We have an echo of an Old Testament story in the Book of Enos in the Book of Mormon. Even the names are preserved in this ritual encounter.
Enos and Jacob Both Left Alone
Enos has a "wrestle . . . before God," in which he is given strength to prevail and receives a "remission" of his sins, something that can only be accomplished through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It echoes the experience of Jacob in the Bible. "Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." The idea that Jacob was left alone stands in opposition to being reconciled, as two beings are fused together and become, in essence, similar in nature. Remember Jacob was a twin, but for the moment his twin brother is not present, and he is left alone, emphasizing the idea that he is vulnerable and perhaps even weak on his own.
Jacob Receives A New Name
But then something incredible happens: "And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him." Now the phrase "hollow of the thigh" is the Hebrew word kaph, and it also means "palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand," or "hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects." It is a representation of power. The Messenger then asks Jacob, "What is thy name?" He is then given a new name of Israel, meaning "to prevail with God." "And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved" (Genesis 32: 24-30).
A Wrestle or Embrace?
So if this is a face to face encounter with God, the term "wrestle" is indeed interesting. The Hebrew word for wrestle comes from a root meaning dust. You would get down in the dust and get dirty if you were wrestling in this Hebrew sense.
But Hugh Nibley takes a different approach. He says, "When one considers that the word conventionally translated as ‘wrestled (yēʾāvēq)’ can just as well mean ‘embrace’ and that it was in this ritual embrace that Jacob received a new name and the bestowal of priestly and kingly power at sunrise (Genesis 32:24-30), the parallel to the Egyptian coronation embrace becomes at once apparent" (The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment, 2nd ed. [CWHN 16; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 2005], 434).
The embrace is a ritual to mark the coronation of kingly (and priestly) powers, merging the two beings as one. It is a representation of "at-one-ment." The names are also a play on words. This is not Jacob's first wrestle. He "struggled," or wrestled with Esau in the womb. Esau was born first, but as Jacob came out of the womb "his hand took hold on Esau’s heel" (see Genesis 25: 22-26). The name Jacob means "heel holder" or "supplanter." This would be a great wrestling hold.
The connection of wrestling and embracing is manifest in the transformation of Jacob as a "supplanter" who later, after receiving a new name meaning to prevail with God, is embraced as one receiving a coronation and kingly authority and power. Nibley notes, "One retained his identity after the ritual embrace, yet that embrace was nothing less than a 'Wesensverschmelzung,' a fusing of identities, of mortal with immortal, of father with son, and as such marked "the highpoint of the whole mystery-drama" (Spiegel, An. Serv., 53:392)."
Fusing of Father and Son, Mortal With Immortal
Note the fusing of the mortal with the immortal and the father with the son. Later, after Jacob receives a new name, he is reconciled with Esau in the very next chapter. Note the reunion: "And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept" (Genesis 33: 4). The embrace is symbolically fusing the two twin brothers together, if for only a moment, as later the two nations will go to battle again.
In ancient Israel, Egyptian, and other Middle Eastern cultures, kings are deified. The Psalmist declares, "For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth" (Psalms 74: 12). The close connection between kings and God is evident, and the ritual embrace represents the king (or queen) becoming one with God.
In the case of Enos, the role of becoming a king and priest is extended to the next generation. Enos begins his text with the observation, "Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he was a just man—for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it" (Enos 1: 1). His father, Jacob, like his namesake in the Bible, is "justified" "through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant" (see D&C 76: 69). The "nurture" of the Lord is shown forth in His invitation as He says, "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" (Alma 5: 33). This is the essence of the ritual embrace. Giving praise to the "name of God," would imply a covenant relationship as His name is placed on the initiate.
The Name of Enos
The name Enos means man or mankind, and particularly the "common man." It is related to a Hebrew root anash which means "to be weak, sick, frail." Like Jacob, who was "left alone" and "wrestled" with a being until the breaking of the day, Enos is very vulnerable, perhaps remembering earlier times when he hunted beasts in the forest with his father. I like to think of Enos sitting on a rock and remembering when he was there with his dad, as Jacob taught him about the "nurture and admonition of the Lord." Perhaps Enos is seeking some kind of reunion. The embrace of the father with the Prodigal Son was such a reunion (see Luke 15: 20). Jacob wrestled all night until daybreak. Enos kneels down before his Maker and, in a sense, wrestles with God all day long and into the night. Enos said "my soul hungered," a display of his weak and vulnerable state (Enos 1: 4).
Then Enos has an experience with the Atonement, perhaps similar to Jacob in the Bible, as he wrestles for a remission of his sins.
Jacob declares, "I have seen God face to face" (Genesis 32: 30). It is interesting that Enos ends his text with the perfect description of an embrace with the Father, and seeing His face with gladness by the statement:
"And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen" (Enos 1: 27).
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Bookends For An Invitation
A couple of years ago I read a fascinating paper written by John Hilton III presented at the 42nd Annual Sydney B Sperry Symposium held at BYU. In this paper the author compares various psalms with Book of Mormon texts.
He presents the idea that Jacob (in the Book of Mormon) quotes from Psalm 95, splits the verses, and uses this temple psalm as bookends for his book. The psalm reads,
"To day if ye will hear his voice,
"Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness" (Psalms 95: 7-8).
