Notes on Samuel the Lamanite

Notes on Samuel the Lamanite
Helaman 13-15

The words which Samuel the Lamanite spoke to the people of the land of Zarahemla were the words of God, words which God did put in Samuel's heart, words which Samuel says he was commanded to speak, and words delivered to him by an angel. So everything that Samuel spoke was God's word. Samuel uses a phrase "the sword of justice" to describe the unrepentant condition of the people in the land of Zarahemla, and says that "nothing can save this people save it be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Hel. 13:6).

Samuel serves as a type of prophet who will come among the Lord's people in the last days, someone who has been commanded of the Lord to declare His words and call the people to repentance. And there will be many. We see this often in the Book of Mormon that "there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent" or be destroyed. (1 Nephi 1:4; Enos 1:22; 3 Nephi 6:20; Ether 9:28; 11:1). Samuel came even though Nephi was still the prophet of the Church, and in fact after Samuel had spoken the words of the Lord "many believed on his word" and "went forth and sought for Nephi" desiring to be baptized. (Hel. 16:1). The idea of a Samuel being a type is reinforced by the Savior when He told the Nephites that "all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after" have testified of me. (3 Nephi 20:24)

Samuel describes the coming of the Lord as "glad tidings" and that he was sent to the people of Zarahemla that they "might have glad tidings." Samuel then emphasizes that he has been commanded to say: "Because of the hardness of the hearts of the people of the Nephites, except they repent I will take away my word from them, and I will withdraw my Spirit from them" (Hel 13:8). As with Alma 42, 3 Nephi 27, and throughout the Book of Mormon, we see that the sword of justice (Justice of God) can only be removed by repentance. This he emphasizes again in verses 10 and 11. Repent or face the justice of God, and because of impending catastrophe, if they did not repent they would be destroyed in the upcoming destruction which was to occur just prior to Christ coming to the Nephites. This destruction also awaits those who do not repent in the last days before Christ's coming. God will turn away His anger if they would "repent and return" unto the Lord their God, which He will also do with us in the last days if we repent and return unto the Lord. "Blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but wo unto him that repenteth not" (vs. 11). Why? Because they face the justice of God.

We also see a parallel definition of repent--"turn unto me"--and used in parallel with the word repent we understand that to repent means to turn to Him. Note also that Samuel uses the phrase "repent and return" unto the Lord, which reinforces the idea that to repent means to turn or return to the Lord. And by turning to Him, we also repent by "turning away" from our iniquities. (3 Nephi 20:26)

Samuel identifies both 'righteous' people in Zarahemla and 'wicked' people. Those who repent are considered righteous and those who do not are considered wicked. This is consistent throughout the Book of Mormon. In fact it was because of the 'righteous' that Zarahemla had not yet been destroyed, but if the time came that the righteous were cast out, then would Zarahemla be ripe for destruction. He says the same about all the cities which are in the land round about Zarahemla.

Samuel then identifies what appears to be the main cause of the Nephites wickedness: "they have set their hearts upon their riches." Samuel says: "Behold ye, the people of this great city, and hearken unto my words; yea, hearken unto the words which the Lord saith; for behold, he saith that ye are cursed because of your riches, and also are your riches cursed because ye have set your hearts upon them, and have not hearkened unto the words of him who gave them unto you" (Hel. 13:21). He tells them that they do not remember the Lord, but that they do remember their riches and not to thank the Lord for them. The problem is with their hearts, which are not drawn out unto the Lord, "but they do swell with great pride, unto boasting...and all manner of iniquities" (Hel. 13:22).

Samuel makes it very clear that "for this cause hath the Lord God caused that a curse should come upon the land, and also upon your riches" (Hel. 13:23).

Samuel not only is describing the condition of the Lord's people during his day, but also the Lord's people during our day. There are some who, "if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities," will be angry with him. They would much rather that one speak "flattering words" unto them, and tell them that they can do whatever their "heart" desires. Isaiah describes the same condition among the Lord's people when he says we prefer that our prophets "speak unto us smooth things" (Isaiah 30:10), and as Jeremiah prophesied "my people love to have it so" (Jer. 5:31).

Of particular interest is the fact that Samuel refers to those who flatter as "foolish and blind" guides and that the people suffer themselves to be led by such. He asks them (and us) "how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?" (Hel. 13:28-29).

Samuel's repetition of the cry to repent and reminding them of their curse and warning them that their "days of probation are past' because they have procrastinated the day of their repentance, emphasizes the urgency and the Lord's attempt to drive them from His justice into the arms of His mercy. He doesn't let them off the hook unless they repent. He is pleading with them (and us) to "hear" his words, and if they (we) do, he prays that the anger of the Lord be turned away from them (us), and that they (we) "would repent and be saved" (Hel. 13:38-39).

In addition to calling the people to repentance and teaching them, Samuel also prophesied many things, some of which could not be written. But he was commanded to prophesy unto them the birth of the Savior and many events leading up to His birth, which would be observed by the people in and around Zarahemla--a "sign at the time of his coming" (Hel. 14:3). But even the signs are given to them as a call to believe on the Son of God and to repent. Samuel mentions that God's angel commanded him: "Cry unto this people, repent and prepare the way of the Lord" (Hel. 15:9).

