Modern temple worship has its roots in ancient practices patterned after God's eternal plan. Temple themes mirror the heavenly realm and point our souls "beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise" (Alma 37:45). Understanding such patterns can make our temple worship more meaningful. The basic concept of temple is the sacred space where heaven meets earth.
Creation Imagery
The first temple on this planet was the Garden of Eden. The prophet Ezekiel notes:
"Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created" (Ezekiel 28:13).
Creation imagery becomes a key component of temple worship. Such imagery is woven into the construction of Solomon's Temple and is a permanent feature of the temple structure itself. The first instruction from God concerning the creation of the earth was, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3). Solomon made windows of narrow lights to illuminate the temple (1 Kings 6:4). A "molten sea" was created in similarity to the seas of the earth (1 Kings 7:23). The walls were carved with images of palm trees and open flowers (1 Kings 6:29,32). Carved lilies adorned the pillars, and the pillars were crowned with 400 pomegranates (1 Kings 7:22,42). Plant life became plentiful in the temple, and such reminders are present today.
The lilies reflect God's ability to naturally "clothe the grass of the field," begging the question: "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Matthew 6:30). The Greek word enduo, meaning to "sink into sacred clothing," is the root of the English word endowment. Pomegranates are noted for their numerous seeds, reminding us of the temple promise of the new and everlasting covenant, promising "a continuation of the seeds forever and ever" (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19).
Lions and oxen work their way into the creative process, as they appear between the ledges of the bases (1 Kings 7:29). With the molten sea and plant and animal life, only mankind remains to complete the creation process. The cherubims face one another, and in the midst is the lid of the Ark of the Covenant--the mercy seat, where God and man may commune.
Of course, the creation time is seven years to correspond with the seven days (or time periods) of earthly creation (see 1 Kings 6:38).
The Heavenly City
John, the Revelator, sees "a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." Then John records, "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Revelation 21:1-2). Interestingly, at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet Joseph Smith petitions the Lord as follows:
"That thy church may come forth out of the wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners;
"And be adorned as a bride for that day when thou shalt unveil the heavens, and cause the mountains to flow down at thy presence, and the valleys to be exalted, the rough places made smooth; that thy glory may fill the earth" (D&C 109:73-74).
John describes the heavenly city as having twelve gates, with three gates facing each of the four cardinal directions--north, south, east, and west. This pattern would match the twelve oxen supporting the molten sea in Solomon's Temple (and modern temples), and would match the four heads of the river flowing out of Eden (see 1 Kings 7:25; Genesis 2:10).
The heavenly city is a perfect cube. John records:
"And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal" (Revelation 21:16).
The Holy of Holies in Solomon's Temple was also cubical. The account in First Kings states, "And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord. And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof" (1 Kings 6:19-20).
A cube looks the same from top to bottom, regardless of what angle you view it from. Truth emanating from the presence of God is the same regardless of how it's viewed, and God remains the same yesterday, today, and forever (see 1 Nephi 10:18). Godly truth is absolute, not relative.
Hosanna Shout
The timing of the dedication of Solomon's Temple is significant. It occurs in the feast of the seventh month, which would be the Feast of Tabernacles (see 1 Kings 8:2; also Leviticus 23:39-43). During this feast, palm branches were waved in connection with one of the Hallel Psalms. The Hallel Psalms were Psalms 113-118 and 136. They were sung at the required feasts. It is quite probable that Jesus and His apostles sang one of these hymns en route to Gethsemane in observance of Passover (see Matthew 26:30). The word "hosanna" comes from Psalm 118:25 and means "save now" (see Bible Dictionary, "Hosanna"). Thus, palm branches, symbolizing victory, were waved during Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem (see John 12:13).
So palm branches were waved during the Feast of Tabernacles as Solomon's Temple was being dedicated. The Kirtland Temple was dedicated on a Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836. One of the petitions during the dedicatory prayer references palm waving and the Hosanna Shout of praise. The following verses are noteworthy:
"That our garments may be pure, that we may be clothed upon with robes of righteousness, with palms in our hands, and crowns of glory upon our heads, and reap eternal joy for all our sufferings" (D&C 109:76).
"And help us by the power of thy Spirit, that we may mingle our voices with those bright, shining seraphs around thy throne, with acclamations of praise, singing Hosanna to God and the Lamb!" (D&C 109:79)
At each temple dedication, the Hosanna Shout takes place. White handkerchiefs are used instead of palm branches. The color white also symbolizes victory. Remember when John sees the various horses in Revelation, chapter 6, the rider of the white horse had a bow and a crown and went forth conquering (Revelation 6:2).
One of those temple promises is also found in the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple. It goes as follows:
"And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them" (D&C 109:22).
And thus, we may be victorious also!
