-interestingly, Jerusalem was still standing during
this trip back. Laman and Lemuel could
see no sign of this supposed imminent demise.
To them it was still all speculation, and weak speculation at that. They were the vagabonds while Laban, as an
example, was living a life of comfort and ease.
“they have
rejected the words of the prophets”
-rejecting
the words of the prophets is a hallmark of a rebellious people on the verge of
destruction. It is not that God gears up for vengeance against such a people
but rather they have disqualified themselves from God’s protective care and
placed themselves on the same level as other forces that surround them. God withdraws and the wicked consume the
wicked. Once privledged to enjoy the prosperity
and blessings of God, they now survive according to the strength of the
creature in a world where the strongest survive.
“if my
father should dwell.. after he hath been commanded to flee… he would also
perish”
-the
disciples of Christ and followers of God should always remember that there is
nothing inherently special that priveledges them above Gods other
children. Lehi was no more chosen than
any other man in Jerusalem EXCEPT through the level of his obedience to
God. Hewould also have perished if he
had not obeyed God’s commands. God
honors those who honor Him. The wicked
are as privy to God’s discriminating treatment as anyone, the qualification is
obedience.
“Wherefore it must needs be that he flee out of
the land.”
-if
we really think about consequences we would see that there is really no other
option than to obey God. “Itmust needs
be” is a statement of one who sees the reality of the situation and recognizes
that the way to life, happiness and long-term (i.e. eternal) blessings is to
obey God. The difficulties associated
with obedience are really inconsequential:
there is really no other acceptable alternative than to do as God
requires. But this is a view where
humility is a fundamental quality.
“he flee out
of the land.”
-when
the people of God come too a point of confrontation with those who oppose them,
the pattern of the Lord has almost always been to concede the geography and
maintain their integrity to spiritual principles and values. God instructs is disciples to flee. He then takes them to a comparatively poorer
location (at least it is usualy undeveloped/uncultivated) where they create a
little bit of heaven. The work and
sacrifice required in building up such places has a unifying and ennobling
effect of its own. In our democratic and
capitalist orientation we view land as a sacred commodity. We have made it a practice –over and over
again- to die over certain parcels of land.
God does not view land in quite the same way. He is cultivating his people, not the
land. All the earth is His and he is
quite as happy to remove His people from a place they consider choice and move
the to another location. Consider the
place Lehi fled as instructed by the Lord:
Jerusalem was the city of Peace, the sacred city, the center of Israel
and yet Lehi is commanded to leave it.
How does that make sense? The
wicked are the ones who should be expelled…
And in another decade they would be.
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