Keeping Up Appearances

Nephi's brothers and their families had a difficult time perceiving the true condition of the Jews from whom they fled.  They insisted in their own hearts, even long after they had left, that the Jews were a righteous people.   

"And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people; and our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his words..." (1 Ne. 17:22).

What made it difficult for Laman and Lemuel to see clearly was the simple fact that the Jews were a religious people.  Many of them kept the statutes and judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of Moses.  Would not this appear to be a righteous people?  Laman and Lemuel were blinded by appearances.  Their erroneous perception of reality caused them to twice 'bear testimony' of something that was false - "we know" the Jews are righteous.  What they "knew" blinded them, because it was false.    

When Joseph Smith learned in 1820 about the prevailing religious culture of his day, the Lord explained that mens' hearts were far from Him.    

"I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were and abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: 'they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof'" (JSH 1:19).

Is it possible that the Jews, though keeping up outward appearances, had allowed their hearts to drift from God?  Is it possible that men in Joseph Smith's day, who had a form of godliness, possessed hearts not set on finding their Lord?  Is it easy for men to recognize when the commandments of men are taught as doctrine?  Do men wittingly deny the power of godliness?  

I continue to be astonished that latter-day Saints don't ever wonder whether we have fallen to such a condition.  We are not allowed to wonder such a thing.  We are full of fear, and know it not.  We claim God's priesthood, but we undertake to cover our sins.  We think we are chosen, but our hearts are set so much upon the things of this world.  We claim revelation, but reveal nothing.  The heavens have withdrawn themselves, and the Spirit of the Lord is grieved.  We should be ashamed, but are proud.  We should humble ourselves, but we cannot hear the voice of God because we are busy marching to the beat of Babylon.  Yet there are a few who are humble, who have not gone astray (2 Ne. 28:14).     

In teaching both the multitude and his disciples, Jesus said:

"The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

"All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.  

"For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

"But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

"And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

"And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

"But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren" (Matt. 23:2-8).

The problem of which Christ spake is a condition of the heart.  The scribes' and the Pharisees' works were performed so as to be seen of men.  They loved the chief seats, and royal treatment.  They could not help but love their greetings in the markets, and to be called Rabbi.  They loved too much the glory of being the teacher, and not being taught by the Lord; of being the leader, not a follower of Righteousness.  They appeared to do the works of righteousness, but their hearts were not set upon Christ.  They were full of priestcraft (2 Ne. 26:29).  Because they exalted themselves they shall be abased (Matt. 23:12).

Christ's words struck at the heart of the whole matter (Matt. 23:13-39).  The leaders were blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel; who "make yourselves appear unto men that ye would not commit the least sin, and yet ye yourselves, transgress the whole law" (JST Matt. 23:21).  These guides made the outside of the cup appear clean, but within were full of excess and extortion.  

How is it that a man may keep up all outward appearances and yet be deemed "full of hypocrisy and iniquity" by Christ (Matt. 23:28)?      

King Noah and His Kingdom, Part 4

King Noah and His Kingdom, Part 4

“For he put down all the priests that had been consecrated by his father, and consecrated new ones in their stead, such as were lifted up in the pride of their hearts.

“Yea, and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king Noah had put upon his people; thus did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquity.

“Yea, and they also became idolatrous, because they were deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and priests; for they did speak flattering things unto them” (Mosiah 11:5-7).

Noah called and ordained priests to replace those priests who had been ordained by his righteous father, Zeniff.  You see, Noah had priesthood; at least he thought he did.  We would say he “held priesthood.”  These new priests were lifted up in pride, were lazy, practiced idolatry, and indulged in the same whoredoms as Noah.  They were men after his heart.  Alma, about whom we read later in the story, was among them.

The leaders of the people quickly became victims of inappropriate adoration (though they themselves victimized the people), and whether or not it was something they sought after, it appears that they became quite comfortable in their positions of high status and even fed on the envious and adoring lay mass.  This happens swiftly when the king decides to let incessant, man-worship go unchecked.  Only a meek man can combat the temptation of the praise of men, especially those who fancy the idea of claiming a following.  The leader then takes delight in that attention, and indulges in priestcraft (2 Ne. 26:29). 

King Noah set himself up as a light to the people, instead of pointing to Christ who is the only true light.    He and his priests had their own distinct seats that were “above all the other seats.”  They built a comfortable breastwork from which they could speak lying and vain words to their people (Mosiah 11:11). 

What kind of a message is chocked full of lies and vanity that a body of religious people is willing to accept?   There is only one – the people love to hear that they are good, and that all is well.  “Yea, Zion prospereth.  All is well.”

Something that we ought to ask ourselves and wonder about is this: Was Noah “worthy” to consecrate new priests?  At what point does somebody’s character or behavior disqualify them from ordaining others to the priesthood?  We’ve already established that Noah was unable to please heaven.  He had already forfeited the “rights of the priesthood” (D&C 121:36).  But does a man from whom “the heavens withdraw” and who has “grieved the Spirit of the Lord” have authority to pass priesthood to others?  If yes, then what about the children of those “others?”  Can it be passed, as would a family heirloom, from one generation to the next by men who take no delight in “persuasion,” “longsuffering,” or “gentleness and meekness?”  Who have not charity and whose thoughts are filled with many things beside that which is virtuous (ibid, v. 41)?  At what point does this break down?   

Sadly, this class of priests was supported in their persistent idolatry, laziness, and whoredoms by the money of the people of the kingdom.  And thus, the lay population supported these leaders in their iniquity, so much that they too became idolatrous.  This has been Satan’s plan from the beginning – he buys things with money.  His disciples believe they can have anything in this world for it.  They really believe it! 

The root cause of this shift is pride, but also trusting in the arm of flesh.  The gradual descent downhill was so insidious that nobody from top to bottom was able to clearly perceive their own wretched state. 

Noah’s subjects are a great reminder to us of how quickly we tend to forget the messages of the prophets.  Because they forgot, they thrived on vain and flattering words that were given to them by their new leaders.  Though the scriptures taught that flattery was of the devil, they nevertheless loved to be praised in their present course, and trod down the path of iniquity, and idolatry.

“It is the mark of a false message that it relies on flattery. (See Alma 46:5; 61:4; Jacob 7:4; Mosiah 27:8; 2 Ne. 28:22)

“It is the mark of a true message that it calls for repentance. (D&C 6:9; 11:9; Mosiah 18:20; 25:22)

“Christ's message is always to "repent" and then to "come to Him." (Moroni 7:34)

“If you only need to listen to the voices of praise, and adulation which speak to you that "all is well in Zion" then you can never recognize an authentic call from the Lord to repent. Instead, like Laman and Lemuel, you will erroneously think any message that condemns your misbehavior is "sharp" or "angry" (2 Nephi 1: 26).  Yet Nephi's only intention was to seek "the eternal welfare" of Laman and Lemuel. (2 Nephi 1: 25)

“When we will only listen to vanity and praise, we are not much different than those who only wanted "smooth things" anciently. (Isa. 30: 10)

“The cure for some illness requires a knife to be used first before healing can begin. The purpose is not to injure, but only to heal” (Denver Snuffer).

The people became idolatrous.  They were placing their trust in the arm of flesh, and therefore put men between them and God.  This is a status wholly unacceptable to the Lord.  Those who trust in men are damned (D&C 76:98-101). 

Next we will look at the message that God had for Noah and his kingdom.  God sent them a message of repentance by the mouth of Abinadi, his messenger.  Hearing Abinadi’s word was the same as hearing God’s own word, for “it is the same” (D&C1:38).  He was a servant who came in the name of the Lord to declare repentance.  He preached to Noah and his people during the time of Pentecost.

King Noah and His Kingdom, Part 3

King Noah and His Kingdom, Part 3

“And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part of all their grain.

“And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom” (Mosiah 11:3-4).

Noah laid a heavy tax on his people of all they possessed, and did not use those moneys collected for a righteous purpose, but to support his own endeavors (vv. 3-4).  With that money he built many “elegant and spacious buildings,” made of the very finest materials and crafted with the finest workmanship to beautify his kingdom, including the temple and the land “near” it (vv. 8-10, 12).  King Noah loved money and things more than he loved God and people.  

It was for this very reason that the early saints were unable to secure Zion.  Lorenzo Snow said Latter-day Saints' early failure to secure Zion was "because of their love of money," and that "the Lord could have sustained the people against the encroachments of their enemies had they placed themselves in a condition where He would have been justified in doing so" (The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p. 159).  You cannot serve God and Mammon (Matt. 6:24).  We are blind if we believe that we would do any better than the early saints at such a heavenly endeavor.  The early saints at least made the attempt.  We don't know where to begin in our competitive society.    

Noah had not abandoned the temple as we might suppose of someone who is “abominable in the sight of the Lord” and full of “all manner of wickedness,” but he and his priests considered themselves worthy to continue worship within it.  He even did occasional renovations of fine work “within the walls of the temple” to beautify it (v. 10).  Mormon points out that the people supported the king and his priests in their iniquity (v.6).  Not because they sought iniquity, but because of their trust in the arm of flesh.   They acted as enablers in a vain cause. 

They only wanted to hear “smooth things” preached unto them.  This was “a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits…Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant” (Isa. 30:9-13). 

Noah and his kingdom sought not “the welfare of Zion,” but rather to further the cause of Babylon, that they “may get gain and praise of the world” (2 Ne. 26:29).  Their practice of priestcraft was to them priesthood and authority.  But it was to the Lord nothing more than men who sought to gratify their pride, and who exercised “control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men” (D&C 121:37).           

Through his example, teachings, and policy, Noah changed the affairs of the kingdom.  It’s actually much easier to do than we might suppose, and even one man can do it.   Because he cared more about himself, and his “vain ambition,” Noah was unable to do any good thing with his kingdom because the heavens had withdrawn themselves (Ibid.).  He was therefore left to kick against the pricks, and to “fight against God” (v. 38).