“Jacob and Sherem,” Book of Mormon Stories (2023)
Jacob and Sherem
A prophet’s testimony of Jesus Christ
Jacob was a prophet who saw Jesus Christ. He wanted the people to believe in Jesus. Jacob taught the people to keep God’s commandments. He worked hard to teach the people about Jesus.
2 Nephi 11:2–3; Jacob 1:1–8, 17–19
One day, a man named Sherem started teaching the people. But Sherem taught that Jesus was not real. Sherem was a good speaker, and many Nephites believed what he said. Because of him, many people stopped believing in Jesus. Sherem also wanted Jacob to stop believing in Jesus.
Sherem said no one could know what would happen in the future. He said this meant no one could know if Jesus was real, because Jesus had not come to earth yet. But Jacob said the scriptures and all the prophets taught about Jesus. God had shown Jacob that Jesus would come to earth.
Sherem still would not believe. He wanted Jacob to show him a sign that Jesus is real.
Jacob said Sherem knew Jesus would come and did not need a sign. But Jacob said God would make Sherem faint to show that God has power and Jesus is real.
Suddenly, Sherem became sick and fell to the ground. After many days, he knew he was going to die. He told the people that he had been tricked by Satan. He said he had lied to God. He knew the whole time that Jesus is real. Then Sherem died. The people read the scriptures and believed in Jesus.