Bruce R. McConkie, “The Story of a Prophet’s Madness,” New Era, Apr 1972, 4
[My notes on this talk are in brackets. I have also added bolding and highlighting. -- Claudia]
Let me tell you the story of a prophet, in some respects a very great prophet, but one “who loved the wages of unrighteousness,” who “was rebuked for his iniquity” in a most strange and unusual way, and whose actions (which included the uttering of great and true prophecies) were described by another prophet in another day as “madness.”
This is a true story, a dramatic story; one with a great lesson for all members of the Church; one that involves seeing God, receiving revelation, and facing a destroying angel in whose hand was the sword of vengeance. It includes the account of how the Lord delivered a message to the prophet in a way that, as far as we know, has never been duplicated in the entire history of the world.
As we study the events involved, suppose we seek answers to these questions: Why did the Lord permit (or did he direct?) the strange series of events? What are “the wages of unrighteousness”? And how could a prophet who sought such remain in tune with “the spirit of God” and proclaim great truths, including one of our most marvelous Messianic prophecies?
But even more important: What lesson are we expected to learn from the intermixture of both good and bad conduct shown forth by this ancient representative of the Lord?
Now let us turn to the story, with an open mind, seeking the lesson it teaches us. And as we do so, please keep in mind that everything I have so far or shall hereafter put in quote marks is copied from the Bible, except in one instance where help is sought from a passage of latter-day revelation.
Our story took place on the plains of Moab near Jericho; the time was 1451 b.c.; the chief participants were Balak, king of the Moabites, and Balaam, a prophet from the land of Midian. Israel’s hosts, numbering in the millions, had just devastated the land of the Amorites and were camped on the borders of Moab. Fear and anxiety filled the hearts of the people of Moab and Balak their king. Would they also be overrun and slaughtered by these warriors of Jehovah?
So Balak sent the elders and princes of his nation to Balaam, “with the rewards of divination in their hand,” to hire him to come and curse Israel. In Balak’s name they said: “Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
“Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.”
Anxious to gain the riches they offered him, Balaam invited them to lodge with him that night [entertaining evil?]
while he inquired of the Lord and sought permission to curse Israel. [asking permission of the Lord to do something he must have known was wrong?]
That night “God came unto Balaam” and said: “Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.”
Next morning Balaam said to the princes of Balak: “Get you into your land: for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you.” [a good move]
Thereupon Balak sent more honorable and noble princes than the first and they said to Balaam: “Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:
“For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
“And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.”
And yet, still anxious to receive the riches and honors offered by the king, Balaam lodged his visitors and importuned the Lord for permission to go with them and curse Israel. [entertaining evil again?]
“And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.”
After gaining this permission Balaam “saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.”
Now note: The Lord had given Balaam permission to go, and yet the scripture says: “And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him.”
As Balaam rode along, “the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand.” Three times the dumb beast turned aside, crushing Balaam’s foot against a wall and falling down under him. In anger the prophet “smote the ass with a staff.
“And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
“And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. [His greed and anger blind him.]
“And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
“Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.” [repentance?]
After rebuking and counseling Balaam, the angel yet said: “Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak.”
When they met, Balak renewed his promise “to promote” Balaam “to honour,” and the prophet responded: “Have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.”
Balak then offered sacrifices, and at the visiting prophet’s request built seven altars upon which Balaam also sacrificed, obviously pleading with the Lord for permission to curse Israel and receive the honors offered by the king of the Moabites. But with it all Balaam promised that if “the Lord will come to meet me,” then “whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee.”
“And God met Balaam,” and told him what to say, which he then proclaimed in the presence of all the princes of Moab: “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?
“For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
“Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!”
Balak was angry, but Balaam remained true to his trust, saying, “Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?”
Then they went through the whole process again. Sacrifices were offered; the Lord was importuned; but the result was the same.
“God is not a man,” Balaam said, “that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
“Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.”
Then he continued, “Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!”
When Balak yet complained, Balaam replied: “Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?”
And yet at the King’s request the prophet still sought to curse Israel. Further sacrifices were offered [Is this the third time?] ; again pleading entreaties ascended to the Lord; and again the answer was the same. “The spirit of God came upon him,” and he prophesied with power and force of the greatness of Israel, concluding with the statement, “Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
“And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
“Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour.”
But Balaam, fixed in his purpose to deliver only “that message that the Lord revealed to him, said: “Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
“If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak?”
Then, while the Spirit still rested upon him, Balaam gave this great Messianic prophecy: “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel.”
In spite of all this, the record recites that Balaam “taught” Balak “to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication,” and shortly thereafter, while aligned against Israel in the camps of the Midianites, he was “slain with the sword.”
The full account of these events is found in Numbers 22:23; 24; 25; 31:8; 2 Peter 2:15–16; Jude 1:11; and Revelations 2:14. [Num. 22:23; Num. 24; Num. 25; Num. 31:8; 2 Pet. 2:15–16; Rev. 2:14]
What a story this is! Here is a prophet of God who is firmly committed to declare only what the Lord of heaven directs. There does not seem to be the slightest doubt in his mind about the course he should pursue. He represents the Lord, and neither a house full of gold and silver nor high honors offered by the king can sway him from his determined course, which has been charted for him by that God whom he serves.
But greed for wealth and lust for honor beckon him. How marvelous it would be to be rich and powerful—as well as having the prophetic powers that already are his.
Perhaps the Lord would let him compromise his standards and have some worldly prosperity and power as well as a testimony of the gospel. Of course he knew the gospel was true, as it were, but why should he be denied the things his political file leader could confer?
I wonder how often some of us get our direction from the Church and then, Balaam-like, plead for some worldly rewards and finally receive an answer which says, in effect, If you are determined to be a millionaire or to gain this or that worldly honor, go ahead, with the understanding that you will continue to serve the Lord. Then we wonder why things don’t work out for us as well as they would have done if we had put first in our lives the things of God’s kingdom?
What are the rewards of unrighteousness? Do they not include seeking for worldly things when these run counter to the interests of the Church?
And don’t we all know people who, though they were once firm and steadfast in testimony, are now opposing the Lord’s purposes and interests on earth because money and power have twisted their judgment of what should or should not be?
Balaam, the prophet, inspired and mighty as he once was, lost his soul in the end because he set his heart on the things of this world rather than the riches of eternity.
What a wealth of meaning there is in these inspired words of Joseph Smith, words addressed to people who have testimonies but want to mingle the things of this world with them: “Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?
“Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson—
“That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.
“That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.
“Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. …
“Hence many are called, but few are chosen.” (D&C 121:34–38, 40.)
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Lesson 16: "I Cannot Go Beyond the Word of the Lord."
"The greatest single lesson we can learn in mortality is that when God speaks and a man obeys, that man will always be right."
--President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 2005, 22
Lesson 16: “I Cannot Go Beyond the Word of the Lord”, Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 73 Lesson Manual Materials
--President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 2005, 22
Lesson 16: “I Cannot Go Beyond the Word of the Lord”, Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 73 Lesson Manual Materials
Purpose: To encourage class members to submit to God’s will without hesitation.
Bible Dictionary for Balaam
Isaiah 20: 13 ¶ Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people adraw near me with their bmouth, and with their lips do chonour me, but have dremoved their eheart far from me, and their ffear toward me is taught by the gprecept of men:
D&C 95: 1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I alove I also chasten that their sins may be bforgiven, for with the cchastisement I prepare a way for their ddeliverance in all things out of etemptation, and I have loved you—
Revelations 2: 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of aBalaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit bfornication.
- Elder Bruce R. McConkie said:
- “What a story this is! Here is a prophet of God who is firmly committed to declare only what the Lord of heaven directs. There does not seem to be the slightest doubt in his mind about the course he should pursue. He represents the Lord, and neither a house full of gold and silver nor high honors offered by the king can sway him from his determined course. …
- “But greed for wealth and lust for honor beckon him. How marvelous it would be [for him] to be rich and powerful. … Perhaps the Lord would let him compromise his standards and have some worldly prosperity and power. … I wonder how often some of us get our direction from the Church and then, Balaam-like, plead for some worldly rewards. …
- “Balaam, … inspired and mighty as he once was, lost his soul in the end because he set his heart on the things of this world rather than the riches of eternity” (“The Story of a Prophet’s Madness,” New Era, Apr. 1972, 7).
Conclusion
Testify that if Balaam had humbly submitted to God’s will, much sin and suffering would have been avoided for himself and for Israel. Encourage class members to be steadfast rather than stubborn—to seek and follow the Lord’s will without trying to get around it or change it.
Bruce R. McConkie, “The Story of a Prophet’s Madness,” New Era, Apr 1972, 4
H. Ross Workman, “Breaking the Chains of Sin,” Ensign, Jul 2006, 52–55
Lynette H. Kelley, “Loving the Old Testament throughout My Life,” Ensign, Jan 1990, 15
Neal A. Maxwell, “The Tugs and Pulls of the World,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 35–37
Dallin H. Oaks, “Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall,” Ensign, Oct 1994, 11
from Grant Underwood, “The Prophet Joseph Smith’s Use of the Old Testament,” Ensign, Aug 2002, 30
He linked episodes of apostasy during Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness to disaffections among his associates. In the aftermath of the extermination order issued by Governor Boggs to expel the Saints from Missouri, Joseph wrote that the dissenters who aided and abetted the mobbers, “like Balaam being greedy for a reward, sold us into the hands of those who loved them, for the world loves his own.” 4 Singling out W. W. Phelps, the Prophet continued: “This poor man who professes to be much of a prophet has no other dumb ass to ride but David Whitmer to forbid his madness when he goes up to curse Israel. And this ass not being of the same kind of Balaam’s, therefore the angel notwithstanding appeared unto him. Yet he could not penetrate his understanding sufficiently, so but what he brays out cursings instead of blessings.” 5 Referring to all apostates, he also remarked, “We classify them in the error of Balaam and in the gainsaying of Core [Korah].” 6
See this link for part of the story in Legos!
http://www.wga.hu/art/r/rembran/painting/biblic1/balaam.jpg
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Into the Promised Land
How do you feel when you stand on the verge of reaching a long-awaited goal? Are you happy, sad, or relieved that the journey is nearly over? Are you frightened of the tests and trials that still lie ahead, or do you view your future with courage and faith in God? from CES Materials
Lesson 14: “Ye Shall Be a Peculiar Treasure unto Me”
Lesson 14: “Ye Shall Be a Peculiar Treasure unto Me”, Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 62
Purpose
To encourage class members to partake of the Lord’s spiritual water and bread, sustain his chosen leaders, and obey his commandments so he can make of them a “holy nation” (Exodus 19:6).
Lesson Manual Materials for Lesson 14
See this article from The Ensign that shows parallels between John 6 and the Exodus.
This is a "poster article" from The Friend about gathering of the manna and the need to remember the Sabbath. It includes cutouts that could be used for a Family Home Evening.
David W. Ferrel, “The Lord Is among Us!,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 34
James E. Faust, “The Lord’s Day,” Ensign, Nov 1991, 33
__________________________________________________
Honoring the Priesthood
"May I offer counsel of a general nature, first with comments about General Authorities. We recognize them as instruments in the hand of the Lord, yet realize that they are ordinary human beings. They require haircuts, laundry services, and occasional reminders just like anyone else. President Benson once shared with us a story to illustrate. He said:
" 'Orson F. Whitney . . . was a great man to concentrate. One day when he was traveling by train, he was so preoccupied that he did not notice the train pass the station where he was to get off. So he had to [be driven] back to where he should have been. Meanwhile the stake president waited and waited. . . . Finally when he decided that something had more than likely happened to Brother Whitney and he was not going to make it, they commenced the meeting. As Elder Whitney approached, he was greeted by the opening hymn, which was "Ye Simple Souls Who Stray." '
"We honor such a man because of his extraordinary calling. His official acts are valid on earth and in heaven."
--Russell M. Nelson, "Honoring the Priesthood," Ensign, May 1993, 40
1 Nephi 17
13 And I will also be your alight in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the bpromised land; and ye shall cknow that it is by me that ye are led.
____________________________________________________________________
Lesson Planning:
Partake of the Lord’s spiritual water and bread
Sustain his chosen leaders
Obey his commandments
-- so he can make of us a “holy nation”
How does what we learn today apply to our daily lives?
Many of the people lacked faith, complaining to the Lord instead of turning to him. Nevertheless, the Lord provided water for their thirst and manna and quail for their hunger.
From the Topical Guide to the Scriptures:
In addition to satisfying the people’s hunger, what were some other purposes of sending manna?
Purpose
To encourage class members to partake of the Lord’s spiritual water and bread, sustain his chosen leaders, and obey his commandments so he can make of them a “holy nation” (Exodus 19:6).
Lesson Manual Materials for Lesson 14
See this article from The Ensign that shows parallels between John 6 and the Exodus.
This is a "poster article" from The Friend about gathering of the manna and the need to remember the Sabbath. It includes cutouts that could be used for a Family Home Evening.
David W. Ferrel, “The Lord Is among Us!,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 34
James E. Faust, “The Lord’s Day,” Ensign, Nov 1991, 33
__________________________________________________
Honoring the Priesthood
"May I offer counsel of a general nature, first with comments about General Authorities. We recognize them as instruments in the hand of the Lord, yet realize that they are ordinary human beings. They require haircuts, laundry services, and occasional reminders just like anyone else. President Benson once shared with us a story to illustrate. He said:
" 'Orson F. Whitney . . . was a great man to concentrate. One day when he was traveling by train, he was so preoccupied that he did not notice the train pass the station where he was to get off. So he had to [be driven] back to where he should have been. Meanwhile the stake president waited and waited. . . . Finally when he decided that something had more than likely happened to Brother Whitney and he was not going to make it, they commenced the meeting. As Elder Whitney approached, he was greeted by the opening hymn, which was "Ye Simple Souls Who Stray." '
"We honor such a man because of his extraordinary calling. His official acts are valid on earth and in heaven."
--Russell M. Nelson, "Honoring the Priesthood," Ensign, May 1993, 40
1 Nephi 17
13 And I will also be your alight in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the bpromised land; and ye shall cknow that it is by me that ye are led.
____________________________________________________________________
Lesson Planning:
Partake of the Lord’s spiritual water and bread
Sustain his chosen leaders
Obey his commandments
-- so he can make of us a “holy nation”
How does what we learn today apply to our daily lives?
Many of the people lacked faith, complaining to the Lord instead of turning to him. Nevertheless, the Lord provided water for their thirst and manna and quail for their hunger.
