Monday, October 2, 2017

1 Nephi 2:9-12

So here begin the murmurings of Laman and Lemuel.  These two brothers would have already sat and listened to many teachings by their father.   Had probably read many scriptures, participated in the priesthood ordinances of the time.  We don't know if they were "active" in the teachings which they likely had.  The things that Nephi lists as being those things they were upset about leaving were all of the temporal things that they most likely stood to inherit when Lehi passed on.  These were apparently the things that were important to them.

It is interesting that Nephi says they murmured because the "knew not the dealings of that God who had created them."  There is a reference in the footnotes to Moses 4:6 where Satan also "knew not the mind of the God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world."  Both of these verses use the verb "knew not,"  I would think that in both case, they were aware of the teachings of the Lord, the were aware of the commandments of God, but that what they lacked was a spiritual affirmation of the their divinity.  Alma taught how to gain this knowledge in Alma 5: 45-46, "...Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself?  Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true.  And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?  Behold I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God.  Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself.  And I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hat made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit..." This was after Alma had been taught by his father, after he had seen an angel, and after he had been visited by the Lord when unconscious.  He still had to fast and pray to "know".

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