Jacob 5–7: Allegory

Segment 1

Scriptures:
Jacob 5:7,11,13,32,46,47,51,66 (The master grieves over his trees)

Segment 2

Hebraisms:
Jacob 5:2 ex. Hearken & Hear = word pair
2 Nephi 9:52 ex. Day & Night
Mosiah 16:11 ex. Good & Evil
1 Nephi 1:15, Psalm 13:2 ex. Soul & Heart

Jacob 5:72 ex. With their mights = plural amplifications
1 Nephi 12:2 ex. Great slaughters
Mormon 1:19 ex. Sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics
Jacob 4:7 ex. Great condescensions

Segment 3

Scriptures:
Jacob 5 (Allegory of the olive tree)
CR: 1 Nephi 19:10, Helaman 8:19
1 Nephi 10:12-14

Links:
Jekalyn Carr - Greater is Coming

Words of the General Authorities:
Olive trees are special in the Holy Land. The olive branch is universally regarded as a symbol of peace. This tree provides food, light, heat, lumber, ointments, and medicine. It is now, as it was then, crucial to life in Israel. It is not a deciduous tree, but everbearing—always green. Even if the tree is chopped down, life will spring from its roots, suggesting everlasting life. Jewish tradition often refers to the olive tree as the tree of life. To me it seems to prefigure the Resurrection.

Jesus came to the base of the Mount of Olives to effect the first component of the Atonement. This He did at the Garden of Gethsemane. The word Gethsemane comes from two Hebrew roots: gath, meaning ‘press,’ and shemen, meaning ‘oil,’ especially that of the olive.

There, olives had been pressed under the weight of great stone wheels to squeeze precious oil from the olives. So the Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane was literally pressed under the weight of the sins of the world. He sweated great drops of blood—His life’s ‘oil’—which issued from every pore. (See Luke 22:44; D&C 19:18.)

… Remember, just as the body of the olive, which was pressed for the oil that gave light, so the Savior was pressed. From every pore oozed the lifeblood of our Redeemer. Throughout the joyous days of your mission, when your cup of gladness runs over, remember His cup of bitterness which made it possible. And when sore trials come upon you, remember Gethsemane. (Russell M. Nelson, “Why This Holy Land?”, Ensign December 1989)

Segment 4

Scriptures:
Jacob 5:3-8 (Interpretation of the allegory)
Jacob 5:40-41 (Lord of the vineyard wept)
Jacob 5:46-47 (We are nourished by God)
Jacob 5:50-51 (Spare it a little longer)

Study Helps:
Jacob 5–7 Institute Manual

Digging about suggests the divine structuring of one's environment for individual tutorials. Dunging suggests spiritual nourishing. As to pruning, we might understand those painful experiences in which we feel stymied as the divine will operates against our own. (Thomas Valletta, The Book of Mormon Study Guide: Start to Finish)

Segment 5

Scriptures:
Jacob 5:70-72 (Laboring at the end)

Words of the General Authorities:
The Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith that now, meaning our day, is the eleventh hour and the last time that He will call laborers into His vineyard for the express purpose of gathering the elect from the four quarters of the earth. Would you like to be a big part of the greatest challenge, the greatest cause, and the greatest work on earth today? (Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel”, Worldwide Youth Devotional June 3, 2018)

When we speak of gathering Israel on both sides of the veil, we are referring, of course, to missionary, temple, and family history work. We are also referring to building faith and testimony in the hearts of those with whom we live, work, and serve. Anytime we do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—to make and keep their covenants with God, we are helping to gather Israel. (Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail”, October 2020 General Conference)

Book of Mormon Art:
The Olive Tree, by Hannah Allen

Segment 6

Scriptures:
Jacob 6:7-9 (Nourished by the good word of God)
Jacob 7 (Sherem and Jacob contend over signs)

Words of the General Authorities:
Do whatever it takes to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ by increasing your understanding of the doctrine taught in His restored Church and by relentlessly seeking truth. Anchored in pure doctrine, you will be able to step forward with faith and dogged persistence and cheerfully do all that lies in your power to fulfill the purposes of the Lord.

You will have days when you will be discouraged. So pray for courage not to give up! Sadly, some whom you thought were your friends will betray you. And some things will simply seem unfair.

However, I promise you that as you follow Jesus Christ, you will find sustained peace and true joy. As you keep your covenants with increasing precision, and as you defend the Church and kingdom of God on the earth today, the Lord will bless you with strength and wisdom to accomplish what only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can accomplish. (Russell M. Nelson, Liahona April 2020, originally from a Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults “Becoming True Millennials”)