Jacob 1:1-7

The Book of Jacob, the Brother of Nephi

The words of his preaching unto his brethren.  He confoundeth a man who seeketh to overthrow the doctrine of Christ.  A few words concerning the history of the people of Nephi.

Chapter 1

Jacob and Joseph seek to persuade men to believe in Christ and keep his commandments—Nephi dies—Wickedness prevails among the Nephites. About 544–421 B.C.

FOR behold, it came to pass that fifty and five years [544 B.C.] had passed away from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem; wherefore, Nephi gave me, Jacob, commandment concerning the small plates, upon which these things are engraven.

 And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which are called the people of Nephi.

For he said that the history of his people should be engraven upon his other plates, and that I should preserve these plates and hand them down unto my seed, from generation to generation.

And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of our people.

For because of faith and great anxiety, it truly had been made manifest unto us concerning our people, what things should happen unto them.

And we also had many revelations, and the spirit of much prophecy; wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which should come.

Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not ^center in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the wilderness.

Jacob 1:1-7

The record now turns to the writings of Nephi’s brother Jacob.  Nephi gave Jacob the plates, with the special commandment that he write that which is sacred on these plates.  Nephi told Jacob what he had been told by the Lord.  “Wherefore, I, Nephi, to be obedient to the commandments of the Lord, went and made these plates upon which I have engraven these things.  And I engraved that which is pleasing unto God.  And if my people are pleased with the things of God they will be pleased with mine engravings which are upon these plates” (2 Nephi 5:31-32).

This command was passed on to each person who received the plates.  Jacob passed the plates on to his son Enos; Jacob told him the commandments Nephi had given him.  He promised to fulfill this commandment (see Jacob 7:27). 

When Enos passed plate to his son, Jarom, he commanded him that the plates “be kept according to the commandments of my fathers” (Jarom 1:15). 

Jarom passed the plates to his son Omni with the command that he “should write somewhat upon these plates to preserve our genealogy” (Omni 1:3).

Jacob described his writings on the plates.  The history of their wars, contentions, and reigns of the kings was recorded on the large plates. 

The people had been turning away from God.  It was revealed to Jacob what would happen in the future.

The Nephites had numerous revelations as well as the spirit of prophecy.  Through these revelations, the Nephites knew of Christ and his mission.  Twice Nephi wrote about his revelation,

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 (1 Nephi 10:4) & And behold he cometh, according to the words of the angel, in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem (1 Nephi 19:8).  The Nephites clearly understood Christ’s mission (see 1 Nephi 10:4-11 and 1 Nephi 19:8-14).

Hugh Nibley explains the Nephite church.

All the Book of Mormon churches before Christ were "churches of anticipation." "They shall not be ashamed that wait for me," was their slogan from the beginning (2 Nephi 6:7), "for the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah" (2 Nephi 6:13). "Notwithstanding we believe in Christ," Nephi explains, "we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled" (2 Nephi 25:24). In this hope the people were fully justified: "We also had many revelations, and the spirit of much prophecy; wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which should come" (Jacob 1:6; cf. 4:6).[1]

Jacob and other congregation members preached the word among the Nephites, “that they might enter into his rest” (Jacob 1:7).  Jacob very well might have repeated his earlier words to the Nephites.  “O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One.  Remember that his paths are righteous.  Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name” (2 Nephi 9:41).

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[1] Qumran and the Waters of Mormon, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed February 15, 2014.