1st Nephi 13 The Last Records & the Fulness of the Gospel
One of the greatest evidences that the Marvelous Work and a Wonder did not begin back when the FOUNDATION of the Marvelous Work was laid in the 1820-40’s, is contained in 1 Nephi 13.
Although it does not necessarily appear to be very obvious with a surface reading, I would suggest that the chapter is explaining that the Saints of the 2nd Watch who SEEK to establish Zion will continue to stumble in their initial attempt and must endure to the end until the LAST RECORDS come forth to begin the Marvelous Work in the 3rd watch.
Until the last records come forth, the gentiles will continue to stumble because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel which have been taken from the Bible.
I don’t think I covered this in detail in my other blog so thought I would cover it here.
Summarizing what the previous chapter said, 1 Nephi 14:1 says,
1 And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks—
2 And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded.
This is clearly speaking about the 3rd watch when the fullness of the scriptures finally go forth unto the ends of the earth. We know this because it is when the gentile Saints are numbered among the seed of Lehi. It is also when they are finally gathered as a blessed people upon the promised land for ever.
What were the stumbling blocks that cause the Saints to stumble up until the 3rd watch begins?
1 Nephi 13 very specifically identified what the stumbling blocks of the Gentiles was.
The stumbling blocks had to do with false doctrine and incomplete doctrine that were caused by a very special book.
It was the book that had proceeded out of the mouth of a Jew that was sent forth with additional testimony by the twelve apostles of the Lamb. It was in fact, the Bible. It was the Old and New Testament.
The book that proceeded (or began) from the mouth of the Jew was that Old Testament. Moses is the one that the Old Testament proceeded from.
The acts of the twelve apostles of the lamb and their testimonies were added in the meridian of time to the Old Testament and sent forth to the Gentiles as the Old Testament and New Testament.
Why did this book become a stumbling block to the Gentiles?
When the book initially went forth to the gentiles it contained the FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL. (24).
“And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.” (24)
It initially went forth in PURITY. (25)
However, AFTER it went forth from the Jews to the Gentiles the great and abominable church “have taken away parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.” (27)
“..there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book..” (28)
“..because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, ye, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.” (29)
We are assured however that the Gentiles will not always remain in the STATE OF BLINDNESS. (32)
Next, we are told about the Gentile Saints of the restoration movement (2nd watch).
We are informed that MUCH OF THE GOSPEL will be brought forth to the gentiles during the time when the foundation movement begins (second watch) and that if those Saints endure to the end, they will be Saviors on Mount Zion (at the time that the 3rd watch begins.)
Second Watch Saints
Continuing on in 1 Nephi 13, let us now read verse 34,
“After the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb- I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.” (34)
Please realize that up in verse 24 we are told that the uncorrupted bible contained the FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL. Following that we are informed that the book becomes corrupted and it causes the Gentiles to stumble.
Verse 34 identifies the restoration of the Gospel during the LDS foundation movement when the unsealed portion of the Nephite record came forth. During this period, the Saints that SEEK to establish Zion (of the 2nd watch) only receive MUCH OF THE GOSPEL but they don’t receive the FULNESS of the GOSPEL. This appears to be because despite the coming forth of the unsealed portion of the Book of Mormon and the revelations Joseph Smith received, the saints of the second watch still do not have the corrected version of the Bible, nor do they have the unsealed portion of the record of the Nephites. (both of which contain the fulness fo the Gospel)
We are then informed that a record of the Nephites will eventually go forth among the Gentiles in verse 35.
Verse 37 continues where verse 34 left off as it is specifically speaking about the Gentile Saints of the 2nd watch who laid the foundation of the Marvelous Work. It informs us that they will SEEK to establish Zion. Seek, in this context means to attempt, or advance without immediate completion. The passage indicates that they need to endure to the end before they will eventually PUBLISH PEACE, an obvious reference to the time when they will publish the Bible and Book of Mormon in the completed form. In other words, they fail to establish Zion until the time of the end when the last records come forth and the scriptures are presented in their fullness.
” And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, ye tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.” (37)
It is very significant to note that the Saints of the 2nd watch enjoyed the gift and power of the Holy Ghost for a season.. but section 45 informs us that when the times of the Gentiles opens in the 3rd watch, the light of the fulness of the Gospel will shine forth, demonstrating that the Saints living four generations later don’t have the fulness of the Gospel until the 3rd watch opens.
“And when the times of the Gentiles comes in, a light whall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it whall be the fulness of my gospel” (section 45:28)
Verses 38-42 is where we get further clarification between the 2nd watch, when the Saints got MUCH OF THE GOSPEL but failed at that time to establish Zion vs. the 3rd watch when the fulness of the gospel is finally published as a result of the LAST RECORDS that finally come forth after the unsealed portion of the Book of Mormon had gone forth for several generations.
Pay close attention to these passages because they provide to me, indisputable proof that the Marvelous Work does not begin until the LAST RECORDS come forth to convince both Jew and Gentile of the fullness of the Gospel.
The Events of the Third Watch
38 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren. [THIS IS REFERRING TO THE ORIGINAL BIBLE BEFORE IT BECAME PERVERTED! IT GOES FORTH TO THE REMNANT OF THE SEED OF THE LAMANITES FROM THE FIRST LABORERS OF THE LAST KINGDOM]
39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld OTHER BOOKS which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
41 And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth.
42 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.
