Ether 8

[JohnBirchSociety]

What do you all think of when you read Ether 8?

[MaidservantX]

Helaman 6:37-38? :)

[MorningStar]

I think of greedy people who kill to get more unimportant stuff.

[NeuroTypical]

I think of you, JBS!

In all seriousness, I think about secret combinations in ways that don't involve X-files background music. Sometimes, street gangs, organized crime, and purveyors of pornography really are as deep as it needs to get.

LM

[Hemidakota]

Let me some further clarity from known history writer, Andrew Skinner, concerning how Secret Combinations assaults our freedom.

Secret Combinations: Freedom Assaulted

Several things made Orihah and Shule successful and blessed rulers, bringing peace and prosperity to the Jaredites. These things include those important institutions to which all of us most owe our loyalties and allegiance: God, family, and fellow beings. After a time, when these things were rebelled against and forgotten, the Jaredite culture began to collapse. The steady slide of the Jaredite people toward destruction began in earnest with the rebellion of one Jared (son of Omer and grandson of Shule), who took his own father into captivity and sought, without moral restraint, "the kingdom and . . . the glory of the world." (Ether 8:7.)

It is significant that Jared's own daughter, following the wicked example he himself had set, provided the impetus to introduce into their society the most insidious and cunning of all Satan's wicked schemes, secret combinations. (Ether 8:9.) She reminded her father that part of the record brought by their ancestors to the promised land contained "an account concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory." Eventually, one Akish was persuaded to become involved in these secret plans. "And it was the daughter of Jared who put it into his heart to search up these things of old; and Jared put it into the heart of Akish; wherefore, Akish administered it unto his kindred and friends, leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired." (Ether 8:17.)

As to what was contained in that part of the ancient record referred to by Jared's daughter, we have been given an outline from various sources. According to Ether, the secret plans consisted of "oaths which were given by them of old who also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning." (Ether 8:15.) Nephi reported that these oaths were "administered by the devil, to combine against all righteousness." (3 Ne. 6:28.) The record of Moses confirms the veracity of the previous two statements in a graphic and frightening manner: "Satan said unto Cain: Swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die; and swear thy brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not; for if they tell it, they shall surely die; and this that thy father may not know it; and this day I will deliver thy brother Abel into thine hands." (Moses 5:29.)

Moroni testified that secret combinations lead to destruction-the destruction of life, property, and freedom. (Ether 8:25.) The overthrow of freedom or free agency was Satan's plan from the beginning. (Moses 4:1-4.) Thus, secret combinations can be found in many elements of society among all people. (Ether 8:20.) Perhaps this may frighten us in the latter days. But it may also make us more conscious of Moroni's warning for our times-which warning he was commanded to write (Ether 8:26): "Whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold they shall be destroyed. . . . Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain-and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be." (Ether 8:22-23.)

If there is one lesson we learn from reading Ether 5-8, it is that when the Lord makes a prophecy or promise it must surely come to pass. Latter-day Saints must resolve to fight against Satan through personal righteousness and by avoiding the very appearance of evil. Does something degrade rather than edify? Is it done solely to get gain? Or does it attempt to stay hidden from Deity? If so, we must leave it alone.

Conclusion

The book of Ether is a record of great importance. It teaches of righteous leaders who were surely among the noble and great souls seen by Abraham. (Abr. 3:22-23.) It discloses glimpses of unspeakably glorious matters reserved for a future time of great righteousness. (Ether 4:7.) It bears testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith and three other latter-day witnesses called by God. (Ether 5.) It describes the customs and culture of an ancient people. (Ether 6.) It is full of verifying traditions.

The book of Ether (especially chapters 5-8) is important as well as interesting because it contains a number of parallels to be found in other scriptures. These include a great ocean voyage, barges like Noah's ark, prayers and praises sung unceasingly (compare Enos and others), a great family gathering before the death of the patriarchs (compare Ether 6:19-20 and D&C 107:53), the request for kingship, and secret combinations.

However, the great value of Ether, in particular chapters 5-8, lies in the spiritual lessons it provides: The promises of God are sure and must be fulfilled, and if we are righteous we shall prosper in the land. Just as Moroni wrote these things in his record so that "evil may be done away," let us read and apply them for the same reason.

Footnotes

1. Andrew C. Skinner is instructor of history at Metropolitan State College, Denver, Colorado.

2. Joseph Smith, History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2nd ed. rev. (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932-51), 1:52-53.

3. Ibid., p. 55.

4. Ibid., p. 56, footnote.

5. Josephus reported that women and slaves were disqualified as witnesses. Josephus, Antiquities 4:8, 15.

6. J. H. Hertz, ed., The Pentateuch and Haftorahs, 2nd ed. (London: Soncino Press, 1967), p. 830.

7. Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), p. 436.

8. Jamake Highwater, Native Land, Sagas of the Indian Americas (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1986), p. 16.

9. Ross T. Christensen, ed., Transoceanic Crossings to Ancient America (Provo: Brigham Young University, 1970), p. 25.

10. John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, and Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), pp. 116-18.

11. Thor Heyerdahl, The Tigris Expedition (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday and Company, 1981), p. 8.

12. Ibid., p. 23.

13. Ibid., p. 8.

14. Hertz, Pentateuch and Haftorahs, pp. 26-27.

15. James B. Pritchard, ed., The Ancient Near East Volume 1, An Anthology of Texts and Pictures, 2 vols. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1973), p. 66.

Ref: Kent P. Jackson, ed., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 8: Alma 30 to Moroni, p.269-269

t P. Jackson, ed., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 8: Alma 30 to Moroni, p.271)

[Guest tomk]

The first thing I think of is what happened when Herod had John the Baptist beheaded

6 But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.

9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.

10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

vs Ether 8:

8 Now the daughter of Jared being exceedingly expert, and seeing the sorrows of her father, thought to devise a plan whereby she could redeem the kingdom unto her father.

9 Now the daughter of Jared was exceedingly fair. And it came to pass that she did talk with her father, and said unto him: Whereby hath my father so much sorrow? Hath he not read the record which our fathers brought across the great deep? Behold, is there not an account concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory?

10 And now, therefore, let my father send for Akish, the son of Kimnor; and behold, I am fair, and I will dance before him, and I will please him, that he will desire me to wife; wherefore if he shall desire of thee that ye shall give unto him me to wife, then shall ye say: I will give her if ye will bring unto me the head of my father, the king.

11 And now Omer was a friend to Akish; wherefore, when Jared had sent for Akish, the daughter of Jared danced before him that she pleased him, insomuch that he desired her to wife. And it came to pass that he said unto Jared: Give her unto me to wife.

12 And Jared said unto him: I will give her unto you, if ye will bring unto me the head of my father, the king.

13 And it came to pass that Akish gathered in unto the house of Jared all his kinsfolk, and said unto them: Will ye swear unto me that ye will be faithful unto me in the thing which I shall desire of you?

14 And it came to pass that they all sware unto him, by the God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their heads, that whoso should vary from the assistance which Akish desired should lose his head; and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish made known unto them, the same should lose his life.

Secret combinations seemed to be alive and well in both hemispheres.