Book of Mormon Commentary - 2 Nephi 25

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
             CHAPTER 25

Nephi glories in plainness—Isaiah's prophecies shall be understood in the last days—The Jews shall return from Babylon, crucify the Messiah, and be scattered and scourged—
They shall be retored when they believe in the Messiah—He shall first come six hundred years after Lehi left Jerusalem—Nephites keep the law of Moses and believe in Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel. [Between 559 and 545 B.C.]

Nephi prophesies in plainness—
Isaiah's prophecies to be understood in the days of fulfillment—Jews to return from Babylon, crucify the Messiah, and be sacttered to the nations—They will be restore and will believe in Christ—Christ comes 600 years after Lehi left Jerusalem—Joseph of Egypt's covenant promises tied to the American land of promise—
Nephi keep Law of Moses as a type of Christ, already believing in Christ. [Between 559 and 545 B.C.]
1 Now I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah. For behold, Isaiah spake many things which were ahard for many of my people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jewsa.
2 For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the manner of the Jewsa; for their aworks were works of darknessb, and their doings were doings of abominations.
3 Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all those that shall receive hereafter these things which I write, athat they may know the judgments of God, that they come upon all nations, according to the word which he hath spoken.

 1a the manner of prophesying among the Jews It aids in understanding the writings of Isaiah if one has a knowledge of the manner of prophecy and particularly the manner of prophesying among the 'Jews'.
 2a things concerning the manner of the Jews The ways of the Israelite people, the ways of ancient Israel can help one to understand the writings of Isaiah.
 2b for their works were works of darkness Just what Nephi has reference to here is of some speculation. Concerning people understanding the writings of the Jews, such as that of Isaiah, and not being taught concerning the manner of the Jews, along with the added fact that Nephi rather delights in plainess of presentation; one is left to speculate that Nephi is not merely speaking in terms of wickedness but rather in terms of their manner of producing and maintaining the scriptural records. Certainly there are many who have presented such manner of scriptural preparation with its variously secreted and encoded messages and the specialized Jews numbering systems which 'guard' them. A case in point is that in Isaiah 53:10, which Isaiah chapter 53 is generally universally understood to be concerning the coming of the 'suffering messiah' and is very Messianic in its nature, there is an encoded message. From the best selling book, Yeshua: The Name of Jesus Revealed in the Old Testament by Yakov [Jacob] Rambsel, it points out that the possible numeric encoding of this message within Isaiah 53:10 is astronomically high to have occured ramdomly, some 1 in 50 quadrillion. That message is 'Yeshua shmi', translated 'Yeshua [Jesus] is My Name' or 'My Name is Jesus'. This also seems to be the intent of another scripture in Psalms 71:15 when the KJV added italicized words are removed: "My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers." It seems for Hebrew writings to be accepted as scripture they needed to be specifically prepared according to the manner of the Jews and this is not only in terms of chiasmic verse but also according to 'encoded numeric messiages'. Thus this psalmists is not able to 'write scripture' thus he will therefore speak it forth by his mouth, or voice. This many very will be the reason that a prophet such as Jeremiah had to conform to the manner of the Jews and so 'employ' a schooled scribe such as Baruch to record his prophecies for him in the Jewish order of scripture writing. This ironically would have included the various methods of concelling the 'holy name of God' to be not spoken or written commonly or plainly. This also may be why the 'Jesus' prophecies of the Old Testament do not generally mention Jesus or Jehoshua by name though there is evidence that the learned Jews knew well that his name would be Yeshua/Yehoshua or Jesus. One has speculated that such is the case in the scriptural use of the terms concerning the Savior or the 'Salvation of man', that being equated also unto the name of Jesus. For example, that Psalms 71:15 and replace the phrase meaning 'thy salvation' with the name of 'Jesus' and the verse reads much more understandably without the KJV inserted italicized words. 		 1a Jacob 4:14; TG Symbolism
 2a 2 Kings 17:13-20
 3a TG God, Knowledge about;
      TG Prophets, Mission of;
      TG Scriptures, Value of
4 Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the house of Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because the words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the aspirit of bprophecya. But I give unto you a cprophecy, according to the spirit which is in me; wherefore I shall prophesy according to the dplainness which hath been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem with my father; for behold, my soul delighteth in eplainness unto my people, that they may learn.
5 Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of aIsaiah, for I came out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the bJews, and I know that the Jews do cunderstand the things of the prophets, and there is none other people that understand the things which were spoken unto the Jews like unto them, save it be that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jewsa.
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 abouta; and I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of God, which ahath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children, according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not write them.

 4a they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy One of the keys of understanding Isaiah is to read and understand them through the inspiration of the spirit.
 5a taught after the manner of the things of the Jews A secondary key to coming to understand Isaiah, is to learn of the manner of the things of the Jews, that is of Israel.
 6a know concerning the regions round about Another of the keys to comprehending Isaiah is to know concerning the lands of Jerusalem and the regions round about which are spoken of by Isaiah. 		 4a TG Holy Ghost, Source of Testimony
   b TG Prophecy
   c 2 Ne. 31:1
   d 2 Ne. 31:3; 2 Ne. 33:5; Jacob 2:11; Jacob 4:13
   e TG Communication; TG Plainness
 5a 1 Ne. 19:23
   b TG Israel, Judah, People of
   c Matt. 13:11 (10-17)
 6a 2 Ne. 6:8; Hel. 8:20-21
7 But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to my aplainness; in the which I aknow that no man can err; nevertheless, in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to pass.
8 Wherefore, they are of aworth unto the children of men, and he that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak particularly, and confine the words unto mine bown people; for I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the clast daysa; for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for their good have I written themb.

 8a I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last days They who are in the last days are us, both the remnant of the people of the Book of Mormon as well as the remnant of Joseph who have also been brought to dwell upon this land unto the restoration of the gospel of Christ unto the preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. And the things spoken of by Isaiah are such things as will come about in these the last days. Thus these words of prophecy spoken of by Isaiah are those which are applicable unto us, the promised remnant which will come to understand them in the process of them being fulfilled before our very eyes.
 8b for their good have I written them Unto we of the last days did Nephi write the words of Isaiah, for they are unto us as they do speak concerning us. And as we come to understand them, they will be of great worth unto us as a guide and as an assurance concerning our place before God. And that when we see these things among us as spoken of by Isaiah, then we shall know and understand and see that the things of God are fulfilled and we will come to know our place before him. 		 7a 2 Ne. 32:7; Alma 13:23; Ether 12:39
   b Ezek. 12:23 (21-25)
 8a TG Scriptures, Value of
   b 2 Ne. 27:6; Enos 1:16 (13-16); Morm. 5:12;
     D&C 3:20 (16-20)
   b TG Last Days
9 And as one generation hath been adestroyed among the Jews because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from generation to generation according to their iniquities; and never hath any of them been destroyed save it were bforetold them by the prophets of the Lorda.
10 Wherefore, it hath been told them concerning the destruction which should come upon them, immediately after my father left aJerusalem; nevertheless, they bhardened their hearts; and according to my prophecy they have been destroyed, save it be those which are ccarried away dcaptive into Babylon.
11 And now this I speak because of the aspirit which is in me. And notwithstanding they have been carried away they shall return again, and possess the land of Jerusalem; wherefore, they shall be brestored again to the cland of their inheritance.

 9a never hath any of them been destoryed save it were foretold them by the prophets of the Lord Forewarnings always precede the destructions of God. This is upheld by the fact that Jared, his brother and friends new of the pending destruction in the days of Babel. Babel did not just happen without the prophets forewarnings. Also was the case of the destruction of the Jews when they were carried away to Babylon and Jerusalem destoryed. Lehi himself being one of those warning prophets. This is a two edge sword. There is comfort in knowing that the Lord always gives his warnings, but the disquieting edge is that men all to often turn a deaf ear to those warnings and to then it is as though they have not even heard and are caught totally off gaurd due to their own deaf ears and blind eyes.    9a Lam. 1—5; Matt. 23:37
     b Ezek. 4:3; Amos 3:7; D&C 5:20
 10a 1 Ne. 7:13; 2 Ne. 6:8; Omni 1:15;
       Hel. 8:21 (20-21)
     b TG Hardheartedness
     c 2 Kings 24:14-15; Jer. 52:15 (3-15); 1 Ne. 1:13;
       1 Ne. 10:3
     d Lam. 1:3 (1-3)
 11a TG Teaching with the Spirit
     b Jer. 24:6 (5-7)
     c TG Lands of Inheritance
12 But, behold, they shall have awars, and rumors of wars; and when the day cometh that the bOnly Begotten of the Father, yea, even the Father of heaven and of eartha, shall cmanifest himself unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks.
13 Behold, they will acrucify him; and after he is laid in a bsepulchre for the space of cthree days he shall drise from the dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Wherefore, my soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him, for I have eseen his day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name.
14 And behold it shall come to pass that after the aMessiah hath risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people, unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem shall be bdestroyed again; for cwo unto them that fight against God and the people of his dchurch.

