Watch the YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/Mkl24qat2kY
ICEBREAKER
Bring in a large stack of history books and set them at the front.
Ask the following questions:
How many of you enjoy learning about history?
What is one of your favorite periods of history to learn about?
Why do you think it is important to study history?
“The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future” Theodore Roosevelt
TRANSITION
1 Nephi 11-14 are History Lessons of a sort. In a spectacular vision, the Spirit is going to reveal to Nephi, and all of us, key elements of the spiritual histories of some of the major divisions of mankind. He’s going to specifically focus on the Jews, the Lamanite/Nephite civilization, and the Gentiles. And remember how the Title Page told us that the Book of Mormon was written to those three groups. Take out a pen or pencil and at the chapter headings of the following chapters make these labels.
1 Nephi 11 Jewish History
1 Nephi 12 Lamanite/Nephite History
1 Nephi 13 Gentile History/American History
1 Nephi 14 is going to be labeled World History
And of course, I realize that to Nephi, this isn’t history necessarily, this is the future, but remember, the Book of Mormon was written for our day and to us as the modern reader, we are being shown many significant spiritual events of the past.
JEWISH HISTORY
The chapter begins with Nephi expressing his desire to see all that his father saw. The cool thing about that request. Not only does God show Nephi all that his Father saw, but a whole lot more. He asks to see the dream of the tree of life, and God gives him the entire spiritual history of the earth up to the second coming. And I think there’s a profound truth in that. When we diligently seek truth from him, He often gives you more than you ask for. He’s very gracious with his truth, especially if we have great desires to understand it.
Then the Spirit is going to teach him the interpretation of the dream but do it in a very interesting way. When Nephi asks “What is the interpretation of the tree?” The Spirit isn’t going to say, “Oh, it’s the love of God”. He’s going to show him an example of that image in reality and then ask Nephi to tell him what it is. So he isn’t told what it is, he sees it, and then he defines it himself. This is one of the ways that apparently God really likes to teach. And if you think about it, where else does he teach this way? The temple. All that wonderful imagery and symbolism without a whole lot of explanation. He gives us the images and then invites us to ponder and discover their message for us.
And the first symbol we’re going to deal with here is the tree. Nephi wants to understand the meaning of the tree. We’ve already determined that the tree is a symbol of the love of God. But what is the Spirit going to show Nephi as the greatest manifestation of God’s love? Just Look in 11:12-20 for the answer. He shows him the birth of Jesus Christ. This is God’s greatest manifestation of his love. Like John 3:16 tells us: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We also sing a hymn entitled “God loved us, so he sent his Son”.
THE CONDESCENSION OF GOD
And in the middle of that vision, the Spirit asks Nephi a question. Do you see it? It’s in vs. 16
Knowest thou the condescension of God? And he repeats that idea in vs. 26 by saying “Look and behold the condescension of God”. This is a key idea that the Spirit wants to get across to Nephi and to us. The life of Jesus Christ is an example of condescension. What is condescension?
The dictionary defines it as:
: a voluntary descent from one's rank or dignity in relations with an inferior. Merriam-webster.com
And isn’t that exactly what Jesus did. He condescended from a position of high authority and placed himself on equal grounds with us mere mortals. He was a member of the godhead, the first begotten of our Heavenly Parents, and yet he came to earth to descend below all things to make it possible for us to overcome all things. And then for the rest of the chapter, the Spirit is going to show Nephi scenes of Jesus’s condescension.
MATCHING ACTIVITY
This activity has two parts to it. The easy part, and the harder part. See if you can complete both for each reference. I’m going to display a number of different pictures from the life of the Savior and some references from Nephi’s vision. The easy part is to match the reference with the picture from Christ’s life that it’s describing. The harder part is to answer this question from each. How is that scene an example of Christ’s condescension or his willingness to descend from his high station to a low one?
__ 1 Nephi 11:12-20
__ 1 Nephi 11:27
__ 1 Nephi 11:28
__ 1 Nephi 11:29
__ 1 Nephi 11:31
__ 1 Nephi 11:32-33
11:12-20 C
We already discussed this one. He’s shown the birth of the Savior. So the answer to number 1 would be C. And how did Christ’s birth show condescension? Well, how was he born? He wasn’t born as a king, but a carpenter, he wasn’t born in a palace, but a stable. He wasn’t born in a large capitol city but in Bethlehem. He wasn’t rich, but poor. Our Savior was born under the most humble of circumstances. Now that’s condescension. He stepped down from his eternal throne of glory, to become mortal, like us.
11:27 E
The match here is E. The baptism of Christ. How does Christ’s baptism show condescension? Well, Jesus was perfect. He didn’t need any of his sins washed away. And yet he was baptized. Nephi makes this very point later in 2 Nephi 31. Jesus humbled himself and showed his Father that he would be obedient to all His commandments. To fulfill all righteousness.
11:28. A
The match here is A. Jesus teaching the people. How did this show condescension? Jesus lived his life as a teacher. Traveling from village to village seeking people to teach and help. He lived a meager existence. And what kind of people did he spend much of his time teaching? The poor, the so-called sinners, the outcasts, the sick and the afflicted. For one of such a high station and power, he spent most of his time in less than glorious circumstances and company.
11:29. F
The match is F. Jesus calling the twelve apostles. How does this show condescension? Jesus could have done it alone. He could have singlehandedly led the church and accomplished his ministry, and called all the attention to himself. But he didn’t. He involved other people. He taught them, prepared them, and gave them chances to lead and grow. And what kind of people did he call to be his leaders? Pharisees? The Rich? The Educated? The important? The leaders of men? No, fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, and other men who were not high in position or social status.
11:31. B
The answer is B. The picture of Jesus healing someone. How does this show condescension? Jesus showed his authority by serving, helping, and healing others. Most people judge greatness by how many people serve them, but Christ taught that true greatness is judged by how many people you serve. It wasn’t about authority and telling people what to do, but service. That’s condescension.
11:32-33. D
The final match is, of course, D. The atonement and crucifixion of Christ. How does this show condescension? Here’s how the Doctrine and Covenants describe the atonement:
“He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth”
D&C 88:6
Jesus truly condescended below everything. He suffered more deeply than any mortal being ever. He took upon himself the sins, and pains, and afflictions, and infirmities of all mankind. He couldn’t overcome all things unless he was able to descend below all of it first. The divine paradox, by descending below all things, he was able to achieve the greatest victory of eternity. Of all the individuals in this universe, there is one that understands you on a deeper level than anyone else. Christ. He has traveled to both ends of the spectrum, and thus knows and comprehends everything in between. The image of Jesus being mocked, beaten, spit upon, judged, scourged, and crucified without showing any resistance, murmuring, or anger on his part is condescension in its highest form. He had the power to stop all of it in an instant, to call down legions of angels to fight for him, and yet, he suffered it, he allowed it to continue.
APPLY
And the big question to ponder here? Why? Why would he condescend? What power could motivate one to give up so much to experience such great pain? One word, love. Jesus loves us. He loves you. He paid the price for our salvation and paved the way for our exaltation. To him, the condescension was worth that reward. We are that valuable to him.
