Extra Sabbathoughts for Easter

By some oversight, we omitted to sing Easter hymns in our church service this morning. Fortunately the prayers and the sacrament and the talks focused us appropriately. Strange that we do full honor to His birth throughout December but Easter seems to pass often unnoticed. That is probably consistent, however:

"How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is giv'n . . . ."

But really, ought we not to remember as a people as well as in our hearts individually? It just seems to reflect much of what we have lamented in these Sabbathoughts: that we do not yet know Him, and His gospel is the best-kept secret among us.

As the Savior entered Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday, the people---the "children of the kingdom" as Joseph rendered it---cried out in the way and in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David . . . Hosanna in the highest."

We get Hosanna mixed up with Hallelujah. The "children of the kingdom"---appropriately---were crying out, "Hosanna---Save us now!" a fitting plea to the Savior whose act of redemption in a few short days would indeed make available salvation to us all. Save us now!

Hallelujah means Praise to Jehovah. A fitting tribute, but Hosanna is the right word here on this occasion. Recall when we Latter-day Saints render a similar Shout with white handkerchiefs. . . . Save us now! Now we see the purpose and the center of the temple.

The Gospel of John shows that Mary saw two angels, as she stooped down, weeping, to look into the sepulchre, the tomb. They were "in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain."

Might we speculate on the identity of these two angels? It seems entirely correct to think that one was Michael (who is Adam), and the other Gabriel (who is Noah). When we ponder on the role each of these mighty men played in the drama of the story, and when we consider what the Prophet has taught, it fits. . . .

May we ask, Is the Resurrection still taking place, meaning, Are people being resurrected as they are ready, soon after they die?

It seems the Resurrection is on hold for now, that Joseph and the other great prophets of this dispensation are not yet resurrected but that Joseph will be the next to be so. Then the Resurrection will resume in order, on back to the New Testament days. We know from Matthew, and from Paul, and from the Book of Mormon that "many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them" at the time of the Savior's resurrection, He being the firstfruits, of course. The only ones on record who died after Jesus, but who have been resurrected before His Second Coming, are Peter, James, and Moroni.

A good friend in my seminary-teaching days served his mission in the Philippines. While there he once had the privilege of picking up at the airport Elder Gordon B. Hinckley. It was Good Friday, and as they drove through the streets to the mission home they saw dozens of men nailed to crosses in agony, their way of commemorating the Crucifixion. Elder Hinckley wept openly, was very disturbed by the scene. "Oh how they need the restored truth of the gospel!" he lamented.

In the ninth chapter of Hebrews Paul makes it clear that Jesus suffered and died once for the sins and pains of all mankind.

From Genesis to Revelation there is not to be found in the Bible a clear definition of resurrection, of what it means to be resurrected. As a result there is a fog of confusion on the doctrine in the world.

But the Book of Mormon---in the Book of Alma---contains clear and marvelous teachings on the Resurrection and abundant details on the doctrine.

The Resurrection---of the Lord, and of all mankind--- is a central theme of the Book of Mormon, as the Lord told Enoch it would be. In a vision of the Last Days---"the days of wickedness and vengeance"---the Lord showed Enoch that "righteousness will I send down out of heaven [angels, priesthood keys]; and truth will I send forth out of the earth [the Book of Mormon plates], to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men" (Moses 7:62).

The actual, literal, physical resurrection of all mankind, each person who has had a body, as well as all the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms---the whole created earth---is a reality and a central doctrine of the true gospel. The world does not know this. . . . So, "how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth" (2 Nephi 2:8).

This is the message, the comfort, the doctrine, the reality, the power of the Easter Season and its consoling truths.

"He's won the victory over the grave / And He won't leave us behind."

Would you like to discuss these things further? Would you like a glimpse as to how we know these things? If so, let me know---either by the Comments box below, or by e-mail.

God bless you.

Steve