THE LAW OF OBEDIENCE

 

I have heard it said that the most important of the Ten Commandments is the one you are struggling with the most. There is a lot of wisdom in that. In reality though, there are only two real commandments because they underlie all others.

The Saviour was asked during His earthly ministry which is the greatest of all the commandments. The Saviour replied: to love God and to love your neighbour….on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40). If we obeyed these two commandments, there would be no need for any other and here is why:

“Any person who truly understands the implications for daily living that are part of the commandment to love God with all his heart, might, mind, and strength and to love his neighbour as himself, can function well with no additional laws. One does not need to warn a person who loves God properly about idolatry, for any act of worship not devoted to God would be naturally offensive to him.

“The prohibitions against stealing, adultery, murder, and so on are not required if a person truly loves his neighbour as himself, for to injure his neighbour in such ways would be unthinkable. But, of course, the vast majority of men fail to understand and keep these two commandments, and so the Lord has revealed many additional laws and rules to show specifically what the commandments require……. all such commandmnets do nothing more than define and support the two basic principles: all the law and the prophets are summarized in the two great commandments.”  (The Old Testament Student Manul p 186)

Moses spent 40 days on Mt Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments. Before he went he entered the children of Israel into a covenant of obedience. The covenant bound God to support, defend, and save them and the people were bound to God to fear, love, and serve him.

This covenant was written in the book of the covenant, a sacrifice was offered, half the blood was sprinkled on the people and the other half on the altar. The covenant was binding when the people proclaimed: “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:1-7).

You can only imagine the outrage Moses felt when he descended the mountain 40 days later to find the Israelites breaking the very first command by worshipping a golden calf. It is no wonder he broke the tablets of stone containing the commandments written by the finger of the Lord (Exodus 32:19).

Historians have speculated why the people turned away from the covenant so quickly. There is no scriptural explanation for this or Aaron’s seemingly unobjected fulfilment of the camp’s request for other gods to worship (ibid v 1-5). Their idolatry was a metaphorical ‘return’ to Egypt by worshipping an Egyptian highly revered idol of a cow but their greatest sin was giving the golden calf credit for bringing them out of Egypt (ibid v 4).

The Israelites paid a heavy price for breaking the covenant. Jehovah’s punishment caused 3,000 men to be slain (ibid v 27,28). Aaron also was nearly destroyed and was saved only through Moses’ intercession in his behalf (see Deuteronomy 9:20).

And Moses? He proved he truly was a prototype of Christ. He returned to the Lord and begged for Israel’s forgiveness, and if the forgiveness was not granted, he asked the Lord to blot out his name from the book of the covenant instead as intercession for the people’s sin (ibid v 31,32). The weight this man carried on his shoulders is astounding. But not nearly as heavy as the weight of the God of Israel.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

 

THE GOD OF VICTORY

 

As the children of Israel marched toward Canaan, their magnitude and size drove fear into the nations they encountered along the way. The most warlike nation they encountered inhabited the lands of Gobolitis and Petra and were called Amalekites (the descendants of Esau).

This is what the Amalekites saw: a formidable army of strangers, which by their strength, escaped the slavery of Egypt and which needed to be crushed before they came to be prosperous and take over the cities and all their goods…..therefore they had to be destroyed. (Josephus, “Jewish Antiquities” Book 3, Chapter 2:1).

The Amalekites made two big mistakes. The first was making the wrong assumption of the Hebrews which were ill prepared for war, who had nothing and only escaped Egypt through the strength of their God. The second mistake they made was cowardly attacking the rear end of the marching Israelites killing the feeble and the faint and the weary. This did not sit well with God who commanded the Israelites to “utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven” (Exodus 17:14; The Old Testament Student Manual p 123).

This slaughter of their weak members drove incredible fear into the rest of the camp. Lucky for them they had one great advantage over all the other nations they would encounter in their sojourn. They had a living prophet among them. Moses exhorted his people to be courageous and to look upon their entire prosperity at the hands of God since they left Egypt and to believe that God will deliver them again (Josephus, "Jewish Antiquities" Book 3, 2:2).

Moses had a brilliant battle strategy: First, he appointed as the captain of the army a man of great courage, of great abilities and very serious in the worship of God, and very much like Moses who the people could have confidence in. Enter Joshua, the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim. Secondly, he directed his brother Aaron and Miriam’s husband, Hur, to stand on each side of him and uphold his hands to be a beacon of God’s power which would ensure the victory (Exodus 17:8-13)

The children of Israel won that war, terrified the neighbouring nations and enriched themselves with the spoils, having not lost one soul while those of the enemy’s army were too many to be numbered (“Jewish Antiquities” p 117).

I wasn’t going to write about this part of the Israelite’s journey but I saw something very significant in it. I saw the importance of a living prophet who represents the one who stands at the head. The Israelites could never have made it to the promised land if they did not have a prophet holding his hands up invoking the power of Him who had said:  “….and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 16:12)

Never in the history of the world have we needed a living prophet as much as we do now. The spiritual battle is raging, the evil power is the greatest it has ever been. The battle ground is fierce. Our promised land awaits but we need not fear.  I offer thanks this day that we have a prophet who is willing to hold up his hands to remind us we are led by the God of victory.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

THE GLORIOUS GOD OF ISRAEL

 

 

It is estimated by historians that the total number of the children of Israel who left Egypt would have been close to 2 million. That number would have increased over the 40 years of journeying. Just imagine people’s struggle with this ongoing travel and its associated frustrations, fears and doubts for 40 years. It’s like a camping trip from hell!

Imagine setting up tents and then tearing them down to continue from one point of distance to another and doing that for 40 years. Now imagine running out of food and water along the way and having to fight off the people who saw you as a threat to their land.

We who live in an age of sophisticated transportation could never relate to reaching any destination on foot. Jehovah instructed Moses the congregation should march in groups of 4, with each group consisting of 3 tribes, on the west, south, east and north surrounding the tabernacle with Levites who were consecrated to the service of caring for the tabernacle and priesthood ordinances within, to be in the middle.

The places of honour, at the head and immediately following the tabernacle and the Levites were held by Judah and Ephraim (Numbers 2). These were the choice tribes who presided over the two kingdoms in the promised land. Judah, because Christ was to come from that line and Ephraim, because He is God’s firstborn:”…for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn” (Jeremiah 31:9).

It was an eleven-day journey from Mt Sinai to the promised land but because of their rebellions that journey became 40 years of wandering (Clarke, “Bible Commentary” 1:737). Years ago when I was studying this, I came to the conclusion that the children of Israel were very spiritually immature. Their constant complaining and murmurings seemed like unnecessary faith defeating melt downs. Now that I have lived a life-time experiencing hardship, I have compassion for what they went through. I who abhor camping would not have lasted two days in such a situation.

Imagine being in charge of this whole operation.  No wonder Moses exclaimed: I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me!” (Numbers 11:14). But Moses did bear it because the God of Israel sent him Jethro, his father-in-law who taught him about delegation (Exodus 18:13-27). And that was not the only help He gave.

Jehovah also travelled with His chosen people (Numbers 9;21-23; 10:34; Psalm 78:14); sustained them with provisions; preserved their health and even the clothes upon their backs (Deuteronomy 8:4). He was there throughout the whole difficult experience refining them to become after 430 years in slavery, ‘a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people’ who could ‘show forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light’ (1 Peter 2:9)

This life is like a wilderness through which we must pass to get home. I have often asked myself why it has to be this hard. The answer is the same for us as it was for the children of Israel: “…and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 16:12)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)

 

 

 

SONGS OF EVERLASTING JOY

 

Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake saying, I will sing unto the Lord; for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation: my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.

Thy right hand, O Lord is become glorious in power, thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.

