Day 6 2 Nephi 9-14, D&C 21-24

[pam]

Discussion:

[pam]

In Chapter 9, Jacob describes the atonement. He also describes the judgement and how it will affect those that know of the law and those that don't. The law (in my understanding) the gospel of Christ.

He describes those that know not of the law will be given a chance to learn of it after death. For those that have a knowledge of it he states: "But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!"

This, to me, clearly means that our earthly life is our probationary time. Those who have received a full knowledge but waste it on earth..will have it much harder at the time of judgement.

In this chapter Jacob also explains that after death we will have a full rememberance of our sins and and of our righteousness.

[pam]

And did you know that the Lord doesn’t expect us to diet? Trust me! Turn to 2 Nephi 9:51. Now look at the very last line. It says, “Let your soul delight in fatness.” But feast on what? Chocolate? Look closely: Feast on his word….Did you know that feasting could be so guilt-free?...Why not gain some spiritual weight? It’s not always easy [to read the scripture], and there are things I still don’t understand. But…craving the Lord’s companionship, the scriptures infuse my spirit with the Spirit. They will do the same for you.

Bonnie D. Parkin, Ensign, May 1995, p. 90

[pam]

2 Nephi 10:11

11 And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.

“It is remarkable that so few attempts have been made to establish thrones in America. Perhaps the most substantial barrier has been the Monroe Doctrine, although, there has, for the most part, been so little real force behind that ‘doctrine’ that its very weakness has invited more than one European monarch to attempt to ‘smash it.’ It defied all the world to attempt to set up any authority of their own, or to interfere with any of the independent governments then existing in North or South America….In a word the real meaning of the Monroe Doctrine is, ‘Hands off’ and that too, to all the world….One could imagine that the Book of Mormon prophet might have been standing at the elbow of President Monroe when he signed the document as it was handed to him by the Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams. For the Monroe Doctrine is nothing more than the Book of Mormon prophecy put in the form of a state paper. It has been tested and tried. It has been called the ‘most magnificent bluff in history, and so far the most successful.’ At any rate, it has stood. It has been affirmed and re-affirmed by President after President until it is now upheld and proclaimed as with the voice of a hundred millions of people.” (Nephi Lowell Morris, Prophecies of Joseph Smith and Their Fulfillment, pp. 136-138 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 125)

[pam]

2 Nephi 10:23

23 Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

Through the atonement we are able to choose or exercise our agency.

I read somewhere that the term "free agency" is redundant. Nor is it mentioned in the scriptures. However, we are only free if we use agency wisely.

[pam]

D&C 21 talks about Joseph Smith being called by revelation to be a Prophet, Seer and Revelator. That the church was organized and established 6 April, 1830.

Section 22 discusses baptism. While many may think that the "new and everlasting covenant" is speaking about temple marriage, it is only part of it. Baptism is part of the "new and everlasting covenant."

Edited July 6, 2009 by pam

[KeithLBrown]

The Temple - The House Of The Lord

2 Nephi 12:2-3

There are a lot of things that I probably could discuss from today's reading, but I would like for us to turn our attention towards the Sacred Temple - The House Of The Lord. Elder F. Enzio Busche has said, "The temple is the only 'university' for men to prepare spiritually for their graduation to eternal life." (Ensign, May 1989, p.71, "University for Eternal Life"). From today's reading in 2 Nephi 12:2-3 we learn, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, when the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." The Lord spoke through one of His Prophets of old, Ezekiel, and said: "Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

