who
showed the slightest mercy to it in others. There is no fault that makes a man
more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And
the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others. The vice I am
talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in
Christian morals, is called Humility. You may remember, when I was talking
about sexual morality, I warned you that the centre of Christian morals did not
lie there. Well, now, we have come to the centre. According to Christian
teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed,
drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through
Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is
the complete anti-God state of mind. Does this seem to you exaggerated? If so, think it over. I pointed
out a moment ago that the more pride one had, the more one disliked pride in
others. In fact, if you want to find out how proud you are the easiest way is
to ask yourself, “How much do I dislike it when other people snub me, or refuse
to take any notice of me, or shove their oar in, or patronize me, or show off?”
The point is that each person’s pride is in competition with everyone else’s
pride. (The Great Sin, C. S.
Lewis, from Mere Christianity)
Books of the Week: House of Glory, S. Michael Wilcox and Feed My Sheep, Alexander B. Morrison
EZEKIEL
- 601-574 - God Is Strong or God
Strengthens
"With the exception of the Savior, with his miracles, no prophet
used more dramatic or unusual teaching devices than Ezekiel. A prophet of the
Babylonian captivity, he by revelation kept his people informed as to the
status and destiny of those still in Jerusalem." (McConkie, Gospel
Symbolism p. 165-8) 26th book of the Old Testament -
Ezekiel was a priest - His plans for religious organization to develop an
independent ecclesiastical power within the state contributed greatly to the
recovery and growth of Judaism after the exile; for this he has been called the
"Father of Judaism." He belonged to the aristocracy of Jerusalem -
Raised in Judah. Taken with Jehoiachin
and 10,000 others to Babylon in 597 BC or 601 BC Book of Mormon time where he
served as a prophet priest in a kind of house arrest situation. When 30 years
old he received his first vision? (1:1) A contemporary of Jeremiah (in Judah)
and Daniel (in the Babylonian court) - For a time, the authority of the Book of
Ezekiel was questioned by Jewish teachers. One objection they had was that the
visions in Ch. 1 and Ch. 40-48 were too obscure. For a time Jews under 30 yrs.
of age were forbidden to read these obscure passages.
One
V. 1- 30th year may have reference to Ezekiel's
age? Brother Sperry says that he thinks
that this was in all probability a concentration camp, with the deported Jews
furnishing the forced labor in the Babylonian irrigation system.
Vs. 2 - 4-5 yrs. After Lehi left Jerusalem
and nearly 6 years before the fall of the city of Jerusalem.
"It is very difficult, if not impossible, for a
mortal to convey in writing the message and spirit of a vision or other
revelation from God so that the reader will have a complete understanding of
what took place and what was communicated. Such was the challenge of Ezekiel in
describing his transcendent visions of heaven. Others, too, have faced the same
challenge (see 2 Corinthians 12:4; 3 Nephi 28:12–14; D&C 76:114–17). Joseph Smith
said that “could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than
you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject” (History of the
Church, 6:50). One must experience revelation to understand it fully. Those, including Ezekiel, who have
had visitations or visions from the eternal worlds have often used symbolism,
metaphor, simile, comparisons, and other kinds of figurative language to try to
convey the experience they had and the message they received (see D&C 110:2–3; JS—H 1:32; Daniel 10:5–9; Revelation 1:12–18; 12:1–6). Therefore, everything Ezekiel
said need not be taken literally, for he used many figurative expressions to
try to tell that which was far beyond mortal experience. Many times, for
example, he used words like as, likeness, and appearance (see Ezekiel 1:4–5, 7, 10, 13–14, 16, 24, 26–28).
Vs. 4 The
words wind, tempest, or storm would better fit the meaning intended in Ezekiel 1:4. A wind that revolves on its own
axis with great rapidity is not what is meant by the Hebrew word translated
“whirlwind”; rather, the idea of a furious or powerful wind is what was
intended (see Merrill F. Unger, Unger’s Bible
Dictionary, s.v. “whirlwind”). The metaphor signifies the power of God.
Cloud, Fire, Brightness, Color of Amber, Lamps,
Lightning - These figures are used throughout the scriptures in
association with the glory, power, and majesty of God’s presence or that of His
messengers. (See “cloud” and “fire” in Exodus 13:21–22; 16:10; 19:9–16; 24:16; Leviticus 16:2; Matthew 17:5; D&C 34:7. See “fire,” “brightness,” “color
of amber,” “lamps,” and “lightning” in Exodus 3:2; Hebrews 12:29; 1 Nephi 1:6; D&C 29:12; 110:2–3; 133:41; Habakkuk 3:3–4; Acts 26:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; JS—H 1:16–17, 30–32; Daniel 10:6.)
Vs.
5-6 Four Creatures with Four Faces - In his vision, Ezekiel saw four
creatures, each of which had four faces. “They four had the face of a man, … a
lion, … an ox … [and] the face of an eagle” (Ezekiel 1:10). The Apostle John had a similar
vision. In his vision, the creatures were described as being “like a lion, …
like a calf, … [having] a face as a man, and … like a flying eagle” (Revelation 4:7). The Prophet Joseph explained
that the four beasts in John’s vision were representative of classes of beings
(see D&C 77:3). The faces of the creatures in
Ezekiel’s vision seem to represent the same thing. The following
interpretation, from an ancient Jewish commentary, is in harmony with that
view: “Man is exalted among creatures; the eagle is exalted among birds; the ox
is exalted among domestic animals; the lion is exalted among wild beasts; and
all of them have received dominion, and greatness has been given them, yet they
are stationed below the chariot of the Holy One” (Midrash Shemoth Rabbah 23; in
D. Guthrie and J. A. Motyer, eds., The New Bible Commentary: Revised,
p. 667).
Vs.
8 - The Lord taught Joseph Smith that the wings of the beasts John saw in his
revelation (see Revelation 4:8) “are a representation of power,
to move, to act, etc.” (D&C 77:4). That interpretation also seems
to apply to the creatures in Ezekiel’s vision.
Vs.
9 Their Wings Were Joined Together- The creatures of Ezekiel’s vision
were in complete harmony and unity. They moved as one, symbolizing the total
unity that exists among all living things who submit to God’s will.
Vs.
15-21. Because Joseph Smith received from the Lord some keys
for interpreting the meaning of the beasts in John’s vision (see D&C 77:2–4), the parallels between John’s
vision and Ezekiel’s give some clues to the meaning of the beasts Ezekiel saw.
There is, however, no parallel in John’s vision to the wheels seen by Ezekiel.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I make this broad declaration, that whenever
God gives a vision of an image, or beast, or figure of any kind, He always
holds Himself responsible to give a revelation or interpretation of the meaning
thereof, otherwise we are not responsible or accountable for our belief in it.
Don’t be afraid of being damned for not knowing the meaning of a vision or
figure, if God has not given a revelation or interpretation of the subject.”
(TPJS p. 291.)" OTSM p. 266-7
After Ch.
1 - Ezekiel is much easier to understand
Two
What Ezekiel is being asked to do vs. 1-3,
5 and 8-10
Three
Vs. 1-4 and 17-21 - See Jacob 1:19
Four
Ezekiel does a pre-enactment of the
destruction of Jerusalem
Five
Vs. 1-5 - A close shave for Ezekiel.
Vs. 10- As low as you go.
Ten
The Spirit of the Lord leaves the
Jerusalem temple- See Ezek. 40 for the good news.
Eleven
Vs. 19-20- Our day
Twelve
Vs. 1-6 - Ezekiel is used by the lord
as a sign of the scattering of the Jews.
Thirteen
Vs. 3 - Prophets who follow their own
whims, but have seen nothing.
Seventeen
Verses 21-23 - Orson Pratt said that
these verses refer to the Mulekites. Note footnote on vs. 22.
Eighteen
Read this whole chapter on
accountability, repentance and Article of Faith #2.
Twenty
Vs. 12,19,20 - good on why we have the Sabbath
Vs. 49 - Ezekiel was also hard to
understand by people of his own time.
Twenty-five to Thirty-two - Prophetic pronouncements on neighboring
countries.
Twenty-seven
Probably the most detailed treatise on
an ancient world economy that we have in the Bible.
Chapters 33-48 - deal with phases of the great restoration of Israel in the latter
days.
Thirty-three
Vs. 15-16 - great repentance verses
Thirty-four
Vs.2-3 - Elder Morrison's book - "Feed
My Sheep" p. 75 yellow fever needed!
Thirty-seven
Vs. 1-14- Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry
bones.
16-17 - the only two verses in Ezekiel
that most LDS have read- stick = a wooden tablet or sticks the scrolls were
wrapped around.
Several years into
the project we asked for a report. How were they progressing with the tedious,
laborious listing of topics in alphabetical order? They responded, “We have
been through Heaven and Hell,
past Love and Lust,
and now we’re working toward Repentance.” The
stick or record of Judah—the Old Testament and the New Testament—and the stick
or record of Ephraim—the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus
Christ—are now woven together in such a way that as you pore over one you are
drawn to the other; as you learn from one you are enlightened by the other.
They are indeed one in our hands. Ezekiel’s prophecy now stands fulfilled. (BKP Ensign Nov.
1982)
Thirty-eight and
Thirty-nine
We can summarize the confusion in naming the future
battles in the following way. 1. The battle of Armageddon is before the
millennial reign of Christ begins, and the battle of Gog and Magog is after the
millennial reign; and 2) What Ezekiel here describes is actually the
pre-millennial battle of Armageddon, though he (and he only) labels it the
battle of Gog and Magog. Keeping tht one difference in mind resolves any
confusion about which is which. (Ogden p. 391)
Forty to forty-eight - describe the Lord's temple in the last days and
the millennial reign of Christ, as well as the land distribution of the tribes
of Israel. See House of Glory Chapter
six by S. Michael Wilcox.
Obadiah- Servant of Jehovah - We know almost nothing
about this prophet. There are 12 men in the OT called by this name. This one
appears to have been a contemporary of Jeremiah. Compare this book with
Jeremiah 49:9-10, 14, 15, 16. This story deals with the conflict between Jacob
and Esau. Esau=Edom=Idumea=Babylon=Worldliness.)
Vs.
3-9 - The ruins of Petra, were a whole city was carved out of rock cliffs. It
could be entered only through a narrow gorge. The Edomites could protect
themselves from invading enemies with great success. Many scholars think it was
the capital of Idumea.
Vs.
10-15 - Reasons for Edom’s fall: violence shown against their brother Jacob,
and their rejoicing at the destruction of the children of Judah in “the day of
distress” (v. 12).
J. R. Dummelow believed that Edom’s destruction was partly due to their
assisting Nebuchadnezzar during his siege and capture of Jerusalem. Vs. 16–21- These verses have a temporal and a spiritual meaning. If Esau
(Edom) represents the worldly wicked, these verses may refer to that day when
Israel will be completely restored and evil eliminated. Mount Zion, a symbol
for deliverance and holiness (v. 17), will be the inheritance of the
“house of Jacob,” whereas the “house of Esau” will be stubble, fit only to be
burned. The “house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame …
and they shall kindle in them [Esau], and devour them; and there shall not be
any remaining of the house of Esau” (v. 18). Eventually, “saviors shall
come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the
Lord’s” (v. 21). (OTSM p. 259)
