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(00:00) A brief overview of these chapters.
(05:08) Elijah calls down fire from heaven to consume King Ahaziah?s soldiers that were sent to apprehend him.
(12:02) Elisha is wrapped in the mantel of Elijah. Youth that mock Elisha are attacked by bears.
(25:30) Possible reasons for Elijah being taken to heaven and translated.
(26:29) Judah, Israel, and Edom join forces against Moab. They are in desperate need of water as they pass through the Negev desert. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, directs his partners to the prophet Elisha who can provide the miracle they need.
(30:08) The king of Edom, desperate to escape Judah, Israel, and Edom, sacrifices his own son to his god Chemosh. He is able to escape. This story emphasizes that monolatry existed in the ancient Near East.
(33:27) Elisha multiplies the widow?s oil. If we are willing to give what we have to God, he will give us back so much more.
(38:07) Elisha raises the son of a widow woman from the dead. Prophets are types of Christ.
(40:38) Naaman comes to Elisha to be healed of leprosy, but then second-guesses Elisha?s instructions because they seemed too simple. One dip blessings compared to seven dip blessings. Faithfulness to God?s commandments brings miracles.
(48:12) Elisha refuses to accept a reward from Naaman for being healed. Gehazi secretly obtains the reward and is cursed with leprosy.
(50:33) Naaman desires to take home some dirt from the place of his miraculous healing. Cultural context helps us understand why he would want to do this.
(53:53) The sons of the prophets leave for more space. Elisha causes an ax to float.
(56:44) Syria wages war against Israel in an effort to capture Elisha, their secret weapon. The Syrians are smitten with blindness and are led away in peace.
(1:02:14) A seam in the text can be found in 2 Kings 6. Oral traditions that were written and later stitched together by editors leave evidence of their work. Israel, under siege by their enemy and experiencing a famine, is in need of a miracle. The Syrians leave their spoils behind and Elisha?s promise of plentiful food is fulfilled.
(1:08:40) Jezebel?s death fulfills the earlier prophecy of Elijah. Time vindicates the prophets.

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The post Ep 379 | 2 Kings 2-7, Come Follow Me 2026 (July 6-12) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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(00:00) An overview of these chapters. The kingdom of Israel divides when Solomon?s son Rehoboam refuses to reduce the burden on the northern tribes.
(06:55) A brief history of the Lost Ten Tribes in the north and Judah in the south.
(10:48) Jeroboam, worried that his people will turn their hearts towards the leaders in the south when they go to the temple in Jerusalem, decides to build rival sanctuaries in Dan and Bethel.
(13:25) Do not take counsel from your fears or be fooled by an imitation.
(19:18) A man of God warns Jeroboam against false worship, prophesying of a future day when Josiah will destroy it.
(22:17) What happened to the Ark of the Covenant? Could Shishak of Egypt have taken this treasure from the Jerusalem temple?
(29:13) Elijah, an embodiment of great power, is a type of many prophets. All prophets are types of Christ.
(31:49) Elijah seals the heavens and is fed by a raven. He goes to Zarephath and asks a widow woman for her barrel flour and jar of oil, promising they will never become empty during the famine.
(40:30) Elijah raises the widow?s son from the dead. Jesus duplicates the miracles of Elijah.
(43:28) Obadiah, part of Ahab?s court, saves 100 prophets from Queen Jezebel and also helps Elijah.
(47:29) Obadiah and Elijah?s ?50? can be seen as part of a bigger picture, as members of a choral arrangement that were connected to the temple and the sacred drama in many ancient cultures.
(52:37) Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to call down fire from heaven. They fail.
(57:14) At times the Lord will manifest miracles to show his might and prove that he is God. The Book of Mormon is that proof for us today.
(1:03:40) The famine ends and Queen Jezebel seeks the life of Elijah. In his loneliness, Elijah experiences deep sadness, believing that the prophets are dead. At times, we may feel as Elijah did. Being with the Saints and remembering the truth of the gospel message can bolster our resilience.
(1:11:44) Elijah?s experience with the still small voice of the Lord.
(1:18:17) Ahab, king of Israel, is attacked by the Syrian army. A prophet tells Ahab that Israel will win. Ahab later desires the vineyard of Naboth, who refuses to sell his land. Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, orchestrates a conspiracy to frame Naboth for blasphemy, and Ahab acquires the land through deceit. Elijah comes to inform Ahab that Ahab’s line will cease, that Jezebel will be eaten by dogs, and that Ahab’s blood will be licked up by dogs in the very spot where Naboth was killed. Time vindicates the prophets.

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The post Ep 378 | 1 Kings 12-22, Come Follow Me 2026 (June 29-July 5) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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(00:00) An overview of these chapters.
(04:11) David stays in Jerusalem instead of going to war with his troops. He lies with Bathsheba and then tries to cover his sin by arranging for the death of her husband, Uriah. Reading this story through the lens of the honor culture in the ancient Near East.
(08:13) David?s fall helps us see the lines of defense we can put in place to prevent us from breaking the law of chastity.
(19:10) Chaos ensues in David’s family because of his example. Nathan pitches a legal case to David where a wealthy man steals a poor man?s little lamb. Nathan says, ?Thou art the man!? He prophesies chaos in the House of David as a consequence of his choices.
(20:05) David?s son Amnon takes his sister Tamar by force. Tamar?s other brother Absalom kills Amnon in revenge. Absalom rebels against his father David and declares himself the king. David?s general Joab slays Absalom.
(28:24) In the Book of Mormon, Jacob rebukes those who excuse themselves in committing sins like David and Solomon. Their immoral transgressions broke the hearts of their wives. Their children lost confidence because of their bad examples.
(31:30) The last four chapters of 2 Samuel are an appendix containing diverse materials arranged in a chiastic order.
(35:47) Solomon becomes the king. He asks the Lord for a wise and understanding heart.
(38:42) Two mothers contend over a baby and Solomon determines who the true mother is. His wisdom and understanding exceed that of all men, but then Solomon begins to worships false gods. Our strengths can also be our downfall.
(44:24) The First Israelite Temple is built by Solomon. We can find increased divine assistance when we attend the temple and partner with the Lord.

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The post Ep 377 | 2 Samuel 8-24; 1 Kings 1-11, Come Follow Me 2026 (June 22-28) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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(00:00) The story of David and Goliath. The Hebrew and Greek versions of 1 Samuel 17 render different accounts of Goliath?s height. An overview of Goliath?s weapons and armor.
(05:10) Goliath as a symbol of the unconquerable foes that we all face. David employs six strategies to defeat Goliath that can also be applied to our challenges.
(13:53) The sword of Goliath as an article of kingship and evidence that God is with us.
(16:25) King Saul is jealous of David and is obsessed with killing him.
(26:32) Jonathan is a true friend to David, even though he has reason to be jealous of his success.
(29:56) David continues his quest of goodness, yet Jonathan is not threatened.
(32:26) David has opportunity to kill Saul, but doesn’t.
(32:55) Nabal rebuffs David and refuses to give him food. Abigail acts as a peacemaker, thus saving Nabal?s life.
(36:11) King Saul consults with the Witch of Endor for revelation. He interacts with the ghost of Samuel, who has died. This experience with the spiritualist medium destroys hope.
(39:31) The Philistine leaders send David away during their attack on Saul?s forces. David goes to Ziklag and finds that his city has been sacked by the Amalekites and his family has been taken captive. David rescues all the people and shares the spoils of war.
(41:58) The Philistines defeat Israel. King Saul and his sons are slain.
(43:19) The rise of King David in 2 Samuel.
(46:47) Uzzah is smitten for steadying the Ark.
(51:03) David acts as both king and priest in his return to Jerusalem. He wears the ephod and offers sacrifice.
(53:50) David obtains the threshing floor, where the Ark will rest. The threshing floor can be seen as the foundation stone, the heart of the Holy of Holies and a symbol of Jesus Christ as Savior of the world.
(55:43) David desires to build a temple for the Lord. Nathan prophesies that the House of David will continue forever. This prophecy finds fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
(1:02:13) David is not to build the temple, but his son Solomon will built it.

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The post Ep 376 | 1 Samuel 17-31, 2 Samuel 1-7, Come Follow Me 2026 (June 15-21) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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(00:00) Israel wants to have a king like everyone else. Saul is chosen.
(07:41) Forms of unrighteous dominion.
(11:14) Saul was chosen as Israel?s first king for his goodness, but falls into unrighteous dominion.
(24:18) Jonathan, King Saul?s son, is victorious in battle but disobeys his father.
(27:38) King Saul builds altars. He disobeys Samuel?s specific instructions. To obey is better than to sacrifice.
(39:55) The Lord tells Samuel to find Jesse, as he is the father of the future king of Israel. This shepherd’s son is David, founder of the ?House of David.? Three traditions of David?s ascent to the throne are given.
(41:53) Samuel is told by the Lord to not look upon David?s outward appearance. God sees the intent of our hearts, not just our actions.

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The post Ep 375 | 1 Samuel 8-16, Come Follow Me 2026 (June 8-14) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Timestamps:
(00:00) Ruth, a Moabite, becomes a central character in Israel?s history as the great-grandmother of King David, through whose line comes Jesus Christ. Her story shows that God is the God of the whole world.
(10:52) After becoming a widow, Ruth goes to Bethlehem and gleans in the fields of Boaz. The Law commanded that owners ?not reap the corners of their fields,? thus providing for the poor.
(13:53) How Boaz symbolizes Christ and how Ruth represents all of us coming unto him to be redeemed.
(23:15) Ruth proposes marriage to Boaz. The threshing floor as a symbol for covenants and the temple. Jesus says ?I will gather my people as a man gathereth his sheaves into the floor.?
(29:46) The other kinsman that has claim upon Ruth can be seen as a symbol of Jesus reconciling and paying our debts for the things that have claim on us. God will compensate us for the difficult times in our lives.
(33:03) All the characters in the story of Ruth are demonstrating hesed, or covenant love. The image of the circle and square coming together as a symbol for the union of heaven and earth.
(38:46) In the Book of Samuel, Hannah comes to the tabernacle at Shiloh to pray for God to give her a son. Like Hannah, all of us experience times of deprivation, even when it is a righteous desire we seek.
(43:02) Hannah?s prayer led to the birth of Samuel and then an even more abundant blessing of many children. God is bounteous in his loving kindness.
(45:39) The Song of Hannah as a triumphant song of praise and overcoming adversity. It gives reference to the King, but there is no monarchy yet. This song can be seen as a prophecy of the Savior and contains temple imagery.
(49:13) Eli?s sons reject the Lord, so Samuel will take their place as High Priest.
(50:08) The Lord calls young Samuel to be a prophet, but he doesn?t immediately understand. Eli helps him open his ears. Sometimes we brush off impressions as coincidence, but oftentimes they are revelation.
(54:32) Samuel is recognized as a prophet. Prophets advise Israel?s kings and when they listen to the prophet they are blessed.
(57:42) The Israelites are defeated by the Philistines. Eli and his sons die. Samuel exhorts Israel to serve the Lord and the Philistines are subdued.

