Lifespan

Approximately 515-420 B.C.

Ministry

Enos was a son of Jacob and grandson of Lehi. He was a record keeper and a prophet for the Nephite population.

Preparation and Calling

While Enos was hunting, the words of his father sank deep into his heart and he entered into a lengthy heartfelt prayer to God. The eventual answer to that prayer ensured that Enos knew of God’s reality and love.

Interaction with God

Little is known of Enos outside the record of his prayer while hunting.

Social Situation

Enos lived at a time when his fellow Nephites were becoming increasingly prone to straying from the truth and the Lamanites were becoming more ferocious and wicked.

Key Teachings

After Enos received forgiveness of his sins following a lengthy prayer while hunting, he turned to praying on behalf of his Nephite people and then his enemy, the Lamanites. Both his steadfastness in praying until he received an answer and his concern for all his brethren—friend and foe alike—are significant lessons.

Living with the Prophet

Enos is often credited with having the endurance and commitment necessary to pray until he received an answer to his prayers. But his experience began with his thoughts concerning the gospel truths that he had heard his father speak of. In your journal, or at least on a sheet of paper, write down the key teachings that you have heard your parents or other leaders teach you, and then consider how you feel about these teachings. Resolve to pray to Heavenly Father to help you understand them better.

Sources

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, vol. 1, s.v. “Enos.”

Book of Mormon, Reader’s Edition, ed. Grant Hardy.

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Lifespan

Approximately 120-73 B.C.

Ministry

A son of Alma, also a Nephite prophet, he was a major detractor of the church until he underwent a remarkable conversion. He became as devoted to the church as he was unruly prior to his conversion, and consequently had a tremendous influence upon not only the faithful of his religion but also his people and the Nephite nation. He ultimately served as the first chief judge in Zarahemla (a replacement government structure engineered by Mosiah, the previous king), commander-in-chief of the Nephite army, and high priest and prophet.

Preparation and Calling

As a rebellious young man, he joined with four sons of King Mosiah to attempt to overthrow the church. Their efforts came to a halt one day when an angel appeared to them and called them to repentance. Alma went into an unconscious state for the next three days and nights, during which he suffered intensely for his sins and eventually received not only forgiveness but also the peace that can come only from Jesus Christ. From that point on, Alma and the sons of Mosiah became devoted disciples and legendary missionaries for their Redeemer and His gospel.

Interaction with God

Alma’s conversion centered on the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which brought about his spiritual rebirth and the direction and motivation that drove him for the remainder of his life. He became a passionate disciple of Christ, an ardent defender of the faith, and a consummate teacher of gospel doctrine.

Social Situation

Nephite society was challenged by several significant rebellious groups, including the Zoramites, the Mulekites, and followers of Nehor. Alma, as the first chief judge in a new political system, was under significant pressure to keep the church together and administer fair political judgment. In time, he resigned his political post and turned all his energies to teaching the people the true doctrine of Jesus Christ.

Key Teachings

Perhaps because of his own youthful errors, Alma was very clear in teaching his sons right doctrine. This instruction forms some of the best explanations in the Book of Mormon on topics such as the Creation, the Fall, Christ’s Atonement, personal conversion, repentance, the error of immoral behavior, judgment, and resurrection.

Living with the Prophet

After the angel called young Alma to repentance, he sought forgiveness for his serious wrongdoings. In the midst of his anguish, he remembered what his father had taught him about Jesus Christ and His Atonement for our sins. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if we didn’t wait until disaster had struck before we remembered what our parents and others had taught us? Resolve to spend some time during the next couple of weeks to write down some of the most significant lessons that your mother, father, or other important figure in your life taught you about our Savior.

Sources

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, vol. 1, s.v. “Alma₂.”

Book of Mormon, the books of Mosiah and Alma.

Book of Mormon, Reader’s Edition, ed. Grant Hardy.

Lifespan

Uncertain.

