Amalickiah, The Book of Mormon

The desire of some people (historically more men than women) to want to dominate the lives of others is evident in all scripture, and has not gone away in the centuries which have followed. We could cal it the practice of politics, the ambition described in Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar and Macbeth, or the power struggles documented by the records of the old Soviet Union or of the families of organized crime. The story of Amalickiah is one of these.
The Book of Mormon is shorter than the Bible, and so people come and go in it without our knowing anything about their background, The first we know of Amalickiah is his campaign to be elected ruler of the Nephites. He is described as an articulate person, adept at flattery and manipulation, but his campaign does not succeed.
He then does something which has little or no precedent. Having been rejected as a candidate for Nephite "king", he flees to the Lamanites with a small group of followers and, using strictly the power of the spoken word, persuades the Lamanite king to prepare to attack the Nephites, something they have undertaken before, but without success. Amalickiah gains for himself a position of leadership in the Lamanite army.
Through stratagem, including assassination of the Lamanite king and the marrying of his widow, Amalickiah eventually becomes king of the Lamanites and leads an army against the very people he once sought to govern. A long conflict follows, described in some detail for fifteen chapters. Amalickiah's military skills do not match his political skills, and he does not survive to the end of the war, which nevertheless continues with others taking his place.
 One notable characteristic of his leadership is his lack of regard for the people depending on him. In this respect he seems quite similar to Adolf Hitler, leader of W.W. II NAZI Germany, who would leave whole armies exposed to capture or destruction rather than grant their requests to withdraw from a battle in which they faced superior numbers..             

The Rich Young Man, New Testament

The fact that God chooses his personal representatives from all different kinds of men is evidence that having great wealth in itself is no sin, provided, of course, that the wealth was gained without exploiting others or taken by force.
The Gospel of Matthew records a short incident between Jesus and a nameless young man who is described as having great wealth. There is nothing to indicate that the young man wishes for anything more than what he mentions - to know the requirements for him to have eternal life with God. His background seems to have included religious instruction because he assures Jesus that he has been diligent in keeping the commandments (as delivered from Moses) since childhood.
At this point, it's easy to ask questions, the answers to which are not entirely clear. Why did the young man choose to approach Jesus? Did he make an active effort to find him, or did he just happen to be in the area? Was Jesus teaching a lesson to all, or simply taking questions from some possible new disciples? Was there anything of a mocking tone in the young man's question? Was he inspired enough to guess that he had missed something that went beyond the simple framing of the Ten Commandments? 
Regardless, Jesus answers the questions put to him respectfully, though not with any pretend humility that people often used in the presence of prominent persons. A conclusion is reached very quickly. In so many words, Jesus says, "Take your possessions, sell them and donate the proceeds to the poor. Then follow me, and you will have all you need in this life and the next."
This is not the answer the young man expected, nor was it the one he was prepared to back up with action. The scripture says he "went away sorrowing" no doubt thinking "This man doesn't know anything about my responsibilities and all that's expected of me. Follow him? My gosh, if I gave it all away it wouldn't put a dent in the number of poor, and then I would be one of them.What would THAT solve?"
Jesus saw all this, and used it as a teaching moment. Riches don't completely keep us from advancing in spirit, but they can certainly cloud our vision and distort reality. Most of us would see a clearer path to eternal life by living the simple life, knowing that mortality is short and soon to end no matter what our balance sheet may show at this moment.

Isaiah, Old Testament

Looking into the backgrounds of individuals called to serve as prophets, what seems surprising is that they don't seem to follow a pattern. They include farmers, herdsmen and others with more high profile assignments. At least one, Moses, started life as a foundling, then became a part of Pharaoh's Court, then served under his father-in-law as a herdsman.
Isaiah had the important job advising King Hezekiah on how to avoid conquest and capture by the Assyrians and other ambitious neighbors. In that capacity, one would assume his advice had to be quick, easy to follow and understand and given with confidence and conviction. Anything less would make for a short career as a royal adviser.
But the world of prophets can be far removed from advising kings. A prophet's view, we are told, may take in the past, present and future - all at the same time. This, in turn, may make it more difficult for the listener/reader to see things as the prophet might, especially if the message dates back centuries. Hence the proliferation of churches, all with different convictions.
Isaiah's prophetic writings would have had to be very different from anything he wrote for the King, and his references do take in all of time, not just his own. His use of figures of speech is extensive. Christians and Jews cannot even agree when or even if he prophesied regarding the future Messiah. His prophecies are concerned with big events, some so far in the future as to make one wonder how his contemporaries would have made use of them.    
But we retain his words today. Some have even been set to music. It's sometimes laborious to know with clarity the subject of short passages, even different parts of the same sentence. Nevertheless, we see him as the most important of all the Old Testament prophets.

Alma the Younger, The Book of Mormon

As with the Bible, some people in the Book of Mormon are primarily remembered as doers (think Joshua), while others are better remembered for the counsel they gave which survives for our own use (Paul). Alma the Younger was a doer in life, but is better remembered for his explanations of Christian doctrines to both large congregations and to his own sons. In terms of expounding doctrine, his is one of the best known voices of the Book of Mormon, along with Nephi, Lehi, Jacob and, of course, the resurrected Jesus himself.
His life compares most closely to that of Paul. He was not on God's side of things early in life, but lived more of a sectarian lifestyle along with the sons of King Mosiah. He was a strong critic of the Church, opposing his father, but unknowingly benefiting from his father's prayers made on his behalf. Like Paul, it took direct intervention by a heavenly messenger to convince Alma and the brothers  that their lives needed large and immediate change. The brothers dramatically altered their own lives, as they renounced all claims to royal status or privilege in order to take the missionary message to the Lamanites. Alma was at first named as the head of the new government proposed by Mosiah, with the title of Chief Judge, but he later gave up the office in order to concentrate on leading the church among  the Nephites, succeeding his father, whose life is described in an earlier entry.    
This choice took led him to proclaim the coming of Jesus approximately 150 years and thousands of miles removed from Jesus' actual birth. The message, therefore, was not always gladly received. As with Paul, Alma sometimes suffered from persecution from the people he was attempting to serve. His wish, on at least one occasion, was simply to be able to leave a greater impression of his message ("Oh, that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart.").
Alma's teachings regarding eternal judgement, the resurrection, and the need to serve others are well known to Book of Mormon students. The clarity of his message is a comfort to those who have struggled to understand the teachings of other ancient prophets. HIs teachings given, in particular, to one rebellious son reveal Alma as one who was not afraid to remind someone of lack of an excuse for sin, but that even great evils could be atoned for with sincere repentance. His teachings to poor Zoramite laborers banned from the very temple they had built because of their poverty reminds us of God's scant regard for such things as worldly wealth, and that our devotion should not be confined to a single place.  

Nicodemus, New Testament

The Gospel of John records Jesus' connections to Nicodemus, who, though his name might suggest otherwise, served as a pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin. Nicodemus seeks a better understanding of this man he has heard so much about, but he is not willing to jeopardize his own status by being seen with Jesus in public. Instead, he comes to him at night. All he knows at this point is that no one in his own group is capable of the things Jesus has done, and that therefore Jesus must possess divine authority.
 It would have been natural for Jesus to be suspicious of this man who appears in the night, but he must have seen something in Nicodemus which denoted sincerity, if not bravery. He proceeds to explain the necessity of receiving baptism, a concept that does not seem familiar to Nicodemus.
The scriptures do not show a definitive conclusion to this conversation, but subsequent verses have Jesus introducing Nicodemus to the fact that his life would have many changes if he chose to become a disciple. 
Nicodemus' name is mentioned twice more in the scriptures. When the problem of Jesus, as seen by the pharisees, is discussed, Nicodemus reminds the group that no action could be legally taken against him without his having the opportunity to speak on his own behalf. Even this modest suggestion is rejected by the pharisees, who point out that the Messiah, according to previous prophecies, would not come from Galilee, and so it wouldn't matter what this Nazarene might say. He simply could not be who he claimed to be.
Following the crucifixion, Nicodemus, perhaps out of personal feelings of guilt that he had not intervened on Jesus' behalf, donates spices intended for use in preparing Jesus' body for burial.
Final judgement of those, like Nicodemus, whose lives touch Jesus at one or two points in life, must be left to Someone with all the facts to make an accurate judgement. Was there a waste of leadership ability here, or a loss of public testimony that the Jews might have heard? Perhaps. But there were no doubt many who were frightened away from becoming believers - men and  women who concluded that it would have been "too hard" to fully adopt the teachings of this Galilean whom many would have seen as "doomed".

