We Did Take our Bows and our Arrows

1 Nephi 16:12 - 17, NC 1 Nephi 5 pars. 5 - 6 

And it came to pass that we did take our tents and departed into the wilderness across the river Laman. And it came to pass that we traveled for the space of four days, nearly a south-southeast direction, and we did pitch our tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer.

And it came to pass that we did take our bows and our arrows and go forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families; and after we had slain food for our families, we did return again to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer. And we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness which were in the borders near the Red Sea. And it came to pass that we did travel for the space of many days, slaying food by the way with our bows, and our arrows, and our stones, and our slings; and we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness. And after we had traveled for the space of many days, we did pitch our tents for the space of a time, that we might again rest ourselves and obtain food for our families.

The Stick of Joseph in the Hand of Ephraim, 1 Nefi 5 pars. 5 - 6

And it came to pass that we did take our tents and departed into the wilderness across the river Laman. And it came to pass that we traveled for the space of four days, nearly a south - southeast direction, 
and we did pitch our tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer. 

And it came to pass that we did take our bows and our arrows and go forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families; and after we had slain food for our families, we did return again to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer. And we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness which were in the borders near the Red Sea. And it came to pass that we did travel for the space of many days, slaying food by the way with our bows, and our arrows, and our stones, and our slings; and we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness. And after we had traveled for the space of many days, we did pitch our tents for the space of a time, that we might again rest ourselves and obtain food for our families.

What strikes me here about this account of their travels in the wilderness is that even though the flight of Lehi's family is a prophesied and a divine flight from Jerusalem to another land, the undertaking of the journey and everything associated with it at this point is so very mortal, so to speak.

What do I mean by this?

They are required day by day to walk and travel.  They are required day by day to provide food for their families.  They are required to pitch their own tents when they stop and then to take down and stow their tents when they travel. It appears to be a common ordinary existence of daily toil.

Except for the presence of the Liahona directing them, there does not appear from the record to be any indication that they were spared, at this point, from the daily menial labors that were constantly required for day to day survival and progress. 

Why would that be so, given that the journey they were undertaking was calculated to alter world history?

What is to be gained by being required to go through the day to day grind, even if you are involved in a divine project, that requires you to take time away from that divine project in order to meet daily needs?

Is this a pattern?

Is this a requirement?

I remember what God declared to Adam and Eve in the following, at the time Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden.

...And unto Adam, I, the Lord God, said, Because you have listened unto the voice of your wife and have eaten of the fruit of the tree of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it, cursed shall be the ground for your sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. By the sweat of your face shall you eat bread until you shall return unto the ground, for you shall surely die, for out of it were you taken — for dust you were and unto dust shall you return. ... (Moses 4:20 - 27, OC Genesis 2 par. 18)

Was this command given to Adam, upon being cast out of the Garden of Eden, in order to create the opportunity for God to bless Adam's labors?

Is this command to daily toil related to participating in something divine?

Then there is this statement—it's a rather lengthy passage, but it's really worth hearing: 

Therefore, say unto the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: I do not do this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for my holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the heathen where you went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness; and from all your idols [I will] cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments and do them. And you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people and I will be your God. I will also save you from...your uncleanness, and I will call for the grain and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. Then shall you remember your...evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourself in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I do this, says the Lord God, be it known unto you; be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord God: In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities, I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be built. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. ...they shall say, This land that was desolate has become like the Garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities have become fortified and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places and plant that which was desolate. I the Lord have spoken it, ...I will do it. (Ezekiel 18:8-10 RE, emphasis added) 

So, the land is going to produce—you have to walk in His statues, you have to keep His judgments. And if you do, eventually you will come to the point that you recognize, in your own eyes, the loathsomeness of the things that you have done that were ungodly, that were unclean, that were inappropriate, selfish, unkind, unholy. You’ll do that. Because as you become more clean, you look back with abhorrence upon your past failures. 

Then, you get to go to harsh lands, bad places, desolate wastes, desolate, desolate. Okay, that's the list. That's what He's talking about. Here's what these people that He's going to gather are going to get to do: They get to go to desolate land; wastes shall be built; it's gonna lay desolate in the sight of all that pass by. And the people that pass by that looked at this place are going to say, “This land that was desolate has become like the Garden of Eden!” Well, how did that happen? It's because, apparently, idiots went and tilled this crappy, desolate, waste place and invested their labor. By the sweat of your brow shall you eat your bread (see Genesis 3:1 RE). 

What He's saying is, “Okay—finally, finally I've got people who are willing to invest the sweat of their brow. I told Adam that was the deal. You didn't like paradise. So here, go take this, and turn it back into paradise. I made you a husbandman to the ground. You didn't like that; you're malcontent. So here, go out, and work this stuff.” 

This whole passage in Isaiah in Ezekiel is accounting for the surprise. “Oh, my word. Look at that!”—the surprise of the passersby who see tilling going on in pretty unfavorable conditions. Well, why would that be? It’s because the Lord agrees to prosper what you do. But it is the doing that is incumbent upon you. The Three Nephites aren't gonna come plow the field (folklore from early Mormon history notwithstanding). John the Beloved isn't gonna come out and say, “Hey, I've been saving these magic beans for, you know, generations. And if you plant ‘em….” Actually, now that I think about it, if you plan ‘em you might inherit a giant in the land. So, why don't you do without the magic beans? 

There's work to be done. Our covenant with the Lord says, Teach your children to honor me. Seek to recover the lost sheep remnant of this land and of Israel and no longer forsake them. Bring them unto me and teach them of my ways, to walk in them. And I, the Lord your God, will be with you and will never forsake you, and I will lead you in the path which will bring peace to you in the troubling season now fast approaching. I will raise you up and protect you, abide with you, and gather you in due time... (T&C 158:11-13) 

Notice that there's a sequence here within the covenant itself. He's saying He's gonna lead us and bring us to peace. But there's a troubling season that is fast approaching. That's gonna happen with some rapidity; it's gonna be upon you. “I will raise you up and protect you, abide with you, and gather you in due time.” That doesn't sound like we oughta be assembling ourselves in haste. That sounds like the troubling times fast approaching are going to precede the time in which He will gather us in due time.

 ...and this shall be a land of promise to you as your inheritance from me. The earth will yield its increase... (Ibid. 13-14, emphasis added) Yield requires effort. It requires something be pursued. It requires that there be effort. 

● “We got our army together, and we got our battering ram, and we beat against the door of the castle, and a lot of us took arrows from above—but we just kept beating and beating, and the door to the castle yielded. And then we were able to take the stronghold.” 

● “I saw this gorgeous gal when I was a freshman and asked her out 30 times my freshman year and 60 times my sophomore year and 90 times my junior year. And my senior year, her returned missionary came back and abandoned her, and she went out with me! She finally yielded!” 

Okay, think of that word “yield” in the context of the covenant. It doesn't mean, “There! I went out. I prayed. Jesus, I'd like wheat; oh, and barley; oh, oh, and oats—I like oatmeal. Oh, oh, oh, oh, grapes, too. Grapes. I want some grapes. And how ‘bout some peach trees? Love peaches!” [Denver singing] “Millions of peaches; peaches for me” (lyrics of the song “Peaches”). “Why is this a barren wasteland, desolate, no better than it was before my prayer? I don't get it, Lord, wasn't this supposed to be fairy dust that makes it all easy?” 

...The earth will yield its increase, and you will flourish upon the mountains and upon the hills, and the wicked will not come against you because the fear of the Lord [shall] be with you. I will visit my house, which the remnant of my people shall build, and I will dwell therein, to be among you, and no one will need to say, Know ye the Lord, for you [shall all] know me, from the least to the greatest. (Ibid. 14-15) That's at the end of the process that He's describing in the Answer to the Prayer or this is the Covenant itself that we're reading from. This is the process that He says is going to unfold. We expect a house of God with no labor, land that will yield without effort, a desolate wasteland to become the Garden of Eden when we do nothing more than to ask. ("Equality," Living Waters Ranch Retreat, Denver C. Snuffer, Jr., Challis, ID 5 September 2021, pgs. 8 - 10)

The above is an excerpt of a talk delivered in Challis, Idaho speaking about the necessity for a people being gathered to Zion to labor.

Isn't the gathering of a people to Zion in the last days a divine undertaking?

Isn't the gathering of a people to Zion in the last days a prophetic event that has been hoped for by the prophets down through time?

Why the necessity with such an event to require daily toil to bring forth food for survival?

What is to be gained by such an effort?

Is it possible that the command given to Adam at the fall is a command the Lord intended to be followed in order to rise up while additionally sacrificing to be a part of a divine work?

Is that what the Lord intends to do; to bless the labors of a righteous people?

Do we have an example in scripture of a situation that approaches this?

... And when their priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God, they all returned again diligently unto their labors, and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers; for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner. And thus they were all equal; and they did all labor, every man according to his strength. And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted. And they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely. And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding all their persecutions. (Alma 1:19 - 28, NC Alma 1 par. 5)

The priests and the teachers were all required to labor with everyone else.

In addition to laboring, the priests and the teachers sacrificed to impart the word of God unto the people.

Is it reasonable to consider that Nephi, who sacrificed to impart the word of God, was required to perform the same daily toil as everyone else in the company?

In this daily toil together were all the members of Lehi's company equal?

The priest and the teachers of the church in Alma's day did not esteem themselves better than the hearers and the learners.

They were all equal because they all labored.

In addition they imparted of their substance to the poor and the needy the sick and the afflicted.

Is equality required in a group that is tasked with a divine mission?

For verily I say unto you, the time has come and is now at hand, and behold and lo, it must needs be that there be an organization of the literary and the mercantile establishments of my church, both in this place and in the land of Zion, for a permanent and everlasting establishment and firm unto my church, to advance the cause which you have espoused, to the salvation of man, and to the glory of your Father who is in Heaven, that you may be equal in the bonds of Heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of Heavenly things. For if you are not equal in earthly things, you cannot be equal in obtaining Heavenly things, for if you will that I give unto you a place in the Celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded and required of you. (D&C 78:3 - 7, T&C 70 par. 2)

Is it possible that everyone toiling daily together has the effect of creating equality among a group who are tasked with a divine mission?

Is it possible that this requirement that everyone labor and have that commonality is part of what would make a group of people equal in earthly things for the obtaining of Heavenly things?

What did Alma mean by saying that every man did labor with their strength?

They weren't all priests. (Well, that's not equal.) They weren't all teachers. (That's not equal either.) But they were all equal. “And they did all labor….” Oh, so they have one thing in common, and the one thing that they have in common is work, “...every man according to his strength.” You have to give what you have. And one man's strength may not be another man's strength, but he needs to give according to the strength that he has. And one woman's strength may not be what another woman's strength is, but she must give according to the strength that she has. 

If I could point to one of this morning's examples (or mid-day examples, I guess): Connie Waterman is physically frail. But she has the strength to compose and the strength to sing a song of worship that means something to us all. It certainly means something to me; it certainly had an effect upon me.

Everyone has to labor. ("Equality," Living Waters Ranch Retreat, Denver C. Snuffer, Jr., Challis, ID 5 September 2021, pg. 5)

This labor that brings equality among a people of God is required to provide the necessities of life.

I agree with the following.

I've heard it said that there are people who think that the Lord expects them to spend their time studying the Scriptures. And that that's the labor to which they've been called. I think that's absolutely fantastic. And when you get through gnawing on your leather-bound Scriptures (which may have some limited nutritional value), then I hope that the ink on the cotton (which certainly has fiber) won't kill you when your Scripture study leads you to eating your Scriptures to fill your growling belly. Because it doesn't matter what God gives you, you're not gonna be able to feed yourself. And if the labor of your hand consists in turning a page… Well, I would suggest we build a glass booth and put the person in the booth and put a hat out front for the entertainment value. And we can all drop our spare change in as we go by, watching the man who turns the page produce the labor necessary for Zion. Because Zion is hard work; it's taking what is desolate and making it become something that it’s not. ("Equality," Living Waters Ranch Retreat, Denver C. Snuffer, Jr., Challis, ID 5 September 2021, pg. 13)

My present understanding is that there are several purposes for the command God gave to Adam at the fall that requires daily toil.

I believe personally that daily toil also allows an individual to see everything God has placed to testify of Christ in the world.

As individuals daily toil are they not allowed to see the ebb and flow of nature?

Please consider the following.

Nature testifies endlessly of the Lord. It also invites us endlessly to turn back to Him. This continuing patience and enduring invitiation shown in nature is a reminder of how loving and patient, how persistent and committed the Lord is to our salvation. Salvation is predicated upon the same, universal standard for all who would return to Him. In that respect it is as exact and unchanging as the cycles of nature. Despite its exacting requirements, it is endlessly inviting and continually encouraging us to accept that standard and to live it. Not just to say, but to do. ("Solstice," Denversnuffer.com, 18 December 2010)

And the following.

Yeah. But all things bear testimony of Christ​—​all things​. Whether they are on the earth or under the earth or in the earth or above the earth, all things bear testimony of Christ. The Scriptures say so. You think about the caterpillar ​that’s a pest, that’s something to wreck your garden, that goes into a cocoon​—​and then it comes out of the cocoon, and it’s now something that helps fertilize and pollinate. And it leaves its grubby, earthly confines to become airborne and colorful and a contributor to life and to your gardening. It’s the same animal. And tell me ​that isn’t a testimony of Christ. All things bear testimony of Him, and science simply ratifies that. ("113:Nature, Part 3," Denversnuffer podcast, May 24, 2020)

I believe that in any divine mission there are various and multiple "labors" that must be performed in order to sustain life and to bring joy to this existence.

