A masterful ending to a very thoughtful piece. I especially liked the
part that said, "Unfortunately, the churches in these latter days do not
have the sense of a simple plowman for all they have been doing is plowing
through the same precepts over and over and over for hundreds of years. We
forget that "precept must be added upon precept" and the teachers never
cast in the principle wheat and consequently never have a harvest which
harvest is the creation of Zion."

I would like to hear your feedback on this series.

Susan


Part IV

A Flood of Truth

"Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this
people which is in Jerusalem". (Today it is Salt Lake and other religious
centers) "Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and
with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass
through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and
under falsehood have we hid ourselves." (verses 14-15)

So what is the covenant with death and agreement with hell?

In ancient times Israel made covenants with the Living God and in return
they were promised protection from all their enemies as well as peace and
prosperity.

A covenant with death would be the opposite of this. Instead of making
covenants with a living God the spiritual guides of the people make
covenants with groups, organizations and governments with a priority above
their commitment to God and the people they serve. Any commitment that is
not sought through soul contact is a covenant with death.

An agreement with hell is the opposite of an agreement that brings peace
and benefit to all. An agreement with hell is one that takes the group's
attention away from freedom, from attention of spiritual progress and
causes the organization to center on money, investment and looking good in
the eyes of the world at the expense of nurturing the soul in its members.

"And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth
among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fullness of my gospel;
but they receive it not (that is, the "fullness"); for they perceive not
the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of
men. And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
And there shall be men standing in that generation that shall not pass away
until they shall see an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness
shall cover the land. But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and
shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices
and curse God and die." (D&C 45:28-32)

Concerning this "overflowing scourge" Isaiah said that the leaders would
believe that "it shall not come unto us," but they forget that the Lord
said that "upon my house shall it begin." (D&C 112:25)

Mormons are told that the members will be protected by standing in "holy
places" and the leaders today say that this means we should make frequent
trips to the temple, for the temples are holy places. While it is true that
the temples are supposed to be holy places, they are not the ones referred
to in this prophecy for they are in no way large enough to provide
protection against desolation. A few verses later in that same section, we
are told that the holy place is Zion, "a city of refuge, a place of safety
for the Saints of the Most High God." (D&C 45:66) We are told that "the
wicked will not come unto it." (v.67) So it certainly cannot be Salt Lake.
The holy places or the cities of light are yet to be set up and the great
day is waiting at our doors.

We are further told that, "The Lord's scourge shall pass over by night and
by day, and the report thereof shall vex all people; yea, it shall not be
stayed until the Lord come." (D&C 97:23)

Also, the Lord tells us to keep His commandments, "otherwise there
remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of
Zion. For shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Verily, I
say unto you, Nay." (D&C 84:58-59)

In spite of all this evidence, the authorities say, "it shall not come unto
us" for we stand in holy places, and the Lord is with us for behold we are
growing and prospering as never before.

"We have made lies our refuge and under falsehood have we hid ourselves."
The "lies" refer to various false doctrines now espoused and the
"falsehood" refers to the distortions of Church history and the cover-up of
many important facts.

"Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation
a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: He that
believeth shall not make haste." (v. 16)

The tried stone is Christ as is evidenced: "I am the good shepherd and the
stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall." (D&C
50:44) In addition to this, the stone is also those who have been tried
and found faithful and have the spirit of Christ in their hearts to the
extent that they can speak the words of Christ.

"He that believeth shall not make haste." One who is really capable of
accepting the Christ, who is the tried stone, will not do so in haste. He
will not be converted on the spur of the moment or be saved in a day as
with the case of many religious claims. He will be the type of person who
will study the teachings out and eventually follow with a true realization
of the difficulties involved. He will realize the wisdom in the words of
Christ: "Which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first,
and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it. Lest haply,
after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that
behold it begin to mock him." (Luke 14:28-29) Even so, let him who
believes in the setting in order count the cost before he decides to serve
else his strength give out.

