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...
Physical journeys recorded in the scriptures are some of my favorite metaphors to apply to my own life. In the case of the brother of Jared and his family, they completed a literal journey across the great waters to arrive at the promised land. We are all in the middle of a figurative journey through mortality with the hope of returning to God and living with Him again.
In preparation for the Jaredites' journey, "the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness (Ether 6:3). Similarly, we have not been sent to this earth without guidance and direction from God. Each person who is born in the earth is given the benefit of the light of Christ. This internal compass helps all of us discern good and evil and make good choices. The more we heed this internal voice, the clearer it becomes, and the more access we have to God and His direction.
The Jaredites faced incredible risk and uncertainty entering their hand-crafted vessels with no sails or navigation equipment. As the scriptures record, they went "commending themselves unto the Lord their God" (Ether 6:4). They had been assured and had total and complete faith that the Lord would care for them and guide them across a watery abyss to the promised land. Indeed, the Lord did a number of things to provide for the needs of the Jaredites and ensure they arrive safely.
But these blessings may not have been readily apparent to the Jaredites. First, "the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land" (Ether 6:5). The Jaredites did not know where the promised land was, and would have had no idea that the "furious wind" buffeting their barges was actually propelling them to their ultimate destination. The Lord offered additional protections so that "there was no water that could hurt them," and "no monster of the sea could break them" (Ether 6:7, 10). While they were driven on the water and often submerged, they were never in actual danger of destruction by some outside force. When we have confidence that God will not let us fail, the intermittent disappointments, setbacks, and inconveniences of life don't seem as catastrophic.
The attitude of the Jaredites as they were blown across the sea is truly admirable. Throughout the journey, "they did cry unto the Lord," and "they did sing praises unto the Lord" (Ether 6:7,9). At this point in the journey, I'm not actually sure what they had to be thankful for. Cramped in a small barge facing the constant prospect of a watery death would not inspire a lot of gratitude in me. But the brother of Jared, "did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord" (Ether 6:9). I guess he was grateful for each day of life, and was able to have total confidence in the Lord that his current journey would end in untold blessings for him and his family.
Eventually, "they did land upon the shore of the promised land. And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them" (Ether 6:12). I hope I can always show the same level of humility and gratitude for the blessings of the Lord in my life. I am much more inclined to take things for granted and find reasons to be anxious and uncertain despite my charmed and abundant life.
In their new home in the promised land, the Jaredites enjoyed a prosperous and happy existence because of their trust in the Lord. Because of good parents, the children of the Jaredites "were taught to walk humbly before the Lord; and they were also taught from on high" (Ether 6:17). When we try our best to learn and teach righteousness, we are entitled to additional insights and assistance from God. This was reinforced by a just and ethical leader, Orihah, who "did walk humbly before the Lord, and did remember how great things the Lord had done for his father, and also taught his people how great things the Lord had done for their fathers" (Ether 6:30).
Application Questions
Could the trials, challenges, and disappointments of your life be propelling you to a better future? Can you discern God's purpose in having you experience these things?
What blessings do you regularly overlook in your life? How can you increase your awareness of the good things that you have?
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