Footstool

I've got multiple series of posts going on at the same time, but I haven't forgotten about them.  This post will open up another topic -- footstool. After this I'll get back to the "stretch forth thine hand" series and finish that, then, I'll return to Moses 7 from my most recent post.

Footstool

This word caught my attention as I studied the Book of Moses this week. Let's look at a few verses in restoration scripture which use this term:

Moses 6:9, 44

9 In the image of his own body, male and female, created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created and became living souls in the land upon the footstool of God. ...

44 The heavens he made; the earth is his footstool; and the foundation thereof is his. Behold, he laid it, an host of men hath he brought in upon the face thereof.

1 Nephi 17:38-40

38 And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes.

39 He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this earth is his footstool.

40 And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt.

Abraham 2:6-8

6 But I, Abraham, and Lot, my brother’s son, prayed unto the Lord, and the Lord appeared unto me, and said unto me: Arise, and take Lot with thee; for I have purposed to take thee away out of Haran, and to make of thee a minister to bear my name in a strange land which I will give unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession, when they hearken to my voice.

7 For I am the Lord thy God; I dwell in heaven; the earth is my footstool; I stretch my hand over the sea, and it obeys my voice; I cause the wind and the fire to be my chariot; I say to the mountains—Depart hence—and behold, they are taken away by a whirlwind, in an instant, suddenly.

8 My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee.

(We also see "footstool" used in Doctrine & Covenants 38:17 and 3 Nephi 12:35, but those instances don't add much to the context I'm specifically studying.)

What do we learn from these verses about the earth?

Do you notice the reference to Genesis 3:17 in 1 Nephi 17:38 above? The ground is cursed because Adam hearkened to Eve rather than God. Yet the experience in the wilderness would allow Adam and Eve to fulfill the first commandment He gave them (found in Genesis 1:28) -- to "be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it and have dominion over ... every living thing that moveth upon [it]."

A footstool symbolizes that which has been subdued. Putting an enemy under your feet indicates you've prevailed. One essential function of the priesthood is to bring order to the "waste places" and thereby gain victory over chaos and death. This is taught rather plainly in Doctrine & Covenants 103:7-11 --

7 And by hearkening to observe all the words which I, the Lord their God, shall speak unto them, they shall never cease to prevail until the kingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet, and the earth is given unto the saints, to possess it forever and ever.

8 But inasmuch as they keep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them.

9 For they were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men;

10 And inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as salt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.

11 But verily I say unto you, I have decreed that your brethren which have been scattered shall return to the lands of their inheritances, and shall build up the waste places of Zion.

Covenant brings about this "build[ing] up" of "the waste places of Zion." Notice the contrasting fates of those who enter into the covenant -- they will either stay faithful and prevail, and possess the earth forever and ever, or they will reject the covenant and be defeated by the kingdoms of the world, leading them to be cast out and "trodden under foot of men."

I've got a little more to say on this topic, but I'll save it until after the two open series are concluded. Interestingly, the redemption of Zion (subduing the kingdoms of the earth) ties right back into the concept of the out-stretched hand:

15 Behold, I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power;

16 Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel.

17 For ye are the children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham, and ye must needs be led out of bondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm.

18 And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be. (Doctrine & Covenants 103)

The redemption of Zion happens through God's power, also known as the Priesthood.

Blood, murder and guilt

The Book of Mormon is a Jewish book. This has become increasingly clear to me as I have studied it in much detail while learning more of ancient Israelite culture and language. I mean "Jewish" in a broad sense, since Lehi was from the tribe of Manassah, but he came from Jerusalem and the inhabitants there at the time are generally referred to as Jews. This is what Nephi does too. 

I have charity for the Jew—I say Jew, because I mean them from whence I came. (2 Nephi 33:8)

This post only gives one example of the Book of Mormon as a Jewish book by which I mean, the Book of Mormon is telling the story of a people with Jewish heritage. There are many other examples here.

There is a Jewish idea (and ancient Near Eastern idea in general) of guilt from homicide associated with blood pollution. For instance, Moses kills an Egyptian and flees to Midian. Upon his return many years later, he is still carrying the guilt and undergoes a ritual that seems rather strange to us in Exodus 4:25-26, involving blood. The NRSV cultural backgrounds study Bible explains:

The idea may be that, even though Moses is free in a legal sense to return, he still carries about on his person a kind of spiritual or religious pollution as a result of the homicide— a pollution that must be purged. In the case of homicide, the pollution is referred to by the Hebrew word dam (“ blood”); the perpetrator has been contaminated by the victim’s blood. This notion of blood contamination turns up in ancient Greece and Mesopotamia as well. An Assyrian text from the mid-600s BC declares that the perpetrator of a homicide must make a payment (what is really a ransom for his own life) to the victim’s family and in so doing “wash the blood away.” A text from Mari (c. 1800 BC) refers to a “criminal who is polluted with that blood (shed in murder).” In ch. 4, Yahweh cannot allow Moses to emerge from his place of asylum unless the contamination is purged.

Notice how Alma 5 is completely aligned with this line of thinking. 

22 And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you?

23 Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and also that ye are guilty of all manner of wickedness?

24 Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that such an one can have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white? (Alma 5)

I have noticed that the Book of Mormon frequently applies secular Jewish traditions to our relationship with God. I have written about several such examples before. "Cut off from among the people" in the Old Testament becomes "cut off from the Lord's presence" in the Book of Mormon. The tradition of a kinsman-redeemer in the Old Testament is applied to our redemption from sin in the Book of Mormon. Etc. In Alma 5, the idea of blood pollution reflects ancient Jewish culture but also applies on a more spiritual level, in this case judgment day. 

Searching the scriptures -- Moses 7:59-69

I've had an incredible experience studying Moses 7:59-69 for the past week.  This is a truly remarkable passage of scriptures.

I've had people ask me what system I use to study the scriptures. I have developed a few patterns over the years and I was amazed to listen to a devotional given by Elder David A. Bednar in 2007 in which he underscores the importance of several principles related to scripture study, including the importance of studying connections between various concepts and stories. By the time I found this talk, I had already learned for myself how important this principle is. I wrote about that talk in this post if you'd like to learn more. Here is a one minute clip where he describes what connections are and why they are a source of spiritual truth:

Today's post will be unlike any of my previous posts.  My focus is on attempting to demonstrate how interconnected the scriptures are. I'll do this by creating hyperlinks in the Moses 7 passage below. Each link will take you to a section at the bottom with additional scriptural references connected to that word or phrase. This is not comprehensive, nor is it intended to detail all of the learning that can take place by studying the references listed.  Rather, I just want to show how 11 verses in one book of scripture can take us on a journey through many other passages of scriptures if we take the time to study using Elder Bednar's principles.

Long post warning -- typically, a post of mine represents an hour or two of dedicated study.  This post will contain notes and references from about ten hours of study over a week.  The reason I'm not breaking it up into many posts is so that all of the references stay in one place for future reference, rather than spread out over many posts. However, I will circle back to these lists in future posts to discuss some of the insights I've gained as a result of this study, which I consider vital to understanding Moses 7.

Moses 7:59-69

59 And Enoch beheld the Son of Man ascend up unto the Father; and he called unto the Lord, saying: Wilt thou not come again upon the earth? Forasmuch as thou art God, and I know thee, and thou hast sworn unto me, and commanded me that I should ask in the name of thine Only Begotten; thou hast made me, and given unto me a right to thy throne, and not of myself, but through thine own grace; wherefore, I ask thee if thou wilt not come again on the earth.

60 And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah;

61 And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve;

62 And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.

63 And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other;

64 And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest.

65 And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years;

66 But before that day he saw great tribulations among the wicked; and he also saw the sea, that it was troubled, and men’s hearts failing them, looking forth with fear for the judgments of the Almighty God, which should come upon the wicked.

67 And the Lord showed Enoch all things, even unto the end of the world; and he saw the day of the righteous, the hour of their redemption, and received a fulness of joy;

68 And all the days of Zion, in the days of Enoch, were three hundred and sixty-five years.

69 And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion; and it came to pass that Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, Zion is Fled. (Moses 7)

Each of the links in the passage above will take you to the corresponding section of references related to that word or phrase below.  In future posts, I'll look at the references in each list and discuss what I believe each of these concepts adds to the whole picture. In some cases, it is clear that multiple concepts tend to cluster together (I've indicated this by listing these in parentheses next to references where it applies).  

Taking the process of studying these references as groups and taking the time to develop a deeper sense of what the term is referring to is the essence of this pattern of scripture study.  I have learned so much, often completely unexpectedly, as I've taken this approach.  

"through thine own grace"

• 2 Nephi 10:24
• 2 Nephi 11:5
• Jacob 4:6-7
• Moroni 10:32
• Post: What is required to access grace?

"fulfill the oath"

• Moses 7:50-51

"darkness"

• JS-Matthew 1:33
• Doctrine & Covenants 29:14
• Exodus 10:21-23

"tribulation"

• Doctrine & Covenants 29:8 (prepare, gather)
• Doctrine & Covenants 58:2-4

"preserve"

• 1 Nephi 22:17

• Mosiah 2:20-21

• Alma 46:24

• Psalm 37:28

• Post:  "keep and preserve"

"sweep"

• Jacob 5:66
• Doctrine & Covenants 109:30

"gather"

• 1 Nephi 22:25
• 3 Nephi 16:5
• Doctrine & Covenants 29:7-8 (elect, prepare, tribulation) 

"elect"

• JS-Matthew 1:27-29, 37-39
• Doctrine & Covenants 29:7-8 (gather, prepare, tribulation) 
• Doctrine & Covenants 33:6 (gather)
• Doctrine & Covenants 84:34
• Isaiah 65:9, 22

"prepare"

• 1 Nephi 10:18
• 1 Nephi 22:20
• 2 Nephi 9:10
• Jacob 5:61
• Mosiah 4:6-7
• Alma 13:3, 5
• Alma 16:16
• Alma 42:10, 13
• 3 Nephi 21:27
• Ether 3:14
• Ether 9:28
• Ether 12:11
• Moroni 7:31-32
• Doctrine & Covenants 29:7-8 (elect, gather, tribulation)
• Doctrine & Covenants 38:9 (gird up loins)
• Doctrine & Covenants 38:30
• Doctrine & Covenants 42:9 (gather)
• Doctrine & Covenants 78:20-21
• Doctrine & Covenants 88:88-93 (quake -- see Moses 7:61 "shake")
• Doctrine & Covenants 133:57-59

"bosom"

• Doctrine & Covenants 38:4
• Doctrine & Covenants 88:13
• Doctrine & Covenants 109:4
• Moses 7:24, 27, 63, 69

"gird up loins"

• Doctrine & Covenants 27:15-16
• Doctrine & Covenants 36:8
• Doctrine & Covenants 38:9
• Doctrine & Covenants 43:19
• Doctrine & Covenants 61:38
• Doctrine & Covenants 73:6
• Doctrine & Covenants 78:22
• Doctrine & Covenants 106:5
• Doctrine & Covenants 112:7, 14

"abode"

• Moses 7:21
• Numbers 9:17-22

"rest"

• Jacob 1:7
• Alma 12:34-37
• Alma 13:6, 12, 13, 16, 29
• Alma 16:7
• Alma 40:12
• Alma 60:13
• 3 Nephi 27:19
• 3 Nephi 28:3
• Moroni 7:3
• Moroni 9:6, 25
• Doctrine & Covenants 15:6 (16:6)
• Doctrine & Covenants 19:9
• Doctrine & Covenants 54:10
• Doctrine & Covenants 59:2
• Doctrine & Covenants 84:24
• Doctrine & Covenants 101:31
• Doctrine & Covenants 121:32
• Doctrine & Covenants 124:86

"all things"

• 1 Nephi 9:6
• 1 Nephi 14:26
• 1 Nephi 19:21
• 1 Nephi 22:2, 20
• 2 Nephi 2:24
• 2 Nephi 6:3
• 2 Nephi 9:20
• 2 Nephi 27:10-11, 22
• 2 Nephi 30:16-18
• 2 Nephi 32:3, 5
• Mosiah 5:3
• Moroni 10:5, 13, 23
• Moses 1:4-6

"day of the righteous"

• 2 Nephi 9:46

"fulness of joy"

• 3 Nephi 27:31
• 3 Nephi 28:10

"walked with God"

• Genesis 6:9
• Doctrine & Covenants 107:49

Conclusion

The Book of Moses astounds me.  I see this passage of scripture in a new light as dozens of connections to other verses have become apparent to me.  There is a lot to say about it.  I'll highlight the significance I've found in these lists of references in upcoming posts.  I hope you'll take the time to look them up and make lists of your own.

Adam and adamah -- Part 3 ("in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed")

Links to 

• Part 1 
• Part 2

We have looked at the story in Genesis 2-4 from the perspective of the ground (Hebr. adamah) because it plays a central role and is even sometimes personified, but also because it forms an intimate relationship with man (Adam) in the text emphasized through the similarity of words. In part 1 we considered these three levels

1. Garden of Eden. No cultivation needed because the ground brings forth "every tree" (Genesis 2:9)
2. Cursed ground outside the Garden of Eden. Needs cultivation by man to bring forth fruit. (Genesis 3:19,23)
3. Both ground and tiller of the ground (Cain) are cursed. The ground no longer yielding its strength. (Genesis 4:12)

To make it back to the tree of life, we need to reverse these curses. The plan of salvation can be framed in different ways but the reversal of these curses is one of them. I think Alma agrees

5 For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated.

6 But behold, it was appointed unto man to die—therefore, as they were cut off from the tree of life they should be cut off from the face of the earth—and man became lost forever, yea, they became fallen man. (Alma 42)

In part 2 we considered the connection of blood (Hebr. dam) to adamah and adam. As Alma later explains in this chapter and as discussed in the last post, the sanctifying blood of Christ provides the means to reverse these curses. In this post I will demonstrate that keeping covenants is another. We are back to Christ and covenants (see here and here). No surprises there really. 

The intimate relationship between man and ground characterizes the curses from Genesis 3 and 4 and their reversal. We see this pattern clearly in Lehi's dream, for example. It starts out in a dark and dreary wilderness. The wilderness is a place where the ground does not yield its strength. The endowment pattern that Lord Wilmore has discussed often starts there. Next, Lehi sees a large field. Then he gets to the tree of life.

After the wilderness phase, there is tilling of the ground. Lord Wilmore points out in this post that both the Nephites and Jaredites start tilling the ground as soon as they get to the promised land. I want to include additional examples because I think they tie back to the reversal of the curses in Genesis. They also link to covenants. Recall in Mosiah 5, when King Benjamin has finished his speech, his people enter into a covenant. In Mosiah 6, they write down the names of all those who have entered into the covenant, Mosiah starts his reign, and then they till the ground

And king Mosiah did cause his people that they should till the earth. And he also, himself, did till the earth, that thereby he might not become burdensome to his people, that he might do according to that which his father had done in all things. And there was no contention among all his people for the space of three years. (Mosiah 6:7)

We see the same pattern in Mosiah 23. The people of Alma have just entered into a covenant at the waters of Mormon. This is what happens next.

3 And they fled eight days’ journey into the wilderness.

4 And they came to a land, yea, even a very beautiful and pleasant land, a land of pure water.

5 And they pitched their tents, and began to till the ground, and began to build buildings; yea, they were industrious, and did labor exceedingly. (Mosiah 23)

The intimate connection between man and ground is reflected in a covenant people prospering in the land and the land yielding its strength. I quoted Moses 7:15-17 in the previous post with the promise that I would get back to that. It is worth repeating in this context of curses and blessings on man and land alike, (in this case also coupled with bloodshed)

15 And the giants of the land, also, stood afar off; and there went forth a curse upon all people that fought against God;

16 And from that time forth there were wars and bloodshed among them; but the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness.

17 The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish.

When we enter into and keep covenants, the earth yields its strength. The land is blessed and flourishes and so does the covenant people. This prepares us for Zion, the enclosed garden, where we can finally "put forth [our] hand" and "partake of the tree of life". Here is a final covenant example:

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3)

This is Yahweh's covenant with Abraham. "Earth" in this verse is from the Hebrew, adamah. Breaking the covenant brings a curse, keeping the covenant (by "blessing" Abraham as his seed) brings blessings. Adamah was cursed for Adam's sake after his transgression, but as a reversal of that curse, the families of adamah will be blessed in Abraham when entering into and keeping covenants.

I think all these examples are sufficient to conclude that the intimate relation between man and ground is reflected not only in Genesis 2-4 when they are cursed, but also in the covenant path that reverses those curses to blessings. Along with the sanctifying blood of Christ, covenants are what brings us back to the garden and the tree of life.

"Zion ... shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made"

This post will focus on the final section of Moses 7, verses 58-63, which contains beautiful and powerful promises and prophecies related to Enoch. Much of this will harmonize with other posts from this blog. My hope is to bring together several seemingly unrelated concepts to show how intimately connected they are. This will likely allow other passages to reveal deeper layers of meaning.  That's how this process works. :)

Furthermore, since we've been studying the early chapters of Genesis for Come Follow Me the past few weeks, I've also had the purpose of the creation on my mind. Readers of the blog will recall the connection between covenant and creation.  More and more I see covenant as the continuation of the physical creation -- the spiritual creative process made possible by the physical creation.

The title of the post perhaps states it best.  The earth was created in order to allow the celestial heirs of God to "prove themselves" and receive all that God has to give them. The final state of the earth is perfect rest -- total harmony with God's order (see this post) -- but until that day arrives there will be sadness and struggle.

In this post, I will walk through these verses and connect various elements which we've written about previously.

When Shall the Earth Rest?

This is the question on Enoch's mind after seeing Christ's death in vision and the subsequent mourning of "all the creations of God" (Moses 7:56).

There is a follow-up question in verse 59 which gives us an important clue about the connection between Christ's second coming and the earth's long-awaited rest:

59 And Enoch beheld the Son of Man ascend up unto the Father; and he called unto the Lord, saying: Wilt thou not come again upon the earth? Forasmuch as thou art God, and I know thee, and thou hast sworn unto me, and commanded me that I should ask in the name of thine Only Begotten; thou hast made me, and given unto me a right to thy throne, and not of myself, but through thine own grace; wherefore, I ask thee if thou wilt not come again on the earth. (Moses 7)

Enoch is not only asking when Christ will come again, he is also reminding God of His promises to mankind, and stating his understanding of man's divine inheritance through Christ's grace.

In response, God makes it abundantly clear to Enoch that all of His promises will be fulfilled:

60 And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah;

Interestingly, the answer that follows isn't a specific date and time, but rather a description of the conditions and events which will precede the second coming of Christ:

Conditions:

• wickedness and vengeance (v. 60)
• men's hearts failing them (v. 66)
• the sea is troubled (v. 66)

 

Events:

• gathering of the elect unto Zion (v. 62)
• great tribulations among the wicked (v. 66)

Moses 7:62

To conclude, the Lord's promise to come again happens after a flood of a different type:

62 And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood ...

The purpose of this flood is very different, too.  Rather than destroying the wicked, this flood is sent to bring about the gathering:

...to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.

Just as the ark carried Noah and his family to safety, "righteousness and truth" in the form of the temple ordinances will carry those who are willing into safety, the Lord's rest, where they will avoid the chaos that awaits the wicked. The new Zion will meet Enoch's Zion as heaven and earth unite.

63 And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other;

64 And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest.

The next post will continue on this same theme.  As I've researched these verses, I've come across a wealth of references related to phrases and words in these verses. I plan to share this "web" of references in the next post.