Jacob 4:6-8

6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

8 Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord.  How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways.  And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God.

Jacob 4:6-8

To understand the word of God, Jacob reminds the Nephite they have the spirit of prophecies and many witnesses.  Their faith “becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains or the waves of the sea.”

The brother of Jared had an unshakeable faith in Christ.  His faith was so strong, when Christ touched the stones, he saw Christ’s finger (see Ether 2:6-9).  Through his faith, he moved the mountain Zerin (see Ether 12:30).

Peter healed the lame man at the gate of the temple through his faith.

And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Acts 3:2-8

Through their faith, the three Nephites could not be held in prisons, if they were cast into pits, they were delivered from them.  (see 3 Nephi 28:19-20).

We all have weaknesses.  Through the grace and condescension of Christ, we will have the power to powerful things through our faith in Him.

Moroni₂ wrote words similar to Jacob’s.  “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness.  I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

Christ’s grace is an important part of the Book of Mormon.  John Gee writes:

[Grace] appears throughout the rest of the Book of Mormon as well. Lehi uses the term twice (2 Nephi 2:6, 8), Nephi twice (2 Nephi 11:5; 25:23), and Jacob five times (2 Nephi 9:8, 53; 10:24–25; Jacob 4:7). It is used thrice in Mosiah (18:16, 26; 27:5); four times by Alma the Younger (5:48; 7:3; 9:26; 13:9); twice by Nephi, son of Helaman (Helaman 12:24); four times by Mormon (Mormon 2:15; Moroni 7:2; 8:3; 9:26); and seven times by Moroni (Ether 12:26, 36, 41; Moroni 10:32–33). While these passages tell us what Book of Mormon prophets might have said about grace, they are incidental to Jesus's teachings on the subject…

... Jacob, like his brother, notes that one must first be "reconciled unto God," and then, after that, one is saved "through the grace of God" (2 Nephi 10:24). At that point "grace divine" allows one to praise God (2 Nephi 10:25). Jacob also prefigures Jesus's own teaching by noting that "the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things" (Jacob 4:7).[1]

The works of the Lord are great and marvelous.  The depths of His mysteries are unsearchable.  Paul would write to the Romans:

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

For who hath known the mind of the Lord?  or who hath been his counsellor?

Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever.  Amen.

Romans 11:33-36

King Benjamin taught, “Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend” (Mosiah 4:9).

We can know His ways if the Lord reveals to us the truth of His mysteries.  “[D]espies not the revelations of God,” Jacob says.

Paul told the Corinthians, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?  even so the things of God knoweth no man, but [JST except he has] the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11).

Ammon proclaimed:

And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that knoweth these things?  I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent.

Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.

Alma 26:21-22

We must remember the words of Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Hugh Nibley wrote:

The search for knowledge is only a pretext: "for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be" (2 Nephi 32:7). There is only one way to know the answers: "And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him" (Jacob 4:8); yet men will not humble themselves to pray for revelation (see 2 Nephi 32:8).[2] 

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[1] The Grace of Christ, John Gee, Maxwell Institute, accessed March 23, 2014.

[2] The Way of the "Intellectuals", Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed March 23, 2014.