Chapter 14
History of Sacrifices and the Law of Moses among the Nephites-References to the Books of Nephi, Jacob, Mosiah and Alma-The Testimony of Jesus regarding the Law of Moses.
FROM the Bible we turn to the Book of Mormon, with a view to discover to what extent the law of sacrifice, as a type of the offering up of the promised Messiah, was observed among that branch of the house of Israel which God planted on this continent. In perusing the pages of this sacred record, we shall find several important facts and ideas, in connection with this subject, presented very prominently by the ancient Nephite historians: among them-
First, that the law of Moses, with all its rites, ordinances, and sacrifices, was strictly observed by the faithful Nephites from the time of their arrival on the promised land, until it was fulfilled in Christ, and by his command ceased to be observed.
Second, that when the Nephites brought any of the Lamanites to the knowledge and worship of the true God, they taught them to observe this law.
Third, that those who apostatized from the Nephites, as a general thing, ceased to observe this law.
Fourth, that the true import of the law of Moses, and of its ceremonies and sacrifices, as typical of the atonement yet to be made by our Lord and Savior, was thoroughly taught by the Priesthood among that people, and very generally understood by them.
Fifth, that associated with the observance of this law, there were continued admonitions given that salvation was in Christ and not in the law, which was but the shadow and type of that of which he was the prototype and reality.
Sixth, that temples were erected of the same pattern as that of Solomon at Jerusalem, evidently for the reason that they were to be used for the same purposes.
Seventh, that the Gospel was preached in connection with the law, and churches were established and organized according to the Gospel requirements, and that the higher Priesthood, although not fully organized in all its parts, ministered to the Nephites as well as the lesser.
Eighth, it appears indubitable from the two records, the Bible and the Book of Mormon, that the intent and true meaning of the law of Moses, of its sacrifices, etc., were far better understood and comprehended by the Nephites than by the Jews. But in this connection, it must not be forgotten, that a great many most plain and precious things, as the Book of Mormon states, have been taken from the Bible, through the ignorance of uninspired translators or the design and cunning of wicked men.
As might naturally be expected, we find that Lehi, like his forefathers of the Mosaic age, offered sacrifices to the Lord during his journeyings in the wilderness. These sacrifices were occasions of thanksgiving and praise to God. As examples, we note the occasion of the safe return of Lehi's sons from Jerusalem with the records, when, we are told by Nephi, their parents "did rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel. And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.-1 Nephi, v, 9, 10.
Another occasion was when Nephi and his brethren again returned from the Holy City, bringing with them Ishmael and his family. Of this Nephi writes: "After I and my brethren, and all the house of Ishmael, had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto him."-1 Nephi, vii, 22.
After the arrival of the colony on the promised land and the death of Lehi, his sons and their families divided into two communities, or nationalities; the one righteous and Godfearing, the other rebellious and debased. Owing to the contentious and quarrelsome disposition of the latter, who recognized Laman, Lehi's eldest son, as their head, the portion who sought to serve the Lord, for the sake of peace and security moved some distance to the northward. Nephi was their leader, and of them he records:
"And all those who were with me, did take upon them to call themselves the people of Nephi. And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses. And the Lord was with us: and we did prosper exceedingly."-2 Nephi, v, 9-11.
One of the first things that the Nephites did on their arrival at their new home was to build a temple. They could not keep the judgments, the commandments, and the statutes of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses, unless they did so; and necessarily it was fashioned after the one at Jerusalem, for it was to be used for the same purposes; in it the same ordinances were to be performed, the same sacrifices were to be offered. Nephi writes:
"And I, Nephi, did build a temple: and I dia construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon, save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land; wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceeding fine."-2 Nephi, v, 16.
Thus the fulfilling of the Divine commandments was provided for; a place was erected where the law of Moses could be carried out, and the sacrifices be offered which formed so important a part of that code.
The Nephites were not left by their Priesthood in ignorance of the intent and symbolism of these ceremonies. They were not unmeaning, burdensome, spiritless performances to them. Nephi and his successors were particularly careful in explaining that these ordinances, like all other rites of the Church of God, had their value in their association with or being directly typical of the great, infinite sacrifice of atonement to be offered up by the Lamb of God in His own person. Nephi informs us:
"Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ: for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him."-2 Nephi, xi, 4.
