Lesson 36 The Glory of Zion Will Be A Defense (Isaiah 1-6)

What doctrine if understood would help each of us avoid the evils of the world by standing in holy places and draw strength from Isaiah’s willingness to serve.
Preparation

Attention Activity

You have each heard often that a stake is called the refuge from the storm. I believe this teaching has its origin in part from Isaiah.

The Lord often repeats the same idea many times throughout the scriptures. Discover what counsel the Lord has given to help us endure the trials of the last days:



Doctrine and Covenants 45:32


Doctrine and Covenants 87:8


Doctrine and Covenants 101:22

“Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved.”



• What do you think this phrase means? (Being worthy at all times, desiring to be in holy places frequently, choosing not to go into unholy places, having confidence that God will guide you, and taking a stand for truth and holiness.)

Discover why the Lord has commanded us to stand in holy places and what these holy places are. This is part of understanding the doctrine to change our behavior.

Scripture Application


“Great are the words of Isaiah,” the Savior proclaimed as he commanded the Nephites to search Isaiah’s prophecies (3 Nephi 23:1). Isaiah’s prophecies are quoted more often in the New Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants than the words of any other prophet. He prophesied many things about the earthly mission of the Savior, about the destruction that would follow Israel’s wickedness, and about the mission and destiny of latter-day Israel.

1. Isaiah described the condition of the world we live in today. Isn't that another witness for the Lord's prophets and the definition of what a prophet does?



• Many of Isaiah’s warnings and prophecies apply both to his time, which was a time of great wickedness, and to us today. How are the conditions described in the following scriptures evident in the world today?


a. Isaiah 1:3–5 (Rebellion against the Lord)


b. Isaiah 1:11–15 (Religious ceremonies without meaning or faith)


c. Isaiah 2:7–8 (Worship of worldly things and military security instead of the Lord; note that horses and chariots were used as instruments of war in ancient times)


d. Isaiah 2:11–12 (Pride)


e. Isaiah 3:5 (Oppression of other people and failing to honor older people)


f. Isaiah 3:9 (No shame for sin)


g. Isaiah 3:14–15 (Taking advantage of the poor and failing to care for them)


h. Isaiah 3:16–24 (Emphasis on outward physical beauty at the expense of righteousness and good character)


i. Isaiah 5:8 (Greedy desires to own more and more material things)


j. Isaiah 5:11–12 (Constantly seeking worldly pleasures instead of seeking the Lord and his work)


k. Isaiah 5:20 (Saying that evil things are good and good things are evil)


l. Isaiah 5:21 (Trusting in oneself instead of in God)


m. Isaiah 5:24 (Despising the commandments and word of God)


• How are these prophecies being fulfilled today?

2. Isaiah counsels the faithful to stand in holy places.



• What places offer safety from the worldly conditions mentioned by Isaiah? What are the three holy places mentioned in Isaiah 4:5–6?


a. Every dwelling place of mount Zion (homes)


b. Assemblies (stakes, wards, and branches; see also D&C 115:5–6)


c. Tabernacle (temples)


• How can a home be a holy place that offers refuge from the wickedness of the world? How can stakes, wards, and branches be holy places and refuges? How can a temple be a holy place and refuge? How have these three holy places helped provide a defense for you against the evils of the world?


1. Homes; 2. Stakes, Wards, and Branches; and 3. Temples.


• What expressions are used in Isaiah 4:5–6 to describe how these holy places will protect us?


a. “A shadow in the daytime from the heat”


b. “A place of refuge”


c. “A covert [a hiding place or shelter] from storm and from rain”


• Many of Isaiah’s writings are also included in the Book of Mormon. Read 2 Nephi 14:5 to discover what words are added to Isaiah 4:5. (The words of Zion are added.)

What do these words add to our understanding of this verse?


• What prophecy about temples in the last days is included in Isaiah 2:2–3? (Many people will come to the house of God, which is the temple, and desire to learn God’s commandments and walk in his ways.)

Why do you think Isaiah described the temple as a “mountain of the Lord”? (Ancient prophets often went to mountains to commune with the Lord and receive counsel from him. He revealed things to them there. We can have similar experiences in the temple today.)

3. Isaiah describes the gathering of Israel in the latter days.

In Isaiah 5:26–29, Isaiah describes the latter-day gathering of Israel. The ensign that is being lifted up is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To “hiss” is to whistle or summon, which represents the invitation to the nations of the earth to gather to the Church. This gathering will be swift and powerful.



• How is the prophecy that nations will be gathered to the Church being fulfilled today? (Missionaries are going throughout the world to teach the gospel and gather people to the truth.)

What can each of us do to help fulfill this prophecy?

4. Isaiah responded willingly to his call to be a prophet.

The Lord called Isaiah to be a prophet through a vision in which Isaiah saw the Lord in his glory. This vision is recorded in Isaiah 6.



• How did Isaiah describe the glory of the Lord? (See Isaiah 6:1–4.) What was Isaiah’s response when he saw the Lord? (See Isaiah 6:5. Isaiah felt unworthy to be in the Lord’s presence.) How did the Lord symbolically show that Isaiah was clean before him? (See Isaiah 6:6–7.) How did Isaiah respond when the Lord called him to be a prophet? (See Isaiah 6:8.)


• In accepting his call, Isaiah used the same words as the Savior did when He accepted the responsibility to carry out the plan of our Father in Heaven for the salvation of his children (Abraham 3:27).

What are some situations in which we may also need to answer the Lord with similar words? (Here are some examples" when we are called to serve missions, when we are asked to serve in the Church, and when we are asked to endure difficult trials.)


• Many chapters of Isaiah are recorded in the Book of Mormon, including chapters 2 through 6. What reasons did the prophet Nephi give for including Isaiah’s writings in his record? (See 2 Nephi 11:8.)


• Which messages from these chapters from Isaiah cause you to rejoice? Which messages of these chapters do you feel are most important to liken to yourself?

Conclusion

The words of Isaiah teach us many things about the latter days. By studying Isaiah’s counsel, we can learn how to stand in holy places and avoid the evils of the world.

Reading Assignment for September 26, 2010

“Lesson 36: The Glory of Zion Will Be a Defense,” Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, 24 Isaiah 1–6


Isaiah prophesied many things about the earthly mission of the Savior, about the destruction that would follow Israel’s wickedness, and about the mission and destiny of latter-day Israel.



• Many of Isaiah’s warnings and prophecies apply both to his time, which was a time of great wickedness, and to our time. How are the conditions described in Isaiah 1–5 evident in the world today?


• What three holy places mentioned in Isaiah 4:5–6 offer safety from evil? What expressions are used in these verses to describe how these holy places will protect us?

Additional reading: 2 Nephi 11.

God Reveals His Secrets to His Prophets

“Lesson 35: God Reveals His Secrets to His Prophets,” Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 170

1. Introduction

a) Amos and Joel

b) Amos

i) a shepherd from Tekoa, a small town south of Jerusalem

(1) Was not from a prominent Church family

ii) ministered to the people of the kingdom of Israel

iii) from about 800 to 750 b.c.

c) Joel

i) ministered to the people of the kingdom of Judah

ii) dates of Joel's ministry are not certain

iii) many of Joel's prophesies concern the latter days

(1) Told of a great and terrible armies in the last days

(2) God’s judgments in the latter days

(3) Promised blessings to the righteous in the last days

d) Plumb Line

i) Show plumb line

(1) Plumb-bob

(2) Line

(3) "plumb" in "plumb-bob"

(a) such tools were originally made of lead

(i) Latin plumbum

(ii) probably through French plomb

ii) Ask what its purpose is

iii) One of the most ancient construction tools

(1) Used in ancient Egypt

(2) Used in the construction of all the great cathedrals of Europe

(a) Some spires, domes and towers still have brass datum marks in the floor that signify the location of the center of the building

(3) Early skyscrapers

(a) heavy plumb-bobs hung on wire in their elevator shafts

(b) weight would hang in a container of oil to dampen any swinging movement

iv) Plumb Line Scripture

(1) Reading 1 – Amos 7:7-8

7 ¶ Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

8 And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

(a) ASK – What does " set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel" mean?

(i) An unchanging standard

(ii) Something that insures that all of Israel knows the perfect standard

(iii) Jehovah/Christ is holding the plumbline in His hand

1. The standard leads to Christ

(iv) The plumbline is also symbolic of the role of a prophet for Israel in all times

1. Pointing out the standard

2. Pointing to Christ

(2) Being Upright

(a) Reading 2 – Psalms 15:1-2

1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

(b) Reading 3 – 1 Nephi 16:3

3 And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.

(c) READ – Mosiah 2:32-33 – King Benjamin

32 But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise contentions among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit, which was spoken of by my father Mosiah.

