This is the second in a series of the Twelve Steps of recovery as taught by King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon. These are all taught in Mosiah chapter 4. We will compare the AA Step, the LDS Guide to Addiction Recovery, and King Benjamin's teachings.
AA Step 2: "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."
LDS Addiction Guide: "Come to believe that the power of God can restore you to complete spiritual health."
King Benjamin thoroughly teaches this step. It is a concept of faith. The LDS guide summarizes each step with a word or phrase, and this step is labeled "Hope."
King Benjamin teaches this concept of a correct belief in God's power with the following verse:
"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend" (Mosiah 4:9).
I believe that every new addict who comes into Twelve Step recovery has a faith problem. One of my recovery heroes was a local man from Springville. Of course, when I attended Springville High School, everyone called Springville the drug capital of the world (or so it seemed from some of the stories and newspaper articles). This man was an atheist, so this step of believing in a Higher Power was difficult for him. He did the best he could. He found an old coffee can and nailed it on a post in his barn. He put it way up high so it could be his "Higher Power." He would go out in the mornings and talk to his Higher Power. Over time these conversations became intimate and he began to have feelings deep in his soul. He knew that coffee can could not produce the feelings he was experiencing. There had to be Someone out there who cared deeply for him. I remember him sharing in an AA meeting of how his concept of a Higher Power had changed. I remember him saying, "Today, I believe in a loving Father."
My own belief crisis was much different. I had gained a testimony of the Gospel many years earlier, and years of alcoholism and drinking, as much as I wanted to drown my testimony, it just wouldn't go away. As a missionary in Germany, I had witnessed miracles wrought by God. My testimony at that time was purely academic. I didn't feel anything.
I remember those first few AA meetings, how I looked at the Steps and they all had this scary three-letter word--"God." I knew He was out there somewhere in the universe, ready to zap me at any time. I was certain He had written me off a long time ago and wanted nothing to do with me. I listened to other alcoholics talk about their upbringing, how they were abused and came from broken homes. I came from a loving, wonderful home with the best parents in the world, and was a return missionary. Surely, God would help and forgive these poor heathens who never had a chance, but I thought He would never forgive me.
I pick up where I left off last week--at that first AA meeting on July 17,1989. After I choked out those awful words, "My name is Brad, and I'm an alcoholic," I thought to myself, "Now what do I do?" I have to tell you that Step One by itself is not a good place to be. Yes, I was beat up. Yes, I was powerless. But what could I do? I thought maybe the best I could hope for was to quickly poison myself. I had no hope.
At the end of the meeting we stood up, formed a circle holding hands, and recited the Serenity Prayer. By the way, making a circle and reciting a prayer in unison somehow rang true to my soul and caused my mind to recall better days. I remembered reading this poem in a hippie shop--you know, the kind where they sell incense and black light posters--"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." The next part literally shocked me. Everyone in the circle (except me) chanted, "Keep coming back. It works!" For a brief moment, a circle of drunks became my "Higher Power" and an entire belief system. My eyes scanned the faces in the circle for validation. I saw smiles on the faces and a brighter hope in their eyes. It was enough hope to get me to the Lunch Bunch Meeting the next day.
When the meeting was over, these same "drunks" all rallied to my aid with their phone numbers and pledges to help me--someone they had never seen before. I had to ask myself why.
Just because a problem or an addiction seems insurmountable, doesn't mean the Lord can't solve it. King Benjamin teaches "man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." If the very Creator of the universe can create heaven and earth and "has all wisdom and power," then maybe He might have a shot at helping a drunk like me. By the way, God possesses all wisdom and power. In Step Eleven we are asked to pray for knowledge and power. He is the source. I know that today.
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Sunday, March 19, 2017
King Benjamin Teaches Step One
For those of us in Twelve Step recovery it's significant that King Benjamin teaches all Twelve Steps of recovery in his famous address in the Book of Mormon. They are actually all contained and explained in great detail with excellent commentary in Mosiah chapter 4. The timing of this event and the entire text being centered on becoming a king or queen, like the Heavenly King (Mosiah 2:19), and the events following in Mosiah 5 as they become spiritually begotten sons and daughters of Jesus Christ through a covenant relationship, should be of paramount interest to LDS addicts in recovery.
