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OVERVIEW TO JACOB 1-4
ICEBREAKER
For an icebreaker, I like to present my class with a few brain teasers, or story problems to see if they can figure out their solutions. They’ll need to use their problem-solving skills to find the answers. I have three.
1. Two fathers and two sons went fishing one day. They were there the whole day and only caught 3 fish. One father said, that is enough for all of us, we will have one each. How can this be possible?
Answer: There was the father, his son, and his son's son. This equals two fathers and two sons for a total of three!
2. What makes this number unique: 8,549,176,320?
Answer: It has each number, zero through nine, listed in alphabetical order
3. An Arab sheik is old and must leave his fortune to one of his two sons. He makes a proposition: Both sons will ride their camels in a race, and whichever camel crosses the finish line LAST will win the fortune for its owner. During the race, the two brothers wander aimlessly for days, neither willing to cross the finish line. In desperation, they ask a wise man for advice. He tells them something; then the brothers leap onto the camels and charge toward the finish line. What did the wise man say?
Answer: The rules of the race were that the owner of the camel that crosses the finish line last wins the fortune. The wise man simply told them to switch camels.
TRANSITION
So there we go. Now we’re all warmed up to use our problem-solving skills. And we’re going to need them today because the scriptures often present us with people who are experiencing problems or difficult situations. Then we’re invited to “liken the scriptures unto ourselves.” But, I’ve also found that the scriptures will almost never present a problem without the solution appearing somewhere nearby. So if we find ourselves struggling with any of the same kinds of problems, the scriptures can help us to see how WE can solve them. That’s the case with these first four chapters of Jacob. And let me provide you with a little background here, to set the stage. Jacob, the younger brother of Nephi has now become the new spiritual leader of the Nephites. And sadly, the people have started to manifest a number of different morally perilous issues . . . problems. He says in Jacob 2:5 that they were beginning to labor in sin. Which is an interesting expression, because we typically look at sin as the path of least resistance—as the thing which comes most easily to us. But Jacob turns that thought on its head by suggesting that sin is something you have to work at or labor in. I might pair that thought with Paul’s words in Romans 6:23 where he says “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." You have to earn the consequences of sin, work at it, it’s labor, but the reward of righteousness is a gift. Perhaps in a way saying that righteousness really is the easier path to travel in the long run. Well, the Nephites are beginning to labor in sin and Jacob, as their prophet, desires to counsel and correct them. He says in chapter 2:3 that he is “weighed down with much more desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls.” And this talk he’s going to give them seems like a difficult thing for him to do. Later in verse 7 he says “it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you.” and in verse 9, “Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained, because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes . . .” So now, let’s discover what those crimes, or problems are, and then we’ll spend the bulk of our time today focusing on Jacob’s counsel on how to solve those problems.
Can you identify the three main problems Jacob’s people are laboring in by studying the following verses?
Jacob 2:12-13, 1:16
Jacob 2:23, 1:15
Jacob 3:9
And what are they?
Jacob 2:12-13 (see also 1:16)
12 And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I declare unto you, that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for silver, and for all manner of precious ores, in the which this land, which is a land of promise unto you and to your seed, doth abound most plentifully.
13 And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they.
Problem #1 is materialism (and the pride that so often accompanies it). They’re striving to become rich, or at least richer than their fellow man.
Next problem, 2:23 (see also 1:15)
23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.
Problem #2 is sexual immorality (they are using Old Testament plural marriage practices as an excuse for committing whoredoms or sexual immorality)
And then finally, Jacob 3:9.
9 Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness, and remember that their filthiness came because of their fathers.
What’s our final problem? What do we call reviling somebody because of their skin color or their culture? Racism and Prejudice (they hate and revile the Lamanites because of the way the live and differences in their physical appearance)
Now before we tackle these specific problems, a quick note:
Go to Jacob chapter 1 and consider what he says right at the beginning of the chapter. Starting in verse 2 he tells us the following:
2 And he(Nephi) gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which are called the people of Nephi.
3 For he said that the history of his people should be engraven upon his other plates, and that I should preserve these plates and hand them down unto my seed, from generation to generation.
4 And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people.
Also consider this. Jacob says in 3:13 that “And a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people, which now began to be numerous, cannot be written upon these plates;”
And then in 4:1 he speaks about “the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates”
So we discover that Jacob was only able to write a little of the history of his people because of the difficulty of engraving on metal plates And the things that he did include were those things that he felt would be the most precious, most sacred, and most important things to pass on to future generations. He knew his record would be read far into the future, including our day. So we can rest assured that what we find in Jacob, is only going to be what would he considered to be the most relevant and beneficial for those who would read it. Does that hold true here.
