"Centuries ago the man Job—so long blessed with every material gift, only to find himself sorely afflicted by all that can befall a human being—sat with his companions and uttered the timeless, ageless question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” 3 Job spoke what every other living man or woman has pondered."
“If a man die, shall he live again?”
I wanted to focus my talk on the resurrection of our Savior and how we may know that he lives today.
The answer to the question posed by Job comes not only from our own personal consideration and revelation but also from the revealed word of God. In other words we can know the answer to the question through the scriptures and through our own personal experience.
I will start with the scriptures;
1. SCRIPTURES
a. The first example of scripture I thought of was the 3rd article of Faith: · We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
b. Robert J Matthews, a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University gave a talk titled “Resurrection” that appeared in the April 1991 Ensign and from that talk I pulled some of his examples of the Resurrection.
c. In the Old Testament the idea of a resurrection from the dead is not prominent, but ancient prophets knew the doctrine and taught it plainly. (Job 19:25–27) “Job, for example, found hope and comfort in the assurance that his wasted body would be renewed and that in his body he would see God. Because the Redeemer lived, Job knew he would live after death. “
d. In Ezekiel 37 the Lord directed Ezekiel to say to the house of Israel: “Oh my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, … and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live.”
e. In the New Testament we read and learn that “even the Savior’s disciples had difficulty believing in the resurrection of Jesus when they first learned of it, although he had told them it would occur and had spoken of himself as “the resurrection, and the life.” (John 11:25.) Luke tells us that when the women found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb and the body of Jesus was gone, “They were much perplexed.” (Luke 24:14.) They were told by two angels that Jesus had risen from the dead. The women hurried and told these things to the eleven Apostles and to others, but “their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.” (Luke 24:4–11.)
Later that same day, Jesus appeared to the Apostles. They thought he was a spirit until he said to them: “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke 24:39.) They saw him, touched him, and heard him. “And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?” (Luke 24:41.) After they had given him fish and honey, they watched him eat. But because resurrection from the dead is miraculous and unnatural to our mortal world, it was difficult for them to believe what they had experienced.
There can be no doubt, however, that they came to know that Jesus Christ was a resurrected being, with actual flesh and bones.”
f. When we go to the Book of Mormon we learn about “why the death and resurrection of Jesus are so important, and how those things pertain to you and to me individually.”
“The purpose and mission of the Book of Mormon is to testify of Jesus Christ. In order to be a witness of Christ, the book must teach the doctrine of the resurrection. Five thousand years ago the Lord revealed to Enoch the coming forth and the purpose of the Book of Mormon: (Moses 7:62) “And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men.”
The doctrine of the resurrection is taught by every major prophet in the Book of Mormon. The word resurrection occurs eighty-three times in the Book of Mormon, and the phrase “rise from the grave” or “rise from the dead” occurs at least twenty-six times.”
g. The Prophet Lehi said: “Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.” (2 Ne. 2:8.)
From this scripture and others, we learn that Jesus was the first to be resurrected. Although there are accounts in the scriptures of people being brought back to life before Jesus’ resurrection, these were only restored to mortality. Jesus was the first to rise from the dead with an immortal body. This is confirmed in the New Testament. (See Matt. 27:52–53; Acts 26:23; 1 Cor. 15:22–23; Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5.)
h. In 2 Nephi 9, Jacob, a great doctrinal teacher, explains in detail the need for a resurrection: “Our flesh must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God. …
“For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord.
“Wherefore, [there] must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.
“O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more.
“And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself.” (2 Ne. 9:4, 6–9.)
i. There is examples of Alma teaching his son, Benjamin, Abinadi and Amulek teaching and testifying of resurrection.
j. In 3 Nephi 11, the record of the resurrected Savior’s visit to the land of Bountiful, where he showed his body to the multitude and let them feel with their hands that it was a tangible, real body. Nephi reports: “They saw a Man descending out of heaven; … and he came down and stood in the midst of them; …
“And … he stretched forth his hand and spake … saying:
“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. …
“And … they remembered that it had been prophesied … that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.
“And … the Lord spake unto them saying:
“Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.
“And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; … and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.
“And … they did cry out with one accord, saying:
“Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.” (3 Ne. 11:8–10, 12–17.)
k. Today we have modern revelation that teaches us the same doctrine. Doctrice & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith and the prophets of this dispensation.
l. The Prophet Joseph Smith explained: “We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body. The devil has no body, and herein is his punishment.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 181.)
m. Thomas S. Monson in last years General Conference talk “He is Risen” said, “To all within the sound of my voice, I declare, If a man die, he shall live again. We know, for we have the light of revealed truth.”
i. As I prepared this talk this was the statement that hit me most powerfully. I feel blessed that we have a prophet that can speak simple strong truths that are clear. The prophet leaves no question as to what he is saying. I know that we will live again.
n. From ancient prophets to our living prophet today we are taught about the Savior’s resurrection and from that we have to take that information and get our own personal revelation that testifies to us individually that our Savior lives.
2. PERSONAL TESTIMONY
This is how I know that our Savior lives.
a. I believe the scriptures are true. When I read them I believe what the ancient prophets taught.
b. I believe that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. A prophet that took on the huge responsibility of restoring the gospel to the earth in this dispensation.
c. I believe that we have a living prophet on the earth today Thomas S. Monson. He communicates with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to help direct and guide our lives through current revelation.
d. My family. I have been blessed with an amazing family. One that strives to live Christ like lives in all they do.
e. My son Case strengthens my testimony that our Savior lives. Devon and I, when we are driving, love to sing in the car. Singing in the car was one of the reasons I knew Devon and I were meant for each other, but I’ll save that story for another day. Sometimes when Devon and I are singing in the car and pretending that we can actually harmonize and sound really good we’ll look to the back seat and Case will be sitting there with a look on his face of “Are these really my parents?” We often reply to him jokingly “Hey buddy, you picked us. Remember? When he was with his Heavenly Father he chose to come to our family. As much as Case I’m sure picked us as parents, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ sent our little boy to be a part of our family to bring us so much joy and happiness and blessings that can’t be numbered. A boy that will always be sealed to his family as long as we live righteous lives. When I look at that perfect little boy, I can say that because I’m his mom, it is impossible for me not to believe that we have a living Savior who blesses our lives with our children.
f. Attending the temple I know that Christ lives. The knowledge that comes from attending the temple reveals and teaches that He lives and has a wonderful plan for me.
g. Yesterday we were able to join some friends that we knew in Portland in the Spokane Temple and witness them and their 3 kids sealed together. To see their family sealed for eternity reminded me of the love that our Savior has for us and his desire for us to receive all the blessings that he has for us.
h. The outdoors. I love being outside. I am so excited for summer and to be outside. There are so many amazing things that have been created by our heavenly father for us to experience I know that it is all part of a bigger plan.
i. The spirit. That feeling that you get when you’re reading your scriptures, listening to the prophet and knowing what you are doing is right.
“If a man die, shall he live again?”
Through preparing this talk I was able to strengthen the surety with which I can answer that question. Hopefully anyone who has or is questioning this can study the scriptures and prayerfully search their heart to answer it for themselves. I bear my testimony that our savior does live and is personally engaged in all of our lives. I would like to close with the last verse of “I know my Redeemer lives” as it captures the message I was hoping to share today;
He lives all glory to His name.
He lives my Savior still the same.
Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives.
I know that my Redeemer lives.
He lives! All glory to his name.
He lives! My Savior still the same.
Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives.
I know that my Redeemer lives.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
