The reason I am attending RootsTech is to gather inspiring stories of God's hand in the great work of redeeming the dead in the 21st Century.
Isaiah
Saw Our Day of Computers and the Internet
I love studying Isaiah! For the
past two years, this study has brought me a keen understanding of what an
individual member of the Church of Jesus Christ is expected to do.
First of all I must testify that
Isaiah, one of the most revered prophets of the Lord in all history, often
referred to as “The Prophet,” speaks as if he were the Lord in most instances.
In other words this is the pre-mortal Christ talking to me. I picture myself
sitting at his feet listening and likening what he says to me and my own time
in the 21st century.
Usually the prophets speak to the
Priesthood men, yet I noticed that in Isaiah 1:8 while the Lord is lamenting on
having nourished and brought up children that have rebelled against Him (Isa
1:2) and the land has become desolate, overthrown by strangers and devoured by
those strangers, thus setting the scene, he talks about the daughters of Zion.
8
And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge
in a
garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
(Old
Testament | Isaiah 1:8)
I
pondered this domestic reference of a cottage and a garden of cucumbers
juxtaposed with the vineyard, that is normally used symbolically for the Lord’s
people, and asked, “How on earth can those two references be linked with a ‘besieged
city.’
Here is what I’ve come to
understand: The Priesthood is the vineyard’s watchmen on towers, but the scene
described here has changed. The enemy (strangers) have overcome the ‘children
of the Lord’ and they have become stricken and faint and have rebelled.
This daughter of Zion verse is
followed by the Lord being thankful that He saved a “very small remnant” or
else the whole world would have become like Sodom and Gomorrah. Thus we see
that the daughter of Zion and her small remnant IS a besieged city. And indeed
our cottages, our homes are under constant bombardment of evil from the
onslaught of mass communication technology. Our current-day idols are cell
phones, smart phones, iPods, iPads, mini pads, laptops, computers, downloadable
movie sites such as Netflix and Crackle, and music galore to download. “Apps”
are downloaded to make our every wish come true! What a candy store for our
children.
If we are not really diligent, we’ve
given our young children permission to enter thru that door into pornography,
bullying, malicious gossip, inappropriate music and horror movies. They learn
about the dark side the world’s folklore such as vampires, werewolves, gothic
images of skulls and dragons, tattoos, body piercings, sexual deviations, and
the glorification of fornication, bestiality, adultery, and homosexuality. Now
having been surrounded by the flood of these images for several years they
honestly think same-sex marriages are okay and that all this dark stuff is
normal. They don’t even recognize that a priesthood blessing is NOT the same as
a witch’s curse or good witch’s spell! (This is true, because I have heard it
first hand from a fourteen year old, baptized member of the church.) Our
children do not see the insidious rot and decay of the ‘family’ in our modern
day world.
Is it clear now that the Lord saw
our homes as a besieged city?
The Lord then says in Isaiah 1:16,
to repent and cease to do evil: (verse 17) learn to do well, see justice,
relieve the oppressed, watch out for the orphans/fatherless and plead for the
widow. Even though our sins are as scarlet they can be white as wool (verse 18)
if we are willing and obedient (verse 19) we’ll eat the good of the land. But
if we rebel we’ll be devoured by the sword (verse 20).
Yikes! He says the faithful city has
become a harlot, lusting after the things of the world and have become
murderers (abortion, etc.) see verse 21. The young Priesthood holders are
rebellious, merchants fraud consumers and money/silver has become as dross
(waste or foreign matter) see verses 21-22. In our day silver is worth little
and money is now held captive by foreign debt payments. All you have to do is
watch our elected officials arguing over the budget and debt that this country
is consumed with to know what I am talking about.
Our young people love gifts and
follow after rewards (verse 23). They don’t think of the fatherless or widows
nor give service to the poor and needy, unless their Young Men and Young Women
leaders request it and provide the opportunity to learn how to give service.
In verse 24 the Lord God of Israel,
Jesus Christ, will avenge Himself and His people against the enemies of God.
Ooooo, better watch out world! He will purge the dross and take away our sins.
And will restore judges, counselors and afterwards we’ll again be called the
city of righteousness, the faithful city (verses 25-26): “Zion shall be redeemed with (justice) judgment, and her converts (does
this sound familiar) with righteousness.”
Then those that sinned and repented
not will be burned or as a mighty oak in drought will fade just as does a
garden that hath no water (verses 29-31). This verse ties the Oak tree image to
Family Trees, and the garden to a besieged place. The definition of besiege is
a link to war also. First it means to be surrounded by armed forces; secondly
to press with requests; and finally to cause worry or give distress to.
The daughter of Zion verse becomes
the fulcrum or tipping point of our latter-day culture. She is the caretaker of
the cottage and garden, and although besieged on all sides by wickedness and
evil, she must bring the living waters of the gospel to her young princes or
children, bears of the Royal Priesthood, so that they may overcome the world
and be nourished and serve God by serving others.
I am a daughter of Zion. This is
what an individual woman can do. I’ve fretted over whether I should speak my
peace about what I am learning from Isaiah in a world of very accomplished,
erudite writers and biblical scholars who are far more qualified than I to
expound on Isaiah. But, I AM qualified because God qualifies me for the work if
I remain worthy. So here goes nothing.
Elijah’s
Warriors are the Rising Generation
The battle has already begun. This
is the war being fought for the souls of all those who have ever lived on this
earth, having died without a knowledge either of the gospel’s good news or of Jesus
Christ and the plan of salvation. This war is being fought on both sides of the
veil, in the valley of the shadow of death as well as in our very wicked and
technologically advanced world.
We read over and over that the Book
of Mormon was written/abridged specifically to include those things that we in
the latter-days need to know. So we read it carefully, except when it comes to
the Isaiah quotes. It’s only then that we skip over important messages to us from
our God. Maybe I’d best show you the way
I found out how to find joy in Isaiah because his writings are a road map for
our days. He was given the gift by God to see us and know who we are, what our
technology looked like and how we were supposed to do great things with this
technology. Just how would Isaiah describe a computer or the internet? Bear
with me and I’ll show you what I believe is one of his messages to us.
In 1 Nephi 17 is an example of where
the Lord will lead his righteous people in a way that they KNOW they are
completely dependent upon Him and that the good outcomes are HIS!
12
For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire, as
we journeyed in the wilderness; for
he said: I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not;
13
And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the
way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore,
inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised
land; and
ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 17:12 - 13)
This
next verse sounds just like Isaiah when he is talking. Of course prophets speak
for Jesus Christ and so it would sound like the same voice, wouldn’t it?
4 Yea, and the Lord said also that:
After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and that I, the Lord, did
deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of
Jerusalem.
(Book
of Mormon | 1 Nephi 17:14)
Here
is where Isaiah speaks similarly:
10
Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and
understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there
be after me.
11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there
is no saviour.
(Old
Testament | Isaiah 43:10 - 11)
But
herein also is the message that tells us latter-day saints that he is talking
about us. It is the words “ye are my witnesses…and my servant whom I have
chosen.” If we go back to verse 1 and read we begin to clarify who he is
speaking to.
1
BUT now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I
have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
(Old Testament | Isaiah 43:1)
The
following verses speak even louder. He tells us that we’ve basically been blind
even though we have eyes and are deaf, to Him and His prophets’ words even
though we have ears to hear.
5
Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and
gather thee from the west;
6
I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring
my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
7
Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my
glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
8 ¶ Bring forth the blind people that have
eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
9
Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be
assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that
they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
(Old
Testament | Isaiah 43:5 - 9)
As
a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we have sent our missionaries out
into the world and they are finding and gathering his sons and daughters from
the ends of the earth. We are all called by His name as we take upon ourselves His
name as witnessed at our baptism and again every Sunday as we partake of the
sacrament. Isaiah has told us in Chapter 41 that we are His and this begins
what I feel is the chiastic center of Isaiah’s message about technology and our
responsibilities to redeem our dead. The Lord calls us specifically:
8
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of
Abraham my friend.
9
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from
the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen
thee, and not cast thee away.
(Old
Testament | Isaiah 41:8 - 9)
In
Isaiah 43:18 God tells us to not remember the former things nor consider the
things of old.
18 ¶ Remember ye not the former things, neither
consider the things of old.
19
Behold, I will do a new thing;
now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
(Old
Testament | Isaiah 43:18 - 19)
I
began to think like a modern day genealogist and read Isaiah likening what he
says to myself. But I wondered about this NEW THING. What could it be? This new
thing was also referred to in Chapter 42 of Isaiah:
5
¶ Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched
them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he
that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk
therein:
6
I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand,
and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of
the Gentiles;
7
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and
them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
In
Doctrine and Covenants 138:36-38 we are
told of Christ’s time between the crucifixion and resurrection: “Thus was it
made known that our Redeemer spent his time during his sojourn in the world of
spirits, instructing and preparing the faithful spirits of the prophets who had
testified of him in the flesh; That they might carry the message of redemption
unto all the dead, unto whom he could not go personally, because of their
rebellion and transgression, that they through the ministration of his servants
might also hear his words. Among the great and mighty ones who were assembled
in this vast congregation of the righteous…” And Isaiah was also there:
42
And Isaiah, who declared by prophecy that the Redeemer was anointed to
bind up the broken–hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the
opening of the prison to them that were bound, were also there.
(Doctrine
and Covenants | Section 138:42)
This
was Isaiah’s mission, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of
the prison where they are being held. He has written specifically about this
great work and tells us how the Lord is going to do a new thing:
8
I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another,
neither my praise to graven images.
9
Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
(Old
Testament | Isaiah 42:5 - 9)
Notice
how in verse 8 he says that he will not give praise to graven images. What
might those be? Are they our computers, smart phones etc.? To make His point he
tells us what His NEW THING is. Please know that I had heard about the new
thing but never really went looking for it. When I did, what I found was mind
blowing. Isaiah saw us and emphasized that it was the Lord that had prepared
this for us, not our technological wizards. He knew that we’d think that it
really wasn’t the Lord at all.
