Gospel Talktrine: Recent Episodes
Mark Holt
Gospel Talktrine is a podcast teaching LDS Gospel Doctrine lessons a week before they are scheduled in Sunday School. Use it to prepare, to teach, to learn, or just to feel the Spirit on a sabbath afternoon.
Through the story of the Jaredites, Moroni contrasts the two roads people can take, the diverging paths of gratitude and idolatry.
Moroni begins the tale of the Jaredites, an ancient people following an even more ancient path, across the water to the promised land.
Mormon and Moroni both bid the Book of Mormon’s readers farewell, each in his own distinctive way.
Mormon describes the decline of his people, with an emphasis on Heavenly vs. earthly gifts, and the concept of vengeance vs. redemption.
Jesus instructs that his name must be upon his Church, sets apart the three Nephites, and Nephite society enjoys two centuries of peace and blessedness.
Mark relates the story of his brush with COVID-19 and how it affected his family and this podcast. Look for new episodes starting this week!
On the second and third days of his visit to Bountiful, Jesus gave the Nephites the highest blessings of the Gospel, including healing, understanding of mysteries, and perhaps most importantly of all, sanctification.
In a single day, Jesus institutes the sacrament, teaches prayer in his name, bestows keys for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and introduces many other practices we associate with His modern church.
Jesus’ Sermon at the Temple is not simply a call for us to be inwardly as well as outwardly faithful; it contains detailed instructions for how a Hebrew nation with centuries of tradition in the Law of Moses will carry on their worship both in public and in private now that that Law is fulfilled.
The “good news” of the Gospel is both reversed and then redoubled, as the Nephites suffer three days of darkness and destruction before the arrival of that long-awaited day in which they finally meet their Savior.
Samuel the Lamanite’s prophecies regarding the birth of Christ are fulfilled, and the Nephites undergo many violent trials during his lifetime.
The prophet Samuel initiates a 5-year countdown to the birth of Christ, as he offers the Nephites a clear choice of paths—one leading to peace, and the other to assured destruction.
Mormon relates the story of Nephi praying on his tower to bring home to us the lesson of how universal is the pride, the weakness, and the depravity of man, and how desperate is our need for a steady stream of his messengers if we are to overcome the evils of our nature.
Nephite and Lamanite societies conflict, reconcile, merge, and divide again with their roles reversed, all in just a few short years, as the appearance of an ancient evil takes them from the height of righteousness to the depths of depravity.
Moroni and Helaman achieve victory in their wars both military and spiritual, Moroni through his unwavering commitment to defend freedom, and Helaman through his mutual love for the people of Ammon.
Just as the Lamanites embark on a campaign of massive aggression against the Nephites, a great leader arises capable of saving them—the legendary hero, Captain Moroni.
In motivating his son Corianton to repent, Alma teaches him not only about sexual purity, but about resurrection, judgment, the Fall and Atonement, the justice of God, and the plan of mercy.
Mike Madsen delivers his presentation on the presence and prevalence of chiasmus and parallelism in the Book of Mormon, giving and explaining examples from the Old Testament as well. This presentation was originally published as a video on the Gospel Talktrine YouTube channel. Watch it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FahcvsYHVKE or at http://www.gospeltalktrine.com/chiasmus-in-the-book-of-mormon-special-episode-s00e09.
Alma counsels his sons on how to care for sacred things, tells them what it will mean to carry on when he is gone, and, above all, teaches them of the transformative power of Jesus Christ.
On their mission to the Zoramites, Alma and Amulek teach that there’s humility and then there’s humility, that not all beliefs are created equal, and that the word is in Christ unto salvation.
Alma provides a timely warning against the creeping lure of apostasy, as first Korihor, and then the Zoramites reject the church, reject the spirit of prophecy, and ultimately reject Christ.
The Lamanite converts of the sons of Mosiah are brought so low in their repentance that they will not even take up arms in their own defense. This choice to live a Millennial law presents us with a marvelous manifestation of the Christian paradox, a clue into God’s plans for the world to come.