It is important that the people hear his words so that they would know of the "judgments of God" which did await them, and also that they might know the conditions of repentance. But this was not all, they were to know of the coming of Jesus Christ and the signs of His coming, just as we are to know of the second coming of Jesus Christ and the signs of His coming. And the purpose of knowing of His coming is that they "might believe on his name" (Hel. 14:12). For if they did believe on His name, they would repent of all their sins, "that thereby (they) may have a remission of them through his merits" (Hel. 14:13).

The idea that if we believe on His name we will repent indicates how a lack of repentance is associated with a lack of belief in Him. The condemnation prophesied by Christ that would come upon those who received not His words, is also associated with a lack of belief in Him which results in treating His words lightly. (D&C 84:52-55).

Samuel then teaches them of the necessity of repentance because of the Fall of Adam, how we are all cut off from the presence of the Lord and die both temporally and spiritually, and how Christ redeemed mankind so that they would be brought back into the presence of God to be judged of God according to our works. Christ's redemption brought to pass the condition of repentance, "that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire" (Hel. 14:18). Samuel equates the justice of God with being hewn down and cast into the fire, and the mercy of God as not being hewn down and cast into the fire.

And once again he calls to them: "repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death" (Hel. 14:19). The call to repentance is to avoid the justice of God, to avoid the second death, and rather be redeemed of the Lord.

Samuel then shows them the signs of Christ death and describes in detail the death, thunderings, lightnings, earthquakes and great storms. He tells them that many highways will be broken up and many cities will become desolate. But, notwithstanding these calamities, the graves shall be opened and many saints will appear unto many. Finally he tells them of a darkness that will cover the face of the whole earth for the space of three days. Click here

It is important to note that all of these signs and wonders are done for the "intent that whosoever will believe might be saved, and that whosoever will not believe, a righteous judgment might come upon them" (Hel 14:28-29). So all that the Lord does is done with the intent that as many as will believe will be saved! Note also the phrase "whosoever will believe might be saved." This is the same as saying "whosoever will repent might be saved."

Samuel tells them (and us) that we choose either to be condemned to the justice of God or to be saved because of the mercy of God. "And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever does iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free" (Hel. 14:30). And not just free to make choices, but free to choose good or evil, life or death; and "be restored unto that which is good (God) or have that which is good (God) restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you" (Hel. 14:31). It is justice or mercy!

If there is any question that the main message of Samuel is to repent, that question vanishes in Chapter 15, where in only seventeen verses the call to repent or to turn, is said eight more times. The word 'repent' is said to those to whom he is speaking and to those who are being taught by others during this time. He speaks of the Lamanites who repented, and then he prophesied that his people would repent again before the Lord comes in our time. In fact Samuel says it will be "better for them than for you except ye repent" (Hel. 15:14). He even says that had the mighty works been shown unto them which had been shown unto the Nephites (and us) that they never would have dwindled in unbelief. (Hel. 15:15).

Samuel uses many words and phrases to describe the condition of those who do not repent, and a word search through the scriptures would yield many more descriptions of those who refuse mercy and instead choose justice, in other words those who refuse to repent. These words and phrases include "desolate," "cause to mourn," "no place for refuge," "trodden down," and "left to perish."  The idea of being "trodden down" is used by the Savior where he prophesied that the salt of the earth would loose its savor and be trodden down by the House of Israel. (3 Nephi 16:14-15). And who are the 'salt of the earth?" Those who "are called unto mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men" (D&C 101:39-40). I mention this to show how the Lord links events of the past with events of the future through the use of words and phrases, and to show that Samuel is speaking to us as well as to the people of Zarahemla.

One contrast that Samuel makes between the Lamanites and the Nephites (and us), is "that as many of them as were brought to the knowledge of the truth and to the knowledge of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers were led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them" and they are made free because of their firm and steadfast faith in Christ. (Hel. 15:7-8)

Certainly Samuel's message to the people of Zarahemla is as relevant to us today as it was to the people of Zarahemla, and was put in the Book of Mormon by Mormon because they had seen our day.

Prior to the Lord sending Samuel the Lamanite, Nephi had also been commanded to call the people to repentance. The events in both Helaman 12 (Nephi) and Helaman 13-15 (Samuel) took place about 6 B.C., and the condition of the Nephites was such that the Lord not only commanded Nephi to call the people to repentance, but also sent Samuel. 

Nephi's description of the people gives us an indication of why it was also necessary to send Samuel. Nephi describes the people as being unsteady of heart. He bases this description on the fact that at the time the Lord blesses His people by increasing their flocks, their herds, their gold and their silver, and even sparing their lives, then that is the time the people do "harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One--yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity" (Hel. 12:1-2). Nephi describes them as foolish, vain, evil and devilish and quick to do iniquity. Why? because they set their hearts upon the vain things of the world!

"They do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide" (Hel. 12:6). The reality is that the people, as compared to God, are nothing, "even less than the dust of the earth" (Hel. 12:7), but because of what the Lord has blessed them with, they are lifted up in pride and take strength unto themselves.

