Deuteronomy 29:9; 30:15–20; 2 Nephi 2:26–29; 4:4;

 

What inspires you to choose life?

"9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do." (Deuteronomy 29:9)

"15 ¶ See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;

16 In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;

18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:15–20)

"26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom." (2 Nephi 2:26–29)

"4 For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence." (2 Nephi 4:4)

And here's the commentary entitled: "The Lord invites me to choose between good and evil." : 

"It might be interesting to compare Moses’s words in Deuteronomy 29:9; 30:15–20 with some of Lehi’s final teachings to his family in 2 Nephi 2:26–29; 4:4. How did Lehi expand on what Moses taught? What do you find in these passages that inspires you to “choose life”? (Deuteronomy 30:19)." 

Lehi expands on what Moses taught by teaching how we are given the gift of free agency because the Messiah redeemed us from the fall. We can continue to remain free when we choose liberty and eternal life, or we can choose the opposite--captivity and death, and become subject to the devil who wants us to become miserable like unto himself.

What I find in these passages that inspires me to "choose life" :

• The Lord wants to bless me with prosperity and eternal life, while the devil wants me to become miserable because he is miserable himself.
• I have the power to choose. Whether I choose life or death is totally up to me. Whether I choose to stay in God's presence or be cut off from His presence and become subject to the devil is totally up to me.
• The Lord invites me to choose between good and evil. He's not forcing me to choose good over evil.
• God wants me to use my freedom of choice wisely by keeping His commandments and being always in His presence now and forever.

Deuteronomy 18:15–19; Acts 3:20–23; 1 Nephi 22:20–21; Joseph Smith—History 1:40; 3 Nephi 20:23

How is Moses “like unto” Jesus Christ?

"15 ¶ The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." (Deuteronomy 18:15–19)

"20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people." (Acts 3:20–23)

"20 And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people.

21 And now I, Nephi, declare unto you, that this prophet of whom Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel; wherefore, he shall execute judgment in righteousness." (1 Nephi 22:20–21)

"40 In addition to these, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that prophet was Christ; but the day had not yet come when “they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people,” but soon would come." (Joseph Smith—History 1:40)

"23 Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people." (3 Nephi 20:23)

And here's the commentary entitled: "Moses was “like unto” Jesus Christ." :

"Peter, Nephi, Moroni, and the Savior Himself all commented on the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15–19 (see Acts 3:20–23; 1 Nephi 22:20–21; Joseph Smith—History 1:40; 3 Nephi 20:23). What do you learn about the Savior from these verses? Think about what you’ve read about Moses over the past few weeks. How is Moses “like unto” Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ told His people in ancient America, “I am he of whom the prophet Moses spake” (3 Nephi 20:23)."

Moses is “like unto” Jesus Christ in the following ways: 

• His birth was prophesied.
• The king of the land tried to get him killed while he was still a baby. 
• He gave people laws and commandments to follow.
• He performed miracles.
• He led people into freedom from bondage.
• The death of the firstborn miracle freed the people from bondage.
• Those who hearken unto his words and obey them were able to enter their promised land.

"...Whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him" (Deuteronomy 18:19). This reminds me of the passage which says, "Much is given, much is required." The Lord requires of us what He has given us. We will be held accountable for all that we received from Him. We need to truly listen to or pay attention to His words and obey them if we want to enter our promised land-- eternal life, just as only the Israelites who hearkened unto the words of Moses and obeyed them were able to enter their promised land.