Avraham’s Mailbox

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.

Question: Is the “angel of his presence” who delivers God’s people in Isaiah 63:9 the end-time servant, or is he only a type of the servant? Answer: Word links to the verb “deliver” in the Book of Isaiah—as, for example, “from my hand none can deliver” (Isaiah 43:13) and “was my hand too short to

Question: So far, we have seen very few Jewish people accept Jesus. Yet the scriptures speak of a mass conversion of the Jews. Do we have any idea when that will happen? Answer: A search of the scriptures reveals three distinct phases of Jewish conversion to Jesus. The first phase consists of a “beginning” of

Question: Does Isaiah say that God’s end-time servant helped to create the earth? Answer: Isaiah reveals many mysteries of God through the different literary devices he uses that come to light only through searching. Those who keep Jesus’ commandment to search Isaiah’s words diligently are bound to discover many truths embedded in his book that

Question: Do we have any idea what the “new things” are the Lord will do that Isaiah predicts? Answer: Isaiah’s literary devices, such as word links, leave few mysteries unanswered to one who searches his words diligently. Two instances of “new tings” (Hebrew chadashot) appear in the Book of Isaiah: “The prophecies of the former

Question: Does the “first estate” mentioned in Jude 1:6 and “second estate” in Abraham 3:26 mean that God’s children get just one chance at eternal life, or are there multiple mortalities or probationary states? Answer: In Part One of my answer, I laid out the larger picture of God’s plan of salvation and exaltation from

Question: Does the “first estate” mentioned in Jude 1:6 and “second estate” in Abraham 3:26 mean that God’s children get just one chance at eternal life, or are there multiple mortalities or probationary states? Answer: In Part One, I laid out the larger picture of God’s plan of salvation and exaltation from scriptures presently available.