Nephi then teaches us one of the most important characteristics of God. "If the Lord shall say unto a man--Because of thine iniquities, thou shalt be accursed forever--it shall be done. And if the Lord shall say--Because of thine iniquities thou shalt be cut off from my presence--he will cause that it shall be so" (Hel. 12:20-21). In contrast to the justice of God, Nephi, however, says that men might be saved and for this cause hath repentance been declared. (Hel. 12:22). The good news is that "blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved" (Hel. 12:23). Of course Nephi would that all men would repent and be saved, but he knows that there are some who will not choose mercy, but would choose justice by refusing to repent. 

Can you imagine? Can you imagine that the Lord must visit His people with many afflictions, with death and with terror, and also with famine and all manner of pestilence, or His people will not remember Him? (Hel. 12:3). And why? because "how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom's paths!" (Hel. 12:5). 

Can you imagine how a Samuel the Lamanite would be received today? Would his message be rejected because he was the wrong type of messenger, i.e., one who made no claim to authority in the Church? His only claim was that he had been sent of God, armed with the words of God, to call to repentance the people of the church in Zarahemla. Would it be a test as to whether we would receive the words of God even though the messenger was not an ecclesiastical prophet, perhaps just a gospel doctrine teacher, or even a ministering teacher, or a friend, a father? 

In other words is it true that in our culture 'who says it' is more important than 'what is said?' Can we recognize the words of God no matter who says them? If not, then we will be in trouble for certainly the Lord made it clear that it will be the words of God that will judge us. "the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48).

Creeds Strongly Riveted

A recent experience with a fellow brother, followed by several conversations relating to what we need and/or want as members of the Church of Jesus Christ, from both other members and from our 'church' meeting experiences, caused me to ponder and focus on, what for me, has been a mixture of frustration, sadness, and a lone voice in the wilderness. I use the phrase, 'lone voice in the wilderness' because I have separated myself from the group by searching and feasting upon the words of God. I shouldn't say lone voice because there are many others who certainly do so much better than I do. But within a ward group there are very few.

For me, the member or fellowship experience has always been good and positive. I do not expect people to be more than what they are, because, like me, they are persons in progress. I love that they are not perfect and have challenges. I can love them more because of it.  

There is an exception. I do expect more from fellow members when it comes to what God has revealed to us, i.e. His words. I share Nephi's frustration that we do not "search great knowledge" when it is given unto us in plainness, even as "plain as word can be." This lack of knowledge of truth (and the word of the Lord is truth), has caused many of my meeting experiences to be lacking an important ingredient--nourishment--which for me has been and continues to be lacking.  

My General Conference experience, however, has been somewhat better, sometimes nourishing and enlightening, and makes me want to repent and turn to my Savior because I have heard the word of God spoken, but not by everyone. There are still a lot of precepts of men and women mingled with scripture, that are taught at conference. He tells us, concerning the word of God, that it is the same whether spoken by Him or by His servants (D&C 1:38). Note that he does not say that just because they are His servants they speak the word of God. And it is up to us to know the difference.

The experiences for me that cause me to be concerned happen in our local meetings and gospel discussions with each other. Even when discussing the 'gospel' it seems to me that we are speaking different languages, even though we use the same words. This is because what we think and believe the gospel is, is not necessarily the Lord's Gospel. For example, assume a class was asked "why is repentance the first and last commandment?" A discussion would follow, and most comments would be an opinion or a parroting back of what they think they have heard. The teacher asking the question would, more than likely, just assume that everyone would know what it means to repent and there would be no discussion on how the Lord defines repentance.

A class member who knows the Lord's answer and how the Lord defines repentance may comment, and give the answer the Lord has revealed, but most would not "hear" because they were too busy conversing among themselves, sharing their ideas and opinions or the ideas and opinions of others, and did not recognize or "hear" the word of God.  To them it was just another comment lost in the mix of all the other ideas and opinions.  

I have been in meetings where real and heartfelt experiences were shared-- addictions, challenges, tragedy, illness, etc, and I experienced the bonding that comes from honest expression. But how much more meaningful if we all understood the conditions that the Lord has put us in on this earth, and how He has revealed how we can and should respond to these conditions.

Does it, however, have to be this way? Should it be this way? Following my discussion with this brother I formed four questions: 

1) What, if anything, should we in the church expect from each other? 

2) What, if anything, should we expect from our local meetings? 

3) What, if anything, should be our contribution to our meetings? and

4) What, if anything, should be our contribution to our fellow members? 

At first these may seem like simple questions, but they are not. First, just asking these questions will likely solicit multiple responses, but in multiple languages. In other words, we all speak different languages, or at least have differing definitions of the words we use, and because of these differing definitions, our communications and discussions usually miss the mark.  

I believe 'missing the mark' is the correct description of many of our classroom discussions and Sacrament Meeting talks, as well as our other so called 'gospel' discussions. Jacob describes 'blindness' as looking beyond the mark (Jacob 4:14). Because we are blind to the Lord's meaning of the words we use, we miss the mark, or His words and how He defines His words, in our discussions. 

Words have meanings, and unless there is a standard by which to compare with the words spoken and expressed, the words that we use will mean different things to different people and no connections will be made, and we will not be one in Him. "I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine" (D&C 38:27). When His words are the standard, then we begin to be one in Him. But who monitors our responses with the standard? Only those who speak and understand the Lord's words.

