Lesson 45: “If I Perish, I Perish”

Lesson 45: “If I Perish, I Perish”, Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 211

Daniel 1; 3; 6; Esther 3–5; 7–8

Purpose

To help class members have the courage to live according to gospel standards.

Preparation

• 1. Prayerfully study the following scriptures:
  
  • a. Daniel 1. Daniel and his friends refuse to defile themselves by eating King Nebuchadnezzar’s food (1:1–16; note that pulse was a food made of grains and edible seeds). The Lord blesses Daniel and his friends with good health and wisdom (1:17–21).
    
  • b. Daniel 3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol (3:1–12). King Nebuchadnezzar casts them into a fiery furnace, and the Lord saves them from death (3:13–30).
    
  • c. Daniel 6. King Darius’s men persuade the king to sign a decree that for 30 days all petitions must be directed to him rather than to any other man or to God (6:1–9). In spite of the king’s decree, Daniel prays to God (6:10–13). As punishment for disobeying the decree, Daniel is thrown into a den of lions (6:14–17). The Lord sends an angel to protect Daniel (6:18–23).
    
  • d. Esther 3–5; 7–8. Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman (3:1–4). Haman persuades King Ahasuerus to prepare a decree calling for the death of all Jews in the kingdom (3:5–14). Esther learns of Haman’s plan to kill her people and risks her life by going to the king for help (4:1–17). The king receives Esther and grants her request to come with Haman to a banquet (5:1–8). At the banquet Esther reveals Haman’s plot to kill the Jews (7:1–6). The king hangs Haman (7:7–10). The king honors Mordecai and grants Esther’s request to reverse Haman’s decree (8:1–17).
    
• 2. Additional reading: Daniel 5; Esther 1–2; 6; 9–10.
  
• 3. If you use the attention activity, ask two class members to prepare to tell briefly about a time when they or someone they know had to show courage to obey the Lord.
  
• 4. If the following pictures are available, you may want to use some of them during the lesson: Daniel Refusing the King’s Meat and Wine (62094; Gospel Art Picture Kit 114); Three Men in the Fiery Furnace (62093; Gospel Art Picture Kit 116); and Daniel in the Lions’ Den (62096; Gospel Art Picture Kit 117).
  

Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activity

You may want to use the following activity (or one of your own) to begin the lesson.
Ask the assigned class members to tell briefly about a time when they or someone they know had to show courage to obey the Lord.
After the class members have shared their experiences, explain that this lesson is about six people in the Old Testament who showed great courage in obeying the Lord.

Scripture Discussion and Application

As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles.

1. Daniel and his friends refuse to eat King Nebuchadnezzar’s food; they are blessed with good health and wisdom.

Teach and discuss Daniel 1.
As a young boy, Daniel was carried captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. He and other promising Hebrew youths—including his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—were trained in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar.

• • What did Daniel and his friends propose when they were given the king’s meat and wine? (See Daniel 1:8–14.) What blessings did they receive for obeying the Lord’s law of health? (See Daniel 1:15, 17, 20.) How are the blessings they received similar to the Lord’s promises to us if we obey the Word of Wisdom? (See D&C 89:18–20.)
  
  • Elder Boyd K. Packer taught: “I have come to know … that a fundamental purpose of the Word of Wisdom has to do with revelation. From the time you are very little we teach you to avoid tea, coffee, liquor, tobacco, narcotics, and anything else that disturbs your health. … If someone ‘under the influence’ can hardly listen to plain talk, how can they respond to spiritual promptings that touch their most delicate feelings? As valuable as the Word of Wisdom is as a law of health, it may be much more valuable to you spiritually than it is physically” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, 28–29; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, 20).
    
• • What can this story teach us about how to respond when we feel pressure to do something we should not do? (See Daniel 1:5, 8.) What situations today require courage for us to obey the Lord’s commandments? How can we develop the courage needed to obey in such situations?
  

2. The Lord saves Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from death in the fiery furnace.

Teach and discuss Daniel 3.

• • King Nebuchadnezzar decreed that anyone who would not worship his idol would be cast into a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:1–6). How did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego respond to the decree? (See Daniel 3:12.) What did Nebuchadnezzar do when he found out that they would not worship his idol? (See Daniel 3:13–15, 19–20.)
  
• • What did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say when the king threatened to throw them in the furnace? (See Daniel 3:16–18.)
  
  • Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: “We will [not] always be rescued from proximate problems, but we will be rescued from everlasting death! Meanwhile, ultimate hope makes it possible to say the same three words used centuries ago by three valiant men. They knew God could rescue them from the fiery furnace if He chose. ‘But if not,’ they said, nevertheless, they would still serve Him!” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 45; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 35).
    
• • What can the response of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego teach us about obeying the Lord’s commandments? (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were willing to obey the Lord whether he protected them or not. Our obedience should not be conditioned on whether or not the Lord gives us an expected blessing at an expected time in return.) What are the dangers of obeying the Lord only because we expect him to give us a certain blessing in return?
  
• • What happened when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were cast into the furnace? (See Daniel 3:21–27.) Who was in the furnace with them? (See Daniel 3:25.) How does the Savior help us when we turn to him during our trials?
  
• • What effect did the courage of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have on Nebuchadnezzar? (See Daniel 3:28–30.) How do our actions affect our neighbors’ attitudes toward the Church?
  

3. Daniel prays in spite of the king’s decree and is thrown into a den of lions. The Lord sends an angel to protect Daniel.

Teach and discuss Daniel 6.
King Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded by his son Belshazzar. When Belshazzar was slain, “Darius the Median took the kingdom”(Daniel 5:31), and Daniel rose to a position of great prominence. (Note: Darius the Mede is not the same King Darius who ruled the Persian Empire after Cyrus and to whom the Jews appealed while rebuilding the temple. See Ezra 4–6; lesson 47; and Bible Dictionary, “Darius,” page 653.)

• • Why did the king’s presidents and princes want to find fault with Daniel? (See Daniel 6:1–5. They were jealous that the king preferred Daniel, and they were worried that the king might give him more power.) What decree did these men convince the king to sign? (See Daniel 6:6–9. Knowing that Daniel prayed regularly, they persuaded King Darius to sign a decree that for 30 days all petitions must be directed to him rather than to any other man or to God. Those who disobeyed the decree would be thrown into a den of lions.)
  
• • How did Daniel respond to the king’s decree? (See Daniel 6:10.) What can we learn from Daniel about the importance of prayer? (Prayer was so important to Daniel that he continued to pray even when his life was threatened for doing so.) Invite class members to ponder the value we place on the privilege of praying to our Heavenly Father.
  
• • How did King Darius feel when his men reported that they had seen Daniel praying? (See Daniel 6:12–15.) How did the king demonstrate his belief in God? (See Daniel 6:16, 18.)
  
• • How did the Lord bless Daniel in the lions’ den? (See Daniel 6:19–23.) What effect did Daniel’s faith and courage have on King Darius and the people of the kingdom? (See Daniel 6:24–28.)
  
  • Elder L. Tom Perry said: “Not only did Daniel’s service benefit the king, but because of the faith that Daniel had in the Lord, it affected an entire land. The king sent forth a proclamation that all the people of the kingdom should worship the true and living God, the God that Daniel worshiped. How mighty was the power of the service of one righteous man, affecting so many, as he served ‘in the world’ in which he lived! How effective will be the results of our service if we will continue to serve in our own personal way ‘in the world’ in which we live!” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1988, 16; or Ensign, May 1988, 15).
    

4. Esther risks her life to save her people.

Teach and discuss Esther 3–5; 7–8.
Esther was a Jewish woman who lived shortly after the time of Daniel. After her parents died, she was raised by her cousin Mordecai. Esther was very beautiful, and Ahasuerus, the king of Persia and Media, was so pleased with her beauty that he made her his queen.

• • King Ahasuerus promoted Haman to be his highest-ranking prince (Esther 3:1). How did Mordecai show courage when the king commanded him and other servants to bow to Haman? (See Esther 3:2–4.) What was Haman’s reaction? (See Esther 3:5–14. He was angry and persuaded the king to order the destruction of “a certain people”—all the Jews in the kingdom.)
  
• • When Esther learned of the mourning among the Jews, she sent a messenger to ask Mordecai what was wrong (Esther 4:1–6). What did Mordecai ask of Esther? (See Esther 4:7–9.) Why was it dangerous for Esther to go in and speak with the king? (See Esther 4:10–11. The law allowed the king to kill anyone who approached him uninvited.)
  
• • What message did Mordecai send Esther when he learned of her concerns about approaching the king? (See Esther 4:13–14.) How do you think Esther felt as she contemplated the possibility that she had “come to the kingdom for such a time as this”? (Esther 4:14). How can we receive the assurance that our lives have purpose? How can this assurance help us?
  
• • What did Esther ask of her maidens and the local Jews as she prepared to approach the king? (See Esther 4:16.) How can the united fasting and prayers of many people help us?
  
• • Stating her intent to approach the king, Esther said, “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). How was this declaration like the statement of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before they were thrown into the furnace? (See Daniel 3:17–18.) How did this declaration show Esther’s devotion to her people and to God?
  
• • When Esther approached the king, he received her and said he would grant anything she requested (Esther 5:1–3). She requested that the king and Haman come to a banquet (Esther 5:4–8). On the second day of the banquet, what did Esther ask of the king? (See Esther 7:3–4.) What did the king do when he learned that the people Haman was plotting to destroy were the Jews? (See Esther 7:5–10.)
  
• • Haman was hanged, but the decree to kill all Jews had already been circulated throughout the kingdom. What did Esther ask the king to do? (See Esther 8:5–6.) What blessings did the Jews receive because of Esther’s courage and faith? (See Esther 8:16–17.) What blessings have you received because of the courage and faith of others?
  
• • What challenges do we face today that require courage like Esther’s? What blessings will we receive as we strive to do what is right even when we are faced with difficult consequences?
  

Conclusion

Testify that the Lord will bless us as we have the courage to stand for the truth. Encourage class members to follow the examples of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Esther, and Mordecai.

Additional Teaching Ideas

The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.

1. The ultimate blessings of courageous obedience

• • What did Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Esther, and Mordecai have in common? (They all had the courage to do what was right, even when doing so put their lives at risk.) What situations have you encountered where you had to decide whether or not you would stand for what you knew was right?
  

Testify that as we strive to keep the commandments, the Lord will bless us. However, the blessings we receive are not always immediately evident. To illustrate this, you may want to discuss the trials that the following people endured:

• a. Sarah was unable to have children until she was 90 years old (Genesis 17:15–17; 21:1–2).
  
• b. Joseph was sold by his brothers and later imprisoned for a crime he did not commit (Genesis 37:27–28; 39:7–20).
  
• c. The Savior was betrayed by a friend, illegally tried, and crucified (John 18–19).
  
• d. Nephi was beaten and later bound with cords by his brothers (1 Nephi 3:28; 18:10–11).
  
• e. Alma and Amulek were forced to watch as women and children were burned for their beliefs (Alma 14:8–11).
  
• f. Joseph Smith was imprisoned and martyred (D&C 135).
  

• • Why do you think the Lord allowed these people to suffer such trials? Why do you think they were able to endure these trials? What can we learn from their examples?
  

2. Standing for the truth

Have class members role-play different situations in which they would need to stand up for what they know is right. Think of circumstances that would apply to class members. The following suggestions may be helpful:

• a. A friend belittles someone and encourages you to do the same.
  
• b. Someone suggests that you listen to some music that you know is inappropriate.
  
• c. Someone asks you to go to a restaurant on Sunday after church.
  
• d. Someone offers you some alcohol or another substance contrary to the Word of Wisdom.
  

Lesson 44: “Every Thing Shall Live Whither the River Cometh”

42 00 gospel written in our hearts 
In lesson 43, we learned about Ezekiel's prophecies about the two sticks being brought together (scriptures and people) and about the valley of dry bones which would be restored to life.    resurrection and restoration

From Lesson 43: (One important blessing is the restoration of the Lord’s sanctuary or tabernacle, meaning the temple. The next lesson discusses the blessings of the temple in more detail.)

Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual

“Every Thing Shall Live Whither the River Cometh”  

Lesson 44: “Every Thing Shall Live Whither the River Cometh”, Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 207

Ezekiel 43–44; 47

Purpose

To encourage class members to partake of the life-giving, healing powers that are available in the temple.

Preparation

• 1. Prayerfully study the following scriptures:
  
  • a. Ezekiel 43:1–12; 44:6–9, 23. Ezekiel is shown a vision of the temple in Jerusalem.
    
  • b. Ezekiel 47:1, 6–12. Ezekiel sees a river flowing from the temple that gives life to the desert and heals the Dead Sea.
    
  • c. Ezekiel 47:2–5. Ezekiel measures the river’s depth and discovers that the water gets deeper each time he wades into it.
    
• 2. Draw the map on page 209 on a poster or on the chalkboard before class begins.
  
• 3. Additional reading: Ezekiel 40–42; Joel 3:18; Zechariah 14:8; Revelation 22:1–3; 1 Nephi 8:10–11; 11:25; Doctrine and Covenants 97:8–20.
  

Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activity

You may want to use the following activity (or one of your own) to begin the lesson.
Ask class members questions similar to the following:

• • Have you ever been excited while watching a sporting event or some other kind of entertainment?
  
• • Have you ever been so excited at such an event that you stood and shouted or cheered?
  
• • Can you think of sacred events that have been or will be accompanied by enthusiastic expressions of joy and gratitude? Some of these events include:
  
  • a. The creation of the earth (Job 38:4–7).
    
  • b. The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (John 12:12–16).
    
