Question - Wherefore can ye doubt?

Throughout the Book of Mormon there are clusters of questions in which we can find precept patterns. Our adherence to these precepts helps us grow closer to God. In this writing we look at the first cluster, which contains six questions that appear early in the Book of Mormon.

In response to the Lord’s command Lehi’s sons returned to Jerusalem and unsuccessfully tried to obtain the plates of brass from Laban twice. Their second attempt was to try and trade the family treasures they had left behind when they fled into the wilderness for the plates. Their offer resulted in Laban “lusting” after their treasure and then sending his servants to kill Lehi’s sons, which the brothers narrowly escaped. Having escaped, Nephi notes that “Laman was angry with [him], and also with [Lehi].” The anger likely included some mix of having narrowly escaped Laban’s attempt on their lives and the loss of their treasure (see 1 Nephi 17:21 for evidence of such anger over their loss of treasure persisting.) As usual Lemuel followed Laman’s example. The two began to “speak many hard words unto [Nephi and Sam]...and they did smite [them] even with a rod” (1 Nephi 3:22-28.)

At this point the record states:

And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod? Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands.

And after the angel had spoken unto us, he departed.

And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?

And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?

Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh ​did follow and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.

Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.

Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem (1 Nephi 3:28-1 Nephi 4:1-4.)

There are patterns to be studied and applied in the questions found in these verses that are essential to true discipleship.

Pattern 1 - The first pattern is found in the two questions asked by an angel of Laman and Lemuel, “Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod?” The angel followed immediately with a second question, “Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities?” Instead of condemning Laman and Lemuel the angel invites Laman and Lemuel to look within by asking questions which require them to think about how they are using their agency.

The first question is a “why” question. These are always marvelous questions for the disciple as they probe the innermost workings of the soul. They are not simple yes/no questions that can be easily answered or brushed aside. In this case, the question was focused on why Laman and Lemuel were angry and beating their brothers. In a very direct way, the angel was asking why they were disobeying the first two commandments—love of God and love of neighbor.

The why question asked by the angel was immediately followed by an equally penetrating question, “Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities?” This shows further respect for agency. “Know ye not” questions respect agency and the ability to reason by inviting the hearer to consider whether their motivations and desires are routed in what they know or believe to be true. Such questions cause us to assess what we know and believe, and also what we don’t know and are willing to consider (see Moses 1:10 for an example of willingness to consider new perspectives, and thereby learn).

The angelic questions to Laman and Lemuel can be asked of each of any of us at any time in a more generalized form. This form is as follows:

Why do ye…?

And

Know ye not that...?

My experience is that these questions stir the soul like few others. I find that learning to honestly ask such questions of oneself serves to both deepen and accelerate discipleship. As we probe our innermost motivations and desires, and compare them to our knowledge of God’s motivations and desires, we are led to repent more deeply and sincerely. As we repent, hypocrisy fades and we find our desires, thoughts, actions, and words more aligned and ourselves living a life with an eye more single to the glory of God (Matthew 6:22.) We will better “follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent…” (2 Nephi 31:13.) This naturally draws us closer to God.

Pattern 2 - After rebuking Laman and Lemuel the angel commands, “Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands” (1 Nephi 3:29.) “...after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur.” Well, at least they are consistent. Once again, their willful ignorance and doubt and their resulting murmuring nature emerge. The verbal expression of their murmuring puts an exclamation point after Nephi’s explanation that they murmured “because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them” (1 Nephi 2:12.) They had just been face to face with an angel of God whose presence seems to have been effective enough to have caused them to stop beating Sam and Nephi by doing nothing more than appearing, asking two questions, and telling them to return to Jerusalem. Now they are asking, ”How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?” (1 Nephi 3:31.)

I am still startled by Laman’s and Lemuel’s questions even after over 50 years of studying the Book of Mormon. Clearly, Laman and Lemuel did not “know the dealings of that God who had created them.” To question God’s ability to deal with a mere local Laban shows the depth of their ignorance of the Divine power.

Another pattern emerges when we generalize these questions:

How is it possible that the Lord will...?

(pick a name) is a mighty man/woman/organization/group/community/country..., and...can command/kill/harm/damage (pick a number); then why not us?

I have long thought that these are likely the dumbest questions in all of Holy Writ. Think about it--How is it possible that the Lord--the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, creator God of the universe...will (fill in the blank)? Why such a question? Because (pick a name) is a mighty person/organization/community/team/country...which can command/kill/harm/damage (pick a number)…then why not us?” Such questions confirm we “know not the dealings of that God who created” us—you and me and everyone else that ever has, does, and will live on the earth.

Pattern 3 - In contrast to Laman’s and Lemuel’s discouraging doubt, Nephi responds with his confident and encouraging faith through an invitation followed by questions, “Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord.” Why is he able to be so confident and encouraging? Because of what he had come to know about the dealings of God with his children. He declares to his brothers,  “for behold [God] is mightier than all the earth.” Which leads to the question, “then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?” In support of his question his invitation includes a reminder of House of Israel history that was and is taught to every child of Israelite descent, “Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.” If God had destroyed the entire Egyptian army, why all the concern over a mere local Laban?

Nephi then provides an inspired pattern for all. He reminds Laman and Lemuel of what they know, “ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto you.” Nephi is reminding his brothers of what they had likely been taught their entire lives about the liberation of Israel from Egypt by the Lord. Lest they were doubting what they had been taught throughout their lives, he points out their own experience with the miraculous—they had just seen an angel of God. This is a magnificent pattern for each of us to follow personally, and to do for others—remind ourselves of what we know rather than dwell on what we doubt.

Nephi asks the soul penetrating question for them and for us, “wherefore can ye doubt?” followed by the invitation to act, “Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.”

In other words, Nephi is asking his brothers, and all of us, with so much evidence as to the nature of God, his love, omnipotence, omniscience, and so many other perfections, how is it we doubt? Interestingly, we learn what sometimes happens in response to such inspired questions and invitations between a believer and non-believer. When Nephi had spoken these words, Laman and Lemuel “were yet wroth, and did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow [Nephi] up until [they] came without the walls of Jerusalem.” The latter-day disciple may well find themselves leading the angry and murmuring crowd to obey divine decrees. Such opposition should be evidence of doing good. We should remember those in the great and spacious building were not cheering on the believers, but were mocking them while apparently watching intently as they partook of the love of God.

The generalized form of Nephi’s last two questions might be rendered as:

The Lord is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than (__________)?

Ye know that (___________) is true, wherefore can ye doubt?”

Such questions help us to measure and focus our faith. The questions border on being rhetorical as the answers are obvious. What they measure is our own faith, not God’s character and capacity.

Conclusion

Now to the question of how these precept patterns help us “grow closer to God” as promised by Brother Joseph (see Book of Mormon, Introduction.) The patterns that are revealed in these first questions of the Book of Mormon serve as both invitations and warnings.

We should expect at times to be asked through messengers and by the Spirit challenging questions. These experiences of inspired inquiry strike at the soul of discipleship. When sincerely and earnestly asked and answered, these questions cause us to plumb the depths of our discipleship. However, we need not wait to be asked such questions by God or his messengers, we can proactively ask such questions of ourselves.

My experience is when I honestly ask such questions the Lord is generous in helping me answer. Typically, these answers seem to include invitations to act, often in the form of repentance—changing my view of God, myself, or the world around me (see Bible Dictionary, Repentance.) Sometimes they serve as stern warnings. When I choose to ask and answer such questions of myself with God’s help, and then act upon what I learn, my discipleship deepens, my reverence for God increases, and I find myself enjoying increased love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith...just like the Apostle Paul promised (Galatians 5:22.)

When we find ourselves asking “how is it possible…” questions in response to the ”why do ye…” and “know ye not” questions we should be deeply concerned. Such questions are evidence of our not really knowing the workings of God and suggest the need for sincere repentance. The antidote to such questions is to ask The Lord is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than (__________)? And, Ye know that (___________) is true, wherefore can ye doubt?” The questions asked by the angel and Nephi show us how to deal with the questions of doubt offered by Laman and Lemuel. When we ask ourselves the questions asked by the angel and Nephi we draw closer to God. When we ask those asked by Laman and Lemuel we push God away.

Book of Mormon Questions - Overview

During my professional life I have spent a significant amount of time involved in higher education. Early in my career I had the good fortune to be a professor and also served as vice president reporting to the president at three different large universities. I was also a guest lecturer and speaker at several other universities, conferences, and symposia around the world.

Throughout these periods of work in higher education I spent a great deal of time working with some of the brightest people on the face of the earth. In universities, life revolves around questions. Questions are at the heart of learning, whether you are a brand new freshman taking your first class in physical sciences, history, music, or economics, or you are a Nobel Laureate seeking to answer some of the hardest questions facing mankind. In secular matters the quality of one’s learning is a function of the questions we are willing to ask and answer. I am finding the same is true in spiritual matters.

During this university life I learned that I could quickly identify the best learners by the questions they would ask. The more insightful, honest, and relevant the question, the more likely they were to prove to be a great learner. It was simply exhilarating to watch learners begin to ask great questions that would ignite sincere inquiry and a passion for learning. At the same time it was humbling to watch great and seasoned scholars identify and wrestle with great and challenging questions. It was disappointing, and sometimes aggravating, to watch any learner stifle their own learning by resisting the asking of important questions of themselves or others. I have seen these same behaviors in the lives of new and seasoned disciples. Their progress is a function of their willingness to ask great questions of themselves, others, and most importantly, God. The Book of Mormon is a marvelous guide for any disciple, newly on the covenant path or long-seasoned, to learn how to ask great questions and thereby move themselves along the covenant path.

The Book of Mormon provides a marvelous illustration of this principle of questions being an indication of the sincerity of the disciple in the interaction between Alma, Amulek, and Zeezrom. Alma had been sent to Ammonihah to call the people to repentance. Amulek had provided a second witness to Alma’s and in the process Zeezrom had attempted to “catch them in their words, that they might find witness against them, that they might deliver them to their judges that they might be judged according to the law, and that they might be slain or cast into prison, according to the crime which they could make appear or witness against them.” Soon, Alma saw “that the words of Amulek had silenced Zeezrom, for he [Zeezrom] beheld that Amulek had caught him [Zeezrom] in his lying and deceiving to destroy him [Amulek], and seeing that he [Zeezrom] began to tremble under a consciousness of his guilt" Alma began to speak.

Alma then explicitly exposed Zeezrom’s intent and plans. As a result, “when Alma had spoken these words, Zeezrom began to tremble more exceedingly, for he was convinced more and more of the power of God” and that God had shared with Alma and Amulek the thoughts and intents of Zeezrom. At this point a great pivot is manifest. “Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might know more concerning the kingdom of God.” To his credit, Zeezrom accepted the call to repentance, even though it resulted in a very “sore repentance” (Alma 10-12, 15.)

I am finding the same is true in modern discipleship. The quality of our discipleship is often a function of the insight, honesty, and relevance of our questions. The more important and honest the question, the greater the depth and durability of our discipleship. The more trivial and insincere the questions, the less depth and durability of our discipleship. This principle has proven true in my own discipleship. The more sincerely I ask myself, others, and particularly God, important questions, the greater my progress along the covenant path leading to God. Often the answers to these questions result in my needing to make significant changes in my desires, thoughts, actions, and words. Whenever I have done so I have found myself drawing closer to God and experiencing greater peace and joy.

The great latter-day example of the importance of asking important and honest questions is the Prophet Joseph. He was spurred by a scripture that emphasizes the importance of asking great questions:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed (James 1:5-6.)

Acting in faith, Joseph asked God his questions. As a result, Joseph became an instrument in the hands of God to usher in the last dispensation and is the example of learning to asking important and honest questions. Such is the promise to any of us, if we will ask important and honest questions.

No book has been more valuable to me as a disciple of Christ than the Book of Mormon in getting nearer to God in large part because of the questions it contains. They have served as a bit of a primer from which I continue to learn. As with parables, the more sincere and determined my study of questions, the greater the insight into how I can align my desires, thoughts, actions, and words with God, and thereby "get nearer to God."

As a result, I feel it important to focus significant attention on the questions of the Book of Mormon. My purpose is not to attempt to answer the questions, but to hopefully help the sincere disciple see the importance of asking oneself, others, and God great questions. The real and most important answers will come directly to the individual disciple through sincere study and faith (D&C 88:118.)

The questions found in the Book of Mormon range from the first question, asked by angel of the abusive and myopic Laman and Lemuel, “Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod?” followed immediately by “Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities?” (1 Nephi 3:29), to the universal, penetrating, and concluding question Moroni prophesied will be asked of every Book of Mormon reader by the Lord himself at the judgment day, “Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?” (Moroni 10:27.) From these book end questions alone we immediately see the intensely personal nature of the questions found in the Book of Mormon. The many other questions found between these bookend questions are equally personal and intense. My experience is if we allow these questions to “work in [us]” (Alma 32:27), and on us, they will help strengthen our desire to give place for a portion of God’s words.

Sometimes the questions of The Book of Mormon are far and few between, as during the accounts of the many wars of the Nephites during the latter half of the book of Alma, or Ether’s account of the destruction of the Jaredites. In contrast, we have question packed Alma 5 which serves as one of the most soul stirring and stretching chapters in all of holy writ because of the rapid fire and intensely personal nature of the questions. My experience is it is impossible to hide the heart when such questions are sincerely asked of oneself.

Most of the remaining entries in this blog will explore the context, nature, purpose, and applicability of the questions found throughout the Book of Mormon that expose both the depth of discipleship or rebelliousness of God’s children. Each question has the potential to stir our souls to act, and not be acted upon (2 Nephi 2:26). Hopefully, these writings to follow about questions will serve to emphasize how “a man would get nearer to God by abiding by [The Book of Mormon’s] precepts, than by any other book.”