Joshua, Old Testament

The Children of Israel were destined, under Moses, to wander in the Wilderness for a full forty years. This was the consequence of their lack of faith in God's ability to deliver them safely into Canaan, where they would reestablish themselves in Abraham's old home as the new national power.
But getting to the Promised Land and actually taking possession of it were two different things. It was true that the Israelites had only to look out on the ground day after day to see that God was on their side. How else could the daily provision of manna ("What is it?") be explained? But the spies sent to check out the Canaanites and their defenses were not helpful. All but two felt that conquering these people might be too great a task. And the people were inclined to agree, because almost no one really wants war.
God's response was to slam the door to the Promised Land on all the remaining Israelites who had begun their lives in Egypt as slaves. They were condemned to live out their days putting one foot in front of another crisscrossing the desert until, one by one, they had all died. Only then could they take up the issue of the conquest of Canaan again.
And one of the two optimistic spies, Joshua, was to succeed Moses, who was also kept from crossing over. Entering the land was more celebratory than military, but it wasn't all good news. One thing that made it clear that things were now to be different was that the daily manna ended.
Another, and much more daunting, was the command to Joshua to clear the land of all the native peoples. It might not be necessary to slaughter them all, but, one way or another, they were to be removed.
It is said that we can receive no command from God that cannot be obeyed, but this one would prove to be a test simply beyond the will of the Israelites to fulfill. The members of the twelve tribes had each staked out territory to occupy, and quickly did so. But each tribe found a way to peacefully deal with the locals in ways that fell well short of God's command.
He had known that, just as living among the Egyptians had a negative effect on His people, appeasing the Canaanites would produce similar results. Sure enough, intermarriage and the partial adoption of the beliefs of idol worshipers did have a negative effect.
Joshua did all he could over a long period of time, but was finally reduced to simply leaving it up to the people to choose for themselves the objects of their worship, making it clear that he intended to serve the Lord, as he always had.    

Laman and Lemuel, The Book of Mormon

Laman and Lemuel were two of Nephi's three older brothers. The scriptures almost always link the two, and so lacking other material, we have no way of seeing them separately. We meet them along with the rest of Lehi's family in the earliest chapters of the Book of Mormon. They appear to be around twenty years old, without families of their own at the start.
It should be noted here that the record we have was written by Nephi, whose accounts don't include the good qualities of these brothers, whatever they may have been, but concentrate on their relationship with Nephi, which is often hostile and near violent owing to (according to Nephi) their jealousy of his status as future family leader and a person of spiritual authority.
When it becomes evident that Lehi and family will never return to Jerusalem to live, and that their future is quite uncertain, Lehi's sons are obliged to consider whether all this is necessary and good for them all. Nephi makes the question a matter of prayer, and receives an answer that puts him solidly with his father, wherever the family might go.
Laman and Lemuel are slightly older, and much more worldly. They had counted, no doubt, on joining their father's trading business at  some point, and enjoying everything that would go with what passed for the ancient "good life". They not only couldn't see the merit in leaving, they couldn't generate enough faith in their father to believe he had a plan, either.
It was not as though they never had the chance to change their minds. The scripture records that on several occasions the two older brothers saw visions, heard voices, witnessed miracles and were instructed properly in being faithful sons. But some of this instruction came from Nephi, which would have tainted it in the minds of his brothers.
The rift in the family never is healed. The two older brothers and their families are estranged from the others, and, following Lehi's passing, they devolve into a separate people, coming from the same gene pool, but passing on their personal enmity to succeeding generations who treat it as a way of life. It is from the oldest brother, Laman, that the Lamanites get their name. Through much of the Book of Mormon, the conflict overlaying the conflict we all experience between good and evil is that of the Nephites and their lethal sworn enemies, the Lamanites.
LIke Miss Haversham of Dickens "Great Expectations", jilted on what was supposed to be her wedding day many years before and feeling the pain of that day so completely that the wedding banquet is left to rot at the great table where it was to be served, these two brothers just couldn't get past the loss of wht they thought their lives would be like. Unwilling to blame themselves for this all too human tendency, they were ultimately willing to see their entire progeny kept in spiritual darkness, wasting their lives on an incorrect premise.    

The Samaritans, Olld and New Testament

The united kingdom of Israel lasted through just three kings: Saul, David and Solomon. It was formed, flourished and then divided, all in about 120 years. The Ten tribes of the northern kingdom ("Israel") made Samaria the capital of their new nation, though some Israelites stayed in Jerusalem because of religious devotion and the desire to be near Solomon's temple.
The two kingdoms coexisted for about 270 years, followed by the capture of Israel by the Assyrians in about 720 B.C. The time of the two kingdoms was problematic. The two nations couldn't deny that they had once been connected, but were not always allies during the wars of the period. The Assyrian capture marked the end of the historical record of the Ten Tribes, thus referred to as the "Lost Ten Tribes".
Even so, the Israelites did not completely disappear, and when the Assyrians moved people from other parts of their empire into the area, a merger of peoples and religious beliefs took place. The people became known as "Samaritans".
This group still occupied the land when a group of Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem by the decree of Cyrus the Persian, having served in what had been Babylon, then later part of the territory ruled by the Medes and Persians. This return, which involved only a small group of Jews, took place about two hundred years after the capture of Israel and sixty years after Judah's capture by the Babylonians.  
A chief goal of this repatriated group of Jews was to rebuild the temple, which was begun even without the Ark of the Covenant, which was never recovered. The Samaritans at first insisted that they participate in this project, but then, when their request was denied by the Jews, they built their own competing temple at Gerizim. This act cemented hard feelings between the two groups which continued into the life of Jesus, a full five hundred years later.
Jesus' choice of referring to a Samaritan in a parable given in response to a question from one of the Pharisees ("Who is my neighbor?") was therefore deliberate. In our day, the term "mullah" or "NAZI" would have the same effect. Since we could receive help from someone we might normally resent, it follows that we are responsible to offer aid to any of our Heavenly Father's children, whether the need is large or small, and whether or not we feel the person needing help deserves it. We are ALL each others' neighbors.      

Esther, The Old Testament

Esther's story is remembered each year at the Jewish Feast of Purim, when the Book of Esther is read and celebrated the Jews outliving the plot of the wicked royal official Haman. It's one part history, one part Story Time and one part relief from a happy ending.
But what about Esther herself? It's true that she had to exercise some courage to save the local Jews, herself included, but she had no original plan to be noble. If anything, it seems that she thought she had left the Jews behind when she became Queen. It was Mordecai, her relative and a mid-level management official in the king's court, who convinced her that their fates were all tied together and that it was up to her to prevent to prevent the mass slaughter planned by the schemer Haman.
So poor Esther had no choice but to be brave, for her own sake at least. If her plan could save the lives of other Jews, well, so much the better. She could then go back to the good life as the lucky queen of a vast kingdom.
What for me is the disappointment of the story is that when the thick-headed King Ahasuerus finally realizes through Esther that he has almost been tricked into having to stand aside and watch his own execution order carried out against the Jews, he then turns with redoubled anger on the plotters and makes them the victims. At the moment when Esther or Mordecai could have intervened on the side of mercy by asking that the plotters be banished or imprisoned, they silently watch the slaughter intended for them, unsparing to women and children and totaling, according to the record, some fifty thousand people. No doubt Esther and Mordecai were thereafter honored by the Jews, but one can't help wondering if they ever felt sorry for not intervening on behalf of humanity. 

