Speling

I am suspicious of people who know how to spell hard words.



*ps.  my scribe castigated me for being uncertain of the title of this blog.

Sophisticated Poison

We believe and are certain the resurrected Christ visited believers in America immediately after his resurrection and taught them His gospel.  He also promised that their children, as descendents of Jacob, would one day hold great power over the gentiles, those of us who would come to this continent at a later time*.   This promise, repeated three times by the Savior⁺, seemed incredible to me as a young man; but not now. 

When we moved to New York City in 1970 I thought of changing my license plates because I feared vandalism against a car from Utah; a place known for its large families.  All the sophisticated thinkers of the day agreed that having kids was bad. Their assault upon even moderate sized families was tireless and intense.  One larger than average woman on a city bus declared right in front of my children that they were eating food off her table.  I wonder if that lady or her friends are presently benefiting from the work of medical doctors, artists, or engineers; all professions that have prospered from the work of my now grown children. To complete the calamity, these sophisticates had no problem promoting government programs that squandered the eventual wealth of the children they were not having.

People will look back and wonder how it was possible we did not see what every other society in history has considered simply apparent—we will eventually depend upon the raising generation.  Because we succumbed to the sophisticated poison of limited reproduction, however, the raising generation in our part of the world will in large part consist of the descendants of those to whom the Lord made His promise of eventual power--native Americans from North and South America.  They have watched from the shadows while we lived large.  Now their numbers grow and we fall behind. Once they become a voting majority in this country, and a vast majority on this continent, are they going to willingly step forward, pay our debts, and take care of us in the style to which we have become accustomed?  I think not.  Fewer children might have worked had we been fiscally responsible. As things are, however, when our financial institutions struggle and they take positions of responsibility, we will see the literal fulfillment of the Lord’s dire predictions. In the end it might be for the best, as they are less likely to be swayed by the type of strange ideas that got us into this predicament.

*Those to whom the Lord spoke immediately after his resurrection came from Jerusalem in 600 BC and are direct descendents of Jacob.  Gentiles are generally considered non-Jewish people who came to this country after Columbus. However, as discussed in the section “What About Joseph” some of these European migrants were also descended from Jacob.

⁺  3 Nephi 16:15; 20:16; 21:12.    

What about Joseph?

Joseph’s promise:  I had a Jewish friend who believed deeply in ancient scripture.  We spoke often, but I regret never asking him an important question, “What about Joseph?”  Joseph was promised to be the leader among his brothers.  This was fulfilled in part when he lead them into Egypt; but the Lord clearly had more in mind for the posterity of this great man.   He was given the sacred birthright; and just before his death Jacob promised him that his posterity would bear the crown and have the blessings of heaven (1). 

Judah’s promise: Yet, at the pinnacle of Israel’s ancient glory the children of Judah ruled.  The tribe of Joseph rebelled and was carried into Assyria before the birth of the Savior.  If the birthright belonged to Joseph, why were his children rejected in favor of Judah?  There are perhaps two answers to this question.  First, Judah was also a noble man, who saved Joseph’s life at the well, and offered himself for Benjamin.  Moreover, before his death Jacob also made a great promise to Judah, that his posterity would be lawgivers and would bear the scepter.   This promise, however, was to last only until a person referred to as Shiloh should come to gather the people (1).  It is not clear how this prophecy relates to the ancient city of Shiloh, but it is now clear that Jacob’s promise of leadership for the children of Judah ended with the coming of our Lord.

Looking forward:  So back to the question, “What about Joseph?”  Clearly his children retain the sacred birthright and all the marvelous promises; even though these remained unfulfilled when Biblical writers fell silent.  The early Jewish Christians believed the Lord would hastily return and establish His Kingdom once again among them.  But Shiloh had come, the scepter had passed from Judah, and the Lord obviously had another plan.  Could anyone be surprised that this plan involves the children of Joseph?     Even if God could forget promises and birthrights, how could He ever forget the man who was Joseph?  To this day Joseph stands as a monument of unflinching faithfulness in the face of crushing adversity.  To anyone who understands and believes in Biblical prophecies, it should be simply apparent that the posterity of Joseph will yet be involved in a great work.  To these believers we say, “Here we are, come and see the promised crown of priesthood keys and authority”.  We, who are numbered among the posterity of Joseph, are diligently working to fulfill the heavenly promises given to Jacob; that his children would be gathered, would bless all nations, and would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children (2).  Moreover, we diligently seek the promised day when the posterity of Judah and of Joseph will be united in their love for one another, and in their service to God (3).

(1) Genesis 49:10-26

(2) Doctrine and Covenants 110:11-16

(3) Isaiah 11: 13