I myself grew up with the notion that God held me, by the scruff of the neck out over Hell, just waiting for an excuse to drop me. I think we are moving away from scare tactics in the Church nowadays and thankfully so. What a horrible task master is fear. What a sweet motivation comes of love.
How blessed it is that as I read the scriptures these days the kind, sweet, hand stretched out still, image of the Master is the one that is highlighted for me.
He is not like us. When He suffered, His thoughts were not ones of resentment towards us for the pain we caused Him. His thoughts were ones of love and compassion and gratitude that He could actually do for us what we could not. What joy Nephi must have felt to have envisioned the Redeemer's life and to witness for himself Christ's kindness and love. No wonder he felt such desire to record and preserve these things for his posterity and for us.
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11 For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall avisit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up.
It looks like God speaks in ways that get the attention of the people. The harder it is for us ‘hear’ the more dramatic the method.
I have been hearing. I hear about Satan’s plan where he gets the glory. I’ve always been appalled by that plan, but I think I model it, when I resist surrendering my life to God. Do I actually think that I know a better way? Do I have so much pride that I think I can save myself, without him? Do I expect him to save me and bless me and gather me home, when I resist his simple requests? I fight the yoke. I resist the ‘cure’ like a little child resisting the very dose of medicine that is going to heal them and take away their pain. I see myself out there with a dull machete trying to slash my way through the jungle, when there is a well worn path with an iron-rod-railing already prepared for me. He has suffered Gethsemane. He has endured the cross. I don’t need to do this. I can let go, surrender, trust, have faith. Why don’t I? What am I afraid of?
I think this chapter shows us the different character of Jesus our brother compared to God our father.. Jesus Christ suffereth all things and maintains his unconditional love always accepting those back into the fold who have offended him.. This is different than the God we see who occasionally lets loose his wrath on the wicked people. I also like this chapter and look at it as the first general conference on the American continent. It is amazing after 1 year on a ship God puts Nephi right to work and does not let him rest. I love a line from the last verse that says " hear ye the words of the prophet, which were, written unto all of the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves that ye may have hope." What a gift we have twice a year to hearken to the prophets voice and apply what is said to our lives so that we may have hope. I know as I listen to conference one of my favorite things is the hope I feel.
Those last two verses also caught my eye as I read them. What wonderful counsel Nephi gave to both his people and to us:
23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.
24 Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written.
Since we are of the House of Israel -- either through adoption or by literal lineage, I think it is wonderful that some things never change. Likening the scriptures to ourselves was important then and is equally important now.
I'm also so glad that you mentioned the hope that we will receive if we do just that. A friend sent me a story via e-mail today which just happened to include a verse from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future")in it. That person couldn't have known that that particular verse was one the Lord always "sends" me in some way or another when I need hope. Being reminded of that word again this evening via your comment, Spencer, was another "Tender Mercy" from the ONE who gives them so freely to those who have need of them.
"I think this chapter shows us the different character of Jesus our brother compared to God our father.. Jesus Christ suffereth all things and maintains his unconditional love always accepting those back into the fold who have offended him.. This is different than the God we see who occasionally lets loose his wrath on the wicked people."
This comment was very curious to me. I don't know the thoughts that preceded the comment, but I believe that the character of God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ, are not different, but perfectly the same. The Savior of the world, was the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.
I too love the word "hope" it is my spring board and keeps me moving towards the God I love.
Love Life and Learning: You are right. Jesus Christ was (and still is) the God of the Old Testament whom the House of Israel called "Jehovah". Jehovah was only wrathful when the people needed that kind of correction.
Christ/Jehovah (who is the speaker in the Doctrine and Covenants) tells Joseph Smith, Jr. (and us) the following in D&C 121:43-44:
"Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;
44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.
(This is something Jehovah always did when dealing with Old Testament peoples.)
However, even the mortal Christ could be wrathful when it was justified -- i.e., His cleansing of the Temple. That certainly wasn't a gentle action, but it was a necessary one.
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