GOSPEL
DOCTRINE LESSON
Supplements for
LDS Sunday School Courses for the Book of Mormon
(Including
Information for
Preparing Gospel Doctrine Lessons in Hebrew)
by Daniel Rona
Lesson Number 35
"Repent and Return unto the Lord" (Helaman 13-16)
The lesson precedes the coming of the Lord. It is timely because the second coming of the Lord is imminent. Once again, looking for parallels to nowadays is very valuable. There is a sect of Orthodox Jews that posts banners all over Israel and in some sections of New York where the Hassidic group once led by Rabbi Lubavitch live. The banners read, "Prepare For The Imminent Arrival of The Messiah!" The previous campaign read, "We Want The Messiah, Now!"
In anticipation of the coming of the Messiah, Samuel the Lamanite came from the part of the people not usually considered religious. He was an anomaly among the Nephites as well as the Lamanites. Genetically, he was one of them as a common descendant from the tribes of Israel. Nowadays, the living prophet is a descendant from the tribes of Israel. He is somewhat an anomaly among the non-Jews as well as the Jews. In somewhat of a reflection, the modern prophet comes from the "Gentiles" causing a reaction among some of the Jews who look at him with about the same unbelief as the Nephites looked at Samuel the Lamanite and the air is crisp with anticipation of the coming of the Messiah
The thought or question that occurred to me as I read about Zarahemla was, can it be compared to the great city of Jerusalem? How many similar experiences have they or will they experience in common? As we read of the last days, not only will Israel experience a holocaust in which a third of the population will perish. However, two third of Jerusalem's population will die at the same time.
The sign of three days and three nights has been used numerous times throughout scriptural history. Most of the three says and three nights have something to do with being saved or pointing out the contrast of the health or well being of someone.
A few examples include the following.
"And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings." (Exodus 10:22)
"And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way." (Joshua 2:16)
"Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." (Jonah 1:17)
"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40)
"And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days." (Matthew 26:61)
"And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel." (1 Nephi 19:10)
"And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul." (Alma 36:16)
"And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul." (Alma 38:8)
Although I have mentioned it before, let me repeat the reaction of one of my instructors at the Hebrew University. When Dr. David Pflueser was asked if he believed in Jesus as the Messiah, he said with a smile, "When he comes, I will ask him, Sir, is this your first or second visit to Israel?" That might be a little late in terms of preparation, yet it showed some sort of an open heart.