The Liahona as a symbol of Manna -- temple connections to both?

This article by Jeff Lindsay summarizes how the ancient records and relics kept and passed by the Nephites mirror in function and significance the emblems kept in the Ark of the Covenant.  It's an interesting read for sure, with links to other sources if you desire a deeper dive.

I'd like to discuss parallels between the Liahona and manna.

At the surface level, they don't seem to have much in common. One is a round ball of curious workmanship and the other is food.  When we think about their symbolic significance and function, we start to get a sense of how similar they are, and we also come to realize that the ancient Book of Mormon writers understood this connection and allowed it to inform how they spoke of the Liahona.

Let's compare the first mention of manna in Exodus 16:

2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
4 ¶ Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

...to the first mention of the Liahona in 1 Nephi 16:

9 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord spake unto my father by night, and commanded him that on the morrow he should take his journey into the wilderness.
10 And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.

Whereas the children of Israel were given manna as a sign from God that Moses and Aaron were His true servants, Lehi does not seem to have needed such proof.

It also does not seem coincidental at all that the Lord commands Lehi to travel into the wilderness before He provides the miraculous means to sustain life along the journey. Lehi is blessed according to his obedience to all of God's commandments (see verse 8 of that chapter).

In both cases, the description of a round, unknown, unexpected thing on the ground seems relevant and parallel. In both cases the object in question is the source of daily God-given sustenance and conditional upon righteousness.

To make the connection even stronger, it seems that Nephi, King Benjamin, and Alma-2 all recognized the obvious parallels between the Liahona and manna.

Here is Nephi discussing how the Liahona worked (from 1 Nephi 16):

28 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them.
29 And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.
30 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.
31 And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch that I did obtain food for our families.

Here is King Benjamin teaching his son Mosiah about the Liahona (from Mosiah 1):

...the ball or director, which led our fathers through the wilderness, which was prepared by the hand of the Lord that thereby they might be led, every one according to the heed and diligence which they gave unto him.
17 Therefore, as they were unfaithful they did not prosper nor progress in their journey, but were driven back, and incurred the displeasure of God upon them; and therefore they were smitten with famine and sore afflictions, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty.

 Finally, lets look at the words of Alma-2 to his son Helaman in Alma 37 about the Liahona.  He says quite a bit, and spells out the spritual parallel rather explicitly. As you read these verses, think about the other temple-themed passages I've mentioned in recent posts (see here and here), particularly the idea of special knowledge which was prepared before the foundation of the world to show men the way back to God (and to behold His glory) which is only made known to them according to their faith, repentance, and holy works.

38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it.
39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.
40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.
41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works...
43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow...
44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.
45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.
46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

I'm beginning to see the deep significance in the idea that "the way is prepared" to allow us to return to our Heavenly Father, and that this way has everything to do with the covenants we make (and keep). It is a pattern for successfully passing through mortality that is literally as old as Adam and Eve.

When I read that a golden pot of manna was kept in the Ark of the Covenant (see Hebrews 9:4), it dawned on me how both the manna and the Liahona relate to the covenant path.

Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Of course we should keep in mind at all times the words of Jesus from John 6:

48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. (NIV)

One purpose of both Manna and the Liahona is to remind us of the need for daily consistency with respect to keeping our covenants.