THE POWER OF REMEMBRANCE-UNVEILING FAITH IN THE WARFARE ON DOUBT

"And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole. And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren..." (Alma 46:12-13)

God's prescription for doubt is found in the Hebrew word zachor (remember).  It is in remembrance that we find our connection to the faith and experiences of the ancients.  In remembering Captain Moroni and his Title of Liberty we remember that the foundation of our liberty is found in memory of our God, our religion, our freedom, our peace, our wives and our children. It is when these things come to danger that our faith is revealed. In these times, there stirs in the heart of every man and woman-father and mother- son and daughter- an intrinsic force that awakens deep within the confines of our soul.  This force of love and life is the light of faith that awakens the defender within each of us to protect those things we hold most precious.

It is in remembrance of the captivity of our Fathers in Egypt that we find deliverance and that road out of our trials and tribulations.  It is in remembrance of The Passover that we embrace our identity and salvation as the Children of Israel:

"And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten." (Exodus 13:3)

It is remembrance of Shavuot that we receive the blessings of God's covenant.  It is remembrance of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) that we receive and embrace the presence and name of God (YHVH).  It is in remembering Sukkot that we remember the Joy of Israel at Sinai and the promise of the restoration of all Israel and the presence of God through all generations of time.

The gift and power of remembrance is designed to unveil the faith that is already available in its fullness in our very soul.  It is in the principle of remembrance that we awaken to our true identity amidst the clouds or darkness that rise up to steer us down forbidden paths.

"Remembrance" is an ancient key to unleash the power of God in our lives in everything we do. We unleash its power on a weekly basis as we remember the sabbath day:

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Exodus 20:8)

We unleash the power of remembrance as we partake of bread and wine:

"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen." (Moroni 4:3)

and

" O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen." ( Moroni 5:2)

Whether it be the Appointed times of Israel, the Weekly Sabbath, or the partaking of Sacramental bread and wine these days and tokens of remembrance are designed to unveil our faith and to release the light that the world so desperately seeks to extinguish.  Is it any wonder right now that there are forces that seek to destroy the remembrance of God's holy days and tokens of remembrance?  Is it any wonder right now in the United States of America that there are forces seeking to destroy the historical memorials to the faith and freedom upon which this nation was founded? 

Our Adversary is here stirring up the hearts of many in our nation to anger and forgetfulness regarding those things which are sacred.  We see it in the removal of the 10 Commandments from our State Buildings and Courtrooms.  We see it in the revisionist history of the founding of America and the labeling of the Founding Fathers as evil.  We see it in the removal of God and his word from our homes and schools.  And when there is nothing left to remember, the veil of darkness is upon us and we will find ourselves in the strong chains of the Evil One:

"And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.

For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.

He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw call men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.

Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.

Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance.

Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden... for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them ball to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile." (2 Nephi 26)

Let us never forget this Legacy of Faith!

The Death of Doubt- God's Pattern of Warfare in The Book Of Mormon

"And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust." (Mormon 9:19-20)

In the Book of Mormon, the warning regarding unbelief and dwindling (or diminishing) because of unbelief is found in every sacred book that comprises this Israelite record.  We as the spiritual children of God cannot progress in the manner in which our Father in Heaven desires in the presence of unbelief.  In fact, in a teaching passed down among the House of Israel, it was taught that had the Children of Israel destroyed their unbelief, ascended the Mountain of Lord at Sinai, and received the greater things which God had desired to give them then the earth would have been restored to the condition of the Garden of Eden at that time.

Now whether this tradition is true or not, it should demonstrate to us the importance of the victory against doubt or unbelief.  It should teach us that it is only because of our doubt or unbelief that we are kept from the great and marvelous things God desires to restore to us and through us. But the question is often asked, "How do we wage war with Unbelief?" and "How do we utterly destroy Doubt?"

The answer to this mystery is contained in the accounts of the warfare between the House of Israel and the Amalekites as recorded in the TaNaKh (Old Testament).  In symbol form, great teachings from God regarding the "HOW" to destroy doubt or unbelief was couched in these ancient accounts.  The same is also true in relation to the warfare accounts with the Amalickiahites in the Book of Mormon-- one key marker being that Amalikiah bearing the same root as Amalek.

In the last article, we explored the concept of doubt as it relates to God's commandment to ancient Israel to utterly destroy the Amalekites. The key to this mystery is hidden in the numeric value of the Hebrew letters that make up the name of Amalek (עמלק) or 240.  240 is also the same value of the Hebrew word for “doubt” (ספק). This same code is also couched in the Book of Mormon regarding the Amalickiahites in Hebrew poetic parallel structure:

"And it came to pass
that when Amalickiah saw
that the people of Moroni were more numerous
than the Amalickiahites
and he also saw that his people were Doubtful
concerning the justice of the cause
in which they had undertaken
therefore fearing that he should not gain the point
he took those of his people who would
and departed into the land of Nephi" (Alma 46:29)

Amalek = Doubt
Amalickiahites = Doubt

Drawing from the same root of the Torah, the prophet writes record an event with their Amalickiahites meant to contain an ancient plain and precious truth or teaching regarding how we are to wage warfare on our Doubt or Unbelief.

The Seeds of Unbelief:

"And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren had appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there arose a dissension among them, and they would not give heed to the words of Helaman and his brethren; But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to walk uprightly before God." (Alma 45:23-24)

This hidden teaching of the Book of Mormon regarding God's pattern of warfare against doubt or unbelief commences in Alma 45 where great disagreements developed in the assemblies of believers in the land.  It is here that we find the seeds of doubt being enumerated:

1. They were lifted up in their hearts because of their riches
2. They grew rich in their own eyes- meaning they esteemed themselves higher than others
3.They stopped walking uprightly before God- (Hebraic expression-They saw themselves as above keeping God's commandments)

As a result of this a "large and strong man" named Amalickiah (Doubts/Unbelief) grew up among those who disagreed with Helaman and his brothers:

"Now the leader of those who were wroth against their brethren was a large and a strong man; and his name was Amalickiah. And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who were wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land, and they were seeking for power. And they had been led by the flatteries of Amalickiah, that if they would support him and establish him to be their king that he would make them rulers over the people." (Alma 46:3-5)

Here Amalickiah as doubt/unbelief is being to a large and strong man that rose up to rule over the people.  Doubt/Unbelief sees for power over us and over our faculties of judgment by flattering us in one of two ways: Pride in thinking we are above others and God's commandments; and Pride in thinking we must berate and demean ourselves into thinking that we are also far below others and below fulfilling God's commandments.  Either way, the end goal is that Doubt/Unbelief becomes our ruler.

While these stories are based in literal occurrences, the stories are communicated in such a manner to preserve and perpetuate great and marvelous truths.  They were not meant to be taken hyper-literal, but were great truths communicated in story form revolving around historical events. The story of Amalek is a great teaching regarding the utter destruction of doubt or unbelief. Rather than God issuing a command to destroy every element of the kingdom of Amalek, in Israelite thought God is commanding the destruction of every element of doubt or unbelief.

"Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one. Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men." (Alma 46:8-9)

In entertaining the pride and flatteries of doubt/unbelief men forget God.  Whether in thinking they are above it or below it, they become quick to do iniquity (lawlessness- i.e. not fulfill God's commandments").  It is because of this,that we see the great wickedness one very wicked (twisted) doubt can cause to take place among the children of men.

"Yea, we see that Amalickiah (doubt/unbelief), because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous’ sake." (Alma 46:10)

MORONI ESTABLISHES THE FOUNDATION OF BELIEF- THE K'RIAH:

In response to the emergence and presence of Amalickiah (strong doubt/unbelief), Captain Moroni engages in an ancient practice known as K'riah.  The practice of tearing a garment as a demonstration of mourning was a common custom of Israel. This act of mourning is found in several places in the Torah where people tear their clothes as an outward act of sorrow. This rending of the garments is called the Kriah and is an physical act that demonstrates the sorrow and anguish one would feel at the death of a friend or loved one.

"And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole. And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren..." (Alma 46:12-13)


In Israelite thought the body is like a coat or garment for the spirit.  The tearing of the garment represents the tearing of the body or natural man to reveal the heart.  This is why the tear is made over the left side of the garment.  In exposing the heart or center of thoughts and desires we see an expression of a broken heart.  In other words, the symbol of the broken heart being a revelation of the spiritual child of God that resides within each of us.  This very ancient metaphor is meant to demonstrate that doubt and unbelief are tied to the carnal or natural man or ego while the inner spiritual child of God is connected with faith and being connected with God without the barrier of the flesh or ego. The tearing of the coat being representative of a time of severe judgment that comes upon all those who walk in and embrace the ways of doubt/unbelief- or living without God and his commandments.

Among many Jews to this day there is a custom of tearing their clothing upon seeing the Temple mount as an outward sign of mourning and memorial at the condition of Israel in general and the condition of the Temple Mound in specific. In true Israelite fashion, Captain Moroni upon seeing the condition of his people and their potential demise rends his garment after the manner of Kriah.

The word Kriah carries the meaning "to call out" someone as when someone calls out to God with energy, emotion, and power of the heart.  The act of Kriah is designed to stir within the performer and the witness their grief and to create an opening (a rending of a cloth, coat, or veil) to release the full energy of the heart.  It is an act performed by the participants of a funeral prior to the burial. It is also an outward sign of love of those who mourn for the deceased.

Several teachings from ancient Israel document several reasons for the practice of Kriah. According to some of these teachings it serves to cause an person to come face to face with the sacred importance of the life granted by God.  It serves as a graphic symbol of loss.  It demonstrates the deep sense of sorrow and pain. It rids the heart of malice, anger, and pride causing a return to God- repentance. The tearing of the garment itself is described as a revelation of the Heart.

Captain Moroni's declaration in writing upon the remnant of his coat "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children" is meant to open the Hearts of the Reader and to call out the energy of their heart unto repentance.  His act of mourning was designed to stir the hearts of those who would grieve like unto those grieving at the funeral of a loved one reminding us the sacred gift of life and liberty granted by God.

In Israelite thought to walk in memory of someone is to walk in remembrance of them which is an expression meaning that you represent them or in this case you walk in your daily life as if you are representing or being an example of God and his commandment.  In doing so we represent him in our religion, our freedom, our establishment of covenant peace, and in our relationships with our wives and children. 

PRACTICING THE PRESENCE

This idea of walking in the memory of a great Rabbi or remembering God is related to the ancient practice passed down from Ancient Israel known as "practicing the presence".  This discipline is summed up by two key scriptures Psalm 16:8 and Isaiah 6:3.

"I have set the YHVH always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." (Psalm 16:8)

This scripture contained the teaching that cleared the heart of all the unbelief/doubt we experience and partake of in this world. It was a practice to place the holy name of God everywhere and to acknowledge his presence both in the light and the darkness, in prosperity and suffering, in the evil we experience and the good.  Knowing the conflict, the chaos, and the contradiction that this earth experience produces causes us to feel the need to hide from the existence of God who sees all things, we often hide in shame. As one placed the name, prayed in the name, and took upon the name of God, they acknowledged his voice among all the trees of the Garden until they experienced the reality of Isaiah 6:3:

"And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."

It was not sufficient that we simply believe in God.  We must learn to see him and his presence in all things on this earth- both the good and the bad.  In doing so we begin to come out from our hiding places.  In doing so we begin to know God.  This is why both in ancient Israel and even in the history of the restoration, men would mark their homes, their tools, their door frames, etc with the outward phrase, "Holiness To The Lord (YHVH)" or other instruments containing scriptures (i.e. mezuzah) because whether in life or death, sin or obedience, the acknowledgment of the presence of God in all things brought the person out from under the power and shame produced by our adversary and back into the presence of God and the path of true healing and redemption.  By putting up signposts (whether physical or spiritual) we open ourselves to the divine presence- we begin both outwardly and inwardly acknowledge his living presence or eye.  It was not the question of "Why bad things happen to good people" or the declaration that  "Prosperity follows the Righteous", but that the presence of God fills the whole earth in the here and now.  In fact we walk in it daily and with every breath we breathe.

In other words, we wake up to the presence of God each morning even as we lie down in his arms each night.  We go to work or school each day as if the presence of God is with us.  We administer to our loved ones and to the stranger on the street as if before the presence of God.  We change diapers, we clean toilets, we nurse our babies, we take out the garbage, etc etc all as if we are continually before the presence of God in all our thoughts, words, and deeds. In doing so the spiritual heart of man is revealed even as the carnal man begins to fall away before his all searching eye.

