Who denies the miracle that, by God’s words, the heavens and
Earth were created. “For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the
face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore,
if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created,
O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon
the face of it, according to his will and pleasure” (Jacob 4:9).
“I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my
hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded”
(Isaiah 45:12).
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the
fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:26-27).
In verse 17, we once again see a reference to Jacob’s words.[1]
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Jacob 4:9
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Mormon 9:17
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For behold, by the power of his word man
came
upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word.
Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man
was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the
workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and
pleasure?
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Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by
his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man
was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word
have miracles been wrought?
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Who will say Christ did no mighty miracles? “Then those men, when they had seen the
miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come
into the world” (John 16:4).
“But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour,
but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
“And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his
hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
“And he marvelled because of their unbelief [OR lack of
faith]. And he went round about the villages, teaching” (Mark 6:4-6).
Many miracles were done by His apostles.
If, in the past, God performed miracles, why would He no
longer perform miracles?
“For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which
Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
“Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the
Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have
fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:18-19).
Moroni makes it clear God does not change. “For I am the
Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6).
“For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the
way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that
they repent and come unto him” (1 Nephi 10:18).
If he did, He would cease to be God. But, He is still God
and continues to do miracles.
If miracles are no longer done, the question is “Why?”
Because of a lack of faith in trust in God.
“For if there be no faith among the children of men God can
do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their
faith.
“Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the
prison to tumble to the earth.
“Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the
change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy
Ghost.
“Behold, it was the faith of Ammon and his brethren which
wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites.
“Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by
faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.
“And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a
promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained not the promise
until after their faith.
“And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until
after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God” (Ether
12:12-18).
“Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that
miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto
men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for
it is because of unbelief, and all is vain” (Moroni 7:37).
They turn their back on Him and His words. Eventually, they
no longer know Him, He whom they must place their trust. “Blessed are all they
that put their trust in him” (Psalms 2:15).
“The logic put forth here by Moroni is that the creation of
heaven and earth and humans is miraculous. Since God does not change, miracles
should continue. If miracles are not evident, it is not the fault of an
unchanging God but the fault of humans who have changed their beliefs and been
unfaithful to their covenants with him.”[2]
“We see that blessings are withheld as a consequence of ‘not
knowing’ God. ‘The reason why [God] ceaseth to do miracles among the children
of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way,
and know not the God in whom they should trust’ (Mormon 9:20). The logic put
forth here by Moroni is that the creation of heaven and earth and humans is
miraculous. Since God does not change, miracles should continue. If miracles
are not evident, it is not the fault of an unchanging God but the fault of
humans who have changed their beliefs and been unfaithful to their covenants
with him (see Mormon 9:17–19; Isaiah 24:5).”[3]
[1] Jacob’s
Textual Legacy, John Hilton III, Journal
of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 22/2 (2013): 60.
[2] Treaties
and Covenants: Ancient Near Eastern Legal Terminology in the Book of Mormon,
RoseAnn Benson and Stephen D. Ricks, Maxwell Institute website.
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