Ammon and Aaron, the two sons of Mosiah, demonstrate how to teach the Gospel in such a way that it powerfully enters into the hearts of those hearing it—by first, creating a need to learn.
To believe in God is to struggle with the question of how he allows evil to exist. In this week’s lesson, we ask ourselves “Why wouldn’t God intervene to save the people of Ammonihah?” We also conduct a thought experiment into the mind of Amulek, and learn about the ancient high priests in the City of Enoch.
Through his courage and faith, as well as the law of witnesses and the law of the fast, Alma learns to turn failure into success, pride into humility, and enemies into friends.
Through two sermons delivered to both faithful and wayward members of the church, Alma shows us the path to repentance, the method to retain forgiveness, and the rewards for obedience.
Thanks to the wisdom of their humble king, Mosiah, the Nephites learn to value the liberty of self-rule over the safety of a monarchy. But liberty of any kind is a threat to Satan, and so the Nephites learn not only the value of liberty, but its cost, when their freedom is attacked in three different ways. In each case, the answer is the same, follow the prophet of God.
After a terrifying vision, Alma the Younger undergoes a profound transformation, echoing the changes that were occurring in his family, his church, and in his society.
The people of Alma and the people of Limhi were forced to undertake similar odysseys, but in very different ways. What do their respective journeys teach us about the path of exodus, and the path of exile?
Abinadi the prophet bears witness of Christ at the cost of his life, not only giving us some of the most powerful scripture to exist, but teaching a lasting lesson on what it means to be a messenger.
“The Lost City of Limhi” isn’t a movie about Central American archaeologists, it’s a series of chapters in the Book of Mormon, introducing the story of Zeniff and his people. We’ll discuss what these chapters teach us about several different ancient civilizations, about the Old Testament, and even about Joseph Smith.
As the Nephites internalize King Benjamin’s message, it works a miraculous change in their hearts, in their futures, and in their very characters. In what ways was this message active in the Israel they left behind, and how is it active today?
In his end-of-life address, King Benjamin fulfills a crucial requirement of the Law of Moses, teaches how to obtain salvation, and demonstrates why the Nephites were so important to God.
Coinciding as it does with the bicentennial of the First Vision, this Easter season is a perfect time to contemplate what precious truths you would be without, had God never revealed to us his Son the way He did in the Book of Mormon.
The tale of Enos’s touching and personal prayer leads into 300 rapidly recounted years of Nephite history. Latter-day Saints are forced to deal with a missing part of their most sacred record.
The ancient Israelite prophet Zenos likened the world to an olive grove, and the house of Israel to a precious tree, one whose branches would be scattered and used everywhere to bring desirable fruit. Jacob repeats this lesson, giving an illustration from his own life.
In a short time period, Jacob illustrates the major roles a prophet plays in the salvation of his people, those of priesthood leader, voice of castigation, mouthpiece of God, and inspired historian. Among his teachings: that we must allow God to show us our weaknesses and rely on his grace to overcome them.
Nephi describes in plain language what God intends for us. Part of that lesson is the importance of following Christ, and part is how to get God on our side by acknowledging our own flaws.
Nephi foresaw the reception the Book of Mormon would have when brought forth in our time. He also prophesied about many other aspects of our spiritual environment, including the pride that rejects truth, the anger that fights good, and the complacency that leads to destruction.
Nephi promised two things about the writings of Isaiah: first, that they were worthwhile, and second, that we would understand them. Bringing these promised blessings about, however, depends a lot on whether we’re willing to work at it.
Using Isaiah as a backdrop, Jacob prophecies of the future scattering and gathering of Israel, and likens it to the death and resurrection of Christ.
Lehi makes a heartbreaking final request to Laman and Lemuel to repent, coupled with a matchless lesson on agency, the meaning of life, and the Plan of Salvation.
The journey of Lehi’s family through the wilderness was a pattern that God’s people had followed before and would follow again—that of exodus. The telling of the journey’s story to highlight the wickedness of those who opposed the prophet was also a pattern, one followed by Nephi, which would later be followed by Stephen and even Jesus himself.
The spirit shows Nephi the interpretation of his father's vision, and, as a result, Nephi teaches us far more about revelation itself than he ever did about the dream of Lehi.
Lehi’s dream is more than a simple allegory—it is a powerful parable with multiple layers describing the spiritual journey each of us travels, and that journey’s connection with the Creation, the story of Cain and Abel, the Exodus, the Atonement, and the New Creation.
The first chapters of the Book of Mormon contain important parallels with the Old Testament books of the same time period, powerful spiritual lessons, and a puzzling moral dilemma.
What can we learn from the introductory materials in the Book of Mormon, and in what sense is the Book of Mormon another “testament” of Christ?
I respond to your questions with my thoughts and opinions from the scriptures! Questions include: (1:41) Is it the offerer or the priest that kills the animal under the Law of Moses? (7:44) What is the significance of the horn that holds oil for temple anointings? (15:24) What is your favorite scripture? (31:20) What is poetry in the scriptures, and how can we recognize it? (38:18) Why do bad things happen to good people? (50:56) Have you ever considered writing for the TV Show “The Chosen?” (52:31) Is the Wisdom of God from Proverbs 8 a separate entity from God in Jewish belief?
John’s Apocalypse was not merely a description of the end of the world, but a symbolic representation of the world’s entire history as seen from a spiritual perspective. In short, it’s a summary of the entire plan of God. Therefore, it isn’t only useful to those near the end times; it’s useful to anyone who desires to continue the same spiritual battle engaged in by all of God’s followers since the beginning.
We discuss the three lessons that are at the top of our list this year about the meaning of Christmas. Bonus: a twenty-four-year-old Christmas message from President Russell M. Nelson!
Selected verses from Matthew 1 and 2 and Luke chapter 2 read aloud by Mark Holt and set to music by Kendra Lowe Holt (as she will soon be known).
The Apocalypse of the Prophet John is often perceived to be so cryptic as to render it almost incomprehensible. We’ll unpack it, using well-understood metaphors from the Old Testament, and hopefully turn it into something that you can not only understand, but benefit from both scripturally and spiritually.
Both John and Jude wrote their epistles to help church members deal with those among them who were pretending piety, but who were in fact hypocrites. John’s remedy was to understand the words of Jesus and keep in touch with his Spirit, while Jude focused more on teaching why it is so important to recognize the signs of a follower of Jesus.
Peter encouraged the persecuted Roman saints by likening them to the ancient Israelites, and gave a powerful defense to some of the false doctrines of his day. He also referenced the Christ’s ministry to the spirits in prison, in a passage which would later inspire a powerful modern revelation, Doctrine and Covenants 138.
James teaches us not how to believe in Christ, but how, once we believe in Christ, to allow that belief to bring us to patience, and thereby to perfection.
A defining work on faith, an explanation of the purpose of the Temple, a road map to perfection, and a lesson on Priesthood. If not for the Epistle to the Hebrews, we would be much poorer in our understanding of eternal truth, and in our appreciation for our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Paul taught the Hebrews the importance of Christ by comparing the old covenant to the new—an old type of commandment, an old type of atonement, and an old type of high priest, versus a new type of all three: Christ himself.
In his Pastoral Epistles, Paul teaches how to identify suitable church leaders, the nature and purpose of scripture, and reveals that his calling and election have been made sure. We also address four seeming contradictions in Paul’s writings some possible resolutions.
Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians are collections of teachings of comfort and wisdom, each linked to an Apostolic blessing which followed and illuminated it.
In a pair of Messianic poems, Paul explains the true meaning behind the condescension of Christ—what he intended, how only he was qualified, and what he accomplished for us. An understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures illuminates and informs the reading of these poems.
Paul taught the Ephesians why they would want to follow Christ, before teaching them how.
The Galatians had accepted Christ without ever being Jews, but some wanted to take on the obligations of the Law of Moses. Paul taught them this was akin to delivering themselves into slavery, after they had been made free, or even becoming servants in a royal household to which they were heirs.
Paul teaches some prideful Corinthians that a disciple of Christ will only be a true messenger insofar as he echoes the humility of Christ. To this end, God gave weaknesses to even the most faithful among us, and we should therefore be generous and compassionate with ourselves and with each other.
Hundreds of years before Paul’s ministry, Jeremiah and Ezekiel taught of a coming day when God would reveal a “new covenant,” when people would obey not out of law or duty, but out of familiarity with and love of the Lord. In his second epistle to them, Paul tells the Corinthians that day has finally come, and invites them into the reality and blessing of living a Christlike life.
Paul stresses the necessity, the logic, and the power of believing in the resurrection of Christ.
Paul explains the key that activates all of the differences in gifts and wisdom among followers of Christ—that of charity, the pure love of the Savior. He lets us know there is no room for division among those who would call themselves His children.
Paul cries over the backsliding saints in Corinth in much the way Christ cried over Jerusalem—with all the care of a tender parent who had striven to lead those he loved in the ways of righteousness and humility.
The Book of Romans is the tale of two seeds—the literal descendants of Abraham, who have rejected their Messiah, and the spiritual family who, though younger, receives the birthright.
Paul taught both the Jews and the Gentiles among the Roman Christians that they were equally in need of the grace of Christ, which they could only access by giving him their allegiance.
The story of Paul changes from one of outward missionary journeys to one of personal change. Paul has publicly persecuted Christians, and now he returns to Jerusalem to publicly repent, and to accept the consequences of proclaiming Christ, whatever they may be.
Paul’s missionary journeys take him throughout the Hellenistic world, and everywhere the pattern is the same: great success, followed by jealousy, hatred, lies, and violence by those who will not believe. What is Luke hoping to accomplish through these stories?
Peter’s vision of the vessel from heaven opens a new era in the Church of Christ, foretold for centuries: the extending of the Gospel to all nations. Paul is the quintessential missionary in this new mold, a Jew among Gentiles.
Through his stories of the martyrdom of Stephen and the conversion of Paul, Luke teaches the importance of hearing the living prophet, and the capacity of Jesus to turn even our worst faults into powerful strengths.
At the feast of Pentecost, God sent the Spirit not only as a Comforter, but as an agent of transformation, molding his people into one body, from which would flow the blessings of Abraham to all the world.
On the road to Emmaus, the resurrected Jesus to his mourning disciples in disguise, and taught them from the scriptures rather than revealing his identity. Why did he choose to testify of himself this way, and what scriptures might he have cited to help them see the necessity of his suffering, death, and resurrection?
We discuss the final events of the Gospels, and several important questions raised by the Biblical account of the resurrection, including “How does Jesus’ resurgence affect me?” and “How can I know I worship a living God?”
There were several categories of reaction to Jesus on the day of his crucifixion. Most were examples of people trying to deny their guilt, the blood guilt of causing suffering to the most innocent ever accused, the Savior of Mankind.
Jesus fulfills the promise of the prophet Jeremiah by instituting the New Covenant of the Sacrament, takes upon himself the sins of the world in the Garden, and is unrighteously judged by the Jewish elders.
Jesus gives his final briefing to his disciples, reminding them of four truths: 1) he could only send the Spirit to them if he dies and ascends to the Father, 2) they were to show their love through their obedience, as he had, 3) they should expect life to be difficult, even when (or especially when) they were following his path, and 4) he had made it possible for them to be one with him.
The final sermon of Jesus included both an urgency to watch, and an admonition to patience. How do we reconcile the need to think about the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord with our need to be aware of the daily suffering and needs of God’s children?
On Memorial Day, we commemorate our honored dead—those who sacrificed so that we might have life, safety, and freedom. For those reasons and many others, Jesus Christ is our Most Honored dead, and we can make every Sacrament and Temple session his memorial as well.
Part 2 of 2: By resorting to Isaiah, John makes it clear that Jesus received his greatest royalty and glory at the moment of his deepest suffering.
Part 1 of 2: The withering of the fig tree was Jesus’ announcement that the corrupt leaders of Judah had run out of time. There was a new king in town, God’s Anointed King.
As he wends his way to Jerusalem for his death and resurrection, Jesus heals, and teaches his final messages—including his challenge to the rich young ruler, his emphasis of the higher law of marriage, and his invitation to bring all children unto Him.
Jesus draws a stark contrast between the Pharisees who consider themselves the sole occupants of the Kingdom of God, and the lost sheep who will be rejoiced over in heaven. He also raises Lazarus from the dead, and in so doing, lays down his life for his friend.
In teaching that he was the Good Shepherd, Jesus was describing himself performing a role that the Scriptures reserve for God Himself. In this and several other ways, Jesus clearly testifies not only of his mission, but of his mercy, love, and power.
Jesus instructed Peter in the way to put off the natural man by expounding upon his most central teaching: unlimited forgiveness.
What were the forces surrounding Jesus in his final week? How did he show us the way to have faith, hope, and courage? What do Book of Mormon and modern prophets have to say about the resurrection? This episode was originally published March 30, 2018.
Matthew uses the Pharisees and Sadducees’ asking for a sign to teach a valuable lesson about trying to get God to follow our expectations.
When Jesus multiplied bread in the wilderness, he tied the experience of ancient Israel to the Sacrament, and pointed forward to a time when he would redeem them from the Fall.
The parable of the wheat and the tares, among others, explains our role in choosing a path between settling for our earthly lineage, or taking our royal place in the lineage of Christ.
Jesus told his apostles he was sent not to bring peace, but a sword. What does he mean by this, and how does it relate to the Messianic expectations of Jews under Roman rule?
When asked to think of Jesus, most people probably think of his miracles. But what do his miracles teach us, why are the stories about them told in the order they are, and is there some greater miracle underneath them all?
Jesus taught us how to pray, when to use judgment (and when to avoid it), the dangers of pride, and tied it all into his role as Redeemer of all creation.
The “Old Testament” is the covenant Yahweh instituted on Mt. Sinai, when he called Israel to be a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. The New Covenant is Jesus’ fulfillment and upgrade of this covenant, where he takes the kingdom of priests, and turns everything upside down.
Early in his ministry, Jesus comes into confrontation with important symbols of Jewish life. What we learn from these encounters highlights the difference between Heaven and Earth, Light and Darkness, between God and Man.
The story of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness could have come from only one source: the Lord Himself. This is Jesus’ account not only of his own temptation, but of how temptation will appear in our lives.
The baptism of Jesus is not just a symbol of Jesus’ death, but a fulfillment of many Old Testament events pointing toward the Messiah, and teaches lessons about God as Creator, as giver of mercy, as liberator, as guide, as personal Savior, and as God.
John chapter 1 is more than a simple story; it’s the decoder ring to the entire Gospel of John, which is revealed by John’s first chapter to be a carefully honed narrative, crafted and pruned to show only the most vital concepts and events to help us believe in Jesus and live through Him.
When we look at these treasured scriptures from a new perspective, a much more traumatic narrative emerges. And a much more comforting one.
Both Matthew and Luke show in grand poetic fashion how Jesus is not only the Messiah, but the very purpose of the entire Law of Moses, Emmanuel, God Himself. And they both do it in Chapter One.
The “New Testament” describes not just a book of scripture but an agreement between God and His people. What is that agreement and how do we keep it?
Mark and Bry revisit the important themes of the Old Testament by reviewing their favorite scriptural Hebrew words. Hilarity ensues.
Our Old Testament course draws to a close, and we discuss Zechariah’s and Malachi’s counsel to their people and their visions of the last days. In their time, and ours, the question is the same: when will the day of the Lord come?
When the Jews returned from exile, it wasn’t a victorious procession back to Jerusalem and a sudden return to faithfulness. It was a long, slow process that required faithfulness and determination from three very important people—Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah.
The most important message in Daniel wasn’t that we should resist worldly influences over the substances we take in, or that God can save us from a lion’s den, or even a fiery furnace. It is that Christ overcomes the world precisely when it rejects him, and it is delivered—figuratively speaking—straight from the horse’s mouth.
Bry Cox joins the program, for a discussion of the children of Israel in exile. Daniel and his friends refuse the King’s food, survive the fiery furnace and the lion’s den, and Esther saves the Jewish people from a Persian genocide.
Ezekiel’s vision of an idealized temple has everything to teach us about God’s plan, our need for a Savior, what it means when we sin, and how we ourselves are a sanctuary for the Spirit.
When Israel was carried away captive, God promised them a miracle every bit as amazing as raising a valley of dry bones up from the dead. What was the miracle? Believe it or not, it’s God changing YOUR heart!
How could the ancient Israelites have discerned between Yahweh’s prophets and the many false prophets among them? How can we?
Jeremiah had perhaps the hardest job of any prophet—calling people to repentance when he knew for a fact that they wouldn’t listen. We discuss his particular gifts that helped him endure, specifically courage, faith, and his perception that the word of God burned inside of him like a fire.
The last 11 chapters of Isaiah are a series of poetic prophecies which sum up the life’s work of this legendary prophet—foretelling the all-encompassing hope of a new heaven and a new earth, where the whole world would be invited to partake of God’s blessings forever.
Isaiah foretells the woes of God’s “suffering servant,” and testifies of Yahweh’s power over chaos, sin, and death. We discuss the meaning of the word “gospel,” and, just to top it off, study the most powerful passages in all of scripture.
We discuss the incomparable nature of God, the origin of the word “gospel,” and the theory of “Deutero-Isaiah.”
Isaiah warned Israel of the dangers of blindness, the inevitability of justice, and, most of all, the transforming power of choice.
Latter-day Saints aren’t the first people whom God commanded to be a temple-going people. This has been a practice since Adam and Eve, a practice first described in scripture with any detail as the Tabernacle of Moses. LDS Content Developer Mike Madsen joins us for a discussion of the Tabernacle, how when it was revealed it reflected the Exodus the Jews had just endured, and what it still teaches us today.
When he was called to be a prophet, Isaiah learned that the refiner’s “fire” might have one of two effects: God could purify those who came into his presence, if they approached with the right attitude. Those who failed to humble themselves, on the other hand, faced a dangerous situation.
Part of what makes Isaiah hard to understand is that, at times, it's difficult to know what antecedents his pronouns refer to. As it turns out, that uncertainty is by design.
Though separated by centuries and perhaps hundreds of miles, Amos and Joel were surprisingly united in their warning of the “Day of the Lord,” in which God would visit wickedness with justice, and in their visions of the latter day glory he would bring to the earth.
Hosea marks the beginning of our study of the “prophetic” works of the Old Testament, and we discuss both the historical context of Hosea, and what he adds to Israel’s own understanding of its history. We also discuss the themes of insult to God and Forgiveness found in this powerful and poetic book of scripture.
Jonah is unique among the Prophetic books for being a story about a prophet, rather than the writings of a prophet. But it is unique for other reasons as well—the book of Jonah works even better as a parable than it does as a prophecy.
The book of Job was not written to show us an example of someone who dealt faithfully with loss, but to offer an ideal of how to think about suffering. Also, bonus track after the credits!
Why is the statement “All is vanity” actually an affirmation of God’s grace and goodness, rather than a denial of it?
As we study the links between the ancient Temple and each of us, we also examine the words of Christ as he taught how fully the Old Testament truly testifies of Him.
When Elisha took up Elijah’s discarded cloak, he put on more than an article of clothing—even more still than a prophetic mantle, as important as that was. He picked up a burden, the burden of advancing the grand metaphor of the history of the people of Israel, a history that is alive in each person who sets his feet on the path to Yahweh.
What makes Elijah so special, special enough to appear to Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith, and to have his coming announced in all five of the Standard Works?
When Jeroboam was made king over the newly divided Northern Kingdom of Israel, he was given a simple promise: Worship Yahweh and he would be sustained. Instead, he instituted idolatry among his people, thinking to consolidate his power. Thereafter, none of his successors ruled in righteousness. What happened to Israel as a result? What does this mean in my life?
Solomon was so wise, God told him there had never been one like him before, nor would there be after. So, how did his wisdom compare with Christ’s? What single verse in Deuteronomy could he have read that would have made all the difference?
The longest book in the Bible is also the one that spans the greatest portion of Jewish history, and one of the most quoted by New Testament prophets.
