Were are we, what would it take to get back?

Orson Pratt

What kind of a revo lution would it work among the Lat ter‑day Saints if the revelation given in March, 1831, were carried out by them, “It is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in s in?” How much of a revol ution would it accomplish in Sa lt Lake City if this order of things should be brought about? I think it would work a greater revo lution among this people than has ever been witnessed amongst them since they had an existence as a Ch urch. (JD 15:355‑356)

Later in the same address Elder Pratt made the following observation:

There must be a reformation. There will be a reformation among this people, but He will plead with the stronger ones of Zion, He will plead with this people, He will plead with those in high places, He will plead with the priesthood of this church, until Zion shall become clean before him. I do not know but what it would be an utter impossibility to commence and carry out some principles pertaining to Zion right in the midst of this people. They have strayed so far that to get a people who would conform to heavenly laws it may be needful to lead some from the midst of this people and commence anew in the regions round about in these mountains. (JD 15:360)

John Taylor

I would be surprised if ten percent of those who claim to hold the Melchizedek priesthood will remain faithful to the gospel at the time of the seventh president and that there would be thousands that think they hold the priesthood at that time, but would not have it properly conferred upon them. (Minutes of a meeting, September 7, 1886)

G. Q. Cannon

The day will come when man’s priesthood and authority will be called to question, and you will find that there will be hundreds who have no priesthood, but who believe they hold it, they are holding only an office in the church. (Truth, 3:153)

Joseph Fielding Smith

It is a very apparent fact that we have traveled far and wide in the past 20 years. What the future will bring I do not know. But if we drift as far afield from fundamental things in the next 20 years, what will be left of the foundation laid by the Prophet Joseph Smith? It is easy for one who observes to see how the apostasy came about in the primitive church of Christ. Are we not traveling the same road? (Joseph Fielding Smith Journal, 28 December 1938)

H. Verlan Anderson

To fail to consider the possibility that the members of the church are again “falling away” would be to ignore one of the most thoroughly documented lessons of history. Especially is this true in light of the fact that the cultural, political, and educational life of Church members has become so deeply and thoroughly involved with that of non-members that they are overwhelmingly influenced by the “ways of the world.” Through newspapers and magazines, motion pictures and television, schools and lecture halls, and a thoroughly integrated economic system, Church members come into close and continuous contact with those not of their faith.

Some may assume that a “Gentile apostasy” in these latter days cannot occur because Christ’s Church is here to stay this time. They may assume that widespread departure from gospel principles by Church members is contrary to prophecy. While the scriptures do assure us that the Church will continue to exist and be divinely led by prophets of the Lord right up until his Second Coming, they do not state that all, or even a majority of its members will follow those prophets. On the contrary, they foretell extensive, and in some cases, almost total defection from true principles. (The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil, pp. 169-170)

Moroni was similarly explicit in predicting false teachings among the saints. Reflect upon the unmistakable implications of this point-blank indictment of members of the “holy church of God:”

“O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God?” (Mormon 8:38)

Since there is only one “holy church of God” on earth, and since it is being polluted, the blame therefore appears to rest upon the teachers and hypocrites within that church. (The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil, pp. 170-171, underline added)

Pres. Benson

Not only are there apostates within our midst, but there are also apostate doctrines that are sometimes taught in our classes and from our pulpits and that appear in our publications. And these apostate precepts of men cause our people to stumble. As the Book of Mormon, speaking of our day, states: “They have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men” (2 Nephi 28:14). (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, Pg.89‑90)

Watchmen – what of the night? We must respond by saying that all is not well in Zion. (Conference Report, May 1986, Pg. 4. See Isaiah 21:11.)

The Lord declares that the whole Church and all the children of Zion are under condemnation because of the way we have treated the Book of Mormon. This condemnation has not been lifted, nor will it be until we repent. (See D&C 84:51-81.)

The Lord states that we must not only say but we must do! We have neither said enough nor have we done enough with this divine instrument–the key to conversion. As a result, as individuals, as families, and as the Church, we sometimes have felt the scourge and judgment God said would be “poured out upon the children of Zion” because of our neglect of this book (D&C 84:58).

The Lord inspired His servant Lorenzo Snow to reemphasize the principle of tithing to redeem the Church from financial bondage. In those days the General Authorities took that message to the members of the Church. So too in our day the Lord has inspired His servant to reemphasize the Book of Mormon to get the Church out from under condemnation–the scourge and judgment. (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, Pg.63-6. See also A Witness and a Warning, Pg. vii-viii and p.9)

The ‘FEW’

In my last entry (Vomitting Wolves) I quoted this verse;

“They wear ^astiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and ^bwhoredoms, they have all ^cgone astray save it be a ^dfew, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are ^eled, that in many instances they do ^ferr because they are taught by the precepts of men.”
(2 Nephi 28:14)

Admittedly, this verse has become one of my recent favorites because of its very descriptive nature.  There is a particular word in there that I have found to be a key word of sorts.  It should be rather obvious which word that is, based on the title.  Looking it up, there are 114 uses of the word “few” in the canon, and elsewhere.    In general, a descriptive pattern is illustrated in the verses where the few are mentioned, as a people or type of a people.  “Modern” scripture proved to be far more rife with that description that the old and New testaments, though the savior did his part to mention it.  Anyway, an analysis of those verses;

