We recognize the elite of the world by the wealth, power, and influence they wield, especially when oppressing the common people. But do we easily discern the elect of God or, at times, do we confuse the two? The term “elect” (Hebrew bechir) is the same as the word “chosen” (bechir) from the verb “to […]
It seems no coincidence that Isaiah’s end-time message should come to light in all its literary, theological, and prophetic glory at the very time truth is at a premium in the world—when so much of what passes for the truth consists of but a cunningly conceived façade concealing layers of lies, lies, and more lies.
How many of us remember our calling to “say nothing but repentance unto this generation,” to “keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work” (Doctrine & Covenants 6:9)? Or the Lord’s admonition that “it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor” so that they may be “left without excuse,”
Degrees of Loyalty Read More »
Joseph Smith’s boldly declaring the Book of Mormon “the most correct of any book on earth” (TPJS, 194) invites serious scrutiny. Apart from the fact that millions of people have received a spiritual testimony of its truthfulness by the power of the Holy Ghost, others have searched and additionally gained an intellectual testimony. That “a
Most Correct Book? Read More »
The concept of “the birthpangs of Messiah” arose out of Israel’s need for a divinely empowered deliverer of God’s people when conditions became intolerable. When Israel served in hard bondage in Egypt and the people cried to God for deliverance, he raised up Moses, who led them to the Promised Land. When the Philistines were
Birthpangs of the Messiah Read More »
A “precept of men” we may have heard is that we should not search out mysteries. As if seeking the truths of God for ourselves is prohibited! In a day when “all things shall be revealed” (2 Nephi 27:11, 22; cf. Doctrine & Covenants 101:32—and indeed are beginning to be revealed—won’t seeking the truth save
Searching Mysteries Read More »
Having first established—by analyzing the Book of Isaiah’s internal literary features—that “all things that he spake have been [in ancient times] and shall be [in the end-time]” (3 Nephi 23:3; cf. Ecclesiastes 1:9), we learn that Egypt, the great superpower of Isaiah’s day, forms a type of America, the great superpower of our day. But
I have shown that ancient Near Eastern emperor–vassal covenants are helpful in understanding the workings of the Sinai and Davidic Covenants. On a parallel with those ancient models, God acts in the role of emperor and his people or King David and his heirs act in the role of vassals. But there is a third
Solemn Brotherhood Read More »
When Jehovah God of Israel addresses his end-time people through Isaiah, saying “I announce to you new things, things withheld and unknown to you, things now coming into being, not hitherto, things you have not heard of before, lest you should say, Indeed I knew them! You have not heard them, nor have you known
There is something right or righteous about praising our Savior Jesus Christ. As Jehovah God of Israel—who “paid the price of our peace” and “by whose wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5; cf. 57:19)—he apprises those who believe in him that they are “a people I formed for myself to speak out in praise of
In the Father’s “gift of his Son” (Ether 12:11)—a gift that keeps on giving—we observe the great “condescension of God” (1 Nephi 11:26) that underlies his plan of salvation and exaltation. Born in the flesh as a babe in Bethlehem (beit lehem, “the House of Bread”), Jehovah, God of the Old Testament, manifests himself to
If you have ever ventured to discuss some aspect of Isaiah’s prophecies with someone who was unacquainted with it, you may have inadvertently provoked the sometimes hostile response of “That’s controversial!” or “That isn’t in the manual!” or “I haven’t heard that before!”—as if what they haven’t heard before can’t be true, or that the
That’s Controversial! Read More »
