6 Wherefore, we search
the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and
having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken,
insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey
us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.
7 Nevertheless, the
Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and
his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do
these things.
8 Behold, great and
marvelous are the works of the Lord. How
unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that
man should find out all his ways. And no
man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren,
despise not the revelations of God.
9 For behold, by the
power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created
by the power of his word. Wherefore, if
God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O
then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon
the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?
Jacob 4:6-9
To understand the word of God, Jacob reminds the Nephite
they have the spirit of prophecies and many witnesses. Their faith “becometh unshaken, insomuch that
we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the
mountains or the waves of the sea.”
The brother of Jared had an unshakeable faith in
Christ. His faith was so strong, when
Christ touched the stones, he saw Christ’s finger (see Ether 2:6-9). Through his faith, he moved the mountain
Zerin (see Ether 12:30).
Peter healed the lame man at the gate of the temple through
his faith.
“And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
“Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked
an alms.
“And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said,
Look on us.
“And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something
of them.
“Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I
have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
“And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and
immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
“And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them
into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God” (Acts 3:2-8).
Through their faith, the three Nephites could not be held in
prisons, if they were cast into pits, they were delivered from them. (see 3 Nephi 28:19-20).
We all have weaknesses.
Through the grace and condescension of Christ, we will have the power to
powerful things through our faith in Him.
Moroni2 wrote words similar to Jacob’s. “And if men come unto me I will show unto
them their weakness. I give unto men
weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that
humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have
faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether
12:27).
Christ’s grace is an important part of the Book of
Mormon. John Gee writes:
“[Grace] appears throughout the rest of the Book of Mormon
as well. Lehi uses the term twice (2 Nephi 2:6, 8), Nephi twice (2 Nephi 11:5;
25:23), and Jacob five times (2 Nephi 9:8, 53; 10:24–25; Jacob 4:7). It is
used thrice in Mosiah (18:16, 26; 27:5); four times by Alma the Younger (5:48;
7:3; 9:26; 13:9); twice by Nephi, son of Helaman (Helaman 12:24); four times by
Mormon (Mormon 2:15; Moroni 7:2; 8:3; 9:26); and seven times by Moroni (Ether
12:26, 36, 41; Moroni 10:32–33). While these passages tell us what Book of
Mormon prophets might have said about grace, they are incidental to Jesus's
teachings on the subject…
“... Jacob, like his brother, notes that one must first be ‘reconciled
unto God,’ and then, after that, one is saved ‘through the grace of God’ (2
Nephi 10:24). At that point ‘grace divine’ allows one to praise God (2 Nephi
10:25). Jacob also prefigures Jesus's own teaching by noting that ‘the Lord God
showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great
condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things’
(Jacob 4:7).”[1]
The works of the Lord are great and marvelous. The depths of His mysteries are
unsearchable. Paul would write to the
Romans:
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge
of God! how unsearchable are his
judgments, and his ways past finding out!
“For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
“Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed
unto him again?
“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to
whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Romans
11:33-36).
King Benjamin taught, “Believe in God; believe that he is,
and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he
has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man
doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend” (Mosiah 4:9).
We can know His ways if the Lord reveals to us the truth of
His mysteries. “[D]espies not the
revelations of God,” Jacob says.
Paul told the Corinthians, “For what man knoweth the things
of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but
except he has the Spirit of God” (JST 1 Corinthians 2:11).
Ammon proclaimed:
“And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that
knoweth these things? I say unto you,
there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent.
“Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth
forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing – unto such it is
given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal
things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to
bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to
bring these our brethren to repentance” (Alma 26:21-22).
We must remember the words of Isaiah, “For my thoughts are
not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Hugh Nibley wrote:
“The search for knowledge is only a pretext: ‘for they will
not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto
them in plainness, even as plain as word can be’ (2 Nephi 32:7). There is only
one way to know the answers: ‘And no man knoweth of his ways save it be
revealed unto him’ (Jacob 4:8); yet men will not humble themselves to pray for
revelation (see 2 Nephi 32:8).”[2]
[1]
The Grace of Christ, John Gee, Maxwell Institute.
[2]
The Way of the "Intellectuals", Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute.
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