-          Exodus 15:1-18

“Regardless of where the Ten Tribes are, it will require a miracle to bring them forth. It will be of greater magnitude than the dividing of the Red Sea in the days of Israel’s Exodus. Mountains, ice and a continent of water will stand between the Ten Tribes and the land of Zion when they first appear, but they will ‘smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence’ (D&C 133:26). As they come to the great body of water, dry land will be cast up in the midst of it so that a mighty highway will spread before them (ibid v 27; Isaiah 11:16).” (Cleaon Skousen, “Prophecy and Modern Times” p 56)

And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence.

And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim.

And they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy.

(D&C 133:31-33

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

HE WHO RESCUES

 

“So the Hebrews went out of Egypt, while the Egyptians wept, and repented that they had treated them so harshly…..but the Egyptians didn’t weep for long and…’soon repented that the Hebrews were gone; and the king also was mightily concerned that this had been procured by the magic arts of Moses; so they resolved to go after them.”

-           (Josephus, “Jewish Antiquities” 15:1, The New Complete Works of Josephus p 107)

The number of Egyptians that pursued the children of Israel was overwhelming and terrifying:six

hundred chariots, fifty thousand horsemen, and two hundred thousand footmen, all armed (ibid page 107; Exodus 14:7).

The terrifying appearance of the Egyptian army when they found the Hebrews encamping by the Red Sea, triggered their often-repeated accusations against Moses during their travels to the promised land (Exodus 14:12. Josephus claims they attempted to stone him several times.

Moses, however, would not be deterred by the threat of his life and reasoned with people that God would not lead them out of Egypt to abandon them and if He so please He can make plain ground out of the mountains that were behind them and dry land out of the sea that was before them. He therefore prayed to God for their deliverance:

“You are not ignorant, O Lord, that it is beyond human strength and human contrivance to avoid the difficulties we are now under….and we have recourse only to that hope we have in you….therefore manifest your power to us….the sea is yours, the mountains also…..these mountains will open themselves if you command them, and the sea also, if you command it, will become dry land.” (Josephus, “Jewish Antiquities” 16:1, p 109)

Moses closed his supplication to God by saying that they can even escape by ‘flight through the air, if He should determine that they should have that way of salvation’. Can you imagine God not acting upon such a prayer of faith? It is unthinkable. I’ve learnt something from Moses….without faith, prayer becomes just words.

Jehovah responded to Moses’ faith and “caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided…and the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground….and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.” (Exodus 14:21,22,31)

If you are in bondage to the adversary, in any way, know this. He will not let you go easily and when you try to escape he will come after you. But there is one mightier than he. He will ensure your escape and honour your faith. Hope, trust, believe…..He is the deliverer of your soul, may glory be His forever more.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: I Was There by Danny Hahlbohm)

THE GATHERING

 

Israel’s exodus from Egypt was epic. So momentous and powerful was it that it has been remembered as an unparalleled act of God’s power to this day but something much bigger is yet to happen to show the mankind who is in control of this project we call ‘earth’.

Subsequent Prophets to Moses both in the Near East and the Americas spoke often of the Exodus to keep this momentous deliverance of Israel fresh in people’s minds. They used the event as remembrance of Jehovah’s power and His mercy toward the covenant people. I am reminded of Nephi bringing Moses to his brothers’ remembrance when faced with the challenge of recovering the brass plates from Laban (1 Nephi 4:2,3).

Besides the Exodus, another sensational and dramatic example of Jehovah’s deliverance is found in the book of Daniel. I was reading the other day of Daniel’s prayer for forgiveness on behalf of the exiles in Babylon and I was enthralled with the beauty of his words through which he acknowledged Jehovah’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Daniel 9:15).

And herein is the beauty of it all. Daniel prayed because he knew that God would deliver the exiles from Babylon too and he knew it because of Isaiah’s prophecy (2 Chr 36:22-23; Isaiah 44:28; 45:1).

It is suggested by historians that when Cyrus conquered Babylon, he found Daniel there in his governmental capacity,  and that Daniel  pointed out to him the prophecy of Isaiah that was given 140 years before the fall of Jerusalem, that the Lord would raise up a mighty king who would free the Jewish captives in Babylon and allow them to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and the holy city. Isaiah even named Cyrus by name.....180 years before he even appeared in Babylon.