This discipline of practicing or acknowledging that we live continually in the presence of God is also demonstrated by the teaching of the "eye" of God.  The Prophet Jacob declares:

"O, my beloved brethren, remember my words. Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood." (2 Nephi 9:44)

and

"But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing eye of the Almighty God." (Jacob 2:10)

The Prophets of Israel walked in the discipline of living/practicing the presence of God.  This discipline was taught to their students as in doing so they began to come out from their spiritual hiding places, experience their nakedness before God, and walk in the path of his presence in this world.  Their acknowledgment of God's presence in their heart (thoughts) and in the world around them was a key discipline by which they lived and governed their lives and in doing so unleashed a fundamental power of transformation and the utter destruction of doubt/unbelief.

(to be continued)

Copyright Robert Kay October 19, 2019

Decoding The Book of Mormon- The Death Of Unbelief

"Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief.

Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief.

Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel." (Ether 4:13-15)

The battle between man and his unbelief is as old as time itself. Since the fall, man has been placed in a position to act and be acted upon.  This condition allowed an opening for an angel of light to appear among the Children of Adam and deceive them to, "believe it not":

"And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters. And Satan came among them, saying: I am also a son of God; and he commanded them, saying: Believe it not; and they believed it not, and they loved Satan more than God. And men began from that time forth to be carnal, sensual, and devilish." (Moses 5:12-13)

The seed of doubt planted by our Adversary resulted in the birth of the ego or natural man.  This is why in Hebraic thought, haSatan (i.e. Satan) is not only equated with an angelic being but also the ego within each of us. It is the ego of man which serves as a veil or blackout curtains to obscure the light of God which is ever present.  Instead of journeying to find the Light of God out there in religious systems of the world, all we need to is to pull back the curtains of our ego or natural men and women to reveal the light in its fullness.

THE ANCIENT TEACHINGS REGARDING UNBELIEF

The Book of Mormon as an Israelite document contains great truths that are both revealed and concealed at the same time.  To unlock these great and marvelous truths, we require the keys of knowledge preserved by the various branches of the House of Israel and an understanding of their methods of teaching. One such teaching written in a coded manner is the destruction of the Amalekites.

After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, they stopped for a brief period of rest at a place called Rephidim. It was here that God provided a miraculous gift of water to satisfy the thirst of the children of Israel in the wilderness. While they were resting, the nation of Amalek engaged in a surprise attack on the Israelites. Although the Israelites had made no incursion upon the Amalekites, the next day they were engaged in a bitter battle that resulted Israel defeating the Amalekites. As a result of this battle, God swore that the Amalekites would be utterly destroyed. What is strange is that after their 40 year wandering in the wilderness, Moses reminded the Israelites of God's commandment to destroy Amalek.

It was this commandment that later led God to reiterate this commandment to King Saul through the prophet Samuel:

"Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (1 Samuel 15:1-3)

In Israelite thought, while these stories are based in literal occurrences, the stories are communicated in such a manner to preserve and perpetuate great and marvelous truths.  They were not meant to be taken hyper-literal, but were great truths communicated in story form revolving around historical events. The destruction of Amalek is one such story.

In Israelite thought, the story of Amalek is a great teaching regarding the utter destruction of doubt or unbelief. Rather than God issuing a command to destroy every element of the kingdom of Amalek, in Israelite thought God is commanding the destruction of every element of doubt or unbelief. The key to this mystery is hidden in the numeric value of the Hebrew letters that make up the name of Amalek (עמלק) or 240.  240 is also the same value of the Hebrew word for “doubt” (ספק).

The Book of Mormon as an Israelite record was meant to preserve many of these plain and precious truths.  In doing so, it also draws upon the hidden coding of the Torah (Old Testament) to communicate these great and marvelous truths to future generations. In true Israelite fashion, the Book of Mormon also uses the same methods of prophetic coding to both conceal and reveal.

