Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, by Rembrandt van Rijn
When the Lord first called Jeremiah to be a prophet, He told him that his mission would be “to root out, and to pull down” (Jeremiah 1:10)—and in Jerusalem, there was plenty of wickedness to root out and pull down. But this was only part of Jeremiah’s mission—he was also called “to build, and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). What could be built or planted in the desolate ruins left by the rebellion of the covenant people? Asked another way, when sin or adversity has left our lives in ruins, how can we rebuild and plant again? The answer lies in “the Branch of righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:15), the promised Messiah. He brings “a new covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31)—one that requires more than the outward appearance of devotion. His law must be “in [our] inward parts,” written “in [our] hearts.” That’s what it means for the Lord to “be [our] God” and for us to “be [His] people” (Jeremiah 31:33). It’s a lifelong process, and we will still make mistakes and have cause to mourn from time to time. But when we do, the Lord promises, “I will turn their mourning into joy” (Jeremiah 31:13).
For an overview of Lamentations, see “Lamentations, Book of” in the Guide to the Scriptures.
Ideas for Learning at Home and at Church
Jeremiah 31 ; 33 — The Lord will bring His covenant people out of captivity.
In Jeremiah 31; 33 the Lord acknowledged the “lamentation, and bitter weeping” (Jeremiah 31:15) the Israelites would experience in captivity. However, he also offered words of comfort and hope. Look for them as you read these chapters. What promises do you find that apply to you?
Jeremiah 31:31–34 ; 32:37–42 — “They shall be my people, and I will be their God.”
Although the Israelites had broken their covenants, Jeremiah prophesied that the Lord would again establish a “new” and “everlasting covenant” with them (Jeremiah 31:31; 32:40). What is that covenant? Consider looking for insights in Guide to the Scriptures, “New and Everlasting Covenant,” Gospel Library, (see also Alan R. Walker, "A Peculiar Treasure," Liahona, May 2026, 82–84).
Jeremiah 36 — The scriptures have power to turn me away from evil.
According to Jeremiah 36:2–3, why did the Lord command Jeremiah to record his prophecies? As you read Jeremiah 36, note how the following people felt about these prophecies:
Ponder how you feel about the scriptures. How have they helped you turn away from evil?
Jeremiah 37–39 — Be firm in following God’s prophets.
In Jeremiah 37:1–3, 15–21; 38:1–6, 14–28, what evidence do you see that King Zedekiah believed Jeremiah was the Lord’s true prophet? What evidence do you see that Zedekiah did not believe? What do you learn from this comparison? As you read Jeremiah 39, ponder the difference it would have made if Zedekiah and his people had followed the prophet and kept the commandments of the Lord. (Compare what happened to Zedekiah with what happened to Lehi’s family in 1 Nephi 1–2.)
Jeremiah 38:6–13 ; 39:15–18 — I can be bold in standing up for what is right.
The king’s officials felt that Jeremiah’s prophecies were making their soldiers less willing to fight, so they threw Jeremiah into a filthy dungeon (see Jeremiah 38:1–4). In Jeremiah 38:6–13, what impresses you about the response of Ebed-melech the Ethiopian? Notice also the blessing the Lord gave Ebed-melech in Jeremiah 39:15–18.
How could you follow Ebed-melech’s example?
Lamentations 1 ; 3 — The Lord can relieve the sorrow I experience because of sin.
The book of Lamentations is a collection of poems written after the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. Why do you think it is important they were preserved? Consider what the metaphors in Lamentations 1 and 3 help you understand about the great sorrow Israel felt. What messages of hope in Christ do you find? (see especially Lamentations 3:20–33; see also Matthew 5:4; James 4:8–10; Alma 36:17–20).
President M. Russell Ballard mentioned several situations that may cause some to lose hope, and he offered counsel about where to find hope:
“Some of us may find our lives laden with frustration, disappointment, and sorrow. Many feel helpless to deal with the chaos that seems to prevail in the world. Others anguish over family members who are being carried downstream in a swift, raging current of weakening values and declining moral standards. … Many have even resigned themselves to accept the wickedness and cruelty of the world as being irreparable. They have given up hope. …
“… Some among us may have lost all hope because of sin and transgression. A person can become so deeply immersed in the ways of the world that he sees no way out and loses all hope. My plea to all who have fallen into this trap of the adversary is to never give up! Regardless of how desperate things may seem or how desperate they may yet become, please believe me, you can always have hope. Always” (“The Joy of Hope Fulfilled,” Ensign, Nov. 1992, 31–32).
Help others take responsibility for their own learning. Sometimes it seems like the easiest way to teach is to just tell learners what we think they should know. However, the easiest way is not always the best way. Elder David A. Bednar taught: “Our intent ought not to be ‘What do I tell them?’ Instead, the questions to ask ourselves are ‘What can I invite them to do? What inspired questions can I ask that, if they are willing to respond, will begin to invite the Holy Ghost into their lives?’” (evening with a General Authority, Feb. 7, 2020, broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org; see also Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25). There are many ways to help learners take responsibility for their learning. For example, in this outline learners are invited to search, ponder, make lists, look at pictures, participate in object lessons, draw, and share and apply what they learn.
01 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:02 To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.03 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.04 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,05 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations .06 Then said I, Ah, Lord God ! behold, I cannot speak : for I am a child .07 ¶ But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak .08 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord .09 Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth . And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth .010 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build , and to plant.011 ¶ Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.012 Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.013 And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot ; and the face thereof is toward the north.014 Then the Lord said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.015 For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord ; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.016 And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods , and worshipped the works of their own hands.017 ¶ Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.018 For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.019 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord , to deliver thee.
Jeremiah 31
01 At the same time, saith the Lord , will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.02 Thus saith the Lord , The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.03 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love : therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee .04 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.05 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.06 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God.07 For thus saith the Lord ; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord , save thy people, the remnant of Israel.08 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.09 They shall come with weeping , and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn .010 ¶ Hear the word of the Lord , O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.011 For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.012 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord , for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.013 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.014 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness , saith the Lord .015 ¶ Thus saith the Lord ; A voice was heard in Ramah , lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.016 Thus saith the Lord ; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded , saith the Lord ; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.017 And there is hope in thine end , saith the Lord , that thy children shall come again to their own border.018 ¶ I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.019 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.020 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child ? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord .021 Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps : set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.022 ¶ How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.023 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.024 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.025 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.026 Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.027 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.028 And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord .029 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape , and the children’s teeth are set on edge.030 But every one shall die for his own iniquity : every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.031 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel , and with the house of Judah:032 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord :033 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord , I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts ; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.034 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord : for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord : for I will forgive their iniquity , and I will remember their sin no more.035 ¶ Thus saith the Lord , which giveth the sun for a light by day , and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name:036 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord , then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.037 Thus saith the Lord ; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord .038 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.039 And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.040 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the Lord ; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.