Let me give you an example. I was teaching a High Priests Group and had prepared a lesson on being able to recognize truth (His revealed words to us) regardless of who said it. To illustrate, I had found a talk given by Elder Boyd K. Packer to a group of Regional Representatives, where he said that if he had his way he would do away with all the church programs because he said they made us too dependent. This talk was based on the Lord's counsel to Joseph Smith to teach correct principles and let the people govern themselves. 

But I didn't tell the group who had written the talk. I did, however, tell them that I found a copy of the talk in Sunstone Magazine (which I had). I then proceeded to read some of what Elder Packer had said, and asked for the groups' response. Knowing that I had purposely 'tainted' the source for some because I mentioned Sunstone, I wanted to make it more difficult to respond honestly. The result was that the class was divided into three groups. Group one consisted of those who took issue with what was said and strongly disagreed. This was the largest group. Group two consisted of those who took the time to think about what was said but just could not manage to take a position one way or the other. Group three consisted of one brother who from the very start agreed with what was said, gave reasons for why he thought it was true, and was willing to challenge those who disagreed while encouraging those sitting on the fence to really listen to what Elder Packer was saying.  

When I finally revealed the source, Group one was upset with me, I guess because had they known it was Elder Packer, they would have agreed or at least given it more thought, not because of what was said but who said it. This group definitely missed the mark. 

Group two was a little embarrassed because they wanted to believe what Elder Packer was saying was true but couldn't get over the Sunstone stigma, which caused them to also miss the mark. (Again the source and not what was taught.) 

One note about the brother who made up Group three. He had only recently become active after having spent many years away from the church. He was not institutionalized. The source was not what mattered to him, but what was said.

My point in using this example is to show that in any given church classroom discussion at any given time, there are many who refuse, or perhaps are unable, to go beyond their traditional thinking, others who are afraid, others who are just not interested, and still others, almost always the minority, who listen to what is being said in light of what he or she knows the Lord has said (the standard). If he or she does comment, it is received by a few, but disregarded by the majority because the majority does not have the truth and light (the standard) by which to compare, having only partial or watered down truths.

For example, a discussion on love may seem to be connecting with everyone, but there are so many definitions of what love is and what love is not, that no meeting of the minds or hearts is achieved, and the most that could be hoped for would be a sharing of what we think or believe love is.

A discussion on truth, however, should be different because the Lord has given us a clear definition of truth--the word of the Lord is truth (D&C 84:45), but unfortunately many are not aware of this definition, including the teacher, discussion leader, speaker, or even those presiding. In a classroom setting, almost always the discussion centers around a talk or a lesson, and the comments are generally institutional responses or a parroting back of what others have said. Sometimes the answer is designed to let others know that we know the 'correct' answer, or to cause others to believe that we actually read the talk. As a result most in the classroom are left hungry and wanting more, having been given only fluff or as Elder Holland says, Spiritual Twinkies which do not edify or nourish.  

Perhaps Hugh Nibley said it best when he said that in the church we give "young people and old awards for zeal alone, zeal without knowledge--for sitting in endless meetings, for dedicated conformity and unlimited capacity for suffering boredom." Why is this the case when we are teaching and discussing the church approved curriculum? Because we are only teaching what we think the curriculum says, and not what the Lord has said, even though the 'curriculum' tells us to teach the word of God, and because we don't know the word of God, we cannot teach it! 

Let's go back to my four questions. Notice that the questions ask what, if anything, 'should' be our expectations and contributions? 

What do we need to know to answer these questions? We can say what we think or what we want, but shouldn't we answer based on what we need? And who knows what we need? Only the Lord. Let's look at a few scriptures and see what He says we need. By using the Lord's words as the standard, we can all look to His words to see if what we or others are saying meets the standard or misses the mark.

"And now I speak 

concerning baptism.  

Behold, elders, priests 

and teachers 

were baptized; and 

they were not baptized 

save they brought forth fruit 

meet that they were worthy of it.  

Neither did they 

receive any unto baptism 

save they came forth 

with a broken heart 

and a contrite spirit, 

and witnessed unto the church 

that they had truly 

repented of their sins.  

And none were received 

unto baptism save 

they took upon them 

the name of Christ, 

having a determination 

to serve him to the end.  

And after they had 

been received unto baptism, 

and were wrought upon 

and cleansed by the power 

of the Holy Ghost, 

they were numbered 

among the people 

of the church of Christ 

and their names were taken 

that they might be 

remembered and nourished 

by the good word of God, 

to keep them in the right way, 

to keep them continually 

watchful unto prayer, 

relying alone upon 

the merits of Christ, 

who was the author 

and the finisher of their faith.  

This is where we fail because we are not nourished in our meetings by the good word of God.

And the church 

did meet together oft, 

to fast and to pray, 

and to speak one with another 

concerning the welfare of their souls.  

And they did meet together oft 

to partake of bread and wine, 

in remembrance of the Lord Jesus....  

And their meetings were 

conducted by the church 

after the manner of 

the workings of the Spirit, 

and by the power 

of the Holy Ghost; 

for as the power 

of the Holy Ghost 

led them whether 

to preach, 

or to exhort, 

or to pray, 

or to supplicate, 

or to sing, 

even so it was done" 

(Moroni 6:1-9 emphasis added).

Imagine that you are in a meeting and discussing these verses recorded by Moroni. The stated purpose of our discussion is to determine if the Lord has, in these verses, answered the four questions and identified what we need, should expect, and what we should contribute. At first glance that doesn't seem too difficult if we just parrot back what Moroni has written as if it was just information.  

