A Thought from the Book of Jacob

In my analysis post, I see that Jacob chapter 4 merits further investigation. (Again, not that the others don't, but the chart peaks my curiosity.)

Upon further investigation, I notice that Jacob 4 begins with one of my favorite sets of verses in the Book of Mormon. Here they are with comments:

1 Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain;

Here we see that it is difficult for Jacob, and probably the other prophets in the Book of Mormon, to engrave their prophesies on plates. Because they knew that the engravings they made would stand for all time, they had to chose their words carefully and probably couldn't erase them if they made a mistake.

2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers—

Jacob and the other prophets knew that using other media at the time to record their prophesies would just disintegrate and become unreadable, so they used what they knew would last. I believe that this verse also reveals who the Book of Mormon was written to. To their children. I also believe that we are included in that category. They wanted us, the peoples of the latter-days to know about them, to have a small degree of knowledge concerning them. Think of all the peoples that have lived on the Americas that we don't know about their names, families, lives, or God's dealings with them. We are blessed to have these records in our hands. So, what was their purpose for all of the hard work, labor, and sacrifice to write down these passages? And how did they feel about it? Let's read on...

3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.

So, when I read this scripture for my personal scripture study one day, it really hit me. How do we receive the product of their words and scrifice? Do we receive them with thankful hearts? Do we look to them to learn about their testimonies of Christ with joy? Do we look on them with sorrow or contempt to read and learn about them? Now this latter question may seem to be extreme, but those were the words Jacob used. He hoped, and probably prayed, that we could have his words and receive them with thankful hearts. So, this is how I feel about daily scripture study. My goal is to always have a good attitude about the commandment and think of the new things that I can learn and opening up the conduit to feel of the Spirit that day. He will come when we do this because we read of truth about Christ and the prophets' testimonies of Him. So, what was their intent?

4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.

They wanted us to know that they knew that Christ would come. Jacob knew that the words of all the prophets before him were about the fact that He would come. They had a hope of His glory. What does that mean? I think that, in part, it means that He would be the Savior and fulfill all the words He, as Jehovah, revealed to them--to live again after death, and to live with Heavenly Father again. That is what they felt. How much of a blessing it is for us to know it. So, have you read your scriptures yet today? : )