Jacob 6:5

In my personal study I was in the book of Jacob reading chapter 6 and came across a little gem, just a small phrase that I hadn’t previously noted in any study of the scriptures previously. Immediately preceding Jacob 6 is Zenos great allegory of the tame and wild olive trees which Jacob recounts in chapter 5.

There is a lot to Jacob 5. It is an allegory about the house of Israel over the expanse of the world’s history and its future. As we read there is a lot of minutiae in Jacob 5. Plucking, digging, grafting, sending servants, etc But I think the point of Jacob 5 is to show the house of Israel, all of us, that the Lord doesn’t give up on his people. On his children. He “stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long” (Jacob 6:4) Or, in the context of the allegory, ALL THE WORLD LONG.

In Jacob 6:5 after the allegory, Jacob is explaining a bit about what he has just taught in Jacob 5 and here, his explanation is the little gem that caught my attention.

Jacob 6:5 “cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you”

In this sense of course the word cleave means to stick fast to or to adhere strongly to. We are all making efforts to cleave unto God. In our lives we try to keep the commandments, study the scriptures, attend the temple and follow the example of the Savior to cleave unto God, to stay close to Him. But sometimes we may forget that our Heavenly Father is also cleaving unto us.

We know that God our Father is a God of justice, but he is also a God of mercy. He stands in perfect unison with the Savior in declarations such as:

Behold, this is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39).

Learn of me and listen to my words, walk in the meekness of my spirit and you shall have peace in me (D&C 19:23).

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Begotten Son (John 3:16)

In our most recent general conference, Elder Taylor gave a talk called “Am I a Child of God?” and in it he quoted Brigham Young saying:

When you … see our Father, you will see a being with whom you have long been acquainted, and he will receive you into his arms, and you will be ready to fall into his embrace and kiss him.”

We love him because he first loved us. (John 4:19)

He is our father. That is the title that He chooses for us to use in prayer and in reference to Him. He is our Father, a perfect Father with perfect love.

“Cleave unto God as He cleaveth unto you.”

I have a 9 year old boy and an 8 year old boy and as I was putting them to bed last night they were talking about eternity and what happens after this life. My older son said, with real fear in his voice, “But mom, what if I don’t make it? I’m scared.” And as I thought through my response, I was grateful to be able to teach them what Jacob had taught me.

I told them, "I’m not afraid and you don’t have to be afraid either. We are not perfect but Heavenly Father loves us and has a perfect plan for us. He knew we wouldn’t be perfect, so He sent a perfect Son to help us and save us. As long as we continue to do our best and repent when we don’t, it will be ok. Heavenly Father loves you and He will do and has done everything possible to hold on to you."

I know as we Cleave unto God we can feel incredible peace and love because He is already cleaving unto us.