Gospel Doctrine Enrichment - By Faith All Things Are Fulfilled

“By Faith All Things Are Fulfilled”

Book of Mormon Lesson 46

Ether 7–15


A SUCCESSION OF RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED KINGS

In Ether 7–11, we read about a succession of righteous and wicked kings who followed Orihah. We also read about the rise of secret combinations among the Jaredites, and the teachings of prophets who called them to repentance.

Moroni Warns Against Secret Combinations

Moroni's warning about secret combinations in the latter days, which he prophesied would also exist among us (Ether 8:19–26). Moroni is very clear about their danger, saying we must not sit by and allow it, but seek to eradicate secret combinations wherever they are.

President Ezra Taft Benson said, ". . .the Book of Mormon. . . states that the downfall of two great American civilizations came as a result of secret conspiracies whose desire was to overthrow the freedom of the people. (Ether 8:21). . . . This scripture [Ether 8:22] should alert us to what is ahead unless we repent, because there is no question but that as people of the free world, we are increasingly upholding many of the evils of the adversary today. . . .  Moroni seemed greatly exercised lest in our day we might not be able to recognize the startling fact that the same secret societies which destroyed the Jaredites and decimated numerous kingdoms of both Nephites and Lamanites would be precisely the same form of . . . conspiracy which would rise up among the gentile nations in this day."1

 

The Jaredite Pride Cycle

Earlier in the Book of Mormon, we became familiar with the Nephite pride cycle of prosperity, pride, destruction, and repentance. The Jaredites suffered from the same malady, which Moroni illustrates for us in the continuing history of Jaredite kings and their people.

Jared ruled briefly, then was assassinated by his son-in-law Akish (Ether 9:4–6). Akish killed his son and reigned in wickedness (Ether 9:7–11). Omer was restored again to the throne when Akish's kingdom erupted into civil war among the sons of Akish, killing all but 30 people (Ether 9:12–13).

Emer succeeded his father on the throne and ruled righteously, bringing great prosperity to his people (Ether 9:14–22):

—    All manner of fruit, grain, silks, fine linen, gold, silver, and precious things (v. 17).

—    Cattle, oxen, cows, sheep, swine, goats, & other animals useful for food (v. 18).

—    Horses, asses, elephants, cureloms, and cumoms, of which the elephants and cureloms were most "useful unto man" (v. 19).

—    Cureloms and cumoms.  We do not know for sure what kind of animals these were, but since they seem to be unique to the Americas and are "useful to man" (as opposed to wild), some Book of Mormon scholars speculate that cureloms are llamas (a type of camel, useful for packing things) and cumoms are either alpacas or bears, whose fur would have been especially useful for clothing.

"The Son of Righteousness" appeared during the reign of righteous King Emer (vv. 21–22).

Heth's reign brought the rise of secret combinations again, leading to destruction of many people (Ether 9:26).

 

A Period of Great Peace and Prosperity

The Jaredites achieved a very high state of civilization. The whole northern part of the land was covered with cities (Ether 10:9–34).

—    The land southward was preserved as a wilderness for hunting game (vv. 20–22)

—    During this time, they were very industrious and had a thriving economy (v. 22).

—    They made many things of gold, silver, iron, brass, and other metals (v. 23).

—    They had silks, fine-twined linen, and "all manner of cloth" (v. 24).

—    They made tools to till the earth, plow, sow, reap, hoe, and thrash, as well as "all manner of tools with which they did work their beasts" (vv. 25–26).

—    They made all manner of weapons and "other works of. . .curious workmanship" (v. 27).

—    Moroni says "never could be a people more blessed than were they" (v. 28).

 

The Final Stages of Jaredite Civilization

Hearthom, Heth, Aaron, Amnigaddah, and Coriantum all live in captivity (Ether 10:30–31). We know very little about their righteousness, but assume that Hearthom was righteous for a while, until he lost the kingdom and went into captivity.

