Jacob

Who wrote it? Jacob, Nephi's brother

Summary: Nephi gives the plates to Jacob so that he can write on them when Nephi is close to dying.  Nephi gave Jacob the power to be a priest among the people. When Nephi died, many of the people became wicked, so Jacob and his brother Joseph preached to them to repent and stop doing the wicked things they were doing.  Jacob gives the allegory of the olive tree, explaining the purpose of scattering the House of Israel and the eventual gathering of the House of Israel.  He explains the purpose of repentance and the punishment that will await the wicked when Israel is gathered once more, while he again asks everyone to repent.  Then a man named Sherem came and preached against Christ and was trying to undo all of the things Jacob had been working towards.  The people became even more wicked until Sherem tried to argue with Jacob and Jacob spoke confidently of his beliefs.  Sherem asked for a sign and he was struck down by the Lord for many days, then fed the truth or spiritually nourished.  Then when he awoke and realized he was going to die soon, he got the people together to tell them he had lied, and how true Christ was and his importance to them.  Then the people began to repent and become righteous again.  

Time Period: 544 B.C-421 B.C.

What Was Going On in the World:
Daniel survives the Lions Den (531 BC) and more Prophesies from Daniel.
Ezra also prophesies in 537 BC.
Zechariah prophesies in 520 BC.
Esther becomes a queen and the stories that surround her are going on like Haman being hung in 473 BC.
Nehemiah prophesies from 444-432 BC.
Malachi prophesies from 430 BC.

Main Characters:
Jacob (a younger brother of Nephi)
Joseph (Another younger brother of Nephi
Shelem

Purpose: In Chapter 4:4 it says "For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we ^aknew of Christ, and we had a hope of his ^bglorymany hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy ^cprophets which were before us. 4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we ^aknew of Christ, and we had a hope of his ^bglorymany hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy ^cprophets which were before us."

Other Interesting Facts:

• This has the allegory of the Olive Tree, which has always given me a hard time since I do not like to read on until I feel like I understand every part I am capable of understanding, so I will put some of the things I find here to help me understand it better.  

JACOB 5: ALLEGORY OF THE TAME AND WILD OLIVE TREES

POSSIBLE MEANING

Tame olive tree	The house of Israel, God’s covenant people
The vineyard	The world
Decay	Sin and apostasy
Lord and master of the vineyard	Jesus Christ
Pruning, digging, and nourishing	The Lord’s efforts to help people receive the blessings of His Atonement
Servant of the master of the vineyard	The Lord’s prophets
Branches	Groups of people
Wild olive tree	Gentiles—those who have not made covenants with the Lord. Later in the allegory, natural olive trees become wild, representing portions of the house of Israel that fall into apostasy.
Grafting and planting branches	The scattering and gathering of the Lord’s covenant people. In addition, the grafting of wild branches into the tame olive tree represents the conversion of thoere se who become part of the Lord’s covenant people.
Burning branches	God’s judgments on the wicked
Fruit	The lives or works of people