BOM #5
McGuire 1
BOM #5
1 Nephi 16-22
Read: 2 Nephi 5:28-34
Read: 2 Nephi 5:19
2 Nephi 5:-8-9
Things to keep in mind:
Where are we on the plates – which record?
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Symbols: types and shadows
The journey
The brass serpent
Liahona
Leadership Issues (spiritual/political)
Examples/types: Joseph, Moses, Samuel (none of whom were kings). Was Nephi a king?
Every time there is a crisis the leadership gets challenged. Pay attention to the response to the
challenge.
Challenges:
Obtaining the brass plates
The stress of the wilderness journey
Lack of Food (bows break)
Lehi murmurs – transition to Nephi complete
Death of Ishmael
Many waters (where do they go now?)
Building the boat
Stress/rivalries/rebellion on the journey across the waters
Death of Lehi
Different ways revelation is received in these chapters
Laman/Lemuel see angels but are not converted
Liahona – by small means??
The Egyptian Parallel
The narrative itself
Almost a decade in the wilderness.
Numbers: 3 days out of Jerusalem to sacrifice (days of separation), 8 years on the journey
(new beginning)
Noel Reynolds’ paper, “Nephite Kingship Reconsidered,” has a very helpful discussion (among
other things) of 1 Nephi 17. You can read it here:
http://farms.byu.edu/publications/bookschapter.php?bookid=&chapid=93
Note regarding the Isaiah quotations in the BOM: Isaiah as a prophet emphasized the kingship of
GOD, the coming of the Messiah, the importance of trusting in God rather than making alliances
with other countries, etc.
BOM #5
McGuire 2
Parallels with the Exodus (deliberately drawn by Nephi): 1 Nephi 4:2, 17:23-42
Leaves Jerusalem at God's command, led by a prophet. 1 Nephi 1, 2
Ancient Israel leaves Egypt at God's command, led by a prophet. Exodus 14-15
Read: 1 Nephi 17:24
Moses, Nephi flee to the wilderness after killing someone.
Exodus 2:11-15
1 NEPHI 4:18, 38
Receives the word of God:
 High mountain: Moses 1:1; 1 Nephi 11:1
 Unexpected calls in terms of high office, social standing, etc.:
Moses a refugee and shepherd
Nephi a fourth son
 brass plates, on which is written the law of Moses: 1Nephi 5:21
 Liahona: 1 Nephi 16:10, 28-29
Moses receives the word of God, written with God's own hand (Exodus 24:12, 34:1)
Read: 1 Nephi 17:31
Lehi's Dream, Nephi's vision/ Temple Experiences: 1 Nephi 8, 11-15
Sinai. Exodus 19-20.
Receives direction – where to go:
 Liahona: 1 Nephi 16:10, 28-29
 God is their light in the wilderness:1 Nephi 17:13
Cloud by day, pillar of fire by night: Exodus 13:21; 14:19; 40: 34-38
Read: 1 Nephi 17:30
God provides food for the wilderness journey: 1 Nephi 16:39, 17:12 (16:18-32)
Manna, quail, water Exodus 15-17
Read: 1 Nephi 17:28-29
Murmuring: Laman and Lemuel, Ishamal's sons. Hard hearts 1 Nephi 17:20
Children of Israel murmured, had hard hearts: Exodus 14:12; 16:2-3, Numbers
16:1-3
Read: 1 Nephi 17:41-43
The Ship = Ark = Tabernacle (built after the manner of God)
Nephi, like Moses, receives instructions on a mountain as to how to build the ship:
1 Nephi 17:7-8; 1 Nephi 18:2-4
Tabernacle: Exodus 25:8-9, Exodus 40:34-38
Have to cross the ocean – "many waters": 1 Nephi 17:5
nearly swallowed in the depths of the sea: 1 Nephi 18:15
Ancient Israel had to cross the water, which would have swallowed them without God's
intervention: Exodus 14-15
Read: 1 Nephi 17:26-27
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McGuire 3
River Laman: 1 Nephi 16:12
Jordan: Judges 3:14-15
Read 1 Nephi 17:32
(This comparison with River Laman/River Jordan is tenuous)
Promised Land: 1 Nephi 18:23
Promised Land: Exodus 15:17
Read: 1 Nephi 17:33
Prophecies of Christ's Atonement: 1 Nephi 10:4-6; 1 Nephi 11:32-33; 1 Nephi 19:7-14
The Passover: Exodus 12-13
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Or we can read this another way – a type and shadow of all journeys from God and back again.
Bountiful
Cross ocean
Ship
Liahona/plates
Promised Land
Garden of Eden/pre-existence
Journey through life (sometimes we are about to be
swallowed up in the depths of the sea)
Temple/church
Word of God/gospel
Kingdom of God
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1 Nephi 17:34-35
God esteemeth all flesh as one
1 Nephi 17:41 (type and shadow)
Fiery flying serpents
First death
Bite by the serpents
Time to be healed
Probationary period
Mechanism for healing: Look to Christ (be turned to him)
Second death:
Refusing the mechanism for healing; rejecting Christ