2 Nephi 26:9-11

Nephi continues to write about Christ’s ministry to the Nephites.  After the destruction of the wicked, the Savior will appear to them and heal them of their injuries.  This will be a time of peace. 

Many inquired of Alma₂ about the appearance of Christ.  “And many of the people did inquire concerning the place where the Son of God should come; and they were taught that he would appear unto them after his resurrection; and this the people did hear with great joy and gladness” (Alma 16:20).

Three generations will live in peace and most of the fourth generation as well.  Nephi was writing what he had earlier seen in vision.

And the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments were white even like unto the Lamb of God.  And the angel said unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him.

And I, Nephi, also saw many of the fourth generation who passed away in righteousness.

1 Nephi 12:11-12

The Savior informed the Nephites of their future.

And now, behold, my joy is great, even unto fulness, because of you, and also this generation; yea, and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels, because of you and this generation; for none of them are lost.

Behold, I would that ye should understand; for I mean them who are now alive of this generation; and none of them are lost; and in them I have fulness of joy.

But behold, it sorroweth me because of the fourth generation from this generation, for they are led away captive by him even as was the son of perdition; for they will sell me for silver and for gold, and for that which moth doth corrupt and which thieves can break through and steal.  And in that day will I visit them, even in turning their works upon their own heads.

3 Nephi 27:30-32

sAfter the fourth generation, Nephites people will fact destructions because of their wickedness.  Abinadi, as well as Samuel the Lamanite would also prophesy concerning the destruction of the Nephites.

And it shall come to pass that except they repent I will utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth; yet they shall leave a record behind them, and I will preserve them for other nations which shall possess the land; yea, even this will I do that I may discover the abominations of this people to other nations.  And many things did Abinadi prophesy against this people.

Mosiah 12:8

And he said unto them: Behold, I, Samuel, a Lamanite, do speak the words of the Lord which he doth put into my heart; and behold he hath put it into my heart to say unto this people that the sword of justice hangeth over this people; and four hundred years pass not away save the sword of justice falleth upon this people.

Yea, heavy destruction awaiteth this people, and it surely cometh unto this people, and nothing can save this people save it be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, who surely shall come into the world, and shall suffer many things and shall be slain for his people.

Helaman 13:5-6

The Nephites will choose darkness and follow the devil.  The Savior would condemn those who chose darkness.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God [JST John 3:18 ... which before was preached by the mouth of the holy prophets; for they testified of me.]

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

John 3:18-19

Richard Draper discusses the curse that will face the Nephites.

A "curse" denotes something delivered up to divine wrath and dedicated to destruction.¹⁶ As we will see below, God's curse does not consist of divine action but rather of divine inaction. When a people sin to the point that judgment must come, destruction results; but it comes because of the removal of God's Spirit, prophets, and restraining hand. Thus it is by the wicked, unrestrained in their wickedness, that the wicked are destroyed (Mormon 4:5).

The Book of Mormon testifies clearly of this point. Nephi affirmed that he has seen the destruction of his people and, therefore, knew why they would be destroyed: "for the reward of their pride [hubris] and their foolishness [atē] they shall reap destruction … For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction" (2 Nephi 26:10—11). Such destruction is ultimately spiritual, though it often expresses itself first in the physical reality of temporal ruin.[1]

---

[1] Hubris and Atē: A Latter-day Warning from the Book of Mormon, Richard D. Draper, Maxwell Institute, accessed November 7, 2013.

2 Nephi 26:4-8

After telling his people the Savior will visit them, he begins to describe what will happen at the time of Christ’s crucifixion.  What about the proud and those “that do wickedly”?  “[T]he day that cometh shall burn them up … for they shall be as stubble” (2 Nephi 26:4). 

Those that kill the Lord’s prophets and the saints will be swallowed up by the depths of the Earth; mountains shall fall on them; they will be carried away by whirlwinds and buildings will collapse and fall of them.  But, the people have been warned.  David wrote, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” (Psalms 105:15). 

Nephi quoted Zenos earlier in his record.  “The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up” (1 Nephi 19:11). 

