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LESSON #1: THE STANDARD OF TRUTH (3 NEPHI 16, 20, 21)
ICEBREAKER/OBJECT LESSON
This first icebreaker is going to take just a little bit of prep work to set up. What you need is 100 pennies. You can put them in a jar or a plastic container or just leave them in a pile at the front of the classroom. For fun you might ask them to make a guess as to how many pennies are in the pile and give a reward to whoever gets the closest. But then, ask them to open their scriptures to 3 Nephi 26:6 to discover how much of what Jesus taught to the Nephites is actually included in the Book of Mormon. We don’t have the full account of what was taught by the Savior during those days he visited them. And there we discover that, if we take Mormon literally, not even a hundredth part. And at that point, as a teacher, reach into the jar and pull out one penny. Of all that Jesus taught, this is about how much we actually have recorded. Just think of all the other wonderful things Jesus must have revealed to them that we don’t have in the Book of Mormon. Now, take a quick look at verse 9 in that same chapter.
9 And when they shall have received this, (the teachings of Jesus that we do have here in the Book of Mormon) which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.
So Mormon tells us that some of those greater things that Jesus taught would be made manifest in the future. And I imagine that we have a lot of those things in the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price and in the collective revelations of our modern prophets. But in the Book of Mormon, what we have is 100th part. Now, with that in mind, what does that tell us about what Mormon DID decide to include then? What does that suggest about these 20 chapters that we do have of Jesus’s teachings? In my opinion, that suggests to me that what is there, must be the most important things that he felt WE should know in the Latter-days since the Book of Mormon was written specifically for us. It gives emphasis to what he did decide to include.
And that’s why I find it very fascinating that there is a message in these chapters that is repeated three separate times. We find basically the same subject matter in chapter 16, 20, and 21. Does that surprise you? Of all the things he could have included in that hundredth part, he chose to emphasize THIS particular message even more. Three times! What is that message?
SEARCH-HANDOUT
Well, Oh, I wish that I could just walk you through each of these chapters verse by verse and just really dig deep into all of the historical and cultural background and Old Testament symbolism that fills these chapters. But you won’t have time to do that as a teacher. That’s an experience better suited for a personal study of this section. As a teacher though, your job is to synthesize and simplify the message so that your students will be better prepared to understand and deepen their comprehension of what’s taught here. So, the way I approach these chapters is to break it down and summarize it’s major points into 6 simple words. If you know these 6 words, you’ll understand the basic message of 3 Nephi 16, 20, and 21, and I’m going to help you to discover them. Here’s a brief fill-in-the-blank activity that will help us to do that. It comes in the form of a handout. And for fun, especially if you’re teaching youth, I like to have them do this quick word activity first to get them in the right frame of mind. The key is to fill in the blank with a word that rhymes with the other and solves the clue. So for example, If the clue is “a headache” and the given word is BRAIN, what word could you put in the blank that rhymes with brain that would describe the clue? A headache is a BRAIN PAIN. Now see if you can do these others.
And here are the answers.
A band aid is a SCRATCH PATCH
A joust would be a KNIGHT FIGHT
Gardening would be SOIL TOIL
An Electrocardiogram would be a HEART CHART
And a Realtor’s job would be DWELLING SELLING
Chewbacca’s Favorite Dessert would be a WOOKIE COOKIE
So, that’s just for fun. But now to the important blanks to fill in. Here are the phrases with the missing key words. Look up each of the suggested references and in each you are going to find the word that fills in that blank and completes the message. It’s important to note that this message is taught in different orders and with different details and emphasis in the actual chapters, but this activity will at least give your students a basic understanding of what’s taught here. Now when they discover the word, I would encourage them to mark it in each of those verses so that the meaning really stands out. And I know that I usually display the scripture markings with my visuals that actually look like the pages of the scriptures. But since our main focus today is to compare these different verses in the various chapters, I’m going to display them all together on one screen. I hope that’s ok with you. But here we go.
In the last days, the Lord will restore the FULLNESS of his Gospel. (16:7,16:10, 16:12, 20:28, 21:6 TRUE POINTS OF MY DOCTRINE,
He will then GATHER his people from the 4 quarters of the earth. (16:5, 20:13, 20:18, 21:1, 21:24, 21:28)
He will give them a LAND for their inheritance. (America) (16:16, 20:14, 20:29, 20:33, 21:4, 21:22, 21:28)
Anyone that accepts the fullness will be NUMBERED among his people. (16:3, 16:13, 21:6, 21:22
Together they will build ZION. (16:18, 20:22? NEW JERUSALEM, 21:1, 21:23 NJ, 21:24 NJ)
Any that oppose this work will be TREAD down like a LION among sheep. (6:14?, 6:15?, 20:16, 21:12)
The first word. In the last days, the Lord will restore the FULLNESS of his gospel. This is a promise that the Lord has made to many prophets of the past. Yes. There would be a general apostasy on the earth, but one day, he would bring about a restoration of his truth and his church. Portions and parts of his gospel would be lost through the ages. But a renewed “fulness” would come forth at a future time. That restoration, of course, began in the year 1820 when a young boy decided to seek wisdom in a grove of trees. In chapter 21:6. Instead of speaking about the fullness of his gospel, he uses a synonymous phrase for the restoration here. Can you find it? He talks about bringing them to the knowledge of the "true points of my doctrine”. That’s the restoration. That’s what the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants teach us. That’s what’s been revealed line upon line, precept upon precept throughout the history of the church up to the modern day. The true points of his doctrine. We have been blessed in the latter days with the fullness of his gospel.
Now with the restoration of that fullness, what’s the next step? Our next phrase. He will then GATHER his people from the four quarters of the earth. That is the major work of the latter-days. The gathering of Israel. In his first big talk to the youth of the church, what was the gospel subject that President Nelson emphasized? The gathering of Israel and the youth’s role in accomplishing it. Calling them to be a part of the great youth battalion. Most of what we do in this church is focused on that gathering. We gather by doing missionary work, we gather by perfecting the Saints, we gather by redeeming the dead through temple work. President Nelson said:
Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that” (Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel,” worldwide devotional for youth, June 3, 2018, churchofjesuschrist.org/broadcasts).
Our calling, our mission, our duty, then, is to gather. There’s another synonym word we could throw in here to add to the idea of gathering. It appears 11 times in chapter 21. The word is work. The gathering if Israel is a great work for us to accomplish. What kind of work is it though? Back breaking work, mind numbing work, busy work. No, verse 9 calls it a great and marvelous work. If you’ve ever sincerely taken part in any aspect of the gathering Israel, you probably know what he’s talking about. It is great. It is marvelous.
What’s our next word? For this work of gathering, He will give them a LAND for their inheritance. What is the land being talked about here? America—at least to provide them with a starting point for the gathering. We know from the Doctrine and Covenants that God played the decisive role in the creation of the United States. Why? Because the United States is better, more favored by God than other countries? No, that’s not it. It’s so that there could be a land where a freedom of religion would allow for the restored church to be established and eventually flourish. There really wasn’t any other area in the world at that time where the restoration could have been established without being squashed by authoritarian governments, monarchies, or dominant religions. If you want more detail on that idea and that process you could watch my video for 1 Nephi 11-15 where an angel explains all of that very clearly to Nephi. Maybe you recall that lesson from earlier this year. This is the vision where the angel shows Nephi different specific scenes from American history leading up to the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in the last days.
Our next word, the Gentiles, or anyone who accepts the fullness will be NUMBERED among his people. The gospel is for everyone. Nobody is excluded. Remember that Jesus is a one-by-one kind of deity. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise us that he numbers his people. Nobody escapes his attention. So as we endeavor to gather Israel, if they accept, they will be numbered. Every year in general conference, the church statistical report is read. It’s a powerful reminder that we, as a church, literally number and record every individual who has made a covenant to follow Christ. Records are important to the church and anyone who wishes to be a part of his church will be accepted and numbered among his people. So who do we seek to include in our missionary efforts on both sides of the veil. All peoples, all nations, all cultures, “all are alike unto God”. We gather, and we number.
Next. Together, they will build what? ZION. The city of the Saints. In early church history, Zion was seen as more of an actual physical location. Kirtland Ohio, Independence Missouri, Nauvoo Illinois, and Salt Lake City Utah were all seen and referred to as Zion—a central gathering place for the Saints. My ancestors, from Denmark, and Italy, and England, after being converted by missionaries all made the harrowing journey across the ocean and the American continent to gather to Zion. And there is another title for Zion that you could mark in these verses. What’s that name? The New Jerusalem. Now our understanding and definition of what constitutes Zion, or the New Jerusalem has evolved and expanded over the years. When the Church was new and small, there was safety and strength in gathering physically together in one. Now, times have changed. We don’t need that physical closeness to survive and thrive. Advances in communication and travel make it less necessary for all of us to be bodily together. Now we define Zion by its stakes. Wherever we have a stake or district or ward or branch, that’s Zion. And Zion has now been established in countries all over the world as more of an idea than a central location. Which is important, because that way we are able to spread our influence and example all over the world. Therefore, every time we attend a church meeting, every time we fulfill our callings, every time we minister, every time we pay our tithing or do family history work, every time we set a good example to our neighbors, and coworkers, and communities, we are building Zion.
Now the last word. We know what will happen to those who respond positively to the fullness of the gospel, who allow themselves to be gathered to this land. They are numbered and called to help build up Zion. But what about those who reject the fullness, or who oppose it? What will be their fate? Our last phrase. Any that seek to oppose this work will be TREAD down like a LION among sheep. Now what on earth could that mean? Sounds a little violent doesn’t it. I really don't think it means that church members are encouraged to engage in acts of retaliation against those that refuse to accept the fullness or that oppose it. Rather, let me suggest a few possible interpretations. It could be a message to those who will attempt to stop the growth and progress of the church. Trying to do that is like trying to stop a lion amidst a flock of sheep. The lion is just going to tear right through them. They don’t even stand a chance. Another image is used in 20:18-19 where a man gathers sheaves together and a bull comes in with brass hooves and stomps on them, separating the wheat from the chaff. There are other images that suggest the same idea in other places in the scriptures. You’re probably familiar with the one introduced in the book of Daniel where we hear King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the little stone cut out of the mountain without hands that rolls forth, gaining size and momentum until it breaks in pieces all the kingdoms of the world and fills the whole earth. Doctrine and Covenants 65 refers to that same dream in reference to the latter-day Church of Christ. I love the image that God gives to Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants 121:33 where he says:
33 How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.
It’s all the same message. And that message is: You can’t stop the church from growing. It’s like trying to stop a lion with sheep, like trying to stop a bull from separating wheat as he treads the sheaving floor, like trying to stop a giant rolling stone with a flimsy statue. Like trying to stop a giant river with your puny arm. It’s just not going to work. If you try to stop the rolling stone you’re going to be crushed by it. If you try to fight the lion as a flock of sheep, you’re going to be tread down by it. You can’t stop it.
A little personal story that drove this point home for me. I remember on my mission in Brazil the time that the most popular news program in the country did a report entitled “The Mormons of Utah”. Unfortunately, the program wasn’t even about the church. It was about the fundamentalists down in Southern Utah with all the reports of abuse and scandal. But they never differentiated between that and the actual Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And I’ll never forget talking to one of the stalwart members of the church in the area. He was so distraught. He said, “This is going to destroy the church in Brazil.” Well, did that news report destroy the church in Brazil? I’m happy to tell you that no, it didn’t. In fact, that very week two new families were baptized into the ward. There wasn’t even a blip in the growth of the church. The lion was not deterred, the stone was not stopped. Protesters at General Conference, Anti-church websites and books, social crusaders, and apostate groups have never succeeded in stopping the growth of the church. Brigham Young once said that when people kick the church, they only succeed in kicking it upstairs.
Now if those images of the lion or the stomping bull still bother you a bit. Let’s soften that a little by showing you some other places in the scriptures where the Saints are compared to these animals. It’s not always necessarily a confrontational comparison. Isaiah compares Latter-day missionaries to young lions in Isaiah 5:29, but listen to how he describes what the lions do with their prey:
29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.
They carry it away safe—not allowing anybody else to come and take them away.
As for the bull with brass hooves, another Old Testament prophecy found in Deuteronomy 33:17
17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns (that’s a bad translation by the way, that would be referring to desert goats or ibex’s): with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
This is just one place in the scriptures where members of the church are compared to animals with horns. And with those horns they push things. An animals horns are its tools. And here they are using them to push people together. Those horns and hooves are used as tools for gathering. The Doctrine and Covenants refers to this idea in Doctrine and Covenants 58:45 where the Lord is speaking to the Elders of Israel
45 For, behold, they shall push the people together from the ends of the earth.
Also, consider the symbolism of the baptismal font found in our temples. What animal bears up the weight of the font itself? Twelve oxen. Animals with horns and hooves. And they carry the responsibility for that work on their backs, they shoulder that duty, facing out in all directions to bring salvation to all, living and dead.
Do you see how those images can be interpreted?
And then, we get yet another image for the church’s growth in 3 Nephi 22:2-3. A tent. Jesus quoting Isaiah again.
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes;
3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left, and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
So here, the church is spreading across the earth like a giant tent. I’m a backpacker, so I know that the more stakes you drive down, the stronger your tent is going to be. Maybe you've wondered why we call them the “stakes" of the church or we go to a “stake center” for “stake” conference. When those that aren’t members here us use that language, it probably confuses them a bit. The steak center? Oh, should I bring my knife and A1 sauce with me? But that’s not why we call them that. Stake, S-T-A-K-E, not S-T-E-A-K. And it’s because of this prophecy right here. So many people are going to join the church that they will begin to break forth out of its tent to the left and to the right. The curtains will have to be stretched, the cords lengthened, and the stakes strengthened.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Are we beginning to understand why Mormon decided to emphasize this particular message for US in the Book of Mormon? He felt we really needed to understand it. And why? Why do you feel this six-phrased message is so key for you and me?
