WOMEN OF VALOUR

"About fifty years ago, Mr. F.M. Bareham wrote the following:

'A century ago men were following with bated breath the march of Napoleon and waiting with feverish impatience for news of the wars. And all the while in their homes babies were being born. But who could think about babies? Everybody was thinking about battles.
In one year between Trafalgar and Waterloo there stole into the world a host of heroes: Gladstone was born in Liverpool; Tennyson at the Somersby Rectory; and Oliver Wendell Holmes in Massachusetts. Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky, and music was enriched by the advent of Felix Mendelssohn in Hamburg.
But nobody thought of babies, everybody was thinking of battles. Yet which of the battles of 1809 mattered more than the babies of 1809? We fancy God can manage His world only with great battalions, when all the time he is doing it with beautiful babies.
When a wrong wants righting, or a truth wants preaching, or a continent wants discovering, God sends a baby into the world to do it'. (Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle: pp 84, 85)"

God prepares great mothers for great children. One such woman was one of the greatest examples of virtuous womanhood in the Old Testament. Her name was Ruth. Born of a heathen nation, Ruth made a life changing choice when a young woman. She married an Israelite.  By virtue of that marriage she got converted to the God of Israel and gained a mother-in-law who she loved and respected so much that she regarded her welfare above her own. Because of her selflessness this convert who accepted the truth was blessed to become a progenitor of Christ.

Ruth's story begins in Moab, her home land, where she married Mahlon, one of the sons of an Israelite couple called Elimelech and Naomi, who had fled from their hometown of Bethlehem because of famine and came to Moab, a gentile country east of the Dead Sea. Another Moabite woman by the name of Orpah married Chilon, the other son of that family. Neither of the women produced any children before the father and both sons died leaving the three women destitute. Ruth's story is a prime example of how you can go from nothing to everything if you are faithful. When the famine abated Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem and entreated her daughters-in-law to remain in Moab and return to their families. Both of the women wept at the suggestion wanting to follow her but Orpah consented after further encouragement from Naomi while Ruth refused to abandon her aging mother-in-law who faced a life of uncertainty without offspring and opportunity (Ruth 1:15-17). And here begins a life dedicated to caring. Ruth accompanies her mother-in-law to Bethlehem and there gains a reputation of a virtuous woman in Israel. The entire city of Bethlehem knew how good she was and told Naomi that Ruth was better to her than seven sons (Ruth 3:11, 4:15).

 
As the poor in Israel were accustomed to do, Ruth offers to go gleaning the barley fields being harvested. Gleaning was in effect gathering any stalks of barley that fell from the harvesters' hands and that were left on the field for the poor to gather to save them from starvation. Being new in the area, Ruth, unbeknown to her, chose a field that belonged to Boaz, a wealthy relative of Naomi's husband, but not just any relative. Naomi identifies him as the 'next kinsmen', the proper Hebrew name being "go'el", being a term from the realm of Israelite family law. It describes the near relatives to whom both law and custom gave certain duties towards the clan, one of them making it 'possible for a widow who had lost home and property to return to her former status and security and to have seed to perpetuate her family' (Old Testament Student Manual, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, p. 263). This is where it becomes really interesting. Naomi, a young woman does not seek a man closer to her own age and of her own liking to marry and get on with her life, she instead heeds the counsel of her mother-in-law and approaches Boaz to lay claim to a 'levirate marriage'. As the 'next kinsmen' it would be his duty to marry the widowed Ruth and provide her with offspring. This duty would have fallen to her husband's brother had he remained alive. What is even more interesting is that Naomi could have laid this claim herself but Naomi was too stricken in years to bear more children. By Ruth marrying and bearing a son, she provided a way for both women to be cared for in their old age. Lucky for Ruth, Boaz was a good man and was impressed that she was following the Israelite family law in seeking a rightful husband rather than going after her own selfish desires. He regarded her proposal as 'a proof of feminine virtue and modesty, that she had not gone after young men, but offered herself as a wife to an old man like him' (Old Testament Student Manual).  In his immortalized words:

"And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end that at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
"And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman". (Ruth 3:10,11)

Imagine if Ruth's reputation had been any less than what it was. Would she have been able to save herself and Naomi from destitution? Would Boaz want to marry her? But Ruth was a virtuous woman, committed to the God of Israel and because of her commitment she came to Bethlehem empty but was filled in every way. She went from nothing to everything. Boaz married Ruth and they had a son, Obed who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David who was a progenitor of Mary who was the mother of Christ (Ruth 4:17-22). By giving birth to Obed, Ruth brought honour again to her mother-in-law who was left childless: "And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed...." (Ruth 4:16,17). Thus by her life's choices Ruth became a symbol of selfless love to be emulated by all daughters of God.

