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...
In contrast to the murder, corruption, and deception employed by Amalickiah, in chapter 48 we read about the virtues of Moroni, and the pains he took to prepare his people to defend themselves.
Amalickiah had consolidated his control of the Lamanites, and now set his sites on conquering the Nephites. His first step was a propaganda campaign to stoke Lamanite animosity toward the Nephites. "He did appoint men to speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites" (Alma 48:1), and "he had hardened the hearts of the Lamanites and blinded their minds, and stirred them up to anger, insomuch that he had gathered together a numerous host to go to battle against the Nephites" (Alma 48:3). Through his fear mongering, Amalickiah manipulated the Lamanites into pursuing an unjustified war of aggression.
"Moroni, on the other hand, had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God" (Alma 48:7). Prophets of God, even in the face of imminent war, have a different set of priorities. Moroni's first consideration was the faith of the people and how to help them live lives dedicated to God. That is not to say that he neglected other practical preparations for war, but he place primary importance on the spiritual health of his people. In the course of our lives we face challenges, disappointments, trials, and practical problems that need to be solved. They likely pale in gravity to Moroni's preparations for war, but we will be successful if we share Moroni's commitment to spiritual preparation. Surely none of our trials or worthy goals could be more pressing and urgent than than thwarting extermination by the Lamanites, but Moroni focused first on things of God.
There are other lessons to be learned from the practical steps Moroni took to defend his people. "Yea, he had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land. And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land which was possessed by the Nephites" (Alma 48:7-9).
I like to think of the army of Amalickiah and the army of Moroni as archetypes of the forces of good and the forces of evil. Satan is skilled at loud speech and commands platforms of influence. He would have up be unfeeling, closed-minded, and contentious. He is a consumer bent on conquest. On the other hand, unflagging commitment to a higher cause in the face of discomfort or danger is the essence of faith. Moroni chose to build faith before he built forts, Joseph of Egypt chose to forego pleasure before forfeiting virtue, the Anti-Nephi-Lehis chose to lay down their lives before taking up arms. Too often I find myself frenzied with the tasks of the day, professional angst, insecure aspirations, and the curation of an online persona. Even when the checklist is done, the promotion comes through, the goal is achieved, and "likes" come rolling in, these pursuits leave a wider vacuum instead of filling a void. They seem urgent, they feign importance, they demand our attention, but do not nourish.
Building faith first creates a foundation from which to build the rest of our lives with confidence, sincerity, and contentment. While Moroni would not have been victorious in battle without fortifications, his fortifications without faith would have been ineffective. Our efforts in life to grow, to earn, to achieve, or to serve, are infused with life and power when they are centered on the Lord. We all stumble and fail and are sure to feel the sting of a spiritual face plant from time to time. Our lives, like Nephite cities, are protected by the habits we develop and the environment we create, but are ultimately saved by the power of God. In partnership with Him, we have power to overcome our sins and weaknesses.
We learn in chapter 48 that Moroni has many redeeming qualities and that "if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever" (Alma 48:17). To be sure, Moroni was
- a strong and a mighty man (Alma 48:11)
- a man of a perfect understanding (Alma 48:11)
- a man that did not delight in bloodshed (Alma 48:11)
- a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country (Alma 48:11).
- a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God (Alma 48:12)
- a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people (Alma 48:12)
- a man who was firm in the faith of Christ (Alma 48:13)
Application Questions
What are the seemingly urgent and important things in your life that you feel compelled to act on? Do you do so at the expense of developing your faith? How could investing in your spiritual development and relationship with God enhance what you are trying to do elsewhere in life?
What are your weakest areas? What could you do to fortify and strengthen yourself?
Image Credit: disciplemagazine.com
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