THE EXAMPLE OF ABRAHAM

How would you feel if you were told that through you all the nations of the earth will be blessed?  Would it make a difference in how you view yourself, how you live your life and how you parent your children?  How much would such a promise strengthen your commitment to God and to living righteously?  This promise was given to Father Abraham after he had passed the ultimate test of being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham's whole life was a life of righteousness and perfect example to us, his posterity. In his First Presidency Message in 1975,  President Kimball claimed that Abraham was such a model of righteousness that following his example will lead us to eternal life:

"As we follow Abraham's example, we will grow from grace to grace, we will find greater happiness and peace and rest, we will find favour with God and with man.  As we follow his example, we will confirm upon ourselves and our families joy and fulfillment in this life and for all eternity." (President Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, June 1975, p 7)

From the very beginning of his life, Abraham had an acute spiritual sensitivity to the reality of the one true and living God.  Consider these insights from his early life:

"At just three years of age, as one source has it, the boy already 'began to understand the nature of God', so that the next year he resisted when his grandfather tried to teach him to worship idols.  Nor could Abraham's father, despite long and persistent effort, persuade his son to revere the statues.  Young Abraham 'was all alone with God', says Hugh Nibley, 'dependent on no man and no tradition, beginning as it were from scratch .... Having no human teachers, he must think things out for himself, until he receives light from above'."
(E. Douglas Clark, The Blessings of Abraham, Becoming A Zion People, p. 40)

"An ancient and widespread legend tells of bold action taken by the young Abraham.  The story is not found in the Bible, but it is the most oft-repeated Abrahamic narrative in the Qur'an, is found in numerous ancient Jewish sources, and was repeated by Brigham Young, John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff.  As recounted by Jewish sources, it began when the young Abraham found himself alone in a room full of idols.  But one important source, the Maaseh Avraham Avinu, specifies that this was not just any occasion and not just any room full of idols.  The event was a major religious festival called by King Nimrod himself and was centered at Nimrod's pagan temple.  Abraham had been urged to attend by his father but declined to go and was instructed to stay behind to guard the idols.

When Abraham was all alone, he acted boldly and decisively.  Some sources report that 'the Spirit of God came upon him'.  As recounted by the Maaseh Avraham Avinu, 'He took an axe in his hand, and as he saw the idols of the king sitting, he said, 'The Eternal, He is God', and he 'pushed them off their thrones to the ground, and he smote them mightily.  With the large ones he began, and with the small ones he finished.  He lopped off this one's hands, he cut off this one's head and blinded this one's eyes, and he broke that one's legs' until 'all of them were broken'.  Then, placing 'the axe in the hand of the largest idol', Abraham left.

When his father and the king returned and discovered the wreckage, they were wroth.  'The king commanded that Abraham be brought before him.  And they brought him.  The king and his ministers said to him, 'Why did you shatter our gods?'  He said to them, 'I didn't break them, no.  Rather, the large one of them smashed them.  Don't you see that the axe is in his hand? And if you won't believe it, ask him and he will tell'.  And as the king heard his words, he became angry to the point of killing him."  (E. Douglas Clark, The Blessings of Abraham, Becoming A Zion People, p. 47)

How appropriate then that the Lord would hear Abraham's cries for help whilst under the knife of the priest of Elkenah and honour Abraham's fortitude in destroying Nimrod's dumb idols.  Abraham had two admirable desires which God honoured by rescuing him from human sacrifice:  he desired to change his world by removing himself from a family and society that sought 'to do evil' (Abraham 1:6); and he sought for the blessings of the priesthood.  There would have been no more righteous desire than this that was in the heart of Abraham:

"......I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God...." (Abraham 1:2)

Not only did Abraham desire to be a father of many nations but he ensured he was a father that could be followed in righteousness and example in all things.  One Jewish tradition records that Abraham's deliverance from human sacrifice was so marvelous that many onlookers who witnessed it came to believe in God and bore witness to others of God's power and that Abraham was his servant (Gorion, Mimekor Yisrael, 1:45-46).  In addition, 'many followed Abraham home, and brought their children to him, and said, 'Now we see that the God in whom thou trustest, is the only true God: teach our children the truth, that they may serve Him in righteousness (Baring-Gould, Legends of the Patriarchs, 160). (E. Douglas Clark, The Blessings of Abraham, p. 58

Abraham was all a good father should be.  The available Jewish writings portray him as a man full of loving-kindness, humility, submission and gentleness.  A man who loved righteousness, was clean of heart and pure from sin and who sought to establish Zion wherever he went.  He is remembered among his Jewish descendants as 'the embodiment of hesed (loving-kindness), 'for the decisive factor in Abraham's personality was the unceasing urge to help others'.  It is remarkable to note that the three messengers who came to announce the promise of a long awaited son, were 'found' by Abraham whilst he was searching for someone who might be in need of help.