Take a look at that list of problems. How did he do? Is he touching on problems that are significant and relevant to our day? Materialism, immorality, and racism. Uh, yeah. I think so. Many nations in the latter-days face these very issues, and as I reflect upon my own nation, the United States, all three of these have been and continue to be major issues for our society. This just strengthens my conviction that the Book of Mormon was indeed written for our day; that it’s writers were inspired to record and cover the specific things that they did. Jacob’s message is sorely needed in our world. He’s going to help us out with some solutions to these problems here. We’ll take a look at each in turn.
PROBLEM #1 BEFORE YE SEEK FOR RICHES (Jacob 2)
PROBLEM #1-MATERIALISM
First, how relevant do you see THIS particular issue? Either in your nation, your community, or most importantly, in your own life? Do you see any evidence of materialism in these areas? I definitely see it in my country. It seems that the sizes of our houses, and cars, and the amount of our stuff, just continues to grow and grow. Are we working longer and longer hours to make more money, while neglecting family, personal, or spiritual responsibilities? Are we tempted to compromise our honesty, integrity, or sense of charity in the name of pursuing wealth? And the media only seems to perpetuate materialistic desires by continually bombarding us with messages that equate happiness with ownership. This fixation on the tangible only perpetuates a cycle of constant desire for more and more and cultivates a dissatisfaction with the blessings that that we do have.
Now the problem that we have here isn’t so much the prosperity itself. I don’t believe that prosperity is a bad thing necessarily. If it was, then I don’t imagine God would ever reward a hardworking, righteous people with it. But He often does. In fact, a repeated promise of the Book of Mormon is that if you are righteous, you will “prosper in the land” (Mosiah 2:22) and I assume this means both spiritual and temporal prosperity. I also believe that God would prefer for us to experience an abundant life, not an excessive one, but abundant. He tells us that in Doctrine and Covenants 49:19.
“For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance.”
The Doctrine and Covenants also teaches us that God wants us to have sufficient to support our families, our circumstances, our needs, and our wants(Doctrine and Covenants 51:3), inasmuch as our wants are just (Doctrine and Covenants 82:17) or reasonable. The problem with prosperity is not in God’s giving it to us, but how we respond to it—or how the adversary uses that situation to try and ensnare us. That’s what he always does right? He takes the good things of God, and tempts us to pursue them at the wrong time, in the wrong way, or to the wrong degree. And how does Satan ensnare us with prosperity? Look in Jacob 2:13 and fill in this scripture equation using what you discovered. I call this equation, the 3 P’s of prosperity.
Prosperity —> P__________ —> P______________.
Prosperity leads to what? Which then leads to what? And all three words begin with P.
13 And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they.
The problem with prosperity is that when people obtain more abundantly than others, it often leads them to a faulty conclusion. I have more than you, therefore I am better than you. We call that “Pride”. Prosperity leads to Pride—the universal sin. But sadly, the problem doesn’t stop there. The adversary leads the prideful prosperous further down the path of sin to our next P. What is it? Persecution. Because I have more than you, and I’m better than you, I’m going to treat you differently. I’m going to lord it over you, or ignore you, or ostracize you, or exploit you. That’s the problem with prosperity. And ultimately, this can lead to a final step that we can add, but it doesn’t start with P. What eventually will this attitude do to our souls according to Jacob 2:16? It can destroy your soul—and maybe we could add that idea as another P. Prosperity leads to Pride which leads to Persecution, which will eventually cause our souls to Perish.
Brigham Young had something to say about this. When the Saints first settled in the Salt Lake valley, Brother Brigham had a major concern about the Saints. He expressed his biggest fear. After all the trials the Saints had been asked to endure up to that point, what do you think his biggest worry might be? Some might guess that it would be persecution, or crop failure, or attack, or Mormon crickets, or draught. But no, what was Brigham Young’s biggest fear?
“The worst fear I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and His people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church and go to hell. This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty, and all manner of persecution, and be true. But my greater fear … is that they cannot stand wealth.”
Brigham Young
(in Preston Nibley, Brigham Young: The Man and His Work [1936], 128).
SEARCH ACTIVITY/LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Well Jacob doesn’t want that to happen to his people or to us, so he’s going to give us some help. Remember that the problem isn’t so much the prosperity, but our reaction to it—or the pride that so often accompanies it. I do believe that it is possible to be rich and righteous, both wealthy and worthy. The trick is to change the equation, or break the cycle. To learn how to live in prosperity, without being lifted up unto pride. Jacob is going to give anyone who has the intention of seeking wealth some cautions. I call it the, “Can I Be Rich Test”. We’ve got to recognize that we have to be able to approach prosperity with a certain mindset, or we’ll never be able to handle it. It will destroy our souls. Therefore, we don’t even want to think about becoming rich before we can pass this test. And the word “rich” here doesn't necessarily mean how much we’ve accumulated in our bank accounts, but a reflection of how we relate to our material goods and money. Rich can be a relative term. I like Spencer W. Kimball’s definition of rich. “We say that he is rich whose accumulations are sufficiently great to blind him to his spiritual and moral obligations and to render him slave instead of master” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball p.356).
