The selection of Isaiah chapters taught in the Book of Mormon is most interesting. Many of them deal with the scattering and later gathering of Israel and Israel's future events. One of these prophecies deals with the Savior's mortal life, foretold 700 years before its occurrence.
The tone is set with the geographical background of Galilee, the place where Jesus grew up. Isaiah prophesies, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined" (2 Nephi 19: 2; Isaiah 9: 2).
Light is contrasted with darkness, and death with eternal life, as given by the Savior. This is a region often occupied with enemy warriors from Assyria and Babylon on their way to attack Jerusalem and other areas to the south. Thus, it was termed "the land of the shadow of death." Also, the rocky terrain of some of this area would cast a dark shadow upon the face of the land. And yet it would become home to the Light of the World.
The reader can sense a central theme, perceiving the light at the end of the tunnel (no pun intended). No matter how bad things get, the Lord's hand is not stayed. Yet Israel's woes continue, in spite of its Hebrew name meaning "to prevail with God" (see Genesis 32: 28).
The blood and gore continue, described only as Isaiah can, "For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood" (2 Nephi 19: 5). Ephraim and Samaria will say in "stoutness of heart," "The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars" (v. 10). But in spite of such confidence, the Syrians are before and the Philistines behind; "and they shall devour Israel with open mouth."
Then comes the first wave of this Messianic message: "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still" (v. 12).
Next, Israel loses "head and tail, branch and rush in one day" (v. 14). Now that's a bad flip of the coin. "And every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still" (v. 17).
Israel, now with two strikes against her, goes up against a forest fire and mounting smoke. Beware: Trees are never just trees in Isaiah; they're people. And the people are going to get consumed in the fire of addiction, as they snatch on the right hand and are left hungry; and they eat on the left hand and they shall not be satisfied (vv. 18-20). They feel what we call the "God hole" as they try to fill the emptiness with drugs of choice.
Then internal conflicts arise as Ephraim and Manasseh prepare attacks against the southern kingdom of Judah, and it seems as if Israel might self-destruct. But this ain't baseball; it's God at work. And the familiar refrain repeats, "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still" (v. 21).
The Lord poses a question: "To whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?" As if He might ask, where else will you turn? And what is your price? How much will it take before you sell yourself to the enemy? (see 2 Nephi 20: 3).
After the Nephite destruction when all seemed hopeless for one branch of the House of Israel, the voice of the Lord was heard to say, "how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you. . . . how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not . . . how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart" (3 Nephi 10: 4-6).
At His actual appearance to the inhabitants of the New World the scripture records, "And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying: Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world" (3 Nephi 11: 9-10).
At the moment when it seems like all second chances have been exhausted, and all hope is dashed, He stretches forth His hand to rescue, empower, and heal.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Sunday, September 11, 2016
The Waters of Shiloah
The Gospel plan is interesting. We can choose our water. It's quite fascinating to see how water is portrayed in scripture.
Water left to its own devices follows the course of least resistance. It lays low and runs downhill lacking any kind of structure. Uncontrolled, water can do severe damage. One can become immersed in water and even drown. It represents chaos. During Creation the waters had to be "gathered together unto one place" to cause the dry land to appear (Genesis 1: 9).
In a scriptural context, water won't stand, except in two passages. During the exodus the waters were a wall, allowing the children of Israel to pass through on dry land (see Exodus 14: 22), echoing the Creation process in that dry land becomes necessary. Later the children of Israel would have to pass over the Jordan to get to the Promised Land, and the waters stood up like a heap (Joshua 3: 16-17).
Water can be still and lifeless, unless it becomes "living water" as promised to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4: 10, 14). In some cases water represents divinity. When Jesus performs the miracle of changing water to wine, it becomes a representation of His premortal nature as a spirit Being, with the water representing spirit, and the wine becomes a representation of His blood, and His mortal role. Thus, the Word is made flesh (see John 1: 14; 2: 1-11).
The Lord offers a special kind of water. He speaks of the "waters of Shiloah that go softly" and contrasts it with "the waters of the river, strong and many." These other waters "come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks" (see 2 Nephi 18: 6-7; Isaiah 8: 6-7).
Shiloah in the Old Testament becomes the Pool of Siloam in the New Testament. The name means "sent" and the translated word in the New Testament comes from the Greek word apostello meaning "one sent forth." It applies to the Savior but can also refer to others sent forth, or sent away, on a divinely-called mission.
At the waters of Shiloah, or Pool of Siloam, Jesus heals a man born blind. Jesus "spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing" (John 9: 6-7). As He "spat on the ground and made clay," it echoes the Creation when "there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2: 6-7).
The waters of Siloam are soothing, comforting, and provide cleansing and healing effects, allowing us to see things we have not seen before. This is at the heart of temple ordinances, particularly the initiatory ordinances.
The world moves in a fast current. The forces are "strong and many." In such a river it's easy to be swept away as the waters consume many and the rivers run out of their banks, and out of control.
Lives can become turbulent, and currents of addiction and compulsion sweep many of us away, carrying us down the path of destruction where we can drown in the depths of hell (see 1 Nephi 12: 16).
For one who has been rescued from the raging river, blessings of eternal hope, comfort and healing, provided by living water, are never taken for granted.
Such was my experience yesterday in the holy temple of our God, as I was there with my wife, son, and daughter. It was a feeling beyond description, as I felt somewhat swept away and carried into the arms of His love.
Water left to its own devices follows the course of least resistance. It lays low and runs downhill lacking any kind of structure. Uncontrolled, water can do severe damage. One can become immersed in water and even drown. It represents chaos. During Creation the waters had to be "gathered together unto one place" to cause the dry land to appear (Genesis 1: 9).
In a scriptural context, water won't stand, except in two passages. During the exodus the waters were a wall, allowing the children of Israel to pass through on dry land (see Exodus 14: 22), echoing the Creation process in that dry land becomes necessary. Later the children of Israel would have to pass over the Jordan to get to the Promised Land, and the waters stood up like a heap (Joshua 3: 16-17).
Water can be still and lifeless, unless it becomes "living water" as promised to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4: 10, 14). In some cases water represents divinity. When Jesus performs the miracle of changing water to wine, it becomes a representation of His premortal nature as a spirit Being, with the water representing spirit, and the wine becomes a representation of His blood, and His mortal role. Thus, the Word is made flesh (see John 1: 14; 2: 1-11).
The Lord offers a special kind of water. He speaks of the "waters of Shiloah that go softly" and contrasts it with "the waters of the river, strong and many." These other waters "come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks" (see 2 Nephi 18: 6-7; Isaiah 8: 6-7).
Shiloah in the Old Testament becomes the Pool of Siloam in the New Testament. The name means "sent" and the translated word in the New Testament comes from the Greek word apostello meaning "one sent forth." It applies to the Savior but can also refer to others sent forth, or sent away, on a divinely-called mission.
At the waters of Shiloah, or Pool of Siloam, Jesus heals a man born blind. Jesus "spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing" (John 9: 6-7). As He "spat on the ground and made clay," it echoes the Creation when "there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2: 6-7).
The waters of Siloam are soothing, comforting, and provide cleansing and healing effects, allowing us to see things we have not seen before. This is at the heart of temple ordinances, particularly the initiatory ordinances.
The world moves in a fast current. The forces are "strong and many." In such a river it's easy to be swept away as the waters consume many and the rivers run out of their banks, and out of control.
Lives can become turbulent, and currents of addiction and compulsion sweep many of us away, carrying us down the path of destruction where we can drown in the depths of hell (see 1 Nephi 12: 16).
For one who has been rescued from the raging river, blessings of eternal hope, comfort and healing, provided by living water, are never taken for granted.
Such was my experience yesterday in the holy temple of our God, as I was there with my wife, son, and daughter. It was a feeling beyond description, as I felt somewhat swept away and carried into the arms of His love.
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Is Isaiah Picking on the Sisters?
As a seminary student in junior high I first read this Isaiah chapter in the Book of Mormon and I came across this railing on the "daughters of Zion."
"Moreover, the Lord saith: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet" (2 Nephi 13: 16; Isaiah 3: 16).
I continued to read about the rings, nose jewels, and other jewelry accessories, some of which were not fashionable in my younger days but have grown in popularity. I hadn't seen many of the boys wearing such apparel, but had seen some of the girls with jewelry, bonnets, etc.
I wondered why the Lord was singling out the girls. They seemed to be at least as righteous as the boys, and seemed more righteous than the guys I hung out with. What about the men? Are they blameless here?
Much, much later in life, after I had begun a serious study of the scriptures, and they became alive for me, I would realize the men are on trial too.
Specifically, Zion had two daughters, and these are figurative daughters. It's not so much about specific people as it is about geographic regions.
We can actually find these two daughters of Zion in a later Old Testament chapter. They are described as two sisters, daughters of one mother. The sisters even have names--"Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister." Then the Lord begins to decode this for us, in case we haven't figured out the figurative style. "Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah" (see Ezekiel 23: 2, 4).
Their names are interesting. Aholah means "her own tent," and Aholibah means "the tent is in her." These names are derived from the Hebrew root ohel meaning tent or tabernacle. After the time of Solomon, Israel was divided into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom of Israel, and the southern kingdom of Judah. The tabernacle was once pitched in the northern region, near Samaria, at Shiloh (see Joshua 18: 1). Later, the tabernacle would be replaced by a temple in Jerusalem.
Both kingdoms became idolatrous to a certain extent. The "daughters of Zion," these two sisters, having tents (or temples), represent the Lord's covenant people, both men and women. Now we are on equal ground, men and women.
It is interesting that when God proposes a tabernacle He said, "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25: 8). The Hebrew word for dwell is shakan where the word Shekinah is derived. It is as if the Lord were saying, "Let them make me sanctuary, so I can tent among them." The "whoredoms" of these two "sisters" is a symbolic representation of Israel's disregard for God's covenants, as Israel prefers its own gods rather than Jehovah.
The Shekinah was considered to be the sacred tent of Jehovah. Click here for a link (it's Wikipedia so it can't be wrong) to the tabernacle or tent called the Shekinah. You may read in this link that "The Shekinah is held by some to represent the feminine attributes of the presence of God (Shekinah being a feminine word in Hebrew), based especially on readings of the Talmud." It is the context of Noah's experience in the tent (Shekinah) where the King James Version says he is "drunken." This should probably convey the message instead that Noah was entranced in a heavenly temple-like vision, and Ham looked upon things for which he was not authorized. But that's for another post.
You may also notice the feminine images on the veil. Whoops, that now puts us on unequal grounds with us brethren lagging a tad bit behind the sisters. But I'm sure we'll catch up somewhere in the New Testament, with the apostles and such. But wait, while the apostles are trying with good intent to protect Jesus, and thus block the Atonement with lines like, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee," the sisters are, on the other hand, anointing His head and feet, recognizing Him as King of kings and the Great High Priest, in preparation for His atoning mission (see Matthew 16: 21-22; Mark 14: 3; John 12: 3). But I'm sure we'll catch up somewhere in the Book of Mormon with Captain Moroni, Helaman, and the stripling warriors. But wait, Mormon inserts an editorial comment on how successful Korihor was to lead the people astray with false doctrine by saying, "And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness, yea, leading away many women . . ." (Alma 30: 18).
As if to say, it's not that hard to lead the men astray, but you know society is in trouble if you lose the women.
Then I think about my wife and her sheer loyalty, obedience, and goodness, and my valiant daughter, who stands courageously in defense of her values. And I think of a dear sister in Sunday School this afternoon, who while trying to read some verses in Helaman about the atoning blood of the Savior, was so overcome with emotion that she couldn't speak.
I concede.
"Moreover, the Lord saith: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet" (2 Nephi 13: 16; Isaiah 3: 16).
I continued to read about the rings, nose jewels, and other jewelry accessories, some of which were not fashionable in my younger days but have grown in popularity. I hadn't seen many of the boys wearing such apparel, but had seen some of the girls with jewelry, bonnets, etc.
I wondered why the Lord was singling out the girls. They seemed to be at least as righteous as the boys, and seemed more righteous than the guys I hung out with. What about the men? Are they blameless here?
Much, much later in life, after I had begun a serious study of the scriptures, and they became alive for me, I would realize the men are on trial too.
Specifically, Zion had two daughters, and these are figurative daughters. It's not so much about specific people as it is about geographic regions.
We can actually find these two daughters of Zion in a later Old Testament chapter. They are described as two sisters, daughters of one mother. The sisters even have names--"Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister." Then the Lord begins to decode this for us, in case we haven't figured out the figurative style. "Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah" (see Ezekiel 23: 2, 4).
Their names are interesting. Aholah means "her own tent," and Aholibah means "the tent is in her." These names are derived from the Hebrew root ohel meaning tent or tabernacle. After the time of Solomon, Israel was divided into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom of Israel, and the southern kingdom of Judah. The tabernacle was once pitched in the northern region, near Samaria, at Shiloh (see Joshua 18: 1). Later, the tabernacle would be replaced by a temple in Jerusalem.
Both kingdoms became idolatrous to a certain extent. The "daughters of Zion," these two sisters, having tents (or temples), represent the Lord's covenant people, both men and women. Now we are on equal ground, men and women.
It is interesting that when God proposes a tabernacle He said, "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25: 8). The Hebrew word for dwell is shakan where the word Shekinah is derived. It is as if the Lord were saying, "Let them make me sanctuary, so I can tent among them." The "whoredoms" of these two "sisters" is a symbolic representation of Israel's disregard for God's covenants, as Israel prefers its own gods rather than Jehovah.
The Shekinah was considered to be the sacred tent of Jehovah. Click here for a link (it's Wikipedia so it can't be wrong) to the tabernacle or tent called the Shekinah. You may read in this link that "The Shekinah is held by some to represent the feminine attributes of the presence of God (Shekinah being a feminine word in Hebrew), based especially on readings of the Talmud." It is the context of Noah's experience in the tent (Shekinah) where the King James Version says he is "drunken." This should probably convey the message instead that Noah was entranced in a heavenly temple-like vision, and Ham looked upon things for which he was not authorized. But that's for another post.
You may also notice the feminine images on the veil. Whoops, that now puts us on unequal grounds with us brethren lagging a tad bit behind the sisters. But I'm sure we'll catch up somewhere in the New Testament, with the apostles and such. But wait, while the apostles are trying with good intent to protect Jesus, and thus block the Atonement with lines like, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee," the sisters are, on the other hand, anointing His head and feet, recognizing Him as King of kings and the Great High Priest, in preparation for His atoning mission (see Matthew 16: 21-22; Mark 14: 3; John 12: 3). But I'm sure we'll catch up somewhere in the Book of Mormon with Captain Moroni, Helaman, and the stripling warriors. But wait, Mormon inserts an editorial comment on how successful Korihor was to lead the people astray with false doctrine by saying, "And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness, yea, leading away many women . . ." (Alma 30: 18).
As if to say, it's not that hard to lead the men astray, but you know society is in trouble if you lose the women.
Then I think about my wife and her sheer loyalty, obedience, and goodness, and my valiant daughter, who stands courageously in defense of her values. And I think of a dear sister in Sunday School this afternoon, who while trying to read some verses in Helaman about the atoning blood of the Savior, was so overcome with emotion that she couldn't speak.
I concede.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Witnesses For Kingship
The morning commute on the train provides a nice opportunity to feast on the scriptures and other good books. One morning several years ago I was on the bus on my way to work. I was engaged in a manuscript for a book I was writing dealing with addiction and recovery.
On this particular morning I was pondering on the witnesses of Christ as described by Nephi in the Book of Mormon. Nephi delighted in the words of Isaiah because, as he writes, "he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him." Then he goes on to say, "And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words" (2 Nephi 11: 2-3).
The Lord established His law of witnesses in the Old Testament by requiring two or three witnesses to testify of crimes, especially if the death penalty was to take effect (see Deuteronomy 17: 6). Interestingly, this law of witnesses comes into play with covenant making and the "book of the law." Much later the book of the law was found in the temple by Hilkiah the high priest, who delivers the book to Shaphan the scribe, who in turn delivers it to king Josiah. The verse records, "And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king" (2 Kings 22: 10).
In this same chapter in Deuteronomy, the duties of a king in Israel are set forth. The king is not supposed to "multiply to himself silver and gold" (Deuteronomy 17: 17). The king would report his stewardship and kingship to the people at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Jews still celebrate this feast today. Click here for a link to this festival.
It is significant that King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon reports his stewardship and even quotes these verses in Deuteronomy, which was anciently called "the paragraph of the king." He said, "I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you" (Mosiah 2: 12).
It is almost certain that King Benjamin gave his marvelous sermon during the Feast of Tabernacles. There are references to sacrifices according to the Law of Moses. King Benjamin's people came up near the temple in tents, and during the Feast of Tabernacles the people would gather to the temple in booths. Later on Ezra addressed the people during this feast from a pulpit, while King Benjamin used a tower to address the people. There are other similarities (see Mosiah 2: 3-8; Leviticus 23: 42; Nehemiah 8: 4, 14).
As King Benjamin's people prepare to make sacred covenants to become sons and daughters of Christ, he employs the law of witnesses by saying, "And of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day" (Mosiah 2: 14). The congregation will stand as witnesses to the covenant, according to the book of the law.
Getting back to my original intent, as I was looking for this law of witnesses and turning to page 80 in the Book of Mormon where the three witnesses of the Savior testify, namely Nephi, Jacob, and Isaiah, I turned to page 79 on the other side of the page. I have to interject here that my scriptures are kind of messy with words highlighted in orange, and lines running to notes all over the page. One day, my orange highlighter had run out of ink, and apparently when I had previously marked the page with the three witnesses, I had used yellow highlighter.
That morning on the bus as I accidentally turned to page 79, the sunlight coming through the windows of the bus illuminated page 79. Four words were highlighted in what looked like yellow sunlight coming through the back of page 80.
Here are the verses highlighted:
"And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.
"And I will fortify this land against all other nations.
"And he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God.
"For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words" (2 Nephi 10: 11-14).
The four "kings" were highlighted on the page, surrounded by glowing yellow in the morning sunlight.
I had a distinct impression and a powerful feeling come over me. I had written chapters in my book about kings and this particular festival. But it felt as if the Lord had a powerful message for me and my audience--those diligently seeking to find their way back from the darkness of addiction.
I didn't hear a voice, nor has my Redeemer ever appeared to me as He did to Nephi, Jacob, and Isaiah. But the impression was clear, as if He was saying to me, "You tell your addict friends (and yourself), I don't want you back as second-class citizens, or mere servants. I want you back as kings and queens!"
On this particular morning I was pondering on the witnesses of Christ as described by Nephi in the Book of Mormon. Nephi delighted in the words of Isaiah because, as he writes, "he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him." Then he goes on to say, "And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words" (2 Nephi 11: 2-3).
The Lord established His law of witnesses in the Old Testament by requiring two or three witnesses to testify of crimes, especially if the death penalty was to take effect (see Deuteronomy 17: 6). Interestingly, this law of witnesses comes into play with covenant making and the "book of the law." Much later the book of the law was found in the temple by Hilkiah the high priest, who delivers the book to Shaphan the scribe, who in turn delivers it to king Josiah. The verse records, "And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king" (2 Kings 22: 10).
In this same chapter in Deuteronomy, the duties of a king in Israel are set forth. The king is not supposed to "multiply to himself silver and gold" (Deuteronomy 17: 17). The king would report his stewardship and kingship to the people at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Jews still celebrate this feast today. Click here for a link to this festival.
It is significant that King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon reports his stewardship and even quotes these verses in Deuteronomy, which was anciently called "the paragraph of the king." He said, "I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you" (Mosiah 2: 12).
It is almost certain that King Benjamin gave his marvelous sermon during the Feast of Tabernacles. There are references to sacrifices according to the Law of Moses. King Benjamin's people came up near the temple in tents, and during the Feast of Tabernacles the people would gather to the temple in booths. Later on Ezra addressed the people during this feast from a pulpit, while King Benjamin used a tower to address the people. There are other similarities (see Mosiah 2: 3-8; Leviticus 23: 42; Nehemiah 8: 4, 14).
As King Benjamin's people prepare to make sacred covenants to become sons and daughters of Christ, he employs the law of witnesses by saying, "And of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day" (Mosiah 2: 14). The congregation will stand as witnesses to the covenant, according to the book of the law.
Getting back to my original intent, as I was looking for this law of witnesses and turning to page 80 in the Book of Mormon where the three witnesses of the Savior testify, namely Nephi, Jacob, and Isaiah, I turned to page 79 on the other side of the page. I have to interject here that my scriptures are kind of messy with words highlighted in orange, and lines running to notes all over the page. One day, my orange highlighter had run out of ink, and apparently when I had previously marked the page with the three witnesses, I had used yellow highlighter.
That morning on the bus as I accidentally turned to page 79, the sunlight coming through the windows of the bus illuminated page 79. Four words were highlighted in what looked like yellow sunlight coming through the back of page 80.
Here are the verses highlighted:
"And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.
"And I will fortify this land against all other nations.
"And he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God.
"For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words" (2 Nephi 10: 11-14).
The four "kings" were highlighted on the page, surrounded by glowing yellow in the morning sunlight.
I had a distinct impression and a powerful feeling come over me. I had written chapters in my book about kings and this particular festival. But it felt as if the Lord had a powerful message for me and my audience--those diligently seeking to find their way back from the darkness of addiction.
I didn't hear a voice, nor has my Redeemer ever appeared to me as He did to Nephi, Jacob, and Isaiah. But the impression was clear, as if He was saying to me, "You tell your addict friends (and yourself), I don't want you back as second-class citizens, or mere servants. I want you back as kings and queens!"
Sunday, August 21, 2016
The Give and Take of Sin and Sorrow
I have thought of the irony of the give and take of my sins and character defects. It was probably my third or fourth meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous at the Wednesday Old Timers Meeting as I pondered and seriously read the Twelve Steps. I had hoped to knock them out in a week or so, so I could graduate, learn to manage my drinking and my life, and get on with the rest of my life. Twenty seven years later I'm still trying to figure it out--one day at a time.
Step Three looked hard. Do I really have to give Him my will and my whole life just to get sober? But Seven looked rather easy, "Humbly asked Him to remove my shortcomings." Over a year later when I got around to Step Seven (because a friend said, "They're numbered for dummies like me."), I found it wasn't nearly that easy.
I had read plenty about surrender and turning it over, but the concept of having my sins and shortcomings removed meant Somebody had to take them, or make them magically go away.
As I started coming back to the Gospel I found scriptural passages to magnify this idea.
"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1: 29).
"Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people" (Alma 39: 15).
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53: 4).
And many years later I read about the scapegoat in ancient Israel. On Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, the priest would lay his hands on the head of the live scapegoat, confess the sins of the people, and then turn him loose into the wilderness to carry the sins away (see Leviticus 16: 21-22). I learned just last week at Education Week that someone was assigned to follow the scapegoat to chase him off a cliff to insure that those sins did not return to the camp of Israel.
I never had such a luxury, and many of those old sins and character defects would return and I have to keep surrendering.
Of course the "take" is the easy part. My Savior has already carried my sins and sorrows and taken them upon Himself. His Atonement is infinite in scope and time, although He has "finished (His) preparations unto the children of men" (D&C 19: 19). The price has already been paid at an infinite, staggering cost, causing Him to "tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore."
Now the ball is in my court as I struggle to give them away. Truly, everything I surrender has claw marks in it. In the Book of Mormon, Lamoni's father was ready to forsake his kingdom in order to have his sins taken away. He pleaded with God saying, "I will give away all my sins to know thee" (see Alma 22: 15, 18).
In a masterful discourse, Jacob pleads with us to prepare for that "glorious day" that we will not shrink in the presence of God, "and be constrained to exclaim: Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but I know my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine" (2 Nephi 9: 46).
They are mine only if I am not willing to give them away.
Step Three looked hard. Do I really have to give Him my will and my whole life just to get sober? But Seven looked rather easy, "Humbly asked Him to remove my shortcomings." Over a year later when I got around to Step Seven (because a friend said, "They're numbered for dummies like me."), I found it wasn't nearly that easy.
I had read plenty about surrender and turning it over, but the concept of having my sins and shortcomings removed meant Somebody had to take them, or make them magically go away.
As I started coming back to the Gospel I found scriptural passages to magnify this idea.
"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1: 29).
"Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people" (Alma 39: 15).
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53: 4).
And many years later I read about the scapegoat in ancient Israel. On Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, the priest would lay his hands on the head of the live scapegoat, confess the sins of the people, and then turn him loose into the wilderness to carry the sins away (see Leviticus 16: 21-22). I learned just last week at Education Week that someone was assigned to follow the scapegoat to chase him off a cliff to insure that those sins did not return to the camp of Israel.
I never had such a luxury, and many of those old sins and character defects would return and I have to keep surrendering.
Of course the "take" is the easy part. My Savior has already carried my sins and sorrows and taken them upon Himself. His Atonement is infinite in scope and time, although He has "finished (His) preparations unto the children of men" (D&C 19: 19). The price has already been paid at an infinite, staggering cost, causing Him to "tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore."
Now the ball is in my court as I struggle to give them away. Truly, everything I surrender has claw marks in it. In the Book of Mormon, Lamoni's father was ready to forsake his kingdom in order to have his sins taken away. He pleaded with God saying, "I will give away all my sins to know thee" (see Alma 22: 15, 18).
In a masterful discourse, Jacob pleads with us to prepare for that "glorious day" that we will not shrink in the presence of God, "and be constrained to exclaim: Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but I know my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine" (2 Nephi 9: 46).
They are mine only if I am not willing to give them away.
Monday, August 15, 2016
Robes of Righteousness
Jacob, who is arguably the best doctrinal teacher in the Book of Mormon, expounds the centrality of the Atonement in one of the book's most classic sermons. Interspersed within the doctrine the reader finds attributes of godliness, and elements of the divine plan. Alma would later call this "the great plan of happiness" (Alma 42: 8).
Jacob emphasizes the greatness of the Plan by saying,
"O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect" (2 Nephi 9: 13).
The one hand is contrasted with "the other hand" in a beautiful parallel of opposites. The separated spirit and body are reunited to become inseparable. The corruptible elements of the grave are delivered up to become incorruptible, and our imperfect knowledge and tainted memories become a perfect knowledge.
He continues,
"Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness" (2 Nephi 9: 14).
Guilt is contrasted with enjoyment, uncleanness versus purity, and nakedness is contrasted with being clothed.
"Clothed in the robes of righteousness" is a phrase loaded with symbolic meaning. Of course the best robes this side of the veil are found in the holy temple. In those early days of recovery, I returned to Church activity and sobriety, feeling fortunate if I could be accepted as a lowly servant like the Prodigal Son, who begged for mercy and was offered the "best robe" (see Luke 15: 22).
People of rank wore robes, particularly kings and queens. Click here for a link to the Hebrew word for robe. The high priest in ancient Israel also wore a robe called the "robe of the ephod" (see Exodus 28: 31). Thus, the robe was to be worn by kings, queens, priests, and priestesses.
You may notice (if you click on the link) the definition of the Hebrew word describes the robe as being long, so as to cover the body in its entirety. This ties the concept of robe with atonement, since the Hebrew word for atonement is kaphar meaning to coat or cover over. The complete covering of a robe is a symbol for the Atonement.
After the Fall, Adam and Eve "knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (Genesis 3: 7). This constituted a form of covering they did for themselves. In a sense it represents our own works, and those things we think we can do for ourselves. But a few verses later, the scriptures record, "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Genesis 3: 21). This interestingly is the only item provided by the Lord for Adam and Eve to help them in their mortal journey. He didn't give them a house, or a car, but rather a coat, or covering, of skins. The Hebrew word for skins is actually singular and means "the skin of a man." It is obvious whose skin is in the game. It represents an Atonement on our behalf--something we could not do for ourselves. It constitutes grace.
In clear temple imagery the Lord admonishes, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see" (Revelation 3: 18).
I have to say that when I put on those robes--a garment encircling my entire body, I almost feel as though "I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love" (2 Nephi 1: 15).
"Clothed in the robes of righteousness" is a phrase loaded with symbolic meaning. Of course the best robes this side of the veil are found in the holy temple. In those early days of recovery, I returned to Church activity and sobriety, feeling fortunate if I could be accepted as a lowly servant like the Prodigal Son, who begged for mercy and was offered the "best robe" (see Luke 15: 22).
