Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Timothy 2:6

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Timothy 2:6
"Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."

To be "testifed in due time" made me think of all those that have sealed their testimony with their blood. The Savior paid the ransom, and martyrs including the early apostles and latter-day prophets, including Joseph and Hyrum Smith, sealed their testimonies of Jesus Christ with their blood.

"For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth."
(Hebrews 9:16-17)

"When Joseph went to Carthage to deliver himself up to the pretended requirements of the law, two or three days previous to his assassination, he said: “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men. I SHALL DIE INNOCENT, AND IT SHALL YET BE SAID OF ME—HE WAS MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD.”—The same morning, after Hyrum had made ready to go—shall it be said to the slaughter? yes, for so it was—he read the following paragraph, near the close of the twelfth chapter of Ether, in the Book of Mormon, and turned down the leaf upon it:
And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity. And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness, thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. And now I . . . bid farewell unto the Gentiles; yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood. The testators are now dead, and their testament is in force"
(Doctrine and Covenants 135:4-5)

Moroni further told us we would stand at the judgment bar of God and know of his witness.

"And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?"
(Moroni 10:27)

Jesus Christ made himself a ransom for our sins, and no man will escape the truth of that fact. Every knee will bow and confess that Jesus is the Christ.

"I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."
(Isaiah 45:23)

"For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."
(Romans 14:11)

"Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall they confess, who live without God in the world, that the judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye.'
(Mosiah 27:31)

"And this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both in heaven and in earth, and that are under the earth—for every ear shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they hear the sound of the trump, saying: Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever; for the hour of his judgment is come."
(Doctrine and Covenants 88:104)

Day 3280

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 25:17

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 25:17

"And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them."

I've seen that statement "they shall know that I am the Lord" mentioned many times in Ezekiel. It is said after some type of destruction is to come upon the people. It made me think of "every knee shall bow". How when the Lord comes on that great and dreadful day all will know Him, and bow the knee to Him. I wonder if some simply won't acknowledge the Christ until they realize how powerful He is, and how insignificant they are. They truly will be humbled.

"I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."

(Isaiah 45:23)

"For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."

(Romans 14:11)

"Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall they confess, who live without God in the world, that the judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye."

(Mosiah 27:31)

"And this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both in heaven and in earth, and that are under the earth—for every ear shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they hear the sound of the trump, saying: Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever; for the hour of his judgment is come."

(Doctrine and Covenants 88:104)

Day 2986

Today's Favorite Verse: Ecclesiastes 9:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Ecclesiastes 9:2

"All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath."

What is universal among all men? That we were born and that we will all die. We will all be brought before God and judged. No man can escape these things. Even though the verdict may not be the same in all cases, the judgment will be just.

"Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall they confess, who live without God in the world, that the judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye."

(Mosiah 27:31)

"And this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both in heaven and in earth, and that are under the earth—for every ear shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they hear the sound of the trump, saying: Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever; for the hour of his judgment is come."

(Doctrine and Covenants 88:104)

Day 2827

Today's Favorite Verse: Esther 3:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Esther 3:2

"And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence."

I was always stuck on why Mordecai would not bow down to Haman. It was not like he was worshipping him as a god. I always thought of him in proud defiance. It wasn't until I read the Apocrypha and the additional chapters of Esther that I understood.

"Thou knowest all things, and thou knowest, Lord, that it was neither in contempt nor pride, nor for any desire of glory, that I did not bow down to proud Aman.

For I could have been content with good will for the salvation of Israel to kiss the soles of his feet.

But I did this, that I might not prefer the glory of man above the glory of God: neither will I worship any but thee, O God, neither will I do it in pride."

(Old Testament Apocrypha, Greek Additions to Esther, Chapter 13:12-14)

Mordecai act was not out of pride, it was out of what was in his heart. It makes me think of those that object to things. The greater question is if the stand they take is out of pride or contempt, or from what is in their heart.

Day 2588

Today's Favorite Verse: John 18:6

Today's Favorite Verse: John 18:6
"As soon than was he said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground."

I find it so interesting that as the band of men, officers, chief priest and Pharisees came to the garden to take Jesus they fell to the ground upon hearing they were speaking to Jesus, the one that they were looking for. What would cause them to fall backward to the ground? I just pictured Christ must have stood so majestic when he declared who he was. It made me think that one day every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ. This was their last chance to do so before they meet again at the judgment seat.

"Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall they confess, who live without God in the world, that the judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye."
(Mosiah 27:31)

Day 1588

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 10:24, 28

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 10:24, 28
"The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish."

Pondering on these two verses I could see how they came together.

The wicked fear God in their own perverted way, for they are afraid to acknowledge him. In the end they will truly come to fear Him, for they will acknowledge on bended knee, the Savior Jesus Christ, is Lord and King. Their expectations then of controlling this world for gain has perishing with them.

Yet, the hope and desire of the righteous is eternal life. That is what will be granted to them. They will live in gladness.

Every Knee Shall Bow - J. Kirk Richards

Day 1213