2 Nephi 26

[Mamabear]

“28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.
29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.
31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.” 2 Nephi 26:28-31

Thoughts for the night. Don’t set yourself up as light, do not seek gain and praise of the world. Have charity. Do not labor for money to build Zion because it will not be built with money. It will be built with sacrifice, love, tears, and heavenly help.
What are your ideas/thoughts?

[4Joshua8]

29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.
31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.


What are your ideas/thoughts?

Reminds me of Matthew 23:13-15

13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

[4Joshua8]

“28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.
29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.
31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.” 2 Nephi 26:28-31

Thoughts for the night. Don’t set yourself up as light, do not seek gain and praise of the world. Have charity. Do not labor for money to build Zion because it will not be built with money. It will be built with sacrifice, love, tears, and heavenly help.
What are your ideas/thoughts?

I look forward to when God gathers us physically out from the world. Looks like some of it is going to have to be destroyed first, though, because there's really not many places left to go where you can escape the control of corrupt governments. I think Avraham Gileadi says that Isaiah says that the destruction of the wicked will begin before the gathering of the righteous to places of safety. I look forward to that togetherness with people of the same values. I've never known that, except in my closest family relationships. I'm sure it will require some more change on my part before I'm ready.

[SPIRIT]

“28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.
29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.
31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.” 2 Nephi 26:28-31

Thoughts for the night. Don’t set yourself up as light, do not seek gain and praise of the world. Have charity. Do not labor for money to build Zion because it will not be built with money. It will be built with sacrifice, love, tears, and heavenly help.
What are your ideas/thoughts?

I look forward to when God gathers us physically out from the world. Looks like some of it is going to have to be destroyed first, though, because there's really not many places left to go where you can escape the control of corrupt governments. I think Avraham Gileadi says that Isaiah says that the destruction of the wicked will begin before the gathering of the righteous to places of safety. I look forward to that togetherness with people of the same values. I've never known that, except in my closest family relationships. I'm sure it will require some more change on my part before I'm ready.

Seven Years of Tribulation

Isaiah 28

2 My Lord has in store one mighty and strong:
as a ravaging hailstorm sweeping down,
or like an inundating deluge of mighty waters,
he will hurl them to the ground by his hand.

The imagery of “a ravaging hailstorm sweeping down” and of “an inundating deluge of mighty waters” identifies the king of Assyria/Babylon and his alliance of aggressor nations (Isaiah 8:7-8; 17:12; 18:2). A second “one mighty and strong” in the Book of Isaiah is Jehovah’s servant,
who makes an end of him at the last.

Although Jehovah provides a refuge for a repentant remnant of his people against the storms of their enemies (Isaiah 4:6; 25:4-5; 57:13), he empowers the archtyrant—Jehovah’s (left) hand—over “the drunkards of Ephraim” to cast their illustriousness to the ground (cf. vv 1, 3).

Revelation 12
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God,
that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
(the "woman" is the righteous saints)
(A thousand two hundred and threescore days is 1,260 days
(a score equals 20),
1,260 days (which is 42 months, or 3 1/2 years.

14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
(repentant remnant from the righteous saints)

Unrepentant saints - bondage for " a time and times and the dividing of time" "forty and two months"
(3 1/2 years)

Daniel 7:
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand
until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Revelation 13:
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies;
and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

"time" equals 1.
"times" equals 2.
" a dividing of time" equals 1/2.
If you add up 1+2+1/2, that equals 3 1/2 years.

The tribulation is 7 years. 3 1/2 + 3 1/2 = 7

A thousand two hundred and threescore days is 1,260 days
(a score equals 20),
1,260 days (which is 42 months, or 3 1/2 years.

Isaiah 33

14 The sinners in Zion are struck with fear;
the godless are in the grip of trembling:
Who among us can live through the devouring fire?
Who among us can abide eternal burning?