In reading the verse above my I became oddly motivated to find out who the “few” are.  This moment came when I was reading another scripture in Mormon 8:36

And I know that ye do ^awalk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not ^blift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of ^cvery fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts.
(Mor. 8:36)

2 Nephi 28 and Mormon 8 are similar chapters, as both describe a great and abominable church that fights and ruins the true one.  Both have been remarked by our leaders as describing us, though Mormon 8 far more often, as shown in several earlier posts.  For my purpose though, the description of the people in those churches, their attributes and desires, are more useful.  Both chapters us the word “few” to describe the people.  Moroni says the Few are those in the Holy Church of God who do not pollute it with pride etc… Nephi takes it a bit further by explicitly calling them the Humble Followers of Christ.  Being that one belongs to the Church of God, and one belongs to the Church of Abomination we could wrongly assume that their membership is in differing church establishments here on earth, a good one and a bad one.  However, using the above verses and their surrounding friends in context, we can show plainly that they likely worship in the same temporal building.  Starting in Nephi, the Few are taught by men who teach the precepts of men.  These men are obviously teaching false doctrines, the precepts of men mingled with scripture.  They are teaching false doctrines and are thus False teachers, they’ve gone astray and are full of pride, believing they know and understand sound doctrine, not willing to hear otherwise.  Verse 12 then tells us distinctly that the people teaching the humble followers untrue doctrines are part of the False Church, though they attend, worship, with the Few.  They, the majority, have polluted the Churches they attend.  They go to “Church” (temporal) demanding the wearing of fine clothing.  They insist on having their building beautiful and well adorned.   Because of this pride they have corrupted the church.  Because of this misplaced zealousness, they persecute the poor, the needy, the meek.  They themselves are drunk with the spirit of “All is well is Zion!”.  As such they insist on and teach the commandments of men.  Calling good evil and evil good, denying the reliance on the holy ghost and preaching the reliance on the leaders, teaching “follow the prophet”.  As such they are drunk with zealousness, Isaiah’s water down wine, crying” come ye and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day and much more abundant.”  It is an intoxicating thing, this successful number driven game they play,  so much so that even the humble followers of Christ, the Few may be led away by their teaching.  Indeed, they worship together on Sunday, but their hearts are far apart, with the Few finding the majority more and more disallusioned with strong drink.
Moroni similarly points out that the Few and the Majority belong to the same “church”, they worship together.  Whereas Nephi was more descriptive in giving the Few a name, “humble followers of CHRIST” (notice, not the Followers of a prophet, but of Christ), Moroni is more descriptive in the name of the Church that they worship together in, calling it the “Holy Church of God” (vs. 38).  Again, we find Nephi’s polluters here doing their work.  What does Moroni call them?  Teachers, Pollutions, Hypocrites, same as Nephi.  Here again you find them teaching false doctrines, adorning their churches, insisting on fine clothing, persecuting the poor and meek and needy with their drunkenness.  But, amongst them we find the few.
I have made it painfully obvious what Church I am referring to, and I believe these two true prophets are referring to.  The Holy Church of God wherein truth CAN be found, but is not always taught as the Majority have ran with deception.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints.  Nephi Gives us another description of those who belong to the Church of the Lamb of God, instead of the Church of the Devil in First Nephi 14.  Here again, he describes those who belong to the Church of the Lamb (spiritual) as “few”.  They are encompass the same land mass (the whole earth) but, the church of the Lamb’s dominions are SMALL, whereas the whore sat on the whole face, over many waters.  Belonging to the same body though one remains small and firmly on the ground and the other is huge and drifts with the waves.  Intriguingly, Isaiah tells us a couple of times that one the Lord returns to finish the work He will be upset to find His children scattered throughout the face of the Land.  Seems to me, that the scattering has been done by us refusing and rejecting the principle of Gathering, which principle Zion will be built on (read all of the D&C).  Now, knowing this lets define the attributes of the few in Modern-Day scriptures, and apply that knowledge to our lives.   Taking the word FEW and reading the described attributes.

• 2 Nephi 28-Led By the Precepts of men but have to find truth therein by the Holy Ghost (vs 14, 31)
• D&C 33:4-Err in many instances because they are taught by Priestcraft, corrupt minds
• 1 Nephi 14-Scattered small groups (13, 14)
• Amla 21:12-Looking, searching, seeking for MORE of Gods word (see also 1 nephi 14, 2 Nephi 28, a bible, a bible…)
• Alma 33:19-23-Believe in the gift of Healing, the Gifts of the Spirit.  And UNDERSTAND what that means
• Mormon 8:36-Do NOT wear fine apparel (white shirt, dark suit, flaxen cord), are not prideful, do not envy things, or persecute others for their beleifs of socio economic status.
• 3 Nephi 7:21-They are visited by the power and spirit of God and testify of it
• 3 Nephi 14:14-have found the straight gate and narrow way of Baptism by fire
• DC 121:34-They are Chosen Because they reject the things of the World, Idols and pride; Don’t aspire to mens honors, the pharicees seats in the high places; Do not exercise Dominion or compulsion over other men, like making someone dress or groom differently to receive preisthood blessings
• DC 132:22-perhaps the biggest demarcation, They SEE CHRIST in THIS WORLD, or are definately searching for that gift
• Finally, their mantra is FOLLOW CHRIST, not FOLLOW THE LEADER or arm of flesh ( a mediator for a mediator? perposterous.  All men should be prophets in order to have the secrets and direction of God given them

To close this rambling thought line, is should be noted the Christ told us in the Last days it will be for us as in the days of Noah.  How many people were let onto the boat in the Days of Noah?

