Mercy to the Pharisees, Mercy to You

Fools.

Serpents.

Generation of vipers.

Hypocrites.

Children of the devil.

These are the names that Christ called the Pharisees. It almost seems… un-Christlike, doesn’t it? We have to realize, though, that Christ didn’t mean these things as insults, but as observable facts, or accurate symbolism. Its not exactly “politically correct,” according to today’s standard, but in truth, God cares more about calling people to repentance than popularity contests.

He cares. About everyone. Sinners and saints, the obedient and the hypocrites. He cares about our happiness and salvation more than we can imagine. In fact, our salvation is all that is on His mind (Moses 1:39).

If any single group was responsible for the crucifixion of our God, it was these men. They continually attempted to trick Christ in His words, to murder Him when the Romans weren’t around, and one day they got their wish.

They murdered God.

So is that it? They are all going to hell?

It would seem so… but what kind of an all benevolent being would use His own spirit brothers and sisters and force them to go to hell? Now that’s not very Christlike.

Setting the Historic Stage

In the year 600 B.C. in the commencement of the reign of King Zedekiah “there came many prophets” (1 Nephi 1:4) calling the people to repentance. They were preaching that the people needed to repent, or they would be enslaved, which we all know.

However, another of the things that they were sharing was that the Messiah would come twice. And why would He come twice? It is because after the Jews returned to the land of Israel, they would wickedly reject their God.

This concept was so infuriating to the leadership at the time that they began killing those who prophesied such a “blasphemous” thing. Next, in a pattern that is followed in every nation (including modern ones), they began removing any mention of these things from their text.

What this means is that for the next 600 years, the Jews believed that the Messiah would come and redeem them from bondage, and from slavery. Not spiritual slavery, not spiritual bondage, but specifically physical slavery to the Babylonians, the Persians, and the Romans.

Six Hundred and Thirty Years Later

The Messiah comes, as prophesied, to redeem mankind from their sins. He comes in humility, in a manger, and instead of preaching rebellion and freedom from the heathens, He comes preaching peace, charity, and forgiveness.

Peter, in his zeal to fight for his Master and to free his people, raises a sword and smites the ear off of a man. Christ, fulfilling His role of lamb to the slaughter, doesn’t take the opportunity to purge the wicked from the promised land, and instead heals the injured man.

Then God, the most powerful mortal to grace the earth, allows Himself to be taken, stripped, beat, mocked, scourged, spat upon, whipped, and condemned. This act is the most meek moment in history because, as Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “Meekness is great power under complete control.”

Who else has more power than God? What man would not want to use any means necessary to escape such a terrible fate? When a trial seems to heavy to bear, and you feel powerless, remember that Christ has been in your place more than we tend to realize, and that He has the power to make you whole.

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While this torture is going on, Peter is asked, “I recognize you, you were with Jesus of Nazareth!”

Peter’s hopeless response, “I know not the man!” seems out of character for a man who was just willing to fight and die for the Messiah.

How else might we interpret that phrase?

What about:

“I thought I knew Him. I walked with Him, was taught by Him, loved Him, would have died for Him, but… He is not fulfilling the role that He promised He would fulfill. Recently Jesus said He would be taken and killed, but we didn’t understand. I still don’t understand, He is the Messiah, the Spirit has testified it to me! The scriptures said God would redeem us from bondage, not be slain!

“I thought I knew Jesus Christ, but perhaps I didn’t really know Him after all….”

It is no wonder that after three times of facing this reality that Peter finally broke down, and wept.

Another example of this confusion is when Christ visited the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. These men were sure that Christ would redeem them, but they woke up the same day that every said Christ was resurrected, and they were still subject to the Romans. To the Jews, things simply were not adding up...

An Eternal Perspective Solves Most Mysteries

So why did this have to happen this way? Why did God allow the prophets to be slain, and the scriptures to be changed during Israel's rebellion?

Before the world began, Christ was ordained by our loving Heavenly Father to redeem mankind from the fall. He did this through the infinite Atonement, the most powerful act of love to permeate every particle of existence.

One aspect of the Atonement is that Christ, the Anointed One, would come unto His own, and they would receive Him not. The chosen people of the Lord, the covenant people of God, would reject, and forsake their God. They went as far as to kill God. They literally murdered their own God, an innocent man, in cold blood.

