Preparing For the Adventure – TILM Bible Study

On Superbowl Sunday evening (yea, I know I am nuts), I am beginning in my home a four week lesson study (utilizing TILM materials) on gospel witnessing in Southeast Idaho.

Each study session will begin at 5:30 pm and last for an hour.  Come join us.  1671 Brenthaven Street on the west side of town.  My house has the two big crosses in the backyard.

How has your reading in Genesis been?

1) Have you been able to read any believing (and scholarly) commentary by authors who do not treat Genesis with higher criticism? 

2) Are you able to see how the KJV Bible equates Yahweh as the Most High?

3) Do you believe in a literal, six-day creation account?

4) Do you see the seeds of the redemptive gospel laid out in Genesis?

5) And tell me what you think about this opening quote on Genesis by my friend, Bob Gonzales:

In the beginning, the God of gods (elohim [I am transliterating the Hebrew words in parenthesis]), creates “all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good” (Gen. 1:1-13).  But this “beginning” is only the beginning of King Elohim’s empire-building program because into the midst of his pristine creation, the heavenly Suzerain, also known as Yahweh (YHWH), places his image (tselem), that is, his visible resemblance and representative.  As Yahweh-Elohim’s image, man (adam) stands in covenant relationship to his Sovereign and is commissioned to subdue the earth as a loyal vassal and vice-regent to his Creator (Gen 1:26-28; 2:15-17).  That is, from the terminus a quo of Eden’s Holy Mountain garden sanctuary over the entire earth, following his Creator’s work-rest cycle (2:1-3), until the whole earth is filled with Yahweh-Elohim’s glory (Isa 43:7; Rom 11:36; I Cor 15:24-28; Rev 4:11).  Had mankind fulfilled his imperial commission in a way that accurately reflected his holy Suzerain’s character and that visibly manifested absolute submission to and dependence on the divine will (2:15-17), he would have inherited fullness of life as a royal grant and joined his Creator-King in an eternal Sabbath-rest (Heb 4:1-11).  What should have been, however, was disrupted when human sin and the divine curse entered the world (19-20, I inserted English letters for Bob’s Hebrew words lifted from the Bible text).

- Where Sin Abounds: The Spread of Sin and the Curse in Genesis with Special Focus on the Patriarchal Narratives (Eugene: WIPF & STOCK, 2009) by Robert R. Gonzales Jr.

In Rexburg tonight . . .

I went to see my brother-in-law and sister at the hospital in Rexburg tonight to get my first glimpse of my beautiful, new-born niece.  Oh, she is beautiful.  Little Lilly.

But let me share a few notes before I call it a night.

1.  Why is the primary reading in the lobby of the Rexburg public hospital – Ensign magazines and Watchtower material?   This is strange.

2.  I picked up a Standard Journal and noticed this front page article in the newspaper – “Rammell apologizes for LDS elders only meetings”.

He is now inviting non-Mormons to his first meeting, 7:00 p.m., on January 19 at the Hampton Inn (Idaho Falls).  I think I might go to see what he has to say.  His controversy has gone national, even making the Drudge Report.  Does anyone want to join me in listening to Rammell?

It has been an interesting day between reading him (www.voterammell.com) and Harry Reid in the news.  Two Mormon, political lightning rods.

3.  The wraps at New York Burrito  in downtown Rexburg were awesome.  My family loved them.

Blogspotting LDS in the OT (post #2)

1. The JST and the Hebrew Bible by David – well, there you have it – literary criticism of LDS scripture.  Do bishops allow teachers to share this during Sunday School class?

When I googled “reading the OT in 2010″, here are five of the ten entries that I saw on the opening google page of the world-wide web.

2. GMI Gospel Doctrine – Old Testament 1 by Doug

3.  How to Study the OT by Jeff.  Yes, you can spend a whole year in Isaiah.  In part 5, Jeff takes a stab at what “plain and precious things” were lost.  But I ask, “God’s Gospel lost?”  It is inconceivable.

