ZION'S WARNING

 

 

I love Nephi, the visionary. I am amazed by his accurate account of our day in 2 Nephi chapter 28. After he describes, so expertly, the state of the world, he warns of Satan’s technique of leading people into ‘carnal security’ by pacifying, lulling and flattering them (vs 21,22). This warning, however, is not to the world but to the Church. The carnal security he talks of will make many adopt the attitude of ‘all is well in Zion’ (v 21). It will make some of us think that we are good enough as it is; that we have ample time to improve and repent before the end is here. This unpreparedness reminds me of the parable of The Ten Virgins.

The story of this parable is based on oriental marriage customs of Jesus’ time. Since the wedding ceremonies were appointed for the evening and night, it was imperative that people were equipped with torches and lamps to see their way in the procession which the bridegroom led to the bride’s house and later to conduct her to her new home where the marriage celebration awaited them. The ten maidens in the story were eager to be included in this celebration but only five of them were smart enough to equip themselves with enough oil for their lamps. In summary, when the time came to join the procession, their lamps had failed and not being able to borrow oil from the prepared maidens, they were too late to be admitted into the wedding celebration. (See James E. Talmage, Jesus The Christ, p 577)

As a symbol of our covenant relationship with Christ, Jesus used the metaphor of marriage between Himself and His Church. The betrothal between Him and the House of Israel took place in the Sinai wilderness after the Exodus (Exodus 19:5-6; 24:7). The marriage proper is yet to take place when He returns. Therefore, when He comes, He will come as a bridegroom to wed not just the Church, but the righteous members of His Church only, the ones who are prepared, with oil in their lamps. And what is this oil? It represents the Holy Ghost….who makes us see the way.  The Lord confirmed that this parable will be fulfilled when He returns and that the members of His Church who have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide and have not been deceived will abide the day of His coming (D&C 45:56,57). It makes President Nelson’s recent directive true to life: “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” (Russell M. Nelson, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our lives, April 2018).

There is a word in Hebrew that refers to the faithfulness of loyal love that binds two people together in covenant. This love is motivated by an inner loyalty which arises out of the relationship itself and not by legal obligation. Such covenant love has the quality of constancy, firmness and steadfastness. This word is HESED (Bernhard W. Anderson, “Understanding the Old Testament”, p 248). This is the love the Saviour expects of us, His bride. If we truly love Him, we will have all the characteristics of ‘hesed’. We will shine forth in righteousness because we will have forsaken spiritual Babylon and will be prepared to meet Him for the wedding (D&C 133:5,7,10,14). Right now some of us have our feet in both camps. Some of us are half hearted in forsaking the world and are content with the scanty supply of oil we have in our lamps, but that contentment will meet with regret when the call for the wedding feast comes. The five virgins that missed out are symbolic of half the Church membership who will be unprepared.

When the time of His appearing is here, there will be no reservoir of good works, spiritually building moments, and a sinless slate we will be able to draw from and we will no longer be able to exist on the testimony of others. The ‘carnal security’ we had wallowed in and been comfortable in will come to an end and all will be lost.  Let’s not be deceived and think we are safe in Satan’s territory. When the Saviour comes, we will behold Him in His glory and we will want to be with Him. We will want to come to the wedding.

 

ODE TO THE TEN VIRGINS

I would gladly give you some oil

Your empty lamp to fill,

If you could glean the sweat

From my furrowed brow

As I worked on the oil press

So diligently until now.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Five Virgins by Dan Burr)