Teachings For Our Times - "No Other Gods" Dallin H. Oaks
presented by Marsha
Elder Oakes graduated from the University of Chicago law school and went on to teach there. He was president of BYU-Provo from 1971-80 after which he was a Justice on the Utah Supreme Court at the time he was called to the apostleship.
What is the first commandment given to Moses for the children of Israel? “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Ex 20:3)
What is the second great commandment given to Moses? “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” (Ex 20:4) Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God..... showing mercy unto .....them that love me, and keep my commandments.
The meaning of “jealous” is revealing. The word’s Hebrew origin means “possessing sensitive and deep feelings”, thus we offend God when we serve other gods or when we set other priorities first.
In ancient times, Moses takes the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. He takes them to the Red Sea and the Lord tells him to raise his hand and the sea parts and the children safely cross to what is now probably Saudi Arabia. Moses again raises his hand and the sea closes on the pursuing armies. Then the children become hungry and the Lord sends manna for them to eat and makes water spring from the rocks to quench their thirst. (4 huge miracles so far)
The Lord really wants to talk to all the people so He appears to them in a cloud to counsel them. Soon, Moses and 70 of them plus Aaron and his sons go up Mt. Sinai to talk to God face to face. Moses stays up there for 40 days to be taught while Aaron comes back to the group with the 70. Very soon the people forget about all the miracles and wrongly implore Aaron to make them a graven image to worship in the form of a golden calf.
Our question then becomes: what do we worship before or instead of God? What in our lives takes priority for our attention and devotion?
Career aspirations
Material possessions - wealth
Power, prominence and public approval
Swim team
Swim team?! Marcia recounted one day when several of her many children were stars on their swim team. The special meet was to be on Sunday and she wanted to go and enjoy in the approval of their success. She told Norm to take the other children to his church since she would be at the meet. He said, “My church, eh? And which is your church?” She went anyway with her star swimmers and basked in the glory. Well, she has NEVER forgotten the wrongness of that decision. How easily we can be beguiled into setting the wrong priorities! Swim teams and other interests and pursuits are not bad things in our lives. It is the prioritizing of those pursuits above the Lord’s commandments that lead to wrong decisions. Although her family swam on the teams for over 15 years, she never forgot that lesson. Marcia mentioned there have been families in our ward who got so wrapped up in the swim teams that they eventually left the church over conflicts of priorities.
We are to have no other gods before the Father. How do you KNOW He is there?
Several sisters gave examples of recent times in their lives when they were very much aware of heavenly protection and direction.
The Lord is with us all the time. He is always available. Marcia spoke of a blessing given to her husband when he was set apart by the Nauvoo temple president. In the prayer, the president told Norm to tell his son-in-law that all would be alright and not to worry further. The president had NO IDEA of what was transpiring in the Nilson’s life at that time, and yet he was prompted to give that very comforting assurance from the Lord. Subsequently, the blessing was realized and all was well.
Marsha then presented some of Elder Oakes’ important messages in his conference talk:
Our purpose here in life is to live the plan of salvation. For Latter-Day-Saints, God’s commandments are based on and inseparable from God’s plan for His children. This plan explains our origin and destiny as children of God...where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. The plan of salvation explains the purpose of creation and the conditions of mortality, including God’s commandments, the need for a Savior, and the vital role of mortal and eternal families. The power to create mortal life is the most exalted power God has given to us. If we Latter-Day-Saints, who have been given this knowledge, do not establish our priorities in accord with this plan, we are in danger of serving other gods.
In this world today, we as God’s children sitting here in this room, no matter who we are, have a duty to our Heavenly Father and to Jesus Christ to help each other, our children, our teenagers and our young adults achieve the goals of obeying God’s commandments and also understanding and achieving God’s plan...the plan of salvation.
The world is complicated and challenging and confusing. Consider these statistics:
The United States now has the lowest birthrate in our history. Many European Union nations and other developed countries have birthrates below levels that would sustain their populations.
Here at home, the percentage of young adults 18-29 who are married, fell from 59% in 1960 to 20% by 2010. The median age for marriage is now at its highest level in history: 26 yrs. old for women and almost 29 for men.
The traditional family of a married mother and father with children is coming to be the exception rather than the rule. The pursuit of a career instead of marriage and the bearing of children is an increasing choice of many young women while the role and perceived necessity of fathers is diminishing.
50% of our church is single, having never married or are widowed or divorced.
41% of all children born in the United States are born out of wedlock.
60% of marriages were preceded by cohabitation.
Teenagers today state that out-of-wedlock childbearing is a worthwhile lifestyle.
What is legal in this country that is totally against God’s commandments: pornography, marijuana, abortion, adultery, fornication, alcohol, tobacco and same-sex-marriage to name a few.
What does the 12th Article of Faith teach us? “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law.”
But man’s laws cannot make moral what God has declared immoral. We remain under covenant to love God and keep His commandments and to refrain from serving other gods and priorities...even those which are becoming popular in our particular time and place.
In the midst of all the trends that are occurring right now in our lives, how are we to treat all of God’s children, even those whose priorities are not in keeping with God’s commandments?
1. Be respectful of their beliefs even those who have no belief in God.
2. God’s power and mercy are for all inhabitants of the earth.
3. God has given is salvation free for all men...none are excluded.
4. We are to be compassionate and loving to all people.