I'm gonna get stuck on this chapter for a while and cover all Twelve Steps as they appear in his speech, comparing them with the original Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and the steps used in the LDS Addiction Recovery Program.
Today, we will look at Step One.
AA Step 1: " We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable."
LDS Addiction Guide Step 1: "Admit that you, of yourself, are powerless to overcome your addictions and that your life has become unmanageable."
Several verses in Mosiah chapter 4 relate to this idea of being powerless, especially in comparison with God's infinite power. Here a few examples:
"And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men" (Mosiah 4:2).
"For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state—" (Mosiah 4:5).
"And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel" (Mosiah 4:11).
Words and phrases like "less than the dust of the earth," "nothingness," "worthless and fallen state," and "unworthy creatures" definitely portray a feeling of being powerless. However, King Benjamin's intent is not to discourage us, but rather to compare the difference between a life with God and a life without Him.
I was first exposed to Step One almost thirty years ago on a warm summer morning in 1987 as I was walking to work. I was walking to work to avoid getting another DUI. About halfway there I encountered a building with a sign that said "Alano Club." My only interest was the word "Club" as I had been in several "clubs" and they were all drinking establishments. And seven o'clock in the morning was as good as any time to have a drink or two, or ten, or whatever, in my sick mind.
As I attempted to enter, I found the building was locked, but the morning sunlight illuminated two large posters with the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. For some unknown reason, I was compelled to read through them all. Only three words in Step One made any sense to me, and the words were "powerless over alcohol." I asked myself if I really was powerless over alcohol. But I have to tell you, I had one killer denial program, so over the next three miles I told myself that surely I could quit drinking whenever I was ready to do it. It had been five years since I had seen a sober day.
Like with any practicing alcoholic or addict, life got worse. I did two more years of "research" as we call it in AA, and racked up a seven-year stint without a single sober day. By this time my life was spinning recklessly out of control, and I was ready to quit. I made promises to quit, but soon found I was totally powerless over alcohol, and was "less than the dust of the earth" in my efforts to stop drinking.
On July 17, 1989 after another blackout drunk I was heading home and driving by the same Alano Club when the words "powerless over alcohol" somehow popped into my mind. I pulled into the parking lot without a meeting schedule or any concept of an AA meeting, and found that coincidentally the Monday Night Beginners Meeting would be starting in ten minutes. What a tender mercy from God!
And speaking of tender mercies, a man walked up to me at that meeting and said, "Do you have a drinking problem?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Sit down, you're in the right place." That good dear man has now passed on to the spirit world, but his son is the current facilitator at the LDS Twelve Step meeting I go to. The Lord has a way to remind us of His grace.
About twenty minutes into that meeting, I choked out those very difficult, but honest words, "My name is Brad, and I'm an a-a-al- alc-o-hol-ic." I didn't realize it at the time, but recovery was just beginning for me.
I'm gonna get stuck on this chapter for a while and cover all Twelve Steps as they appear in his speech, comparing them with the original Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and the steps used in the LDS Addiction Recovery Program.
Today, we will look at Step One.
AA Step 1: " We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable."
LDS Addiction Guide Step 1: "Admit that you, of yourself, are powerless to overcome your addictions and that your life has become unmanageable."
Several verses in Mosiah chapter 4 relate to this idea of being powerless, especially in comparison with God's infinite power. Here a few examples:
"And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men" (Mosiah 4:2).
"For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state—" (Mosiah 4:5).
"And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel" (Mosiah 4:11).
Words and phrases like "less than the dust of the earth," "nothingness," "worthless and fallen state," and "unworthy creatures" definitely portray a feeling of being powerless. However, King Benjamin's intent is not to discourage us, but rather to compare the difference between a life with God and a life without Him.
I was first exposed to Step One almost thirty years ago on a warm summer morning in 1987 as I was walking to work. I was walking to work to avoid getting another DUI. About halfway there I encountered a building with a sign that said "Alano Club." My only interest was the word "Club" as I had been in several "clubs" and they were all drinking establishments. And seven o'clock in the morning was as good as any time to have a drink or two, or ten, or whatever, in my sick mind.
