In the birthplace of Israel a man stood up to his waist in water, baptizing all that would come. The river Jordan had been the place where Joshua led the Children of Israel into their land and the place where a foreign dignitary had been miraculously healed of leprosy.  It was a bit of a journey into the Judean wilderness from the cities of Jerusalem and that region round about.  People were coming to hear this prophet whom they had heard of, who was fulfilling the prophecy of one crying from the wilderness and cleansing men from their sins by baptism in that most famous of rivers.  When they arrived on the scene they found a remarkable sight, a somewhat dirty man who survived on the fruits of the wilderness.  He wore serviceable and sensible outfit for his lifestyle, a leather girdle around his body with the camels hair worn for all to see, a quiet symbol of of the simple and rugged life he lived.  Here this man was, in the water, baptizing a generation of men who had grown up with strict lifestyle requirements attempting to govern all they did.  He was in many ways, to the ruling establishment, confusing no doubt.  He did not accord with the traditions of men.  Yet, he taught with power and authority.  Men heard him and recognized and traveled long distances to hear him and be baptized by him.  He taught boldly of the sins of the world and the people in the region yet attracted a crowd of people who could not get enough.

At one point while baptizing in the river, a group of Spiritual leaders, Pharisees and Sadducees,  made there way from the city down to see John and what he was doing.  This man was more than just a fad, he was becoming a nuisance.  They came not to be baptized, but rather to make their presence felt.  John noticed their conspicuous arrival, the story reads thus;

And the same John had his raiment of camels’ hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, And many were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them;

“O, generation of vipers! who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Why is it that ye receive not the preaching of him whom God hath sent? If ye receive not this in your hearts, ye receive not me; and if ye receive not me, ye receive not him of whom I am sent to bear record; and for your sins ye have no cloak. Repent, therefore, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance;  And think not to say within yourselves, We are the children of Abraham, and we only have power to bring seed unto our father Abraham; for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children into Abraham.  And now, also, the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire.“

The standard was set, and the ensign raised for these scholars of the law, and they could only leaved confused.  He condemned them WHILE baptizing in power and in the spirit!  He quoted scriptures to his defense and in defense of his beliefs!  He lived by the mouth of God and no other.  The people even openly consider him a prophet (matt 4:5).  And yet, he defied the popular law, the frim beliefs they held.  He did things that they could not agree with.  Was this the same kid whos announcement in the temple and the birth itself had been such a miracle.  Was this really that promised child?  He speaks with power and knows the prophet, sure… but he defies the law and the law-givers set!

It is evident that this reticence and surprise at the circumstances plauged the members of the culture at large.  In a setting of various community members, including more pharissees and publicans, the Lord gave this description of John;

He began to speak unto the people concerning John; “What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? Or a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they who are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in king’s courts.”

This man of God you went out to see is not soft!  He is not blown around by the whims of men, their traditions or opinions.  He could care less about their appearance standards, their needs for cltohing, etc…If you want to see all those things, you can go to pinnacle of  YOUR society to see them!  However;

But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

This is a PROPHET!  A MAN OF GOD!  As such, he does not fit your definition of a man.  He doesn’t fit men’s standards, nor does he worry about their opinions.  He isn’t caught up in the pomp and circumstance.   Yet, he is a prophet and speaks in the name of the Lord, despite your opinion of his shortcomings, God is his salvation!

Then of course, John eventually pays for it with his head.

But there is more to this story.  There was a man there in the Land who happened to be Johns cousin.  He too was preaching the word of God.  He healed the sick and raised the dead.  Gossip surrounding him spread his fame far and wide.  Who is this man?  Herod, who had played a major role in having John’s head on a platter, offered up his opinion; “It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead”.

But indeed, this man was a whole different Animal.  Instead of fasting and and being solemn in prayer, his disciples ate and drank (luke 5)!  Indeed, they felt He was a drunk, he drank so much (matt11:19).  He harvests and eats food on the sabbath day (Matt. 12:1).  Like John, when the pharisees and saducees approached him he declared, “O, generation of vipers!”.

And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings with his disciples, the people were astonished at his doctrine; For he taught them as one having authority from God, and not as having authority from the Scribes.

——–

And so the story goes.  When men of God have come to the children of men, they have been maligned and misunderstood by the public.  Nephi wanted to rule of his brethren, Joseph wanted to sleep with his masters wife, Joseph Smith wanted to rule the world.

The fact remains that those who live and understand the gospel, from the mouth of God, are not like the world, and the world does not understand them.  Those who are alive in Christ and not in the Law are against the laws and precepts of men.  Prepratory laws and commandments can only prepare, they cannot bring consummation.  And the promise is given to all those who will let go, be an enigma to the world, follow the word of God rather then the traditions of men;

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you. The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin.

The Enigma defined as John and Jesus and all the other prophets and men of God is seen and treated in this manner.  No, this being the promise, what was the commandment given in connection to it?  Part of the commandment is the obvious, follow him.  If you do so that promise will be fulfilled.  Also connected to it is the promise, “These things I command you, that ye love one another.”

The life of a disciple of Jesus Christ includes being misunderstood, ridiculed and hated.  It also includes unconditional love to all men.  With those things, walking that path, we will have the power of God to speak in his name when the pharisees of our lives confront us.  We can then reply, with pure love, as the Lord would have us reply.  If that means we weep like the savior when we see the desire and misunderstanding or proclaim as he did “O ye generation of vipers”, we will be in his shoes and walk that lonesome path.   Being an enigma, struggling and not fitting in and yet being challenged to find peace in all these things is part of the path.  Being confusing to the world while having assurance in your course is the promise.  In these things perhaps we can all find some peace and safety in our struggle!

a rant. Alright? So I’m sitting in combined priesthood/relief society meeting today, listening to the bishop yammer about the various meeting and programs that the ward has set up to integrate new folks into our midst. All well and good, after all everyone has to have a calling or they will slip into outer darkness.

But then the comment was made, in reading the ‘for the strength of youth’ pamphlet that in order to use the priesthood, to feel worthy, or to keep the sabbath day holy, a person should keep their white shirt on all day sunday. Because, ‘your appearance dictates how your day will run. if you want a good sabbath meeting you will dress up, if you want a good sabbath day you will stay that way.’ In other words, in order to enjoy the spirit and keep the sabbath day holy you must remain dressed up, specifically in a white shirt, in order to feel that spirit. Your agency in choosing your appearance controls whether or not the spirit will be present. hmmm….

I often get requests as to where and when today we are getting specific antidotes taught that are anti-christ. Here we have exhibit ‘A’. Essentially we are told that we cannot worship properly with out a specific defined wardrobe. INCREDIBLE! isn’t that absolutely astounding that this would be a major point and focus of teachings out of a church that proclaims the name of the same guy who stated that ‘God does not look on the outward appearance’. Or of the church who’s defining scripture (the BoM) states that it was wicked people who cast out Zoramites who’s clothing was too rough for them to worship.

But, taking this a bit further, lets hear a specific quote from a member of the Presidency of the Seventy given to a group of singles attending the B.Y.U.

Let me discuss for a moment a very delicate subject that often affects agency. It is a subject your parents and leaders may have strong feelings about but may not know how to discuss it with you. It is the subject of personal appearance.

Exercise of agency is sometimes influenced by personal appearance, both your own and another’s. On occasion, it is difficult to become acquainted with someone’s real self because of first impressions.

Be willing to sit down with a trusted friend and ask this question: What would you recommend I do to improve my physical appearance? Listen to what he or she says. Do not be offended, but take to heart his or her counsel. If necessary, joyfully and happily improve yourself, whether it involves having a smile on your face, losing weight, or changing your hairstyle, grooming, clothing, mannerisms, personal hygiene, or anything else.

Well, I finally said it. Are you offended at me? Remember, your body is the temple of your spirit. Be sure it is clean, tidy, neat, fit, and pure so that your spirit can shine through and be seen by all.

Some points I will make from this talk, then leave for you to judge.

We are here told that how YOU look affects the ability of another to exercise their agency. Looking to Christ as our example, It’s rather obvious that hes not worried in the least what others think of him. Indeed, GODS approbation is the approbation he seeks. AS such, if he looks like the mtn. man John the baptist, the streaker Isaiah, or lonely Itinerant that he Himself was, it doesn’t matter. All that matters to him is what the lord thinks. It doesn’t seem to be an issue in Gods mind (which we should share) that you affect others’ agency in this manner. In fact, its anti-christ to worry about what men might think. What we are talking about is compulsion, as you are controlling another’s agency. Thus, if this principle that president tingey is here mentioning were true, compulsion would run rampant and no one would have priesthood. ridiculous and anti-christ.

The implication is also made here that we should be worried about the first impressions we make on others. Isn’t this putting the cart before the horse? shouldn’t the discussion always be on the person who is greeting? As Paul said to the Romans; “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” Paul here has the order correct. The Burden is not on man to worry about what his brother might think or how they might react, the burden is on the man receiving and whether or not christ-like attitudes will be used.

We are told that by “improving our physical appearance” you are only going to “improve yourself”. By this logic the better a person dresses (using babylonian standards of dress), the better a person he is. Wearing a white shirt and tie EVERY day (hello full-time missionaries) would this be the catalyst in breeding a super race of men. James Bond comes to mind. There would be only good feelings! all would be uplifted and improved people! and no one would be influencing the moral agency of another! such a utopia does not exist, at least scripturally. There we read, “and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel (alma 4)”, and, “there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world (4 Nephi 1).” There we find in both instances and universally that when pride increased so did the ‘standards of dress’ that the people insisted upon. In fact, contrary Elder Tingey’s assertion, when ones personal appearance improves, pride goes with it, or when pride increased, so did the standard of dress. And Pride goeth before the fall.

What I read here, between the lines, is a judgment of those who are not up to the standards of this man. I see some pride asserted in the fact that he is saying he knows what good personal appearance is, and that he understands the level we should all attain. These are Babylonian thought lines. Christ does not think this way. His teaching is thus in observing his Cousin John,

8

But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Indeed the Lord warns against worrying about appearance, for that is the very way that men will come to deceive you. They will come in nice clothing, deceptive clothing, bearing the name of a shepherd and declaring to you the doctrine of wolves; “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matt. 9: 16)” As Hugh Nibley Said, “We want to be vindicated in our position and to know that the world is on our side as we all join in a chorus of righteous denunciation; the haircut becomes the test of virtue in a world where Satan deceives and rules by appearances.” That is precisely what the Bishop, Brother Tingey and the Zoramites are preaching. Babylon is in our midst, will we see it in courage or act a fool in pride?

Back to the Sunday School lesson, there was never a moment for any comments or even really to interject, so of course what was said was soaked up by the Members of Christ’s church. Like every Sunday, this was astounding. May we all do better in humility and love to love all those around us unconditionally! Lets all have a better attitude, find love where before there was judgment. Lets do what we can to affect change in our various places, change toward Zion. Help people who, like my bishop, are well meaning and well intentioned but unknowingly causing men to strain at a gnat and swallow camel while shooting there whole religiosity past the mark. Christ is our mark, and when he appears we will see that we are like him!

Other quotes on these lines (thanks tom, anyone else want to join in?)

“How we dress … demonstrates where our heart and spirit really desire to be. When we know who we are—children of God—and understand that our outward appearance affects our inward spirituality and ultimately our behavior, we show respect for God, for ourselves, and for those around us by being modest in dress and behavior. … how we dress will greatly influence our obedience to commandments and devotion to covenants. … In time our dress may even determine who our friends and associates may be, thus influencing whether we live worthy of enjoying the blessings of happiness in this world and for eternity.” (Hales, Aug. 2008 Ensign, “Modesty”.)

Stop this nonesense people. Turn to your lord, repent and seek to build Zion. Only in Him and in his community will we find peace.

“The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us. (Micah 3.11)”

The system is set up such that adoration will go to the Man at our head. Money is made in his name and for him, he is supported by our money, but not we by his. His life and teachings are here presented in a book for money. We shake the hands of babylon, make covenants and contracts with them, build and fortify babylonian cities with the name of Zion. And then we proclaim, “the LORD is with us! WE will be protected!” and how will we be protected? “The prophet will lead us!”

how many times can a News station proclaim him the “prophet”?  When and how?  These are the last days. Would a Prophet of God allow this merchandising of his name in Babylonian courts? WE, the covenant people must repent! We cannot rely on and adore a man This reliance on the arm of flesh and worshiping of his name is Anti-Christ. Let Pres. Monson be where he is, but stop the adolescent adulation that is dragging Zion into Babylonian chains. HE cannot be the Leader that the scriptures proclaim it would be wise for him to be, as we don’t even want it (DC 107.92)! We want this, a celebrity to tell us catchy kitsch and cliche. Someone to make us feel good and smile about. We must come out of Babylon by removing the hands of flesh from our salvation.

