THE SCATTERING

 

Jerusalem O Jerusalem by Greg Olsen

“In the desert of Sinai, Moses gathered the children of Israel at the foot of a mountain. There the Lord declared that he wanted to turn this group of recently liberated slaves into a mighty people. “Ye shall be unto me”, He said, “a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). He promised that they would flourish and prosper, even when surrounded by larger, more powerful enemies.

“All this would happen not because the Israelites were numerous or strong or skillful. It would happen, the Lord explained, if they would “obey [His] voice indeed, and keep [His] covenant” (Exodus 19:5). God’s power, not their own, would make them mighty.

“Yet the Israelites didn’t always obey God’s voice, and over time they stopped keeping His covenant. Many worshipped other gods and adopted the practices of the cultures around them. They rejected the very thing that made them a distinct nation – their covenant relationship with the Lord. Without God’s power protecting them, there was nothing to stop their enemies (see 2 Kings 17:6-7; 2 Chronicles 36:12-20).” (Jesus Will Say to All Israel, Come Home, Come Follow Me For Home and Church, LDS Gospel Library, month of July)

Before Israelites entered the promised land  Moses prophesied they shall turn away from the worship of Jehovah and as a consequence be utterly destroyed and scattered among all nations (Deuteronomy 4:25-31).

This prophecy was fulfilled with the first dispersion of the Ten Tribes of the Southern Kingdom of Israel in 724 B.C. The King of Assyria besieged Samaria and after 3 years of the siege he carried the Ten Tribes into captivity.  A repentant portion of the Ten Tribes were led away by God into the north countries and will return at an appointed time. They are called the Ten Lost Tribes and are spoken of in the Apocrypha (2 Esdras 13:41-46; Jeremiah 3:18; 16:15; 31:8; 1 Nephi 22:4; 3 Nephi 17:4).

The Kingdom of Judah was led into Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar in three main waves of exile: 1. 605 B.C. – all skilled and educated and less evil which included Daniel and his three friends; 2. 597 B.C. – the second and largest wave included the royal court and thousands of skilled craftsmen; 3. 586 B.C. – the third and most devastating wave, following the siege and destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple.

The fourth and final wave was the most horrific of all. In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus prophesied to his disciples of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (see Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21). This prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A.D. when Roman Emperor Titus marched into Jerusalem.

And this is the interesting part. I always thought that the Romans were the aggressors and villains who destroyed Jerusalem but it would seem that Titus didn’t have such a big job to do. When he arrived, he discovered that different factions of the Jewish population were at each other’s throats, destroying their food supplies and basically killing each other.

Titus summed up the situation beautifully. A trench was dug around Jerusalem to ensure isolation and make it difficult for people to get out past the walls to search for food. Whoever escaped the city was crucified.  When the food supplies ran out, a terrible famine struck the once opulent city and turned it into a scene of carnage and plunder. Even Titus was sick at heart at the daily horrors he witnessed or heard of. As the temple became a fort, Titus attacked it as such. It wasn’t long before fire was set to it and not one stone upon another was left, as Jesus foretold. Six thousand people perished in the flames of the temple and more than a million and a half of Jews perished in this war. Many were also sold into slavery and thus ‘scattered among all nations’ (see Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, pp 260-261)

The scattering of the 12 Tribes of Israel is the greatest tragedy of this earth’s history. To be promised so much and to reject it defies logic. The scattering is also the greatest witness, bar the Atonement, of Jehovah’s mercy. He has promised He will never break His covenant with Israel (Deut 4:31; Leviticus 26:44,46; Isaiah 49:15,16; 2 Kings 13:23).

The gathering has commenced…..now is the time when “Jesus will say to all Israel, Come home”.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

OUR PROMISED LAND

 

 We are about to study the book of Joshua this week. Joshua is one of those Old Testament figures we don’t talk about much yet there is so much to admire about the man. I feel he is overlooked to our detriment because he too, like Moses, was a prototype of Christ:

“Joshua, the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, was first called Oshea or Hoshea,….[Numbers 13:16], which signifies saved, a saviour, or salvation; but afterwards Moses, guided no doubt by a prophetic spirit, changed his name into….Yehoshua or Joshua, which signifies he shall save or salvation of Jehovah; referring, no doubt, to his being God’s instrument in saving the people from the hands of their enemies, and leading them from victory to victory over the different Canaanitish nations, till he put them in possession of the promised land…in the New Testament he is expressly called….Jesus [see Acts 7:45; Hebrews 4:8].” (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 2:3). In other words, in the original Hebrew both Joshua and Jesus were the same name.” (see Old Testament Student Manual Book 1 p 236)

As a preface to the Ten Commandments which Jehovah gave to Moses he made it clear why they were given: “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of BONDAGE.” (Exodus 20:2). The operative word here is ‘bondage’. It has reference to the Ten Commandments which are meant to give Israel freedom. If Israel cleaved to obedience of the Law, they would never again be in bondage, physical or most importantly, spiritual. 

