Book of Mormon Commentary CofC - Odessa, Missouri Community ...

Book of Mormon Commentary
1 Nephi Chapter 3
as the proverb affirms, “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov.
16:18). The fall of the spacious building was great.
DESTRUC11ON IN AMERICA AT THE CRUCIFIXION, VER. 96-111
1 Ne 3:96 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me, Look and behold thy seed, and also the seed
of thy brethren!
3:96 As the scene changes, Nephi has a vision of "multitudes of people" in America, "the land of
promise." The picture must have been disheartening to Nephi, who had to go through such great
hardships to reach this land for such an end. Lehi was shown that the Lamanites would reject God
(1 N. 2:43, 85-90).
1 Ne 3:111 And behold, I saw multitudes who had fallen because of the great and terrible judgments of
the Lord.
3:111 After the wars and contentions he saw plains and mountains breaking up, cities sinking or
destroyed by fire, and the earth finally engulfed in a vapor of darkness. This was the promised sign
of the crucifixion of Jesus (H. 5:75-82; III N. 4:6-40).
CHRIST TO VISIT AMERICA, VER. 112-134
1 Ne 3:112 And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out of heaven; and he came
down and shewed himself unto them.
3:112 Moses directed that the children of Israel should observe the week beginning the fourteenth
of the month Nisan as an annual memorial of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. The death
angel passed over the houses where the blood of a Iamb had been put on the door casings (Exod.
12:1-24).
This vision of Nephi points up the mission of Jesus when he came as God's gift to the world. Jesus
was to be the final offering, the lamb without blemish, who died for all mankind (11 Cor. 5:14-16.
Also see note on I N. 3:62; and scripture A. 16:210).
The catastrophic events which happened just before Jesus "showed himself," such as the
mountains being broken up and cities sunk or burned, heralded Christ's visit to America after his
ascension from Mount Olivet (Acts 1:9, 12; Luke 24:49, 50; III N. 5:9-13).
1 Ne 3:113 And I also saw and bear record that the Holy Ghost fell upon twelve others, and they were
ordained of God, and chosen.
3:113 The word "others" refers to the twelve "apostles of the lamb" (3:88) who were ordained in
Palestine. Those twelve were to "judge the twelve tribes of Israel" (3:115). They were to go into
all the world and preach the gospel as the twelve do today. In America the twelve are called
"disciples of the lamb" (3:114), and are to judge the seed of Nephi (3:116; see also III N. 13:4).
The functions of the two groups were similar, the places and persons were different.