Challenge 1: Breastfeeding
13 years ago
Friday, October 29, 2010
1 Nephi 4 and Jer. 15, 20
vs. 2-3 Nephi relates the story of Moses parting the Red Sea and Israel going through on dry ground. It is a powerful scripture story, but what gave it more power was how he related it to themselves and what he and his brothers were going through, saying "Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians." The other day I pictured, in my minds eye, a ladder. I had forgotten about it until I saw a picture of a ladder while looking for blog pictures and it jumped out at me as being important. It reminds me of Nephi's experience of being attracted to Laban's sword. His curiosity about it caused him to draw it from its sheath, then the Lord was able to prompt him. Had Nephi not had Laban's sword in his hand he probably would not have had the courage to do what he was required to do next. It is also interesting that without Laban's sword Nephi would not have had a pattern for constructing other swords to preserve his people. He was prepared to preserve his people physically and spiritually. Getting back to the ladder. Had I not seen the picture of the ladder I would not have asked Dad what is the story of Jacob's ladder about. He said it is a representation of our journey on this earth and returning to the presence of the Lord. Jacob, like Nephi was following directions from his father; He was returning to the land of his fathers to those of like faith to preserve his posterity unto the Lord by marrying in the faith. On his journey he lay down to sleep and dreamed a dream; "and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it" (Genesis 28:12). This is important to me because I imagined seeing Angela climbing all the way to the top of the ladder and as she climbed, brightness increased; when she was almost to the top she slid down, then she climbed halfway up again and sat on a rung. There is a footnote for angels in the TG, defined as ministering spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. I do not know why we are led to think of one thing or another, God alone knows all things. I am just grateful for his guidance and for the scriptures, especially the stories that stay with us, teach and strengthen us.
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This story has always made me a little curious. I wonder why it was required of Nephi to kill Laban. Couldn't the Lord have killed him another way if it was needful for him to die? Any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteThis chapter starts out with Nephi telling his brother's that they need to have faith like Moses and then they will be delivered. Later Nephi is thinking about his posterity, "I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law." The scriptures are helping him in his daily life and he knows they will also be important for future generations.
Crystal, I've struggled with that too. I was wondering if in this time period that robbing was punishable by death. Nephi also had a struggle with what he was required to do.
ReplyDeleteMom and talked about this last night. Under the Law of Moses, they were taught "eye for eye and tooth for tooth". It was not until the Savior came that he taught them to treat our oppressors otherwise. Laban had sought to murder Laman and then all 4 of the brothers. He had also robbed them of thier considerable property. This may have warranted a death sentence in thier culture.
ReplyDeleteI am talking with a man who has a real struggle with the Lord waiting to take out the vengence on the wicked that we believe is coming. I remind him that at this time, we are under the command found in D&C 134:10
"We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal with thier members for disorderly conduct, according to the rules and reulations of such societies; provided that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life, to take from them this world's good, or to put them in jeopardy of either life or limb, or to inflict any physical punishment upon them. They can only excommunicate them from thier society, and withdraw from them thier fellowship.