Come Follow Me Book of Mormon with Sam Mosiah 1-3 and Mosiah 4-6
Hello everyone, welcome to Come Follow Me with Sam!
First, I sincerely apologize to my readers. I have missed a couple weeks and was late with my last post. I think Conference and Easter threw me off track and it is time to get back on again.
Second, we are talking about King Benjamin and this AMAZING experience he helped walk the people through! Because this experience does not nicely fit itself into our habitual church structures, it is easy to miss the importance of what happens here. Although I didn't write about it , I have been studying and twitch-streaming with my brother about it and I sincerely believe this was a preparatory pivot point that changed the course of the Nephite nation. I believe this was in preparation for Alma's great work of establishing the churches among the people. It is really exciting. I hope this takes you beyond anything you have even thought about his amazing discourse before!!
P.S. I'm already really tired of typing out King Benjamin. Are we cool if I refer to him from now on as KB? :) 'Cause that is about to happen.
KB fills his discourse with temple patterns. I do not mean to say he took them through the endowment (although there are patterns there) or that they all were in a ceremony type arrangement (although there were certainly covenants made). What I mean to say is that his discourse follows the temple pattern. He brings them to the temple, they make sacrifices of thanks, they receive instruction and make covenants in a journey to being better, and leave renewed.
Hugh Nibley in The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, says 5 elements are in all of the ancient rites. Check out how they are introduced by KB:
The sacred purpose of the text
KB mentions in 1:11-12 that he plans to give them a name associated with righteousness. He brings them to the temple and makes sacrifices before speaking. in 2:9, he says he will be teaching the mysteries of God. He tells them to 'trifle not' with the words, and in chapter 6 he keeps names of all those who covenant, signifying it is a lasting covenant to last, that will not be blotted out.
Rites of Purification
We already mentioned the sacrifices above. Usually purification has to do with washing. No washing is mentioned here, but there is the spiritual purification, being washed clean of sin, which the physical washing is representative of. in chapter 2, KB reminds them they are unprofitable servants even if they labor all the day. he reminds them of the unquenchable fire and the awful situation they are in. at the end of chapter 3, after talking about the atonement and resurrection, he brings this up again. In 4:1-3, the people go through a purifying experience and ask 'have mercy..that we may have forgiveness of our sins and our hearts may be purified'. Their purification is answered with power and the Holy Spirit, so whatever happened was accepted, and perhaps more real than a ritual washing.
The creation and its equivalent, the resurrection
KB only briefly refers to the creation. in 2:21, he reminds the people that god created them and lent them breathe. In 4:9, he also makes a passing reference to the creator, in a part of the talk that seems to be summing up progress to that point. He focuses on the resurrection, particularly the spiritual redemption, much more. In 3:10 he says that Christ will rise the third day. He then elaborates on what this means for most of the rest of the chapter.
a garden of abundance and delights
In christian texts, we should look for references to the garden of Eden. In general, we should look for an innocent and happy state with needs provided for. We have both in chapter 3, first in vs 11 and 26 mentioning Adam, the fall, and transgression. We have the second example in vs 16 where King Benjamin for some reason felt it was important to mention the innocence and redemption of children. he does this in context of the necessary purification and need for the atonement of the adult population.
the long journey
KB has already belabored the thanks rendered to God in chapter 2. In chapter 4, he outlines the disciples path. He is steering the people toward following the law of consecration, after performing sacrifice in obedience to the law of Moses, accepting the gospel, and making a covenant. in 4:12, he says to follow the path (my words) that they have covenanted to do, they will rejoice and be filled with the love of god. He gives instructions in vs 14-17 on right living, asks them to impart of their substances in vs 21, and gives further instruction.
Triumph and exaltation
The people say they know the surety and truth of the words thanks to the spirit in 5:2. They are considered spiritually begotten in vs 7, free in vs 8, right hand of God in vs 9, and called by the name of Christ. In vs 15, the last verse of the discourse, he asks the people to follow the teachings that they may be sealed
Avraham Gileadi has outlined 7 different levels of glory that Isaiah guides the reader through in his text. King Benjamin also guides his people through levels of glory/understanding. Here is a comparison of how they progress.
