Lehi and Christ

In my study of the Book of Mormon, I came across this verse in 1 Nephi chapter 19:

"And behold [Christ] cometh, according to the words of the angel, in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem."

 As I pondered why this event - Lehi leaving Jerusalem - was chosen as the reference for this most important event, I remembered another Book of Mormon scripture, and started looking for symbolism:

"all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of [Christ]."

My thoughts are only that - thoughts. I hope they will generate more thoughts of your own and invite you to share other connections you make.

Thoughts

Leaving all behind

How might Lehi be a type of Christ? And more specifically, how might Lehi's leaving Jerusalem be symbolic of Christ being born?

There is great richness in this verse when considering this question:

"And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness."

When Christ was born, He left His Father's glorious kingdom to be born in a lowly manger. He condescended and - though a God - was born as a helpless infant. He left royal courts above to sojourn here on earth, similar to how Lehi left all in the Holy City and wandered into the wilderness.

Journey to the Promised Land

After many years of wandering in the desert, Lehi and his family built a boat and sailed to the Promised Land. As they heeded his prophetic counsel, his family was guided through the trials of a scorched desert and a restless sea, through hunger and heartache, until they arrived in the promised land.

In a similar - yet much greater - way, our Savior left His Home above to be our guide through the heat of the desert and the waves of the sea, that He might guide us to our Promised Land. We will suffer just as Lehi's family did, but we can have the assurance that our guide - Jesus Christ - will support us in every trial as we rely on Him (see Alma 36:3).

A Stumbling Block

One final parallel that I found between Lehi and Christ is that neither one had a perfectly "loyal" following - even among their very closest associates. Lehi was commanded to flee Jerusalem because the people were angry with him for speaking the words that God delivered to him, and sought to take his life.

His own sons, Laman and Lemuel, constantly complained and questioned his authority and leadership. On more than one occasion they plotted how they might kill their foolish, visionary father and their brother Nephi.

Christ, of course, was betrayed by one of His Apostles. He was rejected by the chief priest and the Sanhedrin in general.

 On the day of His crucifixion, the crowds cried for his death. His own Apostles left Him:

"Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me."

After the thousands who were fed in the wilderness turned and "followed Him no more", the Savior asked His chief Apostle, "Will ye also go away?" (see John 6:66-69).
Peter proved faithful in the end, but even he denied the Savior on the eve of His death.

Conclusion

The scriptures truly point us to Christ. I am convinced that one day, the Lord will explain the scriptures to us as He did to the Nephite multitude, and we will be amazed at how many symbols and types of Christ were right before our eyes all along. He is our Savior. I am so grateful that He left all and descended below all things, that He might lift us above all things and guide us safely home to the Promised Land.

These thoughts are my own personal thoughts and do not represent in any way the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

A Life More Abundant

After 20 minutes in a small bus jammed to overflowing with passengers, I tapped the man who had taken my 20-cent fare and told him this is where we got off. I was tall by Central American standards, and squeezing past everyone took a little bit of time. 

Once the bus came to a stop and I got my feet on pavement, I could stretch out and breathe. My missionary companion exited behind me, and we began the walk down the dirt path to visit Vicenta Rodriguez.

Vicenta was 25 years old and lived with her brother, Neftali, and her elderly mother. Her other brothers frequented the house, but were involved in the pandilla - the gang- and we never met them. As we sat and talked with her, we asked her how job at the warehouse was going. She told us about her long hours and said that, despite the fact that the pay was low, she was grateful to have a job when so many others did not.

I asked her how much she made a week, and quickly calculated that she was paid less than 50 cents an hour for her work.

50 cents an hour! 

And I thought my $8 an hour job was low paying! I couldn't believe it.

I met many people during my 2 years in El Salvador who lived in depths of poverty that were beyond my imagination. Many in our world today - poor or rich - have opportunity to ponder this profound question: 

What is the purpose of this life anyway?

Why are we here? To be born, to work ourselves to death, to suffer hardships and sorrow, and then to die?

