Weeping/mourning/sadness becomes joy through Jesus Christ

Here is a very short note showing an intriguing connection between the New Testament and the Book of Mormon.

Here are Christ's words from John 16:

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

And here are Mormon's words from 3 Nephi 10:

10 And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood; and the mourning, and the weeping, and the wailing of the people who were spared alive did cease; and their mourning was turned into joy, and their lamentations into the praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.

This is really interesting to me. I can't help but assume that but accounts are based off of an earlier scripture. I looked for some possible candidates, though we may not have it in our current scriptures. Here are some possibilities:

5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalm 30)

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61) 

13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. (Jeremiah 31) 

"Teach them diligently unto thy children"

In the Book of Deuteronomy, when the Israelites are about to enter into the promised land, they are admonished over and over to keep the judgments, statutes and commandments of the Lord. They are informed about the blessings that await if they do and warned about the curses that inevitably follow if they don't. This passage is particularly well-known 

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:

5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. (Deuteronomy 6)

The Savior quotes verse 5 when he answers the famous question about the greatest commandment. But I wanted to focus on verse 7 about teaching the children. The NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible comments on this verse: 

The inculcation of moral principles and wisdom in youth was practiced widely in the ancient Near East. In Egypt, teaching and instruction were used from at least 2500 BC up until the time of the Ptolemies (c. 300 BC). Rules of conduct and learning were prepared for sons. From moral issues to royal protocol, children were trained in the home or in the king’s palace. Order, truth and justice were important. In Mesopotamia, Sumerian literature includes the advice of a father to his son. Several famous works of a didactic nature come from Mesopotamia. Repetition by mouth, copying texts and strict discipline (the rod!) were the main pedagogical means of “impressing” a desired curriculum on a student or child. This was done both in the home and in any place of learning available. Covenantal conditions and stipulations were passed on so that following generations would know and pursue them diligently

This is not the first time I read about ancient Israelite customs and see how well the Book of Mormon fits into that cultural framework. Especially the bolded parts are easily recognized in several Book of Mormon passages. Here are some examples:

Lehi's teachings to his sons

This is perhaps the best example of Near Eastern fatherly inculcation in the Book of Mormon. There are too many examples to go through in detail, but despite mixed outcomes, Lehi is quite clear about his objectives. 

28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.

30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen. (Nephi 1-4)

The way of life and the way of death is the essence of Deuteronomy and this is what Lehi lays out in this chapter. "I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls" is really strong language. All of 2 Nephi 1-3 and some of chapter 4 is Lehi's "advice of a father to his son" with "covenantal conditions and stipulations...passed on so that the following generations would know and pursue them diligently"

5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord. (2 Nephi 1)

3 Wherefore, after my father had made an end of speaking concerning the prophecies of Joseph, he called the children of Laman, his sons, and his daughters, and said unto them: Behold, my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my firstborn, I would that ye should give ear unto my words.

4 For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.

5 But behold, my sons and my daughters, I cannot go down to my grave save I should leave a blessing upon you; for behold, I know that if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not depart from it.

6 Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from you and be answered upon the heads of your parents.

7 Wherefore, because of my blessing the Lord God will not suffer that ye shall perish; wherefore, he will be merciful unto you and unto your seed forever. (2 Nephi 4) 

We could go on but this sample is sufficient to illustrate the point. 

King Benjamin's teachings to his sons

This account is much briefer but sufficient to see the ancient Near Eastern cultural heritage

2 And it came to pass that he had three sons; and he called their names Mosiah, and Helorum, and Helaman. And he caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord.

3 And he also taught them concerning the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, saying: My sons, I would that ye should remember that were it not for these plates, which contain these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in ignorance, even at this present time, not knowing the mysteries of God.

4 For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the commandments of God, even down to this present time.

7 And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land according to the promises which the Lord made unto our fathers.

8 And many more things did king Benjamin teach his sons, which are not written in this book.

Apparently, this account is very abbreviated, and King Benjamin taught his sons "many more things". In verse 4, King Benjamin seems to refer to Deuteronomy 6:7, probably among other things, where the commandment to teach the word of God to your children is given.

Alma-II to his sons

I am sure that all the righteous record keepers in the Book of Mormon had similar teaching sessions to their sons, even though not all have been recorded. But Mormon decided to include Alma's word to his sons and take them directly from his own record. Here we see the same pattern, especially with Helaman who is the oldest and the next record keeper.

13 O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the commandments of God. And he said: If ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land—but if ye keep not his commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence...

17 For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers...

20 Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ye be diligent in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in keeping the commandments of God as they are written....

35 O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God. (Alma 37)

The bold parts are directly linked to the quoted description of the ancient Israelite practice of fathers teaching their sons.

Circumcision of the heart

The Apostle Paul frequently uses the Israelite practice of circumcision as metaphor when teaching about Christ and his gospel. For instance

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (Romans 2)

I have assumed that the idea of circumcision of heart was Paul's invention, but it turns out I could not be more wrong. The idea of circumcision of heart is in fact more commonly conveyed in the Old Testament than in the New Testament!

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. (Deuteronomy 10:16)

And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. (Deuteronomy 30:6)

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. (Jeremiah 4:4)

25 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;
26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart. (Jeremiah 9)

In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations. (Ezekiel 44:7)

And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity (Leviticus 26:41)

Paul is really just repeating Old Testament teachings: The circumcision of the foreskin is merely an outward expression of an inward covenant commitment. As the Lord explains to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 9 quoted above, the circumcised will be punished with the uncircumcised because they are uncircumcised in heart and therefore their circumcision is hollow and useless. The heart in Hebrew may refer to the literal organ, but is most commonly understood as our inner control center, where our words, thoughts and true desires originate. (See this post).

These ideas and phrases are also found in the Book of Mormon

Wo unto the uncircumcised of heart, for a knowledge of their iniquities shall smite them at the last day. (2 Nephi 9:33)

But Nephi said unto them: O ye fools, ye uncircumcised of heart, ye blind, and ye stiffnecked people, do ye know how long the Lord your God will suffer you that ye shall go on in this your way of sin? (Helaman 9:21)

There is a twist in Jeremiah 6:10, talking about uncircumcised ears

To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

And in Exodus 6:12, when Moses laments his speaking disabilities, the Hebrew literally reads "uncircumcised lips".

Circumcision is one of many specific and detailed instructions that the Israelites were commanded. It is clear that such instructions were not expressions of a petty God who just wanted to be obeyed. They carried deeper meaning, had a spiritual dimension, and were given for the benefit of the receiver. Circumcision represents a covenant dedication of our inner being/hearts, including our ears and mouth and all that we are.

"And it shall be unto you for a fringe" -- part 2

Part 1 introduced the commandment given to Moses in Numbers 15 that the Israelites "make a fringe" on their garments with ornate tassels, to remind them to "keep all the commandments of the Lord."

This post will continue to explore the topic by looking more deeply at the warning embedded in the commandment, then comparing the wording of the warning to Samuel the Lamanite's prophetic curse, and finally noting a similarity to a story found in Numbers 17-18.

The Warning

seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

The KJV uses really interesting wording here. The underlying idea is that of giving away something most precious in exchange for something of no worth. I really like the Common English Bible translation of this verse:

This will be your fringe. You will see it and remember all the Lord’s commands and do them. Then you won’t go exploring the lusts of your own heart or your eyes. (source)

'Exploring the lusts of your own heart or your eyes' is such a great way to describe a great variety of sins.

Samuel the Lamanite's prophecy

The wording of the warning reminds me of a part of Samuel the Lamanite's warning to the Nephites:

27 But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet. (Helaman 13)

Just a few verses later, Samuel prophecies their lamentation if they choose not to repent:

32 And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure; and then shall ye weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts. And then shall ye lament, and say:

33 O that I had repented, and had not killed the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out. Yea, in that day ye shall say: O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us. (Helaman 13)

Note the inversion -- when the covenant people welcome in those who tell them to walk after the pride of the hearts and eyes, they will become cursed and their wealth will be taken away from them, because they forgot that the Lord is the source of their riches. 

Putting it all together

Here's where I arrive after all of this exploration: God recognizes the fickle nature of mortals and knows that without some safeguards, we are highly likely to sell ourselves "for that which has no worth" (2 Nephi 9:51). And so He mercifully offers an antidote.  This is where the wordplay and symbolism come together and transform this strange commandment into something really beautiful.  As discussed in part 1, the tassel ('zizith') of blue thread serves as a reminder of the head plate ('ziz') worn by the high priest and bearing the words "HOLINESS TO THE LORD." Combine this connection with the fact that both the word for tassel ('zizith') and the word for plate ('ziz') can have a floral connotation -- 'zizith' can refer to a 'floral projection' and 'ziz' can mean 'blossom.'

With this in mind, it is fascinating to then read on and come across the story of Aaron's rod just a few chapters later, in Numbers 17-18.  After an act of rebellion on the part of some Israelites, Moses is commanded to take Aaron's rod and one from each of the other ancestral houses, write their names upon them, and place them in the tabernacle.  The following day, a miracle is witnessed by all when Aaron's rod blossoms:

8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. (Numbers 17)

Guess what root the word highlighted in green comes from?  'Ziz'! The same word that refers to the shiny gold head plate worn by Aaron as the high priest. Are the tassels then a symbol of life and increase, similar to Aaron's rod?  Perhaps.

Conclusion

In order to protect us from the lusts of our eyes and hearts, God gives His children something holy to think about and be reminded of frequently, by commanding them to sew a reminder of heaven (blue), eternal increase and eternal life (tassels -- a representation of buds/blossoms) into the fringe of their clothing.

Eternal life is the greatest of all of God's gifts (see Doctrine & Covenant 14:7). Our own pride/lusts cause spiritual myopia that might allow us to be tricked into giving away our eternal birthright for a proverbial mess of pottage.  God's wrath is directed at those things that cause us to forget He has in store for us.  

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men ... (Romans 1)

To the extent that those distractions have entered our hearts and minds, we will perceive that His wrath is directed at us.  But this is not so.  God's wrath can best be likened to the feeling a parent might have toward a snake slithering up to their toddler. The closer the snake is to the child, the easier it might be for the child to misinterpret the parent's aggression.