YET TO COME

 

I am sure many of us know of more records that are yet to be revealed. In relation to this, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: “Today we carry convenient quadruple combinations of the scriptures, but one day, since more scriptures are coming, we may need to pull little red wagons brimful with books” (A Wonderful Flood of Light [1990], p 18). Does this seem overwhelming to those of us who do not study the scriptures now??? It should, because we cannot be given more if we are not ready to receive it.

This is what is yet to come: writings of Enoch (D&C 107:57); writings of Apostle John (Ether 4:16); records of the Lost Tribes (2 Nephi 29:13); the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon comprising approximately two thirds of the record (2 Nephi 27:10,11; see Elder Maxwell’s quoted book). Does it not blow your mind that what we have now is only one third??? Do we know the one third well enough to be given another two thirds to study?. This is what caught my eye the most as I studied 2 Nephi 27 in relation to the sealed portion: the revelations contained in the sealed portion ‘reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof….and the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops’ (vs 10,11).

And this is the most intriguing part of the sealed portion. Besides the writings of Apostle John which are also contained therein (Ether 4:16), Moroni wrote upon the sealed section ‘the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared’ (v4). I can only assume these revelations are those that ‘reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof’. Moroni also states that the Lord commanded him to write these revelations and seal them up together with the interpretation thereof (v5).

And here is something that we need to know. The Lord said to Moroni that these revelations will not be revealed until: 1. the Gentiles shall repent and become ‘clean before the Lord’ (v6) and 2. The Gentiles exercise faith in the Lord even as the brother of Jared did (v7). 'The Gentiles' here refers to us, His Church. He says the revelations were manifested to the Brother of Jared and the Lord will manifest them to us. The operative word here is MANIFEST. Why? Because the brother of Jared did not have just any old weak as water faith….he had a manifesting faith that he exercised when he saw the finger of the Lord.

I am fascinated with the concept of ‘manifesting faith’. I remember when Jesus was walking towards Jerusalem with His disciples. He was hungry and sought figs on a barren tree. He cursed the tree and it withered before their eyes (Matthew 21:19-22). This is manifesting faith….when you bring into reality something that aligns with your belief. This is the faith that manifested the Lord’s finger to the Brother of Jared. This is the faith that is going to be required of us to bring the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon into reality. I think we have some work to do…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Brother of Jared by Emily Pugmire) 

THE GREATEST GIFT

 

 

The never ending lessons of Nephi, the man whose soul delighted in prophesying about Christ (2 Nephi 13)….who delighted in teaching people in plainness that they may learn (2 Nephi 25:5)…..who had the spirit with him constantly (2 Nephi 28:1; 1 Nephi 4:6; 2 Nephi 25:5; 1 Nephi 11:1,11; 1 Nephi 15:1), but most of all this: “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that OUR CHILDREN may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Nephi 25:26).

Nephi mentioned several times in his record that he wanted to teach his children about Christ (2 Nephi 11:2,3; 25:6,23,26). This I think was the dearest task to his heart because no doubt ‘his children’ would have included his entire posterity. His faith in Christ would have been his greatest legacy to them who came after him.

I think of many influential fathers from the Book of Mormon and the way they taught their children and passed onto them their testimonies of Christ. I think of Enos and his remembrance of the teachings of his father concerning eternal life which enlarged his soul to yearn for the salvation of the Lamanites (Enos 1:2, 13-16). I think of Alma the Younger who remembered his father's preaching of Jesus Christ who would atone for the sins of the world, and because of which he called upon Christ's mercy during his crucible of repentance (Alma 36:17,18).  I think of him becoming a good parent who taught his son Shiblon that Christ is ‘the life and the light of the world’ (Alma 38:9) and who taught his son Corianton the seriousness of sexual sin which led to his son’s repentance (Alma 39). I think of Alma’s son Helaman who affirmed to his father that he believed in Jesus Christ who should come and promised his father he will keep the commandments with ‘all his heart’ (Alma 45:3-7). Helaman passed his testimony of Christ onto his son, 2^nd Nephi, who passed it onto his son, 3^rd Nephi, who passed it onto his son, 4^th Nephi. And who could forget Moroni whose father’s teachings permeate most of his record, namely chapters 7, 8 and 9 of his book.

Our children will not forget our examples and our testimonies of Christ and they will one day seek salvation at His hand. This is our greatest legacy. This is our greatest joy. This is our greatest responsibility. This is our greatest gift.

I will spread the word

Your gift of salvation to honour

And satisfy my children’s hidden hunger.