^aWhich sometime were ^bdisobedient, when once the ^clongsuffering of God waited in the days of ^dNoah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were ^esaved by ^fwater.
(1 peter 3:20)

Evidence of Neglect

You could understand a hesitant nature as Joseph turned and looked back. headed to Carthage jail for the last time.  He had wanted to take the saints to the Rocky Mountains.  He felt and had prophesied that they would go there and become a vast people in the shadows of that cathedral.  They indeed did but Joseph didn’t go with them.  He left a church in turmoil.  Like leaving for vacation by saying good-bye to his irate baby at the babysitters house.  Indeed, the lower laws have been embraced and the saints have shook hands with the Gentiles now.  Joseph had much to worry about.  It may have been the fault of a people unwilling to live Celestial laws in a Terestial existence but Joseph knew from several personal insights, including the two discussed below, that when the servants of God returned to make the house aright they would find corruption muddying the once clears waters of revelation.  Anxiety over this is prevalent in the dreams below but lets read them to find parallels and what they tell us about us.

The last recorded dream we have in our possession is recorded below….

I was back in Kirtland, Ohio, and thought I would take a walk out by myself, and view my old farm, which I found grown up with weeds and brambles, and altogether bearing evidence of neglect and want of culture. I went into the barn, which I found without floor or doors, with the weather-boarding off, and was altogether in keeping with the farm.

While I viewed the desolation around me, and was contemplating how it might be recovered from the curse upon it, there came rushing into the barn a company of furious men, who commenced to pick a quarrel with me.

The leader of the party ordered me to leave the barn and farm, stating it was none of mine, and that I must give up all hope of ever possessing it.

I told him the farm was given me by the Church, and although I had not had any use of it for some time back, still I had not sold it, and according to righteous principles it belonged to me or the Church.

He then grew furious and began to rail upon me, and threaten me, and said it never did belong to me nor to the Church.

I then told him that I did not think it worth contending about, that I had no desire to live upon it in its present state, and if he thought he had a better right I would not quarrel with him about it but leave; but my assurance that I would not trouble him at present did not seem to satisfy him, as he seemed determined to quarrel with me, and threatened me with the destruction of my body.

While he was thus engaged, pouring out his bitter words upon me, a rabble rushed in and nearly filled the barn, drew out their knives, and began to quarrel among themselves for the premises, and for a moment forgot me, at which time I took the opportunity to walk out of the barn about up to my ankles in mud.

When I was a little distance from the barn, I heard them screeching and screaming in a very distressed manner, as it appeared they had engaged in a general fight with their knives. While they were thus engaged, the dream or vision ended. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44 p. 393)

In the dream the vineyard is likened unto Josephs old barn and property.  The dream I believe, is a bit more specific than the below parable, speaking of the church proper and not the broader idea of the vineyard as a whole.   Joseph begins by telling of its appearance being in disarray.  He refers to a “curse” that has been put upon it.  I can’t help but think this is a continuation of our condemnation, which started in Josephs day and our continual decline in revelation and celestial law.

Joseph views the place and is rather sad at its degenerate state.  He even ponders how to fix it up (what a work that would be!).  A “company” of men than come in arguing, tell Joseph it isn’t his, though they can’t seem to agree on who’s it is.  They threaten Joseph with his life.  Joseph says whatever, you can have it and determines to leave.  This tells me that we are not talking about an eternal spiritual inheritance here, but rather a physical structure, as Joseph would have argued harder to keep it.  Organizations, buildings, systems people who worship them, etc…the expendable part of the church.  The guy continues to tear into him, but another group enters the fray claiming ownership.  While these two parties are arguing, Joseph peaceably leaves.

Of course I liken this to the Servant, coming causing a stir amongst the church and its people and leaving to the wilderness out the backdoor (3 Ne. 21: 9-10).  The servant steps in to the situation for a moment.  His presence is alarming to those who are in charge.  He states his right to set the church in order  (section 85).   They fight him over it, and he decides to take those who will come with him and turn the “church” (barn) entirely over to the hand of flesh.

When he/they leave its a sticky situation.  Mud covers them which would slow the departure but mainly just leave unsightly residue that would need to be cleansed later, on all those who go with him.  The mud would be cleaned and a better organization set up when they get to a new inheritance (JS-M 1: 27).

As he leaves, Joseph hears the men fight for their lives over it.  I would assume that these two parties are the makers of the covenant of death (Isa. 28: 15, 18).  The Church Corporation and the Gov’t they shook hands with.  The Gov’t brings the knives to the party and all those who relied on the arm of flesh are taken off guard by it.  While those who recognized the true servant of God depart for a better place with mud on their clothes from past experiences (2 nephi 28:14)

The next text is a Parable given to Joseph via revelation which tells of a similar event.

A certain nobleman had a spot of land, very choice; and he said unto his servants: Go ye unto my vineyard, even upon this very choice piece of land, and plant twelve olive-trees; And set watchmen round about them, and build a tower, that one may overlook the land round about, to be a watchman upon the tower, that mine olive-trees may not be broken down when the enemy shall come to spoil and take upon themselves the fruit of my vineyard.  Now, the servants of the nobleman went and did as their lord commanded them, and planted the olive-trees, and built a hedge round about, and set watchmen, and began to build a tower. And while they were yet laying the foundation thereof, they began to say among themselves: And what need hath my lord of this tower?  And consulted for a long time, saying among themselves: What need hath my lord of this tower, seeing this is a time of peace? Might not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is no need of these things. And while they were at variance one with another they became very slothful, and they hearkened not unto the commandments of their lord. And the enemy came by night, and broke down the hedge; and the servants of the nobleman arose and were affrighted, and fled; and the enemy destroyed their works, and broke down the olive-trees. Now, behold, the nobleman, the lord of the vineyard, called upon his servants, and said unto them, Why! what is the cause of this great evil? (DC 101:44-51)

This section begins with the building of the barn, establishing a foundation whereon a marvelous work could be built in the future (D&C 64: 33).  The foundation was supposed to be the Church of Christ and of the firstborn and the Kingdom of God.  But alas the barn was built but the tower never finished.

We hear the words of the servants, the watchmen (Isa. 56: 10), trying to decide what to with the goods that the foundation is producing.  The Barn has been built, but the watch tower never finished.  These watchmen begin to argue amongst themselves.  They see no need to build a tower (relationship with god, from which warning springs for Israel), as they are in a time of peace!  Peace, all is well in Zion!  They become at variance with each other.  They give the sacred money to the building of Babylon.  They become lazy in their callings, even falling asleep on the job.  All of these descriptions Isaiah uses to describe the prophet priest and leaders of Ephraim in the last day (Isa. 56: 10-11; 28: 7).  As a result, the Barn is run over.  It is left in disarray by the enemies of the Lord.  Just as Joseph saw it upon his return, the servants are at odds with each other and have left the whole property with a curse and in shambles.

In this parable we see what Joseph does with the property…

And the lord of the vineyard said unto one of his servants: Go and gather together the residue of my servants, and take all the strength of mine house, which are my warriors, my young men, and they that are of middle age also among all my servants, who are the strength of mine house, save those only whom I have appointed to tarry;  And go ye straightway unto the land of my vineyard, and redeem my vineyard; for it is mine; I have bought it with money.  Therefore, get ye straightway unto my land; break down the walls of mine enemies; throw down their tower, and scatter their watchmen.  And inasmuch as they gather together against you, avenge me of mine enemies, that by and by I may come with the residue of mine house and possess the land. (D&C 101:55-58)

Having no use of the building in it’s run down state.  Having no use of the watchmen who have constituted enemies.  Having no use for the corrupt version of the church that the evil watchmen had built in the place of the sure foundation, Joseph is told to walk away from it.  He prophecies here the scattering of those watchmen (a covenant curse is to be scattered, not gathered).  The dream remarked that they largely do this to themselves because of their bickering with the Gov’t of the land, to whom they owe their statehood and tax exempt status.  The Lord uses his left hand and the knife of the enemy to scatter them.  Then, using the foundation originally built, they rebuild and grow Zion for the last time.

We are given the promise of his return, the turmoil it will bring and the cleansing of the people in Isaiah, repeatedly.  But here above we are given two instances of Joseph prophecying of that now near event.  May we have the faith to see through the bickering and understand the voice and servants of God.  Things are not always as they seem, thus only those who take the holy spirit for their guide and are not deceived by false owners, prophets, will recognize and gather with the carcass in the wilderness (D&C 45: 57).

CONCLUSIONS

With my brother in law, its always “whats the take home message”.  There are three main points pointed out here that are pertinent to us in the vineyard these last days; Joseph’s role, the slothful bickering servants role and who do we follow?

1. Josephs role is that of an innocent leader doing his job.  When he returns (as the Rod or spokesman for the Davidic Servant unto the houses of Joseph), he is not recognized by those who presently run the farm that he established.  These men threaten him wtih bodily harm.  H knows when to leave, gets reinforcement and rebuild.
2. The slothful servants are running the farm at the time of His return.  It is a time of disarray.  They are asleep as to the issues.  They consider their authority to be supreme and do not recognize the true servant of God.  They have ruined the farm through mismanagement.  They have built Babylon instead of Zion.  Like the people they have charge over, Babylon overtakes them and they are scattered.  Instead of warning the people they have taught another doctrine, that of  “peace, all is well in Zion”.

—————————————————————————————————————————————
Some relevant Isaiah, to lighten the mood
(chapter 53, commentary by Gileadi)

Isaiah

Chapter 53

Isaiah 53:1

1 ¶ WHO hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

***The revelation is talked about in chapter 28. There it was a question whether people would go on from the lesser portion of the word of God to the greater portion – in other words from the fundamentals (milk) to the deeper topics (meat), including direct revelation and divine instruction. (see 28:9) Most people are no receptive to this higher instruction that is offered to them. There is a dichotomy between those who do accept and those who don’t. In Isaiah, it is always the few that do and the many do not accept revelation and divine instruction.

***So it is here. “Who has believed our revelation?” Some yes, but very few overall. Some go on and accept divine revelation from God and hold fast to those things. They keep the laws of God and all things that he has revealed through his servants, the prophets. But most do not. The majority of the people are in an apostate or descending mode, descending down the spiritual ladder, and don’t come back up. That’s why the judgements of God come upon them. They are even losing what they had.

***The pairing of these two ideas – who has believed our revelation and on whose account has the arm of the Lord been revealed – the paralleling of these two ideas tells you that those who believe the revelation are those on whose account the arm of the Lord has been revealed. In other words, the arm of the Lord is revealed to those who believe the revelation. This implies that those who don’t believe God’s revelation don’t accept the arm of God. They do not understand what the arm of the Lord represents. It is a person.

***The two arms of the God seen in 51:5 are righteousness and salvation. Salvation is the Lord himself. Righteousness is the servant or forerunner who establishes righteousness so that salvation may come. These are the two arms that judge the people. In this case, we are talking about the arm of salvation. However, if you don’t accept the one arm, you won’t accept the other. If you don’t accept the forerunner and all the preparatory work he does, you will not be in a position to accept the other.

***In this case, the arm of the Lord appears to be talking about the suffering person who is the Lord Himself.

Isaiah 53:2

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him. (Like a sapling he grew up in his presence, a stalk out of arid ground. He had no distinguishing appearance that we should notice him; he had no pleasing aspect, that we should find him attractive.)

***The sapling and stalk idea is similar to chapter 11:1, which talks about the stalk of Jesse (shoot, stalk, branch, graft). Those are messianic titles. These are all metaphors that describe the messianic individual. Jeremiah literally calls the Lord’s Servant the branch.

***Growing up in his presence and out of arid ground is a contrast. Arid ground implies a cursed state. This, in turn, implies wickedness or apostasy by people in general at the time of his growing up. Yet, he himself grows up in the presence of the Lord, meaning that he himself has access to God; he is not cut off from his presence as most of the people are cut off because of their wickedness. This is quite a contrast between him and the people with whom he grows up. He is not a charismatic personality that is a natural charmer, statesman or very popular.

***While there are many word links throughout Isaiah to other parts, these 10 verses are different in that there are very few links to other parts of the book. While the Servant is marred in chapter 52 and healed in chapter 57, this person in this chapter dies. However, 52:1 also tells us that he awakes and arises. He is part of the same structure of the Zion motif that awakes and arises, therefore he is also resurrected.

Isaiah 53:3

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

***In Isaiah’s context, the majority of the people are already rejecting God. Therefore, when this person appears, he represents what they oppose. This person comes from God and reflects God in all that he does. Yet he is met with disdain and rejecting. His lifestyle is a contradiction to their own. He gets very bad treatment here from those who should have welcomed and sustained him. This reiterates the suffering and humiliation he encounters. However, from Isaiah’s structures, this is a necessary prelude to salvation. There is no exaltation without a prior humiliation. There is no salvation without prior suffering. The higher you go on the spiritual ladder, the more humiliation and suffering you have to go through. From Isaiah’s context, this person descends below them all.

Isaiah 53:4

4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

***We thought he was under some kind of curse of God because he couldn’t seem to come out from under this problem. Yet, what was actually happening was that he was enduring the curse that was ours and he took upon himself. This person is not guilty of any sin or transgression that would cause covenant curses to come upon him. So these adversities are not through his own fault.

Isaiah 53:5

5 But he [was] wounded (…pierced…) for our transgressions, [he was] bruised (…crushed…) for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him (: the price of our peace he incurred…); and with his stripes we are healed.

***This person is some kind of proxy for the rest of us. Note the pronouns: “our transgressions,” “our iniquities,” ”we did esteem him stricken.” There is a spokesman (speaking on behalf of God’s people) who is speaking about him. It is no longer the Lord speaking about the Servant; it is the Servant speaking about the Lord. There is a person who really knows this person and what his life is all about, what happened to him really. Whereas, we at the time it happened were not aware. This person is now pointing out what really happened.

***The piercing and crushing indicate what happens to him. This links to the suffering of Christ on the cross with the piercing of the nail to his hands and feet and the spear to his side. He was crushed on the way to the cross. This occurred not for any iniquity of his own.

***The difference between transgression and iniquity. Transgression of the Laws of God is a sin to the person performing the act. Iniquity is the sin that is passed down from generation to generation. These can include behavioral patterns, etc. that are the results of sin. They are cumulative. They result in covenant curses that are also passed down, causing the people to labor in adverse situations. These are passed on from generation to generation. He took all of this upon himself.

