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FAIR Resources for Come, Follow Me – Book of Mormon
2 Nephi 20–25
Week 10: March 4–10, 2024
“We Rejoice in Christ”
“We Rejoice in Christ”
FAIR Faithful Resources for Come, Follow Me 2024 March 4-10. 2 Nephi 20-25: “We Rejoice in Christ”. These trusted sources can help you find answers to difficult questions and help you in your learning and teaching.
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Main Points to Ponder
The lesson encourages us to carefully study 2 Nephi 25 and ponder the following questions:
- What did Nephi want people to know about the Savior? (see verses 12–13, 16)
- How did Nephi try to persuade people to believe in Him? (see verses 19–29)
- How can I talk about Christ more openly? (2 Nephi 25:23–26)
You may also consider these resources:
- “We Talk of Christ,” Elder Neil L. Andersen
- “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles”
Faithful Answers to Difficult Questions
Chapter Summaries
2 Nephi 20
2 Nephi 21
2 Nephi 22
2 Nephi 23
2 Nephi 24
2 Nephi 25
2 Nephi 20
(compare to Isaiah 10)
1-4: Wo to those who rule unrighteously, especially as they neglect the poor and widows. Trouble is headed their way.
5-15: The Lord will allow Assyria to be the means to humble Israel for their sins. The Assyrian king believes his success is because of his strength and power. The Lord will then humble the Assyrians.
16-19: The Lord details the hardships in store for the Assyrians.
20-23: God promises that a remnant of repentant Israel will return to Jerusalem.
24-34: No matter how close the Assyrians get to Jerusalem, (Nob in verse 32 is within 5 miles of Jerusalem), if Israel has faith in God they will be protected.
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2 Nephi 21
(compare to Isaiah 11)
1-18: Isaiah describes a millennial day when Assyria (symbolic of worldly power and corruption) is defeated. The Messiah will reign in justice and power. Isaiah uses wild and domesticated animals to show how celestial characteristics will supplant worldly ones. God’s covenant people will gather and receive promised blessings.
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2 Nephi 22
(compare to Isaiah 12)
1-6: Isaiah sings a song of praise to the goodness and greatness of God. As we trust in Him, we are able with joy to “draw water out of the wells of salvation.” (v. 3)
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2 Nephi 23
1-22: A prophecy about the destruction of Babylon (literal Babylon and/or the metaphorical Babylon of the last days). The Lord is compared to a strong, destructive army. Sinners should fear as the Lord’s anger is felt by those who have chosen evil. Many literary elements are used to portray the many different types of destruction in store for Babylon.
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2 Nephi 24
1-2: After the fall of Babylon, Israel will be restored to its homeland. As with other writings of Isaiah, this may have been directed both to the people of his day and future generations.
7-23: The Lord has defeated the king of Babylon (and Lucifer), who no longer has power to oppress. The fall of both, along with their ultimate fate, is described. Their aspirations for glory and power were not realized, instead they are destined for ignominy.
24-32: Though scholars debate whether the city of Assyria or Babylon was meant in this (and preceding) verses, the gist is that the Lord will eventually defeat His enemies and bless those who are His covenant people.
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2 Nephi 25
1-8: Nephi recognizes that Isaiah’s important prophecies may be difficult to understand. Nephi’s geographical and spiritual background help him to understand Isaiah’s words. The day will come when Isaiah’s words will be clear to all.
9-19: Nephi speaks of events he has learned through the Spirit: Jerusalem was destroyed and though some Jews will return, it will be destroyed again after the Jews reject Jesus as the Messiah. The Jews will then be scattered until the time that they accept the Savior at which point much will be restored to them.
20-30: Nephi bears a powerful testimony of the mission, grace and saving power of Jesus. His hope is that those in his community and any who read his word will feel the power of his testimony and give heed to his words.
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Digging Deeper
Lesson Devotional
“We Talk of Christ”
By Lyndie Jackson, Contributor
As a new mother, it’s sometimes scary to think about raising my children to be strong disciples of Jesus Christ. I often wonder how I can possibly teach them everything they will need to know to navigate an increasingly confusing world.
However, I find guidance from the way that Nephi taught his family. In 2 Nephi 25:26 he wrote, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”
Nephi didn’t hope that his children would be perfect or get through life without sorrow or without sin. Instead, he wanted to offer them hope in the midst of trials and temptation. That hope is Jesus Christ.
“If parents instill righteous principles in the minds of their children, those children will be affected by them throughout all their lives,” Wilford Woodruff counseled. [1]
One thing is certain: when we focus our homes and our hearts on the Savior, those around us, especially our family members, will be affected. They will receive the hope for a remission of their sins and an eternity of joy with Christ.
Elder Neil L. Andersen asked, “Are there images of the Savior in our homes? Do we talk often to our children about the parables of Jesus?” He then instructed, “When your children ask you questions, consciously think about teaching what the Savior taught.”
As we “talk of Christ” and “rejoice in Christ” with our loved ones, we can bless their lives and continuously improve our own. I pray each day to be the best mother I can be to raise my own children unto the Lord. Although I often feel inadequate, I trust that God will guide me as I rely on Him. I know He will guide us all to be instruments in the hands of God in bringing our loved ones to Him.
Endnotes
1 Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, July 13, 1865, p. 1, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/discourse/1865-07-13.
Lyndie Jackson
Lyndie is working toward a degree in Public Relations at Brigham Young University. Originally from Idaho Falls, Idaho, she enjoys running, spending time with her husband and family, and reading. Lyndie served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hermosillo, Mexico, where she developed a love for the Spanish language and the people there. She was drawn to the Wilford Woodruff Papers out of a desire to learn more about Church history and enjoys being part of the organization’s efforts to touch lives with Wilford Woodruff’s words.
Lesson devotionals are provided by the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation. Its mission is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ from 1833 to 1898. It seeks to make Wilford Woodruff’s records universally accessible to inspire all people, especially the rising generation, to study and to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. See wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.
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