A Temple Psalm
Psalm 95 is a worship hymn likely used in temple worship, and particularly in the ancient round dance prayer circle. Participants would dance in a circle singing the psalm, or hymn, while making "a joyful noise" in the process (see verse 1). The psalm describes a Divine Council setting, where the Most High God would be in the sacred center, or midst, with the council roundabout. Thus, the phrases, "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving," and "For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods" (vv. 2-3). Similar verses would be "And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good" (Abraham 3: 23). Also, in the opening chapter of the Book of Mormon is the verse, "He (Lehi) saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God" (1 Nephi 1:8).
Note that the members of the council are all gods, but a great King presides over the council, suggesting that the members can attain kingship like the Most High God.
In the psalm the Creation story is recalled with the verse, "The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land" (Psalm 95: 5). The concepts of God being equated to a king and God being the Great Creator are both common temple themes as well as themes of the Psalms.
Seidel's Law
Jacob uses the verses above as bookends for the first and the last chapter of his teachings. I am omitting Jacob 7 as the final chapter since that appears to be a later story involving an anti-Christ, and is written almost as an afterthought. Jacob has already "bid farewell" to his audience until he will meet them again at "the pleasing bar of God" (Jacob 6: 13).
Interestingly, Jacob reverses the order of the verses above, according to Hebrew writing patterns discovered by M. Seidel, who termed this "Seidel's Law." This occurs when one writer is quoting an earlier writer, so the phrases are inverted to emphasize that this is a quote. Some examples are the following verses:
"Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit" (Leviticus 26: 4).
"And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase" (Ezekiel 34: 27).
"Cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee" (Genesis 27: 29).
"Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee" (Numbers 24: 9).
Notice how the phrases are reversed as quoted by the later writers. Jacob uses this Hebrew form, and examples of Seidel's Law occur in several places in the Book of Mormon. I will give you one other example, just for fun:
"He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart . . . " (Psalms 24: 4).
"I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?" (Alma 5: 19).
Detractors accused Joseph Smith of copying from the Bible, but if that were the case why are the phrases reversed? And how would Joseph know to do this? Seidel discovered this in 1955.
Jacob's First Bookend
Jacob's first bookend is the later phrase given in Psalms 95: "Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness."
Jacob uses the example of the children of Israel provoking the Lord in the day of temptation as an invitation to "come unto Christ."
"Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the wilderness" (Jacob 1: 7).
In earlier posts we have examined this theme of "coming unto Christ," as a central theme of the book of Jacob. Jacob chapter 4 is loaded with doctrine concerning the coming of Christ and how the Law of Moses was supposed to "point our souls" to Him (v. 5). The Creation process is summarized as in Psalms 95, and the wisdom, justice, and mercy of God are expounded (vv. 9-10).
Then the priestly idea is developed in verse 11 of how we can be presented before God as the "firstfruits" to represent the best of God's harvest. This can happen only through the Atonement of Christ, as we are reconciled to the Father. This is the culmination of temple ordinances, to bring us back into the presence of God, overcoming the Fall.
Chapter 4 is a precursor to chapter 5 as the fruits of the vineyard are gathered into one and presented to the Father, just like in modern revelation "When he shall deliver up the kingdom, and present it unto the Father, spotless, saying: I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God" (D&C 76: 107). This is great priestly imagery!
Jacob's Ending Bookend
Jacob's ending bookend incorporates the same central theme of coming unto Christ and echoes Psalm 95:
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.
"Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; for why will ye die?" (Jacob 6: 5-6).
Sandwiched between these bookends is great doctrine. Jacob warns against those things that harden the heart, like pride, lust for material wealth, and sexual immorality. At one point hearts were so hardened that "many hearts died" (Jacob 2: 35).
His tender plea to "cleave unto God as He cleaveth unto you" has special meaning for me. Last year in one of my readings of the Book of Mormon I chose this verse to "ponderize" during the week as Elder Durrant admonished in General Conference. As I read this verse, a beautiful sunrise came over the eastern mountains illuminating the clouds until they looked like red flames of fire. The Spirit whispered to me that He really does cleave to me and to each of us.
Last Thursday while I was at work I received an email from my daughter's mission. She had arrived safely in Canada. I stared at the photo of her, the mission president, his wife, and the familiar face of her first companion and missionary trainer--a dear sister from our own ward. Yes, the Lord is aware of each of us and this is another evidence of His many tender mercies.
As long as His arm of mercy is extended, and as long as you have breath, it's not too late to come unto Him.
He presents the idea that Jacob (in the Book of Mormon) quotes from Psalm 95, splits the verses, and uses this temple psalm as bookends for his book. The psalm reads,
"To day if ye will hear his voice,
"Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness" (Psalms 95: 7-8).
A Temple Psalm
Psalm 95 is a worship hymn likely used in temple worship, and particularly in the ancient round dance prayer circle. Participants would dance in a circle singing the psalm, or hymn, while making "a joyful noise" in the process (see verse 1). The psalm describes a Divine Council setting, where the Most High God would be in the sacred center, or midst, with the council roundabout. Thus, the phrases, "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving," and "For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods" (vv. 2-3). Similar verses would be "And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good" (Abraham 3: 23). Also, in the opening chapter of the Book of Mormon is the verse, "He (Lehi) saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God" (1 Nephi 1:8).
