God’s Appearance in America circa BC 2,200

Ether 12:20-21; “And behold, we have seen in this record that one of these was the brother of Jared; for so great was his faith in God, that when God put forth his finger he could not hide it from the sight of the brother of Jared, because of his word which he had spoken unto him, which word he had obtained by faith. 21 And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, because of the promise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the veil.”

Mark 2:16-17; “And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Smith wasn’t content with the grandiose story of Jesus showing up in America just after the resurrection, he’s taken it to new heights (or is that lows) with the story in Ether.

The Jardites who supposedly lived during the Tower of Babel fiasco built a ship after being scattered. They sailed to the American continent, settled in and saw many wars just like their counterparts in the Book of Mormon Nephite people.

The Jaredites, named after their leader Jared, also had God visiting them, but with a twist. This time around only the nameless brother of Jared saw God “with an eye of faith” as the Mormons would say…and he alone got to see the finger God showed to him.