Our temporal Creator 
When speaking of Jesus Christ as the Father of heaven and of earth, one of the main reasons for applying this title to Jesus is that he is the temporal creator, the physical creator of this earth, its heaven and all of our very own temporal body. Now we understand that God the Father of Spirits is He who is our spirit creator, we are literally His spirit off spring, His children, His sons and daughters. But as to all things pertaining unto this Second Temporal Estate, only those who do pertain unto it do minister unto it (D&C 130:5). Thus while God the Father of Spirits is the Spirit Father of us all, it is only by and through Jesus Christ, that is Jehovah, that this temporal world is created and ministered to, under the direction of his Father and our Father of our spirits. Thus in a temporal frame of reference Jesus Christ, Jehovah, is the very Father of heaven and of earth. He is its creator under the direction of The FATHER. 		 12a the Only Begotten of the Father, yea, even the Father of heaven and of earth Christ who is the Only Begotten of the Father, is jointly with the Father, the very Father of heaven and earth. Christ as the divine proxy of the Father wears the titles of the Father as being the Father by that divine appointment. Yet in every sense that the Son is called the Father, so is the Father of Spirits also the Father as the Son convey's all glory back to the Father. Thus they are one in every sense of the name of the Father, save in the instance of the literal Father of Spirits, meaning the actual heavenly parent of the spirits of the children of men born before the creation of the heaven and earth. All who have and do live are the literal spirit offspring of God, the Father of Spirits. And in this on designation, the Son is not to also be considered as the Father. And Christ is the Father in all other instances because of that divine investiture placed in him by the Father.

Acting and Ministering Father 
In another major sense and meaning, Jesus is in effect our very Eternal Father. That is he has been given that position to stand in the stead of the Father in all things as our Ministering God of this Second Temporal Estate. He stands representing the Father in all things. He acts for the Father in all things. He is placed before us of this second temporal estate as the Father in the stead of the Father. Since God the Father of Spirits had already passed through and obtained his Celestial Being, He is no longer one who does pertain unto a lower second temporal estate. God the Father of Spirits had to select 'one from among us', Immanuel or Emanuel means 'God among or with us'. Jesus Christ as Jehovah was the Firstborn spirit son of God the Father of Spirits. He stands as our elder brother of this his generation. As such it was his responsibility and right to stand in the stead of the Father to be called as our Ministering God of this Second Estate. Thus in many respects Jesus Christ stands and delivers his administration unto us not only in the Name of the Father but As the Father in a Power of Attorney type of respect. He functions and operates as being the Father in the stead of the Father in all things. Thus in all things pertaining unto our current estate, Jesus Christ stands as the Father and the Father of our Spirits is also the Father in all these same respects in and through the Son. Thus all titles can and do apply to both of them, Elohim and Jehovah, God the Father of Spirits and God the Son with the single exception that God the Father of Spirits is the only one who holds and bears the title of being God the Father of our Spirits. In all other respects they share all other titles and names. Yet in the proper order of heaven, the Son giveth all the glory to the Father, even teaching and having us pray to the Father in the name of the Son. 		 12a TG War
     b TG Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship
     c TG Jesus Christ, Birth of
 13a TG Jesus Christ, Crucifixion of
     b Luke 23:53; John 19:41-42; 1 Ne. 19:10
     c Mosiah 3:10
     d Mal. 4:2; TG Jesus Christ, Prophecies about;
       TG Jesus Christ, Resurrection; TG Resurrection
     d 1 Ne. 11:27 (13-34)
 14a TG Jesus Christ, Messiah
     b Matt. 24:2 (1-2); Luke 21:24
     c Ps. 83:17 (2-17); D&C 71:7;
       Moses 7:15 (14-16)
     d TG Jesus Christ, Head of the Church