Note that the members of the council are all gods, but a great King presides over the council, suggesting that the members can attain kingship like the Most High God.
In the psalm the Creation story is recalled with the verse, "The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land" (Psalm 95: 5). The concepts of God being equated to a king and God being the Great Creator are both common temple themes as well as themes of the Psalms.
Seidel's Law
Jacob uses the verses above as bookends for the first and the last chapter of his teachings. I am omitting Jacob 7 as the final chapter since that appears to be a later story involving an anti-Christ, and is written almost as an afterthought. Jacob has already "bid farewell" to his audience until he will meet them again at "the pleasing bar of God" (Jacob 6: 13).
Interestingly, Jacob reverses the order of the verses above, according to Hebrew writing patterns discovered by M. Seidel, who termed this "Seidel's Law." This occurs when one writer is quoting an earlier writer, so the phrases are inverted to emphasize that this is a quote. Some examples are the following verses:
"Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit" (Leviticus 26: 4).
"And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase" (Ezekiel 34: 27).
"Cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee" (Genesis 27: 29).
"Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee" (Numbers 24: 9).
Notice how the phrases are reversed as quoted by the later writers. Jacob uses this Hebrew form, and examples of Seidel's Law occur in several places in the Book of Mormon. I will give you one other example, just for fun:
"He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart . . . " (Psalms 24: 4).
"I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?" (Alma 5: 19).
Detractors accused Joseph Smith of copying from the Bible, but if that were the case why are the phrases reversed? And how would Joseph know to do this? Seidel discovered this in 1955.
Jacob's First Bookend
Jacob's first bookend is the later phrase given in Psalms 95: "Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness."
Jacob uses the example of the children of Israel provoking the Lord in the day of temptation as an invitation to "come unto Christ."
"Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the wilderness" (Jacob 1: 7).
In earlier posts we have examined this theme of "coming unto Christ," as a central theme of the book of Jacob. Jacob chapter 4 is loaded with doctrine concerning the coming of Christ and how the Law of Moses was supposed to "point our souls" to Him (v. 5). The Creation process is summarized as in Psalms 95, and the wisdom, justice, and mercy of God are expounded (vv. 9-10).
Then the priestly idea is developed in verse 11 of how we can be presented before God as the "firstfruits" to represent the best of God's harvest. This can happen only through the Atonement of Christ, as we are reconciled to the Father. This is the culmination of temple ordinances, to bring us back into the presence of God, overcoming the Fall.
Chapter 4 is a precursor to chapter 5 as the fruits of the vineyard are gathered into one and presented to the Father, just like in modern revelation "When he shall deliver up the kingdom, and present it unto the Father, spotless, saying: I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God" (D&C 76: 107). This is great priestly imagery!
Jacob's Ending Bookend
Jacob's ending bookend incorporates the same central theme of coming unto Christ and echoes Psalm 95:
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.
"Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; for why will ye die?" (Jacob 6: 5-6).
Sandwiched between these bookends is great doctrine. Jacob warns against those things that harden the heart, like pride, lust for material wealth, and sexual immorality. At one point hearts were so hardened that "many hearts died" (Jacob 2: 35).
His tender plea to "cleave unto God as He cleaveth unto you" has special meaning for me. Last year in one of my readings of the Book of Mormon I chose this verse to "ponderize" during the week as Elder Durrant admonished in General Conference. As I read this verse, a beautiful sunrise came over the eastern mountains illuminating the clouds until they looked like red flames of fire. The Spirit whispered to me that He really does cleave to me and to each of us.
Last Thursday while I was at work I received an email from my daughter's mission. She had arrived safely in Canada. I stared at the photo of her, the mission president, his wife, and the familiar face of her first companion and missionary trainer--a dear sister from our own ward. Yes, the Lord is aware of each of us and this is another evidence of His many tender mercies.
As long as His arm of mercy is extended, and as long as you have breath, it's not too late to come unto Him.
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Things You Can Learn Cleaning the Church
Yesterday I was privileged to help clean the church. I usually sign up for vacuuming duties and come equipped with headphones to make the otherwise menial task go by faster. We usually have a good turnout and so it was yesterday, so it goes by quickly and smoothly.
Unlike cleaning my own house, the church is usually quite clean when we start, and a sister in our ward commented on that. I replied that I couldn't tell if I was making a difference. Sometimes the gospel is like that. Some callings may not seem as important as others, and we think we are not having any effect in the great scheme of things. But others will notice the little things we may not, and certainly the Lord notices every kind act.
I usually make three laps down the hall to cover the left side, middle, and right side. I always hope the cord will be long enough to make it to the next outlet. As I unwound the cord and stretched it out, I noticed it barely reached the outlet down the hall. It almost seemed peculiar, but the words popped into my head, "My grace is sufficient" (see Ether 12: 27; 2 Corinthians 12: 9). Like the vacuum cord, His grace always seems sufficient to bridge the gap, however large and looming, between what I can do and what needs to be done.
Then, by not paying attention, I went down the hall a little too far and the plug came out of the wall. I could still go through the motions and push the vacuum down the hall, but now there was no power. I thought of my own personal recovery from addiction and alcoholism. I can go through the Twelve Steps, and I can go through the daily motion of gospel living, but without my Savior's grace and the power of His Atonement, spiritual progress simply doesn't happen. I simply backtracked, repented, got plugged in, and the floor started to get cleaner.
