The record of Moses' life is a lengthy one in Exodus. He is one of the few individuals whose lives are recorded literally from his birth to his passing. In the course of his lifetime, Israel sees both great misfortune and great blessings.
Moses' early life takes place among the Egyptian royalty, to whom his people, the Israelites, are slaves. They were not involved, so far as we know, in the construction of the pyramids of ancient Egypt, the products of an even earlier age, but hard work under the hot Egyptian sun was their daily lot, toiling on behalf of a different dynasty from the benevolent one that welcomed Israel as guests during the famine recorded in Genesis.
Moses, the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter, had no part in this, but he came to know his real heritage, probably from his mother, who had the good fortune to obtain employment as the young Moses' nurse maid. This phase of his life seems to have lasted about 40 years, ending abruptly when Moses flees the justice which might have ended his life as a result of his slaying of an abusive Egyptian slave master.
The second phase of his life could be described as "obscurity", serving as a herdsman under his future father-in-law. This life could not have been anything but spartan and unadorned, but there is no record of his missing "the good life" he had fled from back in Egypt. He was, as far as we know, reconciled to the simple life.
This phase of Moses' life also ended without warning through the message delivered through the burning bush, calling Moses as Jehovah's instrument in freeing the Israelites from bondage. The call leaves Moses intimidated by the skills he felt he would need to succeed, but is assured that he was called by God, and that his brother Aaron would serve as his mouthpiece.
The final phase of Moses life could be described simply as prophet/leader. The skills needed for this huge assignment sometimes proved elusive, but Moses was both divinely instructed and aided by faithful associates like Joshua and Jethro. No doubt Moses was surprised to find that delivering the people from Pharaoh was no guarantee that the Israelites would be willing followers from then on.
In fact, God became so exasperated with the Chosen People that he denied entrance for most of them into the Promised Land, including, at last, Moses himself. These condemned people simply kept crisscrossing the desert, following the direction which marked the sky both day and night until they simply wore out, fed by manna, but unfulfilled in reaching the final destination.
Moses left things that both Christians and Jews today find very important, particularly the record of Genesis through Numbers - to Jews "The Law" and to Christians the origins of humanity along with the Jewish roots of today's beliefs.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
John the Baptist, New Testament
Often a prophet is called to reveal things that will not happen for a long time, sometimes hundreds of years. This is true of Isiah and others, whose words are recorded, but perhaps not understood until the events actually occur.
With John the Baptist, it's a bit different. He is a player in his own prophecies, preparing, as he said, the way for the mortal Messiah. In the process, we learn about John, as well as Jesus, whose ministry is just beginning.
John's mother, Elizabeth, and Jesus' mother Mary were cousins. Both were the object of miracles - Elizabeth for giving birth to a son at an advanced age, and Mary, giving birth even though she had not "know a man". They knew one another, and celebrated their connection in these great coming events.
It is unclear whether John and Jesus had much acquaintance growing up. John's family lived in Jerusalem where his father served in the temple. Jesus' family lived some distance away, to the North in Nazareth of Galilee, though they also traveled to Jerusalem at least once.
John is often portrayed as a kind of wild wilderness man whom others went to hear. He is like preceding prophets who fearlessly denounced those nominally in charge of teaching and holding people to the Law of Moses. Naturally, this placed him in danger, not so much from the Romans as the Jewish power grabbers.
This didn't faze John, who practiced baptism for all those willing to make the requisite changes in their lives. At the same time, he foretold of One to come who would change everything about the practice of true religion.
That day came, when Jesus joined in the line of those seeking baptism. John was humbled to have a role in this ordinance, and questioned whether he should be the one to perform it. Jesus gave his consent, the baptism took place and evidence of a great event took the form of the voice of God the Father,, and the appearance of the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove.
Later, when John was imprisoned, his faith was tested. He sent a follower to Jesus to ask if, in fact, he was the Messiah. The answer (positive, though a bit vague) was sent back. John was put to death shortly thereafter, but we have reason to think that he perished knowing he had done right, and, even more importantly, that his prophecies were true.
With John the Baptist, it's a bit different. He is a player in his own prophecies, preparing, as he said, the way for the mortal Messiah. In the process, we learn about John, as well as Jesus, whose ministry is just beginning.
John's mother, Elizabeth, and Jesus' mother Mary were cousins. Both were the object of miracles - Elizabeth for giving birth to a son at an advanced age, and Mary, giving birth even though she had not "know a man". They knew one another, and celebrated their connection in these great coming events.