Astonishing isn't it? It certainly was to Cyrus because he sent out the proclamation amongst the Jews in Babylon that ‘the Lord God of heaven….had charged [him] to build Him a house in Jerusalem’ (Ezra 1:2) and asked who among all of God’s people wanted to return home. He actually offered freedom to anyone who wanted it. Proof that God always accomplishes His purposes in miraculous ways because nothing is beyond His power. It was no parting of the Red Sea but think about it…a Persian king liberating the Jews….just for some perspective - ancient Persia is modern day Iran.

In our day, the Lord will perform another miracle of restoring those that are lost. As early as 1831 the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that the translated Apostle John was fulfilling a mission among the Ten Tribes preparing them for their journey to Zion (“Essentials in Church History, p 126).

This will be an event of enormous proportions, greater than the dividing of the Red Sea. So much so that ‘the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence…’ (D&C 133:31-33). 'The boundaries of the everlasting hills' being North America (Orson Pratt, in “Journal of Discourses”, 18:167-68; see also Genesis 49:26).

So great will this event be that ‘it will no longer be said “The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but, the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands whither he had driven them…” (Jeremiah 16:14,15) because “this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes of Israel …”  who proclaims:

“I am he who led the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; and my arm is stretched out in the last days, to save my people Israel.” (D&C 133: 34; 136:22)

We will come to Zion

With songs of everlasting joy

To worship our Lord and our King

And to Him forever our praises we will sing. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joyful by Graphic Arts Design)

THE GREAT DELIVERER

 

 

There is something very interesting about the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt. The Lord knew from the beginning that this mammoth undertaking was going to have incredible difficulties from the start and I believe He used it to His advantage to impress upon the children of Israel that He was the great deliverer who gathers His own and that Moses was only an instrument in His hands.

 

Thus He instructed Moses to tell them this:  "I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.  And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. (Exodus 6:6-8)

 

And He didn’t stop at this. He went on to say: “And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 7:5). His efforts to help humanity know that He is the fountain of all salvation is incredibly prominent in the scriptures. Once I counted His oft repeated declaration of “ye shall know that I am the Lord” in the book of Ezekiel alone which came to 32 times and 25 times of the same statement in reference to other nations than the House of Israel. I kept a list of all the scriptural references. I find His inexhaustible efforts to impress this upon us amazing. But I digress….

 

The first time that Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh didn’t go so well. The Pharaoh increased the Hebrews’ burdens and in one fell swoop destroyed their initial hope of deliverance which immediately made them accuse Moses and Aaron of wanting to kill them (Exodus 4:31; 5:20,21).

 

This lack of faith snowballed to Moses who went back to the Lord to complain and ask where the deliverance was that was promised (5:22,23). He then pointed out to the Lord again, as he did in Midian, that he was of ‘slow speech’ so how can Pharaoh believe and obey him? (Exodus 6:12,30) This, after he was apprised of the difficulty of the mission before he left Midian, all the assurances he was given of its eventual success and despite having a spokesman and the heads of the tribes accompany him to the Egyptian court (6:14-27).

 

Sometimes I don’t know who I feel more sorry for….us and our backsliding faith or the Lord and His continual necessity to carry us in our frustrating humanity. His mercy, tolerance and patience in impressing upon us that with Him nothing is impossible astounds me.

 

As the sun bursts through the morning light

It reveals You in the depths of my heart.

Gratitude overwhelms me

For Thy enduring patience

Of my inconsistent delight;

My erratic trust,

My feeble faith in Thy might.

I marvel You wait

In the shadow of my stubborn heart

And reach out to me in mercy to fulfil Thy part.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: With God Nothing is Impossible by Greg Collins)

TO BECOME

 

When Moses was issued his calling as the deliverer of Israel his feeling of inadequacy reared its head. This was no calling to serve on the Bishopric or to be an Elders Quorum President. This calling was beyond huge. Some historians have estimated that the population of the Hebrews in Egypt could have numbered in the excess of 2 million people. Moses tried three times to convince God that calling him to do it was not a good idea.