Father of Our Salvation 
In another major way, Jesus Christ stands as the Father of Our Salvation. As he so created our temporal estate, so also he is the means whereby his creation is redeemed and saved. Through the atonement and the ordinances thereof, we may be 'born again' through our baptism and spiritual rebirth as the sons and daughters of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thus also in this sense and meaning do we rightfully refer to Jesus Christ as our Father and to we as his sons and daughters.
15 Wherefore, the aJews shall be bscattered among all nations; yea, and also cBabylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered by other nations.
16 And after they have been ascattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to bbelieve in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind—and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and cclean hands, and look not forward any more for danother Messiah, then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things.

 15a TG Israel, Judah, People of
     b Neh. 1:8 (7-9); 2 Ne. 10:6; 3 Ne. 16:8;
       TG Israel, Bondage of, in Other Lands;
       TG Israel, Scattering of
     c TG Babylon
 16a Ezek. 34:12; Morm. 5:14
     b 2 Ne. 10:7 (5-9); 2 Ne. 30:7-8
     c Job 17:9; D&C 88:86
     d TG False Christs
17 And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to arestore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a bmarvelous work and a wonder among the children of men.
18 Wherefore, he shall bring forth ahis bwords unto them, which words shall cjudge them at the last day, for they shall be given them for the purpose of dconvincing them of the true Messiah, who was rejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that they need not look forward any more for a Messiah to come, for there should not any come, save it should be a efalse Messiah which should deceive the people; for there is save one fMessiaha spoken of by the prophets, and that Messiah is he who should be rejected of the Jews.
19 For according to the words of the prophets, the aMessiah cometh in bsix hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophetsa, and also the word of the cangel of God, his dname shall be Jesus Christa, the eSon of God.

 18a there is save one Messiah Now there are some, even among us, who subscribe unto there being more than one Messiah. This is not the case at all. While a prophet or person may be in the similitude of the Messiah, being a type and likeness unto him, there is nor other Messiah but Jesus Christ, who is the same as Jehovah. Thus when the Jews imagine themselves two Messiahs, Messiah ben Judah and Messiah ben Joseph/Ephraim, they are mistatken. There is but one Messiah. He is both the 'Suffering Messiah' of his mortal ministry and the 'Glorious Messiah' of his Second Coming.

Now there are those within the LDS faith who do also so confuse these matters. Since the Jews have subscribed to the two Messiah theory, Messiah ben David/Judah and Messiah ben Joseph/Ephraim, there are those among us who would subscribe to the concept that the Messiah ben Joseph/Ephraim is actually Joseph Smith, that promised prophet of the latter days. Now while it is true that Joseph Smith may stand as a type and in similitude of the Messiah as did other prophets before him, Joseph Smith IS NOT Messiah ben Joseph/Ephraim. To so bestow the title of Messiah upon Joseph Smith in such a fashion is to incorrectly do so. Joseph Smith is not Messiah ben Joseph/Ephraim. To so label him such is in direct opposition to this current scripture.

There is but one 'True Messiah'. There should not any other Messiah come, past, present or future. The Coming Messiah is the same Messiah as Jesus Christ. The only such Messiah other than Jesus Christ is a 'False Messiah'. And there is only one Messiah spoken of by the prophets. And while the prophets may speak of Joseph Smith, he is not Messiah, Messiah ben Joseph/Ephraim, or any other such Messiah, for there is none other Messiah but Jesus Christ. Thus if there is such as 'Messiah ben Joseph/Ephraim' then even that Messiah must needs be the same Messiah as 'Messiah ben David/Judah'. This last possiblility is addressed in the text entitled 'Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph.
 19a according to the words of the prophets ... his name shall be Jesus Christ Now this is Nephi speaking. What prophets could Nephi be speaking of but those of the Old Testament, whether preserved by the Jews or not? There is direct inference in the New Testament that such was the case, that many prophets, including Moses, had prophesied of him by name, even the name of Jesus Christ. John's Gospel states: "Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (John 1:45) That the prophets did so prophesy of Jesus is confirmed by Matthew 2:23 where it is also stated that the prophets had spoken and prophesied of him that he would be of the city of Nazareth. Now while Matthew does not confirm that he would be the Son of Joseph, meaning Joseph of Egypt, the questioning of the Pharisees does (See Commentary John 8:48 Now as interesting as these statements are from Matthew and John, no such prophecies of the prophets nor Moses can be so found any longer but one, which will be mentioned here after, in the Bible preserved by the Jews and of traditional Christianity. But from the Pearl of Great Price we are given to know that from the beginning that even Adam new his name to be Jesus Christ and so did Enoch and Noah, as it is stated variously in chapters 6, 7 and 8 and that Moses did write it and must have known of it as well. This brings up the concept that the Jewish leaders and priests also knew that his name was to be Jesus or Joshua. Image the thoughts in the minds of many of the Temple priests whenever a child was brought to the temple and confirmed with the name given as being Jesus. Even Philipians 2:9-11 does but confirm that from the very beginning was Jehovah so name and anointed by the Father and given the name of Jesus Christ, and that there was no other name given under heaven by which men could be saved. This is further confirmed by the vision given Zechariah of the judgment council held which was to the end of condemning Lucifer and branding him by the name of Satan, for there it does reference Jehovah by the name of Jehoshua or Joshua, which is the same as Jesus (See Commentary of Zechariah 3). This in fact is one such place preserved in the Old Testament of the Jews wherein the Savior is so called by one of the prophets by the name of Jesus or Jehoshua. And it has only remained because the Jews and traditional Christianity have percieved the wrong interpretation of the vision, making it into something it is not.

 17a Gen. 49:10; 2 Ne. 21:11; 2 Ne. 29:1;
       TG Israel, Gathering; TG Israel, Restoration;
       TG Restoration of the Gospel
     b Isa. 29:14; 2 Ne. 27:26; 3 Ne. 28:32 (31-33)
 18a 3 Ne. 16:4
     b 2 Ne. 29:11; 2 Ne. 33:14 (11, 14-15);
       W of M 1:11; 3 Ne. 27:25 (23-27); Ether 5:4
     c TG Judgment, The Last
     d 2 Ne. 26:12; Morm. 3:21
     e TG False Christs
     f TG Jesus Christ, Messiah
 19a TG Jesus Christ, Betrayal of;
       TG Jesus Christ, Birth of
     b 1 Ne. 10:4; 1 Ne. 19:8; 3 Ne. 1:1
     c 2 Ne. 10:3
     d TG Jesus Christ, Prophecies about
     e TG Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

A Tenuous Situation 

As Raphael Patai astutely points out in his "The Messiah Texts" on pages 165-166, the spliting of the Messiah into two persons did not take place until the Talmudic period [Jewish Rabbinic period of Talmud development which ranged from about 70-500 A.D.], and this to answer the delima of a suffering slain Messiah (Isaiah 53 etc.) and a glorious triumpant Messiah (of Daniel etc). Patai points out that this 'curious fact' of the spliting of the Messiah figure into two during that Talmudic period and the origin of the Messiah ben Joseph 'legend' is that the Messiah ben Joseph figure, also referred to as Messiah ben Ephraim, was 'imagined' so that this second Messiah figure was to be the commander of the army of Israel in the Messianic wars of the last days so that this other Messiah's suffering and death might immediately precede the glorious coming of Messiah ben David, yet to come.

Nephi had seen that 'Jews' would so reject the 'true Messiah' and thus Nephi did prophesy that the Lord would do a marvelous work and wonder and bring forth his words for the purpose of convinciing the Jews that the true Messiah was Jesus Christ, who had already come, and whom they had so rejected. AND to convince them that they need NOT LOOK forward any more for a Messiah to come, which the Jews have done in their spliting of the Messiah figure into two Messiahs yet to come. And that any such Messiah yet to come should be a 'false Messiah' which should deceive the people.

Now this 'tenuous situation' has come upon us via the prowess of some LDS scholars having adopted this Jewish 'imaged' separate figure of Messiah ben Joseph/Ephraim, developed by the Jewish Rabbis of the Talmudic period, to be none other than the latter day prophet Joseph Smith, even to the extent that they project Joseph Smith as the 'suffering Messiah' son of Joseph, who was to die defending the faith prior to the glorious coming of Messiah ben David as looked forward to by the Jews. And due to their 'scholarly publications' they have influenced many LDS members to also so consider Joseph Smith to be this Messiah ben Joseph. 'Shame on them', I would scold, if in authority to do so, and I would request them to retract, explain and disclaim their conclusion as being of themselves and not as speaking as a church authority, before another must redact it posthumously in their behalf after their death. For indeed the Book of Mormon clearly teaches that 'NO' such Messiah figure was yet to come upon the scene after Jesus Christ. And as the Book of Mormon teaches, if these scholars continue to persue this line of reasoning, they have but put upon Joseph Smith, according to the words of the Book of Mormon, as so being a 'false Messiah'. And as the Book of Mormon also continues to teach, 'there is save one Messiah spoken of by the prophets ... he who was rejected of the Jews ... and his name is Jesus Christ! There is NO OTHER MESSIAH.

Give Joseph Smith all his due acclaim, even that as Moses, he was a prophet of God in the similitude of the Messiah, but note that Joseph Smith was not Messiah. So now, if indeed there be but one, Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David, then they must needs be one and the same Messiah, NOT split in two, even Jesus Christ the ONLY TRUE MESSIAH (See: Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph).

20 And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err. And as the Lord God liveth that abrought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should bheal the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would cast their eyes unto the cserpent which he did raise up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the drock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are etrue, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other fname given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.
21 Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I awrite shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generationa, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Josephb, that his seed should never nperish as long as the earth should stand.
22 Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who shall possess them shall be ajudged of them according to the words which are written.

 21a the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation This promise is very similar to the promises made unto Nephi's father Lehi, except that Lehi's promises from the Lord is that one of his descendant should write who was Mormon and that he should have a spokesman who was Moroni (see 2 Nephi 3). The difference is that Nephi's writings would also come forth and in that the prohecy does differ. We have Nephi's writings, these writings which are the small plates of Nephi today. And they were preserved through Nephi's seed from generation to generation, as all were descendants of Nephi who kept the records, as well as of Lehi, down to and including Mormon and Moroni.
 21b that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph The promises unto Joseph that his seed should never parish are inexplicably tied to this land of promise the Americas and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. This is the promised land of Joseph seen from even before the day of Joseph. Adam had told his child of all things that should come and befall them. Mahori Moriancumr had seen the vision of all from beginning to the end and that this land of America, this land of Adam, would be that promised land of Joseph. This was even forseen and recorded by the prophet Ether (Ether 13:2-8) and the vision of all had been seen by many prophets such as Adam, Isaiah, Ether, and John the Revelator as well as Lehi and Nephi. All had seen that vision of all which was given to Mahonri Moriancumr to write. And it included the promises unto Joseph which would be fulfilled, Joseph being the Son of the Covenant after Jacob and NOT Judah. Even the Messiah, when the fullness of the truth be known will be seen as the legal and rightful heir of the house of Joseph, he being not only Messiah ben David but Messiah ben Joseph from whom the house of Jesse did descend through Obed being the first born of Ruth unto Mahlon and the house of Elimelech who were Ephrathites meaning Ephraimites.		  20a Ex. 3:10 (2-10); 1 Ne. 17:24, 31, 40;
       1 Ne. 19:10
     b John 3:14; 1 Ne. 17:41
     c 2 Kings 18:4; Alma 33:19; Hel. 8:14-15
     d Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:11; Neh. 9:15;
       1 Ne. 17:29; 1 Ne. 20:21
     e 1 Ne. 14:30; Mosiah 1:6
     f Hosea 13:4; Acts 4:12; 1 John 3:23 (19-24);
       1 Ne. 10:6; 2 Ne. 2:6 (5-8); Mosiah 16:5 (4-5)
       Alma 12:22-25; TG Jesus Christ, Savior
 21a 2 Ne. 27:6
     b Amos 5:15; Alma 46:24-27
 22a 2 Ne. 29:11; 2 Ne. 33:15 (10-15);
       3 Ne. 27:25 (23-27); Ether 4:10 (8-10)
23 For we labor diligently to write, to apersuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by bgrace that we are saved, after all we can cdo.
24 And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we akeep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled.
25 For, for this end was the alaw given; wherefore the law hath become bdead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.
26 And we atalk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we bprophesy of Christ, and we write according to our propheciesa, that our cchildren may know to what source they may look for a dremission of their sins.

