Book of Mormon Trivia

[Vort]

It was a few (or several?) months, wasn't it? It would have been at least 40 days, because He was with His Apostles in Judea for that long, right?

Excellent point. However, one might argue that Jesus' 40-day ministry with his apostles after the resurrection was not 40 days of 24-hours-per-day presence, so Jesus might conceivably have gone to several places during that time. So that observation alone may not be enough to establish that it was more than 40 days later. (Not that other evidence is any more convincing, but the overall weight of evidence does suggest a sort of minimum time.)

I'll be working the rest of the day, so I might not get back to this conversation until tonight or tomorrow.

[pam]

I am thinking the first of his visits to the Nephites was just shortly after the voice from heaven.

[pam]

But I don't know the timeframe from his actual crucifixion to the voice from heaven.

[Vort]

By the way, it wasn't very nice of you to give trivia questions while I was driving to work, so that I couldn't play.

Meanies.

[Wingnut]

I'm only answering. I'd much rather answer than ask. Don't blame me.

[pam]

Sorry Vort..that was pretty rude of us. I guess we need to check to make sure you are online first from now on. haha

[pam]

I don't mind doing either. I actually have to do a little research to come up with a half way decent question.

[pam]

But for now..trying to research this timeline thing.

[pam]

Though I can't find anything that specifically states a time frame..according to Acts he appeared to several different people in several different places in the first 40 days following his crucifixion. Just my thoughts..but I think the voice from heaven was not long after the earthquakes etc following his death..so therefore..just thinking here..the Nephites could have been some of the people that Christ appeared to in the first 40 days.

[Vort]

Though I can't find anything that specifically states a time frame..according to Acts he appeared to several different people in several different places in the first 40 days following his crucifixion. Just my thoughts..but I think the voice from heaven was not long after the earthquakes etc following his death..so therefore..just thinking here..the Nephites could have been some of the people that Christ appeared to in the first 40 days.

Answer: It was nearly a year between the destructions at crucifixion of Christ, the vapor of darkness, and the voice from heaven (those events lasting three days) and the coming of Christ among them.

3 Nephi 8:5 "And it came to pass in the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land."

This verse begins the destruction of the wicked at the Lord's crucifixion, lasting three days.

3 Nephi 10:18 "And it came to pass that in the ending of the thirty and fourth year, behold, I will show unto you that the people of Nephi who were spared, and also those who had been called Lamanites, who had been spared, did have great favors shown unto them, and great blessings poured out upon their heads, insomuch that soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven he did truly manifest himself unto them"

Christ showed himself to the Lehites "in the ending of the thirty and fourth year", but his crucifixion took place "in the first month, on the fourth day of the month" of that year.

Ergo, almost a year between the crucifixion and the apparition.

So the famous painting of Christ appearing to the Nephites while their civilization lay around them in ruins from the earthquakes and destructions of moments or, perhaps, mere days before is in error. (Hope that doesn't shake anyone's testimony...)

[Vort]

I'll bet I read the Book of Mormon more than a dozen times before I put together the facts outlined above. I've read the book more than two dozen times, and I am now reading it with my wife and also in personal scripture study (along with my children in seminary), and literally every day (when I'm concentrating and reading with the Spirit) I learn important new things, some small and some large, from the text. I know some who claim to have read the Book of Mormon a hundred times, who say they still glean new meaning on each re-reading. I do not doubt it.

I have never read any book like the Book of Mormon. The Bible is similar, but even that is not the same. (Though I have not read the Old Testament all that much, and I have heard that it is much like the Book of Mormon in density of meaning and teaching. I think I have read the Old Testament through three times, and never with a really concentrated effort at studying it.)

Edited November 6, 2009 by Vort

[pam]

But does it mean that their lives were spared or they were spared all the devastation from the earthquakes?

[Vort]

But does it mean that their lives were spared or they were spared all the devastation from the earthquakes?

Since Mormon says "I will show you", and since the only thing he shows is Christ's appearance among those who survived the "great and marvelous changes" (3 Nephi 11:1), that strongly suggests he is referring to those whose lives were spared, not those who were merely spared the inconvenience of earthquakes.

At least to my ears. Ymmv.

[pam]

Okay I agree with that..so why then would the painting of Christ appearing amidst devastation be erroneous? If Christ appeared not quite a year after it happened..that's really hardly enough time to pick up the pieces and rebuild.

[Vort]

You're right, of course. Fanciful elements notwithstanding, the painting shows nothing that must necessarily be interpreted as defying the timeline. I was just being snarky. :)

[pam]

Well quit it. But again, I have to admit..it had me thinking.

[pam]

Okay so we need another question. Give me a few minutes and I'll come up with one.

[Vort]

You know, on second thought, the painting is wrong in its depiction of the timeline. Note that no one has bothered even to clean up the debris from the earthquakes. Seems unlikely.

[pam]

What Book of Mormon name is also found in the Bible?

[pam]

Perhaps they were too busy trying to build places for families to live etc and not too worried about places as depicted in the picture.

[Vort]

What Book of Mormon name is also found in the Bible?

Lehi

Lemuel

Jacob

Alma (in the Vulgate :))

Samuel

Jesus :)

[pam]

Okay I was thinking Lehi.

[pam]

In what location did Jared, his brothers, families and friends gather before their exodus to a land "choice above all the lands of the earth?"

[Vort]

That would be "the valley which is northward" of Moriancumr's location at the time the Lord spoke with him. We may assume it was somewhere in Mesopotamia. (We may also assume it was somewhere in Antarctica, I suppose. There are no limits to what we may assume.)

[pam]

I actually have a name of a place.