I've been wanting to commit to memory a high-level overview of The Book of Mormon, such that any time I see a scripture reference, I'll now what's going on in that chapter. For example:
2 Nephi 2:25
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
Wouldn't it be great to know, without looking anything up, that this verse came from Lehi's last words to his son Jacob?
Alma 41:10
10 Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.
Alma 41 is a continuation of Alma's words to his son Corianton, who had rebelled from his father's teachings but eventually came back (probably as a result of them). Alma has just explained all about the spirit world and the resurrection and this verse could be thought of as a sort of 'moral of the story'.
So, this document will serve as a convenient reference and memorization aid.
The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ
Introductory Materials
- Moroni's declaration of the Book of Mormon's origins and ultimate purpose as a testament of Jesus Christ to all nations.
- The Book of Mormon is a book of ancient scripture, written on gold plates by prophets in the Americas and containing an account of the ministry of the resurrected Jesus Christ to them, translated by Joseph Smith, a modern-day prophet, who restored the Church of Jesus Christ, and we can know it is all true by the power of the Holy Ghost if we ask God with faith and in the name of Jesus Christ if it is true.
The Testimony of Three Witnesses:
- Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris were shown the gold plates containing the record of The Book of Mormon by an angel of God.
- They testify to the world that the record and its translation are true.
The Testimony of Eight Witnesses:
- Several members of the Whitmer family, the Smith family, and Hiram Page (8 in all) were shown, and allowed to handle, the gold plates by Joseph Smith.
- Each testified to the world that the record had the appearance of an ancient work, and of curious workmanship.
The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
- A summary of Joseph Smith-History, which explains the series of events leading up to Joseph Smith translating and publishing The Book of Mormon.
A Brief Explanation about The Book of Mormon:
- The source materials making up the record, the 'books' or divisions in the text, and the layout of Mormon's abridgment.
1 Nephi
Nephi's first-person account of his family's journey from Jerusalem to the American continent.
- Lehi called as a prophet to warn Jerusalem of impending destruction unless the people repent (they don't).
- Lehi's family leaves Jerusalem and all their property behind.
- The Lord declares that if they keep the commandments they shall prosper and will be led to a land of promise.
Chapters 3-5 - First return to Jerusalem: for the Brass Plates
- How should we respond to a command from God?
- Nephi, Sam, Laman, and Lemuel return to Jerusalem to retrieve the brass plates from Laban
- It doesn't go well.
- Nephi slays Laban to acquire the brass plates and fulfill the Lord's command.
- Zoram, one of Laban's servants, returns with them to the wilderness.
- Nephi, Sam, Laman, Lemuel, and Zoram make their way back to Lehi and Sariah, who rejoice, offer sacrifice.
- What did Lehi learn from the brass plates about his lineage in the House of Israel?
- What did Lehi learn about the eventual reach of the brass plates in the future?
- What is Nephi's purpose in keeping records on the plates?
- Nephi and his brothers return to Jerusalem a second time to invite Ishmael and his family to join them in their journey, and Ishmael accepts.
- Laman, Lemuel and some of Ishmael's family rebel on the return trip but Nephi is saved by faith, after which his brethren beg forgiveness.
- Nephi relates Lehi's telling of his vision of the tree of life. (See chapters 11 and 15 for additional details and interpretation.)
- Nephi explains his obedience to the Lord's commandment that he keep two records: for a wise purpose in Him.
- Lehi prophesies of the eventual scattering of Israel, coming of Messiah, and gathering of Israel in the latter days.
Chapters 11-14 - Nephi's Vision
- "Knowest thou the condescension of God?"
- Who will assist the Savior in Judgement?
- What will become of the family of Lehi?
- Who did Jesus visit after his resurrection?
- What is the motivation of the great an abominable church?
- Who would eventually settle the Americas?
- How did the Bible come to lose many plain and precious truths?
- What is the purpose of The Book of Mormon relative to the Bible?
- The Church of the Lamb of God and the accompanying "marvelous work and a wonder" counter the Great and Abominable Church of the Devil.
- The apostle John's revelatory contribution on the end of the world.
- Why does God scatter and gather the children of Israel?
- What is the interpretation of Lehi's dream of the Iron Rod and the Tree of Life?
- How does God bless us as we '[arise] in the morning, and [go] forth to the tent door' in response to his instruction to 'take [our] journey into the wilderness'? (see verses 9-10)
- What hardships can we expect on the difficult path of life, even when we are trying to follow God's commandments and the instructions of his prophets?
- What's an effective way to react to a difficult assignment?
- How does the story of Lehi and Nephi parallel the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt?
