Preparation of James 1:5

My husband and I got to go on a date to a symposium on the King James version of the Bible. The first presenter, John S. Tanner, who is the academic vice president of BYU and husband of Susan Tanner (previous general YW president of the church.) He has a great sense of humor making it a delight to listen to him. His paper was titled: The King James version of the Bible: Appointed to be read in Churches. The King James version of the Bible was translated by a group of scholars who focused particularly on how the words would sound coming from a pulpit. They read each proposed verse aloud to try to make each word "heart deep." It was intriguing to hear how James 1:5 was molded by the Lord as the group chose which previous translations to follow. As this was the version Joseph Smith would be reading, this verse was of great import to the Lord. Most of the King James verses follow the Tyndale version of the Bible, yet, was not followed for James 1:5. The Tyndale Bible reads as follows for James 1:5:
"Let him ask of God, who giveth to all men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth . . . "
(italics added.) Just the image of the Lord kicking someone in the teeth is enough to send away the spirit. And is an indifferent God one who will answer our prayers as He did Joseph Smith's?

In the second presentation of the night, Dan L. Belnap made another interesting point about James 1:5 and the translations that were consulted. There are other translations of the Bible, like the Geneva Bible that had commentary in the margins of the pages, directing the thoughts of those reading. The KJV had no marginalia. Imagine if Joseph Smith had read this definition from the Geneva Bible next to James 1:5: To endure patiently what favor God layeth on a man. So, if we lack wisdom, we should just wait patiently for God to send his knowledge to us- all without serious effort on our part.

Now consider the beautiful wording that was chosen for the King James version:

5^aIf any of you lack ^bwisdom, let him ask of God, that ^cgiveth to all men liberally, and ^dupbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6But let him ^aask in ^bfaith, nothing ^cwavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Does that show you a God who would cast a man in the teeth? Instead, we see that He giveth to all men liberally. We just need to ask.

I noticed another plain and simple version of James 1:5 in 1 Nephi 15:11 as I was reading:

Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and aask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.

Obviously, this isn't just a doctrine that was revealed to James. It's an age-old truth, no matter how you say it.

First to the Jews and then to the Gentiles . . .

Joseph and I went to a symposium on the King James Bible for its 400th birthday. It was fascinating and gave me many insights on the Bible and its role in the restoration. Interestingly enough, I had just read 1 Nephi 13 about the Bible coming with the pilgrims across the great waters. When a man asked the speakers what other editions of the Bible they would suggest, Brother Millet made a comment that reading with verses and chapters is like reading a whole book on a bunch of small notecards. As I re-read chapter 13, I found that the chapter break between chapters 13 and 14 had kept me from understanding something very important.
Earlier in chapter 13, verses 29 and 34 mention that plain and precious truths were taken from the Bible, and because of this, "an exceedingly great many do stumble." (vs. 29). Verse 34 says that

after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and preciuos parts of the gospel of the Lamb . . . I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious.

Well, in verse 42, at the very end of this chapter, it says that the Lord "will manifest himself to the Jews and also to the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last."

I've always considered this verse and felt smugly that Christ will come to us first this time. But reading as if there were no chapter break in 1 Nephi 14:1, I was shown something different. It says,

And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentils shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of thier stumbling blocks (italics added.)

The stumbling block we mentioned earlier was the lack of completion of the gospel and covenants in the Bible that caused the Gentiles to stumble. God would manifest himself in word and in power. THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED! We have the Book of Mormon, and we have further revelation that restores to the Gentiles first the covenants God intends for us to take full advantage of the sacrifice of the Lamb. In 1 Nephi 13: 40, it speaks of the Book of Mormon and the Bible. The last records "shall establish the truth of the first . . . and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them and shall make known to all knidreds, tongues, and people that the Lamb of Go is the Son of the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world." The Savior has made himself manifest to the Gentiles already that [we] may know him as [our] Savior. And if we "harden not [our] hearts, , . . we will be numbered among the seed of [Lehi]" (1 Nephi 14:2).
So, maybe I shouldn't feel so smug that the Lord is going to come to us first (like I may be there.. Also, we may be surprised at the way he manifests himself to the Jews.

The whore of all the earth

I was just trying to understand what is meant by the phrase "whore of all the earth" in 1 Nephi 14:11. She "sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people."
I've always considered this as a stinging insult to some church (we've all heard the different conjectures about which church it could be.) A whore is one who participates- often for money- in a sacred ritual without being married. So, if we know the true Priesthood of God has been restored to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that no other church holds the authority, it is as if others are performing all the ritual's of Christ's church without the authority or covenants God intends. It is not an insult, just a very apt comparison.