Another remarkable woman of great spirit from the Old Testament is Hannah, mother of Samuel. Here is another lady who like Ruth could have believed that the Lord left her empty but who through her actions and faith, like Ruth,  received of His abundance. So many women who bore significant sons in early history were barren. It would seem that we learn greatest lessons from their experience. Not being able to bear children is a difficult cross to bear for any woman in any age but it was especially so for Hannah. She was barren in a time when 'it was a great reproach to a woman among the Jews to be barren; because, say some, every one hoped that the Messiah should spring from her line" (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 2:207, Old Testament Student Manual, p 267). Besides this hope, a woman brought great honour to her husband by giving him children, especially sons. At an age when women had little else to distinguish themselves by, child bearing was of utmost importance. Hannah's suffering from her condition was made even more difficult by the second wife of her husband, Peninnah, who tormented her and made her miserable by 'ostentatious exhibition of her children' (Old Testament Manual p 267). Hannah was greatly loved by her husband who favoured her which might explain Peninnah's merciless action.

As the family went up to Shiloh to the annual festivals to offer sacrifices at the tabernacle that was located there after the tribes settled in Canaan, Hannah took matters into her own hands. She knew there was only one place to go and only one god who could possibly know the state of her heart and who could alleviate her suffering. In her unwavering faith she made a covenant with the Lord that if He would give her a son she would bring him up as a Nazarite (1 Sam 1:11), dedicated to God all the days of his life through the Nazarite vow (Numbers 6). By this Hannah clearly showed that she was not interested in just fulfilling her heart's desire but that she wished to honour God as well so she made a deal that would not only benefit her but God too. This is an amazing act of selflessness. How many of us ask God constantly for what we want not giving any thought to what we can give in return? How many of us promise God in our prayers that we will do something for HIM? Usually we just keep asking and asking for more.

Hannah was a noble woman of the covenant, one who not only wanted to serve God but who wanted to secure real happiness for her son, the only true happiness that comes from knowing and serving God. When she explained to priest Eli the nature of her petition to God and Eli discharged her from the tabernacle saying 'Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him' (1 Sam 1:17), Hannah believed for 'her countenance was no more sad' (1 Sam 1:18). And herein lies another lesson, when you petition the Lord, walk away believing. Hannah did bear a son and she called his name Samuel, meaning in Hebrew 'heard of God' (Keil and Delitzch, Commentary, 2:2:25). This name served as a reminder to both Hannah and Samuel of the special circumstances and commitments relating to his birth (Old Testament Student Manual, p. 268).

When Samuel was weaned, Hannah honoured her promise to God and brought him to priest Eli to live and serve in the sanctuary for the remainder of his life. According to the custom of the day, Samuel was not weaned until he was three years old (Old Testament Student Manual, p 268). I have a three year old granddaughter, Addy. I cannot imagine how I would feel if she was suddenly no longer around. I know her mother would feel like her heart was ripped out of her chest. One cannot imagine how Hannah, who longed for a child, had the fortitude to hand him over to live with an old man and replace the carefree days of his childhood with service in the tabernacle, seeing him only once a year (1 Sam 2:20). But the God of Israel knew how Hannah would feel and He did not leave her heart empty. He filled it to the brim and rewarded her for keeping her word. Hannah went on to bear three more sons and two daughters.

".....and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it (Malachi 3:10)

If you have been left empty, you must believe, for the story is not over yet. The God of Israel desires to give you all that He has and to make of you all that He is. He has the power to restore what the locust have eaten (Joel 2:25). He has the power to make of you a fruitful field and to grant you eternal life. He is the bread of life and the living water. He is the God of Israel, the God of our fathers, the God of us all. He is the light, the truth and the way.

"For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes".  (Rev 7:17)

THE GUARDIANS OF HAPPINESS

"And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it....but if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell." (Numbers 33:53, 55)

Israel's conquest of the promised land was gradual and involved the takeover of specific cities rather than a broad swath of land. As their power to control and their ambitions shifted over the next generation, the territory of the tribes was in constant flux through the time period called "The Judges" (Lesson 19, "The Reign of the Judges", Meridian Magazine). In conquering the promised land, the Israelites made a grave mistake of not adhering to the Lord's directive 100%. Not only did they not follow the Lord's instructions with exactness to subdue the land thus ridding it of idol worshipers, they failed to conquer more than twenty cities that were on Joshua's itinerary. This failure to properly take possession of the land of their fathers cost the children of Israel dearly.  Because of this disobedience they failed to provide a spiritually conducive environment for their children who were not yet strong enough to resist the lure of false gods. Because of the bad choices of their fathers, the next generation of Israelites not only fell into bondage several times but continuously turned to idol worshiping: 

"And there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

"And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger" (Judges 2:10,12)

This story stands as a classic example of bad parenting. Parents being entrusted with the spiritual welfare of their children have the responsibility of being guardians of their happiness, the only true happiness that comes from being obedient to one true and living God. Israelites of old failed to provide a safe environment for their children whereby they could continue to worship the God of Israel who would have granted them peace and plenty in the land he had promised them. 