On the other hand, those in illusion are not to make haste in rejecting the
revelations of God for behold, many will read a few paragraphs and reject
the whole of any new teaching from God to their condemnation. Does not the
scripture say, "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is a
folly and shame unto him." (Proverbs 18:13)

"Judgment also will I lay to the line and righteousness to the plummet: and
hail shall weep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the
hiding place." (v. 17)

This refers to two calamities brought by the one Mighty and Strong
mentioned in verse 2 - that is hail and flooding.

If the religious authorities resist strongly enough a fairly literal
fulfillment will happen on the physical plane. If they practice what they
preach and show minimal love, tolerance and understanding then these
calamities will happen on a higher level.

Instead of literal hail it will be hard truth that cannot be withstood.
Instead of literal flooding of water it will be overwhelming evidence of
new truths which will sweep the land.

"And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with
hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then
ye shall be trodden down by it." (v. 18)

The calamities will cause the present authorities to lose their power and
influence, for "in the days that the prophesies of Isaiah shall be
fulfilled, men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to
pass." (2 Nephi 25:7)

The spiritual authorities again have a choice for how this prophecy will
be fulfilled. Instead of a physical overflowing scourge it could be an
emotional one. The emotions and feelings of authorities will be disturbed
through the new light and teachings and reach a point of tension. When
this point is reached they will definitely go down kicking and screaming on
the emotional plane, but if they leave their response on that plane and
seek to do no harm, then this prophesy does not have to be fulfilled on the
physical.

If reasonable restraint and harmlessness on a physical level is maintained
by authorities then the overflowing scourge will be one which plagues their
belief system and the errors thereof will be "trodden down" by the light.

"From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by
morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation
only to understand the report." (v. 19)

If resistance to truth is strong enough the scourge will not only be
calamities, but it shall also be a "desolating sickness" (D&C 45:31) it
shall be "poured out from time to time, if they repent not, until the earth
is empty." (D&C 5:19)

If those who resist the light do not seek to do damage to disciples on the
physical plane then the fulfillment will merely be a desolating sickness of
outworn organizations and belief systems until the earth is empty of
illusion and error and "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
LORD, as the waters cover the sea." Isaiah 11:9

"It shall be a vexation only to understand the report."

If authorities remain physically harmless then the vexation will be
teachings which will stir their souls rather than a physical plague which
will wake them up to the fact that the powers of God are against them as
they are against the truths of the soul. As a last resort physical
calamities will come to vex the authorities to understand the report just
as the plagues of Moses came against he Pharaoh.

"Report'? is from the Hebrew SHEMUWAH which implies an announcement which
is fairly startling to people. It is also translated as news, tidings or
doctrine. The report shall be teachings setting the tone for the new age
which shall give the people light to put an end to the famine for greater
knowledge. The greater knowledge which is becoming manifest by thousands
of workers of light in varying degrees will create an unstoppable tide for
the setting in order of the house of God; and because the established
teachers will not listen, the Lord will cause a vexation to get their
attention. These leaders may not all accept higher light by a long way, but
the Master will certainly have their attention.

"For the bed is shorter than a man can stretch himself on it: the covering
narrower than he can wrap himself in it." (v. 20)

The "bed" refers to the foundations of the church and kingdom as presently
constituted. They are not enough to fully satisfy the earnest seeker;
therefore, he cannot "stretch himself on it." The "covering" refers to
the teachings available. The fullness of revelation is no longer with the
church; therefore, "the covering is narrower than that a member can wrap
himself in it."

Visualize yourself going to bed in a cold room to take a rest. Your bed is
so short that your feet hang over the edge. The covers are so short that
they only cover half your body. Would this not be an uncomfortable
situation you would want to rectify at the first possible moment?

Yet the foundation teachings, the good, the beautiful and the true, of most
religions have been in large part shorted or removed making the bed of
religion too short and a very uncomfortable resting place. Foundation
teachings and new revelation have been suppressed so members do not have
sufficient light as a covering and shiver inside stone buildings lacking
warmth.