The challenge comes, and this is the challenge in every church classroom discussion, what does the Lord mean by the words that He uses (the standard) and once we know, will we hear His voice in His words and believe Him and thereby in our discussion, become one? "Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice" (John 18:37). Maybe we cannot hear His voice because of all the noise we make 'conversing among ourselves' (3 Nephi 11:3-7).  

The question is whether what Moroni has said covers all that we need to know.  Are the four questions answered in these 9 verses?

We won't know the answer to that until we fully comprehend, using His words as the standard, and in some cases, actually experience all that the Lord has said in these 9 verses. As we go through these verses I will italicize the key words that need to be defined and experienced, not by what we think they mean or by what others may think or say they mean, but by what the Lord tells us they mean. And we can only know that through searching His words for all the connections that further define His meaning. 

Verse 1:  "they were not baptized save they brought forth fruit that they were worthy of it."  

What does the Lord mean by fruit? What are the fruits of repentance?  Resist the temptation to jump in and guess at what He means. This is the fare of all classroom discussions--so many opinions and not enough informed (by the Lord) comments. An informed by the Lord comment is as a witness of what the Lord has said, having received His witness of what the Lord means by the word fruit. I might add that even if someone gives the answer as personally revealed to him or her, most of the others will not 'hear' what the Lord is saying, and until they know how the Lord defines fruit, they will not contribute to the discussion in a meaningful way. This is a hint as to how we should be contributing and what we should expect. But keep in mind that the Lord told us He is the vine and we are the branches, and the branches cannot bring forth fruit of themselves (John 15:5-8).

Verse 2:  "Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they had repented of all their sins."  

You will notice that I am not going to give you these definitions because I have learned that unless you really want to know, my telling you won't be the same as if you searched them out. The danger is thinking that you know without really knowing. Remember that your opinions are not worth much when it comes to defining what the Lord has said. The point is that only those who have come forth with a broken heart and contrite spirit and who have repented of their sins will be prepared to receive what follows.

Verse 3:  "And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end."  

Linking words to other scriptures help to give us a clearer picture of what it means to serve the Lord. Do a search in the scriptures on your Gospel Library (only the scriptures) under the term 'serve him' and see how the many references add to and complete a picture of what He means by serving him. Alma is an outstanding example of serving the Lord by bringing others unto Christ by teaching them the word of God.

Verse 4:  "And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and finisher of their faith."

Let me make a few comments here on verse four. Here the Lord is telling us, after having been cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost and numbered among the people of the church of Christ, how the Lord's words will nourish the church members who have been numbered. (see D&C 10:67-68 for what it means to be a member of His church.) The verb nourish is a key to understanding what the Lord is revealing to us. Anything other than His words will not nourish us! Watered down words will not nourish. Our opinions, now matter how informed, will not nourish us. The knowledge of others will not nourish us. Teachers will not nourish us. Only His words will nourish us!. So if we expect to be nourished when we attend meetings where His words are perverted or watered down, we will be disappointed, and in my case, frustrated, saddened and concerned.

Only His words will enlighten us, taste delicious to us and nourish us. But unless His words are, as Alma says 'found in us' we will not be a conduit for his words. His words are only found in us when the soil [our heart] is receptive to receive them. Keep in mind the Parable of the Sower. Like Alma we need to believe the words of Abinadi, write them down and allow them to become our words. This is the blessing of His words--they can and will become our words, we will hear His voice in His words, and we will stand as a witness of God in all things.  

Furthermore, it will be through His words that we come to know and witness all that He has revealed, and then desire to receive more. We will hunger and thirst after His words and will feast upon them. Through His words we will experience our lost and fallen state and the need for His atonement. We will desire to repent and retain in remembrance His goodness and our nothingness. It will be through His words that we will taste of His goodness and greatness and desire others to taste as we have tasted. We will sing songs of redeeming love and shout for joy 

Verse 5:  "And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of our souls."  

Doesn't this verse summarize our expectations and contributions? 

Note that He did not say the welfare of our person, but the welfare of our souls. There is a difference. Many of us, as we should be, are good at helping others, looking out for their welfare. Only a few, however, are good at looking out for the welfare of our souls. These words give us the purpose of our discussions when we speak (teach) one with another. Who knows what is best for the welfare of our souls?  Our Father in Heaven and He has sent His son to invite us to continually be watchful unto prayer, to give us His Father's words to get us in the right way and keep us in the right way. And we don't have to rely on any of our merits. We can rely alone or wholly upon His merits. Talk about the welfare of our souls! 

Verse 6:  "And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine in remembrance of the Lord Jesus."

And to witness unto our Father that we are willing to, that we want to. Not that we will!

Verse 7:  "And they were strict to observe that there should be no iniquity among them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and three witnesses of the church did condemn them before the elders, and if they repented not and confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not numbered among the people of Christ."

No iniquity means a person is repenting or turning to Christ and turning away from the world. Notice how easy it is to put ourselves in the "no iniquity" category because we focus on the performance rather than on faith in Christ.

Verse 8:  "But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven.

We repent when we we come unto Christ and hear His voice in His words. He tells us that by "this we will know" if we are still under the bondage of sin (D&C 84:50-53).