Well, that is not technically correct. They had no power to kill Christ, Christ gave up His life willingly, by His own power. However, they fulfilled the role of slaying the mortal part of Him. Things had to be done this way as part of the Atonement. If there was any other way it could be done, Christ asked the Father that it be done that way, but suffered the will of the Son to be swallowed up in the will of the Father (Matt 26:39).

I imagine that the conversation in the pre-mortal life between Jehovah and Heavenly Father went something like this:

“Per the requirements of the Atonement, I will be crucified by my own people, ones who are now valiant disciples of you, Father.”

“How will you keep them from becoming Sons of Perdition?”

“All men are held accountable to the light that they have received. They will be guilty of the crimes they commit against the law which they do have; but to save them from knowingly killing their own God, I will give them the gift of ignorance.”

Every time I consider the love of God, I am in awe. But when I learn something like this, when I realize the time, and effort, and pain that Christ goes through to extend the arms of mercy to us, the most profound adoration and reverence fills my heart.

"How great the wisdom and the love 

That filled the courts on high 

And sent the Savior from above 

To suffer, bleed, and die!

"How great, how glorious, how complete 

Redemption’s grand design, 

Where justice, love, and mercy meet In harmony divine!" - Hymn 195

If Christ loved His own murderers so much that He would put a plan in to rescue His from outer darkness, consider what He has done for you. I do not mean to imply that He loves you more because you are more righteous, or that He loves others less because they don't keep the same commandments as you; what I mean is that that He would do, and has done, the same for you in some way.

Realize that the Pharisees lived their whole lives not knowing what Christ had done for them 600 years in the past. We are encouraged to give anonymous service to each other, what kind of anonymous service does God do for us? How many prayers for safety and prosperity and happiness are answered without us knowing?

How great is His forgiveness to those who will but reach out, and enter the embrace of the arms of mercy? Realizations such as these help us understand what is meant by, “The Atonement is the greatest act of love to permeate reality.”

So yes, the Pharisees will be held accountable for the light they did sin against. They knew that they were crucifying and innocent man, and God will deal with them justly. But they were, unlike Judas Iscariot, spared from knowingly crucifying their God.

Modern Moroni Mental Simulation

Intro

I was reading in the Book of Mormon about Chief Captain Moroni preparing his people and the cities for the tribulations they would soon undergo. I decided to simulate in my mind what it would be like if I were in his position in the 21st century. Not to compare myself to this great man of God, but as a mental exercise, and it turned out to be both interesting, fun, and a little daunting.

Some scriptures that came to mind were Alma 50, and 3 Nephi 4:4.

This would not be meant to be undertaken by a single person or family, but by a network of people with the knowledge to come together to make this an attainable goal. It would be too much of a burden for any one family to try to manage by themselves in an effective way, but a groups of people could purchase the items, or bring what they have with them, and learn the skills needed to survive and thrive without modern conveniences.

Much of this is specific for a gathering location outside of towns and cities, in the mountains, or at least in the woods, but the same principles could be used in towns, in your own homes and with your wards and neighborhoods. For instance, we will still need to all have water filtration, and use football fields as farmland, and a defensive guard patrolling the borders of the town.

Reign of the Judges: Title of Liberty

Food

Farming will, of course, be the primary source of a self reliant community. Hunting will be short lived, and unreliable. If farming wheat, beans, rice, vegetables, and berries does not sustain us, nothing but manna from heaven will.

Farming may be difficult at first depending on the security of the land, the elevation, and weather, which is what will make the year supply (or more) of food so important.

People say, "Well, not everyone has a year supply, so perhaps it will not be a year's worth of tribulation and we will be sharing!" Some will even count on their neighbors sharing with them under moral obligation, instead of following the prophet's counsel and getting their own.
These people are under the false assumption that the population will remain the same after war, disease, or natural disaster occurs. Obedience brings protection. Plan on food for at least one year. It's not as expensive as you think, but start it now if you haven't already.

Needs: farming equipment/tools, manpower, seeds, knowledge, land, waterways, cooking equipment (furnaces), fuel to cook.

Water

Water will be the first thing we would need to establish, first for ourselves and animals, second for farming and sanitation. We will likely be camped near either a running or standing body of water. Filtration will be important to avoid disease.

For waterways, if piping is unavailable, #10 cans will work if riveted together correctly.

Needs: filtration systems, knowledge on how to make more filters for every family, tools for waterways.

Shelter

Tents will likely be our first shelter, but hopefully not our final one. If we are fortunate enough to be at a boy’s camp or girl’s camp, some can use those cabins, but they will be crowded and have little privacy. They will be nice and warm for the winter since they are so packed, but we will want to make more. We will also have to make our own furniture.

