1 Nephi 13–14

“Armed with Righteousness and with the Power of God”

After being shown in a vision the eventual apostasy and destruction of his people, Nephi saw that a great and abominable church would corrupt the teachings of the Bible and fight against the Saints of God. Imagine Nephi’s joy to also see that the gospel would be restored, blessing all who would embrace the Savior’s teachings and covenants. The purpose of this lesson is to help you understand the importance of covenants and to increase your desire to make and keep them.

Conveying that learners’ contributions are valued. When students raise their hand to make a comment, call them by name and help them feel that their comments can help others learn.

Student preparation: Consider inviting students to come prepared to share what they think some of the most significant events are from the last 500 years.

Possible Learning Activities

Note: 1 Nephi 13:20–42 will be taught in more detail in the next lesson.

God’s hand in history

Imagine you are shown a vision of the most significant events of the last 500 years, including our time.

Consider writing or having students write answers to the following question on the board. Seeing answers on the board might spark ideas from other students.

• What events do you think you might see in this vision? Why?

The prophet Nephi was shown a vision that included significant events from this time period. Notice what President Russell M. Nelson declared about Nephi’s vision:

We have front-row seats to witness live what the prophet Nephi saw only in vision. …

You, my brothers and sisters, are among those men, women, and children whom Nephi saw. Think of that! (Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 88)

As you study 1 Nephi 13–14, look for evidence of God’s power in the events leading up to our day as well as significant promises that the Lord will fulfill in your life.

The following activity could be used in multiple ways. For example, you could display the events and their corresponding scriptures and then invite students to read the verses and write a short summary of all the events. You could also create a quiz where students could match the events to the verses.

Read the scripture passages and match what is described in the verses with the events listed below. Note: Gentiles as used in these verses refers to people who are not from or do not live in the land of Judah.

1 Nephi 13:12–13, 16–19	Record of the Nephites (Book of Mormon) and other scripture establish the truth of the record of the Jews (Bible) and restore plain and precious truths.
1 Nephi 13:23–26	Discovery and colonization of the promised land by the Gentiles.
1 Nephi 13:35–36, 39–40	Record of the Jews (the Bible) corrupted by the great and abominable church.
1 Nephi 14:7–10	Marvelous work (Restoration of the gospel) comes forth. Gentiles choose whether to accept or reject its blessings.

Answers: 1-b, 2-c, 3-a, 4-d. You could ask students what they know or if they have questions about the events.

• What do you think is significant about these prophecies?

Students may benefit from studying 1 Nephi 13:12–13, 16–19 to discover how the Spirit and power of God were upon those who journeyed to the promised land.

• What do you learn about God from these verses?

  This could be a good opportunity to share your testimony of God’s hand in the unfolding of the Restoration. You could also invite students to share their feelings.

• How might this understanding about Him bless your life now?

Accessing God’s power in our lives

Nephi was shown the latter days and saw the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ and the opposition that it would face. He also saw the blessings promised to covenant-keeping followers of Jesus Christ.

Read 1 Nephi 14:12–14, looking for what Nephi learned about latter-day members of Jesus Christ’s Church.

• What stands out to you from Nephi’s description of Jesus Christ’s Church and its members in our day? Why?

  Consider discussing students’ thoughts and feelings about being among the few members of the Church worldwide. You may invite them to share ways they have seen people fight against the Savior and how they can respond faithfully and lovingly to such challenges.

  To facilitate the discussion, consider inviting students to respond to comments made by their peers. Seek direction from the Spirit to know what follow-up questions to ask.

• What principles can you identify from verse 14?

One principle we can learn from these verses is if we keep our covenants, we will be armed with righteousness and with the power of God.

• What covenants have you made or will you make with God?

• What are some ways that help you stay focused on keeping the covenants you have made?

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about what it means to be armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory:

The phrase “armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” [1 Nephi 14:14] is not simply a nice idea or an example of beautiful scriptural language. Rather, these blessings are readily evident in the lives of countless latter-day disciples of the Lord. …

… I testify that the covenant people of the Lord today indeed are armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory. I have witnessed faith, courage, perspective, persistence, and joy that extend far beyond mortal capacity—and that only God could provide. (David A. Bednar, “With the Power of God in Great Glory,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 29–30)

• What are some possible examples of people your age being “armed with righteousness”?

• When have you experienced some of these blessings “that only God could provide”?

To see an example of a young woman who makes and keeps covenants, watch the video “Standing in Holy Places” (5:36), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Consider inviting students to answer the following questions in their study journal. Students may benefit from hearing you share how you have kept your covenants and been armed with righteousness and the power of God.

• What do your daily actions tell you about how important the covenants are that you have made?

• Why do you need the power that comes from covenants with Heavenly Father?

• How could you more fully invite into your life the blessings of making and honoring covenants with Heavenly Father?

Commentary and Background Information

1 Nephi 13. What is meant by the term Gentiles in the Book of Mormon?

Gentiles can mean “the nations.” It refers to (1) those who are not of the house of Israel; (2) those who do not believe in the God of Israel or who do not have the gospel, regardless of their lineage; and (3) people who are not from or do not live in the land of Judah. For example, pilgrims and colonists in the Americas are called Gentiles in 1 Nephi 13:3–13. Those who brought forth the Book of Mormon are called Gentiles in 1 Nephi 13:38. The Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price were also brought forth by Gentiles (see 1 Nephi 13:39; Doctrine and Covenants 109:60).

1 Nephi 13:12. Who was the man in Nephi’s vision?

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) identified this man among the Gentiles as Christopher Columbus:

God inspired “a man among the Gentiles” (1 Nephi 13:12) who, by the Spirit of God was led to rediscover the land of America and bring this rich new land to the attention of the people in Europe. That man, of course, was Christopher Columbus, who testified that he was inspired in what he did.

“Our Lord,” said Columbus, “unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my enterprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?” (Jacob Wasserman, Columbus, Don Quixote of the Seas, pp. 19–20). (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 577)

1 Nephi 14:10. What are the two churches mentioned?

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said that the “great and abominable church” described by Nephi “must be any philosophy or organization that opposes belief in God. And the ‘captivity’ into which this ‘church’ seeks to bring the saints will not be so much physical confinement as the captivity of false ideas” (“Stand as Witnesses of God,” Ensign, Mar. 2015, 32).

How will God bless the righteous in the last days?

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

We live, brothers and sisters, in the days preceding the Lord’s Second Coming, a time long anticipated by believers through the ages. We live in days of wars and rumors of wars, days of natural disasters, days when the world is pulled by confusion and commotion.

But we also live in the glorious time of the Restoration, when the gospel is being taken to all the world—a time when the Lord has promised that He “will raise up … a pure people” [Doctrine and Covenants 100:16] and arm them “with righteousness and with the power of God” [1 Nephi 14:14].

We rejoice in these days and pray that we will be able to courageously face our struggles and uncertainties. (Neil L. Andersen, “Thy Kingdom Come,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 119)

How are we blessed by walking the covenant path?

Read, watch, or listen to Elder D. Todd Christofferson’s talk entitled “Why the Covenant Path” (Liahona, May 2021, 116–19).

Supplemental Learning Activities

1 Nephi 14:1–7. Results of our response to truth

Another way to approach 1 Nephi 14 is to display the following image, resembling a fork in a road, without the words.

Read 1 Nephi 14:1–2, 5–7. Help students notice the different choices people would make in response to the Restoration of the gospel and the consequences for those choices. Add the responses to the image so it looks similar to the one above.