Category: Scripture Notes
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A hint on timing
Neigh had some very strong memories and feelings surrounding the time that Lehi died and his brothers turned against him. It shows through in his words despite the fact that he was recording the events for a second time many years after they occurred. It seems obvious to me that he started this second record…
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Who is the spokesman?
The projected surrounding Joseph Smith skins just like Moses, that as chosen prophets they would not be personally articulate but that the Lord would appoint a spokesman. Moses had his brother Aaron as a spokesman but I’m not certain who was spokesman for Joseph Smith. I did some searching and found that Sidney Rigdon was…
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Public vs private counsel
At the beginning it sounds like Lehi is speaking privately to Jacob but much of what he says seems unnecessary for this son who would be a prophet. Later Lehi indicates that he is speaking to all his sons but there is no indication of where he made a transition from private to public. Maybe…
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Causing discouragement
Did Lehi work about making Laman and Lemuel discouraged when he recited their various failures? I know I worry about making people discouraged when I need to tell them the truth about their failing behaviors.
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Why Nephi?
It is easy to see why the Lord chose Nephi because he was different in seeking and being obedient. What is less obvious is why Laman and Lemuel would choose to ask questions of Nephi despite the fact that they changed under his leadership and didn’t want to follow the Lord regardless of whether the…
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No safety in Christianity
“I will give thee to be a light unto the gentiles.” This is evidenced by Christian gentiles who take comfort in the words of Isaiah and his prophecies of Christ. Today it struck me that these same Christian gentiles (the movement and the organizations, not all the particular individuals) have blamed Jews for trusting in…
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Not of your own merits
The message from the Lord to Israel is clear: “for the sake of the covenant I will extend my patience and continue to invite you to return and receive the files of the promised blessings.” Covenants give us more responsibility but they also increase the lengths that the Lord will go to in order to…
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Until further commandments
Even when we are on the right track it is presumptuous to assume that we know all that the Lord will ask of us. Neigh was given a command to make plates and keep a record so he did, not knowing that he would later be called upon to make a second record. The lesson…
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Becoming free
According to the words of Lehi men did not become free when they partook of the fruit to know good and evil—that was the fall—rather, they became free when they were redeemed from the fall through the Atonement of Christ. At that point they had a knowledge of God and evil which they had previously…
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Two different things
Nephi knowing the manner of ship that he was building was not the same as knowing how to work the timbers to create the ship. He had to keep going back to the Lord to learn new things in the process.