Jacob Explains Gospel Principles

Event 26

Reference: 2 Ne. 9:1-54; 10:1-25

AND now, my beloved brethren, I have read these things that yemight know concerning the covenants of the Lord that he hascovenanted with all the house of Israel— 2 That he has spokenunto the Jews, by the mouth of his holy prophets, even from thebeginning down, from generation to generation, until the timecomes that they shall be restored to the true church and fold ofGod; when they shall be gathered home to the lands of theirinheritance, and shall be established in all their lands of promise. 3Behold, my beloved brethren, I speak unto you these things that yemay rejoice, and lift up your heads forever, because of theblessings which the Lord God shall bestow upon your children. 4For I know that ye have searched much, many of you, to know ofthings to come; wherefore I know that ye know that our flesh mustwaste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God.5 Yea, I know that ye know that in the body he shall show himselfunto those at Jerusalem, from whence we came; for it is expedientthat it should be among them; for it behooveth the great Creatorthat he suffereth himself to become subject unto man in the flesh,and die for all men, that all men might become subject unto him.JacobSee Isa. 52:1-2Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.6 For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful planof the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection,and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of thefall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because manbecame fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord. 7Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it shouldbe an infinite atonement this corruption could not put onincorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon manmust needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, thisflesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its motherearth, to rise no more. 8 O the wisdom of God, his mercy andgrace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits mustbecome subject to that angel who fell from before the presence ofthe Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more. 9 And ourspirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils,angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, andto remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea,to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformethhimself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children ofmen unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secretworks of darkness. 10 O how great the goodness of our God, whoprepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awfulmonster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the deathof the body, and also the death of the spirit. 11 And because of theway of deliverance of our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death,of which I have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up itsdead; which death is the grave. 12 And this death of which I havespoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell mustdeliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits,and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodiesand the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is bythe power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.JacobSee Isa. 52:1-2Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.13 O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, theparadise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, andthe grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit andthe body is restored to itself again, and all men becomeincorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having aperfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that ourknowledge shall be perfect. 14 Wherefore, we shall have a perfectknowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and ournakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge oftheir enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity,yea, even with the robe of righteousness. 15 And it shall come topass that when all men shall have passed from this first death untolife, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appearbefore the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel; and thencometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according tothe holy judgment of God. 16 And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, forthe Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word, whichcannot pass away, that they who are righteous shall be righteousstill, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, theywho are filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go awayinto everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is as alake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever andever and has no end.17 O the greatness and the justice of our God! For he executeth allhis words, and they have gone forth out of his mouth, and his lawmust be fulfilled. 18 But, behold, the righteous, the saints of theHoly One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One ofIsrael, they who have endured the crosses of the world, anddespised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God,which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world,and their joy shall be full forever. 19 O the greatness of the mercyof our God, the Holy One of Israel! For he delivereth his saintsfrom that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and thatlake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment. 20 O howgreat the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and thereis not anything save he knows it. 21 And he cometh into the worldthat he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; forbehold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of everyliving creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to thefamily of Adam. 22 And he suffereth this that the resurrectionmight pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at thegreat and judgment day. 23 And he commandeth all men that theymust repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith inthe Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God. 24 And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and bebaptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned;for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it.JacobSee Isa. 52:1-2Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.25 Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law giventhere is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there isno condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the merciesof the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of theatonement; for they are delivered by the power of him. 26 For theatonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those whohave not the law given to them, that they are delivered from thatawful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fireand brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored tothat God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel.27 But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all thecommandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them,and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state! 28O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and thefrailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned theythink they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God,for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves,wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not.And they shall perish. 29 But to be learned is good if they hearkenunto the counsels of God. 30 But wo unto the rich, who are rich asto the things of the world. For because they are rich they despisethe poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upontheir treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god. And behold,their treasure shall perish with them also. 31 And wo unto the deafthat will not hear; for they shall perish. 32 Wo unto the blind thatwill not see; for they shall perish also. 33 Wo unto theuncircumcised of heart, for a knowledge of their iniquities shallsmite them at the last day. 34 Wo unto the liar, for he shall bethrust down to hell. 35 Wo unto the murderer who deliberatelykilleth, for he shall die. 36 Wo unto them who commit whoredoms,for they shall be thrust down to hell. 37 Yea, wo unto those thatworship idols, for the devil of all devils delighteth in them. 38And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for they shallreturn to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins.39 O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness intransgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness ofyielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to becarnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is lifeeternal. 40 O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words.Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Do not say thatI have spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revileagainst the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker. Iknow that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; butthe righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are notshaken. 41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, theHoly One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the wayfor man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, andthe keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by thegate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name. 42And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and thelearned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of theirlearning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are theywhom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, andconsider themselves fools before God, and come down in thedepths of humility, he will not open unto them. 43 But the things ofthe wise and the prudent shall be hid from them forever—yea, thathappiness which is prepared for the saints.JacobSee Isa. 52:1-2Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.44 O, my beloved brethren, remember my words. Behold, I takeoff my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God ofmy salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye;wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall bejudged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that Ishook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand withbrightness before him, and am rid of your blood. 45 O, my belovedbrethren, turn away from your sins; shake off the chains of himthat would bind you fast; come unto that God who is the rock ofyour salvation. 46 Prepare your souls for that glorious day whenjustice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day ofjudgment, that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may notremember your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained toexclaim:Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but Iknow my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressionsare mine; and the devil hath obtained me, that I am a prey to hisawful misery.47 But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake youto an awful reality of these things? Would I harrow up your soulsif your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you according tothe plainness of the truth if ye were freed from sin? 48 Behold, ifye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are notholy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedientthat I teach you the consequences of sin. 49 Behold, my soulabhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in righteousness; and I willpraise the holy name of my God.50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to thewaters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, comebuy wine and milk without money and without price. 51Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, noryour labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently untome, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come untothe Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not,neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness. 52Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God;pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holyname by night. Let your hearts rejoice. 53 And behold how greatthe covenants of the Lord, and how great his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of his greatness, and his graceand mercy, he has promised unto us that our seed shall not utterlybe destroyed, according to the flesh, but that he would preservethem; and in future generations they shall become a righteousbranch unto the house of Israel. 54 And now, my brethren, I wouldspeak unto you more; but on the morrow I will declare unto youthe remainder of my words. Amen.JacobSee Isa. 52:1-2Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.1 AND now I, Jacob, speak unto you again, my beloved brethren,concerning this righteous branch of which I have spoken. 2 Forbehold, the promises which we have obtained are promises unto usaccording to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown unto methat many of our children shall perish in the flesh because ofunbelief, nevertheless, God will be merciful unto many; and ourchildren shall be restored, that they may come to that which willgive them the true knowledge of their Redeemer. 3 Wherefore, as Isaid unto you, it must needs be expedient that Christ—for in thelast night the angel spake unto me that this should be his name—should come among the Jews, among those who are the morewicked part of the world; and they shall crucify him—for thus itbehooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth thatwould crucify their God. 4 For should the mighty miracles bewrought among other nations they would repent, and know that hebe their God. 5 But because of priestcrafts and iniquities, they atJerusalem will stiffen their necks against him, that he be crucified.6 Wherefore, because of their iniquities, destructions, famines,pestilences, and bloodshed shall come upon them; and they whoshall not be destroyed shall be scattered among all nations. 7 Butbehold, thus saith the Lord God:When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I amChrist, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shallbe restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of theirinheritance. 8 And it shall come to pass that they shall begathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea,and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of theGentiles shall be great in the eyes of me,The Lord Godsaith God,Jacobin carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance.The Lord God9 Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them,and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore, thepromises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hathspoken it, and who can dispute?Jacob10 But behold, this land,The Lord Godsaid God,Jacobshall be a land of thine inheritance, and the Gentiles shall beblessed upon the land. 11 And this land shall be a land of libertyunto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land,The Lord God who shall raise up unto the Gentiles. 12 And I will fortify thisland against all other nations. 13 And he that fighteth againstZion shall perish,The Lord GodSee Isa. 52:1-2Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.saith God.Jacob14 For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I, theLord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a lightunto them forever, that hear my words. 15 Wherefore, for thiscause, that my covenants may be fulfilled which I have madeunto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they arein the flesh, I must needs destroy the secret works of darkness,and of murders, and of abominations. 16 Wherefore, he thatfighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free,both male and female, shall perish; for they are they who are thewhore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are againstme,The Lord Godsaith our God.Jacob17 For I will fulfil my promises which I have made unto thechildren of men, that I will do unto them while they are in theflesh—The Lord God18 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, thus saith our God:JacobI will afflict thy seed by the hand of the Gentiles; nevertheless, Iwill soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like untoa father to them; wherefore, the Gentiles shall be blessed andnumbered among the house of Israel. 19 Wherefore, I willconsecrate this land unto thy seed, and them who shall benumbered among thy seed, forever, for the land of theirinheritance; for it is a choice land,The Lord Godsaith God unto me,Jacobabove all other lands, wherefore I will have all men that dwellthereon that they shall worship me,The Lord Godsaith God. 20 And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that ourmerciful God has given us so great knowledge concerning thesethings, let us remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hangdown our heads, for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we havebeen driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have beenled to a better land, for the Lord has made the sea our path, and weare upon an isle of the sea. 21 But great are the promises of theLord unto them who are upon the isles of the sea; wherefore as itsays isles, there must needs be more than this, and they areinhabited also by our brethren. 22 For behold, the Lord God hasled away from time to time from the house of Israel, according tohis will and pleasure. And now behold, the Lord remembereth allthem who have been broken off, wherefore he remembereth usalso. 23 Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye arefree to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting deathor the way of eternal life. 24 Wherefore, my beloved brethren,Jacob reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of thedevil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled untoGod, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye aresaved. 25 Wherefore, may God raise you from death by the powerof the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the powerof the atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdomof God, that ye may praise him through grace divine. Amen.JacobSee Isa. 52:1-2Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.