“If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink (ALL IS WELL! PARTICIPATE IN BABYLON); he shall even be the prophet of this people (Micah 2.11)”

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

“Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest. (Micah 3.12)”

Funny thing about a sailboat, it can be rigged with a motor and with a sail simultaneously.  In this fashion the captain of the ship has two options.  A) decide personally where he wants the boat to go and fire up that engine to go straight there as quickly as those horses can roam, or B) Put the sail up and trust the wind and the waves to direct and guide the ship in the direction it needs to head.

If I remember correctly , Nephi, Noah and Mahonri all trusted the sail or the waves.  They hits speed bumps and rocky points along the way but eventually all found promised land.

However, today the boat is being navigated by a captain who has set goals in mind of where and how to guide the ship.  He has decided the safest and fastest route to accomplishment before hand and thus preempted the hand of fate in the boats direction.  In fact, the direction and goals have been defined by the same people who sold that confounded motor in the first place.

For awhile I have struggled with whether or not to point fingers.  To be that guy, that guy who names names and looks like the sore-thumb tattle-tale holier-than-thou.

However, I have spent a good bit of time in meditation and prayer on this subject; “What can I do, what can we do, to bring about Zoin”. And the Lord has answered resoundingly, “preach repentance to those around you.”

Having come to the realization that indeed IT (zion) will not come without a remnant being preserved;  Having come to the realization that we need an authority, one endowed with power to redeem Zion by power;  Having come to realize that Zion is not possible as a community without a community and the Lords refuge, I know that I must have patience and live in accordance with the jewels of Isaiah who wait on the Lord. In thinking this and pondering this catch-22, wherein we are commanded to bring forth the kingdom of God and establish Zion while coping within a broken paradigm, I have been shown an answer to the original question, in words as plain as day.  The time is now to preach repentance. And that goes for everyone, rich or poor as to spirit or position.

That is what we can do, and all we can do, point out errors and give direction for fixing them.  The Lord gives one caveat to this action and even points out to whom we must go.  Turning to Matthew 7 you’ll read;

3 ^aAnd why beholdest thou the ^bmote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the ^cbeam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou ^ahypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

This is great teaching, incredibly thought provoking.  The wisdom of a few words found in depth here.  Most often focused on in these verses is the plight of the hypocrite.  Namely, that he tells someone to do better when he himself is on a lower plane of life too.  However, the other view of this teaching is just as insightful.  That is the final line; “and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”  The point then comes into focus.  Repent brothers and sisters, shake yourselves clean.  Then however, your work is not done.  Why did you repent?  You now know, you have seen and see clearly.  Do the same for your brother, call repentance and love to those who cannot see clearly.  To take this a bit further, Joseph felt the need to correct these versus and add to them.  His version reads thus;

4 And again, ye shall say unto them, Why is it that thou beholdest the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

5 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and canst not behold a beam in thine own eye

6 And Jesus said unto his disciples, Beholdest thou the Scribes, and the Pharisees, and the Priests, and the Levites? They teach in their synagogues, but do not observe the law, nor the commandments; and all have gone out of the way, and are under sin.

7 Go thou and say unto them, Why teach ye men the law and the commandments, when ye yourselves are the children of corruption?

8 Say unto them, Ye hypocrites, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

“Beholdest thou the Scribes, and the Pharisees, and the Priests, and the Levites? They teach in their synagogues, but do not observe the law, nor the commandments; and all have gone out of the way, and are under sin.”

My next four short posts will be on the topics of Idolatry that we are ‘immersed’ in today as illustrated by this statement from Brigham;

“When God spoke from heaven to Joseph Smith, the people were bound down by priestcraft, doctorcraft, kingcraft and lawyercraft, the four grand crafts that uphold Satan’s kingdom.” (Brigham Young, Des. News, July 12, 1865)

Reading through the Chronicles this weekend I happened across a scripture that I felt worth sharing.

“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.” (II Chron. 16:12-13)

The writer of the Chronicles shows a remarkable bit of perspective, one which we have lost as a people almost entirely today.  A king went to a Doctor, relied on a doctor, for diagnosis and treatment.  Whether or not he died because of this is irrelevant to me, rather I see the importance here of seeing as the writer of scripture saw.  He looked on this event and shook his head, as a man dying laid on his death bed, because he went to a doctor.  But of course today, the Covenant people of the lord are doctors themselves.  They really on synthetic drugs prescribed by these doctors.  They spend their money and time leaning on and trusting their opinions.  It has not been this way always.  Once upon a time the Latter Day Saints were taught to rely on God and not be idolatrous in relying on the arm of flesh.

“I preached to a large congregation at the stand, on the science and practice of medicine, desiring to persuade the Saints to trust in God when sick, and not in an arm of flesh, and live by faith and not by medicine, or poison;” (Joe Smith T.P.J.S., p. 190)

“I would rather have a wife of mine that knows what medicine to give me when I am sick, than all the professional doctors in the world.” (Brigham Young, J.D. 12:225)

“Who is the real doctor? That man who knows by the spirit of revelation what ails an individual and by the same spirit knows what medicine to administer. That is the real doctor, the others are quacks.” (Brigham Young J.D. 15:226)

“Doctors and their medicines I regard as a deadly bane to any community. Give your children, when sick, a little simple herb drink; and if they have eaten too much let them go without food until their stomachs are cleansed and purified, and have faith in the name of Jesus and in the ordinances of His Church, and they will live. That is my faith with regard to this thing. I am not very partial to doctors and lawyers, I can see no use for them unless it is to raise grain or go to mechanical work.” (Brigham Young, J.D. 14:109)

“It will be so in a little time that not a woman in all Israel will dare to have a baby unless she can have a doctor by her.” (Brigham Young, J.D. 15:225)

The Children of Israel, Gods covenant people, have covenanted to make him their God and to rely on him.  This is a rather plain, though difficult, illustration and test of our faith.  Will we rely on God, on his revelation and the gifts of healing as he has given us?  In section 42 the Lord plainly instructs,

43 And whosoever among you are ^asick, and have not faith to be healed, but believe, shall be ^bnourished with all tenderness, with herbs and mild ^cfood, and that not by the hand of an enemy.

44 And the elders of the church, two or more, shall be called, and shall pray for and ^alay their ^bhands upon them in my name; and if they ^cdie they shall ^ddie unto me, and if they live they shall live unto me.

As is obvious here, the Lord even makes allowance for those who die.  “if they ^cdie they shall ^ddie unto me, and if they live they shall live unto me.”  Let the blessings that God has given us be enough.  The priesthood, the gifts of healing, the gift of faith, the gift of herbs and of discernment are given for this purpose.  By turning to a physician we show our lack of faith, and if we then die, do we then “die unto HIM”?  Drugs and Doctors are wrecking havoc on the world, and making a handsome profit.  Leaving a society of saints depressed and reliant on synthetic medicine, destitute and poor from sending Zions money to the hospitals and scientists.  Stand up Zions people, with faith, shake off your chains that bind you down, touch not their unclean things.

1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all ^aphysicians of no value.

5 O that ye would altogether ^ahold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

15 Though he ^aslay me, yet will I ^btrust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

16 He also shall be my salvation: for an ^ahypocrite shall not come before him.

17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be ^ajustified.

19 Who is he that will ^aplead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to ^aknow my transgression and my sin.

24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the ^ainiquities of my youth.

27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

Our perception and lifestyle do not match what the prophets had in mind;

“Brother Joseph Smith gave us the word of the Lord; it was simply this: `Never do another day’s work to build up a Gentile city never lay out another dollar while you live, to advance the world in its present state; it is full of wickedness and violence; no regard is paid to the prophets, nor the prophecyings of the prophets, nor to Jesus nor his sayings, nor the word of the Lord that was given anciently, nor to that given in our day. They have gone astray, and they are building up themselves, and they are promoting sin and iniquity upon the earth; and,’ said he, `it is the word and commandment of the Lord to his servants that they shall never do another day’s work, nor spend another dollar to build up a Gentile city’” (Brigham Young, J.D. 11:294-295)”

So, after about 2 weeks of technical troubles I seem to have control of the site again, other then the spam or hackers.  Sorry about the lack of content, replies, etc…

one question that has been asked is whether or not we can use upper case in this theme.  The answer is no.  I keep this theme purely for the purpose of driving folks crazy.   perhaps I’ll change it p soon.   Other then that I am back and operational.  God speed!  DAn

Herse a link to a paper written by a like minded Zionist about the end of the LDS, the gentile times and awakening.  anyway, thought I’d help spread the word for this paper.  Never can have enough resources!

http://www.lds-awakening.info/Repent/Introduction.html

This can be brief.  I have found value in Sunday School, as it gives a sort of rigid structure to my studies that I don’t generally have.  Perhaps that isn’t good, but whatever.  IT gives me something to look at for an hour or so before Sunday anyway!

This last week we covered 1 Samuel and especially Eli and Samuel’s relationship.  Throughout the discussion there was one point that was missed, though I made it briefly, which I thought worthy of discussing here since it out right rejects another dogma which we hold to so dear.  The arm of the Flesh is not perfect and is subject to correction, no matter the office it holds.  I’ve discussed this very topic many times before, however anytime another obvious instance is found I feel it worthy of mentioning.  Enough explaining myself, lets begin.

In 1 Samuel chapter 2 Hannah brings Samuel to Eli to be raised in the temple.  Eli is the High Priest.  He is the president of the priesthood, the high priest over the church.  Not only this, but he also holds the distinction of being the Judge over the land at the same time.  In short, in every whit, he fits the bill as being “the prophet” in our day and age.  He however falls away a bit by allowing his sons to desecrate the offerings in the temples.  He even partakes of the offerings which they wrongfully acquire.

in verse 29 the Lord tells Eli that he makes himself  “fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people”.   Sounds pretty similar to the Lords cry in Ezk 34, “Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”. Abinadi’s story was the same, with Noah spending the labor and money of the people to build his own appetite.  And the watchmen of section 101 are doing the same, slumbering in time of trouble, giving the money to the exchangers of Babylon to build that kingdom.

So here we have the President of the church essentially, spending the offerings of the people, the ‘tithing’ they gave, for the gluttonous use of himself and his sons.  They are feeding themselves, supporting themselves, on the best parts of the offerings.  The offerings of the people are supporting their lifestyles.

Then the Lord does the unthinkable;

“And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord…(1 Samuel 2:27)”

‘A’ prophet was asked to go to ‘the’ prophet and rebuke him in the name of God.  This new man is no one of consequence.  His name is not mentioned, nor that of his fathers house.  He is merely a man of God.  A joe Blow on the street who has made himself right with God, calling the president of the high priesthood to repentance.

This is of course heresy of sorts today.  But, alas it is truth that the lord works in this way.  he works through men who are nothing to perform marvelous works.  And thus we are given another type of a Prophet.  HE cares not for himself.  He needs no special mention.  He doesn’t involve himself in the Babylonian use of offerings.  HE comes as no one, in the Name of the Lord.  HE speaks by saying, “Thus saith the Lord…”.

This is good advice from scripture, and a few keys given to us to know and recognize those who are really on the Lords errand.  Not only can the president of the high priesthood go astray, but he can be rebuked by a man off the street in the name of the Lord.

I’ve been thinking of doing this post for some time, and have indeed written several thoughts on it in the past.  Its rather imperative that we come up with a concrete definition, being that we throw the idea around quite a bit.   We could go about it several ways, like just copy pasting the words of another man, or the ‘handbook’ of Brighams feelings, or of the general perception of the people.  However, I think all of these fall short in that they are simply the musing of men, the opinions as it were of men or committees.  This is dangerous, since the definition arrived at serves to put label people.  In other words, it is a manner of Judgment.  AS the Lord said, judge not lest ye be judged.  For that reason we should be careful what our standard is, lest we judge wrongly and are thus judged ourselves.  Thankfully  the Lord has provided for us in the last days who like to throw the term around, a definition in the scriptures.

In scriptural terms, we have two references to apostasy.

The first is in section 85, “And also their manner of life, their faith, and works; and also of the apostates who apostatize after receiving their inheritances.”  this is a reference to a person who has been given the Laws of Zion, and refused them.  They have been given and inheritance in Zion and refused to consecrate and keep those covenants.  They are at odds with Zion, the only society that Christ approves of.  Who here is apostate under this definition?

