Shawn Broderick: 1 Nephi 21:24-EoC

Monday, July 20, 2009

1 Nephi 21:24-EoC

Today we consider verses 24, 25, and 26 of chapter 21:

"24 For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the ^alawful captives delivered?

"25 But thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

"26 And I will ^afeed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall ^bknow that I, the Lord, am thy ^cSavior and thy Redeemer, the ^dMighty One of Jacob."

For verse 24, I believe that the Old Testament Institute manual has a great explanation:

"The 'prey' mentioned in Isaiah 49:24 is the house of Israel in her scattered condition. She is 'prey' or 'captive' because she has been unable throughout the centuries to return to her promised home or to claim her gospel blessings. Until recently many gentile countries would not permit Jewish residents to emigrate, and many still do not permit the gospel to be preached freely in their borders..."

So, verse 24 poses the question: Shall the prey be taken from the mighty? Shall the lawful captives be delivered? Shall Israel be allowed to gather?

Verse 25 answers that question. It seems to reflect a promise made to someone or some people. Thus, verses 25 and 26 state that it will happen. More from the Institute manual:

"...All of that will change, for 'even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered' (v. 25). When Jacob quoted this verse in the Book of Mormon, he added these significant words: 'For the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people' (2 Nephi 6:17), and thus, 'all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob' (v. 18). First the Lord predicts it, then He brings it to pass; only a 'mighty one' could perform such a task. Nephi made it very clear that all who seek to thwart the Lord in bringing this great thing to pass shall be destroyed, for 'they shall fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord' (1 Nephi 22:14)."

The Institute manual says that Nephi makes it clear in verse 14 of chapter 22 (which is probably for the sake of his brothers' understanding), but I think that Isaiah makes is clear, too. He says that the Lord will contend with those that contend with the gathering of the house of Israel. He continues in the last verse to say that He will feed them that oppress the gathering with their own flesh and they shall be drunken with their own blood and they shall know that He is the Lord and that you can't fight Him and win. This is also the lesson that we can learn from all this.

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To the Reader...

This entry and the ones that follow are directed to you, the reader, whoever you might be. I want you to consider yourself my friend. These entries are going to be about things that I feel are very important for you to know. They are about things that can affect your life here on earth and into the hereafter.

First, I wanted to state here my reason for setting this up. I read a talk given by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles that mentioned a purpose that blogging can have. It can be used to let other's know what I believe to be true in this life, religiously speaking. I agreed with what he said so much, that I had to do it. Thus, the page you are reading now. Here is a link to that talk:

Elder Ballard's Commencement Address--Brigham Young University Hawaii (December 2007)

I know that there are many out there who are searching for truths in life, stable principles to believe in and hold on to, and if they do they can be truly happy. I know that those truths and principles are found in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

As you may know, Jesus Christ was a person that lived a long time ago and He taught good things to the people of His day. But what did he say? How can those things said so long ago affect a person today? I can tell you now, that the things He said and did 2,000 years ago will help enrich our lives if we even experiment on His teachings.

One of the first steps is to find faith in Him. This video is a good introduction to some of the things He taught and did so many years ago. It also helps us believe that what He said is true.

Finding Faith in Christ Video (from JesusChrist.lds.org)

I know that Jesus Christ lived on the earth and that He lives today. I know that what He taught is true. I know that if I pray to my Father in Heaven in the name of Jesus Christ, I am speaking to someone who cares about me and my life here on earth. I have felt a special peace and assurance when I do so. You can too, friend. Now, you try it and see for yourself. Ask God if He is there and aware of you.

Next, you might want to know more about what Jesus Christ has said to the people He mingled with. There have been several texts that have survived the two millennia since He died and was resurrected. His mortal life was lived in Jerusalem and its surrounding area in what some term the Old World. A record of his words is contained in the Bible. Here is a link to the King James Version:

The Old Testament (beginning at the creation of the world to about 400 B.C.)
The New Testament (beginning at the birth of Christ to about the death of the 12 apostles)

You may ask, if Jesus lived in the Old World, what about the inhabitants of the New World? Do they not deserve His teachings? At the time of the Old and New Testaments in the Old world, the New World, the ancient Americas, did have the words of Jesus Christ. Just as Jehovah spoke to the prophets in the Old Testament, He called prophets in the New World and spoke to them. Even Jesus Christ, Himself, appeared to the inhabitants of the New World after his resurrection and ascension into heaven in the Old World. You may ask, where is this record? Not many have heard of this record. It is called:

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ (beginning at 600 B.C. to 400 A.D.)

If you click on the link it will take you to the text. Since it may be new to you, I recommend that you ask God, the fountain of all truth, if it is true. Here is the challenge from the last prophet who wrote in it:

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

(Moroni 10:3-5)

You can pray, with sincerety, about anything and God will answer your prayer through the Holy Ghost. The key is to do sufficient investigation and then kneel down in a quiet, secluded place with your question in mind, perhaps about if the Book of Mormon is true. Then talk to God and ask Him as if He was a loving Father, which He is, if what you've read was true. He will answer you with a warm feeling inside that it is, if it is. This warm feeling is the Holy Ghost communicating Heavenly Father's message to you. I know this is true. This is the first part of the amazing this I created this blog about. If you have questions, just let me know. You could also click on the link below and then click on the "Ask a question" link in the upper right corner. You could even request a hard copy of the Bible and Book of Mormon for yourself, free of charge and shipping.

Ask a Question (mormon.org)

Thanks, friend, for stopping by. Have a great day!

Shawn Broderick

Monday, July 20, 2009

1 Nephi 21:24-EoC

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