My name is Brad and I'm still an alcoholic and addict. Part of my recovery is a Fourth Step inventory. The AA step reads, "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves." It's often easier and less painful to take the inventory of others rather than my own, especially if pride tops the character defect list as in my case.
In the Book of Mormon, Jacob gives another excellent priestly speech addressing the issue of pride. My favorite part comes as he said, "Ye were proud in your hearts, of the things which God hath given you" (Jacob 2: 20). But Jacob being the masterful teacher he is, cannot leave it at that. And he would be fain glad if he could get away with the mere inventory and not have to address the addictive behaviors caused by the "stinking thinking."
The Lord is able to discern with "one glance of His eye" that these people "are beginning to labor in sin" (Jacob 2: 5, 15). Yes, the practice of addiction takes a lot of work, even sheer labor. I remember how hard it was to keep track of all my lies, and make yesterday's lies consistent with today's. And that day-to-day planning and keeping track of when they would close the liquor store, so I could avoid being left high and dry.
Jacob uses a prime example of two Old Testament figures his people would be familiar with. He speaks of David and Solomon. Now again, I'm supposed to be taking my own inventory and not theirs, but come on now, seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines is a little excessive. But in case one has trouble calculating the cost of addiction, the Lord summarizes in these terms: "And his wives turned away his heart" (1 Kings 11: 3). "For where your treasure is (or your drug of choice), there will your heart be also" (3 Nephi 13: 21).
And there is another cost. What about the codependent family members who suffer along with the addict? One of my unsung heroes of the Old Testament is a poor, suffering, codependent wife of David, a sister named Abigail, who perhaps lost two husbands to addiction. Now I'm really violating the Fourth Step!
Abigail is another type of Christ, who serves as a mediator of the covenant. She had a husband, Nabal, whose name means "fool." Surely all of us as addicts have done foolish things. David is in the wilderness with a group of men, and is in the vicinity of Nabal, who is sheering sheep. David sends messengers out to salute him, perhaps seeking help with food, shelter, and provisions. But instead of Nabal welcoming David as a guest, he "railed" on him (1 Samuel 25: 14).
Abigail, upon seeing this is not in the best interest of her husband, takes out food and provisions to meet David. She delivers "two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses" (verse 18).
David, upon being rebuffed, has his sword drawn, symbolic of God's justice, as Abigail intervenes to make peace as an act of mercy. David expresses his gratitude to her and praises God who sent Abigail to keep him from shedding blood. Abigail becomes a mediator of the covenant. David remarks that Nabal wouldn't have a man left to fight for him had she not intervened. Part of this dialog becomes quite graphic, and I don't want anything that borders on profanity in my blog, so I'll let you read verse 22 on your own.
But this story has a sad ending. Abigail's kindness and mercy cannot save her husband who is partying with his friends. Nabal was "very drunken" and "when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, . . . his heart died within him, and he became as a stone" (1 Samuel 25: 37). The dead and hardened heart is a hallmark symptom of addiction.
After about ten days, Nabal dies, and David marries Abigail, who will now have to watch another husband endure perhaps another addiction involving sexual immorality. Every time I read about David I shed a tear or two, because I know I am approaching 2 Samuel 11 where a prophet king has a fall. I don't know if David was an addict either, but his story has implications for those of us who are.
We addicts have to be vigilant and ready to go to battle against the enemy every day. But at the time when kings go out to battle, David sent the hosts of Israel and tarried behind at Jerusalem. After the lustful glances from the king's roof, the inquiries regarding Bathsheba, the adulterous affair, and after the cover up attempts fail, David plots to kill Uriah, another of my unsung heroes in scripture, who carries his own death sentence to the battle front.
The pre-Bathsheba David had a faith-filled, pliable heart, and trusted the Lord to deliver him as he went up against the giant Goliath with only a shepherd's staff, in likeness of the true Shepherd, and five smooth stones, in likeness of the Stone of Israel, and went out with these and a sling and a shepherd's bag to conquer the enemy (see Genesis 49: 24; 1 Samuel 17: 40).
The post-Bathsheba David had to number the hosts of Israel from Dan to Beersheba to see if he had enough troops to beat the enemy (see 2 Samuel 24: 2).
Jacob declares, "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 strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds" (Jacob 2: 35).
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Sunday, December 11, 2016
"Their Blood Might Not Come Upon Our Garments" (Part 2)
I wish to repent of one of the oversights I missed on the earlier post on this subject. As I was discussing the Hebrew words for consecrate, male and yad, and how these two words create the phrase, "fill the hand," the Hebrew meaning of consecration, I failed to mention an important covenant relationship connected to this concept of "filling the hand."
At the three required feasts (Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, and Feast of Tabernacles), the Lord Jehovah commands the congregation of Israel to be gathered, and says unto them, "they shall not appear before the Lord empty" (Deuteronomy 16: 16). In other words, they come with their hands full, ready to make an offering to the Lord. I believe in my heart that as we come to make a presentation to the Lord, He receives our humble offering, and fills our hands with something greater than what we can offer to Him.
At one of these festival dates, during Passover (or Feast of Unleavened Bread), and on an Easter Sunday, the resurrected Lord appeared in the Kirtland Temple and restored priesthood keys. Anciently, and even currently among Jews, it was believed that Elijah would come during Passover time. The door was left open at the Passover feast and a table setting was prepared for Elijah's return. In fact, he was supposed to appear on the second day of Passover (or Pesach). And right on schedule he did appear in the Kirtland Temple on that day. Click here for a Hebrew calendar link to verify this date.
When these keys were given, the Lord makes the declaration, "Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors" (D&C 110: 16). The Lord fills our hands too.
In the Book of Mormon Jacob acts as a true priest. As a mediator, he exclaims, "And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day" (Jacob 1: 19).
Like the Savior, he takes upon himself the responsibility and weight of sin, which in effect, is put upon his head. Remember the anointing oil was put upon the priests' heads. Moses "poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him" (Leviticus 8: 12). The Savior first had His feet anointed to represent His kingly duties, such as His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (see John 12: 3, 12-16). Then, later that week, He had His head anointed to represent His priestly duties (see Mark 14: 3). Like the Savior, he was willing to answer to the Father to meet God's demands for justice. Like the Savior, he was willing to "labor with his might" to "work" out salvation for his people. Like the Savior, Jacob was a great doctrinal teacher.
But unlike the Savior, Jacob, as a priest, could not overcome the stain of blood.
The priest in ancient Israel performed ordinances and sacrifices on behalf of the people. When animals were sacrificed, the blood would sometimes stain the garments of the priest. On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) he would go into the tabernacle alone, make sacrifices, and sprinkle the blood of the bullock and also the blood of the goat of the sin offering upon the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. However, the blood could contaminate his clothing.
Jesus went alone into Gethsemane and bled from every pore.
Blood on the garments represents sin, especially violent crime, and especially in the Old Testament. Here are some scriptural examples.
"The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
"He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil" (Isaiah 33: 14-15).
The "everlasting burnings" in this verse sounds perhaps like hell, however, Isaiah is actually speaking here of celestial glory. The Hebrew word for blood means blood-guiltiness.
"For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire" (Isaiah 9: 5).
"And behold, that great city Moronihah have I covered with earth, and the inhabitants thereof, to hide their iniquities and their abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come any more unto me against them" (3 Nephi 9: 5).
"And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you?" (Alma 5: 22).
Perhaps the most obvious example is where Nephi testifies of the true murderer of the chief judge. Nephi reveals the murderer and for evidence says, "But behold, ye shall examine him, and ye shall find blood upon the skirts of his cloak" (Helaman 9: 31).
Blood seems to point to sin. That's because blood is the life-giving and life-taking agent which only God has the right to exercise control over. In Genesis and later Leviticus, the Lord gives man dominion over the plants and animals with one main restriction:
"But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat" (Genesis 9: 4: see also Leviticus 17: 11). In the latter verse, the Lord describes the blood as "the life of the flesh."
The drink offering became a part of certain sacrifices. It was wine poured on the altar symbolic of the blood Jesus spilled on the cross. And this became the distinction. God could absorb the blood as the life-giving agent, but the priest, as a mortal man, could not.
Those who stood in open rebellion against the Lord, like some of the Nephite apostates, were described as loving murder, and they would "drink the blood of beasts" (Jarom 1: 6). Amalickiah, who is a type of Satan in the Book of Mormon, "was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood" (Alma 49: 27). The Gadianton robbers counterfeited the covenant and were in open rebellion as they "had a lamb-skin about their loins, and they were dyed in blood, and their heads were shorn, and they had head-plates upon them; and great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi, because of their armor, and because of their being dyed in blood" (3 Nephi 4: 7).
It would be spiritually disastrous for Jacob, or any other priest, to have blood staining his raiment. However, Jesus describes His experience in Gethsemane and on the cross by saying, "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment" (Isaiah 63: 3).
The anger and fury represent the divine verdict of pure justice. Absorbing the blood, sin, and violence, and taking it upon Himself to pay the price, becomes a pure act of mercy.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses entirely, and Jesus would make a statement in the Bread of Life Sermon which would shock His flock of followers. He said, "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6: 54). This was like cultural whiplash. Hence, many of His followers went away and said, "This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" (verse 60).
This would appear on the surface to be a contradiction, or a reversal of doctrine. But I think the Lord is emphasizing the power of the covenant as He describes the sacrament by saying, "This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22: 20).
In that invitation I think there needs to be an inherent commitment and burning desire to follow Him and become like Him in every way.
At the three required feasts (Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, and Feast of Tabernacles), the Lord Jehovah commands the congregation of Israel to be gathered, and says unto them, "they shall not appear before the Lord empty" (Deuteronomy 16: 16). In other words, they come with their hands full, ready to make an offering to the Lord. I believe in my heart that as we come to make a presentation to the Lord, He receives our humble offering, and fills our hands with something greater than what we can offer to Him.
At one of these festival dates, during Passover (or Feast of Unleavened Bread), and on an Easter Sunday, the resurrected Lord appeared in the Kirtland Temple and restored priesthood keys. Anciently, and even currently among Jews, it was believed that Elijah would come during Passover time. The door was left open at the Passover feast and a table setting was prepared for Elijah's return. In fact, he was supposed to appear on the second day of Passover (or Pesach). And right on schedule he did appear in the Kirtland Temple on that day. Click here for a Hebrew calendar link to verify this date.
When these keys were given, the Lord makes the declaration, "Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors" (D&C 110: 16). The Lord fills our hands too.
In the Book of Mormon Jacob acts as a true priest. As a mediator, he exclaims, "And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day" (Jacob 1: 19).
