Israel and Palestine

Like two brothers Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Ruben and Joseph, these two nations are forever going to be haters of each other. Not because they are related but they believe that they are right. But I digress, this discussion is not about the two bickering brothers; I am going to discuss a love story.

The story of Hosea and Gomer is a weird one. See the story goes Hosea is told by the Lord that he is to marry a hooker to make his personal life a similitude to what is going to happen to Israel. All the time that the story goes on we learn that the woman goes back to her old ways and old lovers and says that everything that Hosea has given her (or the world has given her) was always from the lovers and not from the Prophet or God who married her in the first place.

Over time the man has to leave is wife to her own devices and for the longest time she feels abandoned. Then when she is at her lowest, mind you she is still married, he pulls her out.

Now this is a reflection of what is going to happen to God's children, but it seems to me that this story has happened over and over and we have been left to a physical wilderness over and over. Each time we repented and returned to god. Now to tie this all back to the first paragraph. We have wondered from God in a lot of ways, I speak for Christians and Americans. Where is the wilderness now that we need it the most?

I read the story over and over. The prophet who represented God left his wife to her own devices. Our country has been turning to their false gods and strange lovers, claiming that they have given our wealth and power. The god of Israel is no longer part of our main stream but a secret underground movement. I just hope that we can turn around in time. Perhaps we need to lose the very thing that we love before we truly turn back. Time will tell if we will be like Gomer and lose everything before we turn back, becoming naked slaves embarrassed and ashamed like a dirty rotten whores before God.

Melchizedek and Benjamin

Today I just wanted to take some time to talk about the righteous prophet kings of Israel. For most the most part, being a prophet king has got to be taxing. Even Alma who came later then Benjamin, sure he was not a king but he was a government leader (a chief judge) and he had troubles leading the people and the church because of wickedness. Now I do not know of the condition of the Israelites during Melchizedek's reign but I have read Benjamin's account and you watch as he asks the people to step up and be men and women who love and embrace Christ.

If Benjamin's story was similar to Melchizedek's then to be known as the Prince of Peace meant that he had to really work on the people’s righteousness. There had to be meeting with the people on a daily basis and like Benjamin a lot of public speaking. It is no wonder that someone like Abraham and Mosiah came out of such kingdoms with the spirit burning in their souls and a strong desire to follow Christ that lasted for many generations.

I know that there has been other kings mentioned in the scriptures but they were not prophets (as far as my memory serves) and because of that may of got in some trouble because they were not the mouth piece of God. They had the prophet close but like the Holy Ghost drew close or away based on personal decisions. I know that you are all thinking about David and Salomon but I want to remind you that there were other kings and princes that are not mentioned or briefly mentioned in the scriptures that had access to the prophet and didn't take it.

There has been conquering governments that had Israel in it and they have succeeded because of the righteousness of the king, for example Egypt and Babylon had success because of a righteous people living in the land. The moment that the people left or more importantly righteousness left the government failed. The same is true in the Book of Mormon where people just fell from grace and turn their faces away from the Lord and war, pestilence and famine destroyed a once delight-some people.

Though we do not have a prophet king in our mist, let us look to the example of the children of Israel and be a righteous and delight-some people by doing the basics; praying, reading the scriptures, repenting and partaking of the sacrament.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Lesson 4: Abraham

Abraham was a convert to the church or at least came from a partly active family. Really? Sure. Just look at the facts, his father worshiped other gods (nothing about mother) but some how his family was able to keep the faith. Others in his family were church members (Lot for example) so it goes to say that the link of the religion of Noah had kept something. I wonder how the church survived in that length of time. Certainly during that time there were prophets and possibly apostles, high priests, priests, teachers and deacons, but I believe that it was a hard time. King Melchizedek was lord of the land at the time and was known as the prince of peace and Abraham served him as a military leader and had money and power. So how does a man who has it all and could of followed in his father steps followed the lord. I am reminded of kings in the Book of Mormon who also had power and money followed the Lord as well. King Melchizedek followed possibly the example of Enoch who was king of a city also and that city went to heaven so to follow that example would be as awesome. What a legacy.
Now getting back to Abraham. Here was a man who followed the Lord and honored his king and obeyed the laws of God. Who married his wife (one of three wives that he would have in his life) and hoped for more children only to have one from his first and perhaps his most beloved wife Sarai (later called Sarah by the Lord for her righteousness). What a memorable man who would do anything to be obedient even risk the life of his only son Isaac for the Lord. The man went on some long journeys, married his wife's handmaiden and bore a son who also would become the father of many nations like Isaac, Ishmael.
The one thing that I want to know is what the prophet Abraham did as the prophet of God and what he taught the Hebrew people. Surely he was not a righteous man unto himself but had to teach and uplift the Hebrews to be the people of God. There are so many things that I would like to learn about him.

