I've read the whole Bible through. But I wanted to do it again. So a few months ago I started it, as a part of the rest of my study, and I got stuck in Numbers. Doh! It really is all. about. numbers. I went through these phases where I was like, "Okay, I want to read the Book of Mormon more." So I started it again (I'm just finishing 3 Nephi, so that's been working out).
And then I started to read General Conference talks from the 70s and 80s and they're fantastic! It's like the Saints needed more doctrinal correction or something, so they are so straight up about things. Not to mention, many Conference talks these days tend to be aimed at a non-members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (which I wholeheartedly condone), so they don't always go quite as deep. And, I think they might be shorter. Anyway, I LOVE THEM. They're like .... cool freshly squeezed orange juice to a thirsty soul in the morning. But my point is, now that I've been reading talks + the B.O.M., I have less time for the Bible every day.
THE POINT
Here's what I wanted to write about today: Sanctification.
1 And Nadab and Abihu, the asons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered bstrange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.
3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron aheld his peace.
4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of aUzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp. (Leviticus 10:1-4)
"And Aaron held his peace." What an interesting way to word it.... The first time I read these verses, I thought to myself, "Wow, pretty sure these guys just got devoured by fire. Isn't that a little harsh?" I wonder if maybe Aaron felt the same way. But he held his peace. Why?
I found another scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 101, verse 5.
In verse 1, it is clear that the Lord commanded them not to offer whatever sacrifice they offered. Some scholar could probably tell you what "strange incense" is (see Exodus 30:9), but I'll assume it was something cheaper or unapproved by the Lord. This will sound morbid, but it does seem appropriate that the Lord used fire to punish them, when fire was their crime.
I feel like the verse could read as follows, including the D&C passage: "And Aaron held his peace, for all those who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified." That reads so right.
...
I need to go to work, but I want to write about this for just a second. Joseph Smith said, "a religion that does not require the
sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith
necessary unto life and salvation."*
The sacrifice of all things .... this often relates to material objects, but so much more it's harder. It's love. It's your heart. It's comfort. Media. Time. Living in the world. Some associations. It's pride. I mean.... it can even be giving in and trusting the Lord in everything, even when we want to sacrifice "anything" but we don't even know what to give. Or trusting him, when you try to fulfill his commandments but it doesn't seem to work out like it should. And that's where time comes in too. How could we possibly hope to be like the Savior, if we aren't willing to endure chastening to become perfected? It's like we don't mind chastening in the big stuff because that's to be expected, but when it comes to the smaller things, it's hard to take.
Sanctification ...... a cleansing. "To sanctify is literally "to set apart for special use or purpose," figuratively "to make holy or sacred," and etymologically from the Latin verb sanctificare which in turn is from sanctus "holy" and facere "to make." (wikipedia :)) Set apart for a special purpose. We are set apart for a special purpose. This is why we are here on Earth. This is our time to endure sanctification, to become more.
*"Such was, and always will be, the situation of the saints of God, that unless they have an actual knowledge that the course they are pursuing is according to the will of God, they will grow weary in their minds, and faint, for such has been, and always will be, the opposition in the hearts of unbelievers and those that know not God. … For a man to lay down his all…requires more than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of God; but actual knowledge, realizing that, when these sufferings are ended, he will enter into eternal rest, and be a partaker of the glory of God. … Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation." –Joseph Smith
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