"....Abraham 'was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot' (JPST Gen 18:2).  It was the hottest part of a very hot day, say the rabbis, with the sun beating down mercilessly.  As one writer recounts, 'Abraham sits in his tent door enjoying its grateful shade, and looking out on the plain of Mamre, from which the sun's fiery beams have driven men, birds and panting beasts to such shelter as rocks and trees and tents can afford'.

Abraham, however, was not focused on himself and his discomfort, compounded by his recent circumcision, but was worrying for travelers who might need assistance on a day like that.  'Notwithstanding the intense heat and his own sickness he still sat there to invite any stray passer-by'.  When no one came, he sent his servant to go in search of anyone needing help, even though Abraham had planted trees for the benefit of travelers - rest stops along the way.  When the servant returned without success, Abraham determined to go himself.  It was then, says rabbinic tradition, that Abraham discovered the three travelers.

Abraham might easily have remained seated, and simply directed a servant or subordinate to attend to these travelers. Or, says one writers, 'he may wait their approach, leaving them to solicit his hospitality.  Not he - Abraham arose and despite the scorching heat, and 'although he was in great pain from his wound, ran forward to meet them'.  Genesis tells that upon reaching them he 'bowed himself towards the ground' (Gen. 18:2)." (E. Douglas Clark, The Blessings of Abraham, p. 172)

It is then that he received the promise of Isaac.

The sacrifice the Lord asked of him which followed some years later is just unimaginable in my mind. Through his willingness to offer this sacrifice Abraham proved that he loved God above all else.  Is it any wonder then that the Lord was willing to make a covenant with him that would grant him the blessings he most desired?  This covenant is known to us as the Abrahamic Covenant, a covenant with which we should make ourselves very familiar because by virtue of being of Abraham's seed, we are entitled to every blessing that comes under its' promise.  Not only are direct descendants of Abraham counted as his seed but all who accept Christ's gospel and are baptised into his Church become his 'adopted' children.  Looking at the diversity of the members of the Church, we can easily see how Abraham becomes 'a father of many nations'.

"The covenant that the Lord first made with Abraham and reaffirmed with Isaac and Jacob is of transcendent significance.  It contained several promises:

• Abraham's posterity would be numerous,
• and will bear the priesthood;
• He would become a father of many nations;
• Christ and kings would come through Abraham's lineage;
• Certain lands would be inherited;
• All nations of the earth would be blessed by his seed.

That covenant would be everlasting - even through 'a thousand generations."

(Elder Russell M Nelson, Ensign, May 1995, p 33)

These promises came to Abraham only after he married Sarah for without her he could not obtain them.  The blessings promised could not be obtained unless Abraham entered into the 'Order of the Priesthood' and this order could not be entered into without a legal wife. But not just any wife.  Sarah was in every way Abraham's equal.  She was devoted, righteous and submissive.  Together they were a perfect example of what a marriage union should be; he lead in righteousness and she followed in righteousness. "Together Abraham and Sarah were, in the words of Erastus Snow, 'models of noble character, purity of purpose' and 'superior integrity to God', whom they 'hesitated not to obey....at all hazards even to the sacrifice of that which was nearest and dearest unto them". (E. Douglas Clark, The Blessings of Abraham, Becoming a Zion People, p. 107)

We cannot have ancestral parents of more noble character than Sarah and Abraham.  Because of their exceedingly righteous example, God commands us to look to them for understanding of our origin and our destiny.  In Isaiah chapter 51, we read:

"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged.  Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.  For the Lord shall comfort Zion. (Isaiah 51:1-3)

HIDDEN RAYS OF GLORY

"And worlds without number have I created...."  Moses 1:33


"Being present at a 'Blessing Meeting' in the Temple, previous to his baptism into the Church; after listening to several patriarchal blessings pronounced upon the heads of different individuals with whose history Lorenzo Snow was acquainted, and of whom he knew the Patriarch was entirely ignorant, he was struck with astonishment to hear the peculiarities of those persons positively and plainly referred to in their blessings.
And, as he afterwards expressed, he was convinced that an influence, superior to human prescience, dictated the words of the one who officiated.

