Moroni Comments on Ether’S Words

Event 202

Reference: Ether 12:5-41

And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great andmarvelous things unto the people, which they did notbelieve, because they saw them not. 6 And now, I, Moroni,would speak somewhat concerning these things; I wouldshow unto the world that faith is things which are hoped forand not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, forye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith. 7 Forit was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers,after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himselfunto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, itmust needs be that some had faith in him, for he showedhimself not unto the world. 8 But because of the faith ofmen he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified thename of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby othersmight be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they mighthope for those things which they have not seen. 9Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of thegift, if ye will but have faith.MoroniLand northward10 Behold it was by faith that they of old were called afterthe holy order of God. 11 Wherefore, by faith was the law ofMoses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared amore excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath beenfulfilled. 12 For if there be no faith among the children ofmen God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, heshowed not himself until after their faith. 13 Behold, it wasthe faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison totumble to the earth.14 Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wroughtthe change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptizedwith fire and with the Holy Ghost. 15 Behold, it was thefaith of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great amiracle among the Lamanites. 16 Yea, and even all they whowrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those whowere before Christ and also those who were after. 17 And itwas by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise thatthey should not taste of death; and they obtained not thepromise until after their faith. 18 And neither at any timehath any wrought miracles until after their faith; whereforethey first believed in the Son of God. 19 And there were many whose faith was so exceedinglystrong, even before Christ came, who could not be keptfrom within the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the thingswhich they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they wereglad. 20 And behold, we have seen in this record that one ofthese was the brother of Jared; for so great was his faith inGod, that when God put forth his finger he could not hide itfrom the sight of the brother of Jared, because of his wordwhich he had spoken unto him, which word he had obtainedby faith.MoroniLand northward21 And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of theLord, because of the promise which the brother of Jared hadobtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anythingfrom his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for hecould no longer be kept without the veil. 22 And it is byfaith that my fathers have obtained the promise that thesethings should come unto their brethren through theGentiles; therefore the Lord hath commanded me, yea, evenJesus Christ. 23 And I said unto him:Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things, because of ourweakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us mighty in wordby faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing; for thou hastmade all this people that they could speak much, because of theHoly Ghost which thou hast given them; 24 And thou hast made usthat we could write but little, because of the awkwardness of ourhands. Behold, thou hast not made us mighty in writing like untothe brother of Jared, for thou madest him that the things which hewrote were mighty even as thou art, unto the overpowering of manto read them. 25 Thou hast also made our words powerful andgreat, even that we cannot write them; wherefore, when we writewe behold our weakness, and stumble because of the placing ofour words; and I fear lest the Gentiles shall mock at our words.26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me,saying:Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient forthe meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness; 27And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. Igive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace issufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if theyhumble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will Imake weak things become strong unto them. 28 Behold, I willshow unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto themthat faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of allrighteousness.The Lord 29 And I, Moroni, having heard these words, wascomforted, and said:MoroniLand northwardO Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workestunto the children of men according to their faith; 30 For the brotherof Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove—and it wasremoved. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved;wherefore thou workest after men have faith. 31 For thus didstthou manifest thyself unto thy disciples; for after they had faith,and did speak in thy name, thou didst show thyself unto them ingreat power. 32 And I also remember that thou hast said that thouhast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions ofthy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope;wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance inthe place which thou hast prepared.33 And again, I remember that thou hast said that thou hastloved the world, even unto the laying down of thy life forthe world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a placefor the children of men. 34 And now I know that this lovewhich thou hast had for the children of men is charity;wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannotinherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansionsof thy Father. 35 Wherefore, I know by this thing whichthou hast said, that if the Gentiles have not charity, becauseof our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and take awaytheir talent, yea, even that which they have received, andgive unto them who shall have more abundantly.36 And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that hewould give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might havecharity.37 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me:If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast beenfaithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. Andbecause thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong,even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared inthe mansions of my Father.The Lord38 And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea,and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meetbefore the judgment-seat of Christ, where all men shallknow that my garments are not spotted with your blood. 39And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that hehath talked with me face to face, and that he told me inplain humility, even as a man telleth another in mine ownlanguage, concerning these things; 40 And only a few have Iwritten, because of my weakness in writing. 41 And now, IMoroni would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom theprophets and apostles have written, that the grace of Godthe Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the HolyGhost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide inyou forever. Amen.MoroniLand northward