- How is the way Nephi went about building a ship like magnifying a calling?
- What was Nephi's approach to record keeping?
- What means did Nephi employ that he might more fully persuade his brethren to believe in the Lord their Redeemer?
Chapter 20 (Compare Isaiah 48)
- Why do bad/hard things happen even when we choose the right?
- "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction..." (Affliction may be a sign that the Lord has chosen us and is preparing and molding us for his wise purposes.)
- What (straightforward) instructions does the Lord give the house of Israel?
- "Come ye near unto me...Go ye forth from Babylon!"
- It is more likely for a mother to forget her child than for the Lord to forget us, for we are graven in the palms of his hands!
- We are in for some adventure and excitement!
- During the Millennium, will Satan be bound so that we can finally become righteous, or will he be bound because we have actually already become righteous?
2 Nephi
Chapters 1-4 - Lehi's farewell and blessings to his children
- What is one of the most important themes of The Book of Mormon?
- Lehi concludes his preaching and ministry by declaring:
- that Jerusalem is destroyed
- the Lord hath obtained a land of promise and liberty
- the Lord has redeemed his soul from hell and encircles him eternally in the arms of his love
- "Awake!" from a deep sleep, arise from the dust, put on the armor of righteousness
- the main theme: keep the commandments and prosper
- blessings for Lamen, Lemual, Sam, and Zoram and their posterity
- Lehi blesses, a word which here also means "unloads an amazing amount of doctrine" on Jacob.
- How is everything going to be ok? Because "all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things."
- How many Josephs are referred to in this chapter?
- If Nephi feels 'wretched' at times, I guess there's hope for all of us.
- When a situation becomes abusive, it's time to leave.
- If Jacob (a prophet) suffered from anxiety (among potentially other emotional ailments), I guess there's hope for all of us.
- Jacob quotes Isaiah 50.
- Jacob quotes Isaiah 51 and 52.
- Jacob explains it all.
- A chapter of "O"s (14) and "wo"s (10)!
- Spritually-minded is life eternal (SMILE)
- Death and Hell = the awful monster
- Jacob was first among Lehites to reveal that the Savior will be called Christ!
- When you've seen something, you have a sure witness with which to prove its truth. Nephi, Jacob, and Isaiah saw their Redeemer! Everything they did and said was with an eye single to His glory and to prove the truth of His coming.
- "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord!"
- It does no good to try an hide from God.
Impending Judgement for grievous sins:
- "...their sin [is] even as Sodom..."
- "...Ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor..."
- "...the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes..."
- Just when you think all hope is lost, the Lord can "...[wash] away our filth...and there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and a covert from storm and from rain.
Preparation for Jacob 5:
- "And then will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved, touching his vineyard..."
- "What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it?"
- Isaiah, like Nephi, felt 'wretched', but qualified for forgiveness and sanctification!
- Isaiah's prophecy of the birth of Jesus (Immanuel, 'God with us')
- Sanctify the Lord of Hosts; wait upon the Lord; look for him;
- For unto us a child is born...The Prince of Peace!
- The Lord can do his work, and he'll use the best tools/instruments to do so. (verses 14-15)
- The Lord will judge the poor (in spirit) and repay the meek (with the earth). Compare verses 2-5 with 3 Nephi 12:3,5
- Sing unto the Lord!
- At the second coming: "I will be merciful unto my people, but the wicked shall perish."
- In the millennium: "The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth into singing."
- Since 1 Nephi 13 & 16, this is the first of several mentions of the importance of plainness to Nephi.
- Nephi declares, in terms of plainness, the scattering and gathering of Israel, the coming of the Messiah, and the subsequent fulfilling of the law of Moses.
- Moroni must have liked this chapter because it seems to have influenced the title page of The Book of Mormon: "...to the convincing of Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ"
- All are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.
- How did Nephi continue on, knowing that his seed would 'sell themselves for naught'?
- The coming forth of The Book of Mormon is "a marvelous work and a wonder".
- "...wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!"
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"A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible." vs.
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"Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word?"
- Gathering of Israel described
- Recapitulation and expansion of Chapter 21 (Isaiah 11)
- First attempt at a final farewell
- Nephi hears the voices of the Father and the Son declare The Doctrine of Christ!
- Press forward with a Steadfastness in Christ!
- Further implications of The Doctrine of Christ:
- Speak w/ tongue of angels
- Feast upon the words of Christ
- Great knowledge is given in plainness
- The Spirit teaches us to pray always in the name of Christ
- Nephi was blessed with charity for his people
- "I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus!"..."I must obey."
