The Book Of Jacob (Chap. 4)

Jacob 4:1
Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered
much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of
my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon
plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates
must remain;

Jacob 4:2
But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon
plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words
upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved
brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or
concerning their fathers—

Jacob 4:3
Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to
engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved
brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts,
and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with
sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.

Jacob 4:4
For, for this intent have we written these things, that they
may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory
many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves
had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which
were before us.

Jacob 4:5
Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in
his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for
this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to
him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for
righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the
wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up
his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten
Son.

Jacob 4:6
Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many
revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these
witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken,
insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the
very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

Jacob 4:7
Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may
know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto
the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

Jacob 4:8
Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How
unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is
impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man
knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore,
brethren, despise not the revelations of God.

Jacob 4:9
For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of
the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word.
Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to
speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the
earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it,
according to his will and pleasure?

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.

Jacob 4:11
Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through
the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain
a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which
is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto
God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him
before he manifesteth himself in the flesh.

Jacob 4:12
And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things;
for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a
perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a
resurrection and the world to come?

Jacob 4:13
Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to
the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and
lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are,
and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are
manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But
behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also
spake them unto prophets of old.

Jacob 4:14
But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they
despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and
sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore,
because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking
beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away
his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things
which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And
because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.

Jacob 4:15
And now I, Jacob, am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying;
for I perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that
by the stumbling of the Jews they will reject the stone upon
which they might build and have safe foundation.

Jacob 4:16
But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall
become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation,
upon which the Jews can build.

Jacob 4:17
And now, my beloved, how is it possible that these, after
having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that
it may become the head of their corner?

Jacob 4:18
Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto
you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in
the Spirit, and stumble because of my over anxiety for you.