Book of Mormon Day 8
1. Thought: "When the book of Mormon was first printed, it came to my hands in two or three weeks afterwards. I examined the matter studiously for two years before I made up my mind to receive that book. I knew it was true, as well as I knew that I could see with my eyes, or feel by the touch of my fingers, or be sensible of the demonstration of any sense. Had not this been the case, I never would have embraced it to this day." (Brigham Young, JD 3:91) The thought from last week from Elder Holland was listed without giving a reference. I have seen it in a couple of places. The easiest to find is probably Elder Holland's great work "Christ and the New Covenant" p. 3.
2. Book of the Week - "Studies in Scripture Vol. 7 1 Nephi-Alma 29" 1987.
3. Gary's Green Verses
Date | Chapter | Verse | Comments |
March 1 | Jacob 6 | 12 | What can I say more. Wisdom is more important that knowledge |
March 2 | Jacob 7 | 11 | An element of being a true prophet is to testify of Christ. |
March 3 | Enos | 1 | Does this remind you of 1 Nephi 1:1 where is speaks of Enos' grandpa? |
March 4 | Jarom | 4 | There should always be many who receive revelations & commune with the Spirit. |
March 5 | Omni | 26 | Offering part of our souls will never be enough |
March 6 | Wds. of Mormon | 7 | May the Lord work with each of us according to his will to do his work. |
March 7 | Mosiah 1 | 6 | Maintaining a testimony requires that we keep the scriptures, "before our eyes" |
March 8 | Mosiah 2 | 21 | We will ALWAYS be indebted to God. |
4. Things I have learned from Jacob;
1. 2 Nephi 2:1-4 - a) 1st born in wilderness; b) suffered because of brothers; c) he's better because of the hard-times; d) he was to spend his days in the service of God; e) he was redeemed because of the righteousness of Jesus (not his own righteousness); f) Jacob beheld glory of Jesus in Jacob's youth.
2. 2 Nephi 6-10 - Assigned talk by Nephi: 6:7; 9:6 - In the end, the only thing that really dies is death; 9:32 - Those who refuse to see the hand of the Lord in all things are blind; 9:39 - SMILE; 10:3 - Jacob is the first of the Nephite prophets to be told (by an angel) that the name of the Messiah would be Christ when he came into the world. It was Jacob who gave us the first major Book of Mormon insight into just how extensively the prophets of old knew the gospel and taught of Jesus Christ, even though most of that teaching is now missing from the Old Testament. (Jacob 4:3-5)
3. Jacob is 44-55 years old when the record keeping responsibility is given him. He is given only the nearly full small plates. His nephew? !! Nephi has the large. Status of the people at this time? 1:15, 16, 2:3, 5, 6.
4. Jacob 2:2 - Jacob almost always refers to his audience as "brethren" (50 times). Nephi called them "my people."
5. There are only four temple discourses recorded in the Book of Mormon. Jacob, Benjamin and the Savior 2 times. Jacob's discourse covered four topics: wealth, pride, chastity, and purity of heart.
6. 2:13 - Alma 1:27 - One of the tell-tale signs of creeping apostasy among the Nephites-, and by extension, that of any civilization-is their obsession with costly apparel. It is noteworthy that the text seldom mentions the beauty or appearance of the clothing, only that it costs much. When form has replaced function to such a degree that a people place a premium upon those things that are the most expensive, then their appreciation for that which matters most is fading rapidly. On the other hand, when a people like the Nephites (at this period in their history) choose to be pleasant in appearance, to be “neat and comely”-not being obsessed with fleeting fashions and fads-then they have established proper priorities and will enjoy the approbation of heaven. “And again, thou shalt not be proud in thy heart,” the Lord declared; “let all thy garments be plain, and their beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands” (D&C 42:40). DCBM V.3 p. 10. See Index p. 16.
7. 2:23 - Using the scriptures and ? to justify sin.
8. 2:31-35 - A warning to those who hold the Priesthood.
9. 3:1-2 - Eight promises or invites to those who are Pure in Heart who suffer from the choices of others; 1) Be Pure in heart yourself (vs. 1); 2) Look to God with firmness in mind (vs. 1) 3) Pray with exceeding faith (vs. 1); 4) He will console you in-not from your afflictions (vs. 1); 5) Avoid feelings of anger or revenge. The Savior will plead your cause. No one gets away with anything (vs. 1); 6) God will send down justice on those who seek our destruction (vs. 1) 7) Receive the pleasing word -scripture (vs. 2); 8) Feast on His love forever (vs. 2) (Clyde J. Williams Sperry Symposium #36:31)
10. 4:13 - (Things As They Really Are - Bednar CES Broadcast May 3, 2009; Ensign June 2010)
11: 4:14 - " As your grasp of the gospel is strengthened, you will be able to avoid “looking beyond the mark.”6 So many in our society engage in, one form or another, of looking beyond the mark. They are like a person in a speeding car who focuses on a traffic
light two intersections away, while running a red light at the immediate intersection. Such people lack the precious perspective of the gospel. Though refusing to be overwhelmed by the simplicity of the obvious, they are taken in by the complexity of trivia; all because they lack a basic sense of proportion. (NAMaxwell, "The Education of our Desires" Salt Lake Inst. of Religion, 1/5/83)
12. Zenos' Allegoy
THE ALLEGORY OF THE OLIVE TREE
THE MESSAGE OF THIS ALLEGORY IS GOD’S UNFLINCHING LOVE-
NOT THE HISTORY
The Allegory of the Tame and Wild Olive Tree was told to show how Israel, the Lord’s Chosen people would reject the Messiah and be scattered as a consequence, but would eventually be gathered again. It is clear that Israel was scattered to preserve Israel.