To help us see the “Can I Be Rich Test”, more clearly, I’ve put together a handout based on Jacob’s teachings found in chapter 2:17-21. The handout will not only help us to study this section of scripture, but invites us to liken the scriptures to ourselves as we go. Now you can approach this test in two ways. I haven’t actually included the questions themselves, but the verses and particular phrases in which the questions come from. This gives you the freedom as a teacher to evaluate the scriptural proficiency of your students. If you want to challenge them a bit more, you can invite them to go through and seek to come up with the questions themselves. Or, you could read each verse or phrase together as a class and then provide them with the questions as the teacher and then encourage them to write those questions in. Whichever way you decide to do it, there is an invitation to self-assess on each question. You’re going to invite them to evaluate themselves on a scale from 1-5 on how they would rank their attitude towards seeking wealth. Here’s how the scale is broken down.
1. Absolutely
2. I think so
3. Not Sure
4. I don't think so
5. Nope
So here we go.
Question #1 comes from v.17 and the statement "Think of your brethren like unto yourselves.” Our question then: Are you able to resist the temptation to think that because you have more, that you are better? It’s so easy and almost natural for us to arrive at that conclusion. If we plan on getting rich, let’s be sure that we start with the fundamental truth that earning more money will never make us better, more valuable than anybody else. Can we always think of our brethren like unto ourselves, regardless of our differences in fortune. We can’t equate wealth with worth.
Question #2 also comes from v. 17 and the statement “be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.” So the question: Are you able to give of your wealth freely to others so that they may be rich like you? That’s often a very difficult one for the prosperous to accept. Because they find their value in that comparison. That’s why they feel prideful. If others become rich like us, we no longer feel superior. There’s no reason to feel like we’re better. So, we may be really good at making money, but how good are we at giving it away? If we find it difficult to be familiar and free with our substance, we should probably try to stay away from wealth. My favorite way of describing this dynamic is with the analogy of the house. If you’ve studied with me for awhile, you’ve heard me talk about this before. I use it when I teach the law of consecration in the Doctrine and Covenants, and I use it when I teach the parable of the rich fool in the New Testament. But imagine a large house. That house represents a family’s needs and righteous wants. But what do we do when that gets full. What if we start to bring forth in abundance. We’ve quite a problem here. There’s no more room for our abundance. It’s the same problem encountered by the rich fool back in the gospels. His solution was to build bigger barns to fit all of his abundance. God says this is a foolish solution. Do we get to the point that we don’t even know what to do with all we've been blessed with? And therefore our solution is to buy bigger and better things; to spend more and more extravagantly. There’s no end to excess. But is there another solution to our house problem? Yes! Open up the back door and start to shovel the abundance out. How do we shovel it out? Tithing, fast offerings, humanitarian aid, the missionary fund, direct help to struggling family and friends, educational and cultural opportunities, disaster relief efforts, charities that help those in developing countries. There are many opportunities to give. And not surprisingly, do you know what often happens when there is somebody out there that is willing to shovel abundance out the back door? I think God says to himself, “Well here is a rare individual, somebody that can be satisfied with enough and is willing to give, let’s go ahead and bless them even more”, and God starts shoveling the abundance more and more quickly into his front door. So what do you do? Shovel it out the back just as quickly. I believe that if we can develop this ability to open the back door and be familiar and free with our substance, that we’re going to find the Lord enthusiastically supporting our righteous endeavors.
Question #3 comes from verse 18. “But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.” Now that’s an interesting phrase that I think is often misinterpreted. Does that mean chronologically or in terms of priority. I think it’s priority. I don’t think it means that I go out, get my testimony, find the Lord’s kingdom, get to the temple, and make my covenants, and now I can go out and get on with the business of making money. I think it means that no matter what age or circumstances we are in, we always put the kingdom of God first. So if there is a conflict between riches and the kingdom of God, I always put God’s kingdom first. If I find there’s a conflict between making a greater profit and being honest, I choose to be honest, because I seek the kingdom of God first. If there is a conflict between honoring my family and church commitments and making extra income, I honor my commitments because I seek the Kingdom of God first. If there is a conflict between paying my tithing, and the desire to pad my investments, I pay our tithing because I seek the kingdom of God first. So our question here is, Will the kingdom of God always be your first priority?
Question #4 from verse 19. “And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ, ye shall obtain riches if ye seek them.” So, the question: Have you obtained a hope in Christ? What does it mean to obtain a hope in Christ. Jacob explains it in Jacob 4:6 and also 11. "Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope." So Jacob gives us something different to seek for. If we feel the need to search for something, we shouldn’t make it riches, but the words of the prophets, and revelations and testimony of Christ. Obtain that hope in Christ. That has to be our center, our foundation, and our priority. If it’s not, we should take Jacob’s counsel to heart.
