It is Marvelous in Our Eyes

The Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon wrote this, “And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true.” What an incredible experience this must have been to see the plates at the hands of the angel. But this was not the reason that their testimony was so sure. They also wrote, “And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man.” Not only did they see with their eyes, but they heard the voice of God declare to them the truthfulness of the record. The Saints book records what happened this way, “The men heard the voice of God declare, ‘These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God. The translation of them, which you have seen, is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear.’” That command was then why they wrote their official witness that is now a part of the Book of Mormon. So, their witness was not simply that they saw the plates at the hand of an angel like the other eight witnesses, but they also heard the voice of the Lord testify to them. I love the way that they summed up the experience, “And it is marvelous in our eyes.” And so too should this record be marvelous in our eyes as we read and feel and hear the voice of the Lord through its pages.

                 That same phrase was used by Moroni in the Book of Mormon itself. He wrote to us, “God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God? 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? And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles?” (Mormon 9:15-18) The things of God should be “marvelous in our eyes,” and Moroni’s questions invite us to consider how we feel about the things of the Lord. If we truly ponder with the help of the Spirit, we will understand the miracle that is the creation and life on earth and the marvelous works of God. We will see with wonder the mighty miracles that Jesus did upon the earth through His power. We will feel the awe knowing the “almighty power of God” and the miracles wrought by the power of His word in all ages. I love this invitation that Moroni then gave to us after we recognize the grandeur of God: “O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him” (Mormon 9:27). As the words and works of the Lord become “marvelous in our eyes” as they were for the Three Witnesses, we can come unto Him with all our heart and work out our salvation through “the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ” to one day “be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and… dwell with him eternally in the heavens.”