W. Cleon Skousen Insights

Text: Jeremiah chapters 1 - 26 Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapter 24 BYU Lecture 43 Jeremiah received his prophetic calling and open revelation from God when he was just “a child.” This is similar to many prophets, such as Enoch (“a lad”), Abraham (unmarried youth), Samuel (shortly after the age of 12), Nephi (“exceeding young”), Mormon (“fifteen years of age”) and Joseph Smith (“in my fifteenth year”). The book of Jeremiah opens during the reign of the righteous King Josiah, putting his calling at 626 BC. God tells Jeremiah the He knew him before he was born. And because of his youth, Jeremiah was to prepare himself with Godly knowledge for 5 years prior to his mission. Then, he was commanded to go before the rich and powerful, not to be timid nor intimidated by them but boldly declare the word of God. The Lord charged the rebellious Israelites of gross idol worship, heathen practices, murderers of His holy prophets, shedding innocent blood, offering their children as human sacrifices, addicted to gross immortality and adultery, relying on the security of Egypt instead of God, taught for commandments the doctrines of men, corrupt judges, false prophets and trusting in their own learning and intellect rather than God. Following the death of King Josiah, Jeremiah warned the leaders and people of Israel that God would destroy this backsliding nation unless they repented. Murderous conspiracies surrounded Jeremiah, even from his own friends and family. As a result, Jeremiah went into hiding and was silenced. Therefore the Lord had Jeremiah write all the words on a scroll by his scribe Baruch which were then read to the people and to the wicked King Jehoiakim. The king was so insulted, he had the scrolls burned, yet God had Baruch write them again, which we have today as the book of Jeremiah. Although Jeremiah told the king the Lord wanted Israel to ally with Babylon, the king allied with Babylon’s enemy, Egypt, and refused to pay Babylon their tribute. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was so angry he conquered Jerusalem in 598 BC, taking 10,000 of the brightest Jews back to Babylon, and placed a puppet king over the now ravished and starving Jerusalem, named Zedekiah.

There is a great deal of discussion in today's world about "Left wing" and "Right wing." Some are claiming Communism to be Left wing and Fascism to be Right wing. And yet both Communism and Fascism are basically the same thing: oppression of the people and denial of their rights! The reason political pundits are using these terms is not based on philosophical extremes, but merely from where these party members sit in Congress! On the LEFT side of the chamber sit the Communists and on the RIGHT side of the chamber sit the Fascists! This is no sensible way to categorize a governmental power or philosophy. The Founding Fathers categorized "Left" and "Right" based on the degree of governmental power - not where someone was seated. If a party believes in strong, dictatorial governmental power - they are on the Left of the power spectrum. This would include Communists AND Fascists, as well as Socialists, dictators, czars, monarchs or any government with one or a small few garnering all political power. On the other hand, if a party believed in a weak Federal government with little or no power - they are on the Right of the spectrum. This would include the Articles of Confederation, Libertarians, anarchists and mob rule. The extreme parties on both the Left and the Right deprive the people of their rights and freedoms. The genius of the Founding Fathers was to find that delicate balance - the Balanced Center - where government had enough power to govern a civilized people, but not so much power that the people were deprived of God-given rights to life, liberty, property and to pursue their personal happiness. Viewing Left and Right in terms of Governmental Power is the only sensible and reasonable way to discuss where someone sits on the political spectrum. Does one believe in more government control, regulation, protection, taxation, and a government heavily involved in your day-to-day life? If so, they are further to the Left, regardless of what political party they belong to. Does one believe in little or no government, to be free to do whatsoever one desires without restraint? If so, they are further to the Right, regardless of what political party they belong to. Those, like the Founders, who desire the freedom to buy, sell, trade and even freedom to fail, who want to take personal responsibility for their behavior rather than relying on the government, and yet are restricted to honoring the rights of others, these are in the Balanced Center. With just enough Governmental power and control to keep the people free, but also orderly, is the Balanced Center that the Founding Fathers were trying to achieve. Anything more or less than this will tip the scale to oppression on the left or mob rule on the right. The Founders got it right. They achieved what politicians and leaders failed to achieve over millennia - the ultimate political sweet spot - the Balanced Center.

