We marvel at the faith of Abraham to sacrifice his son. He didn’t know that God would stop him moments before he went through with it. For all Abraham knew, his son would be dead, gone. And yet, he was still willing to do what God asked him to do.
We marvel at this faith to do the impossible.
What about God, when it came to sacrificing His only Son? Well, we would say, God knew the end. He knew His Son would conquer death and be resurrected. He knew His Son’s death would only be temporary. He’s God. He has nothing to worry about. Abraham was just a man. Abraham had no such knowledge.
Or did he?
Faith is the “assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith, by its nature, is to not have a perfect knowledge of things. Was Abraham’s faith so perfect that he did know, just like God knew with Jesus Christ, that everything would be ok?
Abraham had a promise from God. God promised Abraham that his seed would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens and the sands of the sea. Abraham had some understanding of the eternities. It didn’t matter to him when the promises of God would be fulfilled. He trusted God. He had a perfect knowledge that God would keep his promises.
Now. The gut-wrenching, heart-tearing, indescribable and impossible act of losing your son. The pain. What about that? Abraham had faith that God would even make that right. Abraham had faith that God would only allow him to do what ultimately he needed to do to become who he could become. Abraham trusted God enough to do anything. Why? I think because he knew God loved him. Abraham didn’t have faith that God loved him, didn’t hope that God loved him, didn’t believe that God loved him. He knew.
Maybe faith proceeds knowledge.
If we truly understand God’s love for us, His children, we can do anything, and endure anything.
Abraham didn’t know the exact result of the sacrifice of his son. But he did know that God kept His promises. And hew knew that God loved him. And whatever the result, it would all work out for their benefit, glory, and growth in the long run.
“Yet Abraham himself came from a troubled family – his father, who had abandoned the true worship of God, tried to have Abraham sacrificed to false gods.”
Come Follow Me Curriculum
And you thought your parents were bad. They ever try to sacrifice you to false gods?
When I read that above quote, I thought about something I’d never connected in my mind before.
The story of Abraham almost sacrificing his son Isaac is a well-known biblical story of true faith. What I’d never connected with this, though, was the almost sacrifice of Abraham by his father many years prior.
There’s a lot to unravel there.
What occurred to me was this: Not only was this an unbearably difficult test Abraham was given; to sacrifice and kill his most precious, only son. It also, likely, spurred up painful memories of when Abraham’s father offered him as a sacrifice. (If all things are a type and a shadow of greater things, and Abraham represents God in sacrificing His only begotten son, what does this say about God?)
In that moment, with the added guilt and pain of losing his precious son, did Abraham also wonder about the damage he was causing his son? If by some miracle Isaac surived, how would he feel about almost being sacrificed? Abraham went through the same with his father.
Another way to think about this – Abraham’s father is demonized for his part in almost sacrificing his son. Abraham is revered for his almost role in sacrificing his son. What is the difference? Well, the difference, I assume, is the intent, the heart, and the being to whom the sacrifice was being offered.
But how, in that moment, did Abraham have such faith, such trust, such knowledge, such understanding to know he was doing the right thing and sacrificing his son to the right God? Didn’t his father believe the same thing once upon a time?
This is one of those blog posts where I don’t have answers to my own questions. This is something I will have to ponder upon, research, and think more about.
If anyone has comments or can enlighten me, please do.
The question is often asked: Why did God command Joseph Smith to enact the practice of polygamy, or multiple wives.
The answer is sometimes given that it was for God to raise up righteous seed. to increase the number of children born in the gospel covenant in order to “raise up seed unto [the Lord]” (Jacob 2:30). I will come back to this.
Another reason that isn’t often spoken of. Joseph Smith’s calling as a prophet was to restore all things. Not some things. Not most things. All things.
If a Priesthood power was had or executed in this earth, it was Joseph Smith’s duty to restore it in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times.
To many people distraught at the idea of polygamy I would ask, “Do you believe in the Bible? Do you believe in Abraham, the great Patriarch?” How can a practice so wholeheartedly be condemned in the 19th century but be acceptable to you in the past? God is eternal. He doesn’t care about 2000 BC or the 1830s. To Him it is all one eternal round.
