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

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME

Moses Shows the Children of Israel the Brazen Serpent -by Judith Mehr

II Nephi 25: 20 And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err. And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should heal the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent (a representation of the crucified Jesus Christ) which he did raise up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.

21 Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph,(Joseph Who Was Sold Into Egypt) that his seed should never perish as long as the earth should stand. (emphasis and clarification added)

 

Nephi Crossing the Desert With His Family on the Way to their Promised Land -by Scott Snow

TODAY'S THEME is a quote from the Prophet Nephi, the fourth son of Father Lehi, the founder of the Nephite Nation* whose history is given in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. *Their nation was named after this Nephi because he was a righteous prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ (who was yet to be born and was still a pre-mortal spirit but nonetheless was one of the Godhead with His father and with the Holy Ghost).

Nephi led his father, Lehi's people after Lehi's death.

In the next blog post more of the prophecies of the coming of Jesus Christ which were made through inspiration from above and recorded by the Prophet Nephi, will make up that blog post's TODAY'S THEME.

In the just previous blog post Nephi's Father, Lehi was quoted as he testified of Jesus Christ. There is one more quote of Father Lehi regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ that I wish to present here. I copied this from my Post #1 which was published on: March 16, 2008, close to a year ago.

II Nephi 2:25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

Verse 26 is also very instructive. Hopefully you have a Book of Mormon.
Several years ago I read a report of a scholarly man from the Near East, who was possibly Jewish, who became overwhelmed emotionally when he heard for the the first time ever, that verse read in a meeting of some kind at BYU where he was an invited guest. This verse no doubt helped him as it can help us, to come to grips with the true purpose of the Fall of Adam. Now I ask you, the reader of this blog, "Have you really read the Book of Mormon?" And if you have, have you heeded the exhortation of the Book of Mormon prophet, Moroni?

Moroni 10:4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost."

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DISCLAIMER
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 ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following: Nephi, The Son of Lehi, Testified of Jesus Christ - Post 35e.When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)

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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.
_____________


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.
I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish:  Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

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

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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With this post, I am just now shifting to a series of TODAY'S THEMES from which we will learn from most of the prophets, who testify of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose words are recorded in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

I promise you that if you continue reading this blog, a new post of which is published about every three or four days, the sure knowledge these prophets provided about our Savior, Jesus Christ and about His gospel and the crucial role it should play in our lives, will become very believable and sure to you, more so than ever before in your lives.

That promise will apply only if you pray to the Lord that, through His spirit you will guided in your reading and contemplation. I'll be praying for each of you also.

I am personally convinced that the only lasting help those of us who are living now can get in facing the extremely threatening forces that are presently rapidly growing all about us, is that which comes from aligning ourselves with the Savior and His Plan of Salvation.

Unfortunately, we live in a day when faith in His plan is blatantly lacking. Many from all walks of life today have come to believe that science and man's educated knowledge is the only source of salvation for mankind. I have written below personal beliefs such as my statement which I quote from my just previous post:

"There was much in that PBS video ('The Mormons, May 2007')with which I strongly disagree. I find that many other Mormons' agree with me on that. There is the allegation by one of the so-called experts shown in that video, that the report of the resurrection of Jesus Christ was just a conspiracy brought about by Jesus' twelve apostles and is the 'scandal of Christianity.' In my view that charge is scandalous! (clarification added)

TODAY'S THEME

We begin this new series with Father Lehi's words:

1. Lehi (between 588 and 570 B.C.)

II Nephi 2:2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the
wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.

3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.

4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.

5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law (The Law of Moses) is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.

6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the
Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these
things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

9 Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.

10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement. (clarification added)

I will add one more quote from my just previous post:

"I hear Joseph Smith's voice every time 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)



Professor Alex Caldiero



Dear Intelligent and well-read readers. Please once again, read through Father Lehi's words to his son, Jacob which I have quoted as TODAY'S THEME above. Certainly, Professor Caldiero couldn't be referring to anything similar to that Book of Mormon passage which you just read. (a young farmer boy's voice, rough hewn kind of text!)

I strongly assert that Father Lehi's words quote in TODAY'S THEME were prompted and guided by the Spirit of our Pre-mortal Lord and Savior, whose image I have inserted below:



Jesus the Christ -by Heinrich Hoffman



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DISCLAIMER

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.

