What a wonderful blessing it is to have the Book of Mormon to help us learn of the Savior and draw closer to Him. Much of the doctrine concerning His Atonement is expounded in the Book of Mormon in such a way to give greater insight and clarity the mission of the Savior.
One of the questions asked by an angel in Nephi's temple-like experience was, "Knowest thou the condescension of God?" (1 Nephi 11: 16). A few chapters later several prophets, some of which are not mentioned in the Bible, elaborate on this theme.
In the Gospel of Mark Jesus is portrayed as a powerful figure right from the start. In the opening chapter the Lord performs several miracles, including commanding an unclean spirit to come out of a man, an act demonstrating a direct confrontation with Satan. While John uses a Greek word for miracle, meaning a sign or token, Mark uses the Greek word dynamis, the root of the English word dynamite. Mark does everything possible to emphasize the power of Jesus, until the final trip to Jerusalem. Then Jesus enters Gethsemane "sore amazed," which in the Greek means "struck with terror." He cries out to His Father using the familial word Abba, a word we would equate with "daddy or poppa" (see Mark 14: 33,36).
The Book of Mormon explains how Jesus descended below all things during the Passion and highlights the dual nature of Christ with a certain verse:
"And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men . . ." (1 Nephi 19: 10).
Did you notice that? He yielded Himself "as a man," and not "as a God." As a perfectly obedient Man, and yet very mortal in His ability to feel pain, sorrow for sin, and the full range of human experience, Jesus makes intercession for all mankind. The superhuman aspect of the Atonement was not to shield Himself from pain and suffering, but rather to be able to remain alive to suffer greater depths. Again, the Book of Mormon is very clear:
"And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people" (Mosiah 3: 7).
In other words, such an experience would kill any other mortal long before the suffering was complete.
The Savior willingly suffered "as a man" in the hands of wicked men. He then allows Himself to become vulnerable and helpless in order to succor us when we experience temptation, sorrow, hunger, thirst, or fatigue.
Then the dramatic contradictions begin to play out. The King of kings wears a crown of thorns and is smitten to the point that someone else has to carry the cross (Matthew 27: 29-32). The source of "living water" is compelled to cry out, "I thirst" (John 4: 10; 19: 28). He who gave the law as Jehovah became the "curse of the law," after the law He gave read, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3: 13). He who committed no sin would be wounded and receive the stripes necessary to heal us (see Isaiah 53: 5). As Elder Renlund noted in our last General Conference, "Life would be the most unfair for Jesus Christ" (Ensign, May 2016).
My heart goes out in gratitude to Him, that He would be willing to descend below all things to rescue a wretched man like me.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Sunday, May 22, 2016
"Driven Before the Wind"
The voyage to the Promised Land is interesting and enlightening for both the Nephite and Jaredite parties in the Book of Mormon. Navigation was certainly not advanced in ancient days so a Liahona, or compass would surely come in handy on such a journey. We know the entire process can be viewed as an allegory, and references to the Liahona shed light on the symbolic parallels of the journey to the Promised Land.
Alma explains to his son Helaman, "And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director (the Liahona) did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise" (Alma 37: 45).
"A far better land of promise" is a gross understatement. We're talking about exaltation here--our journey to celestial glory, or heaven. The Liahona was the guide, or compass, to show direction in this wilderness experience, representing mortal life. A compass is great, but you need something to propel the ship through turbulent, chaotic waters.
For both journeys (Nephites and Jaredites) the source of power was the wind. After everyone has boarded, Nephi proclaims, "We did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind towards the promised land" (1 Nephi 18: 8). The Jaredites "commend[ed] themselves unto the Lord their God," and then were driven by a "furious wind" toward the Promised Land (Ether 6: 4-5). This requires a heap of faith. We know the wind has a mind of its own. Jesus attested to this fact when He said, "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). Click here for a link to the Greek word translated as "listeth." You can see the wind really just blows where it wants.