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The post Ep 374 | Ruth; 1 Samuel 1-7, Come Follow Me 2026 (June 1-7) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Timestamps:
(00:00) A brief overview of these chapters.
(06:25) The pride cycle explained.
(11:29) The pride cycle illustrated in the Book of Judges.
(15:56) Successive generations of Israelites forget God and the things he has done for them.
(17:56) The theme of denigrating the northern tribes of Israel.
(21:33) Othniel is the first judge. Ehud, the second judge, brings a ?gift? to Eglon, the fat king of Moab.
(27:24) Deborah is the third judge. How her story compares to the Ishtar myth.
(36:51) Gideon is the fourth judge and humbly trusts in God.
(47:43) Gideon refuses the invitation to be the king of Israel and teaches that Israel should make God their King.
(53:20) Samson is the 7th judge and is blessed with great strength. His ultimate destruction is symbolic of the descent of the House of Israel. Other myths of the ancient world, those of Nergal and Oedipus, may indicate that Samson?s story contains recontextualized tropes from older times.
(1:11:00) Abimelech is the 5th judge and slays his seventy brothers.
(1:14:15) Jephthah is the 6th judge and makes a rash vow and sacrifices his only daughter.
(1:17:47) In the first epilogue Micah sets up a false religion.
(1:19:59) In the second epilogue a Levite woman is horribly violated and killed. Civil war ensues among the Israelites. We see that if Christ isn?t our King, we will be without civilization.

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The post Ep 373 | Judges, Come Follow Me 2026 (May 25-31) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Timestamps:
(00:00) A brief overview of these chapters.
(02:47) Balancing the violence in Joshua with modern revelation and other ways of interpreting the text.
(12:49) If we want the Lord?s help in conflict, then we need to do things the Lord?s way. The three rules of conflict: have the right attitude, have the right motive, and do not be guilty of the first or second offense.
(21:46) Some archaeological evidence does not match the book of Joshua?s description of the conquest of the Land of Canaan.
(28:00) Models of how Israel came to exist in scholarship.
(32:28) Get off the beach. Joshua illustrates how the Lord guides us and how revelation works.
(41:43) What mean these stones? The God who did wonderful things in the past will do wonderful things in your life.
(46:03) The circular pattern of stones at Gilgal can invite readers to see Joshua as an ascension text.
(51:33) Joshua taking the land as a type of Jesus conquering sin and death. Rahab and the scarlet thread as symbols of sin and the atonement.
(1:06:14) Joshua?s final speech. ?Choose you this day whom ye will serve: ? but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.?

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The post Ep 372 | Joshua, Come Follow Me 2026 (May 18-24) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Timestamps:
(00:00) There is evidence that the Five Books of Moses and specifically the Book of Deuteronomy were edited both before and during the Babylonian captivity, around 600 B.C.
(03:14) Many scholars see Deuteronomy as the ?Book of the Law? that was discovered during Josiah?s reign from 640-609 B.C.
(06:15) Examples of additions and redactions which demonstrate the history of the text.
(12:54) The Book of Mormon and the New Testament bring balance to the religious reforms during Josiah?s reign.
(15:35) The Deuteronomistic History is a term used in modern biblical studies to describe the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings. The Deuteronomistic History portrays a cohesive view of Israel.
(18:46) Lehi and Nephi were at odds with the Jews at the time they left Jerusalem in 600 B.C. Examples from the Book of Mormon show how prophets disagreed with some of Deuteronomy?s ideas.
(23:26) Deuteronomy centralizes worship and prohibits any altars outside of the temple. Visionaries were denigrated, yet Nephi knew the mysteries.
(25:42) Deuteronomy focuses on the Abrahamic Covenant and stresses that Israel is to remember the Lord.
(32:39) Deuteronomy has covenant renewal ceremonies and is constructed in the pattern of an ancient Near Eastern vassal treaty. This pattern is also used in King Benjamin?s speech in Mosiah 1-6.
(38:22) The scattering and gathering is prophesied in both Deuteronomy and the Book of Mormon. God wants to bring Israel back home.
(46:12) Deuteronomy 31.6 shows a direct connection to the Book of Joshua. Blessings for keeping the commandments can be seen as a generational promise, not necessarily a 1:1 relationship. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a ?cosmic vending machine.?
(48:53) Both Deuteronomy and the Book of Mormon are writing with the future in mind, knowing that their discovery will bring religious reform.
(51:14) Both books warn of the pride and destruction that can come with prosperity.
(55:28) Moses ?dies,? and the text of Deuteronomy says his sepulcher is not known. The Book of Mormon teaches that Moses was translated. Josephus? history says he disappeared in a cloud. The New Testament shows Moses appears at the Mount of Transfiguration.
(1:02:01) As a resurrected being, in April 1836, Moses came to Joseph Smith to give him the keys of the gathering of Israel. In this way, we are all connected to Moses and his mission. As modern day Israel, we carry the torch of Gospel light and are commanded to spread the Gospel.

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The post Ep 371 | Deuteronomy, Come Follow Me 2026 (May 11-17) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Timestamps:
(00:00) A brief overview of these chapters.
(02:35) The Israelites murmur and complain in the wilderness. How we respond to our afflictions will shape our character. We can strive to see God?s hand in our lives like Nephi and Francis Webster.
(15:34) The book of Numbers contains evidence that it is a compilation of separate traditions. Understanding these traditions helps to explain some contradictions in the text.
(21:48) Israel murmurs and lusts for meat instead of manna. The Lord abundantly blesses them with quail.
(25:11) Moses complains that he can?t bear the burden alone and is commanded to choose 70 to assist him. The very essence of Christianity is to have compassion for those who are downtrodden.
(29:24) The Greek translation of manna leads to fascinating possibilities. The Israelites loathe the manna and want something exciting and new.
(35:41) Aaron and Miriam challenge Moses? authority. Numbers 12 portrays Moses as God?s authorized representative, emphasizing hierarchical priesthood authority.
(39:08) Moses sends 12 spies to search the land of Canaan. Ten of them bring back a negative report, telling of giants inhabiting the land. Joshua and Caleb give a positive report and say that Israel can take the land of Canaan.
(43:20) Moses stands as intercessor, working to convince the Lord to not smite the Israelites. The adult Israelites murmur and want to die in the wilderness. The Lord grants this request, while also emphasizing that he desires to have a righteous people who will build Zion.
(47:34) Miriam and Aaron die in the wilderness. Moses will see, but not enter the promised land.
(49:42) The king of Edom refuses to let Israel pass peacefully through his land. We can choose to not be offended.
(52:04) The Israelites are plagued and bitten by fiery serpents. Moses lifts up a serpent of brass to save those who will look upon it. This story is told in greater detail in the Book of Mormon. We should not be slothful because of the easiness of the way.
(1:00:00) Og, the king of Bashan, is described as the last of the giants. His bed is described with the same dimensions as that of Marduk, a Mesopotamian deity.
(1:02:16) Balak offers Balaam money, cattle, and great honors to curse Israel. Balaam refuses, and instead pronounces great blessings upon Israel.
(1:13:54) Another perspective on why the Lord was angry with Balaam.

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The post Ep 370 | Numbers, Come Follow Me 2026 (May 4-10) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Timestamps:
(00:00) A brief overview of these chapters.
(04:02) The Nephites saw the Savior Jesus Christ in the Law of Moses.
(12:08) The children of Israel willingly donated material to construct The Tabernacle, giving even more than was needed.
(15:52) The articles of The Tabernacle.
(20:01) Aaron and his sons are washed, anointed, and clothed in priesthood robes.
(22:20) The Tabernacle is a miniature cosmos, which parallels the creation of the earth in its literary construction. The glory of the Lord fills it.
(26:13) Scholars have mapped a chiastic structure in the first five books of the Bible. The apex can be seen as Leviticus 16, which focuses on the Day of Atonement. In this way, we see that the center of the Pentateuch is Jesus Christ.
(27:48) Walking through the steps of offering a sacrifice at The Tabernacle.
(37:29) The five offerings are meant to separate the clean from the unclean. Leviticus contains only a fragmentary record of the institution of the priesthood.
(40:40) Kosher and purity laws in Leviticus 11-15.
(45:41) Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement.
(50:11) The scapegoat, as portrayed in the Day of Atonement, can be interpreted in many ways.
(58:35) Israel is commanded to not reap the corners of their fields and to leave their gleanings for the poor. This symbol of the circle in the square can also represent the temple, the unification of heaven and earth, and is found in the book of Ruth.
(1:01:47) Prohibition of mingling seed and garments of linen and wool. The holy and the profane are not to be mixed.
(1:04:58) Israel is commanded to be different from their neighbors in grooming standards.
(1:06:29) Israel is to keep the Feasts of the Passover, of Unleavened Bread, of Pentecost or Firstfruits, of Trumpets, of the Day of Atonement, and of Tabernacles.