____________

TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up And Click on the Following: (Father) Lehi Testified of Jesus Christ - Post 35d.When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)

____________

"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.

_____________

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.
I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish: Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

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

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From The End of This Post

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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."

____________




DISCLAIMER
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.


____________


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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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.

_____________

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.
I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish: Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

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

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME

From my post 33r we see that Alma's prophecy given in 73 B.C. matches perfectly our Savior's prophecy given to the Nephites in 34 A.D:

Alma 45: 2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake unto thee concerning those records which have been kept?

3 And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe.

4 And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall come?

5 And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast spoken.

6 And Alma said unto him again: Will ye keep my commandments?

7 And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my heart.

8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall prosper thee in this land.

9 But behold, I have somewhat to prophesy unto thee; but what I prophesy unto thee ye shall not make known; yea, what I prophesy unto thee shall not be made known, even until the prophecy is fulfilled; therefore write the words which I shall say.

10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief.

11 Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall become extinct—

12 Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall into the works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin against so great light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the fourth generation shall not all pass away before this great iniquity shall come. (emphasis added)

Now these are the words of our Redeemer and Savior many centuries after Alma made the prophecy written just above:

III Nephi 27: 32 But behold, it sorroweth me because of the fourth generation from this generation, for they are led away captive by him even as was the son of perdition; for they will sell me for silver and for gold, and for that which moth doth corrupt and which thieves can break through and steal. And in that day will I visit them, even in turning their works upon their own heads.

The Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation which emanates from the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Ghost, (who are all one in spirit but are separate entities,) always gives the truth. From the words of Alma above, you have seen that his prophecy and revelation exactly matched that of the Lord given to the Nephites just after His resurrection quoted above (III Nephi 27:32).

From my just previous post (35a) I quoted from the book, "The World and the Prophets" written by Dr. Hugh W. Nibley" the following:

". . . In this great revolution of the second century, the whole orientation of the (Christian) church changed completely. What brought this about? It was the ceasing of prophetic voices. . . Paul had prophesied that "whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away (I Corinthians 13:8)"

Now I want to give you very clear evidence that the Book of Mormon is clearly "Another Testament of Jesus Christ." Please note what it was that Alma the younger remembered his father, Alma, having taught him, as you read the scripture given after this painting. It will be highlighted.

An Angel of the Lord Appears to Alma and the Sons of  King Mosiah -by Gary Kapp

Alma 36: 6 For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way.

7 And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us.

8 But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and stood up, and beheld the angel.

9 And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God.

10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.

11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words—If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of God—I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.

12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.

13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.

14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.

15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.

16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.

17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.

23 But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God.

24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors; (emphasis added)

You have seen from the writings of the Prophet Alma above that he was saved from exceeding anguish after he recalled and believed in the prophetic words of his own father, Alma, regarding the future coming to earth of Jesus Christ to atone for the sins of mankind.

It should become obvious to each of us that the gift of Prophecy and Revelation is heart and soul of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Why then is it not a part of the Christian churches ministries in today's world? I must also ask, why don't those churches accept the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ? After all its prophets often testify in their writings of their using the gifts of Prophecy and Revelation.

I will answer my own question (with your permission): They do not accept that sacred book, because as the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians prophesied,

1 Corinthians 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Please note: The gift of knowledge and other spiritual gifts "shall vanish away."
 
____________



DISCLAIMER
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.




____________

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: Alma, the Younger Was Converted . . . Post 35b; and Post 40u; 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).

____________


"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.

_____________


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.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish:  It is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

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

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME

II Nephi 29: 6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?

7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.



The Bible and the Book of Mormon Stand Side by Side as Witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. -by Greg K. Olsen

TODAY'S THEME is just a portion of the scripture I'd like you to read.

The entire chapter 29 of II Nephi was spoken by the pre-mortal Jesus Christ through His prophet Nephi, son of Lehi sometime in these years: 559 to 545 B.C.)

To continue with what we have started with please read (and listen to if you so desire) this scripture: II Nephi 29:1-14

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ presents sure evidence that believers in Jesus Christ migrated away from Jerusalem in 600 BC. After a long and difficult journey by land and by sea, they arrived in Ancient Central America. They, at least those among them who were true believers in Jesus Christ, continued to believe in Him and serve Him which allowed Him to bless them with His appearance not long after His resurrection in Jerusalem.

That blessed people, the Nephites, had been saved from a great cataclysmic occurrence that destroyed the cities which were inhabited by the unrighteous, rebellious portion of their nation.

The precious events that occurred during the visit of our (and their) Redeemer were reviewed in my most recent blog post series, entitled, "The Resurrected Jesus Christ's Ministry in Ancient America."



The Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ Teaches the Nephites -by John Scott

 The Three Nephite Disciples who had desired of the Lord the privilege of living until His Second Coming so they could continue serving "His sheep" who would find themselves in need of special inspired assistance in reaching salvation, continued in their service.

Among others, Mormon, the compiler of the Book of Mormon, reported meeting with them. In their semi-immortal state, they continued serving and survived all attempts to kill them after the end of the 200 years when unrighteousness predominated again.

Those three disciples were then sent elsewhere in the world to assist His other sheep after the Nephites' apostasy.The Lord Jesus Christ prophesied during His last day with those Nephites that there would be subsequent apostasy among them which brought Him much sorrow. These are His words to them at that time.

III Nephi 27:32 But behold, it sorroweth me because of the fourth generation from this generation, for they are led away captive by him even as was the son of perdition (Judas Iscariot); for they will sell me for silver and for gold, and for that which moth doth corrupt and which thieves can break through and steal. And in that day will I visit them, even in turning their works upon their own heads. (clarification added)

They actually had all of their means of living in common among them. This was not communism nor was it socialism. It is evidence that they had a pure love for one another and for their Savior, Jesus Christ who was their only king.

Under His direction through the Gift of the Holy Ghost, this people were led by His Twelve Disciples. As each of these twelve men died, he was replaced by another worthy man by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

However, the Lord Jesus Christ also prophesied of the re-establishment of His Church in the Latter-days among the Gentiles (non-Israelites) who would have driven their descendants (the Native Americans) from their established lands. He told them that the record of their people from the time they left Jerusalem until there ceased to be prophets among them to continue recording their history, would be an important means of restoring His Gospel in the Latter-days. This of course was to become: The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The Savior of Mankind personally established His church among His people, the Nephites, in Ancient America. His church among them flourished for about 200 years. There was no poverty among them until the end of those two centuries. The people were all of one class. There were no rich, no poor, and no one of elevated status of any kind. Their humble church leaders led them.

III Nephi 29: 1 AND now behold, I say unto you that when the Lord shall see fit, in his wisdom, that these sayings shall come unto the Gentiles according to his word, then ye may know that the covenant which the Father hath made with the children of Israel, concerning their restoration to the lands of their inheritance, is already beginning to be fulfilled.

2 And ye may know that the words of the Lord, which have been spoken by the holy prophets, shall all be fulfilled; and ye need not say that the Lord delays his coming unto the children of Israel.

3 And ye need not imagine in your hearts that the words which have been spoken are vain, for behold, the Lord will remember his covenant which he hath made unto his people of the house of Israel.

4 And when ye shall see these sayings coming forth among you, then ye need not any longer spurn at the doings of the Lord, for the sword of his justice is in his right hand; and behold, at that day, if ye shall spurn at his doings he will cause that it shall soon overtake you.

5 Wo unto him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord; yea, wo unto him that shall deny the Christ and his works!

6 Yea, wo unto him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost! (emphasis added)

While remembering that highlighted verse 6, we turn briefly to a report of something regarding the history of the Christian Church in the Near East in about the second century A.D.

In a book, "The World and the Prophets" by Dr. Hugh W. Nibley, an expert on the history of early Christianity, (taken from a series of radio lectures he delivered on KSL (Salt Lake City, Utah) Radio in 1954) very astutely (he studied the original documents in their original languages of Greek, Latin and others) points out that those same things the Lord warned about (mentioned in the highlighted verse six above), apply directly to the ancient Christian Church and to those churches that later came from them and make up the Christian churches of our day.

Today's Christian churches do not believe in present day revelation, prophesy, use of the gift of tongues, nor in healing, nor in the blessings of the gift of the Holy Ghost in their personal lives.

