God Speaks to All Men

Steven Bassett

Bro. Gentry

Eng 106

28 June 2019

God Speaks to All Men

When one studies extra-biblical sources of revelation, one learns that God speaks to all men in their own language and culture.  This search for extra-biblical sources of revelation can enrich one's life and enrich the lives of one's family and friends.  But still, one asks how can the study of extra-biblical sources improve one's life?  These men lived hard lives; we may have lived a hard life. They learned about God; we can learn about God.  They learned to recognize the voice of God; we can learn to recognize the voice of God. God has things he needs us to do, only us, not anyone else.  If we can learn how they received a revelation; we can receive revelations. Studying both standard works and extra-biblical text will help us recognize the voice of God in our lives and assist one in receiving revelation.

First, studying extra-biblical text will help us recognize the voice of God in our lives. Nephi, a Book of Mormon prophet, learned how to recognize the voice of God and learned that God speaks to all men in their own time, language, and culture.

 “For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.” (2 Nephi 31:33)

If God does speak to all men in their languages, times, and cultures; we need to identify these sources in our native culture and language. This native culture, for me, is largely Anglo-Saxon-Norman.  The native language I speak is English.  In studying the Bible, I learned it is a rich source of information about God.  It has been giving inspiration and comfort, for many people, for generations.  It is a collection of stories and myths that reach back before recorded time. 

These stories were preserved because people found them helpful in living and understanding their daily experiences. The problem I have with the Bible is it was written in languages foreign to me and to cultures I do not understand.  To understand these revelations, I need to understand the cultures of their prophets.

We can study to recognize the voice of God. He will assist us in receiving revelation. These prophets and apostles learned the true nature of God.  They shared their testimony of him with us, and many paid for their revelations with their lives.  Some of these men sought to reform the church as a part of their revelations. These teaching can be difficult to understand because they were written for another time, place, culture, and language.  The English Prophets wrote to people who spoke English;  their culture was Anglo-Saxon- Norman.  Our culture has changed a great deal since their time, but this shared culture is more similar to my culture than the cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, or Judea.

            John Taylor was a lay Methodist preacher born in Milnthorpe, Westmorland (now part of Cumbria), England. He felt a calling to go to the Americas to preach.  He emigrated to Toronto, Canada where he was introduced to an extra-biblical text, The Book of Mormon.  This book led him to study the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to later join that church.  In a talk in the Salt Lake City, Utah Tabernacle, he stated.

"I have heard some people say, — If God revealed himself to men in other days, why not reveal himself to us?” I say, why not to us?  ...  There were men who could gaze upon the face of God, have the ministering of angels, and unfold the future destinies worldwide. If those were dark ages, I pray God to give me a little darkness and deliver me from the light and intelligence that prevail in our day” (Taylor).  

John Taylor learned to trust extra-biblical texts. I can learn to trust extra-biblical texts.  I have the courage to search for extra-biblical texts. I can be guided by The Holy Ghost. I know how they received revelation and how I can receive revelation.

            We have standard works for a reason, generations of people have learned they can be trusted. When we fail to use these standard works and rely too much on non-biblical text and personal revelation, we can be misinformed.  In 1524, the citizens of Munster, a small Germain town in Westphalia, demonstrated what can happen when we depend too much on personal revelations.  The Anabaptist, a protestant sect, gained control of the city.  They were first assisted by the anti-Catholic Luther leaders of the town.  John Leiden gained control of the city and ruled it by personal revelations.  There were a larger number of women in town then men. He legalized polygamy.  The town was surrounded by an army and forced to surrender.  This rebellion leads to The Treaty of Westphalia.  By this treaty, all countries were required to adopt the religion of their monarch.  This event reduced personal religious freedom.

There were men who produced extra-biblical text while holding fast to the standard works.  One of my favorites is John Milton, He failed in his mission to create the English Republic based on Puritan principles.  With the failure of The English Republic and the restoration of the English Monarchy under Charles II, Milton despaired that his life's work was a failure.   Few men of his age knew more about the biblical text, in Greek and Hebrew, then John knew.   He had an understanding of the ancient Greek stories and myths and the Greek philosophers.  John Milton lost his eyesight.  He wondered what good was a blind poet and philosopher; he then received the following revelation from God in the form of a poem.

On His Blindness

When I consider how my light is spent,

   Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,

   And that one Talent which is death to hide

   Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker, and present

   My true account, lest he returning chide;

   “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”

   I fondly ask. But patience, to prevent

That murmur, soon replies, "God" doth not need

   Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best

   Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state

Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed

 They also serve who only stand and wait.      

(John Milton)

            John is an example of a person who honored both the Biblical text and created new scripture.  It was after receiving this revelation that he produced Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained.  These texts are epic poetry, in the tradition of The Odyssey, or The Iliad.   The first poem describes the Fall of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden; The War in Heaven before The Creation and why God chose Jesus Christ as The Redeemer. The second describes a conversation Jesus and Lucifer had for 40 days, in the wilderness, after Jesus was baptized.  By itself, either text would have been the work of a lifetime. These texts would be difficult to produce for a man with good eyesight and a research library.  John produced these from memory as a blind poet. He composed it nightly and then dictated it to a secretary in the morning.  

Lives will be improved by our study of both biblical and extra-biblical sources. God has revealed things in our native culture and language.  Thanks to the invention of the internet these extra-biblical teachings are easier to locate and access now.  One should also search out and find other extra-biblical sources of inspiration and guidance; I ask you to continue to study the standard works, but also don’t be afraid of expanding your horizon and search out other sources of information in your native time, language, and culture.

Works Cited

Smith, Joseph. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2013.

“The Knowledge of God and Mode of Worshiping Him John Taylor.” John Taylor: The Knowledge of God, Etc (Journal of Discourses), journalofdiscourses.com/16/26.

Milton, John. “Sonnet 19: When I Consider How My Light Is Spent by John Milton.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44750/sonnet-19-when-i-consider-how-my-light-is-spent.