Joseph's Suppot Group, The Doctrine and Covenants

It's something of a miracle that the young Joseph Smith had any supporters at all. He wasn't even twenty-five years old, and had no special background that would seem to qualify him as a religious leader. His education was spotty, his family had no heritage of wealth or leadership. Of course, there was no church history except the claim of restoration, no buildings, no operations manual, and no real clue as to what would happen next to insure that this infant organization wouldn't be strangled in its own crib.
What Joseph did have, right from the first, was the ability to speak with power and sincerity that caused people to change their minds about him. Sure, he needed help, but he was willing to give help as well, and put himself in the lead in projects that involved hard work and personal risk.
Then The Book of Mormon came into existence, thanks in part to donations that helped pay for the printing, a major sum at the time. Those close to Joseph concluded that this book could not have sprung from the mind of someone of any background without inspiration.
I suppose the men who knew Joseph Smith at first must have wondered many things. Why would God choose this young man for this formidable set of tasks, although the Bible had several similar instances? Could there be a position for me in this new Kingdom which would allow my name to be more widely known? What could I do to help this young man deal with the complexities of this wicked world?
Some of these men, young by current standards but living during a time when lives were shorter in pre Civil War America, brought their questions directly to Joseph, and he in turn took them to Christ in prayer. Today's volume called the Doctrine and Covenants is made up of revelations given in answer to these and other questions, which, taken as a whole, provide an outline for this new Church's organization and procedures.
Most of the answers are not given in great detail, and so required an even higher level of faith for these men. Some have names that are well known today, particularly Brigham Young and John Taylor, both later presidents of the church. Others are well known within the Church, but not outside of it because of their coming short of total faithfulness: Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, David and other members of the Whitmer family and some others.
The shortcomings of these early followers seem foolish now, a full 180 plus years later when the Church exists almost everywhere in the world. I can't help personally feeling that these men who joined the cause when it was brand new may be judged with a different standard than we who live today and see the evidence of how greatly the Lord has blessed this once humble organization led by an unlettered young man from a farm in New England.   

Satan: The Bible

The time between the lives of Job, discussed in this space last week, and Jesus would have been thousands of years. Nevertheless, Satan seems to have a similar attitude judging from his words in Job Chapter 1 compared to his temptation of Jesus recorded in Mark 1.
At first glance it seems that Satan uses different approaches in these situations, but his approach to Jesus is simply the flip side of the same coin. He does not speak directly to Job tempts him to renounce to renounce his faith by taking away all he has, including his health.To Jesus, who may have been weakened at the end of a long fast, he makes extravagant promises to grant material riches in the private hope of robbing God of His Only Begotten. We can't know exactly how he views everyone, Perhaps he doesn't see people as individuals at all, but merely as  prospective followers. Regarding Job, Satan, in so many words, says to God, "Of course Job serves you. You have made him rich, respected and blessed him with anything a person may possess.You have indulged his every whim. He'd be a fool not to serve you. But just put him in my hands, and you'll find out that his devotion really is phony. All he wants is to keep the 'good times' going at his tent."

The sales pitch to Jesus is based on the same human frailty:"I can make you king of the world right here and now, but you'll have to make up your mind, because I won't make the offer more than once. We both know you'll be serving me sometime. You might as well make the most of it."
Doubtless, Satan knew that reversing the entire Plan of Salvation in one obvious ploy was not likely, but he had nothing to lose. Satan seems in both cases to think very little of people. He had already known millions of them, and had observed how inconstant they are, and how eager to go for something "here and now" rather than focusing on Eternity. This line of thought, that men and women are just no good and cannot be trusted, has a single-word name - cynicism.
A cynical nature came easily to Satan, and it comes just as easily to people today. It is often employed as a substitute for wisdom, which, after all, comes only with extended time and effort. A cynical approach also serves the purpose of appearing to exalt the cynic by lowering the status of everyone else, a natural, but unattractive, human tendency.        

Job, Old Testament

Philosophers and scholars have written on the Book of Job for centuries. Part of why this attention continues is that so many questions remain unanswered: Who wrote this book, and why was most of it put into Hebrew verse? Just who was this man Job, whose story seems to read as much like a fable as a factual account? If he was an Israelite, why is his heritage it not mentioned? And just where was this place, Uz ("ooze"), where Job was a prominent citizen?
And there are theological questions as well. Do God and Satan meet from time to time, talking "smack" to one another and throwing out sporting propositions in which people are both the "things" wagered on and the stakes? What are we to make of Job's wife and his friends who can't quite resist the temptation to drag a confession from Job as he lay in cruel pain? And, of course, there's the question "What does this mean to me?"
It's hard to know just where fact and fiction diverge in this book, so unlike the rest of the Bible. Clearly, there is a great deal of poetic license taking place here.
Without going into detail about the misfortunes Job suffered almost simultaneously, he shows himself as a person worthy of respect. He knows somehow that God is involved in his pain, which he accepts without much complaint. What he seems to really want is the answer to the question everyone asks some time in life: "Why me?" Neither his wife, who advises "Curse God and die" nor his empathy-lacking friends are able to offer any help. Almost as puzzling is the final answer implicit in the voice of the Lord: "Don't ask." Finally, Job's blessings are restored. We are not told how the informal wager with Satan is settled.
Not all Bible students would be aware that the Latter Day Saints have something to say on the veracity of this whole matter, though it is somewhat indirect. A book of scripture made up of revelations given to Joseph Smith contains a short passage linking him to the ancient Job. Brother Joseph is counseled during a particularly difficult time in his life. He is imprisoned under dubious charges over several months in a decrepit jail in Liberty, MO. The Lord offers encouragement, then mentions that his situation is better than Job's because his loyal friends still stood with him.
It's possible, of course, to compare real people to fictional ones like Captain Ahab or Romeo and Juliet. But comparing the pain experienced by a person to that of a character would lose all meaning. This alone causes LDS members who think about such things to conclude that Job must have been a real person, whatever the details of his actual life. 

Alma the Elder, The Book of Mormon

As with Moroni, two individuals had the name "Alma", a male name in the Book of Mormon society. These two were father and son, with both making significant contributions to the teachings in the Book of Mormon.
The son's life record is more complete than the father's, but it is the father that illustrates a principle worth remembering: courage involves acting in a way which puts you or something you hold dear in jeopardy.
We don't know how, but Alma (referred to as "the elder" by Latter Day Saints to avoid confusion) works his way into the company of a rather corrupt group of men. These were the priests of  King Noah, the ruler of a Nephite splinter group about 150 years before the birth of Christ. Noah has been mentioned in this space before. He was evidently a corrupt ruler, much more concerned with his own good life than that of the people he ruled.
Into this scene comes a prophet named Abinadi, whose assignment is to call Noah and his people to repentance - something they are not prepared for, nor inclined to do. Abinadi is arrested on trumped up charges, and is brought before the King. Ordered to speak in his own defense, Abinadi does so, recounting for his audience some of the most memorable moments of Israelite history, and urging them to change their ways and earn the right to be preserved as their ancestors had been.
This message is rejected almost completely. The exception is Alma, who sees the entire scene unfold, then witnesses Abinadi's martyrdom, burned at the stake with the words of his message still on his lips. This horrific scene apparently made little impression on those who saw it, but Alma was impressed enough to go off on his own and spend some time recording Abinadi's message.
Then comes the part regarding the quality of courage. Alma began to secretly convene groups of people to repeat Abinadi's message. The group must have been tiny at first, but then others began to attend. Being found out would surely have proved fatal for this small group of believers. They had no plan of escape. In fact, none of the Nephites in the group, believers or not, were really free. Alma had to know that there was great danger in assembling, but he did it anyway, and began to baptize members of the group. They, of course, were equally at risk, forming a kind of internal refugee group with little to look forward to until the end of mortality.
This story, in fact, has a happy ending, with the group escaping to rejoin the main body of Nephites they had left behind two generations before. But that doesn't change the fact that these were courageous people, willing and ready to risk everything in order to gain salvation.           

Paul, New Testament

I was given a book a number of years ago with an unusual premise. The author's purpose was to rank the 100 most influential people in human history. This means, naturally, the use of many criteria, most of them purely subjective. How does one compare, for instance, Genghis Khan to J. S. Bach? It's an interesting book, but it settles very little from a factual basis.
For what it's worth, the Apostle Paul is ranked by the author as the 6th most important person of history, slightly ahead of Columbus, Einstein and Karl Marx.
Paul is ranked so highly because of the success which eventually came from his life's work - the taking of the message of Christianity, at first thought to be simply a branch of Judaism, into some far parts of what then constituted the "known world", where it was recognized as something growing out of, but then transcending the worship of Yahweh, claiming that the Messiah had, indeed, come to earth, and had established his Church upon the earth.
While always a person of great devotion, Paul was not always a devoted Christian. In fact, he played a role in the persecution of these people by the Jewish authorities of his day. The victims were themselves almost all ethnic Jews, but Paul, then known as Saul, saw nothing wrong in trying to keep out new ideas that he could not confirm by revelation, and did not oppose violence against these Jesus followers trying to claim authority for themselves.
This changed as Saul traveled to Damascus on a mission of persecution. An angel appeared to him and told him that his actions were flatly wrong, and that he must reverse them in order to be considered a true servant of God. All this simply overpowered Saul's senses, and he fell to earth, unconscious and speechless.
It took awhile for Paul, as he was now called, to make the change the angel had spoken about, but change he did. It soon became evident that his mission was to go to the great cities of the then known world to preach this new Gospel. He could no longer function as a pharisee, and so he took up the trade of tent making as a way to meet his expenses. Most Christian Bibles devote a page in the Gazeteer to the travels of Paul through several journeys.
The leaders of the infant church were not at first convinced that this message is intended for non-Jews, but then Peter had a dream which lead him to conclude that times had changed, and that ALL people could now be considered as possible new Christians.
Paul becomes a member of the Twelve Apostles and also devotes time to correspond with the congregations he had helped to establish, correcting their misconceptions and encouraging them to persevere in the face of adversity. His epistles take up more pages than any of the Gospels, and form the theology of many Christian denominations today.
We do not have a record of the end of Paul's life, but by tradition it took place in Rome and was probably violent, as the deaths of other apostles had been.
Paul deserves our admiration not just for his works over a long stretch of time, but for resisting any temptation to do or say anything in his own name, always portraying himself as just a man in the service of God and Jesus Christ.        

Joseph, Old Testament

In the Old Testament, stories featuring war, violence and destruction seem more common than stories of redemption, hope and love. If seeking the latter, however, the wonderful account of Joseph and his brothers is found in the latter chapters of Genesis.
Joseph's father, the family patriarch Jacob (whose name is changed to "Israel" is the grandson of Abraham. He enjoys the gifts of the spirit, and is aware of the promises given to Abraham to be the "father of many nations", but that carries no guarantee of an easy life. He fathers ( through four different women) twelve sons and a daughter. Joseph is the 11th son, but it is revealed that he will preside over the entire family some day. This is noted, and resented, by his older brothers.
Young Joseph is, in fact, a thorn in the side of his brothers, for he is not shy about reminding them about his promised status. They conspire to kill Joseph, but, instead, sell him off into slavery, then return to their father with a tall tale of Joseph's death from an animal attack, using his blood-soaked coat "of many colors" as evidence.
Joseph lands in Egypt, where his early life is marked by ups and downs. It would have been easy to simply discard his background and remake himself in the mold of his new masters, but Joseph never forgets who he is, and is finally assigned to serve one of  Pharaoh's high officials, Potiphar. He resists an attempt at seduction by Potiphar's wife, but is consigned to prison.
Josph probably would have stayed locked up, but Pharaoh has a dream which his spititual advisers are unable to comprehend, and someone recalls that young Joseph has correctly interpreted the dreams of others before. Brought before Pharaoh, he not only gives the details of the dream, which the monarch had claimed to have forgotten, but interprets it as pertaining to a future marked with seven good growing years to be followed by seven years of famine.
Convinced, Pharaoh realizes that planning for this disaster will be needed to preserve his nation, and that the man for this huge assignment is Joseph himself. Without any false modesty or hesitation, Joseph assumes powers in Egypt second only to Pharaoh himself - something akin to the Secretary of Agriculture, but much more powerful.
The famine forecast by Joseph occurs as predicted, and Israel and his family are not spared. He sends his sons to Egypt to bargain for food, where they meet the great administrater who had once been their younger brother Joseph. He recognizes them, and after making them sweat through a kind of test, finally reveals himself to them in a spirit of love and forgiveness. The entire family is brought to Egypt to live out the famine under Joseph's care.
While it is true that the Israelites are enslaved in Egypt years later, and that their liberation requires much suffering as recorded in Exodus, Joseph's life lesson for us is clear: in whatever circumstances you may find yourself, hold on to the righteous counsel you've received as a young person. And when it comes time to forgive, do so in sincerity of soul and without reservation.     

Zoram, The Book of Mormon

We don't know the names of every individual who left with Lehi and company, the group which eventually made their way to the Western Hemisphere. There was Lehi, his wife and their sons and daughters, along with Ishmael and his sons and daughters. By the time their ship sailed, the two families had done some blending, and the first of the next generation had already been born..
And there was also Zoram. He is not a person about which much is known. The scripture records that he had been a servant in the house of Laban, and that he was obliged to make an instant choice about his future. The choice he made was to join a group of people he did not know, in a journey and future none of them knew much about. This choice was made as a large young man (Nephi) kept him from escaping, but promised that he would be numbered with Lehi's family and treated as a free man. Something about this promise rang true to Zoram, and he took an oath on the spot. Nephi records that any concerns over Zoram (whom he did not know) vanished when he made this oath to "sign on".
The remainder of Zoram's life is not recorded. It was doubtless filled with hard work, but probably also a feeling of helping start something that would last a long time. Years later, when Lehi nears the end of his life and blesses all the people who had been under his leadership, Zoram is still there. Lehi, perhaps showing his age, refers to Zoram as "the servant of Laban", a status Zoram had left behind many years before. In any case, Zoram and his descendents receive Lehi's blessing and are numbered with Nephi's (that is, the worshipers of the Lord) people.
Making good decisions about both large and small things is undeniably important to happiness in life. Decisions we must make on the spot are usually about small things, and probably are a bit less successful than those that we make after long consideration. Even so, we should be prepared to make decisions quickly when circumstances demand. The scriptures give us examples of both kinds of decision-making, and both can be helped by inspireation.       

Pontius Pilate, New Testament

One must wonder how Pontius Pilate, Rome's local representative charged with ruling Judea during the 1st century AD, saw his job. Did he rise every morning happy to be the most powerful single individual in the area, or was he instead concerned with whatever surprising things might arise from ruling this little remnant of Israel? Was it only important that Rome's investment in occupation paid off  every year, or were other considerations also given weight? And was Pilate's position seen as a stepping stone in the Roman Empire, or a backwater, given little attention by those at the top of the Roman power structure?
It's hard to answer these questions with real authority, but it seems reasonable that even occupying powers favor stability among their subjects, and therefore would have known something about the line between mere exploitation and revolution-producing rebellion.  And the Romans were not new to empire building and maintenance.
In Judea, the matter of religion would be a major factor in deciding just how much occupation would be too much. The matter of Jesus would, to Pilate, have been just one more problem arising from the worship of the Jewish god. It's easy to see his reluctance to make new enemies by using violence against  a new class of victims. On the other hand, it must have become clear as Pilate all but begged the Passover mob for moderation, that the Jewish leaders had somehow convinced their followers that Jesus would have to die.
It wasn't that Pilate wasn't capable of violence, or even reluctant about it. But somewhere in his mind was the thought that one will more likely inflame by acting than by letting things pass with little or no public censure. He had also met and spoke with Jesus, and might have been impressed that this man, despite his tiny following and apparent nonviolent nature was no ordinary person.
But mob rule, though we hate the concept, was more likely to be the determining factor, even in the Roman Empire. Pilate did what he could to avoid responsibility for crucifying this man about whom he probably knew little. But in the end, he folded, choosing to tie himself  more closely to local  pharisees hoping to avoid revolt. Doubtless the crucifixion of Jesus went onto some kind of administrative report duly sent on to Rome, where it was probably marked "case closed" and forgotten.    

Nathan, Joab, Old Testament

We are all familiar with the vision of a person with two tiny visions of him/herself, one perched on each shoulder. One sports wings, while the other has horns and a forked tale. The person in the middle must choose between opposing advice whispered into each ear by this pair.
The life of David seems to be one in which the need to decide is plainly a struggle. On one hand is the advice of Nathan, a prophet given the task of helping David makes wise choices. But his is not the only voice in David's ear. Joab, the captain of the host, doesn't make suggestions himself, but stands ready to carry out the King's orders - no matter what they are or who they might hurt. Having a man like Joab on hand to do the "dirty" work represents a great temptation for David.
On a day when he would have been better off leading his army in battle, David was struck by the sight of Bathsheba bathing on her rooftop. He didn't lack feminine company, but David nevertheless pulled a few strings, paving the way to a sexual affair and an unplanned pregnancy. But there was a problem. Bathsheba was already married to Uriah the Hittite, probably a mid-level mercenary earning a dangerous living in King David's service
When David's attempt to cover his own sin failed, he turned to Joab for a favor. Uriah was simply to be left unprotected on the battlefield in order to become the victim of the opposing Amorites. The plan is a success, with David playing the role of mourning the loss of Uriah. The widow Bathsheba soon becomes David's wife, and no one, to David, is the wiser save Joab, Bathsheba and himself.
But there is no keeping secrets from God. Nathan soon tells David the story of a man who loses his little lamb to a man who takes it simply because he can. This angers David, and he begins to plan heavy punishment for the thief, when Nathan reveals the truth with just four words: "Thou art the man."
This represents a kind of turning point for David. To his credit, he doesn't deny the truth or try to pass the blame to someone else. His punishment is kept internal. He remains king and keeps Bathsheba, who later gives birth to Solomon. His reign, though, is not what it might have been because of God's promise that the remainder of his days would not bring peace, even within his own family. Though his words of sorrow are recorded in many of the Psalms, it is not enough to earn him the divine task of finally replacing the Tabernacle with a temple as a permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant. The job instead falls to Solomon.         

