Monday, April 26, 2010
Class tomorrow!
I just wanted to let you know that we will be having class tomorrow morning, here at the house at 10:00. We will be discussing up through Numbers 21. I have learned so much from this reading! I am excited to discuss it all with you! See you tomorrow!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Exodus 1-14
I think I have read this assignment at least twenty times. Each time, I have learned or experienced something different. The first time I read it, I was really impressed with the amazing stories of faith that are recorded in these verses. Like the story of the handmaids and how they feared God more than man. Or the faith of the mother of Moses. Or the faith of the Israelites as they prayed for deliverance. Or even the faith of the Egyptians as they heard of the hail storm that was to come, and they put their cattle in their houses.
The second time I read it, I really studied the plagues and learned the relationship between each of these plagues and the false gods of Egypt. The Lord wanted to show Pharaoh, that he was more powerful than man, magicians, pharaohs, kings, Satan, and all false gods. There is only one true God--The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The next few times I read it, I was impressed with the comparisons between the deliverance of the children of Israel and the deliverance of all of God's children from physical as well as spiritual death through the atonement of Jesus Christ. My understanding of the atonement deepened as I studied the Passover and learned about the passover lamb, the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs. I gained a greater appreciation for repentance and the sacrament.
The last time that I read it, I was struck with the similarities between the Israelites bondage and the effects of the fall of Adam. I hadn't caught it the first several times around. There was a change in the political make-up of Egypt. The Israelites had "fallen" from favor. They were made to work "with rigour", by the sweat of their brows. Words like "affliction", "bondage", "bitter" and the like, were used to describe the bondage condition of the Israelites. Those same terms are used to describe the situation Adam and Eve found themselves in when they were cast out of the garden. Interestingly, as a result of the fall, Adam and Eve were blessed with posterity. The Israelites also were blessed with posterity despite the severity of their afflictions. The Pharaoh did not want to release his death grip on the Israelites. Just as Pharaoh would require an awesome display of power before releasing the Israelites from bondage, the laws of justice would require an infinite and eternal display of power before releasing us from the physical and spiritual bondage caused by the fall. There is only One that has that infinite power.
So, what insights did you gain? What did you learn? What touched your heart?
The second time I read it, I really studied the plagues and learned the relationship between each of these plagues and the false gods of Egypt. The Lord wanted to show Pharaoh, that he was more powerful than man, magicians, pharaohs, kings, Satan, and all false gods. There is only one true God--The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The next few times I read it, I was impressed with the comparisons between the deliverance of the children of Israel and the deliverance of all of God's children from physical as well as spiritual death through the atonement of Jesus Christ. My understanding of the atonement deepened as I studied the Passover and learned about the passover lamb, the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs. I gained a greater appreciation for repentance and the sacrament.
The last time that I read it, I was struck with the similarities between the Israelites bondage and the effects of the fall of Adam. I hadn't caught it the first several times around. There was a change in the political make-up of Egypt. The Israelites had "fallen" from favor. They were made to work "with rigour", by the sweat of their brows. Words like "affliction", "bondage", "bitter" and the like, were used to describe the bondage condition of the Israelites. Those same terms are used to describe the situation Adam and Eve found themselves in when they were cast out of the garden. Interestingly, as a result of the fall, Adam and Eve were blessed with posterity. The Israelites also were blessed with posterity despite the severity of their afflictions. The Pharaoh did not want to release his death grip on the Israelites. Just as Pharaoh would require an awesome display of power before releasing the Israelites from bondage, the laws of justice would require an infinite and eternal display of power before releasing us from the physical and spiritual bondage caused by the fall. There is only One that has that infinite power.
So, what insights did you gain? What did you learn? What touched your heart?
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Class this week
The Relief Society Presidency has asked us to change our schedule a little bit. So, we will be meeting the LAST Tuesday of the month from now on. This change will start this week. We will be meeting on Tuesday March 30th at 10 am. Hope to see you all there!
I think our reading schedule may have been a little too aggressive. I am having trouble keeping up. I think maybe some of you are too. I think it might be smart to follow the Sunday School schedule a little more closely. So, I will be slowing things down a little bit. Check the schedule on the sidebar for updates.
Thanks everyone!
I think our reading schedule may have been a little too aggressive. I am having trouble keeping up. I think maybe some of you are too. I think it might be smart to follow the Sunday School schedule a little more closely. So, I will be slowing things down a little bit. Check the schedule on the sidebar for updates.
Thanks everyone!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Genesis 18-23
I am going to skip Lot for now. I want to talk some more about Abraham. I've been thinking about Abraham a lot lately. WARNING--this is just a whole lot of me thinking. So, take it for what it is worth.
We read in the Pearl of Great Price about an experience that he had in Ur. As I mentioned before, we aren't sure how old Abraham was when his father attempted to offer him as a sacrifice to heathen gods. Regardless of his age, I am confident that this was an experience that Abraham would never forget. We have probably all had experiences in life that are permanently etched in our memories. They might be traumatic, they might be joyous or otherwise. We can see the experience in our mind's eye vividly with precise details--we can hear the noises and smell the smells. So, what do you think Abraham remembers from his unbelievable experience? What sights, sounds, feelings, etc would he take with him for the rest of his life? What lessons were permanently and indelibly etched in his mind and soul? This is obviously a question to ask Abraham himself. But, from his record, I think we could assume some basic things that Abraham might have learned.
*God is powerful.
*Sometimes God intervenes and sometimes He does not.
(remember that Abraham witnessed the sacrifice of 3 righteous virgins)
*God answers prayers.
*There is great power in the priesthood.
*God fulfills His promises.
*Through Christ we are saved.
I also think that Abraham might have taken from this experience some pretty powerful spiritual feelings or memories. I am pretty sure that Abraham knew what it felt like to be in the presence of "evil". And in contrast, I am pretty confident that he knew how to recognize feelings and promptings that come from God.
So, when God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, I think that all of these memories and lessons resurfaced in a very powerful way. How were the experiences similar? How were they different? Why would Abraham obey immediately (the very next morning in fact) and not need any time to process what was going on? I think it's because despite the memory of all of the horror of that experience when he was young. Abraham knew the Lord. He knew that this commandment came from the Lord. He could feel the difference. God would definitely fulfill the promises that He had made to Abraham of this he was certain.
Such amazing faith and obedience!
We read in the Pearl of Great Price about an experience that he had in Ur. As I mentioned before, we aren't sure how old Abraham was when his father attempted to offer him as a sacrifice to heathen gods. Regardless of his age, I am confident that this was an experience that Abraham would never forget. We have probably all had experiences in life that are permanently etched in our memories. They might be traumatic, they might be joyous or otherwise. We can see the experience in our mind's eye vividly with precise details--we can hear the noises and smell the smells. So, what do you think Abraham remembers from his unbelievable experience? What sights, sounds, feelings, etc would he take with him for the rest of his life? What lessons were permanently and indelibly etched in his mind and soul? This is obviously a question to ask Abraham himself. But, from his record, I think we could assume some basic things that Abraham might have learned.
*God is powerful.
*Sometimes God intervenes and sometimes He does not.
(remember that Abraham witnessed the sacrifice of 3 righteous virgins)
*God answers prayers.
*There is great power in the priesthood.
*God fulfills His promises.
*Through Christ we are saved.
I also think that Abraham might have taken from this experience some pretty powerful spiritual feelings or memories. I am pretty sure that Abraham knew what it felt like to be in the presence of "evil". And in contrast, I am pretty confident that he knew how to recognize feelings and promptings that come from God.
So, when God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, I think that all of these memories and lessons resurfaced in a very powerful way. How were the experiences similar? How were they different? Why would Abraham obey immediately (the very next morning in fact) and not need any time to process what was going on? I think it's because despite the memory of all of the horror of that experience when he was young. Abraham knew the Lord. He knew that this commandment came from the Lord. He could feel the difference. God would definitely fulfill the promises that He had made to Abraham of this he was certain.
Such amazing faith and obedience!
Genesis 21-22
We are told in the scriptures, that Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac was a type of Heavenly Father's sacrifice of his Only Begotten Son. There are many similarities between these two events. I was particularly interested in the similarities of Isaac and Christ. I found the following in The Old Testament for Latter-day Families and the CES Old Testament Student Manual:
Isaac
1. Isaac was Abraham's only covenant son and the product of a miraculous birth
2. The sacrifice of Isaac took place in "the land of Moriah" (the same mountain range as Golgotha)
3. Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice
4. Isaac's limbs were bound upon the altar
5. Isaac did not resist, but was a willing sacrifice
6. Issac was to have his blood shed
7. In the moment of sacrifice, an angel appeared to stop it
8. Abraham loved God and obeyed Him and was willing to sacrifice his son
Jesus Christ
1. Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God and the product of a miraculous birth
2. The sacrifice of Christ took place on Golgotha, at Jerusalem
3. Christ carried His cross
4. Christ's limbs were nailed to the cross
5. Christ did not resist, and willingly did the will of the Father
6. Jesus Christ shed His blood
7. During Christ's agony, an angel appeared to strengthen Him
8. God loved the world and sacrificed His Only Begotten Son
The purpose of the law of sacrifice has always been to test or prove God's children, and to bring them unto Christ. We know that the Law of Moses was fulfilled in Christ, but the law of sacrifice still continues to be a vital part of the gospel today. We obviously no longer offer animal sacrifices. We are commanded to offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit. What else might the law of sacrifice entail today?
Elder Russell M Nelson taught: "We are still commanded to sacrifice, but not by the shedding blood of animals. Our highest sense of sacrifice is achieved as we make ourselves more sacred or holy. This we do by our obedience to the commandments of God."
Elder Ballard taught: "When we overcome our own selfish desires and put God first in our lives and covenant to serve Him regardless of the cost, we are then living the law of sacrifice."
Isaac
1. Isaac was Abraham's only covenant son and the product of a miraculous birth
2. The sacrifice of Isaac took place in "the land of Moriah" (the same mountain range as Golgotha)
3. Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice
4. Isaac's limbs were bound upon the altar
5. Isaac did not resist, but was a willing sacrifice
6. Issac was to have his blood shed
7. In the moment of sacrifice, an angel appeared to stop it
8. Abraham loved God and obeyed Him and was willing to sacrifice his son
Jesus Christ
1. Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God and the product of a miraculous birth
2. The sacrifice of Christ took place on Golgotha, at Jerusalem
3. Christ carried His cross
4. Christ's limbs were nailed to the cross
5. Christ did not resist, and willingly did the will of the Father
6. Jesus Christ shed His blood
7. During Christ's agony, an angel appeared to strengthen Him
8. God loved the world and sacrificed His Only Begotten Son
The purpose of the law of sacrifice has always been to test or prove God's children, and to bring them unto Christ. We know that the Law of Moses was fulfilled in Christ, but the law of sacrifice still continues to be a vital part of the gospel today. We obviously no longer offer animal sacrifices. We are commanded to offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit. What else might the law of sacrifice entail today?
Elder Russell M Nelson taught: "We are still commanded to sacrifice, but not by the shedding blood of animals. Our highest sense of sacrifice is achieved as we make ourselves more sacred or holy. This we do by our obedience to the commandments of God."
Elder Ballard taught: "When we overcome our own selfish desires and put God first in our lives and covenant to serve Him regardless of the cost, we are then living the law of sacrifice."
Monday, March 1, 2010
Newsflash
I have a sick little one. We are going to postpone our class until next Tuesday March 9th. See you all then. And I haven't forgotten...several scripture updates are coming your way soon!
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