| CONTENTS
1.
"I Make this Small Abridgment", 13
Abridgment in the Old Testament, 14
Old Testament "Abridgers", 14
What Records were Abridged?, 17
Conclusion, 18
2.
Mormon as an Abridger of Ancient Records, 19
Mormon's Promises, 19
Baptism, Children and the Holy Ghost, 22
The Fulfillment of Prophecy, 22
Change in Person, 23
The Nephite Annals, 24
The Three Nephites, 25
Internal Consistency, 27
Mormon's Interruptions, 29
Colophons, 29
Conclusion, 30
3.
Reformed Egyptian, 31
Other Cultures Used "Reformed" Egyptian, 31
How Did the Nephites "Reform" Egyptian?, 32
Conclusion, 33
4.
Hidden Records, 34
Buried and Sealed Records, 34
Metal Records, 34
Use of Stone Boxes, 36
Conclusion, 36
5.
Who are the "Gentiles"?, 37
Origins, 37
The Gentiles Today, 39
The Gentiles, Ephraimites?, 40
The Fulness of the Gentiles, 41
Conclusion, 43
6.
Contents of the 116 Lost Pages and the Large Plates, 44
The Book of Lehi, 45
Hints from the Book of Mormon, 45
Early Relations with the Lamanites, 48
The Hill North of Shilom, 50
The City and Land of Nephi, 51
The Early Nephite Kings, 51
Teachings and Revelations of Lehi and Nephi, 52
The Lamanite Curse, 53
The Promise of Prosperity, 54
Nephite Rules of Battle, 55
Other Possible Examples, 55
Conclusion, 56
7.
"That Which You Have Retained", 57
Conclusion, 59
8.
The Prophets of the Exile, 60
Conclusion, 62
9.
The Elders at Jerusalem in the Days of Lehi, 63
The Elders of Israel, 64
Elders and Kings, 66
Laban and the Elders, 67
A Conspiracy of the Princes, 69
Possible Involvement of the Ammonites, 73
The Secret Combination Among the Nephites, 76
Conclusion, 77
10.
Was Lehi a Caravaneer?, 78
The Egyptian Language, 80
Bedouin Lifestyle, 83
Murmuring in the Desert, 89
Lehi: Farmer or Merchant?, 91
Lehi: Metalworker?, 93
Conclusion, 96
11.
Jeremiah's Prophecies of Jesus Christ, 98
The Hebrew Version of Jeremiah, 98
The Septuagint Version of Jeremiah, 99
Writings of Jeremiah that Testify of Christ, 99
Conclusion, 101
12.
"He Shall Prepare a Way", 102
Obtaining the Plates, 102
A Way is Prepared in the Wilderness, 103
Building a Ship, 104
God Prepares a Way for Others, 105
The Way is Prepared Again in the Middle East, 106
Conclusion, 107
13.
The Slaying of Laban, 108
Conclusion, 109
14.
A New Testament Parallel to Lehi's Tree of Life Vision, 110
Conclusion, 112
15.
"By Small Means", 113
"Small" Examples, 113
Conclusion, 116
16.
"That They Might Have Joy", 117
The Misery of the Devil, 118
Conclusion, 119
17.
Opposition in all Things, 121
Opposition in Non-canonical Books, 122
The Fall Made Choices Possible, 123
Satan Obscures the Differences, 124
Conclusion, 124
18.
Captivity of the Devil, 125
The Devil's Snares, 126
The Binding Power of Sin, 128
The Pit, 129
Flee from Evil, 130
Conclusion, 131
19.
Lucifer, Son of the Morning, 132
Satan King of Babylon, 135
Babylon in History, 141
Comparing the Isaiah Account to Jeremiah and Ezekiel,
143
Comparisons with the Book of Mormon, 146
Conclusion, 152
20.
Promiscuity and the Search for Wealth, 154
The Three Nets of Belial, 154
Polluting the Sanctuary Through Sin, 156
Sins Leading to Idolatry, 157
Conclusion, 158
21.
"The Choirs Above", 159
The "Choir" in Middle Eastern Texts, 159
The Singing Levites, 160
Conclusion, 161
22.
The Thoughts and Intents of the Heart, 162
God Knows the Thoughts and Intents of Our Hearts,
162
The Importance of Our Thoughts, 163
Conclusion, 163
23.
"How Beautiful upon the Mountains", 164
A Book of Mormon Exposition, 164
Other Ancient Expositions, 165
Conclusion, 166
24.
The Nephite Purification Ceremony, 167
Ritual Purification in the Bible and Other Cultures,
167
Timing of the Nephite Purification Ceremony, 173
Conclusion, 176
25.
Some Aspects of Nephite Kingship, 177
Mosiah Becomes King in Zarahemla, 177
Abolition of the Nephite Monarchy, 180
Conclusion, 181
26.
Kings and Judges in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, 182
Judges Among the Israelites, 182
The Transition to Kings, 183
The Office of "Judge" Under the Kings, 183
Judges Amongst the Nephites, 183
Conclusion, 184
27.
The Captivity of the Fathers, 185
The Bondage of Alma and His People, 185
Delivery from Spiritual Bondage, 186
Comparing Physical and Spiritual Bondage, 187
Conclusion, 188
28.
Watch and Pray, 189
Conclusion, 190
29.
The Evil Spirit, 191
Conclusion, 193
30.
The Two Great Sins, 194
The Problem of Restitution, 194
Meaning of the Two Commandments, 195
The Unpardonable Sin, 195
"Flee Fornication", 196
Conclusion, 197
31.
Raised By a Handclasp, 198
Similarity to Other Ancient Writings, 198
Loss of Physical Strength, 199
Conclusion, 201
32.
"That They May be Kept Bright", 202
Conclusion, 204
33.
Oaths in the Book of Mormon, 205
Oaths in the Law of Moses, 206
Rash Oaths, 207
Lamanite Oaths, 207
Conclusion, 209
34.
In the Strength of the Lord, 210
The Lord Strengthens the Nephite Armies, 210
The Lord Strengthens Individuals, 212
Conclusion, 215
35.
"That Which is to Come", 216
Conclusion, 220
36.
Angels Announce the Coming of Christ, 222
The "Gospel" Announced in the Book of Mormon, 222
Angels Will Announce Christ's Second Coming, 224
37.
Events Surrounding Christ's Death and Resurrection, 225
Great Earthquakes, 225
The Light-Glory of Heavenly Beings, 226
Teachings of Christ, 228
Conclusion, 229
38.
The Timing of Christ's Appearance to the Nephites, 230
The "Ascension", 231
The "Ending" of the Year, 234
The "Settled Condition" of the Nephites, 237
Extent of the Destruction, 237
Burying the Dead, 240
Availability of Bread and Wine, 241
Appearance After the People had Faith, 241
Gathering at the Temple, 243
Samuel's Prophecy, 244
Arguments for an Early Appearance, 245
Conclusion, 246
39.
Christ's Visit to the Nephites as a Type of His Second Coming,
247
Signs Preceding Christ's Visit to the Nephites,
248
Signs Preceding Christ's Second Coming, 248
Lessons to Be Learned, 249
Conclusion, 250
40.
Performances and Ordinances of the Law, 251
Conclusion, 252
41.
Becoming as Little Children, 253
Conclusion, 255
42.
Hungering and Thirsting After Righteousness, 256
Conclusion, 258
43.
The Jaredite Ocean Voyage, 259
A Comparison to Accounts of the Flood, 259
Light for the Voyage, 261
Possible Routes, 262
Conclusion, 263
44.
The Role of the Book of Mormon in the Restoration of the Church,
264
The Fullness, 265
The Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith's Mission, 266
Table 1: A Comparison of 3 Nephi 29 and Joseph
Smith-History, 267
Church Practices Drawn from the Book of Mormon, 268
Priesthood Offices, 269
Baptism, 271
Young Children Not to be Baptized, 272
Church Membership and Discipline, 273
Home Teaching, 274
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, 275
Public and Private Prayer, 276
Law of Consecration, 277
The Book of Mormon as a Source of Church Doctrine, 278
Conclusion, 284
45.
Unanswered Questions in the Book of Mormon, 286
Did Lehi's Family Encounter Other People in the
New World Besides the
Mulekites?, 286
How Did Mosiah Get the Interpreters?, 287
Where Did Alma Get His Priesthood Authority?, 291
Was Abinadi One of Zeniff's Priests?, 291
Who were the Amalekites?, 292
Just How Did Nehor Die?, 293
How Did an Ishmaelite Become King of the Lamanites?,
293
Conclusion, 294
46.
The Messiah, the Book of Mormon, and the Dead Sea Scrolls,
295
Some Messiah Texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls, 296
Table 2. A Comparison of 4Q246 Column 2 and Luke
1, 298
Table 3. The Messianic Apocalypse, 299
Lehi's Admonitions, 300
Nephi's Teachings, 301
Jacob's Teachings, 302
King Benjamin's Discourse, 303
Abinadi's Message, 304
The Teachings of Alma the Younger, 305
Conclusion, 307
47.
Untranslated Words in the Book of Mormon, 308
Ziff, 308
Sheum and Neas, 309
Cureloms and Cumoms, 310
Conclusion, 311
Other
Book of Mormon Articles by the Author, 313
Book Of Mormon Languages, 313
Composition and Authorship of the Book of Mormon, 314
Ancient Near East Ties, 315
Nephite Culture, 315
Doctrinal and Historical Essays, 316
Reviews, 317
Bibliography, 319 |