When an Egyptian prince Moses had “few equals as a general of the armies” (Josephus, “The Complete Works of Josephus”, p 119). Since that time he had been a Hebrew slave and a shepherd of Midian for 40 years. Somehow one can understand his reply to God: “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). This was the first attempt.

Jehovah assured Moses that He will be with him and then proceeded to prove it. He foretold the success of this task and that because of it  Moses would serve Him on Mt Sinai after the exodus; he told him how to convince the Hebrews that He, Jehovah, indeed sent him by revealing His name; that Pharaoh will not let the people go and that He will smite Egypt with His wonders and that when they finally leave, they will take the spoils of Egypt with them (Exodus 3:11-22)

Then came the second attempt. All of the Saviour’s foreknowledge still was not enough for Moses and he tried to ‘assure’ God that Egyptians will not believe him that God sent him (Exodus 4:1). Next came the visual proofs as the way of evidence: the leprous hand, the rod that turns into a snake and the water of the river that turns into blood (vs 2-9)

Finally the third…..”I am not eloquent but am slow of speech” (4:10). Whether Moses had lost confidence in himself over the years or not, the fact remained that he was once “an extremely well-educated prince and a mighty warrior in the cause of the Egyptians (Josephus, “Antiquities” book 2, 9:7, 10:1-2). Stephen affirmed that Moses was ‘learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and in deeds (Acts 7:22).

The Lord assured Moses again that He will be with him and with ‘his mouth and will teach him what he should say’ but even this was not good enough and Moses asked for a spokesman and angered the Lord who relented and gave him Aaron as his spokesman (Exodus 4:10-14). Looking for help in ‘arm of the flesh’  was not a good idea, it was a gross offence.

This is the reality of the matter. Jehovah didn’t try to build-up Moses by recounting all his successes. He didn’t pamper to his inadequacies with sympathy and pity. He got angry….and He got angry not because Moses didn’t believe in himself but because he didn’t believe in HIM!

I think He was so astounded by Moses’ lack of faith that he chided him with the reminder of who He was: “Who hath made man’s mouth? Or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the Lord?” (v 11). I hope Moses was shaking in his boots by then.

Another reality…..the Saviour doesn’t really need any of us. He can do His own work and accomplish things through His mighty miracles and the power of His priesthood…..but where would that leave us mere mortals? Dumb, blind, and inexperienced…..

We are in training here and as Joseph said, “on the pathway to eternal fame, and immortal glory”….and there is only one person who can help us rise to such a lofty ideal. He can make of us what we came here to become…..we should never forget that. In other words, ‘I know you cannot do this on your own but with me you can do anything!’

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Rock of Our Salvation by Jay Bryant Ward)

THE LAW OF CONSEQUENCE

 

Perhaps the greatest lesson we can learn from ancient Israel is the law of consequence. I see this in the 40 years of their wanderings. After arriving at Mt Sinai in the third month following their departure from Egypt (Exodus 19:1-2), they remained there for almost a year where they received the Ten Commandments, made a covenant with Jehovah and built the tabernacle. It took just eleven days following their departure from Mt Sinai to arrive to Kadesh-barnea where they were on the verge of the promised land (Deuteronomy 1:2). It was within their grasp but their failure to have faith in obtaining the land (Numbers 13:26-33) resulted in one serious consequence…..so near, yet so far. After Moses pleaded with Jehovah to spare the congregation from destruction due to their murmuring against Him, the Lord showed mercy and decreed that all men 20 years of age and older, men of war who wouldn’t take possession of the land due to lack of faith, will never enter the promised land but He would allow the next generation to possess it (Numbers 14:26-35). It makes for heart wrenching reading. It cost ancient Israel 38 years of wandering to suffer the consequence of disobedience. They did not arrive at the promised land again until all the men 20 years and over who had come out of Egypt had died in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 2:14). One might ask, surely in 38 years the Israelites would have become repentant enough for Jehovah to show mercy…..but consequences of sin always have to be suffered, and not just for punishment but for our subsequent growth. Setting the consequence aside, the mercy had already been given when the Israelites’ destruction had been averted and another promise made. 

