The book of Jonah contains a poetic prayer which the prophet offered from the belly of the fish. In that prayer, he laments the blessings lost by those who turn away from God, and he vows to be faithful to the covenants he has made: They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will... Continue Reading →
“Look unto Abraham…and Sarah”
After reminding Israel that God has not abandoned them (Isaiah 50, 2 Nephi 7), the prophet Isaiah invites them to look back to their roots. "Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged" (Isaiah 51:1, 2 Nephi 8:1). Specifically, he wants them to look to their ancestors and remember... Continue Reading →
The Wilderness Shall Blossom
God saves us in many ways. Sometimes, He changes our environment. Sometimes, He heals us. And in some cases, He opens a path to a better life, just as He led the children of Israel out of Egypt. All three of those manifestations of grace are on display in Isaiah 35. "The wilderness and the solitary place... Continue Reading →
Thanksgiving
Many of the psalms encourage us to express our gratitude to God. For example: "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving" (Psalm 69:30)."Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms" (Psalm 95:2)."Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,... Continue Reading →
Songs of Everlasting Joy
Isaiah associated singing with joy. For example: "Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter to the end of the earth; say ye: The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob" (Isaiah 48:20, 1 Nephi 20:20)."Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth;...and break forth into singing, O mountains;... for the... Continue Reading →
Pavilion
The Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, features the building of booths or huts, temporary structures which represent the tents the children of Israel lived in during their forty years in the wilderness. While the Hebrew word sukkah (סֻכָּה) is often translated "booth" or "tabernacle," it appears a few times in the King James Bible as... Continue Reading →
“Put on Thy Strength”
In the middle of a passage about the gathering of Israel, Isaiah pleads with the Lord to rescue His captive people: Awake, awake! Put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as in the ancient days....Art thou not he who hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths... Continue Reading →
Endowed with Power
The Greek word enduo (ἐνδύω) means "to clothe." In the New Testament it is sometimes used literally (Mark 1:6: "John was clothed with camel's hair." ) and sometimes figuratively (Galatians 3:27: "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.") In the King James Version of the Bible, the word... Continue Reading →
Songs of Everlasting Joy
Isaiah prophesied of a time when the children of Israel would be delivered from bondage and would gather to Zion. This would not only be a day of joy; it would be the beginning of an eternity of joy: The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness,... Continue Reading →
No End
A few months ago, I heard a presentation by Simon Sinek, author of The Infinite Game. He explained that many games we play, like football or chess, have clearly defined rules, consistent participants, and most importantly, endings. He called these "finite games." But other activities that we participate in might be better labeled as "infinite... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 