What do the plagues in Egypt teach you about God’s patience and power—and how does the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Firstborn, become the only true way to free us from spiritual captivity?
"5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them." (Exodus 7:5)
"14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth." (Exodus 9:14)
And here's the introductory commentary for this week's reading assignment: "April 6–12: “Remember This Day, in Which Ye Came Out from Egypt” Exodus 7–13 :
"Plague after plague afflicted Egypt, but Pharaoh still refused to release the Israelites. And yet God continued to demonstrate His power and give Pharaoh opportunities to accept “that I am the Lord” and “there is none like me in all the earth” (Exodus 7:5; 9:14). Meanwhile, Moses and the Israelites must have watched with awe at these manifestations of God’s power on their behalf. Surely these continued signs confirmed their faith in God and strengthened their willingness to follow God’s prophet. Then, after nine terrible plagues had failed to free the Israelites, it was the tenth plague—the death of the firstborn, including Pharaoh’s firstborn—that finally ended the captivity. This seems fitting because in every case of spiritual captivity, there truly is only one way to escape. It is only the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Firstborn—the blood of the Lamb without blemish—that will save us."
Nine terrible plagues first, before the death of Pharaoh's firstborn--this did show God's patience with Pharaoh. He was being given opportunities to accept the Lord as He is and to let His people go. All the ten plagues showed God's power in making His will happen. With God, all things are possible. So, we can always rely on His power. We can always give Him all our trust.
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's Firstborn, is the only true way to free us from spiritual captivity, just as the death of the Pharaoh's firstborn made him free the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt. The death of God's Only Begotten Son, who is sinless and perfect is necessary to free us from spiritual captivity because He is the one who has the power to give His life up, take it again after dying, and become immortal in the full sense of the word, with the physical body turned perfect, never to die again. And He is the only one who is able to bring us back to the presence of God, as He took upon us the punishment for our sins, freeing us from the consequences of our wrongdoings as we choose to take our personal responsibility by repenting of our sins and becoming His disciples.
What price did Jesus Christ pay for my salvation? What price did Heavenly Father pay?
"3 He isdespisedand rejected ofmen; a man ofsorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it wereourfaces from him; he was despised, and weesteemedhim not.
4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he waswounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:3–5)
"7 And lo, he shall suffertemptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people." (Mosiah 3:7)
"16 For behold, I, God, havesufferedthese things for all, that theymightnot suffer if they wouldrepent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men." (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19)
"16 ¶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlastinglife." (John 3:16).
And here's the commentary entitled: "Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for my salvation." :
Jesus Christ did pay the ultimate price for my salvation. He suffered everything for me. Every pain and sorrow I experienced in the past, what I'm going through at the moment, and what I am facing in the future in every aspect of life--physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, socially--He went through them all. He knows me exactly. He understands what I'm going through. He suffered all for me so that I don't have to suffer them if I repent.
Heavenly Father sacrificed His Only Begotten Son so that I can have everlasting life, the greatest gift He has reserved for His spirit children who would qualify for it.
How can Jesus help you overcome hard things because of His Atonement?
"1 TheSpiritof the LordGodisupon me; because theLordhathanointedme topreachgood tidingsunto themeek; he hath sent me tobindup the brokenhearted, toproclaimlibertyto thecaptives, and the opening of theprisontothem that arebound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." (Isaiah 61:1–3)
"26 A newheart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God." (Ezekiel 36:26–28)
"28 ¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke iseasy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28–30)
"46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holyis his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever." (Luke 1:46–55)
"35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shalltribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35–39)
"10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me." (Alma 7:10–13)
"42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.
43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.
44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.
45 Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption." (Alma 11:42–45)
"11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him." (Alma 58:11)
"32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot." (Moroni 10:32–33)
"15 Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men." (Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–19)
"9 And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the Only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will.
10 And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.
11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.
12 And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters." (Moses 5:9–12)
"Through the redeeming Atonement and glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ, broken hearts can be healed, anguish can become peace, and distress can become hope.