From the Topical Guide to the Scriptures:
Murmur, Murmuring See also Complain; Contention; Disobedience; Disputations; Dissension; Hardheartedness; Rebel
1 Corinthians 10:4
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that aRock was Christ.
25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the arod of iron, which my father had seen, was the bword of God, which cled to the fountain of dliving waters, or to the etree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never athirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water bspringing up into ceverlasting life.
23 But unto him that keepeth my commandments I will give the amysteries of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living bwater, cspringing up unto everlasting life.
· a. It would show the Lord whether his people would obey him (Exodus 16:4, 16–31).
· b. It would give the people daily reminders of the Lord’s power and love (Exodus 16:12).
· c. It would teach the people that they do not live “by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Lesson 12: Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction
Jacob's Ladder
While Jacob was traveling from Canaan to the land of his kindred, he stopped to rest for the night and had a remarkable dream of a ladder that reached up into heaven (Genesis 28:10–19; see the fourth additional teaching idea in lesson 10). Jacob named this place Bethel, which means “house of God” (Genesis 28:19; see footnote 19a). What place has the same name today? (The temple, which is called the house of the Lord.)
Elder Marion G. Romney said of this dream: “Jacob realized that the covenants he made with the Lord … were the rungs on the ladder that he himself would have to climb in order to obtain the promised blessings—blessings that would entitle him to enter heaven and associate with the Lord” (“Temples—The Gates to Heaven,” Ensign, Mar. 1971, 16).
Lesson 12: Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction
To help class members understand that if we are faithful and obedient, God will consecrate our afflictions for our good.
From Lesson 11:
Elder Hartman Rector Jr. explained: “[The] ability to turn everything into something good appears to be a godly characteristic. Our Heavenly Father always seems able to do this. Everything, no matter how dire, becomes a victory to the Lord. Joseph, although a slave and wholly undeserving of this fate, nevertheless remained faithful to the Lord and continued to live the commandments and made something very good of his degrading circumstances. People like this cannot be defeated” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1972, 170; or Ensign, Jan. 1973, 130).
Ask class members to imagine that they have died and entered the spirit world and are now reviewing their experiences in mortality. Explain that you will ask four questions to help them think about how adversity has shaped their lives. After asking all four questions, invite class members to comment on whichever questions they want.
1. Joseph interprets the dreams of the butler, the baker, and Pharaoh. Pharaoh makes Joseph ruler over all Egypt.
God lets us know what is coming through prophets and will give us personal revelation as needed and sought.
2. Joseph makes himself known to his brothers and forgives them.
Additional:
1. The great latter-day Joseph
2. Preparing for famine
3. Joseph’s sons
Posters:
While Jacob was traveling from Canaan to the land of his kindred, he stopped to rest for the night and had a remarkable dream of a ladder that reached up into heaven (Genesis 28:10–19; see the fourth additional teaching idea in lesson 10). Jacob named this place Bethel, which means “house of God” (Genesis 28:19; see footnote 19a). What place has the same name today? (The temple, which is called the house of the Lord.)
Elder Marion G. Romney said of this dream: “Jacob realized that the covenants he made with the Lord … were the rungs on the ladder that he himself would have to climb in order to obtain the promised blessings—blessings that would entitle him to enter heaven and associate with the Lord” (“Temples—The Gates to Heaven,” Ensign, Mar. 1971, 16).
Lesson 12: Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction
To help class members understand that if we are faithful and obedient, God will consecrate our afflictions for our good.
From Lesson 11:
Elder Hartman Rector Jr. explained: “[The] ability to turn everything into something good appears to be a godly characteristic. Our Heavenly Father always seems able to do this. Everything, no matter how dire, becomes a victory to the Lord. Joseph, although a slave and wholly undeserving of this fate, nevertheless remained faithful to the Lord and continued to live the commandments and made something very good of his degrading circumstances. People like this cannot be defeated” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1972, 170; or Ensign, Jan. 1973, 130).
Ask class members to imagine that they have died and entered the spirit world and are now reviewing their experiences in mortality. Explain that you will ask four questions to help them think about how adversity has shaped their lives. After asking all four questions, invite class members to comment on whichever questions they want.
- • What were some of the trials you faced in mortal life?
- • What lessons have you learned from life’s trials?
- • If you could live your life over, what would you change about the way you dealt with your trials?
- • How could you have taken better advantage of life’s experiences?
1. Joseph interprets the dreams of the butler, the baker, and Pharaoh. Pharaoh makes Joseph ruler over all Egypt.
God lets us know what is coming through prophets and will give us personal revelation as needed and sought.
2. Joseph makes himself known to his brothers and forgives them.
Additional:
1. The great latter-day Joseph
2. Preparing for famine
3. Joseph’s sons
Posters:
Genesis
40 - 45
“Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction”
If we are faithful and obedient,
Fleeing from evil
Faithful
while
Facing Trials
Forgiving
Giving God the Credit
Lesson 11: How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?