When a Sodom-and-Gomorrah type of destruction materializes, the wicked who dwell with Jehovah’s people “in Zion” give way to fear and trembling. Spiritually and physically unprepared for calamity, they realize with trepidation that their end is near. Their disloyalty to Jehovah prevents them from believing that “whatever weapon is devised against you, it shall not succeed” (Isaiah 54:17), or that “whoever wars against you shall be reduced to nothing” (Isaiah 41:12). Physical fire—at the hands of the king of Assyria/Babylon—and “eternal burning” in the hereafter await them.

15 They who conduct themselves righteously
and are honest in word,
who disdain extortion
and stay their hand from taking bribes,
who stop their ears at the mention of murder,
who shut their eyes at the sight of wickedness.
16 They shall dwell on high;
the impregnable cliffs are their fortress.
Bread is provided them, their water is sure.

Those who survive the devouring fire are Jehovah’s elect, his holy and valiant ones (Isaiah 4:4; 13:3, 19; 14:30-32). Although they live in a wicked society—amidst “extortion,” “bribes,” “murder,” and “wickedness”—they exercise scrupulous integrity.
They are a people apart, made up of individuals determined to maintain justice and righteousness at all costs (Isaiah 26:7; 57:2; 61:7-9).
Even in their wilderness retreat, food and water remain covenant blessings (Isaiah 7:21-22; 41:17-18; 49:9-10): “Tell the righteous it shall be well with them; they shall eat the fruits of their own labors” (Isaiah 3:10).


Those who sanctify themselves, who participate in Zion’s “solemn assembly,” enjoy Jehovah’s divine protection in the place Zion, also called “Mount Zion” (Isaiah 8:13-14, Isaiah 8:13-14, 18; 24:23; 24:23). Jehovah’s cloud of glory—signifying his presence (Exodus 24:15-18; 33:8-11)—makes glorious his holy people and the place where they abide. By its means, Jehovah protected ancient Israel when he appeared among his people during their wilderness travels (Exodus 13:20-22; 14:19-20). Jehovah’s “canopy”—as in a traditional marriage canopy—denotes his people’s renewal of their covenant with him at that time.

Isaiah 4:5-6
5 Over the whole site of Mount Zion, and over its solemn assembly, Jehovah will form a cloud by day and a mist glowing with fire by night: above all that is glorious shall be a canopy.
6 It shall be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, a secret refuge from the downpour and from rain.


Jehovah’s cloud of glory (v 5) acts as a shelter, shade, and secret refuge from the heat and downpour—that is, from the elements and from the king of Assyria/Babylon in Jehovah’s Day of Judgment (Isaiah 25:4-5). As Pharaoh’s armies were unable to penetrate the cloud when they pursued after Jehovah’s people (Exodus 14:19-20), so in that day will no enemies molest those who participate in Zion’s solemn assemblies. According to the terms of his covenant, Jehovah is obligated to protect his people when they keep his law and word.
His divine intervention attests to their utmost compliance.


Joseph Smith: "...without Zion, and a place of deliverance, we must fall; because the time is near when the sun will be darkened, and the moon turn to blood, and the stars fall from the heaven, and the earth reel to and fro. Then, if this is the case, and if we are not sanctified and gathered to the places God has appointed, with all our former professions and our great love for the Bible, we must fall; we cannot stand; we cannot be saved; for God will gather out his Saints from the Gentiles, and then comes desolation and destruction, and none can escape except the pure in heart who are gathered." --DHC 2:52

[Gadianton Slayer]

Don’t set yourself up as light, do not seek gain and praise of the world.
What are your ideas/thoughts?

Hmm. No to the first statement, yes to the second.

• ”Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (3 Nephi 12:16)

All about intent.

[Mamabear]

Don’t set yourself up as light, do not seek gain and praise of the world.
What are your ideas/thoughts?

Hmm. No to the first statement, yes to the second.

• ”Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (3 Nephi 12:16)

All about intent.

I meant the priestcraft part, “priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world.”
They want to be seen of men as they lie and deceive the world. Let your let shine but don’t do it for recognition and glory.

[Destroyer]

3 Nephi 18

24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.

Holding ourselves up as a light=priestcraft. The purpose is for the individual to get gain and the glory of the world. It is narcissistic and trusting in the arm of the flesh.

Holding up Christ as the light is bringing people to him. When we hold up his light, God is glorified, not man.