(All of my own thoughts are in blue 2020 red type 7/20 orange 8/21 Brown 2022 -23)
ETHER 12
The prophet Ether exhorts the people to believe in God—Moroni recounts the wonders and marvels done by faith—Faith enabled the brother of Jared to see Christ—The Lord gives men weakness that they may be humble—The brother of Jared moved Mount Zerin by faith—Faith, hope, and charity are essential to salvation—Moroni saw Jesus face to face.
1 And it came to pass that the days of Ether were in the days of aCoriantumr; and Coriantumr was king over all the land.
2 And aEther was a prophet of the Lord; wherefore Ether came forth in the days of Coriantumr, and began to prophesy unto the people, for he could not be brestrained because of the Spirit of the Lord which was in him. Again...no mention of church structure or organization... Is this the precedence for the end time servant? He lives in our day and "comes forth" because "he cannot be restrained because of the Spirit of the Lord which is in him"?
3 For he did acry from the bmorning, even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance notice it was believe in God "unto repentance". It doesn't matter if you just believe in God. That belief should move you to repentance and a desire to keep all His commandments, or you don't really believe in Him lest they should be cdestroyed, saying unto them that dby efaith all things are fulfilled—
4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with asurety bhope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which chope cometh of dfaith, maketh an eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in fgood works, being led to gglorify God.
5 And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they asaw them not. I wonder what these "great and marvelous things" were...perhaps prophecies of Jesus Christ? Interesting that his preaching was not just "repent or be destroyed"...but repentance by faith and hope and believing in God. (Did they know about Jesus Christ? I think so. Earlier, one of the righteous kings said they saw Him.) No mention of commandments and churches - just "good works".
6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; the things that Ether prophesied... I would show unto the world that afaith is things which are bhoped for and cnot seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no dwitness until after the etrial of your faith. Whatever Ether was saying, it was about things they hadn’t seen. Believing these things was considered a “trial of faith”. What things can we not see that are a trial of our faith? I was going to say, we don’t see secret combinations and that’s a trial of faith, but we do see them in our day. Some would say following the prophet to get the vaccine is a trial of faith...but that would only be a trial for those that know it is not good and that secret combinations are behind it. Why would it be a trial of faith to follow the prophet in doing something evil? I think it is a trial of faith to have a prophet who is promoting something so obviously wrong. For the mainstream church none of this feels like a trial to them at all. because they don't see the Secret Combinations, and many did not "pay the price" for personal revelation. Such a weird time...
7 For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself anot unto the world. Is the record clear in 3 Nephi that the people had faith in Christ before He showed himself? Did they have faith in Him before the destructions? during? after? What kind of faith qualifies one to see Jesus Christ? It can’t be just a “yes” “no” kind of faith, can it?
8 But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen. Is the "heavenly gift" seeing Christ? Is this what we should hope for "that we have not seen"? Do we know "the way" to partake of this gift?? We know we must have faith. Do we know what that really means? Does He prepare the way for others to see Christ by revealing Himself to some who testify to others? They have to then believe before they see?
9 Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith. I can hope that I will partake of this gift if I just have faith. Is it God’s will and desire that we all see Christ in this life? If so...why do so few see Him? What do we lack yet?
10 Behold it was by faith that they of old were acalled after the holy order of God. Does this answer the question about how these 'prophets' were called? It was by faith? Did all these Jaradite prophets have the Melchizedek Priesthood? The record doesn't say anything about baptism or ordinances...must have been directly from God...
11 Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the agift of his Son hath God prepared a more bexcellent way; in Christ, the law of Moses was fulfilled and came to and end and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled. If you substitute Christ for faith this would read, “and it is by “Christ” that it hath be fulfilled. Is that saying Christ is the same thing as faith? Or was it the faith of Christ, that He could fulfill the Atonement without giving up, that it was fulfilled. That sounds like it could be right...
12 For if there be no afaith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith. Did we not get a miracle today because we didn't have faith? Remembering that "faith is unto repentance". So we didn't repent, which shows we didn't have faith, so we didn't get the miracle. Do you want the Savior to show himself to you next weekend? It would truly be a miracle! Repent and have faith! It doesn’t help that through all of this we have not been called to repentance by our prophet. Elder Holland said the pandemic wasn’t a judgment from God. Does he think it was just a a “natural” occurrence of nature? Like the rising and setting of the sun? Why are they not warning? Why are they going along like they can’t even see the secret combinations? What really is going on?
13 Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the aprison to tumble to the earth. This brings up the question about God’s will and faith. Did they know God’s will by the Spirit so they had faith they could command the walls to fall? Do the prophets who are martyred know by the Spirit they are going to die so they don’t ask for a miraculous intervention?