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Sunday, July 13, 2014
"This Day" Is A Covenant-Making Day
In Hebrew, a common literary style is the use of leitwort, a German word meaning "theme word" or "leading word." The term was coined by a Jewish philosopher and Bible scholar, Martin Buber. The repetitive use of a leitwort points the reader to a central theme. Common leitworts are up, down, stood, name, place, walk, and midst.
Bible scholars have discovered the phrase, "this day," and it denotes a covenant-making day.
Five-fold Ancient Covenants
When Jacob enters into a covenant with his father-in-law, Laban, all five components of an ancient Hebrew covenant are manifested in Genesis, chapter 31. The five parts are:
1. Historical background
2. Covenant extended by the party with more power
3. Witnesses
4. Terms and conditions
5. Ceremony to make the covenant binding
Covenant Between Jacob and Laban
After Jacob recites the history of his employment, Laban extends the covenant to Jacob. Laban has to be the one to do this because he has the goods and daughters for marriage. The scripture states,
"And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
"Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee" (Genesis 31:43-44).
Notice the connection between the leitwort, "this day," and covenant-making. Then, a heap of stones is constructed and named "the heap of witness" in both Aramaic and Hebrew. Often, the presence of witnesses is highlighted with this leitwort. Then the leitwort is repeated:
"And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed" (Genesis 31:48).
Joshua's People Make a Covenant
Perhaps the most well-known "this day" leitwort occurs when Joshua's people make a covenant. He proposes to the people,
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).
In this case, the people themselves become witnesses to the covenant:
"And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses" (Joshua 24:22).
The people entered into a covenant with God to serve Him at all times, as the scriptures records, "So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem" (Joshua 24:25). Joshua wrote the words in the book of the law and set a stone under an oak near the tabernacle to serve as a witness to the covenant.
"And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God" (Joshua 24:27).
It is highly probable that Joshua and his people made this covenant during the Feast of Tabernacles, as the king (or leader) would recite the paragraph of the king during this feast.
A Royal Covenant
As David was seeking a successor to the throne, there arose a dispute from Adonijah's desire to become king. David had promised Bathsheba that their son, Solomon, would be the new king. David renews this covenant by saying:
"Even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day" (1 Kings 1:30).
Then the leitwort is repeated: "And also thus said the king, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it (1 Kings 1:48).
King Benjamin's Covenant in the Book of Mormon
It is also highly probable that King Benjamin gave his famous discourse during the Feast of Tabernacles. The similarities with Joshua's speech are striking. Benjamin uses the phrase, "this day" five times during his speech. That is a significant number of times. Here are the verses containing this leitwort:
My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day . . . (Mosiah 2:9)
And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day (Mosiah 2:14).
Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day (Mosiah 2:14).
For even at this time, my whole frame doth tremble exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you; but the Lord God doth support me, and hath suffered me that I should speak unto you, and hath commanded me that I should declare unto you this day, that my son Mosiah is a king and a ruler over you (Mosiah 2:30).
And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters (Mosiah 5:7).
In the second reference, witnesses are called in, and in the fifth reference, there is the connection between covenants and the leitwort, "this day."
Alma's Covenant of Baptism
This leitwort appears many times in all of the Standard Works. One final example in the Book of Mormon will be given. When Alma gives his speech to the people in Gideon, he cites the following:
"Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism (Alma 7:15).
The Hebrew writing style of Leitwort serves to focus its reader on a general theme to emphasize its importance. Covenants are an important part of ancient and modern worship, and are necessary to receive the full blessings of the Lord. The context of leitwort in Biblical and restoration scripture, such as the Book of Mormon, further testifies of the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith as a prophet, seer, and revelator.
As David was seeking a successor to the throne, there arose a dispute from Adonijah's desire to become king. David had promised Bathsheba that their son, Solomon, would be the new king. David renews this covenant by saying:
"Even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day" (1 Kings 1:30).
Then the leitwort is repeated: "And also thus said the king, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it (1 Kings 1:48).
King Benjamin's Covenant in the Book of Mormon
It is also highly probable that King Benjamin gave his famous discourse during the Feast of Tabernacles. The similarities with Joshua's speech are striking. Benjamin uses the phrase, "this day" five times during his speech. That is a significant number of times. Here are the verses containing this leitwort:
My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day . . . (Mosiah 2:9)
And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day (Mosiah 2:14).
Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day (Mosiah 2:14).
For even at this time, my whole frame doth tremble exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you; but the Lord God doth support me, and hath suffered me that I should speak unto you, and hath commanded me that I should declare unto you this day, that my son Mosiah is a king and a ruler over you (Mosiah 2:30).
And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters (Mosiah 5:7).
In the second reference, witnesses are called in, and in the fifth reference, there is the connection between covenants and the leitwort, "this day."
Alma's Covenant of Baptism
This leitwort appears many times in all of the Standard Works. One final example in the Book of Mormon will be given. When Alma gives his speech to the people in Gideon, he cites the following:
"Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism (Alma 7:15).
The Hebrew writing style of Leitwort serves to focus its reader on a general theme to emphasize its importance. Covenants are an important part of ancient and modern worship, and are necessary to receive the full blessings of the Lord. The context of leitwort in Biblical and restoration scripture, such as the Book of Mormon, further testifies of the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith as a prophet, seer, and revelator.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Standing Water
In scriptural passages, references to water are varied and interesting. They run the gamut from chaos to divine spirit. Water can be filthy and destructive, as the waters Lehi and Nephi saw in vision portraying the "depths of hell" (see 1 Nephi 12:16). Or water can become a " well . . . springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).
Chaotic Creation
In scriptural creation accounts, water represents unorganized, chaotic element. In the first Biblical chapter, "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2). Here, the Spirit of God has a taming effect on uncontrolled waters. In the absence of Deity's command, water runs, rolls, surges, and then retreats. On a flat surface it will run until evaporation, and always runs to the lowest point. Contrast this with Lehi's exhortation to his son, Lemuel:
"O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!" (1 Nephi 2:10).
Unstable As Water
When Jacob gives patriarchal blessings to his sons, he speaks to Reuben by saying,
"Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch" (Genesis 49:4).
The simple truth exists: water won't stand up in the presence of God. Water is wishy-washy, indecisive, and changes its course of direction.
Wimpy Water
In the Book of Joshua, Israel is defeated by the people of Ai. The account says, "And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water" (Joshua 7:5).
While the Savior's sacrifice was anything but wimpy, when He had exhausted everything, the Messianic prophecy correctly claims, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels" (Psalm 22:14).
Stature of the Fullness of Christ
While speaking of our Savior, He can be contrasted to unstable water. Paul speaks of the perfecting of the saints by saying:
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).
Unlike unstable water, Jesus always stood firm in the face of adversity. In the Gospel of John, Jesus doesn't need Judas to identify Him. He boldly asks, "Whom seek ye?" After they answer Him and say they are seeking Jesus of Nazareth, He boldly identifies Himself three times by saying, "I am he." Actually, in the Greek text there is no "he," so He is boldly saying, "I am," fulfilling the Mosaic prophecy that His name is "I AM" (Exodus 3:14). The chief priests, Pharisees, and temple guards then begin to act like water, and "they went backward, and fell to the ground" (see John 18:3-8). The simple fact remains: they can't stand in the presence of the Lord.
No wonder Nephi says:
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers" (1 Nephi 2:16).
And it's no wonder President Gordon B. Hinckley wrote a book entitled, Stand A Little Taller. Stature and standing tall in the presence of God is important.
Will Water Stand the Test?
Water actually does stand up on two occasions. When the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea, they "went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left" (Exodus 14:22).
And when the Israelites crossed over at Bethabara (meaning "house of ford") into the promised land, they had to pass through dangerous waters overflowing its banks. The scripture records:
"The waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho" (Joshua 3:16).
Again, the waters stood up and the people passed over.
So, in conclusion, water really can stand up in the presence of God when commanded.
And so should we!
Chaotic Creation
In scriptural creation accounts, water represents unorganized, chaotic element. In the first Biblical chapter, "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2). Here, the Spirit of God has a taming effect on uncontrolled waters. In the absence of Deity's command, water runs, rolls, surges, and then retreats. On a flat surface it will run until evaporation, and always runs to the lowest point. Contrast this with Lehi's exhortation to his son, Lemuel:
"O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!" (1 Nephi 2:10).
Unstable As Water
When Jacob gives patriarchal blessings to his sons, he speaks to Reuben by saying,
"Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch" (Genesis 49:4).
The simple truth exists: water won't stand up in the presence of God. Water is wishy-washy, indecisive, and changes its course of direction.
Wimpy Water
In the Book of Joshua, Israel is defeated by the people of Ai. The account says, "And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water" (Joshua 7:5).
While the Savior's sacrifice was anything but wimpy, when He had exhausted everything, the Messianic prophecy correctly claims, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels" (Psalm 22:14).
Stature of the Fullness of Christ
While speaking of our Savior, He can be contrasted to unstable water. Paul speaks of the perfecting of the saints by saying:
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).
Unlike unstable water, Jesus always stood firm in the face of adversity. In the Gospel of John, Jesus doesn't need Judas to identify Him. He boldly asks, "Whom seek ye?" After they answer Him and say they are seeking Jesus of Nazareth, He boldly identifies Himself three times by saying, "I am he." Actually, in the Greek text there is no "he," so He is boldly saying, "I am," fulfilling the Mosaic prophecy that His name is "I AM" (Exodus 3:14). The chief priests, Pharisees, and temple guards then begin to act like water, and "they went backward, and fell to the ground" (see John 18:3-8). The simple fact remains: they can't stand in the presence of the Lord.
