The Book of Mormon – A Covenant Roadmap to Zion (Part 2A)

Words of Mormon, Mosiah, Alma, and Helaman – The Exodus of the Book of Mormon - The Second Pillar of Our Covenant Relationship

From the Words of Mormon to the Records of Mosiah, Alma, and Helaman we find the second pillar of the covenant relationship in the Book of Mormon.   The account begins with an exodus of King Benjamin's Father King Mosiah who led a remnant of the Nephites on an Exodus on the eve of the destruction of the Nephites to a remnant of Jacob- The people of Zarahemla.  

In fact in the name Zarahemla we are given a key to the understanding of this portion of the covenant treaty.  In Hebrew the word zara means seed or children.  The portion 'hemla' appears to be a phonetic spelling of the word chaim meaning life.  When put together we see these records comprising the portion of God's Covenant that instructs us on the order/patter/image of the seed or the children of life- even the children of Christ.

In The Book of Mosiah we see God declaring himself again through his Messenger to King Benjamin who is the servant King to the people in the Land of Zarahemla (Mosiah 3:2-3).  His reign and words are reminiscent of Moses and a type and shadow of Christ who was yet to come. In King Benjamin’s address he confirms the covenant hierarchy and mediation through the Son of God. In Mosiah 3 the covenant hierarchy is established with the Son of God being declared as the Ruler and Mediator of the Covenant.  King Benjamin establishes the people as a covenant people like Moses did with the Children of Israel along with his role in the hierarchy established by God for the Nephites as a Servant King.  We are shown the opposing hierarchy of the corrupt King Noah and his system of priestcraft as a comparison to God’s righteous system through King Noah. 

Like the incident of the Golden Calf we are given various accounts of covenant rebellion and restoration to covenant. In the accounts of the Sons of Mosiah, Alma the Younger, Korihor, Nehor, the Zoramites, etc we are shown the rebellion of the people as they attempt to establish and maintain their counterfeit systems of Sovereignty and Hierarchy as opposed to the pillars of Sovereignty and Hierarchy in God's covenant.   Like ancient Israel who sought to establish their own order through a a golden medium, we are shown similar forms of rebellion and idolatry whether it be priest-craft, lawyer-craft, or king-craft.  Following the inclination of the natural man, they wanted a god they could manipulate. Here we find King Benjamin’s address which teaches his people how to fulfill the Commandments of God at Sinai.  We also see a reiteration of the Commandments of God given at Sinai by Abinadi and a covenant lawsuit against King Noah, his priests, and the people in the Land of Nephi.  We find several Exodus accounts in King Mosiah I and in Alma’s people.

The Fall of Adam altered man’s position with God as his Covenant Representative on Earth to build up and establish his Kingdom/righteous dominion over the face of the Earth.   To bring man back into a perfect condition with him and once again establish man as his covenant image or representative on earth, God then erects the second Covenant Pillar- Hierarchy and Mediation. 

Even as Adam was created to be in the image of God, Christ as the second Adam is also begotten in the image of God.  As the image of God on Earth, Christ makes his Father’s kingdom visible to men. He is the covenant representative of the Father in whom the perfect image of the Father resides.  As THE SON OF GOD all power and authority is given to him.  He is root from which the trunk of the tree of life grows and to which all other branches connect for life and salvation.  He is the pinnacle of the Hierarchy established by the Father to which all other delegated authorities account.

Joseph Smith expressed this same principle of covenant hierarchy in the Lectures on Faith:

“There are two personages who constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things—by whom all things were created and made, that are created and made, whether visible or invisible: whether in heaven, on earth, or in the earth, under the earth, or throughout the immensity of space—They are the Father and the Son: The Father being a personage of spirit, glory and power: possessing all perfection and fulness: The Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, a personage of tabernacle, made, or fashioned like unto man, or being in the form and likeness of man, or, rather, man was formed after his likeness, and in his image;—he is also the express image and likeness of the personage of the Father: possessing all the fulness of the Father, or, the same fulness with the Father; being begotten of him, and was ordained from before the foundation of the world to be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should believe on his name, and is called the Son because of the flesh—and descended in suffering below that which man can suffer, or, in other words, suffered greater sufferings, and was exposed to more powerful contradictions than any man can be…The Father and the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power and fulness: Filling all in all—the Son being filled with the fulness of the Mind, glory and power, or, in other words, the Spirit, glory and power of the Father—possessing all knowledge and glory, and the same kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image and likeness of the Father—a Mediator for man—being filled with the fulness of the Mind of the Father, or, in other words, the Spirit of the Father: which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name and keep his commandments: and all those who keep his commandments shall grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind, being transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express image of him who fills all in all: being filled with the fulness of his glory, and become one in him, even as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.” (Lectures on Faith 3:2)

OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN--HALLOWED BY THY NAME

As an expression of covenant prayer, the opening of the Lord's prayer could aptly summarize the first pillar of the covenant, "Our Father which art in Heaven may your name be Set Apart."

In Israelite culture a person’s name was more than just a means of identification such as Tom, Dick, or Harry as it is today. A person’s name was a description of who they were-their character and attributes.  Like a wife to her husband, the phrase "take upon the name", was an expression that a wife had not only taken on the outward name of her husband but had become "one" with her husband by embodying her husbands love, law, and instructions. The husband prepared a home or "sacred space" for his bride and out of the desire to be one she filled the home with life.  

Unlike many of our homes today where the image of God's covenant order has become distorted or abused, God's home or sacred space is a place where love is the rule because his commandments are honored.  The rules of the house set up by the husband (God) establish the protective boundaries and defenses that allow his family to grow in strength and righteousness.  Without these protective boundaries and defenses predators enter in, defile his sacred space, and his home and children are destroyed. 

The Holy or Set Apart Condition of God's Name (his laws, character, and attributes) expresses the awesomeness of our God (YHVH).  As He revealed himself to the Fathers-Abraham, Isaac, Jacob-- He also revealed his name to the Book of Mormon Fathers. Because of the love and mercy of God the Fathers prevailed with God because of their trust and loyalty to him.  As a result, those promises also extend to the posterity of the Fathers.  It is for us to lay covenant claim upon those promises by walking the same path of covenant loyalty that they did. 

When we uphold and establish God's covenant pattern or order in our lives by establishing his commandments, his character, and attributes in our lives, we take upon his Name as did the Fathers.  When we organize and create the society that exists in Heaven here on Earth we set apart his Name.  When the image of God is engraved in our hearts as he engraved his commandments upon tablets of stone, we commence creating the sacred space for his presence to return.

The establishment of God's Kingdom begins and ends with the establishment of his name (laws, character, and attributes).  The establishment of the second covenant pillar begins by taking upon the name of the King and becoming one with him by embodying is commandments, character, and attributes.  We see an example of this with Moses, "Then the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord;  And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob. I am the Lord God Almighty; the Lord JEHOVAH. And was not my name known unto them? Yea, and I have also established my covenant with them, which I made with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers." (JST Exodus 6:1-4)

We see the same pattern with King Benjamin, "And moreover, I shall give this people a name, that thereby they may be distinguished above all the people which the Lord God hath brought out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I do because they have been a diligent people in keeping the commandments of the Lord. And I give unto them a name that never shall be blotted out, except it be through transgression." (Mosiah 1:11-12)

 Even as the name of God (his commandments, character, and attributes) becomes engraven upon the fleshy tablets of our hearts constitutes the establishment of his kingdom both in individuals and a community, rebellion and abandonment of his commandments, character and attributes constitutes the blotting out (the losing of covenant status and the ensuing judgments) of a people.

GOD'S KINGDOM ORDER - THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

Just as the first pillar of God's covenant relationship can be expressed in the phrase, "Our Father which art in Heaven--Hallowed be thy Name."  The second pillar of the covenant could be expressed in the phrase, "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be Done, On Earth as it is in Heaven. The second pillar of God's covenant establishes the order of his house--or Kingdom Order. It is THE PATTERN that all other relationships in God's kingdom are modeled after. Whether it be our spiritual relationship with Him, the relationship of marriage with our spouse, our relationships with our children, or our relationships with our neighbors, all eternal relationships in God's kingdom are smaller or greater copies of this one eternal pattern.  By establishing his kingdom pattern God gives us the pattern that every other relationship that exists in his kingdom. The Foundation of this pillar is laid in the deliverance of his people or bride.

The Second Pillar of the Covenant:  Kingdom Order and Mediation

The word order often evokes images of organized corporate systems such as are found in the military, a large business corporation, or an organized system of religion.  While many have often had four letter word experiences with various systems of order, the idea of order is not a four letter word- especially when it comes to God's Kingdom Order.  By establishing the order of God's Kingdom in our lives we establish the conduit through which Heaven and Earth interact with each other.  It also establishes the pattern of the Kingdom of God with Christ as King and Mediator of the covenant along with the social order he seeks to establish in his kingdom.

Just as the Book of Genesis establishes the covenant pillar of God's Sovereignty, in the Book of Exodus we see God establishing his Kingdom Order beginning with himself as God,” Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11)  We also see the establishment of an order of Judges elected from among the body of the people in Exodus 18.  We see Moses established as a mediator between the presence of God and the Children of Israel in Exodus 19.  We see the Children of Israel reject the sovereignty of God by attempting to obtain God’s glory and presence through a medium-the golden calf- and the resulting rebellion. 

Jesus Christ – Prophet, Priest and King

This Covenant Pillar is erected in our lives when we acknowledge and uphold Jesus Christ as the sole authority from the Father who is in the express image of the Father.  Like the royal archway of the temple of God, He is THE PROPHET, PRIEST, AND KING.

He is THE PROPHET because he is THE WORD OF THE FATHER,” For in the beginning was the Word, even the Son, who is made flesh, and sent unto us by the will of the Father. And as many as believe on his name shall receive of his fullness. And of his fullness have all we received, even immortality and eternal life, through his grace. “ (JST John 1:16)

He is THE PRIEST because HE is the fulfillment of the LAW, “And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new. Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses. Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.” (3 Nephi 15:3-5) As a true priest correctly interpreted and performed the commandments (the definition of fulfilled in Israelite understanding) given by God therefore it has accomplished its purpose.

He is THE KING because ALL POWER AND AUTHORITY HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO HIM IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

King Benjamin – A Type and Shadow of Christ

Following in the path of the Holy Order of God, King Benjamin serves as an example of a righteous Prophet, Priest, and King who stands in the image of Christ to his People.  As a Prophet he delivered the word of God that God declared unto him by a holy messenger to declare to his people.  As a priest he correctly interpreted and performed the law (Hebrew: fulfilled the law) among his people.  As a King, he exemplified the image of Christ as the Greatest Among Us -and yet the servant of all:

“Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.  Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.  And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.  Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?” (Mosiah 2:15-18)

God’s Covenant Hierarchy – Sons and Daughters of God

The institutions of the World and Hierarchies established in the image of men, however well intentioned, are examples of counterfeit covenant constructs whereby men lift themselves above not only one another but above the rightful covenant ruler who is God.   As King of Heaven and Earth, God is the Father of All and his covenant subjects are his children:  

”And now, these are the words which king Benjamin desired of them; and therefore he said unto them: Ye have spoken the words that I desired; and the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant.  And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.” (Mosiah 5:6-7)

It is the natural man who seeks to lift himself above his brother, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” (Mosiah 3:19)

Office and apostleship do not exempt one from the fallen nature. The consistency of man’s fallen nature was found among his own disciples in Jerusalem.  Even among his closest disciples we see the covenant hierarchy of the natural man as opposed to the hierarchy of Christ– The Prototype of the Saved Man:

“What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave-For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:21-28)

Summary:

The establishment of God's Kingdom commences with the deliverance of his people and the proclaiming of his NAME.  In declaring the NAME of Jesus Christ, God establishes not only the identity of the King, but also proclaims the commandments, character, and attributes of the King.  The citizens of the kingdom in guarding and embodying the commandments, character, and attributes of the King become the children of the King--or the Children of Christ. Establishing the NAME brings forth the blessings of Heaven by erecting the framework of the temple (or sacred space) so that a place may be prepared for the presence of God to inhabit. Abandoning the commandments, character, or attributes of the King constitutes a form of covenant treason or rebellion causing the curses of the covenant to be poured out.

Christ is our King.  He is the greatest among us even as he was the servant of all.  He who had life within himself gave his life so that those with no life may have life in them. The King and the establishment of his name constitute the foundation of his Kingdom.

Coming Soon - Part 2B

The Framework of the Kingdom Revealed, What does the framework prepare us for? The Types of Covenant Rebellion.

HAVE YOU FELT TO SING THE SONG OF REDEEMING LOVE

WHAT IS THE SONG OF REDEEMING LOVE

The Song of Redeeming Love is the first recorded song of praise in the Bible. The Prophet Isaiah tells us that this song of redeeming love was sung on the night of Passover:

You shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept, and gladness of heart, as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel. (Isaiah 30:29)

This song was sung by Moses as they left slavery in Egypt. It is a song of hope and faith as Israel looked to God after his promised deliverance from Egypt and the armies of Pharaoh.  This song that was sung by the Red Sea was so precious to Israel that even to this day this song is still sung and remembered by Israel. It is a song of celebration and awe at God's delivering right hand.  It is perhaps one of the greatest songs ever written. In the book of Revelation it becomes not only the song of Moses but the victory song of the Messiah who has brought each one of us out of slavery to sin and praises Him as the author of life and salvation.

The Song of Redeeming Love

To Sing the Song one must first know what the song is.

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord,
    for he has triumphed gloriously;
he has hurled both horse and rider
    into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him—
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him!

The Lord is a warrior;
    Yahweh is his name!

Pharaoh’s chariots and army
    he has hurled into the sea.
The finest of Pharaoh’s officers
    are drowned in the Red Sea.

The deep waters gushed over them;
    they sank to the bottom like a stone.

“Your right hand, O Lord,
    is glorious in power.
Your right hand, O Lord,
    smashes the enemy.

 In the greatness of your majesty,
    you overthrow those who rise against you.
You unleash your blazing fury;
    it consumes them like straw.

At the blast of your breath,
    the waters piled up!
The surging waters stood straight like a wall;
    in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard.

“The enemy boasted, ‘I will chase them
    and catch up with them.
I will plunder them
    and consume them.
I will flash my sword;
    my powerful hand will destroy them.’

But you blew with your breath,
    and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
    in the mighty waters.

“Who is like you among the gods, O Lord—
    glorious in holiness,
awesome in splendor,
    performing great wonders?

You raised your right hand,
    and the earth swallowed our enemies.

“With your unfailing love you lead
    the people you have redeemed.
In your might, you guide them
    to your sacred home.

The peoples hear and tremble;
    anguish grips those who live in Philistia.
The leaders of Edom are terrified;
    the nobles of Moab tremble.
All who live in Canaan melt away;
    terror and dread fall upon them.
The power of your arm
    makes them lifeless as stone
until your people pass by, O Lord,
    until the people you purchased pass by.

You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain—
    the place, O Lord, reserved for your own dwelling,
    the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established.

The Lord will reign forever and ever!”

(Exodus 15)

THE CAPTIVITY OF SIN EVEN AS THE CAPTIVITY OF OUR FATHERS

The Book of Mormon is a covenant record for our time and land.  Like Alma's Church we are living in a day of Iniquity when the Iniquity has not only infiltrated the Church but also the hearts of the people.  We see sin and lawlessness enthroned while holiness and righteousness are shunned and scorned. But, for those whose hearts have been pricked by the message of the Everlasting Gospel, the Book of Mormon turns us from the path of covenant rebellion to the path of covenant oneness with God.  To see this path requires a change of heart--a desire to be free from the bondage of sin and iniquity.  To walk this path requires the intervention of Jesus Christ-the right hand of God.

In true Passover (Pesach) tradition demonstrated in Alma Chapter 5, Alma draws upon an ancient song of praise that has been preserved by Israel to this day.  He draws the peoples minds to the captivity of their "fathers". In true Israelite fashion, he turns the minds of Zarahemla (The Descendants or Seed of Life) back to the captivity of their fathers even Israel in Egypt and also their fathers --the people of King Noah in captivity to the Lamanites in the Land of Nephi.

" I, Alma, having been consecrated by my father, Alma, to be a high priest over the church of God, he having power and authority from God to do these things, behold, I say unto you that he began to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of Nephi; yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon; yea, and he did baptize his brethren in the waters of Mormon. And behold, I say unto you, they were delivered out of the hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God.

 And behold, after that, they were brought into bondage by the hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness; yea, I say unto you, they were in captivity, and again the Lord did deliver them out of bondage by the power of his word; and we were brought into this land, and here we began to establish the church of God throughout this land also.And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance that he has delivered their souls from hell?

Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them. And now I ask of you, my brethren, were they destroyed? Behold, I say unto you, Nay, they were not.

 And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand, and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved." (Alma 5:3-9)

HAVE YOU FELT TO SING THIS SONG OF REDEEMING LOVE?

When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses.  Like a shepherd, Moses led the children of Israel to the Mountain of the Lord where God himself dwelt. Even so Alma calls us to heed the voice of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ:

"O ye workers of iniquity; ye that are puffed up in the vain things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone astray, as sheep having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after you and is still calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto his voice!

Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you; yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ; and if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd, to the name by which ye are called, behold, ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd." (Alma 5: 37-38)

When we are in a state of covenant rebellion our sins become as if it were the captivity of our Fathers. Outside the bounds of God's covenant relationship and kingdom is a world of trials and tribulation. Like the trials and tribulations of Egypt, the conditions of covenant rebellion place us under the dominion of our adversary. Make no mistake, the kingdom of trials and tribulations is powerful and seeks to rival the kingdom of God himself.  The chains of this kingdom are real and like Pharaoh's armies they seek to encircle us with the bands of death, hell, and destruction.

"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?" (Alma 5:26)

The Book of Mormon – A Covenant Roadmap to Zion (Part 1)

HAVE YOU EMBRACED YOUR NEW COVENANT

The works and words of the Lord are Great and Marvelous.  Indeed, there are great revelations of light and truth before our very eyes written in plainness.  Because of tradition and transgression, we often find ourselves without the light of truth and our minds become darkened:

“And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received— Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.  And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written— That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion.” (D&C 84:54-58)

How many times have we heard the admonition to read the Book of Mormon?  How many times have we read it?  How many times do we have to read it until we get it?  These may seem like simplistic questions, but perhaps the challenge we face is not reading the Book of Mormon from cover to cover, over and over again, but reading it with covenant eyeglasses.  Instead of reading it in a linear/Greek fashion let us examine the Book of Mormon as a NEW COVENANT.

Our modern American culture is so foreign to that of the writers of the Book of Mormon that we are missing the importance and details of their message that were meant to be communicated.  The prophet-writers of the Book of Mormon were Israelites.  Their account follows the language and culture of ancient Israel.  Like the Torah (Five Books of Moses), the Book of Mormon follows the pattern of a covenant treaty.   If we approach the Book of Mormon from this paradigm, we will find that we have been given a layered message with the heart of the message being the specific instructions on how to be reconciled to Christ, come into his presence,  and to become a Zion people.

Ancient Israelite Covenant relationships and treaties can be identified on the basis of certain principles or pillars that establish the covenant treaty and govern the relationship.  If God as the King is the grantor of the covenant then as such he establishes the terms of the covenant.  We as the recipient of the covenant, (and as a lesser being), are only in a position to either accept or reject the covenant relationship and the terms.  Once accepted the terms become binding.  Loyalty to the King and obedience to the terms brings blessings.  Disloyalty to the King and transgression of the terms brings covenant curses. 

What we are after is the "Heart" of the Covenant. As once the seed that God desires to plant in our hearts takes root, we receive the name of Christ/Messiah and conform to his image.  Having conformed to his image we are then able to produce the fruits that God desires us to bring forth. These words are not just symbolic but literal. Our God is a covenant making and keeping God. His Kingdom or righteous dominion is established and governed by covenant. Those who would enter by some other way are "thieves and liars" because without the grant of a covenant they have no claim on the promises God made to the Fathers.  With regard to the Book of Mormon, the fathers we are speaking of are Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, Enos, down to Omni.  Their record comprises God's revelation of himself and a declaration of his sovereignty:

 6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly. (God's Revelation of Himself)

 7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

 8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.(Declaration of God's Sovereignty), (1 Nephi 1) 

THE OBJECT OF OUR FAITH

While at first glance this revelation of God to Lehi and the visionary declaration of his sovereignty may seem self evident and simplistic, this testimony of Father Lehi establishes the identity of God (i.e. the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and declares his majesty and power through a Heavenly Vision of God sitting upon his throne surrounded by concourses of mighty ones.  Just as Lehi sees God at the center of all creation so too does Joseph Smith declare a revelation of God and his sovereignty:

"We here observe that God is the only supreme governor, and independent being, in whom all fulness and perfection dwells; who is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient; without beginning of days or end of life; and that in him every good gift, and every good principle dwells; and that he is the Father of lights: In him the principle of faith dwells independently; and he is the object in whom the faith of all other rational and accountable beings centers, for life and salvation." (Lectures on Faith 2:2)

GOD - THE CENTER OF OUR FAITH

In Hebrew the word for faith is more than just mental belief.  Aman/Emunah which is translated as faith/faithfulness denotes trusting loyalty and dependence upon God.  In the Hebraic sense faith is not that I merely believe that God exists, but that he exists and I trust him, am loyal to him, and recognize my dependence upon him like a wife to a husband, a child to their father, or a servant to a King.  If as Father Lehi states that God is in the center surrounded by concourses of angels and "...he is the object in whom the faith of all other rational and accountable beings centers, for life and salvation." then this record of Nephi is our Genesis or the Beginning of our Faith in that it establishes the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at our center and to whom we are placing our trust, our loyalty, and our dependence upon in all things. 

GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY AND OUR LOYALTY - THE FIRST PILLAR OF OUR COVENANT RELATIONSHIP

Just as the Book of Genesis establishes the first pillar or foundation of Israel's covenant relationship with God, so too does the record of the Book of Mormon Fathers establish the foundation of our covenant relationship with God in this land.  As a “New Covenant” we would expect that the Book of Mormon would contain its own Genesis.  The first six books of the book of Mormon comprise the “Genesis” of the Book of Mormon. In true covenant pattern, the books of Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom, and Omni establish the first pillar of the New Covenant.  In God’s revelation of himself to Lehi and Nephi we see the covenant declaration of himself as God and the God of their Fathers-Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  We see in these records an account of God’s dealings with the Book of Mormon Fathers (Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, etc.) just as Genesis gives us an account of God’s dealings with the Fathers of the Children of Israel.  Like Genesis, this first portion taken from the Plates of Nephi establish the promises God made to the Book of Mormon Fathers, the history and beginnings of their covenant,  and their covenant land of promise as their inheritance in the Americas.   

PROMISES MADE TO THE FATHERS & THE BOOK OF MORMON FATHERS

Notice that the covenant of Lehi is derivative of Israel's covenant relationship with the Fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph), which is why he goes to lengths to point out that he is a descendant of Joseph (one of the Fathers to whom God made covenant with in the Book of Genesis):

"And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine." (1 Nephi 5:14)

Lehi points this out because as all covenant relationships have a beginning, God also establishes the eternal continuity of the covenant through the posterity of the one to whom he made Covenant.  We see this established by God's promises to Adam and Eve and their seed, God's promises to Enoch and his Seed, God's promises to Abraham and his seed, and now Lehi and his seed. 

These first records included by Mormon are essential in establishing our covenant relationship with God because not only does it reveal to us the identity of God and him as the sole object of our faith/loyalty, but in includes the historical records of the PROMISES God made to the Book of Mormon Fathers in specific regard to this covenant land grant  - AMERICA- and the people who reside on it. These records serve not only as a legal declaration of treaty between God and Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, and Enos, but they contain the actual historical setting and promises God made to them and all those who reside in this land. 

SO WHAT ABOUT THE PROMISES!

The promises made by God to the Book of Mormon Fathers are many.  In fact so many that there is not the space here to fully enumerate them.  But here are a few to start:

…And because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!” (1 Nephi 1: 14)

…But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance. (1 Nephi 1:20)

And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands. (1 Nephi 2: 20)

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7)

4And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying, “I know that I am a visionary man; for if I had not seen the things of God in a vision, I should not have known the goodness of God, but had tarried at Jerusalem, and had perished with my brethren. 5But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness.” (1 Nephi 5:4-5)

16And thus my father, Lehi, did discover the genealogy of his fathers. And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he and his fathers had kept the records. 17And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed— 18that these Plates of Brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed. 19Wherefore, he said that these Plates of Brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. And he prophesied many things concerning his seed. (1 Nephi 5:16-19)

17And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God— and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come— I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men. 18For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him. 19For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; Wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round. (1 Nephi 10:17-19)

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This is why it is essential for our covenant future and that of our children to search these first records to identity the promises God has established in this legal treaty.  Without a knowledge of these promises we have no hope.  Hope in an Israelite mind is not wishful thinking, but it is the expectation based on a PROMISE, therefore without a knowledge of these promises we have no idea what we are to expect in this covenant relationship.  The historical record of the Book of Mormon Fathers demonstrates that a covenant keeping God made them promises and promises to their posterity and others in regard to this land.  They also demonstrate a fulfillment of these promises to them as each of the Fathers obtained a fulfillment of the promises by receiving the revelation of God and his Messiah, being delivered out of tribulation in their wilderness, and obtaining a land of promises (among many other things).

Walking in the Covenant

God having revealed himself to the Fathers and establishing his sovereignty over all things establishes the first pillar of our covenant relationship.  We are then presented with a choice will we accept his rule and pledge our loyalty to him as the center of our faith?  As we go down into the waters of baptism we make a formal declaration of our loyalty and our intent to obey the God of our Fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, Enos). Having made a declaration of our acceptance of him and our loyalty to him, we must then search diligently in record of the Fathers to identify the promises God made to them and us as the recipients of their record.  

Once we have identified the promises made, the journey really begins. We must lay hold upon the promises-- or in other words we must make a claim for the promises.  God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him. (Acts 10:43) As a covenant relationship is bound by legal terms, we must also make legal requests under the covenant.  In other words, we have to ask for the promises to be fulfilled.  

In ancient Israel, there was a protocol of prayer that has been preserved in what is called the Amidah. The pattern of this mode or practice of prayer can be seen in what we call The Lord's Prayer.  In every case from Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Isaiah, Nehemiah this type of prayer can be seen.  To make a long story short in regard to this ancient patter of prayer, The Fathers literally prayed the promises.  Like a servant supplicating to a King or a child to a Father, they acknowledged the Sovereignty of God and requested a fulfillment of his promises to them based on the covenant God made with the Fathers.  In all requests, though, they submitted themselves to his will and authority, "Not my will but they will be done."  They did not ask frivolous items or demonstrations of special effects of God's powers.  Everything was requested to do one thing become one (echad) with God and to establish his Kingdom according to his will on earth. 

Making a covenant request or asking God to fulfill his promises is not only possible, but it is commanded, "O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires." (Ether 3:2)

  We must ask under the terms he sets out in that relationship.  The first term being that He is God and He is Sovereign.  We can then make a covenant request for his promises or to make promises to us under that relationship.  We uphold his righteous dominion in our submission to him-"Not my will but thy will be done!" We ask in the name of Christ or as it is understood in Hebraic terms, we ask to fulfill his commandments, to establish his kingdom, and to conform our hearts to his image. 

Summary:

Let us set aside our traditions and transgressions and honor God by approaching him the relationship that he established with the Fathers and which he sealed by his own blood.  As we do our minds will be filled with light and truth and our veil of unbelief will be rent.  This is only the first part or step in our covenant journey, but without this foundation we would find ourselves faint and weary in our journey.  We must place God in the Throne at the center of our Holy of Holies.  We must exercise our loyalty to him based on his character and attributes with our expectations of the fulfillment of his promises. It is only then that we can walk forward in our covenant journey and bring forth the fruits of righteousness.

Pillar 1 -The Sovereignty of God - God is the Center and Author of our Faith

"Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto ME the fountain of all righteousness." (Ether 12:28)

1.  God is God-- and you are not!

2.  Faith is trusting loyalty and dependence upon God.  Are you loyal to God?

2.  Hope is our expectation based on his promises.  What are the Promises of God so I know what to expect?

 The Second Pillar of the Covenant. (part 2).

The Feast of Trumpets – A Message to the Nations – A Call To Arms

An Appointed Time Approaches

“These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times….The LORD said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. On the first day of the appointed month in early autumn, you are to observe a day of complete rest. It will be an official day for holy assembly, a day commemorated with loud blasts of a trumpet.” (Leviticus 23: 4, 23-24)

The Feast of Trumpets – A Message to the Nations – A Call To Arms

The Feast of Trumpets or Day of Blowing (Yom Teruah) is an Appointed Time of God not only to Israel but the Seventy Nations that were divided up among the Council of the Gods (Elohim) in the Ancient of Days.  Today it is commonly called Rosh Hashanah or “Head of the Year” in Judaism.  Its’ message and appointment, though, are much more ancient than many have supposed.  Its roots are found in the creation among the Council of the Gods while it’s fruits are seen in the disinheritance of the nations at the Tower of Babel.

IN THE BEGINNING- THE COUNCIL OF GODS – THE DIVIDING OF THE NATIONS

To understand the importance of the Appointed Times and God’s purposes for Zion we must consider an ancient Israelite worldview.  Portions  of this worldview were restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith:

“The head one of the Gods brought forth the Gods.” That is the true meaning of the words. Baurau signifies to bring forth. If you do not believe it, you do not believe the learned man of God. Learned men can teach you no more than what I have told you. Thus the head God brought forth the Gods in the grand council.

I will transpose and simplify it in the English language. Oh, ye lawyers, ye doctors, and ye priests, who have persecuted me, I want to let you know that the Holy Ghost knows something as well as you do. The head God called together the Gods and sat in grand council to bring forth the world. The grand councilors sat at the head in yonder heavens and contemplated the creation of the worlds which were created at the time.” (Joseph Smith – King Follet Discourse)

In an Ancient Israelite world view Yehovah was God who ruled among a divine council.  “God (Elohim. singular) has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods (Elohim. Plural) he holds judgment” (Psalms 82:1)

His council consisted of seventy elohim (plural) or divine beings among whom the nations were divided:

“Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you. When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God (benai  Elohim). But the LORD’s (Yahweh) portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage” (Deuteronomy 32:7-8)

Other preserved records known as the Targum describe the posterity of Noah being divided into seventy nations and languages, each ruled by a different or lesser Elohim or Divine Being presided over by Yehovah:  

“When the Most High made allotment of the world unto the nations which proceeded from the sons of Noah, in the separation of the writings and languages of the children of men at the time of the division (the days of Peleg), He cast the lot among the seventy angels, the princes of the nations.” (Aramaic Targum, Deuteronomy 32:7-8)

The Tower of Babel and the Day of Blowing

As a result of covenant disloyalty the nations and many of their elohim were disinherited by Yehovah at the time of the scattering at the Tower of Babel.   In early literature this cataclysmic event was called the Deluge of the Winds (a day of blowing).  Even as God had destroyed the Ancient World by Water so he also destroyed their tower by Winds (a place where heaven and earth met) and divided them after their disinheritance at the Tower of Babel.  (Book of Jubilees chapter 10:18–27) The nations were divided by language and land at the trumpet of God's voice.

After some time, God lead Abraham out of the midst of the nation where this judgment took place and re-established his covenant to him bringing him to the land of Promise. From Abraham to Isaac and from Isaac to Israel Yehovah continued the covenant he had established with the Fathers like Noah, Enoch, Seth, and Adam.  

Adam and the Ancient Order of Things

The Israelite mind is one of cycles and patterns.  Often times those things of the most ancient order may be hidden in plain sight. Symbols are meant not only to reveal to those who ask, seek, and knock but to conceal from those who have no desire for the truth and who do not exercise their due diligence to obtain.  God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  In him is no variance.  

If we were to examine the records and knowledge we have of Noah, his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth and the division of the inheritance of the Seventy Nations that came from Noah and his Sons we would see God’s divine pattern.  Don’t get me wrong, there is no intergalactic 501c3 corporation.  This is the basis for the government of Patriarchal families that can be found from the times of Adam, the ancient of Days, even down to Enoch, and Noah.   It is the same structure that was given to Adam, Enoch, Noah on to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the Seventy Families that went down into Egypt.  It is also the same kingdom established among Moses, Aaron, and Joshua, the Seventy Elders (who represent God’s representatives to the Nations),  and Twelve tribal rulers in Israel, and the Eloheim (judges) called and elected as captains by the families they represented 

In re-establishing an earthly council on earth among Israel that was in similitude of his original divine counsel that existed at the time of Eden, we see that God establishes a kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven. The Mountain of Assembly like Sinai is the place where the unseen and the seen meet. Like Eden it is a high place where the sons of God minister in the tabernacle of Heaven before the throne of God. The tabernacle of Israel is but an earthly pattern of the tent or tabernacle of Heaven. 

God's Original intent was to restore the nations (gentiles) to a proper covenant relationship with him.  Israel was intended to be a kingdom of Priests whose duty was to be the means of that restoration.  Their corporate failure was as real as the failure and fall in Eden.  As was planned from the beginning it would take God tabernacled among men to do the job right--Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah.  The Feast of Trumpets or Day of Blowing is the sounding of God's warning to the nations--The Day of Yehovah is upon us.

The Day of Trumpets: 

“Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near…Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber...“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” (Joel  2: 16, 16, 28.29)

The Time of the Gentiles/Nations Fulfilled:

Three times like a sounding trumpet from Heaven on the Day of Trumpets, the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith, “He also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated that the fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come in.”

On September 22, 1827 (The Feast of Trumpets) the heavens were parted and a trumpet was sounded in fulfillment of this Appointed Time for All Israel throughout their Generations.  And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed. (D&C 128:20) And the Book to come by way of the gentile carried the voice of the Lord like a trumpet at Mt. Sinai to all Israel – Awake and Remember. It is also a trumpet of judgment and salvation for the nations (gentiles)

As in the Days of the Tower of Babel and in the Fall of Jericho we see that the rule of the nations (gentiles) will come to an end even as God sets his hand again to advance his Kingdom.  It is a day of repentance and spiritual conquest.

The Dry Season Draws to an End

On September 11-12, 2015 the month of Elul and the dry season of Israel draws to an end.  Even as the closing of one day overlaps into the birth of another, on September 13, 2015 the memorial of the Day of Trumpets arrives, “Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.”

The Days of Awe- God's Warfare Among the Nations- Zion to Put on Strength

In reality we are faced with War- a turf War if you will. A jubilee of jubilees wherein the rightful owner of the vineyard is reclaiming that which he owns.  The decree has gone forth and will be fulfilled in preparation for these events, "Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi  gathered themselves together unto him." (Exodus 32:26)

To do this we must respond to the voice of the Trumpet and put on our strength in preparation for battle.  We must become loose from the bands that tie us down:

"7. Questions by Elias Higbee: What is meant by the command in Isaiah, 52d chapter, 1st verse, which saith: Put on thy strength, O Zion—and what people had Isaiah reference to?

 8 He had reference to those whom God should call in the last days, who should hold the power of priesthood to bring again Zion, and the redemption of Israel; and to put on her strength is to put on the authority of the priesthood, which she, Zion, has a right to by lineage; also to return to that power which she had lost.

 9 What are we to understand by Zion loosing herself from the bands of her neck; 2d verse?

 10 We are to understand that the scattered remnants are exhorted to return to the Lord from whence they have fallen; which if they do, the promise of the Lord is that he will speak to them, or give them revelation. See the 6th, 7th, and 8th verses. The bands of her neck are the curses of God upon her, or the remnants of Israel in their scattered condition among the Gentiles.(D&C 113)

THE BOOK OF MORMON IS A JEWISH/ISRAELITE BOOK

Like the Bible, The Book of Mormon is an Jewish/Israelite Book.  There is a common misconception among Mormons that if someone is a Jew they therefore must be of the tribe of Judah.   This definition is only partially correct.  After the death of King Solomon,  the nation of Israel was divided into two separate kingdoms, the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. By the time of Lehi the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim, the Ten Tribes, etc.) had been taken into captivity for approximately 200 years. 

At the time of their destruction and captivity, many from the Northern Kingdom of Israel fled to the Southern Kingdom of Judah for protection.  As a result, many Manasseh-ites, Ephraim-ites, and others settled in and around the southern Kingdom of Judah.  Over a period of time, the term Jew did not only refer to those of the actual tribe of Judah, but all of those Israelites who settled and affiliated with the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  So a Jew can be a descendant of Judah or they may also be any member of the House of Israel who settled in the Southern Kingdom.  For example, the Apostle Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1) and Matthew was a Levite, but they were both considered Jews as they were from the Southern Kingdom.   This statement can be demonstrated by Nephi’s comment:

 “I have charity for the Jew—I say Jew, because I mean them from whence I came.” (2 Nephi 33:8)

So, the Book of Mormon is the story of a man named Lehi and his family who were part of the southern Kingdom of Judah.  While he was of the tribe of Manasseh by lineage he would still be considered a Jew as he was a member of the Southern Kingdom.  Lehi and his family being Jews (members of the Southern Kingdom) would have been fully versed in the Hebrew language, customs, and the scriptures of the Jews:

Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the Jews (southern kingdom), and I know that the Jews (southern kingdom) do understand the things of the prophets, and there is none other people that understand the things which were spoken unto the Jews (southern kingdom) like unto them, save it be that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jews (southern kingdom). (2 Nephi 25:5)

The Book of Mormon as a Jewish/Israelite record is heavily dependent on the language, customs, and the scriptures of the Jews for correct interpretation.  The heart of all Israelite scripture is the Torah, often called the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy). Without the Torah and the Heart of the Covenant, people approach the Book of Mormon with their Christian/Pagan Eyeglasses on rather than Messiah/Hebrew glasses.  As a result the covenant message of the Book of Mormon becomes twisted into a pseudo born again Christian document with weird names and a nice message about Jesus. When viewed through an Israelite paradigm and covenant lenses, the message of the Book of Mormon is unveiled as a message to the descendants of the House of Israel, the promises made to them, and their role in bringing forth Zion and the Restoration of All Things.

The Plates of Laban – The TaNaK

The Torah contains God’s laws and instructions given to all Israel as a roadmap for a Zion (a marked or set apart) people.  As a result of Israel disregarding the commandments of God (Yehovah), the people continually fell into a state of iniquity (lawlessness).   The importance of the Torah cannot be overstated to an Israelite because it contains the Heart of the Covenant Relationship between God and his people Israel.  Without this Heart, the life giving blood of the Spirit of God cannot flow to the body of his people. 

When God commanded Lehi to send his sons to obtain the Plates of Laban he did so knowing that the plates of Laban contained the Torah (Five Books of Moses), the writings of the Prophets (Neviim), and other historical writings from the Jews (Ketuvim):

“And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning. And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses, which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of Adam and Eve, who were our first parents; And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah;  And also the prophecies of the holy prophets, from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah; and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah.” (1 Nephi 5:10-13)

In Judaism the Plates of Laban would then fall under a Hebrew acronym called the TaNaK:

T = Torah – First Five Books of Moses

N = Neviim – The Prophets/Writings of the Prophets

K= Ketuvim- Historical Records such as Kings, Chronicles as well as writings like Psalms, Proverbs, etc.

The importance of these brass plates cannot be overemphasized.  The Torah and the writings of the prophets contained on these plates allowed them to preserve their language, history, and laws.  More importantly, it preserved the foundation upon which God established his covenant and the principles that enabled the Nephites to obtain the blessings of God’s covenant.

“And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.  Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.  And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass. And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.”

On September 22, 1827 a trumpet was sounded in prophetic fulfillment of an ancient appointed time:

“Son of man, take a piece of wood and carve on it these words: ‘This represents Judah and its allied tribes.’ Then take another piece and carve these words on it: ‘This represents Ephraim and the northern tribes of Israel.’ Now hold them together in your hand as if they were one piece of wood.

When your people ask you what your actions mean, say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take Ephraim and the northern tribes and join them to Judah. I will make them one piece of wood in my hand.’

 “Then hold out the pieces of wood you have inscribed, so the people can see them. And give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will bring them home to their own land from the places where they have been scattered. I will unify them into one nation on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule them all; no longer will they be divided into two nations or into two kingdoms.

BE A TSYON!

The subject of Zion is very interesting to me and I think I have come up with a name for the virus that causes Zion hallucinations - Zionitis.  It is a pathogen that takes hold of people and causes them to believe that if they can go out into the middle of nowhere and construct a commune, nirvana like society then they will then be living the gospel.  It's more extreme side effects include bankruptcy, social isolation, murder, rape (no joke if you actually look at all the groups this is the usually what happens to them).  In every case, they end up as a pool of iniquity and filth with a kingman or men at the head who consume the flock.  Strangely in modern Mormonism it appears that many who contract this virus usually follow this symptomatic pattern.

So Here is my prescription:  

In all seriousness  the term Zion or in Hebrew Tsyon means marked or a landmark.  When a person is sealed or marked by God they become the living embodiment of God - a marked one. They carry his name; they walk in his commandments and represent his will and message. When a group of marked ones come together at a place where God places his name then the City of Tsyon (City of the sealed or marked ones) can be established.  The City or place is the ultimate Landmark.  To attempt to establish a place before receiving God's mark or seal is an effort in futility.  I think this is the reason so many fail.  So instead of focusing on where to go perhaps it is more important to focus on WHO to come unto that we may receive his mark or seal.

"And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." (Rev 7:2-3)

Who Is Your Ultimate Authority?

“Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?” (John 6:60-61)

To walk away from Christ because there are teachings in the Bible or Book of Mormon that offends you supposes that if there is a God he would not have any notions or opinions that upset you.  Does this viewpoint really make sense?  If we do not trust the scriptures enough to let them challenge our traditions and opinions, how then could we ever have a personal relationship with the God who gave those scriptures in the first place?

Just as in our personal relationships any real relationship with Christ portends that the other party has the ability to contradict you.  When Jesus challenges our thoughts and traditions he is also challenging our hearts.  The gift of true Salvation in Christ is free.  It truly is a come as you are party.  BUT, the path of true Discipleship is going to cost us something.

Discipleship or Self Determination?

“And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-60)

Our lives are full of contradictions.  In fact we face contradictory choices every day.  Do I go to the gym or do I sleep in?  Do go to work or stay home?  Do I spend time with my family or is the Basketball game more important?  Do I follow the words of Christ or do I follow the words of a man?  Do I reach out to those who stand in need or do I look the other way?

Even our Father Jacob wrestled with God and it is possible that that wrestle may not just have been a physical wrestling but a wrestling between contradictory choices.  The outcome of his wrestling and choosing of God was that of being given the new name of Israel.  In fact, in giving him this new name God gave him a new identity.  Jacob was dead and as a result of his inconvenient wrestling match with the God of Heaven and Earth he was blessed.  He was now a new man. A Man of God!  His past sins and transgressions were taken away and he went forth to establish the Covenant People of Israel.

With a change in identity comes a change in priorities.  Our choices (wrestling) determine our outcome as a well.  Following Christ is more than just inconvenient to our past identities and walk it is also incompatible with our past identities and walk.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5: 17-19)

Sometimes it appears that the Words of Christ are harsh and contradictory.  The reason they appear so is because like a two edged sword they require us to make a choice between our wills and the will of another.
 
This would be disciple in the Book of Luke faced a choice that we face as well.  Even as we express our willingness to follow Christ we also want to set the terms of the relationship.  In making his offering on his own terms, he was setting forth his will to set the terms of the relationship.  Thus we discover the cost of true discipleship—for true discipleship can tolerate no other man, doctrine, tradition, church, or priesthood head to come between our obedience and loyalty to Jesus Christ.

True discipleship to Christ requires complete surrender to the authority of Christ. We are not saved by anything we have done, but once redeemed there is something to be done.  It is like a marriage.  It only takes a moment to get married but the relationship is a journey over a lifetime and into the eternities. While salvation happens in a moment true discipleship is also a journey and a relationship of a lifetime that extends into the eternities.