When Joshua and the leaders of Israel who served under him died, the national spirit of Israel died with them. Tribal loyalty replaced national unity and each tribe began to look to its own resources integrating themselves into the Canaanite culture and lifestyle (Old Testament Student Manual p. 251,252). Thus Israelites' story comes to be one of continuous cycle of apostasy and repentance. In times of peace and plenty they would turn to worshiping Canaanite gods and turn only to the God of Israel as the last resort when deliverance from oppression could not be obtained any other way. Suffering under oppression and war, the people would cry to God and He in his unfailing mercy would raise a leader to deliver them (Judges 4:1-3, 6:1,6, 10:6,10, 13:1). His mercy in dealing with the House of Israel is extraordinary to say the least, His eagerness to bring them back to Him by doing for them what no dumb idol could do is spectacular. This can be seen in the story of Gideon who trusted in the Lord fully when called upon to rescue Israel from yet another bondage. His is one of the most intriguing and faith promoting stories of the Old Testament. Gideon started off with 32,000 soldiers in his army which was required to defeat a Midianite army of 130,000 (Judges 8:10). This suggests odds of 4-1. This alone would have sent fear through Gideon but things got worse. By a process of elimination the Lord reduced this army to 300, which made it odds of 450 to 1 (Ted Gibbons, OT Lesson 19, "The Reign of the Judges). What did the Lord intent to do with an army of 300 against 130,000? He showed the Israelites that with God all things are possible, that He is the only god that can be trusted and that possesses power and might but Israel was hard of heart and did not stay on the right track. This mistake led them into bondage to the Philistines for forty years (Judges 13:1). The Book of Judges is one of the most fascinating books in the Old Testament. The story of Gideon is found in chapters 7 and 8 and is similar to the taking of Jericho.

Turning to the false gods of Canaan, the Israelites  destroyed the spiritual and moral fibre of their nation. "Based on the fertility cults led by the god Baal, the Canaanite religion was an extraordinarily immoral form of paganism, including....prostitution, homosexuality, and other orgiastic rites" (Old Testament Student Manual, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, p.252). Salvation comes only in one way, through Jesus Christ, the Jehovah of the Old Testament. Worshiping other gods replaces that belief and suggests that salvation can come through other means: "A person's god is the thing or being in which he trusts and which he believes has the greatest power.  It is the thing to which he looks for whatever salvation he believes is available. The Lord has made it clear in all ages that whenever men place their full trust in such things as other men, nations, treaties, treasuries, precious minerals, armies or armaments, their actions are a form of idolatry because such actions reveal a lack of trust in Jehovah. To be totally free of idolatry one must put complete trust in the true God" (Old Testament Student Manual, p.247,245). 

All of Israel's downfall could have been avoided had the parents walked up to their responsibility of being true guardians of their children's happiness. What can we take from this? We can ask ourselves if the spiritual fiber of our family is intact. Are our homes spiritual havens for our children? Are they places where the spirit can dwell and strengthen those who are in our care? Are we worshiping false gods and inadvertently passing on this false worship to our children? Are we showing our children that the one true, living God is the only one to be trusted? When we truly grasp the idea of trusting God we can understand why the Lord would issue an edict to ancient Israel to destroy all the people and their possessions in an idolatrous city. God did not want them to believe that this land of plenty cultivated by idol worshippers was their source of sustenance: "Not to destroy their goods would be to demonstrate a lack of faith that the Lord would provide. Similarly, if a Latter-day Saint will not tithe, is it not because he centers his trust in worldly things and the system that produces them instead of the providence of the Lord? In that sense, then, the things of the world become a god to him, for he trusts more in them than in God's power. Those who do not pay tithing would likely be shocked to think they were guilty of idolatry just as the ancient Israelites were guilty of idolatry. The form differs, but the sin is the same." (Old Testament Student Manual p. 247). Money is a system of the world. When you lack faith to pay tithing, you are inadvertently having faith in your money instead. Having faith in money therefore, means having faith in the world to provide for you instead of God, the true source of all abundance.

