Line Upon Line

Perhaps there is a lesson about revelation in the experience of the Nephites at the time of the Savior’s visit among them.  As they were gathered around the temple, “They heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard.”  They heard the voice again a second time, “and they understood it not.”  Finally on the third time hearing the voice, they “Did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof….  And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them: Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him” (3 Nephi 11:7).  So it took them several times listening to the voice to understand, but even then they still did not fully understand what was being told to them.  For right after they heard the words, they saw “a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them.”  This was of course the Savior, the “Beloved Son” that the voice had just introduced to them.  And yet as obvious as it is to us now reading it, and despite the fact that the voice had just told them, they did not understand that it was the Son of God who was descending.  They “wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them” (3 Nephi 11:8).  They came to understand the revelation they had received only gradually.  Eventually of course they did come to know what the Lord was revealing to them, but it took repeated heavenly messages for understanding. 

            This idea form 3 Nephi 11 is perhaps similar to the idea from Isaiah that the Lord works sometimes in incremental steps with us.  Sometimes as we seek for specific knowledge, instead of getting it all at once it only comes gradually.  “For precept must be upon recept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little” (Isaiah 28:10).  This is a concept that is repeated in several scriptures.  Nephi similarly said, “For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” (2 Nephi 28:30).  Here the context clearly is about revelation and receiving knowledge from the Lord as Nephi wrote of those who would say “we have enough” to more of the word of God.  Joseph Smith expressed gratitude for the heavenly messengers who had been sent to him “giving line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little” D&C 128:21).  Sometimes revelation comes all at once, but other times like for the Nephites at the time of Christ, it only comes gradually and we come to a full understanding of what the Lord is trying to tell us line upon line, little by little.  Just because we feel we have received an answer from the Lord, it may not be the whole answer yet.