Captain Moroni, The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon contains records of two important individuals with the same name - Moroni. This entry is concerned with the first of the two, commonly referred to, though not in the scripture itself, as Captain Moroni.
As a young man, Moroni is appointed leader of the Nephite armies. Mormon, the book's chief narrator, takes pains to portray Moroni as a man with no love for war, and as a person committed to high Christian standards. Even so, he sees his task as unavoidable - saving the Nephites from obliteration by war.
I believe Moroni had a non-military life before his country called on him. His people are outnumbered, and so he must look to gain advantage through both a technical edge, better use of tactics and superior intelligence. He is not shy about inspiring his troops by reminding them of their greater cause (preserving themselves and their families). When making plans with subordinate Nephite officers, there is no shouting, derision or humiliation. He simply depends on them to make good decisions.   
He is surprisingly generous to defeated soldiers from the other side whose lives are in his hands. More than once, he offers them the chance to return to their homes in peace, on one condition - that they take an oath never to take up arms again against his people. Such an offer today would be almost unthinkable, especially if made in the midst of a long and bloody conflict still far from any final resolution.
Mormon includes one chapter which reveals Moroni as imperfect. A lack of supplies and reinforcements frustrates Moroni at one point, and he writes a letter to the leaders of the Nephite government. Unaware of conditions which have caused the shortages, his words to the government are angry and include a threat to bring an army to forcibly remove them from power. Fortunately, Moroni soon learns the cause (domestic rebellion) of the problem, his threat is forgotten, the rebellion is suppressed and the Nephite army is restored to its full strength.
Not long after, the war is finally concluded, and Moroni finally has the chance to return to his own home in peace. Unfortunately, his retirement is cut short by a premature death, with the cause unexplained in the scriptures. We can safely guess that his funeral was a very large event.     

Zacharias, New Testament

Although we know quite a bit about the history of the Jews between the periods of the Old and New testaments, the scriptural record leaves a gap of about three hundred years. That's a long time to go without prophetic direction. If God revealed things to men during this period, it was in private, at least in the Eastern Hemisphere.
It is out of this period that Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, comes. His own life was winding down, unworthy of any special mention as Judea limped along, a captive state in a poor corner of the Roman Empire. He had no children. At this point he deserved credit only for having remained faithful despite a dearth of direct evidence that would have enhanced faith.
Then came the day Zacharias was to enter the temple to attend to his priestly responsibility, perhaps for the only time in his life. While there, he was visited by an angel, the first overt act by God in this new dispensation. Not only would Zacharias become a father, but his son (to be named John) would have a prominent role in clearing the way for an entirely new (to most) way of thinking about - nearly everything.
All this took Zacharias by surprise. His only response was to question how it (a son born to aging parents) could happen. Sure, this was a weak response for someone whose whole life was supposed to be based on matters of the Spirit, but could any of us have done much better? Zacharias was punished for doubting by losing the power of speech until the promised son was born. He needed no more convincing, though it must have puzzled him trying to grasp it all.
We know the main points of John's message, and that he was an influential contemporary of Jesus. The record shows him as especially fearless in condemning the failure of the religious institutions of his day. There is evidence that Zacharias did not live long into John's life, but it's still worth considering whether some part of the son's fiery message might have come originally from his own low key father.    

Jeremiah, Old Testament

By the time Jeremiah's mission begins, the House of Israel was considerably diminished. The Northern Kingdom of Israel had been taken captive by the Assyrians. A long string of prophets had warned of upcoming disaster if Judah did not repent and return to following the Law of Moses. Their pleas had largely been ignored.
Jeremiah's message differed in one important respect from preceding prophets. The day of repenting had passed, and hard conditions lay ahead, with all recourse gone. The future oppressor was identified - Babylon - whom the Jews would serve for almost a hundred years.
The reaction of the Jews to Jeremiah's message is all too predictable. They blamed the messenger, and did all they could to make him recant his prophecies. Who is this man? Has he forgotten what God did for us against the Egyptians? Or the Canaanites? The Philistines? Or even the Assyrians? Away with him! God had saved Israel so many times that the whole idea of abandoning the Chosen People seemed impossible.
And so poor Jeremiah was made to suffer, but did not change his message.
The Jews" contempt for God's prophet showed their unwillingness to give up their sins, and the prophecy came to pass. Even so, the loss of a national home, a condition for Jews which lasted until midway through the Twentieth century A.D., did not mean God's abandonment of His people. Another prophet, Ezekiel, was called specifically to minister to Jews taken into Babylonian captivity. They were eventually allowed to return to Jerusalem by the area's new masters, the Medes and Persians, but not as self-governing people, and not with so much as a "Welcome Back" sign at the Jerusalem gates. 

Three Kings, the Book of Mormon

If you had to write a single volume on the course of American history, what would you have to leave out? And what if the time you had to cover, instead of starting with the western discovery of the continents and ending at the year 2000, instead had to cover a full one thousand years?
What I'm implying is that single volumes of scripture, like the Bible and the Book of Mormon, must emphasize the teachings of prophets at the expense of the details of history. There just isn't room for everything. This entry, however, describes a tiny sliver of Nephite history featuring three leaders who were known as "kings".
A Nephite named Zeniff, wished to live on land that had since been occupied by the volume's other major group, the Lamanites. He assembled a group of like-minded people who left their homes in order to live in this new/old land. The scripture does not say specifically why, though their motives seem to have been benign.
But there's a problem. The Lamanites far outnumber these newcomers, and instead of simply accommodating the immigrants, they discover that Zeniff is a little too willing to make concessions than he should be, and that they can exploit the immigrants with these two sources of leverage.  Too late, Zeniff realizes the weakness that leads to his mistake, but he is forced to live out his days in semi-captivity. Luckily, he does prove to be a better military leader than a king, and so the Nephites retain some freedom, though they must constantly stand guard against invasion.
Time passes, as does. Zeniff. His successor is his son, Noah, who is a poor leader in the classic mold, taking from his own people and living extravagantly just because he can. God sends a prophet to warn the people of coming destruction, but he is burned at the stake on trumped up charges. Noah's short reign ends soon after with invasion by the Lamanites. Noah does not retain the loyalty of his troops, and does not survive.
There is great destruction, but the Nephites are allowed to have a leader, Noah's son Limhi. Against all odds, Limhi proves to be an excellent leader, perhaps because he could clearly see his own father's failings. The circumstances are terrible, and both counterattack against the Lamanites and escape seem impossible. Limhi, though he has no easy answers, is still able to keep his people together and holds out hope even as their situation declines into near slavery. Notably, there are no revolts against Limhi, and the people, though oppressed, follow him loyally.    
The group is finally rescued with the help of some soldiers of the main body of Nephites, from whom they had been disconnected for many years. It is felt by many Book of Mormon scholars that the main reason to include this record was that Noah had at least one good man among his group of corrupt priests, named Alma, who becomes the ancestor to a long line of prophets whose service extends for hundreds of years.

