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Her Hidden Namesby Autumn Dickson
Esther’s story is one of courage. She is a remarkable woman who was placed in humble circumstances and rose to save her people. In a land that often looked down upon Jews, Esther’s heritage should have prevented her from being able to save her people. And yet, she rose to prominence was guided by the hand of the Lord. Here is one verse that introduces Esther and sets the foundation for what I want to talk about.
Esther 2:7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
In this verse, we learn that Esther’s given Hebrew name was “Hadassah.” In an effort to protect her, her name was changed to “Esther,” a Persian name. Jews were often looked down upon, discredited, and hated. Having a Persian name would have protected Esther from some of the prejudice she would face in court.
There is beautiful significance in the fact that Esther changed her name.
“Hadassah” means “myrtle.” The myrtle was a fragrant, humble evergreen plant often symbolizing righteousness, peace, beauty, or God’s people in biblical imagery. Esther was many of these things, and she rose to represent all of her people. The name “Esther” was also significant. Its Persian roots connect it to the word “star” which she certainly rose to be. Interestingly enough, the name “Esther” also has Hebrew roots, but those Hebrew roots mean “hidden.”
Esther’s names, with their many meanings, all tell her story very well. It also connects her back to Christ.
Esther was placed in a position to save her people. So much of her identity was “hidden” so that she could fulfill her role to save her people. Had her true identity been known, she may have been barred from being queen due to prejudice.
In the Old Testament, Christ is known as Jehovah, a latinized version of “YHWH.” This means, “I am.” It is a powerful statement of our Creator. It emphasizes self-existence, sovereignty, and eternal nature. When He comes to the earth, His name is revealed to Mary as “Jesus.” Jesus is the English version of Yeshua, which is a shortened version of Yehoshua. Yehoshua means “YHWH saves.”
When Christ came to earth, He did so quietly. Much of His identity was hidden. It was so hidden that the people in Nazareth, who knew Him while He was growing up, rejected Him thoroughly. They were angry when He claimed divine authority and purpose, and they tried to kill Him. If He had come in all of His glory, would things have been different? How would they have felt about Him then?
If He had come in all of His glory, He might not have been rejected and put in a position to save us.
On a broader note than Nazareth, many of the Jews didn’t recognize Him. They were looking for a powerful rebel who would throw off the Roman empire. They did not understand that Jesus was coming to save them in a more important way. Because He didn’t come in all of the glory that was due to Him, He was betrayed and rejected.
And though He didn’t deserve it, we needed it. We needed His true identity to be rejected so that He would be able to fulfill His atonement on our behalf. His “hidden” identity placed Him in a position to save the entirety of the human family.
Let’s take it a step further.
Esther’s hidden identity placed her in a position to save her people, but it wasn’t just her hidden identity. It was also her humility. Because of her docile and peaceful nature, the king really liked her. When she entered the throne room, the king extended his scepter towards her, sparing her life. Even after being spared, her humility continued. Rather than making a big fuss in the middle of court, she invited the king and Haman to a banquet. At the banquet, her request on behalf of her people was not widely viewed.
This likewise ties her to Christ.
When Christ saved the world, He did it quietly and without fanfare. As He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, He may have had an audience on the other side of the veil, but they were likewise hidden. His only companions fell asleep, and Christ accomplished His mission humbly. When it was all over, His success remained quiet as He was betrayed and taken to die. Not even His apostles seemed to understand just what He accomplished in that garden.
Both Esther and Christ had identities that were hidden that placed them in a position to save. Both Esther and Christ did so quietly and humbly, and this likewise enabled them to fulfill their missions.
What does this mean for us?
Each of us has a mission given to us by the Lord. We made promises before we came here. The Lord can place us in the position we need to be in to set us up for our mission. Regardless of whether we are born as an exiled, lowly orphan or born in a stable, He has the power to place us exactly where we need to be. Though it is counterintuitive, sometimes it is the very humble circumstances we are given that enables us to fulfill our own personal missions. Christ utilized kings like Cyrus and Hezekiah to save His people, but He also used those in the humblest circumstances to save His people. None of your circumstances matter; those are easy enough for the Lord to manipulate. What truly matters is whether you’re following the Savior.
Your mission may be quiet and humble, but if that is the case, then you are in good company. We don’t have to go over a loudspeaker to save His people. It doesn’t have to look outwardly dramatic. It doesn’t have to be filmed or livestreamed or hold a huge audience. We simply have to be willing to follow the Savior, and He will lead us to do good.
I testify that we can learn about Christ when we study the scriptures. I testify that everything was set up perfectly for Him to save us, not just with the alignment of circumstances in the New Testament, but also in your own personal life. There is a Plan of Salvation at large, and it has been successfully won. There is also a Plan of Salvation for you, and through the power of God, the circumstances can align for Him to save you too. We can trust Him.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Esther – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Esther – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Mordecai as a Type of Heavenly Fatherby Autumn Dickson
The book of Esther is generally well-known. A Jewish orphan finds herself in the harem of the king, and she becomes queen after winning his favor. A plot against the Jews unfolds, and all of them are going to be destroyed. At the peril of her life, she stands before the king and invites him to the banquet to plead on behalf of her people.
It is very easy to see how Esther is a type of Christ. She intercedes on behalf of her people. She is willing to die in order to do it. She delivers the Jews from death; she gives them a fighting chance. She “rises” on the third day of fasting to go to the king on behalf of delivering her people. There are many parallels that we could talk about.
But after pondering on the fact that Esther is a type of Christ, it occurred to me that Mordecai is a type of Heavenly Father. It’s not a perfect parallel, but there are two details that point to Mordecai being a type of the Father.
Esther 2:7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
Esther was an orphan, and Mordecai raised her. He loved her. After Esther was taken by Persian soldiers, he walks in front of harem court to check on her everyday. In all the important ways, he was her father.
And then, of course, there was this parallel.
Mordecai asks Esther to intercede on behalf of the Jewish people. She responds that it might kill her. He responds with this verse.
Esther 4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Mordecai warns that deliverance will come from elsewhere, but that she might not escape in the king’s court. He encourages her to risk herself, and we get his famous line that suggests she had been placed in a very specific place where she was capable of saving the kingdom.
I love this little parallel too. Christ likewise asked for the cup to be passed by Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, but He willingly took it when it was presented before Him.
But it’s actually Mordecai that I want to talk about.
As Latter-day Saints, we believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are two separate Beings. If it is true, then this is actually a very important theology. Combining them into one Personage, completely eliminates the sacrifice of the Father. There is great love in sacrificing yourself; there is also immense love in allowing your loved one to be sacrificed.
But unlike with Esther, where deliverance would have risen from elsewhere, there was no one else to save us but Christ.
Heavenly Father could have stopped the atonement of Jesus Christ because of His great love for His Son, but He didn’t. He allowed Him to be sacrificed. This is no small thing, and we can’t afford to look over Heavenly Father’s sacrifice.
Mordecai understood what it meant to sacrifice a child. Despite the fact that he had likely been moved upon by the spirit to help him see that Esther had been set up to save her people, I can’t imagine that there weren’t nagging little feelings. Did Mordecai ever think, “What if I ask her to do this and I’m simply sending her to her death for nothing? What if the Lord has a different means of deliverance but Esther is simply killed because I asked her to approach the king? What if her death is my fault?”
Obviously, Heavenly Father knew what the sacrifice of Christ was really going to entail. However, Mordecai’s experience of worrying over Esther helped him get a better taste of what Heavenly Father experienced as He watched His Son suffer.
I’ve never been asked to sacrifice a child on behalf of the world or even a nation (or at all). Because I’ve never been asked to sacrifice in this manner, I can only imagine what Heavenly Father felt when He allowed the Savior to take on the sins and pains of the rest of us. Mordecai has a better understanding of what Heavenly Father went through.
Esther was separated from her family and taken into the Persian court, a place of danger and intrigue. When Mordecai asked her to go walk into that court and face death, he was asking her to do it alone. Her handmaidens fast with her, but when she truly goes in to face her death, there is no mention of anyone standing with her.
Heavenly Father likewise had to completely withdraw from His Son in order to complete the atonement. Christ had to understand what it meant to be truly rejected by God in order to fulfil the atonement completely. Not only did Heavenly Father have to ask the Savior to suffer what He did, Heavenly Father had to leave His Son to do it alone.
We cannot overlook what Heavenly Father did for us without robbing ourselves of the chance to be grateful. We cannot combine them into one Personage without running the risk of completely disregarding the sacrifice of our Heavenly Father. The story of the atonement of Jesus Christ is a story of sacrifice. Christ willingly laid Himself upon the altar, but there is One who loved Christ who also allowed it to happen.
And honestly, I rather lay down on the altar than ask my child to do it. But in the case of Heavenly Father, He couldn’t. He simply had to let Christ do it.
The atonement of Jesus Christ preaches great love in the form of self-sacrifice. It preaches love in the form of watching a loved one suffer. Is there any greater love than that?
I testify that Christ loves us and volunteered to do what He did. I testify that when Heavenly Father asked who He could send down to the earth to perform the atonement, He knew that only Christ could do so. Christ 100% volunteered, but Heavenly Father knew what He was asking for. I testify that Heavenly Father loved us enough to ask His perfect Son to do that. Between the two of Them, I can think of no greater love that has been offered to us.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Esther – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Covenants, Gospel, and Protectionby Autumn Dickson
In the readings this week, we find three changes for the Jews under the kings in Persia. There were three men who helped with these changes.
First, we have Zerubbabel, a Jewish governor who worked tirelessly to build the temple.
Ezra 5:2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
Then we have Ezra who taught the people the Law of Moses.
Nehemiah 8:2-3
2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
And lastly, we have Nehemiah who rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 2:17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
I want to talk about these three elements of the Jews returning to their homeland and why it’s so relevant to the Lord working with us in our day.
The three elements are this: covenants, gospel, and protection.
When the Lord is seeking to build us and sanctify us and bring us to Him, those are the three elements He uses.
It starts with the covenants. Covenants are promises to and from the Lord. They bind us to Him in significant ways and offer us protection. It gives us access to Christ’s power. When I think of a covenant with Christ, I always think of it in terms of marriage covenants. Christ often uses the allusion of marriage to describe His relationship with us as well.
When two people get married, they make promises to each other. They’re going to stand by each other even in imperfection and trial. Traditionally, their finances also merge. Whatever debt or surplus they bring is combined. When we enter into a covenant with Christ, we promise to stand by Him, and He promises to stand by us even in imperfection and trial. Our “finances” merge with His. All of our debt is erased by His infinite surplus but beyond that, we have constant access to that surplus to call upon in times of need or want.
This is the first step. We cannot be saved without Christ. We need to be bound to Him in a way that enables Him to save us. Hence, covenants. Hence, Zerubbabel and the temple.
The next portion of rebuilding Jerusalem was the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses is often described as the “preparatory gospel.” It helped the people start to figure out Christ and what He meant in their lives. All of the rituals and remembrances were put in place to help them better understand Christ’s role.
In our day, the Law of Moses is fulfilled and we have the gospel. The gospel, with all of its truth, is taught to us regularly so we can understand Christ in our lives. What good is being bound to Christ if we don’t know the point of Him? What good will a covenant do me if I don’t know that my sins are paid for and I don’t know that I can draw upon His strength and peace and power? We need the covenant, but we also need the information that enables us to draw upon Christ and take effect in our life.
The last portion of rebuilding Jerusalem was the wall. City walls were tremendously important. When the walls of Jericho fell, the Israelites were able to immediately take the city. The walls around Jerusalem offered protection from enemies who would want to hurt what was inside of the city.
It would be easy to put “protection” under the umbrella of covenants and gospel learning, and it would likewise be accurate to do so. Covenants protect us; covenants are our promises that allow us to call upon Christ in need. That is definitely protection. Gospel learning protects us; understanding our Savior and His love and power keeps us close to Him where we can remain safe.
But I want to separate the wall from the temple and Law of Moses readings in order to highlight specific portions of protection.
Joseph Smith taught the following regarding the gospel:
The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.
The gospel (Ezra and the Law of Moses equivalent) is that the apostles and prophets testify of Christ and His mission; everything else is an appendage. The church is an appendage, an important and beautiful appendage, but it is separate. This is what I’m thinking of when I picture the wall around Jerusalem.
There are additions to the covenants and gospel that protect us. For example, commandments protect us. The Word of Wisdom protects us from all of the terrible things that can happen when you don’t have complete control over your body. The spirit of revelation protects us by warning us about certain situations or leading us towards where we need to be. There are a ton of different church programs that put us in safe and holy places to protect us.
City walls were not foolproof. Christ could make our “walls” foolproof, but part of mortality was opposition. Sometimes we leave the walls and find ourselves in trouble. Sometimes the trouble finds us even when we stay behind the walls. However, city walls still provide more protection than we would otherwise have. Not to mention, when an enemy breaches the gate, we still have complete access to our temple covenants and gospel knowledge and that heals us. The opposition hopefully pushes us closer to Christ so that no lasting damage can be done.
The stories we find in Ezra and Nehemiah have these overarching themes that point our minds back to Christ and what’s important to Him. We see His patterns. We see what He utilizes when He’s trying to build us and sanctify us: covenants, the gospel, and spiritual protective barriers.
I testify that the scriptures contain beautiful messages that teach us about God’s plans and purposes for us. I testify that Christ offers Himself to us by giving us covenants, knowledge concerning His gospel, and specific protections that build a barrier between us and our enemies. I testify that Heavenly Father thought of everything when He came up with His plan, and I testify that He is purposeful in preparing us to come home.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ezra 1; 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8– Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ezra 1; 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
95 Years of Waitingby Autumn Dickson
I’m going to give you a bit of a timeline to help you follow what is going on with these chapters. The bible is not chronological, and so it can get confusing. There are different names for the same people, and different names for the same ethnicity of people. Ezra also jumps around which isn’t particularly helpful. So here is a brief timeline to help you keep track of where we’re at.
There are three main waves of Jews returning to Jerusalem.
Context: Babylonians were the ones who took Jews away from their homeland. Cyrus easily defeats Babylon, and now Persia is in charge with a more tolerant hand.
The first wave happens with Zerubbabel, a Jewish governor, and Jeshua (Joshua) is the priest who helps with the religious portion of returning to Jerusalem. This happens under Cyrus, and the temple foundation is laid. About 50,000 people have returned, and they brought sacred temple treasures with them. Opposition stalls the rebuilding of the temple.
Cyrus has a son, but he’s not mentioned much and there is simply more stalling that occurs from local opposition.
Then Darius takes over, and he finds Cyrus’ decree to let the Jews go back and build. The work resumes. It is still Zerubbabel and Jeshua who are leading the rebuilding. The temple is completed, and Passover is celebrated. Haggai and Zechariah were prophets who became involved at this stage in urging the continuation of rebuilding.
Xerxes comes onto the throne. He is also known as Ahasuerus. Jewish rapport is building in high places within Persia, and this is the king who marries Esther.
Now we get our second wave of people returning to Jerusalem. Artaxerxes comes on to the throne. He is sympathetic to Jews, possibly influenced by Esther. Ezra is part of this second wave, and he goes and starts teaching the Law of Moses again. Unfortunately, letters of opposition once again stop the work.
Then there is our third wave. Thirteen years later, Nehemiah gains sympathy from Artaxerxes. He is the cup-bearer, and the king notices Nehemiah is sad. He allows Nehemiah to go and build the wall (which affords great stability and protection to the Jews against all of the local opposition). The king even gives Nehemiah resources to do so. Despite continued opposition, Nehemiah finishes the wall in 52 days. The people celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
This entire timeline, from the first wave of Jews under Cyrus to when Nehemiah finishes building the wall around Jerusalem, occurs over approximately 95 years. 95 years of waiting. There were 70 years of exile under Babylon, and then there was another 95 years of waiting until they truly got any momentum in rebuilding their home.
Despite the decrees of kings, the Jews found their work halted again and again and again by local enemies, primarily the Samaritans who held long-standing rivalries with Judah.
And maybe that’s my message this week. The Lord is patient even when we’re anxious to reach our happy ending. Maybe we keep finding moments where we’ve finally “made it” only to have things fall apart again. Perhaps we find ourselves in the trenches, and it feels like no one is listening.
God knew exactly where His people were, and He was not as worried about rebuilding His temple as He was about rebuilding His people. After all, the temple isn’t the end-all. The temple is a tool to get to the end-all: a redeemed House of Israel.
Perhaps it’s time to realign our goals with the Lord.
I’m going to keep referring to the goal of “rebuilding the temple and walls of Jerusalem,” but you can insert whatever goals you’re currently working towards.
I’m sure it was discouraging for the Jews to face all of that opposition. I’m sure it was discouraging every time a page turned, and they thought it was “finally time.” Perhaps they kept thinking, “This is it,” only to get halted all over again. I wonder if they felt like they were taking one step forward and ten steps back.
Interestingly enough, the Lord sees the entire process differently. Where you see ten steps back, He sees 11 steps in the correct direction for His goal. The Lord wasn’t just rebuilding Jerusalem; He was rebuilding His people. And despite the fact that it likely made them feel broken down, those trials were an important part of their refining process. He was making them powerful by helping them face obstacle after obstacle.
I can only imagine how much more they appreciated their home because of how much longer it took to rebuild it, and that was really the successful part for the Lord. They had a holy city, but more importantly, He had a people who loved their holy city.
If you’re struggling to find peace in the midst of the ups and downs of trying to find your “happy ending,” might I make a recommendation?
Prayer.
Prayer is not about changing the Lord’s mind or getting yourself out of a situation. Prayer is about talking with the Lord so that you see the way that He sees. So turn to prayer; not just so you can ask Him to save you but so that you can see how He is actively working within your life. Perhaps He might even show you how the seeming setbacks are the exact stepping stones you need. He has a glorious goal in mind: you.
I testify that the Lord remains with us through the ups and downs. I testify that even when we’re doing His work, He purposefully allows for opposition because opposition is an important ingredient for His goal. He can’t accomplish His goal without that opposition so don’t despair. It’s all part of the plan. He loves you. He’s got this. He knows exactly what He’s doing.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ezra 1; 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8– Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Turn Back to Godby Autumn Dickson
Time for another Old Testament story.
Jehoshaphat is a king of Judah. He is a righteous king who worked on pushing the hearts of his people towards the Lord. He tears down idols. He seeks out the will of the Lord. He’s a good man, though imperfect at times.
At one point in time, Jehoshaphat finds himself in Israel with his ally, the wicked King Ahab. Ahab wants to go fight Syria to recapture a city that was taken from Israel. Jehoshaphat agrees but wants to consult a prophet first. After consulting 400 false prophets who declare that they will be victorious, Jehoshaphat insists on consulting a true prophet.
The true prophet, Micaiah, comes and prophesies that they will lose and Ahab will die. Micaiah is actually quite awesome, but he is a story for another day.
Despite Micaiah’s prophecies, Ahab and Jehoshaphat try to fight Syria. It obviously doesn’t go very well. Ahab tells Jehoshaphat to wear royal robes, and Ahab dresses like a common soldier. Syria immediately starts trying to kill Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat calls out to the Lord and is saved. Ahab takes a random arrow and dies.
Jehoshaphat returns home and is greeted by a prophet from his own kingdom.
2 Chronicles 19:2-3
2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.
3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
After this experience, Jehoshaphat continues to make reforms to point his people towards the Lord. Jehoshaphat was not a perfect king, but he was a good king. In the Old Testament, we read a lot about the Lord punishing disobedience quickly and strongly. There is a reason for that; the Lord is warning us about the spiritual consequences of disobedience. And yet, the Lord doesn’t do this with Jehoshaphat despite his multiple recorded failings.
We see Jehoshaphat’s weakness a few more times over his reign.
Later on, Jehoshaphat makes another alliance with Ahab’s son, the new king of Israel. They built a bunch of ships together, and the prophet, Eliezer, prophesies that the ships will get destroyed. They get destroyed.
One of the ways that these two nations were allied was through a marriage. Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram, marries Ahab’s daughter. It comes back to haunt Jehoshaphat later when Jehoram starts worshipping idols and Ahab’s daughter tries to wipe out the Davidic line.
I love the nuance here.
Jehoshaphat made mistakes, but God spares him. He has weaknesses; he keeps trying to connect himself further with the northern kingdom that is wicked and idolatrous. There are two “despites” here that teach something really important.
Despite the fact that Jehoshaphat loves God, his disobedience and lack of trust come back to bite him. He loves God, but he has to experience consequences because of his flaws.
Despite the fact that Jehoshaphat has flaws, God continues to save him. He is directly saved in the battle that he fought with King Ahab, but he is preserved upon the throne until he “rested with his ancestors.” This is a biblical phrase that suggests he died peacefully.
I see it in my own life all the time. Despite the fact that I love God, I have flaws and they come with consequences. They drive me to be unhappy. When I get frustrated with my kids or get prideful or uncharitable, I find innate consequences that come back to bite me.
And yet, despite the fact that I have flaws, God continues to save me. We just keep on trying to move forward.
As I pondered this pattern, I thought of some of the other patterns I find in the Old Testament, specifically the pattern where God punishes those who trust mankind over Him. We see examples of kings that trusted Egypt but found themselves completely fallen to Babylon. Why didn’t Jehoshaphat find himself in this category? As I pondered Jehoshaphat’s exception, I was reminded that Hezekiah is another example of this. Hezekiah tried paying tribute to Babylon to get them to go away, and he even stripped the gold and silver out of the temple in order to pay that tribute.
So why were Hezekiah and Jehoshaphat spared when they also didn’t put their trust fully in God?
There is one more verse I want to share. It’s about Jehoshaphat, but Hezekiah did a similar thing.
2 Chronicles 18:31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
What was the difference? Jehoshaphat called out to God. Hezekiah did similarly. After stripping the temple and failing, Hezekiah went to the temple and pleaded with the Lord.
When do we really lose the battle? When we turn on the Lord and don’t turn back to Him again after.
I think that’s really one of the keys to life here. We all fail. It’s inevitable. What keeps us in the pattern of Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah? We turn to the Lord again even after we failed Him. We plead to Him and ask for forgiveness even in the midst of the potentially devastating consequences that we got ourselves into.
We just keep turning back, no matter how many times we’ve failed.
I testify that we can turn to God, no matter how many times we’ve failed. I testify that this pattern is the one that really grants us success: turning to the Lord over and over and over and over. Even when we’ve failed Him, we turn right back. We trust that He will still love us, and we ask Him to help us get out of it and get better.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Chronicles 14–20; 26; 30 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Chronicles 14–20; 26; 30 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
God loves to make us work for itby Autumn Dickson
Asa is one of the kings we read about this week. He was a king of Judah, the southern kingdom. He starts out his reign really strong, tearing down idol worship and deposing his own grandmother who worshipped idols. He encouraged people to seek the Lord. Unfortunately, he also took a turn for the worse and started trusting in human solutions over God, and he died.
There is one verse in the midst of his story that I want to share.
2 Chronicles 14:6-7
6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.
7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
Asa had a time of peace during his reign, and in the midst of this peace, he built fortified cities in Judah.
Asa goes on to face an Ethiopian army, and he is vastly outnumbered. As he faces his enemy, he cries out to God.
2 Chronicles 14:11 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
The Lord proceeds to smite the Ethiopians, and they are driven back.
So here is my question…why did they fortify their cities?
Over and over and over again in the Old Testament we read about this same pattern. The Israelites (or in this case, Judah specifically), do all of the things only to have the Lord completely fight their battles.
The Lord parted the Red Sea. He made the walls of Jericho come down. He struck down 185,000 Assyrians outside Jerusalem’s walls during Hezekiah’s reign. This is a consistent pattern throughout scripture. The Lord fights the battles. Entire armies are defeated or become confused or simply flee.
So why bother even fortifying the cities?
Even in this specific story where the Lord defeats an army of a million Ethiopians, it doesn’t say that the fortified cities made a difference in the slightest. So why? Why fortify the city when the Lord defeats the enemy?
The only way I can think to explain it is this: chores.
Every Monday, our house gets totally cleaned. Bathrooms, mopping, dusting, vacuuming, all of it. Then, throughout the week, my three oldest kids are assigned one chore a day. It is usually the same list of chores that is done on Monday.
I remember watching my four year old wipe down the mirrors in the bathroom on Tuesday. That mirror went from clean to streaked in no time flat. My soul kinda died a little bit watching her make the mirror dirtier, and then it died a little more when I had to sneak back in to clean it a third time in two days.
But. I have to remind myself that it’s not about a clean mirror. It’s about a healthy, growing child. She doesn’t clean the mirror so that I can have a clean mirror (obviously). She cleans the mirror so that she learns how to clean a mirror (eventually).
The Lord paid for our sins. He paid for the sin you committed years ago, the sin you committed yesterday, the sin you’re going to commit today, and the sin you’re going to commit years into the future. The mirror is already clean.
But He still asks us to learn how to clean a mirror. Even when we’re actually just making the mirror dirtier again or when we’re cleaning an already clean mirror.
Being saved means you’re clean again, and to some extent, all of us will be saved in some degree of glory. Being saved means you’re clean, but being exalted means you grew up.
And that’s important because it determines our level of happiness.
There is inherent worth in knowing how to clean a mirror. There is inherent worth in learning how to fortify your city and do labor. There is inherent worth in growth even if it’s not actually contributing to anything yet. There is inherent worth in work even when it’s not paying for our salvation.
The Lord saves us. He cleaned the mirror. He protected His people throughout the scriptures.
But He asks us to learn how to clean the mirror because we won’t find happiness unless we know how. Some of the most miserable people I know are the ones who don’t appreciate the value of working hard. It won’t do you much good for the Lord to save you if you’re still miserable, and He’s not going to hook you up to constant happy drugs in heaven. Where do you think happiness comes from? It doesn’t really come from the mirror simply being clean. It comes from growing, and the clean mirror enables you to live with God again.
So we follow the Lord and His commandments so we learn how to be happy, and then He pays for the whole experience. He cleanses us so we can return to live with Him, and we return with the knowledge and experience required to find deep and lasting joy.
I’m grateful for the scriptures that teach true doctrine. I’m grateful that I get to watch these patterns over and over and over throughout the Old Testament. The Lord does the work, but then He asks us to grow. I see it everywhere. I’m grateful He paid the price for me to get messy and come home with the knowledge and experience I need. I’m grateful that I get to learn, through my own experience, the good from the evil. I testify that the Lord saves, and I also testify that He gives commandments for our good.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Chronicles 14–20; 26; 30 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
When You Have Nothing but Godby Autumn Dickson
This week, we find a righteous but imperfect man surrounded by legitimate reasons to be afraid. How do you respond when you’ve been backed into a corner? Let’s talk about how Hezekiah responded.
Hezekiah was a righteous king especially when contrasted with his wicked father, Ahaz. When Hezekiah rose to the throne, he threw out all of the idolatry and tore down all of the false places and altars of worship. He was reforming Judah, and he was helping them repent and turn back to the Lord.
Assyria was a superpower in the ancient world. They had just dominated the northern kingdom of Israel, and they set their sights on Judah next.
I am a firm believer that the Lord protects the righteous. It’s one of the main themes of The Book of Mormon, and yet, we see something interesting happen here. Judah is not completely protected. Assyria is able to take some of their fortified cities, and Hezekiah responds by offering to pay them a tribute to go away. In order to afford the tribute required by Assyrian, Hezekiah strips the temple.
It doesn’t work. Assyria sticks around.
One of the Assyrian commanders comes to the walls of the city and starts speaking in Hebrew so that the people of Jerusalem can fully understand the danger they’re in. It’s psychological warfare, and the people respond with silence as instructed by Hezekiah.
Hezekiah responds differently this time. He covers himself in sackcloth and ashes and goes to the temple to pray to the Lord. He prays and tells the Lord, “They’re mocking Thee. Show them who You are.” The Lord does. He slays 185,000 soldiers in the Assyrian army, and Sennacherib goes home to be assassinated by his sons.
We get to see Judah change and repent at this particular period in time. There are many good details; let’s cover a few.
Detail one. The Lord allows Assyria to defeat some of the fortified cities in Judah.
Judah was in the process of repenting. Hezekiah had torn down a lot of the idolatry, and this was incredible faith. Unfortunately, Judah had a long history of turning away from the Lord. Losing these cities was not an indication of the Lord being powerless. It was about discipline so that Judah could learn.
I actually find it really poetic that the fortified cities were conquered, but Jerusalem remained. What was in Jerusalem?
The temple.
The kingdom of Judah was being stripped down to its center, specifically to that covenant relationship that it held with the Lord.
I’ve seen this kind of repentance in my own life. I didn’t actually recognize it until a couple of days ago as I sat in my car in a parking lot. There was once a time when the Lord dismantled huge parts of who I used to be in order to make way for more important things.
Music used to be the most important thing in my life. I would drive down the highway, listen to some good country songs, and I always felt like I was on fire. It was such a strong feeling. So much of my identity revolved around music. There were a lot of reasons I was worried about getting married and starting a family, but I actually think music was a huge portion of those reasons. I didn’t want to sacrifice music.
Music was taken away from me. I stopped college to try and be a musician. I was working in the industry. I was entering competitions and playing small shows. I did it for months. Then it all collapsed a bit. I was surrounded by darkness, both within my own mind and in what I had surrounded myself with.
After being separated from that dark period, I put up a barrier between me and music. It didn’t touch me like it used to. I couldn’t write anything anymore. It was too associated with darkness.
As I sat in my car pondering this, I found myself bawling my eyes out that the Lord had taken it away. Only, I was bawling in gratitude not in despair. Music is powerful and wonderful and I don’t think I’m done with it yet. However, it had become an idol to me. I needed it taken away because the Lord had something much more important in mind. If I had kept music, regardless of whether I was successful or not, I think it would have prevented me from fully stepping into more divine callings. I wouldn’t have had room for these other things that the Lord wanted to give me.
Would I have willingly chosen children or resented them? Would I have ever had time to bear my testimony in the capacity that I do now? Would I even have been able to enjoy my role as a wife as much as I do now if music hadn’t been taken away from me?
I can’t totally be sure, but I think music would have robbed me of those things. I was that obsessed. It was an idol. I know that’s not the case for other musicians, but it was for me. It would have kept me from some of the most important parts of my life.
As I think about the beautiful life I’ve been given, it makes me sick to think that I could have missed it.
The Lord stripped away all of these parts of me that felt so important, and He left just Himself and His covenant with me. With all of the problems I had accumulated combined with the music having been taken away, there wasn’t much of me left. Just a covenant.
And the Lord upheld that covenant. He somehow got me on a mission and gave me my family. He had to remove all of that other stuff so that He could build something better with nothing but the covenant protection He had given me.
Detail two. Hezekiah goes from stripping the temple of riches to praying in it.
Hezekiah originally tried to give money over to Assyria to get them to leave, and it didn’t work. They camped outside of Jerusalem. He doesn’t make the same mistake twice. Hezekiah receives a letter telling him, “Don’t trust anyone who tells you that your God can save you. We’ve defeated so many other gods before you.”
Hezekiah had overturned altars and torn down idolatrous images in Judah; he did all the things. Now he gets to prove how much he really trusts the God of his fathers. Hezekiah tells the Lord that the Assyrians have done all of these major feats of strength and power, but Hezekiah also acknowledges that it is only the power of mankind. He continues his beautiful prayer with this sentiment.
2 Kings 19:19 Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.
He implores the Lord to show the Assyrians who the true God is.
This isn’t about saving his own skin anymore. Hezekiah’s heart has turned towards God’s glory. That is the result he wants: God’s glory.
God shows up with a whole lot of glory, and He shows Judah and the rest of the world who holds the real power.
Hezekiah repented. He spiritually up-levelled. He went from knocking down idols to facing fear with nothing but his trust in God’s covenants with Judah. He went from fear of losing his life and kingdom to simply wanting the glory of God. He stood to lose a lot in facing off with Syria, but he chose trust and it saved him.
I testify that a covenant relationship with Christ is a powerful foundation. I testify that sometimes the Lord strips away parts of us that feel so important so that He can uncover that foundation and start anew with something more powerful. I testify that spiritually maturing means stepping into trust, and I testify that trusting in God saves us. It’s not enough to keep the commandments and do the things. Hezekiah did the things, and they were SO important and necessary, but even that was not enough. Hezekiah still had to trust, and that was what turned the tides of Judah. It can turn the tide for you.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Kings 16–25 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Start HereQuestionWhy did King Josiah remove objects from the temple?
Short AnswerKing Josiah removed temple objects because many had become closely associated with pagan worship and Assyrian religious practices. Rather than rejecting the temple itself, he sought to restore covenant worship by removing symbols that no longer pointed people toward God. According to this episode, these reforms represented spiritual cleansing and covenant renewal rather than political power or religious innovation.
Key Takeaways* King Josiah inherited Judah during a period of political, economic, and spiritual collapse. * The rediscovery of the Book of the Law sparked a national covenant renewal rather than the creation of a new religion. * Many temple objects Josiah removed had become symbols of idolatry under Assyrian influence. * Jeremiah praised Josiah for defending the poor, seeking justice, and remaining faithful to God’s covenant. * Josiah’s death at Megiddo marked the end of Judah’s last righteous king before the Babylonian captivity. Continue readingThe post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Kings 16–25 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Learning to Accept the Lord’s Consequencesby Autumn Dickson
For a few weeks, two of my kids were really struggling. They would fly off the handle at little provocations. I would ask them to do things, and they would throw a fit (or throw other things). It was beyond normal kid misbehavior. I still don’t know whether it was a phase or something going on at school. I tried hard to figure it out, but couldn’t.
After trying to connect with them first, we ended up just spending a lot of time in our rooms. If they made my home miserable, they were going to spend time in their room. My normal philosophy is that as soon as they are truly repentant, they can come out. As soon as their ready to be part of the family, they can come join the family.
Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to be cutting it.
So we spent extra time in our rooms for just a couple of days. Some days, they would spend the whole afternoon into the evening in their rooms, and I would bring them dinner. There was one day where Warner tried talking to me through the door. He asked me, “Mom why are you being so mean? I’m sorry. Can I come out?” I had let him out previously, and we ended up exactly where we were within minutes. So he stayed.
There are a lot of moments in parenting where you question whether you’re getting it right. This was definitely one of those times. I didn’t know what my kids needed in order to turn themselves around and choose happiness, but I had exhausted other options so we were trying this one.
The spirit was super kind and as I walked away from their doors, a verse was brought to mind. In Mosiah 21, we learn that the Lord was slow to hear the cries of His people because of their iniquities. The Lord is perfectly loving, and He made a perfectly appropriate choice to be slow in responding to their cries.
Sometimes we need to sit with the discomfort a little bit longer in order for the lesson to sink in.
After a couple days of this torture (for them and for me), we finally started controlling our tempers and choices again. My home isn’t perfect, but it’s definitely more peaceful than it was for those couple of weeks.
This week in the Old Testament, we read about some people who found themselves in similar situations. I want to specifically talk about Zedekiah.
I want to tell Zedekiah’s story. Many of the details are actually found in the book of Jeremiah who was the prophet at the time of Zedekiah.
At this point in our timeline, the southern kingdom of Judah has been conquered by Babylon. Babylon puts Zedekiah in as a puppet king. Zedekiah swears an oath of loyalty to Babylon. Zedekiah reigns for a total period of 11 years. Around year 9, he starts rebelling against Babylon. He stops paying tribute and seeks help from Egypt. Most importantly, he ignores warnings from the prophet, Jeremiah.
Over and over and over and over, Jeremiah warns Zedekiah to bow down to Babylon. Zedekiah receives a very clear warning: submit or the city will be destroyed. Egypt will not save you.
Unfortunately, Zedekiah believes Jeremiah, but he keeps rebelling against Babylon anyway. He pays the price for it.
2 Kings 25:6-7
6 So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.
7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.
Zedekiah’s sons were killed, and he was blinded.
The principle I want to teach in this post requires highlighting a very specific fact: Judah’s subservience to Babylon was a direct result of breaking their covenants. Judah needed to repent, and the Lord sent Babylon to help them do it. Apparently, their repentance process was not quite over. The Lord was slow to hear their cries. They were not going to be immediately delivered from consequences because the Lord knew what they truly needed.
Judah was unimpressed with the Lord’s choices, rebelled against their consequences, and found even deeper consequences.
Sometimes when we’ve found ourselves entrenched in the consequences of sin, we bristle against it. We get tired and want to throw it off. We believe that surely, we’ve repented enough. We can move on. We can do what we want again. We don’t want to deal with the pain or humiliation anymore. I think of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies who almost broke their covenant and went back into battle. I think of the consequences of addiction and the continuous maintenance of keeping yourself clean. I think of people who believe it’s easier to walk away from the church completely than to try and keep working towards worthiness.
We rebel. We find consequences so that the Lord can soften our hearts and reach us. We are annoyed by the consequences, and we find ourselves in deeper trouble than before. We blame the Lord instead of recognizing His desire to help us step in a better direction.
The kingdom of Judah hated being a vassal state of Babylon. The leaders and priests found it humiliating and degrading. They did not want their consequences anymore, and it cost them dearly.
Consequences are not fun, but they are there for a reason. The Lord doesn’t hand out consequences generously to uphold His own control. No, the Lord gives them out as necessary to get us to turn our hearts around. Consequences are a gift and bristling underneath them only drags out the pain further. It doesn’t necessarily make the consequence longer, but it does drag out the pain. Let me explain what I mean by that.
Think of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. They were about to break their pacifist covenants when they saw the Nephites suffering on their behalf. The consequences of their past violence was that they needed to keep their “swords bright.” They couldn’t stain them with blood again.
The Anti-Nephi-Lehies had changed hearts. They were hurting for their Nephite brothers. The consequences were too much to bear. And then I can imagine that it only got worse when their young sons volunteered to go in their place. Can you imagine the grief that filled their hearts? Can you imagine the regret they felt over past actions that kept them from defending their sons?
The consequences were REAL.
But they accepted the consequences and let their sons go. And because this is the gospel of Jesus Christ, we get a happy ending. The sons were all protected. They performed miracles. They made their fathers and mothers proud. And what’s more? They probably developed an intense testimony because of their experiences.
The fathers submitted to the consequences of their actions and because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, their submission to the ongoing repentance process became a blessing to them and their families.
Any pain they might have felt at sending their boys off surely paled in comparison to the joy they felt at watching their sons come home as incredible, powerful, spiritually gigantic men.
Zedekiah bucked against his consequences, and in doing so, told the Lord that he still needed his consequences. He hadn’t learned anything yet.
Consequences are not fun, but I testify that they are signs and reminders of the love of our Father in Heaven. He wants us to be better because that is the only way to be happier. I testify that the sooner we submit to whatever lessons the Lord is trying to teach us, the sooner we find hope and peace (regardless of whether the lesson continues on). I testify that even if we have to carry consequences the rest of our lives, it is not a sign that the Lord has rejected you. Be patient and submit to what the Lord sent. There is a bright horizon coming.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Kings 16–25 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
The Eternal Significance of Sevenby Autumn Dickson
There are many patterns in the Old Testament. The story of Naaman, the Syrian, falls right in line with one of these patterns.
Naaman was a Syrian captain. The Lord utilized Naaman to deliver Syria. He was a good man, but he was also a leper. A captured Israelite girl resided as a servant in his home. She audibly wishes that Naaman could visit the prophet in Israel because the prophet could cleanse him of his leprosy. The testimony of the captured servant girl reaches Naaman and through a series of diplomatic relations, Naaman finds himself outside of Elisha’s door. Elisha doesn’t come out, but he does send instructions for Naaman.
2 Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
Naaman is supposed to wash in Jordan seven times. He’s annoyed about these instructions for a number of reasons: Elisha didn’t come out to greet him, the river Jordan isn’t as nice as the rivers in his homeland, and it seems like such a silly thing. Despite his annoyance, his servants are able to convince to wash seven times. He does so, and he is cured of his leprosy.
I actually talked about this story four years ago when I went through Come Follow Me the first time. I talked about how arbitrary it was for Naaman to wash seven times in the river Jordan. I still stand by the principles I taught in that post. However, I am now four years older and wiser, and I have learned that washing in the river seven times is not arbitrary at all. Seven is a very symbolic number.
In the bible, the number seven symbolizes completeness, so let’s look at this story from that angle and let’s also generalize the details just a tad so that they become relatable.
A man wants to be clean (it specifically says that he was “cleansed” from leprosy). He has to go to a prophet to figure out how to be cleaned. The prophet instructs him to “be complete,” and he will be cleansed. He is cleansed.
I think this is so cool.
If we want to be clean in our day and age, the Lord still works through the same patterns. He works through His prophets to point us in the right direction. Through his prophet, we are given instructions. If we follow through on those instructions towards completion, we are cleansed. Naaman’s story is a parallel for receiving salvation.
I was definitely mistaken in thinking that seven was an arbitrary number. However, I actually love that I made the mistake because it led me to an important realization: bathing in the river seven times is not what healed Naaman. I don’t think there was some odd organism in the river that year that ate away at his chronic bacterial infection. I think the Lord healed him for his obedience.
And isn’t that the key here?!
As Latter-day Saints, we believe in salvation through grace. Naaman didn’t actually wash off his leprosy in the river. He was healed by the Lord. It was a gift that was given to him.
But the Lord didn’t cleanse Naaman until after Naaman was obedient in washing seven times, in being “complete.”
Latter-day Saints believe that salvation is a gift; we also believe we will be judged by our actions and whether we followed the Lord. The Lord judges us, cleanses us, and gives us that gift of salvation if He judges us worthy.
We see this same pattern multiple times in the Old Testament. It was the same with the walls of Jericho. The Israelites were instructed by the prophet to circle the city seven times, and the Lord made the walls come down so that they could enter into the promised land. The Israelites didn’t make the walls come down; they were obedient and the Lord judged them and enabled them to enter into the promised land.
We work towards completion, and the Lord cleanses us so that we can enter into the Celestial Kingdom.
So what does it mean to be complete?
There are probably a lot of things to be said about reaching completion, but the first thing that came to mind in this particular moment was the captive Israelite girl.
There were skirmishes along the border of Syria and Israel. Syria would perform raids into Israel, and they would steal women and children and turn them into slaves. This is likely how she came to be a slave in Naaman’s household. She was young. Some biblical scholars believe she was anywhere from 8-14 years old. We know nothing of her family, whether they were killed or put into slavery elsewhere or whether she was simply taken away from them.
What we do know is that she was in a pagan household, and despite her youth, she believed in a prophet in Israel. Belief will take us so far, and yet, she takes it beyond belief. That little servant girl held true compassion. She loved Naaman’s household enough to want Naaman to be cured and okay. Despite the fact that Naaman might have been partially to blame for her slavery, she had compassion.
Completion does not mean perfection. If we specifically strive towards perfection, we often end up discouraged. Instead, I would hope that we strive for completion. In my mind, completion means that we become beings that mirror Christ. We have faith. We have enough love in our hearts that our actions follow suit.
That little servant girl reflected Christ. She loved the very people who betrayed her. Being betrayed enabled her to save Naaman. We don’t know if she had to work through homesickness or anger or deep depression, but we do know she loved. I think that love helped her be complete in the sense that she turned outwards and was like Christ, but I also have the distinct impression that her love healed her. No matter what she went through, that love healed her enough that she could be compassionate.
I testify that the Lord teaches us His gospel in patterns. He teaches His gospel again and again and again through His servants, the prophets. I testify that He is the one who gives salvation to us, and I also testify that doing our best to become the kind of person who reflects Him brings healing and joy and peace into our lives no matter what we’ve been through.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Kings 2–7 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
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Faith to Ask; Faith to Acceptby Autumn Dickson
One of our people from this week’s readings is Elisha. He is the prophet who was called after Elijah. We don’t get many of his words or sermons, but we do get to read about many miracles. One of those miracles includes a Shunammite woman who took care of Elisha.
The Shunammite woman recognized Elisha as a man of God despite the fact that she lived in an idolatrous nation. Elisha and the prophet before him, Elijah, both worked to address the sins of the northern kingdom of Israel, but it only went so far. Widespread problems still occurred. Yet despite the widespread sin, the Shunammite woman chose faithfulness.
She constrained Elisha to come in and eat one day. After that first time, he came in to eat as often as he passed by. The Shunammite woman takes it farther and convinces her husband to make up a room for Elisha, and Elisha stays for them some time. Because of her kindness, Elisha prophesies that she will have a son. The son later dies from a tragic reaping accident, and the Shunammite woman goes to see Elijah.
2 Kings 4:22-23
22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
Her son has died, and she wants to go to the prophet. Her husband asks, “Why are you going to the prophet? It’s not a religious day.” She simply responds, “It will be okay.”
She moves quickly to find Elisha and finds him at Mt. Carmel. Elisha sees her coming and sends his servant to meet her.
2 Kings 4:26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.
I want to draw your attention to two details that speak volumes for this woman and teach us valuable lessons about approaching prayer.
Detail one. Her husband didn’t make the connection between the death of his son and his wife’s desire to go and see the prophet. This implies that it didn’t even cross the husband’s mind to ask the prophet for a miracle. It occurred to the wife though.
How often do we pray for miracles? What is our mindset towards miracles? When something tragic happens, does it even occur to us that we can ask for a miracle? Maybe we believe in miracles, but maybe we don’t even think to ask for them. It makes me think of the quote from Elder Holland, “God is anxiously waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, just as He always has. But He can’t if you don’t pray, and He can’t if you don’t dream. In short, He can’t if you don’t believe.”
It certainly didn’t occur to the husband to dream and ask the prophet to bring back his son. This isn’t a pronouncement of judgment on the husband, but it does reflect the strong faith of the wife. She had enough faith to dream up something miraculous in response to the tragedy. When her son died, she went for the prophet to ask for help.
As I look back on my life, I think I got the concept of faith wrong sometimes. When something tragic would hit, I would often despair and think God was mad at me or I would try to press myself into faithfulness and acceptance of whatever the Lord was sending my way. Perhaps tragedy was the Lord’s way of softening my heart sometimes, and it is always the appropriate response to accept what the Lord sends your way.
But faith isn’t just about accepting. Sometimes the Lord sends tragedies (or allows tragedies) because He wants to bless us directly. It draws us to Him. He wants us to have enough faith that we feel comfortable approaching Him in humility. There is power in humbly approaching the Lord. You see His hand when you’ve asked Him for it.
My husband is super handy. I’m convinced he can fix anything, and apparently, my kids are likewise convinced. Whenever they break something that matters to them, it is placed on dad’s desk. And he does fix it. Conner often fixes it.
One time, near the end of a pregnancy, we were all gathered in the kitchen. I turned to my husband and said, “I think my water just broke.” I didn’t realize my oldest was even listening, but she didn’t miss a beat. Before my husband could respond to this life-altering detail, my daughter called out, “It’s okay mom! Dad can fix it!”
We all laughed pretty hard, but as I write this particular post, I actually find myself in tears. My kids trust their dad. They have faith in his abilities to fix things. They have so much faith that my daughter’s immediate response to the word “broke” is to call for her dad’s help. I hope that I can keep building my faith until my response is that immediate.
What tragedy or uncertainty are you facing right now? What miracle can you pray for? What’s your happy “ending” for this particular episode in your life? Have you prayed for it?
Perhaps sometimes we simply forget to ask for a miracle, and other times, perhaps we’re simply afraid the answer will be no. The second detail I want to point out can likewise help with this.
Detail two. She responds with, “It is well.”
The Shunammite woman, in the face of horrifying tragedy, responds, “It is well,” two times. When her husband asks and when Elisha asks, that is how she chooses to respond. Her son had just died but when asked if everything is okay, she says, “It’s okay.”
I don’t think the woman was trying to downplay the tragedy. I don’t think this is one of those quintessential stories where you ask someone if they’re okay, and they sigh really big and say, “It’s fine,” when it’s anything but. I believe the wife was declaring trust in the Lord.
I believe she was saying, “It’s going to be okay. I can ask the prophet to save my son, but if not, it will still be okay.”
As I mentioned before, maybe it’s hard to ask for a miracle when you’re scared of a “no.” When Elisha tells the wife that she is going to have a son, she responds with, “Please don’t lie to your handmaid.” This could signal a lack of faith, but the fact she calls herself his handmaid is significant. She is calling herself his servant. She is saying “I serve you. Please don’t lie to me if this isn’t a real thing, but I’m your servant.”
So even the Shunammite woman was afraid to ask at some point. However, turning to the Lord, even when He is going to say “no,” can still be a cathartic experience if we approach it with the right heart. Demanding a miracle sets us up for failure because the Lord won’t take away every hardship.
But turning to the Lord with a specific type of heart will always bless us. We find this type of heart in the Shunammite woman. Her heart trusted in the Lord’s ability to fix things, but she also declared that it would be fine if He chose not to. She would trust Him. We talked about the blessing of the first detail, but the second detail can be just as important.
When the Lord says no, we’re willing to say “okay.” This faith enables Him to bless us even when He won’t fix things. It is this humble, trusting attitude that allows Him to comfort our hearts with the life-altering facts that we have a powerful God who orients His every action towards giving us what’s best for us. We trust that He can fix anything. We trust that He loves us. We trust that if He chooses not to fix something, He’s got a good reason and all things will be made up to us. Even when He has told me no, I have found special comfort when I’ve responded with, “Okay.”
I testify that prayer is healing. I testify that it brings great blessings into our lives. Building that childlike faith that the Lord can fix anything is powerful in our life. It brings joy and hope. Building that faith even farther brings a mature faith that withstands even the hardest of tragedies on earth. It is the kind of faith that will carry us. It is the kind of faith that can’t be brought down because it leads one to trust that He will fix it, even if it’s not immediately. I testify that He can and will fix everything. Trusting Him soothes and carries us in the meantime.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Kings 2–7 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Scraping the Bottom of the Barrelby Autumn Dickson
Do you ever feel like you’re desperately scraping at an empty barrel? Maybe it’s with physical resources to take care of your family, or maybe you feel emotionally or spiritually drained.
Well this week holds a story that can give us the key to finding peace with our barrel.
There is a huge famine in the land, and the Lord is providing for the prophet, Elijah. Elijah is living by a stream and getting water from it, and some birds are feeding him. When the stream dries up, Elijah is instructed by the Lord to go to Zarephath where a widow will take care of him.
When he gets to Zarephath, he finds the widow. He requests water and a piece of bread. Here is where our story continues.
1 Kings 17:12-14
12 And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.
Elijah requests bread. The widow said she only has enough for her and her son before they die. Elijah tells her to get him some bread anyway and promises that if she does, she will have enough flour and oil until it rains again.
HERE IS WHY I LOVE THIS STORY AND WISH IT WERE ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS STORIES IN THE BIBLE: There is always enough in the barrel.
The widow of Zarephath chose to feed the prophet, and his promise was fulfilled. She had enough food for her and her son, and that food continued on. Absolutely incredible.
But. What did the miracle look like?
When the widow of Zarephath woke up in the morning and she lifted up the lid on her barrel, how much flour was there? Was the entire thing full? Did it always remain full? Did it empty over time and then one morning, she would awake to a full barrel again? Or…did it always stay almost empty?
Was there always a slight tinge of fear that one morning, it would simply be gone? Every night when she used up the “last” of the flour, did it prick at heart and push her to pray for another day? How long did it take for her to trust the miracle?
I’m going to highlight it again: There will always be enough in the barrel.
But even more than always giving enough, the Lord is trying to teach us something important.
I don’t know how the Lord continued the miracle of flour, but I would feel pretty comfortable guessing that it was the last option. The barrel always had just enough. If we’re going off of the Lord’s past patterns in almost everything (not just physical and monetary resources but spiritually and emotionally), we see very clearly that the Lord likes to give us just enough.
Here is my theory as to why I think the Lord chose the last option: that there was always just enough flour left.
Let’s say the Lord filled up the barrel and kept it perpetually full. There is not as much need, and therefore, there is not as much reliance upon the Lord. The widow always had plenty of flour. This is awesome, but there is an option that actually gives the widow more than just flour.
Let’s say the Lord filled up the barrel, let it empty, and then filled it up again. I don’t know how big her barrel was, but let’s say it took a week for her to empty the barrel. Once a week, the widow would go to bed with a prayer in heart that there would be more tomorrow.
And then my personal theory: The Lord only ever gave the widow just enough. Every single time the widow opened the barrel, she was praying that there was enough. She had so much more need which meant there was more opportunity to rely on the Lord and learn to trust Him. There were way more opportunities to build trust, and so the widow had flour AND she gained trust.
Some might argue it was cruel of a loving Father to not give her more flour and more security and confidence. I think the gift of trusting Him is one of the greatest gifts He can offer, and He’s very limited in how He is able to build that trust. Hence, the withheld flour.
So how does this relate to us?
If He’s withholding flour, it’s not because He wants to torture you. It’s because He wants a relationship with you. He wants you to trust Him, and giving you these repeated exposures builds trust even if it’s stressful until you figure out that He’s going to show up.
So the solution? Trust! Trust that there will be enough.
Perhaps the widow even had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to make sure there was enough, but the simple fact remained true: there was enough. Even if you’re only ever receiving enough for your needs, your barrel might as well be overflowing because the Lord’s resources are infinite. You don’t have to worry about that part. The part you should really start to work on is trusting Him.
Because even with a full barrel, there is never true security in this world. Everything could blow up tomorrow. But if you put your trust in the Lord instead of a full barrel, you never feel empty. In fact, I don’t think scraping the barrel is the stressful part. I think worrying about whether you’ll have enough is the stressful part. The real part that is killing you right now is not the physical motion of scraping the barrel; it’s being terrified that there won’t be enough tomorrow. If you can release that fear, the barrel will no longer feel tortuous. You’ll see the miracle as it is. You will see infinite resources.
If you can learn to trust, you won’t feel empty. You will rejoice and trust in His infinite resources. You will feel confident as His heir. Your barrel will feel full.
Every night, as you go to sleep, switch your thinking. Don’t ask yourself, “Will there be enough tomorrow?” Instead, recount the many times there has always been enough. You will find that the worries begin to disappear on their own.
The widow of Zarephath is one of my favorite stories because it teaches me that I don’t have to be scared about what’s in my barrel. I can look at my barrel and see the emptiness, or I can look up and see His infinite flour. Just because He’s only giving me a scoop at a time doesn’t mean I have nothing. It means I get as much flour as I need AND it means that I get to look up at Him everyday. I testify with all of my heart that there is enough for you.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Kings 12–13; 17–22 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Kings 12–13; 17–22 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
The Deadly Lie of the Old Prophetby Autumn Dickson
There are major themes throughout the stories we read in the Old Testament. Some of the more negative themes are idolatry, fear over losing power, disobedience, and corrupting influences. The Old Testament does not shy away from showing the fallibility of humankind. There is great hope in faithful stories in the scriptures; there are also important warnings in the stories of people who were not obedient to the Lord.
One of the stories we read this week shows themes of obedience and disobedience. We see people who have a connection to God and follow Him, but we also watch them choose against God and find themselves in deep water because of it.
There are a lot of details for our story in this post, but stick with me. They are important because they set the stage for our principle.
In 1 Kings 13, we read about a man of God and an old prophet. Those are the only “names” we receive for these men, and these titles can get confusing especially when you’re reading the details of the story. Though they were labeled as a man of God and an old prophet, we see their fallibility on full display.
For some quick background, Israel has split into two kingdoms: Judah and Benjamin in the south and the rest of the ten tribes in the north. The man of God was from Judah where the true temple was. The northern kingdom had fallen into idolatry. The man of God was commanded to go to Bethel (in the northern kingdom) and condemn the idolatrous practice. He does so and performs a couple of wonderful miracles as well.
The Lord warns and commands the man of God to not eat or drink in Bethel. The man of God originally follows this command very well as he works to return to Judah. Unfortunately, another man, the old prophet, comes along and finds the man of God resting under the shade of a tree. The old prophet offers the man of God some food and drink, and the man of God refuses. The old prophet says this.
1 Kings 13:18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
The man of God listens to the old prophet and partakes in food and drink. While the man of God eats, the old prophet tells him that he won’t make it home because of his disobedience. On the way home, the man of God is killed by a lion. The old prophet collects the body, gives the man of God an honorable burial, and requests to be buried next to the man of God when he dies. The old prophet calls the man of God a brother. He testifies that the prophecy made by the man of God earlier regarding the idolatrous altar in Bethel will come true.
There are a lot of confusing details. I don’t know if this was one of those parts of the bible that was translated incorrectly or whether it’s simply highlighting the fallibility of real people who sometimes follow the Lord.
Who was the old prophet? Was he an actual prophet to the Lord? He was in the idolatrous kingdom so when they called him a prophet, was he a false prophet? Was he trying to tear down the man of God for prophesying against the northern kingdom? We know that the old prophet received some revelation from the Lord. He prophesied of the death of the man of God, and he testified of the prophecy given by the man of God. So why did he lie? Was he threatened by the man of God or did he see no harm in his white lie? Was he trying to just nourish the man of God? Was he wicked but then received a testimony while he watched the man of God come and eat?
There is a lot of ambiguity. Oftentimes, I’ll try to take one biblical theory and talk about true principles from it regardless of whether the details are perfect. This time, I’m going to embrace the ambiguity.
The man of God listened to the old prophet and found himself dead because of it.
I’ve seen a pattern on social media. This is a pattern that has existed for a long time, but I’ve seen it more readily because of its prevalence on social media.
On social media (and in real life), we find people who are disgusted by the church. They hate it. They actively fight against it. Their entire online persona can be defined by, “I hate the church.”
But there is another group of people. They claim to be part of the church, to receive revelation, and to love the Lord. Some of their posts are uplifting and encouraging, but some of their posts teach things that can be found in direct conflict with the Lord’s commandments. Some of their posts might not necessarily be in direct conflict, but they are critical of the church in the name of their love for the Lord.
These people are much more ambiguous. What are their true motives? What does it mean that they call themselves members? Because heaven knows you can call yourself a member without actually following Christ.
I don’t have any real desire to discover their motives. If they are sincere, the Lord will work with them and hopefully they will listen. If they are not sincere, then the Lord can handle all of that. I don’t need to know their motives or even condemn them.
Rather, I’d like to highlight a warning from this story. The man of God died because he followed the ambiguous old prophet who had some claim to God but also lied.
I don’t think we’ll get killed by a lion if we follow these accounts, but I do think it can spiritually deaden us. It can blind us.
Isn’t that funny? The rest of the world would call us blind and accuse us of drinking the Kool-aid, and yet, either side could be logically labelled as propaganda. Both sides label themselves enlightened. Everyone thinks their version is the closest one to the truth.
So how do we know whether we can trust the old prophet? How do we know whether we should whole-heartedly follow the prophet of our church?
I can’t answer that question for everyone. All I know is that I talk to the Lord, and He responds. I can’t answer for other people, but the more I study the gospel and the church, the more I see the Lord’s perfect hand working with the imperfection of mankind. I have watched some of my loved ones listen to these posts and believe they can disobey the Lord in little ways and be fine, and I have watched some of my loved ones turn these voices off. With the experiences that I’ve had in the gospel, I have no desire to follow anyone (real or on the internet) who tells me that I can disobey the Lord. It’s not just about avoiding dying either. I have found too much joy in the protection and safety of the Lord, and I refuse to lose that joy.
I testify that being obedient to the Lord provides safety and warmth and true happiness. I testify that even in the darkest times, following Him is where we will find respite. I testify that He teaches us through powerful stories in the scriptures, and that His patterns reflect across all generations on the earth. I testify that there is safety in joy in following the word of the Lord as given from Him directly.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Kings 12–13; 17–22 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Solomon’s Sword and Crazy Plansby Autumn Dickson
This week, we get to learn a bit about Solomon’s reign. Solomon was known for his wisdom, a spiritual gift that was the direct result of a request he made as he was ascending the throne. The story of the two women and the baby is well-known and highlights this wisdom.
In the last post, we talked about how the Lord reflected Solomon’s heart back to him when the Lord offered to answer a prayer for Solomon. This week, we get to read about Solomon imitating the Lord in the story with the two women.
Here is a refresher on the story with the two women and the baby.
Two women lived in the same home. They both had babies. One woman accidentally laid on top of her child and killed the child. She snuck into the room of the other woman and switched the babies. The second woman woke up to the dead child and realized he wasn’t hers. They took their case to King Solomon. This is how King Solomon responded.
1 Kings 3:24-25
24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
The lying woman wanted the child cut in half. The true mother offered to let the other woman have the son; she just wanted him to be alive. Solomon obviously gave the baby to the woman who wanted to protect the baby at all costs.
Now, I want you to imagine being the true mother of the child who found herself in this nightmare through no fault of her own.
I don’t know exactly what she was feeling, but I think my response to this wild suggestion from the king would be this: “What?! I thought this guy was wise! Why would he do this? Is he crazy?”
I think this is sometimes how we react when the Lord makes decisions in our lives as well.
Sometimes the Lord sends or allows trials to happen in our lives. Sometimes we respond with, “What?! I thought the Lord was wise! Why would He do this?”
Throughout my life, and especially while working through sharing my testimony online, I have received this testimony over and over and over: The Lord loves me and works very carefully as He makes decisions to interfere in my life. He is wise! He knows what He’s doing! I know this testimony. I believe it. I find a lot of comfort in it.
And yet, even though I already had a testimony of this fact, I’ve found that there were limits to this testimony that needed to be expanded. When certain events have cropped up in my life, such as getting pregnant three months after having a baby, I have tried to trust in that growing testimony that the Lord loves me and is trying to give me the best of what mortality actually has to offer. Despite my desire to trust that He was trying to do what was best for me, I simply felt scared and betrayed and powerless.
I’m sure that woman was terrified when Solomon made the crazy suggestion to cut the baby in half. He was a king, and she was a harlot. I’m sure she knew what it meant to feel powerless and to have someone making decisions regardless of what was best for her.
And yet, Solomon wasn’t trying to torture her. He had very specific purposes. He was not rash or ridiculous. He was intentional. He was a mortal man blessed with wisdom to discern what was going on in his kingdom. He “sent a trial,” and it revealed the hearts of the women he was judging.
The Lord already knows our hearts, but He still sends little tests in mortality. I’m becoming increasingly convinced that He isn’t testing our hearts for His own sake, but for our’s. We spoke about this in my last post as well: He reflects our own hearts back to us.
Solomon actually needed to see the reflection of the hearts of the women so he could judge well. He was wise, but he did not know these women perfectly. He needed a way of seeing their hearts.
The Lord’s purposes are slightly different, but His methods are similar. His purpose is showing us our own hearts. Sometimes that means sending or allowing trials that allow the deepest parts of our heart to go on display. It highlights the boundaries of what we truly know and feel and desire. It gives us opportunities to expand those boundaries.
Going back to my example of getting pregnant so quickly, I felt incredibly betrayed by God. I am so miserable when I’m pregnant, and now I was going to be in that dark state of mind for 18 months with very little reprieve (honestly, with no reprieve since my body and mind still hadn’t completely recovered in between babies). I thought I had a testimony that the Lord loved me, and I did. But apparently there were limits to that testimony. This specific experience showed me the boundaries of my own testimony. It brought my heart right up to the surface where I could look at it very clearly. I then had the opportunity to work through those experiences and expand those boundaries.
Despite the fact that this woman likely thought King Solomon was out of his mind, I would guess that she felt differently after the experience. Despite the initial fear and distress it caused her, she gained a testimony that Solomon acted with purpose. By the end of this, she knew that Solomon wasn’t crazy. He was trying to be a good king and make sure that baby went back to its rightful mother.
Surely, the experiment could have gone poorly. What if both mothers had pled for the life of the baby? Yes, it could have failed, but this story is a parable. Even if Solomon’s experiments fail, the Lord’s “experiments” never have to. Solomon was a mortal man. The Lord has much more to offer in the way of helping us discern the boundaries of the testimonies that will carry us and help us get where we need to go. The Lord also has the ultimate power of delivering what will be best for us. Even when He sends or allows dark times, He has the power to help those difficult times become sacred experiences.
I testify that the Lord loves us. I testify He knows what He’s doing. I testify that He already knows our hearts, but like Solomon, He sends and allows trials that bring our very essence up to the surface where it’s noticeable. We get to find the holes and limitations of our testimonies, and in turn, we can fill the holes and broaden the boundaries until we are fully protected and constantly uplifted by them.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
What Would You “Wish” For?by Autumn Dickson
Solomon, David’s son, has become king. Very early on in his reign, Solomon has a dream in which the Lord appears to him.
1 Kings 3:5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
This is a really incredible experience as Solomon is stepping into his kingship; the Lord appears and offers to grant a prayer to Solomon. Solomon asks for wisdom and discernment in judging his people. The Lord is pleased with what Solomon asked for especially since Solomon could have asked for more selfish things such as riches, long life, or the defeat of his enemies. Solomon does none of this; he wants wisdom.
For a moment, I asked myself what I would ask for. It turned into quite the exercise as I pondered what I really wanted. Going through this experience taught me a couple of principles.
Principle one: No dream required.
I began thinking of all the things that would bless my life the most. I thought of a grateful heart, seeing people clearly, or or to see His hand moving in my life. I thought of spiritual protection for my kids. I tried to think of which spiritual gift would be the most effective for my own life.
It suddenly occurred to me that I didn’t have to wait for a dream from the Lord in order to ask for things, and I didn’t have to pick just one gift. I could ask for all of them. That’s my first principle. The Lord answers prayers regardless of whether He came to us in a dream and agreed to answer a prayer. What would you ask for? What do you ask for? What will you ask for now?
Ironically, I haven’t prayed for any of those things in a long time. I don’t think my prayers have been bad by any means, but I thought so hard about what I really wanted from the Lord and realized that those values had gotten buried by the day-to-day.
Principle two. It is powerful to have your heart reflected back to you.
The normal pathway for prayers and answers goes like this: We are encouraged by prophets and scripture to pray to the Lord, and He answers according to His wisdom.
The pathway for Solomon in this specific experience: The Lord appears directly to Solomon and essentially offers a wish.
So here are the differences:
The Lord appears directly instead of going through a prophet.
He basically offers a wish which is highly unusual (at least in my experience).
The experience that Solomon had was very different than normal. Why? The Lord is intentional so why did He make this particular choice with Solomon? Both of these differences combined to make a special thing happen. Whether this was the Lord’s intentional purpose is a question that only He can answer. However, one of the side effects was that Solomon had his heart reflected back to him. Let’s talk about both differences.
Difference 1: He appeared directly.
The Lord does not often appear when we have sufficient for what we need. For example, He doesn’t always answer “yes” to everything we ask Him about; sometimes He simply refrains from saying “no.” In my experience, He directly interferes only as necessary. Obviously, He is very involved in our lives and manipulates the details in our favor. I’m talking about when His actions would affect our faith. So the Lord is taking care of me behind the scenes and influencing things to help me out, but He’s not appearing in a manner where I can have a very clear conversation with Him.
And there are reasons for this.
Later in life, Solomon turns towards worshiping other gods, influenced by his many foreign wives. I wonder how much more intense Solomon’s betrayal was because Solomon had this dream from the Lord directly. The Lord is very involved in our life, but He also keeps direct interference to a minimum in order to protect our faith.
And yet, despite the fact that the Lord could have allowed Solomon to simply pray without receiving a dream, the Lord chose to come to Solomon to ask and offer. This extremely direct experience opened up Solomon’s heart in a way that normal prayer doesn’t always achieve. Perhaps ideally, normal prayer would achieve this, but I’m not sure that it often does.
If the Lord came to you, I have a feeling you would be much more intentional in comparison to praying in faith. As least, I would be more intentional…and because it forces intention, you get to see what really matters to you. It reflects your heart back to you.
Difference 2: He offers a wish.
If you knew you had the opportunity to ask the Lord for something that He had offered to grant, it changes how you approach what you’re asking. The Lord has already offered to answer prayers, but this is different. He offers to directly answer one prayer. It’s almost like He offered to give Solomon a wish.
When I approach normal prayer, I am very open and talk through things and ask for little things. I’m not always perfectly focused. I ask for a lot of things. When I was thinking about what my request would have been, I suddenly got extremely intentional and this wasn’t even my experience! This didn’t even happen to me, but all of a sudden I was way more concerned about what I was asking for. It gave me an opportunity to reflect on what really mattered to me. What are my values? What do I really want?
It’s interesting because the Lord already knows our hearts. While mankind looks on the outside, the Lord looketh on the heart. So this wasn’t about the Lord trying to figure out Solomon’s heart. One of the effects was that Solomon was able to take a good look at his heart as he ascended the throne where he would have power and responsibility. Not only do we pray more intentionally, it also pushes us to live more intentionally.
How did Solomon feel when he approached that throne to govern his people? How did this experience change how he approached that throne?
I have not stepped onto a throne recently. I have not received a dream or a wish, but even my less-intense experience of pondering what I would ask for has changed my prayers. And in turn, as I pray for help with specific gifts, I’m more intentional as I approach experiences that call upon those gifts.
I testify that the Lord is intentional. I testify that He already knows our hearts. I testify that He is very involved in our lives and acts with purpose. If we can learn to act with purpose as He does, we start to change more readily. Our lives become much more available to Him.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
David Fought Goliath Without Armorby Autumn Dickson
In 1 Samuel 17, we read about one of the most famous stories in the Old Testament: David and Goliath. It’s an incredible story of faith that can teach us a lot about following Christ. The fact that David saved the Israelites was a big deal, but how he defeated Goliath is likewise significant. Let’s talk about a couple of those “hows.”
Goliath taunts the Israelites for 40 days. David comes forward and offers to battle Goliath. Saul agrees, and he even puts his own armor on David. It doesn’t go well…
1 Samuel 17:39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
David tried on the armor and “assayed” to go. In other words, David had a hard time moving. David hasn’t “proved” the armor, or in other words, David has never trained with it. He doesn’t know how to fight like a soldier, only like a shepherd. So David takes his shepherd weapons, forgoes the armor, and goes on to defeat Goliath.
Let’s talk about how David defeated Goliath and what it teaches us.
Detail 1. He went up with nothing but faith in God; the armor specifically hindered him.
A couple posts ago, we talked about how Israel came to Samuel and wanted a king. One of the direct messages we pulled from that story was the fact that the Israelites were rejecting God by wanting a king. They had a King; they wanted a different king.
In 1 Samuel 8, the Israelites specifically requested a king because they wanted someone to go out before them in battle. Like other nations, they wanted a physical defender in front of them when they were at war. This is significant.
So now we’ve found ourselves in 1 Samuel 17, and the Israelites are facing the giant Philistines. Goliath goes out and taunts the Israelites for 40 days. And where is Saul? Definitely not out in front of the Israelites.
Samuel gave the Israelites their king, King Saul, and then what do you know…Saul doesn’t go out before them. No one saw that coming. Shocking, right?
When we originally read this story, it would be easy to think David was being an arrogant punk by refusing the armor. Earlier on in the chapter, Eliab (David’s oldest brother) gets annoyed with David and accuses him of pride. But this isn’t about pride (even if David possessed some of that). This is about the fact that once again, the Lord was saying, “Hey Israel! I will go before you, not some mortal king!”
David didn’t just outright refuse the armor. He put it on, and it weighed him down. David was better off without man’s attempts to fight off Israel’s enemies.
The principle is NOT this: Don’t use anything manmade or you’re faithless. Refuse medicine. Refuse gear. The Lord will protect you if you have enough faith.
That is not the principle here. Sometimes having faith is understanding that the Lord inspired man to build tools.
However, for THIS specific example, it is important that David went without armor that weighed him down. The fact that David went without armor in this specific scenario can teach us the true principle: relying on man over God hurts us. It doesn’t help us. This is not every scenario. This is a very specific scenario in which the Lord was very clearly telling the Israelites that He was their King and Defender. The Lord didn’t want any confusion about why David won against Goliath. This detail is poignant with the backdrop of the Israelites rejecting God and choosing Saul. They didn’t want God’s protection; they wanted man’s. David and his lack of armor was God’s response.
Using tools is not wrong, but relying on tools over God is wrong. The armor in this story represents the same thing King Saul represented: insufficient protection from man. King Saul did not help the Israelites. The refused armor would have prevented David from defeating Goliath.
Detail 2. David showed up after Goliath had taunted the Israelites for 40 days.
So maybe the fact that David showed up after 40 days doesn’t necessarily seem like one of the “hows” of David defeating Goliath, but in my unqualified opinion, it is.
Gospel according to Autumn teaches this: If David had come sooner, he wouldn’t have been able to defeat Goliath because the Israelites wouldn’t have let him battle Goliath at all.
The number “40” is significant. It is used to describe a period of testing and trial. Christ fasted for forty days. It rained and flooded the earth for forty days. The Israelites wandered the wilderness for forty years.
Did Goliath truly taunt them for 40 days exactly or was this the Lord’s way of describing a full cycle of testing for the Israelites? Does the 40 really mean 40 or does it teach us that the Israelites had finally reached a point of desperation and were willing to utilize a young boy to fight Goliath?
Regardless of whether it was exactly 40 days of taunting, the lesson for us is clear: the Lord allows us to go through a period of testing until we finally reach the point where we are willing to rely on Him alone.
Have you ever reached that point in a trial where you’re like, “Hey Lord, if you could show up right now, I would really appreciate it! I’m dying down here!” And then He waits even longer before showing up? Perhaps it’s not forty days for forty months or forty years. Maybe it’s just the right amount of time for your testing period. Maybe it’s the right amount of days for us to finally reach a point where we are ready to rely on Christ alone and then recognize His hand when we come out on the other side.
That second part is just as important. If the Lord doesn’t allow us to wait for the full period, we might attribute our success to something else like our own fortitude. Allowing us to wait until we feel really lost serves the unique purpose of forcing us to realize that He was the only thing that could have saved us.
Would the Israelites have let David try his hand against Goliath if they hadn’t waited their full “forty” days? Honestly, I have no idea. What I do know is this: They got desperate enough to let him try and when he succeeded, all heaven broke loose and they cheered and ran against the Philistines at the same time. Their faith had been bolstered, and for a small moment, they recognized who was standing at their side.
I testify of a Lord who teaches us about Him in incredible detail in these stories. I testify that we start to see patterns as we study these details in the scriptures. More and more and more layers come out and teach us and refine us and help us invite Christ into our lives more fully. I’m so grateful the Lord has taken me on this journey to teach me these lessons in the scriptures. I testify that Come Follow Me can change your life if you use it, and I testify that Come Follow Me can change your life because it can teach you about Christ.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Samuel 17–18; 24–26; 2 Samuel 5–7 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Samuel 17–18; 24–26; 2 Samuel 5–7 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Correction Without Condemnationby Autumn Dickson
David is one of our center characters this week as he rises to the throne and protects Israel. There are a lot famous stories this week, including the famous story of David and Goliath. However, I want to talk about a lesser studied portion of the Old Testament. It’s a relatively tiny detail, but it can teach us a lot.
David has conquered Jerusalem and brought the Ark of the Covenant there. After all the celebration, David is sitting in his palace and it occurs to him that the Lord doesn’t have a proper place of worship. David is living in a house of cedar, but the Lord only has a tent. David feels a desire to correct this and approaches Nathan about it. Nathan approves and tells David to do what his heart desires; the Lord is with him. Later on, the Lord corrects Nathan.
2 Samuel 7:12-13
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
So interestingly enough, the Lord disagreed. That night, the Lord sends a revelation to Nathan. David will not build the temple; his son will. David is associated with war, and the Lord approved much of that conquest. However, from a symbolic and theological standpoint, the temple is associated with peace and rest. Solomon’s reign was associated with rest, and so he was the one to build the temple. Nathan passes the message on to David, and David accepts this answer from the Lord.
Perhaps this doesn’t seem like that big of a deal in comparison to other scripture that we’re reading this week, but that’s actually partially my point. Making a decision all on your own and then being corrected by the Lord doesn’t have to be that big of a deal. Let’s delve in a tad deeper.
Sometimes we get really caught up in making sure we’re following the Lord. The problem isn’t wanting to follow the Lord; the problem comes when we make it a problem.
There are two fears that we can often run into in regards to revelation:
Fear one. We don’t want to do wrong by the Lord and get in trouble.
I’m not 100% where this fear comes from…probably Satan? The Lord tells us over and over and over that He loves us and wants us to try and act. Yet despite His assurances, we get nervous about doing things wrong.
As far as I can tell, the Lord wasn’t angry with David or Nathan for getting excited about building a house for Him. I would be shocked if the Lord was anything less than beaming over two of His sons trying to worship Him. That didn’t mean it was the right direction, but the Lord wasn’t mad about it.
The Lord wants us to act and move forward and do good things of our own free will. He will course correct as necessary. Which leads me to my next point.
Fear two. Even if the Lord isn’t angry, we don’t want to end up in the wrong direction.
We’re often afraid to move forward without the explicit green light from the Lord. We don’t want to take the wrong steps.
When we were looking to get a house, I was really worried about making the wrong decision. I was praying about it and praying about it and praying about it. Conner didn’t. I had a hard time wanting to move forward without the Lord’s approval, but he approached the situation very differently. He weighed the pros and cons and went over our finances. He made the best decision he could with the information he had.
And that was it.
I don’t think he prayed about it even once.
It used to worry me. I wanted him to seek out the Lord’s will more often than I thought he was, but I had an experience with him that shifted my perspective. We were looking at getting a car years and years ago. We stopped to look at this van on our way to a family dinner. I stayed in the car while he went and looked at the van. When he climbed back in, I asked if we were buying it. He answered in the negative. I asked him what was wrong with it (he’s worked as a mechanic previously), and he told me that he didn’t see anything that was wrong with it. When I asked him why we weren’t buying it, he replied, “I had a bad feeling about it.”
Conner didn’t necessarily wait for green lights, but he listened to red lights when they came along as needed.
That was the first step in a journey that changed how I approach revelation. I no longer feel held back by fear. I’m not afraid of the Lord being mad. I recognize that the Lord wants me to be wise like Him, and that requires practicing my decision-making skills like Him. He knows that allowing me to make decisions also means that I’m going to make mistakes, but He’s not worried about that. Not to mention, He’s happy to course correct as necessary. I make a decision that I truly want and think is best, and I trust Him to speak to me if I’m wrong.
That’s how I pictured the context of this particular conversation between David and Nathan. They were rejoicing and ready to worship the Lord. They were purposefully thinking of Him and trying to do good works without being directly asked. Then the Lord simply corrected them as needed.
We can move forward in faith and excitement and trust the Lord to close the door or correct us if it’s not the right path. There is no reason to be afraid.
I testify that the Lord wants us to make decisions and become wise like Him. There is no other way to do this except to practice. I also testify that He is powerful and knows how to speak with us. He doesn’t give us our agency so that He can condemn us when we make mistakes. He paid for those mistakes and stands ready to help us along. He knows how to speak to you if you’re trying to listen. Trust that He can lead you along. Be excited about the decisions before you; the Lord can turn them all for your good when you’re seeking to worship Him.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Samuel 17–18; 24–26; 2 Samuel 5–7 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
God Gives Us What We Ask Forby Autumn Dickson
In the last post, we talked a bit about how the people implored Samuel for a monarchy. They were insistent, and Samuel saw their folly. He tried warning them; he understood what they were really asking for even if they didn’t. Here is a modern rendition of that conversation.
Israelites-We want a king! Give us a king like other nations!
Samuel-Do you even understand what you’re asking? Kings take your sons for war and your daughters to be servants. They take the best of your property. They serve themselves. Why do you want a king?
Israelites-Give us a king!
Samuel knew Who they were rejecting, and he knew they were trying to replace the ultimate Defender with a mortal. The Israelites already had a King, but they wanted a different one. They insisted on it.
And interestingly enough, the Lord tells Samuel to go ahead.
Samuel 8:22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
The Lord tells Samuel to give them a king, and then He guides Samuel through the process of selecting and anointing kings. He gives the people what they want. The Lord literally just gives it to them. He didn’t directly condemn them. He literally just gave them the curse they asked for.
What I want to share today is my own interpretation of Judgment Day. I do not know exactly how Judgment Day or the eternities will look, but this is what I have come to believe thus far as I’ve studied the words of prophets and scripture. I’m sure it will evolve as I grow older, but this is my working theory.
Part (and I emphasize part because I’m sure there are exceptions to this) of Judgment Day is the Lord saying, “Give them what they want.” I think we often picture the Lord condemning and cursing and exiling people, but I think we’ve got it a bit wrong. I think people choose where they’re going more often than not. Let me give some examples of what I mean.
Woman-I refuse to be a baby factory. I won’t be oppressed like this.
Heavenly Father-Okay. I won’t force you. I’m not trying to make you a baby factory, I’m trying to make you a mother. I’m trying to save you from eternal emptiness, but I will give you what you want.
Woman-You can’t fool me! You’re just trying to control me!
The woman separates herself from what she perceives is a controlling, power-hungry god. She separates herself because she doesn’t know the true God, because she doesn’t understand what He’s trying to offer her.
It drives me nuts when people mischaracterize the Lord. Eternity is going to be painfully empty without posterity. PAINFUL. What do you even live for? Do you really think being single and childless is going to fulfill you for eternity? Sure, you’ll be fine for a while, but there will come a day when you realize that you have no purpose because there is no progression or struggle. Eternity will be hell, and you will have put yourself there. Someday you’re going to wake up and realize that God was trying to bless you, and you cursed yourself instead.
It often blows my mind how people get things so wrong, but this has been prophesied. In the latter-days, people will call good evil and evil good.
As a mother, I’ve been experimenting with how much agency to give my kids. And when I say “experiment,” I mean I get so tired of giving them instructions and being labelled a bad guy that I hide out in my room and let them go Lord of the Flies on each other. It usually gives me a small reprieve in exchange for hours of fixing the problems that cropped up while I was hiding.
If I were to let them choose exactly what they wanted, they would refuse any kind of schooling, sports, self-development, and anything else that is essential for healthy adjustment to adult life.
The irony is that for a long time, they would likely think they were happy, but I can see the misery that would come from never learning to read or work with a team. I can see the misery that would stem from watching their friends move on without them, watching the whole world move on without them. And if I allowed them to completely sink into TV and iPads, they would live there and be miserable and not even know it. If I let them take full control of their tiny-human-inclinations, they would scream at each other and kick each other, and they would turn into mean, miserable little gremlins who no one wants to be around.
I get it, Heavenly Father. It’s exhausting. It’s so frustrating to give your loved ones everything they need to be truly happy and live a worthwhile life only to be labelled bossy and mean.
Now that’s a pretty bleak assessment of my parenting right there, and it’s not always like that. Sometimes they appreciate me coaching them into better people. Sometimes I wake up and they’re making bagels for their baby sisters without me. Sometimes I watch them play games with each other for hours. I watch them control their anger or forgive each other or do any number of wonderful, mature, Christlike things. So we’re not complete failures over here, but I’ve definitely learned important lessons after becoming a mom.
I have learned that humans often love making themselves miserable. Heavenly Father doesn’t even have to curse us or send us to hell. We walk there willingly. We choose oppressive kings and empty saviors to fight our battles. We choose hell.
How much of Judgment Day will be arrogant people cursing His name because they supposedly know better? How much of Judgment Day will be people walking away from the Lord because they have Him all wrong? How long will it take for them to wake up and realize the path they took is a curse and He was trying to save them?
I testify of a Lord who is not a tyrant. He doesn’t force our hand. He is the one who gave us our agency and protects it. Despite all that it costs Him, He preserves our agency while Satan would try to destroy it and enslave us. Despite the fact that He had to pay for it with the blood of His Son, despite the fact that He is spit upon by His enemies because He allows them to, despite the fact that He gets labelled as an oppressive tyrant (ironic when you consider the fact that He is allowing them to call Him a tyrant), He protects our agency. He will let us walk away and choose those difficult lessons. Don’t choose the difficult lessons. I testify that He knows what He’s doing. Follow Him! Let Him be your King.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
by Jared RiddickIn May 2026, FAIR published two new volumes, the first of which was A New Translation of Isaiah: Based on Ancient Scrolls and Texts, edited and translated by Donald W. Parry, an established and well-published Isaiah scholar and professor of the Hebrew Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls at Brigham Young University.
I met with Don in January of this year, when he was recording an episode of his podcast “Jesus Christ in Scripture” produced by our friends at the Ancient America Foundation. As we chatted, and I told him about FAIR’s publishing goals, he mentioned the manuscript for this translation, which he had been working on for some time. I offered FAIR’s help in publishing it, and he accepted.
Over the next several months, we worked together closely, going over the minutiae of editing and typesetting, and we became increasingly excited for the book that was emerging, and the resource it would be for Latter-day Saints in their Isaiah study during the “Come, Follow Me” Old Testament curriculum this year. The result is the volume that you can see and order today, with which we are very pleased.
Shortly after copies arrived, I sent Dr. Parry a series of questions about his background and new translation, which I think you will enjoy and get you excited to take a look at the book yourself!
Get your copy at the FAIR Bookstore or Amazon today!
QuestionYou served on the International Team of Translators of the Dead Sea Scrolls, giving you direct access to the oldest surviving biblical manuscripts in the world. How did working specifically with the Great Isaiah Scroll allow you to clarify passages in this translation that have been obscured or confused in later versions?
Response: It has been a distinctive opportunity to serve as a member of the International Team of Translators of the Dead Sea Scrolls since January 1994. I was first assigned to work on the Samuel scrolls; later I worked on the 21 Isaiah scrolls. Additionally, for several years I served as a member of the directors of Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation. To your question, having access to primary texts (the actual scrolls) versus secondary images (e.g., photos or digital images) is vital to scholars. Although there are advantages to viewing high quality photos, there is no substitute to working with ancient leather scrolls! Reading the Great Isaiah Scroll in the Scrollery of the Shrine of the Book Museum, Jerusalem, was a crucial course of action in the process of translating Isaiah’s text from ancient Hebrew to English. This enhanced my entire experience as I engaged with a scroll that is 2,100 years old. I viewed several minuscule properties on the leather—creases, folds, guide and separation dots, horizontal and vertical rulings; and a multitude of scribal marks and features. Most significantly, the leather exhibited scores of paleographic elements that may be indiscernible on photographs; this is vital because a correct reading of letters and words is vital as one conducts his/her translational work.
QuestionYou’ve made a deliberate effort to update the archaic language of the King James Version—like changing “durable clothing” or “mean man” to their actual modern meanings—while retaining important ancient Hebraisms. How did you balance the need for modern readability with preserving the ancient, sacred feel of the Hebrew?
Response: The King James Version sets forth hundreds of English archaic words, e.g., astonied, beseech, besom, cauls, mirth, mufflers, rereward, stomacher, tabret, tow, wimples (see A New Translation of Isaiah Based on Ancient Scrolls and Texts, pages 15-16); inasmuch as archaic phrases may confuse readers as they seek to comprehend Isaiah, I avoided such archaisms in my translation.
In my translation of Isaiah, I have attempted to retain many of the Hebraisms and Hebrew-like expressions, including the following: “and it came to pass,” the many “ands,” the construct form “House of the Lord” instead of “Lord’s House” (there are hundreds of these), idea-amplifying plurals, ancient idiomatic expressions (even when they are rather difficult to comprehend), and so forth.
QuestionOne of the most striking visual features of this book is your identification of approximately sixty different speakers in the left-hand margins. Why is knowing who is speaking—whether it’s the Lord, Lady Zion, or the Assyrian king—so crucial for unlocking Isaiah’s closed book?
Response: Three chief obstacles to comprehending Isaiah are: (1) Isaiah’s poetry, (2) his usage of symbols (figures of speech and literary devices), and (3) his complex utilization of speakers. In the book of Isaiah, there are many different speakers, or individuals who express words.
Time after time, Isaiah (as God’s prophet, spokesman, and messenger) served as the speaker, narrator, and relater of history (see, for example, Isaiah 36–39); Isaiah also had the important role of introducing other speakers. In my translation, I offer suggestions (throughout, in the left-hand column, in bold letters) regarding who the speakers are, but my suggestions are tentative and provisional, because we are not always certain who the speaker is. Identifying Isaiah’s speakers removes one of the three obstacles.
QuestionMost readers don’t realize that Isaiah is almost entirely ancient poetry. You’ve painstakingly formatted the text into over a thousand poetic parallelisms. How does seeing these “rhymes of thought” visually laid out on the page change the way a reader comprehends the prophet’s logic and message?
Response: Most of Isaiah’s book is composed of ancient poetry, which consists of parallelisms and other blocks of scripture. Like numerous examples of modern poetry, Isaiah’s poetry displays qualities of beauty as well as a power to influence our emotions and sensibilities. In total, there are more than 1,100 parallelisms in Isaiah. As we gain an appreciation of the concept of parallelism in Isaiah’s writings, we will better understand his message and prophecies. A New Translation of Isaiah Based on Ancient Scrolls and Texts does indeed visually lay out the poetic parallelisms, thus making Isaiah’s poetry more readable and understandable.
QuestionThis translation offers something truly unique by placing the Hebrew text side-by-side with bracketed insights from the Joseph Smith Translation and the Book of Mormon. Can you share a specific example where reading the Hebrew through this lens of the Restoration profoundly expands our understanding of the ancient record?
Response: There are dozens of variant readings in the Joseph Smith Translation (JST) of Isaiah. Major readings (and many minor readings) are incorporated into this volume. I have utilized brackets ([ ]) to indicate readings from the JST and Book of Mormon. Here are two examples: (1) In the dialogue between the Lord and Lady Zion (see Isaiah 49:13-21), the words [“O house of Israel”] (see 1 Nephi 21:18) make it evident that Lady Zion is none other than the house of Israel. This Book of Mormon reading greatly enhances our understanding of this dialogue; (2) Isaiah’s prayer to the Lord is made explicit with the words [“O Lord”] in Isaiah 2:6 (from the JST, 2 Nephi 12:6). Again, this reading magnifies our comprehension of the text.
QuestionYou point out that Jehovah (translated as LORD) speaks over two-hundred times in Isaiah. You’ve also chosen to capitalize all pronouns referring to Him. How does reading Isaiah with the explicit, constant visual reminder that Jehovah is the premortal Jesus Christ completely reframe the emotional impact of the book?
Response: The fact that Isaiah presents the direct speech (the actual words) of the LORD more than two-hundred times is evidence that Isaiah’s text is indeed about Him. In this New Translation, I have capitalized all pronouns that refer to God (Me, My, You, Your, He, Him) in order to (a) reverence Him with the highest regard, by separating Him from all other characters in the text, and (b) to help the reader know when God is the speaker, thus making the text easier to comprehend.
QuestionIf someone is still feeling intimidated by diving into Isaiah this summer, what is the single most important piece of advice you would give them before they open to chapter one?
Response: Take your time, enjoy every word and every verse of Isaiah! Don’t rush through Isaiah as if it is a fictional work, a news article, or a common writing. Here is an analogy—according to one study—“museum goers spend an average of just 17 seconds looking at an individual painting—and that statistic might be generous.” Perhaps for this reason, in 2009, Phil Terry started “Slow Art Day,” an initiative that encourages museum goers to examine a painting for several minutes before moving on to the next painting. Let’s compare one’s viewing a classic painting (think Vincent Van Gogh) to reading Isaiah—rather than read a single verse in a few seconds, and then moving on to the next verse, I recommend that we search diligently (see 3 Ne. 23:1) every single verse of Isaiah before moving on. Take your time, carefully study Isaiah, and find joy in every verse!
QuestionThis volume represents the capstone of a trilogy, building upon your comprehensive commentary Understanding Isaiah and your guide Search Diligently the Words of Isaiah. How does having this dedicated, modernized translation complete the “toolkit” for a student trying to truly master these complex writings?
Response: To return to the Dead Sea Scrolls Isaiah scrolls—I began searching the Great Isaiah Scroll with considerable intensity in 1996. The three volumes identified in your Question cover many significant aspects of studying Isaiah: Understanding Isaiah (authored with Jay Parry and Tina Peterson) is a verse-by-verse commentary (imagine that, a work that seeks to explain every verse in Isaiah!); Search Diligently the Words of Isaiah presents a multitude of tools and keys to comprehending Isaiah (including his complex parallelisms, figures of speech, and literary techniques); and A New Translation of Isaiah Based on Ancient Scrolls and Texts, derived from ancient scrolls, which is formatted into parallelistic lines together with the identification of speakers.
Do you like what you read here? Be sure to grab your copy of A New Translation of Isaiah: Based on Ancient Scrolls and Texts, linked at the top of the article, and check out this recent review of it, written by Chad Nielsen on the Times & Seasons blog.
We have been thrilled with the interest in FAIR Books so far, and we cannot wait to show you what we have in store for publications for the rest of the year and going forward.
Stay tuned! And Happy Reading!
Donald W. Parry, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Dead Sea Scrolls at Brigham Young University, is married to Camille Mills, from Las Vegas, Nevada; they have six children. He has served as a member of the International Team of Translators of the Dead Sea Scrolls since 1994. He has authored or edited thirty-three books, ten of which pertain to the scrolls and five deal with the writings of Isaiah. Parry has also published articles in journals, festschrifts, conference proceedings, and encyclopedias. He is also a member of several other professional organizations, including the International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament, Groningen, The Netherlands, Society for Biblical Literature, Atlanta, Georgia, and the National Association of Professors of Hebrew, Madison, Wisconsin. Parry presently serves as a member of the Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation Board of Trustees.
Jared Riddick is the Managing Editor for FAIR. From 2015 to 2025, he was the research librarian and archivist for Scripture Central, where he established, built, and curated their digital library of over 14,000 items. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a Masters in Library Science with two graduate academic certificates in Archival Management and Digital Curation and Data Management. He received a Bachelor of Arts in History Education from Brigham Young University-Idaho. He was also an editorial consultant for Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith Scholarship from 2012 to 2017.
The post A New Translation of Isaiah: Q&A with Scholar Donald W. Parry appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
What King Will You Follow?by Autumn Dickson
At the beginning of chapter 8, we find Samuel getting older. He made his sons judges, and they were corrupt. The people went to Samuel and asked for a king. Samuel didn’t like that much, and he turned to the Lord. Here is the Lord’s response.
1 Samuel 8:7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
The people wanted a monarchy instead of a theocracy. They wanted to be like other nations despite the warnings that Samuel gave them. He warned them of all the problems that come with a king, but they insisted.
We’re not in the same situation as the Israelites. None of us are asking President Oaks to give us a king, but there are still lessons for us here. Let’s look at some details.
Israel wanted a king; they wanted someone who would rule over them. The irony here is that if you had asked Samuel whether the Israelites had a king, he would have answered, “Yes.” The Lord was meant to be their king. The Lord had a mouthpiece, a messenger for how He wanted His kingdom ruled, but He was meant to rule over His own people.
So when the Lord says that the Israelites rejected Him, He is accurate. They had a king, but they wanted a different kind of king.
There are a lot of parallels we could find in our own lives. Rather than explicitly stating the parallel, I rather just give one potential manifestation of this parallel.
The Lord has come before each of us and promised to bless us. He wants to make us kings and queens, priests and priestesses. He wants to make us like Him. He wants to shower us with warmth and promises. He wants to open our eyes and show us everything. There is so much to be had as heirs of God.
All of that sounds pretty wonderful. Unfortunately, these things don’t just get bestowed upon us. We have to grow into it.
So when we are faced with the decision of opening our scripture app or social media, we often find ourselves on social media.
The Lord comes and says, “Let me be your king. I won’t ever betray you. I won’t take from you; I only want to give. I want to show you all that you can become.” The Lord comes and warns us, “Taking a different king can be dangerous. The king will take your children, and it will take the best parts of what you have. It only serves itself; you will be its servant.”
And yet, like the Israelites, we insist on choosing social media. We choose a different king. We choose a king that robs us of moments with our loved ones. We choose a king that does have the power to take our children away from us. We choose a king that is only looking to profit itself, and we make ourselves slaves to it.
Why?? Why do we do this??
And it’s interesting. The Lord doesn’t mind if we have a mortal king. In Mosiah 29, Mosiah tells his people that it would be fine to have a king if they could guarantee that their kings were righteous. The Lord doesn’t mind if we have social media, TV, video games, or any other of these other banal activities. The Lord can utilize these tools to enhance our life and make it better.
The problem comes when we essentially reject the Lord for something pathetic. If you had asked the Israelites if they were rejecting their God, I wonder what they would have said. Maybe they would have told us, “We’re not rejecting our God. We will still follow our God. We just want a king too. Having a king doesn’t mean that we don’t worship God.” If you ask us if we’re rejecting God when we pull open something vapid instead of something inspiring, we would probably answer that we’re not rejecting God.
Perhaps that’s true. Perhaps you’re not outright rejecting God.
But have you ever tried to connect with someone who was too busy on their phone? Have you ever gone to someone for help only for them to be too distracted to love you? Have you ever done this to someone else?
Perhaps you’re not turning to that person who is seeking a connection with you and saying, “Stop. I don’t like you. Go away. I hate you.” But aren’t you still rejecting them? Don’t you feel rejected when it happens to you?
So we can tell ourselves all we like that opening instagram instead of the scriptures isn’t rejecting God, but isn’t it? He’s trying to connect with us. He’s trying to draw us higher, and we turn away. That is rejection too.
I’m not describing a world where we become monks that don’t take part in any other type of material. Social media isn’t evil. I just think it’s wise to take inventory of who is ruling us. Our phones often do this cool thing where it keeps track of where we’re spending our time. Look at your phone. Where did you spend your time today?
And as a sidenote, this isn’t a message about social media. I’m sharing an example that shows an overarching principle. What is ruling us? Is it God?
As I was reading about the Israelites choosing a king, I thought of all the pain that was coming to them. I thought of everything we would read about Israel and the trials that were coming. If they could have seen what was coming, would they have chosen differently?
If we could see what our kings would bring us, would we choose differently?
The Lord has warned us about how to spend our time. He has warned us about what to invite in and what to leave be. Who is your king? What is your king taking from you or giving to you?
I testify that there are many good things to enjoy in life, but only one King who is willing to give rather than take. I testify that the Lord knows what He is talking about in how He directs our lives. I testify that you don’t have to verbally reject the Lord to be cutting Him out of your life, and that being careful of what we choose will bless us in the long run. It may seem easier to choose something else, but it’s not.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Trusting the Lord With Your Childby Autumn Dickson
The story of Hannah is almost too much for me. Hannah struggled with infertility. She went to the tabernacle and prayed her heart out. She told the Lord that she would dedicate her son to Him. Her prayer was so intense that Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk. He tells her the Lord will grant her petition. She goes home, and it is fulfilled. She conceives a son.
Hannah kept him until he was weaned. This could have happened as early as 24 months and as late as five years old. After he is weaned, she takes him to Eli. She reminds Eli that she was the woman who was fervently praying for a child before, and then she says this.
1 Samuel 1:27-28
27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.
Hannah leaves her son with Eli. She gets to see him annually when they go to the tabernacle to make their sacrifice. This is the part that makes my heart desperately ache. I have two children who currently fall within that age group, and I can’t imagine dropping them off and only seeing them once a year. I am quite certain that it would kill me.
But Hannah had promised her son to the Lord, and she stuck to that promise. Samuel went to Eli at the temple.
Samuel goes on to do incredible things in the name of the Lord. He became the first centralized prophet to Israel in a long time. His ministry is marked by attempts to pull the Israelites out of apostasy and idolatry. He helped Israel transition to a monarchy first with Saul, and then he later anointed David and protected him from Saul. He was known as a great prophet like Moses.
When I attempt to put myself in Hannah’s shoes, I think there is really only one testimony that would bring me any semblance of peace in the midst of handing my child over.
The Lord can do better with him than I can.
Luckily, I don’t think most of us are facing a time where this sacrifice is required of us. We don’t drop our kids off at the temple and dedicate them to the Lord, but there is still a lesson here for all of us.
The Lord can do better with your loved one than you can.
That doesn’t just apply to our children. The Lord can do better with your sister, brother, friend, parent, cousin, grandchild, niece, nephew, spouse, or anyone you love. We can “hand them off” to the Lord and be at peace that the Lord can take them on a journey that’s going to be better than the one we can take them on.
What does that look like? I can think of two different ways that we can hand our loved one over to the Lord.
1) We closely follow what the Lord has in store for them.
I can think of two contrasting examples that depict one principle: I have two family members that strayed from the gospel for a while. They had zero interest in taking part of what the Lord wanted them to have.
The first relative was forced to go to church. As long as he lived under the roof of his parents, he would be attending church. His father was adamant about it. And you know what? One day, this relative of mine went to church and one of the speakers said something that reached him. He was no longer forced to go to church because he didn’t have to be.
My second relative went a different route completely. Her mother received the impression that she should allow her to stay home. This was the right way for my second relative. Because of her personality, forcing her to go would have only caused her to hate it more. It wouldn’t have fixed anything. In all honesty, it would have made things worse.
Two different approaches that teach a principle when placed side by side: We don’t always know what to do, but the Lord does. We may think we know what to do, but we have to let go of trying to control the situation and turn to the Lord for what’s going to be best for our child. If one of my children grows to hate the church, my knee-jerk reaction would be to force them to go as long as I could in a desperate attempt to draw them back. And perhaps that’s the right answer, but the key is to turn your loved one over to the Lord and follow the path that the Lord has in store for them.
Even if part of that path means letting them choose a different path for a while, it’s going to end up being the most powerful path if we’re following the Lord. Even if that path takes them on a journey like the prodigal son, that journey may be the very thing that makes them so powerful in the end. It may be the very experience they need to finally develop a relationship with a Savior who can watch over them.
Fear is natural when we worry about our loved ones, but we can hush our fears and lean on the promises of the Savior. His atonement reaches wide and far. It can turn sin into stepping stones. Consequences become opportunities to turn to the Savior. The Savior has earned our trust. We can lean on Him and let Him lead.
2) Sometimes trusting the Lord with your loved one is an internal battle.
Hannah’s path looked a little different than both of my relatives. She wasn’t trying to save Samuel. In many ways, she was simply letting him go. Sometimes that is the path we have to take. Even when our children are young, we can’t really control them. It can be easier to force them to do something when they’re little. However, even then, control is often an illusion.
As they get older, the illusion disappears and you have to hope they’re wise enough to follow the Lord.
But no matter how we hope, sometimes they take a different path.
Sometimes the Lord is going to seem rather silent on the matter when we’re desperately trying to save our loved one. That isn’t a sign that you screwed up or that He doesn’t love them; sometimes, that loved one is simply going to choose what they’re going to choose regardless of the path that you choose to take.
Sometimes turning your loved one over to the Lord means seeking out the Lord’s will for them; sometimes turning your loved one over to the Lord means finding peace in the midst of being powerless to help them (at least for a time). Even if the Lord is silent, that doesn’t mean He doesn’t have a plan. It likely just means there isn’t anything you can do to help that plan along at this point. When there is nothing you can physically do to help your loved one, you do what Hannah did. You let go and trust that the Lord has a plan for them.
Just like with Hannah’s situation, I think a knowledge of my Savior’s power and love is the only thing that would bring peace. I can’t change anything externally, but I can orient my heart towards the Savior and let His promises enable me to hope.
I testify of a Savior who does have a plan. He has the Plan of Salvation which included the creation, fall, and atonement, but He also has individual Plans of Salvation for each of us. He knows exactly where your loved one is. He has steps to take and action to follow through on, and He will do so. It may take a long time, longer than you want or even imagine right now, but the Lord’s plans can stretch that far. You can trust Him to take care of them, and you can put that burden down and rest. That doesn’t mean you don’t mourn, but it does mean you simultaneously carry the Savior’s promises in your heart so that you can keep going. I testify that He will fulfill His promises.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Ruth Had Nothing to Offerby Autumn Dickson
Ruth was a woman in an extremely vulnerable position, and she placed herself in an even more vulnerable position with Boaz. Let’s talk about it, and let’s talk about how it relates to us.
Ruth was a Moabite who followed her mother-in-law to Bethlehem. She was not originally part of God’s people, but she voluntarily chose to be a part of them at great risk to herself. She was vulnerable as a widow, and she was stepping into a life of poverty by following after her mother-in-law instead of going back to live in her father’s house. Not only did she face poor circumstances and the necessity of providing for herself and Naomi by gleaning the fields, she likewise faced potential ridicule and social rejection because of her foreign status.
But she wanted to be with Naomi and follow after the God of Israel, so she chose that sacrifice.
After spending some time in Bethlehem, taking care of Naomi and gathering up meager amounts of food from hard work, Ruth put herself in an even more vulnerable position.
Boaz, a respected and wealthy man in the area, had taken note of Ruth and took steps to make sure she was okay. After hearing about Boaz watching out for Ruth, Naomi encourages Ruth to essentially propose to Boaz. According to the direction of Naomi, Ruth follows Boaz to the threshing floor one night, uncovers his feet, and goes to sleep there. Boaz wakes up and finds her, and she asks him to essentially take her under his wing. She asks him to marry her and bring her into his protection. Boaz agrees to do so if another relative relinquishes his first claim upon her.
In order to understand the vulnerability that Ruth found herself in, it’s important to understand the context of the threshing floor. Threshing floors were not inherently evil; they were community spaces where people went and prepared their different grains to finish the harvesting process. However, threshing floors were associated with a celebratory period that sometimes got out of hand. It was a male-dominated space, and there was drinking. It was not uncommon for prostitution. Let it be known, it was also common for wealthy men to sleep there and protect their grain piles. Boaz wasn’t there to get in trouble; he was there to protect his grain. And yet, I want to highlight the potential danger for Ruth.
Naomi trusted the integrity of Boaz and sent Ruth anyway. Beyond just protecting her, here is an extra thing that Boaz did for her.
Ruth 3:14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
So Boaz protected her in every sense of the word. He could have taken advantage of her and probably gotten away with it. He could have thrown her to the wolves and ruined her reputation. As an outsider, she already faced scrutiny. She could have been branded a loose woman and made herself ineligible for future marriage. Regardless of whether it’s just or moral that he had the power to do this is a question for another day. The fact remains that he did have power to do so, and he didn’t. Not only did he avoid taking advantage of her, he also protected her from potential shame.
If we generalize some of these ideas, we might find some personal parallels in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Here are a couple of reflections.
1) Boaz didn’t actually have a responsibility to take care of Ruth.
It is important to note that Boaz didn’t have to legally take care of Ruth. In ancient Israelite custom, a brother of the dead husband would marry the widow and buy the land to keep the inheritance in the family. Boaz was a more distant relative. He was eligible but not required. It wasn’t expected of him. In fact, the relative who was closer to her wanted the land but refused when he found out he would also inherit Ruth.
Boaz married Ruth. He went above and beyond what was required of him to protect her.
And how poignant is that?
Christ was eligible to save us but not obligated. He chose to do it. He wanted to protect us.
2) She had nothing to offer Boaz except loyalty and need.
Boaz didn’t reap any benefit for marrying Ruth other than receiving her love and gratitude. Even beyond the fact that he didn’t have a legal obligation, he was essentially bringing on “dead weight.” I understand that sounds heartless, but let me expound.
Boaz had the option of marrying advantageously. He had to pay to get the land that had belonged to Ruth’s previous husband; it didn’t just come to him. He could have married someone that would have contributed to his own wealth or social standing without any complications of marrying a foreigner. Not to mention, any children he had with Ruth would be considered heirs of her first husband. That’s why the other relative had refused. It endangered his personal estate. Boaz was willing to pay the price for kindness.
Obviously Ruth had value as a human being. However, when she is logically compared with other options, she isn’t bringing much to the table.
Sound familiar? We hold very limited benefit in the traditional sense. Even as long-term investments, the Lord gives us everything we have and then gives us more when we try to serve Him. We don’t offer much. And yet, Christ knows the value of being loved in return. Boaz recognized a woman who would add much more to his home despite the costs. He watched her love Naomi, and he knew that she would be the kind of person that brings joy.
Christ is willing to pay the price of kindness, and He recognizes that investments don’t necessarily bring joy. Our loyalty and gratitude and willingness bring joy.
3) And then, of course, the point I highlighted before: Ruth was vulnerable and Boaz protected her.
Ruth could have been ridiculed and rejected. She was already prone to it because she was born a Moabite. It became that much more dangerous when she voluntarily chose to approach Boaz on the threshing floor.
Someday we will stand vulnerable before the Lord. Someday we will live in a time where secrets are shouted from the rooftops. What secrets are you worried about? What do you want protected and kept private?
I testify of a Lord who “forgets” our sins when we repent. I believe in a Lord who is willing to cover for us and take us under His protection. I believe in a Lord whose name is so powerful that we don’t have to fear rejection and ridicule. He covers us when we approach Him in faith and humility. He doesn’t despise our weakness; He honors it by taking it upon Himself.
I testify of a Lord who pays the price of kindness and simply wants our love in return. It brings Him joy. Do not withhold it from Him. Do not withhold yourself from Him. He loves you.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
God’s Mercy With Gideon’s Doubtby Autumn Dickson
The book of Judges records a time period in which Israel had no centralized prophet. There was apostasy and partial restorations as the Israelites would sway into worshipping like the Canaanites did. The Lord sometimes sent judges to help Israel against their enemies. These judges were charismatic, military leaders. Some of the judges would save all of Israel; other judges were more regional.
Gideon was one of these regional judges, primarily protecting Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Ephraim.
Gideon is interesting because he struggled with his faith in the Lord, and yet, the Lord was merciful. There are plenty of instances in the scriptures where the Lord doesn’t seem to respond to that very well. Right after the Red Sea parted, the Israelites demanded a sign of Moses to show his favor with God. They were complaining and challenging Moses to show a sign. The place was named Massah as a memorial to their lack of faith. When Zechariah was told that his wife would have a son, he didn’t believe it because she was old. He was struck as a mute. Thomas the apostle was likewise rebuked for his lack of faith.
Gideon receives not just one, but multiple signs from the Lord. The angel burns up his offering to the Lord. His blanket is covered with dew while the ground is dry one night; his blanket is dry while the ground is wet one night. As he stands in the camp with his 300 men to go against the Midianites, the Lord encourages him to go spy on the Midianites and see what they’re saying in order to receive comfort. He does so and overhears a Midianite sharing a dream in which a barley loaf came and flattened a tent. The Midianite’s companion interprets it as God helping Israel defeat them. Here is Gideon’s response.
Judges 7:15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
Multiple signs! God continually blesses Gideon and gives him signs to encourage him along. In fact, Gideon didn’t even ask for the last sign. The Lord just gave it to him, and He gave it to Gideon in a powerful way. It would have been one thing to send a dream to Gideon about defeating the Midianites. It would have been easy for Gideon to wonder if it was just wishful thinking. In comparison, hearing the mighty Midianites have a dream and interpret it as defeat by the Israelites was much more powerful in calming Gideon’s fears.
So why did Gideon get multiple signs while others seem to be rebuked for asking for the same thing?
I think there are a lot of reasons because the Lord works according to individual circumstances, but I want to talk about two potential reasons that can be applied in our own lives as we work to approach the Lord.
The first reason the Lord was willing to work with Gideon is because the Lord is wise enough to understand that Gideon didn’t have much of a relationship with the Lord. The fact that his father had a Baal altar implies that Gideon’s family had fallen into idolatry. How much did Gideon know about God? We know Gideon had some knowledge of God because he asks about the deliverance from Egypt, but how much had Gideon experienced God? There’s a difference. How much could the Lord reasonably expect Gideon to trust Him? The Lord knew Gideon, but did Gideon know the Lord?
The Lord isn’t looking for blind, obedient dogs. He is looking to have a true relationship with us. The fact that Gideon was cautious about running into danger isn’t a sign that Gideon is faithless; it is more an indication that Gideon did not yet know the Lord.
So what does this teach us about our own lives? The Lord will not begrudge us the time it takes to learn how to trust Him; He doesn’t mind allowing us to approach Him until we’ve built up a number of encounters and start to understand His character.
David fought off two wild animals before he fought off Goliath. We recently read about Moses whose trust in the Lord was extremely fragile in the beginning; Moses grew to the point where he encouraged the Israelites to have faith in the face of certain death even though he did not yet know the plan for rescue. The Old Testament gives us a front row seat to watching people experience the Lord and grow in their trust of Him.
In contrast, imagine a powerful stranger coming up to you and saying, “Trust me.” When you ask them why you should trust them, they respond with, “Because I told you to.” Um…what? You may not immediately hate them or be wary of them, but you’re not going to give them your darkest secrets or social security number (or hopefully you won’t…).
The Lord understands that He is a stranger to us; He is the one who put the veil there. He understands that we need experiences with Him before we’re ready to run into danger when He asks. Once again, He isn’t looking for blind, obedient dogs. He wants His children to be wise and consciously and voluntarily choose Him.
He gave Gideon experiences because Gideon likely hadn’t had many previously. He was patient with Israel. He was patient with Moses. The Lord has no problem being patient. If He seems impatient in specific scenarios, we can usually assume it’s for the benefit of the person He is working with. He is trying to get their attention or get them moving.
Which leads me to my second reason: The Lord allowed Gideon to approach Him multiple times for signs because Gideon’s heart was soft.
Over and over and over and over and over we read about the Lord responding with intensity in response to a hard heart and responding with mercy and encouragement to a soft heart. Gideon’s heart was obviously soft. Look at this verse.
Judges 6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
Gideon approaches the Lord so humbly. When the angel gave him a sign, Gideon immediately built an altar unto the Lord. That night, Gideon went and took down the altar of Baal according to the direction of the Lord. We see this multiple times with Gideon. He approaches the Lord in humility and asks for help knowing the truth. Gideon was willing to follow the truth and power and peace; Gideon was just trying to make sure he was looking in the right direction before moving forward.
It is only when we’ve closed our heart off to that truth and power and peace that the Lord shakes the earth to reach us.
I think of the Egyptians that saw all the same signs as the Israelites but didn’t bother to ask whether they should follow after the same God as the Israelites. I think of Rahab and her people. The Canaanites were all terrified, but it didn’t change who they put their faith in. Only Rahab was willing to follow the Israelite God and was spared because of it. You would think that people would open their eyes and ask, “Is there something here?” You would think that they would pause long enough and open their hearts so that the Lord could speak to them.
Gideon asked, but Gideon was likewise prepared to follow through. This was part of why the Lord was so willing to encourage him along.
I testify of a Lord that responds with wisdom. He knows what He is doing. He will not condemn us for approaching Him for reassurances if we’re doing so with the intent to follow after Him. He doesn’t even condemn us when we struggle; His intensity is not a sign of condemnation. It’s a sign of God’s love in trying to reach us! However the Lord is working in your life, you can take it with the perspective that He is trying to do what’s best for you. I’m grateful for a Lord who is wise and can train me so purposefully and deliberately.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
What Does it Mean to be a Prophetess?by Autumn Dickson
In a day and age where many are curious as to why women can’t hold specific positions in the church or be ordained to priesthood offices, reading about Deborah the prophetess can be confusing. Here is a verse that describes her as a prophetess.
Judges 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
If Deborah can be a prophetess, can we have a prophetess in our day? What does it even mean that she was a prophetess and what are the implications for women in the latter days?
I think it’s important to note that I’m not an official representative of the church. However, I’d like to share some of my own perspectives and interpretations surrounding Deborah and what it means as a female Latter-day Saint.
But first, some context.
Judges is a book of scripture that describes the time period when Israel had no king. Joshua, the prophet after Moses, died, and there was no prophet that directly succeeded him. We don’t know exactly how long it took before the Lord called another centralized prophet (Samuel), but educated guesses suggest 300-450 years.
As a society, they had the Law of Moses, and the government could be described as a tribal confederation. Despite having a law given unto them from God, they often fell in with Canaanites and found themselves in varying levels of apostasy.
Sometimes, in response to the Israelites finding themselves in trouble, the Lord would send a “judge.” The way that we define “judge” is not necessarily accurate in this particular book of scripture. In this context, a judge was a charismatic military leader that would help Israel. There were some major judges such as Samson; there were other minor judges that would help regions rather than the entire nation of Israel.
So who was Deborah?
Deborah was one of the major judges sent by God to help Israel. She was a judge in every sense of the word. She was a military leader, but people also literally went to her for guidance to settle their problems. She was also a spiritual leader over the nation of Israel.
Was she a prophet? The scriptures describe her as a prophetess, and she led all of Israel politically and spiritually. But was she a prophet in the way that we define “prophet” in our day?
At this point, I think it’s important to clarify what it means to have a prophet.
Definition One. The way that we usually define “prophet” in our church in the Latter-days is unique. It’s not just someone who studies the scriptures and knows them really well. It’s not just someone who receives revelation. When Latter-day Saints speak of prophets, we are often describing the man who has the authority to speak for God on behalf of the entire church. He is the only one with spiritual jurisdiction to lead (under Christ) the church. He holds all of the priesthood keys.
And yes, he is a male.
We don’t know if that will ever change. I don’t know if it’s doctrine that means this particular role will always be male, or if someday the Lord will use His unchanging love and wisdom to adapt His church according to circumstances as He has throughout the course of history.
But there is also a broader definition of this term, “prophet.”
Definition two. Anyone can have the spirit of prophecy which is defined as a “testimony of Christ.” We know that Jerusalem had centralized prophets in ancient times as well as lesser “prophets” who would also be sent by the Lord to teach and call upon people to repent. I am not a prophet in the sense that I hold all the priesthood keys or can define doctrine on behalf of the Lord for the entire church. However, I have come to view myself as a prophetess within my own family. Beside my husband, I lead our home. I receive revelation on behalf of our kids and what we need to do. I learn the will of the Lord for our family. I fulfill so many of the “prophetic” responsibilities often associated with prophets; I simply do it within the context of my own family. Most importantly, I am a witness of Christ to my family.
What kind of prophetess was Deborah? With the information we’ve been given, I feel pretty safe assuming she was the second kind of prophet. The Lord had declared that priesthood responsibilities would go through male descendants of Aaron and the tribe of Levi. Deborah was not ordained nor did she hold any keys.
So Deborah was a prophetess but not necessarily how we often define it in our day.
Perhaps there are some who are disappointed by this news. Perhaps there are some who hoped that because Deborah was a prophetess, we could have one in our day. Perhaps there are some who cling to the idea that things will change and long for the day to see a prophetess lead the church. I don’t know whether that will be a thing. If anyone has any insight into that particular doctrine, feel free to comment. But as far as I know, we don’t know.
Here’s what I do know.
Deborah doesn’t need to be disappointing. In fact, if we understand her properly, we should be exultant. If we understand what the Lord would like to bestow upon His daughters and His sons, then we would hold no fear. Deborah is excellent proof of what the Lord would have all of us do.
Deborah may not have been a prophetess in the modern sense of the word, but guys! She was still a prophetess! She was a national leader, and people followed her. She changed Israel. She made a difference. She has been regarded with respect by millions who learned about her generation after generation.
And she didn’t need the priesthood keys to do it.
The Lord is wonderful and wise and set up a priesthood organization with offices and keys. I know that can be a painful sticking point for some. I understand that. I’m personally grateful for this organization, but I can simultaneously understand why it’s painful. But that’s not really my point today.
My point is that you have all that you need to become everything God wants you to become, and He has much more in mind for you than you have for yourself. This has implications for men too. About 3-5% of men will hold priesthood keys at any given time in the church. That number jumps to 10-20% of men who will hold priesthood keys at some point in their lifetime.
BUT YOU DON’T NEED KEYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CHANGE THE WORLD.
No one came to Deborah and ordained her as a prophetess. The bible doesn’t tell us how she rose to that role, but I have my guesses as to how it happened.
It happened because she was a faithful daughter of God who chose to follow the Lord wherever He chose to lead her.
Following the Lord and handing your life over to Him in faith (female or male) does not mean you will be recorded for people to pore over your life story for generations to come. It doesn’t mean you’ll be famous or even particularly loud. But if that’s what you’re looking for, then you’re in the wrong place anyway.
I love the example of Deborah, if for no other reason than her story means that I can be a powerful tool for the Lord regardless of what mankind recognizes in me. Regardless of whatever official roles I’ve been given, I could part seas or change lives. Really what it comes down to is what the Lord wants for me and what He’s trying to teach me. Having enough power to change the world isn’t really the question here; the Lord will give me everything I need. The true question is whether I will give my life over to Him in whatever capacity He asks.
I have as well as I can, and I love my life.
I testify that we have everything we need to do everything the Lord wants us to do and become everything He wants us to become. I likewise testify that He has much more in mind for you than you have for yourself. If you (female or male) feel left out because you can’t be or aren’t a bishop, then hold tight. The Lord has much bigger plans for you. He loves you so much. You are so important to Him. It would be silly to ask more from Him when He already plans on giving you everything that He has.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Rahab: From Prostitute to Type of Christby Autumn Dickson
How could I not take some time to speak about Rahab? She was incredible. Here is our introduction to Rahab.
Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
Rahab was a prostitute who hid Israeli spies as they were coming to look at Jericho. In exchange for hiding them, she asked them to spare her and her family. They gave her a red cord to put in the window, and all of Jericho was destroyed except for her and her family.
In order to understand precisely why she was so great, it’s important to understand the background she was born into.
Jericho was getting utterly destroyed. There have been times throughout history where the Lord helped His people conquer without utterly destroying everything. Jericho was not one of those times. The land of Canaan was “full” of sin to the extent that destruction was necessary. It was so filled with misery that it needed a clean slate.
Except for Rahab.
The fact that she’s a prostitute during this time period isn’t unsurprising. What she’s had to go through is not a sign of her moral failings but of her society failing her. We can see the type of person she is from her reactions.
She is willing to follow the Lord after hearing the testimony of others.
She wants to save her family, not just herself.
She utilized her circumstances for the Lord’s work.
These are not the only reasons Rahab is incredible. The fact that she married is also amazing when you learn what trauma she likely accrued because of her circumstances. This is not a comprehensive list of her good qualities, but I specifically chose these ones. These qualities are what make her like the Savior.
Rahab is a type of Christ. Let’s talk about a couple of things in her life that reflect the Savior.
1) She is willing to follow the Lord despite what the society around her is doing.
Rahab could have been blinded by her own society. She could have followed what everyone else was doing and simply been afraid. Imagine if the rest of the Canaanites had the heart that Rahab had. Imagine if all of them had approached the Israelite army and were like, “We heard how your God protected you and took care of you. We would like to follow Him too.” Imagine if all of us were able to look at what was going on around us and be willing to follow a better way.
The Jews were not especially righteous when Christ came to fulfill His mortal ministry. In fact, many of them were evil. If Christ had been born to any other nation, they would have recognized Him as God. Some of the Jews of this time period were too wicked to see Him for what He was. Jesus broke a lot of their made up rules. He followed the Law of Moses perfectly, but He broke a lot of the rules that they had built up around that law. He looked at society and knew there was a better way to live.
2) She wants to save her family, not just herself.
Rahab could have followed the spies out. Perhaps that would have been easier than sitting in her home and hoping all the soldiers followed the direction to spare her. We don’t know all the reasons why Rahab stayed, but we do know she sought out her family and brought them into her home where they could be protected too. She cared enough about her family that she sought saving them too. Maybe she even felt that being saved wouldn’t be worth it if her family couldn’t be saved too.
Christ’s heart also pushed Him to look beyond Himself. Christ is the only One who was perfect enough to go to heaven. He could have come down here, lived perfectly, and gone on to live in heaven forever, but He loved us too much. He put Himself through difficult things in order to save us too. He was concerned with saving His family. He obviously didn’t think heaven was going to be good enough without us despite our many failings. He loved us, and looked beyond Himself.
3) She utilized her circumstances for the Lord’s work.
It was actually important that Rahab was a prostitute. With all of the tension in the air from the Israelite army, it would have been difficult for the spies to get into Jericho. Because she was a prostitute, it allowed them to enter into the city. It wasn’t as uncommon for strangers and foreigners to visit brothels in comparison to visiting repectable houses. Not to mention, Rahab’s house was within the city wall and allowed them to escape.
Now, the fact that she was a prostitute did not mean that the spies went undetected. Somehow, the residents of Jericho noticed the spies and they came knocking. Rahab hid them on the roof before helping them escape. This is actually also an important reflection of Christ.
Only Christ was in the correct circumstances to save us. Because of His birth, He held power that no one else had. He had the ability to save us because of His circumstances.
But, it was still ultimately His decision to save us.
Rahab’s circumstances put her in an ideal situation to save her family and help the Lord’s work, but her choices and faith were absolutely key as well.
Sometimes our circumstances make it difficult to believe that we could ever be like Christ. Sometimes what we’ve been through or are currently going through make us think that we can’t serve. Sometimes our circumstances are the very things that put is in a position to be like Christ.
I testify that like Rahab, we are all given opportunities to be like our Savior. I also testify that like Rahab, following the Lord and His prophet will ultimately save us. It doesn’t matter where we started; we can make choices that will put us in line with the Lord’s people. He can save us, and He can utilize us if we’re willing to leave our old lives behind.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Joshua 1–8; 23–24 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Joshua 1–8; 23–24 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Why They Marched Around Jericho 7 Timesby Autumn Dickson
The Fall of Jericho is epic for many reasons. There are a lot of details that we could talk about that would teach us about the Savior, but let’s just cover a few.
Jericho was a large city that was meant for the Israelites. The Lord was helping them gain their land one bit at a time. When Jericho saw the Israelites coming, they closed their gates and settled in for a siege. The Lord commanded the Israelites to circle the city every day for six days. Then on the last day, they were to do this.
Joshua 6:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
I can’t speak for the whole of the commandment (walking once a day for six days); I would need to study it further. However, I want to talk about the last day. The Israelites were to walk around the city seven times, trumpets would blow, and the people were to start yelling. They did so, and the walls fell. The Israelites flooded in and took the city. No one was spared except for Rahab and her house because she had helped the Israelites.
It is significant that the Israelites had to walk around Jericho seven times. Seven was a symbol of the covenant, and it was also symbolic of fullness or being complete. Jericho was the promised land; the Israelites needed completeness.
In the New Testament, the Lord commands His people to be perfect. Perfect was a translation from the word “teleios,” which has an alternate translation. It also means “end” or “complete.” The Savior might also be commanding His people to reach their full spiritual maturity in comparison to going constantly without error.
I find it beautiful that the Israelites needed to symbolically be “complete” in order to enter the promised land. I also find it beautiful that their completeness didn’t make the walls come down. They needed to keep the commandment to go around the city seven times, but that’s not what brought them into the promised land. Here is another important verse.
Joshua 6:16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.
The walls hadn’t fallen down yet when Joshua said this to the people, and yet, Joshua is speaking as though it already happened. “The Lord has given you this city, so shout!” Joshua knew the promises of the Lord were good for the money. He had no doubt that the city was their’s, and it reflected in the way he spoke to the Israelites.
So what do we learn from this?
The Lord was the one who brought them into the promised land, and He did so after they had become complete.
The Lord is the one who brings us into heaven, and He does so “after” we are complete.
I use quotation marks because “after” is a bit relative. There are many aspects of heaven that we already get to enjoy: family relationships, peace, freedom from past sins, and many more. In some ways, the Lord has already allowed me into heaven. I know that those blessings are a direct result of His atonement, and yet, He still wants me to walk towards completion. It is only when we have become complete, that we can truly enjoy heaven.
For example, in my imperfection, I am still working on fully appreciating the most important things in order to bring more heaven into my life. Because of my insistence on completing tasks, I often prioritize my to-do lists over my relationship with my kids. It is very difficult for me to set aside these tasks that I make monumentally important in my life, and my ability to feel heaven suffers. I inadvertently start to view my kids as obstacles rather than the treasures that they are, and my happiness lessens because of it. I get irritable and don’t treat them as good as they deserve, or I simply don’t go out and be with them.
Becoming complete isn’t about never losing my temper again, though that’s a nice side effect. Becoming complete is about spiritually maturing. It means taking a step back often enough that I change. I change to value my kids the way that Heavenly Father values me, and as I do that, I find more happiness than I could ever find within my completed tasks. It means that I become the kind of person who no longer feels a need to yell; it’s much better than trying the perfectionist route.
As I walk towards completeness, I gain more and more access to the promised land. This is not because I’m taking a hammer to the walls. I just work towards spiritual maturity, and the Savior is the one who actually delivers the promised land. He is the only one who can offer the promised land. We can’t get it ourselves; it has to be given to us. And yet, the Lord still asks us to walk towards completeness. He does this because it’s no use being in the promised land if we’re all keeping ourselves from being happy through our own values and choices.
The Lord asks us to keep His commandments and change towards completeness, but keeping His commandments doesn’t earn heaven. It enables us to appreciate the heaven that He is delivering to us.
The Old Testament is cool. The scriptures are cool. The Lord knows exactly what He’s doing as He tries to teach us about the reality of the Plan of Salvation. The more I study the scriptures, the more I see that He knows what He’s doing.
I testify that the Lord knows us. I testify that He is the One who delivers heaven through His sacrifice. He gives it to us. It’s a gift. He simultaneously pushes us and gives us commandments because He knows our growth is essential for our happiness. We can’t enjoy His gift unless we become like Him. I’m grateful for His sacrifice, His commandments, and His support every step of this process. I’m grateful He loves me enough to work this hard for my joy and benefit.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Joshua 1–8; 23–24 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
The Promised Land You Can’t Enter Yetby Autumn Dickson
In the chapters this week, Moses is led to the top of a mountain where he is shown the promised land.
Deuteronomy 34: 1, 4
1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan…
4 And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
Interestingly enough, despite the fact that the Lord led him there to show him the promised land, Moses wasn’t allowed to go into the promised land because of prior disobedience. He had led the Israelites out of Egypt and across the wilderness. It had not been easy. At one point, Moses had even asked the Lord to kill him rather than deal with the Israelites anymore. Moses suffered plenty of hardship, and he learned many great and important lessons.
But despite this, Moses was still not allowed to step foot in the promised land. The Lord held true to Moses’ consequences for disobedience. According to modern revelation, Moses was translated and taken up to the Lord before the Israelites entered the homeland that was meant for them.
Details are always key. One of the details this week is the fact that Moses was taken up into a mountain where he could overlook the promised land that he couldn’t enter. Mountains in scripture are often compared to temples. Holy things often take place on the tops of mountains, and the Lord gives knowledge and power to some of His children in the tops of mountains. Hold that thought.
I wonder how he felt looking over the lands that were meant to be the inheritance of the Israelites. Did it hurt him that he would not be joining them or had he come to terms with the consequences that had been laid out for his disobedience? Did it hurt to see what had been meant to be his inheritance? Did it hurt to see the promises of the Lord that he would not be receiving?
Whether it hurt or not, I can assure you that it no longer hurts Moses. He was translated, and he ended up in a different promised land than he had pictured or seen on the top of that mountain. It was a better promised land. Yes, Moses is just fine.
I have found a surprising pattern in my life. I have multiple friends who dislike the temple, not because they don’t agree with what happens there, but because they can’t see the promises of the Lord being fulfilled for them. I have friends who have faced infidelity or family members who don’t want to participate in ordinances in the the temple. Going to the temple and hearing the promises that were meant to be theirs doesn’t feel particularly good. It is painful to hear about it and desire it deeply and not have current access to it.
I fully recognize that I have not been in their shoes, nor do I understand what it’s like to feel barred from those promises. Even as I share my testimony of these things, I fully own that I dont understand what it’s like to have to come to terms with feelings like that.
But sometimes objectivity is precisely what is needed. Strong emotions can be so overwhelming that it’s difficult to see the end from the beginning.
So let me testify of the end.
Moses did not enter into that promised land here. He could see it. He was so close, but it was something that wasn’t available to him.
I promise you that he’s okay. More than that, I promise that he is far more than okay. The Lord has taken care of Moses beautifully.
There are two specific promises I want to testify of if you are facing the same problem as Moses or my friends. If you feel that there is no happy ending in sight, these are the promises I want you to hold to.
Promise one. There is a promised land available for you even if it feels like mortality is barring you from in it one form or another. Mortality is not strong enough to keep you from your Savior’s ability to give you a joyful existence. He is mighty to save. He can take care of you. You are not actually barred from those promises.
And in all honesty, you don’t even have to wait to step foot in the promised land.
Moses’ disobedience was what kept him from the promised land, and even his own disobedience didn’t ultimately keep him from eternal joy. If you feel innocently barred, then Satan is lying to you. Christ can offer peace and comfort right now. You can go to the temple and listen to the promises and cling to them. Find comfort in them. You don’t have to know the how in order for those promises to take affect in your life. Those promises ARE for you even if you don’t know exactly how they will look.
And if you don’t feel strong enough to cling to those promises, He has the power to bring peace even when it’s illogical. You can go to the temple and call upon the blessings He promised you there. You can tell Him, “I’m here. I came like You asked. Can you help me feel peace?” And then allow Him to offer peace. Allow Him to comfort you.
Unfortunately, sometimes promises of joy feel empty without our loved ones who refuse their own promises.
Which brings me to promise two. The Lord can take care of those around us, just as He can take care of you.
Elder Orson F. Whitney, an apostle, taught this:
The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught a more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return.
I don’t believe the sealing power only applies to children. There is a reason we all get sealed together; I believe this likewise applies to spouses who have chosen to stray. The Lord has a plan for everyone who ever lived upon the earth to be sealed together. That sealing power is so strong.
And in the meantime, He will sorrow with you. He knows what it’s like to watch loved ones stray. He cannot force them to come back, but He knows how to succor you in your pain. He knows exactly how you feel, probably even stronger because His love is deeper. Take comfort in the fact that He has found eternal joy and hope. You can too.
Looking at the promised land doesn’t have to feel painful. I testify that if Moses had seen what was coming for him, any sting from being barred from the promised land would have been soothed. It would have had no power because Moses knew what the Lord had in store for him. We can be like Moses. If you could see the end, it would take away much of the sting for you as well.
I testify that as we consciously strive to strengthen our testimonies of His promises, we find the balm He promised us now, not just in the next life. I testify that the Savior can deliver on His promises of eternal joy. I testify that the ending is beautiful. I testify that He knows how to reach our loved ones, and we can trust Him with them.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Why Moses Never Entered the Promised Landby Autumn Dickson
Moses was not allowed to go into the promised land with the rest of the Israelites. He wandered in the desert with them for 40 years, saw the promised land from a mountaintop, and returned to God before he could step foot into that land.
Deuteronomy 34:4 And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
The event that caused Moses to be barred from the promised land came at a time when the Israelites needed water. At one point in their sojourn, Moses was commanded to smite a rock in order to provide water for the Israelites, and it worked. At another time, Moses was commanded to speak to the rock in order to provide water. Instead, Moses hit it again. Because of this, the Lord told Moses that he would not step foot in the promised land.
And the Lord was true to His word. Moses never did enter the promised land that he had led the Israelites to. Despite the miracles and work and lessons that Moses had in his life as he led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness, Moses didn’t get to help them take those last steps into the promised land.
Seems a bit harsh for those of us who are also not exactly obedient. Everything that Moses contributed was not enough to earn him entrance into the promised land.
Despite its seeming cruelty, this consequence handed down by the Lord is not harsh. It’s true to life and important to understand. There are two portions that we need to understand in relation to Moses being barred from the promised land.
1) When we are not exactly obedient, it can bring lifelong consequences.
It was such a small thing. Moses hit the rock instead of speaking to it. He was supposed to hit the rock the first time. Was it really such a big deal that he hit it a second time? I wonder how Moses came to accept this punishment handed down by the Lord. Perhaps Moses accepted his punishment meekly and perfectly, but I’m going to show you a couple of potential responses from Moses that might reflect how we sometimes receive our own consequences.
“It was such a small thing. Why am I being punished so severely? I’ve done so much good. Isn’t that enough for the Lord?”
“I have to live with this the rest of my life. Every step I take towards the promised land is a reminder that I can’t ever go in. It’s too much to bear.”
“Why am I even walking towards the promised land if I can’t go in? Why can’t someone else lead them? What’s the point of me wandering for forty years if I can’t ever step foot in there?”
Sometimes the consequences of our disobedience seem too much to bear, but the fact remains that the Lord warned us. He doesn’t control us, and honestly, we would likely rail against Him if He tried. People rail against Him even when He merely tells them to stay away from certain behaviors and actions. He doesn’t want to control us, and we don’t want Him to control us, not really. So He warns us, and then He leaves us to decide whether we want to risk it.
No amount of service to the Lord is going to erase a DUI that hurt you, another passenger, or someone in the other car. Even if you’re doing everything right, pausing to look at pornography has the power to destroy your marriage or your happiness in marriage. Breaking the Law of Chastity just once can carry disease or bring a baby into the world who deserves two parents. None of these are things that you can’t overcome, and yet, these consequences follow you even when you continue walking towards the promised land. All of these little commandments handed to us by the Lord are meant to protect us because they carry potential consequences that will follow us for life.
This isn’t meant to shame; it’s meant to warn. You can choose what you want, and perhaps you’ll be one of the lucky ones. But don’t rail against the Lord if you end up with consequences that you have to carry with you until you die. He tried to warn you. He tried to help you set up a life that would be healthy and full of joy. He gave commandments for a reason.
Now here is my second point, and it is every bit as important as the first point.
2) Moses went to heaven even though he didn’t go to the promised land.
The Lord forbade Moses from entering the promised land, and that consequence followed him throughout his journeys in the wilderness.
BUT.
According to modern revelation, Moses was translated, so I’m not really worried about him. Maybe it hurt while he was alive. Maybe he carried that disappointment throughout his journeys. Maybe it hurt even as he stood on that mountaintop and the Lord showed him where the people were going without him.
But it’s not hurting anymore.
Moses is just fine. He carried those consequences; that’s an important part of life. Even despite our best efforts, most of us will carry consequences for life. We will have things we wish we had never done. We will have things we terribly regret that come back to haunt us occasionally.
But it’s worth continuing our walk towards the promised land even while carrying those consequences that are teaching us powerful lessons.
Because even if we don’t get to walk into the promised land here, there is one waiting for us on the other side. That’s the beauty of the atonement of Jesus Christ. The consequences are important for lessons, but lessons don’t have to be carried forever. Christ paid for it. We get to leave them behind and receive the fullness of the Lord if we keep walking towards the promised land.
I testify that the Lord tries to warn us and prevent us from carrying around things that hurt. I testify that even when we do it anyway, those consequences are gifts that teach us to rise to another level. I testify that we don’t have to carry those consequences forever, that Christ paid for them and we still get to go to the promised land even if it’s not the promised land we originally had in mind. I testify that Christ has something better in mind than we had for ourselves.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
How to Complain to the Lordby Autumn Dickson
In Numbers 11, we read about the Israelites getting sick of their miracle, namely the manna in the wilderness which fed them. They remembered all the good food they used to eat in Egypt, and they were mad about eating the same thing for every meal.
Numbers 11:10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
Moses gets so sick of the Israelites complaining that he asks the Lord to kill him rather than having to deal with them anymore (same, Moses, same). The Lord responds by sending too much meat until they get sick of it.
I want to share my own story, and then I’ll bring it back to the Israelites.
My daughter was baptized in December. It was beautiful. A lot of my family was in town for the wedding and so they got to be there which was magical for me; it also actually complicated things.
The week before the baptism and wedding, the stomach flu went through our house. I rejoiced that we got over it in time for my family to come into town because I don’t get to see my family that often, and I adore being around my family. Unfortunately, the day before the baptism, one of my babies started throwing up again.
I was actually rather devastated. I hadn’t realized how much excitement I had placed on being with my family and having everyone with us for this huge step in my daughter’s life until it was potentially getting taken away from me. I pleaded with the Lord for it to be a fluke, that she would just throw up once and go a full 24 hours without throwing up again before the baptism. Unfortunately, this miracle was not to be. She threw up again the morning of the baptism.
I texted the family and warned them all that I was still going to my daughter’s baptism and that the baby would be there because I had no one else to watch her. I told them I understood if anyone was too afraid to come because everyone was traveling for Christmas (some on international flights), and there were some pregnant women and other little children. We had some immunocompromised family members. There were many reasons to stay away.
And then I knelt down. I told the Lord that I accepted what He chose to give and withhold, and I worked really hard to feel that acceptance and not just offer lip service. Heaven knows lip service wasn’t going to make me feel any better.
And you know what? He blessed me for it. He opened my eyes to see the fact that I was blessed for having a family that I wanted to be around. Not everyone has that. He helped me see that I have an eternity of Christmases to be with family and celebrate. And most importantly, He helped me see that my daughter’s baptism wasn’t just about that single day. It was about the fact that she was binding herself to her Savior forever. In fact, because of her baptism, I would be able to be with her and the rest of my family for eternity. It was definitely a moment to celebrate. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding it, it would be one of the greatest blessings of her life.
Now, my family all came anyway, as did my husband’s family who live closer to us. It was perfect and chock full of the spirit and a surprising amount of fun.
BUT. If my family had chosen to stay away that day, I would have understood. There were plenty of reasons to bail. I would have been terribly disappointed and sad, but it would have likewise been tempered by the Savior’s soft reminders.
I’ve gotten frustrated with the Lord often enough in my life that I’ve realized it’s fruitless. There have been times when I’ve been filled with anger or sadness or betrayal and turned to the Lord in my immense overwhelm; He has responded by giving me a clearer perspective and teaching me that I can trust Him.
So after a million and one experiences with the Lord and His wisdom, I was able to approach Him with a lot more faith this time. Rather than getting angry with the Lord for not preventing the problem, I approached Him with meekness. As with all things in the Lord, I was the one who was blessed.
We don’t approach the Lord with meekness to placate His ego. We don’t approach the Lord with meekness to try and get Him to change His mind. We approach Him with meekness because it blesses US. It allows Him to show us the reality of our situation.
The reality of our situation is this: even in the midst of fast and direct trials like Egypt or in the long and arduous and uncomfortable trials of a journey through the wilderness, we have already won! We actually have every reason to be grateful and when we commit to meekness, we have the Lord to help us remember that.
Important sidenote: I have learned that meekness can coexist with many different emotions. We often picture a humble, quiet servant who doesn’t talk back or ever complain, but I don’t think that’s the only way to be meek.
Even in the midst of anger or frustration or exasperation or devastation or annoyance, we can simultaneously say, “I know Thee, Lord. I know I am in Thy hands, and I know that Thou art doing what’s best for me.” You don’t have to turn down your emotions in order to successfully approach the Lord. Just simultaneously bring your knowledge that the Lord is watching out for you. Better yet, take those big emotions to the Lord and ask Him to help you see more clearly so that it’s not difficult to be meek.
When I approached Him in prayer about seeing my family while they were in town, I was bawling. I’ve definitely approached Him and carried my anger with me. We don’t have to seem all pious and restrained. We can simply cling to our testimony that the Lord loves us and wants what’s best for us.
The truth is, the Lord is often going to do what He’s going to do anyway. If the Israelites had simply approached Moses (or approached the Lord, directly) and asked for some dietary variety, maybe the Lord would have sent the right amount of quail rather than sending a difficult lesson alongside it. However, the blessing of meekness is that regardless of what the Lord chose to send, the Israelites could have been happy.
We came here to struggle. He can’t take that away without simultaneously robbing us of the purpose of the Plan of Salvation (growth), and meekness softens that struggle enough that we can see it more clearly. It enables us to see around it and rejoice anyway.
I testify that the Lord has your best interest at heart. I testify that He loves you. I testify that meekness over complaining is a gift that blesses us. It honors Him with the deference He deserves, but even our meekness before Him gives back to us. I testify that trials are gifts, and that the Lord provides.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
The Spy Report That Cost 40 Yearsby Autumn Dickson
The Israelites are wandering in the wilderness before they’re led to the promised land. They’re having experiences with God and learning difficult lessons. They’re being provided for even if it’s not everything they had in mind. They have had experiences of faith as well as experiences where they betrayed the witnesses they had received. Let’s talk about one of the times they were rebellious and unfaithful.
In Numbers 13, Moses sends twelve spies (one from each tribe) into Canaan. Depending on where you read in the bible (see Deuteronomy 1), the timelines differ slightly. One suggests the people wanted to spy; one suggests the Lord recommended it. Either way, the church seems to emphasize the Lord’s approval of the mission.
The spies come back with the following report.
Numbers 13:27
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
They then warned of the city’s defenses. Caleb encouraged the people to have faith, but ten of the other spies continued on with their report.
Numbers 13:31-33
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
It’s important to understand that Canaan was the promised land. It is eventually (mostly) conquered by the Israelites and divided out amongst the tribes. The Lord had led them through this entire experience from slavery to the edge of the land of promise, only for them to believe they wouldn’t be able to take the land.
So what does this teach us?
Your promised land is available. I’m not simply talking about the mansion being built for you on the other side. I’m talking about all the most important aspects of the promised land. Peace, contentment, joy, healthy relationships, all of these things are available to you. These are all crucial parts of our salvation and eternity. Sure, eternity also includes all of our needs being met and perfect bodies, but some of the most important portions of the promised land are available to us right now.
So what kept the Israelites from inheriting the promised land sooner?
A lack of faith.
What keeps us from inheriting the portions of promised land that are available to us on this side of the veil?
A lack of faith.
That’s it. That’s the first step on this journey towards your promised land. The Israelites didn’t need military might or impeccable strategy. They needed faith. You don’t need all of the things you think you need. You just need to trust the Lord.
It’s enough for you to see the land flowing with milk and honey and say, “The Lord meant for me to have that.” Sometimes it’s hard to feel that way when you see what you’re up against; namely, all of your own flaws and mistakes and imperfections. The Israelites certainly didn’t feel capable. However, you’re not conquering the land for yourself; you’re showing up for the Lord to conquer it for you.
So how do we do better than the Israelites so it doesn’t take us forty years to figure out how to be in the promised land?
Well if our problem is a lack of faith, maybe we should look at increasing faith. Here is one recommendation from Bednar on how to do that.
The enabling power of the Atonement is accessed by faith in Jesus Christ. And that faith is strengthened as we remember and acknowledge the hand of the Lord in our lives.
Remembering and acknowledging the Lord → Faith → Enabling power of the atonement of Jesus Christ steps in and gets us where we need to go
Would the Israelites have felt differently if all the spies had come back and started with a list of the ways the Lord had provided for them from the time they were in slavery? If they had started off with the miraculous infant survival of Moses to the steps right outside the promised land, it would have been a long list. There were many times that the Israelites didn’t even lift a finger for their own freedom and survival; the Lord took it completely on Himself. And that’s just the list of the society as a whole. How many personal miracles did the Israelites experience from family to family?
Would it have changed how the Israelites approached this experience? I’m not sure, but I know it’s changed how I approach my own life.
I think that’s partially why my prayers have been so powerful in my life, specifically the gratitude. When I’m facing a situation of uncertainty or tragedy, I pray. There are so many wonderful ways to pray and draw closer to the Lord, but one of the most powerful ways I’ve found is to start with true gratitude (even when it’s mixed with sorrow or fear or anger). When I’m struggling, I don’t list nice things that happened throughout the day. I consciously think of similar situations in the past where the Lord has shown up for me.
By the end of the prayer, I often find myself in some version of the promised land, even if the obstacle wasn’t removed.
I testify that the Lord has saved you many times before this, and He will continue to save you in the future. He will continue to teach you the lessons He needs to teach you until you’re ready to step into that promised land He has offered each of us despite mortal circumstances. I testify that if we take the time to record these miracles and tender mercies, it makes our faith powerful.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Repenting of Unintentional Sinby Autumn Dickson
In my last post, we talked about Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. As a quick review in case you missed the last post, this day was a solemn event with an undercurrent of joy. The main ritual of the day included two identical male goats. One goat would be sacrificed with its blood spread on the Holy of Holies and its fat burned on the altar. The priest would lay his hands on the second goat, pronounce the intentional and unintentional sins of Israel upon it, and then send the goat out into the wilderness. The first goat represented the payment of Israel’s sins. The second goat represented the guilt being taken away from them.
The detail that I want to explore from this ritual is when the priest symbolically transferred the sins of Israel onto the second goat. There are parallels to Christ in all of these steps and details, but that’s the one I want to talk about today. Here’s the verse that teaches us about this.
Leviticus 16:21-22
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
Implication one from this detail: It is important to repent of unintentional sin. It is good for us. It makes us happier.
I think of when my oldest daughter finally lashes out at my son when he’s being purposefully obnoxious. My son often tortures his sisters repeatedly, not hurting them or saying directly mean things, but pushing their buttons until they explode on him. My daughter will hold out as long as she can until she finally explodes in a violent reaction.
The violent reaction is more jarring than the relentless teasing, but whose heart is actually sinning (Yes, I recognize that both my kids are young and one isn’t even accountable yet. This is about the principle, not the specific details)? My son is the one truly trying to make his sister batty; that’s his entire purpose. My daughter never set out to bug or hurt him; she simply has the emotional control of an eight year old.
And yet, she still needs to repent. She doesn’t need to repent because she’s evil and horrible and cursed. She needs to repent because it’s going to make her happier. Repenting isn’t just about atoning for what you’ve done; it’s about changing so you’re protected, close to Christ, and happier. In this specific example, my long-term goal for her repentance is to get to the point where her brother doesn’t affect her. She just goes on in her life, unbothered by people who are purposefully trying to make her life harder. That’s part of happiness, and therefore, repenting is a gift.
Obviously, I need to help my son change too, but my principle here is about repenting of unintentional sins, not intentional ones.
I used an example of violence, and I specifically used an example where she made a mistake because she’s flawed like the rest of us. It’s easy to see how violence needs to be repented of. However, these same principles apply when we’re trying to do what’s right but not worshiping how the Savior would have us worship.
We talked about this recently with the golden calf incident. Maybe Israel wasn’t trying to worship a different deity. Perhaps they had just created an idol in hopes of worshiping the God who had just delivered them. Perhaps their hearts were trying to do what’s right but were misguided.
Even if their hearts were in a good place, repentance of unintentional sin is important. Heavenly Father gives commandments to help us be good people, but He also gives us commandments to protect us from becoming bad. Seems like a silly nuance but let me elaborate. Israel could have very quickly devolved into worshiping the calf rather than the Lord even if their intention had been to worship the Lord in the beginning. They needed to repent because the Lord wanted to protect them.
So even if the Israelites had unintentionally sinned (and I emphasize if since we don’t know precisely where their hearts were), they still needed to repent! They still needed to repent of unintentional sins so they could remain close to the Lord where they would be happy.
So quick recap so we can understand where we’re going: The detail we’re covering is that the priest symbolically transferred the unintentional and intentional sins of Israel up on the goat that would be released into the wilderness.
Implication two from this detail: We’re trying to change our sinful nature, not just listing off individual sins and saying sorry. Ultimate repentance is about changing to be like God, not racking up individual points that tip the scales and put us in the Celestial Kingdom.
When I write my posts, I often use AI to help me get my details straight. I don’t use it to actually write my content in case anyone was wondering, but I do use it to make sure I’m understanding timelines and facts. For example, I asked it to give me a play-by-play of the ritual so I wouldn’t accidentally ruin one of the details.
I turned to AI as I was writing this early in the morning and asked, “Did the Israelites write down their sins and give it to the priest to transfer over to the goat?” It was only after hitting “enter,” that I realized how ridiculous that question was. I blamed the early morning and brain fog.
Anyway, AI responded by saying that no one gave the priest a long list of the sins they committed over the past year. First of all, that’s terribly impractical. It’s impractical (and unhealthy) to keep a list of all your sins, and it’s impractical to list each sin of each individual for the entire society for the entire year. Second of all, a majority of them were illiterate. Like I said, I blame the early morning for my ridiculous question, but I’m actually grateful that I asked it because it led me to a beautiful implication.
Because of my question, I more consciously realized that the Israelites weren’t listing individual sins. It’s not about repenting of individual sins and trying to garner points that put us in the Celestial Kingdom. It’s about changing our nature to goodness. The priest didn’t transfer each individual sin onto the goat for it to run out into the wilderness; the priest merely acknowledged the sinful nature for the year. Perhaps this seems cheap; it’s so easy to go to Heavenly Father and be like, “I sinned a lot last year. Forgive me please.” However, religious rituals are only as cheap as you make them.
This ritual wasn’t about reliving every mistake and rebellion. This ritual wasn’t about rehashing everything you did wrong. This ritual was about recognizing that you can’t make it to heaven on your own. It’s about fully understanding how lost you are without Christ and rejoicing as you watch that goat be taken away. It’s about wanting to change into a new creature, one who is worthy and joyful, a person who can live in heaven and contribute to the atmosphere there and appreciate the atmosphere there.
I testify that the Lord was sacrificed for our sins. I testify that He gave us an opportunity to remember that each week with the sacrament. Like with Yom Kippur, we have an opportunity to repent of unintentional and intentional sins so that we can be happier. We have an opportunity to sit with our reality as mortals who live in a fallen world who rely wholly on the merits of Christ and to rejoice that He is willing to carry us.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 4; 16; 19 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 4; 16; 19 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Still Holding On To Guilt?by Autumn Dickson
This week we’re learning about the sacrifices and rituals of the Israelites in the wilderness. They had a temple that would go with them as they travelled, and there was immense symbolism all throughout this temple. Much of this symbolism was meant to draw the attention of the Israelites towards the atonement of Jesus Christ. It was called a sacrifice, but it was actually a blessing.
One of the detailed rituals that we get to read about occurs on Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement. The central ritual on this day involved two identical male goats, both had to be perfectly healthy. Here are some of the details of that ritual.
Leviticus 16:7-8
7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
So the priest would cast lots to see which goat would take which role. The first goat would be killed, and its blood would be collected in a basin. The high priest would take that blood into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle it upward once and downward seven times. The fat would be burned, and the rest of the goat would be taken outside the camp and burned.
This symbolized the payment of Israel’s sins.
The second goat was the scapegoat. The high priest would lay both hands on the goat and confess all of the intentional and unintentional sins of Israel upon the head of the goat. Essentially, the priest was symbolically transferring the guilt to the goat. A designated man would lead the goat into the remote wilderness and release it.
This symbolized the guilt being removed from the Israelites.
I love that they are separate processes. There are so many layers of symbolism, but one of the layers is something I talk about often:
Christ already paid for the sins; what do we do with this knowledge?
Think about the power of that second goat when it was taken as it was meant to be taken. Imagine being an Israelite and watching these rituals take place. You watch the ritual with the understanding that the Son of God would be sacrificed to pay for your sins, and then you watch another ritual in which your guilt runs off into the wilderness.
I think one of the issues that we have in modern times is believing that the atonement of Jesus Christ occurred but holding on to our own sins anyway. It would be like having an understanding that the Son of God was sacrificed, watching the scapegoat be taken away, and still going home to reflect and beat yourself up over your own sins. The sacrifice of the first goat doesn’t matter if you refuse to let go of the second goat. The fact that the second goat is now out in the wilderness didn’t matter. You have to internalize both parts to receive joy.
The atonement of Jesus Christ was incredible in and of itself. The act of love was immense and singular. Everything hinged on this sacrifice performed by Christ. But Christ didn’t perform the sacrifice just to perform the sacrifice. The atonement of Jesus Christ enabled the Father to remain perfect with His promises, but it was meant for even more than that incredible purpose. It was meant to make us joyful. The atonement of Jesus Christ remains an independent fact of reality, but what we do with that knowledge determines whether it fills the fullness of its purpose in our lives.
If Yom Kippur had only included the first goat, the Israelites could have learned about Christ and His atonement. They could have rejoiced that He paid for their sins, and they could have garnered hope from this sacrifice. But I love that it included the second goat, the scapegoat, because it highlights our need to utilize the atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives.
It’s not enough that He performed it; we have to bring that knowledge into our bones so that it changes us in a way that we are joyful. We have to send our guilt away from us. We have to put the weight down. It’s a conscious, voluntary choice.
I think many of us hope the guilt will simply be taken away from us, or at least that’s what I used to think. I believed that if I was truly forgiven, I just wouldn’t feel guilty anymore. The Lord would remove it for me. Interestingly enough, that’s not how it usually works. The Lord is too wise to vanish our guilt away from us.
The process of repentance wouldn’t be nearly as effective in this way. If the Lord simply took away the guilt because it was paid for, we would learn nothing and we certainly wouldn’t attach that redemption to the Son of God. We would just wake up in the morning and not feel guilty anymore. We might not even register the fact that the guilt was gone or we could unconsciously start to believe, “I can do what I want, and I don’t feel bad about it. Maybe it’s not even bad.” There were many times that I wanted the Lord to take the guilt away. I didn’t want to carry it with me and I asked the Lord to take it away, but He was wise enough to wait for me to trust Him enough to set it down on my own.
He waited for me to consciously say, “Christ promised that He took care of this. He promised that He’s strong enough to save me. I’m going to voluntarily step onto that trust and send my guilt away.” This is the most powerful way to repent. It pushes us to recognize the source of our renewed cleanliness as well as the fact that what we did was wrong. Having consequences (including guilt) magically dissipate is unhealthy for our desire to do better.
So the Lord paid for it, and then He waits for us to learn to trust Him so that we send the guilt away of our own accord.
That’s not to say Christ isn’t present for every step of this process. He paid for the sins, and He didn’t abandon me when I asked Him to take the guilt away. He just helped in a different way than making the guilt dissipate. The Israelites didn’t have to individually lead their own scapegoat into the wilderness. There was still a representative who did that for them. The key here is that it needed to mean something to them. They had to trust that their representative would take care of it, and it would truly be gone.
I’m grateful for a Savior who paid for my sins. I’m grateful that He was patient as I learned to trust Him rather than removing the very difficulties that helped me recognize my reality and love Him for it. I’m grateful that I’ve learned to set my sins and mistakes and embarrassments down; the Savior truly is mighty to save. That knowledge gives me hope in every situation I remember Him in.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 4; 16; 19 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
The Idols We Don’t Call Idolsby Autumn Dickson
The Israelites were delivered by incredible miracles. The plagues were immense in and of themselves, but the parting of the Red sea was next level. The Lord had freed the Israelites through marvelous power, just as He promised.
A short time later, the people find themselves in the wilderness. Moses is lingering up on the mountain away from everyone, and the Israelites have gotten antsy. They convince Aaron to make them an idol to worship. Aaron tells them to bring their earrings, he melts them down, and makes a golden calf.
Exodus 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
I grew up thinking these people were ridiculous. You just saw the sea part, and you forgot that fast? How could you be so blind? Why would you follow after another deity?
As I got a bit older, I remembered that they had just been slaves. Despite the miracles, I assume they were still very young in the doctrine of Christ. How much were they taught in the midst of everything else Moses was trying to take care of in freeing them?
Maybe I’m late to the party, but as I read the verses this time, I started to wonder if they really followed after another god at all. There was an Egyptian god that was represented by a cow, but ancient Near Eastern studies also explain a connection between bulls and calves and mounts and thrones for deity. Maybe they were just trying to build a physical representation of their God to carry with them.
In the verse we read, we even see that Aaron tells Israel, “This is the god who brought you out of Egypt.”
Perhaps they weren’t worshipping a different god at all. Perhaps their worship was merely corrupted. Maybe that’s why Aaron didn’t put a stop to it. Maybe he thought it was fine because he thought it was one way to worship the true God. Maybe he thought it was great that they were sacrificing their gold and trying to worship the God who had delivered them.
Obviously we don’t know. There aren’t enough details. However, there are principles we can learn about the gospel from studying it from either angle. Today, I’m going to speak as if this angle (corrupted worship over following after a different god) is the true angle, simply so we can explore it more effectively. However, before I begin, I completely concede that we don’t know for sure whether this is the truth of the account. Fortunately, whether I have the story’s details correct isn’t completely relevant. What’s important is that the principles I want to talk about are correct.
So that’s what we’re going to talk about. Maybe the Israelites were hoping for a symbol of Christ, not a separate idol to worship. Plot twist. When we don’t worship how the Savior prescribes (like building a golden calf), we run into danger of turning that symbol into an idol. I guess we’re talking about corrupted worship and worshiping idols.
Now, following another god is crazy after everything the Israelites experienced; worshiping in a corrupted manner is more understandable. However! Despite it being more understandable, it is still dangerous and needs to be corrected and prevented regardless of whether their hearts were in the right place. Sometimes the world looks at sin and gives a pass when your heart is in the right place. We can be understanding of a good heart and still make the correction; it is loving to make the correction.
When I was around 10 years old, I remember my mom walking into my room when I was saying my nightly prayers. I had a picture of Christ sitting in front of me while I prayed because I wanted it to help me remember Him. It made my mother a little bit uncomfortable (at least that’s how I remember it when I was 10), and she told me it wasn’t a great idea. The practice stopped that night.
Some would call this silly. Why not let a child put a picture in front of them to help them focus on Christ? I understand the sentiment. Having something in front of you to focus your thoughts and help you be reverent so you can focus on Christ can be a good thing.
But there’s another side to that coin too. It could be fine. I could have kept the picture of Christ and never run into dangerous ground. I don’t think I would have worshiped the picture, but let’s talk about a couple of perspectives I might have adopted had the practice continued.
I could have gotten to the point where I didn’t feel like I could pray without the picture there. I could have gotten ultra-protective of the picture. I could have wanted to carry the picture with me to make me feel safe even though I was perfectly safe without it. I could have attributed more power to the picture than the picture held. I could have given it power over me even though it had no power innately.
Even if I didn’t consider the picture my “god,” it still could have affected my life. And in perfect honesty, that’s how most idols work these days. People don’t call their priority their god; they don’t consider themselves worshiping idols. They just give all their time and energy and resources to something, hoping it will bring them deeper happiness than it is capable of giving.
We are worshiping incorrectly when we attribute power to things that don’t have power. We are worshiping incorrectly when we give things power over our lives and place all of our hopes for happiness on those things. Even if we don’t call them “gods,” we’re still worshiping wrong and hurting ourselves.
People do stuff like this all the time. Superstition is rampant in our world. It’s easy to start giving things power when they hold no power. Maybe I would have never been so silly as to give the picture any power, but I’m not totally sure. Let’s look at another example.
I got plenty superstitious as I played tennis through high school. I went through the same routine between each point, worried that if I changed it, I might lose. Plot twist 2. I lost a lot of the time anyway. And yet there I was, making sure I always did the short handshake with my partner in between points. I made sure I bounced the ball three times before serving, and then I would start over if I messed something up. I literally remember messing up my rhythm in between points and feeling cursed. I was convinced I had ruined the point before the point even began. Needless to say, I basically gave those points away.
The Israelites have just left Egypt behind where they were surrounded and ruled by people who worshipped things like the golden calf. It was dangerous to their spiritual health. Even if it was meant to represent Christ, it would have been very easy (as we see throughout the rest of the Old Testament) for them to turn it into their god instead. For example, when they run into problems, did they feel a need to go and talk to the calf or did they pray to God? If something happened and the calf was damaged, would they have cursed themselves by assuming they were cursed for hurting the golden calf?
I gave away points in tennis because I attributed more power to my routine than it actually held. What would the Israelites have given away because internally, they were giving more power to the golden calf than it actually held?
We worship how the Savior asks us to worship. That’s when we are at our most spiritually powerful. That’s when we are going to be led in the right direction concerning His character and decisions regarding us. That’s when we’re going to be able to get closer to the truth, and therefore, closer to happiness.
I testify that the Lord has revealed His own character and the way that He wants us to worship. I testify that He did this because He wants to protect us and keep us close to the truth of things. I testify that as we follow what He has given, we see reality more clearly and find deeper joy.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Exodus 19–20; 24; 31–34 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Exodus 19–20; 24; 31–34 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Why God Let the Israelites Worship the Golden Calfby Autumn Dickson
The infamous golden calf incident; that is one of the stories we read about this week. Moses is gone a long time speaking with the Lord. The people grow impatient and tell Aaron to build them a god. He took their earrings (the ones the Lord told them they could take out of Egypt), melted them down, and formed them into the calf.
Here is one of the details I noted this week that I didn’t recognize before.
Exodus 32:7 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
I have a feeling that the Lord knew when and why the people were making the golden calf. While He worked with Moses, He knew far ahead of time that they were going to make an idol for themselves. What I’m trying to imply is the fact that He could have purposefully sent Moses down earlier to prevent the entire debacle. It never needed to happen…or did it? I suppose that depends on how you define “need.”
The word “need” has more nuance than we think sometimes. I need the Savior in order to live with my Heavenly Father again; that is a defined, definite, unaltering need without any leeway. I also use that word in this way: I needed my parents to teach me and love me into a testimony of the Savior. Perhaps I could have found the Savior without them, but so much of what I have was given to me by my parents. I was given so much from them that I feel comfortable using the word “need.” There is a spectrum of the word “need.”
We need the Savior, and the Savior is also wise enough to understand that we need supports to help us find Him.
Did the Israelites need to go through this incident of worshipping a golden calf after being freed from Egypt? Perhaps they didn’t need it to the extent that they needed a Savior, but I’m comfortable with utilizing that word to describe their situation. They needed to have this experience outwardly so that they could be taught in a powerful way. They needed this experience so they could flesh it out of their hearts.
So the Lord could have prevented the sin altogether by simply sending Moses down. I’m sure the Lord would have had plenty of time to teach Moses at other opportunities, and they would have been able to surpass this debacle altogether.
But is that what Israel needed?
There are some principles here that we can apply to our own lives.
The first principle is the idea that the Lord is more concerned with us learning powerful lessons than being perfect.
I have noticed a trend among parents that they would do absolutely anything to prevent harm from coming to their child. The sentiment is great. Of course we don’t want our children to get hurt. However, sometimes the most powerful thing for our children is for them to face real consequences rather than constant protection.
Last summer, my son would often run off and jump on his dirt bike without a helmet or shoes. Despite the fact that I got onto him again and again and again and again, I couldn’t perfectly keep him protected. Even when I sent him out with shoes and a helmet, he would often leave them behind throughout the day and do what he wanted.
I could have taken the dirt bike away completely, and I did for periods of time. But it wasn’t working. He wasn’t learning.
At the same time, I felt inspired to pray that he would make mistakes and learn powerful lessons without killing himself or getting seriously injured. To be honest, I didn’t make the connection between my prayer and his bad safety habits ahead of time. This is why I know it was an inspired prayer.
One day I sent Warner outside to play with his sister before school. I told him explicitly to stay in the yard because I didn’t want to have to run off and find him and have him be late for school. Unfortunately, the dirt bikes are kept in a shed in the backyard. He jumped on one and put his sister on the back, and they left the yard and rode off.
Thirty seconds later, they were hit by a car. The car was moving very slowly, and she threw on her brakes and essentially tapped them over.
No broken bones. I don’t even think there was any real blood. There were some skinned knees and bruises, but they were totally fine.
Warner was also petrified. The cops came and checked everything out to make sure they were okay. I don’t know if he thought he was going to jail. I don’t know if he was feeling the gravity of what could have happened (as much as a five year old can feel). I do know that he wore his shoes and helmet willingly the rest of the summer. I still had to remind him occasionally, but he didn’t fight me on it like he had before.
The lesson he learned from living the consequences was far more powerful than any words I could have shared, and he started to voluntarily use his agency more wisely than he had previously. That’s the true goal. It’s not about perfection or complete and total safety; it’s about us learning how to use our agency wisely and on purpose so that we can live happy lives.
I’m grateful for the lesson my son learned that day. I’m grateful that the lesson wasn’t so severe as to permanently injure him or his sister.
Israel learned a hard lesson when Moses came back down from the mountain. They learned it very clearly. Would they have learned it in the same way if Moses had simply told them the Ten Commandments? The Lord could have prevented the entire problem, but He was wise enough to know that allowing the incident and imperfection to teach wisdom.
