1 Nephi 14:2

[pam]

1 Nephi 14

2 And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded.

Quotes for Discussion

No More Captivity<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

The land of promise was to be a land wherein the promises made to the fathers—the promise of land inheritance, of the gospel, of the priesthood, and of eternal life (see Abraham 2:8-11, 19)—were to be realized by the faithful. If the people of the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Americas</st1:place></st1:country-region> would but worship the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, they would never again know captivity and servitude and slavery. Nor would they be led captive by that devil who subtly seeks to enshroud the unwary in the sleep of death. (See 2 Nephi 1:7; 10:10-12; Ether 2:9-12.)

Ibid, p. 107<o:p></o:p>

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>No More Confounded<o:p></o:p>

With the restoration of things plain and precious, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> need no more be scattered or confounded. The Book of Mormon in particular is the instrument prepared by God to bring about the gathering of Israel in the last days in two ways: (1) it provides a description of Israel’s condition—the causes for the scattering as well as the means whereby she is to be gathered; and (2) it provides the specific prescription for accomplishing the task of gathering—namely, through the Book of Mormon itself. In short, the Book of Mormon is the scriptural record ordained to accomplish “the Father’s work” (3 Nephi 21) because it is the familiar voice, a voice from the dust which will call <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place> home.

Ibid p. 107<o:p></o:p>

[Hemidakota]

Looking at verse 1 thru 7, Nephi described the latter days as a critical time of decision for the Gentiles, a time wherein they may be blessed or cursed, depending upon their disposition to receive the Lord and his anointed.

In that day when the Deliverer would take away the "stumbling blocks" of ignorance and superstition caused by the removal of the plain and precious parts of scripture, the Gentiles would witness a "marvelous work," the restoration of the everlasting gospel. This everlasting gospel is that system of salvation which has sealing power-power to seal the obedient unto eternal life and to seal the disobedient and rebellious "unto the day when the wrath of God shall be poured out upon the wicked without measure" (D&C 1:8-9), the dreadful day of the second coming of the Son of Man. Those who receive the new covenant will become people of the covenant and come to know their true identity as members of the royal lineage. On the other hand, those who turn a deaf ear to the words of life will polarize themselves against the faith of their fathers and align themselves with the father of lies; they become a part of that "church of the devil," an element of "Babylon the great, which shall fall" (D&C 1:16).

Verse 1. Stumbling blocks:

The stumbling blocks spoken of by the angel appeared to be of two types: (1) the ignorance and uncertainty which came as a result of the loss of the plain and precious truths from the Bible; and (2) the Book of Mormon and the message of the Restoration themselves which would serve as stumbling blocks to the impenitent and hard-hearted of the latter days. In the meridian of time Paul wrote: "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness" (1 Corinthians 1:23).

2. They shall be numbered among the seed of thy father

Most of those designated as Gentiles in the Book of Mormon are, indeed, members of the house of Israel by lineal descent. Many of them, however, have not entered into the covenant, for they have not taken upon them the name of the Mediator of that covenant and entered into the covenant gospel through an authorized baptism in his name. "For behold, I say unto you," Nephi later testified, "that as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews [or anyone from the house of Israel, for that matter] as will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel" (2 Nephi 30:2). Through the glad tidings of the Restoration-and specifically through the message to Israel contained in the Book of Mormon-descendants of Jacob discover who they are and come to know, once again, the voice of their Shepherd.

2. No more brought down into captivity

The land of promise was to be a land wherein the promises made to the fathers-the promise of land inheritance, of the gospel, of the priesthood, and of eternal life (see Abraham 2:8-11, 19)-were to be realized by the faithful. If the people of the Americas would but worship the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, they would never again know captivity and servitude and slavery. Nor would they be led captive by that devil who subtly seeks to enshroud the unwary in the sleep of death. (See 2 Nephi 1:7; 2 Nephi 10:10-12; Ether 2:9-12.)

2. The house of Israel shall no more be confounded:

With the restoration of things plain and precious, Israel need no more be scattered or confounded. The Book of Mormon in particular is the instrument prepared by God to bring about the gathering of Israel in the last days in two ways: (1) it provides a description of Israel's condition-the causes for the scattering as well as the means whereby she is to be gathered; and (2) it provides the specific prescription for accomplishing the task of gathering-namely, through the Book of Mormon itself. In short, the Book of Mormon is the scriptural record ordained to accomplish "the Father's work" (3 Nephi 21) because it is the familiar voice, a voice from the dust which will call Israel home.

[prospectmom]

Thanks Pam and Hemi learning ever learning.