Ether 3
Verses 1-5: The Brother of Jared's Prayer
What does this teach me about the atonement?
This section is very instructive regarding our role in inviting the atonement's power into our lives. The Savior's saving mission is inseparable from and made possible by His atoning sacrifice. Let's list the principles we can learn about approaching the Lord to invite His help from the Brother of Jared's prayer.
- From verse 1: Go into a "high mountain". In other words, make a special effort to pray to Him when/where you can be closest and most in tune with Him.
- From verse 1: Present your purest offering. Just as the Brother of Jared presented stones that he had made which were white and clear as transparent glass, we should be transparent with the Lord in our honest inventory of our progress and confess and repent to Him of anything we find wanting. Then our souls can be as pure as the sixteen stones, and our offering worthy of Him.
- From verse 2: acknowledge your weakness, yet have faith in His help. Remember always your dependent position, but take courage in His promises, and His oft repeated desires to hear and answer your prayers.
- From verse 3: acknowledge the Lord's blessings. Never fail to notice the good things in your life, which He provides.
- From verse 3: In addressing specific problems, come prepared. Meaning, study it out and have your best ideas/solutions ready to present, just as the Brother of Jared presented the definitive results of his efforts.
- From verse 4: Ask for what you need- whether it's a confirmation of an answer you've been considering or a particular favor. Asking for specific things increases both our confidence before the Lord, and our faith in His grace, as we see the things we've specifically asked for come to fruition.
- From verse 5: Remember that great power is in the small and simple things.
Lesson for me?
*Refer to above in handling difficult challenges. As we bring these actual and metaphorical offerings to the Lord, we will see His actual and metaphorical "finger," or influence, in our lives.
Verses 6-20: The Lord Appears
What does this teach me about the atonement?
This reminds me that the Lord undertook the atonement with a mortal body of flesh and blood. This was an essential aspect of His ability not only to overcome the sins of the flesh, but to help us believe in His infinite compassion for our bodily discomforts.
This is such a singular event. The Brother of Jared has such faith that He can see the Lord.
Why is it that choosing to believe in the unseen leads to seeing it? The faith described here also encompasses a degree of trust, and also love. To experience this kind of miraculous faith affirmation, you must not only believe in the Savior, but believe in His love enough to trust Him and love Him in return. This relates to the eternal truth that the Savior smooths the way of those who are headed in the right direction. I am in tears as I write this. He is so full of love for us. What would be the consequence of the Savior showing His spirit body to one who is full of destructive patterns and self-deceit? By my estimation, only searing pain, condemnation and increase of hatred of self and others. I can't possibly fully understand or know for sure, but I believe that if the truth looks you full in the face, but your inner development is not in step with it, you may not experience it as truth. You may feel alienated and repelled. I imagine the glaring light would leave the sinner either crumpled with crippling discouragement or clamoring to justify himself, resulting in further self-deceit. This is why the Savior "stands at the door and knocks" instead of barging in on us. The Brother of Jared already knew and loved the Savior so well, that for Him, the earthly barrier that cloaks the things of eternity, as a matter of course, dissolved.
The Savior's act of lighting the stones with His finger is another metaphor for His grace in our lives. Grace cannot be separated from the atonement. The Savior atoned to save us, and grace is part of the saving.
Lesson for me today?
*He loves you. He patterned you after Him. Choose to believe.
Additional Note on Verse 13:
What are "these things" and how did knowing them redeem the Brother of Jared from the fall?
Are "these things," the knowledge resulting from seeing the Savior's body? Possibly
It might additionally be the fact that God doesn't lie, and that the Savior will take upon Him flesh and blood, and that only faith could have allowed him to witness Him. These are all mentioned.
This is big stuff that I'm having a hard time comprehending. The Savior actually told a mortal that by knowing certain things he was redeemed from the fall. This feels like an important thing to understand.
The Brother of Jared said, "I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie." This was a deep expression of faith and testimony, and the Savior appeared right after he said it. All I can ascertain is that the level of faith, love, and trust he reached was enough to elevate him above the level of fallen man to a heavenly realm.
Verses 21-28: A Message from Moroni
What does this teach me about the saving mission of Jesus Christ?
It teaches me that the Savior is mindful of each of His children in all generations of time, and has laid a specific plan for how to most effectively reach them with His message.
Lesson for me?
*More evidence for the grand, elegant plan of the gospel, including the restoration. Remember the importance of the Book of Mormon and be grateful for it.
