Gold and the Two Ways -- part 4a

Gold and the Two Ways in the Book of Mormon

Parts 1, 2, and 3 are found here: Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. We're looking at references to gold and riches and the like in the scriptures in the context of the doctrine of the two ways. In this post, we'll look at some of the references found in the Book of Mormon. This is a big topic, so I will break this into two parts. In this first part, we'll review scriptures from the Book of Mormon just as we've done for the Bible in the first three sections of this series. In the next part we'll take a slight detour and discuss the specific Book of Mormon theme related to treasures becoming slippery during ties of covenant rebellion.

Gold and treasure in the Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon gives us numerous references to gold (59), treasure (15), and riches (43).  I'm sure there are additional terms with a meaning close enough to add to that tally. Since this is not meant to be a comprehensive review of all references, but just a cursory overview of some of the references which also make reference to the doctrine of the Two Ways, I'll focus on those references which best fit the theme.

For the following list, I'll forego quoting the verses to leave room for more total references in this post:

• 2 Nephi 9:42 -- God despises the prideful and rich unless "they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility."
• Jacob 2:13, 18-19 -- Obtaining riches has led to pride, stiff necks, and high heads. Seek for the kingdom of God before seeking riches. Then seek riches for the intent to do good.
• Mosiah 2:12 -- "I ... have not sought gold nor silver nor and manner of riches of you."
• Mosiah 4:19 -- "Are we not all beggars?" We all depend on God for all the substance we have, including gold, silver, and riches.
• Alma 1:16, 29-30 -- Priestcrafts are associated with a love of the vain things of the world, riches, honor. Meanwhile the righteous cared for the poor and "did not set their hearts upon riches" but were "liberal to all." The "steadiness of the church" brought about exceeding riches.
• Alma 4:6, 8 -- The people wax proud because of their riches, gold, and silver. The church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to "set their hearts upon riches" and "they began to be scornful, one towards another."
• Alma 7:6 -- (Alma to the righteous people of Gideon) "I trust that ye are not lifted up in the pride of your hearts; yea, I trust that ye have not set your hearts upon riches and the vain things of the world."
• Alma 15:16 -- Amulek forsook all his riches for the word of God and was rejected by his friends and kindred.
• Alma 39:14 -- "Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world."
• Alma 45:24 -- Pride because of "exceedingly great riches" leads the people to not give heed to the word or walk uprightly before God.
• Helaman 4:12 -- Pride of the heart and riches lead to "oppression to the poor"
• Helaman 5:7-8 -- Do that which is good, not to boast, but to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven (the "precious gift of eternal").
• Helaman 6:17 -- Prosperity leads to setting their hearts upon riches, leading the people to commit secret murders to get gain, rob, and plunder. (Cain is directly mentioned in verse 27.)
• Helaman 7:21, 26: Wo comes to the wicked unless they repent. They seek to "get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and [to] get gold and silver." Pride enters the heart and "has lifted you up beyond that which is good because of your exceedingly great riches!"
• 3 Nephi 6: 10, 12, 15 -- Riches lead to pride and classes, differing chances for learning. Satan had great power, tempting the people "to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world."
• 3 Nephi 13:19-21 -- Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.
• 4 Nephi 1:43 -- Riches lead to pride and vanity.

A few thoughts about these verses:

There is a direct connection between riches and having a heart set upon the things of the world. Compare this to the command given to Joseph Smith by Moroni to obtain the plates (which were hidden in the ground) only to further God's work on earth, not for worldly gain. We'll talk about that in the next part in more depth.

Notice the contrasting symbolism between Jacob 2:13 and Alma 45:24 -- riches lead to "stiff necks" and high heads" and also causes the people to refuse to "walk uprightly before God."

Notice also how Amulek is described in Alma 15:16.  It's a perfect analog to the description Jacob gives in 2 Nephi 9:42.

It strikes me how clearly Jesus' words in 3 Nephi 13 fulfill the prophecy of slippery treasure from Helaman 13. This is a foreshadowing of the Nephites brought upon themselves by their covenant rebellion. Their record, also hidden in the ground, has come forth to us in order to gather God's people throughout the earth in the latter days.  Will we be wiser than they and lay up treasure in heaven rather than setting our hearts upon riches?

Treasures on earth and in heaven

When writing about symbolism of swords and the sacred Nephite relics, I started noticing the use of the word, treasures, in the scriptures. We are all familiar with the Savior's words at the Sermon on the Mount in the Old World and the Sermon at the temple in the New World.

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (3 Nephi 13)

One may think that the Savior tells them something new since this sermon generally marks the transition from the old covenant to the new. However, this is just a reiteration of an old covenant term. I noticed this in Exodus 19 as I read this post from Lord Wilmore and discussed this whole concept with him.

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine (Exodus 19:5)

This is repeated in Psalm 135:4.

For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

A covenant people is God's treasure. In return, the covenant people should collect treasures in heaven. Their treasure should be God and his word.

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2)

We have seen on this blog before that Proverbs often speaks of wisdom personified as the female deity, or our Heavenly Mother as we would call her. The author advises to seek Wisdom as a treasure. The Book of Mormon prophets clearly understood this idea of heavenly treasures, even before the coming of Christ and his famous words in the sermon at the temple. Nephi-2 warns both his sons...

And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers. (Helaman 5:8)

...and the people of Zarahemla

But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against the day of judgment. (Helaman 8:25)

There is beautiful symmetry and balance in a covenant relationship when God reaches down to his people, makes them his treasure and draws them to him, while the people in turn reach upwards to lay up for themselves treasures in heaven. This covenant relationship is a binding of hearts because "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also". This is why Book of Mormon prophets consistently warn against seeking earthly riches

But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also. (2 Nephi 9:30)

When God/the heavenly treasure is replaced by earthly treasures, their hearts are not seeking him and the covenant is violated. The end result is disastrous and the Book of Mormon conveys that message in no unclear terms. A very common sign of pride in the Book of Mormon is when the people does what Jacob describes in this quoted verse. The combination of "heart" and "riches" in the same sentence is found 13 times in the Book of Mormon, usually in the form of "set their hearts upon their riches" or similar.

I posted recently about the swords and treasures slipping away from the people right before they were destroyed, according to the prophecies of Samuel the Lamanite. Pondering the covenant relations of all this, I noticed that this is described as a consequence of a "curse of the land". Both the Jaredites and Nephites received a land of promise as part of a covenant. The Nephites were constantly reminded of the covenant, that like the Israelites of old, they would be blessed in the land if they kept the commandments. But in the end they didn't and the land was cursed. The curse of the land is also mentioned 5 times in the Book of Ether. It is a general principle conveyed in 1 Nephi 17.

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.

The "curse of the land" is a sign of covenant violation, just as "prosper in the land" is a sign of covenant keeping. What kind of riches or treasures they searched for and where their hearts were, was apparently an important indicator of their covenant keeping. Let's have another look at the prophecies of Samuel:

18 And it shall come to pass, saith the Lord of Hosts, yea, our great and true God, that whoso shall hide up treasures in the earth shall find them again no more, because of the great curse of the land, save he be a righteous man and shall hide it up unto the Lord.

19 For I will, saith the Lord, that they shall hide up their treasures unto me; and cursed be they who hide not up their treasures unto me; for none hideth up their treasures unto me save it be the righteous; and he that hideth not up his treasures unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure, and none shall redeem it because of the curse of the land.

20 And the day shall come that they shall hide up their treasures, because they have set their hearts upon riches; and because they have set their hearts upon their riches, and will hide up their treasures when they shall flee before their enemies; because they will not hide them up unto me, cursed be they and also their treasures; and in that day shall they be smitten, saith the Lord. (Helaman 13)

The land of promise became cursed because of wickedness, because the Nephites did not keep the commandments so they could prosper in the land as promised. Setting your heart upon riches and hiding treasures in the earth, symbolically binds your heart to the earth. Hiding your treasure "up unto the Lord" or laying up for yourself treasures in heaven, on the other hand, binds your heart upward towards God. There is a lesson here for all of us. What are our riches and where are our hearts?

 

Come Follow Me Resources: September 21–27. 3 Nephi 12–16: “I Am the Law, and the Light”

 This week's lesson covers 3 Nephi 12-16:

3 Nephi 12 -- Good works, faith, and repentance, Remembering the words, What the Book of Mormon teaches about the Eternal Father and the Son (and each of us)

3 Nephi 13 -- 3 Nephi 11-18 as a Temple Text, 

3 Nephi 14 -- What does it mean to call upon the name of God?, Building upon the Rock

3 Nephi 15 -- Receiving the Law (BofM - OT Connection series)

3 Nephi 16 --  "Fulness of the Gospel," God's covenant with Israel and the latter days 

3 Nephi 11-18 as a Temple Text

What I'll present in this post is a summary of an idea championed by John W. Welch.  He's written entire books on the subject, so this will just be a brief overview of his biggest points.  I find the case to be pretty interesting, although I'm not sure exactly what to make of it all. Some points are definitely stronger than others, and some of these points seem like a stretch, but overall it is an interesting idea.

• Jesus appeared to the Nephites who were already gathered at the temple (3 Nephi 11:1-12).
• Jesus instructed the people and also gave the people authority to baptize, bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, and prepare them to pass through the final judgment and enter into God's presence. (3 Nephi 14:21-23) and to be "raise[d] up at the last day" (3 Nephi 15:1).
• In 3 Nephi 11, the whole multitude falls to the earth when they realize what has happened.  Then they go forth "one by one" and felt the marks of His crucifixion. After this, they cry "Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God!" with one accord, and fell down again and worshipped Him (see verses 12-17).
• Jesus tells the people to "give heed" to the words of His disciples (3 Nephi 12:1-2).
• The commandments given to the people in 3 Nephi 12-13 include (in order): obedience and sacrifice (3 Nephi 12:19), evil speaking of the brethren (12:22), chastity and marriage (12:28-32), love for one's enemies and obedience to the law of love or the law of the gospel (12:39, 41-45), alms to the poor and consecration (13:1, 20, 24).
• There is a warning against revealing holy things (14:6).
• Jesus prays things which cannot be written and the people are encircled by fire, angels, and witnesses (3 Nephi 17:17, 21, 24-25).
• The people take upon themselves a new name, the name of Christ (18:5, 11).