4. Why Reading the OT is so Difficult (already mentioned in earlier post)

5.  New View Old Testament (websight) by Val Greenwood

6. Women of the OT 2010 Calendar

And click here:  two latest LDS commentaries on the OT for LDS in 2010.

Blogspotting LDS in the OT (post #1)

1. Jim F over at “Feast upon the Word”

Why Reading the OT is Sometimes so Difficult - Jim F. is an LDS scholarly guru. He hits on some interesting Hebrew world-view angles.  I just hope that he would not like Blake O. seek “to save the heart of God’s revelations to the Hebrews from the Greek mind.”  Two OT books are of utmost importance as we discover truths in God’s Word in 2010:  Genesis and Isaiah.

2.  Todd over at “Explorations in Faith”

Bereshith – the Creation - bereshith bara elohim according to Blake Ostler, Joseph Smith, and Todd (and not necessarily according to the KJV)

The First Creation Narrative - Let’s look at Wellhausen, Armstrong, a picture of the world (I saw this in Blake’s Vol. 3 – reproduced from Gier in God, Reason, and the Evangelicals: The Case Against Evangelical Rationalism), Enuma Elish, and the Framework Interpretation.  Now, I must admit, I do find some insights interesting from the Framework Interpretation.

The Second Creation Narrative: Eve - Some more higher criticism, but then I am happy to see some discussion on the “help meet”.  Indeed, my wife does correspond to my creatureliness in every way where I am lacking.  What a gift from the Creator – the One who does not lack like we creatures!

3. Robert C. over at “Feast upon the Word”

Brother Themes in Genesis – Hmm . . . you certainly won’t find this in Genesis: Two of our brothers presented alternative plans embodying different ways of conceiving our responsibilities toward others in the pre-earth council.

4.  BrianJ, Aquinas, and Julie on Lesson #1 – I just hope lesson #1 is not the foundation for everyone in S.E. Idaho before they begin reading their Old Testaments.

As of tonight, I have finished reading up to Genesis 14.

Looking at my sidebar

I had to fix at least some of my outdated links.

And “Atheist LDS” . . . well, I inserted Andrew’s blog. 

I even tend to think there is a practical atheism existing among cultural LDS men in S.E. Idaho.

PS – And I will be looking to beef up my “LDS bloggers in S.E. Idaho” section.  Kerry is my first victim.

Southeastern Idaho Youth Reminders

Know the Code.

But remember this: following the code does not make you righteous.

The most passionate man I know for the Word

And this is his confession:

“I have gone astray like a lost sheep.”

Ps. 119:176

Let me introduce myself to new readers

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Elon Todd Wood.  I cherish my first name, Elon.  It is a name that can be traced all the way back to the 1700s among the men in our family genealogy.  Also, Elon is a biblical name, where the Semitic roots provide the Hebrew meaning of oaks.  Hence, Isaiah 61:3 has become the theme verse for my immediate family.  We are “growing oaks” planted by the waters for the purpose of bringing glory to God.

I was born on December 13^th, 1969 in the old LDS hospital that at one time existed along the Snake River in Idaho Falls.  At an early age, I came to realize that the Bible is a book read and referenced by many in this city. 

A Baptist Preacher’s Invitation to His LDS Friends (2010)

(1) Hey, I hear that reading the Old Testament is the scheduled reading for Latter-Day Saints in 2010.  Is that true?  If so, I am excited to read the KJV Old Testament with you all.  I would like to stay connected on this, book by book.

(2) Secondly, I want you all to buy a slim book and read it for me.  LDS bishops, buy this book for those in your bishopric.  Sunday School teachers, buy this book for those in your classes.  Home teachers, buy this book for those living inside the walls of the target homes in your ward community.  Bloggers of bloggernacle, buy the book, read it, and write up a review.  I double-dog dare you.

Here it is:  A Gospel Primer for Christians:  Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love (Focus Publishing, 2008) by Milton Vincent.

Buy six or more copies, and it is half the price.  For any of you men in the bishopric in Ammon or Idaho Falls, I would personally buy you a copy.  Milton’s testimony to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ resonates so strongly to my own testimony.

excited about the new year,

et