  • c. The Second Coming of Christ and the Resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
    
• • How does the excitement of sporting events or other entertainment compare to the joy of these sacred events? (While the excitement of sporting events or other entertainment is temporary, the joy associated with sacred events is eternal.)
  
• • What is a sacred event in the Church where participants show their joy and gratitude by standing, shouting, and waving? (During the dedication of a temple, the congregation participates in a great expression of joy called the Hosanna Shout.)
  
  • “The Hosanna Shout is whole-souled, given to the full limit of one’s strength. The congregation stands and in unison shouts the words ‘Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb. Amen, Amen, and Amen,’ repeating them three times. This is usually accompanied by the rhythmic waving of white handkerchiefs with uplifted hands. The epithet ‘Lamb’ relates to the condescension and atonement of Jesus Christ” (in Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 5 vols. [1992], 2:659).
    

Explain that this lesson will help class members understand some of the many ways the temple brings joy.

Scripture Discussion and Application

As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles.

1. Ezekiel is shown a vision of the temple in Jerusalem.

Teach and discuss Ezekiel 43:1–12; 44:6–9, 23.

• • Have class members read Ezekiel 43:1–12 and Ezekiel 44:6–9, 23. What can we learn about the temple from these verses?
• _____________________

 Ezekiel 43:1–12
 1 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the ^agate that ^blooketh toward the east:

  2 And, behold, the ^aglory of the God of Israel came from the way of the ^beast: and his ^cvoice was like a noise of many ^dwaters: and the earth ^eshined with his ^fglory.

  3 And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the ^avision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

  4 And the glory of the Lord ^acame into the ^bhouse by the way of the gate ^cwhose prospect is toward the east.

  5 So the ^aspirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the ^bglory of the Lord filled the house.

  6 And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.

  7 ¶ And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my ^afeet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more ^bdefile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.

  8 In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy ^aname by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.

  9 Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

  10 ¶ Thou son of man, ^ashew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the ^bpattern.

  11 And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the ^ahouse, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ^bordinances thereof, and do them.

  12 This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the ^amountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.

• Ezekiel 44:6–9, 23

• 6 And thou shalt say to the arebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations,   7 In that ye have brought into my sanctuary astrangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to bpollute it, even my house, when ye offer my cbread, the dfat and the eblood, and they have broken my fcovenant because of all your abominations.   8 And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.   9 ¶ Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, auncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.

  •  
  • __________________________________________________________
  • You may want to list class members’ answers on the chalkboard and discuss their meaning. Answers may include the following:
    
  • a. The glory of the Lord fills the temple (Ezekiel 43:2, 4–5).
    
  • b. The temple is “the place of [the Lord’s] throne” on earth (Ezekiel 43:7).
    
  • c. The Lord walks in the temple, calling it “the place of the soles of my feet” (Ezekiel 43:7).
    
  • d. The temple is a place where the Lord may “dwell in the midst” of his people (Ezekiel 43:7).
    
  • e. We learn about the laws of the Lord in the temple (Ezekiel 43:11).
    
  • f. There are ordinances that the Lord wants us to perform in the temple (Ezekiel 43:11).
    
  • g. Even the grounds that surround the temple “shall be most holy” (Ezekiel 43:12).
    
  • h. Only those who are worthy should enter the temple (Ezekiel 44:6–9).
    
  • i. In the temple we learn the difference between holy and profane and between clean and unclean (Ezekiel 44:23).
    

2. Ezekiel sees a river flowing from the temple that gives life to the desert and heals the Dead Sea.

Teach and discuss Ezekiel 47:1, 6–12.

• • What did Ezekiel see coming from the east doors of the temple in Jerusalem? (See Ezekiel 47:1.) Where did the water go? (See Ezekiel 47:8. Show on the map that the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea are east of Jerusalem.)
  

  Jerusalem Dead Sea Judean Wilderness

• • The Judean wilderness is a barren desert, and the Dead Sea is too salty to sustain animal life. According to Ezekiel’s vision, what changes will take place in the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea because of the river flowing from the temple? (See Ezekiel 47:6–12.)
  
• • In a vision similar to Ezekiel’s vision of the temple, John the Beloved was shown the throne of God (Revelation 22:1–3; note that in Ezekiel 43:7, the Lord calls the temple “the place of my throne”). What flowed from the throne of God in John’s vision? (See Revelation 22:1.) What is the “water of life”? (The doctrines of the gospel; see the attention activity in lesson 30.) How are we like the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea if we do not partake of the water of life?
  
• • How does the water of life that is available in the temple heal and give life to marriages? families? our ancestors? the Church? What else flows from the temple that gives spiritual life and healing? (Answers may include truth, wisdom, revelation, and covenants.)
  
• • Ezekiel 47:12 describes the trees that grew along the banks of the river in Ezekiel’s vision. What did the trees have in common with the waters of the river? (They had healing and life-giving powers.)
  
• • What grew along the banks of the river in John’s vision? (See Revelation 22:2.) Where else in the scriptures are prophets shown the tree of life? (See 1 Nephi 8:10–11; 11:25.) In the dream given to Lehi and Nephi, what did the tree of life represent? (See 1 Nephi 11:25.)
  
• • How does the love of God heal and give life? What spiritual and physical wounds will God’s love heal?
  

3. Ezekiel measures the river’s depth.

Teach and discuss Ezekiel 47:2–5.

• • How deep was the river the first time Ezekiel waded across it? (See Ezekiel 47:2–3.) How deep was it the second, third, and fourth times he waded across? (See Ezekiel 47:4–5.) What truth do these verses suggest about the temple? (The power of the temple increases in our lives the more often we attend.)
  
• • Wonderful truths are taught in the temple, many through symbols. If at first our understanding of these truths or of temple ordinances is only “ankle deep,” what should we do? (See Ezekiel 47:2–5. We should wade into the “river” again and again—or, in other words, attend the temple as often as possible.)
  

Conclusion

Tell class members that the Lord has called the temple “a place of thanksgiving” (D&C 97:13). Express your thanks for the blessings that come because of the temple, and invite class members to share their feelings of gratitude for the temple. Testify that just as the waters from the temple healed the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea in Ezekiel’s vision, the gospel of Jesus Christ will heal and cleanse us if we will partake of it.

Additional Teaching Ideas

The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.

1. “I have loved the habitation of thy house” (Psalm 26:8)

Many of the psalms mention blessings we receive from temple attendance and express beautiful feelings of love and thanksgiving for the temple. You may want to ask some class members to express their feelings of gratitude for the temple as you discuss the following psalms:

• Psalm 24:3–4
  
• Psalm 26:6–8  
• Psalm 27:1, 4–6
• 
  
  
  A PSALM OF DAVID.
  
  

    1 The Lord is my ^alight and my ^bsalvation; whom shall I ^cfear? the Lord is the ^dstrength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
  
  

    4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may ^adwell in the ^bhouse of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the ^cbeauty of the Lord, and to ^denquire in his temple.
  