Remarkably, the only other reference to apostate is in the very next section.  Sections 85 and 86 are written as companion chapters.  One describes the wheat from the tares in personal terms, the who and how and why, section 85.  The next is a parable in story terms of the same event, leaving with a promise to Israel, allowing us to apply the contents, section 86.  Its no wonder both sections use the term, exclusively.

the verse in 86, ” And after they have fallen asleep the great persecutor of the church, the apostate, the whore, even Babylon, that maketh all nations to drink of her cup, in whose hearts the enemy, even Satan, sitteth to reign—behold he soweth the tares; wherefore, the tares choke the wheat and drive the church into the wilderness. ”

The Lord starts out telling HOW tares are sown in the church.  But, before that, it is told why it is allowed to happen, the Apostles fall asleep.  The apostate here is Satan, especially in reference to the culture that he created amongst us.  BABYLON is the apostate.  Thus, Zion is the unit of measure.  Are we doing all we can to seek to bring again Zion?  If not, we are in apostasy.

This people is embedded in the business practice and the seeking and earning, laboring for money.  WE have our money and investments invested in babylonian businesses, in the stock market, in real estate. We put our money and backing in Babylonian Banking institutions, like the one with the name Zion on it.  We build up those who wear their nice clothes and fancy apparel, we command each other to do the same.  We only allow tithes and offerings to be paid in the from of BAbylonian paper currency, with no real backing besides the words of men in excess.  WE thus force our people to labor in babylon for money in order to get by day to day.  To blend into society and be good citizens, in order to build our ‘church’ wherever we are.  We discourage the Zionistic movement of Gathering out, in favor of staying where we are to change where we are.

If a man were to labor today, in Babylon, for the welfare of others, accepting no payment, would mean financial and personal ruin.  They would end up a vagabond, however enriched.  A beggar on the street unable to be a “provident provider” for his family.  In todays society, and under the direction of our leaders, he would become a destitute of sorts unable to support a family.

In Zion, this same man who labored for others would be exalted through inheritance, and increased in family.  AS Nephi Points out; “Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.”  But force them to perish we do.

thus they have not charity, forcing those who seek Zion to do the same, instructing them to seek babylonian education, that they might excel according to their genius and hard work. The tools of Babylon, Goal setting, Hard work to advance, getting gain, and Education that you might prosper.  As the Anti Christ said, “every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature (goals, organize); therefore every man prospered according to his genius (get an education), and that every man conquered according to his strength(work hard)”.

Thus, IMO apostasy is only applicable in reference to Zion.  Those who are embedded in Babylon and teach us how to excel in that society are thus apostate.  Those who invest in babylonian infrastructure, build it and exalt it are in apostasy.  Those who teach others to do the same are in apostasy.   Those who teach others that they must conform ot the precepts of men, that what men are teaching is more important to our welfare than the scriptures, are in apostasy.

In section 101 the land of promise was taken away and Zion had to wait for a season, because the people continued to seek Babylon.  We continue to do so, building our cities and towns were we live, being industrious and investing in our own personal welfare.  By doing so we remain in apostasy as a people.  Apostate from Zion, apostate from the society of Christ.  Apostate from his revelations, his covenants, his laws, all of which build Zion.

I was preparing a rather lengthy diatribe on this matter, but have since decided against it.  Beginning to feel this as a very personal area of thought.  In other words, though there are TONS of scriptures on the matter, that of clothing, it seems really to be quite simple of an idea, one worth pondering.  With that being said, I have a couple of thoughts on the matter, and want to turn this one loose for discussion.  It seems base or trivial, but I assert that it is not.

Does it really matter what we wear?  Does what we wear determine whether or not we are disciples of Christ, builders of Zion? As a matter of principle, scripturally it appears that yes it indeed does.

In my mind (a Murky place, so we’ll stay out of it for the most part), it is rather apparent and obvious to any members of the LDS church, and I would venture even to those out of it, that what we wear as ‘mormons’ to church and during the week are part of our ‘worship’.  I would leave a ton of quotes here from the leaders of the church on this fact, but don’t see the need.  Here is a quick one though, to get us started.  It is found in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet which the church gives to all of its youth, and even encourages adults to read and comply with.

” When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit and can exercise a good influence on those around you.
Never lower your dress standards for any occasion. Doing so sends the message that you are using your body to get attention and approval and that modesty is important only when it is convenient.”

Before of moving into the meat of the subject, allow me a few sentences to discuss this quote in particular.  It manifests the attitude and belief of the leadership as well as the church as a whole.

First off it is laughable that we would assert that the grooming and attire you wear are what invites the spirit of God.  Find that in the scriptures. Tell that to Alma and Amulek naked in prison, or John alone on the isle of patmos, or to Noah stuck on a boat with hundreds of dirty animals and no razor, or the Savior wandering from town to town, full manly beard and all, or perhaps to Isaiah as he walked entirely buck Naked and prophesied under the Lords direction for three years, or Samson who was commanded by God to never cut or shave his hair, etc.  The idea that  being ‘well groomed’ (inherently subjective) equals having the spirit doesn’t seem to hold up very well.  Though it does speak well for Nehor, James Bond, Julius Cesear  and Adolf Hitler.

We do see however the point of the quote when it states the purpose of grooming as to “exercise a good influence on those around you”.  They’ve,  made our point for us.  Attempting to exercise influence on others is the main premise of the treaty.  What others think of you is the real point here, since the spirit argument can’t hold water.  This is of course the babylonian way.  The Pharisees put on their phylacteries, Satan wore his robes of priesthood, and I have to get ‘dressed up’ to go into a Job interview for Babylon.  Why?  Because in a world where Satan rules and deceives by appearance, the haircut and clothing will be the test of virtue (thank you hugh).  The outward appearance is what makes a man in a culture of people who see nothing else.  Complying with such means is merely to build up that system.

The Lord of course argues this point when he states that God doth not look on the outward appearance like men do, he only cares about the heart.  However, the Gospel being full of conundrums, descriptions of Clothing and apparel of the righteous uniformly do tell us what a righteous man will wear and how he will appear.  AS we will find, he doesn’t look on our outward appearance as a matter of Law, though he gives us keys of outward appearance to understand and adhere to as a matter of principle.

Speaking of righteous women Paul says, “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. (1 peter 3)”  In further speaking of the haughty daughter of Zion in the Last Days (women of Happy valley listen up), ISaiah tells us that the bonnets, fancy dresses, earrings, fancy boots on the legs, etc… will be purpose for the cursings that fall on them. But Its not just the women, indeed, we can drag the men in this too.

When the utopia of 4 Nephi was finely killed, one of the first indications that is was gone is described thus, “there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world.”  This same indictment is held many times in the book of mormon, that as a people came out of living truth, they began to put emphasis on apparel as a means of life.  As pointed out here in 4 Nephi, this is an indication of pride.  Alma’s lament in Alma 31 could well be a description given by a man sitting in our congregations today, “Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while others shall perish.”

I find that term “ornaments” very interesting and even quite helpful in determining the right from the wrong.  An ornament serves no real purpose other than to look good, to deceive by appearance, especially as an article of clothing.  I recall recently a leader of the church (will remain anonymous) describing how he had to loan a pair of cuff links to a colleague who had forgotten his own.  Another thought is those zealous brethren who honestly believe that putting on the ornament of a neck-tie is necessary to practice priesthood.  Priest-craft perhaps, but priest-hood?  They even save one in the bishops office for deacons who ‘forget’ theirs!  How about the gold  and silver watches (bracelets)?  Go ahead, apply it to yourself.  Do we really look that silly to God when we bear a testimony liek these Zoramites on their podium, while wearing these ornaments to please men?

Lets look at another Book of Mormon dichotomy real quick.  Alma 1 is a fascinating study because of its discussion of the two fold path of churchiness.  As Nephi said, there are save two churches only and as we’ve pointed out many many times here, both churches exist all around us, including in our church groups, congregations and wards.  Within every congregation in the world those two churches stand affixed, with the ruler of appearance, babylon, ruling supremely.  I’ve found Almas division of ideas quite poignant on many occasions. I’ll try to stick just with the clothing portions of this story.

First the Church of Nehor is discussed, in particular Nehor himself; “he began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to wear very costly apparel“.  Interesting how over and over again the Pride of a person is correlated with his insistence on wearing ‘costly apparel’.  I would say they are mentioned together often enough for us to consider that the wearing of such clothing is a sure indicator of apostasy, of the pride of the unjust.  This description is contrasted in verse 27 where we are told that the people of God “did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely”.  Again we are instructed that what a person wears does matter to God, its should not be costly, worldly, etc… but SHOULD be neat and comely.  By the way these two ideals are being described, I think we have a principle on our hands.

This is not a law, it is a principle, a key.  This principle is given us that we might discern truth from error.  Whenever you find the church of God you will find those who naturally are lean toward being neat and comely, but not of the world in ornamenting their bodies with clothing.  This does not mean that they don’t have nice comfortable or durable clothing, as pointed out in verse 29, they also had an “abundance of ^bsilk and fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely ^ccloth.”  They had good quality things, even riches communally, as a result of taking care of each other, but did not use them to ornament their bodies nor insist that others should do so.  It does mean however that their clothing is separate, different from the world.  Indeed, they do as the Savior commands and find the spirit in him, no on an idol like clothing.  They groom themselves because it is natural to such a person, though they don’t see it as essential for a disciple of Christ.

We can be reminded of the poor of the Zoramites, when Alma found them he saw a people that were prepared to hear the word of God.  Yet the church of the land had done something amazing.  They had kicked the poor out of their synagogues because of the ‘courseness of their clothing’.  This may sound astounding, but I am not allowed to pass the sacrament in my ward or  to hold a calling with meaning or any authority without my nice white shirt and ornamental tie.  There are rare circumstances that are allowed, but in general it is frowned on.  Not only is it frowned on in this manner, but in social situations a person who does not fit the ‘standards’ of dress are literally looked down on, and not allowed to worship.  If I walked into the temple this day to worship my God, to seek his face, in a robe with or without sandals, I would either be turned around, looked down on and scoffed at or at least admonished.  I say this with experience, as I have been lectured for walking in there without a tie before.  And I am then given a tie to worship in the temple because, and I quote, ” we cannot worship in the house of the Lord without a tie”.   I would tell you who hold such postions to Repent of your blind and unjust prejudice.   I still have not found the reference to this during the temple lectures nor could I understand the symbolism (sarcasm intended).  Perhaps that is because the symbolism is negative, as Nephi pointed out Satan will lead those of his church around by a flaxen cord wrapped around their necks (sounds like a tie to me), begging them to wear fine twine clothing and a dark changeable suit to match.

I think perhaps what I am getting at is the idea of a principle, as discussed in the word of wisdom.  Those of the church of God recognize those inherit truths as right and are willing to align with them.  This idea is a principle in this manner, those who follow Christ will also follow his styling cues.  But in order to do so, we must understand the thing our principle is tied too and that is Babylon or Zion.  As Alma put it, come ye out from the wicked, touch not their unclean things.  We have to know what is unclean and what is not.  WE have to be able recognize Babylons tactics, its paradigms, its styles, its designs, etc…  and then be able to apply our own rational judgment to come from out of that.

Is it important?  I believe the Book of Mormon makes it clear that this principle is very important.  Throughout the book the authors go out of their ways to mention the clothing worn by a people when they were wicked and when they were not.  Recognize that fact, that this principle matters, it sets us apart into the culture we want to be in, the one we care about.  Those of the church of the Lamb see the facets of Babylon and are different.  Those of babylon remain blind to that very dichotomy.

As a final note I would like to leave one last scripture for those who might remain on the fence or even to seek after this principle.  DC 42:40,41 makes it clear hat the Clean things of Zion and the Dirty things of Babylon are contrasted in our clothing.  It makes it clear the our clothing is a matter of Pride if we are not willing to change and come out to Zion.  It goes so far as to give us instruction on the type of clothing we should wear, just how clean of the world, just how free of pride?  They should be plain, yet beautiful,  neat and comely.  In fact, if truly seeking the Zion of Christ we would bother to make them ourselves, thus fully ridding ourselves of the chains of Babylonian fashion.

“And again, thou shalt not be ^aproud in thy ^bheart; let all thy ^cgarments be plain, and their ^dbeauty the beauty of the ^ework of thine own hands; And let all things be done in ^acleanliness before me.”

The first portion of the promise in the word of Wisdom read like this;

You “shall receive ^bhealth in their navel and marrow to their bones”

The very first blessing is the most obvious, health.  Your body, your insides, your stomach and digestive parts, etc. will receive health from this lifestyle, as opposed to colon cancer I suppose.  Out side of this, the navel represents the place of nourishment, the center of the bodies working elements.  This is the place that receives all things going in and sends things on their way.  Marrow represents the strength, the inner most portion of the skeletal makeup.  The fluid that provides heath to your system, enabling a strong working platform.  Having strength to begin with, and healthful nourishment, are akin to having all that we needed in sustenance.  Receiving these things at the Lords hand is a covenant blessing.  The remnant of the last days, those who are left, will be provided for abundantly in this manner (isaiah 7:22).  They will receive food when all the world is being condemned, they will be made strong with nourishment of all kinds, spiritually and physically, when the rest of the world are being destroyed.  This Promise of health and strength in our bodies is tantamount to giving a promise of deliverance from the degenerate lifestyles now profuse in Babylon.  Those ways of living will be the death of the people, but the Lord’s people will receive life in nourishment and strength.  The endowment is also alluded to here in the language and wording of the promise, which is designed to draw the minds of a covenantal people to those promises they were given by the Lord when they made covenants with him, and will at the veil.  They are promises to be able to pass by guarding angels who stand to block the way of people not living that lifestyle.  The wording in this verse then is a promise of health and strength in areas of our temporal bodies, at a time when the delivering/destroying angels are producing their work of the wheat from tares by means of destructive Babylonian consumption and habit.

Next they will “find wisdom”

In Isaiah 29 we are told that one of the destroying problems of the people will be their reliance on sages and rulers.  WE are told there will be a covenantal group of people who draw near to him with their lips and mouth, yet in reality their fear is in the precept of men.  This group will be confounded as they rely on their sages for wisdom, since the wisdom of their wise men shall perish.  The wisdom they seek, that saving knowledge, is not found, since their understanding is only in the precept of men.  I find this an interesting contrast to Isaiah’s promise to the righteous, “And wisdom and ^aknowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his ^btreasure.”  Knowledge refers to the covenant with God, to know him, his voice or his name.  The wisdom found in this covenant kept will be stability to them for their time.  As they rely on their relationship with God and not men, as we saw in chapter 29, he will be their salvation.  Furthermore, whereas the fallen covenant people in chapter 29 found their fear of the Lord in the precepts and teachings of men, these people fear the Lord because of their knowledge of him.  One group follows men, follows the word of men, the teachings of men, the precepts of men, the establishment of men.  The other group follows God, knows his voice and finds wisdom in it.  IT is this wisdom that allows a person to receive the covenantal blessing of health and peace while the world around is in dire turmoil and destruction.

and, “great ^ctreasures of ^dknowledge, even hidden treasures”

Going back to these verses in Isaiah (ch 33), we find that the riches of the people of the Lord are to be found in their covenantal knowledge of God.  The treasure to them is that relationship and they are blessed abundantly.  They realize that moth and rust do not corrupt this type of treasure.  They live a simple life of consuming and living the commandments, seeking the face of the lord and are blessed immensely in this endeavor.  These are the riches, this is the money, that the gate keeper will require at our hands when the time to pass by the angels with the keys words comes.  He will give you those words in that close relationship, tell them in your ear so only you can hear.  This is the knowledge that will make you rich, the voice of the Lord in your ear.  This is the Treasure that will allow you to pass the angels on their dividing march. The mysteries of God that we are commanded to seek will be found in this way and the relationship found will be the key to unlocking the riches of heaven.

“And shall ^arun and not be ^bweary, and shall walk and not faint.”

This is perhaps the most quoted and thought-through portion of the promise.  And that base explanation is relevant.  WE will be healthy and have strength beyond those who do not live in a healthy manner.  However, there is more to this promise.  Isaiah 40:30-31 reads,

“But they that wait (…hope…) upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.”

This race we are running is a trying one.  It tries the patience of the Lords servants who have to wait for that day when Zion is removed and Babylon destroyed.  But Isaiah tells us that the Lord will give strength in that race to those who wait on him, who seek him an his Zion.  HE will allow them to last throughout the tribulation that will come.  He gives that promise.  And in fact the Lord tells us here that they will receive strength in the mere process of waiting, being made better and stronger as the race is prolonged.  Another facet of this verse refers to the Davidic Servant.  In Isaiah 50:4 the Servant tells us that it is he who gives this strength those that wait in the Lord;

“The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to [him that is] weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”

Those who wait hear the word of the servant.  The weary in the last days, who wait on him, are made strong through wisdom and knowledge, which they receive at the servants hand.  HE is the covenant that is delivered, the promise of strength to Zion, the feet and wings of the eagles who fly from the four corners in gathering.  They walk and not faint and run without weariness in the strength of God, in the words of his servant.  They awake in the morning to hear his words, while the rest of the world is asleep like dumb dogs who love to slumber.

We could belabor these points, but I prefer not too.  Suffice it to say that Isaiah uses similar wording to these short words, like fat bones, running like a spring of water, etc. to describe the remnant who remain, recognize the Lords voice in his final servant and sustain their march to Zion.  Finally the Lord gives us one final promise, to tie them all together, to give us perspective on this principle’s reach and on the need for the promise;

“And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the ^adestroying angel shall ^bpass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them.”

This is the only place in scripture that I am aware of that we are given a promise that the destroying angel of the last days will pass by us.  This is obvious  exodus language, even to the unrehearsed gentile.  In the old time, during the original exodus which we have as a type of our own, there was a sign given which would enable them to be passed over.  The lambs blood.  The promise is that if they put that sign on their door posts they would survive.  This is a very basic feat and the promise here to us is obvious.  We have been given the lambs blood, the simple act adapted to the weakest of saints which will allow them to be passed over in our own time of destruction.  We have been given the sign, told how to receive the key words, in order to pass by in an exodus of the Lords saints and given instruction for hearing and recognizing the Lords servant.  We won’t be keeping that sign based on the knowledge of men, on their precepts and interpretation.  We wont be keeping the word of wisdom according to the commandments of men, but by the voice of the covenant with the Lord.  This sign is not given as a commandment for this very purpose.  It is for our interpretation, severally, in concourse with the Lord.  By applying its teachings as the voice of the lord directs us we will be blessed with hidden treasures of knowledge and wisdom, which wisdom will in turn lead to strong healthy bodies in the face of destruction, which will lead to the temporal and thus spiritual salvation we seek.  For the purpose of developing a people of faith and valor, able to hear the lords voice, there are two interpretations of the word of wisdom available to us today.

One is a commandment, with tenets and instruction based on the precepts of men, in turn tied to a covenant with death.  This is the promise of wisdom which men have given us.  They have tied to it promises and curses.  They control and are responsible for that unjust blood.

The other is not commandment, it is merely fact or a basic principle, and the searching of it in the spirit of humility, leads to instruction from God and temporal salvation.    This is the promise to us contained in scripture, a true word of wisdom.  This scriptural version of the word of wisdom is tied to Gods voice and direction, he is then responsible for your protection.

So I thought that perhaps I could discuss a few of the interesting portions (I know, entirely subjective) of the Word of Wisdom, and how they apply to us today who are seeking to come out from Babylon and establish Zion.   I have decided to just go with the present D&C version, as the only difference between it and the original is a comma, which we will discuss.  The Word of Wisdom has interestingly come to dominate my life, as well as that of my wife.  I suppose the reason it has is that it is a Word of Wisdom on a manner of living.  What we eat and drink dominates are day more than I at first realized.  Indeed, as It has come to absorb me a good deal I’ve realized how much like the beasts I still am.  Drinking eating and sleeping occupy my days.  We work to earn food and safety for our families.  So much so that the savior felt the need to point out to Satan, and thus all who follow him, that man cannot live on bread and water alone.  In fact, he told us to toil and spin not, for God feeds the sparrows fine and we are so much more then them!   SO in this message I find a need for simplicity.  When getting lost in the work of God, often we find servants like Alma who have fasted for many dies and get hungry.  We see the Savior denying himself of food for forty days.  We are told in Isaiah that the Remnant in the last days will eat milk and Honey, a very simple diet, the diet of Nomads.  I am not implying that we not eat.  I om implying that food is a much bigger idol than we know.  Do we let the acquiring and eating of it dominate our day?  Is food consumption in one form or another distracting us?  I think it seems benign on the surface, but in reality most of the people of today are slaves to this one taskmaster, food.

This is what the pharisees in their extremism would claim, “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.”  However, before we come to think of the lack of eating food as a virtue we should go the meridian of time to see our savior who the pharisees complained about. “The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and ^aa winebibber, a friend of ^bpublicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified ^cof her children.”

The Son of God, the Savior of Israel ate and drink much.  HE did so in the taverns with the publicans.  On the sabbath day he walked and ate through the fields of corn (Matt 12:1).  He ate so much that they declared him unfit for the kingdom, a Glutton!  He drank enough that they declared him to be an Alcoholic!  So in him we find our example.  A person who did not labor for food, as the sparrows.  He cared not for food so much as to deny himself of it forty days in the name of the Lord.  Yet, when it was provided and abundant he ate and drank in joy and thanksgiving.

By doing both of these things he gives us the example of one who does not declare food to be an idol.  He gives it no saving grace.  Denying consumption of foods, as in eating only sparingly, not of wine, etc… in itself is a form of idolatry.  On the other hand, spending all your time relaxing and eating or working hard to by more too is distraction from God.  The food in itself, whether the lack thereof or the abundance, provides no saving grace.  This we would do well to remember.   Thus the laws of the pharisees of what and when to drink based on LAW is shown here by Christ to be beyond the mark.  However, as we will soon find out, declaring some foods better for you and some worse is merely a matter of knowledge, of common sense.

The eating of food is perhaps one of the most poignant examples of cause and effect.  Drinking water, wine, or kool aid all has immediate consequences, good or bad.  Inhaling pizza and doughnuts all day too has its consequences.  Eating chicken produced under disgusting and abusive conditions too has its consequences.  Consuming foods full of dies, artificial sweeteners and preservers which were not given of good for consumption too have consequences.

In this light, the light of Idolatry and consequence, I think we are properly situated to begin dissection of our food consumptive guidelines containd in section 89.

The very first couple of verses gives us a blatant and obvious form of Idolatry.  “not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the ^aword of wisdom, showing forth the order and ^bwill of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days”.

According to the pattern we’ve already brought out, the Lord here explains that such guidelines deal with “temporal” salvation.  As we have observed, the survival of the Remnant in the last days in a Temporal sense will be what allows them to remain and establish Zion.  Our temporal salvation has been a great worry for many who ponder near futre events.  Thankfully, the Lord here is providing for us a means for securing such salvation as Saints in Zion.  Also here in this verse the Lord defines for us that such food Guidelines are not given by way of Command.  The pharisees defined manners of eating and drinking, which became laws of men.  By so doing the condemned our Savior.  Food had become an Idol.  The LDS saints today do the same, creating a savior of sorts or idol we must worship in order to obtain salvation.

To show clearly that this assumption is not extreme in my view of our religious practices, I give you the ‘Recommend’ questions.  Therein, in order to seek the face of the Lord in the temple, I must first comply with a list of eating and drinking standards.  Not at all unlike the pharisees of old, stumbling blocks have been set in our way, idols given to us by other men.  IT has become by way of commandment.  And on top of that, the present list of conformity does not even comply with the list given in section 89!  It is in every sense a commandment of men which replaces true righteousness through temperance and mindfulness with conformance to standards and lists.

So why the Word of Widsom?  ITs given as a “a principle with ^apromise,”  Along those lines then I suppose we should find 2 things, first a principle, and a corresponding promise.  A principle is uncahngable.  IT is a natural fact of our existence, a natural fact of the subject at hand.   A principle is fundamental doctrine.  IT is cause and effect.  Basically, what we have here is scientific.  IF you do ‘A”, ‘B’ will result, the law o cause and effect.  The sower is redeemed in his own action.  This is not a commandment the Lord begins telling us, it is fact.  Its a fact for who?  For those who can be called “saints” here in the “last days”.  These things are fact because of two things.  First is your mortality and second, because of evil and conspiring men.