That specific time when the LAST RECORDS from the Nephites will be established in one with the BIBLE as it originally came forth from the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb ( containing the plain and precious things which had previously been taken away), identifies when the Marvelous Work begins. This amazing time is also spoken of in Ether 4 when the righteous portion of the gentiles finally REPENT.
Speaking of the record of the vision of the Brother of Jared that will come forth when the last records come forth the prophet says,
” 6 For the Lord said unto me: They [the record of the vision of the Brother of Jared] shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.
7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.
8 And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh”
The passages in 1 Nephi 13 and Ether 4 clearly reveal that the Marvelous Work does not commence upon all the face of the earth until three things happen,
1- The Original Contents of the Bible and the Last Records of the Nephites go forth (including the record of the vision of the Brother of Jared)
2- The righteous Gentiles Repent, have the veil lifted from their minds and receive their endowment.
3- The wicked Gentiles will contend against the word of God and are accursed
Why have the last records been hid up for four generations?
Why weren’t they brought forth during the 2nd watch when the unsealed portion came forth?
Because of UNBELIEF.
1 Nephi 13 provides compelling evidence that the Marvelous Work and a Wonder did not begin during the 2nd watch.
It identifies how to know when the Marvelous Work begins.
It informs us that the Gentiles stumble before and after the restoration movement of the 1830’s until the LAST RECORDS come forth.
1st Nephi 13
1 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying: loo! and I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms.
2 And the angel said unto me: What beholdest thou? And I said: I behold many nations and kingdoms.
3 And he said unto me: These are the nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles.
4 And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the formation of a great church.
5 And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity.
6 And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.
7 And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots.
8 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church.
9 And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.
10 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren.
11 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Behold the wrath of God is upon the seed of thy brethren.
12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.
13 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.
14 And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.
15 And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.
16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them.
17 And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them.
18 And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle.
19 And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.
20 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land; and I beheld a book, and it was carried forth among them.
21 And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the book?
22 And I said unto him: I know not.
23 And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.
24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.
25 Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.
26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.
27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.
28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.
29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
30 Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the land of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren.
31 Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the seed of thy brethren.
32 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen.
33 Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be merciful unto the Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment.
34 And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the remnant of the house of Israel—and this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father—wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb—I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.
35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.
36 And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation.
37 And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
38 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.
39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
41 And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth.
42 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.
Because I am Watching 
I distinctly remember an essay in which you identified the “Jew” from whose mouth proceeded the book as SR. Are you abandoning that theory now, or are you simply claiming dual fulfillment (SR in the 3rd watch)? Besides, was not Moses a Levite? Or is he a Jew in the same sense that Nephi called himself a Jew?
btw – it’s good to be back
You have got a really good memory NEPT
I feel like there is a shadow fulfillment. The original record came forth from a Jew. When it comes forth again in the end times in its purity again, the work will be assisted by a Jew as well.
But I feel the literal interpretation of who the Jew was that it proceeded forth from the first time was Moses.
In fact I recently re-read the Book of Moses and was impressed with the fact that JS made it very clear that the first books of the Old Testament did in fact come forth from Moses.
You bring up a interesting point about Moses being a Levite.. however, A Levite is part of the house of Israel and the book of Mormon often uses the term “Jew” in a very broad sense to be synonymous with “House of Israel”… ie, “for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel.”
Speaking of abandoning theories however, it is interesting that Joseph seems to be the primary one that translates the inspired version while Sidney is instrumental in bringing it forth to the nations (if my recollection is correct). I suppose the typological shadow fulfillment could be Joseph as easily as it could be Sidney.
I need to go back and re-read the post you are referring to, to see of it needs clarification or modification.
I thought I was tying it in with the Old Testament prophecy in Zech 8 who seems to be a high profile Jew in the end times,
“Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a JEW, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”
In 1 Ne. 13:39-40, I’m reading one of the other books as the Book of Mormon to “make known the plain and precious things which were taken away from them” not the fullness of the bible.
Can you shed more light please?
I am not sure I understand the question. The quote you provided does not appear to show up in the post.
The “other books” spoken of in 1 Ne 13:39-40, that will come forth to convince the Gentiles and the seed of Lehi’s descendants, includes the sealed portion of the plates that has not come forth yet.
It will contain the “greater things” as opposed to the lesser things which are contained in the Book of Mormon that was brought forth during the LDS restoration movement.
“And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people;
7 But behold the plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the things which he taught the people.
8 And these things have I written, which are a lesser part of the things which he taught the people; and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people, from the Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus hath spoken.
9 And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.
10 And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation.” (3 Nephi 26:1)
The “other books” mentioned are probably not limited to the remainder of the gold plates.
We know from section 93 that a record of John will come forth and we know that the Inspired version of the Bible still needs to be co-published with the Book of Mormon.
Indeed, according to the patriarchal blessing the OC gave to Joseph, many records will yet be brought forth
27. He shall partake of the blessing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the chief things of the ancient mountains, the precious things that couch beneath, and the treasure hid in the sand.
28. The records of past ages and generations, and the histories of ancient days shall he bring forth, even the record of the Nephites shall he again obtain, with all those hid up by Mormon, and others who were righteous; and many others till he is overwhelmed with knowledge.
29. No precious thing shall slumber from his possession, for he shall be covered with the most choice things of all ages, till his soul shall be satisfied and his heart shall say, Enough! Enough!
Thank you. I re-read and am starting to see it. I’ll continue reading more of the first blog.