“22 Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old.
23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.” (1 Nephi 19)
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a unique term they apply to their scripture reading, called “Likening the Scriptures.” When Nephi said that he likened all scriptures until his family, he meant that he look for the personal application to each scripture or story. What did that scripture have to do with him, personally? How should it be applied to his own life? This more thoughtful way of reading scriptures made them personal and helped him to live the gospel.
After all, the scriptures aren’t a novel. They are a message from God to us, and so we need to figure out what they have to do with us. We need to decide which scriptures apply to our own lives and how we can use them.
The Bible was written for the people who lived when it was written. As a result, some of what is included in it doesn’t apply to us today, such as the laws of animal sacrifice. From those scriptures, we have to pull out the deeper meanings. In the case of sacrifice, the ritual was a type of the death of Christ. Other parts were written for people of all time periods.
The Book of Mormon, on the other hand, was written for us today. The people who lived in the Book of Mormon times didn’t have it. The prophets who recorded the histories, sermons, and counsel did so under direction from God to write it for a future time when the book would be returned to God’s children. Many of the Book of Mormon prophets were shown our time and knew what we would need to know. All relied on God to tell them what would matter in our day.
This gives Book of Mormon readers a special responsibility to find out why each part of the book was included. What did God want us to do about each scripture, each story? What does it have to do with our own lives? For instance, in a previous entry, we learned that Nephi was commanded to build a boat. He had some challenges, because he didn’t know how to do this and he needed the help of people who didn’t want to help. As we read the story, we may note that we don’t need to build a boat, but there are frequently times in our lives when God wants us to do something that seems impossible or beyond our skills. We can study Nephi’s story to find out how to do something we don’t know how to do—but that God has asked us to do anyway.
As you read the Book of Mormon, pay special attention to how the words within might enrich your own life and bring you closer to God the Father and to the Savior.
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