33 For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.

(i) List may have two meanings

1. Listen

2. Tilt away from vertical

a. Like a ship that lists or leans to one side

2. The Lord reveals his secrets to his servants the prophet

a) Reading 4 – Amos 3:6-7

6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

i) Note – Joseph Smith Translation substitutes

(1) "known" for "done in verse 6 - shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not known it?

(2) "until" for "but" in verse 7 - Surely the Lord God will do nothing, until he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets

ii) Very interesting implications to Verse 7

(1) Reading 5 – Elder Orson F. Whitney said: "The need for prophecy must be evident to any pious and reflective mind. Prophets are as watchmen on the tower, noting the time of night, telling of the approaching dawn. 'Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.' This means, as I interpret it, that the allwise Dispenser of human affairs will neither cause nor permit any event to take place, concerning which the world need to have fore-knowledge, until he has communicated with his chosen servants, his oracles among men, and has given them due notice of its approach." (Saturday Night Thoughts, p15)

(2) Reading 6 - Elder Matthias F. Cowley said : "From this we learn that if there are no prophets of the Lord, then our Heavenly Father is doing nothing in a religious sense among the people of this earth; but if He is doing a work among them for their redemption, then there must be prophets." (Cowley's Talks on Doctrine, p23

iii) Reading 7 – Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38

37 Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.

38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

iv) Reading 8 – Doctrine and Covenants 21:4-5 – Speaking of Joseph Smith

4 Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;

5 For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.

(1) Promise associated with following this counsel

(a) READ – Doctrine and Covenants 21:6 - 6 For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.

3. Following the Counsel of the Prophet

a) Amaziah

i) Reading 9 – Amos 7:10-13

10 ¶ Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

13 But prophesy not again any more at Beth-el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.

b) Cultural Mormons

i) Pres. Wilson's comments in Stake Conference

ii) ASK – What is a cultural Mormon?

iii) ASK – How can I know whether I am a cultural Mormon or not?

iv) ASK – Does a cultural Mormon follow the prophet's counsel?

v) READ – Amos 6:1, 3-4, 7-8

1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion . . .

SKIP

3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

4 That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;

SKIP

7 ¶ Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.

8 The Lord God hath sworn by himself, saith the Lord the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

vi) Reading 10 - President Ezra Taft Benson said: "It is not going to be enough just to accept the teachings, standards, and ideals of the Church passively. It will require real activity, real dedication to the principles of righteousness if we are to face the future unafraid. But if we have the courage, sound judgment, and the faith so to do, then no matter what happens we will be able to face any situation with courage and with faith and with the assurance that God will sustain us. I know that now is the time probably more than any other time in our lives to live the gospel. We should not be lulled away into false security as Nephi said many would be in the last days. We should not be pacified and feel in our hearts that we can sin a little, that we can attend to our meetings part of the time, that we can pay a token tithing, that we can live the gospel when it is convenient, and all will be well. We must not be 'at ease in Zion' and say 'Zion prospers, all is well' (2 Nephi 28:21, 24). But we must live the gospel plan in its fulness every day of our lives. Therein is safety. Therein will come a satisfaction which comes from righteous living which will enter our hearts, give us the courage and the strength that we need. There is no security in unrighteousness. The sinful always live in despair (see Moroni 10:22)." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp337-338)

c) Famine in the Land

i) Reading 11– Amos 8:11-13

11 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:

12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.

13 In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.

(1) It is common for prophesies to be fulfilled more than once.

(a) Fulfilled after the time of Malachi, the last Old Testament prophet – about 400 AD

(i) This period ended approximately 400 years later when John the Baptist was called to prepare the way for Jesus Christ

(b) applies to the Great Apostasy, the centuries of spiritual darkness that followed the death of the Savior’s Apostles and ended with the restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith

(2) ASK – Does this famine continue among any people today?

4. Joel

a) Prophesied of the last days and a great and terrible army

b) Also included many invitations and blessings directed to the faithful in the latter days

c) Moroni quoted Joel to Joseph Smith

i) READ Joseph Smith 1:41 – Giving an account of what Moroni told him

41 He also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated that the fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many other passages of scripture, and offered many explanations which cannot be mentioned here.

d) READ Joel 2:28-32 – Quoted by Moroni

28 ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.

32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

e) READ Joel 2:12-27

12 ¶ Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God?

15 ¶ Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

18 ¶ Then will the Lord be jealous (footnote 18a

HEB zealous) for his land, and pity his people.

19 Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

21 ¶ Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.

22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats (footnote 24a

OR vats)shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

f) READ – Joel 3:16-17

16 The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

17 So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

Lesson 35: God Reveals His Secrets to His Prophets

Reading 1 – Amos 7:7-8

Reading 2 – Psalms 15:1-2

Reading 3 – 1 Nephi 16:3

Mosiah 2:32-33

Reading 4 – Amos 3:6-7

Reading 5 – Elder Orson F. Whitney said: "The need for prophecy must be evident to any pious and reflective mind. Prophets are as watchmen on the tower, noting the time of night, telling of the approaching dawn. 'Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.' This means, as I interpret it, that the allwise Dispenser of human affairs will neither cause nor permit any event to take place, concerning which the world need to have fore-knowledge, until he has communicated with his chosen servants, his oracles among men, and has given them due notice of its approach." (Saturday Night Thoughts, p15)

Reading 6 - Elder Matthias F. Cowley said : "From this we learn that if there are no prophets of the Lord, then our Heavenly Father is doing nothing in a religious sense among the people of this earth; but if He is doing a work among them for their redemption, then there must be prophets." (Cowley's Talks on Doctrine, p23)

Reading 7 – Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38

Reading 8 – Doctrine and Covenants 21:4-5

Doctrine and Covenants 21:6

Reading 9 – Amos 7:10-13

Amos 6:1, 3-4, 7-8

Reading 10 - President Ezra Taft Benson said: "It is not going to be enough just to accept the teachings, standards, and ideals of the Church passively. It will require real activity, real dedication to the principles of righteousness if we are to face the future unafraid. But if we have the courage, sound judgment, and the faith so to do, then no matter what happens we will be able to face any situation with courage and with faith and with the assurance that God will sustain us. I know that now is the time probably more than any other time in our lives to live the gospel. We should not be lulled away into false security as Nephi said many would be in the last days. We should not be pacified and feel in our hearts that we can sin a little, that we can attend to our meetings part of the time, that we can pay a token tithing, that we can live the gospel when it is convenient, and all will be well. We must not be 'at ease in Zion' and say 'Zion prospers, all is well' (2 Nephi 28:21, 24). But we must live the gospel plan in its fulness every day of our lives. Therein is safety. Therein will come a satisfaction which comes from righteous living which will enter our hearts, give us the courage and the strength that we need. There is no security in unrighteousness. The sinful always live in despair (see Moroni 10:22)." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp337-338)

Reading 11– Amos 8:11-13

Joseph Smith 1:41

Joel 2:28-32

Joel 2:12-27

Joel 3:16-17

Lesson 35: God Reveals His Secrets to His Prophets

“Lesson 35: God Reveals His Secrets to His Prophets,” Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, 23

Amos 3; 7–9; Joel 2–3

Study the following scriptures:

• a. Amos 3:6–7. Amos teaches that the Lord reveals his secrets to the prophets.

• b. Amos 7:10–17; 8:11–13; 9:8–15. Amos is called of God to be a prophet (7:10–15). He prophesies of the captivity and scattering of Israel (7:16–17; 9:8–10). He prophesies that there will be a famine of hearing the word of the Lord (8:11–13). He prophesies that in the last days Israel will be a great and prosperous people (9:11–15).

• c. Joel 2; 3:16–17. Joel prophesies of the wars and calamities of the last days (2:1–11). He calls on the people to repent (2:12–14; note that the Joseph Smith Translation of verses 13 and 14 explains that the people, not the Lord, were to repent). Joel prophesies that God will bless his people in the latter days and pour out his Spirit upon them (2:15–32; 3:16–17).

Amos ministered to the people of the kingdom of Israel from about 800 to 750 b.c. Most of these people were in apostasy. As Amos confronted the people with their sins, he prophesied dire penalties. Nevertheless, he emphasized that God was eager to cleanse anyone who would repent. Amos also prophesied about the latter days.

