He knew that I had been blessed of the Lord
Immediately after the Lord promised to Nephi that he would prosper if he were obedient (1 Nephi 2:19-24), Nephi’s obedience was tested by the Lord. It was a test that also helped the Lord accomplish his purposes. This is a common pattern throughout The Book of Mormon.
“Nephi, returned from speaking with the Lord” to his father Lehi who told him, “Behold I have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem. For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass. Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness” (1 Nephi 3:1-4.)
Lehi had already shared this commandment from the Lord with Nephi’s brothers. True to form, they were murmuring again even after having been shaken so recently (1 Nephi 2:14.) A short memory is a common characteristic of the murmurer. On the other hand, remembering is a common characteristic of the diligent disciple and is an essential purpose of partaking of the sacrament each week.
The reaction by Nephi’s brothers to the Lord’s command through Lehi is simple, “It is a hard thing which [Lehi] required of them.” We are not given details as to why they felt it was hard. Maybe they knew of Laban and of his hardness. Maybe the journey from Jerusalem had been hard and they were not looking forward to doing it again. Maybe the thought of seeing, and then leaving again, their possessions was just too hard. Whatever the reason, they felt the command was “a hard thing.”
The other characteristic of the murmurer revealed in this interaction is that Laman and Lemuel did not recognize the source of the command - “they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them” (1 Nephi 2:12.) They felt Lehi’s delusions were continuing with this “command” to to go get the plates.
It seems Nephi had not yet told Lehi about his experience with the Lord at this point. Lehi exhorted Nephi, “I have not required it of them...it is a commandment of the Lord. Therefore, go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured” (1 Nephi 3:5-6.) Notice that Lehi did not say anything about the difficulty of the command from the Lord. His is a silent acknowledgement that what was being asked was hard and likely dangerous. No doubt this contributed to an anxiousness in Lehi’s plea to Nephi. But there is a more important reason for his anxiousness. He had been commanded of the Lord to send his sons back to Jerusalem to retrieve the plates of brass from Laban. So far, none of his sons were willing to go. If Nephi would not obey the command what was Lehi to do?
In contrast to his brothers Nephi responds with one of the most famous expressions of faith in The Book of Mormon, if not all of scripture, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded.” Why? “For I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7.) Much has been written and spoken about this concise and inspiring expression of faith. It is an example to every believer and has been an inspiration to me throughout my life. This has proven to be a reliable precept. When I have abided by this precept, “go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded,” I have drawn nearer to God. When I have not, I have drawn away from God.
There is, however, another important precept in the verse following Nephi’s famous declaration of faith that is often overlooked. When Lehi heard Nephi say “I will go and do…For I know,” Lehi “was exceedingly glad, for he knew that [Nephi] had been blessed of the Lord” (1 Nephi 3:8.) How had Nephi been “blessed of the Lord?” I Nephi’s own words, “Behold [the Lord] did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers “(1 Nephi 2:16.) Was this part of what Lehi had been trying to teach his sons in that when we know the Lord’s will and go and do it the Lord will provide a way? When we are “visited” of the Lord there are two reliable evidences of the Lord’s visit. First, our hearts are softened such that we believe the words of his messengers, particularly prophets - even when they speak “hard things.” Second, we do not rebel against God like others, even close family members or friends. Third, instead of rebelling, we “go and do.” Nephi’s famous declaration “I will go and do...For I know” (1 Nephi 3:7) is evidence that the Lord did indeed “visit” him and “soften” his heart (1 Nephi 2:16.)
In summary, the precept we are offered in these few verses is that Nephi’s famous and courageous declaration, “I will go and do...For I know,” is the result of Nephi “having great desires to know of the mysteries of God” (1 Nephi 2:16) and then acting on this desire to find a private place and on his own “cry unto the Lord.” To cry unto the Lord is a specific form of seeking the Lord. Therefore, desiring, seeking, and doing are consistently connected throughout The Book of Mormon. Those who desire, seek, and act are those whom the Lord “visits” and softens to accept prophetic guidance, whether delivered by living prophets or preserved in the scriptures, and to whom the Lord provides a way to accomplish his commands as they act. Nephi’s desiring, seeking, and acting is not a mark of a “self-made” man or woman. It is a gift of grace to those who choose to desire, seek, and act. These are those whom God then visits, softens, and provides a way to do his will. Such has been my experience when I abide by these precepts. When I choose to desire, seek, and act, the Lord visits, softens, and provides a way to accomplish what he commands.
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