Lesson 15: Look Unto God and Live

Our lesson today reminded me how important it is to be grateful for the blessings that are ours, to take the challenges we face and to look to the Lord to comfort and guide us in our mortal journey. While it is easy to complain/murmur, our Father in Heaven is blessing us daily. The question is, are we recognizing His hand in our life. Our study for next week is a continuation of the Israelites journey in the wilderness. We can learn from their experience.This little video is great. Watch and enjoy!


Purpose: To encourage class members to overcome worldly desires and fears and look to the Savior and his prophets for guidance.

Numbers 11–14; 21:1–9

Numbers 11: This chapter begins with the Israelites continued complaints to the Lord. The Lord is "displeased". It is astounding to me that after the many miracles and bounteous blessings that have been showered upon them DAILY, they continue to mummer.

'Remember that "manna" can be symbolic of nourishment and blessing from heaven. "Egypt" can be symbolic of wickedness and the ways of the world (Revelation 11:8). Thus in this chapter, in effect, the Israelites are getting tired of the religious life and desire the lustful ways of the world with the instant gratification that attends them. They have lost their perspective and are valuing appetites of the physical body over being nourished by the Lord.' (OT Made Easier, pg. 180)

Numbers 12: 'Miriam and Aaron grow jealous of their younger brother, Moses, and seek to discredit him. They desire glory for themselves. Moses forgives them and pleads with the Lord to heal Miriam, who was punished with leprosy. MAJOR MESSAGE: One of Satan's well-used tools against us is that of jealousy. While it can be damaging to those against whom it is used, it is far more destructive of those who harbor it within their souls.' (OT Made Easier, pg.185)

Numbers 13: 'The time for entering the promised land is getting close. The Lord instructs Moses to send out twelve spies, one from each tribe, to check out the land of Canaan. They are to return and report what they see. We will pay special attention to the difference in reports given by Caleb and Joshua, who see through the eyes of faith, as opposed to those given by the other ten spies, who see through the eyes of fear and lack of faith in God.

Keep in mind that the Lord has led them to this location. They have followed the cloud by which He led them. His presence has been obviously made known in a cloud by day and fire by night. They have seen miracle after miracle, including the ten plagues of Egypt, which plagued the Egyptians but not the Israelites. They came through the Red Sea on dry land, heard the voice of the Lord as He personally spoke the Ten Commandments from Sinai, have had manna, water from a rock, good and bad experiences with quail, deaths by fire because of rebellion, and on and on. In short, they have had many chances to know Jehovah and that they are being led and blessed by Him, and that Moses is indeed His prophet. They have every reason to believe--based on miracles and obvious, tangible proof--that He can bring them into the promised land, regardless of whatever and whoever might stand in the way.' (OT Made Easier, pg. 187)

Numbers 14: 'The people chose to believe the faithless reports of the ten spies who warned against going into the promised land. In effect, they warned against following the Lord and His prophet. MAJOR MESSAGE: Beware of those today, in and out of the Church, who counsel against following the advice of the current living prophets. They are, in effect, counseling against having faith and following the Lord.

In what quickly becomes a national tragedy for these Israelites, word of the ten spies' report spreads like wildfire among the children of Israel, camped across the Jordan River east of the land of Palestine, the promised land. With fear and open hostility against Moses and Aaron, they adopt a mob mentality (a major tool of the devil) and cry out in complete abandonment of faith and trust in the Lord. The completely ignore the constant reminders of God's power, demonstrated time and time again over the past months.' (OT Made Easier, pg. 190)

Study the following scriptures:

a. Numbers 11. The Israelites complain about the manna and desire to eat meat (11:1–9). As instructed by the Lord, Moses gathers 70 elders to assist him (11:10–17, 24–30). The Lord answers the Israelites’ desire for meat by sending them an overabundance of quail and smiting them with a plague because of their greed and overindulgence (11:18–23, 31–35).

b. Numbers 12. Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses (12:1–3). The Lord chastens and punishes Miriam and Aaron for their murmuring (12:4–16).

c. Numbers 13–14. Moses instructs 12 men to search the land of Canaan (13:1–20). They return with favorable reports of the land’s resources, but all except Joshua and Caleb fear the inhabitants and desire to return to Egypt (13:21–14:10). The Lord tells Moses that the faithless and complaining Israelites will wander in the wilderness 40 years, until all of the adult generation are dead but Joshua and Caleb (14:11–39).

d. Numbers 21:1–9. The Israelites destroy the Canaanites who come against them (21:1–3). The Lord sends fiery serpents as punishment for the Israelites’ incessant complaining (21:4–6). Moses makes a serpent of brass, fastens it to a pole, and tells the people that if they look at it, they will live (21:7–9).

• Why did the Israelites complain about the manna? (See Numbers 11:4–6.) What are the dangers of wanting more than we have?

• Just as the children of Israel needed to look at the brass serpent to live, we need to look to Jesus Christ to receive eternal life (Alma 37:46–47; Helaman 8:15). What does it mean to look to Christ?

Lesson 14: “Ye Shall Be a Peculiar Treasure unto Me”

PURPOSE: To encourage class members to partake of the Lord's spiritual water and bread, sustain his chosen leaders, and obey his commandments so he can make of them a "holy nation" (Exodus 19:6).

Imagine that you are going on a journey in a country that you have never been to before. You do not speak the language, and the land has not been mapped. How would you prepare for a trip like this? Let me suggest the use of a GUIDE and ask, what qualifications would you want in a guide leading you on this trip?

Our lesson this week begins with Moses parting the red sea and leading the Israelites to dry land. When Pharaoh and his chariots follow in pursuit "the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them." After the Israelites had passed through the Red Sea, the Lord instructed Moses to lead them to the promised land. But first the Lord tested the Israelites' faith in the wilderness. Many of the people lacked faith, complaining to the Lord instead of turning to him. Nevertheless, the Lord provided water for their thirst and manna and quail for their hunger.

We will follow the Israelites on their journey. Their experiences in the wilderness can teach us important lessons as we journey through life. One important lesson is that we can trust God to guide and care for us as he did the Israelites.

Study the following scriptures:

a. Exodus 15:22–27; 16:1–31; 17:1–7. The children of Israel murmur because they are thirsty and hungry; the Lord provides water, manna, and quail.

b. Exodus 17:8–13; 18:13–26. Amalek attacks Israel. Israel prevails while Moses holds up his hands, but Amalek prevails when Moses tires and lowers his hands. Aaron and Hur hold up Moses’ hands, and Israel wins the battle (17:8–13). Moses appoints judges, delegating authority to them (18:13–26).

c. Exodus 19–20. The Lord meets with Moses on Mount Sinai and gives Israel the Ten Commandments. d. Exodus 32–34. Moses receives stone tablets containing instructions from the Lord but breaks the tablets when he sees the people worshiping a golden calf (31:18; 32:1–24). The Lord takes the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood from Israel and gives them a lesser law, the law of Moses (Joseph Smith Translation, Exodus 34:1–2). Moses hews new tablets of stone, but the new tablets do not include “the words of the everlasting covenant of the holy priesthood” (34:1–5; Joseph Smith Translation, Deuteronomy 10:2). The people covenant to obey the law of Moses (Exodus 34:10–35).

Questions to Consider:

• How is manna a representation of Christ? (See John 6:35.) How does Christ’s living bread differ from manna? (See John 6:48–51.) How can we daily partake of Christ’s living bread?

• What did the Lord promise the children of Israel if they would be obedient? (See Exodus 19:3–6.) How do these promises apply to us today?

• Why did the Lord give the children of Israel the law of Moses? (See Galatians 3:23–24; Mosiah 13:29; Alma 25:15–16; D&C 84:19–27.) How would this law help make Israel holy and bring them to Christ? (See Mosiah 13:30; Alma 34:14–15.)

• When was the law of Moses fulfilled? (See 3 Nephi 15:4–10.) Now that the Lord no longer requires animal sacrifices, which were an important part of the law of Moses, what sacrifice does he ask us to make? (See 3 Nephi 9:19–22.) What does it mean to offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit?

Additional reading: Psalm 78; 1 Corinthians 10:1–11; Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–27.

Lesson 13: Bondage, Passover, and Exodus

Exodus 1–3; 5–6; 11–14

Study the following scriptures:

a. Exodus 1–3. The Israelites are made slaves by the Egyptians (1:1–14). Pharaoh orders that all sons born to the Israelites be killed (1:15–22). Moses is born and is raised by Pharaoh’s daughter (2:1–10). The Lord appears to Moses at the burning bush and calls him to deliver Israel from bondage (3:1–22).

b. Exodus 5–6. Moses and Aaron ask Pharaoh to free Israel, but Pharaoh refuses and places greater burdens on the people (5:1–23). The Lord promises to fulfill the covenant he made with Abraham (6:1–8).

c. Exodus 11–13. After sending many plagues on Egypt, the Lord promises to send one more plague on them, in which the firstborn in every home will die (11:1–10). The Lord instructs Moses in the preparation of the Passover, which will protect Israel from the plague (12:1–20). The firstborn in Egypt are killed (12:29–30). Pharaoh tells Moses to take his people from Egypt, and the Israelites leave (12:31–42). Moses tells the children of Israel to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the future as a memorial of their deliverance (13:1–16). The Lord goes before the camp of Israel in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (13:17–22).

d. Exodus 14. Pharaoh and his army pursue the Israelites (14:1–9). The people are afraid, and Moses appeals to the Lord for help (14:10–18). The Israelites cross the Red Sea on dry ground; Pharaoh’s men pursue them and are drowned (14:19–31).

• At the Last Supper, the Savior instituted the sacrament in place of the Passover (Matthew 26:19, 26–28). What similarities are there between the Passover and the sacrament? (See Exodus 12:14; 13:9–10; D&C 20:75–79.)

• What did Moses tell the children of Israel when they saw Pharaoh’s army and their faith faltered? (See Exodus 14:13–14.) How can we develop faith strong enough to sustain us when we are filled with fear?

• How did the Lord save the children of Israel from the advancing Egyptian army? (See Exodus 14:21–31.) How can this story help us in times of trial?