Preparing

I have been meeting with a group working on preparedness for over a year. Their work has accomplished enough that a website has been launched. Their website is standindependent.com Below is an announcement from that committee with links to the new website. A Fall conference is being organized for next year in which more will be addressed about the need to prepare to help one another achieve independence from the larger failing society. What appears below was written by the committee, and their names appear at the end:

A work for Zion has begun.

Several months ago, a handful of families in the movement felt inspired to begin an effort to lay up stores against a coming time of want and need. A work group from among interested parties was formed and work was begun to consider questions related to the issue of providing for our families through coming circumstances we may face as the Lord brings His Zion.  A growing number of families have begun the necessary labor to provide for our families against a fast approaching “troubling season,” (T&C 158:12), and what may follow as the Lord moves forward His work to bring His Zion. 

We invite every person and family in this movement to join in the labor for Zion now by laying up stores to provide for your family against coming seasons of want and need. 

“God cannot produce Zion for, or with, people who refuse to labor. Because  His promise is for the results of the labor and nothing else. As far as I know, none of us, and certainly I, cannot provide for everyone. But, I can provide for my own family. And each of you should labor to do the same” (Equality – Denver Snuffer – Challis Idaho Transcript pg. 13 of 20).

We are to Labor to Provide for our Families.  

We are required to provide for our families now in the present. Looking forward, we will need to provide for our families in a “troubling season now fast approaching” (T&C 158:12) and beyond.

Note: Four years have elapsed since the Lord gave us this instruction (T&C 158:12). You might ask yourselves, what have we done in four years to prepare for a troubling season? 

We will need to provide for our families during an undefined length of time following a gathering by the Lord in which our entire efforts and labors may be required to be devoted to subduing and working the earth until she yields sufficient for our needs (For guidance see Equality – Denver Snuffer – Challis Idaho transcript page 10 of 20).

God, in His mercy, is giving us this current season of relative peace, abundance, and prosperity.  He is making it possible for us to provide for our families now, and during a fast approaching ‘troubling season’ and beyond as the Lord brings forth His Zion (For guidance see Equality – Denver Snuffer – Challis Idaho Transcript pages 9-10 of 20).

Many are anxiously engaged preparing to provide for our families’ and fellowships’ coming needs. We invite you to join the work for Zion by beginning your own labor to provide for your family against a coming day of want now fast approaching (T&C 158:12).

What is the Suggested Plan?

Above all things we desire to receive and exactly follow the will and desires of the Lord for us. This must be His work, done at His direction. We desire above all things that He be our guide. 

Individuals and Families 

1. Determine your families’ needs.

2. Determine what you already have.

3. Prioritize your families’ needs.

4. Lay out a plan to acquire your families’ needs.

5. Begin to produce, acquire, and lay up stores.

Fellowships

1. Counsel together with fellowship members to inspire, encourage, and help them identify family needs and begin to lay up stores.

2. Work together as mutually agreed among fellowship to meet the needs of fellowship members.

3. Review carefully, and prayerfully follow all revealed words of the Lord concerning wise and required use and application of limited temporal resources. (For Guidance see Equality – Denver Snuffer – Challis Idaho Transcript pg. 13-15)

Storehouse Work Group

  1. Provide knowledge and resources to assist families and fellowships to identify and meet storage needs.
  2. Gather knowledge and resources to build and maintain a central web site that individuals, families, and fellowships may use to help meet their storage needs.
  3. Recommend contact between individuals, families, and fellowships with specific resources and storage skills and those searching for those specific resources or skills.
  4. Create, manage, and update, a central information exchange hub for “great deals” and storage opportunities (Website “Specials” page).
  5. Provide a “Wants / Available” listing page on the web site for items individuals or families may be seeking, or willing to sell or give away.

If you would like to know more, please visit the website Stand independent.com for resources we have gathered to assist your family and fellowship in your efforts to prepare.

The website  Stand independent.com is a work in progress that will be evolving and changing as we go along. We invite you to share your expertise, ideas, and experiences related to storage topics that may assist all others in their storage efforts.  Your stories, ideas, suggestions and other content will be appreciated.

