The Useful Warnings of Moses 5

 

Moses 5 is not a terribly happy chapter. Cain and Abel are born, Cain rebels and becomes Perdition, murder and wickedness spread, and the gospel is preached.

 

I want to point out that one useful thing about this chapter, however, is that it describes some behaviors and reactions that are psychopathic and sociopathic.

 

1)    Rejection of authority. “Cain hearkened not, saying: Who is the Lord that I should know him?” (Moses 5:16)  The only other people in scripture who say “Who is the Lord?” in this dismissive way are Pharaoh in Egypt who is forced to let Israel go out of slavery, and King Noah in the Book of Mormon. The rejection of authority sets the stage for rebellion.

2)    Disregard of rules, commandments, boundaries. Cain knew that the required offering was supposed to be a sheep, but he chose to offer the fruit of the ground instead. (Moses 5:18-29)

3)    Emotional dysregulation. “But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect….And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” (Moses 5:21)  Cain’s anger at his incorrect offering not receiving divine acceptance is out of all proportion to what happened.

4)    Rejection of correction. In Moses 5:22-26, the Lord goes to the trouble of counseling Cain that if he does good he will be accepted and warns him what will happen if he persists. Here is Cain’s reaction: “Cain was wroth, and listened not any more to the voice of the Lord, neither to Abel, his brother” (Moses 5:26)

5)    Pathological lying. The Lord warns Cain, “For from this time forth thou shalt be the father of his lies” (Moses 5:24).

6)    Power-hunger, grandiosity, and excessive pride. “Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan, and he gloried in his wickedness.” (Moses 5:31)  He thinks he is more powerful than anyone else. He also boasts in what he’s doing, even though it is pretty awful. And not only is he boasting about it, we see he is also lying to himself.

7)    Brutality. “Cain talked with Abel, his brother. And it came to pass that while they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and slew him.” (Moses 5:32)

8)    Callousness and lack of remorse. “And the Lord said unto Cain: Where is Abel, thy brother? And he said: I know not. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Moses 5:34).  This is as if people are asking Cain where his Abel is because Abel has disappeared, and not only does Cain lie about not knowing, but he doesn’t care.

9)    Manipulatively trying to make a play on others pity after horrible behavior. “And the Lord said… now thou shalt be cursed from the earth… And Cain said unto the Lord: Satan tempted me because of my brother’s flocks. And I was wroth also; for his offering thou didst accept and not mine; my punishment is greater than I can bear.”  (Moses 5:35,36,38) Notice that he’s trying to provoke pity even when he himself showed no pity. He’s trying to manipulate his way out of the consequences of his actions.

 

These characteristics are all part of “Cluster B”  personality disorder traits of psychopathy and sociopathy.  It almost as if the Lord wanted us to notice these characteristics as a pattern of behavior and 1) beware that we do not fall into them, and 2) beware of those we meet who exhibit these traits.

 

Instead cultivate:

1)    Respect for authority

2)    Regard for the commandments and boundaries

3)    Healthy emotional regulation

4)    Ability to accept correction

5)    Love for the truth

6)    Humility and a sense of equality

7)    Tenderness and gentleness

8)    Consideration for others and remorse for wrong-doing or offenses

9)    Ability to take responsibility for our actions

 

Another happier lesson we see from this chapter is that the Lord was still reaching out to Cain to try to help him, by trying to correct him after a wrong offering and trying to bring him to a sense of accountability for his actions after the murder of Abel with the question, “What hast thou done?” He’s also trying to show Cain he’d been lied to with Satan’s promise that no one would know what he’d done. He was still trying to reclaim Cain, even after Cain’s heinous act.

We see just how long-suffering and patient the Lord is, and we can trust that if he reached out to Cain, He will surely reach out to us.

Meditations on the Creation of the Sun and the Moon

16 And I, God, made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the greater light was the sun, and the lesser light was the moon; and the stars also were made even according to my word.

17 And I, God, set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

18 And the sun to rule over the day, and the moon to rule over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness; and I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good; (Moses 2:16-18)

I read this recently and I found myself asking what it meant for a light to rule over a particular portion of the 24-hours—day or night. On the surface it means that one of those lights will be the dominant light over that particular 12-hour period.

And yet the astronomical reality is a lot more complex than this. Happily, we can say that the sun always rules over the day. Where the sun shines, there is light, there is day.

But the moon is different. In some parts of the month the moon does shine at night, but there are other parts of the month—during new moons—when there is no light from the moon. Does the moon really rule then? Not really. It is as if the moon temporarily abdicates its authority and takes a vacation. And only on full moons is its light all the way there. At other times it’s waxing or waning.

It may be this gives us a little insight as to the differences between celestial and terrestial obedience. (I’ve probably talked about this before, but I’m going to talk about it again.) Celestial obedience is like the sun—always there doing its duty, shining at full strength, radiating the light within. But terrestial obedience is rarely at its brightest, shines only reflected light from others more bright, and periodically abdicates its duty.

Something else caught my attention here too. It was this idea of dividing the light from the darkness. What is it that really divides the light from the dark astronomically?  Because if you have light, there is no dark. Light chases the dark away. 

Astronomically, darkness comes from distance from the light, if you’re Pluto out on the margins of the solar system.  And we have darkness on earth because of the earth itself. The earth gets in the way and creates shadow.  If we’re on the part of the earth turned away from the sun, we’re in the darkness.  Applying that to spiritual things, that teaches that in a certain sense we create spiritual darkness in our lives either by our distance from the light, or by turning away from it.

The idea of a lesser or greater light also makes me think of the quality of leader we choose to follow and the type of example we choose for ourselves. If we didn’t have the sun, we might be happy with the moon’s light. But having the sun, we see the moon is not so great after all. Do we choose the best examples to follow? Do we seek for greater light? If we don’t we may be one of those people the Lord describes as “walking in darkness at noonday,” which would be tragic.

What do you think? Are there any additional principles you draw from these verses about the creation of the sun and the moon?

Enoch sees God weeping like rain upon the mountains

27 And Enoch beheld angels descending out of heaven, bearing testimony of the Father and Son; and the Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught up by the powers of heaven into Zion.

28 And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains? (Moses 7:27-28)

When I was reading this, the phrase “tears as rain upon the mountains” suddenly stuck out to me, and I wondered about it.  Why compare God’s tears to rain upon the mountains?  Why not rain on the plains or rain on the coast?  And what are we to learn from this?

I grew up in the plains in Illinois, and rain there is pretty steady. Usually it starts and goes pretty steadily throughout the day.     Then I came out to Utah to college at BYU, and I noticed rain in Utah had a different pattern. It would drip for maybe 10 minutes or so, and then start raining in earnest. (The dripping time was like a warning to run for the rain gear.) It would rain for a while, and then stop. And I’d think it was over, and then maybe an hour later it would rain again. It might rain several times in a day.  To me that was very peculiar.

It is possible that Enoch was referring to this kind of rain-in-the-mountains pattern—rain…[stop]…rain….[stop]….rain…[stop]—to convey the idea that as God watched the residue of the people—those who hadn’t accepted the gospel—He was moved to weep multiple times.  Like sometimes they are…okay…and other times they do such terrible things that God just cries over them.

Let’s not be the kind of people that God cries over like this. Instead let’s be the kind that He can watch and be pleased with for the whole day.

KJV versus JST: The Eagles gathered Together Over the Carcass

You actually get two analyses for the price of one today. (grin)(It’s all free anyway.)

KJV Matthew 24:27-28	Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:26-27
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.	26 For as the light of the morning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole earth, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.	27 And now I show unto you a parable. Behold, wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together; so likewise shall mine elect be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.

The Joseph Smith Translation makes some significant clarifications to these two verses that help us better understand these particular signs.

Comparing the second coming of Christ to lightning evokes speediness and surprise. Joseph Smith’s translation changes this “lightning” to “light of the morning,” which should remind us of a sunrise instead. The sunrise starts in the east and steadily grows until it can be seen in the west, at which time the sunlight is over the whole earth.  This is a very good metaphor for the growth of the restored church and how it spreads. 

Some might wonder why this sunrise image is used about the coming of the Son of Man if we expect Christ to come with a Grand Entrance suddenly and cleanse the earth of the wicked and set everything in order. 

It seems to me that the coming, with the spread of the church, is needed to prepare people for the Grand Entrance. The world was in apostasy before. If the Grand Entrance came while the whole world was in apostasy, everyone would just be destroyed. Thus, the gospel had to be restored and spread to prepare those who are willing to listen.  And Christ did come to Joseph Smith to get that going. 

The next image Joseph Smith gave clarification on is that of the carcass and the eagles being gathered to it.  Joseph Smith tells us it is a parable that is to be applied to the gathering of the elect. 

This is important intelligence because there is a great portion of the Christian world that does not look at this imagery of the carcass and eagles in a positive way.  They interpret the carcass to mean the decadence and deadness of wicked society and the eagles as heavenly powers bringing vengeance to eat up the wicked. 

Joseph Smith’s translation of this parable makes this image a positive one (though still kind of gross) and it actually teaches some important things about the gathering of the elect. The carcass is the body of the church. There is doctrinal meat there that can’t be found anywhere else, so the parable expresses the church is a place where people can be fed.  Just like eagles (or vultures) seem to have an uncanny ability to spot an animal carcass, the elect will be able to spot the true church with its saving doctrine and priesthood power. They will know spiritual meat when they see it.  Just like eagles are drawn to a carcass in the desert, the elect will be drawn to the body of the church.

The idea of there being a body of the church (rather than a diffuse non-organized grouping of the faithful) is emphasized, as is the gathering process.

I’m grateful to have this clarification from Joseph Smith--Matthew. Having an accurate idea of what to look for helps us to locate ourselves accurately in the timeline of prophecy. It saves us from doubt and uncertainty and know what events to expect and also what is expected of us.  We’re to share that meat and invite others to come. We’re to help spread the light.

As In the Days of Noah

41 But as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man;

42 For it shall be with them, as it was in the days which were before the flood; for until the day that Noah entered into the ark they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage;

43 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. (Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:41-43)

This statement about how things were in the days of Noah has always puzzled me. Why are eating and drinking and marrying used as statements to encapsulate the wickedness during the days of Noah? What is so bad about eating and drinking and marrying?  On the surface, there isn’t anything wrong.

When I was thinking about this scripture, I thought it was odd that eating and drinking (something that is done a least three times a day in prosperous, plentiful times) is paired with marrying and giving in marriage (something that ideally is only done once in a lifetime).  It realized that pairing those activities together was implying something about their frequency. 

Eating and drinking happens often because we need food and water. But if marrying happens just as often, that really says something about appetites and passions—they are practically unbridled.  It is as though people are marrying and divorcing almost as often as they are feeding themselves. It means marriage has lost its sacredness and is used as a hypocritical cloak for casual sex. It says something about how unstable families and society will be.  

Now, I don't know if that will literally be true or whether it is a hyperbolic statement meant to emphasize hyper-disloyalty and moral decadance.  However, it seems to me that these verses warn us that unbridled gratification of appetites and passions shrinks spiritual awareness to nothing, since these behaviors made people completely blind and deaf to the warnings of the flood in Noah’s day. It will similarly prevent awareness and responsiveness to the signs of Christ’s coming as well.

I ran across a quote by M. Russell Ballard about the influence of the entertainment industry which is related to this: “I believe human sexuality cannot be continually portrayed as just another physical appetite that has to be satisfied—whenever and with whomever the urge strikes—without diminishing respect for God and His commandments.” (“When Shall These Things Be?” Ensign Dec 1996.)

So, while everyone else seems to surrender to their appetites and passions, we must not. We must keep marriage sacred.

Some thoughts on Signs before the Second Coming from Joseph Smith--Matthew

30 And again, because iniquity shall abound, the love of men shall wax cold; but he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved.

31 And again, this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come, or the destruction of the wicked;

32 And again shall the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled.

33 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

34 Verily, I say unto you, this generation, in which these things shall be shown forth, shall not pass away until all I have told you shall be fulfilled.

35 Although, the days will come, that heaven and earth shall pass away; yet my words shall not pass away, but all shall be fulfilled.

36 And, as I said before, after the tribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory;

37 And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.(Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:30-37)

These verses describe a sequence of events to watch for:

1)    Iniquity abounding, causing love to turn cold,

2)    The gospel preached to all nations

3)    The destruction of the wicked, the abomination of desolation

4)    The sun and moon darkened, stars falling from heaven, powers of heaven shaken

5)    All fulfilled in a generation

6)    Christ comes in heaven

One thing that would confuse me about this sequence is that I would read about the destruction of the wicked (v31-32) and automatically assume that was because Christ came and destroyed them. Then, it would puzzle me that Christ’s coming is mentioned apparently again in v36 as though it hadn’t happened yet.

I have since figured out that Christ’s coming is not at the destruction of the wicked described in v31-32. The destruction happens because the wicked will be destroying each other. This follows a pattern that is seen in history when the gospel is preached and rejected. Mormon observed the wicked Nephites in his day who rejected the truth were destroyed by wicked Lamanites. (Christ didn’t have to come to do that.) The wicked Jews were destroyed by the Romans in 70AD; Christ didn’t have to come to do that.

It’s kind of a scary thing to think about, but I think v34 gives some comfort when it says these things will happen in the space of one generation. Depending on how long a generation is defined, that is 30-60 years.

Something else I notice from these verses is that the gospel is preached to all nations, but by the time Christ comes, all the tribes of the earth mourn. So nations will have been broken down into tribes by all the destruction and tribulation, much like the Nephite government was broken into tribes.

Along with these difficult things, I think it is worthwhile to point out what we are told we need to do. I like noticing the counsel because it helps me feel less powerless and more hopeful that the tribulations can be survived and turn for our good, like a refiners fire.

Verse 30 tells us that while iniquity abounds and love waxes cold, “he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved.”  It is going to be a struggle for everyone, but if we don’t give up and don’t allow ourselves to be overcome, we’ll be all right.  So whatever you do, don’t give up!

Verse 31 tells us the gospel will be preached as a witness to all nations. That implies being a part of missionary work will help us. We can be good examples, stand for the right, testify to how living gospel principles has blessed us, and share the gospel.

Verse 32 seems scary because of talking about the abomination of desolation, and it doesn’t seem to have instruction about what to do there, but I notice that there is a similar prediction in v12 that does have something applicable, and it may help in the future as well.

When you, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, then you shall stand in the holy place; whoso readeth let him understand. (v12)

So when we see the abomination of desolation, stand in the holy place.  To me that means that the more uncivil and murderous people become, the more we need to resist the anger and be kind, and seek out our refuge in the temple, and make our homes sacred places, and meet with the Saints.  Countering the anger and violence with peace and kindness is not easy. Here in the United States we’ve seen lots of incivility surrounding our last election and “abomination of desolation” evokes so much worse than that. But goodness has to be counter-cultural.

Verse 35 assures us that Christ’s words will all be fulfilled, so we will have much to look forward to, watching for those signs and events to take place.

Verse 37 tells us that whoso treasures up Christ’s word will not be deceived, so reading and cleaving to the principles and doctrines found in the scriptures will save us from being beguiled by the ways of the world that would flatter us away to destruction.

So our safety comes from:

·      Not giving up

·      Participating in missionary work

·      Stand in the holy place

·      Watch for the signs of Christ’s coming

·      Treasure up Christ’s word

Education Week Class Notes: Classes on Spirits, Trials, and the Pearl of Great Price

“What Is This Thing That Men Call Death?” – LDS Teachings about the Spirit World: “Enveloped in Flaming Fire:--Attributes and Abilities of the Spirit Body (by Brent L. Top)

The Apocrypha principle from D&C 91: There are many things that are true, many things that are not true that are interpolations.  Read with the Spirit and to obtain benefit from it.

“enveloped in flaming fire” symbolic of God’s power.

Those departed from us are not far from us.

D&C 77:2  Spiritual beings in the likeness of that which is temporal, and temporal like spiritual.   Systems of spiritual world like here, here like there.

Specifics

The spirit of man in the likeness of his person (D&C 77:2)  We think spirits looks like our bodies.  This isn’t true.  Genetics determines physical appearance. Spirits have a different appearance, like our Heavenly Father and mother.

Our spirits recognize other spirits.

Tabernacles become deformed by accident, but this doesn’t deform the spirit. (Orson Pratt)

We’re part genetics, part our ourselves, part department store.

The body is the clothing of the spirit. (first presidency)  (Glove analogy)

Take the spirit from the body, and the body is lifeless.

Experience of feeling the departure at the death of father.  Something is missing, and it’s more than just life.  It doesn’t seem like it is really them.

A hospice worker.  Did lots of study. Elizabeth Cooper Ross.

Someone dying was surprised she still had hands and a feet and a form.

The quadriplegics were no longer paralyzed outside their body. Wheelchair patients were able to stand and dance.

We can’t understand after-life without understanding pre-mortality and spirit birth.

We gain a spirit body from heavenly parents.

Immanuel Swedenborg wrote a book about experiences of spirits.

Many people believe spirits to be minds without form, like gases containing something living. They think they can’t sense without organs. 

Top insists spirits are completely people in form. 

Swedenborg published that in 1852. We take that info for granted.

Alma 40:12 – Righteous spirits received into paradise a state of rest, peace, where they rest from trouble, care, and sorrow.

Spirit is free from difficulties, fatigue, troubles, sickness, etc.

The state between death and resurrection. The spirit continues to live after the body dies.  “What do we know about interaction between pre-mortal and post-mortal spirits?”  We know NOTHING about this.  Top is comfortable with the idea of interaction between the two. (his personal opinion)

Alma doesn’t tell us some things. But we tend to make charts and Powerpoints and lists about things the scriptures don’t teach.

The scriptures just say they are in a “state” of being.

Spirits enjoy life, glory, intelligence. Have the father to speak to us, we enjoy the society of the just and pure until the resurrection. (Brigham Young JD 14:231)

Why can’t we confine the evil ones and confine them in spirit prison?

Answer: Why can’t you have prison where righteous and wicked mingle together?  Certain places are free from pollution of the wicked.   The separation isn’t necessarily the place but the state of being of the spirit.

Enhanced capacities of spirit body

--Travel/movement!   Brigham Young JD 14:231  Spirits move like lightning, think and you’re there.  Think of a time, and you’re there to see it spiritually.  God has revealed some little things with regard to his movements and power. When we pass into the spirit world, we will possess a measure of this power.

--When the veil is no more, then time will be no more.

Time whispers to us that we are strangers here. 

--Communication!   How do spirits communicate with each other?  They might have a more refined system of communicating ideas.  (JD 3:100) Orson Pratt    Heart-to-heart, mind-to-mind, spirit-to-spirit.

Emanuel Swedenborg – speech so full of wisdom, word full of meaning, things men can’t grasp or verbalize. Inexpressible that the ear or eye couldn’t see or hear.

--Telepathy?  (Careful with your thoughts)

--Learning!  Learning without fatigue. Learning easier, 1000X faster, (JD 8:10) Brigham Young.

We shall learn many more things there, more than five senses.

Orson Pratt speculated God would give us new senses, maybe many more.  See things we couldn’t see before.   Telescope of the spirit to see farther and learn more.

Mind is strengthened in proportion to the knowledge imparted to bear it.

Learning and remembering so we don’t forget.  The spirit can remember much better without the imperfection of the body.

--Sociality!  Familiar, conversation, naturalness, more friends, rejoicing to see friends.   What is more desirable than meeting all our families, knowing each other, and the experiences we have?  What is there in any religion superior to that?  (Joseph F. smith)

little children die and are mature spirits in the spirit world.

“They are only absent for a moment, we shall soon meet again. It will be an eternity of felicity.” (Joseph Smith)

“Wading through Much Tribulation: Powerful Principles from the Book of Mormon for Dealing with Trials: Jaredite Ocean Voyage—Parallels of Our Earthly Voyage (by C. Robert Line) 

[We came in the middle of this class]

Isaac as a type of Christ

Joseph was a type of Christ

--Favored son of the father

--Prophesied to be ruler

--Rejected by brothers

--Falsely accused

--Sold into hands of gentiles

--Sold for silver, price of a slave

--Judah made the sale (Judas)

--Plan backfires, a blessing in disguise

--Mission to save Israel starting age 30

--Raised to exalted station

--Provided bread for Israel

The promised and another promised land comparing to the latter-days

1950 National Geographic article on the comparison.

Jaredite ocean voyage parallel to our earthly voyage. (Ether 6)

1 Nephi 4 Nephi trying to get the plates, led by the spirit.

D&C 133:42  Christ will come wearing red, symbol of the atonement, treading the winefat. He became sin for us. He had the Spirit withdraw from him for our sins.

Compares Christ to Laban. Laban had to die so that a nation would not dwindle in unbelief. (sort of a left-handed type)

Jaredite Voyage

Ether 2 – receiving revelation. Problems: can’t steer, no air, no light.  Solution: Lord will steer so don’t worry. Here’s instructions for getting air. What do you want to get light, because it can’t be ___?  These are different ways of receiving revelations.

Solutions can come a piece at a time without the end in sight. 

Ether 6

We have two lights. Light of Christ and light of the holy ghost.

Prepared all manner of food – we had to be prepared pre-mortally before going off into our bodies.

The whole house of Israel was inclined toward spiritual things.

God caused the winds to blow toward the promised land – Trials blow us toward the promised land.  (Impression: Pray for our trials to bring us closer to God)

No pain we suffer is wasted. It ministers to our education to development of our character. (Orson F. Whitney, Improvement Era, Mar 1966, 211)

When trials are not a consequence of disobedience, then they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. So he gives experience that stimulates growth, understanding, and compassion.  Ask better questions.

The 11 moves of Joseph Smith’s family made before they got to Palmyra.  They were the things that brought them closer to where they needed to be. It looked by one failure after another, but from the larger view, they were all progress.

Jaredites buried in the depths of the sea. But no water could hurt them because their vessels were tight like a dish. – We can’t always control outward influences and temptations, but we can control our responses to them. We are to be in the world, but not of the world.

1 Ne 15:16-27  Lehi’s mind was swallowed up in other things and didn’t behold the filthiness of the water.

The wind did never cease to blow toward the promised land. – we will always have trials in our life. The sharp side-by-side contrast of sweet and bitter is essential until the end of mortality.  Blessings may be quickly followed by needed spiritual stretching. This prevents us from forgetting others in deep need. 

We can have trials ourselves or in bearing others’ burdens.  Why not help others?

Jaredites sang praises to the lord all the day long, not ceasing. – People who are always happy and praising God are a blessing.

Your religion isn’t just part of Sunday. It’s 7 days a week and 365 days a year.

Story of a SLC police officer undercover detective. He was also a high counselor. He had to go undercover as a gang member. He came home at night and infiltrate gangs during the day.  He had temp tatoos. He went for a year with the gang.  The toughest thing was an incident with a son of stake president who was having a gang party at the stake president’s house.  Raucous party. The detective saw the young man standing between a picture of the temple and the prophet; detective got so mad he almost blew his cover right there. He went up to the young man and asked him, “Isn’t that your prophet right there? Didn’t he say something about this stuff?” The young man said, “Both the prophet and gang-banging are two different things and they are both important to me.”   (Very sad how religion was not affecting the young man’s everyday life.)

Jaredites had light continually , whether above or under the water. – True happiness is not a function of our circumstances, but a function of how much light we have in ourselves.

A happy person is a person with a certain set of attitudes.

Jaredites humbled themselves and cried with joy because of the multitude of his tender mercies

Out of 70,000 people, only 3000 pioneers when west in handcarts.

While we have stories of handcart pioneers who were faithful, there were also handcart pioneers who were broken down by their trials and afflictions. 

Story of a pioneer family with eleven children who lost the mom and dad and about six siblings. The oldest 18-year-old son was so devastated by the loss of all those family he left the pioneer company and went back east.  His younger siblings were taken in by other families and continued west.

We must see the tender mercies in midst of the trials.

Pearls from the Pearl of Great Price: As it was in the Days of Noah, Zion and the second coming  From Moses 7:28-69, 8:1-30  (by Larry W. Barkdull)

God Weeps when he sees the residue of the people (Moses 7:28-39) 

Similar to the Allegory of the Olive Tree as God is distraught by how corrupted things have become.

How is it God can weep?

“I have them their knowledge, agency, commandments to love me and each other” They hate me and they hate each other.

When God foresaw the suffering that would inevitably follow this self-willed, rebellious course of sin, he wept. (Marion D. Hanks)

Among all the workmanship of mine hands there has not been so great wickedness as among thy brethren. (Moses 7:36)  God can see it all inside and out, and nothing has been worse.

The last days are equally wicked. “But as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man” (JST Matt. V41)

Wickedness once localized is now out in the open, and even accorded legal protection.

The fate of these people: Their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers, Satan shall be their father, misery shall be their doom, the whole heavens shall weep over them.  Shouldn’t the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?  These shall perish in the flood, I will shut them up in a prepared prison. (Moses 7:37-38)

In our day, they will be burned up,

but Jesus suffers for them..   And as much they will repent, and until then, they shall be in torment.

The Rest of the Story in D&C 138 28-34 

Joseph F. Smith saw Jesus didn’t go in person to the wicked, but organized His forces and appointed messengers to teach to the captives.  This was the gospel preached to those who 1) died in their sins 2) without a knowledge of the truth 3) in transgression having rejected the prophets in order to qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Enoch wept

He had capacity to feel as deeply as God feels. He sees as God sees, views the destruction of the world. Refuses to be comforted when he sees the flood come.

Conditions that define ancient and modern times:

--Lack of affection

--Vengeance, wide-spread violence

--Every man lifted up in imagination of thoughts being only wicked continually

--Widespread corruption .  Attempts to change things from original purpose

--Easily offended, betrayal, hatred, deception

--Wars and rumors of wars

--Denial of God

--False Christs, prophets, churches, secret combinations, great pollutions, murders, thievery, widespread sexual sinning, every form of abomination, denial of accountability

--Scoffing at God and true religion, follow the lusts of the heart, denial of sings of times.

The Lord comforts Enoch

The Solutions: Noah, Jesus, Zion

Enoch sees Noah would be saved by the Lord’s destroying the wicked and preserving the righteous.

Enoch’s distress over the death of his brethren brings forth the promise of a Savior. The blood of the Righteous (Christ) would be shed that all they that mourn may be sanctified and have eternal life?

When? In the meridian of time, in the days of wickedness and vengeance.

Enoch received some relief 

Because of Jesus’s atonement, Enoch and his family could receive eternal life and live forever in the society of Zion.  He wants to preserve it.

The Lord and Enoch are not the only ones who mourn.

Enoch heard the earth mourn in weariness and pain because of the wickedness and filthiness on her face, wondering when she would rest and be cleansed.

Enoch’s Prayer

Enoch prayed for the Lord to have compassion on the earth. Also asks for the earth to never have a flood again.

The Lord promised to call on the children of Noah and not flood the earth again.

The everlasting Covenant is given as an act of compassion by the Father and the Son.

Promised: 1) No more universal destruction by water, 2) All children offered the everlasting covenant, 3) Enoch’s seed would always be found on the earth.  (Moses 7:51-52) Could be Noah’s seed too…

When the Son of Man comes in the flesh, shall the earth rest?

Answer is delayed, but he’s shown more stuff.

Again the question, “When shall the earth rest?”

The question changes “Wilt thou come again upon the earth?”

The Lord says “I will come in the last days in the days of wickedness and vengeance to fulfill the oath I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah (all offered the everlasting covenant)

The earth shall rest, but before then, the heavens shall be darkened, the veil of darkness shall cover the earth, the heavens shall shake, and also the earth, and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve (Moses 7:60-61)

Process of giving rest to the earth 1)Break the grip of wickedness with the restoration, angels, Book of Mormon, coming forth of Zion.  (Moses 7:62)  Righteousness and truth will sweep the earth like a flood to gather the elect out to the Holy City the Lord will prepare.. (Moses 7:62)

Another Flood.

The Book of Mormon is the instrument of God designed to sweep the earth as with a flood to gather out God’s elect.

Men and angels are to be coworkers.

Zion is to be prepared for the elect to be gathered from the four quarters of the earth, to be established an holy city.

D&C 45 Talks about Zion.

Place of safety, peace, refuge. The wicked won’t come to it.  Everyone who won’t fight will flee there. The wicked will be scared to fight Zion.

Enoch and Zion is Translated.  God received it to himself and people said “Zion is fled”

Zion will Return – A reunion.

Enoch’s Zion and modern Zion will joyously greet.

Rainbow is an everlasting covenant that Zion will come down again.

(JST Genesis 9:21-23)

When thy posterity shall embrace the truth and look upward, then Zion looks downward and all the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth shall tremble with joy.

Zion and Enoch finally rest!!