As I tried to go around a corner, the cord got tangled in a table in the hallway. I thought about how dumb I was that I didn't pull the cord around the table, or move the table. But the Spirit quickly comforted me, reminding me that my personal hero, the Prophet Joseph Smith received of God's grace, and then became "entangled again in the vanities of the world. But after repenting, and humbling himself sincerely, through faith, God ministered unto him by an holy angel, whose countenance was as lightning, and whose garments were pure and white above all other whiteness" (D&C 20: 5-6). Now if I could just get the tile under the drinking fountain "pure and white."
I went over the surface of the tile with the vacuum, but some spots still looked dirty. I didn't have any other cleaning materials, so I scraped away some of the dirt with my thumbnail. That part wasn't pleasant, but neither was the infinite Atonement wrought out in Gethsemane by a loving Savior, who was willing to bear the bruises of a filthy life, to scrape away the natural man inside myself.
When I went down the hall in the other direction, I got tangled up again in the same table. How stupid! Then before I could fix it, a young man came out of the cultural hall where they were playing basketball and untangled the cord for me. He didn't have to do that. He hadn't signed up for cleaning. But he stopped to help me. I thought of how living the gospel was like that. We are all in this together. We get to "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees," because all of us will probably have a time when the hands hang down, the knees get weak, and the cords get tangled (see D&C 81: 5).
Then, as if I needed a second witness, a song came on through my headphones. It was "Ohio" (Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young). It's a fine 1970 protest song, and it brought back recent memories from two years ago. My daughter had to write a paper for her high school English class about a protest song, and she came to me knowing I have all kinds of vintage music, and I suggested the song to her. I helped her get an "A" on her paper, and now she is helping me by blessing our lives as she recently began her mission. She has been in the MTC for 18 days now, and I miss her lots, but I'm so glad she is serving the Lord as a full-time missionary. We know we are being blessed as a family.
I listen to my music alphabetically, since I don't think Apple shuffles my music right, so the song "Ol' 55" (The Eagles) came up next, and I thought about my old 55 Buick I traded away for $10 to go on my mission eons ago. Oh, how I wish I had that car back (not that I could drive it or anything). Then "Old Days" (Chicago) with lyrics of "baseball cards and drive-in movies," something my kids will never get to experience. I thought about how grateful I was for youthful memories, and that I have wonderful parents who took us to drive-in movies. Then the song "On the Border" (Al Stewart) played, and I thought again on my daughter crossing the border in two days as she leaves for Canada to share the gospel.
A couple of basketball players came out into the hall to get a drink of water. I knew they would get thirsty again. I thought about living water provided by the Savior, which would cause one to never get thirsty again, but would be "a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4: 14).
As I approached the end of the hallway, I remembered cleaning that area the day after Sandy Hook, as pure, innocent children lost their lives. Although saddened by such a horrific
crime, this beautiful painting portrays the Savior holding a little child in His arms. I knew where those precious children were. They were "clasped in the arms of Jesus" (Mormon 5: 11). I was comforted by the Spirit at that tragic time, but I still get a little teary when I see that portrait.
crime, this beautiful painting portrays the Savior holding a little child in His arms. I knew where those precious children were. They were "clasped in the arms of Jesus" (Mormon 5: 11). I was comforted by the Spirit at that tragic time, but I still get a little teary when I see that portrait.
Across the hall was our ward's missionary display--15 wonderful young elders and sisters (my dear daughter being the newest) who are scattered across the globe to share this supernal gospel message. These 15 ambassadors of Christ seemed to radiate through the sparkling glass just cleaned by another missionary parent, a missionary mom. Of course, now I'm crying just a tad harder, as I gaze upon the Canadian flag spread over the lap of my daughter. On each plaque is a photo and a favorite scripture chosen by the missionary. The scripture chosen by my daughter reads,
"And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things" (Jacob 5: 72).
How I knew it to be true! Whether one is serving as a full-time missionary or merely doing something as simple as cleaning a chapel, he or she is never alone.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Living Water Goes Down To The Roots
The allegory of the olive trees taught by Zenos and quoted by Jacob in the Book of Mormon is an interesting historical summary of the House of Israel. It can be read on a macro level and a micro level as well. Don't worry, this post is not intended to cover the longest chapter in the Book of Mormon. There is definitely much going on here. My intent here is to focus on a couple of the verses and how they apply to the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Jacob Chapter Five is divided into a series of historical time periods with time markers in verses such as, "And it came to pass that a long time passed away" (v. 15). The scattering of Israel has already begun as the Lord of the vineyard declared, "And these will I place in the nethermost part of my vineyard, whithersoever I will, it mattereth not unto thee," speaking of the natural branches of the tame olive tree (v. 13).
The Lord of the vineyard has a plan for the tree. It includes four elements--nourishment, digging, pruning, and dung. And, of course, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, so if it's good for the whole house, it's good for the individual. These all help the tree so that when the water comes to the root, the tree will grow, prosper, and bear good fruit. There are many applications of the symbolic care of the tree, but I will mention one example for each of the four elements.