"For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in
the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring
to pass his act, his strange act." (v. 21)

Before we can comprehend this scripture, we must understand what it is the
Lord did in Perazim and Gibeon.

The story is in the Old Testament: right after David was anointed king over
Israel, the Philistines came seeking his life, and David inquired of the
Lord as to what to do and was told to go against the Philistines and the
Lord would deliver them into his hand. "And David came to Baal perazim,
and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth mine
enemies as the breach of the waters. Therefore, he called the name of the
place Baalperazim. And there they left their images and David and his men
burned them." (2 Sam. 5:19-21) It is important here that we comprehend the
full meaning conveyed. Baalperazim comes from the Hebrew word that
literally means "master of breaking forth." The name was given in honor of
David for he is the one who led the battle. The thought conveyed by the
word is the breaking down of a barrier or enemy as the flooding waters will
burst a dam. David and his men were compared to the waters and the
Philistines were compared to the dam that was broken by the power of God.

The very next verses relate an incident in Gibeon which is translated
"Geba" in the King James edition: "And the Philistines came up yet again,
and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of
the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them,
and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be, when
thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that
then thou shalt bestir thyself: For then shall the Lord go out before thee,
to smite the host of the Philistines. And David did so, as the Lord had
commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba (Gibeon) until thou come
to Gazer." (2 Sam. 5:22-25)

Here David was told to "fetch a compass behind them" or in the Hebrew to
surround them from behind and to wait for "the sound of a going in the tops
of the mulberry trees." This sound that David was to wait for was the sound
of the actual army of the Lord, which although unseen, would make a noise
going through the trees. He was told "then shall the Lord go out before
thee to smite the host of the Philistines." Most of the fighting was done
by an invisible host sent from the Lord and David had an easy victory.

The most famous incident in Gibeon was when Joshua gave the great command:
"Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon." (Joshua 10:12) On that day, "The Lord
cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died:
and there were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children
of Israel slew with the sword." (Joshua 10:11)

In this case, there was a great slaughter to the enemies of the Lord by the
hand of his people, but there was even greater slaughter from his own hand
caused by the hailstones.

These incidents are interesting when we consider that the one Mighty and
Strong will come "as a tempest of hail (as the Lord sent in the days of
Joshua) and a destroying storm (as the invisible hosts of the Lord were in
Gibeon), as a flood of mighty waters overflowing...." (Isa. 28:2) Just as
David defeated his enemies in Baalperazim as a flood of mighty waters
overflowing a dam, so will the one Mighty and Strong defeat his enemies as
a flood of water.

Again, these prophesies can be fulfilled either physically or on a higher
level. The course is determined by those who have stewardship over the
captive students and political realms of the earth. The events to come are
more related to the natural law of cause and effect than it is the decision
of an angry God.

If the powers that be attempt to physically destroy then they will be
destroyed by the effect of divine fire that can no longer be held back
after many ages of attacking the workers of light.

On the other hand, if they can restrain their response to the emotional and
mental plane and only seek to stop the light with argument, reasoning, and
even anger, yet remain harmless physically then that which will be given
them will be on the emotional plane and higher and not the physical.

Their worn out ideas and teachings will be destroyed in place of physical
destruction and replaced by higher teachings of light. This will have the
effect of being a "destroying storm" on the emotional plane, but that is
better than a similar destruction on the physical level.

The Lord says He allows this that "He may do His work, His strange work;
and bring to pass His act, His strange act." (Isa. 28:21) Why does He call
this work "strange"? It is strange because in the last days He will have to
fight against, not the Philistines, but those who claim to be His own
people. This is a strange, foreign, and repulsive thing for the Master to
do, but to establish Zion He has no other choice. This incident is related
in prophecy to come forth in the days of the "marred" servant: "For it
shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day whosoever will not
repent and come unto my beloved son, them will I cut off from among my
people, O house of Israel; and I will execute vengeance and fury upon them
even as upon the heathen, such as they have not heard." (3 Nephi 21: 10,
20-21) Speaking of Israel in the latter days the Lord also said, "But they
rebelled, and vexed his holy spirit: therefore, he was turned to be their
enemy and fought against them." (Isa. 63:10)

It will indeed be a strange work when the Lord has to fight against people
who claim to be his own, those who claim to represent Him, "as upon the
heathen" in order to gather a people out of the people who will truly serve
Him and seek in their hearts to establish Zion.

