2 Nephi 30:9-10

9 And with righteousness shall the Lord God judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

10 For the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a great division among the people, and the wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire.

After writing about the Jews accepting Christ, Nephi turns once again to Isaiah.

“But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and [decide with equity] with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

“And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his [waist].

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

“And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

“And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the [the horned viper], and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' [IE another venomous serpent] den.

“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea”(Isaiah 11:4-9).

The Lord will judge the poor (“And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment–seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God” [2 Nephi 9:15]).

When the Lord reproves the meek of the Earth, He does so with equity.  The righteous will be spared, “and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (2 Nephi 30:9).

Richard Dilworth Rust writes about the Lord’s dealings with man.

“In an imperiled world, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is designed to prepare God's people for the second coming of the Savior and to warn the rest of the world to repent and to come unto Christ. The Book of Mormon is a distinctive witness to this. So what is the nature of the circumstances prior to the Second Coming? At that day Satan will ‘rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good’ (2 Nephi 28:20). The Lord God shall cause a great division among the people comparable to the later division between the Nephites and the Lamanites in which ‘the true worshipers of Christ ... were called Nephites ... [and] they who rejected the gospel were called Lamanites’ (4 Nephi 1:37-38). ‘The wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire’ (2 Nephi 30:10).”[1]

Hugh Nibley continues.

“Of particular interest to Latter-day Saints are the prophetic parts of the Book of Mormon, which seem to depict the present state of the world most convincingly. The past 140 years have borne out exactly what the book foretold would be its own reception and influence in the world; and its predictions for the Mormons, the Jews, and the other remnants of scattered Israel (among which are included the American Indians) seem to be on the way to fulfillment. The Book of Mormon allows an ample time-scale for the realization of its prophecies, according to which the deepening perplexities of the nations, when ‘the Lord God shall cause a great division among the people’ (2 Nephi 30:10), shall lead to worldwide destructions by fire, for ‘blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke must come; and it must needs be upon the face of this earth.’ After this, the survivors (for this is not to be the end of the world) shall have learned enough to coexist peaceably ‘for the space of many years,’ when ‘all nations, kindreds, tongues and people shall dwell safely in the Holy One of Israel if it so be that they will repent’ (1 Nephi 22:26, 28).

“The Book of Mormon is the history of a polarized world in which two irreconcilable ideologies confronted each other, and is addressed explicitly to our own age, faced by the same predicament and the same impending threat of destruction. It is a call to faith and repentance couched in the language of history and prophecy, but above all it is a witness of God's concern for all his children, and to the intimate proximity of Jesus Christ to all who will receive him.”[2]

Nephi continues his prophesy concerning the future and the Book of Mormon.

“There will be a time when there will be a division among the people.  Jacob told the Nephites, “And the day that he shall set his hand again the second time to recover his people, is the day, yea, even the last time, that the servants of the Lord shall go forth in his power, to nourish and prune his vineyard; and after that the end soon cometh”  (Jacob 6:2).

At that time, the Lord will destroy the wicked.  The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith:

“These things are the things that ye must look for; and, speaking after the manner of the Lord, they are now nigh at hand, and in a time to come, even in the day of the coming of the Son of Man.

“And until that hour there will be foolish virgins among the wise; and at that hour cometh an entire separation of the righteous and the wicked; and in that day will I send mine angels to pluck out the wicked and cast them into unquenchable fire” (D&C 63:53-54).

David wrote about this day.

For I was envious at the foolish,

      when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For there are no bands in their death:

     but their strength is firm.

They are not in trouble as other men;

      neither are they plagued

           like other men.

Therefore pride compasseth them

about as a chain [OR necklace];

violence covereth them

     as a garment.

Their eyes stand out

     with fatness:

they have more than heart could wish.

They are corrupt,

      and speak wickedly concerning oppression:

     they speak loftily.

They set their mouth

     against the heavens,

and their tongue

     walketh through the earth.

Therefore his people return hither:

     and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

And they say,

     How doth God know? 

     and is there knowledge

          in the most High?

