Avraham’s Mailbox

Question: It is disturbing to see several prominent figures in the church being persecuted by vocal LDS and anti-LDS individuals and outlets that slander and accuse them of the murderous acts of prophet-pretenders when nothing in their persons or publications contains the slightest motivation for acting out such bizarre behaviors. How do you explain people […]

The book Visions of Glory by John Pontius, based on the near death experiences of “Spencer,” has been the cause of much division and condemnation from people who find it incredulous or who feel threatened by its graphic depictions of the earth’s end-time phase we have now entered. Because of that, soon after its publication,

Question: “My anti-LDS friend says “See! According to Avraham’s answer he proves that Joseph Smith took chapters of Isaiah from the King James Version and inserted them into the Book of Mormon. It is a fraud because Nephi didn’t actually write or quote Isaiah from the brass plates, including 1 Nephi 20:20 (of Isaiah 48),

Question: Some have interpreted Hebrews 10 to say that the Savior is the veil of the temple. Is there support for this in the scriptures generally? Answer: As used throughout the scriptures, the word “veil” signifies something separating people from the Lord that is inherent in humanity’s mortal or fallen nature. It can be physical,

Question: I’m troubled by Brigham Young’s statement that the Gentiles would be just as mistaken about Jesus’ second coming as the Jews were about his first (Journal of Discourses, 8:115). Who was he talking about, members of the church or non-members? And what do you think they would they be mistaken about? Answer: When Brigham

Question: I’ve heard it preached by authority that there will never be another apostasy. While not wishing to dwell on this subject, what does Isaiah say about it? Answer: The pulpit narrative you cite is a polar opposite of the scriptures narrative, Isaiah’s in particular. Persons who make such entitled statements evidently don’t understand the

Question: I have heard from the pulpit that the power of God has descended on the Latter-day Saints in fulfillment of Nephi’s words in 1 Nephi 14. Does that agree with what Nephi taught? Answer: The verse you refer to states, “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb

Question: Is there more than one end-time servant of God according to Isaiah? Some say there are two or more separate servants. Answer: Regarding which “servant” or “servants” Isaiah is referring in his end-time scenario—especially in view of which category we might fall under—here is a synopsis: First is God’s collective servant, who are his

Question: I’m confused about whether the prophesied gathering of Israel has started. Does the current “gathering of Israel” through missionary work fulfill the words of Isaiah? Answer: According to the scriptures, there occur two phases of Israel’s gathering: first, a beginning of gathering—of Ephraim and Judah; and second, an end-time gathering of the whole house

Question: Does the Gentiles’ complaint against the words of the Lord’s hissing forth when they say “A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible” (2 Nephi 29:3) refer to the Book of Mormon or to something else? Answer: A common “precept of men,” or incorrect interpretation, is

Question: Thank you so much for all the work you do. I appreciate your books and I am grateful to be participating in a study group. I have had this question for years and in reading this weeks’ newsletter article, it came up again. Thus far, I have not yet been able to resolve it.

Question: Does Isaiah reveal more about polygamy than what is in Isaiah 4:1, which people use as an argument online both for and against polygamy? Answer: Because Isaiah spoke about “all things” concerning God’s people (3 Nephi 23:2–3), he indeed covers many aspects of the doctrine of marriage, not only what is in Isaiah 4:1.