My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to 2 Nephi 11-19 in a lesson titled “His Name Shall Be Called … The Prince of Peace.” The lesson was introduced with the following information.
Engraving on metal plates is not easy, and
space on Nephi’s small plates was limited. So why would Nephi make the effort
of copying so many of the writings of the prophet Isaiah into his record? He
did it because he wanted us to believe in Jesus Christ. “My soul delighteth,”
he wrote, “in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ” (2
Nephi 11:4). Nephi had seen what would happen to his people in future
generations. He saw that, despite their great blessings, they would become
prideful, contentious, and worldly (see 1 Nephi 12; 15:4-6). He also saw
similar problems in our day (see 1 Nephi 14). Isaiah’s writings warned against
such wickedness. But they also gave Nephi hope for a glorious future – an end
to wickedness, a gathering of the faithful, and “great light” for people who
had “walked in darkness” (2 Nephi 19:2). All this would happen because “a child
[was] born” who could end all strife – “The Prince of Peace” (2 Nephi 19:6).
I
feel that the following principle is appropriate for this week’s discussion: “The
proud and worldly will be humbled” (2 Nephi 12-13; 15). Nephi tells us in 1
Nephi 12:19 that he had foreseen that pride would cause the downfall of his
people. Therefore, it is no surprise that Nephi would share with his people the
repeated warnings of Isaiah against pride.
In
1 Nephi 12-13, which can be compared to Isaiah 2-3, Isaiah used numerous words
to define pridefulness, such as lofty and haughty, such as 2
Nephi 12:11-12.
11 And it shall come to pass that the
lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed
down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
12 For the day of the Lord of Hosts
soon cometh upon all nations, yea, upon every one; yea, upon the proud and
lofty, and upon every one who is lifted up, and he shall be brought low.
In
2 Nephi 15:1-24, we read Isaiah’s symbolic language describing the result of
pride. In these verses, he compares Israel to a vineyard that is created and
then destroyed.
1 And then will I sing to my well-beloved
a song of my beloved, touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a
vineyard in a very fruitful hill.
2 And he fenced it, and
gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and
built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein; and he
looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
3 And now, O inhabitants
of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
4 What could have been
done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked
that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wild grapes.
5 And now go to; I will
tell you what I will do to my vineyard—I will take away the hedge
thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and I will break down the wall thereof, and
it shall be trodden down;
6 And I will lay it
waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged; but there shall come up briers and
thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon
it.
7 For the vineyard of
the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant
plant; and he looked for judgment, and behold, oppression; for righteousness,
but behold, a cry.
8 Wo unto them that join
house to house, till there can be no place, that they may be placed alone in
the midst of the earth!
9 In mine ears, said the
Lord of Hosts, of a truth many houses shall be desolate, and great and fair
cities without inhabitant.
10 Yea, ten acres of
vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of a homer shall yield an ephah.
11 Wo unto them that rise
up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue
until night, and wine inflame them!
12 And the harp, and the viol,
the tabret, and pipe, and wine are in their feasts; but they regard not the
work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.
13 Therefore, my people
are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; and their
honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.
14 Therefore, hell hath
enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure; and their glory, and
their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
15 And the mean man shall
be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and
the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.
16 But the Lord of Hosts
shall be exalted in judgement, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in
righteousness.
17 Then shall the lambs
feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall
strangers eat.
18 Wo unto them that draw
iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope;
19 That say: Let him make speed, hasten his
work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of
Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it.
20 Wo unto them that call
evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light
for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Wo unto the wise in
their own eyes and prudent in their own sight!
22 Wo unto the mighty to
drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink;
23 Who justify the wicked
for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
24 Therefore, as the fire devoureth
the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, their root shall
be rottenness, and their blossoms shall go up as dust; because they have cast
away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One
of Israel.
Both
ancient and modern prophets of God have warned against pride. President Ezra
Taft Benson gave a masterful talk about pride that is both interesting and understandable.
The entire talk is valuable in understanding pride, but here are a few powerful
paragraphs.
Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and
many are sinning in ignorance. (See Mosiah 3:11; 3 Nephi 6:18;.) In the
scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride—it is always considered a
sin. Therefore, no matter how the world uses the term, we must understand how
God uses the term so we can understand the language of holy writ and profit
thereby. (See 2 Nephi 4:15; Mosiah 1:3-7; Alma 5:61.)
Most of us think
of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or
haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is
still missing.
The central
feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a
state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.
There
is much more information about pride in President Benson’s talk. He explains
how pride is enmity to God, and then he explains more fully how pride is enmity
to our fellow human beings. I encourage you to study the entire talk if you
want a better understanding of how God views pride. You can find the talk here.
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