22 And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not.When Nephi tells us that he is speaking with the authority of the Holy Ghost, he is telling us that his words are scripture. D&C 68:2–4 says that when those who are ordained to the priesthood, and their mission is to preach, speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost (i.e. with his authority), it is scripture. These are the words, mind, and will of the Lord, and we should heed them.
20 Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be brought into judgment. 21 Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.Clearly we are judged according to our works as well as our faith. I love the way James puts it in James 2:14–18, when he talks about showing our faith by our works. I think that a major reason that works factor into our judgment so heavily is that works are a clear indicator of where our heart really is. In other words, we really are judged according to our desires, as Alma taught his son, Corianton, in Alma 41:3–6. Ultimately, we do what we either want to do, or we do something to avoid the consequences of not doing it. But it comes down to desire. We are judged according to our deepest heart’s desire. If we desire wickedness, we won’t try to overcome the natural tendency to be carnal. If we want righteousness, we may be weak and stumble, but our efforts will be to make positive changes, and our direction will be toward God. It really doesn’t matter where we are on the path that leads to eternal life, as long as we are on it and we are headed the right direction. The Atonement compensated for the rest.
19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.I like that Nephi adds the word “diligently” into the formula of seeking and finding. This implies much more than merely seeking. It implies that you may not get your answer on your first attempt, that you must exercise faith to get results. But after the trial of faith, the Lord opens even the mysteries of Godhood to us. This is part of being unchangeable and consistent.
18 For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.It makes perfect sense that God would be the same yesterday, today, and forever. The reason people and things change is due to their imperfection. For the most part, when people change, they are getting better or worse. If we were perfect, as God is, we could not improve, and we may not have the ability to get worse either. Perfection implies that you have no desire or need to do imperfectly; you have overcome that. That being the case, God, being perfect, has no need or desire to change or overcome anything. So we can count on Him being completely consistent.
15 And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and speak unto my brethren, and also many more things which I do not write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were expedient for me in mine other book.
16 And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.
17 And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God—and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come—I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.
Nephi sets a good example here of seeking confirmation to the prophet’s words. There is no hint of doubting his father’s words or his message. He just wanted his own confirmation and greater understanding. Furthermore, Nephi clearly understood that he could receive his own vision. He knew that through faith and diligent effort, this could be expected. He also speaks of the power of the Holy Ghost, which I see as different from the Light of Christ, or even the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We can certainly have those things without power. The power of the Holy Ghost comes after we diligently seek for it, or to know the Lord. This is an important distinction. Where we can enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost almost passively (as long as we are not doing anything really wrong) the power of the Holy Ghost comes after some diligent effort on our part. We can’t be passive and have that kind of power. It takes desire, faith, and diligently seeking out the Lord. Then we receive this power of the Holy Ghost, by which we “may know the truth of all things.” Seeking confirmation after hearing the words of the prophet is not showing doubt, but faith.
12 Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared like unto an olive-tree, whose branches should be broken off and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth
13 Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
14 And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive-tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.
Lehi was apparently influenced by the allegory of the olive vineyard as recorded on the Brass Plates by the prophet, Zenos, and later put into the Plates of Nephi by Jacob (Jacob 5). Lehi clearly had a firm understanding of the comparison, especially as it related to his branch of the family. This grafting in seems to be more descriptive than “gathering,” which is the term more often used. It seems like everyone is looking for a physical gathering of the Jews to the land of their inheritance. While that may be true, the term “grafting” suggests more of a conversion. The Children of Israel won’t necessarily pack their bags and move to Jerusalem, but will be spiritually gathered, or grafted into the true Church. They will “come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer” (verse 14). This seems to be farther off than the physical gathering is right now.
11 And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah, who should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto the Gentiles.
Lehi obviously had a clear vision and understanding of the Savior’s mission. He also saw clearly how the Savior would manifest himself to the House of Israel and not directly to the Gentiles. We who are the Gentiles receive our testimonies of Christ not by direct manifestation, but through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. That is the mission of the Holy Ghost, to testify of Christ and His mission.
9 And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water.
10 And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world.
This was a significant element of John’s mission: baptizing the Savior, who needed no baptism, at least not for the purpose of cleansing sin, then bearing record of it. This verse also confirms where John was baptizing: Bethabara, as stated in John 1:28. Apparently many Bible scholars question that translation and think it should read Bethany, which would have put him closer to the home where he is believed to have grown up. Instead, Bethabara is over in Galilee. I’m not sure why people would make an issue of this. To me, the most important point is that he baptized Christ, not where he did it. The account that John made of the Savior’s baptism indicates that 1) John the Baptist was specifically sent to baptize with water, and 2) he apparently didn’t know that his cousin was to be the Savior until it was revealed to him at the time of the baptism (John 1:29–34). This is something I had not considered before, but it makes perfect sense.
8 Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.
I’m not sure I have totally appreciated who John the Baptist is and his significance in the mission of Jesus Christ. And yet Jesus called him the greatest among men that were born of women (Matthew 11:11). That’s a pretty strong statement, and John turns around and says he is not even worthy to unloose Christ’s shoe latchet. John understood his mission well and fulfilled it flawlessly. He prepared the way for Christ to perform His ministry. This was a direct fulfillment of prophecy.
7 And he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord—
This verse is, of course, a prophecy about John the Baptist. He was the one foreordained to prepare the way for Christ, which foreordination he fulfilled honorably and according to prophecy.
6 Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.In terms of Lehi’s Tree of Life dream, the lost would be anybody who did not come to and stay at the Tree. Due to the Fall of Adam and Eve, all mankind are separated from God, both physically and spiritually. That is what is meant by the phrase, “a lost and fallen stat.” Because we are all subject to sin, none of us is worthy to return to God’s presence, for no unclean thing can endure that. This is where the Atonement comes in. We are not capable of cleansing and purifying ourselves. Only Christ, who is clean and pure, can do that; and He can do it for everyone. However, He has conditions. We must repent. Only if we rely on Christ and His conditions will we be able to be clean again and return to Heavenly Father. This is both just and merciful. Just, because we weren’t responsible for being in this fallen state. That was Adam, so through Christ’s resurrection, we overcome that part of the Fall. The other part of the Fall, being lost, is due to our own decisions. This is where the mercy kicks in. We have the opportunity to undo our bad decisions.
5 And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.
Lehi talks about the great number of prophets who have testified of Christ down through the ages. Other references go further and say that all prophets have prophesied of Christ (see Jacob 7:11; Mosiah 13:33). This is what a prophet of God does; he testifies of Him. Revelation 19:10 says that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” If you are a prophet, by definition, you testify of Christ. The rest of us who have a testimony may have the spirit of prophecy, but if you are a called prophet of God, you are obligated to testify. It’s what you do.
4 Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews—even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.Maybe not a main point of this scripture, but it’s interesting that Lehi and Nephi knew that Christ would come 600 years from when they left Jerusalem. That knowledge came not only from their own revelation, but apparently it was derived from the brass plates as well (see 2 Nephi 25:19). About 500 years later, Alma seems to have no clue as to the time frame of the Lord’s coming (Alma 13:25). I wonder why. I suspect it probably wasn’t talked about too much, and so it was forgotten. Mormon found this small record of Nephi as if he didn’t know he had it. So maybe it had been “lost” among all the other records, and nobody read it until Mormon found it. Certainly the revelations about Christ were very clear at this time. Lehi and his family understood the purpose of their laws and their form of worship. They understood them to be a type and shadow leading them to Christ. Later on that knowledge seems to have been lost, or thought of as not being significant, or something. At least in Jerusalem the Jews seemed to not understand.
3 That after they should be destroyed, even that great city Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon, according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again the land of their inheritance.Of course, the events that Lehi prophesied of here are a matter of history now. But I’m sure that at the time, Laman and Lemuel probably thought Lehi was crazy to think that Jerusalem, as strong a city as it was, and with so much history of successful warfare, could fall to anybody. It seems that worldly people can never acknowledge the hand of the Lord, or even the role of righteousness and wickedness in the fate of nations and history in general. Or, as is probably the case with Laman and Lemuel, they think that because the Lord has fought their battles in the past that He will always do so, regardless of whether the people are righteous or not. Nevertheless, a prophet’s job is to warn. Our job is to listen and repent when necessary.
1 And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of my father, and also of my brethren.
2 For behold, it came to pass after my father had made an end of speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews—
These are introductory verses to explain why he is proceeding with his father’s account. If Nephi doesn’t include this chapter, the next few chapters seem out of context.
Lehi predicts the Babylonian captivity—He tells of the coming among the Jews of a Messiah, a Savior, a Redeemer—He tells also of the coming of the one who should baptize the Lamb of God—Lehi tells of the death and resurrection of the Messiah—He compares the scattering and gathering of Israel to an olive tree—Nephi speaks of the Son of God, of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and of the need for righteousness. Between 600 and 592 B.C.After telling us in chapter nine that he was not going to spend much time with Lehi’s ministry, Nephi once again launches immediately into a synopsis of his father’s prophecy. He tells us this time that he includes the history, or proceedings of his father and brothers to give context to his proceedings. In this case, the next several chapters are responding to Lehi’s vision and his preaching as a result of the vision.
