I think we sometimes look at the Israelites of the Old Testament as a bunch of losers. They just couldn't cut it. If only they had been a little better, they wouldn't have blown it.
Hmmm. Are we comparing apples with apples, as they say? Can we really compare ourselves, with all the spiritual advantages we have, with these people? All of us are not on the same step of the ladder of life, and all of the various groups of God's people through the ages were not on the same step either.
We stand on the shoulders of giants. We come after the Israelites. We read the Old Testament stories, we see their mistakes, and we learn from them. They learned too. All the cycles of pride, sin, judgment and repentance that they lived through, taught them eventually, as a nation, the futility of giving up their special relationship with the True and Living God for the sleazy glitter of a golden idol. The record of all those cycles has become our visual aid, our textbook, so we can be grown-ups, real saints. They, after enough pain, learned their lesson. After the Babylonian captivity, which came about because of their sins, they returned to Israel and never ever again worshipped idols of bronze, wood and stone.
How many lessons have we learned the hard way?
Think of what they didn't have...they did not have the ability to read. You are reading this. And thinking about it. They didn't have newspapers, magazines, scriptures, the Ensign, online conference talks, or scripture study group with their sisters in Relief Society. All of this has been built brick by brick on the learning and sacrifices of prior generations.
And another thing they didn't have. They didn't have the gift of the Holy Ghost. Everyday people receiving the gift of the H.G. to be with them always? Nope. Not til after Pentecost, after Christ's resurrection. That's why all through our study of Joshua and Judges you read about "the Spirit of God falling on" someone. It wasn't there day in, day out. It came as specially needed: to give Samson strength or Gideon courage. But next time you feel inclined to shake your head at those foolish Israelites, think where you would be without the gifts, the covenants, the sacrament, the Spirit. I know where I would be.
So thank you. Thank you all the pioneers that pioneered the way for the human race. That slowly climbed the ladder from slavery to learning who God was and learning to trust Him and learning what His law could do for them personally and for the society they lived in. Thank you for enduring all the bruises and falls and staying a people. For keeping a sense of being the chosen people. Thank you to the Jews. For all the trouble that got you in. But you did it, you are still you. There is still a Jerusalem, the ancient city. There are still a people that reverence the Torah and have indeed blessed the whole earth.
Through you we have these precious words we're studying. We know about the noble and brave ones---the Deborahs, the Ruths, the Calebs and the Othniels.
But this post is not for them.
This post is for an unknown woman in Jabesh-Gilead who died one awful day at the hands of an army of Ephraimites who had taken a vow to kill anyone who did not come to help in the civil war against Benjamin. And the men of your village didn't come. So one day when you were home with your children, they came and fulfilled their vow. And all of you died except your oldest daughter, who was 14. She became a bride for one of the surviors of Benjamin, and thus the twelve tribes survived and the whole amazing drama of Abrahamic covenant salvation through Christ continued, and the Bible story continues, and finally it comes down to us.
But if we know better, we better remember who to thank. We have a "higher" moral code than their simple revenge, honor and vow keeping. Just remember, higher things are built on a base of lower things. If we are at step four, it is because someone else was willing to come to earth in step one.
We have it all. Their words and stories, as well as modern prophets, temples, college educations and institute classes. Where much is given, much is expected. Unlike the woman of Jabesh-Gilead, we truly are without excuse.
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