But there is another interesting Greek word in this verse. The word "wind" at the beginning of the verse and the word "Spirit" at the end of the verse are the same word in the original Greek. The Greek word is pneuma, a root of the English word "pneumonia," meaning "lack of wind or breath." Pneuma means wind, breath, or spirit. You can click here for more information on this Greek word.
A quick analysis of the symbols for wind and Promised Land will lead to the following conclusion: The Spirit will guide us back to our heavenly home. The wind (or Spirit) will propel our ship toward the Promised Land of celestial glory.
Nephi's choice of wording further enlightens with the phrase, "driven forth before the wind towards the promised land." In Hebrew the word before denotes face or presence. The presence of the Holy Ghost will be our source of power if we gain eternal life. The Lord warns against deception and the snares of the world with a sure promise in latter-day scripture as forewarned in the Doctrine and Covenants:
"For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day" (D&C 45: 57).
Alma explains to his son Helaman, "And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director (the Liahona) did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise" (Alma 37: 45).
"A far better land of promise" is a gross understatement. We're talking about exaltation here--our journey to celestial glory, or heaven. The Liahona was the guide, or compass, to show direction in this wilderness experience, representing mortal life. A compass is great, but you need something to propel the ship through turbulent, chaotic waters.
For both journeys (Nephites and Jaredites) the source of power was the wind. After everyone has boarded, Nephi proclaims, "We did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind towards the promised land" (1 Nephi 18: 8). The Jaredites "commend[ed] themselves unto the Lord their God," and then were driven by a "furious wind" toward the Promised Land (Ether 6: 4-5). This requires a heap of faith. We know the wind has a mind of its own. Jesus attested to this fact when He said, "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). Click here for a link to the Greek word translated as "listeth." You can see the wind really just blows where it wants.
But there is another interesting Greek word in this verse. The word "wind" at the beginning of the verse and the word "Spirit" at the end of the verse are the same word in the original Greek. The Greek word is pneuma, a root of the English word "pneumonia," meaning "lack of wind or breath." Pneuma means wind, breath, or spirit. You can click here for more information on this Greek word.
A quick analysis of the symbols for wind and Promised Land will lead to the following conclusion: The Spirit will guide us back to our heavenly home. The wind (or Spirit) will propel our ship toward the Promised Land of celestial glory.
Nephi's choice of wording further enlightens with the phrase, "driven forth before the wind towards the promised land." In Hebrew the word before denotes face or presence. The presence of the Holy Ghost will be our source of power if we gain eternal life. The Lord warns against deception and the snares of the world with a sure promise in latter-day scripture as forewarned in the Doctrine and Covenants:
"For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day" (D&C 45: 57).
Sunday, May 15, 2016
The Leitwort "Down" in the Book of Mormon
Martin Buber, a Jewish philosopher and Bible scholar, is credited with the discovery of a literary style in the Bible called Leitwort, meaning "leading word" in German. The repetition of a particular Leitwort, or word, leads the reader into a particular theme to emphasize meaning.
All of these prominent words in the Bible are also found in the Book of Mormon with the same contextual meanings. The Book of Mormon even introduces a couple of new Leitworts, such as remember in Helaman, chapter 5 and tight in Ether, chapters 2 and 6.
Buber and other Bible scholars have observed how the word down emphasizes the concept of moving away from the presence of God. The story of Jonah is perhaps the prime example for this Leitwort. Notice the repetition and context of the following verses:
"But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
"Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep" (Jonah 1: 3,5).
The word down and the phrase "from the presence of the Lord," are paired together in a chiastic structure. The meaning is clear from the context.
In the next chapter Jonah proclaims, "I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God." And earlier he said, "I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple" (Jonah 2: 4,6).
As Jonah looks to run away from the Lord he is cast down, and after he has a more repentant attitude and is willing to "look again toward (the) temple," his life is brought up. The main scriptural purpose of the temple is to come back into the presence of God.
As Lehi and his family board the ship for the promised land, they are leaving the Jerusalem temple area, and in a symbolic sense, they are leaving the presence of God. In a similar fashion, the same Leitwort down is repeated in these verses:
"And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father, that we should arise and go down into the ship.
"And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared all things, much fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading and our seeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the ship, with our wives and our children.
"And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship, and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been commanded us, we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind towards the promised land" (1 Nephi 18: 5-6, 8).
The brother of Jared has a temple-like experience and actually overcomes the fall in that he is brought back into the presence of God (Ether 3: 13). The Book of Mormon uses Hebrew syntax of the words up and down to describe this experience of the brother of Jared.
"And the Lord commanded the brother of Jared to go down out of the mount from the presence of the Lord . . . " (Ether 4: 1).
These texts from the Book of Mormon demonstrate a purely Hebrew style and the purity of translation from these ancient texts. The literary style emphasizes the importance of temple ordinances in our quest to return to the presence of God. It also relates to the three pillars of eternity--Creation, Fall, and Atonement, and speaks of the role of the Savior as our great Mediator.
All of these prominent words in the Bible are also found in the Book of Mormon with the same contextual meanings. The Book of Mormon even introduces a couple of new Leitworts, such as remember in Helaman, chapter 5 and tight in Ether, chapters 2 and 6.
Buber and other Bible scholars have observed how the word down emphasizes the concept of moving away from the presence of God. The story of Jonah is perhaps the prime example for this Leitwort. Notice the repetition and context of the following verses:
"But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
"Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep" (Jonah 1: 3,5).
The word down and the phrase "from the presence of the Lord," are paired together in a chiastic structure. The meaning is clear from the context.
In the next chapter Jonah proclaims, "I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God." And earlier he said, "I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple" (Jonah 2: 4,6).
As Jonah looks to run away from the Lord he is cast down, and after he has a more repentant attitude and is willing to "look again toward (the) temple," his life is brought up. The main scriptural purpose of the temple is to come back into the presence of God.
As Lehi and his family board the ship for the promised land, they are leaving the Jerusalem temple area, and in a symbolic sense, they are leaving the presence of God. In a similar fashion, the same Leitwort down is repeated in these verses:
"And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father, that we should arise and go down into the ship.
"And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared all things, much fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading and our seeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the ship, with our wives and our children.
"And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship, and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been commanded us, we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind towards the promised land" (1 Nephi 18: 5-6, 8).
The brother of Jared has a temple-like experience and actually overcomes the fall in that he is brought back into the presence of God (Ether 3: 13). The Book of Mormon uses Hebrew syntax of the words up and down to describe this experience of the brother of Jared.
"And the Lord commanded the brother of Jared to go down out of the mount from the presence of the Lord . . . " (Ether 4: 1).
These texts from the Book of Mormon demonstrate a purely Hebrew style and the purity of translation from these ancient texts. The literary style emphasizes the importance of temple ordinances in our quest to return to the presence of God. It also relates to the three pillars of eternity--Creation, Fall, and Atonement, and speaks of the role of the Savior as our great Mediator.
Sunday, May 8, 2016
The Spring of the Bow
Nephi and his family encounter difficulties when he breaks his bow made of fine steel (1 Nephi 16: 18). Obviously, this was critical for their physical survival, but are there spiritual implications as well? Spiritual nourishment is just as important as physical nourishment.
The bow is an important symbol in the scriptures. The Hebrew word qesheth translates into the English words bow and rainbow. You can click here for more information and also the context of this word in the Old Testament. After the Flood the Lord establishes His covenant with the earth and all living creatures upon it. The covenant is described in Genesis.
"And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
"And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
"And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
"And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth" (Genesis 9: 14-17).
John the Revelator is caught up into heaven in another temple-like experience, where he sees "a rainbow round about the throne" (Revelation 4: 3). The Greek word for "round about" has a root word meaning circle. Click here for the root word for "round about." It is the Greek word kyklo the root of the English word cycle or circle.
Now we have a token of the covenant, the rainbow, in a circle formation around the throne of God, whose throne is in the sacred center.
So getting back to Nephi and his brothers, the Book of Mormon verse has a footnote relating to Laman and Lemuel's bows having "lost their springs" (1 Nephi 16: 21). The footnote takes you to Genesis 49: 24 which reads,
"But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)."