What is a Temple? The Bible dictionary states that "a Temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary in which sacred ceremonies and ordinancesof the gospel are performed by and for the living and also in behalf of the dead. A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on earth. Only the home can compare with the Temple in sacredness. James E. Talmage said: "A temple is more than a chapel or church, more than a synagogue or cathedral; it is a structure erected as the house of the Lord, sacred to the closet communion between the Lord himself and the holy priesthood, and devoted to the highest and most sacred ordinances characteristic of the age or dispensation to which the particular temple belongs. . . ." (The House of the Lord, James E. Talmage, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976, Pp. 14, 1.) President Harold B. Lee taught us that "When [we] enter a holy temple, [we] are by that course gaining fellowship with the saints in God's eternal kingdom, where time is no more. In the temples of [our] God [we] are endowed not with a rich legacy of worldly treasure, but with a wealth of eternal riches that are above price. The temple ceremonies are designed by a guide and a protection throughout our lives, that you and I might not fail to merit exaltation in the celestial kingdom where God and Christ dwell." (IE, June 1967, p.144.)

"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?" (Psalm 24:3) The answer is, "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." (Psalm 24:4) And what shall be his reward? "He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." (Psalm 24:5).

How do we prepare ourselves to enter into this most sacred place - the Temple? W. Grant Bangerter once said, "The preparation to enter the temple lies in the gospel. Nothing is said or done in the temple which does not have its foundation in the scriptures." (Ensign, May 1982, p.72.) We can help to prepare ourselves for going to the Temple by gaining a testimony, attending Church regularly, and following the counsel of the Prophet. We can also prepare to go to the Temple by supporting our Bishop and Stake President and by being honest in our dealings with our fellowmen. President Joseph Fielding Smith once stated, "None are entitled to enter the temple and receive these ordinances except those who have prepared themselves for exaltation by keeping all the commandments." We also prepare to go to the Temple by keeping our thoughts, words, and actions pure and by being kind to our families and others. In D&C 121:45 we read these words, " Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven." Concerning our families, President James E. Faust reminded us that "Our temples are testaments of our faith in the everlasting family." (Ensign, May 1987, p.81.) We also prepare ourselves to go to the Temple by making right choices, paying our tithing, and obeying the Word of Wisdom.

Each of us are individually responsible for taking the steps that will allow full enjoyment of the blessings of the Temple. We should enter the Temple in humility and with a desire to be taught from on high. We need to understand that receiving Temple ordinances and covenants is essential to gaining eternal life. President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "These blessings ensure to us , through our faithfulness, the pearl of great price the Lord has offered us, for these are the greatest blessings we can receive in this life. It is a wonderful thing to come into the Church, but you cannot receive an exaltation until you have made covenants in the house of the Lord and received the keys and authorities that are there bestowed and which cannot be given in any other place on earth today." (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-56], 2:253).

As we prepare to enter the Temple, we should be prepared for personal and sacred worship. In the Temple, before, during , and after the ceremonies, there are opportunities for a person to meditate and draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Throughout the course of life, all of us are faced with questions that need answers, with burdens that need to be lightened, with problems that need to be solved. Many have used the Temple to get away from the world and to communicate with Heavenly Father. Many have found answers, peace, and joy in the Temple. Franklin D. Richards said: "A temple is a retreat from the vicissitudes of life, a place of prayer and meditation of life, a place of prayer and meditation providing an opportunity to receive inner peace, inspiration, guidance, and, frequently solutions to the problems that vex our daily lives. A temple is a place where. . . .the infinite in man, can seek the infinite in God." (Ensign, November 1966, p.71.)

[Seanette]

I’m feeling a lot more motivated and energetic now, so should be able to work on catching up. I’m writing this on 7/13, and plan to do at least one more day’s reading today (hoping for two).

2 Nephi 8: Compare Isaiah 51, 52:1-2. The Lord will comfort Zion. God will establish His laws, carry out judgment, and bless the faithful. God’s people are not to fear the disapproval or hostility of man, but to stay focused on following God (very timely advice for our time!). Israel will be gathered to Zion. Isaiah speaks of the Two Witnesses of the last days, who are discussed in more detail in Revelation 11.