 

The greatest lesson that can be gleaned from all this is this:  the Saviour will never go back on His word. When Moses, after 38 years of wanderings, stood on the east of river Jordan and viewed the promised land of Canaan from Pisgah with longing,  he beseeched the Lord to allow him to enter the promised land despite being told he will never get there because of the incident of ‘the rock of Meribah’ (Numbers 20:2-13). The Lord refused and told him to ‘speak no more to Him of this matter’ (Deuteronomy 3:23-26). Once again, consequences have to be suffered, but more importantly, the Lord cannot go back on His word.

 

The God of Israel is a God of integrity who does not bend with the wind, is not wishy washy and is not changeable. If He was, we would not know where we stood from one moment to the next. We can therefore be assured that He will never go back on what He has decreed and He will never break His covenant with us, the House of Israel (Leviticus 26:44,45), the covenant which I am certain had roots in pre-existence and not just with Abraham in this life. This is a God we can trust and depend on for the salvation of our souls. This is a God who will never forsake us, a God of commitment who endured the cross to the end and given us this assurance:  “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee [O House of Israel]; 

 

Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands….”  (Isaiah 49:15,16). 

Art by Randy Friemel

 

 

 

 

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

 

 

 

I am sure some of you, like me, have routinely skipped the four chapters of highly detailed instructions given to Moses regarding the building of the tabernacle and priestly robes during Israel’s journeying. Quite simply, it is difficult for us to relate to either the materials or methods used for such an undertaking. Whenever in years past I have skimmed over these chapters, I was amazed at the workmanship required of ancient Israel and wondered how did they know how to accomplish what was commanded them to do without highly skilled labour. This is what happens when you skim…..you miss something important. This year I understood. After four chapters of explicit instructions, Jehovah tells Moses the names of the men and what tribe they are in Israel’s congregation that can do the work needed and adds that HE has ‘filled’ them with wisdom and knowledge and understanding ‘in all manner of workmanship……that they may make all that I have commanded thee’ (Exodus 31:2-6). No doubt these men were inspired from birth to have an interest in specific skills that were needed for an important work they would one day do.

 

This has made me reflect on two things. Firstly, God’s house is a house of order. We are all born in appointed time that is best suited for what we can achieve in this life. It reminds me of this quote: “When we say God has a plan, he truly has a plan – not simply a grand scale, but for each of us as individuals, allocating some special talent to this dispensation and some to another. I regard God as the perfect personnel manager, even though He must work with and through all of us who are so imperfect. I assume, gladly, that in the allocation to America of remarkable leaders like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln, the Lord was just as careful. After all, if you’ve got only one Abraham Lincoln, you’d better put him in that part of history when he’s most needed….” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Deposition of a Disciple”, p 46)

 

Secondly, we who are of the house of Israel, particularly us Ephraimites who are responsible for taking the gospel to the world, are harnessed with the Saviour in the work of salvation. Like Esther of old who saved her people from extinction, we were born ‘for such a time as this’ (Esther 4:14). And like the ancient men of Israel’s camp, we have been imbued with wisdom, understanding and knowledge to achieve what is expected of us. In God’s great wisdom He has reserved the most valiant, the strongest, the most dependable servants for ‘such a time as this’ when evil abounds upon the earth in unequalled measure. We are the ones who can withstand the onslaught and who have covenanted long before this earth began that we would uphold the ensign of truth and proclaim to the earth that the God of our fathers is with us still.

 

Thy love for Thy people is beyond compare,

Thy mercy affixed forever more.

