"What's the point of fasting?" ask the children of Israel in Isaiah 58. "Why are we torturing ourselves when God doesn't even notice?" In response, Isaiah contrasts the way they are currently fasting with the way God wants them to fast: Current "Ye find pleasure." You do whatever you want during the fast. "And exact all... Continue Reading →
“They Followed Vanity, and Became Vain”
Among the sins committed by the northern ten tribes which led to the Assyrian captivity, one stands out to me. The author of 2 Kings writes, "They followed vanity, and became vain" (2 Kings 17:15). The Hebrew word hebel (הֶבֶל), which is translated "vanity" in this passage, means literally "vapor" or "breath." The word habal... Continue Reading →
Fasting: How Long and How Often?
Moses fasted for 40 days. Twice. Let me say up front that I'm not recommending that. In the book of Exodus we read that Moses spent 40 days with the Lord on Mount Sinai, where he received stone tablets with the law inscribed by the finger of God (Exodus 24:18, Exodus 31:18). After destroying those... Continue Reading →
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, He didn't introduce Himself as the Creator of the Universe or as the Father of all people. He didn't say where He lives or what He is trying to accomplish. Instead, He introduced Himself in terms of three of Moses's ancestors: I am the God of thy father, the God... Continue Reading →
Call Upon His Name
In Genesis 4 there is a potentially confusing passage. After reporting that Seth had a son named Enos, the author writes, "then began men to call upon the name of the Lord" (Genesis 4:26). Joseph Smith's revision of this passage adds a critical word: "Then began these men to call upon the name of the Lord," his version... Continue Reading →
Poured Out
As Jacob traveled to Padan-aram to live with his uncle, he had a dream in which the Lord renewed the promise He had made to Jacob's father and grandfather. Waking the next morning, Jacob built a stone pillar and poured oil on it as a form of worship. (See Genesis 28:18.) Years later, after Jacob... Continue Reading →
John Whitmer, Record-keeper
Why does the Lord ask us to keep written records? One reason is to communicate our experiences to others, including future generations. But another reason is more immediate: the process of writing forces us to think things through more carefully. We learn and we grow as we write. In March 1831, John Whitmer was called... Continue Reading →
“Are Ye Stripped of Pride?” – Alma 5:28
In his sermon to the people of Zarahemla, Alma asked a number of challenging questions, including the following: Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an... Continue Reading →
The Work, the Sword, the Sickle, and the Prayer
In the first half of 1829, Joseph Smith received a number of revelations on behalf of other people. Four of those revelations begin almost identically, with a set of four biblical concepts, all of which also appear in the Book of Mormon. Why did those four concepts warrant such frequent repetition, and why did the... Continue Reading →
“Hid up unto the Lord” – Mormon 1:2, 4:23, 5:12
We don't know much about Ammaron, the caretaker of the Nephite records who selected Mormon as his successor. We know that he was the brother of Amos, and therefore a descendant of Alma, who organized the church at the waters of Mormon about 450 years earlier. And we know that he was "constrained by the... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 