Book of Mormon/Anachronisms/Holy Ghost

From FAIRMormon

This page is based on an answer to a question submitted to the FAIR web site, or a frequently asked question.

Contents 1 Question 2 Answer 3 Further reading 3.1 FAIR wiki articles 3.2 FAIR web site 3.3 External links 3.4 Printed material

Question

Why is the Holy Ghost mentioned so many times in the Book of Mormon prior to the time of Christ (e.g., 1 Nephi 10:17) and yet in the Old Testament there is hardly any mention of the Holy Ghost, especially with regard to his mission of bearing witness of the truth?

Answer

It is interesting to note that the same question arises about Satan in the Old Testament. There is very little information about Satan outside of the first two chapters of Job. Students of the Bible have observed that Satan is much more prevalent and "real" in the New Testament. The typical answer Biblical students give for this is the evolving understanding of doctrine from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Some who are more skeptical say that the New Testament period was perhaps more influenced by spiritual beliefs in devils and spirits than the earlier period.

But for Latter-day Saints there is a different perspective. We know that the knowledge of both Satan and the Holy Ghost has been part of gospel teaching from the time of Adam down. The fact that both are poorly represented in the Old Testament reinforces our belief that many plain and precious things were not adequately handed down to us from ancient times (see 1 Nephi 13:26–40). This was one of the great necessities for the Restoration—to restore the "fulness" of the doctrines and principles of the gospel, because they were not adequately transmitted into our time. The Book of Mormon in its plainness and simplicity, and uncorrupted nature, shows us a clearer picture of what was understood and believed about both Satan and the Holy Ghost by inspired prophets.

Even with these textual losses, the concept of Spirit of the Lord as an independent entity does appear in a handful of passages, including Genesis 1:2; 2 Samuel 23:2; Isaiah 40:13; 48:16; and 59:19.

Similar criticisms are leveled at the Book of Mormon and the Church, because the Book of Mormon reveals the name of Jesus Christ prior to his birth. Again, the answer is, inspired prophets knew a great deal, unfortunately it wasn't adequately transmitted to us before the recovery of the Book of Mormon.

Further reading

FAIR wiki articles

Holy Ghost wiki articles

• Anachronistic Holy Ghost in Book of Mormon?
• Will the Holy Ghost receive a body?
• Burning in the bosom
• Divinity without a body?
• Identity
• Joseph Smith is the Holy Ghost?
• Moroni's promise
• Testimony and doubt reconciliation

Book of Mormon "Anachronisms"

• Anachronisms (summary page)
  • "Adieu"
  • Animals
  • Bible text and word choice
    • French word: "adieu"?
    • Greek words: alpha and omega?
    • Malachi text?
    • New Testament text?
  • Cement
  • Chariots
  • Coins
  • Compass
  • Demographics
  • DNA issues
  • Gadianton Robbers as Masons?
  • "Gold" plates?
  • Holy Ghost
  • Hebrew and Native American languages
  • Jeremiah in prison
  • Jerusalem as site of Jesus' birth
  • KJV translation "errors" in Book of Mormon?
  • Legal codes and concepts
  • Metals
  • Metal Plates
  • Mulek
  • Names
    • Comoros Islands and Moroni
  • Olive culture
  • Plants
  • Population sizes
  • Pre-Christian Christianity
  • Red Sea vs Reed Sea
  • Reformed Egyptian
  • Satyrs
  • Serpents and drought
  • Shiz struggles to breathe
  • Snow
  • Sweat and skin pores
  • Synagogues
  • Story of Jaredites added to explain presence of animals in New World
  • Temple in the New World
  • Three days of darkness
  • Translation errors from the KJV?
    • Lord's Prayer
  • Warfare
    • Swords
  • Windows

FAIR web site

Holy Ghost FAIR articles

• FAIR Topical Guide: Holy Ghost FAIR link
  
• FAIR Topical Guide: Revelation FAIR link
  
• FAIR Topical Guide: Testimony (Witness of the Holy Ghost) FAIR link
  
• FAIR Topical Guide: Testing the Book of Mormon FAIR link
  
• Blake T. Ostler, "Spiritual Experiences as the Basis for Belief and Commitment," (2007 FAIR Conference Presentation). FAIR link

External links

Holy Ghost on-line articles

• David A. Bednar, "Seek Learning by Faith," Ensign (September 2007): 60–68 (from talk given to CES educators on 3 February 2006). off-site
• Allen R. Buskirk, "Science, Pseudoscience, and Religious Belief (Review of: The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark)," FARMS Review 17/1 (2005): 273–310. off-site PDF link
• Daniel H. Ludlow, "I Have A Question: A friend of mine says he has prayed about the Book of Mormon but has not received a testimony of its truthfulness. Shouldn't Moroni's promise always work?," Ensign (March 1986): 49. off-site
• Dallin H. Oaks, "How can I distinguish the difference between the promptings of the Holy Ghost and merely my own thoughts, preferences, or hunches?," Ensign (June 1983): 25. off-site
• Dilworth B. Parkinson, "We Have Received, and We Need No More," FARMS Review 17/1 (2005): 255–272. off-site PDF link
• Richard G. Scott, "Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer," Ensign (May 2007): 8–11. off-site off-site
• Gregory L. Smith, "'Days of Miracle and Wonder': The Faith of Sam Harris and the End of Religion, a review of The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason by Sam Harris," FARMS Review 20/1 (2008): 147–174. off-site PDF link wiki
• Richard N. Williams, "Faith, Reason, Knowledge, and Truth," FARMS Review 20/1 (2008): 99–112. off-site PDF link wiki

Printed material

Holy Ghost print works