When Nephi, the young adult son of the prophet Lehi, sought his brother’s help, they ridiculed him. Nephi had been commanded by God to build a boat, so the family could travel to the land of promise God had chosen for them. His two older brothers, however, had no real faith, and didn’t believe Nephi could build a boat. They didn’t believe he could do it even with God’s help.
Nephi preached a powerful sermon to them on God’s abilities to create miracles, which only served to make the brothers even more angry. They decided to throw Nephi into the ocean and drown him. Nephi, having perfect faith, knew exactly what to do:
…”as they came forth to lay their hands upon me I spake unto them, saying: In the name of the Almighty God, I command you that ye touch me not, for I am filled with the power of God, even unto the consuming of my flesh; and whoso shall lay his hands upon me shall wither even as a dried reed; and he shall be as naught before the power of God, for God shall smite him.” (1 Nephi 17:48)
He then continued on with his sermons and some firm warnings about interfering with God’s work or harming members of the family. The brothers, frightened by the power even they could feel coming from him, found themselves unable or unwilling to touch him for several days. They were afraid they would wither.
The Lord then told Nephi, “Stretch forth thine hand again unto thy brethren, and they shall not wither before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God.” (1 Nephi 17:53)
Nephi did this. The brothers felt a strong shock when their brother touched them, so strong they shook. At this point, they seemed to suddenly remember God and to believe in him again, for the moment, at least.
However, they did not bow down and worship God, as they ought to have done. Instead, they bowed down and tried to worship their brother. Nephi quickly put a stop to this. He reminded them he was only their younger brother, not their God. They must worship only God and obey their parents.
Despite their upbringing in a spiritual home, they did not even know God and the commandments well enough to know they must never worship anyone but God. Facts can be presented to you by others, but testimony is something you must get for yourself, and they had never taken the time to get one. As a result, they were as comfortable worshipping Nephi as they were worshipping God.
The scriptures are very clear that only God may be worshipped. In the Doctrine and Covenants, a collection of restoration prophecies and teachings, we read, “ And [God] gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve him, the only living and true God, and that he should be the only being whom they should worship.” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:19)
One who has a powerful testimony of God would be unable to bow down and worship anyone else. This is what Nephi had, and Laman and Lemuel lacked. It is what decided, above all, what their eternal futures would hold.
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
