It may come as news to many that there are any "secondary causes" in the gospel.
The whole restoration of the gospel is about superlatives --- about things that matter more than other things, indeed about the things that matter most. There is no democracy of truth. Some prophets (we say it respectfully, along with Elder McConkie) know more and have greater insight than others. No one has transcended in our day the Prophet Joseph Smith for doctrine, knowledge, intelligence, wisdom and insight. The celestial kingdom is higher and greater and more glorious than the terrestrial and the moon gives more light than the stars. The whole message of the Book of Hebrews is that Jesus Christ, and His Melchizedek priesthood power, is higher, greater, nobler, better, more glorious than the Aaronic, or any other power. The Lord Jesus Christ is "the greatest of all" in every sense you can conceive.
These facts are not easy to appreciate and receive in our politically correct culture, which maintains---both consciously and inadvertently---that all opinions are of equal worth. Not so, as we have shown here earlier. But even the Saints, you and I, are not immune from such false ideas and thinking.
Anyway, Alison and I were rewarded in our choices, for the most part. Especially in attending Wayne Brickey's presentations on 3 and 4 Nephi, which chapters we shall soon meet in our Sunday school lessons. I'll now share my notes from Brother Brickey. You'll see the point as you read on:
Heroic action in Greek mythology --- heroes return from odysseys, etc, with knowledge that they use to either bless or control others. Mormon does a masterful editing account of the Savior's visit. . . .
God's wrath is not an emotion, but an action. Savior's arrival to the Nephites comes in stages. . . . Keeping our word, our promises, our covenants is very important to God. . . . For Satan, important to exterminate the records as well as defile the people.
President Lorenzo Snow taught: manifold times increase of your power to counsel, teach, influence others in the spirit world --- they'll listen to you over there! . . . .
Cleansing temple "square" --- twice --- at Passover, Jesus essentially removed some 25,000 people from the area (equivalent to general conference crowd in the Conference Center). He had reasons to remove them. Purging is a necessary beginning to something wonderful. A necessary rebuilding of infrastructure --- physically and spiritually --- took place [PROFOUND!], and prepared them for His arrival (in 3 Nephi 11).
The Candle of the Lord, Elder Packer's great address on hearing the voice of the Lord - - - the sound of a candle burning can be heard --- sizzling --- very soft . . . . Howard W. Hunter's three most important words: "HEAR YE HIM!" to a young woman at a Young Adult convention when she asked him for the three most important words (hoping to hear, "I love you").
Later Jesus said to the Nephites: You've already heard more than you can digest --- go home and ponder it in your families. . . . The principle of companion study in Preach My Gospel [missionary prep manual]. . . . Family study is better than individual study. . . "BEHOLD!" = "Hold with your eyes the real picture --- focus --- SEE!"
Those are my notes from Brother Brickey's first lecture.
Do you see the context for "HEAR YE HIM" over "I love you"?
Two last thoughts: To the questioning Pontius Pilate the Lord Jesus said something important and relevant to our discussion here. John the Beloved's account says:
"Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
"Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this [again, see the footnote, Pilate said it more than once], he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all."
Do you see it? Do you see the point? Do you understand that Every one that is of the truth heareth His voice? That "HEAR YE HIM" is a commandment, an invitation, an obligation, a blessing, and a judgment---all at the same time!
1 And now it came to pass that there were a great multitude agathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the temple which was in the land bBountiful; and they were marveling and wondering one with another, and were showing one to another the cgreat and marvelous change which had taken place.
2 And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the asign had been given concerning his death.
3 And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a avoice
as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for
they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh
voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it
being a bsmall voice it did cpierce
them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of
their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to
the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn. [Think of the soft sizzling sound of the candle . . . .]
5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did aopen
their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof;
and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound
came.
8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they asaw a Man bdescending
out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and
stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were
turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to
another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel
that had appeared unto them.
11 And behold, I am the alight and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter bcup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in ctaking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the dwill of the Father in all things from the beginning.
12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude afell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been bprophesied among them that Christ should cshow himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.
God bless us to see Him, to behold His voice, to seek after it, to HEAR YE HIM!
Steve
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