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The post Ep 369 | Exodus 35-40; Leviticus, Come Follow Me 2026 (April 27-May 3) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Timestamps:
(00:00) A brief overview of these chapters.
(06:04) The Lord covenants to make Israel a peculiar treasure, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. Time, pressure, and heat create jewels.
(14:07) The cultural context of Exodus 19.15. Our doctrine is that intimacy and having children is holy and good within the bonds of marriage.
(15:08) The greatness of the glory of God requires transfiguration for individuals to enter into his presence.
(17:14) D&C 84 adds that Moses was preparing Israel for temple covenants to bring them into the presence of God.
(20:13) The Lord reveals the Ten Commandments.
(28:34) Rhymes to easily remember the Ten Commandments.
(33:37) An example of a modern day set of Ten Commandments.
(52:06) Additions to The Ten Commandments are found in chapters 21-23, The Covenant Code. There are conflicting messages in the Bible about slavery.
(59:26) The Israelites accept the covenant and ratify it. The Joseph Smith Translation clarifies the ambiguity in the Bible about whether or not God can be seen.
(1:02:55) As we are willing to receive light, we will receive more light.
(1:07:32) The Tabernacle is planned. Elder Bednar encourages us to discuss the temple more often.
(1:13:49) Symbols of Christ in The Tabernacle portray our journey back to our Heavenly Home.
(1:19:56) Artisans furnish The Tabernacle. The Lord doesn?t give a commandment without preparing a way for it to be accomplished. The talents we posses are part of God?s divine plan.
(1:23:46)The Sabbath Day is observed. We need to rest and be refreshed.
(1:24:49) Aaron makes a golden calf for Israel to worship while Moses is on the mountain. The Levites enact violence against the apostates.
(1:32:59) When the Kingdom of Israel splits around 921 BC, Jeroboam constructs golden calves in Dan and Bethel. The story of the golden calf may be a message to Israel casting Jeroboam as an apostate king, perhaps portraying a theological rift after the schism in Israel.
(1:34:46) The bull (calf) was a symbol for God in the ancient Near East and represents strength and might. It may also be a representation of the pedestal or footstool of God.
(1:37:38) The stone tablets are broken and the Israelites are given a lesser law. This may also help us see the Book of Mormon in a new light.
(1:48:21) Moses represents the Savior Jesus Christ as he offers a prayer pleading for the Israelites.

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The post Ep 368 | Exodus 19-20; 24; 31-34, Come Follow Me 2026 (April 20-26) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Timestamps:
(00:00) A brief overview of these chapters.
(02:16) The children of Israel murmur and complain in the wilderness. As a comparison, Nephi?s trust in God blesses his wilderness experience.
(08:42) The Book of Mormon gives added insight as to why murmuring is such a problem. The key to happiness is to remember the greatness of God in both pain and prosperity.
(19:07) A possible location of Sinai is discussed as evidence of historicity in the book of Exodus. Revelation came to Moses ?when he was on the move.?
(23:26) The night crossing of the Red Sea can represent Jesus conquering chaos in our lives. Psalm 74 also addresses these themes.
(29:00) The children of Israel sing the Song of the Sea and rejoice in their deliverance.
(36:40) The beginning and end of the Exodus story has women standing as witnesses to the miraculous. Miriam is there at Moses? birth and at the Song of the Sea.
(42:46) Some approaches to Biblical scholarship may be helpful in understanding why the Bible has some traditions that cast Miriam in a bad light.
(46:58) Miriam dies at Kadesh and the water dries up. Miriam as a symbol of the women in the New Testament named Mary who witnessed Jesus? birth, death, and resurrection.
(51:07) The bitter water is sweetened with a tree. The Savior heals us too.
(54:59) The Lord rains manna from heaven and sends quail for meat to feed the children of Israel for 40 years. God will take care of us in the deserts of our lives.
(1:02:07) Moses smites a rock and water gushes forth. Jewish theologians over the years had a tradition that the rock at the beginning and at the end of Exodus was the same rock. Paul worked this tradition into his discussion of Christ, and so to him, the rock was Jesus.
(1:07:27) Amalek battles with the Israelites and Moses? hands are held up so that Israel may be victorious. We sustain the prophet and our local leaders, and by so doing, we hold up their hands that hang down.
(1:10:22) An invitation to remember what God has done for us.
(1:13:23) Jethro counsels Moses to delegate certain tasks. Delegation gives opportunities for growth.

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The post Ep 367 | Exodus 14-18, Come Follow Me 2026 (April 13-19) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Timestamps:
(00:00) Multiplying signs and the law of increasing witnesses. God increases in severity as an act of kindness towards those he strives to redeem.
(05:02) The Lord wants to save Israel. A summary of the escalation of the plagues as a sign of God?s mercy towards Egypt.
(17:11) Nephi?s journey to the Promised Land has many parallels with the Exodus story.
(19:38) Pharaoh?s heart is hardened and he is angry that the Israelites are spared from the plagues. The world often attempts to dismiss God?s miracles.
(21:06) The ten plagues can be seen as a contest between the Egyptian gods and the power of Jehovah. Later, Christians will interpret the signs given by the magicians of Pharaoh as the power of the adversary.
(30:26) Moses did not present the whole truth to Pharaoh, rather he only gave him what was needful. Truth is to be given gradually.
(43:39) The significant and relevance of the Passover. The blood of the Lamb saved Israel anciently and continues to do so today. Jesus is the Passover Lamb, slain for the sins of the world.
(52:34) The Passover ordinance was changed from a local family experience to a national pilgrimage in the writings of Deuteronomy.
(53:59) The mark of the blood of the lamb saves the righteous.
(56:11) Accurately numbering the Israelites is difficult because of the nuanced meaning of the word eleph. Israel likely was composed of a mixed multitude when they departed Egypt.
(1:00:10) These chapters emphasize the importance of remembering. As we remember who saved Israel from destruction, our hearts are pointed to the Savior who saves us as well.

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The post Ep 366 | Exodus 7-13, Come Follow Me 2026 (April 6-12) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Timestamps:
(00:00) Stories of Jesus.
(01:19) Jesus teaches a woman of Samaria at the well.
(06:04) The woman with an issue of blood.
(11:55) Oliver Cowdery’s prayer.
(14:23) A woman with a sinful life anoints the feet of Jesus.
(16:12) The woman caught in adultery.
(18:12) Jesus knows us.
(24:37) Jesus is a “one by one” God.
(30:11) Jesus saw his seed.
(35:52) Horizontal and vertical relationships.
(36:55) Peter is called to catch men.
(41:28) Jesus heals a leper.
(43:13) Temple work for the dead.
(43:47) Action and grace.
(46:39) Joseph’s loss of the manuscript.

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The post Ep 365 | Easter – The Magnificent Messiah, Come Follow Me 2026 (March 30-April 5) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The children of Israel are placed in bondage by the Egyptians. Moses is born and saved through the efforts of heroic women like Jochebed, Shiphrah, Puah, Miriam, and Pharaoh?s daughter.
(08:58) Moses flees from Egypt, meets Jethro, marries Zipporah, and speaks with God at the burning bush.
(11:48) The Lord knows our sorrows and suffering. Deliverance is a process.
(18:34) God helps us bear our burdens in the space between bondage and deliverance. Our bones thicken to match the weight they carry.
(25:49) Moses is called to deliver Israel from bondage and God gives him signs or tokens.
(28:26) Meanings of the divine name ?I Am That I Am.?
(34:52) We are encouraged to act and not be acted upon.
(37:21) God tells Moses that He will lead Israel to a land flowing with milk and honey.
(50:26) Making time for rest and connecting with heaven is essential.
(57:24) Ways to interpret God making Pharaoh?s heart ?heavy.?

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The post Ep 364 | Exodus 1-6, Come Follow Me 2026 (March 23-29) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) A brief overview of these chapters.
(08:03) Joseph acknowledges to his brothers that God was aware of his trials, and that ultimately they were for his good.
(13:25) A comparison of God?s fairness and mercy.
(21:51) Judah offered himself in place of Benjamin for his father?s sake.
(26:41) The Savior can fix broken things.
(29:25) Jacob adopts Ephraim and Manasseh as tribes of Israel.
(38:34) A closer look at some complicated passages you may be wondering about.
(41:54) How the Egyptian Book of the Dead may be related to the book of Genesis.
(48:58) Jacob knew loss and what it was like to live in a world of chaos and sin.
(54:19) Jacob confers patriarchal blessings upon each of his sons before he passes away.
(1:02:13) The Bible and the Book of Mormon were destined to come together and bless the world.

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The post Ep 363 | Genesis 42-50, Come Follow Me 2026 (March 16-22) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Joseph of Egypt: An example of living the covenant with steady discipleship.
(06:51) Shechem defiles Dinah. Simeon and Levi seek revenge by wiping out the inhabitants of the city.
(13:02) Rachel bears Benjamin and dies in childbirth. She is buried in Bethlehem.
(17:57) Reuben sins with Bilhah.
(21:29) Joseph is sold into Egypt by his brothers. Joseph is a visionary man.
(25:01) Alternate readings of ?the coat of many colors.?
(28:45) In Jewish legend, Joseph of Egypt possessed a sacred stone that was passed down from Adam.
(36:05) Judah sins with Tamar, his widowed daughter-in-law, and she bears twins.
(43:11) Joseph rises to prominence wherever he goes. Joseph is a seer.
(46:57) We can employ Joseph?s strategies for overcoming temptation.
(51:34) Joseph interprets dreams and eventually becomes a ruler of Egypt.
(55:46) Finding temple symbolism in this story.
(58:41) Joseph marries Asenath. Hugh Nibley?s research teaches us more about her identity.
(1:03:49) Joseph as a type of Christ.
(1:06:48) As descendants of Joseph, we are called to gather God?s children.

