Friday, January 30, 2009

Jarom 1: 7-9

Jarom is a little book, and one that I generally don't know very well. However, in rereading it recently, I was most interested in verses 7-9:

7. 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.

8. And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the land, and became exceedingly rich in gold, and in silver, and in precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings, and in machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground, and weapons of war—yea, the sharp pointed arrow, and the quiver, and the dart, and the javelin, and all preparations for war.

9. And thus being prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not prosper against us. But the word of the Lord was verified, which he spake unto our fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.

This is an instance of a people receiving a physical blessing because of their spiritual preparedness. The Nephites had a physical need: they needed to not be killed by the Lamanites. They also, I am sure, had temporal needs, which is where all the stuff in verse 8 comes in.

But to accomplish their physical need, Jarom doesn't mention the training and the drilling and the practices of the Nephites. No. He mentions that they were taught in the ways of the Lord. And in case we can't put two and two together and figure out that it was because of their spiritual preparedness that they were able to physically beat the Lamanites, he reminds us in verse nine: this is what the Lord said, and what the Lord said came true.

Sometimes we think that spiritual things are not the answer. We think that because our needs are temporal or physical, they cannot be addressed by anything spiritual. But this is not the case. All things are connected. Christ suffered physically and spiritually. And the things he says to do are not just for our spiritual well-being. They are for every aspect of our being.

It's a lot to believe sometimes, that spirituality will help in schooling, or in work, or in whatever endeavor we're undertaking. But it's true. The Lord says so, Jarom says so, and I say so.

The end.