1 Nephi 18:13 - 18:17

1 Nephi 18:13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not loose me.

So the boys do not know the precise direction to steer the ship on this open ocean. If it was overcast they could not tell where the sun was to know which direction was east.

The next phase, was the bursting upon them of a great storm. The winds were blowing to the west and driving them back towards the direction in which they came. They were not making any headway to the land of promise.

The storm was filled with high winds and great waves. The ship seemed like it would flounder at any moment or even capsize. But the boys anger at Nephi was so intense that they would not let Nephi free of his bonds. It would take a great deal of persuasion to get the boys to humble themselves again. Hence, I feel, the storm.

1 Nephi 18:14 And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceedingly sore.

The storm rages for four days without let up and is growing ever more intense. How much storm in ones's life does it take for them to get the message?

1 Nephi 18:15 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.

The boy’s anger is such that they are sticking to their resolve to put Nephi is his place. They are the clans leaders and they will decide to do.

However strong their hatred, it is no match to the possibility of losing their lives and that of their families in this terrible storm. They had maybe been thinking that this storm would not last forever and they might be able to ride it out, but it was only getting worse with not a clear patch of sky in site, even after several days.

Perhaps remembering all the miracles of the last few years, the boys thought that they would have to give Nephi his way again. That they would have to give up their leadership and listen to Nephi once again.

They do so and let Nephi free of his bonds. Nephi’s wrists and ankles are very sore and swollen after four or more days of being tied up. The righteous often have to suffer at the hands of the wicked. Nephi's example of patience and long suffering towards his brothers, in spite of their treatment of his is a lesson to us all.

Such enduring is not only beneficial to the wicked, as it might get them to repent or at least see the errors of their ways and repent sometime in the future, but it is a great builder of character and strength to the righteous. Putting our muscles under stress as in weight lifting cause them to get stronger no matter what our age which concept can be applied to our emotional and spiritual strength as well.

1 Nephi 18:16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.

But Nephi is the faithful one and does not complain. He knows that the Lord is trying to work with his older brothers and is patience with the situation. He recognized the Lord’s hand in the storm and in fact glories in the Lord’s power and mercy in how is attempts to dead with the rebelliousness of the older boys.

We likewise show glory in the way the Lord is working with the people of the earth at this time in history. We should see that even though things looked very bleak, that Lord hand is in what is going on and is trying to get people to come around to being humble and listen to him as he was trying to get Laman and Lemuel to listen to him.

And we as church members should not murmur that things look so bleak and recognize that the Lord is truly working with the people of this world. Even though things seem bleak from time to time in various areas of the world, it is all under control and the outcome will be just as the Lord wants. He does control the destiny of this world, even if we do not see it at the time. No one need fear. As Jesus says, he has overcome the world so look to him and we will come out alright in the end.

1 Nephi 18:17 Now my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them, and also unto the sons of Ishmael; but, behold, they did breathe out much threatenings against anyone that should speak for me; and my parents being stricken in years, and having suffered much grief because of their children, they were brought down, yea, even upon their sick-beds.

Nephi tells of the effects of this rebellion on the rest of the group. Lehi attempts to wake them up to their selfishness. The sons of Ishmael are in with Laman and Lemuel and they all are threatening to kill anyone who sides against them.

But Lehi is old and has suffered much in body and spirit because of his wicked sons and sons in law. They were so despondent they were sick and unable to do much to help.