I think it’s because it describes OUR great part to play in the unfolding story of God’s work and glory amongst his children. WE have been called and chosen to gather as many of God’s children as possible to his Church before the Second Coming of Christ. Not because we’re better than anyone else, but because we’re needed. I like the way my cousin Jared Halvorsen puts it, “exclusivity, in the pursuit of inclusivity.” We’re trying to bring together into the great tent of Christ’s church all that will listen, all that will respond. It is the great work of the latter-days. President Nelson obviously gets it and has emphasized this message himself.
OBJECT LESSON
Now if you have time as a teacher, and you wish to further accentuate and hopefully inspire with this idea, I love the story that Wilford Woodruff shares about a special priesthood meeting held in a little 14 by 14-foot log schoolhouse in Kirtland. And perhaps with this, an object lesson recommendation. I will often measure out a 14 by 14-foot square in my classroom and mark it with masking tape so that they can visualize that space. I tell them this story took place in a building that size, and at the time, could fit all of the priesthood holders of the church. Compare that to a modern-day priesthood session held in the massive conference center that, even with its immense size can only hold a small fraction of the worldwide priesthood body. Here’s what Wilford Woodruff describes what happened there in that log structure:
"On Sunday night the Prophet called on all who held the priesthood to gather into the little log schoolhouse they had there. It was a small house, perhaps 14 feet square. But it held the whole of the priesthood of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who were then in the town of Kirtland, and who had gathered together to go off in Zion's camp. That was the first time I ever saw Oliver Cowdery, or heard him speak; the first time I ever saw Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, and the two Pratts, and Orson Hyde and many others. There were no apostles in the Church then except Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. When we got together the Prophet called upon the elders of Israel with him to bear testimony of this work. Those that I have named spoke, and a good many that I have not named, bore their testimonies. When they got through the Prophet said: "Brethren I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here tonight, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of the Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother's lap. You don't comprehend it." I was rather surprised. He said: "It is only a little handful of priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church . . .[will fill the Rocky Mountains] . . . It will fill North and South America-it will fill the world."
Wilford Woodruff, Conference Report, p 57, April 8, 1898
Now, what an incredibly bold statement for Joseph to make under those circumstances. When the church was so small, to make a prophecy of global proportions is really quite something. Some might even say presumptuous. But he turned out to be prophetic, didn’t he. And you know what I would really like to know? I would like to know what he saw that night. What was the vision Joseph had of the church that night. Obviously it extended far beyond those circumstances. Did he see our day? Was that what he was looking at? I wonder what would happen if Joseph came to my ward this Sunday and we held a testimony meeting. Maybe we would get up and testify of how amazing the progress of the church has been since his day. Maybe we would triumphantly testify of a conference center filled with priesthood holders, or 17 million members, or 335 announced or dedicated temples, or 67,000 full-time missionaries, or the fact that we have congregations in 160 different countries worldwide. Now I’m not sure, but I just wonder if Joseph would then walk up to the pulpit and say, “Brethren and Sisters, I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here today, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of the Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother's lap. You don't comprehend it. This church will fill the world.” What did he see that night? Maybe far beyond what we can even fathom now. Did he see 50 million members? 500,000 missionaries? 1,000 temples? Congregations in every single country on the planet? I don’t know, but I imagine we would be very surprised if we could tap into that same vision on that night in a little 14 by 14-foot log schoolhouse in the obscure town of Kirtland Ohio in 1834.
TRUTH
For our truth slide then, I would just reiterate our six-phrase summary of these chapters.
In the last days, the Lord will restore the FULLNESS of his Gospel.
He will then GATHER his people from the four quarters of the earth.
And give them a LAND for their inheritance.
Anyone that accepts the fullness will be NUMBERED among his people.
Together they will build ZION, the New Jerusalem.
And any that seek to oppose this work will be TREAD down like a lion among sheep.
TAKING IT TO HEART
What are some of the most exciting Church milestones you’ve witnessed as a member of the church in your lifetime?
What gathering experiences have you enjoyed in your life?
I WILL GO AND DO
As we’ve studied today, have you felt inspired by the Spirit to do anything because of what you’ve learned?
THE TAKEAWAY
To conclude this portion of this week’s lesson, a well-known but stirring quote form Joseph Smith:
“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
― Joseph Smith Jr. (History of the Church, 4:540.)
