The Promised Land and the Principle of Election

Before Lehi and his family begin their journey in the wilderness, Lehi makes an interesting statement. He said,

"But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness" (1 Nephi 5: 5).

The setting and tense of the verbs in this verse are interesting. The setting is a scattered family in the middle of nowhere with the sons somewhere en route to Jerusalem on an errand to obtain the brass plates. In the future they will come together, journey together, and arrive as a family in the Promised Land. But right now they're not together. They don't have scriptures or a compass to guide them, and they haven't even started on their journey.

Yet Lehi boldly proclaims, "I have obtained (past tense) a land of promise." This is chapter 5. They arrive in the Promised Land in chapter 18.

The rest of the above verse is future tense--"The Lord will deliver my sons . . .  and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness" (1 Nephi 5: 5). Then they can actually begin the journey to the Promised Land.

Of course Lehi is a prophet and through the Spirit can predict future events. But could there be something more going on here? The Lord views "the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made" and says, "all things are present before mine eyes" (D&C 38: 1-2). Elder Neal A Maxwell observed that God lives in "an eternal now."

Thus, we have certain verses of scripture in a different tense. It's called "prophetic perfect." They are composed to reflect the future in a past tense, as if it had already happened. And of course these things were already foreordained from the foundation of the world.

For example, Isaiah prophesies about the mission of Jesus Christ seven hundred years in advance by saying, "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53: 5). In the Book of Mormon Abinadi explains, "And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption" (Mosiah 16: 6). The Book of Mormon gives an explanation for this prophetic perfect tense, or speaking of future events as though they had already occurred.

But in light of this there is another possibility. Is it possible that Lehi has had his calling and election made sure? The Promised Land symbolizes heaven, or exaltation. And I would not be so bold to say for certain, but Lehi already seems to know he has been given a land promised him of the Lord, and it is certain to happen. Does Lehi have enough faith to know the promise of eternal life is just as certain?

The definition of "the more sure word of prophecy" mentioned by Peter as he said "give diligence to make your calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1: 10), is given in modern revelation as Joseph Smith answers a particular question. He said, "The more sure word of prophecy means a man’s knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood." This is actually a sealing of an ordinance and is connected with the sealing power of the temple.

Joseph Fielding Smith explained,

"Some members of the Church have been confused in thinking that Elijah came with the keys of baptism for the dead or of salvation for the dead. Elijah’s keys were greater than that. They were the keys of sealing, and those keys of sealing pertain to the living and embrace the dead who are willing to repent.

"Elijah came to restore to the earth, by conferring on mortal prophets duly commissioned of the Lord, the fulness of the power of Priesthood. This Priesthood holds the keys of binding and sealing on earth and in heaven of all the ordinances and principles pertaining to the salvation of man, that they may thus become valid in the celestial kingdom of God. …

It is by virtue of this authority that ordinances are performed in the temples for both the living and the dead" (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church; Joseph Fielding Smith). 

Just as Lehi (and I would think this would apply to Nephi and others) can know in advance of promised blessings in a Promised Land, he could gain the same knowledge of his standing before the Lord and his future exaltation in God's presence.

We can obtain a similar faith. We are so blessed to have the Book of Mormon to read of such precious promises.