Today, we’ll be discussing 1 Nephi 13.
I want to make it plain in this entry that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn’t make a practice of using certain verses in this chapter as a basis for a claim to religious superiority over other churches, so neither will I. As before, I’m going to gloss over the stuff they’re always covering in Sunday School and then dig right in and find the hidden gemstones. So, if you’re reading this and you notice something I missed, I invite you to mention it in the comments section. That’s what it’s there for. Now, then. Let’s begin.
As Nephi’s vision continues, he sees the following things.
- formation of the great and abominable church founded by the devil
- Columbus’ arrival in promised land
- The Pilgrims’ arrival in promised land
- The Revolutionary War
- Translation of the Bible into English
- Plain and Precious Things missing from the Bible
- Gentiles in the promised land will not utterly destroy Lamanites.
- Gospel to be restored among the Gentiles
Then, the angel makes a number of pronouncements that caught my attention. First of all, those who “seek to bring forth my Zion at that day” will have the gift and power of the Holy Ghost. The Bible Dictionary defines Zion as “the pure in heart.” The Doctrine and Covenants clarifies this a bit, I think when it says we are to “seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion.” In other words, I think that this means that those people who are striving to be pure in heart and sharing the gospel with as many as are interested and/or curious, are going to be blessed with the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, which means that the Holy Ghost will teach you what to say when you talk with others. What’s more, if you keep right on doing that, no matter how you get persecuted for it, you’ll eventually be “lifted up at the last day.” Now, I’m not saying you should go around shoving copies of the Book of Mormon in everyone’s face. All I’m saying is follow the Spirit, like Nephi did, and do what he tells you to do. It’s that simple.
Where it says “whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy,” is a reference to people that talk about the Savior and the reality of His existence. Think about it for a minute. If you lived in a place where nobody ever told you there was a Savior or that he was just somebody’s cruel idea of a bedtime story and you lived all your life believing that you were condemned to a life of absolute misery after death and then someone came along and showed you the truth, that the Savior is a real person and that His atonement can make your life perfect, if you let it, wouldn’t you think that person was beautiful?
The angel also speaks about other books that come forth “by the power of the Lamb,” convincing, essentially, everyone who reads them, that the records left in the New Testament by the original 12 Apostles were true. That’s the entire purpose of the Book of Mormon. Not to take the place of the Bible but to back it up. You know like when you get in trouble for something you didn’t do and your best buddy comes along to back you up, proving that you’ve been telling the truth all along. That’s what the Book of Mormon is all about. It doesn’t add to the Bible at all. It’s one of the Bible’s best buddies, there to act as an extra witness to the truth of the Bible itself.
Applying the Scriptures to My Life
I understand, from this scripture, that one of my purposes on this earth is to show my “true colors” so to speak. I’m not supposed to stand on the nearest street corner preaching repentance to my neighbors. I’m supposed to stand in holy places where ever I happen to be and show the world the liberating power and joy of the Gospel so that they get curious and want to know more. Who doesn’t want that power?
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