Nourishment
The Lord speaks often of "preserving the roots" in this chapter. Nourishment is obviously crucial to life itself and keeping the roots alive. But it's apparent the Lord is speaking also of spiritual nourishment, such as that received by heartfelt prayer, meaningful scripture study, and the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Those who had been baptized into the church, according to Moroni, "were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith" (Moroni 6: 4). They were rooted in Christ, relying upon His merits.
Digging
It becomes apparent with one glance at my yard that I'm no gardening expert, so I can't tell you how digging around a tree would help it any. But last year as I was digging around in the Book of Mormon, I changed my opinion about the "slippery treasures" people went digging for, but to no avail.
Samuel the Lamanite prophesied that the people would one day say, "O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us" (Helaman 13: 33). I used to think these must have been only material treasures, until I dug a little deeper and pondered on one of the later verses, and realized that these people were "surrounded by demons" and "the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls"
(verse 37), and having more material goods would not have warded off a demon. But having the power of temple covenants, or the companionship of the Holy Ghost, or the blessings that come from righteous living most certainly would be heavenly treasures, and guaranteed to be potent against such an attack.
And how about digging a little deeper inside ourselves to find ways to deepen discipleship?
Pruning
The Lord said to His disciples, "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (John 15: 2). It's seldom fun to have to cut things out of our lives or be shaped by the Lord. But character, like the branches of a tree, are a composite of good and bad.
Those of us in Twelve Step recovery work a Fourth Step: "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves." My own inventory revealed many character defects and behaviors worthy of pruning. Near the end of this allegory there is some great advice on overcoming evil influences. The Lord of the vineyard gives sage advice.
"Ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish . . . Wherefore ye shall clear away the bad according as the good shall grow, that the root and the top may be equal in strength, until the good shall overcome the bad" (Jacob 5: 65-66).
Satan will try to discourage us by reminding us of many shortcomings and weaknesses. The Holy Ghost will encourage us to strive to be better disciples of Christ, and will prompt us to know how and when we can improve, and what we need to work on next. The bad things in life need to be replaced with something good, otherwise there remains a void.
Dung
I will simply call this adversity. It becomes fertilizer for plants and trees, and adversity can become a growth opportunity for true saints. Brigham Young once said, "The worst fear that I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and His people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church and go to hell. This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty, and all manner of persecution, and be true. But my greater fear for them is that they cannot stand wealth; and yet they have to be tried with riches, for they will become the richest people on this earth" (reported in James S. Brown, Life of a Pioneer [1900], 122–23).
And the Lord says, "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction" (Isaiah 48: 10).
Living Water
There is an interesting parallel between the events in this allegory and an event in the life of the Savior. When Jesus traveled to Samaria He met the woman at Jacob's well and promised her "living water." Jesus said, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water" (John 4: 10). He explained that this "living water" could be "a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4: 14).
When the disciples returned, Jesus said to them "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest" (John 4: 35). This represented an expansion of the gospel message to the Samaritans, where Jesus was, and then later to the Gentiles. These Samaritans, who were considered half-Israelites by the Jews, and later the Gentiles, would become the harvest of those white fields.
The wild olive tree, whose branches were grafted into the tame tree, represented the Gentiles grasping hold of the gospel, which preserved the early Christian church. The same thing happened in the Restoration period in Kirtland, Ohio around 1838 when missionaries were sent out, and new converts were brought in to preserve the lifeblood of the Church.
Notice how this event is portrayed in Zenos' allegory:
"And he said unto the servant: Behold, the branches of the wild tree have taken hold of the moisture of the root thereof, that the root thereof hath brought forth much strength; and because of the much strength of the root thereof the wild branches have brought forth tame fruit. Now, if we had not grafted in these branches, the tree thereof would have perished. And now, behold, I shall lay up much fruit, which the tree thereof hath brought forth; and the fruit thereof I shall lay up against the season, unto mine own self" (Jacob 5: 18).
The Gentiles took hold of the living water of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the living water went down to the roots, preserving the early Christian church, and also the restored gospel in our dispensation. On a micro level, the wild, natural man is changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, represented by that living water leading one to eternal life, and is brought from a "wild," corrupted life to a tame, peacable life centered in Jesus Christ.
Jacob Chapter Five is divided into a series of historical time periods with time markers in verses such as, "And it came to pass that a long time passed away" (v. 15). The scattering of Israel has already begun as the Lord of the vineyard declared, "And these will I place in the nethermost part of my vineyard, whithersoever I will, it mattereth not unto thee," speaking of the natural branches of the tame olive tree (v. 13).
The Lord of the vineyard has a plan for the tree. It includes four elements--nourishment, digging, pruning, and dung. And, of course, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, so if it's good for the whole house, it's good for the individual. These all help the tree so that when the water comes to the root, the tree will grow, prosper, and bear good fruit. There are many applications of the symbolic care of the tree, but I will mention one example for each of the four elements.
Nourishment
The Lord speaks often of "preserving the roots" in this chapter. Nourishment is obviously crucial to life itself and keeping the roots alive. But it's apparent the Lord is speaking also of spiritual nourishment, such as that received by heartfelt prayer, meaningful scripture study, and the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Those who had been baptized into the church, according to Moroni, "were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith" (Moroni 6: 4). They were rooted in Christ, relying upon His merits.
Digging
It becomes apparent with one glance at my yard that I'm no gardening expert, so I can't tell you how digging around a tree would help it any. But last year as I was digging around in the Book of Mormon, I changed my opinion about the "slippery treasures" people went digging for, but to no avail.
Samuel the Lamanite prophesied that the people would one day say, "O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us" (Helaman 13: 33). I used to think these must have been only material treasures, until I dug a little deeper and pondered on one of the later verses, and realized that these people were "surrounded by demons" and "the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls"
(verse 37), and having more material goods would not have warded off a demon. But having the power of temple covenants, or the companionship of the Holy Ghost, or the blessings that come from righteous living most certainly would be heavenly treasures, and guaranteed to be potent against such an attack.
And how about digging a little deeper inside ourselves to find ways to deepen discipleship?
Pruning
The Lord said to His disciples, "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (John 15: 2). It's seldom fun to have to cut things out of our lives or be shaped by the Lord. But character, like the branches of a tree, are a composite of good and bad.
Those of us in Twelve Step recovery work a Fourth Step: "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves." My own inventory revealed many character defects and behaviors worthy of pruning. Near the end of this allegory there is some great advice on overcoming evil influences. The Lord of the vineyard gives sage advice.
"Ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish . . . Wherefore ye shall clear away the bad according as the good shall grow, that the root and the top may be equal in strength, until the good shall overcome the bad" (Jacob 5: 65-66).
Satan will try to discourage us by reminding us of many shortcomings and weaknesses. The Holy Ghost will encourage us to strive to be better disciples of Christ, and will prompt us to know how and when we can improve, and what we need to work on next. The bad things in life need to be replaced with something good, otherwise there remains a void.
Dung
I will simply call this adversity. It becomes fertilizer for plants and trees, and adversity can become a growth opportunity for true saints. Brigham Young once said, "The worst fear that I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and His people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church and go to hell. This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty, and all manner of persecution, and be true. But my greater fear for them is that they cannot stand wealth; and yet they have to be tried with riches, for they will become the richest people on this earth" (reported in James S. Brown, Life of a Pioneer [1900], 122–23).
And the Lord says, "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction" (Isaiah 48: 10).
Living Water
There is an interesting parallel between the events in this allegory and an event in the life of the Savior. When Jesus traveled to Samaria He met the woman at Jacob's well and promised her "living water." Jesus said, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water" (John 4: 10). He explained that this "living water" could be "a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4: 14).
When the disciples returned, Jesus said to them "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest" (John 4: 35). This represented an expansion of the gospel message to the Samaritans, where Jesus was, and then later to the Gentiles. These Samaritans, who were considered half-Israelites by the Jews, and later the Gentiles, would become the harvest of those white fields.
The wild olive tree, whose branches were grafted into the tame tree, represented the Gentiles grasping hold of the gospel, which preserved the early Christian church. The same thing happened in the Restoration period in Kirtland, Ohio around 1838 when missionaries were sent out, and new converts were brought in to preserve the lifeblood of the Church.
Notice how this event is portrayed in Zenos' allegory:
"And he said unto the servant: Behold, the branches of the wild tree have taken hold of the moisture of the root thereof, that the root thereof hath brought forth much strength; and because of the much strength of the root thereof the wild branches have brought forth tame fruit. Now, if we had not grafted in these branches, the tree thereof would have perished. And now, behold, I shall lay up much fruit, which the tree thereof hath brought forth; and the fruit thereof I shall lay up against the season, unto mine own self" (Jacob 5: 18).
The Gentiles took hold of the living water of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the living water went down to the roots, preserving the early Christian church, and also the restored gospel in our dispensation. On a micro level, the wild, natural man is changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, represented by that living water leading one to eternal life, and is brought from a "wild," corrupted life to a tame, peacable life centered in Jesus Christ.
Sunday, January 1, 2017
New and Improved
It's a new year and time to make those resolutions once again. I'm resolving to improve this blog. And, of course, I'm resolving to go on a diet and lose weight. My diet resolutions usually last until about January 7. And if this blog improves any it will not be on my account, but rather due to my sweet daughter who entered the MTC on Wednesday, as she learns the Canadian language before departing to the "north countries" (see Ether 13: 11; D&C 133: 26). Yes, it is a foreign language. I know because I'm married to a Canadian, and I don't mean French. My daughter is going to Edmonton and it's an English-speaking mission.
Seriously though, it's hard to say goodbye, but our little family has already been blessed, and I have felt such an outpouring of the Spirit the last four days since her mission began. I bear testimony that the Lord blesses missionary families. Even my scripture study has improved and I attribute it to my missionary daughter.
I try to write these in order and hope to finish the Book of Mormon sometime during my mortal life. That may be a stretch at the rate I'm going. The timing for the next Jacob chapter coincides quite well with the New Year holiday however.
Jacob's Priestly Ministry Continues
Previous chapters in Jacob have dealt with the priestly ordinances of sacrifice, and how the blood of the sacrifice is a type of Christ, and His sacrifice for us. The blood of the sacrificial animals would sometimes come upon the garments of the priest in Old Testament times, and there are obvious similarities and differences. Ironically, we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus and our garments are made white as they are washed by His blood (see Alma 5: 21 for example).
But today we are going to look at another ordinance performed by the priest at the three required Old Testament feasts of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, and Feast of Tabernacles.
Firstfruits As a Type of Christ
A presentation of firstfruits was given at each of the three required feasts. The ritual included "the waving before the Lord of a sheaf of barley on the morrow of the Passover Sabbath (Lev. 23:10–14); the offering of two loaves made with new wheat flour at the Feast of Pentecost (Ex. 34:22; Lev. 23:15, 17); a thanksgiving for the harvest at the Feast of Tabernacles, or of Ingathering" (Bible Dictionary, "Firstfruits"). Each of these presentations has relevance to Jacob's teachings of firstfruits in Jacob chapter 4.
The symbolic meaning of firstfruits centers on two concepts. First is the concept of order. Christ is the Firstborn and also the first to be resurrected. Abinadi taught that the first resurrection included the prophets, those who believed in their words, and those who keep the commandments of God (Mosiah 15: 22). Abinadi's teachings make clear another important concept. The firstfruits also represented the very best that could be offered.
Firstfruits Represent God's Very Best
An Internet site entitled "Bible Study Tools" states, "The concept of firstfruits derives from God's creation work. Because God created everything that exists, all of creation belongs to him ( Psalm 24:1 ). Consequently, that which is first and best belongs to him and is to be given to him." Click here for a link to this most excellent article regarding firstfruits.
The firstfruits also referred to Israel's seven best agricultural products: wheat, barley, wine, figs, pomegranates, olive oil, and honey (Deuteronomy 8: 8). These were given to the priests for their maintenance and each has special meaning. Wheat was separated from the tares. Barley was given to their work animals. Wine represented blood, and particularly the cleansing blood of Christ. Figs and pomegranates represented fruitfulness because of their seedy nature. Pure olive oil was pressed in Gethsemane (meaning "oil press"). And honey represented the Promised Land, flowing with milk and honey (see Numbers 13: 27).
Notice there are seven firstfruit products recalling the seven days of Creation. The number seven is closely associated with covenants. The Hebrew word sheba was the number seven, but it also meant to make a covenant. So in Hebrew when one swears an oath, they would "seven" themselves. It's a reminder of our covenants to God, for which He gives all in return.
Passover Firstfruits
On the morrow of the Passover Sabbath, a sheaf of barley was waved before the Lord. Passover occurred in the first month of the Hebrew calendar. It served as a pledge to guarantee that other sheaves of wheat and barley would be forthcoming from later crops. That is why Paul said, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." He goes on to say, "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming" (1 Corinthians 15: 20, 23).
Jesus Christ was the "firstfruits" of the resurrection, guaranteeing that all mankind would also be resurrected. Everyone will be resurrected, however not everyone will be included in the first resurrection. "First" represents a type of resurrection, similar to something which is "first class." Since the firstfruits belong to God, Paul is speaking of the firstfruits as those who "are Christ's at His coming."
Pentecostal Firstfruits
Fifty days after Passover was the Feast of Pentecost. It was also called “the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours” and “the feast of weeks.” This feast occurs at the first wheat harvest. Central to this feast is the presentation of firstfruits, consisting of the offering of two loaves made with new wheat flour. It is only after the chaff is separated and the wheat is refined into pure, white flour that it becomes good enough to make loaves presentable before the Lord.
Ingathering Firstfruits
At the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), there is a thanksgiving for the harvest. All the fruits are "gathered in" as great joy and gratitude are expressed. Many Bible scholars believe the early Pilgrims got the idea of a Thanksgiving celebration from this Biblical feast. Israelites dwelt in tabernacles for seven days. It is almost certain that King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon gave his speech during this Old Testament feast. You may notice how his people gathered to the temple, as they did in all three required feasts, that "they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men" (Mosiah 2: 4). King Benjamin's people also dwelt in tabernacles at the temple site during this speech. The Book of Mormon refers to their booths as tents, but in Hebrew, tent and tabernacle are the same word.
Jacob's Teachings of Firstfruits
Jacob gives the true purpose for the Law of Moses: "And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son" (Jacob 4: 5). That's why they presented firstfruits to God. And Abraham's offering was truly a firstfruit offering of the very best, most beloved, and precious sacrifice he could give to God.
In context of all of this, Jacob declares,
"Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh" (Jacob 4: 11).
Those who yield their hearts unto God will be purified and sanctified "unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation" (see Helaman 3: 35). But instead of the priest waving the offering at the door of the tabernacle, it will be the Great High Priest, even Jesus Christ, presenting His jewels, those who allow themselves to be ransomed through His Atonement, as He presents them to His Father, declaring them to be the very best. Indeed, they are His precious, spiritually begotten sons and daughters.
On this first day of a new year, we have an opportunity to be a "firstfruit" unto God, giving Him our very best, reconciling our souls to Him.
Happy New Year!
Seriously though, it's hard to say goodbye, but our little family has already been blessed, and I have felt such an outpouring of the Spirit the last four days since her mission began. I bear testimony that the Lord blesses missionary families. Even my scripture study has improved and I attribute it to my missionary daughter.
I try to write these in order and hope to finish the Book of Mormon sometime during my mortal life. That may be a stretch at the rate I'm going. The timing for the next Jacob chapter coincides quite well with the New Year holiday however.