So, some principles real quick…

• Strong Drink is not for the belly, but is good for dressing wounds.  Strong drink is any drink that is distilled rather then fermented. Fermented drinks are mild, we will discuss that in a moment.  Distilled liquor is good to have, to heal wounds.
• Wine is a strong drink, but can be had if you make it, and then for offering up sacrament to men.  A sacrament is merely a religious rite or symbol done in remembrance of God.  So, when you drink when, do so with the right frame of mind, that you may always remember him, even and especially when drunk with this strong drink of the vine.
• Hot drinks aren’t good for consumption
• Tobacco is not for man, but is good to have for the dressing of bruises in livestock
• fruits, vegetables and herbs are made for men, in the season thereof.  USe them and receive them with thanksgiving!
• Eat meat, but do it sparingly.  The 1835 edition of the D&C differed slightly, in the omission of a comma, from our current version.  It reads (missing comma here in red) “Yea, flesh also, of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, hath ordained for the use of man, with thanksgiving. Nevertheless, they are to be used sparingly; and it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.”  Read this way, without the red comma, it is apparent that meat should not only be used in times of winter, but always, but always in sparing portions.  Take this note with a grain of salt ans the spirit.  Sparing is still the key word here.
• Grains are all good for everyone.  They are for as a means of storage.  This is the winter item.  Eat them in abundance in times of famine and  hunger, because they store well
• All these grains too can be made into mild drinks.  Wheat grass juiced, beers of all types, fruit of the vine which is fermented or not etc…

That was easy.  That was the principle, quite simple really.  a few basic tenants, not by commandment but for advice.  AS you can see, in some major areas, this list differs from those of the commandment we have today which stands in our way of worshiping in a place called the Lords house.  The list we are given there includes ALL alcoholic beverages, ALL drugs, Coffee, tea regardless of temperature are given as commanded against.  Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater.  Our Zeal has yielded a crop of self righteous prigs who too would bar the savior himself from worshiping in his own house.   But, thankfully, the truth can still be had.  Its a simple idea, a principle of fact contained in a section fo wisdom to us.  And this principle has a promise.  This cause has an effect.

In the conditions of the promise we find an interesting note, “And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments”.  The list above is set apart from the commandments, it is however still set as an objective to live to recieve the blessing.  How is it then separate and not a command?  Again, because it is a principle, it is fact.  This way of life must be lived as a means of being most healthy, and if a faithful person ADDS to that the keeping of Gods commandments he will blesss you.  IN these conditions he provides a loophole for himself to save only those of his children who follow him.  There are many in this last day who have stumbled upon these basic principles and strive to live them in incredible detail, whether from the W.o.W. or simply from sound logic.  The Lord however is under no duty to bless them beyond the basic means of healthiness.  He will howver bless those healthy people who also seek his face with the blessings promised.  And so we see that the promise of temporal salvation through this Word of wisdom is only offered to The Lords people.  TEmporal salvation, being saved to be his children and seek Zion, is still based on spiritual worthiness.  They are one and the same.

The Blessings will be covered in the next paper.  They only comprise a couple short verses, but are absolutely laden with key words and imagery to the Temporal Salvation of Gods children who seek Zion in these last days discussed in Isaiah and throughout scripture.   To be continued…

This will likely be a heartfelt rather mushy message. If you are the squeamish type, be forewarned. I’ve not planned this ahead of time, it just feels right.

It is late, again. Sitting in front of a computer screen studying, again. Hating everything that is Babylon, again. Oh what a rut. Bemoaning however briefly (very briefly) that I don’t live closer to the action in Happy Valley, where the repentance and instruction are. It kinda feels like I did before and during Hurricane Katrina.

I honestly wanted to be there, in the Big Easy, to see it. I mean, who gets to see a Hurricane first hand? That’s what you all are witnessing and are about to feel there in happy valley, the Hurricane. And I kinda wish I could be there to witness it, amongst those who profess to know his name but do not. As a result, there are prophets and watchmen in your midst warning you like weathermen to wake up, get your tired and numb butts out of your comfortable and aptly named La-Z-Boys and get yourself and your families out of Babylon before the flood is too much. At that point swimming and treading water will not be enough.

You see, that is what I see now. People swimming, doing the Vomiting-Drunk and Slumbering-Doggy paddle, barely keeping their heads above water, and sometimes not, just because they love the view at the beach. They didn’t hear and are not now hearing the warnings of the lifeguards on the beach. “THE Tide is Coming in! A wave is here!” Instead they hear their tour guide, with his back to the water, telling them of all the beauty around them and how good the sand feels between their toes.

So it goes back to that word, Shuv, Turn around, get up and get moving, repent. Get yourself out of Babylon, touch not their unclean things. No longer is it time to swim, its time to run.

Back to this Telestial Urim and Thummim in front of me my mind wanders and eventually settles on a triumph I saw today. One of those irrepressible moments of human joy that we so rarely see. Generally our self imposed chains and shackles are too much for us and we can’t see past what we can’t be.  But in a child who finally buried his hopelessness, I saw limitless potential and the voice of God in Power.

MY wife and I have been struggling with our second son in accomplishing one of life’s real accomplishments, to ride a bike on his own, without artificial attachments or over bearing helpful hands. His Older brother didn’t help matters, having picked it up remarkably quickly, kinda killing the drama, at the age of three. He’s been riding now for over three years. Meanwhile, his little brother just couldn’t get over the hump. While riding he was very afraid to wreck, and as a result wrecked every time as he over corrected and freaked out a bit. HE leaned heavily on my arm as we ran up and down the sidewalk, leaning hard so as to know that I was there supporting him. He relied on that hand to be there, that shadow running ever so close and providing the help. As soon as the hand was gone though, crash. If the hand let go at just the right time, he’d ride on for awhile until suddenly, like wile e coyote after running over the cliff, frantically realizing there is no support there and falling hard.

Today though, we tried it in the backyard on the grass. First time in about 5 months we’ve seen grass. A welcome sight no matter how brown. That brown grass provided just the right amount of padding to lessen the blow. At some point he realized the crashing was no big deal, a means to an end. Then, not long after, he rode, by himself, for many yards. Having realized this, he got back on and did it again, and again. slowly easing into the idea. He began to trust my instruction, realizing that he did need to peddle, that he could go faster.

Still wrecking a bunch and not going very far, we moved back to the front walk, were riding was easier and faster, but the crashes harder. Here he could go very FAR but if he wrecked, those falls would be more spectacular too. Alas though, he was no longer afraid to fall. He now trusted that voice and that hand, that when it spoke it was in trust and when the hand let go, that was a good thing. A relationship was there and that’s all it took. HE was Gone!!!

Peddling that little bike as hard as his smallish legs could peddle those tiny tires, shaking back and forth like the Tasmanian devil on a mission. Finally the realization hit him, as his parents were raising their arms in ecstasy, he jumped off that bike wreck-lessly (finally) and ran full speed, hair flowing behind him with a grin big enough to swallow the sky.  He yelled, “I ride a Two-wheeler!!!”  This was a moment that was all his own. He was born again. He owned the world, he was God and God was him. And he fell in love with that dirty old thing that had hurt him so many times.

He now loves to ride and I predict he will quickly be taking the streets and air by storm with his new found power. What did it take? What can we learn from this beautiful little boy?

• Leaning heavily on another only barely keeps our head above water
• not trusting the voice, not heeding it, keeps us drowning in a world of water
• practice is key
• Lessening the blow for a time while we get our feet wet can be helpful, but won’t put us over the top
• to swim with the big fish, to really run on the beach, we half to let go of our fear, let go of our reliance and just be
• this process of letting go can truly make us free of the bondage and system of fear and able to Hear and trust

Perhaps now a tie into my own life. Letting go can be so hard. The everything behind us is killing us. Though all those held thoughts and habits are chaining us, we don’t let go. IT is Idolatry, and lets count the ways.

Sin and transgression are prevalent in our lives. We are bound to it in grotesque manner, some more than others. Like the king to Ammon, are we truly ready to face those things and give up every sin? When they come, do we fall to them, because we always have? Or do we face them and laugh in their face? And not only that, are we ready to hear of the other sins we have? This is the path of the disciple, it is a path of losing yourself, every whit. The Self you now have leans on hands all around you and falls to pits of culture and habit. That is the self that must be killed. You gotta hearken to the voice that you know and just do. This path is not easy. The falls can be tremendous. It will take you away from what you know, on purpose. IT will turn you into what you didn’t think you were. It will cleanse you of weaknesses you thought were strengths and make your weak things strong.

When the Savior told his Disciples that the temple would be destroyed, with not one brick left on top of another, he gave us powerful imagery of rebirth. Our bodies, this life we have, are our temples, and they must be remade. The process of removing Idolatry (distraction from God) from your life will do exactly that by removing all the things you once relied on to make you, you. MY advice, if you would seek to be a power tool capable of acting and being acted upon, is to recognize those things and remove them. Then find more, find them in the scriptures, find them in revelation or promptings, find them in your peers, wherever they are. That is my point, look for them. Seek them out, those stumbling blocks to your progression called idolatry. Strip yourself of them in the name of the Lord and he will be with you in the process.  Become converted every day to this process of change and hold onto nothing that you think is you.  Let the Lord decide who you are.  Create a Man in Gods image rather than a Man in a Man’s image.

As you do this you will increasingly here His voice. Continue to act in power and you will be changed. That’s what you want after all, isn’t it?

These idols are that hand which once held your bike. it checked your speed it ‘corrected’ your falls it ‘protected’ you from injury. But really, in the end, reliance on that hand is holding you back. That reliance on past mistakes is keeping you away, reliance on another power is doing the same. You glory in the story of your brother, in the scripture or in history, but what of your own? Let go, you too are Gods, as he said, and were also born of Mother earth.

Finally, removing these walls between you and God will get you to a point where you have Heard the word, rather then simply feeling its prompting.  A point where living by every word that proceedeth from his mouth becomes a reality.

MY son’s fear of crashing, his reliance on that hand, did not allow him to truly hear my voice when I told him to pedal, to just ride straight and fast. However, his experience in the backyard allowed him to tear down those Idolatrous natures born into him. This moment of soft landing is like that moment of ours where we rid ourselves of the obvious forms of idolatry, the plain walls in front of our view. A few of these soft things are, reliance on manuals, reliance on others testimonies, reliance on rules and man-made order, reliance on babylonian style, reliance on the knowledge of men, etc… we could list almost anything. But these are simply the things that are plain to you. The things that you know and have known you need to drop in order to be better, the sins you know are plaguing your mind, the actions you know are tied to Babylonian desires.

The true moment of release doesn’t come in finding those though. All we gain from that moment is some hope, some trust, that perhaps that voice is real and that hand is there to support us, even though it sometimes lets go.

There’s something funny about that Mountain that the bear climbed to get to the other side of, it had another side.

That other side too must be crossed, though at first you only see the initial goal.  Concurring that first goal is a vital step, removing that initial dead fall,  but only the beginning of your change in position.  The true growth comes in the keeping the secret of sacredness, in listening to the spirits instruction on new and startling forms of idolatry that plague your growth. You will be shown walls and mountians to climb that you didn’t know existed.  When you begin conquering those now unknown barriers at the spirits prompting, that prompting will seem louder and that voice more real. Finally, at some point, your chains will mean nothing to you. You will finally be as the King who was willing to give it all, the explorer who would go to all ends of the earth for the sake of going. You’ll finally be like my precious son who eyes grew large when he felt the power of peddling and just let go! Without those fears, those sins, which Babylon has given you, the voice is finally audible. It is trusted and can be understood.

This I believe to be our Goal, to Come out from Babylon and touch not her unclean things, in all facets of our life, be they literal and physical and/or spiritually in knowledge. I know I have felt the scales fall from my eyes as I have recognized and removed them. I too have felt the sting of remorse as I tripped and stumbled on the same block repeatedly. I can tell you that He lives, and that His voice is audible. that we can hear it and know, beyond prompting. I can tell you that that voice will change you, will make you into something you never planned, for your good. He’ll say things you never thought you’d hear, give you great knowledge and tell you to keep it bottled up (to become a sacred temple for Gods truth).  He’ll make you poor when you wanted to be rich, make you loathsome when you sought to be adored, make you meek when you wanted to be heard. And know that once you hear it you are merely Finally, finally, on the path, that straight sidewalk, where growth is faster but the spills more painful.

Coming on us now is the flood of Babylon.  Only those who have previously rid themselves of Babylonian reliance and consequently gained a relationship with the one saving power in the universe will keep their feet dry when the world is wet.

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I thought I would ponder for a minute that incredible moment in Nephis life when he broke one of Moses Commandments.

Our story begins with Nephi “creeping” into the city Jerusalem, not knowing before hand what he should do.  He does so following the spirit.  Like the perfect Tom-Tom that spirit takes him exactly where he should go.  To his surprise he finds a dunked man passed out in the street who happens to be Laban, the very man whom he needs to confront.  There he lies, inebriated, already incapacitated.  The Lord provided the means for fighting his battle in such an easy and simple way.  Indeed, like the Gentile guardians of the scriptures in the last days given to us from Isaiah, Laban is drunken with his own wine.  Not only is he drunken and misled but he is like a sleeping dog who cannot bark, loving to slumber.  Just a while before this he was the opposite, barking, mislabeling NEphi and his brothers as robbers and thieves and commanding his armies to destroy them.  Now, when the spirit provides the time, the covenant keeper of holy writ is found laying face down in the dust, likely choking on his own vomit.

