Hosea can be confusing

These past couple of weeks have been pretty eventful and crazy but my learning and understanding of the Old Testament has not stopped. For example this week we started reading about the minor prophets like Hosea, Obidiah, Joel, and Amos. I say minor because they are small books not because they aren't as great as Isaiah or any other prophet. Anyways as I started reading Hosea I got real confused because it said Hosea was commanded by the Lord to marry a prostitute...I thought that's weird. I mean of course the Lord loves every one of His children but it still seemed odd that He commanded a prophet to knowing marry someone who hadn't repented to marry and continue doing the thing she had been doing. After reading in the institute manual I learned that it could be possible that all that Hosea was commanded to do was just a metaphor. A metaphor where Hosea is the Lord and his wife is Israel. I came to understand through this that I don't always understand everything I read in the scriptures and to not always take them at face value (sometimes). Anyways just something to think about during the last couple hours of Easter.

I just want to take a moment to bare my personal testimony that Christ our Savior lives and that just as he resurrected on the 3rd day we too will resurrect and live again with those we love if we follow His example.

"Jeremiah was a bullfrog...and a prophet!"

These past couple of weeks I have been jumping around in the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations (also written by Jeremiah if you didn't know). I am not sure I ever really knew what Lamentations was all about. Of course I know what it means to lament but I didn't know who wrote it, why they were sad, and why it is even in the bible at all. These last couple of weeks I found out that Jeremiah was a great prophet who performed many miracles, prophesied many important things, Jeremiah was also the sad one who wrote Lamentations, and Lamentations was written because Jerusalem had fallen and Jeremiah was sad  about all of his friends who had been killed or taken into bondage. This part of the bible also ties really good into the Book of Mormon. The start of the Book of Mormon starts with Lehi taking his family, eventually getting the brass plates (old testament), and escaping from Jerusalem before it fell and moving to the Americas. If anyone is following along with my blog you know that I am reading my scriptures in Spanish and am finding it a whole lot easier to understand them. I've really come to understand the different situations of each prophet in their own timeline. Here is Jeremiah who tried to tell the people to repent of their sins and turn to God but whom just about all rejected him. He then goes on and writes a whole book about how sad he is because the people didn't listen to him and how hopeless he felt for the state of Zion at the time. He lived in the most crucial scariest times in just about all of Jewish history up until then. He had the difficult charge to warn the people about it and get rejected.

El Libro de Isaias 2.0

That's right! I'm still in Isaiah or as I read it every morning "El Libro de Isaias." First I just want to follow up on the point I made two weeks ago if somehow I have attracted any regulars at all to this page by some milagro (miracle) you know that in a post two weeks ago I stated that I started reading the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament which with the book of Revelations in the New Testament are very commonly known as some of the most confusing books in the bible (at least to the less learned people like myself). I also stated that I had been understanding Isaiah a bit more reading it in Spanish (because I served a mission in Mexico) and it really isn't as complicated as I thought. Of course I am only scraping the surface right now with what I am learning but Isaiah basically spends the whole time writing about the fall of Israel, the future return of the 12 tribes and redemption of Israel.

This week was especially important because it talked about how the people of Israel or really anyone and everyone who is part of the 12 tribes of Israel can repent and become a righteous people. I didn't really know Isaiah ever talked like this but near the end he gets very specific and goes over important doctrine such as the fast, repentance, and how the Atonement works. It is no wonder Christ, Nephi, and other great prophets from the scriptures and including modern-day prophets quote Isaiah, it's because even if we weren't born in Nephi's time we can still apply some part of Isaiah's teachings to our lives. I hope that we all will take the bible into our hands in order to study Isaiah's teachings and learn from him because as Nephi said "Great are the words of Isaiah".

El Libro de Isaias

This week in my institute class we started studying the Book of Isaiah. Now the Book of Isaiah is widely known along with the Book of Revelations as hard books to understand. Isaiah however is regarded by many as one of the greatest prophets. Christ himself quoted Isaiah numerous times during his earthly ministry, in the Book of Mormon the first author Nephi tells us that "And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him." (2 Nephi 11:2). So why is it that Christ and Nephi talk so well of Isaiah and it is hard for us to full understand what he is talking about most of the time? I may have some reasons as to why this is so as I have been reading from Isaiah and learning from his writings this week.

One reason could be that both Nephi and Christ were born Jews and brought up in the teachings of Judaism and therefore could possibly understand Isaiah's teachings and wordage better than us. Our Heavenly Father is someone who never changes, as the scriptures say "God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing" (Mormon 9:9). The world, unlike our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, does change, that is why modern prophets like President Thomas S. Monson are needed today to lead and guide us on this earth under the direction of Jesus Christ. Every 6 months we get to hear a prophet's voice speak to us on important warnings and topics we need to hear about today. The scriptures are an excellent guide and they are the word of God but both the scriptures and the word of modern prophets and apostles go hand in hand testifying of Jesus Christ.

Another sure reason that both Christ and Nephi mentioned Isaiah is because he prophesied of the birth, ministry, atonement, and eventual death of Christ. In Isaiah 7:14 he writes "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." and in 53:4-5 he says "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

Isaiah Writes of Christ’s Birth (The Prophet Isaiah Foretells Christ’s Birth)

I believe that as we prayerfully, and slowly read Isaiah we too will be able to come to understand a little more of why Isaiah was such a great prophet. I know I have and I have only covered 4 of the 66 chapters. Reading from his book has inspired me to write about him this week and I hope that anyone reading this will at least think about reading from the book and learn from him.

It's True!

The Bible is the word of God. I believe and know that that is true. I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) and therefore also have read the Book of Mormon - which talks about those who followed Christ's teachings in the Americas, the Pearl of Great Price - which gives Joseph Smith's account of when he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ and also goes over the ancient books of Moses and Abraham, the Doctrine and Covenants- which elaborates on doctrine in the Church and of the covenants or promises God is willing to make with us or has made with us, and I also believe in modern revelation through those who are currently living and who have been called by God to receive that revelation for us which can also be called scripture (Doctrine and Covenants 68:4).

Now that I have that established I can honestly say that in the past it was hard for me to believe that all of the Bible was the word of God, the New Testament is great, if we didn't have it we wouldn't know of Christ's ministry, but I struggled with the Old Testament, especially. When I was young it was confusing to read, and now that I am old it still is and some of it just is just a bit TMI (especially when it talks about the kings and how many concubines/wives they had and what they did...anyways). Right now I am taking a class on the 2nd half of the Old Testament class through BYU-Idaho online and I am beginning to see what the Lord wants me to know through reading the Old Testament and what lessons He wants me to learn.

I will share a couple things I have learned

Nehemiah and Esther teach us that we should be in the right place at the right time and Job teaches us to be patient.

I had heard of Nehemiah, but mostly just because it is a book in the Old Testament, and anyone who has gone to any Church that covers the bible knows about Esther and Job.

The way Nehemiah teaches us to be in the right place at the right time is very similiar to that of Esther's experience.

The scriptures say:

    And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.
And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.” (Nehemiah 2:1-6)
Nehemiah was just in the right place at the right time doing the right things and because of that he was blessed. Here it says that he was praying and he was sad because of the state Judah was in. It was because of the preparation Nehemiah made beforehand that got King Artaxerxes to ask him what was wrong that eventually led to the king, a great Persian king, making it Nehemiah’s charge to rebuild the walls and sepulchers of Judah.

I think this can apply to us quite a bit because there are many times where we need to be prepared in order to be instruments in our Heavenly Father’s hands to do His will.

Esther's situation was a little more dire. The Persian King Xerxes was fed up with his wife and so he looked around his empire and found Esther and because she was so beautiful he married her. After some time of her being Queen the king sent out a decree that all Jews should be killed. Esther was a Jew, her uncle whom she grew up with told her about the decree and so she along with all Jews fasted for 3 days because she was going to ask the king to take back the decree because she was a Jew. It was basically against the law to go to the king unless he had called you. After the 3 day fast she went to the king's throne and she asked him and because of her position and because of the Lord's help the king took back his word.

Job on the other had has taught me patience. He was given trials that made his life unbearable, but even then he had patience with the Lord and knew that if he held true to Him he would be blessed. So that's what he did, even though he lost his family, house, and even had a disease he pulled through and because of that he was blessed so much that he got double of what he had before.

Anyways there is a lot that I still have to learn, but I am glad for the scriptures and the guidance they can give to us if we look for ways to understand them and really apply them to our lives.

Preston

"A Jealous God"

There are many times in the scriptures where God states through his prophets ancient and modern that he is indeed a jealous God.

• Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; (Exodus 20:5)

• For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: (Exodus 34:14)

• God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. (Nahum 1:2)

• So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealousfor Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. (Zechariah 1:14)

• And it shall come to pass that they shall know that I am the Lord their God, and am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of my people. (Mosiah 11:22)

I never really understood the phrase. Isn't God perfect? How can he be jealous? What makes him jealous? And what can I do in order to please Him and find favor with Him. These were all questions I didn't know I had until this last week.  I am taking a religion class on the second half of the Old Testament and while reading about Elijah the prophet in 1 Kings he clarifies why our God is a jealous one he says

• And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword ( 1 Kings 19:10)

To give more insight into the meaning of that and how we can apply it to ourselves I also turned to a modern apostle of the Lord Elder Dallin H Oaks, in his 2013 general conference address he said.

• “For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, … shewing mercy unto … them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5–6). The meaning of jealous is revealing. Its Hebrew origin means “possessing sensitive and deep feelings” (Exodus 20:5, footnote b). Thus we offend God when we “serve” other gods—when we have other first priorities.

God, our Heavenly Father isn't envious of anything we have or suspicious of what we are doing. When He sees that He is not one of our top priorities and that we put our job, homework, video games, or sports before Him does that really show that we love Him? He paid the ultimate sacrifice giving His only begotten son Jesus Christ in order for us to return to live with Him someday and if we allow ourselves to forget that or why He even put us here  on earth in the first place it is no wonder he said that he is a jealous God. I know that I am in no way perfect and have to make a lot of changes to my priorities. It is my hope and prayer that we all can at least ponder in our minds what we can do to change and become better so that we can do what is right, obey the commandments and return to live with our Heavenly Father again.

Preston