Lech Lecha

The Hebrew term "Lech Lecha" (Lek Leka), given to Abraham and others, is variously translated as "arise and go forth," or "get thee out."  It is a double imperative to leave.  Abraham was alone in opposing the idol-worship of his day, and preaching the worship of the one true God.  He lived in the palace of the great king Nimrod, his father being high in the court.  He boldly proclaimed the worship of God to the king and his father, and spoke against their idols.  In one case he was left to guard the idols during a festival, perhaps his father and the king thought a little responsibility would bring him around, but he took and ax and destroyed the smaller ones, then put the ax into the hands of the biggest one.  When confronted with the destruction he told them that the bigger one got jealous and destroyed all the smaller ones.  Because of his beliefs he was placed on an altar to die for the gods of Egypt.  The Lord saved him and told him "Lech Lecha!"

Lech

Get out of here!  You must leave your society altogether, and not stay in it.  You don't participate in any part of it.  Our current society is the same as in the time of Abraham; we worship idols, or the works of our own hands.  We seek for that which cannot satisfy.  Our commercial society desires those things which money can buy.  Money, which represents all power to acquire the things we want and need is sought above all else.  The priests of our societal religion are politicians and wealthy men.  We want what they have -- money and power.  The people trade blood for money.  They use other people for their own gain. They seek their own wants, needs and desires at the expense of life and blood.  The sin of Cain was trading the blood of his brother for money.  All pagan religions throughout history have required human blood sacrifices to their gods.  The religion of today is no exception.  The number one cause of death in the United States is abortion because our state religion requires the blood sacrifice of our own babies to the god of wealth.

The members of the Church are not exempt from the blood and sins of our generation.  We seek wealth instead of God.  We say, "as soon as I make a comfortable living I will pay tithing," or, "I have to work on Sunday to make a living," and so forth.  The Prophet has called all retired couples to serve missions, but many continue to seek after the idols of the world instead.  We pay taxes that pay for the killing of babies.  Our commercial interests lie, cheat and steal; we "grind the faces of the poor."  We watch movies and listen to music that degrades people and elevates sensuality.  We don't respect our leaders.  We lift up the proud, and abase the humble.  We are part and parcel of all the activities of our civilization.

The call of God to leave Babylon is to cease to participate in these things.  If we are the only ones standing for God and the ways of righteousness then we are as Abraham.  Mormon explains how: whatever doesn't directly lead to God is evil.  If your work doesn't lead to God then it is the wrong occupation.  If any activity you do isn't commanded by God, then it is evil.  The word of God is all that is good so we must know His will in order to do good.  We can only leave the world by His command, and guided by His Spirit.

Lecha

"Keep moving!"  Abraham physically left, taking those who believed in God to Haran, and then to Canan.  Many other prophets received this call and took only those who would believe, and moved to the Promised Land.  Moses brought the children of Israel out of Egypt.  Lehi had to leave Jerusalem with a small party.  The Brother of Jared and his family were told to travel to a new world.

Others, however, had such a call, but remained within their society, preaching to the people.  Isaiah, Abinadi, Jeremiah, Elijah, Malachi, and many others continued to preach to their people.  They didn't physically leave, but they were definitely not part of the culture from which they removed.  For this reason they were often tortured and killed for their beliefs.  In each case, they never stopped, but moved farther and farther from society - to the end.

It's not enough just to stop participating in the idol-worship of our day, we must actually leave behind all that is of the world.  Abraham stopped in Haran, but was not able to stay; he was told to move on.  Lehi found Bountiful, but also had to move on to the Promised Land.  Our journey doesn't end when we find a "comfort zone" but rather continues until the end -- the end of our lives, or the end of the journey, when God says, "It is finished!"

Thus, "lech lecha" becomes "Holiness to the Lord."  We become separated from the world as we move to the Lord.  We are clean from the blood and sins of our generation and can be anointed to be kings and priests unto God -- as was Abraham.