The Disciples, New Testament

I have read in other places that Jesus would have been better off without the twelve Galileans who formed the group we call the disciples. They were mainly younger men, no doubt familiar with the history of the House of Israel. They weren't theologians, but they could tell right from wrong, and some had been followers of John the Baptist, a fiery opponent of what the Judaism of his day had come to embody. Jesus himself recognized John as one holding the authority to perform baptisms, and requested one for himself. Though not recorded, it is safe to assume that the disciples followed Jesus' example in this important ordinance.
These were not ignorant men. They were literate in Hebrew and Greek along with Aramaic. I've seen them described as "small businessmen", but this is a description that would have fit most male adults of the time, including Jesus, a carpenter. A neutral observer might have been impressed with them as a group, but it would not have been from their status or accomplishments.
Choosing twelve disciples was one of the first tasks Jesus took on at the start of his mortal ministry. He had to see these men, not just for who they were, but for what they could become when given the inspiration to take the new Gospel out into the world just a few years later.
All of them were Jews, but they couldn't be anti-Roman revolutionaries, because the kingdom they sought was not earthly in nature.We know little about the lives of several of them, a bit more about others. Peter and Andrew were partners in fishing. Matthew was a tax collector. James and John were also brothers, with the latter also identified as a fisherman.
Besides the disciples named, others might have been offered the opportunity. Joining the group would have been entirely voluntary, but no one would be asked twice. It must have been understood by all that the level of commitment was open-ended, although none probably realized to what extent.
Then there was the matter of Judas. Some might argue that the group had to include a disloyal member in order to fulfill prophecy, but, with that assumption Judas' agency of choosing good or evil would be sacrificed. I am more comfortable in feeling that Judas joined for the same reasons as the others, but later chose treachery for reasons that are just not clear today.
They saw and heard wonderful things every day, with their tasks no doubt growing in importance in line with the growth of their faith. There were other followers of Jesus, including women, but from this original tiny group, specifically ordained for this purpose, Christianity eventually spread to all parts of the world.     

Samuel, The Old testament

It is in the Books of Samuel that we see some prominent leaders in a more complete way, with both their virtues and their weaknesses. It all starts with a woman, Hannah, who is sad because she has not had a child. She takes her problem to Eli, priest of the Tabernacle, who first takes her for a drunken woman. When he understands Hannah's plight, he promises that her wish will be fulfilled. She, in turn, promises to dedicate the child to the service of the Lord.
Samuel is the child promised by Eli. True to her word, Hannah brings the little boy to the tabernacle as an offering to God as soon as he is weaned. He serves under Eli, a wise and kind man with a large problem. His sons assist him at the tabernacle, but misuse their office in the worst ways imaginable. Eli is not ignorant of their sins, but lacks the courage to act decisively. Finally, God chooses little Samuel to deliver His message to Eli: both Eli and his sons are doomed to destruction as a consequence of the sons' misuse of religious authority.
The grim sentence is carried out, and it becomes understood that it is Samuel who will take over the role of priest in the Tabernacle and as the Judge of Israel. Samuel grows into these two roles and fills them admirably.  
But another problem arises. The people are dissatisfied, not with Samuel, but with the loose system of leadership given to Israel by the Judges. They now want to be like other nations - with a king. God answers Samuel's inquiry on the matter by saying that having a king is a bad idea, but He also counsels Samuel to let the people have their way, because they just might learn from the consequences. A tall young man from the tribe of Benjamin, Saul, is chosen for the job.   
Saul serves as king for a long time, but Samuel is always near. His role now seems to be more like second guesser in chief. Saul develops, over the years, a condition that we might now describe as bipolar or paranoia. His final break with Samuel comes when the Israelite army fails, though they have the ability, to carry out the divinely commanded slaughter of the Amorites and their livestock. Their king's life is spared in hopes of generating a ransom. Samuel sees that God's command has not been fulfilled, and he becomes furious enough to hack the Amorite king to pieces with an ax. He then leaves to find Israel a new king.
The king to be is David, the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah. It is some time before David actually takes office. In the meantime, his relationship to Saul is very complicated, but Samuel, now aged, never reverses his anointing David as the next Israelite king. Samuel finally passes on, and a new prophet, Nathan, assumes the calling of David's connection to God.

Enos, The Book of Mormon

Enos was the son of Jacob, mentioned in an earlier entry on this blog. This would have made him the nephew of Nephi, although Enos evidently lived quite a few years later, and might not have known Nephi personally. The Book of Enos is only twenty seven verses long, with most of that concerned with a single incident in Enos" life.
This short account does not give us any firm clues about Enos" age or his status at the time, although it is easy to see him as a younger person coming to grips with life's big questions, perhaps for the first time. He describes himself as alone on a hunting trip, when the message of his father's teachings  came into his mind. As with many both before and after, Enos decided that he wanted his own spiritual witness of his father's teachings.
He decided to pray. According to the record, his prayer continued all day into the evening. Several terms in the scripture indicate that this process was a struggle requiring all of Enos' strength. Finally, a voice answered which confirmed his father's words and granted forgiveness for his previous sins, whatever those might have been.
This message brought joy to Enos, but then he did something a little surprising. He extended his circle of concern to his family and his people, already known collectively as "Nephites". The voice promises that these people will never be completely destroyed. Then Enos pushed the envelope a bit further, asking for Divine compassion for his people's enemies, the Lamanites. He is assured that they will also be remembered, and will have an opportunity to be taught the Gospel.
At our best, we are not so much concerned with our own needs, but have a desire to see to the needs of others. When filled with love for others, even strangers, our own problems seem to shrink to peanut size.

The Wise Men, New Testament

Sometimes, we crave more information, more anecdotes, more details about a given person or event told of in scripture. No event so fits this description more than the birth of Jesus, which is recorded in just two of the four gospels. If added information isn't in the text itself, people may simply make things up to improve the story.
Such is the case with the Wise Men, mentioned only in Matthew. The scriptures do not specify a number of these individuals, though they are referred to in the plural. No homeland is mentioned, no names are included, and the notion of them visiting Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in the Bethlehem stable is also no doubt untrue, though it's easy to misunderstand without a careful reading.
What do we know about this little sub-story? The Wise Men are described as coming from the East, which isn't much help, since East of Judea could be as far as China. But they had some knowledge that the star they observed was related to the Israelite teaching of a future Messiah. Perhaps immediately, they set out to confirm this event.
We don't know where they started from or how long it took to get organized for this trip, but it would have been impossible for them to have arrived on the night of Jesus' birth. One clue that they traveled a long distance was their lack of knowledge about Herod's role in Judea. In modern terms he would have been the dictator of a Roman "puppet" state. Like all such rulers, he would have had no use for a competitor, either grown or an infant. Asking Herod about any new "King of the Jews" now seems very dangerous, even to the Wise Men themselves. Herod decided to enlist the aid of these foreigners, since his own advisers had done nothing to bring this matter to his attention.
No details are given, but the travelers achieve their goal of seeing for themselves what had taken place, though this probably took place back in Nazareth. We can only wonder at the reaction of Joseph and Mary, who are just starting to become used to unusual things happening in their lives. The gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh) are delivered, but then never mentioned again. Was their value used to finance the flight into Egypt? Possibly. The Wise Men avoid trouble with Herod by following the instructions of a dream, completing their role in the scriptural record, though Herod curses them for skipping out of the country without aiding his lethal plan for removing this tiny threat to his power.
The lesson we may take from the Wise Men may not be electrifying, but it could prove useful. If, upon observing the star, they had merely turned knowingly to one another and said "Oh, it must be that great thing prophesied by the Jews. How wonderful!", we would know nothing of them today. Sometimes an event is so large that we must do all we can to be a part of it, lest the opportunity be lost forever.       

Rehoboam, Old Testament

We just observed Fathers Day. The scriptures are full of stories of family relationships. Many turn out well, but others end badly. This is in the latter group.
Upon the death of King Solomon, his son Rehoboam assumed the title. We don't know what he was thinking at the time, but it's possible that he saw the job as more of a collection of perks to be enjoyed by himself and a few cronies. We don't know how old he was when he became king, but he spoke and acted for himself, and was therefore probably fully grown.
A matter was raised soon after the official coronation by representatives of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel (excluding Judah and Benjamin). They wanted tax relief, and felt that it was justified by the conditions of peace and prosperity of that time. Perhaps they were simply tired of seeing huge buildings (the temple and the king's palace) constructed with money collected from them.
Rehoboam listened, but he evidently had not been advised or prepared to respond immediately. He promised an answer in three days.
He met with a collection of his father's advisers, who counseled the new monarch to agree to the peoples' wishes in order to gain their loyalty. This was apparently not the advice Rehoboam sought, and he set up another meeting, this time with younger men with whom he was more familiar. Their advice (perhaps offered because they knew him well) was the opposite of his fathers advisers'. "You're the king. They're nothing, and you should take the opportunity to remind them just who is boss."     
The follow up meeting took place, and Rehoboam not only declined the request of lighter taxes, but added a little vulgarity which doesn't translate well in most English Bibles. We can only guess what he was thinking and expecting. Would he need more money for future military campaigns? Would other temples be built? Did the new king envision an even greater palace of his own? Did he expect the ten tribes to simply knuckle under to their new ruler?
Rehoboam certainly didn't foresee the disastrous response to his decision. It was nothing less than the partition of the nation, with ten tribes forming the new nation Israel with its capital in Samaria to the North, and the other kingdom (Judah) retaining Jerusalem and territory in the south.
No serious effort to reunite the two kingdoms was ever made, and this division proved disastrous. Instead of one rich, strong country there were now two middling states. Both were obliged to make alliances from time to time, and the leadership if Israel, in particular, was unsteady. Both countries saw an increase in idolatry, and the people of both largely ignored prophets called to reclaim them as believers. Both were eventually taken into captivity under the worst circumstances. Both Rehoboam and the first king of Israel, Jeroboam I, were despised long after their lives ended.   
Perhaps these events would have happened sooner or later no matter who was king, but Rehoboam should have been prepared for the job by his father Solomon, who, for whatever reason, neglected this part of his duties. Millions suffered over hundreds of years as an indirect result of Solomon's failure.
  

