Post # 170 -- Come Follow Me -- Week
# 7 -- February 10–16. 2 Nephi 6–10 -- O How Great the Plan of Our God!”
Dear Family and
Friends
I hope and pray that
each one of you are enjoying our study together this year of the Book of Mormon😊I
want to promise each of you that if you do take the time to read and study the
Book of Mormon with me you will not be sorry that you did. It is a wonderful
sacred book of scripture like the Bible.
Remember the Lord loves each one of us
and He wants us to have His teachings😊
so that we can teach them to our own
children and all of His other children who have not had the chance to learn of
Him and His Son, Jesus Christ😊
I do hope you are each
looking forward to learning more about Lehi and his family and their adventures
as they traveled through the wilderness and their continuous life adventure in
the promised land😊
This week we are going to learn about
Nephi’s younger brother Jacob and some of the things that the Lord wants each
of us to know.
Are you ready to find out what we can
learn from Nephi’s brother Jacob???
Okay then, find a cozy place for you and
your family members and friends and let’s get out our scriptures and we can get
started😊 this first part is directly from the
Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
As you read 2 Nephi 6–10, ponder what the Lord is trying to
teach you. As you identify these truths, record them and prayerfully consider
how you can act on what you are learning.
6 Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my
family, and also Zoram and his
family, and Sam, mine elder brother and his family, and Jacob and
Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters, and all those who would go
with me. And all those who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and
the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my words.
In these circumstances, Jacob, who was Nephi’s
younger brother and now ordained as a teacher for the Nephites, wanted the
covenant people to know that God would never forget them, so they must never
forget Him.
This is a message we surely need in our own world, where covenants
are belittled and revelation rejected. “Let us remember him, … for we are not
cast off. … Great are the promises of the Lord,” he declared (2 Nephi 10:20–21). Among those promises, none is greater
than the promise of an “infinite atonement” to overcome death and hell (2 Nephi 9:7). “Therefore,” Jacob concluded, “cheer
up your hearts”! (2 Nephi 10:23).
21 But
great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon the isles of the sea; wherefore as it says isles, there must
needs be more than this, and they are inhabited also by our brethren.
7 Wherefore,
it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it
should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on
incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh
must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.
23 Therefore, cheer up your
hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for
yourselves—to choose the way
of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.
You know that as you read through 2 Nephi 6:5 you will find in this verse what Jacob
taught his people. He taught them that the teachings of Isiah “may be likened
unto you.”
Jacob is also teaching you and your family members and all of the
rest of us that same principle – that the teachings of Isaiah “may be likened unto
you.” The ‘You’ being actually any one and all of us😊
5 And
now, the words which I shall read are they which Isaiah spake concerning all
the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be likened unto you,
for ye are of the house of Israel. And there are many things which have been
spoken by Isaiah which may be likened unto you, because ye are of the house
of Israel.
You may want to begin your lesson with
your family members and friends by asking your family members and friends if
they wanted to share any of Jacobs teachings that they can liken to their own
lives.
Or you could share
those teachings of Jacob that you have been able to like to your life or that
you could liken to your life😊
be sure to ask your family members and
friends to share with your family study group why they feel that particular
teaching of Jacob’s is meaningful to them.
Or you could share with them why the verse or verses were
meaningful to you😊
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/6?lang=eng https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/7?lang=eng https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/8?lang=eng
The
Lord is merciful to His people and will fulfill His promises.
In doing this it may give some good context to the messages found in 2 Nephi
6–8. What do you think the events that are in these
verses suggest about our Heavenly Father and His feelings about His people?
It may do you well to
explain to your family members and friends that as Church members, we are God’s
covenant people today, and we are being gathered out of the world into the
safety of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You could ask your family members and
friends the following question: What messages do these chapters have for us
now?
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
The Lord is merciful to His people and will fulfill His
promises.
Isaiah described the scattering of Israel and the
Savior’s promised gathering and redemption of His people.
As you read, ponder
questions like the following:
·
What do I learn about the Savior’s redeeming love for me?
·
What comfort does the Savior offer to those who seek Him?
·
What can I do to more faithfully “wait” for the Savior and His
promised blessings?
Through
His Atonement, Jesus Christ delivers all people from physical and spiritual
death.
One way to if you want to deepen your appreciation for
and your family and friend’s appreciation for the Atonement of Jesus Christ is possibly for
you each to think about what would have happened to each one of us here on the
earth without the Atonement.
I think you and your
family members and friends could jump right into your study by studying verses 4–9 and then you might want to get out
your poster board and jot down what would have happened without Christ’s
Atonement.
4 For
I know that ye have searched much, many of you, to know of things to come;
wherefore I know that ye know that our flesh must
waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall
see God.
5 Yea,
I know that ye know that in the body he shall show himself unto those at
Jerusalem, from whence we came; for it is expedient that it should be among
them; for it behooveth the great Creator that
he suffereth himself
to become subject unto
man in the flesh, and die for all men,
that all men might become subject unto him.
7 Wherefore,
it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it
should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on
incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment
which came upon man must needs have remained to an
endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to
crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.
8 O
the wisdom of God,
his mercy and grace! For behold,
if the flesh should
rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from
before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no
more.
9 And
our spirits must have become like unto him,
and we become devils, angels to
a devil, to be shut out from
the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery,
like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our
first parents, who transformeth himself
nigh unto an angel of light,
and stirreth up the
children of men unto secret combinations of
murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.
10 O how
great the goodness of our
God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the
grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call
the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.
11 And
because of the way of deliverance of
our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death, of which I
have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which
death is the grave.
12 And
this death of which
I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its
dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore,
death and hell must deliver up
their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the
grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the
bodies and the spirits of men
will be restored one to
the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of
Israel.
13 O
how great the plan of our
God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God
must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body
of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to
itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they
are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like
unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.
14 Wherefore,
we shall have a perfect knowledge of
all our guilt, and
our uncleanness, and
our nakedness; and the
righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment,
and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with
the robe of
righteousness.
Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland’s message below can help you and your family members and friends to understand
your need and their need [the need of every living person] for the Atonement of
Jesus Christ.
Our
need for a Savior.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland told the story of a rock climber
who was hanging precariously from a steep canyon ledge, with nothing to keep
him from falling to his death. Just as his grip began slipping on the sandy
surface of the ledge, he felt his younger brother’s hands grasp his wrists and
pull him to safety. Elder Holland compared the climber’s experience to our
condition in this fallen world:
“There was an actual Adam and Eve who fell from an actual Eden,
with all the consequences that fall carried with it. … Because we were then
born into that fallen world and because we too would transgress the laws of
God, we also were sentenced to the same penalties that Adam and Eve faced.
Are we all
just hanging in a cold canyon somewhere in an indifferent universe, each of us
searching for a toehold, each of us seeking for something to grip—with nothing but the feeling of sand sliding under our fingers,
nothing to save us, nothing to hold on to, much less anything to hold on to
us? …
“The answer to those questions is an unequivocal and eternal no!
… [The] Atonement would achieve complete victory over physical death,
unconditionally granting resurrection to every person who has been born or ever
will be born into this world.
Mercifully it would also provide forgiveness for
the personal sins of all, from Adam to the end of the world, conditioned upon
repentance and obedience to divine commandments” (“Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2015, 105–6). You can find his full talk here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/where-justice-love-and-mercy-meet?lang=eng
There is also a video
that you could show if you want to that is based on his message—“Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet”
(ChurchofJesusChrist.org). I found the video here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/youth/video/where-justice-love-mercy-meet?lang=eng
You may want to
consider asking the following question
of your family members and friends: How would you explain the Atonement of Jesus Christ to
someone who does not know what it is or why it is necessary and important for
every person who has ever lived or who
will ever live on this earth. Something that could help prepare you and your
family members and friends for just such a conversation would be by studying.
The truths found in 2 Nephi 9.
As you and your
family members and friends will be looking for how the Savior’s Atonement
overcomes physical and spiritual death It would be best if you were to search verses 4–12. You can reread these verses above😊
Now that you have
done your searching of these passages of scripture then based on what you have
learn from these scriptures, ask the following question of your family and
friends:
Why it is that the Savior’s
sacrifice is called “an infinite atonement”? You can refer your family members
and friends to 2 Nephi 9:7 specifically to help them find the
answers.
As I understand it, Jacob
was so awed by God’s plan of redemption that he was led to exclaim “O how
great” and “O the greatness” as he described the plan for his people and for
each one of us as readers😊 one thing that may help you and your
family members and friends to better understand these feelings for the Savior
and His Atonement.
What do these
verses teach about God and His plan? What experiences have helped you and your
family members and friends to feel what Jacob felt about God’s plan for His
children?
Another
thing you can do is to sing a song about the greatness of God, like one of my
favorite hymns “How Great Thou Art” (Hymns, no. 86), to
reinforce your family discussion. I wish that I could share the words to this
hymn with all of you but there are licensing restrictions.
You can
search these passages for a lot of the words in and the meaning of the song
here: SCRIPTURES: Psalm 8:3-9; Psalm 9:1–2;, Mosiah 4:5-13 Another
song I would like to share with you is in the HYMNAL -- I STAND ALL AMAZED Lyrics both songs are singing praise to our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ😊
|
1. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.
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Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
Enough to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!
|
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2. I marvel that he would descend from his throne
divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,
That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.
|
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
Enough to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!
|
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3. I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the
debt!
Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?
No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,
Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.
|
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
Enough to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!
|
Text and music: Charles H. Gabriel, 1856–1932
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ
delivers all people from physical and spiritual death.
What words or images would you use to communicate to someone our
desperate need for a Redeemer to rescue us from death and sin?
Jacob used the
words “awful” and “monster.” What did Jacob teach about “that monster, death
and hell” and the “escape” that God has prepared for us? (2 Nephi 9:10).
As you read 2 Nephi 9:1–26, consider marking in one
color what would happen to us without the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Then, in
another color, you could mark what we can receive through the Savior’s
Atonement.
What truths do you find about the Atonement of Jesus Christ that
cause you to praise the “wisdom of God, his mercy and grace”? (2 Nephi 9:8).
See also “Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Gospel Topics, topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
We
can come unto Christ and receive the glorious blessings of His Atonement.
For you to begin a
discussion of Jacob’s teachings in these verses you could start by asking your
family members and friends to think about – even make a mental picture about
how they would invite someone to repent and come unto Christ.
It may even be
fun to do some role playing for good practice😊Search
through 2 Nephi 9:50–53 carefully and prayerfully to find just
how did Jacob accomplish this? What blessings did he say will come into our
lives as we accept these invitations?
50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without
money and without price.
51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no
worth, nor your labor for that
which cannot satisfy. Hearken
diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto
the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that
which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in
fatness.
52 Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of
your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his
holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice.
53 And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of
his greatness, and his grace and mercy, he has promised unto us that our seed shall not utterly
be destroyed, according to the flesh, but that he would preserve them; and in future generations they shall
become a righteous branch unto the house of Israel.
As you and your
family members and friends continue to search chapter 9, you will see that
Jacob used two powerful and contrasting phrases found in 2 Nephi 9: the first one being “the merciful
plan of the great Creator” and the other one being “that cunning plan of the
evil one” These two phrases can be found in 2 Nephi 9:6, 28.
6 For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a
power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by
reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord.
28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they
know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they
shall perish.
Next to help your
family members and friends to learn from this contrast, you could draw a path
on your poster board and label it as Heavenly Father’s Plan.
Now ask
your family members and friends to search through 2 Nephi 9:27–52. Ask them to be looking for the
counsel Jacob gave to help us follow Heavenly Father’s plan. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/9?lang=eng
Remember – this is counsel for each one of us😊you
should ask your family and friends what they have found and then write it
beside the path.
Here are a few good
questions for you to ask your family members and friends: What did Jacob teach
about how Satan lures us away from the plan of our Heavenly Father? What do we
learn from these verses about where following Heavenly Father’s plan will lead
us and where following Satan will lead?
Reread the following
verses: 2 Nephi 9:9, 18. Now according to these verses, what
can we each do to more fully follow the plan of our Heavenly Father?
9 And
our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with
the father of lies, in misery,
like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself
nigh unto an angel of light,
and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret
works of darkness.
18 But,
behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have
believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it,
they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever.
As you may know, it
was in 2 Nephi 9:28–38, where Jacob warned against several
attitudes and behaviors that will keep us from following God’s plan for us. Together
you and your family members and friends could find those behaviors and
attitudes to avoid or you could ask one or more of your family members and/or
friends to find them. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/9?lang=eng
Now ask your family
members and friends the following questions: Which of these attitudes and
behaviors seem especially prevalent today? What makes them so dangerous? What
do we learn from 2 Nephi 9:50–53 about how to avoid these dangers? You can
reread these verses above😊 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/9?lang=eng
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
I can come unto Christ and receive the glorious blessings
of His Atonement.
Jesus Christ came “into the world that he may save all men if they will
hearken unto his voice” (2 Nephi 9:21; italics added). In other
words, we must be willing to accept the saving blessings He offers.
After describing
the great plan of redemption, Jacob gave important warnings and invitations,
found in 2 Nephi 9:27–54, to help us receive the
blessings of the Atonement. Consider recording them on a chart like this one:
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Warnings
|
Invitations
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What do you feel prompted
by the Spirit to do in response to these warnings and invitations?
Oh look,
someone else likes to use charts to study with😊 I just think visuals are so helpful for me to
remember things by as well as seeing if I have mentioned everything that I have
found. I sure hope that I am making a little bit of sense to you here,
sometimes I wonder if what I am saying makes sense to anyone but me😊☹😊☹😊
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ,
I can “cheer up” my heart.
Jacob’s message was a joyful one. “I speak unto you these things,”
he said, “that ye may rejoice, and lift up your heads forever” (2 Nephi 9:3).
As you read 2 Nephi 10:20, 23–25, what do you find that gives you hope? What
else have you found in 2 Nephi 9–10 that has given you hope? What will you do to remember
these things when you feel discouraged? https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/9?lang=eng
Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening
As you
read the scriptures with your family, the Spirit can help you know what principles
to emphasize and discuss in order to meet the needs of your family. Here are
some ideas.
When you read 2 Nephi
8:3, you could show pictures of a desert and a garden. How does the
Lord turn the deserts of our lives into gardens? In verses
4–7, what does the Lord counsel us to do in order to receive the
joy described in verse 3?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/8?lang=eng
How can
Isaiah’s encouraging words to the people of Zion strengthen us in our efforts
to become more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ? How is waking up and getting
dressed similar to what God wants us to do spiritually? https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/8?lang=eng
What could your family do to better understand the magnitude of
Jesus Christ’s “infinite atonement”? (verse 7).
Perhaps they could look at or think about things that seem infinite in number—blades of grass in a
field, grains of sand on a beach, or stars in the sky. How is the Savior’s
Atonement infinite? What phrases in 2 Nephi 9 deepen
our gratitude for what the Savior did for us? https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/9?lang=eng
Perhaps one day this week your family could search 2 Nephi
9:27–38, looking for the warnings (preceded by “wo”).
Which of these
seem especially important for your family to discuss? On another day, you could
search 2 Nephi
9:39–44, looking for what Jacob invited his people to remember. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/9?lang=eng
What are some examples of “the vainness, and the frailties, and
the foolishness of men”? (verse 28).
What
can we do to place more value on the things of God and less on the things of
the world? https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/9?lang=eng
Your
family might enjoy making a paper chain and then taking turns putting it on and
shaking it off. How are sins like chains? How does the Savior help us shake
them off? https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/9?lang=eng
I believe that each
one of us can view this next week's readings as a wonderful opportunity to work
on building and / or strengthening our own faith in Jesus Christ. As well as in
helping our family members and friends strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ. Nephi quoted Isaiah’s writings in his own
writings.
Nephi loved the
writings of Isaiah and put these writings in the scriptures to strengthen his
people in their faith in Jesus Christ. In knowing this we as a people can feel
confident and help our family members and friends to feel confident about our
reading the writings of Isaiah😊
I have often felt like
Isaiah was meant for someone a whole lot smarter than I and because of this fact I often times when
reading through my scriptures – did just that, read through Isaiah, but did not
in the least begin to try to understand it☹ I did not believe that I could
understand it so I don’t think that I was willing to try very hard to
understand it☹
I still do not understand
it completely but at least I am trying to understand it through prayer, the
whispering's of the Holy Ghost and also with Nephi’s insight😊besides
the use of our Latter-day scriptures. This includes: The Old Testament, the New
Testament, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of
Great Price😊
All of which are
sacred volumes of scripture and when used in conjunction with one another do
help to clarify the word of God😊 I have also found another helpful source to
help me in my understanding of Isaiah that resource is found here: https://www.ldsscriptureteachings.org/2015/10/26/ten-keys-to-understanding-isaiah/
here is another source I would like to share to help you to better understand
Isaiah’s teachings: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/old-testament-student-manual-kings-malachi/enrichment-e?lang=eng
Well folks, I am
quite certain that you know where we are now😊
??? Right?
Yes, you guessed it again!!
We are at the end of our lesson which I am
going to stop adding things so that you too can get on with your day😊
if you ever find that I have not given you enough information on a subject
please feel free to email me or write in the comments section.
I am always happy to
help and of course if I don’t know where to find what you need I will find someone
who does😊 please do continue studying the Book
of Mormon with me and all of our cyber buddies out there😊
We have so much to learn, so let’s keep after it, okay? Make sure that you are
doing better than I am and be sure to say a prayer before, during and at th3
end of your study😊
I know that this does
help and I do learn more when I remember to do this😊
also, please do remember who you are😊
Knowing this one fact alone has helped
me so much more so than even I could
have imagined it would!!!
Knowing that I am loved by Heavenly parents is
amazing to me😊 it has helped me a great deal with my self-esteem
and confidence and self-worth issues.
These are issues that
I have dealt with all throughout my childhood and on into my adult life☹
And of course the adversary loves it when we are riddled with our self-doubt,
especially when it rules our very lives☹☹☹ Please know that you are loved, with a love deeper and stronger than you can
imagine😊
You are of value, you
are smarter than you believe, stronger than you think, and more amazing than
you are willing to give yourself credit for and more confident than you know
and don’t you let anyone convince you otherwise!!!
I know that believing these
things is very hard, especially for some of us. It has taken me years and I sometimes
still fall back into those untruths, but I have the desire to believe and I have
the faith as tiny as a mustard seed😊
If you do not know the
story of the mustard seed, you really should make it a point to learn all about
it😊 😊 😊 😊
It would really be worth all of the time and effort that you put into finding this story 😊
Until my next post, keep on believing,
keep praying, keep studying your scriptures, and make it a great week!!!
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