The Dead Sea shoreline near Ein Gedi, Israel. Image: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Image.

This article by Maria Gallucci originally appeared on Mashable.com on 21 September 2016.

New software tools have enabled scientists to read an ancient, damaged Hebrew scroll without ever unfurling the fragile, disintegrating parchment.

The digitization techniques, known as “volume cartography,” transformed what were the charred remains of the nearly 2,000-year-old En-Gedi scroll into legible columns of handwritten text from the book of Leviticus, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.

“We are reading a real scroll that hasn’t been read for millennia,” said Brent Seales, who helped develop the cartography techniques and is a computer sciences professor at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

“Many people thought it was impossible to read,” he told reporters on a press call on Tuesday. “My technical team and I, we never needed physical access to the scroll.”

The charred scroll from En-Gedi. Image: Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library/Israel Antiques Authority.

The tools could have important uses beyond the realm of antiquities, the researchers said.Intelligence or forensic investigators, for instance, could use volume cartography to extract information from documents without opening an envelope.

The software will become open-source in late 2017 when the researchers’ funding from the National Science Foundation ends, Seales said.

“This goes down to the microns,” the professor said. “We’re mapping out the entire internal structure.”

To virtually “unwrap” the En-Gedi scroll, Seales and his team began by taking a 3-dimensional volumetric scan of the damaged manuscript and creating digital cross-sections of the artifact. The next step, segmentation, produced digital “pages” that contained the writing.

The U.S. researchers pieced together more than 100 scanned segments of the En-Gedi scroll. They then used a texturing technique to extract ink marks from the data and to detect bright pixels, indicated dense materials like lead-based inks.

A final flattening stage converted the textured, 3-D surface into a flat plane to reveal the lines, words, letters and spacing on five complete wraps of the Hebrew scroll.

Thanks to the digital analysis, the En-Gedi scroll is” the most extensive biblical text that has come to light” in the last decade, said Michael Segal, who heads the School of Philosophy and Religions at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Ancient origins

The En-Gedi scroll (also spelled “Ein Gedi”) is the oldest scroll discovered from the Hebrew Bible since the better-known Dead Sea Scrolls, which were found in the 1940s and date back to around 2,000 years.

Paleographic data suggests the En-Gedi scroll originated in the second half of the 1st century C.E. or the beginning of the 2nd century, Segal told reporters. Carbon dating puts the scroll in the 3rd or 4th-century C.E.

Archaeologists found the En-Gedi scroll in 1970 near the Dead Sea in Israel. The parchment was placed inside the Holy Ark of a 6th-century synagogue, but the building suffered a fire, turning the ark’s contents into lumps of crushed charcoal.

For decades, researchers had little idea what the scrolls contained, since touching the chunks would likely destroy them.

The charred scroll from En-Gedi with its exact facsimile, which was 3-D printed from the micro-CT scan that led to the discovery of the biblical text inside. Image: Brian Seales.

Last year, however, Seales and researchers in Israel used advanced digital imaging software to scan the fragile scroll, revealing that the document contained the opening verses of the book of Leviticus, the third book of the Hebrew Bible.

“It still looked like a chunk of charcoal,” Pnina Shor, curator and head of the Dead Sea Scrolls Project at the Israel Antiquities Authority, said on the call with reporters.

“We were certain it was a shot in the dark,” she said. “This came back as a written piece of flattened material, that looked like a scroll. You can’t imagine the joy in the lab.”

The new digital scans are detailed and complete enough to support “serious textual criticism” of the En-Gedi scroll, Seales said.

Earlier scans of the En-Gedi scroll revealed by imaging software. Image: Seth Parker -University of Kentucky, Ehud Shor, Jerusalem.

The images also start to fill a gaping, centuries-long gap in biblical history.

Few if any copies of the Hebrew Bible have been discovered that date to between the beginning of the common era and the start of the Middle Ages, in the 5th century C.E., according to Emanuel Tov, a professor in the department of Bible at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The En-Gedi’s scroll’s writings are nearly 100 percent identical to the medieval texts, both in consonants and in paragraph divisions, suggesting that copies of the book of Leviticus did not differ much over thousands of years.

“The details of the scroll connect us with the Middle Ages, since no other known source from antiquity is as close to the medieval text as the En-Gedi scroll,” Tov said.

Does this military figure depict Alexander the Great meeting with the Jewish high priest? The full Huqoq mosaic from a Late Roman–Byzantine synagogue can be viewed below. Photo: Jim Haberman.

A 1,500-year-old mosaic that might depict a meeting between Alexander the Great and the Jewish high priest has been unveiled in full byNational Geographic. The mosaic was unearthed during excavations of a fifth-century C.E. synagogue at Huqoq, a site in Israel’s Lower Galilee. Led by Jodi Magness, the Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Huqoq excavations have each year revealed vibrant mosaic floors depicting a variety of scenes, from the exploits of the Biblical hero Samson to the Exodus and Noah’s Ark.

The possible depiction of Alexander the Great at Huqoq was first reported in 2014. In a Bible History Daily guest post, Magness and mosaics specialist Karen Britt described the magnificent scene:

The bottom register shows a dying soldier grasping his shield as he falls and a bull pierced by spears, with blood gushing from his gaping wounds. In the middle register, the arches of an arcade frame a seated elderly man and the young men who flank him. Lighted oil lamps are shown above each arch. The top register … depicts an encounter between two large male figures. One figure is clearly intended to represent a military commander and ruler: He is bearded and has a diadem on his head, is outfitted in ornate battle dress, and wears a purple cloak (see accompanying photo). This figure leads a large bull by the horns, and he is accompanied by a row of soldiers arranged as a Greek phalanx and by battle elephants with decorated collars and shields tied to their sides. The commander/ruler is nodding to a bearded, elderly man wearing a ceremonial white tunic and mantle. The elderly man is escorted by young men holding sheathed swords or daggers who are also dressed in ceremonial white tunics and mantles.

Now, National Geographic has published the Huqoq mosaic in full:

Photo: Mark Thiessen/National Geographic.

Because the mosaic doesn’t label the figures, the scene is open for interpretation. According to National Geographic, Magness and Britt diverge on their opinions of what the Huqoq mosaic portrays.

This is one of two battle elephants who, along with a bull and a row of soldiers, accompanies what may be Alexander the Great. Photo: Jim Haberman.

Magness, National Geographic reports, believes the Huqoq mosaic, which should be read from the bottom up, portrays Macedonian king Alexander the Great’s fourth-century B.C.E. conquests in the eastern Mediterranean. The top portion of the mosaic, Magness argues, shows Alexander the Great in a purple cloak meeting Jerusalem’s high priest, who is wearing a white tunic. While this meeting did not actually occur in history, the legend appears in the writings of ancient Jewish historian Josephus and in rabbinic literature.

“After Alexander’s death in 323 B.C.E., when his fame spread and his importance became clear because of the way that he changed the face of the Near East, the Jews—like other ancient people—sought to associate themselves with him and his greatness,” Magness told National Geographic. “That’s why stories like this legend began to circulate.”

On the other hand, Karen Britt, along with history scholar and fellow Huqoq excavation member Ra’anan Boustan, believes the Huqoq mosaic portrays Seleucid king Antiochus VII’s attack on Jerusalem in 132 B.C.E. The top portion, Britt and Boustan say, represents a meeting to discuss a truce between Antiochus VII in the purple cloak and John Hyrcanus I, the Hasmonean leader and Jewish high priest, in the white tunic.

“The Jews were frequently conquered by other people,” Britt explained to National Geographic. “The message here is that not only could they hold their own in battle, but they could also reach an honorable and mutually agreeable treaty with their overseers.”

Explore the stunning Huqoq mosaic further in National Geographic.

This article by Dan Eden was published on the 7 tales.net website on 26 December 2015. This article is speculative and may not be the opinion of the staff at MormonBible.org.

I’m often amazed at our lack of knowledge about history. Ordinary people are hungry for this information, yet the organizations responsible to disseminate these facts seem to have an agenda to keep us in the dark. This is especially true when it comes to our ancient human history.

I won’t hold you in suspense with this article: The Ark of Noah has been found. It’s real. I’ll describe the evidence in some detail and end with the historical and religious implications.

How It Was Discovered

In 1959, Turkish army captain Llhan Durupinar discovered an unusual shape while examining aerial photographs of his country. The smooth shape, larger than a football field, stood out from the rough and rocky terrain at an altitude of 6,300 feet near the Turkish border with Iran.

Capt. Durupinar was familiar with the biblical accounts of the Ark and its association with Mount Ararat in Turkey, but he was reluctant to jump to any conclusions. The region was very remote, yet it was inhabited with small villages. No previous reports of an object this odd had been made before. So he forwarded the photographic negative to a famous aerial photography expert named Dr. Brandenburger, at Ohio State University.

Brandenburger was responsible for discovering the Cuban missile bases during the Kennedy era from reconnaissance photos, and after carefully studying the photo, he concluded: “I have no doubt at all, that this object is a ship. In my entire career, I have never seen an object like this on a stereo photo.”

In 1960 the picture [above] was published in LIFE magazine under the heading of Noahs Ark? That same year a group of Americans accompanied Capt. Durupinar to the site for a day and a half. They were expecting to find artifacts on the surface or something that would be unquestionably related to a ship of some kind. They did some digging in the area but found nothing conclusive and announced to the anxiously waiting world that it appeared to be a natural formation.

Most of the global media turned away from the find and it became a non-story.

In 1977 Ron Wyatt visited the site. Obtaining official permission, Ron and others conducted more thorough research over a period of several years. They used metal detection surveys, subsurface radar scans, and chemical analysis — real science — and their findings were startling. The evidence was undeniable. This was the Ark of Noah.

The Visual Evidence

The first part of the survey was to examine the object and take its measurements. The shape looked like hull of a ship. One end was pointed as you would expect from bow [below: D] and the opposite end was blunt like a stern. The distance from bow to stern was 515 feet, or exactly 300 Egyptian cubits. The average width was 50 cubits. These were the exact measurements mentioned in the Bible.

On the starboard side (right) near the stern there were four vertical bulges protruding from the mud [B], at regular intervals, that were determined to be the “ribs” of the hull [see below]. Opposite to these, on the port side, a single rib [A] protrudes from the mud. You can see its curved shape very clearly. Surrounding it are more ribs, still largely buried in the mud, but visible upon close examination.

Remember that this object, if it is the Ark, is extremely old. The wood has been petrified. Organic matter has been replaced by minerals from the earth. Only the shapes and traces of the original wood remain. Perhaps this is why the expedition in 1960 was disappointed. They anticipated finding and retrieving chucks of wood, long since eroded.

From the position of the object in the middle of an obvious mud flow, it is obvious that the object slid down more than a mile from its original location. Geologists believe it was originally over 1000 feet higher in the mountain and encased in a shell of hardened mud. They think that an earthquake in 1948 cracked the mud shell and revealed the structure. This is confirmed by stories from the surrounding villagers who tell of its “sudden appearance” around that time.

Biblical accounts of the Ark describe it as having as many as six levels. The assumed shape of the Ark seems consistent with the bulge [C] in the middle of the object. In fact, as we will soon learn, radar scans of the structure suggest that this bulge is the collapsed debris of these levels.

Although most people think of the Ark as being rectangular, that only applies to the top decks. The sleek shape of the hull is necessary to enable the huge ship to remain stable in the water and survive tremendous waves.

Ground Penetrating Radar

The human eye needs to see reflected light to recognize an object. To visualize what remains below the earth, scientists use microwaves which can penetrate the ground and bounce back when they hit something solid. This technique is commonly used to locate oil and other minerals. Called Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), the apparatus us made from an antenna that transmits, then listens to receive the “echo” and prints the result on a piece of paper. The delay and strength of this echo tell the geologists how solid and at what depth the objects are under the earth.

The team of geologists didn’t scan the entire object. Instead, they marked out lines that crossed the object with yellow tape. Then they dragged the antenna (about the size of a lawnmower) over the lines and watched the output on the paper recorder. When they got a strong “hit” — meaning there was something solid underneath — they would record the position on the tape [above]. Later, when they made a map of the object, the tape and the location of the “hits” they realized that there was indeed a structure underneath the mud.

“This data does not represent natural geology. These are man made structures. These reflections are appearing too periodic… too periodic to be random in that type of natural pace.” – Ron Wyatt of SIR Imaging team

The radar cans revealed this structure [above] under the mud. The symmetry and logical placement of these objects shows that this is unmistakably a man made structure, most likely the Ark of Noah.

Artifacts Retrieved From The Ark

Using the GPR, Ron Wyatt discovered an open cavity on the starboard side. He used an improvised drill to make core sample inside this cavity and retrieved several very interesting objects. Below you can see the artifacts which were sent for laboratory analysis. On the left is the bore hole [see below], followed by what turned out to be petrified animal dung, then a petrified antler and lastly a piece of cat hair.

Perhaps the most significant find from the Ark itself is a piece of petrified wood. When this was first found it appeared to be a large beam. But upon closer examination it is actually three pieces of plank that have been laminated together with some kind of organic glue! This is the same technology used in modern plywood. Lamination makes the total strength of the wood much greater than the combined strength of the pieces. This suggests a knowledge of construction far beyond anything we knew existed in the ancient world.

Examination reveals the glue oozed from the layers. The outside of the wood appears to have been coated with bitumen.

Even more surprising were laboratory analyses which not only revealed that the petrified wood contained carbon (proving it was once wood) but there were iron nails [above right] embedded in the wood!

We like to imagine that humanity evolved in a neat sequence of eras, each named after the technology that was discovered. We have the Stone Age (where man developed arrows and stone tools), the Bronze Age (where metals were combined and heated to make tools and household items) and lastly the Iron Age (where iron and steel objects were made by heating iron ore and adding other material — like charcoal — to strengthen it). The Iron Age is usually placed at 1200-1000 BC, yet we have iron nails being used in this extremely old construction.

But Wait. . .  There’s More!

The most surprising find was discovered with sensitive metal detectors. The team located several strong “hits” that, when dug up, revealed large disc shaped rivets. From simple observation of the metal it was possible to see where the rivet had been hammered after being inserted through a hole [below].

If rivets being used in ancient construction doesn’t impress you, this surely will.

An analysis of the metal used to make the rivets revealed that they were a combination of iron (8.38%), aluminum (8.35%) and titanium (1.59%). Remember these trace metals have survived petrification and so do not indicate the exact content in the original material. (see Report from Galbraith Labs)

We know the aluminum was incorporated in the metallic mixture because it does not exist in metallic form in nature. This implies an extremely advanced knowledge of metallurgy and engineering. Characteristics of an iron-aluminum alloy have been investigated in The Russian Chemical Bulletin (2005) and reveal that this alloy forms a thin film of aluminum oxide which protects the material from rust and corrosion. The addition of titanium would provide added strength. This seems to have worked. The rivets have survived from antiquity!

The Surrounding Areas

Several miles from the location of the Ark, huge stones were discovered, some standing upright while others lying on the ground. These stones, weighing many tons, have holes carved in them. Scientists have determined that they were anchors and the holes would have been their attachment to a ship with hemp rope.

Often these stones will have crosses carved in them, from centuries ago when pilgrims made the journey to visit the Ark. Yes, the Ark was well known in the Middle Ages and even before. And its location was recorded in many historical documents.

“And the Ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.” – Genesis 8:4-5

The Gilgamesh Epic (650 BC) gives Mt. Nisir as the landing place of the Ark. The local name for the town where the Ark was found is Nasar.

The annals of Ashurnasurpal II of Assyria (833-859 BC) places it south of the Zab river (correct).

Theophilus of Antioch (115-185 AD) said the Ark could be seen in his day in the Arabian mountains. Later Church Fathers also mention the Ark as late as the mid 7th century.

In the 13th century, Willam, a traveler, stated for the first time that Mt. Masis was the Ark location (present-day Mt. Ararat).

Ptolemy’s Geographia (1548) mentions the mountains of Armenia as the place of landing. So does the traveler Nicolas de Nicolay (1558).

Pilgrims to the site would gather bits and pieces of the petrified wood which would be used as charms to ward off evil. When they encountered the anchors, they had no doubt about their association with the Ark. They often carved one big cross to represent Noah and smaller crosses representing his family.

The huge anchors would have been suspended from the keel of the ship. This was a common practice among ancient mariners to stabilize a heavy ship and ensure that the bow is always facing the on-coming waves. A “top heavy” ship, such as the Ark, could easily be capsized by a wave approaching from the side. This is yet further proof that Noah’s Ark was a reality and that it has indeed been found in Turkey.

Republished From:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints publishes editions of the Bible in English and Spanish. In many other non-English languages, the Church has approved a non–Latter-day Saint edition of the Bible for use in Church meetings and classes.

English

The Church publishes an English-language edition of the King James Version of the Holy Bible. It includes LDS footnotes and chapter headings, a Topical Guide, Bible Dictionary, Bible Chronology, Harmony of the Gospels, Bible Maps, Bible Photographs, Guide to the Scriptures, and selections from the Joseph Smith Translation. The latest edition was updated in 2013 and is available in various printed, electronic, and audio formats.

Spanish

In 2009, the LDS Church published a Spanish-language edition of the Bible entitled Santa Biblia: Reina-Valera 2009. The text is based on the 1909 version of the Reina-Valera translation, with modernized grammar and vocabulary. It includes LDS footnotes and chapter headings, as well as a Guide to the Scriptures and selections from the Joseph Smith Translation. It is available in various printed, electronic, and audio formats.

Other Languages

Below is a list of non–Latter-day Saint editions of the Bible that have been reviewed by the Church and approved for use in Church meetings and classes:

While these numbers are interesting, they also tell a story about how many Americans see the Bible—that it is open for interpretation. Pastor John MacArthur, president of The Master’s College and Seminary who also hosts a nationally syndicated radio show, said of this poll:

The findings reveal the utter chaos in our culture regarding the nature and authority of Scripture. … Clearly, the prevailing belief in our culture is that while the Bible may be the inspired Word of God, it doesn’t mean what it says. It’s only authoritative as long as the reader is the final arbiter of what it actually means. Debates on Scripture ultimately all come back to the issue of authority, and the majority of professing Christians in America have rejected the objective authority of the inerrant Word of God and have replaced it with the authority of self. [1]

Believing that the word of God is open for interpretation causes much chaos and confusion in the world today. But, as Pastor MacArthur pointed out, the debate really centers on the issue of authority—is the Bible the word of God to man, or the word of man about God? If the Bible is the word of God to man, then it can’t really be subject to debate. If it’s the word of man about God, then it may be open for interpretation. But how can we know which is true? We can begin by asking God—and then reading the Bible. Elder Robert D. Hales, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (with the First Presidency, the governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—which is sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church), said:

… When we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures; for His words are spoken through His prophets. He will then teach us as we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. If you have not heard His voice speaking to you lately, return with new eyes and new ears to the scriptures. They are our spiritual lifeline. [3]

The Bible is an amazing gift from God. The more we study its pages, its history and the fruits that it has brought forth, the more we understand and appreciate the miracle that it is, and the truthfulness of its words.

The Miracle of the Bible

The Bible is a miracle, but many people today take it for granted. After all, one can access its words through a variety of media—printed books, smart phones, computers, iPads and myriad other electronic gadgets. But this hasn’t always been the case. The late Robert J. Matthews, who was a religious educator and scholar at Brigham Young University (the flagship school of The Church of Jesus Christ), illustrated this point:

Today Bibles are plentiful. Most of us have at least one written in our own language that we can read and study with little effort. But Bibles have not always been so readily available. In 2 Kings 22 and 23, written some time around 620 B.C., is the account of temple workmen finding an abandoned copy of the law of God. This discovery seemed to have been a surprise; copies of the scriptures were apparently hard to come by then. King Josiah read these writings, discovered that many religious practices of his people did not conform with the recorded commandments, and decided to make changes. He reemphasized the Passover feast, and conditions improved for a time in Jerusalem. …

In about 520 B.C., Ezra the scribe, after bringing the people of Judah back to the land of Judea from their seventy-year captivity in Babylon, gathered them together so he could read the Old Testament to them. He translated as he read because the scriptures were written in Hebrew and the younger Jews spoke only Aramaic, the language of Babylon. Probably for the first time in their lives the Jews heard and understood the scriptures in their own tongue, and they wept and rejoiced. (See Nehemiah 8.)

These examples lead us to believe that having the scriptures readily available and in our own language is a blessing that most people in bygone days have not enjoyed. And yet the Bible … has been translated into thousands of languages and is available in book form in a multitude of sizes and bindings. [4]

The Bible, then, is truly a miracle. Elder M. Russell Ballard, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, said:

It is a miracle that the Bible’s 4,000 years of sacred and secular history were recorded and preserved by the prophets, apostles, and inspired churchmen.

It is a miracle that we have the Bible’s powerful doctrine, principles, poetry, and stories. But most of all, it is a wonderful miracle that we have the account of the life, ministry, and words of Jesus, which was protected through the Dark Ages and through the conflicts of countless generations so that we may have it today. [5]

The miracle of the Holy Bible isn’t just that it exists after so many thousands of years, but also the truths that it contains. Elder Ballard continued:

It is a miracle that the Bible literally contains within its pages the converting, healing Spirit of Christ, which has turned men’s hearts for centuries, leading them to pray, to choose right paths, and to search to find their Savior.

The Holy Bible is well named. It is holy because it teaches truth, holy because it warms us with its spirit, holy because it teaches us to know God and understand His dealings with men, and holy because it testifies throughout its pages of the Lord Jesus Christ. [5]

Preserving the Word of God

We are indebted to those throughout the ages who have written down and preserved the word of God. Elder Hales taught:

Originally the Bible was written in Hebrew and Greek, languages unknown to common people throughout Europe. Then, about 400 years after the Savior’s death, the Bible was translated by Jerome into Latin. But still the scriptures were not widely available. Copies had to be written by hand, usually by monks, each taking years to complete.

Then, through the influence of the Holy Ghost, an interest in learning began to grow in the hearts of people. This Renaissance or “rebirth” spread throughout Europe. In the late 1300s, a priest named John Wycliffe initiated a translation of the Bible from Latin into English. Because English was then an emerging, unrefined language, church leaders deemed it unsuitable to convey God’s word. Some leaders were certain that if people could read and interpret the Bible for themselves, its doctrine would be corrupted; others feared that people with independent access to the scriptures would not need the church and would cease to support it financially. Consequently, Wycliffe was denounced as a heretic and treated accordingly. After he died and was buried, his bones were dug up and burned. …

While some were inspired to translate the Bible, others were inspired to prepare the means to publish it. By 1455 Johannes Gutenberg had invented a press with movable type, and the Bible was one of the first books he printed. For the first time it was possible to print multiple copies of the scriptures and at a cost many could afford. [6]

A century after Wycliffe’s death, another man took up the cause: William Tyndale, who was martyred for his work. Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught:

Tyndale, born in England about the time Columbus sailed to the new world, was educated at Oxford and Cambridge and then became a member of the Catholic clergy. He was fluent in eight languages, including Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. Tyndale was a devoted student of the Bible, and the pervasive ignorance of the scriptures that he observed in both priests and lay people troubled him deeply….

He sought the approval of church authorities to prepare a translation of the Bible in English so that all could read and apply the word of God. It was denied—the prevailing view being that direct access to the scriptures by any but the clergy threatened the authority of the church and was tantamount to casting “pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6).

Tyndale nevertheless undertook the challenging work of translation. In 1524 he traveled to Germany, under an assumed name, where he lived much of the time in hiding, under constant threat of arrest. With the help of committed friends, Tyndale was able to publish English translations of the New Testament and later the Old Testament. The Bibles were smuggled into England, where they were in great demand and much prized by those who could get them. They were shared widely but in secret. The authorities burned all the copies they could find. Nevertheless, within three years of Tyndale’s death, God did indeed open King Henry VIII’s eyes, and with publication of what was called the “Great Bible,” the scriptures in English began to be publicly available. Tyndale’s work became the foundation for almost all future English translations of the Bible, most notably the King James Version. [7]

The Fruits of the Bible—Restored Truths

The miracle of the Holy Bible continues with the fruits that it has brought. The Savior taught:

Ye shall know them by their fruits. … A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. … Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Matthew 7:16-20)

The fruits of the Bible include the sacrifice of those who dedicated their lives to preserving its words. Unfortunately, the truths in the Bible are sometimes interpreted in different ways—leading some people to believe that there is more than one interpretation. The gospel of Jesus Christ is pure and simple, and its truths unchanging. But out of the fruits of the Bible we can see that, in some ways, it is incomplete. This is no way changes its significance. Rather, it illustrates the need for clarification. This occurs through other revealed scriptures—which are, literally, fruits of the Bible. An explanation must begin with the reason that some truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ have been lost. Elder Ballard taught:

When Jesus called His twelve Apostles, He laid His hands upon them, ordained them, and conferred upon them the authority to act in His name and govern His church. Peter is commonly understood to have become the chief Apostle, or the President of the Church, after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. Early Christians endured the challenges of persecution and hardship. Peter and his brethren had a difficult time holding the Church together and keeping the doctrine pure. They traveled extensively and wrote to one another about the problems they were facing, but information moved so slowly and the Church and its teachings were so new that heading off false teachings before they became firmly entrenched was difficult. …

Eventually, with the known exception of John the Beloved, Peter and his fellow Apostles were martyred. The Apostle John and members of the Church struggled for survival in the face of horrifying oppression. To their everlasting credit, Christianity did survive and was truly a prominent force by the end of the second century A.D. Many valiant Saints were instrumental in helping Christianity to endure.

Despite the significance of the ministries of these Saints, they did not hold the same apostolic authority Peter and the other Apostles had received through ordination under the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. When that authority was lost, men began looking to other sources for doctrinal understanding. As a result, many plain and precious truths were lost. [8]

The authority that Jesus Christ conferred upon His Apostles was the priesthood—which is the power and authority that God gives to man to act in all things for the salvation of His children. After the death of the Apostles, no one on the earth had the authority to govern the Church of Jesus Christ. The resulting time period is often called the Dark Ages—it is the time when the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was not found on the earth.

But through the miracle of the Holy Bible, the truth was again restored to the earth. In the spring of 1820, a young man named Joseph Smith was confused about which church he should join. As he was reading in the Bible one day, a verse of scripture inspired him: James 1:5, which reads, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally.” So young Joseph knelt down and prayed. In answer to his humble prayer, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. They told Joseph not to join any churches—that the Lord would restore the fullness of His gospel through Joseph. (See Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17.)

Elder Ballard said:

Their mission accomplished, the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, departed, leaving young Joseph physically drained but spiritually enriched with exciting restored truth. He knew with certainty that God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, are real, for he had seen them. He knew they are two separate, distinct individuals. He knew that no church on the face of the earth had the authority of the priesthood to act in the name of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. [8]

Elder Hales said:

This humble farm boy was the prophet chosen by God to restore the ancient Church of Jesus Christ and His priesthood in these latter days. This restoration was to be the last, the dispensation of the fulness of times, restoring all the priesthood blessings which man could possess on earth. With this divine commission, his work was not to reform nor was it to protest what was already on the earth. It was to restore what had been on earth and had been lost.

The Restoration, begun with the First Vision in 1820, continued with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. On September 21, 1823, Joseph Smith was visited by the angel Moroni, who taught him of an ancient record containing “the fulness of the everlasting gospel … preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.” Recorded on plates of gold, the Book of Mormon gives an account of Christ’s ministry in the Western Hemisphere, just as the Bible records His life and ministry in the Holy Land. [6]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today—with His priesthood power and authority.

Other Scriptural Witnesses

Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1). Thus in The Church of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ—a companion scripture to the Bible, witnessing of its truthfulness. But The Church of Jesus Christ has other scriptures that also complement the teachings in the Bible. They are the Doctrine and Covenants (which is a book of revelations to modern-day prophets of God) and the Pearl of Great Price (which is a selection of revelations, translations and narrations from the prophet Joseph Smith). These four books of scripture complement each other—and clarify the teachings from the Bible. Elder Hales taught:

The holy scriptures are the word of God given to us for our salvation. The scriptures are essential in receiving a testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. The scriptures given to us by God in these latter days are the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. These sacred records bear testimony of the Savior and lead us to Him. …

We boldly declare that the answer to the terror, destruction, and even genocide of these last days is found in the scriptures. The gospel in the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament. The prophecies in the Bible came to pass in the Book of Mormon. The Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price bear witness of the fulness of the gospel which is now upon the earth. [3]

Elder Jeffery R. Holland, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, taught:

Continuing revelation does not demean or discredit existing revelation. The Old Testament does not lose its value in our eyes when we are introduced to the New Testament, and the New Testament is only enhanced when we read the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

Thus, one of the great purposes of continuing revelation through living prophets is to declare to the world through additional witnesses that the Bible is true. “This is written,” an ancient prophet said, speaking of the Book of Mormon, “for the intent that ye may believe that,” speaking of the Bible. In one of the earliest revelations received by Joseph Smith, the Lord said, “Behold, I do not bring [the Book of Mormon forth] to destroy [the Bible] but to build it up.” [9]

The Holy Bible truly is a miracle—a record of thousands of years of God speaking to His people through His prophets. And the miracle of the Holy Bible continues today through the fruits of its teachings in the Book of Mormon and other modern-day scriptures. Those who discount the teachings of the Bible do so at their own spiritual peril, for where else but the scriptures can they learn of God?

Christ’s Church

The mortal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ was comparatively brief. He lived only thirty-three years, and His ministry was only three years. But in those three years he taught the human family everything that is necessary to receive all of the blessings our Father in Heaven has in store for His children. . . . One of the most important accomplishments of the Savior was the establishment of His church upon the earth.¹

The Church of Jesus Christ is the organization of believers who have taken Christ’s name upon themselves through baptism and confirmation and have covenanted to keep God’s commandments. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that whenever the gospel of Jesus Christ has been on the earth, it has been administered in and through Christ’s church.

To be the true church it must be the Lord’s church, and must have his laws, his name, and be governed by him through representatives whom he has appointed.²  

The Same Organization

The Prophet Joseph Smith, the first president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, detailed the connection between the Latter-day Saint church of Christ and the Former-day Saint church of Christ: “We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.”³

James E. Talmage, one of the former members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ, elaborated on this article of faith. He said:

 The existence of these officers, and particularly their operation with accompaniments of divine assistance and power, may be taken as a distinguishing characteristic of the Church in any age of the world—a crucial test, whereby the validity or falsity of any claim to divine authority may be determined. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the everlasting Gospel; its principles, law and ordinances, and the Church organization founded thereon, must be ever the same. In searching for the true Church, therefore, one must look for an organization comprising the offices established of old, the callings of apostles, prophets, evangelists, high priests, seventies, pastors, bishops, elders, priest, teachers, deacons—not men bearing these names merely, but ministers able to vindicate their claim to position as officers in the Lord’s service, through the evidences of power and authority accompanying their ministry.⁴  

When Jesus called His twelve apostles, He laid His hands upon them, ordained them, and conferred upon them the authority to act in His name and govern His church. The same authority exists in the Latter-day church.

The Aaronic Priesthood was restored on May 15, 1829, under the hands of John the Baptist, and the Melchizedek Priesthood within a month under the hands of the ancient Apostles Peter, James, and John to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Thus those possessing the priesthood today claim the power to act in the name of God through the priesthood.⁵ 

Apostasy: The Period Between Former Day and Latter Day

After the death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, the apostle Peter became the chief apostle and led The Church of Jesus Christ. Peter and other church leaders had a difficult time keeping the doctrine of Christ pure. The apostles traveled extensively to congregations of Saints in order to hold the Church together. But their efforts were ultimately in vain; eventually all the apostles (except John the Beloved) were martyred.

With this falling away, priesthood keys were lost, and some precious doctrines of the Church organized by the Savior were changed. Among these were baptism by immersion; receiving the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands; the nature of the Godhead—that They are three distinct personages; all mankind will be resurrected through the Atonement of Christ . . . ; continuous revelation—that the heavens are not closed; and temple work for the living and the dead.⁶

“Restoration of All Things”

Peter wrote of a coming time of “restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21). It started when religious men recognized that there had been a gradual change to, or falling away from, the church that Jesus Christ organized. Reformers, such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Wesley, sacrificed and suffered for their effort to follow the gospel of Jesus Christ. “These reformers were inspired to create a religious climate in which God could restore lost truths and priesthood authority.”⁷

Mormons believe that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith and is found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Either the gospel has been restored or it has not. Either the Savior’s original church and its doctrine were lost or they were not. Either Joseph Smith had that remarkable vision [in 1820] or he did not. . . . Either the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to earth through God’s chosen latter-day prophet or it was not. The truth really is not any more complicated than that.⁸

Conclusion

The fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, with priesthood power and authority and organization, connects Latter-day Saints and Former-day Saints. Our loving Heavenly Father wants all His children who now live or who have ever lived upon the earth to enjoy the blessings available through membership in the Church of Jesus Christ. I believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restoration of the original Church established by Jesus Christ.

Notes:

1. M. Russell Ballard, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/10/restored-truth?lang=eng
2. The Bible Dictionary in the Latter-day Saint edition of the King James Version of the Bible, s.v. “Church.”
3. Sixth Article of Faith https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1?lang=eng
4. James E. Talmage, A Study of the Articles of Faith (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1890), 199.
5. James E. Faust, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/the-resoration-of-all-things?lang=eng
6. James E. Faust, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/the-resoration-of-all-things?lang=eng
7. M. Russell Ballard, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/10/restored-truth?lang=eng
8. M. Russell Ballard, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/10/restored-truth?lang=eng

Evidence of God’s love and respect for His daughters is woven throughout the scriptures where prophets recorded the dealings of God with mankind. Below are a few of my favorite scriptures depicting Divine love and concern for women.

Our Soul’s Worth: Created in God’s Image

As a Mormon, I believe that we are children of God, created in His image. Our divine heritage is one evidence of God’s love for us. “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:10).

And, I God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and it was so. And in the image of his own body, male and female, created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created and became living souls in the land upon the footstool of God (Moses 2:26, 6:9).

The immense suffering of the Savior to take away our sins shows how much He values us.

For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink— (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16, 18).

God’s Expectations For Relationships

Two stories about Mary show Deity’s utmost respect and concern for her.

[T]he angel Gabriel was sent from God unto…a virgin…whose name was…Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women…Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God (Luke 1:26-30).

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother…When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home (John 19:25-27).

The sacred marriage relationship should honor both spouses. The Lord is clear about equality between men and women.

“Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:11).  “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.” (Genesis 2:24, Doctrine and Covenants 42:22).

God commanded Jacob, a prophet in the Book of Mormon, to call the people to repentance. Jacob’s reluctance to discuss sins in the presence of wives and children evokes God’s tenderness toward the pure in heart.

[It] grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and your children many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste before God, which thing is pleasing unto God; And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.

Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained…to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling their wounds; and those who have not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.  But notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing eye of the Almighty God (Jacob 2:7-10).

Women of The Bible Have Purpose in God’s Plan

As a Mormon woman, I have wondered about my purpose on earth. The scriptures show how the Lord enables righteous women to build His kingdom on the earth.

Esther

The Babylonians carried Esther’s family into captivity.  After her parents were slain, her uncle Mordecai raised her. King Ahasuerus selected Esther to be his queen. Mordecai revealed a plot to  kill all of the Jews in the kingdom to Esther and asked her to intercede. Esther responded that anyone who approached the king without being summoned was put to death. She had not been summoned.  Mordecai answered

[If] thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (Esther 4:13-14).

Esther courageously responded,

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day…and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish (Esther 4:16).

She went forth with the power of God and saved her people. Her story taught me that God empowers women to overcome fear and accomplish great things.

Hannah

Barren Hannah supplicated the Lord in bitterness of soul for a child.

And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head (1 Samuel 1:11).

The priest Eli “said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad” (1 Samuel 1:17-18). Hannah conceived a son named Samuel. When Samuel was weaned, Hannah took him to the temple and gave him to Eli. Samuel became one of the great prophets of the Old Testament.

Hannah’s story shows how God answers the deepest yearnings of a woman’s heart and helps direct that yearning to fulfill His purposes.

The Widow of Zarephath

During a famine, the Lord commanded the prophet Elijah to go to Zarephath. “Behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee” (1 Kings 17:8). Elijah went to Zarephath.  He found the widow woman and requested water and food. She explained that she was putting together her very last meal and then expected that she and her son would die.

And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. (1 Kings 17:13-15).

God saved the woman, her son, and the prophet Elijah.  Later in the story, Elijah also raised her son from the dead.  The Lord is mindful of His daughters! He prepares mundane and miraculous ways to save us spiritually and temporally. His Grace is sufficient.

“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come” (Proverbs 31:10, 25).

God loves His daughters. Through His Grace, my life is filled with purpose and meaning. To learn more about God’s plan of salvation for men and women, please contact the Mormon missionaries.

The Old Testament record found in the Book of Exodus reveals that Moses was born in a time, when his people, the Children of Israel, were increasing in number which caused the Egyptian Pharaoh great concern, as he envisioned that they would join forces with Egypt’s enemies. When the Pharaoh issued a decree that all newborn Hebrew boys were to be killed, Moses’ Hebrew mother, Jochebed, hid him in the bulrushes, and he was drawn out of the water and adopted by the Egyptian royal family. After Moses murdered an Egyptian slave master, he fled across the Red Sea and took refuge in Midian. It was there that he encountered the God of Israel in the similitude of a “burning bush.”

God would send Moses back to Egypt to request the release of the Children of Israel. After the  Pharaoh hardened his heart many times without allowing the Israelites to go free and after the ten plagues, Moses was finally able to lead the Israelite Exodus out of Egypt, across the Red Sea, and to Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Because of their continual disobedience, the Children of Israel were left to wander in the desert for forty arduous years. At the end of their wandering, Moses was not allowed to cross into the Promised Land, and died with it in sight.

Joseph Smith and the Book of Moses

The Book of Moses is part of the scriptural canon that is used by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church by the media and others). It is included as part of the Pearl of Great Price, one of four volumes of scripture that make up the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ, with the Holy Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants being the other three.

In June 1830, Joseph Smith, the first Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ, began a new Bible translation that was intended to restore “many important points touching the salvation of men [that] had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled” (Joseph Smith, Jr., “Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith”, 16 February 1832, pp. 10-11).

And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take [away] many of them from the book which thou [Moses] shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they shall be had again among the children of men—among as many as shall believe” (Moses 1:41).

Through his translation of the vision of the Prophet Nephi as recorded in 1 Nephi 13:26-29 in the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith had learned that many “plain and precious things [had been] taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God” (1 Nephi 13:28). “And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men” (1 Nephi 13:27).

34 And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the remnant of the house of Israel—and this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father—wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb—I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb (1 Nephi 13:34).

39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true (1 Nephi 13:39).

40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved (1 Nephi 13:40).

The eight chapters that now comprise the Book of Moses were first published in the Church newspapers Evening and Morning Star and Times and Seasons in the 1830s and 1840s. Through a series of events following the martyrdom of Joseph Smith in the Carthage Jail, in Carthage, Illinois, on 27 June 1844, the eight chapters were selected and included as a separate book within the Pearl of Great Price.

The Book of Moses begins with a prologue to the story of the Creation and the Fall of Man (Moses 1), or what is referred to as the “Vision of Moses.” It continues with the Prophet Joseph Smith’s revision (JST) of the first six chapters of the Old Testament Book of Genesis (Moses 2-5, 8), interrupted by two chapters of extracts from the prophecy of Enoch (Moses 6: 43 -7:69).

What Latter-day Saints Know About Moses

The following are truths concerning the life of Moses which were revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith and given to us in these the latter-day days to enhance the precious truths that we already learn from the accounts recorded in the Bible.

Moses was raised as a prince in Egypt. He was well educated and revered as a great organizer and leader (see Acts 7:22; JST, Gen. 50:24–36, Bible appendix). However, as a result of his mountaintop experience he comprehended new concepts that he had never before considered: “For this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed” (Moses 1:10). This transfiguration and vision that the Lord gave to Moses elevated his view of many things. He saw a new eternal perspective with “spiritual eyes” (Moses 1:11). He understood that worlds without number were created by the Father’s Only Begotten Son, that many worlds had passed away, many now stood, and other worlds would yet come into existence (see Moses 1:35, 38). The vistas of Moses’ vision were expanded to behold God’s intended purpose for mankind’s existence: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Blessed with this broader vision, this panoramic perspective, this “God’s eye view” of the Lord’s entire plan and purpose, Moses was better prepared to lead covenant Israel from spiritual darkness and Egyptian bondage into light and freedom in the land of their fathers.