I’m grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ which means that we can make these mistakes in a controlled environment where nothing has to permanently injure our spirit. Even when we make the mistake of creating idols out of the very things the Lord has given us, He doesn’t cast us aside. He purposefully allows us to make those mistakes so we can learn those powerful lessons, and then He pays for those mistakes. He is selfless in its truest sense. He just wants us to be happy, and I’m so grateful He paid for me to have these experiences.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Exodus 19–20; 24; 31–34 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
Parted Waters, Messy Leadership, and Miraclesby Autumn Dickson
The story of Moses freeing the Israelites through the power of God is an incredible parable for the atonement of Jesus Christ. It’s probably the most important lesson we can pull from that story. However, it’s not the only story we can learn from it. There are other principles at work too. Let’s talk about one of them.
Within the story, we find Moses exhorting the people to have faith in God and His ability to deliver. We’ve come a long way from Moses being worried about talking to Pharaoh. After exhorting the people to believe and trust, he turns to the Lord. The Lord tells him to move forward, and there would be a miracle. Moses listens.
Exodus 14:21-22
21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
I want to zoom in on some of the people who were experiencing these events. I have no idea how the individual Israelites were truly reacting outwardly and in their hearts, but let’s talk about relatable hypotheticals.
I want you to imagine an Israelite who was particularly grumpy about being saved; let’s call him Joshua. Despite the fact that Joshua was saved, he was still a little peeved over the fact that there were so many problems along the way. Surely, the whole process of saving Israel could have been a lot smoother. Moses wasn’t very good at convincing Pharaoh to let the people go, and they ended up with a lot of extra work. He had to put blood on his doors which just seems unnecessary; why couldn’t God just save them if He was really so powerful? And then, of course, Joshua was one of the first to call Moses out when they noticed that the Egyptians were chasing after them to kill them in the wilderness.
What was Moses thinking bringing them out here? Sure, their lives weren’t fantastic, but at least they were alive. Why did Moses feel the need to go ruin it and why did everyone follow after him? If you’re going to save someone, you should do it right and actually save them. Not just do it halfway.
Joshua is legitimately worried about himself and his family and this supposed prophet who has led them into the wilderness to be slaughtered. Despite the real danger behind them, Moses has the gall to tell them to just have faith. Who does that? Moses is the reason they’re in danger, and his response is for them to trust him? Who does he think he is?
But then something changes. Moses starts walking towards the water, and miracle of miracles, the water parts for the Israelites to walk through.
Maybe there is something here. Maybe Moses has God behind him. So Joshua follows.
Unfortunately, this process isn’t necessarily smoother than the experiences with the plagues. The terrain left behind after the parted waters can be treacherous. Trying to get families safely through it is downright dangerous. It can be steep and rocky. It’s hard to tread through the sand. Couldn’t Moses have summoned a boat instead? Surely that would have been easier than parting the entire sea.
Not to mention, how do we know this miracle is going to hold? Joshua is pretty skeptical about this whole thing. Does he have the power to hold this long enough or are they all just going to end up drowning anyway? Conveniently for Moses, they don’t have a choice but to follow him anyway.
Now, I want you to imagine for a moment that Joshua slips and slides down the face of a rock. He becomes injured, and he is fed up. He is so over this. How can Moses be so reckless with the lives of people he apparently loves and wants to rescue?
Joshua is done. He’s turning back. He’s done putting his life at risk for this mortal man who is supposed to be saving them.
Seems a bit ridiculous, don’t you think?
And yet, don’t we see this all the time? The church hasn’t been perfect. The programs aren’t perfect. Leaders aren’t perfect. In fact, some people who were called into positions were downright evil and dangerous. Sometimes people have gotten hurt along the way because of those imperfections. Sometimes there has been true fear involved.
These are all true and legitimate statements.
But it’s also true that the Lord sent plagues and enabled the Israelites to walk out of Egypt. It’s also true that the Red Sea was parted.
The path was messy. There was difficulty and fear and devastation. There were also miracles beyond our wildest dreams and covenants with a Lord who has a land for our inheritance. There is a life beyond slavery. It’s not necessarily going to be an easy life, but it’s a life worth living. It’s worth growing and owning your decisions and having the freedom to build something for yourself. It’s worth the difficulty to get a front row seat for the miracles. It is worth leaving slavery for.
It is worth it to follow the prophet. Don’t miss the miracles of the priesthood structure and church and The Book of Mormon and the youth programs and welfare programs and the missionary programs. The church is doing miraculous things and changing lives. It’s giving people an opportunity to rise above previous circumstances. The prophet is being led by the Savior even if you think things should be done differently.
Maybe you don’t like the whole list of plagues you had to go through before the death of the firstborn. Maybe you don’t like the blood on the door.
Maybe the Lord is trying to teach you about His atonement.
Maybe you don’t like the difficult path you’ve had to walk within the church.
Maybe the Lord is trying to teach you about His atonement.
The story of the exodus from Egypt is a powerful parable for the atonement of Jesus Christ. It’s also an incredible example of why it’s important to follow the prophet even if things don’t go perfectly smoothly or even if you think that you could have done things better. The Lord has called a prophet, and He knows what He’s doing.
So you can stay in slavery or you can join the Lord in this journey where even the treacherous parts can contribute to a glorious you.
I testify that the Lord loves His children. I testify that He led Moses even when things weren’t going smoothly. I testify that following the prophet enabled the Israelites to be freed through the power of the Savior. I testify that the Lord is leading His church through a living prophet today. Perhaps that prophet hasn’t been led perfectly, but it would be ridiculous to miss out on the miracles because of the mistakes.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
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Eternal marriage & plural marriage (D&C 132; Official Declaration 1)by Mike Parker
(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best.)
Class Notes
Additional Reading and Videos
Gospel Topics Essays on plural marriage. These articles, published by the Church with the help of Latter-day Saint scholars, review the history and practice of plural marriage in nineteenth century:
- “Plural Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (an introductory essay).
- “Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo” (on polygamy as revealed and practiced by Joseph Smith).
- “Plural Marriage and Families in Early Utah” (how polygamy was practiced in the Utah period).
- “The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage” (how the practice was discontinued).
Joseph Smith’s Polygamy is the website for Brian and Laura Hales’ book series on Joseph Smith and the establishment and practice of plural marriage in Nauvoo. The Hales are the most thorough and reliable scholars working on this subject. Works in the series include Brian’s three-volume scholarly examination of Joseph’s practice of plural marriage and Brian and Laura’s brief, one-volume book that summarizes his work for a lay audience.
- Brian Hales, Joseph Smith’s Polygamy, Volume 1: History (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2013)
- Brian Hales, Joseph Smith’s Polygamy, Volume 2: History (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2013)
- Brian Hales, Joseph Smith’s Polygamy, Volume 3: Theology (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2013)
- Brian Hales, Joseph Smith’s Polygamy: Toward a Better Understanding (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2015)
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Gregory L. Smith, “Polygamy, Prophets, and Prevarication: Frequently and Rarely Asked Questions about the Initiation, Practice, and Cessation of Plural Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” FAIR (2005). Smith explores some of the difficult issues surrounding plural marriage, including Joseph Smith’s public denials that he was practicing it. * Brian Hales, “Controversies in Joseph Smith’s Polygamy.” Presentation given at the 2010 FAIR Conference. * Brittany Chapman Nash, “Let’s Talk About Polygamy.” Presentation given at the 2021 FAIR Conference. * Gordon Irving, “The Law of Adoption: One Phase of the Development of the Mormon Concept of Salvation, 1830–1900,” BYU Studies 14, no. 3 (Spring 1974): 291–314. Irving’s article reviews the early Mormon practice of being sealed as a son or daughter to a prominent Church leader, a practice President Wilford Woodruff did away with by revelation in 1894. Mike Parker is a business and marketing analyst with over twenty years’ experience in the financial services and cellular telephone industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management Information Systems from Dixie State University (now Utah Tech University) of St George, Utah. He also has eight years’ experience in corporate training and currently teaches an adult religion class in southern Utah. Mike and his wife, Denise, have three children.
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Is Exaltation Blasphemous or Worship?by Autumn Dickson
In case it was ever in question, we believe in exaltation. As I worked on this post, I felt like I was addressing a non-member even though it’s usually members who look up Come Follow Me posts. In the end, I decided to keep it that way. Even if non-members don’t look up this content, we can learn how to potentially respond to those who question our beliefs.
So let’s talk about exaltation.
Exaltation is one of the topics that is covered in our readings this week, but what does that really mean? What does it mean to inherit exaltation? Let’s look at what the Lord says.
Doctrine and Covenants 132:20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.
The Lord defines (to an extent) what it means to be exalted. He describes His righteous children as capable of becoming gods (note the “g” and not the “G”) because they have no end. They shall be from everlasting to everlasting, but they also “continue.” They become above all things, and all things are subject to them. They have all power and angels are subject to them.
In other sections in Doctrine and Covenants, exaltation is described as “made equal with the Lamb of God” and “receive of the Father’s fulness.”
There are also references to this idea in the bible. Romans 8 teaches that we are children of God, and because of that, we can be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. We can all be glorified together. In Revelation 3, the Lord talks about how He will allow us to sit on His throne with Him. In Psalm 82:6, it describes us, as His children, as gods with a little “g” just as it does in Doctrine and Covenants.
There are a few reasons that people believe this doctrine is blasphemous. I actually believe that exaltation is the antithesis of blasphemy, and I want to explain why. First, I’ll explain it from the perspective of God looking down. Then, I want to turn our perspective from the child looking up.
First, let’s talk about blasphemy from the perspective of God.
I can only think of two reasons why exaltation would not be real. The first possible reason is that God is incapable of doing so. Maybe He can’t lift us up that high. Maybe He can only lift us as high as heaven but no further.
When I’ve had conversations with friends over this, I always hear them say, “Oh no. I’m way down here, and God is just so high. I can’t ever be on His level.”
Well duh. We also can’t earn heaven because it’s just so high, and we’re down here. And yet, He toiled and sacrificed and paid the price to lift us above where we are. Why can He only lift us so high? I think He lifts us to where He is despite our lack of earning it.
I don’t think exaltation is blasphemous. I think it’s blasphemous to suggest that God is incapable of lifting us to where He is.
I think most Christians would agree with that statement. God can do anything. He already sent His Son to die for us so that we could be lifted higher than we were, so the only other reason is that He chooses not to do so.
Can anyone think of a reason why God would not want to lift us to His level?
Let’s view this from a parent-child relationship, the parent-child relationship that God set up here on earth. On purpose. Intentionally.
Why would a parent keep their child down below them?
Usually, the answer is narcissism.
Narcissism often springs from deep insecurity, and it often translates as a person trying to keep themselves above everyone else. They want everyone to essentially worship them because they’re trying to fill that scary, deep void of insecurity. I know a few parents who are narcissistic. I know parents who have purposely tried to keep their kids down so that they could feel better about themselves. They have days where they’re lifting the child and then bragging to friends about it because it makes them look good, but they also have days where they’re undermining the child because they can’t bear the idea that the child will become independent and powerful and joyful and not need them. They do what they can to keep the child on a lower level because their ego can’t handle it. Sometimes this looks like constant criticism, mocking, or belittling. Sometimes it includes more nefarious plots, but it all boils down to this idea that they want the child on a lower level.
I know non-narcissistic parents who are the exact opposite. They look at their child and want that child to grow and become more than they ever did. They know that the child could potentially become very powerful, and they want that for the child.
I believe that’s how God loves us. I believe that He saw our potential and invested in it. I believe He loves me more than I love my kids, and I want my kids to be so much better than I was. We can’t be better than God because He is perfect, but if He loves me so much more, than why would He want anything less for me?
I don’t think exaltation is blasphemous. I think suggesting that God wants to keep us down is blasphemous.
Maybe someone else can come up with a logical reason as to why our growth is capped, but I can’t think of any reason that would not be blasphemous in and of itself.
Now let’s view this from the perspective of the child.
Another line of reasoning that I run into with the doctrine of exaltation is the idea that putting us on the same level as God diminishes Him somehow. Once again, only a narcissist sees it that way. God saving me and glorifying me and lifting me does not diminish Him.
IT DOES THE OPPOSITE.
Blasphemy is often associated with the idea that the human is mocking God.
I’m not mocking God with exaltation; I love Him more because of exaltation.
Swinging back around to the narcissistic parents and the non-narcissistic parents. Think about the children who grow up in those kinds of homes.
Which child adores their parents more? Which child loves and honors and follows their parents more? Which child is more likely to worship their parent?
The child who lives in the home with parents who love them and want to lift them as high as they are capable of reaching. I ADORE God because of exaltation. I don’t earn it. I worship Him for making sacrifice after sacrifice to make it possible. I worship Him for offering something that is priceless beyond my imagination. I worship Him for offering it when I don’t deserve it.
You don’t have to agree with the doctrine of exaltation. Perhaps you have a logical reason as to why the Lord would cap that growth. Perhaps you don’t, and that’s okay too. Heaven knows I don’t have logical reasons for everything that I believe in (though I’m trying awfully hard to get there). What I’m merely trying to suggest in this post is that our belief in exaltation doesn’t automatically equate to blasphemy.
I testify of a God who adores us. I testify that He is capable of lifting us and that He desires to do so. I testify that lifting me is possible because of the sacrifice of His Son, and I testify that lifting me doesn’t diminish His glory. It adds to it because it makes me worship Him all the more. I am grateful God calls me His child and set up parental relationships on earth so that I could observe that pattern and learn from it.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
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Choosing Faith Through Failure: God’s Timetable for Zionby Autumn Dickson
Because of an extermination order, the Saints were driven out of Missouri and into Nauvoo. In Doctrine and Covenants 124, the Lord excuses His people from building the temple in Missouri after they had been driven out.
Doctrine and Covenants 124:49 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings.
The Saints were driven out and persecuted. They had been commanded to build Zion, and they had been commanded to build a temple, and it didn’t happen. The Lord explains Himself by saying that if people work really hard to do what they were commanded and they are stopped by enemies, He accepts their offering and doesn’t require it anymore.
Some might see this as rather convenient for Joseph when his prophecy didn’t work out, but what do you see?
What we choose to see is important because perspective is a choice. There are so many ways to look at any given scenario. Do we choose faith?
We can choose to look at what happened in Missouri, and say, “The Lord must not be in this. He commanded something, and it didn’t work out.” Didn’t Nephi say that if the Lord commands something, He will make it happen? Don’t we teach that all of the time?
Absolutely, we teach that. I reaffirm that. I also reaffirm that what the Lord declares can take a long time to come to pass. Let’s look at a couple of other scenarios.
First, there is the mortal ministry of Christ. Many of the Jews rejected Christ because they were looking for a different kind of savior. They wanted someone to come and throw the yoke of the Romans off their backs. They interpreted the scriptures incorrectly and because of that, they missed out on some of the greatest miracles that ever took place. They didn’t see. Their perspective was wrong.
Second, there is the death of Christ. The apostles were quite forlorn after Christ was crucified, and they were all immensely surprised to find Him alive again. One of them refused to believe that Christ had risen again until he personally saw Christ. Do we abandon our faith when things don’t look how we thought they were supposed to look?
Let’s look at some other examples.
One of the Old Testament stories that strikes me as important is that of Daniel and his friends. Babylon besieged and conquered the kingdom of Judah. As part of the conquest, they took the sons of Jewish nobility and put them into the Babylonian court to train and assimilate them. Daniel and his friends refused the food from the king’s table because it had not been prepared according to the Law of Moses. Daniel and his friends believed it would be a sin to eat it.
Think about that for a moment. Biblical scholars believe that these boys ranged from age 14-18. Their home had just been conquered. They had lost against a wicked, secular kingdom. It would have been easy for Daniel to think, “Is God really on our side? Do I really want to make the Babylonian king mad? He beat us. Why would I believe that we have the true God? Why would I keep following the religious laws of my defeated nation when it puts my friends and me in danger?”
But that is not the perspective that Daniel chose. Despite evidence that pointed to the contrary, David chose to believe. Despite religious beliefs that the Jews were chosen by an all-powerful God and still getting conquered, David chose to believe. Despite the fact that conquering nations paid homage to their gods in response to winning wars, David did not see His God as less powerful. He kept obeying.
Perspective is a choice.
Some may see a God who abandoned His people or was never there. Some may see the effects of a frenzied mind. Some may see a fallen prophet or a charlatan.
I see a God who is actually rather unconcerned with a location. Everyone is so caught up in wanting to know where Zion is or move there immediately, and Heavenly Father is like, “Okay. I see the future. I know where it is, but you’re missing the most important part…” I see a God who knows what mortality is actually for, and He delivers on His promises of growth and deliverance. I see a God who makes and keeps promises but also doesn’t have a pocket watch because time is only measured unto man. Sure, the Saints were driven out, and they didn’t build a temple. It took Nephi a couple of tries to get the plates. Let’s do this on God’s timetable, not our’s. We will build Zion, and we will build a temple there. Just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it’s not going to. It doesn’t prove anything.
I testify of a Lord who was very aware of His Saints. I testify that He was powerful enough to win Zion over immediately and kick out all of their enemies, but I also testify that He has reasons for what He does. I testify that He has a plan and a timetable, and I testify that it is the best that we could ask for. I testify that trusting Him and choosing a perspective of faith brings blessings and hope and peace.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
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“Controversies in Joseph Smith’s Polygamy: New Evidences and New Observations Indicate Fawn Brodie Should Have Done More Research” by Brian C. Hales at the 2010 FAIR ConferenceWhy did Joseph Smith practice plural marriage? There are three different places we could go for answers.
We can go to the naturalists—like Fawn Brodie—and the cynics, which are kind of in the same group. We can go to Latter-day Saint apologists, who gave us their own set of reasons. And then we can go to Joseph Smith himself. I’d like to look at these three sources.
The first source is the naturalist—and what I mean by that is somebody who is sure God’s not involved. Okay? It’s all natural processes—hormones, libido, job one—and sex. That’s what’s driving polygamy. That’s their answer.
And Fawn Brodie kind of codified this idea in her 1945 biography, which unfortunately is still probably the most influential book ever written on Joseph Smith. Brodie totally botched the treatment of his sexuality in polygamy. She didn’t even want to get it right—that’s my frustration.
The purest naturalistic view is found in George D. Smith’s 2008 novel, which he called “Nauvoo Polygamy: … but we called it celestial marriage.” I doubt there will ever be a purer naturalistic view written of Joseph the man.
CONTINUED HERE
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The “Mormon War” of 1838; Joseph Smith’s letter from Liberty Jailby Mike Parker
(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best.)
Class Notes
Additional Reading
- FAIR has an article on The Danites with links to several other resources.
- R. Scott Lloyd, “Hawn’s Mill Massacre: ‘New Insights and Interpretations’,” Church News, 9 November 2013. Recent research indicates that the name of the Mormon settlement was spelled Hawn’s Mill, rather than Haun’s, and that the Saints there were not aware of Joseph Smith’s counsel to move closer to Far West to avoid violence.
- Transcript and photograph of Governor Lilburn W. Boggs’ “Extermination Order,” Missouri Executive Order 44, issued 27 October 1838.
- Emma Smith’s letter to Joseph Smith, Jr. in Liberty Jail, 7 March 1839. In her letter, Emma updated her incarcerated husband on her status and the the welfare of their children: “Was it not for conscious innocence, and the direct interposition of divine mercy, I am very sure I never should have been able to have endured the scenes of suffering that I have passed through…but I still live and am yet willing to suffer more if it is the will of kind Heaven, that I should for your sake.”
- Sections 121, 122, and 123 of the Doctrine and Covenants are extracts from a letter written by Joseph Smith and other Church leaders from Liberty Jail on 20 and (c.) 22 March 1839. Images of the original letter, along with an uncorrected transcript, are available on the Joseph Smith Papers website: Part 1 (20 March 1839); Part 2 (ca. 22 March 1839).
- Kent P. Jackson and Robert D. Hunt, “Reprove, Betimes, and Sharpness in the Vocabulary of Joseph Smith,” The Religious Educator 6, no. 2 (2005): 97–104. Jackson and Hunt explain what these words meant in 1839 and the context in which they were used in D&C 121:43.
Mike Parker is a business and marketing analyst with over twenty years’ experience in the financial services and cellular telephone industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management Information Systems from Dixie State University (now Utah Tech University) of St George, Utah. He also has eight years’ experience in corporate training and currently teaches an adult religion class in southern Utah. Mike and his wife, Denise, have three children.
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Dive deep into ancient scripture for modern faith!
Join us Oct 9–11 for the FREE FAIR Virtual Old Testament Conference: Ancient Truths for Modern Faith. Hear from scholars like Kerry Muhlestein, Daniel Ellsworth, Jennifer Roach Lees, Stephen Smoot, Spencer Kraus, Allen Hansen, John Gee, Christopher Blythe, Paul Bryner, Jeffrey Bradshaw, Matthew Roper, John Thompson, Tyler Golightly, and Ben Spackman as we “defend the Old Testament” through restoration lenses, covenant themes, temple theology, and prophetic tradition. Don’t miss this unique online opportunity to engage scripture with fresh eyes.
This conference will only be available to stream through the weekend; don’t miss out! (No registration required.)
The streaming will happen on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fairldsorg
The schedule can be viewed here: https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/virt_2025-ot
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Prevail Against Mine Enemiesby Autumn Dickson
The Saints were driven from their homes and living as refugees in Clay County, Missouri. Joseph Smith and other church leaders received letters with news regarding what had happened. Besides the letters, Joseph also received a revelation from the Lord with this declaration:
Doctrine and Covenants 103:6 Behold they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to prevail against mine enemies from this very hour.
The Lord declares that the Saints will begin to succeed over His enemies immediately. This likely brought great hope to those who were worried about the redemption of what was meant to be Zion. As Joseph and other leaders gathered Zion’s camp to go and win back the Saints’ lands, I’m sure they were full of faith that the Lord would help them restore the Saints back to their homes.
Unfortunately (or fortunately?), Zion’s camp was disbanded. The Saints lived in Clay County and then Caldwell County before being ultimately expelled approximately five years later. They never made it back to their homes in Jackson County where Zion was supposed to be.
Some would argue that they did not succeed against their enemies. Then again, perhaps they were succeeding against the Lord’s enemies. And who is truly the Lord’s enemy? Satan.
It brings to mind different stories from the scriptures.
The Lord commanded Nephi to go and get the brass plates. It took multiple tries before Nephi succeeded against Laban, but what did Nephi learn as he “failed” first? The growth that Nephi received must have been a true victory for the Lord.
The Lord commanded Moses to go and save the Israelites. Plague after plague seemed to fail in softening Pharaoh’s heart. What did the Israelites learn in the meantime as things actually grew progressively harder for them at first? What did they learn as they looked back upon the fact that things were difficult before they were free?
And then of course, the most important battle that ever occurred.
Christ suffered in Gethsemane, and no mortal man watched. He was taken by soldiers, tortured, and then killed. Not exactly a resounding victory to anyone objectively looking from the outside. He rose three days later, and yet, that was only part of the victory. The victory was found in His resurrection, but the victory was also found within His pain and death.
Interestingly enough, the Jews were looking for a Savior to free them from the Romans, and so they completely missed the mark of what would be the most important victory in their unending lives.
What does victory look like to the Lord? His ways are not our ways, and so we can assume that the Saints were likely mistaken when He declared that they would prevail over their enemies and they got excited that they would be restored to their homes in Jackson County.
Some of my most important victories have occurred in what would objectively be seen as losing a battle by the world.
There was a time when my husband’s chosen career path was being taken away from him by lies. I remember watching it all unfolding, and I remember retiring to my room and praying. I told the Lord I knew how powerful He was. We were scrambling to find alternate solutions to keep things on track, but nothing was looking super promising. I pleaded with the Lord to stop the man who was lying and to stop the men who were acting because of those lies. I told the Lord that I knew He was more powerful and could open a door that we didn’t know about and stop everything in its tracks. I knew it would be easy for Him to save us.
I also distinctly remember the Spirit whispering that I should stop praying for that. At that moment, I knew we would “lose.”
Of course, those moments of loss marked the beginning of much more important victories in our lives. The Lord has been merciful in helping me see that our loss led to my husband being placed on a path that would ultimately lead him towards fulfilling the promises he made before he came here. That loss made him grow. It made me grow. Despite all worldly signs pointing to the opposite, I count it as a great victory.
As those Saints struggled along the banks of the river, as they fought persecution for years to come, as they found themselves ultimately driven out, and as they were pushed thousands of miles west, they were finding a victory much more important than land. Within these darkest moments, the Lord was winning His most important victories.
I testify of a Lord who knows what He is talking about and fulfills all His words. I testify that Zion will be redeemed one day, and that the Saints will return there. I also testify that the Lord was beginning His victory against His enemies in the moment He declared so. I testify that He is mighty to save, and I testify that He utilizes our dark moments as part of that victory.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
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The Kirtland Templeby Mike Parker
(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best.)
Class Notes
Additional Reading
- Elwin C. Robison, The First Mormon Temple: Design, Construction, and Historic Context of the Kirtland Temple (Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 1997). For this book, Robison thoroughly investigated the temple architecture and structure, integrating that information with historic photographs and documents.
- “The Father and the Son: A Doctrinal Exposition by The First Presidency and The Twelve,” Improvement Era 19, no. 10 (August 1916): 934–42. This official declaration firmly rooted the identification of Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament, with Jesus Christ. Prior to this, the name-title Jehovah was used by Latter-day Saints to indicate either the Father or the Son (as seen in section 109).
- These two articles explore the identity of the figure of Elias who appeared in the Kirtland Temple on 3 April 1836 (D&C 110:12): Kevin Barney, “Who was the Elias of D&C 110?,” By Common Consent, 2 March 2006; Samuel Brown, “The Prophet Elias Puzzle,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 39, no. 3 (Fall 2006): 1–17.
- Trever Anderson, “Doctrine and Covenants Section 110: From Vision to Canonization,” master’s thesis, Brigham Young University, July 2010. Anderson explores how the account of the appearances of Christ, Moses, Elias, and Elijah was recorded, taught, and eventually canonized in the Doctrine and Covenants.
Mike Parker is a business and marketing analyst with over twenty years’ experience in the financial services and cellular telephone industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management Information Systems from Dixie State University (now Utah Tech University) of St George, Utah. He also has eight years’ experience in corporate training and currently teaches an adult religion class in southern Utah. Mike and his wife, Denise, have three children.
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“What I Learned about Life, the Church, and the Cosmos from Hugh Nibley” by Boyd Petersen at the 2005 FAIR ConferenceFebruary 24, 2005 was one of those beautiful false-spring days when we all leave our coats at home and venture out in shirt sleeves, despite the fact that we all know that winter will have one final gasp before yielding to spring. The snow had all melted from the valley floor, but the mountains were covered with a brilliant white snow pack that contrasted sharply against the deep blue sky. The temperatures were making their first climb into the seventies, and everyone wanted to be outside. My students and I were all restless as I plodded through another lecture on formatting research papers. Between classes, I stopped by my office to check my e-mail when I got a call from my wife. “He’s gone,” she practically whispered. I immediately knew. Hugh Nibley was no longer with us. We believe that, like the rest of us, Hugh had simply longed to be outside, to leave the hospital bed that had been his home for almost two years and enjoy the beautiful day.
CONTINUED HERE
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The Destroying Angelby Autumn Dickson
There is a reference to an Old Testament record found in Doctrine and Covenants 89, and it can give us insight about the power of the Word of Wisdom in our day.
Doctrine and Covenants 89:21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.
When Moses was working to free the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, the last plague involved a destroying angel that would enter into the houses of man and kill the firstborn son. The Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb, paint its blood on the doorposts, and remain home on the night of the Passover. If they did this, the destroying angel would not enter into their homes to hurt their child.
I noticed two parallels between the story of Moses freeing the Israelites and the Word of Wisdom in our day. Let’s talk about them.
When the Israelites were instructed to put blood on their doorposts, it was only to protect their oldest son. The destroying angel wasn’t coming for everyone; it was just coming for one of them. Even if the Word of Wisdom only protected one of your children, would you teach it? Would you apply it? Perhaps many of us could have lived without the Word of Wisdom and ultimately escaped nasty habits, compromising circumstances, and situations where you weren’t able to adequately protect yourself. However, I have enough friends who have been negatively impacted by alcohol alone (not even including drugs) to know that making a blanket commandment to avoid it is wise on the part of the Lord. I have no idea if I would have been the one destroyed if I had partaken in these substances, but I’m grateful I didn’t have to find out the hard way. I’m grateful that it provided protection to many of my loved ones.
Another parallel.
Sometimes I wonder what killed the firstborn son. Sometimes I wonder if the blood on the doorpost did something scientifically to protect the family. Does the Lord know something we don’t about how blood on a door might protect against a certain disease? Or, did the Lord simply choose something symbolic and performed a miracle so that it would not touch the Israelites?
Regardless of whether this was some kind scientific application, I hope I would have been wise enough to follow Moses and receive that blessing.
It’s easy to see how alcohol, tobacco, and drugs should be avoided. Even if you don’t think it’s a big deal, I feel like most people recognize that alcohol, tobacco, and drugs can be dangerous. Coffee is less dangerous, but it’s still easy to recognize how it affects our bodies and that it can be addictive. Tea is interesting. Numerous sources teach the benefits of tea. You can develop a caffeine addiction with tea, but even that is possible to avoid. So what’s the deal with tea?
The Lord taught Joseph Smith how dangerous tobacco was decades before scientific research followed. It wasn’t until the 1950’s or 1960’s that solid medical studies were being published about the potential harmful effects. The Lord warned His Saints to avoid it and protect themselves. This was really interesting since there were even doctors who promoted tobacco as a health cure through the 19th century. What I’m trying to express is the idea that the Lord knew the dangers of tobacco long before the health community did.
Is this also the case with tea? Is there a scientific reason that the Lord has banned tea? Is there something about tea that we do not yet know? Or, is it truly just a sign of obedience?
In the end, does it matter?
Whether it’s scientific or arbitrary on the part of the Lord, we have been given a specific promise that the destroying angel will pass over us. Really, it comes down to whether we believe in a modern-day prophet just as it came down to whether the Israelites believed in Moses as a prophet. Will we choose to place the blood on our doors despite all of the logical reasons to avoid doing so? Do we believe in a prophet?
I testify of a Lord who makes and keeps promises. I testify that the Word of Wisdom is not the first time the Lord has utilized a covenant to protect the health of His people. I testify that following a prophet, even when it doesn’t seem to outwardly make sense, will provide protection whether that’s through natural consequences or from pure obedience and blessings directly given by the Lord.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
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Reverence as the Foundation for Spiritual Connection
Have you ever wondered why certain moments in worship feel life-changing—while others feel ordinary, even rushed? In a world that increasingly scoffs at the idea of sacred times and places, Elder Ulisses Soares’s April 2025 General Conference message, Reverence for Sacred Things, is a powerful reminder: reverence is not an accessory to spirituality—it is spirituality.
Elder Soares draws us to the image of Moses before the burning bush—removing his sandals, aware he was standing on holy ground. That act was more than cultural tradition; it was a physical expression of a heart fully turned toward God. Reverence, he teaches, is the virtue that prepares our hearts to receive divine instruction, whether we are in the temple or in our own homes.
Doctrine and Covenants 88 echoes this call: “Sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him” (v. 68). Reverence is not simply about silence or outward formality—it is the alignment of our whole being with God’s presence. It can transform a home into a sanctuary, and a building into the House of the Lord.
In the words of Elder Soares:
Reverence for sacred things is the greatest manifestation of a vital spiritual quality; it is a by-product of our connection to holiness and reflects our love for and proximity to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
As we study D&C 88 this week, the pattern is clear: the Lord invites us to create holy places—“a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (v. 119)—not only in our temples, but in our homes. The question is, will we pause long enough, and reverently enough, to meet Him there?
Apologetic Issues: Reverence & the Relevance of Sacred SpaceDoctrine Issue: “Reverence Is Just Outward Formality”Misconception: “Reverence is about being quiet and somber—it’s just an old-fashioned cultural formality, not essential to spiritual connection.”
Response:Reverence is not a cultural habit—it is a Christ-centered virtue. In Joseph Smith’s day, the word virtue carried the meaning of moral power, excellence, and strength of character—not just moral purity. C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters warns that the adversary will do all he can to prevent the formation of true virtues, because they shape how we receive God’s influence.
Elder Soares teaches that reverence is “a feeling or attitude of profound respect, love, and gratitude,” which invites the Holy Ghost and opens us to God’s blessings. Doctrine and Covenants 88 calls us to “sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God” (v. 68) and to “establish … a house of God” (v. 119). This inward alignment transforms outward stillness into spiritual receptivity. Reverence is the soil where testimony and revelation grow.
Common Fallacy: False Analogy – assuming two things are alike in all respects because they share some similarities.
This misconception treats reverence as the same as cultural formality. While formality can be empty, reverence is a spiritually potent virtue that changes our capacity to receive light (D&C 88:67).
Solution: Distinguish between empty custom and divine principle. Reverence is not about keeping an outdated style—it is about cultivating the inner condition that allows the Spirit to speak and be heard.
Social Issue: “Sacred Spaces Aren’t Necessary—God Is Everywhere”Misconception: “If God is everywhere, I don’t need a temple or a special setting to worship. My home, hobbies, or nature walks are enough.”
Response:It is true that God can be worshiped anywhere, but throughout scripture He commands the creation of dedicated sacred spaces. The Lord told Moses to remove his shoes because he stood on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). In D&C 88, He commands the Saints to build a temple and to establish their homes as “houses of prayer … faith … learning … glory” (v. 119).
Sacred spaces—especially the home and temple—do more than mark a location; they mark our intent. They provide a context for covenant, order, and focused worship that cannot be replicated by casual devotion alone. Elder Soares teaches that showing reverence for sacred things gives meaning to our everyday lives and freedom from the apathy that the irreverence of the world catapults us toward.
Common Fallacy: Hasty Generalization – drawing a broad conclusion from a few cases.
This misconception assumes that because God can be worshiped anywhere, all places are equally effective for deep spiritual formation.
Solution: Recognize that while God hears prayers anywhere, He commands and blesses the creation of set-apart spaces for His work. Sacred spaces amplify our focus, readiness, and covenant connection.
Apologetic Application: Reverence as a Christ-Centered Virtue that Unlocks Spiritual LightElder Ulisses Soares’s talk teaches a doctrinal truth with profound apologetic value:
Reverence is more than etiquette—it is a covenantal virtue that opens our hearts to God’s presence.
In Joseph Smith’s day, virtue meant far more than chastity—it was moral power, excellence, and strength of soul. C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters warns that the adversary seeks to prevent the formation of such virtues, knowing they shape our ability to receive heaven’s influence.
In D&C 88, the Lord links reverence to divine vision: “Sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him” (v. 68). This is not about outward posture—it’s about the alignment of heart, mind, and will to Christ.
Defending Core Beliefs1⃣ Reverence ≠ Empty FormalitySome dismiss reverence as a hollow cultural habit. But in scripture, reverence is repeatedly tied to encounters with God—Moses removing his sandals before the burning bush (Exodus 3:5), the Lord commanding His people to build a temple “that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8), and His instructions in D&C 88 to establish “a house of prayer … faith … learning … glory … God” (v. 119).
Defense: Outward expressions of reverence reflect inward humility and readiness to receive revelation. They are not ends in themselves—they are tools to help us stand on holy ground.
2⃣ Sacred Spaces Are Commanded, Not OptionalSome argue that since God can be worshiped anywhere, dedicated spaces like temples and worship-centered homes are unnecessary. While God indeed hears prayers offered anywhere, He commands the creation of holy places (Isaiah 2:3, D&C 88:119) as a pattern for covenant relationship and focused worship.
Defense: Sacred spaces amplify spiritual focus, strengthen covenant identity, and serve as protective “holy ground” in an increasingly irreverent world.
Practical Apologetics
This doctrine clarifies that reverence is a spiritual discipline that invites the Holy Ghost and allows the Lord to “unveil his face” (D&C 88:68). Practically, it becomes a defense against cultural trends that scoff at sacredness—showing that reverence isn’t just “acting” a certain way but a divine requirement for those who would see God.
Apologetic Use:When someone claims, “Your Church is too rigid about how worship should look,” you can respond: “It’s not about rigidity—it’s about readiness. Reverence prepares the heart to receive revelation. God asked Moses to remove his shoes before holy ground. Today, He asks us to sanctify our homes and temples so He can meet us there.”
Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsReverence for sacred things is not a cultural invention—it is a divine pattern, repeated in every dispensation. Anciently, the Lord commanded Moses to remove his sandals before the burning bush, because he was standing on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). Israel was taught to sanctify themselves before approaching Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:10–11). The early Saints were commanded to do the same in their day.
In December 1832, Joseph Smith and other leaders met in the upper room of Newel K. Whitney’s store in Kirtland, Ohio, to seek the Lord’s will “concerning the upbuilding of Zion”. The result was Doctrine and Covenants 88—the “Olive Leaf” revelation—a message of peace after prophecies of war. In it, the Lord commanded His people to “sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God” and to establish “a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (vv. 68, 119). This call to reverence mirrored ancient Israel’s preparation for holy encounters and reaffirmed that sacred spaces are central to covenant life.
Elder Soares’s counsel continues this prophetic continuity. He reminds us that reverence is not optional—it is preparatory. Just as the Saints of Kirtland were commanded to create a temple and sanctify themselves, we are called to treat both our homes and temples as holy ground. Reverence is the spiritual posture that enables the Holy Ghost to “abide in your hearts” (v. 3) and fills our lives with light until we can “see [God]” (v. 68).
Connection to This Week’s Come, Follow Me Lesson:This week’s study of Doctrine and Covenants 88 focuses on light, sanctification, and the house of God. Elder Soares’s message fits perfectly:
- D&C 88:67 – “If your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light.” Reverence aligns our vision with God’s glory.
- D&C 88:68 – “Sanctify yourselves … and the days will come that you shall see him.” Reverence is the act of sanctifying both our space and ourselves.
- D&C 88:119 – “Establish … a house of God.” The Lord commands physical and spiritual preparation for sacred encounters.
By honoring this pattern—whether in our living rooms or in the temple—we claim the same promise given to the Saints in Kirtland: that God will “establish his name” among us and fill our homes with His presence.
Living Apologetics: How to Apply This Today How can we help others understand that reverence is not outdated formality, but the foundation for real spiritual experience?
Elder Soares testifies that “…as we strive to incorporate such virtue into our daily lives, we will be able to increase our humility, expand our understanding of God’s will for us, and strengthen our confidence in the promises of the covenants we have made with the Lord.” In an age where sacredness is often dismissed, this truth helps us respond to cultural skepticism: reverence is not about restriction—it is about readiness.
Principle in Practice: Two Ways to Apply Apologetic Principles1⃣ Reframe Criticism of “Formality in Worship” When someone says, “Your church is too formal about worship,” respond:
→ “Reverence isn’t about formality—it’s about focus. Just like Moses removed his shoes before holy ground, we set apart our spaces and hearts so we can receive God’s guidance.”
2⃣ Explain Why Sacred Spaces Matter When someone says, “I can worship anywhere, so temples aren’t necessary,” respond:
→ “We can pray anywhere, but God repeatedly commands His people to create holy places so we can meet Him in covenant. Homes and temples give us both the setting and the spiritual preparation to hear His voice more clearly.”
Conclusion: Standing on Holy Ground Every DayElder Ulisses Soares’s message calls us to rediscover reverence as the foundation of spiritual life—a virtue that transforms both sacred buildings and humble homes into holy ground. Reverence is not an empty tradition; it is the posture of a heart prepared to meet God.
From Moses before the burning bush to the early Saints commanded in D&C 88 to sanctify themselves and build “a house of God,” the Lord’s pattern is clear: when we recognize and honor the sacred, we open ourselves to the light, peace, and guidance He is eager to give. In a noisy world that often mocks the idea of sacredness, choosing reverence becomes a powerful, even countercultural act of discipleship.
This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson echoes the same truth: sanctifying ourselves and creating holy places—both physically and spiritually—prepares us to “see Him” (D&C 88:68). The temple and the home are not just places we enter—they are environments we create through our choices, our preparation, and our devotion.
Elder Soares reminds us:
…As we embrace this gift of reverence for sacred things—whether in the mountain of the Lord’s house, in a meetinghouse, or in our own homes—we will be filled with astounding amazement and awe as we connect to the perfect love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
What will you do this week to make your home and your heart holy ground?
The Consider Conference series by FAIR offers an in-depth look at recent General Conference talks to help members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints navigate common questions, misunderstandings, and criticisms. Each post provides doctrinal insights, historical context, and practical ways to apply gospel principles in everyday conversations. Through this series, we hope to equip readers with faith-promoting resources that encourage thoughtful reflection, respectful dialogue, and a stronger foundation in gospel truths, fostering both personal conviction and meaningful discussions with others.
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Steadying the Arkby Autumn Dickson
There is a reference to an Old Testament story found in the sections for this week. Let’s talk about the background and then read the verse.
In 2 Samuel, the Israelites are bringing the ark of the covenant back into Israel after an enemy nation had captured and released it. An oxen shook the ark of the covenant while they were crossing a river, and Uzzah touched it and tried to steady it even though no one was allowed to touch the ark. He was struck dead immediately next to the ark of the covenant.
Here is the verse in the Doctrine and Covenants.
Doctrine and Covenants 85:8 While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning.
Around the time this verse was given, Edward Partridge and Joseph were disagreeing. Partridge thought the quality of land in Missouri was poor and didn’t want to buy it, and it took a while for him to reconcile with Joseph over the matter. This warning would have been to Partridge had he not repented. In 1834, Oliver Cowdery recorded that Joseph clarified that this verse didn’t apply to any individual. It was a warning to anyone.
So what is the warning?
Just like with any scripture story, there are a few different lessons. Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that trying to direct God’s work without authority can bring spiritual death. We learn that good intentions aren’t sufficient to protect us. It teaches us that approaching God with a lack of immense reverence is dangerous. The ark of the covenant was a representation of God, and only the high priest (as a type of Christ) could approach that ark and only after a series of cleansing rituals.
This can be a tender spot for some who are struggling in the church. Our belief in a prophet who is led by God can create a sense of all or nothing when attempting to follow the church. And while I desperately hope for everyone to continue working out their salvation within the church, this is a legitimate warning. When we try to change things without authority or try to steady the ark when we think it’s out of balance, it really can bring spiritual death.
I have a friend who has left the church over the past few years. As I’ve had conversations with him about it, I have repeatedly heard the phrase, “I just don’t think God would do something like that.” This sentiment was repeated over and over. I often found myself internally asking, “Well, have you asked Him if He would do something like that?”
With the way the church is set up, it really boils down to whether it’s true or not. It’s hard to find a way around that sticking point. Either the prophet is led by God or he isn’t. Sure, we all receive personal revelation and the Lord can guide us about specific principles and policies in our lives. But, we also believe that the Lord only gives revelation to the prophet if He is trying to direct His church. Just like in the New Testament, the Lord didn’t teach every individual that the Law of Moses was completed and done away. He sent that revelation to Peter, the head of the church, and then people got to decide whether they would follow.
Just like with most people in the church, I have found myself struggling with doctrine, policy, and history. While I was growing up, I would often choose to ignore it and just keep going. As I got older, I decided I didn’t really want to do that anymore. If I couldn’t face these doubts head on and work it out with God, then I didn’t want to be a part of this. If these issues couldn’t stand up in the light, then why am I working so hard to follow the church?
When we are trying to figure out whether the prophet and church are led by God, we have to be ready to follow. That is one of the major keys here. If you want Him to answer you about the truthfulness, you have to be ready to lay aside your own thoughts and opinions in favor of His greater knowledge and wisdom. You have to be prepared to say, “I don’t understand, but I will trust that God does and I will follow Him until I do.” You have to be prepared to follow regardless of whether He tells you why He is working in a specific manner.
And so I often approach my struggles in this manner.
I work it out in my head first. When I run across something that I struggle with, I try to approach it head on. I try not to hide from that discomfort. I try to write everything I understand about God and eternal realities. I try to place what I don’t understand into the context of those eternal realities. Sometimes that has been enough to soothe the disquiet. Other times, I just feel more and more troubled.
This is when it’s time to go directly to the Lord.
I lay it all out for the Lord. I tell Him everything. I tell Him why I think it’s wrong or skewed or incorrect or faulty. I try to get to the root issue of what I’m really struggling with, and I take it all to Him.
And then I tell the Lord that I don’t know as much as He does. I tell Him that even if I don’t understand, I tell Him that I will choose to follow Him in faith and rejoicing. Sometimes He will help me understand, and sometimes He just tells me to keep following. Either way, I know that He’s got this. Maybe the time has not come for Him to change things. Maybe He will never change things because there are aspects that I do not understand with my limited knowledge. Maybe, maybe, maybe.
But there are two aspects that are not a “maybe.” God knows all, and He loves His children. I feel this in my bones. So if He says that I’m on the right track and if He tells me that this is where I need to be, I feel safe enough to do so. I have gotten to know God, and though I don’t understand all of His decisions, I understand His love and omnipotence and I am not afraid. I am excited for Him to show me all that He sees when He deems that it’s the right timing.
So when I feel that the ark is off balance, I have learned to steady myself rather than the ark. I have learned to let the Lord do His own work, and I’ve learned that the ark will be just fine. If I follow, I’ll make it across the river and home someday.
You don’t have to follow blindly. You don’t have to hide from scary doubts. You can work them out in your mind and do your best to understand them. But you can also get to know God. You can deeply internalize His love and omnipotence, and then you can go to Him. You can tell Him that you’re willing to follow where He leads because you have come to trust Him deeply. You can be willing to let go of what you don’t understand because you trust that He understands.
Everyone is going to have to work this out in their own lives. You have to receive that answer for yourself. Is the prophet truly being led by God? This can feel like a difficult answer when it seems like it conflicts with some deep part of you, but the conflict only exists because we do not see all that He sees. I can testify of His God’s love and omnipotence. I can testify that He isn’t betraying you or setting you aside. I can testify that He sacrificed everything so that no hurt would go unhealed. I also testify that He leads His prophet and church today.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
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Renewalby Autumn Dickson
There is a promise found in Section 84. And though it is specifically in relation to priesthood ordinations, I believe the promises we find there can apply to all of us. Here it is.
Doctrine and Covenants 84:33 For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.
There’s a lot of good stuff here. Sanctification by the Spirit is a huge part of receiving and magnifying a calling. Some might even say it’s the entire purpose of receiving and magnifying a calling. However, the specific portion I want to speak about is the “renewing of their bodies.” I find this to be a very unique promise that coincides with something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately.
Namely, the widow of Zarephath found in 1 Kings in the Old Testament. It is one of my absolute favorite scripture stories of all time which is probably why I’ve spoken about it on more than one occasion. The gist of the story is this.
There is a great famine in the land, and the widow of Zarephath only has enough food for one more meal with her son before they starve. The prophet Elijah is led to her door, and he promises her that her food will never run out if she feeds him first and then feeds herself and her son.
I think about that widow a lot. She didn’t have much to lose since they were already facing starvation. I think about how she chose to give out of what she didn’t really have. I think about how she must have felt when she looked at her son and made the decision to feed Elijah.
I also think about what happened after she fed Elijah. What happened right after? What happened the next day? What did this miracle look like?
Did she wake up to a full barrel? Or in the days that followed, was her barrel always full? Would it get replenished the second she took from it?
Or perhaps the miracle looked different. Maybe she opened that barrel the next morning, and it was full. Perhaps she emptied that barrel all the way to the bottom over time and when she arose the morning after emptying it, she found that barrel filled again.
Or maybe it looked even different than that. Maybe there was always just enough for the next meal. I think this option would have felt the scariest. Did it feel scary to open the lid every day and find an almost-empty barrel? Did she still feel adrift and worried? Or did she see the miracle and recognize that whether the barrel was completely filled up or not, it would never be empty?
This is a story that teaches a great many things. One of the things that it teaches is renewal.
When it comes to priesthood ordination or any kind of service you choose to do in the name of the Lord, there will be enough in the barrel. Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, there can enough energy, time, resources, and love when you are magnifying your calling in His name. You can be renewed to do what needs to be done, what the Lord wants you to do.That doesn’t mean He will enable you to do everything, but there will be enough in the barrel for what He needs you to do. He will renew you for what you need done.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
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The Church in Ohio, August–November 1831 (D&C sections 63–69)by Mike Parker
(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best.)
Class Notes
Additional Reading
- President J. Reuben Clark Jr., “When Are the Writings and Sermons of Church Leaders Entitled to the Claim of Scripture?,” address to Seminary and Institute personnel at BYU, 7 July 1954.
- Kirtland, City of Revelation: A Joseph Smith Papers Podcast is an eight-part documentary miniseries that explores the way men and women flocked to Kirtland in the 1830s to hear the voice of God through the prophet Joseph Smith. The episodes consider Kirtland as a site of abundant revelation and the place where church leaders organized much of the church. The episodes also illuminate how Joseph Smith was intent on teaching church members in Kirtland how to hear the voice of God themselves. Series host Spencer W. McBride interviewed historians and Church leaders for this podcast.
Mike Parker is a business and marketing analyst with over twenty years’ experience in the financial services and cellular telephone industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management Information Systems from Dixie State University (now Utah Tech University) of St George, Utah. He also has eight years’ experience in corporate training and currently teaches an adult religion class in southern Utah. Mike and his wife, Denise, have three children.
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“The Fallacy of Fundamentalist Assumptions” by Blake T. Ostler at the 2005 FAIR ConferenceI’d like to begin my presentation (there should have been an outline that was handed out that you have in front of you). But I want to begin a bit off outline. I was amused- I was reading this morning that we have (and Chris Buttars is a good friend of mine) and he’s wondering whether he should introduce intelligent design into Utah schools. And I was thinking intelligent design? Chris is a Mormon and he probably doesn’t even realize what he would be teaching isn’t Mormon cosmology.
And I was reading another article—as a matter of fact just last night—about how the Big Bang proved this story of Genesis and I was thinking, apparently the people who read- who know all about the Big Bang have never read Genesis. (Laughter)
CONTINUED HERE
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The Interpreter Foundation is putting on a conference at BYU on Saturday, May 3, 2025 and Saturday, May 10, 2025. More information is available here.
The post 2025 Abraham and His Family Conference appeared first on FAIR.
In this special episode, Sarah Allen, Jennifer Roach Lees, and Zachary Wright host a panel discussion on the topic “How Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals understand the Bible differently.”
Panel participants:
- Stephen Smoot: https://www.plonialmonimormon.com/
- Dr. Ben Spackman: https://benspackman.com/
- Travis Anderson: @missionarydiscussions1286
References in this episode:
- JSH 1:12–13
- Dr. Christian Smith, “pervasive interpretive pluralism”. (The Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not a Truly Evangelical Reading of Scripture by Dr. Christian Smith)
- Dr. James Kugel: https://www.jameskugel.com/ (The Idea of Biblical Poetry: Parallelism and Its History by Dr. James Kugel)
- An Egyptian View of the Monotheism of Second Isaiah by Stephen O. Smoot: https://www.academia.edu/122239522/An_Egyptian_View_of_the_Monotheism_of_Second_Isaiah
- The Invention of the Inspired Text: Philological Windows on the Theopneustia of Scripture by Dr. John C. Poirier
- God’s Word in Human Words: An Evangelical Appropriation of Critical Biblical Scholarship by Dr. Kenton L. Sparks
- The Sticks of Judah and Joseph: Reflections on Defending the Kingdom by Dr. Joseph M. Spencer: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/5969/
- Latter-day Saint MissionCast by Nick Galieti: Proof texting and Understanding the Bible as a Missionary Tool with Ben Spackman – Episode 21: https://ldsmissioncast.com/2018/06/21/proof-texting-understanding-bible-missionary-tool-ben-spackman/
- Standard of Truth Podcast by Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat and Dr. Richard LeDuc: https://standardoftruth.com/
- Dr. Tremper Longman III & Dr. John Walton
- Aramaic Targum: https://www.sefaria.org/texts/Tanakh/Targum
- Greek Septuagint: https://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/
- Y Religion Episode 86: Deutero-Isaiah in the Book of Mormon (Dr. Joshua Sears): https://religion.byu.edu/directory/josh-sears
- Deutero-Isaiah in the Book of Mormon: Latter-day Saint Approaches by Joshua M. Sears (chapter from They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon by Dr. Charles Swift and Dr. Nicholas J. Frederick, Editors)
- Offenders for a Word: How Anti-Mormons Play Word Games to Attack the Latter-Day Saints: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/mi/57/
- Salvation by Allegiance Alone: Rethinking Faith, Works, and the Gospel of Jesus the King by Dr. Matthew W. Bates
- The New Perspective on Paul: An Introduction by Dr. Kent L. Yinger & The New Perspective on Paul by Dr. James D. G. Dunn
- 4QMMT – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4QMMT
- Society of Biblical Literature: https://www.sbl-site.org/
- Relational Grace: The Reciprocal and Binding Covenant of Charis by Dr. Brent J. Schmidt https://brentschmidt.org
- Relational Faith: The Transformation and Restoration of Pistis as Knowledge, Trust, Confidence, and Covenantal Faithfulness by Dr. Brent J. Schmidt https://brentschmidt.org
- Blake T. Ostler, J.D. & Dr. Noel B. Reynolds
- Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions by Jennifer Roach: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw_Vkm1zYbIGG3QXZLu1A9JLOXbLj4lAF
- NRSV Bible Translation (New Revised Standard Version)
- Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Dr. Richard L. Bushman
- The Jewish Study Bible: Second Edition by Dr. Adele Berlin & Dr. Marc Zvi Brettler
- The Jewish Annotated New Testament by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine & Dr. Marc Zvi Brettler
- The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine & Dr. Marc Zvi Brettler
- [G. K.] Chesterton on the Mormons by Dr. Daniel Peterson : https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson/2018/07/chesterton-on-the-mormons.html (paraphrased from “[Mormons] managed to reproduce the atmosphere of those Scriptures [Hebrew Bible] as they are felt by Hebrews rather than by Christians”)
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An Uncomfortable Offeringby Autumn Dickson
This week, we learn about some of the men and women who supported Joseph in the early days of the restoration. He was supported through friendship as well as monetarily as he worked to complete the translation of The Book of Mormon. We also learn about the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood. John the Baptist came to Joseph and Oliver and conferred that authority upon them.
Plenty could be written about the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood, but there was actually another part of this event that I wanted to speak about. Though I am far from qualified in historical perspectives and details (especially pertaining to ancient Israel), I do believe that there is insight that I can give.
Here is the one verse that describes the restoration of this preparatory priesthood.
Doctrine and Covenants 13:1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.
The portion that I would like to try and give insight on is the last phrase, “until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.” This verse, accompanied by many quotes in the Doctrine and Covenants institute manual, teach that there will be a literal animal sacrifice at some point in our dispensation. It will be performed when the sons of Levi can do so in righteousness. The sons of Levi were priesthood holders in ancient Israel, and so we can understand that this is talking about modern day priesthood holders. Will they be specifically from the tribe of Levi? Maybe. The manual simply states that they will be priesthood holders.
There will be some who cry that the Law of Moses was done away, and they are absolutely correct. It was done away. However, animal sacrifice existed before the Law of Moses and so there’s no reason to assume that it was permanently done away with the rest of the rights and rituals included in the Law of Moses. One quote from President Joseph Fielding Smith stated that this sacrifice would be done in the beginning of the Millennium when Christ is already on the earth.
Even when we take into consideration the logical arguments for the restoration of all things, this is simply not one of our friendlier doctrines. It’s not necessarily one of the things that we like to expound upon and focus on. It’s uncomfortable.
And therein lies my exact insight. Let’s explore.
Uncomfortable
As I was reading about this sacrifice from the sons of Levi, I remember trying to think of how I would explain something like that to a friend or even to my children. I don’t know how to describe the necessity of animal sacrifice when I’m not even sure why it’s totally necessary.
I tried picturing what that sacrifice might look like, and once again, all I could feel was extreme discomfort. Society has definitely evolved away from this kind of death. People used to raise their own meat and personally slaughter their dinners. If they didn’t personally raise the meat, they hunted wild game and still personally slaughtered their dinners.
We have begun to feel that we’re more sophisticated because we get to eat the meat without watching the animal die. It offends our more sensitive natures because we’re just not used to it anymore. I’m not saying this is necessarily a bad thing. I don’t think there is anything wrong with sensitivity towards death. However, I wonder what we have lost when we’re so far separated from the process that we don’t appreciate what occurred to put that meat on our table.
I promise this isn’t a discourse on being vegetarian, and I do have a point. This is an uncomfortable doctrine for us, in a different way than it was uncomfortable to ancient Israelites.
The point of animal sacrifice was to teach the Israelites about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But why does an innocent animal need to suffer so we can learn a lesson?
And then it hit me. How much more poignant could we get?
An innocent, perfect Man sacrificed Himself so that we could come to earth to learn the lessons we needed to learn in order to live an eternal life. We rejoice in this doctrine. We’re grateful for it. It is our central doctrine that the Savior offered Himself up so that we could be saved.
It’s easy to reflect on the gratitude; it’s much more difficult to grasp the sacrifice.
The ancient Israelites were probably not as sensitized to animal death as we are, and so the lessons probably felt a little different. They understood that meat on their table meant death. We’re far removed and so we don’t often think about it, but perhaps that just drives the lesson home even more.
Animal sacrifice feels uncomfortable, even wrong. Isn’t there some other way we can learn about the atonement of Jesus Christ? Now take these direct feelings and apply them to the sacrifice of the Savior. Expand this poignant lesson to exactly where it’s supposed to be: our Redeemer. I wonder what kind of emotions would be evoked if we could see a vision of the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross before our eyes. It would certainly be uncomfortable since most of our modern societies have moved away from brutal torture methods. I wonder if it would also evoke emotions such as, “This is wrong. He is good. Why are we letting this happen? Surely there is another way!”
It is not enough to logically understand the atonement of Jesus Christ. If we want to feel the depth of the love He holds for us, if we want to experience gratitude to the level it deserves, if we want His sacrifice to change us, we have to experience the atonement emotionally. I’m not saying we go out and sacrifice an animal to let the lesson hit home. I’m just going to leave those particulars to the Lord when He gets here.
But as much as we love the atonement of Jesus Christ and all that it brought us, do we also understand the depth of darkness that accompanied it? Do we feel gratitude because we understand on some kind of level, just what He had to innocently go through in order to save us and give us an opportunity to come here and learn? In some ways, you might argue that the atonement of Jesus Christ isn’t even one of our friendlier doctrines. There was so much love associated with it, and I believe it is absolutely right to celebrate that love and the victory. I believe it’s also important to recognize what that victory cost.
Abraham and Isaac
It makes me think of Abraham and Isaac. Abraham was commanded by the Lord to offer up Isaac, his only son, as a sacrifice. I always hated this story in the Old Testament. What kind of God would command His child to sacrifice their posterity? It seemed so jarring and so incongruous with who I believed God to be.
It wasn’t until I studied this story during Come Follow Me that I noted something I had never seen before. Abraham was commanded by the Lord to offer up his son as a sacrifice, but the Lord never intended on actually accepting the sacrifice. It was never part of the plan for Isaac to actually be sacrificed.
Some would argue that it was cruel of God to put Abraham through such an ordeal. I can’t imagine the agony. I think about one of my kids dying, and I can’t breathe. I don’t know if I would have had the strength to follow that commandment even if it did directly come from God (and that’s just plain honesty on my part). I would probably assume I had gone completely mental and checked myself into a hospital.
But once again, Isaac wasn’t ever actually going to be sacrificed. I wonder if Abraham just kept repeating to himself that Isaac would be resurrected one day, and they would be reunited. I wonder if that brought him any comfort because I don’t think it would have brought me any comfort. Though it was harrowing, absolutely excruciating to have experienced the trek up that mountain, understanding what was at the end of it, I wonder if anyone understands the atonement on the level that Abraham understands.
When the angel came and stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, I picture Abraham falling over himself to hug Isaac, sobbing into his neck. I picture the tears of joy that his son was mercifully spared. And later, when things got quieter and Abraham had some time to ponder, I picture more tears as Abraham finally understood just what it meant that Heavenly Father had sent His innocent Son to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. I picture the depth of gratitude Abraham must have felt that while he didn’t have to sacrifice his own son, Heavenly Father had chosen to send Jesus for our sake.
Maybe Heavenly Father kept reminding Himself that Jesus would be resurrected and returned to Him. I wonder if that helped, or I wonder if the nature of a parental relationship denies the ability to skip the pain in favor of the ending. Heavenly Father didn’t turn away from the brutality that was necessary in order to save us. The least we can do is appreciate that on some level.
I testify that rejoicing and gratitude and worship are all wonderful things that the Lord encourages. I testify that our salvation was worth it to the Savior. I also testify of uncomfortable doctrines that were necessary. I testify that saving us required a sacrifice, a sacrifice that we are hard-pressed to comprehend because of the elevated and sanitized societies in which we now live. That’s not to knock the progress we’ve made as humanity away from public executions by crosses, but it is to help us understand that the atonement of Jesus Christ carries a depth of pain that matches the depth of joy that has been offered to us. Appreciating that on some level (because heaven knows we can’t yet fully understand and appreciate it) goes a long way in pushing us towards the Savior for what He did, and that is a worthwhile endeavor to find that appreciation.
Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 12–17; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.
This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2022 conference.
Kerry Muhlestein, Keys to Understanding Isaiah
Kerry has several books available from the FAIR Bookstore.
Kerry received his B.S. from BYU in Psychology with a Hebrew minor. He received an M.A. in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from BYU and his Ph.D. from UCLA in Egyptology, where in his final year he was named the UCLA Affiliates Graduate Student of the Year. His first full time appointment was a joint position in Religion and History at BYU-Hawaii. He is the director of the BYU Egypt Excavation Project. He has been teaching about Isaiah for almost three decades, and has been teaching classes specifically on Isaiah for several years, and has written a verse-by-verse commentary on Isaiah. He and his wife, Julianne, are the parents of six children, and together they have lived in Jerusalem while Kerry has taught there on multiple occasions.
The post FAIR Conference Podcast #82 – Kerry Muhlestein, “Keys to Understanding Isaiah” appeared first on FAIR.
Nephi’s quotations & commentary on the prophecies of Isaiah(2 Nephi 11–27)by Mike Parker
(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best. This week’s lesson includes information that goes with the Come, Follow Me reading schedule for the next three weeks.)
Class Notes
Handout
Additional Reading
- Isaiah in the Book of Mormon. A side-by-side comparison of the King James and Book of Mormon texts of Isaiah.
Two book-length treatments of the Isaiah material in the Book of Mormon I recommend:
-
- Donald W. Parry and John W. Welch, eds., Isaiah in the Book of Mormon (Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1998).
- Donald W. Parry, Harmonizing Isaiah: Combining Ancient Sources (Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2001).
- Since 1981, the Church’s footnote for 2 Nephi 12:16 has indicated a connection between the text of the Book of Mormon and the Greek Septuagint. BYU professors Dana M. Pike and David Rolph Seely examine different interpretive possibilities in “‘Upon all the Ships of the Sea, and Upon All the Ships of Tarshish’: Revisiting 2 Nephi 12:16 and Isaiah 2:16,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14, no. 2 (2005): 12–25.
Mike Parker is a business and marketing analyst with over twenty years’ experience in the financial services and cellular telephone industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management Information Systems from Dixie State University (now Utah Tech University) of St George, Utah. He also has eight years’ experience in corporate training and currently teaches an adult religion class in southern Utah. Mike and his wife, Denise, have three children.
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Some Old Testament scriptures tell about a latter-day “Davidic King,” “Davidic Servant,” or “Marred Servant.” The consensus of mainstream scholarship and teaching from leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that this refers to Jesus Christ, when He rules the earth after His Second Coming. But some claim the “Servant” will be a mortal man who may or may not be a regularly-ordained Church leader. Because of the name “David,” some speculate Apostle David Bednar will be the Servant, and the same was said decades ago about the prophet David O. McKay.
Many who are not Apostles or Church leaders have claimed to be the “Davidic Servant.” Recently it was reported a woman and her brother kidnapped her teenage son because they believed him to be the “Davidic Servant.” The belief in a “Davidic Servant” is controversial and has been associated with criminal and tragic outcomes. To an unstable individual who feels entitled to power or special spiritual gifts, the “Davidic Servant” belief can be used to justify immoral and unscriptural actions. To an ordinary member of the Church, belief in a coming “Davidic Servant” can cause frustration with actual Church leaders, a feeling of spiritual superiority to them, and an eventual loss of faith in the restored gospel altogether.
A Mortal Davidic Servant: Refuting the ArgumentsBelievers in a coming mortal “Davidic Servant” use several arguments to support their claim. Most are completely wrong.
Continued Here
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Evangelical Questions: The Husband of One Wifeby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC
Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about polygamy. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.
We are on Week 43 of this 52-week project. I’ve teased you a little about what will happen next year. I’m still not ready to spill the beans, but we had a planning meeting for it yesterday and I’m really encouraged.
Our jumping-off point is 1 Timothy 3:2:
Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach…
Before we start, let me set some expectations. This is not an apologetic for polygamy. This is not to pretend there are not hard issues with polygamy. If you yourself, Latter-day Saint friend, are struggling over the history of polygamy there are so many resources to help you. Let me just briefly touch on 3 of them. 1) The work of Brian Hales on this topic is the the very best source for learning the history here. His site JosephSmithsPolygamy.org should be your first stop if you’re wanting to see the most in-depth display of original documents as it relates to Joseph’s polygamy specifically. Brian and his then-wife Laura Harris Hales (now passed) created the site. Laura was amazing and kind. I gave my first formal talk for FAIR in 2020 and Laura was the speaker right before me. We had never met but she just sort of told me, “You and I are going to be friends because you need to know the things I can tell you.” Maybe not that blunt, but in essence, that’s what it was. Laura’s talk that year was on Helen Mar Kimball’s later-in-life reflections on polygamy. Helen was sealed to Joseph when she was 14, which gets really complicated for us today. But Helen’s own words, written after a lifetime of living polygamy, are the essence of what it means to embrace faith in the midst of something really messy. And if I had not already been completely swept off my feet over this church, I would have become so right then and there. My very favorite genre of speaking or writing is from the standpoint of, “You can maintain faith even if things are messy, even if you have doubts, even if you have questions. Those things in no way disqualify you from having a strong faith.” So, resource 1 is: check out Brian’s site (Brian is very much alive and well – just this last week he released a paper on Joseph Smith’s education called, “Joseph Smith’s Education and Intellect as Described in Documentary Sources.” Our friends at the Interpreter Foundation have it up on their website. It’s 8,000 words and over 120 footnotes. Brian’s site and Laura’s talk on HMK at the 2020 FAIR conference. 2) Second resource you should know about is the 2023 talk at FAIR by Don Bradley. Don is a proper historian and did the deep research for Brian and Laura’s work. And he has continued on in that work. Don’s talk at FAIR a couple months ago brings new information into play that changes the timeline of Joseph’s polygamy – which snaps several previously problematic ideas into place. It is well worth your time. 3) Finally Brittany Chapman Nash’s book, “Let’s Talk About Polygamy.” Brittany worked in the church history department for a long time, she was on the YW General Advisotry Board. She makes the topic very accessible and this is a very easy read. I think it’s less than 150 pages, in plain language, and it’s a great resource if you are struggling here. Ok, those are 3 great resources if you’re struggling in general with the topic as a Latter-day Saint. But what we are going to do today is different. We, as always, are going to talk about this topic as it comes up for Evangelicals.
So, before I was interested in the church, I knew some rough details about polygamy – mostly from movies or tv shows. I couldn’t have sketched out an overview of why it started or when. I just knew it was a thing, and supposedly wasn’t a thing anymore. But even that small amount of knowledge is more than a good percentage of Evangelicals have. As evidenced by this reality….Since joining the church I’ve received a handful of messages from friends about various tv shows that go something like this: “Hey, I’m watching such-and-such tv show about your church. There’s a lot going on there – you okay?” And they mean that with the kindest of intentions, they really do. They just don’t realize they’re watching a show about the members of a different group who practice polygamy, not our church. And I would say most Evangelicals have an understanding that is somewhere between what I knew and the knowledge that my friends displayed in their messages. So when they think about polygamy you need to know that their imaginations are populated by what they see on television and not by actual historical realities.
But even if you can explain all of that to them, and I think many (most?) Latter-day Saints could, you still have a problem…They interpret this verse in 1 Timothy to mean that all expressions of polygamy are bad for all places and all times. They get real squeamish explaining the polygamy of almost every prophet in the Old Testament and will usually say something like, “Yeah, they might have done that, but God didn’t like it or allow it – they just did it.” You can point out that 30% of the countries in the world still allow it today. They just…it’s usually been a hard no for them. But even that is changing.
In 2003 Gallop does a survey and finds 7% of adult Americans thought polygamy was morally acceptable – by 2020, 20% of adult Americans said it’s morally acceptable. And 35% of adults who consider themselves politically liberal say it is morally acceptable. This is sort of the spot where I walked in. I wouldn’t describe myself as particularly liberal, but I lived in a very liberal West Coast city for 25 years and that exposes you to a wide variety of people and lifestyles where the automatic response of most people is, “love is love.” So when I was investigating the church, that’s the cultural soup I was living in, so when the issue of polygamy came up my response was something like: Love who you want to love, why should I care? When the conversation came up with 2 women friends that are members of the church I was surprised. So surprised. I asked how they thought about the history of polygamy or the issue in general and they kind of fell all over themselves trying to tell me how bad they thought it was. They wanted to put lots and lots of distance between today and the 1800’s. I was confused. My liberal culture had taught me: You don’t get to have an opinion on how other people structure their marriages. Now, I get what they were doing – I was an investigator and they were trying not to freak me out – and I see the goodness in that. But I was far less worried about the issue than they were. As time went on, and I learned more, there were parts of the topic that I struggled with harder than others – I struggled with Joseph’s polyandry and if you struggle with that one too you must watch Don’s talk that I referenced earlier. But my initial reaction to the topic of polygamy was kind of, “So?” And I really haven’t moved too far from that. I understand the problems, I understand that the theological framework that supported polygamy is still found in places in our church. I listened to 100 episodes of a popular podcast talking about polygamy. And perhaps I’m not the typical example here, but what I’ve observed is that people inside the church are more touchy about this topic than people outside of it. So, all of that to say, you might be surprised that this conversation could go an entirely different way than you imagine. You, Latter-day Saint, might have far more complicated feelings about this than someone outside of our faith. You’re allowed to have complicated feelings here, and there is plenty of help for that, but Evangelicals don’t necessarily walk in with the same baggage.
And here is the other direction I want to go. I think sometimes we Latter-day Saints look at Protestants widely, and Evangelicals specifically as being a people who don’t have to grapple with history as hard as we do in our church. Since we’re talking about polygamy we’ll use that as the example. There are 2 reasons for this.
1) Evangelicals are perfectly aware of polygamy in the Old Testament. But, that was a very, very long time ago. Meanwhile, in our church, there are people alive today whose grandparents practiced polygamy. So stories about polygamy (and all of its challenges) are not just random stories about stuff that happened 3,000 years ago. Evangelicals have the luxury of not thinking about this topic very much because 3,000 years is a long time. And, to be honest, in general, they’re fairly unaware of the events that have happened in the interim. For example, Martin Luther, the great reformer and father of Protestantism, said, “I confess that I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict the Scripture. If a man wishes to marry more than one wife he should be asked whether he is satisfied in his conscience that he may do so in accordance with the word of God. In such a case the civil authority has nothing to do in the matter.” But even that was 500 years ago, so it just doesn’t feel as relevant for them.
2) Evangelicalism is very young as a faith community. Younger than ours. They really didn’t start gaining steam until post-WW2. And what was the cultural zeitgeist in post-WW2 America? Everything is modern and new. Everything is about the future. New is better than old. So they’ve culturally been able to tell their origin story that way. Think of the biggest Evangelical church in your town, I can almost guarantee you that their origin story is something like, “Well, Pastor So-and-So just wanted to study the Bible with some friends so they started a Bible study group in his living room. And pretty soon it grew into a church, and now here we are.” Well, that’s a pretty tidy history. But you understand that it’s an edited history. “Jesus did some stuff, died and rose again, then fast-forward 2000 years and we started this church.” And that’s the end of the history lesson. Because its culturally allowed (even expected) for the story to be told that way, they mostly just accept it, and no one asks harder questions based on history. They actually really do have it easier here than we do. But this is sort of the pay off on this topic and what I want you to hear….
Faith in messy. History is messy. People are messy. There was a time in our church’s history when a more sanitized version of history was being told – that happened for a lot of reasons, and it seems we’ve mostly moved past that mentality. And now we grapple with this stuff. And yes, some people leave over these issues. But have you met the people who know the depths of these issues and don’t leave? Don’t abandon their faith? People who can struggle through these issues, faith intact? If you’re watching this, I suspect there is at least some of that in you too. And you have no idea what a gift that is. A person who goes to a church whose origin story is Pastor Bill and his living-room Bible study, well they don’t develop the same skill in the same way. They don’t have to because the messier details are obscured from sight. My very favorite people in the world are people who model this for me – they want to know all the details of everything, and they still choose faith.
My point here is not even to prep you on how to talk about polygamy with outsiders. I don’t think that’s even a very interesting conversation, and a pretty large number of them won’t even care. But there’s a pretty easy pivot from that conversation to how one keeps faith alive while also acknowledging the messy. This is one of the gifts of our faith that you might not see, but in my opinion, helping other people build their faith by modeling how to wade through complex issues is one of the holiest things you can do in this world. I hope and aspire to be able to do that for other people, and I know you do too.
Okay, well, there you go. And seriously, if you are hurting or struggling over this issue please check out the resources I listed at the top of the show. Sometimes I’ve seen this cynical attitude from critics of the church that says, “Well, if you knew everything I knew, you’d leave too.” Which is just ridiculously untrue. And the folks in the sources I mentioned can really show you what its like to know all the details and still maintain faith.
Next week, “the priesthood of all believers” is up. That will be a great conversation. See you then.
More Come, Follow Me resources here.
Jennifer Roach earned a Master of Divinity from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, and a Master of Counseling from Argosy University. Before her conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she was an ordained minister in the Anglican church. Her own experience of sexual abuse from a pastor during her teen years led her to care deeply about issues of abuse in faith communities.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – 1 and 2 Timothy; Titus; Philemon appeared first on FAIR.
by Craig Lindquist
The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.
Have you ever felt that the proverbial “windows of heaven” are too often fastened tightly shut for you? You would not be alone, as most of us have. Assuming that they are not shut because of serious misdeeds, what do we do when we need the revelation that flows through those windows but cannot get it? There is no easy answer. Even after much prayer, fasting, studying the scriptures, or conversations with priesthood leaders, answers can still be hard to find. Nevertheless, in our own struggle we can gain much understanding and appreciation for others who also search for answers from above.
CONTINUED HERE
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Evangelical Questions: If you believe the Bible, why do you also need the Book of Mormon? by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about scripture, what is it, how we read it, […]
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Acts 16–21 appeared first on FAIR.
Evangelical Questions: Heavenly Motherby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC
Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Heavenly Mother. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.
Before we get started though I want to let you know about a very cool event coming up. Every year FAIR hosts the most fantastic 3-day party. When I say “party” what I mean is getting to listen to and interact with some of the smartest people in our church. They give a talk on what they’ve been working on – and frequently the FAIR conference is the first place their ideas are presented in public. That’s my kind of party. And maybe it’s yours too. This year the FAIR conference is on August 2-4 (Wed – Friday) at the Experience Event Center in Provo, Utah. You can buy tickets to attend in person, or online by going to https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2023. I will be there all 3 days and would so happy to meet you. I am presenting a talk on one of those days, I don’t know which on yet, but will let you know once the schedule is finalized. 2 of the talks I am very much looking forward to are…1) Michaelbrent Collings is an American horror novelist and he’ll be talking about, “Horror: the Genre of Goodness, Godliness, and Hope.” Horror is not my genre at all, but I am completely intrigued by what he will say. 2) Dr. Janiece Johnson – her specialty is religious history – will be speaking on the Mountain Meadows Massacre. I’ll try to highlight the talks every couple of weeks here – if you enjoy sitting around listening to me, you probably will enjoy sitting around listening to my friends too. Okay, back to our scriptures…
Our scripture this week comes from Luke 13:34:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Evangelical Views
So here we have God compared to a mother hen. The traditional Evangelical conversation around this verse goes something like this….Yes, God is compared to a female chicken, a hen, but this verse does not require us to believe God is female any more than it requires us to believe God is a Cosmic Chicken. Fair enough. No one is asserting that God is a giant chicken.
And for a long time, this was the boundary on thinking about God and gender. God is male, and images in the scripture that refer to God as female such as a hen, a woman looking for her lost coin, a woman in labor, a nursing mother, a mother bear, and a mother eagle….these were just poetic images and not to be taken too seriously. But the boundary has certainly changed in even the last 10 years. It used to be that if you wanted to talk about any kind of feminine identity for God you were being scandalous. Only the most liberal of the Evangelicals would be talking about this. But last year Eerdmans published 2 books on the topic. If you are not familiar with the Evangelical publishing world Eerdman’s is willing to push the boundaries, and that’s been true for a long time. They’re not Zondervan or Lifeway which are going to take a very traditional Evangelical line, and to my knowledge have not, and would not, publish something about a feminine identity for God. But Eerdman’s isn’t ignored by Evangelicals either. So it’s a big step forward that this is being talked about.
The traditional Evangelical view is not all that interesting to talk about. God is male. End of story. So I’m not going to spend much time there, but what I do want to talk to you about is the direction the Evangelical world is headed on this topic – even if all of them aren’t there yet. And that direction takes 2 flavors. In order to get at what those flavors are I’m going to summarize 2 different books – and the reception they’ve received. By the end of this section, you should have a good idea of where the line on this topic has moved to. After that, we’ll compare the Latter-day Saint view.
The first one is, “Women and the Gender of God” by Dr. Amy Peeler. She is a professor at Wheaton College, which they like to say is the, “Harvard of the Evangelical world.” It’s probably closer to the, “BYU of the Evangelical world.” That probably gives you the right feel for it. Peeler’s PhD is from Princeton and she’s very well-liked in the Evangelical world. The biggest point her book is trying to make is that while Jesus Christ was male, he was born of a woman. His flesh does not exist without her flesh. She’s modernizing an argument first made by Augustine when he said, “(Jesus) was born of a woman; don’t despair, men; Christ was happy to be a man. Don’t despair, women; Christ was happy to be born of a woman.” And her book has been very well received by Evangelicals. But as Latter-day Saints you might sort of tilt your head at that and think it’s awful long path to just connect 2 points. Why not just say we have a Heavenly Mother? Evangelicals can’t get there. You can see their longing to – Peeler is brilliant and she works hard in this book to help people make connections to the idea that God is not solely male. But it’s an incredible amount of effort to get to a far less radical point than Latter-day Saints make about Heavenly Mother. But Peeler’s book demonstrates the idea that the boundary on this topic has in fact moved, even if it hasn’t moved all that much.
In contrast, there is another book that shows pushing the line too far will still get you a slap on the hand in the Evangelical world. The book, “God Is” by Mallory Wyckoff is fascinating, but ultimately most Evangelicals appear to reject where she goes. To be fair, Wyckoff does not have the same kind of educational background as Peeler does. So the work is automatically going to be quite different, and that’s okay. I dont think that’s what gets her rejected. Here’s what she does in the book…She takes the idea that God is not merely male and expands on it using a kind of panentheism that says: because God resides in us, we are God. So if God resides in a woman, then God is a woman. And that line is just too far for Evangelicals. When you read some of the Evangelical criticisms of her book you see the logic of G.K. Chesterson (one of the patron saints of the Evangelical world) – he once said, while talking about this idea, that if a man leans too heavily on the idea that God is part of him – and not also something quite separate from him – then he ends up worshiping not God, but self.
You can see from these 2 examples that Evangelicals are very much grappling with ideas about God and gender….but you can also see that they’re in a muddle it’s hard to find a way out of.
I’ll point out one other Evangelical take on this issue. If you watched the “Certain Women” episode a couple weeks ago you heard me talk about what women in leadership or ordained ministry is like for Evangelicals. And an interesting little piece of theology pops up here for the Evangleicals who ordain women. In the past, the Evangelical positon on ordained women could be summed up in something CS Lewis said, which is something like: a woman can not be ordained because it would confuse people into thinking that she represents God, and God is not female. And one of the modern-day reasons why some Evangelicals ordain women is so that their members in their congregation can experience what it is like to see the feminine side of divinity. They can’t make the jump to, “there must be a Heavenly Mother,” but they can say something like: All humans are created in God’s image, therefore God must contian within himself both feminine and masculine. So when a woman is ordained so that the congregation can experience a feminine divine through her, they’re trying to get to the idea of a Heavenly Mother, without ever having to get there. Interestingly enough, in oru Latter-day Saint church we do not ordain women, and looking through this lens, it makes sense why we do not need to.
The take-away here is that your Evangelical friends and family might be more interested in this topic than you think.
If you want to know my first take on hearing about Heavenly Mother, I’ve told you my first experience a few weeks ago back in that “Certain Women” episode. And you might find that interesting.
Latter-day Saint view
So, this is tricky territory. Let’s just acknowledge that. My sense is that 30 years ago that very few people were talking openly about this doctrine, and for understandable reasons. And things have shifted for us too over the years.
There is a resource that if you don’t know about, you should. The BYU Scripture Index – it’s an online site scriptures.byu.edu where you can search general conference talks all the way back to 1830, you can also search “Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” as well as the “Journal of Discourses” (which can be a tricky reference to wade through – you have to know what you’re looking at in order to not take things wildly out of context) but it’s there and you can search it as well. And you can search for how often certain words or phrases have been used. Pro tip: you might have to do a little research on the historic phrasing of certain words. For example, if you search for “Heavenly Mother” you will only find references going back to the 1970’s, but that’s because before that she was much more likely to be referred to as, “Mother in Heaven.” This doesn’t signal some big theological change as much as it demonstrates how the English language changes over time.
So, anyway, if you use the BYU Index to research Heavenly Mother you find several talks from the last 20 years, a couple in the 1980s and 90s, a couple in the 1970’s, 1 in the 1940’s, and 1 in 1885.
But there have been more things said outside of Conference and the best round-up of those to my knowledge was presented at the BYU Studies symposium in 2011 called, “A Mother There” by David Paulsen and Martin Pulido. It’s a long paper, 28 pages, but it does a great job of tracing the teachings throughout history. We also see Heavenly Mother referenced in the Family Proclamation. And, most notably, Elder Renlund’s talk a couple years ago titled, “Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny.”
And, we have our own tension of what can – and can not – be said about her. In the Evangelical world that tension is mostly around, “what is true?” and ours certainly has that element to it but also adds in a layer of, “Even if it is true can it be said?” That layer of carefulness is hard for Evnagleicals to understand as they don’t really have an equivalent dynamic. They don’t have a category called, “sacred things that should be kept private.” Latter-day Saints clearly have that category and the only quibble comes in trying to decide everything that should be in that category.
I do want to take minute to talk about the Catholic perspective here. It’s not my area of research or specialty – for that I would refer you to frequent FAIR speaker Robert Boylan. But there is an interesting thing happening in Catholic theology that Latter-day Saints will find interesting.