Behold, these are the ungodly,

      who prosper in the world;

      they increase in riches.

Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain,

      and washed my hands in innocency.

For all the day long

      have I been plagued,

      and chastened every morning.

If I say, I will speak thus;

     behold,

     I should offend against the generation

          of thy children.

When I thought to know this,

     it was too painful for me;

Until I went into the sanctuary of God;

     then understood I their end.

Psalms 73:3-17

The Lord told Joseph Smith, “And it shall come to pass, because of the wickedness of the world, that I will take vengeance upon the wicked, for they will not repent; for the cup of mine indignation is full; for behold, my blood shall not cleanse them if they hear me not” (D&C 29:17).

The righteous will be spared by the Lord; the wicked will be destroyed by fire.

Nephi, talking to his “brethren,” told them:

“For the time speedily shall come that all churches which are built up to get gain, and all those who are built up to get power over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh and the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity; yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake; they are those who must be brought low in the dust; they are those who must be consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words of the prophet” (1 Nephi 22:23).

Hugh Nibley comments on this scripture and its meaning.

“The saving of the righteous ‘even if it so be as by fire’ (1 Nephi 22:17) suggests some sort of counter-fire. That there is to be a segregation between those to be spared and those to be destroyed is clearly stated: After ‘the Lord God shall commence his work among all nations’ (2 Nephi 30:8), then ‘the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a great division among the people, and the wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire’ (2 Nephi 30:10). This is the ‘cutting off’ of the wicked from the rest of the people preparatory to the Great Overburn (1 Nephi 22:19-20).

“After the great burning comes a great peace, ‘and all the nations that fight against Zion . . . shall be as a dream of a night vision’ (2 Nephi 27:3). It shall not be a peace of death but a millennial peace, when ‘the Holy One of Israel must reign. . . . And he gathereth his children . . . and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. . . . And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years’ (1 Nephi 22:24-26). If there shall still be nations during this period of peace, they must be all united: ‘But behold, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people shall dwell safely in the Holy One of Israel if it so be that they will repent’ (1 Nephi 22:28). As soon as the wicked are destroyed by fire (2 Nephi 30:10), ‘then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb’ (2 Nephi 30:12; italics added), ‘and Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time’ (2 Nephi 30:18).”[3]

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[1] Warfare in the Book of Mormon / Purpose of the War Chapters in the Book of Mormon, Richard Dilworth Rust, Maxwell Institute.

[2] The Mormon View of the Book of Mormon, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute.

[3] Prophecy in the Book of Mormon: The Three Periods, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute.

2 Nephi 30:6-8

6 And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and a delightsome people.

7 And it shall come to pass that the Jews which are scattered also shall begin to believe in Christ; and they shall begin to gather in upon the face of the land; and as many as shall believe in Christ shall also become a delightsome people.

8 And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall commence his work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to bring about the restoration of his people upon the earth.

Nephi writes that when the Book of Mormon will go forth to the world, many will “know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God” (2 Nephi 30:6).  The things that have prevented them from knowing the truth will go away.  Those who accept the word of God will become a “pure and delightsome people” (2 Nephi 30:6).

Verse 6 is a verse critics of the Book of Mormon use to attack the Church.  In the original version of the Book of Mormon, verse 6 read, “a white and delightsome people.”  This, they claim, is a sign of racism in the Bok of Mormon.  “In her second example, [Carol Lynn] Pearson observes that "white and delightsome" in the Book of Mormon has been changed to "pure and delightsome," "clearly because we do not want to offend people of color" (p. 39).”[1]

As with claims the critics make, this claim doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.  As Paul Harvey said, “And now, for the rest of the story.”

In the original manuscript, Joseph Smith translated the phrase to read, “white and delightsome.”  (Delightsome means “very pleasing.”)   In 1840, Joseph Smith reviewed the Book of Mormon and made some changes. This was one of them.  From 1840 to 1852, the verse read “pure and delightsome.”  How did the change happen?

In 1852, a new edition of the Book of Mormon was published in England.  This is the Liverpool Edition.  The word “pure” somehow was changed backed to “white” under the direction of Franklin Richards.  At the time, he was not aware of the changes made in 1840.  So, from 1852 to 1981, the word “white” was used.  In the 1981 Edition, Joseph Smith’s change was restored.[2]

[John]Tvedtnes discussed Joseph Smith's emendation of 2 Nephi 30:6. In this verse, the Nephites are promised that they will receive a knowledge of the Savior. They are also promised that "the scales of darkness shall fall from their eyes; and not many generations shall pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and delightsome people." Although this passage read "white and delightsome" in the original manuscript, Joseph Smith changed the word white to pure, probably to avoid the misinterpretation that skin color would literally change. In the Bible and other ancient texts, the term white is sometimes used in the sense of "pure" rather than of color.[3]

In Hebrew, “white” and “pure” were used interchangeably.  Daniel 12:10 is an excellent example of how it is used. “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”

One last observation.  The verse must be taken in context.  This set of verses explains the day would come when the Lamanites and Jews would accept Christ and obtain a fulfillment of the promises made by the Lord.  Another way to look at the end of this verse could be, “Those who accept the word of God will become a pure and delightsome people” unto the Lord.

Nephi continues discussing the Jews.  The day will come when the Jews will begin to accept Christ.  At that time “they shall begin to gather in upon the face of the land” (2 Nephi 30:7).  Having accepted Christ, the Jews will become a “delightsome people.”

Nephi is reiterating some of his previous words

“And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind—and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things.

“And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state.  Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men” (2 Nephi 25:16-17).

When the time comes, the Lord begins this work “among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people” (2 Nephi 30:8) this will mark the Lord bringing “the restoration of his people upon the earth.”

Noel Reynolds comments:

“Nephi foresees that the Lord will ‘commence his work among all nations, kindreds, tongues and people.’ At the end, the Lord will ‘cause a great division among the people, and the wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire’ (2 Nephi 30:8, 10). This is a paraphrase of the final verse of the allegory of the olive tree (Jacob 5:77). At that day, Nephi informs us, ‘Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more’ (2 Nephi 30:18), another point taken from Zenos (1 Nephi 22:15, 26).”[4]

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[1] Nephite Feminism Revisited: Thoughts on Carol Lynn Pearson's View of Women in the Book of Mormon, Kevin and Shauna Christensen, Maxwell Institute.

[2] Book of Mormon Editions, Larry W. Draper, Maxwell Institute.

[3] Institute Researchers Share Findings at LDS Apologetics Conference, Maxwell Institute.

[4] Nephite Uses and Interpretations of Zenos, Noel  B. Reynolds, Maxwell Institute.

2 Nephi 30:1-5

Chapter 30

Converted gentiles shall be numbered with the covenant people—Many Lamanites and Jews shall believe the word and become a delightsome people—Israel shall be restored and the wicked destroyed. About 559–545 B.C.

1 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you; for I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are more righteous than the Gentiles shall be. For behold, except ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall all likewise perish; and because of the words which have been spoken ye need not suppose that the Gentiles are utterly destroyed.

2 For behold, I say unto you that as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel.

3 And now, I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews and the Gentiles. For after the book of which I have spoken shall come forth, and be written unto the Gentiles, and sealed up again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the words which are written; and they shall carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed.

4 And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us, how that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants of the Jews.

5 And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers.

The Lord had ceased to speak to Nephi at the end of Chapter 29.  Nephi makes this clear in verse 1, where he wrote, “I would speak unto you; for I, Nephi…” (2 Nephi 30:1). 

There are those who believe they are “better” than other people are.  Some in the Church believe they are more righteous because they are part of the restored Gospel.  Nephi warns against this attitude. 

If we don’t keep the commandments and follow Christ’s teachings, we are no better off than those who don’t have the restored Gospel.  If they fail to repent, these people will perish the same as those who are wrapped in the chains of hell.

During His ministry, Christ taught:

“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilæans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

“And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilæans were sinners above all the Galilæans, because they suffered such things?

“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

“Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:1-5).

The Lord has His covenant people.  If the Gentiles repent, they will be a part of the covenant people.  In his epistle to the Galatians, Paul told them:

“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

“And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26-29).