Thereafter, Moses made it a point to define the deliverance from Egypt as deliverance from ‘bondage’ (Det 6:12; 8:14; 13:5). After Jehovah confirmed to Joshua that he is to take charge of the Tribes and lead them to the promised land, He charged him to make the law the basis of all he did. He was not to vary from it or depart from it, all that he spoke was to conform to it, and he was to meditate upon it constantly (Joshua 1:5-8). Joshua followed these rules to the letter and like Moses, reminded Israel that they had been delivered from ‘the house of bondage’ in the land of Egypt (Joshua 24:17). He understood clearly what the God of Israel had done which made him a spiritual leader of God’s people as well as the physical one.

At the onset of conquest of the promised land, the mighty Jehovah spoke to Joshua and told him he is to conquer all the land from Lebanon to the river Euphrates (Joshua 1:4). In actuality, this meant the region south and southwest of the Lebanon mountains, north and east of Egypt, east of the Mediterranean coastal plain and west of the Arabian desert (OT Student Manual 1, p 236). In other words, the land that lay before Joshua was massive. Overwhelming, isn’t it? But Jehovah issued an admonition to Joshua to ‘be strong and of good courage’ three times (Joshua 1:6,7,9) assuring him: ‘I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee….be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest’ (vs 5,9).

And then the promise: Joshua was told that he must adhere strictly to the law of Moses and he shall have success (v 8) but not just any success, he was promised that his success would be so great that there shall not any man be able to stand before him all the days of his life (v 5). This Joshua did, obeying all of the Lord’s instructions with exactness (fascinating examples of this to look out for in his story). The result of his meticulous obedience?  A success unsurpassed:  the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country’ (Joshua 6:27).

We, of the House of Israel, are standing on the earth which is our ultimate promised land. This earth will one day be redeemed and sanctified from all unrighteousness that it may be prepared for the celestial glory, that the bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever (D&C 88:17-20). This is our promised land. This is our ultimate forever home. 

Before each of us is the vastness of our mortal probation fraught with challenges and trials to conquer and overcome. It is also the ‘house of bondage’ from which the Saviour has delivered us through His atoning sacrifice if we will but obey the commandments, the path to unsurpassed freedom.....

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

 

I used to skim over the four chapters of highly detailed instructions given to Moses regarding the building of the tabernacle and priestly robes during Israel’s journeying. I didn’t think it was so relevant to us in our day. I was amazed though 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.

Last time we studied the Old Testament I read the abovementioned chapters in depth and I was given not only understanding but an insight I was sorry I had missed in the years past. 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 He has commanded’ (Exodus 31:1-6).

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. Such is the wisdom, power and foreknowledge of our God.

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: “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 blessing the nations of the earth with the truth, 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 His most valiant, the strongest, the most dependable servants to be born 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.

Do you know how important you are in ‘such a time as this’???

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jehovah Shalom by LDS Art)

TO SEE HIS FACE

 

“We have the power – and it is our privilege – so to live, that becoming pure in heart, we shall see the face of God while we yet dwell as mortals in a world of sin and sorrow. This is the crowning blessing of mortality. It is offered by that God who is no respecter of persons to all the faithful in his kingdom.” (Bruce R. McConkie, In CR Oct 1977, p 52 or Ensign Nov 1977 p 34)

“We read that Abraham talked with God face to face, and he also talked with Enoch and others. The modern world, however, will have none of it and have rejected the living God for one who cannot be seen or heard. (Joseph Fielding Smith, “Answers to Gospel Questions”, 2:162-63)

The question of whether we can see God in this life would have to be one of the biggest contradictions in the scriptures, Chapter 33 of Exodus being the biggest. Verse 11 states that “the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend” yet verse 20 contradicts this by stating: “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” Also, Exodus 24:9-11 states that Moses and seventy of the elders of Israel saw God.

This contradiction is a classic example of mistranslation or “more likely due to the fact that a translator in more recent years did not believe that God was a Personage and therefore could not be seen. This notion has come down to us since the introduction of the Athanasian Creed in 325 A.D.” (Old Testament Student Manual Book 1 p 142)

Thankfully, Joseph Smith made many corrections to such conflicting scriptures adding clarification such as: “And no man hath seen God at any time, except he hath borne record of the Son….” (JST John 1:19) and, “No man hath seen God at any time, except them who believe….Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God….(John 6:45-46).

