Revelation in Harmony

In his recent general conference address, Elder Renlund taught this principle about revelation: “Personal revelation will be in harmony with the commandments of God and the covenants we have made with Him…. When we ask for revelation about something for which God has already given clear direction, we open ourselves up to misinterpreting our feelings and hearing what we want to hear.” He suggested that “some might point out that Nephi violated a commandment when he slew Laban,” but, Elder Renlund affirmed, “In this case, it was a commandment from God.” The student manual discusses this event in these words: “It should be remembered that the Lord gave Laban at least two chances to part with the brass plates without requiring his life. Laban was a liar, a robber, and he had at least twice sought to murder. Stealing and attempted murder could both be punishable by death (see Exodus 21:14; 22:2; Deuteronomy 24:7).” Nephi was not seeking justification for disobeying one of the Ten Commandments—he said instead that “[he] shrunk and would that [he] might not slay him”—but his whole purpose was to keep God’s commandments and do what the Lord would have him do. The above-mentioned verse could provide justification enough according to the law Jehovah had revealed: “If a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die” (Exodus 21:14). Laban had sought to steal and kill, with guile, Nephi and his brothers, and under the law of Moses he was condemned to death.  

The Lord indeed revealed to us how Nephi was obeying His law in his action against Laban. He said, “If men will smite you, or your families, once, and ye bear it patiently and revile not against them, neither seek revenge, ye shall be rewarded…. And again, if your enemy shall smite you the second time, and you revile not against your enemy, and bear it patiently, your reward shall be an hundred-fold. And again, if he shall smite you the third time, and ye bear it patiently, your reward shall be doubled unto you four-fold; And these three testimonies shall stand against your enemy if he repent not, and shall not be blotted out…. If he shall come upon you or your children, or your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation, I have delivered thine enemy into thine hands;… Nevertheless, thine enemy is in thine hands; and if thou rewardest him according to his works thou art justified; if he has sought thy life, and thy life is endangered by him, thine enemy is in thine hands and thou art justified. Behold, this is the law I gave unto my servant Nephi” (Doctrine and Covenants 98:23-32). Interestingly, the idea that after a certain number of attempted attacks from Laban the Lord would “deliver thine enemy into thine hands” is exactly the language that was used with Nephi. The angel told him, “Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands” (1 Nephi 3:29). After that happened, the Spirit said to Nephi, “Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands…. Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands” (1 Nephi 4:11-12). Nephi was not breaking any law when he slew Laban—he was following the law as revealed to him.   

              And so, we likewise, seek revelation under the framework of the laws of God as revealed to us through his prophets. As we follow what we already know to be true, “the Holy Ghost can and will reveal everything we need to soar onto and maintain momentum on the covenant path. Thus we can be blessed by the power of Jesus Christ to become what Heavenly Father wants us to be.” Like Nephi, we can work miracles, forgive even the worst injuries, build our figurative boats and cities, and even calm the elements through revelation and our faith in Jesus Christ.