Offended by the Word of God

 I came across this interesting passage:

Moses 6:37 - "And it came to pass that Enoch went forth in the land, among the people, standing upon the hills and the high places, and cried with a loud voice, testifying against their works; and all men were offended because of him."

So, the fact that people take offense at the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has never been new; it's been like that since the time of the Ancient of Days.

Reminds me of these words as recorded by Nephi:

"And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold, they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.

"And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lfited up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.

The Word of God has always been offensive to those who walk the path of sin. Therefore, repent of your sins and turn to the true and living God. Believe in the name of Christ and partake of the gift of His grace, mercy, and truth. Repent, and cease from offending God by keeping His holy commandments.

Rahab, faith and works preserved her

 I am currently going through the book of Joshua, and as I was studying the scene with the harlot, Rahab (Joshua, second chapter), a thought occurred to my mind as I was pondering the significance of the "line of scarlet thread" (Joshua 2:18). The significance to me is that it paralleled to the situation of the Hebrews while they were held in bondage to the Egyptians.

    The Israelites were commanded by the Lord, specifically, to take a young, male lamb "from the sheep, or from the goats" (Exodus 12:5), and then "take the blood, and strike it on the...door posts of the houses" (Exodus 12:7). Needless to say, all of these efforts made by the Hebrews, however, was so that the "destroying angel [would] pass by them...and not slay them." (Doctrine & Covenants, Section 89:21)

The two situations have a parallel item, which was the a sign or signal for those who righteous could be preserved from destruction or divine justice. The blood of the lamb of course represents the blood of Jesus Christ, as signified through His atoning blood, which is why my thoughts on the red or scarlet thread. They're the same color. And as a result of Rahab's faith, she was "justified by works" (James 2:25).