Joel ministered to the people of the kingdom of Judah. Many of Joel’s prophecies were about the latter days.

• • What did the prophet Amos teach about the importance of prophets? (See Amos 3:7.) What does Doctrine and Covenants 1:37–38 teach about the respect we should have for the messages of the prophets?

• • What did Amos prophesy would be the result if Israel rejected or ignored prophets’ messages? (See 8:11–13.) In what ways can the absence of the word of the Lord be compared to a famine? How can having the blessings of the restored gospel be compared to a feast?

• • Review Joel 2:12–32 and 3:16–17 and look for answers to the following questions: What invitations has the Lord given to those living in the latter days? What blessings has the Lord promised to those who follow him in the latter days?

Additional reading: Joseph Smith—History 1:41; Doctrine and Covenants 1:14–28, 37–38.

Lesson 34 - I will Betroth Thee unto Me in Righteousness

Lesson 34: “I Will Betroth Thee unto Me in Righteousness”, Old Testament

Hosea 1–3; 11; 13–14

Purpose

What doctrine if understood would help us understand that the Lord is loving and merciful and will forgive us when we repent and return to him. (Doctrine is Plan of Salvation – the plan of happiness. The principle focused on in this lesson is Repentance. The application is what we are discussing today after making sure we understand the doctrine and the principle.

Attention Activity

Look at this list of phrases from Hosea:

• “The children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea” (Hosea 1:10)
• “I will pour out my wrath upon them like water” (Hosea 5:10)
• “The Lord … shall come unto us as the rain” (Hosea 6:3)
• “He shall come as an eagle” (Hosea 8:1)
• “Israel is an empty vine” (Hosea 10:1)
• “Judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field” (Hosea 10:4)
• “They shall be … as the smoke out of the chimney” (Hosea 13:3) “I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps [cubs]” (Hosea 13:8)
• “I am like a green fir tree” (Hosea 14:8)




Each of these phrases is a comparison from the book of Hosea. Suggest one possible meaning for the comparison. For example, saying someone is “as a lion” may indicate strength or fierceness.

Why do you think Hosea and other prophets used comparisons?

(Comparing a complicated or unfamiliar idea with one that is simpler or more familiar makes it more understandable to the people who are being taught. Comparisons also help provide a lot of detail in just a few words.)

In addition to these smaller comparisons, Hosea also used extended comparisons, which are called metaphors or similitudes (similitude is the word used in the scriptures). The book of Hosea contains several comparisons to help us understand the relationship between Jesus Christ and his people.
We will discuss how these scriptures apply to daily life.
Please share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles.

1. Using the similitude of a faithful husband and an adulterous wife, Hosea describes the relationship between the Lord and Israel.


One of the most frequently used similitudes in the scriptures describes the Lord as a bridegroom (or husband) and his covenant people as his bride (or wife). Hosea 1–3 powerfully uses this similitude, comparing Israel’s idol worship to adultery. In these chapters the prophet Hosea represents the Lord as the husband, and Gomer represents Israel as the wife.

• In the book of Hosea, the Lord’s relationship with Israel (and with the Church today) is compared to the relationship between a husband and wife.

What does this comparison teach us about the level of commitment and devotion the Lord expects from us?

In what way was ancient Israel comparable to Gomer, who is described as “a wife of whoredoms”? (See Hosea 1:2–3; 2:5, 13. Gomer had left her husband for her lovers; Israel had forgotten the Lord and become wicked.)

Who or what were Israel’s “lovers”—the things that caused the people to turn away from the Lord? (Other gods, material goods, and the practices of the world.) What things may divert us from our dedication to following the Savior?

To whom did the adulterous wife give credit for her food and clothing? (See Hosea 2:5.) To whom did the Israelites attribute the fruitful land in which they lived? (See Hosea 2:5, 12; to their false gods or idols.)

How do people today give credit to false gods for the blessings they receive?

How did the husband remind his wife that he—not her lovers—supplied her with food, water, and other possessions? (See Hosea 2:8–9.)

In what ways has the Lord provided you with material and spiritual blessings?

How can we show our appreciation to the Lord for the blessings he gives us?

What was the attitude of the husband toward his unfaithful wife in Hosea 2:6–13?

How was this attitude different in verses 14–23? (Even though the wife had been unfaithful, the husband still loved her and wanted her to come back to him. Likewise, the Lord still loves his people who have gone astray, and he wants them to turn again to him.)