Seth, Ahah, and Ethem all reigned in wickedness, and the prophets withdrew from among the people because of their wickedness (Ether 11:9–14). Moron reigned in wickedness and was taken captive twice (Ether 11:14–18), spending all the remainder of his days in captivity" (v. 18). Coriantor lived in captivity all his days and begat the righteous prophet Ether (Ether 11:19, 23).

The prophets predicted the coming of the family of Lehi to inherit the land (Ether 11:20–22) after the Jaredites' "utter destruction" (v. 20). But the people rejected all the words of the prophets "because of their secret society and wicked abominations" (v. 22).

 

Trials of Our Faith

While Coriantumr was king, Ether—their last prophet—preached repentance unto the people (Ether 12:1–5). He "could not be restrained because of the Spirit of the Lord which was in him" (v. 2), crying repentance "from the morning, even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance lest they should be destroyed" (v. 3).  Ether also prophesied "great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they saw them not" (v. 5).

Faith produces hope of eternal life, which is the motivation for righteous living (Ether 12:3–4). Moroni defines faith as "things which are hoped for and not seen," and that we will "receive no witness until after the trial of [our] faith" (Ether 12:6; Hebrews 11:1).

 

Moroni illustrated the doctrine of faith with several scriptural examples of prophets and others who had gone before him who were recipients of great miracles, testimonies, and blessings of the Lord as a result of their great faith (Ether 12:13–22).

—    Alma and Amulek caused the prison to tumble to the earth (v. 13).

—    Nephi and Lehi caused Lamanites to be baptized with fire & the Holy Ghost (v. 14).

—    Ammon and his brethren miraculously converted the Lamanites (v. 15).

—    Many performed miracles by faith, both before and after Christ (v. 16).

—    By faith the 3 Nephites obtained a promise that they would not taste of death (v. 17).

Moroni observed that in no case did the Lord perform any of these miracles "until after their faith"—until "they first believed in the Son of God" (v. 18). Many had faith so strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil, but truly saw. . .with an eye of faith, and they were glad" (v. 19). One of these was the brother of Jared, whose faith in God was so strong that "the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the veil" (vv. 20–21).

Moroni concludes by saying that "by faith. . .my fathers have obtained the promise that these things [the Book of Mormon] should come unto their brethren through the Gentiles," which is the reason why "the Lord hath commanded me [to keep and protect the record], yea, even Jesus Christ" (v. 22).

 

Turning Weaknesses into Strengths

Moroni showed self-consciousness about the weakness of Nephite writing (Ether 12:23–25). In contrast, he observed that the writing of the brother of Jared (which was the Adamic language) was "mighty. . .even as thou art, unto the overpowering of man to read them" (v. 24).

The Lord gives all of us weaknesses to keep us humble, and will help us to "make weak things become strong unto" us (Ether 12:26–29).

 

Moroni listed some of the great blessings the Lord had given unto His prophets and those who had faith (Ether 12:30–35).

The last scripture read by Hyrum Smith prior to his martyrdom was Ether 12:36–37. As he prepared to go to Carthage Jail, he read these verses and folded down the page (D&C 135:4–5).

Amen #3:  Moroni wrote his third "farewell" statement here, thinking he was finished (Ether 12:38–41).

 

THE JAREDITES ARE DESTROYED

The People Reject Ether's Teachings

The Jaredites rejected Ether and cast him out (Ether 13:13–14). He dwelt in a cave and witnessed their final destruction. Moroni was "about to write more" concerning the "great and marvelous" prophesies of Ether, but was forbidden by the Lord (v. 13). It was while he was dwelling in that cave that "he made the remainder of this record, viewing the destructions which came upon the people, by night" (v. 14).

 

Coriantumr became the sole survivor of the Jaredites (Ether 14:24–31). He remembered the prophecies of Ether concerning him and wrote to Shiz in an effort to end the bloodshed—to no avail (Ether 15:1–6). More than two million Jaredites were killed in the battles (v. 2).

The last great battle utterly destroyed the Jaredite nation (Ether 15:7–33). The last great battle took place at the Hill Ramah (Cumorah) (vv. 7–14)."Ramah" is a Mayan word meaning a very high hill rising above a flat plain. This is the place where both the Nephites and the Jaredites were destroyed-the hill that the Nephites call Cumorah (Mormon 6:1–2; Mormon 1:3; 4:23). Every living Jaredite gathered there except the prophet Ether (v. 12).

 

Notes:

1.  God, Family, Country: Our Three Great Loyalties, 321–322.

 

This material is taken from the Making Precious Things Plain study guides for the Book ofMormon.

Clickhere to download the entire Gospel Doctrine Enrichment article, By Faith AllThings Are Fulfilled, Book of Mormon Lesson 46.

5 Minute FHE: When I Serve My Neighbors, I Serve God

5 Minute Family Home Evening Idea

Lesson: “When I serve my neighbors,

I serve God.”

from I Know my Savior Lives

By Kimiko Hammari

Opening Song: A Happy Helper (Children’s Songbook #197)

Opening Prayer: By Invitation

Scriptures: Matthew 25:40

Art: The Good Samaritan (218 in the Gospel Art Picture Kit)

Lesson: Read and discuss the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:25–37.

• According to the parable, who are our neigh­bors?

• How did the good Samaritan help his neighbor?

• How do we love our neighbors as ourselves? How can we serve them?

Activity: 

Younger Children: Adopt a grandparent. For tonight’s activity, discuss with your family which elderly men and women in your ward or neighbor­hood would enjoy regular visits. Plan what you can do to make them your adopted grandparents. Then, over the next several months, tell your adopted grandparent what’s going on in your life, and, with your parents’ permission, invite them to some of the activities you are involved in (such as a sporting event or piano recital).

Older Children: Go on a service scavenger hunt. (download the pdf page below for instructions and for the scavenger hunt form.)

Closing Song: I have Two Little Hands (Children’s Songbook, pg. 272)

Closing Prayer: By Invitation

Refreshments: No Roll Frosted Sugar Cookies from "Real Mom Kitchen" blog by Laura Powell

No Roll Frosted Sugar Cookies 

Ingredients

Cookies:

·  ⅔ cup shortening

·  ⅔ cups butter, cut into chunks

·  1½ cups sugar

·  2 eggs

·  2 tsp vanilla

·  ¼ tsp almond extract

·  2 tsp baking powder

·  1 tsp salt

·  3⅓ cup flour

Frosting:

·  1 cup butter

·  pinch of salt

·  1 tsp vanilla

·  4 cups powdered sugar

·  6 Tbsp milk

·  food coloring

·  sprinkles

Instructions

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2.    In a large mixing bowl, add the shortening, butter, and sugar. Beat together with a mixer until fluffy.

3.    Add in eggs and extracts to the mixture and beat in until well combined.

4.    Then add the baking powder, salt, and 1 cup of the flour. Beat together until well blended.

5.    Slowly beat in the remaining flour until combined.

6.    Using a cookie scoop (I used a 1½ Tbsp scoop) and scoop dough onto the cookie sheets. If you don’t have a cookie scoop just roll dough into balls that are about 1½ Tbsp.

7.    Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the cookies are just starting to brown and are soft.

8.    Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

9.    Once cookies are cooled prepare frosting.

10.In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy using a mixer. Add the salt and slowly adding in the powdered sugar a cup at a time and blending well after each addition. Add some of the milk also during the process as needed. Add food coloring if desired and beat in.

11.Frost cookies with frosting and top with sprinkles. Makes 28 cookies.

Download this entire lesson and treat recipe here.

Download the scavenger hunt activity here.

Gospel Doctrine Enrichment - Never Has Man Believed ... As Thou

“Never Has Man Believed...As Thou”
Book of Mormon Lesson 45
Ether 1–6

INTRODUCTION

The Book of Ether is not primarily a history of the Jaredites, but is Moroni’s warning to us to avoid their mistakes. The prophet Ether wrote a record of the Jaredites, and Moroni abridged it into this book (Ether 1:1–6).