  

    5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his ^apavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a ^brock.
  
  

    6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
    

• Psalm 65:4
  
• Psalm 84

PSALM 84

The righteous cry unto the living God—Better to be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness—No good thing withheld from those that walk uprightly.

TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN UPON GITTITH, A PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH.

  1 How ^aamiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!

  2 My soul longeth, yea, even ^afainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

  3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.

  4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

  5 Blessed is the man whose ^astrength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

  6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

  7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion ^aappeareth before God.

  8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.

  9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.

  10 For a day in thy courts is better than ^aa thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

  11 For the Lord God is a ^asun and ^bshield: the Lord will give ^cgrace and glory: no good thing will he ^dwithhold from them that ^ewalk uprightly.

  12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

• Psalm 122
  
• Psalm 134
  

2. “The Great Symbol of [Our] Membership”

President Howard W. Hunter said: “I invite the Latter-day Saints to look to the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of your membership. It is the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church worthy to enter the temple. It would please the Lord if every adult member would be worthy of—and carry—a current temple recommend. The things that we must do and not do to be worthy of a temple recommend are the very things that ensure we will be happy as individuals and as families” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 8; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 8).

• • How can we make the temple the “great symbol of [our] membership” in the Church? How would looking to the temple in this way affect our outlook on life and our dedication to the Lord’s work?

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http://www.ldsces.org/inst_manuals/ot-in-2/manualindex.asp

http://seminary.lds.org/content/languages/english/Seminary%20Materials/Student%20Study%20Guides/Old%20Testament%20Seminary%20Student%20Study%20Guide~eng.pdf 

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The following is from
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L. Lionel Kendrick, “Enhancing Our Temple Experience,” Liahona, Jul 2001, 94–96

There is a difference in just attending the temple and having a rich spiritual experience.

One of the great blessings that we enjoy today is the opportunity to attend the temple. With an ever-increasing number of temples, the blessings of the temple are available to a growing number of Church members.
These blessings should not be taken lightly. The Savior has commanded that we should “trifle not with sacred things” (D&C 6:12). The temple and the holy ordinances are indeed sacred, and we should be spiritually sensitive to them. It is a sacred blessing to attend the temple to worship the Lord.
There is a difference in just attending the temple and having a rich spiritual experience. The real blessings of the temple come as we enhance our temple experience. To do so, we must feel a spirit of reverence for the temple and a spirit of worship.

Spirit of Reverence

All who attend the temple should remember the counsel of the Lord when He said, “Reverence my sanctuary” (Lev. 19:30). Reverence is an expression of deep respect, honor, and adoration for the Lord. It is having reverence for His name, for His words, for His ordinances and covenants, for His servants, for His chapels, and for His temples.
It is an outward indication of an inner feeling that we have for Him. We should always remember that it is by His invitation that we come to His holy house, the temple of the Lord. We should respond to His invitation by being worthy, by being prepared, and by having the temple as a priority in our lives. While in the temple we should act as if we are in His holy presence.
To be reverent is not just to be quiet. It involves an awareness of what is taking place. It involves a divine desire to learn and to be receptive to the promptings of the Spirit. It involves a striving to seek added light and knowledge. Irreverence is not only an act of disrespect for Deity, but it makes it impossible for the Spirit to teach us the things that we need to know.
It is in the temple that we must speak in reverent tones. Reverence is no minor nor mundane matter. It has eternal consequences and should be treated as divine in nature. To be reverent in the temple, we must sense it to be a place of purity and a place of holiness.
Place of purity. The temple is a place of purity. It is of the utmost importance that we keep the temple pure and holy. The Savior promised:
“And inasmuch as my people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, … my glory shall rest upon it;
“Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it” (D&C 97:15–16).
Those who enter the temple should prepare both their hearts and their minds. They should be able to answer in the affirmative to the questions asked by Alma when he said: “Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?” (Alma 5:19).
When we are reverent in the temple, we help to keep it pure and holy, free from distractions and offenses to the Spirit. We must remember to say or do nothing that would be offensive to the Lord.
President David O. McKay counseled, “When you enter a Church building, you are coming into the presence of our Father in heaven; and that thought should be sufficient incentive for you to prepare your hearts, your minds, and even your attire, that you might appropriately and properly sit in his presence” (Improvement Era, July 1962, 509).
Reverence involves thinking, speaking, feeling, and acting as we would in the presence of the Lord.
Place of holiness. The temple is a place of holiness. It is the most sacred and holy place on earth and should be treated with the greatest degree of reverence and respect. Reverence in the temple is an expression to the Lord that we consider it to be sacred and that we recognize it to be, indeed, His holy house.

Spirit of Worship

The temple is a place of worship. Reverence is a supernal form of worship. It is the form of worship that is found in the celestial kingdom. In the vision of the degrees of glory given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, this celestial worship was described with these words:
“And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, … where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever;
“Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever” (D&C 76:92–93).
Our worship in the temple is in preparation to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father and His Son. We should worship Them in a spirit of humility and in a spirit of reverence.
True worship of the Lord in His holy house means that we should enhance our temple experience. We can obtain a rich spiritual experience in the temple by doing the following:
First, we must leave the world behind as we enter the temple.
Second, we must seek to gain added light and knowledge.
Leave the world behind. When we enter the temple, we should leave the world behind. We should feel what it would be like when we enter the presence of the Lord. We may consider what thoughts we would think and what communications we would have in His holy presence. If we can catch the vision of this eventual event, it will help us in preparing to enter His presence and in leaving the world behind as we enter His temple.
1. Thoughts
As we enter the temple grounds, we should leave our worldly thoughts behind and focus on the sacred responsibilities that are ours as we serve in the house of the Lord.
Our thoughts should be spiritual in nature. We must remember that the Lord is aware of our thoughts. He spoke to Ezekiel and said, “I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them” (Ezek. 11:5).
2. Communications
The Savior has given us great counsel concerning our communications in the temple. He said: “Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, … from all your pride and light-mindedness” (D&C 88:121).
Just as we leave our worldly thoughts behind as we enter the temple grounds, we should also leave our worldly discussions behind. It is inappropriate to discuss matters of business, pleasure, or current events in the temple.
It is important not only what we speak in the temple, but also the manner in which we speak. We must always speak in soft and subdued tones in all places in the temple. This should be our temple voice.
There should be silence in the sacred ordinance areas of the temple, except for the necessary communications concerning the performance of the ordinances. These ordinance areas are sacred and should not be used for any worldly conversations.
The Savior has given us loving counsel that will assist us in enhancing our temple experience by leaving the world behind: “And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better” (D&C 25:10).
Perhaps the chastening words of the Savior to David Whitmer may be appropriate for us to remember:
“But your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of me, your Maker, … and you have not given heed unto my Spirit. …
“Wherefore, you are left to inquire for yourself” (D&C 30:2–3).
Seek to gain added light and knowledge. Gaining added light and knowledge is not a passive process. It involves focusing on the things of the Spirit and seeking the spiritual lessons to be learned. The Savior counseled: “And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things” (D&C 88:67).
The Spirit of the Holy Ghost is the teacher in the temple. He teaches principles of eternal significance. It is during these instructions that we see the relationship between the earthly and the eternal. We must remember that the Spirit teaches only those who are teachable. If we enter the temple seeking added light and knowledge, we can learn and understand something new during the temple experience. The Savior promised: “That which is of God is light; and he that … continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (D&C 50:24).