Brothers and sisters, do you feel the power and the momentum of the message of these chapters? Do you understand why Mormon would include this three times in this hundredth part of what Jesus taught? Yes, we may live in a very difficult and challenging time to be disciples of Christ, but wow, we are so fortunate too. It is an amazing time to be alive. We have a work to do. A great and marvelous work. We get the privilege of participating in the great gathering of God! To gather God’s children far and wide, male and female, living and dead and together, build up Zion in preparation for the coming of Christ. So every missionary effort, every temple visit, every ministering endeavor, every seed of influence that we plant through our example makes up part of this great work. May we all rise to the occasion, follow the lead of our great prophet/president who is so single-mindedly dedicated to this mission, and thrust in our sickles with our might, until the great Jehovah shall say, the work is done.
LESSON #2 THE HERITAGE OF THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD (3 Nephi 22)
Well, speaking of opposition to the church and opposition in general, 3 Nephi 22 is a beautiful message of comfort to all of the Lord's servants. It’s from Isaiah. Isaiah 54 to be exact. And in verse 17 he says that this chapter represents the heritage of the servants of the Lord. So for any that struggle, that are bowed down by the burdens of life, that find themselves discouraged by the opposition they face, 3 Nephi 22 is like a healing balm for the troubled. I like to leave this chapter very open ended with my students and ask one simple question. What is your favorite message of comfort from this chapter and why? Give them time to read it, and then let them share. Some of my personal favorites:
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.
10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
What a comforting message for parents there.
And then:
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall revile against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.
I believe that if you allow your students time to study and ponder this chapter, I’m confident that it will lead to a meaningful and personal discussion of God’s comforting nature.
VIDEO
And there’s a very powerful piece of music written by Rob Gardner, a composer and member of the Church, that takes a number of the verses of this chapter and sets them to music. It’s really beautiful, it’s really well done, and could make for a poignant moment of self-reflection in a gospel class. It’s entitled, “My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee”. I’ll include a link in the video description below that will take you to a video where you can listen to this piece of music. I hope you enjoy it.
LESSON #3 THE GREATEST DEAL EVER (3 Nephi 24)
OBJECT
Moving on, for an object, I like to bring in a bucket of 10 oranges and then a glass of orange juice. But you could bring in 10 of any fruit or juice that you desire. But I wouldn’t display those objects just yet.
ICEBREAKER
Then for an icebreaker, I like to start this next section with the following quote and challenge. It was something said by President Joseph F. Smith. He said “By this principle the loyalty of the people of this Church shall be put to the test. By this principle it shall be known who is for the kingdom of God and who is against it. By this principle it shall be seen whose hearts are set on doing the will of God and keeping his commandments, thereby sanctifying the land of Zion unto God, and who are opposed to this principle and have cut themselves off from the blessings of Zion. There is a great deal of importance connected with this principle, for by it, it shall be known whether we are faithful or unfaithful.
Joseph F. Smith, "Gospel Doctrine, 225"
Here’s my question. What is the principle that he’s talking about here? Is it temple attendance? Scripture study? Honesty? Humility? No. If you need a hint, you could go to 3 Nephi 24:8 and what’s the principle? Tithing. Tithing is the principle President Smith is referring to. And I would call this principle a litmus test commandment, because I don’t think that it’s the most important commandment that we can keep, but, like Joseph F. Smith says, I think it’s a really good indicator of those who are really for the building up of Zion, and those who may only be partially committed. I call it “The Great Separator”. In 3 Nephi 24, Jesus quotes Malachi chapter 3 almost word for word, and Malachi had some very important things to say about tithing. I think it’s significant that Joseph F. Smith said that this principle would be a separating one, because that’s exactly the same perspective that Malachi takes. Malachi begins by speaking of the Second Coming, and he asks a question in verse 2-3.
2 But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap.
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
So the initial question Malachi is posing here, who is going to survive the second coming? Who will abide it? Because when he comes, only the pure will remain. The Second Coming will separate and purge the silver and the gold from the dross. Tithing, apparently, is a part of that separating, purging process.
That truth is clearly taught in Doctrine and Covenants 64:23
23 Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.
Because of this verse, I’ve heard some jokingly refer to tithing as fire insurance. And though I do think it provides us with spiritual protection, I feel that tithing is so much more than that. It’s not something we do because we fear some future painful calamity. In fact, I often refer to tithing as the Greatest Deal ever offered man.
SEARCH
To begin. A question. What does Malachi compare not paying your tithing to in 3 Nephi 24:8-9?