If the Jews fail to repent, they will be cast off.  The covenant cannot save them.  Repenting and believing in Christ is required for their salvation.  John the Baptist taught:

“As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

“For behold, and lo, he shall come, as it is written in the book of the prophets, to take away the sins of the world, and to bring salvation unto the heathen nations, to gather together those who are lost, who are of the sheepfold of Israel;

“Yea, even the dispersed and afflicted; and also to prepare the way, and make possible the preaching of the gospel unto the Gentiles;

“And to be a light unto all who sit in darkness, unto the uttermost parts of the earth; to bring to pass the resurrection from the dead, and to ascend up on high, to dwell on the right hand of the Father,

“Until the fullness of time, and the law and the testimony shall be sealed, and the keys of the kingdom shall be delivered up again unto the Father;

“To administer justice unto all; to come down in judgment upon all, and to convince all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds, which they have committed; and all this in the day that he shall come;

“For it is a day of power; yea, every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;

“And all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (JST Luke 3:4-11).

The Book of Mormon tells us of the day when the Jews will accept Christ.  Hugh Nibley explains that repentance is an individual act.

”You do not have to wait for the group to change, for the society to repent, nor do you have to change your ways to comply with theirs; the individual is free to ignore the multitude, and only he is free. Only an individual can repent. Repent is a reflexive verb—you can't repent somebody else or force anybody else; you just repent. The clear rule for assuring desirable change is set forth in 2 Nephi: ‘As many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews who will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his Son’ (2 Nephi 30:2).”[1]

Nephi returns to prophesies about the Jews and Gentiles. 

After the Book of Mormon is written, it will be sealed.  Sealing of documents, etc. was a common practice.  John Welch writes about this.

“More specifically, the Book of Mormon is indeed a binding document, a legal warning, a proclamation, a testament, covenant, and contract. Its provisions are about covenants of the Lord. It has much to do with rights of land possession, and it contains the terms and conditions that the owner of the land of promise requires those who occupy that land to obey. In other words, the religious and secular spheres were not widely separated in antiquity, and the Book of Mormon presents sacred materials often by using legalistic forms or concepts. These factors may well explain why Nephi would associate this legal form, typically used for legal contracts, with the final presentation of the Nephite records.

“Moreover, the process of sealing up the Nephite records served several practical and religious purposes. To keep the record pure, Nephi and his posterity were instructed that the records should be ‘sealed up to come forth in their purity’ (1 Nephi 14:26). As further protection against destruction, the Lord instructed his scribes to seal up the writings in a book so that ‘those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not have them, for they seek to destroy the things of God’ (2 Nephi 26:17). Prophetically, Nephi reported that the book would be dedicated to the Lord, ‘sealed up again unto the Lord’ (2 Nephi 30:3).”[2]

When the Book of Mormon goes forth, it will go to the descendants of the Lamanites.  They will learn about how their ancestors left Jerusalem and came to the New World.  They will also learn they are descendants of the Jews.

Then, the gospel will be taught to them and “they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers” (2 Nephi 30:5).

At the very beginning of the Book of Mormon, we read:

“Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile … 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.” (Book of Mormon Title Page)

Mormon’s last words written in the Book of Mormon is addressed to the descendants of the Lamanites and the house of Israel.

“And now, behold, I would speak somewhat unto the remnant of this people who are spared, if it so be that God may give unto them my words, that they may know of the things of their fathers; yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel; and these are the words which I speak…

“For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe that; and if ye believe that ye will believe this also; and if ye believe this ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them.

}And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment.  Amen” (Mormon 7:1, 9-10).

Richard Rust explains the structure of the Book of Mormon.

“In its overall structure, the Book of Mormon begins and ends with concern for the Lamanites receiving the gospel. Reiterating the main points from the title page, Nephi says that through the Book of Mormon the Lamanites shall know they are of Israel and through it ‘they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ’ (2 Nephi 30:5; see 30:1-6). Then toward the end, Mormon says much the same thing: ‘Know ye that ye are of the house of Israel. . . . Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ’ (Mormon 7:2, 5).”[3]

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[1] Change out of Control, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute.