As I attempted to enter, I found the building was locked, but the morning sunlight illuminated two large posters with the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. For some unknown reason, I was compelled to read through them all. Only three words in Step One made any sense to me, and the words were "powerless over alcohol." I asked myself if I really was powerless over alcohol. But I have to tell you, I had one killer denial program, so over the next three miles I told myself that surely I could quit drinking whenever I was ready to do it. It had been five years since I had seen a sober day.
Like with any practicing alcoholic or addict, life got worse. I did two more years of "research" as we call it in AA, and racked up a seven-year stint without a single sober day. By this time my life was spinning recklessly out of control, and I was ready to quit. I made promises to quit, but soon found I was totally powerless over alcohol, and was "less than the dust of the earth" in my efforts to stop drinking.
On July 17, 1989 after another blackout drunk I was heading home and driving by the same Alano Club when the words "powerless over alcohol" somehow popped into my mind. I pulled into the parking lot without a meeting schedule or any concept of an AA meeting, and found that coincidentally the Monday Night Beginners Meeting would be starting in ten minutes. What a tender mercy from God!
And speaking of tender mercies, a man walked up to me at that meeting and said, "Do you have a drinking problem?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Sit down, you're in the right place." That good dear man has now passed on to the spirit world, but his son is the current facilitator at the LDS Twelve Step meeting I go to. The Lord has a way to remind us of His grace.
About twenty minutes into that meeting, I choked out those very difficult, but honest words, "My name is Brad, and I'm an a-a-al- alc-o-hol-ic." I didn't realize it at the time, but recovery was just beginning for me.
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Dual Meanings In Scripture
Often in scripture the reader encounters passages with two meanings. I used to struggle with these, wondering does it mean this, or does it mean that? I always wanted to pin down the symbolism especially. But the more I have read, the more I seem to be content with a more global approach.
This is especially true with Isaiah. He can be talking about premortal councils, and then two verses later, he's switched to the Millennium. An example of this would be Isaiah 7 where it says, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). We all know this to be a prophecy of Christ, and the name Immanuel could be no other as it means "God with us." But in context, this chapter is about Syria and Ephraim, the Northern Kingdom, who have formed an alliance to go against Judah. Two verses later, Isaiah is speaking about about short-term events, as he prophesies, "For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings" (v. 16). This part of the prophecy has to take place within nine years, allowing the virgin to conceive, bear the child, and having the child reach the years of accountability at age 8. So perhaps we have two virgins spoken of.
We have another example of dual meaning in the Book of Mormon. One verse, marking the time of the Savior's crucifixion, states, "And there was not any man who could do a miracle in the name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his iniquity—" (3 Nephi 8:1). So does it mean one could not do a miracle in the name of Jesus unless he was cleansed of sin first, or does it mean that it is impossible to perform a miracle without that miracle having a cleansing effect on those involved? The answer is yes and yes. Both meanings apply.
I've learned it pays to read verses in their context. So we have another dual meaning in King Benjamin's speech, which is written chiastically with the most important focus of the message given in the central chapter, which is Mosiah chapter 3.
Of course the heart of the Gospel is the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and that is the central theme in Mosiah 3. By the way, we are given added insight into the false charges filed against Jesus, which have been brought to light by historical records and non-Biblical sources that suggest that one of the main charges filed against the Savior was that he allegedly used so-called "black magic" to perform miracles. These ideas are not well developed in the Bible, but the Book of Mormon gives the historical background that "they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him" (Mosiah 3:9)
Then we are given profound doctrinal teachings about the Atonement and who it covers: those "who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned" (Mosiah 3:11). But there is another group spoken of, and that is little children. We often speak of those who die before the age of accountability as receiving celestial glory automatically since they cannot know good from evil. But the Book of Mormon corrects this false approach as it teaches, "And even if it were possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins" (Mosiah 3:16). They still experience the effects of the Fall, being born into mortality, and as part of this fallen state, they are cut off from the presence of God, speaking as if no atonement had taken place.
Then comes one of those famous, oft-quoted verses:
"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father" (Mosiah 3:19).
The phrase "putteth off" in scripture means to change clothing (see 1 Samuel 17:39 as Saul gives David a coat of armor to fight Goliath and he takes it off since he has not proven it, and is clothed as a shepherd with a staff and five smooth stones). So the other half of this equation is in Galatians as Paul says, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). By the way, the Greek word for "put on" is enduo, where we get the word endowment. We "put off" the natural man and "put on" Christ.
Going back to the Mosiah verse, does it mean that we become saints and put off the natural man by taking on childlike attributes, such as being submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, etc., or does it mean we put off the natural man by being like a child in that we allow ourselves to be ransomed by the blood of Christ, which atones for our sins? In the chapter context, it seems a more atonement centered concept would apply here. But the final answer is still yes and yes--both meanings apply.
This is especially true with Isaiah. He can be talking about premortal councils, and then two verses later, he's switched to the Millennium. An example of this would be Isaiah 7 where it says, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). We all know this to be a prophecy of Christ, and the name Immanuel could be no other as it means "God with us." But in context, this chapter is about Syria and Ephraim, the Northern Kingdom, who have formed an alliance to go against Judah. Two verses later, Isaiah is speaking about about short-term events, as he prophesies, "For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings" (v. 16). This part of the prophecy has to take place within nine years, allowing the virgin to conceive, bear the child, and having the child reach the years of accountability at age 8. So perhaps we have two virgins spoken of.
We have another example of dual meaning in the Book of Mormon. One verse, marking the time of the Savior's crucifixion, states, "And there was not any man who could do a miracle in the name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his iniquity—" (3 Nephi 8:1). So does it mean one could not do a miracle in the name of Jesus unless he was cleansed of sin first, or does it mean that it is impossible to perform a miracle without that miracle having a cleansing effect on those involved? The answer is yes and yes. Both meanings apply.
I've learned it pays to read verses in their context. So we have another dual meaning in King Benjamin's speech, which is written chiastically with the most important focus of the message given in the central chapter, which is Mosiah chapter 3.
Of course the heart of the Gospel is the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and that is the central theme in Mosiah 3. By the way, we are given added insight into the false charges filed against Jesus, which have been brought to light by historical records and non-Biblical sources that suggest that one of the main charges filed against the Savior was that he allegedly used so-called "black magic" to perform miracles. These ideas are not well developed in the Bible, but the Book of Mormon gives the historical background that "they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him" (Mosiah 3:9)
Then we are given profound doctrinal teachings about the Atonement and who it covers: those "who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned" (Mosiah 3:11). But there is another group spoken of, and that is little children. We often speak of those who die before the age of accountability as receiving celestial glory automatically since they cannot know good from evil. But the Book of Mormon corrects this false approach as it teaches, "And even if it were possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins" (Mosiah 3:16). They still experience the effects of the Fall, being born into mortality, and as part of this fallen state, they are cut off from the presence of God, speaking as if no atonement had taken place.
Then comes one of those famous, oft-quoted verses:
"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father" (Mosiah 3:19).
The phrase "putteth off" in scripture means to change clothing (see 1 Samuel 17:39 as Saul gives David a coat of armor to fight Goliath and he takes it off since he has not proven it, and is clothed as a shepherd with a staff and five smooth stones). So the other half of this equation is in Galatians as Paul says, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). By the way, the Greek word for "put on" is enduo, where we get the word endowment. We "put off" the natural man and "put on" Christ.
Going back to the Mosiah verse, does it mean that we become saints and put off the natural man by taking on childlike attributes, such as being submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, etc., or does it mean we put off the natural man by being like a child in that we allow ourselves to be ransomed by the blood of Christ, which atones for our sins? In the chapter context, it seems a more atonement centered concept would apply here. But the final answer is still yes and yes--both meanings apply.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
King Benjamin's Feast of Tents
In Old Testament times under the Law of Moses there was a particular feast called the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot. It was one of three required feasts, along with Passover (and Unleavened Bread) and Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. Feast of Tabernacles was really the biggest event, even though Passover gets more attention in our culture, and was called simply The Feast.
The Lord said, "Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God" (Leviticus 23: 42-43). Thus, it's significant that this becomes a commemoration of Israel's deliverance from Egypt, the house of bondage (Exodus 20: 2).
As a recovering alcoholic and addict, I perk up whenever I see the words bondage or deliverance in the scriptures, since that speaks of addiction and recovery. Addicts like me should pay close attention to the events of the Feast of Tabernacles. What lessons is the Lord teaching here?
For one, I believe the Lord is setting up a type for recovery in that He invites the recovering addict to feast at the table of the Lord and to prepare to enter His holy temple. The booths and the tabernacle are both forerunners to the temple which will later be built in the Promised Land. The booths and tabernacle are a kind of portable temple and a place of refuge from the storm (see Isaiah 4: 6).
There are many reasons scriptural scholars believe King Benjamin's speech was given during the Feast of Tabernacles. Here are a few of the ideas linking this event with Sukkot.
1. The king in Israel would give a speech patterned after the requirements given in Deuteronomy 17: 14-20 at the Feast of Tabernacles. Benjamin actually quotes from these verses where it states that the king should not "multiply to himself silver and gold" (see Deuteronomy 17: 17 and Mosiah 2: 12). He reverses the order of "silver and gold" to "gold nor silver" according to Seidel's Law where someone quoting an earlier writer inverts the order. This is a typical Hebrew writing style. The king should not be "lifted up above his brethren" (Deuteronomy 17: 20). This is a recurring theme in Benjamin's speech. Moses commanded, "At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing" (Deuteronomy 31: 10-11).
2. This gathering at the temple to hear King Benjamin had to correspond with one of the three required feasts where all Israel is gathered (see Deuteronomy 16:16). The Feast of Weeks was a single day event, although it later was changed to a multiple-day celebration, so this gathering basically has to be at Passover or Feast of Tabernacles, since the people pitched tents (or tabernacles) to stay overnight.
3. Tent and tabernacle are used interchangeably in Hebrew. Both are translated from the Hebrew word ohel.
4. The number of required sacrifices was doubled at the Feast of Tabernacles (see Numbers 29: 12-38). In the Book of Mormon immediately after it mentions the large crowd assembled, it states, "And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses" (Mosiah 2:3).
5. The feast had a principal theme of overwhelming joy and thanksgiving. An Isaiah reference to the water libation where water is poured over the altar of the temple, creating a river running down the steps, states, "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3). One of the reasons given for the assembly is, "And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to be their king" (Mosiah 2: 4). Notice again the theme of deliverance. Many Bible scholars believe the early Pilgrims got the idea of a Thanksgiving celebration from this feast in the Bible. In Mosiah chapter 3, Benjamin quotes an angel who said he was "sent . . . to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy" (Mosiah 3: 4).
6. The mention of women and children gathered together as families has ties to the Book of Nehemiah, where a "congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding" were gathered to hear the book of the law delivered by Ezra, the priest at the Feast of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8:2).
7. Also, at this public reading of the law in Nehemiah held during Sukkot, Ezra stands "above the people" on a pulpit of wood. King Benjamin erects a tower to speak to the people (Nehemiah 8:4-5 and Mosiah 2:7-8).
8. The booths were made from branches of trees. In Nehemiah 8:15 it mentions olive branches, a type of Gethsemane (the "oil press"), and palm branches which were waved at the Feast of Tabernacles as the people chanted "Hosanna" (see Bible Dictionary, "Hosanna"). The palms symbolize victory and are mentioned at the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple (see D&C 109: 76). The booths were made from a framework of branches. King Benjamin speaks of his own "mortal frame" being yielded up to its "mother earth" (Mosiah 2: 26). The tabernacles (or tents) were built from trees coming from "mother earth." He also speaks of Jesus Christ who would dwell in a "tabernacle of clay" (Mosiah 3:5). The early Hosanna Shout, meaning "save now," was a petition to the king seeking deliverance or rescue. It served as a type of Jesus Christ, the King of kings, who rescues each of us. The central theme of Mosiah chapter 3 is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
King Benjamin becomes a type of Christ. It adds significance to his message if it occurred at this celebration of deliverance from bondage. Chapters 2 and 3 of Mosiah are a precursor for chapter 4 where King Benjamin is actually going to deliver the first published version of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The Lord said, "Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God" (Leviticus 23: 42-43). Thus, it's significant that this becomes a commemoration of Israel's deliverance from Egypt, the house of bondage (Exodus 20: 2).
As a recovering alcoholic and addict, I perk up whenever I see the words bondage or deliverance in the scriptures, since that speaks of addiction and recovery. Addicts like me should pay close attention to the events of the Feast of Tabernacles. What lessons is the Lord teaching here?
For one, I believe the Lord is setting up a type for recovery in that He invites the recovering addict to feast at the table of the Lord and to prepare to enter His holy temple. The booths and the tabernacle are both forerunners to the temple which will later be built in the Promised Land. The booths and tabernacle are a kind of portable temple and a place of refuge from the storm (see Isaiah 4: 6).
There are many reasons scriptural scholars believe King Benjamin's speech was given during the Feast of Tabernacles. Here are a few of the ideas linking this event with Sukkot.
1. The king in Israel would give a speech patterned after the requirements given in Deuteronomy 17: 14-20 at the Feast of Tabernacles. Benjamin actually quotes from these verses where it states that the king should not "multiply to himself silver and gold" (see Deuteronomy 17: 17 and Mosiah 2: 12). He reverses the order of "silver and gold" to "gold nor silver" according to Seidel's Law where someone quoting an earlier writer inverts the order. This is a typical Hebrew writing style. The king should not be "lifted up above his brethren" (Deuteronomy 17: 20). This is a recurring theme in Benjamin's speech. Moses commanded, "At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing" (Deuteronomy 31: 10-11).
2. This gathering at the temple to hear King Benjamin had to correspond with one of the three required feasts where all Israel is gathered (see Deuteronomy 16:16). The Feast of Weeks was a single day event, although it later was changed to a multiple-day celebration, so this gathering basically has to be at Passover or Feast of Tabernacles, since the people pitched tents (or tabernacles) to stay overnight.
3. Tent and tabernacle are used interchangeably in Hebrew. Both are translated from the Hebrew word ohel.
4. The number of required sacrifices was doubled at the Feast of Tabernacles (see Numbers 29: 12-38). In the Book of Mormon immediately after it mentions the large crowd assembled, it states, "And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses" (Mosiah 2:3).
5. The feast had a principal theme of overwhelming joy and thanksgiving. An Isaiah reference to the water libation where water is poured over the altar of the temple, creating a river running down the steps, states, "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3). One of the reasons given for the assembly is, "And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to be their king" (Mosiah 2: 4). Notice again the theme of deliverance. Many Bible scholars believe the early Pilgrims got the idea of a Thanksgiving celebration from this feast in the Bible. In Mosiah chapter 3, Benjamin quotes an angel who said he was "sent . . . to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy" (Mosiah 3: 4).
6. The mention of women and children gathered together as families has ties to the Book of Nehemiah, where a "congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding" were gathered to hear the book of the law delivered by Ezra, the priest at the Feast of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8:2).
7. Also, at this public reading of the law in Nehemiah held during Sukkot, Ezra stands "above the people" on a pulpit of wood. King Benjamin erects a tower to speak to the people (Nehemiah 8:4-5 and Mosiah 2:7-8).
8. The booths were made from branches of trees. In Nehemiah 8:15 it mentions olive branches, a type of Gethsemane (the "oil press"), and palm branches which were waved at the Feast of Tabernacles as the people chanted "Hosanna" (see Bible Dictionary, "Hosanna"). The palms symbolize victory and are mentioned at the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple (see D&C 109: 76). The booths were made from a framework of branches. King Benjamin speaks of his own "mortal frame" being yielded up to its "mother earth" (Mosiah 2: 26). The tabernacles (or tents) were built from trees coming from "mother earth." He also speaks of Jesus Christ who would dwell in a "tabernacle of clay" (Mosiah 3:5). The early Hosanna Shout, meaning "save now," was a petition to the king seeking deliverance or rescue. It served as a type of Jesus Christ, the King of kings, who rescues each of us. The central theme of Mosiah chapter 3 is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
King Benjamin becomes a type of Christ. It adds significance to his message if it occurred at this celebration of deliverance from bondage. Chapters 2 and 3 of Mosiah are a precursor for chapter 4 where King Benjamin is actually going to deliver the first published version of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
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