Nephi, Prophet, Priest, and King 1 Nephi 2

In some of my previous posts I have discussed the ascension pattern that can be seen when one progresses in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe that the steps, or rungs on the ladder, include a noticeable progression of passing from prophet, to priest, and ultimately to king.

To summarize, I believe that a simple way to think of this progression is: a prophet is one who has been given the testimony of Jesus Christ and can testify of Him, a priest is one who administers to others on behalf of Jesus Christ (such as the priests in the tabernacle and temple), and a king is when one has reached a level to be given all that the Father hath. With each level of progression there are more covenants made and, consequently, blessings given. In the language of priesthood ascension it can be termed, Aaronic, Melchizedek, and finally, Patriarchal.

That said, I believe that these certain patterns can be seen in the accounts we have of the lives of the prophets in not only Old and New Testament times, but Book of Mormon times too. Lehi and Nephi are the first we encounter in the Book of Mormon which teach us of the significance of this pattern. I believe that we would see Lehi’s experience more clearly if we had the record he created available to us, unfortunately we don’t have that information but thankfully we can see the progression clearly taught in Nephi’s record too.

Previously we discussed the process Nephi experienced to gain a testimony like his fathers as explained to us in 1 Nephi 2:16.

It is interesting to see what Nephi does as soon as he receives his testimony because of the “visit” with the Lord:

1 Nephi 2:17 And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.

I believe that this is an example of Nephi exhibiting the prophet stage of his progression, as he testifies of Jesus Christ.

Look what he does next:

1 Nephi 2:18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.

In his statement that he “cried unto the Lord for them” he raises to the priest level wherein he “administers on behalf of others”.

At this point the Lord pours out a blessing upon Nephi because of his diligence, and humility. Notice the terminology the Lord uses:

1 Nephi 2:19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.

20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.

21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.

I believe that the blessing the Lord gives to Nephi is the same blessing he gave to Abraham. That blessing or covenant involves eternal posterity, eternal priesthood, and a land inheritance. I call that the PPL.

Look closely for that blessing in the following wording:

“ye shall prosper”- one with a large posterity was considered prosperous

“a land which I have prepared for you”- a land inheritance

“a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren”- this involves the blessing of priesthood

Because the Lord pronounced Nephi as “Blessed” with these blessings he is elevated to the level of king. A true king is simply a ruler and teacher.

From the very beginning of the Book of Mormon we are taught of this progression. This progression is the same one we all must go through to receive the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant.

Now remember the pattern that was given in my last post... where do you think we are, as far as that pattern goes, in Nephi’s progression?

A System by Which Men Learn the Mysteries of Heaven and are Saved- Denver Snuffer

I debated on when I would post this information...I thought it would be a good follow up in understanding the process Nephi shares with us about receiving the Second Comforter and the sealing power from Him, however, I believe it might be better to post it first so that you might know what to look for as we study this process. Consequently, I decided to insert this post in the middle of our study of Nephi so that we can be aware of what is about to come. Make sure you apply this information to the recorded experiences that Nephi gives us.

One of my favorite authors is Denver Snuffer.

Using Alma 12: 28-30 as his reference, he discussed the process of knowing the mysteries of God in his Blog.

Alma 12:28 And after God had appointed that these things should come unto man, behold, then he saw that it was expedient that man should know concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto them;

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

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.

Snuffer states:

There is a system by which men learn the mysteries of heaven and are saved. That system is set out in Alma 12: 29-30:

-First, angels are sent to prepare men/women.

-Second, they are allowed to behold the Lord's glory.

-Then they converse with the Lord, at which point they are taught the things which have been prepared from the foundation of the earth for their salvation.
-All of which is driven by the man/woman's faith, repentance and holy works.

I believe it is important to understand this system as we study the life of Nephi, as he records his experiences with the Lord. His experiences seem to fit this system perfectly.

See if you can see evidence of this “system” as Nephi shares his spiritual progression with us.

Increased Obedience 1 Nephi 2-3

In my last post I talked about how we obey for different reasons. Lehi was motivated to obey out of gratitude and love for his Father in Heaven, whereas Laman and Lemuel were obedient because of fear. It is interesting to observe the process that Nephi followed to become obedient for the right reasons.

Verse 16, in 1 Nephi Chapter 2, explains the process Nephi went through to become more obedient to the Lord:

2:16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

The process Nephi experienced, simply put, is a desire to know, and the willingness to ask. I believe the Lord gives this same instruction when He admonishes us to “seek and ye shall find, knock and the door shall be opened unto you.” I believe that understanding the simplicity of the process is one of the “plain and precious truths” the Book of Mormon reveals to us. I love how Nephi makes it known that seeking for the mysteries of God are acceptable and, in fact, necessary if we are to be visited by Him. I also love how Nephi describes the way he asks the Lord by using the term “cry”. When I think of crying versus simply asking, it brings to my mind a process of a repentant, humble petition.

Do you think many are blinded because of the “easiness of the way”?

Nephi’s request was answered by the Lord “visiting” him and softening his heart. The result of this experience was a belief in his father’s word and an increased willingness to obey. He gains such a sure knowledge of this principle that he is later able to testify strongly of it.

Because of his experience, look for what Nephi knows.

1 Nephi 3:7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

Nephi knows the Lord will always provide us with the power to obey if we “will” simply “go and do it."

Nephi became converted to the principle of obedience and learned for himself the ways of the Lord. We can follow this same process and learn for ourselves as well.

Be prepared... a test of faith is on the way for Nephi.

Motives For Obedience 1 Nephi 2

I believe that Chapter 2 of 1^st Nephi is a pivotal chapter in understanding the rest of the Book of Mormon. For me, it is actually more like the “preface” of everything else that will follow.

The first thing that I noticed about Chapter 2 is that it is a great illustration of the principle of obedience. It primarily shows the different levels of obedience, or motivating factors there are to prompt one to be obedient. Each of the family members shows a different level of obedience.

Why did Lehi obey the Lord?

Look for the reason Lehi left Jerusalem:

1 Nephi 2:1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.

2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.

3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.

Perhaps it may seem like he left to preserve his life, but in actuality we are told that he left because he was “obedient unto the word of the Lord.” In this case, the blessing for being obedient was the preservation of his life, literally and figuratively.

Taking only his family and the provisions needed to sustain their lives, (which is another lesson in itself) Lehi left his home behind and ventured out into the “wilderness.” It is interesting to note that after traveling three days, the required time from an authorized sanctuary before one could offer sacrifices, his first acts were to “pitch his tent” and “build an altar of stones.”

(Another interesting side note here might be to notice that the tabernacle was also considered the “tent” of the congregation. I always think of this when I read “and my father dwelt in a tent” from the account of Nephi. In any case, it is evident that Lehi was a very righteous man who knew the importance of sacrificial offerings.)

Lehi was showing his obedience to a command to offer sacrifices to the Lord, but look for the reason we are told he offers them:

1 Nephi 2:7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.

When we are grateful our thoughts are turned to the giver of our gifts. I believe that Lehi’s obedience was motivated by his great gratitude and love for his Savior. This level of obedience is the greatest level one can attain.

In my mind, I can picture this event as a “Sacrament Meeting” of sorts, wherein after the Sacramental offering was given, Lehi, the Priesthood leader, gave a talk.

Look for the subject of his talk:

1 Nephi 2:9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!

10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!

His focus on obedience, admonishing them to not only be “steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandment” but also “continually running into the fountain of all righteousness” required commitment on the part of the hearers. It taught them through their visual surroundings the example of the principle of obedience. (I love how the Savior used His surroundings to teach his followers too!)

After this great sermon, we are shown two other examples of levels of obedience by the course of Laman and Lemuel, and that of Nephi.

With further reading we learn some interesting things about the character of Laman and Lemuel:

1 Nephi 2:11 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.

12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.

13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.

Although these two are described as being stiffnecked, murmuring, valuing temporal things, unbelieving, not believing the prophets, prideful like the Jews who were at Jerusalem, and knowing not the dealings of God, nevertheless, we are also told that they were obedient.

Look for the REASON that they obeyed:

1 Nephi 2:14 And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.

Contrary to the obedience that Lehi showed out of love, these two obeyed out of fear. I love the word that Nephi uses when he describes that they did “shake” before their father, it allows me to totally see their fear and confusion.

Elder Oaks illustrated the concept of motivation levels which lead to action in a talk he gave called, “Why Do We Serve.” Although he uses service as the principle, I believe we can substitute the word obey in the same spot.

He stated, "People serve one another (are obedient) for different reasons, and some reasons are better than others. Perhaps none of us serves (is obedient) in every capacity all the time for only a single reason. Since we are imperfect beings, most of us probably serve (show obedience) for a combination of reasons, and the combinations may be different from time to time as we grow spiritually. But we should all strive to serve (be obedient) for the reasons that are highest and best.”

Nephi had a desire to be obedient like his father.

My next post will discuss the process that Nephi followed because he chose to become like his father.

What motivates us to obey certain commandments? By recognizing what is motivating us, can we then, if necessary, elevate our level of obedience to the Lord? By learning to love the Lord more fully, can we become more obedient to His commands?

Since obedience and sacrifice were the first laws given to Adam and Eve, isn’t it interesting they are some of the first principles taught in the Book of Mormon as well?

So much to think about... and it is just chapter 2!

Lehi and Ezekiel 1 Nephi 1

An interesting discovery can be seen in studying the similarity of visions that Lehi and Ezekiel both received from the Lord. It may also be interesting to note that these visions were received during relatively the same period of time.

Look for the similarities in the following comparisons:

Both record seeing the throne of God.

1 Nephi 1:8 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.

Ezekiel 1:24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.

26 ¶ And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

Not only do both see God sitting upon His throne, but they also see angels singing and praising surrounding that throne.

Both Ezekiel and Lehi are given something to look at, look for what it is:

1 Nephi 1:9 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.

Ezekiel 1: 27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

Ezekiel 2:1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

2 And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.

8 But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.

9 ¶ And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;

Both receive instruction from the Son and are given a book to read.

Look what is contained in both of the books:

1 Nephi 1:13 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.

Ezekiel 2:10 And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

Upon receiving this vision, both begin their prophetic role in warning the people.

1 Nephi 1:18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.

19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.

Ezekiel 2:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

4 For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God.

5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

In both the accounts of Nephi and Ezekiel we learn that the Lord will deliver, in power, those whom He has chosen:

1 Nephi 1:20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

Ezekiel 1:6 ¶ And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

Ezekiel and Lehi were two different prophets, given the same instructions, in the same way, at the same time. The people were slow to listen.

Are we listening?

Pillar of Fire 1 Nephi 1

I believe that by studying the different scriptural accounts that we have been given of the different prophets of all ages we can discover a pattern of receiving direction from the Lord.

In 1 Nephi, chapter 1, an account is given of an experience Lehi had that is similar to the first vision account given by Joseph Smith.

Nephi 1:5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.

6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.

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.

Although Lehi summarizes his experience by saying he “saw and heard much”, the wording he uses to describe his experience is similar to that of Joseph Smith.

Joseph Smith History 1:14 So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.

15 After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

16 But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

Like Lehi, Joseph describes the fatigue he felt after the experience by stating, “When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home.”

At about the same time that Lehi had his vision, the prophet Ezekiel had a similar experience with the Lord. Instead of using the terminology of “pillar of fire” to describe what he saws, he explained the phenomenon as “the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.” I believe that this is simply another description of a “pillar” like light formation.

Moses describes his experience with the description of a “burning bush” and states that the experience left him weak by stating that it was “the space of many hours before he received his natural strength” again.

In all these experiences the person who received the gift of the Lord by vision were forever changed. Anyone who receives the greater light is forever changed.

Do we seek for that great change?

"I Know That The Record That I Make Is True" 1 Nephi 1

There is a great deal of information to be learned from just the first three verses of the Book of Mormon from the record of Nephi.

In verse 1, look for all the things we learn about Nephi.

1Nephi 1:1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

First, we learn that he had “goodly” parents, or was taught correct principles. This is an important piece of information for us to know. Having a foundation of truth to build upon is essential for anyone to come to a sure knowledge.

Next, we learn that he had seen many afflictions in his life. Trials or tests are part of the learning process we go through in this life to prove us. The test of obedience and sacrifice is made more fully when one is experiencing difficulty, as is illustrated by Job. It is interesting to note the attitude Nephi has about his afflictions as he adds, nevertheless that he was highly favored of the Lord.

Could Nephi have viewed afflictions as part of the process he was to experience to receive a sure knowledge of truth?

Do we view our afflictions and trials as ways we can increase our faith as we come to know the Lord?

Finally we learn that he had come to a “great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God.” This knowledge came to Nephi because of the experiences that he had, allowing him to receive of the Lord. This is made clear because he shares that mysteries, for man, were revealed to him by a higher source than man.

This process:

1) of learning true principles by faith, or having a belief

2) then passing through tests which allow us to experience a trial of that faith,

results in the blessing of “great knowledge”, even of the mysteries of God.

I believe that even in the very first verse of Nephi’s record he is trying to help us understand what it will take for us to receive the same “great knowledge” that he has received.

In verses 2-3, look for what we learn about the record.

1 Nephi 1:2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

The first thing we discover is that Nephi makes the record himself, with his own hand. This establishes the fact that Nephi is the creator of the record we are to receive. Even though he explains that it is written in the language of his father, it is still his account of his experiences with the Lord.

The fact that he is the creator of the record allows for the easy transition he makes to testify of the records truthfulness. He states he made it, he knows it is true and adds the reason that he is able to make this bold statement is because of his “knowledge”.

What have we already discovered he “knew” by the description of himself in verse 1?

Not only can we have confidence in Nephi, because he has shared his experience of the process of “knowing”, but we can now have confidence in the record too. We discover that one who “knows” gives us a statement of its truthfulness.

What must we do to have the same knowledge as Nephi does?