Like the Savior, he takes upon himself the responsibility and weight of sin, which in effect, is put upon his head. Remember the anointing oil was put upon the priests' heads. Moses "poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him" (Leviticus 8: 12). The Savior first had His feet anointed to represent His kingly duties, such as His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (see John 12: 3, 12-16). Then, later that week, He had His head anointed to represent His priestly duties (see Mark 14: 3). Like the Savior, he was willing to answer to the Father to meet God's demands for justice. Like the Savior, he was willing to "labor with his might" to "work" out salvation for his people. Like the Savior, Jacob was a great doctrinal teacher.
But unlike the Savior, Jacob, as a priest, could not overcome the stain of blood.
The priest in ancient Israel performed ordinances and sacrifices on behalf of the people. When animals were sacrificed, the blood would sometimes stain the garments of the priest. On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) he would go into the tabernacle alone, make sacrifices, and sprinkle the blood of the bullock and also the blood of the goat of the sin offering upon the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. However, the blood could contaminate his clothing.
Jesus went alone into Gethsemane and bled from every pore.
Blood on the garments represents sin, especially violent crime, and especially in the Old Testament. Here are some scriptural examples.
"The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
"He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil" (Isaiah 33: 14-15).
The "everlasting burnings" in this verse sounds perhaps like hell, however, Isaiah is actually speaking here of celestial glory. The Hebrew word for blood means blood-guiltiness.
"For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire" (Isaiah 9: 5).
"And behold, that great city Moronihah have I covered with earth, and the inhabitants thereof, to hide their iniquities and their abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come any more unto me against them" (3 Nephi 9: 5).
"And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you?" (Alma 5: 22).
Perhaps the most obvious example is where Nephi testifies of the true murderer of the chief judge. Nephi reveals the murderer and for evidence says, "But behold, ye shall examine him, and ye shall find blood upon the skirts of his cloak" (Helaman 9: 31).
Blood seems to point to sin. That's because blood is the life-giving and life-taking agent which only God has the right to exercise control over. In Genesis and later Leviticus, the Lord gives man dominion over the plants and animals with one main restriction:
"But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat" (Genesis 9: 4: see also Leviticus 17: 11). In the latter verse, the Lord describes the blood as "the life of the flesh."
The drink offering became a part of certain sacrifices. It was wine poured on the altar symbolic of the blood Jesus spilled on the cross. And this became the distinction. God could absorb the blood as the life-giving agent, but the priest, as a mortal man, could not.
Those who stood in open rebellion against the Lord, like some of the Nephite apostates, were described as loving murder, and they would "drink the blood of beasts" (Jarom 1: 6). Amalickiah, who is a type of Satan in the Book of Mormon, "was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood" (Alma 49: 27). The Gadianton robbers counterfeited the covenant and were in open rebellion as they "had a lamb-skin about their loins, and they were dyed in blood, and their heads were shorn, and they had head-plates upon them; and great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi, because of their armor, and because of their being dyed in blood" (3 Nephi 4: 7).
It would be spiritually disastrous for Jacob, or any other priest, to have blood staining his raiment. However, Jesus describes His experience in Gethsemane and on the cross by saying, "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment" (Isaiah 63: 3).
The anger and fury represent the divine verdict of pure justice. Absorbing the blood, sin, and violence, and taking it upon Himself to pay the price, becomes a pure act of mercy.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses entirely, and Jesus would make a statement in the Bread of Life Sermon which would shock His flock of followers. He said, "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6: 54). This was like cultural whiplash. Hence, many of His followers went away and said, "This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" (verse 60).
This would appear on the surface to be a contradiction, or a reversal of doctrine. But I think the Lord is emphasizing the power of the covenant as He describes the sacrament by saying, "This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22: 20).
In that invitation I think there needs to be an inherent commitment and burning desire to follow Him and become like Him in every way.
Saturday, December 3, 2016
See Yourself Through His Eyes
This 25 days of "Light the World" at lds.org is so wonderfully incredible. I got excited about it subbing in Primary last Sunday. And wow! It's incredible! I check out the short videos each day, and today I finally cheated and peaked ahead for tomorrow. But today is special.
I thought about donating glasses but my old ones are so foggy now. I wonder with all this light what He wants us to see. But the video was incredible. It's a special story about Jesus healing the eyes of a man born blind (John 9). So I decided to do this one a little different. It's my gift to you today, and my little act of service. Actually, it's not me at all.
You know the story. "Jesus passed by, (and) saw a man which was blind from his birth." How did He know? Was the man carrying a cardboard sign reading, "Caution: blind man in the way?" There could have been outward manifestations, but John doesn't tell us. John is so deep and subtle in his symbolism that often we don't even see it. I like to think Jesus "saw" this man from the inside out. He looked through his eyes and saw nothing, only darkness. By the way, next time you read the Gospel of John, look for the contrasts of light and darkness, like this one where Jesus "sees" but the blind man doesn't. Look for the setting and the time of day and what comes before and after. You might see something very interesting.
It comforts me to know that Jesus sees me from the inside out. He sees what is going on inside. And that's how He sees you.
Do you see the question the disciples ask? "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" When would this man have sinned? The parents had a head start. And what about His answer? Can bad things happen to good people?
Jesus then spat upon the ground and made clay of the spittle. Now I don't want to spoon feed you, like I'm often prone to do, but I have to share something special the Spirit showed me one day. No, this wasn't me, cause I remember what I felt when I read the Creation story:
"But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2: 6-7).
Jesus had done this before. He had made Man from the mud. Really, He's re-creating the man, so he can become a "new creature." He has had a lot of practice doing this. Is that what He is doing for you?
Then it says He "anointed" the eyes of the blind man with the clay. Ponder on this. Why doesn't it say He rubbed, or smeared, mud on the man's eyes? And why does the Anointed One perform an anointing on him? What does He want him to become?
Then He tells him to go "wash" in the Pool of Siloam. He wants the man to wash the muddy and mundane out of his eyes. I love Sundays. Weekdays I go to work, and don't get me wrong, I love my job. It's a blessing from the Lord. But when I'm at work, I see people by their credit scores, and their debt-to-income ratios, and how much money they make. I have to because I'm a credit underwriter. But on Sunday and in some holy places, I see others differently. What does He want you to see?
If you have been "washed" or "anointed" consider yourself lucky (excuse me, I mean blessed). What does He want you to see? What does He want you to become? By the way, this pool was only a couple of hundred yards south of the temple. Can you see things in the temple you can't see anywhere else?
I like Saturdays too. Today is special. I got to go for a walk and listen to my music. I listen to my playlist alphabetically. It just happens that after I watched this video and pondered its message, that midway through my walk I encountered all the "love" songs with titles like "Love Can Make You Happy," and "Love Is All Around." I heard lyrics like, "There's no beginning, there'll be no end, upon my love you can depend." And, "It takes love over gold and mind over matter." Maybe that wasn't accidental at all. I walked by a humble manger scene while listening to the Beatles sing "Love Me Do," and I think He does.
While walking, I thought about the man at the pool. As his eyes are dripping wet, looking down into the pool, what do you think he saw first? And who else might he have seen reflected in the water? I thought about how right Paul was when he said, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Corinthians 13: 12). And what kind of glass is he talking about?
And what about the pool? An interesting name and an interesting translation. My daughter is also being sent away on a mission. Her example and willingness to serve up north in the bitter cold help me to see things a little differently. I can only hope the love of good people, and the warmth of the Holy Spirit can keep her warm there.
What other ordinances or events could happen at such a pool? And how is that pool like the emblems of the sacrament you will partake of tomorrow? I can think of at least three things.
I can't think of a better way to get into the Christmas spirit than these 25 daily suggestions from "Light the World." As you immerse yourself in His Spirit and His service, what new things will you see?
I thought about donating glasses but my old ones are so foggy now. I wonder with all this light what He wants us to see. But the video was incredible. It's a special story about Jesus healing the eyes of a man born blind (John 9). So I decided to do this one a little different. It's my gift to you today, and my little act of service. Actually, it's not me at all.
You know the story. "Jesus passed by, (and) saw a man which was blind from his birth." How did He know? Was the man carrying a cardboard sign reading, "Caution: blind man in the way?" There could have been outward manifestations, but John doesn't tell us. John is so deep and subtle in his symbolism that often we don't even see it. I like to think Jesus "saw" this man from the inside out. He looked through his eyes and saw nothing, only darkness. By the way, next time you read the Gospel of John, look for the contrasts of light and darkness, like this one where Jesus "sees" but the blind man doesn't. Look for the setting and the time of day and what comes before and after. You might see something very interesting.
It comforts me to know that Jesus sees me from the inside out. He sees what is going on inside. And that's how He sees you.
Do you see the question the disciples ask? "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" When would this man have sinned? The parents had a head start. And what about His answer? Can bad things happen to good people?
Jesus then spat upon the ground and made clay of the spittle. Now I don't want to spoon feed you, like I'm often prone to do, but I have to share something special the Spirit showed me one day. No, this wasn't me, cause I remember what I felt when I read the Creation story:
"But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2: 6-7).
Jesus had done this before. He had made Man from the mud. Really, He's re-creating the man, so he can become a "new creature." He has had a lot of practice doing this. Is that what He is doing for you?
Then it says He "anointed" the eyes of the blind man with the clay. Ponder on this. Why doesn't it say He rubbed, or smeared, mud on the man's eyes? And why does the Anointed One perform an anointing on him? What does He want him to become?
Then He tells him to go "wash" in the Pool of Siloam. He wants the man to wash the muddy and mundane out of his eyes. I love Sundays. Weekdays I go to work, and don't get me wrong, I love my job. It's a blessing from the Lord. But when I'm at work, I see people by their credit scores, and their debt-to-income ratios, and how much money they make. I have to because I'm a credit underwriter. But on Sunday and in some holy places, I see others differently. What does He want you to see?
If you have been "washed" or "anointed" consider yourself lucky (excuse me, I mean blessed). What does He want you to see? What does He want you to become? By the way, this pool was only a couple of hundred yards south of the temple. Can you see things in the temple you can't see anywhere else?
I like Saturdays too. Today is special. I got to go for a walk and listen to my music. I listen to my playlist alphabetically. It just happens that after I watched this video and pondered its message, that midway through my walk I encountered all the "love" songs with titles like "Love Can Make You Happy," and "Love Is All Around." I heard lyrics like, "There's no beginning, there'll be no end, upon my love you can depend." And, "It takes love over gold and mind over matter." Maybe that wasn't accidental at all. I walked by a humble manger scene while listening to the Beatles sing "Love Me Do," and I think He does.
While walking, I thought about the man at the pool. As his eyes are dripping wet, looking down into the pool, what do you think he saw first? And who else might he have seen reflected in the water? I thought about how right Paul was when he said, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Corinthians 13: 12). And what kind of glass is he talking about?
And what about the pool? An interesting name and an interesting translation. My daughter is also being sent away on a mission. Her example and willingness to serve up north in the bitter cold help me to see things a little differently. I can only hope the love of good people, and the warmth of the Holy Spirit can keep her warm there.
What other ordinances or events could happen at such a pool? And how is that pool like the emblems of the sacrament you will partake of tomorrow? I can think of at least three things.
I can't think of a better way to get into the Christmas spirit than these 25 daily suggestions from "Light the World." As you immerse yourself in His Spirit and His service, what new things will you see?
Thursday, December 1, 2016
"Their Blood Might Not Come Upon Our Garments"
Kings and Priests
As the reader progresses through the Book of Mormon, he or she comes to that point where the leadership is transferred, as Nephi nears the end of his life. My last several readings, beginning really not that long ago, I have been impressed with how much Nephi acts like a king and his brother Jacob acts like a priest. This transfer of spiritual leadership serves as a type of Christ, as the Great High Priest and King of kings (see Hebrews 4: 14: Revelation 19: 16).
Jacob, as perhaps the Book of Mormon's best doctrinal teacher, has successfully delivered great sermons, experiencing profound teaching moments. In fact, it seems whenever Nephi wanted a message delivered just in the right way, he let Jacob do the teaching.
Sword of Justice
As Nephi transfers the kingly duties, we are informed about his reign as a king as it states,
"The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defence, and having labored in all his days for their welfare—" (Jacob 1: 10).
The sword of Laban becomes an emblem of authority, and swords particularly are symbolic of the justice of God, who has a sword of His own, sharpened and waiting in its sheath (see Ezekiel 21: 3-15; Alma 60: 29; Helaman 13: 5).
The tenor of doctrine now shifts as King Nephi emphasizes the justice of God in verses such as, " And I said unto them that our father also saw that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming fire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no end" (1 Nephi 15: 30).
Bowels of Mercy
Jacob is now going to teach us about the "bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice" (Alma 34: 15). Remember that the Anti-Nephi-Lehies relied upon mercy, not justice, as they buried their swords deep in the earth and subjected themselves to unjust punishment from their enemies.
Jacob is a true priest, an advocate for his congregation, and like Christ, as a mediator, he stands between them and justice. Cause my biggest fear at the judgment day is that I'll get exactly what I deserve. Priests were the great teachers, especially in the Book of Mormon, but they were also the ones who performed the ordinances of the temple, all of which pointed to that "great and last sacrifice" of Jesus (see Alma 34: 10).
Jacob emphasizes that his record is on the priestly small plates, containing the most precious spiritual doctrine, and not the kingly historical record (see Jacob 1: 2-4). As he commits himself to this role he states, "Wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfil the commandment of my brother Nephi" (Jacob 1: 8). He realizes this is no light matter, as he "takes upon himself" the weight of sin and sorrow, as a forerunner of Christ, who would take upon Himself the sins, pains, and sufferings of the world.
"Fill the Hand"
But before a priest can go to work, he must be consecrated according to Mosaic Law. Jacob cites this as authentication of his authority: "For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated priests and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi" (Jacob 1: 18).
The "hand" of Nephi becomes significant. In ancient consecration ceremonies, the priest would be initiated by taking upon his hands the entirety of the sacrifice. First, "Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. . . . And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him" (Leviticus 8: 6,12). Anciently priests were washed and anointed. After the holy anointing oil was put upon them, they were considered to be the property of the Lord. Then they were dressed in coats (garments), girdles (sashes), and bonnets (caps). (see Leviticus 8: 13).
Two rams were used, and one of them was the "ram of consecration." This ram was sacrificed and the blood was placed upon "the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet."
The next part is quite interesting:
"And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder:
"And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the Lord, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder:
"And he put all upon Aaron’s hands, and upon his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the Lord.
"And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savour: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord" (Leviticus 8: 22-28).
I would think the priests' hands would be quite full at this point with the fat, rump, caul, kidneys, the right shoulder, unleavened cake (pierced bread pointing to the sacrifice of Christ), oiled bread, and one wafer. In fact, the Hebrew word for consecration comes from two words--male and yad. The two words combine to make the phrase, "fill the hand."
The priest would perform a "wave offering" as the offering was presented to the Lord. This concept becomes central to all of Jacob's teachings, as Christ will present His firstfruits (that's us) to the Father. The brother of Jared "filled his hands" with clear, white, celestial stones and presented them to the Lord, where He touched each one to give each a certain brilliance. But before the brother of Jared saw within the veil, he performed this act of "consecration" or "filling the hand."
That presentation was you and me!
As the reader progresses through the Book of Mormon, he or she comes to that point where the leadership is transferred, as Nephi nears the end of his life. My last several readings, beginning really not that long ago, I have been impressed with how much Nephi acts like a king and his brother Jacob acts like a priest. This transfer of spiritual leadership serves as a type of Christ, as the Great High Priest and King of kings (see Hebrews 4: 14: Revelation 19: 16).
Jacob, as perhaps the Book of Mormon's best doctrinal teacher, has successfully delivered great sermons, experiencing profound teaching moments. In fact, it seems whenever Nephi wanted a message delivered just in the right way, he let Jacob do the teaching.
Sword of Justice
As Nephi transfers the kingly duties, we are informed about his reign as a king as it states,
"The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defence, and having labored in all his days for their welfare—" (Jacob 1: 10).
The sword of Laban becomes an emblem of authority, and swords particularly are symbolic of the justice of God, who has a sword of His own, sharpened and waiting in its sheath (see Ezekiel 21: 3-15; Alma 60: 29; Helaman 13: 5).
The tenor of doctrine now shifts as King Nephi emphasizes the justice of God in verses such as, " And I said unto them that our father also saw that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming fire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no end" (1 Nephi 15: 30).
Bowels of Mercy
Jacob is now going to teach us about the "bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice" (Alma 34: 15). Remember that the Anti-Nephi-Lehies relied upon mercy, not justice, as they buried their swords deep in the earth and subjected themselves to unjust punishment from their enemies.
Jacob is a true priest, an advocate for his congregation, and like Christ, as a mediator, he stands between them and justice. Cause my biggest fear at the judgment day is that I'll get exactly what I deserve. Priests were the great teachers, especially in the Book of Mormon, but they were also the ones who performed the ordinances of the temple, all of which pointed to that "great and last sacrifice" of Jesus (see Alma 34: 10).
Jacob emphasizes that his record is on the priestly small plates, containing the most precious spiritual doctrine, and not the kingly historical record (see Jacob 1: 2-4). As he commits himself to this role he states, "Wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfil the commandment of my brother Nephi" (Jacob 1: 8). He realizes this is no light matter, as he "takes upon himself" the weight of sin and sorrow, as a forerunner of Christ, who would take upon Himself the sins, pains, and sufferings of the world.
"Fill the Hand"
But before a priest can go to work, he must be consecrated according to Mosaic Law. Jacob cites this as authentication of his authority: "For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated priests and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi" (Jacob 1: 18).
The "hand" of Nephi becomes significant. In ancient consecration ceremonies, the priest would be initiated by taking upon his hands the entirety of the sacrifice. First, "Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. . . . And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him" (Leviticus 8: 6,12). Anciently priests were washed and anointed. After the holy anointing oil was put upon them, they were considered to be the property of the Lord. Then they were dressed in coats (garments), girdles (sashes), and bonnets (caps). (see Leviticus 8: 13).
Two rams were used, and one of them was the "ram of consecration." This ram was sacrificed and the blood was placed upon "the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet."
The next part is quite interesting:
"And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder:
"And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the Lord, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder:
"And he put all upon Aaron’s hands, and upon his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the Lord.
"And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savour: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord" (Leviticus 8: 22-28).
I would think the priests' hands would be quite full at this point with the fat, rump, caul, kidneys, the right shoulder, unleavened cake (pierced bread pointing to the sacrifice of Christ), oiled bread, and one wafer. In fact, the Hebrew word for consecration comes from two words--male and yad. The two words combine to make the phrase, "fill the hand."
The priest would perform a "wave offering" as the offering was presented to the Lord. This concept becomes central to all of Jacob's teachings, as Christ will present His firstfruits (that's us) to the Father. The brother of Jared "filled his hands" with clear, white, celestial stones and presented them to the Lord, where He touched each one to give each a certain brilliance. But before the brother of Jared saw within the veil, he performed this act of "consecration" or "filling the hand."
That presentation was you and me!
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Spirits Good and Evil
Perhaps my first impressionable scripture in recovery was one I connected with after about two years of sobriety: "For the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray" (2 Nephi 32: 8). I remember how powerful and persuasive that voice was, and sometimes still is.
My AA sponsor said it was a simple program--90 meetings in 90 days, and don't drink between meetings, then after 90 days if you don't like it, we'll refund your misery. For two weeks I tried a "half measure." I went to meetings every day, but I couldn't stay sober between the meetings. Some of them were eight hours apart.
On July 31, 1989 I went home after my third Monday Night Beginners Meeting. I felt dejected. Going to meetings without working the Twelve Steps wasn't working. The Third Step I avoided like the plague: "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him." I stood at the turning point the Big Book talks about. I was considering getting out of AA and merely poisoning myself faster. That was Plan B.
I finally got home, went to my room, closed the door, and thought about actually praying to God. I hadn't offered a serious prayer in thirteen years. As I tried to get down on my knees, the enemy showed up with his rhetoric. "You can't pray to God after all the horrible things you've done. It's over for you. Even God can't help you now. Jesus won't understand. He was never an alcoholic." No, I didn't hear an actual voice, but the derision lasted the better part of an hour.
When I finally choked out a plea for help, it was amazing how short it actually was and how quickly I felt an overwhelming feeling of peace. At the time, I didn't understand either voice. I was more prone to listen to the former one. I got up off my knees and argued with the feeling of peace. How could that be after I had destroyed my life and everyone around me?
Today, I know where those voices come from. The evil spirit doesn't want you to taste of that sweet Spirit spoken of in the next chapter. How dare he rob me of recovery! "For when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men" (2 Nephi 33: 1).
Today I feel that sweet Spirit as I pray, read and ponder the scriptures, listen to music, and stand in the presence of Christlike people who radiate goodness. I marvel that as I prayerfully search for answers, the Holy Ghost sends me a tailor-made message with a personalized answer. Often this is in the form of a scripture or a conference talk.
Today I thank Him every day for those Twelve Steps that used to intimidate me. I shudder to think that without that prayer for help over 27 years ago, I would not have my dear wife, my son and daughter. I would not live to see the day that my son would fulfill an honorable mission, and I would not be around to see what I saw last Friday as my dear daughter opened her mission call to Edmonton Canada. It all seems surreal after the life I came from.
Today I find myself thanking the Lord in heartfelt prayer for things that seemed impossible 27 years ago, and His Spirit fills my soul with gratitude.
My AA sponsor said it was a simple program--90 meetings in 90 days, and don't drink between meetings, then after 90 days if you don't like it, we'll refund your misery. For two weeks I tried a "half measure." I went to meetings every day, but I couldn't stay sober between the meetings. Some of them were eight hours apart.
On July 31, 1989 I went home after my third Monday Night Beginners Meeting. I felt dejected. Going to meetings without working the Twelve Steps wasn't working. The Third Step I avoided like the plague: "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him." I stood at the turning point the Big Book talks about. I was considering getting out of AA and merely poisoning myself faster. That was Plan B.
I finally got home, went to my room, closed the door, and thought about actually praying to God. I hadn't offered a serious prayer in thirteen years. As I tried to get down on my knees, the enemy showed up with his rhetoric. "You can't pray to God after all the horrible things you've done. It's over for you. Even God can't help you now. Jesus won't understand. He was never an alcoholic." No, I didn't hear an actual voice, but the derision lasted the better part of an hour.
When I finally choked out a plea for help, it was amazing how short it actually was and how quickly I felt an overwhelming feeling of peace. At the time, I didn't understand either voice. I was more prone to listen to the former one. I got up off my knees and argued with the feeling of peace. How could that be after I had destroyed my life and everyone around me?
Today, I know where those voices come from. The evil spirit doesn't want you to taste of that sweet Spirit spoken of in the next chapter. How dare he rob me of recovery! "For when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men" (2 Nephi 33: 1).
Today I feel that sweet Spirit as I pray, read and ponder the scriptures, listen to music, and stand in the presence of Christlike people who radiate goodness. I marvel that as I prayerfully search for answers, the Holy Ghost sends me a tailor-made message with a personalized answer. Often this is in the form of a scripture or a conference talk.
Today I thank Him every day for those Twelve Steps that used to intimidate me. I shudder to think that without that prayer for help over 27 years ago, I would not have my dear wife, my son and daughter. I would not live to see the day that my son would fulfill an honorable mission, and I would not be around to see what I saw last Friday as my dear daughter opened her mission call to Edmonton Canada. It all seems surreal after the life I came from.
Today I find myself thanking the Lord in heartfelt prayer for things that seemed impossible 27 years ago, and His Spirit fills my soul with gratitude.
Monday, November 21, 2016
The Covenant Path
The Book of Mormon elaborates on a specific covenant path, our walk of life, leading back to the Father. An entire synopsis is in 2 Nephi 31 and a few verses into chapter 32.
Unity With the Godhead
This covenant path is necessary to activate the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The word atonement, or at-one-ment, speaks of a unity and communion with the entire Godhead. In the great intercessory prayer, Jesus prays to the Father advocating a condition of being "at one" with Him and His Father.
"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 17: 21).
The Book of Mormon expands this somewhat to include the entire Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Thus, there is this combination of roles set forth in Second Nephi chapter 31 where the three members of the Godhead are deferring to the other two members. Here are two examples within this chapter.
"But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.
"And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive" (2 Nephi 31: 14,18).
The sacramental prayers are another example. The prayer is directed to the Father, blessing the emblems in remembrance of the Son, and the promise is the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
Baptism Is the Gate
The first ordinance along the covenant path is baptism. In fact, it's the very gateway ordinance. Modern revelation sets forth the baptismal prayer:
"The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen" (D&C 20: 73).
Jesus actually went "down" to the lowest depth at His baptism, as He was buried in the waters of Jordan, somewhere between 800 and 1300 feet below sea level. Thus, "he descended below all things" (D&C 88: 6). The Jordan River, specifically at Bethabara where Jesus was baptized, was the gateway into the Promised Land of Canaan in ancient Israel. The name Bethabara means "house of ford." The Promised Land represents exaltation, so the Savior set the example, showing that baptism is the gateway into the path of celestial glory.
Notice we are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and thus we progress along the covenant path to become unified with Them.
Sacrament Foreshadows Future Ordinances
In the sacramental prayer on the bread there is a particular phrase pointing to future covenants. The priest offering the prayer acts as a mediator of the covenant and is a type of Christ, as "mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood" (D&C 76: 69). The priest addresses the Father as an advocate for those participating in the ordinance, who are addressed in the third person. And thus the plea states, "That they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son" (D&C 20: 77).
During the sacrament we pledge to be "willing" to take the name of Christ upon us, but the taking of His name does not fully occur until one receives the ordinances of the temple where Jesus places His name. A week after the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple and on an Easter Sunday, the resurrected Savior appeared in the Kirtland Temple and stated, "For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house" (D&C 110: 7). In the temple, His name is placed upon us.
Temple Ordinances Mark the Covenant Path
Nephi asks, "And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save" (2 Nephi 31: 19).
The covenant path is "strait and narrow," not "straight and narrow." It could be translated as, "narrow and narrower." I have always wondered why the Lord did not make the path a little broader to let more people pass through quickly. But just a few months ago, as I was reading the Book of Mormon one morning, I felt a quiet impression from the Spirit that perhaps this is to emphasize the idea that the Lord allows each of us to pass through the veil one at a time so He can take the time to embrace each of His spiritually begotten sons and daughters. I shared this idea with a friend who knows much more about the scriptures than I do, and he paraphrased C. S. Lewis, who said the narrow path was created so we couldn't squeeze through any souvenirs from Babylon. I like that idea too. But think of it, we do ordinances one at a time for each precious soul.
The next verse describes the path back to the Father:
"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life" (2 Nephi 31: 20).
Under Aaronic Priesthood keys (or Levitical Priesthood), only the priest could enter into the Holy Place of the tabernacle, and only the high priest of the Aaronic order could enter into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement. As he would progress toward the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, considered to be the throne of God, he would pass by a lampstand, candlestick, or menorah. The candlestick was a representation of the Tree of Life. On the other side of the Holy Place was a table of shewbread.
In the above verse, the "perfect brightness of hope" is represented by the candlestick as it radiates the Light of Christ. The "word of Christ" is represented by the shewbread--something one might feast upon.
The same concept is expressed in Alma 5, a temple laden chapter.
"Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.
"Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely" (Alma 5: 33-34).
We are promised if we endure to the end, the Father will say, "Ye shall have eternal life." This is the highest and ultimate sealing ordinance. It becomes the "more sure word of prophecy" as stated in the scriptures:
"The more sure word of prophecy means a man’s knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood" (D&C 131: 5).
Unity With the Godhead
This covenant path is necessary to activate the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The word atonement, or at-one-ment, speaks of a unity and communion with the entire Godhead. In the great intercessory prayer, Jesus prays to the Father advocating a condition of being "at one" with Him and His Father.
"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 17: 21).
The Book of Mormon expands this somewhat to include the entire Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Thus, there is this combination of roles set forth in Second Nephi chapter 31 where the three members of the Godhead are deferring to the other two members. Here are two examples within this chapter.
"But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.
"And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive" (2 Nephi 31: 14,18).
The sacramental prayers are another example. The prayer is directed to the Father, blessing the emblems in remembrance of the Son, and the promise is the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
Baptism Is the Gate
The first ordinance along the covenant path is baptism. In fact, it's the very gateway ordinance. Modern revelation sets forth the baptismal prayer:
"The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen" (D&C 20: 73).
Jesus actually went "down" to the lowest depth at His baptism, as He was buried in the waters of Jordan, somewhere between 800 and 1300 feet below sea level. Thus, "he descended below all things" (D&C 88: 6). The Jordan River, specifically at Bethabara where Jesus was baptized, was the gateway into the Promised Land of Canaan in ancient Israel. The name Bethabara means "house of ford." The Promised Land represents exaltation, so the Savior set the example, showing that baptism is the gateway into the path of celestial glory.
Notice we are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and thus we progress along the covenant path to become unified with Them.
Sacrament Foreshadows Future Ordinances
In the sacramental prayer on the bread there is a particular phrase pointing to future covenants. The priest offering the prayer acts as a mediator of the covenant and is a type of Christ, as "mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood" (D&C 76: 69). The priest addresses the Father as an advocate for those participating in the ordinance, who are addressed in the third person. And thus the plea states, "That they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son" (D&C 20: 77).
During the sacrament we pledge to be "willing" to take the name of Christ upon us, but the taking of His name does not fully occur until one receives the ordinances of the temple where Jesus places His name. A week after the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple and on an Easter Sunday, the resurrected Savior appeared in the Kirtland Temple and stated, "For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house" (D&C 110: 7). In the temple, His name is placed upon us.
Temple Ordinances Mark the Covenant Path
Nephi asks, "And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save" (2 Nephi 31: 19).
The covenant path is "strait and narrow," not "straight and narrow." It could be translated as, "narrow and narrower." I have always wondered why the Lord did not make the path a little broader to let more people pass through quickly. But just a few months ago, as I was reading the Book of Mormon one morning, I felt a quiet impression from the Spirit that perhaps this is to emphasize the idea that the Lord allows each of us to pass through the veil one at a time so He can take the time to embrace each of His spiritually begotten sons and daughters. I shared this idea with a friend who knows much more about the scriptures than I do, and he paraphrased C. S. Lewis, who said the narrow path was created so we couldn't squeeze through any souvenirs from Babylon. I like that idea too. But think of it, we do ordinances one at a time for each precious soul.
The next verse describes the path back to the Father:
"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life" (2 Nephi 31: 20).
Under Aaronic Priesthood keys (or Levitical Priesthood), only the priest could enter into the Holy Place of the tabernacle, and only the high priest of the Aaronic order could enter into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement. As he would progress toward the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, considered to be the throne of God, he would pass by a lampstand, candlestick, or menorah. The candlestick was a representation of the Tree of Life. On the other side of the Holy Place was a table of shewbread.
In the above verse, the "perfect brightness of hope" is represented by the candlestick as it radiates the Light of Christ. The "word of Christ" is represented by the shewbread--something one might feast upon.
The same concept is expressed in Alma 5, a temple laden chapter.
"Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.
"Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely" (Alma 5: 33-34).
We are promised if we endure to the end, the Father will say, "Ye shall have eternal life." This is the highest and ultimate sealing ordinance. It becomes the "more sure word of prophecy" as stated in the scriptures:
"The more sure word of prophecy means a man’s knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood" (D&C 131: 5).
Thursday, November 10, 2016
The God Hole
Fairly early in recovery during AA meetings I was exposed to the term "God hole." It seemed a rather odd-sounding phrase, but as time went on I learned the value of this concept.
Other addicts explained somewhat about the "God hole" being that empty place inside the center of my soul which I tried to fill up with alcohol, drugs, and other things. It was only later in recovery that I could see how this emptiness drove my addiction. As I drew closer to God I could see that only He could fill this hole in the middle of my soul.
Later on, I would become interested in scriptural accounts and I began to see this idea portrayed in holy writ.
Isaiah clearly saw our day with many in the world overcome with addictions, like me, and driven with "vain imagination" (see 1 Nephi 12: 18). There is a chapter in the Book of Mormon that expands upon the Biblical account with further clarification. The chapter begins with the time setting, as Isaiah explains he is looking into "the last days." The conditions are set forth as a time when all the lands of the earth will be "drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations."
I only got drunk once, but it lasted about seventeen years. In an LDS Twelve Step meeting I once heard a friend share about a food addiction. She would binge on food and call it "getting drunk." She had never consumed alcohol, or had black outs. She had never gone to jail because of her addiction, yet she seemed to feel as though her life was as out of control as mine was.
The Isaiah commentary continues: "And when that day shall come they shall be visited of the Lord of Hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire."
It seems we can hardly turn on the news without seeing some of the natural disasters, like earthquakes and tsunamis. The storms of life can be turbulent at times. But I think Isaiah is speaking of addictive tendencies when he speaks of "the flame of a devouring fire." Alcohol basically devoured everything in my life. I remember President Monson speaking about his youth and playing with matches at Vivian Park, when the flames spread out of control. In my mind I likened this to my own history of addiction, as the addiction spread and seemed to burn up everything with a scorching heat. At my next Twelve Step meeting I heard four other addicts relate this story and how it compared to their own addictions.
And then Isaiah gets to the good part (or rather, the scary part):
"And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto them, even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty man which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion" (see 2 Nephi 27: 1-3).
That's the God hole. For those of us somewhat rebellious in nature, who want to fight against the establishment, the dreamer takes over, and we become enraptured in vain imagination. We try to recapture the early euphoria and chase the ultimate high. As the vain imagination was embellished, I drank more and more, but never got filled up. Ironically, as I consumed more and more, like the Prodigal Son, I "began to be in want." The scriptural account expresses it perfectly: "And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him" (Luke 15: 14,16). Just fill me up with something. Anything!
Then came the miracle of recovery! I began to find those things that would fill my soul--like prayer, peace, the scriptures, the Spirit, and the light and love of God. I read about the fruit of the Tree of Life which Lehi describes as "most sweet." He said, "And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit" (1 Nephi 8: 11-12).
I learned that when the Savior visited the inhabitants of the Americas, He instituted the sacrament.
"And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name" (3 Nephi 18: 5).
The sacrament fills me up. I can be filled with the Spirit.
It is interesting that in the context of "the God hole," as described by Isaiah, the very answer is given within the chapter. The solution is the coming forth of the Book of Mormon--something else which fills me up.
Then the Lord says this,
"For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith" (2 Nephi 27: 23).
Other addicts explained somewhat about the "God hole" being that empty place inside the center of my soul which I tried to fill up with alcohol, drugs, and other things. It was only later in recovery that I could see how this emptiness drove my addiction. As I drew closer to God I could see that only He could fill this hole in the middle of my soul.
Later on, I would become interested in scriptural accounts and I began to see this idea portrayed in holy writ.
Isaiah clearly saw our day with many in the world overcome with addictions, like me, and driven with "vain imagination" (see 1 Nephi 12: 18). There is a chapter in the Book of Mormon that expands upon the Biblical account with further clarification. The chapter begins with the time setting, as Isaiah explains he is looking into "the last days." The conditions are set forth as a time when all the lands of the earth will be "drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations."
I only got drunk once, but it lasted about seventeen years. In an LDS Twelve Step meeting I once heard a friend share about a food addiction. She would binge on food and call it "getting drunk." She had never consumed alcohol, or had black outs. She had never gone to jail because of her addiction, yet she seemed to feel as though her life was as out of control as mine was.
The Isaiah commentary continues: "And when that day shall come they shall be visited of the Lord of Hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire."
It seems we can hardly turn on the news without seeing some of the natural disasters, like earthquakes and tsunamis. The storms of life can be turbulent at times. But I think Isaiah is speaking of addictive tendencies when he speaks of "the flame of a devouring fire." Alcohol basically devoured everything in my life. I remember President Monson speaking about his youth and playing with matches at Vivian Park, when the flames spread out of control. In my mind I likened this to my own history of addiction, as the addiction spread and seemed to burn up everything with a scorching heat. At my next Twelve Step meeting I heard four other addicts relate this story and how it compared to their own addictions.
And then Isaiah gets to the good part (or rather, the scary part):
"And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto them, even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty man which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion" (see 2 Nephi 27: 1-3).
That's the God hole. For those of us somewhat rebellious in nature, who want to fight against the establishment, the dreamer takes over, and we become enraptured in vain imagination. We try to recapture the early euphoria and chase the ultimate high. As the vain imagination was embellished, I drank more and more, but never got filled up. Ironically, as I consumed more and more, like the Prodigal Son, I "began to be in want." The scriptural account expresses it perfectly: "And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him" (Luke 15: 14,16). Just fill me up with something. Anything!
Then came the miracle of recovery! I began to find those things that would fill my soul--like prayer, peace, the scriptures, the Spirit, and the light and love of God. I read about the fruit of the Tree of Life which Lehi describes as "most sweet." He said, "And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit" (1 Nephi 8: 11-12).
I learned that when the Savior visited the inhabitants of the Americas, He instituted the sacrament.
"And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name" (3 Nephi 18: 5).
The sacrament fills me up. I can be filled with the Spirit.
It is interesting that in the context of "the God hole," as described by Isaiah, the very answer is given within the chapter. The solution is the coming forth of the Book of Mormon--something else which fills me up.
Then the Lord says this,
"For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith" (2 Nephi 27: 23).
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Merisms and the Seal of Melchizedek
I'm telling you, I can't stop thinking about this Seal of Melchizedek book I'm reading. The authors are Alan Rex Mitchell and Ernest Lehenbauer. The seal consists of two squares offset by 45 degrees, creating an eight-point star. Usually there is a circle in the center, representing eternity.
As I read on, I encountered a pattern of the seals as they are displayed together to create an Islamic symbol called "The Breath of the Compassionate." The pattern of two squares creates eight opposite sides and becomes a representation of Creation. One square represents the elements of earth, fire, air, and water. The other square represents wet, dry, hot, and cold.
The Islamic tradition is that the Creator spoke and the world came into existence. Or, in other words, the Compassionate breathed, and the world was created. This relates to the Biblical concept of "the breath of life."
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2: 7).
In both the Hebrew and Greek, wind, breath, and spirit are related terms. In Greek the word for wind, breath, and spirit is pneuma, where we get the English word pneumonia (meaning "without breath or spirit"). As Jesus is speaking with Nicodemus, He says, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit" (John 3: 8). The words wind and Spirit are both pneuma.
Modern revelation describes Creation in a similar way, as light, Spirit, and the Light of Christ become central to all Creation. The Lord revealed:
"Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
"He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;
"Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.
"As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made;
"As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made;
"And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.
"And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;
"Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—
"The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things" (D&C 88: 3, 6-13).
Jehovah, as the Father of Creation, was made flesh, and descended below all things to redeem all mankind. Thus, He is in all things and through all things, and is the "law by which all things are governed."
In the midst of these verses is what Bible scholars call a merism. The definition of a merism is an expression of totality expressed by contrasting parts. The Lord defines Himself by saying, "For verily I say unto you that I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the light and the life of the world—a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not" (D&C 45: 7).
But He is not merely A and Z; He is the whole alphabet--and beyond. In order to be "in and through all things," He had to descend and ascend beyond the limits. The Seal of Melchizedek has a circle in the center, expressing eternity beyond the limits expressed by the opposite sides. Perhaps the circle should be on the outside, but accuracy would require an infinite volume.
Nephi describes the Lord's invitation in a merism:
" . . . And he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile" (2 Nephi 26: 33).
Like the opposite sides of the two squares in the Seal of Melchizedek, there are eight opposites in this merism: black, white, bond, free, male, female, Jew, and Gentile.
But there is another meaning associated with merisms. Merism is also a Greek word, coming from the root merizo, meaning to divide or share. And when Jesus divides the goods, the heirs receive a totality of everything the Father has (see D&C 84: 38).
When Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fish, Mark's account said He "divided" the two fishes among them all (Mark 6: 41). Everyone was filled. The Greek word for "divided" is merizo. In reality, it was multiplication, not division, and so it is with everything He does!
As He invites "all to come unto Him and partake of His goodness," the blessings are multiplied and shared in totality. Even the "new and everlasting covenant" of celestial marriage is expressed in a merism of "all heights and depths" (D&C 132: 19).
Jesus colors outside the lines and steps outside the box (or square). He has exceeded all heights and gone lower than the lowest depth to redeem each precious child.
You are never out of His reach, nor beyond His infinite love and mercy.
As I read on, I encountered a pattern of the seals as they are displayed together to create an Islamic symbol called "The Breath of the Compassionate." The pattern of two squares creates eight opposite sides and becomes a representation of Creation. One square represents the elements of earth, fire, air, and water. The other square represents wet, dry, hot, and cold.
The Islamic tradition is that the Creator spoke and the world came into existence. Or, in other words, the Compassionate breathed, and the world was created. This relates to the Biblical concept of "the breath of life."
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2: 7).
In both the Hebrew and Greek, wind, breath, and spirit are related terms. In Greek the word for wind, breath, and spirit is pneuma, where we get the English word pneumonia (meaning "without breath or spirit"). As Jesus is speaking with Nicodemus, He says, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit" (John 3: 8). The words wind and Spirit are both pneuma.
Modern revelation describes Creation in a similar way, as light, Spirit, and the Light of Christ become central to all Creation. The Lord revealed:
"Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
"He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;
"Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.
"As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made;
"As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made;
"And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.
"And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;
"Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—
"The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things" (D&C 88: 3, 6-13).
Jehovah, as the Father of Creation, was made flesh, and descended below all things to redeem all mankind. Thus, He is in all things and through all things, and is the "law by which all things are governed."
In the midst of these verses is what Bible scholars call a merism. The definition of a merism is an expression of totality expressed by contrasting parts. The Lord defines Himself by saying, "For verily I say unto you that I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the light and the life of the world—a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not" (D&C 45: 7).
But He is not merely A and Z; He is the whole alphabet--and beyond. In order to be "in and through all things," He had to descend and ascend beyond the limits. The Seal of Melchizedek has a circle in the center, expressing eternity beyond the limits expressed by the opposite sides. Perhaps the circle should be on the outside, but accuracy would require an infinite volume.
Nephi describes the Lord's invitation in a merism:
" . . . And he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile" (2 Nephi 26: 33).
Like the opposite sides of the two squares in the Seal of Melchizedek, there are eight opposites in this merism: black, white, bond, free, male, female, Jew, and Gentile.
But there is another meaning associated with merisms. Merism is also a Greek word, coming from the root merizo, meaning to divide or share. And when Jesus divides the goods, the heirs receive a totality of everything the Father has (see D&C 84: 38).
When Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fish, Mark's account said He "divided" the two fishes among them all (Mark 6: 41). Everyone was filled. The Greek word for "divided" is merizo. In reality, it was multiplication, not division, and so it is with everything He does!
As He invites "all to come unto Him and partake of His goodness," the blessings are multiplied and shared in totality. Even the "new and everlasting covenant" of celestial marriage is expressed in a merism of "all heights and depths" (D&C 132: 19).
Jesus colors outside the lines and steps outside the box (or square). He has exceeded all heights and gone lower than the lowest depth to redeem each precious child.
You are never out of His reach, nor beyond His infinite love and mercy.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
A Tender Twig Transplanted
I had a friend ask about distinctions in the Book of Mormon concerning the origins of the people of Nephi and the people of Zarahemla.
Zarahemla was a descendant of Mulek (Mosiah 25: 2) and Mulek was one of the sons of Zedekiah, king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, placed Zedekiah on the throne as a kind of puppet king, and Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar by sending ambassadors to Egypt to make treaties with them and to solicit their help in getting horses and probably weapons to fight Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chronicles 36: 10; Ezekiel 17: 15).
Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and carried some of the holy vessels of the temple to Babylon. Zedekiah and his sons tried to escape into the plains east of Jerusalem but Nebuchadnezzar overtook them in the plains of Jericho. In Jeremiah it says Nebuchadnezzar "slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes," put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and carried him captive in chains to Babylon (Jeremiah 52: 7-11). But the Book of Mormon informs us that Mulek was not killed. It says, "Will ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were Mulek? Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem? But behold, this is not all—" (Helaman 8: 21).
So the Mulekites came out of Jerusalem also, and probably about the same time or shortly after Lehi came out. It also says, "Now the land south was called Lehi, and the land north was called Mulek, which was after the son of Zedekiah; for the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land south" (Helaman 6: 10).
Lehi's party landed in the Americas to the south, and the Mulekites and Jaredites both landed north of Lehi. Mosiah (the father of King Benjamin) originally lived south of Zarahemla in the land of Nephi, where Nephi settles in 2 Nephi 5. Mosiah was warned to flee out of the land, and his party traveled north to the land of Zarahemla, named after Zarahemla, a descendant of Mulek. Mosiah discovers them in Omni 1: 12-22.
Mosiah learns that the people of Zarahemla left Jerusalem at the time Zedekiah was carried captive to Babylon, that they had always lived in the same general area where Mosiah discovered them, they had had wars, their language had become corrupted, and they brought no records with them. Zarahemla gives his genealogy according to his memory.
The people of Zarahemla had discovered Coriantumr, the last surviving Jaredite, so the Book of Ether covers almost twice the amount of time (almost 2,000 years) compared to the rest of the Book of Mormon, which covers about 1,000 years.
The Mulekites, or people of Zarahemla, had to have been primarily from the tribe of Judah, since it was the royal lineage of Judah. Lehi descended from Joseph through Manasseh (Alma 10: 3).
In Mosiah 25: 13 the people of Zarahemla are numbered with the Nephites. The "people of Nephi" seems to be a term that is context sensitive. It consists of Nephi's descendants, but mostly it seems to be a group of people based on who they side with. Jacob says, "Now the people which were not Lamanites were Nephites; nevertheless, they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites. But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall call Nephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns of the kings" (Jacob 1: 13-14).
The Mulekites are spoken of in the Old Testament and also in Zenos' allegory in the Book of Mormon. In Jacob 5: 24 it says, "And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said again unto his servant: Look hither, and behold another branch also, which I have planted; behold that I have nourished it also, and it hath brought forth fruit." This is most likely talking about the Mulekites.
In Ezekiel it states, "And I will spread my net upon him (Zedekiah), and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me." Then it says, "Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar (the royal seed of Judah, namely Zedekiah), and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs (his sons) a tender one (Mulek), and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent" (the Americas) (see Ezekiel 17: 20, 22).
Zarahemla was a descendant of Mulek (Mosiah 25: 2) and Mulek was one of the sons of Zedekiah, king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, placed Zedekiah on the throne as a kind of puppet king, and Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar by sending ambassadors to Egypt to make treaties with them and to solicit their help in getting horses and probably weapons to fight Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chronicles 36: 10; Ezekiel 17: 15).
Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and carried some of the holy vessels of the temple to Babylon. Zedekiah and his sons tried to escape into the plains east of Jerusalem but Nebuchadnezzar overtook them in the plains of Jericho. In Jeremiah it says Nebuchadnezzar "slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes," put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and carried him captive in chains to Babylon (Jeremiah 52: 7-11). But the Book of Mormon informs us that Mulek was not killed. It says, "Will ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were Mulek? Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem? But behold, this is not all—" (Helaman 8: 21).
So the Mulekites came out of Jerusalem also, and probably about the same time or shortly after Lehi came out. It also says, "Now the land south was called Lehi, and the land north was called Mulek, which was after the son of Zedekiah; for the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land south" (Helaman 6: 10).
Lehi's party landed in the Americas to the south, and the Mulekites and Jaredites both landed north of Lehi. Mosiah (the father of King Benjamin) originally lived south of Zarahemla in the land of Nephi, where Nephi settles in 2 Nephi 5. Mosiah was warned to flee out of the land, and his party traveled north to the land of Zarahemla, named after Zarahemla, a descendant of Mulek. Mosiah discovers them in Omni 1: 12-22.
Mosiah learns that the people of Zarahemla left Jerusalem at the time Zedekiah was carried captive to Babylon, that they had always lived in the same general area where Mosiah discovered them, they had had wars, their language had become corrupted, and they brought no records with them. Zarahemla gives his genealogy according to his memory.
The people of Zarahemla had discovered Coriantumr, the last surviving Jaredite, so the Book of Ether covers almost twice the amount of time (almost 2,000 years) compared to the rest of the Book of Mormon, which covers about 1,000 years.
The Mulekites, or people of Zarahemla, had to have been primarily from the tribe of Judah, since it was the royal lineage of Judah. Lehi descended from Joseph through Manasseh (Alma 10: 3).
In Mosiah 25: 13 the people of Zarahemla are numbered with the Nephites. The "people of Nephi" seems to be a term that is context sensitive. It consists of Nephi's descendants, but mostly it seems to be a group of people based on who they side with. Jacob says, "Now the people which were not Lamanites were Nephites; nevertheless, they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites. But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall call Nephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns of the kings" (Jacob 1: 13-14).
The Mulekites are spoken of in the Old Testament and also in Zenos' allegory in the Book of Mormon. In Jacob 5: 24 it says, "And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said again unto his servant: Look hither, and behold another branch also, which I have planted; behold that I have nourished it also, and it hath brought forth fruit." This is most likely talking about the Mulekites.
In Ezekiel it states, "And I will spread my net upon him (Zedekiah), and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me." Then it says, "Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar (the royal seed of Judah, namely Zedekiah), and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs (his sons) a tender one (Mulek), and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent" (the Americas) (see Ezekiel 17: 20, 22).
"Have Mercy on the Criminal"
Saturday morning I was reading the Book of Mormon in my attempt to get through it three times during the year. I was reading about the "deadness of the law" (2 Nephi 25: 27). Shortly thereafter I was out on my morning walk, equipped with headphones and playlist, when some familiar lyrics grabbed my attention.
"Have you heard the dogs at night
Somewhere on the hill
Chasing some poor criminal
And I guess they're out to kill
Oh there must be shackles on his feet
And mother in his eyes
Stumbling through the devil-dark
With the hound pack in full cry
Have mercy on the criminal
Who is running from the law
Are you blind to the winds of change
Don't you hear him any more
Praying Lord you got to help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend."
A fine rock classic with a bluesy melody, and I had the message pounded into my head one more time. You may have figured out by now, I stole this title from two of the great songwriters, Elton John and Bernie Taupin. I'm still addicted to rock n roll, contemporary jazz, new age, progressive rock, alternative, blues, a few classical, and about three country songs. But this addiction, unlike some of the destructive ones, has its upside.
I have to agree with Bernie and Elton wholeheartedly. And since I violated one of those laws, " Thou shalt not steal" (Exodus 20: 15) in selecting the title for this post, I find myself on the wrong side of the law.
This is an easy thing to do, since anciently Israelites wore fringes on the borders of their garments (Numbers 15: 38-39). The tassels on the prayer shawls and the "tallit katan" (translated as "little tent") are tied in a series of knots to represent the number 613, the number of commandments of the Law of Moses.
There are several aspects of the "deadness of the law." Some violations carried the death penalty, such as Sabbath violations (see Exodus 35: 2). "Running from the law" might mean fleeing to a refuge city for accidental crimes, where no harm was intended. The criminal would find safety in the city but must remain there until the death of the high priest. The "avenger of blood" and the "high priest" were both types of Christ (see Numbers 35). It was easy to wind up on the wrong side of the law.
But even today it seems nearly impossible to escape the violation of some commandment, either by commission or omission. Even the Book of Mormon writer Lehi points out, "And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever" (2 Nephi 2: 5). So some of us give up and try to run from the law and its consequences.
The remedy is not easy either. When Adam and Eve were found to be in transgression of the law, coats of skins were made by the Lord as a covering (Genesis 3: 21). This was symbolic of the Atonement, as the Hebrew word for atonement is kaphar meaning to "coat or cover." It required the death of animals to provide the covering. The Law of Moses is described by John in the Joseph Smith Translation as a law of death. It reads,
"For the law was after a carnal commandment, to the administration of death; but the gospel was after the power of an endless life, through Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father" (JST, John 1: 18). It took the sacrifice of an animal to make an atonement for the sinner, pointing to the "great and last sacrifice" of Jesus Christ (Alma 34: 10). On the festival days a sacrifice of several animals was required. For example, at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) the sacrifice was "thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year" (Numbers 29: 13). As the song says, "And I guess they're out to kill."