Conclusion

May we enhance our temple experience with a spirit of reverence, treating it as a place of purity and a place of holiness. May we enhance our temple experience with a spirit of worship by leaving the world behind and seeking to obtain added light and knowledge. If we do these things, the Lord will bless us and we will become prepared to live in His holy presence. To this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.


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Richard G. Scott, “Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need,” Ensign, May 2009, 43–45

Now I share some additional suggestions of how to gain more benefit from temple attendance.

• • Understand the doctrine related to temple ordinances, especially the significance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.1
  
• • While participating in temple ordinances, consider your relationship to Jesus Christ and His relationship to our Heavenly Father. This simple act will lead to greater understanding of the supernal nature of the temple ordinances.
  
• • Always prayerfully express gratitude for the incomparable blessings that flow from temple ordinances. Live each day so as to give evidence to Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son of how very much those blessings mean to you.
  
• • Schedule regular visits to the temple.
  
• • Leave sufficient time to be unhurried within the temple walls.
  
• • Rotate activities so that you can participate in all of the ordinances of the temple.
  
• • Remove your watch when you enter a house of the Lord.
  
• • Listen carefully to the presentation of each element of the ordinance with an open mind and heart.
  
• • Be mindful of the individual for whom you are performing the vicarious ordinance. At times pray that he or she will recognize the vital importance of the ordinances and be worthy or prepare to be worthy to benefit from them.
  
• • Recognize that much of the majesty of the sealing ordinance cannot be understood and remembered with one live experience. Substantial subsequent vicarious work permits one to understand much more of what is communicated in the live ordinances.
  
• • Realize that a sealing ordinance is not enduring until after it is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Both individuals must be worthy and want the sealing to be eternal.

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Elder Bednar --

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Shortly after I was called to serve as a stake president in 1987, I talked with a good friend who recently had been released as a stake president. During our conversation I asked him what he would teach me about becoming an effective stake president. His answer to my question had a profound impact upon my subsequent service and ministry.
My friend indicated he had been called to serve as a temple worker soon after his release. He then said: “I wish I had been a temple worker before I was a stake president. If I had served in the temple before my call to serve as a stake president, I would have been a very different stake president.”
I was intrigued by his answer and asked him to explain further. He responded: “I believe I was a good stake president. The programs in our stake ran well, and our statistics were above average. But serving in the temple has expanded my vision. If I were called today to serve as a stake president, my primary focus would be on worthiness to receive and honor temple covenants. I would strive to make temple preparation the center of all that we did. I would do a better job of shepherding the Saints to the house of the Lord.”
That brief conversation with my friend helped me as a stake president to teach relentlessly about and testify of the eternal importance of temple ordinances, temple covenants, and temple worship. The deepest desire of our presidency was for every member of the stake to receive the blessings of the temple, to be worthy of and to use frequently a temple recommend.



For many years Sister Bednar and I hosted faithful men and women as devotional speakers at Brigham Young University–Idaho. Many of these speakers were emeritus or released members of the Seventy who had served as temple presidents following their service as General Authorities. As we talked with these stalwart leaders, I always asked this question: “What have you learned as a temple president that you wish you had better understood when you were a General Authority?”
As I listened to their answers, I discovered a consistent theme that I would summarize as follows: “I have come to understand better the protection available through our temple covenants and what it means to make an acceptable offering of temple worship. There is a difference between church-attending, tithe-paying members who occasionally rush into the temple to go through a session and those members who faithfully and consistently worship in the temple.”

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D&C 43

  34 Hearken ye to these words. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the ^aSavior of the world. ^bTreasure these things up in your hearts, and let the ^csolemnities of ^deternity ^erest upon your ^fminds.

Articles to Read

Elder Eyring  http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,538-1-3751-1,00.html


That He May Write Upon Our Hearts
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D. Todd Christofferson, “When Thou Art Converted,” Liahona, May 2004, 11–13
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Henry B. Eyring, “‘Write upon My Heart’,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 85–87

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Lesson 42: "I Will Write It in Their Hearts"

  

Lesson 42: “I Will Write It in Their Hearts”

Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 198

Jeremiah 16; 23; 29; 31

It is vital that we strengthen each other.  And that we individually take on all the strength that we can -- to write His word in our hearts -- that we might stand firmly in the truth. -- after asking in prayer for help to teach my students what the Lord would have them know.
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http://www.ldsces.org/inst_manuals/ot-in-2/manualindex.asp

Jeremiah had the answers to [these questions.] What he needed was someone to truly listen.
Jeremiah chapters 23, 24, 25 
     "You may think of Jeremiah as a harsh man as you read his scorching denunciations of the Jewish people and the lives they were living, but he was not. His motivation, like Mormon’s, was love.
A prophet does not select where and when he serves. God chooses when and to whom a prophet is sent. One may be an Enoch and build Zion, or a David O. McKay and preside over the Church in times of peace and prosperity. Another may be a Mormon or a Jeremiah and try in vain to save a rebellious and backsliding people. Each has his calling. Each has his time. Each has his lesson for you to learn. Look for Jeremiah’s lesson as you study this great prophet."
     Jeremiah, a Levite, came from Anathoth, a town of the priests that lay a few miles northeast of Jerusalem in the tribal territory of Benjamin. He labored in his prophetic calling during the reign of at least four kings of Judah: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.     
     He began his labors as a youth in approximately 627 B.C. and was the leading prophet in Jerusalem, serving with Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Lehi, and others. . . "

Jeremiah 2
In verse 13 the two evils committed by Judah are told in figurative terms: They have forsaken the fountain (Jehovah) of living water (life), and they have hewn out broken cisterns (gods) which can hold no water (life). Then the image is changed, and the Lord states that Israel had partaken of the waters of “Sihor” (the Nile) and of “the river” (v. 18) (the Euphrates). In other words, they drank the spiritual waters of Egypt and Babylon and were filled with the lifeless water of idolatry.

23-10) Jeremiah 3:12–19. A Latter-day Prophecy and Promise

In the midst of condemning Judah for their apostasy, Jeremiah turned to the future when Israel will again become a faithful wife and be reclaimed. The Lord reminded Israel that He is merciful and that all they need do to be reclaimed is to turn back to Him. The Lord’s promises include the following:
• Missionary work and gathering to Zion (see v. 14).
• Knowledge and understanding taught by faithful pastors (church leaders) (see v. 15).
• The fulfillment of the old covenant and the establishment of a new covenant (see v. 16).
• The restoration of Jerusalem to righteousness (see v. 17).
• The gathering of Israel, including the return of the lost tribes from the north and the reuniting of the children of Judah in the lands of their inheritance (see vv. 18–19; see also Isaiah 11:16; 35:8–10; 51:9–11; D&C 133:26–35).

