032. Son of God

If you missed the recently released film depicting the ministry of the Savior, entitled Son of God, try to catch it some other way. Very raw and real. The frailties and humanness of the apostles, the juxtaposition between the worship of the Romans, Jews, and Christ, the narrowness of the Pharisees, and the connection between Christ and His mother are all very poignantly and powerfully portrayed. The theme throughout is humility.

031. Few Humble Followers of Christ: Poggin the Dwarf and Emeth the Calormene - The Last Battle Part III

There are several righteous characters in The Last Battle. King Tirian never gives up hope and belief in Aslan, he is faithful throughout. Jill and Eustace are ever faithful and true in all things. Jewel the Unicorn is always valiant, sticking by King Tirian's side through thick and thin (Guardian Angel). However, there are two other characters in this story who stand out as examples of the "few humble followers of Christ": Poggin the Dwarf and Emeth the Calormene. We can all relate to these characters in some way. Although I've not yet reached Aslan's country, I identify strongly with both these characters in different ways. So here goes a summary of the story...

A short time after the dwarves march off to fend for themselves, the group lead by the King hear someone approach. It is a small dwarf named Poggin. He still believes in Aslan, he's still on Aslan's side. This lifts the spirits of the others and renews hope. This little dwarf had been among the deceived. He could have continued on with the others, rejecting Aslan and anything to do with Him. Poggin is helpful to others in the group, finding and cooking food for them, serving them. The King finds a dwarf-sized outfit for Poggin - mail shirt, helmet, shield, sword, belt, and dagger…the whole armor of Christ. He remains a faithful component of the group through the end and enters into Aslan's rest.

Later in the story there is one Calormene, a man, who proves by his deeds that he is "worthy of a better God than Tash." He has been faithful to Tash his whole life, and taught to hate Aslan and the world of Narnia. At the camp, where the shrine of Tash stood (formerly the stable that housed "Aslan", or Puzzle the Donkey disguised as Aslan), this Calormene man became disheartened when others began saying that Aslan and Tash were one. He wanted to know for himself, and to meet the god he worshiped and know more of him. He enters and the wicked guard placed there to kill all who enter attacks Emeth, who kills the guard (a mocker of the true Tash, says Emeth). It is beautiful inside, and he meets a lion, Aslan. He falls at the Lion's feet and thinks he will be killed for he reasons that the Lion will know that he has served Tash his whole life. Aslan kisses Emeth on his forehead and says "Son, thou art welcome…all the service thou has done to Tash, I account as service done to me….if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath's sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted. Does thou understand Child?" Emeth, still not fully accepting of Aslan's love, replies "Yet I have been seeking Tash all my days." Aslan then says "unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek." So it is.

Many in these stories of Narnia are seduced by evil, choosing evil over good. They see the power in evil and become intoxicated by it. Many of us fall into the same traps. Many of us are also born into different camps in this world, some evil, some neutral, some good, some more spiritually inclined than others (Telmarines, Dwarves, Calormenes, our own cultures, our own families), but that doesn't mean we are stuck there forever or that those groups are right in their beliefs and practices. We must be careful not to base our lives and faith entirely on the collective aspirations, goals, or traditions of the group in which we find ourselves. We can switch sides, strike out on our own and find truth. Think of how often this takes place in the scriptures…Joseph, Abraham, Christ, Lehi, Alma, Abinadi, Jaredites. We too can wake up and switch sides, choosing Aslan over his enemies, over Tash. Very few make that choice in these Narnian legends, only about six characters are able to have the insight, muster the strength, and have the faith to choose a better ways for themselves…out of probably millions of Narnians. These few Narnians recognized who their true master is. It was not the group to which they belonged. It was not the traditions to which they held. It was Aslan. They realized they were serving the wrong master, which was themselves, which was really Tash or satan. They realized they had been deceived by satan as well as by their fallen and sinful natures.

We all have to decide who our true master is…is it Christ or satan? No one can be neutral (as that is really choosing the latter option). If our heart is in the right place, and we are seeking for the truth, even if we are deceived along the way and perhaps even lead to do horrible things, we can eventually be lead to Christ. He will find us.

On a related note, what of the fate of Puzzle the Donkey? Well, he reappears near the end of the story. After the group (the good guys) meet Emeth and learn his story, Puzzle comes trotting up. He is now described as a "graceful creature…all silvery-gray. He was himself now: a beautiful donkey with such a soft, gray coat and such a gentle, honest face". He had come through the door (of the stable/shrine) with all the other animals at the end. But he had been laying low for a while, staying out of the way, out of Aslan's way. After seeing the real Aslan, he was so ashamed of dressing up in a lion's skin that he didn't even know how to look anyone in the face. He was worried about meeting the real Aslan face-to-face. Well, at the very end, when Aslan comes and calls forth the righteous into eternal life, guess who He calls to His side first? That's right, Puzzle the Donkey. "You never saw a donkey look feebler and sillier than Puzzle did as he walked up to Aslan, and he looked, beside Aslan, as small as a kitten looks beside a St. Bernard. The Lion bowed down His head and whispered something to Puzzle at which his long ears went down, but then he said something else at which his ears perked up again." Those who are deceived into doing the bidding of the evil one can be redeemed and exalted, depending on their humility and the intents and desires of their heart.

Oh the great and wondrous designs of our Father in Heaven! It is glorious to contemplate the great things he does for His children. How he blesses them, despite their wickedness and wrong choices if they repent! Oh what grace and mercy and love! He is love!

030. Deception: "The Dwarves are for the Dwarves" - The Last Battle Part II

Eventually, the king of Narnia, his unicorn Jewel, and two children from London are able to turn the tide. "Aslan's" stable is guarded at night by only one man, who is taken down by one of the children, Jill. Inside she finds Puzzle masquerading as Aslan…a "false Aslan" she calls him. Jill has pity on the donkey and leads Puzzle to meet up with the others. When the king learns what has been happening and that Puzzle has been the source of these troubles, he draws his sword to kill the donkey. Jill intervene's, protecting the donkey: "It wasn't his fault. It was all the Ape. He didn't know any better. And he's very sorry. He's a nice donkey." The donkey agreed, saying that he wasn't very smart, he only did what he was told, and that he didn't enjoy living like that.

King Tirian, Jewel the Unicorn, Eustace, Jill, & Puzzle the Donkey (False Aslan) soon meet the Dwarves

Soon, a group of dwarves lead by four wicked men approaches the group lead by King Tirian of Narnia. These dwarves had been deceived into believing that they needed to go work in the men's mines. "Aslan's orders, Aslan's orders. He sold us. What can we do against him?" say the dwarves. King Tirian then shows the dwarves Puzzle the Donkey, who was still wearing the lions coat, now disheveled and dirty. There is confusion, a fight breaks out, and the four men are killed. Afterwards the King proclaims: "Now, Dwarves, you are free….three cheers for Aslan!" But there is hardly a whisper from the dwarves. The group lead by the King cannot understand why the dwarves are not rejoicing at this news of freedom. Why didn't they respond with gladness when they learned that the Ape wasn't going to rule over them any longer and that everyone could go back to the way things were?

One dwarf named Griffle steps forward and says "I feel I've heard about as much about Aslan as I want to for the rest of my life." The other dwarves mutter in agreement. Griffle continues "You must think we're blooming soft in the head…We've been taken in once and now you expect us to be be taken in again the next minute. We've no more use for stories about Aslan, see! Look at him [referring to Puzzle]! An old moke with long ears!"

A back and forth ensues between the King and the dwarves. The King is stunned by their response, and retorts "Which one of us said that was Aslan? That is the Ape's imitation of the real Aslan. Can't you understand?" Griffle shoots back "And you've got a better imitation, I suppose. No thanks, we've been fooled once and we're not going to be fooled again." "I serve the real Aslan" shouts the King. "Where's he? Who's he? Show him to us!" reply several dwarves. The King shoots back "Do you think I keep him in my wallet? Who am I that I could make Aslan appear at my bidding? He's not a tame lion." Uh-oh…the dwarves had heard that line before. Those words were used by Shift to trick them into doing things that the Dwarves originally believed Aslan would never ask them to do. "He's not a tame lion, he's not a tame lion" they muttered and sneered. Jill passionately testifies that she has seen the real Aslan. "So you say. They've taught you your stuff all right. Saying your lessons, ain't you?" replies Griffle. He continues "I don't think we want anymore kings -- no more than we want any Aslans. We're going to look after ourselves from now on and touch our caps to nobody." The other dwarves chime in "We're on our own now. No more Aslan, no more kings, no more silly stories about other worlds. The Dwarves are for the Dwarves!" 

You see, by being deceived, the dwarves had lost faith in the real Aslan. They were so hurt, ashamed of what had become of them, what they had been lead to believe and do, that it changed them. It broke their little dwarf hearts. They lost hope and from thenceforth would only believe what was before their eyes and what their hands could touch. One of the results of Shift setting up a false Aslan was that it stopped people from believing in the real Aslan. The king thought the dwarves would immediately rally to his side after exposing the deception, but that was not the case. When one realizes that they have been deceived, it is very hard to have faith in the truth or to know what the truth is anymore. Why would God allow me to be deceived? What if I am deceived again? How can I trust anything? Is God mad at me for being deceived? How can God ever trust me again? Where did I miss the clues along the path to deception? Did God try to intervene and I missed it? I was trying to believe, and do right, but my faith was amiss. What about all those signs that followed my faith? Doesn't God care? Why wouldn't He come to stop the deception that was underway and the horrible things being done in His name? Will He be merciful to the deceived?

Sadly, the most of the dwarves fight against both the sides of good and evil in the last battle. At one point the wicked men throw the dwarves into the stable where Puzzle once was. This place is now known as the "shrine of Tash" and various animals and people are thrown in to be killed. However, there was only a wicked man stationed inside with orders to kill anyone who came in that those in charge outside were against. This guard was killed by another man who entered the shrine willingly, more on him later. Those who entered the stable saw and experienced what they merited in this life. All the dwarves see is the dirty and dark stable. Other who have entered saw beautiful countryside, sunshine, and mountains. The real Aslan comes to the dwarves, but they cannot see Him…He purrs in their ears, but they cannot hear Him, thinking it is some noise coming from the other side of the stable…He gives them a feast to eat and a goblet of wine placed in their right hands, but all they tasted was straw and water from the stable bucket. They are blinded, forever. Aslan says "They will not let us help them. They have chosen cunning instead of belief. Their prison is only in their own minds, yet they are in that prison; and so afraid to be taken in that they cannot be taken out." A form of spirit prison, unbelief. It is difficult to judge, and that's not our role anyway, for at the judgment itself, one of these dwarves, who was even among those who shot arrows and killed the great horses was welcomed on the right side of Aslan while others went to the left.

There are also people who end up rejecting everything when they come to no longer believe one or two pieces of the larger picture. For example, some lose their testimony of the Book of Mormon or Joseph Smith or the priesthood, but then throw out everything, including their belief in Christ and Father in Heaven. This is the adversary's fondest hope…tarnish or crack one little facet and the whole diamond is flawed.

Deceit can be devastating. “...nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think they have the Spirit of God” (Joseph Smith, HC 4:573).  Don't give up! Continue to persist in faith and hope! The darkness always comes before the light! Hang on! It's part of the process, part of the path! Have belief! 

029. False prophets and false christs: Shift the Ape & Puzzle the Donkey - The Last Battle Part I

We have been progressively examining the elements of the ancient Tabernacle (with a diversion here and there) and how each typifies of Christ. There is progression, increased focus, and enhanced understanding as we approach God. We have now progressed to the point of the veil of the Tabernacle, which separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. We are on sacred ground, and the threshold of something even more sacred. The veil represents Christ himself, the passageway to the throne of the Father. However, before moving into a description of the veil and what lies beyond, we must pause and focus our attention on something else. There is a pattern that unfolds for those who seek to know the Lord. Part of this pattern is that before ascending, there is trial, darkness, despair, and even an assault by the wicked one or his fallen angels. Therefore, we will embark on a slight tangent for a few posts at this point in the Tabernacle series in order to lay out the challenges posed to those who seek the Lord's face.

