When the children of Israel were afflicted in the wilderness with fiery (poisonous) serpents the Lord instructed Moses to erect a brass serpent and place it upon a pole, “and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” (Numbers 21:8-9)
But even after seeing their fellows saved by this simple act, there were some whose hearts were so hardened, “that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them.” (Alma 33:20)
Alma asks, “if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes . . . would ye not behold quickly?” (Alma 33: 21). I can almost hear a “oh for crying out loud” tone in his question. If all you had to do was look at something to save your life – why wouldn’t you? The answer is, it was too simple. They didn’t believe something so common, and so simple, could save them, so they refused to look – and it cost them their lives.
A few chapters later, Alma expands his teaching to include the Liahona, which was fashioned by the hand of God to guide Lehi through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. It was a physical object, like the brass serpent which Moses raised up, which if they looked upon it, they would live. But, for a larger part of their journey they did not look, and they “tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst.” (Alma 37:42) Why didn’t they just look? Because it only worked when they believed God “could cause those spindles [to] point the way they should go.” (Alma 37:40) When they didn’t believe God “could” or “would” cause the Liahona to indicate His will, it didn’t matter if they looked at it – all they saw was brass spindles – not the will of God.
It is easy to read about their stubborn unbelief and shake our heads, feeling sure that if we had been there, that we would not have allowed unbelief keep us from looking upon the serpent, or into the Liahona with believing eyes.
The Liahona was not a one-of-a-kind work of God. It may be the only time this work was executed in brass, but God has done this same thing throughout the long eternities. Lehi was given the Liahona because they needed a physical witness of God’s directing hand. Without it, they would not have arrived in the Promised Land.
For you and I, we stand upon a taller ladder because of the faith and teaching of our parents, and because we are not surrounded by barren wilderness, but by millions of believing souls, by the greatest collection of scripture of all time, and by living prophets. So, we do not have, or apparently need, a Liahona. But, this directing work of God did not begin with the Liahona, nor did it cease after it.
Then, and now, the “word of Christ” is our Liahona. Christ speaks to us in our hearts, rather than through spindles of brass. These words of direction are empowered or disabled by our own belief that God truly is in the little pointers in our heart. If we doubt it, then they cease. When we believe and take them as our guide, then “just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.” (Alma 37:45)
On the UnBlog we have harped and hammered and belabored this principle unrelentingly. The reason is – most in this world are still not looking. After one knows that Jesus is the Christ, then hearing and obeying His voice is the pivot point of salvation. This is our Liahona, and most people only glance in times of need. We peer at them when we’re in trouble. We try to believe when we are in pain and sorrow. But, we don’t “look”. We don’t turn our spiritual eyes and ears upon the Holy Spirit, which is the “words” which Christ speaks, and our Liahona spindles, and then never take our eyes away.
Every person I know who has chosen to look – and then never look away – has accomplished vast and eternal things in their lives. They walk with faith and joy toward God’s destination for their lives. They have a calling in their lives. They know what to do each moment, largely without seeing the broad picture of where it is taking them. They are at peace because when each footfall is directed by the voice of God, then the only possible destination before them is safety, miracles, joy and exaltation.
The funny thing is that it is actually very easy to do – as easy for us, at least, as it was for Lehi to look upon the Liahona.
“Do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we look we may live forever.” (Alma 37:46)
If your eyes are even distantly focused upon Zion, consider what “we may live forever” might mean to that approaching destination.
Next on the UnBlog: The Simpleness of the Way
Brother John
© June 2012, John M. Pontius, all rights reserved. Non-commercial reproduction permitted.
It’s SO true! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple! This blogpost reminds me of a BYU Devotional given earlier this month:
http://byutv.org/watch/754b38f2-de64-40a1-968b-a0f4709a933d/byu-devotional-stanley-johnson-6512
Thank you for this post! I agree: believing is a crucial part to “look and live”.
In thinking of the story of the Liahona, I think of Nephi’s words when he was referring to the Liahona and he said, “And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness”. (1 Nephi 16:16)
I know each of us have been through a number of wilderness journies in our lives through our temptations, trials, and hardships, but I also know that when I follow His voice that I am led through the more fertile areas of the wilderness.
I think the words in this particular unblog describe those fertile parts of the wilderness well: “…. They walk with faith and joy toward God’s destination for their lives. They have a calling in their lives. They know what to do each moment, largely without seeing the broad picture of where it is taking them. They are at peace because when each footfall is directed by the voice of God, then the only possible destination before them is safety, miracles, joy and exaltation.”
Another scripture that to me is a companion scripture to the Liahona scriptures is Psalm 23. I would like to quote a part of it here, “The Lord is my shepherd [when I follow His voice]; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures [or the fertile parts of the wilderness]: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death [or the dark and dreary wilderness mentioned in Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life] , I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod [rod of iron, or word of God] and thy staff they comfort me…” (Psalm 23:1-4).
Brother D.
Reblogged this on Debra's Doings and Dreamings and commented:
I find these posts have given me the courage to be bold in striving to be a better person.
Dear Bro. John;
Don’t have a good explanation for the association but reading your paragraphs on the Liahona brought to mind a recollection of reading an address that likened a patriarchal blessing to having a personal Liahona.
For any who might be interested in reading then (1986) Elder Thomas S.
Monson’s address here’s a link(?):
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1986/10/your-patriarchal-blessing-a-liahona -of-light
Sincerely,
Robin
Dear Bro John;
Oops! The link I gave above only works if one types it into the location bar
and then presses “enter” or clicks that “Go to…” symbol. Merely clicking on the link brings up an error message.
Second Oops! I didn’t correctly state now (2012) Pres. Monson’s then
(1986) title. Since he was second counselor to Pres. Benson I should have referred to him as then (1986) Pres. (Second Counselor) Monson.
Thirdly, it appears the only way to access the talk I mentioned is either the above type-in or going to http://www.lds.org and then following the various prompts till one gets to “Conference Archive” then clicking on “1986″ and then “Oct”.
Pres Monson’s talk is the last one in the Sunday AM session.
My apologies to my bro/sis of the UnBlog and you for the misleads.
Sincerely,
Robin
I have pondered the brass serpent thing a great deal, as I am sure many have, wondering how if is possible that someone who is dying wouldn’t try ANYTHING that might save them, especially something that easy. Well, that isn’t any easier than dropping to our knees to pray for strength in any situation that might require it. For that matter, even to just reach out in thought to the Lord while standing in a crowd is more than some people (raises hand) will venture in their stubbornness and rebellion.
I agree with saying that the solution is “too simple,” but maybe not so easy. That simple act requires enormous commitment. I am not defending anyone’s choice to reject the “way out” that is offered, but this post finally gave me the insight I was looking for. It is not only pride that keeps us from doing it, but also fear. Not fear that it won’t work, but fear of what it means when it does.
The Liahona, the brass serpent or a simple prayer all represent the same thing: confessing that we are sinners and that there is a loving God who will make us whole if we will choose to follow him. It’s not the acknowledgement that is hard, it’s the obligation to follow that we resist.
For some, it’s just that they don’t understand how easy life can be when we surrender our will to the Lord’s. They think that they have start living a perfect life right away, and of course they know that they will fail, not recognizing that’s it’s okay if they do. The Atonement allows for that.
Others know full well that it will work, but won’t humble themselves and re-commit to be followers, usually because they want to continue in their sins, even if that sin is nothing more than idleness. It may seem so easy to just look up, but when it’s an alternative to just sitting on your butt doing nothing that we know will require us to serve, some people convince themselves that they aren’t REALLY dying.
Deep inside, I think we all know that isn’t enough just to glance at whatever symbol we have presented to us. As your post points out, it has to be in our hearts that we won’t look away. I feel it is important to note that even when it truly was in our hearts, that we will still look away later. Just because we do, it doesn’t mean the Lord disappears. He doesn’t change, but we do, and we change every day, hopefully for the better, but not always and then all we need to do is just look up again.