Monday, March 9, 2020

2 Nephi 9:17-18


17 O the greatness and the justice of our God! For he executeth all his words, and they have gone forth out of his mouth, and his law must be fulfilled.
18 But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever.

In this section of his sermon, the words of Jacob border on the poetic.

17 O the greatness
     and the justice
          of our God!
     For he executeth
          all his words,
     and they have gone forth
         out of his mouth,
         and his law
              must be fulfilled.

God is just, Jacob teaches us.  The Savior said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30).  In his epistle to the Romans, Paul wrote, “For there is no respect [GR partiality] of persons with God” (Romans 2:11). 

King Benjamin addressed the justice of God in his great sermon.

“Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever” (Mosiah 2:38).

He fulfills all the words He gave us.  Speaking to Ezekiel, the Lord said, “I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 24:14).

18  But, behold, the righteous,
     the saints of
          the Holy One of Israel,
     they who have believed
          in the Holy One of Israel,
     they who have endured
          the crosses of the world,
              and despised the shame of it,
     they shall inherit
          the kingdom of God,
     which was prepared for them
          from the foundation
               of the world,
     and their joy
          shall be full
               forever.

In this world, we will face challenges and trials.  We will be called to “[endure] the crosses of the world” (2 Nephi 9:18).  For doing this, we will despised by the world; we will be despised by those who refuse to bear the crosses of the world.  “This is a place of crosses and shame. Have no illusions. The world is a shameful place; it is to be despised.”[1]  “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. [JST Luke 14:28 Wherefore, settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach, and command you.]” (Luke 14:27).

Those that do endure will inherit the  kingdom of God, “and their joy shall be full” (2 Nephi 9:18).

Those who are not deceived “For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation” (D&C 45:57-58). 

The Lord revealed the oath and covenant of the priesthood to Joseph Smith.  In part, He said:

“For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.
“They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.
“And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord;
“For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me;
“And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father;
“And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father's kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him” (D&C 84:33-38).


[1] Lecture 23: 2 Nephi 32-33; Jacob 1-2, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute.

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