I will help them know

Your arms are their shelter,

Your heart is their home,

Their only hope

For protection from the storm.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Forever by David Bowman)

ZION'S WARNING

 

 

I love Nephi, the visionary. I am amazed by his accurate account of our day in 2 Nephi chapter 28. After he describes, so expertly, the state of the world, he warns of Satan’s technique of leading people into ‘carnal security’ by pacifying, lulling and flattering them (vs 21,22). This warning, however, is not to the world but to the Church. The carnal security he talks of will make many adopt the attitude of ‘all is well in Zion’ (v 21). It will make some of us think that we are good enough as it is; that we have ample time to improve and repent before the end is here. This unpreparedness reminds me of the parable of The Ten Virgins.

The story of this parable is based on oriental marriage customs of Jesus’ time. Since the wedding ceremonies were appointed for the evening and night, it was imperative that people were equipped with torches and lamps to see their way in the procession which the bridegroom led to the bride’s house and later to conduct her to her new home where the marriage celebration awaited them. The ten maidens in the story were eager to be included in this celebration but only five of them were smart enough to equip themselves with enough oil for their lamps. In summary, when the time came to join the procession, their lamps had failed and not being able to borrow oil from the prepared maidens, they were too late to be admitted into the wedding celebration. (See James E. Talmage, Jesus The Christ, p 577)

As a symbol of our covenant relationship with Christ, Jesus used the metaphor of marriage between Himself and His Church. The betrothal between Him and the House of Israel took place in the Sinai wilderness after the Exodus (Exodus 19:5-6; 24:7). The marriage proper is yet to take place when He returns. Therefore, when He comes, He will come as a bridegroom to wed not just the Church, but the righteous members of His Church only, the ones who are prepared, with oil in their lamps. And what is this oil? It represents the Holy Ghost….who makes us see the way.  The Lord confirmed that this parable will be fulfilled when He returns and that the members of His Church who have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide and have not been deceived will abide the day of His coming (D&C 45:56,57). It makes President Nelson’s recent directive true to life: “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” (Russell M. Nelson, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our lives, April 2018).

There is a word in Hebrew that refers to the faithfulness of loyal love that binds two people together in covenant. This love is motivated by an inner loyalty which arises out of the relationship itself and not by legal obligation. Such covenant love has the quality of constancy, firmness and steadfastness. This word is HESED (Bernhard W. Anderson, “Understanding the Old Testament”, p 248). This is the love the Saviour expects of us, His bride. If we truly love Him, we will have all the characteristics of ‘hesed’. We will shine forth in righteousness because we will have forsaken spiritual Babylon and will be prepared to meet Him for the wedding (D&C 133:5,7,10,14). Right now some of us have our feet in both camps. Some of us are half hearted in forsaking the world and are content with the scanty supply of oil we have in our lamps, but that contentment will meet with regret when the call for the wedding feast comes. The five virgins that missed out are symbolic of half the Church membership who will be unprepared.

When the time of His appearing is here, there will be no reservoir of good works, spiritually building moments, and a sinless slate we will be able to draw from and we will no longer be able to exist on the testimony of others. The ‘carnal security’ we had wallowed in and been comfortable in will come to an end and all will be lost.  Let’s not be deceived and think we are safe in Satan’s territory. When the Saviour comes, we will behold Him in His glory and we will want to be with Him. We will want to come to the wedding.

 

ODE TO THE TEN VIRGINS

I would gladly give you some oil

Your empty lamp to fill,

If you could glean the sweat

From my furrowed brow

As I worked on the oil press

So diligently until now.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Five Virgins by Dan Burr)

TO RETURN

 

I visited my favourite parable yesterday, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and I noticed something that took my breath away…..(Luke 15:11-32)

As you know, this was a story of an unsatisfied son who grew weary of his family’s duties and his father’s wholesome discipline and influence. He yearned for freedom from home ties and demanded his inheritance be given him to make his own way in life. He went into a far country where he spent that inheritance in riotous living and unrestrained indulgence. When the inheritance was spent, he was reduced to the lowest and most degrading form of service to a Jew, that of herding swine. He sank even lower to eat husks with the pigs. Imagine such degradation and suffering as eating and sleeping with pigs, especially with one of an honorable parentage who was raised with servants and ate the best of food and never had to worry about his sustenance. His suffering was extreme as he could see no favourable end to his situation. He could sink no lower. He reflected on the home of his youth and the security and safety he had there and how well provided even the servants were in his home. And then the hope! He would go home to his father!!! The father who loved him and was so reluctant to see him go. He would go home to the father who would surely forgive him and allow him to serve him. He would go home to the father who would lift him out of the misery he had fallen into. What exquisite hope his father was to him! How that hope would have lifted him out of the mire he was in and propelled him to return home!

We were somewhat like the prodigals when we left our heavenly home. We knew of the risk that some of us may never return. What hope our Father was to us by sacrificing His Beloved Son to ensure our return! We were sure the Plan would work and the Saviour would implement that Plan without hesitance and restraint. He would save us so that we could in our lowest earthly moments say, I’ll go home to the Father! I can rise above the mire of this telestial world and return to the splendor of my home. I can have better than what I have sunk to. I don’t have to wallow in the mire and eat husks…..I can have so much better. My Father will see my contrition and forgive me. My Father will welcome me home…..

I wish to gift you my heart

Eternal Father of mine;

I wish to glorify Thy name

Through endless moments of time.

I wish to worship you each day that I greet,

I wish to honour you with each breath that I breathe.

Then one day soon when I kneel at your throne

And bring you my deeds from my earthly home;

Accept them with mercy,

Consider them bliss,

And greet me joyfully

With an holy kiss.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: He Lifts Me Up by Danny Hahlbohm)

THE SHADOW OF HIS WINGS

 

Nephi’s testimony of the Saviour Jesus Christ is intoxicating, is it not? In describing, in magnificent detail, the Jewish fate of scattering and gathering in 2 Nephi chapter 25, Nephi’s prophecy of their rejection of Messiah and His consequent death is heart wrenching but the hope he also offers is unmistakable. In verse 13, Nephi says after the Jews shall crucify the Christ and ‘he is laid in a sepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from the dead’ and here is the hope of all hope and the truth of all truth, on which salvation rests…..’with HEALING IN HIS WINGS’.

In scriptural use of symbolism, the wings are ‘a representation of power, to move, to act, etc.’ (D&C 77:4). So Christ rose from the dead, healed, with power……the power to also heal us, to succor us, to protect us, to enable us, to save us, to resurrect us, to sanctify us, to exalt us.

The Jewish race, God’s covenant people, will one day experience the healing power of their Shiloh (JST Gen 50:24) when He comes to save them from their foes. They will experience the power of His protective wings and be converted to the Holy One of Israel.

Daniel F. Gerhartz who painted this magnificent painting titled ‘In the Shadow of Your Wings’ said: “My desire as an artist is that the images I paint would point to the Creator, and not to me, the conveyor. Johann Sebastian Bach said it well as he signed his work, ‘Soli Deo Gloria’, ‘To God alone be the glory’”…….indeed.

I long to reside in Your presence;

To never know sadness

Or the wretched heat of my tears.

I know I will be safe there

Where fears cannot find me

And trials cannot scar me.

I know there will be safety

In the shadow of Your wings

My burdens You will lift

And wipe away my sins.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: In The Shadow of Your Wings by Daniel H. Gerhartz)

AN INDIVIDUAL GOD

 

There is a woman spoken of in the Old Testament that is not highly considered or regarded. Her name is Hagar and her life story rends my heart.  The Genesis account of the Old Testament simply states that she was Egyptian and that she was Sarah's maid but one other source gives more insight into her life. It claims that Hagar was one of the daughters of Pharaoh and that she was given to Sarah when she and Abraham left Egypt to continue their journey to Canaan (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, 1:223). Considering the riches that Pharaoh showered Abraham and Sarah with as they left Egypt (Genesis 12:16), this claim seems very plausible. In this context, Hagar's life of hardship begins at this point in history. 

Under Sarah's tutelage, Hagar grew into spiritual maturity as she forsook the religious idols of her home and came to know the God of Israel. Imagine, however, a young girl of royal birth, sent away from her home to be the property of total strangers, therefore a slave. But there was more. According to Bible scholars and modern-day revelation (D&C 132:34), it was the law for a woman who could not provide children for her husband after ten years of marriage, to give him another wife to ensure continuation of his family line. Sarah decided that Abraham's next wife would be Hagar. I doubt if Hagar had much choice in the matter, being in the situation she was in. I imagine Hagar was fairly young since she fell pregnant straight away, whereas Abraham was 86 years old (Genesis 16:16).

The Old Testament records that Hagar became insolent towards Sarah once she knew she was pregnant (Genesis 16:4). Inexcusable I know, but maybe for once she felt she was worth something more than being a maid. She was now a wife of a rich man and she was going to be a mother, but....she was only a second wife with no rights and her child would by law belong to Sarah. She was a concubine. Imagine being of such lowly station for one of royal birth.  When she couldn't take Sarah's correction of her behaviour, Hagar fled in search of freedom. How hurt and misunderstood she must have felt….

Sarah was the wife of the covenant and honoured by God for her righteousness but Jehovah is a protector of women and He knew Hagar and her life. When the angel of the Lord found her in the wilderness he told her, "the Lord hath heard thy affliction" (Genesis 16:11); that she will not be overlooked by Him and that her posterity will not be able to be numbered for multitude (Genesis 16:10). In other words, "I will make it up to you Hagar for the life you are required to live". Hagar was astonished and in response called the Lord, "Thou God seest me" (v 13). What an incredible difference that must have made to one woman who felt insignificant and 'unseen'. God who sees all, had regard for her and held her in the palm of His hand. This must have been what made her return to Sarah bearable.

What a triangle of trial this situation was for Sarah, Hagar and Abraham. We all know how things turned out for Sarah and Abraham but we don't know anything about Hagar's life once she parted company with Abraham. Did she spend the rest of her days alone and husbandless? One thing I do believe: Hagar was a good woman. Various ancient sources claim that Abraham provided well for Ishmael and his mother when it was time for them to leave and that he stayed in close contact with them, visiting Ishmael often. Ishmael and Isaac also remained close as Genesis records they buried their father together (Genesis 25:9). This is how I know Hagar was a good woman. There was no hatred or animosity between Ishmael and Isaac. The credit for that must go not only to Sarah but also to Hagar who didn't teach her son to hate even though he was not the heir.

When Abraham was ninety-nine years old and Ishmael thirteen, the Lord appeared to Abraham and told him Sarah will bear him a son of the covenant. Abraham's first thought was of his love for Ishmael. He fell on his face and asked the Lord to consider him to be the heir (Genesis 17:18). The Lord denied the request but replied, "I have heard thee" (v20). Once again, "I see you....I see the difficulties you have to live with....I will make it up to you". He said He would give Ishmael twelve sons and he would be part of the promise of endless posterity that He had made to Abraham (v 20).

Even though we are many, we are individual entities to the Saviour. He is an ‘individual God’. The God of heaven sees all. He sees all our difficulties, He understands all our feelings, He feels all our heartaches. And He makes up for those things we suffer and endure. He lightens the burdens of those who seek Him and would have Him be their God.  May you, who are in the waiting room waiting for relief of your burdens, receive an increase of faith in the God of Abraham.....the God who fulfils His promises through grace and mercy, now and forever.  

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: LDS ART - WOMEN OF FAITH, Artist Unknown)

CONSECRATED TO GOD

 

I offer this as a way of hope to anyone who is struggling with any level of obedience…..

One year as I studied the Old Testament I became fascinated with the rituals of animal sacrifice performed by ancient Israel. I looked at it in depth to satisfy my fascination but I did not expect it to take my understanding of the Atonement to the next level. I am still learning about this unfathomable sacrifice of Christ which is beyond our mortal understanding but the knowledge I have so far obtained has aided me, beyond my expectation, in living the gospel.

My greatest fascination with animal sacrifice was with the practice of applying the sacrificial blood of the animal, by the priest, to the right ear, right thumb and right toe of the person that was to be consecrated to God. These three parts of the body represented hearing the word of God, acting according to it and walking in His paths according to His commandments, that thereby the consecrated person might be sanctified through the power of the Atonement (see Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 1:2:387-88 as quoted by the Old Testament Student Manual). Learning of the significance of applying the sacrificial blood to the person for the purposes of sanctification and consecration had a great impact on me. I incorporated the practice of consecrating myself to God, through thought, word and deed, in my morning prayers. As I did so, the image of the priest applying the sacrificial blood to ear, thumb and toe would come into my mind to accompany my words.  This practice of daily consecration was something that strengthened my resolve to obey the command of ‘practicing virtue and holiness before God continually’ (D&C 46:33) and my obedience improved dramatically. A weakness that had troubled me for a long time was turned into a strength and a stumbling block removed from my path.  

And here is something interesting: the lamb offered in sacrificial rituals represented Christ as the sacrifice for humanity, the priest represented Christ as the Mediator and the person who offered the lamb for the sacrifice represented Christ standing in for others not being able to pay for justice of sin. These are the three roles He undertook during the Atonement: the sacrifice, the mediator and the substitute  (Jukes, Law of the Offerings, pp 44-45 as quoted in the Old Testament Student Manual p 160). The entire ritual of sacrificing just one animal emulated the propitiation of Christ in every way, in its entirety (1 John 2:2; 4:10).

I hope when we are brought before the God of our salvation on judgment day and He views us with an all-searching eye (2 N 9:44) that we will be found consecrated to Him in every thought, word, and deed, walking in holiness and virtue before Him and because of it, our confidence will wax strong in His presence (D&C 121:45) and we will confidently walk into His arms to remain there forever…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Lamb by Stephen Sawyer)