Jeremiah 32
01 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.02 For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house.03 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord , Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;04 And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;05 And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon , and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the Lord : though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper?06 ¶ And Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying,07 Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.08 So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord , and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord .09 And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.010 And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.011 So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:012 And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.013 ¶ And I charged Baruch before them, saying,014 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences , this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.015 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.016 ¶ Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the Lord , saying,017 Ah Lord God ! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:018 Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is his name,019 Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways , and according to the fruit of his doings:020 Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;021 And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;022 And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;023 And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:024 Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.025 And thou hast said unto me, O Lord God , Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.026 ¶ Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,027 Behold, I am the Lord , the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?028 Therefore thus saith the Lord ; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:029 And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.030 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the Lord .031 For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,032 Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.033 And they have turned unto me the back , and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.034 But they set their abominations in the house , which is called by my name, to defile it.035 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.036 ¶ And now therefore thus saith the Lord , the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;037 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:038 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:039 And I will give them one heart , and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:040 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.041 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.042 For thus saith the Lord ; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.043 And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.044 Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley , and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the Lord .
Jeremiah 33
01 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,02 Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name;03 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.04 For thus saith the Lord , the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;05 They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.06 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.07 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return , and will build them, as at the first.08 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.09 ¶ And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.010 Thus saith the Lord ; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,011 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord . For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord .012 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down .013 In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the Lord .014 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.015 ¶ In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David ; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land .016 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.017 ¶ For thus saith the Lord ; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;018 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.019 ¶ And the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah, saying,020 Thus saith the Lord ; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;021 Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.022 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.023 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,024 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the Lord hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.025 Thus saith the Lord ; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;026 Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.
Jeremiah 36
01 And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord , saying,02 Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day .03 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.04 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord , which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.05 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up ; I cannot go into the house of the Lord :06 Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the Lord in the ears of the people in the Lord ’s house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.07 It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord , and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the Lord hath pronounced against this people.08 And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the Lord in the Lord ’s house.09 And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the Lord to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.010 Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord , in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the Lord ’s house, in the ears of all the people.011 ¶ When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the Lord ,012 Then he went down into the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.013 Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.014 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.015 And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.016 Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.017 And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?018 Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.019 Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.020 ¶ And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.021 So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe’s chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.022 Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.023 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.024 Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.025 Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.026 But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech , and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the Lord hid them.027 ¶ Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,028 Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.029 And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the Lord ; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?030 Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.031 And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.032 ¶ Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe , the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.
Jeremiah 37
01 And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim , whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.02 But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the Lord , which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah.03 And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the Lord our God for us.04 Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.05 Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.06 ¶ Then came the word of the Lord unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,07 Thus saith the Lord , the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army , which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.08 And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.09 Thus saith the Lord ; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.010 For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.011 ¶ And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,012 Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.013 And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans.014 Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.015 Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah , and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison .016 ¶ When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins , and Jeremiah had remained there many days;017 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the Lord ? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.018 Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?019 Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?020 Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.021 Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
Jeremiah 38
01 Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur , and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,02 Thus saith the Lord , He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.03 Thus saith the Lord , This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it.04 Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.05 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.06 Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech , that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.07 ¶ Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;08 Ebed-melech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake to the king, saying,09 My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.010 Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.011 So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.012 And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.013 So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.014 ¶ Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the Lord : and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.015 Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?016 So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the Lord liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.017 Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the Lord , the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:018 But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.019 And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.020 But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the Lord , which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.021 But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the Lord hath shewed me:022 And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.023 So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.024 ¶ Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.025 But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee:026 Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.027 Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.028 So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.
Jeremiah 39
01 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem , and they besieged it.02 And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.03 And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate , even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.04 ¶ And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.05 But the Chaldeans’ army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.06 Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.07 Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes , and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.08 ¶ And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.09 Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.010 But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.011 ¶ Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying,012 Take him, and look well to him , and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.013 So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the king of Babylon’s princes;014 Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.015 ¶ Now the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,016 Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.017 But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the Lord : and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.018 For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord .
Lamentations 1
01 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow ! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!02 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.03 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest : all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.04 The ways of Zion do mourn , because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.05 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions : her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.06 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.07 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.08 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed : all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness : yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.09 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end ; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O Lord , behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.010 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary , whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation .011 All her people sigh, they seek bread ; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O Lord , and consider; for I am become vile.012 ¶ Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow , which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger .013 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.014 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.015 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.016 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.017 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.018 ¶ The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.019 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.020 Behold, O Lord ; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled : abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.021 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.022 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
Lamentations 3
01 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.02 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.03 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.04 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.05 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.06 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.07 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.08 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.09 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.010 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.011 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.012 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.013 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.014 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.015 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.016 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.017 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.018 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord :019 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.020 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.021 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.022 ¶ It is of the Lord ’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.023 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.024 The Lord is my portion , saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.025 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.026 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord .027 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth .028 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.029 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.030 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach .031 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:032 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.033 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.034 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,035 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,036 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.037 ¶ Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?038 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?039 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?040 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord .041 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.042 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.043 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain , thou hast not pitied.044 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.045 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.046 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.047 Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.048 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.049 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,050 Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.051 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.052 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.053 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.054 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.055 ¶ I called upon thy name, O Lord , out of the low dungeon.056 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.057 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.058 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.059 O Lord , thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.060 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.061 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord , and all their imaginations against me;062 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.063 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.064 ¶ Render unto them a recompence, O Lord , according to the work of their hands.065 Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.066 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord .
As a young boy I had great interest in anything that had to do with treasures. I often found myself absorbed in stories and movies about hidden treasures, secret maps, and brave explorers searching for lost riches. When my brothers and I visited our grandparents who lived at the base of the Andes Mountains in Mendoza, Argentina, we would spend hours searching through the fields for shiny rocks. We would eagerly break the rocks open in the hope of discovering something very precious inside—only to find more glittering minerals but never any real treasure.
As we study the scriptures, we encounter the word treasure dozens of times—most often as a warning not to set our hearts upon riches or upon the fleeting things of the world. Yet among all those warnings about earthly treasure, there is one passage that reveals something astonishing: the Lord Himself speaks of us as His treasure. I speak of the moment when the Lord addressed the prophet Moses upon Mount Sinai and declared that His people would be a peculiar treasure unto Him if they would obey His voice and keep His covenant.
Our Heavenly Father’s greatest desire is for us to live with Him again and enjoy eternal life by His side. His work and glory are “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” In order to make this possible, He designed the plan of salvation. He sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to break the bands of death and atone for the sins of the world. This sacrifice is the greatest expression of our Father’s infinite love for all His children. Above all loves, the love of our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, stands supreme—“greater love” has no man. As a part of our Savior’s love, He invites us to come unto Him, to choose Him. The risen Lord is the same who spoke upon Mount Sinai. The living Christ still calls a covenant people today.
In His benevolent teaching to Moses, the Lord established a pattern of application not only to the ancient children of Israel but to all those who desire to become His treasure—the Lord’s covenant people. That pattern includes two simple but powerful conditions: to obey His voice and to keep our covenants with Him. Then we will be a peculiar, or special, treasure; and as such we will be blessed, strengthened, and favored through the Savior’s atoning sacrifice.
President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. He has high hopes for us.” The same God who called the children of Israel calls us now—to become His covenant people, to rise above the ways of the world, and to receive blessings that only He can bestow.
Covenant faithfulness does more than identify us as God’s people—it empowers us to rise above the limitations of this fallen world. President Dallin H. Oaks has taught that obedience to God’s commandments is essential to rise above life’s challenges. Referring to the sacred covenants that bind us to our Heavenly Father and to His Son, Jesus Christ, he declared, “As we honor those covenants by keeping Their commandments and following Their plan of redemption, Their promised blessings enable us to soar to celestial heights.”
In modern revelation, the Lord provides a beautiful description of how we can know we are accepted of Him. He said, “Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.” The Lord does not ask for perfection all at once; rather, He asks for honest and broken hearts, humble spirits, and a willing readiness to keep our covenants—even when it requires sacrifice.
Just as the treasures my brothers and I searched for were never found on the surface, becoming the Lord’s treasure and receiving His divine acceptance are not something casual or accidental. They require patient effort, faithful persistence, and sacrifice. We must be willing to lay aside lesser things—habits, ambitions, or comforts that distance our hearts from Him—so that we may offer ourselves wholly and without reservation. As we choose to follow prophetic counsel, even when it stretches us or feels inconvenient, we demonstrate our love for the Lord and show that we cherish Him above all worldly desires.
President D. Todd Christofferson taught that as we walk in faithful obedience to our covenants, there flows into our lives a “continual [stream] of blessings” from God—divine power that enables us to endure trials and even “convert tribulation into triumph.”
He explained that when we honor our covenants, three sacred blessings follow: “the promised fruits of obedience become evident, … the Spirit communicates God’s pleasure, [and] we can face life with hope … , knowing … we will succeed in the end because we have God’s promise to us.” This is part of what it means to be the Lord’s peculiar treasure. He not only claims us as His covenant people—He strengthens us, sustains us, and surrounds us with covenant power every step of the way.
I testify that as we obey the Savior’s voice and keep our covenants—even by small and quiet sacrifices each day—we will feel His love more deeply and receive His guidance more clearly. And because He lives, we can have the assurance that one day we will stand before Him and hear the words that matter most: that we are accepted of Him. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
The ancient prophet Enoch, described in the Old Testament, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, was instrumental in establishing the city of Zion.
The scriptural account of Enoch’s call to serve indicates that “he heard a voice from heaven, saying: Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people, and say unto them—Repent, … for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off.”
“And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth … and spake before the Lord, saying: Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?”
Please notice that at the time of Enoch’s call to serve, he became acutely aware of his personal inadequacies and limitations. And I suspect all of us at one time or another in our Church service have felt much like Enoch. But I believe the Lord’s response to Enoch’s pleading question is instructive and applies to each of us today.
“And the Lord said unto Enoch: Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance. …
“Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.”
Enoch ultimately became a mighty prophet and a tool in God’s hands to accomplish a great work, but he did not start his ministry that way! Rather, his capacity over time was magnified as he learned to abide in and walk with the Son of God.
I earnestly pray for the help of the Holy Ghost as we consider together the counsel given to Enoch by the Lord and what it can mean for you and me today.
The Lord Jesus Christ extends to each of us the invitation to abide in Him. But how do we actually learn and come to abide in Him?
The word abide denotes remaining fixed or stable and enduring without yielding. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained that “abiding” as an action means “‘[to] stay—but [to] stay forever.’ That is the call of the gospel message to … everyone … in the world. Come, but come to remain. Come with conviction and endurance. Come permanently, for your sake and the sake of all the generations who must follow you.” Thus, we abide in Christ as we are firm and steadfast in our devotion to the Redeemer and His holy purposes, in times both good and bad.
We begin to abide in the Lord by exercising our moral agency to take upon ourselves His yoke through the covenants and ordinances of the restored gospel. The covenant connection we have with our Heavenly Father and His resurrected and living Son is the supernal source of perspective, hope, power, peace, and enduring joy; it also is the rock-solid foundation upon which we should build our lives.
We abide in Him by striving continually to strengthen our individual covenant bond with the Father and the Son. For example, praying sincerely to the Eternal Father in the name of His Beloved Son deepens and fortifies our covenant connection with Them.
We abide in Him by truly feasting upon the words of Christ. The Savior’s doctrine draws us, as children of the covenant, closer to Him and will tell us all things what we should do.
We abide in Him by preparing earnestly to participate in the ordinance of the sacrament, reviewing and reflecting on our covenant promises, and repenting sincerely. Worthily partaking of the sacrament is a witness to God that we are willing to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ and strive to “always remember him” after the brief period of time required to participate in that sacred ordinance.
And we abide in Him by serving God as we serve His children and minister to our brothers and sisters.
The Savior said, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”
I briefly have described several of the many ways we can abide in the Savior. And I now invite each of us as His disciples to ask, seek, knock, and learn for ourselves by the power of the Holy Ghost other meaningful ways we can make Christ the center of our lives in all that we do.
The Savior’s promise to His followers is twofold: if we abide in Him, He will abide in us. But is it indeed possible for Christ to abide in you and me—individually and personally? The answer to this question is a resounding yes!
In the Book of Mormon, we learn about Alma’s teaching and testifying to the poor whose afflictions had compelled them to be humble. In his instruction, he compared the word to a seed that must be planted and nourished, and he described “the word” as the life, mission, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Alma said, “Begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.”
Given this description of “the word” by Alma, please consider the inspiring connection he then identifies.
“And now … I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will.”
The seed we should strive to plant in our hearts is the word—even the life, mission, and doctrine of Jesus Christ. And as the word is nourished by faith, it can become a tree springing up in us unto everlasting life.
What was the symbolism of the tree in Lehi’s vision? The tree can be considered as a representation of Jesus Christ.
My beloved brothers and sisters, is the Word in us? Are the truths of the Savior’s gospel written in the fleshy tables of our hearts? Are we coming unto and gradually becoming more like Him? Is the tree of Christ growing in us? Are we striving to become “new [creatures]” in Him?
Perhaps this miraculous potential inspired Alma to ask: “Have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?”
We should always remember the Lord’s instruction to Enoch: “Thou shalt abide in me, and I in you.” And I testify the Savior’s promise to abide in us is true and available to every covenant-keeping member of His restored Church.
The Apostle Paul admonished believers who had received the Lord: “So walk ye in him.”
Walking in and with the Savior highlights two vital aspects of discipleship: (1) obeying God’s commandments, and (2) remembering and honoring the sacred covenants that connect us to the Father and the Son.
John declared:
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”
Jesus beckons to each of us, “Come, follow me” and “walk with me.”
I testify that as we press forward in faith and walk in the meekness of the Lord’s Spirit, we are blessed with power, guidance, protection, and peace.
Alma describes a loving entreaty from the Lord to all living souls:
“Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.
“… Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely.”
I emphasize the absolute comprehensiveness of the Savior’s plea. He yearns to bless with His grace and mercy every single person who now lives, who has ever lived, and who will yet live upon the earth.
Some Church members accept as true the doctrine, principles, and testimonies proclaimed repeatedly from this pulpit in the Conference Center and in local congregations around the world—and yet may struggle to believe these eternal truths apply specifically in their lives and to their circumstances. They believe sincerely and serve dutifully, but their covenant connection with the Father and His redeeming Son has not yet become a living and transforming reality in their lives.
I promise that by the power of the Holy Ghost, you can know and feel the gospel truths I have attempted to describe are for you—for you individually and personally.
I joyfully witness that Jesus Christ is our loving and living Savior and Redeemer. If we abide in Him, He will abide in us. And as we walk in and with Him, we will be blessed to bring forth much fruit. I so testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
I explained this principle in a devotional in 2017:
“Alma … ‘began to preach the word of God unto the people, entering into their synagogues, and into their houses; yea, and even they did preach the word in their streets’ [Alma 32:1; emphasis added]. He also compared the word of God to a seed.
“‘Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me’ [Alma 32:28; emphasis added].
“Interestingly, a good seed becomes a tree as it is planted in the heart and begins to swell, sprout, and grow.
“‘And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.
“‘But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.
“‘Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.
“‘And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.
“‘But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life’ [Alma 32:37–41; emphasis added].
“… The central feature in Lehi’s dream is the tree of life—a representation of ‘the love of God’ [1 Nephi 11:21–22].
“‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ [John 3:16].
“The birth, life, and atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ are the greatest manifestations of God’s love for His children. As Nephi testified, this love was ‘most desirable above all things’ and ‘most joyous to the soul’ [1 Nephi 11:22–23; see also 1 Nephi 8:12, 15]. Chapter 11 of 1 Nephi presents a detailed description of the tree of life as a symbol for the life, ministry, and sacrifice of the Savior—the ‘condescension of God’ [1 Nephi 11:16]. The tree can be considered as a representation of Christ.
“One way of thinking about the fruit on the tree is as a symbol for the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement. The fruit is described as ‘desirable to make one happy’ [1 Nephi 8:10] and produces great joy and the desire to share that joy with others.
“Significantly, the overarching theme of the Book of Mormon, inviting all to come unto Christ [see Moroni 10:32], is paramount in Lehi’s vision [see 1 Nephi 8:19]” (“The Power of His Word Which Is in Us” [address given at seminar for new mission leaders, June 27, 2017], 4–5).
Alma’s analogy teaches us that the desire to believe plants the seed in our hearts, nourishing the seed by our faith sprouts the tree of life, and nourishing the tree produces fruit of the tree, which is “sweet above all that is sweet” (Alma 32:42) and is “the greatest of all the gifts of God” (1 Nephi 15:36).
Living in these difficult times, brothers and sisters, requires each one of us to maintain a positive, hopeful perspective about the future. Today, more so than in the past, I am asked about the signs of the times and if I think the end of the world is near. My answer is the same one that Jesus gave some two thousand years ago: “But of that day and that hour knoweth no mafn, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is” (Mark 13:32–33).
When Jesus was asked about the sign of His coming, he said: “Ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
“All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matt. 24:6–8; emphasis added).
Although the prophecies tell us that these things are to take place, more and more people are expressing great alarm at what appears to be an acceleration of worldwide calamity. As members of the Church, we must not forget the Savior’s admonition, “Be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass.” These are difficult times, when the forces of nature seem to be unleashing a flood of “famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”
Recently I read a newspaper article that cited statistics from the U.S. Geological Survey indicating that earthquakes around the world are increasing in frequency and intensity. According to the article, only two major earthquakes (earthquakes measuring at least six on the Richter scale) occurred during the 1920s. In the 1930s the number increased to five, and then it decreased to four during the 1940s. But in the 1950s, nine major earthquakes occurred, followed by fifteen during the 1960s, forty-six during the 1970s, and fifty-two during the 1980s. Already almost as many major earthquakes have occurred during the 1990s as during the entire decade of the 1980s.
The world is experiencing violent disorders, both physical and social. Here in the United States, we are still reeling from two incredibly destructive hurricanes. People in the Philippines see no end to the devastation of the volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo. Famine grips portions of Africa, where tragic human suffering is prevalent. To a lesser degree, hunger afflicts millions, even in countries that have a high standard of living.
Political unrest, warfare, and economic chaos prevail in many parts of the world, and the plagues of pornography, drug misuse, immorality, AIDS, and child abuse become more oppressive with each passing day. The media busily satisfies an apparently insatiable appetite of audiences to witness murder, violence, nudity, sex, and profanity. Is not this the day of which Moroni spoke when he recorded: “Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing” (Morm. 8:35). And then he prophesied of conditions of the world as they are today.