Please contact us at standindependentnow@gmail.com with ideas, experiences, stories, and other suggestions for content to be added to the website. The storehouse work group will determine together by common consent vote all content to be added to the website Stand independent.com  

The storehouse work group: Nephi and Kim Barlow, Evan and Karen Bennett, Terry and Mellody Fausett, Jim and Angela O’Rullian, McKay Platt, Jon and Tina Saunders, Kimberly and Mike Thompson, Steve and Linda VanLeer, Shalyce Woodard

John Pratt Funeral

The funeral for John Pratt will be held at the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary, located at 3401 S. Highland Drive, Millcreek, UT 84106, on Sunday October 17, with the viewing at 12:30 and funeral beginning at 2 pm.

An obituary will be posted at the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary website soon, and will contain a link to allow those interested to participate over the Internet. The Website is linked here: Wasatch Lawn

John Pratt Passing

Our good friend John Pratt passed away and so we have lost another inquisitive and active mind. His work on calendars and tracking the various ways of determining scriptural events has been interesting and edifying.

I last spoke with John in Challis, and exchanged emails with him recently. He seemed so indestructible that I thought he would be with us for yet a long time. I will miss his ever-cheerful presence.

We nearly lost him a few years ago, but he returned to vigor after a serious infection. His recovery then was the result of faith, prayers and blessings. But we don’t get to keep anyone forever in this phase.

He will certainly be missed.

New Video

The final video, part 7, of the third series is now up and available to view at this link: Part 7: The Heavens are Open Again.

This is actually the 7th of the third series, or the 21st video. It is intended to let people know where we are presently in the Restoration. Although it is likely many people will be unaware of these videos, it is only necessary that the words be spoken to complete the Lord’s obligations to the world. How, or even whether, the world responds is not as important as the Lord having the message delivered and available.

I could not have completed these without the assistance of others. I want to thank all those involved, even though they remain nameless. I do appreciate very much the efforts, labors and sacrifices of others. They are certainly known to the Lord.

Bret Corbridge’s Passing

We lost Bret Corbridge after his difficult struggle with pneumonia. He was a gentle soul, a man of strong convictions, a ready volunteer and an energetic and productive laborer in the cause of truth. He just finished a multi-volume draft of a collection summarizing teachings over nearly a decade. One of his last acts was to pass the draft along to me for review.

He leaves behind a devoted wife and children who will need our support and sympathy. I was able to speak with him several times before they put him on a ventilator and he was ready and willing to leave this earth. I encouraged him to stay, but certainly understand the sentiment he had about passing. The one thing holding him here was his devotion to his family and concern for them. In the end, his prognosis for being disabled and needing continuing care tipped the scale. He did not want to become a burden for anyone else, and in particular a burden for his family. He apparently concluded that it was his duty in caring for his family, to not become their burden. His passing was peaceful, but nevertheless heart-wrenching for those who loved the man.

Over the years I have had many visits from Bret. He was always a bundle of energy, and eager to do whatever was asked of him. He was passionate about serving the Lord, and we shall hardly find another of like temperament and commitment. Christ has welcomed a true friend and we have lost a faithful compatriot.

His passing should remind us all that we are frail, and will only be here for a short time. Even if we live a long life, we are here but for a moment. There is every reason to live nobly, choosing to obey the Lord and cherish His gospel, so we may depart this world with a life that testifies (as Bret’s life has) of our faith in the Lord.

A “GoFundMe” account has been set up. Here is a link: Bret Corbridge Funeral/Family Fund

New Scriptures

There are only a few remaining sets of the first printing of the Restoration Edition of scriptures in leather-bound, 100% cotton pages. I was at Benchmark Books in Salt Lake City today, and I noticed that they have about a half-dozen sets available for sale. If anyone is interested in obtaining a set from them, their address is: Benchmark Books, 3269 South Main Street–Suite 250, SLC UT 84115. Phone number (801) 486-3111

Sunday’s Talk

Last Sunday I gave a talk in Challis, Idaho. A link to that talk is provided below:

Equality Talk at Challis

My talk is just under an hour-and-a-half, and following my remarks two young people, an older brother and younger sister, also make a few remarks. They are from Turkmenistan and give an interesting account of their life’s journey.

