Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Accepting the Mantle-3 Nephi 2:9

3 Nephi 2:9
Elijah and Elisha
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.
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.

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 and ElishaElijah 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



No comments:

Post a Comment