Brothers and sisters, whether or not these are indeed the last days or even “the beginning of sorrows” as the Savior foretold, some of us may find our lives laden with frustration, disappointment, and sorrow. Many feel helpless to deal with the chaos that seems to prevail in the world. Others anguish over family members who are being carried downstream in a swift, raging current of weakening values and declining moral standards. Children particularly are suffering as society drifts further and further away from the commandments of God.
Many have even resigned themselves to accept the wickedness and cruelty of the world as being irreparable. They have given up hope. They have decided to quit trying to make the world a better place in which they and their families can live. They have surrendered to despair.
Admittedly we have ample reason to be deeply concerned because we see no immediate answers to the seemingly unsolvable problems confronting the human family. But regardless of this dark picture, which will ultimately get worse, we must never allow ourselves to give up hope! Moroni, having seen our day, counseled, “Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope” (Moro. 10:20).
To all who have harbored feelings of despair and an absence of hope, I offer the words of the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith:
“Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. …
“Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (D&C 6:34, 36). “Even so am I in the midst of you” (D&C 6:32).
My message to you today, my brothers and sisters, is simply this: the Lord is in control. He knows the end from the beginning. He has given us adequate instruction that, if followed, will see us safely through any crisis. His purposes will be fulfilled, and someday we will understand the eternal reasons for all of these events. Therefore, today we must be careful to not overreact, nor should we be caught up in extreme preparations; but what we must do is keep the commandments of God and never lose hope!
But where do we find hope in the midst of such turmoil and catastrophe? Quite simply, our one hope for spiritual safety during these turbulent times is to turn our minds and our hearts to Jesus Christ. The prophet Mormon taught: “Ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.
“Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope” (Moro. 7:41–42).
Faith in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ, is absolutely essential for us to maintain a balanced perspective through times of trial and difficulty. Remember, nothing will occur in our lives that He does not understand. Alma taught, “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people” (Alma 7:11).
Please turn to Him if you are discouraged and struggling for direction in your life. Armed with the shield of faith, we can overcome many of our daily challenges and overpower our greatest weaknesses and fears, knowing that if we do our best to keep the commandments of God, come what may, we will be all right.
Of course that does not necessarily mean that we will be spared personal suffering and heartache. Righteousness has never precluded adversity. But faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—real faith, whole-souled and unshakable—is a power to be reckoned with in the universe. It can be a causative force through which miracles are wrought. Or it can be a source of inner strength through which we find peace, comfort, and the courage to cope.
As we put our faith and trust to work, hope is born. Hope grows out of faith and gives meaning and purpose to all that we do. It can even give us the peaceful assurance we need to live happily in a world that is ripe with iniquity, calamity, and injustice.
As the end of the Savior’s mortal ministry drew near, He offered this reassuring hope to His beloved disciples: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
Hope is a precious principle by which to live. However, some among us may have lost all hope because of sin and transgression. A person can become so deeply immersed in the ways of the world that he sees no way out and loses all hope. My plea to all who have fallen into this trap of the adversary is to never give up! Regardless of how desperate things may seem or how desperate they may yet become, please believe me, you can always have hope. Always.
Recently I had the privilege of performing the temple sealing ordinances for a wonderful family. It was a beautiful occasion, as such ceremonies almost always are. But if you had known the father of this family several years earlier, you would have understood what a miracle was taking place in the house of the Lord that day. With his permission I quote from a letter he wrote to me:
“I was born into the Church and was taught the gospel at my mother’s knee. Through her diligence and perseverance, she kindled a small ember of testimony that never left me even through some of the roughest times of my life. In my teen years Satan hit me hard. It was during the late 1960s and early 1970s, a time of great turmoil, and Satan was hard at work on me. I was taken with the practice of free drugs, free love, free fun, and the rest of the world be damned. Beginning with my first drink of alcohol, I began to slowly deteriorate. After alcohol, other drugs were that much easier to use. In order to take drugs, you must become a good liar. You learn to do whatever it takes to conceal your behavior from others.
“After many years of living this way, all my moral fiber seemed to be completely eroded away. I had a minimal amount of conscience and had sunk to the depths of despair and depression. I watched friends die from drugs and suicide. As time passed, my friends and I were exposed to the criminal justice system. In fact, many of my former friends are still in prison. Had it not been for the small flicker of testimony instilled in me by my mother when I was a child, to know that Heavenly Father could still love me, I have reservations as to whether I would even be writing this letter today.”
Some parents might have given up hope on this prodigal son, but not this man’s mother. She continued to believe that he would find his way back to the teachings of his childhood and once again place his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. With the loving support of his family and friends, that is exactly what he did. Let me read again from his letter:
“If there is one thing I have learned, it is that no matter how lost you feel, no matter how low you may have sunk, there can be forgiveness and peace. I learned that the further one drifts from the Lord, the harder it is to return to Him and His teachings. But once I opened my heart and called out in prayer to Heavenly Father to help me in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, I came to know the power of repentance and the blessings of obedience to God’s commandments.”
Brothers and sisters, I wish all of you could have been with us in the temple that day to feel the joy of hope fulfilled. I am sure you would have sensed, as I did, the rekindled love for God and the sublime happiness that filled the heart of my friend’s mother as her four sons, their companions, and other family members surrounded her in the sealing room.
The Apostle Paul taught that three divine principles form a foundation upon which we can build the structure of our lives. They are faith, hope, and charity. (See 1 Cor. 13:13.) Together they give us a base of support like the legs of a three-legged stool. Each principle is significant within itself, but each also plays an important supporting role. Each is incomplete without the others. Hope helps faith develop. Likewise true faith gives birth to hope. When we begin to lose hope, we are faltering also in our measure of faith. The principles of faith and hope working together must be accompanied by charity, which is the greatest of all. According to Mormon, “charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever” (Moro. 7:47). It is the perfect manifestation of our faith and hope.
Working together, these three eternal principles will help give us the broad eternal perspective we need to face life’s toughest challenges, including the prophesied ordeals of the last days. Real faith fosters hope for the future; it allows us to look beyond ourselves and our present cares. Fortified by hope, we are moved to demonstrate the pure love of Christ through daily acts of obedience and Christian service.
I assure you, my brothers and sisters, that our Heavenly Father is aware of us, individually and collectively. He understands the spiritual, physical, and emotional difficulties we face in the world today. In fact, they are all part of His plan for our eternal growth and development. And His promise to us is sure: “He that endureth in faith and doeth my will, the same shall overcome” (D&C 63:20).
The Savior promised that “no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper. … This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord” (3 Ne. 22:17).
May we all find the “peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Philip. 4:7), which can be found only through charity, faith, and hope.
May I leave you my testimony that I know that the Lord Jesus Christ lives. He has restored His Church to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Our assurance of eternal life rests in our love of God and the keeping of His commandments. This knowledge gives me hope and faith. May it be so with each of you, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
1.Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish; Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel. Here bring your wounded hearts; here tell your anguish. Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal.
Verse
2.Joy of the desolate, Light of the straying, Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure! Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying, “Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot cure.”
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3.Here see the Bread of Life; see waters flowing Forth from the throne of God, pure from above. Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing Earth has no sorrow but heav’n can remove.
Text:Thomas Moore, 1779–1852. Verse three, Thomas Hastings, 1784–1872
It was surely awe-inspiring to watch the Savior walking on the water. But that wasn’t enough for Peter. He wanted to do what the Savior did, be where He was, and have the same experience himself. “Bid me come unto thee on the water,” he said. The Savior responded with a simple invitation: “Come.” With that, Peter leaped from the safety of the boat and showed us that discipleship is not a passive experience (see Matthew 14:24–33). It requires faith in Christ and diligent effort. But it also brings the rich reward of walking with the Savior.
“Come.” “Come and see.” “Come, follow me.” “Go, and do thou likewise” (Matthew 14:29; John 1:39; Luke 18:22; 10:37). From the beginning of His ministry, the Savior invited His followers to experience for themselves the truths, power, and love that He offered. He did this because this is what learning really is. It’s not just listening or reading; it’s also changing, repenting, and progressing. In the Savior’s words, learning comes “by study and also by faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118; emphasis added). And faith includes acting for ourselves, not simply being acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:26).
When we follow the Savior’s example, we invite those we teach to ask, seek, and knock—and then find (see Matthew 7:7–8). And we accept that invitation ourselves. Together, through our own faith in Christ and diligent effort, we will come to know for ourselves what it means to walk with Him.
Help learners take responsibility for their learning.
Encourage learners to come to know the Savior by studying the gospel daily.
Invite learners to prepare to learn.
Encourage learners to share the truths they are learning.
Invite learners to live what they are learning.
Building barges that would safely cross oceans would be a difficult task for anyone. The brother of Jared was “directed continually by the hand of the Lord” (Ether 2:6), receiving instructions about the shape of the vessels and how they would be ventilated. But what do you notice about how the Lord responded when the brother of Jared asked about providing light in the barges? (see Ether 2:22–25). How was the brother of Jared blessed by the invitation to exercise his faith in this way? (see Ether 3:1–16).
It might seem easier to just tell learners all the things you think they should know. However, Elder David A. Bednar counseled: “Our intent ought not to be ‘What do I tell them?’ Instead, the questions to ask ourselves are ‘What can I invite them to do? What inspired questions can I ask that, if they are willing to respond, will begin to invite the Holy Ghost into their lives?’” (evening with a General Authority, Feb. 7, 2020, broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
Consider how you can invite learners to take responsibility for their learning. For example, you could invite them to ask their own questions, search for answers, ponder, and share or record their thoughts and feelings. As they do, they will strengthen their faith, discover truths in God’s word, and have their own experiences with these truths. As we take responsibility for our own learning, we can say, as Joseph Smith did, “I have learned for myself” (Joseph Smith—History 1:20).
Questions to Ponder: Why is it important for learners to be active rather than passive in their learning? How can you help them take responsibility for their learning? How have teachers helped you do this? What examples from the scriptures can you think of where people were invited to learn for themselves? How do these examples affect how you teach?
When it came time for the Savior to officially organize His Church in the latter days, He told His servants, “Rely upon the things which are written” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:3). Indeed, the Book of Mormon, which they had nearly finished translating, contained helpful instruction for the task, including how to baptize, how to administer the sacrament, and other valuable details. But the Savior also wanted His servants to see His revelations as an opportunity to hear Him and to come to know Him more deeply. In that same revelation, He told them, “It is my voice which speaketh [these words] unto you; … wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:35–36).
Think about the people you teach. How do they see scripture study? For that matter, how do you see it? Is it more than a daily obligation? When you study the scriptures, do you sense the Savior speaking directly to you? President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Where can we go to hear Him? We can go to the scriptures. … Daily immersion in the word of God is crucial for spiritual survival, especially in these days of increasing upheaval. As we feast on the words of Christ daily, the words of Christ will tell us how to respond to difficulties we never thought we would face” (“Hear Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 89). As you teach, encourage learners to study the scriptures with the purpose of finding the Savior—not just finding verses or facts about Him but finding Him. Hearing the Lord’s voice every day in the scriptures is foundational to a lifetime of diligent, independent gospel learning.
Questions to Ponder: Consider your own scripture study habits. How has studying the word of God strengthened your relationship with Him? What can you do to improve your study? How will you inspire others to study God’s word diligently and regularly? What blessings will they receive as they do?
Even the best seeds cannot grow on hard, stony, or thorny ground. Similarly, even the most precious and faith-promoting doctrine is unlikely to change a heart that is unprepared to receive it. That’s part of the message of the Savior’s parable about a sower, seeds, and soil of various conditions. It is in the “good ground”—the heart that has been softened and cleared of spiritual stones and thorns—that the word of God bears life-giving fruit (see Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23).
Spiritual preparation matters—for you and for the people you teach. So how do we help prepare our hearts so they are “good ground” for God’s word? Consider the following principles of preparation, which you can apply in your life and encourage in the lives of those you teach. Pray to find out what the Lord wants you to learn. Live in a way that invites His presence in your life. Repent daily. Nurture your desire to learn by asking sincere questions. Study the word of God with faith that He will lead you to answers. Open your heart to whatever He will teach you.
As learners prepare to learn in this way, they will have spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear what the Lord would have them know (see Matthew 13:16).
Questions to Ponder: What do you do to prepare yourself to learn? How does your preparation affect the way you see, hear, and understand the word of God? How can you inspire others to prepare to learn? What difference could that make in how they receive the truths of the gospel?
Learners benefit from opportunities to share with each other what they are learning.
“I am slow of speech,” Enoch lamented when the Lord called him to preach the gospel. But eloquence has never been a requirement for a servant of the Lord. Instead, the Lord promised Enoch that if he had enough faith to open his mouth, the words would come. “I will give thee utterance,” He said (Moses 6:31–32). Enoch exercised his faith, and the Lord did indeed speak through him, with words so powerful that they caused the people to tremble (see Moses 6:47). In fact, they caused the earth itself to tremble. Mountains fled, rivers changed their course, and nations feared the people of God, “so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him” (Moses 7:13).
