Free to Choose

Following are highlights from Nephi’s account of his journey to Jerusalem retrieve brass plates containing Old Testament writings. Knowing that the author of this account (a) talked, preached, and prophesied of Christ, and wrote according to his prophesies, and (b) admonished us to “liken all scriptures unto us,” consider these questions as you read:

1. How does this story witness of Jesus Christ and his divine mission?
2. Who are you in the story, i.e. how does the story relate to you?

We'll note some highlights as we go.

Nephi

1. In the beginning of 1 Nephi Chapter 3, Lehi sends his faithful son, Nephi, to Jerusalem. The purpose of sending him is to secure the blessings of the gospel for all of his posterity by retrieving records containing the scriptures.

This loving father acknowledged the faithfulness of his son, describing him as favored and blessed:

Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured. And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded... And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord. (1 Nephi 3:6-8)

Highlights. Here we see a father who sends his faithful son to Jerusalem to secure the blessings of the gospel for his posterity.

2. At Jerusalem, Nephi and his three brothers ran into some trouble, and Nephi suffered because of it:

And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod? Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands. (1 Nephi 3:29)

And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban. (1 Nephi 4:5)

Highlights: The faithful son was outside the city wall with the three others. He was suffering because of the iniquity of his brethren (over whom he had been chosen to rule) when an angel appeared, strengthening and encouraging him. He would have to make one final trip into Jerusalem to complete his mission, and he would do it alone.

3. Having completed his mission, he started his three-day return journey. His mother rejoices to see him alive.

And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water. (1 Nephi 2:6)

And it came to pass that after we had come down into the wilderness...mother, Sariah, was exceedingly glad, for she truly had mourned because of us. For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness...And she spake, saying: Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness... (1 Nephi 5:1-2,8)

Highlights: On the third day after completing his mission the faithful son returned to his loved ones. His mother, who was sure that he was no more, rejoiced to see him alive and believed the words of the prophet.

We'll pause here to ask our two questions again:

1. How does this story witness of Jesus Christ and his divine mission?
2. Who are you in the story, i.e. how does the story relate to you?

Laban

1. Laban was a powerful man in command of many servants--perhaps 50 according to Nephi’s brother Laman. He was in possession of the plates containing the scriptures that Lehi's posterity would need in their new land. Let's take a look at what kind of person Laban was:

And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he might obtain our property. (1 Nephi 3:25)

And after I had [slain Laban], I went forth unto the treasury of Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban, behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the treasury...And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them. (1 Nephi 4:20,22)

Highlights: Laban was a greedy man who was polluting the church and who tried to destroy the faithful son and his mission. He had the scriptures locked in the treasury with his money, where people could not access them.

2. Nephi was led to Laban, whom he found drunk and passed out. He slew Laban according to the promptings of the Spirit.

Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine...Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword. (1 Nephi 4:7,18)

Highlights: While Laban was drunk his sword fell on his own head. He fell to the earth before the faithful son, who destroyed him.

Again, our two questions:

1. How does this story witness of Jesus Christ and his divine mission?
2. Who are you in the story, i.e. how does the story relate to you?

Zoram

1. Nephi met one of the servants of Laban named Zoram. He went with Zoram to obtain the plates, and then made a deal with him:

...And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban, behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the treasury....And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life...And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not fear; that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go down in the wilderness with us. (1 Nephi 4:20,32-33)

Highlights: When the faithful son destroyed Laban, his servant "Zoram" was made free to chose. The offer extended to him was "follow me." If he followed, he would receive liberty and life. If he stayed behind, captivity and death were coming soon. He chose to follow the faithful son and they made a covenant.

2. Here is the rest of the record that we have of Zoram:

And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed unto the tent of our father. (1 Nephi 4:38)

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, took one of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of Ishmael to wife. (1 Nephi 16:7)

And now, Zoram...I know that thou art a true friend unto my son, Nephi, forever. Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful thy seed shall be blessed with his seed... (2 Nephi 1:30-31)

Highlights: Zoram went to the "tent of our father," was married, and eventually reached the promised land. The father, Lehi, gave him and his posterity a inheritance in the promised land with the faithful son for being "true" and "faithful."

One more time--our two questions:

1. How does this story witness of Jesus Christ and his divine mission?
2. Who are you in the story, i.e. how does the story relate to you?

Summary

Let's reread our highlights in a single narrative:

Here we see a father who sends his faithful son to Jerusalem to secure the blessings of the gospel for his posterity. (See John 3:16)

The faithful son was outside the city wall with the three others. He was suffering because of the iniquity of his brethren (over whom he had been chosen to rule) when an angel appeared, strengthening and encouraging him. He would have to make one final trip into Jerusalem to complete his mission, and he would do it alone. (See Isaiah 53:5, Luke 22:43)

On the third day after completing his mission the faithful son returned to his loved ones. His mother, who was sure that he was no more, rejoiced to see him alive and believed the words of the prophet. (See John 20:13-18)

Laban was a greedy man who was polluting the church and tried to destroy the faithful son and his mission. He had the scriptures locked in the treasury with his money, where people could not access them. (See 1 Nephi 13:5-8)

While Laban was drunk his sword fell on his own head. He fell to the earth before the faithful son, who destroyed him. (See 1 Nephi 22:13)

When the faithful son destroyed Laban, his servant "Zoram" was made free to chose. The offer extended to him was "follow me." If he followed, he would receive liberty and life. If he stayed behind, captivity and death were coming soon. He chose to follow the faithful son and they made a covenant. (See 2 Nephi 2:27)

Zoram went to the "tent of our father," was married, and eventually reached the promised land. The father, Lehi, gave him and his posterity a inheritance in the promised land with the faithful son for being "true" and "faithful." (See Romans 8:17)

Nephi's matter-of-fact story is written in such a way that if we try to liken it unto us, it witnesses of the divine mission of Jesus to make us free, our covenant relationship with him, and the gift of eternal life that awaits us if we follow him and endure to the end. In this kind of story, it is important to understand to which character one can liken oneself.

Also note that the richly symbolic method of story telling is common throughout scripture, and more particularly, the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament. It is worth mentioning that Joseph Smith could not have written a book full of stories with such symbolic complexity and such a powerful witness of the Savior.