Prelude
Perhaps there are times when we rush through our scriptures. Not taking time to sit still long enough for what we’ve read to sink in. Or long enough to understand what we’ve just read. Or long enough to understand how the passage applies to our specific, individual lives.
The eleventh chapter of Third Nephi is one of my most favourite chapters in the Book of Mormon. It talks about the Saviour of the world visiting the Nephites. It is an engaging, interactive experience, perhaps moreso than any other story in the Book of Mormon.
It is overflowing with imagery, vividness and clarity. I wish to comment on this chapter, offering insights and thoughts which I have gathered over the year. I hope I can help you see the chapter as I see it. I can be a man of many words at times, so I will try to split my commentary up in parts, to avoid too lengthy of an article.
Let’s begin. Perhaps you may want to follow along.
Chapter 11 opens with the people who have been the most righteous (3 Ne 10:12) gathered together at the temple in the city of Bountiful. Their landscape has been completely changed – cities have fallen into the ocean, others have been burned up, others have been broken to pieces by mountains which shot out of the ground, others have been wiped out by tidal waves – by storms, earthquakes, fire and all sorts of destructive forces. It’s barely recognisable.
As soon as the destruction finished, there was blackness. Everywhere. Not a single sliver of light to shine the way. For three entire days, no light existed anywhere. The destruction was real, but could not be seen. No familiar faces anywhere. All that can be heard was groaning and wailing and weeping of regret.
The people had waited too long to repent. The prophecies from years before had now come to pass. All hope was lost. But Christ offered them a way. Through chapters nine and ten, the Saviour commands them to repent. He tells them that it was He who caused the destruction to come up this nation. It was because of their “iniquity and abominations” (3 Ne 9:2) that this destruction took place.
But He did more than just tell them of this destruction. He gave them a chance to repent and testified of His divinity. He compared them to little chicks, and Himself to a mother hen, offering guidance and protection to her little brood.
And then His voice is gone. His message had been given. Yet the darkness was still there. The earth still trembled, perhaps aftershocks from earthquakes just hours before. Their cries and groaning began again, partly because of the loss of loved ones and partly because of the Saviour’s message.
Three days later, the trembling stopped. The darkness lifted. And their cries now to turn to joy and thanksgiving. For the redemptive power of our Lord.
The light returns and all around them they can see the destruction. They see their lost cities. Their destroyed cities. They see buildings flattened all around them. There are people everywhere, all gathered around the Bountiful temple. And what could be on their minds?
What would be on your mind? You’ve gone through three hours of destruction. You may have lost friends and family. You’ve been, for all intents and purposes, blind for three days. And you’ve just heard the word of the Lord. Have you ever wondered what the Lord’s voice sounded like? In this case, what sort of tone would He have had in His voice as He spoke to them?
The people began to talk about all that has happened – the destruction, the darkness. But more importantly they began to talk about the Saviour. What would you be talking about? About what He said? About what the prophets had said about Him?
And this is the background to the chapter. It is at this point that the climax of the Book of Mormon begins. Up to this point, every single prophet had testified of His coming. Now the prophets after Him will testify that He had been there. That he came.
Descension
Yesterday, we discussed the background to Christ’s visit to the Americas. We discussed the destruction, the mayhem, the darkness, His voice. We left the people of Bountiful gathered around the temple, marvelling at all they had seen and heard.
It is while in this marvelling that they hear a voice. Now think about this for a second. Here you are, you just witnessed three hours of complete destruction and mayhem. Loved ones had even been lost. Perhaps a parent, or a child, or a sibling. Then there is complete darkness. Then the voice of the Lord speaks. Then you’re talking to everyone all around you, trying to make sense of all this. Comparing it to the words of the prophets.
And then another voice is heard. It’s a different voice. Not like the person you were just talking to. A soft voice. All around you, yet from above. But who? And just like you, everyone looks around, wondering from whence it came. And what did it say? You are so busy talking to people around you didn’t hear what this soft voice said.
But despite the fact that you missed the message, you feel something. You feel different. Inside. Like a burning sensation of sorts. And you feel yourself trembling. Out of what? Fear? Nervousness? Anxiety? Anticipation? Curiosity?
And then again. There’s that voice. But now everyone is aware of it. You’re not caught off guard. But you still can’t understand what it says. Are you asking the person next to you about it? Did they understand what it said?
And yet again. A third time the voice speaks. But now it is clear. Everyone around you is looking toward the sky. That is from where the voice is coming. And you understand very well its message.
“Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name – hear ye him.”
What does that mean? Who is this Son? Who is this Father? Who is speaking in these soft voices all around you?
And then there is someone floating down from the sky. Odd. This is something you have never seen before in all your life. He is higher than any building. Higher than you have ever seen a man. And he’s all dressed in white. Is He an angel?
He touches the ground, right in the centre of everyone. Can you imagine the thoughts going through everyone’s mind? A strange voice from heaven. A man floats down from the sky. Is there anyone around not looking at Him? And it is so quiet. No one is making a sound. Not so much a whisper. All eyes are riveted on Him.
And He reaches out His hand. What will He do? Is He choosing someone? Is He motioning to someone? His lips are parting. Will He speak?
“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.”
So THIS is Jesus Christ! So THIS is who spoke to us! It was God who was the soft voice. This is no angel. It is Jesus Christ! The Saviour of the world. Of Whom all prophets had testified. And He is right here. You can see Him with your own eyes.
The Prints
Yesterday we left off with Christ just barely arriving among the Nephites and declaring who He was. Today we will go a little more into His further declarations of Himself. Before He actually starts teaching doctrine.
So you finally get to meet Jesus Christ. All this time you’ve heard & read all the stories and prophecies about Him. Just half a week ago you even heard His voice. And never in all your life before this week did you ever think you would actually SEE the Saviour of the world. This is an amazing experience.
What are you thinking as you see Him? What does He look like. What colour is His hair? Are His white robes shining? Is He wearing footwear? Who is He looking at? Wait, He speaks again.
“And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.”
Amazing! You’ve been taught by the prophets and the church teachers about sin, about evil and good. Jesus has just said that He has taken the sins of the world upon Himself. How is that possible? How did He do it?
Did not the prophets preach of this? That He would sacrifice Himself for us? That He would come? And He is here. He is so holy, so perfect, so bright.
The person next to you falls to his knees. Someone across the way does the same. A little girl falls on her knees and puts her forehead to the ground. Soon everyone, including you, kneel to the ground. It is finally here. The day all the prophets had testified would come. The day Jesus, the King of Kings, the God of our fathers, would visit us.
He speaks again, inviting you, and all around you to come to him and touch his wounds. The signs of his crucifixion. Signs that He IS the Christ.
Slowly people rise to their feet, never taking their eyes off of Him. He is so beautiful. So peaceful. So pure. An old man touches His hand, and feels the bump of the nail print. He reaches down to the feet, and feels the same. He begins to cry.
Others behind Him begin to do the same. There are so many of us. Time seems to mean nothing. It is only important that we touch Him. That we feel our hand on His. To know He is Jesus.
Slowly the people in front of you get closer and closer. You can see Him so much better now. He was so far away before. You can’t believe how white his garments are. They are whiter than anything you have ever seen.
Suddenly you are there. It is your turn. Right in front of you is Jesus Christ. He created the world. He gave us the gospel. He took away our sins. He is so powerful. So perfect. So kind. So loving. And He is right in front of you. He is looking into your eyes. They are so full of love. So soft. So big.
His hands are so perfect. They are warm. Strong. Comforting. And the sign of the nail is so true. It is unmistakeable. You feel a tear forming in your eye as you touch it. Imagining all He went through.
You kneel to touch His feet. They too are so warm and strong. Your tears are flow freely now, falling on his feet, where others had shed their before you. They glisten in the bright sun.
You walk to where everyone else waits. Thinking. Absorbing. Amazed. What has just happened. This is unlike anything ever before. Unbelievable. Here is Jesus Christ. The Lamb of God, who fulfilled all righteousness. And He has visited you. But who are you? A merchant, a teacher, a wife, a son? Why does He visit you? He is so full of love. He came here, just for you. Because he is your brother. Oh, to shout out with joy!
“Hosanna,” you cry. Others have joined with you. “Blessed be the name of the Most High God!” Again, you cannot help but fall to your knees. Every moment that goes by fills you with more love for him. Everyone around you kneels as well. And you worship Him. How? In prayer? In praise? In hymn? In words of love?
Baptism
The first three parts to this series discussed the environment and events leading up to Christ’s arrival to the Americas, and of course His eventual arrival. Today, the last in the series, will discuss the doctrine on which He expounds in the remainder of the chapter.
Up to this point, the only words Christ has spoken have been of introduction. He told the people of Bountiful who He was, and invited them to come to Him to see for themselves.
You see Him call Nephi forward. This is terribly surprising. Nephi had been prophesying of His arrival and teaching His gospel prior to this past week. He is a prophet, and so it seems natural that Jesus would call him forth.
You watch Nephi rise from his knees and walk over to the Saviour. Then he bows again, and kisses the Lord with his feet. Can you blame him. Christ is so full of love and purity, that such a sign of affection and humility seem completely natural. And then he gives Nephi the power to baptise others. Following that, He called eleven others and gave them this same power.
This is an important concept in this chapter. After He gives them this power, He begins to instruct them in the manner of baptism and why people are baptised. The first thing the Lord discusses with the Nephites (aside from His introduction) is the principle of baptism.
Such prominence in all the instruction He gives while with this people to come first is apparent in how vital a role baptism plays in the plan of salvation. Jesus taught Nicodemus that we must be baptised to enter the Father’s kingdom. He himself was baptised in order to be an example fro us and to fulfil all righteousness.
The word “baptize” is mentioned thirteen times in this passage. A very significant point. Before His arrival, there were many different methods and practices regarding baptism, even within the same church. The differences were also sources of contentions between church members. Christ establishing this pattern and presenting this instruction helped all to understand that there is only one faith, one Lord and one baptism.
We could go on forever, discussing the many other words He shares with the Nephites in the ensuing chapters. However, I wanted to expound on this particular because of the imagery it portrays. This passage lends itself, perhaps more than any other, to helping us understand the love Christ can bring into a people. And to help us imagine what it will be like when He comes again. There a re a lot of parallels in this – the destruction, His descension, everyone gathering around Him – and it would be wise for us to find those parallels, immerse ourselves in the experience, imagine how we would feel in His presence and make any necessary adjustments in our lives.
