Jacob 3

Jacob 3

Jacob 3:1-5

pure in heart...................................................pleasing word of God recipients
console.......................................................receive the comfort of the Lord
firm minds.......................................................determined to remain true and faithful in all things
wo................................................................promised punishment when not pure in heart
scourge.........................................................a constant continuing curse laid out
lead away righteous........................................the good constantly seek holy places
filthiness.........................................................refusal to become clean, a curse leading to skin
skin....................................................................an obvious marker that is visual
commandment.......................................................only one wife and no concubines

Jacob has a 2 sided message, one of promise to the faithfulness, and one of warning for those who have hardened their hearts.  He also explains that the appearance of the Lamanites has occurred because of the Lamanite refusal to follow the Spirit of God.  The same curse could come to the disobedient Nephite.

Jacob 3: 6-11

observance........................................................Lamanites have only one wife,  to be spared
love.................................................................Lamanites are true to their families
unbelief..............................................................not attributed to them, but their fathers
comparative.....................................................with the gospel, more is expected
revile..............................................................no reason to gloat over Lamanites.  They are under God's care
remember own filthiness...............................concentrate on personal wickedness, not others'
children...........................................................duty to build up the next generation faithfully

Too often people make an assumption that with the acceptance of the gospel somehow a person is better than his neighbors; however, this is not true.  The advantage is for knowing and keeping the commandments, not for an advantage over others who are lost.  The Lord will take care of those who are not of the covenant in His own time and way, but those who have the gospel should concentrate on personal righteousness and the righteous rearing of their children.

Jacob 3: 12-14

fornication, lasciviousness....................................sins of the Nephites.  Lead to destruction
larger plates.....................................................more of a secular history.  Much larger in volume
hand of Nephi...................................................Nephi made the actual plates that Jacob uses

Restatement of the gross iniquities.

Jacob 3

Jacob warns the impure of the tenuous position that they incur on themselves and their children.  he warns that the righteous will not remain with the evil, and that their might come another migration caused by their disobedience and wicked behavior.  This is also a comfort to the righteous who must suffer because of this disobedience.