After delivering the Israelites from slavery, leading them through the Red Sea, and providing food and water in the wilderness, God invited them to deepen their relationship with Him. Nephi explained that God delivered them in response to His covenants with their ancestors. Now, He invited them to enter their own covenant relationship with Him.
“All That the Lord Hath Spoken We Will Do”
Moses received more than tablets of stone on Mount Sinai. He received glory which was visible on his countenance, and he received a law which pointed his people toward salvation. Abinadi taught that the law was tailored to the needs of a stiffnecked people and that it pointed them toward the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Jethro and Mosiah on Collaborative Leadership
Jethro counseled Moses to share the burden of leadership, warning him that he was burning himself out. Mosiah explained the same principle to his people: don't expect the leader to do all the work. The bad news is the leader can't do it all; the good news is they don't have to.
The Comfort of Complaint
Nephi explained that his brothers murmured because they didn't understand God's dealings. As the Israelites discovered in the wilderness, those dealings include delayed gratification, giving us space to develop faith in Him. We usually associate complaining with discomfort, but a pattern of murmuring represents a retreat to the familiar and an unwillingness to trust God.
Bread from Heaven
God promised Israel "bread from heaven." The Israelites called it "manna," which means "what is it?" It sustained them for forty years, but as Jesus explained, this bread was symbolic of the true Bread, which offers us eternal life. Each week, as we partake of the sacrament, we remember Him, our Bread from heaven.
Waves of Wonder in the Song of the Sea
The Israelites' Song of the Sea reads like an ecstatic expression of awe, with waves of amazement at the miracle of their deliverance. Under the waves, the song has a chiastic structure, surrounding a rhetorical question: Who is like unto thee, O Lord?
A Way for Moses, a Way for Nephi, and a Way for the Jaredites
God helped Moses, Nephi, and the Jaredites all to cross large bodies of water. He helped them each in a different way, tailored to their needs and circumstances. God will always provide a way for us to accomplish His purposes, but it isn't always the same way, so we need to be adaptable.
Stand Still, See, and Go Forward
Both Moses and Limhi urged their people to calm their fears, observe, and prepare to move forward in spite of apparently insurmountable obstacles. Sometimes we need to slow down enough to recognize God's hand, so that we can move forward with renewed confidence.
Stand Still, and See the Salvation of the Lord
Nephi strengthened his brothers' faith by reminding them of multiple miracles God performed on behalf of their ancestors: parting the Red Sea, providing manna, and bringing water from a rock. As we remember these events, our faith can also be strengthened, so that we can invite miracles into our lives.
Welcoming Elijah
During Passover, Jewish families open a door for the prophet Elijah. This practice is based on an Old Testament prophecy indicating that Elijah's return would precede the arrival of the Messiah. Just as Jewish families invite Elijah to join their Passover celebration, we can all welcome his influence into our homes and hearts.