[2] Doubled, Sealed, Witnessed Documents: From the Ancient World to the Book of Mormon, John Welch, Maxwell Institute.

[3] The Book of Mormon, Designed for Our Day, Richard Dilworth Rust, Maxwell Institute.

2 Nephi 29:12-14

12 For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.

13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.

14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever.

As the Lord continues speaking to Nephi about additional records, He tells him the Jews, Nephites, and the other tribes of Israel will hear His word and make records containing His word.  Lehi told Joseph, “Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord” (2 Nephi 3:12).

The Lord will speak to all nations and they will be expected to record His words.  Alma₂ wrote, “the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true” (Alma 29:8).

Leslie Taylor describes the Book of Mormon’s place among our scriptures.

“The Book of Mormon is perhaps the most Logos-centric of all scripture. Its significance as the word of God (Logos) is expressed in terms of its divine origin and role. Written ‘by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation,’ this sacred text was destined to ‘come forth by the gift and power of God’ as an additional testimony of the word of God unto the inhabitants of the earth (see title page, 1 Nephi 13:38–41; 2 Nephi 29:12–14; Mormon 7:8–9).”[1] 

Once the word of the Lord has been recorded, the day will come when these records will be made available to the entire world.  “[T]he Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews” (2 Nephi 29:13).

Mormon explained the Book of Mormon would someday go into the world.

“And this is the commandment which I have received; and behold, they shall come forth according to the commandment of the Lord, when he shall see fit, in his wisdom.

“And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose, in restoring the Jews, or all the house of Israel, to the land of their inheritance, which the Lord their God hath given them, unto the fulfilling of his covenant” (Mormon 5:13-14).

“The day will come when those that are of the house of Israel will gather in the lands of their inheritance.  At that time, the Lord words will be gathered together.  Ezekiel spoke about that day.  “Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick [HEB wood. Wooden writing tablets were in common use in Babylon in Ezekiel's day.], and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

“And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand” (Ezekiel 37:16-17).

To those who fight against the Lord’s word and His people will learn that they are of the seed of Abraham.  And, the covenants the Lord made with Abraham will be remembered and known.

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[1] The Word of God, Leslie A. Taylor, Maxwell Institute.

2 Nephi 28:9-11

9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.

11 For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.

The Lord continues revealing His purposes of additional scripture to Nephi.  All through history, God has spoken to His people.  Why would the Lord stop speaking to us mid-1^st Century?  He makes it clear that He is “the same yesterday, today, and forever; I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure” (2 Nephi 29:9).  Paul reinforces this in his epistle to the Hebrews.  “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). 

Why should we suppose that if He had spoken to us in the past, that His work is finished?  Why would we assume He will no longer speak to us?  The Lord, speaking to Moses, said, “my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease” (Moses 1:4).

Noel Reynolds writes:

“Chapter 29 records a revelation that Nephi seems almost to be receiving at the moment he is writing … This revelation begins with, but develops much further, familiar concepts and phrases from both Isaiah and Zenos … The Lord speaks ‘according to his own pleasure,’ and his ‘work is not yet finished.’ And finally, his people, ‘which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions," and he will show the world that he "covenanted with’ (2 Nephi 29:9, 14).”[1]

Monty Nyman writes about additional records.

“Other records given originally by revelation are destined to come forth, and the Book of Mormon will not add to or diminish from them or from revelation thereafter. The ninth article of faith declares the Latter-day Saints' belief in continual revelation: ‘We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.’

According to the Book of Mormon, the Lord's ‘work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever’ (2 Nephi 29:9) … Nephi was also told of others who had been shown all things and had written them … These records were in addition to both Nephi's own writings, which are included in the Book of Mormon, and the writings of the apostle named John.”[2]

We have a Bible, which contains the word of the Lord.  That does not mean the Bible contains all His words, “neither need ye suppose that I have no caused more to be written” (2 Nephi 29:10).  Daniel C. Peterson, speaking at a BYU Devotional, explained the concept and additional scripture.