So a person who has seen God has to be one who believes, has to be of God and has to bear witness of such. Joseph Smith comes to mind here.

So now that we know who CAN see God, it’s important we know who CAN’T. Genesis 33:20 states that whosoever sees Him would not be able to live. Obviously that is a reference to those who do not meet the criteria for such a privilege.  And this is why:

“Christ is a glorified celestial being, and the glory of such beings is comparable to that of the sun (see D&C 76:70). The presence of Christ when He comes in His glory will be as a consuming fire. The mountains will flow down at His presence, the elements will melt with fervent heat, and the waters will boil. Even the sun will hide its face in shame (see Hebrews 12:29; D&C 133:40-44,49) (Doctrine & Covenants Student Manual p 61)

“Incident to the commencement of the millennial era, the earth will be burned. Every corruptible thing will be consumed (D&C 101:24); all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be burned as stubble (Malachi 4:1; D&C 29:9; 63:34; 64:23-25; 133:63-64); and there will be an entire separation of the righteous and the wicked (D&C 63:54).” (Bruce R. McConkie, “Mormon Doctrine” p 494)

I once had a reader question Joseph Smith’s claim that He saw God the Father and the Son. She reasoned Joseph would have been burnt alive if he truly saw such celestial beings. In my opinion, Joseph qualified to abide their glory as sure as Moses and Abraham.

It is only those who are not worthy to see God that would be consumed, even as those who will be so at Christ’s coming…..while the righteous will be transfigured to withstand His glory (see Journal of Discourses, 16:328). It’s a startling choice isn’t it? To be burnt alive or to be privileged to see the face of the Son of God. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

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 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)

UNDERSTANDING HISTORY

 

At the beginning of the year I wrote a post in which I mentioned my history professor tell us that we should be careful how we judge history because it is written by men from men’s perspective. That was a few years ago but I have never forgotten it. I try to think of that even when I am reading the scriptures.

The perspective of the author is not the only thing that matters but also cultural differences of the time, manner of speaking, changes in language and what Joseph Smith claimed were ‘certain errors that had crept into the Bible through arrogant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests’ (Joseph Smith Teachings, p 327)

The Old Testament is particularly susceptible to incorrect text because it has been translated many times. We are fortunate to have modern day revelation that makes a lot of doctrines simpler to understand through corrections that are needed for further clarification. I am particularly grateful for the JST and I always refer to it. Sometimes it’s just a missing word that makes a whole verse make more sense.

Already this year I have come across three important examples of what I am trying to say here:

1.      Exodus 6:3: “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”  I ask, why would the forefathers not know His name??? Well they did….JST says: “….and unto Jacob, I am the Lord God Almighty; the Lord JEHOVAH. And was not my name known unto them?”

2.      Exodus 2:11-15: these verses say that Moses saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew and he ‘slew’ him. In King James English, the words ‘smote’ and ‘slew’ are both translated from Hebrew word NAKHAH, meaning to ‘beat down’. Different ancient writings and commentaries claim different things regarding this incident but the Church OT student manual quotes Elder Mark E. Petersen as saying that there must have been a good reason for Moses’ act as “most assuredly the Lord would not have called a murderer to the high office of prophet and liberator for his people Israel.” (Petersen, “Moses” p 42, Student Manual 1 p 105).  

3.      Exodus 4, 7, 9, 11: In His instructions to Moses regarding the plagues of Egypt, the Old Testament records the Lord saying He will harden the Pharaoh’s heart so he will not let the Israelites go. The JST says in every instance that Pharaoh will harden his heart which makes so much more sense. Why would the Lord try to stop His own work to the point where He had to do something so dire as extinguishing the lives of Egypt’s first born?

With the amount of study material available to us in the Church today, there really is no excuse for not understanding anything. But most important of all, make an important friend…..him who administers to all sincere seekers of truth……”and by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5)

And now this promise: “I the Lord am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me and delight to honour those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end….and to them will I reveal all mysteries of my kingdom…for by my Spirit will I enlighten them…..(D&C 76:5-10)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Receiving the Spirit by Danny Hahlbohm)

THE GREAT I AM

 

When Moses was 40 years old he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and he left the Egyptian court. He joined his people Israel preferring God to the riches of Egypt and believing God would by his hand deliver his people but they ‘understood not’ (Hebrews 11:24-27; Acts 7:25).

In short, Moses went from the privilege of his Egyptian upbringing to slavery, to being a shepherd in the land of Midian where he married and received the priesthood from Jethro, his father-in-law (D&C 84:6). After another forty years of pastoral life, Moses finally had confirmation that he would lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He was by then 80 years old.

When God spoke to Moses on Mt Sinai out of the burning bush, He identified himself as “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” and commanded him to deliver the children of Israel out of the Egyptian bondage (Exodus 3:6-10).

But Moses was not content to go to Israel telling them ‘the God of your fathers sent me’ so he asked God to identify himself by His name which he would take to the Israelites (v 13). God answered: “I am that I Am. Tell them I AM sent me” (v 14).

I AM is the name that identifies Jehovah. It is the equivalent of “Yahveh” or “Jahveh” now rendered “Jehovah” and signifies “The Self-existent One”, “The Eternal”, “The First and the Last”. So sacred was the name regarded by the Jews that their traditionalism forbade the utterance of it. (see James Talmage, “Jesus the Christ”, p 412)

Hence the Lord was not saying “I AM THAT I AM” but rather, “I am ‘that’ I AM”. I am Jehovah.

During His earthly ministry, the Saviour identified himself as seven main I AM’s as contained in the Gospel of John:

-          I am the bread of life (6:31,51)

-          I am the light of the world (8:12)

-          I am the door of the sheep (10:7,9)

-          I am the good shepherd (10:11,14)

-          I am the resurrection and life (11:25)

-          I am the way, the truth and the life (14:6)

-          I am the true vine (15:1,5)

As I look at these seven proclamations I could summarise them in this one scripture: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

As we approach this Easter season and yet again acknowledge the Saviour’s Atonement, may we reflect on who He really is and more importantly, who He is to each of us individually. We should know that.

My favourite name for the Saviour is “The Great I Am” (D&C 39:1) and surely He is. There is no greater. Hallowed be His name…..forever and ever.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art by Chris Brazelton)

 

 

 

A BABY OF PROMISE

 

“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them: lest they multiply, and it come to pass that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them out of the land. 

Therefore, they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens…..But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel…… and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage….. (Exodus 1:8-14)

“We fancy that God can only manage His world by big battalions….when all the while He is doing it by beautiful babies….When a wrong needs righting, or a truth wants preaching, or a continent wants opening, God sends a baby into the world to do it.”  (F.W. Boreham)

And it was a doomed baby, a beautiful baby, that was meant to be saved when a great wrong needed righting, a truth needed preaching, and people needed saving….and his name was Moses (Acts 7:20)

You mothers who have experienced the euphoria after giving birth, imagine the government of your land had decreed that the baby you were holding in your arms had to die. It doesn’t bear thinking does it? Think of Mary, Elizabeth and the mother of Moses…..

Imagine having to place that baby in a basket and set it on a river hoping someone would find it and look after it because you cannot bear to see its life extinguished. Then imagine a woman in pre-mortal life saying: send me to the Egyptian royal court and I will save that Hebrew baby that would one day float down the river…… this was the beginning of a man who was to become the greatest prototype of the Messiah.

And here is the full story. A Levite by the name of Amram, who was afraid for his whole nation and the baby his wife, Jochebed  was carrying, prayed to God one night begging Him for deliverance from the miseries his people were enduring at the hands of the Egyptian masters  who had proclaimed a death penalty on all the newborn.

God of Israel heard that prayer and ‘stood by him in his sleep’ and exhorted him not to despair for the child his wife was carrying for that very child shall deliver the Hebrew nation from the distress they were under. What’s more, “he shall be concealed from those who watch to destroy him….that his memory shall be famous while the world lasts; and this not only among the Hebrews, but foreigners also….”  (Josephus, “Jewish Antiquities” p 97)

And this answers how Moses’ preservation came about through the involvement of Him who makes all things possible and who fulfils all His promises. Amram and his wife concealed the baby boy in their home for three months after which Amram decided to trust the baby’s safety and care to God rather than to depend on his own uncertain ways of protection: “He believed that God would in some way procure the safety of the child in order to secure the truth of His own predictions”. (ibid p 98)

Hence the cradle made out of bulrushes and the infant left to God’s preservation floating down the river. Imagine the faith of that father and the longing of that mother to hold that baby against her breast….imagine the lesson learnt that when you put your trust in God, He comes up with a perfect plan because He did send that willing woman to the Egyptian court to save that baby of promise….. whom the Egyptians themselves raised to break the bands of their inflicted bondage of God’s favoured people.  

Oh the irony of the perfect plan of the perfect God whose work for the salvation of men cannot be frustrated!

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)