2 Nephi 6-10

2 Nephi 6

Jacob was ordained by Nephi to be a priest.

Once he started teaching of God he never ceased.

Nephi had asked Jacob to read Isaiah’s words

And help his people understand what they had heard.

Though many were scattered, taken captive and slain,

Those who were at Jerusalem would come again.

It was there, in Israel, that Jesus Christ would come.

And the Jews would scourge and crucify the Holy One.

After, they’d be hated, afflicted and smitten

But the Lord would show them mercy, as had been written.

And the scattered House of Israel would one day find

Themselves in their homeland, thanks to Gentiles who were kind.

2 Nephi 7

Jacob chose to share more of Isaiah’s record.

Sharing how we’ll never be cast off by the Lord.

Instead, it is we who cast off ourselves through sin.

But He has the power to redeem us again.

Then Isaiah wrote from the Savior’s point of view,

Telling us what a servant of the Lord should do.

Though he knew that he would be smitten and defamed

Jesus did not hide from the spitting and the shame.

If we do the same and our faith is firm like flint

The Lord God will help us and with us He’ll contend.

2 Nephi 8

Jacob also quoted Isaiah 51

Which paints quite picture of the Millenium.

It tells everyone who walks after righteousness

That they’ll receive comfort, great joy and happiness.

Life is short and even our world will pass away

But salvation lasts forever; it is here to stay.

If we trust in God and write His law in our hearts

He will cause all sorrow and mourning to depart.

If we let the world go, and follow God’s commands,

He will cover us in the shadow of His hand.

Why should you fear man?  His life is as short as grass!

God can do all things.  He has done so in the past.

Awake, O Zion, stay strong and worthy every hour

And you will have access to the Lord’s priesthood power.

2 Nephi 9

Jacob saw that all of his people were impressed.

He had let them know their descendants would be blessed.

He then spoke of Jesus and helped them to recall

How, without Him, we couldn’t overcome the Fall. 

Without the Atonement, Lucifer would win—

And our souls would belong to him because of sin.

But, thanks to His wisdom, the Lord had a great plan

That would guarantee resurrection for each man.

This means that the grave is not something we should dread;

Each and every grave will deliver up its dead.

Then our spirits and our bodies will reunite

We will be immortal—a cause for great delight.

There’s another type of death that’s horrible.

Called “spiritual death,” it’s unendurable!

This means that our spirit is cut off from the Lord

Due to all the rules that we’ve broken or ignored.

This would be eternal, without Jesus Christ.

Thanks to God’s great mercy, His son has paid the price.

He suffered the pains of all men who’d ever live

Only He was able to give this precious gift.

If we want to use this great gift, we must obey

His command to repent, be baptized and have faith.

If we do these things, then our life will be just great.

But, if we delay, we’ll be in an awful state.

After we are freed from the grave and from our sins

We’ll be brought to Jesus and we’ll be judged by Him.

If we have been righteous, we have no need to fear

But, for all the wicked, the punishment’s severe!

Here are just a few of the sins we can commit.

If you struggle with one, the time is now to quit!

Those who are immoral and those who kill or lie

Will be harshly judged, on that fact you can rely.

Though it’s great to learn, some “wise” people can be flawed.

“Wisdom” is foolish if we don’t hearken to God!

Jacob said that riches, alone, aren’t bad unless

We set our hearts on them and worship our excess.

If we take offense to these words or say they’re “mean”

It’s a sign that we need to change—we are unclean!

But if we are righteous, we will not take offense

Being humble opens the door to common sense.

So we need to prepare for that great judgment day

Stop all sin!—Don’t make excuses and don’t delay!

2 Nephi 10

Jacob shared that Jesus would have the title “Christ.”

And, by wicked Jews, his life would be sacrificed.

Only they were wicked enough to kill their God

They’d ignore his miracles and say he was a fraud.

For these crimes, said Jacob, the Jews would be scattered.

But, when one day they believe, they would be gathered.

In the meantime, all Americans would be blessed.

They’d have liberty.  There’d be no kings to oppress.

Jacob closed his sermon with this eternal truth:

Whether it be life or death, we are free to choose.

© 2020 by N. Noelle Maes