We Talk of Christ 
The commonly known and understood word 'Christ' is used by the Prophet Joseph Smith in his translation, but surely the Old Testament word would have been the equivalent to the term 'Messiah'. Certainly the coming of the Lord among men was known and spoken of by all the Old Testament Prophets. And those in the Old Testament who comprehended and understood the mission of the Messiah, the he would come and be among men, they did also talk, preach and prophesy of Christ. Many of the Jews of Jesus day were indeed looking for the Son of God to come and redeem his people and they knew 'what source they were to look to for a remission of their sins'. Yet many of the Jews had been blinded by the teachings of men, many of whom were the very leaders of the church in the days of the Jews and by their hand the Old Testament which has come to our hands today has lost much of its plainess, such plainess as is had in the Book of Mormon.

Today we of the Church of Jesus Christ, which bares his name, do talk, preach, prophesy and know unto who to look for a remission of our sins. Yet by those who pretend 'Chrisitanity', we are mainligned as not being Christians for we have current modern prophets and apostles who speak the words of Christ directly from the source as did they in the days of the Old and New Testament. And just as in those days, many reject the prophets and apostles despite they considered themselves of the church of God, so today do men tend to call that which is good and of God evil and that which is evil and of men good and accept it as their doctrine upon which they pursecute the saints of Christ.

 26a we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies This which was spoken of by Nephi as to his people in his day is that which is to be said upon us who are of Christ in the latter days. Indeed as we do assemble ourselves our central theme is but Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, Savior, King and God. And the words which are spoken are broadcast unto the world for the world to see and hear them as well as unto our selves. And they are published that they may be read and reread and consulted down from one generation to another. They are both unto the world and unto ourselves and unto our children. In General Conference the sustained prophets, seers and revelators do speak according to the mind, will, influence and direction of the Holy Ghost. And those who do hear by that self same power do testify and understand all the things of Christ which they do speak unto the church of God, unto the people of the world, unto all those who will harken and hear the voice of God.  23a TG Family, Children, Responsibilities toward
     b Ps. 130:4 (3-4); Rom. 3:20-24; Rom. 7:5;
       2 Ne. 2:5 (4-10); Mosiah 13:32;
       Alma 42:14 (12-16); D&C 20:30; D&C 138:4;
       TG Grace
     b James 2:24 (14-26); TG Good Works
 24a Jacob 4:5
 25a TG Law of Moses
     b Rom. 7:4-6; D&C 74:5 (2-6)
 26a Jacob 4:12; Jarom 1:11; Mosiah 3:13;
       Mosiah 16:6
     b Luke 10:24 (23-24)
     c TG Family, Children, Responsibilities toward
     d TG Remission of Sins
27 Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ, and know for what end the law was givena. And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away.
28 And now behold, my people, ye are a astiffnecked people; wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannot misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shall stand as a btestimony against you; for they are sufficient to cteach any man the dright way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not; for by denying him ye also deny the prophets and the law.

 27a know for what end the law was given The Law of Moses with its ordinances of animal sacrifice and it holy convocations and performances were all given to lead men unto Christ who should come as a type and a symbol of the sacrifical Lamb of God by whom salvation was to come.  28a Mosiah 3:14; Alma 9:31; TG Stiffneckedness
     b TG Testimony
     c 1 Kings 8:36; 2 Ne. 33:10; TG Teaching
     d 1 Sam. 12:23; Isa. 45:19; 2 Pet. 2:15
29 And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and aworship him with all your bmight, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out.
30 And, inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep the aperformances and aordinances of God until the law shall be fulfilled which was given unto Moses.

 29a TG Worship
     b Deut. 6:5; Mark 12:30 (29-31)
 30a 4 Ne. 1:12
     b TG Ordinance
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