Noah and the Ark

There was a day in the past were my wife once made mention of a theory of multiple Arks. "After all", she said, "how else could there be so many animals in so many unique locations. Why would people be of different ethnicity across the world in different locations unless they were placed there?" Now she didn't have an explanation of Australia but she made sense. Then again Noah had no other children and if there were 4 arks (Noah and three sons) so he could have done Australia.

Noah was asked to do a hard thing. When we look at the city of Enoch and the people who left the earth leaving one man and his family behind, I am certain that there was moments where Noah was jealous of his cousin that got to take a city to heaven while he was left with the responsibility to save the world. He, who knew Christ, recognized that he was being a Messiah of the world by saving the creation of the Almighty. Noah understood the roll of the Savior when he fulfilled the roll and saved his sons and their wives. He also learned what it was like to be a Shepard of the creation of God and understood the roll that Adam of whom he had never seen.

I do not know if Noah had seen all the Earth or that the Arks were conjoined but I am certain that it was quite an adventure for such a man.

Now in Noah's moments of history he had a moment of weakness and got wasted with what the scriptures say was strong drink, got naked and who knows what he did. None the less his boys were looking out for their dad and got him to sober up and finish the task that God had asked him to do. I am certain that the roll of prophet is a tough one and that each man who as been asked to take the mantle of such a roll has had to find comfort in the Lord in one form or another. Countless stories in the scriptures show the persecution of the prophets such as Nephi and Jonah. Pore old Noah had to face the world teaching repentance while building a boat in your front yard. Now like I said if Noah made more than one boat then there would be 4 boats in his yard. Such a guy would not get much respect and perhaps would be mocked and attacked for teaching repentance. Who knows? At any rate, I wanted to honor Noah to day the earthy messiah.

The Beginning

Ok I have had some time to think this through. I originally wanted to make fun of the crazy questions that are asked but I realize that this is divine and that making fun of the holy is well asinine. So I am going to play it easy on the lesson questions but we are going to discuss the question of the creation.

First let’s look at Adam; perfect guy with everything going on for him. Except God can't be his constant companion. He has other things to do. So God in is infinite wisdom creates a woman. Some speculate that there was another woman other than Eve. Now is it true? I really don't know but the Apocrypha says that her name was Lilith. Now if she existed why is she erased from history? The rule was do not partake of the fruit and if she did then she did the same thing that Adam and Eve did. Perhaps she didn't convince Adam to split. Some play her as a seductress but apparently she could not convince Adam, she sucked? Maybe she was too carnal and sensuous and Adam could not handle it so he was glad for her exit.

Well it interesting also to note that she is not mentioned for when they left the garden. I mean, wouldn't that be brought up. They skip immediately to Cain and Able and the history continues.

Now there are, in LDS scripture, three accounts of the creation once in the Old Testament and twice in the Pear of Great Price, yet no Lilith. Now some would say to get off that woman and point out the discrepancies and inconsistencies of the scriptures but let’s give the men who under inspiration wrote the scriptures. I mean hey God could say the same story over and over but who wants to see the story printed word for word three times. I like that the Lord allowed the prophets to use their own words. I am certain that they used the stories to make their own individual points. I mean just look at the account of the Savior; four accounts and none of them match but each of them have a great account and could easily cover the three years of his ministry.

At any rate, here is the first lesson. For those that were expecting this lesson in February I apologize I will attempt to be more consistent. Next week, the Flood and why there are mosquitoes.

The new manual

This year we have acquired a new manual that veers in a different direction then that of the prophets. The book is basically back to the basics; faith, repentance, baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost; simple things that were taught in the missionary discussions. My wife and I read through the book and when we read the questions we came across questions that my favorite LDS author once called questions that should be answered with an answer that throws off the teacher. For example:

Did Lehi love his family?

No, he wanted them to starve!

Really is that the question? Come on, now that was one of the most asinine questions I have heard in a while. I thought that when I read his article that that would never happen in Gospel Doctrine. I was wrong. This new book is asking questions that I suppose Gentiles ask themselves every day but us LDS people know the answers to those questions. The new members have a separate class to answer their questions; Gospel Essentials.

So I plan to rectify the situation by going through the questions that I feel need answering. My aim is to answer the questions and make fun of ourselves in the process. I know that I need a good laugh every once in a while and taking myself too serious I would go crazy so look for the new question/answer for lesson one sometime this week.