I quote from Professor Nibley's book cited above, the following: (excerpts from Chapter 8, pages 63-64)

I found Dr. Nibley's book in a Salt Lake County Library (Utah, USA) but if you would like to listen to the recording of his very intense and interesting entire lecture series, you can order your own copy of the CD. The cost is $29.95 (American dollars) This is how you can order it!

"The recent discovery of a complete Gnostic library in Egypt has not so much revived as accelerated the study of the most baffling and portentous episode in church history, the rise of the Gnostics.

The latest survey of the whole field, an impressive corroborative work by a number of Dutch scholars, sees in the Gnostic crisis the end of the primitive church and the moment at which 'Christianity enters upon a new phase of its history.' (ref. cited)

In this great revolution of the second century, the whole orientation of the church changed completely. What brought this about? It was the ceasing of prophetic voices. the continuing demand in the church for the spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy, gave rise to an army of quacks and fakirs who, though discredited in time, left their mark permanently and conspicuously on the Christian church.

These were the Gnostics, so-called."

"Paul had prophesied that "whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away" (I Corinthians 13:8)"

"Here the so-called original text uses the identical word for the failing of prophecies and the vanishing of knowledge, katargethesontai, 'to be taken out of circulation,' 'to be made inoperative,' used both times in the future indicative.

There is no sense of contingency here; the whole statement is simple and emphatic: 'Such prophecies as there are shall be stopped; such tongues as there are shall be made to cease (pausontai) such gnosis as there is shall be done away with.' These gifts were not simply to fade away; they were going to be taken away. They were already weak enough; We have these gifts now only in a limited form, Paul explains in the following verses, and then he makes the significant remark: 'But for the present time there remain 'faith, hope, and love, these three.'

The colorless 'and now' of the King James is not fair to the emphatic nuni day, 'but at this time' of the 'original,' and while the 'abideth' of our English Bible emphasizes the quality of lasting and reliable firmness the original menei does not mean 'to be firm' at all, but simply to stay behind.

The emphatic 'these three' that remain is in obvious contrast to the three that are going to be taken away, namely, the gift of prophecy, the gift of tongues, and the gnosis--the greatest gift of all."

"Gnosis means the act of knowing, and in some contexts it can be translated simply as "knowledge." But not when Paul uses it! His frequent use of the word leaves us in no doubt as what it conveyed to the early Christians. for them it was exactly what we would translate as "a testimony of the gospel."

'But I think any price is worth paying for the supreme value of the gnosis of Christ Jesus my Lord,' writes Paul to the Phillippians (3:8), 'for which I have sacrificed everything, counting all but dung in comparison with acquiring Christ as my fortune."

How often we have heard such expressions as that--'I would not exhange my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ for all the wealth in the world!' . . ."

I have inserted below a drawing of an experience from the life of Dr. Nibley. He was an officer in US Army Intelligence and was involved in the D Day Attack on Normandy, France on June 6, 1944. If you look closely at the drawing you will see a copy of the Book of Mormon in his right hand. He carried it with him in his pocket (and studied it regularly) throughout his lengthy time of service in Europe during World War II.



Hugh Nibley on Utah Beach (in Normandy) on D-Day (of World War II) -slightly modified drawing by Chris Maggio

I will end this post by reminding you of the re-establishment of Jesus Christ's Church in 1830. I have posted for you the following paintings illustrating important events in the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about which He informed the Nephite people he visited in ancient America. (These paintings have all been shown in previous blog posts of mine.) They clearly illustrate that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not meet the criteria of apostacy which the Lord Jesus Christ warned the Nephites about:

III Nephi 29:6 Yea, wo unto him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost!



The Father and the Son Appear to the fourteen year old Joseph Smith. -by Tom Lovell






The Angel Moroni Appears to Joseph Smith -by Tom Lovell

 

Joseph Smith Translating the Book of Mormon -by Del Parson

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DISCLAIMER
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 ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following: The Bible and the Book of Mormon Testify of One Another -Post 35a.When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)

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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.
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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.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish:  Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

34a - The Lasting Effects of the Visit of the Resurrected Jesus Christ to the Nephite Nation

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

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TODAY'S THEME

Painting: Intellectual Reserve

III Nephi 26: 14 And it came to pass that he did teach and minister unto the children of the multitude of whom hath been spoken, and he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people; and he loosed their tongues that they could utter. (emphasis added)

Several posts ago you read the account described in that verse which is TODAY'S THEME. In an earlier chapter of III Nephi you were told of another event in which the Savior involved the Nephite children in a spiritual experience involving angels descending from Heaven and encircling and blessing them.

