2 Nephi 26

(August 6, 2013)
I debated actually going back and writing the bulk of this entry in a previous record.  After all, the thing that I learned that was most profound to me wasn’t even based upon something that I read today – it was based upon me recalling something I read a short while ago and only now recognizing the significance of that.  But it seemed more appropriate to include this here rather than going back and trying to find the previous entry.

The first, and less-important, thought that I had was on the significance of Nephi pointing out that the Jews would be scattered – not by Babylon, but some other nation.  Why would he have said that?  I think the answer is simple – Babylon was the pressing threat when he left Jerusalem.  This, to me, is a textual evidence of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon – after all, the Babylons were a greater threat and dominated the attentions of Nephi than Joseph Smith.  Why would Joseph Smith have need to clarify that the Jews were scattered not by the Babylonians but by other nations?  The answer, of course, is that he wouldn’t have written the text the way that it appears.  This simple textual clue provides additional evidence (as if it were needed) that the Book of Mormon is a work of translation.

The more-important thought that I had was in reflection on Babylon.  In particular, I spent time reflecting on the fact that the Jews were told not to seek after a confederacy.  Mind you, the chapter was talking about Assyria, but the same principles apply.  Would a confederacy have saved them from Babylon?  Of course not.

I might be stretching things a little thin, here (although I don’t think I am), but I think there is something to be gained from looking at this point and replacing Assyria with Babylon when considering the confederacy.  Sometimes, we may have a genuine desire to stay out of the control of sin (Babylon).  We may look to mortal means (willpower, techniques, etc.) to help us to resist our sins and vices (these mortal means being a “confederacy”) rather than waiting on the Lord to heal us.

Certainly there is nothing wrong and everything right to putting forth our best efforts to conquer sin and flee from Babylon.  The Jews would not have been protected had they not been willing to take up their arms in defense.  But I think, taking the metaphor to its ultimate conclusion, that I think too often that I can conquer problems on my own.  If I cannot see a solution to permit this, I become despondent and give up hope.  Instead, I should not look to a confederacy of mortal means to bring about my salvation (temporal or spiritual) but rather should do my part and then wait upon the Lord to heal me and make me whole.