Prepare your mind and heart to learn. Take time to ponder the truths you identify. Thinking deeply and praying about spiritual lessons will allow the Holy Ghost to teach you how to become more like Jesus Christ.
Begin your study with prayer.
How would you describe your ability to deal with the challenges you experience?
President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) described the lives of teenagers and the world today. Consider his counsel of hope regarding the way to withstand challenges and return to our Heavenly Father’s presence. You can read the text for this video here: “Believe, Obey, and Endure,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 126–27.
Have you ever realized that the choices you make show Heavenly Father how much you desire Him to bless you?
As Moses was nearing the end of his mortal life, he wanted the Israelites to choose to be blessed instead of cursed. To help the Israelites choose to be blessed, he instructed Joshua to set up a learning experience for Israel. In this learning experience, Joshua illustrated the blessings of obeying the Lord’s commandments and the consequences of disobeying them.
In Deuteronomy 27 we read that the Lord gave instructions about what was to happen once the children of Israel entered the promised land. They were to go to Shechem, which was located in a valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Moses instructed that half of the tribes of Israel should stand on Mount Gerizim and the other half should stand on Mount Ebal. The Levites were to stand in the valley between the two mountains and recite the actions that would result in blessings and those that would result in curses as designated by God.
When actions resulting in curses were recited, as described in Deuteronomy 27:14–26, the tribes on Mount Ebal were to say “amen.” (See Joshua 8:33–35.) Although not specifically stated in the scriptures, it may have been that when the actions resulting in blessings were recited, the tribes on Mount Gerizim responded with “amen” as well. How would doing this reaffirm to the Israelites the consequences of their actions?
Deuteronomy 28 further clarifies what the Lord wanted the Israelites to learn from this experience.
Read Deuteronomy 28:1–7, looking for some of the blessings the Israelites would receive if they obeyed God’s commandments. You may want to mark what you find.
Read Deuteronomy 28:15–19, looking for the consequences the Israelites would experience if they disobeyed God’s commandments. You may want to mark what you find.
What principle can we learn from the Israelites’ experience about choosing to obey or not obey the Lord’s commandments?
We can identify a variety of principles from Deuteronomy 28:1–7, 15–19, including the following: If we choose to obey all of God’s commandments, He will bless us in all areas of our lives. If we choose not to obey all of God’s commandments, we lose the blessings He desires to give us.
The Most Important Commandment
Although keeping all of God’s commandments may seem overwhelming, President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) offered counsel that can help us:
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Harold B. Lee
“The most important of all the commandments of God is that one that you are having the most difficulty keeping today. If it is one of dishonesty, if it is one of unchastity, if it is one of falsifying, not telling the truth, today is the day for you to work on that until you have been able to conquer that weakness. … Then you start on the next one that is most difficult for you to keep” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 30).
Take a few moments and think about which commandment you may be struggling with and how you can work on more fully keeping this commandment. You may want to record this in your scripture journal or in your Notes on LDS.org.
Deuteronomy 29–30 records that Moses prophesied that Israel would become lost if the people sinned. In these chapters we can learn what this prophecy teaches about Heavenly Father and the Savior and what we must do when we are spiritually lost because of sin.
As recorded in Deuteronomy 29, the Israelites covenanted with God to keep His commandments. Moses promised that if they kept this covenant they would be blessed and prospered (see verses 9–13). Moses also warned the Israelites about what would happen if they broke their covenant with the Lord (see verses 25–28).
As you continue to study the Old Testament, you will discover that the Israelites broke this covenant and then were scattered throughout the world (see also Deuteronomy 28:64–65; 31:16–17, 27–29).
The scattering and captivity of the ancient Israelites resulted from their disobedience. Similarly, if we disobey God’s commandments, we become further separated from God and are captive to sin.
Read Deuteronomy 30:1–3, looking for what scattered Israel would need to do in order to be gathered. What were the promised results?
What can these verses teach us about deliverance from the captivity of sin?
From Deuteronomy 30:1–3 we can identify the following principle: As we return to the Lord with all our hearts and souls, He will deliver us from the captivity of sin. You may want to record this principle in your scriptures.
Scan Deuteronomy 30:6–8, 15–16, 19–20, looking for blessings that come from turning to the Lord with all our heart and soul. You may want to mark what you find.
2. Answer the following questions:
What is one word or phrase in these verses that is meaningful to you? Why?
What blessings have you experienced as you have turned your heart to the Lord?
In Deuteronomy 31–34 we read that Moses gave his final counsel to the Israelites and blessed each tribe. He counseled them to be strong and courageous as they entered the land of Canaan. The Lord told Moses that Israel would eventually turn away from God and worship other gods (see Deuteronomy 31:16–18).
President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) explained what actually happened to Moses and why Deuteronomy 34:6 declares that “no man knoweth of his [grave].”
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Joseph Fielding Smith
“Moses was likewise taken up [like Elijah], though the scriptures say that the Lord buried him upon the mountain. Of course, the writer of that wrote according to his understanding; but Moses, like Elijah, was taken up without tasting death, because he had a mission to perform” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie [1955], 2:107).
The truth of what happened to Moses was known by Book of Mormon prophets (see Alma 45:19).
One reason why Moses was translated was so he could bestow priesthood keys upon Peter, James, and John during the Savior’s earthly ministry. In order to do so, he needed a body and was therefore taken up to God without experiencing physical death. (See Bible Dictionary, “Moses.”)
