There is no mention of God in the book of Esther. None of His names appears in the book. The miraculous events of the book are shared with no attribution; it is up to the reader to recognize God's hand in these events. Perhaps this is appropriate for the story of a woman who had... Continue Reading →
Machpelah: Paying Full Price
When Sarah died, Abraham wanted to give her a proper burial. Although he was wealthy and highly regarded among his neighbors, and although he had lived in Canaan for many years, he still felt like an immigrant. "I am a stranger and a sojourner among you," he said to his neighbors. "Give me a possession... Continue Reading →
Line upon Line
"Precept must be upon precept," wrote the prophet Isaiah, "precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line" (Isaiah 28:10, 13). If this passage sounds repetitive in English, it is even more so in Hebrew. The words for precept (tsav - צַו) and line (qav - קַו) are not only monosyllabic but they rhyme with... Continue Reading →
“Many Great and Important Things”
Commenting on the words of Isaiah, the prophet Nephi wrote: Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a... Continue Reading →
Grace for Grace
Near the beginning of the Gospel of John, there is an unusual statement which describes how we receive the power of God: And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.John 1:16 The Greek word rendered "for" in that passage—anti (ἀντί)—actually means "in place of" or "in exchange for." What does it... Continue Reading →
Brimstone
When God warned Abraham that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah would be destroyed, Abraham pleaded with Him to spare the righteous. God agreed. If there be ten righteous people in those cities, He promised, I will not destroy them. (See Genesis 18:17-32.) Messengers from God subsequently warned Lot and and his family to leave... Continue Reading →
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 word,... Continue Reading →
“A Little Sin” – 2 Nephi 28:8
The prophet Nephi identified two common strategies the devil uses to tempt us: Strategy #1: Don't worry about the future. Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.2 Nephi 28:7 (See also Isaiah 22:13, Luke 12:16-21.) It is good... Continue Reading →
How to “Come unto Christ”
Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me.Doctrine and Covenants 88:63 The phrase "come unto Christ" only appears three times in the Book of Mormon. Jacob tells us that he labored diligently to persuade his people to come unto Christ (Jacob 1:7). Amaleki ends the small plates of Nephi with... Continue Reading →
“Deny Not the Power of God” – Moroni 10:7
Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). It's also often easier to give than to receive, particularly when the gift is viewed as necessary. No one wants to be a "project" or a "charity case." We all want to be viewed as self-sufficient and capable. But when we need... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 