Lesson 41: I Have Made Thee This Day … an Iron Pillar

Lesson 41: “I Have Made Thee This Day … an Iron Pillar” – Scriptures and Quotes

Isaiah 65:17

1 Nephi 7:14

Reading 1 – Jeremiah 1:4–10

Reading 2 - The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was” (History of the Church, 6:364).

Reading 3 – Elder Orson F. Whitney said:  "A prophet's name, place of birth, and the character of his everyday calling, are matters of little moment compared with other things pertaining to him. What of his state and standing before he came on earth? This is a far more important consideration. God's prophets are chosen before they are born, and are sent into the world as He needs them. Their aims are high and holy. They desire the welfare and happiness of the race. Yet almost invariably their motives are misunderstood, and they and their followers are opposed and persecuted." (Saturday Night Thoughts, p14)

Jeremiah 1:17-19

Reading 4 – Jeremiah 20:1-6

Reading 5 – Jeremiah 26:7-15

Reading 6: Jeremiah 36:1-6, 20-23, 27-29

Jeremiah 20:14-18

Reading 7 – Jeremiah 2:13

Reading 8 - Elder Marion D. Hanks said: “Material objectives consume too much of our attention. The struggle for what we need or for more than we need exhausts our time and energy. We pursue pleasure or entertainment, or become overinvolved in associations or civic matters. Of course, people need recreation, need to be achieving, need to contribute; but if these come at the cost of friendship with Christ, the price is much too high.

“ ‘For my people have committed two evils,’ said the Lord to Israel; ‘they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.’ (Jer. 2:13.)

“The substitutions we fashion to take the place of God in our lives truly hold no water. To the measure we thus refuse the ‘living water,’ we miss the joy we could have” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1972, 127; or Ensign, July 1972, 105).

Jeremiah 5:1

Jeremiah 1:9

Reading 9 – Jeremiah 15:16

Reading 10 – 2 Nephi 2:3

Jeremiah 20:9

Lesson 37: “Thou Hast Done Wonderful Things” – Scriptures and Quotes

As a source of knowledge, the scriptures are not the ultimate but the penultimate. The ultimate knowledge comes by revelation…. A study of the scriptures enables men and women to receive revelations…. because scripture reading put us in tune with the Spirit of the Lord.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Scripture Reading and Revelation,” to BYU Studies Academy, 29 January 1993, 3-4, also at "Mormonism 101" lecture at Harvard University Law School, spring, 2010

It just may be that my salvation (and yours also!) does in fact depend upon our ability to understand the writings of Isaiah as fully and truly as Nephi understood them. Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Ensign, Oct 1973

Reading 1 – Isaiah 22:22

John 14:6

Reading 2 – Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote:  "In ancient Israel, David was a man of blood and battle whose word was law and whose very name was also a symbol of power and authority. Accordingly, when Isaiah sought to convey a realization of the supreme, directive control and power resident in our Lord, the Son of David, he spoke these words in the Lord's name: 'And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.' (Isa. 22:22.) Centuries later, speaking of himself, our Lord said to John: 'These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.' (Rev. 3:7.) Thus, the key of David is the absolute power resident in Christ whereby his will is expressed in all things both temporal and spiritual." (Mormon Doctrine, p409)

Reading 3 – 2 Nephi 9:41

Reading 4 – Isaiah 24:21-22

Reading 5 - President Ezra Taft Benson said:  "There were two grand divisions in the world of spirits. Spirits of the righteous (the just) had gone to paradise, a state of happiness, peace, and restful work. The spirits of the wicked (the unjust) had gone to prison, a state of darkness and misery." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p37)

Isaiah 42:5-7

Reading 6 – Doctrine and Covenants 138:29-31

Isaiah 49:9-10

Reading 7 - Isaiah 25:1–4; 32:1–2

Reading 8 - President Harold B. Lee said, “the Master was telling us that those same storms [having quoted Matthew 7:24-27] are going to fall upon the house of every one of us, rich or poor, good or bad. The only ones who will not fall will be those who have founded their lives upon the Rock—meaning divine testimony of the mission of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (“Message to Students,” Ninety-sixth Annual Commencement Address and Message, Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1971, 18-19)

Isaiah 28:16

Reading 9 – Helaman 5:12

Isaiah 30:19-21

Lesson 35: God Reveals His Secrets to His Prophets – Scriptures and Quotes

Lesson 35: God Reveals His Secrets to His Prophets – Scriptures and Quotes

President Ezra Taft Benson said: “As the prophet reveals the truth, it divides the people. The honest in heart heed his words, but the unrighteous either ignore the prophet or fight him. When the prophet points out the sins of the world, the worldly either want to close the mouth of the prophet, or else act as if the prophet didn’t exist, rather than repent of their sins.

