Did you know that?

Bill Nye the Science Guy. Gotta love him. Remember that part of his show that said Did You Know That? O.k. well so that has nothing to do with this next statement, but I wanted a fun intro to it.

Jonah is a type of Christ. What? Well, the Savior himself said on "two occasions when he was asked for a sign from heaven. In each case he gave “the sign of the prophet Jonah,” the event in that prophet’s life being a foreshadowing of Jesus’ own death and resurrection" (Matt. 12: 39-41; Matt. 16: 4; Luke 11: 29-30) Bible Dictionary "Jonah"

"Jonah was a type of Christ in that he was in the belly of the whale—in “hell,” in his own words ( Jonah 2:2 )—just as Jesus was in the grave for three days, and then came forth again. C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch showed that the significance of Jonah’s story is broader than that:

“The mission of Jonah was a fact of symbolical and typical importance, which was intended not only to enlighten Israel as to the position of the Gentile world in relation to the kingdom of God, but also to typify the future adoption of such of the heathen, as should observe the word of God, into the fellowship of the salvation prepared in Israel for all nations" (Old Testament Student Manual- Jonah

And continuing on in this quote, I find this fascinating, but a little long:

“As the time drew nigh when Israel was to be given up into the power of the Gentiles, and trodden down by them, on account of its stiff-necked apostasy from the Lord its God, it was very natural for the self-righteous mind of Israel to regard the Gentiles as simply enemies of the people and kingdom of God, and not only to deny their capacity for salvation, but also to interpret the prophetic announcement of the judgment coming upon the Gentiles as signifying that they were destined to utter destruction. The object of Jonah’s mission to Nineveh was to combat in the most energetic manner, and practically to overthrow, a delusion which had a seeming support in the election of Israel to be the vehicle of salvation, and which stimulated the inclination to pharisaical reliance upon an outward connection with the chosen nation and a lineal descent from Abraham. . . . The attitude of Israel towards the design of God to show mercy to the Gentiles and grant them salvation, is depicted in the way in which Jonah acts, when he receives the divine command, and when he goes to carry it out. Jonah tries to escape from the command to proclaim the word of God in Nineveh by flight to Tarshish, because he is displeased with the display of divine mercy to the great heathen world, and because, according to ch. iv. 2 , he is afraid lest the preaching of repentance should avert from Nineveh the destruction with which it is threatened. In this state of mind on the part of the prophet, there are reflected the feelings and the general state of mind of the Israelitish nation towards the Gentiles. According to his natural man, Jonah shares in this, and is thereby fitted to be the representative of Israel in its pride at its own election. . . . The infliction of this punishment, which falls upon him on account of his obstinate resistance to the will of God, typifies that rejection and banishment from the face of God which Israel will assuredly bring upon itself by its obstinate resistance to the divine call. But Jonah, when cast into the sea, is swallowed up by a great fish; and when he prays to the Lord in the fish’s belly, he is vomited upon the land unhurt. This miracle has also a symbolical meaning for Israel. It shows that if the carnal nation, with its ungodly mind, should turn to the Lord even in the last extremity, it will be raised up again by a divine miracle from destruction to newness of life. And lastly, the manner in which God reproves the prophet, when he is angry because Nineveh has been spared ( ch. iv. ), is intended to set forth as in a mirror before all Israel the greatness of the divine compassion, which embraces all mankind, in order that it may reflect upon it and lay it to heart.” ( Commentary on the Old Testament, 10:1:383–85.)

Missionary work. Jonah's story is to help us as the children of Israel with missionary work.

Jonah

I had a thought today while reading through Jonah's story in the Old Testament. (Remember the guy that ran away from God and having to call the people of Ninevah to repentance, and then got swallowed by a big fish for three days, repented, and then taught the people of Ninevah and they repented and were not destroyed, remember that guy?)

Well, while reading through it this time around I saw Jonah's faults and weaknesses particularly in the charity department. He didn't want to preach the gospel to the people of Ninevah because he thought they were a lost cause, aka- he didn't really love the people of Ninevah or trust in God. Even after repenting and going and preaching to the people and seeing them repent and not get destroyed, he still was stubborn and wanted to see them destroyed because he felt they were some pretty wicked people that deserved it. Again, not forgiving (Jonah that means you have the greater sin!), and not really loving the people that he was teaching.

But here was the eye opener for me- God still was able to use this not perfect instrument that Jonah was. The people of Ninevah were still able to repent although Jonah had his faults as their missionary.

That opens up so much for me as I think, well I can't do that, I'm so flawed and have so many weaknesses, I cannot possibly fulfill that calling or assignment.

But it also helps me when maybe others are in callings or positions of authority that I see their faults and weaknesses, that it doesn't matter. God can and WILL still use them. He called them, he will help them, even if they aren't perfect at it, that's not the point.

It wasn't just Ninevah Heavenly Father was hoping to help when he called Jonah to preach to them though, he was also hoping to help Jonah.

Job, a righteous man

It says in Job 1:1 "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil."

One thing he did was that he didn't just help those that asked him, he actually sought out those in need. What an example to me!
Job 29: 16-17

"16. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. 17. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth."

Adam Clarke wrote as commentary to these verses:

“As supreme magistrate he chose out their way, adjusted their differences, and sat chief, presiding in all their civil assemblies.

“As captain general he dwelt as a king in the midst of his troops, preserving order and discipline, and seeing that his fellow soldiers were provided with requisites for their warfare, and the necessaries of life.

“As a man he did not think himself superior to the meanest offices in domestic life, to relieve or support his fellow creatures; he went about comforting the mourners— visiting the sick and afflicted, and ministering to their wants, and seeing that the wounded were properly attended. Noble Job! Look at him, ye nobles of the earth, ye lieutenants of counties, ye generals of armies, and ye lords of provinces. Look at JOB! Imitate his active benevolence, and be healthy and happy. Be as guardian angels in your particular districts, blessing all by your example and your bounty. Send your hunting horses to the plough, your game cocks to the dunghill; and at last live like men and Christians.” ( Commentary, 3:132.)

Job's suffering

Job obviously suffered in all states man can suffer. He lost all his worldly wealth, and most of his family was killed all in one day. Watching this video about Chris Williams who lost his wife and two children in one day clearly puts that suffering into perspective for me. However Job, just like this man Chris Williams, didn't curse God.

He said in Job 1:21 "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

The next test was one that I struggle with. Health and strength. And it sounds like his test was far far harder than any I have experienced. Horrible boils, his face became so disfigured by his disease people couldn't recognize him. His breath and stench became so foul even friends couldn't stand to be around him. He was cast out with the outcasts and even they didn't want to be around him. His wife told him to curse God and die.

But again, he didn't.

Job 2:10 "But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not job sin with his lips."

This next part is from the Old Testament Student Manual

Job’s friends challenged God’s wisdom, and they saw Job’s suffering as a punishment sent from God. But Job had a greater understanding. He knew that God was there, although his prayers for relief were not answered as he might wish. Should his suffering really have been the result of personal sin, he begged the Lord to cause him to know so that he could repent ( v. 23 ).

But suffering is not always the result of sin. Suffering has a larger purpose, part of which is educative. President Kimball said:

“Is there not wisdom in his giving us trials that we might rise above them, responsibilities that we might achieve, work to harden our muscles, sorrows to try our souls? Are we not exposed to temptations to test our strength, sickness that we might learn patience, death that we might be immortalized and glorified?

“If all the sick for whom we pray were healed, if all the righteous were protected and the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled and the basic principle of the gospel, free agency, would be ended. No man would have to live by faith.

“If joy and peace and rewards were instantaneously given the doer of good, there could be no evil—all would do good but not because of the rightness of doing good. There would be no test of strength, no development of character, no growth of powers, no free agency, only satanic controls.

“Should all prayers be immediately answered according to our selfish desires and our limited understanding, then there would be little or no suffering, sorrow, disappointment, or even death, and if these were not, there would also be no joy, success, resurrection, nor eternal life and godhood.” ( Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 97.)

Job

As I have previously stated Elijah and Elisha are some of my favorite characters out of the Old Testament. However Job is one that stands out so sharply for me because it seems I can take almost anyone in the world and compare their situation to his, and he blows them out of the water. Even Joseph Smith who endured so much in his life was told at Liberty Jail in D&C 121:10

"Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job."

