“Lesson 144: Ether 2,” 2017 Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher Manual (2017)
“Lesson 144,” 2017 BoM Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 144
Ether 2
Introduction
After departing from the Tower of Babel, Jared and his brother and their families and friends were led by the Lord through the wilderness. The Lord instructed the brother of Jared to build eight barges to carry his people over the sea to a land of promise. As the brother of Jared and his people obeyed the Lord in faith, the Lord gave them the guidance and direction necessary to be successful in their journey.
Suggestions for Teaching
Ether 2:1–15
The Jaredites begin their journey toward the promised land
Before class, hide something representing a treasure in the room where you meet. Prepare a series of three or four clues that guide students to the treasure. You will give the first clue to the students. That clue will lead to the next one, which will lead to the next one, and so on until the students find the treasure. After they have found the treasure, ask:
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What would have happened if you had ignored the first clue? (They would not have found the second clue.)
Invite students to review Ether 1:41–42 silently, looking for the Lord’s first set of instructions to guide the Jaredites to the promised land. Invite students to report what they find.
To help students see how the Jaredites responded to these instructions, invite a student to read Ether 2:1–3 aloud.
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How did the Jaredites respond to the Lord’s first set of instructions?
Invite a student to read Ether 2:4–6 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what the Jaredites received after they followed the first set of instructions.
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What did the Jaredites receive after they followed the Lord’s first set of instructions? (The Lord gave them additional instructions through the brother of Jared.)
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What principle can we learn from this account about how to receive guidance from the Lord? (Students may use different words, but their answers should reflect the following principle: As we act in faith on direction the Lord has given us, we can receive further guidance from Him. You may want to suggest that students write this principle in their scriptures next to Ether 2:6.)
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Why do you think we sometimes need to respond to a spiritual prompting before we can receive additional revelation?
To help students better understand this principle, invite them to think of an impression or prompting they have received recently from the Lord. Then invite a student to read aloud the following statement by Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles about how we often receive revelation:
“It will come a piece at a time, in packets, so that you will grow in capacity. As each piece is followed in faith, you will be led to other portions until you have the whole answer. That pattern requires you to exercise faith in our Father’s capacity to respond. While sometimes it’s very hard, it results in significant personal growth” (Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 9).
Invite students to answer the following question in their class notebooks or study journals. You may want to write it on the board or read it slowly so students can write it down.
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When have you followed a spiritual prompting and then received further direction from God?
After sufficient time, consider inviting a few students to share what they wrote with the class. You might also consider sharing an experience of your own.
Summarize Ether 2:8–12 by explaining that the Lord told the brother of Jared that when the Jaredites arrived in the promised land, they would need to “serve him, the true and only God” (verse 8) if they were to become the great nation He had promised they could become. If they did not serve Him, they would be “swept off” the land (verses 8–10). Moroni said that this was an “everlasting decree” (verse 10), meaning that it would apply to all who would live in that land.
Invite students to read Ether 2:13–15 silently, looking for what the Jaredites did when they reached the seashore.
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What did the Jaredites do? (They pitched their tents and stayed at the seashore for four years.)
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Why did the Lord chasten the brother of Jared?
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How do you think the Lord’s chastening could be a blessing to the brother of Jared and his people as they continued their journey toward the promised land?
Ether 2:16–25 (also Ether 3:1–6; 6:4–9)
The Jaredites build barges to cross the ocean to the promised land
Ask students to think of a challenge they might have or an important decision they might need to make, now or in the future. For example, they might think about a difficult family situation, challenges in school, deciding whom to marry, or choosing a profession to pursue. Invite them to ponder how the Lord might give them direction or help. As they study the rest of Ether 2, encourage them to look for principles that will help them receive the Lord’s help in making good decisions.
Invite a student to read Ether 2:16–17 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what the Lord told the Jaredites to do to progress toward the promised land. When the student has finished reading, ask if someone would like to come to the board and quickly draw what they think the Jaredites’ barges may have looked like.
Copy the following chart on the board. Provide the chart as a handout or ask students to copy it in their class notebooks or study journals.
Crossing the Ocean: Problems and Solutions
Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher Manual—Lesson 144
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Problem with the barges |
Solution |
What the Lord did |
What the brother of Jared did |
© 2017 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Invite students to search Ether 2:18–19 on their own to find the three problems that the brother of Jared noticed in the barges.
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What problems did the brother of Jared notice? (Following students’ responses, write No air, No steering, and No light in the three boxes on the left-hand side of the chart under “Problem with the barges.” Encourage students to do the same on their copies of the chart.)
After students have identified the problems, divide students into pairs and invite them to study together Ether 2:20–25; 3:1–6; 6:4–9. (Note: The passages in Ether 3 and 6 will be covered in greater detail in lessons 145 and 147.) Give them time to complete the rest of the chart.
When students have had enough time to complete the chart, invite a few students to come to the board to fill out the chart with the answers they found. Then ask the following questions:
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Based on the solution to the concern about air, how does the Lord sometimes help us solve our problems or answer our questions? (Sometimes the Lord tells us how to solve a problem and expects us to follow His instructions.)
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Based on the solution to the concern about steering, how does the Lord sometimes help us solve our problems or answer our questions? (Sometimes the Lord takes care of the solution Himself.)
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Based on the solution to the concern about light, how does the Lord sometimes help us solve our problems or answer our questions? (Sometimes the Lord requires us to come up with a solution and ask for His approval and help in carrying it out.)
Write the following principle on the board, and invite students to consider writing it in their scriptures next to Ether 2:20–25: As we call upon the Lord and do our part to solve our problems, we can receive the Lord’s help. Remind students of the important decision they thought about earlier in the lesson. Then ask them to ponder the following questions:
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What do you think the Lord might expect you to do in making this decision?
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What might the Lord do to help you?
Share your testimony that when we faithfully call upon the Lord and do our part to solve our problems, He will direct us and help us according to His wisdom and power.
Give students a few minutes to write about how they will apply what they have learned today. You might consider inviting them to respond to the following question in their class notebooks or study journals:
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How can you demonstrate trust in the Lord as you think about this decision?
Commentary and Background Information
Ether 2:14–15. The Lord’s chastening as an expression of love
Referring to Ether 2:14–15, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles marveled at the brother of Jared’s strength of character and God’s loving forgiveness:
“It is difficult to imagine what a three-hour rebuke from the Lord might be like, but the brother of Jared endured it. With immediate repentance and prayer, this prophet again sought guidance for the journey they had been assigned and those who were to pursue it. God accepted his repentance and lovingly gave further direction for their crucial mission” (Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon [1997], 15).
Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord taught, “Whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance in all things out of temptation, and I have loved you” (D&C 95:1).
Ether 2:22–23. Prayer must be combined with effort
Many people have said that we should pray as if everything depends on the Lord and work as if everything depends on us. President Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said that he often heard President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) say, “I don’t know how to get anything done except getting on my knees and pleading for help and then getting on my feet and going to work” (Russell M. Nelson, “Spiritual Capacity,” Ensign, Nov. 1997, 16).