Jacob 1-4

I thought it only seemed fitting since we are coming into this to start at the beginning of Jacob. Since this was last weeks Chapters I think it will be easy to chime in to the things that may have stood out to you. For me what was so moving to read how much Jacob loved his people. How much it pained him to see their pride, lust, greed, selfish acts and their hearts waxing cold towards the lord. I could almost liken that worry, hurt and concern as a mother of children who are wayward and have no desire to be close to the lord or the gospel. You yearn for them to know there is something better than what the world is offering.

 In chapter 2 he tells them how much it pains him to have to come to them and talk to them so boldly. He doesn't beat around the bush and he doesn't hold back. He tells them what they are doing wrong. How it is wrong and that it is taken them away from God. He explains to them that the justification of their acts and the pleasures they get is hardening their hearts and that the are becoming as wicked as the Laminates .
Jacob reminds them in 19: And after ye shall obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted. 

When I read that for me the riches was not the money, or fine metals (gold, silver, ore) but the riches come from the eternal riches you will receive when you are with Christ. A humble, repentative and charitable heart. Then with those riches you will be able to do good with it.

 I felt in so many ways he was talking to the people or our time. People are prideful, judgmental, selfish and are clearly picking and choosing what they are willing continue to follow and justifying their actions.

What I mean about justification is his talk about telling them to stop sleeping with other women and to cherish the wife they have. In 23-24 he talks about David and Solomon and how they had many wives and concubines, and that is was an abominable to the Lord. Just to explain a little, in the bible we know that the lord did give David and Solomon more wives however they went beyond what the lord gave them. David and Bathsheba being the perfect example of that.

Now lets take this back to what Jacob was saying in 27-28 about there should only be one husband and one wife. This is very clear and simple description of the law of marriage. All of our depictions of marriage through out the scriptures is always with one man and one women. Example: Adam & Eve, Mary and Joseph, Zachariah and Elizabeth, Lehi and Sariah.. ect.
So why did we go to plural marriage?
Well.. in verse 29- 30 Jacob addresses it. 29: Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their shakes.30: For if I will saith the Lord of Hosts raise up seed unto me, I will command my people" otherwise they shall hearken unto these things. 

So here is a question.. why did Jacob call him Lord of Hosts? Not just God, or Father, or Lord but Lord of Hosts. So I learned a few things in my studies and found a few things interesting that I never knew in all my years of being a member. I did not know that Lord God means Jehovah until learning in my studies in the last 5-6 years. I also learned the God is many things... one of which God is a divine warrior and the hosts of heaven are is his army. So When you say the Lord of Hosts.. it is displaying his power and who he is. When you challenge the Lord of Hosts your taken on him and his army. When he gives a commandment as explained in 27-28 you better make sure that the only way you step away from that is when he tells you it is okay to do so as he explained in 30.

I truly did love how he explained in 28 how he delights in the chastity of women. When I read that the Young Women's theme (old theme) started going through my head and his love he has for us and how he holds us so near and dear to him and that when we are following and doing all we can to be like Christ the happiness it must bring him.

I think this is getting for my first insert so I will just touch on one more thing that really stood out for me in Chapter 3. With all the Bold talk, chastisement and setting the wicked straight. He did not leave out those who were still trying to follow God. How their hearts must have been so full to hear them be called pure of heart and that they were pleasing unto the Lord. Something I hope that when I see my father he will tell me. He was pleased with me in my thoughts, my heart, my actions, my deeds and my choices in the things I did. I think about how that even in this day and age verse 11 applies to all those who wax cold towards the lord.
11: O my brethren, hearken unto my words' arouse the faculties of your souls' shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber of death' and loose yourselves from the pains of hell that ye may not become angels to the devil, to be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death. 

WOW! I am curious what everyone else got out of that scripture. I feel I truly given my views on all of this I will hold back on this to see what everyone else has too say..

Looking forward to all of your input!!