The juxtaposition of light and darkness is everywhere, they often travel together. There is opposition in ALL things. Lehi's vision of the tree of life demonstrates that there is great darkness to be passed through by those who seek eternal life, indeed "an exceedingly great mist of darkness". Many prophets have recorded their experiences with darkness before coming to see or know the Lord (e.g., Moses, Joseph Smith, Alma the Younger). In the temple narrative, the wicked one, the god of this world, comes forth almost immediately in response to Adam's calling upon God, his true Father. The father of lies always tries to answer, to intervene, to stick his nose in and try to thwart and cause those who seek truth by preying on their weaknesses. He takes advantage of our eagerness, our impatience with our own spiritual growth and knowledge, our pride, our vanity, our yearning for truth, and pushes us towards things that are attractive, delightful, and distracting. He wants to provide an easier, faster, more immediately "rewarding" way, and wants us to ultimately worship him in the process, or at least not the true Lord and God. He is a master tempter and deceiver. He can set traps so subtle that even the elect are ensnared before they know it if they are not extremely careful. Beware when thing seem to good to be true, too easily obtained, too miraculous. I do not wish to dwell upon our fallen brother's feats or abilities, but as disciples of Christ, we must know our enemy so as to be prepared and ready always for anything.

We all fall and stumble (1 Ne 10:6). We are not perfect. We are all deceived in some way. Beyond the obvious danger inherent in being deceived and thrown off the true path, there is also a hidden danger in deception that, once a person realizes that they have been deceived, they can have diminished faith and enthusiasm for spiritual things. Once bitten, twice shy. Satan knows the potential fallout from deception and will feed the flames no matter which way things end up. There is an extremely poignant and related lesson quite overtly presented in the final book of The Chronicles of Narnia series written by C. S. Lewis, entitled The Last Battle, which speaks to this entire phenomenon of deception very directly. It is worth taking some time to review and relate it to interactions with the darkness that can come our way in our approach back to God. The power of the adversary is increasing….it is raw, thick, filthy, crude, earthy, dark, awful, merciless, unchecked, and even scum-like in texture and appearance. It can be felt, it is palatable. I feel it in certain social situations and in many places of commerce, it is almost everywhere on the internet. However, the power and light of the Lord is also rising, but it is soft, quiet, and gentle, easily chased away by even those thoughts and intents of our hearts that are amiss.

So here goes…

The Last Battle begins "in the last days of Narnia" and describes a very old, ugly, wrinkled, and clever Ape named "Shift". This represents the wicked one. Shift lived in the woods very far away from everyone, where there were no other speaking animals or people around except for one, a neighbor donkey and "friend" named Puzzle (who was more of a "servant" than a "friend"). Puzzle the Donkey did everything Shift told him to do, almost without question..."Of course Shift, I see..." Puzzle would say of Shift's suggestions, never complaining or questioning. Puzzle "knew" that Shift was more clever than he, and Puzzle was grateful that Shift was friends with him at all, as he had no one else.

One day Shift and Puzzle were on a walk and spotted something shining flowing down the great waterfall and into the pool below. Although Shift was the one who saw it and wanted it, he convinces Puzzle to go and fetch it from the water. Puzzle nearly drowns fetching what looked at first like a large blanket. Shift unfolds and studies it carefully and then realizes "It's a lion's skin."

Lightbulbs go off in Shift's darkened mind and he decides to make the lion skin into a winter coat for Puzzle. Puzzle is not interested because he has reverence and respect for the lions of Narnia and for Aslan. Shift of course turns things around and tells Puzzle that Puzzle got to go into the pool and retrieve the lion's skin and that Shift felt left out, that he wanted to be able to do something important and making this coat for Puzzle would make Shift feel important (lots of "me's" and "I's" in his arguments). Shift makes a patchwork-type coat of lion's skin for Puzzle, even using the hairy lion shoulders as shoulders for the coat and the lion's head like a hood that would cover Puzzle's own head. The only slight problem is that Puzzle's long nose and mouth stick out through the mouth of the lion's head. But Shift reasons that people who had never seen a real lion would never know the difference, as long as they didn't come too close, and if the light was bad, and if puzzle didn't make noises that could give it away.

Shift thought Puzzle looked "wonderful", and cries out "If anyone saw you now, they'd think you were Aslan, the great lion himself….everyone would do whatever you told them…think of the good we could do!" Shift continues to Puzzle…"you'd have me to advise you…I'd think of sensible orders for you to give. And everyone would have to obey us, even the King himself. We would set everything right in Narnia….You will pretend to be Aslan, and I'll tell you what to do." Puzzle resists, worried what would happen if the real Aslan should appear, but Shift is ever so clever and tricks Puzzle into believing that acting like Aslan would be very pleasing to Aslan, and tells Puzzle that Aslan himself sent the lion skin for the very purpose of setting things right in Narnia. Shift tells Puzzle that Aslan never comes around anymore anyway. Immediately after saying that, there is a thunderbolt in the sky followed by a small earthquake, which tosses both creatures to the ground. Puzzle believes this to be a sign that they are in the wrong, and that he should remove the lion skin. Shift, however, convinces Puzzle that it is a sign in the other direction, because he was just about to say (before the thunder and earthquake of course) that if Aslan had wanted them to conduct this errand, he would send such a sign. After all, what would a donkey know about signs anyway?

Puzzle the Donkey, dressed in a coat made from a lion's skin, made by Shift the Ape.

Puzzle, an ass, became a false Lion, a false Aslan. Puzzle listened to the lies and was persuaded by the sophistry of a wicked influence. He surrendered his agency, was willing to submit his will to the will of one who would destroy him. There are people who are false prophets and wicked spirits who are false Christs; they desire to be worshipped and to control others. False christs abound in the latter days…Lo here and Lo there! There are many claiming to "know christ" and to "be his friend". How do we know that they are not following the machinations of a Shift or being duped the appearances of a Puzzle the Donkey?

Well, word quickly spreads throughout Narnia that Aslan has returned. The king, his people, dwarves, and animals are so excited that Aslan is back that they are willing to believe almost anything..."I believe it all. If I seem not to, it is only that my joy is too great to let my belief settle itself. It is almost too beautiful to believe." (p. 17).

Shift becomes "Aslan's mouthpiece", ordering basically everyone around in the name of Aslan. Animals and people want to see "Aslan", to speak with him "face-to-face", but he is put away in a straw hut guarded by Shift. Shift gives orders from "Aslan" to wicked men to cut down the sacred forests and enslave the talking animals. Strife and murder break out among the ranks. Shift is the great false prophet and Puzzle the false christ.

As Shift the Ape continues to serve as the mouthpiece of "Aslan", he begins to instruct the animals that he is not an ape at all, but a man. A very, very old, and wise man. He continues in telling them that because he is so wise, he is the only one that "Aslan" trusts and will speak to. He lets it be known that "Aslan" cannot be bothered by talking with a bunch of stupid animals. Shift says that "Aslan" will tell him what the animals are supposed to be doing, and then Shift will pass along that information. False prophets and christs try to control others, duping them into believing that revelation can come to others through them, that they can receive personal revelation for you.

Shift tells all the animals that forever after they will have to work under the hand and in the mines of the wicked men. The animals balk at their sentence of slavery, but Shift quickly tells them that they will not be slaves, but will be paid…their wages will go directly into the treasury of "Aslan", who will use them "for everybody's good". Shift tells them that everything will be ok. Shift promises that soon there will be roads, cities, schools, offices, whips, muzzles, cages, and prisons! However, the animals only want their freedom and to hear Aslan speak. Shift tells them that true freedom is not doing what they want, but is found in doing what Shift tells them to do…he is a man after all, who speaks with "Aslan", and they are only stupid animals. Shift goes so far as to equate Aslan with Tash, the god of the world of men, who represents satan. That they are just different words from two different cultures for the same being…"Aslan is Tash. Tash is Aslan." There is no distinguishing between Christ and satan, the people have been deceived into believing anything; they cannot differentiate. They start referring to Aslan as Tashlan.

028: State of the Union

I did not watch the State of the Union address this week. I am too busy working, trying to raise a family, pursuing my own spiritual life, and dealing with my own life challenges. I am not too interested in politics as the spectator sport and circus it has become, nor do I affiliate with any political party. I believe the constitution was divinely inspired and that we should fight for and defend our freedoms.

Our union is in an increasingly corrupted and darkened state. We are putting our time, effort, and treasure into things of no lasting value. We fulfill prophecy, unfortunately, and call good evil and evil good. How is it that we give such good and pleasing names to things that are contrary to God's plan?

As an aside, I wonder how much it cost to hold the SOTU talk on Tuesday, including time for staffers, security, government officials, media, travel costs, etc.? And how much those funds could have offset homelessness issues in some of our major US cities? Then this Sunday the Super Bowl, which is another reflection of the state of our union. This event has perhaps surpassed the extravagant and decadent spectacle of the ancient Roman colosseum, with multi-million dollar television ads, box seats costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, all sorts of debauchery surrounding the event, not to mention all the time and money spent by individuals to attend or watch….a complete desecration of the Sabbath day. Just think of how the money, resources, and time spent on these two events alone could impact our society for good.

027: Tight like unto a dish

This discovery was published in the news yesterday, and possibly sheds some light on shipbuilding under instruction from the Lord…similar for Nephi? for the Jaredites?

026. Altar of Incense: The Tabernacle - Part XI

In Exodus 30:1-10 we read:

 1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.
 2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.
 3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
 4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal.
 5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
 6 And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
 7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.
 9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.
 10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the Lord.

The altar was placed directly in line with the middle of the entrance of the tabernacle, and further inside than the Table of Showbread and Golden Lampstand, where it sat in front of the Veil. It stood about three and a half feet tall and 21 inches square. Even though the smallest of the tabernacle's furniture, the Golden Altar of Incense was important, just as all the others were, each with its own use and purpose. The Altar was made from shittim (Acacia) wood overlaid with gold…representing a connection between earth and heaven. The wood, as can be recalled from other descriptions in this series, had to be worked from its gnarled and twisted form into something smooth and straight, then covered by gold. That is the work of God; taking us from our natural, carnal, decaying state, and transforming us into something of everlasting value and duration. The altar was square,  representing the four corners of the earth to which the gospel must reach and from which the prayers of all of God's creations can be heard. On each corner of the Altar was a horn, representing strength. Beyond the veil was the Ark of the Covenant, representing the throne of God. A molding or crown sat atop the Golden Altar of Incense to keep the fire from spilling off the sides. This can represent the glorious Christ, crowned with victory in fulfilling His mortal mission. The Bronze Altar of Sacrifice found outside the tabernacle had no crown, representing Christ in this world, one of pain and humiliation. The bronze altar represents suffering and death, typifying our Christ as Savior and sacrifice. The golden altar within the tabernacle represents triumph over death, mediation or intercession between God and man through Christ. Both altars were square, representing Christ's sacrifice (bronze altar) and atonement or intercession (golden altar) are available for the entire earth.

As the priest added incense to the fire which burned upon the altar. The burning caused smoke from burning incense and its odor to rise before the veil, representing our prayers and petitions rising unto our Father in Heaven through our mediator Jesus Christ. The veil separates us from the Father:

7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.
 8 And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh.
 9 And at my command the heavens are opened and are shut; (Ether 4:7-9) 

"Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers…" (Ether 4:15)

In the Book of Revelation (8:3) a type of the Altar of Incense and the Ark of the Covenant (throne) are mentioned:

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

In this verse there is no veil between the altar and the throne, as it has been rent through the atonement and sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ. Note also how Isaiah's encounter with the Lord includes these symbols from the Tabernacle (Isaiah 6:1-10):

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne [Ark of Covenant], high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
 2 Above it stood the seraphims [these were embroidered on the Veil]: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth [4 corners of Altar of Incense] is full of his glory.
 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke [from the Altar of Incense].
 5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts [Veil of unbelief has been parted].
 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar [Altar of Incense]:
 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged [sanctified].
 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me [spread light of gospel - the Golden Lampstand].

The Golden Lampstand and the Altar of Incense were linked together through the service required by the priests. Every morning and night incense was placed upon the altar at the time the lamp was trimmed: Prayer (altar) and resulting Light and Truth (lampstand) can and should go hand in hand…sacrifice and knowledge.

The purpose or value of the Altar was to dispense or serve as a vehicle for the incense. From Exodus 30:34-38:

34 And the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:
 35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:
 36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
 37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord.
 38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.

Equal parts of various substances finely ground were mixed to create the incense. It is uncertain exactly what some of the ingredients were made or came from. Stacte is hypothesized to be myrrh or some other sap. Onycha comes from the Hebrew word shecheleth, which means "to roar; as a lion" or “peeling off by concussion of sound." When the Torah was translated into Greek (the Septuagint version) the Greek word “onycha” ονυξ, which means "fingernail" or "claw," was substituted for shecheleth. Possibilities include tree resins, gums, or shells. Galbanum is an aromatic gum-resin with a bitter-sweet odor and bitter taste. These were blended with frankincense to make the incense. The incense was then burned on the altar, which is described above as the "testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation", a place where the Lord will come to "meet with thee". Note also how these substances are symbolic of various aspects of Christ's life (gifts from the wise men, experiences in His life and death/crucifixion/burial).

One final connection with the Altar of Incense is the experience of the high priest Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, in the Temple (not the tabernacle). Zacharias was officiating in the temple when the following event occured, from Luke 1:5-13

 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
 9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

 

Angels execute the will of the Father, intervening before the veil of the temple, which separates man from the throne of the Father. What miraculous connections enduring thousands of years.

025. Revelation to Apostle Parley P. Pratt following Martyrdom of Joseph & Hyrum Smith

In the immediate aftermath of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, there was much uncertainty and confusion among the some 20,000 to 30,000 saints living in Nauvoo, IL. Only two of the apostles were in Nauvoo at this time, both witnesses to the martyrdom: John Taylor and Willard Richards. Parley P. Pratt, another apostle, was on his way from Chicago to Nauvoo after learning the news of the martyrdom and was the next apostle to arrive. Parley was trusted by Joseph Smith. He published the following in his autobiography:


"During the two or three days I spent in travelling between Chicago and Peoria I felt so weighed down with sorrow and the powers of darkness that it was painful for me to converse or speak to any one, or even to try to eat or sleep. I really felt that if it had been my own family who had died, and our beloved Prophet been spared alive, I could have bourne it, and the blow would have fallen on me with far less weight. I had loved Joseph with a warmth of affection indescribable for about fourteen years. I had associated with him in private and in public, in travels and at home, in joy and sorrow, in honor and dishonor, in adversity of every kind. With him I had lain in dungeons and in chains; and with him I had triumphed overall our foes in Missouri, and found deliverance for ourselves and people in Nauvoo, where we had reared a great city. But now he was gone to the invisible world, and we and the Church of Saints were left to mourn in sorrow and without the presence of our beloved founder and Prophet. 



"As I walked along over the plains of Illinois, lonely and solitary, I reflected as follows: I am now drawing near to the beloved city; in a day or two I shall be there. How shall I meet the sorrowing widows and orphans? How shall I meet the aged and widowed mother of these two martyrs? How shall I meet an entire community bowed down with grief and sorrow unutterable? What shall I say? or how console and advise twenty-five thousand people who will throng about me in tears, and in the absence of my President and the older members of the now presiding council, will ask counsel at my hands? Shall I tell them to fly to the wilderness and deserts? Or, shall I tell them to stay at home and take care of themselves, and continue to build the Temple? With these reflections and inquiries [about the state of the saints following the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum], I walked onward, weighed down as it were unto death. When I could endure it no longer, I cried out aloud, saying: O Lord! In the name of Jesus Christ I pray Thee, show me what these things mean, and what I shall say to Thy people? On a sudden the Spirit of God came upon me, and filled my heart with joy and gladness indescribable; and while the spirit of revelation glowed in my bosom with as visible a warmth and gladness as if it were fire. The Spirit said unto me: 


"Lift up your head and rejoice; for behold! it is well with my servants Joseph and Hyrum. My servant Joseph still holds the keys of my kingdom in this dispensation, and he shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh, and fulfill that to which he is appointed. Go and say unto my people in Nauvoo, that they shall continue to pursue their daily duties and take care of themselves, and make no movement in church government to reorganize or alter anything until the return of the remainder of the Quorum of the Twleve. But exhort them that they continue to build the House of the Lord, which I have commanded them to build in Nauvoo."


"This information caused my bosom to burn with joy and gladness, and I was comforted above measure; all my sorrow seemed in a moment to be lifted as a burden from my back. 


"The change was so sudden I hardly dared to believe my senses; I, therefore, prayed the Lord to repeat to me the same things the second time; if needed, I might be sure of their truth, and might really tell the Saints to stay in Nauvoo, and continue to build the Temple. 


"As I prayed thus, the same spirit burned in my bosom, and the Spirit of the Lord repeated to me the same message again. I then went on in my way rejoicing, and soon arrived in Nauvoo, and delivered this message both to the people and friends individually, and in the great congregation." (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, edited by his son, Parley P. Pratt, 1873).

024. Table of Showbread: The Tabernacle - Part X

Exodus 25:23-30

 23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
 24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.
 25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
 26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.
 27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
 28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.
 29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.
 30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.

Leviticus 24:5-9

 5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake. 6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the Lord. 7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord. 8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the Lord continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 9 And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the Lord made by fire by a perpetual statute.

The table stood on the north end of the Holy Place. This piece of furniture was an emblem of friendship, fellowship, and companionship. When we share a meal with someone, we are connecting with them in a deeper way than just having a conversation. Our Savior desires fellowship with the redeemed ones; more than just a casual acquaintance. He wants to know us. The word "communion" means "fellowship". We are invited to the table to fellowship with Him, to sup with Him. To truly become His friend. A drink offering always accompanied the meal offering of the bread in the Tabernacle. This was wine. Some of the drink offerings were poured out at the bronze laver and some in the Holy Place. In our faith, we partake of the emblems of the sacrifice of Christ every Sunday, the sacrament of bread and wine (water), which are blessed upon an altar by priests of the Aaronic order. 

Many of the objects of the tabernacle that have been described thus far were just vehicles for something Holy. For example, it was not the bronze altar, but the sacrifices that were made upon it that atoned; it was not the laver, but the water that was in it which cleansed; it was not the lampstand, but the oil and its light that illuminated the Holy Place. The table described in this post, held bread upon it, which the priests ate. Bread represents life, true life, which is the Word of God, who is Christ. The bread was made of the finest flour, which was purified and ground down into a perfect form. Such was Christ's life. He was pure, refined, ground down. The bread was baked. So to was Christ tested in the furnace of affliction. He became the true Bread of Life, that whoso would partake of Him would never hunger; He would satisfy those who trust in Him. The bread on the table was perpetually replenished so that the priests would never go without. Similarly, in Christ's atonement, there is no end, there is always enough to satisfy, it is eternal! The bread was just bread, but it represented life through Christ our great friend and Savior.

023. Golden Lampstand: The Tabernacle - Part IX

In Exodus 25 we read:

 31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
 32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
 33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
 34 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.
 35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
 36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.
 37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.

Inside the Holy Place were several items of furniture. Outside we had the bronze altar and laver, inside we have gold. Progression from bronze to gold. On the left was the golden lampstand. Whereas the bronze laver had virtually no description in the scriptures, the golden lampstand is described in great detail. It was not a candlestick as it is sometimes called. No candles were used in any Old or New Testament worship. Only oil lamps were used. The lampstand was made of pure gold and it weighed one talent, about 125 pounds. There was a main shaft with 7 branches; 3 to the right, 3 to the left, and 1 at the top.

The Shaft

The Hebrew word for shaft, yarek, means "thigh"in 20 instances in the scriptures, "loins" in two, "side" in four, "body" in one instance. A further three instances connect yarek with birth. The shaft represents Christ, we being born of Him, through Him, He is the main vine, we are the branches. John 15:4-5 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." A branch of the lampstand would be worthless as it could not stand on its own, would fall over, and cease to provide light. We must be connected to the center, to Christ, in order to produce any kind of light, but the light is through and because of Him. On the main shaft were three knobs. Three is the symbol of divinity.

The Branches

As mentioned previously, there were 7 branches. These can represent the 7 days of creation. The central branch had several golden features upon it: four bowls, four knobs, and four flowers. Four is the symbol of the earth. The six lateral branches each had three bowls, one knob, and one flower. The central branch came out of the top of the main shaft. This could represent Christ in mortal form. The six branches came out from the side of the shaft. The number 6 represents man, formed on the 6th day. We must connect to Christ to live and provide light. The entire shaft to branch connection represents God's peace extended to mankind through His Son who came to earth.

The Knobs (or Knops)

Some writers described the knobs in the form of pomegranates. The pomegranate is an emblem of peace, and appeared on the hem of the high priest's robe. Three knobs or pomegranates on the shaft represent divinity, thus indicating God's eternal peace. On the central shaft were four pomegranates, representing the earth with its four corners, thus earthly peace, or peace through Christ's earthly ministry. He published peace, He was the Prince of Peace. The six branches each had one knob, indicating peace that can come to us through our connection with the Lord.

The Bowls

The bowl, also translated cup or pot, were made to look like almonds. There is some confusion about the exact translation or interpretation about this facet of the lampstand. Some suppose the bowls were like leaves protecting a bud.

The Flowers

These were lilies, representing beauty. The creations of God are beautiful. There is beauty in Christ, in all that He did, although man despised and rejected Him while in the flesh. From out of the flowers of the lampstand came the lamps themselves.

The Lamps

Out of the flowers, beauty, came the light, the seven lamps. The light of the lamp stand illuminated the Holy Place, which was inside. It cast light on the table of showbread, the altar of incense, and the veil; the place of intercession. It was not the lamp that made the light, it only bore the light. The light came from the pure oil that was continually being put into the lamp. Similarly, we are called to carry the light of the gospel to all the world. We are not the source of that light, but are called to carry it.

022. 1 Nephi 10:6 - Rely on this Redeemer

I've been reflecting on the message of this verse:

1 Nephi 10:6 "Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer."

all mankind...everyone. All have strayed in one way or another from the true and only path that leads to eternal life. All have sinned. Isaiah 53:6 "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." We have all been lead astray by false prophets, teachers, traditions, or shepherds; by the philosophies of men, by the commandments of men, by the sophistry of the learned and charismatic, by lust, by power, by greed, and by the ideals of this world. All have been deceived. Christ is the only way, He is the only one not to have become mired in the sin and death and traps of this world. He made it through and returned to the presence of the Father.

in a lost and fallen state...Who has not lost their way or wandered in one form or another? Who has not fallen, gotten hurt, been knocked down, or been bruised as a result of sin? Who has not felt a separation from the presence of the Lord?

and ever would be...how dreadful. Imagine going through eternity separated from the love of God, His presence, His light, His joy! It would be too much to bear. To be damned, eternally lost and fallen. Lost to God. The thought makes me shudder.

save they should rely on this Redeemer...To avoid damnation, we must RELY on THIS REDEEMER. Nothing else will suffice. THIS one...Him. He who stands at the gate and employs no servant there. He who overcame all, who is in all and through all. And lives from eternity to all eternity. The Lord Jesus Christ, Savior, Redeemer, Intercessor, the ONLY way.

But how do we RELY on Him? Rely is a wonderfully exquisite word to describe our relationship with the Savior. To rely means to depend on with FULL trust or confidence. There is no room for doubt. We can trust in the Lord, we can have every confidence in Him because His life was perfect, because He was perfect, because He did His Father's will PERFECTLY. There was no error. Although a poor metaphor, it is like the perfectly dependable machine that always does what it is supposed to do without variation or giving any trouble that would lead one to doubt that it will function as designed. The Lord was perfect, He performed and performs His Father's will perfectly, without sin or error. We can indeed rely on Him to carry the "iniquity of us all" and lead the way to eternal life. The origin of the word rely is from the Old French word relier (or the Latin word religare), meaning to "bind together". The original sense was ‘gather together.’ Like the making of a rope, we can bind or gather our life together with His will and work to become one with Him. Fiber of our life by fiber, yarn of our life by yarn, strand of our life by strand...we can integrate our will with His, which is the Father's. We must be united with Christ, know Him, serve Him, love Him in order to be saved.

 

021. Bronze Altar & Laver: The Tabernacle - Part VIII

After entering by the gate into the courtyard (not into the structure of the Tabernacle yet), the first piece of furniture one encounters is the bronze altar of burnt offerings: "And thou shalt make an altar of shittim (acacia) wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass." Exodus 27:1-2. The altar was used for all the types of offerings: burnt, grain, peace, sin, and trespass.

Altars are for making sacrifice, that is their only purpose. The Hebrew word for altar, mizbeach, means "slaughter place". The law declared that without the shedding of blood, there was no remission of sin. Burning the offerings on the altar had the effect of lifting them to the sky, heavenward. There are laws instituted before the foundations of the earth that must be met before mercy can be extended. Sin must be punished, either by the offender or by a suitable substitute. Five types of animals were Israel's acceptable substitutes: lamb, goat, bull, heifer, and turtle dove. Christ is our acceptable sacrifice.

When someone has entered the gate, leaving behind the world, sin, and their old life, they are in the process of repenting. Repentance is not salvation, but a step on the way. The altar of sacrifice is therefore not the end of the process, but represents an end of the old life, one that is renewed in Christ, and the beginning of a new life.

The four horns represented power and authority and pointed to the four corners of the earth. Animal sacrifices brought to the altar were tied to the horns because of their resistance or unwillingness to be made a sacrifice (they would likely run away from such a sight of fire and blood): "God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar." Psalms 118:27.

Rituals surrounded the byproducts of sacrifices made on the altar: ash and blood. The ashes were not just thrown away: "And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar. And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place." (Leviticus 6:10-11). The presence of ashes indicated proof that the sacrifice was accepted, so with solemn rites, including the changing of clothing/garments, the ashes were taken to a clean place to be used at a later time in the cleansing of the ritually unclean (see Numbers 19). The analogue in Christ is that His offering was accepted by the Father, His mortal tabernacle was taken from the cross and deposited in a new tomb in which man had never lain (a clean place), from which He later arose to cleanse the sinner (the ritually unclean). Those who attend the temple will see parallels here.

The blood was never used, but was poured out at the bottom of the altar. As blood represents life, the presence of blood represented further evidence that life was poured out in the sacrifice. Christ's blood was spilt for our sins, His sacrifice was accepted by the Father.

The next item of furniture was the bronze laver: "Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord: So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations." Exodus 30:18-21.

There is not much in the scriptures explaining the bronze laver, or brazen sea. We have no statement of its shape or size, nor is it ever mentioned when the camp of Israel packed up the Tabernacle and moved. The laver was made from the bronze mirrors of the women of Israel, which they gave as a freewill offering: "And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation." Exodus 38:8. This would have been a sacrifice for these women, giving up something of worldly value to help create something of eternal importance. Perhaps this helped them focus on the work of their inner selves, their hearts, rather than spending time focusing on their outward appearances and beauty, to see themselves more as the Lord would see them, and not as they would see themselves or as others would see them. The Lord looks on the heart: "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves..." (1 Peter 3:3-5).

The laver stood between the altar and the Tabernacle. It was used for washing by only the priests who officiated. While the altar represented sacrifice for the remission of sins, the laver represented washing away of uncleanliness and purification, in other words, sanctification. The laver cleansed the priest from the defilements of life, leading to a life that was continually sanctified. The above verses from Exodus tell us that the priests had to be clean when they represented the Lord. Even one impure act could defile them and they had to return to the laver to cleanse themselves. We must be clean and pure as we seek to serve the Lord.

020. Pillar of Cloud & Fire: The Tabernacle - Part VII

Doctrine & Covenants 11:12-13

12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.

13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;

The children of Israel were lead from their bondage in Egypt to the promised land by a pillar of cloud and fire. “For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys” (Exodus 40:38). And from Numbers chapter 9 (parts of verses 15-23) it says “So it was always: the cloud covered it (the tabernacle) by day, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp…Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey…they kept the charge of the Lord.” Over the 40 years that they journeyed in the wilderness, the children of Israel were strictly schooled as a people by the Lord…so that they would learn to fully leave behind and abandon any tradition, belief, or practice that was not in harmony with the Lord’s. They had to learn to depend on Him and to trust in Him, and not in other gods, idols, their own flesh, or false beliefs, and to be obedient to His every command.

The cloud and fire were described as pillars, and not as a shapeless hovering cloud, and thus was a symbol of strength, stability, and constancy with the Lord Jehovah in the midst of the people, leading all the way. To the people, the pillars of fire and cloud were symbolic of His presence. When the cloud descended on the tent of Moses, it meant that the Lord had come to speak with Moses. When it rested upon the tabernacle, it indicated His presence was within the Holy of Holies. The Lord, through the pillar of cloud gave them a covering from the heat of the day and through the pillar of fire a light at night. In fact, the only source of light to them during their journeys in the wilderness was the pillar of fire.

The pillar was also their guide, when it moved, they moved. The children of Israel often had to move at a moment’s notice, sometimes during the day and sometimes at night. The children of Israel had to trust that the pillar was leading them to the promised land, at the right time and in the right way. They were not following a map or their own course. Early on in their journey, the pillar had led them in a course that was not straightforward. They found themselves in a place with mountains on either side and the Red Sea stretching itself right before their path…there was no way out, as the armies of the Pharaoh were behind them. Those armies saw the plight of the children of Israel and became emboldened in their pursuit as they saw them now as easy prey. The children of Israel feared and began to murmur against Moses. It appeared as though God had driven the children of Israel into a trap that would ensure their complete destruction. However, in actuality, He was showing His devotion and power to them, and setting the stage for the destruction of their enemies. At the last moment, when all seemed lost, the pillar changed direction, moved to the rear of their camp, and became a pillar of darkness to the Egyptians, destroying them in the sea. The pillar thus became a protection to the children of Israel. They could not have survived in the wilderness without the guidance and protection of the Lord.

Today, as we make our journey through the wilderness of life back to our heavenly promised land, what is our fire, our guide, our light, our pillar? Certainly it is the Lord, but He is not here with us physically. His presence is made manifest in our lives mostly through the power of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit. For Christ said: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26). It is through the Holy Ghost that we receive the baptism of fire and are purified. Through its promptings, we can be warned and protected from danger and temptation. We can be guided by the Holy Ghost as we receive inspiration and revelation to direct and shape our lives.

However, our journey through life may be complicated and overwhelmed with challenges and defeats, seemingly beyond our ability to resolve. We may feel as though we are following the commandments, heeding the warnings of prophets, and doing our best to live righteously, and yet occasionally find ourselves in circumstances which are setting the stage for our destruction, just like the children of Israel…this could be loss, illness, death, sin, actions of others that affect our lives, disappointments, discouragements, regrets, etc. The only way to safely make it through these trials and tribulations is to trust in the wisdom and power of God and follow the guidance of the Holy Ghost. In Doctrine and Covenants 45:57-59 it says “For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived – verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation. For the Lord shall be in their midst, and His glory shall be upon them, and He will be their King and their Lawgiver.”

There is much to be learned from these verses. First, we need to receive the truth. But receiving the truth is not enough. The Apostle James wrote “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22). Doctrine & Covenants 11:12 tells us to “trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good”. It is not enough to believe in the restoration of the gospel, we must live that gospel; it is not enough to accept a calling, we must magnify it to the best of our ability; it is not enough to go through the temple and participate in the ordinances therein, we must hold onto those covenants and seek to live them in their fullness. Action is required; we must do the things that are necessary in order to retain the Spirit. We must keep the commandments, repent continually, pray for guidance, and partake of the cleansing and renewing ordinance of the sacrament. These are the first principles and ordinances of the gospel, faith, repentance, and baptism, all leading to qualifying ourselves to be able to take or receive the Holy Spirit as our guide. Then, we will merit the blessings in the divine promise to “always have His spirit to be with us,” which is the Holy Ghost. If we always have His spirit to be with us, we will be lead in our lives to places of safety, to avoid deception, to obtain peace and joy, and to work toward the fulfillment of our Father’s will in our lives. We will be taught, lead to truth, and have a closer relationship with our Savior and the Father.

Elder Scott taught: “We see such a limited part of the eternal plan He has fashioned for each one of us. Trust Him, even when in [the] eternal perspective it temporarily hurts very much. Have patience when you are asked to wait when you want immediate action. He may ask you to do things which are powerfully against your will. Exercise faith and say, “Let Thy will be done”. Such experiences, honorably met, prepare you and condition you for yet greater blessings. As your Father, His purpose is your eternal happiness, your continuing development, your increasing capacity. His desire is to share with you all that He has. The path you are to walk through life may be very different from others. You may not always know why He does what He does, but you can know that He is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. He would have you suffer no consequence, no challenge, endure no burden that is superfluous to your good.” (Oct 1991 Gen Conf).

Part of taking the Holy Spirit as our guide involves asking for guidance. “Ask, and ye shall receive, knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (D&C 4:7). This can be difficult at times because there are many voices in this world that compete with the true Spirit, seeking to deceive and guide us away from truth and light. All of these are inspired by Satan who will try to darken our minds and hearts, provide us with counterfeit revelations, lead us to believe in lies or to doubt the knowledge we have obtained, and encourage us to despair in our failings and shortcomings. However, the Lord will not often give us guidance without our asking for it. And although He commands us to ask, He has also said “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me” (D&C 9:7). Therefore, we must ask, but we must also do our part. Just like we cannot receive a desired result from a physical law without obeying it, it is the same with spiritual laws. Blessings that flow from spiritual laws are based on obedience to certain commandments and principles…“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven, before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated – And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” This is a manifestation of a loving Father in Heaven who seeks to bless all of His children when they obey His laws. Of course the Lord has the power to bless us at any time, but in order for us to count on His help, we must consistently obey His commandments. Sometimes, our asking is not in accordance with divine will and in His divine wisdom our Heavenly Father withholds from giving us what we desire as it might prevent us from growing or learning or reaching the promised land, eternal life. As James recorded “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss”. It can be hard to know what is within His divine will for us, but we must have faith that He will help us. His will, as hard as it may be and whether we understand it fully or not, is the best choice we can make in this life.

Elder Scott offered some counsel in how to receive guidance from the Holy Ghost. He said “When I am faced with a difficult matter, this is how I try to understand what to do. I fast. I pray to find and understand scriptures that will be helpful. That process is cyclical. I start reading a passage of scripture; I ponder what the verse means and pray for inspiration. I then ponder and pray to know if I have captured all the Lord wants me to do. Often more impressions come with increased understanding of doctrine. I have found that pattern to be a good way to learn from the scriptures.

There are some practical principles that enhance revelation. First, yielding to emotions such as anger or hurt or defensiveness will drive away the Holy Ghost. Those emotions must be eliminated, or our chance for receiving revelation is slight. Another principle is to be cautious with humor. Loud, inappropriate laughter will offend the Spirit. A good sense of humor helps revelation; loud laughter does not. A sense of humor is an escape valve for the pressures of life. Another enemy to revelation comes from exaggeration or loudness in what is stated. Careful, quiet speech will favor the receipt of revelation. On the other hand, spiritual communication can be enhanced by good health practices. Exercise, reasonable amounts of sleep, and good eating habits increase our capacity to receive and understand revelation…It is important that our daily activities do not distract us from listening to the Spirit.” (April 2012 Gen Conf).

He (Elder Scott) goes on to say “Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail, but to succeed gloriously. It may seem paradoxical, but that is why recognizing answers to prayer can sometimes be very difficult. Sometimes we unwisely try to face life by depending on our own experience and capacity. It is much wiser for us to seek through prayer and divine inspiration to know what to do. Our obedience assures that when required, we can qualify for divine power to accomplish an inspired objective”.

As we take the Holy Spirit as our guide, it will enlighten our minds and fill our souls with joy as stated in Doctrine & Covenants 11:13. We can be assured that we are on the path that leads to eternal life. I take comfort from these words of the Lord to Oliver Cowdery through the Prophet Joseph Smith (Doctrine & Covenants 6:14-16).

14 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.

15 Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth;

16 Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart.

The language suggests that Oliver perhaps had some doubts about the answers to prayer he thought he was getting. The Lord here reassured him that he had received answers as he sought for them, that they were imparted by the Holy Spirit. That his mind was enlightened. There have been moments where I have that my prayers have gone unanswered, but when I’ve looked back in retrospect I often see evidence that my prayers were heard. Sometimes, in looking back, I have been even more grateful when I realize that my prayers were not answered, for my will and limited vision had been foolishness. Our Heavenly Father does know us individually, and he knows our hearts, both the good and the not-so-good. However, He loves us unconditionally and wants us to return to Him. He and His beloved Son are trying to save us. They are trying to redeem and make us like them. Everything they do for us is designed to bring us back into their presence, but it is our choice. The Holy Ghost will testify and lead us closer to Christ. It is a manifestation of Christ’s presence, who is our only true guide and pillar of strength in this life. We are not to rely on the arm of flesh, but on Christ’s arm. Following His will does not rob us of our agency, we are still choosing. As Christ is one with the Father when we become more at-one with Christ, through His merits and mercy, we become more at-one with the Father, qualifying ourselves to inherit exaltation.

I am grateful that we can have access to the gift of the Holy Ghost and take it as our guide. I know that it can be a constant companion as we are worthy of its presence. And just like for the children of Israel, it can always be there, guiding us both day and night, protecting us, and providing light in an ever-darkening world. We must have faith to follow its promptings, to trust that it is directing us to do the will of the Lord, even in times of great trial and difficulty. If we do so, we will be greatly blessed and have peace and joy in our souls.