Jacob 5-7

Jacob 5

Jacob 5 is long.  It’s not for the faint of heart!

But the read is well worth the message it imparts.

A tame olive tree’s owner learned, to his dismay,

That, despite his work, it had started to decay.

He removed branches and replaced them with wild ones

And grafted tame branches elsewhere in his garden.

After time had passed, he saw that, beyond dispute, 

The wild branches on the tame tree had born good fruit. 

The tame branches also bore fruit, the gardener found—

Even though their new trees were planted in poor ground.

But the one branch that had been planted in good soil

Only bore some good fruit, but some of it was spoiled.

Though the owner wanted to burn every bad branch

His servant convinced him, “Give it a second chance!”

Still more time passed by and they went to check the trees.

All of them bore wild fruit that nobody could eat.

When he saw it, the owner wept; he was undone,

He said to his servant, “What more could I have done?”

Notwithstanding all of their care and their desires

He felt he should cast all the trees into the fire.

But his servant begged him; he felt even stronger

That they should spare the vineyard a little longer.

Then they took the branches they’d removed formerly

And, once more, connected them to their mother tree.

To accomplish this, the owner had to recruit

More servants to help his trees bear this precious fruit

They worked with their might, since the end was drawing nigh.

As they labored, the bad branches were cast aside.

Though shorthanded, the servants did all that they could.

And the vineyard, once again, bore fruit that was good.

There’s a deeper meaning hidden in this story. 

This type of writing is called an allegory.

First, we have the vineyard which represents the world.

And the vineyard’s owner symbolizes the Lord.

Next, the House of Israel is the tame olive tree.

It was due to sin that the tree was decaying.

So God grafted wild branches to the tree with care

And He scattered branches of the tame tree elsewhere.

All the wild branches represent non-Israelites

And the scattered branches were groups like the Nephites.

At first, almost all bore good fruit or righteousness,

But then they grew sinful; the world became a mess!

When the Lord saw such wickedness in all His lands

He gathered the Israelites, helped by His hired hands.

All these servants symbolize disciples of the Lord.

Though they’re few in number, they’ve pledged to spread His word. 

What’s the final lesson that Jacob hoped we’d learn? Those who are wicked, like bad branches, will be burned!

Jacob 6

Jacob testified that this parable was true 

And that it applies to us all, including you!

We’ll be blessed if we’re diligent in God’s vineyard.

And for sinners His arm of mercy is offered.

But if we don’t repent we are, without a doubt, 

Bearing fruit that’s wild and so we will be cast out.

He kept warning sinners what they would have in store.

Then he urged us, “O be wise; what can I say more?”

Jacob 7

Sherem was an antichrist.  This means that he preached

Against Jesus Christ and he used powerful speech.

Many people were flattered and were led away.

Even faithful believers had begun to stray.

He sought to trick Jacob but that was a mistake.

Jacob’s faith was too strong for anyone to shake!

Sherem said that teaching about Christ was absurd.

The Spirit helped Jacob confound him in his words.

Sherem denied Jesus and said He wouldn’t come.

Jacob’s swift reply revealed Sherem’s real problem.

“Do you read the scriptures?” he asked.  Sherem said, “Yea.”

“Then you do not understand anything they say!

“Every prophet spoke of Christ,” Jacob testified.

Sherem remained unconvinced and asked for a sign.

So God struck him down.  When Sherem knew he would die,

He wanted to confess to the people of his lies.

After his confession, Sherem died then and there.

Jacob was relieved.  The Lord had answered his prayer.

Once again, the people had peace and loved the Lord.

They resolved from then on to only read God’s word!

At one point they tried to convert the Lamanites

But it was in vain, they only wanted to fight.

When he was dying, Jacob said unto his son,

“Enos, take these plates.  Promise you’ll get the work done.”

Jacob hoped that his people would read his words through.

He concluded his writing with, “Brethren, adieu.”

© 2020 by N. Noelle Maes