I believe that it is possible to recognize the signs all around us that point to Christ in whatever labor we are engaged in if we will look.

As mentioned above, I believe as well, that every person must labor according to their strength, whatever that is, in the daily toil to survive and move forward in any divine work just as Lehi and his company were required to do.

I believe that God intended for us to have daily toil in order for us to be reliant upon Them for our support.

I believe that God intended for us to have daily toil in order for us to see that all things do bear testimony of Christ.

I believe that God intended for us to have daily toil in order for us to have a commonality that would make us all equal, the commonality of labor.

I believe that Nephi intentionally took the time and performed the labor by his sacrifice of inscribing onto metal plates this account of their journey so that we might understand that any divine action will necessarily be accompanied by daily toil and labor to sustain life and move forward.

From what I am able to understand from the scriptures, it appears to me presently, that there is no magical sprinkling of fairy dust that removes the first command of the Lord to Adam, upon casting him out of the Garden, to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow all the days of his life. 

My present understanding is that this dying society we live in presently has rejected this commandment as a whole.

I believe for me, that if I am ever to consider that I might be able to be a part of a divine work at this moment in the history of the world, I must be willing to labor with my own hands according to my strengths and contribute to the daily toil that this life requires of all of us.

As far as I know, none of us… And certainly I cannot provide for everyone. But I can provide for my own family. And each of you should labor to do the same... ("Equality," Living Waters Ranch Retreat, Denver C. Snuffer, Jr., Challis, ID 5 September 2021, pg. 13)

I believe that I have a very important and divinely imposed burden for my family.

Verily thus says the Lord: In addition to the laws of the church, concerning women and children who belong to the church, who have lost their husbands or fathers, women have claim on their husbands until they are taken, and if they are not found transgressors, they remain upon their inheritances. All children have claim upon their parents until they are of age, and after that, they have claim upon the church, or in other words the Lord’s storehouse, for inheritances. (D&C 83, T&C 79)

I know this may seem a strange post but I do honestly believe that nothing recorded by Nephi in the Book of Mormon was done haphazardly or simply as a travel log.

I presently believe that what I got for myself from this part of the record right now might or very well could or should be something even more if I were to revisit this part of the record in the future.

I believe now that the Book of Mormon is more like a parable than a history.

I have come to see things contained in the record that I had not encountered upon first reading the Book of Mormon or even upon subsequent readings.

I have been working to cast off cultural, religious, and even familial traditions that have colored my view of the message of the Book of Mormon; hoping to read it as a completely new book.

I believe that if I will repent and if I will be diligent in crying to God, that my views will become increasingly more like the views of a child reading this record.  I believe this is necessary for the Lord to be able to open to me the ever layered teachings that exist in the Book of Mormon parable.

I would invite everyone to follow the same course of casting off all preconceived notions and all traditions that confine the message of the Book of Mormon and cry unto God and repent so that He will open up the message of His Book of Mormon to you personally.

Into the Wilderness

1 Nephi 16:11, NC 1 Nephi 5 par. 4 

And it came to pass that we did gather together whatsoever things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us. And we did take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness.

The Stick of Joseph in the Hand of Ephraim, 1 Nefi 5 par. 4

And it came to pass that we did gather together whatsoever things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder of our provisions which yhwh had given unto us. And we did take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness.

I believe that it is important a various times along the way to reiterate the purpose of this blog.

I have no intention of presenting thoughts and ideas that must be accepted as the truth and all or even any significant amount of what the Book of Mormon teaches.

What is presented here is a sample of some of my present understanding of the principles, teachings, tenets, etc. that are presented in the Book of Mormon.

At best my present understanding of anything at all in the Book of Mormon is woefully incomplete but more likely it is incorrect.

The sole purpose for this blog is to hopefully inspire folks to take a patient, considered, thoughtful, and prayerful look into the Book of Mormon for themselves.

For me personally, I have found that the Book of Mormon has no limit to the depths of understanding it can and will yield to anyone who will look at it with fresh eyes and careful and ponderous thought as though they were a child.

Nephi seems to be very deliberate with everything he inscribed on the plates.

Here we have him listing, very specifically, three groups of items that they gathered together for their trip into the wilderness.

1) Whatsoever things we should carry 

2) All the remainder of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us 

3) We did take seed of every kind 

Why be so deliberate and specific?

What would be instructive by including such a deliberately stated list of items taken for the journey?

What should come to my mind as I read "all the remainder of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us"?

Is Nephi simply recognizing that the Lord provided all the provisions they have?

This part of the record raises a question for me.

Is there a scriptural pattern of things the Lord does to lead a people away from a society doomed to destruction?

Does the Lord always lead a people away from an existing societal structure when He intends to do a work among men?

