The Book of Mormon prophet taught that Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac "is a similitude of God and His Only Begotten Son." Here are some similarities between this event, known as the Akedah, and the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
“Is Any Thing Too Hard for the Lord?”
Abraham trusted God's promise of posterity through many years of childlessness. When commanded to give up that long-awaited child, he obeyed. Jacob tells us that this willingness to surrender Isaac demonstrated Abraham’s faith. His belief was accounted for righteousness because it was manifest in obedience.
Four Foundational Strategies
Book of Mormon authors modeled four strategies which can enhance our study of the Old Testament: (1) search for precious things in plain sight, (2) prioritize holistic over selective reading, (3) synthesize themes across the books, and (4) find Christ in the writings of all the prophets.
Receiving the Word of God by the Spirit of Truth
Jesus promised that “the Spirit of truth” would guide us into all truth (John 16:13). In modern revelation, He reiterated that we can distinguish truth from falsehood with the help of the Holy Ghost (D&C 50:21-22). Our commitment to honesty and integrity and our carefulness in avoiding speculation open our hearts to receive truth.
“Sweet Evidence”
Mormon taught that we must be clean to experience miracles. Jacob testified that this is possible through God's grace. The Book of Mormon and modern revelation testify that assurance of God's favor often precedes new revelation. The companionship of the Holy Ghost is evidence that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is working in our lives.
Devoted to Study
Scripture study requires time and effort but leads to personal revelation and spiritual growth. Prophets like Nephi, Jacob, and Benjamin emphasized diligent searching of the scriptures. Jesus commanded us to study Isaiah and the other prophets. By dedicating time daily to the scriptures, we gain insights, improve decision-making, and prepare ourselves to share true principles.
“Pretend to No Other Gift”
God told Joseph to "pretend to no other gift," than the gift to translate until his task was complete. He meant that Joseph should focus on the task at hand and not spend time thinking about other opportunities and gifts which might come in the future.
The Counsels of God
Jacob said, "Seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from His hand." When Joseph Smith asked a question three times, he probably didn't think he was rejecting revelation, but he was. We need to pray with the intent to learn, not to persuade.
Hearken and Search
To hearken is to listen attentively, intending to act on what you hear. To search is to proactively seek understanding. In the preface to the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord invites us to do both. Good disciples are good listeners and good seekers.
Searching
We normally "search" for something in particular. But the Savior's instruction to "search the prophets," may have a more general meaning. We may benefit from simply asking what the prophets were trying to say and what their messages mean for us.