More on nakedness and clothing

Having previous posts from lord_wilmore in mind on the topic of uncleanness vs purity linked to nakedness vs clothing (see here, here and here), 2nd Nephi 9:14 caught my attention this morning

14 Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.

Another interesting verse in this context is 3rd Nephi 11:8, where Mormon makes sure to mention what Jesus is wearing

And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe

Obviously, the white robe or robe of righteousness represents purity, as opposed to uncleanness which is linked to nakedness (i.e. the lack of such a robe)

The symbolism of the Kittel, a white Jewish ceremonial garment

I've been thinking (and reading) more about the idea of having our garments made white through the blood of the Lamb of God.

I saw images of the pope in Abu Dhabi and thought "Maybe the idea of a culture surrounding wearing a white robe and head covering at all times as a religious symbol isn't totally far-fetched."

But what about the Jewish religion?

I came across an interesting Jewish tradition dating back at least 800 years.  At a wedding, the bride buys her groom a white robe called a 'kittel' which he wears on his wedding day but also on other holy days.  Here is a modern-day Jewish bride describing what she learned about the symbolism of this tradition from a shop owner and a scholar:

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were innocent until she caused him to sin by giving him to eat of the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. After that, they realized they were naked and in shame attempted to fashion clothes and cover themselves. Today, he continues, a woman gives her future husband this white garment to cover himself, thereby rectifying her primal sin. "It's a very beautiful custom, and it's beautiful for you to continue it, and," he adds, "he will wear it for the rest of his life." After the wedding day, the kittel is also customarily worn on Pessah, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and, according to Prof. Daniel Sperber of the Jewish Studies Department at Bar-Ilan University, its symbolic meaning is linked between these holidays and its appearance under the huppa. In Jewish tradition, the dead are wrapped in a white shroud before burial, and when worn on the High Holy Days, the kittel represents the idea that we are being judged before God and are not sure whether we will live or die. Similarly, adds the shop owner, the kittel must be white to remind the groom on his wedding day of the day of his death, so that he won't be too prideful or egotistic and will remember the constant need to repent. The white of the kittel is also meant to parallel the white dress of the bride and symbolize absolute purity. Dressed in white, on all these occasions we are like the angels, says Sperber, and just as angels have no sins, we beg to be forgiven for all of ours, in keeping the biblical verse "our sins shall be made as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18). The groom under the huppa is also compared to the high priest, who on Yom Kippur wore not his elaborate gold robe but a simple white one upon entering the Holy of Holies to atone for all the sins of Israel. So too, under the huppa, before the bride and groom begin their new life together, they wear white to banish all their sins and start fresh together. 

 The concepts of purity before God, atonement for sin, standing to be judged, etc. -- all literally wrapped up into one white garment and its underlying symbolism.  Beautiful imagery, and also seemingly well-represented in the Book of Mormon. (See this previous post as well as this one for more details.) Perhaps this custom is very ancient indeed.

References to the strife between Nephi and his brothers in Mosiah 10

Considering that Joseph Smith began dictating the Book of Mormon in Mosiah, it doesn't take very long from that point before the text outlines significant details about the contention between Nephi and his older brothers.

In Mosiah 10, we get a compact list of thirteen items in verses 12-16:

12 They were a wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is this—

• Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers (1), 

• and that they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren (2), 

• and they were also wronged while crossing the sea (3);

13 And again, that 

• they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea (4), 

• and all this because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord—therefore he was favored of the Lord (5), 

• for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them (6), 

• and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness (7).

14 And his brethren were wroth with him 

• because they understood not the dealings of the Lord (8); 

• they were also wroth with him upon the waters because they hardened their hearts against the Lord (9).

15 And again,  

• they were wroth with him when they had arrived in the promised land,  because they said that he had taken the ruling of the people out of their hands (10); 

• and they sought to kill him (11).

16 And again, they were wroth with him 

• because he departed into the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him (12), 

• and took the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, for they said that he robbed them (13).

I listed each of the thirteen items below, followed by the corroborating verses from Nephi's record:

#1 Mosiah 10:12 Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers

1 Nephi 17:22 And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people...and our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his words;

#2 Mosiah 10:12 ...they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren

1 Nephi 17:20 And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years;

#3 Mosiah 10:12 ...they were also wronged while crossing the sea

1 Nephi 18:10 And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us.

#4 Mosiah 10:12 ...they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance

2 Nephi 5:3 Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words.

#5 Mosiah 10:13 ...and all this because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord—therefore he was favored of the Lord

1 Nephi 3:5 And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord. 6 Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord,

#6 Mosiah 10:13 ...the Lord heard his prayers and answered them

1 Nephi 2:16 “...I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father;”

#7 Mosiah 10:13...he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 16:30 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.