And a little later he writes:
"And notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled; for, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ, because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments; and we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. Wherefore, we speak concerning the law, that our children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward to the life which is in Christ, and know for what end the law was given. And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts against him, when the law ought to be done away."-2 Nephi, xxv, 24-27.
Which agrees with the statement of Paul: "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster, to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
So firm a foundation having been laid for the faith of the Nephite people, we find that in every period of their history they retained their reverence for the law of Moses, though disputations sometimes arose, by reason of iniquity, with regard to its symbolism or its saving quality. The apostates, who separated themselves from the Church, occasionally fell into the grievous error of exalting the law above the Gospel, and, whilst maintaining its divine origin, they ignored its typical value and denied that it was a preparatory system leading to a higher, holier and more perfect law; they refused to recognize it as a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ. The first of these apostacies occurred in the days of Jacob, the brother of Nephi. With regard to the people in general, he writes:
"Behold, they believed in Christ and worshipped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness, to be obedient unto the commandments of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his only begotten Son."-Jacob, iv, 5.
But while the majority of the Nephites fully recognized these saving truths, there arose a man named Sherem, who disputed and denied that the law pointed the souls of men to Christ, as the great Propitiator for sin and the Redeemer of the world.
This Sherem declared unto the people that there should be no Christ, and his flatteries and sophistries led away many people. Of him and his doings Jacob writes:
"And it came to pass that he came unto me; and on this wise did he speak unto me, saying: Brother Jacob, I have sought much opportunity that I might speak unto you: for I have heard and also know, that thou goest about much, preaching that which you call the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ; and ye have led away much of this people, that they pervert the right way of God, and keep not the law of Moses, which is the right way: and convert the law of Moses into the worship of a being, which ye say shall come many hundred years hence. And now behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you, that this is blasphemy; for no man knoweth of such things; for he cannot tell of things to come. And after this manner did Sherem contend against me. But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul, insomuch that I did confound him in all his words. And I said unto him, Deniest thou the Christ who should come? And he said, If there should be a Christ, I would not deny him; but I know that there is no Christ, neither has been, nor ever will be. And I said unto him, Believest thou the scriptures? And he said, Yea. And I said unto him, Then ye do not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you, that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ. And this is not all: it has been made manifest unto me, for I have heard and seen; and it also has been made manifest unto me by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, I know, if there should be no atonement made, all mankind must be lost."-Jacob, vii, 6-12.
Somewhat similar was the argument that took place between the martyr Abinadi and the apostate priests of the iniquitous Noah, king of the land of Lehi-Nephi. They officiated in the Temple, observed the outward forms of the Mosaic law, but revelled in licentiousness, covetousness, gluttony and all manner of iniquity. To them was Abinadi sent to warn them and their king of the results of their mutual wrong doing. In the account of this mission of Abinadi we read that he said:
"Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise. Therefore, What teach ye this people? And they said, We teach the law of Moses. And again he said unto them, If ye teach the law of Moses why do ye not keep it? Why do ye set your hearts upon riches? Why do ye commit whoredoms and spend your strength with harlots, yea, and cause this people to commit sin, that the Lord has cause to send me to prophesy against this people, yea, even a great evil against this people? Know ye not that I speak the truth? Yea, ye know that I speak the truth; and you ought to tremble before God. And it shall come to pass that ye shall be smitten for your iniquities: for ye have said that ye teach the law of Moses. And what know ye concerning the law of Moses? Does salvation come by the law of Moses? What say ye? And they answered and said, that salvation did come by the law of Moses. But now Abinadi said unto them, I know if ye keep the commandments of God ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the commandments which the Lord delivered unto Moses in the mount of Sinai."-Mos., xii, 27-33.
