"Sanctified unto us for righteousness"

Given the fact that Lehi's group left Jerusalem around 600 BC, you would think that their religious writings would read much like the Old Testament. That is only partly the case. Critics have argued that it reads too much like the New Testament. There are numerous examples on this blog showing how the Book of Mormon fits an ancient Israelite worldview. Still, it is true that the Book of Mormon "talk[s] of Christ, [...] rejoice[s] in Christ, [...] preach[es] of Christ [and] prophes[ies] of Christ" (2 Nephi 25:26), something that we don't see much of in the Old Testament in such a straight-forward manner.

There are theories postulated that our current Old Testament has been highly influenced by King Josiah and the so-called Deuteronomic reforms. Before these reforms, the ancient Israelites had a richer temple worship including a Heavenly Mother and the Son of God, among other things. King Josiah was primarily concerned with the Law (of Moses). Margaret Barker and other scholars argue that the former theology was not completely forgotten and is one of the reasons why Christianity could be accepted and spread like it did. This Deuteronomist thinking and theology is still prevalent today among orthodox Jews. They interpret the tree of life as the Torah (the Law). 

Interestingly, the Nephites actually explain why the Book of Mormon reads like an Old/New Testament hybrid themselves. Their explanation fits very well into the paradigm briefly laid out in the previous section and explained in more detail in the link I gave.

24 And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law (Torah) of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law (Torah) shall be fulfilled.
25 For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law (Torah) hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law (Torah) because of the commandments. (2 Nephi 25)

For Deuteronomists as well as believing Jews today, the Torah seems to be considered an end goal in itself. Lehi and Nephi's views came from an older tradition, where the Torah was just the means to an end. The end was the Son of God, the Messiah, Christ who should redeem them and who the law was pointing to. They brought this tradition with them to the promised land and taught their children about it. There is a similar sentiment in Jacob 4

4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.
5 Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.

Jacob talks about the holy prophets that lived before and their hope in Christ. This is an ancient tradition and goes all the way back to Adam as we read in the Pearl of Great Price, even though it was corrupted and lost several times throughout history. Jacob clearly also views the law of Moses as a means to a higher end. That does not mean he does not keep it. It was important for the Nephites to keep the law but the reason for doing so was completely different from the Deuteronomists. When the Nephites kept the law of Moses with the intent to have their souls pointed to Christ, the law was sanctified unto them for righteousness.

I find that phrase intriguing. The law in itself is dead according to Nephi, but it is sanctified for them when they use it as a vehicle to come unto Christ. We do not live the law of Moses anymore. It was replaced by a higher law. Does that mean we got better commandments now? Commandments that can actually bring salvation unlike the "dead" law of Moses? No. If we let any commandment be an end in and of itself, we make the same mistake as the Jews. 

8 For behold, the covenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me.

9 Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.

10 Behold, I have given unto you the commandments; therefore keep my commandments. And this is the law and the prophets, for they truly testified of me. (3 Nephi 15)

These are the words of the Savior. My conclusion from these verses is that even though we don't follow those weird rules in Leviticus and Numbers, nothing else has changed much. We are still asked to keep the commandments in verse 10, but the reason for that is clear: They testify of Him. They bring us to Him. He is the law. If we let the commandments point our souls to the Savior, they are "sanctified unto us for righteousness". It is not only the law of Moses that point our souls to Him. 

Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him. (2 Nephi 11:4)

All things given by God point to him. Anything that we treat as an end goal instead of a gateway to Christ becomes "dead". As Nephi stated, we are made alive in Christ.

This is expressing New Testament views in Old Testament times. Testament means covenant and Christ is the mediator of the new covenant (Hebrews 9:15). Lehi and Nephi coming from an Israelite culture in 600 BC Jerusalem, having a pre-Deuteronomist belief that they passed on to their children in the Americas, explains perfectly well why the Book of Mormon is written the way it is.

Witnesses

The Law of Moses required two or three witnesses to convict someone of a crime. Also, commercial transactions and signing of documents of importance was done in the presence of witnesses. As a general rule, a single witness was not competent to attest or testify. (See e.g. Deuteronomy 19:15 and Isaiah 8:2). This was probably also the case for the Nephites, who followed the Law of Moses until the coming of Christ.

For instance, in Alma 9, Alma is charging an entire city with wickedness and prophesy of destruction. The people respond

2 Who art thou? Suppose ye that we shall believe the testimony of one man, although he should preach unto us that the earth should pass away?...
6 And they said: Who is God, that sendeth no more authority than one man among this people, to declare unto them the truth of such great and marvelous things? 

When Amulek enters the scene, the people react differently

And now, when Amulek had spoken these words the people began to be astonished, seeing there was more than one witness who testified of the things whereof they were accused, and also of the things which were to come, according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them. (Alma 10:12)

The ancient Israelite law of witnesses is evidently at play. Apparently, this does not only apply to legal matters but also spiritual matters. One of the reasons Nephi quotes Isaiah, is to call on him as an additional witness to prove that his testimony of the Savior is true.

2 And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him.

3 And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words. (2 Nephi 11)

To Nephi, God proves his words by calling multiple witnesses. In this case, three eye-witnesses (Isaiah, Nephi and Jacob) who all saw the Redeemer. According to John, we also have three witnesses in heaven.

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (1 John 5:7)

The Greek word translated into "bear record" in the KJV means to witness, testify or give evidence. Similar expressions are found in the Book of Mormon, like in 3 Nephi 11:32

I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me

There is another interesting example of the word of God being proven by the law of witnesses. Consider Ether 5:3-4

3 And unto three shall they be shown by the power of God; wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true.

4 And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony of three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear record—and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day.

These verses talk about the three witnesses. Verse 4 is a long, convoluted sentence. It starts off by restating the law of witnesses and refers specifically to "these things" which is contextualized by the preceding verses and refers to the Book of Mormon. After sorting this a bit:

• In this work (the coming forth of the Book of Mormon), the power and word of God will be shown forth
• There will be three witnesses to testify of "these things" (the Book of Mormon)
• The Father, Son and Holy Ghost all bear record of the word of God (as found in the Book of Mormon)
• "All this" (above) shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day

When demonstrating God's power in bringing forth his words in the form of the Book of Mormon in these latter days, there are two sets of witnesses: One on earth (Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris) and one in heaven (the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost). See this post for more context. This should tell us something about both the truthfulness and the importance of the Book of Mormon.

Grace, Mercy, and the "holy order of God"

My last few posts have centered on the concepts of mercy (here and here) and grace (here). In this post, I'll begin to connect the two concepts.

We find "mercy" and "grace" in the same Book of Mormon sentence 4 times:

53 And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of his greatness, and his grace and mercy, he has promised unto us that our seed shall not utterly be destroyed, according to the flesh, but that he would preserve them; and in future generations they shall become a righteous branch unto the house of Israel. (2 Nephi 9)

5 And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death. (2 Nephi 11)

48 I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name. (Alma 5)

25 And now for this cause, that ye may not be destroyed, the Lord has sent his angel to visit many of his people, declaring unto them that they must go forth and cry mightily unto this people, saying: Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand;
26 And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people and to answer their prayers. (Alma 9)

There is a clear covenant context in each of these passages -- Jacob's praise of "the covenants of the Lord" and "Christ's condescensions" as well as His promise to "preserve them" as a "righteous branch unto the House of Israel" in 2 Nephi 9; Nephi's delight in the covenants of the Lord in 2 Nephi 11; Alma-2's mention of ministering angels in Alma 9 (see this post for more details about how that connects to covenants -- Mormon explains it in Moroni 7:29-32.)


A few important points jump out at me as I study these passages:

1. God would not be a merciful God, nor would we have access to grace, were it not for the "great and eternal plan of deliverance from death."
2. That plan includes Christ's atoning sacrifice and resurrection, but also includes other features of the Gospel: "covenants" and divinely appointed messengers declaring repentance and providing access to the ordinances through which we bind ourselves to God.
3. The "holy order" spoken of by Alma-2 is a key component of bringing about the mercy of God through grace.

My next post will go into more detail about this holy order, using Alma-2 as a great example of how the "great and eternal plan of deliverance from death" brings about mercy and grace.

Mercy is associated with...

I'm studying references to "mercy" in the Book of Mormon.  In my last post, I looked at 5 references to "the arm of mercy."

In this post, I've compiled a list of attributes mentioned in association with mercy.  I've noticed that God's "mercy" is often mentioned in a list of other attributes. Before you look at this list, ask yourself which attributes you might think are most often connected with God's mercy.

In the list below, I've highlighted attributes which show up in more than one list, and italicized attributes which only show up once.

Passages containing lists about attributes of God which include mercy

"through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things" (Mosiah 5:15)
"by the mercy and power of God" (Alma 5:4)
"have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them?" (Alma 5:6)
"the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth." (Alma 5:48)
"if it had not been for his matchless power, and his mercy, and his long-suffering towards us" (Alma 9:11)
"the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering," (Alma 9:25)
"who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men?" (Alma 26:16)
"he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation" (Alma 26:35)
"that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also" (Alma 42:15)
"let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart" (Alma 42:30)
"according to the mercy, and the justice, and the holiness which is in Christ" (3 Nephi 26:3)
" the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord" (Mormon 2:12)
"his justice and mercy" (Mormon 6:22)
"may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life" (Moroni 9:25)
"thy power, and goodness, and mercy" (1 Nephi 1:14)
"through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah" (2 Nephi 2:8)
"the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God" (2 Nephi 2:12)
"O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace!" (2 Nephi 9:8)
"his greatness, and his grace and mercy" (2 Nephi 9:53)
"his justice, and power, and mercy" (2 Nephi 11:5)
"he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy" (Jacob 4:10)

Mercy is associated with...

• justice x 8
• long-suffering x 7
• grace x 5
• wisdom x 4
• power x 3
• truth x 2
• equity x 1
• patience x 1
• understanding x 1 
• goodness x 1
• greatness x 1
• holiness x 1
• hope of his glory x 1
• sufferings and death x 1
• merits x 1
• the showing his body unto our fathers x 1

Conclusions

Should we be surprised that God's mercy is most often associated with His justice? Or that long-suffering, grace, wisdom, power, and truth show up more than once on this list? I'm not sure any of those findings surprise me too much. It seems that studying each of these concepts in more detail would likely enhance my understanding of His mercy, too.  

Book of Mormon - Old Testament connection series: The prophets

Recently I read Bradely Kramer's book: "Beholding the tree of life - A rabbinic approach to the Book of Mormon". The second half of the book focuses on one characterisation of the rabbinical approach, which is to connect the law and the prophets (that is, the first 5 books of Moses with the books of the prophets in the latter part of the Old Testament). There are passages in the law that have a common theme, a counterpoint, a similarity, a reference, etc in a passage in the prophets. This calls for a deeper study of the two together to enhance learning. 

Kramer argues that there are similar connections between the Old Testament and The Book of Mormon. In fact, they are connected chiastically as I outlined in a previous post. I will attempt to make a series of posts going a bit more into these connected pairs.

Today we will have a look at the last part of the Old Testament and the first part of the Book of Mormon: the prophets. The books of the prophets in the Old Testament are well defined. Kramer defines the small plates as the books of the prophets in the Book of Mormon or at least those that are connected with the prophets of the Old Testament. Thinking about all the Isaiah quotes in the first two books of Nephi makes this connection rather obvious. But there is more. I cannot repeat everything Kramer brings up in his book, but I will bring up a some of his points and a few I have pondered myself.

• The Book of Mormon starts out in a period where there were many prophets in Jerusalem. Lehi is one of them and becomes the first Book of Mormon prophet. What is an endpoint in the Old Testament in many ways with the destruction of Jerusalem and the first temple, is the turning point in the Old Testament-Book of Mormon chiasmus when Lehi leaves Jerusalem and establishes a nation in America and Nephi builds a temple there.
• Lehi's vision and prophetic call in 1 Nephi 1 has many similarities to Ezekiel's vision and other Biblical and apocryphical visions. More information in this article.
• The hallmark phrase of the Old Testament prophets, "thus saith the Lord" is found 36 times in the Book of Mormon. 22 of those are found in the first three 'prophet' books in the Book of Mormon.
• A trademark theme of Old Testament prophets is warnings to the people that they will be destroyed and scattered if they don't repent, but also prophecies of a future gathering of Israel. The scattering and gathering of Israel is a very prevalent theme in the first three books in the Book of Mormon, especially in 2 Nephi.
• In 2 Nephi 11:2-3, Nephi mentions Isaiah, his brother Jacob and himself as witnesses of Christ, creating a trio of witnesses that spans across the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament.
• Etc

The point of this is not really to merely identify connections but to use them to enhance learning from the scriptures. I must admit I feel a bit inadequate here, since I lack that detailed knowledge of the Old Testament writings. But one point I can think of, is how the Book of Mormon explains one particular aspect of the prophets in the Old Testament. The Old Testament prophets' message often seem gloomy and stern. "Repent or suffer the consequences" which are presented without filter. The 'prophets' section of the Book of Mormon explains and elaborates on this aspect.

Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin. (2 Nephi 9:48)

1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.

2 And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.

3 And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us. (1 Nephi 16:1-3)

7 And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God;

8 And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.

9 Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained, because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.

10 But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing eye of the Almighty God. (Jacob 2:7-10)

There are probably numerous other ways that a reading of the 'prophets' sections of the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon together can enhance learning and understanding. This is only a starting point: establishing the connection and giving one example. But it's an interesting approach to scripture study that is somewhat new to me. Considering the fact that in these latter days, there is a gathering of scripture along with the gathering of Israel, this approach makes sense.

Christ and covenants - Part 2

I wrote a post with the same name a while back, not knowing there would be a part 2. But this theme keeps popping up. To recap: The purpose of the Book of Mormon is stated on the title page, and can be summed up in two words: Christ and covenants. For me, this is the core message of Isaiah too and the reason, I believe, he is quoted so much in the Book of Mormon. After I had these thoughts, I read a post on Reddit, analyzing 2 Nephi 11. This short chapter contains repetetive resumption (marked with yellow) and several "my soul delighteth in..." in between.

2 And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him.

3 And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words.

4 Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.

5 And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death.

6 And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that save Christ should come all men must perish.

7 For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation. But there is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his own time.

8 And now I write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso of my people shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice for all men. Now these are the words, and ye may liken them unto you and unto all men.

So basically, Nephi delighteth in Isaiah's words and the meesage they contain, which is all about Christ and covenants.

Lord Wilmore wrote a post yesterday about the meaning of the names of Isaiah's sons. Their names reflect the scattering and gathering of Israel, that is mentioned on the title page too and that I would sum up in this one word; covenants. Add to that, Isaiah's own name: It means "Jehovah saves" or "Jehovah is salvation". Although Isaiah doesn't use the name "Christ", which is only a Greek version of the Hebrew, "Messiah", the salvation that comes through Jehovah/The Holy one of Israel/The Lord of Hosts is a central theme in the Book of Isaiah.

Again, through the names of Isaiah and his sons we get the same theme: Christ and covenants.

After Nephi has made this introduction to Isaiah in 2 Nephi 11, he goes on to quote 13 chapters. When he is done, he comments on it in 2 Nephi 25:

my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah (v.5)

And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men. (v.17)

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. (v.26)

To get a little personal: Last Sunday taking the sacrament, I reflected again on these two words and realized that they sum up the sacrament too. We remember Christ and renew our covenants with him. These two are inseparably connected and the whole basis of our salvation. I believe that covenants is the only way given to us that binds us to Christ in such a way that we can receive the full effects of the atonement.