Perhaps no man with greater faith than that of the brother of Jared has ever walked the earth (Ether 3:15). Because of his faith, he received a vision of the Lord Jehovah. Because of his faith, he was taken into God’s presence and blessed with a perfect knowledge of things.

THE BROTHER OF JARED

Events at the Tower of Babel

The prophet Ether wrote the record of the Jaredites, who left Babylon when the Lord confounded the language of the people (Ether 1:33–37; Genesis 11:1–9). Ether provides a history of a man named Jared, his brother, and their families who were at the Tower of Babel and were scattered” (v. 33). The brother of Jared is described as “a large and mighty man, and a man highly favored of the Lord” (v. 34). The Jaredites' language was not confounded at the tower of Babel (vv. 34–37). They all continued to use the original Adamic language.
 

The Jaredites Are Led Toward a Promised Land

The Lord promised that they would become a great nation in a choice land (Ether 1:38–43). Like Noah before them, they took all forms of life with them (Ether 2:1–3).

—    They took animals of all kinds with them, male and female (v. 1).

—    They also took birds and a vessel full of fishes (v. 2).

—    They also took seeds of all kinds with them (v. 3).

—    “Deseret”:  They also took swarms of what they called “deseret,” which we are told means “a honey bee” (v. 3). The word is evidently transliterated [spelled like it sounds] from the original record. If so, it would be an actual Jaredite—and therefore Adamic— word.  

The land to which the people of Jared were going was to be a “land of promise, which was choice above all other lands” (Ether 2:7–12). The Lord said that whoever served him should prosper in the land and whoever forsook him would be “swept off.” Moroni adds his commentary concerning this decree in verses 10–12.

The Jaredites’ Barges

The Lord instructed them to build small, light, and water-tight ships (Ether 2:16–17). Their barges were to be of the type “which ye have hitherto built. . .according to the instructions of the Lord” (v. 16). This apparently refers to the barges they had previously built while traveling toward the ocean (Ether 2:6).

—        “They were small, each one being “the length of a tree” (vv. 16–17).

—    They were “light upon the water, even like unto the lightness of a fowl upon the water” (v. 16).

—    They were “exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the. . . ends thereof were peaked” (v. 17).

—    The bottom, sides, top, and door (when closed) were all “tight like unto a dish,” admitting no water into the interior (v. 17).

They had no source of air when closed, due to their air-tight design (Ether 2:18–21). The Lord instructed him to put an air hole in the top and bottom of the ships, stopped with a plug, through which air could be obtained  (v. 20). The fact that they would need two holes, and that if they unstopped one and “the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole” suggests that at times these barges might have either side (or both) under water. 

There was also no light within the ships (Ether 2:19, 22) . . .  The Lord asked the brother of Jared what solution he would suggest, while noting the challenges that would need to be overcome: (Ether 2:23–25)

 

Personal Initiative (D&C 9:7–9):  We must study things in our minds before asking the Lord for solutions. Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said, “It is a well understood principle that the Lord does not do for man what man can do for himself.”2 President Harold B. Lee said, “It was as though the Lord were saying to him, 'Look, I gave you a mind to think with, and I gave you agency to use it. Now you do all you can to help yourself with this problem: and then, after you've done all you can, I'll step in to help you.’”3

 

The Brother of Jared Sees Jesus Christ

The brother of Jared went to Mount Shelem and made sixteen small stones, then asked the Lord to give them light by touching them with his finger (Ether 3:1–4).  The Lord touched the stones one by one with His finger, and the brother of Jared was frightened when he saw the finger of the Lord (Ether 3:6–8). The brother of Jared asked the Lord to show himself to him, and because of his great faith, the Lord did (Ether 3:9–13).