14 Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the achange upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the bHoly Ghost. Notice he's not saying it was "by the will of God" that these miracles happened. There is so much talk about "Thy will be done" that people are afraid to have faith in a miracle or to ask for one. They think, “God could do it, and He will if He wants to. Of course we want Him to, but we don't get everything we ask for. It's not good for us. We need to be tried and tested. We need to suffer so we can learn.” I submit, that is only one of many ways to learn. God has given people power to get whatever they ask for as taught in the scriptures. Of course, they ask by the Spirit and won't ask amiss, to be selfish or prideful. That's the only reason we are told no. But God is teaching us that we get miracles by asking for them, and having faith that we can have them and that God will do it because we want them. Also interesting that the faith of Nephi and Lehi had an effect on not just had an effect on but “wrought the change”...’wrought’ means: made. Look at what the faith of just two righteous prophets can have on the hearts of man. It would seem the receivers would also have to have faith too but such a powerful statement on faith and conversion the Lamanites. What about agency? The Bible Dictionary says, "by faith one can influence any number of circumstances"...
15 Behold, it was the faith of aAmmon and his brethren which bwrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites. Again we have the faith of one, influencing miracles among others! Not just influencing, but "making" the change!
16 Yea, and even all they who wrought amiracles wrought them by bfaith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after. If you remember that faith is an action (faith without works is dead)...it’s not faith and works, but faith is works. So those who worked miracles by faith worked them by doing. They preached in the face of persecution, proving their faith by their works. Ammon worked his miracle among the Lamanites by serving the king by his faith. If we want miracles we work the by our faith which is put in action through our works.
17 And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should anot taste of death; and they obtained not the promise until after their faith. Perhaps the other disciples didn't believe that Christ would grant them that desire. They didn't have faith He would, or thought He would if that is what He wanted to do for them, and of course they would accept it... But the three desired it, asked in faith, and because of that - they were given their desire. Again, I wonder if they obtained it “by their faith” meaning their demonstration of their faith by their works.
18 And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God. Belief in Christ is the beginning because we have to know He is the source of our miracle, not ourselves. Perhaps all righteous works add to His glory when we acknowledge Him first.
19 And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the bveil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad. Do we have record of these "many" people who saw Christ? Notice that they FIRST saw Him with an eye of faith. What does that mean? Doesn't it mean they "imagined" it as being possible? I have been doing a lot of that lately... "seeing" in my mind and heart what I "want" to happen. Praying for it. Believing that it's possible. Of course, I accept the will of the Father if it is not granted. But that doesn't keep me from "seeing things with an eye of faith" and praying for it. I've experienced this more than once in my life and if I had told you what I was "seeing" before it was granted, you would have thought I was crazy. But I was given what I wanted, only because I asked for it and exercised real faith by obedience and sacrifice (Cottonelle; Wicked)
20 And behold, we have seen in this record that one of these was the brother of Jared; for so great was his faith in God, that when God put forth his afinger he could not hide it from the sight of the brother of Jared, because of his word which he had spoken unto him, which word he had obtained by faith. We 'obtain' the word of God 'by' faith. and that faith is searching the scriptures, prayer, and pondering and asking questions and listening
21 And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, because of the apromise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the bveil. Had the brother of Jared prayed to see Christ and had ongoing faith he could see him? It doesn’t read like that to me. It seems like he “obtained” the promise by his faithful life, not even knowing that was qualifying him to see Christ. But “when we obtain any blessing it is by obedience to the law upon which that blessing is predicated.” This is in operation whether we are seeing the connection or not...
22 And it is by faith that my fathers have obtained the apromise that these things should come unto their brethren through the Gentiles; therefore the Lord hath commanded me, yea, even Jesus Christ.
23 And I said unto him: Lord, the Gentiles will amock at these things, because of our bweakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us cmighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing; for thou hast made all this people that they could speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given them;
24 And thou hast made us that we could write but little, because of the aawkwardness of our hands. Behold, thou hast not made us mighty in bwriting like unto the brother of Jared, for thou madest him that the things which he cwrote were mighty even as thou art, unto the overpowering of man to read them. I would love to read the writings of the Brother of Jared ...are they in the sealed portion of the plates? Is the weakness in writing not so much about having to write on plates or the characters they had to etch, but more about the truths they were writing? We don’t have the writings of Jared, but Moroni had them and if he’s comparing what his record says to what Jared wrote, is he saying that his writings would look weak in comparison? I don’t think he’s saying his writings are not true, just not as overpowering to read. We have to read and then pray to know they are true, but if you read the words of Jared they would be overpowering of anyone to read them.
25 Thou hast also made our words powerful and great, even that we cannot write them; wherefore, when we write we behold our bweakness, and stumble because of the placing of our words; and I fear lest the Gentiles shall cmock at our words.
26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: aFools bmock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;
27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their aweakness. Maybe in the context of this exchange with the Lord, the weakness the Lord is speaking of is the weakness of the future readers to fully accept the words they are reading because they could not be written in an overpowering way like the words of the brother of Jarad. I bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my cgrace is sufficient for all men that dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. I’m seeing a new way to look at this in context. He just got through talking about the comparison between the writing of the brother of Jarad and his writing as making his writings “weak”. He mentions the powerful and great words they have spoken have not been written (forbidden to write). But when they are allowed to write, and they know it is not the fulness of the truths they have been shown, their words seem “weak”. They stumble in the placing of words because they have to share without sharing. Then...we get the famous scripture about God giving men weakness. The standard definition is that this “weakness” is our mortality and living with carnal bodies prone to sin. But what if the “weakness” is just a way of expressing that God has given us “lesser” words than were given to the brother of Jared and others who saw all things from the end to the beginning. The only way to get these greater words is by being humble and having faith in Christ. Then Christ will open our eyes to words that are much stronger than the weak ones we now have. Hmmmm.....I like this interpretation...
What happens next?
He shows us our weakness. That is probably not what we were looking for or asking for. We may be tempted to turn and leave. Don't.
He might show you a specific weakness,
or He might just help you see the weakness of being mortal.
Either way...
He asks you to be humble...THREE times.
Once you acknowledge your weakness before Him and have cast off all pride and rationalization and blame and excuse - exercise all the faith you have in His Grace; His "enabling and ennobling power".
Then...when you have done that...
He will make "weak things" become "strong".
Be careful predetermining how that is supposed to look. Here's what I mean..
One year at BYU Education Week, I attended a class where the teacher shared an insight as to how this promise of the Lord can look different than we expect.
He said that Pres. Hinckley's daughter had shared with him that her father had always been a little impatient. When they were on family vacations, he was always the first one to say, "let's go...everyone in the car..." even if they felt like they had just arrived! To the end of his life, she felt like he had retained this "weakness". So how did the Lord make that "weak" thing a strength? He didn't remove it. He used it...to build more temples than any other prophet before or since. He wanted those temples built! And God used his "weakness" to further His work.
So we pray...that God may use us "as we are"...while we strive to overcome and become. And as long as we "come to Him" in humility and faith - He will make our weak things become strong.
28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that afaith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all brighteousness.
29 And I, Moroni, having heard these words, was acomforted, and said: O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith; This is why we have to always be repenting. Our sins interfere with our faith because our works stop demonstrating our faith and belief. Something as simple as not praying or reading the scriptures interrupt the power of our faith because they demonstrate to some degree that we have stopped believing in the power of Christ.
30 For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, aRemove—and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith.1. Why did he need to move a mountain? 2. If it would not have moved if he didn’t have faith, where is God’s “will” in this? If he had faith and it moved it would have been God’s will? But without faith it wasn’t? Or would not moving it be evidence he didn’t have faith. Because we said it wasn’t God’s will when our faith doesn’t move our mountains...why doesn’t it mean we didn’t have “enough” faith?
31 For thus didst thou manifest thyself unto thy disciples; for aafter they had bfaith, and did speak in thy name, thou didst show thyself unto them in great power.
32 And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the amansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent bhope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.
33 And again, I remember that thou hast said that thou hast aloved the world, even unto the laying down of thy life for the world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a place for the children of men.
34 And now I know that this alove which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.
35 Wherefore, I know by this thing which thou hast said, that if the Gentiles have not acharity, because of our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and btake away their ctalent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto them who shall have more abundantly. Maybe the “weakness” he’s referring to is the inability to write with sufficient power to convince us of the prophecies for our day...the things we take lightly. He said earlier that the Brother of Jarad was able to write and it was “overpowering” to those that read it. We have had the Book of Mormon and have been under condemnation since the beginning for taking it lightly. What if that is the “weakness” Moroni is referring to, since he sees that the Book of Mormon doesn’t cause us to have charity by reading his words. This makes more sense to me now...
36 And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles agrace, that they might have charity. Thank you, Moroni, for that prayer. Going further with my previous thought...Moroni may be saying, “since they won’t have charity because of the words I’m writing, will you please just grant them charity through your grace?” These Book of Mormon people were so filled with charity that they were always worried about those who would come after them and those who were not converted among them. Do we have that kind of charity?
37 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made aclean. And because thou hast seen thy bweakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. This is the ultimate fulfillment of the scripture of how He makes weak things strong! The Lord is teaching personal responsibility here. We can do all we can do, but ultimately the sins of others are not on our heads.
38 And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the ajudgment-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my bgarments are not spotted with your blood. because I wasn’t able to write in a manner that we could not deny. If we had believed what he had written, we would have been given the words of the brother of Jared. But we have to have faith first. Then the words of the brother of Jarad will confirm what we already believe. (and add more)
39 And then shall ye know that I have aseen Jesus, and that he hath talked with me bface to face, and that he told me in cplain humility, even as a man telleth another in mine own language, concerning these things; This is so loving and kind and merciful of the Savior to visit this very lonely, sad, man. It sounds like the Lord told him of the things that would happen in person. How can we doubt it?
40 And only a few have I written, because of my weakness in writing.
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