I take this into my life to mean that things can always get worse. Or the much more positive way to look at it, we ALWAYS can count our blessings.

That is one of my first lessons from Job.

Proverbs 15:1

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1

"Too often we use communication periods to tell, dictate, plead or threaten. Nowhere in the broadest sense should communication in the family be used to impose, command or embarrass. How important it is to know how to disagree without being disagreeable."
Elder Marvin J. Ashton CR May 76, p 52

I feel it is much easier to be kind and understanding and loving with members outside of our home than those actually in the home. And that is why the home is our laboratory of love and learning. This is what I work on every single day, and something I am getting better at. I was thinking of when my husband I were first married 5 years ago, to now, and I am getting much better at listening, understanding, and even sacrificing my wants and desires for our communication to be much better, and to disagree without being disagreeable. I still have far to go, but it is wonderful to look back and at least see progress in myself.

Proverbs and Ecclesiastes

I am going to try to read all Proverbs and Ecclesiastes this week during my scripture study. Each day I will post a new scripture, or a few from these books for your enjoyment, because who doesn't enjoy reading these words of wisdom?

Proverbs 4:26 "Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established."

I like this because it makes me feel like I need to live a life not just tossed about by what happens, but with direct goals and ideas. And the way has been established by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is your path his path?

I've sung this song before...

I have been reading 2 Chronicles 29-34 right now for our Sunday School reading for the week.

Let me do a quick sum up for you.

Hezekiah- good king, cuts down the groves and idols, rebuilds the temple.

Manasseh- bad king, builds up high places, groves and idols of Baal again. Does repent at the end when taken captive to Assyria.

Amon- next bad king, does same bad things as his dad did at first, gets killed by his servants.

Josiah- good king, cuts down groves, idols, and altars of Baal.

And we could go on and on. Build up the groves, cut them down, build up, cut down, etc. Really, can Satan get anymore creative in getting the people of Israel to sin?

And then I thought, why would he? If it works...

What sins do you keep coming back to like the children of Israel. What sins might you need more help in overcoming?

Elijah and Elisha

Confession here. I sometimes confuse Elijah and Elisha. I mean they pretty much have the same names, they were right next to each other as prophets. And Elisha did several of the same miracles Elijah did right after he was translated. So when I say Elijah was the man, I mean to say Elijah AND Elisha are the men. Does that still work?

Anyway, Elisha is so fabulous. We start out by coming to know Elisha when Elijah comes up to him at his house. In 1 Kings 19:19-20 it says

"19.So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
20. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And hesaid unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee.
21. And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him."

There are several things in here we find about Elisha. First he was wealthy. Twelve yoke of oxen were signs of wealth because each yoke pulled a plow, and were driven by one servant. That they ate the oxen is another sign of wealth, but it also represented Elisha's rejection of worldly wealth and his preparation to follow Elijah and make the material sacrifices necessary to become a prophet. (lds institute student manual)

When we read in Matthew 19:23-24 about how it is easier for a camel to fit through a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, we find this act even more amazing.

But not only that, when Elijah came there was no cajoling or pleading or even discussion about Elisha becoming the next prophet. That he simply put his mantle (or cloak) on Elisha and Elisha knew what that meant and immediately left his oxen is another testament of Elisha and his faithfulness and dedication. Is that how you or I respond to a call? Heavens we usually aren't asked to walk away from our businesses or jobs to answer our call to be a visiting teacher, relief society president, or even bishop. But do we respond with faithful hearts willing to do ALL that is asked and required of us? That is the example I love and take the most from Elisha.

Elijah on Mt. Caramel and then Horeb

Elijah calling down fire from heaven

I love the showdown of Elijah and the priests of Baal. Read the whole thing in 2 Kings 18:20-46. But I will tell you some of my favorites.

So those that are not quite as familiar with this story, Elijah tells the king to have a showdown to see which God is truly real. The God of Israel or Baal. They each were to build an altar and offer a sacrifice, and whichever God sent down fire from heaven was the real God of heaven and earth.

I am amazed at how Elijah is BY HIMSELF, but calm and confident during this whole process. He doesn't have any person with him, while the Baal guys have all those hundreds of priests and the king and queen on their side. Even the people watching the contest are too afraid to show their support of Elijah at this point. By noon Elijah is joking and mocking the priests as they try to get the fire to come down from heaven, saying maybe you need to call a little louder he might not be able to hear you because he's talking, or on a journey, or he's asleep. (1 Kings 18:27) Finally at the end of the day, the priests give Elijah his chance since they had failed.

Elijah took twelve stones, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel, and built an altar to the Lord. He made a trench around the altar as well, then he put the wood in place and the bullock in pieces on the wood. Then he did a curious thing and had four barrels of water poured onto the burnt sacrifice and the wood. And then he did it a second time, and finally a third time. This is 12 barrels of water being poured on there, that is one wet altar!

But Elijah did this because the priests of Baal were known to rig their altars at times to make it seem as if fire was igniting it from heaven. One ancient writer said he “had seen under the altars of the heathens, holes dug in the earth with funnels proceeding from them, and communicating with openings on the tops of the altars. In the former the priests concealed fire, which, communicating through the funnels with the holes, set fire to the wood and consumed the sacrifice; and thus the simple people were led to believe that the sacrifice was consumed by a miraculous fire.” (In Clarke, Commentary, 2:459.)

By drenching the altar in water, Elijah was also making it so the fire coming from heaven had to be miraculous and not just a quick bolt of lighting. But the fire didn't just consume the wood and flesh on the altar, it took up the stones and dust even around the altar, truly a great miracle from the one true God.

As mentioned in the previous Elijah post the people saw this miracle and fell on their faces: and said "The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God" (1 Kings 18:39) It then began to rain. Elijah then left. However, although those watching the contest were amazed and changed, Jezebel that evil woman that was called the downfall of the Northern Kingdom, remember? she still wasn't changed. Her heart was too hardened to change, and she just got mad, and redoubled her efforts to have Elijah killed.

(Remember hard hearts are very bad. If you have stopped feeling emotion, besides anger this means you are on a very bad road paved by Satan. Feeling means you can still be brought to change and come back to God. The more we ignore promptings to change or feelings of guilt, etc, the more the light of Christ and the Spirit grows dim in our hearts, and goes away from us. The farther we are from that, the farther we are from God.)

Anyway, Elijah goes away to hide again, except this time he goes away to a place called Horeb the mount of God and is feeling lonely and depressed.

President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: “When he was there, the Lord called upon him and asked him what he was doing there; and in his sorrow, because of the hardness of the hearts of the people, he told the Lord the condition, that he alone remained, that they sought his life to take it away. But the Lord showed him that there were others who had remained true unto him, even 7,000.” ( Doctrines of Salvation, 2:106.)

He thought he had failed. He thought through all his efforts he still didn't help bring anyone back to God. But the Lord told him his efforts were satisfactory, and not only that but there were 7000 that were doing well!

I like this story because Elijah was amazing. He always did what was asked of him and with such remarkable faith. But he still wondered if what he was doing was right, because it seemed as if there were no fruits from his labors. (Maybe sometimes how moms feel when their kids go astray or missionaries feel if they just baptize one person on their missions.) But success isn't measured by what we esteem as noteworthy, but if we do ALL things God asks of us, and live well in any circumstance He places us in. Sometimes that one person (D&C 18:16) we affect is all God wants from us, and maybe we are the only ones to do it.

So do what you can in your place today, and remember Elijah and that he was the man!

Elijah

Bernardo Strozzi Painting- "Prophet Elijah and the Widow of Sarepta"

And picking up from where we left off last time with Elijah. He was living off a little stream and the birds bringing him food everyday. Then the brook dried up, and he followed the Lord's call to go to Zaraphath where he was told a widow was going to sustain him. Turns out the widow was gathering sticks as he walked up to prepare her and her son's last meal. He told her to make one for him first, and her oil and meal wouldn't waste until the drought was over. This widow of much faith did as the prophet asked her to do and miraculously her food did hold until the drought was over. Again, are we doing what God asks of us the first time. He wants to bless us with more, but we have to prove that our wills are completely aligned with his will, and we'll do what he wants over what we want or think we need.