Elder Henry B. Eyring explained: “This was a love story. This was a story of a marriage covenant bound by love, by steadfast love. … The Lord, with whom I am blessed to have made covenants, loves me, and you, … with a steadfastness about which I continually marvel and which I want with all my heart to emulate” (Covenants and Sacrifice [address delivered at the Church Educational System Symposium, 15 Aug. 1995], 2).

What did the husband promise his wife if she would return to him? (See Hosea 2:19.)

What does the Lord promise his people if they will repent and return to him? (See Hosea 2:20, 23.)

Why is this promise important?

In Hosea 3:1–2, the husband purchased his wife from her lover (In Old Testament cultures, women were often considered property and could be bought or sold).

What did the husband require of his wife after he purchased her? (See Hosea 3:3.)

What did he promise her?

In what sense has Jesus Christ “bought” each of us? (See 1 Peter 1:18–19.)

What does Christ require of us in return?

2. Because of his love for his people, the Lord continues to invite Israel to repent and return to him.

Hosea 11; 13–14.

Throughout the book of Hosea, the Lord reproves the Israelites for their great sins. After the Lord, through Hosea, describes the captivity and destruction that will result from Israel’s wickedness, he again invites his people to repent and return to him.

Another similitude often used in the scriptures to describe the relationship between the Lord and his people is the master-animal relationship. This similitude is used briefly in Hosea 11:4.

What do we learn about the Lord’s feelings for his people through this comparison?

(See also Hosea 11:7–9. The Joseph Smith Translation of verse 8 says “mine heart is turned toward thee” instead of “mine heart is turned within me.”)

Several times the Lord reminded the Israelites of how their ancestors were delivered out of captivity in Egypt (Hosea 11:1; 12:9, 13; 13:4–5).

What might this event be a similitude of? (See Hosea 13:14. As the Lord delivered the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, so will he deliver them—and all people who come unto him—from sin and death.)

What did the Israelites need to do to return to the Lord and receive deliverance? (See Hosea 12:6; 14:2–3. They needed to repent of their sins and renounce the other gods they had worshiped.)

What did the Lord promise to do if they repented? (See Hosea 14:4–7.)

What does the Lord promise he will do if we repent of our sins?

How do the similitudes in the book of Hosea help you understand how the Savior feels about you?


Conclusion

I testify that while the Lord’s blessings are reserved for those who keep his commandments, his love is constant and extended to all. Even when we turn away from him through sin, the Lord loves us and wants us to repent and return to him. Be faithful to the Lord.


Additional Teaching Ideas

The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline.


1. “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6)
In Hosea 6:6 the Lord tells Israel, “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” During his earthly ministry, Christ twice referred to this verse to answer criticism from the Pharisees (Matthew 9:13; 12:7). After examining the context of these two references (Matthew 9:10–13; 12:1–8), discuss what this verse means.


2. “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself” (Hosea 13:9)

During Hosea’s ministry, the Northern Kingdom (Israel) was attacked by the Assyrians, who would eventually destroy the kingdom and take the people captive. In a literal sense the Assyrians were responsible for the destruction of Israel. But the Lord said, “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself” (Hosea 13:9).

In what sense had Israel destroyed itself?

What was Israel’s only hope for salvation after the destruction of their nation? (See Hosea 13:9–10; 14:1.)

How can following Jesus Christ protect us from temporal and spiritual destruction?





Good Quotes that go along with this lesson:

Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained: “In a spiritual sense, to emphasize how serious it is, the damning sin of idolatry is called adultery. When the Lord’s people forsake him and worship false gods, their infidelity to Jehovah is described as whoredoms and adultery. (Jer. 3:8–9; Hos. 1:2; 3:1.) By forsaking the Lord, his people are unfaithful to their covenant vows, vows made to him who symbolically is their Husband.” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 25.)

Elder Eyring explained that Father in Heaven will help prepare a way for us to keep the sacred covenants we make with Him:
“Each of us who has made covenants with God faces challenges unique to us. But each of us shares some common assurances. Our Heavenly Father knows us and our circumstances and even what faces us in the future. His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, has suffered and paid for our sins and those of all the people we will ever meet. He has perfect understanding of the feelings, the suffering, the trials, and the needs of every individual. Because of that, a way will be prepared for us to keep our covenants, however difficult that may now appear, if we go forward in faith” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1996, 44; or Ensign, Nov. 1996, 33 ).

