The brass plates which Lehi and his family carried from Jerusalem contained a lot of content which overlaps with the Old Testament. Nephi describes three categories of writings, which correspond with three of the four groupings of books in the Old Testament: "The five books of Moses" - The Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy)"A record of... Continue Reading →
The Song of the Sea: Gratitude Builds Faith
Many times in the Book of Mormon, people offer thanks and praise to God after receiving a blessing. For example: The family of Lehi "did rejoice exceedingly" and offered sacrifice to God when the sons returned safely from Jerusalem with the brass plates (1 Nephi 5:9-10). They did the same after the sons returned with... Continue Reading →
We Need Our Ancestors—and They Need Us
The word "fathers" appears 182 times in the Book of Mormon, usually meaning "ancestors." For example: On the title page, we read that one of the purposes of the book is "to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers."Lehi was delighted to find... Continue Reading →
Deep Waters
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress."How Firm a Foundation," Hymns, #85 When it came time for Jared, his brother, and their families to board the huge barges they had... Continue Reading →
If Ye Are Prepared…
When Nephi and his people "had prepared all things," including "much fruit and meat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance," and other provisions, they boarded the ship they had built to travel across the ocean (1 Nephi 18:6). The brother of Jared and his people did the same before embarking on their journey: When... Continue Reading →
“With the Voice Together Shall They Sing”
The Book of Mormon opens with music. In the opening scene, Lehi sees in a vision: God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.1 Nephi 1:8 The prophet Isaiah associated singing with expressions of joy and gratitude. For example: "Sing, O heavens; and... Continue Reading →
“Thank and Praise the Lord” – Ether 6:9
While the Jaredites sat in enclosed barges for nearly a year, with all the food and animals they could carry, and with furious storms battering them, sometimes sinking them deep in the water, what did they do? How did they spend their time? Here is Moroni's description: And they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the... Continue Reading →
“The Country Was Divided” – Ether 7:20
After arriving in the promised land, the first generation of Jaredites needed to make some foundational decisions about their new civilization. One of those was their form of government. The people wanted to choose a king. Their spiritual leader, the brother of Jared, opposed this idea. "Surely this thing leadeth into captivity," he warned (Ether... Continue Reading →
The Jaredite Generations
Thirty generations in fifteen chapters: in the Book of Ether, Moroni provides a sweeping history of the rise and fall of a civilization. At first glance, the book appears to be the story of the Jaredite people from the perspective of their kings. But upon closer consideration, it becomes clear that the narrative follows a... Continue Reading →
“Commending Themselves Unto the Lord Their God” – Ether 6:4
After living on the seashore for four years, the first generation of Jaredites prepared to cross the "great deep" (Ether 2:25). As they prepared to enter and launch eight enclosed barges, they must have felt extraordinary trepidation. God had said that they would be "as a whale in the midst of the sea." He told... Continue Reading →