The Lord then warns His people: "Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your
bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a
consumption, even determined upon the whole earth." (Isa. 28:22)

Here all those who claim to represent God are warned as well as the whole
earth. The judgment will begin at the Lord's own house and from there
spread over the earth.

Again, I repeat. Remember the message of Jonah. The prophesy does not
have to end with calamity on the physical plane. The judgment of God could
be a correction from God as the voice of the Spirit is allowed into the
heart to speak to the souls of men and change them so the consumption will
be a consumption of old outworn teachings and not a consumption of physical
calamity.

Isaiah continues, "Give ye ear and hear my voice; hearken and hear my
speech. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? Doth he not open and break
the clods of his ground? When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he
not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the
principle wheat and the appointed barley and the rye in their place? For
his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him." (verses
23-26)

Here again Isaiah refers to the '"stammering" teachings in a round about
way. He asks the question to a backward Israel: "Doth the plowman plow all
day to sow?" In other words, "Is that all the farmer does: plow all day,
day after day?" No! Sooner or later, if he has any sense at all, "when he
hath made plain the face thereof" he will "cast abroad the fitches, and
scatter the cummin, and cast in the principle wheat and the appointed
barley and rye in their place."

Unfortunately, the churches in these latter days do not have the sense of a
simple plowman for all they have been doing is plowing through the same
precepts over and over and over for hundreds of years. We forget that
"precept must be added upon precept" and the teachers never cast in the
principle wheat and consequently never have a harvest which harvest is the
creation of Zion.

The fact that we do not get beyond the plowing stage is no fault of God's,
for we are told that "His God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth
teach him." (v. 26) God has instructed us to do more than the plowing, but
we have not heard.

Isaiah continues, "For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing
instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the
fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. Bread corn
is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with
the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen." (v. 27-28)

We are told that the fitches (probably fennel) are not threshed with a
threshing (Hebrew: CHARUTS, which means a heavy sledge-like) instrument,
neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin. If this type of crop
were harvested in this pulverizing manner, it would be destroyed; instead
"the fitches are beaten out with a staff (Hebrew: MATTEH, which is a
stick), and the cummin with a rod (Hebrew: SHEBET, which is a whip-like
stick).

By comparison, today we do not need the same old precepts that we should
have mastered years ago drilled into us over and over with a sledge hammer.
A light threshing of the simple doctrines is all we need so we can
withstand the heavier.

Verse 28 is not a very clear translation and I would like to render it a
bit plainer. "Bread corn" is undoubtedly wheat; and the word bruised comes
from the Hebrew DAQAQ, which means to crush to powder. The word "because"
is from KIY, which is more appropriately rendered "nevertheless". Taking
this into consideration, we will render the passage thus: "Wheat used for
bread is ground to powder; nevertheless, he will not ever be threshing it,
nor crush it with the wheel of his cart, nor grind it with his horsemen."
In other words, Isaiah here admits that the wheat is threshed, broken and
ground, but this process is not "stammered" or repeated over and over for
it would be a waste of time and damage the grain in the process.

The message in these obscure words of Isaiah is this. The major problem of
the church in the latter days will be that the teachers are like a plower
who just plows his field over and over and never plants or harvests his
wheat. The authorities are also like the wheat miller who merely grinds
the product over and over and never makes any bread. Teachers will go
through the motions of beginning the creative process, but never produce
fruit or bread. No food for the soul will be grown or given. Only the
illusion that they are headed in that direction is projected. They do busy
work by plowing and grinding, but no fruit or bread is ever produced - no
real progress made. This illusion will create a trap for the teachers so
when true food for the soul is offered, the contrast between plowing and
grinding and a finished spiritual food will be stark and embarrassing.

