Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Malachi Prepares Us For Christ's Coming (Part 6) Calves of the stall?


Mal 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

The wicked that had become cynical in their worship of Jehovah will now see the difference between those who served Jehovah and those who did not. The wicked will now be consumed at the coming of Christ. Moroni taught the Prophet Joseph Smith that it would be those that come with the Lord that would burn them up (Joseph Smith-History 1:37). In D&C 5:19 it says that the wicked will be destroyed by the brightness of the Lord's coming. It appears that the second coming of Christ and those that he brings with him will be so bright that all things not transfigured will be destroyed. Another scripture teaches a very similar principle,

D&C 97:7
7 The ax is laid at the root of the trees; and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. I, the Lord, have spoken it.

Being left without root or branch in Latter-day Saint doctrine is to be without progenitors and posterity, or as D&C 132:17 puts it, they are separate and single without exaltation in a saved condition.

Sometime in another post, we need to look closer at this chapter as a reference to the universal TREE OF LIFE that is patterned after Christ.

Mal 4:2
2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

Mal 4:2 (New International Study Bible)
2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

This verse is an obvious reference to the power of the second coming of Christ, and the healing that he brings with him, and the great power that will be poured out on those who have served him. I also, used the NIV translation because it gives a better impression of the calves being released from the stall.

Having been raised on a small farm I have been able to observed calves released from the stall. The stall appears to be a metaphor for this restricted telestial mortal life that we live. We have the necessities to keep us alive but we are tremendously limited like the calf of the stall. The calf's world is very small, they have the necessities brought to them to keep them alive but there is very little freedom, both their movement and perceptions are very restricted. They cannot run and are not even aware that it is possible to run and to leap.

The day that they are released from the stall and put into the large pasture they, at first, seem a little intimidated and not sure what to do. However, in a few minutes it is a delight to watch them as they now explore the new powers they have been given in their new world. They run and kick up their heels as their tails are lifted corkscrew like to the heavens. They are finally free and have powers that they never knew were possible.

This all appears to be a metaphor to understand the power of the coming of Christ to bless the righteous. They will truly understand the promise made, that as many as come unto him he will give power to become the sons of God (D&C 11:30). In their new Millennial life, where the earth is transfigured, and the Holy Ghost is poured out on the whole earth as a baptism, they will have power and strength beyond their Telestial comprehension. This is the time that is given to them to make their final preparations to become Celestial beings, and the power that is given them is a gift from the Savior's healing powers of the atonement. These verses give great hope to those who love the Lord and desire to become like him. The Millennial powers will lift them to heights of growth and progression toward perfection that they had never experienced or known.

5 comments:

MARTHA said...

I can hardly wait.

Anonymous said...

The Lord is happy to give those same blessings here and now to those who seek Him. It is what the House of the Lord is for.

D&C 95:8, "Yea, verily I say unto you, I gave unto you a commandment that you should build a house, in the which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high."

D&C 38:38-39, "And when men are endowed with power from on high . . . if ye seek the riches which it is the will of the Father to give unto you, ye shall be the richest of all people, for ye shall have the riches of eternity."

Bob Norman said...

To: The Warden,
As great as those blessings and promises are while we dwell in the Telestial World, they cannot be compared with the power and the glory and blessings that will be poured out during the Millennium when the whole earth will be transfigured to endure the presence and glory of the Lord (D&C 63:20-21). In speaking of the days of the Millennium Isaiah tells us that no eye has seen nor ear perceived what the Lord has prepared for them that wait for him (Isaiah 64:4). Isaiah tells us that the old world will not be remembered or come to mind (Isaiah 65:17). The Savior promises us that when he comes he brings the powers of heaven to be in our midst as well as his own presence (3 Nephi 20:22). The Savior even promises those who die before he comes that he will make sure that they partake of all the glory associated with his second coming (D&C 101:31-35).

Anonymous said...

First I want to say, I enjoy reading your blog. It is a good one!

Perhaps we are talking from two different perspectives? I may have not been clear, for which I apologize.

I take it that you are saying, that as a whole for the earth, the Millennium shall roll forth unmatched by previous times. Group blessings shall be unmatched. Is that right?

I am talking about the individual. The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Anyone who is willing and ready here and now can have the same blessings. (1 Nephi 10:18-19). Individual blessings are (or can be) the same.

I also believe that the scriptures you brought up have application to the whole earth Millennium in the future *and* to the God-fearing individual here and now.

I hoped that helped clear it up.

If you would like, I would be happy to talk about this over email. That might be a better place discuss it. My email can be found on my blog.

Thanks :)

Adams Family said...

hey Uncle Bob it's nice that you put all these great posts up for other to read!
-Heather