***Peace is a word link to other parts of Isaiah. It is the Lord himself who brings about peace in Isaiah. Also, being healed is synonymous to salvation. The main theme of this verse is that he is suffering these things for our salvation. He is doing this as a proxy, for us. Those who receive peace for whom he pays the price are the righteous, those who repent of their transgressions. This implies that there is only salvation for those who do repent. He suffers for their transgression. This is part of the law of justice. Under the law of justice, someone must pay the price for transgression. He does this, enabling mercy to take place for those who repent. This also implies that for those who don’t repent, there is no mercy. There is no peace for the wicked. They themselves must suffer under the law of justice.

Isaiah 53:6

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.

***Again the pronouns “we” and “us.” “We” are identified as sheep. Sheep are kosher animals and elsewhere in Isaiah, the Lord’s people are referred to as his flock. This is talking about the covenant people of the Lord, not the gentiles. Those who receive this peace or salvation are His own covenant people. This suggests that those who are not His covenant people do not inherit peace and salvation.

***We are all gone astray, going in different directions, straying away from God and the law and the covenant, and the Lord brought together on him the iniquity of us all. We are all scattered and he gathers them all up and dumps them all on him. This includes the iniquity of even those who don’t repent. All they have to do is repent, and he already suffered their iniquity. Whether they repent or not, he still suffered for their iniquity.

***Each of us going our own way implies that we have all left God’s way.

Isaiah 53:7

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

***Twice it states that he opened not his mouth. He could have opened his mouth and defended himself. He chose not to speak up because that is what God wanted him to do. He was to be submissive. God then inflicted him with harassment, slaughter, arrest and trial, being pierced, being crushed, bearing our sufferings, being shunned, and being to be worth nothing (when he was of most worth). The lamb led to slaughter is a sacrificial idea. It appears again in verse 10 as an offering for guilt. In Hebrew it is “asham” (aleph shin mem) which in anciently sacrifice under the Law of Moses that must be offered when a man transgressed. The lamb led to slaughter reminds of the Passover lamb and is another metaphor. The Passover lamb was proxy for the firstborn of Israel, that they would not die. Here, he is proxy also for the firstborn of God’s people who will not die spiritually or physically. He is led to slaughter, meaning he dies.

***He comes before the people of God, his sheep, the covenant people. He is sheared, indicating his clothes are taken away.

Isaiah 53:8

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. ? (By arrest and trial he was taken away. Who can apprise his generation that he was cut off from the land of the living for the crime of my people to whom the blow was due?)

***This again reinforces Isaiah’s indication of this man as our proxy. He dies for his people’s crime. Note the “my people” which is the covenant formula. For their transgressions, justice needed to be done. He suffered for their transgressions.

***This also implies that it was done formally, by trial and arrest. He wasn’t just mugged in a wood. He went through an official execution.

***”Generation” implies more than just the covenant people. It suggests almost a dynasty, possibly his lineage. In verse 10 it talks about his having lineage, offspring. Being cut off from the land of the living almost happens to Hezekiah, but he is healed. The same with the Servant. However, this person dies and his death is part of his suffering and humiliation.

Isaiah 53:9

9 And he made his grave with the wicked (He was appointed among the wicked in death…), and with the rich in his death; because (…yet…) he had done no violence, neither [was any] deceit in his mouth.

***In the Masoretic text, these first two lines are reversed. The Servant/Tyrant parallel helps to identify that they were reversed. He was not appointed among the wicked in his burial, nor among the rich in his death, but just the reverse, being among the wicked in death and rich in his burial. Christ of course dies between two thieves and was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimethea, a wealthy man.

***The word “appoint” is also used with the Lord’s Servant. Both are appointed by God, one higher on the spiritual ladder than himself, who is his Lord. Each one has his Lord who is above him. To us, Jehovah is our Lord. Yet, on his wrung of the spiritual ladder, there is one above him. We also know that the first two lines of verse 9 are reversed because the wicked to violence and the rich are deceptive.

Isaiah 53:10

10 ¶ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (But the Lord willed to crush him, causing him suffering, that, if he made his life an offering for guilt, he might se his offspring and prolong his days, and that the purposes of he Lord might prosper in his hand.)

***To crush is like to crush the life out of something or to crush his spirit. The Lord willed that. In order to bring about the redemption of the world, whoever gives him their covenantal allegiance can obtain salvation and peace and healing for the sake of so many people in their lost and fallen state. For their sake, the Lord willed to crush him, that he made his life an offering for their guilt (not his own). On the higher levels of the spiritual ladder, one does not suffer for ones own sins, but for the sins of others. He could not be a proxy for others if he himself was a transgressor. The higher you go on the spiritual ladder, the greater or more effective is the proxy role you can perform. Hezekiah’s offering his life only merited deliverance of his people from the besieging Assyrians. Those on the seraph level, can merit more than that. On the level of the spiritual ladder where the Lord himself suffers and dies, all sins and iniquities can be taken away. This is the highest proxy function known in Isaiah.

***Note the mention of offspring here and burial in verse 9. Both these are covenant blessings. In the tyrant parallel, the tyrant has no offspring or burial. All the tyrant’s people are destroyed and his corpse lies unburied. In other words, the king of Babylon suffers from covenant curses while this person enjoys covenant blessings. One may argue that the offspring referred to here is adopted or spiritual offspring. However, in Isaiah, the literal meaning is always the first one that applies. If he did not have literal offspring, he would be under a curse. But God has provided that he is not under a curse because he is innocent.

