There are two young LDS scholars that have websites that you might be interested in. One is David J. Larsen in a MA program in Theology at Marquette University. He has some great posts and good insights. He also has some wonderful links from his site. The other scholar is David Bokovoy. He is working on his PhD at Brandeis University. These scholars help to keep us current with the latest research and thinking in the world of religion. They are bright and have some very good insights. Check out their sites by going to "Good Sites To Visit" to the right of this blog.
You can also click here to visit David J. Larsen's blog and click here to visit David Bokovoy's blog.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Malachi Prepares Us For Christ's Coming (Part 1)
Malachi chapters three and four are of particular interest to Latter-day Saints. When the Savior visited the Nephites he quoted Malachi 3 and 4 (see 3 Nephi 24 & 25) and said that these verses were for future generations (3 Nephi 26:2). When Moroni met for the first time with the Prophet Joseph Smith, the first scriptures that he quoted were from Malachi 3 & 4. So we have three witnesses as to the importance of these two chapters in Malachi, 1. Malachi 3 & 4, 2. 3 Nephi 24 & 25, and 3. Moroni's quoting from them to the Prophet Joseph Smith. A closer look at these two chapters reveals several important insights. They were given to Israel who were temple worshippers but had become lax in their service to God. This was a community that was served by the priesthood who were no longer giving offerings in righteousness. These people were complaining about the requirements to serve their maker and they aped for the things of this world.
Malachi's message is to the House of Israel in particular, and is a warning and a list of things needed to be prepared for the Lord's visit to the earth. In his message can be found the "bookends" of keys necessary for the restoration of the gospel. He promises that a messenger will be sent to prepare the way of the Lord (Malachi 3:1). The same messenger prepares the way for both the first and second comings of Christ - John The Baptist (see Matth. 11:10; Mark 1:2). He also foretells of the coming of Elijah and his keys, which we know have the power to seal all things together using the holy priesthood. So, Malachi teaches us who will bring the first keys to preach the gospel of Christ into all of the world and also who will bring some of the last keys to seal all things together.
Malachi may have universal application to all people, nevertheless, his message has particular application to the Saints who have both the temple and the priesthood. In our next post we will list all of the things that Malachi mentions are necessary for members to be prepared for the Second Coming of Christ. Note, this is not a list for perfection or dwelling in the Celestial Kingdom, but only a list to be worthy to live in the Millennium when we will concentrate on losing all of our Telestial traits and prepare the earth for Celestial glory.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Open The Windows Of Heaven
The Sabbath Day can be like a mini Millennium in our life where one day in seven is set apart to make our final preparations to dwell forever with God, just as the Millennium is one day out of seven for the earth to make all the final preparations for exaltation. The blessings for keeping the Sabbath are tantamount to the blessings of the Millennium. So also is fasting in some ways equivalent to Millennial life where the total focus is on spiritual growth and development. Again we saw blessings that equate to Millennial life associated with fasting.Because the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, (Psalms 24:1) tithing is an interesting commandment. Looking at it from the Lord's point of view, he is saying, "I will let you keep 90% of my things, just leave me 10% to help build my kingdom which you will inherit." From that point of view we appear to be being dealt with as little children. The Lord tells us as much in the Doctrine and Covenants:
D&C 78:17
17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
And then when we do keep such a simple commandment the rewards are almost unbelievable for letting the Lord keep only 10% of his own belongings. Like the blessings for keeping the Sabbath Day holy, the Lord promises the tithe payer that he will open the windows of heaven to them and pour out blessings upon them that there will not be room enough to receive them (Malachi 3:8-12). The Lord promises the tithe payer that their lands will be productive and they will be blessed with plenty.
When it is all added up, only one conclusion can be reached. God is loving and generous and those who keep these three commandments as outlined in the scriptures will have their wants and needs supplied even in times of famine, Elijah the prophet being a type. The Lord will abundantly take care of them both temporally and spiritually. As we learn from the Brother of Jared, he is the God of truth and cannot lie (Ether 3:12).
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Fasting And Its Attendant Blessings
There are few commandments that bring greater attendant blessings than fasting. Fasting is a sign to the Lord that we are hungering and thirsting for righteousness and the things of his kingdom. It is a powerful element in conforming us to the image of Christ. One of the best scriptures that outlines fasting is Isaiah 58. It explains the kind of fast that the Lord does not want and then outlines a true fast and the blessings that will follow.The scene opens in Isaiah 58:3 with Israel complaining that God is not giving heed to their fasting. The Lord answers back in verses 3-4, that they have not made their fast different than any other day of the week. In verse 5, the Lord points out that fasting is more than going through the motions of a fast by bowing their heads and sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
The Lord through Isaiah then begins to point out the elements of a true fast:
1. Loose the bands of wickedness (repent) (vs. 6)
2. Undo heavy burdens - giving of yourself spiritually and temporally to others (vs. 6)
3. Let the oppressed go free and break every yoke - kindness and support to those in need (vs. 6)
4. Give food to the hungry (vs. 7)
5. Clothe the naked (vs. 7)
6. Extend your generosity to those of your own family (vs. 7)
The blessing for a true fast are now outlined:
1. Your light will break forth - God's love and blessings are considered light (vs. 8).
2. Your health will increase (vs. 8).
3. You will have a reputation of being righteous (vs. 8).
4. The glory of the Lord will be your rereward or rearguard (vs. 8). Anciently marching armies were often attacked in the rear because that is where the sick and wounded were kept. A rearguard had to be placed there to protect them from the attackers. This appears to be one of the greatest blessings for fasting as the Lord himself promises to guard and protect us where we are the most vulnerable.
5. When you call on the Lord he will answer, if we refrain from being an accusatory type of a person (vs. 9)
6. Your light will rise and be as bright as noonday - no shadow or darkness (vs. 10) Those thus blessed are ready for the presence of God (see D&C 88:67-68)
7. The Lord will guide you continually (vs. 11)
8. Even in a famine you will be fed and watered (vs. 11) - this inference appears to be both physically and spiritually.
9. You will be numbered with those who rebuild Zion and the breaches created by the wickedness of previous generations (vs 12).
The Lord through Isaiah then reminds Israel that keeping the Sabbath holy is also a part of the requirement for receiving the blessings of fasting (vs. 12-14).
President Marion G. Romney gave this counsel:
If we will double our fast offerings, we shall increase our own prosperity, both spiritually and temporally. This the Lord has promised, and this has been recorded. ("Basics of Church Welfare," address to the Priesthood Board, March 6, 1974, p. 10) found in Rulon T. Burton, We Believe [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1994]
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Millennial Type Blessings
As we appear to be heading into economic trying times, it is a good time to review what the Lord has given his people to be secure during times of hardship and all times. There are three major commandments that the Lord has given to bless his people not only spiritually but also temporally. Millennial type blessings are promised for those who properly keep these commandments. Those three commandments are: 1. Tithing, 2. Keeping the Sabbath holy, and 3. Fasting. In today's post we will examine the Sabbath Day.One of the best scriptures that outlines proper Sabbath worship and its attendant blessings is D&C 59. It was given to the Prophet Joseph Smith during his first visit to the promised land, Jackson County Missouri. The revelation was given on a Sunday, August 7, 1831. The Lord referred to this day as "this, the Lord's day" (vs. 12) thus confirming the concept that the Sabbath was to be on Sunday rather than Saturday.
One of the major purposes of the Sabbath was to more fully keep unspotted from the world and to go to the house of prayer and offer up sacraments (vs. 9). Sacraments refer to those things that contain sacred elements. As great and beautiful as the outdoors may be and in nature one may feel close to God, the commandment is to go to his house and not his wilderness. It is a day of rest and to pay devotions (vs. 10). A devotion is a profound dedication or attachment to something, in this case it is directed to God. The Sabbath is a day to offer up vows (vs. 11). A vow is a solemn promise, in this case it would be our baptismal covenants, agreements when we took upon ourselves the priesthood, and temple covenants. It is a day to offer up oblations and to confess sins (vs. 12) Oblations are offerings made to deity.
According to the Lord the Sabbath is also a day of fasting, so our food should be prepared with singleness of heart (vs. 13). The whole Sabbath is a day of fasting or doing without the things of this world and working only for the things that pertain to the Kingdom of God. So, from the Lord's point of view, every Sunday is a fast day of not doing our pleasure on His Holy Day (Isaiah 58:13). On the first Sunday of the month we also add to our fasting going without food and water.
It is important to note that the Lord's list of keeping the Sabbath holy only includes what we are to bring to his house of worship and not what we take away when it is over. We have all heard some complain that the Sacrament talks are not always great, or our Sunday School teacher is boring, or they do not get very much out of going to Church. The Lord's list focuses on what each of us are to contribute to Sabbath worship and not what we take away from it. Sometimes we become so egocentrically oriented that we forget what our responsibilities are.
Now let's focus on the blessing that come to those who properly keep the Sabbath holy.
1. The fullness of the earth will be given (vs. 16).
2. The good things that can be used for food, clothing, and housing (vs. 17).
3. The earth will be beautiful and please the eye and gladden the heart (vs. 18-39).
4. Food and clothing will be provided for, taste and smell will enhance life and the soul will be enlived (vs. 19).
Finally we are to recognize the hand of God in all things and obey his commandments (vs. 21).
