4 Nephi 1:24-49
4 Nephi1:24-49
This small chapter covers a third of the total timeline of the Book of Mormon. So important, and yet so small.
Boy did I get distracted this morning! It started out when my interested was piqued by the lengthy lifespans of Nephi, Amos and Amos (living app 100+ each). I wondered if their prolonged lifespans had something to do with their righteousness, and if that extension of life was shared among all the righteous people at that time. I started doing some research, but found very little on the topic.
And then I came across a online version of Step by Step- a Cultural Commentary of the Book of Mormon. It's a fascinating resource that studies each verse in the Book of Mormon and compares it to the Bible and archaeology. It makes no concrete claims, but the parallels are amazing.
It mentioned the ancient city of Teotihuacan, which rose to it's glory from 1-200AD. (During the time of splendor we read yesterday). It was a utopian society, one of the top ten largest cities on the earth at that time. Religion was it's main drive, and the people were equal in class and prosperity. Then, it changed soon after 200AD, with the focus from the one main Sun God (whom scholars suppose is Jesus Christ) to other Gods and other churches and terrible practices such as human sacrifice. Class warfare began. They city grew larger and more wicked, finally being abandoned in 700AD.
Here is a short video (narrated by Leonard Nimoy) about the city (no in correlation with the BoM) It's an old video, but interesting.
I love to see things like this. It puts me in touch with the reality of what I am reading. These were real people. The tilled the earth, they basked in the sunlight, they breathed the air. The laughed, the cried, the worked and they loved. Just like me. Sometimes it's easy for me to think of the people in the Book of Mormon as characters in a play or book. But, there were as real as I am, with thoughts, hopes and dreams. I love anything that brings the reality of them closer to me.
It is amazing to me, and so sad, how the tragically rapid decline of the righteous started with the insidious seed of pride. Pride led to greed, selfishness and sin. I also thought it interesting that one of the sins of the false churches was allowing sacred things to be given to unworthy people. In these modern times we are often mocked for not allowing just anyone into the temple. But, we know that there must be a level of worthiness to qualify ourselves to participate and partake in sacred things. It is one of the characteristics of the true church of Christ. Those who are unwilling to abide by higher standards tend to search for churches that acclimate to their views, rather than changing their views to match the Saviors.
This is the saddest chapter of the Book of Mormon for me. It showed the height of their righteousness, and their tragic collective plummet into darkness so clearly.
What are your thoughts today?
This small chapter covers a third of the total timeline of the Book of Mormon. So important, and yet so small.
Boy did I get distracted this morning! It started out when my interested was piqued by the lengthy lifespans of Nephi, Amos and Amos (living app 100+ each). I wondered if their prolonged lifespans had something to do with their righteousness, and if that extension of life was shared among all the righteous people at that time. I started doing some research, but found very little on the topic.
And then I came across a online version of Step by Step- a Cultural Commentary of the Book of Mormon. It's a fascinating resource that studies each verse in the Book of Mormon and compares it to the Bible and archaeology. It makes no concrete claims, but the parallels are amazing.
It mentioned the ancient city of Teotihuacan, which rose to it's glory from 1-200AD. (During the time of splendor we read yesterday). It was a utopian society, one of the top ten largest cities on the earth at that time. Religion was it's main drive, and the people were equal in class and prosperity. Then, it changed soon after 200AD, with the focus from the one main Sun God (whom scholars suppose is Jesus Christ) to other Gods and other churches and terrible practices such as human sacrifice. Class warfare began. They city grew larger and more wicked, finally being abandoned in 700AD.
Here is a short video (narrated by Leonard Nimoy) about the city (no in correlation with the BoM) It's an old video, but interesting.
I love to see things like this. It puts me in touch with the reality of what I am reading. These were real people. The tilled the earth, they basked in the sunlight, they breathed the air. The laughed, the cried, the worked and they loved. Just like me. Sometimes it's easy for me to think of the people in the Book of Mormon as characters in a play or book. But, there were as real as I am, with thoughts, hopes and dreams. I love anything that brings the reality of them closer to me.
It is amazing to me, and so sad, how the tragically rapid decline of the righteous started with the insidious seed of pride. Pride led to greed, selfishness and sin. I also thought it interesting that one of the sins of the false churches was allowing sacred things to be given to unworthy people. In these modern times we are often mocked for not allowing just anyone into the temple. But, we know that there must be a level of worthiness to qualify ourselves to participate and partake in sacred things. It is one of the characteristics of the true church of Christ. Those who are unwilling to abide by higher standards tend to search for churches that acclimate to their views, rather than changing their views to match the Saviors.
This is the saddest chapter of the Book of Mormon for me. It showed the height of their righteousness, and their tragic collective plummet into darkness so clearly.
What are your thoughts today?
It was a sad state of affairs. To be so righteous... never a happier people. No contention. No pride. No unkindness. No judging. "Just happy to be here."
ReplyDeleteTo becoming wicked. So very, very wicked. And only in a short time.
Sometimes the timelines in the BOM are hard to follow because they are taken out of context. But I was thinking about the time line from good to wicked and it's really near the same time frame as what our country has seen as it's own timeline.
Unfortunately, we are nearing the edge of "most wicked" instead of "most righteous." And... the signs and comparisons are all too clear.
All this, as I sat in my car on the military base wondering how many of the young people I have taught lately are headed to war. How many will come home? It's a bit of a scarey time right now.