***Days are prolonged when you honor father and mother (fourth commandment). In the Old Testament, if you honor father and mother, your days are prolonged on the land by your offspring. Abraham has his offspring as the sands of the sea, etc., where as the King of Babylon has his offspring cut off. (see chapter 14)

***That the purposes of the Lord might prosper in his hand is referring to his right hand, the Servant. This is transitioning to the next section of text. This can also apply to any of the Lord’s servants. They cannot be empowered if the whole thing rests on a false foundation. The Servant himself, along with all the rest of us, are sinners and have need to repent of our transgressions of the law of God. When we do, we are forgiven because he is our proxy and has taken our guilt and transgressions upon himself. If he had not done this, the purposes of the Lord would not prosper in us. The Lord has done this, provided this proxy atonement for our sins, and based on that foundation, we can function as his servants.

Isaiah 53:11

11 He shall see of the travail (…toil…) of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (…:and by bearing their iniquities, shall my servant, the righteous one, vindicate many.)

***Who will see the toil of whose soul? The second “his” is referring to the Servant, the one who establishes righteousness. He too suffers. Anyone on the spiritual ladder who performs a messianic or proxy role suffers. They don’t suffer as much as Christ suffered, but they suffer. Again, not for their own transgressions, but for others.

***Now the Lord Himself is speaking. He has done his work of atonement, his proxy salvation, now he talks about the Servant again. Between the end of chapter 52 and here, there is a chiasm of sorts – a-b-a – where the middle part of the chiasm is the Lord Himself.

***The Servant also goes through humiliation and exaltation. His appearance is marred beyond human likeness – he appalled people – yet he became exceedingly eminent and highly exalted. (see 52:13-14) Like King Hezekiah, he has toil of soul. When the person endures this well and suffers in humble submission and the Lord sees it, there comes a point where it is enough and the Lord is satisfied.

***Knowledge is a covenant term. It implies knowledge of the covenant as well as knowledge of God and His ways. He knows that according to the terms of the covenant, if he intercedes on behalf of others and pays the price for their transgressions, he through his sacrifice can merit others deliverance. In Hezekiah’s case, that is limited to physical deliverance. In the Lord’s case, it includes all deliverance.

***Knowledge is parallel with “bearing their iniquities.” Because of his knowledge of the terms of the covenant, he is willing to bear their iniquities. The Lord does this. The Servant has seen the Lord do this and does the same thing on a lesser level. This servant is the one who personifies righteousness. He is the model of righteousness for us to follow. Because of his knowledge of the terms of the covenant, he knows that he can do this for them. Because of this, they do not have to suffer death of the besieging Assyrians or other calamities, but because of the Servant’s intercession, they can be delivered.

Isaiah 53:12

12 Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

***The Lord Himself does this in the early part of the chapter. Here, however, the Lord is speaking of his Servant who does the same thing on a lower scale. The Servant emulates the Lord.

***Every one of these sentences has a type in Israel’s history. Caleb received an inheritance among the great (when the Israelites came into the Promised Land) because he was one of the two spies sent out who remained faithful to the Lord when they came back. Joshua and Caleb gave a true report. They were the only ones who came out of Egypt who inherited the Promised Land.

***David divided the spoil with the mighty in his war with the Philistines. David provides a type for this person. Hezekiah is also a type, pouring out his soul unto death. David was also number with criminals after being anointed by Samuel. Christ was numbered with criminals.

***Job bore the sins of many (his children). Job was smitten. However, we see that in his proxy role, Job was only paying the price for others sins, not his own.

***Moses made intercession for the entire nation when they made the golden calf.

***The Servant is like a lot of these heroes of the Old Testament, performing many of the same functions. All the major events in Israel’s history are roles that the Servant assumes. He would have to be on the same spiritual level as those characters of the Old Testament were.

Vomitting Wolves

Some thoughts.

Sheep are of course members of the Fold.  Wolves than in sheep’s clothing are than members who inwardly take to devouring the sheep and the food for their own good.  Shepherds who feed themselves as Jeremiah states.

This analogy of course applies in this one way, bad people amongst the Good.  They generally ruin the good with a disturbing influence.  Nephi tells us about them and their effect  in 2 Nephi 28:114

“They wear ^astiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and ^bwhoredoms, they have all ^cgone astray save it be a ^dfew, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are ^eled, that in many instances they do ^ferr because they are taught by the precepts of men.”

Notice here in referring to the humbles followers of Christ the word FEW is used.  The same word is used by Moroni to describe a small elect in Mormon 8.  Also, even amongst those very few of the sheep, they may be led to err, and for what cause?  “Because they are taught by the precepts of men”.

Incredibly telling omission here by Nephi, in my opinion.  Some don’t think this verse applies to us, but let’s not forget, even a very modern church president, President Benson, applied this very verse to us,

Not only are there apostates within our midst, but there are also apostate doctrines that are sometimes taught in our classes and from our pulpits and that appear in our publications. And these apostate precepts of men cause our people to stumble. As the Book of Mormon, speaking of our day, states: “They have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men” (2 Nephi 28:14). (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, Pg.89‑90)

And to what level of apostasy have we reached?  What amount of the things we now see and discuss have diverged from the spirit of Truth as manifested during the restoration and Brother Joseph?  For some perspective we have these thoughts by President Joseph Fielding Smith some 70 years ago;

Joseph Fielding Smith

“I attended sessions of meetings for the institute teachers, held in the assembly room on the fourth floor of the Church Office Building. I cannot say that I was very greatly edified. Too much philosophy of the worldly nature does not seem to mix well with the fundamentals of the gospel. In my opinion many of our teachers employed in the church school system have absorbed too much of the paganism of the world, and have accepted too readily the views of the uninspired educators without regard for the revealed word of the Lord. What to do about it I do not know. It is a problem for the Presidency to consider. It is a very apparent fact that we have traveled far and wide in the past 20 years. What the future will bring I don’t know . But if we drift as far afield from the fundamental things in the next 20 years, what will be left of the foundation laid by the Prophet Joseph Smith? It is easy for one who observes to see how the apostasy came about in the primitive church of Jesus Christ. Are we not traveling the same road?” (The Life of Joseph Fielding Smith 212. Deseret Book Co) (Joseph Fielding Smith Journal, 28 December 1938)

Notice here he uses the time reference of 20 years as the time when we might be greatly degenerated.  Well, we are 3 score and ten years later now and we could rightly assume our handbooks have gotten more and more full of the doctrines of Men mingled with Scripture.

Isaiah Referred to this moment in the Period of Ephraimite rule in chapter 28 of his masterpiece; thoughts from a Prophet, Avraham Gileadi, mixed in red;

7 ¶ But ^athey also have ^berred through ^cwine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the ^dprophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

See chapter 56:10-12.  The prophets are said to be asleep and are not warning the people of what is coming.  In chapter 56, they represent the highest wrung of the spiritual ladder and are the ones who should be sounding the alarm.  Instead, they are not.  Wine is again the wine of delusion.  It is the wine of worldliness, the wine of Babylon.  It is the philosophies of worldly men.  Opposite of divine revelation.  This verse focuses on the religious leadership of the people.  In other places the political leadership is focussed on.  However, in Isaiah, they are generally on a par with one another.  See 19:14.  They err as seers.  They should be receiving revelation from the Lord and they are not.  Because of their reliance on the arm of flesh, they stumble in judgement.  Those who blindly follow them also err in their decisions.

8 For all tables are full of vomit and ^afilthiness, so that there is no place clean.

Just like at a drunken orgy where people eat and drink, it is a horrible scene of a mess.  This is partly because of the prophets drunkenness also.  “Tables” is a rhetorical link to “tablets” alluding to the word of God.  This alludes to the idea that what the people are getting to eat spiritually is vomit, partly digested material offered for consumption.  It is superficial.  What is being given is not meaningful, but only what other people have vomited up.

9 Whom shall he teach ^aknowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are ^bweaned from the ^cmilk, and drawn from the breasts.

This is where the Lord is at and this is where He wants his people to be, not relying half-digested materials.  This relates to Paul’s analogy of meat and milk in the gospel.  We must move beyond the milk of the gospel and move on to the meat.  The question here is “do you want to be babies forever?”  In the next verse, it notes that the learning is “line upon line, precept upon precept” which is the way babes are taught, repeating back line for line and word for word.  We need to get beyond that.  The Lord wants us to get direct revelation from him and from his prophets.

(Dan Here: I think this image of a baby to the breast can go a bit further here.  There is an image of a breastfeeding baby being wholly reliant on the Mother for the milk.  As shown above the Food that the mother (the church) is giving has become redigested, barely sustainable junk.  For a person to understand the revelation of a true prophet, or to recieve revelation directly from the source is to get RICH food, meat.  Full of life supporting nutrients.  That person must quit relying on handbooks, bi-annual conferances and sunday school blather for His/Her food.  He MUST sup at the table where the bread of life is served and be able to withstand that nourishment in order to survive this coming, the report that the servant will give.)

Now to the Point of the post.  This imagery that Christ gives us of Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing can be illustrative to warn us as above.  Also, I think this could illustrate the reverse principle.  That is, we as sheep without discernment cannot detect the wolves in our flock.  Likewise We will not be able to detect the true shepherd as He guides us.  HE too will come from amongst the sheep.  He will be disfigured and  unattractive.  He will be persecuted by the wolves.  He will seem in many ways to the average sheeple to be an apostate or beaten philistine on the side of the road.  To the elect still relying on the breast for vomited milk, they will miss the carrion in the desert (JS-M) that is rich, full of good meat to scavagening eagles.  Only the Eagles who have mastered the ability to search high and low, high above the direction of earthly guidance (the arm of flesh), able to follow the winds of the Holy Ghost and detect truth no matter the package it is wrapped in, will recognize the shepherd amongst the sheep who will divide the black ones from the white as wheat from tares. He will declare true doctrine.  It will be alarming to the sheep reliant on the fences.  IT will blast the laziness of the Gentiles.  He will hold true priesthood and work miracles amongst this people.  He is alive, can you find him amongst the flock?

Innaugural Blog

I’m switching blogs.  I was at livejournal, but it was too clunky,  So, now ‘m here!  Will be moving my past posts over here…