The Patriarch was the father of Joseph, the Prophet.  That was the first time Lorenzo had met him.  After the services, they were introduced, and Father Smith said to my brother that he would soon be convinced of the truth of the latter-day work, and be baptized, and he said: 'You will become as great as you can possibly wish - EVEN AS GREAT AS GOD, and you cannot wish to be greater'." (Eliza R. Snow, Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow, Salt Lake City: Deseret News Co., 1884, pp 9-10).

Lorenzo Snow was baptized a short time later and began his service in the Church.  In the spring of 1840 he was called to serve a mission in the British Isles.  Before his departure he was in the home of a Church member who was preaching a sermon on the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.  (Matt 20:1-16)  According to Elder Snow:

"While attentively listening to his explanation, the Spirit of the Lord rested mightily upon me - the eyes of my understanding were opened, and I saw as clear as the sun at noonday, with wonder and astonishment, the pathway of God and man.  i formed the following couplet which expresses the revelation, as it was shown me, and explains Father Smith's dark saying to me at a blessing meeting in the Kirtland Temple, prior to my baptism......

As man now is, God once was.
As God now is, man may be.

I felt this to be a sacred communication, which I related to no one except my sister Eliza, until I reached England, when in a confidential private conversation with President Brigham Young, in Manchester, I related to him this extraordinary manifestation." (Eliza R. Snow, pp 46-47)  Brigham Young was President of the Quorum of the Twelve at the time.

President Snow's son LeRoi later told that the Prophet Joseph Smith confirmed the validity of the revelation Elder Snow had received: "Soon after his return from England, in January, 1843, Lorenzo Snow related to the Prophet Joseph Smith his experience in Elder Sherwood's home.  This was in a confidential interview in Nauvoo.  The Prophet's reply was: 'Brother Snow, that is a true gospel doctrine and it is  a revelation from God to you'."  (LeRoi C. Snow, Improvement Era, June 1919, p. 656)
(Gerald N. Lund, "I have a Question", Ensign, Feb. 1982, pp 39, 40)

 When Moses had his experience with God sometime after the burning bush and before the Exodus, Jesus who appeared to him and spoke to him on behalf of the Father through 'divine investiture of authority' showed Moses all his creations and where man fitted in that plan. Moses who was brought up in Pharoah's court to believe that Pharoahs due to their birthright are gods, was astonished and said, 'Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed' (Moses 1:10).  It was right for Moses to be overwhelmed with all of God's creations.  In comparison to God and all his glory, man truly does appear extremely puny, except for one very important thing - man was created in God's image and within man are germinating seeds of divine destiny.  God wanted to impress that upon Moses so he showed him the same vision all over again but this time he finished it with the greatest statement that  ever was made:  "For behold, this is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).  What the Lord tried to say to Moses was that Moses was wrong, that 'man is the underlying and overriding purpose of all His work, that man's success constitutes his glory, that man is everything'. (Ted Gibbons, OT Lesson 1)

Nothing speaks louder of the worth of souls than the structure of the plan of salvation and the end to which we were created first spiritually and then physically. This plan for us has always existed.  It is the same plan that will be presented to the children we are yet to create when we ourselves become gods. It is ludicrous to think that God created so many children randomly and then wondered what he should do with them, hence was born the plan to clothe us in mortality and exalt us.  The plan was never born out of random necessity, it was always there.  The beauty of this plan and pattern is what makes God a god; we, his children, his crowning glory.  The more of us that get exalted, the greater his glory.  The potential of godhood that lies within each of us is mind blowing.  The worth of each of us to ourselves and to God, priceless.

Being out in public and encountering people of all walks of life always intrigues me.  So many people, every one with the same body parts but each one so different.  And every one of us with hidden rays of glory coursing through our veins.  If only we knew who we really are and how powerful we can really be. Godhood at our fingertips for the taking yet so many of us don't take it seriously. We are so blinded by the dismal light of this telestial world and we invest ourselves in things of this world that we think can bring us some happiness and power.  But alas no glory!  As C.S. Lewis put it:

"Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak.  We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.  We are far too easily pleased."
(C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, p. 1-2)

Mud pies in a slum can never be glorious because slums belong to this world and this world belongs to him who has no glory, a being who wanted to claim the glory of God  and ended up with no glory in a kingdom of no glory. (D&C 88:24, Ted Gibbons, OT Lesson 1)  The very thing which Satan thirsted for and fought for in pre-existence, we now stand to gain because we kept our first estate.  Instead of glory, he received darkness.  When he appeared to Moses and demanded that Moses worship him, the lack of his glory stood in stark contrast to the god of glory Moses had just witnessed.  Moses' retort of 'who are you that I should worship you?' was well earned.  Not only did Satan lack glory but he was filled with darkness (Moses 1:11-15).  And so is this world.  Devoid of glory and filled with darkness.