No wonder Nephi says:
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers" (1 Nephi 2:16).
And it's no wonder President Gordon B. Hinckley wrote a book entitled, Stand A Little Taller. Stature and standing tall in the presence of God is important.
Will Water Stand the Test?
Water actually does stand up on two occasions. When the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea, they "went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left" (Exodus 14:22).
And when the Israelites crossed over at Bethabara (meaning "house of ford") into the promised land, they had to pass through dangerous waters overflowing its banks. The scripture records:
"The waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho" (Joshua 3:16).
Again, the waters stood up and the people passed over.
So, in conclusion, water really can stand up in the presence of God when commanded.
And so should we!
Sunday, June 15, 2014
The Paragraph of the King
Although ancient prophets protested the establishment of kings as political rulers, as a reader of scriptures you know this is bound to happen. The Old Testament prophet Samuel spoke of the abuse of such regal power, and warned that kings would take away the sons and send them to war, take away the daughters to run confectionaries, pillage the vineyards, and heavily tax the people (see 1 Samuel 8:11-18). The people wanted Nephi to be their king, but Nephi warned, "I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king; nevertheless, I did for them according to that which was in my power" (2 Nephi 5:18).
But you know this is inevitable. Kings and priests were types of Christ, and the typology is just too strong and the symbolism too pervasive. Even the Book of Mormon prophesy about America having no kings upon the land must be read within a certain context. There would not be political kings because the Lord said, "For I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words" (2 Nephi 10:14). It's not that they don't need a king, but rather, it's about who is going to be their king, at least in a spiritual context.
So long before King Saul comes to the throne (and the Lord Himself has a throne on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies within the temple), the law of kings is established. The scripture states,
"When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me" (Deuteronomy 17:14).
The Lord is saying you have to operate like the nations around you, and it's in vogue to have a king at the head.
The next requirement is stated: "Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother" (verse 15). The Lord chooses a king among Israel and he becomes, in a sense, deified. He is an advocate with God for the people.
The king becomes a servant of the people and should not be "lifted up" above the people he serves. The law for the king is clear, "But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold" (verses 16-17). Solomon neglected this counsel and ten of the tribes were torn away from his son, Rehoboam (1 Kings 12).
Kings were required to study the law of God daily. The next verses in Deuteronomy 17 state, "And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them" (verses 18-19). Sometimes I think this would be a good idea for leaders of our day.
So, in ancient times, who had access to the book of the law? You had to be a king or a priest (or a queen or a priestess) to have full access to the word of God. In spite of the availability of scripture and technology, I think you could argue that this is still the case. I think you know where I'm going with this. The Book of Mormon begins with a heading in First Nephi speaking of Nephi's role. The heading says, "His Reign and Ministry." It is his reign as a king, and his ministry as a priest.
And who in the Book of Mormon is a king who followed diligently the role of king in Israel, according to the law in Deuteronomy? If you guessed King Benjamin you are absolutely right. King Benjamin always spoke of service and how he had been in the service of his people. In his famous speech he says:
"I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man.
"But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me" (Mosiah 2:10-11).
Then he even quotes the law of kings by saying, "I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you" (Mosiah 2:12). Remember the king was not supposed to "multiply to himself silver and gold." The Deuteronomy verse reads, "silver and gold," but King Benjamin quotes it as "gold nor silver." A Hebrew scholar, M. Seidel, discovered what is called "Seidel's Law." He discovered that when one prophet quotes a previous prophet, he inverts the phrases or words to show it's a quote. We will look at more examples in another post.
We also know that King Benjamin and his sons studied the "book of the law" daily. He said to his sons:
"I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief ..." (Mosiah 1:5).
The phrase, "always before our eyes," speaks of the daily reading of the law, and how it affects regal reign.
King Benjamin compares himself with his people with statements like, "I am like as yourselves," compares himself with God with phrases like "heavenly King" (Mosiah 2:19), and compares the people with God with statements like, "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17). The idea of the common people being similar to a deified king establishes the point that the common people can become like God. And that is what Benjamin is hoping for in his service as a mortal king. He is hoping to seal the people to "Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent", that they may be "brought to heaven" (Mosiah 5:15).
In the end, the faithful will receive "a crown of eternal life" (D&C 20:14). I am grateful for the promises of God.
But you know this is inevitable. Kings and priests were types of Christ, and the typology is just too strong and the symbolism too pervasive. Even the Book of Mormon prophesy about America having no kings upon the land must be read within a certain context. There would not be political kings because the Lord said, "For I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words" (2 Nephi 10:14). It's not that they don't need a king, but rather, it's about who is going to be their king, at least in a spiritual context.
So long before King Saul comes to the throne (and the Lord Himself has a throne on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies within the temple), the law of kings is established. The scripture states,
"When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me" (Deuteronomy 17:14).
The Lord is saying you have to operate like the nations around you, and it's in vogue to have a king at the head.
The next requirement is stated: "Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother" (verse 15). The Lord chooses a king among Israel and he becomes, in a sense, deified. He is an advocate with God for the people.
The king becomes a servant of the people and should not be "lifted up" above the people he serves. The law for the king is clear, "But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold" (verses 16-17). Solomon neglected this counsel and ten of the tribes were torn away from his son, Rehoboam (1 Kings 12).
Kings were required to study the law of God daily. The next verses in Deuteronomy 17 state, "And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them" (verses 18-19). Sometimes I think this would be a good idea for leaders of our day.
So, in ancient times, who had access to the book of the law? You had to be a king or a priest (or a queen or a priestess) to have full access to the word of God. In spite of the availability of scripture and technology, I think you could argue that this is still the case. I think you know where I'm going with this. The Book of Mormon begins with a heading in First Nephi speaking of Nephi's role. The heading says, "His Reign and Ministry." It is his reign as a king, and his ministry as a priest.
And who in the Book of Mormon is a king who followed diligently the role of king in Israel, according to the law in Deuteronomy? If you guessed King Benjamin you are absolutely right. King Benjamin always spoke of service and how he had been in the service of his people. In his famous speech he says:
"I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man.
"But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me" (Mosiah 2:10-11).
Then he even quotes the law of kings by saying, "I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you" (Mosiah 2:12). Remember the king was not supposed to "multiply to himself silver and gold." The Deuteronomy verse reads, "silver and gold," but King Benjamin quotes it as "gold nor silver." A Hebrew scholar, M. Seidel, discovered what is called "Seidel's Law." He discovered that when one prophet quotes a previous prophet, he inverts the phrases or words to show it's a quote. We will look at more examples in another post.
We also know that King Benjamin and his sons studied the "book of the law" daily. He said to his sons:
"I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief ..." (Mosiah 1:5).
The phrase, "always before our eyes," speaks of the daily reading of the law, and how it affects regal reign.
King Benjamin compares himself with his people with statements like, "I am like as yourselves," compares himself with God with phrases like "heavenly King" (Mosiah 2:19), and compares the people with God with statements like, "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17). The idea of the common people being similar to a deified king establishes the point that the common people can become like God. And that is what Benjamin is hoping for in his service as a mortal king. He is hoping to seal the people to "Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent", that they may be "brought to heaven" (Mosiah 5:15).
In the end, the faithful will receive "a crown of eternal life" (D&C 20:14). I am grateful for the promises of God.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
The Wilderness of Kadesh-barnea and the Pool of Bethesda
Why did the Lord make the children of Israel wander in the wilderness so long? And what does the wilderness represent?
We are told in various scriptures that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years (see Numbers 14:33 for example). What was the Lord's reasoning for this? The verse in Numbers correlates the number of days of the spies' search to report on the promised land with the number of years of wandering in the wilderness. You will remember there was a person chosen from each of the twelve tribes to go and search out Canaan and return and report. Representatives from ten of the twelve tribes brought back bad news, but Caleb from Judah and Joshua from Ephraim brought back good reports. Then there is the issue of those twenty years old and upward who murmured against the Lord (see Numbers 14:29). Perhaps the Lord wanted to bring a younger generation into the promised land, because their parents had already rejected it through disobedience.
But there is another timeline and another possible explanation. In Deuteronomy it states:
"And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the Lord sware unto them" (Deuteronomy 2:14).
In this reference the space of wandering is 38 years. And now we can connect an Old Testament story with a New Testament story.
Fast-forward about 1300 years and we find Jesus at the Pool of Bethesda. It has an interesting name in Hebrew; it means "house of mercy." And here mercy should abound. The pool has five porches, and the number five symbolizes mercy. Remember when Joseph's brothers return to Egypt and food and clothing is provided. Benjamin's mess (meal) was five times more than the others, and he received five changes of raiment (Genesis 43:34; 45:22). But just how merciful is this place?
John, in his typical style of always testifying of the Savior's identity, is careful to point out that this is Jehovah at work, as it echoes the Creation process. During the Creation, it states, "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2). And at Bethesda, there are moving waters (John 5:3). Here are the blind, halt, withered, and maimed just waiting for the movement of the waters. Now verse 4 is not included in many of the Biblical translations, but it does appear in the King James Version. And it's here we find that whoever steps into the water first, after the troubling of the waters, is healed of whatever infirmity he or she had.
There's no mercy here. It sounds more like Survivor! Whoever can run fastest into the pool gets cured. And it's certain not to be the man who needs it most!
