A Study of the Book of Mormon

Alma 37:38-47 In these verses we learn that the Lord has the capacity to create instruments of curious workmanship beyond what men could create. With our modern technology, this seems hard to fathom. However, to create an instrument that works according to their faith in God, this, indeed, no man could do regardless of how intricate or detail it may become. I feel a slight rebuke in subsequent verses. Footnote on "shadow" has me considering Hebrews 8:5 and Mosiah 3:15 "...the words of Christ, if we follow their course, [shall] lead us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise." ( vs.46 ) ---- I've been in this particular set of scripture too long now. I will note though at the end of this study, that feeling that I have from these admonitions of Alma are along the lines of watch always, don't lose sight of the little things, don't give up, "look to God and live." The way is easy, but that doesn't give us licen...

Alma 33:18-23 This is the second time that this theme is repeated in the Book of Mormon. Nephi was the first to mention it back in 1 Nephi 17:40-41 . The idea of over-complicating truth is one of the main ideas that I get from this. Many would not believe that looking on the brazen serpent that Moses lifted up because it was too simple a thing to believe in. (The account in Numbers 21 does not point out that there were those who did not believe, and consequently died because of their disbelief.) Alma points out that the reason that some of the Israelites perished was because they would not believe. Then he asked the Zoramites if they would choose to be healed by just looking, would they not do so quickly. But as he continues to inquire of them, I come to realize that Alma isn't saying: it worked for them, wouldn't that be neat if that were available to us? NO! What Alma is saying is: this type was available to them to help them understand how easy it was to be healed. Th...

2 Nephi 9:50-54 Jacob concludes this lengthy discourse with symbolism of drinking and eating, applying it to one's acceptance of the Gospel of Christ. The wording is curious. In verse 50 , he invites his listeners to come and buy wine and milk, but to do so without money or without price. He's not saying that it is free. What he is saying is that it can be had without money, but that it still must be bought. How can I buy something without spending money? To buy something typically requires us to expend our resources in exchange for a good or service. If we are to buy without the resource of money, then we must use some other resource that we have available to us to make the purchase. Perhaps, what Jacob suggests here is that there is an investment of time required on our behalf before we can obtain what is otherwise has no monetary equivalent.

1 Nephi 11 I'm still in chapter 11 of First Nephi this morning. The more I review the sequence of events that transpires in this first part of Nephi's vision, the more layers I uncover. The use of juxtaposed images to convey meaning allows me as a reader to visually develop intangible concepts. In his vision, he goes back and forth between discussions with the angel, viewing the life of the Savior, and seeing symbolic representations. These representations allows me to further comprehend abstract concepts with everyday objects, such as trees and water. At the same time, I pause to think that everything around us God has placed here. The very existence of such things are yet further witnesses of Jesus Christ. It seems that it was part of God's plan to place us in an environment where all that was created was designed to point to God and His Son. This is what Alma meant when he declared to Korihor the Anti-Christ, "All things denote there is a God," ( Alma 30:44 )....

Ether 6:1-11 Vs. 3 - Double meaning. The Lord prepared stones fro the Jaredite boats that they might not cross the waters in darkness. The same happens for us. The Lord has given us light that we might not travel through this life in darkness. Vs. 5-8 - What a beautiful, spiritual parallel these verses are.  The waters can be compared to the world. While we must live and pass through this world, we do not need to be swallowed up in it.  The wind that pushed them along was the Power of God which if we let it will lead us to progress along the waters. The wind (the power of God) never did cease to blow. The vessels that protected them from the waters were their preparation, having had headed to the word or council of the Lord, they were protected from the waters or the world, though at times they did get swallowed up in them. Like the early latter-day Saints, at times they were swallowed up in afflictions, but the Lord always allowed them to come out on top, because they cr...