Published on 02/23/2008

Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8: 2 Nephi 6-10 Part I

Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 6-10

This lesson is centered around the sermon of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, and his comments on the atonement of Christ for the sins of man. Here are some points you may want to consider in giving your lesson:

Teacher Hint: Always question why certain words were chosen in the scriptures and the history of the writer to obtain proper intention of the writer. Additionally, when reading Isaiah, it is helpful to understand under what circumstance he is being quoted. In the Book of Mormon, the prophets are clear as to their respective sermons or the messages they are trying to share.

As you read the passages of Isaiah in these chapters, understand that in the later chapters, Jacob is focusing on the spiritual delivery of Christ and how Christ is going to deliver mankind (Israel) from the captivity of sin. Though he is also talking about a physical return to Jerusalem, Isaiah's real thrust is founded on the spiritual deliverance of the atonement. He is focusing on the resurrection and the atonement. Read these versus again with that in mind and the versus literally open up in meaning as to what Isaiah is actually trying to say.

Background

Jacob has received the priesthood from either Nephi or his father and has been "consecrated." From this we can presume that he has received a call to a particular position or responsibility. (1 Nephi 6:2). We note that Nephi has taken the role of a "king" and is probably busy with administrative matters. Not unlike King Josiah in Jerusalem, Nephi would have had a secular and religious role over his people and has likely passed on to Jacob some of the responsibilities of the church.

We see in versus 4, 8, & 9 that Jacob has had the same or nearly the same vision experienced by his brother Nephi and his father Lehi regarding the coming of the Messiah and the destruction of the people of Jerusalem; however, his vision has come much later. Jacob states that he has been shown that those in Jerusalem have now been slain and carried away captive -- in the past tense. So his vision would have come more recently or at least after Nephi's vision.

He mentions an angel who has spoken to him of these matters (v9).

In verse 12, we read Jacob's great prophecy about the gentiles in the last days accepting the gospel.

In verse 13 we get a little shock from Isaiah. He tells us that the wicked, or those who are the enemies of Israel and the covenant people of the Lord will lick up the dust of "their" feet. The interesting point in this verse is that Isaiah puts the enemies together with the covenant people of the Lord, doing the same activity. The act of licking the feet of Israel must refer to humility or being humbled before Israel. If the "covenant" people of the Lord are the gentiles who accept the gospel in the last days, and the enemies are those who will not believe, then the next sentence distinguishes them from each other. The Lord says, the covenant people will not be shall not be ashamed.

Stepping back to look at the forest and not the trees, we have the enemies of Israel and the latter-day gentiles both being humbled. Of the two groups however, the people of the Lord are not ashamed in their humility as they see the fulfillment of the prophecy as a sign that the Messiah is coming.

Jacob's sermon seems to accent the role of the Messiah in the last days in the fulfilling of the promises to the chosen people, which is Israel as well as those who accept the gospel of Christ in the last day. In verse 14, we see that the Messiah will recover Israel a second time by manifesting himself and destroying their enemies.

DESTRUCTION OF ENEMIES

How does the Lord destroy our enemies? We know in the Old Testament, he used a lot of physical punishment and death for the enemies of Israel. This may be an oversimplification in dealing with enemies in the last days. Indeed, the ultimate destruction of our enemies in the last days may very well be their conversion to the Gospel of Christ.

Take the story from the Book of Mormon about the Anti-Nephi Lehis and their conversion to the Gospel of Christ. Without question, they start out as enemies to the Nephites, but then they are converted to the gospel. They then lay down their weapons of war and provide their own sons as warriors for the protection of the Nephites. These "enemies" have been completely destroyed, not through physical destruction, but rather through conversion.

Is Jesus Christ a Savior or the Grim Reaper?

Why would a loving God want to destroy his children? In truth, he doesn't.

That is the point. He wants to bring them to a knowledge of his son, Jesus Christ. The manifestation of the Messiah a second time is to save the world from sin. Christ should not be looked at as a Grim Reaper, but rather a Lord of the Harvest who desires all to come unto him.

Note the closing words of verse 14:
"None will he destroy that believe in him."

His intent to save is greater than his intent to destroy; however, in the physical sense, there will be those who will not believe. To these it is clear that he intends on destroying them physically. Right? Maybe not. Maybe not all. Let's read on.

God Wants to Save, Not Destroy

Verse 15 looks like a cookbook for the Grim Reaper. Look at all the ways he will destroy those who do not believe in him: By fire, by tempest, by earthquakes, by bloodshed, by pestilence. At the end of this verse, however, we see the following statement: "And they shall know that the Lord is God, the Holy One of Israel."

Are these punishments intended to physically destroy or to break down the barriers of pride and prejudice? The answer is probably both.

For some who come to know God, they will no longer be the enemies of God and Israel. Certainly, there are those who will know God and will curse him and die, but to a loving God, he desires to destroy the pride of his children, not his children. To answer then, the enemies of God will be destroyed both in the physical and in the practical sense.

Verse 16 gives us insight that the Messiah will deliver those who will believe and abandon their pride who will be adopted into the house of Israel.

"For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?"

These words of Isaiah follow directly after the prophecies of destruction for the unbelieving. They also follow the statement that all will come to know God. How do these pieces fit together?

First, lets look at the words. What is prey? By definition, it is an animal that is taken by a predator. By definition, however, it is also the helpless creatures who are unable to resist attack. By imagery, let's just call it a rabbit for now. Who is the mighty? In this case, let's call it the lion or the predator.

Now let's rephrase the scripture: "Shall the rabbit be taken from the predator?"

Who is it that can take the rabbit from the predator?

Let's play with this a little bit. One may, at first, assume that the prey are the children of God and that the mighty is the Messiah, but perhaps we rush to that conclusion.

It doesn't make contextual sense when you substitute the "children of God" and the "Messiah": "Who is it that can take the children of God from the Messiah?"

This leads down a strange path of interpretation in light of what Jacob is trying to say, e.g., the Messiah will deliver and protect his people in the last day. Let's try something else.

Could the "mighty" in this sense be the enemies to the children of God? If so that would be Satan and his followers. Is God a predator or is Satan a predator? In this sense, it is more probable that Isaiah is referring to Satan as the predator.

In a general sense, we know that a predator kills prey or eats upon the flesh of the prey for survival. If the children of God (the prey) are helpless and will die, then what power does the predator have over the prey that would kill the prey? The answer, of course, is sin. As prey, the children of God are "helpless" against sin. So the interpretation of this scripture favors the children of God being the prey, but the mighty may not mean what we think at first glance.

The "lawful captive" phrase is especially interesting in verse 16. A lawful captive is one who becomes captive because of war or debt. Though it may be reprehensible to our sensibilities, in the days of Isaiah, a slave who is justly taken, is a lawful slave and cannot be taken away from his master or captor.

Likewise, if a man sins, he is the figuratively a captive of the devil as he no longer can live with God now that he is imperfect. By the law, he becomes subject to Satan. Also, if a man dies in his sins, he is lawfully under the power of Satan. Though reprehensible as the outcome may be, the captor is justified.

Who then can deliver the prey or the lawful captive?

Verse 17 tells us. The prey shall be delivered from the "mighty." Note the lowercase. Note that the prey are going to be delivered.

The Mighty [uppercase] God shall deliver his covenant people. He will contend with them that contendeth with thee.

So the Messiah is the deliverer. He satisfies the law and contends with the predator.

With this understanding, let's rephrase verse 16 again: "Who is it that can take the children of God from Satan, the lawful captor?" Now that concept we know and understand given the context or emphasis of Jacob. The answer is the the Messiah, the Mighty God.

But this is the second appearance of the Messiah, so what does Jacob mean when he speaks of deliverance and how does it relate to the restoration of Israel? First, it means the restoration of Israel to its rightful lands. Israel is restored to Jerusalem. This prophecy has been partially fulfilled. Note that Jacob talks about this restoration in the last days where many have interpreted Isaiah to mean the restoration of Israel from Babylon. Both are correctly restorations, but Jacob places this reference expressly for the restoration of the gospel in the last days -- after Christ's life on earth.

In the last days, the Lord will deliver those who believe in him and he will contend with those who want to wage war on the believing. Perhaps the true enemies of God are not the other Children of God but rather Satan and his legions. Christ will destroy some of the enemies of the children of God by converting them to the gospel.

In the last days, Jacob is telling us, God will use pestilence and famine and many other devices to destroy the non-believing, but in terms of "destroying" the enemies of the children of God, those who will believe will also be destroyed as "enemies" by conversion -- at least is some cases.

Looking at verse 18, we see that the Lord will cause non-believers or the enemies of Israel to contend with each other in what appears to be a lust for power and dominance. Earlier, we read what the Lord had in store for the gentiles who believed, e.g., they would not be ashamed (v.13), their enemies would be destroyed (v. 14) and they will not be destroyed. The same blessings are not preserved with those who have been humbled, but do not believe.

Though, it is unclear at this juncture, there is also something within this verse 18 that appears to have more meaning, though this author cannot find the meaning at this time. Note that Isaiah includes three important concepts in this verse, to wit: the Flesh, the Blood and the Wine. Certainly, it is another foreshadowing of Christ, but what it actually means in the context of punishing his enemies is not entirely clear.