LATEST POSTS

Gifts

Moses and the Discerning of Gifts

Moses received amazing prophetic gifts, but he didn’t have every gift. Instead, God helped him learn to recognize the gifts of others, including Aaron’s gift as a spokesperson, Bezaleel’s skills as an artisan, and even the inspiration received by Eldad and Medad. Prophets can help us each contribute to the work with our unique gifts.

Prophets

If There Be a Prophet

Ammon explained to Limhi that prophetic gifts come from God. Numbers illustrates that fact. We see Moses leading, revealing divine truths, and praying for his people. He makes mistakes, but he represents God, and the people’s response to him indicates their orientation toward God.

Faith

We Are Well Able: Caleb and Joshua

Twelve scouts saw the same promised land. Ten saw walled cities and said, “We can’t do it.” Two saw milk and honey and said, “We are well able.” When challenges come, recognize the positive signs, keep the negative in perspective, and trust that God can help you achieve worthy goals.

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

COME, FOLLOW ME

  • Rebel Not Ye Against the Lord, Neither Fear

    Moses and the Brass Serpent (detail), by Judith Mehr

    Unlike the other books in the Torah, the name of the book of Numbers is not representative of its content. Genesis is about beginnings: the Creation, the Abrahamic Covenant, and Israel. Exodus is about the departure of Israel from slavery in Egypt, both physically and spiritually. Leviticus specifies “performances and ordinances” of the law of Moses. And Deuteronomy (which means “repetition of the law”) contains a series of three sermons delivered by Moses near the end of his ministry.

    Numbers is named after the census performed in the first chapter, and again in chapter 26. The book relates the experiences of the Israelites during their forty-year sojourn before entering the promised land. A more descriptive name would be “Journey to the Promised Land” or “Sojourn in the Wilderness.” The Hebrew Bible, in fact, names this book Bamidbar (בְּמִדְבַּר), “In the Wilderness,” which comes from Numbers 1:1 and describes the book well.

    Many of the stories in this book involve the children of Israel learning to follow God’s instructions by faith and avoid overcomplicating things. Here are some of those stories:

    1. Aaron and Miriam criticize Moses (Numbers 12)
    2. The fearful spies (Numbers 13)
    3. The water of Meribah (Numbers 20:7-13)
    4. The brass serpent (Numbers 21:6-9)
    5. Balaam prophesies of Israel’s rise (Numbers 23, 24)

    One of those stories gets particular attention in the Book of Mormon. The story of the brass serpent is referenced and discussed four times (see 1 Nephi 17:41; 2 Nephi 25:20; Alma 33:19-22; Helaman 8:14-15). But the other stories in Numbers teach similar lessons: faith is manifest through simple actions. We need to avoid overcomplicating things and instead follow the plain instructions we receive from God.

    This week, as we study the book of Numbers, let’s examine how its stories illustrate the simplicity of faith.

FEATURED POSTS

  • A Hundredth Part: Mormon’s Editorial Decisions

    A Hundredth Part: Mormon’s Editorial Decisions

    Book of Mormon authors made it clear how much they were leaving out as they wrote this “abridgment” of their history. Here’s a diagram showing how many words are dedicated to each of the 103 decades in the book.

  • Jesus Christ’s Sermon at the Temple in Bountiful – 3 Nephi 12-16, 20-22

    Jesus Christ’s Sermon at the Temple in Bountiful – 3 Nephi 12-16, 20-22

    Following His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ visited a group of people in the Americas. He taught them principles to help them deepen their discipleship, and He expanded their perspective by teaching them about God’s global, multigenerational work.

  • Names and Titles of Jesus Christ

    Names and Titles of Jesus Christ

    In March, 2019, I studied 20 different names or titles of Jesus Christ which appear in the Book of Mormon. I was particularly interested in the way each name was used, both in the Book of Mormon and in the Bible.