Taught from on high

Ether 6

The people of Jared cross the seas in barges that have been lit by two stones.  When they reach the promised land (aka America) they praise the Lord for their safe trip.  They appoint a king.

This chapter creates more questions than answers.  How in the world did they do that?  We’re told to have 1 gallon of water per day in our 72-hour survival kits.  That’s optimum; most have less.  Where did they get their water?  Did the Lord show them how to turn sea/salt water in to clean drinking water?  What about waste products?  There had to be plenty.  I don’t know if we know exactly how many there were on these barges, but after a few years, there were a total of 36 people plus Jared and his brother.   They also had animals that needed food and water.  There were eight barges – 4.1 persons on each barge?  Surely they could walk around, exercise some, feed the animals and clean their spaces.  What kept their waste contained?  Was there a hole large enough to somehow release it?  How in the world did all eight barges manage to stay on the same course and not bump into each other?

One thing is so obvious to me.  The Lord was with them every step of the way.  The stones that lit each barge were defined as “. . .light. . .that they might not cross the great waters in darkness.”  Could it have been knowledge as well?  I don’t know. 

After they landed, in v17 it says they were taught to walk humbly before the Lord; and they were also taught from on high.  I suspect they had been taught from on high long before landing in the Promised Land.  What would that look like in my mind?  The Lord somehow was probably teaching them how to purify water simply and effectively - maybe not as the Brother of Jared had experienced when lighting the stones, but in a “Holy Ghost” sort of way.  After all, 344 days is plenty of time to incubate a lot of germs that would cause colds, diseases, etc.  Maybe these are weaknesses in our times.  Just the same, they needed clean drinking water. 

The Jaredites were privy to a world of miracles for at least 344 days.  Wouldn’t you love to read a more detailed book on it?  I know I would.  And the subject of a king is more than I can deal with today.  I just want to say “How could you?!”