Jacob magnifies his calling to preach the word and to engrave upon the plates the sacred things as pertaining to the revelations of God. His example is a beacon of light that shines down through the ages. He preaches and testifies of Christ and His atoning sacrifice. He condemns sin and exhorts the people to seek the kingdom of God and not the things of the world. He implores his people to avoid pride and, above all, to be pure and clean. He pleads with his brethren to be true to their covenants of marriage. Jacob’s words are written for our day that we might learn from those who have gone before by being reconciled to God through the Atonement of Christ. We should take counsel from Jacob and repent of those things that are keeping us from the blessings of the gospel.
“That It May Become the Head of Their Corner”
Jacob uses a metaphor for Christ that is found throughout the scriptures. The Psalmist prophetically declared, “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner” (Psalms 118:22). During His mortal ministry, Jesus called attention to this same theme: “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?” (Matthew 21:42; compare Luke 20:17). Peter announced: “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:11–12; compare 1 Peter 2:6–7). Paul declared: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20). In modern-day revelation, the Lord stated: “Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the good shepherd, and the stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall” (D&C 50:44). Thus Jacob is in very good company to speak about the “stone” and “the head of their corner” some five and a half centuries before the coming of Jesus Christ.