I KNOW THAT HE LOVETH HIS CHILDREN
One quick thought here before we leave chapter 11. There is one verse that I believe contains a very significant principle. How do we answer difficult questions about God, our doctrine, and life in general? Nephi says something really profound when asked a question by the angel that he doesn’t know the answer to. He says. “I know that he (God) loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things”. What a great answer! We may not be able to explain to others the meaning of all things. But if there is one truth that we can pin our faith on, maybe that’s it. I don’t know everything, but one thing I know for sure. God loves his children. That’s a truth that we can't forget. So when people ask things like, “If God were real, why would he allow things like the holocaust, and 911, and war, and starving children in Africa, and cancer?” OR “Why would God command early members of the church to live the law of polygamy when he knew how difficult it would be for the church?” OR “Why isn’t Heavenly Mother mentioned more often in the scriptures?” To this and many other difficult questions, I think that Nephi’s answer is a powerful one. I’m not saying it's the only answer to these questions, but it’s a good one, especially for somebody who maybe doesn’t have an extensive, deep, and comprehensive understanding of some of the more complex facets of the gospel. And I don’t think that we always need to feel that we have to understand or have a perfect explanation for every accusation or question that comes our way. Sometimes all we need to say is “You know, I don’t understand everything, I don’t have an answer for everything, but there is one thing that I do know. God loves his children. And if you truly know that, wow, that really helps to begin from that point. If I ever begin to doubt God’s love for his children, the adversary has earned a great advantage.
ICEBREAKER: A NATION FOR RESTORATION
Can you identify the following incomplete pictures? What or who do they depict? And keeping with the theme of history, they are all pictures of historical figures or events.
Christopher Columbus
George Washington
The signing of the declaration of Independence
The First Vision
This activity illustrates that when something is missing or incomplete, it’s a lot harder to understand. And if you’ve ever taken an American History class, you may have sensed that something was missing from our history books in school. Have you felt that before? I have. And the reason why is because something is missing. 1 Nephi chapters 12-13 are going to put it back in. They are going to make our understanding of American History complete.
In your average American history textbook, what is going to be the first thing that you study about? What is the first unit is going to cover? It’s not going to be the colonists or the Revolution. What will it be?
More than likely you will study the Native Americans. Western peoples were not the first children of God on this continent. There had already been people here for hundreds of years. But in their depiction of Native American peoples, what’s missing?
Here, I’ll give you a hint. (Show pictures from Book of Mormon stories)
Should these stories be a part of North American history? I say yes. I believe they are.
Breakdown of 1 Nephi 12
12:1-3 Wars and contentions between Lamanites and Nephites
12:4-5 The great destruction and mists of darkness preceding Christ’s visit
12:6-10 The visit of the Savior
12:11-13 The Years of peace following the Savior’s visit
12:14-23 The Nephite destruction and Lamanite Apostasy
1 NEPHI 13
The first scene Nephi is shown is the formation of a great and abominable church among the Gentiles. Now that isn’t any one specific church. The great and abominable church is apostasy in any form that it presents itself.
So Nephi has just been shown the apostasy of his own posterity, and now he is shown the apostasy of the Gentiles. The whole world is in a state of apostasy at this point. So how is God going to remedy this?
Well in these next few verses, let’s see if you can figure out what or who Nephi is seeing. Remember, these are each events from American History. What are they? And as we go along, I would encourage you to label them in your margins.
1 Nephi 13:10-12
Who is Nephi being shown here? This man who goes forth upon the many waters to the seed of Nephi’s brethren? It’s Christopher Columbus, right.
1 Nephi 13:13
Who is he seeing here? The Pilgrims. This group of people going forth out of captivity to the promised land, seeking religious freedom.
1 Nephi 13:14-15
What’s he seeing here? The Indian Wars and the subsequent colonization of America by western peoples.
1 Nephi 13:16-19
What’s he seeing here? The Mother gentiles gathering against those that had come here to battle? It’s the American Revolution, when Great Britain, the mother gentiles came against them to battle. And they were delivered out of their hands.
1 Nephi 13:20-23
What book is he seeing here? It’s not the Book of Mormon. It’s the record of the Jews. So it has to be the Bible. He’s seeing the coming forth of the Bible. And certainly, the Bible has played an integral part in American History.
Did you notice what each of these events had in common? There was something similar in the description of each.
:12 I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man
:13 I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles
:14 I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren
:16 and the power of the Lord was with them
:18 the power of God was with them, and also the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle.
:19 delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.
:23 The book . . . which contains the covenants of the Lord
So what do they all have in common?
God played a major role in each of these events. He inspired or helped each of these events to take place.
So what (or better yet), who has been missing from our history books? God! His role and presence and influence have been stripped from their pages. Thank heavens we have the Book of Mormon to replace it. And this teaches us a profound and intriguing truth. God established America. He played THE pivotal role in the formation of the United States of America and its government.
EVIDENCE OF GOD IN THE ROLE OF AMERICAN HISTORY
Now if that’s the case. Is there any historical evidence that the people involved in these events felt that this was the case? If God were such a part of it all, you would think the people who experienced it would have felt it right? Well, let’s see.
Christopher Columbus said the following:
“The Lord was well disposed to my desire, and He bestowed upon me courage and understanding; knowledge of seafaring He gave me in abundance . . . .Those who heard of my enterprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?”
The Pilgrims wrote this as part of their famous Mayflower Compact
"Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honor of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia; do, by these Presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid;"
(Mayflower Compact)
George Washington said the following about the Revolutionary War:
“The disadvantageous circumstances on our part under which the [Revolutionary] war was undertaken can never be forgotten. The singular interpositions of Providence [help from God] in our feeble condition were such as could scarcely escape the attention of the most unobserving; while the unparalleled perseverance of the armies of the United States through almost every possible suffering and discouragement or the space of eight years was little short of a standing miracle.”
And then who can question the fact that God inspired the coming forth of the Bible. I think we take for granted the sacrifices that were made to make it possible for the Bible to be placed in the hands of the common man in their own language. For many years it was illegal to have a translation of the Bible in English. I believe that God inspired individuals like John Wycliffe, Myles Coverdale, and William Tyndale to work and sacrifice to put the text of the Bible into the hands of the common man. William Tyndale was executed as a heretic for suggesting such an idea and for translating the Bible into English. The story of the coming forth of the Bible is too extensive to cover here, but it sufficeth to say that God played a major role in making it possible.
So I think we can conclude that yes, there is ample historical evidence from the accounts of the individuals who experienced these events themselves that they felt the hand of God working in them.
WHY AMERICA?
So this begs the question. Why? Why would God be so involved in the establishment of one particular country? Why America? And I can assure you that the answer is Not because God loves Americans more than anybody else, or that they’re more important, or that citizens of other nations are any less in God’s eyes. No. That’s not the reason. God doesn’t love Americans any more than he loves Brazilians, or Japanese, or Nigerians, or Samoans, or Norwegians, or Mexicans. There is one reason, and one reason only, for why he was so involved in the establishment of America. And that answer is found in 1 Nephi 13:34-36
So why was he so involved? For the Restoration. God needed a place to restore his gospel. And that could only be possible under the right circumstances. And what were those circumstances? What is the recipe for the Restoration?
God needed:
A PLACE TO DO IT
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
A NATION FORMED BY A FREE GOVERNMENT
THE BIBLE
And now, as you look at that list, do you understand why Nephi was shown those particular events? Why God was so involved in those particular circumstances?
Christopher Columbus. Why him? He made it possible for there to be a place for the restoration to occur. It couldn’t have been done anywhere really in the Old World. If Joseph Smith had tried to restore the church in Germany, or Italy, or England, it would have never survived. He would have been burnt at the stake as a heretic. The restored church would have died as soon as it was born. So there needed to be a new place, a new world, far from the influence of the churches and governments of the old. Columbus made that possible.
The Pilgrims. The Pilgrims came to the new world for one reason. Religious freedom. The colonies were established on that principle. So when a government was formed here, religious freedom and the separation of church and state was a non-negotiable element.
The Revolutionary War. There needed to be a type of government that allowed for the protection and flourishing of a new church. The rights and liberties provided by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights made it possible and continue to make it possible for the church to be established and to grow.
And finally, the Bible. You have to have the Bible in the hands of the common man, in his own language. That’s the only way to make it possible for a 14-year-old farm boy from upstate New York to read James 1:5 which will inspire him to walk into a grove of trees to seek wisdom on which church to join.
I love this quote from William Tyndale, uttered to the stubborn powers that opposed him.
“If God spare my life, ere many years pass, I will cause that the boy that driveth the plough to know more of the scriptures than thou dost.”
Well, it would be a boy that driveth the plough that would read his translated words and restore the true Church of God.
God established America for the Restoration.
YOUR PART IN HISTORY
Now I believe there is one more question that 1 Nephi 13 is going to answer for us. What is your part in this history? God never intended the Restoration to take place and then just sit here only influencing and blessing the lives of Americans.
So your part is found in vs. 37. If you are a member of this church, what is your responsibility?
We need to spread that message to all the world. Yes, the Restoration happened in America, but God never intended it to stay only here. He needed a starting line, a base to work from. It just so happens that America was it. I mean, he had to choose somewhere. But now, it behooves every member of the church to spread that message throughout the world. And we have! That message has traveled far beyond the shores of the United States. And Zion is no longer an American establishment. It’s worldwide. What started in a grove of trees in upstate New York with one 14-year-old boy seeking truth, has become millions all over the world who have also sought and found truth.
APPLY
Are you doing your part in history? What are you doing to publish peace and the tidings of great joy to all the world?
1 NEPHI 13-15 STUDY QUESTIONS
Q: In 1 Nephi 13:40, what word is used to describe the relationship between the Book of Mormon and the Bible? Fill in the blank: Does it DISPROVE the Bible? REPLACE the Bible? COMPLETE the Bible? CONTRADICT the Bible? ADD TO OR TAKE AWAY FROM the Bible? Find the word.
A: It ESTABLISH’s the truth of the Bible.
Q: In 1 Nephi 14, How many churches are there in the world today?
A: vs.10 TWO The church of the Lamb of God and the Church of the devil.
“The titles “church of the devil” and “great and abominable church” are used to identify all churches or organizations of whatever name or nature ‑‑ whether political, philosophical, educational, economic social, fraternal, civic, or religious ‑‑ which are designed to take men on a course that leads away from God and his laws and thus from salvation in the kingdom of God.”
(Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.137)
Q: Find a blessing in this chapter for choosing the church of the Lamb of God and there are more than one:
A:
14:2 they shall no more be confounded
14:5 it shall be well with them
14:7 peace and life eternal
14:14 The power of the lamb descends upon them
Q: What two words describe the size of the Church of the Lamb of God in 1 Nephi 14:12?
A: Few, and small
Q: Find a consequence for choosing the church of the devil in chapter 14:
A:
14:3 That great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of man shall be filled by those who digged it. Their plan will backfire, and they themselves will be trapped.
14:3 lead away down to hell
14:4 captivity
14:5 perish
14:7 They are brought down into temporal and spiritual captivity and destruction
14:15 The wrath of God will be poured out upon them
Q: 1 Nephi 14 tells of a great battle between the two churches in the last days. What two weapons are used to defeat the Church of the Devil?
A: 14:14 armed with righteousness, and the power of God (another name for the power of God, priesthood)
Q: What Book of scripture is the angel referring to in 14:18-27. Hint: It's not the Bible, but a book within the Bible.
A: The Book of Revelation.
A few questions from 1 Nephi 15
Q: Why was it hard for Laman and Lemuel to understand the words which Lehi taught them?
A: VS. 8 Because they wouldn’t inquire of the Lord
Q: Which verse in chapter 15 holds the key to understanding and knowing the things of God?
A: v.11
Q: According to 1 Nephi 15:14, what knowledge will the Book of Mormon restore in the latter days?
A: The knowledge of their Redeemer, the very points of his doctrine, and how to come unto him and be saved.
Q: What blessings come from holding to the rod?
A: vs. 24
Never perish;
The temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness
Lead them away to destruction.
Q: The last 10 verses of 1 Nephi 15 describes the final state of the wicked. What word is repeated 9 times to describe them in 15:27, 33 and 34?
A: Filthy, or filthiness.
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