By So Doing

One of the themes of the book of Jarom in the Book of Mormon is obedience to the commandments. He told us in the first verse that the reason he wrote was to be obedient: “Now behold, I, Jarom, write a few words according to the commandment of my father, Enos, that our genealogy may be kept” (v1). He recorded Lehi’s promise: “Inasmuch as ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land” (v9). His people struggled to be obedient and he told of their efforts to help them be obedient: “And it came to pass that the prophets of the Lord did threaten the people of Nephi, according to the word of God, that if they did not keep the commandments, but should fall into transgression, they should be destroyed from off the face of the land” (v10). He finished his short chapter where he began: “And I deliver these plates into the hands of my son Omni, that they may be kept according to the commandments of my fathers” (v15). He didn’t record his own revelations, feeling that he could not write more than his father had written, but he did leave his example of obedience as he faithfully kept the record and passed it on.

               The time in which Jarom lived was a very difficult one because of the danger that the Lamanites posed to the Nephites. He recorded how the Lamanites were “exceedingly more numerous than were they of the Nephites; and they loved murder and would drink the blood of beasts” (v6). He described in detail the kinds of weapons that they had in their “preparations for war” which included “sharp pointed arrow, and the quiver, and the dart, and the javelin” (v8). These instruments of war were surely very useful to the Nephites as they faced their more numerous foe and sought to preserve their people. But Jarom did not suggest that these weapons were the reason that the Nephites were able to survive the Lamanite threat. Though undoubtedly this physical preparation was important, it was not the key to their preservation. He wrote this: “And it came to pass that they came many times against us, the Nephites, to battle. But our kings and our leaders were mighty men in the faith of the Lord; and they taught the people the ways of the Lord; wherefore, we withstood the Lamanites and swept them away out of our lands, and began to fortify our cities, or whatsoever place of our inheritance” (v7). What struck me as I read this verse was that he cited as the key reason for their success against the Lamanites that the leaders were men of faith in the Lord and that they taught the people righteousness. He further expounded by describing in more detail the efforts of those leaders: “Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them” (v11). The result of all of that effort to preach to the people and encourage them live the law of Moses and look towards the Messiah was this: “And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentance” (v12). It was the preaching of the gospel and the repentance of the people that saved them from the Lamanites—it wasn’t their weapons or skill in war but rather their righteousness and faith in God. Surely there is a lesson in this for us no matter kind of enemy we face. Whatever our challenges are, the most important thing we can do to overcome them is to have faith in the Lord, repent, and keep His commandments. Jarom was devoted to keeping the commandments of the Lord, and as he and other leaders helped their people be obedient they were preserved by the hand of the Lord. When we similarly show faith and obedience, He will likewise help and preserve us in all our difficulties.