“Lesson 84: Prophets and Revelation (Part 2),” Old Testament Seminary Student Material (2018)
“Lesson 84: Prophets and Revelation (Part 2)”
Lesson 84
Prophets and Revelation (Part 2)
Prepare to Learn
Prepare your mind and heart to be taught by the Holy Ghost. Diligently seek knowledge and understanding through careful study, reflection, and prayer. Then follow the impressions you receive through the Spirit.
Begin your study with prayer.
Have you ever had a question about the Church or the gospel that you struggled to answer?
Consider the experience of Madison, a young woman who had a question about Church history. What steps did she take to find answers to her question?
Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge
How would you complete the following principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge?
Act in .
Examine concepts and questions with .
Seek further understanding through .
If you need help, you may want to refer to paragraphs 5–12 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document and review these principles.
Enoch’s Example
Throughout our lives, we will face difficult issues, circumstances, and questions. Examining these challenges with an eternal perspective can help and bless us. The Old Testament prophet Enoch provided a good example of how to do so.
You may remember that Enoch was blessed to speak with the Lord and see everything that would happen on the earth (see Moses 7:20–67). As part of this vision, Enoch saw great wickedness and destruction that would take place on the earth.
Read Moses 7:41–44, looking for how seeing this wickedness and destruction affected Enoch.
Enoch, the Seer
At the end of Moses 7:44 we read that the Lord encouraged Enoch to “lift up [his] heart, and be glad; and look.”
Read Moses 7:47, looking for what the Lord showed Enoch that caused him to rejoice.
Enoch’s Vision
The phrases “Son of Man,” “the Righteous,” and “the Lamb” are all titles for Jesus Christ. Moses 7:48–67 records that not only did Enoch see the Savior, but he also learned about His Crucifixion and Resurrection, the redemption of mankind from sin and death, the Restoration of the gospel in the latter days, the destruction of the wicked, and the ultimate triumph of the righteous at the Second Coming of the Lord.
Read Moses 7:67, looking for the effect that seeing the rest of this vision of the Savior and the events in the history of the world had on Enoch.
An Eternal Perspective
Moses 7:67 records that after Enoch learned about the Savior’s mission and the plan of salvation, he stopped experiencing “bitterness of soul” (Moses 7:44) and was filled with joy.
We can learn from Enoch’s example that when we view difficult circumstances with an eternal perspective, we can experience joy rather than bitterness of soul.
Enoch was blessed with a vision that helped him gain an eternal perspective. We can gain an eternal perspective through the scriptures, the commandments, the testimonies of prophets and apostles, and personal revelation.
1. Answer the following questions:
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What are some difficult issues, circumstances, or questions you may be dealing with?
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How can having an eternal perspective help you work through these challenges?
Principles of Helping Others
Let’s practice helping others acquire spiritual knowledge.
Turn to the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document. Refer to paragraphs 13–17 in the “Helping Others Acquire Spiritual Knowledge” section, and review the following principles of helping others acquire spiritual knowledge: (1) listen carefully and prayerfully, (2) teach and testify of gospel truths, (3) invite them to act in faith, and (4) follow through.
As you read the scenario on the next page, think of ways you could help Alex, the young man in the scenario, to apply the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge as he works to find answers to his question.
A Scenario
As a young woman named Stacy is watching general conference with her family, the time comes to sustain the leaders of the Church. After the sustaining is finished, her brother Alex begins to look a little concerned. Stacy notices that he continues to seem bothered throughout the remainder of the session, so when it is over she asks him what is wrong.
Alex responds by saying that while the Church leaders were being sustained, he noticed that most of the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles seem to have come from similar cultural backgrounds. He asks, “Why aren’t there more Apostles from other cultures or countries? Isn’t this a global church?”
What could Stacy do to show Alex that she cares about his question and wants to help him find an answer?
Truths about Prophets and Apostles
Continue reading the scenario:
Stacy remembers that in seminary she has been discussing the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge, and she recognizes that following these principles could help her brother feel at peace about his question. As she considers how to respond, she realizes she doesn’t know the exact answer to Alex’s question, so she decides to try to understand the question with an eternal perspective by considering truths she does know about prophets and apostles and the way in which they are called.
What truths do you know about prophets and apostles and the way in which they are called that could help Alex see his question with an eternal perspective? What scripture passages can you think of that might be helpful to Alex?
When Were Prophets Chosen?
One scripture passage that might be important for Alex to understand is Jeremiah 1:4–5.
Read Jeremiah 1:4–5, looking for when the Lord chose prophets to be in their appointed positions.
2. How could the doctrine taught in this passage help Alex see his question with an eternal perspective?
Divinely Appointed Sources
Stacy decides to share Jeremiah 1:4–5 with Alex, and he thanks her for sharing it with him.
Stacy knows that there are other divinely appointed sources that could help answer Alex’s question. However, she can’t think of any at the moment, so she challenges Alex to take some time before the next day’s sessions of general conference to gain additional understanding of this subject by studying the scriptures and the words of prophets and apostles. She tells him that she will do the same.
3. Spend a few minutes studying the scriptures and the words of prophets and apostles to find additional information that could be helpful to Alex. Make a list of the sources you found.
Acting in Faith
The next day, Stacy and Alex discuss a source each of them has found that testifies of the inspired calling of prophets and apostles. Alex says he is beginning to feel better about his concerns, but Stacy knows there is one more principle of acquiring spiritual knowledge that can help him: acting in faith.
What are some ways Stacy could invite Alex to act in faith that would help him feel at peace about his question?
Following Through
After Stacy mentions a few things Alex could do to act in faith, he decides that during the upcoming sessions of general conference, he will listen with an open heart, seeking a stronger testimony that the leaders of the Church are called of God. He says he will also continue to search the scriptures and the words of prophets and apostles to learn more about this subject.
A week later, Stacy follows up with Alex and asks him how he is doing with his question. Alex shares with her that a few days ago, the Spirit testified to him that we are led by prophets and apostles who are called of God. Stacy realizes that although someone might not fully understand every detail about a question or issue, the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge can help people understand enough to find peace.
4. What have you learned from this practice exercise about how to help others acquire spiritual knowledge?
Is There Someone You Can Help?
The following principle was identified in this lesson:
When we view difficult circumstances with an eternal perspective, we can experience joy rather than bitterness of soul.
Is there someone you could help by using the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge? Prayerfully seek an answer to this question, and follow any direction you receive through the Spirit.