Incomplete Disclosure


mikbone
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I have been wanting to put together a list of passages in the scriptures, but primarily the Book of Mormon, where the lord has seen fit to limit the amount of information to be revealed because these things are 'hid from the world'.

I'll start with one. If you do a quick reading you probably won't pick up on it. But if you read it carefully you can understand that something pretty darn kool happened that is not directly expressed.

It's in 3 Nephi chapter 28. ;)

1) Original 10 Commandments

2) Sealed 2/3 portion of the Golden Plates

3) Names of the 3 Nephites

4) Facsimile #2

5) 'Body of my Spirit' that Jehovah revealed to the Brother of Jared in Ether 3

Edited by mikbone
making the list
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The first one I am thinking of is with Moses and the ten commandments. He would have given them the greater light and knowledge, but dang it, they weren't ready so the revelation was limited.

I think we are in that state right now. I mean, what I wouldn't give to take a look at the sealed portion of the golden plates.

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2 Ne. 32: 6-7

6 Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do.

7 And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be.

3 Ne. 15: 18

18 And now, because of stiffneckedness and unbelief they understood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the Father concerning this thing unto them.

D&C 132: 66

66 And now, as pertaining to this law, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will reveal more unto you, hereafter; therefore, let this suffice for the present. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega. Amen.

HiJolly

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It happens in the chapter you mentioned 2 times:

3 Nephi 28:

13 And behold, the heavens were opened, and they were acaught up into heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things.

14 And it was forbidden them that they should utter; neither was it given unto them power that they could utter the things which they saw and heard;

Then...

25 Behold, I was about to write the names of those who were never to taste of death, but the Lord forbade; therefore I write them not, for they are hid from the world.

He also went on to mention that if we knew all the words of Christ then we would know why things must happen the way they have, do, and will:

33 And if ye had all the scriptures which give an account of all the marvelous works of Christ, ye would, according to the words of Christ, know that these things must surely come.

I don't have any comments on what they might have witnessed when they looked into heaven. I haven't the slightest idea what can't be mentioned.

But, I believe Mormon was so anxious to tell us who the 3 Nephites were that he did, and it is there for any to see... yet hidden from the world at large. Have you found where he reveals the names the 3 Nephites?

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24 And now I, Mormon, make an end of speaking concerning these things for a time.

25 Behold, I was about to write the names of those who were never to taste of death, but the Lord forbade; therefore I write them not, for they are hid from the world.

He was talking about the 3 Nephites, then he said he will end speaking of them for a time, then says he was about to write their names but was forbidden. I'm not sure I see what you see between these 2 verses, but I admit I am slower than the average Joe.

26 But behold, I have seen them, and they have ministered unto me.

The link "a" in 26 next to "I" takes you to here:

Mormon 8:

11 But behold, my father and I have seen them, and they have ministered unto us.

OK, so Mormon and Moroni have both seen them, and they have ministered to them.

What am I missing?

And, you didn't answer if you noticed in the Book of Mormon where it tells you what their names are.

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No, I didn't get their names. Still workin on that one.

Back to verse 24. Mormon stops his writing here. This is significant Let me digress for a bit and give some background. I picture this point in Mormon's abridgement of the Nephite history as a very similar scene to Tom Lovell's painting, Mormon Abridging the Plates that depicts Mormon writing the chapter, The Words of Mormon. With a little research and simple math we find out that the writing of The Words of Mormon took place approximately during Mormon's seventy-fourth year of life [Mormon 1:6 (Age 11 at year 322 A.D.), Words of Mormon v. 2 (year 385 A.D.)]. The collection of plates that Ammaron had hidden in the Hill Shim had been removed ten years earlier by Mormon and taken unto himself so that the Lamanites would not have access to the records [Mormon 4:23]. This painting appears to be in the setting of a temple or large residence. In reality Mormon was probably not in a beautiful building because at this time he had just moved his people to the land of Cumorah and had apparently written the material between The Words of Mormon and Mormon chapter 6 within the self-same year [Mormon 6:2-6]. Regardless, in the painting Mormon is sitting on a bench with a papyrus written in Hebrew lying across his thigh and he is using a stylus to inscribe Reformed Egyptian onto the Golden Plates, which are lying on a table [Mormon 9:32-33]. Behind Mormon is a wall full of plates and papyri that would love to get my hands on.

If you look at Mormon's face you will notice that he is contemplating. Mormon's face is the most important part of the painting in my opinion. Now lets go back to 3 Nephi chapter 28, and imagine Mormon at age 74, at the point where he has just finished abridging the material concerning the physical state of the bodies of the Three Nephites in verse 17. Mormon is confused as to whether the Three Nephites bodies are mortal or immortal but he continues to write eight more verses while considering the miracles that the disciples were able to accomplish with their transfigured bodies. Finally in verse 24 he calls it quits and does something very intelligent.

From verse 37 we learn that Mormon fell to his knees and decided to pray to the Lord for enlightenment. I picture Mormon hearing a knock on the door of his library during the conclusion of his sincere prayer. He wonders who is knocking, and goes to investigate. To his surprise, when he opens the door, he sees three personages...

Edited by mikbone
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Contuining from post #10

So lets go back to the painting. Not only was the setting and the age of Mormon incorrect. Apparently Moroni was with Mormon during this experience [Mormon 8:11]. This also has some pretty kool implications. How many of the Nephites do you think could read and write in Reformed Egyptian? I'm thinking VERY few. I would bet a million pesos that Moroni assisted Mormon in editing the Golden Plates. It would definately be the best way for Mormon to teach Moroni the Egyptial language. And it would greatly speed up the production of the Golden Plates. Whenever I see that painting I now picture both Mormon and Moroni seated at a table sitting across from each other one reading from the Hebrew and the other writing in Reformed Egyptian.