1. What is an allegory? An extended narrative in which the characters, events, or setting of the story correspond symbolically to individuals, events, or ideas outside the allegory itself.
2. How does it differ from a parable? An allegory is usually longer and more complex than a parable; but like a parable, an allegory uses common figures to present a lesson, doctrine, idea, prophecy, or principle in terms familiar to its audience.
3. Who was Zenos?
See Helaman 8:19; 1 Nephi 19:10-17; Jacob 5:1-77; 6:1; Alma 33:1-1, 13,15; 34:7; 3 Nephi 10:14-17. Elder McConkie says "I do not think I overstate the matter when I say that next to Isaiah himself-there was not a greater prophet in all Israel than Zenos."
4. Why an Olive Tree?
A. The Olive Tree cannot become profitably productive for about 15 years and then only by the grafting of the husbandman. It may be 30 years before a full crop. B. The Olive Tree is the symbol of peace. C. Olive Trees last a long time. D. The olive oil is the symbol of purity. E. The olive tree bears a full crop every other year and with good care a half crop in the intermediate years. F. The wild olive tree had short broad leaves and thorny branches and yielded an inferior oil, but good wood. G. It a tame tree lost its branches, wild olive branches were grafted in. H. Olive trees were harvested by beating branches with long poles. Top branches were left for the gleaners.
5. What symbols mean what?
A. The vineyard=the world H. Fruit of tree=works
B. Master of the vineyard=Heavenly Father I. Transplanting branches-scattering Israel
C. The Servant=Jesus J. Grafting-Adoption on Non-Israel to Israel
D. Tame olive tree=Israel K. Decaying Branches-Apostasy
E. Wild olive tree=non Israel L. Branches in Fire=destruction of wicked
F. Branches=different parts of Israel M. Digging, pruning=nurturing house of Israel
G. Roots of tame tree=the word of God, including covenants and teaching
13. "The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon is similar to the type we have today. God with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time. (ETB - A Witness and a Warning, p. 3)
ANTI-CHRISTS
SHEREM (JACOB 7) | NEHOR (ALMA 1) | KORIHOR (ALMA 30) | |
TOOLS | 2,3,4 | 2 | |
DOCTRINE | 2,7,9 | 3,4 | 1,12,13,14,15,16,17,18 |
METHODS | 4 | 6 | 18,23,24,25 |
DEFENSE | 8,10,11,14 | 7,8 | 20,30,32,33,34,37,38,39, 40,41,44 |
COUNTER MOVE | 13 | 9 | 43,45,48 |
OUTCOME | 15,16,17,18,19,20 | 10,11,12,13,14,15 | 47,49,50-55 |
RESULT | 21,23 | 16 | 56-60 |
"Show me Latter-day Saints who have to feed upon miracles, signs and visions in order to keep them steadfast in the Church, and I will show you members of the Church who are not in good standing before God, and who are walking in slippery paths. It is not by marvelous manifestations unto us that we shall be established in the truth, but it is by humility and faithful obedience to the commandments and laws of God. When I as a boy first started out in the ministry, I would frequently go out and ask the Lord to show me some marvelous thing, in order that I might receive a testimony. But the Lord withheld marvels from me, and showed me the truth, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, until he made me to know the truth from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and until doubt and fear had been absolutely purged from me. He did not have to send an angel from the heavens to do this, nor did he have to speak with the trump of an archangel. By the whisperings of the still small voice of the Spirit of the living God, he gave to me the testimony I possess. And by this principle and power he will give to all the children of men a knowledge of the truth that will stay with them, and it will make them to know the truth, as God knows it, and to do the will of the Father as Christ does it. And no amount of marvelous manifestations will ever accomplish this. It is obedience, humility, and submission to the requirements of heaven and to the order established in the kingdom of God upon the earth, that will establish men in the truth. Men may receive the visitation of angels; they may speak in tongues; they may heal the sick by the laying on of hands; they may have visions and dreams; but except they are faithful and pure in heart, they become an easy prey to the adversary of their souls, and he will lead them into darkness and unbelief more easily than others.” ( JFS, Gospel Doctrine, p.7.)
The Young Seminary Teacher at Roy High and the Anti-Christ.
Ezra Booth, Mrs. John Johnson, Simonds Ryder, Joseph & Emma's adopted children.
The Teachings of Korihor in Alma 30
Modern Counterpart | Korihorism | Verse |
Anti-Christian | There should be no Christ | 12 |
Negativism | Bound down under a foolish and vain hope | 13 |
Agnosticism | No man can know of anything which is to come | 12 |
Empiricism | Ye cannot know of things which ye do not see | 15 |
Psychological explanation | It is the effect of a frenzied mind | 16 |
Positivism | A belief of things which are not so | 16 |
Sophism | Every man fares in this life according to the management of the creature | 17 |
Naturalism | Every man prospers according to his genius | 17 |
Egoism | Every man conquers according to his strength | 17 |
Relativism | Whatsoever a man does is no crime | 17 |
Hedonism | Lift up their heads in wickedness | 18 |
Nihilism | When a man dies, that is the end thereof | 18 |
Anti-Religion | Priests usurp power and authority over people | 23 |
Skepticism | Ye do not know that they are true | 24 |
Atheism | A being who never has been seen or known, who never was nor ever will be | 28 |
Charting the Book of Mormon, Welch p. 78-Research by Miriam Horwinski a teaching assistant.
10. Jacob 7:13 - "Whenever you see a man seeking after a sign, you may set it down that he is an adultererous man. " (Joseph Smith, HC 3:385) "There is a difference, of course, between those who are sincerely seeking a sign, meaning a spiritual confirmation or witness of heavenly truth, and those who are just looking to satisfy their vain curiosity. The prophets condemn the latter." (Ogden p. 283)
