It is a blessing ("flowing with milk and honey") but also a great responsibility. 

9 And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

10 For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off. (Ether 2)

In Deuteronomy, Israel are repeatedly instructed to purge the evil out of their midst when they possess the promised land. The evil that should be purged comes from breaking God's statutes, judgments and commandments. Sin made unclean and defiled the whole land.

As we have often seen from Old Testament rhetoric, the blessings and cursings associated with the promised land were temporal and physical in nature. It was all about crop yields, weather, success or failure in warfare, children and posterity. There was little concern with the afterlife. But then the Book of Mormon comes along and adds a spiritual dimension to it all, indicating that the Old Testament instructions and events also functioned as "a type and a shadow" (Mosiah 13:10). For instance, in 1 Nephi 15, Nephi teaches his brothers about the Abrahamic covenant and the restoration of the Jews and ties it into his and his father's vision of the tree of life. His brothers seem confused about the temporal and spiritual aspects of this.

31 And they said unto me: Doth this thing mean the torment of the body in the days of probation, or doth it mean the final state of the soul after the death of the temporal body, or doth it speak of the things which are temporal?

32 And it came to pass that I said unto them that it was a representation of things both temporal and spiritual; for the day should come that they must be judged of their works, yea, even the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of probation.

33 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.

34 But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for that which is filthy. (1 Nephi 15)

The temporal promised land of inheritance for Israel should be kept clean, otherwise God could not dwell there among them. This is a type and a shadow of our eternal inheritance. No unclean thing can enter in there, because then "the kingdom of God must be filthy also". Another example from Alma 40:26

But behold, an awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God;

The bolded phrase is recurrent in the scriptures, especially the idea that the kingdom of God is an inheritance, like the promised land was to Israel. But Laman and Lemuel's confusion about the physical and spiritual dimension of this may be the reason for their statement in 1 Nephi 2:11

11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.

1 Nephi 17:21

Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy.

Learning about the covenant context of yeresh (possess/inherit), I realize that Laman and Lemuel's lament here is also an appeal to the Abrahamic covenant. Their land of inheritance was according to their tribe, Manasseh, granted as a covenant promise from God. They had gold, silver and other possessions, indicating covenant blessings in the land. So why should they leave it? This seems like a fair argument but they are missing the bigger point that Nephi explains. He launches into a long speech in 1 Nephi 17 after their comment that I will not quote. But the point is that God establishes different lands of promise for the righteous. "he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth" (1 Nephi 17:38). 

This is a common theme in the Book of Mormon. Lehi leaves the land of his inheritance in 1 Nephi 2 and arrives at the promised land, later described by Book of Mormon prophets as the land of their first inheritance. Then history repeats itself. The Nephites become wicked for the most part and Mosiah-I leads a small group out of that land that the Lamanites take over, as prophesied by Jacob

And the time speedily cometh, that except ye repent they shall possess the land of your inheritance, and the Lord God will lead away the righteous out from among you. (Jacob 3:4)

Later, the sons of Mosiah-II go back to "the place of their father's first inheritance" (Alma 22:28) to preach the gospel. They have great success, but their coverts are under serious threat by the wicked and must once again be led out of the land into a new land of inheritance. The Nephites come to the rescue and grant the Lamanite converts the land of Jershon, meaning "place of inheritance/possession" according to rules of Hebrew name formation. The 'Y' in yeresh becomes 'J' according to typical English transliteration of Hebrew, and the suffix, "on", indicates a place. The wordplay is evident

And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying: Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on the south of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance...And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they may inherit the land Jershon...And it came to pass that it did cause great joy among them. And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession of the land of Jershon (Alma 27:22, 24, 26)

According to Matthew Bowen, the land grants to the Lamanite converts therefore stand as a symbol of the restoration of the Abrahamic covenant and reintegration into the House of Israel. His most recent article in the Interpreter Journal touches upon several of the aspects in these two posts as well as some that I have not addressed.

The Book of Mormon is also full of promises about lands of inheritance in the latter days. For example

7 But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance.

8 And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance.

9 Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hath spoken it, and who can dispute?

10 But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land. (2 Nephi 10)

As covenant children of Abraham, we are part of the restoration of the latter days where, according to the Book of Mormon, the righteous inherit their original promised lands, preparing for a time when we may inherit a place at the right hand of God (see Alma 5:58).

"the tongue of the learned"

Several posts ago, I detailed a pattern related to Noah. Noah transforms from one who is protected by resting in God's hand to one into whose hands the fulness of the earth in delivered. I connected this to Adam and Eve and the commandment given to them in Genesis 1:28. This concept of receiver becoming giver has been on my mind ever since. This post will outline another example of this divine pattern. Today we'll look at Jacob's sermon at the temple in 2 Nephi 6-10.

A division among the people -- a temple pattern

Covenants are offered following a division of the wicked and the righteous -- those who will kearken are offered further light and knowledge, and those who will not hearken are cursed/cast out/destroyed. It isn't difficult to see the division that took place in the story of Noah. The people were wicked. Noah preached the Gospel to them. They rejected that message. Then Noah and his family was saved by the ark and God covenanted with him.

This same basic pattern plays out in the story of Nephi. Jacob's sermon at the temple immediately follows a description of a great division among the Lehites. In 2 Nephi 5, Nephi describes how his brothers sought to destroy him. Nephi and those who would "hearken" unto his words fled with their "tents .. into the wilderness" (see 2 Nephi 5:5-7, and this series of posts by Stisa (part 1 | part 2 | part 3) to learn more about the significance of this detail). They "did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things" (see 2 Nephi 5:10). Nephi brought three sacred objects associated with their previous journey.

In verses 12 and 14, Nephi mentions that they brought with them the sword of Laban, the plates of brass, and the "compass." Each of these objects bears a direct symbolic relationship to the formation and maintenance of a covenant people. I might expound more about that in a future post, but for now I think it is sufficient to keep in mind that these objects have covenant significance.

This new people prospered. They built a temple. (See vv. 11-16.) A cursing is placed on those who rejected the covenant paradigm. Then, Nephi tells us this:

26 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people.

27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness. (2 Nephi 5)

After Nephi gives us this description of the division of the Lehites, he instructs Jacob, his younger brother and one of the "priests and teachers over the land of [Nephi's] people" to teach the people. I don't think this is a coincidence. Rather, it constitutes part of a sacred pattern. Thus, the sermon at the temple is directed at a group of people who, like Noah, have hearkened to the word are are prepared to receive further light and knowledge.

In 2 Nephi 6:4, Jacob spells out exactly what Nephi has asked him to teach:

4 And now, behold, I would speak unto you concerning things which are, and which are to come; wherefore, I will read you the words of Isaiah. And they are the words which my brother has desired that I should speak unto you. And I speak unto you for your sakes, that ye may learn and glorify the name of your God.

The purpose of the sermon is cause the people to "learn and glorify" the name of their God. Again, this is not a coincidence, but rather part of a divine pattern. Those who hearken will "learn" the holy name of their God and then be filled, allowing them to "glorify" that name. 

Like so many pivotal texts in the Book of Mormon, Jacob is making reference to language used repeatedly in the Book of Moses about Adam (presumable found on the brass plates):

1 And Adam hearkened unto the voice of God, and called upon his sons to repent.

2 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bare a son, and he called his name Seth. And Adam glorified the name of God; (Moses 6)

We learn earlier in the Book of Moses that Adam learned to "call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore" (see Moses 5:8). See also Moses 5:10,12.

We also see that later in this same two-day sermon, Jacob teaches the people the name of the Messiah, information he received from an angel on the previous night (see 2 Nephi 10:3).

"The tongue of the learned" 

In the next chapter, as Jacob continues to quote Isaiah, he says this:

4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season unto thee, O house of Israel. When ye are weary he waketh morning by morning. He waketh mine ear to hear as the learned. (2 Nephi 7)

The NRSV translates the same verse (Isaiah 50:4) using slightly different wording:

The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.

I love the pattern on display in this verse: the "ear" of a learner connects to "the tongue of a teacher."

"learn and glorify" -- ears and tongues

I believe this is a holy pattern with significant temple implications -- a part of the "holy order" Jacob references in 2 Nephi 6:2. Those who are willing to hearken will eventually be taught how to speak with the tongue of angels.  In future posts, I'll continue to outline additional examples of this. In the next post, we'll look at an interesting version of this same pattern in Alma 12:29-30.

The Gentiles and the Holy Ghost

For someone who has grown up in a modern Western culture, it may be difficult to understand God's different dealings with different people throughout history. For instance, when Abraham receives special promises concerning his seed, does that favor one nation above other nations unfairly? Personally, I have no problems with this because I simply observe that life favors us all differently anyway, and that is apparently part of the plan. What is important, is what each of us do, individually, in our unique circumstances and with the possibilities that we have been given. "Unto whom much is given, much is required" etc. 

But I also can't help but think that there is wisdom in God's dealing with his children throughout history, also where different nations have been treated differently.

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. (1 Nephi 17)

One can argue that we are saved individually and as families, but I have never heard anyone teach that we are saved as nations. But there must be a reason for this focus on nations, even though we don't always fully understand His purposes. For instance, we find a lot of separation between Israel and the Gentiles in the scriptures. Jesus himself said

But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matthew 15:24)

Still, only a short time later, Peter received the revelation that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles. Why was it first wrong and then right to preach to the Gentiles? We don't really know but obviously timing is of essence here.

Because of the Abrahamic covenant, Israel became God's chosen people. As such, they even had God dwelling among them. This was the idea with the tabernacle and later the temple. It was a place where God could dwell in their midst. Even though God's covenant people were not always true and faithful, God eventually became flesh and dwelled among them in plain sight. Meanwhile, the Gentiles were ungodly and disfavored. Still, there had been prophecies like this one in Nephi's vision:

And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. (1 Nephi 13:42)

The time was not there yet but it would come and it would happen according to a certain pattern, the first (Jews) being the last and the last (Gentiles) being the first. There also seems to be a certain pattern as to how God would manifest himself unto the different nations. As mentioned, God would manifest himself directly to the Jews who had the temple. He did the same for other scattered parts of Israel. In 3 Nephi 15, he told them:

21 And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

22 And they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be converted through their preaching.

23 And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice—that I should not manifest myself unto them save it were by the Holy Ghost.

These words were spoken at the temple in Bountiful to a branch of the house of Israel. Jesus was there in their midst. This was right around the time when the gospel started being preached to the Gentiles in the Old World. But they would not hear his voice like the Jews and the Nephites had. To the Gentiles, Jesus would only manifest himself by the Holy Ghost. This is consistent with the prophecy in 1 Nephi 10:11

And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah, who should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto the Gentiles.

Not only is the Holy Ghost the means to make God manifest among the Gentiles, it is also a source of strength leading to the scattering of the House of Israel

And after that ye were blessed then fulfilleth the Father the covenant which he made with Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed—unto the pouring out of the Holy Ghost through me upon the Gentiles, which blessing upon the Gentiles shall make them mighty above all, unto the scattering of my people, O house of Israel. (3 Nephi 20:27)

What we observe is "the first" (the House of Israel) having the privilege of God dwelling among them, both in the tabernacle/temple and in an earthly tabernacle. But they reject him. Instead, God manifests himself to "the last" (the Gentiles). But he does not show himself to them and they don't build a temple. Instead, God manifests himself to them through the Holy Ghost. After the day of Pentecost, right before Peter received the revelation to also preach the gospel to the Gentiles, the Holy Ghost plays a more dominant role. In the Old Testament, at least, his role is quite obscure.

Why does God not dwell among the Gentiles? Why is he "replaced" by the Holy Ghost? I am not able to answer that, but again I think there might be hidden wisdom and a pattern that is part of a greater plan. In the latter days, the roles are reversed. The Gentiles, who have the Holy Ghost shall be the instrument to bring back the scattered house of Israel to the fold.

And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed (1 Nephi 15:13)

This is the fulfillment of the first becoming last and the last becoming first. But there is another important element to this grand narrative:

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, thus saith our God: I will afflict thy seed by the hand of the Gentiles; nevertheless, I will soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like unto a father to them; wherefore, the Gentiles shall be blessed and numbered among the house of Israel. (2 Nephi 10:16)

When the Gentiles are numbered among the house of Israel in the latter days, both the power of the Holy Ghost and the privilege of having God in their midst is now offered to the new, united Israel. In 1836, after the gospel had been restored again to the Gentiles, they became like Israel of old with a temple among them where God could dwell. At the temple invocation in Kirtland:

For thou knowest that we have done this work through great tribulation; and out of our poverty we have given of our substance to build a house to thy name, that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself to his people. (D&C 109:5)

We see the same sentiment in the next chapter where Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery have a glorious vision in that temple

7 For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.
8 Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house.

For those who are willing to enter into covenants today and become part of the fold, there is no real division between Gentile and the House of Israel any longer. We have temples among us where God can dwell, like Israel of old, and the power and gift of the Holy Ghost, like Gentiles of old. At some point in the future, Jesus will also dwell among us in plain sight, just like he did among the Jews. There will be one fold and one shepherd in the New Jerusalem.

 

"Therefore he sent angels to converse with them, who caused men to behold of his glory."

The title of this post comes from Alma 12:29. This verse encapsulates both a major theme from the temple and a major theme from the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon. It's been on my mind quite a bit lately. This concept helps us connect the teachings of the temple to the scriptures.

After studying Alma 12-13 recently, I noticed something interesting that I had not previously considered:

Angels are the source of the name of Christ.

This principle is taught very clearly in many places in scripture. 

• Jacob makes it abundantly clear that an angel revealed to him the name of Christ (see 2 Nephi 10:3). 
• Jacob makes it clear that "all the holy prophets" before him "knew of Christ," "had a hope of his glory" and "believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name." (See Jacob 4:4-6.)
• Benjamin rehearses the words given to him by an angel, which includes the name of Jesus Christ. (See Mosiah 3:8.)
• Samuel the Lamanite was commanded by the voice of the Lord to "prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into his heart." This included the name of Christ, which he received from an angel of the Lord. (See Helaman 13:3, 6-7.) 

Here are some related examples:

• In a vision, Lehi is given a book by a divine messenger which "manifests plainly of the coming of a Messiah" (see 1 Nephi 1:19), though we are not certain whether Christ's name was given to him at that time. 
• Part of the message Abinadi was sent to deliver "with power and authority from God" included the name of Christ. (See Mosiah 13:6 and Mosiah 15:21.)
• Ammon acted in the role of the angel for King Lamoni and his people. (See Alma 18:29.)
• Interestingly, Alma-2 does not learn the name of Christ from the angel who visits him.  Rather, after the visitation of the angel and while he suffered intense agony and pain of spirit, he "remembered also to have heard [his] father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world." (See Alma 36:17.) Thus it seems this verse teaches Alma-2 the importance of earthly messengers -- prophets -- and the need to hearken to their word. (Recall that a central theme in Alma 36 is Alma teaching his son through poetry how his word became God's word through conversion to Jesus Christ. See this post.)

It is that final example that leads us to my next point, which is that priesthood authority is given to man on earth to help the sons and daughters of God be reborn into new creatures, spiritual creatures, who are then able to spread the word and help others in the same way they were helped.

This is taught quote plainly in Alma 12-13. I quoted Alma 12:29 in the title of this post.  Here is the very next verse:

30 And they began from that time forth to call on his name; therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their faith and repentance and their holy works.

Reiterating an ancient doctrine

Alma-2 certainly isn't breaking new ground here. Rather, he is reiterating a doctrine as old as Adam and Eve. Thankfully, the Book of Moses offers us a glimpse into how this unfolded.

The connections between Alma 12-13 and Moses 4-6 are intriguing. A recent Interpreter article lists numerous connections between the Book of Mormon and Book of Moses in general.  Below I'll note a few verses specific to Alma 12-13 which are worth studying.

 Compare Alma 12:33 -- 

33 But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent, and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son;

...with Moses 6:23, 52, 62 --

23 And they were preachers of righteousness, and spake and prophesied, and called upon all men, everywhere, to repent; and faith was taught unto the children of men.
...
52 And he also said unto him: If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you.
...
62 And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time.

