All Things Done By the Word of God

Here is Nephi’s interpretation to his brothers of the miraculous events in the Book of Exodus:

And it came to pass that according to his word he did destroy them;

and according to his word he did lead them;

and according to his word he did do all things for them;

and there was not any thing done save it were by his word.

( 1 Nephi 17:31)

We might think that the summary “there was not anything done save it were by his word” implies that the children of Israel did everything only by commandment and initiative was frowned upon.   But that isn’t really what this says.  The first part of the verse talks about how the Lord did things for and to the children of Israel “according to his word,” meaning that the Lord told them what He was going to do before He did it.  That is what the summary means, and a better rendering of it might be, “there was not anything done by him save it were by his word.”  It is not to imply that righteous initiative was forbidden or squelched.

We may ask, “Are all things done by the Lord today according to His word?”  I believe yes.  I think we’ve seen one example with the announcement about lowering missionary age.  The word of the Lord came through the prophet and is being carried out.