A Study of the Book of Mormon

Alma 30 The rhetoric of Anti-Christ: vs. 13 , Starts with the assumption of bondage through a vain and foolish hope. "Why do ye look for a Christ?" This is directly opposing Christ. vs.14 , he goes on to attack prophecy. Why if one is Anti-Christ would they go at the doctrine of prophecy? "Ye cannot know of things which ye do not see;" The support poles of the Anti-Christ argument is 1) you cannot believe what you cannot see ( vs. 15 ), and 2) when a man dies that is the end of him. ( vs. 18 ). At the heart of the Anti-Christ argument is that "there could be no atonement made for the sins of men." and that man is alone in the world to fend for himself. ( see vs. 17 ) This I could never believe because of the reality of the Atonement of Christ in my life. I have experienced a remission of sins. I know what it is to go in opposition to the commands of God, and then to return, to repent, and to have that weight lifted from me. Real as anything ...

Mosiah 23:25-39 The purpose of these verses was summarized in the title of the previous post, "the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people," which is found in verse 21 . In these group of verses we find the details of what is in my mind an extraordinary trial of faith on the part of Alma and also his people. I find myself this morning also asking: What is it about the order or economy of heaven that makes this this particular episode so noteworthy? For after a period of establishment in the land of Helam where the people of Alma had been exceedingly prosperous in their daily affairs, suddenly the appearance of the Lamanites within th borders of the land cause a great fear to arise in the hearts of the people of Alma. I appreciate how it points out that Alma "went forth and stood among them" to quiet their fears by reminding them to place their faith in the Lord. ( see vs. 27 ) The people of Alma respond to this invitation of faith by exercising the power of prayer. The...

Ether 9 Vs. 3 ) The only way to avoid destruction was to completely choose the right. The King Omer was warned in a dream by the Lord.   Vs. 5-6 ) Meanwhile, the wicked were power hungry and rebelled against one another and killed each other. Akish had his father-in-law killed and later his son, and eventually his power hungry empire imploded on itself and after it had fallen, vs. 13 ) Omer returned and established his son Emer as King. Vs. 16 ) Under the reign of Emer, the Lord blessed the land. Ether 9:19 - In the Americas, they had elephants! Vs. 22 ) Emer is immortalized in history for having had seen the Savior. This one phrase tells us so much about his character. This explains success in his reign. Vs. 26 ) King Heth, great grandson on Emer, dethroned his father. And unlike kings before him, Heth did not protect the prophets when they came out to call the people to repentance. Vs. 30-35 ) The Lord sent them a plague and poisonous serpents.