Elder M. Russell Ballard said: “Heavenly Father has promised . . . that He will give marvelous blessings to those who honor their covenants, keep His commandments, and endure faithfully to the end. They will be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise and will be ‘given all things’ ( D&C 76:55 ; italics added; see also 76:50–54, 70 ), including an inheritance in the celestial kingdom” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1993, 5; or Ensign, May 1993, 6 ).

Lectures on Faith, compiled under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith, on the board: “A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation” ([1985], 69).

Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles commented on his experience years before teaching Hosea to his early morning seminary classes:
“The book of Hosea, like the writings of Isaiah, uses what seem to me almost poetic images. The symbols in Hosea are a husband, his bride, her betrayal, and a test of marriage covenants almost beyond comprehension. . . . Here are the fierce words of the husband, spoken after his wife has betrayed him in adultery: [Hosea 2:6–7].
“He goes on (through verse 13) to describe the punishment she deserves, and then comes a remarkable change in the verse that follows. . . . : [Hosea 2:14–15, 19–23].
“At that early point in the story, in just two chapters, even my youngest students knew that the husband was a metaphor for Jehovah, Jesus Christ. And they knew that the wife represented his covenant people, Israel, who had gone after strange gods. They understood that the Lord was teaching them, through this metaphor, an important principle. Even though those with whom he has covenanted may be horribly unfaithful to him, he would not divorce them if they would only turn back to him with full purpose of heart.
“I knew that too, but even more than that, I felt something. Ihad a new feeling about what it means to make a covenant with the Lord. All my life I had heard explanations of covenants as being like a contract, an agreement where one person agrees to do something and the other agrees to do something else in return.
“For more reasons than I can explain, during those days teaching Hosea, I felt something new, something more powerful. This was not a story about a business deal between partners, nor about business law. . . . This was a love story. This was a story of a marriage covenant bound by love, by steadfast love. What I felt then, and it has increased over the years, was that the Lord, with whom I am blessed to have made covenants, loves me, and you, . . . with a steadfastness about which I continually marvel and which I want with all my heart to emulate” (Covenants and Sacrifice [address to religious educators, 15 Aug. 1995], pp. 1–2).


Elder Bernard P. Brockbank counseled college students: “If you sow seeds of righteousness, you will harvest righteousness. If you sow thorns and corruption, you will reap thorns and corruption. A prophet of the Lord said, ‘For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind’ (Hosea 8:7). If you sow seeds of purity, you will harvest purity. If you sow seeds of petting, immorality, and promiscuity, you will harvest destruction to your godlike attributes. If you sow seeds of pure love, you will receive pure love. If you love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, you will reap God’s love. If you would obtain celestial glory, you must plant into your heart and character God’s heavenly ways. Jesus admonished in these words: ‘For if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you’ (D&C 78:7). If you want a celestial life, you will have to plant celestial seeds. Pure religion comes from God. If you want pure religion in your life, you must plant the gospel of Jesus Christ in your heart. Remember, ‘As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.’ If you think as a celestial being, you will be a celestial being. If you think as a child of God should think, you will be a member of his celestial family.” (“Be Worthy of Celestial Exaltation,” in Speeches of the Year, 1974, pp. 386–87.)


CONCLUSION
God loves you, no matter what you have ever done to hurt or disappoint Him, and He has provided a way for you to return to Him. The story of Gomer clearly shows God’s love for you. Even when you break His commandments and your life seems to fall apart, God’s greatest desire is to see you repent and come back to receive the happiness of a good life.
The world today exhibits many of the same social ills that existed in Gomer’s time. Perhaps in the past you have forgotten covenants in order to respond to the promises and flattery of the world. Now you know the longing to be loved and trusted again. For you, the story of Gomer testifies of hope and a Redeemer who longs to have you restored to the close relationship you once had with Him (see Hosea 3:1–2). Her story is a promise that if you will return “home” and prove your repentance and faithfulness (see Hosea 3:3–4), then all that you desire will be restored to you (see Hosea 2:19–23). Enduring or overcoming trials in proving your repentance and faithfulness will require your greatest efforts in prayer and acts of obedience to God’s laws.