Jesus became a god in his own right before he even proved himself in mortality.  Just through sheer obedience.  No reinventing of the wheel for Him, He trusted the Father in all things and obeyed to the latter. And whilst in mortality He had a vision of the glory that awaited Him.  Consider the power and glory with which he was portrayed in a vision given to John the Revelator:

11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12.  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no man knew, but he himself.

13.  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God.

14.  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15.  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16.  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
(Revelation 19:11-16)

Contrast this to the pathetic figure Satan cuts when Moses refuses to worship him.  He throws a tantrum that describes the bitterness of hell where he 'cried with a loud voice' (Moses 1:19), 'ranted upon the earth' (Moses 1:19), 'began to tremble' (Moses 1:21) and engaged in 'weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth' (Moses 1:22).  Not only did he cunningly remove the Book of Moses from the Old Testament so that the world at large would not know about the plan of salvation but to hide his true character from the world.  Unlike the Saviour, who had a vision of the glory that awaited him, Satan has no such vision or hope because he has no future.  Isaiah sees him being brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit where they who see him shall look upon him narrowly and consider him saying "Is this the man that made the earth tremble, that did shake kingdoms?" (Isaiah 14:15,16).  In the end, he that wanted to be everything, will be nothing.  This is not someone we want to follow.  There is no reward in his discipleship, no future to invest in.

What is the Lord's purpose in creating and peopling worlds without number?  It is so that each one of us has the chance to attain a life of glory and godhood.

"Here, then is eternal life - to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power." (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 346-47)

So what must we do to one day sit in glory enthroned in everlasting power?  We must do as Jesus did.  And what did He do?  He did as the Father did for in the Father is all knowledge, wisdom, power and glory. The way the Father and the Son attained godhood is the path of utmost obedience, the path that is made possible for us through the atonement of Him who did no wrong, who gladly sacrificed Himself so we might live and live eternally in 'everlasting burnings' having been granted thrones, principalities and dominions in Celestial Kingdom with eternal increase therein.  Picture it, want it, thirst for it.  It's a life worth waiting for.

TO WORSHIP GOD

In Lectures on Faith, Lecture Third, Joseph Smith points out that three things are necessary 'in order that any rational being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation'.  They are:

1.  The idea that he actually exists;
2.  A correct idea of his character, perfections and attributes;
3.  An actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according to his will. 

He continues to say that "without an acquaintance with these three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be imperfect and unproductive; but with this understanding it can become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness, unto the praise and glory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ". (Lectures On Faith, Lecture Third)

Learning that I cannot have perfect faith in God if I do not know God, I resolved that I would endeavour to learn his true character through the scriptures and thereby increase my faith in Him experientially through yielding my heart to him in all matters of my life.  I started to look for his characteristics and attributes through the pages of the Book of Mormon and wrote my findings in the margins.  As I flip through my scriptures now I find in its' margins two attributes that are more prominent than all the others.  They are: 1. that He always fulfils His promises and 2. that He is merciful.  It seems that there is evidence of the second attribute on just about every page of the Book of Mormon. 

Whilst reading about Alma's mission to the Zoromites I found an amazing pattern of prayer that Alma gave to the Zoromites who had been cast out of the synagogues, by quoting Zenos.  He says in Alma 33:3: "Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship?"  Clearly prayer and worship to Alma is one and the same.  He then quotes Zenos' pattern of prayer and in 5 of the 8 verses this prayer covers, Zenos calls the Lord merciful.  During the whole prayer Zenos never asks for anything but acknowledges God's mercy to him in all his doings.  Not only does he worship God by acknowledging his most prominent characteristic, that of mercy, he also acknowledges that God is merciful towards us because of His Son Jesus Christ.  Two things stand out to me in this pattern of prayer:

1. The verses are so poignant that it leaves no doubt that Zenos knew God and that he knew Him experientially.  He had seen God's hand in his life and he acknowledged it with great zeal. 