Jacob, The Book of Mormon

Jacob was one of two younger brothers of Nephi. He was born in the wilderness after the family's departure from Jerusalem. This must have been a difficult time for them because they were obliged to be as unobtrusive as possible. The scripture, in fact, mentions no contact at all, either in the wilderness or after the crossing of the ocean, with any other people, Israelite or Gentile.
This means that, as far as we know, Jacob spent his life exclusively with members of his extended family, who may never have numbered more than a few hundred during his lifetime. It is easy to see how Nephi would be the greatest influence on his thinking, and would have presented the main example of a life spent in serving the Lord through laboring on behalf of those around him.
Jacob's teachings are similar to Nephi's in one other way. Nephi made a point of speaking and writing "plainly", only rarely speaking in metaphors or teaching symbolically in the fashion of Old Testament prophets. When he did use figures of speech, he was always quick to include an explanation of the lesson's meaning to his audience. What's more, he saw this type of instruction as the model his successors would use thereafter.
Jacob's teachings followed this pattern. On one occasion  he apologized for having to speak against sins he had noticed creeping into the community instead of speaking of love and eternal happiness. He had little use in speaking of  "gray" areas of conduct, but drew clear lines between righteous and lives diminished by pride and adultery, two sins he specifically rebuked.
He also spoke about things that might seem unusual for a person whose own education had been informal. He recognized the value of education, but warned that it may cause people to be subject to pride. Riches, he said, should not be sought for the purpose of mere accumulation, but for the good of those with less. His record, like other Book of Mormon prophets, carried an unmistakable Christian message even though his own life preceded Jesus' ministry by more than five hundred years.          

Joseph - New Testament

As the New Testament gospels begin, the Israelites are long removed from their glory days, and exist as a minor captive people in a corner of the Roman Empire. Prophets have not addressed the people in something over 400 years, and the church's remaining leaders, the Pharisees, cannot not be trusted to act in the interest of anyone but themselves.
With all that, there were still some people who were believers, harking back to the days of Moses, Joshua and others, hoping against all evidence that God would once again appoint someone to represent Him and deliver His message again. 
One of these was Joseph, a carpenter in Nazareth. He was a direct descendent of King David, a fact which might have made a difference in his life about six hundred years earlier, but was now so obscure a fact that not even Romans saw him as different from anyone else.
In fact, Joseph wasn't too much different from the people around him, but he somehow retained the belief that men could be inspired when God had a task for them to complete. We know this because he exercised faith in the dreams he began to receive. His betrothed, Mary, was with child, but Joseph was instructed to continue with her, because she would need help. Another dream directed the family to go to Egypt in order to escape the danger presented by Herod's murderous nature directed at, of all people, baby boys age two and under for fear that one of them might grow to be "King of the Jews". Another dream counseled Joseph when it was safe to return to Nazareth.
The scriptural record of how Joseph and Mary managed this huge assignment is pretty bare. The family grew larger over the years, and we don't know if the young Jesus received any special attention or was just seen as one of children, all of them equally loved and cared for and taught the Law and the Prophets.
The lesson from Joseph's life is just this: serving in an obscure place and time, without special fame in one's lifetime, is still a pretty good way to go through life. We cannot know what difference our efforts might make, nor to whom. Children don't have little signs that say "I'm learning now!", but, in fact, they are learning all the time. While they're learning, they could do much worse than getting the hang of being, if not famous or admired, at least respected and kept in remembrance for all the good things they pass on to others.   

Samson Judges, Old Testament

The Book of Judges covers over two hundred years of Israelite history following the death of Joshua, Moses' successor and the man charged with purging the Land of Canaan from all the native peoples  when the Children of Israel finally arrived after their decades-long trek from Egypt.
This command, however, was never fully carried out, and so Israel's occupation of the land was uneasy, and made more so by their rivals to the West, the Philistines.
Israel at this time had no permanent ruler, and existed in a kind of confederation of the twelve different tribes. When times became perilous, one or more individuals would rise to the rank of "Judge". A better term for our understanding might be "hero", "leader" or even "strong man". Some of them were faithful servants, but not all.
It was in this environment that we meet Samson, a man who had taken the oath of a Nazarite, which was supposed to mean that he was more fully dedicated to God. In addition to following certain dietary laws, the Nazarites let their hair grow as a symbol of their allegiance.
Almost everyone with any acquaintance with the Old Testament is familiar with Samson's physical power. What might not be as evident is that Samson was also, for lack of a more accurate term, "smart".
Though the Philistines made him their sworn enemy, it didn't seem to bother Samson, perhaps because he had never been bested before, and saw nothing to concern himself with from this group, either.
Of course,  the real threat to someone like Samson was that he might become a victim of his own hubris. We have known people like this who, if anything, seem a little bored with the challenges being put before them, and push the odds a little the other way just to give themselves a real test. Not to express too strong a political thought on this blog, but Bill Clinton as president may have had a little of this tendency.
But, to return to our subject, I think Samson had a clear idea, for example, of who Delila was, and for whom she was working. What else could he have concluded in response to her pestering questions about the source of his strength and how to defeat it? Why else would she care, unless there was something "in it" for her? His decision to tell her his secret says much more about him than her. "Go ahead", he seems to be saying. "You can't touch me no matter how much you think you know."
What we now know is - how this story ends. Samson's power is lost with the use of a pair of scissors, and the Philistines take delight in imprisoning him, forcing him to work like an animal at a grinding wheel. He finally earns a measure of vengeance against his captors, but the whole story leaves us shaking our heads sadly and wondering what might have been if only Samson had remained true to his covenants.  
 

Moroni Mormon, Ether and Moroni, The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon has two prominent characters named Moroni. The first is chosen at a young age to become a military leader. The second, who may have been named for the first, lived about five hundred years later. He also serves in war when his people, the Nephites, are in danger of annihilation at the hands of their enemies, the Lamanites. His life is lived during the 4th and 5th centuries A.D. Moroni may have spent most of his life in Central America, though that is not confirmed by the scriptural record itself.
Moroni courageously carries out his military duties, but the numbers favor the opposition, and the Nephites, because of their own corruption, have lost the help of the Lord, much in the way of ancient Israel and Judah in the Old Testament. The scenes of his early life must have been horrific, as the slaughter of his people  leads to their final disappearance from the earth.
Moroni himself somehow outlives most of this, and he takes up the most important work of  his father Mormon's life. That work is abridging most of the records comprising the current Book of Mormon. Moroni proceeds to finish the volume.
This latter is no easy task. Moroni is, by this time, a hunted man. Both his days and night are, as far as we know, spent in complete solitude. He probably was obliged to move often and quickly, seeking safety. Could he build a fire? Did he have time each day to add to the record, or did he have to abandon it from time to time just to stay alive? His own record says little about the conditions of his later life, but he evidently had to live this way for decades.
When he does have time to write, it is not on paper, but on thin plates of gold, a process no doubt much slower than we can manage with a pen or pencil. He finishes the part of the volume known as the Book of Mormon (relating specifically to the life of his father), then takes up the task of abridging the record now called the Book of Ether, and finally, somewhat in the style of an appendix in a work of non-fiction, leaves some evidence showing how his people had once lived, both successfully, and as their society declined and, finally, disappeared. This last part is known as the Book of Moroni.
It would be easy to see how someone in these circumstances might become cynical, hateful or even crazy, but that isn't the case with Moroni. Even left alone, he looks toward the future and wishes the best for people of future generations. He never ceases to express Christian love for people he will never meet, and leaves to them, the people of  the era since the Book of Mormon was first published in 1830, the challenge of reading and pondering the contents of the book to see if it carries the weight of truth. Millions of people have done so, using  Book of Mormon versions which are now translated into dozens of modern languages. Having read the record, many have been willing to make enormous changes in every aspect of their lives. For his part, Moroni's statue is found atop all the temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints throughout the world.   