2 Nephi 9: The Lord deals with every generation through prophets (well, except for the period of the Great Apostasy, which was still well in the future for Isaiah, Nephi, and Jacob). There’s a great deal of discussion of the Atonement and the Resurrection, which entwines the two events much more than I normally see, so I learned a lot about the relationship between them, and that the Resurrection is part of the Atonement. By being resurrected and getting our bodies back, we’re freed from the hold Satan has over those who lack bodies (I assume those waiting to come to mortality are still under Parental protection). When we are resurrected, we will have perfect knowledge of our sins and of the good in us. God’s judgment will be just, since he knows everything about the one being judged. He will save all who hearken to Him. Learning is good, if God’s counsel is heeded, but can lead to pride and setting one’s own wisdom above that of God (to me, this basically defines the world we now live in). God warns against all forms of sin, and we’re told to not reject prophets because they’re telling us hard things to hear (based on how many different time periods we see this in, seems to be a “natural man” tendency). God’s way is narrow, with a straight course. Jacob urges his hearer/reader to come to God.

2 Nephi 10: Jacob is taught of the Crucifixion, and speaks of the wickedness of the Jews, who are willing to kill their God, having been led astray by priestcrafts and by their own iniquity. More discussion of the scattering and gathering of Israel. God tells Jacob that “this land” (meaning the land Jacob now lives in) is a land of inheritance and liberty. There are to be no kings in this promised land, and those who raise up a king will perish, as will all who fight against Zion. Jacob is told of other branches of Israel and that the Lord is mindful of all. We are reminded of agency, Jacob again urging the hearer/reader to choose to obey God.

2 Nephi 11: Nephi is again narrating. Isaiah, Nephi, and Jacob all saw the Redeemer, satisfying the Law of Witnesses (given in Deut. 17:6, Matthew 18:16, 2 Corinthians 13:1, D&C 6:28, and D&C 128:3). The law of Moses typifies Christ. Nephi praises God.

2 Nephi 12: Compare Isaiah 2. Isaiah sees the latter-day Temple, and the people going up to it to be taught. He sees the Judgment, and the peace in the Millennium. The proud and idolatrous will be humbled. When the Lord comes, the wicked will try to hide.

2 Nephi 13: Compare Isaiah 3. This appears to primarily refer to the then-future events of the captivity and/or dispersion, but Isaiah’s prophecies commonly have multiple fulfillments (the events will repeat in different time periods), so probably also applies to our future. Children will be brought to rule, and the people will oppress one another. Children will behave proudly against their elders and the wicked against the honorable (sound familiar? Like maybe now?). Judah and Jerusalem will be punished for defying God’s commands (another event that will probably also occur in our time). The daughters of Zion will be vain and worldly, and be humbled.

Section 21: This is given at the organizing of the Church on April 6, 1830. Joseph Smith is called as prophet, seer, revelator, apostle, and elder. He acts as God would, as head of the Church. Believing his teaching brings blessings.

Section 22: Baptism is necessary, and must be done by proper authority. We are not to seek to counsel God (ongoing problem here, looking at calls for the Church to change doctrine on homosexuality or giving women the priesthood).

Section 23: Members are called to preach the Gospel, to exhort, and to strengthen the Church.

Section 24: Joseph Smith is called to translate Scripture and to write of the Gospel. He and Oliver Cowdery are called to preach. Opponents of God’s work will be cursed (discussion of “shaking the dust from one’s feet” as declaration of cursing. This will be further discussed in Section 75). God tells us to not require miracles. Missionaries are to go without material goods and trust that the Lord will see that their needs are met.

Abraham 3: Abraham gets an astronomy lesson. He’s taught about various bodies, especially Kolob, which is nearest to the throne of God. He learns that a day of Kolob time (same as God’s time) is 1000 years of earth time. He is promised innumerable seed. He learns that spirits are eternal and about intelligence. He learns about the Great Council in the pre-mortal life, when the Plan of Salvation is presented, Jesus is chosen as Redeemer, and Lucifer rebels.

Abraham 4: The Gods plan out the Creation of earth.

Edited July 13, 2009 by Seanette
slight wording tweak for clarity