Initial thoughts, Oh no! Old testament chapters & language. Time to get the chocolates.....and the cinnamon swirls..... and the giant bag of crisps.
Comparison with Isaiah 54 & Malachi 3 & 4, but His teaching didn't just come from OT prophets, in other chapters have been comparable to NT teachings.
I'm fine with admitting old testament stuff is not my forte. In fact, I'd call it a weakness. But I have put in the effort, I have personally received many great insights. I doubt I'll share them all with you, but hopefully I have some main content that will not only be interesting for you, but maybe delicious to you.
I do like to start off by summarising the content of the chapters we have read and then historically I would ask the class if they had any insights they would like to share which may steer the lesson in a particular direction.
Summary of the reading
20:1-9 He feeds the people bread & wine (the sacrament) the people were filled with he spirit. It is proposed the bread & wine were provided miraculously by the saviour. Generally he provides miraculously.
13 scattered shall be gathered
Those who do not repent shall be cut off and the sword of justice shall hang over them
Shall establish a new Jerusalem
Christ reminds the house of Israel (of which we all are) that he has made covenants
21:1-10 A sign of the gathering,
21:11+ Don't repent and be cut off.
21:29 Ahead & at the rear, Moses & exodus reference, you/we are not alone.
22 is the Isaiah 54 chapter. Zion, the new Jerusalem, shall be established, imagery of enlarging stakes, no weapon formed against thee shall prosper, no unhallowed hand shall stop the work from progressing.
23:1-5 Commandment to search the scriptures & Isaiah.
23:6-14 The importance of record keeping. Cannot prove prophecies are fulfilled unless the prophecy is recorded & the fulfilling of the prophecy is recorded.
24:2 Refiners Fire reference.
24:7-12 tithing verses
25: Elijah shall return.
26:1-10 Jesus teaches the people all things from the beginning.
26:11 Mormon interjects for a few verses to say he only included in the BOM the things he was commanded.
26:13 Sacrament, teaching children, healing of sick & raised a man from the dead. The disciples taught & baptised.
26:16+ sounds a lot like Acts of the New Testament. Jesus is now gone, the disciples now go out preaching.
Personal Insights
General
- Who is speaking in these chapters?
- Doesn't that make it worth investing in trying to understand?
Chapter 20
- He generally provides miraculously. Link to Malachi, prove me now herewith (3 Nephi 24:10)
- The new Jerusalem, or gathering not necessarily a geographical place.
- The Lord is gathering those who are willing to let God prevail in their lives.
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/46nelson
- AOF #10 We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
Chapter 21
- v1-10 The gathering commences when these words are spread. When was that? Publication of the Book of Mormon?
- Interpretation, of Israel. Let God prevail. According to a couple of Hebrew Scholars. Let God help you. Are you going to let God help you? Refinement, growth, all that stuff is uncomfortable.
- What does the gathering of Israel look like. Ref pres Nelsons talk. Helping someone make & keep their covenants. Either side of the veil. “When we speak of gathering Israel on both sides of the veil, we are referring, of course, to missionary, temple, and family history work. We are also referring to building faith and testimony in the hearts of those with whom we live, work, and serve. Anytime we do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—to make and keep their covenants with God, we are helping to gather Israel.”
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/46nelson
- What part are you playing in this process? Are you watching others do the gathering or are you helping? During this current climate, should we stop gathering? Reminds me of a talk by President Uchtdorf, Are you sleeping through the restoration. The title of the talk says it all.
- President Nelson, "we have been charged to assist the Lord with this pivotal work".
- What is another word we use regularly that describes the gathering? The restoration. Today we use the term restoration because on the timeline & context of things that makes more sense. But for pre-apostasy saints, the restoration won't mean much, but the idea of an ultimate gathering after a scattering means more to them.
- 21:10 Blew me away. What does marred mean in this context? Martyrdom. Even if Joseph smith was a fraud, he prophesied his own death!
Chapter22
- Chapter 21 & 22, what's the difference between WILL & SHALL. Old paper copy, chapter heading says SHALL. Gospel library app (& presumably latest edition) says WILL.
- v17 No weapon formed against thee shall prosper, sounds a lot like, no unhallowed hand shall stop the work from progressing. In a strange twist, which could be described as miraculous & potentially prophecy fulfilling, during the world wide pandemic, which is causing significant damage directly and indirectly to individuals, families, communities, nations & governments, it has been reported that while missionary work may not be what it used to be, it has not slowed down but has accelerated.
Chapter 23
- Conversation to Nephi about Samuel. Did you write the prophecies of Samuel, because you know they came true?
- It is kind of a funny story & unfortunate for Nephi, but what can we learn about the importance of record keeping?
- If these can come true, so can all these major promises.
Chapter 24
- v2 refers to the Refiners Fire. I feel like this was a theme of General Conference. Elder Holland talked about it when he kinda quoted Elder Maxwell when he suggested sometimes we pray to be perfected but ask that we experience no difficulties along the way. Does anyone feel refined?
- What impurities do you have? What do you need to do to remove them?
- Is refinement different to purification? I don’t think this is talking about repentance (possibly the atonement). Repentance is overcoming sin, this refinement is enduring & overcoming challenges either well or just at all.
- v2-4 Through Him, we are refined, and become even more good (better) and are able to offer up good gifts.
- Matt 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
- Plug for self reliance. Emotional Resilience course states "All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable"
- We are refined, for what purpose? To learn how give. Charity is the pure love of Christ. The 1st two commandments are to love God & our neighbour. How do we love? We serve
Chapter 25
- After learning from President Nelsons talk, about the gathering happening on both sides of the veil, you can understand why the saviour would mention Elijah or rather, why Mormon would include it in the final draft.
- Consider asking the class…Why would a reference to Elijah be relevant intermingled with chapters relating to the gathering?
Chapter 26
- v11 This verse implies there are words that could be written that prove the existence of God, but God does not want us to read them, but would rather try our faith. The Nephites had them because they saw the saviour & witnessed all the miracles he did while he visited with them, they no longer had faith but knowledge.
What are the covenants?
20:13. 29 gather them, give them Jerusalem, the promised land.
Therefore what? What are you doing or going to do to be part of the gathering of Israel, building of Zion, part of the restoration? How will you help others make & keep covenants?
