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
At the end of King Mosiah's reign, his sons refused to accept the throne, deciding instead to preach the gospel to the Lamanites. This created a potential crisis of succession and the risk of political turmoil and bloodshed. Mosiah was proactive in preventing this crisis and establishing a new political order that was more likely to avoid the abuses of a wicked king. As he stated, "now let us be wise and look forward to these things, and do that which will make for the peace of this people" (Mosiah 29:10).
Mosiah acknowledged that while righteous kings could be ideal, the damage done by an unrighteous king outweighed the benefits of a good king "For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed, yea, and what great destruction!" (Mosiah 29:17). He explained to the people that dethroning a wicked king was an extremely costly if not impossible task "And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the shedding of much blood. For behold, he has his friends in iniquity, and he keepeth his guards about him; and he teareth up the laws of those who have reigned in righteousness before him; and he trampleth under his feet the commandments of God" (Mosiah 29:21-22)
As an alternative, Mosiah proposed that a group of judged be elected to rule the people with checks and balances between higher and lower courts. This would limit the power of any one wicked individual, and place responsibility for the quality of their leaders in the hands of the people. "I command you to do these things, and that ye have no king; that if these people commit sins and iniquities they shall be answered upon their own heads" (Mosiah 29:30). Mosiah explained that because most people are generally good, representative government helps avoid iniquity, "And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land" (Mosiah 29:27).
This chapter highlights both the influence and responsibility of leaders, not just of nations, but of any group. Our influence within governments, companies, organizations, communities, religious groups, and families can help or hinder the good choices of others. As Mosiah explained, "for behold I say unto you, the sins of many people have been caused by the iniquities of their kings; therefore their iniquities are answered upon the heads of their kings." While ever person is responsible for their own actions we share in that accountability to the degree that we influence others for good or ill. When we uphold standards of personal ethics, defend correct principles, demonstrate respect and kindness, and challenge unrighteous behavior, we help create an ecosystem where goodness becomes the natural default. We can make the task of obedience easier for others.
Application Questions
What are your spheres of influence and how are you a leader or others? How do your actions encourage the righteous actions of others?
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