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Book of Mormon Commentary
Jacob Chapter 4
JACOB PROPHESIES THAT THE PARABLE WILL COME TO PASS, VER. 1-18
Jac 4:4 And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his vineyard; and how cursed are they
who shall be cast out into their own place!
4:4 When the time arrives for the regathering of the house of Israel to its homeland, "the servants
of the Lord shall go forth in his power to nourish and prune his vineyard" (3). The whole earth is
God's vineyard.
When Jesus had finished the work God gave him to do (John 17:4), and before he ascended to the
Father, he called the eleven together in a mountain of Galilee. There he commissioned them to go
and "teach all nations ...to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matt. 28: 18,
19).
Toward the time of Christ's second coming-"after that, the end soon cometh" Ob. 4:3)-a new
commission- will be given, and God's servants will be sent out for "the last time" (D. and C. 43:7a,
b; 85:23a). Those who labor diligently will be blessed with power "to bring forth my Zion at that
day" (I N. 3:187).
The disciples asked Jesus, "What is the sign of thy coming; and of the end of the world? (or the
destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world)" (Matt. 24:4). Jacob foretells of a time
when "the world shall be burned with fire" (Jb. 4:5).
"For the day cometh that the earth ...shall be cleansed with fire" (Heb. 6:7; II Pet. 3:10).
Jac 4:8 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness, that ye would repent,
and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you.
4:8 Jacob said that his progenitors were "a stiff-necked and gainsaying people" (7). Yet he had
confidence in the promises of God that those who would not "harden their hearts, shall be saved in
the kingdom of God" (7).
Hosea pleaded, "0 Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity ...1
will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely" (Hos. 14:1,4).
"Cleave" is a strange word. It is used in the sense of "to adhere closely, to cling"; or as "to part or
to separate as by cutting." In this context it means "to cling or be loyal to." We should remember,
however, as God told Noah, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man" (Gen. 8:5; II N. 11:76;
E. 1:41). We need to labor "while it is yet day ...The night will come when for many of my people
opportunity to assist will have passed" (D. and C. 142:5 b).
Jac 4:13 Will ye reject the words of the prophets and will ye reject all the words which have been
spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him? and deny the good word of
Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit? and make a
mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you?
4: 13 Jacob wants each man to face these serious questions, and after sober thought resolve to
cleave to Christ. Rejecting and denying would rob him of the benefits of the "power of redemption
and the resurrection which is in Christ" (14). At the judgment bar of God they would have "to
stand with shame and awful guilt."