Jesus and the Prophets: They Spoke of Him

Lesson 29 The Brother of Jared

Prepared by Gary R. Whiting The Brother of Jared Family There is no information about his lineage given in the text. He had a brother named Jared Which Jared came forth with his brother and their families, with some others and their families, from the great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, and swear in his wrath that they should be scattered upon all the face of the earth; and according to the people were scattered (Ether 1:7). The Brother of Jared His wife is never introduced Raised a large family And the Brother of Jared also begat sons and daughters ... Now the number of the sons and the daughters of the Brother of Jared were twenty and two souls; and the number of the sons and daughters of Jared were twelve, he having four sons (Ether 3:17, 23). The Brother of Jared Name In the text he is known as the Brother of Jared “The brother of Jared's name is not given in the Book of Mormon, but it was revealed through the Prophet as Mahonri Moriancumer (or possibly just Moriancumer; Reynolds, 282). (Dennis L. Largey, Book of Mormon Reference Companion (Salt Lake City 2003), pages 428-429). The Brother of Jared Moriancumer, -Mahonri In an unusual incident, the Prophet Joseph Smith revealed the name of the brother of Jared 1. George Reynolds recorded, "While residing in Kirtland Elder had a son born to him. One day when President Joseph Smith was passing his door he called the Prophet in and asked him to bless and name the baby. Joseph did so and gave the boy the name of Mahonri Moriancumer. When he had finished the blessing he laid the child on the bed, and turning to Elder Cahoon he said, the name I have given your son is the name of the brother of Jared; the Lord has just shown [or revealed] it to me. The Brother of Jared Elder William F. Cahoon, who was standing near heard the Prophet make this statement to his father; and this was the first time the name of the brother of Jared was known in the Church in this dispensation " (282 n). The above incident took place sometime in 1834, because records indicate that on 25 July 1834, a son was born to Reynolds and Thirza Stiles Cahoon whom they named Mahonri Moriancumer Cahoon (Black, 8:217). Significantly, the name Moriancumer does appear in the scriptural text. The Brother of Jared After crossing many waters and a stretch of wilderness, the Jaredite colony pitched their tents in a place they called Moriancumer (Ether 2:13), which place-name possibly corroborates the modern revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith concerning the name of the brother of Jared (Dennis L. Largey, Book of Mormon Reference Companion (Salt Lake City 2003), page 546; see source article for footnotes used with the article). The Brother of Jared We do not know his age. No information about his date of birth or date of his death. We know he died in the New World (Ether 1:35). His ministry He was a man of remarkable faith Described as highly favored of the Lord (1:8) He acted as a priest for the family and friends group that left the Great Tower (1:8-21). There is no mention of attributed to him His testimony and revelations are consistent with a high priestly calling. The Brother of Jared He received the guidance from the Lord for the travel of the God gave him instruction to gather his family and friends and gather items for the journey (Ether 1:16-20). God led them from a cloud before them (1:27-28). They were given the promised land (1:29). Stopped for four years by the sea in a place they called Moriancumer (1:37). After a 3-hour reprimand and instruction, they prepared to cross the ocean. The Brother of Jared He was the spokesman/foreman of the boat building project to cross the ocean And the Lord said, Go to work and build, after the manner of barges which ye have hitherto built. And it came to pass that the Brother of Jared did go to work, and also his brethren, and built barges after the manner which they had built, according to the instructions of the Lord (Ether 1:43- 44). The Brother of Jared And it came to pass that the Brother of Jared cried unto the Lord, saying, O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me. And behold, O Lord, in them there is no light, whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish, for in them we can not breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish (1:47-49). Lord gave the Brother of Jared the solution to the air issue Left the light problem to the Brother of Jared. Does not mean he was not led, just not told directly what to do Experience, knowledge, prayer, faith and skills to solve this Complete the task to honor God and not man (Bro of Jared) The Brother of Jared Made 16 stones (moulten out of rock) Moulten used 5 times in the Book of Mormon. Implies great heat required to allow the material to be purified and/or shaped (See Skousen, The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon, Volume 3, Part 3 The Nature of the Original Language, pages 147-150). During this experience comes a revelation of Christ which constitutes his prophecy of Christ in the Book of Mormon. Little is known of his activities in the promised land. Prophecies of the Brother of Jared Jesus and the Prophets: They Spoke of Him The Brother of Jared The Brother of Jared had a significant revelation of Jesus Christ prior to the journey across the sea. It is a lengthy experience and will be examined in segments for easier discussion. The Brother of Jared We are unworthy and our natures evil continually because of the fall Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy, and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; Because of the fall, our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires. Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity, and hath driven us forth, and for this many years we have been in the wilderness; The Brother of Jared nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness, but behold these things which I have moulten out of the rock (Ether 1:62-65). He knows the Fall so he also knows the creation story He knows the command to call upon God for his desires He knows the things Adam … Enoch … Noah taught The Brother of Jared They were smitten because of iniquity, but God has shown mercy to them. Brother of Jared was grounded in the gospel teaching He had faith unto life and salvation Vs 65 asks for pity, anger to be turned away and to answer his prayer. No reason for mercy except for the sacrifice of the Lamb of God The Brother of Jared Lord can do as he wills for the benefit of man And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness: and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea. Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to shew forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men. The Brother of Jared And it came to pass that when the Brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones, one by one, with his finger; And the vail was taken from off the eyes of the Brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the Brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear (Ether 1:66-69). God answered his prayer He understood that God has power to benefit mankind He fully expected God to answer his prayer – he had an assurance Yet he approached God in humility The Brother of Jared Bro of Jared saw the finger of the Lord Expected God to answer his prayer It does not appear he anticipated seeing the finger of the Lord touch the stones. He fell down before the Lord in fear (Ether 1:69). He was afraid of being smitten As if he saw something that was forbidden. Note the words “like unto flesh and blood.” Pick up on this in the next segment The Brother of Jared The Lord shall take upon himself flesh and blood And the Lord saw that the Brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him, Arise, why hast thou fallen? And he saith unto the Lord, I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood. And the Lord said unto him, Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so, ye could not have seen my finger. The Brother of Jared Sawest thou more than this? And he answered, Nay, Lord, shew thyself unto me. And the Lord said unto him, Believest thou the words which I shall speak? And he answered, Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie (Ether 1:70-75). It is interesting that the Lord allows the Bro of Jared to speak his thoughts, concerns, fears, etc. He is engaging with his people Come let us reason together Does not diminish the Lord’s omniscience, but magnifies his work as a teacher, a parent developing the trust, mind and understanding of his servant. (God already knows everything Bro of Jared said). The Brother of Jared Verse 71: I did not know the Lord had flesh and blood. Verse 72: The Lord corrects the Bro of Jared and says, “I shall take on me flesh and blood.” This is consistent with later prophets who said the Messiah will take upon himself flesh and blood. Brother of Jared asked to see all of the Lord He was allowed because he believed, even before hearing, what the Lord would say. You are a God of truth and cannot lie The Brother of Jared Jesus Christ, Prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem And when he had said these words, behold the Lord shewed himself unto him, and said, Because thou knowest these things, ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I shew myself unto you. Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; The Brother of Jared and they shall become my sons and my daughters. And never have I shewed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast (Ether 1:76-79). The Bro of Jared received the testimony that he was redeemed from the Fall You are able to come back into my presence. Redemption was based on knowledge which was based on faith What knowledge saved him? The Brother of Jared Man is fallen Commandment to call on God Though smitten for sin, you are merciful God has power to benefit humanity God can and does intervene on behalf of mankind The Lord will come into the world and take upon himself flesh and blood. God blessed faith and obedience. The Brother of Jared Therefore you are brought back into my presence (Ether 1:76). He is introduced to Jesus Christ The Lamb of God prepared from the foundation of the world. I am the Father and the Son In me, all people, who believe, shall have eternal life in Me. These believers become the sons and daughters of God. The Brother of Jared Man created in the image of God Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning, after mine own image. Behold this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit, will I appear unto my people in the flesh (Ether 1:77-81). The Brother of Jared was gazing upon the spiritual image of Jesus Christ, in the form of a man, like he would appear in Israel centuries later? Do you see that you are created in my image? The Brother of Jared To be clear, God created man (male and female) after the image of his spiritual body. One day, in the flesh, I will appear unto My people. This information about his coming in the flesh was the thing the Lord asked if he would believe before Jesus showed himself to the Bro of Jared. The Brother of Jared This all we have recorded about the testimony of the Brother of Jared. There is more to come in the “Sealed Portion” of the Book of Mormon. Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the Brother of Jared saw; and there never was greater things made manifest, than that which was made manifest unto the Brother of Jared; wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them (Ether 1:98). The Brother of Jared End of the lesson on the Brother of Jared.