THE BOOK OF MORMON AND THE DEATH OF UNBELIEF

As God commanded and Israel to destroy every element of doubt which was symbolized by the utter destruction of Amalek, we too are commanded to utterly destroy every element of doubt that keeps us from progressing in our journey to the Promised Land or The Presence of God.  Following the pattern of the Torah and ancient paths, the Book of Mormon also reveals in like manner ancient instructions regarding our war against the elements of doubt.  In doing so, it also draws upon the ancient Israelite manner of coded instruction to communicate the same principles in their purity.

The first appearance of the word Amalekite in the Book of Mormon is found in Alma 21.  Here the Son's of King Mosiah (a type and shadow of the Messiah) are found teaching the word in a city of Jerusalem to the Amalekites:

"Now when Ammon and his brethren separated themselves in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, behold Aaron took his journey towards the land which was called by the Lamanites, Jerusalem, calling it after the land of their fathers’ nativity; and it was away joining the borders of Mormon. Now the Lamanites and the Amalekites and the people of Amulon had built a great city, which was called Jerusalem.

Now the Lamanites of themselves were sufficiently hardened, but the Amalekites and the Amulonites were still harder; therefore they did cause the Lamanites that they should harden their hearts, that they should wax strong in wickedness and their abominations. And it came to pass that Aaron came to the city of Jerusalem, and first began to preach to the Amalekites. And he began to preach to them in their synagogues, for they had built synagogues after the border of the Nehors; for many of the Amalekites and the Amulonites were after the order of the Nehors.

Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to preach unto the people, and as he was speaking unto them, behold there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying: What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an angel? Why do not angels appear unto us? Behold are not this people as good as thy people?" (Alma 21:1-5)

In Israelite thought the word Jerusalem serves as a metaphor for the human heart which is the center and source of thought in the Israelite mind. It was taught that everything we have in this world descends from Heaven above.  As such there is a Heavenly Jerusalem Above and and earthly Jerusalem Below.  That this teaching in relation to the Amalekites (doubts) in the Book of Mormon takes place in an earthly city called Jerusalem is quite remarkable in that it portrays the human heart (Jerusalem) as the stage where the battle takes place.

Aaron Unveils The Doubts:

As Aaron enters one of their synagogues to preach to the people, he is faced with an Amalekite who contends with him and a discussion ensues demonstrating the doubts of the Amalekite:

"Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to preach unto the people, and as he was speaking unto them, behold there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying: What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an angel? Why do not angels appear unto us? Behold care not this people as good as thy people?

Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish. How knowest thou the thought and intent of our hearts? How knowest thou that we have cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are not a righteous people? Behold, we have built sanctuaries, and we do assemble ourselves together to worship God. We do believe that God will save all men." (Alma 21:5-6)

Obviously, the Amalekites of the Book of Mormon were a religious people. They had built sanctuaries and assembled often to worship God.  Their envy and proclamation of their own religious observance is the basis of their understanding of the salvation of God.

THE SEED OF FAITH VERSUS THE SEED OF DOUBT

In response to this Amalkite (doubt), Aaron attempts to plant the seed of faith that is centered in the Messiah of Israel.  It is in planting this seed of faith in the Messiah, that doubt can be extinguished:

"Now Aaron said unto him: Believest thou that the Son of God shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?

And the man said unto him: We do not believe that thou knowest any such thing. We do not believe in these foolish traditions. We do not believe that thou knowest of things to come, neither do we believe that thy fathers and also that our fathers did know concerning the things which they spake, of that which is to come.

Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.

And it came to pass as he began to expound these things unto them they were angry with him, and began to mock him; and they would not hear the words which he spake." (Alma 21:7-10)

Here we see that in the doubts of the Amalekites they have no room in their hearts for the seed of Faith which is in Messiah (Jesus Christ).  Yet in demonstrating this account of Aaron's dealing with his Amalekites, we find the first and most essential teaching in our war against doubt, "Believest thou that the Son of God shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?"

The seed of faith commences with a belief or at least a desire to believe in Jesus Christ (Yehoshuah Messiah) as our Savior and Redeemer.  Just as faith and doubt cannot exist in the heart of man at the same time, when Aaron saw that they would not even hear his words he departed out of their synagogue and left their Jerusalem (hearts).

Later we see this teaching reiterated by the Prophet Alma as he taught among the Zoramites:

"O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?

If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.

And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen." (Alma 33:21-23)

While there are many who doubt the veracity of the Book of Mormon, it is truly a marvelous Israelite work to behold. It is not by accident that we see these same principles regarding the death of doubt and unbelief connected with the usage of the word 'Amalekite' in the Book of Mormon. Hidden in plain sight we see the prophet writers of the Book of Mormon drawing upon an ancient teaching regarding God's command to utterly destroy the Amalekites (doubts) in the Torah to communicate a very plain and precious truth that belief or even the desire to believe in Jesus Christ and his redemption is the seed we plant that will grow into a Tree of Life. And not only is it the seed but the indispensable foundation upon which we must learn to wage our warfare against doubt and unbelief.

(to be continued)

The Death of Doubt- God's Pattern of Warfare

MORMONISM AND THE MYSTERY OF THE HONEY BEE

"Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye bends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price." (2 Nephi 26:25)

When Mormons adopted the symbol of the beehive as one that represented the heart of what it means to be a true Latter-Day Saint, little did they know of the deeply rooted Israelite meaning behind this ancient symbol.  It is a symbol which aptly fits the true purpose of what Mormonism was meant to be and one that should remind us of the great and marvelous gifts of God revealed in the Restoration. While it has been traditionally taught as having the meaning of "industriousness" the Israelite meaning of this symbol is far more ancient than many suppose.

In Israelite thought the symbol of honey, the honey bee, and the honey comb referred to the secret and concealed teachings of the Torah (The Knowledge of The Fathers) as passed down from the beginning of time, even Adam.

With this understanding, the Book of Mormon reveals something in symbol form meant to both reveal and conceal.  When the Prophet Nephi and his family came to the land of Bountiful in preparation for their ascent to the Land of Promise they found the land to be filled with wild honey and took this honey in abundance for their journey across the many waters:

"And we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were prepared of the Lord that we might not perish. And we beheld the sea, which we called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is many waters." (1 Nephi 17:5)

"And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared all things, much fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading and our seeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the ship, with our wives and our children." (1 Nephi 18:6)

Not only did Nephi take with them physical honey in abundance but also the secret and most ancient teachings of The Fathers.  The mention of these various species of animals, plants, seeds, etc. is an allusion to draw the mind of the reader to the symbolism of the Feast of Sukkot wherein Israel dwells in Tents/booths and adorns their booths with the four species. This knowledge of The Fathers is essential in being able to cross the great deep of the waters which separate us from the spiritual Land of Promise and the Throne Room of God.  Without these ancient and sublime teachings of God's words, we cannot ascend into this eternal Land of Promise.

This same teaching was also expressed by the Prophet Isaiah. The Prophet Nephi draws upon the words of Isaiah to communicate many great and marvelous truths of the Knowledge of The Fathers:

"Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign—Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good." (2 Nephi 17:14-15)

Here the prophet Isaiah is using the concept of "what has been shall be" or draw upon the events of his time to communicate a Messianic prophecy that the Messiah shall be fed upon the ancient teachings of The Fathers that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.

THE JAREDITES AND THE HONEY BEE

"And they did also carry with them deseret, which, by interpretation, is a honey bee; and thus they did carry with them swarms of bees, and all manner of that which was upon the face of the land, seeds of every kind.

Like the Nephites, the Jaredites also took with them the honey bee, swarms of bees, and seeds of every kind.  Here they symbol of the honey bee is employed not just as a literal honey bee but also a symbol that they also had the secret and ancient Knowledge of the Fathers. The mention of these bees and the honey they provide is also mentioned just prior to the Jaredites building of their barges to cross the great deep to reach the Land of Promise.

MORMONS AND THE HONEY BEE

With this understanding of the symbol of honey, the bee, and the hive rather than just being a sign of industriousness the more sublime meaning is that Mormonism was meant to be a hive or place of preservation and perpetuation of the Ancient Knowledge and Science of The Fathers that leads mankind from their wanderings in the Wilderness to ascend to The Land of Promise and Throne of God. If we think for a moment on the importance of honey bees and their important role in the preservation of life as they gather pollen and seed the many different plants that provide both beauty and nourishment, then it is no wonder that God also uses this symbol to demonstrate the beauty and nourishment that the Knowledge of The Fathers brings to us and this world in preserving and perpetuating life.


Copyright Robert Kay October 10, 2019