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...
After hearing Alma's instructions regarding faith, the people had a number of questions. "Now after Alma had spoken these words, they sent forth unto him desiring to know whether they should believe in one God, that they might obtain this fruit of which he had spoken, or how they should plant the seed, or the word of which he had spoken, which he said must be planted in their hearts; or in what manner they should begin to exercise their faith" (Alma 33:1) They wanted specific, detailed guidance on how to implement the teachings that Alma had just shared. Instead of answering their specific questions, Alma redirected them to the teachings of the Prophet Zenos regarding prayer: "Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship?" (Alma 33:3). Zeno taught that the Lord had heard his prayers when he prayed in the wilderness, in his fields, in his house, in his closet, and in the congregation. He testified that the Lord mercifully answers to deliver us from enemies and afflictions.
Instead of answering the people's questions, Alma directed them to prophetic teachings about prayer and encouraged them to rely on the Savior. "Thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son" (Alma 33:11). We can find peace and joy through sincere prayer. Alma equates prayer with worship, and emphasizes that our prayers have power because of the merits of Jesus Christ. Jesus lived a perfect life and did the will of the Father in all things. As a result, he has perfect merit and is justified in any request for blessings. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, meaning that he is our intermediary, and lends His merit to our desires and advocates on our behalf with the Father. Praying "in the name of Christ" has the additional meaning that we try to align our desires and the things we pray for with what we believe the Savior would say, do, and ask for. Closing a prayer "in the name of Jesus Christ" means that we certify that we have considered our plea, have felt inspired by the spirit to ask, and believe it to be in line with the will of God.
When questions arose, Alma directed the people to the source of all wisdom through prayer. He also recounted the story of Moses healing the Israelites in the wilderness. When the children of Israel were bitten by venomous snakes, he held up is staff and all who looked upon the staff lived, but many chose not to and perished. This archetype of Christ reminds of his Atoning power. Alma encourage the people to "cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works" (Alma 33:22).
I have always received answers to my sincere petitions through prayer and I know that God hears us and speaks through the Spirit. When I have questions, the impulse to reach to Google, to ask friends, to read books, and to poll my family is strong. While they are great ways to gather opinions and clarify my own thinking, they cannot provide the clarity and certainty that comes only from God. I am so grateful that in our fallen and imperfect state, we have direct access to our Heavenly Father, and that He takes an interest in the details of our lives.
Application Questions
What decisions or questions are you struggling with? Have you made them a matter of prayer?
How has God answered your prayers in the past?
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