The Lord wants all of us—not just His prophets—to have the power to speak His word. He wants that for all of us, including for the people you teach (see Doctrine and Covenants 1:20–21). Our words may not move mountains or redirect rivers, but they can help change hearts. That is why it is so important to give learners opportunities to share with each other what they are learning about the Savior and His gospel. Doing this will help them internalize the truths they are taught and express them. It will also help them gain confidence in their ability to share truths in other settings.
Questions to Ponder: Think about a time when you talked about a gospel truth with someone. What did you learn from the experience? When were you grateful that someone had the courage to share their thoughts and beliefs? How will the people you teach benefit from opportunities to talk about the things they are learning? What opportunities can you create for them?
“Let your light so shine before men.” “Love your enemies.” “Ask, and it shall be given.” “Enter ye in at the strait gate.” (Matthew 5:16, 44; 7:7, 13.) Some of the most vivid, memorable invitations in the Savior’s entire earthly ministry were spoken as He taught His disciples on a mountainside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The Savior’s purpose was to change lives, as made clear by His concluding invitation: “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24; emphasis added).
Rain descends and floods come and winds blow in everyone’s life. Learning about the gospel is not sufficient if learners are to withstand all the trials they will face. This is why we should not hesitate to invite learners to consider how they can live what they are learning. Out of respect for the agency of others, many of our invitations will be general: “What do you feel impressed to do?” Occasionally our invitations may need to be more specific: “Will you choose one attribute of the Savior you would like to work on?” As you provide opportunities for learners to hear, recognize, and share promptings from the Holy Ghost, He will teach them what personal actions they need to take. Help learners consider the blessings that will follow as they act on what they learn, and encourage them to persist even when it gets hard. Living the truth is the quickest path to greater faith, testimony, and conversion. As the Savior said, living the Father’s doctrine is the way for all of us to really know the doctrine is true (see John 7:17).
Questions to Ponder: When have you been inspired to act because of an invitation someone extended? How did your life change as a result? Notice invitations that have been given in the scriptures and by Church leaders. What do you learn that can help you as you invite others to act? In what ways can you follow up on your invitations?
Jeremiah prophesied in Jerusalem before and during the Babylonian conquest. He warned the Jews that if they did not repent, their city would be attacked and they would be taken captive. Just before the destruction of Jerusalem, the Lord gave a message of hope to Judah. He promised to make a new covenant that would be written in the hearts of His people. Although the Jews would be taken captive by the Babylonians, the Lord promised that He would one day gather and bless them. Lamentations contains expressions of sorrow and despair for the city of Jerusalem after its destruction. It also contains testimonies of the Lord’s compassion.
Note: The citation of a source not published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not imply that it or its author is endorsed by the Church or represents the official position of the Church.
Why did Jeremiah describe Rachel weeping for her children?
The Lord referred to the northern tribes of Israel as the children of Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife. Rachel was the mother of Joseph and grandmother of Ephraim and Manasseh, two of the dominant tribes in the Northern Kingdom. When the Northern Kingdom was conquered by Assyria, many of its people were taken away from their land. This is why Rachel is depicted as weeping for her lost children. Her voice is heard from Ramah, the possible location of her tomb. The Lord spoke of Rachel’s covenant faithfulness and promised that the scattered tribes would one day return. He declared: “There is hope in thine end, … that thy children shall come again to their own border.”
What is the “new covenant” the Lord promised to make with the house of Israel?
Much of the book of Jeremiah focuses on Jeremiah’s warnings about God’s judgments if the people refused to repent. However, Jeremiah 30–31, sometimes called the “book of consolation,” provides a message of hope for the house of Israel. In Jeremiah 31:31–34, Jeremiah prophesied of a “new covenant” that the Lord would someday make with the house of Israel. In this context, new means that God’s covenant—“the fulness of [the] gospel”—would be revealed anew in the last days. The Lord sometimes calls this covenant the “new and everlasting covenant.” Jeremiah prophesied that the Lord’s people would have His law written in their hearts, symbolizing their true conversion.
Why did Jeremiah purchase property while he was in prison?
Although chapter 32 is positioned in the middle of the book of Jeremiah, it describes one of the final events before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. After Jeremiah prophesied that the city would fall to the Babylonians and that King Zedekiah would not escape, he was imprisoned by the king. While confined in the court of the guard, Jeremiah was visited by his cousin, who asked him to buy a piece of family property near Jerusalem. The Lord revealed to Jeremiah that purchasing this land was a symbolic witness that the Jews would someday return from captivity and possess the promised land once again.
The Babylonian siege of Jerusalem occurred while Jeremiah was in prison. Despite the bleak circumstances, the Lord reminded Jeremiah that Israel and Judah would someday be healed and restored. Jeremiah prophesied of the “Branch of righteousness” that would “grow up unto David” and “execute judgment and righteousness in the land.” This is a reference to Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, who will “sit upon the throne of the house of Israel” forever.
Baruch was the faithful scribe and close companion of Jeremiah. He occasionally read Jeremiah’s messages to the public when the prophet was unable to deliver them himself. After Jerusalem’s downfall, Baruch accompanied Jeremiah to Egypt when the prophet was taken there against his will.
Baruch Writes Jeremiah’s Prophecies, by Gustave Dore
The events recorded in Jeremiah 37 occurred during the reign of King Zedekiah, the final king of Judah before Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 586 BC. Zedekiah had been appointed king of Judah in 597 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar after Babylon’s second invasion of Jerusalem. The Book of Mormon teaches that Lehi and his family lived at Jerusalem during the first year of Zedekiah’s reign.
Like Jehoiakim before him, Zedekiah sought to break free from Babylonian control. However, the word of the Lord to Jeremiah was that Judah should surrender and submit to Babylon. This message put Jeremiah in direct conflict with Zedekiah and other political leaders and the false prophets who supported them. The leaders in Jerusalem falsely accused Jeremiah of defecting to the Babylonians, had him beaten, and imprisoned him.
What happened to Zedekiah and his people after they rejected Jeremiah’s warnings?
After Jeremiah was arrested, he continued to reiterate the Lord’s message that surrendering to the Babylonians would be the only way for the people to survive. This angered the leaders in Jerusalem, who had him thrown into a muddy cistern, intending for him to die there. Jeremiah was rescued by Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian servant who courageously appealed to King Zedekiah for permission to save the prophet. Later, Zedekiah secretly consulted Jeremiah once more, and the prophet again urged him to surrender. But Zedekiah remained fearful and refused to obey God’s warning.
I Will Surely Deliver Thee, by Eva Koleva Timothy
In fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecies, the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and carried many away into exile. King Zedekiah tried to escape but was captured. He was forced to watch the execution of his sons before being blinded and taken in chains to Babylon. Jeremiah was spared and protected by the Babylonians. Sometime later, a group of remaining Judahites assassinated the Babylonian-appointed governor and fled to Egypt, forcibly taking Jeremiah and Baruch with them. It is believed that Jeremiah died there.
Lamentations is a collection of five poetic laments mourning the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. Although no author is mentioned by name, this book is traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, who witnessed the events being described.
The first four chapters of Lamentations follow an acrostic structure—a poetic form in which the first letters of each line or verse form a meaningful sequence. Chapters 1, 2, and 4 each have 22 verses that begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Lamentations 3 expands the pattern to 66 verses, with three lines per Hebrew letter. Lamentations 5 contains 22 verses but is not acrostic.
In its poetic expression of the people’s grief, shock, and suffering, Lamentations resembles other poetic books in the Old Testament, such as Job and Psalms. However, unlike many books in the Old Testament, Lamentations does not contain any responses from the Lord. It captures only the suffering and longing that the people felt before the Lord later showed mercy to them.
Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, by Rembrandt van Rijn
Why was Jerusalem compared to a “menstruous woman”?
In Lamentations 1:17, the King James Bible refers to Jerusalem as a “menstruous woman.” Under the law of Moses, a woman was considered ceremonially unclean during her menstrual cycle. In this context, the imagery is symbolic, indicating that Jerusalem had become unclean due to the people’s wickedness. This symbolism reflects ancient purity laws and does not imply that menstruation itself is sinful or shameful.
The Cry of Jeremiah the Prophet, from an engraving by the Nazarene school
The King James Version renders the name here as “Rahel.”
See Kenneth L. Barker and others, eds., NIV Study Bible: Fully Revised Edition (2020), 1320, note on Jeremiah 31:15.
In the New Testament, this passage is understood as a prophecy that was fulfilled by the cruel actions of King Herod. His attempt to kill Jesus as an infant caused the deaths of many children in Bethlehem (see Matthew 2:16–18).
See Michael D. Coogan and others, The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version, 5th ed. (2018), 1123, note on Jeremiah 31:15.
See Joseph Smith, in History, 1838–1856 [Manuscript History of the Church], volume A-1, 259–61, josephsmithpapers.org. See also Guide to the Scriptures, “New and Everlasting Covenant,” Gospel Library; Marcus B. Nash, “The New and Everlasting Covenant,” Ensign, Dec. 2015, 41–43.
Doctrine and Covenants 22:1; 131:1–2; 132:6, 19. See also Shon D. Hopkin, “The Covenant among Covenants: The Abrahamic Covenant and Biblical Covenant Making,” Religious Educator, vol. 23, no. 2 (2022), 173.
Jeremiah was initially imprisoned in a dungeon under harsh conditions. However, Zedekiah secretly consulted with him and ordered that Jeremiah be moved to the court of the guard, where he received better treatment (see Jeremiah 37:11–21).
See Jeremiah 36:5–32. The chapters in Jeremiah are not always in chronological order. For example, Jeremiah 35–36 refers to experiences Jeremiah and Baruch had during the reign of Jehoiakim, who was king before Zedekiah (see Jeremiah 35:1; 36:1).
See Jeremiah 39:1–7. We learn from the Book of Mormon that one of Zedekiah’s sons, Mulek, survived and escaped the destruction of Jerusalem. The Lord directed Mulek and others to the promised land in the Western Hemisphere sometime after Lehi and his family left Jerusalem. Hundreds of years later, some of Lehi’s descendants encountered Mulek’s descendants and joined them in Zarahemla (see Omni 1:12–19; Mosiah 25:2; Helaman 8:21; see also “2 Kings 25:6–7. Were all of Zedekiah’s sons killed?”).
The term lamentation refers to words that express deep sorrow or mourning. Laments were a common ancient Near Eastern literary genre (see Berlin and Brettler, The Jewish Study Bible, 1582–83. Laments also appear in the Book of Mormon (see Mormon 6:16–22).
Jeremiah 31:3 — Heavenly Father and Jesus love me “with an everlasting love.”
As you read Jeremiah 31:3 with your children, they could help you find objects (or pictures of objects) that last a long time, such as a metal coin, and some that do not, such as a piece of fruit. You could talk about what “everlasting” means and share with each other how you have felt Heavenly Father’s “everlasting love.” You could also sing together a song like “God Is Watching Over All” (Children’s Songbook, 229).
Jeremiah 31:31–34 ; 32:38–41 — God will help me keep my covenants.
Your children might enjoy drawing a heart on a piece of paper and then writing in the heart things they learn from Jeremiah 31:31–34 about making covenants with God. You may want to review the covenant they make at baptism (see Mosiah 18:10, 13) and discuss what it means to have these promises written in their hearts.
Jeremiah 36:1–4 — The scriptures are the word of God.
This week’s activity page could help your children learn about Jeremiah, Baruch, and the king (see Jeremiah 36). They could also do actions that go along with the words in Jeremiah 36:4–10, such as writing in a book (see verse 4) and reading the scriptures to the people (see verses 8, 10).
You and your children could look at a children’s book and a copy of the scriptures and talk about how these books are different. What makes the scriptures special? It may be inspiring to share with each other some scripture passages that are special to you.
Jeremiah 38:6–13 — I can stand up for what is right.
You could use the picture at the end of the outline to help your children visualize the story of Ebed-melech in Jeremiah 38:6–13. Maybe you could help them find a verse where Ebed-melech did something brave to help the Lord’s prophet. What can we do to show that we know our prophet today is called of God?
Lamentations 1:1–2, 16 ; 3:22–26 — The Savior made it possible for me to be forgiven of my sins.
To introduce Lamentations, you may want to explain to your children that because the Israelites had not repented, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. You could share with each other how you might have felt if you were living there at that time (see Lamentations 1:1–2, 16). How might the message in Lamentations 3:22–26 have given you hope?
You could also tell each other about times you felt sad about a bad choice you made. What do we find in Lamentations 3:22–26 that helps us understand the forgiveness Jesus Christ offers?
For more, see this month’s issue of the Friend magazine.
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