The other side of the coin of being guardians of happiness are children who, despite their righteous parents, squander their free agency. The perfect example of this is Samson, one of the judges in the time period under discussion. A judge during this generally apostate period of Israelite's history was more of a military hero who gave advice and rendered decisions rather than an officer of the judiciary. Samson, born of a barren woman in the tribe of Dan, had the potential to be one of the greatest leaders in Israel since Joshua. Foreordained and chosen by the Lord to be a Nazarite who would conquer Philistines and end Israel's 40 year bondage, his birth announced by an angel (Judges 13:4,5), Samson fell into the chosen category with Isaac, John the Baptist and Jesus himself. In Numbers 6 we learn that a Nazarite was someone who was separate (vss. 2,3,4,5), consecrated (vs 7) and holy (vss. 5,8). It was a covenant entered into with the Lord. A Nazarite could also never cut his hair for the length of his hair was indicative of the length of the vow (Ted Gibbons, OT Lesson #19). Samson was born with tremendous gifts, one of them being a gift of incredible strength. His courageous feats include slaying a young lion with his bare hands (Judges 14), killing 1,000 Philistines with jawbone of an ass (Judges 15), ripping away the doors and posts of Gaza's gate and carrying them 40 miles to Hebron and bringing down the temple of Philistines' god Dagon killing himself and 3000 Philistines (Judges 16). Samson had massive potential but his is a story of self-indulgence, immorality, selfish seeking for revenge and violation of the covenant. Instead of conquering Philistines, he repeatedly joined them and even married one of them. In twenty years of adulthood, Samson never attempted to organize the forces of Israel for their liberation thus failing miserably in fulfilling his life's calling (Judges 13:5).  His life ended up being one of the great tragedies of history. 

Short of physical death, there is no greater pain for a faithful parent than that of a spiritually wayward child. A parent who is on the path to eternal life feels keenly the responsibility of being the guardian of their child's happiness. Someone who is convinced that the ultimate happiness means salvation in God's kingdom wants the same for their offspring. Usually when that offspring rebels, the root of that pain is twofold: 1. the parents personalize the child's bad choices and blame themselves for their parenting skills or lack thereof; and 2. the fear that this child will be eternally lost becomes excruciating. It would not be hard to imagine what Samson's parents went through watching him trade his divine destiny for a 'mass of pottage'. No doubt they wondered where they had gone wrong. Letting go of control and respecting your children's agency to choose for themselves can be the hardest thing asked of parents. It is however, the greatest lesson one can learn and grow to accept, for the plan of salvation itself is based on this principle. Without it there is no growth into godhood. God the Father would give us everything He has, but He cannot give us who He is, that we have to earn for ourselves. Let go we must in our parenting, believing we have done what we could do and entrusting our children's salvation into their care, for the Father has done the same. Having made our salvation our responsibility He watches with great interest as the seeds of godhood take root and we grow into gods we are destined to be. And like a perfect parent, He has not left us alone. Always watchful, always caring and always forgiving and all this made possible because of His Son who died to save us all. May we never find the mass of pottage more enticing than the vow we had made to inherit all the Father has and may we be brought together at the last day to receive that inheritance.

GOD'S PURPOSE, OUR SACRIFICE

Ever since Sheri L. Dew came to our attention through her calling on the Relief Society General Board,  I have wondered why she has never married. Surely living in the heart of Zion would mean a myriad of marriage opportunities. Sheri Dew has been a faithful member of the Church all her life and she has served God valiantly throughout her life. This must mean that the Lord would desire to bless her with a husband. Apparently Sister Dew was of the same opinion. She says that her solution to this heartbreak was to exercise so much faith that the Lord would have to give her what she wanted - which was a husband. She went on to say: "Believe me, if fasting and prayer and temple attendance automatically resulted in a husband, I'd have one" (Sheri L. Dew, You Were Born to Lead, You Were Born for Glory, BYU Speeches, December 2003). Well, the Lord didn't give Sister Dew a husband but He did heal her heart and taught her the value of the Atonement.

Pondering on Sister Dew's life and years of service, it became obvious to me why she has never been blessed with a husband and a family. This became very clear to me when I read this story she related at a BYU fireside:

"This summer I was invited to speak on the subject of the family to a gathering of United Nations diplomats. I agonized over what to say to such a diverse group. In the end I simply shared my personal experience. I explained that my parents had taught me as a child that personal virtue was essential for a happy marriage and family and that in my youth I had made promises to God that I would live a chaste life.

I then acknowledged that I was about to turn 50 and that, though I had not yet married, I had kept my promise. "It hasn't always been easy to stay morally clean", I admitted, "but it has been far easier than the alternative". I have never spent one second worrying about an unwanted pregnancy or disease. I have never had a moment's anguish because a man used and then discarded me. And when I do marry I will do so without regret. "So you see", I concluded, "I believe a moral life is actually an easier and a happier life".

I worried about how this sophisticated audience would respond to a message about virtue and abstinence, but much to my surprise they leapt to their feet in applause - not because of me but because the Spirit had borne witness of the truth of that message". (Sheri L. Dew, You Were Born to Lead, You Were Born for Glory, BYU Speeches, December 2003)

God needs willing servants. Men and women who would sacrifice everything, even their heart's desire for fulfillment of God's purposes. Sister Dew's speech, "You Were Born to Lead, You Were Born for Glory" was addressed to the BYU students back in 2003.  She explained to them how important they were in God's plan and had been selected especially to come to earth in this 11th hour to conquer the enemy of all righteousness. I wonder if Sister Dew realises that she was really speaking of herself during this talk for I suspect that she was born to lead others in believing that a life of purity is a better way.  In an age where sexual purity, not valued and sexual promiscuity reigning supreme, God needed someone strong and powerful to stand as a witness to the Church and the world that His ways are better that our ways.  I will go so far as to say that I believe that Sister Dew had covenanted in her pre-existence that she will sacrifice her desire for a husband so that she can combat the forces of evil during her life by her example.This is His purpose, this is her mission. And so it is for us. Sometimes we push and agonise and plead and complain, wanting the life we do not have when in reality we had covenanted that we will do something entirely different so that God's purposes can be accomplished through us.

The greatest scriptural example of this is Abraham who waited on the Lord until it seemed there was little chance that he would ever have the desire of his heart. Abraham desired the blessings of the 'fathers', meaning the priesthood which was passed down from father Adam to the rightful heirs or first born male children who were righteous enough to receive it.  These blessings of the priesthood he did not only desire for himself but for his posterity also which meant he would have to have an heir to pass the rights of the priesthood to. As time passed it became obvious that heir was not forthcoming. In desperation, his wife Sarah complied with the custom of the day which dictated that if a woman did not provide children for her husband in the first 10 years of marriage, she had to give him another wife so he would have offspring. She gave Hagar to Abraham and Hagar bore him a son but the Lord had promised Abraham a rightful heir to the blessings of the 'fathers' meaning the child would have to come through the first wife. So the promise was made and not fulfilled for 37 years. By this time Sarah, who was infertile to begin with was also well past the child bearing age.  Why such a long wait?  Why not give Sarah a son when she could have conceived normally, without divine intervention? Among other explanations that might come to mind,  Church Father Ambrose offered the most plausible one:  "An aged woman who was sterile brought (Isaac) to birth according to God's promise, so that we may believe that God has power to bring it about that even a virgin may give birth". (Didymus the Blind, On Genesis 2:41, in Oden, Ancient Christian Commentary, 2:45).

Usually the main focus in this story is on Abraham and little consideration is given to Sarah. Imagine being a married woman longing for a child. Many women find themselves in that boat. Now imagine being a woman in Sarah's time. Not only is your husband longing for a child which is his heart's desire but you have to give him another wife so she can fulfill your responsibility to give him children. How worthless would you feel? There was great stigma attached to being barren in Sarah's time. On top of that if you did not have a son, you were basically in a very precarious situation indeed. Sons had the responsibility to care for their mothers should their fathers not be around. As women were not providers and had no legal rights, they desperately needed sons. Even though Abraham was rich, Sarah did not stand to inherit his fortune. That honour would go to the nearest male relative if her husband had no sons by another woman. Sarah languished for 37 years in the waiting room of her heart so that a greater purpose can be fulfilled for she was required to pave the path of belief. The sacrifice sublime, the purpose priceless: "Sarah's miraculous conception, intentionally arranged by the Almighty as a miracle that had never been seen since the Creation, is surely one of the clearest similitudes of the birth of Him who would fulfill the promise to Abraham and Isaac that in their seed all nations of the earth would be blessed" (E. Douglas Clark, The Blessings of Abraham, Becoming a Zion People, p. 192). What an incredibly important role Sarah played and she lived up to it in every sense of the word.

One of the covenants we make in the temple is a covenant of sacrifice. We basically promise we will give our all for the kingdom of God and the establishment of Zion. Some may say that's a tall order. It's an order, however, in similitude of the sacrifice of the Son that God's purpose in Him might be fulfilled. And what is this purpose? To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39). When we stood in the grand council in pre-mortal life, we covenanted that we will be a part of this purpose (D&C 138:55,56), that we would labour for the salvation of the souls of men and sacrifice all that it would take to do so. This meant that we placed others before ourselves and had a strong desire to make the plan of salvation successful. I also believe we wanted to bring honour and glory to the Father as opposed to the one who wanted all glory for himself. This is what we voted for and what we fought for. I imagine Sheri Dew was there with her hand raised to the square and you and I stood beside her.