Text: 2 Chronicles chapters 33 – 34; Nahum, Zephania and Habakkuk. Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapter 23 BYU Lecture 42 - Although today’s lecture covers chapter 23, Brother Skousen presents to the class a slide show of modern Israel and shows the fulfillment of the Book of Mormon prophets, Isaiah, Zechariah, Ezekial and Jeremiah concerning Israel. This presentation is from pictures taken from one of his many tours led throughout the Middle East. You will relive the 1967 lightening war where little Israel miraculously defeated all the Russian supported Arab countries in 6 days. Although he didn’t have time to discuss the chapter material directly, it is summarized as follows: During most of Isaiah’s life he lived under the good king Hezekiah, but following Hesekiah was the most vicious and depraved king in the history of Israel, king Manasseh. This wicked grandson of King Ahaz rebuilt all the heathen alters and adopted the worship of the fertility gods, including Baal and Ashtoreth. He practiced human sacrifice, including his own son. According to Justin Martyr (100 AD) Manasseh killed Isaiah by being "sawed asunder with a wooden saw." After the death of Manasseh, his wicked son Amon reigned for a short time until he was assassinated. This is where his 8 year old son Josiah comes on the scene as the new king. By the time Josiah was 20 years old, he was disgusted with the heathen perversion in Israel and called for a complete cleansing. Throughout Judah and especially Jerusalem, Josiah pulled down the heathen idols, cleansed the temple, destroyed the heathen temples along with their priests and he cut down the harlot-ridden groves. It appears that during the religious purge of King Manasseh, the true prophets of God had been either destroyed or driven underground. But now that King Josiah has restored the temple and God’s law, God raised up several prophets during this time, such as Zephaniah, Nahum and Habakkuk. Although King Josiah’s “reform” was impactful, it did not have an enthusiastic or universal revival with the majority of the people. If it had, they would not have been destroyed 30 years later. Just as prophesied by Zephaniah and Nahum, the great and powerful Assyrian empire would fall in 612 BC and the Babylonians would now be Israel's tyrant, who would destory Jerusalem and the temple in 587 BC.

BYU Lecture 41 Quick review of chapter 21 of The Fourth Thousand Years and the interesting parallel scriptures between Isaiah and Nephi. Just as history repeats itself, prophets will often apply their prophecy to multiple places and occasions, all of which are literally fulfilled. Isaiah, David and Micah did this often. Isaiah gives prophecy of “Zion” knowing there will be two Zions, one in America and one in Palestine. He therefore distinguishes America as “Zion” and Palestine as “Jerusalem.” Some of the more prominent prophecies made by Isaiah include the return of the 10 tribes of Israel, the building of the New Jerusalem in America, the return of the Jews to Palestine, the building of a new temple in Jerusalem, terrible destructions prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ and the peaceful Millennial period. As spoken by Christ, “Great are the words of Isaiah.”

Text: Isaiah chapters 40 – 55; 2 Kings chapters 18 – 19; Chronicles chapters 29 – 32; 3rd Nephi chapters 21 – 27 relating to Isaiah. Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapters 20-21 BYU Lecture 40 Once the Bible reader grasps the scope of Isaiah’s prophesies he cannot help being amazed at the vast, encyclopedia of foreknowledge which the Lord entrusted to this one man. Isaiah was one of those who knew a great deal about today and our marvelous age of miracles, along with the devastating disasters which could summarily sweep us into oblivion if we fail to do our part. In some ways, Isaiah knew us better than we know ourselves. For Israel, Isaiah proclaimed his message of pleading and warning for more than 20 years before Israel fell to Babylon in 721 BC. He denounced violence, immorality and dishonesty of the people calling them to repentance. Isaiah must have been delighted when the 25 year old son of Ahaz named Hezekiah, became the new king. His first task was to repair, sanctify and re-dedicate the temple which his father ransacked and defiled. Soon, the people began to follow Hezekiah’s lead and began to repent. After destroying the northern 10 tribes of Israel, Assyria storms down through Judah and threatens to destroy Jerusalem. In preparation for this war and siege, Hezekiah carves the famous water tunnel through limestone rock. Isaiah prophesies that God will save Jerusalem and send a blast upon the mighty Assyrian army. When the king of Assyria arose in the morning, he found 185,000 of his soldiers dead. He abandons his war plans and flees back to Ninevah. As prophesied by Isaiah, Babylon conquers Assyria and then destroys Jerusalem in 721 BC, devastating the temple, community and city walls. In 539 BC, Babylon is conquered by Cyrus of Persia, also prophesied by Isaiah, even by name. He also prophesied of the coming of Christ, of America, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon (stick of Joseph), the restoration of the gospel, latter-day temples and the second coming of Jesus Christ. The discovery of America by Columbus is discussed and the many white Nephite people found alive as noted in his diary. Also discussed is the unfortunate mass slaughter of the indigenous people by well-meaning Catholic priests under the leadership of Cortez and Pizzaro; all prophesied by Nephi.