Follow Him: A Come, Follow Me Podcast - Deuteronomy 6-8;15;18;29-30;34 -- Part 1 : Dr. Bruce Satterfield

Episode Date: May 14, 2022

Why is the word "remember" one of the most important words in Deuteronomy? Dr. Bruce Satterfield joins the podcast and discusses covenants, a fortunate scattering of Israel, and a God of emotions.YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FollowHimOfficialChannelShow Notes (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese): https://followhim.co/old-testament/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followhimpodcastThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Executive Producers/SponsorsDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: MarketingLisa Spice: Client Relations, Show Notes/TranscriptsJamie Neilson: Social Media, Graphic DesignWill Stoughton: Rough Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Transcripts/Language Team/French TranscriptsAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsIgor Willians: Portuguese Transcripts"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com/products/let-zion-in-her-beauty-rise-pianoPlease rate and review the podcast.

Welcome to Follow Him, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping individuals and families with their Come Follow Me study. I'm Hank Smith and I'm John by the way. We love to learn, we love to laugh, we want to learn and laugh with you. As together, we follow him. Hello everyone, welcome to Follow Him. My name is Hank Smith. I'm your host. I'm here with my memorable co-host, John, by the way. Welcome John, by the way, to Follow Him. Thank you.

Yes. But you remembered me. Yes, well, the reason you're memorable is because the lesson this week is all about remembering the Lord. And you do that. You remember the Lord, John. So I thought memorable would be a good word to describe you.

Oh, thank you. John, we had a great email from a wonderful woman who wrote in and she said that her dad loves our podcast. And his name is Matt Sherwood. He lives in Carl Junction, out in Missouri. And so we just want to say hi to Matt and thanks for sharing the podcast with your kids. Thank you, Matt. John, we are in the book of Deuteronomy today. It's a tough thing to find an Old Testament expert, even to find one, an Old Testament expert,

who is also an expert in Deuteronomy. I'll be honest, this isn't the first place I go to if I need a little spiritual insight. I usually don't open Deuteronomy, but I be honest, this isn't the first place I go to if I need a little spiritual insight. I usually don't open Deuteronomy, but I bet I will from here on out because of who's joining us. Yes, we have someone I have never met until this morning, but I have used one of his spary symposium essays. I've passed it out to my class when we do the Feast of Tavernacles.

So we have Bruce K. Satterfield with us today. It's so excited about this. He's a professor in religious studies at Brighamming University, Idaho, where he teaches old and new testament. He also teaches biblical Hebrew in the Honors Program. He did his undergraduate and graduate work in the United States and in the Middle East. His education has centered in biblical studies. He received degrees in anthropology, archeology, and ancient near or Middle Eastern studies. Brother Satisfield also studied and researched in many countries in the Middle Eastern Europe.

He also loves the Book of Mormon and the doctrine of covenants. And his published articles concerning these other volumes of scripture. He's taught seminary and institute for 10 years. He's been at BYU Idaho for 30 years. Last year he was a faculty member at BYU's Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. And speaking of the Jerusalem Center, while in Jerusalem in 1979, brother Satterfield met his wife,

Carol. Their courtship took place in Israel and Europe. This sounds really romantic. They were engaged in Scotland and Married in the Idaho Falls Temple. They were sealed by his father Homer Satterfield who as a sealer in the temple there They have five children and 11 grandchildren. We're delighted to have you with us today brother Satterfield. I'm delighted to be here Bruce we are in the book of Deuteronomy. I'm expecting to come out of this loving this book. I'll tell you, I don't know much about the book of Deuteronomy, but I do know one thing that's always impressed me is that in the Savior's temptations, he quotes Deuteronomy.

And so I've always thought, well, there's got to be something here. If the Savior is memorizing it and using it in the temptation. So let's hand it over to you. What do you want to do with this book? How do you approach it? First of all, I'd like to go out to Big Picture. So we can pull it in and help explain where this book is fitting in and its importance in the Big picture. The normal big picture with the pre-mortal

experience of the first estate, the second estate generally being tagged as mortality. The second estate should be understood in bigger terms. In this world, very few ever hear of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, every father knows what he's doing. And this is important to understand, as we take a look at how God is going to use a chosen seed to help bring about His ultimate purposes. bring about his ultimate purposes. I really like Joseph's statement in the editorial he wrote in the Times and Seasons when he was continuing his introduction to temple ordinances and work for the dead. And he made this comment, the great Jehovah contemplated the whole of the events The great Jehovah contemplated the whole of the events connected with the Earth, pertaining to the plan of salvation, before it rolled into existence. The past, the present, and the future were and are with Him one eternal now.

He knew of the fall of Adam, the iniquities of the antediluvians, of the depth of a niquity that would be connected with the human family, their weaknesses, strengths, power, and glory, apostacies, their crimes, their righteousness, and a niquity. He comprehended it all, and he was acquainted with the situation of all nations, and with their destiny, he ordered all things according to the counsel of his own will, and he knows the situation of both the living and the dead. And he's made ample provision for the redemption according to their several circumstances and the laws of the kingdom of God, whether in this world or in the world to come. That's a very interesting statement. To take the House of Israel, which is what the

Book of Deuteronomy is all about, to put it within its context. We have to go back to promises God began to make with individuals as the gospel in its fullness, given to Adam, was being rejected, and lots of his posterity were not hearing of it. It is a fascinating thing for me to see that that first thousand year period is given about 40 to 50 verses in the book of Genesis telling us basically of the fall. And it doesn't tell us much about Adam after the fall. It leaves a pretty bleak view of this earth because of Adam's fall. And then the next story is about the fall of Cain. And it gives some time to that and then gives a genealogy eventually down to the time of Noah. Which it's pretty bleak during the time of Noah. I was researching through the Joseph Smith translations and we find out that some interesting things

happen and I want to just quickly highlight a few. If we turn to Moses 6, I'd like to just show something that happens that is important in our dealing with the chosen seed. As we And as we go on in this whole entire story, and we look closely at the story of Enic, turn to Moses chapter 7. And Enic has learned a lot about the wickedness of the world, and it is becoming an extremely wicked place. But the Lord came and dwelt with His people, and they dwelt in righteousness. Section 107 verse 49, after it tells us, Iniquis ordained, says, He saw the Lord, and He walked with Him, and was before His face continually in a dark age. There is this city, but it's only a city. The majority of mankind are going downhill fast, but Enic and his people have the Lord with them. Verse

17 of Moses chapter 7 says, the fear of the Lord was upon all nations so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people. Enic city is his people. Now remember that with the fall, all mankind are born into a fallen condition and suffer a spiritual death. The gospel is the means of them becoming his children again. Back to Moses 7, the glory of God was upon his people. And verse 17 says,

The Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish. They are being blessed with prosperity. mountains and upon the high places and did flourish. They're being blessed with prosperity. Now this is extremely important to understand all that's been laid out as a type and pattern for what the Lord is going to be doing with the House of Israel that chosen seed are to create Zion. To teach all the world. That is what is bothering Enic. He's just

seen the world is going to pot, and the best he can do is the creation of a city of Zion. He sees that this world is the worst of all of God's worlds. The Lord simply says to Him, verse 36, a Moses 7, and among all the workmanship of mine hands, there's not been so great wickedness as among thy brethren. That is a horrific statement, because we know as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be upon the second coming, it becomes clear that there is total rejection. They will not listen to the gospel, and they're going to have to be destroyed. And Enic sees the destruction by the flood of waters. Enic sees that suffering, and it hurts him, because a lot of them are his descendants. It comes down to only eight righteous people. However God prepared a way for them, and through the flood the ark saved them, life continued

afterwards. And he saw all the way down to the coming of Christ. It says in Moses 7, verse 46, he saw the meridium of time in the days of wickedness and vengeance. Nothing changed. It's as wicked after as it was before. These promises made to the fathers

extend back. We know to Israel, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but they extend back all the way to Enic. In the story of Enic, we're told of a covenant God made with Enic, with promises affecting the entire family of God, asking in the name of Jesus Christ to have mercy on Noah's seed, they would no more ever be destroyed by flood of water. Verse 51 says, And the Lord could not withhold any covenant with Enic and swear unto him with an oath. Wow, he talked about the three big covenant words, covenanted swear oath, that he would stay the floods,

that he would call upon the children of Noah. Let me just remind you of what we were told their mission was. Moses 6, 23 said they were preachers of righteousness He just reminded you of what we were told their mission was. Moses 6.23 said they were preachers of righteousness, and spake and prophesied and called upon all men everywhere to repent. He knows them from the beginning, and he knows that most of Noah's seed are going to never hear it in this life, yet he's promised to call upon all the children of Noah. Verse 52, and he sent forth an unalterable decree that the remnant of his seed should

always be found among all nations while the earth should stand. This covenant God made with Enic, the fact that he makes his unultimal decrees tells us its importance that a remnant of his seed should always be found among all nations while the earth should stand. The chosen seed who have the call to preach the gospel to all the world are going to be found among all the world. God is making a covenant with Enic about what he's going to do about this problem that the majority of the world has not heard the gospel. We're being taught what God will do about the problem of his children, not being taught the gospel, and when he will fulfill that covenant, that promise. For Joseph Smith, this was a major addition. It resonated with him, and it stayed in his

head. It did for Brigham Young and John Taylor. It's about how God is going to save all the world. And by whom? That's the house of Israel. I sometimes have wondered, you know how we sometimes call it a fortunate fall of a fortunate scattering because it spread the blood of the house of Israel everywhere. We started out saying, okay, let's look at the full plan of salvation, a pre-mortal life, a mortal time, and an everlasting time. And we focused in on this second act, right Bruce? Focussed in on the second act, saying, we got to see it as it's much bigger than just our mortal life. It's mortal life, spirit world, millennium, that the Lord has that in mind, and that during our mortal life, it seems like almost during everybody's mortal life, things look dark and bleak like it's not going to work.

Joseph Smith comes along giving us the story of Enic, it's going to work. It was taken out, I would say presumably because the adversary doesn't want us to see. It is going to work out in the end. And I would say that Bruce, I'm learning a lot about life here in that life looks pretty bleak a lot of times. And you might think the Lord is not doing His work and it's not going to work out in the end. But this message is, yes it is, it is going to work.

And I like what you said earlier, is that his children, I wrote this down, his children just seem to always choose wickedness, an evil and total rejection of him. And he's got a way to save him, even in that it's going to find a way to turn this around, even though the majority of his children in mortality is a total rejection of him. Am I on the same page? Am I following you here? Yeah, you are.

The spare world plays a major role in the salvation of God's children. They need to be taught the gospel. We got to do the work for them. And this dispensation is the dispensation to fulfill all the promises made in this covenant and preparation that the millennium brings about that eternal Zion. And it seems that this is so crucial to our understanding because God has making promises along the way to this family, this family of Israel that I'm going to use you to save the world even though it doesn't look like it. Knowing that, listen again to what

Marona said to Joseph, it pleased the Lord to covenant with them to roll on his purposes until he should bring it to pass. Man, it seems Bruce that Joseph Smith has given us this sacred history. I know it was never seen before. It had been taken away. This wasn't eye-opener. This came in December of 1830. And he sees up, but there's a Zion. Because that's what we need to read and then move to Deuteronomy. If we look back in Moses 7, he sees all the way now to the last days, and verse 60 says, and the Lord said unto Enoch, as I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days

of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfill the oath which I've made unto you concerning the children of Noah. That is, I will call upon the children of Noah, which most are in the spare world. Verse 62, righteousness, will I send down out of heaven? Truth will I send out of the earth, just as the waters as the flood came from that. I'm going to flood the the earth but not with water I promised him I wouldn't flood it with water, but I didn't promise I wouldn't flood it I'll flood it with truth. I'll flood it with truth and righteousness to sweep the earth as with the flood Together out my intellect from the four quarters of the earth

unto a place which I shall prepare, and holy city, which Isaiah sees as a tent, a tent with ropes and stakes. You have to lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes. You gotta lay out the whole tent before you put it up. So God makes a covenant with Abraham, that from him will come a seed that's a nation, a large nation. It's going to bless the whole earth.

He promises Abraham that that seed will have the gospel, will have the priesthood, and then promises that his seed would take the gospel to all the families of the earth that they should be blessed. Exodus opens up that they're now a nation no longer a family, it's a national story. In chapter 6, this is the invitation that he initially gives to the house of Israel to become Jehovah's people on earth. Verse 4, we're told, so I'm in Exodus chapter 6. I have heard the groaning of the

children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage. And I remembered my covenant wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm. That was the invitation. I'm going to take you out. You become my people. I will be your God. We know the story, the whole Passover experience. Crossing the Red Sea. Getting into the Promised Land. And so there's this trying to get Israel and God to be at one. They make it to Mount Sinai. Now the formal invitation is made in chapter 19.

Verse 4, you've seen what I did unto the Egyptians. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice, indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me, above all people, for all the earth is mine. Then he says, verse 6, ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and holy nation. I'm going to take you from a slave nation to a holy nation, and I'm going to do it through these commandments. And then you as a nation, you're going to bless the whole earth. That's right. I've got to make you a holy nation, and I need to put you in that land so you can get the attention of the world in that particular spot. Yes That spot is the best place in the whole entire world for this Now if you break this covenant turn all together from it. I'm gonna

Scatter you among all nations. I've got two ways. I'm gonna do this But you and I must understand it is in that land that Israel will get the eye of the world. Now, we need to go to Deuteronomy with all of that in mind, because we know the children of Israel made the covenant at Mount Sinai. They broke it, God renewed it, started giving them what's called law, Moses, which are policies again about how to live the Ten Commandments. So Ten Commandments still at the heart. They can't make a difference until they're different.

That's what the laws intended to do. They don't yet. You can't mix world and the gospel. They finally enter into a covenant, keep the Ten Commandments, House of Visual, Lee's Mount Sinai. They head to the Promised Land. The 12 spies are sent up and returned. Now, let's go to Deuteronomy.

Bruce, let me ask you something. It seems that what you've given us so far is be aware that the Lord has a long game plan. Don't get discouraged when things don't work out in the next week or month or year because this is a long game. Let me tell you perhaps one of the greatest scriptures to keep in mind in all of this is in 1 Nephi chapter 9. Its placement is curious to me. So 1 Nephi chapter 9, chapter 8, Lehi tells the family about the dream, but he's not done. He gets into the whole historical aspect of what the dream was, and that's in chapter 10, but between the two Nephi ads, six verses, and the sixth verse, I would star at Astrak, put lights around it. This is great, verse six. But the Lord knows all things.

From the beginning, therefore, He prepared a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men. For behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is, amen. So he's planted. We know the house of Israel is foredained. This whole entire set of promises by Covenant foredained. This whole entire set of promises by Covenant's foredained. He knows that in the last four minutes of this game, and we're down by 40 points, I'm going to send in my reserve group and win the game. But all the way along, all my players are learning. They're learning. Good and evil.

They're learning to choose. They're learning marriage and parenting and all those things that are important. So he's saying, look, it may look like the plan isn't working, but it is. I'm achieving everything I need to get achieved. And now we need the creation of Zion. And that happens at the end. The worldwide universal Zion. Rinds me of a famous quote from Elder Holland. He said, except in the case of his only perfect begotten son, imperfect people, are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to

him, but he deals with it. When you see imperfection, remember that the limitation is not in the divinity of the work. The Lord allows these imperfect people to run this because it's part of the plan is perfecting these people. Let me read the last part of the promises made to Abraham. I know that we say that through the Abrahamic covenant, we're giving the Gentiles opportunity for the gospel. I don't think that's accurate.

It isn't just opportunity. He intends on much more than that, for He says in Abraham too, that through the literal seat of His body, shall all families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even life eternal. It's not just an opportunity. He's going to do it. Whoa, that is a powerful promise, but he's all powerful to bring about his purposes. Nephi says, it may not look like it's going to work to you, but I promise you it's working. Yeah, exactly right. So Deuteronomy is a book about the children of Israel getting ready to go into the promised land to become this holy people.

And when they get to the promised land, 40 years after the first attempt to go in the Promised Land and the Israelites didn't prove themselves very worthy, the Lord is now going to have Moses speak to his people. He does through a couple of different talks. And this has been put together and given the name of Deuteronomy. If you go to chapter 17, verses 14 through 20 are about in the future, if Israel asks for a king, I'll give them a king, and here's I got some things I want the king to do. And one of them is in verse 18. It says here, and it shall be when he sit at the ponder throne, or he is established to rule, that he shall write him a copy of the law in a book, which is before the priests

and the vites. So he's supposed to sit down and take the law and write it out. And when the Old Testament in Hebrew was translated into Greek in Alexandria, a couple hundred years before the time of Christ, when they came to that verse, whoever did that, where it says he shall write him a copy of the law of that book. The King is supposed to sit down and write out himself and then he's supposed to read it therein all the days of his life. Frankly, that didn't happen very often. It did in the days of Josiah when that book was found and they read through it and then it told what he was supposed to do. Oh my goodness Josiah when that book was found and they read through it and then he told what he was

supposed to do. Oh my goodness Josiah really. Extreme Israel makeover. So what this is is now Moses speaking to the children of Israel and covenant team that they will now keep the national law. The covenant maybe the House of Visual is a national covenant. So is Deuteronomy kind of a farewell address from Moses, a series of addresses? All this is set up like a covenant document with the first four chapters essentially being the historical preamble. So it takes them through the whole story of Israel, Mount Sinai, through the 40 years wandering now to that land, just opposite of Jericho. They've known what's happened the last 40 years with this group as it's come through the wilderness, and they're scared

to death. Though Israel doesn't know it. They're scared to death on that side. But now Moses is here, the land's over there and Joshua is going to lead him in and now Moses before he leaves, reestablishes the government and Deuteronomy is taking the reader through all that. The first four chapters essentially are that, but I want you to go to chapter four. And with what I've been teaching, know what the Lord says, starting in verse five, behold, I've taught you statutes and judgments

even as Jehovah, my God, commanded, that you should do so in the land, whether you go to possess it. Keep therefor and do them. For this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall surely hear all these statutes and say, surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great who have God so nigh unto them? I don't like quite how that was translated, but they've added some words that I probably wouldn't have added. Verse 8, What nation is there so great that has statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law,

which I said before you this day. You see, that's the idea. God wants to make you a holy nation so that all nations can be taught the gospel. They're supposed to stand out, right? They're supposed to be totally different than everybody else. That's exactly right. And this covenant is what will do that. So the things I'm telling you, he says, the commandments, the statues, judgments follow them. They will make you a holy people. And you will catch the eye of the world, which they do, by the way, and it says so, right? In chapter four, first kings. They are really finely-chimed. It took a long time to get to that point, but they are, and then they dropped the ball, and within a few hundred years, the kingdom's gone and

scattered. Bruce, that seems to be Moses's fear here in chapter 4. They're gonna forget. It's exactly right. Yeah, I love verse 9 in there. Take heed to thyself and keep thysold diligently less. Now forget the things which thine eyes have seen. And they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life. And that just, it's just a history of good things and then forgetting good things.

That dominates throughout us. That's why the lesson is called this things and then forgetting good things. That dominates throughout this. That's why the lesson is called this, is you gotta remember these things. When we read through Exodus 19, and Moses says, now therefore if you will obey my voice, indeed, and keep my covenant, as well,

where that word obey is used, the Hebrew word is Shema, which means to hear. It's also the word for obedience. You hear and obey. And for most dysmensations, the members of the church were dependent on hearing the word, not reading it. That's why they seem to felt. And that's exactly what Ezekiel is told. In Ezekiel 34, the

shepherds were not feeding you. If the priests and Levites aren't teaching the people, how do they know? They don't own scriptures. In our day, we're building the universal worldwide sign. And the only way that can happen is that literacy has to be expanded everywhere. And the internet is extremely important in the advancement of Zion. The use of the phone, cell phones throughout the world is really increasing literacy rate. People learn how to read and the scriptures and the teachings of prophets are made available to all of us. I remember the first time hearing General Conference live in

Jerusalem. I remember when I was younger, always calling my father long distance after conferences over. What did they say? What did they say? Because we would never know unless we got some an ensign and that didn't happen very often. And then in 2000, my wife and five kids, and we were able to actually sit there and see conference live in Jerusalem. I was just overwhelmed by, oh, look, the promises made to Enic that the earth is being flooded. The promises are coming to pass in our day and age. It seems to me when I was looking around in these chapters of Deuteronomy that they're hearing things they've already heard multiple times over and over.

And it seemed to me that a little bit like general conference in our day, where we're getting the same message over and over and over and there's probably wisdom in that. Let's keep in mind, this is now the next generation. The first generation has died off in the wilderness. The history in the first four chapters is what they should know, but you never know because it's dependent on hearing.

If someone's taught them, one through four is about that. It's their history. I want to just point out something. Go to chapter 4 to begin with, verse 23, regarding all that He's told them. And He's telling about their fathers getting Him angry. And students have a lot of problems with this. Verse 23 says, take heed unto yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which he made with you and make you a graven image or the likeness of anything. Like your father's death, right? Yeah, but verse 24, for Jehovah thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. And, Deuteron, you got a lot of feeling expressions,

love, jealous, anger. We need to make sure that in our thinking about God, we don't like he gets angry, we don't like this concept of jealous, envious. However, what's the opposite of all of that? I mean, I should say, what's the opposite of love? If I didn't have a God that's angry, then what is he? He's apathetic. Doesn't care. That's right. I the Lord God care about this. These words to show you how much God cares about Israel and instead of seeing a negative, my goodness, this God is concerned about you. A jealous and angry God is a God who cares.

That's exactly right. And he's letting them know, I am a jealous God. I want your love. I love you. I want your love. Then comes the first real hint in verse 27 of what's going to happen. And that is, I'll scatter you among all nations and you should be fewer number among the heathen

there you will serve gods So if they do forget here's here's what's going to happen you will be scattered Here's a consequence which is gonna end up happening you will get to a god It's actually a piece of stone and talk about apathy will get to a God that's actually a piece of stone and talk about apathy. And this is a problem in polytheism. In polytheism, mostly they don't think God's care about them. And the purpose of religious acts is to try to get their attention. And that's just what the Savior says in the sermon on the mount.

You don't have to get God's attention. You've got it. You don't have to pray to't have to get God's attention. You've got it. You don't have to pray to Him like the Heathen do. You've got it. He does say that in verse 28, these gods of wood and stone don't see, they don't hear, they don't eat, they don't smell. There's a delightful verse,

is it in the Psalms that says that they have eyes, but they see not ears, but they hear not, mouths, but they speak not, and then it says, they that worship them are like unto them. You are what you worship and that what you want. And yes, it's true. He gets angry. I like that, Bruce, but the opposite is an apathetic God, which doesn't care at all.

And in different God, it's about love. There's fear in here and they should fear God. And there different God. It's about love. There's fear in here, and they should fear God, and there's a healthy fear that's necessary. And love, both are essential. So this next generation needs to know their history, and they need to know who Jehovah is. That's exactly right. And in chapter five,

then the basic foundation of the covenant is given, the Ten Commandments. So they are repeated, it is clear, this is the Lord's way. Verse 22 of chapter 5, these words, the Lord's spake unto all your assembly in mount out of the midst of fire in the cloud. He wrote them on tables of stones. so verse 23 and it came to pass, when you heard the voice out of the midst of darkness, for the mountain did burn with fire. Thehold of the Lord our God has showed us His glory and His greatness and we have heard the voice out of the midst of fire and we've seen this day that God does talk with man and he lives.

I mean, this is a major point. God talks to man like those gods of stone and wood. Therefore why should we die? They're so concerned. Don't want to see the face of God. But the Lord gives another interpretation why he didn't want to show them. And that interpretation is, I'm afraid you'll make an image of me and you will worship that image. Verse 29, all that we were such and heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments, always, that it may be well with them

and with the children forever. That's such a universal verse, isn't it? Oh, that they would have the heart and keep my commandments. Fear what happens when you break a law. There's consequence. That's how Mormon describes the anti-Nefi-Leahize. They would suffer into death rather than commit sin. That's exactly right.

It's a great point. Oh, there was such a heart in them. Oh, that's such an interesting plea that they would fear me, keep the commandments. Wish there was that kind of a heart that they would obey. Now we seek down in verse 32, 33, ye shall observe to do therefore as Jehovah your God, hath commanded you.

Now, you hear me keep saying Jehovah your God, but it says Lord, verse 33, ye shall walk in all the ways which Lord your God hath commanded you. Now whenever you see that word way, like in verse 33, you shall walk in the ways. Whenever you see way, that's the word for road. So walk in the road, God has laid out. That's true in Greek as well. In John chapter 14, I am the way the truth and the light.

Hodush is word-port. I am the road. Or in Jacob's ladder, I am the ladder. Please join us for part two of this podcast.