The context of this verse is a patriarchal blessing given by Jacob to all his sons. This particular part of the covenant refers specifically to the house of Joseph, the lineage of Lehi and his family (see Alma 10: 3). The promises given to Joseph were that his branches would run over the wall, or in other words, leave Jerusalem and settle in the Americas and other parts of the world (see Genesis 49: 22).
The divine strength promised to the houses of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, comes from the strength of covenants. The bow, a token of the covenant, abides in the strength of "the hands of the mighty God of Jacob."
The reader is not surprised that Laman and Lemuel have lost the springs in their bows. The weakness in their bows and their constant need to look to Nephi for direction is a sign and symptom of their neglect and unwillingness to make and keep covenants.
The rest of the chapter is telling. Nephi is willing to make a new bow, signifying it is something "new and everlasting." Again, the reader is not surprised to see where Nephi goes next:
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.
"And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch that I did obtain food for our families" (1 Nephi 16: 30-31).
Now I really hate to paraphrase scriptures, but a more modern interpretation of this story might read something like:
I, Nephi, did go forth into the Celestial Room of the temple, according to the words of Christ and the guidance and direction of the Spirit.
And I did slay the natural man, and I received nourishment from the Lord, both temporal and spiritual, insomuch that my family was blessed.
The bow is an important symbol in the scriptures. The Hebrew word qesheth translates into the English words bow and rainbow. You can click here for more information and also the context of this word in the Old Testament. After the Flood the Lord establishes His covenant with the earth and all living creatures upon it. The covenant is described in Genesis.
"And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
"And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
"And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
"And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth" (Genesis 9: 14-17).
John the Revelator is caught up into heaven in another temple-like experience, where he sees "a rainbow round about the throne" (Revelation 4: 3). The Greek word for "round about" has a root word meaning circle. Click here for the root word for "round about." It is the Greek word kyklo the root of the English word cycle or circle.
Now we have a token of the covenant, the rainbow, in a circle formation around the throne of God, whose throne is in the sacred center.
So getting back to Nephi and his brothers, the Book of Mormon verse has a footnote relating to Laman and Lemuel's bows having "lost their springs" (1 Nephi 16: 21). The footnote takes you to Genesis 49: 24 which reads,
"But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)."
The context of this verse is a patriarchal blessing given by Jacob to all his sons. This particular part of the covenant refers specifically to the house of Joseph, the lineage of Lehi and his family (see Alma 10: 3). The promises given to Joseph were that his branches would run over the wall, or in other words, leave Jerusalem and settle in the Americas and other parts of the world (see Genesis 49: 22).
The divine strength promised to the houses of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, comes from the strength of covenants. The bow, a token of the covenant, abides in the strength of "the hands of the mighty God of Jacob."
The reader is not surprised that Laman and Lemuel have lost the springs in their bows. The weakness in their bows and their constant need to look to Nephi for direction is a sign and symptom of their neglect and unwillingness to make and keep covenants.
The rest of the chapter is telling. Nephi is willing to make a new bow, signifying it is something "new and everlasting." Again, the reader is not surprised to see where Nephi goes next:
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.
"And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch that I did obtain food for our families" (1 Nephi 16: 30-31).
Now I really hate to paraphrase scriptures, but a more modern interpretation of this story might read something like:
I, Nephi, did go forth into the Celestial Room of the temple, according to the words of Christ and the guidance and direction of the Spirit.
And I did slay the natural man, and I received nourishment from the Lord, both temporal and spiritual, insomuch that my family was blessed.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Temple Imagery in Nephi's Heavenly Ascent
The representation of a mountain as the "mountain of the Lord’s house" (Isaiah 2: 2) is a recurring theme in scripture, and Nephi's vision is no exception. In First Nephi chapters 11 through 14, Nephi makes the ascent "into" the mountain and experiences a remarkable vision.
Note how Nephi always goes "into" the mountain and not onto or upon the mountain. Either he is going into a cave or he is going into the temple, and I'll stick with the latter (see 1 Nephi 11: 1).