There it says:
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say: Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
So not paying your tithing is like robbing God. Now I can imagine somebody taking offense at that and saying “Hey now, If I don’t pay my tithing, you could accuse me of not being supportive or that I’m unwilling to sacrifice, but robbing God? How is that robbing him? That’s my money, from my paycheck, that I earned, so I’m not robbing anybody.” How would you answer somebody that said that?
The answer is in Doctrine and Covenants 104:14-15.
14 I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine.
15 And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine.
So the answer to that argument is that all things really do belong to God. This is a critical starting point for our discussion on tithing, because if we don’t believe this truth, none of the rest of the points are going to work for us. This is the foundational principle. All things come from God, all things were created by God, all things belong to God. So I would say to that person that was arguing with this principle. Who blessed you with a healthy body that makes it possible for you to work? Who sent you to the type of situation in life where you could get an education which made it possible for you to get your job? Who blessed you with your mind that allows you to work the way you do and earn what you do? Or King Benjamin’s suggestion: Who gave you your life, and is lending you breath from day to day and moment to moment? Who created the world and its abundance? (Mosiah 2:21) Really, when it comes down to it. All things are God’s. He’s just allowing us to use them and be stewards of them. Now until you come to that realization, paying your tithing will always be difficult. And you can see why right? If I look at it as God’s money, he is only asking for 10% of what is his, and he is graciously offering you 90% of what’s his. If I look at my paycheck as his, then I can easily say: “Oh, you want 10% of your money, well, sure, I can give you what’s already yours. And I can hold on to 90%. Wow! That’s very gracious of you.
Sometimes for fun, to make this point, I ask if anybody has any cash on them. Usually someone does. And I ask if I can see it. They give it to me and then I turn to another person in the class and hand them the money and say: Here, here you go. It’s yours. And then I say: See, look how easy that ways to give away somebody else’s money. That wasn’t hard for me at all. I can give away your money all day long and it doesn’t affect me. But if it’s my money. Well, that’s a bit harder to do. So start there. All things are God’s, and all he asks is 10% of what’s already his.
Now back to 3 Nephi 24. In verse 10, Malachi is going to tell us what God uses that 10% for. I mean, do we send that money to God, put it in a rocket ship and send it off to Kolob? No, what’s God going to do with money. Is there some big money bin in Salt Lake where they just hold onto it until the millennium and God can collect his due? No. What does the beginning of verse 10 tell us the purpose of tithing is?
It’s so that “there may be meat in my house”. What does that mean? It’s so that God can have a way to run and maintain his house, or his church. in a temporal world, even the church has temporal needs. So what is tithing money used for? To maintain the church. To build chapels and temples, and then continuously maintain those buildings. To pay the electric bills, and the heating and cooling systems, and landscaping to keep the grounds beautiful and conducive to the Spirit. To print hymnbooks and lesson materials. To provide religious education to the youth. To run church programs. To make it possible for my kids to go and build their faith at an FSY every other year. And then I like to ask this. We say we are paying tithing to God, but really, who uses the churches and temples? Who uses the hymnbooks and lesson manuals. Who benefits from religious education and other church programs? We do! God doesn’t take those things for himself. He gives it right back! Just in a different form. This is looking like a pretty amazing deal, isn’t it!
And I love how it says in verse 10 the phrase “Prove me, now herewith”. In other words. Put ME to the test. We thought tithing was OUR test, but really it’s a test of God. And he’s saying, “Put me to the test! Just see if I bless you. Am I God that keeps his promises? Test me. See what happens.”
And then, the deal doesn’t stop there. It gets better! Then he says, “You know what. Since you are so willing to sacrifice and give up 10% of what actually belongs to me, I’m going to bless you for that. I’m going to give back more than you gave. Now I ask my students to look for all the blessings God promises to those who will offer their tithes in verses 10-12. I see at least four.
He will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. I love that imagery. I picture that above everyone’s home there is a horizontal window directly above it. And when we offer our tithing, God calls out to the angels, “Open the windows of heaven for the Jones family!” And the angels pull the lever, and, whoosh the windows drop open and out pours the blessings. And you’re like. “AHHHH, I’m drowning in blessings!” There will not be room enough to receive it. Now that can mean temporal blessings and prosperity, but I don’t really think that’s the spirit of it. When most of us hear the word “blessings”, I think our minds immediately go to temporal blessings. I’m so blessed, because I have a home, and a job, and food to eat, and clothing to wear. But, I think that’s a pretty limited view of blessings. More importantly, blessings include truth, personal guidance and revelation, happiness, gospel knowledge, comfort, confidence, protection from evil, weaknesses turning into strengths, and on and on, these are the real and most important blessings of life. Gordon B. Hinckley once said: "I do not say that if you pay an honest tithing you will realize your dream of a fine house, a Rolls Royce, and a condominium in Hawaii. The Lord will open the windows of heaven according to our need, and not according to our greed. If we are paying tithing to get rich, we are doing it for the wrong reasons.” (Ensign, December 1989, First Presidency Message) I believe that faithful paying of our tithing will provide us with temporal blessings, but more importantly, it will increase in spiritual blessings. They will be poured out upon us.
