Book of Mormon Lesson # 5—2 Nephi 3–5
“I Know in Whom
I Have Trusted”
Ponderize
Scripture: 2 Nephi 4:35. “35 Yea, I know that God will
give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss.”
Introduction
By the time Joseph got to this stage in the translation of the Book of
Mormon—about June 1829[1]—he had
translated most of the rest of the Book of Mormon. Oliver was his scribe at
this time, and we know that Joseph had received much instruction from heavenly
beings. He had received at least sections 2 through 12 of the Doctrine and
Covenants. He would have had no doubt of his standing with the Lord in relation
to the Church that he would shortly restore. But it must have been a wonderful
feeling to translate 2 Nephi 3:6–15 and realize that his calling was foretold
by Lehi and before. Brigham Young testified, “It was decreed in the counsels of
eternity, long before the foundations of the earth were laid, that he, Joseph
Smith, should be the man, in the last dispensation of this world, to bring
forth the word of God to the people, and receive the fulness of the keys and
power of the Priesthood of the Son of God. The Lord had his eyes upon him, and
upon his father, and upon his father’s father, and upon their progenitors clear
back to Abraham, and from Abraham to the flood, from the flood to Enoch, and
from Enoch to Adam. He has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain
to the birth of that man. He [the Prophet Joseph Smith] was fore-ordained in
eternity to preside over this last dispensation” (Discourses of Brigham Young, 108).
2 Nephi 3
It might be instructive to separate out the “Josephs” in this chapter.
I’m going to be asking you this in class, so those who have looked at the blog
will have an advantage:
1. Joseph, last-born son of Lehi and Sariah (2 Nephi
3:1–3)
2. Joseph of Egypt (2 Nephi
3:4–5)
3. Joseph Smith Jr. (2 Nephi
3:6–15)
4. Joseph Smith Sr. (2 Nephi
3:15)
Where in scripture are you going to find the mission to which you were
foreordained? Did you find anything in Stake Conference last week? Remember,
Elder Johnson asked us what we observed, what we heard, and what we felt. Elder
Scott has often taught us that when we write down what we see, hear, and feel
the Spirit communicating to us, that it leads to more communication. In my
opinion, this is our own personal scripture. Elder Maxwell teaches us that the
Seer Joseph Smith could see with spiritual eyes what had previously been hidden
from the world:
1. Revelation about the extent and expanse of the universe (see Moses 1:33;
D&C
76:24)
2. Revelation about God’s central purpose (see Moses 1:39)
3. Revelation about us as God’s children (see D&C
93:29)
4. Revelation about man’s destiny (see D&C
84:38)
5. Revelation about God’s personal involvement with his children (see Alma 18:32)
6. Revelation about the expanse of the Savior’s Atonement (see 2 Nephi 9:7;
D&C
88:6)
(See Ensign, Nov. 2003,
100–101.)
Elder LeGrand Richards, “The Prophet Joseph Smith brought us the Book of
Mormon, the Doctrine
and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and many other writings. As far as
our records show, he has given us more revealed truth than any prophet who has
ever lived upon the face of the earth” (Ensign, May 1981, 33).
Elder Maxwell also told us about a blessing given Joseph by his father,
“In a prophetic father’s blessing given in December 1834 to Joseph Smith,
Junior, Father Smith confirmed those promises given the ancient Joseph, and
pronounced added blessings, including these, upon young Joseph: ‘Thy God has
called thee by name out of the heavens … to do a work in this generation which
no other man would do as Thyself.’ The ancient Joseph ‘looked after his
posterity in the last days … And sought diligently to know … who would bring
the word of the Lord [to them] and his eyes beheld thee, my son: [Joseph Smith,
Jr.] his heart rejoiced and his soul was satisfied.’ Young Joseph also heard
his father promise, ‘Thou shalt like to do the work which the Lord shall
command Thee.’”[2]
Regarding 3 Nephi 12 and the impact the combination of Old and New World
scriptures, Elder Nelson said, “We should live by the Golden Rule. We have
writings of the descendants of Judah as now merged with writings of the descendants
of Ephraim. We should employ them and expand our circle of love to embrace the
whole human family. We should bring divine love and revealed doctrines of
restored religion to our neighbors and friends. We should serve them according
to our abilities and opportunities. We should keep our principles on a high
level and stand for the right. We should continue to gather scattered Israel
from the four corners of the earth and offer the ordinances and covenants that
seal families together forever. These blessings we are to bring to people of
all nations.”[3]
When you think about it, the Book of Mormon was born out of
conflict—between Lehi and the people of Jerusalem not wishing to hear his prophecies, between the children of Lehi
and Laban, and epically between the Nephites and the Lamanites, along with the
Jaredites’ civil war. And yet from that conflict comes “the most correct book.”
