Be Strong and of a Good Courage: Lesson 18 Old Testament

Link to Lesson 18: Be Strong and of a Good Courage

I really enjoyed studying for this lesson because the stories are so pertinent for our day.
The Israelites have been wandering in the desert for 40 years under the guidance of Moses. But Moses does not get to enter the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 34, we read of Moses' death and how he ordained Joshua to be the new prophet.

Be Strong and of a Good Courage

In Joshua 1, the new prophet takes the reins and the Lord counsels him over and over to "be strong and of a good courage."
Why?
Because not only does Joshua have the millions of Israelites to lead and keep from falling into idolatry, but he has to get them over the Jordan River where they must conquer all the peoples on the other side.
Talk about stress!
But the Lord's words are comforting and three times he repeats his counsel:

6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Here's an awesome video about courage!

Crossing the Jordan River on Dry Ground

Just as the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea and escaped the Egyptian army, the new generation of Israelites are able to see what the Lord can do with water.
Joshua is commanded to have 12 priests, one from each tribe, carry the ark and walk into the overflowing Jordan River.

12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
 13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

It was only when they got the soles of their feet wet, did the Lord hold back the waters. How many times does the Lord require us to go forward, even before we understand how we're going to be able to accomplish what he's asked us to do?
There are so many symbolic messages in this story. The ark of the covenant carried by the priests went before them and lead them. How are we lead by our covenants? Are they preeminent in our lives? Are they leading our actions and behavior?
What if the priests had said, "We're not going into that river with this arc until we see the waters recede! What if nothing happens? We'll all look like fools!" Thankfully, by this time they had learned to trust the Lord.

Courage

I believe that courage is a type of faith that we need when we are afraid or faced with seemingly unbeatable odds. We all have times when we have to be courageous.
Last week I went and presented at a national conference (The Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation) near Washington D.C. Granted, my part was only about 10 minutes long, but I was pretty nervous. I practiced and practiced and then prayed for the Lord's help. And it went well.
Because of my book, I am doing things I never dreamed of. Next week I get to be interviewed on a radio program in London. This summer, I'll be presenting at an event in Spain (via Skype). Meanwhile, I've had to learn lots of new skills and figure out how to communicate via social media platforms like Twitter.
Is all of this scary? Yes. But I feel like the Lord wants me to go forward, so I do. And He helps me and gives me the courage I need.

The Wall of Jericho Come Tumbling Down

Later, the ark of the covenant is carried around the city of Jericho each day for seven days. On the seventh day, the priests carry it around seven times.
I wonder what they were thinking. Were they wondering how on earth those massive, double-tiered walls could come down? Was this really going to work?
But it did! And when the walls felt flat down, the Israelite soldiers ran up over the rubble and sacked the city. If you want some interesting information on the archaeology of this story, check out this link. Very cool stuff (but not an LDS site).
I see the pornography/sex-trafficking industries as the walls of Jericho. Firmly entrenched, massive, well-funded--how are we ever going to defeat them? I don't know. But I'm just doing what I can to circle the city, blowing my little horn of warning. Someday it will happen, I have no doubt.

Double tiered walls surrounded Jericho. 

Walk His Way

Over and over again the Israelites learn that if they stick with the Lord, he will help them fight their battles, even performing miracles to assist them. Today we fight our own battles, but if we walk in His way, we'll have similar strength and miracles performed to help us.
Here's an inspiring music video to the song Walk His Way. It's an oldie by a goody. (Besides, I really like the Jesus in this one!)

Look to God and Live Lesson 15

The Power to Prophesy

An interesting juxtaposition is set up in Numbers 11 and 12 in regards to who has the power to prophesy.

Moses and the Seventy

In Numbers 11: 24-29, Moses calls seventy righteous men to help him minister to the Israelites. They immediately begin to prophesy in the tabernacle, but apparently two of them go into the camp and begin prophesying. When word reaches Moses, one of Moses' assistants is alarmed and asks Moses to forbid them. Moses replies, "Are you kidding? That's why I called them!" OK, not really, but close!

And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

Miriam and Aaron 

However, at the beginning of Numbers 12, we find out that Miriam and Aaron are digging up ancient history about Moses' marriage to an Ethiopian woman when he was living in Pharaoh's court. (This was a politically expedient marriage that we don't know much about.) Then they say this:

Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us?

The Lord hears their "murmuring" and immediately strikes Miriam with a nasty case of leprosy. I'm not sure why Aaron didn't get it as well, but I digress. Moses begs the Lord to heal her, but  his answer is that she gets to be banished outside the camp for seven days, and only afterwards is she miraculously cured.

So what's the difference? In the one case, Moses wants everyone to prophesy, but in the other people are punished for saying that the Lord speaks through servants besides Moses.

I think this is a very instructive juxtaposition. First, there is a difference in attitude. In the case of the two Seventies, they are speaking by the power of the Holy Ghost.

and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

Criticizing Our Leaders

However, Miriam and Aaron are being critical of Moses. They, being so close to him, are also questioning his sole authority as prophet. We don't know what else they were saying, but it doesn't take a long stretch of the imagination to consider that they were probably questioning some of his decisions. And wanting to impose their own.
Joseph Smith had the same issue: how to reconcile the fact that God does inspire many righteous people everywhere, but He only calls one man to serve as his official voice unto the church.
So the takeaway from these two stories is twofold:

1. We can gain inspiration that pertains to the sphere of our stewardship;
2. Don't criticize the prophet or you'll get a case of spiritual leprosy and find yourself outside the camp (i.e. the church).

I think it's also interesting that Moses is inspired to write about himself and in parentheses:

(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) 

In other words, "I, Moses did not ask for this calling. I know I am human, but I need your prayers and support, not your criticism."
When we perceive weaknesses or even see what we consider "mistakes" in those who serve us in the church, we would be wise to remember Elder Holland's advice and not hyperventilate about it. Except for Jesus Christ, God has always had to work through imperfect people. He deals with it and so should we.

Watch What You Ask For

The Israelites were being miraculously fed day by day with manna in the desert. I'm not sure what else they ate, but instead of asking Moses for some new manna recipes, they complained about missing their meat. In fact, the scriptures use the word "lust" to describe their desire to eat meat. Hmmm..
We know it was a huge trial for Moses, or maybe just the proverbial straw, because he asked the Lord to take his life.

I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

Instead, the Lord does what he always does: he strengthens Moses to be able to bear the load. He instructs Moses to call seventy righteous men to help him.
But back to the lusting after flesh to eat...
The Lord hears the Israelites' incessant cries for meat and he gives it to them.

19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

Ick. How graphic. The people are rejecting the Bread of Life and wanting more, complaining that the miracles they've seen are just not enough. 

Moses wonders how the Lord is going to do this, but soon finds out.

31 ¶And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.
33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.

Not only did they get quail to eat, but they got a "great plague" with it. 

What does all this symbolize? 

Maybe we should be happy with what the Lord gives to us, the Bread of Life, instead of lusting after the world's "flesh."

"Ye Shall Be a Peculiar Treasure unto Me" Lesson 14

Lesson 14: "Ye Shall Be a Peculiar Treasure unto Me"

[Note: I've decided to publish an initial blog post early in the week, and then update it as I study day by day.)
This week's lesson covers Exodus 15-20 and Exodus 32-34.

What does "peculiar" mean? Here's Elder Nelson explaining the origins of the word and why being called "peculiar" is a "compliment of the highest order."

Water and Manna

The children of Israel leave Egypt, but it doesn't take long for so many people, who had to leave in haste, to run out of food and water.
Let's just say they're NOT happy campers.
They murmur and even wish they were back in Egypt. They may have been slaves who were forced to labor with rigor, but at least they had their bread and "flesh pots."
The Lord responds with miracles to provide water. First, Moses is commanded to cast a "tree" into the bitter waters of Marah and they are made sweet. Sweet! (Exodus 15)

What's the symbolism of this? There are many! Bitter sins turning to sweet forgiveness with repentance; bitter trials turning sweet with the gaining of wisdom and closeness to God; the power of Jehovah to cleanse...

Next the Lord provides Manna to the hungry Israelites. They learn to collect just enough each day to eat, but double on the day before the Sabbath. That way they can rest on the Sabbath, when no Manna is provided. (Exodus 16)
Here's a video of Elder D. Todd Christofferson explaining the link between daily physical sustenance (Manna) and spiritual nourishment. (I believe we've already watched this one in class, but it's a good one!)

They continue to journey in the desert, but of course must find sources of water. When they become thirsty again, Moses cries unto the Lord, "What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me."

Here's a question: why does the Lord bring them to the brink before he provides a miracle? Why are we sometimes brought to the brink before we get relief?

The Lord instructs Moses to "Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and they rod...taken in thine hand, and go." Moses smites the rock of Horeb with his rod and water flows out of it. All this is done in the sight of the "elders of Israel." (Exodus 17)

What spiritual significance does getting water from a rock have? 

Christ or Jehovah is often considered our rock, our sure foundation.

• Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (Matthew 7:24)
• And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.(1 Corinthians 10:4)
• And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Christ is also the living water. If we drink of that, we will never spiritually thirst.

• Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water...Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
  
  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4: 10, 13-14)

What would have happened  to the Israelites if they had tried to journey through the wilderness without the Lord's help?

What will happen to us if we try to journey through mortality without the Lord's help?

Moses, the Passover and Easter

Old Testament Lesson 13
This lesson covers a lot of ground! From the birth of Moses, to his expulsion from Pharaoh's court and marriage to a Midiannite, to his calling from the burning bush, his return to Egypt, his petitions to Pharaoh, the plagues, the Passover, and finally the Exodus and escape via the miracle of the Red Sea opening.
Whew! I'm exhausted already!
Since Moses lived to be 120 years old, that's quite a bit of history. But I would like to focus on two main themes: Moses as a symbol of Christ and the Passover as a symbol of Christ and His Last Supper or Sacrament.

Moses as a Symbol of Christ

Moses was a great prophet and his life symbolizes Christ's mission in many ways.

• Moses was raised by the Pharaoh's family, not his own. The Savior was the Son of God the Father, but was raised by an "adopted" father.
• Both were born at a time when the leader had ordered the execution of all the firstborn in Israel. Both escaped and were preserved.
• Both spent time as children in Egypt. 
• Both were the means of saving their people from bondage and death. Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt; Christ saves us from spiritual bondage and death.
• Moses became a shepherd. Christ is the one true Shepherd.
• Moses performed great miracles as did Christ.
• Through Jehovah, Moses miraculously provided bread and water to the Israelites, symbols of the living bread and living water provided by Christ.
• Both provided new laws to their people.
• Moses didn't die a natural death; he was translated. Jesus Christ gave up his own life and was resurrected. Both left the earth in a miraculous manner.

The Passover Foretells Christ's Sacrifice

The Passover is highly symbolic and the feast of the Passover is as well. The Lord instituted the feast as both a remembrance of their escape from the plague of death prior to their escape from Egypt but also as a foretelling of Christ's sacrifice, his death for us.

Passover and Easter are linked. (Here's an explanation of why they usually fall in the same week.)
Why?
Christ returned to Jerusalem at Passover and was greeted as a King by the people, waving palms and cheering His triumphal entry. That same day, the sacrificial lambs were being chosen for the Passover sacrifice.

Christ's Last Supper was a symbolic fulfillment and turning point. The symbolic significance of the Passover was fulfilled. No more would blood sacrifices be required; only a broken heart and a contrite spirit. The bread he broke and passed around to his apostles. "This do in remembrance of my body." The wine was also passed. "This do in remembrance of my blood which was shed for you."
When we partake of the bread and water (wine), we are symbolically accepting Christ's sacrifice for us. We are symbolically taking it in and making it a part of us and who we are.

Jesus was crucified on the same day the sacrificial lambs were being slaughtered in Jerusalem; the Firstborn of the Father giving his blood to atone for our sins.

For more information on some amazing significance of the astronomy behind the dates of the Passover and the return of Elijah, read this article, originally published in the Ensign. WOW!

When the ancient Hebrews were instructed to kill a firstborn lamb, without blemish and no broken bones and sprinkle its blood on their doorposts. they were promised that the angel of death would see the blood and "pass over" their families, leaving them safe.
The Egyptians, however, didn't have a the atoning blood of a lamb to save them and each firstborn son of their families were struck with death on that night. Even Pharaoh's oldest son died. (Interesting note:  if you know something of the practice of Egyptian pharaohs, killing your son out of jealousy and to protect your power was a common evil practice.)

Without a Savior, the Egyptians died physical deaths.
Without a Savior, all of us will die spiritual deaths.

Another point of symbolism. Why put blood on the doorway?
Here's how I see it. To enter our Eternal Home, we must pass through the doorway of Christ's atonement. Nothing unclean can enter back into Heavenly Father's kingdom and so in order to go there, we must be cleansed (and continually cleansed through repentance and partaking of the Sacrament).
Furthermore, His blood protects us from danger and evil. A door keeps things out and keeps the people inside safe. We are spiritually protected when we are living the gospel, and renewing our covenants by partaking of the Sacrament each week.

Sacrifice and Sacrament: This video is very powerful in portraying the symbolism of the ancient rite of animal sacrifice and linking it with the reverence we should give to partaking of the Sacrament. (It's also a bit humorous!)

Because of Him: This Easter video was posted on the Church's YouTube channel and has received over 2 MILLION views! You'll enjoy it!

My Kingdom is Not of This World: One of the new Bible videos portraying the end of Christ's life and his resurrection. Very poignant, narrated by John the Beloved. (OK, narrated by an actor playing John the Beloved.)

"Do we see [the sacrament] as our passover, remembrance of our safety and deliverance and redemption?" Elder Holland

Top 10 Reasons Why Joseph of Egypt Was Amazing

As I've studied the life of Joseph of Egypt, I've come to a much deeper appreciation for this great man and prophet of God. (Genesis 40-45)
Here are 10 reasons why I think Joseph of Egypt was truly an amazing prophet and example of Christ-like qualities:

• He never let the unfairness of his circumstances embitter him towards God
• He found ways to prosper in every situation he was placed in.
• He developed patience.
• He was a hard worker.
• He was courageous.
• He was trustworthy and trusted in God.
• He forgave his brothers for their jealousy and treachery.
• He was humble, always giving God the credit for his powers.
• He loved his parents and respected his father's wishes for his burial.
• He prophesied* about his posterity, down to the latter-days.

*In the Book of Mormon, Joseph (of Egypt) is mentioned in 22 verses. His prophecies were written on the plates of brass and Nephi remarked:  

“For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all his seed. And the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater.” 2 Nephi 4:2

So much of Joseph's life serves as a metaphor or type for Jesus Christ.

From Prison to Prestige

But something new occurred to me today: For years, Joseph suffered in prison and then next thing he knew, he was promoted to Viceroy to all of Egypt! It makes me think of Jesus, taken custody and then crucified, but ultimately triumphing over sin and death.

"Jesus once of humble birth,
Now in glory comes to earth.
Once he suffered grief and pain,
Now he comes on earth he comes to reign!" (Jesus Once of Humble Birth, #196)

And through our Savior's Atonement, we too can be lifted from our very humble state to live in glory with Him and our Heavenly Parents. We may not see it now. We may be like Joseph, feeling like we are imprisoned in a difficult circumstance which we alone are powerless to escape. But someday we will, with God's help, we will. And until that happens, we can use our period of affliction to learn something.

VIDEO: Elder Christofferson shares how he ultimately came to rely on God one day at a time through a very stressful and vexing time in this video entitled Daily Bread: Experience.

Forgiveness

Joseph developed many Christ-like character traits that allowed God to work through him, not the least of which was forgiveness.
He could have been so embittered towards his brothers that it would have caused him to fail at his job or give up in prison. But it's obvious that Joseph was able to rise above his deep feelings of hurt and pain.

VIDEO: President Uchtdorf counsels us to refrain from judging and instead, extend mercy in this video:





VIDEO: Two brothers come to love and forgive each other for past misunderstandings.

So, how can you spiritually prosper in your current (and possibly adverse) circumstances?
Who do you need to forgive?
How can we use Joseph's example to inspire us to be more Christ-like?

All Creation Testifies of Christ

It's amazing to contemplate that the creation of everything ("all things") was created to testify of Jesus Christ, who is the Savior of the world.
In Job 12: 7-9 we read how all creation is evidence of its Maker:

“But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?”

We can continue in Nephi 11:4 learning that all things typify Christ:

Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.

Finally, Jehovah bears witness of this same truth as recorded in Moses 6:63:

And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.

Education Week Video

I once heard a talk from Education week on this subject. The speaker went through a long list of things that testify of Christ. I finally found the talk--it's by Todd Parker given in 1997. If you follow this link and fast forward to about 25 minutes into his presentation, you'll hear an awesome section on how "all things testify of Christ." Lots of amazing symbolism; I know you'll enjoy it.

Here's an article in the BYU Life Sciences Magazine entitled In All Things that you'll enjoy as well.

Here's another great video entitled The Will of God. Elder D. Todd Christofferson narrates a story by Hugh B. Brown who uses a parable of pruning a current bush to help him see God's role in his life.

This lesson focuses on how prophets are types of Jesus Christ. Abraham and Joseph are examples of men whose lives exemplify and foreshadow many of the experiences and qualities of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Joseph and Jehovah

How does Joseph’s experience parallel the life and mission of Jesus Christ?
As Nephi said, all things from the beginning of the world were given to typify, or symbolize, Christ (see
2 Nephi 11:4; Moses 6:63).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught that all prophets are types of Christ:

A prophet is one who has the testimony of Jesus, who knows by the revelations of the Holy Ghost to his soul that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. In addition to this divine knowledge, many of them lived in special situations or did particular things that singled them out as types and patterns and shadows of that which was to be in the life of him who is our Lord.’ (The
Promised Messiah, p. 448.) 

Likewise, the life and mission of Joseph typifies the life and mission of Jesus. Consider the following:

1. Joseph was the favored son of his father; so was Jesus (see Genesis 37:3; Matthew 3:17).
2. Joseph was rejected by his brothers, the Israelites, as was Jesus (see Genesis 37:4; John 1:11; Isaiah
53:3; 1 Nephi 19:13–14).
3. Joseph was sold by his brothers into the hands of the Gentiles, just as Jesus was (see Genesis 37:25–
27; Matthew 20:19).
4. Judah, the head of the tribe of Judah, proposed the sale of Joseph. Certain leaders of the Jews in Jesus’ 
day turned Jesus over to the Romans. Judas (the Greek spelling of Judah) was the one who actually 
sold Jesus. (See Genesis 37:26; Matthew 27:3.)
5. Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver, the price of a slave his age. Christ was sold for thirty 
pieces of silver, the price of a slave His age. (See Genesis 37:28; Matthew 27:3; Exodus 21:32;
Leviticus 27:5.)
6. In their very attempt to destroy Joseph, his brothers actually set up the conditions that would bring
about their eventual temporal salvation—that is, Joseph, by virtue of being sold, would become their 
deliverer. Jesus, by His being given into the hands of the Gentiles, was crucified and completed the
atoning sacrifice, becoming the Deliverer for all mankind. 
7. Joseph began his mission of preparing salvation for Israel at age thirty, just as Jesus began His ministry
of preparing salvation for the world at age thirty (see Genesis 41:46; Luke 3:23).
8.. When Joseph was finally raised to his exalted position in Egypt, all bowed the knee to him. All will
eventually bow the knee to Jesus. (See Genesis 41:43; D&C 88:104.)
9. Joseph provided bread for Israel and saved them from death, all without cost. Jesus, the Bread of Life, did the same for all men. (See Genesis 42:35; John 6:48–57; 2 Nephi 9:50.) Old Testament Student Manual

All Prophets are Types of Jesus Christ

Our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson, is an example of Christ. He deeply cares and serves the most vulnerable of our society--the widows, the sick. I am grateful for his continued strength and example.
Where do you see testimonies and witnesses of Jesus Christ all around you?

Chastity & Sexual Purity: A No-Brainer!

The Lord's law of chastity is universally dismissed as irrelevant and old-fashioned in most of the modern world. In fact, it's viewed by many as an archaic form of sexual oppression from which we are blessedly free today.

Fools mock but they shall mourn. And we'll see why.

So what is the law of chastity? And where is it taught in the Old Testament?
Simply put, the law of chastity mandates that all sexual expression and activity is reserved for within the bonds of marriage. Kids used to be taught that.
Now their taught to use condoms and given a free supply at most schools starting in Jr. High.

Joseph Flees from Potiphar's Wife

In Genesis 39 we read the story of Joseph's success as a manager. He is given responsibility to oversee all of the affairs and business of Potiphar's house and the Lord blesses the Egyptian because of Joseph's skill and righteousness.

However, Potiphar's wife has other ideas:

 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth [knoweth] not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Notice that Joseph tries to reason with her, saying in essence, "I have earned a position of great trust with your husband and he has given me oversight of and access to everything, except you, because you are his wife."

And then Joseph says something that demonstrates that he understands God's law of chastity:

"how can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

 

Chastity from the Beginning to Now

When God created Adam and Eve, it is apparent that he taught them about chastity:

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

Generations after Joseph, the Lord reiterated this law in the Ten Commandments:

"Thou shalt not commit adultery."

"Thou shalt not covet...thy neighbor's wife."

It was obvious that the Jews of Jesus' time taught the law of chastity because they were willing to stone a woman taken in adultery.
But Christ taught an even higher law in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5):

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 

In The Book of Mormon, the importance of chastity is taught in several places. There is the story of Alma's son Corianton who had gone on a mission with his father and brothers to preach to the Zoramites. However, during that time, he had given into the temptation to engage the services of a well-known harlot named Isabel. When the Zoramites discover his bad example, they stopped listening to all the missionaries. Alma chastises his son and calls him to repentance in Alma 39.

"Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?"Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God."

Pornography is the Great Counterfeit

I think it's ironic that I'm going to teach this lesson on the same weekend that I'm attending an anti-pornography conference in SLC, UT. Pornography teaches false lessons about the true purpose of sex. It teaches that

• love and intimacy are unimportant; self-gratification via exploiting another person is what's most pleasurable
• violence and rape are other deviant acts make things interesting and women secretly enjoy being disrespected and abused
• there are no negative consequences to unprotected sex

In essence, pornography normalizes sexual harm. That's what our kids are learning from the Internet these days and it's leading to dysfunctional relationships, an increase in sexual crimes and addiction.
Many people don't understand how viewing pornography can become an addiction, but the science is beginning to document just that. In fact, it's becoming clear that a sexual addiction is harder to overcome than a drug addiction. I don't have time to go into all of the brain science here, but check out my blog if you'd like to learn more about the process of pornography addiction. Read these posts:
You Have Two Brains!
Addiction and the Brain's Corrupted Reward System
The Ice Cream Truck and Addiction

WARNING: Shameless plug for book follows (which I don't feel badly about because I believe it will truly help protect many innocent children and since this is a personal blog, I have no problem posting about it here. Just don't buy the book on Sunday, OK?)

Please consider an invitation to check out my book that just got published and became a #1 Best Seller in it's category in the first week! And we sold over 200 copies in a few short hours at the Utah Coalition Against Pornography's annual conference! I know it sounds like I'm bragging, but I'm not. I'm truly excited that this resource is now available for parents and grandparents to read to their kids. Parents are hungry for an easy and comfortable way to approach this difficult topic. And they've got to do it or their kids are left to the pornography industry wolves, and believe me, they are predators!

Here's a cool video that I had done to introduce the book.
Making it was a very interesting new experience!

Studies show that viewing pornography leads to earlier and more risky sexual activity among teens. That's why we've got to intervene even earlier and educate our kids about the risks.

What does breaking the law of chastity get you?

Here is some info from the book Girls Uncovered which my friend Claudine sent over to me when she heard I was teaching this lesson...thanks Claudine!

Depression/Bonding

“In a study that controlled other factors, researchers found that sexually active girls are three times as likely to report being depressed as virgins…In a different study, sexually active boys were found to be twice as likely to be depressed as their friends who were virgins. Even more startling and sad was the finding that sexually active girls were three times as likely to have attempted suicide as their virgin counterparts. The sexually active boys, however, were eight times as likely to have attempted suicide as their virgin friends.”

This is because of hormones that are designed to create attachment during a physical relationship so that we can bond to our spouse. When we bond, and then break up we have tremendous emotional pain (which shows up on brain scans like physical pain.)  When we bond, break up, bond break up, ….it is like sticky tape.  We can do this a couple of times, but each time we bond and pull away we lose our capacity to bond again.  Kids “hooking up” is creating a generation of people who lack the ability to bond.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI's)

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STI (more than a million cases a year.)  Many more are undiagnosed.  The highest rate is in 15-19 year old girls.   90% of girls who get this DO NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS!  If diagnosed, it can be treated with antibiotics.  But usually it isn’t diagnosed early and getting antibiotics later CANNOT REVERSE damage already caused.  This STD damages fallopian tubes.  After 1 episode of this, 8% of women will be infertile.  After 3 episodes, 40% are infertile! This disease is devastating to millions of girls who want to have their own children some day and NO ONE IS WARNING THEM!  Why are they told they need calcium in health class, but the real risks of being sexually active are NEVER discussed. SO MANY women are upset that no one ever told them about this.

It's sad to see kids and their futures compromised because they aren't living this very helpful and healthy law.

I am very grateful that I have been taught and blessed by living the law of chastity. It's awesome! It's freeing! It's empowering! 

What Mormons Believe about the House of Israel

The Descendants of Israel

The House of Israel is a family--the family descended from Jacob, re-named Israel by the Lord. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and an inheritor of the blessing that Abraham received that "all the families of the earth" would be blessed through his seed or lineage.

When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and they eventually settled in the land of Canaan, each tribe, except for Levi, was given a land inheritance. In the course of time, the tribes of the north (headed by Ephraim) split off from the tribes of the south (headed by Judah). The southern tribes maintained their distinct identity, for the most part, and are now knows as modern-day Jews.

The northern tribes were dispersed and we believe they have mingled with all the peoples of the earth.

The House of Israel in the Latter Days

But in the latter days, these tribes have a work to do in preparing the earth for the return of Jesus Christ. We believe that, beginning with the restoration and re-establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ via the prophet Joseph Smith, that the gathering of the House of Israel has begun through missionary work.
Ephraim and Manasseh
Ephraim and Manasseh were the two oldest sons of Joseph, Jacob's 11th son. When Jacob blessed these two boys (his grandsons), he included them as among his very own sons. But he crossed his arms and gave the greater blessing to the younger son, Ephraim. And Ephraim's posterity in the latter-days have the responsibility of carrying the light of the gospel to all the world.

