2 Nephi 3:20 Cry From the Dust

Probably the simplest way for me to study and write about it is to just add notes as I study from my phone.  This morning I wrote quite a bit and then tried to save it. It didn't look like it had saved, so I played around with it and am pretty sure that if I had just waited a little more patiently it would have shown up.  So I'm going to try and recreate those thoughts I had this morning...

The Book of Mormon prophets at the beginning of the Book of Mormon reference the scriptures that they had or were writing fairly frequently.  We teach about the plates and we make efforts to understand which writings were on which plates, but maybe a more important thought to consider is how and why we have them?

In 2 Nephi 3:20 Lehi is talking to his son Joseph, who I have to assume is named after Joseph of Egypt based on the fact that Lehi teaches us so much of the prophecies that were made of him and his posterity and that directly affect Lehi and his line. What he tells Joseph his son is that the scriptures will 'cry from the dust'. To me it hit with a little more force that truly the gold plates that Nephi started were made in such a way that they would last for ages. They were made so that they could be put into the earth and then retrieved only when the Lord chooses.

These thoughts came partially because at the beginning of Jacob he talks about how they understood that if they wrote on anything other than metal it would vanish, disintegrate. Jacob 4:1-3.  This message was so important to them that they wanted it to last forever.  Despite the fact that it was difficult and time consuming they really wanted their children to know and understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

I believe that they must have also seen and known that satan had already chosen gold and silver as his means to buy up armies and navies, false priests who oppress and tyrants who destroy and reign with blood and horror on this earth. Through this medium greed would ever be present and so prophets of God would ask, how will these records be preserved and the Lord gave assurances.  To see this more clearly read Enos 1:13 - 18.  This is a clear picture of a prophet of God asking and covenanting with God to have the records preserved to help future generations. 

I believe the spirit led Enos to know what to pray for. 3 Nephi 19:24. Just as the spirit had led previous prophets to pray for the same thing, and those prayers were answered.

To conclude this thought. Mormon and Moroni both knew how to conclude this book.  They finished writing and compiling and then Moroni tells us he prepares to put them into the ground Mormon 8:4.  In the Earth, a burial of sorts, to have a resurrection at the time of restoration.

I love this book and the power the spirit can have over us as we read and ponder the words.