Moroni wrote the things which the brother of Jared saw in a vision, but the Lord commanded him to seal that part of the plates, so that no one can read them yet. God told him that if we, his future readers, overcome our unbelief, then we will learn “the greater things,” the things which He showed the brother of Jared.
Chapter Outline
- The brother of Jared wrote what he had seen. Moroni sealed up his words (v. 1-5)
- God’s promise: If we are faithful, we will see everything the brother of Jared saw (v. 6-17)
- God’s invitation: Repent and be baptized, and you will be saved (v. 18-19)
My Takeaways
- Be grateful for the knowledge you have received from God, and acknowledge the limitations of that knowledge.
- It takes effort to remove a veil of unbelief from our hearts.
- The fundamental truths of the gospel are all connected.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ The Lord promises more revelation to the faithful – Ether 4:6-17
What Can We Learn About Coming Unto Christ from the Brother of Jared?
The Book of Mormon tells the story of a family who traveled across the ocean to the American continent just after human languages were confounded at the Tower of Babel. The family was led by a man named Jared and by his brother, who is simply called “the brother of Jared” throughout the narrative. The…
He that Believeth These Things – Ether 4:10-12
10 And he that believeth not my words believeth not my disciples; and if it so be that I do not speak, judge ye; for ye shall know that it is I that speaketh, at the last day. 11 But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the…
What Is the Sealed Portion of the Book of Mormon?
Isaiah described a “sealed book” which would confound a “learned man.” He would be asked to read it and would say in frustration, “I cannot; for it is sealed” (Isaiah 29:11). An unlearned man would then protest that he could not read the book because of his lack of education. In Nephi’s paraphrase of this…
When Ye Shall Rend That Veil of Unbelief… – Ether 4:13-15
13 Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief. 14 Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation…
Old Testament Foundations
Rending That Veil
After descending from Sinai, Moses had to wear a veil or the children of Israel would not come near him. Are we sometimes similarly hesitant to approach God? Moroni urged us to “rend that veil” which covers our heart.
The Perfect Day
The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Proverbs 4:18 Through the prophet Nephi, the Lord gave the following promise: “Unto him that receiveth I will give more” (2 Nephi 28:30). Alma taught the same principle in the city of Ammonihah: He that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the…
“Sanctify Yourselves”
To ancient Israel, the Lord issued a challenge. “I am the Lord your God,” He said. “Ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44, see also Leviticus 20:7). In 1831, shortly after revealing “the law of the Church,” the Lord reissued this challenge. By following this law, He said, “Ye shall…be sanctified by that which ye have…
What Is A Contrite Spirit?
Contrite means “crushed.” The English word descends from the Latin word contritus, which means literally “worn out” or “ground to pieces” (“contrite,” Online Etymology Dictionary). When the word appears in the King James Version of the Bible, it is a translation of one of three different Hebrew words: dakka’ (דַּכָּא), meaning crushed or pulverized (Psalm 34:18,…
New Testament Parallels
Blind
After healing a man who was born blind, Jesus taught the Pharisees about spiritual blindness. Unlike physical blindness, spiritual blindness is often willful, caused by trying to prove what we want to believe instead of accepting evidence at face value.
He That Will Not Believe My Words Will Not Believe Me – Ether 4:12
12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe…
Biblical Bookends in the Book of Ether
A key message of the Book of Mormon is that we should study the Bible. The book of Ether underscores this point by referencing the first book, Genesis (the tower of Babel), and the last book, Revelation (in conjunction with the brother of Jared’s vision).
Church History Connections
Hidden Treasures
On February 27, 1833, the Lord promised that those who obey His commandments will “find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:19). A week and a half later, He instructed Joseph Smith not to produce a translation of the Apocrypha. Joseph had been studying the King James Version of…
“How Great Blessings”
As I wrote yesterday, it’s important to be thankful for the good things in our lives. Additionally, it’s important to recognize that God has prepared blessings which we are not yet aware of. Here is how He described those blessings to members of the church in Kirtland, Ohio in 1832: Ye are little children, and ye…
All Posts Referencing Ether 4
- “I Have Remembered My Covenant” (3/23/2026)
- Persuasion (10/23/2025)
- How to Recognize the Holy Ghost (2/5/2025)
- “Touch Them Not” (11/17/2024)
- Biblical Bookends in the Book of Ether (11/12/2024)
- Rending That Veil (9/12/2023)
- Blind (4/30/2023)
- The Book of Psalms and the Book of Mormon (8/27/2022)
- Call Upon His Name (1/16/2022)
- The Living Christ and the Book of Mormon (12/26/2021)
- Hidden Treasures (8/21/2021)
- “How Great Blessings” (7/18/2021)
- The Perfect Day (5/11/2021)
- “Sanctify Yourselves” (4/25/2021)
- How to “Come unto Christ” (12/22/2020)
- Book of Mormon References in Moroni 6 (12/5/2020)
- That Veil of Unbelief – Ether 4:15 (11/15/2020)
- What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?” (1/26/2020)
- What Do We Know About the Jaredite Plates? (5/26/2019)
- What Is the Sealed Portion of the Book of Mormon? (5/25/2019)
- What’s Wrong with Seeking Signs? (5/22/2019)
- What Is A Contrite Spirit? (4/30/2019)
- What Can We Learn About Coming Unto Christ from the Brother of Jared? (2/15/2019)
- How Does the Savior Invite Us to Come Unto Him? (2/12/2019)
- What Is the Urim and Thummim? (1/17/2019)
- He That Will Not Believe My Words Will Not Believe Me – Ether 4:12 (9/23/2018)
- When Ye Shall Rend That Veil of Unbelief… – Ether 4:13-15 (3/31/2018)
- That Veil of Unbelief – Ether 4:13-15 (6/7/2017)
- He that Believeth These Things – Ether 4:10-12 (6/6/2017)
- The Greater Things – Ether 4:13 (4/30/2016)
- The Greater Things – Ether 4:13-14 (12/2/2015)
- Ether 4:15 When Ye Shall Rend That Veil of Unbelief (12/19/2014)