WEEK 49 [NAHUM; HABAKKUK; ZEPHANIAH]

“His Ways Are Everlasting”

November 28 – December 4

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST DISCLAIMER: This podcast represents my own thoughts and opinions. It is not made, approved or endorsed by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Any content or creative interpretations, implied or included are solely those of Maria Eckersley ("MeckMom LLC"), and not those of Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Great care has been made to ensure this podcast is in harmony with the overall mission of the Church. Click here to visit the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

1

Maria: And welcome back everybody.

2

This is week 49 of Creative.

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Come Follow me for the Old

Testament, and we have three

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new profits for you to study.

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This is a week of Nahham

and have Cook and Zephaniah.

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And if you've ever had a friend recommend

a new restaurant or maybe a new store

7

that you've never been into before,

and then you were just delighted with

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what you have found when you went in,

that's how I felt about these books.

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It's not that I'd never read them

before, I just had never gone through

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them in a lot of detail before, and

I was surprised at how much I liked

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them for very different reasons.

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They have different teaching styles,

they're addressing different audiences.

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They're in different time periods.

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But between the three profits, I

felt like there was this resounding

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message of appreciate the space.

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I'll try and go into this a little

more with each one, but one of my

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favorite teachings that the Book of

Mormon offers that we don't quite get

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in the Bible is this understanding of

after the fall there was this space

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granted on demand, this mortal space

to perfect themselves, to repent.

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There's a lot of beautiful verses in

the Book of Mormon that teach about

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how God granted us this space so that

men would have time to come to him.

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And I feel like that was the message

of all three of these prophets.

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It's where are you in that space?

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Each of them is gonna address

people at different points.

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Some, like, for example, when we go

into Naim, he's gonna teach the Nevis

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a hundred years after Jonah, when

things have gone downhill really fast.

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And their space of time where they could

have repented is pretty much at its end.

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And then you're gonna shift gears

and you're gonna go into Hauck.

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Who's gonna wonder?

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Why it is that God grants so much

space to some . He's gonna wrestle

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a little bit to try and understand

why God allows wicked people to do

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wickedness, especially against his people.

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Interestingly, his people aren't

doing a great job on their own, but

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he's basically saying, those guys are

worse and you're letting them beat us.

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And he, he has to wrestle

with that understanding, so he

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wonders about that space as well.

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Then you're gonna get into

Zephaniah and his words are

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more about the day of the Lord.

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It's kind of a message to all of us, both

his time to the north, to the south, to

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all the surrounding areas, and it's a

message for us about how there will be.

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A day of the Lord, there will

be an end where we will need to

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stand and we will need to decide

at that point where we stand.

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And his invitation is a really

clear one, which is choosy this day.

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I mean, those aren't his words, but

that's the message I got from Ze and I.

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It was, now you know all your

choices and you know about this

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space that's granted unto men.

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So choose ye this day who you'll serve.

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And he says it in some of the

most profound ways I've read in

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almost anywhere in scripture.

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So see, I told you, you're gonna love it.

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Okay?

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Grab your scriptures, grab your

notes, you guys, let's get started.

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When I was 19, I think I got

a chance to serve on a jury.

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And it's the only time in my

life when I've been picked and

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actually had to attend court and

got to be part of that process.

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And maybe because I was so young

and fresh at the time, I loved it.

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I thought the whole thing was fascinating.

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I loved it.

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And one of the parts I remember

most distinctly in my mind is when

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the head juror had to deliver our

verdict because we deliberated and

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debated and all came to a consensus

about what the verdict needed to be.

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And the man who was on trial was

guilty according to our understanding.

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And I remember the, the gravity in the

room when the juror had to stand up and

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read our verdict, not just because it was

a hard verdict to say, but also because he

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knew the consequences that would probably

befall the men who was on trial and.

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you could tell he appreciated

the heaviness of that

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moment and the way he spoke.

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I'll just never forget it.

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I didn't even think of that

moment for probably the last

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10 years until I read Naim.

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So when I was reading his message, this

burden, that's what's called in verse

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one, it's the burden of Niva because

when he goes to Niva, it's over a

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hundred years since Jonah's time and.

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This city that once had everyone

converting all at once and they

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were in Ack cloth and ashes.

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They have gone downhill

fast, but they've also grown.

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So where they were just kind

of one of the cities of many

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in the last time we studied it.

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Now Neva has become this great capital

of asi, which is this huge empire

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ended his swollen in its problems.

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It's it's become that wicked blood

thirsty torturous group of people

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that we read about in the past.

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And their space to repent has

run out and that's basically Nams

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message that their time has run

out and that the Lord is furious.

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In fact, it was fascinating to me.

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If you look at two and three,

it talks about the anger of God.

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That is, his anger is furious.

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That's the word that's chosen, that he'll

take vengeance on his adversaries and then

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in three Na, whom reminds them that the

Lord is slow to anger and great in power

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and will not at all acquit the wicked.

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The contrast I thought was really

interesting that he, I think

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this is the nature of God, to

have this level of temperance, to

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understand mercy and justice and

keep it in this perfect balance.

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That's the nature of God.

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In fact, it reminded me of what we

read in Peter in the New Testament.

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I think it's in second Peter.

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It's in the notes if

you wanna go look at it.

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But he talks about that chain

that leads us to godliness.

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So it starts at faith and goes

to virtue and then knowledge, and

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then from knowledge to temperance

and temperance to patients, and

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then from patients to godliness.

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That's the process I think that we're

trying to learn from Naim is he's

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saying that God can do both these

things shows us that he is God because

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he, he gave them lots of space to

repent and lots of opportunities

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to change, and they chose not to.

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So now in his perfect justice, he will

not acquit the wicked and there will be

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some harsh consequences and you'll see

some of those laid out in chapter one.

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But I think what's really interesting is.

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In addition to those consequences,

you also hear mayhem talk

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about the goodness of God.

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It's in Seven is about where it begins.

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It says the Lord is good, a

strong hold in the day of trouble.

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And he knoweth them that trust in him.

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Mahe is still a prophet of God

and God's character is good and

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everything he does is for our good.

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So that's his.

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He's trying to help them understand.

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And I think trying to help me

understand that even when there

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are harsh consequences that come my

way, his intent is to do me good.

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I think his intent with the

Assyrians is to do them good.

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They're, they're at a point, kind

of like to remember with the city

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of Amman, IHA in the Book of Mormon

and Alma and lik watched people burn

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and Amulek really wanted to rush in.

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I'm sure Alma did too, but

they really wanted to save.

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New converts from the fire and

they were held back by the spirit.

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Um, because there needed to

be consequences that play out.

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That's where Ahe is, and his

message is strong like that one.

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And I'm sure it was hard to say and

carry out, but the invitation is remember

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that God is good, he's good to all of

you, if you would just trust in him.

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In fact, I love the end of verse

seven cause I feel like his invitation

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is almost like the 10 virgins.

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You know?

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He says, I know you

not , you didn't know me.

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There is no, we've been talking

the last few weeks about President

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Nelson's message from that October

Leo Hona magazine, where he talked

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about covenants being a relationship.

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That's what I think of when I read

verse seven, that he's basically saying

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to them, We have no relationship.

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You don't know me, you don't know

my character, and when you don't

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know me, you won't trust in me.

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So this is where we've ended up.

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I think it's really interesting

also what he says in nine.

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He kind of adding to that thought.

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He says, what do you imagine against

the Lord that he will make an utter end?

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Affliction shall not

rise up a second time.

