In his dedicatory prayer for the ancient temple in Jerusalem, Solomon raised a series of hypothetical situations, asking God for specific blessings in each of them. Here is one of those situations: When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
Promises to Covenant Israel
Nephi told us that God "loveth those who will have him to be their God." As an example, "he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made" (1 Nephi 17:40). In August of 1830, Joseph Smith received a revelation in... Continue Reading →
“The People That Walked in Darkness” – 2 Nephi 19:2
Even when we are surrounded by darkness, we can be filled with light. The ancient prophet Micah wrote, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me" (Micah 7:8). And King David affirmed, "The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness" (Psalm 18:28). Isaiah prophesied that the coming... Continue Reading →
“That He May Prophesy” – Moroni 10:13
"Before it came to pass, I showed them thee."Isaiah 48:3 One of the gifts Moroni identified that a person can receive by the Spirit of God is "that he may prophesy concerning all things" (Moroni 10:13). (See also 1 Corinthians 12:10, Doctrine & Covenants 46:22, Articles of Faith 1:7.) The Guide to the Scriptures defines... Continue Reading →
“Save It Be for the Sins of the World” – 3 Nephi 28:9
The Savior made an incredible set of promises to the three disciples who wanted to remain on earth until His Second Coming. He told them that they would never taste of death. He promised that they would not feel pain. He even told them that they would not feel sorrow "save it be for the... Continue Reading →
Who Were Zenos and Zenock?
The authors of the Book of Mormon quoted a number of prophets who lived in Israel before Lehi's family left Jerusalem (about 600 B.C.). Some of those prophets, like Moses and Isaiah, also appear in the Bible. But others do not. Two of these prophets are Zenos and Zenock. Here's what we know about them:... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Reveal?
This is the last of six blog 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, what it fulfills, and what it clarifies. Here are some of the truths that the book reveals to... Continue Reading →
What Are the Roles of Persuasion and Punishment in Motivating Good Behavior?
This is the third of three posts in response to a question I received last week. The first post discussed God's love for us. The second discussed why God would "inflict" things on us. Today's post discusses the roles of persuasion and of punishment from God's perspective. The questioner wants to understand why a loving... Continue Reading →
What Should I Be Thankful For?
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States. In preparation for that holiday, I have been thinking about some of the things I am thankful for. Here are some ideas that occurred to me as I studied the Book of Mormon today: I'm grateful to be alive (Mosiah 2:20-21, Mosiah 7:12). I'm grateful for food and... Continue Reading →