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The post Ep 362 | Genesis 37-41, Come Follow Me 2026 (March 9-15) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Those searching for an eternal companion can learn valuable lessons from the story of Isaac and Rebekah.
(04:18) ?He shall send his angel before thee to help? in Genesis 24.20.
(06:47) A caution: The Lord may have not chosen one particular person to be your spouse.
(09:16) The servant?s test of how to choose an eternal companion. If you are looking for a 3-3 marriage, be a 3!
(23:05) Four ways to read the text, with three important lenses. The temple symbolism of Rebekah at the well.
(30:17) Abraham marries Keturah after the death of Sarah.
(33:15) The sons of Ishmael and their ?castles? in Genesis 25.12-18.
(34:50) Abraham died and was gathered to his people. These verses echo eternal truths regarding the reunification of families in the Spirit World after death.
(38:38) Rebekah and Isaac have twins named Jacob and Esau. These men represent two nations.
(45:51) Esau is the progenitor of the Edomites.
(49:20) Esau sells the birthright in Genesis 25.29-34. Esau?s tears remind us to not despise the blessings within our reach.
(57:46) The people of the covenant always seek sacred places to commune with God.
(1:03:13) The literal reading (peshat) of Genesis 27.1-40 with 4 points of emphasis from the Institute Manual.
(1:10:27) Patterns, types, and figures may provide deeper meaning to Genesis 27. Reading this text with an allegorical (remez) and sacred temple approach (sod).
(1:21:36) The three fold structure of the creation and the three Patriarchs may increase our understanding of temple symbolism and show us Rebekah?s essential purpose in this story.
(1:31:10) We can accept the responsibility of the Abrahamic Covenant by sharing the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jacob?s story emphasizes the importance of keeping the covenant in the family first.
(1:36:46) The geopolitical situation between Judah and Israel may have influenced the text.
(1:38:29) The Book of Mormon teaches that when we treat family like the enemy, we open the door to the real enemy.
(1:39:42) ?Jacob?s Ladder? can be viewed as a heavenly vision of the Lord. Bethel as a representation of modern-day temples.
(1:47:56) Jacob meets Rachel at a well. The matriarchs are often associated with water.
(1:50:02) Laban tricks Jacob into marrying Leah first since she is the older sister. He then marries Rachel, but serves 7 years for her because he loves her. The challenges of plural marriage.
(1:53:47) The image of opening a mother?s womb as a manifestation of heavenly power. The sanctity of life is very important to God.
(1:58:30) The names of the children of Israel are puns that expose the rivalry between the sisters Rachel and Leah.
(2:06:20) Faith in God includes faith in his timing, even for righteous desires. God remembered Rachel and he will remember you.
(2:09:11) The Lord (or an angel) tells Jacob to leave Haran. Jacob and Laban hold a contest regarding the fertility of their flocks. Rachel hides Laban?s ?household gods.?
(2:14:41) Jacob?s reconciliation with Laban through a covenant.
(2:18:38) Jacob asks God for a blessing to endure well and reconcile with Esau in Genesis 32. Jacob wrestles with a ?man? or God. A comparison between Jacob?s wrestle in Genesis and Enos? wrestle in the Book of Mormon.
(2:25:06) Jacob?s name is changed to Israel, which can mean ?let God prevail.? We also receive a new name when we become followers of Christ and in other times of our lives. The symbol of the embrace.

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The post Ep 361 | Genesis 24-33, Come Follow Me 2026 (March 2-8) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) An overview of these chapters.
(02:05) Abraham?s prophetic call and the symbolism of the mighty tree with sacred associations.
(13:26) ?Is anything too hard for the Lord??
(14:00) Hebrew word play with laugh, rejoice, and Isaac?s name. Doubts and hopes are tied together in this story.
(16:36) Abraham bargains with the Lord for Sodom and Gomorrah to be saved because he knows the mercy of God.
(23:25) The story of Sodom and Gomorrah also portrays God?s justice.
(24:34) Lot makes efforts to save his family from destruction in Genesis 19.
(29:33) Lot pitching his tent toward Sodom cost him his family.
(33:41) The troubling narrative of Lot?s two daughters and the cave in Genesis 19.30-38.
(38:22) Beauty for ashes in Isaiah 61.3. Through tragic experiences, beauty can come to pass. Your origin story is not who you are.
(41:48) Genesis 20 is a triplet of the same story. This chapter introduces the Elohist?s narrative, a source text most likely related to Lehi?s Brass Plates text.
(43:04) The long-promised day finally comes and Isaac is born. We should trust and have faith in promises that take time to be fulfilled. The Song of Sarah.
(44:57) Hagar and Ishmael are cast out of Abraham?s household and they wander in the wilderness. Their water runs out and God shows her a well of water. God helps us, but also wants us to do all we can.
(55:22) Complexities, gaps, and anachronisms in Genesis 21. A covenant, a sacred well, and a tree at Beer-sheba are illustrations of temple imagery, connecting the Patriarchs to figures of the temple and visionary experiences.
(58:41) The burial of Sarah in Genesis 23. Different ways to read Abraham?s ?mourning? and ?weeping? for Sarah.
(1:03:00) The Lord asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac upon Mount Moriah, the foundation stone, Jerusalem?s most sacred ground.
(1:06:47) We are here to be tested. We will have trials of faith equal to Abraham?s.
(1:11:05) Isaac is an excellent type of Jesus Christ. Elder Melvin J. Ballard shares his feelings regarding Heavenly Father sacrificing his Son.

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The post Ep 360 | Genesis 18-23, Come Follow Me 2026 (February 23-March 1) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant include preservation, protection, priesthood, power, a place, and posterity.
(09:20) The responsibility of the Abrahamic Covenant is to make Christ?s name known to the world and help all to obtain priesthood and temple blessings.
(19:29) The Lord places Abraham and his posterity, Israel, in the center of the world. Our challenge is to influence the world without being influenced by the world.
(29:51) Abraham and Sarah experience ?The Hero?s Journey.? Sarah?s combat with Pharaoh is similar to Eve?s battle with the serpent.
(39:01) Abraham grants the superior land to Lot. We should be generous with others as was Abraham.
(40:32) Anachronisms in Genesis 14 are clues as to when it was written.
(43:20) Melchizedek has largely been removed from the Hebrew Bible, but was on the Brass Plates. Melchizedek is a type of Jesus Christ.
(49:57) Abraham and Sarah both gave God the benefit of the doubt in regard to his promise of having seed. Like them, we should do all we can to ensure the Lord?s promises are fulfilled.
(52:49) The ritual cutting of sacrificial animals in Genesis 15 relates to ancient covenant making.
(57:53) Abraham?s visionary experience included both light and darkness.
(1:01:04) The Lord tells Sarai to choose Hagar to bring forth Ishmael. The word used for bringing forth children relates to the idea of ?building.?
(1:05:40) Circumcision is a token or sign of the covenant given to Abraham.
(1:07:04) How El Shaddai (the Almighty God) can be read as a representation of our Divine Mother in Heaven, with blessings connected to children and life. The historical evolution of Israel?s view of the nature of God.

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The post Ep 359 | Genesis 12-17; Abraham 1-2, Come Follow Me 2026 (February 16-22) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Different approaches to reading the flood account.
(03:47) The flood can symbolize a second creation of the earth.
(05:55) A strange passage in Genesis 6.1-4. This text introduces concepts like Watchers, Giants, and a conflict between Enoch and the forces of darkness. It can be read as a polemic against Babylonian religious and political views.
(18:26) Mount Sinai and Mount Hermon as headquarters of the opposing forces of good and evil.
(25:01) Jesus addresses his disciples in Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon in Matthew 16.13-19.
(32:00) The harsh reality of the portrayal of destruction throughout the scriptures. The Book of Mormon provides a pattern for how to live in peace.
(39:05) The people of Noah?s day were swept off because the earth was corrupt and filled with violence.
(43:33) The Lord sent a prophet and gave them 120 years to change. The people were warned before they were destroyed.
(48:22) Noah?s Ark can be a symbol of the temple.
(57:19) A pattern of how to follow a prophet. It takes patience and faith to follow prophets in a day of peace.
(1:01:48) The bow in the cloud is a token of the covenant in Genesis 9.12-13. When we look up at the rainbow we are remembering the promise of God to bring Enoch and Zion to earth.
(1:06:35) Ways to read the curse Noah gives Canaan in Genesis 9.20-27.
(1:12:27) The Table of Nations in Genesis 10. The dividing of the land and the languages. The Tower of Babel as a polemic against the beliefs of the Babylonians.
(1:17:01) Our connection to Abraham and his covenant. God has promised to preserve us just as he preserved Noah.

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The post Ep 358 | Genesis 6-11; Moses 8, Come Follow Me 2026 (February 9-15) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Moses 7 reveals the true character of God. He is an eternal being who weeps for His children.
(09:06) The law must be administered. Moses 7.38 ? ?a prison have I prepared for them.? There is an exit from hell as explained in D&C 19.
(14:51) Terryl and Fiona Givens share their view on ?The God Who Weeps.?
(22:19) The teaching that ?The Son of Man? will come down to earth, be lifted upon the cross, resurrected, and take up the saints to be crowned (Moses 7.53-56) is rejected by those that edited the Old Testament. Enoch, Lehi, and Nephi teach the message of the Messiah.
(27:40) Enoch literature is apocalyptic and was not included in the Christian canon.
(30:49) Many ideas in the Bible are influenced by the writings of Enoch.
(48:30) There is great wickedness upon the earth. Boyd K. Packer discussed how the youth of our day face greater challenges than those of his generation.
(57:24) Defining what Zion means. Enoch and his people established Zion and were taken up to God.
(1:06:04) In the last days, we are to gather again into a holy city called Zion and the city of Enoch will return.

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The post Ep 357 | Moses 7, Come Follow Me 2026 (February 2-8) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The book of the generations of Adam. Another way to view the long lives of the early Patriarchs. The Sumerian King List may help give context to their ages.
(11:38) A brief overview of Enoch literature. The name Mahijah in Moses 6.40 was also found on second century fragments discovered at Qumran in 1948.
(19:13) Scriptures are a book of remembrance.
(21:15) Seers see things we cannot see.
(31:54) The call narrative. Enoch?s prophetic call is consistent with elements of the narrative call pattern.
(34:44) The Plan of Salvation as taught by Adam and Enoch is the same message the Savior taught. The Atoning Messiah is central to the plan, but was removed from the Old Testament.
(49:26) Another way of understanding ?children conceived in sin? in Moses 6.55. This text can be connected to the Fallen Angels or the Watchers in 1 Enoch.
(54:50) Children of Christ versus Children of Satan as portrayed in Alma 5 and its connection to Moses 6.55.
(56:19) ?Man of Holiness? in Moses 6.57 can be describing God as a man of the temple or the husband of the divine woman.
(58:55) An invitation to find Jesus everywhere.

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The post Ep 356 | Genesis 5; Moses 6, Come Follow Me 2026 (January 26-February 1) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Heavenly Father?s plan in the premortal council and Jesus’ role as Savior. The Savior sought only the glory of the Father.
(06:15) The Serpent (Satan) comes to Eve. The serpent was subtle, a word with many meanings. 2 Nephi 2 explains how agency works its requirements.
(13:40) Adam and Eve were commanded to not eat the fruit and to also multiply and replenish the earth. A discussion on these potentially conflicting commands.
(20:23) Another view on the divine commandments given to Adam and Eve.
(26:01) Eve?s temptation and the Fall. Understanding Lehi?s discourse on the Fall helps us see how it was a blessing to all mankind.
(31:07) Reading Genesis 3 through the lens of the temple and Jesus? Sermon on the Mount will help us see layers of meaning.
(45:16) The curse given to the serpent as an allusion to the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
(47:39) The curse given to Eve relates to sorrow in conception. Other ways to interpret ?He shall rule over thee.? The curse given to Adam.
(58:54) Moses 4 introduces the two first laws of heaven: obedience and sacrifice.
(1:03:52) Moses 5 shows how Cain’s choices led him down a dark path.
(1:10:07) The Mahan principle is converting life into property.
(1:15:50) The Lord invited Cain to think about his choices. One lesson from this story for parents is ?Don?t freak out!?
(1:19:54) Hidden meaning in the names of Cain and Abel. Their story can be read as a rivalry between two priesthoods.
(1:24:23) The Book of Mormon helps us see that the curse and mark put on Cain was an absence of the Light of Christ or a dark countenance.

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The post Ep 355 | Genesis 3-4; Moses 4-5, Come Follow Me 2026 (January 19-25) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) An overview of the The Old Testament.
(04:27) Bryce breaks down the Old Testament into nine time periods.
(09:41) Canonization and the creation of the Greek Septuagint. The authors of the New Testament quoted the Greek version of the Old Testament. The version that Jesus used is unknown.
(13:01) The Old Testament is not one book written by a single author. It is an anthology of books written over centuries by individuals. Later authors sometimes rejected and edited earlier authors. Remnants remain that multiple Gods participated in the creation. The first word in Genesis invites us to consider the Grand Pre-mortal Council.
(20:03) The creation accounts address why the world was created, not how. The purpose of the earth is to create eternal families.
(33:17) Ancient cultures shared the creation story at their temples during the New Year. The time-honored principle of marriage and family are connected to the purposes of creation.
(36:21) Chaos played a role in the formation of the earth. God transformed unorganized matter into something beautiful. The cosmology of the Bible invites modern readers to think about scripture differently.
(41:18) The temple takes us to the creation and the creation takes us to the temple because each us back to God.
(48:25) Moses 2 and 3 can be read as a single account. This is contrasted with the documentary hypothesis, where scholars believe Genesis 1 and 2 come from two different sources because of differences in the text.
(54:21) Seven eternal lessons in the creation account invite us to find success during our time on earth. Finding balance between work and rest.
(1:00:29) Seek spiritual things first, then temporal.
(1:01:50) Cherubim and a flaming sword foiled Satan?s plan and preserved the space between the trees. God protected our probationary estate. God knew from the very beginning that we would sin and need time to repent.
(1:13:11) Satan?s Plan B is to get us to take away our own or someone else?s probationary state. Toxic perfectionism is addressed. Continual progression is what matters to God.
(1:16:55) The river flowing out of Eden as a symbol for the division found in mortality. We must find ways to be unified.
(1:23:08) Instead of focusing on what we are missing, our focus should be on all our blessings.
(1:28:23) Pardes is an acronym to describe the ways of reading scripture: Peshat, remez, derash, and sod. The plain reading (peshat), allegorical or hidden reading (remez), the moral or imperative sense or application (derash), and the mystical, esoteric, or temple reading (sod).
(1:30:13) The rib in Genesis 2.22 symbolizes partnership in marriage.
(1:38:44) ?Helper? or ??zer as found in Genesis 2.18 has often been misread and used to subjugate women. The term translated as ?help meet? actually denotes the kind of powerful help that God gives. Eve?s position next to Adam places both in a setting as having dominion over the whole earth. Eve is called ?Zoe? in the LXX, the mother of all the living ones. There is no kingdom without Eve.
(1:47:02) Fig leaves can represent covering our sins with bigger and bigger lies.
(1:52:47) Garments are a piece of the temple that we wear to remind us of our connection to the Savior?s atonement.

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The post Ep 354 | Genesis 1-2; Moses 2-3; Abraham 4-5, Come Follow Me 2026 (January 12-18) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The book of Moses is the JST of Genesis. The word translation has multiple meanings.
Moses 1 is the missing preface to the Old Testament which reveals three important truths.
(07:03) We are God?s children, and have infinite worth and potential.
(08:45) The name of God. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and many words can have various interpretations.
(12:06) Divine investiture of authority allows the Son to have the power to speak as if he is the Father.
(18:11) The creation story is not about how. It?s about why. Man is nothing and yet God wants to give us everything He has.
(21:18) The historical timeframe of Moses 1.
(23:54) Satan?s name only appears in the Bible 13 times. His presence in the Book of Moses is significant.
(27:43) The difference between the glory of God and the glory of the world.
(33:50) We can cast out Satan and control darkness by inviting light.
(35:39) Moses 1 ends with the command to show the words only to those that believe. Levels of exoteric and esoteric are in scriptural texts.
(39:44) The book of Abraham originated with Egyptian papyri that Joseph Smith translated. Fire destroyed most of the original scrolls and only small fragments remain. These fragments, called JSP I-XI, contain burial texts called The Book of Breathings.
(45:36) The relationship between the remaining fragments and the text of the Book of Abraham is not fully understood.
(47:28) Some counter-arguments to criticisms of the Book of Abraham include the missing text theory, the catalyst theory, and the Jewish redaction theory.
(55:23) The JSP I-XI fragments date to the 2nd century BC, not 1900 BC when Abraham lived. The rolls were likely copies of copies.
(1:01:08) In the Book of Abraham, the greatness of the Messiah is found in the symbolism of the cosmos and stars.
(1:10:37) Abraham learns about the pre-earth life.
(1:11:54) Joseph?s introduction to the Hebrew language likely influenced some of the words found in Abraham.

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The post Ep 353 | Moses 1; Abraham 3, Come Follow Me 2026 (January 5-11) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Watch on YouTube: Mike’s related video with Stick of Joseph, Ep 230 BONUS VIDEO | Was Jesus DELETED from the Old Testament?

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Israel is God’s special possession and chosen to bring Heavenly Father’s children home.
(08:24) Three main covenants that God made with Israel: The Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic Covenant.
(16:00) The Old Testament is a witness of Christ.
(21:06) Types of Christ in the Old Testament.
(36:55) Jesus is Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament.
(40:37) Jesus is edited out of the Hebrew Bible during Josiah’s reign.
(48:40) The canonization of the Old Testament.
(55:58) What to look for in this year’s study of the Old Testament.

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The post Ep 352 | Introduction to the Old Testament, Come Follow Me 2026 (December 29-January 4) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Proclamations are major declarations from prophets, seers, and revelators. This proclamation states that the family is central to the Creator?s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
(05:11) There are three parts: prophetic declarations, prophetic warnings, and prophetic counsel. Prophetic declarations are clear statements of our core doctrines.
(14:04) The Family Proclamation warns that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
(16:35) Prophetic counsel is given for successful marriages and families.
(20:06) Faith and prayer.
(22:05) Repentance and forgiveness.
(28:21) Respect, love, and compassion can be combined to define charity. Respect is to see the value God has placed in every person.
(37:02) Love is a choice, not just an emotion.
(45:07) Compassion is to feel what others feel.
(50:24) Balancing work and wholesome recreational activities.

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The post Ep 351 | The Family: A Proclamation to the World, Come Follow Me 2025 (December 15-21) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The 9th Article of Faith explains that the restoration is ongoing.
(04:05) President Woodruff issued Official Declaration 1 in 1890. This Manifesto led to the end of the practice of plural marriage.
(08:59) Elder Bruce C. Hafen invites us to examine ambiguity in the church with open eyes and hearts.
(17:00) The Church today disavows all theories church leaders and members advanced to explain the priesthood and temple restrictions.
(20:21) During an era of great racial division in the United States, the Saints were persecuted for their anti-slavery stance.
(24:57) Joseph Smith ordained Walker Lewis and Elijah Abel to the priesthood. Later, in 1852, President Brigham Young officially announced that black members would no longer be given the priesthood. The power to decide is given to the President of the church in D&C 107.78-80.
(35:50) The 2013 edition of the scriptures adds an insightful paragraph to Official Declaration 2. Church records offer no clear insights into the origins of the priesthood restriction.
(42:39) Three slaves came into the Salt Lake Valley in the first pioneer company. Brigham Young did not segregate congregations or deny membership to African Americans.
(52:27) Brigham Young felt the priesthood restriction would be temporary and that it would be removed at a future time.
(53:47) In 1978 President Spencer W. Kimball received a revelation extending priesthood and temple blessings to all worthy male members of the church.
(56:37) The Warmth of Other Suns, by Isabel Wilkerson, gives accounts of African Americans during the great migration in American history. The Clark family experienced tragic persecution in 1951.
(1:01:12) The Church today unequivocally condemns all racism, past and present, in any form. The love of others should be what characterizes the Latter-day Saints.

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The post Ep 350 | Articles of Faith and Official Declarations 1 & 2, Come Follow Me 2025 (December 8-14) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The doctrine of salvation for the dead is revealed in Section 137.
(01:43) Divine curiosity is a catalyst for revelation.
(07:25) Joseph marvels at how Alvin obtained Celestial glory without being baptized. He learns that all who have died without a knowledge of the gospel, who would have received it, shall be heirs of the Celestial Kingdom.
(12:30) All children that die before the years of accountability are saved in the Celestial Kingdom.
(19:23) After losing dear family members, Joseph F. Smith receives revelation about the Spirit World.
(25:11) Joseph F. Smith has a vision of Jesus coming into the Spirit World after His crucifixion.
(28:33) Those in the Spirit World see the absence of their bodies as bondage. The body and spirit are very much connected.
(32:44) Coats of light and coats of skins in Genesis 3.21.
(34:16) The great feast in a temple setting as contained in D&C 138 and Isaiah 26. The Saints are invited to rise from the dust and enter into kingship.
(44:29) The Savior organizes the righteous to preach to the spirits in prison, but then he resurrects the righteous. Perhaps the work of saving the dead is for our dispensation.
(51:17) As children of God we are all connected and will continue preaching the gospel in the Spirit World after death.

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The post Ep 349 | D&C 137-138, Come Follow Me 2025 (December 1-7) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) D&C 136 details the will of the Lord as the Saints move west. Winter Quarters was a place to prepare for the final trek to the Great Basin.
(04:31) D&C 136 reads differently and Brigham Young?s personality seems to come through.
(14:25) Some of the events that led Joseph Smith to Carthage Jail. Plural marriage.
(17:00) Joseph established the Nauvoo Charter and the Nauvoo Legion to protect the Saints from persecution.
(27:21) The August 1843 election and its consequences.
(33:24) William Law was hurt by the way he was excommunicated and also felt economically persecuted. He and others start the Nauvoo Expositor.
(36:49) The Nauvoo City Council votes to destroy the printing press of the Nauvoo Expositor. Dallin H. Oaks? legal paper in the Utah Law Review cautions about the dangers of presentism.
(40:12) Joseph Smith is charged for destroying the press. Thomas Sharp calls for his extermination with powder and ball in the Warsaw Signal. Joseph is told by the Lord to flee to the Rocky Mountains. Many in Nauvoo urge him to come back. Joseph surrenders to authorities and is brought to Carthage Jail.
(50:15) Joseph Smith is charged with treason for declaring martial law and calling out the Nauvoo Legion.
(51:55) Joseph Smith?s final hours before the martyrdom.
(58:39) John Taylor recovers and writes Section 135 in tribute to the prophet.
(1:00:26) Joseph Smith has given us so much more knowledge of Christ. He produced more canonized scripture than any other. He stands at the head of the largest dispensation on earth and brought forth the keys and ordinances to redeem the dead.
(1:05:21) Joseph Smith restored essential doctrines associated with the nature of God and man. Vital questions are answered in the revelations of the Restoration.

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The post Ep 348 | D&C 135-136, Come Follow Me 2025 (November 24-30) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Section 133 was intended to be an appendix to the Doctrine and Covenants.
(00:55) The role of government is to maintain a balance between rights and responsibilities.
(06:59) Section 133 is a companion to Section 1. Prophecies in the Bible will be fulfilled as the Latter-day Saints gather the House of Israel.
(17:35) Temple imagery in D&C 133 and its connection to Isaiah 52 and Moroni 10.
(26:38) Rising from the dust as a symbol of enthronement and heavenly kingship.
(28:09) Moroni?s appendix parallels many of the ideas in D&C 133 and Isaiah 52.
(31:17) Come out of ?digital? Babylon and build Zion.
(32:44) Literal and symbolic interpretations of the divided land becoming one again.
(36:06) The members of the Godhead are separate beings, but perfectly united in purpose.
(41:13) The Millennial possibility of a pure, unified language and people.
(42:20) Symbols of cosmic conflict in section 133: Mount Zion, the Great Deep, and North Countries. Rival religions at the time of Israel had images that were also associated with these ideas.
(51:40) Loving kindness or ?esed means a very deep feeling of love.
(54:16) The parable of the ten virgins. They that are wise have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide.
(56:07) John prophesied that an angel would fly through the midst of heaven with the everlasting gospel.
(58:06) The 144,000 have priesthood authority and represent all the tribes of Israel.
(1:00:08) The symbolism and significance of the Savior?s red garments.
(1:07:39) Elder Holland?s statement regarding previous dispensations and how their hope rested on us.

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The post Ep 347 | D&C 133-134, Come Follow Me 2025 (November 17-23) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Three grand keys on the nature of ministering angels and spirits.
(02:04) Joseph Smith teaches that God has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man?s. Traditional Christianity has lost the understanding of Heavenly Father?s physical nature.
(07:53) God resides on a globe like a sea of glass and fire.
(09:08) Joseph asks the Lord about the timing of His Second Coming.
(10:34) Truths learned in mortality will rise with us in the resurrection. Blessings are predicated upon obedience to law.
(12:52) Section 130 prepares the Saints for truths that are revealed in the temple.
(13:46) The crowning blessing of the gospel is to seal families for eternity. There are requirements for making marriage eternal.
(18:39) Elder Howard?s story of the silver as it relates to eternal marriage. If you want something to last forever, you treat it differently.
(24:23) 1st Scenario: If we choose to neither be married nor given in marriage in the eternities, we will remain separately and singly without exaltation. The compensatory grace of Jesus Christ will make this blessing available to all who were deprived of it through no blame of their own.
(28:25) 2nd Scenario: If our marriage is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise then it is not in force when we are out of the world.
(30:03) 3rd Scenario: If we marry in the temple and strive to keep the covenant, we will inherit the highest degree of the celestial kingdom and have continued increase. We will be as God, participating in His divine nature. The covenant allows for mistakes, repentance, and forgiveness.
(37:01) Section 132 addresses plural marriage. Plural marriage played a role in Joseph?s martyrdom in 1844.
(38:52) Plural marriage can be compared to Abraham?s test.
(41:15) Plural marriage was practiced by the Patriarchs in Genesis.
(42:59) The historical background of Section 132.
(45:44) The RLDS Church (now The Community of Christ) contended that the President of the Church should be a direct descendant of Joseph Smith and that plural marriage was never taught by Joseph Smith. This letter to Emma (D&C 132) was used as a polemic against the RLDS teaching that Joseph did not practice plural marriage.
(46:55) The Temple Lot Case was a property dispute between the RLDS Church and Church of Christ. In these proceedings, women testified under oath that they were married to the prophet Joseph Smith. This legal dispute provided a wealth of information about plural marriage in the Nauvoo period.
(48:46) Plural marriage is not a requirement for exaltation. One man and one woman is the Lord?s standing law of marriage.
(51:38) In D&C 132 the Lord gives several reasons why plural marriage was commanded.
(53:51) Baruch Spinoza?s advice in our quest to understand the past.
(54:41) Joseph Smith wrestled with plural marriage as early as 1830 or 1831 as he worked on his translation of the Bible. We have few details of his marriage to Fanny Alger during the Kirtland period.
(59:53) During the Nauvoo era Joseph taught several close friends about plural marriage. Estimates are given of how many members lived this law.
(1:01:45) The Saints during this time thought differently about temple sealings than we do today. They believed that the law of adoption and dynastic ties increased their glory.
(1:07:36) Wilford Woodruff saw that adoption theology wasn?t right and worked to bring the Church into a greater understanding of what it means to seal families for eternity.
(1:08:52) There were 3 types of plural marriages: time, time and eternity, and adoptive/dynastic/eternal only. Some examples of Joseph?s dynastic marriages include Elizabeth Rollins Lightner and Helen Mar Kimball.
(1:15:11) A timeline of how long plural marriage was practiced. The Reed Smoot Hearings.
(1:17:27) None of Joseph Smith?s plural wives ever accused him of abuse or deception. Despite the difficulty of understanding plural marriage, we testify that Joseph was a prophet.

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The post Ep 346 | D&C 129-132, Come Follow Me 2025 (November 10-16) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) During the Nauvoo period, Joseph Smith receives substantial revelation pertaining to the ordinances of the temple.
(03:45) The historical background of Section 125.
(05:58) ?Essaying? is a term that means trying. Becoming a Saint is a process.
(07:39) Through the help of the Lord, Brigham Young and the Twelve gathered many converts in England. A revelation is given to Brigham commending him for his efforts and he is relieved of future travel abroad.
(17:33) Joseph Smith reveals proxy ordinance work for the dead. Ezekiel?s visionary experience of the ancient temple.
(19:39) Missouri is trying to extradite Joseph on charges of attempting to assassinate the previous Governor, Lilburn Boggs. Joseph goes into hiding for a time. The Nauvoo Charter helps prevent his extradition.
(21:35) Orrin Porter Rockwell is also accused of the assassination attempt on Boggs. Rockwell is captured and spends many months in a Missouri prison.
(30:29) While in hiding, Joseph writes encouraging epistles to the Saints with an outlook of gladness and joy.
(34:13) The Lord always shows us our blessings and abundance. Satan emphasizes only what we lack in an effort to discourage us.
(37:41) Chaos and creation narratives in antiquity are tied to the temple, covenants, and recording. One example is the Enuma Elish (The Tablets of Creation). When Tiamat steals the Tablets of Destiny, the rites of the temple cease. Moses? reception of the tablets from God may have a connection to these ideas.
(49:10) Baptismal fonts in our temples have associations with ancient symbols.
(56:42) We need the dead and they need us. This welding link tying families together is Heavenly Father?s plan.
(1:00:17) Michael Wilcox?s parable of The Keys.
(1:11:34) Kim Sorenson?s account of receiving direct blessings from making family history a part of her daily schedule.

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The post Ep 345 | D&C 125-128, Come Follow Me 2025 (November 3-9) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Joseph Smith and his companions escape from Missouri custody in April 1839.
(08:34) The Saints beautify Nauvoo. An overview of this section.
(11:03) Joseph has not fallen from grace. The Lord emphasizes Joseph?s prophetic role even though he has weakness. What are our expectations of prophets?
(14:31) The significance of official proclamations. Watchmen on the tower warn the Saints of the coming enemy. The disintegration of the family is one of the biggest challenges of our day.
(19:11) The Lord asks Joseph to make the first official proclamation calling the nations of the earth to give heed to Zion.
(22:42) The Lord?s global approach to Zion, inviting all to come unto Christ.
(24:42) Specific Saints that have passed away are remembered by the Lord. The story of Edward Partridge and his trials in Nauvoo.
(31:37) The Lord commands that a temple be built in Nauvoo. Temples are where the Saints receive the fulness of the priesthood.
(39:15) The doctrine of baptism for the dead was taught at Seymour Brunson?s funeral. The Saints performed these in the Mississippi River for a short time until the temple was ready. The Lord will meet us where we are and guide us to higher places.
(45:17) D&C 124 can prompt meaningful discussions about what happens in the temple. Appropriate communication about the temple is important.
(53:13) In the temple we put on sacred vestments as a symbol of changing our very natures as we come into the grace of Jesus Christ. Endowment, sacred vestments, investiture, ?putting on,? are all related to the Greek word enduo.
(55:40) Nine individuals receive the endowment in the upper room of the Red Brick Store in May 1842.
(1:00:32) The Lord?s emphasis on the Nauvoo House is a reminder to be more inclusive.
(1:05:03) Ammon and Aaron?s different approaches to missionary work.
(1:08:22) The scourge placed on the inhabitants of Kirtland is removed by President Benson in 1979.
(1:10:11) Priesthood leaders are gifts given by a loving Heavenly Father.