III Nephi 17: 20 And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.

21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

22 And when he had done this he wept again;

23 And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.

24 And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.

25 And the multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that their record is true for they all of them did see and hear, every man for himself; and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and children.

Painting: Robert T. Barrett

Imagine how these experiences with their Savior were impacting the minds and hearts of these children and of their parents. Great results in the way they were to live the rest of their lives were to come!

These following words of The Savior show us that He knew of these Nephite's long-lasting righteousness and also of the eventual apostasy that would come about in time.

Jesus spoke these words to His twelve Nephite disciples:

III Nephi 27: 27 And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.

28 And now I go unto the Father. And verily I say unto you, whatsoever things ye shall ask the Father in my name shall be given unto you.

29 Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

30 And now, behold, my joy is great, even unto fulness, because of you, and also this generation; yea, and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels, because of you and this generation; for none of them are lost.

31 Behold, I would that ye should understand; for I mean them who are now alive of this generation; and none of them are lost; and in them I have fulness of joy.

32 But behold, it sorroweth me because of the fourth generation from this generation, for they are led away captive by him even as was the son of perdition; (Judas Iscariot) for they will sell me for silver and for gold, and for that which moth doth corrupt and which thieves can break through and steal. And in that day will I visit them, even in turning their works upon their own heads. (emphasis and clarification added)

It's time to invite you to read the book of IV Nephi. It was also written by the Prophet, Mormon. You will most likely choose to listen to this scripture also.


IV Nephi 1-49


In this final section of this post I will demonstrate how crucially important to the Lord Jesus Christ's Work during the time just preceding His Second Coming, is the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

The Second Coming could possibly be in the day of our children's maturity or in the time of their children. It could be sooner. We just don't know when He will return: Note what the Apostle, Mathew wrote:

St. Mathew 24: 36 ¶ But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

As I have informed you often in this blog, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His latter-day Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was established through the young prophet, Joseph Smith in 1830.

It has been established throughout most of the earth now with a present membership of over thirteen million members. It continues to grow rapidly in numbers of members and in the many good things that it has contributed to the world such as much relief provided by the Lord Jesus Christ's only authorized Church, to many nations of the world, including the United States of America, when natural disasters strike.

 Please view my Post 20 in which the Presiding Bishop, David H. Burton, of the LDS Church gives a detailed report during the April 2008 Conference of the Church on disaster relief given by this church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) during the year 2007.

Presiding Bishop H. David Burton

I want you to realize that the publishing of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ came just before this church was founded. As the first prophet and president of this church, Joseph Smith, taught, the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion.

I am convinced that the Book of Mormon played a very essential role in the founding of this church. It's impact was essential!

The Lord told the prophet Joseph Smith that this, Jesus' church, will continue to grow and develop up unto the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and then continue thereafter. Through this church a righteous people are being prepared for the Lord's Second Coming.

Now, here is my final point: Without the Book of Mormon and all of its records preserved by the faithful prophets over the generations of time covered by that book, and the accounts recorded in it of members of the Nephite nation being taught and blessed by the resurrected Lord, as recorded in the book of III Nephi, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints never could have been established. We owe them all a great debt of gratitude! Perhaps a special thanks is owed to those children pictured in the paintings used today (and their dear parents). They were, everyone, saved and endured to the end!

I would have liked to have had the space to list the names of all the prophets of that sacred book along with listing for you, one by one, each of the events recorded in III Nephi during the Savior's visit with His people, the Nephites. HOW GRATEFUL WE OUGHT TO BE FOR THEIR RECORD AND FOR THEIR FAITH AND GOOD EXAMPLES AND THE TEACHINGS OF TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS THEY PASSED ON TO EACH OF US.

However, our deepest gratitude goes to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who inspires and guides all precious blessings that come our way. Let us always remember His words:

Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1: 39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

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DISCLAIMER
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.



____________


TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following: Jesus Christ's Nephite Ministry - Its Lasting Effects - Post 34a. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)
____________


"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.

___________


I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you will find 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.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish:  Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch