Endure to the End Jacob 7, Enos and 4th Nephi 1-22

Last night while walking I witnessed a display of mother nature's glory, an explosion of light. Brilliant flashes streaked the sky and at times was so bright that it lit my path. It filled me with wonder.

Above me lines and patterns of light emerged on the sky's dark palette. I marveled.

This display of nature reminded me of the patterns that God has placed in each of his creations.
The sun, the moon, the seasons, the weather, the plants - all of God's creations were created by a pattern of design that not only determines its beauty and shape, but also sets its purpose and time.  I thought how these patterns give us reassurance. We know that each day the sun will rise as a ball of fire in the east. And each month the moon will rise big and round and glorious. We know the birds will migrate each fall and again in the spring. God has instilled in each of his creations a pattern to live by- a pattern to ensure their existence on this planet.

But what about man? What pattern did he instill in us to ensure our survival? To help us endure our journey here?

Unlike God's other creations, man was given a higher degree of intelligence to choose his mortality- his morality -his own path. Unlike the migratory Robin who innately sings songs of gratitude, God has given man the agency to learn for himself of eternal joy.

Last night, in our class we read the stories of Jacob and Sheram, and Jacob's son Enos, and the people of 4th Nephi. We read and discussed how they took a pattern of life that God has given all men and put it to the test and found the joy and peace that comes through faith and repentance - God's pattern of life. We talked about how their lives exemplified a pattern of enduring to the end.

What is God's pattern for man? And why didn't God instill in us a programmed life - like he did the Goose, who as I write is flying overhead honking and squawking on his way? to where?

Man- like all of nature- can follow a path that will lead us to eternal life. For man however, it involves conscious choice. The ability to discern between good and evil. It involves faith not only in nature but first in the supreme creator Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism and following the Holy Ghost.

As we studied the lives of Jacob and his son Enos we found adjectives that described what they did to discover the peace the gospel brings. When Sheram challenged Jacob's testimony, Jacob recounted his "many revelations," his ministering angels, the many things that he had witnessed, and how the voice of Lord had instructed and comforted him. Because of all these things, Jacob could not be shaken.  We considered Enos and his mighty prayer that released him from his guilt, and how the people of 4th Nephi were able to live in harmony for 200 years before time and pride erased the living memories of their experiences with the Savior Jesus Christ.

What I found interesting is that these men were given experiences that impressed upon their minds and their souls the eternal nature and love of the Savior Jesus Christ. The desires of their heart were to know of a truth that would guide them to peace. Their lives were not without danger, trial or discomfort.  Peace does not mean you will not have trial. True peace comes when while in the midst of trial you have the power of faith in a true and living Savior who will wind your sails and calm your soul.

God has sent us many heralds of peace. Each day is a miracle of his love. Each day reminds us that he has given all of his creations a pattern to live by. This pattern is sure; it is eternal; it is beautiful.

I believe that it is why - when I see the night sky display its artistic brush or experience the sunrise or hear the bird song - I am reminded that God's love for all his creations is sure and steady. But for man... we must choose.

And I am grateful for the lives of men like Jacob and Enos and the disciples of Christ who witnessed the resurrected Christ and showed by their lives that enduring to the end is a real possibility. It is not only a possibility it is what God wants for us. It is his pattern for our lives. It is what he promises in 2 Nephi 31:20:

20  Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.    2 Nephi 31:20

Even though we don't have a programmed migratory path we do have the law and the light of Christ for which we are promised eternal life if we will but endure. But for us we must look, we must endure, and then shall we know eternal life.

Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.
3 Nephi 15:-1-9

Genesis 23: A burying place made sure

Recently while sitting on the beach, near the pilings of the pier, I per chance to witness a rather private affair. A grandmother and her grandchildren had gathered to disperse the ashes of her late husband. At first I did not understand what was unfolding before me. I was reading my book and wanting very much to give them their privacy I looked up only occasionally, but when the grandfather's ashes flew back into his grand daughters face, into her eyes, and mouth, their privacy was lost. For the Granddaughter laughed out loud and yelled... "I got the last hug." And then they were off, casually walking down the beach.

Abraham mourns the death of Sarah

This experience prompted me to think allot about how and where we bury our dead. Once they have passed on do we treat them as if they are gone forever from our lives? Or do we treat them in accordance to our belief in eternal life?  I thought about why an entire chapter was devoted to Sarah's burial place?  Why did Abraham insist on paying for the land on which he and Sarah would be interred?
I wondered how how we treat our dead affects our role in our  families life?  About how what we do in this life affects the communities of both the living and the dead. For the dead are in a season "wherein there can be no labor performed" (Alma 34:33) and they therefore become dependent upon the respect given to them by their living.







I discovered these  important truths

I. Integrity
This chapter is as much about Abraham's integrity toward his fellowman and God as it is about securing a burial place for Sarah. The children of Heth tried to bestow the gift of a sepulcher on Abraham. It was a subject given "in the audience of the people."

Ephron sells a cave to Abraham for Sara's burial 

• In the choice of they sepulchers bury thy dead (vs 6) 
•  Nay, the field I give I thee. (vs 11) 

 Even though Abraham thought of himself as a "stranger and a sojourner"(vs5) among the people of Hebron, they loved and admired Abraham and called him "a mighty prince."(vs 6) Abraham had opportunity to exercise his power to dominion. He could have had what he wanted and needed for free. No one would dismiss a man of his stature in his time of grief. But Abraham knew who he was and he knew the importance of integrity while conducting business, especially the business of eternal life.

Integrity is an eternal characteristic. Consider how Abraham's entire life focus within the book of Genesis is about eternal life. If he truly believes that he and Sarah are married for all of eternity then he what he does for her body in this life, will be recognized in the next life. He would have to answer not only to God but to Sarah.  Abraham understood how we practice integrity in this life affects not only the example we leave others, but also paves the way for our eternal happiness.


In addition, he understood the importance of securing a burial place for Sarah as a means of honoring her and her family, but also to "make sure" a burial place for himself. There could be no mistake after his death where he would be buried. By securing this transaction with the power of social custom, honor and integrity he was securing Sarah's and his resting place. For if he owned the land (and it was not a gift) no dispute could arise after his passing that would jeopardize his choice of where and by whom he would be buried. ( remember he had other wives)

The importance of this transaction is reiterated at the end of the chapter in verse 20, "and the field, and the cave that is therein, we made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the sons of Heth."

II. Understanding Death and the Eternal Nature of Family 


Our culture fears death. When Abraham chose to purchase the land, and honor Sarah, he was teaching us about eternal life.  Death is one of life's facts. We are indeed born to live and eventually die. Our culture does not want us to speak of it, yet it comes as surely as the tree which falls in the forest. Just as the tree does not know his own time, we are not to know our time. But if we are prepared we should have not fear.

Could it be that Ephron and the other sons of Heth wanted to bestow this gift on Abraham out of pity? or out of their own fear of death? Or out of their desire to honor a man of his spiritual stature? It really does not matter why? What does matter is that Abraham did not cower to their persistence. He knew his death would come and he faced it by purchasing his burial place. His actions of honor while still grieving for Sarah speak of his belief in the eternal nature of family.

I remember when I was about thirty my Grandfather Conkey took me on a walk through the Presbyterian cemetery where his father and mother had been buried. I was enjoying myself  until I walked past the gravestones of my (living)Grandfather and Grandmother Conkey. They stood next to me as I read their names, their stone engravings and the year of their birth. The year of their death had been left to be inscribed upon their passing. I was mortified that they had chosen to think of death while they were yet alive.
Yet they had and they had done it with such grace and style that it set my own fears at rest. I believe this chapter does the same. It makes us consider how Abraham treated the subject of death. How he revered and honored Sarah by purchasing the cave of their burial and in doing so made us aware of his belief in the eternal nature of the family. If Abraham did not believe he would rise again, or see Sarah after this life, why was it so important to him to secure a safe burial place, a sure burial place, a place where he too could rest next to her.

In speaking to a few people about this chapter I learned that most have dismissed it. They have not considered the many truths that lie hidden here. Sarah died. Abraham buried her. Our lives can be easily summed up as easily as many of us want to sum up this chapter. We were born, we lived, we died. But life, eternal life, has much more to offer us. When we consider the eternal nature of man and we consider how Abraham's actions played to his belief in the eternal life, we understand the role that he played in teaching his culture about death, about eternal families, and about how we treat those we do business with, and those with whom we share eternal ties of love. When we understand these basic principals we understand just how important the role of respect for our dead, integrity and our belief in eternal life in the lives of the children of Israel play in setting an example for us to follow.