Brother of Jared
The brother of Jared is one of the key figures in the Book of Mormon, particularly in the book of Ether, which contains the Jaredites' history, which was found on the twenty-four plates that were found by the people of Limhi and were later brought to King Mosiah and translated.
The brother of Jared's story begins in the ancient city of Babylon at the time when wicked people sought to reach God by erecting a tall tower instead of reaching Him through obedience and righteous living. The Lord scattered the people and changed (disordered or "confounded") their language so that the people could not communicate with each other.
- Jared came forth with his brother and their families, with some others and their families, from the great tower, . . . And the brother of Jared being a large and mighty man, and a man highly favored of the Lord, Jared, his brother, said unto him: Cry unto the Lord, that he will not confound us that we may not understand our words.
- And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon Jared; therefore he did not confound the language of Jared; and Jared and his brother were not confounded.
- Then Jared said unto his brother: Cry again unto the Lord, and it may be that he will turn away his anger from them who are our friends, that he confound not their language.
- And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon their friends and their families also, that they were not confounded.[1]
The next question Jared had for God pertained to the scattering of the people he saw occurring around him. He wondered if it was God's will that their group also leave the land. He asked the brother of Jared to "cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth? And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance."[2]
The group is directed by the Lord to a new land, which required them to build barges and "cross many waters."[3] After four years of living in tents near the seashore, and after a lengthy chastisement from the Lord for not praying regularly, the brother of Jared received divine instructions on how to construct the barges. The brother of Jared, considering how watertight ("tight like unto a dish") the eight barges were, noticed that no light or air would penetrate the vessels while they traveled. So he took the matter to the Lord:
- O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me.
- And behold, O Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish.
- And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood.
- And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did so, according as the Lord had commanded.
- And he cried again unto the Lord saying: O Lord, behold I have done even as thou hast commanded me; and I have prepared the vessels for my people, and behold there is no light in them. Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness?
- And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels? For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go by the light of fire.
- For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea.[4]
What occurs next is a remarkable experience that is instructive to all who read and ponder its significance. The brother of Jared creates 16 transparent small stones and brings them before the Lord. He asks the Lord to touch the stones with His finger to make the stones "shine forth in darkness" to give them light in the barges while they cross the sea. Because of the great faith of the brother of Jared,
- The Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear.
- And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him: Arise, why hast thou fallen?
- And he saith unto the Lord: I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood.
- And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?
- And he answered: Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me.
- And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?
- And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.
- And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.
- Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.
- And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.
- Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.[5]
The key reason this experience of the brother of Jared is significant is because of what it reveals about the Lord Jesus Christ. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, "The principal and commanding figure in the Book of Mormon, from first chapter to last, is the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the book is truly 'another testament.'"[6]