- We will each meet Nephi in the hereafter!
Jacob
- Traditions of record-keeping and of Nephite kings set forth
- Gradual degradation of Nephites toward sin and pride
- Jacob's (and Joseph's) charge as teachers and priests
Chapters 2-3 - Jacob on the degradation of the Nephites
- Jacob, weighed down with anxiety, calls Nephites to repentance (greed, pride, unchastity).
- Jacob addresses the pure in heart and firm in mind; uses Lamanites as better examples of upholding the family
- Jacob prepares us for the Zenos' quotation of the Allegory of the Olive Tree by pointing us to Jesus Christ and his Atonement.
- Jacob quotes Zenos, who quotes the Lord giving the entire allegory of the Olive Tree (after telling us in Chapter 4 how hard it is to write on plates).
- Jacob expounds and paraphrases the allegory and bids a poetic farewell.
- Contrary to his original plan, Jacob resumes writing to relate his encounter with Sherem, the first anti-Christ in the Book of Mormon.
- Jacob declares the end of his life in a somewhat gloomy style. (contrast with his optimistic (and youthful) declaration in 2 Nephi 10:20-22).
Enos
- Enos prays mightily all day and into the night; He hears the voice of the Lord, forgiving his sins; he desires for the welfare of his brethren, and then the Lamanites, then for the preservation of the records;
Jarom
- People wax strong, contrasted with Lamanites (even though not blameless); advancements in tech and warfare; continual teaching and preaching;
Omni
- Why would it be important for a culture of people to keep records? Mosiah leads group of Nephites away and finds Zarahemla and the Mulekites, who knew Coriantumr (a Jaredite); Mosiah translates the stone containing record of Coriantumr and his people; small group attempt to go back to the land of Nephi to re-unite with the original Nephite nation [citation needed].
Words of Mormon
- Mormon shares insight into how he selected and arranged the records for future readers. He mentions the sword of Laban, an important symbol in Nephite history and a companion artifact to the gold plates.
Mosiah
- With a somewhat abrupt beginning (and no summary introduction) we learn of King Benjamin educating his sons and preparing for succession of kingdom to his son Mosiah. He receives the brass plates and sword of Laban. The people are summoned to the temple to hear the final teachings of King Benjamin.
Chapters 2-5: King Benjamin's Final Sermon
- King Benjamin makes it very clear where we stand as unprofitable servants, forever indebted to our Heavenly King for:
- granting us our lives in the first place,
- preserving us from day to day,
- lending us breath,
- supporting us from moment to moment,
- immediately blessing us whenever we keep his commandments, and,
- provided we become consistent with the above, will receive us into heaven to dwell with him in a state of never-ending happiness...
- ...he hints that, in the meantime, when we serve our fellow beings, we are actually in the service of our God.
(Wow, kind of sobering...after all, what happens to unprofitable employees and companies? They are fired/closed. But we've been redeemed at infinite cost by God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. It occurs to me that people who are saved, and therefore indebted, feel a real desire to serve.)
- An angel comes with a pronouncement for King Benjamin. I appreciate that it took two calls (from an angel!) for King Benjamin to "Awake!"
- Sometimes I take for granted that we have record of pronouncements from heavenly beings to prophets.
- After reviewing this chapter with a renewed sense of awe I now realize this chapter is, in its entirety, just such a pronouncement.
- "The natural man is an enemy to God...unless..."
- The people, after hearing Benjamin relate everything the angel told him, probably reacted how Benjamin did: they fell to the earth because of the 'fear of the Lord'. After calling on the Lord with exceeding faith for forgiveness and grace, they were filled with the Spirit, with joy, and peach of conscience.
- "Are we not all beggars?"
- "...see that all these things are done in wisdom and order..."
- "Watch yourselves..."
- They people are given a new name as they make a new covenant, becoming children of Christ.
- They are admonished by Benjamin to be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works.
(What an amazing account of King Benjamin preparing his people to to receive the angel's message and then helping them understand everything they would need to know to establish peace in the land.)
- A nice glimpse into a righteous society, featuring a peaceful transition of power from King Benjamin to Mosiah.
- Mosiah sends Ammon to find those who departed for the land of Nephi at the end of the book of Omni and they successfully find king Limhi, descendant of Zeniff and Noah, whose people are in bondage to the Lamanites. Ammon promises that "if [they] turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart...he will...deliver [them] out of bondage."
- Ammon recaps Nephite history to Limhi's people, including King Benjamin's talk; Limhi shows Ammon the 24 plates they found and refers Limhi to King Mosiah, a seer who could translate the record.