Ministry

Jonah was called by God to call to repentance the inhabitants of Nineveh. Some scholars place Jonah’s ministry in the mid-eighth century B.C., others suggest it was closer to the middle of the sixth century, during or after the Babylonian exile.

Preparation and Calling

Little is known about how Jonah was prepared, but his calling is certainly memorable. When God called Jonah to cry repentance to Nineveh, Jonah ran. Other prophets have been hesitant to accept the Lord’s call (for example, Enoch, Moses, Amos, and Jeremiah), but none except Jonah ran to the farthest regions of the known world. After his experience with the fish, Jonah repented and eventually fulfilled his calling.

Interaction with God

Jonah’s relationship with God perhaps is easier for the common man to identify with than for his peers of chosen prophets. Jonah heard and understood the voice of the Lord, but did not want to heed it because he knew doing so would mean giving up some feelings that he just wasn’t ready to give up yet. He tried running, but God found a way to bring him back. Begrudgingly, he saw that God was more powerful than he and would not give up on him, so he eventually did His errand. And then he pouted when God’s will was done rather than his own.

Social Situation

Regardless of the time period in which the book of Jonah is set, Assyria or the later Babylonian dynasty was the enemy-and a significant one at that. To call to repentance the inhabitants of one of the enemy’s largest cities was distasteful at best, for doing so would be to require God’s chosen people to forgive them their atrocities. Hence, Jonah’s call to bring Nineveh to repentance implied that God was the God not only of Israel but also of all people in the world. At this time when each local culture had its own god or gods and defended them fiercely, this was a challenging doctrine for even the most faithful.

Key Teachings

Only one verse of the book of Jonah contains his prophesying (Jonah 3:4), but the teachings are in the story rather than Jonah’s writings or sayings. God is all powerful, and He is indeed the God of all peoples. His love and mercy extends over the enemies of His people as well as His chosen ones.

Prophecies of Christ

“Thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God” (Jonah 2:6).

Living with the Prophet

Jonah’s story is one of the best-known of the Old Testament. When he was in the belly of the fish and thought he would die, his thoughts turned to God, and he prayed. God heard his prayer, and Jonah was saved. Listen well to this part of Jonah’s story, for it testifies that you can never be so far removed from God that He cannot hear your sincere prayers. Think of a time when you have felt that God has answered your prayers, and feel again the comfort that you felt then.

Sources

The Learning Bible, the book of Jonah

Holy Bible, the book of Jonah

Oxford Companion to the Bible, s.v. “Jonah, the Book of”

Lifespan

7??-701 B.C.

Ministry

For forty years Isaiah served as a prophet in Jerusalem (740-701 B.C.). He was chief adviser to King Hezekiah and had significant influence on the national religious and political scene.

Preparation and Calling

Although little is known about Isaiah’s preparation, his calling is recorded in dramatic fashion. Isaiah 6 chronicles the vision that Isaiah had, in which he was lifted up into heaven. Here he saw angels, confessed his sins, went through a symbolic cleansing, and saw and heard the Lord, who called him to “Go, and tell this people” a message of repentance.

Interaction with God

Isaiah is known for his gift of seeing and poetically describing multiple future eras simultaneously. But in addition to the gift of prophecy, through which Isaiah hears the voice of God speaking to him, he also has visions (including seeing and conversing with God Himself) and writes inspired verse.

Social Situation

Two major social situations are addressed in Isaiah: the first, covering chapters 1-39, focuses on the immorality of the leaders in Jerusalem, while the second, covering chapters 40-66, concentrates on the plight of the exiled Jews in Babylon.

Key Teachings

Isaiah is known for his complex prophecies and their layered meanings. They frequently deal with events of his own day while having meaning also for the First and Second Comings of Jesus Christ. He is the most quoted prophet in all the Bible. Specifically, Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John all quote Isaiah more than any other Old Testament prophet.

Despite the fact that he is quoted so often, his writings can be difficult to understand. Isaiah seems to have been well educated, and his writing style involves a great deal of symbolism. The text is dense and packed with layered interpretations.

Key concepts that Isaiah weaves throughout his writings include holiness, peace, justice, righteousness, salvation, and faith in the coming Messiah, the notion of becoming holy or being holy having perhaps the highest frequency. Many of his prophecies focus on the Savior, with layered images addressing both His first and second coming. Isaiah’s testimony of the Redeemer of all is undeviating.

Modern sacred texts continue this emphasis, as the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants both refer to Isaiah more than any other prophet. These two books also provide helps to the modern reader for improving understanding through diligent study.

Prophecies of Christ

Isaiah’s writings are filled with prophecies of the coming Christ. Here are but a few:

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14).

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).

“I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of th prison house. I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:6-8).

“I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off my hear: I hid not my face from shame and spitting” (Isa. 50:6).

“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and caried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the inquity of us all” (Isa. 53:2-6).

Living with the Prophet

Isaiah was well educated, highly literate, and firmly devout in his belief in God. Some people feel that as they become better educated, their belief in God wanes. Have you ever been challenged by intellectual issues that have complicated your belief in God? How can you use your mind to support your belief in God?

Sources

Oxford Companion to the Bible, s.v. “Isaiah, the Book of”

Encyclopedia of Religion, s.v. “Isaiah”

The Learning Bible, the book of Isaiah

Holy Bible, the book of Isaiah

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, s.v. “Isaiah”

Enoch

Lifespan

Uncertain (seventh generation from Adam).

Ministry

The people of Enoch’s day were straying. God called Enoch to call them to repentance, “lest I come and smite them with a curse, and they die” (Moses 7:10). He learned to teach with such power that his very voice would make the earth tremble, the mountains flee, and the rivers turn from their courses. The people of his city became so righteous, and the enemies of his city so afraid of his power, that “from that time forth there were wars and bloodshed among them; but the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness” (Moses 7:16).

Preparation and Calling

We know little of Enoch’s preparation, but he describes his calling in this way: “As I was jouneying, and stood upon the place Mahujah, and cried unto the Lord, there came a voice out of heaven, saying-Turn ye, and get ye upon the mount Simeon. And it came to pass that I turned and went up on the mount; and as I stood upon the mount, I beheld the heavens open, and I was clothed upon with glory; and I saw the Lord; and he stood before my face, and he talked with me, even as a man talketh one with another, face to face” (Moses 7:2-4).

Interaction with God

The Bible speaks of Enoch in ways unique to him, for Enoch “walked with God” (Genesis 5:22-24). He did not live as long on the earth as his contemporaries, for he was but 365 years old when “God took him” (Genesis 5:24). Ben Sira and Josephus in Jewish Antiquities similarly note that he was taken up by Deity, and the Book of Moses adds that the entire city in which he dwelt and taught was taken up with him.

Social Situation

Though there is little information about Enoch in the Old Testament, there is substantially more Enoch literature that has not made its way into the official canon. It is to those writings that we must turn for more of the Enoch story.

The most noteworthy event of Enoch’s ministry is without a doubt the translation not only of the prophet himself but also of the entire city of Enoch. As a prophet of power, Enoch has few peers, being a fearless teacher of the gospel with the faith to move mountains and defeat armies by virtue of the priesthood and the power of God.

Key Teachings

Enoch is known for his close relationship with God and for his own godly manner. In many ancient writings, as Steven D. Fraade points out in the Encyclopedia of Religion, “Enoch combines the functions of prophet, priest, scribe, lawgiver, sage, and judge.” Thus, his most powerful teachings may simply be that man truly has the ability to become a son or daughter of God and receive His fullest blessings, understanding that if we are children of God, then we can become “heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17).

Living with the Prophet

Enoch “walked with God.” Sometimes, we run from the opportunity to allow God’s influence to “walk” with us. How can you invite God to walk with you this evening?

Sources:

Encyclopedia of Religion, ed. Mircea Eliade, s.v. “Enoch”

Book of Moses

Jewish Antiquities, Josephus

The Holy Bible (KJV)