1 Nephi 5

(All of my own thoughts are in blue type.red 4/20 Green 1/21 orange 4/22 Brown 2023)   

 

CHAPTER FIVE

Sariah complains  we are all human…against Lehi—Both rejoice and we can all repent… over the return of their sons Lehi was probably worried about them too, but his faith did not waiver—They offer sacrifices curious about the connection of gratitude and sacrifices…—The plates of brass contain writings of Moses and the prophets—They identify Lehi as a descendant of Joseph Lehi knew that the Brass plates contained a genealogy of his. I wonder if he had read them before?—Lehi prophesies concerning his seed and the preservation of the plates. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

  1 And it came to pass that after we had come down into the wilderness unto our father, behold, he was filled with joy, and also my mother, Sariah, was exceedingly glad, for she had truly mourned because of us.

  2 For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness;Our "stories" are pretty powerful! They really could have perished in Jerusalem at the hands of Laban! But she was wrong...and she also had ^acomplained against my father, telling him that he was a ^bvisionary man; She didn't have a testimony of the authenticity of his visions yet? Was she just following her husband because of tradition? Or did she just doubt? Perhaps when the vision isn't your own, there is always room for doubt. Maybe that is why Nephi sought his own witness, so he would never doubt? perhaps it sounds less credible to say you had a dream or saw a vision than to claim God stood before you, or sent an angel like he did to Laman and Lemuel saying: Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness. She lost sight of what she DID know….about Lehi, about God, about faith...Faith is trusting in God even though all the "evidence" seems to point to something different. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" This has been a dividing point with covid and the vaccines and masks. Our leaders have urged us to comply. All the "evidence" seems to point against it. The difference is they have never acknowledged the "evidence" that points against it and only point to "evidence" that they say supports it (which has only been "trusted government and health officials", which in our day should never been "trusted"! So it doesn't seem to fall in to the category of "is anything too hard for the Lord". Although, obviously, God could protect us from the "poison of a serpent" as He promises to do as a sign that follows believers. But I believe the prophet would say as much if we were asked to take it as a "test". He didn't. 

  3 And after this manner of language had my mother complained against my father. This is NOT the "language of faith" but the "language of doubt and fear".

  4 And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying: I know that I am a ^avisionary man; no negative connotations about being visionary, for Lehi…for if I had not seen the things of God in a ^bvision I should not have known the goodness of God, this is a “big picture” phrase…regardless of current circumstances, if we have faith in the “goodness of God” then we do not worry about outcomes...we trust all things work together for our good I want to know this "goodness" of God for myself too but had tarried at Jerusalem, and had perished with my brethren. He is GRATEFUL to be a visionary man…

  5 But behold, I have ^aobtained a ^bland of promise, can you hear the language of faith? I “HAVE” obtained a land of promise….even though they had only barely left Jerusalem. Also, I think this is the first time he mentions that he has been told where he is going; how much detail did he know about that? in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I ^cknow that the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness. Do you hear his faith? But if you had seen your family in vision in a "land of promise" it would be that much easier to have faith that they would be preserved. 

  6 And after this manner of language did my father, Lehi, ^acomfort Faith can comfort. Share with others what you "know" even if it is not seen or come to pass yet. my mother, Sariah, concerning us, while we journeyed in the wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem, to obtain the record of the Jews.

  7 And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold their joy was full, and my mother was comforted. We can joy in what we “know”, but it is full when it has come to pass.

  8 And she spake, saying: Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath ^acommanded my husband to ^bflee into the wilderness;one… yea, and I also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons, and delivered them out of the hands of Laban, two…and given them power three… whereby they could ^caccomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them. And after this manner of language did she speak. Sariah received her testimony…and she witnesses to her family The Lord commands; He protects and delivers; He gives us power! She learns to speak the "language of faith" herself. The Lord tries our faith with experiences that change faith to knowledge. As of this writing, the world is in the middle of a pandemic that has us all on some level of quarantine. People are praying and hoping for a miracle, but there is much doubt and worry as well that this may not turn out well. I am praying that those doubts are turned to increased faith after a miraculous end is granted, just like it did for Sariah. April 2022. No miracle. Only "corrupt man". No increased faith. Pandemic is almost "over", but was replaced with a war between Ukraine and Russia, rising inflation, and food shortages. Where are we headed....? Clearly to increased need and dependence on God and not man!
   9 And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, very, very happy… and did offer ^asacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave ^bthanks what is the connection??? unto the God of Israel. I mean, I think he offered a "thank offering" as prescribed in the Law of Moses, but why is it good to express gratitude with a sacrifice?

  10 And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the ^aplates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning. Notice the order… as excited as Lehi was to start studying the brass plates, he gave thanks with sacrifice and burnt offering first...sounds like it may have taken some time to do that...not just a quick "thanks Lord" prayer.

  11 And he beheld that they did contain the five ^abooks of Moses, which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of Adam and Eve, who were our first parents; Taught this in the temple…

  12 And also a ^arecord of the Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah;  temporal history…

  13 And also the prophecies of the holy prophets, scripture… from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of ^aZedekiah; and also many prophecies which were? which have been spoken by the mouth of ^bJeremiah. I think he was their current prophet. He is the one that testified that Jerusalem would be destroyed if they didn't repent. Here we are 9 months later. No miraculous end to the pandemic. There's a "warp-speed" vaccine, but it doesn't seem to be anything miraculous other than they pushed it through faster than any other vaccine. Just means it wasn't tested properly or long enough. Now they want to offer those in the trial that got the placebo the vaccine, so they can't track the "haves" and the "have-nots". Really suspect! I wonder what God's purpose in all of this is? Has he prolonged it because His people (the church) haven't increased their faith during this time? Are we holding back the miracle? I think so. As a whole we did not rely on personal revelation. We did not "study it out"; we took no thought...we are now 3 years into this "tribulation" and the truth is coming out more and more about the evil behind the last 3 years. I pray that this will be the fulfillment of the prophecy that "they will fall into the pit they dig for others" and that a saving "brass serpent" will be raised to heal all who have been poisoned by their venom.

  14 And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the ^aplates of brass a ^bgenealogy of his ^cfathers; wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of ^dJoseph; through Ephraim or Manasseh? Did that mean he wasn't a "Jew" by descent? Definitely was an Israelite. Did he not know this before he read it? yea, even that Joseph who was the son of ^eJacob, who was ^fsold into Egypt, and who was ^gpreserved by the hand of the Lord, though preserved through great testing, trial and faith that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine. Lehi had a similar mission...to preserve his family from perishing...both are a type of Jesus Christ who came to earth to keep us from perishing eternally. He is the "bread of life" and the "living water". (think Sacrament)

  15 And they were also ^aled out of captivity and out of the land of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them. A type of Lehi’s family?

  16 And thus my father, Lehi, did discover Sounds like he didn't know before this what his genealogy was, or he just discovered it was written on the brass plates (meaning he'd not read them before) the genealogy of his fathers. And Laban also was a descendant of ^aJoseph, wherefore he and his fathers had kept the ^brecords. So Lehi and Laban could have been cousins or were at least relatives of some sort. Did Lehi know this before or was he just now discovering it? If they were distant relatives he may not have known it, but if they were cousins I think he would have. It may explain why the boys thought they might just be able to walk in and ask Laban for the plates, "Hi, Uncle Laban, or cousin Laban...we were just wondering if you'd be so kind as to let us have those plates...they'd still be in the family..." It also makes me think there might have been more conversation at the time they asked Laban for the plates. He would have wanted an explanation. Did they tell him that they were commanded to leave? Did they invite him to come? (He was a relative, after all) Did he have to die because he knew too much or because he'd rebelled against knowledge?

  17 And now when my father saw Interesting he says "saw" instead of "read". Do you "see" things when you "read"? Or does "saw" just mean "understand", like when we say, "oh, I see what you mean"? all these things, Creation, history, commandments, prophecies, genealogy he was filled with the Spirit, the scriptures are the key to accessing the spirit…remember when he read the “book” in his vision…he was immediately filled with the Spirit as well… and began to prophesy concerning his seed—

  18 That these ^aplates of brass should go forth unto all ^bnations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.

  19 Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should ^anever perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. Had they been dimmed by time up to his day? And he prophesied many things concerning his seed.

  20 And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept the commandments not “I and my family”? Yet, this record only says that Lehi and Nephi were given specific commandments… wherewith the Lord had commanded us."Us", as in Lehi and Nephi?

  21 And we had obtained the records Is just having them enough?…which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them No, Here is where the real value lies…and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great ^aworth unto us, insomuch that we could ^bpreserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children. We are only ever one generation away from apostasy…

  22 Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise. Not “as we left Jerusalem”…but “as we journeyed forth”…”towards”, not “away from”…