    

The Man Born Blind - John 9

This chapter tells a story in such a way as to be told by a readers theater group. It is completed in just one chapter. In it, we are able to see from many points of view, as the story heads toward a surprising conclusion.
The man referenced in the title is probably a younger person, as evidenced by his parents, who are both living. His condition has lead to life as a beggar. That changes, however, when he meets Jesus, who demonstrates powers far beyond those of any mortal and grants to the man the gift of sight.
His new status is noted by many people, including the pharisees, who appear to want nothing more from him than the facts of how his sight was restored. But when the explanation is offered, they reject it out of hand. Years of begging at the city gate trying to make begging pay off  helps the man realize that these men, for whatever reason, are not his friends. His parents, out of fear of being banned from the Temple (Herod's), give only brief, vague answers to questions. The pharisees, in turn, lose patience with the man when his unschooled but sound reasoning confounds their "advanced" thinking.
Since he has no part in the pharisaic world view, the man is banned from the temple. Jesus finds him again, offers a brief explanation regarding his real mission, and invites him to join his small group of  believers, which he does. The chapter concludes with a sharp clash between the pharisees, who are not accustomed to experiencing any disagreement from common folks, and Jesus, who sees them for what they really are.
In fact, it's the pharisees who we learn most about in this chapter. Our own time and place has common decency as the norm, though evil (and evil motives) are also easy to find. But if a similar miracle happened among us, wouldn't we at least offer warm, sincere congratulations? Wouldn't we at least offer to assist the man in learning to read? And wouldn't we be happy to see him gain skills which  would allow him to become self sufficient?
I cannot imagine that we would treat him as rudely as do the pharisees. Of course, to them, the real problem is Jesus. Recognize his works and one is forced to concede that his power surpassed their own parlor tricks, promoted as "healings". They chose the other option - trying to make the man disappear while plotting to retain their scrap of power in the Roman hierarchy. This meant eliminating the Nazarene upstart,  the self-described "King of the Jews". 

Naaman - 2 Kings chapter 5

It's easy from a certain perspective to see Naaman's weakness. He had come from Syria, where he served as captain of the host, to Samaria, home of the Israelite prophet Elisha. There, Naaman hoped to find a cure for his leprosy. And the prophetic suggestion - bathe seven times in the River Jordan - appeared to make little sense. He was understandably reluctant. Luckily, Naaman had some strengths which helped him rethink his original doubts.
Though it isn't plainly written in 2 Kings, Naaman must have been a good man. If not, he certainly would not have heard the suggestion from a young Israelite girl, a servant in his household, to seek out Elisha for the cure he desired. Come to think of it, the whole idea of a captain of the host (the equivalent of the Secretary of Defense) being a leper is pretty strange in itself, like a blind portrait painter or a one-legged wrestler. The fact that he held this high position in spite of his disease indicates that he was probably far more qualified for this position than the other military men of Syria. 
By diplomatic arrangement, Naaman traveled to Israel with just a few subordinates. They also must have regarded him highly, because when the prophet's advice was delivered, not by Elisha himself but by someone evidently employed as a cook, Naaman temporarily forgot the message and focused on the shortcomings of the messenger. Luckily, one of his men felt comfortable enough to suggest going ahead, noting correctly that Naaman would have certainly attempted to do "some great thing" if he knew it had come from a prophet who had the power to cure him. Naaman, it seems, was a good leader, as well as a good man, or else the soldier would not have cared about the boss' condition, and would have remained silent.
After receiving his cure, Naaman went out of his way to return to Samaria and offer payment for services rendered, which Elisha declined. Not all people expert in the art of military destruction would have made such an offer.
Finally, this incident convinced Naaman that the Syrian gods were second rate compared to the Lord. He gathered up some dirt from Israel to use in a kind of private shrine he envisioned for his home back in Damascus, even though he didn't feel that open worship of the Lord would be understood by his countrymen. Elisha graciously agreed to this arrangement, and the number of secret believers in the Lord among non Israelites increased by at least one.    

The Nameless King, Alma 20-24, The Book of Mormon

Note: The author alone is responsible for the contents of this blog.

Plenty of people are described in scripture without any mention of their names. This is usually because their role in the narrative is limited, but it could be for other reasons, too.
A good part of the Book of Alma in the Book of Mormon relates the epic missionary labors of four brothers, born the sons of a king, who decide that taking the Gospel message out to the furthest reaches of the land to an overtly hostile people (the Lamanites) is even more important than ruling their own people and enjoying the life of privilege which would accompany ruling positions.
Far removed from their country, family and friends, no one knows or cares about their former status. The brothers, wishing to avoid trouble, do not bring the matter up.
One of their first successes is with a local king named Lamoni, who rules in a part of the land but is still subject to his father. One day, Lamoni is traveling with one of the brothers when they happen to encounter Lamoni's father. At first, this ruler seems to be little more than a walking cliche: bullying, demanding and easily provoked to violence. He attacks the brother, Ammon, but is soon over-matched  and finds himself pleading for his life. To his surprise, the king retains his life under conditions which seem, even to the king, to be quite generous. He notices that Ammon and his son have become quite close, and he is impressed enough to wish to know more about what has caused this change in his son.
Ammon's brother Aaron later teaches the king the principles of the Christian message, and he and all his household are converted. This might be one of those times in scripture which describe a process that may have actually taken months or years appears to be immediate. I'm unable to say how long it all took, though the record itself says that the brothers are away from their homeland for fourteen years.
The king is anxious to help the missionary work go forward, and issues a proclamation that is meant to guarantee religious liberty and the safety of the brothers and other missionaries, but the Lamanite converts, though numbering in the thousands, are never more than a despised minority group, and are subjected to persecution in spite of the king's efforts. The record praises these people and their descendents as especially fine men and women, whatever their living conditions.
As for the king, we must scratch our heads a little over the fact that while he plays a major role in these chapters, his name is not recorded even though his name would have been known by ALL the Lamanites and by some Nephites as well.
I have an idea as to why this is the case, but freely admit that it is pure speculation. There is, I believe, no sin in speculating, as long as one can remember which is which. The king, in my version, approached one of the brothers and said something like this: "It's true that I have been the king over these people, but there are a thousand peoples and a thousand kings, and my works in this regard are no different than many before me or others who will come forth later. I have come to believe that such an earthly honor is really of little or no consequence when I compare it to the gift you and your brothers have given me of knowing about Christ and his role in my life. My wish, therefore, is to ask that you omit any mention of my name from your official records. It matters nothing what people think of me. It only matters that I have been able to turn my life around and serve God in some tiny way."         

Welcome

Hello. I'm Mark Bailey, the person you might know as the blogger behind "Left Handed Rants", now with over 300 entries, which comments mainly on politics and sports.
This new blog, "People in Scripture", has a very different purpose. I'm not so much trying to find converts as to suggest how people who lived anciently felt and acted, especially regarding matters of spirituality. I must also include a disclaimer. Though a lifelong active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I am writing without the church's approval or cooperation. I am solely responsible for all content. Mormon teachings can be clarified by local members or through LDS.org. Questions are welcome there, and treated with respect.
But this blog owes its approach to E. M. Blaiklock, a classical scholar from New Zealand who published a volume entitled "Today's Handbook of Bible Characters" in 1979. I found it at the public library about ten years ago and ended up checking it out more than once, and now own a copy.
What impressed me most about Dr. Blaiklock's approach was, first, that he saw ancient people as the same as people today. This simple approach helped him in another, second, way. He helped the reader see the scene of the scriptural incident he was describing. This technique helps the reader understand old characters, I believe, in new ways.
My entries will follow a similar format, though with shorter entries. I will also include less well-known characters (to most Christians) from the Book of Mormon and, to a lesser extent, The Doctrine and Covenants, a record of revelations given to Joseph Smith, the man Mormons credit with following God's command to restore Jesus' church in the early part of the nineteenth century. I will identify all the scriptural passages, but plan no chronological or alphabetical order. I sat down one day recently to see how many entries I might comfortably expect, and came up with about fifty. I hope someone enjoys them.