1 Nephi Chapter 14 - May 14, 2017

[pam]

Discuss

[Sunday21]

This chapter reminds me that we need to follow the counsel of God as laid out in the scriptures and not make up our own rules. 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/it-works-wonderfully?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lds-inspirational-messages-eng+(Daily+Messages)&lang=eng

[pam]

Just what are the stumbling blocks mentioned in verse 1?

1.   the ignorance and uncertainty which came as a result of the loss of the plain and precious truths from the Bible

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

(McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 106)

 

Verse 3 it has a phrase:  "not the destruction of the soul."   I know there are a few religions that believe that one when dies there is no spirit.  Basically a person's spirit goes to sleep until the resurrection.  I have cousins who are staunch Seventh Day Adventists that believe this. At my cousin's wedding, my mom and I made a faux paux when my cousin mentioned she wished her mom who had passed away could see her getting married.  We said, "Oh she can, she is here with us."  Oh the looks we got from everyone around us.  Priceless.

In verse 7 it speaks of a great and marvelous work.  In this context great means significant and meaningful and marvelous means marvelous and incomprehensible.

Nephi's description of the vision he had ends with this chapter.  So to kind of summarize what he saw:

1.  Tree of life

2.  Shown a history of the world which included:  The Savior's ministry, the early church, history of the Nephites and Lamanites, the apostasy, the restoration, the last days, the destructions that will happen before the second coming and the millennium.