2. I am rather convinced that there was nothing that Zenos needed that he didn't receive from God  because he acknowledged His Son in all things.  Praying in the name of Jesus Christ takes on a new meaning here.  By acknowledging the Saviour, we have more of a right to receive what we pray for in His name.  "......Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you". (John 16:23)   There is tremendous power in this.  It means God can through our asking empower us to overcome anything, to become anything, to survive anything. Becoming being always greater than having. Nevertheless, He can and will honour our righteous desires a hundred fold (D&C 78:17-19).

I wondered as I read Zenos' prayer, if the Father feels worshiped through my prayers.  I can tell you right now, probably not.  I am sure if we worshipped God through prayer by acknowledging His perfect attributes and His mercy towards us, our faith in Him would grow at an accelerated rate and our prayers would become a more meaningful experience.  Expressing such words of praise would make the Father more real to us and the foot of our bed would become the foot of His throne as we kneel there in the attitude of prayer.

Christ's humility in praying to the Father has always amazed me.  He who proclaimed himself to be the life of the world, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (3 Nephi 9:18), a god in his own right, knelt upon the ground with the Nephites and prayed, but not just any prayer, for the scriptures record "....The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvellous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father" (3 Nephi 17:16)  What did He say? What words could He have possibly used to express such high regard and affection toward the Father He so loved?  I cannot imagine but I suspect they were words of utmost respect and devotion, of love and adoration, of submission and gratitude.  We too can hear such sublime words of worship.  We can hear them each time we bend our knees and come before Him who yearns to gather us into his bosom and bring us home. How?  "Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels?" (2 Nephi 32:2)  You have been blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost.  A prayer given by the power of the Holy Ghost is the true order of prayer.  Open with an appeal to have the Holy Ghost give you the words you should speak and then speak.  Speak with the tongue of angels.

THE CHURCH FULFILLS PROPHECIES

"We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (9th Article of Faith)

Continuing revelation is the lifeblood of this Church.  President Lee once shared this story:

"Elder John A. Widstoe of the Council of the Twelve once told of a discussion he had with a group of stake officers.  In the course of the discussion someone said to him, 'Brother Widstoe, how long has it been since the Church received a revelation?'  Brother Widstoe rubbed his chin thoroughly and said in reply, 'Oh, probably since last Thursday'." (Lee, Harold B., Stand Ye In Holy Places, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City: 1974, pp 132-33)

It is amazing to me to witness how revelation can bridge time in fulfilment of prophecies.  It strengthens my testimony to see how the Church is an instrument in God's hands to effect this fulfilment.  None of this would be possible if revelation had ceased between God and his children.  One such prophecy dates back to Ezekiel:

"The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 'Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, for Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, for Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all of the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand". (Ezek 37:15-17)

The obvious reference of the sticks is the Holy Bible and The Book of Mormon.  The way they have been made into one stick, two historical accounts becoming one witness of Jesus Christ, is through the Church's own publication of the Bible, influenced by revelation, which incorporates references to all of the standard works.

Elder Boyd K. Packer expounded on the significance of the new editions of the scriptures back in 1982:

"The stick or record of Judah - the Old Testament and the New Testament - and the stick or record of Ephraim - The Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ - are now woven together in such a way that as you pore over one you are drawn to the other, as you learn from one you are enlightened by the other.  They are indeed one in our hands.  Ezekiel's prophecy now stands fulfilled.

With the passing of years, these scriptures will produce successive generations of faithful Christians who know the Lord Jesus Christ and are disposed to obey His will.

The older generation has been raised without them, but there is another generation growing up.  The revelations will be opened to them as to no other in the history of the world.  Into their hands now are placed the sticks of Joseph and of Judah.  They will develop a gospel scholarship beyond that which their forebears could achieve.  They will have the testimony that Jesus is the Christ and be competent to proclaim Him and to defend Him. (Boyd K. Packer, "Scriptures", Ensign, Nov. 1982, p. 53)

We are privileged to be a part of the most important and powerful institution on this earth.  Powerful because at the helm of it is Jesus Christ who directs it through his living prophets.  Important because of the work that is being accomplished through revelation for the salvation of the human family.  This institution is the only place that will enable us to stand at the last day when the Saviour returns.  Whether we survive what is to take place before that great event, is up to us.  President Lee explained it in this way:

"This is what has been said, in effect, in this conference:  Unless every member of this Church gains for himself an unshakeable testimony of the divinity of this Church, he will be among those who will be deceived in this day when the 'elect according to the covenant' are going to be tried and tested.  Only those will survive who have gained for themselves that testimony." (President Harold B. Lee, October 1950)