Anyway back to the visitation of the 3 Nephites to both Mormon and Moroni. What an awesome experience this must have been! Verse 26 states that these men were the Lord's three disciples, and that they ministered unto Mormon. I imagine that both Mormon and Moroni had many questions. They were probably most interested in what had previously been transcribed into what we now known as 3 Nephi chapter 11. The three Nephites were direct witnesses of the newly resurrected Christ and the Father's testimony. Mormon probably asked the disciples what it was like to place their hands into the Lord's side, and to feel the prints of the nails in his hands and feet. They asked the disciples what their names were, and they were given them. They told Mormon of their special mission and what they had been doing over the past three hundred years. They explained some of the rules that they had to abide. For goodness sake, they told Mormon and Moroni that they would be among us, the Gentiles 1500 plus years into the future. They explained in detail and demonstrated the type of change that had occurred to their bodies. They related how they no longer suffered pain nor temptation, and that they were more powerful than any force upon the earth.

This must have given much hope to Mormon & Moroni considering their situation with the stubborn Nephites and impending war. I assume that they spent many hours with the disciples and had most of their questions answered. Finally the disciples told them that they had to go, and Mormon reluctantly let them leave. Then the following morning, Mormon & Moroni went back to the library to continue work on the Golden Plates. Mormon had great news to share with us and was desirous to put in writing the whole encounter. As he began to write down the names of the disciples, he heard the voice of the Lord who stated what Mormon could and could not engrave about the encounter.

The above scene very much resembles an encounter that occurred in modern times found in Joseph Smith History 1: 66-75. It would not surprise me if the resurrected Moroni had counseled Joseph Smith to get a scribe in the first place. Moroni knew that Joseph Smith had to complete the translation in a short period of time, and he knew from past experience that the translation would not be easy without help.

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3 Nephi 19:

4 And it came to pass that on the morrow, when the multitude was gathered together, behold, Nephi and his brother whom he had raised from the dead, whose name was Timothy, and also his son, whose name was Jonas, and also Mathoni, and Mathonihah, his brother, and Kumen, and Kumenonhi, and Jeremiah, and Shemnon, and Jonas, and Zedekiah, and Isaiah—now these were the names of the disciples whom Jesus had chosen—and it came to pass that they went forth and stood in the midst of the multitude.

After studying this verse enough it is clear which 3 were the 3 Nephites. It's almost as if Mormon wanted us to know.

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Whenever I see that painting I now picture both Mormon and Moroni seated at a table sitting across from each other one reading from the Hebrew and the other writing in Reformed Egyptian.

Nephi said they wrote in the language of the Egyptians, there would have been no need to translate from Hebrew.

1 Nephi 1:

2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

He also made comments to the effect that they altered it in order to save room on the plates... thus the reformed part.

Edited by Justice
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$10 on the first three. Any takers?

The more you think about it, the more sense it makes. It also "tastes good" as Elder Bednar says truth does.

Nephi

Nephi's brother

Nephi's son

These three would have been together much of the time throughout their lives and probably developed a very similar doctrine and desire.

Edited by Justice
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And why do you suppose that their names were not to be revealed?

Reminds me of Moses being introduced to Jehovah as I AM that I AM.

or

Genesiss 32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

Apparently there is some kind of power in a name...

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Nephi wrote his plates in reformed Egyptian, but I bet that Many of the prophets in between Nephi and Mormon wrote in their native language.

Nephi, Sam, Joseph, and Jacob were the fathers of the Nephites. Jacob wrote some, but the others I don't recall.

I have the impression that if anyone wrote on the plates they did so in the language of the plates. Hebrew took way too much room. Plus, Nephi seems to have not wanted much of the Jews taught among his people.

2 Nephi 25:

2 For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the manner of the Jews; for their works were works of darkness, and their doings were doings of abominations.

6 But behold, I, Nephi, have not taught my children after the manner of the Jews; but behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at Jerusalem, wherefore I know concerning the regions round about; and I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of God, which hath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children, according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not write them.

I don't see Hebrew being widely taught among the Nephites.

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And why do you suppose that their names were not to be revealed?

I don't take it as so much their names being revealed, as much as their identities.

Often we forget that their children read their writings too, and whatever they wrote would be known among them. Sometimes they didn't write things so they wouldn't be immediately known.

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Don't tease. Which figures?

Book of Abraham, Facsimile 2:

Fig. 8. Contains writings that cannot be revealed unto the world; but is to be had in the Holy Temple of God.

Fig. 9. Ought not to be revealed at the present time.

Fig. 10. Also.

Fig. 11. Also. If the world can find out these numbers, so let it be. Amen.

Figures 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 will be given in the own due time of the Lord.

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For fun, this is what googling got me. ;P

Names of the Three Nephites?

Late in his life, Oliver Huntington, an early LDS pioneer, wrote or dictated a shelf full of reminiscences, including those concerning his youthful association with Joseph Smith.

Historians find that some of what he put down does not square with most other reports. The discrepancy may have to do with inaccuracies in recall because of age, still perhaps Huntington did remember facts that others forgot.

Under the date of 16 February 1895 he writes without further elaboration: “I am willing to state that the names of the 3 Nephites who do not sleep in the earth are Jeremiah, Zedekiah, Kumenonhi.” Of course in 3 Nephi 28:25 Mormon reports that he was forbidden by the Lord to record the names of the three disciples, yet that limitation might not have been imposed on Joseph Smith or other early church leaders. Had Huntington heard this startling information from early associates of the Prophet? Without corroborating statements from other sources, we cannot know more.

I'm not gonna trust a memory recalled that long after the fact, but it is interesting.

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