Verse 9:  "And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done."  

Of course relying on the workings of the Spirit requires faith, just as relying on the Spirit to give "you in the very hour that portion (of the words of God that you have treasured up continually) that shall be meted unto every man" (D&C 84:85; see also D&C 50).

Our problem is that the creeds of the fathers are so strongly riveted upon the hearts of the children that the children have inherited lies and filled the world with confusion. (D&C 123:9-13). A lie is an abomination and is contrary to the revealed word of the Lord. Unfortunately these lies are espoused in our classrooms and in our discussions. We don't lie intentionally or maliciously, but the words or guile that comes out of our mouths can be abominations.

A friend of mine wrote to me saying: "To me Satan gets rid of truth by twisting it so that even though you have seventy percent of the concept right, the remaining thirty percent warps it just enough to turn it into a perversion of the right way and of true doctrine. After all it might just be easier for him to get us to imagine a half-truth rather than a complete lie. It also makes me think that Satan loves to start in the mind before he starts on our behavior...because if he can get us to believe in a half-truth and act on a half-truth, he can get us into believing that according to our vain imaginations we are consistently living right. The result is a people living a perversion, teaching it to their children, and believing they are in the right and need no such thing as repentance."

You can begin to see how difficult it becomes to get people, even those who want to, to change their habits of thinking and feeling. If our habits of thinking are based on what we have heard others say, and if our diet is limited to reading and hearing what others have said or written, we become, in effect, a product of the language and knowledge of others, and we bring those ideas into our discussions. Which is OK if those ideas convey the words of God, but they most often do not. If we use the words of others as a comparison to what the Lord has revealed, like a barometer which measures how we are doing, then they can be useful and meaningful. I have learned to look to Christ as the sole source of light and truth in my life. I am always interested in what others say, but will always compare what others say with the light and truth that I have received. It can change as more is revealed to me through His words.

Bruce R. McConkie said "Wise gospel students do not build their philosophies of life on quotations of individuals even though those quotations come from presidents of the Church. Wise people anchor their doctrine on the Standard Works. When Section 20 says that God is infinite and eternal, it means just that and so on through all the revelations. There is no need to attempt to harmonize conflicting views when some of the views are out of harmony with the Standard Works. This is what life is all about. The Lord is finding out what we believe in spite of the allurements of the world or the philosophies of men or the seemingly rational and logical explanations that astute people make. We have been introduced to the gospel, we have the gift of the Holy Ghost; we have the Standard Works and it is our responsibility to get in tune and understand properly what the Lord has revealed."   

By having the Lord's standard, it does not matter whether we miss it completely or even slightly, the result is the same. When we miss the mark in our classrooms and other meetings, we perfectly fit the description the Lord used when He addressed Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove" ...all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrine the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."  

When this is the rule rather than the exception, we can understand why Joseph Smith echoed the Prophet Isaiah when he said that our meetings are too low, to mean and too condescending for the called and chosen of God. Where is the response to Joseph's charge to "search the scriptures (not read or study)--search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation. No; for when men receive their instruction from Him that made them, they know how He will save them. Then again we say: Search the Scriptures, search the Prophets and learn what portion of them belongs to you" (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith).

Instead I fear we have become as Brigham Young said, "fixed with a very limited amount of knowledge, like a door upon its hinges, and move to and fro from one year to another without any visible advancement or improvement."  

Compare these two statements with our classroom experiences and it is easy to see where we are and where we should be, and why I felt the need to write these thoughts. And remember if you be a good minister of Jesus Christ, you shall be "nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou has attained" (2 Timothy 4:6). "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine, continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee" (2 Timothy 4:16).

I had the experience of being in my Elders' Quorum in the Power Ranch Ward where the instructor led a discussion on truth. But unlike many discussions, the instructor first used the scriptures to define truth including D&C 84:45 which tells us that the word of the Lord is truth. The class members, without "hearing," jumped in with comments about how hard it is to know truth. Science was mentioned as was one Elder's frustration with having so many choices. But the instructor kept bringing us back to the Lord's definition of truth. Someone said that one truth we know from His words, is that we only have two choices, good (Christ) or evil (everything else), and that we reveal to the Lord what we really want. The instructor then said that "what I love is what I do" which reinforced the truth that where our heart is there will our treasure be. The difference between having the Lord's definition in our discussion, and being reminded of it by the instructor and others in the quorum, kept us from relying on our definitions of truth and kept us focused on His. The result for me was nourishment and connection to my fellow elders.

The Stranglehold of Babylon

Is idolatry simply the worship of things? Or are idols symbols for value systems, as taught in scripture? Systems which have no value or power other than that which worshipers place in them are contrasted with the system God has established.

Idols then become symbols representing particular social, economic, political and religious views. When prophets criticized idols as simply being wood and stone, they also challenged the integrity and validity of the things that idols represent. Idols represent certain value systems and ways of life for their adherents. The temptation of Israel to follow these value systems was as pernicious for the ancient Israelites as it is for us today.

Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel lead all-out attacks on idols (Isaiah 41-44;45-47; Jeremiah 50-51; Daniel 3). Why? and what does it mean to us since these attacks are set against Babylon in the sixth century B.C.? Keeping in mind that Jewish prophets foretell the future by using events of the past, these attacks by Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel are also attacks against the idols of our day and the Lord's people today who worship these idols.