If your heart is filled with broken dreams and unfulfilled desires and more questions than you have answers for, do not be dismayed. God has a purpose for you and in time that purpose will reveal itself if you are faithful. The Saviour, as committed as He was to the Father, struggled with the concept of sacrifice also and asked for the cup to be passed from Him (Matt 26:39) but he did not shrink back and drank the bitter dregs anyway. In time the bitterness of your cup will be turned to sweetness in equal measure. Trust in the Saviour's ability to enable you to make your offering on the altar of sacrifice. If the Atonement was the ultimate sacrifice, it can empower us to lay our hearts down as a token of our faithfulness. Place your trust in it and seek its' power. You are a child of God bound by the covenant, a daughter, a son, a noble offspring of the Father of us all. God's purpose will be done through you and for you and in the end you will be crowned with glory and be granted thrones, principalities and dominions in the Celestial Kingdom of our Heavenly Father with the promise of eternal increase therein. You wanted this when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy. You were among that happy throng and your voice was heard. Honour it and be true to it.

THE FALSE GODS WE WORSHIP

Some years ago whilst we were studying the Old Testament in Sunday School, a friend of mine called me quite distressed and asked me to explain how the Lord could command the children of Israel to slaughter so many people as they took possession of the promised land. She reasoned they were His children too and surely he loved them as much as the Israelites so how could He possibly have so many people including women and children killed so mercilessly just so the Israelites could move into their land.  I tried to explain about the heathen nations but my argument wasn't gelling with her. In the end I said that the Saviour of all mankind who bled at every pore for our sins had the right to demand our utmost allegiance and as the creator of this earth He had all things in His hand and could do as He pleased.

The more I reflect on the Israelites taking possession of the promised land, the more I realise the destruction of the idolatrous Canaanites is a great lesson in reaping what you sow. Israel had to have the land of their fathers back and the evil practices which polluted the land had to be eradicated for worship of the true and living God to take place. In essence, it was Canaanites who were responsible for their downfall at the hands of the Israelites. This is evident from the scriptures: "...for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers..." (Deut. 9:4).

The scriptures constantly affirm that if we are faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord we will prosper in the land. The opposite to prospering in the land is being removed from the land and the opposite to being blessed through obedience is being destroyed, spiritually and at times physically. The destruction of the heathen nations that possessed Canaan was a matter of time.  I wonder how many of us take the scriptural warnings seriously. I am never surprised to hear of calamities that befall different parts of the world. More often than not, these calamities happen in non-Christian countries where false gods are worshipped. Sometimes they even happen in heathen pockets of Christian countries for God will not be mocked. Consider the poor countries in the third world. Most of them do not worship the one true and living God.

I love the story of how Israelites conquered Jericho . The ingenious strategy to overpower this city was clearly the plan through which God would show forth his power over the inhabitants of the earth and any false gods that they turn to.  I would love to travel back in time to witness this majestic display of His power. I get emotional just thinking about it. Instead of complicated strategies, all it took was a shout to bring the walls down, shout from God's chosen people bearing the ark of the covenant in their midst. Why would anyone choose to worship anything other than the God of glory and power? But worship we do in so many ways and so many things other than the God who can give us all.  The Lord said of our day: "They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own God, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall" (D&C 1:16).

President Spencer W. Kimball cites a modern day example of false god worship through this story:

"One man I know of was called to a position of service in the Church, but he felt that he couldn't accept because his investments required more attention and more of his time than he could spare for the Lord's work.  He left the service of the Lord in search of Mammon, and he is a millionaire today.  But I recently learned an interesting fact: If a man owns a million dollars worth of gold at today's prices, he possesses approximately one 27-billion of all the gold that is present in the earth's thin crust alone. This is an amount so small in proportion as to be inconceivable to the mind of man. But there is more to this: The Lord who created and has power over all the earth created many other earths as well, even 'worlds without number' (Moses 1:33); and when this man received the oath and covenant of the priesthood (D&C 84:33-44), he received a promise from the Lord of 'all that my Father hath' (D&C 84:38). To set aside all these great promises in favour of a chest of gold and a sense of carnal security is a mistake in perspective of colossal proportions. To think that he has settled for so little is a saddening and pitiful prospect indeed; the souls of men are far more precious than this." (The False Gods We Worship, Ensign June 1976)

I wonder when the Saviour comes again, what will we be clutching in our hands? What treasure will we consider to be worth more than eternal life? When the expanse of eternity spreads before us, will we want the splendor of celestial life or will we be dragging our treasure chests behind us content to own that for all eternity? I fear that some of us may get there with closed fists resembling the monkeys in the following story:

"I am reminded of an article I read some years ago about a group of men who had gone to the jungles to capture monkeys. They tried a number of different things to catch the monkeys, including nets. But finding that the nets could injure such small creatures, they finally came upon an ingenious solution. They built a large number of small boxes, and in the top of each they bored a hole just large enough for the monkey to get his hand into. They then set these boxes out under the trees and in each one they put a nut that the monkeys were particularly fond of.

