1 Ne 14:1-5
From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
The Book of Mormon > First Nephi > Chapter 14
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Contents |
Questions
Verses 1 & 2
- What does the phrase "the house of Israel shall no more be confounded" mean (verse 2)? The structure of verses 1 and 2 suggest that whether this happens depends on whether the Gentiles hearken to (verse 1) and harden not their hearts against (verse 2) the Lamb of God. Why is it that the house of Israel being no more confounded depends on whether the Gentiles accept the message of our Savior?
- What are the stumbling blocks that will be removed? Why is the promise that believing Gentiles will be numbered among the descendants of Lehi? What does that mean to us? In other words, so what?
Verse 3
- The punishment of those who have dug the pit is that they will be thrown into it. What does this mean? Is this related to the idea that sin is its own punishment? (See, for example, Rom 1:24; Mosiah 2:36; Hel 14:30; and Morm 4:5 and Morm 9:3.) What does the idea that sin is its own punishment rather than that punishment is something imposed by God teach us about the character of God?
Verse 4
- Is this an example of God and Satan working together?
Verse 5
- The angel reminds Nephi of three things he already knows (1) that if they gentiles repent, they will be saved (2) about the covenants the Lord made unto the house of Israel, and (3) that whoever doesn't repent will perish. What is the reason for reminding Nephi of this second item?
Lexical notes
- Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes
Exegesis
Verse 4 tells us that it is according to the captivity of the devil and the justice of God that those who dig a pit (i.e. a trap) for others will themselves fall into the pit they dug. In this case those who built the pit will be lead down to hell--as this was the purpose for which the pit was dug (verse 3).
In verse 5 the angel shows Nephi that ultimately it doesn't matter to a person's salvation whether they were born into the house of Israel (see also 2 Ne 26:33). The angel makes this clear by first reminding Nephi that, as he has seen, someone not born into the house of Israel, if they repent, will be saved and then, that all men must repent or they will perish. In other words, regardless of whether someone is born into the house of Israel, if they repent, they will be saved and if not, they will perish.
Related links
- v. 3: See RobertC's journal for cross-references all on one page about sinners digging their own pits.
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