BOOK OF MORMON
1 Nephi - Chapter 10 Critique
Setting: This portion of 1 Nephi supposedly ocurred between 600 and 592 B.C. during the last years of the kingdom of Judah before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
Verse 1: AND now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of my father, and also of my brethren.
Note: Jewish records were kept on scrolls of parchment not plates of brass.
Jeremiah 36:25 Nevertheless Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah implored the king not to burn the scroll; but he would not listen to them.
Verses 2-3: For behold, it came to pass after my father had made an end of speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews -- That after they should be destroyed, even that great city Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon, according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again the land of their inheritance.
Note: The "land of promise" is in the Middle East not America.
2 Chronicles 30:9 "For if you return to the LORD, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him."
Verse 4: Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews--even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.
Note: Sidney Rigdon was about 30 years off on his calculations.
Acts 13:23-24 "From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior; Jesus; after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Note: Jesus Christ started His public ministry approximately 28 AD.
Jesus' public life began after He was baptized by John the Baptist in Judea with water from the River Jordan. According to Luke, Jesus was baptized when He was about 30 years old. John the Baptist preached repentance and baptized those who accepted his message. 2001 World Book Encyclopedia.
Verse 5: And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.
Note: The apostle Matthew never acknowledged Lehi as being a prophet.
Matthew 27:9-10 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me."
Verse 6: Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.
Note: The revelation that Gentiles would be saved was first understood by the apostle Paul.
Ephesians 3:8-12 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
Verses 7-10: And he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord-- Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing. And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water. And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world.
Note: The apostle John never acknowledged Lehi as being a prophet.
John 1:23 He said: "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the LORD,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."
John 1:26-27 John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."
Note: Sidney Rigdon was plagiarizing the Gospel of John chapter one.
Verse 11: And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah, who should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto the Gentiles.
Note: The word "gospel" is a Old English word not a Hebrew word.
The word gospel comes from godspell, an Old English word meaning good news. 2001 World Book Encyclopedia.
Note: Sidney Rigdon used the past tense word "had" instead of the future tense word "will."
Verse 12: Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared like unto an olive-tree, whose branches should be broken off and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
Note: Sidney Rigdon forgot that there would be believing Jews like the Apostle Paul.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Note: Christian doctrine does not distinguish between races.
Verse 13: Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
Note: The "land of promise" is in the Middle East not America.
Ezekiel 39:27-28 "When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer."
Verse 14: And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive-tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.
Note: The word "gospel" is a Old English word not a Hebrew word.
The word gospel comes from godspell, an Old English word meaning good news. 2001 World Book Encyclopedia.
Note: Sidney Rigdon was plagiarizing Romans chapter 11.
Verse 15: And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and speak unto my brethren, and also many more things which I do not write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were expedient for me in mine other book.
Note: Jewish records were kept on scrolls of parchment not plates of brass.
Jeremiah 36:2 "Take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah even to this day."
Verse 16: And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.
Note: The valley of Lemuel doesn't exist in the Sinai desert.
Verse 17: And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God--and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come--I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.
Note: The Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out on believers.
Acts 1:4-5 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Verse 18: For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.
Note: Sidney Rigdon was plagiarizing Hebrews 13:8.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Verse 19: For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.
Note: God cannot be measured and His ways are beyond human understanding.
Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
Verses 20-21: Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be brought into judgment. Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.
Note: Christian righteousness is founded upon sincere belief not works.
Hebrews 3:18-19 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Verse 22: And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not.
Note: God spoke directly to the people through the prophets.
Jeremiah 1:7-8 But the LORD said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD.
Note: The Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out on believers.