When the men left, the monkeys began to come down from the trees and examine the boxes. Finding that there were nuts to be had, they reached into the boxes to get them. But when a monkey would try to withdraw his hand with the nut, he could not get his hand out of the box because his little fist, with the nut inside, was now too large.

At about this time, the men would come out of the underbrush and converge on the monkeys. And here is the curious thing: When the  monkeys saw the men coming, they would shriek and scramble about with the thought of escaping; but as easy as it would have been, they would not let go of the nut so that they could withdraw their hands from the boxes and thus escape. The men captured them easily.

And so it often seems to be with people, having such a firm grasp on things of the world - that which is telestial - that no amount of urging and no degree of emergency can persuade them to let go in favour of that which is celestial. Satan gets them in his grip easily. If we insist on spending all our time and resources building up for ourselves a worldly kingdom, that is exactly what we will inherit." (Spencer W. Kimball, The False Gods We Worship, Ensign, June 1976)

MANNA ON THE HIGHWAY

"And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

"And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

"Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years." (Deut. 8:2-4)

God knows our every need, what we need and when we need it.  For forty years He provided the Israelites with the necessities of life, from food and water to clothing which was preserved during all their time in the wilderness.  None of us could imagine wearing the same clothes for forty years but the Israelites did.  As they entered the promised land which 'flowed with milk and honey', the dynamics of God's miraculous care immediately changed; manna ceased to grace the earth and as other options became available the Israelites were no longer totally dependent on God.  Able to now take care of themselves, all that was asked of them was to remember what He had done for them when they could not do for themselves. A good lesson for anyone's books; the Lord will not abandon us in our time of need and He will not disable us in our time of plenty by unnecessary indulgence.  The following is a story of a 'modern day manna' that illustrates this point related by Hyrum M. Smith:

"I was raised in San Bernardino....during the Depression.  I was taught a marvelous lesson in faith when I was about nine years old.  We were living in what could best be described as a converted chicken coop. We owned a piece of ground that bordered a very busy highway.  On one occasion our father called us together and said: 'I have been impressed that we should spend a day fasting and praying to see if the Lord can't direct us in a path that will help us have enough money to build a home' (as told by Gerald Quinn).

His father had a job and all that job paid during the Depression was enough for food and clothing for a family and that was all.  At the end of this day of fasting, Bro. Quinn approached his children again.  Remember Gerald Quinn at this point was about nine.  And he said, 'I have been impressed that if we will go out in front of our house on this busy street, that we'll be able to find enough change dropped from passing motorists to feed our family.  Then I can take the money I get at work, buy the materials for the house and we can build the house ourselves'. Sister Quinn was very supportive and she said, 'If that's what you think is right, we'll do it'.

Gerald and his young sister were assigned the task of going out and searching the highway.  The next morning they went out and spent about 45 minutes walking up and down this highway about 600 yards on either side of the house.  They came back with 75c that they had found.  Those of you that remember the Depression, 75c was a lot of money. It bought food for the day.The next day they went out and did the same thing and brought back about $1.23. This was nickles, dimes and pennies. Brother and sisters, this went on for four years. Every day they would come back with anywhere from 25c to $1.50 in change.

Brother Quinn did exactly what he committed to the Lord he would do; took his money from work, bought the materials and they built a home. It was not a palatial place, but it was home. Gerald Quinn said, 'I'll never forget the day we finished the home. We had a ceremonial burning of the chicken coop out back. Mom fixed a really neat meal and we all had just kind of a special day'.

He said, 'the next day, because it had become our habit, my sister and I went out to the street to collect our 'daily manna'. We spent an hour and didn't find one penny. We came back to the house frantic, approached our mother and said, 'Mother, there is no money out there today'.

Mom sat them down and taught them a powerful lesson and said, 'you didn't expect there to be any money today, did you?' And Gerry not really understanding this whole process said, 'well, it's been there for four years, why not today?'  And then his gracious mother said, 'because we don't need it anymore. And there won't be any money anymore. The Lord provided that while we were building our home. Our home is completed. There won't be any money anymore'.

Gerry Quinn had to prove that. For the next three weeks he went out every day and never found another dime.

