Jacob 2: 22-35

 

Have you ever flown a kite before? What happens when the string suddenly gets cut off? Keep that image in your mind for now.

22 And now I make an end of speaking unto you concerning this pride. And were it not that I must speak unto you concerning a grosser crime, my heart would rejoice exceedingly because of you.

23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing ^awhoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.

24 Behold, David and ^aSolomon truly had many ^bwives and concubines, which thing was ^cabominable before me, saith the Lord.

25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a ^arighteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.

26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.

27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any ^aman among you have save it be ^bone ^cwife; and concubines he shall have none;

28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the ^achastity of women. And ^bwhoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.

29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or ^acursed be the land for their sakes.

30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up ^aseed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.

31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and ^aabominations of their ^bhusbands.

32 And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts.

33 For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto destruction; for they shall not commit ^awhoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts.

34 And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments were given to our ^afather, Lehi; wherefore, ye have known them before; and ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have done these things which ye ought not to have done.

35 Behold, ye have done ^agreater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the ^bstrictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds. (Jacob 2: 22-35)

And here's the commentary entitled: "God delights in chastity.":

"As you read Jacob 2:22–35; 3:10–12, what do you find that helps you understand why chastity is so important to God? What are some of the negative consequences of immorality—in Jacob’s day and in ours? What are the blessings of living a chaste life?"

The Lord gave us commandments because He wants us to have joy and peace in this earthly life and He wants us to reach our full potential being His children and inherit eternal life. We're like a kite flying in the sky. We can keep flying and fly higher and higher up to the highest peak as long as we stay connected with the one holding our string. If that string gets cut off, there's nowhere else for us to go but fall down. That string is the commandments God gave us to obey. When we keep those commandments, we continue to stay connected with God and enjoy His guidance and support so we're able to continue to learn and grow until we reach our full potential. As a kite, you and I would want to stay connected with the one holding our string. We can't continue flying higher on our own when our string breaks. Keeping the law of chastity and all God's laws is the string that connects us with God. We remain entitled to the companionship of His Spirit when we are striving to stay obedient.