 11:  14 Therefore ^apray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

(23-14) Jeremiah 6:14–15. “Peace, Peace”

Speaking of Jeremiah’s time, one scholar said: “The prophets and priests of the day dressed the nation’s wounds, but skin-deep only. Nor did they have any sense of shame for the loathsome deeds they perpetrated. They neither felt shame nor did they know how to blush. They had become completely insensitive to the evils in which they and their nation were immersed. But continued active involvement in evil has a way of dulling the conscience until a point is reached when all awareness of evil is lost. Thereafter leaders fall with the rest of those who fall. In the day of divine reckoning they too would go down, for it would be the day of their own doom.” (Thompson, Book of Jeremiah, p. 258.)

Jeremiah raised age-old questions: Why do the wicked sometimes prosper while the righteous do not? (see Jeremiah 12:1).

(23-25) Jeremiah 12:5. “How Canst Thou Contend with Horses?”

To Jeremiah’s question about why the wicked prosper, the Lord gave a vivid answer that has helped many to build up their courage. Clarke wrote: “If the smallest evils to which thou art exposed cause thee to make so many bitter complaints, how wilt thou feel when, in the course of thy prophetic ministry, thou shalt be exposed to much greater, from enemies much more powerful? Footmen may here be the symbol of common evil events; horsemen, of evils much more terrible. If thou have sunk under small difficulties, what wilt thou do when great ones come?

Roy Acuff -- Great Speckled Bird
1.What a beautiful thought I am thinking
Concerning a great speckled bird
Remember her name is recorded
On the pages of God's Holy Word.

2. All the other birds are flocking 'round her
And she is despised by the squad
But the great speckled bird in the Bible
Is one with the great church of God.

3. All the other churches are against her
They envy her glory and fame
They hate her because she is chosen
And has not denied Jesus' name.

4. Desiring to lower her standard
They watch every move that she makes
They long to find fault with her teachings
But really they find no mistake.

5. She is spreading her wings for a journey
She's going to leave by and by
When the trumpet shall sound in the morning
She'll rise and go up in the sky.

6. In the presence of all her despisers
With a song never uttered before
She will rise and be gone in a moment
Till the great tribulation is o'er.

7. I am glad I have learned of her meekness
I am proud that my name is on her book
For I want to be one never fearing
The face of my Savior to look.

8. When He cometh descending from heaven
On the cloud that He writes in His Word
I'll be joyfully carried to meet Him
On the wings of that great speckled bird.

Jeremiah 15  As it happened, Jeremiah was not taken into Babylon but went into Egypt and probably died there a few years later. The Lord’s promise, however, was more likely a promise of spiritual deliverance, a promise of an eternal reward for his faithfulness, since Jeremiah was taken into Egypt against his will.

(23-36) Jeremiah 16:13–21. Doom and Delivery

In a general conference address Elder LeGrand Richards commented on these verses:
“Just contemplate that statement [vv. 14–15] for a few moments. Think how the Jews and the Christians all through these past centuries have praised the Lord for his great hand of deliverance under the hands of Moses when he led Israel out of captivity, and yet here comes Jeremiah with this word of the holy prophet, telling us that in the latter days they shall no more remember that, but how God has gathered scattered Israel from the lands whither he had driven them.
“And Jeremiah saw the day when the Lord would do this very thing, when he would call for many fishers and many hunters, ‘and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.’ (Jer. 16:16.) Where do you find those fishers and hunters that we read about in this great prophecy of Jeremiah? They are these 14,000 missionaries of this church, and those who have preceded them from the time that the Prophet Joseph Smith received the truth and sent the messengers out to share it with the world. Thus have they gone out, fishing and hunting, and gathering them from the hills and the mountains, and the holes in the rocks. I think that is more literal than some of us think!” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p. 143; or Ensign, June 1971, pp. 98–99.)


 Jeremiah 17:19-27 Hallow the Sabbath Day -- blessing or cursings

Jeremiah 18:17–23. “Smite Him”

Because of Jeremiah’s boldness, the people entered into a league to punish the prophet. The phrase “let us smite him with the tongue” (v. 18) is better translated “smite him on the tongue.” “Lying and false testimony are punished in the eastern countries . . . by smiting the person on the mouth with a strong piece of leather like the sole of a shoe.” (Clarke, Commentary, 4:303.)

Jeremiah 24 -- those who submitted the first time to be carried away (good figs) were better and better off than those who resisted and would latter be destroyed or taken.  The former would be the seed in which the Lord would preserve his people and from which He would gather and return them to their land (my own words)   They were treated better in Babylon.

Jeremiah 26
14 As for me, behold, I am in your ^ahand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

  15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring ^ainnocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

Mosiah 17

  9 Now Abinadi said unto him: I say unto you, I will ^anot recall the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people, for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands.

  10 Yea, and I will ^asuffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a ^btestimony against you. And if ye slay me ye will shed ^cinnocent blood, and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day. 

Jeremiah 28. Hananiah’s Challenge

 Jeremiah 29 [letter]. . . . exhorting them to yield with submission to the lot God had assigned to them. He counsels them to prepare, by establishing their households there, for a long sojourn in Babel, and to seek the welfare of that country as the necessary condition of their own. They must not let themselves be deceived by the false prophets’ idle promises of a speedy return, since God will not bring them back and fulfil His glorious promises till after seventy years have passed

“Earlier, we mentioned the fact that after the fall of Jerusalem Jeremiah was liberated and permitted to stay in Palestine. As a matter of fact, he was first taken in chains with all the other captured Jews as far as Ramah, a town about five miles north of Jerusalem. Here the Babylonian ‘captain of the guard’ loosed his bonds, ‘gave him an allowance and a present,’ and sent him back to Gedaliah, the new governor of Judah, with instructions permitting him to dwell among the people or to go wherever he chose. (40:1–6)

Jeremiah advised the Jews left in Jerusalem to stay there, to not go to Egypt -- where they would again meet war with Babylon -- but they refused to listen, and took him with them.

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Mormon 6  

17 ^aO ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!

  18 Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I ^amourn your loss.

  19 O ye ^afair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have ^bfallen!

Purpose

To encourage class members to participate in God’s great latter-day work and to have his law written in their hearts.

Michelangelo_Buonarroti_027.j

Preparation 

Questions:  Where are they in chapter 16? 

Hunters, fishers, shepherds

• 1. Prayerfully study Jeremiah 16; 23; 29; and 31.
  
