Symbolism in the Scriptures – Literal or Figurative Have you ever been reading in the scriptures and wondered, “is that literal or figurative?” Have you wondered why certain numbers or colors were mentioned in a more than prominent way, as if they carried the entire meaning of the verse, but you didn’t know why that […]
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Essential Organizing In the last study topic, we read about inspired conclusions, verses that contain a prophetic statement beginning with something like “and thus we see.” One of those verses stood out to me as very interesting. In Alma 28:13 we read: “And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of […]
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Introduction A phrase we see throughout the Book of Mormon is the conclusionary comment “and thus we see”. It is most often used by the writers as an inspired conclusion to events they have just portrayed. Its purpose is to serve as a warning to readers. In the words of Moroni: “…give thanks unto God […]
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Succor the weak Think of a time when you’ve really been in need and someone was there to help you. Was it a friend or a stranger? Maybe you made a new friend that day as they attended to you to succor you in your hour of need. From Webster’s 1828 dictionary, the word succor […]
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What is the Holy Spirit and is it different from the Holy Ghost? Have you ever wondered what the mechanism is that allows God to communicate directly with us? How does he know our thoughts? How does he plant thoughts into our mind and heart? In the last blog entry on Inspiration or Revelation, I […]
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What is the difference between revelation and inspiration? While looking for something online one day, I stumbled upon a research paper by Reid Bankhead. In 1949 he submitted a thesis as part of earning his Master of Theology degree, where he reviewed every instance of the words revelation and inspiration found in the Book of […]
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Seeking the Mysteries Life is a search for meaning. We constantly speculate about “what might be” out there. Have you ever mentioned a speculative thought and heard someone say not to delve into the mysteries? Has that shut you down and caused you to just “stick with the basics?” What are the basics and what […]
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Living Water, the gift of God “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” (John 4:10) Have you ever been really, really, thirsty? Your […]
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An Eye Single to the Glory of God I have always been fascinated by references in the scriptures to the eyes. I suppose I just sensed there was a mystery there when the scriptures would talk about the light of the body is the eye, or speak about the eye of faith and such things. […]
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The Savior said “great are the words of Isaiah,” (3 Nephi 23:1) while Nephi told us “Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews” (2 Nephi 25:1). Yet the Savior also declared “a commandment I give unto […]
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