The Adventure Resumes

 I have a copy of Royal Skousen's seminal work, The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text. (A link to the book on Amazon is below.) I continue to read the Book of Mormon daily. I recently finished my latest read through. This next time, I've decided to read, not the standard edition printed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the version in Skousen's book. Unlike previous read-throughs I feel like sharing my insights this time through on this blog. There may be some repetition of comments, but there will be a different focus this time around. Rather than writing with an apologetic voice, I plan on writing with an affirmative voice and such insights as I feel to share.

I've been doing this for a few days now, so here are my thoughts for what I've read so far. I hope you find some value in what I share here.

Regards,

Ken Cluff

Zedekiah, King of Judah

I read an article about the Savior’s birth and when Lehi really left Jerusalem that doesn’t exactly conform to the Sunday School version of events. This different version rings true to me, even though it’s a bit different.

Most historians today think King Herod the Great died in 4 BC given the association of his death with a lunar eclipse near that time. If so, then the Savior’s birth, since he was born before Herod’s death had to be earlier than 0 BC. Years earlier. 

With that being the case, it presents an opening for critics and skeptics to claim the Book of Mormon can’t be true because its account doesn’t support the actual history. I don’t think it does though and here’s why. According to Jeff Chadwick, Jews considered Zedekiah to be the legitimate heir to the throneupon the death of his father Josiah and the disappearance of his older brother Jehoahaz. They were murdered by the Egyptians, archeologist think in about 609 BCE. He argues the Jews of that day considered him king even though Jehoiachim was installed as king by the Egyptians. It wasn’t until much later when Zedikiah was made king by the Babylonians.

With this view of history, it’s easy to have Lehi leave Jerusalem 600 years before the Savior’s birth. There’s a four year window in which that could occur and still have the timelines work. What it also means is that Lehi may have spent a lot more time preaching in Jerusalem than we might have assumed... years even.

For me, it’s an easier nuance to swallow than the alternative theory of shorter “years” some argue the Nephites used to make a 600 year interval between Zedekiah was made king and the Savior’s birth.

Dating the Departure of Lehi from Jerusalem

Dating the birth of Christ

The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text - Amazon

The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text - Barnes and Noble

2 Nephi 25 - What I said

That phrase pretty much explains what Nephi says in this chapter. He summarizes what Isaiah wrote by declaring the future history of the Jews. Along the way, he admits Isaiah is hard to understand for those who don’t have the Spirit to explain or an understanding of how the Jews prophecy.

Then he speaks of Christ.

What strikes me most in this chapter is the clarity of his description of the Savior and His role. Nephi’s finishes with his desire to teach Christ to his descendants. There is a great change on display here in First and Second Nephi of their understanding of the Savior. At the beginning, when Lehi has his vision, he describes seeing, “One who’s luster exceeds that of the noon-day sun, comes down out of heaven followed by twelve others.”

Today we know the One was Jesus Christ. At that time, Nephi and Lehi didn’t. But after all the revelations and experiences they had coming to the Promised Land, they knew Him well. This chapter shows that new level of understanding.

So it is for us. One of the goals God has for us in our personal journeys to our own promised lands is to learn of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through all the trials and hardships and our personal moments on the mountain, we can come to know Christ in a powerful, personal way.

We have the same opportunity. Like them, once we learn, we need to teach Him to our children.