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The post Ep 344 | D&C 124, Come Follow Me 2025 (October 27-November 2) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Historical background.
(02:17) Joseph Smith demonstrated majesty in chains while in custody in Richmond.
(05:35) Ten eternal truths we can apply to our lives from the Liberty Jail experience.
(07:38) #1: God is aware of your trials, you are not alone.
(11:11) #2: Your suffering will end. It will not last forever.
(12:41) #3: Be faithful in tribulation and endure it well.
(17:59) #4: Thy friends do stand by thee. Share your burdens.
(24:18) #5: Other people, like Job, survived their challenges.
(25:29) #6: God allows agency, but justice will prevail in the end. The Missourians eventually pay a bitter price for their actions.
(29:13) The classic problem of evil.
(31:54) #7: Mortality is oftentimes painful, but we are promised that joy will swallow up the suffering through divine compensation.
(38:33) Like Job and Joseph, we can communicate directly with God about our how we really feel.
(41:01) #8: All these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good.
(44:40) #9: Jesus is familiar with our pain and knows what we need to be saved.
(47:17) #10: Their bounds are set. Suffering is calculated for our benefit.
(48:36) An alternate view of D&C 122.9. Perhaps this verse applies to Joseph Smith only and is not universal in its application.
(51:05) An overview of the ten truths.
(54:56) Lyman Wight collects affidavits which are used to seek redress from the federal government. It is our duty to seek truth and light.
(57:39) The persecution in Missouri was both religious and political, but the main complaint against the Saints was their religion.
(1:00:26) A discussion about unrighteous dominion. Power comes from righteousness, not from position or compulsion.
(1:10:45) The end of this section contains an invitation to understand dominion as it is taught in the temple. A description of God as a Man of Holiness, who invites His children with meekness to partake in all that He has.

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The post Ep 343 | D&C 121-123, Come Follow Me 2025 (October 20-26) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The Saints leave Kirtland. The pattern of prosperity and pain in church history.
(05:06) In January 1838, Joseph and Emma leave Kirtland, never to return. Their enemies follow them to Missouri.
(11:16) In Section 115 the Lord puts His name on the Church.
(14:20) On April 26, 1839, the Quorum of the Twelve lay the cornerstone of the temple in Far West, fulfilling the command in Section 115.
(17:13) W.W. Phelps? reaction to the Quorum of the Twelve and his later change of heart. Our worst days do not define us.
(18:47) More stakes are to be built nearby for the Saints to come and join Zion. This brings about the revelation regarding Adam-Ondi-Ahman in Section 116.
(23:37) The Danites are a zealous group of members who defend the church and want to force out any dissenters. Sidney Rigdon gives the Salt Sermon, prompting the Danites to issue a written resolution to the dissenters in June 1838.
(27:19) May we learn to be more wise than the Danites!
(31:18) Was Joseph Smith a Danite?
(32:25) John Corrill?s witness of Danite culture.
(34:45) Sampson Avard leads the Danites in many of their extreme behaviors.
(37:33) Oliver Granger is to sell all the property in Kirtland for as much as he can after the Saints leave. The message from the Lord to Oliver applies to us when we face difficult assignments. When you fall, rise again.
(42:29) Not all the Saints left Kirtland by July 1838. William Marks and Newel K. Whitney are commanded to leave in Section 117.
(44:50) The law of tithing is given to the whole church in Section 119.
(49:22) A knock down at Gallatin and the Judge Adam Black affair lead to increased tensions.
(52:23) Reed Peck?s account of Joseph Smith?s sermon in October and Joseph?s determination to fight back against the Missourians.
(53:49) After many Saints? homes were burned by Missourians, there is a pivot point in the Mormon War. The Danites now go on the offensive. Lyman Wight is given authority to defend the Saints from Hyrum Parks.
(58:12) Thomas B. Marsh and Orson Hyde secretly leave the Saints and write an affidavit against the Church and send it to Lilburn W. Boggs, the Governor of Missouri.
(1:00:29) Governor Boggs issues the Extermination Order. 17 Saints were murdered and 14 were injured in the Haun?s Mill Massacre.
(1:04:13) Joseph is taken to prison and the Saints evacuate Missouri. George Hinckle?s role in the surrender.
(1:07:59) God is with us in darkness. The light will come again.

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The post Ep 342 | D&C 115-120, Come Follow Me 2025 (October 13-19) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Accepting the representations of William Burgess, Joseph Smith and others church leaders visit Salem, Massachusetts in hopes of alleviating the church?s debt.
(04:32) God can be both loved and feared. Examples of how He sees our efforts and quickly forgives our mistakes.
(15:19) The Salem visit seems to be a gentle reminder from heaven of the dangers of being overzealous in religious thinking and behavior.
(23:24) The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were welcomed and protected by the Nephites, who could have justified turning them away.
(25:354) The pride cycle. Prosperity and pain are critical junctions where we can choose either humility or pride.
(30:58) A brief sketch of the Kirtland Safety Society, the bank that was established in Kirtland. Due to mismanagement of assets, and in concert with the financial crisis of 1837, many Saints lose wealth, and some blame the Prophet Joseph Smith.
(35:33) In 1836-37 Kirtland becomes prosperous prior to the financial crisis. The Lord warns the Saints of coming trouble if they are not humble.
(37:17) Thomas B. Marsh explains how his apostasy began by pridefully reviling against the Prophet.
(41:03) Four important lessons from Section 112.
(44:16) Joseph flees to Missouri and the Lord comforts him through the writings of Isaiah in Section 113. A small branch grows out of a dead tree and will eventually become a mighty tree itself. Joseph is the rod and has dual citizenship, being from both the tribe of Judah and Ephraim.
(48:37) In our darkest days, may we remember the image of a new tree growing out of the dead tree.
(50:29) David Patten dies before he is able to serve a mission to England. A story is told about him continuing missionary work in the spirit world among the English Christians eager to hear the message of the Restoration.
(55:43) God?s work will move forward.

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The post Ep 341 | D&C 111-114, Come Follow Me 2025 (October 6-12) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) A brief history of many noteworthy events leading up to the dedication of the Kirtland Temple.
(03:28) Washings and anointings are introduced to a core group of Saints in Kirtland.
(09:12) Edward Partridge and Joseph Smith are reconciled and share in visionary experiences.
(11:26) The construction of the temple came with great personal sacrifice and tribulation. Did the Saints use their best china in the plaster?
(14:17) The dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple reveals some of the purposes and blessings of temples. Temples connect heaven and earth, the focal point where God manifests holiness to his children. We can take our challenges to the temple and partner with God in resolving them.
(17:18) Temples are a house of God, where he dwells and communes with mankind. Feeling His divine presence is a reminder of our heavenly home.
(22:45) A closer look as to why Sidney Rigdon reads Psalm 96 and 24 at the dedication and how they relate to ancient ideas about temples.
(29:21) The temple is a place of instruction and learning.
(39:14) The temple is a house of protection.
(41:32) The dedicatory prayer ends by Joseph taking his problems to the Lord. He prays for his enemies, the nations of the earth, the redemption of Jerusalem, and for leaders of the Church.
(46:20) An outline of the eventful week after the dedication.
(48:50) Four significant heavenly beings come to the temple and bring keys to gather Israel and seal families: The Savior, Moses, Elias, and Elijah.
(56:43) The coming of Elijah during Passover week was a prophecy thousands of years in the making.

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The post Ep 340 | D&C 109-110, Come Follow Me 2025 (September 29-October 5) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) God has realistic expectations of us. We don?t have to be perfect to be saved.
(07:17) An interpretation of D&C 106.6, bowing to God?s scepter. When we choose to follow the Lord, He gives us all that He has in return.
(14:23) Section 107 is a revelation on the priesthood.
(16:19) Why Melchizedek is the model and designation for which the priesthood is named.
(30:18) The purpose of the priesthood and hierarchy is to bring God?s children home.
(33:35) The patriarchal priesthood is practiced in the home and is not hierarchal. The priesthood offices function as scaffolding to bless and build the family.
(35:27) Calling and election is discussed in these revelations, but the journey matters as much as the destination.
(39:47) Elder McConkie, ?if you?re on that path when death comes?you?ll never fall off from it, and, for all practical purposes, your calling and election is made sure?.
(42:19) How Boyd K. Packer?s understanding of Section 107 influenced change in the organization of the Seventy.
(53:30) The Lord allows humans to run the church. The president of the church has the power to decide (D&C 107.79-80).
(54:52) The ascendancy of the Quorum of the Twelve in 1841.
(57:03) The restoration is ongoing. We are part of a living Church that grows and adjusts.
(59:27) The meeting at Adam-ondi-Ahman.
(1:02:13) The Pseudepigraphal Testament of Adam as it relates to the Lord?s comments in D&C 107.53-54. Joseph Smith sits in the tradition of early Christianity and their understanding of Adam?s role among the ancients.

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The post Ep 339 | D&C 106-108, Come Follow Me 2025 (September 22-28) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Section 102 contains governing principles for councils.
(10:24) An example of a council in Acts 15. Moving forward with unity is important.
(12:37) Modern apostles share their experiences making decisions in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
(14:45) The historical background of Zion?s Camp. Their mission was to reclaim their lands in Jackson County.
(18:13) Missouri Attorney General Robert W. Wells assures the Saints they will be restored to their homes if they send men to help. Governor Dunklin later reverses this decision.
(22:22) How the Zion?s Camp experience can apply in our lives today.
(30:23) Much of the history of Zion?s Camp is from George A. Smith’s journal, who was just 17 at the time.
(33:34) Joseph had a plan to go back in two years and reclaim Zion, but it did not happen. The Saints struggled to follow the Lord?s counsel.
(39:00) Zion?s Camp helped shape powerful leaders ? Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff and others.
(40:23) We must finish building Zion today.
(44:23) Three members in Missouri were chastised by Joseph Smith. Even though Joseph corrected these men, his later letters portray his great love for them.
(48:15) The Lord instructs Israel to become great.

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The post Ep 338 | D&C 102-105, Come Follow Me 2025 (September 15-21) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) In July 1833, Missourians mob the Saints. The Lord defines when fighting back is justified.
(03:07) The Book of Mormon teaches that we should be reluctant to go into conflict.
(06:25) Conflict should have righteous motivation: to preserve, defend, and protect.
(10:10) We can?t be guilty of striking back. We won?t have the Lord?s help in conflict if we retaliate.
(19:46) Conflict is justified in times of exigency, an urgent need or demand.
(21:49) The Saints made mistakes which inflamed the conflict in Missouri.
(26:42) We must accept the responsibilities that come with rights.
(41:24) Section 99 is a revelation to John Murdock.
(44:20) In Section 100 Joseph is on his mission to Canada, where key converts are later found.
(45:46) Section 101 emphasizes the need for a watchman on a tower. Prophets and temples will prepare us for what is to come.
(55:12) The violence and suffering continues in 1833. The prophet Joseph details what Zion must do to be safe, including building a temple.
(1:01:14) The end of Section 101 can be read as much more than a call to gather Zions Camp and march to Missouri. It can also be read as the Lord?s call to perfect the Saints.
(1:06:00) The future of Zion is bright. Be still and know that I am God.
(1:11:04) Beautiful promises of the Second Coming of Christ and future Millennial peace.