If there is a pattern would I benefit from recognizing it to be able to determine for myself if the Lord is undertaking a work among men?

At what point in societal cycles has the Lord worked a work among men by seeking to lead a people out?

Is it possible that leading a people out is in any way related to what God declares here in these following verses?

...O ye people of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you! And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel who have fallen! Yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem as ye that have fallen, yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not! O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart! ...(3 Nephi 10:3 - 7, NC 3 Nephi 4 par. 9)

And in this very hour, he began to weep over Jerusalem, saying, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone them who are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your children together as a hen her brood under her wings, and you would not. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. And truly I say unto you, you shall not know me until you have received from the hand of the Lord a just recompense for all your sins, until the time come when you shall say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. (Luke 13:34 - 35, NC Luke 9 par. 3)

And again, the Lord shall utter his voice out of Heaven saying, Hearken, O you nations of the earth, and hear the words of that God who made you: O you nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you would not? How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by my own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgments, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but you would not? Behold, the day has come when the cup of the wrath of my indignation is full. (D&C 43:23 - 26, T&C 29 par.8)

Should it be important to us that we have recorded in every volume of scripture we presently possess that statement of the Lord about gathering people as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing?

The first time I can recollect in scripture that God led a people out from among an existing society was the record of Enoch.

What was happening in the world at the time that Enoch was called by God to preach repentance?

And it came to pass that Enoch journeyed in the land among the people. And as he journeyed, the spirit of God descended out of Heaven and abided upon him. And he heard a voice from Heaven saying, Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people and say unto them, Repent, for thus says the Lord: I am angry with this people and my fierce anger is kindled against them, for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off. And for these many generations, even since the day that I created them, have they gone astray, and have denied me, and have sought their own counsels in the dark. And in their own abominations have they devised murder and have not kept the commandment which I gave unto their father Adam. Wherefore, they have falsely sworn themselves, and by their oaths they have brought upon themselves death. And a hell I have prepared for them if they repent not. And this is a decree which I have sent forth in the beginning of the world, from my own mouth, from the foundation thereof. And by the mouths of my servants your fathers have I decreed it, even as it shall be sent forth in the world unto the end thereof. (Moses 6:26 - 30, OC Genesis 4 par. 1)

Aren't these very seriously ugly societal events occurring at the time of Enoch; seeking their own counsels in the dark, in their abominations devising murder, falsely swearing themselves, bringing death upon themselves by their oaths?

Who initiated these oaths that brought upon them death and who initiated the counsels in the dark?

Wasn't it Cain following Lucifer's direction?

What does the Book of Mormon have to say concerning these ancient oaths and dark counsels established by Cain?

Hugh Nibley in his lecture series on the Pearl of Great Price in 1986 had this to say about the above verse in the book of Moses.

All our scriptures here are apocalyptic.  That means that they are revealed, they are brought forth, by times of pressure and crisis.  And they always come on the eve of great destructions.  That's why they're given to us.

Read the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants, "Hearken ye people of the earth," and so forth.  "Therefore ye people fear and tremble."  That's the theme of the seventh verse of the first chapter; therefore fear and tremble oh ye people.

This is the message because these things always come when they're badly needed; when the world has been going the wrong way for a long time and it's time to set things right again.

And it's always accompanied by violent upheavals of nature and world upheavals; political, international, and everything else.

We're going to get a lot of that here. You see it in the days of Adam. We, now we see it in the days of Enoch. ("Enoch", Pearl of Great Price Lecture Series - 22, Hugh Nibley, minutes 2:25 - 3:10)

“Each of the great dispensations of the gospel has come in a time of world upheaval, when the waywardness of the human race has been matched by...climactic restlessness of the elements” (Hugh Nibley, Abraham in Egypt, p. 164).

As we look around presently, is there any parallel to what is occurring in our society today?

Do the secret oaths of death and the dark counsels abound around us?

Do we witness violent upheavals of nature and world upheavals both politically and internationally?

In his day what was Enoch called by God face to face to do?

Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people and say unto them, Repent, for thus says the Lord: I am angry with this people and my fierce anger is kindled against them, for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off.

If we were to peruse the scriptures and consider the events that were unfolding in the world in the brother of Jared's day at the tower of Babel would we find them to be similar?

Was what the brother of Jared received from God apocalyptic in nature for his time?

What about the events in the society of Jerusalem during Lehi's day?

What about the events occurring in the days of king Mosiah the first,

Behold, I, Abinadom, am the son of Chemish. Behold, it came to pass that I saw much war and contention between my people, the Nephites, and the Lamanites; and I, with mine own sword, have taken the lives of many of the Lamanites in the defense of my brethren. And behold, the record of this people is engraven upon plates which is had by the kings, according to the generations. And I know of no revelation, save that which has been written, neither prophecy. Wherefore, that which is sufficient is written. And I make an end.  

Behold, I am Amaleki, the son of Abinadom. Behold, I will speak unto you somewhat concerning Mosiah, who was made king over the land of Zarahemla. For behold, he being warned of the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi — and as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out of the land with him into the wilderness — and it came to pass that he did according as the Lord had commanded him. And they departed out of the land into the wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord. And they were led by many preachings and prophesyings, and they were admonished continually by the word of God. And they were led by the power of his arm through the wilderness until they came down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla. And they discovered a people who were called the people of Zarahemla. Now, there was great rejoicing among the people of Zarahemla, and also, Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass, which contained the record of the Jews. (Omni 1:10 - 14, NC Omni 1 pars. 5 - 6)

Do we see in the brief mention of events in the book of Omni that just as Hugh Nibley stated things had been going in the wrong way among the Nephites for a long time?

And I know of no revelation, save that which has been written, neither prophecy. Wherefore, that which is sufficient is written. And I make an end.

If the King of Heaven has ceased to speak to them is that not going in the wrong way?

Was it time to set things right in the days of king Mosiah the first?

Whenever we look at the history of the world can we see in scripture that when God goes to work to lead a people our from among a dying society that there is much commotion?

Is there any indication of such a commotion today?

When God begins a work among men to try to prepare a people to lead them out, as a scriptural pattern, who does He send to declare repentance?

What is the sign of their authority from God?

As we read concerning Enoch further on in the record we discover that he was a "nobody" so to speak in the eyes of the people.

And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord, and spoke before the Lord, saying, Why is it that I have found favor in your sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me, for I am slow of speech; why am I your servant? ... (Moses 6:31 - 34, OC Genesis 4 par. 2)

Wasn't the message that Enoch delivered the sign of his authority from God?

 And it came to pass that Enoch went forth in the land among the people, standing upon the hills and the high places, and cried with a loud voice testifying against their works. And all men were offended because of him. And they came forth to hear him upon the high places, saying unto the tent-keepers, Stay here and keep the tents while we go there to behold the seer, for he prophesies. And there is a strange thing in the land: a wild man has come among us. And it came to pass, when they heard him, no man laid their hands on him, for fear came on all them that heard him, for he walked with God. (Moses 6:37 - 39, OC Genesis 4 par. 4)

When he comes among the people his message is so powerful that the people quake at hearing it but they still did not know who he is nor where he came from.

And there came a man unto him, whose name was Mahijah, and said unto him, Tell us plainly who you are and from where you came. And he says unto them, I came out from the land of Cainan, the land of my fathers, a land of righteousness unto this day; and my father taught me in all the ways of God. And it came to pass, as I journeyed from the land of Cainan by the sea east, I beheld a vision, and lo, the Heavens I saw. And the Lord spoke with me and gave me commandment; wherefore, for this cause — to keep the commandment — I speak forth these words. And Enoch continued his speech, saying, The Lord who spoke with me, the same is the God of Heaven. And he is my God, and your God, and you are my brethren. And why do you counsel yourselves and deny the God of Heaven? The heavens has he made, the earth his footstool, and the foundation thereof is his. Behold, he laid it. And hosts of men has he brought in upon the face thereof, and death has come upon our fathers; nevertheless, we know them and cannot deny. And even the first of all we know, even Adam, for a book of remembrance we have written among us according to the pattern given by the finger of God, and it is given in our own language. (Moses 6:40 - 46, OC Genesis 4 par. 5)

So if we are to consider Enoch as a pattern, can we discover that God uses outsiders, almost all of the time despised by the priests and ruling classes, as His prophets to call people to repentance and to lead a repentant people out from dying societies if they will?

If we look at Lehi does he fit this pattern?

Was Lehi of the priestly or ruling class in Jerusalem?

What about Jeremiah his contemporary?

What about Abinadi among the people of king Noah?

How about Elijah?

Was the Lord considered an outsider among the priestly and ruling class at Jerusalem?

When Ether came prophesying among the Jaredites was he part of the priestly or ruling class?

What about the prophet Joseph?

Was Joseph accepted by the religionists and leaders of his day?

With all of the above examples, wasn't it the message they were commanded to declare, wasn't that the sign of their authority from God?

Why would God follow such a pattern?

Last general conference [April 5, 2014] the entire First Presidency, the Twelve, the Seventy, and all other general authorities and auxiliaries voted to sustain those who abused their authority in casting me out of the Church. At that moment, the Lord ended all claims of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to claim it is led by the priesthood. They have not practiced what he requires. The Lord has brought about His purposes. This has been in His heart all along. He has chosen to use small means to accomplish it, but he always uses the smallest of means to fulfill His purposes. (T&C 166:3)

If God intends to do His work through the smallest of means then that would mean that He would use the weak and the despised among men for they are the smallest of means aren't they?

Lying spirits appeal to your pride and vanity. God will chasten you and require you to be meek and serve both Him and your fellow man. Lying spirits will tell you that you are some great and mighty person. God will remind you that only He is strong, but He uses the weak things of this world to accomplish His work. Therefore, no one can take credit but Him for whatever is accomplished.

Proud, foolish and vain people have never built Zion. Only the penitent, the meek, and the humble can qualify to be around as God does His work. ("Today and Yesterday," Denver Snuffer, Denversnuffer.com, July 21 2014)

Don't the weak and despised of men have a more accurate view of their situation before God than the noble, proud, titled, and educated?

Don't the weak and despised of men trust in the Lord and do His will without improvising unlike the noble, proud, titled, and educated?

As I look around me today, in this time of commotion, is it possible that I might find that God is sending forth truth from an unlikely source, someone weak and despised by the noble, educated, titled, and proud, in an effort to prepare a people to lead them out from a dying society?

How likely was it that a 14 year old farm boy saw God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ?

Did that defy tradition and culture?

What would the apocalyptic, as Hugh Nibley put it, message from God consist of?

What was the message Enoch was sent to declare?

I beheld a vision, and lo, the Heavens I saw. And the Lord spoke with me and gave me commandment; wherefore, for this cause — to keep the commandment — I speak forth these words. And Enoch continued his speech, saying, The Lord who spoke with me, the same is the God of Heaven. And he is my God, and your God, and you are my brethren. And why do you counsel yourselves and deny the God of Heaven? The heavens has he made, the earth his footstool, and the foundation thereof is his. Behold, he laid it. And hosts of men has he brought in upon the face thereof, and death has come upon our fathers; nevertheless, we know them and cannot deny.

Wasn't Enoch's message defiant of the then settled culture and religion of that day?

What was Lehi's message to those at Jerusalem?

Shouldn't we expect that the message God sends through these small means will be uncomfortable even unnerving for us compared to our traditional beliefs and ideas?

Isn't the message always a message of repentance?

If God is setting things right again because things have been going the wrong way for a long time then doesn't that require a message of repentance?

How is such a message viewed by a majority of the human family?

What is the scriptural pattern here?

Should it surprise us if a message from God, sent through an unlikely source, is not well received?

What did the Prophet Joseph declare concerning the small means (true prophets) who were sent to declare a message from God?

The world always mistook false prophets for true ones, and those that were sent of God, they considered to be false prophets and hence they killed, stoned, punished and imprisoned the true prophets, and these had to hide themselves “in deserts and dens, and caves of the earth,” and though the most honorable men of the earth, they banished them from their society as vagabonds, whilst they cherished, honored and supported knaves, vagabonds, hypocrites, impostors, and the basest of men. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 206)

If a people, no matter how small the group, does respond to God's call to repent and is willing to be gathered even a chicks are gathered under the wings of a hen, what is the pattern God uses to lead them out?

Let's start back with Enoch.

And it came to pass that Enoch continued to call upon all the people, save it were the people of Canaan, to repent. And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them, and he spoke the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled — even according to his command — and the rivers of water were turned out of their course, and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness. And all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him. There also came up a land out of the depths of the sea, and so great was the fear of the enemies of the people of God that they fled, and stood afar off, and went upon the land which came up out of the depths of the sea. And the giants of the land also stood afar off. And there went forth a curse upon all the people who fought against God.

And from that time forth there were wars and bloodsheds among them, but the Lord came and dwelled with his people and they dwelled in righteousness. The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains and upon the high places, and did flourish. And the Lord called his people Zion because they were of one heart, and of one mind, and dwelled in righteousness, and there was no poor among them. And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days that he built a city that was called the city of holiness, even Zion. (Moses 7:12 - 19, OC Genesis 4 pars. 13 - 14)

The Lord by His power led Enoch and the people of God out and protected them. The power of the Lord was among them and they built a city of holiness that the wicked would not come unto.

When the Lord led the children of Israel out of Egypt in an attempt to gather them as chicks did He lead them out of Egypt by His power?

When the Lord led Lehi and his companions out of Jerusalem did He lead them by His power?

When the Lord led Mosiah the first and all who would believe the words the Lord had commanded him to speak out from among the Nephites did the Lord lead them by His power?

And they departed out of the land into the wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord. And they were led by many preachings and prophesyings, and they were admonished continually by the word of God. And they were led by the power of his arm through the wilderness until they came down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla.

Did the Lord lead the more righteous among the Nephites out from the wicked by His power at the time of His crucifixion?

And now it came to pass that after the people had heard these words, behold, they began to weep and howl again because of the loss of their kindred and friends. And it came to pass that thus did the three days pass away. And it was in the morning and the darkness dispersed from off the face of the land, and the earth did cease to tremble, and the rocks did cease to rend, and the dreadful groanings did cease, and all the tumultuous noises did pass away, and the earth did cleave together again that it stood, and the mourning and the weeping and the wailing of the people who were spared alive did cease. And their mourning was turned into joy, and their lamentations into the praise and the thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer. And thus far were the scriptures fulfilled which had been spoken by the prophets. And it was the more righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not, and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints, who were spared. And they were spared, and were not sunk and buried up in the earth, and they were not drowned in the depths of the sea, and they were not burned by fire, neither were they fallen upon and crushed to death; and they were not carried away in the whirlwind, neither were they overpowered by the vapor of smoke and of darkness. (3 Nephi 10:8 - 13, NC 3 Nephi 4 par. 10)

What did the Lord declare to the Prophet Joseph that must occur for a people to be led out in our day?

Behold, I say unto you that the redemption of Zion must needs come by power, therefore I will raise up unto my people a man who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel, for you are the children of Israel and of the seed of Abraham, and you must needs be led out of bondage by power and with a stretched out arm. And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be. Therefore, let not your hearts faint, for I say not unto you as I said unto your fathers, my Angel shall go up before you, but not my presence. But I say unto you, my Angel shall go up before you, and also my presence, and in time you shall possess the goodly land. (D&C 103:15 - 20, T&C 104 par. 4)

Has this event occurred?

Do we have a record in our day of the presence of the Lord going up before a people to lead them out to Zion, a city of holiness?

My understanding of scripture is that God works in patterns.

By seeing the scriptural patterns we may be better prepared to recognize what God is doing in our present day.

My present understanding is that in the days of Joseph a light broke forth among them that sit in darkness, and it was the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but they received it not, for they perceived not the light and they turned their hearts from Christ because of the precepts of men. 

The Lord sought in the days of Joseph to gather a people even as a hen gathereth her chicks but they would not be gathered and Joseph was murdered by the conspiracy of those who were part of the church he had begun.

As Hugh Nibley put it, apocalyptic messages come from God after things have gone the wrong way for a long time and just before a period of great destructions.

On September 10th 2013, 169 years following the death of the Prophet Joseph, the Lord began again an apocalyptic message calling people to repentance after 169 years of the ever increasing loss of light following the death of the Prophet Joseph.

The Lord used the smallest means, a weak individual hated and despised by those in power and authority, to deliver this message of repentance.

The Lord instructed this weak and despised individual face to face and gave him the errand of declaring His message.

The message that has been and continues to be delivered by this individual is the sign of his authority from God.

The earth and the political and international events of  the world are all in commotion and upheaval.

All of these elements from the scriptural pattern are present right now today.

All that remains is for a people to respond to the message God is sending by turning to face Him so that they may be led by God's power and His stretched out arm as a hen gathereth her chicks under her wings out from among a dying society.

I am a witness that these things are occurring right before our eyes.  I have been a willing participant in this Restoration movement and as I have stated before my soul has been enlarged and it has become delicious to me.  It has passed Alma's test for planting the seed.

I invite everyone to come in and be part of God's great work among the human family in our day.

The pattern will be completed.  A group of people will be led out by power.  Jeremiah saw that event.

...Therefore, behold, the days come, says the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt — but, The Lord lives who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries to which I had driven them. And they shall dwell in their own land. (Jeremiah 23:5 - 8, OC Jeremiah 8 par. 17)

Part of God's power has already been manifest in the light He is sending down presently and by way of a covenant He has condescended to provide for anyone who will willingly accept it.

There are two places anyone may go and find this message.

www.thetentalks.com

www.learnofchrist.org

Upon review of this message, if anyone desires to act according to the message they may go to www.bornofwater.org and request baptism as a sign between them and God alone that they accept His apocalyptic message for our day, desire to receive the holy ghost which the Father pours out upon all who follow the example of His Son Jesus Christ by being baptized, and desire to be gathered and led out from a dying society.

 

It is readily apparent that great destructions are upon us now and men's hearts have grown cold heeding lies and deceits instead of truth and growing ever increasingly angry with one another without cause.

God has begun to save what He began with Joseph that will culminate in a righteous people being led out from among the wicked to a place of holiness even as Enoch and his people.

I testify, as a living participant, that this is currently underway.