• 2. Additional reading: Jeremiah 3–9; 13; 30; 32:37–42; 33; 35.
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  THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
  JEREMIAH

  CHAPTER 16

  Utter ruin of the Jews foreseen—Israel rejected and scattered for serving false gods—Fishers and hunters shall gather them again, and they shall serve the Lord—Gospel to be restored for last time.

  
  

    1 The word of the Lord came also unto me, saying,

  
  

    2 Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place.

  
  

    3 For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bare them, and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land;

  
  

    4 They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be ^alamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be ^bconsumed by the sword, and by famine; and their ^ccarcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.

  
  

    5 For thus saith the Lord, Enter not into the house of ^amourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even lovingkindness and mercies.

  
  

    6 Both the great and the small shall die in this land: they shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them, ^anor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them:

  
  

    7 Neither shall men ^atear themselves for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother.

  
  

    8 Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink.

  
  

    9 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of ^amirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.

  
  

    10 ¶ And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, ^aWherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?

  
  

    11 Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;

    12 And ye have done ^aworse than your ^bfathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the ^cimagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:

  
  

    13 Therefore will I ^acast you out of this ^bland into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other ^cgods day and night; where I will not ^dshew you favour.

  
  

    14 ¶ Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The ^aLord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

  
  

    15 But, The Lord liveth, that ^abrought up the children of Israel from the land of the ^bnorth, and from all the ^clands whither he had driven them: and I will ^dbring them again into their ^eland that I gave unto their fathers.

  
  

    16 ¶ Behold, I will send for many ^afishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.

  
  

    17 For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their ^ainiquity hid from mine eyes.  [Hunter and fishers in that time were more likely hunting and fishing because they needed to, not just for fun. They were hungry.  It was necessary to their own survival -- salvation-- that they be successful. They cared deeply.]

  
  

    18 And first I will ^arecompense their iniquity and their sin ^bdouble; because they have ^cdefiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.

  
  

    19 O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the ^aGentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have ^binherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.

  
  

    20 Shall a man make ^agods unto himself, and they are no ^bgods?

  
  

    21 Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall ^aknow that my ^bname is The Lord. 

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  THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH President Ezra Taft Benson said, “The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know” (“Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet,” in 1980 Devotional Speeches of the Year [1981], 28)   CHAPTER 23 The remnants of Israel shall be gathered in the last days—King Messiah (the Branch) shall reign in righteousness—False prophets who teach lies shall be cursed.   1 Woe be unto the apastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.   2 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not avisited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.   3 And I will agather the bremnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.   4 And I will set up ashepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord. Of the Savior:    5 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto aDavid a righteous bBranch, and a cKing shall dreign and prosper, and shall execute ejudgment and fjustice in the earth.   6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell asafely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR bRIGHTEOUSNESS.   7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;   8 But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the anorth country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.   9 ¶ Mine aheart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness. [mourning]   10 For the land is full of aadulterers; for because of bswearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.   11 For both aprophet and bpriest are cprofane; yea, in my dhouse have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.   12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their avisitation, saith the Lord.   13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.   14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit aadultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his bwickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.   15 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is aprofaneness gone forth into all the land.   16 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that aprophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a bvision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.   17 They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.   18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?   19 Behold, a awhirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.   20 The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.   21 I have not asent these bprophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.   22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.   23 Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?   24 Can any ahide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I bfill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.   25 I have heard what the prophets said, that aprophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.   26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;   27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.   28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.   29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?   30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.   31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.   32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false adreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.   33 ¶ And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the aburden of the Lord? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord. Burden here means prophecy.   34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will even punish that man and his house.   35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?   36 And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man’s word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the awords of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.   37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?   38 But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord;   39 Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence:   40 And I will bring an everlasting areproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten. How Can You Tell a False Prophet? 1. Read Jeremiah 23:1–2, 9–11, 13–14, 16–27, 29–32 and list what the Lord said false prophets were saying and doing. 2. Choose one item you listed and explain why that action or teaching would make someone a false prophet. 3. Why do you think people follow false prophets? 4. Why is it vital to know and follow a true prophet? How can you discern a false prophet? (see Deuteronomy 18:20–22; D&C 42:11–12; 46:7). The Cure for False Prophets What did the Lord say in Jeremiah 23:3–8 that He would do for those who were led astray by their leaders in Judah?  He would gather them, provide shephers for them,  and provide a Savior for them. -- Seminary Student Manual ____________________________________________ THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH CHAPTER 29 Jeremiah tells Jews in Babylon to prepare for seventy years of captivity—Those remaining in Jerusalem shall yet be scattered—Shemaiah prophesies falsely and is cursed.   1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;   2 (After that aJeconiah the king, and the queen, and the beunuchs, the cprinces of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)   3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,   4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;   5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant agardens, and eat the fruit of them;   6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.   7 And seek the apeace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.   8 ¶ For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your adiviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your bdreams which ye cause to be dreamed.   9 For they aprophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.   10 ¶ For thus saith the Lord, That after aseventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and bperform my good word toward you, in causing you to creturn to this place.   11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected aend. [ Jer. 31: 17.   17 And there is hope ain thine bend, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.]   12 Then shall ye acall upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will bhearken unto you.   13 And ye shall aseek me, and find me, when ye shall bsearch for me with all your cheart.   14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will agather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.   15 ¶ Because ye have said, The Lord hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;   16 Know that thus saith the Lord of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;   17 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so aevil.   18 And I will apersecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be bremoved to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:   19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the Lord.   20 ¶ Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:   21 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;   22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;   23 Because they have committed avillany in Israel, and have committed badultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord.   24 ¶ Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,   25 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,   26 The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.   27 Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of aAnathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?   28 For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.   29 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.   30 ¶ Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,   31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a alie:   32 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the Lord; because he hath taught rebellion against the Lord.

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• THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH CHAPTER 31 In the last days, Israel shall be gathered—Ephraim has the birthright as the firstborn—The Lord will make a new covenant with them, to be inscribed in the heart—Then shall they all know the Lord.   1 At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the afamilies of Israel, and they shall be my people.   2 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.   3 The Lord hath appeared aof old unto me, saying, Yea, I have bloved thee with an everlasting clove: therefore with lovingkindness have I ddrawn thee.   4 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.   5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.   6 For there shall be a day, that the awatchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to bZion unto the Lord our God.   7 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, asave thy people, the remnant of Israel.   8 Behold, I will bring them from the anorth country, and gather them from the bcoasts 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.   9 They shall come with aweeping, 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 bfather to Israel, and cEphraim is my dfirstborn.   10 ¶ Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will agather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.   11 For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and aransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.   12 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 asorrow any more at all.   13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their amourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.   14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my agoodness, saith the Lord.   15 ¶ Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in aRamah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.   16 Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be arewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.   17 And there is hope ain thine bend, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.   18 ¶ I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: aturn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.   19 Surely aafter 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.   20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he aa 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.   21 Set thee up waymarks, make thee ahigh 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.   22 ¶ How long wilt thou go about, O thou abacksliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. a apostate   23 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.   24 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.   25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.   26 Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.   27 ¶ 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.   28 And it shall come to pass, that like as I have awatched over them, to bpluck up, and to cbreak down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I dwatch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord.   29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour agrape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.   30 But every one shall adie for his own biniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.   31 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a anew bcovenant with the house of cIsrael, and with the house of Judah:   32 Not according to the acovenant 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:   33 But this shall be the acovenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my blaw in their inward parts, and write it in their chearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.   34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all aknow me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their biniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.   35 ¶ Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the asun for a light by bday, and the cordinances 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:   36 If those aordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.   37 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.   38 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be abuilt to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.   39 And the measuring aline shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.   40 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 aholy unto the Lord; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.  The Official Scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © 2010 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Rights and use information. Privacy policy.

Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activity

You may want to use the following activity (or one of your own) to begin the lesson.

• • If you could have witnessed or participated in any story or event in the Old Testament, which one would you choose? (You may want to write class members’ responses on the chalkboard.)
  
• • Why would you like to have witnessed or participated in this event?
  
• • What is happening in the Church today that might be comparable to some of the events you have chosen?
  

Explain that although Jeremiah had few messages of hope for the people of his day, he foresaw a time of hope during the latter-day gathering of Israel. This lesson discusses Jeremiah’s prophecies of the great latter-day gathering that we are participating in today.

Scripture Discussion and Application

As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles.

1. Jeremiah foresees the latter-day gathering of Israel.

If the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt is not mentioned in the attention activity, explain that it is one of the most miraculous events in the Old Testament. It is referred to in the book of Jeremiah and in other books of the Old Testament, as well as in the Book of Mormon.

• • How did Moses feel about the importance of the Exodus? (See Deuteronomy 4:32–35.) What do you think it would have been like to have been part of Israel’s exodus from Egypt?
  
• • Many generations later, Jeremiah saw visions of a latter-day event that the Lord said would be as great as the Exodus (Jeremiah 16:14–16; 23:3–8). What event is described in Jeremiah 16:15 and 23:3? (The gathering of Israel and the growth of the Church.) Who are the shepherds spoken of in Jeremiah 23:4? (Priesthood leaders and other Church leaders.) Who is the King spoken of in Jeremiah 23:5–6? (Jesus Christ.) Why do you think these events are as great as the Exodus?
  
• • Elder LeGrand Richards said that the fishers and hunters described in Jeremiah 16:16 are missionaries of the Church (in Conference Report, Apr. 1971, 143; or Ensign, June 1971, 98–99). What do fishers and hunters have in common with missionaries? (See Matthew 4:18–19.) How can we be more effective missionaries?
  

2. God will write his law in the hearts of his people.

• • The children of Israel relied on Moses to receive revelation for them during their sojourn in the wilderness. What great longing did Moses express in Numbers 11:29? (He wanted the people to learn God’s law and learn to listen to the Spirit for themselves.)
  
• • As recorded in Jeremiah 31:31–34, what did the Lord promise to do in the latter days? (See also Ezekiel 11:17–20; 36:24–28; 2 Corinthians 3:2–3.) What does it mean to have God’s law written in our hearts? What must we do to have God’s law written in our hearts?
  
• • How is our behavior affected when we have God’s law written in our hearts? You may want to discuss how this helps us obey specific commandments, such as:
  
  • a. Loving our neighbors.
    
  • b. Honoring our parents.
    
  • c. Being morally clean.
    
  • d. Keeping the Sabbath day holy.
    
  • e. Choosing appropriate movies, television programs, books, and magazines.
    
  • f. Wearing modest clothing.
    
  • g. Selecting suitable music.
    
• • Joseph Smith was once asked how he successfully governed so many people. He said, “I teach the people correct principles and they govern themselves” (quoted by John Taylor, in Journal of Discourses, 10:57–58). How does this statement relate to having God’s law written in our hearts?
  
• • Jeremiah prophesied that 70 years after the people of Judah would be taken captive into Babylon, they would return to their homeland and once again live in harmony with God (Jeremiah 29:10–14; the fulfillment of this prophecy is discussed in lesson 47). According to Jeremiah 29:12–14, what can we do to draw close to God? What do the words call, pray, seek, and search imply about the attitude we should have as we strive to draw near to God? Invite class members to share experiences they have had as they have sought to draw close to God.
  

Conclusion

Bear testimony that we live in a time that Jeremiah and many other prophets have looked forward to with rejoicing. Encourage class members to participate in the gathering of Israel and to have the law of God written in their hearts.

Additional Teaching Ideas

The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.

1. Now is the time to repent

The Lord’s mercy is always extended to those who repent. However, people who postpone repentance may find it increasingly difficult to repent.
President Joseph F. Smith taught: “The man with accumulated and unforgiven wrong behind him may find all retreat cut off and his condition in the world hopeless; and he who recklessly cuts off every opportunity of retreat by the neglected evils of the past is most unfortunate. The daily practice, then, of seeking divine mercy and forgiveness as we go along, gives us power to escape evils” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 374).

• • What do the following passages teach about the importance of hearing the word of the Lord and repenting promptly?
  
  • Jeremiah 5:1–5, 21–25
    
  • Jeremiah 6:10–17
    
  • Jeremiah 7:23–28
    
  • Jeremiah 8:6–12, 20
    
  • Jeremiah 13:11, 23
    
  • Jeremiah 17:23
    

2. Hearkening to the words of the prophets

• • Jeremiah frequently recorded that the people had not hearkened to his words (Jeremiah 7:13; 25:3–4; 26:2–5; 32:33). What words of the latter-day prophets might we need to follow more diligently?
  

3. Repeating the sins of previous generations

• • Jeremiah warned the Jews of his day that the sins they committed were the same sins for which past generations had been severely punished (Jeremiah 11:1–12). Why do you think Jeremiah’s generation would not learn from the sins of their forefathers, especially when the punishment for those sins was so clearly documented? How can we benefit more fully from lessons learned by previous generations of God’s covenant people?
  

4. The importance of trusting in God

• • In Jeremiah 17:5–8, what comparisons are made between people who trust in man and people who trust in God? How have you seen that these comparisons are accurate? How can we demonstrate our trust in God?
  

5. False prophets

• • Zedekiah was a king who wanted prophets to tell him what he wanted to hear. Consequently, many false prophets promised that Jerusalem would not fall (Jeremiah 28:1–4; 37:19). Today many false prophets come “in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15). What evidence is there that false prophets are among us today? What are some of the messages of today’s false prophets? How can we avoid being led astray by false prophets?

_________________________ Supplemental Materials

http://seminary.lds.org/content/languages/english/Seminary%20Materials/Student%20Study%20Guides/Old%20Testament%20Seminary%20Student%20Study%20Guide~eng.pdf


http://biblestudy.pppst.com/jeremiah.html

"Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem" by Rembrandt van Rijn.