Reinforcing Jacob 4 with Jacob 7

After having found the parallels between Jacob 4 and Jacob 7 that I posted about recently, I started finding many more. I just have a hard time believing these came about by accident. Two seemingly unrelated chapters, but yet connected in so many ways. I'll just list what I found and you can judge for yourselves. To me, this is mind-blowing.

Searching and believing the scriptures

Jacob 4:6

Wherefore, we search the prophets

Jacob 7:23

they searched the scriptures

Those are just two examples, but both chapters focus on the prophets and the scriptures. Jacob 4 starts out with Jacob telling about the plates and his writings. He quotes the scriptures (Psalm 118) in verse 16 ("according to the scriptures"). The whole point of this connection seems to be that the scriptures testify of Christ. Jacob 4:4-5

For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us. Behold, they believed in Christ

Compare with the story of Sherem in Jacob 7:10-11

And I said unto him: Believest thou the scriptures? And he said, Yea. And I said unto him: Then ye do not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ. 

and 7:19

I have lied unto God; for I denied the Christ, and said that I believed the scriptures; and they truly testify of him.

 Labor diligently - hearts

Compare verse 3 in both of these chapters

3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts (Jacob 4)

3 And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts of the people, insomuch that he did lead away many hearts (Jacob 7)

Another interesting parallel contrasting Jacob and Sherem.

The Jews looking beyond the mark

In Jacob 4, Jacob speaks about the Jews. In verse 14, he accuses them of killing the prophets (who testified of Christ) and looking beyond the mark. Sherem on the other hand speaks of Jacob and the Nephites and accuses them:

And ye have led away much of this people that they pervert the right way of God, and keep not the law of Moses which is the right way; and convert the law of Moses into the worship of a being which ye say shall come many hundred years hence (Jacob 7:7)

In other words, Sherem claims they should fix their eyes on the Law of Moses and that looking forward to Christ was "looking beyond the mark". But he is wrong. The stone (Christ) that Jacob talks about in chapter 4, that will be a stumbling stone for the Jews, will ultimately be a sure foundation and a corner stone.

With these parallels, it's as if Jacob sets up an interesting theological debate between the two, even though Sherem was not around in Jacob 4.

Looking forward to Christ

This might overlap a bit with the one about scriptures and the Jews/Law of Moses, but another illustration of the contrast between Jacob and Sherem is found here

we knew of Christ and had a hope of his glory (Jacob 4:4)

declare unto them that there should be no Christ (Jacob 7:2)

Knowing of things to come

Another major theme in both of these chapters is about the possibility to know anything about the future, particularly concerning the coming of Christ. In Jacob 4, Jacob argues that prophecy is real and the spirit can witness of things pertaining to the future. In verses 12-13

why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come? Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be

In Jacob 7, Sherem argues the opposite in verse 7

...a being which ye say shall come many hundred years hence. And now behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you that this is blasphemy; for no man knoweth of such things; for he cannot tell of things to come.

Power

Another major theme in both of these chapters is power. It's a word repeated 13 times in total in these two chapters. In Jacob 4, it is all about God being the ultimate source of power.

Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things. (Jacob 4:7)

For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word (Jacob 4:9)

In Jacob 7, Sherem is using his power that comes from a different source

he could use much flattery, and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil. (Jacob 7:4)

Later, he challenges the source of Jacob's power

13 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Show me a sign by this power of the Holy Ghost, in the which ye know so much.

14 And I said unto him: What am I that I should tempt God to show unto thee a sign in the thing which thou knowest to be true? Yet thou wilt deny it, because thou art of the devil. Nevertheless, not my will be done; but if God shall smite thee, let that be a sign unto thee that he has power, both in heaven and in earth; and also, that Christ shall come. And thy will, O Lord, be done, and not mine.

15 And it came to pass that when I, Jacob, had spoken these words, the power of the Lord came upon him, insomuch that he fell to the earth. And it came to pass that he was nourished for the space of many days.

 His failed challenge leads him to confess in verses 17-18

he spake plainly unto them and denied the things which he had taught them, and confessed the Christ, and the power of the Holy Ghost, and the ministering of angels. And he spake plainly unto them, that he had been deceived by the power of the devil.

The topic of power doesn't even end there. After the people have gathered and witnessed the death of Sherem (the ultimate proof that his source of power was nothing compared to Jacob's), we read the following in verse 21

And when the multitude had witnessed that he spake these things as he was about to give up the ghost, they were astonished exceedingly; insomuch that the power of God came down upon them, and they were overcome that they fell to the earth.

Unshaken faith

Just in case you missed the previous post about this, here is a repetition of the first parallel I found.

Compare Jacob 4:6

Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus

with Jacob 7:5

And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken.

...followed by Jacob commanding and Sherem overcome by God's power.

Conclusion

I can't bring myself to believe that all these parallels are coincidental. This is brilliant authorship by Jacob. He brings up a lot of important doctrinal points in chapter 4 about the coming of Christ, the Jews, prophecy, power, scriptures, labor and unshaken faith. In chapter 7, Sherem comes along and challenges every single point. Jacob refutes them verbally, followed by a demonstration of God's power on him physically. By telling the story about Sherem, Jacob verifies and reinforces all the points he brought up in chapter 4.

The Creation-Covenant Connection in more detail, part 3

These days I'm spending a lot of time thinking about the connection between Creation and Covenant.  Margaret Barker proposes that both words derive from a primitive Hebrew root associated with "organizing" and "bringing together." The covenant was first introduced in the Garden of Eden. Transgression led to the Fall, which drove Adam and Eve out into a cursed, thorny, dusty wilderness (see Genesis 3:17-19).

The Fall brought us to a wilderness and a world of trouble.  The Everlasting Covenant shows us the way to return to the garden. This theme has been discussed many times in other posts, which you can find here.

In this series of posts, we'll walk through this concept in more detail and hopefully find new meaning in a few scriptural passages along the way.

Part 1 -- "The Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ"
Part 2 -- A Divinely-Appointed Curse "for [our] sakes"
Part 3 -- "Rending the Veil of Unbelief" and "Dispersing the Cloud/Mists of Darkness"
Part 4 -- Creation, Covenant, and "Life"

What is Unbelief?

In the Book of Mormon, unbelief is symbolized by mists of darkness or clouds of darkness. These symbols teach us important truths.

My purpose in this section is to highlight how unbelief stems from false confidence in the creation ("trusting in the arm of flesh," so to speak), and how this principle is symbolically portrayed in the Book of Mormon.

Nephi is taught in his vision that the mists of darkness in his father's dream represent "the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost." (1 Nephi 12:17)
Below are examples of how this concept is symbolically portrayed in the Book of Mormon. In both examples, unbelief gives way to knowledge through faith, and specific mention is made of the spiritual overcoming the natural.

King Lamoni

Notice how this is portrayed in the conversion story of King Lamoni:

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)

The "dark veil of unbelief" is "cast away from his mind" and replaced by the "light of the glory of God." The "light of everlasting life" "[overcame] his natural frame."

The Brother of Jared

Here is another more complicated example of an interplay between the symbol of being surrounded by the creation and the light of the Lord, from the experience of the brother of Jared on the mount:

And it came to pass that the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud, and gave directions whither they should travel. (Ether 2:5)

The dilemma

 The brother of Jared is the spiritual leader of this group, without a doubt, and yet the Lord is concealed to him in a cloud.  Then, in an effort to obey the Lord's direction for the people to cross the great waters, the brother of Jared asks an important question:

22 And he cried again unto the Lord saying: O Lord, behold I have done even as thou hast commanded me; and I have prepared the vessels for my people, and behold there is no light in them. Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness? (Ether 2)

The Lord's answer is telling.  First, He tells him that natural light is not an option.

23 And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels? For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go by the light of fire. (Ether 2)

Then, He reminds him that at times along their journey, they will be buried in the creation by the elements of nature, and that He will prepare/protect them against these elements:

24 For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth.
25 And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come. (Ether 2)

Finally, He puts the question right back on the brother of Jared:

...Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea? (Ether 2)

The Lord has outlined the problem -- the creation will completely surround the Jaredites on their journey, and natural light is not an option for them. If we step out of the literal context of the story and think about it symbolically, the Lord is asking the brother of Jared what He should prepare for mortals to allow them to have joy and hope of conquering death during their time on earth. Nothing natural or man-made can overcome this dilemma, and the Lord asks Jared to come up with a solution.

The solution

The brother of Jared proposes to solve this problem by creating clear glass stones out of rock taken from an exceedingly high mountain and crying to the Lord to touch them with His finger:

4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea. (Ether 3)

It's easy to get so caught up in the story that we forget the double-significance of this proposal.  The brother of Jared is suggesting that the Lord prepare miraculous vessels of light to shine forth in the darkness and give light to those people who are crossing the sea. This sounds to me like angelic messengers sent down from Mount Zion to prepare the way of the Lord to the inhabitants of the earth (see Moses 7:25-27).

The rending of the veil of unbelief

After this remarkable doubly impactful display of faith in God, the veil of unbelief is removed, and the brother of Jared sees the Lord. Interestingly, the Lord words it this way:

13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.
14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters. (Ether 3)

What lies beyond the veil?

According to Barker, the veil of the temple represents the physical web of matter associated with the creation.  What lies beyond the veil? The Holy of Holies, God's presence, a glory reserved for those who believe on Him and have their garments washed in the blood of the Lamb. What do we find there? We find those things which were prepared from the foundation of the world, before the separation of light and darkness.

If unbelief is the darkness of the physical world, rending the veil of unbelief exposes the light of God.

King Lamoni saw "the light of everlasting life" when the veil of unbelief was rent.  The brother of Jared learned that in Christ, "all mankind shall have life, and that eternally." We'll get into the concept of eternal life in the Holy of Holies in part four of this series, but for now, it's sufficient to note that everlasting life/eternal life is found on the other side of the veil, when we are freed from the unbelief inherent to the created flesh.


There are additional examples of this same pattern in the Book of Mormon, which I'll detail extensively in a future post (after part 4), in an effort to keep this post from being too long.  They are found in Helaman 5 and 3 Nephi 8-11. Both have been touched on in previous posts, here and here.

Fasting in the Book of Mormon -- Part 3

I'm exploring the topic of fasting in the Book of Mormon and compare it with the Bible. The introduction to this series is found here. Reason number 3 for fasting as mentioned in this article is

• Fasting as an aid in prayer

It is no surprise that this is one of the reasons. We have already seen in several of the examples shared in the previous parts, that fasting is coupled with prayer. In those examples, fasting and prayer served purposes such as mourning and repenting. But the fasting coupled with prayer can be a purpose in and of itself, whatever you pray about. It is also probably the one out of the five reasons listed that is the most well-established in our religious culture today.

This article has the following to say about the subject

Prayer and fasting are frequently connected in biblical texts. The examples already cited generally include prayer in their contexts, and there are several other situations in which prayer and fasting are connected in a general sense. Bible characters are often found fasting while in intercessory prayer for others (2 Sam 12:16-23; Neh 1:8-10; Ps 35:13; Dan 6:18, 9:15-19). Fasting is sometimes part of personal prayer (1 Sam 1:7-11; Neh 1:11; Ps 109:21-24; Dan 9:3, 10:1-3). Leaders pray and fast for success in battle (Judg 20:26; 1 Sam 7:6; 2 Chr 20:3), for relief from famine (Jer 14:1-12; Joel 1:14, 2:12-15), or for success in other endeavors, such as Ezra’s return from the exile or Esther’s success before the king (Ezra 8:21-23; Esth 4:16).Fasting in such instances appears to be a kind of intensification of prayer. The humility associated with the act of fasting is demonstrated physically, perhaps as a sign of the special and serious nature of the petition being offered. This calls the believer into a physical enactment of the prayer, engaging the self more thoroughly into the religious action of prayer.

In general, the Book of Mormon mentions fasting less frequently than the Old Testament. But we will again try and compare the references we do have in the Book of Mormon with those in the Old Testament. Here are some examples from the Book of Mormon where fasting is a general means to be coupled with prayer to intensify it.

Mosiah 27:22

And he caused that the priests should assemble themselves together; and they began to fast, and to pray to the Lord their God that he would open the mouth of Alma, that he might speak, and also that his limbs might receive their strength—that the eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the goodness and glory of God.

  Omni 1:26

Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved

Alma 17:9

And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth

These are examples of "intercessory prayer for others", "part of personal prayer" and "success in other endeavors", respectively, as mentioned in the linked article.

The Creation-Covenant Connection in more detail, part 2

These days I'm spending a lot of time thinking about the connection between Creation and Covenant.  Margaret Barker proposes that both words derive from a primitive Hebrew root associated with "organizing" and "bringing together." The covenant was first introduced in the Garden of Eden. Transgression led to the Fall, which drove Adam and Eve out into a cursed, thorny, dusty wilderness (see Genesis 3:17-19).

The Fall brought us to a wilderness and a world of trouble.  The Everlasting Covenant shows us the way to return to the garden. This theme has been discussed many times in other posts, which you can find here.

In this series of posts, we'll walk through this concept in more detail and hopefully find new meaning in a few scriptural passages along the way.

Part 1 -- "The Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ"
Part 2 -- A Divinely-Appointed Curse "for [our] sakes"
Part 3 -- "Rending the Veil of Unbelief" and "Dispersing the Cloud/Mists of Darkness"
Part 4 -- Creation, Covenant, and "Life"

Zion brings about abundance:

There were no poor in Zion, there was abundance.  The principles of the covenant bring harmony with the creation, and result in a physical and spiritual blooming. The Old Testament contains many examples of this type of imagery. I ended part 1 with one such example.  Here is another.

Like so many other principles, Zion = abundance can be taught by contrast, too. If honoring the covenant leads to a lush garden, rejecting the covenant leads to the opposite -- a curse.

A curse "for their sakes"

The curse is not arbitrary and it is not merely punitive. This curse is specifically designed to stir us up to remember our covenant again.

10 And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying: I will visit thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments. I have given unto them this land, and it is a holy land; and I curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity; wherefore, I will visit thy brethren according as I have said; and their transgressions will I bring down with sorrow upon their own heads. (Enos 1)

It is worth noting that in the Book of Mormon, the curse associated with the land of promise is connected with a covenant, which is a metaphor for a spiritual land of promise. Perhaps the best explanation of this covenant is found in the story of the Jaredites' journey to the promised land:

7 And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.
8 And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.
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. (Ether 2)

Another great explanation of this covenant is found in Lehi's sermon to his sons:

5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.
...
7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.
...
9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever. (2 Nephi 1)

It shouldn't be surprising that the covenant associated with the land of promise is best explained in connection with the two founders of the major nations which possessed the land after being led to it by God -- the brother of Jared and Lehi.

It does not go well for a covenant people on the promised land if they reject the associated covenant. (Barker's "Creation-Covenant Connection" fits nicely into this idea, although she applies the concept to the entire world.)

Numerous additional references to this curse exist.  In the passages below, notice how often the curse is noted to be "for their sakes."  God connected the creation with a specific curse in order to "stir us up to remembrance" to keep our covenants. (More about that specific phrase in another post.)

35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.
36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it. (1 Nephi 17)

29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. (Jacob 2)

28 For behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness, according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe; therefore I desire that this people might not be destroyed. ...

31 Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe. (Alma 37)

16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God—Cursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. (Alma 45)

23 And also in the reign of Shule there came prophets among the people, who were sent from the Lord, prophesying that the wickedness and idolatry of the people was bringing a curse upon the land, and they should be destroyed if they did not repent. (Ether 7) 

More Temple Connections

The purpose of mortality is to fulfill the measure of our creation and have joy. It makes sense then, that the creation harmonizes with these purposes. Creation and covenant are intimately intertwined in the temple presentation.