“Taught of the Lord” – 3 Nephi 22:13

During His visit to the American continent, the Savior quoted Isaiah 54. That chapter contains the following prophecy:

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

3 Nephi 22:13, Isaiah 54:13

Many English translations of the Bible use the preposition “by” in place of the word “of” in this passage, to emphasize that these children are learning from God directly, not merely learning about God. (See Isaiah 54:13 on biblehub.com.) They enjoy peace because they hear His voice.

Jesus referenced this passage to indicate that people who learn directly from God will be led to Him as their Savior (John 6:45). He also invited us to learn from Him personally:

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Matthew 11:29

Once again, most Bible translations render this passage “learn from me,” to emphasize that He is not merely inviting us to learn about Him; He is inviting us to hear His voice. The New Living Translation even renders this phrase, “Let me teach you.” (See Matthew 11:29 on biblehub.com.)

The promise in this passage is the same: we will enjoy peace as we learn from Him directly.

In an 1829 revelation directed to Martin Harris, the Lord gave the following instruction and promise:

Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.

Doctrine and Covenants 19:23

Why do we have peace when we hear the voice of the Lord?

1. Because He speaks to our mind and to our heart, quieting our fears and providing assurance even as He gives us knowledge. (See Doctrine and Covenants 6:23, Doctrine and Covenants 8:2.)
2. Because His words will help us make wiser decisions. (See Doctrine and Covenants 11:12.)
3. Because we must be meek to hear His voice, and meekness will help us walk peaceably with other people. (See Moroni 7:3-4.)

President Russell M. Nelson explained that we can hear the voice of God in several ways: through the scriptures, in the temple, by recognizing “the whisperings of the Holy Ghost,” and by hearing the words of prophets. President Nelson gave the following promise to those who make the effort to learn from the Savior:

I promise that you will be blessed with additional power to deal with temptation, struggles, and weakness. I promise miracles in your marriage, family relationships, and daily work. And I promise that your capacity to feel joy will increase even if turbulence increases in your life.

“Hear Him,” General Conference, April 2020

Today, I will make an effort to learn from the Lord. I will remember that He has invited me to learn from Him, that He wants to teach me, and that His words will bring peace into my life.