Jacob 1-4: Seek the Kingdom of God

Keywords

Jacob’s faithfulness, scriptural preservation, prophetic responsibility

Abstract

We owe much to faithful Jacob.  He and his direct posterity preserved for us a crucial portion of the Book of Mormon, the Small Plates of Nephi (1 Nephi – Omni), which include all of the key doctrines and principles of the Gospel essential for happiness in this life and eternal life in the hereafter.  In Jacob’s own words he describes his zeal to teach and record the truth for his people and posterity’s sake.

[Nephi] gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious…and that I should preserve these plates and hand them down unto my seed, from generation to generation.  And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people. (1:2-4)

Jacob truly laid up treasures in heaven by making the treasures of the Gospel accessible to all.  Of all the verses of scripture which speak of faithful Jacob, the one that I believe to be most important for understanding his drive for righteousness is the following:

And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day. (1:19)

Original Publication Citation

“Jacob 1-4: Seek the Kingdom of God.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. 2016.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2016

Publisher

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

Language

English

College

Marriott School of Business

Department

Marketing

University Standing at Time of Publication

Associate Professor

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