Degrees of Holiness
The exceeding height of the mountain is a representation of the heavenly ascent and the levels on a mountain, as a representation of temple, correspond with degrees of holiness. When Moses ascended Sinai with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, he went alone unto (or into) the top of the mount and a cloud, similar to a veil, covered the mount. The congregation of Israel was worshiping afar from the foot of the mount and beyond. Higher up were Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and the seventy elders, and upon the top was Moses. The cloud remained upon the mount for six days and on the seventh day the Lord "called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud" (Exodus 24: 12-16).
The proximity of the top and the sacred center, or midst, are measuring reeds to differentiate degrees of holiness. As one ascends the mount and approaches the Lord, higher degrees of holiness are experienced.
The temple is very similar. There was the outer courtyard where Israelites could go and sacrifices could be brought. The Holy Place in the tabernacle and later temple was reserved for the priests. But only one could enter into the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, and that was the high priest. As he approached the mercy seat, or throne of God, he was covered in a cloud, similar to Sinai, as the smoke of the incense protected him from the consuming glory of the Lord. The high priest would carry the incense in both hands as an act of consecration prior to passing through the veil and into the Holy of Holies. The Hebrew word for consecrate means "to fill the hand." You can click here and here to read more about the two Hebrew words, male and yad, creating the phrase, "to fill the hand." This atonement symbolism is described in Leviticus 16.
It is interesting that the brother of Jared carries clear, celestial-type, white stones in his hands and consecrates them to the Lord before seeing inside the veil where he is brought back into the presence of God (Ether 3). Really, he is a type of Christ bringing the celestial stones (us) and presenting them to the Father.
Heaven Meets Earth
If you want a good definition of the concept of temple, it would be that sacred space where heaven meets earth. The top of a mountain serves as the prime location. In the opening chapter of the Book of Mormon, Lehi experiences a theophany where he sees God sitting upon His throne. He remarks, "Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth" (1 Nephi 1: 14). When you see Isaiah pairing heaven and earth, you can be sure he is speaking of temple concepts with passages like, "Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens" (Isaiah 48: 13).
Question and Answer Dialog
Nephi is privileged to have the Holy Ghost as his guide and Presenter to the Father in this temple-like experience. There follows a question and answer session. This serves two purposes. The first is a testing of knowledge and an initiation rite of passage. In pseudapigraphal texts and other non-biblical texts, Adam is questioned regarding names of animals and other things as a testing or rite of passage. As Adam named the animals and elements of creation he was also citing their purpose in the divine plan (see Genesis 2: 19-20). Also, several non-biblical accounts have Adam as a participant in creation, and thus he is revealing their role in the creative process.
The second reason for the question and answer session is to allow the initiate to gain greater knowledge from the Lord. Nephi is asked questions such as, "Behold, what desirest thou?" and "Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken?" After Nephi's second correct answer the Spirit vocally proclaims, "Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired." (1 Nephi 11: 2-6). Twice there is reference to "The Most High God." This pertains to divine council imagery, and makes reference to Elohim as the One presiding over the heavenly council. Nephi has now learned one of the names of God and has learned of His role in the divine council. Upon acknowledgment from the Lord that he has answered correctly, Nephi is allowed passage to "behold the things . . . desired" (v. 6).
Signs and Symbols
Nephi is then told he will be given a "sign." He learns that the sign is associated with the Son of God (v. 7). The love of God is symbolized by the tree of life, and the candlestick in the ancient temple (or tabernacle) is a symbol for the tree of life. The tree of life was placed in the "midst of the garden" of Eden (Genesis 2: 9).
The candlestick was placed in the tabernacle in the Holy Place. The Lord described the candlestick as follows:
"And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same" (Exodus 25: 31).
The "shaft" can be likened to a tree trunk, and the branches shoot forth out of the trunk with "three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side" (Exodus 25: 32). The "bowls" were filled with pure olive oil recalling the "oil press" of Gethsemane. The light emanating from the branches of the candlestick was bright, white, and pure like the fruit of the tree of life. Perhaps Alma is describing the Holy Place of the tabernacle containing the table of shewbread and the candlestick with the verse, "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: 34).
