Even With Soft Water From Hard Rock, Recipients Hardened Their
Hearts:
"And gavest them bread from
heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out
of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should
go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them. But
they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened
their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,"
(Nehemiah 9:15-16)
Taking Blessings for Granted?
"Wherefore then do ye harden
your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their
hearts? When he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not
let the people go, and they departed?" (1
Samuel 6:6)
Complaining Brings Hardness:
"And it came to pass that
I, Nephi, did speak much unto my brethren, because they had hardened
their hearts again, even unto complaining against the Lord
their God." (1
Nephi 16:22)
Reviling God Induces Hardness:
"And notwithstanding they being led, the Lord their God,
their Redeemer, going before them, leading them by day and giving
light unto them by night, and doing all things for them which were
expedient for man to receive, they hardened their hearts
and blinded their minds, and reviled against Moses and against the
true and living God." (1
Nephi 17:30)
"Pride" and
"Proud" Removed from Vocabulary: We
are reminded in our own times of the debilitating use of the word
"proud" or "pride." In 1989, President and
Prophet, Ezra Taft Benson, clearly instructed the saints to
discontinue the use of the word pride or proud. He said
"Pride is ugly." A better way of expressing ourselves
would be to follow Heavenly Father’s example.
"And lo a voice from
heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased." (Matthew
3:17)
When "Above the Rest"
Is Not Correct: It
appears that people get lifted up in their pride. Some even want
to be or claim to be "above" others. That prompted the
Zoramites to build a tower, called a "Rameumptom" in the
Book of Mormon.
"For they had a place built
up in the center of their synagogue, a place for standing, which
was high above the head; and the top thereof would only admit one
person." (Alma 31:13)
"Now the place was called
by them Rameumptom, which, being interpreted, is the holy
stand." (Alma
31:21)
When "Above" is
Better: The word Rama in
Hebrew refers to a high place. The Lord did instruct Temples to be
built in high places. The synagogue has three meeting areas. The
congregants sit in an outer area, then there is a raised or
elevated area called the bimah in the center of the
synagogue. That is where the Torah is read. The Ark, where the
Torah scrolls are kept, is higher than the Bimah and always in the
part of the hall closest to Jerusalem. That is a reminder to the
congregants that the "word" comes from Zion.
Temple Style: The three
meeting areas are in a temple style. The ancient Jerusalem Temple
had an outer courtyard, inner courtyard and a Holy of Holies or as
Latter-day Saints call it, Telestial, Terrestrial and Celestial. The
styling of the synagogue probably represents the Temple where
authority came from.
Being Called by Revelation: Another
significance is how this prophet Nephi, testified of his calling and
authority. All true prophets did and still do testify of their
authority. Additionally, a repeated manner of identifying a true
prophet is by recognizing how God has named and authorized
him.
"Behold, thou art Nephi,
and I am God. Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye
shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye
shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye
have power among this people." (Helaman
10:6-7)
The Rock of Revelation:
"And I say also unto thee,
That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church;
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will
give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew
16:18-19)
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