People of rank wore robes, particularly kings and queens. Click here for a link to the Hebrew word for robe. The high priest in ancient Israel also wore a robe called the "robe of the ephod" (see Exodus 28: 31). Thus, the robe was to be worn by kings, queens, priests, and priestesses.
You may notice (if you click on the link) the definition of the Hebrew word describes the robe as being long, so as to cover the body in its entirety. This ties the concept of robe with atonement, since the Hebrew word for atonement is kaphar meaning to coat or cover over. The complete covering of a robe is a symbol for the Atonement.
After the Fall, Adam and Eve "knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (Genesis 3: 7). This constituted a form of covering they did for themselves. In a sense it represents our own works, and those things we think we can do for ourselves. But a few verses later, the scriptures record, "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Genesis 3: 21). This interestingly is the only item provided by the Lord for Adam and Eve to help them in their mortal journey. He didn't give them a house, or a car, but rather a coat, or covering, of skins. The Hebrew word for skins is actually singular and means "the skin of a man." It is obvious whose skin is in the game. It represents an Atonement on our behalf--something we could not do for ourselves. It constitutes grace.
In clear temple imagery the Lord admonishes, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see" (Revelation 3: 18).
I have to say that when I put on those robes--a garment encircling my entire body, I almost feel as though "I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love" (2 Nephi 1: 15).
Sunday, August 7, 2016
"If the Flesh Should Rise No More"
In the Book of Mormon Jacob eloquently teaches the doctrines of Creation, Fall, and Atonement in perhaps my favorite scriptural sermon found in Second Nephi chapter nine. Jacob is arguably the best doctrinal teacher in the Book of Mormon, and here is one basic doctrine not readily found in other scripture.
Jacob poses the question of what would become of our spirits, and indeed our very spirituality, without the resurrection of the physical body. One of the unique and most powerful doctrines of Mormonism is the sanctity of the body and its role in our eternal salvation.
Jacob teaches, "O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more" (2 Nephi 9: 8).
Jacob masterfully pairs the attributes of God with elements of the plan of salvation. So in addition to the doctrine of the resurrection from the grave comes the attributes of wisdom, mercy, and grace--all from a loving Savior.
This debate goes clear back to the time of our Lord's mortal ministry as the idea of a physical body enhancing eternal glory would be challenged by Greek theology and philosophy. The popular idea of its time influencing future generations of Christianity would be that the safest course to spirituality would be to overcome the physical nature of the body and get rid of the body entirely in order to let the spirit rule freely. Indeed the source of all sin and temptation is expressed in the gratification of the carnal and the physical.
John argues against such a philosophy in his first epistle, as he opens with his testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ by saying,
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
"(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1: 1-3).
John gives his testimony of a tangible Savior, whom he has heard, seen with his eyes, and even handled with his hands. The prevailing philosophy was that Jesus could not be perfect with a physical, mortal body, so the apparent physical nature of Jesus was somewhat akin to a hologram. It looked real and three-dimensional but was not of a tangible substance.
Yet the Restoration of the gospel in this dispensation began with the end clearly in view from the beginning, as young Joseph saw in the grove two perfected, glorified Beings with physical bodies. And therein lies the source of Their power. It was almost as if God would declare, "Joseph, this is how you're supposed to end up."
As the revelations unfolded, the doctrine of the sanctity of the body would become apparent with verses of revelation such as the following:
"For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies" (D&C 84: 33).
"And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things" (D&C 88: 67).
"They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened" (D&C 88: 28).
In the end we will receive the same glory as that by which are bodies are quickened, or made alive, and that glory, hopefully of a celestial nature, will be made manifest in our mortal, resurrected tabernacles.
Last December as my wife, two kids, and I were in the Provo Temple waiting for my kids to perform the baptisms for their grandparents, I saw rows of college students waiting in turn to perform ordinances for the dead. For a moment I saw them as vessels of light, carrying light and life inherent in a physical tabernacle to waiting spirits on the other side, allowing resurrected bodies to possess characteristics of godliness.
It is such a beautiful and glorious plan.
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