Question #5 also from verse 19. “And ye will seek them for the intent to do good.” The question is, “Is the reason you want to obtain riches so that you can do good with them? Is that our end goal? And if that is the case, we’re not even really seeking riches, what we’re really seeking is doing good. Jacob is inviting us to examine the motivation behind our quest for wealth. Is it bigger houses, nicer cars, better clothes, OR do we want riches to do good. And if we’re not sure what good we can do with them, Jacob gives us a few ideas. We can clothe the naked, feed the hungry, liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted. It hearkens back to our house analogy. Seek riches, so that we can fulfill our needs and wants and still be able to shovel many blessings and opportunities out to others.
Question #6. Comes from verse 20 where Jacob says: 20 And now, my brethren, I have spoken unto you concerning pride; and those of you which have afflicted your neighbor, and persecuted him because ye were proud in your hearts, of the things WHICH GOD HATH GIVEN YOU, what say ye of it? I can’t help but put the emphasis like that. I emphasize the phrase “The things which God hath given you”. I think he’s reminding them of a certain principle. Everything they have is a gift from God. When we obtain wealth, it’s easy to assume that we are the creators of our own prosperity, that it is ours, because we worked for it. But we forget that the ultimate source of all things, all our abilities, all our talents, all our opportunities, the circumstances under which we have been placed in life, is God. Do we understand and believe that everything we have is really a gift from God? This is such an important idea. If we can just buy into that principle, our financial sacrifices will become so much easier. When God asks for 10% of our income for tithing, we say, “Oh, sure Lord, I can give you 10% of what’s yours, that’s easy. Or when he asks us to give a generous fast offering, or to use our means to bless the poor, we can say, “No problem Lord, you want me to use your money to bless your children, I’d be happy to.” So the question is: Do you recognize that all you have and will have is a gift from God?
Question #7 from verse 21. Jacob reminds them of the principle that all people are precious in God’s sight and that they have all been created for the same purpose. That purpose? “That they should keep his commandments and glorify him forever.” So the final question is, “Do you understand that the purpose of your life is obedience to God and a dedication to His glory?” As opposed to obedience to our own appetites and a dedication to our own glory.
So. How did you do? Did you pass? Can you be rich? Can you handle wealth? Did you answer the test with more 1’s and 2’s, or with a lot of 3’s, 4’s, and 5’s. Maybe this can help you to assess whether seeking wealth is something you even want to pursue.
TRUTH
Prosperity can be hazardous to our spiritual health. Approach with extreme caution.
I WILL GO AND DO
Did this test inspire you to make any changes in any way? If so, what?
THE TAKEAWAY
Well, if we had to answer Jacob’s questions with a lot of 3’s, 4’s, and 5’s, then my suggestion would be that we probably ought to play it safe and avoid the procurement of great wealth. Better that we focus our attention and efforts more on obtaining a hope in Christ and seeking the Kingdom of God instead, beyond the desire to provide sufficient for our families, circumstances, wants, and needs. Now if you had a lot of 1’s and 2’s while taking that test, well , I pray that the Lord will bless you with great abundance, with millions even, because I’m positive that you’ll be able to do a lot of good with it.
PROBLEM #2 SEXUAL IMMORALITY
OBJECT
For an object lesson, if you can, have a piano somewhere nearby. For me, I often teach in a seminary classroom or at Church, and typically, there’s a piano in the room. If you don’t have access to a piano, you can always display a picture of one.
ICEBREAKER
Then for an icebreaker, I might play a piece of beautiful piano music for a minute and just have them listen to it. A piece by Rachmaninoff comes to mind. But then I explain that in order for a piano to make beautiful music, it requires somebody to play the notes in the right order at the right time. But then I would invite a student up to the piano and give them the following challenge. Point out to me which notes are the wrong ones. Show me one of the bad notes. And let them wrestle with that for a minute. And if they do choose a note, ask them to explain why. What’s wrong with that note, what makes it bad? Are you telling me that any piece of music that has that note in it, is going to be a bad piece of music? Ultimately, the point you are making, is that there is no such thing as a bad note, in and of itself, only notes played at the wrong time, or at the wrong volume.
I then like to share this quote from C.S. Lewis. He used the symbol of a piano to teach a profound lesson about the impulses and the instincts that we feel as mortals. He said:
Think . . . of a piano. It has not got two kinds of notes on it, the "right" notes and the "wrong" ones. Every single note is right at one time and wrong at another. The Moral Law is not any one instinct or any set of instincts: it is something which makes a kind of tune (the tune we call goodness or right conduct) by directing the instincts
Well there is one of those notes I’d like to focus on here. An instinct that is sometimes maligned and very often misunderstood. And that is the sexual instinct. And there are various messages that are given in the world about sex which can be especially confusing for young people. I think in the Church sometimes, if we’re not careful, we might send the message that sex or sexual desire is something shameful, embarrassing, or bad, in some way. But then the world sends the exact opposite message. To the world, it’s kind of free for all. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just human. Bu they use that to excuse casual intimate relationships, sex before marriage, a pornography saturated media, multiple partners throughout life, widespread adultery, and just an overall focus on sensuality. So what is it? Is sex bad or good?
I like the metaphor of the piano to explain it. No. Sex and sexual desire are not bad. It’s a note on the piano. It has a purpose. God tells us that there is a right time and a right place and a proper circumstance to play that note. Play the note at the wrong time, and it can mess up a very beautiful piece of music or a life. Therefore, we, as disciples of Christ believe that there are laws governing sexual desire. We call it morality. And when we play the piece of music right, our lives will be far more harmonious and delightful than they would be otherwise.
CAUTION
Now a quick caution here. Jacob’s words are very strong against sexual sin in this section. He’s not mincing words, but that's what his particular audience really needed to hear at that time. If you’re teaching this, it’s very possible that there is somebody in your presence who has committed sexual sin. Please be careful, please be sensitive. The gospel is a message of hope, and change, and forgiveness. Don’t forget to balance this strong message of chastity with a healthy dose of hope, at some point in the lesson, preferably near the beginning. We can be forgiven for our sins, and God promises to forget them. An individual who has committed sexual sin is still loved and valued by their Heavenly Father. The power of God’s mercy and forgiveness is one of the great messages of the Book of Mormon. In fact, in Alma 39,we’re going to see a great example of a father helping his son through the repentance process after committing sexual sin, and it is full of hope and love. Don’t forget that as you study or teach this chapter. But, your class should understand that the purpose of this lesson is to help all of us to understand the gravity of these things, since the world says just the opposite. We can’t afford to be subtle with this message, because the world certainly isn’t with theirs.
CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTION
First, before we examine the solutions, let’s discuss the problems. What are the consequences of immorality? The world diminishes them and plays them down. But what are the consequences? Have your students discuss that for a minute. What negative things come from playing the note at the wrong time?
A few thoughts. Unwanted pregnancies, abortions, sexually transmitted diseases, broken marriages, broken homes, lost worthiness, lost blessings, loss of the Spirit, weaker communities and societies as the family is the fundamental strength of any nation or population.
SEARCH ACTIVITY
This lesson is about solutions though. What are the solutions to immorality? What truths will help us to maintain the sanctity and sacredness of sexual relations between man and wife? I would approach this is an open-ended scripture search. Invite your students to listen to Jacob 2:22-35. I would probably just play a recording of it from the Church’s scripture website, or even right from your phone. I won’t go into the specifics of how to do that because I know we’ve talked about it before. But as they listen they should be seeking for solutions. What are they? Here are a couple of my thoughts.
There’s a specific message about immorality that seems to come up quite a bit in this section. Did you notice the kind of language Jacob uses to describe immorality and the effect it was having. As I share these, I want you to ask yourself what you think is the big overarching message Jacob is sending to his people about sexual sin.
2:22 Grosser crimes
2:24 Which thing was abominable
2:31 Wickedness and abominations
2:33 lead away captive
2:33 a sore curse
2:34 great condemnation
3:12 awful consequences
Ok, what do you think? What do you feel these words and phrases suggest about sexual sin or playing the sexual desire note at the wrong time, with the wrong person, or to the wrong degree? To me . . . from the language that Jacob uses, we can see that he considers this to be a very serious thing. In a world that minimizes immorality, justifies it, revels in it even, Jacob reminds us that it’s not something to be taken lightly. God’s laws of sexual purity are not be trifled with. The power to create life is sacred to our Heavenly Father and there are firm rules in place for how and when it is used. We know that killing is a very serious thing because life is precious to our Heavenly Father, so the rules and consequences governing the taking of life are very strict and severe. By the same token, the rules and consequences governing the powers of creating life are also very strict and serious.
A related idea that may serve as a solution is to understand the effects your decisions may have on others. Just look at all the consequences in that section. Most of them are felt by individuals other than the offender.
2:8 The wounded soul
2:9 Daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds
2:31 I the Lord have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people
2:32 The cries of the fair daughters
2:35 broken the hearts of your tender wives
2:35 lost the confidence of your children
2:35 sobbings of their hearts
2:35 hearts died
2:35 deep wounds
3:10 grieve hearts
Something that might help us to think twice before we play that note at the wrong time is to consider the effect that decision may have on others. The effect it has on spouses and children in particular, present, or future. The effect it might have on the life that could be created through immoral actions, the effect it might have on those who see or follow our example. All of our decisions have ripple effects on the people around us. And though we may be tempted to say, “Well, I’m only hurting myself”. I’m afraid that that is simply wishful thinking.
A third solution—I like how Jacob says in verse 23 that “they seek to excuse themselves”. The solution is to not seek to excuse yourself. Never justify sexual sin. What are some of the excuses that people make today for immoral behavior? A few that I can think of: But we’re in love. It’s not that big a deal. It’s too hard to control. You can always repent. It just happened. Hopefully we never catch ourselves making these kinds of rationalizations.
And then, a 4th solution is so simple it really needs no explanation. From vs. 28. Remember that God delights in chastity. And here he says the chastity of women because of the context of his audience but we know that it’s not just women. In fact, this whole talk is directed at the men and their chastity issues. He delights in the principle of chastity. And what is the Lords law of chastity? That sexual relations are reserved for marriage. That the purpose of sex and sexual desires is to bring children into this world and bring husbands and wives closer together. To make them one. To create a type of relationship between husbands and wives that is unique and special, different from all others.
TRUTH
God delights in chastity.
Sexual sin is serious.
I WILL GO AND DO
What could a person do to show that they too “delight in chastity”? In my opinion. They would follow the Lord’s straightforward standard on sex. No sexual relations before marriage, and then only with your spouse after marriage. That’s it. Pretty simple. But what more could a person do? They could teach the law of chastity to their children. They could take a stand against pornography and not indulge in it themselves. They could be conscientious about the language that they use, the clothing that they wear, and the media they consume. They could seek to control their thoughts, as Jesus suggested in the Sermon on the Mount, that they not look upon another person to lust after them and commit adultery in their hearts. Overall, they could cultivate a deep respect for the principle of chastity itself and have a joyful yet reverent outlook on the desires that involve it.
THE TAKEAWAY
I personally am so grateful for the guidance that I’ve been blessed with throughout my life concerning sexual relations. The Lord’s law of chastity has protected me from awful consequences and helped my life to be filled with happiness. I’m so grateful for a wife that has also lived a life committed to that law. Forget the world’s way. It doesn’t work. Don’t fall for their minimizing lies. Take the Lord’s piano music and play the beautiful tune that he’s composed for us. I believe that harmonious marriages and families and societies will be the ultimate result of playing the right notes, at the right time, and in the right order.
A QUICK NOTE ON POLYGAMY
A brief side note here. There is a verse here in Jacob 2 that touches on a sensitive and controversial topic in the latter-day church. Jacob tells us that the Nephite men of this time were using the excuse that because Old Testament men like David and Solomon had plural wives that they should be justified in having multiple sexual partners as well. However, Jacob understands that their motivation for living that lifestyle isn't pure. They want to live it for all the wrong reasons. Therefore, Jacob clearly teaches them the principle of monogamy in vs. 27. “For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none”. Now, they are right in the sense that there have been times in earth’s history when plural marriage has been acceptable and allowed by God. But it’s the exception, not the rule. You and I know that plural marriage was practiced in the early church up until 1890 and has been the subject of much criticism by the world ever since. Why did the Lord allow or, in some cases, even command that it be lived during that time? I don’t claim to have the definitive answer to that question but Jacob 2:30 gives what I feel to be the best scriptural based explanation for why God sometimes commands or allows plural marriage. He says, “For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; (to live polygamy) otherwise, they shall hearken unto these things.” (Monogamy). The key phrase there is “raise up seed unto me”. Not just raise up seed, but seed unto me. One of the positive results of polygamy in the early church was that more children were able to be raised by the most faithful men and women. Under polygamy, many more children could be born to and raised by the most dedicated members of the Church, because it was only the most dedicated members who were willing to agree to live that lifestyle with all of its challenges. But they did it because they had faith in their religion. And here, If you want a better understanding of polygamy in the early church, rather than going into all of the particulars, I highly recommend that you read the Gospel Topics Essay entitled “Plural Marriage and Families in Early Utah”. It’s very good and I’ll give you the link to it in the video description below.
This paragraph from that essay nicely sums up what I think Jacob is trying to get across:
For many who practiced it, plural marriage was a significant sacrifice. Despite the hardships some experienced, the faithfulness of those who practiced plural marriage continues to benefit the Church in innumerable ways. Through the lineage of these 19th-century Saints have come many Latter-day Saints who have been faithful to their gospel covenants as righteous mothers and fathers, loyal disciples of Jesus Christ, and devoted Church members, leaders, and missionaries. Although members of the contemporary Church are forbidden to practice plural marriage, modern Latter-day Saints honor and respect these pioneers who gave so much for their faith, families, and community.
Personally speaking, I am a descendant of pioneers who lived plural marriage. I know that living plural marriage was difficult and represented a significant sacrifice for them. But they were dedicated and faithful disciples that were committed to doing all they felt God was asking them to do, and their faith inspires and blesses me. Their courage and dedication has been passed down through each succeeding generation. They certainly "raised up seed unto [God]" and I'm grateful to say that I am part of that seed.
LESSON #3 THE PREJUDICE PROBLEM (JACOB 3)
OBJECT
Bring in a large pile of pennies.
ICEBREAKER
And for an icebreaker, show your class the pennies and ask in what ways are the pennies different from each other? Well, some are lighter, some are darker, some are newer, some are older, some have different dates on them. Some were minted in different locations. They certainly don't all have the exact same appearance. But then I would ask: How much is each penny worth? The answer: The same. They are equal in worth, regardless of their outward appearance. How are people like that?