During this past week, I was deeply touched by these moving words from the Savior of Mankind, Jesus Christ:

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

John 10:10

As we follow our Savior Jesus Christ, our life becomes abundant. It becomes more than a job, more than "one more day". It becomes meaningful.

Following Christ does not mean we will be freed from poverty; In the Old Testament, Job lost all..

Following Christ does not mean we will not suffer; The Apostles counted themselves fortunate to suffer for Christ's sake (Acts 5:41).

But, following Chris does mean that life will be abundant. 

It does mean that, despite our challenges and trials, God will not forsake us (Matthew 28:20).

It does mean that the grace of God may be extended to us to help us carry our burdens (Hebrews 4:16)

Following Christ, and losing our lives as we serve Him, means that we will find our lives and find true joy in living (Matthew 16:25)

Jesus Christ descended below all things so that He can lift us above all things. 

He conquered the world - conquered sin and death - so that He can help us to overcome all things (Doctrine and Covenants 88:6)

"He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death."

Mosiah 16:9

He is the Savior of all mankind. May we come to Him, keep His commandments, and experience an abundant life.

Photo credit: Tyler Foote

Christ is Not Just a Benevolent Bystander

When the Lord Jesus Christ taught His disciples to pray, He gave them a model to follow. We often refer to it as the Lord's prayer. Many Christians can recite this beautiful prayer from memory. There is much that it can teach us about God and what our communication should be with Him.

As I studied this powerful prayer, I came to a phrase near the end that taught me a powerful lesson about Christ.

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," the Lord said (Matthew 6:13).

The Greek word used for "deliver" is ῥύομαι (rhoumai), which means "to rescue." 

But it means more than that. 

Strong's concordance, a well-known biblical resource, defines rhoumai further as meaning:

"to draw to oneself"

"to snatch up"

"to rescue a person to and for the deliverer"

"to deliver someone to and for the rescuer"

As I read these definitions, I imagined a family outing by a fast-flowing river. I imagined a struggling, drowning child, and an anxious group of onlooking adults unsure of how to save her from the fast-moving water. 
I then imagined a benevolent bystander who happened to be an excellent swimmer diving in and rescuing the child.
He did not know the child. He did not love the child. But he was a good person who wanted to do what was right.

This is a beautiful and noble act, but it is not what the word connotes.

Christ rescues us to Himself.
He is the one who is most concerned for our safety and salvation.
He plunges into the water out of pure love for us. He ignores any danger. He gives His life in order to rescue us.
He is not just a benevolent bystander.
He is our Savior, who saves us to Himself because He loves us more than anyone else.

"Come, And See"

For me, there is perhaps nothing more frustrating than finding myself unable to communicate clearly something that is of importance to me.

As a 19-year-old boy, I left for El Salvador to be a missionary. Upon arriving, I was assigned to work alongside a man from El Salvador who spoke little English. We were together every minute of every day. No one else in my new "life" spoke English. I struggled, not being able to express what was in my heart because of my faltering Spanish.

My Spanish improved, but I found myself faced with the same problem as I tried to explain the Gospel to those I taught.

Just as the Gospel and the Church existed in the days of Christ, they exist today.
Prophets.
Apostles.
Baptism.
Salvation.

Many of them did not understand.

It is hard to describe in words that which is spiritual.

Paul spoke of the peace of God, which passeth all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Words fall short of describing such an intense and incredible feeling of peace.

Christ, the Master teacher, gave what I feel is a perfect solution to this problem. He did not try to explain every minute point of His Gospel with words. Instead He invited, "Come, and see."

And that is my invitation to you.

Come and see.

I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is, in every literal sense, the same Church that Jesus Christ organized in the meridian of time.
I believe that He is the head of this Church, which now has over 15 million members around the globe.
He is the head, not Joseph Smith or Brigham Young or Thomas S. Monson.
Jesus Christ leads His Church today by means of these inspired prophets, just as He did in ancient times by means of Moses and Isaiah and Peter.

I cannot adequately express the peace and joy that come to me because of my membership in this Church, so instead of trying to explain it to you, I invite you to -

Come and see.