Jeremiah 3-4

Jeremiah 3-4

Chapter 3: Gathering of Israel

                Israel is compared to an adulterous husband. In the days of Josiah, the Lord speaks about the high places in Israel, and about how Israel was punished. Judah, far from taking Israel’s as a cautionary tale, played the harlot also, and pretended to turn to the Lord.

It mentions that people “…committed adultery with stones and with stocks [wood].” (Jeremiah 3:9). Essentially people were having sexual relations with objects.These people were abusing the power of procreation for their own pleasure. An appeal is made for Israel to acknowledge transgressions, and be restored. In the last days the Lord shall gather all nations and bring them to Jerusalem. However, we learn that not everyone in a family will be gathered to Zion; “…I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.” (Jeremiah 3:14) This means that everyone in the family will need to be righteous in order to make it to Zion in the last days.

Chapter 4: Repent!

                The Lord appeals to the men of Judah and Jerusalem to circumcise their hearts. Mourn and repent – an evil is coming from the north. It mentions the people who are not following he Lord as “…foolish, they have not known me, they are sottish [drunken: in the habit of drinking far too much alcohol] children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.” (Jeremiah 4:22) The land will be spoiled. “…all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord…” (Jeremiah 4:26) and the “…heavens above be black…” (Jeremiah 4:38). This will be the state of the world at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 

Proverbs 7-8

Proverbs 7-8

Chapter 7: “La Diabla”: Her house is the way to hell

                Again, Proverbs 7 carries on a similar message from Proverbs 5. A “strange woman” will lead you to hell. Sex outside of the bonds of marriage is sinful.

                “…keep thee from thy stange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.” (Proverbs 7:5) The author goes on to say that they witnessed from their window “…a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house.” (Proverbs 7:8)

                The author then describes the characteristics of the ‘strange woman’.

                “…the attire of an harlot… loud and stubborn… lieth in wait at every corner…” (Proverbs 7:10-12)

                The author then tells us that this ‘strange woman’ “…she caught him and kissed him…[and tells the young man] …I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come let us take our fill of love until the morning… For the goodman is not at home, he is gone on a long journey… with flattering of lips she forced him.” (Proverbs 7:13-21)

                Essentially this could very well have been a story of something that actually was seen through the eyes of the author. But we can also assume that this could just very well be a metaphor for sexual sin. Notice how she deceives him like the devil would. She sweet talks him and flatters him with her clothing, her smell, her sweet lips and assures the man that he wont get caught because the ‘good man’ is gone on a long journey. This good man could be her husband or could be God. If the devil deceives someone, he will tell them that what they are doing is ok, and that God or anyone else that might look down on them or get them in trouble will never know.

                “Let not thine hear decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.” (Proverbs 7:25-27)

                I think it is safe to assume that “her” or the “strange woman” is a metaphor for sexual sin and the devil. OR while I was serving in Spanish Speaking Honduras I liked to call this chapter “La Diabla” meaning the devil, but more specifically the “female devil”. Because after all the devil can take on many forms of influence. We need to refrain from the lustful desires that the devil will place before us. This author has warned that if we participate or even loiter near her house we will be on the path to hell. Notice how it says that she has slain even the strongest of men? I don’t believe that it was talking about physical strength. I believe it was talking about how even the strongest willed man, can fall into the trap of sexual desires and lust. But going back to the last few chapters, if we marry we can avoid those lustful desires, because we will have the sexual satisfaction from our spouse and he or she will keep us from sin.

Chapter 8: The Truth: The Great Missionary

                I absolutely love this Proverb! It expresses that wisdom is to be greatly desired and that we possessed this wisdom in the pre-mortal life.

“O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward [difficult] or perverse [unreasonable] in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward [difficult] mouth, do I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.” (Proverbs 8:5-14)

                This is the GREAT MISSIONARY, a missionary who has a simple yet easy to understand message. Those who have a desire to know the truth will hear that message. The message is more valuable than gold, silver, rubies or diamonds. The Lord does not like to deal with evil, he hates pride and arrogancy. Those missionaries, who have been called to serve, must remember that they have the knowledge and the strength to complete their mission.

                This proverb helps us to understand the great purpose of our eternal life. The Lord has had a plan from the beginning and we were there with him before the world was. (Proverbs 8:23)We were there with the Lord before the heavens! (Proverbs 8:27) We were with the Lord from the beginning (Proverbs 8:30)

2 Samuel 11-12

2 Samuel 11-12

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 11: David Lies with Bath-sheba

                The start of the chapter begins with David and his men going into battle to destroy the children of Ammon, and Rabbah. While in Jerusalem, David (from the roof top) notices a very beautiful woman bathing, her name; Bath-sheba.

                David decides that he really likes this woman and has her called into see him. He "lies" with her and she ends up conceiving a child. David calls for the Bath-sheba's husband and has him come to his home. There he gives him food and tells him to wait with him, until the morning. So Uriah (husband to Bath-sheba) stays with David, in the morning David has it arranged so Uriah will go back to battle and puts him on the front lines so that he will surely die in battle, and he does. Now David can be with Bath-sheba and have her, for himself!    

         

Chapter 12: Plural Marriage

                This chapter follows directly from the last chapter, where essentially David lusted after another man's life (against the 10 commandments) and took her to be his wife, after he arranged for her husband to be "killed" in battle.

                The Lord is not happy with this, so he sends Nathan to talk to David and this is what David said;

"...there were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb (a young female sheep), which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man who was come to him," (2 Samuel 12:1-4)

                So to sum it up, one rich man and one poor man. The rich man had everything and the poor man had nothing, except one lamb. So the rich man, instead of killing one of his own lambs for a feast decides to kill the one the poor man has and take everything from him.

                When David hears this, he is outraged and tells Nathan that the man who had done this must die! Nathan tells David that HE IS THAT MAN! Nathan tells David that the Lord had given him everything, the Lord anointed him King over Israel, gave him wives, cattle, sheep and a home. But he still had to go and despise God, by breaking one of his commandments and lusting after another man's wife. Not only did he lust after her, he committed adultery with her and then had her husband "killed" in battle so he could have her.

                So the Lord tells Nathan that because of this, he will take everything from David and his wives will be given to his neighbors. The Lord says that David committed adultery in secret, but he will punish him openly and publicly.

                So here is a question; Is plural marriage bad? The LDS church practiced plural marriage from about 1850 to 1890, the LDS church practiced plural marriage for about 4 decades. Many people condemned the church for this practice, but right here in the Bible it gives us an insight into plural marriage. We know that David had many wives, but he got in trouble for taking another wife. Why? Was it because of plural marriage? No. Because David already had wives, which the Lord had given him. So we learn that when God authorizes plural marriage it is ok. In the case of plural marriage in the LDS church, often times the woman (after having their husbands killed to mobs, who disliked the church) were left as widows. In the 1800's being a widow was not a good thing, because woman had very few rights. So the wealthier more prominent and righteous men took them into their own homes as their "wives", this gave them a place to live and a status in that era. Most of the time, the men still only had sexual relations with their original wife. Not all men in the church could have plural marriage, the prophet through the guidance of God would choose who could and could not have multiple wives. This was due to the fact that the Lord knew certain men would abuse this.

                So, moving on... David repents and feels really bad for having committed this sin.  But the Lord causes the child he had with Bath-sheba to come down with a sickness. So David fasts for several days and lays himself on the earth in prayer and sadness. Even with all this prayer and fasting, the Lord's will was different from David's and his son still passed away. But David arose from the earth, washed and anointed himself in the temple, changed his clothing and worshiped the Lord (2 Samuel 12:20) - this shows the importance of Temples, something that the LDS church has today.

                Bath-sheba was really upset (and rightfully so, her son had just died), but David comforts her and "lies down" with her, and she conceives another son, and they name the son; Solomon. The Lord is pleased with Solomon and blesses him. David conquers the Royal City of the Ammonites.