Thought
:- I
have lived a long time & watched the standards upon which civilization must
depend for survival swept aside one piece at a time. We live in a day when the
age-old standards of morality, marriage, home, & family suffer defeat after
defeat in courts& councils, in parliaments &classrooms. Our happiness
depends upon living those very standards. The Apostle Paul prophesied that in
our day, men would be “disobedient to parents, … without natural affection, …
despisers of those that are good, … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of
God” (2 Tim. 3:2–4).
And he warned: “Evil men & seducers shall wax worse &worse, deceiving, &
being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13).
He was right. Nevertheless, when I think of the future, I am overwhelmed with a
feeling of positive optimism. The opposition and trials are different now. If
anything, they are more intense, more dangerous than in those early days, aimed
not so much at the Church as at us as individuals. The early revelations,
published as scriptures for the permanent guidance of the Church, define the
ordinances & covenants & are still in force. One of those scriptures
promises, “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).
(BKPacker, CR, Oct. 2005- On Zion's Hill)
Book of the Week: The Voice of Israel's
Prophets, Sidney
Sperry
JONAH
- 790 BC?- (Read in synagogues on Yom Kippur-Oct. 3) p.
1147
His
name means "dove"-He was from Gath-hepher in Zebulun-3 miles
northeast of what was later Nazareth.-Jonah is the 32nd book of the Bible the
5th of the Minor Prophets.- Some call it a parable or an allegory, but Christ
said not (Luke 11:29-32; Matt. 12:39-41)- He lived under Jeroboam II- He
predicted the success of Jeroboam II in restoring the ancient boundaries of
Israel (2 Kings 14:25)
Nineveh
was a well known trade center in Jonah's day. It had terraces, barracks,
libraries, & temples. Beyond the walls were great suburbs, towns, &
villages. The circumference was about 60 miles, or three days' journey. The
walls were said to be 100 feet high and
broad enough that 3 chariots could ride abreast on them. 1500 towers held watchmen to note the
approach of enemies.
The book of surprises!
1.
Jonah is called to preach to a pagan nation.(1:1-2) (Alma 17
opportunity-Assyrians were masters of torture and was the seat of military
terror.)
2.
Jonah goes in an opposite direction.(1:3) (Who's afraid of Assyria?)
3.
Jonah is asked to pray by the ship's captain.
4.
The Lord saved Jonah rather than striking him down.(1:17,2:10) (We have a 2nd
chance God.)
5.
The wicked, pagan, Assyrians in Ninevah repent.(3:5-10) (Even the king repents!-Alma 22)
6.
Jonah became upset when they repented.(4:1-3) (1 Kings 19:4-Elijah)
(Interesting-He changed his mind about 2nd chances. -D&C 64:10) -Could
Jonah be a type for all of Israel and what they should have been doing?
The story of Alma the Younger (Alma
36) is a great scriptural comparison.
A.
The Lord used divine manifestations to force a zealous but misguided child into
evaluating his relationship to God.
B.
Both decided thereafter to serve the Lord
C.
Both had 3 day experience in similitude of the Savior's burial.
Are
there people on the earth who you would not like to have the opportunity to
repent?
See Matt 12:38-41; -16:4-
No sign but the sign of Jonah-3 days Luke 11:29-30.
Could it be that Job
represented the whole Israelite people, who were trying to flee from their
appointed mission? What is there appointed mission? What is ours?
The
Book of Jonah Foreshadows the Life and Mission of Jesus Christ
Jonah
Christ
Called
to Ninevah, a vast Gentile city (1:1) Called to save
all people, has universal love
Went
down to Joppa, down into a ship (1:3, 5) Became flesh
and descended below all things
A great
tempest arose at sea while he slept (1:4) A great
tempest on the Sea of Galilee while he slept
Crew
woke Jonah because they were frightened; they cannot save the ship and
themselves (1:5–11)
Apostles on the ship woke Christ because they were frightened and
could not save themselves; many were frightened at the Crucifixion
Gentile
crewmen resisted throwing Jonah overboard but carried it out; they feared
shedding innocent blood (1:13)
Gentile Pilate attempted to spare Christ from crucifixion; he
resisted shedding innocent blood but carried it out
Offered
himself as a sacrifice and was taken up and thrown overboard (1:12–15)
Offered himself as a sacrifice and was lifted up on the cross
Jehovah
calmed the sea (1:15) Jesus calms the storm
Was
swallowed by the great fish (1:17) Suffered the sins of
all at Gethsemane
Prayed
from the belly of the fish, acknowledged and accepted God’s will (2:1–9)
Prayed in Gethsemane, accepted his Father’s will and cup of agony
Cast out
of God’s sight (2:4) Was forsaken
Descended
into the midst of the seas (2:3) Descended into the
heart of the earth
His soul
fainted; he looked to the temple (2:7) He died; the
veil of the temple was rent
Recognized
that salvation is of the Lord (2:9) Brought salvation
Miraculously
came forth after three days and nights (2:10) Miraculously
came forth after three days and nights
Preached
to Ninevah, a world capital city (3:1–4) Sent disciples
to preach unto all the world
All
Nineveh called upon Jehovah and repented of evil and violence (3:5–9)
Every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is the Savior
Was
angry, thinking that the Gentiles were unworthy to be saved (4:1–3)
The first-hour laborers were angry in Jesus’s parable of the first
and last laborers
Set up a
booth on the east side of the city to watch for the Lord’s coming judgment
(4:5)
The Lord will come in judgment from the east at his Second Coming
God
provided a gourd to shade Jonah (4:6) God is merciful
Was
angry when the gourd withered; fainted in the vehement east wind (4:7–8)
Sign of Second Coming: He shall blow upon them and they wither (Isa.
40:24)
God
asked, “Should I not spare Nineveh?” (4:11) God shows
mercy to all repentant people
An
accompaniment to “The Book of Jonah: Foreshadowings of Jesus as the Christ,” by
David Randall Scott, published in BYU StudiesQuarterly 53,
no. 3 (2014): 161–80.
Hosea- 755-725 BC? - page 1122
in LDS Bible
The 1st of the minor (small in writing not
importance) prophets, & the 28th book in the Old Testament. His book is
addressed to the northern kingdom of Israel in the 8th century BC. - Hosea
served during the time of Amos, who was also in the north & toward the
beginning of the ministry of Isaiah & Micah. His name signifies help or
deliverance & comes from the same root as Joshua and Jesus.
(II Nephi 25:1) he packs metaphors and similes into
allusions which in his day were no doubt extremely telling, though their exact
meaning sometimes escapes the modern reader. Changes in subject-matter are
abrupt & in the absence of introductory phrases, it is by no means
self-evident where one passage ends & another begins. It is hard to
understand & to translate because of the poor quality of the Hebrew text. It may be the most corrupt of all the books
of the Bible.
Using the imagery of marriage, the Lord taught his
people that though they had been unfaithful to him, yet he would still not
divorce them (cast them off) if they would but turn back to Him.
Two
sections: Chapters 1-3-The purported domestic
life of Hosea. Chapters 4-14 - A stream of addresses and reflections, appeals,
upbraidings, sarcasms, recollections of earlier history, denunciations and
promises, which, with little logical connections and almost no pauses or
periods, start impulsively from each other, and for a large part are expressed
in elliptic and ejaculatory phrases. (Sperry p. 278)
Chapter 1
Vs. 1 - Jeroboam II 788-747 BC. Hezekiah 725 BC - It
was a very wicked time
Vs. 2 - See "Unlocking the OT," Ludlow p.
198. And (better) OTSM p. 104. Another approach that avoids some of these difficulties is that
the words present an allegory designed to teach the spiritual consequences of
Israel’s unfaithfulness. Sperry felt that Hosea never did actually contract
such a marriage. He explains: “The Lord’s call to Hosea to take a harlotrous
woman to wife represents the prophet’s call to the ministry—a ministry to an
apostate and covenant-breaking people. The … children of this apparent union
represent the coming of the judgments of the Lord upon Israel, warning of which
was to be carried to the people by the prophet. The figure of the harlotrous
wife and children would, I believe, be readily understood at the time by the
Hebrew people without reflecting on Hosea’s own wife, or, if he was unmarried,
on himself.” (Voice of Israel’s Prophets,
p. 281.)
Vs. 4 - The name Jezreel means " God (el)
plants, sows or scatters abroad" - it is the same name as the valley where
king Jehu destroyed the house of wicked king Ahab. In this verse it is
prophesied that Jehu's house will also be destroyed and that the kingdom of
Israel will be destroyed.
Vs. 6 - lo-ruhamah mean no mercy or no pity, an
unlikely name for a legitimate child
Vs. 7 - See 2 Kings 19:34
Vs. 9 - "not my people" could also
suggest an illicit parentage.
Vs. 10 - In this verse we see a foretelling of
scattering and gathering in the latter days.
Hosea 11:1 is cited in Matthew 2:13 that God
would call His Son out of Egypt as
foretelling the flight
into Egypt and return to Israel of Joseph, Mary,
and the infant Jesus
Christ.
My message
today might be illustrated through the experiences of a young couple whom I
will call John & Gayle. John was a thoughtful, kind young man,
affectionate, with a frank & open manner. He sincerely tried to obey the
Lord’s commandments & found honest contentment in the joys of family life.
Gayle, his wife, was young, attractive, high-spirited, but inclined toward more
worldly interests & activities. The society in which they lived was, in
general, one of affluence & materialism. People seemed preoccupied with
temporal gain, social status, entertainment, & self-gratification.
Religious leaders were concerned about the apparent breakdown in family life &
moral standards. In the early years of
their marriage, John& Gayle were blessed with children, first a boy, then a
girl; but Gayle seemed uninterested in her domestic responsibilities. She
longed for glamour & excitement in her life & was frequently away from
home at parties, not always with her husband. In her vanity, Gayle encouraged &
responded to the attentions of other men until eventually she was unfaithful to
her marriage vows. John encouraged Gayle
to appreciate the joys of family life and experience the rewards of observing
the laws of God. He was patient & kind, but to no avail. Shortly after the
birth of a 3rd child, a son, Gayle deserted her husband & children&
joined her worldly friends in a life of self-indulgence & immorality.
John, was humiliated. Soon the glamour & excitement that had
attracted Gayle turned to ashes. Her so-called friends abandoned her. Then each
step was downward, her life becoming more & more degraded. Eventually she
recognized her mistakes and realized what she had lost, but could see no way
back. John could not possibly love her still. She felt completely unworthy of
his love & undeserving of her home & family.
Then one day, John recognized Gayle. Surely he would have been justified
in turning away, but he didn’t. As he observed the effect of her recent life a
feeling of compassion came over him—a desire to reach out to her. Learning that
Gayle had incurred substantial debts, John repaid them & took her home. Soon John realized, that he still loved
Gayle. Out of his love for her & her willingness to change & begin
anew, there grew in John’s heart a feeling of merciful forgiveness, a desire to
help Gayle overcome her past & to accept her again fully as his wife. Through his personal experience there arose
in John another profound awareness, a realization of the nature of God’s love
for us, his children. Though we disregard his counsel & reject him, when we
recognize our mistakes & desire to repent, he wants us to seek him out &
he will accept us. John had been
prepared, through his personal experiences, for a divine mission. Though I have
taken some literary license in telling the story, it is the account, perhaps
allegorical, of Hosea, prophet of the Old Testament, and his wife, Gomer. Portraying God to ancient Israel as a
loving, forgiving father, Hosea foreshadowed, more than most Old Testament
prophets, the spirit and message of the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, and
modern revelation. (Ronald E. Poelman, CR April, 1982)
