30 And notwithstanding they being led, the Lord their God, their Redeemer, going before them, leading them by day and giving light unto them by night, and doing all things for them which were expedient for man to receive, they hardened their hearts and blinded their minds, and reviled against Moses and against the true and living God.
Here Nephi implies that their exodus is like the one led by
Moses. He starts to get his brethren to liken the scriptures to their own
situation. Remember that the Lord had provided miraculously for the Lehites’
light and direction so they didn’t need to build fires (see vs. 12–13). Nephi’s
brethren are well aware of their own history, so they know that the reason the
children of Israel wandered in the wilderness was because of their rebellions.
Again, the implication here is that if the Lord would punish His chosen people
once for rebellion, He would do it again. The whole point that Nephi is leading
them to is that the Lord has power to provide a way to keep His commandments.
He also has power to bless His people with the things that are expedient, or
suitable and appropriate for them. But, if His people rebel, He’s not afraid to
punish as well. He can and will keep His word.
The use of the word “expedient” is interesting to me. The
Lord knows what is best for us, and He will bless us with the things we ask for
if it is expedient for us. If we ask for things that are “not expedient for
[us], it shall turn unto [our] condemnation” (D&C 88:65). Usually the
things that are not expedient for us are things that we ask for in our lust for
more; we think that what we have is not enough. Watch out if the Lord blesses
you with things that are not
expedient for you. A couple of examples from the scriptures come to mind. When
the children of Israel were begging for some meat to give variety to that
boring old manna (miraculously provided, by the way), the Lord sent them so
much quail that they couldn’t consume all of it. Some tried to consume more
than was expedient, and the Lord killed them with the very object of their
lusts (Numbers 11:31–35). Another example: the Jews got more than they could
handle in terms of knowledge from God because of their lust for the knowledge
and mysteries of God, and this turned to their condemnation as well (Jacob
4:14). It’s interesting to contrast that attitude with that of another Nephi
generations after this first Nephi. The later one was promised that the Lord
would bless him with whatever he asked for because he would “not ask that which
is contrary to [the Lord’s] will” (Helaman 10:5). In other words, the Lord
trusted that Nephi would only ask for expedient things.
- 1 Nephi 17:12–13
- D&C 18:18
- D&C 88:64 (64–65)
- Definition: expedient—suitable, appropriate
