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)

IDOLATRY 2

 

I wrote yesterday about the influences of the world enabled through technology and how they lead us to idolatry.

The greatest shield against the penetrating strength of our modern-day living is strict obedience to the commandments of God. There simply is no better protection and acquisition of strength. I was all the more convinced of this as I read something very interesting about the very last of the Ten Commandments (thou shalt not covet)  which many people would not think was a important as the preceding nine but this illustrates just how all the commandments are so intertwined that none can be broken without weaking all the others:

“He who covets the mere material things of life may have ‘other gods before him’.

“He who covets may desecrate the Sabbath day to get gain.

“He who covets may fail to sustain his father and his mother in their need.

“Some who have coveted have killed to get gain.

“Many who have coveted a ‘neighbour’s wife’ have committed the grievous sin of adultery.

He who covets is more likely to steal (or to swindle or embezzle or engage in sharp practices).

“He who covets may bear false witness to get gain.

“Whenever we ignore any divine counsel or commandment, we can be sure that we weaken ourselves and increase our susceptibility to other sins….The commandment against covetousness does not mean that we should not have a wholesome desire to improve ourselves or our situation….The danger comes when mere ‘things’ begin to matter too much.” (Richard L. Evans, in “The Tenth Commandment”, Part 1, “The Ten Commandments Today”, p 142-44)

“Paul, on two occasions, equated coveting with idolatry (see Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 3:5). The implication is that when one sets his heart on things of the world to the point that allegiance to God and His principles no longer matters, then material things become as a god to that person; he follows after them or worships them….Samuel told Saul that sin and iniquity were also idolatry (see 1 Samuel 15:23). (Old Testament Student Manual 1 p 135)

Think of the serious attachments people have in this world that demand their full focus to the point where they become addictions, such as food, drugs, alcohol, sex, even violent crime.  These addictions become gods and they all stem from disobedience to the commandments.

These are flaxen cords which the adversary uses to bind us to him forever (2 Nephi 26:22). This is idolatry….at all times, if we are not following God, we are following the opposition…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Guiding Light by Ivan Guaderrama)

GOD'S WISDOM

 

The value of the Ten Commandments cannot be overstated. I have heard it said in the Church that the Commandments were given us for our protection and I cannot agree more. The commandments are our most valuable asset in this life and the second is our moral agency to choose to obey. If it wasn’t for our agency we would be subject to this world of sin and corruption and would naturally cleave to evil.

Consider the pull of sin and how devastating it is to our spiritual well-being:

“Whoever said that sin was not fun? Whoever claimed that Lucifer was not handsome, persuasive, easy, and friendly? Sin is attractive and desirable. Transgression wears elegant gowns and sparkling apparel. It is highly perfumed; it has attractive features, and a soft voice.

“It is found in educated circles and sophisticated groups. It provides sweet and comfortable luxuries. Sin is easy and has a big company of pleasant companions. It promises immunity from restrictions and temporary freedoms. It can momentarily satisfy hunger, thirst, desire, urges, passions, wants, without immediately paying the price. But, it begins tiny and grows to monumental proportions – drop by drop, inch by inch.”

-          President Spencer W. Kimball, “Faith Precedes The Miracle” p 229)

“It is true that the great principle of repentance is always available, but for the wicked and rebellious there are serious reservations to this statement. For instance, sin is intensely habit-forming and sometimes moves men to the tragic point of no return…As the transgressor moves deeper and deeper in his sin, and the error is entrenched more deeply and the will to change is weakened, it becomes increasingly near-hopeless, and he skids down and down until either he does not want to climb back or he has lost the power to do so.”

-          President Spencer W. Kimball, “The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969] p 117)

We fought for our spiritual freedom in pre-mortal life (Rev 12:7-11; Moses 4:1-4). It is interesting to observe the world today and see how we have convoluted the meaning of this principle. It is most obvious in the way people are not willing to obey the laws of the land. The cry seems to be, “I have my rights, I can do whatever I want”. This is the world’s definition of freedom.  Pride is corrupting us as we reject correction from any source and insist on a ‘me’ society. This is Satan’s doctrine and his path to eventual destruction.

The Ten Commandments are as relative today as they were when they were first given and never more needed than today. They not only offer personal freedom but they also bring order to a society. I cannot look at one and think it is not needed. Our obedience to them brings honour, self-respect and spiritual strength beyond our own. The wisdom of our God is beyond understanding. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Keep My Commandments by B. Laura Wilson)

HONOURING THE FATHER

 

I have often wondered how the children who are born into abusive homes are expected to obey the commandment ‘honour thy father and thy mother’. I have no words about some stories of abused children that have come to light recently in our society. It is beyond me to understand such parental abuse. One of the members of our Group commented recently that she was born into a very abusive home and ‘while she didn’t understand why at the time, she is grateful for all that she has been through to become the awesome daughter of God that she now is’. I was elated to hear this. I ache for those who have been damaged beyond their capacity to rise above their childhood trauma but I somehow think the Saviour will one day make this right, as He will with many other things. Somehow, some day, they will be given the ability to rise and overcome and be healed.

 

Right now I am revisiting the Saviour’s visit to the Americas in the Book of Mormon and I have noticed something significant that has made me reflect on this commandment. I wonder if the commandment to honour our earthly parents is symbolic of a greater one. When the Father introduced His Son to the Nephites, He stated: “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” and then immediately He said, “in whom I have glorified my name” (3 N 11:7). When the Saviour identified himself as Jesus Christ He stated the same thing: “….I have glorified the Father” (3 N 11:11). This immediately brought to my mind: “This is my work and MY GLORY - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). This statement is dual in meaning. It means, as the Father exalts us to eternal life to possess glory ourselves, we add to His already existent glory. The more children He exalts, the more glory He gains. This is what the Saviour meant when He said He glorified the Father and He certainly obeyed the commandment to ‘honour his father and mother’. 

 

Now cast your mind back to our pre-existence. When the Saviour volunteered to bring us back to the Father’s presence He said: “Father, thy will be done, and the GLORY be thine forever” (Moses 4:2). I am not discounting the fact that the Saviour loved us and wanted to save us because of that but I am convinced His first and foremost reason was to preserve and add to Father’s glory. What makes me wonder is this…..how many of us defended the Father’s plan because our love for Him was more important to us than the free agency which we fought to preserve? How many of us fought for Him more than we fought for ourselves?

 

For years, the Saviour was first and foremost in my mind but now I am at this stage of my life where I am beginning to see the Father and not just the Son. This is what the Son does, He reveals the Father (Matthew 11:27). And with this clearer view my desire to bring honour and glory to His name grows. I pray for this ability each day. It has changed my life. It has granted me a dimension of obedience and love I have not seen in myself before. It has lifted me above this world. This disclosure is offered here with hope that it will lift someone who has suffered parental abuse. May you turn to the Father who loves you with a perfect love and who can bring you home to be in His glorious presence forever. 

 

Grant me the hope Father

In this darkness

That I will one day see Your light;

And spare me Father the afflictions

Of my lonely heart.

Bear me up as on eagles’ wings

And carry me into

Thy benevolent embrace

That we might never again part

But instead bask in the union

Of our celestial hearts. 

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: The Anointed One by Joseph Brickey)