#8 Mosiah 10:14 ...his brethren were wroth with him because they understood not the dealings of the Lord

1 Nephi 2:12 ...they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.

#9 Mosiah 10:14 ...they were also wroth with him upon the waters because they hardened their hearts against the Lord.

1 Nephi 18:19 And Jacob and Joseph also, being young...were grieved because of the afflictions of their mother; and also my wife with her tears and prayers, and also my children, did not soften the hearts of my brethren that they would loose me. 20 And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which threatened them with destruction, could soften their hearts;

#10 Mosiah 10:15 ...they were wroth with him when they had arrived in the promised land, because they said that he had taken the ruling of the people out of their hands;

2 Nephi 5:3 Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words. For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler; for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people.

#11 Mosiah 10:15 ...they sought to kill him

2 Nephi 5:4 ...it sufficeth me to say, that they did seek to take away my life.

#12 Mosiah 10:16 ...they were wroth with him because he departed into the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him

2 Nephi 5:5 And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi, should depart from them and flee into the wilderness,

#13 Mosiah 10:16 ...they said that he robbed them.

2 Nephi 5:7 And we did take our tents and whatsoever things were possible for us, and did journey in the wilderness for the space of many days.

In many instances, the list above offers us two different perspectives of the same incident. It is notable that the author of the Book of Mormon was able to keep track not only of the details of the events, but also the different perspectives.

Keep in mind that Mosiah 10 was the 10th chapter in the dictation sequence, whereas the writings of Nephi begin at the 174th chapter.

Of course, the lost 116 pages dealt with these same stories, and Joseph Smith had already dictated those records before Mosiah 10, so that fact muddies the waters at least a little bit. (I really wish we knew what was contained on the lost 116 pages!)

Even so, this is another remarkable display of the amazing internal consistency of the Book of Mormon.

I also see this as clear evidence that Mormon studied the writings of Nephi (a fact we already know from Mormon himself, see WofM 1:3-4).

Mormon paraphrases Nephi about the "great and last day"

In Helaman 12 we get an entire chapter of editorial lamentation by Mormon about the frailties of humanity.  He ends his lament with these words:

25 And I would that all men might be saved. But we read that in the great and last day there are some who shall be cast out, yea, who shall be cast off from the presence of the Lord;

And just where do "we read" these words? This is a pretty clear reference to the final words of Nephi, found in 2 Nephi 33:

12 And I pray the Father in the name of Christ that many of us, if not all, may be saved in his kingdom at that great and last day.
...
14 And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall condemn you at the last day.

The Song of Redeeming Love

In Alma 5, Alma-2 delivers a masterful sermon to the people of Zarahemla.  He begins his address by reminding them of the captivity of their fathers and their subsequent deliverance. A few points about this:

1. In speaking about this, he is obeying the words of the angel (see Mosiah 27:16).
2. He begins his instructions to his son Helaman in a similar manner (see Alma 36:2).
3. Immediately following his reminder of the captivity (both physical and spiritual) of the fathers and their miraculous deliverance, he mentions that "they did sing redeeming love." (Alma 5:9).

It is this last point that I want to discuss in more detail in this post.  The context here is noteworthy: Alma connects miraculous deliverance with singing a song of redeeming love.  There is a long-standing connection in Jewish culture between these two concepts.

This excellent post at "The Lunch is Free" discusses the connections between Alma-2's references to the "song of redeeming love" and Old Testament and ancient Jewish traditions about deliverance.  Read it all the way to the end to see the connection to Doctrine & Covenants 84.

The post also links to this page, which describes songs of redemption in antiquity:

We don't sing when we are frightened, despairing, sleepy, or after a heavy meal. We sing when we are pining after one whom we love, when we are yearning for better times, when we are celebrating an achievement or anticipating a revelation. 

We don't sing when we are complacent. We sing when we are striving for something, or when we have tasted joy and are climbing it to the heavens. 

Song is prayer, the endeavor to rise above the petty cares of life and cleave to one's source. Song is the quest for redemption. 