Lesson 11: How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?
1. Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers.
2. Joseph refuses to “sin against God.”
3. Shechem, Reuben, and Judah commit serious moral sins.
1. Bethel—the house of God
2. Jacob and Esau are reunited
3. Concubines in Old Testament times
1. Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers.
2. Joseph refuses to “sin against God.”
3. Shechem, Reuben, and Judah commit serious moral sins.
1. Bethel—the house of God
2. Jacob and Esau are reunited
3. Concubines in Old Testament times
Lesson 10: Birthright Blessings: Marriage in the Covenant
Lesson 10: Birthright Blessings: Marriage in the Covenant
Andrew Skinner:
"As members of the Church we are the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the inheritors of the Abrahamic covenant. What is the Abrahamic covenant to the righteous if it is not candidacy for exaltation? As with Jacob, the task of turning candidacy into reality is up to us. Let us wrestle for our blessings that we are promised as we continue to worship in the temples of the Lord."
Purpose: To strengthen class members’ desires to live worthy of their birthright blessings and of eternal marriage.
Do not trade eternal blessings for temporary pleasure or satisfaction.
1. Abraham emphasizes the importance of marriage in the covenant (eternal marriage).
2. Esau sells his birthright to Jacob.
3. Jacob marries Leah and Rachel in the covenant, and through him the Abrahamic covenant continues.
Supplemental:
Isaac and Rebekah
Right Marriage Begins with Right Dating
Revelation given to women
Jacob's vision of the ladder
From Elder Bruce R. McConkie's talk --
Bruce R. McConkie, “Mothers in Israel and Daughters of Zion,” New Era, May 1978, 35
May I now take our common ancestor, Rebekah, as a pattern for what her daughters in the Church today can do. Rebekah was barren until Isaac entreated the Lord on her behalf, and then she conceived. Then Jacob and Esau, while yet in her womb, struggled together. She was troubled and asked, “Why am I thus?” The scripture says, “She went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb,” and he then described them. (Gen. 25:21–23.)
Our purpose in telling this story is to show that when Rebekah was troubled and needed divine guidance, she herself took the matter up with the Lord, and he spoke to her in reply. The Lord gives revelation to women who pray to him in faith.
When Jacob and Esau had grown to maturity, the greatest concern of their parents was the matter of whom they should marry. The record says that Esau “took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.” (Gen. 26:34–35.) What this means is that Esau married out of the Church; Esau did not enter the Lord’s system of celestial marriage, and his marriage brought great sorrow to his parents.
Rebekah had great anxiety as to whom Jacob would marry. She was fearful that he too might depart from the teachings of his parents and marry someone who was not eligible to receive the blessings of eternal marriage.
And so the scripture says, “And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?” (Gen. 27:46.)
That is to say, Rebekah thought her whole life would be wasted if Jacob married out of the Church. She knew he could not enter the gate leading to exaltation unless he was married in the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, and so she brought the matter to Jacob’s attention. This is a great object lesson. The mother was greatly concerned about the marriage of her son, and she prevailed upon the father to do something about it. She was acting as a guide and a light to Jacob as my wife often does to me.
And so the account says, “And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.” (Gen. 28:1.)
How many of us have received blessings, patriarchal blessings, in which we are told to marry in the temple or to be married for time and all eternity? So it was with Jacob. Isaac blessed him and gave him a command that meant, “Thou shalt not marry out of the Church.”
Now, when we are a minority part of the population, it is sometimes difficult to find a marriage companion in the Church. We have to go to great lengths to associate with faithful Latter-day Saints, to associate with good, clean people who are worthy to have a temple recommend.
And so Isaac not only said, “Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan,” he also said: “Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.
“And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
“And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee.” (Gen. 28:1–4.)
That is to say, if Jacob married in the Church and was true and faithful, he would be blessed with eternal increase, with a continuation of the family unit in eternity, as his grandfather Abraham had been blessed before him. That he was obedient and faithful we learn from latter-day revelation that tells us that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob each entered the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, each “did none other things than that which they were commanded,” and each “have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods.” (D&C 132:37.)
What we say for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob we say also for Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, the wives who stood at their sides and who with them were true and faithful in all things. Men are not saved alone, and women do not gain an eternal fullness except in and through the continuation of the family unit in eternity. Salvation is a family affair.
The revelation on marriage says that “if a man marry a wife” in “the new and everlasting covenant,” and they are then faithful and true in all things, “they”—meaning the man and the woman—“shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, … which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. Then shall they be gods.” (D&C 132:19–20.) That is, the man and his wife together and not either one of them alone, shall be exalted. They shall have eternal life; they shall fill the full measure of their creation; they shall inherit, receive, and possess all things.
What a marvelous example Rebekah has set for all the women of the Church. Not only did she pray and get personal revelation when she needed it, but she so influenced her husband and her son that they did what was necessary so that Jacob married in the Church and, with his beloved Rachel, gained eternal life as a result.
Cynthia Hallen
Cynthia L. Hallen, “Rebekah,” Ensign, Jan 2002, 39
Abraham’s servant had prayed for a maiden who would bring a dowry of kindness to the Abrahamic family (see Gen. 24:14). At the well he met a personification of Christlike charity and consideration. She was not only a dutiful daughter who diligently performed the daily work of retrieving water for family and their livestock, she was also willing to perform this arduous task for a stranger (see Gen. 24:18–20). She did not know she was serving a man who would lead her to her future husband, yet upon his request she extended both water and generous hospitality, saying, “We have both straw and provender [food for animals] enough, and room to lodge in” (Gen. 24:23–25). She served selflessly, reminding us that one of the best presents each partner can bring to the wedding altar is the gift of charity.
David H. Madsen, “Jacob and Esau,” Ensign, Jan 2002, 42
When Isaac became about 130 years old, and his sons more than 70, 1 the time was right for the bestowal of the birthright blessing.
So at about age 77 (see note 1), Jacob and Esau parted, a separation that lasted about 20 years (see Gen. 31:41).
Andrew C. Skinner, “Jacob: Keeper of Covenants,” Ensign, Mar 1998, 51
Esau became a cunning hunter, while Jacob is described in the Hebrew text as an ‘ish tam, a man “whole, complete, perfect” (Gen. 25:27, footnote b). The implication is that Esau was concerned about one pursuit to the exclusion of other important considerations.
“When Jacob traveled from Beersheba toward Haran, he had a dream in which he saw himself on the earth at the foot of a ladder that reached to heaven where the Lord stood above it. He beheld angels ascending and descending thereon, and Jacob realized that the covenants he made with the Lord there were the rungs on the ladder that he himself would have to climb in order to obtain the promised blessings—blessings that would entitle him to enter heaven and associate with the Lord. …
-- window in the Celestial Room of the Timpanogos Temple
Thus the events described in chapter 32 of Genesis report the culmination of a process begun 20 years before at Bethel, when Jacob became a candidate for exaltation by vowing to live according to the Abrahamic covenant. At Bethel, Jacob had a templelike experience. Then Jacob had proved himself at every danger and under every circumstance. The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “When the Lord has thoroughly proved [someone], and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter … [and] have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their abode with him, … and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; and this is the state and place the ancient Saints arrived at when they had such glorious visions.” 7
Surely this describes Jacob. The crisis at the river Jabbok pushed him to the limits of his faith. It caused him to wrestle for a blessing, just as Enos, Zacharias, and others would do. Jacob’s wrestle resulted—referring back to President Brigham Young’s thought—in the Lord’s bursting the veil to reveal His glory. Indeed, the story of Jacob’s wrestle discloses the ultimate blessing that can be given. Years later, as he was blessing the sons of Joseph, long after his tearful reconciliation with Esau (see Gen. 33:1–4), the aged Jacob referred to events on the night of his wrestle when he mentioned “the Angel which redeemed me from all evil” (Gen. 48:16). . . .
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob desired, sought for, wrestled for, and craved the presence of God. They prayed for it, worked for it, and lived for it. In the Old Testament we find a powerful, personal record of their success, and the Doctrine and Covenants tells us that these patriarchs “have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods” (D&C 132:37).
As members of the Church we are the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the inheritors of the Abrahamic covenant. What is the Abrahamic covenant to the righteous if it is not candidacy for exaltation? As with Jacob, the task of turning candidacy into reality is up to us. Let us wrestle for our blessings that we are promised as we continue to worship in the temples of the Lord.
Edward J. Brandt, “Journeys and Events in the Lives of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph,” Ensign, Jun 1973, 56–59
Edward J. Brandt, “Understanding the Old Testament: Keys to Resolving Difficult Questions,” Ensign, Sep 1980, 27
Another example of so-called favoritism is that Jacob appears to have stolen the birthright from his brother, Esau—that he received it unjustly through deceit and trickery. But what does the scriptural record say concerning this matter? The record indicates that Esau not only sold his birthright, but “despised” it (Gen. 25:34), and that he further disqualified himself for these blessings by marrying nonbelievers “which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and Rebekah” (Gen. 26:35).
When the time came for Isaac to bless his two sons, Rebekah, who learned through a revelation she had received that Jacob was to rule over his brother (see Gen. 25:23), went against the cultural tradition and helped Jacob, the younger son, receive the blessing. When Esau came to claim his blessing, Isaac realized that the important rights of priesthood presidency did, in fact, belong to faithful Jacob, not to unworthy Esau: “Yea,” said Isaac, “and he shall be blessed” (Gen. 27:33). If the prophet-patriarch had acted improperly, he had the priesthood right to revoke Jacob’s blessing. But he didn’t do so, knowing that he had done the will of the Lord. Perceiving that Esau’s concern was for the loss of the temporal gain instead of spiritual blessings, Isaac promised him prosperity, but he also reaffirmed the blessing of Jacob (see Gen. 27:37–40)
Judy Stephan Smith, “Scriptural Giants: Rebekah,” Friend, Jun 1985, 48
Sarah and Isaac
Andrew Skinner:
"As members of the Church we are the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the inheritors of the Abrahamic covenant. What is the Abrahamic covenant to the righteous if it is not candidacy for exaltation? As with Jacob, the task of turning candidacy into reality is up to us. Let us wrestle for our blessings that we are promised as we continue to worship in the temples of the Lord."
