2 Nephi 7:10-11

I was doing my personal reading tonight in the Book of Mormon, I am in 2 Nephi, and I came across an interesting scripture that I have never considered in this light before. Chapter 7 is mostly a quote from Isaiah 50, as with most of the Isaiah chapters it is pretty much word for word. Anyway this chapter talks, messianically, about the Lord (or Isaiah himself) giving his back to the smiter etc. Skipping down to the last verses, 10-11, the prophet asks,

10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth
the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no
light?
11. Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass
yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the
sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand—ye
shall lie down in sorrow.

The key for me lies in the last couple of lines and the repetition of the words "light" and "fire." There is the obvious reference to idolatrous sacrifice, those who kindle fire are those who perform the profane rites, adherents of such like Molech and Ashtaroth. However, if we cross reference to 1 Ne. 1:6-8, Ezekiel 1:4, Alma 38:9, 3 Nephi 17:24, Deuteronomy 4:12,24, and D&C 88:63,67-68, we see that fire and light are associated with the presence and revelations, in short the knowledge, of God.

So, we have an interesting image then, of someone who walks in darkness surrounded by the sputtering flames of their own fire--with all of its representative associations. At once the image incorporates two antithetical ideas, the sputtering flame of idolatry--in this case pride and self-worship--with the Light of Christ. If we accept that the knowledge of God is truth, the knowledge of things as they really are (Jacob 4:13), then this scripture is a commentary on those who seek knowledge of themselves without the influence of Christ, they find "burning instead of beauty" (2 Nephi 13:24, compare with 3 Nephi 17).

So there's the rub. A person who seeks or expounds knowledge without the Light of Christ (I know, I run the risk of including myself here), may find bits of "truth," at least in some abstract sense. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the heady fumes of discovery and enlightenment that we fail to realize that of themselves they give us truth which is ultimately of no use. This sort of truth is like sputtering flames which are without value because the light of their knowledge serves only to emphasize the totality of the darkness surrounding it.

Too smart for her own britches

So tonight as we were trying to get Rachel to go to bed she ran out to the living room and grabbed her little VTech computer that she has. Jonice came out of her bedroom and told her to get to bed, quick smart. A little incensed at being told to go to bed, Rachel replied, "Wait Mom, I gotta check my email!" She's a little booger, and she knows it. After a little more squawking, we got her in bed, but not until after she declared, "I need my Cinderella book, Mama!"

Our First Post

After the swarm of new blogs being set up by all our friends and family, Jonice and I have decided to follow the crowd and put ours up. Seeing as neither of us are particularly apt to write in our journals, this might be the last post we ever put up, but we'll see where it goes.

For all of you who don't keep in regular contact with us, I am about halfway through my second to last undergraduate semester here at the Y. I am scheduled, barring any unforeseen F's, to graduate this December with a BA in English and a BS in Genetics. I am about to start an LSAT prep course, and I will take the LSAT in June. Hopefully by this time next year I will have my acceptance letter to the University of Pennsylvania Law School and we will be counting down the days until we move back East.

Jonice and Rachel are keeping busy at home. Rachel is quickly learning to speak better, she is forming full sentences and learning how to count. Jonice, as usual, has a hundred different projects she is involved in aside from Rachel. They both enjoy visiting with our friends here in the ward, particularly with Melynda (who Rachel still calls "Nana"). It gets kind of hard sometimes trying to decide whether she is talking about Ana her cousin or Nana her friend.

Jonice has begun practicing the piano again, she is determined to learn to play. She is getting better, the progress is slow but she is working hard and has definitely improved over the last few months. She has also begun reading the classics, starting with Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. After she gets done with those I will start introducing her to some of the others like Keats, Coleridge, Wordsworth, and Milton.

So, come back soon and we may have something more posted. If you post a comment, it's far more likely that we will continue, so let us know how you are doing as well.

Ben and Jonice