The connections don't end there. Alma's sermon in Alma 13 teaches us more about what it means to participate in the "holy order of God." These priests were ordained by God "to teach these things unto the people" (Alma 13:1). Notice what Adam is described as doing right after the account of his baptism and receipt of the Holy Ghost:

1 And it came to pass that Enoch continued his speech, saying: Behold, our father Adam taught these things, and many have believed and become the sons of God... (Moses 7)

Adam learned "these things" at least in part from the angel who came to him and taught him the meaning of sacrifice: 

7 And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.
8 Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore. (Moses 5)

It is vital to remember that the account of Adam's baptism by water and the Spirit (at the end of Moses 6) and teaching (at the beginning of Moses 7) comes to us by way of an account of the teachings of Enoch, who was also called and chosen by God to be a teacher of these same things.  So all of this is a story within a story, which is very interesting. As if Enoch (the name means "the initiated one") is being taught to understand himself as an Adam of sorts.

Conclusion

The Holy Order of God goes all the way back to Adam. Angels do indeed bring glad tidings. God calls upon men not only to repent but also to "work righteousness" and "teach these things unto the people." (See Alma 13:1, 10.)

"Carried away" -- part 1

I got carried away (pun intended) in a recent post and stumbled upon a really interesting covenant term with a double meaning --"carried away." That post was already far too long, so this post will fill in the details.

Stisa has already created a two-part series of posts (here and here) with some overlap to what I'll be covering here.  I also attempted to connect this term to Zion in a series of posts around the same time (here, here and here).

This post will focus on two usages of the term "carried away," one positive and one negative. 

Opening example

To begin, let's take a look at the first example I found that clearly shows the double meaning, from the very first chapter of the Book of Mormon:

7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.

9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.

10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.

12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.

13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon. (1 Nephi 1)

There is quite a bit packed into this passage, but it begins with the positive version of "carried away" and ends with the negative version.

Positive examples

19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!

20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms. (1 Nephi 11)

29 And I also beheld twelve others following him. And it came to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my face, and I saw them not.

30 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them. (1 Nephi 11)

I'll have more to say about this in a future post. I believe these verses subtly explain a really important truth about what an angel really is.

25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them. (2 Nephi 4)

See also 1 Nephi 14:30 and 1 Nephi 15:1.

6 Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame, and he was carried away in God (Alma 19)

16 Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy.

17 And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that they may sit down in the kingdom of God; yea, and also all those who are the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that they may praise him forever. And may God grant that it may be done according to my words, even as I have spoken. (Alma 29)

Negative examples

5 And they that kill the prophets, and the saints, the depths of the earth shall swallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts; and mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away, and buildings shall fall upon them and crush them to pieces and grind them to powder. (2 Nephi 26)

16 And there were some who were carried away in the whirlwind; and whither they went no man knoweth, save they know that they were carried away. (3 Nephi 8)

 13 O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe. (2 Nephi 1)

See also 2 Nephi 6:8, 2 Nephi 25:10-11.

 

Conclusion -- The Two Ways

Thus we see that "carried away" is yet another covenant-related term with a clear double usage pattern.

Each of us will be "carried away," one way or another. It's inevitable. The good news is that we can choose the way of eternal life, by which we bind ourselves to God through covenant and are carried away by the wings of the Spirit upon exceedingly high mountains (Zion), where we can sing praises and dwell in safety and righteousness forever. (See 2 Nephi 10:23-24, 2 Nephi 4:25, Mormon 7:7, Moses 7:20) 

The alternative would be to allow Satan to bind us and allow ourselves to be carried away captive  down to hell through unrighteous use of our agency, where our guilt will ascend like smoke to heaven and we would fain command the rocks and the mountains cover us to conceal us from the piercing eye of of the Almighty God at the great day of judgment. (See 2 Nephi 28:21-22, Mosiah 3:25-27, Alma 12:14, Jacob 2:10)

In the next post, I'll outline what I learned as I looked into the Hebrew roots of "carried away."