Worldwide Training- The new manual focuses on family and covenants

I just watched the Worldwide Training broadcast by the First Presidency and 12 apostles this week. As I watched, I was filled to overflowing with a reminder of my testimony of the restoration. This is the Lord's church and it is being led by Him. The new handbook #2 is for the whole church and provides direction on running our families and using the church to strengthen our families. I am so impressed by the focus on what is really important: following the spirit and fulfilling our covenants. And for anyone not in a leadership position right now, this is still for you! We are encouraged to read the first three chapters of the manual as families. You can find it on LDS.org under Menu: Service: Serving in the Church. Also, the worldwide training broadcast is available on the main page in both audio and video forms. If you don't have time for much, watch the discussion on how the manual pertains to families with Elders Holland, Bednar, and Christofferson. It was great!

More on the river

Dad commented that he had always thought it would be easy to leave the path. I think that is true- that it is easy to leave the iron rod and get lost or go get drowned in the river. In 1 Nephi 12:17, it says,

And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.

This seems like it would be simple to be blinded, and I think that is our biggest worry when we are trying to do right. Then, it goes on to describe the gulf though which this river runs. It says in verse 18,

And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men. And a great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of the justice of the Eternal God

Do you see how the gulf is both great and terrible? It's greatness is that if you are trying to do what is right, it's not so easy to get over. The terrible part, is that once you do, you have to cross it to get back to the tree. That justice works both ways.

I also think it is interesting to note that the building is the vain imaginations of the world. It is composed of pride, which is very fleeting, as we all know. It is the wisdom of the world- also easily debunked with any new evidence. It is also those who fight against the apostles of the lamb. I think there is a big difference between being in the broad paths and being in the large and spacious building. It's the difference between purposefully going against the spirit and getting lost. I think there are actually a lot of people, like Laman and Lemuel in the dream, who are just sitting in the lone and dreary wilderness and don't even start the journey out of laziness.

I'm also amazed as I read this time to see how what Nephi sees parallels the future of his people. I don't think Nephi was married at this point or had kids, but can you imagine parenting after seeing what would eventually happen to your posterity? That would be a real downer. The Lord must have known a lot about his faith to trust him with this information so early in his life.

The River in Lehi's dream- even in filthiness, a mercy from God

I'm reading Lehi's dream, and every time I read this passage, the river of water grabs my attention. This time, I realized a few new things. One, imagine the power of this symbol to a nomadic group of people, or a family traveling in the wilderness. A fountain of pure water springing forth. This is something you would search for, build your life around. It would provide your livelihood in watering your crops, your cattle, and keeping your family clean, fed, and healthy. A fountain of water is absolutely necessary to life and livelihood. Nephi tells us that this water- the fountain of living waters- are a representation of the love of God as well as the tree of life. (1 Nephi 11: 25.) The love of God that is whiter than the driven snow and most desireable above all things. One thing we learn is that the filthy river is the depths of Hell. The scriptures make no correlation between the fountain of living waters and the filthy river, but I like to take this knowledge from it: Satan takes the truth of God and his love and turns everything good to his purposes. Perhaps this filthy river is a small offshoot of the fountain of living waters. After all, it is still water. This stream separates the rod of iron from the large and spacious building. And mercifully, we begin our journey on the same side of the river as the rod of iron and the tree of life. If you notice, those who take of the fruit and then look around, ashamed, are looking across the river at the great and spacious building. I think there are many, and I have felt it myself, who look across at that building, and see those people in fine clothes who look so happy, and wish they could be there. But notice that it is not easy to reach the great and spacious building. In fact, it could be simply an illusion that Satan fills with images of happy people, and so many spend their lives trying to reach it, but drown in the depths of the river instead. That said, the scriptures do state that many entered the building.
There is a direct polarization of two destinations: the tree of life, and the large and spacious building. See 1 Nephi 15:30 that says, "And I said unto them that our father also saw that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous." This time, as I read, I realized that the river, which may even have as its fountain the love of God, must be crossed in order to reach that foundationless building into which many enter. And it is not easy to arrive. Think of how it feels to first walk into a cold stream. You are dry and each step takes effort until you immerse yourself to a certain point at which you forget the cold river and become accustomed to it. I know that it is like this when we are going away from the Love of God striving for that building made of pride. Mercifully, actions that lead us away from the correct path bring us pain. There are feelings that make us aware of what we are doing, and only if we ignore them, can we get deep enough into the river to get across or drown. That is the remnant of the Love of God that remains of this filthy river- that we know when we are entering it. We have been given a spirit that is sensitive to light and dark, clean and dirty. For someone who is trying to do his/her best, that's a real relief.
As I was looking for a picture for this post, I found an article that I really enjoyed about Lehi's and Nephi's dreams: http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=2&num=2&id=30. It makes some interesting observations at the end about the Garden of Eden and the temple.

Another thing I've been thinking about from the Book of Mormon is Sariah's trial. When Nephi and his brothers were asked to go get the plates, Sariah, Lehi, and the rest of the family had to sit in the valley where they were camped and wait. How long did it take for them to get the plates? Long enough for Sariah to think they were dead. Nephi says in 1 Nephi 5:1 that "she had truly mourned because of us." True mourning of the loss of 4 of your children. Waiting in the wilderness for your life to gain a purpose. I know one of my biggest challenges has been waiting. And I'm not sure which I think is harder- being asked to "go and do" or to wait.