2010 Laura F. Willes Center Symposium

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the 2010 Laura F. Willes Center Symposium entitled "Symbolism in the Scriptures" held September 17th on the BYU campus. There were many fascinating presentations given and I wanted to give synopses for a few of the presentations that I enjoyed the most.

The first presentation that I wanted to write about was given by Daniel Belnap. His talk was entitled "Clothed with Salvation: The Garden, the Veil & Christ".

He explained that his lecture was going to be a look at symbolism within a ritual context and he began by citing the story of Tabitha found in Acts 9:36-42. Tabitha was a woman of Joppa who became sick and died. She was very important to the Christian community there and when the local disciples heard that Peter was in nearby Lydda they sent two men to ask him to come. When Peter arrived the widows of Joppa showed him the clothing that Tabitha had made for them. They did this to show Peter how important Tabitha was to them. Peter then sent everyone out of the room, shut the doors and raised Tabitha from the dead.

Daniel Belnap then explained the symbolism that is attached to clothing. Clothing is related to our self-concept. It helps us to develop and maintain notions of who we are and what roles we play in society. Clothing is highly visible and tangible and facilitates our move from one role to another. Clothing also marks the boundary between self and society.

He then went on to discuss the concept nakedness as contrasted with nudity. Nakedness is not necessarily the same as nudity. Nudity is simply the lack of clothing while nakedness is something that is socially constructed. Nakedness is not instinctive. We learn as children to be ashamed of our bodies. Nakedness is not inherently negative, on the contrary it helps society and serves a social function.

The Garden

In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve were naked but not ashamed. This was not necessarily a good thing and needed to be corrected. Lehi taught in 2 Nephi 2 that if Adam and Eve had remained that way they would not have progressed. Adam and Eve would have had no posterity and would have never experienced joy but would have remained in their innocent state forever. After partaking of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Adam and Eve became ashamed and made for themselves aprons of fig leaves to cover their nakedness. These aprons are the first clothing mentioned in the scriptures. Adam and Eve used this clothing to identify themselves. Having the ability to clothe implies the person doing the clothing has power.

The Nazis used clothing to control the Jews. They made the Jews wear yellow stars to identify and marginalize them. In the concentration camps they forced the Jews to remove their clothing in order to make them feel helpless and vulnerable. In prisons inmates are forced to wear a uniform in order to define their role within the prison.

After making their aprons Adam and Eve hid. Using fig leaves for clothing would have acted as camouflage in the garden. The fact that they hid from God shows that they realized their relationship with God had changed. They can no longer interact with him in the same way. After the consequences of their choice was decreed Adam and Eve get new clothing. This clothing is made and given to them by God. Their receipt of the new clothing implies that Adam and Eve's definition of themselves isn't totally accurate. God is the one who defines who they are. Their new clothing is a symbol of what God means them to be.

In this story there is also an interesting play on words. Genesis 3:1 describes the serpent as "subtil". In the Hebrew text the word that is translated into "subtil" is ערום (arum) which is a participle of ערם (aram) which means "to make bare". This is a clever way of saying that Satan is the most naked before the Lord. Satan crawls around in the dirt just as slaves did anciently. Slaves were always given menial tasks which usually entailed them working in the dirt.

The Veil

In Numbers 4:5 the Lord instructs the Levites to wrap the ark in the veil when the tabernacle was being dismantled and transported. The veil in this instance acts as clothing for the ark. It covers the ark and defines it. The high priest also wore a representation of the veil. Exodus 28:5-6,8,15,33 explains that both the veil and the garments of the high priest were composed of similar materials. The veil was placed between the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place to protect the sanctity of the Holy of Holies and the garments of the high priest served a similar function. Also the clothing of the high priest and the veil allowed the high priest to move between the spaces in the temple without dying.

Christ

The story of the Luke 8:26-36 was discussed next. In this story the Savior comes upon a man possessed of devils. Luke makes the point that the man in not wearing any clothing. The person has lost his identity. When the Savior asks his name the man gives his name as "legion" which is not a real name. Jesus casts the devils out of the man and the man is clothed and in his right mind. The Savior not only invests the man with clothing but restores his identity to him.

Dan Belnap then briefly discussed a few other concepts with associated scripture references which are given below:

Atonement & Investiture:
Revelation 7:14
Alma 5:21,27
3 Nephi 27:19

Eternal Life as Investiture
D&C 29:13

Christ as Clothing
Mark 5:29
Romans 13:14
Galatians 3:27
Hebrews 10:19

Those invested in turn invest others
D&C 133:32

In future postings I will write about some of the other presentations.

חוה - Eve

In the Book of Genesis there is a very subtle detail that teaches an important principle about the fall. This detail has to do with the introduction of Eve in the Biblical account of Adam and Eve. The name Eve comes from the Hebrew חוה (Hava) which means "lifegiver" according to Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary, or "mother of all living" according to the Bible (see Genesis 3:20).

We know from the Book of Mormon that had Adam and Eve not partaken of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they would have remained in the garden in a state of innocence without the ability to procreate. See 2 Nephi 2:22-23. In the book of Genesis the name Eve doesn't appear until Genesis 3:20 and she is referred to as "the woman" prior to that. Probably Eve was referred to as "the woman" prior to the fall because she wasn't a candidate for motherhood until after she and Adam partook of the fruit. Once she partook of the fruit the woman could rightly be called "Eve".

Moses chapter 5

10 And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.

11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.

12 And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters.

Be Ye Therefore Perfect

3 Nephi 12:46-48

Therefore those things which were of old time, which were under the law, in me are all fulfilled.

Old things are done away, and all things have become new.

Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

John W. Welch, The Sermon at the Temple and the Sermon on the Mount: A Latter-Day Saint Approach p.57-60

Although it is possible that the word "perfect" has only a straightforward ethical or religious meaning here, reflecting perfect or "undivided obedience to God" and "unlimited love," there is a stronger possibility that the word carries a ceremonial connotation in this particular text. It seems to me that, in this verse, Jesus is expressing his desire that the disciples now advance from one level to a next level, to go on to become "perfect," "finished," or "completed" in their instruction and endowment. In addition to the ritual context of the Sermon—the context usually determining the sense in which the intended "completeness" consists—several reasons support this understanding.

First, the Greek word translated into English as "perfect" in Matthew 5:48 is teleios. This important word is used in Greek religious literature to describe the person who has become fully initiated in the rituals of the religion. Teleios is "a technical term of the mystery religions, which refers to one initiated into the mystic rites, the initiate." The word is used in Hebrews 5:14-6:1 to distinguish between the initial teachings and the full instruction; and in Hebrews 9:11 it refers to the heavenly temple. Generally in the Epistle to the Hebrews, its usage follows a "special use" from Hellenistic Judaism, where the word teleioo means "to put someone in the position in which he can come, or stand, before God." Thus, in its ritual connotations, this word refers to preparing a person to be presented to come before God "in priestly action" or "to qualify for the cultus." Early Christians continued to use this word in this way in connection with their sacraments and ordinances...

Moreover, the cultic use of the Hebrew term shalom may provide a concrete link between the Nephites and this Greek and Christian use of teleios. John Durham has explored in detail the fundamental meanings of shalom, especially in Numbers 6:26 and in certain of the Psalms, and concludes that it was used as a cultic term referring to a gift or endowment to or of God that "can be received only in his Presence," "a blessing specially connected to theophany or the immanent Presence of God," specifically as appearing in the Temple of Solomon and represented "within the Israelite cult" and liturgy. Buruch LeVine similarly analyzes the function of the shelamim sacrifices as producing "complete," or perfect, "harmony with the deity . . . characteristic of the covenant relationship as well as of the ritual experience of communion."

Holiness Shall Be Upon Their Heads

As I was reading the scriptures this evening I noticed a very interesting line in 2 Nephi 2:11. In this verse the prophet Jacob (son of Lehi) is quoting Isaiah chapter 51. In the KJV Isaiah 51:11 reads:

"Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away."

This chapter is about the latter-day redemption of Israel and this verse refers to the return of Israel to the lands of their inheritance.

This verse is slightly different in the version found in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon verse reads this way:

"Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away" (italics added)

The Book of Mormon version adds the phrase "and holiness" when speaking of the blessings which are to be upon the heads of redeemed Israel in the latter-days. I believe this small change is very significant. I believe it is a reference to the role the temple is to play in the lives of modern Israel.

In ancient Israel the temple high priest wore ceremonial clothing as he administered in the temple (see illustration above). He wore a turban or cap with a gold plate on the front above his forehead which read: קדש יהוה (qôdesh yehôvâh) which has been translated into English as "holiness to the Lord" or "holiness to Jehovah". This plate was known as the "crown". (see Exodus 29:6)

Anciently only the high priest passed through the veil of the temple and into the symbolic presence of the Lord in the Holy of Holies. In modern temples all worthy Latter-Day Saints who enjoy the temple endowment take upon themselves the identity of the temple high priest and pass through the veil into the symbolic presence of the Lord in the Celestial Room.