Upon walking up to that lifeless watchman Nephi does a curious thing first.  He notices the sword of Laban right off and serendipitously draws it from its sheath.  It almost seams that he does so in a sort of lust, wishing to see it and admire it.  Why the sword?  Why was this the first thing he did?  Why did he so quickly reach down to a drunken man and take his means of defense from him?  The way he does so, describing its attributes, lends me to think that the idea was in his mind, to take advantage of the situation now while he could.  That would of course be murder.  Or we could see that Nephi was doing what the spirit prompted, and that same spirit could have been the instigator which drew his eye toward labans sword.  Either way, NEphi found himself standing over the drunk man with his sword in his hand, and the moment must have been very poignant for nephi.

Then the spirit Says something to Nephi…  “Kill Him”.

Nephi Responds. “Never at any time have I shed the blood of man.”  and then he shrank from the task at hand.

The Spirit says again, “Behold the ^aLord hath ^bdelivered him into thy hands.”

At this thought Nephi begins to rationalize, or justify, that thought.  “He had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property.”

It is odd to me that Nephi gives these reasons in his mind. By themselves, none of those reasons; sought to take away my life (past tense), didn’t keep the commandments, stole my stuff, had ever qualified as a good solid reason to kill someone.  They were merely the words of a Man trying to get himself up the gumption to do something that was VERY difficult for him.  HE had to rationalize the moment.  But, lest we think that Nephi merely talks himself into it the spirit gives to him a rather lengthy and wordy diatribe;

“Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;  Behold the Lord ^aslayeth the ^bwicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is ^cbetter that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in ^dunbelief.”

This is not the work of the mind, or the work of a ‘feeling’ that this was the right thing to do.  Rather, this was a conversation with the spirit of God.  The Lord even gives him a reason in the commandment, tells him that this is the purpose of Laban being here.  Again, this is a conversation.

At this a thought comes to and of NEphis mind; “Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my ^bcommandments, they shall ^cprosper in the ^dland of promise.”

The impetus for thinking this in my opinion was that he had just been Commanded by the voice of the Lord!  he had received a commandment and it was now his duty to follow through.  He goes on to explain that they need the scriptures for establishing a people in the new land.  And indeed they do.

“Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own ^asword”

The deed accomplished, Nephi goes about clothing himself with LAbans clothes.   He goes to the treasury, finds Labans servant gets the plates and gets out of town.  On doing so he ends up also bringing Zoram with him, of necessity, thus introducing a larger Gene pool into the land of Promise.

There are some parallels that I want to point out before I move on of the Servant and NEphi.  Often in his books NEphi  fulfills this type, he does so well here.  HE enters the wicked city which had forfeited its right to the land of promise.  They had been a covenant people and had been given charge over these truths and records.  They fell from that lofty perch like an eagle shot with a scatter-gun off a telephone pole.  This city is a parallel of a people today who were the salt of the earth, gathered a people and had scripture given to them to govern their affairs.  Having set up their own system of governance and misread the scriptures they set themselves up as a light on a hill, bragging on their rameumptums that they are the chosen people, God will not destroy.  The servant, Nephi, comes into their midst unaware of nearly all of them.  The first few times he comes to them and declares the conditions of their deliverance (NEphi and his brothers going ot labans house), but is unsuccessful or at least ineffective.  HE is kicked out and persecuted, even beaten with a Rod and saved miraculously by an angel like the suffering servant.  Finally, after suffering this marring, the Lord endows him with power.  HE creeps into the city and the Lord leads him directly to the means of accomplishing the command.  HE finds the man with the keys to scripture within that city, laying face down.  HE is drunk and passed out. Like a dog asleep that cannot bark.  The spirit tells him exactly what to do, in conversation.  The spirit provides the means to accomplish it.  Here it is the Sword, Labans own sword, it representing the power of God to accomplish the work..  NEphi here serves a type to us of HOW the servant will accomplish this work.  HE will use the power that was invested at one time in Laban to cut off and remove the people who rely on that power.

Having taken the sword and transferred that power through Gods direction, NEphi then  receives the Mantle of the leader of the covenant people.  IT is given to him, every whit of clothing or Garment is taken from laban and given to Nephi.  The Gentile covenant people are then left there, naked in the streets of their own Babylon, left without keys or revelation or scripture.  The Sword too is taken and the power of protection is completely removed from them, which NEphi later wields in the defense of his people.  Zoram represents those of the Gentile covenant people who recognize that the mantle has changed places.  They may not recognize the servant, but they do recognize the change, they follow the scriptures out of Jerusalem.  As the Lord tells us in the 3 Nephi 16, some of the Gentile people will repent and do exactly this, leaving with the Servant into the wilderness.

The point of this post goes beyond this type though, which type NEphi repeatedly points to throughout his writing.

In following the voice of the Lord, he kept the commandment.  HE broke the commandment to Not kill, the commandment to Not steal, the commandment to not lie, etc…  But he stayed true to the voice of God.  He followed and kept the commandments in that way, the higher law, the one Moses followed.  This is the way shown us by father Adam and that of Abraham.  “Abraham received all things, whatsoever he received, by revelation and commandment, by my word, saith the Lord, and hath entered into his exaltation and sitteth upon his throne. (DC 132)”

To do the works of the Lord, we must learn to recognize his voice, literally.  We must be able to hear that direction and follow directly.  Feelings and impression don’t cut it, direction and discourse do.  By so doing we will be led to become different from the world, the pharisees, and even from those who follow the ten commandments.  We will become like Abraham and indeed Christ, by literally hearing and following the commands of God.  This kind of priesthood, the ‘power’ of it, only comes directly from him, not through man.  IF we listen hear and follow he will prove us worthy of that power, as he did nephi with the sword and Abraham with his son.  By so doing we keep the commandments and will indeed prosper in the Land, or receive our inheritance of a seed and land for eternity as Abraham did.

Christ’s words and a relationship with him are really the only way.

This being a time of year when Babylon cries from the dust with celebrations like Ishtar, I find it very relevent to discuss a holy-day which the Lord set apart.  The observance of which has much to do with coming out of Babylon, waiting on the Lord and bringing Zion.    Enjoy and God Speed

Guest Author:  Jeff Ostler

COME YE UNTO THE FEAST OF THE LORD

The Apostle Paul wrote that the 7 Feasts of the Lord, which the Lord established Himself among Israel, the 7 special Sabbath days, were a shadow of things to come to teach us about our salvation by Jesus, our Saviour.  Yeshua, which is Jesus’ name in Hebrew, means “salvation”.

The first four of these feasts, are 1^st Passover, 2^nd Unleavened Bread, 3^rd First Fruits, and 4^th Festival of Weeks or Shavuot – also known as Pentecost in Greek.  These four primarily teach about the first coming of Messiah and His redemption of man.  The last three feasts or Sabbaths, are 5^th, the Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah,  6^th, the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, and 7^th, the Feast of Tabernacles or SUKKOT.  These last 3 are given to draw our minds toward and teach us about Messiah’s Second Coming.

There are two good reasons for studying about the feasts and learning from His purpose in gifting us the Feasts.  Although most of us love God and seek to serve Him, most of us do not have an in-depth understanding of His scriptures and the resulting depth of personal relationship He desires us to have with Him.  Through some hard experiences, God began to show me deeper things concerning my relationship with Him.  That deeper relationship is brought out by a better understanding of the Feasts of the Lord which culminate finally, we hope, in actually attending His Wedding Feast, not just as guests, but more importantly, as His bride.  Listen, today with an open heart to see if you can discover, that deep personal intimate relationship that the Lord desires you have with Him and why the Sacrament is an even deeper symbolism of that relationship.

The feasts are a shadow of things to come that teach us about Messiah. (Colossians 2:16-17, Hebrews 10:1).

The feasts are prophetic types of events in God’s Plan of Redemption. (1 Corinth. 10:1-6, 11)

God gave the feasts so we can learn of His redemption and our personal relationship with Him. (Romans 15:4)

The feasts are part of the schoolmaster given to Moses for Israel, when they rejected the higher understanding that will lead us to Messiah and what He has done for us. (Galatians 3:24)

The feasts point to Messiah in ALL things. (Ps 40:6-8, Heb 10:7)  ALL THINGS TESTIFY OF ME!

Jesus came to fulfill all that was written of Him in the Old Testament; which consists of the Torah, the Prophets and other writings such as Proverbs and Psalms concerning Him. (Luke 24:26-27,44-45; John 5:46-47)

The feasts set forth the pattern of heavenly things on earth (Hebrews 8:1-2,5; 9:8-9, 23 Exodus 25:8-9, 40; 26:30; Numbers 8:4; Ezekiel 43:1-6, 10-12)

God gives the natural to explain the spiritual; such as He did with His parables. (1 Cor 15:46-47)  But, of course, the natural man cannot understand spiritual things, and only those who are willing to receive spiritual eyes can see. By studying the natural symbols God has given, we can better understand the Spiritual meaning.

The meaning of “Feast” in Hebrew is “a fixed appointment for assembly”, to be done as a cycle or yearly event.  He is telling us that He set certain fixed times to fulfill certain events in His redemption of man.  As you will learn by the Feasts, He has fulfilled exactly on the appointed days, His redemptive acts, and sometime in the appointed future He will come again according to appointment and take those who are ready into His great Wedding feast.

Although God gave the feasts to cause us to remember Him, He did not give the feasts so we would think we could earn or obtain salvation by going through the motions of observing those feasts.  Salvation does not come from the things WE do, but from the things He does.  They are given to point us to Him, and away from Self.

Not only did God appoint a time, but also He appointed a place to observe, which is significant.  Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles were to be observed in Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:4).  Jesus wrought out His atonement for us in Jerusalem; He was crucified, was buried, and rose from the dead in Jerusalem. And the endowment of Power from on High by the Holy Spirit took place exactly 50 days later in Jerusalem on that very Day of Pentecost.  And moreover, Christ will return and set His foot on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem on the Day of Atonement shortly after the Day of the Trumpets, sounding in our ears in an unmistakable way, and then we will observe a millennial feast with the Lord Himself, which is what the 7^th Feast of Tabernacles (or Temples) is all about.

God established His calendar by starting the first month of His new year with Nisan, which is the Roman month March/April, denoting Spring or New Life.  God’s calendar is spiritual in nature, and the Roman calendar is civil or physical in nature.  Every one of us has a civil or physical birth day, and all of us should look forward to that spiritual birth day when we choose to be born again into spiritual Life.

There are three major feasts or festival seasons.  The first three feasts occur in the first month of the Hebrew year, called Nisan, which begins on Spring Equinox (usually March 20).  They take place during a seven day period and are: Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits. Then on the Third Hebrew month of Sivan, which is the Roman month May/June, is Pentecost, meaning 50 days.  Pente-cost in Greek literally means 50  Re-Pent-ance has the word Pent as its root, having something to do with 5.

The last three “Feast” are observed in the month of Tishrei or the Roman September/October.  Three seasons!  Three is the number denoting God, the number of perfect testimony and three witnesses for a perfect, complete witness and testament.  The Spirit testifies of the Father and the Son, and they all testify of each other.  The feasts are a perfect witness of God’s divine plan and the role of Messiah in fulfilling that plan.  These are the festivals of the Lord.  The Lord Himself is the Host of these festivals and all those who believe in Him are His Guests.

The spring festivals teach about the first coming of Messiah. This denotes New Life in Christ.  And the Fall Festivals teach about His 2nd coming during the time of Harvest.  The time of Harvest – do you get that?

The Passover appointment is always given to be on the 14^th day of Nisan and begins at 6 PM on the 13^th day. The Feast of Unleavened Bread occurs for seven days starting on the day of Passover, and goes until the 21^st day of Nisan.  The Feast of First Fruits, sometimes called Barley Harvest, is observed during the week of Unleavened Bread, and is appointed as a special Sabbath to occur on the 17^th day of Nisan.  Anciently, on this day, sheaves of barley were waved before the Lord in a prescribed way.  Paul said that Jesus was the first fruits of them that slept, and He arose from his sleep of death on that Sunday morning on the exact day of First Fruits. Then from the day of First Fruits you count 50 days to get to Pentecost meaning 50 days.   The Hebrew word for this feast is Shavuot meaning Feast of Seven Weeks.  This feast occurring on Pentecost, day 50, is the culmination or completion of the Passover.