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The post Ep 337 | D&C 98-101, Come Follow Me 2025 (September 8-14) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The Kirtland Saints and the Jackson County Saints received the same command to build a temple, but they had different results.
(05:27) The significance of temples was lost due to the Apostasy and misunderstanding of scriptural texts over time.
(07:05) Four days after the revelatory rebuke in D&C 95, George A. Smith, Hyrum Smith, and Reynolds Cahoon haul loads of stone and commence digging trenches for the temple.
(12:01) The other buildings described in Section 94 are not built, but the Saints did finish the Kirtland Temple.
(15:04) The importance of temple work and its peculiar nature as emphasized in D&C 95.4 and Isaiah 28.21. A brief examination of Isaiah 28 in its temple context.
(27:32) We build temples to give us a place to take our most holy desires unto the Lord so that He can pour out His spirit upon us.
(28:55) The dedicatory prayer of King Solomon?s temple and its relevance to our day.
(33:59) The Kirtland Temple is built on part of the Peter French farm.
(37:56) The Latter-day Saints? opposition to slavery contributed to the political tension in Jackson County, Missouri in the summer of 1833.
(44:40) The Lord offers the Saints a way to escape vengeance by building the temple. He gives a similar message to Hezekiah, King of Judah, who understands the blessings and promises of the temple.
(52:18) Why we build temples.

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The post Ep 336 | D&C 94-97, Come Follow Me 2025 (September 1-7) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Section 93 answers deep theological questions about the nature of God and His children.
(01:41) One step at a time, grace for grace, we will make it to the Celestial Kingdom. As we improve and grow, the light we receive shows us more we need to do. Divine discontent is meant to motivate, not discourage.
(20:16) Don?t judge others. They may be more faithful to the light they have than we are to the light we have.
(22:21) The reciprocal nature of grace in the Greek charis ? ?????.
(26:17) Some early Christian theologians wrestled with the idea of an embodied God. How can God be everywhere and yet have a body? Our understanding of light and truth helps explain how both are possible.
(29:39) Different translations of John 1.1. The Logos can be understood as participatory.
(35:43) We were with the Father in the pre-earth council.
(37:49) Many trials await the Saints in Missouri in 1833. The timing of this revelation could be a gift of light to help them get through a difficult time.
(40:32) Is man inherently good or evil? Augustine?s view of the depravity of man became orthodoxy, but this section teaches something different.
(43:39) We all miss the mark (hamartia? the word translated as ?sin?) and need to keep practicing. Our Heavenly Father is a God of do-overs and second chances. As we make covenants we are born again.
(47:45) Intelligence was not created nor made by God. This part of man has always existed and is independent.
(54:35) Truth is knowledge of things as they really are, as they were, and as they are to come. The Deification of man was taught in the texts of the Bible and understood by the early Christians.
(1:00:43) See people for who they are and what they have the potential to become.
(1:03:32) Bring up your children in light and truth. The Lord rebukes those who need to be more diligent and concerned at home, their primary responsibility.

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The post Ep 335 | D&C 93, Come Follow Me 2025 (August 25-31) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Official Church Statement on the Word of Wisdom

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The historical background to the Word of Wisdom.
(02:06) The Word of Wisdom as a binding law came in gradually in Church practice.
(07:44) The Word of Wisdom is for us today, in our time.
(09:08) It may be beneficial to not try to give explanations for the Word of Wisdom besides the reason the Lord gives.
(09:48) The President of the Church can state and define the requirements of the Word of Wisdom.
(14:05) Layer 1 is the connection between our physical body and our spiritual nourishment. Food, exercise, sleep, stress, and hormone management are critical aspects of the Word of Wisdom.
(24:31) Layer 2 is a warning against conspiring men in the last days. The Mahan principle is converting human life into property.
(35:59) Commentary on the questionable comma found in D&C 89.13.
(38:30) Section 90 is the further establishment of the First Presidency and their duties.
(40:15) The roots of the word oracle. One of the best ways to weather the storms of the last days is to hold the words of the first presidency in high esteem and not treat them lightly.
(46:16) The meaning of D&C 90.25, let your families be small.
(48:21) Vienna Jaques, a consecrated Saint.
(52:19) The Apocrypha can give light and background to the multifaceted nature of scripture.
(56:04) Hugh Nibley discusses 10 things that apocryphal texts have in common.
(1:03:33) Be a lively member!

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The post Ep 334 | D&C 89-92, Come Follow Me 2025 (August 18-24) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? A Short Video on Silence Before the Second Coming in 3 Nephi 10 and D&C 88

? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The First and Second Comforter.
(04:33) The mosaic pictures of the Savior Jesus Christ.
(07:08) Synonyms for Jesus: light, life, law, and power.
(14:22) Through the power of His resurrection, Jesus is the quickener.
(21:28) Jesus is law. Law gives power and light everywhere in the universe. We are sanctified by obedience to law.
(24:17) Salvation is a gift. The law as a synonym for Jesus.
(26:42) God?s creations obey him. Mankind uses agency and falls short of obedience to God?s law.
(28:15) The earth ?rolls upon her wings? in glory and majesty.
(32:37) Jesus cares about the individual. He tarried with the laborers in the field.
(41:00) The Lord gives a great and last promise.
(48:07) The Saints are encouraged to be instructed more perfectly, to seek out the best books, to search wisdom by study and by faith. Secular learning has a place in God?s kingdom.
(53:50) Jesus wants us to warn our neighbors about the change coming to the earth. The Second Coming is described.
(56:31) The history of the world is drenched in blood and warfare. The earth will bear her testimony before the Second Coming with great signs.
(1:01:04) The order of the glorious resurrection. Christ?s people who are alive when He comes will be caught up to meet Him and descend with Him. They who are in their graves will be resurrected to meet Him.
(1:04:13) The 5th trump is the angel proclaiming that ?Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ.?
(1:07:41) The 6th trump is the angel proclaiming the end of Babylon?s reign. Zion is going to take the throne from Babylon.
(1:11:49) The 7th trump is the binding of Satan. The fight is over and the Savior?s Millennial reign will commence.
(1:15:06) The end of the Millennium will bring a time when Satan is loosed for a little season. The final battle between the forces of light and darkness will usher in the time of the celestial earth.
(1:18:33) The Lord calls for the School of the Prophets.

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The post Ep 333 | D&C 88, Come Follow Me 2025 (August 11-17) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The historical context. The first presidency clarifies the meaning of the ?mighty and strong one.?
(04:44) Uzzah?s steadying of the ark and modern applications.
(08:08) David O. McKay?s quote concerning those who try to direct others while lacking authority.
(10:01) Getting your name in the book of the law of God.
(12:00) The parable of the wheat and the tares & Noah blindness.
(33:46) Being descendants of Abraham, lawful heirs according to the flesh, and statements from early church leaders relating to literal descendants.
(41:16) Prophecy that the Civil War is coming.
(43:14) Refuting criticism of the Prophet Joseph Smith: While D&C 87 was not canonized until 1876, it was published and distributed many years before the Civil War.
(46:25) The accuracy of D&C 87.
(50:21) The Nullification Crisis and other historical context to this prophecy in 1832.
(54:00) Joseph Smith sees war being poured out upon all nations causing death and misery of many souls. Wars of the oppressed rising up against who they see as their oppressors.
(57:47) Elder Joseph L. Wirthlin?s approach to D&C 87:4. ?Slaves shall rise up against their masters.?
(58:58) Like those in the book of Helaman, we live in an environment where there are wars of the heart.
(1:05:07) Peace is in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Stand in holy places.

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The post Ep 332 | D&C 85-87, Come Follow Me 2025 (August 4-10) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) The historical context of Section 84.
(02:49) The purpose of the priesthood and its attendant blessings.
(10:49) One of the ways we claim the privileges of the priesthood is through the ordinances of the temple.
(23:44) The blessings of the priesthood are for everyone in the world. It is not necessary to hold an office in the priesthood to claim the blessings.
(30:01) Multiple ways to view Mount Zion, the mysteries of God, and Moses? translation.
(33:49) The danger of neglecting the Book of Mormon.
(36:47) The offering of the Sons of Levi is clarified. A book containing the records of the family of Adam will be presented to God. We work toward getting everyone in the book.
(46:12) Difficulty with the prophecy regarding New York, Albany, and Boston. A deeper examination of this challenging text, with a forthright approach to the weaknesses of each interpretation.
(1:03:53) C.S. Lewis taught that there is great value in the struggle with difficult doctrines.
(1:06:26) We shall rejoice in the success of the Almighty by singing a new song.

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The post Ep 331 | D&C 84, Come Follow Me 2025 (July 28-August 3) appeared first on Talking Scripture.

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? Detailed Show Notes

? Timestamps:
(00:00) Jesse Gause was a counselor to the Prophet who could no longer fulfill the assignment.
(02:48) Being part of a council requires that we share our perspective to assure proper decisions are made.
(11:38) The background of Section 82 is a quarrel between Saints in Ohio and Missouri. They are all trying to build Zion, but disagree on how it should be done.
(22:41) The relationship between light, truth, and obedience. Where much is given, much is required.
(26:19) If we sin again, do our former sins return? A discussion of ways to interpret D&C 82.7.
(30:06) Old habits can lead to old sins. The admonitions in D&C 82 relate to the Saints later in Ohio, Missouri, and Nauvoo.
(33:02) The Lord is bound when we do what He says, D&C 82.10.
(34:04) The Parable of the Unjust Steward as it relates to making friends with the mammon of unrighteousness. The words used in the original text can help in interpreting these verses.
(40:07) Section 83 may lead people to think that the church thinks men are more important than women. A discussion on the balance between patriarchal priesthood in the home and hierarchal priesthood in the Church.
(44:58) The order of operations in Church Welfare: Rely upon yourself, your family, and then the Bishop?s Storehouse.

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The post Ep 330 | D&C 81-83, Come Follow Me 2025 (July 21-27) appeared first on Talking Scripture.