How and Where to Look for Answers about the Land of Promise

With all the many variations of a Land of Promise location espoused by numerous scholars, researchers and writers, each claiming their model is the correct one, it is not possible that the Spirit has influenced so many different and opposing interpretations of the scriptural record, each incompatible with the other. Consequently, it must be assumed that many, if not most, or even all, are not the location of the actual Land of Promise.

The only way one can come to any worthwhile and effective conclusion to such a search is to eliminate pre-determined ideas about the location and start with the actual scriptures involved as written by Nephi (how he got to the Land of Promise and what he found there), and Mormon (the locations, directions, and overall layout of the land) and Moroni (the Jaredite lands). This means that, just because Mesoamerica and Peru have ruins of an ancient civilization that overlaps with the Nephite period does not mean that is the location of the Land of Promise. It also means just because the hill Cumorah, a 19^th century naming, is located in western New York, that this is the location of the Book of Mormon lands.

Nor can we arbitrarily look on a map and see something that resembles what we think the Land of Promise would look like and then set out to try and prove that such a locality is the actual Land of Promise location. Nor can we ignore all the descriptions of the land outlined in the scriptural record, and choose just the ones that match our model.

After all, the scriptural record is not open to private interpretation. We cannot pick and choose which descriptions we are going to champion and which ones we will ignore, if we are going to actually have any chance at finding a location that is based on the record and not our own or someone else’s, feelings or beliefs.

And lastly, we cannot refer to modern day prophets or General Authorities, who may have spoken on the matter if those comments are not consistent with the scriptural record. After all, the Church and all of its leaders, have refused to make any claim as to the location of the Book of Mormon lands other than to say it was in the Western Hemisphere, that is, the Americas. In fact, several had flatly stated that the entire Americas—north, south and central—is the promised land. But beyond that, all have been silent regarding any official declaration, though some have suggested their own opinion on the matter.

It all boils down to what is in the scriptural record that could lead one to a modest belief that a certain locality could be the Land of Promise location. And all we have to go by, or at least the total foundation, must be the scriptural record and nothing else. Other information, such as archaeology, history, linguistics, etc., can only be used as a support factor, not as the basis—for all such matters are merely opinions, some educated, other merely hypothetical and guesswork. Thus, the basis and foundation has to be reserved to the scriptural record and nothing else.

As Paul told us, the Lord is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), and Nephi said, “For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding” (2 Nephi 31:3). And having the Lord’s simple language that we can and should understand before us, Ether made it quite clear that the scriptural record is all that really matters: “And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh” (Ether 4:8).

Thus, it should be understood that we do not need scholars to tell us what north, east, south or west means as used in the scriptural record; we do not need academicians to claim the simple language of the scriptures mean something other than what they say; we do not need historians to tell us things in opposition of the record; nor should we be trying to "look beyond the mark," as Elder Quentin L. Cook taught in General Conference a few years ago. He also said, "[Some people] want to add complexity and even obscurity to the truth to make it more intellectually challenging or more compatible with current academic trends". In fact, if we are going to write about the Book of Mormon today, shouldn't we accept the words of the early prophets, of those who lived upon the Land of Promise, who knew where it was in relationship to the seas around it, who walked the land, who fought for it, retreated across it, and defended it against a hereditary enemy, and eventually died upon it? Ought not we to understand and use the exact knowledge Mormon gave us regarding the northward placement of lands, from the Land of Nephi to the land of the Jaredites?

When Mormon tells us he writes to all of us: Gentiles, Twelve Tribes and House of Israel, to the remnant of the Lamanites, “these things the Spirit manifest unto me” (Mormon 3:18-20), shouldn’t we listen, rather than substitute ideas, thoughts, locations, directions, etc., etc., etc., that appeal to us more than what Mormon said? Or worse, try to tell us that Mormon simply was mistaken in his directions, placement, and knowledge.

After all, can we really think that when Mormon tells us what was northward, that a modern academic knows that he really meant westward? Can we think that when Nephi tells us his ship was “driven forth before the wind” that he actually said against the winds and currents?

We need to understand that the Spirit will not inspire us to think or know that the scriptural record of the Book of Mormon is wrong or misleading, or needs a different interpretation, or to know what the world thinks in opposition to what is written. If the scriptural record says “north” or “northward,” we do not need some academician, scholar or historian telling us that the wordage really means “west or westward” because the authors didn’t know their correct compass points. After all, when the Spirit acknowledged to Joseph Smith that he had translated “north” or “northward” correctly, the Spirit was not confused! But evidently the academician is!

Confusion only comes when man thinks he knows more than the Lord, more than the scriptural record, more than those who lived upon a land. Those who write about the Book of Mormon should use what the scriptural record says, not their “private interpretation” of it! When they do use their own “private interpretation,” they do their work--and all the rest of us--a grave disservice!

Having said all that, let us consider what we do know about the Land of Promise that Nephi, Mormon and Moroni have told us, keeping in mind that these individuals lived upon that land, and one guided his ship to the discovery of the land, knowing how he got there and what propelled his vessel; and two knew all of the land from the southern most area to the northern most, having lived upon it, traveled upon it, with one fighting an enemy from one end to the other. And especially what Mormon told us, who continually inserted descriptive topographical information for our benefit in a later day.

That will be the topic of our next post—the advanced civilization of the Nephites, whose first progenitors came from Jerusalem around 600 B.C. at a time when advanced civilizations were developing and existing in Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia and Sicily; when the most important centers of learning was Alexandria in Egypt, which attracted scholars from across the Hellenistic world, mostly Greek and Egyptian, but also Jewish, Persian, Phoenician and even Indian scholars.