A second blessing in verse 11. I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes. In this case, I don’t believe the devourer is Satan. Ok. I think it’s another power. If you read the rest of the verse I think there’s a clue. He shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the fields. I think the devourer, is time. Time will not devour your goods. He will rebuke it. Not destroy it. I think God will still work within the realm of reasonable reality. But I think it could mean that things will last longer for you. You will get more use out of them. Your clothing, your investments, your material possessions. I had an Uncle who owned a truck that he used for his business. He put 400,000 miles on it without any major repairs needing to be done. Other than routine maintenance costs, that truck just lasted and lasted and lasted. God rebuked the devourer of time. He called it his tithing truck, because he sincerely believed that God was blessing him in that way because of his commitment to tithing. My parents washer and dryer lasted for 25 years before it needed to be replaced. They attributed that blessing to tithing. I have seen that in my life too. We have things that have lasted well beyond what was expected. Now I’m not suggesting that if you pay your tithing, you won’t ever have repairs or unforeseen costs or financial issues in your life. I just believe that those kinds of things will be less, will be fewer, if you faithfully make that sacrifice. The devourer will rebuked or held back for your benefit. We may not even realize the blessings that we’re being given because we just can’t know what would have happened otherwise. What accidents didn’t happen, what things didn’t break down, what pitfalls were avoided. I think it would be cool to someday have revealed to us these “invisible blessings”. To understand and know what would have happened had we not made the sacrifice.
In verse 12, all nations shall call you blessed. We’ll stand out. Our commitment will be recognized and admired by others. Who knows, people from outside the church may say “Wow, look at those members of the Church of Jesus Christ. Did you know they pay 10% of everything they make to their church? Now that’s dedication. Maybe there’s something to them and their gospel”. Perhaps it becomes a great missionary tool.
And finally, “Ye shall be a delightsome land” . Another blessing for tithing. Happiness. God will give you a more delightsome life. Not a trouble free one, but a happy one. I believe this is true. And I feel that the paying of tithing has been key in giving me what I consider to be a delightsome life.
OBJECT LESSON
Well, I hope that these verses have brought you to the conclusion that I’ve come to about tithing. That it is actually the greatest deal that you have ever been offered in life. When you look at it this way, it’s hard to even consider tithing to be a sacrifice. While teaching , If you feel your class is still not quite grasping these concepts, you could try this little object lesson that I’ve used to great effect. Or you could do the object lesson piece by piece as you read through the preceding verses and principles we just covered. But what I do is I go out and buy 10 oranges and place them in a bucket. I tell my class to imagine the following scenario. You’re walking down the street and a friend walks up to you and says, hey, I want to make a deal with you. And you say, OK, what is it? I have this bucket of 10 oranges, and I want to know if you want them. You say sure, but what’s the catch? And your friend says, well, I’ll give them to you, BUT, (and you’re like, oh, here it comes) I only ask that you give one of them back to me. And you look questioningly at them and say. You mean, I can have the other 9 and you just want me to give 1 back? And they say, yep, that’s it. Deal, or no deal. And you say: OK, deal. They hand you the bucket, and you pluck one of them out and say, “Here you go.” Now that’s our first tithing principle right. All things are God's, and he blesses us with all of that, because all things are his, and all he asks is for 10%. But as you are going to walk away, your friend stops you and says, hang on, (and now your like, oh yeah, now comes the catch). And he runs around the corner, and with that orange that you gave him, he peels and juices it and comes back with a giant glass of orange juice and says, I want you to have this with the orange you gave me, and he hands you the orange juice. See, that’s our second principle of tithing. He gives it right back to us, but in a different form, the blessings of his church. Now you’re about to walk away with your bucket of 9 oranges in one hand, and your glass of orange juice in the other, when he stops you again and says “hang on, one more thing. I’m so impressed that you would be willing to make that kind of deal with me. I’m so grateful for sacrifice in giving up the one orange, you know I’d like to do for you? And he whistles, and you hear a truck backing up. Beep, beep, beep, and PSSSHHHH, the bed of the truck starts to lift and out pours a giant pile of more oranges, burying you in them. So much that you don’t have room enough to receive them. You look at your friend who has a giant smile on his face and says, “pleasure doing business with you” and he turns and walks away. If that kind of thing happened to you, wouldn’t you say that that was a pretty good deal? Yeah. The greatest kind of deal you’ve probably ever made. That’s tithing right. He will pour out the blessings of heaven from his windows when we are willing to make that special offering.
