Sunday School: Gospel Doctrine
Lesson 2: ‘Thou Wast Chosen Before Thou Wast Born’


“Lesson 2: ‘Thou Wast Chosen Before Thou Wast Born’” Old Testament Class Member Study Guide (2001), 3

“Lesson 2,” Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, 3

Lesson 2

“Thou Wast Chosen Before Thou Wast Born”

Abraham 3; Moses 4:1–4

Study the following scriptures:

  1. Abraham 3:11–12, 22–23; Doctrine and Covenants 138:53–57. Abraham talks with the Lord face to face and learns that in the premortal life many “noble and great” spirits were foreordained to their mortal missions (Abraham 3:11–12, 22–23). President Joseph F. Smith learns more about the “noble and great ones” in a vision of the Savior’s visit to the spirit world before His Resurrection (D&C 138:53–57).

  2. Abraham 3:24–28; Moses 4:1–4. Abraham and Moses are shown in vision that Jesus Christ was chosen in the Council in Heaven to be our Savior and that we chose to follow him. They are also shown that Lucifer (Satan) and the spirits who followed him were cast out of heaven.

  • Whom did President Joseph F. Smith see in his vision of the spirit world? (See D&C 138:53.) What were these people foreordained to do? (See D&C 138:55–56.)

  • In addition to foreordaining the prophets to their callings, God foreordained many “other choice spirits” to help build up his kingdom in different ways. What might you have been foreordained to do? (See D&C 138:56.)

  • Who were the two spirits in the Council in Heaven who offered to be our Savior? (See Abraham 3:27; Moses 4:1–2.) How did their offers differ? Why did Heavenly Father choose Jesus Christ to be our Redeemer? (See Moses 4:2–3.)

Additional reading: Isaiah 14:12–15; Revelation 12:7–9; Alma 13:3–5; Doctrine and Covenants 29:36–39; and the rest of Abraham 3 and Doctrine and Covenants 138.