Native Americans used Long Houses for community homes. An apartment/motel like structure would achieve a similar function, while allowing for privacy. It would allow heat to be shared during the winter, and save room in the community area, vs everyone having their own yard and need to fuel so many individual fires.

Needs: tools to cut down trees, shape the wood, or to make brick/cement/adobe homes, knowledge on furniture making.

Animals

Some animals will be a liability, others an asset. Most livestock (pigs and cows) will have to be bred before it can be enough to feed everyone. Horses will be great transportation, milk cows, chickens, and goats all obviously have their uses, but none should be eaten until there is a surplus.

There will likely be too many dogs. Some will be good for hunting and others as watchdogs, most will just make a mess and a health hazard, and unfortunately eat more food than they are worth. There will likely be too many cats as well. Some will be useful in controlling rodent populations, most will be a health hazard, make a mess, and eat more food than they are worth.

Tools

Metalworking will be very important. Welding will not last long, so knowledge of how to cast our own tools will be very important. We can bring our own tools, but they will break, and need repair/replacement.

A kiln could be made with clay.  To make hard iron, you could add carbon by draining the used motor oil (not synthetic!) from cars that will never drive again (either from an EMP or gas shortage).  Once you have the metal super hot, you dip it into the oil, which adds the carbon in between the molecules, and then you cool it quickly by dipping it in water.

Needs: a heavy duty furnace, knowledge of casting/blacksmithing

Medicine

Doctors will be at a disadvantage at first as they will not have power or new supplies/modern medicines. Herbs, oils, and traditional medicine will take over, though doctors will still play a vital role in important medical care.

Midwives will become very common, and need to learn the way ancient midwives cared for mothers and babies. There are many tools that they can gather now to be used for later.

Cross training between midwives and medical doctors will be important, the more people who know how to stitch people up, set broken bones, and birth babies, the better we will all be.

Needs: Herb seeds, knowledge of herbs, dopplers will be incredibly useful, so have backups and batteries, reusable equipment, a medical care facility, cross training between midwives and medical doctors.

Communication

One of the most important commodities will be information. Scouts, lookouts, and radio operators will be required for safety, security, trade, and direction. Radios will be a useful, and dangerous means of communication. Other methods include mirrors, flags, handheld laser lights, smoke, flares, bells.

Develop codes to prevent secure information being transmitted to someone that would do you harm. Locations, populations, supplies, and movements are all secure information. Keep them coded.

Needs: HAM radios and operators, the radios need to be safe from EMP at least until one happens (some predict there will be two EMP strikes for good measure). Back-ups, back-ups, back-ups. Handheld HAM radios for scouts, radio towers, knowledge, lookout towers, gas-free vehicles for scouts (horses, bicycles, backpacks, camo), tools.

Energy

This would be a difficult one, gasoline will be gone or unusable within 3 months (either from EMP strike, or , so we will have to rely on solar, wind, water, and thermal power. They will be used primarily for communication and perhaps administration, but most admin will be on paper.

Water power will be useful around rivers, wind generators in areas with high wind, and solar generators in sunny locations, assuming volcanic ash hasn’t blocked out the sun.

Needs: Solar panels, windmills, watermills, alternators, tools, power cables, light bulbs.

Defense

Everyone should be able to defend themselves, self defense classes would be a great blessing to those living in refuge gathering areas. A guard will be posted day and night, more than one person at night, and sentries posted in watch towers all around the area. Formations, tactics, and drills would be run to prepare against roving and violent bandits.

Outer towers should be focused on seeing without being seen. Keep them in trees or camouflaged by rocks and dirt on top of mountains. Keep an eye out for herd animals, storms, enemy movements, and refugees.

Inner towers can be for defense and looking out, but they will be easy targets as well. Building underground tunnels and bunkers will be more secure in actual defensive combat.

Needs: Self defense tools, watch towers, HAM radios, power for radios, defensive clothing, knowledge of making different tools of defense, tools, courage, faith.

Sanitation

Outhouses will have to be build and the waste disposed of in a way that doesn’t infect the farming area or water supply.

Needs: Nose plugs for the unfortunate souls who get stuck with that stinky job, tools to build, willpower to say goodbye to the toilet.

Administration

Leadership would be decided by the Lord. In fact, none of this would happen without the Lord’s servants directing us. Any who try to take you out before the Lord’s servants are not following God’s plan, and you will be better staying close to the Brethren.

Stake Presidents would preside over their stakes, bishops over their wards. A central hub of communication and organization would be made for every gathering location.

Refugees will flee and may find their way to you. Be ready to help them. Do so carefully, they may carry disease. Have a quarantine area for new arrivals to prevent unnecessary diseases from spreading. Medical doctors will play a vital role in this area.

Needs: The Lord’s anointed servants, faith to follow them, oil in our lamps.

Religion

Every home, meeting house, and heart an extension of the temple. We will only live by the grace of Christ. We would be like children in the forest, wanders, unsure of how to survive like our ancestors did, but with Christ we will survive and thrive.

Needs: Firm faith in the love of Christ, hope in His salvation, charity for one another.

Response to The Prodigal Daughter

      I was hoping to post this directly to her page, but Allison has blocked comments on her blog. The sad thing is that she expects to be some sort of a "shining example" for similarly lost prodigal Saints.


      What she doesn't seem to realize is that she is still lost, she still needs to return to the Father and come with a broken heart and contrite spirit. She is, I am sure, not a bad person, but she is also not the example that needs to be set.


      Who should be our example? Christ, of course, and any others who follow His footsteps, and this mindset:


          "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."

John 8:29

       Who do we want to follow? Do you want to inherit eternal glory, or do we want to be eternally "ok" as Allison says? The way to tell where we stand is which of the following we aligned with. Do we say "Not my will, Father, but thine be done." Or will we pridefully say "Not thy will, Father, but MINE be done."
      

      How different the mind of Christ is from the mind of man. Mankind wants to make their own way, to rely on their own understanding, as limited and finite as it is. We have the help of an omniscient, omnipotent, loving Father, and we think we can do it better ourselves? I mean seriously??? 

       Anyways, perhaps this will find its way back to Allison. She is welcome to open dialog with me on my blog, since hers is probably too much of a hot spot right now, which is understandable. Okay, enough of the intro, here we go:

   
I see where you are coming from Allison. I disagree, not because of prejudice, or Mormon cultural norms, but because of scripture. Wickedness never, ever, ever was happiness. Your daughter will be happier if you teach her that happiness is found in keeping the commandments, instead of teaching her to "do her own thing."

      Do God's thing. He has a better plan for you, than what you have for yourself. It will be more rich and fulfilling than anything you can imagine for yourself.

      You might be comfortable, you might have some happiness in your life, but it is a fraction of the happiness and joy that God has in store for you, if only you will faithfully keep the covenants that you have already made. 

      What it boils down to is confusing happiness for less guilt.

      You may disagree with that, and that is okay. We are all entitled to our own opinions, but if our opinions are not aligned with God's, and with the scriptures, then they are wrong. That's right, just because you are entitled to your own opinion doesn't mean you are right.

      Again, don't do "your own thing," do God's thing. He has a better plan for you, than what you have for yourself. He is your Creator, He has a plan specifically for YOU, but you have to follow His lead, follow His example, be obedient to your Creator's commandments, if you ever hope to find lasting peace and happiness. Any other plan that you make for yourself will end in tragedy.

      Finally, it is impossible to find happiness outside the Plan of Happiness. I know that God loves and has more mercy for you than any of us realize. I also know that we will be held responsible for the knowledge that we do have, and that mercy cannot rob justice.

      Please, please, please, anyone who is not valiantly following Christ's faithful and obedient example, turn back to Him, and follow His precepts. Find happiness in God's gentle commands. There you will find love and happiness that you may have forgotten. The warmth of the arms of mercy are still extended toward you.

"No Man Knows the Day..." Really?

   

When Shall These Things Be?

      If you have seen my post about the Hebrew Calendar, and picked up on the patterns from the past that are carrying through to the future, then you know that September will be a very interesting time. I believe that it will be the kickoff to the trials, tribulations, and calamities. I believe that it will start with a financial collapse in America, and spiral downward over the next few months before it gets really bad in the following Spring, and then worse from there.

      Most people who are going to be ready, are already ready. Others have been "waking up" to the probable trials we will soon be going through, and are scrambling to get ready for them. 

      However, others have a "All is well in Zion" mindset. They have been through hard times before, and they expect to be through hard times again, but Christ "delayeth His coming." In essence, they have given up on looking for the signs of Christ's coming. 

  

      One of the most common arguments I hear, and I honestly think this is just people being (understandably) scared, and perhaps in denial, but one of the most common arguments I hear is "No man knoweth the day nor the hour of Christ's coming! Don't try to guess it! You'll make it not happen that day!" It might be meant in jest, but its a dangerous mindset to be in none the less. 

      Now I will say this: I do not profess to know when Christ is coming. I am saying we can see the trials that preface His coming, which will tell us the season, if not the day or hour. 

     So, lets look at the different ways that Christ said His coming we be likened to:

A Thief in the Night

JST Luke 12:44

   

      This is the one everybody knows. I'm not sure why everyone things of this one first (or only), but yes, He will come as a thief in the night. But why?? And to whom?? 

      Let's look at another analogy with thieves in it. For those of you who can't follow that link, it will take you to the story of the Watchmen on the Tower, as found in Ezekiel 33:1-7. So it seems that there is someone who is able to see from a far distance when the trials and tribulations are coming, which precede the coming of the Savior.

      In other words, the Lord and the disasters that precede Him will come unexpected to those who are not prepared, those who do not look for the signs, and those who do not listen to the Watchmen on the tower (prophets). 

      Meanwhile, the Lord warns His people saying: 

      "And again, verily I say unto you, the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, and it overtaketh the world as a thief in the night

      "Therefore, gird up your loins, that you may be the children of light, and that day shall not overtake you as a thief." D&C 106:4-5

       So the parable that we fall into into is...

  The Woman that Travails in Labor

1 Thess 5:3-4

      Another parable that Christ and His prophets gave in reference to His coming is the woman that travails in labor. 

      What can we learn from a travailing in labor? Let's look at this picture for a clue:

      So what do we notice? There is a progression of events that are visible to those who watch for it. Some may say, "That's not an accurate comparison, its obvious when someone gets pregnant." They would say that because they have knowledge that gives them understanding, and can therefore recognize the signs of the coming of the child.


       Similarly, those who have studied and know to watch for the signs will be able to see the development of the world before the Second Coming of Christ. It will be spectacular, but not a surprise "thief in the night" experience.


      Can this woman know "the day, or the hour" that she will give birth? Of course not. The baby comes when it is ready. However, she is likely to know the season, the month, at the very least the year, as the time draws closer.

Enough Speculation!!

       Yes, quite right, enough speculation, lets see what the Prophet Joseph Smith said about this topic:

 The Words of Joseph Smith Page 180-181:

      Remarks on the coming of the Son of Man by Joseph Smith the Prophet, made in Nauvoo:

      "Christ says no man knoweth the day or the hour when the Son of Man cometh. This is a sweeping argument for sectarianism against Latter-day ism. Did Christ speak this as a general principle throughout all generations. Oh no, he spoke in the present tense; No man that was then living upon the footstool of God knew the day or the hour. 

      "But he did not say that there was no man throughout all generations that should not know the day or the hour. No, for this would be in flat contradiction with other scripture for the prophet says that God will do nothing but what he will reveal unto his Servants the prophets, consequently if it is not made known to the Prophets, it will not come to pass..."

      “Jesus Christ never did reveal to any man the precise time that He would come [see Matthew 24:36; D&C 49:7]. Go and read the Scriptures, and you cannot find anything that specifies the exact hour He would come; and all that say so are false teachers.” 

      Regarding a man who claimed to have seen the sign of the Son of Man, the Prophet Joseph Smith said: 

      “He has not seen the sign of the Son of Man, as foretold by Jesus; neither has any man, nor will any man, until after the sun shall have been darkened and the moon bathed in blood; for the Lord hath not shown me any such sign; and as the prophet saith, so it must be—

      ‘Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.’ (See Amos 3:7.) Therefore hear this, O earth: The Lord will not come to reign over the righteous, in this world, in 1843, nor until everything for the Bridegroom is ready.”

(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, Chapter 21: The Second Coming and the Millennium)



      Surely the Lord God will do nothing until He reveals it unto His servants the prophets.

      I'd say the Second Coming of the Anointed One counts as "something," wouldn't you? Christ has warned us, and is continuing to warn us through His prophets.

      Don't content yourself to only listen to their voices once every 6 months, for the prophets have spoken of our day for literally thousands of years! Seek out and soak up their words, their warnings and instructions. Christ wants us to prepare ourselves, and when we do He will fill in for the things that we can't prepare for.

Conclusion

      Well there you have it folks, let no one use the "No man knows the day, nor the hour" excuse to not prepare, or to discourage you from preparing yourself. Christ is coming, gird up your loins, for He is sending forth signs, and the faithful will know Him when He comes, and be at peace.