"Samuel Anoints David," by Antonio Gonzalez Velazquez The children of Israel wanted a king. Samuel tried to persuade them that it was a bad idea, but his own credibility had been diminished by the corruption of his sons, whom he had appointed as judges. (See 1 Samuel 8:1-5.) Under God's direction, Samuel identified and anointed... Continue Reading →

"Ruth and Naomi" (detail) by Ary Scheffer After the conquest of Canaan in the book of Joshua and the epic battles in the book of Judges, we read three personal stories: Ruth's assimilation into Israel, Hannah pleading for a son and then dedicating him to God, and Samuel's willingness to hearken to the voice of... Continue Reading →

"Gideon's Army" (detail) by Daniel A. Lewis The period between the death of Joshua and the establishment of a kingdom was a chaotic time for the Israelites. For more than 400 years, the people struggled to remain loyal to God. When they turned away from Him, they fell into captivity. When they prayed for help,... Continue Reading →

"Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon," by John Martin (1816) Crossing Jordan After the death of Moses, the Lord made it clear to the children of Israel that Joshua was his successor. How? By having Joshua replicate, on a smaller scale, the most impressive miracle Moses had performed. Moses had parted the... Continue Reading →

"Moses Sees the Promised Land from Afar," by James Tissot The word "deuteronomy" comes from the Greek words deuteros (δεύτερος), which means "second," and nomos (νόμος), which means "law." At the end of Moses' life, after wandering in the wilderness for forty years, he gave the children of Israel his final words of instruction to... Continue Reading →

Relief of Israelite Scouts Returning from Canaan, parish church in Marazhofen, Germany In Hebrew, the book of Numbers is called Bemidbar (בְּמִדְבַּ֖ר), which means "In the Wilderness." It tells the story of the children of Israel from the time they left Mount Sinai until they were ready to enter the promised land. Here are some... Continue Reading →

"Moses with the Tablets," detail from a stained glass window in the Temple De Hirsch Sinai, Seattle Washington What an unforgettable experience Israel had at Mount Sinai, near the beginning of their journey to the promised land! Like Nephi in the land of Bountiful, Moses ascended the mountain multiple times to receive knowledge from God... Continue Reading →

Decalogue parchment by Jekuthiel Sofer (1768), Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana, Amsterdam "Thou wilt surely wear away." Although Moses had been raised in Pharaoh's court, and although he had led the children of Israel out of Egypt by the power of God, he still had a lot to learn about leadership. When his father-in-law, Jethro, visited him in... Continue Reading →

"The Resurrected Christ" (detail) by Wilson J. Ong As we prepare to celebrate the Savior's resurrection next Sunday, we will certainly review the accounts in the New Testament of His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, His crucifixion on Golgotha, and His interactions with multiple individuals and groups after His tomb was found empty. Here... Continue Reading →