To start, I am very glad that Pastor Jeff had Greg Matsen there as he reviewed this book. There are a lot of complex things taking place and Greg is sure to make sure they are understood.
I always find these fascinating because Pastor Jeff always seems to come up with something that surprises me. As I listened, they spent the first 20 minutes covering some topics addressed in the first 7 chapters dealing with the Gadianton Robber and what we often refer to as the Nephite Pride Cycle.
The first big thing was hitting the skin color in 3rd Nephi 2. Greg handled it well. Is there really a good way to handle skin color and people not walk away offended? It just doesn’t bother me. It is what it is. Either God did it or he didn’t. If he did it who am I to judge. I still feel we are all brothers and sister no mater our origin or color of our skin.
The meat and potatoes of the discussion started when Pastor Jeff started on 3 Nephi 8. This took me by surprise that he would feel this was not the same God of the Old and New Testament. This Jesus seemed foreign to him. In 3 Nephi 8:2 there was a massive destruction. God punishing the wicked. It is drastically different than what happened in the bible. To me in all actuality the God of the Old and New Testament is a God who punishes the wicked. He is a God of vengeance. These chapters don’t contradict the character of God to me.
Honestly the scene is biblical destruction. There were acts of biblical destruction in the Bible. The flood was biblical. So were the parting of the red sea, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, I don’t think there is anything as widespread and as completely destroyed as those who were destroyed in the times of the Book of Mormon.
However, what were the covenants and promises? In America, it was declared a sacred land where those who poses it are required to worship God. If they do not they will be destroyed. It is the same expectation given to us today. If they are not righteous and worship God, the land will be taken and given to another. The worst of these is in 3rd Nephi where we are told 3 times if the Gentiles rebel, that they will be as a lamb among a young lion who will go through and shred them to pieces.
3 Nephi 15 But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel.
3 Nephi 20:16 Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
3 Nephi 21:12 And my people who are a remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles, yea, in the midst of them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he go through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
In short Pastor Jeff expect Jesus to have more grace. And the era that Jesus Christ issue in was one of grace and forgiveness, not one of destruction. But that isn’t the same God I know. Consider the prophecies of the last days. The are prophecies of destruction. God will punish the wicked. There isn’t anything we can do to prevent that for being our destiny. If you consider the prophecies of the last days, they will be biblical if they are literal.
At the [22:00] mark, Greg finally explained that the Book of Mormon is a mirror of our day. I believe I have a full post on that from previously. [Timing of the Second Coming]
From here there are declarations of the divinity of Jesus Christ and his roll and mission. There are explanations of what had just taken place. 3 Nephi 9:15-19, 22
[24:10] There was a brief explanation by Greg regarding the LDS view of how the world was created. God the father is the creator. Jesus Christ led the creation. We would have participated. Jeff replies, well there is a can of worms. I think he was shocked to hear we believe we might have had a role in the creation of the world. It’s really not too farfetched if you consider all things.
[27:10] 3 Nephi 10:4
[30:40] 3 Nephi 11 – They read the descension of Jesus Christ to the Nephites and how the people were able to touch and feel and know individually that Jesus was the Christ and that he had paid the price of sin for all mankind. At this point it became very clear there was not much time left on the video. They were either going to skip all of it or make a second video.
I am genuinely curious how Pastor Jeff takes the foundational teaching by Jesus Christ directly to the Nephites about faith, repentance, baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost.
As a whole, I really enjoyed the conversation.