The Mighty One of Jacob (2 Nephi 6)

Jesus Christ ordaining one of His apostles

In all of the sacred records kept by prophets of God, the authority to act in The Name of The Lord has been given by the laying on of hands by one who is, himself, authorized to do so.  Pictured above is Christ ordaining one of His original Twelve Apostles.  That authority is called The Priesthood.  The higher Priesthood was referred to in the New Testament as the Priesthood of Melchizedec. 

After the death of Lehi, Nephi became The Lord's prophet to the people of that land.  When Nephi's little brother Jacob became of age, Nephi ordained him to The Priesthood.  Jacob calls it "...ordained after the manner of His holy order..."  And so it is.

Jacob was given an assignment by Nephi to address the people.  Some of us might have experienced some anxiety if we were in his shoes. 

2 Nephi 6: 1-2

1.  The words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, which he spake unto the people of Nephi:

2.  Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of His holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things.

 Jacob seems pretty confident though.

 Actually, Jacob does experience anxiety, but anxiety of a different sort.  Let's read a little more...

2 Nephi 6: 3

3.  Nevertheless, I speak unto you again; for I am desirous for the welfare of your souls.  Yea, mine anxiety is great for you; and ye yourselves know that it ever has been.  For I have exhorted you with all diligence; and I have taught you the words of my father; and I have spoken unto you concerning all things which are written, from the creation of the world.

What a wonderful, caring Priesthood Leader.  Sounds like one of those people who I'd like to hear speak, but would be afraid of running into at Walmart.  

"Have you done any good in the world today?"

Jacob reads the people some Isaiah verses, located in 2 Nephi 6: 6-7.  I will resist the engulfing temptation to expound on Isaiah and just talk about Jacob in this chapter.  There's plenty of Isaiah coming...(insert painting of The Scream here...)

Basically, the Isaiah verses Jacob refers to in this chapter talk again about the scattering and gathering of the house of Israel, a very common, and therefore important, theme in the writings of Isaiah and many other prophets.  Jacob also expounds on the prophecies regarding Christ's Atonement, the mercy given to them that believe in His Name, and the judgment exercised against those who fight against His people.  Things like:

• The Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in the flesh; and after He should manifest Himself they should scourge Him and crucify Him...
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• When they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together again to the lands of their inheritance...
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• The Messiah will set himself again the second time to recover them; wherefore, He will manifest Himself unto them in power and great glory, unto the destruction of their enemies, when that day cometh when they shall believe in him...
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• For the Mighty God shall deliver His covenant people.  For thus saith The Lord: I will contend with them that contendeth with thee-

Exciting stuff.

Here's the ending

I like Jacob.  You can really tell, when the narrative of the BOM switches over from Nephi to Jacob, that it is a different speaker; related to the first, but different.  Like his brother, Jacob loves Isaiah.  The verses he quotes in this chapter seem to come from different parts of Isaiah.  I may be wrong.  http://www.lds.org isn't real helpful with searches like this.  The last verse found in 2 Nephi 6 is a quoting of Isaiah 60: 16.  I like to picture in my mind how Jacob felt about his Savior, the power of his testimony, and how he must have connected with this verse.  Here it is...

 2 Nephi 6: 18

And I will feed them that oppress thee, with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Peace be with you...