Who Are You Listening To?
3:00 PM
How well can you recognize a voice? If you heard only a 5-second clip of, say, Yoda from Star Wars ("Do, or do not, there is not try") or Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry ("Well, do ya, punk?") or Mater from Cars ("I swear, tractors is so dumb") would you be able to recognize them? How long would it take you to recognize the voice of your mother? Or brother? Or child? And what determines how well and how quickly we recognize voices?
Moses chapter 4-5 are filled with different voices telling different people different things to do. The careful student will read these verses seeking to become more familiar with these voices and their directions. Even though we can’t hear the voices themselves, we can read the words and gain insight into the individual speaking them.
For example, take Satan’s words and learn about his personality:
- Moses 4:1 – Satan’s overuse of personal pronouns as he addresses the Father—“Here am I…me…I…I…I…me….” (reminiscent of his words to Moses in chapter 1:12, 19)—belies his underlying selfishness. Although it is often understood that Satan’s rebellion entailed forcing salvation upon all God’s children, we cannot miss the point that, because salvation can only come through the Son of God who was “Chosen from the beginning”, Satan’s salvation would not have been a saving in God’s kingdom but an enslaving to him in an eternal darkness.
- Moses 4:5-6 – Satan, as he so often does, uses other means to convey his message which is “subtle” in seeking the destruction of the whole world.
- Moses 4:7 – He directs attention to the boundaries, towards the things we have been commanded not to do. Whereas God would have us walk steadfastly down the center of the path, Satan would have us walk close to the edge making it all the easier for him to drag us off.
- Moses 4:10-11 – Satan, in the evolution of his tactics, speaks increasingly complex mixtures of truths and lies. Does God know that Adam and Even can become “as gods” if they partake of the fruit? Of course; however when Satan speaks this truth one can almost hear the sneer and the false accusation that God wants to keep godhood all to Himself.
- Moses 5:13 – It seems that Satan is not so much concerned with what we believe in, as long as it’s not the words of God and his appointed prophets.
- Moses 5:18 – It also seems that Satan is not so much concerned with what we do, as long as we do it at his temptation.
- Moses 5:21 – And, in every step we take away from Eden and from the God who dwelt there, it pleases the adversary. His goal was, and is, to make all slave to his governing and, thus, “miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27).
However, from the Lord’s voice we learn:
- Moses 4:2 – Unlike the selfish Satan, the Savior’s focus is firmly directed at the Father: “thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.” In an ironic truth of divinity, Satan’s rebellion against the Father ensured that he will never reach godhood, whereas Jesus’ complete submission to the Father cements Him as the Lord of all creation and created.
- Moses 5:4-11 – Ever loving, God provided Adam and Eve with commandments that would direct their attention towards Him who would “redeem” them. Despite his certain sadness at having to leave a garden of innocence for a world of toil, Adam was “filled” (v. 10) with the prospect of a Savior and Eve was “glad” and given perspective. Similarly, the voice of God will always direct our minds towards Christ, fill our hearts with hope, and provide eternal perspective for us and our families.
- Moses 5:56-59 – Perhaps God’s greatest sadness comes when his children who chose Him pre-mortally reject His plan for their return to him post-mortally.
Questions:
- What examples of Satan’s voice and personality do you see around you today?
- When have you heard the voice of God?
- What did He say?
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