Welcome to Day 20... 
Jacob speaks to the pure in heart that are suffering from the wicked choices of others. His comforting counsel: "Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause...lift up your head and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever."
I found it interesting that the Jews were given "many things they couldn't understand," because they desired it. And "because they desired it, God hath done it, that they may stumble." What? So sometimes God gives us things if we ask for them (ie: Joseph Smith and the lost pages), even if it's not the best, hoping that after we "stumble" we will finally come to Him as we should have in the first place.
More about stumbling...poor Jacob said he hoped he wouldn't "stumble because of [his] over-anxiety for you." He was super stressed out about the lameness of his people!
In Jacob 5, we read the Allegory of the Olive Tree." An allegory is a metaphor that is extended, similar to a parable. The allegory of the olive tree contains the sequence of events leading up to the latter-day gathering of Israel, but that is the message "hidden" in the parable:
"And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." (Matt.13:10-11.) Not everyone is GOING to get it.
Jacob speaks to the pure in heart that are suffering from the wicked choices of others. His comforting counsel: "Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause...lift up your head and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever."
I found it interesting that the Jews were given "many things they couldn't understand," because they desired it. And "because they desired it, God hath done it, that they may stumble." What? So sometimes God gives us things if we ask for them (ie: Joseph Smith and the lost pages), even if it's not the best, hoping that after we "stumble" we will finally come to Him as we should have in the first place.
More about stumbling...poor Jacob said he hoped he wouldn't "stumble because of [his] over-anxiety for you." He was super stressed out about the lameness of his people!
In Jacob 5, we read the Allegory of the Olive Tree." An allegory is a metaphor that is extended, similar to a parable. The allegory of the olive tree contains the sequence of events leading up to the latter-day gathering of Israel, but that is the message "hidden" in the parable:
"And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." (Matt.13:10-11.) Not everyone is GOING to get it.
In chapter 6, Jacob implores us to "...repent and come with full purpose of heart and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended...harden not your hearts."
"O be wise, what can I say more?"
- Opening Song: "Israel, Israel God is Calling"
- Open study session with prayer.
- Student Study Guide: (here)
- Video: Discussions on the Book of Mormon Jacob 4-6
Jacob 4:10 "Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works."
This handout is from the "Principles of the Gospel" blog entry on Jacob 5. (here)
Jacob 5—Understanding Zenos’s Allegory
Every item in an allegory is not necessarily meant as a symbol for something else, but certain major symbols must be understood in order to understand the allegory. The following symbols are important in understanding the allegory of the olive tree...
Symbol & What It Might Represent:
Casting branches into the fire=God’s judgments
Jacob 5:8–10—What Does It Mean to “Graft” Branches?
To graft branches, healthy, living branches are cut from a tree or plant and inserted into another place (see accompanying illustration). The branches in this allegory represent groups of people that the Lord takes from one place and plants them in another. In the scriptural sense, grafting means to “come to the knowledge of the true Messiah” (1 Nephi 10:14).
Grafting branches
Jacob 5 Videos: There are 5 short seminary video segments that you can understand a little better AFTER you've read The Allegory of the Olive Tree.
See subsequent Jacob 5 video segments: (here)
More in depth study materials: BYU's Neal A Maxwell Institute has an entire list of articles related to Jacob 5: here
“A great deal also has been said about giving your life for the work, not in death but in living day by day. It is so easy sometimes to die; it is hard sometimes to live the principles for which we stand... I believe it is far more important to live for our faith than to die for our faith.” – Mark E. Peterson
For Fun: I found an interesting video (in greek) showing the grafting of an olive tree. My husband and boys enjoyed this very slow-paced demonstration. :)
The vineyard = The world
The Master of the vineyard/Lord of the vineyard =God
Servants=The Lord’s prophets
Tame olive tree=The house of Israel, the Lord’s covenant people
Wild olive tree=Gentiles, or non-Israelites (later in the allegory the wild branches are apostate Israel)
Branches=Groups of people
The roots of the tame olive tree=The covenants the Lord makes with His children, a constant source of strength and life to the faithful
The fruit=The lives or works of men
The roots of the tame olive tree=The covenants the Lord makes with His children, a constant source of strength and life to the faithful
The fruit=The lives or works of men
Digging, pruning, fertilizing=The work the Lord does for His children to help them be obedient and fruitful
Transplanting the branches=Scattering groups of people throughout the world, or restoring them to where they came from
Grafting=The joining of one group of people to another; referring to scattered Israel, it also means to “come to the knowledge of the true Messiah” (see 1 Nephi 10:14)
Decaying branches=People dying spiritually from sin and apostasy
Transplanting the branches=Scattering groups of people throughout the world, or restoring them to where they came from
Grafting=The joining of one group of people to another; referring to scattered Israel, it also means to “come to the knowledge of the true Messiah” (see 1 Nephi 10:14)
Decaying branches=People dying spiritually from sin and apostasy
Casting branches into the fire=God’s judgments
Jacob 5:8–10—What Does It Mean to “Graft” Branches?
To graft branches, healthy, living branches are cut from a tree or plant and inserted into another place (see accompanying illustration). The branches in this allegory represent groups of people that the Lord takes from one place and plants them in another. In the scriptural sense, grafting means to “come to the knowledge of the true Messiah” (1 Nephi 10:14).
Grafting branches
Jacob 5 Videos: There are 5 short seminary video segments that you can understand a little better AFTER you've read The Allegory of the Olive Tree.
See subsequent Jacob 5 video segments: (here)
Podcast on Jacob 5:
More in depth study materials: BYU's Neal A Maxwell Institute has an entire list of articles related to Jacob 5: here
“A great deal also has been said about giving your life for the work, not in death but in living day by day. It is so easy sometimes to die; it is hard sometimes to live the principles for which we stand... I believe it is far more important to live for our faith than to die for our faith.” – Mark E. Peterson
- Record thoughts and impressions in your journal.
- Complete study session with prayer.
For Fun: I found an interesting video (in greek) showing the grafting of an olive tree. My husband and boys enjoyed this very slow-paced demonstration. :)
Heidi, do you know where you got this quote for the definition of an allegory? I really like it and wanted to use it and source it properly.
ReplyDeleteIn Jacob 5, we read the Allegory of the Olive Tree. "An allegory is a metaphor that is extended, similar to a parable. The Spirit revealed to Zenos the allegory of the olive tree to conceal the sequence of events leading up to the latter-day gathering of Israel from protractors determined to thwart the endeavor. Jesus explained this divinely inspired strategy:
It is a quote from a personal friend of mine that wishes to remain anonymous. :) I put it in quotation marks to show it was not my words, but didn't put the source intentionally per request.
DeleteHi! I'm unable to see the hyperlink for the funny podcast. Where can I find the info?
ReplyDeleteHi Brooke! Curious are you on a smart phone or laptop? Here's the link. It was mislabled as "funny." Haha. Not really meant to be comedic. Simply a review of the allegory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvMViC9Erzc
DeleteYour diagram is missing a branch during the second visit. I get it. It's easy to miss. It's in verse 24 and it brings forth fruit, but it is nondescript and a little vague. The prophet doesn't comment on it. You'll also notice in the 3rd and 4th visits that it is no longer mentioned, but this may be for a reason. It is said that this may have reference to the city of Enoch. I don't know if this is true or not, but it would make sense that it did not produce corrupt fruit in the 3rd and 4th visit and it would not return until after the earth is burned after the Savior's coming.
ReplyDeleteUnknown, the allegory is in reference to the scattering and gathering of Israel. The city of Enoch came well before Israel and is unlikely.
ReplyDelete