The small meal, the grand feast, Adam and Eve, and ancient temple worship -- Part 1

In this post, I mentioned a very interesting presentation on ancient Egyptian priestly rituals. The overall pattern of the rituals share much in common with ancient Israelite temple rituals, and we can also see some fascinating parallels with our modern worship in the church.

This post will discuss one set of rituals in the Egyptian practice that has a clear parallel to Israelite temple worship: the small meal and the grand feast.

Dr. John Thompson explains the connections between the small meal, the sacrament, and grand feast, and the harvest/gathering here (~2.5 minute clip):

The parallels are certainly fascinating.  It seems the essence of the small meal/sacrament is demonstrating a willingness to receive from Christ. In contrast, the essence of the grand feast is demonstrating a willingness to bring forth an offering. First we receive, then we give. This implies transformation. We become a new creation.

I have questions to ponder as I consider these symbols.  Here are some of my initial questions:

• What is the connection between the small meal and the grand feast?
• The connection between the small meal and the sacrament seems obvious, but what part of our worship represents the grand feast?
• How does this symbolism relate to Christ and His doctrine?
• Is this another connection to Noah, the covenant symbolism of the ark, and his obedience to God to bring animals of every kind into the ark with him?

This post will set off a series in which I'll explore these and other questions. I hope to connect some of these ideas in a meaningful way, but I apologize in advance if they seem a bit disjointed. At present I don't see a clear sequence to present these ideas, so I'll simply present them one at a time as best I can.

Connection to Adam and Eve

In pondering about what this grand meal might represent in our modern temple worship, it seems to me that we're talking about consecration. Just as the ancients gave of their possessions (animals, grain, etc.) we are asked to offer all that we have to God:

The law of consecration is that we consecrate our time, our talents, and our money and property to the cause of the Church: such are to be available to the extent they are needed to further the Lord’s interests on earth. (Elder Bruce R. McConkie, source here)

It occurs to me that this grand offering might be a symbolic reflection of obedience to the commandment given to Adam and Eve:

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1)

Each of the colored words above directly connects to the doctrine of Christ and will be the discussed in future posts in this series. What better way to demonstrate dominion over the creatures of the creation than to bring them as an offering to God? And of course the devotion does not stop with the bringing of animals as offerings. Ultimately, we make ourselves -- our "bodies" (see Romans 12:1) according to Paul and our "whole souls" (see Omni 1:26) according to Amaleki -- an offering to God. 

This offering is part of the process of spiritual creation and results in at least two things:

1. We fulfill the first commandment God gave to Adam and Eve just after their creation, prior to their transgression. 
2. We transform from hearers of the word into speakers of the word also -- from receivers to givers. 

Perhaps the small meal -- a reminder of the gate by which we entered (see 2 Nephi 31:17) onto the path -- is like manna. It is daily bread -- enough to nourish us as we walk the covenant path, but not enough to "fill" us.  When we are made clean and prepared to participate in the grand feast, we "feast" and are "filled," thereby learning to "speak with the tongue of angels" (see 2 Nephi 31:20; 2 Nephi 32:2-3)

All of this meal/feast symbolism involves the mouth.  Feasting happens through the mouth, as does speaking. That's probably an important part of the symbolism.

I've posted before on Noel Reynolds' observation that one fundamental lesson we can take from Alma 36, with its beautiful chiastic structure, is that Alma's word has become God's word (by the process of conversion). That is a message that fits into this feast/speak symbolism as well.  The process which begins with our willingness to hearken to the word of God ends up teaching us to speak with the tongue of angels. The nose is the symbol of the consecrated offering we must bring to fulfill the commandment God gave Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. That final act of consecration prepares them to be "filled" (see Alma 32:42).

Might this be what James had in mind when he wrote:

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1)

In the next post, we'll start to look in more depth at Genesis 1:28.

Noah, the ark, and "rest" -- part 4 ('Tevah' and 'the word')

This post continues a series of posts connecting Noah, his ark, Enoch, his city, and the "rest" we find as we enter into the everlasting covenant.

In this post, I'll lay out the case connecting Noah's ark to 'the word' of God, which is an expansive concept Stisa and I have both discussed many times (see here, here and here for some examples).  In that first link, written in February 2020, I said the following:

I believe ... that we can greatly benefit by seeing the rod as an implement of gathering in the hands of a divine messenger. It is more than just printed words on a page, it is divinely inspired messages, the voice of the Spirit, and invitations to follow the Savior.

A rod is a very apt metaphor for the word of God, a tool used by shepherds to direct their flock. How we choose to respond to the portion of the word we receive is what will ultimately determine our destiny.

In that same post, I outlined how Nephi connects "the word" with the power to save (particularly power over the waters) and do "great work" on the earth. (See 1 Nephi 17:26.)

My recent studies on the topics of Noah and 'entering into His rest' have repeatedly led me back to the concept of the word.  I'll attempt to illustrate how intimately connected these concepts are in this post.

Let's take a closer look at the two Old Testament stories in which the Hebrew word 'tevah' is used: the story of Noah and the story of infant Moses.

• In both cases, a group of people faces death by drowning: all humanity in the case of Noah (see Genesis 6:7) and all male sons of Hebrew women in the story of Moses (see Exodus 1:22). 
• Both vessels were covered in pitch (Genesis 6:14 and Exodus 2:3). 
• In both cases, only a single family or individual is saved from the waters.

These specific parallels to tell me that a deeper message connecting these two stories can be found here. So imagine my surprise when I learned that the Hebrew word 'tevah' -- only used to describe these two life-saving vessels -- can also mean 'the word' of God! The connection is very old, so old that two main branches of Judaism and the Ethiopian Christian church use the word in a similar context yet in different ways:

Post-biblically, however, the use of tevah to signify the ark in the synagogue is old, going back to early rabbinic times, in which the word also meant “box.” (As it does today in such contemporary words as tevat-do’ar, or “mailbox.”) We know this not only from the Talmud, but also from the more exotic evidence of Ge’ez, the ancient sacred language of the Ethiopian Christian church, in which tabot means “holy ark,” too. This usage has, according to the scholars, no indigenous Ge’ez derivation and must have entered Ge’ez in the early centuries C.E. from a Hebraic source. (The old legend that the original Ark of the Covenant was taken to Ethiopia after the destruction of the Temple may be related to this.) ... The word teva does designate the pulpit in Sephardic synagogues, i.e., the table or stand on the bima or platform from which prayers are recited and the Torah is read. The ark, on the other hand, is called by Sephardic Jews the hehal (pronounced “HEY-khal”), from the Hebrew heykhal, “temple.” (source)

It's very intriguing to realize that 'tevah' can refer to the pulpit in a Sephardic synagogue or the box in which the Torah scrolls are kept in an Ashkenazi synagogue. A variant of the same word refers to a replica of either the Ark of the Covenant or the Tablets of Law (ten commandments) in the Ethiopian Church. (Not to mention that Sephardic Jews refer to the ark using the Hebrew word for temple.)

This is particularly interesting because in the Old Testament the Ark of the Covenant is not referred to using the word 'tevah.' Rather, 'aron' is used.  But the fact that three very old Judeo-Christian religions substituted a form of 'tevah' to refer to 'the word' is quite telling. 

In light of all of this, it seems that one deeper message we can take from both stories is this: 'the word' can save us from death if we "enter into" it. On that, it seems there is general consensus.  This begs this question, though: How do we enter into God's word? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is uniquely positioned to offer a deep answer to that question, which has to do with Christ, covenants, baptism, temples, and latter-day revelation.

Parallels to Christ

I believe the symbolism embedded in the story of Noah is intended to point our minds to Christ's atonement, which is the ultimate means by which we can obtain everlasting life. Just as Noah entered the ark after hearkening to God's command to build it, each of us must build an ark of sorts from the word of God in our own lives and enter into it by trusting God to lead us and guide us through the chaos of mortality in safety. Recall that the ark had no sail and no oars.

Christ is the Word, who was with God and was God from the beginning. Those who receive Him obtain power from Him "to become the sons of God" by becoming "born ... of God." (See John 1:1-2, 12-13.)