Passover begins in Egypt, a type of “the world we live in today”, where Israel had become slaves to the “worldly masters”.  When Israel cried out in their sufferings (we usually don’t cry out in our prosperity), then God called forth a type of deliverer named Moses.  God told Moses that He, God, would bring the children of Israel out of Egypt (the World) to the Promised Land (Zion).  When God sent Moses to Pharaoh, God did NOT tell Moses to ask Pharaoh to allow the children of Israel to leave Egypt and go to the Promised Land.  Instead, God instructed Moses to ask Pharaoh to allow the children of Israel to take a 3 day journey into the wilderness to make a sacrifice to God.  Moses stated that exactly to Pharaoh.  Pharaoh’s first defiance of the Almighty was his refusal to allow the people of God to observe a feast and sacrifice to Him.  Incidentally, the word sacrifice in Hebrew, (which is what is left over from the Pure Adamic language) means personal intimate relationship.  We don’t understand “sacrifice” today, because we think it means “doing a ritual” or giving of something we want or would rather not give up to someone else.  It really means giving our Self to someone else completely in a personal intimate relationship; as the Bride gives herself to the Bridegroom.

Because of Pharaoh’s vanity in thinking that he should be the God of those under him, his slaves, plagues were poured out upon Egypt, or the World.  The last plague was the Passover of the Destroying Angel on the 13^th night of Nisan, who passed over those who had marked themselves on their doors with the Blood of the Passover Lamb.  Those who did not choose the Passover Lamb, and His redeeming Blood, suffered a most horrible death.  The children of Israel left the next day in a big hurry, not even having time to wait for their bread to raise because of the leaven they normally put in the bread, but made unleavened dough to take in their haste so they would have a little bit to eat on the journey into the wilderness to find their God who desired to talk with them. The children of Israel came to the banks of the Red Sea, on the 17th day of Nisan, which is three days after the Thursday, the day they left Egypt – a Sunday.  When Pharaoh saw the children of Israel trapped against the Sea, in his anger he foolishly decided to pursue them with his army.  The children of Israel feared greatly, as we always do when we see our predicament of not always being able to provide for our own safety and deliverance. But Moses said: “Stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord.  Yeshua in Hebrew means “Salvation” or “Saviour”.  Jesus is the Salvation of the Lord that Moses was talking about.  Exodus 15 says that the Right Hand of the Lord destroyed the Egyptians.  The Right Hand in Scripture refers to Messiah or Yeshua.

It is important to note that God at no time ever violated His love for all of His children in what was done.  Pharaoh caused the death, by drowning, of himself and his army by his own pride.  The children of Israel went down to Egypt voluntarily and gave themselves voluntarily to rulership under Pharaoh so that they could have some food.  They chose their status under Pharaoh.  Because of this, Pharaoh had legal ownership over the people of Israel. This ownership could be broken only by the death of Pharaoh, thus freeing the children of Israel to go to the Promised Land of Zion.  God only asked Pharaoh to let his people go for 3 days to the wilderness to talk with Him.  When Pharaoh died of his own accord, his rulership over the children of Israel was legally broken and the people were free to go to Zion.  For this reason, the Passover is sometimes referred to as “the Feast of Our Freedom”.

Until we Children of Israel understand who our Deliverer is, we will remain in the condition of slavery we have placed ourselves in this world of Egypt.  Isaiah said, the children of Israel in the last days will sell themselves into bondage for nothing, but they will be redeemed without money. (see Isaiah 53)   And I might add, it will be without violating our agency and without violating the agency of those under whom we are in bondage.  You might want to take a look at the way in which God fairly and lovingly delivered Alma’s people out of bondage from the 50% tax they owed to the Lamanites, under whom they had voluntarily placed themselves.  Our bondage is both physical and spiritual.  A certain spiritual analogy or parallel is made concerning our bondage under Satan today in this World.  The point is that the Atonement or purchasing power of Yeshua releases the legal ownership that Satan has over us and we are made free by, and only by, His Blood, thereby to walk into the Promised Land and receive all His precious promises.  His atoning purchase of your soul from Satan occurred on that third day after Thursday as He rose from death and Hell.  And He Himself ascended to God His Father to see Him once again face to face where He was embraced by the Father back into His Loving Presence.   Speaking of this purchase of our souls, referred to by Paul the Apostle in several scriptures, the Hebrew word “peculiar” is defined as a purchase of something extremely valuable (such as a Bride).  The Lord has often referred to Israel as a “peculiar” people, meaning his most valuable purchase, His Bride, whom He has purchased with His Blood.

The Red Sea is nothing. He has cleared the path for you through the valley of death or the drowning in the depths of the Sea of this world.  We must someday choose to let go of our fear and come over to the other side of things, which will require trust in Him and a sure knowledge that He has already overcome ALL things that stand in our way.  He is our Deliverer, He is not our destroyer. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should have ETERNAL LIFE.  He sent NOT His Son into the world to Condemn the world, but that the World through Him might be Saved – ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVE AND TRUST IN HIS REDEEMING, DELIVERING POWER.

From the crossing over of the Red Sea on day 3 of Passover season, to the day that Moses talked again with God on the Mount Sinai, was 47 days. God instructed Moses to ask the people to prepare and sanctify themselves for three days and then He would visit with them.  7 is a holy number and 7 times 7, or 7 weeks, is a completion of a holy period of time after which God always told Israel to celebrate the 50th time as a special spiritual holy day or year.  The fiftieth Year among true Hebrews is always called a Jubilee year.  God sanctified it as such.  In this case, the 50^th day of Passover came to be known as the day of Revelation of God – the revelation of His Face to those who would receive Him.  It was the completion and the whole purpose behind all that had occurred in Egypt and their travel into the wilderness and preparing themselves for a magnificent Spiritual feast in the Presence of God, being taught by Him face to face.  Such is the day of Pentecost.  And some of you know that the day of Pentecost which occurred 50 days after the Resurrection of Jesus, was literally the fulfillment of the complete meaning of that day, the day of the Revelation of God in the pouring out of the Holy Ghost to those who were in attendance with Peter and the Apostles in Jerusalem that day, just as Jesus had promised that once He was gone, He would send them another Comforter that would teach them all things and bear witness to the world of His Infinite Sonship and Atoning sacrifice and also the fact that He is our Bridegroom.  And it may interest you to know, that a day of Pentecost occurred for the members of the Church on this continent after Jesus appearance to them, as recorded in 3^rd Nephi.  Remember that Jesus asked these people what it was that they desired the most and they pleaded with Him that they might receive the Holy Ghost, which as you recall, then happened in a marvelous outpouring of Fire from Heaven encircling the children and miracles and so forth.  Study it, because it describes your day of Pentecost.   This is the day that we, too, are Born again unto God and as Nephi so clearly said the remission of your sins comes by the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and by Fire (which is an indication of what the Holy Ghost is).

Unfortunately and sadly, for the earlier children of Israel, that day became known as the Day of Provocation, because the Children of Israel as a whole were so full of their own fears and so faithless, that they ran away from the Presence of God and told Moses to go talk to God for them.  They even went so far as to say that they wanted Moses to be unto them as God, because, of course, Moses was a man and was not so frightening, and they could do what Moses would say to them, but they did not choose to let go of their fears of God, their true Father, enough to come unto Him and be taught by Him, and receive of His very personal intimate Love.  The refusal of the Israelites to come into the Presence of God is elaborated upon by Paul in Hebrews and in D&C 84 where it explains that because they did not want a personal relationship with their Father, they were left to themselves with a preparatory gospel, a gospel of laws and carnal commandments, and a lesser priesthood of physical ordinances and rituals, and a schoolmaster law – to break their hearts and bring them to a contrite spirit so that they could some day, if ever they chose to, actually receive the experience of what the Prophet Joseph also pleaded with his people to receive. Joseph said over and over again, “the First Principle of the gospel is to KNOW the true character of God, and that we may talk with Him face to face as one man does with another.  Eternal life is to KNOW HIM!”   Most of the Children of Israel have always been hardhearted, content with remaining in grade school, never submitting themselves to God, never actually receiving the fullness of Love that He chooses to pour out upon them, but merely plodding along in the thick of thin things and never receiving a fullness of the mysteries of God.  And even today, a prophet of God who has pleaded with us to seek the Face of God, has reminded us that ALL the children of Zion are under condemnation. Why? He says, in our vanity (pride) and unbelief, we have not received and remembered the Covenant of Love that He has sent forth amongst us.

The fall festival season is a 40 day period (a type of 40 years in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land of Zion.  In our case in these latter days, it has already been 4 times 40 years that we have been stumbling in the wilderness.  This 40 day period is called Teshuvah, which means to “repent and return to God”.  If we are able to turn ourselves to God during this 40 days, then He promises to pour out His blessings and covenant of Protection and Deliverance for another year, OR, if we so choose, for an eternity of years, but only if we will receive that protection from Him and that Deliverance that He offers so freely.  This fall festival begins in the Roman month of Caesar Augustus, and ends on the Day of Atonement (or deliverance and freedom in Christ), which is Yom Kippur, meaning purification or sanctification.  You see, it is the blood of Christ that purifies and sanctifies us.  That is what His Atonement does and it brings us back to His Presence in At-One-ment.

The 30^th day of this 40 days of Return to God season is called Rosh Hashanah or Feast of the Trumpets, which means, “the day of the Awakening Blast”.  It is on the first day of Tishrei and usually falls somewhere around September 22^nd.  God gave this day to teach us about the resurrection of the dead, the coronation of the Messiah, His Grand Wedding Day with His Bride, and the resulting 1000 years of Honeymoon known as the Millennial Zion.  This day is the Jewish New Year and begins a 10 days period of soul-searching known as the High Holy Days, culminating, as I have said on Yom Kippur, the Day you are Purified — and the world too.  The last seven days of the High Holy Days are called the Days of Awe or Tribulation or Refining, given to teach us of the last seven years of tribulation and refining before His coming upon the Day of Atonement.  In Hebrew, these last seven days or years are known as “the Birth pangs of the Messiah”, given to teach us of the Woman or the Church which delivers or brings forth, after a painful labor, the man child known as “Zion”.  Yom Kippur teaches about the literal coming of Messiah as the Bridegroom.  Do you ever wonder who His Bride is?    Well, the Bride, must go through His purification before the Wedding.

After Yom Kippur, the next seven days speaks of the joy of the Messianic age or Kingdom, meaning, from the Hebrew, the Millennial reign.  This is called Feast of Tabernacles (or Temples if you will.  Temples or Tabernacles are not so much stone buildings as they are Tabernacles of Clay See D&C 93:).  It is also known as the time of “rejoicing in the Torah”, which is another Hebrew word meaning “the Holy One of Israel”, the Word of God.

So you see, that all of these Feasts or Festivals point to Christ, teach of Christ, testify of Christ, prophesy of Christ, and bring us TO Christ so that our children may know to what source they must look for their salvation and deliverance.  The Book of Mormon church learned much from what God was choosing to teach us through the Feasts of the Lord.  And every one of these types were, or have been fulfilled in events in the Saviour’s work for us, or His work yet to be seen and received.

The Lord says in Exodus: And ye shall observe this (Passover) for an ordinance to thee, and to thy (children) forever.”   God declared it to be a celebration for FOR-EV-ER.  Historically, Passover celebrates God’s deliverance from bondage in Egypt, and how the Lord passed over those who took the Blood of the Passover Lamb upon them.  The spiritual Application is that Egypt is a type of the World and the world’s Roman/Babylonian system of corporate bondage.  Pharaoh represents a type of Satan, and the bondage is to sin, which happens when we are focused on anything other than upon God.  Do we really believe that the Blood of the Lamb can deliver us from Sin and death and the rule of Satan?  Yeshua is the Lamb of God, our Passover.  Those who believe in Him are the House of God. The doorposts where we place the Blood that is shed IS OUR HEARTS, which Blood then redeems us and sanctifies us as it says in Moses 6:59.  As we understand from His instituting the Sacrament to remind we Israelites of latter-days to remember that it is His blood, and ONLY His blood, that can deliver and redeem us.  Salvation and Eternal Life cannot come to us in any other way.  We must stop looking to ourselves for Salvation and look to Him, and only Him, as our Lord and our Bridegroom to “Re-Ceive” us into the covenant of Eternal Life.

During Passover, the head of each house is to take an unblemished Lamb on the 10th day of Nisan and bring it unto his house, hiding it from the world, and keep it safe until the 13^th day when at exactly 3 PM it is to be killed and then the Blood of the lamb is sprinkled on the doorpost of the house.  The Lamb is then to be roasted with fire, and with bitter herbs and unleavened bread; the entire household was to feast upon the body of the Lamb.  Jesus said; “This is my body which is given for you, take, eat in remembrance of Me.”  The Lord then said to eat the Lamb in haste and be ready to leave at the Midnight hour on the 14^th day of Nisan.  There are two points made here.  The Lord is our Passover from sin and death into Life in Him.  Faith in His redeeming blood offers us His watchful care over our lives and protection from the destroying one.  He came into the children of Israel’s home, Jerusalem, on the 10^th day of Nisan and then was crucified at 3 PM (the scripture says at the ninth hour- it is the ninth hour of the day because the day begins at 6 AM) on the 13^th day of Nisan.

He is the Passover Lamb who was brought into the house (of Israel) on the 10^th day of Nisan (Palm Sunday) by the waving of the Palms while he rode in on a donkey, and then killed as an emblem or token to redeem and purchase those who take upon themselves the blood of the Passover Lamb.  He was killed at exactly 3 PM that 13^th day of Nisan as God reminded the Israelites every year on that day. The crucifiers had to hurry and get Him in the tomb before the Holy Sabbath day of Passover began at 6 PM that day.  Then three days later on the morning of the Day of First Fruits, He arose from the dead and literally became the First Fruits of them that slept and He broke the chains of Death and Hell for all of us.  Then 50 days after His resurrection, just as He invited the Israelites to come to Him and see His Face on that day in the wilderness at Mount Sinai, He fulfilled His promise to pour out the Revelation of God upon those who believed in Him.  This He did by granting those blessed people their marvelous miraculous day of Pentecost.

Passover is the first of the feasts to teach us about the Passover Lamb.  Likewise repenting, or turning our hearts and minds to Him as our Passover, instead of focusing on something other than Him, is our first step in receiving the divine gift of His At-One-ment, His deliverance, His protection, and His outpouring of the Revelations of Him.

Why the unblemished male Lamb is hidden for 4 days is to teach us of the 4000 years from the day of Adam and Eve until the day of His first coming.  One day with the Lord is 1000 years with man.  The Lamb must be examined to determine the He is without spot or blemish.  During the four days leading up to His crucifixion, Jesus was indeed examined by the High Priests and the elders of the church, and the Chief High Priests Annas and Caiaphas and Judas and the Centurion and the repentant thief.  We too must examine Him, but be ever so careful to understand why HE is without spot or blemish.   Also He is hidden from us until we choose Him as our Passover and we willingly choose to partake of His body and His blood.

The Passover is to be celebrated by each household and there must be a Lamb for each Household, giving us to understand that we experience His salvation as a Household, personally for each family, for ourselves and that He is not just someone who is far away and untouchable, impersonal, aloof, and corporate in nature.  Much more, He is our personal Saviour – well, at least He is mine. You may choose for yourself.  The House or Church of the Lamb are those who actually take upon them His Name and who become His Sons and His Daughters by covenant.

In Exodus, the Lord said that the Lamb should be killed at 3PM outside the gates of the city, by each household who planned to be part of the Passover.  Jesus suffered the end of His great sacrifice at 3 PM that day, but more than being crucified outside the gates of he city, by Jews or Romans, He actually gave His own life at that point.  No man could take it from Him.   He willingly and voluntarily gave Himself for our sins, because of Love, that we might have Eternal Life.

The whole body of the Lamb must be eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread and the blood of the Lamb must be applied to the door of the House.  If we are only going to accept a part of Him, then we can only expect partial deliverance, and partial redemption — which is a lot like partial marriage, partial pregnancy, or like a house with no doors, or no foundation.  OR it could be like marrying a husband but having a part of our hearts on something or someone else.  This is, according to the Prophet Joseph, the Lord’s definition of Adultery – to have our hearts somewhere else than on our Husband.

Bitter herbs also remind us of the bondage and burdens that we experience in life, until we come unto the Passover Lamb and He says: “Come unto Me, ye who labor and are heavy laden (or burdened), for I will give you rest, for My yoke is easy and My burden is Light.”  Life in Christ truly offers peace, joy and the completely new perspective of Love.  But not until we Come unto Him and “receive” Him (and all that He offers).

Leaven in scripture speaks of sin.  During the days preceding Passover, Israelites are to search diligently throughout their house to find and rid the house of all Leaven. Likewise, a good searching of our hearts to discover what is keeping us from Him, although a fearful thing for most of us, would allow us to give ourselves completely to Him in a contrite spirit, which is what it will take to find Him. This is the meaning of “bringing the Lamb into the House” – bringing the Lamb of God into our hearts.

Unleavened bread signifies giving up our sins to Know Him.  The blood of the Lamb cannot do us any good until we apply it to the House, which, of course, IS us.  D&C 93 says that Man is the tabernacle of God, (the House of God) yea, even temples of God.  Let us be sure that we apply His atoning blood to this temple.

The Lamb must be roasted in fire, not sodden with water (or watered down) – speaking of refinement and purification that must occur for those who believe in Him, especially the refinement of our faith in Him from something merely spoken but dead and lifeless, to something real and full of life-giving power.

You see, there really are at least two kinds of faith.  If our faith is just words, or if with our lips we honor Him but our hearts are far from Him, then our hearts will be purged in the refiner’s fire of the Spirit.  It is the Spirit which purifies and refines and sanctifies us.

The Lamb must be eaten in haste with our loins girded and shoes on our feet.  We must be ready to go with Him when He says “Come”.  When the door of the Bridegroom is opened, we’d better have oil in our lamps and ready to go in to the Marriage Supper of the Lord.

Not a bone of the unblemished Lamb is to be broken, which, as you know, was literally fulfilled in the Lamb of God.

The Lord said that each family must provide an explanation of the Passover for their family during the feast, ending with the singing of a Song of Rejoicing unto the Lord.  When we understand the Passover Lamb by being taught of Him, we have infinite reasons to Rejoice in Him and Praise Him in Song and worship, experiencing a New Heart and a New Life in Him.

Passover was to be a holy celebration and NO WORD was to be done. True rest in the Lord is only found by ceasing from our own “works” and resting in the delivering, redeeming power of that Lamb of God.   God said that there is Healing Power in the Passover Lamb and that the Passover delivers all those who are the Firstborn.  We should know by now, that all healing occurs because of the Light of Christ.  Paul said that those who “Come unto Christ” are the Firstborn of God, who are delivered from the Law of sin and death, and of dead “works”.

In the real Passover feast, such as the one which Jesus celebrated with His disciples just before He suffered for us in the Garden, there is the Passover Lamb and the Unleavened Bread and the four cups of Wine or Fruit of the Vine in a memorial service.  The word “Memorial” tells us to remember.  All of these things are present in the Lord’s Supper, which we typically refer to as the Sacrament, which is a Roman term referring to a personal intimate communion with Him.  He is, of course, the Bread of Life, and the True Vine of which we must drink fully in the Lord’s supper, if we so choose to partake with Him in His Kingdom.  Today, we not only are bidden to the Lord’s supper once a year but each week – in memorial – to Remember Him – and to make choice as to whether we really would take His Name upon us, and seek His Face, and “Re-Ceive” Him as our Bridegroom.  That choice that we are offered is the true nature of the Sacrament.  It is not the ritual, but rather it is the choice that we make that is the true sanctifying nature of the Sacrament.  It is the Spirit, not the law, that sanctifies.

Now as it pertains to all of Israel – the High Priest of all the people would also go on the 10^th day of Nisan outside the city to somewhere like Bethany to find that special Unblemished Lamb and lead that lamb into the city of Jerusalem through the streets, where the pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem specifically for Passover would shout and sing praises and wave palm branches at the Lamb being led by the High Priest, who would lead or carry him to the Temple where on the 13^th day of Nisan the Lamb would be slain by the High Priest upon the altar of the temple at 3 PM for a great sacrifice for all the people, after which the High Priest would say “It is finished”.

You must see that this was fulfilled in every way as the true Passover lamb came into Jerusalem on that 10^th day of Nisan riding (or being carried) on a donkey (ass) and the pilgrims waved palms at him on Palm Sunday and shouted praises to Him. He then celebrated Passover Feast with his disciples a day early so that then He could perform that greatest sacrifice to end all sacrifices in the Garden and then was taken by the High Priest and condemned to die for all the people, and on Wednesday at 3 PM this great sacrifice was slain, at which point He, the Greatest High Priest of all said:  “It is finished!”

It is interesting to note what Jesus was doing on each of the three Passovers he was celebrating during his 3 ½ year (42 month) ministry.  On the first one, He was cleansing the Temple – which signifies what He does for each of us personally (not by anger, but by His Perfect Love). On the 2^nd one, he was going through the city healing all manner of afflictions, both body and soul. He does that for us, too.  On the 2nd one also, He proclaimed Himself to be the Bread of Life, the True Manna sent from Heaven, (which is another type witnessing of Him in the wilderness), and on the 3rd and final Passover, Jesus, or Yeshua, is the complete and final Passover Lamb of God slain for the sins of the whole world in perfect fulfillment of every aspect of that which God had taught Israel to look for in the celebration of the Passover memorial every year for over 1500 years.  This, my brothers and sisters, is not only my witness of Him, but my attempt to show in a small way that “ALL THINGS TESTIFY OF CHRIST!”  That means ALL scriptures, all true prophets and apostles, ALL ordinances, all gifts of the spirit, all things present around us in this world, – yes, ALL creation testifies of Him!  All things are given to bring us to Christ.

I’ve recently had an interesting experience that I think engrained something into my head I thought I already knew.  Be careful.  Be careful what you hear, be careful what you feel, etc…

In the paradoxical story of Adam and Eve Satan appears to Eve and presents himself essentially as God, and as Christ.  HE offers fruit that he should not offer, when it should not be offered.  HE proclaims himself the God of this world, and being the emotional person she is, Eve follows.  Also, we are told in scripture that the Devil can appear as an angel of light.  In section 129 we are even given a non-emotional, empirical, method of detecting if he is an angel or just the devil in disguise.  Jesus told us to beware of wolves, in sheeps clothing.  They will look the part, act the part and say the part of the sheep, but inwardly they are wolves in deceit.  Indeed it has been said that if Satan where to come to you today he would flatter you, look very nice in his very nice clothes with very trim hair and a beautiful smile.  He’d say all the right things in the right ways, and win over the crowd.  When he spoke truth, you would feel the spirit, and thus could fool all but the very elect who took the holy spirit to be their guide.

The fruit of a man of God however is different.  they don’t flatter, they don’t fit in, they are not welcome in the world.  By their fruits ye shall know them, not by their appearance.  They stand out.  Their words divide like a two edged sword.

In this world of appearance, when men are vying ever so strongly for your attention, I’d just offer a short warning to trust not in the arm of flesh.  Follow Christ, take the holy spirit as your Guide.  when HE speaks, listen, comprehend, what he is saying, the whole message. Beware of wolves in sheeps clothing who feed themselves but talk a very good game.  His people, his israel, his Zion are watchmen on the tower.  Humbly not setting themselves up, they are set apart from the world and lift their voice in warning.

There’s a husky at the end of my road who has done exactly what his owner wanted him too, lived a long while, never wandered off, and was not an imposition.  To keep him cool during the day and safe from pests his owner shaves his beautiful coat, leaving him naked.   Since the owner feeds himself first, the dog is very thin.  Often he eats so little that he has to rely on his own vomit or his owners trash to get by.  The owner doesn’t believe in over feeding him, for fear that he might get fat, get a disease or cancer or become too strong fast or energetic to be kept within the yard.  The Dog is kept on a very short leash tied to a heavy metal chain that has almost become unbearable to carry, but the owner keeps it on him to have him safe, so he can’t escape and run away. As result, the dog doesn’t move much, but when he does he drags the chain in a circle around the yard, completely stripping it of the grass that once made it so pretty. The collar is a bit tight too, out of fear that it might slip off, so it rubs and chafes his bare skin around his neck.   The dog is quite lethargic, having no energy from food and carrying that heavy chain in the hot sun.  He’d prefer to do nothing, would rather sleep than explore, rather ignore things than bark a warning to his owner.

There is a time when he makes an exception though.  If a person walks on the sidewalk and hits a certain point where he must consider it his turf, he suddenly jumps up and runs all the way to the end of his leash like a rocket, only to be choked and jerked back to earth.  despite the choking, he does it over and over, defending the spot.  He’ll ignore cars, kids, people, birds, cats and the whole world.  But if someone steps on the spot that he thinks is his, that he has to protect, things change fast.  As a result of his treatment, the animal has developed quit a temperament.  When he attacks it comes out in barks, quick short ones, always saying and relying on the same thing to get his point across.  He sounds the exact same as other dogs who are treated this way, yapping and yapping, barking and barking nonsensically, never really saying anything.   I’m sure you  know the sound.  This dogs bark sounds very familiar to me,  since I walk past this him on my way to church.