CV75

If the prodigal son parable came first, the other two would be used to highlight the joy in heaven when we repent. Otherwise, the concluding lesson for the prodigal son is explained in the father's words to the obedient son, an echos the repentant sinner theme: "for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." Perhaps resurrection in itself is sufficient reason to greatly rejoice, even though there is greater rejoicing in exaltation. So perhaps we are to be grateful for blessings great and small (he who is faithful in few/small/earthly things can be entrusted with many/great/heavenly things).

There are other causes of sorrow, and perhaps these can be explored in the context of pure love. God's omnipotence and omniscience, I believe, are relative to us. 3 Nephi has Jesus giving 2 conditionals: 1) if those in Jerusalem ask about the other sheep, and 2) if the Gentiles repent. Both in the affirmative would bring Him joy, but He expresses sorrow for their wickedness.

Here we begin to differentiate between apostate groups (Zoramites, who are dissenters); non-Jehovian/non-Christian cultural groups of all kinds who become opposed to the believing Nephites: rebellious as with the original Lamanites (2 Nephi 5), traditional as in their descendants (Mosiah 10:11-17), and political dissenters as with the king-men, Amalickiah, etc.; the specific Anti-Christ groups (Nehors); and the secret combinations. A rose by any other name!

Sherem the Anti-Christ | Religious Studies Center (byu.edu). It includes a large and very thorough section, 'Portrait of an Anti-Christ"

... and to extrapolate, the anti-testimony of Jesus is the spirit of persecution. D&C 123 reviews persecution. The Book of Mormon anti-Christ pattern focuses on belief and accusation but does not get into physical violence, though there are plenty of examples of persecution and violence in the Book of Mormon (Nehor killed Gideon).

Here is a good treatment of the topic: One in Christ (churchofjesuschrist.org) "I say again that it is only in and through our individual loyalty to and love of Jesus Christ that we can hope to be one—one within, one at home, one in the Church, eventually one in Zion, and above all, one with the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost." I think that, just as joy is better than pleasure, being of one heart and mind is better than community and peacemaking is better than festivity.

I would say the impacts of these fasts and prayers were both individual and general. Where matters of spirit are not falsifiable, a prophet speaks generally so that the Spirit can minister individually as we apply faith to his words. The Spirit shows us the fulfillment of the general as well as the individual outcome, but it is still a matter of faith, more in the way of testimony than in the way of indisputable statistics (which, given the politicization of the matter, is unlikely to ever happen!).

Yes, I think this is a fitting milk-before-meat approach that is the only way we can communicate to people on trying the basics and move forward to more relational experiences as we first plant but then feel the seed swell and eventually enjoy the fruits (per Alma 32). If they feel the Spirit during these teaching moments, all the better.

It depends on what you mean by omniscient. I take it to mean that God knows indeterminately more than I do, which still allows Him to negotiate and intervene on alternative outcomes in my experience based on my application of faith. Prayer is an act of faith, hearing prayers an act of love, and answering prayers (one way or another) an act of stewardship.

But not your lightning!

Yes, the enemies were extremely motivated / instigated, I'm sure!

Working backward from D&C 93:30, existence is intelligence that acts for itself within the sphere God placed it. 30 All truth is independent in that asphere in which God has placed it, to bact for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.

A band is typically 300-600 Roman soldiers; multitude is great, unspecified number (crowd, throng, etc. but often translated from the Greek “murias,” which is 10,000--so it is probably a figurative term); 3,000 – 6,000 Roman soldiers in a legion.

I've sometimes considered this "voice from the bowels" of the earth to be Eve speaking as the dead mother of the mortal human race, prior to the resurrection of Christ and her subsequent resurrection.

We can say this about any "infuriating unfairness" -- Infuriating Unfairness (churchofjesuschrist.org) Since we are descendants of Adam and Eve, the same thing could be said about us, who carry the cursed earth in our bodies, in that we are of the dust of the earth and have become mortal and separated from God. But of course, we understand the bigger picture from the plan of salvation. Adam yet finds joy in his covenant-keeping posterity, despite the curse upon the earth, which also brings forth metaphorical thorns, thistles, herbs, wheat, tares, etc. in the descendants of Adam according to our exercise of agency.

Adam did have dominion, so whatever the personal consequences of his decisions, his stewardship would be likewise affected. It was cursed for his sake, but just as Adam's conscience was struck, allowing the Atonement of Christ to operate and reverse it into joy, the difficulties with the stewardship in a fallen (cursed) world allowed the blessings of hard work, and the disappointment in failed efforts, to be part of his learning and perfection in the Lord.

I would have thought he was trying to say "shamrocks" -- good luck with that! "Sin rocks" is ingenious.

Yes, I'll have to see a) what kind of pattern it created and b) go through the New Testament and Book of Mormon and do the same thing on my own.

Yes, there's a lot in Abraham 3 about that (e.g., verses 18-19). He was intelligent than us all, and He had already become one with the Father as John 17 talks about (as verses 21 onward indicate). Where "Lord" and "God" are used interchangeably in this chapter, it seems that Christ is speaking by divine investiture of authority.

I believe they used the blood of the Lamb, or faith in "the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world." If the brother of Jared "saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood," and the Lord confirmed to him, "Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood... Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people." then it sems reasonable that premortal spirits saw Him and His Atonement in the same fashion. Perhaps Ether 3:14 is more of a reminder than something the brother of Jared had not known in the previous estate. I think Moses 6: 56 - 63 was taught premortally, so the elements of water and blood were things in that spirts could comprehend at the level of faith and hope if not knowledge.

I think the penalty they (the dead who repent, v. 58) pay is a delayed resurrection and any restitution required of them during that delay as they obey the temple ordinances. But the reward according to their works – which is being washed clean according to their works -- is reflected in any kingdom of glory they are willing to receive, from the least to the greatest.

Good point! It does show the progression of good choices making things more certain.

"May" is a modal verb that expresses possibility, not certainty like "will."

I think in general, the fallen world and its conditions are essential to the plan of happiness for the "work and glory" to be fulfilled, and that each individual's suffering is swallowed up in Christ according to His timing. Whether the Lord "gives" specific challenges to specific individuals at specific times might well be the case, and sometimes these are addressed in patriarchal blessings, but the specific rules are not known to us ("my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord."). I believe that suffering caused by randomness and chaos in the fallen world is also swallowed up in Christ, and this may be reflected in His immediate intervention to prevent and rescue us from accidents, etc. but may also be addressed later according to our capacity and His will. I think He knows what is going on with each of us all the time.

This was the case over 40 years ago when I was a grad student doing policy research for the Church on the subject of in vitro fertilization, part of which entailed the sealing status of children born under various egg and sperm donor permutations. Of course, this involved forays into much more complicated artificial reproduction processes than in vitro fertilization. The Church was well aware of some very, very fringe science going on overseas and was "futuring" on matters that are becoming problematic today, and yet to be actualized enough to be problematic. I recall a physician (who was to become CDC Director and then a general authority) opining on this project, "God doesn't care how we got here," indicating that he felt nothing would prevent children from being sealed to adoptive/surrogate parents; the project considered the dilemma of using donated cells from spouses other than the sealed couple. The guidance we developed back then remains in today's version of the Handbook.