3
Nephi 2:9
Accepting
the Mantle
What
9 And
Nephi, who was the father of Nephi, who had the charge of the
records, adid not
return to the land of Zarahemla, and could nowhere be found in all
the land.
Why
There
is no record to tell us why he did not return but it is assumed that
he was taken up or translated as believed for some other prophets in
the past. We do know that Nephi gave the records to his son, Nephi to
keep before he left.
I
have also read speculation that maybe he went to Jerusalem and was
one of the wisemen? The timing would be right but I personally doubt
that he would have done that and left the country on a large voyage
with no one knowing.
The
plates of brass have been in the hands of the Nephite prophets for
600 years and they are still caring and protecting them and reading
them and keeping more records as commanded.
Pattern
3 Ne.
1:3 (2–3)
2
And Nephi,
the son of Helaman, had departed out of the land of Zarahemla, giving
charge unto his son Nephi,
who was his eldest son, concerning the plates
of brass,
and all the
records which had been kept, and all those things which had been kept
sacred from the departure of Lehi out of Jerusalem.
3 Then he departed out of the land, and whither he went, no man knoweth; and his son Nephi did keep the records in his stead, yea, the record of this people.
3 Then he departed out of the land, and whither he went, no man knoweth; and his son Nephi did keep the records in his stead, yea, the record of this people.
Alma
45:18 (18–19)
18
And when Alma had done this he departed out
of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of Melek.
And it came to pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death
or burial we know not of.
19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the Spirit, or buried by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself; and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his death and burial.
19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the Spirit, or buried by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself; and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his death and burial.
2
Kings 2:
11 And
it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that,
behold, there
appeared a achariot of
fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder;
and bElijah went
up by a cwhirlwind into
heaven.
12 ¶And
Elisha saw it, and
he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the
horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own
clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
11 And
it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that,
behold, there
appeared a achariot of
fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder;
and bElijah went
up by a cwhirlwind into
heaven.
12 ¶And
Elisha saw it, and
he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the
horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own
clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
3
Nephi 28:36-40
(about
the 3 Nephites) this was probably a different type of being
translated than that of Moses, Elijah, Alma and Nephi who probably
received a greater change. Spoken of in the last verse here.
36 And
now behold, as I spake concerning those whom the Lord hath chosen,
yea, even three who were caught up into the heavens, that I knew not
whether they were acleansed from bmortality to
immortality—
37 But
behold, since I wrote, I have inquired of the Lord, and he hath made
it manifest unto me that there must needs be a change wrought upon
their bodies, or else it needs be that they must taste of death;
38 Therefore,
that they might not taste of death there was a achange wrought
upon their bodies, that they might not bsuffer pain
nor sorrow save it were for the sins of the world.
39 Now
this change was not equal to that which shall take place at the last
day; but there was a change wrought upon them, insomuch that Satan
could have no power over them, that he could not atempt them;
and they were bsanctified in
the flesh, that they were choly,
and that the powers of the earth could not hold them.
40 And
in this state they were to remain until the judgment day of Christ;
and at that day they were to receive a greater change, and to be
received into the kingdom of the Father to go no more out, but to
dwell with God eternally in the heavens.
Christ
Christ
is the one who took him up. He has power of life and death and He
could have saved himself from his executioners had he not chosen to
allow them to crucify Him.
Jesus
was taken up from the tomb.
Conference
or manuals
Seminary
manual Old Testament
Read 2 Kings
2:11–14,
looking for what happened next.
Elijah
was taken into heaven, and Elisha “took up … the mantle of
Elijah that fell from him” (2 Kings
2:13).
In
these verses we learn that Elijah was taken from the earth as a
translated being. This means that his mortal body was changed so that
it temporarily would not be subject to death. (Elijah later appeared
in this translated form on the Mount of Transfiguration to lay his
physical hands on Peter, James, and John.)
After
Elijah was translated, Elisha called upon God to part the same waters
in the same way that Elijah had done earlier. Why do you think Elisha
did that? What might that symbolize or represent? Ponder what the
sons of the prophets who were viewing the events from a distance
(see 2 Kings
2:7)
might have thought when they witnessed the power of God now working
through Elisha.
What
do you think the passing of Elijah’s mantle to Elisha represented?
In
the Church today we sometimes refer to a leader’s calling,
authority, and duties as a “mantle.” The prophet also receives a
special spiritual endowment as part of his mantle. In our day, when a
new prophet is sustained as President of the Church, Church members
witness that the mantle of authority has descended upon him.
From
these verses we learn the following truth: The Lord gives
authority and power to those He calls.
what
the sons of the prophets who were viewing the events from a distance
(see 2 Kings
2:7)
might have
Apply-
There
are at least two lessons to be learned from this verse. One is the
transfer of authority from one to another. When we have a new
President of the Church he replaces the one who just died. That
previous prophet was taken home to Heavenly father. Although he
didn't disappear like Moses, Elijah and Alma and Nephi, he did pass
on to our Father in Heaven and go to His kingdom. We are then left
to gain a testimony of the divine call of the new prophet and
President of the Church. Some people had trouble accepting Elisha
even though he performed miracles. We can sustain our Prophet and
President of the Church as He is called of God. We can also sustain
our local leaders who are called to serve us by accepting and
magnifying the calls they extend to us and by living the gospel and
helping others. If we are the ones who are called, then we can pick
up the mantle and go forward to the very best of our abilities and be
better leaders and people.
The
other lesson is to work to change ourselves to become closer to the
Father through righteous living.
Are
we transforming ourselves with the help of the Savior? Can we become
closer to Him so much that our countenances change? We all have some
sort of a “mantle” and purpose in life. The mantle is usually
heavy but we can accept that mantle by letting the Savior help us and
working hard to do our very best and then He will make up the
difference.
Hymns
217-Come
Let Us Anew
270-
I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go
Children
174
Called
to Serve
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