“Never have I shown myself unto man whom I have created” (Ether 3:15). Hugh Nibley explained, “‘But he had already showed himself to Adam' [a student of his once wrote]. No he hadn't. He hadn't showed himself to Adam in the flesh. He showed himself to Adam before the Fall. After that he didn't show himself to Adam. Adam before the Fall was not a body of flesh and blood. He was not perishable; he was immortal.”4

The brother of Jared was taken within the veil and shown things he was forbidden to show to any man (Ether 3:17–21).  The Lord told the brother of Jared to write what he had seen in a language (the Adamic language) that no man can understand (Ether 3:22–24).  A Urim and Thummim is provided so future prophets can translate them—the same one that Joseph Smith later used to translate the Book of Mormon. The Urim and Thummim are described as “two stones which were fastened into the two rims of a bow” (Mosiah 28:13)—“things . . . prepared from the beginning, and . . . handed down from generation to generation, for the purpose of interpreting languages” (Mosiah 28:14). And whoever possesses the Urim and Thummim is called a “seer, after the manner of old times” (Mosiah 28:16).

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said, “Joseph Smith received with the 'breastplate' and the plates of the Book of Mormon, the Urim and Thummim, which were hid up by Moroni to come forth in the last days as a means by which the ancient record might be translated, which Urim and Thummim were given to the brother of Jared (D&C 17:1).”5

 

MORONI COMMENTS ON THE JAREDITE RECORD

Moroni Seals up the Writings of the Brother of Jared

The Lord later revealed to the Nephites what the brother Jared had written (Ether 4:1–2). Moroni transcribed onto the plates exactly what the brother of Jared saw, and sealed them up, along with the Urim and Thummim (Ether 4:3–5). These “sealed” pages of the plates are the same as those Joseph Smith described when he received them in 1827.

We will receive these records when we have faith like the brother of Jared’s and become sanctified (Ether 4:6–7). Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “[The sealed portion of the plates] was returned by Joseph Smith to Moroni, its divinely appointed custodian . . .   Joseph Smith [did not] either read or translate it. We know of no one among mortals since Mormon and Moroni who have known its contents. It was known among the Nephites during the nearly two hundred years of their Golden Era. [4th Nephi]  But for the present, the book is kept from us; only the portion upon which no seal was placed has been translated.”6
 

THE JAREDITES IN THE PROMISED LAND

The Jaredites Travel by Sea to the Promised Land

The Jaredites put the lighted stones into their ships, along with their food and the animals, and placed themselves into the hands of God (Ether 6:1–4). There were 8 ships containing 28+ people, food, and animals. (Ether 3:1). According to tradition, seven of those ships contained people. The other ship could have carried animals, fish, and/or supplies.

Fierce winds (hurricanes?) blew the Jaredite ships across the ocean to the new world (Ether 6:5–10). Despite the fearful conditions of the journey, the Jaredites sang songs of praise to God within their ships. Nearly one year later—344 days—they arrived at the promised land and gave thanks unto God for their safe arrival (Ether 6:11–12).

 

Hah: Note that “the last two names [of Jared’s sons] end in hah, which in Mayan means 'by or connected with water.' These two sons, in other words, may have been born while traveling on or living by the ocean. A search of Book of Mormon names from Lehi to Mosiah yields no names ending in hah. Once King Mosiah translated the plates of Ether, however, the term hah came into use.”7

Notes:

1.  In Kent Jackson, ed., In Kent P. Jackson, ed., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 8: Alma 30 to Moroni [1982], 45.

2.  The Way to Perfection [1949], 171.

3.  "How to Receive a Blessing from God," Improvement Era, October 1966, 863.

4.  Teachings of the Book of Mormon—Semester 1: Transcripts of Lectures Presented to an Honors Book of Mormon Class at Brigham Young University, 1988–1990 [Provo: FARMS, 1992], 271.

5.  Answers to Gospel Questions, comp. Elder Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., 5 vols. [1957–66], 1:161–162.

6.  A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, 443.

7.  The Lives and Travels of Mormon and Moroni, 63.

This material is taken from the Making Precious Things Plain study guides for theBook of Mormon.

 

Click here todownload the entire Gospel Doctrine Enrichment article, Never Has Man Believed …As Thou, Book of Mormon Lesson 45.