Thy power delivered us and 

Thy loving kindness has gathered us;

We are restored to our rightful place

A servant in Thy might,

We are Israel, children of light.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: I Will Go Before Your Face by Kenneth Turner)

TRUSTING GOD

 

Imagine being born a slave and being in bondage and oppression all your life. Imagine being miraculously delivered with a promise of being led to a land flowing with milk and honey. Imagine the hope and the exhilaration. Now imagine arriving at the banks of a vast sea before you with the mightiest army of the world behind you. What would your thoughts be? Most likely, fear at the back and fear at the front. And why would God who miraculously delivered you from slavery bring you to a body of water to make your escape impossible? Because there comes a time when our difficulties push us in the direction of needed further growth. 

 

Bearing in mind that the Israelites were in Egyptian bondage for 430 years (Exodus 12:40), it is safe to suppose that they needed some serious tutoring as to the nature of the God that they followed. Had the children of Israel been capable of following the coastal route through the war infested Philistine lands to Canaan, their journey would have been relatively short.  To teach them, however,  to have trust in Him, the Lord took them to the Red Sea instead. All night long He caused a strong wind to divide the Red Sea as they crossed over to their freedom (Exodus 14:21,22) and He did not stop there. He destroyed the enemy behind them. 

 

It's interesting to me that the lesson of trust had to be reinforced with Israelites over and over again, that the plagues of Egypt were not enough. And just as stupendous in scope as the plagues, so were the constant miracles that Jehovah performed in their sojourn to Canaan. Following the crossing of the Red Sea, Israelites sang a song of praise expressing their wonder: “Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11). Not long after, however,  the murmuring  began….with over 20 serious instances of it in their wanderings. And so the issue of trust needed to be reinforced over and over.

 

It has been my experience that acceptance of the growth we need in any particular area, comes in increments. The Lord’s wisdom is un-surpassing when it comes to His understanding of our capability to grasp what would propel us to greater heights. The pressure exerted upon us to move up a ladder is only ever equal to our ability to rise. If you have come to the banks of your Red Sea, TRUST that it will part even if you have to wade waist deep…..

 

You opened my heart

And searched for what 

You there did not see;

My feeble faith and lack of trust

Stood in contrast to your will for me.

You sorrowed at the tears I shed

With every step I was led to take

To find You in my hour of agony.

How patiently You stood waiting

With open arms hoping I would come to Thee;

How patiently You hoped

I would give You all that was lacking in me.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Rescue Me by Yongsung Kim)

ISRAEL, THE CHOSEN II

 

I was blessed with a marvellous revelation this past weekend, after seeking understanding to bring me peace regarding the world as we know it that is crumbling at our feet. It not only brought me peace but discernment of what we, the saints of the last days, are facing. In the midst of all the commotion in the world, we will be part of exciting events that are hastening the return of Him whom we so eagerly expect. Now is the time to not only lose fear and trust in His protection but to hang onto the promise President Uchdorf made in October 2020 General Conference that 'God will yet do something unimaginable'. I believe what is ahead of us is of more grandeur than what is behind us in regards to the 'great and marvelous work' the Lord has set His hand to.

Since the beginning of the Church, we have been engaged in the gathering of the House of Israel. This has been a noble endeavour but this is nothing compared to what is ahead. Jeremiah tells us that the day will come when the Lord will no longer be referred to as the Lord who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt in a mass Exodus, but that he will be known as the Lord who 'brought up the children of Israel from all the lands whither he had driven them' (Jeremiah 16:14-16). This is the most profound prophecy of our day and it will be fulfilled on a massive scale. There are some amazing things ahead of us and we should begin to look forward to them.

We are a special body of people, a 'peculiar' people'. We should be happy to bear this label upon our heads. The original meaning of this word in Hebrew means 'private property which is laid up or reserved; select, precious, endeared, something exceedingly prized and diligently preserved'. We are a 'particular' people. We are Israel, God's chosen people, because we are on the covenant path. We are a 'peculiar treasure' (Exodus 19:5); a 'royal priesthood, an holy nation' (1 Peter 2:9). We have reason to rejoice because we are part of something grand. He who is preparing to return has chosen us for such a time as this, where we will shine forth as valiant people who have covenanted with Him long before the world began that we will stand firm in the midst of evil and bring forth a 'marvellous work and a wonder'.

