The Book of Mormon
begins with the preface.
THE
BOOK
OF MORMON
AN ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY
THE HAND OF MORMON
UPON PLATES
TAKEN FROM THE PLATES OF NEPHI
Wherefore, it is an
abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites-Written
to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and
Gentile-Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and
of revelation-Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might
not be destroyed-To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the
interpretation thereof-Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord,
to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile-The interpretation thereof by
the gift of God.
An abridgment taken
from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were
scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they
were building a tower to get to heaven-Which is to show unto the remnant of the
House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and
that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off
forever-And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the
CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations-And now, if there
are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of
God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment–seat of Christ.
Who wrote the preface?
Moroni wrote the
preface to the Book of Mormon.
“After adding the book of Ether to the gold plates, Moroni
writes a preface to the Book of Mormon… The preface also refers to the record
being sealed and ‘hid up unto the Lord to come forth in due time.’ This strongly suggests that after completion
of the preface, the gold plates with the interpreters are secured in their
final place of hiding (Emphasis in original) …
“Joseph Smith
informs us that the preface was ‘from the very last leaf’ of the plates. This
final placement brings immediately to mind the possibility that the title page
was inscribed after the Book of Moroni and that the order of the leaves in the
plates could relate to their writing sequence.”[1]
In writing the
preface, Moroni intended to give us specific information about what would be
the Book of Mormon. Let’s examine what we learn about the record.
Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record
of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites.
The record we are is
an abridgement of records kept over a millennium. The two main civilizations we
study are the Nephites and Lamanites. Later, we will read a short account of
the Jaredites.
Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant
of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentiles.
The Book of Mormon
was written specifically for the Lamanites.
The records divide
the descendants of Lehi into different tribes. The tribes were called Nephites
after Nephi, the son of Lehi; Jacobites, after Jacob, son of Lehi and brother of
Nephi; Josephites after Joseph, son of Lehi and brother of Nephi; Zoramites
after Zoram, a servant to a Jewish leader, who was given the opportunity to
join with Nephi (see 1 Nephi 4:20-37); Lamanites after Laman, the eldest son of
Lehi and brother of Nephi; Lemuelites after Laman, the second son of Lehi; and
Ishmaelites after Ishmael, head of a family who was convinced by Lehi’s sons to
take his family and join with Lehi’s party (see 1 Nephi 7:1-5).
Jacob would begin
the tradition of dividing the people into two groups – the Lamanites and the
Nephites.
“Now the people
which were not Lamanites were Nephites; nevertheless, they were called
Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and
Ishmaelites.
“But I, Jacob, shall
not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but I shall call them Lamanites
that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I
shall call Nephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns of the
kings” (Jacob 1:13-14).
Lehi’s descendants
were a part of the house of Israel.
“Yea, even my father
spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel,
that they should be compared like unto an olive-tree, whose branches should be
broken off and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth” (1 Nephi
10:12).
“And after the house
of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in
fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural
branches of the olive-tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be
grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their
Redeemer” (1 Nephi 10:14).
“And it came to pass
that I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land; and I beheld a book,
and it was carried forth among them.
“The book that thou
beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord,
which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the
prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings
which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless,
they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of
Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles” (1 Nephi 13:20, 23).
“And it came to pass
that the angel spake unto me, Nephi, saying: Thou hast beheld that if the
Gentiles repent it shall be well with them; and thou also knowest concerning
the covenants of the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard
that whoso repenteth not must perish” (1 Nephi 14:5).
The Book of Mormon
was also written for the Gentiles and the Jews. The plates were kept with the intention
of it being given to a later generation. As we read the Book of Mormon, we see
common problems, issues, and concerns faced by both societies. We are to use it
as a guide for dealing with a society that is turning away from God and His
gospel.
“And now, my beloved
brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words
and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ.
And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are
the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men
that they should do good” (2 Nephi 33:10).
“Now these things
are written unto the remnant of the house of Jacob; and they are written after
this manner, because it is known of God that wickedness will not bring them
forth unto them; and they are to be hid up unto the Lord that they may come
forth in his own due time” (Mormon 5:12).
“And this cometh
unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God-that ye may
repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may
not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of
the land have hitherto done” (Ether 2:11).
[1] Two Points of Book of Mormon Geography: A Review, John E. Clark, FARMS
Review of Books 8/2 (1996): 9, 17.
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