Holiness to the Lord

Society is built upon social trust which is quantified as social capital. It's not just the bricks and mortar that brings God or divine preservation into a society but a people's moral virtue. 

Chastity and sobriety (Holiness to the Lord) are upheld by the covenants that must be associated with the true temple or its just a fancy building. 

Immorality (sex and drugs) erodes social capital leading to poverty, leading to demographic collapse, which is the real reason for the fall of Rome and Greece and every other civilization . 

Sex (Pompeii) and Drugs (Silk Road)-->Poverty-->Demographic Collapse-->Tyranny promising Social Justice--> Free Bread and Circus enables Poverty and Idleness-->Taxation, Unregulated Immigration-->Insurrection and Collapse

James 1:27. Pure Religion = Charity and Virtue. 

Charity must be an institution of true religion and not the State because only Religion can give fish while at the same time teach people to fish (virtue). State welfare just enables and keeps people dependent. 

How much charity does your faith or religion perform?  How much moral virtue does your religion or faith expect of you.  True peace, safety, and prosperity only come from a societies' moral virtue revealed by the True God (Holiness) and nothing else.

Have you built up your own tower of Babel in your heart?

This is why Isaiah 2 and the restoration of the institutiom of the Lord's Temple is associated with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  This latter-day temple and more importantly the covenants (Holiness) associated with the temple are what will actually and finally being the world peace safety prosperity equality and good will towards all men. 

^{Isa 2:2} And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

³ And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

⁴ And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Passover Seder Dinner

I attended my first Passover Seder Dinner with Dr. Victor Ludlow at BYU.  Dr. Ludlow used to put on nightly Seder dinners in the Wilkinson Center Sky Room with a breathtaking view of the Provo Temple. Since that time, I have occasionally put on a simplified Seder Dinner with my children and family. My kids enjoy it.  The Church of Jesus Christ has been emphasizing that members increase our Christ-centered traditions and observance during Easter week. 

Employment Theory of the Atonement

There are various theories put forth by scholars to explain how the Atonemeht of Jesus Christ works.  Like the various names of Christ, each one describes a divine aspect or attribute of Christ but no one name necessarily encapsulates the whole of His dininity.  In the same way, each of the various atonement theories describes different aspects of how the Atonement of Christ works, no one theory encompasses the whole (eg Penal Substitution, etc). 

My favorite Atonement Theory is the "Employment Theory". (not one of the clasical 7)  When we accept Christ, we enter into His employment. That means laboring in His vineyard and building His kingdom. God doesn't require perfection but giving our very best efforts. And God pays very well, but a majority of the pay is set aside in our retirement account.

1. Moral Influence Theory

2. Random Theory

3. Christus Victor

4. Satisfaction Theory

5. Penal Substitutionary

6. Government Theory

7. Scapegoat

8. Unfairness Theory (Cleon Skousen)

9. Employment Theory 

Pioneer Trek Reinactment: Women's Pull

In winter 1846, members of the Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were forced to flee their homes again in Nauvoo, Illinois.  These early Church members were forced to leave the United States due to religious persecution to the safety of the Rocky Mountains.  These vanguard Saints first arrived in the Salt Lake Valley July 24, 1847.

Latter-day youth commemorate the Mormon pioneers by building, pulling, and camping beside handcarts designed like those used by early Church pioneers. Part of this Pioneer Trek reenactment customarily involves what is known as the "women's pull" where only the women pull the carts.  The 'women's pull' usually involves the young women pulling their handcarts alone up a steeper section of the trail without the boys. 

This part of Trek remembers that some of the men died along the way or were conscripted by the US Government to leave their wives and children out on the frontier, and participate in the Mexican-American War.  LDS men were ordered to march from Nebraska to California.  These conscripted soldiers are referred to as the Mormon Bittalion. The consequence of this conscription is many women were forced to drive wagons and pull handcarts on their own.  

It has been hinted by Latter-day Saint prophets that women will again play a major role in the events of the Last Days leading to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  While LDS women may not be literally required to pull handcarts alone as their forebarers did, There is a part of the Book of Mormon involving the people of Limhi where, because of war, there were very few men. Could these events be a type and shadow of events to come?  Yes or no, I have confidence that the faith of the LDS women are up to the challenge, whatever it may entail. 

Allegory of David ahd Saul

I went out to see the Angel Sudio production of "David" at my local movie theater with several of my kids. I enjoyed it.  The animation, orchestration, voice acting, and story adaptation are excellent.  The music was very good.  Not quite to the level of "Prince of Egypt" or "Joseph: King of Dreams", but very, very good. "Psalm 8", "Adventure Song", "Shalom", "Why God" and "Follow the Light" are amazing but just not as catchy as "Deliver Us", "When You Believe", and "More than You Take".  But it's probably unfair to compare to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston singing "When You Believe". . 

1 Sam 15:22 "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams"

The aspect of the movie that I most enjoyed was pondering on the story of Saul and David as an prophetic allegory of the Last Days.  Many of the stories in the Old Testament, in addition to having a prophetic parallel to the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ, also have a prophetic parallel to the Last Days.

There is a prophetic parallel in the story of Joseph sold into Egypt being the means of saving the other 11 brothers (even Judah) during a great famine. The United States today represents ancient Egypt in biblical times.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints boldly and unapologetically declares that we represent spiritual Joseph and Ephraim today.  And the spiritual ordinances and covenants we perform in everlasting temples are for the benefit of not only ourselves but for the whole human family.  The covenants, and sealing ordinances of the House of the Lord are for the blessing of every kindred, nation, tongue, and people. 

The modern Jews in Israel and throughout the world are represented by Saul in the Old Testanent story.  The Jews are Hashem's people whose obedience and faith is meant to bring the light of Hashem into the world.  Sadly,, an elite few in posotions of global governance have been a bad example supporting policies encouraging moral corruption and economic oppression. But, like Saul, despite these failings, Judah is still chosen. 

Modern Ephraim, like David has found refuge, sustainence, and the sword of God's Spirit in the Temple/Tabernacle/House of the Lord.  And while our leadership remain subject to the appointed worldlty 'powers that be', Those worldly powers, in addition to their moral corruption; have engaged in self-injurious foreign policy and economic behavior.  Israel is the promised land for the Jews, but the fate of Saul on Mount Gilboa may be fixed. 

Nevertheless, the promises of God toward the faithful of His people are also fixed.  God will finally make bare His Holy Arm in the eyes of all nations.  No longer will the world be eating honey from the carcass of a dead lion. Samson will himself finally destroy the corrupt temple of Dagon. Goliath will be slain by the smooth river stone of God's people keeping their temple covenants, Joseph will reveal himself to his brothers saving them from spirirual famine.  David will emerge to peacefully unify all the House of Israel, and Jesus Christ will suddenly and literally appear, returning to His purified Temple to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

Isa 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.