He then rehearsed to them the commandments; after which he again inquired:
"Have ye taught this people that they should observe to do all these things? for to keep these commandments? I say unto you nay; for if ye had, the Lord would not have caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning this people. And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses. I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses. And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses. And now I say unto you, that it was expedient that there should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very strict law; for they were a stiff-necked people; quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God; therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances and of ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly, from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God, and their duty towards him. But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come. And now, did they understand the law? I say unto you, Nay, they did not all understand the law; and this because of the hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there could not any man be saved, except it were through the redemption of God. For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people, yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began? Have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?"-Mos., xiii, 25-33.
At this time the righteous Nephites in the land of Zarahemla were keeping the law of Moses strictly, so far as its outward ordinances were concerned, and understandingly with regard to its symbolism and similitudes. When the obedient Nephites were led out of the land of Nephi by Mosiah, they found in the land, afterwards called Zarahemla, a people who proved to be a branch of the house of Israel, but who, owing to the fact that they had no records nor scriptures, had corrupted their language, failed to observe the law of Moses, and had so far fallen that they actually denied the existence of God. Mosiah and the Nephites amalgamated with this people, taught them their language, instructed them in the worship of God and built a temple in that land, which indeed they made their permanent home. Mosiah had a son called Benjamin, who ruled in righteousness all the days of his long life. Shortly before his death he instructed his son Mosiah to gather the people to the temple, that he might give them a charge and nominate his successor. It is written:
"After Mosiah had done as his father had commanded him, and had made a proclamation throughout all the land, that the people gathered themselves together throughout all the land, that they might go up to the temple to hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them And there were a great number, even so many that they did not number them; for they had multiplied exceedingly, and waxed great in the land. And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings, according to the law of Moses."-Mos., ii, 1-3.
Here we observe that the law in relation to sacrifices and burnt offerings was still faithfully observed, although nearly five hundred years had passed since Lehi left Jerusalem; for the colony which he led started on their eventful journey six hundred years before the birth of Christ, whilst this gathering took place one hundred and twenty-five years before that same most important appearing.
During the days that the Judges ruled the Nephites the righteous portion of that people continued to observe the requirements of this law. We will simply give two quotations from the Book of Alma on this point, though the references are numerous. The first is:
"Yea, and they did keep the law of Moses; for it was expedient that they should keep the law of Moses as yet, for it was not all fulfilled. But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they did look forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of Moses was a type of his coming, and believing that they must keep those outward performances, until the time that he should be revealed unto them. Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith in Christ; and thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which spake of those things to come."-Alma, xxv, 15, 16.
With this the words of Paul, when speaking on this subject, precisely agree: "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith, which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."-Gal., iii, 23, 24.
The second quotation is:
"Therefore it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; and then shall there be, or it is expedient that there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled; every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away. And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law; every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God: yea, infinite and eternal."-Alma, xxxiv, 13, 14.
But some of those who apostatized from the Nephites and organized churches of their own ceased to keep this law. Such a sect were the Zoramites, of whom it is written:
"Now the Zoramites were dissenters from the Nephites; therefore they had the word of God preached unto them. But they had fallen into great errors, for they would not observe to keep the commandments of God, and his statutes, according to the law of Moses; neither would they observe the performances of the church, to continue in prayer and supplication to God daily, that they might not enter into temptation; yea, in fine, they did pervert the ways of the Lord in very many instances."-Alma, xxxi, 8-11.
Shortly after the appearance of the signs that betokened the birth of the Savior at Bethlehem, there arose a few among the Nephites who endeavored "to prove by the Scriptures that it was no more expedient to observe the law of Moses. Now in this thing they did err, having not understood the Scriptures. But it came to pass that they soon became converted, and were convinced of the error which they were in, for it was made known unto them that the law was not yet fulfilled."-3 Nephi, i, 24, 25.
After His resurrection, Jesus, in His ministrations in the midst of the Nephites, perceiving that they wondered regarding the fulfilment of the law of Moses, said unto the listening multitude, "Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses. Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end. Behold, I do not destroy the prophets, for as many as have not been fulfilled in me, verily I say unto you, shall all be fulfilled. And because I said unto you that old things hath passed away, I do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning things which are to come. For behold, the covenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me."-3 Nephi, xv, 4-8.