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
How Satan Is Destroying Our Agency
In the above video, President Benson recommended a book by Gary Allen, None Dare Call It Conspiracy. You can read that book online here.
Copy and paste the above site address in your address window of your search engine.
This book helps the reader to understand the basis for the many machinations which we are now reading in the headlines and also on the news.
I also strongly suggest the book, Five Thousand Year Leap, by W. Cleon Skousen. This book will help the reader to understand the very basics of our nation and the Constitution of the United States and how far we are departing from our origins.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Liahona - Directions From Christ (Sacred Sites Part 14)
Six Hundred B.C. was a water shed in history for the House of Israel. Because of their rebellion against the Lord and their wickedness, they were losing their promised land, their king and their temple. On the other hand, because of his righteousness, Lehi was called of the Lord to locate a new promised land where they would establish a new king and build a new temple to the Lord.The Lord wanted them to know that it was by him that they were led:
1 Ne 17:13 13 And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.
The Lord gave them the Liahona as their guide. Jonathan Curci suggests that the etymology of the word "Liahona" contains three Hebrew elements - L = to; iaho = Jehovah; and ona = whither or direction. In the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, vol. 16, number 2, 2007, pp. 66-67, Curci concludes:
As Elder David A. Bednar explained, "The primary purposes of the Liahona were to provide both direction and instruction during a long and demanding journey. The director was a physical instrument that served as an outward indicator of their inner spiritual standing before God."16 It worked according to the principles of "faith and diligence" (1 Nephi 16:28). In this way, the Liahona not only indicated the geographical direction whither they should go in the wilderness but also directed the Lehites to the Lord. This meaning would be in harmony with the appellation director inscribed by Alma in 37:38: "our fathers call [it] a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord [Yahweh] prepared it." After having specified that the interpretation was ball or compass, Alma associates the term compass with the fact that the Lord prepared it. Retranslating the verse in Hebrew, we would have the concept of direction Ê¿ona, and the director, or Yahweh the Lord, side-by-side, thus composing the name Liahona
According to Alma, there were qualities in the Liahona that point us to the Light of Christ or the words of Christ that are in each of us (D&C 84:44-46). In other words we all have a Liahona (The Light of Christ) to give us direction for our lives so that we end up in a "far better land of promise" (Alma 37:45).Alma suggests that the Liahona was easy to use. Even though it did require faith, all they had to do was believe that it would point the way and it did. It worked by such "small means" that they all became slouthful and forgot to exercise faith. Here we see that even good people like Lehi and Nephi took the Liahona for granted and ignored it from time to time just as we do the light of Christ (Alma 37:40-41).
They spent much more time than needed in their difficult situations and afflictions because of their slothfulness. When they "forgot" to exercise faith they did not travel in a direct course and the many daily miracles ceased in their lives. So it is with us when we ignore the Light of Christ in us (Alma 37:42-43).Alma draws this conclusion for the reader:
Alma 37:44-46 44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land. 45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise. 46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.
In a sense the Lord took the Light of Christ and made a model out of it so that we could see how it works. Lehi and his exodus became a model for us and our quest for the Celestial Kingdom and our use of the Light of Christ in our exodus out of the world. Nephi made this clear in 1 Nephi 1:20 when he said, "... I, Nephi will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance."
Friday, March 13, 2009
Nephi and the Exodus (Sacred Sites Part 13)
The exodus pattern became the opening motif of the Book of Mormon drama. Nephi saw parallels between their journey to the promised land and the exodus of Israel out of Egypt. He also took courage from the events of the exodus that strengthened him for his roll in the Lehite exodus. The April, 1987, Ensign pp. 64-65, published 24 parallels between the two journeys:
"...several researchers, George Tate, John W. Welch, and Avraham Gileadi, have noted that one of the most important of all Hebrew motifs, the exodus cycle, is woven throughout 1 Nephi."
"The overall pattern of Lehi and his people’s exodus is a story of deliverance through a divinely led departure, in which Nephi emphasizes their encounters with God just as Moses does in Exodus. The people of Judah are in bondage to Babylon and in danger of being utterly destroyed. The Lord leads a partially rebellious remnant from Jerusalem and nurtures them through mighty miracles and the giving of laws so they can inherit a promised land."
"Since an exodus cycle deals with how events fit the pattern of deliverance, the order of events is relatively unimportant. Hence, Nephi’s account does not always follow the sequence Moses used in his writings, but it does share numerous motifs of the Exodus, some of which are listed in the accompanying chart. (The list is a sampling only; it is incomplete and represents no attempt to order the significance of the parallels.) The instances of similarity are many, and the result is the same: after the people have arrived in the promised land, they know that the Lord is God and that he delivered them from destruction."
Parallels between 1 Nephi and Exodus
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