Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome. Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4). This priority was not only reflecte...
The last account in Jacob's record is of an anti-Christ named Sherem who debated Christ's existence with Jacob and persuaded others to follow the Law of Moses without looking forward to a savior. Sherem seeks a sign of God and is ultimately struck dead. I'd like to use this as an opportunity to continue a conversation with a friend from my mission. We've been discussing the mercy and justice of God punishing people, sometimes severely, for relatively minor sins in order to make a point while allowing others with greater sins to live and even do others harm with their agency. He asked:
"In the examples of Laban and Lot's wife we see one turned to salt and the other murdered by a righteous man, all in the effort to teach us and future generations grander and important lessons. My question is, what about Laban or Lot's wife's souls? The fates of these two flawed people seems to me rather unjust when you put some perspective to their 'sins.' Indeed many of us could be guilty of similar choices yet no such wrath has been levied on our heads. Why have we not been made examples? For a God who would leave the 99 in search of the 1 this seems inconsistent. Surely God could have spared Laban or Lot's wife if for no other reason than to give them the opportunity to change or improve their lives. What father could trade one child for another or even many? Lastly, do you find it difficult to lean into the idea that 'I do not know the meaning of all things?' Its a comforting idea but does it do a disservice to a search for truth?"As I mentioned in an earlier post, whenever faced with an aspect of doctrine that I cannot readily accept, I start from my most foundational beliefs and ask, "How can this event be a manifestation of God's love designed to bring to pass the salvation of His children?" I'd like to apply this more specifically and ask, "How can Sherem being struck dead be a manifestation of God's love for Sherem and help bring to pass Sherem's salvation?"
When we are introduced to Sherem, he is seeking "to overthrow the doctrine of Christ" and "lead away the hearts of the people" (Jacob 7:2-3). Furthermore, he denies Christ and misunderstands the scriptures. (Jacob 7:10-11). Contrast that spiritual state with Sherem on his deathbed. He called a multitude 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" (Jacob 7:17). His heart had completely changed. He was penitent, humble, brokenhearted, and concerned for the eternal welfare of his soul and others. His las words demonstrate total willingness to confess and forsake sin without assurances of reward: "And because I have thus lied unto God I greatly fear lest my case shall be awful; but I confess unto God."
At least in Sherem's case, seemingly radical and unfair punishment resulted in a complete transformation. Again, we do not know how Sherem's story ends, but I do know that God uses his foreknowledge to teach His children, customize their earthly experience, and create the greatest likelihood of repentance and salvation. Sooner or later we will all be judged and rewarded perfectly by the only being that has perfect insight into our abilities, experience, and heart. For some like Ananias, Lot's wife, and Laban, punishment seems extreme and abrupt when viewed in the narrow context of mortality, but could open avenues for healing in the spirit world that we are not privy to.
"Lastly, do you find it difficult to lean into the idea that 'I do not know the meaning of all things?' Its a comforting idea but does it do a disservice to a search for truth?"
Absolutely not. The greatest prerequisite in our search for truth is humility. Humility is what Sherem finally gained that allowed his mind to open and his heart to change. If we do not admit and fully embrace that "we do not know the meaning of all things" we will not have sufficient curiosity and openness to admit that our current thinking might be wrong and accept greater light and truth. Nephi's statement "I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things" was a prelude to the most glorious vision recorded in the Book of Mormon, not an end to his search for truth. When properly understood, we can adopt Nephi's attitude to root ourselves on a foundation of faith and endlessly and relentlessly pursue learning.
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