I would say that all people are of equal worth, regardless of any differences in their outward appearances. And I believe that this is how God sees all of his children. Different, but of equal worth.
Consider the answer to the following questions:
Is an American soul worth more than a French soul?
Is a female soul worth more than a male soul?
Is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ’s soul worth more than a Muslim's soul?
Is a sinner’s soul worth more than a righteous person's soul?
Is a prophet’s soul worth more than a primary child’s soul?
Is your friend's soul worth more than your enemy's soul?
Is a 1-year-old soul worth more than and a 90-year-old soul?
The answer to each of these questions is a resounding NO. But we often struggle to come to those conclusions or the way we treat different types of people betrays our inner biases. Differences too often divide us, and the Nephites are struggling with this issue. Jacob is going to help them and us with this problem.
THE PROBLEM
You can see it introduced in vs. 5. Hate and prejudice. Their justification for this prejudice appears to be two-fold. One, Lamanite cultural differences, which the Nephites PERCEIVE as, to use THEIR word, “filthy.” Enos gives us a good description of some of these cultural differences. The Lamanites were more of a nomadic people. "Dwelling in tents, and wandering about the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven, and many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat”. The second source of prejudice had to do with a physical difference, quoting Jacob “the darkness of their skins”. Today, we call this “racism” which is a major problem in societies all around the world and has caused much pain and conflict in many countries and contexts in the modern era. Technically speaking the Nephites and the Lamanites are of the same race, but the point is still the same, we must stop making value assessments of one another, based on physical characteristics, regardless of what those may be. Jacob’s words become extremely relevant to us now. He simply says, “Stop it!"
SEARCH ACTIVITY-THE SOLUTIONS
And then gives us three very important principles for overcoming prejudice and hate. Can you use your problem-solving skills to find them in vs.5-7 and vs. 9.
Jacob says:
5 Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them.
6 And now, this commandment they observe to keep; wherefore, because of this observance, in keeping this commandment, the Lord God will not destroy them, but will be merciful unto them; and one day they shall become a blessed people.
7 Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children; and their unbelief and their hatred towards you is because of the iniquity of their fathers; wherefore, how much better are you than they, in the sight of your great Creator?
Do you see what Jacob is doing here? One way to overcome prejudice is to look for the good in other people. To look for the good in their culture, their religion, their appearance and to not judge those differences in terms of better or worse. The Nephites were only focusing on the differences and what they perceived as negative. I’ve had the opportunity to travel to many places in the world and meet people from various backgrounds, cultures, and religions, and you know what, they are full of goodness. Lots of good. That’s where we should place our focus. We tend to find what we look for. If we only look for the bad, we’re sure to find it. But when we begin to recognize the good in others, barriers are broken down.
My father spends much of his time now traveling the world as a tour guide and his job is to teach other travelers about the cultures and religions of the countries they visit. His approach is to always show them the amazing and wonderful and beautiful things that these cultures have to offer. He tells a particularly sweet story when he was in China teaching the tour group about the beauty of Chinese poetry, literature, art, and culture. And of course, he’s totally sincere in his love for these things and speaks with great passion and appreciation for them. Well, near the end of that tour, he walked over to their Chinese escort and said, “I want to thank you as a representative of your culture and people for how you have enriched my life”. The man put his hand over my dad’s heart and said with great warmth, “Chinese, Chinese”. My father said it was one of the greatest compliments he’d ever been given. One of the best tools we have for overcoming hatred, bigotry, and prejudice it to look for the good and to express that good. When we do that just watch the walls come down between people. It works. Perhaps therein lies the solution to most of the world’s most serious problems.
A second principle comes at the end of verse 7. Jacob asks a question: How much better are you than they, in the sight of your great Creator? What’s the answer to that question? You are no better. I would respond with Doctrine and Covenants 18:10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. Or with 2 Nephi 26:33 And “all are alike unto God”. We should remember that then next time we're feeling superior to another person. In God’s eyes, our value is equal.
And finally, the third principle comes in verse 9. “ye shall remember your own filthiness.” If we want somebody to judge, we need look no further than our bathroom mirror. That’s the only time where we ought to consider looking for the bad, so that we can change it
Overall, there is simply no excuse for a disciple of Christ to justify hatred, prejudice, discrimination, racism, or bigotry. There just isn’t. And Jacob is emphatic about that.
QUOTE
To quote President Nelson:
Each of us has a divine potential because each is a child of God. Each is equal in His eyes. The implications of this truth are profound. Brothers and sisters, please listen carefully to what I am about to say. God does not love one race more than another. His doctrine on this matter is clear. He invites all to come unto Him, “black and white, bond and free, male and female” [2 Nephi 26:33].