You are probably at least vaguely familiar with the idea that Mary the Mother of Jesus has a special place in their theology. Exactly what her position is has changed over the centuries, but her importance has never gone away. Non-Catholics sometimes day that Catholics, “pray to Mary” and while that is sometimes true, it’s probably more accurate to say that they are speaking to Mary and asking her to pray on their behalf. Mary is also sometimes called The Queen of Heaven, or The Mother of God in their theology. The reason I point this out to you is that it revelas the same issue the Evangelicals are trying to grapple with: They long for a feminine divine, but can’t quite work it out theologically how to get there.
Well, we are out of time. We’ll probably pick this topic up another time or two before the year is out. I hope you enjoyed this. Come back next time and we’ll take up another topic.
More Come, Follow Me resources here.
Jennifer Roach earned a Master of Divinity from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, and a Master of Counseling from Argosy University. Before her conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she was an ordained minister in the Anglican church. Her own experience of sexual abuse from a pastor during her teen years led her to care deeply about issues of abuse in faith communities.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Luke 12–17; John 11 appeared first on FAIR.
Evangelical Questions: Is It True? How do you know?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC
Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about truth – and how you learn it. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.
Our scripture this week comes from John 7:15-17. Jesus has gone up to the temple to teach and we get this:
The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” (NIV)
So, the question is: Do we approach gospel learning differently? Both groups, Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals are highly interested in gospel learning. And yet, we do seem to go about it in very different ways. We’re going to start with the question on a really practical level – what do the 2 groups do when they’re trying to engage in gospel learning, and then we’re going to look at the experiential level that Jesus is talking about in this section of scripture.
Scripture Reading
First, let me make an outsider’s observation. I’m new enough to being a Latter-day Saint that I can still see some things as an outsider. Both groups, Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints fret a lot on this topic. We both worry that people sitting in the pews don’t know their scriptures well enough, that the youth are uninterested in gospel learning, that things were better in a previous generation where more people were interested in studying. Lifeway Research, the research arm of the Southern Baptists frequently puts out studies showing the state of how frequently their people engage with scripture, and much hand-wringing ensues. Pew Research, which is not denominationally based, also regularly puts out studies on how much scripture study various groups do.
My observation is that people in both groups – Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints – fear that their people are not doing this enough and that others are doing it better. I don’t have a study to cite here, but my sense is that many comments get made in Latter-day Saint Sunday School about how we need to do better studying scripture. There might even be worries that Evangelicals do this much more frequently than Latter-day Saints do. And it might surprise you to know that Evangelicals look at Latter-day Saints and think we’re doing better. So what does the research say?
In a 2017 study, Lifeway Research noted that 49% of Evangelicals read a little bit of scripture every day. That’s pretty good and it clearly shows that they’re interested in gospel learning. The same study – done in 2017, so prior to the introduction of Come Follow Me – says that 77% of Latter-day Saints read a little bit of scripture every day. Now, this is survey research, so we’re taking people’s word for it that this is actually what they’re doing – and it’s true that there could be some inflation here. But it’s also safe to assume that if there is inflation on the Latter-day Saint responses there is also inflation on the Evangelical responses. This isn’t a “we win” conversation (in other words, you don’t get to use this information to be a jerk and lord it over your Evangelical friends) but it does show one view into how we both approach gospel learning. But it is just one view, so here are some others.
What Kind of Information
Another way to look at this question is to consider what kind of information the 2 groups are taking in – in other words, what forms the basis of their gospel learning? If you’re a Latter-day Saint the main things are probably: talks in Sacrament Meeting; Lessons in Sunday School/EQ/RS or youth classes; Seminary and Institute classes; General Conference talks, family or private scripture reading, Come Follow Me reading and the various podcasts about them, resources like FAIR, books on gospel topics, and maybe a few other things.
And Evangelicals have a fairly similar list. They listen to sermons in church; they have Sunday School and classes for youth; they don’t really have an equivalent to Seminary and Institute in the same way we do – what they call seminary is an academic graduate school program that most “normal” people don’t ever attend. I was a weirdo and went to Evangelical seminary and got a Masters in Divinity, but most Evangelicals don’t access that kind of learning. While they don’t have something to compare to General Conference talks like we do (where the words said are coming from the centralized authority of the church) they do have a wide range of various conferences they attend. And they have books, podcasts, and organizations that try to supplement and increase people’s learning.
Lectionary reading vs. spontaneous reading
And while both groups do a lot of gospel learning through scripture reading, the recent Come Follow Me change adds an interesting contrast. I’ve only been a Latter-day Saint since the invention of CFM, but my understanding is that prior to that the Sunday School curriculum followed roughly the same pattern (a year for OT, a year for NT, a year for BoM, and a year for PoGP) but that family or individual reading was based on need or preference of the individual family or individual who is reading. And this is roughly the system Evangelicals live in. Their churches set the topics/scriptures for their classes and groups, but they decide for themselves what to engage in for private scripture reading. Some churches do a corporate push toward something like, “We’re all going to read through the Psalms this summer.” But those are special initiatives and not the regular pattern.
Interestingly enough, the invention of Come Follow Me actually places Latter-day Saints in alignment with most of the rest of the Christian world outside of Evangelicals. You might not realize this but CFM is a Lectionary. What’s a lectionary? A lectionary is a set list of which scriptures are to be read during which weeks. The most commonly used one around the world is called The Revised Common Lectionary and is used by millions of Christians around the world. It runs on a 3-year cycle, compared to our CFM which runs on a 4-year cycle. CFM is also different because it includes some commentary, ideas for discussion, ideas for family and the like, but in essence, it’s a lectionary. Most Evangelicals would turn their noses up a bit at the idea of following a lectionary because they are fiercely independent and want to decide for themselves even down to the question of, “Which scripture should I read today?” There are pros and cons to that attitude, but that would be a significant difference in how we approach gospel learning.
Preaching scripture
Another way that both groups engage in learning the gospel is through listening to talks or sermons. And Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints are roughly in the same category here. The biggest difference is that Evangelicals usually have 1 person, or perhaps a small team of people, who are delivering sermons week after week. While Latter-day Saints spread that responsibility around to everyone. And Latter-day Saints you already know the kinds of content you hear in Sacrament meeting talks, so let’s look at what Evangelicals are preaching about.
In 2019 the Pew Research Center analyzed 50,000 sermons that were posted online from over 6,000 churches (Evangelical, Catholic, Mainline, and Historically Black). They compiled the data to look for trends. The average length for an Evangelical sermon was 39 minutes, which is roughly comparable to the total number of minutes that Latter-day Saints spend in Sacrament Meeting listening to talks. We’re probably under that by a bit, but not much. The researchers wondered what the distinctive things each group was talking about, and found that the unique things (this doesn’t mean the most common things – this means the things they’re talking about that others are not) Evangelicals talked about were 1) Eternal Hell 2) Losing salvation 3) Trespassing or sin. It’s a bleak list and we might be tempted to look only at the bleakness of it but on the upside, it does show that Evangelicals are thinking hard about these topics. Evangelical speakers also made far more references to other books in the Bible. They might be preaching a passage from Luke but will take care to show how that passage relates to or references other places in the Bible. Latter-day Saints have their own version of this – we just tend to make connections to modern-day talks more than other sections of scripture. Another trend was that the bigger the Evangelical church, the less likely they were to mention anything at all about the Old Testament. We might have some underlying feelings in common here when it comes to knowing how to talk about the Old Testament.
There are a lot of other practical level ways to think about this question, but I want to switch over to thinking about how gospel learning happens on the experiential level.
Service and Life
Similar to Latter-day Saints, Evangelicals talk a lot about learning gospel principles through serving others, serving their families, and serving God in a general sense. This seems to be a major way both groups are living out Jesus’, “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.”
Both groups also have a good understanding of the fact that the principles of Jesus have to make sense in real life, not just as philosophies. Latter-day Saints don’t love philosophical types of thinking much for our own reasons, and Evangelicals don’t love it because it’s not practical. They are very pragmatic and not usually inclined to care about something that works in theory, but can’t be tested in life. If you’re looking for points of connection, this is a big one where we end up at the same spot.
To make the next part of my point I need to compare Evangelicals to Catholics for a moment. If you think of the typical Catholic service (even if you’ve only seen it on tv) you probably picture priests in robes, the congregation doing a lot of standing, sitting, responding, and lots of ritual, liturgy, and lots of symbolism. This kind of worship is called “high church” and it’s main characteristic is that the service is trying to teach the people something through ritual, beauty, repetition, and experience. Evangelicals generally hate this stuff. It’s too theoretical and not practical enough. It’s not at all what you might expect to see in their services. An Evangelical service would be called “low church” for this reason. It’s not an insult (as if “high” means high value) it’s just a way of describing how much ritual or symbolism is used.
Here’s where it gets kind of interesting.
In this sense, a Latter-day Saint Sacrament Meeting is very similar to an Evangelical meeting. Things are pretty plain-spoken, there isn’t anything mysterious happening, very little ritual. I suppose the passing of Sacrament or communion trays is as close as we come, but outside of that everything is pretty grounded and there is not a lot of learning through experience going on. Latter-day Saint Sacrament Meetings, like Evangelical worship services, would easily be called “low church.”
Latter-day Saints also have access to all the beauty, mystery, ritual and symbolism that is offered in a high church service – we just access it in the Temple. Our temple worship is highly symbolic, full of ritual, very liturgical, full of meaningful words being repeated or used over and over, full of beauty, and very interested in teaching by experience. In this sense, we sort of have the best of both worlds – the down-to-earth practicality of a low-church service, with the experiential learning of high-church in our temple worship. It’s really a compelling combination and most other churches do not have access to both worlds – high and low church. Temple worship is nothing if not experiential.
The other bit of being experiential that comes out is in our theology around why Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden. In Evangelical theology it’s only a punishment. In our theology part of the reason why they have to leave is to go learn from their own experience. The Old Testament tells us many times, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” and we put some emphasis on the fact that Adam and Eve had to learn what it was like to be separate from God (kicked out of the garden) so that they would know what to do to be close to him (stay true to the covenants they had made.) The fear of the Lord here is “not liking what it feels like to be out of God’s presence” so the beginning of wisdom is, “so we learn to do the things that keep us in his presence.”
Well, this was a lot – I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the similarities and differences here, and that maybe you picked up a way or two to have these conversations with your Evangelical loved ones. Join us next time and we’ll pick up another topic.
More Come, Follow Me resources here.
Jennifer Roach earned a Master of Divinity from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, and a Master of Counseling from Argosy University. Before her conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she was an ordained minister in the Anglican church. Her own experience of sexual abuse from a pastor during her teen years led her to care deeply about issues of abuse in faith communities.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – John 7–10 appeared first on FAIR.
Evangelical Questions: “What Apostasy?”by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC
Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about the Apostasy. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.
Our scripture this week comes from Matthew 16:18:
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
On the one hand, what a fantastic, reassuring scripture. And on the other hand, you can immediately see how there is a lot of debate about what this actually means. And I’ll be honest, Latter-day Saint friends, some of the ways we talk about the apostasy are adding to the confusion and I think as we go along you’ll be able to see what I’m talking about.
So, first off, I will tell you, when I was an Evangelical the apostasy and the accompanying restoration were the hardest concepts for me to understand. This is the spot in our conversation where it is easiest to see the phenomenon that if you ask a fish to describe water he can’t do it – he has no idea what it means to be without water, so he really has no idea what to compare water to. I took missionary lessons for 9 months and we talked about the apostasy many times, but it was hard for the missionaries to get much past, “the apostasy happened and that’s why we need a restoration.” And even when pressed they could only cite a couple of points in Church History where things were especially bad, usually having to do with the pre-Reformation Catholic Church. But from the Protestant point of view, the pre-Reformation Catholic Church is a blip in a 2,000+ year landscape where God has always been active on the Earth. Honestly, during those lessons, my thought to myself was, “Well, these are young kids who are high school graduates and haven’t studied much history so they are simply unaware of the vastness of Christian history.” But once I started to understand what they were actually saying – and it took me an embarrassingly long time for that to actually click – I started to see that this was a case where Latter-day Saints are using the same language to mean something slightly different. For me, at the end of the day, the nuances of how our church is using that language are better. It’s theologically fuller and more hopeful than the Protestant/Evangelical meanings. And I will also say that this is probably one place in which my formal theological education probably made it harder for me than it would for the average person simply because I was able to see all of the knowledge the missionaries couldn’t and had a hard time reconciling what they were saying with the truth of Christian history. So today I want to talk about the terms we use when talking about the apostasy and help you see how Evangelicals hear them so that maybe you can help someone else short-cut through the difficulties I had.
We’ve talked in many episodes of this series about how Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints use the same words differently sometimes and that fuels the confusion between us. You might not be aware but there is a niche dictionary called the Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Theology which gives us a definition that Evangelicals would agree on. Baker is the publisher and it’s a nice, thick 1,000-page dictionary. So we’re going to draw on that a bit.
First, let’s start with the word “apostasy.” Evangelicals don’t use this word a lot, but it’s probably in their vocabulary and according to Baker’s it would mean, “Defection from the faith, an act of unpardonable rebellion against God and his truth. The sin of apostasy results in the abandonment of Christian doctrine and conduct.” And this gets used in two ways.
First, and probably most common, is that apostasy is something an individual person does after making a covenant or decision to follow Christ. “He went off the rails into apostasy.” Basically, a person who used to believe the right things, but no longer does.
Second – and you’ll see that this is where the confusion comes in – this word can be applied to large groups of people. They see widespread apostasy as an eschatological sign – meaning a sign of the end times signaling the second return of Christ is near. So if the whole world goes into apostasy, the return of Christ is near. Here is how they get there. Just like us, Evangelicals can read the Old Testament and see that constant pride-cycle. The Israelites follow God for a while, then they start to prosper and fall away from God, then God allows bad things to happen to them and they get back in line. They see this as a prototype of what will happen before the second coming of Christ. They base this on 2 Thes 2:3 “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day (the return of Jesus Christ) will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.” In that verse, they hear that an apostasy absolutely will happen, but only in the future, and only right before Christ comes again. So when we say, “the apostasy happened” it just doesn’t compute for them because if an apostasy happened, surely Christ would have come again.
Another term that causes some confusion here is “priesthood.” Now there is a lot to say about priesthood, and we’ve got several episodes coming up on that. When talking about the apostasy Latter-day Saints would say, this comes straight from the Church’s website, “(After Jesus Christ ascended back to Heaven)…The Apostles were killed, and priesthood authority—including the keys to direct and receive revelation for the Church—was taken from the earth. Because the Church was no longer led by priesthood authority, error crept into Church teachings.”
That word “priesthood” throws them here because they define it very differently than we do. Again, according to the Baker dictionary priesthood is defined in 4 ways. The priests we see in the Old and New Testaments; the priesthood of all believers; the post-resurrection ordained priesthood which is modernized into, “being a pastor”; the priesthood of Jesus. So when they hear us say, “the priesthood was lost from the face of the Earth” it doesn’t make sense because 1) Clearly that statement can’t be talking about the priests of the Old and New Testaments. 2) It can’t be talking about the priesthood of all believers because believers in Christ have existed on the Earth since his resurrection, which has never gone away. They’re not wrong about that. 3) It can’t mean that pastors don’t exist because clearly, they do. 4) And it can’t mean that Jesus is no longer our great high Priest. So even though they have 4 definitions of “priesthood” available to them, they can’t work out what we’re talking about when we say that the priesthood authority was taken from the Earth.
For Latter-day Saints, there are two additional meanings of priesthood that Evangelicals don’t easily see. Those are 1) Priesthood is the power and authority of God. It has always existed and will continue to exist without end. 2) In mortality, priesthood is the power and authority that God gives to man to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God’s children. Both of those are straight from the church’s website. It’s the power of God, given to humans in certain circumstances to do stuff.
Evangelicals get really nervous right here – and this might sound funny to your Latter-day Saint ears – but they hear that as a very Catholic concept. They have no conceptualization of the idea that certain actions like baptism would need to be done in certain ways, by certain people, according to God’s law. That is not a concept for them. Instead, they would say something like: We take the principle of baptism and contextualize it into our specific culture and there are no absolute rules about how that must be done. It’s sort of a “pragmatism wins” approach to theology. Evangelicals are very pragmatic, for better or for worse. The idea that a person might need to wait to be baptized because baptism requires someone who bears the priesthood is nonsense to them. They would have a kind of “hero cowboy” approach of: Well, I would jump right in and baptize that person who cares about your rules.
There’s a prototype here much earlier in American religion than the Evangelicals. You’ve certainly heard of the Methodist Church. They invented this attitude. Back in the 1700’s, pre-Revolutionary war, the Church of England whose members are called Anglicans was very well established in the colonies, but because all the senior leadership was still headquartered in England things moved very slowly for the Anglicans in America. When the Revolutionary War ended in 1783 the Anglican leaders in America were ready to start spreading out further and reach people who were living outside of the cities. Westward expansion wasn’t really in full swing yet, but it was starting and the Anglican leaders wanted to develop churches in outlying places. Their leaders in England made it hard for them – feelings were still pretty sensitive as the war had only been over for a few months. So 2 Anglican brothers, John and Charles Wesley become very frustrated and want pragmatic solutions for how the American churches could self-govern and make decisions about where and how to Evangelize. The Anglican leadership in England said no, so the Wesley brothers started the Methodist church primarily so that they could figure out how to reach people who lived outside of the established cities at that point. They needed and wanted practical solutions. It was sort of a, “Well, I don’t actually need your permission Leaders in England. Goodbye.” And Evangelicals inherited that attitude from them. It’s: you can’t tell me what to do; I don’t need your authority; I can innovate solutions without you getting in the way. It’s very, very American in that sense. And it is a high value for them to solve problems without bureaucracy. So when we say something like, “ordinances require proper authority” they hear “I want to put bureaucracy in your way.”
One final definition I want to touch on is kind of more of a cultural issue than a literal definition issue. From the same article on the church website talking about the apostasy we get, “Because the Church was no longer led by priesthood authority, error crept into Church teachings. Good people and much truth remained, but the gospel as established by Jesus Christ was lost. This period is called the Great Apostasy.” Now, how that sometimes gets taught by members in our church is something closer to, “Absolutely everything from God was removed from the Earth and no evidence of his presence could be found.” And this is maybe were we could be a little more careful with how we say things because that’s actually pretty insulting to the many people who have loved Christ and been faithful to God in the best way they could ever since Christ’s resurrection. In every era of history, we can find that people who love God are alive and well. It’s going to cause some real confusion for Evangelicals if you try to suggest that is not true. And it’s quite needless to suggest that every bit of God’s presence was removed – because that’s not even what our church is teaching, as evidenced by the quote I just read. But still, culturally, some members of the church are still saying it that way.
I hope you enjoyed this conversation about the apostasy and hopefully, you understand a bit more about why this gets muddled between Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints, and maybe some ideas about how to talk more clearly about these ideas because this is one area where our church really does have a lot of goodness to offer.
Join us next time and we’ll take up another topic. I hope to see you then.
More Come, Follow Me resources here.
Jennifer Roach earned a Master of Divinity from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, and a Master of Counseling from Argosy University. Before her conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she was an ordained minister in the Anglican church. Her own experience of sexual abuse from a pastor during her teen years led her to care deeply about issues of abuse in faith communities.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Matthew 15–17; Mark 7–9 appeared first on FAIR.
Attending the temple for the first time can be a bit overwhelming. It can seem like a very unfamiliar experience for many, especially because we rarely hear details about what happens there. Understanding the doctrine and purpose underlying the temple will help you be ready and excited to enter the House of the Lord.
The purpose of this podcast is to do just that. We will cover topics such as the Endowment, temple sealings, covenants, ordinances, sacred temple clothing ,and common misconceptions about the temple.
Whether you are preparing for a mission, your own temple sealing, or just desire to receive your own endowment we hope that this podcast will deepen your understanding of the doctrine surrounding the temple.
In this episode, Jacob Crapo talks with Scott Woodward about how the temple and “Plan of Salvation” relate to each other. They discuss what the temple teaches about God’s plan for humanity and how the temple ordinances and covenants play a key role in that plan. Scott teaches religion classes at BYU-Idaho, is a managing director at Scripture Central, and host of the Church History Matters podcast.
Jacob Crapo was born and now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. He served his mission in Upstate New York and was an ordinance worker in the Las Vegas Temple. One of Jacob’s dreams is to help build a temple. He is an electrician by trade but his real passion is helping others access the powers of heaven.The post Cornerstone: A FAIR Temple Preparation Podcast – Episode 1: The Plan of Salvation with Scott Woodward appeared first on FAIR.
Evangelical Questions: Why is there so much of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon anyway?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC
Luke 4:15-17 “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read… the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.”
Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about something from the New Testament that is actually something from the Old Testament, and what it has to do with the Book of Mormon. We’re talking about Isaiah, and why so much of it is in the Book of Mormon. The reason this topic comes up in this week’s readings is because we see Jesus going to the synagogue and reading from the scroll of Isaiah. Luke 4:15-17 “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read… the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.”
If you’ve had conversations with Evangelical friends and family before this topic has almost certainly come up: Why is there so much Isaiah in the Book of Mormon? So we’re going to talk about that in a couple ways. First, we’re going to try and understand what Evangelicals mean when they ask that question – it’s a bit different than what we mean when we ask it. Then we’ll look at some answers to their questions and finally look at the unique gift our faith brings to this part of the conversation.
What Are They Asking
You have certainly heard church members ask (complain? bemoan?) about why is there so much Isaiah in the Book of Mormon, but they mean it more in a way that says, “We already get this during Old Testament year, why do we have to spend weeks on it again?” It’s a complaint about repetition, or sometimes a complaint about not understanding the meaning, but that is not what an Evangelical is doing when they ask this question.
I’ll tell you my experience….The first time I read the Book of Mormon I did not know what it was about. I think I’ve mentioned before that I actually thought it was about the Utah period. So I went in not knowing the plot, and certainly not knowing that Isaish would be quoted so much. I was surprised and curious about what it was doing there and how it was functioning inside the larger text. That’s a conversation for another day because what a lot of people reading the Book of Mormon initially think is that this is plagiarism. “Oh look, he just straight copied that out of the Bible!” Now, that’s not what’s happening or how the Isaiah quotes are functioning inside the text, but it is what Evangelicals worry about. Why?
Because what they’re really asking with this question is something like, “Aren’t you just stealing scripture from the Bible to legitimize the Book of Mormon?” And that’s a fair question for them to be asking because it puts them in a dilemma that goes something like this…If I believe the book of Isaiah is scripture, and it’s here in the Book of Mormon then I have to concede that I believe at least parts of the Book of Mormon and I feel uncomfortable saying that because of my loyalty to the Bible.”
In order to understand a bit deeper we need to look at that word, “scripture.” For Latter-day Saints the word “scripture” is a pretty broad word. We refer not only to our 4 standard works as scripture, but we refer to our Patriarchal Blessings as “personal scripture,” we treat some documents that are not officially part of our 4 standards works as if they are scripture such as the Proclamation on the Family, and even further we sometimes treat the words we receive from our leaders during General Conference as scripture. For us, the word, “scripture” has a lot of wiggle room in it. But it is not that way for Evangelicals. In the Evangelical world only the Old and New Testaments are scripture. Some of them have a bit of fuzzy knowledge about the fact that there has been debate over certain books of the Bible which are sometimes included in the canon, and sometimes are not. But all of that is seen as just part of the historical process – today the lines of what is scripture and what isn’t are very clear for them. You can see why they get a little nervous when material from their very carefully defined canon is mixed into our open canon in service of a story that they don’t know, and don’t understand. We’ll leave out of the conversation the fact that the entire Old Testament (not just Isaiah) is included in their Christian Bible and sometimes the Jewish people (whose Bible it was first) have had some things to say about that. But that aside, you can see how this is a really a conversation about open vs. closed canon.
Why does an open canon bother them so much?
Many latter-day Saints have a hard time understanding why an open canon is so troublesome to Evangelicals. “If God has more to say, wouldn’t you want to hear it?” But when you get into conversation with Evangelicals something confusing starts to happen. Evangelicals DO want to hear more from God, they do believe God speaks today, they do believe he has both personal messages for them as well as larger messages for all who call themselves Christians. We very much have that in common with them. During my first read-through of the Book of Mormon I really had to grapple with this. I believed that God can and does speak today, but I felt a bit queasy about it being written down in a book. But when I started to formulate that into a sentence that went something like, “God can speak today, you just can’t write it down in a book,” I knew that wasn’t a solid place to stand. It was surprising for me, but what this question illuminates is the struggle Evangelicals have around authority.
A bit of history is in order here. Evangelicals are a subset of Protestants. Which means, as you will see, that they already have two strikes against the concept of authority. In 1517 Martin Luther nails his 95-Thesis to the church door and Protestant Reformation begins (that’s not a historically accurate version of how it began or why, but it is the popular version and good enough for our purposes here.) The Reformation results in churches that used to be under the authority of Rome, now becoming their own authority. And it was mostly based on country or region. The Dutch Reformation happened very differently than the English Reformation, for example and by the end the Dutch wanted to do things the way they wanted to do them, and the English wanted to do things the way they wanted to do them. Fast-forward about 500 more years and we have many churches doing as they see fit. Around the same time as the Baby Boom is happening there starts to be a feeling in American Christianity that the old ways should be moved on from, and that included religion. Starting in Southern California, and moving across the country churches began with the expressed purpose of not being fuddy-duddys about church but bringing in rock music, allowing for casual dress and a more relaxed service. This group, initially called Neo-Fundamentalists, become the Evangelicals. So, Evangelicals are not just Protestants (protest-tant) and the children of all that entails, they “protest” against their own tradition and advocate for a more relaxed and informal worship setting where no one is going to tell them how to dress or to cut their hair. In this sense they’re double-Protestants, and have a double-dose of suspicion of authority.
Their attitude of being suspicious of authority shows up in their theology too. You’ve certainly heard an Evangelical friend say something like, “We don’t need the priesthood, we have the priesthood of all believers” (this is an issue we will also get to in another video) and that is the ultimate anti-authority statement because they get to have it both ways by saying that authority is not needed, and even if it were we have it in ourselves.
But then a funny thing – a very human thing – happens and it’s a psychological principle that happens to everyone. Let’s take the topic of budgeting and responsible spending. Most people will look at those who spend their money more freely than they do and consider them foolish, maybe even reckless. But they will look at those who are stricter with their money than they themselves are and see them as too tight or too rigid. Somehow the human mind always sets itself as the exact, perfect midpoint. And this phenomenon happens here to Evangelicals – the very ones who we can call “double-Protestants” look at the open canon of Latter-day Saints and say, “No, that’s too far. Our fuddy-duddy grandparents didn’t go far enough, but you go too far. We are the correct midpoint.”
I don’t tell you that so that you can go and argue this reality with them, I tell it to you so that you can understand what is going on with them and why they think the way they do. It’s actually a very human and understandable process. Instead of arguing against it and trying to convince them of why we actually do have the proper authority to introduce new scriptures, or that having an open canon is a good thing, maybe go back to the very thing that prompted this entire discussion. What is Isaiah doing in the Book of Mormon? Or for that matter, consider the verse that inspired this conversation: Why is Jesus quoting from Isaiah?
Here is what Jesus read from Isaiah:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
When Jesus takes Isaiah out of its original context and applies it to his day, he does so in a very unique and unexpected way. The poor get good news, the prisoners get free, the blind get sight. To be totally fair, this is what the Evangelical movement was about when it began, or at least what it tried to be about – making room for all kinds of people in the church. The sections of Isaiah that are in the Book of Mormon are there to teach us about covenant keeping and that God keeps his side of the deal, and that even when we keep messing up there is always a path back to God. When your Evangelical friend asks you why there is so much of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon at least part of what they’re asking is: Do you really have the authority to add Isaiah to your book? But it’s the same pattern and purpose that they are longing for in their churches too – that there is room for everyone, that it doesn’t matter what has happened in your life, there is always a path back to God. They put a huge emphasis on the Gospel being for everyone, no matter what. And by including the sections of Isaiah that we do into the Book of Mormon, we are also saying that God has a path for us back to him, and that when we make covenants with God he will always help us keep them. In that sense, we want the same things….and if anything our unique contribution here is that the path back to God is not some ethereal path you have to figure out for yourself. It’s defined well and there is an entire church to support you on that path.
I hope you enjoyed this episode, join us again next week when we look at more questions about the New Testament.
More Come, Follow Me resources here.
Jennifer Roach earned a Master of Divinity from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, and a Master of Counseling from Argosy University. Before her conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she was an ordained minister in the Anglican church. Her own experience of sexual abuse from a pastor during her teen years led her to care deeply about issues of abuse in faith communities.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Matthew 4; Luke 4–5 appeared first on FAIR.
Christmas Message, Christmas Prophets, Christmas Joyby David W. Smith
Jerusalem, 600 BC
The year is approximately 600 BC. The place is Jerusalem. It has been about 20 years since a major religious reform has changed how people worshiped. The prophet Jeremiah has been warning the people of Jerusalem that they need to repent or else watch as their city is destroyed and they are taken into captivity. Many other prophets echo his message. Now, after preaching for over 20 years, he is in prison.
In this tumultuous time, a man sees an amazing vision. He sees a great person come down out of heaven, shining more brightly than the sun. He sees twelve others follow him, shining brighter than the stars. The great person comes to him, gives him a book, and asks him to read. He then goes out to share with the people of Jerusalem what he saw and heard. He joins the other prophets in warning the people of their coming doom. He adds a message of hope: because of what he saw and read, he knows that a Messiah will come and redeem the world.
The people of Jerusalem are so upset at this message that they try to kill him. But through the Lord’s mercies, he escapes into the wilderness with his family.[1]
Visions in the Wilderness
While in the wilderness, he shares more with his family about this great message of joy. He shares a vision he had about a tree with fruit that “was desirable to make one happy.” He ate this fruit and was filled “with exceedingly great joy” (1 Nephi 8:10, 12). After sharing this dream, he teaches more about the Messiah who will come. He says that in 600 years this Messiah will come among the Jews and be the Savior of the world. “He also spake concerning the prophets, how a great number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world. Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer” (1 Nephi 10:4). He teaches that this Messiah will be slain by the Jews and then will rise again.
One of this man’s sons wants to know more, so the son diligently seeks for revelation from God. The Lord blesses the son with a vision, guided by an angel. In this vision he sees the tree his father saw and the fruit his father ate. He also sees his old home, Jerusalem. He sees other cities, including Nazareth, a city north of Jerusalem. “In the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white. . . . And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms. And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father” (1 Nephi 11:13, 20–21).
At this point—as this young man is seeing this special child in the arms of his mother—the angel asks, “Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?” The young man responds, “Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things. And [the angel] spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul” (1 Nephi 11:22–23).
The young man then sees this child become a man who goes about ministering and healing, with twelve others following him. The young man sees the man taken, judged, and slain for the sins of the world. After that, he sees people fighting against the twelve who were with the Messiah. He sees these people fall, and the angel warns: “Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (1 Nephi 11:34–36).
Glad Tidings of Great Joy
This young man and his family continued their journey in the wilderness. Eventually they came to the seashore, built a boat, and sailed across the sea to a new land. And the young man continued to teach the message of the Messiah using scripture and his own visions. He “did read unto [his people] that which was written by the prophet Isaiah” in order to “more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer.” He did this “that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off” (1 Nephi 19:23–24). One of Isaiah’s prophesies was of the joy to come through the publishing of this message: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation” (Isaiah 52:7).
Centuries after this young man, another prophet heard these good tidings from an angel and was told to share these tidings with the people. Said the angel:
Behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy. For the Lord . . . hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy. For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth . . . shall come down from heaven among the children of men . . . And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary. And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name. (Mosiah 3:3–9)
The birth of Jesus Christ fulfilled this prophecy. The night Jesus was born, there were shepherds “keeping watch over their flock over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them . . . And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:8–11).
This was the message of the prophets from the beginning. Starting with Adam and Eve, “Old Testament patriarchs, prophets, poets, and people looked forward to better days, filled with hope for renewal and deliverance by the Messiah. . . . Through it all, prophets reminded them that a Messiah, a Deliverer would come ‘to proclaim liberty to the captives’ (Isaiah 61:1).”[2] As Isaiah prophesied, this Messiah would “comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning” (Isaiah 61:2–3).
The Horn of Salvation
Others also prophesied of the Messiah. While speaking of Zion, the Psalmist prophesied, “Her saints shall shout aloud for joy. There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed” (Psalm 132:16–17). The birth of Jesus Christ fulfilled this prophecy. Zacharias, a priest in Jerusalem, announced just before the Savior’s birth: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began” (Luke 1:68–70; cf. 71–79). Simeon, a holy man in Jerusalem, saw the child Jesus and declared, “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people” (Luke 2:30–31; cf. 25–33). Anna, a prophetess, came to where Simeon was and “gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38; cf. 36–38).
These prophecies and others let people know of redemption through the Messiah. This message was shared by prophets, and joy came to those who listened to their message. After one prophet testified of this message, someone who heard “had infused such joy into his soul” that he was overcome and became unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he stood and declared, “Blessed be the name of God . . . [for] behold, I have seen my Redeemer; and he shall come forth, and be born of a woman, and he shall redeem all mankind who believe on his name” (Alma 19:6, 12–13).
Another person was so wicked that an angel came to him to call him to repentance. After being overcome and being unconscious for days, he said, “I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world. Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me . . . And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold” (Alma 36:17–20). This person then went on to share these glad tidings.
The Testimony of Apostles
At this Christmas season, and as we conclude our study of the Old Testament for this year’s Come, Follow Me curriculum, let us reflect on the message of the Old Testament: that God will deliver His people through His Messiah, born of Mary, and that God “declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come.” They received this message “that they may bear testimony of him. And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that [all people] may have faith in Christ” and be saved (Moroni 7:23–34). The Christmas message (which is the glad tidings) came from Christmas prophets to help people have Christmas joy.
The Prophet Joseph Smith explained, “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ.”[3] Paul taught that the Saints “are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, [with] Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20), as Isaiah prophesied: “Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded” (1 Peter 2:6, quoting Isaiah 28:16).
Let us listen to the words of the prophets and receive the glad tidings of great joy. We will then be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy: “It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9).
Returning to our introductory story, the young man saw the Messiah’s birth and understood the joy that comes through the salvation He offers. The twelve apostles who were with the Messiah brought that message to the world. All who embrace their message embrace joy both now and after this life, having everlasting salvation, as proclaimed by God’s living Apostles:
“Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and has given them priesthood authority. He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain enduring joy.”[4]
“We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.”[5]
More Come, Follow Me resources here.
[1] See 1 Nephi chapters 1 and 2.
[2] “December 19–25: Christmas: ‘We Have Waited for Him, and He Will Save Us,’” in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Old Testament 2022.
[3] “Chapter 3: Jesus Christ, the Divine Redeemer of the World,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith.
[4] “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.
[5] “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” Gospel Library.
David W. Smith has volunteered with FAIR since August 2019. He has had an article published in BYU Studies, and he presented at the Joseph Smith Papers Conference in 2019. He has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in public administration, both from Brigham Young University.
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*by Daniel Ortner*
There are many powerful prophecies of the events leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But as someone who comes from a Jewish background one prophecy stands out as particularly vivid and poignant, and that is that one day the people of Israel who did not recognize Jesus as their Messiah and Lord will come to recognize him.
Zechariah describes the moment when the Jewish people will look upon their crucified Lord:
“And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” (Zechariah 13:6)
In the Doctrine and Covenants 45 the Lord elaborated upon this vision and left no doubt of its fulfilment.
“And then shall the Jews look upon me and say: What are these wounds in thine hands and in thy feet?
Then shall they know that I am the Lord; for I will say unto them: These wounds are the wounds with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. I am he who was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified. I am the Son of God.”
And then shall they weep because of their iniquities; then shall they lament because they persecuted their king.” (D&C 45:51-53).
My heart is filed with eager anticipation for this day when a people that has spent millennia longing for their Messiah will finally recognize him. In that day, I imagine him welcoming then to come and see and come and feel just as he invited the Nephites to do in 3 Nephi 11. I imagine the tears that will be shed both of sorrow and of happiness.
Although this prophesied day has been delayed for thousands of years, we have the sure testimony of the prophet Zechariah and the Lord himself that all these things will be fulfilled.
As one who received a witness of Jesus Christ as my Savior, I long for the day when by Jewish brothers and sisters will come to recognize Christ and receive him as their Lord and Savior. What a glorious day that will be.
More Come, Follow Me resources here.
Daniel Ortner is a public interest lawyer who focuses on the First Amendment. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an undergraduate from a Jewish background.
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Habakkuk – For our dayby Jennifer Roach, LMHC
Habakkuk is the book you never knew you needed.
The problem of evil is a question every generation must grapple with. If God exists, why does he allow school children to be killed in a shooting? If God is good, how can he let people suffer as they do? If God cares about his children, how can poverty, disease, and violence rampage us as they do?
Habakkuk grappled with this question too. In his day the question was, “If God loves us, why do the Babylonians terrorize us?” I offer the following reading of Habakkuk – for his day, and for our day – as an answer to the problem of evil.
| For Our Day – The Complaint | King James – The Complaint | | I wake up early and read the papers. Another shooting. No, two more. Violence all around.I pray and tell God about the violence and wonder why he does not save us from it. | Verse 2. How long, Lord, must I call for help,but you do not listen?Or cry out to you, “Violence!”but you do not save? | | And not just in the news. Family members doing wrong to each other. Destruction of faith and love. We’re swimming in conflict. It’s everywhere. | 3. Why do you make me look at injustice?Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?Destruction and violence are before me;there is strife, and conflict abounds. | | The laws don’t help. The legal system doesn’t either. We all see how much is going wrong in the world, but no one can do anything. It feels like wickedness is winning. | 4. Therefore the law is paralyzed,and justice never prevails.The wicked hem in the righteous,so that justice is perverted. | | The Lord’s Response | The Lord’s Response | | Oh, you’ve noticed the violence.Well, watch this, you wouldn’t believe it, even if you were told.I let violence happen. You cry, “How can God let this happen?”There are dreaded people who are intent on violence.They’ll amaze you with how violent they are.They care nothing about you or me, they only care about the damage they can do.I let violence exist in your world.And you cannot understand why. | 5 – 11. “Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed.For I am going to do something in your daysthat you would not believe,even if you were told.6 I am raising up the Babylonians,that ruthless and impetuous people…7 They are a feared and dreaded people;they are a law to themselves…9 they all come intent on violence….11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—guilty people, whose own strength is their god.” | | The 2nd Complaint | The 2nd Complaint | | God, I don’t understand. You are an eternal and holy God.I know that your eyes are too pure to even look at this level of evil.I know that you can’t tolerate wrongdoing.So, I’m very confused, why do you let all this violence happen?Your children suffer.Why do you let the wicked get away with this?I will wait for your answer | 12 – 13. Lord, are you not from everlasting?My God, my Holy One, you will never die.You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment;you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?Why are you silent while the wickedswallow up those more righteous than themselves? | | The Lord’s 2nd ResponseChapter 2 | The Lord’s 2nd ResponseChapter 2 | | You are only seeing part of the picture. Violence only seems to be prevailing.These violent men are never satisfied by the evil they do – they always want more.That’s why it keeps happening.They can’t get enough – in fact it is impossible for them to ever get enough.There is no end to their stealing.They can’t steal enough.There is no end to their plundering.They can’t plunder enough.There is no end to shedding blood.They can’t get enough blood.They indulge in too much vanity.They love the shedding of blood.The thirst of violence is never satisfied.You wake up and see that another act of violence has been done and ask me, “Why is this happening? And “When will this end?”You can not understand how strongly violence hungers for more.But the Lord is in his Holy Temple. | Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time… 6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long?….9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!…12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! 13 Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? 14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea….17 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.20 But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. | | Habakkuk’s Prayer for TodayChapter 3 | Habakkuk’s PrayerChapter 3 | | The Lord does not give Habakkuk an explanation of the problem of evil.He could have.In fact, Habakkuk is just like us – he asked for the explanation. “Why do you make me look at suffering?”But God knew that the explanation would not satisfy Habakkuk. Just like it would not satisfy us.God could have explained all the theology behind evil. He could have explained why evil always thirsts for more and is never satisfied.But he knew that answer would not satisfy us.Instead, God give Habakkuk a vision of Himself, in all this glory. And he asks Habakkuk to be satisfied with that answer.The point being that evil and violence are never satisfied. So no explanation of them could ever really satisfy either.So God reminds Habakkuk who He really is. That he rules the universe. And he asks Habakkuk to allow this vision of Him to suffice. He asks Habakkuk to not be like evil – something that is never satisfied – and to accept the answer he has been given God. | 2 O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid…3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power. 5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet….7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8 Was the Lord displeased against the rivers?…Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers….10 The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high. 11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear….13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. 18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.19 The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. |
More Come, Follow Me resources here.
Jennifer Roach earned a Master of Divinity from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, and a Master of Counseling from Argosy University. Before her conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she was an ordained minister in the Anglican church. Her own experience of sexual abuse from a pastor during her teen years led her to care deeply about issues of abuse in faith communities.
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A Gourd, a Worm, and an East Wind: Discovering God’s Extensions of Love in the Book of Jonahby Matt Crawford
Jonah called Gath-hepher home—a town which was west of the present-day Sea of Galilee (see 2 Kings 14:25). When the Lord called Jonah on a mission from his comfortable home to the Assyrian city of Nineveh,[1] he did not hesitate to act. Jonah immediately “rose up to flee unto Tarshish” (Jonah 1:3).[2]
Jonah may have run away from the mission call to Nineveh because one of Israel’s enemies, the Assyrians, lived there. The Assyrians were known to regularly torture and kill their captives, and then gruesomely desecrate their bodies.[3] While we do not know if Jonah was afraid of physical pain, we do know that he hated Assyrians and was afraid that they would repent and receive God’s mercy if he fulfilled his mission (see Jonah 4:2).
Rejecting God’s call, Jonah “paid the fare” (Jonah 1:3) for passage on a ship to Tarshish. One commentator notes that Jonah probably paid a considerable sum of money because the journey to Tarshish could take up to one year—“evidently because of the need to restock provisions frequently at ports along the way, wait for favorable winds, and trade the cargo.”[4] At one point Jonah slept soundly below deck while the ship’s crew thrashed through a storm (see Jonah 1:5). The storm was so brutal that the sailors expected the ship to sink, unless they prayed to their gods and tossed trade goods overboard to lighten the load (see Jonah 1:5). When the shipmaster found Jonah asleep, the captain woke him up and asked him to pray to God (see Jonah 1:6). When prayer did not lessen the intensity of the storm, the crew cast lots.
Proverbs 16:33 declares that “the lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof [the outcome] is of the Lord” (see also Proverbs 18:18). Casting lots was a trusted source of divine intervention during Old Testament times because it allowed the Lord to guide who was chosen—He could order the pieces so that a certain person was picked. Pieces of rock or wood were placed in a container, and, either by rolling all the pieces out of the container or inviting each participant to take a piece out of the container, led to the Lord’s decision (see Joshua 21:4–8; Nehemiah 10:34; 1 Nephi 3:11). In more recent times we might liken lot casting to drawing straws—whoever draws the shortest is the chosen one.[5]
When the sailors aboard the ship cast lots, “the lot fell upon Jonah” (Jonah 1:7). Despite his efforts to run from God’s call, the Lord is not giving up on the reluctant prophet. God continues to reach out toward Jonah through a storm and the lot. Jolted, Jonah confessed to the sailors that the storm was because he ran from God. Surprised, the crew questioned: “Why hast thou done this?” (Jonah 1:9). The sailors asked what could be done to still the storm. Fully realizing that his poor decision to run from the Lord was now affecting others, Jonah came to the following conclusion: “Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you” (Jonah 1:12). The sailors initially refused to comply with his wish. Instead, they “rowed hard to bring [the ship] to the land,” but in the end, “they could not” (Jonah 1:13). Thus, the men “took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging” (Jonah 1:15).
When Jonah hit the water, he recalled, “billows and . . . waves passed over me. The weeds were wrapped about mine head [and] I went down to the bottoms” of the sea (Jonah 2:5–6). Fearing that this was the end, Jonah’s “soul fainted” but then he “remembered the Lord” through prayer (Jonah 2:7). It appears that the prayer brought the great fish—potentially some type of whale—and it swallowed the prophet. The scriptures reveal that this was no ordinary experience: “The Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah” (Jonah 1:17; emphasis added). To prepare this great fish for Jonah, the Lord knew when the great fish needed to be born, He knew the great fish’s habits, He knew that the great fish had to be in the vicinity when the men threw Jonah overboard, and He needed a creature big enough to complete the job. Such preparation for one frightened missionary begs the question, If the Lord will prepare a great fish, a game of lots, a storm, or a mission call for a rebellious disciple, what will He do for each of us?
After Jonah is swallowed by the great fish he continued to pray: “Out of the belly of hell cried I” (Jonah 2:2). Like Jonah, we may at times be headed in the wrong direction, but change is possible. The book of Jonah is an extremely detailed case of the Lord’s multiple maneuverings to save a single soul. Jonah acknowledged his own “lying vanities,” his selfishness, and “vowed” to be more faithful to the Lord’s will (Jonah 2:8–9). After three days and nights “the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land” (Jonah 2:10).[6] Once free from the fish “the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh. . . . So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh” (Jonah 3:1–3).
The prophet promptly enters the city and prophecies that in forty days “Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). The inhabitants of the city, including the king, listened to Jonah’s teachings and began to repent. The people fasted, wore sackcloth as a demonstration to God that they were humbly pleading for forgiveness, and the king issued a decree which encouraged the entire populace to repent (see Jonah 3:5–9). The measures proved successful because “God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way and repented; and God turned away the evil that he had said he would bring upon them” (JST Jonah 3:10).[7]
We expect Jonah to be doing back flips of joy, but the final chapter begins: “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry” (Jonah 4:1). What displeased him? How can he be angry? Jonah prayed while upset and explained his reason: “When I was yet in my country . . . I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness” (Jonah 4:2). In other words: “Lord, when I was at home I knew of Thy goodness and patience toward even the most despicable of people. That is why I headed toward Tarshish and not Nineveh. I did not want Thee to forgive and bless the inhabitants of Nineveh.” Jonah vehemently hated the Ninevites—they were not part of covenant Israel and what is more they were Israel’s sworn enemies. Jonah did not want them to change and be blessed, he wanted them to sin and suffer. Jonah then concluded his prayer by asking the Lord to “take . . . my life from me; . . . for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:3).
After Jonah’s audacious reply, the Lord, once again, shows Jonah mercy and patience—mercy and patience the Lord just demonstrated toward those of Nineveh, but which Jonah spurned. The Lord utters the simple question, “Doest thou well to be angry?” (Jonah 4:4). There is no harsh rebuke, no flash of lightning which sizzles Jonah’s flesh, no thunder from heaven to scare Jonah into a feeling of gratitude, but a simple question which may, if the prophet allows, work on his heart.
After the Lord asks Jonah if his anger is justifiable, the prophet refuses to respond. Was Jonah stung by the question or pierced by the Lord’s keen insight? The question seemed to infuriate Jonah so much that he gives the Lord the silent treatment. Like a teenager mad at his parents, or a husband after a tiff with his wife, Jonah turns and walks away from the situation, refusing to respond.
Jonah exited the city proper and headed east (see Jonah 4:5). Then he probably scaled part of the hills located in that direction and waited and watched Nineveh.[8] Jonah seems unconvinced that the repentant state of the people of Nineveh is permanent. He is waiting, hoping, for the city to “be overthrown” after “forty days” as he originally prophesied (Jonah 3:4). While he waited, he built himself a booth or hut to provide shade—perhaps fashioned of overlaid sticks and branches, as was done for a feast required by the Law of Moses (see Leviticus 23:42; Nehemiah 8:14–15). The booth or hut evidently provided some shade, but it was probably hastily constructed from errant sticks from the vicinity. If so, Jonah’s comfort level and shade was minimal—sunshine would have streamed through the sticks. Whatever its construction, the booth was probably intended to be a physical, non-verbal sign that the Lord was wrong, and Jonah was right. Jonah’s thoughts may have ventured into this line of reasoning: If I wait here long enough the Lord will see Nineveh destroyed. Despite the almost worthless hut and Jonah’s constant moodiness the Lord provided a miracle.
While the booth provided a minimal amount of shade from the blazing sun, the “Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd” (Jonah 4:6). We do not know the specific type of plant[9] which grew overnight to such a mass that it shaded Jonah (see Jonah 4:10). Yet, as was the case with the call, the storm, the game of lots, and the great fish, this “gourd” was “prepared” for Jonah (Jonah 4:6). The Lord knew that Jonah would go up on the hill and pout, and so the seed of this plant was in the right place at the right time to provide physical comfort for the prophet. God really does know our moods and routines. Despite Jonah’s gladness for the shade—the only positive emotion Jonah shows in this book—the shadow would not last.
As was the case with the storm, the lot, the great fish, and the gourd, the Lord had “prepared” other things for Jonah (Jonah 4:7). A worm “smote the gourd that it withered” a day after its astonishing growth, and a “vehement east wind” probably knocked over the booth[10] and the “the sun [once again] beat upon [Jonah’s] head” (Jonah 4:7–8). While the “vehement east wind” seems to indicate the Lord’s displeasure with Jonah’s behavior,[11] God still does not give up on this angry, uncomfortable child. Ultimately, the quick growing leafy plant served as tangible evidence of the Lord’s mercy—His constant readiness to forgive Nineveh and Jonah—while the equally fast demise of the gourd and the blasts of hot air presented proofs that without God’s goodness ruin follows.
To underscore these eternal truths, the Lord pointed out the folly of Jonah’s anger toward the inhabitants of Nineveh by asking, “Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?” The prophet retorted, “I do well to be angry” (Jonah 4:9). Patiently, the Lord connected the dots for Jonah: “Thou has had pity on the gourd…should not I spare Nineveh, that great city…?” (Jonah 4:10–11). In other words, “Your appreciation and love for the gourd is but a shadow of the care and love I have for you and the Assyrians of Nineveh.”
In short, every person is valuable to God. He simply will not give up or stop trying to save His children. From a city of Assyrians to a frustrated, bitter servant sitting next to a withered gourd, God cares for, watches over, and strives to bring everyone back home to heaven.
More Come, Follow Me resources here.
[1] Nineveh was probably located in modern-day Iraq Pictoral Bible Dictionary, ed., Merrill C. Tenney (Nashville, Tennessee: The Soutwestern Company, 1976), s.v. “Nineveh.”
[2] It is likely that Tarshish was located in modern Spain and known for its successful trade industry (see Ezekiel 27:12); Pictoral Bible Dictionary, s.v. “Tarshish.”
[3] Erika Belibtreu, “Grisly Assyrian Record of Torture and Death,” Biblical Archaeology Review, 17 no. 1 (1991): 51–61, 75.
[4] Uriel Simon, The JPS Bible Commentary: Jonah (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1999), 6.
[5] For more information regarding casting lots see Joh. Lindblom Lund “Lot-Casting in the Old Testament,” Vestus Testamentum 12, facs. 2 (April 1962): 164–178.
[6] Where the great fish “vomited out” Jonah is a matter of debate. One tradition holds that the great fish deposited Jonah to a spot south of Jaffa—the port city where Jonah boarded the ship days earlier (see Jonathan Riley-Smith, The Atlas of the Crusades [New York: Facts on File, 1990], 43; see also John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commenatry [Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2005], 1011). Others suggest that the fish put Jonah in ancient Alexandretta—now İskenderun in modern-day Turkey (see The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, ed. George Arthur Buttrick, 5 vols. [Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon, 1962–1976] s.v. “Jonah, Book of,” 2:965). The ancient historian Josephus reported that Jonah was disgorged on the shore of the Euxine or Black Sea (see Josephus: Complete Works [Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1960], 208).
[7] One commentator notes that the Hebrew text implies that the Assyrians only ritually repented. That is, they repented the only way that they knew how: through sackcloth and fasting. “Ritual response and ethical tidying up are precisely what one would expect from pagan Assyrians—and from every indication, they are still just that, despite the fact that they have taken a step in the right direction.” John H. Walton, “The Object Lesson of Jonah 4:5–7 and the Purpose of the Book of Jonah,” Bulletin for Biblical Research 2 (1992): 53–54.
[8] See The Jewish Encyclopedia, ed., Ididore Singer, 12 vols. (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company, 1901–1906), s.v. “Nineveh,” 12:311.
[9] The most likely was a type of giant castor bean or oil plant. Jules Janick and Harry S. Paris, “Jonah and the ‘Gourd,’ at Nineveh: Consequences of a Classic Mistranslation,” 349–357; paper presented at North Carolina State University’s Cucurbitaceae Conference September 17–21, 2006. See also Encyclopaedia Judaica, eds. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik, 2nd ed., 22 vols. (Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007), s.v. “Castor-Oil Plant,” 4:516.
[10] See Jack M. Sasson, Jonah: A New Translation with Introduction, Commentary, and Interpretation, The Anchor Bible (New York: Doubleday, 1990), 304.
[11] Alonzo L. Gaskill, The Lost Language of Symbolism: An Essential Guide for Recognizing and Interpreting Symbols of the Gospel (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003), 153–154.
Matt Crawford is a husband, father, teacher, and writer. He resides with his family in Layton, Utah.
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(submitted by Dennis B. Horne)
Editorial Note: In the below article, President Smith defines the label “Mormonism” very much as President Russell M. Nelson has. These prophets are one in their views on this matter. President Smith also expounds in some detail on many facets of church practice and doctrine, including the future. Most of the material is as true and relevant today as it was a hundred and twenty years ago—there is great consistency in church teachings and practice. One effect of his message is to make one proud to be a faithful member of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ. The original article is titled, The “Mormonism” of Today:
[Two and a half pages of explanatory material regarding plural marriage omitted.] Marriage is regarded by the Latter-day Saints as a sacrament. Under its higher ecclesiastical law it involves an everlasting covenant. That does not end with death. The marriage does not take place in the resurrection, but in time and in this world. It is of the nature of that marriage in the Garden of Eden between a man and a woman in whom then there was no death. It was a wedding of immortals. That which was lost through sin in the fall, was restored through obedience and the atonement of Christ in the regeneration, and the resurrection brings the parted pair together again as one, “no more twain but one flesh,” spiritual but tangible and eternal. That which is sealed on earth today by divinely revealed authority is sealed in heaven and remains in spite of death, immutable, and abides forever.
The family thus formed is the basis of an ever-increasing kingdom and dominion continuing in worlds without end.[1] Marriages are permitted for time only, as all persons are not fitted for the higher conditions and the pure and sacred obligations they impose. The secular law in all cases whether for time or eternity, is honored, and that requires a license and a ceremony to be recorded under the State statutes, which provide heavy penalties for their violation. Monogamic wedlock is thus established by law in Utah, and is really more rigidly observed than in any other part of the Union.
“Mormonism” inculcates chastity of life, self-restraint, temperance, abstinence from stimulants, order, peace, charity and fraternity. It teaches submission to law and promotes true patriotism. It recognizes the institutions of this country as established under Divine direction. It does not unite church and state. It supports each in its own sphere, but regards them as separate and distinct, and holds that neither should encroach upon the domain of the other. The “Mormon” Church does not dictate the politics of its members or direct citizens how they shall vote. The only restraint it claims to exercise as to political office is, that before any man who holds an ecclesiastical position which demands his entire services for the Church, becomes a candidate for a secular office which would take him from his Church duties, he shall obtain permission to do so from its presiding authorities. This is absolutely necessary to proper Church discipline, and is only reasonable and just. When that consent has been obtained, no man occupying a political office in this land is freer than he to perform his duty to his country, nor enjoys greater liberty as an American citizen. Notwithstanding all that is said and imagined as to the interference of the Church in political affairs, no citizen can truthfully assert that he has been deprived by the Church of his freedom, or that the Church has attempted to coerce or control conventions, elections, or legislatures.
“Mormonism” is a term coined by its adversaries. It cannot mean anything but that which was taught by Mormon. He was a prophet of God on this hemisphere about sixteen centuries ago. His doctrines can be learned from the book that bears his name. It was translated by Joseph Smith from metallic plates covered with ancient hieroglyphics and deposited by Mormon when his nation was about to perish, under the warlike race from which our present Indian tribes descended. Those doctrines are, simply, the gospel of Jesus Christ as he delivered it in person on this land, after His resurrection and ascension from Palestine. They are unmixed with the precepts of men. They are the principles of Salvation. They teach faith, hope and charity. They show the necessity of belief in God and obedience to His commands. They require repentance from sin, baptism by immersion in water by one having divine authority, for the remission of sins through Christ’s atonement, and they promise the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands and all the gifts of that Spirt enjoyed of old. They explain the true order of the Church organization and make plain the religion of the Redeemer.
The Book of Mormon gives the history of this continent back to a remote period. It describes the customs and doings of the early inhabitants of the land and traces their origin. It gives the places of cities, temples, fortifications and buildings, the ruins of many of which have been discovered since the book was published. It treats of the wars, troubles, divisions of tribes, their religion, rebellion, travels, triumphs and tribulations, and forms a study for the archaeologist and the antiquarian.
“Mormonism,” then, is the pure gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ revealed anew in these latter times. Its advocates are not “Mormons” any more than they are Isaiahs or Ezekiels, Peters or Pauls, for they believe in the Old and the New Testaments as well as in the Book of Mormon. Their proper name is Latter-day Saints, in distinction from that of the former-day saints. They claim to have a mission to proclaim the “everlasting gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue and people,” and brought to earth by the angel predicted by John the Divine in the Apocalypse. They gather in places appointed of God and his elect, called from all quarters of the earth. They “seek first the kingdom of God;” that is, His spiritual kingdom set up on the earth for the last days and for the last time, in the “dispensation of the fulness of times,” in which all things in Christ are to be gathered in one. The elders of the Church go into the world for this purpose, without pay or support other than that which is voluntarily bestowed by their hearers. They travel “without purse or scrip.”[2] They are often despised and rejected. They are men of pure lives devoted to the welfare of humanity. They are constantly libeled and maligned. They bear their cross with patience.[3] Their reward comes from above. They invade no man’s family. They have no inducements to offer to converts except the blessings that come from obedience to the truth, and a witness from God to each soul that accepts the message of salvation. To these may be added the assurance of persecution and obloquy and in many instances mobocracy and violence.[4]
The “Mormons” or Latter-day Saints are baptized by one spirit into one body. They are striving to live together in love, and to observe the golden rule. They are organized into a compact ecclesiastical body, and are guided by apostles and prophets, pastors and teachers, and all the ministerial authorities had in the primitive Christian Church. These are inspired by divine revelation for the work of the ministry and the perfecting of the saints, and to give counsel and advice to them in all things pertaining to their welfare. But everything in the Church has to be done by common consent. The people prosper under the system. They are advised to own the land on which they live and the homes that shelter them. The home is held sacred by the saints as the beginning of their heaven. They rear their families in the fear of God. The song of praise and the voice of prayer are heard in their habitations. They are becoming a power in the earth because of the virtues and the strength of the religion that is intensely spiritual and also eminently practical.
“Mormonism” is for the body as well as for the spirit. It is a religion for today. By right living now, its votaries are prepared for the future. By laying a firm foundation in their world, they expect to be able to build upon it in the world to come. No one need fear the spread of “Mormonism,” for that means the spread of righteousness and order and peace. It is light in the midst of the darkness of this world. It contains the solution of every religious problem that has vexed and divided Christendom for centuries. It holds for future development the settlement of the conflict between capital and labor. It bears divine authority sent down from heaven in the nineteenth century, and it will not be taken from earth again. It will prepare the way for the coming of the King of kings, whose right it is to reign, and until then its people and their leaders are required to remain “in subjection to the powers that be,” and to live honoring kings, presidents, magistrates and municipalities and to upholding wholesome law wherever they reside.
“Mormonism” will be opposed and fought against, but it will not be overcome. It is of God and not of man. It is vital in every part. It puts down sin and vice and regards lust with abhorrence. It brings its devotees not only to the “unity of the faith,” but to concert of purpose and of action. It leads them to individual communion with Deity, and at the same time to perform their duties to one another on the earth. It promotes industry, thrift, education, progress, the fine arts as well as the common labors of life, and seeks for the acquirement of everything that is useful and beautiful in this world, and the securing of all the highest glories and exaltations in the world to come. “Mormonism” is God’s truth manifested to man, and it will endure and conquer and abide forever.
https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/a8b335cc-080c-4c90-b72a-21d3add7f4ad/0/371
Note: This article was originally published on Truth Will Prevail.
[1] For further information about this concept, see: http://www.truthwillprevail.xyz/2022/04/getting-or-creating-planets.html
[2] This is no longer current practice, the Church having gradually moved away from that method of missionary service during the early part of the last century. Yet most missionaries still bear the expenses of their own missions today.
[3] For further explanation of this phrase, see Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s October 2022 General Conference address here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/41holland?lang=eng
[4] Regarding the persecution most members experience, see Pres. Nelson’s article here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2020/04/the-future-of-the-church-preparing-the-world-for-the-saviors-second-coming?lang=eng
Dennis B. Horne grew up in south Davis County and he served in the Independence Missouri mission. He attended BYU and Weber State Universities, earning a degree in Communications. After working in television broadcasting for a number of years he became a technical writer for the LDS Church Material Management Department. He became an independent researcher/author because of his love of church history and doctrine. This pursuit led him to write a biography of Elder Bruce R. McConkie, an edited publication of the diaries of Abraham H. Cannon, and biographies of President Lorenzo Snow and Orson F. Whitney. He also wrote about callings to serve in the church, the doctrine of giving healing blessings, and a compilation of the teachings of prophets and apostles about how to determine doctrinal authority. He has twice presented at the BYU Church History Symposium. His articles occasionally appear at Truth Will Prevail, Interpreter, and FAIR.
The post President Joseph F. Smith Explains What “Mormonism” Really Is appeared first on FAIR.
Amos and Prophets*by Daniel Ortner*
Amos is considered one of the “minor” prophets. But Amos 3:7 is a verse that is one of the more frequently cited in General Conference. According to the BYU Scripture Citation Index, it has been cited around 109 times. That’s more than any single psalm in the book of Psalms (not more than the whole book of Psalms). More than whole books of the Old Testament such as Judges, Ruth, and Esther. More than a lot of well known verses in the New Testament or Book of Mormon. And even about as frequently as 1 Nephi 3:7. It is a pretty big deal. Ultimately the popularity of this verse says a lot about our devotion to following the Lord’s prophet and apostles.
The context of Amos can enrich our appreciation for the Lord’s guarantee that “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7). In the first verse of the book, we read that his prophecy was received “two years before the earthquake.” (Amos 1:1). Scholars believe that this quake took place in around 750 B.C. and measured around an 8.2 on the richter scale, which is more intense than the great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.
Amos’s words are filled with warnings of this massive destruction that the Lord would bring to Israel and to the neighboring nations, including allusions to quaking and shaking that seem eerily prophetic (Amos 9:1). Through his servant, God offers a desperate plea for repentance. But unfortunately we know that the people did not repent and that by the time these words were compiled into a book the warnings of Amos were fulfilled. God of course does not reveal every single tragedy or disaster to his prophets with this degree of specificity. Natural disasters, war, and disease occur without warning. And it isn’t clear whether Amos knew exactly what would happen and when it would occur. But if we listen to the words of our prophet and apostles, we will be prepared for the disasters that come our way and we will be able to stand firm.
Those principles apply with full force in our day. I absolutely adored a recent devotional at BYU-Hawaii by Sister Sheri Dew entitled “Prophets Can See Around Corners.” Her talk was a powerful declaration of how God speaks to his Prophets and Apostles to help warn us of danger.
Sister Dew pointed to countless examples of where prophetic inspiration was ultimately prophetic such as the effort to bring smartphones to missionaries which was executed just in time for the COVID-19 Pandemic or her decision to follow President Hinckley’s advice to get out of debt shortly before the 2008 financial crisis. The point isn’t that President Nelson or President Hinckley knew precisely about the COVID-19 pandemic or about the 2008 financial crisis anymore than that Amos necessarily knew the exact date and time of the earthquake that was coming. But God spoke through his servant and revealed what was around the corner. Those who followed their advice were blessed with protection and preparation. Those who didn’t were left unprepared and suffered the negative consequences.
As Sister Dew explained: “Prophets see things we cannot see because the Lord does ‘nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.’ This is why prophets make us smarter than any other leaders or influencers on earth. Prophets help us see dangers we cannot yet see and opportunities we can’t even imagine.”
Many of us have friends or family members who have expressed their concern that as Latter-day Saints we put too much trust in the prophet and apostles and that we are going to be led astray. But as Sister Dew explained, it is ultimately not President Nelson at the head of the Church but Jesus Christ who speaks through his servants the prophets and apostles:
Brothers and sisters, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, acting unitedly, will never send the Church in the wrong direction. And here is why: Because even THE prophet is not the head of this Church. Jesus Christ is, and He is perfect. Prophets take their instructions from Him who knows all, sees all, and understands all things. . . .
In this Church, we are never dependent solely upon mortal men, as inspired as they may be. When we follow the prophet, we are actually following and placing our trust in Jesus Christ. For He has promised that His words will all be fulfilled, ‘whether by [His] own voice or by the voice of [His] servants, it is the same.’
It is vital that each of us have an abiding testimony that we are being led by a living prophet and apostles. Our spiritual safety desperately depends on it.
Sister dew discussed several powerful principles that can help us gain confidence in the teachings of the prophets:
First, we can trust that prophets do not have their own personal agenda. Instead, “[t]heir agenda is the Lord’s. And yet, too often we listen to them last.”
Second, we can trust that prophets will teach divine truth even when it is unpopular:
Apostles are under divine mandate to teach truth, even when truth is unpopular. They are pressured to change the Lord’s doctrine to make it more palatable, but the doctrine doesn’t belong to them and is not theirs to change. They’re accused of being out of touch, but I know of no group who is more in touch with the realities and complexities of life.
I promise you that no leaders on earth are more honest with you than prophets are. And no leaders care more about you and your future.
Third, we can pay close attention to the powerful spirit that testifies to us when a prophet speaks:
The Holy Ghost is eager to bear witness of prophets, seers, and revelators and the priesthood keys they hold. It is the presence of the keys we feel so profoundly when a prophet enters the room. But you don’t have to be in the presence of a prophet to gain a spiritual witness of his divine mantle.
If you want to know if fifteen prophets walk the earth today, pray to know. Ask humbly and sincerely, and the Holy Ghost will bear witness to you. I promise you that.
Prophets, seers, and revelators are, very simply, one of God’s greatest gifts to His children.
Fourth, we can try to implement the principles that the Prophet teaches us. We can take it seriously and experience the positive dividends of following his counsel.
Fifth, we need not be surprised if prophets and apostles are unpopular or rejected: “When prophets refuse to embrace the disintegration of morals championed by a rabidly secular society, that does not mean prophets are wrong. Sustaining prophets in today’s world takes faith—but not faith in them, faith in Jesus Christ, who called them.”
We likewise must not “be deceived by activists who believe their passion for a cause gives them permission to censure prophets. Don’t turn your back on those who have all priesthood keys and who can help you see around corners.”
Finally, we must let prophetic teachings be our spiritual anchor. If we do so the promises are powerful and profound:
Your greatest spiritual safety will come by following the prophet. My dear friends, there may be times when you find yourself wrestling with teachings from prophets. But this isn’t rocket science. I can promise you two things: First, you will question your testimony all your life if you do two things: break your covenants and turn your back on prophets. But the reverse is also true: You will enjoy a growing testimony all of your life if you keep your covenants and follow the prophet. That is a promise.
I personally have a strong testimony that we are led by a living Prophet and that God reveals to President Nelson and other Apostles everything that is needed for our spiritual peace and safety in these latter-days. Nothing is being withheld that is needful for us to be able to stay faithful on the covenant path. I have tragically seen too many people I care about wander off that path by first beginning to question and turn their back on prophets and then eventually beginning to break their covenants. I hope that Amos’s prophetic promise and Sheri Dew’s inspired words will help us recommit to following the Lord’s anointed as they help to illuminate the way back to the Savior.
More Come, Follow Me resources here.
Daniel Ortner is a public interest lawyer who focuses on the First Amendment. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an undergraduate from a Jewish background.
The post Come, Follow Me Week 47 – Amos; Obadiah appeared first on FAIR.
Why is Obedience Greater than Sacrifice? Meditations on Hosea 6:6 by Benjamin Pacini My children know that the rule on Sunday is that they can only watch “church videos.” They’ve gotten to know them so well that when I began playing one of my favorites, it was two seconds in before my son shouted from […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 44 – Hosea 1–6; 10–14; Joel (additional post) appeared first on FAIR.
His Love for Us Is Constant by Anna Buis Despite our best efforts, we will inevitably fall short because we are human. This human experience teaches us that we need the Savior and His atoning sacrifice. His invitation to us is always to return to Him; His love for us is constant. Hosea 14:4 says, […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 44 – Hosea 1–6; 10–14; Joel appeared first on FAIR.
Keep the Commandments of God Regardless of the Consequences by Maddie Barzee “Keep on the covenant path” was President Russell M. Nelson’s first message to the Church after he was sustained as the prophet, and it has been his continued anthem ever since.1 In the short term, it may feel difficult to fully obey the […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 43 – Daniel 1–6 appeared first on FAIR.
True Prophets Call Us to Repentance by Daniel Ortner Ezekiel’s Prophetic Call to Cry Repentance Chapters 1 and 2 of the Book of Ezekiel feature Ezekiel’s prophetic call. Just like the prophet Isaiah and Ezekiel’s contemporaries Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ezekiel is called as part of a vision where he sees the throne of God and […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 42 – Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47 appeared first on FAIR.
Are There Some Things That Can’t Be Cured? by Jennifer Roach, LMHC Jeremiah, true to his nickname of “The Weeping Prophet,” wants to talk to us about some hard things this week. And it’s a little uncomfortable. In my day-job as a mental health therapist I sit with people in pain every week. They’re tired […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 41 – Jeremiah 30–33; 36; Lamentations 1; 3 appeared first on FAIR.
by Christopher D. Cunningham The motivational speaker Wayne Dwyer popularized a story about two babies in a mother’s womb. While chatting, one asked the other if they believed in life after birth. The second one said they did, and they were likely preparing for something greater later on. But the first didn’t agree, it seemed […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 40 – Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20 appeared first on FAIR.
Isaiah and Approaching God on the Day of Atonement By Kerry Muhlestein This week is the celebration of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. It takes place from sundown on Tuesday, October 4th, until sundown on Wednesday, October 5th. It is the holiest celebration in all the festivals the Lord commanded Israel to observe. […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 39 – Isaiah 58-66 appeared first on FAIR.
Poetic Parallelism and seeing some missed meanings in Isaiah By Kerry Muhlestein For this week’s readings, there are two reasons we should understand Isaiah’s use of parallelism, especially its most complex form: the chiasmus. Therefore, in this week’s essay I will share an excerpt about parallelism from my commentary Learning to Love Isaiah, then highlight […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 38 – Isaiah 50–57 appeared first on FAIR.
General Conference is coming up in 5 days! It will be held October 1-2, and will have morning and afternoon sessions on Saturday and Sunday, along with an evening session for everyone on Saturday. More information is available here. In preparation, we are doing a daily countdown with posts from different people explaining how they […]
The post FAIR’s Countdown to Conference – 5 Days! appeared first on FAIR.
Comfort Ye My People: The Crucial Historical Background to Understanding Isaiah 40 By Kerry Muhlestein It is understandable that the Come Follow Me curriculum does not have us read Isaiah 36-39. That covers material which we already covered in 2 Kings 18-19. Yet we cannot understand what is going on in many of the earlier […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 37 – Isaiah 40–49 appeared first on FAIR.
Isaiah’s ability to speak to many time periods at once By Kerry Muhlestein I have found that one of the great keys to understanding Isaiah is to see how his writings apply to more than one time period. By that I mean that the same verse or set of verses are intended to be fulfilled […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 37 – Isaiah 13–14; 24–30; 35 appeared first on FAIR.
A time to study Isaiah by Kerry Muhlestein It seems to me that this year, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have fervently embraced the Come Follow Me program, we have come to learn from and love the Old Testament more than ever before. I have high hopes we will […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 36 – Isaiah 1–12 appeared first on FAIR.
Proverbs Primer by Matt Christiansen Imagine an encounter with Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos. After introductions and pleasantries, the discussion turns more substantive, and he asks about your big picture dreams and aspirations. You seize the opportunity and lay out a detailed blueprint for the most productive, impactful, and meaningful life you can imagine. He listens […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 35 – Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12 appeared first on FAIR.
The Hymns of the Temple Part 2 by Matthew L. Bowen Praise is a dominant word in the latter third of the Psalter. The imperative plural Hebrew verbal expression hallelujah (halĕlû-yāh), “praise ye the Lord,” marks the beginning and ending of many of these temple hymns. In ancient Judah, ascending into the temple to praise […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 34 – Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150 appeared first on FAIR.
The Hymns of the Temple Part 1 by Matthew L. Bowen The Psalms, originally written in Hebrew poetry,[1] were the hymns of the ancient Jerusalem temple.[2] Everything in them should be read and reflected upon with that in mind. Additionally, as Latter-day Saints, we are obligated to consider how these texts, within their temple and […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 33 – Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86 appeared first on FAIR.
by Carl Trueman If there is one question that seems to drive so much of modern life it is that of happiness. What is it? How does one attain it? And perhaps more deeply, how does one know when one has attained it? And it is therefore perhaps fitting that the Psalter, the great hymn […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 32 – Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46 appeared first on FAIR.
Lessons Learned from the Book of Job by Louis Herrey ”No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted… All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 31 – Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42 appeared first on FAIR.
by K.T. Martin The Book of Esther is one of the most politically intriguing books found within the Old Testament. The story includes a king who banishes his wife and marries a new woman who is secretly a Jew. The king has an advisor who has a hatred for the Jewish people and wants them […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 30 – Esther appeared first on FAIR.
by Braeden Dyer [Courtesy of Wilford Woodruff Papers] Since beginning my work for the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project, one aspect of Wilford’s life which has struck me, and made me ponder, has been the opposition which he faced. He faced immense physical and social opposition—just one account of which we see in this excerpt from his […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 29 – Ezra 1; 3-7; Nehemiah 2; 4-6; 8 appeared first on FAIR.
What Should We Make of the Story of Elisha and the Bears and What Is the Significance of the Unusual Symbolism in Elisha’s Healings? by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw (Originally published August 8, 2018 and August 10, 2018) Question: One of the most disturbing and incomprehensible accounts in the Old Testament concerns Elisha and the bears […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 27 – 2 Kings 2–7 appeared first on FAIR.
by Matt Crawford The widow of Zarephath is one of my favorite stories from the Old Testament. Perhaps the greatest reason that this story resonates with me is because the widow is an outsider. She is not a member of the house of Israel—a fact the Savior confirms (see Luke 4:24–30)—and she meets Elijah at […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 27 – 1 Kings 17–19 appeared first on FAIR.
2 Samuel 11: A Presbyterian Reflection by Carl Trueman The events described in 2 Samuel 11 are pivotal to the reign of David. His adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband, Uriah, will have consequences far beyond the royal household and the rest of his reign will be marked by political turmoil driven […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 26 – 2 Samuel 5-7; 11-12; 1 Kings 3; 8; 11 appeared first on FAIR.
The Asked King and the Beloved King-to-be: Saul, David, and Ancient Israel’s Rejection of the Lord’s Kingship by Matthew L. Bowen The names of ancient Israel’s first two major[1] royal figures, Saul and David, have clear, distinctive meanings. Saul (šāʾûl) means ‘asked’ and David (dāwid or dāwîd) means ‘beloved.’ The Deuteronomistic editor and narrator[2] of […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 25 – 1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–18 appeared first on FAIR.
by BJ Spurlock When reading the scriptures, especially as one reads through the Old Testament, it is always helpful to ask the following questions: Where is Jesus Christ in the text? Where do we see gospel doctrines & principles that Jesus Christ taught? Where do we see gospel doctrines & principles that living Prophets […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 24 – Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–3 appeared first on FAIR.
Seek the Lord Jesus Christ By Elder Kim B. Clark (An address given at the 2020 FAIR Conference) I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to you today. I am not only grateful to be with you, but I am grateful for all of you who seek to help people strengthen, or recover, or […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 appeared first on FAIR.
Trying to Serve the Lord Without Offending the Devil By Nick Galieti (Originally published on February 11, 2015 as part of our “Rise Up” podcast for youth) When it comes to living our lives, we have a lot of choices placed before us. We have our choice of schools to attend after high school, or even […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 22 – Joshua 1–8; 23–24 appeared first on FAIR.
“Beware Lest Thou Forget the Lord” by Dr. Jan J. Martin Deuteronomy. It is the last book of the Jewish “Torah.” The word Deuteronomy itself may be enough to intimidate all but the most determined and dedicated students of the scriptures. In Hebrew, “eleh ha-devarim,” means “these are the words.”[1] In ancient Greek, “Deuteronómion” means […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 21 – Deuteronomy 6-8; 15; 18; 29-30; 34 appeared first on FAIR.
Rejecting the Living Prophets by Following Future Prophets by J. Max Wilson (Adapted from his post at Sixteen Small Stones) One of the key doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that we have living prophets and apostles today who are authorized by God to receive revelations for the Church and […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 20 – Numbers 11-14; 20-24 appeared first on FAIR.
“Have You Been Saved By Grace?” How Do We Respond? by Brad Wilcox (This is from a presentation given at the 2018 FAIR Conference) Grace, like many English words has multiple meanings. It can mean elegance and beauty. It can mean kindness and courtesy. It can be a title, ‘Your Grace.’ It can be a salutation, […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 19 – Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 16; 19 appeared first on FAIR.
Exodus, The Law of Moses, Covenants, and the Temple by Ben Spackman (This originally appeared on Ben Spackman’s blog) Now that we’re getting into the desert Exodus narrative, we’re going to encounter what scholars call “legal sections” of scripture, that is, the details of the Law of Moses. I’m not interested in these so much […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 18 – Exodus 24; 31-34 appeared first on FAIR.
Becoming Free by Amber Rothamer I’ve always treasured the account of Israel’s miraculous exodus out of bondage in Egypt and the recorded events and miracles that followed. It is a portion of ancient history that has always fascinated and humbled me. There are numerous parallels between this account and that of the one found in […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 17 – Exodus 18-20 appeared first on FAIR.
by Scott Gordon This week, with Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Currently, 63% of Americans identify as Christian. This is down from 75% just 10 years ago. Those who are religiously unaffiliated, sometimes referred to as “nones,” has risen to almost 30% of the US population. This is […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 16 – Easter appeared first on FAIR.
“Even as Moses Did”: The Use of the Exodus Narrative in Mosiah 11-18 by Sara Riley (This is from a presentation given at the 2018 FAIR Conference) In this presentation I hope to answer the following questions: How is the Exodus narrative used in Mosiah, both structurally and thematically? And by that I mean, how […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 15 – Exodus 14–17 appeared first on FAIR.
by Robert Hill Every six months, dating back to 1840, Latter-day Saints gather as a worldwide congregation to worship, sing and learn at the feet of leaders we consider living prophets. It’s a wonderful time full of the Spirit of God. But recently, I can’t help feeling I miss the way General Conference used to be. […]
The post Come Listen to a Prophet’s Voice appeared first on FAIR.
Recognizing and Remembering God’s Hand in Our Lives By K.T. Martin This week as we study Exodus 7-13, we get to read through an exciting part of the Old Testament where God shows forth his power to liberate and protect His people. A number of important gospel truths can be pulled from those pages that […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 14 – Exodus 7-13 appeared first on FAIR.
A Burning Bush and a Pillar of Light: God Remembers His Children by Ugo A. Perego Many years ago, when I was a young student at Brigham Young University, I had the unique opportunity to register for and attend the Summer Semester at the BYU Jerusalem Center. To this day, it has been one of […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 13 – Exodus 1-6 appeared first on FAIR.
Amber Rothamer is FAIR’s Project Manager. She will be hosting a new podcast series called “Faithfully Informed.” In this first episode, she interviews Kerry Muhlestein on his new book, Learning to Love Isaiah: A Guide and Commentary. Autographed copies of Learning to Love Isaiah: A Guide and Commentary are available from the FAIR Bookstore. Kerry […]
The post Faithfully Informed Podcast #1 – Kerry Muhlestein on “Learning to Love Isaiah” appeared first on FAIR.
God Meant It Unto Good by Jennifer Roach Forgiveness is a strange business. I started out in life believing that forgiveness couldn’t come until I had an emotional experience of releasing the harm someone did to me. If I didn’t feel it, it wasn’t real. Later I figured out that I could forgive someone intellectually […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 12 – Genesis 42–50 appeared first on FAIR.
“The Lord Was with Joseph”: A Scriptural Case Study in Why the Lord Allows Bad Things to Happen to Good People by Matthew L. Bowen Bad things happen to good people, of course. What’s more, sometimes terrible things happen to the best people even when they are striving with the utmost diligence to do what […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 11 – Genesis 37–41 appeared first on FAIR.
Becoming Israel: Learning How to Prevail with God Through Covenants By Steve Densley The stories we find in Genesis 28-33 are rich with covenant imagery, from Isaac’s blessing that Jacob would receive the promises of the Abrahamic covenant in the first verses of chapter 28, to Jacob’s building of an altar in the last verse […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 10 – Genesis 28–33 appeared first on FAIR.
Polygamy as an Abrahamic Sacrifice by V.H. Cassler (From a presentation originally titled “A Reconciliation of Polygamy,” given at the 2011 FAIR Conference; edited here for clarity and length) Today we are going to talk about polygamy but probably in a different way than you have heard about it before. That is, we are going […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 8 – Genesis 18–23 appeared first on FAIR.
The Abrahamic Covenant, Its Influence on Scriptures, and What that Has to Do with Us by Kerry Muhlestein, author of God Will Prevail: Ancient Covenants, Modern Blessings, and the Gathering of Israel The Abrahamic covenant is a central theme of the Old Testament, and really of all scripture. Every prophetic writer, whether in the Old […]
The post Come, Follow Me Thoughts to Keep in Mind – The Covenant appeared first on FAIR.
[Reprinted with permission from The Interpreter Foundation] by Taylor Halverson “Noah built an ark; and…the Lord smiled upon it.” (Moses 7:43) Introduction The great cataclysmic[1] flood wherein “Noah…prepared an ark to the saving of his house” is one of the most well known stories in the Judeo-Christian world. It is story that most of us can remember […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 6 – Genesis 6–11; Moses 8 appeared first on FAIR.
This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference held in August. If you would like to watch all the presentations from the conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. Jeff Bradshaw, Since Hugh Nibley: Remarkable New Findings on Enoch and the Gathering of Zion Jeff’s books are for […]
The post FAIR Conference Podcast #76 – Jeff Bradshaw, “Since Hugh Nibley: Remarkable New Findings on Enoch and the Gathering of Zion” appeared first on FAIR.
Faith and Evidence in the Witness of Ancient Texts for the Book of Moses Enoch Story by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw When I first saw the photo that accompanied the New Year’s message and invitation for 2022 from President Nelson,[3] I could not help but think of the following verses from the Joseph Smith Translation of […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 5 – Moses 7 appeared first on FAIR.
Taught in All the Ways of God: Teaching as the Theme of Moses 6 by Matthew L. Bowen Moses 5 records that an angel taught Adam and Eve the meaning of the sacrifices God had commanded them to make upon their departure from Eden (see Moses 5:5-12). Adam and Eve, in turn, taught their sons […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 4 – Genesis 5; Moses 6 appeared first on FAIR.
The Two Trees by V.H. Cassler (This is from a presentation given at the 2010 FAIR Conference) The Restored Gospel teaches me that the term “God” means an exalted woman and an exalted man married in the new and everlasting covenant (and we also get that from D&C 132). We are taught that there is […]
The post Come, Follow Me Week 3 – Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5 appeared first on FAIR.