First Book of Nephi - Interpretations of Nephi's Vision

Interpretations of Nephi's Vision

Perhaps the most potentially controversial part of the First Book of Nephi is the misunderstanding that has resulted from descriptions trying to define the "great and abominable church" that Nephi sees among the "nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles"(I Nephi 13:3-8). It may be of interest to note how this particular vision has had an impact on the way of Mormonism's view toward the rest of Christianity.

The Great and Abominable Church

Nephi sees the persecution of the apostles and their followers by the "house of Israel", then later sees a "great church" that is, according to the description of the angel, "...most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron...". The description almost immediately appears to be describing the persecution of Reformers and Protestant or pre-Protestant groups of people who suffered persecution and execution before, during, and after the Middle Ages, and this view seems to have been held by Bruce R. McConkie in his first edition of Mormon Doctrine. While Mormons do not believe such groups had the fullness of the gospel (often meaning priesthood authority of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods), and neither considering themselves Protestant, they do however believe that such groups had many righteous leaders and members who could be considered saints because they followed the light of Christ and sought to follow Him. Such people would include Wycliffe and Tyndale, who have been brought up most recently in an LDS General Conference. The majority of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that this great and abominable church includes any organized group of people who fight against God and His divine purposes by means of persecution, false teachings and belief systems, and oppression. Bruce R. McConkie, who was later ordained an apostle of the LDS Church, originally wrote his opinion that the Catholic Church was the great and abominable church, but very few in the LDS Church share his view today. But we must note that his meaning of the Catholic Church was the church in its original state when it was executing and plundering and hiding its crimes as a government and a church. Scriptures indicate organizations and nations during periods of times, but not necessarily throughout the span of history in its entirety.

The idea that the great and abominable church includes all evil institutions may appear completely accurate to some, since there were also immoral institutions even before the death of the Apostles. However, when Christ was crucified and his apostles and the saints were killed, the proper leadership of his church was lost. There was no longer authority directed from Christ on the earth and therefore man began to lead the church based on their own beliefs. This eventually led to changes away from true doctrine and the formation of many churches holding different viewpoints. Other churches had existed during the time of the apostles, but from the church Christ set up, after the corruption and mystification of doctrine in the Bible, the Catholic Church began to rise. Precisely what "The Great and Abomninable Church" is, however, remains vague.

The Taking Away of Truth from the Bible

Besides the persecution of the saints, Nephi sees that people who comprise the great and abominable church among the Gentiles would also be involved with taking "away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away." They would do this by taking the record of the Jews that would go forth "in purity" "by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb" to the Gentiles, and taking away "plain and precious things" from the "book of the Lamb of God." Latter-day Saints believe that the Bible lost some of its originally intended meaning and doctrine as spoken by the ancient prophets and apostles because of this taking away of plain and precious truths by some Gentile teachers and compilers soon after the death of the apostles, though the Bible remained an important source of truth as attested by Nephi. This could be looked upon when the council of Nicaea voted on which parts of the Bible were "true doctrine."

Future Events and Books of Scripture

Nephi sees in his vision that the record and testimony of his people in the Book of Mormon is brought forth "unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb." He sees this book taken to the descendants of the Lamanites to teach them the fullness of the gospel, and that other books are also brought by the Gentiles to them and to all the house of Israel to convince them "that the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true." He sees that these books have the important role of making known the "plain and precious things" that had been lost from the Bible, but also "establish the truth of the first" (the Bible).

Nephi teaches of the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant when scattered Israel will be gathered through believing in Jesus Christ and his divine mission and atonement. He sees that there will be "wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth," but that "the covenant people of the Lord, ...scattered upon all the face of the earth," ... "were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory." He foresees the eventual destruction of the great and abominable church, and the triumph of Christ's reign on earth during the Millennium.