Be of Good Cheer

What you see happening in the world are the birth pains of a new kingdom. The heavens are God’s throne and the earth is His footstool. To paraphrase RE Isaiah 25:2:

“Hear the word of the Lord, you that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified. But He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that renders recompense to his enemies. Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth? — says the Lord. Shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb? — says your God. Rejoice with His covenant people and be glad with her, all you that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her, that you may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that you may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the gentiles like a flowing stream.”

And to paraphrase Revelation 4:1: “And there appeared a great sign in heaven, in the likeness of things on the earth: a woman, clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And the woman, being with child, cried, travailing in birth and pained to be delivered. And she brought forth a male child, a new order of things, who was to rule all nations with the words of God given unto them, even a rod of iron; and her child was in contact with God and his throne.”

And again, “for the Devil has come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time” Id., at 5.

These upheavals in the world are the tantrums of a dying influence from a desperate adversary who knows God has begun to establish His rule and bring again His kingdom. He whose right it is to rule, for He created this world, has and is taking steps to exercise His right. All the foolish, vain and corrupt systems that oppose Him are doomed. As the Lord has put it: “And thus with the sword and by bloodshed, the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn. And with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed has made a full end of all nations[.]” T&C 85:3

These things are necessary. But, as the Lord has promised in a covenant (and God cannot lie when He establishes His word by covenant-LoF 3:16, 22, 38; Titus 1:1; Ether 1:12), “And I, the Lord your God, will be with you and will never forsake you, and I will lead you in the path which will bring peace to you in the troubling season now fast approaching.
“I will raise you up and protect you, abide with you, and gather you in due time, and this shall be a land of promise to you as your inheritance from me.
“The earth will yield its increase, and you will flourish upon the mountains and upon the hills, and the wicked will not come against you because the fear of the Lord will be with you.
I will visit my house, which the remnant of my people shall build, and I will dwell therein, to be among you, and no one will need to say, Know ye the Lord, for you all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
“I will teach you things that have been hidden from the foundation of the world and your understanding will reach unto Heaven.
“And you shall be called the children of the Most High God, and I will preserve you against the harvest.
And the angels sent to harvest the world will gather the wicked into bundles to be burned, but will pass over you as my peculiar treasure.” T&C 158:12-18

Our challenge is to keep the covenant we have been given so these promises can be vindicated. We have every reason to be of good cheer. The final words in the Answer to the Prayer for Covenant are: “Be comforted, be of good cheer, rejoice, and look up, for I am with you who remember me, and all those who watch for me, always, even unto the end. Amen.” T&C 157:66 We have a front row seat for the most amazing moments in history.

Jehovah and Jesus, part 4

When Jehovah chose Israel as His peculiar people, it did not immediately elevate them. Israel apparently assumed that being His “chosen people” automatically conferred righteousness upon them, instead of recognizing that He was about to rework them into something much better. Jeremiah was taught how the “chosen people” were regarded by the Lord: “Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter, so he made it again, another vessel as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? — says the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. At what moment I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil, I will withhold the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what moment I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will withhold the good with which I said I would benefit them.” (RE Jer. 8:1)

Unfortunately, throughout the Old Covenants from the death of Jacob (Israel) until the time of Jesus Christ, what distinguished Israel most was their prophets constant call for repentance and misfortune. Instead of allowing Jehovah to remove the occupants of the land, they engaged in continual warfare. Choices brought consequences.

Israel received promises when they were rescued from Egyptian slavery: “And it shall come to pass, if you shall listen diligently unto the voice of the Lord your God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command you this day, that the Lord your God will set you on high, above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall listen unto the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your cattle and the flocks of your sheep. Blessed shall be your basket and your store. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
“The Lord shall cause your enemies that rise up against you to be smitten before your face. They shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. The Lord shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouses, and in all that you set your hand unto, and he shall bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. The Lord shall establish you a holy people unto himself, as he has sworn unto you, if you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord shall make you plenteous in goods, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore unto your fathers to give you. The Lord shall open unto you his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto your land in his season, and to bless all the work of your hand. And you shall lend unto many nations, and you shall not borrow. And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath, if you listen unto the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day, to observe and to do them. And you shall not go aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods, to serve them.” (RE Deu. 8:4-5)