It is unclear whether John and Jesus had much acquaintance growing up. John's family lived in Jerusalem where his father served in the temple. Jesus' family lived some distance away, to the North in Nazareth of Galilee, though they also traveled to Jerusalem at least once.
John is often portrayed as a kind of wild wilderness man whom others went to hear. He is like preceding prophets who fearlessly denounced those nominally in charge of teaching and holding people to the Law of Moses. Naturally, this placed him in danger, not so much from the Romans as the Jewish power grabbers.
This didn't faze John, who practiced baptism for all those willing to make the requisite changes in their lives. At the same time, he foretold of One to come who would change everything about the practice of true religion.
That day came, when Jesus joined in the line of those seeking baptism. John was humbled to have a role in this ordinance, and questioned whether he should be the one to perform it. Jesus gave his consent, the baptism took place and evidence of a great event took the form of the voice of God the Father,, and the appearance of the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove.
Later, when John was imprisoned, his faith was tested. He sent a follower to Jesus to ask if, in fact, he was the Messiah. The answer (positive, though a bit vague) was sent back. John was put to death shortly thereafter, but we have reason to think that he perished knowing he had done right, and, even more importantly, that his prophecies were true.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Simon, The New Testament
The New Testament narrative contains several men with this name, including two of Jesus first disciples. The Simon referred to here was from Samaria, and his story is told in the Book of Acts, Chapter 8. He is sometimes referred to as Simon the Sorcerer.
Simon enjoyed great popularity among the Samaritans for his use of spells and sorcery. The Latter Day Saints would identify his type as using priestcraft - applying religious principles to pursue personal gain. It's hard to know just how this worked on a day to day basis, but he evidently had plenty of paying customers.
The first Christian teaching among these people was by Phillip, who baptized large numbers of people, including Simon. Later, Peter and John came to confer the Holy Ghost on this new converts. Simon witnessed the proceedings, and approached the two Apostles with a proposal. He offered to buy the right to confer the Holy Ghost, much as one magician might make an offer to another to acquire the equipment or a working knowledge for a dazzling new illusion of some kind.
Given the seriousness of Simon's sin, treating the power of the Gift of the Holy Ghost as a commodity to be traded in the marketplace like fruit or furniture, Peter's rebuke to Simon is fairly mild. Perhaps he realized that mass conversions are something of a hit-and-miss process, and that the level of understanding might vary wildly from one convert to another. Surely, there was error here, but there was no attempt to deceive or set up some kind of competing church. This fellow simply wanted some new moneymaker for his professional bag of tricks.
To be sure, Peter spoke sharply to Simon, but not to the point of expelling him from the church or revoking the baptism he had already received. For his part, Simon did not argue the point or try to justify himself, only asking forgiveness. We don't know what the remainder of his life was like, but we can hope he found a new way to earn a living, and that his repentance was successful.
Simon enjoyed great popularity among the Samaritans for his use of spells and sorcery. The Latter Day Saints would identify his type as using priestcraft - applying religious principles to pursue personal gain. It's hard to know just how this worked on a day to day basis, but he evidently had plenty of paying customers.
The first Christian teaching among these people was by Phillip, who baptized large numbers of people, including Simon. Later, Peter and John came to confer the Holy Ghost on this new converts. Simon witnessed the proceedings, and approached the two Apostles with a proposal. He offered to buy the right to confer the Holy Ghost, much as one magician might make an offer to another to acquire the equipment or a working knowledge for a dazzling new illusion of some kind.
Given the seriousness of Simon's sin, treating the power of the Gift of the Holy Ghost as a commodity to be traded in the marketplace like fruit or furniture, Peter's rebuke to Simon is fairly mild. Perhaps he realized that mass conversions are something of a hit-and-miss process, and that the level of understanding might vary wildly from one convert to another. Surely, there was error here, but there was no attempt to deceive or set up some kind of competing church. This fellow simply wanted some new moneymaker for his professional bag of tricks.
To be sure, Peter spoke sharply to Simon, but not to the point of expelling him from the church or revoking the baptism he had already received. For his part, Simon did not argue the point or try to justify himself, only asking forgiveness. We don't know what the remainder of his life was like, but we can hope he found a new way to earn a living, and that his repentance was successful.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
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 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..
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, November 19, 2012
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".
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".
Monday, November 12, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, October 15, 2012
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.
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.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, September 24, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, September 17, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, September 10, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, August 27, 2012
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.
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.
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