Isaiah
and the Book of Mormon
Nephi prefaces this section saying
in 1 Nephi 20 which quotes Isaiah 48.
3
Behold, I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they
went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them.
I did show them suddenly.
4
And I did it because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an
iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
5
And I have even from the beginning declared to thee; before it came to
pass I showed them thee; and I showed
them for fear lest thou shouldst say—Mine idol hath done them, and my graven
image, and my molten image hath commanded them.
(Book
of Mormon | 1 Nephi 20:3 - 5)
Isaiah
or the Lord chastises us again and again. Will we listen now that it is
becoming clear what he will have us do with our idols or graven images? We
certainly can’t just sit in the dark playing games and wasting our time with
them, worshipping them, in other words. He goes on again:
6 Thou hast seen and heard all this; and will
ye not declare them? And that I have showed thee new things from
this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
7
They are created now, and not
from the beginning, even before the day
when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee, lest thou shouldst
say—Behold I knew them.
8
Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time
thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously,
and wast called a transgressor from the womb.
The Lord however defers His anger
with us and won’t cut us off. He has refined us in the furnace of affliction. I
have seen many of the families in my own ward going through their own personal
furnaces of affliction.
9
Nevertheless, for my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my
praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.
10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have
chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
(Book
of Mormon | 1 Nephi 20:6 - 10)
I
suggest to you that this great work of redeeming the dead will bring us out of
this affliction and set us onto the path of Joy.
Elder Richard G. Scott in his
address at October General Conference, “The Joy of Redeeming The Dead” said,
“Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the
adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors,
prepare their names for the sacred ordinances available in the temple, and then
go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of
baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to
participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no
greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life.”
Not only did Elder Scott, an
apostle of the Lord link this great work to our youth, but he also linked it to
Isaiah’s new thing, by saying, “…the computerization of these records is truly
exciting. And when I think of the hundreds of thousands of people who are now
and soon will be computerizing huge blocks of censuses and private research
disks…(quoting from his wife’s personal journal) ‘I am so excited. It is truly
the Lord’s work and He is directing it.’”
Elder Scott, an apostle and
prophet of the Lord, continues saying that in the past “…individuals have
valiantly faced a challenge that seemed like single-handedly endeavoring to
harvest all the grain in Nebraska. Now,
many mighty combines are at work.”
Isaiah, the Lord’s prophet whose
words are preserved for us in the latter-days, tells us the same thing in
Chapter 41 beginning with the orientation that this chapter is about Family
Trees:
4
Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the
beginning? I the LORD, the first, and
with the last; I am he.
(Old
Testament | Isaiah 41:4)
God
knows where he has placed us in our family lineages. You know all of those genealogies
in the Old Testament? Well I guess they were indeed important to the Lord. His
own lineage was foretold. But now Isaiah tells us that we have been called and
chosen and he will help us.
8
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of
Abraham my friend.
9
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from
the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen
thee, and not cast thee away.
10
¶ Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help
thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
(Old
Testament | Isaiah 41:8 - 10)
In
verse 13 he says that “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand (a
temple covenant), saying unto thee, Fear not: I will help thee.” And again in
verse 14 he reiterates, “Fear not thou worm (and I had to look up this one
because it seemed a strange word, but it means meek or humble) Jacob, and ye
men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One
of Israel.”
How will he help us? He and Elder
Scott agree, THE LORD WILL MAKE A NEW THING, A NEW THRESHING INSTRUMENT;
15
Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth:
thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills
as chaff.
(Old
Testament | Isaiah 41:15)
As
I’ve read this verse to people, their eyes light up because they recognize the
computer which operates with bytes is a wonderful threshing instrument. Also
the mountains are the mountains of earthly records containing the names of all
of the people who have ever lived upon the earth.
To make sure that we see what he
is talking about He says that he’ll plant all types of trees, family trees, in
this (cyberspace) wilderness.
19
I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the
myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine,
and the box tree together:
20
That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that
the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created
it.
(Old
Testament | Isaiah 41:19 - 20)
The
trees mentioned above do not grow naturally in the same environment, but here
the Lord says that they will be together. In the wilderness and in the desert
may have other meanings but I believe that the wilderness is the cyberspace of
the internet and that the desert is where we will find the Church of Jesus
Christ storing the records of the world’s family trees. FamilySearch Family
Trees certainly fits the picture given to us by Isaiah and his NEW THING or new
technology.
This is why I am going to RootsTech.
If the Lord is doing this, then he has inspired his Priesthood leaders in this
work, developing the technology to make it happen. I want to capture and record
their inspiring stories. I am calling them the Captains of Elijah’s army
of Warriors, the youth of the church
being raised by wonderful daughters of Zion.
As a daughter of Zion I now have the
confidence and resolve to write these stories for the inspiration of the
younger generation, Elijah’s Warriors, thanks to Isaiah and his writings found both in the Old Testament
and in the Book of Mormon.
By
Beverly E. Field, Tucson, AZ bevfieldinaz@yahoo.com
