“They fell down before me, and were about to worship me, but I would not suffer them” (LDS 1 Nephi 17:55, RE 1 Nephi 5:23)
When Lehi receives a vision from God, the content of the vision intrigues his sons. They want to know more. How they approach seeking answers to their questions is revealing. Laman and Lemuel’s approach is to seek out the best resources among men that they can find. They talk among themselves and also invite Nephi to join in their discussion about the meaning of their father’s dream.
Notice how Nephi responds when asked for his input about the meaning of their father’s dream, “And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord? And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.” (LDS 1 Nephi 15:8-9)
Why did Nephi ask them if they had inquired of the Lord about their questions? Was Nephi just prodding them? Was he trying to avoid their questions himself? Did he not want to have a discussion with them?
It’s important to note that it wasn’t often that Laman and Lemuel really engaged in these kind of discussions. So the fact that they even wanted to engage in such a conversation had to excite Nephi to some degree. So why would he point his brothers elsewhere when they ask him?
I like to think that the way Nephi answered was not at all arrogant or condescending but truly humble, like saying, “hey, I’m really not the authority on this… I’m flattered you would ask me but this kinda question really should go to someone with a much greater understanding than myself, and can probably only be adequately answered by the Lord alone.”
Questions such as these can be the means that God uses to motivate someone to seek after Him and draw near to Him. If someone else steps in and essentially says, “well, if you haven’t inquired of the Lord, no problem, because I have and here’s the answer!”, will they still inquire of the Lord? It is one thing to receive an answer from flesh and blood—another mortal—but something entirely different to receive an answer by communicating directly with God. It is establishing this line of communication that is critical. No mortal should ever get in the way of someone’s direct communication with God. Only an idolater would seek to do such a thing.
When such questions come, should I be inquiring of the Lord about such things, or troubling someone else with them? When questions truly weigh upon my mind, should I be exciting others to find an answer for me? Or should I be inquiring of the Lord to obtain an answer from Him in regard to matters that weigh so heavily upon me? If I do receive an answer from God, does that entitle me to impose upon others or to insert myself between them and their communication with God? If an answer truly is from God, do I get to interpret it or am I just as obligated to seek to understand the answer, just as much as anyone else? Should I be encouraging people to consult with me before inquiring of God? Or should I ask that others consider my counsel in comparison to anything that they may receive from God? Only an idolater would ask others to consider their own words in comparison to something another might receive from God.
There are two parts to the idolatry problem. One is the tendency for people to adopt idols to follow. Another is the tendency for people to want to be an idol for others to follow. In order to do away with idolatry requires putting an end to both sides of that equation. The idolater must stop putting anything or anyone between them and God. They must also see that they do not insert themselves between anyone else and God. A person must not be an idolater nor an idol. It requires stopping any practice which may lead to idolizing another, as well as putting an end to wanting to be idolized.
When an angel appears to John, on the isle of Patmos, John is rebuked for his behavior before the angel. As he records, “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (KJV Revelation 19:10)
This is similar to Nephi again responding to his brothers after they are shaken and become convinced that God is with Nephi, “And now, they said: We know of a surety that the Lord is with thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has shaken us. And they fell down before me, and were about to worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying: I am thy brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the Lord thy God, and honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee” (LDS 1 Nephi 17:55).
A true messenger of God will never accept nor tolerate any behavior of the sort. If they are truly sent from God, they will not set themselves up to be reverenced but will direct all glory to be to God. All things must be done with an eye single to His glory! Servants of God must have no other object in mind than to glorify God; certainly not themselves. Nephi did not ask his brothers to show special reverence for him nor to follow him. To the extent that he thought Lehi deserved some respect from them, it was in Lehi’s capacity as their father. They might honor, or show respect for Lehi but anything like unto worship is to be reserved for God alone. None are to be like unto Him. His servants, even those who have been exalted are not to be compared or likened unto Him. No matter how noble and great others may be, there are to be no other gods before Him.