Between some of the stuff that we have been discussing in my Hebrew class as of late, some of the programming I caught on the BYU channel after returning home for a very early-morning maintenance call this morning, and other thoughts that have been on my mind as of late, I have inclination to address this topic.
As we have discussed the ancient Israelites in our class, we have often found ourselves discussing the circumstances that led to the Israelites entering into the wilderness in the first place. Too oft we begin our examinations of this story with the escape of the Israelites from the Egyptians through the Red Sea and onto dry ground, even though the parts of the story just before this are likely more signification to our salvation today than the story of the Egyptian pursuit through a divided body of water.
I refer of course to the prominence of the plagues of Egypt prior to the Israelite release from bondage. Though this series of events is seemingly random to the unlearned scripture scholar, and irrelevant to the non-Christian world, their significance is akin to the parabled words of the Savior in the New Testament. The resistance of the Egyptian Pharaoh in granting the release of the Israelites was not as entirely tyrannical as some might like to label it, but rather was pertinent to the growth and salvation of the Israelite people. Though this is a notion that is rejected by most Biblical scholars, they fail to note the reasoning behind the plagues in the first place.
It was necessary for the Israelites and Egyptians to be plagued for a time as an entire nation, and then for the Egyptians to be further plagued as the Israelites were spared in order for a proper refocusing to occur. We must note that the Israelites had been in bondage under the Egyptian empire for quite some time prior to their release. Over time, they had inevitably adopted many Egyptian customs and traditions that were not necessarily in harmony with the teachings of God, or even in direct recognition of His power and majesty. Thus, a "fall" of sorts had to be created such that the Israelites could again recognize their true God and learn about whom they should follow and worship during their journey into the wilderness and throughout all mortality. When recognizing this, then one can understand the reasoning behind the plagues sent by God to the entire people. It wasn't to wear down the Pharaoh, nor was it to inflict a form of vengeance upon the Egyptians, but rather to get the Israelites to fear God, and to debunk the mythical perceived abilities and powers of the Egyptian pantheon of Gods. In each plague, the Egyptians were shown the error of their religious or rather social beliefs, and the Israelites were reminded that only the God of the Old Testament - Jehovah - could triumph over any superstition or power of men.
Fast forward now approximately 1300 years just past the meridian of time to the life of an individual who would stem from the Israelites, become the greatest prophet in all dispensations of time, and would provide an Atonement that would allow for the return to the presence of heavenly parents - to Jesus Christ. Though innocent he approached John the Baptist seeking the saving ordinance that had already been performed on so many others before him. Failing to understand his divinity, nor his mission in mortality, the man questioned the necessity of performing such an ordinance on someone so pure. With a response so simple, but holding such magnitude as to become somewhat of a mission statement that would encompass all that He would accomplish during his sojourn in mortality, Jesus responded to John the Baptists question saying "for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." (Matt 3:15)
In more modern terms we might say that Jesus' response was that he needed to be baptized in order to fulfill the ends of the Law. The Law that is referred to is the Mosaic law that was prescribed by the premortal Jehovah to Moses merely 1300 years earlier. Christ obviously realized his own divinity and understood that he was fulfilling that Law which He, Himself gave to His mouthpiece year before, according to the will of the Father, but few others had that recognition, and even more still lack that recognition in our present day.
Though the law had been clearly stated, and was given as a result of prior apostasy by the Israelites because of their fear in ascending to the feet of Jehovah at Mount Sinai, the great temper, even Lucifer the fallen son of the morning had planted into the hearts of men the "philosophies of men mingled with scripture." What was once a pure and unblemished law intent on reminding the forbearers of Christ of the atoning sacrifice that he would one day accomplish that would fulfill the ends of that Law given them, had become a law that had been corrupted with a level of strictness and ritualism. No longer existed that original reminder that their actions were in similitude of a greater event, but instead the constant reminder of insignificant tasks that would drive them further from salvation than it would bring them closer, and concurrently bring with it a level of contention that would affect generations to the present time.
While Christ understood his purpose in life and sought to fulfill the Law given, more specifically to do the will of His father who had sent him to mortality to provide a means for the salvation of His children, his opponents during that sojourn in mortality were many. Even in this the dispensation of the fullness of times, ushered in by the Prophet Joseph, the variance in the teachings of Christ by many religions based on their interpretations of the new law given at the meridian of time is nearly as destructive and contentious as those prescribed by those during the time of Christ. Devoting his entire life to the servitude of others and the teaching of His father's will, Jesus sought to re-clarify the ends of the laws that He himself revealed and bring purity and godly order to the gospel once again.
One of the most effective tools that Christ was able to use in accomplish this end was to show the power of God, the true giver of all commandments through the use of miracles. In examining the miracles manifest by the Savior, one can realize that many of these were similar in purpose to the plagues cast upon the Egyptians and Israelites. Though these were often seen as marvelous works by others and miraculous life-changing events to the recipients personally affected, they were also seen as outward violations of the rabbinical laws that were enforced by the Pharisees and Sadducees of the day. While many received strength to walk, sight to see, and ability to hear, the religious lawgivers of the day chose only to focus on the fact that Christ had violated their prescription of law and had done such things as kneaded material on the Sabbath, instructed the healed to walk with their beds on the Sabbath, bathe on the Sabbath, and a plethora of other things.
Rather than recognizing that Christ had been following the law correctly and had only violated a set of unrighteous standards that were wholly inadequate to teach the gospel, much less protect the sacred nature of the law in the first place, these lawgivers constantly attacked the Christ, questioning his authority, his purpose, his knowledge and his obedience. Ultimately an illegal tribunal that likely violated many of their own standards was held that would condemn Christ to death and continue to fuel a spirit of contention and animosity between the peoples dwelling in Jerusalem. Such confusion and hatred would lead to the destruction of the Church that Christ had established, the rejection of the Apostolic word that His disciples carried, and ultimately would deny immediate salvation and peace to many then and to countless numbers now.
Though we don't have the privilege of Christ walking amongst us today, nor do we find ourselves subjected to the bondage of a more powerful nation, we do have a living Prophet of God and we find ourselves subjected to the bondage of a spiritual nation of tempters and those that will openly decry the words of God and His appointed leaders. Even amongst ourselves in large concentrations of Zion, we find many amongst us that have sought to become Pharisaic in nature and focus on many of the outward elements of the laws given rather than the intent of those laws.
Chiefly amongst those opponents and misdirected individuals are those that bring the family unit under attack and seek to socialize and make mortal interpretation and practice of the eternal laws of marriage and home building. I do not reference to those that openly oppose the Church's support of the original commandment given to Adam and Eve in the garden and affirm the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman, but rather I refer more to those that would attack this institution
internally.What do I mean by this? As of now I am a student at the Church's 2nd largest school - Brigham Young University - Idaho. On this campus we are surrounded by a spirit of intended progression and establishment of core gospel principles and values, including those related to the establishment of eternal families. Conversely, this spirit of progression and salvation is nullified by increasingly many who choose to focus on the outward qualities, situations, conditions, and possessions that the world suggests is necessary for "happiness."
Society has taught us, especially through modern media, that in order to build a successful marriage that we must contain a certain subset of qualities that are portrayed in their perceptions. Never mind the fact that it is all but impossible for an individual to contain an exact set of qualities and traits that fit that mold, many have chosen to try to seek for that claim instead of focusing on the elements of individuals that will lead them to Christ. We often find ourselves shaking our heads at the increase in the rise of divorces throughout the world, and the lack of commitment by individuals in seeking to build up marital unions and make them successful, yet oft times we have ourselves to blame for perpetuating those circumstances in the first place.
In a world where computer technology has become the normative form of communication and the means to do more with less, it has also led to a change in the paradigm of communication as it relates to building relationships. The terms "friendship" and "know" are tossed about casually to reference to anyone that someone has been introduced to and may communicate with a couple of times through electronic means. Along with that is introduced the world's term of "chemistry" which is to mean the cohesion of a relationship or the perceived success and concurrent interest of that relationship - all of which is seemingly derived in a few minutes with little regard to legwork and research that it often takes in order to allow those relationships to successfully progress.
Instead of focusing on one's ability to progress, knowledge and wisdom, Priesthood observance, charitable nature, goals in life, and views of family values and objectives - even Church members have become caught up in focusing on material goods, monetary potential and background, physical perfection, eloquence of speech, carnal desires (such as touching, kissing, physical contact, etc.), and a plethora of other qualities that the world has taught is essential for success in marital relationships. Where we have become a society with fast-paced technology that delivers us information quicker than the comprehension of the human mind at times, we have also become a society that has mirrored that fast-paced nature in our determining the potential aptitude of relationships and their subsequent success in the future.
Young women in the Church seeking a potential suitor judge their potential based on the data found on social networking sites, their calling in the Church, their limited interactions in group settings or at Church, or potential economic reward vs the risk they take with one individual over another. After merely a few minutes a young man is judged to be fit for eternity or unsuitable for progression and tossed to the side with the rest of all other potential suitors despite having obtained little more than a name and a momentary introduction to that individual.
Young men in the Church are not without fault either. Also relying on the prevalence of access to social networking information, many young men rely on the quality of photos shown to them, the ability of a young woman to talk sweetly to them, or their perception of their ability to quickly build a relationship of some kind - most often physical without seeking first to establish those solid friendships that will allow these relationships to stand the test of time. They often find that by smooth-talking themselves and extravagantly spending to impress another end up producing moments of temporary happiness and success, and if lucky will generate a long-term relationship that the individual can enjoy.
Though clear communication and study of individuals - much like diligent prayer and scripture study work in the gospel - will produce far greater and more successful results to the desiring individual, many in this day and age choose simply to make potential life-altering decisions and rid themselves of countless opportunities with others, with careers and education, and with joy and happiness in this life and the next - all in pursuit of temporary pleasure or the worldly prescribed model that few can hope to ever become.
Later on in our lives we find that communication often affects relationships beyond our own families. Instead we choose to get offended with others based on a mistake that they made that was not intended for offense; choose to allow our emotions be governed by the natural man that is influenced by the adversary, and turn our backs on potential successes in family, social, and economical relationships that could benefit us should we choose to be more open, humble, and less prideful.
Is there a problem with seeking for physical compatibility? No, but we also have to recognize that we cannot seek for perfection in a companion without being perfect ourselves. Is there a problem with wanting certain qualities in an individual? No, but do we consider which ones we are seeking for? Are those qualities going to bring us happiness and joy in life because we will have someone with whom we can relate to, or are these qualities going to bring us only mortal happiness and leave us desolate in the life to come? Why is it that we focus so much on first impressions and the outward perceptions of individuals when that is likely the last thing that will bring us happiness for eternity?
In a society that has taught us that it is okay to discard marriages as quickly as we do leftover food, we have equally become as casual with our communication and our ability to truly seek for those things that will bring us happiness. Laid aside are those individuals that either choose not to play dramatic games or simply don't feel like wearing all of themselves on their sleeves or leaving themselves exposed. Instead brought to the forefront of society are fears of communicating because of lack of respect or because of the perpetuation of all to downplay the sacredness of some communications between individuals. In many instances where Christ healed a person, that person was charged to tell no one of the miracle that had previously occurred? It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the miracle or that is was bad in any way, but that it was sacred and the pearls of the power of God manifested to others need not be cast before the swine that the adversary and his followers had figuratively created.
It is my prayer that we choose to reevaluate our lives, our relationships, and our perceptions of things. May we be so inclined to focus on those things that will bring us the happiness of eternity and the joy of others and of God rather than focus on those outward things that we feel are important now but will bring us no progression in the life to come. May we consider that we are each children of a loving Heavenly Father who has bestowed upon each of us weaknesses and strengths that are not readily apparent, and sometimes need assistance and research in order to bring to the surface of relationships that we may have in home, family, school, work, Church or otherwise. If we are truly to become like God is and go where He is, then we must do as mentioned in 1st Samuel 16 and look not upon the outward appearances of others and of events in our lives, but look upon the hearts of individuals and the true intent and purpose of the situations that we are placed in.