Purpose: To strengthen class members’ desires to live worthy of their birthright blessings and of eternal marriage.
Do not trade eternal blessings for temporary pleasure or satisfaction.
1. Abraham emphasizes the importance of marriage in the covenant (eternal marriage).
2. Esau sells his birthright to Jacob.
3. Jacob marries Leah and Rachel in the covenant, and through him the Abrahamic covenant continues.
Supplemental:
Isaac and Rebekah
Right Marriage Begins with Right Dating
Revelation given to women
Jacob's vision of the ladder
From Elder Bruce R. McConkie's talk --
Bruce R. McConkie, “Mothers in Israel and Daughters of Zion,” New Era, May 1978, 35
May I now take our common ancestor, Rebekah, as a pattern for what her daughters in the Church today can do. Rebekah was barren until Isaac entreated the Lord on her behalf, and then she conceived. Then Jacob and Esau, while yet in her womb, struggled together. She was troubled and asked, “Why am I thus?” The scripture says, “She went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb,” and he then described them. (Gen. 25:21–23.)
Our purpose in telling this story is to show that when Rebekah was troubled and needed divine guidance, she herself took the matter up with the Lord, and he spoke to her in reply. The Lord gives revelation to women who pray to him in faith.
When Jacob and Esau had grown to maturity, the greatest concern of their parents was the matter of whom they should marry. The record says that Esau “took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.” (Gen. 26:34–35.) What this means is that Esau married out of the Church; Esau did not enter the Lord’s system of celestial marriage, and his marriage brought great sorrow to his parents.
Rebekah had great anxiety as to whom Jacob would marry. She was fearful that he too might depart from the teachings of his parents and marry someone who was not eligible to receive the blessings of eternal marriage.
And so the scripture says, “And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?” (Gen. 27:46.)
That is to say, Rebekah thought her whole life would be wasted if Jacob married out of the Church. She knew he could not enter the gate leading to exaltation unless he was married in the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, and so she brought the matter to Jacob’s attention. This is a great object lesson. The mother was greatly concerned about the marriage of her son, and she prevailed upon the father to do something about it. She was acting as a guide and a light to Jacob as my wife often does to me.
And so the account says, “And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.” (Gen. 28:1.)
How many of us have received blessings, patriarchal blessings, in which we are told to marry in the temple or to be married for time and all eternity? So it was with Jacob. Isaac blessed him and gave him a command that meant, “Thou shalt not marry out of the Church.”
Now, when we are a minority part of the population, it is sometimes difficult to find a marriage companion in the Church. We have to go to great lengths to associate with faithful Latter-day Saints, to associate with good, clean people who are worthy to have a temple recommend.
And so Isaac not only said, “Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan,” he also said: “Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.
“And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
“And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee.” (Gen. 28:1–4.)
That is to say, if Jacob married in the Church and was true and faithful, he would be blessed with eternal increase, with a continuation of the family unit in eternity, as his grandfather Abraham had been blessed before him. That he was obedient and faithful we learn from latter-day revelation that tells us that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob each entered the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, each “did none other things than that which they were commanded,” and each “have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods.” (D&C 132:37.)
What we say for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob we say also for Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, the wives who stood at their sides and who with them were true and faithful in all things. Men are not saved alone, and women do not gain an eternal fullness except in and through the continuation of the family unit in eternity. Salvation is a family affair.
The revelation on marriage says that “if a man marry a wife” in “the new and everlasting covenant,” and they are then faithful and true in all things, “they”—meaning the man and the woman—“shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, … which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. Then shall they be gods.” (D&C 132:19–20.) That is, the man and his wife together and not either one of them alone, shall be exalted. They shall have eternal life; they shall fill the full measure of their creation; they shall inherit, receive, and possess all things.
What a marvelous example Rebekah has set for all the women of the Church. Not only did she pray and get personal revelation when she needed it, but she so influenced her husband and her son that they did what was necessary so that Jacob married in the Church and, with his beloved Rachel, gained eternal life as a result.
Cynthia Hallen
Cynthia L. Hallen, “Rebekah,” Ensign, Jan 2002, 39
Abraham’s servant had prayed for a maiden who would bring a dowry of kindness to the Abrahamic family (see Gen. 24:14). At the well he met a personification of Christlike charity and consideration. She was not only a dutiful daughter who diligently performed the daily work of retrieving water for family and their livestock, she was also willing to perform this arduous task for a stranger (see Gen. 24:18–20). She did not know she was serving a man who would lead her to her future husband, yet upon his request she extended both water and generous hospitality, saying, “We have both straw and provender [food for animals] enough, and room to lodge in” (Gen. 24:23–25). She served selflessly, reminding us that one of the best presents each partner can bring to the wedding altar is the gift of charity.
David H. Madsen, “Jacob and Esau,” Ensign, Jan 2002, 42
When Isaac became about 130 years old, and his sons more than 70, 1 the time was right for the bestowal of the birthright blessing.
So at about age 77 (see note 1), Jacob and Esau parted, a separation that lasted about 20 years (see Gen. 31:41).
Andrew C. Skinner, “Jacob: Keeper of Covenants,” Ensign, Mar 1998, 51
Esau became a cunning hunter, while Jacob is described in the Hebrew text as an ‘ish tam, a man “whole, complete, perfect” (Gen. 25:27, footnote b). The implication is that Esau was concerned about one pursuit to the exclusion of other important considerations.
“When Jacob traveled from Beersheba toward Haran, he had a dream in which he saw himself on the earth at the foot of a ladder that reached to heaven where the Lord stood above it. He beheld angels ascending and descending thereon, and Jacob realized that the covenants he made with the Lord there were the rungs on the ladder that he himself would have to climb in order to obtain the promised blessings—blessings that would entitle him to enter heaven and associate with the Lord. …
-- window in the Celestial Room of the Timpanogos Temple
Thus the events described in chapter 32 of Genesis report the culmination of a process begun 20 years before at Bethel, when Jacob became a candidate for exaltation by vowing to live according to the Abrahamic covenant. At Bethel, Jacob had a templelike experience. Then Jacob had proved himself at every danger and under every circumstance. The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “When the Lord has thoroughly proved [someone], and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter … [and] have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their abode with him, … and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; and this is the state and place the ancient Saints arrived at when they had such glorious visions.” 7
Surely this describes Jacob. The crisis at the river Jabbok pushed him to the limits of his faith. It caused him to wrestle for a blessing, just as Enos, Zacharias, and others would do. Jacob’s wrestle resulted—referring back to President Brigham Young’s thought—in the Lord’s bursting the veil to reveal His glory. Indeed, the story of Jacob’s wrestle discloses the ultimate blessing that can be given. Years later, as he was blessing the sons of Joseph, long after his tearful reconciliation with Esau (see Gen. 33:1–4), the aged Jacob referred to events on the night of his wrestle when he mentioned “the Angel which redeemed me from all evil” (Gen. 48:16). . . .
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob desired, sought for, wrestled for, and craved the presence of God. They prayed for it, worked for it, and lived for it. In the Old Testament we find a powerful, personal record of their success, and the Doctrine and Covenants tells us that these patriarchs “have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods” (D&C 132:37).
As members of the Church we are the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the inheritors of the Abrahamic covenant. What is the Abrahamic covenant to the righteous if it is not candidacy for exaltation? As with Jacob, the task of turning candidacy into reality is up to us. Let us wrestle for our blessings that we are promised as we continue to worship in the temples of the Lord.
Edward J. Brandt, “Journeys and Events in the Lives of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph,” Ensign, Jun 1973, 56–59
Edward J. Brandt, “Understanding the Old Testament: Keys to Resolving Difficult Questions,” Ensign, Sep 1980, 27
Another example of so-called favoritism is that Jacob appears to have stolen the birthright from his brother, Esau—that he received it unjustly through deceit and trickery. But what does the scriptural record say concerning this matter? The record indicates that Esau not only sold his birthright, but “despised” it (Gen. 25:34), and that he further disqualified himself for these blessings by marrying nonbelievers “which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and Rebekah” (Gen. 26:35).
When the time came for Isaac to bless his two sons, Rebekah, who learned through a revelation she had received that Jacob was to rule over his brother (see Gen. 25:23), went against the cultural tradition and helped Jacob, the younger son, receive the blessing. When Esau came to claim his blessing, Isaac realized that the important rights of priesthood presidency did, in fact, belong to faithful Jacob, not to unworthy Esau: “Yea,” said Isaac, “and he shall be blessed” (Gen. 27:33). If the prophet-patriarch had acted improperly, he had the priesthood right to revoke Jacob’s blessing. But he didn’t do so, knowing that he had done the will of the Lord. Perceiving that Esau’s concern was for the loss of the temporal gain instead of spiritual blessings, Isaac promised him prosperity, but he also reaffirmed the blessing of Jacob (see Gen. 27:37–40)
Judy Stephan Smith, “Scriptural Giants: Rebekah,” Friend, Jun 1985, 48
Sarah and Isaac
| Melchizedek Blesses Abram, by Walter Rane.   What laws governed the inheritance of birthright in the Old Testament?Daniel H. Ludlow, “Question and Answer,” Tambuli, Sept. 1981, 32–34 |
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