20 And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time.
Here is the second main reason why retrieving the Brass Plates was so critical. They contained the “words of all the holy prophets . . . since the world began . . .” The scriptures contain the word of God as spoken by his prophets. D&C 1:37—38 says that we should search the commandments because the words of the prophets are the words of God. Amos 3:7 tells us that before God does anything pertaining to us He first “revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” So not only are the words of God given through prophets, before He does anything to or with his people, He first tells or warns his prophets. That’s why it was so important that Lehi take the scriptures. The purity of the Gospel had to be preserved in writing rather than relying on memory from generation to generation. It’s just so important to be able to go back to the original intent of the author rather than rely on personal memory interpretation, which is what would happen if we didn’t have written scriptures.
4 comments:
This is so true in even our day. I know that I as I have read the conference issue of just this last conference, I didn't remember a lot of the talks. Or I remembering the speaker saying something a little different. I know that it has been a great blessing to me to reread what I have heard from Conference. So how much more importanat to have the written word from someone you didn't get to hear.
Also, consider how scriptures impress you differently each time you read them. If all you had was a memory of your first impression of a scripture, how could you possibly grow in the gospel? I am often impressed by scripture that I didn't even know about before it was brought to my attention.
As I have worked on this project, my understanding has changed and grown. I doubt that if I were to go back and start it over that I would write the same things. The scriptures don't change, but we do. So it's important to have all the words of God that we can, whether from canonized scripture, or living prophets.
So true. I have definately experienced times when I have read a scripture and it jumped out the page at me. It hit me so powerfully, and then a couple months later I read the same scrpture and it even looks different. I am so grateful to be able to have at my fingertips the scriptures that are truly living, and grow as I grow, if that makes sence.
It makes sense, and growth leads to growth, if you understand my meaning. (See Alma 12:10, for example)
Post a Comment