I hope this post will shed light on why I posted my previous two posts and why I feel comfortable calling out darkness.
https://bilbaochristian.blogspot.com/2020/08/calling-evil-good-and-good-evil.html
https://bilbaochristian.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-propaganda-machine.html“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?
35 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—
36 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.
37 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degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.
38 Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God.
39 We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.
40 Hence many are called, but few are chosen.
41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-42).
This whole Section 121 is powerful in teaching how one receives power in the priesthood. Consider how Jesus obtained power in the priesthood…
“And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29).
Jesus obtained power and authority by who He was. The scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees and high priests in His day obtained power and authority from the people they governed who upheld their position because of their position. In contrast, Jesus had power and authority because the people could feel the truth of His words because of what He taught and because of who He was. No one had to convince them He was from God, they just knew it through revelation. He personified the power in the priesthood as explained in Section 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Now contrast Jesus’ power and His Father’s power with how Satan seeks to obtain power. Much of that explanation is given in Section 121 of how one negatively exercises power and dominion over others. The scriptures share added insights as to how those influenced by Satan get power.
Moroni added the Book of Ether as a second witness to what caused the downfall of two great civilizations. These are powerful insights he shares:
And Jared rebelled against his father [Omer], and came and dwelt in the land of Heth. And it came to pass that he did flatter many people, because of his cunning words, until he had gained the half of the kingdom.
3 And when he had gained the half of the kingdom he gave battle unto his father, and he did carry away his father into captivity, and did make him serve in captivity;
4 And now, in the days of the reign of Omer he was in captivity the half of his days. And it came to pass that he begat sons and daughters, among whom were Esrom and Coriantumr;
5 And they were exceedingly angry because of the doings of Jared their brother, insomuch that they did raise an army and gave battle unto Jared. And it came to pass that they did give battle unto him by night.
6 And it came to pass that when they had slain the army of Jared they were about to slay him also; and he pled with them that they would not slay him, and he would give up the kingdom unto his father. And it came to pass that they did grant unto him his life.
7 And now Jared became exceedingly sorrowful because of the loss of the kingdom, for he had set his heart upon the kingdom and upon the glory of the world.
8 Now the daughter of Jared being exceedingly expert, and seeing the sorrows of her father, thought to devise a plan whereby she could redeem the kingdom unto her father.
9 Now the daughter of Jared was exceedingly fair. And it came to pass that she did talk with her father, and said unto him: Whereby hath my father so much sorrow? Hath he not read the record which our fathers brought across the great deep? Behold, is there not an account concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory?
10 And now, therefore, let my father send for Akish, the son of Kimnor; and behold, I am fair, and I will dance before him, and I will please him, that he will desire me to wife; wherefore if he shall desire of thee that ye shall give unto him me to wife, then shall ye say: I will give her if ye will bring unto me the head of my father, the king.
11 And now Omer was a friend to Akish; wherefore, when Jared had sent for Akish, the daughter of Jared danced before him that she pleased him, insomuch that he desired her to wife. And it came to pass that he said unto Jared: Give her unto me to wife.
12 And Jared said unto him: I will give her unto you, if ye will bring unto me the head of my father, the king.
13 And it came to pass that Akish gathered in unto the house of Jared all his kinsfolk, and said unto them: Will ye swear unto me that ye will be faithful unto me in the thing which I shall desire of you?
14 And it came to pass that they all sware unto him, by the God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their heads, that whoso should vary from the assistance which Akish desired should lose his head; and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish made known unto them, the same should lose his life.
15 And it came to pass that thus they did agree with Akish. And Akish did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them of old who also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning.
16 And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.
17 And it was the daughter of Jared who put it into his heart to search up these things of old; and Jared put it into the heart of Akish; wherefore, Akish administered it unto his kindred and friends, leading them away by fair promises [flattery] to do whatsoever thing he desired.
18 And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination, even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God;
19 For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he will that man should shed blood, but in all things hath forbidden it, from the beginning of man” (Ether 8:2-19).
We see that Satan gives power unto men through their secret oaths and combinations. In our day we call this collusion, cabals, conspiracy and pacts. Sometimes having “connections” or “friends” is a safe way of covering darkness.
Remember, Jesus Christ showed Moroni our day. He showed us to him (Mormon 8:35), therefore, he knew what to write to us, the gentiles.
Moroni continues:
And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites.
21 And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.
22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.
23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.
25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.
26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved” (Ether 8:20-26).
There is truly a great conspiracy that is above us. Moroni saw it and warned us of it. The propaganda machine has done a great job of making evil look good and good look evil. One effective way this machine operates is by making conspiracy theories look ridiculous. They create so many conspiracies that they can cover up the real great conspiracy that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands.
Truly what Ezra Taft Benson taught in our old Book of Mormon student manual is correct, “There is no conspiracy theory in the Book of Mormon—it is conspiracy fact” (the old Book of Mormon Student Manual, pg. 140 or 163-164 pdf version).
It’s taboo in the church and in our nation to speak of conspiracies. The media has done a great job at making us think we are crazy if we believe in conspiracies, yet Moroni clearly teaches that they are had among all people and brought the complete destruction to the Jaredite and Nephite nations and that it is now among us.
Satan will always seek to exercise power and authority over others through force, manipulation and coercion. He threatens with loss of job, loss of power, loss of position...Babylon is run by loyalists. You prove loyal to the one over you and then you are promoted. If you show loyalty to God and truth over loyalty to leadership then you are on the blacklist and you will be eliminated. Anyone with experience in Babylon sees this over and over again.
The righteous are a threat to the devil’s power because their loyalty is to God and they cannot be bought by any amount of money, prestige or position. God will bless us if we stay true to the truth. God is love. God is light. God is truth.
Joseph Smith taught, “And also it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart—
12 For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it—
13 Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—” (Doctrine and Covenants 123:11-13).
No comments:
Post a Comment