What were David’s small mistakes that led to his big one? How does the Sermon on the Mount apply to both David and Saul? Why is lust such a big deal?
How did Jonathan and Saul, though they had vastly different reactions to David’s kingly destiny, both love their “neighbor” as themselves? What made David so capable of forgiveness? Who is Abigail and what makes her one of the noblest characters in all of scripture?
The book of Samuel says “man looketh on the outward appearance.” What are some common ways we do this? What was Saul’s tragic flaw? How was David a man after God’s own heart? How do Goliath’s actions correspond with Satan’s temptations of Christ?
When Israel tried to use the Ark of the Covenant as a weapon, the Prophet Samuel taught them a valuable lesson about following Jehovah.
The stories of Ruth and Hannah don’t include any dramatic miracles or the words of prophets, so why did the ancient scribes include them in the Bible? What’s so important in these accounts that we can’t learn anywhere else?
The Judges of Israel serve as powerful likenesses of Christ, as the Israelites represent us, the (hopefully) repentant sinner.
Why did God let an entire generation of Israelites die in the wilderness? Why did he command his chosen people to utterly destroy their enemies? How hard was it to follow Joshua when you’d grown up with a prophet like Moses?
Through Moses, God lets us know remembering, like gratitude, is a choice, one that requires work.
The prophet Balaam is a study in contradictions, and we discuss his story on three levels: as a fable, as a tragic drama, and as a type of Christ.
Numbers 11-14, 21. Is it possible that the Israelites who were saved by looking at a brass serpent only knew they'd been saved in retrospect? What are the dangers of ingratitude?
What makes symbols so important in studying scripture, and in understanding the Exodus? What does the Golden Calf symbolize? How can I find hidden treasures of knowledge?
When God parted the Red Sea, he was actually providing an even more miraculous form of help to the Israelites--he was enabling them to change from within. A hint to how is found in our discussion of the meaning of His name.
What do the plagues sent to Egypt teach us about God? What does God's name (YHWH) really mean?
What were the forces surrounding Jesus in his final week? How did he show us the way to have faith, hope, and courage?
We've all heard that Joseph of Egypt is a type of Christ, but why does that matter? What else might this mighty prophet represent? And what does this all have to do with Isaiah?
How do we know "Thou shalt not commit adultery" was important to God's children long before the Ten Commandments? Why do bad things happen to good people?
If the birthright blessings were meant to be passed from father to firstborn son, why did none of the patriarchs of Abraham's time follow this pattern?
In the story of Abraham and Isaac, if Isaac symbolizes Christ, who does Ishmael symbolize? How does the test of Sarah compare to the test of Abraham? What is the simplest way to follow Abraham's example today?
When Lot and Abraham parted ways, Abraham gave Lot his choice of the fertile Jordan Valley, or the barren hills to the west. Who got the better of that bargain?
Topics discussed include: The equality of Abraham and Sarah, how the Abrahamic covenant is the antidote to the fall, and how Abraham's exodus echoes so many others in the scriptures.
Mark welcomes award-winning photographer and Hebrew enthusiast Bry Cox to discuss the story of Noah's ark, and how it relates to the city of Enoch and the tower of Babel.
Mark discusses the resources he uses to prepare Sunday School lessons, talks about what Cain meant by "brother's keeper," and reveals why we all share the gift of Enoch.
In discussing the Fall of Adam and Eve, Mark explores questions such as "How does it benefit me to learn about the Fall?", "What two BofM chapters teach us the most about the Fall?", and "In what way is Adam a type of Christ?"
Mark interviews Bry Cox, award-winning photographer and student of Biblical Hebrew, about how Jehovah structured the creation story to prove his supremacy, the "light" of creation, and the hidden patterns in the creative periods and what they teach us.
Recorded Jan. 3, 2018 in front of a studio audience. Topics include: How did Satan entice so many to follow him? What kind of instruction did we receive in our pre-earth life? Why is there a chapter on astronomy in Abraham?
Mark discusses the recent passing of LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson, God's existence outside of time, and resolves the dilemma that Man is nothing, and feels like everything.