This post (like several others) will be somewhat repetitive, but it’s in these Come Follow Me chapters in the reign of King Josiah that many religious reforms occur. Both kingdoms of Israel and Judah had gone “whoring after other gods.” King Ahab in the Northern Kingdom largely introduced Baal worship. Manasseh and Ahaz led the Southern Kingdom of Judah into idolatry. Hezekiah and Josiah were reformers. Hezekiah removed the high places, cut down the groves, and broke the brazen serpent made by Moses, because the people were burning incense to it.
In 2 Kings 22, Josiah repairs and cleanses the temple, but with such sweeping reforms comes the risk of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Hilkiah, the high priest, finds the Book of the Law in the temple. Many Bible scholars believe that this is the Book of Deuteronomy, which seems to have been written in the 7th century BC. Now I don’t want to bash Deuteronomy. It has many great parts. Book of Mormon prophets and the Savior Himself quote it extensively, notably the Shema prayer in chapter 6 and the likening of manna to God’s word in chapter 8, but Old Testament scholar Margaret Barker notes a shift from the “wisdom literature” (sometimes called “Lady Wisdom”) to a stricter emphasis on the law. Those who held tightly to Josiah’s reforms were called Deuteronomists.
There were many things that got de-emphasized, such as the title of the high priest as the “anointed one,” removal of the Day of Atonement, which is not listed on the Hebrew Calendar in Deuteronomy, key objects kept in the Holy of Holies, the prominence of Melchizedek in the First Temple period, and the combining of El (God) and Yahweh (Jehovah) into a single monotheistic deity. The emphasis on a single deity ran counter to the concept of the divine feminine and the idea of a Heavenly Mother. Evidence suggests there was an Asherah pole outside Solomon’s Temple, representing a female deity and consort to Jehovah until this period.
Such reforms are blamed for the de-Christianizing of Israel, which may have led at least partially to the “stumbling of the Jews” (Jacob 4:15). Many left Jerusalem at this time and a doctrinal rift occurred. Lehi’s ancestry descends from the Northern Kingdom (see Alma 10:3), and many in the Northern Kingdom were opposed to Josiah’s reforms.
Lehi and Nephi seem to be at least partially opposed to some of these reforms, while Laman and Lemuel appear to be Deuteronomists. Neal Rappleye gives convincing evidence of this idea in an article entitled, “The Deuteronomist Reforms and Lehi’s Family Dynamics.” I will post a link to this article at the end of this post. He quotes Grant Hardy who notes, “Laman and Lemuel appear to have been orthodox, observant Jews. Nephi — who has a vested interest in revealing their moral shortcomings — never accuses them of idolatry, false swearing, Sabbath breaking, drunkenness, adultery, or ritual uncleanness.” Nephi writes, “And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father” (1 Nephi 2:13). They accuse Lehi of being “a visionary man.” Strict Deuteronomists would agree with such doctrine and place adherence to the law over revelatory experiences. Deuteronomy 4:12 states, “And the Lord spake unto you (Moses) out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice,” differing from the Exodus account where Moses sees God face to face.
As strict Deuteronomists, Laman and Lemuel may have felt justified in slaying Lehi and Nephi based on Deuteronomy 18:20 which states, “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.” Their “murmuring” against their father was likely due to a Deuteronomist belief that non-Levites were not authorized to offer sacrifices, as Lehi does in 1 Nephi 2:7. Lehi could offer such sacrifices since he held the Melchizedek Priesthood.
Interestingly and thankfully, the Book of Mormon restores the central atonement and First Temple theology as revealed to the patriarchal fathers. Here are some of the doctrines restored that were de-emphasized with the Deuteronomist reforms:
- The central role of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer. The Book of Mormon has more references to His atonement compared with the Bible, and especially the Old Testament.
- Messiah-type kings and priests who were anointed. Kingship was originally associated with the Melchizedek Priesthood. It is significant that “king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.” (see Mosiah 25:19).
- The emphasis of the “high priesthood” and the role of Melchizedek in Alma 13.
- Jesus Christ as the Son of God and prophecies of His mortal ministry and atoning sacrifice. Sherem, who emphasized the Law of Moses and said there should be no Christ, was likely a Deuteronomist.
- God the Father and Jesus Christ as separate Beings.
- Old Testament-era baptisms.
- The plan of salvation and God’s yearning for us to return to Him in an afterlife.
- Mary as the mother of the Son of God and her association with the Tree of Life. Asherah, as a female deity, symbolized fertility and motherhood and was associated with sacred trees. Nephi sees Mary in vision immediately after he asks about the interpretation of the Tree of Life.
Here is a link to Neal Rappleye’s article: