35c - The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ

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TODAY'S THEME

The Brother of Jared Sees the Finger of the Lord -by Arnold Friberg

6 And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear.

7 And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him: Arise, why hast thou fallen?

8 And he saith unto the Lord: I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood.

9 And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?

10 And he answered: Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me.

11 And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?

12 And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.

14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.

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"I hear Joseph Smith's voice everytime I read it (The Book of Mormon). He was a farmer. He was young. He was unlettered and he put this all together. So you have this rough hewn kind of text ..." Alex Caldiero, poet and scholar, Utah Valley University. (Clarification Added)

Viewers of this blog post, please answer this question: Can you see in the scripture above, TODAY'S THEME, the writing of a "young, unlettered farmer?" Or can you see "this rough hewn kind of text" that this young uneducated farmer was supposed to have "put all together?"

In my blog posts 1 and 2, I refer to the words of a scholar taken from the PBS Video, "The Mormons," shown in prime time in early May of 2007.

I have referred back to those words frequently, in my posts. In fact, I derived the title of this blog, "Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" from the thoughts that first came to mind after listening to Alex Caldiero's words (quoted above) in the PBS video.

This morning I decided to go back to that video and get his exact words for you to read. I carefully copied them and they are recorded just below the photo of Professor Caldiero above.

If you have been reading my blog posts right along or have otherwise seriously and prayerfully studied the Book of Mormon, it will be easy for you to ascertain that Alex Caldiero has not really read the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Instead, you will realize it must be his very uninformed viewpoint that caused him to say that the words of the book of Mormon are the rough hewn kind of text an uneducated farm boy had put all together.

There was much in that PBS video with which I strongly disagree. I find that many other "Mormons" agree with me on that. There is the allegation by one of the experts shown in it, that the report of the resurrection of Jesus Christ was just a conspiracy brought about by Jesus's twelve apostles and is the "scandal of Christianity." In my view that charge is scandalous!

There were some very good parts in the video, but too much of it was quite incorrect and biased. Professor Caldiero's saying that the Book of Mormon was "beautiful in all of its imperfections" is far "off-base." Any diligent and honest student of the Book of Mormon, like many of you may be, would be able to say: "It, along with the Holy Bible, contains the inspired words of God through His holy prophets." A case in point are the inspired words of the prophet named, The Brother of Jared, that are quoted in TODAY'S THEME.

Some background for you on the Brother of Jared and his people:

Mosiah 8: 8 (In about 121 B.C.) And they (some Nephites) were lost in the wilderness for the space of many days, yet they were diligent, and found not the land of Zarahemla but returned to this land, having traveled in a land among many waters, having discovered a land which was covered with bones of men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind, having discovered a land which had been peopled with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel.

9 And for a testimony that the things that they had said are true they have brought twenty-four plates which are filled with engravings, and they are of pure gold. (date and clarification added)

The record of the people which had been engraved upon the golden plates was later translated by the use of the Urim and Thummim* by the Nephite King, Prophet and Seer, Mosiah (*interpreters used by prophets who are also seers. (Mosiah 8:13; Exodus 28:30)

In the Book of Ether, one of the individual books within the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, is told the history of a people who lived at the time of the confounding of languages at the Tower of Babel. They were led by the Lord across Southwestern Asia and across the Pacific Ocean to Ancient America, many centuries before the Nephites were led there by the Lord through the help of the compass called, Liahona.

I now invite you to read the scripture from which you can learn from this early chapter in the Book of Ether much more about this ancient people. The only record of them is  found in the Book of Mormon. However, there are untranslated portions of the Jaredite's golden plates. With the Lord willing, someday we may have that part of their history too: Ether 2: 1-25

As when you have read previous portions of the Book of Mormon, you will have just read a complex true history of people who were led by the Lord, in His pre-mortal state. Of course, in the Book of III Nephi there are accounts of His also leading people in His post-mortal (Resurrected) state.

You have surely begun to see the wisdom in the Lord in providing the Book of Mormon to guide its readers back to Him. THE BOOK OF MORMON IS TRULY ANOTHER TESTAMENT OF JESUS CHRIST!



Jesus the Christ -by Del Parson

Surely you readers have easily ascertained that the words of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ are not words that a young unlettered farmer from the State of New York in the United States of America in 1830 just "put together."

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This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.


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TO OPEN NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX: To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This BlogPost, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other BlogPost You Desire To Access): After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up and Click on The Following: The Book of Mormon Reveals Profound Matters . . . Post 35c;  When The Picture of Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use the Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed).


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I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.

If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.
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Neil Birch