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This idea of us imagining things

against the Lord I think is really

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interesting cuz I think we all have

this tendency when things don't go well,

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you start to say things in your mind

like, why would God let this happen?

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If he's a loving God?

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Why would, and then you fill in the

blank with whatever your trial or your

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friend's adversities might be, and you

start imagining what God's purposes were

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or why he would allow things to happen.

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And honestly, for me, more

often I start to wonder if.

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Is absent, you know, why would

he let these things happen?

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He must be absent.

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And that I think is imagining

things against the Lord.

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When you've built up a relationship

with God and a trust in God, it's a

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lot easier to remember the long game.

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It's a lot easier to trust that he can

make all things work together for good.

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It's a lot easier to understand that there

are intersections of agency that will

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knock us off our feet, but he promises

that he can make all things right.

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In fact, we'll see that in the

verses here in just a little bit.

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But I love that reminder to not

imagine wickedness against God.

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This is all because of their own choices.

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They were warned, they chose it anyway

and so he as this perfect and just God

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will, will repay what they asked for.

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So that's what you'll see in the verses.

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Some other things you'll see as

you go a little further in 14 and

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15, basically the end will come.

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God will not be mocked.

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That was in the footnotes in

a few different places and.

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There is no way that you can

work your way through wickedness

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and get out on the other side.

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You either need to turn to him and repent

and let the Lord take on those burdens,

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or you suffer the consequences yourself.

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And that's kind of where they are.

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But he does make promises about this

Lord who can burst these bonds, who could

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have saved, they just didn't want it.

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But you have to love how it ends.

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In 15 he, he takes it all the way back to

God the same way Isaiah did and Aai does.

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In the Book of Mormon, he talks

about behold upon the mountains

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are the feet of him that bringeth

good tidings, that publishes peace.

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In this message of destruction and hard

and consequence, there is this persistent

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promise of peace and it is hope filled.

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And I think it's what's gonna carry

Naim all the way into chapter.

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There's some pretty strong language in

Naim chapter two, which makes you wonder

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if Naim really misses being able to talk

about publishing peace and those beautiful

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verses at the end of chapter one.

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Two's tougher cuz this is where he

has to sort of lay down the law for

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what's going on with the Nena bytes.

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But there's this interesting insertion

that I think is important to note

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because you're gonna see this message

come through some of the other books of

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scripture, and I think it's pretty cool.

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The way Mayhem introduces it.

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He says into, for the Lord have

turned away the Excellency of

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Jacob as the Excellency of Israel.

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And then he's gonna talk about all

the things that it's gonna happen, all

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the issues that Niah is gonna have.

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The reason I think this matters is

because I think what Mayhem is trying

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to teach us is that it's not so much

that the Lord helped the Assyrians win,

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especially over the children of Israel.

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The Lord doesn't bless the wicked.

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That's not how that works.

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What happened is because

the children of Israel.

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Didn't show up.

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They lost their blessings.

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They turned against the covenant

relationship that the Lord has

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perpetually invited them into.

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They turned against it.

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And so the Lord had to

pull back his light.

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And when the Lord pull backs, his

light, darkness floods the same way.

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If I, you know, mess with a light

switch, I can turn on the light,

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but I can't turn on darkness.

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Darkness comes when the light is off.

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And that's basically what's happened here.

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It reminded me of if you ever played on

a team, you know, like when we would play

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volleyball, there would be many games

where I can remember losing, but it's not

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because the other team was so great or had

all these , you know, had all this talent.

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It's cuz we didn't show up the right way.

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We had lots of fouls, we would serve

into the net, we mess, you know, we

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didn't show up and so we lost the game.

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That's kind of what he's

saying here to the Ninevites.

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It's not that the Lord is helping them

win, it's that because the Israelites

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lost their covenant connection.

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He can't help them.

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And then, You know, the light goes

out and darkness fills the room.

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That's what's happening here.

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So when you go through the chapter,

you're gonna see the warnings

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about that, that they're gonna

cry out at some point in time.

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The Assyrians are gonna get conquered by

the Babylonians, and the Babylonians are

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gonna show no more seat to this group.

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And they don't deserve it, quite frankly.

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Like they, they're not repentant.

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They were torturous to all the

neighboring areas and conquered

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everything in their path.

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And the Babylonians are gonna

wipe them out basically.

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And so the warning like intent is you're

gonna be empty and void and waste.

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In fact, he warns that the king

who used to be able to dominate the

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land and go out and get and bring

it back to his young, that that's

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not gonna be an option anymore.

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There will be nothing for him to get.

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And that's kinda what

happens with the Assyrians.

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They don't have any

place to conquer anymore.

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In fact, they get conquered.

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One of the coolest things

I learned this week.

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About this was the way the Lord shows

up for those who have been abused, asy.

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A wicked, torturous, abusive nation.

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And there will come a point

when the Lord says Enough.

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In fact, I feel like

that's what he says in 13.

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Behold, I am against the

sayeth, the Lord of hosts.

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There is no question where the

Lord stands when it comes to abuse.

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And I think we've heard that in conference

talks for the last several conferences

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about understanding how the Lord shows up

for those who have been abused, and this

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is the end of the line for the ne bytes,

their gross wickedness is it will stop.

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And if you, if that's something

that triggers your heart, go into

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the notes because there were so

many quotes from just this last

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conference and the one before that.

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Ah, so good.

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Anyway, I just think to know that the

Lord stands up and says This is finished.

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You're done, is a comforting

thing for all involved.

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So go study the notes.

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Prophets teach that those who live

by the sword will die by the sword.

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And that's basically the outcome you

see in Niva in this last chapter.

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This is where Naim talks about the

bloody city and what's gonna happen.

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I've always read that verse as

like, because they cause so much

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bloodshed in their conquering that

they're called the bloody city.

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And I think that that could still be true.

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But I also was thinking about what we've

learned about the repentance process and

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what I learned in the doctrine covenants

about, you know, after judgment, if you

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have chosen not to repent and not to turn

to the savior, then all the sins that

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you've committed, you have to suffer for.

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And I wonder if a, a piece of the

bloody city is that it's not so much

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this neon sign of how wicked you

are, it's about where you'll end up

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and what's gonna happen to your soul

and how hard it will be for you to.

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Take on the consequences of your choices

when you're as far off course as Neva was.

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I also think there's a warning

in here about that there are

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no second generation saints.

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I was just talking to my sister Sarah

about this idea that every generation, no

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matter how stalwart your parents were, you

all, we all have to decide where we stand.

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I mean, thinking about it, just a hundred

years ago, they were pretty solid.

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Everyone converted under Jonah, but within

a few generations it's completely gone.

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All of that testimony is gone.

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And so I think it's just this big

reminder to carry on the covenant,

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you know, to do everything I can as a

parent to, to pass on these promises and

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this testimony to the next generation.

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Cuz they're gonna need to form their own.

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I think it's why President Nelson told

us to take hold of our testimony and,

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you know, choose, choose for yourself

and your generation, how strong

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your link is gonna be in the chain.

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And that's kind of the message

I see in chapter three.

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He warns about the destruction

that's gonna happen in the city,

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that it's gonna be so deep that

they're gonna stumble over bodies.

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Like that's, that's the level

that we're talking about.

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The destruction when, when the Babylonians

come, is gonna be so hard that Niva will

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be lost and it will be a bloody hard loss.

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Um, and he talks about why.

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So if you go through the verses,

he'll lay out a few things like that.

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They were idle worshipers.

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They turned to witchcraft and sorcery

to sacrifice to all kinds of issues.

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One of the things that jumped out at me

though, is in verse seven, so he says at

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the end of seven it says, who will bemoan

her once shall I see comforters for the.

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Meaning once all this hard stuff

starts to happen, none of your

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neighbors will come to the rescue

because you, like we said before, you,

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they've treated everyone so viciously

that no one can come to their aid.

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What's interesting to me about that

is I think it's a warning to me too,

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you know how people learn many times

that the way the Lord often answers

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prayers is through other people.

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So if we are constantly trying to build

relationships with other people and

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show love and kindness and help to our

neighbors and our family and our friends,

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then that comes back to us, right?

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There's people he can turn to to

say, Hey, go take care of Maria.

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She's struggling because I've

created a relationship so it's

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easy for them to come and serve me.

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Like just this last time, so we were in

the hospital for Jason's fourth tumor

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just last week, and there wasn't a

release society sign up that went out.

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There wasn't any kind of formal help.

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The Eckers Lee's campaign,

people just came.

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You know, like my friend Gina just

showed up with, she sent me a text

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from Costco and said, what do you need?

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You know, like it's, that's how you

know what a Zion society feels like

321

when people just show up for each other.

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But God can work with Gina because

we have this relationship where the

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Ninevites are, is they've literally taken

advantage and abused everyone around them.

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And therefore there's no one who he

can turn to and say, could you comfort?

325

There's no one left.

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That I think is one of the most

haunting parts about Invos story,

327

that in their desire to conquer the

world, they're at the peak of this

328

hilltop and there's no one to turn to.

329

Um, and it was just a sweet reminder to

me to like, be part of Zion lift and, you

330

know, lift up the hands, the hang down and

do what you can cuz you need each other

331

and God needs to have people to work with.

332

So build relationships.

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I just love that reminder.

334

But he talks about what's

happening with them.

335

He says, basically, art thou better.

336

This is around verse eight, he says,

Haven't you seen all the other wicked

337

idolatrous groups, all the ones of

the past, they all just get conquered.

338

You almost wanna picture that statue,

you know, that we were talking

339

about with Daniel and Chad Rec

MechE and a bengo where it was like

340

it had a head of a certain metal

and then a torso of another metal.

341

And he's like, all of those

are just gonna get toppled.

342

Haven't you seen how that's happened?

343

All of them end up toppled and so stop,

learn from the mistakes of the past.

344

And then he talks about

basically like, go ahead.

345

You know, like try to . It's almost

as if Naim or the Lord is saying like,

346

go ahead and try to defend yourselves.

347

Build up your strongholds.

348

Get as much water as you want.

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Do whatever you think will help you.

350

None of it can last, because

remember the Lord is against Neva.

351

So he talked about that.

352

He says, basically you're gonna turn

to all those allies and those people.

353

Made wicked alliances with, I almost

picture this like Gad and Roberts style.

354

You know, like he's made some secret

combinations with other wicked

355

nations and they're all gonna flee.

356

They won't rise.

357

They want help.

358

It's just like we see with Satan

in the Book of Mormon, right?

359

He, he wraps people up in a flas in

court and drags them down to help.

360

There is no rescue in his character.

361

But what I thought was really

cool is reading these last two or

362

three verses in a contrast with

what we know about the savior.

363

So in 18, the shepherd's slumber.

364

So where we talk about Christ

as the good shepherd who never

365

slumbers and never sleeps.

366

This is the opposite, right?

367

This is what the adversary offers.

368

He sleeps through your

pain, through your struggle.

369

He sleeps.

370

Um, he doesn't gather.

371

When things get scattered, he doesn't

gather, but the Lord does, right?

372

So in the verse, it'll say,

your people are scattered on the

373

mountains and no man gather at.

374

In 19, there's no healing of the I bruise.

375

Thy wound is grievous and all that.

376

Hear about it, clap.

377

I think it makes you appreciate

the God that we worship.

378

He wants to be all these things.

379

And it's interesting to me that when we're

describing the adversary, or at least the

380

adversaries effects on people who have

turned against God, they're the exact

381

opposite of what we see in the Savior.

382

They cannot heal, they cannot

gather, and they cannot save.

383

I tell you, I feel like I could

handle almost any adversity if

384

I could just understand why.

385

You know, I believe the Lord can make

all things work together for my good.

386

I don't always understand

why he picks that way.

387

You know, there are times when Jason's

cancer has come back and I'm like, I feel

388

like I got it on the first three times.

389

Why?

390

Why is the cancer back again?

391

This is a very common question that all

of us have, whether yours is related

392

to cancer or some other adversity.

393

It's if we could understand the why,

I feel like you could endure it.

394

The second thing I always wanna know

is how long you know, I can endure

395

almost anything if I know it will

end, and I know roughly how long.

396

You know, even things like labor, I

feel like you kind of have a ballpark

397

idea after six kids how long it's

gonna last and so you can endure.

398

Right?

399

And I just.

400

That's basically Haba cook's question.

401

He's facing a certain kind of adversity

in the Babylonians, or he calls

402

'em the Caldeans cuz this is early

stages of the Babylonian Empire.

403

And they will eventually

become the Babylonians.

404

But in this stage they're, they're

beginning and they're causing all kinds

405

of devastation to the children of Israel

or what's left of the children of Israel.

406

And he is struggling because his

people, although they're off course

407

and not choosing the right, are not

nearly as wicked as the kds are.

408

And so he's saying to

the Lord, basically, why?

409

I know you're just, I

know you're everlasting.

410

Why are you letting these guys win?

411

And one of the things that was so

insightful to me that I learned from the

412

spirit was, this is God's not a referee.

413

We tend to see, or at least I think what

Haba Cook was seeing is he's saying,

414

here's the dues and here's the caldeans.

415

They're so much more wicked than we are.

416

And even though we're not doing

great , why do you let them win?

417

And he's seeing them as.

418

Going against each other, like

a referee would see two teams.

419

And what I think the Lord is trying to

teach hauck, at least what he taught

420

me, is that the Lord is in referee.

421

And this isn't a game against

another group of people.

422

This is a game against the natural man.

423

And what he's saying to Hauck is,

please remind the Jews that they

424

have light and they have knowledge,

and they are accountable for that.

425

That's the standard he's holding them to.

426

The same way he's gonna hold

the Babylonians to a standard

427

because of their light and their

knowledge, which is limited

428

compared to the children of Israel.

429

So he's going to, they're not going

against each other, and he's not a

430

referee out to make sure that the law

is enforced equally to both teams.

431

What he's saying is, you're

focused on the wrong things.

432

You need to focus on teaching the

children of Israel where they've gone

433

wrong, and stop worrying so much about

the ca, the Calians with Babylon.

434

So that's the overall theme of one.

435

But I love the wrestle that

he has to have to get there.

436

So haka in these verses, especially in

chapter one, what sounds different about

437

this book is that it's not so much a

story of what happens, it's a dialogue.

438

So it sort of reminded me of job.

439

You remember when Joe almost had

chats with the Lord , where he

440

was like, why is this happening

and have you forgotten about me?

441

It's the same thing you feel

with Joseph in Liberty Jail,

442

where he says, you know why?

443

It's not so much that I think

Joseph wanted to get out of Liberty

444

Jail, although I'm sure he did.

445

It was about what was happening outside

of the jail, that all the saints were

446

getting attacked and people were dying

and being raped, and all kinds of horrific

447

things were happening to the Saints.

448

And he was saying, why?

449

Why do you let Wicked people attack?

450

Why and how long is it gonna last?

451

So if you go on the notes, you're

gonna find links to a bunch of d.

452

Scriptures that I felt

taught this same lesson.

453

A habitat does it in an interesting

way cuz he has to wrestle with the

454

Lord a little bit to understand and

it's not like he gets an answer and

455

all of a sudden things are okay.

456

He gets a part of an answer and

then he asks to ask more questions.

457

You know, it's almost like what you see

with NEI when he's in the Book of Mormon.

458

He is trying to understand Lehigh's

dream and he gets a little bit

459

more light and knowledge and then

asks more questions of the angel

460

and says, okay, show me some more.

461

And the angel says, okay, let's go.

462

And that's kinda what I get a feel

from with Hauck, that he's, he's

463

understanding things in layers.

464

So you see in two, how

long will this go on?

465

How long will I cry out and

have no one here in three?

466

Why do you show this inequity to us?

467

Why are you treating us this, this way?

468

And four, he talks about,

therefore the law is slacked and

469

judgment does never go forth.

470

He's basically saying to the Lord

like, your punishments aren't fair.

471

You know, we are getting punished.

472

Heavily and we're more

righteous than they are.

473

That's not fair.

474

It's not like you remember ha's a prophet.

475

So I think he inherently

knows the character of God.

476

He just doesn't understand, like we

don't, you know, he's seen through a glass

477

darkly and he doesn't understand and he

just have to love the compassion of the

478

Lord cuz he wants to help have a cook.

479

Understand.

480

So around five is where the Lord's answer

begins and he talks about that he's gonna

481

do something wonderful among this group.

482

So in in five it says, wonder

marvelously for I will work a work

483

in your days, which you will not

believe though it be told you.

484

He in the first couple verses have

Aick wondered if the Lord even could.

485

And now he learns in this simple

answer that not only has the Lord heard

486

him all this time, but he actually

already has an answer in place.

487

In fact, it's in motion.

488

That I think happens to me all the time

where I'm struggling cuz the Lord doesn't

489

unfold all the revelation to me at once.

490

You know, it's almost like a

great big blanket that he's only

491

unfolding one square at a time.

492

And then every now and then I, you

can like step back and be like,

493

wait, I know there is a full blanket.

494

Even though I can only see

a portion of it right now.

495

I know there is, it's gonna continue

to unfold and I'm gonna understand and

496

that's where I think have a cook is.

497

So he talks about it, how there's the

Lord answers like in seven, that there

498

is gonna be this great and terrible

judgment that will hit these people.

499

It's not that they're

gonna bypass justice.

500

There will be a judgment.

501

He just doesn't, he isn't telling him

how long, he isn't telling him even why.

502

He's just saying, trust me, I've got this.

503

There's things in motion that you

can't understand and doesn't that just

504

sound like a lot of the answers you

get where it's like, wait on the Lord,

505

trust me, I've got things in motion.

506

Um, and so he waits.

507

In fact, I love Havoc Cook's Response.

508

This is one of my favorite

chapters this week.

509

So he basically says, I'm

not sure I understand this.

510

You just have to love this.

511

Cause I think this is what it's

like to be a disciple of Christ.

512

It means you're going

to talk with the Lord.

513

This is what a relationship is, right?

514

So if I'm gonna have a relationship

with the Lord, I'm not gonna just

515

take that partially unfolded answer

and say, okay, God, you let me

516

know when you got more to say.

517

I'm gonna be asking.

518

I mean, some of the greatest revelations

in the history have ever happened

519

because questions were asked and

questions upon questions were asked.

520

So that's what he says in 12.

521

Aren't thou not from everlasting?

522

Oh Lord my God, mine.

523

Holy one, we shall not die.

524

Oh Lord has to ordained them

from judgment like he's saying.

525

I know you are the same

yesterday, today, and forever.

526

So if we do a certain thing

wrong, we get this consequence.

527

How is it that they're doing the same

offense and they don't have a consequence?

528

I don't see it.

529

So he's asking the Lord, help

me to see, give me eyes to see.

530

And then it peaks a little bit.

531

In 13, he says, basically he

knows that God has pure eyes

532

and can see things he can't see.

533

But he says to them, can't.

534

How is it that thou can't look Ony?

535

Where for look a thou upon them that

deal treacherously and hold a thy

536

tongue when the wicked devour at the

man that is more righteous than he.

537

How is it God that you're gonna

hold your tongue when they

538

consume us, when they abuse us?

539

How is it that you're holding still?

540

And so he asked the Lord this and he says,

basically, you're making us like fish.

541

That there's nori rhyme or reason.

542

There's no rule of law.

543

That's what he knows God for is

that he is a God of justice and

544

law and it doesn't seem like

they're playing by the same rules.

545

So Hauck is wrestling and he wants

to know more and the answers come as

546

he goes a little bit further down.

547

So we look in 17, one of my favorite

questions is he says, shall they

548

therefore empty their net and not

spare continually to slay the nation's?

549

This reminded me of my kids

when they go trick or treat.

550

So maybe your kids don't do this, but

Sam, you know, the older they get, they

551

like will come home and they'll dump

out their pillowcase halfway through

552

their trick or treating so that they

can go back out and get even more candy.

553

And there's just like this inherent

grieve and adjacent totally

554

encourages this in our children,

555

But you know, it's that idea that,

but with like, A horrific level.

556

They're basically going out and consuming

and abusing everybody in their path.

557

And they get to the point where

they like empty the net and then

558

go back out and get some more.

559

And so that's what Haba

Cook is wrestling with.

560

These are our wicked people.

561

Why aren't they getting consequences?

562

But the answer he gets is a partial

one, and it comes in chapter two.

563

I think the whole reason that Haa

gets another unfolding of this

564

revelation, he gets more information,

more light, more knowledge, is

565

because of what happens in verse one.

566

So at the end of chapter one, we

see all of his wrestling, right?

567

He has questions for the Lord.

568

He's even frustrated

at the Lord's choices.

569

He doesn't understand he's got these,

you know, spiritual blinders that he's

570

just struggling to wrap his head around

why the Lord would choose this plan.

571

But what happens in one is he

says, but I'm gonna show up anyway.

572

This is his.

573

But if not moment that we talked about

with Shadrach Meek and a bed Migo,

574

he's basically saying, I will stand.

575

So if you look in verse one, I will stand

upon my watch and set me upon the tower.

576

He's called to be a prophet and

he knows the character of God.

577

And so in this moment of I don't

understand and there's so much uncertainty

578

and how long Lord will this continue?

579

He says, but I'm gonna stand

on my watch and I will show up.

580

Oh, I loved that moment when I was reading

it, cuz I think this is what opens up

581

another layer of revelation for Ock.

582

I know this cuz it happens for me.

583

You know, there are times when I don't

understand how long things are gonna go.

584

I don't understand why they're so hard.

585

I don't understand why he's trying

to teach me in this specific way.

586

But I show up or I try to show up and

when I try to show up, like I remember I

587

told you guys something about scripture

study that this happened with scripture,

588

study with me when I was really struggling

for revelation about Jason and I

589

couldn't get the answers I needed and

I just didn't know where else to turn.

590

And the answer I got was, you

need to do family scripture study.

591

And I was almost angry with that

answer cuz it didn't seem like it

592

could solve any of my problems.

593

And then as we were having prayer

at family scripture study, Jason

594

wasn't even there like it was a mess.

595

Scripture study didn't go great, but

it was in the prayer at the end of

596

scripture study that the answer I needed

came and it came clearly and it was.

597

Life saving, literally.

598

Um, so yes, I've been in this moment.

599

You probably have to where if you just

show up, the Lord will say, okay, Maria,

600

you're ready for the next unfolding.

601

Let me give you more.

602

And so that's what happens here.

603

Basically have aah

says, I'm gonna show up.

604

And because he does, the Lord

says, all right, let's go.

605

And so the next verse is, I need

you to get some paper and pens or

606

tables or whatever he is writing on.

607

And he says, I want you to

write everything I'm gonna

608

say so that people can run.

609

In fact, I loved this part of verse two.

610

He says, you're gonna write it plain

on tables so that anyone can understand

611

that he may run that, read it.

612

That anybody who reads these

coming verses will be able to

613

understand the will of God and move.

614

This is faith in action.

615

Right?

616

He's saying, I want people to.

617

I want people to get it.

618

I want people to get the

urgency so that they can run.

619

And what he lays out

for us is pretty clear.

620

He says There will be an appointed time

when Justice will come to the Babylonians.

621

I know you can't see

it right now, trust me.

622

So three says, for the vision

is yet for an appointed time.

623

But at the end it shall speak and not lie.

624

Meaning there will be a point

when the Babylonians are conquered

625

and this prophecy will be proven.

626

Though it, Terry, wait for it.

627

This piece I loved, I

highlighted that a lot.

628

In fact, we'll talk about in

the object lessons as well.

629

Um, there are lots of times when the

Lord is saying, Wait for it, Maria.

630

I have something great coming.

631

Wait for it.

632

Stay on the path because

it will surely come.

633

That's the next line of that verse.

634

So though at Terry, wait for it because

it will surely come and it will not.

635

Terry, everything is on the Lord's

timetable and it is in motion.

636

, you know, like we talked about with the

gumball machine where the, when I picture

637

a prayer, I picture, if I say a prayer

and I ask for deliverance or help, I

638

picture that gumball starting down that

track and it's just gonna take a long

639

time to get to the bottom sometimes.

640

And sometimes it's different than

I expected it, but something comes

641

and so you just have to wait for it.

642

And so that's what he's teaching him.

643

But it's not a, I'm gonna sit

passively and wait, it's four.

644

It says you're gonna live by faith

and, oh, you should go on the notes.

645

There's a lot of great quotes about

what it means to live by faith,

646

how this is a principle of action.

647

This is Haba Cook had to stand and

say, I'm gonna stay on my tower even

648

though I don't understand all things.

649

You know, n I had to say to the

angel, I don't understand all

650

things, but here's what I do know.

651

That's the same message.

652

And so now, because he's made that

stand and because he's writing it

653

down now, he writes down all the woes.

654

So they call these the wo Oracles

because in like five different

655

places in this chapter, he says the

word woe and then lays out what's

656

gonna happen to the Babylonians and

why they've had issues with greed.

657

They've had, it seems like the predominant

issue is they're taking advantage of the.

658

It's kind of almost the flip side

of that lack of charity that we've

659

been talking about, but on on

where they have no understanding,

660

they're basically manipulating.

661

It reminded me of, what's the guy,

the one my kids watch on YouTube?

662

I can't think of his name,

but he's the Mark Grover.

663

He's the one that does the glitter

bombs, you know, and so he, He

664

sets up a trap basically for

people who are packaged thieves.

665

And he does the same thing with like

these telemarketers in India who are

666

taking advantage of the elderly scammers.

667

Anyway, it's kind of that sort of vibe.

668

He's saying there's a certain level of

evil that comes when you deliberately

669

take advantage of the weak and the

vulnerable and you will have consequences.

670

And that's what the woes are.

671

He's warning all about that.

672

And then he also has some

little promises woven in.

673

So in 14 it says, for the earth shall

be filled with knowledge of the glory

674

of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

675

And at first when I read that, I

was like, why is that shoved in

676

the middle of all these woves?

677

? I, it seemed like an odd like insertion

and it could be just happenstance.

678

But what came to me as I was studying it

was I think this is the promise that all

679

those why questions that we have, like why

did we need to have cancer a fourth time?

680

Why?

681

You know, like all the hard things

that happen, there will be a time when

682

the earth is flooded with knowledge.

683

And I'll know all the why's.

684

I'll, I'll know all the answers to that.

685

How long.

686

Why did this have to take so long?

687

Why?

688

I will know all the, an

Jason will know the answers.

689

My kids will know.

690

The answers will know exactly why.

691

Because the earth will be

flooded with knowledge.

692

And this is not just wisdom of

the world, this is knowledge of

693

God and in his plan for my family.

694

And I think, you know, the further

into this process, the more I

695

start to understand that why.

696

But the more I also get comfortable

with the unknown, I don't know how long.

697

I don't know why.

698

And I get more and more comfortable

with it cuz I, I've come to

699

trust the character of God.

700

So I love that that piece is in there.

701

There will be a time that I will

know why and that you will know why

702

and it will flood the earth and that

will be a beautiful time to be alive.

703

So I watch for those promises that are

kind of tucked into all these woes.

704

Another one that happens is if you look

in, um, So after he's talked about their

705

idle worship and their weak gods that

they make with their own hands, Tony

706

says, but the Lord is in his holy temple.

707

Let all the earth keep silence before him.

708

He is a God who never

slumbers and never sleeps.

709

And he sees all, I think the fact that

he mentions all these woes and all the

710

wickedness that he's seen happen among

the Babylonians is something that must

711

have been comforting to have a cook.

712

Cause remember, he wondered

if the Lord wasn't seeing all

713

their offenses the same way.

714

If you have a referee that's not calling

things on the other team, and you're

715

like, did you even see what they did?

716

And what he's saying is,

oh yeah, I've got tapes.

717

I can, I've seen all of it.

718

In fact, there's a record kept in heaven.

719

I know all their offenses

and all will be made.

720

Right.

721

That's the promise.

722

When he says, everyone can keep

silence, he can see all things.

723

That's the promise of.

724

Chapter three in Havoc is actually a hymn.

725

It's a song that was intended to be

sung and it's a hymn of praise, which

726

is interesting cuz if you look at the

actual verses that we just read in

727

two, you know that the Babylonians will

eventually come to an end, but you have no

728

way of knowing when that's gonna happen.

729

You know, A day to the

Lord is very flexible.

730

So I feel like have a cook really

doesn't have any idea when this is

731

gonna happen to the Babylonians.

732

He also doesn't know how long the misery's

gonna last for his people or how long

733

it's gonna be till they return and repent.

734

Like he just, everything is still an

unknown to have a cook, but what he

735

knows is you're in the Lord's hands.

736

That's what he knows and that's what

brings about his hymn of praise.

737

Here's what I loved about this.

738

You guys remember when we were

studying Hannah and I told you

739

that I got a sweet revelation when

I was studying Hannah years ago.

740

About Jason and my worries because

she, when she's praying for a son,

741

she goes to the temple and she just

gets the promise that a son will

742

be born, that she will have a son.

743

And it says that as she leaves

the temple, her countenance

744

changes and she's no more sad.

745

And what I love about that

is, like I told you guys, she

746

doesn't, she's not pregnant yet.

747

She couldn't have been pregnant

yet, but she chooses to rest on

748

the promise and let that be her

light that lifts her and allows her

749

to change her whole countenance.

750

That's basically what

happens with Ha Cook.

751

He doesn't know when this is gonna end or

how it's gonna end or when it's gonna end.

752

He just knows that God's hands are all

over this work and so he can rejoice even

753

though his circumstances haven't changed.

754

Isn't that exactly what President

Nelson has been asking us to do?

755

To stop focusing on our

circumstances, to find our joy and I.

756

Get the focus of our lives, right?

757

Because if the focus of our life is

right, then you can actually have joy.

758

I mean, have a cook proves it.

759

He has a whole hymn of rejoicing that

he gives us because he now knows he's

760

in God's hands and it's gonna be okay.

761

Not because he knows how or when,

but because he knows the character

762

of God and he knows I'm his son

and he will take care of me.

763

He will take care of this people.

764

So he sings this song of praise and

I just love the way it plays out.

765

He basically says to the

Lord, revive th I work.

766

And then he goes back and talks

about some of the miracles that

767

the Lord has done in the past.

768

So he's, he's not shying away.

769

Remember, this is still

an engaged conversation.

770

Doesn't have the answers yet.

771

So he's still kind of, instead of

wrestling with the Lord, he's saying

772

like, Hey, I'm just gonna keep praying

. You know, I still pray for miracles

773

even though I'm okay with whatever

the Lord decides for our family.

774

But I still pray for miracles every day.

775

That's kind of what happens here, is where

he's saying like, please come back to us.

776

You know, come back and

remember who you are to us.

777

And you know, it's this.

778

And then he goes through some of

the miracles that the Lord has given

779

the children of Israel in the past.

780

And I just thought there was a lovely

reminder there that my prayers should

781

be, I shouldn't shy away from asking

for the help that I want and need.

782

But I also should rejoice in the many

evidences I have in my life of God's hand.

783

Because when you take time to remember

those spiritual stones, I think that's

784

what Elder Anderson called them.

785

He called them these, those spiritual

memories that you preserve are

786

like these glowing stones that

can hold you in dark spaces.

787

And that's what basically

I think Haba Cook's doing.

788

He's pulling out all these stones

of joyful memories when the Lord has

789

delivered them and saying, I remember this

one and I remember this one, and so I know

790

you'll be here for us when we need you.

791

I just thought it was a beautiful

example of choosing faith, choosing

792

hope despite dark circumstances.

793

And so he says basically by the

end of the chapter, although the

794

fig tree shall not blossom and

neither fruit beyond the vines, like

795

everything's gonna go, I get it.

796

There's gonna be famine and destruction

and it's gonna be really bad.

797

All these things are gonna happen and

then 18, yet I will rejoice in the Lord.

798

I will joy in the God of my.

799

I love the way he even says that

it's not that he will have joy.

800

He's saying I will.

801

Joy.

802

It's like an action . I

don't know what that means.

803

I don't know what it looks like, but it

is a, he says, I will joy because of.

804

Who you are.

805

It's the same thing that Joe

eventually got to, right?

806

He says, though, though he

slay me, I will trust in him.

807

It's the same message.

808

He says, uh, it's gonna get

really bad and I'm okay.

809

I will rejoice in God.

810

And then in 19, the Lord God is

my strength and he will make my

811

feet like he's feet, and he will

make me to walk upon high places.

812

This is such a great visual.

813

I learned this from Michael Wilcox.

814

I told you guys, he's one of my favorite

teachers and he has a whole book, kind

815

of based on this metaphor here, where

he's, he talks about these goats, we're

816

gonna talk about the object lesson, but

these are these, you know, Nubian goats

817

that are in Israel and they can climb.

818

You've probably seen them, like on the

Nature Channel, they're able to climb

819

on the tiniest ledges and stand there.

820

You know, they can like jump from

one teen tiny ledge to the other.

821

Even the big males that have these

huge horns, like picture lokey,

822

like that kind of horns and they

are able to balance because of

823

the way their feet are designed.

824

What I loved about this is I was just

reading in the Book of Mormon about

825

Nefi and his bow just this morning

actually, and I was noting the idea of.

826

When Nephi, when his bow breaks,

the steel bow breaks, he makes a

827

wooden bow and he prays to the Lord.

828

First he goes to Lehigh and he,

he wants to know where to hunt.

829

And the Lord doesn't necessarily

make him a new steel bow.

830

What he says is, let me show

you a place that you can hunt.

831

In fact, it's a place that you can

hunt successfully with a wooden bow.

832

Um, and, and I love that Nephi takes

the wooden bow and a sling just

833

in case, because I think that's

what we're supposed to do, right?

834

That's being anxiously

engaged in a good cause.

835

Like, okay, Lord, bless me as much as you

can, and I'm gonna do everything I can.

836

And between us, there's food, right?

837

He goes out and he's successful in

his hunt and it saves his people.

838

And that's kind of what he's saying

here, this idea of heins feet,

839

it's, he's not saying, make, make

the cliffs wider so that I can

840

easily get from one to the other.

841

Change my circumstances.

842

Lord, what he's saying is change.

843

Give me feet that can balance on the

smallest sliver of an edge and hold.

844

You know, when you look at the,

these animals, they actually

845

have feet that like separate out.

846

You'll see this in the object lessons

and they have grip on the inside

847

that's almost rubbery so that they

can hold the edges of these cliffs.

848

And that's what ick is saying.

849

He's saying, I'm gonna have moments

of uncertainty and doubt and

850

where my site is super limited.

851

Give me H feet.

852

I don't need you to change the cliffs.

853

I don't need you to change the world

around me or any of my circumstances.

854

Give me the ability to stand on those

tiny little cliffs and feel sure footed.

855

When Michael Wilcox teaches about

this, he talks about with testimony.

856

Marie says, this is

what we should ask for.

857

There is gonna be times when

you're not gonna know all things.

858

All of us are in there right now,

but if you'll ask for H Feet for the

859

ability to stand in this small sliver

of what you do know to be true or what

860

you do believe is good, he can give

you the ability to balance and to hold

861

there until a nucl cliff opens up so

that you can leap a little further.

862

Ah, don't I just love that piece of it.

863

Go in the notes and you

can read more about it.

864

But I loved have a cook this.

865

Where have a Cook's message is

one of wait on the Lord patience.

866

You know, it's just this kind

of soft, gentle be still.

867

I know that I'm, God

Zephaniah is much more.

868

Choose you this day.

869

It is your time is running out.

870

That space to repent is running

out and you need to act fast.

871

And so his message is different.

872

And what's interesting

to me is the timing.

873

So he's someone that is in

the reign of King Josiah.

874

So if you remember way back when, I

think it was in Second Kings, we talked

875

about Heay, how he was this great

king of Jerusalem and he built the

876

tunnel and all that cool stuff, right?

877

And then there's two generations

that come after him that fall apart.

878

And then his great-grandson, Josiah comes

and when he comes into power, he has

879

this religious reform and this is when

they go and they try and rebuild the

880

temple and they find that lost scroll.

881

And it's got that Indiana Jones vibe

that that's where we are in time.

882

We just don't know where.

883

Zephaniah lands in there.

884

Most scholars I read thought

that he must come right at the

885

beginning of Josiah's reign.

886

In fact, maybe ze and I's teachings are

what inspired Josiah to be a better king

887

than his father and his grandfather were.

888

So, I don't know, nobody knows exactly,

but sometime in the reign of King,

889

Josiah Ze and I comes to teach the

people, and his message is clear.

890

It's the day of the Lord is coming

fast and you need to change.

891

And he warns about what

they're doing wrong.

892

So he talks about how there's

gonna be wickedness in the land

893

and the Lord's gonna cut them off.

894

This promised land that they

love is not gonna last forever.

895

And we know that from studying the history

we've got so far in the Old Testament,

896

that even though King Josiah does a great

job and tries to reform things, it doesn't

897

last, they fall back into idle worship

and sell off the gold of the temple,

898

and things go downhill pretty fast.

899

So he talked about how he's gonna

stretch out his hand to Judah.

900

Remember he's, he's not gonna

be able to hold them forever.

901

It's interesting what you see in six,

he says, and them that are turned back

902

from the Lord and those that have not

sought the Lord nor inquired for him.

903

I thought one of the themes of this, well

ze and I totally, but specifically this

904

chapter, is this warning about apathy.

905

It is the same thing we saw

with the brazen serpent, right?

906

It's there is salvation and there is

hope and you won't even look at it.

907

You won't even take the

time to consider it.

908

I don't, you know, we all have times

like this where we fall into apathy.

909

In fact, I read a, what was it?

910

It was a commencement address at BYU

where he was talking about that somebody

911

had accused his generation cuz he

was like a valedictorian or whatever.

912

So he was young and he was talking

about one of his professors had

913

basically accused his generation

of being passionate for apathy.

914

And I thought that was such an

interesting way to phrase that.

915

Cuz you can get.

916

Passionate for this idea of

there's no right, there's no

917

wrong, there's no nothing.

918

I, I don't have to make a choice

and I don't have to engage.

919

And so his message was one of

like, let's go, let's catch fire.

920

Let's be better than

what people expect of us.

921

And I think that's what Ze and I

is trying to teach them as well.

922

There is risk in apathy.

923

One of the ways he talks about the

apathy is this strange apparel verse.

924

So if you look in seven and eight, it

talks about how in the end of days,

925

cuz all of this is sort of a type for

what will happen at the end of time

926

and what's happening with children

of Israel is they're turning away

927

from their, what makes them peculiar.

928

And you know, that covenant that

makes them a peculiar people

929

they, they've turned away from.

930

And one of the ways that

shows up is in apparel.

931

Here's what was interesting.

932

So if you go on seven and eight,

it talks about how there will be a

933

great feast and that the king will

have given them apparel and they will

934

come in strange clothing instead.

935

I loved this from what we just learned

with Elder Redner at conference,

936

where he talked about this same idea

in the New Testament, that parable

937

from the savior about a king who

invites people to change their tunics

938

so that they can come to the feast.

939

And that those who choose not to

basically are rebellious against God.

940

They're not just, they think

they're apathetic, but they're not.

941

They're rebelling against.

942

And so he, El Brard talked about

how many are called and fewer

943

chosen, and why are they not chosen?

944

You know, we know how

the scriptures play out.

945

It's because they get their eyes

fixated on the things of the world.

946

And so you see that same morning here

from Ze and I where he's saying this

947

strange apparel isn't going to help you.

948

You are designed to be distinct

and different, and you are choosing

949

something else, and you like to think

that that's neutral ground the same.

950

You know, a lot of us tend to

think that if we step away from the

951

gospel, we're on neutral ground.

952

And what we've learned over and over

again is there is no neutral that

953

you're either on the Lord's side or not.

954

. There, there's no middle.

955

And so Zep and I is

warning them about that.

956

So he says it an interesting way in 12, he

says, and it'll come to pass at that time

957

that I will search Jerusalem with candles,

meaning he's gonna hope to find as much

958

goodness as he possibly can when the

Lord goes out to judge and he'll punish

959

them that are settled on their leaves.

960

That phrase, we studied this

before, but it just means like that

961

sediment that sits at the bottom of

a cup or a vase of juice or wine.

962

In this case, it's what sits.

963

You know, like if I've been latent in my

gospel study or my testimony building too

964

long, then I, I start to have sediment

that just sits and I don't, you know,

965

what he's saying is like that apathetic.

966

I'm not working against the church,

but I'm also not getting closer to God.

967

That apathy is what has to be destroyed.

968

We actually have to be engaged in

the gospel of Jesus Christ, not

969

because he has some like set ro.

970

Bar that we're supposed to be jumping.

971

But because the only way we can come to be

like Christ is if we are doing the work.

972

Remember what we've been setting the last

few weeks, where he basically says, you're

973

gonna come to know me by serving the poor.

974

You're gonna come to know me

by living up to your covenants,

975

by honoring all those things.

976

That's how you become like me.

977

So you can't be apathetic.

978

It doesn't work in the Lord's gospel.

979

So he's warning about that those,

that in the end of 12 it says that

980

they, the Lord will not do good.

981

Neither will he do evil.

982

That's what they say.

983

God's not good and he is not bad.

984

I'm just, I'm not gonna make an opinion.

985

Everybody can do their own thing.

986

That's a very tempting strategy that

comes straight from the adversary.

987

So Steph and I is warning us about it.

988

Then he talks about how they're gonna

build houses, but they can't inhabit them.

989

I thought this was interesting, cuz

being apathetic doesn't mean you're lazy.

990

It doesn't mean you're not doing anything.

991

It means you are actively

doing other things.

992

You're busy in the thick of

thin things, you know, that's

993

what he's warning them about.

994

And I think all of us can

take care of that, right?

995

There's, there's things that we

could do better in all of our lives.

996

So watch for that one.

997

In 13, 14, it goes even a little stronger.

998

He says, the great day the Lord is near.

999

I thought this was interesting cause

a lot of his message in FNI is about

1000

the great day of Lord being near.

1001

But it's weird, right?

1002

Because this was thousands of years

ago and day of Lord still isn't here.

1003

So how can the day of the Lord

be near if he still isn't here?

1004

And then I had to read the Book

of Mormon to get the answer.

1005

In Alma 34, we learned that this life

is the time to prepare, to meet God.

1006

So I think for me, when I was reading

these verses about the day of Lord being

1007

near, I think that's what it means.

1008

It means we each have this

limited lifespan and we have no

1009

idea how long it's gonna last.

1010

And then there is a time of where

that space, that mortal space

1011

that we're granted to repent.

1012

Is done.

1013

I don't know how it shakes

out in the next life.

1014

All I know is from what the

prophets have taught, it is much

1015

harder to repent in that life.

1016

Even in the last conference

we heard about that.

1017

So I think this is the day

to prepare to meet God.

1018

That's why the day of the

Lord is near, even though it's

1019

still thousands of years away.

1020

In fact, I don't know how long it's gonna

be until the day of the Lord actually

1021

comes, but ze and I knew that for every

person standing in his hearing the

1022

day was near cuz their life inspect.

1023

Life expectancy is just as

short as ours, if not shorter.

1024

So the day's near.

1025

So he warns in the last couple

verses he warns about if you

1026

choose not to follow the light,

you'll walk around in blindness.

1027

Even though when the Lord comes,

the world will be full of light.

1028

I mean, have you ever wondered like

at the end of time when the Lord

1029

comes again, how anybody could.

1030

Follow.

1031

You know, if you see the Lord, how

could you not all of a sudden convert?

1032

And I think there's a couple reasons why

that doesn't work out, but I think a big

1033

one is what we learned in the doctrine

covenants about how darkness comprehend.

1034

Its not the light, it doesn't see it,

it doesn't recognize it, it doesn't,

1035

it isn't warm to those who won't see.

1036

And so he warns you'll be walking

around in blindness and their, none of

1037

your gold or your silver or your power

that you think you have can save you.

1038

You need to have the Lord in the margins.

1039

By chapter two, I have choosy this day.

1040

That's, that's the big message

of ze and I, at least in those

1041

first three verses, cuz he's still

talking to the children of Israel.

1042

And I sometimes wonder if maybe ze and I.

1043

If, if these prophets were able to read

each other's writings, cuz if he could

1044

have read about what happened in Niva

over a hundred years ago, he may have

1045

had hope that despite the fact that the

children of Israel are way off course and

1046

deserving of all kinds of harsh justice,

there's proof and evidence that the Lord

1047

is merciful and they just need to turn.

1048

So he asked them, gather yourselves

together before things happen.

1049

In fact, in two that you see that

word before, many times I highlighted

1050

all of them before the anger

comes before the Lord judges you.

1051

You've got this, a tiny fraction of

space left in this window of mercy.

1052

Take advantage of it.

1053

So in three he says, how Seek the

Lord, seek E, the Lord, all unique

1054

of the earth, which have rot, his

judgments, seek righteousness, seek

1055

meekness that it may be that you

may be hid in the day of the Lord's.

1056

It's the same promise we see in the New

Testament that no matter how far off

1057

course they are, if they turn to the Lord

in that pivotal moment, he can forgive and

1058

he can say, go thou way and say no more.

1059

You are your hid from his

anger when your heart turns.

1060

So that's what he's trying

to get them to understand.

1061

It just reminds me of, I think I said

this once before, but Elder Maxwell

1062

talked about if you can, this isn't a

quote, this is just a summary, but he

1063

says like if you think that there's a

possibility that there will be a day

1064

when every knee shall bow and every

tongue confess, then why not today?

1065

Like even if there's a fraction of you

that has just a desire to believe that

1066

that's possible, then change change today.

1067

Cuz you just don't know when the

day of the Lord will come for you.

1068

So I just, that's what I felt

as I was reading these verses.

1069

I also love the promise that he's the

author and finisher of your faith.

1070

That's what Z and I is trying to teach

them, like he will make you a new path.

1071

Niva a hundred years ago is proof

of this, that they were ripe for

1072

destruction and had a profit that was

coming to say in 40 days it's done.

1073

And because of their repentance,

a whole new path opened up and

1074

that's what he is trying to help

them understand here as well.

1075

I just think it's the same thing we see.

1076

If you look in DNC 88, what first is it?

1077

It's in my margins.

1078

32 dnc.

1079

88.

1080

32.

1081

This is where the revelation is

basically saying like, I will give you

1082

as much as you are willing to receive.

1083

I think that's the promise here as well.

1084

He's saying All the goodness, all

the mercy, all the forgiveness

1085

I can offer, I will give.

1086

Whatever you're willing to receive.

1087

It's, it's us that gets in the way.

1088

It's not the Lord's hand that

isn't extended far enough.

1089

So that's a message or two.

1090

The rest of chapter two is focused

on the woes and the warnings

1091

to all the surrounding nations.

1092

Um, and they're pretty strong, cuz

remember this is a type and shadow

1093

for the days, at the end of days when

all wickedness will be destroyed.

1094

And this is kind of like a, a

microcosm of that happening now.

1095

So there's, he's talking about the

destruction that will happen to all those

1096

surrounding areas before Zion can come.

1097

After talking to all those other nations

and warning them, Seth and I goes

1098

right back to the heart of things by

talking to those in Jerusalem saying

1099

like, you're running outta time.

1100

And so you'll see that he talks about

how the Lord was in their midst.

1101

You know, old Testament terms,

the word midst doesn't just

1102

mean like somewhere around.

1103

It means in the heart of he's right

there in the middle and you've missed it.

1104

You know, it's like if you've ever

heard somebody talk about a Black

1105

Friday sale and the thing they

bought was the thing you need to buy,

1106

and you're like, ah, I missed it.

1107

That's what he's saying to the, the

children of Israel, that there's

1108

gonna be some point in time when

you realize how close the Lord

1109

was to you and you missed it.

1110

Um, and that is a, that is

a warning all in of itself.

1111

When you a little further, he does

this interesting teaching strategy.

1112

I've actually found this has been

really helpful to me as I've been

1113

talking to family members and friends

who are struggling with their faith

1114

or who have lost it entirely, that I

found that it doesn't help me very much

1115

to combat their points of doctrinal.

1116

Frustration.

1117

What really seems to make any kind of

sway is just to build up what is good.

1118

You know, I read this from a prophet

once where he talked about our job when

1119

we're doing missionary work is not to

tear down the houses of other people.

1120

I can't remember which profit this was.

1121

I'll see if I can find out.

1122

I'll put it in the notes.

1123

But our job is not to tear down

the houses of other belief systems.

1124

Our job is just to build next door,

this beautiful goodness, and eventually

1125

they're gonna basically kind of walk

over and say, tell me more about

1126

this house . You know, the same way I

might walk over to my neighbors and be

1127

like, I really like your garage doors.

1128

Where did you get those?

1129

That's the same kind of idea.

1130

He's saying, build up what's good.

1131

So when I'm talking to friends

and family, I'm trying hard.

1132

In fact, just this week I, I

remembered this as I was studying Z

1133

and I, that there's a conversation

I could have done better , where

1134

I need to just teach what's good.

1135

So when friends or family have questions

or frustrations, Don't worry so much

1136

about the fine points of doctrine.

1137

Just talk about what's good, what is

good in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

1138

What hope do you have in it?

1139

Why do you turn to it over and over and

over again in times of struggle and trial?

1140

Because that's what Zep and I is doing.

1141

He talks about Zion.

1142

Instead of focusing on all the things

they're doing wrong, he builds up

1143

this beautiful mansion of Zion and

says, look how good it will be.

1144

So he talks about pure language that will

come, that they'll all be united again.

1145

That there will be offerings, that

there will be no more wickedness,

1146

no more, you know, no more great

and spacious building people whining

1147

at you and making you feel small.

1148

All that's gonna go away.

1149

There's no more evil, no more warfarin,

no more bloodshed, all these promises.

1150

There's no more lying, no more deceit.

1151

And then when you have this beautiful

goodness built, the result, You'll sing

1152

like when you're a part of this, when

you belong in that neighborhood, this

1153

built that's built in this beautiful

Zion type way, you'll sing out.

1154

So that's what you see in 14.

1155

Seeing oh, daughter of Zion.

1156

Be glad and rejoice with all I heart.

1157

They're supposed to rejoice

that this can happen.

1158

Remember, this is another Hannah type.

1159

Take joy in this moment, even

though you're not experiencing

1160

the circumstances yet.

1161

Take joy that this can and will happen.

1162

So he talks about what will come.

1163

So the Lord will take

away your judgements.

1164

He will invite you back home.

1165

So that's in 15.

1166

He cast out that enemy.

1167

He has taken away th judgments.

1168

He's in the midst of the, in 16.

1169

He tells you to fear thou not.

1170

And let not your hands be slack.

1171

Don't get apathetic.

1172

You know, we've already

been warned about that.

1173

You gotta be anxiously

engaged in this work.

1174

In 17, and this is one of my favorites,

he says the Lord, that God in the

1175

midst of the is mighty, he will save.

1176

He will rejoice over the with joy.

1177

He will rest in his love and he

will joy over the with singing.

1178

I love this cuz often we talk about how

we'll feel when we have the savior in

1179

the midst of us that we'll feel joy.

1180

But what he teaches in this verse

is that the savior feels joy too.

1181

That he loves you and he wants you home.

1182

It's when a time out for woman, I

talk about those missionary mom hugs.

1183

You know, like you build that up

in your head and then you finally

1184

get to that moment when you can

have them back in your arms.

1185