Jacob explains that the Jews will crucify their God—They will be scattered until they begin to believe in Him—America will be a land of liberty where no king will rule—Seems like there are a few who would like to be king:(Does this apply to the anti-christ? Maybe he doesn't rule from America? Reconcile yourselves to God and gain salvation through His grace. Do you know how to "reconcile" yourself to God? About 559–545 B.C.
1 And now I, Jacob, speak unto you again, my beloved brethren, concerning this righteous them? of which I have spoken.
2 For behold, the
which we have obtained are promises unto us according to the flesh; I believe this expression means "in this life"
wherefore, as it has been shown unto me that many of our children shall
perish in the flesh because of , this makes me really sad, for those who were brought up in ignorance. How different their lives would have been if they had been brought up in truth. Does the justice in this have anything to do with the pre-existence? When we read "whatever intelligence we obtain in this life, we will have so much the advantage in the next" have anything to do with the "intelligence" we obtained in the pre-existence and the "advantage" we have in this life? That's not to say that they are not eligible for all the Father hath. It is possible that the mercy of Christ will cover the disadvantage they had in this world. Perhaps they were valiant and sent to lesser conditions as a protection, through the Atonement? Or they could not have been given advantage here because of their works there....Hard to say. Good thing we don't have to make that judgment. The promises they obtained were important because he was shown many of his posterity do not live up to their privileges. The promise is they will not utterly be lost. And maybe if the day comes they are restored to the truth, they can save their ancestors who strayed. nevertheless, God will be merciful unto many; Is this because of the prayers and faithfulness of their fathers and the covenants God made with them? Or is it because it's not the children's fault they were brought up in ignorance? and our children shall be , This sounds like ALL of them will be restored! that they may come to that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer. How do they come to this true knowledge? The Book of Mormon? The next life? Spirit Prison? The millennium? The End Time Servant? Visits from Christ? The Ten Tribes? Dreams? Visions? Powerful Preaching? Miracles?
3 Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient that Christ—for in the last night the spake unto me This makes it sound like the angel taught him more than one night Why doesn't this happen anymore? Notice he openly tells them an angel had visited him in the night. It wasn't kept a secret or considered too sacred to share. Is it a "half hour of silence" thing? that this should be his name Did he not know His name before last night? Or did the angel just make a point of saying it so he knew if for himself?—should among the , among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall him—for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth that would their . There is a bit of a quandary here...for it was necessary that Christ was crucified, so someone had to do it, yet they will be punished for centuries because of it. Lots of innocent children of a small group of people that chose an evil, but necessary act. If Satan really wanted to frustrate God's plan, he would have tempted no one so no one would have crucified Christ. He would not have tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and no one would have been born. But then, there would be no power for him. No one to rule over. No glory. Maybe he knows God is more powerful and WILL accomplish the work of salvation, so he's just either taking all the spoils he can get, or he falsely believes he can choose out of the whole "system" and find another way to live through the eternities.
4 For should the mighty be wrought among other nations they would repent, and know that he be their God. The Jews witnessed "mighty miracles" so they would repent and know that he is God. I am praying the unbelieving Gentiles will receive the same opportunity. I hope we, in the church, don't reject Him or his forerunner, like the Jews did.
5 But because of and iniquities, money for control and sin that poisons the will they at Jerusalem will their necks so they can't 'turn' their face to the Lord against him, that he be .
6 Wherefore, because of their iniquities, Sin can be that which results from our fallen nature. Trespassing can be when we give in to temptation and do that which we know we shouldn't. Iniquity refers to a premeditated choice; to continue without repentance. destructions, famines, , and bloodshed shall come upon them; and they who shall not be destroyed shall be among all nations. We should always ask if we are experiencing bad things if it is because of iniquity. What determines if we are destroyed or spared?
7 But behold, thus saith the : the day cometh It will come...that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the of their inheritance. We talk of the Jews being restored to their homeland in 1968. But I don't think they were restored as "believing in Christ" Jews, so maybe the 'restoration' to their lands is still future.
8 And it shall come to pass that they shall be in from their long dispersion, from the
of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of
the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God, in them forth to the lands of their inheritance. We must play a part in restoring them to their lands of inheritance. I think we've played a great role in that thus far. Just this last year, Pres. Trump moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem, to signify that we recognize it as the capital of Israel. Did we have a part in the 1968 returning?
9 , the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore, the of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hath spoken it, and who can dispute? This would seem to refer endowed members of the church. For no Gentile nation has kings and queens. What does it mean to be "nursing" mothers and fathers? Will we be teaching them how to participate in and administer the ordinances of God? We have been taught this in the Book of Mormon in 1 Nephi 21; 2 Nephi 6; each of them quoting Isaiah. It must be important that we see this as our mission in these latter days! And know what our "great promises" are!
10 But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine inheritance, and the shall be blessed upon the land. "This land" must be the US, because it is the land where the Gentiles have been blessed and his seed were standing.
11 And this land shall be a land of unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.
12 And I will fortify this land all other nations.
13 And he that against Zion shall , saith God. This is why we are completely safe once the New Jerusalem is established. Is He calling the land "Zion" before the New Jerusalem?
14 For he that raiseth up a against me shall perish, So I don't have to be afraid Obama will become king....for I, the Lord, the of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a unto them forever, that hear my words. Sounds like New Jerusalem Zion now...maybe this is when the "great promises" to the Gentiles are realized...
15 Wherefore, for this cause, that my
may be fulfilled which I have made unto the children of men, that I
will do unto them while they are in the flesh, this should be a cross reference to other verses that use the expression "in the flesh" as it clearly means this life! I must needs destroy the works of , and of murders, and of abominations. I am hoping hoping hoping that this is going to happen asap to usher in a 'season of spirituality' that Pres. Ballard referred to.The coming weeks will usher in a spiritual season with general
conference, Palm Sunday and Easter, said President Ballard. “The Lord
Jesus Christ loves us with a love beyond our ability to comprehend,” he
said. “The kingdom of God will continue to roll forth.” Then he
added, “Everything is going to be just fine as we turn our hearts to our
Father in Heaven and look to Him and to the Savior as the Redeemer of
all mankind.” It's 2023 and this hasn't happened yet. But I'm going to see a movie today called "Jesus Revolution" that shows the religious revival of the 70's. There are reports all over the country of revivals on college campuses. I know author James Prout believes it's coming and he leans a lot on a deceased visionary/preacher that says he saw it.
16 Wherefore, he that against , both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, perish; for are they who are the of all the earth; for who are for me are me, saith our God. No middle ground here...
17 For I will my which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh— This expression "in the flesh" is used several times in this chapter. Footnote again to when Adam says "in the flesh I shall see God" - he means in this life, before he dies...
18 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, thus saith our God: I will afflict thy seed by the hand of the Gentiles; nevertheless, I will the hearts of the , that they shall be like unto a father to them; Has this happened? wherefore, the Gentiles shall be and among the house of Israel.
19 Wherefore, I will
this land unto thy seed, and them who shall be numbered among thy seed, the converted Gentiles forever, for the land of their inheritance; for it is a choice land,
saith God unto me, above all other lands, is this because the Garden of Eden was here? wherefore I will have all men
that dwell thereon that they shall worship me, saith God. Everyone who lives here is under this covenant. Eventually, no one will live here who does not worship God. There is no other way to share this "news" about this land to it's inhabitants than through the Book of Mormon. Seems like this would be a key message that missionaries share with those in the USA.
20 And
now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God has given us so
great knowledge concerning these things, let us remember him, and lay
aside our sins, and not hang down our heads, for we are not cast off;
nevertheless, we have been of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a , for the Lord has made the sea our , and we are upon an of the sea. Here is evidence that they considered America "the isle of the sea"
21 But great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon the of the sea; wherefore as it says isles, there must needs be more than this, and they are inhabited also by our brethren. They must know that God has led others away and led them to other lands (isles)
22 For behold, the Lord God has
from time to time from the house of Israel, according to his will and
pleasure. The people of Zarahemla are a testimony of this...And now behold, the Lord remembereth all them who have been
broken off, wherefore he remembereth us also. Strong vineyard imagery here..broken off branches, transplanted to other parts of the vineyard...
23Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. Even though your posterity chooses wrong, you don't have to choose that today. We are each free to choose.
The seat of our emotions.
Where we "feel".
A thought in your mind is just a thought.
If you "feel" something about that thought it has moved into your heart.
Only then will you act.
We never act without first thinking...
then feeling.
Where are the choice-points?
First - between the thought and the feeling.
Second between the feeling and the action.
If we can become aware of our thoughts and sort them before we embrace them, we can spare ourselves a lot of negative feelings.
Truth from error.
Jesus Christ is Truth and our only sure guide in this process.
If a thought has wrongly passed into your heart and has produced a negative emotion, then you have another choice.
Recognize the feeling as one you don't want to keep or act on.
Kick it back into your head and re-think it.
What is truth?
When you find Truth, you will be free of that negative emotion.
You will feel something different.
Something better.
Now you can act.
Now you can influence.
Choose you...this day...
To "cheer up your heart" and remember.
You are free to "act for yourself"
To choose misery
Or happiness.
24 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, yourselves to the
of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember,
after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the of God that ye are . "born again" language. Some definitions of "reconciled" are: to find a way in which two situations or beliefs that are opposed to each other can agree and exist together; If two people are reconciled, they become friendly again after having argued so seriously that they kept apart; To reconcile yourself to a situation is to accept it even if it is unpleasant or painful, because it cannot be changed; To reestablish a close relationship between; To settle or resolve; To bring (oneself) to accept. These definitions explain well what it means to be reconciled to God. The natural man is opposed to God's will and we must learn how to subdue the natural man so it can exist with the Spirit. We have all been sent out of God's presence and must become a "friend of Jesus" and reconcile with Him for the sins we have put Him through; The promises and decrees of God will all come to pass. We must reconcile ourselves to this truth, even if the changes we have to make feel unpleasant or painful. There is only One Way. It cannot be changed!
25 Wherefore, may God you from death by the power of the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the , that ye may be received into the kingdom of God, that ye may praise him through grace divine. Amen.
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