1 Nephi 17:29-38 (02/19/15)

Scripture study participants:  Dad, mom, Brandon, Kenyon, Shaylee, Jaron, Maycee, George Michael, Elder Walker & Elder Rodriguez
Hymn:   I Am A Child Of God
Prayer:  Dad


CLICK TO READ  1 Nephi 17:29-38

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1 Nephi 17:29

Q:   How did the Israelites get water to drink when they were in the wilderness? (Dad)
A:   "They smote a rock." (Brandon) 

Q:   Who smote the rock?  (Dad) 
A:   "Moses." (Shaylee)  

Q:   Could any of them just smite the rock and get water?  (Dad) 
A:   "No." (Brandon)  "Correct. It was done through Moses because he held the Melchizedek Priesthood, was righteous and had the faith necessary to do it, which the rest of the Israelites didn't."  (Dad)

1 Nephi 17:30

Q:   What did the Israelites do after the Lord delivered them out of Egypt? (Dad)
A:   "They hardened their hearts and rebelled against Moses and the Lord." (Shaylee)

1 Nephi 17:31

Q:   All things were done for the Israelites through whom? (Dad)
A:   "Moses." (Shaylee)  "That's right. Moses was the prophet and had the priesthood and power of God and used it to deliver them out of Egypt, destroy their enemies, and provide water for them. It was through Moses that the Lord blessed the Israelites. We know that they were not righteous enough to receive the fulness of the gospel and the Melchizedek priesthood since they worshiped the golden calf after being delivered from Egypt. That's why they were given the law of Moses, which is a lesser law, because they weren't ready and willing to live the higher law of the gospel. So to counter Laman and Lemuel's argument that the Israelites were so righteous because they were led out of Egypt to Jerusalem Nephi reminds them that it was really due to the righteousness of Moses not the Israelites as a whole that they were delivered. They were blessed with deliverance because they chose to follow the prophet Moses, but when you're in slavery being treated so horribly that is not really that tough of a decision to make. What was more telling about the spiritual state of the Israelites was how they behaved once the Lord delivered them, and they complained a lot, struggled keeping even the lesser law, and worshipped idols so they weren't as righteous as Laman and Lemuel were making them out to be."  (Dad)

1 Nephi 17:33

Q:   So were the people inhabiting the promised land before the Israelites righteous? (Dad)
A:   "No, they weren't."  (Elder Rodriguez)

1 Nephi 17:34

Q:   If the people in the promised land were righteous would the Lord have favored the Israelites and allowed them to kick them out? (Dad)
A:   "No." (Shaylee)  "Correct. Because those in the promised land were wicked that He allowed the Israelites to scatter them and inhabit it. If they had been righteous the Lord would have allowed them to remain. We see in the Book of Mormon how the righteous will share their land with others who are righteous like when the Nephites provided land and protection to the Lamanites who converted to the gospel, the people of Ammon."  (Dad)

1 Nephi 17:35

Q:   Does God have favorites among His children? (Dad)
A:    "No." (Kenyon)  "Yes, He loves all of His children even the wicked, but it says that He favors the righteous. This means that He blesses them more not because He doesn't love the wicked but because blessings are given based on our obedience to His commandments. So the more obedient or righteous we are the more He blesses or favors us. If the wicked repent and start obeying His commandments He will bless and favor them too."  (Dad)  

1 Nephi 17:36

Q:   Why did the Lord create the earth? (Dad)
A:    "To be inhabited by His children, which is us. That's the whole purpose of the earth is to provide us a place to live in our days of probation. There are many misguided people who think that there are too many people on the earth and want to decrease the number of people for the animals and earth's sake but that's contrary to the Lord's purposes."  (Dad)

1 Nephi 17:37

Q:   What nation does the Lord raise up or support? (Dad)
A:   "A righteous nation." (Shaylee)

1 Nephi 17:38

Q:   What does the Lord save for the righteous? (Dad)
A:   "Precious lands. A lot of people around the earth are arguing or fighting over land because they say it belongs to them, including in our own country. But who does it say the land belongs to?"  (Dad)  "The Lord." (Shaylee)  "Exactly. The Lord created the earth, and the land is His to give. He allows all people to live on earth but He gives the righteous chosen lands that are precious. However, if they turn wicked the land becomes cursed to them, and they can lose it to a more righteous people. They can also lose the land to another wicked nation who is stronger since they lost the protective blessings of the Lord."  (Dad)