Jeremiah 30-52, Lamentations
Shiloh and Ben begin a preliminary discussion to contextualize the war chapters. They explore the observations for the Lord's stated means of deliverance in Mosiah 7:33, the Lord's standard for "justified" self-defense and warfare in D&C 98, and what it means to go beyond what is merely justified into the realms of what is counted as "righteousness." In Alma 43:47 it states "the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed." Yet, in this seeming universal command to take up arms to spill the blood of brother's or sister's life in defense of our families, we see righteous examples counter to the popular interpretation of this commandment in the fires of Ammonihah and with the Anti Nephi Lehis. Ben and Shiloh explore a more consistent interpretation of this scripture justifying "bloodshed" where the women and children of Ammonihah and of the Anti Nephi Lehis are not just outliers and seeming contradictions but are the very archetypal witnesses of this commandment. ...
Shiloh and Ben move into talking about the fulfillment of Samuel's prophecies concerning the birth of Jesus Christ. Nephites who were baptized into the Church because they had seen signs did not experience deep conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Nephites and Lamanites combine forces to thwart the Gadianton Robbers. While Mormon explains that "it was the custom among all the Nephites to appoint for their chief captains, (save it were in their times of wickedness) some one that had the spirit of revelation and also prophecy" and that "Gidgidoni was a great prophet" (3 Ne 3:19), there is still ample evidence that the depth of the Nephite "righteousness" may not be as deep as perhaps we generally read into it. Ben brings up, once again, a rather poignant possibility that the Nephites/Lamanite duo had a great missed opportunity (once again) of how to reclaim the Gadianton's prior to the seemingly necessary need to kill them. The Nephites and Lamanites triumph over the Gadiantons but ultimately everything crumbles into tribalism, as the Reign of the Judges comes to an end just prior to the destruction of the land. ...
Shiloh and Ben discuss the Sections in D&C that are directed towards the Whitmers. These Sections, while short, hold a key to understanding the power of asking questions. The questions we ask are highly indicative of the understanding that we possess of how and what we perceive we need. The Lord speaks to us in our language and understanding, and He also answers our questions accordingly. He reveals unto us “line upon line, and precept upon precept,” and we receive that in which are willing and capable of receiving. Notice the different questions that the Whitmers ask and the different answers that they receive. One asks to know his “individual duty,” while the others asked “to know that which would be of the most worth.” In both answers, the Lord is kind, patient, loving, compassionate, and full of grace. What sometimes looks like “template revelations” (i.e., seemingly copy-and-paste revelations) really speaks to the general understanding of these men in their socio-religious environments in their relationship to God. What message did God see that this generation needed to know about the restoration of the gospel to give these similar revelations? Sometimes we assume too much of what these men and women possibly understood individual and as a whole, but if we slow down to reflect on why each verse was given we are not only able to see these men and women more clearly and humbly but the love and grace of God also stand out in the forefront of each revelation. ...
