Area Leadership Message
Follow the Prophet
Around 600 BC, after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, a small group from the tribe of Judah was allowed to remain in the land, while the rest were taken captive to Babylon. Among those who stayed were Jeremiah the prophet and Johanan, the son of Kareah, a leader of the army.
This was a difficult and precarious time for this remnant of Judah who found themselves directly in the path of two powerful nations destined to come against each other in battle. The people faced a critical decision: should they remain in Jerusalem, or, as many preferred, should they go to Egypt to live? Seeking guidance, Johanan and the people turned to Jeremiah and asked him to inquire of the Lord on their behalf, saying, “That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do” (Jeremiah 42:3).
Jeremiah agreed, saying, “I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you” (verse 4).
The people promised:
“The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us.
“Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God” (verses 5–6).
Jeremiah sought the Lord’s counsel, while Johanan and the people promised to obey whatever the Lord revealed. After 10 days, Jeremiah received the word of the Lord. He gathered the people and delivered the message:
“Thus saith the Lord . . .
“If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up. . . .
“Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; . . . for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. . . .
“Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day” (verses 9–11, 19).
How did the people respond to this counsel from the Lord through His prophet? Sadly, their minds were already made up. They sought confirmation rather than true guidance. Azariah, Johanan, and other proud leaders accused Jeremiah of lying, saying, “Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there” (Jeremiah 43:2). Disregarding the Lord’s instructions, Johanan, the captains, and the people disobeyed and went to Egypt. As prophesied, they were destroyed when Babylon conquered Egypt.
How do we respond to the words of living prophets? The Lord heard the prayers of this remnant of Judah and answered them through His prophet. Today, He continues to speak through living prophets and those called to lead. The Lord declared, “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:38) and promised that “whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation” (Doctrine and Covenants 68:4).
Today, we are surrounded by countless voices, each declaring their own truths and philosophies. Like Korihor in the Book of Mormon, many of these voices claim there is no Christ, that no one can know the future, that we cannot believe in things we cannot see, and that every man prospers according to his genius and conquers according to his strength (see Alma 30). Following such voices will lead us astray. A greater danger, however, may come from entertaining these ideas, which may cause us to be passive and casual in our discipleship. However, those who are spiritually strong and heed the promptings of the Holy Ghost will not be deceived (see Doctrine and Covenants 45:57).
In the Lord’s restored Church, we are blessed to have the guidance of a living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. Consider his inspired counsel: make the Sabbath a delight, let God prevail in your life, “hear Him,” think celestial, do the spiritual work to receive personal revelation, embrace the power of spiritual momentum, use the correct name of the Church, study the Book of Mormon, be a peacemaker, and spend more time worshipping in the temple.
President James E. Faust (1920–2007) taught: “We have been promised that the President of the Church will receive guidance for all of us as the revelator for the Church. Our safety lies in paying heed to that which he says and following his counsel.” May we all follow the prophet and receive the blessings of heaven.