Tuesday, March 3, 2020

2 Nephi 6:1-11

Nephi shares a sermon he directed Jacob to give to the Nephites.

Chapter 6

Jacob recounts Jewish history: Their Babylonian captivity and return; the ministry and crucifixion of the Holy One of Israel; the help received from the gentiles; and their Latter-day restoration when they believe in the Messiah. About 559–545 B.C.

1 The words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, which he spake unto the people of Nephi:
2 Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things.
3 Nevertheless, I speak unto you again; for I am desirous for the welfare of your souls. Yea, mine anxiety is great for you; and ye yourselves know that it ever has been. For I have exhorted you with all diligence; and I have taught you the words of my father; and I have spoken unto you concerning all things which are written, from the creation of the world.
4 And now, behold, I would speak unto you concerning things which are, and which are to come; wherefore, I will read you the words of Isaiah. And they are the words which my brother has desired that I should speak unto you. And I speak unto you for your sakes, that ye may learn and glorify the name of your God.
5 And now, the words which I shall read are they which Isaiah spake concerning all the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be likened unto you, for ye are of the house of Israel. And there are many things which have been spoken by Isaiah which may be likened unto you, because ye are of the house of Israel.
6 And now, these are the words: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
7 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
8 And now I, Jacob, would speak somewhat concerning these words. For behold, the Lord has shown me that those who were at Jerusalem, from whence we came, have been slain and carried away captive.
9 Nevertheless, the Lord has shown unto me that they should return again. And he also has shown unto me that the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in the flesh; and after he should manifest himself they should scourge him and crucify him, according to the words of the angel who spake it unto me.
10 And after they have hardened their hearts and stiffened their necks against the Holy One of Israel, behold, the judgments of the Holy One of Israel shall come upon them. And the day cometh that they shall be smitten and afflicted.
11 Wherefore, after they are driven to and fro, for thus saith the angel, many shall be afflicted in the flesh, and shall not be suffered to perish, because of the prayers of the faithful; they shall be scattered, and smitten, and hated; nevertheless, the Lord will be merciful unto them, that when they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together again to the lands of their inheritance.

Nephi gave Jacob a command to preach to Nephites, giving him the topic of Isaiah 50 and 51.  This was not the first time Jacob had preached to the Nephites.  “[Y]ou know I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things” (2 Nephi 6:2). 

Jacob begins by declaring his authority to preach to the people.  I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi” (2 Nephi 6:2).  Then, he adds an interesting statement about Nephi’s kingship.  He said they looked to Nephi “as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety” (2 Nephi 6:2).  According to Noel Reynolds, Jacob tells us Nephi was not a king.

“Another sentence that might seem to be an indication of Nephi's kingship occurs in Jacob's first recorded address to the Nephites. Jacob provides bona fides for his sermonizing by citing his own ordination and his ‘having been consecrated by ... Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety’ (2 Nephi 6:2). But even here Jacob does not say Nephi was king, only that he was looked upon as a king. The ambiguity of the characterization is further emphasized by Jacob's provision of an alternate characterization—'or a protector.’”[1]

Jacob preaches to them for the welfare of their souls.  He has, with all diligence, taught them the words of Lehi and “concerning all things which are written from the creation of the world” (2 Nephi 6:3).

Jacob tells them that, as they hear the words of Isaiah, that he spoke many things “which may be likened unto you, because year of the house of Israel” (2 Nephi 6:5).  Here, he was following the example of Nephi – did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning” (1 Nephi 19:23).

At the beginning of his discourse, Jacob stated that he read to his people the words of Isaiah that "they may be likened unto you, for ye are the house of Israel" (2 Nephi 6:5). Today, the same advice could be given of Jacob's speech. Though separated by 2,600 years, we can liken his words to us and in so doing "cheer up" our hearts, remembering that, thanks to the Divine Warrior, we too "are free to act for ourselves."[2]

Jacob reads the following words of Isaiah:

“Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
“And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me” 2 Nephi 6:6–7 (See also Isaiah 49:22-23).

Jacob added his testimony to that of Lehi that Jerusalem had been destroyed (see 2 Nephi 1:14).  Nephi would later add his testimony that he people had been carried captive into Jerusalem (see 2 Nephi 25:10).  But, the Jews will return to Jerusalem (2 Nephi 6:9).  The day would come when the Savior would appear to them, but they would reject him, scourging and crucifying him. 

The Jews will be scattered throughout the world as a consequence of their actions.  They will suffer afflictions and be hated by the people.  The day will then come that they will be brought to a knowledge of their Redeemer and gathered again “in the land of their inheritance” (2 Nephi 6:11).

The Lord will bless then gentiles if they repent and not fight against Zion.  Jacob was referring back to Nephi’s vision. 

“AND it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks—
“And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded.
“And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to hell—yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God; not the destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that hell which hath no end.
“For behold, this is according to the captivity of the devil, and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will work wickedness and abomination before him.
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 14:1-5).


[1] Nephite Kingship Reconsidered. Noel B. Reynolds, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute
[2] "I Will Contend with Them That Contendeth with Thee": The Divine Warrior in Jacob's Speech of 2 Nephi 6-10, Daniel Belnap, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute

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