Jacob 7

(All of my own thoughts are in red type.5/20 Green 3/21 Orange 5/22 Brown 2023)

Chapter 7

Sherem denies Christ, contends with Jacob, demands a sign, and is smitten of God—All of the prophets have spoken of Christ and His Atonement—The Nephites lived out their days as wanderers, born in tribulation, and hated by the Lamanites. About 544–421 B.C.

  1 And now it came to pass after some years had passed away, there came a man I wonder if he came from outside their city; a stranger...whoever he was, he knew their language and traditions among the people of Nephi, whose name was ^aSherem.
 2 And it came to pass that he began to preach among the people, and to declare unto them that there should be ^ano Christ. And he preached many things which were flattering unto the people; and this he did that he might ^boverthrow the doctrine of Christ. Why is it so flattering to believe there is no Christ? Is it because you don’t have to give up the natural man? No guilt? No eternal consequences? “Overthrow” is a word associated with government. Ultimately, this philosophy leads to the overthrow of governments, bondage, until we are all captive in the chains of Satan. I have heard that there is a movement among BYU professors to teach that the Bible stories are "symbolic" and not literal. This sounds like a shift towards Sherem's teachings. 
  3 And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts of the people, insomuch that he did lead away many hearts; and he knowing that I, Jacob, had faith in Christ who should come, he sought much opportunity that he might come unto me. You have to get to the heart to affect behavior. Sherem had to get to Jacob to cut off the source of truth. Sherem was so confident he thought he could convince Jacob if he could just speak to him. Why was it so important to Sherem that he convince people there's no Christ? Was was he so willing to "labor diligently"? Do we labor just as diligently to persuade people there is a Christ?
  4 And he was ^alearned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore, he could use much ^bflattery, and much power of speech, according to the ^cpower of the devil. The devil can give men powers of speech and language and flattery. The Holy Ghost is even more powerful. This answers 'why' he wanted to do it - Satan!
  5 And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many ^arevelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen ^bangels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had ^cheard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken. What great things Jacob had experienced. I want to hear the voice of the Lord “in very word”. Notice it was “from time to time”. I suppose he had periods where he was left to himself to see if he’d learned the mind of Christ. Or it could mean when he wasn't hearing the very voice, he was hearing Him other ways (visions, angels, impressions) We need to be "unshaken" as well. Seek to know like Jacob knew! Truly, if God is no respecter of person...how do we cross in to this territory? What is the price? 
  6 And it came to pass that he came unto me, and on this wise did he speak unto me, saying: Brother Jacob, Flattery #1: “Brother”...this is Jacob’s paradigm. I’ll meet you where you are. We’re not that different. We’re brothers! I have sought much opportunity that I might speak unto you; for I have heard and also know that thou goest about much, Jacob was diligent in preaching too  preaching that which ye call the ^agospel, or the doctrine of Christ. Flattery #2 - Acknowledge the truth about the other person from what you know is their own perspective...almost.... Notice he qualifies it with “that which ye call”. Here he opens the door by painting Jacob’s teachings as “his opinion”
  7 And ye have led away much of this people that they pervert the right way of God, and ^akeep 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. And now behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you that this is ^bblasphemy; for no man knoweth of such things; for he cannot ^ctell of things to come. And after this manner did Sherem contend against me. This must have sounded like so much rubbish to Jacob! Tactic #3: Stay with “religion” but deny continuing revelation. Also, it’s classic Satan 101 to accuse in the very language you are guilty of. Who is “perverting” the right way of God? “Blasphemy”; "There is no such thing as revelation and prophecy. The Law of Moses has nothing to do with Jesus Christ..."I’ve always wondered if they practiced the law of Moses with animal sacrifice because only the Levites could officiate. Sherem says they do not keep the law of Moses. I’ll have to look in to that. We read of temples, but no animal sacrifice that I remember... There is much talk about "contention" in the church. There were 3 GC talks in one session this last time. Notice it was Sherem that was contending against Jacob. Contention has everything to do with the heart of the one speaking. We know Satan stirs the heart to contention and that Satan was behind Sherem's words. 
  8 But behold, the Lord God poured in his ^aSpirit into my soul, insomuch that I did ^bconfound him in all his words. Satan can only counterfeit the gifts of God. You think Satan can give you the power of words? Wait til God gives Jacob the power of His word! This is the ideal way to talk to those who are 'contending' against you.
  9 And I said unto him: Deniest thou the Christ who shall come? And he said: If there should be a Christ, I would not deny him; but I know that there is no Christ, neither has been, nor ever will be. Using questions is a powerful tool when we are talking with those who disagree with us. How does Sherem “know” there is no Christ, never has been or will be, except through revelation. He just said man could not know of things to come. 
 10 And I said unto him: Believest thou the scriptures? And he said, Yea. Another question...
 11 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 ^aprophets have written, nor ^bprophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ. Jacob tries to establish some common ground. They both believe the scriptures. Another great principle when talking to others.
 12 And this is not all—it has been made manifest unto me, for I have heard and seen; and it also has been made manifest unto me by the ^apower of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, I know if there should be no atonement made all mankind must be ^blost. Is Jacob making a distinction here between seeing angels and hearing the voice of the Lord and the witness of the Holy Ghost? Is the “wherefore, I know” referring to the witness of the Holy Ghost only, or that with the Heavenly visitations? 
 13 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Show me a ^asign by this power of the Holy Ghost, in the which ye know so much. Notice Sherem asks for a sign “by the power of the Holy Ghost.” In this, I think we learn the witness of the Holy Ghost is more powerful than visitations by angels and hearing the voice of the Lord. Laman and Lemuel taught us that already. While Sherem uses the correct words (knowing by the power of the Holy Ghost) he is still looking for the other.. a physical manifestation. 