We Israel, Thine inheritance

Are the workmanship of Thy hands;

We have eaten the bread of adversity

And drunk the water of affliction;

We wait upon Thy promises

To gather us and nourish us

With peace as a river

And righteousness as the waves of the sea;

We will come to Zion with songs

And everlasting joy upon our heads

To shout praises to Thy holy name

To worship Thee as our God and our King.

• Cathryne Allen

(Art: Second Coming by John McNaughton)

TRAILING CLOUDS OF GLORY

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting;

The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,

Hath had elsewhere its setting,

And cometh from afar:

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God, who is our home.

- William Wordsworth

There is presently showing a Ridley Scott movie entitled "Exodus, Gods and Kings". I was excited to see this movie as it has been many years since the last depiction of Moses' story which was "The Ten Commandments". Even though "Exodus, Gods and Kings" was a very well made movie I felt it was very much lacking in spirit. I do not know if Ridley Scott is a religious man or what his motivation was for making this movie which was dedicated to his late brother. The insight I gleaned from my observation of this movie is not in line with criticism of his work. My insight has to do with the depiction of Moses and his non-existent relationship with God. This Moses was portrayed as someone who knew not God and as a result doubted Him at every turn. As I contemplated this, I reflected upon Moses' encounter with God, the account of which we have in The Pearl of Great Price. This account offers us a much clearer picture of Moses' experience as opposed to the Bible. The Book of Moses in The Pearl of Great Price records that God who introduced Himself to Moses as 'the Lord God Almighty' (Moses 1:3) addressed Moses as 'my son' and proceeded to do so more than once inferring a paternal relationship. He then gave Moses the vision of all the worlds He has created, the purpose of this earth and the origin of man. This is followed by the most powerful statement God has ever made: "For behold, this is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). With all His power and all His might, able to create planets and galaxies without number, God proclaimed that His greatest work is His ability and intent to exalt His children who were created by Him and came from Him. The majestic I Am who created the earth that Moses stood on considered Moses and all who dwell on this earth His sons and His daughters, His greatest creations. To Him "man is the underlying and overriding purpose of all His work, man's success constitutes His glory, to Him man is everything" (Ted Gibbons, OT Lesson 1 "This Is My Work and My Glory").

I wondered if Ridley Scott's Moses would have been different in "Exodus, Gods and Kings" if he had read The Pearl of Great Price. As I pondered more about this, a familiar scripture came into my mind: "And because my words shall hiss forth - many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible" (2 Nephi 29:3). Would we know better of Moses and the origin of man if we despised revelation and rejected further words of God? Are we grateful for additional scripture that sits on our bookshelves? Are we studying with real intent the words of eternal life that are at our disposal? God said something else very significant to Moses: "And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take many of them from the book which thou shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they shall be had again among the children of men - among as many as shall believe" (Moses 1:41). 'Another like unto thee' is of course Joseph Smith (2 Nephi 3:7-9) who gave us the Book of Moses as a result of revelation whilst translating the Bible in June 1830. And are we not 'as many as shall believe', his disciples who have taken upon us His Name and who have been blessed with the fullness of the gospel in this dispensation?

The Book of Moses is the most crucial book in all the scriptures because it tells us of our relationship to God, where we came from and why we are here. The whole purpose of humanity is contained within its words. How much the adversary had to gain by having this book lost from the Bible! And yet God's might and power are greater than anything he can do to thwart the work of God and in His mercy He had raised another prophet and seer to bring the lost words back so that we His children would know ourselves, who we are and the glory that lies dormant within us until such time that He, the Almighty God, the great I am, can exalt us on high and make us truly His own. Should we not rejoice at such a time as this? Should we not revere Him who has bought us with a price? Should we not exclaim 'all honour and glory be Thine for ever and ever'.