I assure you that your standing before God is not determined by the color of your skin. Favor or disfavor with God is dependent upon your devotion to God and His commandments and not the color of your skin. (Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 94)
TRUTH
To avoid the trap of prejudice, look for the good in all, remember that all are alike unto God, and if you’re going to judge anybody, judge yourself.
I WILL GO AND DO
I think it would be worthwhile to take a hard look at ourselves and our own attitudes. To have a bit of a “Lord, is it I” kind of experience. To not look for the problems other people have with prejudice, but what problems we might have with it. And so let’s ask ourselves:
Can you think of any areas where you may be tempted to prejudice? (It may not be racial prejudice, but is it ethnic, religious, economic, gender, political? There are lots of different areas we may be tempted to pre-judge people by)
Think of something good about that person or group of people. What is it?
Remind yourself that they are beloved children of God and commit yourself to seeing them that way the next time you interact with them.
Think of areas that YOU need to work on. What can YOU do to be a better person?
What more can you do to be a part of the solution to prejudice, and not a part of the problem?
THE TAKEAWAY
Well, I love history and learning about the past. But there is one thing about studying history that is quite discouraging though. It’s the part of history that I don’t like. And that is that there is so much evidence of prejudice and racism and hate in it—in our world’s history. War, violence, oppression, slavery, religious conflicts, discrimination, pogroms, genocides, the long sad story of man’s inability to love his neighbor as himself. It’s a bit depressing to think of how much hate fills history. I pray that WE, as disciples of Jesus Christ and members of his church will always be a part of the solution—that we will find ways to see all as God sees them. The worth of souls is great in the sight of God. (Doctrine and Covenants 18:10)
LESSON #4 AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM
THE PROBLEM
There is one other problem that I believe you could address in these chapters, but I’ll cover it briefly. It’s a very serious problem and is unfortunately prevalent in our world. But take a look at this description of the wives and children of these Nephite men in 2:35.
35 Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds.
And I don’t know if this is assuming things or stretching the scriptures, but that sounds to me like a fairly accurate description of those that are victims of abuse. Do the scriptures have any advice for those that have been abused? Whether it’s physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, what is the Lord’s message to them?
THE SOLUTION
I think Chapter 3:1-2 has some incredibly wise words of counsel to victims of abuse.
1 But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart.
I think it’s important that he addresses them as the pure in heart. There’s a message in that. Often, the abused person doesn’t feel pure. Jacob reassures them, that they ARE. The sinful use of somebody else’s agency has no bearing on your purity and standing before God, only theirs.
Look unto God with firmness of mind,
Don’t let the abuse damage your trust and faith in God. He’s there and you can look to Him with confidence in his love and his awareness.
and pray unto him with exceeding faith,
Pray, ask and ye shall receive. Seek his help on your knees and find a connection with your Father in Heaven. And he has some promises for you if you do:
and he will console you in your afflictions,
He’ll comfort you
and he will plead your cause,
God is on your side; He’ll stand up for you at the judgment
and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction.
Remember that God is a God of justice. Often victims of abuse feel that there is no justice. But know, that those responsible for your pain, at least in an eternal sense, will be held accountable. Justice will be served.
2 O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads
Don’t hang it down in shame or defeat
and receive the pleasing word of God,
Find strength, counsel, and comfort in his word—in the scriptures, the Holy Ghost, trusted church leaders, family, and friends.
and feast upon his love; for ye may,
Many times, the abused person, especially if it was done by a family member, feel that they can’t trust love anymore. But there is a love you can trust forever. God’s love. And that love is infinite and assured and abundant. You can feast on it. It’s there for you.
I feel that’s some good counsel to those who are victims.
And since we’re on the subject of abuse. There is one other small story in the Book of Mormon that I feel offers some important advice to those who are victims of abuse. It’s in Alma 50:30-31.
This story comes from the war chapters where Captain Moroni is facing a group of dissenters led by a man named Morianton.
30 And behold, they would have carried this plan into effect, (which would have been a cause to have been lamented) but behold, Morianton being a man of much passion, therefore he was angry with one of his maid servants, and he fell upon her and beat her much.
31 And it came to pass that she fled, and came over to the camp of Moroni, and told Moroni all things concerning the matter, and also concerning their intentions to flee into the land northward.
What a brave young woman. She was the victim of abuse. So what did she do? Three important things She fled; she didn’t allow the abuse to continue. She went to a trusted individual, and she told him all things concerning the matter.
Now heaven forbid that this applies to any of you out there. But if you are a victim of abuse right now, I encourage you to follow the example of Morianton’s maid. Flee, find somebody you trust, and tell them all things concerning the matter. Don’t allow the abuse to continue.
Now if you haven’t noticed, this lesson is full of some very difficult issues. Materialism, Sexual immorality, Plural marriage, Prejudice and Racism, and Abuse. I assure you I’ve tried very hard to be thoughtful and sensitive and if I have offended anyone, I assure you it's unintentional. If you teach these topics, please be cautious and sensitive as well in how you approach them.
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