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...
Moroni, the leader of the Nephite army, and Ammoron, kind of the Lamanites, wrote letters to each other and agree to exchange prisoners, but not without exchanging barbs. Both sides strongly expressed long-held and deep-seeded beliefs that their opponent was in the wrong. The Nephites saw Lamanite attacks as unwarranted and unjustified aggression, and claimed territorial rights to the land settle by Lehi and his son Nephi when they first arrived on the American continent. Moroni wrote, "Behold, I am in my anger, and also my people; ye have sought to murder us, and we have only sought to defend ourselves. But behold, if ye seek to destroy us more we will seek to destroy you; yea, and we will seek our land, the land of our first inheritance" (Alma 54:13).
Ammoron states his case that he is avenging the death of his brother, and that Nephite territorial claims are illegitimate (since Nephi's older brothers, Laman and Lemuel, would have inherited the right to rule according to traditional norms of succession). He said, "I am the brother of Amalickiah whom ye have murdered. Behold, I will avenge his blood upon you, yea, and I will come upon you with my armies for I fear not your threatenings. For behold, your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch that they did rob them of their right to the government when it rightly belonged unto them." (Alma 54:16-17). Ammoron continues that he is a descendant of Zoram. Zoram was a servant of Laban who was compelled by Nephi to leave Jerusalem and accompany him to the Promised Land (America): "I am Ammoron, and a descendant of Zoram, whom your fathers pressed and brought out of Jerusalem. And behold now, I am a bold Lamanite; behold, this war hath been waged to avenge their wrongs, and to maintain and to obtain their rights to the government" (Alma 54:23-24).
On the surface both Moroni and Ammoron's grievances seem justified. The Nephites did kill Ammoron's brother Amalikiah, Nephi's claim to leadership violated tradition, and Nephi really did compel Zoram to leave Jerusalem. It is also true that Lamanite aggression against the Nephites was unprovoked. Neither side misrepresented the facts, per se.
The only way we can judge between the two claims is through a spiritual lens. Without a knowledge of God, an understanding of His will, and His interaction with the children of Lehi, it is impossible to know which of the two sides were in the wrong. Ammoron omits that the Lord had specifically commanded Lehi to take his family and leave Jerusalem, and that God had appointed Nephi to be a ruler because of the wickedness and rebelliousness of Laman and Lemuel. He even concedes, "And as concerning that God whom ye say we have rejected, behold, we know not such a being; neither do ye; but if it so be that there is such a being, we know not but that he hath made us as well as you. And if it so be that there is a devil and a hell, behold will he not send you there to dwell with my brother whom ye have murdered, whom ye have hinted that he hath gone to such a place? But behold these things matter not" (Alma 54:21-22). From a political standpoint Ammoron is justified, but the context of the gospel reveals flaws in his argument. As I think about the most contentious political and social issues we face today, I see a parallel to the disagreement between Moroni and Ammoron.
It is difficult if not impossible to decipher complex moral and social issues when we rely solely on logic and the merits of a particular argument. Compelling cases can be made on all sides by intelligent, articulate, and passionate advocates. Fortunately, we have direct access to our loving and omniscient Heavenly Father. In the closing promise of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni promises that "if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things" (Moroni 10:4-5).
Application Question
What questions or issues leave you feeling puzzled, troubled, or angry? How can you you be more deliberate in your pursuit of discernment and seek inspiration from God?
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