So we have a man at the pool who has been waiting around for 38 years--just like the children of Israel wandering for 38 years. Now we can put two and two together and plainly see that the journey in the wilderness represents our mortal probation. And it might as well be you or me lying beside the pool. As the poor man exclaims, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me" (John 5:7). In a competitive world, there is always going to be someone faster, stronger, smarter, better-looking, etc. And how will we ever make it with all those commandments?
Then, to make matters worse, the Savior asks this man to commit a capital offense. He asks him to rise, take up his bed, and walk--a crime punishable by death (see Exodus 35:2). But the man does it and is healed.
We are all on this mortal journey together. We walk around in the wilderness of life, ever learning in the school of hard knocks. Sometimes there isn't much mercy. Sometimes life doesn't seem fair. And whether we make it through, and find ourselves whole, will be determined by our reaching out to a merciful Savior who stands with outstretched arms to heal, embrace, and welcome us home.
We are told in various scriptures that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years (see Numbers 14:33 for example). What was the Lord's reasoning for this? The verse in Numbers correlates the number of days of the spies' search to report on the promised land with the number of years of wandering in the wilderness. You will remember there was a person chosen from each of the twelve tribes to go and search out Canaan and return and report. Representatives from ten of the twelve tribes brought back bad news, but Caleb from Judah and Joshua from Ephraim brought back good reports. Then there is the issue of those twenty years old and upward who murmured against the Lord (see Numbers 14:29). Perhaps the Lord wanted to bring a younger generation into the promised land, because their parents had already rejected it through disobedience.
But there is another timeline and another possible explanation. In Deuteronomy it states:
"And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the Lord sware unto them" (Deuteronomy 2:14).
In this reference the space of wandering is 38 years. And now we can connect an Old Testament story with a New Testament story.
Fast-forward about 1300 years and we find Jesus at the Pool of Bethesda. It has an interesting name in Hebrew; it means "house of mercy." And here mercy should abound. The pool has five porches, and the number five symbolizes mercy. Remember when Joseph's brothers return to Egypt and food and clothing is provided. Benjamin's mess (meal) was five times more than the others, and he received five changes of raiment (Genesis 43:34; 45:22). But just how merciful is this place?
John, in his typical style of always testifying of the Savior's identity, is careful to point out that this is Jehovah at work, as it echoes the Creation process. During the Creation, it states, "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2). And at Bethesda, there are moving waters (John 5:3). Here are the blind, halt, withered, and maimed just waiting for the movement of the waters. Now verse 4 is not included in many of the Biblical translations, but it does appear in the King James Version. And it's here we find that whoever steps into the water first, after the troubling of the waters, is healed of whatever infirmity he or she had.
There's no mercy here. It sounds more like Survivor! Whoever can run fastest into the pool gets cured. And it's certain not to be the man who needs it most!
So we have a man at the pool who has been waiting around for 38 years--just like the children of Israel wandering for 38 years. Now we can put two and two together and plainly see that the journey in the wilderness represents our mortal probation. And it might as well be you or me lying beside the pool. As the poor man exclaims, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me" (John 5:7). In a competitive world, there is always going to be someone faster, stronger, smarter, better-looking, etc. And how will we ever make it with all those commandments?
Then, to make matters worse, the Savior asks this man to commit a capital offense. He asks him to rise, take up his bed, and walk--a crime punishable by death (see Exodus 35:2). But the man does it and is healed.
We are all on this mortal journey together. We walk around in the wilderness of life, ever learning in the school of hard knocks. Sometimes there isn't much mercy. Sometimes life doesn't seem fair. And whether we make it through, and find ourselves whole, will be determined by our reaching out to a merciful Savior who stands with outstretched arms to heal, embrace, and welcome us home.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
The Red Heifer and Purifying Pots
I'm trying to write these post a little shorter, so I will start today with the sacrifice of the red heifer. The Lord commanded, "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke" (Numbers 19:2). The Atonement symbolism is quite apparent. There can be no blemish, like the Son of God. And Jesus is the One who sets us free, therefore, there is no yoke.
The red heifer is slain and the ashes of the sacrifice are combined with cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet. You will remember the cedar wood represents the cross of Jesus, the vinegar given to our Lord was put upon hyssop and raised up to His mouth, and the crucifiers put a scarlet robe on Jesus (see John 19:29; Matthew 27:28).
The ashes of the red heifer are put in a special purification vessel for future ritual cleansing. These large pots (and I saw one of these at the Leonardo in the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit) are the same vessels Jesus used at the wedding feast in John 2. The water pots were "after the manner of the purifying of the Jews" (John 2:6). In these vessels water was made into wine. The Divine Son was symbolized by the water, which represents spirit matter and divinity. The incarnate, mortal Son was symbolized by the wine, which represents blood. The ashes of the heifer become a purifying agent when living water is added. The Savior is the provider of living water (see John 4:10-14) and the only One who can purify us from all sin. The transformation from water to wine symbolizes the Savior's role, as He had a spirit body in premortal life (like us) and condescended to become our Savior making it necessary for the Word to be made flesh (see John 1:14). He took upon Himself flesh and blood, and provided the very blood that could make us clean.