Popularity is never a test of truth. Many a prophet has been killed or cast out. As we come closer to the Lord’s second coming, you can expect that as the people of the world become more wicked, the prophet will be less popular with them” (“Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet,” in Speeches of the Year, 1980. [Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1981], p.29)

Reading 1 – Amos 7:7-8

Reading 2 – Psalms 15:1-2

Reading 3 – 1 Nephi 16:3

Mosiah 2:32-33

Reading 4 – Amos 3:6-7

Reading 5 – Elder Orson F. Whitney said:  "The need for prophecy must be evident to any pious and reflective mind. Prophets are as watchmen on the tower, noting the time of night, telling of the approaching dawn. 'Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.' This means, as I interpret it, that the allwise Dispenser of human affairs will neither cause nor permit any event to take place, concerning which the world need to have fore-knowledge, until he has communicated with his chosen servants, his oracles among men, and has given them due notice of its approach." (Saturday Night Thoughts, p15)

Reading 6 - Elder Matthias F. Cowley said :  "From this we learn that if there are no prophets of the Lord, then our Heavenly Father is doing nothing in a religious sense among the people of this earth; but if He is doing a work among them for their redemption, then there must be prophets." (Cowley's Talks on Doctrine, p23)

Reading 7 – Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38

Reading 8 – Doctrine and Covenants 21:4-5

Doctrine and Covenants 21:6

Reading 9 – Amos 7:10-13

Wikipedia definition - Cultural Mormon is a term used for Mormons who no longer believe some, or many, of the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), but who self-identify as Mormon. Usually this is a result of having been raised in the LDS faith, or as having converted and spent a large portion of one's life as an active member of the LDS Church. Cultural Mormons may or may not be actively involved with the church, and in some cases may not even be officially members of the church.

Amos 6:1, 3-4, 7-8

Reading 10 - President Ezra Taft Benson said:  "It is not going to be enough just to accept the teachings, standards, and ideals of the Church passively. It will require real activity, real dedication to the principles of righteousness if we are to face the future unafraid. But if we have the courage, sound judgment, and the faith so to do, then no matter what happens we will be able to face any situation with courage and with faith and with the assurance that God will sustain us. I know that now is the time probably more than any other time in our lives to live the gospel. We should not be lulled away into false security as Nephi said many would be in the last days. We should not be pacified and feel in our hearts that we can sin a little, that we can attend to our meetings part of the time, that we can pay a token tithing, that we can live the gospel when it is convenient, and all will be well. We must not be 'at ease in Zion' and say 'Zion prospers, all is well' (2 Nephi 28:21, 24). But we must live the gospel plan in its fulness every day of our lives. Therein is safety. Therein will come a satisfaction which comes from righteous living which will enter our hearts, give us the courage and the strength that we need. There is no security in unrighteousness. The sinful always live in despair (see Moroni 10:22)." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp337-338)

Reading 11– Amos 8:11-13

Joseph Smith 1:41

Joel 2:28-32

Joel 2:12-27

Joel 3:16-17

Lesson 33: Sharing the Gospel with the World – Scriptures and Quotes

Lesson 33: Sharing the Gospel with the World – Scriptures and Quotes

Reading 1 – Matthew 12:38-40

Reading 2 – Jonah 1:1-2

Reading 3 – Nahum 3:1-5

Reading 4 – Jonah 1:3

Reading 4A - Sidney Sperry wrote: "A call on a mission - and direct from the Lord! But it was no surprise to the prophet to be called, for he had probably carried out many missions for the Lord in Israel before. His surprise lay not in the fact of the call but in the kind of call, and rebellion arose in his heart. It was a call to go to Nineveh, 'the great city' of Assyria, and preach to its heathen inhabitants, for their wickedness had come up before the Lord. . . .

"Jonah was torn between his loyalty to God and the whip of his emotions. The latter were at a fever pitch and in the end determined his actions. Because he couldn't face the mission call, he determined to flee the country and get away from the unpleasant responsibility. He did not intend to lay down his prophetic office; he merely wanted to absent himself without leave for a time until an unpleasant situation adjusted itself."

Reading 5 – Jonah 1:10-17

Reading 6 – Jonah 2:1-9

Reading 7 – Jonah 3:3-8

Reading 8 - Jonah 4:1-3

Reading 9 – Micah 5:2

Reading 10 – Micah 2:12-13

Reading 11 – Micah 4:1-7

Reading 12 – Micah 5:7-9

President Hinckly said:

Ever since the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated, we have interpreted that scripture from Isaiah, repeated again in Micah (see Micah 4:1–2), as applying to this sacred house of the Lord. And of this place, since the day of its dedication, an ever-increasing number from across the world have said in effect, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He might teach us of His ways, that we might walk in His paths.”

I believe and testify that it is the mission of this Church to stand as an ensign to the nations and a light to the world. We have had placed upon us a great, all-encompassing mandate from which we cannot shrink nor turn aside. We accept that mandate and are determined to fulfill it, and with the help of God we shall do it.

There are forces all around us that would deter us from that effort. The world is constantly crowding in on us. From all sides we feel the pressure to soften our stance, to give in here a little and there a little.

We must never lose sight of our objective. We must ever keep before us the goal which the Lord has set for us. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “An Ensign to the Nations, a Light to the World,” Liahona, Nov 2003, 82–85)

In 1842 the Prophet Joseph Smith declared, “No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

Lesson 33: Sharing the Gospel with the World - Class Member Study Guide

Lesson 33: Sharing the Gospel with the World - Class Member Study Guide

Study the following scriptures:

1. Jonah 1–2. The Lord calls Jonah to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh. Jonah tries to flee from the Lord on a ship, is swallowed by a great fish, prays, and is delivered from the belly of the fish.
Jonah 3–4. Jonah prophesies the downfall of Nineveh and is angry when the people of Nineveh repent and the Lord spares the city (theJoseph Smith Translation of Jonah 3:9–10 explains that the people, not God, repented). The Lord teaches Jonah to love all people.

Micah 2:12–13; 4:1–7, 11–13; 5:2–4, 7–8; 6:6–8; 7:18–20. Micah prophesies of the mission of Israel in the last days.

Why did the Lord want Jonah to go to Nineveh? (See Jonah 1:2.) Why did Jonah go to Tarshish instead? (See Jonah 1:3.) What are some reasons why we choose not to share the gospel? What can we learn from the story of Jonah that can help us be more valiant in obeying the Lord and sharing the gospel?

What did Micah prophesy about the latter-day temple? (See Micah 4:1–2.)

How can Micah 6:6–8 help us when we feel overwhelmed by all that is expected of us?

The Rest of the Story: More about Hezekiah and his great grandson, Josiah

More about Hezekiah

We discussed in Sunday's class Hezekiah's priorities and how the first thing he did when he became king was to cleanse the temple, sanctify the priests and restore temple worship.
His trust and faith in the Lord and in the Lord's prophet, Isaiah,  enabled him to be a great king and leader to the people of Judah. He was inspired, directed and miracles occured because of his faithfulness.  He extended an invitation to all of Israel to join with him and the Kingdom of Judah in temple worship, but the northern kingdom of Israel, "laughed him to scorn" and refused to join with them.  Consequently, Israel was overcome by Assyria and the ten tribes are lost and dispersed.
Interestingly, Hezekiah's son and grandson reverted to idolatry and wickedness and the people of Judah were again led away from worshiping the only true God.  Consequently, they were oppressed and invaded by Egypt.

Hezekiah's Great-Grandson, Josiah

Hezekiah's great-grandson, Josiah began his reign when he was only eight years old and his reign is chronicled in 2 Chronicles 34-35.  He destroyed idolatry in Judah and again restored and repaired the temple.  During the restoration, a copy of the law was discovered and in reading the scriptures, Josiah realized how far Judah had strayed from true worship. He immediately rent his clothes in repentance and consulted the prophets. He and his people again covenanted to serve the Lord and even though it was prophesied that Judah would suffer the consequences of their idolatry and wickedness, Josiah would not have to see the fulfillment of the prophecy because of his righteousness.  Josiah was the last righteous king of Judah and after his death (609 BC) his kingdom fell into decline and eventually was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon in 587 BC. (Lehi and his family left Jerusalem approximately 600 BC, before the Babylonian conquest)

Lesson 32: "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth"

Read and study the following material for next week's September 7th Gospel Doctrine class

Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, (2001), 22

---

Study the following scriptures:

1. a. Job 1–2. Job experiences severe trials. He remains faithful to the Lord despite losing his possessions, children, and health.
   
2. b. Job 13:13–16; 19:23–27. Job finds strength in trusting the Lord and in his testimony of the Savior.
   
3. c. Job 27:2–6. Job finds strength in his personal righteousness and integrity.
   
4. d. Job 42:10–17. After Job has faithfully endured his trials, the Lord blesses him.
   

• •What kind of man was Job? What trials did Job experience?
• •How did Job’s testimony of the Savior help him endure his trials? (See Job 19:25–27.) How can a testimony of the Savior give us strength during adversity?
• •Job’s integrity was another source of spiritual strength during his afflictions (Job 27:2–6). What is integrity? How did personal integrity strengthen Job during his trials? How can personal integrity help us during times of trial?
• •After Job had faithfully endured his trials, how did the Lord bless him? (See Job 42:10–15; James 5:11.) How does the Lord bless us as we faithfully endure trials? (See Job 23:10; 3 Nephi 15:9.)

Additional reading: Other chapters in Job; Doctrine and Covenants 121:1–10.