Jacob's Priestly Ministry Continues
Previous chapters in Jacob have dealt with the priestly ordinances of sacrifice, and how the blood of the sacrifice is a type of Christ, and His sacrifice for us. The blood of the sacrificial animals would sometimes come upon the garments of the priest in Old Testament times, and there are obvious similarities and differences. Ironically, we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus and our garments are made white as they are washed by His blood (see Alma 5: 21 for example).
But today we are going to look at another ordinance performed by the priest at the three required Old Testament feasts of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, and Feast of Tabernacles.
Firstfruits As a Type of Christ
A presentation of firstfruits was given at each of the three required feasts. The ritual included "the waving before the Lord of a sheaf of barley on the morrow of the Passover Sabbath (Lev. 23:10–14); the offering of two loaves made with new wheat flour at the Feast of Pentecost (Ex. 34:22; Lev. 23:15, 17); a thanksgiving for the harvest at the Feast of Tabernacles, or of Ingathering" (Bible Dictionary, "Firstfruits"). Each of these presentations has relevance to Jacob's teachings of firstfruits in Jacob chapter 4.
The symbolic meaning of firstfruits centers on two concepts. First is the concept of order. Christ is the Firstborn and also the first to be resurrected. Abinadi taught that the first resurrection included the prophets, those who believed in their words, and those who keep the commandments of God (Mosiah 15: 22). Abinadi's teachings make clear another important concept. The firstfruits also represented the very best that could be offered.
Firstfruits Represent God's Very Best
An Internet site entitled "Bible Study Tools" states, "The concept of firstfruits derives from God's creation work. Because God created everything that exists, all of creation belongs to him ( Psalm 24:1 ). Consequently, that which is first and best belongs to him and is to be given to him." Click here for a link to this most excellent article regarding firstfruits.
The firstfruits also referred to Israel's seven best agricultural products: wheat, barley, wine, figs, pomegranates, olive oil, and honey (Deuteronomy 8: 8). These were given to the priests for their maintenance and each has special meaning. Wheat was separated from the tares. Barley was given to their work animals. Wine represented blood, and particularly the cleansing blood of Christ. Figs and pomegranates represented fruitfulness because of their seedy nature. Pure olive oil was pressed in Gethsemane (meaning "oil press"). And honey represented the Promised Land, flowing with milk and honey (see Numbers 13: 27).
Notice there are seven firstfruit products recalling the seven days of Creation. The number seven is closely associated with covenants. The Hebrew word sheba was the number seven, but it also meant to make a covenant. So in Hebrew when one swears an oath, they would "seven" themselves. It's a reminder of our covenants to God, for which He gives all in return.
Passover Firstfruits
On the morrow of the Passover Sabbath, a sheaf of barley was waved before the Lord. Passover occurred in the first month of the Hebrew calendar. It served as a pledge to guarantee that other sheaves of wheat and barley would be forthcoming from later crops. That is why Paul said, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." He goes on to say, "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming" (1 Corinthians 15: 20, 23).
Jesus Christ was the "firstfruits" of the resurrection, guaranteeing that all mankind would also be resurrected. Everyone will be resurrected, however not everyone will be included in the first resurrection. "First" represents a type of resurrection, similar to something which is "first class." Since the firstfruits belong to God, Paul is speaking of the firstfruits as those who "are Christ's at His coming."
Pentecostal Firstfruits
Fifty days after Passover was the Feast of Pentecost. It was also called “the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours” and “the feast of weeks.” This feast occurs at the first wheat harvest. Central to this feast is the presentation of firstfruits, consisting of the offering of two loaves made with new wheat flour. It is only after the chaff is separated and the wheat is refined into pure, white flour that it becomes good enough to make loaves presentable before the Lord.
Ingathering Firstfruits
At the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), there is a thanksgiving for the harvest. All the fruits are "gathered in" as great joy and gratitude are expressed. Many Bible scholars believe the early Pilgrims got the idea of a Thanksgiving celebration from this Biblical feast. Israelites dwelt in tabernacles for seven days. It is almost certain that King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon gave his speech during this Old Testament feast. You may notice how his people gathered to the temple, as they did in all three required feasts, that "they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men" (Mosiah 2: 4). King Benjamin's people also dwelt in tabernacles at the temple site during this speech. The Book of Mormon refers to their booths as tents, but in Hebrew, tent and tabernacle are the same word.
Jacob's Teachings of Firstfruits
Jacob gives the true purpose for the Law of Moses: "And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son" (Jacob 4: 5). That's why they presented firstfruits to God. And Abraham's offering was truly a firstfruit offering of the very best, most beloved, and precious sacrifice he could give to God.
In context of all of this, Jacob declares,
"Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh" (Jacob 4: 11).
Those who yield their hearts unto God will be purified and sanctified "unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation" (see Helaman 3: 35). But instead of the priest waving the offering at the door of the tabernacle, it will be the Great High Priest, even Jesus Christ, presenting His jewels, those who allow themselves to be ransomed through His Atonement, as He presents them to His Father, declaring them to be the very best. Indeed, they are His precious, spiritually begotten sons and daughters.
On this first day of a new year, we have an opportunity to be a "firstfruit" unto God, giving Him our very best, reconciling our souls to Him.
Happy New Year!
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