To the spiritual eyes of Moses also came a vision of a premortal council held in heaven, wherein the Father presented the plan of salvation. Jesus Christ was willing to come to earth, give his life for us, and take upon himself our sins while preserving the honor for the Father and the agency of man. [1]

An Honorable Death – A Future Mission

Hence, we learn that Moses’ ministry did not end in the wilderness as he watched his successor, Joshua, lead the Children of Israel over Jordan. The Bible text may lead some to believe that after all that Moses had done in his ministry, he died disgraced as he was not permitted to enter the Promised Land that lay just before him. However, through the instrument of God’s Prophet, Joseph Smith, and the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we learn that Moses died an honorable death. We learn that the Lord had an important future mission for him to accomplish.

If we can but comprehend that Jesus Christ, the creator of the universe, is the master teacher, that the universe is his classroom, and that his curriculum is the Atonement and all things pertaining to it, then the rich symbolism of the scriptures can come alive for us. In such a study, Moses’ life and ministry are excellent examples that “all things” testify of Christ. Moses’ life is a type, or symbol, of the Savior’s life, and Moses’ ministry is a symbol of Jesus Christ’s teachings and the plan of salvation, the avenue by which we may return to our Father’s presence. [1]

Why Would the Book of Mormon Need to Testify of Jesus Christ?

You may be wondering what the ancient people in the Americas have to do with Jesus Christ. Because Jesus Christ came to redeem the world, those outside of the Holy Land are not exempt from his influence. We learn in the Book of Mormon from prophets that Christ was prophesied to visit those lands and minister to His people there. Because prophecies of Christ were recorded in the Book of Mormon, the people were also entitled to signs of His coming.

Signs of Jesus Christ’s Birth

One of the Lord’s prophets in the Book of Mormon is Samuel the Lamanite. He was sent to warn the Nephite people, who were at that time very wicked, about the coming of Jesus Christ. In his sermon, Samuel delivers many warnings contingent on the Nephites’ repentance, and he also gives several prophecies regarding Christ’s birth.

Samuel visited the Nephites about five years before Christ was going to be born. Samuel said,

Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name. And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day. Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; . . . And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never beheld. (Helaman 14:3 – 5)

These signs became very important to the righteous people at this time. Not only did these promises sustain their faith, but the realization of these signs actually saved the lives of the believers (see 3 Nephi 1:8 – 21).

Signs of Christ’s Death

Samuel the Lamanite also foretold signs of the death of Jesus Christ. This time would be one of great destruction.

But behold, as I said unto you concerning another sign, a sign of his death, behold, in that day that he shall suffer death the sun shall be darkened and refuse to give his light unto you; and also the moon and the stars; and there shall be no light upon the face of this land, even from the time that he shall suffer death, for the space of three days, to the time that he shall rise again from the dead. (Helaman 14: 20)

Samuel goes on to prophesy of earthquakes, tempests, and fire that would destroy cities and those who did not believe. These events would happen in darkness and would continue for the three days that Christ’s body lay in the tomb. (See Helaman 14:21 – 27.) The purpose of these signs is “to the intent that there should be no cause for unbelief among the children of men” (Helaman 14:28). Following the realization of these signs, Jesus Christ would visit the Nephite and Lamanite peoples in all His glory. You can read more about how these signs were manifested in 3 Nephi chapters 8 through 10.

Why Signs Are Important

We have read accounts of those who unrighteously ask for grand signs like those prophesied of in the Book of Mormon. Heavenly Father prefers we not ask for signs when the witness of the Holy Ghost would suffice. Sometimes, though, He offers signs to His people to signify major events, like the birth and death of His son, and also to prove to His people that He keeps His promises. The Church of Jesus Christ says that “[signs] remind the children of God of covenants the Lord has made with them. Signs may also bear witness of a divine calling or indicate the Lord’s disapproval” (“Signs,” lds.org)

The fact that the Book of Mormon gave signs of both Christ’s birth and death are important because they prove that the Book of Mormon really does witness of the Savior. Heavenly Father ensured that His people all over the globe would know that His Son would come to redeem them. No one was excluded from that knowledge and the blessings that come from that knowledge. We can take comfort in knowing that God will give us every opportunity to learn of and accept His gospel.

I’ve read the Book of Mormon through several times, and each time I’m increasingly grateful for this testament of Jesus Christ. The signs given in the Book of Mormon prove that God keeps His promises, and these accounts solidify my faith in the promises that He makes today. The Book of Mormon also prophesied of Christ’s Second Coming, and because I know that God has fulfilled His promises before, I know that He will continue to do so. We should be so excited that the Book of Mormon contains signs of Christ’s birth and death, because it goes to prove that the miracle of Jesus Christ extends to all people.

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” BYU students take nearly a semester of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Mormon Bible: A Book for Our Day

I posted this on a blog.

This week in Book of Mormon we finished talking about the war chapters in Alma and began to talk about Helaman. Near the end of Alma, Brother Griffin told us a quote from Abraham Lincoln. He said that when Lincoln was asked why he tried to make friends with his enemies instead of destroying them he said that by turning his enemies into friends he was destroying his enemies at the same time. This is interesting because all of us have people who we don’t get along with or who we consider “enemies.” A lot of the time we think of ways we can get back at them or “destroy” our enemies. The better way to go about this is to try to look past the things we dislike about others and try to make friends with our enemies, thus “destroying” them.

In the beginning of Helaman we talked about how the devil shifted his tactics to destroy the children of God. He introduced secret combinations which are more sneaky and subtle from within, and he was also more bold and straightforward on the outside with the example of the Lamanites walking straight through the Nephite territory to the main city and killing the king Pahoran. This shows how the Book of Mormon really is meant for our day. In the 1900’s there were a lot of wars and contentions with clear boundaries, just like the war chapters at the end of Alma. Now we face more sneaky and subtle contentions with the devil in our day where the lines that divide good and evil are harder to find, just as the devil introduced secret combinations in the beginning of Helaman. This just shows us how the Book of Mormon has so many applications to our day and will continue to help us with the struggles we will face in the future.