I like the connection between baptism and the story of Noah. When we are baptized, we lay down the old creature into the water and allow a "new creature" to arise. (See Mosiah 27:25-26.) 

This new creature rejoices and diligently serves God for the rest of his or her time on earth. As discussed in this post, we do not serve Him to somehow earn eternal life. As I stated in that post:

...our good works are not performed in an effort to be saved. They are not the cause of salvation, they are an effect of it! These good works spontaneously appear when we truly recognize by what power we are saved.

The new creatures are the sons and daughters of God (Mosiah 27:25). His children perform good works such as baptism "as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world." (Mosiah 18:13)

There isn't a set number of "good works" we must perform in order to qualify for salvation.  Rather, we must use our agency to bring about a "mighty change in [our] hearts" (Alma 5:13-14), after which good works flow naturally from us like pure water from a fountain.

Baptism as the gate by which we "enter in"

The connections to Noah and baptism go a little bit deeper, too. 

• Noah "enter[ed] into the ark" (Genesis 7:13) prior to the flood. 
• Baptism is the "gate by which [we] should enter" in order to "receive." (See 2 Nephi 31:9, 17-18.) 
• This is the beginning of the process by which we become "peaceable followers of Christ" who "have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven." (Moroni 7:3)

Alma masterfully connects the covenant and "entering into His rest" in Alma 12-13. We've touched on this a little already in this series and we'll come back to it as we contrast God's "wrath" and His rest in the next two parts of this series.

I'll give Alma-2 the last word:

37 And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they are true, let us repent, and harden not our hearts, that we provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us in these his second commandments which he has given unto us; but let us enter into the rest of God, which is prepared according to his word. (Alma 12)

What is the gift of tongues? -- Part 1

I must admit that this spiritual gift has puzzled me. If it only means suddenly bursting into ramblings in a language that you never learned, then this gift must be almost totally absent in our church today. So we often explain it by being able to learn a language quickly when required, for instance when we go on a mission to a foreign country. I believe both of these cases can be manifestations of the gift of tongues, but I don't find them completely satisfactory.

After some studying, I have become convinced that there is more to the gift of tongues. But before we get there, I would like to make a case for this gift being available before the day of Pentecost. We tend to think that this is where it all started. If that were the case, the gift of tongues would be very unique. When the gifts of the spirit are listed in the scriptures, e.g. in Moroni 10, all other gifts are gifts that are easily found in the Old Testament: The gift of faith, knowledge, teaching, prophecy, healing, miracles, beholding angels. None of those started only after Christ, they are found all over the Old Testament and in the BC part of the Book of Mormon.

I don't know the Old Testament that well, but I can't think of any story where someone miraculously starts talking a language he/she doesn't know. Neither in the Book of Mormon. There is talk about the gift of tongues but not one such example. In fact, the only story I know about in the entire scriptures where this is happening, is the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. Kind of strange when you think about it.

Amaleki was one of the Nephite record keepers. He lived a couple of centuries before Christ. In the Book of Omni, he wrote

exhorting all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe in prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good (Omni 1:25)

He is basically listing several spiritual gifts and speaking with tongues is one of them, long before the day of Pentecost. So why do we never read about any of the prophets or other faithful people in the Old Testament and Book of Mormon miraculously speak in a language that they don't know? Is there more to this gift?

Remember at the day of Pentecost, there appeared "cloven tongues like as of fire". Knowing the background for Pentecost, this must have meant something to the early disciples. Pentecost was an existing holiday, just like Passover. Even though there where great events happening on those occasions (Passover and Pentecost) in the New Testament, they didn't start there, they only changed meaning. The original Feast of Pentecost is described in the Pentateuch as a harvest festival, a celebration of the firstfruits of the spring harvest. But there is also specific theological significance as a commemoration of the Sinai covenant and God's gift of Torah, the Law. As we know, Moses received this on Mount Sinai and Jews believe it happened around the time of the Feast of Pentecost. In Exodus 20, right after the 10 commandments are given, we read

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightning

The translation is a bit tricky here. 'Thunderings' and 'lightning' are from the Hebrew, 'qol' and 'lappid', which are better translated as 'voice' and 'torch'. I understand the translators, though, because that sounds weird. Anyway, the point is that there is a voice and there is fire. That is how the Law was conveyed, the same Law that they commemorated when cloven tongues of fire appeared. Fire is something we usually link to the Holy Ghost. For ancient Jews, fire signified God's presence (think pillar of fire, burning bush, etc.). The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead of course, so it's not wrong either way. Maybe the reader at this point is getting an idea about where I am going with this: Tongues and fire relate to speaking and God. It signifies the word of God or a heavenly language/manner of speaking.

Nephi teaches us about this:

After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels (2 Nephi 31:14)

There it is again: Tongues and fire. I don't know why I have never connected this to the gift of tongues before. Speaking in tongues means speaking in "a new tongue... even with the tongue of angels". Nephi elaborates on this in the next chapter:

2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?
3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. (2 Nephi 32)

Is the gift of tongues short for 'the gift of speaking with the tongue of angels'? That is, the gift of speaking by the power of the Holy Ghost and therefore speak the words of Christ, just like angels do? I think at least it can be understood that way. When you speak the words of Christ you can miraculously do that in a foreign language but I don't think that is the main point. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples did, but they also spoke the "words of Christ". They spoke "the wonderful works of God (Acts 2:11) "as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4).

This expanded view of the gift of tongues certainly answers the question posed above about why we only have one example in the scriptures. The simple answer is we don't. The prophets and other faithful people in the scriptures did speak in tongues, we have plenty of examples. The gift was always there among the faithful, we just might have misunderstood what it really is or downplayed the most important aspect of it.

At this point I need to put out a disclaimer. Since I don't know of any modern-day prophets or apostles endorsing my view or even addressing it, I stress that this is my opinion and not official church doctrine. I certainly think and hope they would not disagree with what I'm writing here. I have more on this topic, including more examples from the scriptures and even the Dead Sea Scrolls. But it's too much for one post, so I will continue in part 2.

The (gift of the) Holy Ghost in the Book of Mormon

I wrote two posts (here and here) listing and discussing scriptures that give conditions for and promises of eternal life. Based on these scriptures, I identified a pattern looking something like this

Covenant preparation / find the way and enter through the gate	Faith Repentance Baptism
Covenant keeping / "walk therein"	Keep the commandments Endure to the end

I received a comment on this blog post suggesting that the Holy Ghost was missing from this list. I had initially thought that it belongs as part of baptism because the baptism is two-fold (water and fire/Holy Ghost). It is also a bit unclear if the gift of the Holy Ghost as we practice it today was practiced among the Nephites before Christ. Nephi certainly teaches about receiving the Holy Ghost it in 2 Nephi 31, but it is unclear how and the Jews living before Christ didn't seem to practice this. 

Anyway, this made me think about something I have noticed before. The Holy Ghost is always portrayed as a blessing in the Book of Mormon, not a commandment. We have a tendency to think of the gift of the Holy Ghost only as a necessary step on the way. It certainly is one of the saving ordinances, so I will not argue against that. But it is interesting to note that the Book of Mormon never says: "Have faith, repent, be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost and then you will be blessed..." or something along those lines. Here is what the Book of Mormon does say on the matter:

For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. (2 Nephi 31:17)

Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day. (3 Nephi 27:20)

And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 9:20)

come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 30:2)

We clearly see from these verses that receiving/being cleansed by/filled with the Holy Ghost is the blessing. It comes after we have repented and been baptized. This is a thing I noticed a long time ago but I just realized how it fits into the pattern I illustrated above. With these scriptures in mind, here is an updated version:

Step	Category	Conditions	Blessing
Step 1	Covenant preparation / find the way and enter through the gate	Faith Repentance Baptism	The gift of the Holy Ghost
Step 2	Covenant keeping / "walk therein"	Keep the commandments Endure to the end	Eternal life

Again, there are different ways to put it for sure. It would not be wrong to put the gift of the Holy Ghost in the "conditions" category in Step 1 and this is often how we frame it, perhaps because of the 4th article of faith. But I think the above illustration is more in line with how the Book of Mormon frames it and it has helped me look at our "covenant path" in a different way.