It’s amazing that the staunchest denouncers of plural marriage never speak of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The same Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob whom they pronounce with vigor, “I believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Israel, whom the 12 tribes of Israel come from, exist because of this practice so condemned by modern critics.
I want to touch back on the “righteous seed” theory. Some I think at least slightly scoff at the idea. It’s such a broad concept that most simple human minds can’t see such a big picture. Couldn’t God raise children to Him in a different way? He’s God, right?
Maybe.
But God has always worked through us, here on earth, to do, build, create, and work. He doesn’t magically insert tens of thousands of people because He needs them here. He commands and we either react with faith or with stubbornness.
I’d like to give a real-life example of this principle of raising seed unto Him.
I am a descendant of polygamy. Me. Someone you know is here because of this practice. Where would I be if not for this practice? I would have either been born to another family, outside of the covenant, outside of this Church, or I’d still be in line waiting to come to earth.
I’m grateful for the practice of polygamy. I know it was difficult. I know it was a great test of faith. It was an incredible trial for those who had to live it. Those who endured it faithfully, like my great-great-great grandfather, Benjamin F. Johnson, have blessed me and the life of countless others. I’m grateful to him.
It is pretty well documented how much Joseph Smith struggled with the principle. He all but avoided it for many years. Do you think Joseph Smith who was already persecuted and hated, driven from state to state, wanted to institute something that would make his enemies more hateful? Do you think he wanted to institute something that gave his enemies more anger and vitriol towards him and the Church? It was hard enough. It was not easy for Joseph Smith to institute polygamy. Ultimately, he had to learn obedience to all of God’s commands. Even the hard ones. Even the ones he didn’t understand.
We don’t know exactly why God instituted the practice of polygamy, anciently or modernly. We can guess, we can hypothesize. But like many other principles or workings of God, it comes down to faith. I wouldn’t be here without the faith of someone else who accepted something difficult. It’s a small act of faith on my part to accept and show gratitude for their great faith in times past.
“For behold, I will show unto you that they were brought into bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God, yea, even the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob.”
“They” in this verse was referring to the followers of Alma. Some time earlier in the Book of Mormon story, Alma recruited a group of people who were baptized and covenanted to follow Jesus Christ. This group of people then fled from the rule of their wicked king, Noah.
Before Alma’s people could flee, though, a prophesy was made by a man named Abinadi.
“Yea, wo be unto this generation! And the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thy hand and prophesy, saying: Thus saith the Lord, it shall come to pass that this generation, because of their iniquities, shall be brought into bondage [emphasis added], and shall be smitten on the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall be slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the wild beasts, shall devour their flesh.”
This epic part of the story in the Book of Mormon is long and complex but long story short – Alma and his people fled wicked King Noah. Then King Noah is attacked by the Lamanites and flees into the wilderness where he is eventually burned and killed. His son, Limhi, takes over as king of the people. Limhi’s people are brought into bondage.
Some time later, the Lamanites stumble upon Alma’s people, and Alma’s people are also brought into bondage.
Remember, Alma’s people at this point had repented of their sins, been baptized, and turned to Christ with all their hearts. Remember Abinadi’s words, “this generation…shall be brought into bondage.” When Abinadi spoke these words, he was prophesying in the name of the Lord. Can the Lord lie? The Lord cannot lie. When He speaks, it must be true, and it must come to pass.
Despite their new covenants, prophesy still had to be fulfilled, and Alma and his people had to be brought into bondage.
There are many important lessons we can learn from this story. In particular we can learn from the people of Alma. Despite their good choices, they were still brought into bondage. Making good choices, being good people, doing all the right things like keeping our temple covenants, serving others, going to church, taking the sacrament; none of these things exclude us from adversity. Just because we’re following Christ and doing everything right, doesn’t mean everything goes perfect for us. Bad things happen to good people.
Why do bad things happen to good people? Because lessons are learned through trial.
What lesson is learned here?
Mosiah 24:13-14 is the Lord speaking to Alma and the people, amidst their trial:
“Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage [emphasis added]. I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.”
The Lord could not lie. The people had to be brought into bondage. But, importantly, the Lord would be with them, He would make their burdens light. And also importantly, as Mormon said in verse 23: “I will show unto you that they were brought into bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God, yeah, even the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob.” Since the Lord could not lie, the people could know that when he covenanted to deliver them from bondage, it would happen. They were brought into bondage because the Lord said it would be, now He was saying He would deliver them. They knew they could trust the Lord’s word.
Amidst our hardest trials and most difficult times, we can turn to the Lord, and know that He will support, protect, and redeem us. No matter how difficult it gets. You, reading this, have your trials been as bad as becoming slaves to a harsh and bloodthirsty people? Rely on the Lord, and don’t murmur against Him. Continue to do your best and trust Him.
Limhi’s people were in bondage for an estimated 18 years while Alma’s people were in bondage for 1 year. Do you think it made the one year any easier for Alma’s people because the people they’d left got it at least 18 times worse? Of course not. In that time, they had made all the right choices and still had to give 365 days of servitude. But ultimately, because of their covenants with the Lord, He delivered them.
Don’t forget: with God, your burdens will be made light. Follow Him.
I recently went about educating myself on the current conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine. It was briefly a popular subject in the news recently. Then, as the news is wont to do, the next hot topic came, and we didn’t hear about this issue anymore. That doesn’t mean this is no longer an issue, only that we’re not hearing about it as much. This problem has been ongoing for decades.
First, a disclaimer before broaching this subject: what is happening in the Middle East is a complex issue today, has been for a very long time, and will continue to be. As is often the case in multi-decade feuds between different cultures, this isn’t a simple movie plot – bad guys vs good guys. No superlatives will properly express how complex this issue is, so I won’t use any. I’ll leave it at the statement: this is a complex issue.
Before I get into this complex issue, I must state something of vast importance. It is important we don’t hate anyone, on either side. That includes hating the Jews, which is becoming a “hip” thing to do lately. It is of critical importance that we don’t completely vilify and blame the Jewish people for the atrocities that have been performed. Yes, atrocities are being performed. But, if we hate and vilify and discriminate against the Jewish people for the acts of a few or even of many, we are doing exactly what we’re so angry at the Jews for. We are mistreating people. Whether people are right or wrong, mistreating them is never an acceptable response.
A little historical background on what has happened and has been happening in Israel/Palestine, for those like me who have kept themselves blissfully ignorant of the topic.
At the end of World War II many Jewish people were displaced, their homes destroyed, they had nowhere to go. As these refugees wondered where they should go, a natural gathering to their ancient homeland started to occur. The only problem was their homeland was already home to a new group of people. The area of “Israel,” the land gifted to Abraham and his Jewish descendants by God, had become Palestine. New people had been living there for centuries.
The Bible has long prophesied of the gathering of Jews back to their homeland. The 20th Century has seen many Jewish people gather back to the land of Israel, making it a nation again, for the first time in 2,000 years. Did this gathering fulfill prophesy? In part. That prophesy won’t be completely fulfilled until Christ returns and shows the Jewish descendants of Abraham the prints in his hands and feet and they accept the Lord as their Christ.
Since we are witnessing, in our time, a prophesy fulfilled only in part, it’s obvious why this topic is so important to study and understand. It fascinates me that something prophesied of for centuries has been happening right before our eyes, in our time, our parents’ time, and our grandparents’ time. Yet we all act like this isn’t a big deal. Prophesy fulfilled in the dispensation of the fullness of times. Another reminder of the significance of the time we now find ourselves in.
When I heard of the issues in Israel, I realized I needed to pay attention. I’m aggressive in my avoidance of news and current affairs. I know I should do better. When I heard about Israel in the news, and as a studier and believer of the Bible, I was ashamed and embarrassed to be so ignorant on such an important topic. My ignorance needed to be rectified. The events in the Middle East are prophetic and important. Which led to my study of the subject.
What has happened as part of this 20th century gathering is what has happened anytime a people travels to an inhabited land in hopes of making it their own. This mass migration of the Jewish people back to Israel/Palestine has led to war, contention, and oppression. The Jewish people have established a Jewish state: Israel exists again. This establishment has shown little regard for the previous inhabitants. As the Jews have established some dominance and control in the region, naturally they exert some pressure on the previous people. The oppressed from history and particularly World War 2 have become the oppressors. Due to a lot of outside support, the Jewish state of Israel has been given much leeway in human rights violations. Public opinion has always been on the side of Israel, largely due to the support of Bible believing Christian countries (see documentary The Occupation of the American Mind).
There is wrongdoing on both sides. The Jewish people/Israel are not blameless. The Arabs/Palestine are not blameless. There is blood on the hands of both sides. This is in large part what makes this issue so complex. When conflict becomes decades of conflict, an eye for an eye becomes 100,000 eyes for 100,000 eyes.
That’s the million-foot view. The difficulty I’ve found in researching this subject is the bias you get from both sides. I’ve found it difficult to find completely impartial, factual, and historical information. The best and most impartial documentary I’ve watched so far is Two Blue Lines. That’s where much of my thoughts on this topic will come from. That documentary really made me think about this problem from different angles.
My hope is that I can give some thoughts on this issue, in the simplest and most layman terms, to help others realize how important it is we pay attention to what’s happening in the Middle East. Instead of saying too much in a breakdown of this topic, I’ll just share some interesting thoughts that developed from the documentaries I’ve watched. At the end of this, I’ll list out these documentaries if you’d like to further educate yourself on the important events happening in Palestine.
One topic that developed in the documentary Two Blue Lines was the idea that the Jewish people had become grounded in the land and not in the people. I believe it was a Jewish rabbi that pointed out it isn’t the land of Israel that makes Judaism, it is the people, no matter where they are. He talked about how Judaism is confused. God wants love. Judaism is one with all people. Judaism should be love and peace and brotherhood. What’s happening in the nation of Israel is the people are becoming grounded in land, and not religion. They have linked themselves to the earth, to something temporal. Judaism is more than a land, it is bigger. Judaism has survived as a people, a religion, and a culture through centuries of persecution and attempts at eradication because of their strong roots in God. Jews believe they are God’s chosen people. Rooting themselves to the land of Israel weakens what has always been their strength. The issue in Israel has become a people linked to a land instead of to God.
As a studier of the Bible, I realized I fell into this grounded in land and not in people thinking. My first thought (when completely ignorant of the issue) was – “of course the Jews are coming back to Israel by any means necessary. The Bible said it was rightfully theirs, the Bible tells us they would return to it, of course this is happening.” That, though, doesn’t excuse oppressive or unloving behavior. Prophesy told us the Jews would be scourged from generation to generation for what was done to Jesus Christ (2 Nephi 25:16), this didn’t make the Holocaust rightful in anyway. In a similar way, just because the Jewish return to Israel was prophesied doesn’t make Jewish mistreatment of Palestinians acceptable.
Other thoughts, mostly from Two Blue Lines and The Gatekeepers:
This is quickly going to become a more relevant issue in the United States.
A girl talked about how the Jews are repeating history. Similar to what was done to them so recently in the Holocaust they are now doing to others. She talks about how it’s hard to stop because it’s not one person, it’s like a movement. It’s gaining momentum and it’s happening.
One Jewish lady said that history will not look kindly on what is happening in Israel. Live by the sword die by the sword. They are committing war crimes. History takes note. Maybe not today, but one day. She said this ~30 years ago. We’re seeing that day come. As mentioned, the public shift against the Jews and the state of Israel is happening now, right before our eyes.
A fascinating point was made about segregation. Israel was established in 1948. At that time, they modeled after and looked up to the United States which was the pinnacle of the western world. At that time the US was still a segregated country. 70 years later Israel hasn’t had a civil rights movement. They still live in segregation, but instead of black people being discriminated against it’s Palestinians who are being mistreated. For a real-world picture of this watch the fictional movie A Borrowed Identity.
These are quotes from individuals In Two Blue Lines
“It’s clear that there will not be peace if we continue to demolish innocent peoples’ houses….”
“What is more dangerous is what this (mistreating Palestinians) does to Israeli people… as Israeli soldiers and citizens we become, from year to year, more animals.”
“What’s worse is what is being done to Israeli people, we are becoming animals.”
The Gaza Strip (the most fought over land in possibly all the world) is the size of Mobile Alabama with 10x the population.
As you watch this, don’t villainize the Jewish people. Then you are perpetuating the evil. Understand they are confused, and they are wrong. They do need to be held accountable. It needs to stop. They need to stop treating others how they have been treated. They need to treat others how they WANT to be treated.
One individual pointed out that the Palestinians don’t have a state or an army. This “war” is against a people. You can’t have ethnic democracy, or “Jewish democracy.” Either you believe in democracy, or you believe in a Jewish state.
From The Gatekeepers – all former Shin Bet (Israel’s internal security service, think the FBI) leaders were unanimous; Israel must talk with the terrorists. They must talk with anyone that might talk to them. Peace cannot come through military or tactics or fighting or intelligence. Another of the Shin Bet leaders, the oldest one in the last 7 min of the documentary talked about how the occupation is making young Israelis cruel. They’re becoming like Germany when they occupied territories. Not how Germany was towards the Jews, but how they were to all the others they occupied (Polish, Danish, Norwegians, etc.). He said, “We win every battle, but we lose the war.”
That’s some of what I learned from conflicts in the Middle East. I’ll now present some scriptural evidence of the prophesy being fulfilled.
From a commentary on Doctrine and Covenants section 133 (items in parentheses are my own insertions): “The Gentiles who obeyed the Gospel were commanded (v. 12) to gather in Zion (Utah/America), and those of the house of Judah were to flee to Jerusalem (seen in 20th century, as discussed) (v. 13). This is in harmony with the prediction of Isaiah and Micah, that out of Zion (America) shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord (Bible) from Jerusalem (Micah 4:2). For from both these centers the Lord shall judge. Jerusalem shall be re-built and become a holy city, the capital for Judah, and Zion shall be the capital and city of our God, for Ephraim and his fellows (why so many of the tribe of Ephraim are already in America). Both shall be seats of government in unison with each other, and the Lord shall dwell in both.” (Smith and Sjodahl commentary).
Zechariah 14:1-5 reads:
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
This what the Jews expected from their Savior, the Messiah. They expected a warrior. A soldier to redeem them from the occupation of the Romans. Instead, they got the Lamb of God. That phrase had largely been removed from their scripture. Search for it in our current Old Testament and you will not find “Lamb of God” referenced. Why? Because it did not fit the image the Jewish people wanted from their King. They wanted and expected a king more akin to David, not Solomon.
Zechariah 14:1-5 is a yet to be fulfilled prophesy. As I heard of the hate and vitriol being pointed towards the Jews in the news and on social media, I realized it was starting. It’s long been a question: with the state of Israel so favored worldwide, how would this prophesy come to be? When would the armies encompass them about? As we see time and time again, political alliances and mutually beneficial allegiances turn quickly when public opinion starts to turn. Public opinion against the nation of Israel is changing right before our eyes. Prophesy is beginning to take its shape.
54 And he (Christ) said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
The Jewish people must turn to their Savior and accept that He has already come before them. They can’t rely on alliances with the United States any longer. They must trust in the Lord their God. They are the chosen of the Lord, even despite their great mistakes. He still loves them; they are still His people. They must turn to Him and trust in Him. Political alliances are fickle. The Lord’s covenants with the people of Israel are eternal.
Tragedies have occurred in the Palestine/Israel conflict on both sides. Inhumane treatment abounds. The opposite of love has been shown for God’s children. We are all God’s children. The Jewish people know this. They must turn from their obsession in obtaining their homeland and instead make the world a promised land. They must repent for the sins of few or many. They must correct wrongs currently being done in the Middle East. When they do this, they will continue to have the favor of the Lord Jesus Christ, and no one can come against them.
For more on the signs of the Second Coming see this link:
About the media’s influence on America determining how we view this issue and ultimately whose “side” we end up on because of that media influence.
Two Blue Lines (2015)
Can be found for purchase on Amazon Prime Video, Youtube, Apple TV.
Best, most impartial documentary I’ve seen.
A Borrowed Identity (2015)
Can be found for purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
Fictional account of a Palestinian living in occupied territory. This one teaches less general facts as it’s not a documentary, but teaches a lot, nonetheless. It gives a real life feel to how this has impacted individual, real people, for generations.
The Gatekeepers (2012)
Can be found on Hulu, Starz, Amazon Prime Video, and others.
Documentary of the intelligence agency in Israel. Very powerful.
No Coincidences 