I just want to share something that struck me while we were listening to a devotional in the MTC (I just reread it in my journal so I haven been thinking about it). David A. Bednar was giving a talk about how Individual the Gospel is (I think it was titled "one by one") and to emphasize the point he mentioned that the First Word spoken by God in this Dispensation was "Joseph" because he cares for each of us individually. This obviously had the additional meaning for me that my name is the First Word of this dispensation.
After that I went and read everything I could in the scriptures about anyone that bears my name, I couldn't find one example of unrighteous behavior from any of the Josephs in the scriptures ( Joseph of Egypt, son of Lehi, step father of Jesus, Joseph of Armathiea)They were all placed in very perilous situations and often subject to great temptations. Joseph and Potiphar's wife, Lamen and Lemual, the law that Mary should have been stoned, and even Joseph of Armathiea, who was a member of the Sanhedrin that demanded the death of Jesus, was the only member we know of (at least that I know of) that spoke out against the unjust sentence and then did what he could to help the followers of Jesus afterwards. Of course we cannot forget the man that "has done more save Jesus only" for mankind.
This stood out to me as my name is one that has always been bore by men that stood with the lord at all times in all places and was a real eye opener for me that I need to become like these men and honor the name That I have. I will not forget that my setting apart blessing told me to remember these people and become like them.
Joseph Smith received a visit from an heavenly messenger on the 21st of September 1823. That’s 193 years ago this month.
That visitor was Moroni; the last prophet to hold the gold plates in his mortal hands. His assigned task from heaven was to teach
Joseph and prepare him to take those gold plates, keep them secure and translate according to the commands of heaven.
What did Moroni teach Joseph? Moroni taught by quoting several scriptures. One concept that I suppose is little understood by
most people is what I want to write about today.
Moroni quoted Joel 2:28-32
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in
Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.
Just imagine the spiritual power promised in these first two verses. If the membership of the Church have such rich spiritual
outpourings available to all, the old and young even the servants and/or handmaids (symbolizing the ‘lowest classes’ of society).
This blessing is available to all. OR all that want to take time to learn the Lords way.
What was the reason for this promised outpouring of the spirit? To prepare man for the “great and the terrible day of the Lord”.
It is a common belief that ‘Great’ and ‘terrible’ describe the perspective of each person witnessing the 2nd coming.
Great’ for the righteous but ‘terrible’ for the wicked. Others teach that it is ‘great and terrible’ for everyone. That ‘great’
refers to the extreme, large or overwhelmingly “terrible day” that will be filled with fear at the 2nd coming.
This later description is possibly supported by the verses preceding it. “wonders in the heavens and in the earth”.
These seem interesting. But what wonders? The rest of the descriptions seem like they would be very likely to induce fear.
“blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke, the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood.” These seem like fear
inducing wonders to me.
But then the promise follows that “whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered” (vs32). But this next
statement is what I want to focus on. “for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance”. That is the promise, from the
Lord, to us in the later-days. It is a promise given through Joel approximately 800-850 B.C. or over 2800 years ago.
What does “in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance” mean? Well there is a wonderful example of this very event
that has already occurred in past history. I’ll get back to this event in just a moment.
First we have to read Moses chapter 5. Verse 18 teaches us that Cain loved Satan more then God. Further, Cain was jealous
that his brother Able was respected by the Lord while Cain was not (see vs 20). Cain receives advice from Satan and not from
God and because of this God tells him that he be known as “Perdition” from that time forward (see vs 21-24).
Cain plots destruction of his brother and forms a conspiracy with Satan AND his some of Cains own ‘brethren (see vs 28-29) . That conspiracy was for the purpose of getting gain and because it was done in secret and for personal gain Cain became
known as “Master Mahan” (see vs 30-32).
The term ‘master mahan’ has no known definite translation but is by most LDS scholars taken to mean ‘master mind’, ‘master
destroyer’ and ‘great one’. That last title (great one) as though he could displace God who truly is the “Great One”, or as though he might be equal to God.