“One of the elements of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that distinguishes it from other Christian movements is its openness to scriptural texts beyond the Bible. The Book of Mormon, the volume of ancient scripture that most prominently represents that openness, prefigured its own coming forth [see 2 Nephi 29:10-14]…

“Still, as [2 Nephi 29:10-14] clearly says, the Book of Mormon by itself does not exhaust the treasures of revelation and scripture that we can expect to receive in this last dispensation. Nor does it seem that even our other standard works, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, represent the last that is to be received.”[3]

All men are commanded to write the words of the Lord.  All men will be judged by the words contained in books that will go forth to all the world.  Alma₂ wrote, “For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true” (Alma 29:8).

Paul emphasized this in his epistle to Timothy.  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is [useful for instruction] for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be [complete], throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

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[1] Nephite Uses and Interpretations of Zenos, Noel B. Reynolds, Maxwell Institute.

[2] Other Ancient American Records Yet to Come Forth, Monte S. Nyman, Maxwell Institute.

[3] Other Voices from the Dust, Daniel C. Peterson, Maxwell Institute.

2 Nephi 29:6-8

6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?

7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

There will come a time when the Book of Mormon will be rejected by the non-believer because we have a Bible and that is enough.  If they have a Bible, it was by the Jews.  Nephi had seen, in vision,

“[The Bible] proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: 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…

“And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren” (1 Nephi 13:23, 38).

Hugh Nibley discusses those who would limit the Lord.

“As no one has a right to limit God's capacity to speak to men with his own voice whenever and wherever he will, neither has anyone the authority to say that God may not, when he will, present his children with his word in writing by dictating scripture to his prophets, by bringing forth forgotten writings of the ancients, by guiding the work of an inspired translator, or in any way he chooses. We have said before that the test of the soundness of men's hearts is their willingness to accept the message of a living prophet; the same applies to their willingness to accept God's word in any form. So the Lord has told us through an ancient prophet how it is when men who reject the prophets because they already have dead ones are confronted with God's written word.”^[1]

Why wouldn’t the Lord bring forth other records?  He told Nephi He had created all men.  He rules in heavens and earth.  “Know ye not that there are more nations than one … I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of earth?”

Robert J. Matthews shares with us the impact this scripture had on him.

“I was lying on a couch in my apartment just off the hill from the BYU campus. It was a Saturday. There was something about the concept that there is more than one nation and therefore there ought to be more than one book. That really caught my attention. I can remember saying out loud, ‘This is true.’ I was so impressed with that concept: if there is more than one nation, there ought to be more than one record; and God speaks the same things to one nation that he does to another.”^[2]

Why do people complain that we receive the additional words of the Lord?  I can’t understand this attitude.  I am delighted with the words the Lord gives us in His own due time.  It will be an exciting day when the Lord sees fit to give us more of His word. 

The Lord gives us the law of witnesses.  “Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God…”  (2 Nephi 29:8).  Nephi was told by an angel,

“And after [the Bible] had come forth unto them I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.

“And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.

“And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth” (1 Nephi 13:39-41).

The Savior also gave us this law during His mortal ministry.  “But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Matthew 18:16).

Writing about the Book of Mormon, Hugh Nibley tells us:

“The Book of Mormon foretells its own reception by the world. Though the critics have always maintained that Joseph Smith expected it to be a best seller and make him a lot of money, the ancient prophets knew better—they knew that they were not writing ‘the things which are pleasing unto the world’ (1 Nephi 6:5); and tell how ‘many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible’ (2 Nephi 29:3), and refuse to believe that God can ‘remember one nation like unto another,’ and ‘speak the same words unto one nation like unto another’ (2 Nephi 29:8). … Its appearance is not a triumphant one at all, but only marks the first step, the very beginning, of the latter-day work…”[3]

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[1]The Book of Mormon as a Witness, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute.

[2]A Conversation with Robert J. Matthews, Maxwell Institute.

[3]Prophecy in the Book of Mormon: The Three Periods, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute.

2 Nephi 29:1-5

Chapter 29

Many gentiles shall reject the Book of Mormon—They shall say: We need no more Bible—The Lord speaks to many nations—He will judge the world out of the books thus written. About 559–545 B.C.

1 But behold, there shall be many—at that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel;

2 And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel;

3 And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible.

4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles?

5 O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people.

The words in this chapter are the words of the Lord and recorded by Nephi.  The Lord again reveals more to Nephi about the “marvelous work” He will do among men.  What is this marvelous work?  It will be the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.  Hugh Nibley asks the question, “Why the Book of Mormon?”. 

“The twenty-seventh and twenty-ninth chapters of the book of 2 Nephi explain the conditions under which the Lord has brought forth the Book of Mormon in modern times and his purpose in doing so:

·         “To show the human race the vanity of their wisdom and to show them ‘that I know all their works’ (2 Nephi 27:26—27).

·         “To teach the meek and correct ancient misunderstandings (2 Nephi 27:25, 30).

·         “To serve as a great central rallying point for the work of the last days: ‘a standard unto my people,’ recalling them to their covenants (2 Nephi 29:1—2).

·         “To stand beside the Bible as ‘the testimony of two nations ... a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another’ (2 Nephi 29:8).

·         "That I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; ... for my work is not yet finished" (2 Nephi 29:9).

·         “It is ‘written to the Lamanites ... and also to Jew and Gentile ... —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’ (Title Page to the Book of Mormon).

·         “At a time when men ‘cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught’ (2 Nephi 33:2), the Book of Mormon, containing ‘the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also; ... was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the world by them—Proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old; Thereby showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Amen’ (D&C 20:9—12).”[1]

When the Lord does his work, he will do it “that I may remember my covenants which I have made unto the children of men” (2 Nephi 29:1).  At this time, He will, for a second time, “recover my people which are of the house of Israel” (2 Nephi 29:1).

Jacob taught the Nephites about the second time the Lord will recover the house of Israel.  “And behold, according to the words of the prophet, the Messiah will set himself again the second time to recover them; wherefore, he will manifest himself unto them in power and great glory, unto the destruction of their enemies, when that day cometh when they shall believe in him; and none will he destroy that believe in him” (2 Nephi 6:14).

Hugh Nibley continues:

“[The appearance of the Book of Mormon] is not a triumphant one at all, but only marks the first step, the very beginning, of the latter-day work: ‘Therefore, when ye shall receive this record ye may know that the work of the Father has commenced upon all the face of the land’" (Ether 4:17). It shows ‘that I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel’ (2 Nephi 29:1). It is characteristic of adventist and millennialist sects to preach a hasty and spectacular consummation of all things. Not so the Book of Mormon, whose coming forth is depicted only as the opening scene of a long and eventful drama. With it, ‘the work of the Father’ has commenced, not ended (1 Nephi 14:17; 2 Nephi 3:13; 30:8; 3 Nephi 21:26—28; Mormon 3:17).”[2]

The Book of Mormon will go forth because the Lord promised both Nephi and Lehi that the words of Nephi’s seed would “proceed forth out of my moth unto your seed” (2 Nephi 29:2).  As he was writing his last comments on the plates, Moroni2 wrote, “I declare these things unto the fulfilling of the prophecies.  And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the everlasting God; and his word shall hiss forth from generation to generation.  And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true” (Moroni 10:28 - 29).

The Book of Mormon will go forth along with other words of the Lord.  Hugh Nibley explains:

“Question: Do you feel that the Lord's hand was involved in the discovery of [the Dead Sea Scrolls]?

“Answer: Yes, he said he would bring these things out in his own way and in his own time, and it's really quite miraculous the way these things have happened, when you see the opposition to them. The Lord said he would send his words hissing forth from the dust (cf. 2 Nephi 29:2; Moroni 10:28), and none would be able to stop them…”[3]

The Lord’s words will go forth to the entire world, “a standard unto my people which are of the house of Israel” (2 Nephi 29:2).

After prophesying about the Book of Mormon going forth into the world, we are told the word of the Lord “shall hiss [to utter or whisper angrily or threateningly and with a hiss[4]] forth” (2 Nephi 29:3).  How will the Gentiles respond?  The Lord tells us, “A Bible!  A Bible!  We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible” (2 Nephi 29:3). 

Hugh Nibley explains:

“But does the world really need more than the Bible to do these things? Nephi predicted what the reaction of the world would be to the claims of the Book of Mormon: ‘Many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible’ (2 Nephi 29:3). The moment the book was presented for sale this prophecy began to be fulfilled, when the most eminent newspaper of the region, The Rochester Daily Advertiser of Rochester, New York, published the following opinion:

BLASPHEMY
Book of Mormon, Alias the Golden Bible
The Book of Mormon has been placed in our hands. A viler imposition was never practiced. It is an evidence of fraud, blasphemy, and credulity, shocking to both Christians and moralists.”[5]

This has been a cry against the Book of Mormon since its publication.  Many Christians accept that the Bible is all the scripture the Lord has given us and will give us no more. 

John Welch writes about developments in Biblical studies.

“[O]ne can now see that there were significant losses of text, and even of whole books, from the Bible. A significant stir of criticism is now afoot in Christian theology, asking why certain books were excluded from the Bible and wondering what makes a text scriptural. Thomas Hoffman writes of the theoretical possibility ‘that a lost epistle of an apostle could still be accepted into the canon.’ He remarks that the reasons why ‘such books as the Shepherd of Hermas, the First Epistle of Clement, or the Epistle of Barnabas . . . were eventually dropped from the canon are not that clear.’ Robert Detweiler sees it as ‘entirely conceivable’ that if the Latter-day Saints become more influential, people will ‘come to view the Book of Mormon with something of the same regard [as Christians now] give to the Pentateuch.’ The old cry, ‘A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible’ (2 Nephi 29:3), is giving way in some circles like scarcely before.”[6]

I find it surprising so many Christians reject additional records from the Lord.  Just looking through the New Testament, there are many things about which we know little.  A few examples demonstrate this.

·         Christ’s ministry lasted only three years.  Of that three-year ministry, we have only a fraction of His words.  It makes me wonder what teachings we don’t have.  For example, I don’t believe that the only parables Christ told are those we have in the Bible.  I would love to have a more complete record of His ministry.

·         On the Mount of Transfiguration, Christ commanded Peter, James, and John not to write or discuss those events until after His death.  We still don’t have a full account of what occurred.

·         After His resurrection, Christ taught his apostles for forty days.  We have no record of what was taught during that time.  Those teachings had to have been important for Christ to teach the apostles for such a long period.

·         We don’t have copies of letters that were sent to Paul.  We only have his responses.  It would be interesting to read the letter(s) to which he responded.

These are but a few examples of why the Lord might give us additional records and scriptures to go hand-in-hand with the Biblical record. 

The Lord calls these people fools.  The Bible comes to us from the Jews.  The angel guiding Nephi during his great vision told him:

“And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: 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.

“And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.

“Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God” (1 Nephi 13:23-25).

In a revelation Joseph Smith received regarding the lost 116 manuscript pages, the Lord made it clear to Joseph, “Nevertheless, my work shall go forth, for inasmuch as the knowledge of a Savior has come unto the world, through the testimony of the Jews, even so shall the knowledge of a Savior come unto my people—“ (D&C 3:16).

When the world rejects the Book of Mormon because we have a Bible, the Lord asks a number of questions.  Do they thank the Jews for the Bible?  Do they remember, “the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles” (2 Nephi 29:4). 

The truth is that they have cursed and hated the Jews.  They “have not sought to recover them” (2 Nephi 29:5).  The Lord has not forgotten His chosen people.  “I will return all these things upon [their] own heads” (2 Nephi 29:5).

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[1] Introduction to an Unknown Book, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute.

[2] Prophecy in the Book of Mormon: The Three Periods, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute.

[3] Apocryphal Writings and Teachings of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute.

[4] Miriam-Webster on-line dictionary.

[5] Introduction to an Unknown Book, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute.

[6] The Plain and Precious Parts, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute.