BOM 2 Nephi 25

In today’s reading, 2 Nephi 25, the prophet Nephi returns to speaking in his own voice — and it’s a voice very distinct from Isaiah’s.

Four brief observations:

1.

In verses 1-7, Nephi explicitly contrasts his own approach with that of Isaiah, indicating that there was an Old World Jewish method of understanding prophecy — a typological approach, perhaps, or a particular style of poetic analysis? — that he had intentionally decided not to pass on to his own separated people, and that his method would be clearer, plainer.

2.

It seems evident (for example, from verse 15) that Nephi understood Isaiah to have been speaking about the destruction of the literal, historical, ancient Babylon, and not merely about the figurative Babylon (the evil, fallen world) of the latter days.

3.

I cannot see how anybody can read verse 26 and conclude, with even a shred of plausibility, that those who believe in the Book of Mormon as scripture aren’t Christians:

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

4.

It also baffles me that anybody (including, astonishingly, some Latter-day Saints!) can read verse 23 and allege that Latter-day Saints don’t believe in salvation by grace

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

Posted from Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii