In this section of his sermon, the words of Jacob border on
the poetic.
17 O the greatness
and the justice
of our God!
For he executeth
all his
words,
and they have
gone forth
out of his
mouth,
and his law
must be fulfilled.
God is just, Jacob teaches us. The Savior said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my
judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father
which hath sent me” (John 5:30). In
his epistle to the Romans, Paul wrote, “For
there is no respect [GR partiality] of persons with God” (Romans 2:11).
King Benjamin addressed the justice of God in his great
sermon.
Therefore
if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands
of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt,
which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his
breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire,
whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.
Mosiah 2:38
He fulfills all the words He gave us. Speaking to Ezekiel, the Lord said, “I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to
pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will
I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge
thee, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 24:14).
18 But, behold, the righteous,
the saints of
the Holy One
of Israel,
they who have
believed
in the Holy
One of Israel,
they who have
endured
the crosses
of the world,
and despised the shame of it,
they shall inherit
the kingdom
of God,
which was
prepared for them
from the
foundation
of the
world,
and their joy
shall be
full
forever.
In this world, we will face challenges and trials. We will be called to “[endure] the crosses of the world” (2 Nephi 9:18). For doing this, we will despised by the
world; we will be despised by those who refuse to bear the crosses of the
world. “This is a place of crosses and
shame. Have no illusions. The world is a shameful place; it is to be despised.”[1] “And
whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. [JST
Luke 14:28 Wherefore, settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things
which I shall teach, and command you.]” (Luke 14:27).
Those that do endure will inherit the kingdom of God, “and their joy shall be full” (2 Nephi 9:18).
Those who are not deceived “For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the
Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you,
they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. And
the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply
and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation” (D&C
45:57-58).
The Lord revealed the oath and covenant of the priesthood to
Joseph Smith. In part, He said:
For
whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have
spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the
renewing of their bodies.
They
become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church
and kingdom, and the elect of God.
And
also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord;
For
he that receiveth my servants receiveth me;
And
he that receiveth me receiveth my Father;
And
he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father's kingdom; therefore all that
my Father hath shall be given unto him.
D&C 84:33-38
[1] Lecture
23: 2 Nephi 32-33; Jacob 1-2, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute, accessed September 2, 2013.
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