As we examine the ancient city of Babylon, her history is remarkable. Bel (also known as Marduk) and Nebo were this city's symbols. They represented the political, social, military, and economic system that produced successful empires. They were symbols of privilege, power and wealth. And they were also symbols of arrogance, pride and unbridled ambition.

Babylon, in Genesis 11, is the symbol of self-exaltation and revolt against God. Babylon's ambition was to be as great as God, to be independent of His rule. No idol is mentioned, as the city is her own symbol of idolatry. Babylon is also referred to as the "whore of the earth" and the reference of 'whoring after other Gods' is a reference to Israel and us choosing the ways and values of Babylon instead of the ways of our God.

According to Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel, there is no element in Babylon capable of redemption or reformation. Babylon will be destroyed and human efforts cannot prevent the collapse of a false system, no matter how great. The idols of Babylon are useless for anyone except a successful warrior, and then only when he wins. Such systems only have place for a winner. The attributes of arrogance and pride fit the pattern of humanity's major sins (cf. Isaiah 2:-12-22). 

The Isaiah chapters (Isaiah 41-47) devote a major section (Chapter 47) to a description of Babylon's fall as mistress or queen of the nations. Babylon's humiliation and shame lie in the exposure that her claims and self-esteem were without basis. She had thought of her status and privilege as eternal. She thought of herself as autonomous and invulnerable. "I am, and there is none beside me. I will never be a widow or suffer the loss of children" (Isaiah 47:8). She had no sense of accountability to God or mankind. She depended on sorcery and astrology, just as we depend on the economy, technology, human advancements and science. But she would come to recognize that these had no power at all to preserve or to save her (47:9-15). The treatment of Babylon and idolatry in Isaiah 41-47 is not primarily intended to give a historical presentation, but a prophetic one.

Israel anciently and we of the Lord's people today are tempted to commit ourselves to something of pure human fabrication rather than to what is of God. We fare "in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospers according to his genius, and every man conquers according to his strength" (Alma 30:17). These false tendencies of the mind that hinder clear thought are the essence of idolatry. And worse, the values represented by these idols either replace or exist side by side with the worship of the true God, and in many cases are thought to be the values of the true God.

What is it, then, of Babylon that has such a stranglehold on its people? Why are we tempted to commit ourselves to things of pure human fabrication rather than to what is of God? Even when the Jews had an opportunity to return to Jerusalem, most did not, but stayed in Babylon, even though they had been taken captive by this great world power. This was because it is so easy to assume the value of Babylon's systems, her way of doing things, because Babylon was so successful. They failed to realize that they had been taken captive by Babylon--again!

The failure to recognize this captivity is the key to our undoing. Because the Babylonian system of society, economics, politics and human values is of human fabrication, it will, in time, collapse. It has no lasting divine sanction. The ultimate sin is to assume that these man-made institutions are in themselves of divine quality, that they will last forever. Babylon is not God, nor do her ways partake of the qualities of God's law. Even praiseworthy human values become a substitute for God's goodness and righteousness. We even ascribe these human values to God. 

But like ancient Israel, we are called to be the servants of God, even when we live and work in Babylon. But we must reserve our worship, our ultimate commitment, to God--it is His goodness and righteousness versus everything else. This commitment must stand above all other systems, parties and values. But in order for us to recognize this, we must understand and know that we are, at least for now, captives of Babylon and her man made systems. Isaiah calls upon us who are now living in a secular environment, to differentiate clearly between our loyalties to human structures, authorities and economies, and our commitment to our God, our Savior and our Lord. 

Among the Lord's people, however, the worship of the true God is rarely done away. Rather, we often worship the true God alongside the false gods. We maintain a careful equilibrium in order to preserve an identity with the God of Israel. At the same time we follow our own gods as we please. This compromise enables us to satisfy both our carnal instincts and our spiritual aspirations. It causes the Lord's prophets to cry, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve" (Josh. 24:15) and "How long will ye halt between two opinions?" (1 Kings 18:21).

In fact in some instances the worship of the true God and false gods becomes fused. Then the concept of the true God gets distorted, while the false gods assume the authenticity and endorsement that belongs to the true God. It epitomizes the idea of "philosophies of men mingled with scripture." For the Lord's people this type of syncretism lies but one step away from severing spiritual roots. It forms the final stage of apostasy before the Lord brings on His judgment.

We must wait for our deliverance, but in the meantime recognize our captivity and pray for our deliverance. Our awareness of where we are must be clear. The reminder by many prophet-writers in the Book of Mormon to remember the captivity of Israel and Israel's deliverance is a reminder to us as well. It is also the purpose of the Temple. Not only are we captive to our sins and must be delivered, but we are captives in Babylon and must be delivered. But first we must believe that we must be delivered, and then want to be delivered. But in order to be delivered from, we must desire to be delivered to. But to what?

The antithesis of Babylon is Zion. Whatever Babylon is, Zion is not. And whatever Zion is, Babylon is not. Isaiah describes both in great detail and also prophesies what will become of both. And since all that Isaiah said has been and shall be, his description of both has historical as well as endtime prophetic significance. Isaiah identifies Babylon with all non-Zion entities (Isa. 13-23). These include the earth and the world, nations and alliances of nations, aggressive world powers, tyrants and oppressors, rulers and people of power, enemies and adversaries, and the wicked of the Lord's people.

