Jacob 7

A few years later, a man named Sherem came among the Nephites and preached that Jesus Christ wasn’t coming at all. Using flattery as a tool, he worked to undermine Jesus Christ’s doctrine, and succeeded in convincing many people that the prophecies were false. Knowing that I was the most faithful to the prophecy of Christ’s coming, he sought out an audience with me, also. He spoke with the skill and artistry of the devil to try and shake my belief and have me deny the revelations and visions of angels I’d seen. But I couldn’t be budged, because I’d heard the voice of God speaking to me.

“Brother Jacob,” Sherem said to me, “while you go around talking about this so-called doctrine of Jesus Christ, you are leading your people away from God and the law of Moses. You ask that they worship this being who is supposed to show up some hundreds of years from now. That’s blasphemy. No one can know these things or predict the future.”

With the help of God, I contested his words, and asked if he denied that Christ was coming.

“I know there is no Christ, and there never will be,” Sherem responded.

“Do you believe in the scriptures?” I asked.

“Yes, I do,” he said.

“Then you must not understand them,” I replied, “because they testify about Christ and prophesy his coming. I have seen him myself, and I know that without his atonement all of mankind will be lost.”

“Show me some sign of this Holy Ghost whom you claim to know,” he demanded, insolently.

“Who am I,” I responded, “to command signs from God on your orders? You know that what I say is true, but deny it because you are of the devil. Nonetheless, if God chooses to strike you, let that be your sign that Christ is coming. But let that be God’s will, not mine.” After I’d spoken these words, Sherem fell to the ground, too weakened to get up.

Many days later Sherem, declared that he was about to die and asked for the people to gather so that he could speak to them. On the following day, he confessed to everyone who came that he had spoken falsely. He affirmed the truth of Jesus Christ, the angels, and the power of the Holy Ghost, telling of how he’d been deceived by the power of the devil. Now that he was dying, he was afraid, because he knew the truth of hell and the reality of eternal punishment. “I fear that I have committed the unpardonable sin of lying about God, of denying Christ, and of denying that the scriptures foretell his coming. But, now, I confess before God.”

Having said this, Sherem died and the people all fell on the ground, overcome and astonished by the power of God. Because my prayers had been answered by God, I was pleased when peace and love were again restored to my people. The Nephites soon forgot the words of this wicked man, and they returned to the scriptures of God.

Fresh attempts were made to regather and restore the Lamanites to the knowledge of truth but it was useless because their minds were set on wars, bloodshed, and their eternal hatred of us. Try as we might to help them, they continued in their efforts to destroy us by force of arms; so, we Nephites did our best to fortify ourselves against their onslaughts, and trusted in God to help us defeat their attacks.

As I grow old and approach my death, I conclude my record on these plates by saying that I’ve done my best to pass along the knowledge of God. Our lives have passed by like dreams in this lonesome new land where we wander as solemn outcasts from distant Jerusalem. We’ve been born in the wilderness into trial and tribulations, hated by our warring and contentious brothers, mourning for a peace that we’ve never known.

Before going to the grave, I have spoken with my son, Enos, and given him these plates. I’ve told him what my brother, Nephi, instructed me to do. He has promised to continue these records and also to pass them along as I have done. And so, I make an end to my writing and bid you farewell hoping that many of my brothers will come to read these words.