2 Nephi 4
Nephi recorded the blessings given by Lehi to his posterity with one
notable exception, his own. No doubt Lehi blessed Nephi, but for some reason
Nephi did not record it. And however much time lapsed between Lehi’s blessing
and his death, animosity between Nephi and his two elder brothers escalated
after Lehi left them (see v. 13). Elder Ballard shows us how Lehi’s last
actions can be an example, “Our family-centered perspective should make
Latter-day Saints strive to be the best parents in the world. It should give us
enormous respect for our children, who truly are our spiritual siblings, and it
should cause us to devote whatever time is necessary to strengthen our
families. Indeed, nothing is more critically connected to happiness—both our
own and that of our children—than how well we love and support one another
within the family” (Ensign, Nov.
2005, 42).
And now Nephi takes time for some personal reflection, known as “the
Psalm of Nephi.” After Nephi talks of his “delight” in the scriptures, his
introspection takes what might be a negative turn. Why do you think this is so?
Pres. Benson: “Just as a man does not really desire food until he is hungry, so
he does not desire the salvation of Christ until he knows why he needs Christ.
No one adequately and properly knows why he needs Christ until he understands
and accepts the doctrine of the Fall and its effect upon all mankind” (Ensign, May 1987, 85).
Like the Apostle Paul, Nephi had a “thorn in his flesh,” represented by
the temptations which so easily beset him. Elder Oaks taught, “Most of us are
born with thorns in the flesh, some more visible, some more serious than
others. We all seem to have susceptibilities to one disorder or another, but
whatever our susceptibilities, we have the will and the power to control our
thoughts and our actions. This must be so. God has said that he holds us
accountable for what we do and what we think, so our thoughts and actions must
be controllable by our agency. Once we have reached the age or condition of
accountability, the claim ‘I was born that way’ does not excuse actions or
thoughts that fail to conform to the commandments of God. We need to learn how
to live so that a weakness that is mortal will not prevent us from achieving
the goal that is eternal.”[4]
The Psalm of Nephi is poetically beautiful as he turns his lamenting and
despair into praise and hope, “Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him
that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will
lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness.
Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine
everlasting God” (v.35).
2 Nephi 5
Separation—once again, but not for the last time. Nephi tries,
righteously, to guide his brothers to the iron rod, but their animosity is such
that “they did seek to take away my life” (vs. 4). And so the Lord directs
Nephi to separate and again embark on a journey in the wilderness that lasted “many
days.” It was necessary for them to separate from the wickedness that
prevailed. Elder Scott gives us counsel in this regard, “God has provided a way
to live in this world and not be contaminated by the degrading pressures evil
agents spread throughout it. You can live a virtuous, productive, righteous
life by following the plan of protection created by your Father in Heaven: His
plan of happiness. It is contained in the scriptures and in the inspired
declarations of His prophets. … Avoid worldly wickedness. Know that God is
in control. In time, Satan will completely fail and be punished for his
perverse evil. God has a specific plan for your life. He will reveal parts of
that plan to you as you look for it with faith and consistent obedience. His
Son has made you free—not from the consequences of your acts, but free to make
choices. God’s eternal purpose is for you to be successful in this mortal life.
No matter how wicked the world becomes, you can earn that blessing. Seek and be
attentive to the personal guidance given to you through the Holy Spirit.
Continue to be worthy to receive it. Reach out to others who stumble and are
perplexed, not certain of what path to follow” (Ensign, May 2004, 100, 102).
Hugh Nibley Book of Mormon Lecture Series for this lesson
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