Level 1: Perdition. KB doesn't start here, but he does remind them of this place in 2:38 and 3:24-27. He reminds them that their sins will come to judge them, and his words as a testimony against them in a torment that is like an unquenchable flame and an ascending smoke.
Level 2: Babylon and Worldiness. KB doesn't really start here either.
Level 3: humble believer. This is where KB really starts the journey. in Chapter 2, the people come and he reminds them of their own nothingness, their great gratitude owed to the Lord, and the path of the believer. This leads them to see their own awful state and plead with God in Chapter 4 and make a covenant in chapter 5, elevating them, at least symbolically to level 4.
Level 4: Zion/Covenant people. King Benjamin teaches them of things concerning the law of consecration in chapter 4, after their first spiritual experience and admonishes them to follow it. after they express the change of their hearts, and their desire, and prepare to follow this way, they are prepared to be raised to level 5.
Level 5: sons and daughters of God. in 5:7, KB calls them the children of christ in vs 7.
Level 6: Seraphs/angels. KB doesn't talk about this much but he does talk about being sealed in heaven at the end of chapter 5
Level 7: Jehovah or God. King Benjamin doesn't talk about this much but he does speak of Christ's power in chapter 3, and sealing in chapter 5
You can already see the covenant journey above in both the temple pattern and Isaiah's ladder. Here, I would like to focus on how it compares to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the first covenant, baptism.
Faith: In 4:9, KB exhorts the people to believe. In 5:4, the people say that they were able to do these things through faith.
Repentance: in chapter 2 and 3, King Benjamin helps them understand their state of repentance, and how it is done.
Baptism and the gift of the holy ghost: in chapter 4:2, they plead for a remission of their sins. in 4:3, it states:
Once again, I sincerely believe that this discourse was the preparatory for a turning point in the Nephite civilization, the formal establishment by Alma of the church among the Nephites, and the work of salvation until the coming of Christ.
First, I sincerely apologize to my readers. I have missed a couple weeks and was late with my last post. I think Conference and Easter threw me off track and it is time to get back on again.
Second, we are talking about King Benjamin and this AMAZING experience he helped walk the people through! Because this experience does not nicely fit itself into our habitual church structures, it is easy to miss the importance of what happens here. Although I didn't write about it , I have been studying and twitch-streaming with my brother about it and I sincerely believe this was a preparatory pivot point that changed the course of the Nephite nation. I believe this was in preparation for Alma's great work of establishing the churches among the people. It is really exciting. I hope this takes you beyond anything you have even thought about his amazing discourse before!!
P.S. I'm already really tired of typing out King Benjamin. Are we cool if I refer to him from now on as KB? :) 'Cause that is about to happen.
The King Benjamin discourse is a Temple Text.
KB fills his discourse with temple patterns. I do not mean to say he took them through the endowment (although there are patterns there) or that they all were in a ceremony type arrangement (although there were certainly covenants made). What I mean to say is that his discourse follows the temple pattern. He brings them to the temple, they make sacrifices of thanks, they receive instruction and make covenants in a journey to being better, and leave renewed.
Hugh Nibley in The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, says 5 elements are in all of the ancient rites. Check out how they are introduced by KB:
The sacred purpose of the text
KB mentions in 1:11-12 that he plans to give them a name associated with righteousness. He brings them to the temple and makes sacrifices before speaking. in 2:9, he says he will be teaching the mysteries of God. He tells them to 'trifle not' with the words, and in chapter 6 he keeps names of all those who covenant, signifying it is a lasting covenant to last, that will not be blotted out.
Rites of Purification
We already mentioned the sacrifices above. Usually purification has to do with washing. No washing is mentioned here, but there is the spiritual purification, being washed clean of sin, which the physical washing is representative of. in chapter 2, KB reminds them they are unprofitable servants even if they labor all the day. he reminds them of the unquenchable fire and the awful situation they are in. at the end of chapter 3, after talking about the atonement and resurrection, he brings this up again. In 4:1-3, the people go through a purifying experience and ask 'have mercy..that we may have forgiveness of our sins and our hearts may be purified'. Their purification is answered with power and the Holy Spirit, so whatever happened was accepted, and perhaps more real than a ritual washing.
The creation and its equivalent, the resurrection
KB only briefly refers to the creation. in 2:21, he reminds the people that god created them and lent them breathe. In 4:9, he also makes a passing reference to the creator, in a part of the talk that seems to be summing up progress to that point. He focuses on the resurrection, particularly the spiritual redemption, much more. In 3:10 he says that Christ will rise the third day. He then elaborates on what this means for most of the rest of the chapter.
a garden of abundance and delights
In christian texts, we should look for references to the garden of Eden. In general, we should look for an innocent and happy state with needs provided for. We have both in chapter 3, first in vs 11 and 26 mentioning Adam, the fall, and transgression. We have the second example in vs 16 where King Benjamin for some reason felt it was important to mention the innocence and redemption of children. he does this in context of the necessary purification and need for the atonement of the adult population.
the long journey
KB has already belabored the thanks rendered to God in chapter 2. In chapter 4, he outlines the disciples path. He is steering the people toward following the law of consecration, after performing sacrifice in obedience to the law of Moses, accepting the gospel, and making a covenant. in 4:12, he says to follow the path (my words) that they have covenanted to do, they will rejoice and be filled with the love of god. He gives instructions in vs 14-17 on right living, asks them to impart of their substances in vs 21, and gives further instruction.
Triumph and exaltation
The people say they know the surety and truth of the words thanks to the spirit in 5:2. They are considered spiritually begotten in vs 7, free in vs 8, right hand of God in vs 9, and called by the name of Christ. In vs 15, the last verse of the discourse, he asks the people to follow the teachings that they may be sealed
The King Benjamin discourse mirrors Isaiah/spiritual ladder.
Avraham Gileadi has outlined 7 different levels of glory that Isaiah guides the reader through in his text. King Benjamin also guides his people through levels of glory/understanding. Here is a comparison of how they progress.
Level 1: Perdition. KB doesn't start here, but he does remind them of this place in 2:38 and 3:24-27. He reminds them that their sins will come to judge them, and his words as a testimony against them in a torment that is like an unquenchable flame and an ascending smoke.
Level 2: Babylon and Worldiness. KB doesn't really start here either.
Level 3: humble believer. This is where KB really starts the journey. in Chapter 2, the people come and he reminds them of their own nothingness, their great gratitude owed to the Lord, and the path of the believer. This leads them to see their own awful state and plead with God in Chapter 4 and make a covenant in chapter 5, elevating them, at least symbolically to level 4.
Level 4: Zion/Covenant people. King Benjamin teaches them of things concerning the law of consecration in chapter 4, after their first spiritual experience and admonishes them to follow it. after they express the change of their hearts, and their desire, and prepare to follow this way, they are prepared to be raised to level 5.
Level 5: sons and daughters of God. in 5:7, KB calls them the children of christ in vs 7.
Level 6: Seraphs/angels. KB doesn't talk about this much but he does talk about being sealed in heaven at the end of chapter 5
Level 7: Jehovah or God. King Benjamin doesn't talk about this much but he does speak of Christ's power in chapter 3, and sealing in chapter 5
The King Benjamin discourse takes us on the covenant journey.
You can already see the covenant journey above in both the temple pattern and Isaiah's ladder. Here, I would like to focus on how it compares to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the first covenant, baptism.
Faith: In 4:9, KB exhorts the people to believe. In 5:4, the people say that they were able to do these things through faith.
Repentance: in chapter 2 and 3, King Benjamin helps them understand their state of repentance, and how it is done.
Baptism and the gift of the holy ghost: in chapter 4:2, they plead for a remission of their sins. in 4:3, it states:
And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come,in 5:5, they expressly make a covenant to take upon them the name of Christ, in chapter 6, they record the names of all those who make the covenant.
Wow!!
I really hope you enjoy these ways to see the KB discourse. This is truly just scratching the surface. We could break down all the different ideas and topics, the literary patterns that are in other parts of the Book of Mormon and Bible, or what this even means for the Nephites and for us today. Feel free to share your thoughts.Once again, I sincerely believe that this discourse was the preparatory for a turning point in the Nephite civilization, the formal establishment by Alma of the church among the Nephites, and the work of salvation until the coming of Christ.
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