After offering the sacrifice, Lehi took the brass plates and
looked at them. The plates contained:
·
The five books of Moses.
·
A record of the Jews from the beginning to
Zedekiah.
·
Prophecies of the holy prophets from the
beginning to Zedekiah.
·
Prophesies of Jeremiah.
Who added the current record of the Jews and prophecies of
Jeremiah? It’s unlikely Laban would have
done this, since he apparently gave little credence to Jeremiah. Zoram was charged with keeping the plates, so
it is possible he kept the record current.[1]
Lehi also learned his genealogy, learning he was a
descendant of Joseph. Amulek would
proclaim his genealogy to the people of Ammonihah.
“I am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of
Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi; and it was the same Aminadi who
interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple, which was
written by the finger of God.
“And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of
Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh,
who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by the hands of his brethren”
(Alma 10:2-3).
He also learned that Laban was a descendant of Joseph. This is how he and his fathers received and
kept the records.
Lehi was filled with the Spirit after reading the plates and
began to prophesy. He spoke of a day
when “these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds,
tongues, and people who were of his seed … these plates of brass should never
perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time” (1 Nephi 5:18-19).
Sidney Sperry explained the importance of the brass plates.
“When Lehi had searched the brass plates, he was filled with
the Spirit and began to prophesy to the effect that the day would come when
they should be made known unto all kindreds, tongues, and people who were of
his seed (1 Nephi 5:17-18). Moreover, he prophesied that the brass plates
should never perish or be dimmed by time (1 Nephi 5:19). We know, therefore,
that many unknown or hitherto corrupted texts of Hebrew scripture will be
restored to the world in correct form. To those of us who are interested in the
study of the Bible, this is a comforting and even a thrilling prospect.”[2]
Nephi tells us both he and his father had kept the commandments
the Lord had given them. They had
obtained the records, searched them, and found they were of great worth. Jared Ludlow explains the importance of
scriptures among the Nephites.
“Scriptural texts played a very important role among the early
Nephites, beginning when Nephi and his brothers risked their lives to retrieve
the brass plates from Laban (see 1 Nephi 3-4). As Lehi said, one of the major
purposes of obtaining the plates, which were ‘desirable; yea, even of great
worth,’ was to ‘preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children’ (1
Nephi 5:21). Nephi took ‘the records which were engraven upon the plates of
brass’ when he and his followers separated from the Lamanites (2 Nephi 5:12).”[3]
Nephi tells us “it was wisdom in the Lord that we should
carry them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of
promise” (1 Nephi 5:22). Monte Nyman
writes about the time when the brass plates come forth.
“The plates of brass will certainly be of great worth to
future generations as well, though in a different way. For example, while the
Book of Mormon continues to serve as a second witness to the truth of the holy
scriptures (see D&C 20:11), the plates of brass will serve as a third
witness to the Bible and also will testify that the Book of Mormon is a witness
to the Bible. They will make known many of the plain and precious parts that
had been lost from the Bible up to the time of Jeremiah (see 1 Nephi 13:26–29).
This knowledge will come in a different way than did the Book of Mormon,
Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and Joseph Smith Translation, for
the actual ancient records of such prophets as Zenos, Zenoch, and Neum will be
restored (see 1 Nephi 19:10; Alma 33:3–16; Helaman 8:19–20; 3 Nephi 10:16). Those
records will also restore plain and precious parts of our biblical books that
have been altered, as Joseph Smith said, by ‘ignorant translators, careless
transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests.’ Thus Latter-day Saints
will have their belief in the Bible verified in many ways.”[4]
[1] Killing Laban: The Birth of Sovereignty in
the Nephite Constitutional Order, Val Larsen, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute.
[2] Some Problems of Interest Relating to the
Brass Plates, Sidney B. Sperry, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute.
[3] A Tale of Three Communities: Jerusalem,
Elephantine, and Lehi-Nephi, Jared W. Ludlow, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute.
[4] Other Ancient American Records Yet to Come
Forth, Monte S. Nyman, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute.
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