(From an audio recording by Hyrum M. Smith, "A Testimony of the Principles of Faith")

FORGET NOT

As ancient Israel prepared to enter the promised land, they stood at the threshold of a greater danger than the one they left behind. It would seem nothing could be worse than slavery, however, in slavery they had physical bondage but spiritual freedom because they remembered God. Now, at the end of their wandering they faced physical freedom and the risk of spiritual bondage. As they prepared to embrace a life of ease, they also faced the danger of forgetting God and what he had done for them.  Israel had already proven they had short memories.  They had become complacent with miraculous ways that God took care of them during their 40 years in wilderness. Moses' last words to the Israelites were ones of admonishment to remember they were a covenant people and what God had done for them.  Moses knew that nothing could make them forget better than prosperity and a life of ease. He described the Land of Promise as a land of "great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, and houses full of good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not...." (Det. 6:10,11).  As the Israelites overcame the land, they also inherited all that the conquered heathen nations left behind; houses and goods they never had to work for were given to them on a silver platter. Comfort breeds complacency and forgetfulness so Moses cautioned them:

"Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage".  (Deut. 6:12)

Much of the book of Deuteronomy consists of instructions and observances given to ancient Israel to assist them to remember.  Deuteronomy, or the Fifth Book of Moses is considered 'Second Law' or renewal of the covenant made at Mt Sinai. It is an exhortation to obey God out of love and reverence. It served to:

1. Teach obedience through love;
2. Teach significance of making covenants;
3. Look forward to Christ.

It is expected of us, the modern day Israel and members of the Saviour's Church to remember Him always and to cultivate that remembrance on daily basis. While ancient Israel had many outward, physical reminders of their status as the covenant people, our reminders tend to be more of a spiritual nature. While it is not required of us to build huts for us to live in for 7 days celebrating the Feast of the Tabernacles to remind us of our wilderness journey, it is required of us to step into the temple on ward temple night and be reminded that the earth was created for our sake.  While it is not required of us to eat the bitter herbs and celebrate the Passover in Egypt, it is required of us to take the sacrament every Sunday in remembrance of His body and his blood which was shed for us.  While it is not required of us to wear frontlets on our foreheads with the written law inside them, it is required of us to be spiritually born and have His image in our countenance (Alma 5:14)

The covenants that we make today with the God of Israel have the same objective as the covenants made anciently. They are intended to teach us obedience, the importance of making covenants and to look forward to the second coming of Christ. We also have the challenge to remember for we too have the trial of prosperity and a life of ease, more so now than ever before.  Not many of us think of ourselves as being rich but perhaps we should.  We have come a long way since the pony express, horse drawn carts and candle lit houses. We live in an age of instant gratification, advanced technology and conveniences beyond our forebears' wildest imaginations. For instance, by the world standards I would fall in the 'poor bracket' but by my grandmother's standards, I am rich. My grandmother never owned a washing machine or drove in an automobile and she never saw sliced bread. It's all in the perspective and we must have the correct one.  In the midst of the Depression, Melvin J. Ballard warned of the danger of wealth and prosperity which has the potential to cause us to forget God:

"We are in the age of self-indulgence. It is not peculiar to this Church, it is in the world. The spirit of it is rampant everywhere. It beats upon our shores from all points. It enters into the midst of the people. It is a deadly siege in an attempt to destroy that which persecution, mob, violence, privation and hardship failed to destroy - the integrity of this people. I am not a pessimist either. While I recognize the storms that are raging against our standards, I am as sure as that I live that the promises of the Lord will be fulfilled, and that this work shall not fail, nor shall it be given to another people. I recognize however, with my brethren, that the sorest trials that have ever come to the Church in any age of the world are the trials of peace and prosperity. But we are not to do a new thing, a thing that never has before been done - we are to take the Church of Christ not only through the age of persecution and mob violence, but through the age of peace and prosperity. For we must learn to endure faithfully even in peace and prosperity.

I am not praying for the return of persecution and poverty. I am praying for peace and prosperity; but above all things for strength and power to endure this test. For it was not the design and the intention of the Lord to have this people always in suffering in bondage and distress. They shall come to peace and prosperity, but it is the sorest trial that will come to them. (Elder Melvil J. Ballard, April 1929 Conference Report, p. 66)"

We, of the household of God, are of the House of Israel. We are the covenant people of the Lord, given the fullness of the gospel in this last dispensation of times. Unlike the ancient Israel, we have all the keys and covenants that lead to exaltation and eternal life. Sometimes I wonder how many of us realise the significance of this. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fullness. The Book of Mormon along with the holy priesthood and its sacred ordinances attest to that. We are a favoured people and we have been given much so that we will not forget: sacrament, family home evening, daily prayer, scripture study, church and temple participation and bi-annual General Conferences.  All these religious practices keep us in remembrance of our God if we willingly partake.  President Kimball said this regarding the need to remember:

"You will always be in your sacrament meetings so that you will remember. When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is? It could be remember. Because all of you have made covenants - you know what to do and you know how to do it - our greatest need is to remember. That is why everyone goes to sacrament meeting every Sabbath day - to take the sacrament and listen to the priests pray that they 'may always remember Him and keep His commandments which he has given them'. Nobody should ever forget to go to sacrament meeting. Remember is the word. Remember is the program."
(Kimball, Spencer W., "Circles of Exaltation", Charge to Religious Educators, Second Edition, Salt Lake City, UT: Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)

Resolve to so live that you will forget not.