The gathering of Israel sounds like a massive family reunion, but it's actually something quite different. Israel was scattered thousands of years ago. They have intermarried with other nations, and their descendants are everywhere. Furthermore, as Nephi clarified, "As many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord" (2 Nephi... Continue Reading →
“The Girdle of His Loins”
Immediately after prophesying of the destruction of the wicked and the gathering of Israel, Isaiah proclaims the coming of the Messiah: And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:Isaiah 11:1, 2 Nephi 21:1 Isaiah often writes in synonymous parallelisms, saying the same thing twice using different words. Jesus Christ... Continue Reading →
“Revealed…Manifest…Loosed” – 2 Nephi 30:17
As we've studied 2 Nephi 26-30 this week, I've noticed a pattern. Every one of these chapters affirms God's desire to bless us with knowledge: "He manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost" (2 Nephi 26:13). "The Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Clarify?
This is the fifth of six posts answering a set of questions recommended by President Russell M. Nelson. So far, I have written about what the Book of Mormon is, what it affirms, what it refutes, and what it fulfills. Today, I will write about what it clarifies. As I wrote yesterday, the Book of... Continue Reading →
What Is Meekness?
Mormon identified meekness as the foundational virtue: [A man] cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart. If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Millennium?
A millennium is a period of a thousand years. The Millennium is a thousand-year period of peace following the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The apostle John foresaw a time when Satan would be bound for a thousand years. Jesus Christ and His followers would govern the earth during that time (Revelation 20:1-7). Isaiah foresaw... Continue Reading →
How Will the Meek Inherit the Earth?
Why do dishonest, unkind, and undisciplined people succeed in life? All around us, we see decent, hard-working people with more than their fair share of suffering, while people who should be penalized for their actions appear to get off scot-free. This temporary injustice has been a cause of consternation throughout history. King David warned his... Continue Reading →
How Can I Recognize the Temptations of the Devil?
The Book of Mormon teaches that there is a being in the universe who is trying to harm us and to thwart God's plan. His name is Satan (שָׂטָן - the Hebrew word for "adversary"), and he is commonly known as the devil, from the Greek word diabolos (διάβολος), which means "slanderer." He was once... Continue Reading →
Who Is the House of Israel?
The word Israel appears 213 times in the Book of Mormon, almost always preceded by the word "of." Here are the phrases in which it most commonly appears: Phrase # Appearances house of Israel 122 Holy One of Israel 40 God of Israel 11 children of Israel 8 tribes of Israel 6 What is the... Continue Reading →
What Is a Covenant?
A covenant is a formal agreement between two parties (Oxford English Dictionary). The word comes from two Latin roots: com ("together") and venire ("to come"). So the word literally means to "come together" (See Online Etymology Dictionary.) God loves all of His children. He wants us to achieve our full potential, and He will send blessings... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 