O.k. so this next part is actually about someone named Obadiah. (1 Kings 18) Here's the thing, Ahab kept trying to find and kill Elijah because he was angry that the drought/famine was going on, and blamed Elijah (who was the one that sealed the heavens) but not himself and the wickedness in Israel at the time. (The real reason for the famine) Ahab got so obsessed with this that he started killing anyone he found that had come in contact with Elijah but didn't bring him to himself. Isn't that awesome? So Obadiah saw Elijah, and Elijah told him that he was going to see the king and to let the king know. Obadiah was obviously terrified of this, because Elijah wasn't going to be with him, and he could very well have died on the spot.

But in 1 Kings 18:3 it says, "Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly" And usually when the old testament says someone feared the Lord it really is translated more correctly to that person respected the Lord. And in verse 4 it said he already hid a hundred prophets in a cave and fed them bread and water- probably at great personal expense or sacrifice. What with a famine going on, and Ahab being a little crazy king that liked to kill people at the drop of a hat.

So Obadiah went and talked to Ahab.

Now that is why the people of Israel were in contrast to Obadiah. In verse 21 of the same chapter 18, Elijah asks the people "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word."

The people knew God was the one true God, but they were terrified of Ahab and what he would do if they stopped following Baal. They believed in God, but not enough to overcome their fear of what "man could do" to them. (Psalms 56:11)

However after the amazing showdown of "Elijah's God" and the 850 priests/priestesses of Baal's God, the people realized their sin, and fell on their faces: and they said "the Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God." (1 Kings 18:39)

And then the drought was over and it rained for the first time in 3 years. The Lord accepted his people's repentance, although it had been slow coming, and then mercifully gave them the water they needed. That is what the Old Testament is all about. Repentance, turning back to God when we turn away.

A little more family

And of course I left out one of the main reasons why those of the lds faith often have lots of kids. In Genesis 1:28 God is talking to Adam and Eve the first parents on this earth and this is what he said:

"And God blessed them, (Adam and Eve) and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

And then in The Family: A Proclamation to the World it further clarifies:

"The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force."

Simply put. But the other reasons I stated yesterday can back up what these very strong statements are saying today, and why that multiplying and replenishing the earth is important for us today. (Note it's not important for God, it's important for us. That's how most commandments are. They are not for God, but us.)

Family

Break from Elijah for a second, although I still think he's awesome, and we'll keep talking about him this week.

My husband, Eric, was telling me about a conversation he had with some of his classmates a few days ago. They asked him if he wanted to have a big family, and he asked what a big family meant to them. 3 kids seemed to be the consensus of a big family, and they were pretty floored when he said he wanted to have upwards of 7 or 8 kids.

One of the classmates said off the cuff "what is it about mormons wanting and having big families? (Which again to him meant to even have children at all)"

There are many varied answers to this question, but I think I'll let Elder Nelson answer this for you.

“Individual progression is fostered in the family, which is ‘central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.’ (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,"). The home is to be God’s laboratory of love and service. There a husband is to love his wife, a wife is to love her husband, and parents and children are to love one another.” (CR May 2008, 8)

"The home is to be God's laboratory of love and service." In Moses 1:39 it says God's purpose and work day in and day out is the "eternal life and immortality" of his children. And since we believe we are learning to be like God, our focus is all about the family.

One of our past prophets David O. McKay said "“No other success can compensate for failure in the home.” It doesn't matter if you invented something that changed the world, or influenced thousands of other people, the most important focus should be on your specific family. I watched a movie about the inventor of the windshield wiper. He had the idea stolen from him, and spent the next 20 years of his life fighting this big company. He did win the lawsuit in the end, and it said he opened the door for many other entrepreneur/inventors to win suits of similar natures, but his wife left and divorced him because of this obsession. I felt empty inside at the end and so sad for the choice he made that this lawsuit became more important than his family. I felt no joy that he won at that point, and I think many people would agree at the end of their lives, it's not about how much money they earned or power they held, but what they did with their families that really mattered in their lives.

That also could be why the family is under so much attack today. Satan realizes the value of strong families and how they really are the building block of individuals, communities and the world. As a teacher I saw firsthand the kids that came from the most unstable homes generally had the hardest times with discipline, focus and learning in their classes. If you want to improve education improve the homes the children are living in.

Families are so amazing, and I do feel blessed everyday that I can be a part of such an amazing family as a daughter, granddaughter, sister, wife, and mother. That's what it's all about!