Latter-Day Saints understand themselves to be modern day Israel so they see themselves being described in 2 Nephi 8 and Isaiah 51. Therefore, when Isaiah says that modern Israel will have joy and holiness upon their heads he may be referring to this gold plate. This may be his way of saying that Israel will enjoy the privileges previously restricted to the high priest.

Interestingly, an alternate translation of this verse by Avraham Gileadi reads:

"Let the ransomed of the Lord return! Let them come singing to Zion, their heads crowned with everlasting joy; let them obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing flee away." (italics added)

We know from the the text of the Book of Mormon that the authors of the book had access to the writings of Isaiah from the Brass Plates. (see 1 Nephi 19:22 - 24) It would be fascinating to know if the most faithful rendering of this verse to what Isaiah originally wrote would be something like:

"Let the ransomed of the Lord return! Let them come singing to Zion, their heads crowned with everlasting joy and holiness..."

There may also be another reference to the temple in chapter 51. Gileadi's translation of verse 9 begins with:

"Awake, arise; clothe yourself with power..."

The "clothe yourself with power" phrase sounds very much like a temple reference to Latter-Day Saints especially when compared with modern scripture such as D&C 43:16:

"And ye are to be taught from on high. Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power, that ye may give even as I have spoken." (italics added, note: endow and clothe have similar meanings)

As I study the scriptures I am astonished at how often subtle and not so subtle references to the temple are made therein. The scriptures are temple texts and if one reads them with the temple in mind those references become very conspicuous. It's a fascinating and rewarding way to read the scriptures and one which I believe the prophets intended for us.

Consecrate

In the Old Testament the English word "consecrate" has been translated from a few different Hebrew words and phrases. The Hebrew word which most closely matches the English word consecrate קדש (qâdash) which has the basic meaning to make clean (Strong's Bible Lexicon).

Another Hebrew expression that was translated into English as consecrate is מלא יד (mâlê' yâd) which means to fill the hand. This expression is found in Exodus 29:9 which reads:

And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate (fill the hands of) Aaron and his sons.

If Aaron and his sons were to have their hands filled as a part of their priestly duties, what were they to be filled with?

One of the duties of the high priest was to offer incense at certain times, such as on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) as he entered the Holy of Holies (debir). Only the high priest entered the Holy of Holies and he did so only once a year on Yom Kippur. The censer was shaped like a spoon and the priest would use it to scoop up some of the coals off the incense alter in the Holy Place (hekal). He would then pour some incense onto the coals and smoke would fill the temple (see Isaiah 6:1-4 and Revelation 15:8).

Interestingly, the cup portion of the spoon may have had a hand carved on the bottom (see illustration above) so when the Lord instructs Moses to fill the hands of Aaron and his sons this is what he may be referring to.

יסף - Isaiah 29:14

Isaiah 29:14 (KJV)

Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

This morning as I was studying the scriptures I noticed a really interesting detail from Isaiah 29:14. As Latter-Day Saints we understand this verse to be a prophecy of the restoration of the Lord's church in modern times. The book of Isaiah was originally written in Hebrew and Hebrew authors often used various literary devices in their writings. One common device they used was wordplay. I believe that Isaiah intentionally used a play on words in this verse to teach his readers additional information about the restoration of the Gospel.

The key player in the restoration was the prophet Joseph Smith. We know from the Book of Mormon that the Joseph who was sold into Egypt was aware of Joseph Smith and even knew what his name would be (see 2 Nephi 3). Presumably Isaiah had access to Joseph's writings and was also aware that the great latter-day prophet's name would be Joseph.

In Isaiah 29:14 the Hebrew word which was translated into English as proceed is the word יסף yâsaph (or יסף .*(יסוף means "to add or augment" (Strong's Bible Lexicon) and is the Hebrew form of the name Joseph.

Isaiah in saying that he would "add" a marvelous work and a wonder was cleverly teaching his readers of the latter-day mission of the prophet Joseph Smith.

*יסוף and יסף are the same word. The ו in יסוף is known as a matres lectiones. matres lectiones are consonantal vowel points and the ו is there only to fit the word into it's context and does not change it's meaning.

P.S. (7/26/10) - I just found out this has been written about. Here is the article: "He Shall Add: Wordplay on the Name Joseph and an Early Instance of Gezera Shawa in the Book of Mormon" by Matthew Bowen

The Bronze Laver

Jesus, Yahweh and the Temple

1 Nephi 14:2 ;15:20

Webster's 1828 English Dictionary

CONFOUND', verb transitive [French confondre; Latin confundo; con and fundo, to pour out; Italian confondere; Spanish Portugese confundir. Literally, to pour or throw together.]

1. To mingle and blend different things, so that their forms or natures cannot be distinguished; to mix in a mass or crowd, so that individuals cannot be distinguished.

2. To throw into disorder.

3. To mix or blend, so as to occasion a mistake of one thing for another.

4. To perplex; to disturb the apprehension by indistinctnes of ideas or words.

5. To abash; to throw the mind into disorder; to cast down; to make ashamed.

6. To perplex with terror; to terrify; to dismay; to astonish; to throw into consternation; to stupify with amazement.:

7. To destroy; to overthrow.

"It seems to have been Tiglath-pileser who originated large-scale deportations of conquered peoples. By deporting a conquered people en masse to a foreign land, Tiglath-pileser hoped to break their unity and destroy their national identity….How long Israel remained in Assyria after they had been carried away captive by Sargon II is not known. It is likely that many accepted the life and culture of their captors and lost their identity."
-Old Testament Institute Manual 2:113-114

"The Assyrians seemed to find satisfaction—or a necessary tutelage for their sons—in torturing captives, blinding children before the eyes of their parents, flaying men alive, roasting them in kilns, chaining them in cages for the amusement of the populace, and then sending the survivors off to execution. Ashurnasirpal tells how ‘all the chiefs who had revolted I flayed, with their skins I covered the pillar, some in the midst I walled up, others on stakes I impaled, still others I arranged around the pillar on stakes. . . . As for the chieftains and royal officers who had rebelled, I cut off their members.’ Ashurbanipal boasts that ‘I burned three thousand captives with fire, I left not a single one among them alive to serve as a hostage.’ Another of his inscriptions reads: ‘These warriors who had sinned against Ashur and had plotted evil against me . . . from their hostile mouths have I torn their tongues, and I have compassed their destruction. As for the others who remained alive, I offered them as a funerary sacrifice; . . . their lacerated members have I given unto the dogs, the swine, the wolves. . . . By accomplishing these deeds I have rejoiced the heart of the great gods.’ Another monarch instructs his artisans to engrave upon the bricks these claims on the admiration of posterity: ‘My war chariots crush men and beasts. . . . The monuments which I erect are made of human corpses from which I have cut the head and limbs. I cut off the hands of all those whom I capture alive.’ Reliefs at Nineveh show men being impaled or flayed, or having their tongues torn out; one shows a king gouging out the eyes of prisoners with a lance while he holds their heads conveniently in place with a cord passed through their lips.” (Durant, Our Oriental Heritage, 1:271, 275–76.)
-Old Testament Institute Manual 2:112-113

Jesus Christ as High Priest

The High Priest

"As a result of the failure of the Israelites to observe the gospel law administered by Moses under the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the Lord gave an additional law of performances and ordinances and 'confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations' (D&C 84: 18) to administer it. This priesthood was of lesser power and authority than the priesthood of Melchizedek, and was used to administer the outward ordinances, particularly as characterized by the ceremonies of the law of Moses. The terms Aaronic and Levitical are sometimes used synonymously (D&C 107: 1, 6, 10), although there are some specific differences in the offices existing within the Levitical Priesthood. For example, the lesser priesthood was conferred only upon men of the tribe of Levi. However, within the tribe, only Aaron and his sons could hold the office of priest. And, still further, from the firstborn of Aaron’s sons (after Aaron) was selected the high priest (or president of the priests). Thus Aaron and his sons after him had greater offices in the Levitical Priesthood than did the other Levites."
-"Aaronic Priesthood" LDS Bible Dictionary, LDS edition of the Holy Bible p.599

This afternoon I read an interesting blog post on http://ancient-wisdom-lds-temple.blogspot.com/ that talks about how the Christians around the time of the Savior viewed Jesus Christ as the temple High Priest (see Hebrews 4:14-15). Here are the highlights:

"The earliest Christians viewed Jesus Christ in the role of the High Priest of the temple (Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 5:10). He is even described as wearing a seamless robe similar to the one worn by the high priest (John 19:23; compare Exodus 28:31-32). He pronounced a blessing on his disciples after the manner of the high priest with uplifted hands (Luke 24:50; compare Leviticus 9:22-23; Numbers 6:23-27. He was baptized at age 30, which was the age when temple priest began to serve (Luke 3:21-23; compare Numbers 4:1-4). The prayer that Christ utters in the seventeenth chapter of the book of John is regarded by many biblical scholars to be a high priestly prayer. Christ is also depicted in Revelation 1:12-13 standing in the heavenly temple wearing 'the royal and high-priestly garb.' (see The Gate of Heaven, Matthew B. Brown, pg. 168-169)"

Tokens

Acts 1:1-3
1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Verse 3 talks about the appearance of Jesus Christ to his apostles following his resurrection. Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, says that the Lord showed himself "by many infallible proofs". What were these infallible proofs?

The original language of the New Testament is Greek. The Greek word which was translated into "infallible truths" is τεκμήριον (tekmērion) which can also be translated as "token". This brings to mind the words of verse 7 of the hymn "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief":

Then in a moment to my view
The stranger started from disguise
The tokens in his hands I knew;
The Savior stood before my eyes.
He spake and my poor name he named,
"Of me thou hast not been ashamed.
These deeds shall thy memorial be;
Fear not thou didst them unto me"

In the case of Acts 1:3 the tokens were most likely the nail prints in the hands and feet of the Savior and the wound in his side. It is interesting however to look at the definition of the word "token" to find out other possible meanings.

Here is the definition of token as given in the 1828 edition of Webster's dictionary:

TOKEN, n. to'kn. [L. signum, dialetically varied, or from the same radix.]

1. A sign; something intended to represent or indicate another thing or an event. Thus the rainbow is a token of God's covenant established with Noah. The blood of the paschal lamb, sprinkled on the doors of the Hebrews, was a token to the destroying angel of God's will that he should pass by those houses. Gen 9. Exo 12.

Show me a token for good. Psa 86.

2. A mark. In pestilential diseases, tokens are livid spots upon the body, which indicate the approach of death.

3. A memorial of friendship; something by which the friendship of another person is to be kept in mind.

4. In coinage, tokens were coins struck in the reign of Elizabeth in the cities of Bristol, Oxford and Worcester, and also by private persons, which were put into circulation, and upon being returned,the issuer gave the value of them in current money.

5. In printing, ten quires of paper; an extra quire is usually added to every other token, when counted out for the press.

Additionally, it is interesting to consider these verses in a temple context. Brigham Young made this statement:

"Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the House of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the Holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell." -JD 2:31

Facsimile 2, Figure 2

For the past week or two I've been reading the new Hugh Nibley book "One Eternal Round". There is a paragraph or two that talks about figure 2 in facsimile number 2 (the hypocephalus) on pages 109 - 110 that I thought was really interesting. Here it is:

"Any point on the rim of a speeding wheel is going either up or down, and no matter how fast the vehicle is moving, that point must stand dead still when it touches the earth - or else the wheel would be skidding. One might call it a singularity, moving up and down at the same time. Yet it is clearly displayed in the important 17th chapter of the Book of the Dead. There we see the sun on the horizon, but it is neither yesterday nor tomorrow...

"The same idea is expressed in Facsimile 2, Figure 2, the two faced god that represents the sun at the zenith and symbolizes the joining together of Re and Osiris... The two come together at, and only at, the indefinable instant of time when the sun reverses its course from a southerly to northerly direction. The Egyptian text explains that this is indeed the combined oneness of Re (who looks forward to the day) with Osiris (who is looking back on it). At that moment his two faces are in both worlds at once, and on some hypocephali the figure is drawn with a double body as well. But it is only for an unthinkable instant, the passing of time from past to future, the fatal paradox or the moment in which we are all living."

I also thought I would add Joseph Smith's commentary on this figure:

"Fig. 2. Stands next to Kolob, called by the Egyptians Oliblish, which is the next grand governing creation near to the celestial or the place where God resides; holding the key of power also, pertaining to other planets; as revealed from God to Abraham, as he offered sacrifice upon an altar, which he had built unto the Lord."

In BYU Studies, vol. 17 (1976-1977) p. 268 Michael Rhodes gave a translation of facsimile 2 and this is what he had to say about figure 2:

"A two-headed deity wearing the double-plumed crown of Amen, with Ram's horns mounted on it. On his shoulders are jackalheads, and he is holding the jackal standard of Wepwawet. To his right is an altar with offerings on and around it. In most hypocephali, he is holding the ankh, or symbol of life, in his right hand. Also to his right a line of hieroglyphics reading: "The name of this Mighty God.

"P.J. de Horrack considers this to be Amen-Re; the two heads illustrating the hidden and mysterious power of Amen combined with the visible and luminous power of Re. fn William Petrie agrees that it is Amen-Re, but sees the two heads as representing the rising and setting sun. fn That the deity is a form of Amen is clear from the fact that he is wearing the double plume crown mentioned in chapter 162 of the Book of the Dead, but why he has jackals' heads on his shoulders and is holding a jackal standard is not so evident. The jackal is generally is used as a symbol of Anubis and Wepwawet, both funerary gods. Anubis being specifically the god assigned to guide the dead through the afterworld to the throne of Osiris. Perhaps due to the funerary character of the hypocephalus, it was thought that Amen should also carry emblems indicative of his power over that realm as well.

"Again, we can compare here the significance ascribed to these characters by Joseph Smith. Where the hypocephalus depicts the two-headed deity holding the symbol of life or power over death, Joseph mentions "holding the key of power." Where an altar is shown, Joseph identifies the principle of "sacrifice upon an altar" as revealed by God to Abraham. A hidden power seems to be associated with the name of the two-headed God, who probably serves as a guide for the dead bring them into the presence of God. This might concur with Joseph's explanation that this figure "stands next to Kolob," as a guide surely must do if the is going to be able to lead the dead to God."

Tel Dan High Place

This video by BYU professor Bill Hamblin is about the high place at Tel Dan in northern Israel. The structure was made by Jeroboam who was the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel following the death of Solomon. He had the structure built to prevent his people from traveling to Jerusalem to visit the temple there. Jerusalem was the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah and the two kingdoms were bitter rivals at times.

The Eternal Father

In the sacrament prayers (Moroni 4 - 5) God is referred to as God, the Eternal Father. Each title that our Heavenly Father bears carries meaning. This evening as I was studying I started thinking about the word "eternal" and what it means. Here is Webster's 1828 dictionary definition of "eternal":

ETER'NAL, a. [L. oeternus, composed of oevum and ternus, oeviternus, Varro. The origin of the last component part of the word is not obvious. It occurs in diuturnus, and seems to denote continuance.]

1. Without beginning or end of existence.
The eternal God is thy refuge. Deu 33.

2. Without beginning of existence.
To know whether there is any real being, whose duration has been eternal.

3. Without end of existence or duration; everlasting; endless; immortal.
That they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 2 Tim 2. What shall I do, that I may have eternal life? Mat 19.
Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 7.

4. Perpetual; ceaseless; continued without intermission.
And fires eternal in thy temple shine.

5. Unchangeable; existing at all times without change; as eternal truth.

We know, however, that when the scriptures use the word "eternal" it is not strictly used in describing time. The Lord explained this a little in section 19 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

It seems as though that "eternal" as used in the scriptures also describes creation as explained by Elder Bruce R. McConkie on page 166 of the Promised Messiah:

When our revelations say of Christ, "From eternity to eternity he is the same, and his years never fail" (D&C 76:4), they mean that from one preexistence to the next he does not vary, his course is one eternal round.

Often times the English words that we use to describe spiritual things have down to us through various translations of the Bible. The word "eternal" appears about thirty five times in the Bible. The word "eternity" appears only once.

More than one Hebrew or Greek word has been translated into the word "eternal". Here are some examples:

קדם - keh'-dem
עולם - o-lawm
αιωνιος - ahee-o'-nee-os
αιδιος - ah-id'-ee-os

It is interesting to look at the definitions of these words to gain some insight into what the authors were trying to communicate. Here are the definitions of these words (along with another Greek word that was translated into the word "eternal") from Strong's concordance:

H6924
קדמה קדם
qedem qêdmâh
keh'-dem, kayd'-maw
From H6923; the front, of palce (absolutely the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward): - aforetime, ancient (time), before, east (end, part, side, -ward), eternal, X ever (-lasting), forward, old, past. Compare H6926.

H5769
עלם עולם
‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm
o-lawm', o-lawm'
From H5956; properly concealed, that is, the vanishing point; generally time out of mind (past or future), that is, (practically) eternity; frequentative adverbially (especially with prepositional prefix) always: - always (-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for, [n-]) ever (-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world (+ without end). Compare H5331, H5703.

G166
αιωνιος
aiōnios
ahee-o'-nee-os
From G165; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well): - eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).

G165
αιων
aiōn
ahee-ohn'
From the same as G104; properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): - age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-]ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end). Compare G5550.

G126
αιδιος
aidios
ah-id'-ee-os
From G104; everduring (forward and backward, or foward only): - eternal, everlasting.

Ether 13:8

This morning I was studying Ether 13:8 which reads:

"Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away."

I looked up the definition of the word "confound" in Webster's 1828 dictionary and was really fascinated by the definitions it gave. Here is what it says:

Webster's 1828 Dictionary:

CONFOUND, v.t. [L., to pour out. Literally, to pour or throw together.]

1. To mingle and blend different things, so that their forms or natures cannot be distinguished; to mix in a mass or crowd, so that individuals cannot be distinguished.

2. To throw into disorder.

Let us go down, and there confound their language. Gen 11.

3. To mix or blend, so as to occasion a mistake of one thing for another.

A fluid body and a wetting liquor, because they agree in many things, are wont to be confounded.

Men may confound ideas with words.

4. To perplex; to disturb the apprehension by indistinctness of ideas or words.

Men may confound each other by unintelligible terms or wrong application of words.

5. To abash; to throw the mind into disorder; to cast down; to make ashamed.

Be thou confounde and ber thy shame. Ezek 16.

Saul confounded the Jews at Damascus. Acts 9.

6. To perplex with terror; to terrify; to dismay; to astonish; to throw into consternation; to stupify with amazement.

So spake the Son of God; and Satan stood a while as mute confounded what to say.

The multitude came together and were confounded. Acts 2.

7. To destroy; to overthrow.

So deep a malice to confound the race of mankind in one root.

The house of Joseph was confounded many times throughout it's history, most notably when the Northern Kingdom of Israel (of which the Josephite tribes were a part) was conquered by the Assyrians in 721 BC. The Assyrians followed a policy of forced deportations in which people of one location were deported to another and mixed with the native population. This was done to make the conquered people lose their identity and cohesiveness. This is exactly what happened to the northern Ten Tribes of Israel and that is why they are "lost".

Reading the definition of the word "confound" in Webster's 1828 in light of this knowledge illustrates why the Lord inspired Joseph Smith to select that particular word for this verse.

Genesis 3:15

On Saturday my wife and I were in the temple for our stake temple day and we were talking with another couple in our ward about the scripture in Genesis 3:15 which reads:

"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (KJV)

This verse is almost universally understood among Christendom to refer to Jesus Christ. The woman the Lord is speaking of here is Mary the mother of Jesus and her seed is Jesus Christ.

Figuratively, the Savior's heel was bruised when he was subjected to the full fury of Satan during his passion. As with the wounds Jesus suffered during his atoning sacrifice a bruised heel can be very painful but it is not fatal and generally heals completely. A bruise to the head on the other hand is much more serious and is very often fatal.

Figuratively, Satan's head was bruised on the morning of Christ's resurrection. With the completion of the Atonement Satan's power was forever broken and he no longer had any chance of victory.

The translators of the King James Version of the Bible often chose phrases that are difficult to understand to modern readers. In the temple we discussed what the Lord meant when he said that he would place "enmity" between Satan and Jesus Christ. I've been thinking about this since Saturday and this evening I have had the chance to study the verse a little. The Hebrew word that was translated into English as "enmity" is איבה ('êybâh). Strong's Hebrew Dictionary says this word can be translated as: "hostility: - enmity, hatred."

Reading that didn't shed much light on the meaning for me so I looked at some other translations of the Bible and I came across a rendering of Gen. 3:15 in the Bible in Basic English. In that version the verse reads:

"And there will be war between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed: by him will your head be crushed and by you his foot will be wounded."

I'm not sure if this version of the verse is the most accurate or whether this translation misses some of the original meaning but it is more readable and makes more sense to modern ears.

Abraham

This is a short clip from the film "Faith of an Observer". Hugh Nibley tells the story from the Midrash of when Abraham was promised his son Isaac.

Hezekiah

This is a video I put together about King Hezekiah of Judah and the Assyrian invasion of 701 BC. I hope you enjoy it.