The conspiracy formed led to the death of the righteous Able. And Cain then declared “I am free”. He felt as though he had
received great increase as his brothers flocks were now his (see vs 32-33).
It is interesting to note that the wickedness that Cain portrayed and that people of similar beliefs since that time even down to
this day have is the false concept “I am free”. Later when Cain realizes that God knows what he did and receives what his
punishment will be he declares “my punishment is greater than I can bear.” This is the same punishment that everyone from his
day until that great and terrible last day, who practices evil, will receive. All of them will go from “I am free” to “my punishment
is greater than I can bear.” That may be why it is the “great and terrible day of the Lord”.
Cain has descendants who go on and practice this same conspiracy and 7 generations later Lamech (see v 43) is born.
Lamech becomes “Master Mahan” in his day (see vs 49) and seeks gain through this same conspiracy and then kills, not just for
gain “but slew him for the oath’s sake.” He killed to protect the Oath made between Satan and Lamech’s brotheren that practiced
the oath with him (see vs 49-51).
While this great wickedness was happening a second genealogy line was happening. Moses chapter 6 records this line.
Adam has a son known as Seth. Seth has a son and so on until 7 generations after Adam Enoch is born.
This line was our righteous forefathers. Enoch’s father, Jared, taught him in “all the ways of God” (see vs 21).
Enoch become a preacher of righteousness, all his forefathers were preachers of righteousness (see vs 23).
So the scene is now set. There are greatly wicked men and very righteous men on the earth. Wars ensue. People have to
decide which side they want to join. Enoch builds his own city and many righteous people join him there. In Moses 7:13 the
wicked “come to battle against them”. But this war is different then most. Enoch “spake 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”...
The righteous were protected by God. We cannot tell for sure if the righteous had an army or not. But we do know for sure that
God was on their side. “so great was the fear of the enemies of the people of God, that they fled and stood afar off .” ( see Moses 7:13)
Picture that moment in your mind, the righteous city of Enoch and these evil peoples that hated them just standing far off looking at the
city and not being able to wreak the destruction they want upon that city. The conspiracy is checked at that moment. It cannot touch
those protected by God.
The name of the city is Zion. AND this brings us back to Moroni teaching Joseph. Moroni quotes many scriptures and
one is Joel 2:32 ”And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount
Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.” I take great
courage in the fact that my son is a “preacher of righteousness”; that he stands for the truths of God taught by his father as Enoch was.
AND that he stands for the truths taught by the prophets. That he stands in “mount Zion” where there “shall be deliverance”.
Finally, I would like to point out that “the remnant whom the Lord shall call” are those who hear His voice, feel the promptings
of the spirit, dream His given dreams and follow His chosen leaders. The “remnant” are those not deceived by Satan and his
followers. The “remnant” are the humble preachers of truth that bear whatever the Lords requires of them with love and trust.
And in the last day the “remnant” are those protected by the Lord. And the day that follows that last day??? That is the day that
the “remnant” find themselves on the right hand of God with his sheep - while the goats (the wicked) find themselves on
His left hand and are looking for a place to hide and are declaring “my punishment is more then I can bear”. The wicked are as
Alma taught, wishing “that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in
the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.” (see Alma 36:15).
Joseph, you are on the front line of this war between righteousness and wickedness. We use our mortal agency to chose.
We either listen to the good spirit or the evil spirit. We receive our final award according to the spirit we “listeth to obey”.
I am glad that you have placed yourself on the Lords side. I believe that trials will come in your life because “God will have
a tried people”. Those with trials either humble themselves and their hearts OR they harden themselves and their hearts. I believe
that trials will soften your heart if you let them and humble you to your knees so that the Lord can comfort you, if you so desire.
Joseph Smith was taught by heavenly messengers or messages from heaven. We are like Joseph in that we can have the
Lord “pour out [His] spirit upon [us] all... and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy..., your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions” and upon all the righteous “will I pour out my spirit.” We are like Joseph in that we too can
receive messages from heaven. It has happened in olden times and has been promised to us in the latter-days. It has been promised for centuries.
Love you,
Dad
Heres the pictures from last week:
