Nephi saw a vision because he desired knowledge. Consider the Angel’s instruction:
7 And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign, that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God. 1 Nephi 11.7
Now, we know that the Lord rebuked the Pharisees for seeking signs:
The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. Matthew 16.1–4
But signs themselves are good. Moses lead by signs: the seven miracles. Baal was trumped by a sign: fire from heaven. Manna in the wilderness. Water from the rock. The fall of the city from trumpets. Oil in the vial.
Any miracle is a sign. A sign that God exists. That He has all power. That Christ is His son.
But today we don’t need to seek for new signs but instead do as the Lord said and “discern the signs of the times”.
By seeking to see His hand, we find the signs.
It’s wicked to seek for a sign, because wicked means “unrepentant”. An unrepentant soul, one who is not going to Heavenly Father and seeking His love, doesn’t see the Hand of God in their life. As a result, they are without his signs (Gratus sum, ergo habeo).
So to see signs:
- Repent (desire a connection with Heavenly Father and His son)
- Look for them (discern)
Presto poof.
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Bryan lives somewhere at the intersection of faith, fatherhood, and futurism and writes about tech, books, Christianity, gratitude, and whatever’s on his mind. If you liked reading, perhaps you’ll also like subscribing: