The Power of Deliverance

Near the very beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi told us, “But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Nephi 1:20).  He made the statement in relation to the fact that the Jews were trying to kill his father Lehi.  In the next two verses I think he explained how this “power of deliverance” came to his father: the Lord spoke unto him in a dream and commanded him to depart into the wilderness in order to save his life.  God truly did deliver Lehi because of his faith as Nephi showed us through the account in 1 Nephi.  But while this promise of the power of deliverance for the faithful appears to have been applied by Nephi to his father, Nephi’s experiences show again and again that this promise was true in his own life. 

                We see how Nephi was delivered by the Lord twice in his quest to obtain the plates of brass.  When their second attempt failed, his brothers did “smite [him] even with a rod” (1 Nephi 3:28).  It’s likely that the angel who came to stop Laman and Lemuel literally saved his life; because of Nephi’s faithfulness the Lord delivered him.  He was also delivered from the hands of Laban who stole their property and “sent his servants to slay [them]” (1 Nephi 3:25).  Ultimately the Lord delivered Laban into Nephi’s hands and he accomplished what the Lord commanded him.

                Again the Lord gave unto Nephi the “power of deliverance” when they traveled with the family of Ishmael back into the wilderness from Jerusalem.  After Nephi chastised his brothers for their wickedness, Nephi recounted what happened this way: “They did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life.”  In words very reminiscent of 1 Nephi 1:20, Nephi related what happened next this way: “But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren” (1 Nephi 7:16-17).  The Lord came through again for Nephi, and he was delivered through a miracle as the bands were loosed and his brothers’ hearts were softened.

                It was pretty much the same story on the boat.  Nephi chastised his brothers; they didn’t like it; and they bound him with cords.  They didn’t let him loose for over three days in the midst of a terrible storm, but finally God’s message that he sent to Laman and Lemuel through the tempest found its way into their hearts and they let Nephi go.  Nephi showed incredible faith as he “did look unto God” and “did praise him all the day long” despite such terrible treatment by his brothers.  Once again, he showed that indeed the Lord would give the power of deliverance to the faithful. 

                Time and again Nephi was delivered by the power of God from his brothers and other danger because of his faith and righteousness, and there are other stories that show this as well.  Nephi’s life indeed was a testimony of his own words that God would make us “mighty even unto the power of deliverance” if we would but have the faith necessary.