This is how I see it: Eternal life is always the end goal. This is exaltation, living in unity with the Godhead in the celestial kingdom. To get there, we have the atonement of Christ (already taken care of) and our part, that is summarized in these two steps in the table. At the end of step 1 there is a gate. When we enter through it we are offered the Holy Ghost. He is a member of the Godhead we ultimately want to be united with after step 2, but he comes to help us in this step, which is walking on the path after we entered the first gate. I expressed the conditions as "keep the commanments" and "endure to the end" but there is a lot that could be said about step 2. We know that further covenants and continuous application of the atonement in our lives are part of this as well. The point is that we get the Holy Ghost as a blessing after we complete step 1 and enter into the first symbolic gate. His role is to help and guide us along in step 2 to get to the second symbolic gate, the gate to the kingdom of heaven.

The unity that we can have with the Holy Ghost after entering through the first gate, and with Jesus Christ when becoming one with him through the sacrament, are preparations for the glorious unity we can have with them and the Father after entering through the second gate. The Father created a plan that can be accomplished through Christ and covenants. The Son completed his part and the Holy Ghost helps us do our part (keeping covenants). It is a beautiful illustration of the individual roles of the members of the Godhead, united in one purpose: To unite with us.

 

 

The recipe for eternal life

I was thinking I should identify scriptures in the Book of Mormon that go something like this: "If ye [description of actions], ye shall have eternal life/be saved/lifted up". In Alma 41:8 we read that "the way is prepared that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved". Jesus Christ has done the work. Without him it would all be impossible. So it is up to us now. What do we need to do? How do we find and walk on this way that has been prepared? Let's look for some answers in the Book of Mormon.

I will write the relevant contents from the verses in the form of a list. Not everyone likes the checklist approach to the gospel but this is just to get a better overview of the conditions that are stated. It's not possible to find or list all of those scriptures here but we will include several here and perhaps more in later posts.

2 Nephi 31:20

Conditions:

• Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ
• Have a perfect brightness of hope
• Have a love of God and of all men
• Feast upon the word of Christ
• Endure to the end

Reward:

• Ye shall have eternal life

Alma 7:15-16

Conditions:

• Come and fear not, and lay aside every sin
• Show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins...
• ...and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments
• Witness it unto him by going into the waters of baptism
• Keep the commandments of God from thenceforth (after baptism)

Reward:

• Eternal life

Alma 37:36-37

Conditions:

• Cry unto God for all thy support
• Let all thy doings be unto the Lord
• Whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord
• Let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord
• Let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever
• Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings
• When thou liest down at night, lie down unto the Lord
• When thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God

Reward:

• Ye shall be lifted up at the last day

Mosiah 15:22-23

Conditions:

• Believe in the words of the prophets
• Keep the commandments of God

Reward:

• Have eternal life through Christ

2 Nephi 9:18

Conditions:

• Be righteous
• Believe in the Holy One of Israel
• Endure the crosses of the world and despise the shame of it

Reward:

• Inherit the kingdom of God

Moroni 8:10

Conditions:

• Repent
• Be baptized
• Humble yourselves as little children

Reward:

• Shall be saved

Jacob 6:11

Conditions:

• Repent
• Enter in at the strait gate
• Continue in the way which is narrow

Reward:

• Obtain eternal life

Mosiah 2:41

Conditions:

• Keep the commandments of God
• Hold out faithful to the end

Reward:

• Dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness

Conclusions

There are obviously many ways to describe the conditions for eternal life. For instance, "humble yourselves" will enable you to "continue in the way which is narrow". Trying to see a pattern here, I would say it looks something like this

Covenant preparation / find the way and enter through the gate	Faith Repentance Baptism
Covenant keeping / "walk therein"	Keep the commandments Endure to the end

This is the essence, but there are different ways to describe it and sometimes it depends on the audience. For instance, when Alma speaks to Helaman, who has already entered into a covenant, focus is on covenant keeping, and the advice he gives is what will help to do just that. Notice also that although the first example from 2 Nephi 31 is focusing on the covenant keeping part only, the preceding part (basically the rest of the chapter) is all about covenant preparation.

What does it mean to "call upon" the name of God?

Calling upon the name of God is mentioned several times in the Book of Mormon.  One reference particularly stands out to me:

27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name. (Helaman 3)

"Thus we may see" is typically Mormon's way of pointing out important lessons we should learn from the verses immediately preceding this kind of statement. So let's look at the verses leading up to this statement, along with a few verses which come after and offer additional insights about what lessons we can learn:

24 And it came to pass that in this same year there was exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there were thousands who did join themselves unto the church and were baptized unto repentance.
25 And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure.
26 And it came to pass that the work of the Lord did prosper unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls, yea, even tens of thousands.
27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.
28 Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.
29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—
30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out. (Helaman 3)

It seems this passage, in addition to revealing the underlying meaning of "call[ing] upon [the name of God]," also connects other phrases with making and keeping sacred covenants. I've highlighted these in various colors above.  Each of these can be connected to covenant symbols found in other parts of the Book of Mormon (especially on the small plates).

 "gate of heaven" -- 2 Nephi 9:41; 2 Nephi 31:9, 17-18; 2 Nephi 33:9

"lay hold upon the word of God" -- 1 Nephi 8:24, 30; 1 Nephi 11:24-25; 1 Nephi 15:24-25

"strait and narrow course" -- 1 Nephi 8:20

"right hand of God" -- Mosiah 5:9 ("for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ"); Mosiah 26:23-24 ("in my name they are called"); Alma 5:58 ("the word of God must be fulfilled"); Ether 12:4; Moroni 9:26

"kingdom of heaven" -- Alma 11:37; Helaman 5:32; 3 Nephi 14:21

"sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...to go no more out" -- Alma 7:25; 3 Nephi 4:30; Mormon 9:11-13; 1 Nephi 17:40

Variants:

"enter in at the strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow" Jacob 6:11
"lay hold upon every good thing" -- Moroni 7:19-21, 25 (see this post for more detail about how "every good thing" relates to covenants)
"lay hold upon the gospel of Jesus Christ" -- Mormon 7:8

Conclusion

This is an excellent example of what I believe to be a pattern throughout the Book of Mormon -- covenants are spoken of through symbolic language rather than at the surface level.  It isn't until you attempt to connect one passage with others that you see numerous clear and consistent references to the importance of covenants.

Gratitude for the Scriptures

A few things have happened recently that have really helped me realize how grateful I am for the scriptures, and what a blessing it is for us to have access to these words as well as all of the digital tools to study the words in a way that was simply not possible one or two generations ago. Specifically, searching for patterns, themes, and connections in the scriptures has become far easier for the average student of the scriptures due to the digital tools. It is this type of scripture study which has blessed my life tremendously in the last several years.

Elder Bednar gave a talk about studying the scriptures in 2007. I'd like to offer up two big ideas from his talk which underscore principles I have come to know for myself recently.

Study Methods Matter

The first point I'd like to share is Elder Bednar outline of three basic types of scripture study. He compares each using a water analogy.

I now want to review with you three basic ways or methods of obtaining living water from the scriptural reservoir: (1) reading the scriptures from beginning to end, (2) studying the scriptures by topic, and (3) searching the scriptures for connections, patterns, and themes. Each of these approaches can help satisfy our spiritual thirst if we invite the companionship and assistance of the Holy Ghost as we read, study, and search.
Reading a book of scripture from beginning to end initiates the flow of living water into our lives by introducing us to important stories, gospel doctrines, and timeless principles. ... This is the first and most fundamental way of obtaining living water.
Studying by topic typically follows, grows out of, and builds upon our reading of the scriptures from beginning to end. ... This approach increases the rate at which living water flows into our lives. ...
Searching in the revelations for connections, patterns, and themes builds upon and adds to our spiritual knowledge by bringing together and expanding these first two methods; it broadens our perspective and understanding of the plan of salvation.
In my judgment, diligently searching to discover connections, patterns, and themes is in part what it means to “feast” upon the words of Christ. This approach can open the floodgates of the spiritual reservoir, enlighten our understanding through His Spirit, and produce a depth of gratitude for the holy scriptures and a degree of spiritual commitment that can be received in no other way. Such searching enables us to build upon the rock of our Redeemer and to withstand the winds of wickedness in these latter days.

I don't know how I would have reacted to these words in 2007. (I don't believe I heard this talk at that time.) Today, I can definitely attest to the difference incorporating that third method has made in my study, including increases in my personal commitment to my covenants and gratitude for the scriptures in my life.

20 ...Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. (2 Nephi 31)

The Prophecy of Elder Boyd K. Packer

Secondly, Elder Bednar references a quote from Elder Packer from 1982, just after the revised, correlated edition of the scriptures was released:

As the updated scriptures were first introduced to the members of the Church in the early 1980s, Elder Boyd K. Packer prophesied:
With the passing of years, these scriptures will produce successive generations of faithful Christians who know the Lord Jesus Christ and are disposed to obey His will.The older generation has been raised without them, but there is another generation growing up. [CR, October 1982, 75; or “Scriptures,” Ensign, November 1982, 53]
Twenty-four years have passed since Elder Packer spoke those words. And the generation to which he was referring is seated tonight in Church buildings all across the globe! He was talking about you, and he was talking about me. The vast majority of you have only known the scriptures as we have them today. Please keep that fact in mind as I continue to quote Elder Packer:
The revelations will be opened to them as to no other in the history of the world. Into their hands now are placed the sticks of Joseph and of Judah. They will develop a gospel scholarship beyond that which their forebears could achieve. They will have the testimony that Jesus is the Christ and be competent to proclaim Him and to defend Him. [CR, October 1982, 75; or “Scriptures,” 53]
Not only are we blessed to have these scriptures so readily available to us today, but we also have the responsibility to use them consistently and effectively and to drink deeply from the reservoir of living water. I believe this generation of youth is more immersed in the scriptures, more deeply acquainted with the words of the prophets, and more prone to turn to the revelations for answers than any previous generation. But we still have a great distance to travel along the strait and narrow path—more to learn, more to apply, and more to experience.

Upcoming posts

As he introduces the concept of 'connections,' Elder Bednar offers up a short list of examples:

Consider the relationship between the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ (see Mosiah 15:1–9); between mercy and grace (see 2 Nephi 9:8); between clean hands and a pure heart (see Psalm 24:4); between a broken heart and a contrite spirit (see 3 Nephi 9:20); between the wheat and the tares (see D&C 101:65); between knowledge and intelligence (see D&C 130:18–19); between justification and sanctification (see D&C 20:30–31); between sheep and goats (see Matthew 25:32–33); between immortality and eternal life (see Moses 1:39); and countless others.

I'll be looking into some of these over the next few weeks to see specifically what the Book of Mormon has to say on these topics and how that relates to other books of scripture.

Conclusion

This is not like my typical posts, but it is becoming increasingly important to me to take a step back from my daily study and thinking about what I am doing and why. What a blessing it is to have these digital tools. Searching the scriptures for connections, patterns, and themes has changed my worldview and truly blessed my life.  I am confident a lifetime of learning awaits me as I continue to search these sacred words.

Physical and spiritual nourishment

We see it time and again in the scriptures. Food and drink is a recurring topic, but often as a symbol of spiritual food or a reminder that "man doth not live by bread only" (Deuteronomy 8:3). Some well-know examples include

• The Israelites getting manna and Jesus later telling the Jews in John 6 that he is the bread from heaven
• Moses smiting the rock and water flowing out and Paul recognizing that as a symbol of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4)
• Jesus drinking water from a well and then telling the Samaritan woman there that he can provide living water
• "Feasting" on the word of Christ (2 Nephi 31:20)
• Partaking of the fruit of the tree of life (1 Nephi 8 and Alma 32:40-43)
• Etc

In Enos, we also find this topic

Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart. And my soul hungered (Enos 1:3-4)

I like the fact that he hunts to find nourishment for his body, but when the teachings of his father sinks deep into his heart, his soul hungers instead. It is easy for us in this mortal probation to focus on our physical needs, but Enos' example is teaching us that there is something deeper, more lasting and important. When we hunger for that like Enos, we can be "filled" and "rejoice in it above that of the world." (Enos 1:26).