Mormon, after recording the destruction wrote, “And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him search them, and see and behold if all these deaths and destructions by fire, and by smoke, and by tempests, and by whirlwinds, and by the opening of the earth to receive them, and all these things are not unto the fulfilling of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets” (3 Nephi 10:14).

The Nephites will experience “thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and all manner of destruction” (2 Nephi 26:6).  This is because the anger of the Lord will be kindled against them.

Knowing that those who die at the time of Christ’s crucifixion because of their wickedness leads Nephi to cry, “O the pain and anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain of my people” (2 Nephi 26:7).  In spite of the pain, Nephi responds, “I must cry unto my God:  Thy ways are just” (2 Nephi 26:7).

The righteous will not suffer the death of the wicked.  Those that “look forward unto Christ with steadfastness for the signs which are given … shall not perish” (2 Nephi 26:8).  Mormon would write about the fulfillment of this promise.

And it was the more righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not; and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints, who were spared—

And they were spared and were not sunk and buried up in the earth; and they were not drowned in the depths of the sea; and they were not burned by fire, neither were they fallen upon and crushed to death; and they were not carried away in the whirlwind; neither were they overpowered by the vapor of smoke and of darkness.

3 Nephi 10:12-13

Nephi’s powerful testimony of Christ will influence the Book of Mormon.  Stephen Ricks writes:

The Book of Mormon, too, reveals an intense expectation of the coming of their Messiah (usually referred to in the Book of Mormon as Christ). The Nephites "look forward unto Christ [i.e., the Messiah] with steadfastness for the signs which are given"(2 Nephi 26:8). Indeed, the prophets of the Book of Mormon even prophesy the year of Christ's birth: Nephi prophesies that Christ will be born "six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem" (1 Nephi 10:4), while the mysterious Samuel the Lamanite tells the Nephites that he would be born in five years (Helaman 14:2).[1]

---

[1] The Book of Mormon and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Stephen D. Ricks, Maxwell Institute, accessed November 5, 2013.

2 Nephi 26:1-3

Chapter 26

Christ shall minister to the Nephites—Nephi foresees the destruction of his people—They shall speak from the dust—The gentiles shall build up false churches and secret combinations—The Lord forbids men to practice priestcrafts. About 559–545 B.C.

Nephi had taught his people that Christ would be crucified by the Jews.   After His death, he would be resurrected and fulfill the plan of salvation.

Nephi writes that, after his resurrection, he will appear to his people and teach them law.  He had seen this earlier in vision.  “And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto [my people]”

 (1 Nephi 12:6). 

When Christ ministered to the Nephites, He taught them He had fulfilled the Law of Moses.

And it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses; for they understood not the saying that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new.

And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that old things had passed away, and that all things had become ^anew.

Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses.

Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.

Behold, I do not destroy the prophets, for as many as have not been fulfilled in me, verily I say unto you, shall all be fulfilled.

And because I said unto you that old things have passed away, I do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning things which are to come.

For behold, the covenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me.

Behold, I am the law, and the light.  Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.

Behold, I have given unto you the commandments; therefore keep my commandments.  And this is the law and the prophets, for they truly testified of me.

3 Nephi 15:2-10

After Christ’s ministry, they lived in peace and harmony for almost 200 years.  At the end of that period, the people would fall away.  There will then arise wars and contentions among the people.

In Nephi’s great vision, he saw what would happen before Christ ministered to his people.

And it came to pass that I saw a mist of darkness on the face of the land of promise; and I saw lightnings, and I heard thunderings, and earthquakes, and all manner of tumultuous noises; and I saw the earth and the rocks, that they rent; and I saw mountains tumbling into pieces; and I saw the plains of the earth, that they were broken up; and I saw many cities that they were sunk; and I saw many that they were burned with fire; and I saw many that did tumble to the earth, because of the quaking thereof.

And it came to pass after I saw these things, I saw the vapor of darkness, that it passed from off the face of the earth; and behold, I saw multitudes who had not fallen because of the great and terrible judgments of the Lord.

And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them.

1 Nephi 12:4-6

Why would this occur?  “[T] hey shall perish; and they perish because they cast out the prophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them; wherefore the cry of the blood of the saints shall ascend up to God from the ground against them” (2 Nephi 26:3).

2 Nephi 25:28-30

Why does Nephi speak plainly to his people?  “[B]ehold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people” (2 Nephi 25:28).  His people have become like the Jews.  King Benjamin told us “the Lord God saw that his people were a stiffnecked people, and he appointed unto them a law, even the law of Moses” (Mosiah 3:14). 

Listening to our leaders today, these men and women speak plainly to us today.  They follow in the tradition of Nephi.  They are making sure their words and message cannot be misunderstood.  They make certain the Lord’s words are understood. 

Teaching the people of Ammonihah, Alma₂ told them:

And now, my beloved brethren, for ye are my brethren, and ye ought to be beloved, and ye ought to bring forth works which are meet for repentance, seeing that your hearts have been grossly hardened against the word of God, and seeing that ye are a lost and a fallen people.

Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me because I said unto them that they were a hard–hearted and a stiffnecked people.

Alma 9:30-31

Nephi’s words will stand as a testimony against all who read them.  He teaches the word of the Lord and “the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not” (2 Nephi 25:28).

Nephi makes it clear “that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not” (2 Nephi 25:29).  We must “bow down for him and worship him” (2 Nephi 25:29).  Mathew L. Bown explains:

By casting the commandment to "bow down . . . and worship" the Lord in the language of the Shema [a Jewish prayer], Nephi reveals the proper mode of proskynesis [Greek name of the ritual greeting at the eastern courts^[1]]  before God: it must be done with all one's might, mind, strength, and one's whole soul, like the offering of "whole souls as an offering unto [the Holy One of Israel]" (Omni 1:26).³¹ Acceptable proskynesis is inseparable from faith in Christ ("the right way is to believe in Christ . . . ; wherefore ye must . . . ," 2 Nephi 25:29) and is a supernal manifestation of it.

The promise to those who so worship is a promise of eternal life: "ye shall in no wise be cast out" (2 Nephi 25:29). Through faith in Christ, the "children of men" (1 Nephi 11:22, 24) can again have access to the tree of life. They must therefore come forth, fall down, and partake of the fruit of that tree.[2]

When we worship him, we must worship him with “all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul” (2 Nephi 25:29).  Here, Nephi could be reminding the Nephites about the words of Moses when he commanded the people, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

Speaking to a scribe, the Savior taught:

And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  There is none other commandment greater than these.

          Mark 12:29-31

---

[1] Proskynesis, LIVIUS - Articles on Ancient History, accessed November 1, 2013.

[2] “They Came Forth and Fell Down and Partook of the Fruit of the Tree,” Matthew L. Bowen, accessed November 1, 2013.

2 Nephi 25:26-27

If I were to pick one scripture that sums up our beliefs, 2 Nephi 25:26 would be very high on the list.  “[W]e talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies.”  Some examples of

And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things; for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come?

Jacob 4:12

Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was.  And after this manner did they teach them.

 Jarom 1:11

And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.

Mosiah 3:13

And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption.

Mosiah 16:6

Alan Ashton relates a great story about this scripture.

While we were serving on our mission in Canada, two of our elders who were serving in a town near Niagara Falls reported the following incident: Elder Taggart was talking to a woman in the street when a belligerent man came up and yelled that the Book of Mormon was not true. The missionary bore testimony that the Book of Mormon is true and that it testifies of Christ. The man claimed emphatically that it did not. Elder Taggart’s companion, Elder Medina, came over because of the raised voice of the man and asked what the problem was. The man forcefully claimed that the Book of Mormon did not testify of Christ. Elder Medina bore his witness that it indeed does, but the man continued to disrupt the conversations of the missionaries. Finally Elder Medina handed the loud man a copy of the Book of Mormon and said, “Sir, open up this Book of Mormon and put your finger on the page and read out loud what it says. If it doesn’t speak of Christ, we will go on our way.” The man snatched the book, opened it up, plunged his finger on the verse that happened to be 2 Nephi 25:26, and began reading aloud, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” The man quietly apologized and went on his way.[1]

Nephi gives us an insight to how the Nephites viewed the gospel.  We know from the record the Nephites faithfully kept the Law of Moses.  When Abinadi called upon King Noah and his priests to repent, he taught them about the Law of Moses.

Yet, Nephi tells us “we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law” (2 Nephi 25:27).  Salvation cannot be obtained through the words of the Law.  There is only one way we will be saved.  That is through the atonement of Christ.  However, until the Law is fulfilled, they must still follow it.  It will not be fulfilled until Christ completes His mission.

Hugh Nibley wrote:

The Nephites lived by the law of Moses, as implemented, for example, by the laws of King Benjamin and Mosiah. Yet they are constantly being notified that salvation does not come by the law of Moses: "Notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled. For, for this end was the law given" (2 Nephi 25:24-25). "Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law; . . . that they need not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away" (2 Nephi 26:27). For the law is tailored to our weakness, beginning with the Word of Wisdom, "adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints" (D&C 89:3).[2]

And John Welch explains:

I see no reason, however, why such an ancient person should have been relieved of the duty to obey the law of Moses simply by realizing the ends of the law or by knowing the final goal of eternal life. It is not inconsistent for one who holds the higher priesthood to live concurrently the higher and the lower laws. Today, in the Church, the Aaronic Priesthood is bestowed on young men and on recent converts so that they may learn the principles of the gospel pertaining to the lower order of the priesthood, and Church leaders holding the highest keys of the holy priesthood teach and supervise the work of those holding the lower priesthood. Similarly, Nephite prophets holding the rights and powers of the higher priesthood would not act inconsistently or in a manner unbecoming to their higher spiritual standing if they were to fulfill both the higher and the lower orders of the priesthood that were in effect in their time. Nephi speaks clearly of the deadness of the law, but at the same time reaffirms the necessity of living and teaching the law (see 2 Nephi 25:25–27), and there is no evidence that this presented any awkwardness for the Nephites. They respected God's laws and obeyed them.[3]

---

[1] Oh How Surely Christ Sanctifies His Own, Alan C. Ashton, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 30, 2013.

[2] The Meaning of the Atonement, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 30, 2013.

[3]The Temple in the Book of Mormon: The Temples at the Cities of Nephi, Zarahemla, and Bountiful, John W. Welch, accessed October 30, 2013.

 a

2 Nephi 25:24-25

As we have seen, Nephi understand Christ and His role in our salvation.  He knew that it was through the atonement of Christ we will be saved and not the Mosaic Law.  Even with this knowledge, they kept “the law of Moses, and [looked] forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled” (2 Nephi 25:24). 

Jacob tells us this knowledge of Christ was not unique.

Behold, [all the holy prophets which were before us] believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name.  And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.

Jacob 4:5

There is no doubt the Nephites understood the Law of Moses.  Having the brass plates would have given them the entire Law.  David Seely explains:

The Book of Mormon specifically claims that Lehi and his descendants understood the whole of the law of Moses as pointing toward Christ. Jacob taught: "Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him" (2 Nephi 11:4; cf. 2 Nephi 25:24–25, 27, 30; Alma 25:15; 30:3). King Benjamin further taught, "Yet the Lord God saw that his people were a stiffnecked people, and he appointed unto them a law, even the law of Moses. And many signs, and wonders, and types, and shadows showed he unto them, concerning his coming; and also holy prophets spake unto them concerning his coming" (Mosiah 3:14–15).[1]

The Law of Moses was a preparatory law.  It was preparing the Jews for the coming of the Messiah and the plan of salvation.  Nephi is clear when he says  “the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments” (2 Nephi 25:25). 

Paul was very clear about the Law of Moses.

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

For when we were in the flesh, the motions [GR sufferings, afflictions] of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

But now we are delivered [GR released, freed from] from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. (See also JST Rom. 7:5–27)

Romans 7:4-6

After reading 1 Corinthians 7:14 (For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified [GR cleansed]  by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy), Joseph Smith went to the Lord for further clarification of the verse.  As a part of the revelation, the Lord clarified the role of the  Law of Moses and the atonement.

Now, in the days of the apostles the law of circumcision was had among all the Jews who believed not the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And it came to pass that there arose a great contention among the people concerning the law of circumcision, for the unbelieving husband was desirous that his children should be circumcised and become subject to the law of Moses, which law was fulfilled.

And it came to pass that the children, being brought up in subjection to the law of Moses, gave heed to the traditions of their fathers and believed not the gospel of Christ, wherein they became unholy.

Wherefore, for this cause the apostle wrote unto the church, giving unto them a commandment, not of the Lord, but of himself, that a believer should not be united to an unbeliever; except the ^claw of Moses should be done away among them,

That their children might remain without circumcision; and that the tradition might be done away, which saith that little children are unholy; for it was had among the Jews;

D&C 74:2-6

Hugh Nibley sums up.

 "And by the law," says Lehi, "no flesh is justified" (2 Nephi 2:5); merely keeping the law will not save you. If you cling to it and make it your whole concern, you will find the temporal law cut off, and even "the spiritual law" will leave you to perish, not because it fails of its purpose but because that purpose is limited to getting you to where you are going: "For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments" (2 Nephi 25:25). The law leads us back home; the at-one-ment takes place when we get there. In other words, the law is all preparation. Everything we do here is to prepare for the Atonement: "Therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state . . . which is after the resurrection of the dead" (Alma 12:24). The early Christians taught that as this life is a preparation for the next, so in the preexistence we had to prepare for this one.⁶⁴ To reach a stage where the test would be meaningful—the plan itself being "prepared from the foundation of the world," well ahead of time and well understood by those who accepted it here—angels were sent to remind men of that preparation (Alma 12:30; 13:2-5).[2]

---

[1] Sacred History, Covenants, and the Messiah: The Religious Background of the World of Lehi, David Rolph Seely, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 28, 2013.

[2] The Meaning of the Atonement, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 28, 2013.

2 Nephi 25:22-23

Discussing his record, Nephi makes clear his record will be passed “from generation to generation as long as earth shall stand” (2 Nephi 25:22).  They will go forth to the entire world.  And, those that possess these records will be judged according to the words in the records.

Nephi wrote the words of the Lord.  “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.”  (2 Nephi 29:11).

During his ministry in the Americas, the Savior told the Nephites:

Write the things which ye have seen and heard, save it be those which are forbidden.

Write the works of this people, which shall be, even as hath been written, of that which hath been.

For behold, out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged, for by them shall their works be known unto men.

And behold, all things are written by the Father; therefore out of the books which shall be written shall the world be judged.

And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just.  Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be?  Verily I say unto you, even as I am.

3 Nephi 27:23-27

Elder Neal Maxwell sums up the future of the Book of Mormon.

We know the book's influence will continue to grow. "Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words which are written" (2 Nephi 25:22). Among other words foretelling the book's growing influence are these: "The day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops" (2 Nephi 27:11). Hence the Book of Mormon's best days still lie ahead![1]

The believers, Nephi tells us, do all they can to convince children and brethren to believe in Christ.  Why?  “[F]or we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we do” (2 Nephi 25:23).

What is meant by this statement?  In Romans, Paul wrote:

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by [GR through] the law is the knowledge of sin.

But now the righteousness of God without the law [GR apart from, without intervention of] the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

[JST Rom. 3:24 Therefore being justified only by his grace] through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 3:20-24

What is mean by the law in these scriptures?  The law referred to is the Law of Moses.  It will not save us.  Only the atonement of Christ and His grace will save us. 

Alma2 told Corianton:

And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience;

Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice.  Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.

And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence.

Alma 42:12-14

We fell because of disobedience.  We could be saved only through the plan of redemption.  Without it, justice would have laid claim to our souls.  Through Christ’s grace, the plan of redemption became a reality.

Noel Reynolds writes:

Nephi had two principal purposes for this record, and he points them out to us. Let's look at 2 Nephi 25:23 first, because this is his principal purpose: "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." So his first and principal purpose is to persuade his descendants to believe in Christ. Why? Because man can only be saved through the grace of Christ. He says, "It is by grace that we are saved, after all that we can do."[2]

Nephi tell us all our works cannot save us.  We cannot do enough to be saved.  Everything we do falls short.  What ultimately saves us is the grace of Christ. 

Without grace no one except Christ would be saved. But it is also essential that each of `us do all that is within our power to live fully the principles of the gospel. Even if all we do is pitifully small compared to what the Savior does for us, it is still absolutely vital to our salvation. "It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23).[3] 

---

[1] By the Gift and Power of God, Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 26, 2013.

[2] Nephi's Teachings in the Book of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 26, 2013.

[3] The Word Is Powerful, by Dennis H. Karpowitz, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 26, 2013.

2 Nephi 25:20-21

Nephi took pride in plain speaking.  He does so in order for his people to understand his words.  Writing about the Exodus, Nephi reminds his people of the incident with the poisonous serpents.  The serpent raised up by Moses, which would heal the people, represents Christ.  Speaking to Nicodemus, the Savior told him, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up” (John 3:14).

Before leaving for the Promised Land, Nephi had told Laman and Lemuel, “And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity.  He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished” (1 Nephi 17:41)

Alma₂ made clear that it was the Savior who “was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live.  And many did look and live” (Alma 33:19).

Nephi₃ told the crowd, “Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come?  And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come. And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal” (Helaman 8:14 - 15). 

Nephi testified to his people (and the readers of the Book of Mormon today), “that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved” (2 Nephi 25:20). 

When Peter testified to “Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest” (Acts 4:6), he told them, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

Nephi again reminds us that he received a promise from the Lord his record will be preserved, “from generation to generation” (2 Nephi 25:21).  The promise made to Joseph that his seed will not perish “as long as the earth should stand” (2 Nephi 25:21).

Amos wrote about the promise made to Joseph by the Lord.  “Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph” (Amos 5:15).

When General Moroni₁ recruited Nephites for his army, carrying the Title of Liberty, the Nephite descent from Joseph play are part of his call.

Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed.  And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment.

Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall be taken unto God.

Now behold, this was the language of Jacob.

And now who knoweth but what the remnant of the seed of Joseph, which shall perish as his garment, are those who have dissented from us?  Yea, and even it shall be ourselves if we do not stand fast in the faith of Christ.

Alma 46:24-27

2 Nephi 25:18-19

In the last days, the Savior will bring forth His words.  When He appeared and taught the Nephites, He told them:

And I command you that ye shall write these sayings after I am gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they who have seen me and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, and also of the other tribes whom they know not of, that these sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed, who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer.

3 Nephi 16:4

Nephi, writing the words of the Lord, shared the importance His words be written.  “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” (2 Nephi 29:11). 

Mormon would emphasize the importance of the Savior’s words.  The first was in the Words of Mormon.

Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them with the other plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation until the days of king Benjamin.

And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to generation until they have fallen into my hands.  And I, Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved from this time henceforth.  And I know that they will be preserved; for there are great things written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of God which is written.

Words of Mormon 1:10-11

Mormon would record the Savior’s words during his ministry to the Nephites.

Write the things which ye have seen and heard, save it be those which are forbidden.

Write the works of this people, which shall be, even as hath been written, of that which hath been.

For behold, out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged, for by them shall their works be known unto men.

And behold, all things are written by the Father; therefore out of the books which shall be written shall the world be judged.

And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just.  Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be?  Verily I say unto you, even as I am.

3 Nephi 27:23-27

The words that are written are to convince the Jews Christ was the true Messiah.  “And as I [Nephi] spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God” (2 Nephi 26:12). 

In his book, Mormon would explain why he was making this abridgement.

And I write also unto the remnant of this people, who shall also be judged by the twelve whom Jesus chose in this land; and they shall be judged by the other twelve whom Jesus chose in the land of Jerusalem.

And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all.  And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment–seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil;

And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; and also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was the ^every Christ and the very God.

Mormon 3:19-21

These words are also to let the Jews know “they need not look forward any more for a Messiah to come, for there should not any come, save it should be a false Messiah which should deceive the people; for there is save one Messiah spoken of by the prophets, and that Messiah is he who should be rejected of the Jews” (2 Nephi 25:18).

Nephi tell us according to the prophets, the Savior will come six hundred years after they left Jerusalem.  It was revealed to Nephi “his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (2 Nephi 25:19).

2 Nephi 25:15-17

The Jews will crucify Christ.  After the crucifixion, Jerusalem was invaded by the Romans and destroyed.  Jews were scattered throughout the world.  Jacob had echoed his brother, Nephi’s, teachings.  “Wherefore, because of their iniquities, destructions, famines, pestilences, and bloodshed shall come upon them; and they who shall not be destroyed shall be scattered among all nations” (2 Nephi 10:6).

Terrence Szink comments:

Not only was there wickedness in the Old World that resulted in the crucifixion of Jesus, but there was great wickedness among the Nephites and Lamanites in the New World at that time. Third Nephi describes the rise of the secret combinations, the collapse of the government, the murder of prophets, and general wickedness that characterized the age (see 3 Nephi 7:5–7).

Because of this wickedness, vengeance was swift in coming. According to Nephi, "the Jews shall be scattered among all nations; yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered by other nations" (2 Nephi 25:15). The Jewish historian Josephus described in graphic detail the Roman siege and capture of Jerusalem.²¹ Jesus, while prophesying of this destruction, identified the era as days of vengeance: "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled" (Luke 21:22, emphasis added).[1]

The scattering of the Jews throughout the world will last for generations.  It will last until the day comes “they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement” (2 Nephi 25:16).  Ezekiel prophesied of this day.  “As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day” (Ezekiel 34:12). 

Towards the end of his life, Mormon addressed the gathering of the Jews.  “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 5:14).

Nephi would later write:

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.

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.

2 Nephi 30:7-8

In the Book of Mormon, “Messiah” and “Christ” have specific meanings and uses.

The distinction between "Messiah" and "Christ" when used together in the Book of Mormon is one of generic versus specific, between the concept of a messiah as understood by the Jews and the particular being that the Nephites believe to be the messiah. Thus Nephi urges his readers to "believe in Christ, the Son of God, [specific] . . . and look not forward any more for another Messiah [general]" (2 Nephi 25:16). Thus the distinction between "Messiah" and "Christ" can be viewed as a nuance of English exploited that we "might come to understanding" (D&C 1:24), but need not reflect anything about the Nephite language.[2] 

After the Jews accept Christ, they will be restored “from their lost and fallen state” (2 Nephi 25:17).  On that day, “he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men” (2 Nephi 25:17).

Nephi would again write, “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 Nephi 29:1).  Nephi was reminding us of the words of Isaiah, “Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid”

(Isaiah 29:14).

After recording his account of Christ’s visit to the Nephites, Mormon wrote:

Therefore, great and marvelous works shall be wrought by them, before the great and coming day when all people must surely stand before the judgment–seat of Christ;

Yea even among the Gentiles shall there be a great and marvelous work wrought by them, before that judgment day.

And if ye had all the scriptures which give an account of all the marvelous works of Christ, ye would, according to the words of Christ, know that these things must surely come.

3 Nephi 28:31-33

The words of Aaron Schade are an appropriate way to end this post.

The chain of events that transpired from Lehi's ministry in Jerusalem— including his dreams, obtaining the plates, transporting them to the American continent, the rise and fall of civilizations, and the eventual transmission and translation by the Prophet Joseph Smith—leaves no doubt that the Book of Mormon truly is part of a "marvelous work and a wonder" (2 Nephi 25:17; 27:26).[3]

Prepared for Our Day

 

Elder L. Tom Perry explains that the Book of Mormon was prepared for our day (Mormon 8:12–41).

---

[1] The Vision of Enoch: Structure of a Masterpiece, Terrence L. Szink, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 19, 2013.

[2] La Trahison des Clercs: On the Language and Translation of the Book of Mormon, John Gee, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 19, 2013.

[3] The Kingdom of Judah: Politics, Prophets, and Scribes in the Late Preexilic Period, Aaron P. Schade, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 19, 2013.