Thursday, April 29, 2021

"In process of time"

Here is a short note on a phrase that interests me. I see two key instances where this phrase is used in a contrasting way.  The first is found in Moses 7 describing Zion:


21 And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold mine abode forever.


The Lord has a plan prepared for us to be taken up to heaven "in process of time." This involves learning and progress through mortality -- not all at once -- rather "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little." (2 Nephi 28:30)

Compare Doctrine & Covenants 38, speaking of a dark secret:


13 And now I show unto you a mystery, a thing which is had in secret chambers, to bring to pass even your destruction in process of time, and ye knew it not;


Satan has a different plan, to bring to pass our destruction, if we allow him to pull us away. I believe he's satisfied with incremental victories, because he knows each successive generation will be easier to trick if the general trend is away from God.