See the Bible Dictionary for more info on the richly blessed tribe of Ephraim.

Patriarchal Blessings

As Latter-day Saints, we have a unique privilege in receiving our patriarchal blessing. It's like personalized scripture as well as a declaration of our house of Israel lineage. In this video, Elder Faust explains how people from the same family can be from different tribes, and how converts are adopted in to a tribe and given the same blessings.
Thomas S. Monson speaks about the importance of our blessings as our own personal liahona here.
Elder Bussey, who recently spoke at our stake conference, said that he reads his blessing every week. Sounds like a good idea!

Our Responsibilities as the House of Israel

In Abraham 2:11, we learn about our blessings and our responsibilities:

 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.

In the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis, we get a clearer view of our privileges:

For thou shalt be a light unto my people, to deliver them in the days of their captivity, from bondage; and to bring salvation unto them, when they are altogether bowed down under sin. (JST Genesis 48:11) 

I love this scripture and I hope that I can be a light unto the people within my sphere of influence.

Talk to People

One way is to learn how to naturally help people learn about the restored gospel. Here is a very helpful list of articles on How Missionary Work Can Change Your Life. 
But I think this webpage may be even more helpful. It lists videos and scriptures that you can share with friends who have specific questions and situations. For example, do you have a friend who is undergoing a health challenge? Share this video with them. The webpage is called Sharing the Gospel Naturally. It's focused on youth, but an excellent resource for any member.
Bishop Baird asked us to widen our circle of friends. Here's a very inspiration video that will give you something to think about: I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go.
Another video, By Small and Simple Things, shows how one young woman invited a friend to come for dinner and eventually introduced him to the church. It may be just as simple as a dinner invitation.

Other Ways to Fulfill Our Responsibilities

I believe all of the work of the Church is preparing the earth for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Temple work, family history work, welfare work...the list goes on. If you are involved in any or all of these, you are helping to fulfill your duties as the House of Israel.

But, like me, you could probably do better. And it would make the Lord happy, so why not?

How can you better fulfill your divine responsibilities as members of the House of Israel?

Pilot Lesson: Living Righteously in Times of Wickedness

CONFESSION: I'm posting this AFTER teaching the lesson and here's my excuse: Last week I was recovering from the flu until Wednesday and then I flew off to a Writer's Conference in Phoenix, returning Sunday morning in time to teach. So yes, I'm a slacker. But please give me a break, because I'm also in the midst of trying to launch a book that will help kids stay free from pornography addiction.

EPIPHANY! My book will definitely help kids live righteously in a wicked world!

Wow, I love it when I have epiphanies!
PARENT & GRANDPARENT ALERT! speaking of keeping kids safe online, I've included a link below to a new technology to filter and monitor ALL Internet-enabled devices in your home. The son of a friend who is totally tech savvy says he thinks this is the best option out there.
OK, for those of you still interested, here are my thoughts on how we can make good choices while living (and being influenced by) people who are making bad choices.

The Scriptures

This lesson takes its cues mostly from Genesis 13-14 and Genesis 18-19.

Genesis 13-14

• Abraham and his family return from Egypt and settle in "the plain of Mamre, near Hebron" while
• Lot chooses to separate himself and live on the plains of Jordan, near the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
• Five kings unite to attack and plunder Sodom and Gomorrah, taking Lot and his family captive
• Abraham finds out and mounts a successful rescue
• Abraham pays tithes to Melchizedek
• Abraham is offered the spoils of war by the Kind of Sodom, but refuses.

Genesis 18-19

• Abraham and Sarah are visited by holy men, who promise that Sarah will have a baby (she finds this humorous)
• The Holy men discuss plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah
• Abraham bargains to save Lot, his nephew
• The Holy men visit Lot and are threatened by the wicked men of Sodom who see an opportunity for some fresh victims of their sick and deviant appetites
• The Holy men (after cursing the Sodomite attackers with blindness) literally pull Lot, his wife and his two unmarried daughters out of Sodom before it's destroyed by fire and brimstone
• Lot's wife "looks back"  and was turned into a "pillar of salt" (Can you imagine how anguished she must have been leaving her grown children and her grandkids behind? I truly have empathy for Lot's wife.)
• Lot and his daughters hole up in a cave
• Lot's daughters get their father drunk, "lie with him" and get pregnant. (They obviously had adopted lenient attitudes toward incest from their Sodomite society.)

So what are we to learn from these two stories about living righteously in times of wickedness?

Giving Up Money and Worldly Rewards to Follow the Lord

Abraham had the courage to mount a rescue campaign to re-capture Lot and his family and others from Sodom and their goods. In those times, it was expected that the conqueror claimed the spoils of war--foodstuffs, animals, money and treasure. And the King of Sodom offered these to Abraham, only asking for his "persons." But Abraham refused.

22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine

Abraham has shown this ability to give up worldly advantages before when he gave Lot the first choice of land to settle in. Lot chose the well-watered plains of the Jordan River, leaving Abraham a less desirable location. But the Lord showed that he could still abundantly bless Abraham wherever he lived.

So, how does this ability to give up worldly things help us to remain righteous in a wicked world?

First, what does the world have to offer? 

Money, status, short term pleasure. 

What does the Lord have to offer? 

Enough, peace, eternal joy.

The world will always tempt you to sin in order to get what it has to offer. But if you're clear on what you want eternally (and if you want to make Heavenly Father happy), you'll learn how to forego these things when necessary and keep them all in perspective. 

Abraham was a wealthy man. But he achieved that wealth through prudent and righteous living. And he always put God first.

Notice how he describes God to the King of Sodom? He reminds the King that

God is "the possessor of heaven and earth."

 In other words, Abraham is affirming the truth that everything he has is God's. He clearly understands his stewardship which allows him to faithfully pay his tithes to Melchizedek.

Like you, I've seen people who sadly are deceived. They chase worldly wealth and status and short-term pleasure and give up everything that really matters--eternal family relationships, a healthy, addiction-free body, freedom from the bondage of debt etc.

But even if we aren't in the clutches of materialism, we can all do better. The adversary is always tempting us to shortchange our blessings from God.

"The unexamined life is not worth living" questions:

• What worldly rewards have you given up to follow the Lord? 
• Are there worldly things and practices that are keeping your from enjoying more divine and eternal blessings?

I've heard of man who took a pay cut to move to a certain area, finding out only later the amazing blessings that God had in store for his family there. 

I know of someone who gave up a job in order to work on a very worth-while, though not lucrative, project to help others.

I know of many people who pay their tithing instead of owning a recreational vehicle or a more expensive home.

I know of people who sacrifice discretionary income to fund charitable projects.

I'll bet you know of many examples from your own life of sacrificing worldly things to live the gospel. 

Proactive Ways to Stay Righteous

It's noteworthy that Lot at first only pitched his tent facing Sodom. But he obviously moved into the city at some point. A city he knew was wicked. 

But most of us live in cities where wickedness abounds. Even in my fairly family-friendly, "conservative values" area, sex trafficking is a problem! Pornography is rampant on the Internet and cable channels. People waste endless amounts of valuable time and money being entertained instead of serving others.

So how can we keep from ending up like Lot, so attached to worldly pleasures that we resist rescue attempts from holy beings?

Here are my thoughts:

1. Always pay tithing so you don't get too greedy
2. Always pay a generous fast offering so you don't burn in hell 
   
3. Always thank the Lord for everything you enjoy, because it really is just on loan to you
4. Always go to church to be reminded of spiritual truths and to keep yourself "unspotted from the world." Set a goal for attending the temple as often as you can. 
5. Read the standards in For the Strength of Youth, especially for Sabbath Day observance and Entertainment and Media, and commit to follow them.
6. Establish family media standards! (Here's an article I wrote on Internet safety with some great ideas for developing media standards.) And manage/control access to the Internet-enabled devices in your home. (TIP: check out Skydog to customize and control the Internet use of all of your devices at home)
7. Do family history work. Elder Scott says this will help youth stay strong. 

“Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life.”

There's a lot more, including praying, fasting, service, journal-writing. It all helps!

Making the World a More Righteous Place

So this is a two-pronged approach: protect yourself from evil influences, but get out there and do good! When Abraham heard of Lot's capture, he could have justified staying in his comfortable tent instead of going out to rescue Lot. Didn't Lot bring this on himself by moving to Sodom? But Abraham pulled together a small army of his own people and took on the risk of a military operation. He brought back both persons and goods from Sodom, in addition to Lot and his family and their goods.

Three Questions to Ask Yourself

1. What are you doing to increase righteousness in the world?
2. How does promoting good help to fight evil?
3. How does promoting good help to protect yourself from wicked influences?

One of my favorite scriptures is from Doctrine & Covenants 58:27-28

27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
 28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.

The power is in us! We have more power than we think! Go out there and use your power for good! Satan may have a hissy fit, but your life will never be boring. Guaranteed.
Let's just end with my favorite photo. Men cleaning a bathroom...and enjoying it!