 14 And I said unto him: What am I that I should ^atempt God to show unto thee a sign in the thing which thou knowest to be ^btrue? Yet thou wilt deny it, because thou art of the ^cdevil. Nevertheless, not my will be done; but if God shall smite thee, let that be a ^dsign 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. Jacob doesn’t really command the sign to be given, but let’s the Lord decide. He calls Sherem out as a liar saying he does know the truth but is openly lying in order to deceive. This is so often the pattern. The Secret Combinations know what is true about what they are doing, but they openly lie. It’s only a lie if you know the truth and deny it. This is a qualification of being a “devil”. Innocent people who don’t know the truth, but repeat “lies” told to them, are not serving Satan directly, with knowledge. In saying “not my will be done” is Jacob revealing that he’d really like to see Sherem “smitten”? The sign is to prove God’s power and even more important to witness of Christ. It might be the opposite, since he starts out by saying, who am I to tempt God? Then it sounds like he's saying it's not his will but if God wants to smite him, so be it, but it's not his will. 
 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. Nourished by who? I think it was by the Spirit...
 16 And it came to pass that he said unto the people: Gather together on the morrow, for I shall die; wherefore, I desire to speak unto the people before I shall die.
 17 And it came to pass that on the morrow the multitude were gathered together; and 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. Which he must have just experienced
 18 And he spake plainly unto them, that he had been ^adeceived by the power of the ^bdevil. And he spake of hell, and of ^ceternity, and of eternal ^dpunishment. This sounds like an "Alma" experience
 19 And he said: I ^afear lest I have committed the ^bunpardonable sin, for I have lied unto God; for I denied the Christ, and said that I believed the scriptures; and they truly testify of him. And because I have thus lied unto God I greatly fear lest my case shall be ^cawful; but I confess unto God. Why was he knowingly lying? What was in it for him?
 20 And it came to pass that when he had said these words he could say no more, and he ^agave up the ^bghost. Not much mercy here from the Lord except that Sherem got to repent in this life and confess and right his wrong to those he had deceived. Had he been given a taste of hell and how long eternity is and eternal punishment? Did he willingly give up the ghost, in hopes that it would help his case on judgment day? 
 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 ^aovercome that they fell to the earth.
 22 Now, this thing was pleasing unto me, Jacob, for I had requested it of my Father who was in heaven; for he had heard my cry and answered my prayer. Jacob is letting us know that he had been praying after Sherem was struck down for a witness to come upon the people so they would be sure like he was. Will we get similar witnesses before the Lord returns? I think we need to be praying for such things to come upon the unbelievers.
 23 And it came to pass that peace and the ^alove of God was restored again among the people; and they ^bsearched the scriptures, and hearkened no more to the words of this wicked man. Stay searching in the scriptures. It’s truly the “iron rod”. Stop listening to man for truth. Every prophet testifies of the scriptures. Notice also how many times prophets testify in words like “and the word of the Lord came unto me”. Some time I want to make a list/record of this very thing. Why do we have to question if a prophet is inspired or not? Why can’t they use the language of the prophets of old? If you say it’s because we need to walk by faith, why didn’t they have to walk by that same faith? As part of the restoration of all things, I hope God tells our prophet he needs to use this language and we are not accountable if he doesn’t. 
 24 And it came to pass that many means were devised to ^areclaim and restore the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; but it all was ^bvain, for they delighted in ^cwars and ^dbloodshed, and they had an eternal ^ehatred against us, their brethren. And they sought by the power of their arms to destroy us continually. Their form of a missionary program
 25 Wherefore, the people of Nephi did fortify against them with their arms, and with all their might, trusting in the God and ^arock of their salvation; wherefore, they became as yet, conquerors of their enemies. We learn here that before the Nephites went in to “defense” mode, they tried many times and ways to reach their brothers. When it felt clear that there was nothing they could do, then they went into defense mode and prepared to be attacked. Notice their defense was not just arms but trusting God and Jesus with “all their might”. This is the way we truly “conquer our enemies.”
 26 And it came to pass that I, Jacob, began to be old; and the record of this people being kept on the ^aother plates of Nephi, wherefore, I conclude this record, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our ^blives passed away like as it were unto us a ^cdream, we being a ^dlonesome and a solemn people, ^ewanderers, cast out from Jerusalem, born in tribulation, in a wilderness, and hated of our brethren, which caused wars and contentions; wherefore, we did mourn out our days. This is such a beautiful, yet somber benediction to Jacob’s life. Though he had seen God, been ministered to by angels and heard the voice of the Lord, his life was still summarized as “lonesome” and “solemn”; a “wanderer” and “cast out”; born in tribulation (meaning hard from the start); without a real home and worst of all, with extended family that hate you and war and fight with you. For that reason, they mourned all their days because they couldn’t bring them to the truth and to socialize in peace and family harmony. What does the “dream-like” state mean? It went fast? It didn’t seem real? It felt like they weren’t really home? Like so much of their cares and daily worries and activities were transitory and of no lasting value, like when you wake up from a dream, no matter how real it seemed, it wasn’t and it’s gone. I think it’s this last description. 
 27 And I, Jacob, saw that I must soon go down to my grave; wherefore, I said unto my son ^aEnos: Take these ^bplates. And I told him the things which my brother Nephi had ^ccommanded me, and he promised obedience unto the commands. And I make an end of my writing upon these plates, which writing has been ^dsmall; and to the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of my brethren may read my words.
Brethren, adieu.