Another example is Alma 

And it came to pass that Alma ate bread and was filled (Alma 8:22)

What happens next is that Alma gives thanks to God, blesses Amulek and is obedient to the word of God telling them to preach repentance to the people of Ammonihah. Then they are filled again, but this time with the Holy Ghost

And Alma went forth, and also Amulek, among the people, to declare the words of God unto them; and they were filled with the Holy Ghost. (Alma 8:30)

The words of Christ

In 2 Nephi 31, Nephi explains what we should do to enter through the gate to the "strait and narrow path". He also explains that entering through the gate is not enough and tells us what we should do afterwards. In 2 Nephi 32, he elaborates on that and refers back to two details from 2 Nephi 31. In 2 Nephi 32:1-3:

1 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way. But, behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts?

2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels [referring to 31:13]? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?

3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ [referring to 31:20]; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

Notice how Nephi takes two subtle and different details from his sermon in chapter 31 and ties them together here. Notice also how Nephi's logic is consistent with the "Office of the ministry of Angels" series that Lord Wilmore has posted. Here we also see that angels speak the word of Christ. In the quoted verses, Nephi explains why: It is because they speak by the power of the Holy Ghost. When we receive the Holy Ghost we can do the same. We can be an angel too! We are speaking of angels in broad terms here, but that is perfectly consistent with ancient Israelite thought, where the word for angel also means "messenger".

Consider how Nephi has become an angel in the next chapter.

And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. (2 Nephi 33:10)

I am not sure if Nephi received the Gift of the Holy Ghost the same way we do today. But according to Nephi's logic, he must have received the Holy Ghost somehow to be able to speak the words of Christ. Remember what Nephi said in 1 Nephi chapter 10?
Verse 17:

And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God—and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come—I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him

and verse 22:

And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not. 

The doctrine of Christ

In 2 Nephi 31, Nephi lays out the doctrine of Christ. Later, in 3 Nephi 11, Christ himself visits the Nephites and explains his doctrine. It is therefore interesting to compare the two. Generally, 2 Nephi 31 expands on the subject a bit more than 3 Nephi 11. So I have copied in 3 Nephi 11:32-36 and picked out the corresponding elements from 2 Nephi 31. They are not necessarily in the same order, but we see much consistency, including some common interesting details.

3 Nephi 11

2 Nephi 31

32 And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me. 33 And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. 34 And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned. 35 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost. 36 And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.

2 ...I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ 18 …the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, 11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son. 15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved. 21-22 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way…And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ 12 …He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost 13 …yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; 22 ...and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God

When the doctrine of Christ is defined, all members of the Godhead take a very active role and there is a complex interplay between them. I don't know why that is the case, it's just an observation. Reading 2 Nephi 31, the Father and the Son take turns speaking and they often mention or testify of each other. An example of this is in verses 11 and 12. I split them in the table above, but together they form a chiasmus

A And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, 

     B and be baptized 

          C in the name of my Beloved Son.

          C' And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: 

     B' He that is baptized in my name, 

A' to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost

In both accounts, The Holy Ghost bears witness of both the Father and the Son and is in addition a key element in the doctrine of Christ. I think it's important that the Holy Ghost is not just another step on the way as one might be inclined to think when reading the 4th article of faith. It is a blessing we receive when we have been showing faith and humility and followed the Savior into the waters of baptism. 

Notice in both cases, that it is the Father who visits with or gives the Holy Ghost. In both cases it is also the Father who commands us to repent. Again, I don't know why, and I don't even know if it matters much, because surely the Father doesn't say anything that the Son wouldn't say also. But it is interesting to notice the consistency between the two passages. 

After having described the different roles of all members of the Godhead, both accounts about the "doctrine of Christ" end with the statement that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one. I find it beautiful. We see the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost working together with different roles, but with one purpose: To save us. That is what I get the impression this is all about. "The same shall be saved"-phrase is repeated word for word in the two accounts. The terms have been laid out, and if we fulfill them, we "shall be saved".