If Zion consists of those of the Lord's people who repent, who return, and whom the Lord delivers, then Babylon consists of all who do not repent, who do not return, and whom He does not deliver. If Babylon stands for the world and the wicked whom the Lord destroys in his day of judgment, then Zion stands for what he does not destroy at that time. Isaiah describes the polarity between Zion and Babylon with many examples, all leading up to the Lord exalting Zion and destroying Babylon.

Throughout the scriptures, Zion is brought into the clearest focus by placing it against a dark background; and like Zion, that background world is given a code name: Babylon. Babylon, like Zion, is a real society—a type, place, and environment of human existence, described in the scriptures with great clarity and precision. (The word Babylon is not just a general term to indicate anything that is not Zion; it is the designation of a very particular and specific type of society.) Though Babylon is vividly described by the prophets, the best way to define her is as the exact opposite of Zion in all things. Babylon is just as pure in its way as is Zion; it is pure evil—for even good, when it becomes contaminated and perverted, becomes evil. The main thing is that Babylon and Zion cannot mix in any degree; a Zion that makes concessions is no longer Zion.

Isaiah prophesied, however, that many of the Lord's people would not be looking forward to Zion because they are so immersed in Babylon. Their preoccupation with the things of this world prevent them from discerning that Babylon will be destroyed. Having lost sight of Zion, and going about to establish their own righteousness, according to Isaiah, many of the Lord's people will be unprepared when the Lord sees fit to destroy Babylon. Isaiah observes an interdependence between Zion and Babylon--between the Lord's righteous people (those who repent) and the wicked (those who do not repent). Those of the Lord's people who do not repent will be the very people whom Lehi and Nephi saw in the large and spacious building. These prideful people compose the "multitudes of the earth" and the "house of Israel," who fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb (1 Nephi 11:34-35).

Without the prospects of Zion, however, many of the Lord's people will not be looking past Babylon, but only to a more comfortable life in Babylon. One of the reasons, I believe, that Christ commanded us to search the words of Isaiah was to prepare us for the days leading up to the destruction of Babylon. Isaiah emphasized the contrast between Babylon and Zion so that we would recognize our captivity and desire to be delivered from Babylon, so that Zion could be established. It seems, though, as if many of us have lost sight of Zion.

The Saints' early efforts to establish Zion did not yield the blessing that was promised. The Saints were unable to build up the Zion of which the prophecies speak. When their enemies came against them, God did not defend and prosper them as he did Enoch's people. They failed to establish the latter-day Zion because they were unschooled in the laws of Zion (D&C 105:2-10). We are not any closer today, but have removed ourselves even further from establishing Zion by immersing ourselves in Babylon and its systems. 

When Latter-day Saints recognize that they choose either Babylon or Zion, and cannot belong to both, perhaps there will be some awakening of a few of them who presently are not looking forward to being delivered from Babylon. Hugh Nibley, in his book Approaching Zion, articulates many problems we face today in becoming a Zion people. As he points out, instead of having become more Zion-like since the restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, we have acquired more of the characteristics of Babylon. Instead of having become God's peculiar people, a nation of kings and priests, we have become, as some modern prophets have told us, an idolatrous people, a people under condemnation, treating lightly the things we have received.

If this is true, where do we go from here?

First, we must recognize where we are. We live in Babylon and our employer is Satan, or it is his system that we work and labor in. Whatever excuses we give ourselves will cut it. This has been true since the time of Adam, where Cain and many after him rejected God and chose to operate under Satan's system--which is Babylon.

Second, we must recognize that we are slaves in this system and cannot deliver ourselves from it. Like the children of Israel in Egypt, we are slaves in Babylon and must be delivered. At some point we will be asked to leave it and we must be prepared.

Third, we must recognize that there is something better and desire it--Zion or the Lord's law which will be established when the Lord gathers Israel, whether we choose to leave Babylon or not. 

Fourth, we must feast upon His words and believe them--not treat them lightly. Through His words we come to know that Zion will be established by those who believe His words, exercise faith in Him and repent or turn to him and away from all that we are and away from where we are. Through His words we learn that the Prophet Joseph Smith laid the foundation for the latter-day Zion, and that callings and offices in the restored Church of Jesus Christ exist expressly for the purpose of establishing Zion and her stakes (D&C 107:36-37, 59, 74). The Saint's labors in the Lord's vineyard build up the Church, which helps to bring forth Zion (D&C 39:13). We will come to recognize that the purpose of the revelations given in the Doctrine and Covenants is to lay the foundation for the building up of the latter-day Zion. We must labor for Zion and not for money (2 Nephi 26:31).

Fifth, we must recognize that Zion can be built up only by the law of the celestial kingdom (D&C 105:5), meaning we must desire to live the law of consecration so that there will be no poor among us and we can prepare for the Lord's second coming. He will not come until Zion is established. He has warned us that many among us will reject the fulness of His gospel, in which case it will be taken from us and given to the House of Israel who will hear His words, believe them and repent. Our only hope is repentance!

But are we enjoying Babylon so much that we don't even think of Zion? Are we like the Jews who were captured by the Babylonians and taken to Babylonia, only to want to remain even after they were free to go back to Jerusalem?