Exodus 12

 Concerning the Passover, the Lord instructed the Israelites - 

"...ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever."  (Exodus 12:24)

President Joseph Fielding Smith taught - 

“The Feast of the Passover was fulfilled in that form in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Passover was a law given to Israel that was to continue until Christ, and was to remind the children of Israel of the coming of Christ who would become the sacrificial Lamb. After he was crucified the law was changed by the Savior himself, and from that time forth the law of the sacrament was instituted. We now observe the law of the sacrament instead of the Passover because the Passover was consummated in full by the death of Jesus Christ. It was a custom looking forward to the coming of Christ and his crucifixion and the lamb symbolized his death…. “The word forever used in the Old Testament does not necessarily mean to the end of time but to the end of a period” (Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 5: 153– 54).

Everything related to the law of Moses was looking forward to that great and last sacrifice.  This would also suggest that those that the Nephites honored the passover.

Exodus 7

 I just thought it was interesting that Moses wrote that when all the rivers, ponds, streams turned to blood that - 

"...all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river."  (Exodus 7:24)

So, it obviously was not all water, but all surface water.

Exodus 15

 As the Israelites left the Red Sea - 

"...they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

23 ¶ And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

25 And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them..."  (Exodus 15:22–25)

In my mind, bitter water may have been water that had metallic, sulfuric, or terrible taste.  In my mind, a tree that could sweeten the taste in itself is a miracle.

Exodus 12

 The Lord commanded the children of Israel - 

"...ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.

25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.

26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?

27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped."  (Exodus 12:24–27)

Exodus 4

 As Moses and Aaron all called to the work, the Lord consoles them - 

"...Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do."  (Exodus 4:14–15)

This is the case to all that are called to the work being faithful.

Exodus 1

 When Pharoah commanded the Egyptian midwives to kill male babies - 

"...the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?

19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.

20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses."  (Exodus 1:17–21)

Those the "fear God" are blessed.

Genesis 41

 As Joseph was asked to interpret Pharaoh's dream, he responds - 

"...It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace."  (Genesis 41:16)

Where Joseph could have taken all credit, he did much like the Savior.

Genesis 39

 We learn the benefits of integrity and hard work as - 

"...Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand."  (Genesis 39:1–4)

This not only happened even when he was in jail.

Genesis 37

 Joseph related his dreams to his father and brothers - 

"...Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

9 ¶ And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying."  (Genesis 37:6–11)

Obviously, his family wasn't happy with him.  I don't believe Joseph was stupid or arrogant.  I wonder if the Lord commanded him to do so, so that when this happened, they would recognize it.

Genesis 35

 As I read as - 

"...they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.

19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem.

20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day."  (Genesis 35:16–20)

This must have been very difficult for Jacob.

Genesis 29

 I take my hat off to Jacob as he had to deal with - 

 "...he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

31 ¶ And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren."  (Genesis 29:30–31)

And - 

"...Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

2 And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?"  (Genesis 30:1–2)

Obviously, Jacob did not make this all happen, but he had to deal with it.  Make you wonder if you could deal with plural marraige.

Genesis 28

 As we read the vision of Jacob's Ladder, we witness the progressive steps of covenants and ordinances - 

"...behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it."  (Genesis 28:12)

President Marion G. Romney taught - 

“When Jacob traveled from Beersheba toward Haran, he had a dream in which he saw himself on the earth at the foot of a ladder that reached to heaven where the Lord stood above it. He beheld angels ascending and descending thereon, and Jacob realized that the covenants he made with the Lord there were the rungs on the ladder that he himself would have to climb in order to obtain the promised blessings— blessings that would entitle him to enter heaven and associate with the Lord. 

“Because he had met the Lord and entered into covenants with him there, Jacob considered the site so sacred that he named the place Bethel, a contraction of Beth-Elohim, which means literally ‘the House of the Lord.’ He said of it: ‘… this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’ (Gen. 28: 17.) 

“Jacob not only passed through the gate of heaven, but by living up to every covenant he also went all the way in. Of him and his forebears Abraham and Isaac, the Lord has said: ‘… because they did none other things than that which they were commanded, they have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods.’ (D& C 132: 37.)

 “Temples are to us all what Bethel was to Jacob. Even more, they are also the gates to heaven for all of our unendowed kindred dead. We should all do our duty in bringing our loved ones through them” (“ Temples— The Gates to Heaven,” Ensign, March 1971, page 16).

In addition, I personally believe the angels ascending and then descending also teaches the process of administering angels.  In my mind, administering angels from below ascend to receiving instructions and then descend to administer those directions.

Genesis 25

It becomes clear why Rebekah made such an effort for Jacob to receive the birthright as it was revealed to her, as - 

"...the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord.

23 And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger."  (Genesis 25:22–23)

When the Lord gives you a revelation, it is for a purpose.

Genesis 24

 I am impressed with the faith of the servant of Abraham as he prayed - 

"...O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master."  (Genesis 24:12–14)

It's interesting that he didn't just pray for help but actually proposed a plan.  The Lord accepted that plan as - 

"...before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels."  (Genesis 24:15–20)

Genesis 22

 We see great similarities between the story of Abraham and Isaac and the Father and the Son.  When it is written that Isaac was just a lad, Enoch said he was just a lad at sixty.  Isaac could have easily been in his thirties.  That being the case, we read that - 

"...they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood."  (Genesis 22:9)

Obviously, Isaac being in his thirties and Abraham over on hundred years of age, Isaac must have also been an obedient individual. So not only the promised blessing were given to Abraham, they were also extended to Isaac.

President Russell M. Nelson - Make Time for the Lord

 As he concluded this past general conference, President Nelson said - 

"Nothing invites the Spirit more than fixing your focus on Jesus Christ. Talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, feast upon the words of Christ, and press forward with steadfastness in Christ. Make your Sabbath a delight as you worship Him, partake of the sacrament, and keep His day holy."

And - 

"...please make time for the Lord in His holy house. Nothing will strengthen your spiritual foundation like temple service and temple worship."

Genesis 16

 The angel told Hagar - 

"...I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.

12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."  (Genesis 16:10–12)

Interesting to me!

Genesis 14

 After Abrahm battled several wicked kings and freed his nephew Lot, we read that - 

"...Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all."  (Genesis 14:18–20)

So little of Melchizedek is mentioned in the Bible, these verses may seem confusing.  The Joseph Smith translation and the Book of Mormon brings greater understanding - 

"...it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.

16 Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord.

17 Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea, they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of wickedness;

18 But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the king of Salem; and he did reign under his father.

19 Now, there were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have more particularly made mention."  (Alma 13:15–19)

And - 

"Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness [who did works of righteousness]; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.

 27 And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch, 

28 It being after the order of the son of God [it is the same priesthood that Jesus Christ holds]; which order [priesthood] came, not by man [not man-made], nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years [the priesthood is an eternal power]; but of God; 

29 And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his [Christ’s] own voice [men do not take it upon themselves, rather, must be properly called and ordained], according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name [in other words, the high priesthood is part of the full gospel of Jesus Christ].

30 For God having sworn unto [covenanted with] Enoch and unto his seed [posterity] with an oath by himself [as is the case with the “Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood, “detailed in D& C 84: 33– 41]; that every one being ordained after this order [the Melchizedek Priesthood] and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;

31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world [who became the Redeemer in the premortal realm]. 32 And men [such as Enoch] having this faith, coming up unto this order of God [having attained the office of high priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood], were translated and taken up into heaven. 33 And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order [a high priest]; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace.

Ridges, David J.. The Old Testament Made Easier - Part 1 (Kindle Locations 5670-5680). Cedar Fort Inc.. Kindle Edition. 

Genesis 12

 We are told that while in Egypt, because of Sarai, that Pharaoh -

"...entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels."  (Genesis 12:16)

But also, Josephus recorded of Abraham - 

"...He communicated to them arithmetic, and delivered to them the science of astronomy; for before Abram came into Egypt they were unacquainted with those parts of learning..." (Josephus, Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 1, chapter 8, verses 1– 2).

This note seems to confirm the authenticity of the Book of Abraham