Isaiah 11 (2 Nephi 21) – Is this chapter a crossroads between saints and latter-day saints?

Upon reaching chapter 11, I walked joyfully into a mountain meadow, bathed in golden rays of sun and filled with wildflowers.  This chapter occupied my mind with brilliant rainbows of color, vividly connecting precedent studies about the Messiah in Romans 15:12 and latter meditation in John 3:34.  The Spirit brought the pieces together for me in three biblical books of my investigation to drive home to my heart the supreme exaltation of Jesus Christ as the rod, the branch, and the root.  He is everything to mankind, both Jews and Gentiles. 

Obviously, the natural concern of any missionary heart, especially when he or she looks around, is this question:  “Will Gentiles glorify God?”  The answer is yes!  Paul tells every Christian who is yearning for people to glorify God for his mercy, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Romans 15:13).

The work of the Triune God (Spirit, Father, Servant-Messiah) in Isaiah 11:2a is actually fulfilled right in front my eyes with such verses as John 2:32-33 and 3:34-35.  No wonder the wrath of God is involved for unbelief (John 3:36).

So with the Spirit teaching me such amazing things about the Christ in Scripture, I become astonished when later reading LDS interpretations of verses like Isaiah 11:1 and 10. (more…)

Isaiah 10 (2 Nephi 20)

Because I live in the I-15 Idaho/Utah corridor, this entry by John Bytheway in his book, Isaiah For AirHeads (2006) is interesting on Isaiah 20:28-32:

Elder Gerald N. Lund described the enemy that covenant Israel in the kingdom of Judah faced at this time:  “The Assyrians are renowned for their brutality in warfare.  They tortured their captives.  Their armies were seemingly invincible!”  Elder Lund suggested that we imagine ourselves as covenant Israel, hiding not in Jerusalem, but on Temple Square in Salt Lake City (geography with which we are more familiar).  Then Elder Lund described the volume of territory already conquered by Assyria: (more…)

Eugene H. Peterson on John 3:31-36

I am attracted to Eugene’s meditations on John 3:31-36, stumbling over them today, for he is seeing the very things I am exegeting.  And he is asking the very same heart question that I am posing to you, friends.

Jesus is not just a better version of Moses, or David, or Elijah–or John.  He is different entirely: “from heaven.”  Jesus is not a word about God, but the very word of God.  His presence brings us into the fullness of God.  In him we have not just a fragment of truth but the whole picture of redemption. 

What is the difference between John and Jesus (247).

 – A Year With Jesus (2006)

John Bytheway’s Favorite Quote on God

In many ways, John and I are alike.  We are married to the girls of our dreams, hearts swept up in fervent commitment and beyond mere fancy.  Physically, we are both skinny (no, I take that back—I am beginning to grow a little pooch—definitely, not good).  Neither one of us have a “hoary” head (at least not yet).  Professionally, we love to teach, to write, and to basically communicate in a winsome way.  We are both passionate about what we believe.  We desire, yea, even deeply long to see young people excited about what we are discovering in scripture, and often pray that our personal presentation doesn’t hinder the joyous adventure of scripture itself.  Specifically, we both even carry a King James Version of the Bible.

But . . . (more…)

The Controversy over God in the Corridor

We had a big wind storm yesterday on I-15 in Idaho.  Many cars wrecked in the swirling dust.  But I grieve over the bigger storm, a spiritual storm raging on I-15 in Idaho and Utah.

 

After laying out his personal quest in chapter one of the book, Why Would Anyone Join The Mormon Church, Brad Brase begins chapter two, zeroing right in on the number one, fundamental issue in the corridor:  “The True Nature of the Godhead”. (more…)

Angry Over Anti-material

I often look at the book section in the local Walmart. Yesterday, there was a crowd.

I find it very interesting what Walmart sells for books in the evangelical section. Joel Osteen is popular over how to make you better and bigger. But I have never seen many books being sold that solely make God big and you small, except the Bible.

lds-book.gifLooking over the large LDS section in Walmart, I did buy a book, Why Would Anyone Join The Mormon Church? (Springville: Cedar Fort, 1998) by Brad V. Brase. The book has a new 2005 cover by Lyle Mortimer.

Stephen Davidson writes on the back, “Every member of the Church needs to know about this book. It delivers exactly what I’ve always wanted to say to my non-member and less-active friends and family. This book is the greatest non-scripture missionary resource I’ve seen in my more than forty-five years of missionary work.”

As I started reading, Brad is basically seeking to dismantle and destroy the core of everything precious that God has taught me about Himself in Scripture. (more…)

Easter

I appreciate Kerry Shirts swapping shifts with me, today, at the Museum of Idaho for the Ink & Blood exhibit.

On the upper floor of this museum, a first edition Aitkens Bible (1782) in an enclosed case is open to Psalm 49.  Thank you Robert Aitken for printing Psalm 49:15 on American soil!

I rejoice over what is written in the congressional record, dated September 10, 1782.

Even more, I rejoice over the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is a fundamental truth that my heart clings to with joy, today.

The LDS apostle’s published quote on God

I just read this.  So I was not imagining things during general conference this past weekend.

I know that in describing Him we can use the terms omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent.

Those concepts are difficult for me to thoroughly comprehend, but I understand His love (312).

– Finding Peace, Happiness, Joy(Deseret Book, 2007) by Richard G. Scott

Naturally, I have lots of questions.  Is this statement by the LDS apostle inspired?  Authoritative?  Trustworthy?  Do the LDS general authorities in 2007 define God with these three words?  Does Richard really mean what I think he means? 

I really need some help here, friends.