Isaiah ends with: "This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is
wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." (v. 29)

This whole chapter indeed illustrates that the Lord is "wonderful in
counsel, and excellent in working." Thus we conclude one of the greatest
chapters in all the scriptures.

Ending Comments and Q&A:

We thus end a commentary on one of the greatest chapters in the whole of
scripture. Now let us have some plain talk clarifying a few questions.

Question: You identify the One Mighty and Strong as the Spirit of God, but
then you mention that there will be a representative of this mission that
will do marvelous things. It almost sounds like this will be the Second
Coming. Could you clarify?

Answer: In the first coming the Spirit worked through four main
individuals in particular making them Mighty and Strong. They were John
the Baptist, then Jesus, then Peter and finally Paul. In addition to this
the Spirit did many mighty works through the Twelve Apostles and other
believers. It was one Mighty Spirit but numerous individuals cooperated in
the work.

In this age the number of people working in cooperation with the Spirit for
creating change will be multiplied many times. Just like last time there
will be several key players plus a multitude of disciples working in
cooperation.

There will be a forerunner who will begin the mission which will be
completed by Christ himself. In addition there will be many others working
in cooperation and these also shall have opportunity to do mighty and
strong works according to their faith and Oneness with the Spirit. Exactly
how the Christ will do this and make his appearance is not given except
that his appearance will be a much more natural event than the religions
expect.

Question: Some believe the One Mighty and Strong is a quorum of
individuals. Is there any truth to this?

Answer: I cannot repeat too often that we as individuals in the lower
personality will never be Mighty and Strong seen through the eyes of
reality. If we are not connected to the vine of the Spirit then we have no
life in us and thus no power of consequence.

There will be seven individuals in seven different locations on the earth
called in the scriptures the "seven eyes of the Lord" who the presence of
Christ will work through. In addition as many as will come into oneness
can receive the Spirit of God and the Mighty and Strong works they perform
will only be limited by their imagination.

There will be Molecules created which roughly correspond to Quorums as far
as specific numbers are concerned. But unlike quorums it takes more than a
certain number for them to do their job. Each individual in the Molecule
must have spiritual contact to make it work and activate the spiritual
flow. When this activation happens and there is a connecting link with the
Christ then a Mighty and Strong Spiritual Presence will manifest in groups.
I have covered this at length in my book The Molecular Relationship.

Question: Will the current Mormon leadership be replaced by The One Mighty
and Strong or his representative as many ex Mormons seem to think?

Answer: This is wishful thinking. Instead of this the teachers of Light
will teach many who are in the churches and this will cause the leadership
of all churches to lose hold on its members over a period of time. One
thing that will really act as a catalyst will be when enlightened teachers
have more access to the media. This is beginning now with the internet and
will spread to radio and TV. Eventually not even church leaders will be
able to shield their flocks from higher knowledge and discussion of higher
truths will eventually permeate the churches with people looking for
answers or wanting to share answers.

The old authoritarian ways will lose much of their hold in the next thirty
years and most of the Christian Churches will restructure their
authoritarian systems within 150 years. By then the many sects will be
replaced with a general concept of brotherhood and spiritual living, and
such participants will see themselves members of the invisible church of
God. Even though there will be outward spiritual organizations the general
attitude will be that the church really exists in the invisible realms of
soul. This invisible church will eventually replace the visible with the
main organization standing will be loosely knit blocks of individuals for
learning and service. There will always be holdouts attempting to preserve
the past whose time has come to disintegrate, but the majority of people
who view themselves as spiritual will see themselves as under the authority
of the Soul and not belong to any organization where a man or woman can
override the authority of Spirit within one's own self where lies the
Kingdom of God.







--
http://www.greaterthings.com/susan/