On this glorious Easter Sunday, our children joyfully sing, “On a golden springtime, Jesus Christ awoke and left the tomb where he had lain; the bands of death he broke.”
We are grateful for our knowledge of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And yet at some point in our lives, we will have felt heartbroken after losing someone whom we love dearly. Through the current global pandemic, many of us have lost loved ones—either family members or friends. We pray for those who are grieving such loss.
President Russell M. Nelson has said:
“Irrespective of age, we mourn for those loved and lost. Mourning is one of the deepest expressions of pure love. …
“Moreover, we can’t fully appreciate joyful reunions later without tearful separations now. The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.”
We can imagine how Jesus’s friends, who had followed Him and ministered to Him, felt upon witnessing His death. We know that “they mourned and wept.” On the day of the Crucifixion, not knowing what would happen on Sunday, they must have been overwhelmed by distress, wondering how they would go on without their Lord. Nevertheless, they continued ministering to Him even in death.
Joseph of Arimathea begged Pilate to give him Jesus’s body. He took the body down, wrapped it in fine linen, laid it in his own new tomb, and rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre.
Nicodemus brought myrrh and aloes. He helped Joseph take the body and wrap it in linen with the spices.
Mary Magdalene and other women followed Joseph and Nicodemus, watched where they laid Jesus’s body, and prepared sweet spices and ointments to anoint it. According to the strict laws of that day, they waited to further prepare and anoint the body because Saturday was the Sabbath. Then, early in the morning on Sunday, they went to the sepulchre. After realizing that the body of the Savior was not there, they went to tell the disciples who were Jesus’s Apostles. The Apostles came with them to the tomb and saw that it was empty. All but Mary Magdalene eventually left, wondering what had happened to the Savior’s body.
Mary Magdalene stayed at the tomb by herself. Only a few days before, she had seen the tragic death of her friend and Master. Now His tomb was empty, and she did not know where He was. It was too much for her to take in, and she wept.At that moment, the resurrected Savior came to her and asked why she was weeping and whom she was seeking. Thinking that the gardener spoke to her, she asked that, if he had taken her Lord’s body, to tell her where it was so she could get it.
I imagine that the Lord may have allowed Mary Magdalene to grieve and to express her pain. He then called her by her name, and she turned to Him and recognized Him. She saw the resurrected Christ and was a witness of His glorious Resurrection.
Like you, in some way I can relate to the anguish felt by Mary Magdalene and her friends as they grieved the death of their Lord. When I was nine years old, I lost my older brother during a devastating earthquake. Because it happened unexpectedly, it took me a while to grasp the reality of what had occurred. I was heartbroken by sorrow, and I would ask myself, “What happened to my brother? Where is he? Where did he go? Will I ever see him again?”
Back then I did not yet know about God’s plan of salvation, and I had the desire to know where we come from, what the purpose of life is, and what happens to us after we die. Don’t we all have those yearnings when we lose a loved one or when we go through difficulties in our lives?
A few years after, I started thinking of my brother in a specific way. I would imagine him knocking on our door. I would open the door, he would be standing there, and he would tell me, “I am not dead. I am alive. I could not come to you, but now I will stay with you and never leave again.” That imagining, almost a dream, helped me cope with the pain that I felt over losing him. The thought that he would be with me came to my mind over and over. Sometimes I would even stare at the door, hoping that he would knock and I would see him again.
About 40 years later, during Easter time, I was pondering about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and started thinking about my brother. At that moment, something clicked in my mind. I remembered imagining him coming to see me.
That day I realized that the Spirit had given me comfort in a difficult time. I had received a witness that my brother’s spirit is not dead; he is alive. He is still progressing in his eternal existence. I now know that “[my] brother shall rise again” at that magnificent moment when, because of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection, we will all be resurrected. In addition, He has made it possible for all of us to be reunited as families and have eternal joy in the presence of God if we will choose to make and keep sacred covenants with Him.
President Nelson has taught:
“Death is a necessary component of our eternal existence. No one knows when it will come, but it is essential to God’s great plan of happiness. Thanks to the Atonement of the Lord, eventual resurrection is a reality and eternal life is a possibility for all humankind. …
“… For sorrowing loved ones left behind … the sting of death is soothed by a steadfast faith in Christ, a perfect brightness of hope, a love of God and of all men, and a deep desire to serve them. That faith, that hope, that love will qualify us to come into God’s holy presence and, with our eternal companions and families, dwell with Him forever.”
I testify that “if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.
“But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.
“He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.”
Jesus Christ Himself declared, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
I testify that through the redeeming Atonement and glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ, broken hearts can be healed, anguish can become peace, and distress can become hope. He can embrace us in His arms of mercy, comforting, empowering, and healing each of us. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." (The Grave Has No Victory By Reyna I. Aburto Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency)
"Jesus Christ had to suffer, die, and rise again to redeem all humanity from physical death and to give eternal life with God.
One evening after work, years ago, I boarded my usual bus home to New Jersey from New York City. The woman I happened to sit next to noticed what I was writing on my computer and asked, “You believe in … Christ?” I said, “Yes, I do!” As we talked, I learned she had just moved to the area from her beautiful Asian country to work in New York’s highly competitive information technology sector.
Naturally, I asked her, “Do you know why I as a Christian believe in Jesus Christ?” She too responded normally and invited me to tell her. But as I went to speak, I had one of those moments where many thoughts flood your mind. This was the first time I would explain the “why” of Christianity to someone very unfamiliar with it and highly intelligent. I couldn’t simply say, “I follow Jesus Christ because He willingly suffered and died for my sins.” She might wonder, “Did Jesus have to die? Couldn’t God simply forgive and cleanse us of our sins if we asked Him to?”
How would you have responded in a few minutes? How would you explain this to a friend? Children and youth: would you please ask your parents or a leader later on, “Why did Jesus have to die?” And, brothers and sisters, I have a confession to make: despite all I thought I knew about Church doctrine, history, policy, and so on, the answer to this central question to our faith did not come so easily. That day I decided to focus more on what matters most to eternal life.
Well, I informed my new friend that we have a spirit in addition to a body and that God is the Father of our spirits. I told her we lived with our Heavenly Father before our births into this mortal world. Because He loves her and all His children, He made a plan for us to receive a body in the image of His glorified body, be part of a family, and return to His loving presence to enjoy eternal life with our families like He does with His. But, I said, we would face two main obstacles in this necessarily fallen world: (1) physical death—the separation of our bodies from our spirits. Of course, she knew we would all die. And (2) spiritual death—our separation from God because our sins, mistakes, and flaws as mortals distance us from His holy presence. She related to this too.
I informed her that this was an effect of the law of justice. This eternal law demands that an eternal penalty be paid for every one of our sins, or violations of God’s laws or truth, or we could never return to live in His holy presence. It would be unjust, and God “cannot deny justice.” She understood this but easily grasped that God is also merciful, loving, and eager to bring to pass our eternal life. I informed my friend that we would also have a cunning, powerful adversary—the source of evil and lies—opposing us. Therefore, someone with infinite godly power to overcome all such opposition and obstacles would need to save us.
I then shared with her the good news—the “good tidings of great joy … to all people”—that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I testified to my friend, and I witness to you, that Jesus Christ is that Savior, that He had to suffer, die, and rise again—His infinite Atonement—to redeem all humanity from physical death and to give eternal life with God and our families to all who would follow Him. The Book of Mormon declares, “Thus God … gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men … ; being filled with [mercy and] compassion … ; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.”
The steps God revealed we must take to follow Jesus and receive eternal life are called the doctrine of Christ. They include “faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism [into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints], receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.” I shared these steps with my friend, but here are some ways in which prophets and apostles have recently taught how the doctrine of Christ can bless all God’s children.
President Russell M. Nelson instructed: “The pure doctrine of Christ is powerful. It changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it in his or her life.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught, “[The] For the Strength of Youth [guide] is bold in declaring the doctrine of … Christ [and] inviting you [youth] to make choices based on [it].”
Elder Dale G. Renlund taught, “We invite missionaries to do what they ask those they teach to do: … apply the doctrine of Christ in their lives [and] get on and stay on the covenant path.”
The doctrine of Christ empowers those who are struggling or feel they don’t belong in the Church because it helps them, as Elder D. Todd Christofferson stated, “affirm: Jesus Christ died for me … [and] loves me.”
Parents, if your child struggles with a gospel principle or prophetic teaching, please resist any type of evil speaking or activism toward the Church or its leaders. These lesser, secular approaches are beneath you and can be lethal to the long-term faithfulness of your child. It speaks so well of you that you would protect or advocate for your precious child or show signs of solidarity with him or her. But my wife, Jayne, and I know from personal experience that teaching your beloved child why we all desperately need Jesus Christ and how to apply His joyful doctrine is what will strengthen and heal him or her. Let us turn them to Jesus, who is their true advocate with the Father. The Apostle John taught, “Whosoever … abideth in the doctrine of Christ … hath both the Father and the Son.” He then warns us to beware “if there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine.”
Jayne and I recently visited the wilderness where Moses held up a serpent of brass before the wandering children of Israel. The Lord had promised to heal all who were bitten by poisonous snakes if they would simply look upon it. In holding up the doctrine of Christ before us, the Lord’s prophet is doing the same, “that he should heal the nations.” Whatever the bites or poison or struggles we experience in this mortal wilderness, let us not be as those who, anciently and presently, could have been healed but, sadly, “would not look … because they did not believe that it would heal them.” The Book of Mormon affirms: “Behold, … this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ.”
That evening in New Jersey, sharing why we need Jesus Christ and His doctrine gave me a new sister and her a new brother. We felt the peaceful, confirming witness of the Holy Ghost. Naturally, I invited her to share her contact information and continue the conversation with our missionaries. She was happy to do so.
“Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth,” the Book of Mormon declares—to love, share, and invite as we gather Israel in all our communities and families—“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 [and doctrine] of the Holy Messiah.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." (Do You Know Why I as a Christian Believe in Christ? By Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt Of the Seventy)
And here's the commentary entitled: "Because of His Atonement, Jesus Christ has the power to help me overcome sin, death, trials, and weaknesses." :
"Here’s an activity that can help you see the many blessings that come through Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Read the scriptures below about what Jesus Christ helps us overcome. Try sorting the passages into these categories: sin, death, trials, and weaknesses (some passages may fit in more than one category). As you read, what impressions do you have about the Savior’s power?
How would you explain to a friend who isn’t a Christian why Jesus Christ is important to you? Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt’s message “Do You Know Why I as a Christian Believe in Christ?” (Liahona, May 2023, 119–21) can help.
Jesus' power is amazing indeed! Through His power, we can overcome all hard things--sin, death, trials, and weaknesses.
Here's how I would explain to a friend who isn’t a Christian why Jesus Christ is important to me:
We are all spirit children of God, the Father. He created this earth and sent us down here to be able to obtain our physical bodies, learn and grow from our experiences, and prove that we are worthy to go back to His presence. Our Heavenly Father knew we would need divine help in order to rise above the challenges that we would encounter in this earthly life, and He does love us so much. That's why He sent down His Only Begotten Son (the only one who has Heavenly Father as His Father both in the spirit and in the flesh), Jesus Christ. This is the reason why Jesus Christ is important to me. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Through Him, I can return to my Heavenly Father's presence. Through Him, I can reach my full potential as a daughter of God. Through Him, and as I do my part, I can live with my own family again and be with them forever. This is because He overcame death, both physical and spiritual. He gave His life, and so He died. And because of His power, He is able to rise from the dead. And because He did rise from the dead, we will all live again even after we die. Because of Him, I am able to find peace and joy in this earthly life, whatever circumstances I find myself in. Because of Him, there is always hope. Because of Him, it's possible for me to inherit eternal life, the greatest gift God has in store for all His spirit children.
