Jaredite Barges or the Plan of Happiness

Jaradite Boats or How we get to the Promised Land

by

Jeffrey A. Bushman

I have picked a topic that many have worked on in the past, and I almost didn't do it because of others and their works.  However I have felt a desire to put this story of the Brother of Jared into a symbolic form for myself.  I feel that if I can see symbolism and see Christ in that symbolism, then I have come closer to the Savior as I have studied the scriptures.  Many of the thoughts I will use are well known, and yet others may see to be a far stretch of the imagination, but they work for me and have helped me focus on the Savior more than in my past studies.

In the story of the Jaradite boats, many of the individual elements have been given symbolic meaning as they relate to us arriving in "our" promised land after our journey across the deep, or sea of life.  I will use many of these learned from others. 

First, what is the promised land?  In this paper it will be symbolic of gaining our exaltation in the Celestial kingdom.

Second, what is the Ocean?  In Revelations 17: 1, 15  John sees the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.  Maybe she is sitting on them in order to hold them down.  Then in verse 15 it reads,  "And he saith unto me, The water which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues."  In this account the water represented the power of the adversary or the peoples of the world by keeping them in darkness, through their disobedience.  In many other places water has reference to wicked people.  In this paper it will not only represent people but the world we have to live in but must not become a part.

Third, the people in the boat represent us as we leave one promised land from our past, our pre-earth existence, and travel towards another promised land.  In Chapter 2:5-7, They follow the Lord, and travel in that quarter where there never had man been (this mortality and possibly pre-earth as spirit children).  The Lord went before them and gave direction  whither they should travel.  They built barges many times and crossed many waters (pre-earth) under the direction of the Lord.  However, the Lord would not let them stop in the wilderness beyond the sea (mortality), but He wanted them to continue on until they came unto the promised land (Celestial Kingdom).

Fourth, the boats that were fashioned to provide a means of crossing the many waters.  They are the means the Lord has given us to assist us in our efforts to reach the promised land.  In this paper I will give more details about what I feel the boats represent. 

Fifth, the winds that brought the boats to the promised land represent the spirit of the Lord.  In the Hebrew language, I understand that wind and spirit come from the same word.  Also D&C 109:37  records the rushing of great winds during the temple dedication.

I will focus on the second, third and sixth chapters of the book of Ether and will start the story after the brother of Jared and his friends and family have arrived at the place they call Moriancumer (Ether 2:13).  Here they have camped for four years and the Lord comes and chastened the brother of Jared because he remembered not to call on the name of the Lord.  In verse 15 of chapter 2 he repents and calls on the name of the Lord for his brethren who were with him.  They then receive forgiveness for their sins.  Calling on the name of the Lord seems to do more with repentance and seeking forgiveness of sins and not just failure to pray.  Then in the same verse the Lord tells the brother of Jared not to sin anymore, because he needed to remember that the Lord's spirit would not always strive with man.  This phrase "my spirit shall not always strive with man", is used several times in the scriptures.  Most have to do with Noah and the ark episode, when all flesh or natural men, as I will interprete it, would be destroyed.  Back in verse 15 we learn that if people sin until they become fully ripe they will be cut off from the presence of the Lord.  This is also the promise that makes this (America) a promised land.  In 1 Nephi 26:11 we learn that when his spirit ceaseth to strive then comes speedy destruction.  Finally in D&C 1:33 the Lord says, "And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my spirit shall not always strive with man. ..."  These are the only places I could find this quote and all have reference to the same thing.  If you don't repent you will be destroyed, in most cases this destruction is caused by sending in the flood upon them.  In verse 20 we learn that they are warned to close the hole that ye may not perish in the flood.  These seem to relate to the same thing and will use them that way.  The brother of Jared understood this for he was well acquainted with Noah and his story. 

In the book of 1 Peter chapter 3, we learn that Noah's ark was symbolic of the baptismal covenant that the Lord has given us so we may be forgiven of our sins and allows Him to give us more light than the world can receive.  I will use the eight Jaradite barges (Ether 3:1) as also being symbolic of the covenants of the Lord, designed to save us from the waters that destroy men, and through the help of these covenants, land us in the promised land.  In Ether 2:16 the Lord tells the Brother of Jared to build barges like the ones he has previously built.  If the barge has to do with our covenants in this life then these previous barges must relate to covenants and experiences we had in our previous promised land ( pre-earth).  These eight barges were built according to the instructions of the Lord.  He sets the terms of the covenants and not man.  "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say. . ." D&C 82:10.  These boats were small.  In Alma 37:6  we learn, "...that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small things in many instances doth confound the wise."  I'm sure the world looks at our covenants and beliefs with no understanding and may even do so with contempt.

The barges were light upon the water.  They were given to keep us up and not let us be weighed down with the sins of the world.  They were above the wicked and were not part of them.  They would float and be nearer to the light the Lord gives to the world, at least to those who will take the time to look up out of the water.  They were also light like a fowl on the water, many times the Holy Ghost is mentioned like a dove, thus the Lord can use the wicked for His very purposes.  In this case they provide the opposition necessary for us to have agency.  In verse 17 the barges are described as being tight even that they would hold water like unto a dish.  It seems strange they were described as being able to hold water, but also designed to hold out the sea.  They took water with them to keep alive physically and that spiritual water (Christ) which the world has not available for they have nothing to hold that living water.  In Jeremiah 2:13 the Lord said, " for my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."  Here this takes on added meaning when we remember in verse 18 where he said I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me.  Thus the barges are constructed by their works and the help or grace of the Lord.  In verse 25 the Lord very plainly states that He has to prepare us for this journey for He said, "for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea."  The desire of the wicked one and his followers is to destroy the righteous along with their light and truth.

The sides and top of the barges were also tight so that now water could get in.  The only way the water could destroy was if those inside were to let it in.  The ends of the boats were peaked, maybe pointed towards heaven, here they would place two stones to light their boats.  This would allow Christ who gave the covenants to be both the author and finisher of our faith.  This is taught in Moroni 6:4 where "after being received unto baptism( the barges) . . .they were nourished by the good word (light and truth or stones) of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and finisher of their faith." 

The length of the barges was the height of a tree, Ether 2:17, possibly this has reference to the tree that would support the Christ in completing His atonement, death, and resurrection, there by giving life unto the covenant. 

Later in verse 19 the brother of Jared is confronted with three problems.  The one about steering has no answer given by the Lord.  Later in Ether 6:5 we find that God caused a furious wind blow towards the promised land.  When we make covenants with Him and counsel with him He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6) giving power and direction to our progression.  We are not to rely on the arm of flesh.

The second problem was of receiving air.  Here they were instructed to make a hole in the top and bottom of their barges to receive needed air from the Lord.  Even their air was from the grace of the Lord.  In Mosiah 2: 21 we read, "I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another--I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants."  Also in Ether 2:20 they were warned "that if the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood."  The wicked one would use all of our physical needs to try and destroy us through them.  Also in verse 24 they were told that they would be like a whale in the sea because of the big waves that would cover them, but the Lord says that He will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea, giving you life giving breath, even a whale has to surface because it can't get air from the waters.

The third problem was receiving light to see in the barges.  In verse 22 of chapter 2 the brother of Jared  asks "Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness"?  This represents our need for light as we are separated from the Lord in this mortal sojourn.  Then in verse 25 the Lord asks "what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea"?  All men including the wicked had or have access to the light that comes from the sun or in this story, the light of Christ.  Here at this part of the story the brother of Jared is concerned about having light when they are under the water or swallowed up in the depths of the sea.  Perhaps they received light as well as air through the hole but needed additional light when confronted by the pressures and temptations of the wicked.  When they are covered with water the deeper they go the less light that is available.  This added light is made available as we make covenants with the Lord and strive to keep our part of the agreement, for "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" Proverbs 4:18.  It is the Lord's desire for us to gain more light until we shall see eye to eye.   In D&C 93:39 we are warned about Satan for "that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth through disobedience, from the children of men..."  Satan want to keep you down under the water.  So when the Lord asks what he should do it is left up to the brother of Jared for the Lord is willing to give the light to any who on their own will come to him.  We have to do the work to bring us to the point where he can give us the light. 

In Ether 3 we now have the story of the brother of Jared putting forth the effort to molten 16 stones out of the mount Shelem which was the same mountain where he climbed to the top to have the Lord touch them.  The temple and mountains have much in common where the righteous go to converse with the Lord.  Here the brother of Jared goes to the mountain to obtain stones which he wants the Lord to touch and give more light unto the boats.  Many of us go to the temple but without a fire (Holy Ghost) to molten stones that the Lord would touch to give us light above what has been given to the world.  Our covenants and in fact the entire church is built on our need to receive that rock which the Lord built the church on, which is the rock of revelation (See Mathew 16:16-18).  As the brother of Jared asks the Lord to touch the stones he explains the need to have light as they are encompassed by the floods and he acknowledges his unworthiness before him and asks in faith for the Lord to touch the stones and give light unto them.  Light and life only come to our covenants when we ask the Lord to touch them.  When he sees the finger of the Lord, because the veil has been breached on account of his great faith, he falls and is struck with fear.  In 3:19 because of knowledge (light) of this man he could not be kept within the veil.  Who would like to keep him without?  The Lord or Satan?  Certainly the Lord would like all to come unto Him and partake of Eternal Life and Exaltation.  With this added light the Lord asked what all he saw and he responds, your finger and then asks to see more, once the brother of Jared has declared his faith in the Lord He shows Himself unto him.  In verse 13 the Lord states that because the brother of Jared has seen him, and "knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall: therefore ye are brought back into my presence..."  Thus the brother of Jared has in essence achieved his promised land before even getting into the barges, yet the barges help provide the means to make this possible.  Also the Lord allowed him to behold all His dealing with the children of men and then had him seal these up and gave him two stones that would be for the benefit of others to help them achieve light greater than the 16 stones could give.  We will as a people have to wait for this light from the Lord until the own due time of the Lord, we may however receive this added light if we prove ourselves worthy.  Also in verse 19 of chapter 3 we learn something else about this trip to the promised land.  Here the Lord reveals to the brother of Jared that He Himself was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem His people.  The Lord is the barge upon which we must cross the deep.  He was prepared just like the barges.  In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, for those who would believe on His name and become His sons and daughters.   He will provide light and support and prepare a way that the waves and the sea will have no power to bring you down to destruction.  In chapter 6:2 when the brother of Jared comes down from the mountain he puts the stones in the boat one in each end and they give light unto the boat.  Not in the boat but unto,  thus Christ gives life and light to the covenants.  This is similiar the ark of the covenant talked about in 1 Kings 8:21 "I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt" (from the world to the promised land), that these barges are the same thing.  Also there are many who don't have the faith of the brother of Jared so they will need to get on the barge and use the help of the Lord to reach the promised land.

Moroni gives instruction about this greater light and the way to gain it for the gentiles in the last days.  We will have to accept the lesser portion and believe in the testimony of three witnesses who will declare this light unto us.  However back to the actual journey across the waters.

Once these stones were placed in the boats they gave light unto men so they could have light instead of the darkness as they cross the deep, perhaps the tightness of the boats made it so those inside did not cast their pearly light before swine, that as shown in other scripture love to swim in the waters.  The light was only for those who were worthy of it. 

Once the boats were prepared they had to gather food and water for themselves and their animals.  Here we learn, as spoken in Phillipians 2:12 that we must work out our own salvation once the way has been made available to us, commending ourselves unto the Lord our God. 

After they have launched their boats it is now up to the Lord and in Ether 6:5 the Lord causes a furious wind to blow towards the promised land.  The wind never quit (verse 8) just as the Lord's help and assistance will always be available as we keep our covenants.  They traveled before the wind, but were tossed by the waves.  Here the spirit of the Lord causes trouble for the wicked (waves) for in 1 Nephi 16:2  we learn from Nephi, "...I know that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center."  As the wind (spirit) blows upon the water it causes or stirs it up to great anger and a desire to destroy those in the barges.  Those in the barges are affected by the waves but realize the wind is necessary to get them to the promised land.  In 6:6-7 many times they were buried in the depths of the sea because of the great and terrible tempests.  "Great and terrible" sound like the second coming where it will be terrible for the wicked and great for the righteous showing forth the power of God.  The water could not hurt them when buried since their boats were tight like a dish and also tight like the ark of Noah.  Comparing it to Noah's ark would then have reference to the covenants the Lord makes with those who would have him save them.

When they were buried deep by the waters, they had to cry unto the Lord and he did bring them on top of the waters again.  When we are encompassed by sin and evil and all seems lost our only hope is the Lord who has power over the water and can bring us back on top of our enemies.  In verse 9 they were continually giving thanks and singing praises to the Lord for His great mercy towards them.  The next verse tells that because of their relationship which they maintained with the Lord they were driven towards the promised land.  The next statement mentions that no monster of the sea nor whale could break them and they did have light continually whether above or beneath the water.  This last statement mentions monster which is different from a whale.  In 2 Nephi 9:9-10,26 we learn what this monster is and why it had a desire to destroy the light they enjoyed on their voyage.  It reads,"And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea to that being who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.

Oh how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful Monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.

....they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel."

These scriptures make it plain that the waters are stirred up to destroy and that Christ who gives breath restores them to the top of the water when they are about to be destroyed.

Upon their arrival in the promised land and when their feet were set upon the promised land, they did bow down and shed tears of joy before the Lord for his tender mercies over them.  Notice their feet were set, they were set because of the grace and mercy that had been bestowed upon them for their remaining humble through this whole experience.  Let us hope and pray that we may accept His help and assistance, that we may find our feet in the Celestial Kingdom.  We need to always thank the Lord for a prophet today who has been given more light, that he may help develop our faith in the Lord.  Let us appreciate the Prophet for being our brother of Jared today.