Angels as Messengers
After the Fall, Adam and Eve (and all mankind) were shut out from the direct presence of God. It then became the role of angels, or messengers, to proclaim the gospel plan and to reveal those heavenly initiation rites and other gospel truths. It is significant to this account of Nephi's vision that he no longer sees the Holy Ghost as a personage, and that the remainder of this temple-like experience is conducted by an angel. Nephi writes,
"And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?" (1 Nephi 11: 14).
The messenger continues the question and answer dialog. This corresponds to the account of Abraham when "three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground" (Genesis 18: 2). The three men represent the keys of presidency and whenever or wherever you see three men or women acting together as a presidency they act in the role of messengers. This can be the First Presidency, a stake presidency, bishopric, Elders Quorum presidency, Young Women presidency, or other presidencies in the Church. Abraham's experience "at the tent door" also implies a temple-like experience.
Ascending the Mount
I've been working on this post for two weeks. Last Friday was our wedding anniversary. My dear wife chose to attend the temple for our anniversary. I tagged along. It was my first time in the new Provo City Center Temple since it was dedicated as a temple.
I realized on the day of dedication in March that I was once arrested on the grounds of the old tabernacle. Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, my life is much more joyous and fulfilling than it was in those years of alcoholism and addiction. That old building has progressed and hopefully so have I, at least a little bit.
I never thought I would enter the temple again or for that matter have a wife or kids. Alcoholism consumed me. But last Friday I was consumed by the Spirit and the love of God burning in my heart. Like Nephi, I might have got a little "carried away."
In the new Provo City Center Temple you actually get to ascend--literally! As you may have guessed, my wife made it up the mountain first. She arrived first at the midpoint, and first at the top of the mount. It was a fitting symbol for my life. She is far ahead of me spiritually but in trying to keep up, I am made a better man.
I love her so much for all she has given me.
Note how Nephi always goes "into" the mountain and not onto or upon the mountain. Either he is going into a cave or he is going into the temple, and I'll stick with the latter (see 1 Nephi 11: 1).
Degrees of Holiness
The exceeding height of the mountain is a representation of the heavenly ascent and the levels on a mountain, as a representation of temple, correspond with degrees of holiness. When Moses ascended Sinai with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, he went alone unto (or into) the top of the mount and a cloud, similar to a veil, covered the mount. The congregation of Israel was worshiping afar from the foot of the mount and beyond. Higher up were Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and the seventy elders, and upon the top was Moses. The cloud remained upon the mount for six days and on the seventh day the Lord "called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud" (Exodus 24: 12-16).
The proximity of the top and the sacred center, or midst, are measuring reeds to differentiate degrees of holiness. As one ascends the mount and approaches the Lord, higher degrees of holiness are experienced.
The temple is very similar. There was the outer courtyard where Israelites could go and sacrifices could be brought. The Holy Place in the tabernacle and later temple was reserved for the priests. But only one could enter into the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, and that was the high priest. As he approached the mercy seat, or throne of God, he was covered in a cloud, similar to Sinai, as the smoke of the incense protected him from the consuming glory of the Lord. The high priest would carry the incense in both hands as an act of consecration prior to passing through the veil and into the Holy of Holies. The Hebrew word for consecrate means "to fill the hand." You can click here and here to read more about the two Hebrew words, male and yad, creating the phrase, "to fill the hand." This atonement symbolism is described in Leviticus 16.
It is interesting that the brother of Jared carries clear, celestial-type, white stones in his hands and consecrates them to the Lord before seeing inside the veil where he is brought back into the presence of God (Ether 3). Really, he is a type of Christ bringing the celestial stones (us) and presenting them to the Father.
Heaven Meets Earth
If you want a good definition of the concept of temple, it would be that sacred space where heaven meets earth. The top of a mountain serves as the prime location. In the opening chapter of the Book of Mormon, Lehi experiences a theophany where he sees God sitting upon His throne. He remarks, "Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth" (1 Nephi 1: 14). When you see Isaiah pairing heaven and earth, you can be sure he is speaking of temple concepts with passages like, "Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens" (Isaiah 48: 13).
Question and Answer Dialog
Nephi is privileged to have the Holy Ghost as his guide and Presenter to the Father in this temple-like experience. There follows a question and answer session. This serves two purposes. The first is a testing of knowledge and an initiation rite of passage. In pseudapigraphal texts and other non-biblical texts, Adam is questioned regarding names of animals and other things as a testing or rite of passage. As Adam named the animals and elements of creation he was also citing their purpose in the divine plan (see Genesis 2: 19-20). Also, several non-biblical accounts have Adam as a participant in creation, and thus he is revealing their role in the creative process.
The second reason for the question and answer session is to allow the initiate to gain greater knowledge from the Lord. Nephi is asked questions such as, "Behold, what desirest thou?" and "Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken?" After Nephi's second correct answer the Spirit vocally proclaims, "Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired." (1 Nephi 11: 2-6). Twice there is reference to "The Most High God." This pertains to divine council imagery, and makes reference to Elohim as the One presiding over the heavenly council. Nephi has now learned one of the names of God and has learned of His role in the divine council. Upon acknowledgment from the Lord that he has answered correctly, Nephi is allowed passage to "behold the things . . . desired" (v. 6).
Signs and Symbols
Nephi is then told he will be given a "sign." He learns that the sign is associated with the Son of God (v. 7). The love of God is symbolized by the tree of life, and the candlestick in the ancient temple (or tabernacle) is a symbol for the tree of life. The tree of life was placed in the "midst of the garden" of Eden (Genesis 2: 9).
The candlestick was placed in the tabernacle in the Holy Place. The Lord described the candlestick as follows:
"And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same" (Exodus 25: 31).
The "shaft" can be likened to a tree trunk, and the branches shoot forth out of the trunk with "three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side" (Exodus 25: 32). The "bowls" were filled with pure olive oil recalling the "oil press" of Gethsemane. The light emanating from the branches of the candlestick was bright, white, and pure like the fruit of the tree of life. Perhaps Alma is describing the Holy Place of the tabernacle containing the table of shewbread and the candlestick with the verse, "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: 34).
Angels as Messengers
After the Fall, Adam and Eve (and all mankind) were shut out from the direct presence of God. It then became the role of angels, or messengers, to proclaim the gospel plan and to reveal those heavenly initiation rites and other gospel truths. It is significant to this account of Nephi's vision that he no longer sees the Holy Ghost as a personage, and that the remainder of this temple-like experience is conducted by an angel. Nephi writes,
"And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?" (1 Nephi 11: 14).
The messenger continues the question and answer dialog. This corresponds to the account of Abraham when "three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground" (Genesis 18: 2). The three men represent the keys of presidency and whenever or wherever you see three men or women acting together as a presidency they act in the role of messengers. This can be the First Presidency, a stake presidency, bishopric, Elders Quorum presidency, Young Women presidency, or other presidencies in the Church. Abraham's experience "at the tent door" also implies a temple-like experience.
Ascending the Mount
I've been working on this post for two weeks. Last Friday was our wedding anniversary. My dear wife chose to attend the temple for our anniversary. I tagged along. It was my first time in the new Provo City Center Temple since it was dedicated as a temple.
I realized on the day of dedication in March that I was once arrested on the grounds of the old tabernacle. Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, my life is much more joyous and fulfilling than it was in those years of alcoholism and addiction. That old building has progressed and hopefully so have I, at least a little bit.
I never thought I would enter the temple again or for that matter have a wife or kids. Alcoholism consumed me. But last Friday I was consumed by the Spirit and the love of God burning in my heart. Like Nephi, I might have got a little "carried away."
In the new Provo City Center Temple you actually get to ascend--literally! As you may have guessed, my wife made it up the mountain first. She arrived first at the midpoint, and first at the top of the mount. It was a fitting symbol for my life. She is far ahead of me spiritually but in trying to keep up, I am made a better man.
I love her so much for all she has given me.
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