Better That One Man Perish: A Type of The Coming Messiah

I've been serving as a missionary for a long time now. Almost two years! I look back to the beginning, back when I was in upstate New York. I was very much ignorant of what the future would hold. I had only been out for three months and was trying to do my best to teach what I felt (and still feel) strongly is the truth. I remember all the sticky situations in vivid clarity. We scraped by, but one thing is for sure: ignorance will always lead to error. 

I remember that hot humid August, we were on Main Street in Poughkeepsie going to an appointment with a man who rented a room on the fourth floor. We were preparing him to be baptized in the fall. He had been reading vivaciously out of the Book of Mormon early on in the read he came to a rather curious and difficult to explain circumstance that happens in chapter 4, verses 6 through 13. 

In summery, A prophet named Nephi was told by the Spirit to do something he thought was wrong. Nephi was a young person, probably in his early twenties and did not want to do it. Nephi relates his experience in  The Book of Mormon this way: 

"And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him. 

And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property. 

And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands..."

It is a very odd request. It would even seem satanic really. Why would he spirit "constrain" Nephi to slay Laban? Does not the 10 commandments say thou shalt not kill? That would mean that God would be giving contradictory commandments. 

We answered the man's question about this chapter, but probably not to the full extent. I can't remember the particular answer, but it must have been something about how in the law of Moses, if a man try's to kill you, of course you are allowed to defend yourself. It's an alright answer. Laban had tried to kill Nephi three times before chapter 4! But there was a better answer. I didn't know what that answer was until now.

The reason the Lord gives is found in verse 13 which says  "Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief." You see, Laban was keeping the scriptures away from the people. Nephi had to get the scriptures from Laban. However I always felt like a non violent means could still be used to do that. 

The answer I received about this matter was given me when a friend of mine was reading The New Testament aloud. He was reading John 11:47-53 which says 

"47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death."

Pay close attention to the similarities between verse 13 in Nephi's account and what verse 50 says in John's account. The phrasing and meaning are nearly identical. A single person to die for a nation of people. Considering that this was a prophecy about Jesus, I am inclined to believe that What Nephi wrote was not altogether meant to just show how he killed a guy to get the scriptures. I think it is more than that. Significantly bigger than that. I think it was a type and shadow; a prophecy about the future Messiah. 

Jesus Christ offered his' life that all people everywhere would not parish in unbelief and doubt. He offered himself a sacrifice for sin. What the Lord was trying to teach Nephi was that Jesus would one day have to die so that all of us could live. 

 How I found the answer: It was found by asking the question and diligently reading the scriptures. .Whenever you have questions, don't give up and assume that God isn't real, believe rather that the answer is still there to be found. I found mine.