But I'm in good company as a criminal. Not that it lessens the severity of the crime in God's eyes. He said, "For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance" (D&C 1: 31).
But He also said, "Death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator" (2 Nephi 9: 6). Is this only temporal death, or is spiritual death included in this act of "mercy?"
Like the prayer of this song, how many times I've pleaded, "Just take these chains from around my legs. Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend." Ofttimes I've felt the shackles on my feet and the shadow of the enemy as if he were about to overtake me. I've felt the chains loosed from my legs, cried with tears of gratitude, only to find myself quickly on the wrong side of the law once again.
But death is actually the answer.
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
"For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Romans 6: 3-6).
In the end, it's not going to be good works, to-do lists, goals met, and good intentions. Not that these are bad things. Rather it will be newness of life, walking with our Friend Jesus, while accepting the transformation. Like Corianton, who perhaps wanted to "hide his crimes from God" (Alma 39: 8), we can be transformed into "men and women of God" (Alma 48: 18).
And thus, as the chapter says, "For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25: 23).
"Have you heard the dogs at night
Somewhere on the hill
Chasing some poor criminal
And I guess they're out to kill
Oh there must be shackles on his feet
And mother in his eyes
Stumbling through the devil-dark
With the hound pack in full cry
Have mercy on the criminal
Who is running from the law
Are you blind to the winds of change
Don't you hear him any more
Praying Lord you got to help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend."
A fine rock classic with a bluesy melody, and I had the message pounded into my head one more time. You may have figured out by now, I stole this title from two of the great songwriters, Elton John and Bernie Taupin. I'm still addicted to rock n roll, contemporary jazz, new age, progressive rock, alternative, blues, a few classical, and about three country songs. But this addiction, unlike some of the destructive ones, has its upside.
I have to agree with Bernie and Elton wholeheartedly. And since I violated one of those laws, " Thou shalt not steal" (Exodus 20: 15) in selecting the title for this post, I find myself on the wrong side of the law.
This is an easy thing to do, since anciently Israelites wore fringes on the borders of their garments (Numbers 15: 38-39). The tassels on the prayer shawls and the "tallit katan" (translated as "little tent") are tied in a series of knots to represent the number 613, the number of commandments of the Law of Moses.
There are several aspects of the "deadness of the law." Some violations carried the death penalty, such as Sabbath violations (see Exodus 35: 2). "Running from the law" might mean fleeing to a refuge city for accidental crimes, where no harm was intended. The criminal would find safety in the city but must remain there until the death of the high priest. The "avenger of blood" and the "high priest" were both types of Christ (see Numbers 35). It was easy to wind up on the wrong side of the law.
But even today it seems nearly impossible to escape the violation of some commandment, either by commission or omission. Even the Book of Mormon writer Lehi points out, "And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever" (2 Nephi 2: 5). So some of us give up and try to run from the law and its consequences.
The remedy is not easy either. When Adam and Eve were found to be in transgression of the law, coats of skins were made by the Lord as a covering (Genesis 3: 21). This was symbolic of the Atonement, as the Hebrew word for atonement is kaphar meaning to "coat or cover." It required the death of animals to provide the covering. The Law of Moses is described by John in the Joseph Smith Translation as a law of death. It reads,
"For the law was after a carnal commandment, to the administration of death; but the gospel was after the power of an endless life, through Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father" (JST, John 1: 18). It took the sacrifice of an animal to make an atonement for the sinner, pointing to the "great and last sacrifice" of Jesus Christ (Alma 34: 10). On the festival days a sacrifice of several animals was required. For example, at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) the sacrifice was "thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year" (Numbers 29: 13). As the song says, "And I guess they're out to kill."
But I'm in good company as a criminal. Not that it lessens the severity of the crime in God's eyes. He said, "For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance" (D&C 1: 31).
But He also said, "Death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator" (2 Nephi 9: 6). Is this only temporal death, or is spiritual death included in this act of "mercy?"
Like the prayer of this song, how many times I've pleaded, "Just take these chains from around my legs. Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend." Ofttimes I've felt the shackles on my feet and the shadow of the enemy as if he were about to overtake me. I've felt the chains loosed from my legs, cried with tears of gratitude, only to find myself quickly on the wrong side of the law once again.
But death is actually the answer.
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
"For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Romans 6: 3-6).
In the end, it's not going to be good works, to-do lists, goals met, and good intentions. Not that these are bad things. Rather it will be newness of life, walking with our Friend Jesus, while accepting the transformation. Like Corianton, who perhaps wanted to "hide his crimes from God" (Alma 39: 8), we can be transformed into "men and women of God" (Alma 48: 18).
And thus, as the chapter says, "For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25: 23).
Monday, October 17, 2016
Stuck on Stars
If you've read many of these, you know I'm a recovering alcoholic. My wife says I'm OCD, and she's right, and so I get caught up in compulsive behavior. And wow, I'm stuck again on this Isaiah chapter dealing with "stars of God" (2 Nephi 24: 13).
l should have waited another day for the "Morning Stars" post. The next day I was reading a fascinating book by Alan Rex Mitchell and Ernest Lehenbauer entitled, The Seal of Melchizedek. It's a short read, only 36 pages, and I'm half way through it. So warning: I may find more new material after reading the rest, which may apply to this Isaiah chapter.
Seal of Melchizedek, A Symbol of Christ
Seal of Melchizedek, A Symbol of Christ
The authors give the interesting story of the design of the San Diego Temple where there is a recurring symbol in the architecture. The symbol consist of two overlapping squares offset at 45-degree angles, often with a circle in the center. The overlapping squares create an 8-point star, and is called the Seal of Melchizedek. I have provided a link for more information. Click here for more information on this symbol, which now appears on the doors going into the Salt Lake Temple. I should have waited another week to go to the Salt Lake Temple to see this. I was totally oblivious when I went there with my wife, son, and daughter just last Saturday. Now I have to go back!
First, I was impressed with the authors' handling of this symbol as a symbol of Christ, having just referenced Job in my last post, where the "morning stars" and "all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38: 7). If this 8-point star is a symbol of Christ, and the stars as members of the heavenly council are shouting for joy, then it provides insight as to the potential of the stars, or sons of God, to become like Christ, being reborn as sons and daughters in His image.
Then my mind took off in many directions as I noticed the verses in this chapter.
Veils, Circles, and Squares
Veils, Circles, and Squares
First, I noticed the Lord spoke to Job out of a whirlwind, almost as if He had spoken from behind a veil. Ezekiel also has a vision where he sees a whirlwind, and later has a theophany experience beholding the throne of God. The verses record,
"And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
"And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings."
Like Job, this is Divine Council imagery with the stars and the creatures as symbols for members (or gods) of the council. Notice the repetition of voice as a Leitwort (theme word) repeating three times. The voice comes from behind the whirlwind, or firmament, like the voice of the Lord from behind the veil. The voice is from the Almighty, or Most High God of the council. It is Elohim who presides over the council.
Ezekiel sees four creatures, similar to what John sees in Revelation, representing four classes of beings and Creation itself. The method of travel of these beings is interesting. It reads,
"The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
"When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went" (Ezekiel 1: 16-17, 24-25; Revelation 4: 6-7; D&C 77: 2-3).
The creatures have four sides and one likeness, like a square. The wheels are in the shape of a circle, representing eternity, or the heavens. The "wheels in the middle of wheels" represent concentric circles surrounding the throne of God in the sacred center. It is what Lehi describes as "numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God" (1 Nephi 1: 8). This also brings to mind the concept of ancient prayer circles surrounding a sacred center.
The design in many temples of circles within squares, like the Seal of Melchizedek, is a representation of the concept of temple itself--that sacred space where heaven meets earth. The circle represents eternity, which the authors of the book mention as coming from the King Follett Discourse when Joseph Smith compares eternity to the ring on his finger, having no beginning or end. The square, like the scriptural analogy of "the four corners of the earth," represents something finite. It can represent the earth, which will one day "wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner" (Isaiah 51: 6). The square can also represent mortality.
Melchizedek Priesthood
The concept of binding in heaven what is bound on earth is a function of priesthood keys, and in particular the Melchizedek Priesthood. The concept of piercing the veil and coming into the presence of God is also accomplished through the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Modern revelation states,
"And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
"Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
"And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
"For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live" (D&C 84: 19-22).
Sacred Space and Degrees of Holiness
Now let's go back to Job. When the Lord speaks out of the whirlwind, He asks certain testing questions to see if Job is ready to pass on to higher levels of holiness:
"Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
"Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
"Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof" (Job 38: 3-6).
As the temple represents Creation, He could have asked, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the temple? Or when I measured it? Or when I set up the Cornerstone and fastened the tent of the tabernacle to the foundation with spikes, translated from Hebrew as nails.
The Round Dance of the Angels
The next verse asks another important question: "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38: 7).
As the earth turns on its axis, the stars make a circular pattern as they appear to move around the earth. The earth is in the sacred center as it would appear. Anciently, Jewish belief speaks of a Foundation Stone, as a sacred center. Click here for more information. You can Google "Foundation Stone" and get much information on this topic, but I like one paragraph of this link because it links the Temple Mount to the concept of new birth as it states, "The Almighty created the world in the same manner as a child is formed in its mother's womb. Just as a child begins to grow from its navel and then develops into its full form, so the world began from its central point and then developed in all direction."
I'll come back to this idea of new beginnings and rebirth with the symbolism of the Seal of Melchizedek.
But I first want to talk about the Foundation Stone as the sacred center. The Foundation Stone on Mount Moriah, where Solomon built the temple (2 Chronicles 3: 1) links the concept of temple with a sacred center. As one observes the stars rotating around the earth, the earth itself becomes a center. The land of Israel becomes the center of the earth. The city Jerusalem becomes the center of Israel. The Temple Mount becomes the center of Jerusalem, and the Foundation Stone becomes the center (or Holy of Holies) of the temple. Legend has this as a "more sacred and hallowed" spot than any other in the creation of the earth. It becomes the navel of the earth, and some Bible scholars speak of this Foundation Stone as the first spot to emerge from the chaotic waters of Creation.
The stars, as they circle the earth, create a round dance in a circular pattern encompassing the earth. If the stars are figurative for the "sons (and daughters) of God," then this pattern of Creation is in likeness to angels in a premortal council participating in a circle dance, or round dance around a sacred center.
Ancient Prayer Circles
What makes this round dance pattern more interesting is the phrase, "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Ancient prayer circles were round dances with the participants moving in a circle and singing as they danced. They would "sing together" in unison.
The Psalms are really hymns of prayer, and many were used for worship in the temple. Psalm 24 begins with the Creation and the lyrics mention the earth being founded upon the seas and established upon the floods (verse 2). The temple foundation becomes a symbol of Creation as "the foundation of the earth." This is a testing question the Lord asks Job in the above verses. The "flood" would represent the waters of chaos God conquered during Creation.
The temple is identified in verse 3 as "the hill of the Lord," and His "holy place."
Then in verse 6 it reads, "This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah." You can click here to see the Hebrew word for generation in this verse, and you will notice it means "to go round" or "to go around or make a circle." The chorus verses are then sung together with lines being repeated in unison. The remainder of the psalm repeats the chorus lines, asking those testing questions identifying Christ as "the God of salvation" in verse 5. The question and answer dialog is repeated in the ending verses:
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
"Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
"Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah" (Psalm 24: 7-10).
A Symbol of Renewal and Rebirth
The authors of this enlightening book The Seal of Melchizedek develop the idea that this eight-point star represents a renewal period or a rebirth. They cite many excellent examples. In at least three ancient cultures--Babylonia, and the ancestors of the Lithuanian and Latvian people, the eight-point star represented the "Morning Star" or Venus. This is interesting for two reasons. First, the ancient prayer circle round dance served to represent the creation of the solar system with the planets moving around the sun in concentric circles like the round dance. And second, the eight-point star and the number 8 represent rebirth.
The Number 8
The authors cite baptism at age 8, the period after the seven days of Creation, or eighth day as a new beginning, the 8 years Lehi and his family traveled in the wilderness, the 8 barges of the Jaredites, and other examples connecting the concept of rebirth, or a new beginning, with the number 8.
They mention the required feasts in the Old Testament. One of those festivals, Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, began last night at sundown. The Bible Dictionary states, "To the seven days was added an eighth, “the last day, that great day of the feast” (Bible Dictionary, "Feasts").
This eight-point star, the Seal of Melchizedek, is a symbol of Christ, who kept the law of Moses perfectly (as He did all other laws and commandments), and He attended all the required feasts He commanded as Jehovah.
On "the eighth day of the feast" He gave an interesting sermon at the temple. The Gospel of John records,
"In the last day (the eighth day), that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7: 37-38).
But in this verse, whose belly is it? Is it the belly of the believer, or the belly of Jesus? And what is the belly He is referring to? In Greek, often a pronoun will refer to the noun or pronoun immediately preceding it. In this case "me" is the antecedent of "his," so likely this refers to the belly of Christ. And the Greek word translated into belly is koilia. It means belly or womb, and is the exact same word Nicodemus asked Jesus when he said, "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?" (John 3: 4). Jesus is actually speaking of spiritual rebirth on this 8th day of the feast.
Now let's return again to Job 38. Let's consider verses 7-9.
"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
"Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
"When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it" (Job 38: 7-9).
These verses contain two references to birth (the womb and swaddling bands), and these symbols are associated with the "morning star" or Venus, the planet-star that appears at the birth of a new day.
The Seal of Melchizedek, an eight-point star with a circle at its center, is associated with priesthood and Jesus Christ, whose course is one eternal round (see 1 Nephi 10: 19). The seal and symbol represent spiritual rebirth, as we become like God as His spiritually-begotten sons and daughters. This happens as we enter into covenants made available through that Priesthood bearing his name.
And thus, only in and through Jesus do we come full circle back into God's presence from whence we came.
Like Job, this is Divine Council imagery with the stars and the creatures as symbols for members (or gods) of the council. Notice the repetition of voice as a Leitwort (theme word) repeating three times. The voice comes from behind the whirlwind, or firmament, like the voice of the Lord from behind the veil. The voice is from the Almighty, or Most High God of the council. It is Elohim who presides over the council.
Ezekiel sees four creatures, similar to what John sees in Revelation, representing four classes of beings and Creation itself. The method of travel of these beings is interesting. It reads,
"The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
"When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went" (Ezekiel 1: 16-17, 24-25; Revelation 4: 6-7; D&C 77: 2-3).
The creatures have four sides and one likeness, like a square. The wheels are in the shape of a circle, representing eternity, or the heavens. The "wheels in the middle of wheels" represent concentric circles surrounding the throne of God in the sacred center. It is what Lehi describes as "numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God" (1 Nephi 1: 8). This also brings to mind the concept of ancient prayer circles surrounding a sacred center.
The design in many temples of circles within squares, like the Seal of Melchizedek, is a representation of the concept of temple itself--that sacred space where heaven meets earth. The circle represents eternity, which the authors of the book mention as coming from the King Follett Discourse when Joseph Smith compares eternity to the ring on his finger, having no beginning or end. The square, like the scriptural analogy of "the four corners of the earth," represents something finite. It can represent the earth, which will one day "wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner" (Isaiah 51: 6). The square can also represent mortality.
Melchizedek Priesthood
The concept of binding in heaven what is bound on earth is a function of priesthood keys, and in particular the Melchizedek Priesthood. The concept of piercing the veil and coming into the presence of God is also accomplished through the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Modern revelation states,
"And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
"Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
"And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
"For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live" (D&C 84: 19-22).
Sacred Space and Degrees of Holiness
Now let's go back to Job. When the Lord speaks out of the whirlwind, He asks certain testing questions to see if Job is ready to pass on to higher levels of holiness:
"Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
"Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
"Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof" (Job 38: 3-6).
As the temple represents Creation, He could have asked, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the temple? Or when I measured it? Or when I set up the Cornerstone and fastened the tent of the tabernacle to the foundation with spikes, translated from Hebrew as nails.
The Round Dance of the Angels
The next verse asks another important question: "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38: 7).
As the earth turns on its axis, the stars make a circular pattern as they appear to move around the earth. The earth is in the sacred center as it would appear. Anciently, Jewish belief speaks of a Foundation Stone, as a sacred center. Click here for more information. You can Google "Foundation Stone" and get much information on this topic, but I like one paragraph of this link because it links the Temple Mount to the concept of new birth as it states, "The Almighty created the world in the same manner as a child is formed in its mother's womb. Just as a child begins to grow from its navel and then develops into its full form, so the world began from its central point and then developed in all direction."
I'll come back to this idea of new beginnings and rebirth with the symbolism of the Seal of Melchizedek.
But I first want to talk about the Foundation Stone as the sacred center. The Foundation Stone on Mount Moriah, where Solomon built the temple (2 Chronicles 3: 1) links the concept of temple with a sacred center. As one observes the stars rotating around the earth, the earth itself becomes a center. The land of Israel becomes the center of the earth. The city Jerusalem becomes the center of Israel. The Temple Mount becomes the center of Jerusalem, and the Foundation Stone becomes the center (or Holy of Holies) of the temple. Legend has this as a "more sacred and hallowed" spot than any other in the creation of the earth. It becomes the navel of the earth, and some Bible scholars speak of this Foundation Stone as the first spot to emerge from the chaotic waters of Creation.
The stars, as they circle the earth, create a round dance in a circular pattern encompassing the earth. If the stars are figurative for the "sons (and daughters) of God," then this pattern of Creation is in likeness to angels in a premortal council participating in a circle dance, or round dance around a sacred center.
Ancient Prayer Circles
What makes this round dance pattern more interesting is the phrase, "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Ancient prayer circles were round dances with the participants moving in a circle and singing as they danced. They would "sing together" in unison.
The Psalms are really hymns of prayer, and many were used for worship in the temple. Psalm 24 begins with the Creation and the lyrics mention the earth being founded upon the seas and established upon the floods (verse 2). The temple foundation becomes a symbol of Creation as "the foundation of the earth." This is a testing question the Lord asks Job in the above verses. The "flood" would represent the waters of chaos God conquered during Creation.
The temple is identified in verse 3 as "the hill of the Lord," and His "holy place."
Then in verse 6 it reads, "This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah." You can click here to see the Hebrew word for generation in this verse, and you will notice it means "to go round" or "to go around or make a circle." The chorus verses are then sung together with lines being repeated in unison. The remainder of the psalm repeats the chorus lines, asking those testing questions identifying Christ as "the God of salvation" in verse 5. The question and answer dialog is repeated in the ending verses:
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
"Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
"Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah" (Psalm 24: 7-10).
A Symbol of Renewal and Rebirth
The authors of this enlightening book The Seal of Melchizedek develop the idea that this eight-point star represents a renewal period or a rebirth. They cite many excellent examples. In at least three ancient cultures--Babylonia, and the ancestors of the Lithuanian and Latvian people, the eight-point star represented the "Morning Star" or Venus. This is interesting for two reasons. First, the ancient prayer circle round dance served to represent the creation of the solar system with the planets moving around the sun in concentric circles like the round dance. And second, the eight-point star and the number 8 represent rebirth.
The Number 8
The authors cite baptism at age 8, the period after the seven days of Creation, or eighth day as a new beginning, the 8 years Lehi and his family traveled in the wilderness, the 8 barges of the Jaredites, and other examples connecting the concept of rebirth, or a new beginning, with the number 8.
They mention the required feasts in the Old Testament. One of those festivals, Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, began last night at sundown. The Bible Dictionary states, "To the seven days was added an eighth, “the last day, that great day of the feast” (Bible Dictionary, "Feasts").
This eight-point star, the Seal of Melchizedek, is a symbol of Christ, who kept the law of Moses perfectly (as He did all other laws and commandments), and He attended all the required feasts He commanded as Jehovah.
On "the eighth day of the feast" He gave an interesting sermon at the temple. The Gospel of John records,
"In the last day (the eighth day), that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7: 37-38).
But in this verse, whose belly is it? Is it the belly of the believer, or the belly of Jesus? And what is the belly He is referring to? In Greek, often a pronoun will refer to the noun or pronoun immediately preceding it. In this case "me" is the antecedent of "his," so likely this refers to the belly of Christ. And the Greek word translated into belly is koilia. It means belly or womb, and is the exact same word Nicodemus asked Jesus when he said, "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?" (John 3: 4). Jesus is actually speaking of spiritual rebirth on this 8th day of the feast.
Now let's return again to Job 38. Let's consider verses 7-9.
"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
"Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
"When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it" (Job 38: 7-9).
These verses contain two references to birth (the womb and swaddling bands), and these symbols are associated with the "morning star" or Venus, the planet-star that appears at the birth of a new day.
The Seal of Melchizedek, an eight-point star with a circle at its center, is associated with priesthood and Jesus Christ, whose course is one eternal round (see 1 Nephi 10: 19). The seal and symbol represent spiritual rebirth, as we become like God as His spiritually-begotten sons and daughters. This happens as we enter into covenants made available through that Priesthood bearing his name.
And thus, only in and through Jesus do we come full circle back into God's presence from whence we came.
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