When the brother of Jared wanted to be able to continue communicating with family and friends at the tower of Babel, he prayed. When he wanted to know where to lead his people, he prayed. When he encountered challenges as he followed God’s instructions to build barges, he prayed.
We can learn a lot about prayer from the brother of Jared, including the value of making iterative requests (Ether 1:34-43), the importance of praying consistently (Ether 2:14-15), and the need to balance deep reverence and submissiveness with boldness and faith (Ether 3:2-10).
Ultimately, the brother of Jared received the revelation needed to lead his family to the promised land, and in the process, he came to know Jesus Christ. His journey is our journey. Moroni promised that when we exercise faith in God as the brother of Jared did, then we will see what the brother of Jared saw. (See Ether 4:7.)
Here are some additional lessons I’ve learned from these chapters:
Outline
Key Themes
- Coming unto Christ is an incremental process.
- God is not only willing to answer our prayers; He uses prayer as a tool to help us grow.
- Knowledge provides the foundation for belief.
- It takes effort to remove a veil of unbelief from our hearts.
- Our testimony of the gospel can be based on witnesses, blessings, and personal revelation.
Connections
- The book of Genesis teaches that God confounded the language of the people when they tried to build a tower to get to heaven. (See Genesis 11:4-9.) Jared and his brother were among those people, but God allowed them and their friends to retain a common language. (See Ether 1:33-37.)
- The book of Genesis also teaches that “God created man [and woman] in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). When Jesus appeared to the brother of Jared, He said, ““Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image” (Ether 3:15).
Applications
- Sometimes, to receive the answer you seek, you need to pray a little longer.
- Don’t become complacent when things are going well.
- Approach God in prayer with confidence and with reverence.
- Be grateful for the knowledge you have received from God, and acknowledge the limitations of that knowledge.
Recommended Posts
- Why Did Jared Ask His Brother to Pray Instead of Praying Himself?
- What Can We Learn About Coming Unto Christ from the Brother of Jared?
- What Is the Sealed Portion of the Book of Mormon?
- Who Were the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon?
Blog Posts: November 12-17
Biblical Bookends in the Book of Ether
A key message of the Book of Mormon is that we should study the Bible. The book of Ether underscores this point by referencing the first book, Genesis (the tower of Babel), and the last book, Revelation (in conjunction with the brother of Jared’s vision).
Unconfounded
Jared and his brother prayed that their language would not be confounded. God answered their prayer. He will also answer ours as we seek to communicate more clearly and effectively with one another. Improved understanding will yield greater unity.
Across the Great Deep
God led Jared and his family across the ocean in barges that they couldn’t steer. He can also lead us through circumstances in our lives that are beyond our control. Like the Jaredites, we need to learn to trust Him to carry us “across the great deep.”
“There Will I Meet Thee … There Will I Bless Thee”
God instructed Jared and his family where they should travel. He promised to meet them and to bless them at the places He was leading them. He doesn’t always meet our needs by coming to us. Sometimes He leads us to a place where our needs can be met.
Great Power Which Looks Small
When something looks small, it may simply be that we have failed to recognize its significance. The brother of Jared said that God’s great power looks small to us. We can ask Him to help us see the true grandeur of apparently ordinary things.
“Touch Them Not”
Moroni instructed Joseph Smith not to touch the portion of the plates which he had sealed shut. Curiosity can be a powerful motivator and a powerful distraction. We need to act upon our current knowledge while patiently waiting for additional information.
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