The Midrash enumerates ten preeminent songs in the history of Israel — ten occasions on which our experience of redemption found expression in melody and verse. The first nine were: the song sung on the night of the Exodus in Egypt (Isaiah 30:29), the "Song at the Sea" (Exodus 15:1-21), the "Song at the Well" (Numbers 21:17-20), Moses' song upon his completion of writing the Torah (Deuteronomy 32), the song with which Joshua stopped the sun (Joshua 10:12-13), Deborah's song (Judges 5), King David's song (II Samuel 22), the song at the dedication of the Holy Temple (Psalms 30), and King Solomon's Song of Songsextolling the love between the Divine Groom and His bride Israel. 

The tenth song, says the Midrash, will be the shir chadash, the "New Song" of the ultimate redemption: a redemption that is global and absolute; a redemption that will annihilate all suffering, ignorance, jealousy, and hate from the face of the earth; a redemption of such proportions that the yearning it evokes, and the joy it brings, require a new song — a completely new musical vocabulary — to capture the voice of Creation's ultimate striving.

Mormon echoes the words of King Benjamin and Alma-2

A few days ago I posted about a consistent theme found in Mosiah 3 and Alma 37 about the records "retaining their brightness" and being used at the judgment.  I shouldn't have been very surprised when I came across this verse in Words of Mormon--but I was:

11 And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to generation until they have fallen into my hands. And I, Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved from this time henceforth. And I know that they will be preserved; for there are great things written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of God which is written.

Prophets as witnesses at the day of judgment

In yesterday's post, we looked at King Benjamin's and Alma-2's use of the word "bright" to describe the words on the plates which will be used to judge the world. These two prophets were not the only ones to speak on this topic.

In Jacob 4, Jacob seems to have a clear knowledge that the words on the plates will be preserved:

1 Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain;
2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers

Other prophets also seemed to know very well that their words would be used to judge the world.  Both Nephi and Moroni close their writings with an acknowledgement of this fact.

Here's Nephi (from 2 Nephi 33):

7 I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat.
...
11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness.
...
13 And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the voice of one crying from the dust: Farewell until that great day shall come.
...
15 For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey. Amen.

Nephi is not subtle in making his point. (Read the whole chapter to get a full sense of his boldness.)

And here's Moroni (from Moroni 10):

24 And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth—that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief.
...
27 And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?
...
34 And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.

Equally unsubtle.

One other note, Royal Skousen is convinced that the final sentence should say "pleading bar" instead of "pleasing bar" and I agree with him.

Internal consistency in references to Zenos

In 3rd Nephi chapter 9, Mormon has just written about the natural disasters at the death of Christ and is (as usual) eager to point out the fulfillment of prophecy. 

14 And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him search them, and see and behold if all these deaths and destructions by fire, and by smoke, and by tempests, and by whirlwinds, and by the opening of the earth to receive them, and all these things are not unto the fulfilling of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets.

Which holy prophets? In verse 16, he says that

Zenos did testify of these things

When we compare with 1st Nephi 19:11-12, we realize that Zenos indeed did testify of these things and that Nephi even quoted it

11 For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up. 12 And all these things must surely come, saith the prophet Zenos

This is another example of internal consistency in the Book of Mormon. Some of it so subtle that you don't discover it until you read it for the 30th time.

The "bright" words of King Benjamin

In Mosiah 3, King Benjamin seems to hint at the fact that he knows his words will be recorded and used in a very big way.  This comes right after the well-known verse 19 ("the natural man is an enemy to God").  He goes on to say:

20 And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. ...23 And now I have spoken the words which the Lord God hath commanded me.24 And thus saith the Lord: They shall stand as a bright testimony against this people, at the judgment day;

I have never noticed the use of the word "bright" to describe the words he is speaking.  It connects very clearly to the words of Alma-2 to his son Helaman as he passed along the records:

4 Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be kept and handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon.
5 And now behold, if they are kept they must retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ.

Update: Mormon says something very similar in Words of Mormon verse 11.

A connection between "filthiness" and "nakedness" in Mormon 9?

Continuing from this recent post, there is a possible connection between "filthiness" and "nakedness" in the form of the Hebrew root "ervah" which refers both to nakedness and uncleanness.

4 Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell.
5 For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you.

The phrases in bold seem to be connected, then, and presented in contrast to the "glory of God" and "the holiness of Jesus Christ" which obvious symbols of being "clothed" and "clean."

In italics above, note the mention of a flame of unquenchable fire that is kindled in those who are brought to a knowledge of their filthiness and nakedness before God.  This seems to be a clear reference to the teaching of King Benjamin in Mosiah 3:

24 And thus saith the Lord: They shall stand as a bright testimony against this people, at the judgment day; whereof they shall be judged, every man according to his works, whether they be good, or whether they be evil.
25 And if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless torment...
27 And their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever.