1 Nephi Chapter 6 - May 6, 2017

[pam]

Discuss

[Sunday21]

This chapter gives me a different insight on the people and the religion of the Old Testament. As a former atheist my understanding of this group of people is hazy at best. I pictured these people as Jewish in the sense of the tribe of Judah. I don't think that this view is correct. That is, I don't think the the children of Abraham have split into the ten tribes and Judah at the time of Nephi 1. My picture therefore of the Children of Abraham at this time as being the inward looking rule bound Jews of the time of Jesus's ministry is incorrect. I have heard that Abraham was a great missionary and Nephi echoes proselyting as a goal in this chapter. Having an evangelical perspective, which lds people share is a very different, and I think more positive, outward looking and accepting view of society than that of a religious society that places a lot of weight on the rights of birth.

i come from an ethnic group that has suffered from a birthright view that has been very destructive. The ruling class in my ancestral home  considered themselves predestined by God to rule their inferiors. In a way, you can understand why the upperclass came to that conclusion. The upper class were considerably taller & blond while the lower class were short and dark haired. The novel the Time Machine reflects this conflict. Elements of the upper classes in my ancestral home sympathized and to some extent colluded with Hitler. It is very fortunate that the man destined to be king at the time of WWII fell in love with an unacceptable woman and was replaced. 

In any case a religion that sees everyone as a potential convert is a very positive thing!

Edited May 6, 2017 by Sunday21

[person0]

Quote

4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.
5 Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.
6 Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.

In our time we have practically unlimited storage capacity for the written word, and are able to preserve it digitally for a perceived eternity.  Nephi had a purpose and a calling to fulfill, and those who were to write upon the plates must take the responsibility to write those things which would persuade men to come unto Christ.  Imagine if all authors had this perspective in mind, or even if they sought to just be completely truthful in their writings.  Nephi's wisdom is notable as he wanted us to know how important it was that he would not write things which are pleasing to the world.

Given that the Book of Mormon was written and prepared for our day, we can clearly see that the world is replete with those who seek to please the world.  The mingling of the philosophies of men with scripture is used to justify many abominable actions.  Nephi laid down the law, so to speak, by giving a commandment unto his seed.  This command was taken seriously enough that not only was it passed on with each new generation, but even Omni, a self acknowledged wicked man, did his part to preserve the record and add information of worth!  I hope that I can and will pass my testimony on to my children and grandchildren, etc, in a way that could somehow impact them similarly.

[pam]

Very short chapter.  But what I came away with is that Nephi's intent for what he writes is to teach all of us the ways of God and to bring people to Christ.

Hugh Nibley says this:

Quote

"[Nephi] tells us he is going to give us an abbreviated account. 'Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world' (1 Nephi 6:5). That's important. The Book of Mormon is not to be peddled for entertainment or TV fare. It's not meant to be diverting. Mark Twain said, 'It's simply chloroform in print.' Most people can't even get through it; they think it's the dullest book in the world. We know it's anything but that, but it isn't written as a best seller. It isn't written for the sake of the story or the thrills...When you pick up the Book of Mormon, you [have to] shift your mind into another gear..." (Teachings of the Book of Mormon--Semester 1: Transcripts of Lectures Presented to an Honors Book of Mormon Class at Brigham Young University, 1988-1990, p. 171.)

 

[Sunday21]

Mark Twain was a grumpy old sod who hated Jane Austen

i have read in the manual that at this point the 10 tribes have left Israel. I assume that Manasseh is left with Judah in Jerusalem because Nephi is from the tribe of Manasseh. But maybe some of Manasseh left with the 10 tribes?

[zil]

34 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

Mark Twain was a grumpy old sod who hated Jane Austen

i have read in the manual that at this point the 10 tribes have left Israel. I assume that Manasseh is left with Judah in Jerusalem because Nephi is from the tribe of Manasseh. But maybe some of Manasseh left with the 10 tribes?

To me, it seems probable that some of each tribe likely remained in and around Jerusalem.  Benjamin is the tribe which, in large, remained with Judah (their inheritance (land) was intermixed with Judah's - like little islands of Benjamin surrounded by Judah-land).  Manasseh as a tribe would have been carried away with the rest of the 10 tribes, individual families excepted.

At least, that's my understanding.

Edited May 22, 2017 by zil

[Just_A_Guy]

The Kingdom of Israel didn't have a single righteous king--they turned to idolatry from the time Jeroboam rebelled against Solomon's heir Rehoboam.  Members of the Ten Tribes who wanted to maintain their allegiance to Yahweh would naturally have gravitated to Jerusalem, where Yahwist worship continued (at least in name) for another four centuries.  In fact, this emigration became such an issue that a later king of Israel (Baasha) built a fort or city (Ramah) at the border with Judah specifically to stop would-be exiles from fleeing his realm.

Edited May 22, 2017 by Just_A_Guy