I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His willingness to suffer the pains of all mankind to bring us back to the presence of the Father.
The red heifer is slain and the ashes of the sacrifice are combined with cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet. You will remember the cedar wood represents the cross of Jesus, the vinegar given to our Lord was put upon hyssop and raised up to His mouth, and the crucifiers put a scarlet robe on Jesus (see John 19:29; Matthew 27:28).
The ashes of the red heifer are put in a special purification vessel for future ritual cleansing. These large pots (and I saw one of these at the Leonardo in the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit) are the same vessels Jesus used at the wedding feast in John 2. The water pots were "after the manner of the purifying of the Jews" (John 2:6). In these vessels water was made into wine. The Divine Son was symbolized by the water, which represents spirit matter and divinity. The incarnate, mortal Son was symbolized by the wine, which represents blood. The ashes of the heifer become a purifying agent when living water is added. The Savior is the provider of living water (see John 4:10-14) and the only One who can purify us from all sin. The transformation from water to wine symbolizes the Savior's role, as He had a spirit body in premortal life (like us) and condescended to become our Savior making it necessary for the Word to be made flesh (see John 1:14). He took upon Himself flesh and blood, and provided the very blood that could make us clean.
I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His willingness to suffer the pains of all mankind to bring us back to the presence of the Father.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Fringes In the Borders of the Garment
Ancient Israelites were commanded to make fringes in the borders of the garment. The Mosaic requirement is set forth:
"Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
"And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
"That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God" (Numbers 15:38-40).
In Hebrew, this garment is referred to as the tallit katan, meaning "little tent." The ancient progression from personal tallit, to booth (succoth in Hebrew), to tabernacle, to temple is apparent in the Old Testament. Leviticus 23:42 describes one of three required feasts (Feast of Tabernacles) where Israelites were commanded to dwell in booths for seven days. Jesus used this setting in John, chapters 7 and 8 to teach from the temple. Today, the tallit is a prayer shawl worn by faithful Jews.
The commandment to make fringes is important. These fringes were sewn into the four corners of a rectangular fabric. The corners were called "wings" (kanaph in Hebrew) and each wing had a tassel with twisted threads going in two opposite directions. The tassels are called tzitzit, which is the Hebrew word for fringes. The numerology symbolism becomes important here.
In Hebrew, each letter has a numeric value and the letters are added together to create a numeric value for each word. The Hebrew word for fringes (tzitzit) has a combined numeric value of 600. To this number are added the four tassels on the corners (wings) of the tallit, and the number four is doubled because they run in two opposite directions, creating a total of eight. There are five knots specially tied in each tassel. So we have the numbers 600, 8, and 5, and the arithmetic below:
600 (numeric value of tzitzit) + 8 (twisted threads) + 5 (knots) = 613
And now you're totally bored with the math and saying, "So, what?" Well, it just turns out that ancient rabbis numbered all the commandments of the law of Moses and came up with the number 613. You may be interested to know there are 248 "thou shalt's" and 365 "thou shalt not's." You can see the law of Moses was weighted toward the more negative side of the law. 248 corresponds to the number of body parts (I'm sure modern doctors have discovered a few more) and 365 corresponds to the number of days in the year.
So what are your chances of salvation subscribing to the law of Moses? I can't even keep 10 commandments very well sometimes! No wonder Paul said:
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
"Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised (clinging to Mosaic law), Christ shall profit you nothing.
"For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law" (all 613 commandments).
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:1-4).
This makes me especially grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His resulting grace!
WINGS OF THE GARMENT
The borders, or wings, of the garment become significant in other ways. Without the tassels, the rest of the garment has no religious significance.
These tassels, worn by Jesus, would be what the woman with the issue of blood touched. The tallit would hang over the back of the shoulders and the woman touched the tassel on one side or both. The Savior replied, "Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me" (Luke 8:46). The "wings" of the garment worn by the Savior now become a source of power. The Greek word here for virtue is dynamis, the root of the English word "dynamite." That's a lot of power!
Today's Sunday School lesson, in our ward, was on Ruth. She said to Boaz, her husband-to-be, "Spread therefore thy skirt (kanaph in Hebrew, meaning "wing") over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman" (Ruth 3:9). Boaz had previously said to Ruth, "The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust" (Ruth 2:12). In these verses, both skirt and wings are translated from the Hebrew word kanaph. The context of "wing" in this case represents the power resulting from covenants. Boaz becomes a kinsman-redeemer, as he buys back a field, sold by Naomi, her mother-in-law, and also chooses to redeem Ruth. Boaz, whose name means "in him is strength and fleetness," says, "Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day" (Ruth 4:10). A nearer kinsman had accepted the role of kinsman-redeemer and then later declined, saying, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance" (Ruth 4:6). He reminds us of Satan, who said, "I will redeem all mankind," but was not willing to be "marred" in the redemption process (see Moses 4:1).
As a side note, the concept of raising up seed and an inheritance for deceased ancestors implies that the law of Moses taught something about the eternal nature of families and the sealing power that would unite families for the eternities.
The symbolic nature of wings are explained by the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he describes the four beasts spoken of in Revelation:
"Their eyes are a representation of light and knowledge, that is, they are full of knowledge; and their wings are a representation of power, to move, to act, etc." (D&C 77:4).
I am so grateful for the redeeming power of Jesus Christ, who shall "arise with healing in his wings" (3 Nephi 25:2) to rescue and heal those of us who are too weak to live the whole law.
"Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
"And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
"That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God" (Numbers 15:38-40).
In Hebrew, this garment is referred to as the tallit katan, meaning "little tent." The ancient progression from personal tallit, to booth (succoth in Hebrew), to tabernacle, to temple is apparent in the Old Testament. Leviticus 23:42 describes one of three required feasts (Feast of Tabernacles) where Israelites were commanded to dwell in booths for seven days. Jesus used this setting in John, chapters 7 and 8 to teach from the temple. Today, the tallit is a prayer shawl worn by faithful Jews.
The commandment to make fringes is important. These fringes were sewn into the four corners of a rectangular fabric. The corners were called "wings" (kanaph in Hebrew) and each wing had a tassel with twisted threads going in two opposite directions. The tassels are called tzitzit, which is the Hebrew word for fringes. The numerology symbolism becomes important here.
In Hebrew, each letter has a numeric value and the letters are added together to create a numeric value for each word. The Hebrew word for fringes (tzitzit) has a combined numeric value of 600. To this number are added the four tassels on the corners (wings) of the tallit, and the number four is doubled because they run in two opposite directions, creating a total of eight. There are five knots specially tied in each tassel. So we have the numbers 600, 8, and 5, and the arithmetic below:
600 (numeric value of tzitzit) + 8 (twisted threads) + 5 (knots) = 613
And now you're totally bored with the math and saying, "So, what?" Well, it just turns out that ancient rabbis numbered all the commandments of the law of Moses and came up with the number 613. You may be interested to know there are 248 "thou shalt's" and 365 "thou shalt not's." You can see the law of Moses was weighted toward the more negative side of the law. 248 corresponds to the number of body parts (I'm sure modern doctors have discovered a few more) and 365 corresponds to the number of days in the year.
So what are your chances of salvation subscribing to the law of Moses? I can't even keep 10 commandments very well sometimes! No wonder Paul said:
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
"Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised (clinging to Mosaic law), Christ shall profit you nothing.
"For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law" (all 613 commandments).
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:1-4).
This makes me especially grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His resulting grace!
WINGS OF THE GARMENT
The borders, or wings, of the garment become significant in other ways. Without the tassels, the rest of the garment has no religious significance.
These tassels, worn by Jesus, would be what the woman with the issue of blood touched. The tallit would hang over the back of the shoulders and the woman touched the tassel on one side or both. The Savior replied, "Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me" (Luke 8:46). The "wings" of the garment worn by the Savior now become a source of power. The Greek word here for virtue is dynamis, the root of the English word "dynamite." That's a lot of power!
Today's Sunday School lesson, in our ward, was on Ruth. She said to Boaz, her husband-to-be, "Spread therefore thy skirt (kanaph in Hebrew, meaning "wing") over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman" (Ruth 3:9). Boaz had previously said to Ruth, "The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust" (Ruth 2:12). In these verses, both skirt and wings are translated from the Hebrew word kanaph. The context of "wing" in this case represents the power resulting from covenants. Boaz becomes a kinsman-redeemer, as he buys back a field, sold by Naomi, her mother-in-law, and also chooses to redeem Ruth. Boaz, whose name means "in him is strength and fleetness," says, "Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day" (Ruth 4:10). A nearer kinsman had accepted the role of kinsman-redeemer and then later declined, saying, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance" (Ruth 4:6). He reminds us of Satan, who said, "I will redeem all mankind," but was not willing to be "marred" in the redemption process (see Moses 4:1).
As a side note, the concept of raising up seed and an inheritance for deceased ancestors implies that the law of Moses taught something about the eternal nature of families and the sealing power that would unite families for the eternities.
The symbolic nature of wings are explained by the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he describes the four beasts spoken of in Revelation:
"Their eyes are a representation of light and knowledge, that is, they are full of knowledge; and their wings are a representation of power, to move, to act, etc." (D&C 77:4).
I am so grateful for the redeeming power of Jesus Christ, who shall "arise with healing in his wings" (3 Nephi 25:2) to rescue and heal those of us who are too weak to live the whole law.
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