But these were conditional promises, predicated on their faithfulness. And they were warned about the consequences of infidelity to God: “But it shall come to pass if you will not listen unto the voice of the Lord your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day, that all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. Cursed shall be your basket and your store. Cursed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your land, the increase of your cattle and the flocks of your sheep. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. The Lord shall send upon you cursing, vexation, and rebuke in all that you set your hand unto in order to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings whereby you have forsaken me. The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto you until he has consumed you from off the land to which you go to possess it. The Lord shall smite you with a wasting disease, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue you until you perish. And your heaven that is over your head shall be brass, and the earth that is under you shall be iron. The Lord shall make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven shall it come down upon you until you are destroyed.
“The Lord shall cause you to be smitten before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them, and shall be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. And your carcass shall be food unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall frighten them away.” (Id., 6-7)

Ten northern tribes, led by Ephraim, were taken captive and scattered by Assyria. The two southern tribes, led by Judah, were taken captive by Babylon, with only a remnant of them returning to rebuild the temple. The overwhelming majority of the Lord’s “chosen people” chose to be disobedient, and were scattered and lost to history. The animosity of Ephraim and Judah caused the division, and distracted them from worship and obedience to Jehovah.

But Jehovah descended to sacrifice Himself to ransom Israel. He has promised to regather the remnants from everywhere they have been disbursed: “Fear not, for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the east and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, Give up — and to the south, Keep not back. Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth, even everyone that is called by my name; for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.” (RE Isa. 15:11)

Jehovah has planned to remove the animosity between Ephraim and Judah in the end: “And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off. Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.” (Isa. 5:5)

In 2017 Jesus Christ spoke of His current work to fulfill those ancient promises. He has declared to us: “And all the outcasts of Israel will I gather to my house, and the jealousy of Ephraim and Judah will end; Ephraim will not envy Judah and Judah will not provoke Ephraim.” (T&C 157:41)

For this to happen the outcasts will need to understand what their forefathers failed to understand. The Lord expects obedience. He calls His “chosen people” to perform work. The Glossary in the RE Scriptures has an explanation of being a “Chosen people” that is copied below:

“If you go through and read the scriptures about the concept of chosenness, almost always you run into words about forging in a fire the product that God regards as His people, which means that God has a fairly realistic assessment of what people are like, and choosing them doesn’t mean He’s found a finished product. Choosing them means He’s found something with which He’s determined to work. High carbon steel requires iron, and it requires a matrix of that carbon to be within the element. Life — all life — is based on carbon. We breathe oxygen. We are carbon based, all of us. In a very real sense, every breath we take, we take and burn it in our furnace. The way that we convey that oxygen throughout the body is by oxidizing iron in our blood. That’s why our blood cells turn red when exposed to oxygen, because the iron element fused with the oxygen oxidizes, or rusts, and so it looks red. And then, when it drops the oxygen off where it’s going to be consumed in the limbs, it loses that element, and it returns, and it’s blue. Forging us in the fire of affliction, breathing into us the breath of life, talking about being chosen, the example of what it takes in order to fashion something that will withstand and hold an edge, all of these things are types and shadows of what it means to be chosen. Chosenness puts you on display in order for the Lord to either prove what foolishness is in the person chosen, or if they succeed, to put them through an ordeal that demonstrates faithfulness and commitment, desire, and earnestness, so that everyone stands back and says: This people represented God, either by the shabby performance and the persecution and the failure and the folly; or it represents God by the diligence and the effort and the faithfulness…. Within every group of chosen people there are always those who are resilient and faithful enough to pass the test, to hold the edge, to survive when the difficulties come. And when the Lord puts us through the furnace of affliction, our burdens are designed to get us to be able to qualify. Our burdens are designed to make us a little more realistic about our own limitations.”

It remains to be seen how a modern remnant of chosen people will conduct themselves before God. Whether called by the name Jehovah or Jesus Christ, it is clear that being His chosen people risks both blessing and cursing. We cannot impress God, for we can accomplish nothing without Him. But we can obey Him and let Him accomplish something with us.

Jehovah and Jesus, part 3

I got a response on the same subject as the earlier email. It asked this: “How about a “Jehovah and Jesus, part 3”? I loved your justification for lex talionis, and I liked the two global and local parallels, but you’ve made some assertions that aren’t accurate, and ignored a whole body of contradictory evidence. E.g., ancient Israel didn’t just “defend and protect itself,” but waged offensive war, as commanded by Jehovah, to exterminate entire ethnic groups in the promised land (Deut. 20:16–20), and enslave other groups at a distance from the promised land (or kill the men, then take the women, children, livestock, and goods as plunder if the group wouldn’t accept the tribute arrangement) (Deut. 20:10–15). Did the Deuteronomists add this crap, or is this really what Jehovah said to do? And there are many more than “four events in scripture where Jehovah/Jesus directly cause the deaths of significant numbers of people.” You’ve got the Egyptian firstborn (Exo. 11:4–5; 12:29–30), the 3,000 Israelite idolaters killed by Levites at the Lord’s command (Exo. 32:25–29), Korah, Dathan, Abiram, their wives and children and “little ones,” and their 250 co-conspirators, plus 14,700 Israelity who complained about that (Num. 16), and multiple plagues sent upon the Israelites for their errors that are described as killing tens of thousands of them. Then there are additional punitive (not retributive) acts at the individual level like Jehovah killing Er for being “wicked” (Gen. 38:7), killing Onan for the use of coitus interruptus to avoid his Levirate marriage duty (Gen. 38:8–10), killing Uzzah for an apparently well-meaning attempt to prevent the Ark of the Covenant from falling off its cart (2 Sam. 6:1–7), and commanding others to kill the son of an Israelite mother and Egyptian father, who blasphemed (Lev. 24:10–16, 23) and kill a man who gathered wood on the Sabbath (Num. 15:32–36). Anyway, it was a depressing day working through this Old Testament material. I haven’t taken the time to review all of these incidents in the Restoration Edition, but I’m guessing they are largely if not completely similar. If they are accurate representations of God’s dealings then, of course, they are righteous acts. But one can’t help but admit that they don’t sound like the Jesus of the New Testament–who did not condemn an adulteress to death (John 8:1–11), even though as Jehovah he had commanded condemning adulterers to death (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22). Final thoughts?

I hadn’t intended to say anything further, but responded to his email as follows:

I wasn’t trying to be exhaustive. Just illustrative.
Ancient tribes were insular and violent. Affiliation with one led to prolonged violence against another. Consider the Talaban of Afghanistan today, as an example of how animosities were held, and violently acted upon. It was unsafe to harbor a refugee or a conquered foreign combatant.
Originally the Lord intended to have Israel occupy the lands of others gradually and peacefully, and He assumed the responsibility to move the other occupants out. He offered to remove them gradually, and without the need of any warfare by Israel:
“But if you shall indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy unto your enemies and an adversary unto your adversaries. For my angel shall go before you and bring you in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will cut them off. You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works, but you shall utterly overthrow them and quite break down their images. And you shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. There shall nothing cast their young nor be barren in your land. The number of your days I will fulfill. I will send my fear before you, and will destroy all the people to whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs unto you. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you. I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field multiply against you. By little and little I will drive them out from before you, until you be increased and inherit the land.” RE Exo 13:23
But that arrangement required Israel to serve the Lord and not bow down to foreign gods. Israel did not accept the offer, and the cycles of violence that resulted were not what Jehovah offered, but what Israel required.
The biggest problem remains the vantage point of the question. We can hardly relate to the circumstances of primitive, violent cultures and what was required for the survival of Israel. Jehovah was playing the “long game” with them, and took them through the existing circumstances in the only manner possible with that population.
We are headed pretty much back into that same scene of continual violence, unless we change tracks. I read this account of events today in Portland a few minutes before seeing your email: “A large group of Antifa carrying shields and melee weapons attacked a group of Evangelical Christians congregating for a prayer and worship event at the waterfront in downtown Portland, Ore. Video recorded at the scene showed children and families running away as black-clad Antifa militants tore apart the sound equipment and assaulted attendees with pepper spray and projectiles.”

Jehovah and Jesus, part 2

Aside from the necessary direction given to ancient Israel to defend and protect itself from violent and perverse adjoining tribes, there are four events in scripture where Jehovah/Jesus directly cause the deaths of significant numbers of people. Two were (or will be) global. Two were local.

The first of the two global events took place at the time of Noah. In that generation a mass killing happened at Jehovah’s hands. People separated themselves. On the one hand, there was a city of peace and righteousness, called Zion. “the Lord called his people Zion because they were of one heart, and of one mind, and dwelled in righteousness, and there was no poor among them.” (RE Gen. 4:14)

On the other hand, “there were wars and bloodsheds among them,” and “God saw that the wickedness of man had become great in the earth. And every man was lifted up in the imagination of the thoughts of his heart, being only evil continually.” (RE Gen. 4:14; 5:9) Jehovah saved the righteous, and killed the wicked.

The second global event will take place in very similar circumstances and for very similar reasons. That future event will happen at Jesus Christ’s hands. It is described in one section of the T&C as follows: “And with one heart and with one mind gather up your riches that you may purchase an inheritance which shall hereafter be appointed you, and it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God. And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it. And it shall be called Zion.
“And it shall come to pass among the wicked that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety, and there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven, and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another. And it shall be said among the wicked, Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible, wherefore we cannot stand. And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion singing with songs of everlasting joy.” (T&C 31:14-15)

Contemporaneous with this separation there will come destruction of the wicked: “For behold, the day comes that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble. And the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and you shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says the Lord of Hosts.” (Mal. 1:10)

Of the two local destructions, the first was at the hand of Jehovah. “The Lord said unto us, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, I will destroy them.” (Gen. 7:37) “the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah, for the angels called upon the name of the Lord for brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And thus they overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.” (Gen. 7:43)

The second was at the hand of Jesus Christ: “And the city of Zarahemla did take fire; and the city of Moroni did sink into the depths of the sea and the inhabitants thereof were drowned. And the earth was carried up upon the city of Moronihah, that in the place of the city thereof, there became a great mountain. And there was a great and terrible destruction in the land southward. But behold, there was a more great and terrible destruction in the land northward; for behold, the whole face of the land was changed because of the tempests, and the whirlwinds, and the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the exceeding great quaking of the whole earth.” (3 Ne. 4:2)

Jesus Christ explained why He caused this destruction, “it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen. Behold, that great city Zarahemla have I burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof. And behold, that great city Moroni have I caused to be sunk in the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof to be drowned. And behold, that great city Moronihah have I covered with earth, and the inhabitants thereof, to hide their iniquities and their abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come up anymore unto me against them. And behold, the city of Gilgal have I caused to be sunk, and the inhabitants thereof, to be buried up in the depths of the earth; yea, and the city Onihah and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Mocum and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Jerusalem and the inhabitants thereof. And waters have I caused to come up in the stead thereof, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come up anymore unto me against them. And behold, the city of Gadiandi, and the city of Gadiomnah, and the city of Jacob, and the city Gimgimno — all these have I caused to be sunk, and made hills and valleys in the places thereof; and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up in the depths of the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up anymore unto me against them.” (3 Ne. 4:6)

Jesus Christ then explained that He never wanted any of this to have happened. Instead, He offered a different outcome: Zion. He would have gladly gathered them under His arms, as He had done with Enoch’s people, but they refused to come embrace Him: “O ye people of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you! And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel who have fallen! Yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem as ye that have fallen, yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not! O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart! But if not, O house of Israel, the places of your dwellings shall become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers.” (3 Ne. 4:9)

Following the destruction, and His explanation for it, Jesus Christ descends to teach the survivors the Sermon at Bountiful (which mirrored the Sermon on the Mount). Destroying the wicked did not make Him any less kind, nor make His teaching any less noble, inspiring and edifying.

As I read the scriptures, and note the choices people make and the response from Jehovah/Jesus, I can see no difference. They both will exalt and welcome the righteous. They both will prevent the despoiling of this creation. They both permit the freedom of choice for mankind. They both enforce the consequences of those free choices. They both put limits on what mankind will be permitted to do when they become depraved and violent. They appear to me to be “one”– or more correctly, to be the same individual, as I read the scriptures.

Jehovah and Jesus

I got this question in my email: “I have been in Hawaii for three years and I can see too many similarities between Jehovah of our scriptures and Pele the Hawaiian volcano goddess. Pele and Jehovah speak from fiery and smokey and loud volcanoes. But Pele is kinder and less vicious than Jehovah. The Torah Jehovah is like a Netflix horror movie monster killing and burning whole families and sadistically loving to smell their burning flesh. How can Jehovah be Jesus?

It is an interesting question. But it focuses exclusively on Jehovah/Jesus. It fails to acknowledge the state of the people Jehovah chose to reveal Himself to in His effort to morally advance them.

There was a law of retaliation given by Jehovah. It was the lex talionis. It is the one that imposed “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” RE Leviticus 12:3 states in part, “Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. And he that kills a beast, he shall restore it. And he that kills a man, he shall be put to death.”

We look at that from our perspective and find that kind of retribution abhorrent. Just because someone was blinded in a fight we would not tolerate blinding the other participant. It seems disproportionate to us. But in the circumstance of the time when this law was given by Jehovah it was intended to limit the retaliation. The culture of the time tolerated killing someone for the loss of an eye, or maiming them for the loss of a tooth. The law of retaliation made it unlawful to exact a greater price than one that equaled the loss suffered by the victim.

Jehovah was dialing back the violence. Limiting the injuries. Setting a tone for civilization that advanced peace from an uncontrolled, violent response to a limited and controlled response.

We do not even think like ancient man. Our language and theirs are so different that the concern raised in the question would be hard to express in a way to make the concern understood by ancient mankind. Their minds viewed everything in concrete, personified ways that were controlled and directed continually by the will of God (or more correctly by gods). They expressed events primarily in verbs describing actions.

We think in abstract and impersonal ideas. We think events everywhere occur according to universal laws, and we look to determine how events take place based on consistencies and rules. We use adjectives to express most of what happens.

Jehovah was dealing with so different a group of people from those Jesus dealt with that there can be no comparison. Civilization changed. Minds and thinking altered over time. You cannot go backward and redefine things in a moral construct that uses later ideas and values to weigh earlier civilizations. When you make that step you reach perverse conclusions because you impose a viewpoint that was never even considered at the time.

When dealing with an infant a parent behaves far differently that that same parent behaves when their child is a teenager. And then again the same parent and same child relate very differently when the child is middle aged and a parent herself. Some of what the child understands when she becomes a parent is beyond the ability of that same person to understand when she was a teen. Civilization has been like a developing child, and Jehovah has dealt with mankind differently in different stages, as the circumstances require.

Today we are losing some of the more important ideas and patterns of thought that were present a generation ago. Society is becoming less tolerant and more violent year by year. Unfortunately, we appear to be headed to a point in which we will need the law of retribution to be imposed again so that ideas do not become the target of punishment and imposing suffering.

Leather Scriptures

Extra leather-bound scripture sets are in-stock and available for purchase right now. Inventory is limited to only what is available on-hand. Once something is sold out, more sets will not be available until another printing run. For orders placed right now, delivery will take about 2 weeks. If you missed the first pre-order window or you’re hoping to pickup additional sets, please visit scriptures.shop to see what is available and to place an order.

The store opened for sales of the extra sets yesterday, and there was a huge flurry of orders. They sold approximately 250 scripture sets that single day. They have approximately 300 sets remaining. There is no scheduled reorder planned, and it may be some time before the opportunity to purchase leather sets returns.

Reconciled unto Christ, Part 7

There is more to the Lord than a casual investigation will inform you. The closing words of John’s Gospel states: “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” (John 11:13) His ministry was far greater than John’s record could convey.

The Testimony of St. John is to a similar effect: “In addition to this account, many other things were done by Jesus, which, if they were all written, that library would fill the entire cosmos. Amen.” (TSJ 12:22)

Revelation to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon included the testimony of the Father about His Son: “For we saw him, even on the right hand of God, and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father, that by him, and through him, and of him the worlds are made and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.” (T&C 69:5) His work before this world was infinite, and included many worlds. This testimony from God the Father expands greatly our understanding of Christ, and how far His creative power extends.

Christ’s power and influence sustains all of the creation. He is the power of the distant sun, moon, and stars: “This is the light of Christ, as also he is in the sun and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made; as also he is in the moon and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; as also the light of the stars and the power thereof by which they were made; and the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. And the light which now shines, which gives you light, is through him who enlightens your eyes, which is the same light that quickens your understandings, which light proceeds forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space: the light which is in all things, which gives life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sits upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.” (T&C 86:1)

The way to know more about Christ, and to be more fully reconciled unto Him, is to give heed and diligence to what He asks of us: “It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless, they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart — only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word. And he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God, until they know them in full. And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the Devil and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell.” (Alma 9:3)

Moses gave heed to the Lord. He met with Him face-to-face. The Lord showed Moses the creation of this world, which allowed him to write the account we have in Genesis. In the revelation, the Lord explained to Moses, “Wherefore, look, and I will show you the workmanship of my hands — but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease. Wherefore, no man can behold all my works except he behold all my glory, and no man can behold all my glory and afterward remain in the flesh on the earth.” (RE Gen. 1:1)

Moses’ reconciliation with the Lord affirmed that God’s “works are without end” and continue to roll on. Likewise the Lord’s “words [are without end], for they never cease.” He speaks still. To you and to me. He has never stopped. He will never stop speaking.

As part of ordaining His creation, our Lord, “has given a law unto all things, by which they move in their times and their seasons, and their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the earth, which comprehend the earth and all the planets. And they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons, in their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in their months, in their years. All these are one year with God, but not with man. The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun gives his light by day, and the moon gives her light by night, and the stars also give their light as they roll upon their wings, in their glory, in the midst of the power of God.
“Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms that you may understand? Behold all these are kingdoms, and any man who has seen any or the least of these has seen God moving in his majesty and power.” (T&C 86:7-8)

This is one description of Christ: “He comprehends all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him, and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things, and all things are by him, and of him, even God, for ever and ever.” (T&C 86:6) There is nothing that exists that does not have Christ’s imprint upon or within it.

He invites us to be reconciled unto Him. That is not a small thing, but a lifelong pursuit of knowledge, truth, revelation, enlightenment, expanding understanding, ascending to His presence, and growing into a perfect comprehension of Him and His work: “That which is of God is light, and he that receives light and continues in God receives more light, and that light grows brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (T&C 36:4)

Reconciled unto Christ, Part 6

Reconciliation with Christ begins with baptism. Baptism marks the end of your old life and the beginning of a new one. Leaving the old life includes abandoning the errors, evils and worldliness of a fallen society. In exchange for believing in Him, and being baptized to witness your faith in Him, you receive forgiveness of those past mistakes. As one prophet explained, “For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the holy ghost. And then are ye in this straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life. Yea, ye have entered in by the gate, ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son, and ye have received the holy ghost, which witness of the Father and the Son unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way, ye should receive.” (RE 2 Ne. 13:3)

This begins a new life in Christ. “And now my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this straight and narrow path, I would ask if all is done. Behold, I say unto you, nay, for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ, with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” (Id., Paragraph 4)

This prophet anticipated that many people would wonder what the words “feasting upon the word of Christ” means. There are two direct ways in which this is done: The first is by studying the scriptures. The New Testament was written by 8 disciples who knew Christ: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James (Jacob), Jude (Judas) and Peter. They did not write to explain everything they knew, understood, or taught in person about Christ. And they wrote for an audience of believers living at the time. While we benefit from those records, they do not contain everything these witnesses knew about Christ. In many ways studying the New Testament is like reading someone else’s mail.

We should want to know Christ like those early witnesses knew Him. We should want a direct and intimate connection with Him, so we can share the faith of those first Christians. The prophet explained the second way we can ‘feast on the word of Christ.’ He wrote: “I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way. But behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts? Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the holy ghost, ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the holy ghost? Angels speak by the power of the holy ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” (2 Ne. 14:1)

The holy ghost is the conduit through which Christ will speak to you, now. Today. With the same guidance He provided to those 8 witnesses who wrote the New Testament.

The right to receive that guidance also imposes on us the responsibility to ask. We are not supposed to remain in doubt. As New Testament writer Jacob put it: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and upbraids not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering,” (Jacob 1:2)

The prophet who explained the process emphasized how important it was that we ask and pursue God for guidance: “Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them, it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock. Wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark. For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way and receive the holy ghost, it will shew unto you all things what ye should do.” (2 Ne. 14:1)

Christ established the way for all of us to be reconciled unto Him.