TRUTH
If I pay my tithing, the Lord will pour out temporal and spiritual blessing upon me.
TAKING IT TO HEART
Which of the four blessings have you seen come into your life through tithing?
HANDOUT
An additional activity that I’ve found effective when teaching the principle of tithing is to invite your students to write a response. You could do it as a handout and invite them to fill in a few sentences with how they would respond if a friend said the following them, “Tithing is ridiculous, the Church asks way too much of us!” What would they say to help that friend to understand the purpose of this law.
THE TAKEAWAY
I feel greatly indebted to the law of tithing. I am so convinced of its power in my life that I wouldn’t dare stop making that offering. I don’t think I could afford it. And, you know, I don’t have any of those amazing stories where I had to choose between paying my bills or paying my tithing, and then I paid it, and a check out of nowhere appeared. Those kinds of things do happen at times and are wonderful manifestations of these principles. But here’s my experience with tithing. As I’ve made that offering throughout my life, I have never known a day of want in my life. God has blessed me immeasurably. Spiritually and temporally. Spiritually more than temporally, but certainly the windows of heaven have poured out their abundance upon me and my family. I believe that the Lord will do the same for you through a commitment to this greatest of all deals.
SUMMARY (3 NEPHI 25-26)
And now, with chapter 25, I’m going to skip it this time. And the reason why is that, here in a couple of months we’re going to be covering the truths of this chapter in depth in Doctrine and Covenants section 2. I mean, this prophecy, the one about sending Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, who will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers is one that appears in every single standard work.
Malachi 4:5-6
Luke 1:16-17
3 Nephi 25:5-6
Doctrine and Covenants 2
Joseph Smith-History 1:37-39
It suggests how important this prophecy must be. So, hang in there for a little while and I promise that we will dig deep into that doctrine next January. Hope that’s all right. But, if you were planning on teaching that doctrine here, and you want some of my thoughts and ideas, I’ll direct you to my Doctrine and Covenants 2 video from a couple of years ago. In that video, I do go into great depth on this prophecy. I’ll provide you a link to that video in the video description below.
BABES DID OPEN THEIR MOUTHS
But, there is one final thought from chapter 26 that I’d like to just briefly touch on here. In the last part of that chapter, you have this wonderful scene where Christ looses the tongues of the children and even the little babies begin to speak and teach. And they teach great things to the people. Even greater things than Christ himself had taught. I read that and I have to ask myself, why did he do that? What lesson was he trying to teach them and us, with that? I try to visualize it. How would I feel if as a parent, toddler daughter or son turned to me after I’d taught a lesson and said, “You know, that was great Dad, but I’d like to teach you some deeper things about the gospel that I don’t think you quite understand yet.” Or can you imagine if you had a little infant in your arms, and it turned it’s innocent little face up to you and then said, “Mom, Dad, I’d really like to teach you some things about the plan of salvation that I think you’ve misunderstood”. That’s the experience these Nephites had. Do you think you could ever look at that child in the same way again after that? Whenever you looked into their faces, you would remember the incredible wisdom that came out of their mouths. I think it’s one of the greatest lessons on humility ever taught. Perhaps it reminds us that even the wisest of us can learn from the simplest. We should all be willing to listen as well as share. One of my favorite things about being a teacher is when my students teach me. And they do. I’ll be honest with you and admit that many of the insights that I teach on this channel have come from things I’ve learned from my students over the years. We’ve got to be willing to learn as teachers, as well as teach. From somebody who has taught the scriptures for many years, I know that sometimes even teaching the gospel can be a temptation to pride. When we get a little too used to hearing the sound of our own voices saying IMPORTANT things. Whenever I’m tempted to feel that pride, I remember this story in 3 Nephi. What greater way of demonstrating humility in teaching is there than what Christ does here. He allowed them to teach even greater things than he himself had taught. I think most of us I think would want to teach the most beautiful truths or the best stories, or the most important lessons. I know I feel that way sometimes. I’m the gospel doctrine teacher in my ward right now, and I share that calling with another teacher. And sometimes, I admit, I get a little jealous sometimes about what he gets to teach, and I don’t. I’m like, “Oooo, I wanted to teach that chapter, that story, that principle.” We like to teach what we consider to be the greatest things. But Christ allowed the perceived least among the people (the little children) to teach the highest, and deepest, and most beautiful things. I pray that we can remain teachable teachers and be willing to open our ears as well as our mouths.
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