The Book of Mormon – Chapter 1
I left home to serve in the Netherlands Mission in
June 1968. I was 19 years old, had never
traveled much and was really naive. I
had grown up in the church, all my friends and virtually everyone in the
community were LDS and our culture revolved around the church in that
unincorporated area in Millard County called Flowell. It was actually more difficult to live an
alternative life style there than to be a good LDS kid. I went with the flow, enjoyed the church
programs and felt the church was true enough for me. I never really felt a burning need to actually
know the truth for myself through the spirit.
After serving a few months on my mission, I found
myself in Amersfoort with a personal unrest about my testimony. I was inviting people to join the church and to
change their lives, pay tithing, spend Sundays in church, live the word of
wisdom, change their friends, etc. I
realized that I had to know. So over a
period of a few months, I read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover while
praying for a confirmation that it is true.
I received my answer in a clear, recognizable and repeated feeling from
the spirit each day as I read.
Who would put the book down after reading the hook
in the very first verse? It is a better
first line than in any novel such as: “Call
me Ishmael.” —Herman Melville, Moby-Dick
(1851) or “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… it was the
spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. —Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
1 I,
Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat
in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in
the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in
all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the
mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my
days. (1 Nephi 1:1)
Nephi immediately
introduces basic gospel themes that are repeated throughout the book and are
key doctrine of the church.
1 Family – vs
1. He had goodly parents.
2 Afflictions
– vs 1. In the course of your days in
this world you face opposition and adversity.
This earth was created to allow you to grow by dealing with trials, to
make choices and to experience opposition in all things.
3 God’s Goodness
and Mysteries, tied to Scriptures – vs 1. He testifies of the goodness of God and that
his record, The Book of Mormon is true and was made with his own hands
according to his own knowledge.
4 Prophets declare
the Gospel – vs 4. The need for
prophets was declared. Prophets prophesy
and tell people to repent. Repentance
and forgiveness are the key ingredient of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God works with his children through
prophets. We know that calling people to
repent is nothing more that inviting people to change by making and keeping
commitments. The destruction of
Jerusalem was prophesied.
5 Prayer – vs
5. The power and necessity of prayer was
introduced. Nephi’s father prayed unto
the Lord, yea even with all his heart.
He prayed for the benefit of others.
5A God Answers
Prayers – vs 6. Nephi says a pillar
of fire came upon a rock and his father saw and heard much from the Lord. Everyone does not see a pillar of fire but God
answers everyone’s prayers.
4A The Gospel of Jesus
Christ through Apostles and Prophets – vs 9-14. The mission of Jesus Christ
is introduced. The book Nephi’s father
received is symbolic of the mission and ordinance to gather Israel. (Rev.
10:9) The gospel fills people with the
spirit of the Lord. With the destruction
of Jerusalem Israel was scattered. A
marvelous work, the gathering, would come forward.
3A God is Merciful,
tied to Scriptures – vs 14-17. God
exercises power, goodness and mercy over all the inhabitants of the earth. Those who come to him will not perish. Through his mercy your soul can rejoice and
your heart filled. You will receive
visions and dreams. Nephi again declares
the Book of Mormon is true because he has written it himself.
2A Persecution
– vs 19-20. As a follower of Christ,
people will be angry with you, you may be mocked and people may seek your
life. Nephi’s father withstood it, you
are required to withstand it. I wonder if Joseph Smith understood this
foreshadowing of his death when he translated these passages before the church
was organized. We know from the
interpretation of Lehi’s dream (1 Nephi 14) that during the gathering of Israel
the world will fight against Jesus Christ.
1A Tender Mercies
of God toward His Family – vs 20.
His tender mercies are over all those who have faith which are called
his family.
First Nephi 1 is a
beautiful introduction to certain principles of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. It is written in chiasmic
structure which scholars were only first discovering at the time of Joseph
Smith. Chiasmus is popular in Hebrew writing
and is found throughout the Bible, but it is also found in the Book of
Mormon. A chiasmus presents concepts
and then presents the concepts again in reverse order. Check it out above.
Unlike the literary
classics such as Moby Dick or A Tale of Two Cities, I discover more
spiritual insight to my life each time I read The Book of Mormon, much like the
Bible. One reason for this is the veiled
meaning in the stories and teachings in the Book of Mormon much like the
parables Jesus taught with. What is
written in the Book of Mormon is like each layers of an onion, which when
pealed back, reveal more truth due to changing circumstances and understanding
in my life and sometimes just outright spiritual inspiration.
Every time that I
read the Book of Mormon, I am amazed at the volume of material and consistent
doctrine laced into each chapter. Stories
of groups of people within the story are complicated but presented together
with clarity. Other groups of people
came to the Promised Land. For example,
in verse 4, Nephi dates himself, stating it was the first year of the reign of
king Zedekiah of Judah. We know the
history of Zedekiah, that he and his sons were killed 11 years after Lehi left
Jerusalem. (2 Kings 24, 2 Chr. 36, and
Jer. 37) The Book of Mormon explains one
son, Mulek, survived and came to the Promised Land. His story is then integrated into The Book of
Mormon in later chapters.
Someone wrote the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith, a 23 year old, poor, uneducated
man from upstate New York, could not have done it. He could not in such a short time between
when the translation began and ended, have written the book with all the chiasmus,
doctrine and story lines. The Book has
never been proven wrong, but in fact has proven itself true with regards to
many aspects of discovery. The book
contains prophesy that has been fulfilled.
Prophets for over 800 years wrote the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith translated the book by the power
of God, and one can come closer to Christ by reading the book than any other
book.
President Robinson
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