Jacob 6

Lord of the Vineyard

And the day that he shall set his hand again the second time to recover his people, is the day, yea, even the last time, that the servants of the Lord shall go forth in his power, to nourish and prune his vineyard; and after that the end soon cometh. Jacob 6:2

Jacob tells us who the Lord of the vineyard is: the Lord who recovers His people a second time in the last days. His servants go forth in His power to gather Israel.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• interprets Jacob 5:61-62 — The last-time pruning in the allegory is the latter-day gathering.
• quotes Isaiah 11:11 — The Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people.
• quotes 2 Nephi 21:11 — Nephi's copy of Isaiah 11:11.

Judgment

And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his vineyard; and how cursed are they who shall be cast out into their own place! And the world shall be burned with fire. Jacob 6:3

Jacob prophesies the end the allegory describes: the Lord's laborers are blessed, the wicked are cast out, and the world will be burned at His coming.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• interprets Jacob 5:77 — The burning of the vineyard is the burning of the world.

Lord of the Vineyard

And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long; and they are a stiffnecked and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden their hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Jacob 6:4

Jacob explains the allegory's roots, branches, and outstretched hand: the merciful God of Israel never stops reaching for His people. That God is Jehovah, the premortal Christ.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• interprets Jacob 5:47 — 'I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long.'
• alludes to Isaiah 65:2 — 'I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people.'

Jehovah

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts. Jacob 6:5

The God whose 'arm of mercy is extended' is the same Lord who stretches out His hands in verse 4. The risen Christ later uses these same words of Himself to the Nephites (3 Nephi 9:14).

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

Jehovah

Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; for why will ye die? Jacob 6:6

Jacob borrows the psalm's plea to hear the Lord's voice today. The voice is Jehovah's, the Shepherd of Israel, who is Christ.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• quotes Psalm 95:7-8 — 'To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart.'
• quotes Ezekiel 18:31 — 'For why will ye die, O house of Israel?'

Christ

Christ — the Anointed One

Behold, will ye reject these words? Will ye reject the words of the prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him; and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you? Jacob 6:8

Jacob names Christ plainly and reminds his people that many prophets have testified of Him. Rejecting their witness is rejecting Christ and His plan of redemption.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him

• the same title in Jacob 7:11 — Jacob again teaches that all the prophets spoke concerning Christ.

Resurrection

Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power of the redemption and the resurrection, which is in Christ, will bring you to stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God? Jacob 6:9

Because of Christ's redemption and resurrection, everyone will rise and stand before God to be judged. The same power that saves the repentant brings the unrepentant to face their guilt.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to 2 Nephi 9:22 — Jacob's earlier sermon: the resurrection passes upon all men that they may stand before Him to be judged.

Doctrine of Christ

O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye shall obtain eternal life. Jacob 6:11

The strait gate and narrow way are the doctrine of Christ: repentance and baptism open the gate, and enduring in Him is the path to eternal life.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to 2 Nephi 31:17-18 — Nephi: repentance and baptism are the gate; then ye are in the strait and narrow path.
• alludes to 2 Nephi 9:41 — Jacob's earlier teaching: the way is narrow and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel.

Judgment

Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. Amen. Jacob 6:13

Jacob looks ahead to the judgment bar, pleasing to the righteous and dreadful to the wicked. Moroni later calls it 'the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah,' showing the Judge is Christ.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alluded to by Moroni 10:34 — Moroni: 'the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge.'