On time, eternity, squares and circles

The frequent reader of this blog has probably noticed that we are concerned with the original meaning of the scriptures, not just how we understand it today. Even though it is the same God and gospel, our worldview and language is very different from the ancient prophets. The Nephites became extinct and left no other legacy than their engraved words on metal plates. We don't even know their language. But we know something about their origin in 600 BC Jerusalem. Therefore I think learning about how ancient Israelites viewed the world can help inform us about the worldview of ancient Nephites.

Lately, I have studied a bit about the ancient Hebrew concept of time. It is quite different from how we view it. In fact, time itself was usually not a major concern. Rather, they were concerned with events. One explanation is given here and quoted in part below:

The eastern mind is not obsessed with time as the western mind is. Anyone who has lived and worked in the near or Middle East knows that they are event oriented rather than time oriented as we westerners. Their lives are not ruled by the clock. The tenses in Hebrew and Arabic and as well in the Greek are not primarily concerned with time but rather flow or type of action.

The ancient Hebrew words that are used to describe distance and direction are also used to describe time. The Hebrew word for east is qedem and literally means "the direction of the rising sun."

The implications of this statement are astounding. This is because time, as defined as the distance between two physical events, is not a physical measurement in and of itself. Yet in ancient Hebrew, time and distance refer to the same thing and literally to "the direction of the rising sun," (which we as human beings call the east direction). One implication of this association would be that the origin of all things could have come, does come, and will come from the east.

In the Hebrew mind, man is figuratively facing east, with the past in front of him and the future behind, the opposite of how the modern western mind would see it. The Hebrew root, qdm, means east, meet/front or ancient. All these concepts are therefore related. The Hebrew words for 'south' and 'right' are also very similar, fitting into this framework. When Genesis 14:15 states that Hobah is north of Damascus, 'north' is actually translated from the Hebrew word for 'left'. The Bible really states that Hobah is left of Damascus, which would not make sense to us, but makes sense to an ancient Israelite who orient themselves by facing east by default.

In ancient Hebrew thought, when you face east you look into the past. The future cannot be seen as it is behind you, it is unknown. We can compare it to rowing a boat. Even in the past, we can see to a certain point, after which everything is blurry or invisible. This brings us to another term that is understood very differently in a Hebrew mind. They use the word, 'olam', that is often translated as 'forever'. But they did not think of eternity as a duration of time without end. 'Olam' really means in the far distance. It's as far as you can see. It is simply the distant past or the distant future that is hard to know or perceive.

Modern science views time as a fourth dimension in addition to the three spatial dimensions. 'Olam' can actually be translated into 'world' and is therefore referring to both time and space. I am not implying that ancient Jews shared the worldview of modern scientists. They probably knew nothing about the speed of light. Still, they looked towards the east and saw the rising sun (sometimes used as symbol of God) and looked into "forever". Today we know that looking beyond the horizon a very long distance, you really do look backwards in time. 

In the words of a Jewish rabbi commenting on the expression, "Eternal Father":

This is a rather unusual term in Hebrew and only appears in Isaiah 9:6. The name in Hebrew is אבי-עד (Avi-ad) which literally means “My father is until”. Now the term “ad” is the short form of “ad olam” which literally means “until the (next) world”. Hebrew thought doesn’t think of eternity as Greek thought. Time is measured in “worlds” which could be understood as the timeframe of the existence of a created world or universe – universe because in Semitic thought the sun and stars would have been part of this created world.

Occasionally the scriptures use, "forever and ever". That really seems redundant in English. 'Forever' is sufficient to express the meaning. But the Hebrew term in those cases is "l'olam va'ed". It literally means "to the distant horizon and again", meaning a very distant time and even further. It's the idea of looking all the way to the horizon and extending beyond that into the unknown. It can be used both about the past and the future.

Here are some examples from the Book of Mormon

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever (Mosiah 3:19)

Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations (Alma 37:31)

And according to the power of justice, for justice cannot be denied, ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever, which lake of fire and brimstone is endless torment. (Jacob 6:10)

The English translation using "forever and ever" may have been a mere consequence of a familiarity with the biblical language at Joseph Smith's time and therefore a natural translation choice. But I would not be surprised if the original Nephite expression here is similar to the Hebrew "l'olam va'ed". As we have shown on this blog before, there are many examples of Hebrew culture and language preserved by the Nephites. Here is a relevant example for this post.

Another interesting quote from the article I linked and quoted at the beginning of this post:

The meaning "forever" is paralleled with the expression "for a thousand generation(s)" 1 Chron. 16:15 – note – the Hebrew word for generation in this verse is "dor" – דור and it is singular. To express "forever" more precisely one can find the phrase – דור ודור "forever, from generation to generation – dor va'dor

This is seen from poetic parallelism in passages like Joel 3:20

But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

 ...or Isaiah 51:8

my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

The word for generation, 'dor' is from the same root as 'dur', which means circle. This reflects the ancient Hebrews viewing time as circular rather than the "timeline" we sometimes use in the modern world to illustrate the passing of time. The circular time should not be completely foreign to us either. After all, we have circular clocks with no beginning or end, weeks, months and seasons move in cycles. In Judaism, the years also moved in 7-year cycles. The seventh year was a special sabbath year. After 7*7 years was the Jubilee year. The relation between generation and circle implies that one generation is one revolution of time. 'Generation' is used in a broader sense in Hebrew. Many generations, even thousand, becomes 'forever'.

The Hebrew 'dur' (circle) is actually a verb describing moving in a circle or encircling. In addition to being related to time it is also related to heaven and the Being who gave us the seasons, the sabbath and who created the generations. Again, we see examples in the Book of Mormon hinting of a similar worldview. Lord Wilmore wrote about the term 'encircle' here. The link at the end of his post also further explains the circle as symbolism of heaven or the eternal. Notice the circle and heaven connections

And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them. (3 Nephi 17:24)

Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love (Alma 26:15)

Notice how the darkness is "everlasting", but it is still possible to be brought out of it. D&C 19:10-12 comes to mind. Another good example from the Book of Mormon:

For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round. (1 Nephi 10:19)

Whereas the circle symbolizes heaven or eternity (the full "circle" of this world and beyond into the next), the square symbolizes the earth and the temporal. For instance, Israel is gathered from the four corners of the earth. This is repeated several times in the Book of Mormon, probably not because they thought the earth was square but because this symbolism was part of their culture.

I know I have been throwing a lot of things out there with this post. I am learning but do not yet possess the knowledge to lay this all out in great detail. But I do believe that understanding the worldview of those who wrote the scriptures can help us understand them better.

Noah, the ark, and "rest" -- part 7 ("Remember")

This post continues an overview of many related concepts, ultimately connecting Noah's ark with the rest we find through an everlasting covenant with God.

Today we'll focus on "remember" -- a word we've discussed many times on the blog (see here and here for example).

The Hebrew context of the word "remember" is very interesting.  It's a two-way street that goes far beyond merely recalling information -- it is about bringing a person to mind and then acting for their benefit. One scholar put it this way:

God's remembering has to do with his attention and intervention, whether in grace or judgment.1

As it relates to man remembering God, another scholar said this:

Thus, Hebrew זָכַר (#2349) when collocationally related to Yahweh carries a connotative meaning of encouragement (remembering past mercy) or of repentance (remembering past judgment). Indeed, the semantic domain of זָכַר is extensive, involving reflection, reasoning, meditating, submitting, committing.2

Thus, when God remembers us, He intervenes on our behalf, and when we (properly) remember Him, we act in accordance with His will for us.

"And God remembered..."

This Old Testament phrase delights me. It shows up in various contexts, but you can see in the passages below that God's remembering is always connected to His intervention.

• Noah (Genesis 8:1)
• Abraham (Genesis 19:29)
• Rachel (Genesis 30:22)
• Israel (Exodus 2:23-25)
• Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19)
• Ephraim (Jeremiah 31:20)

When God remembered Noah, He caused the flood to subside. He later covenanted with Noah and gave him a sign to remember the covenant. When He remembers Rachel and Hannah, He gives them each a son. Abraham receives protection for Lot. Ephraim will receive mercy. Each of these actions points our minds to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the ultimate act associated with God "remembering" His people. For us, mercy comes in the form of deliverance from destruction by our brother, a Messiah willing to covenant with us.

"Remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men"

Many scriptures speak of our duty to remember God, both what He has done for the faithful in the past, what He does for us each day, and what He will yet do for us in the future. Moroni exhorts us to "remember" in four separate verses in the final chapter of the Book of Mormon. We are to remember His mercy to His children from Adam to the present day (v.3), that "every good gift cometh of Christ" (v. 18), that God is "the same yesterday, today, and forever" (v. 19), and finally he exhorts us to remember God's word, specifically the Book of Mormon by which we shall be judged (v. 27).  This "remembering" is certainly coupled to action.

'Remember' and harmony in the creation

The balance between us remembering God and God remembering us bring about a harmony in the creation. This is righteousness, as will be discussed in the next post. The concept is beautifully illustrated in Psalm 105:

4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
...
38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.
39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.
40 The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.
43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:
44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;
45 That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 105)

1: Leslie C. Allen, "2349 זכר" NIDOTTE, 1:1100-1105

2: VanGemeren, W. (Ed.). (1997). New international dictionary of Old Testament theology & exegesis (Vol. 1, p. 148). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Ammon praising God

Much of Old Testament poetry is focusing on praising God, especially the Book of Psalms. Several of our hymns today are inspired by the language in ancient psalms. We don't have a similar book in the Book of Mormon, but sometimes we find these poetic exclamations of praise, like 1 Nephi 1:14 or 2 Nephi 4:20-25. Another notable example is found in Alma 26, when Ammon rejoices in the fruit of their labors. He uses language very reminiscent of Psalms

Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work righteousness forever...Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God (Alma 26:8, 14)

I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high. (Psalm 7:17)

This is only one example. There is not a direct quote of complete verses for instance, but recurring themes and terms that are found not only in this example but several others as I have compared Ammon's words with Psalms, for instance "Most High" God, "sing praise", "his holy name", "give thanks forever". When Ammon talks about singing, I wonder how literal that should be understood. I find it likely that the Nephites had the Book of Psalms on the brass plates (Lord Wilmore wrote extensively about Book of Mormon quotes from Psalms). But perhaps the Nephites also wrote music to accompany the sort of praise that Ammon gives in Alma 26. ("let us sing to his praise").

Ammon specifically mentions "the song of redeeming love" that we also read about in Alma 5. This could only be a metaphor but also an actual hymn. LeGrand Baker speculates if this could be referring to Psalm 21. In that case, it was sung at the temple as an invitation to enter in. As mentioned previously, the concept of redemption is connected to meeting God.

Music was a part of temple worship in ancient Israel. 

The Levites ministered before the LORD, offering up thanks and praise with instrument and voice. The Levites accompanied and aided worshippers in keeping divine commands to remember and offer thanksgiving to the LORD. Using their lyric text, the Psalms, the Israelites gathered in holy places and invoked the name of the LORD, literally requesting his presence. The psalms accompanied ritual acts. A Levitical temple orchestra, composed of lyres, harps, cymbals, and trumpets accompanied the daily sacrifices. 

Israelite worshippers sang songs of ascent as they would journey up to the house of the LORD. Music was a medium through which the Israelites were able to worship, expressing thanks and praise, as well as publicly announced the LORD’s presence.

Source 

This is for instance seen in 2 Chronicles 7:6, right after Solomon dedicated the temple.

And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.

David had composed many of those songs "to praise the Lord, because his mercy endureth forever". This is typical language in Psalms, but seeing how Ammon uses similar language, it is not hard to imagine that these traditions carried over into Nephite culture and religious worship.

Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. (Alma 26:16)

Noah, the ark, and "rest" -- part 6 (God's rest)

Wherefore Enoch saw that Noah built an ark; and that the Lord smiled upon it, and held it in his own hand...

Moses 7:43

In the last post, we discussed the behavior which provokes God's wrath perhaps more than anything else -- covenant rebellion. In today's post, we'll pivot to what I believe to be the opposite of God's wrath: His rest. If covenant rebellion provokes God to anger, it follows quite logically that God's rest is brought about by covenant fidelity. Furthermore, if God's anger causes the earth to flood, it also follows that God's rest might cause the creation to flourish. This is a basic premise of what I call the "creation-covenant connection" which has been discussed many times on this blog.

So today's post won't dwell on the negative connotations of this pair of opposite states. If you want that, re-read the last post. :)  Today's post is all about the positive side.

Let's begin in Doctrine & Covenants 59, which centers on and connects these concepts beautifully:

1 Behold, blessed, saith the Lord, are they who have come up unto this land with an eye single to my glory, according to my commandments.
2 For those that live shall inherit the earth, and those that die shall rest from all their labors, and their works shall follow them; and they shall receive a crown in the mansions of my Father, which I have prepared for them.
3 Yea, blessed are they whose feet stand upon the land of Zion, who have obeyed my gospel; for they shall receive for their reward the good things of the earth, and it shall bring forth in its strength. (D&C 59)

After outlining various commandments, the Lord then says this:

16 Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;
17 Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;
18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;
19 Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.
20 And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.

"It pleaseth God" to offer earth's abundance to us -- this is the central purpose of the creation in the first place.

Finally, we get this:

21 And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.
22 Behold, this is according to the law and the prophets; wherefore, trouble me no more concerning this matter.
23 But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.

A basic pattern is outlined in these verses. Covenant fidelity brings temporal and spiritual blessings. Ignoring the purpose of the creation (the everlasting covenant) and misusing the creation brings about His wrath. Jacob makes this same point and then teaches how we can be presented by Christ unto God as "first-fruits of Christ" as we "attain to a perfect knowledge of Him." 

9 For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?
10 Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.
11 Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh.
12 And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things; for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come? (Jacob 4)

It seems the earth can serve the exact same function for each of us that the ark served for Noah if we choose to live according to the covenant. We came to earth by the power of His word. The earth was created by the power of His word. The Lord can "command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure."

In this post, Stisa summarizes the different between the first provocation (Adam and Eve's transgression in the Garden of Eden which brought about the fallen state in which we now live) and the second provocation (misusing our time in mortality rather than using it to serve God). This terminology comes from the account of Moses leading Israel to the promised land but their refusal to enter in the land that was flowing with milk and honey on account of the size and strength of the inhabitants of that land.  They feared rather than trusting in God.  They refused to enter in.  As a result, God caused Moses to lead them back into the wilderness and wander. (If you ask me this sounds a metaphor of mortality.) A forty day trip became a forty year wandering. God is particularly displeased with the fact that the people refuse to remember the miracles which made their escape from Egypt possible. (See Numbers 14:11, 22.) The punishment for their refusal to trust God and His power to lead them is harsh: "Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home..." (Numbers 14:30, NIV) The theme remains consistent: covenant fidelity and placing our trust solely on God leads us into His rest. There is no other way.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God

and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

Today, if only you would hear his voice, “Do not harden your hearts as you did ... in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ (Psalm 95:6-11, NIV)

"God's rest"

I've been pondering this concept of "rest" for some time now, trying to find the most succinct wording to summarize what I believe it means. I've settled on this passage from Moses 7:43 quoted at the start of this post: "Enoch saw that Noah built an ark; and that the Lord smiled upon it, and held it in his own hand;"

I love this wording because it encapsulates two critical elements of covenant fidelity:

1. Keeping covenants allows us to find favor in God's eyes through the grace of Jesus Christ -- He "smiles upon [us]."
2. Keeping covenants allows God to keep His promise to uphold us and "prosper us in the land" -- He "[holds] it in his own hand."

"Remember"

In the next post in this series (I warned you it would be a long series!) we will shift our focus to the very important scriptural word "remember." We'll talk about what it means for us to remember God, and also what it means for God to remember us. Spoiler alert: it has everything to do with the everlasting covenant.

 

Ripe in iniquity

"Ripe in iniquity" is a phrase used frequently in the Book of Mormon. Some of the things I have learned recently help me frame this phrase and better understand the dealings of God with his children. At least so I think. This goes back to the topic of "righteousness" and the initial creation-covenant connection. Here is a detailed description. A simpler summary is given in the next paragraph:

In the scriptures, the creation is sometimes described as a bonded web of life. These bonds formed the great covenant of peace. All creation was supposed to exist in harmony within its designated bounds and humans had a special responsibility to preserve it. The term, righteousness, is used to describe the action and state that maintains or restores this covenant. Terms like iniquity, unrighteousness and wickedness are typical descriptions of actions that disrupt the covenant.

With this as backdrop, there is no wonder that God is very concerned with raising up a righteous people, as the Book of Mormon clearly demonstrates. How can he possibly do that without violating the very important principle of free agency? Using Zenos' allegorical language in Jacob 5, he can nourish, dig about, dung and prune. That is exactly what he does. Sometimes the people respond well, but unfortunately they often don't. When they reach a certain point of wickedness, despite the Lord of the vineyard doing everything he can possibly do, they are "ripe in iniquity" and must be cut off or destroyed. This sounds rather harsh but I believe it is ultimately for the best.

The Lord of the vineyard longs for the good fruit, because it is the purpose of its creation, keeping the covenant intact, and the only way to exaltation. When the tree is growing bad fruit, He has a bit of a dilemma. At an early stage, it may be possible to do something to save it. The servant frequently asks the Lord of the vineyard to consider possibilities to spare it a little longer. But it gets to a point where nothing can be done, where the tree only produces bad fruit and the fruit is ripe. In that case, the course of action is more dramatic: Cut off the rotten branches or trees, in some cases even burn them, and start over.

And we will nourish again the trees of the vineyard, and we will trim up the branches thereof; and we will pluck from the trees those branches which are ripened, that must perish, and cast them into the fire. (Jacob 5:58)

Is this unmerciful? No, because the alternative is to let the bad fruit keep growing and "overcome" (Jacob 5:48) the good fruit, corrupting everything. This will ultimately give the vineyard no chance of producing good fruit as it was created to do. But the cutting off and hewing down is not something he takes lightly.

But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it? Nay, I have nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long, and the end draweth nigh. And it grieveth me that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard, and cast them into the fire that they should be burned. Who is it that has corrupted my vineyard? (Jacob 5:47)

Notice how trees producing bad fruit corrupt the whole vineyard. Wickedness disrupts the covenant and the peace and balance is no longer intact. This is similar to what Enoch saw in vision, where the whole earth is grieving under the weight of the sins of men

And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the earth; and he heard a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and righteousness for a season abide upon my face? (Moses 7:48)

This really leaves the Lord of the vineyard no choice. When people are ripe in iniquity, it affects the whole creation and God's purposes cannot be achieved. To give people a chance to produce good fruit and the bonds of creation restored, the branches producing only bad fruit need to be cut off.

Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe. (Alma 37:31)

Note that "fully ripe" designates a crucial limit. A point of no return of sorts, before which they must repent. Not that the Lord of the vineyard would not forgive them if they repented after that point, but because the people in that state would not want to. There are many scriptures in the Book of Mormon using this idea of being ripe. Another example:

But behold, it is for the righteous’ sake that it is spared. But behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for destruction; yea, wo be unto this great city, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her. (Helaman 13:14)

I will not include all those examples. But Nephi 17:35-40 sums this up nicely, so I will conclude with that.

35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.

36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it.

37 And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked.

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...

43 And now, after all these things, the time has come that they have become wicked, yea, nearly unto ripeness; and I know not but they are at this day about to be destroyed

 

Noah, the ark, and "rest" -- part 5 (God's wrath)

As you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!” 

(Ezekiel 16:6, NIV)

This post continues a series of posts connecting Noah's ark to the rest we find as we enter into and keep the everlasting covenant. In today's post, we'll touch on a difficult concept: God's wrath.

I'll be honest here, it is difficult and uncomfortable for me to imagine omnipotent, omniscient God the Father getting angry and swearing in His wrath to wipe out mankind. Yet this is precisely what the scriptures say He did:

34 And the fire of mine indignation is kindled against them; and in my hot displeasure will I send in the floods upon them, for my fierce anger is kindled against them. (Moses 7)

And this isn't the only time we find mention of God's anger. Other passages speak of this.  I spent some time reviewing examples of scriptures which discuss God's wrath, and in the process I identified a very important theme: God's wrath is primarily directed at sin, especially covenant rebellion.

There is perhaps no starker example of this than Ezekiel 16. I encourage you to read the whole thing in a few different translations to get a sense of just how bold the language is to describe why God's wrath is directed at Israel. I will be quoting from the NIV in this post, as I feel its language is very clear. The bulk of this post will walk through the details of this chapter in an effort to shed light on why rebellion to the covenant provokes God's wrath.

Ezekiel 16

Ezekiel 16 begins with a metaphor. Israel is the unwanted child of an Amorite man and Hittite woman, who instead of caring for the newborn threw her "out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised." (v. 5)

“‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!” I made you grow like a plant of the field. (vv. 6-7)

A footnote tells us that the highlighted words are repeated in most Hebrew manuscripts. Israel grows up and matures, and the Lord covenanted with her:

I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine. (v. 8)

For the purposes of the metaphor, the covenant is described using temple/covenant imagery:

• He covered her nakedness. (v. 8)
• He "bathed [her] with water and washed the blood from [her]" (v. 9)
• He "put ointments on [her]." (v. 9)
• He "clothed [her]" with fine linen and costly garments. (v. 10)
• He "adorned [her] with jewelry" and put "a beautiful crown on [her] head." (vv. 11-12)
• He gave for food: "honey, olive oil and the finest flour." (v. 13)

In short, Israel "became very beautiful and rose to be a queen." (v. 13) Her fame "spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor [the Lord] had given [her] made [her] beauty perfect." (v. 14)

So far, the story is touching. An unwanted child despised by all is taken in by a benevolent ruler and made his queen.  Unfortunately, the story takes a serious and dark turn at this point.

Israel becomes prideful. Her fame leads her to prostitution.  At first, she "lavishe[s] [her] favors on anyone who passe[s] by." Then she takes the fine things given to her by the Lord and uses them to engage in idolatry. She gives away her embroidered clothes to put on her suitors, then her oil and incense, then her food. (See verses 15-19.)

Then she takes the sons and daughters born to the ruler and offers them "as food to the idols" (v. 20). The Lord rebukingly asks: "Was your prostitution not enough? You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols." (v. 20-21)

The Lord then points out that Israel "prefer strangers to [her] own husband!" (v. 32) He also notes that this detestable behavior isn't even truly prostitution: "All prostitutes receive gifts, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors. So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no one runs after you for your favors. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you." (vv. 33-34)

Israel has forgotten "the days of [her] youth, when [she] was naked and bare, kicking about in [her] blood." (v. 22)

This covenant rebellion is the source of God's wrath, especially the sacrifice of children. I don't believe this is meant to be taken literally. Rather, it seems clear to me that part of the covenant is to "suffer the little children to come unto [Him] and forbid them not." (Matthew 19:14)

25 And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents.
26 For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized.
27 And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands.
28 And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord. (Doctrine & Covenants 68)

To the extent that parents neglect this duty, they are allowing their children to become captive to the influences of the devil.  Child sacrifice in a spiritual sense. It's a stark (though apt) metaphor. Note how in Moses 7, just after mentioning the unprecedented level of wickedness found among the residue of the inhabitants of the earth (those who were not taken to heaven with Zion) God describes how the wickedness of one generation affects the next:

37 But behold, their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers; Satan shall be their father, and misery shall be their doom; and the whole heavens shall weep over them, even all the workmanship of mine hands; wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?

Let's get back to Ezekiel 16. Israel is condemned to die as a result of her many sins. "I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger." (v. 38) She will be delivered into the hands of her lovers, who will take all of her fine things, attack her with their swords, and burn down her houses. (v. 40-41) 

Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry. (v. 42)

In case the purpose of this metaphor eludes us, the central message is stated as plainly as possible at the end of the chapter. (The chapter somehow even manages to end on a hopeful note!)  First, we get this summary from the Lord in verse 59:

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant. 

And even after all of this, after Israel is scattered and brought low into humiliation as a just punishment for her covenant-breaking, the Lord ends the chapter by reminding her that He plans to "remember the covenant" and establish it once again and "make atonement for you for all you have done." (vv. 60-63)

Summary

I'll end the post by summarizing the big-picture lessons we can learn from Ezekiel 16:

1. God looks to the downtrodden and forgotten (fallen man who has been shut out from His presence) and offers an opportunity to join Him in His royal court through covenant.  He offers us everything He has in exchange for our love and loyalty to Him.
2. If we accept His gifts and squander them, and ultimately behave in a way which leads the children born in the covenant astray, His righteous anger is kindled against us.
3. Even when all seems lost, God has a grand plan of redemption for His children, which is unfolding in the latter days as He remembers the covenant He made with Israel in her youth.

In the next post, we'll shift our focus from God's wrath and take a deeper look at its opposite: God's rest.  We'll get into the deeper concept of what it truly means to be righteous, and how the creation yearns for us to live in the covenant. When we do, the creation offers us her abundance. When we do not, the creation acts in harmony with God's wrath to restore balance.

(No more be) confounded

In a previous post I touched upon the topic that I will address, without knowing some aspects I recently learned providing even more depth. The tower of Babel and the New Jerusalem are presented as antithetic parallels in the Book of Ether.

Which Jared came forth with his brother and their families, with some others and their families, from the great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, and swore in his wrath that they should be scattered upon all the face of the earth; and according to the word of the Lord the people were scattered. (Ether 1:33)

8 Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away.
9 And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all things have become new.
10 And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant of the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of Israel.
11 And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old; and the inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who were scattered and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God made with their father, Abraham (Ether 13)

Two things that I want to add to this:

1. Babel is very similar to the Hebrew word, "balal", meaning confounding/confusing.
2. "Babel" in the Hebrew Old Testament text is the same as "Babylon". They have just been translated differently

The wordplay in Genesis 11:9 is evident

Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound (Hebr. "balal") the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Ether and Genesis 11 follow the same pattern. But there is more. Considering the fact that Babel and Babylon are the same, we also recognize this theme in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. In the words of Biblical scholar, Jonathan Grossman

In Babylonian eyes, Babylon is invincible and eternal because it was founded by the gods, for their own purposes. In contrast, the biblical story quashes this notion and presents the city’s construction as the result of human action, with no divine corroboration; and many have interpreted the builders’ words, to ‘make a name for ourselves,’ as a kind of rebellion against God. . . . “Babylon is famously characterized as a political monolith: they oppress and dominate their subjects—their ‘language’ is enforced upon everyone. This portrait of Babylon is undermined by the biblical portrait of Babylon’s founding: rather than unite humanity under its own language and beliefs, Babylon is the source of universal dispersion and divergence.” (The Double Etymology of Babel in Genesis 11, ZAW 129 (2017): 366,374)

The Book of Mormon is essentially the story of two groups of people escaping Babel. The Book of Ether is about Jared, his brother and their families and friends escaping the tower of Babel and the confounding of their language. The rest of the Book of Mormon is concerned with Lehi, Ishmael and their families escaping the Babylonian captivity. Both groups are led to a promised land far from Babel, everything is set up for them to avoid being confounded. They prosper in the land for a while but they struggle to live up to the favor they have been shown and end up being "confounded" and scattered or destroyed. Instead of succeeding to establish a lasting righteous society, the righteous among these people looked forward to a future day when they would be "no more confounded".

This is Ether's perspective when he talks about a future New Jerusalem in the quote I shared at the beginning of this post. Nephi shares this same perspective. 

And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded. (1 Nephi 14:2)

And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord. (1 Nephi 15:20)

7 And it meaneth that the time cometh that after all the house of Israel have been scattered and confounded, that the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles, yea, even upon the face of this land; and by them shall our seed be scattered.
8 And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders.
9 And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed... 
22 And the righteous need not fear, for they are those who shall not be confounded. (1 Nephi 22)

Confounded can have a variety of meanings in English and different Bible translations also use other words in the Tower of Babel story, like God "confused" the language rather than "confounded". However, confused is not found in the Book of Mormon at all. So in the sense that Nephi is using the word here, it seems likely to me that this is based on the Hebrew, balal. When we know where Nephi is coming from, it is also not hard to imagine that he uses this term as an allusion to the Babylonian captivity. 

Nephi lived in Jerusalem as a child/youth and probably knew the threat that Babylon/Babel presented at the time. Because of his prophetic gifts and those of his father (see 1 Nephi 17:43 and 2 Nephi 1:4), he also knew that Jerusalem in fact had been destroyed. This destruction was another story of confounding/balal and scattering, just like the Tower of Babel. He also knew that this would eventually happen to his own seed (see for instance 1 Nephi 22:8 quoted above). 

Nephi clearly identifies a repeating cycle of a covenant people followed by wickedness, confounding and scattering. Specifically, we have

• God covenanting with Noah and his seed after the flood (Genesis 9:9). But his seed built the Tower of Babel to "make a name for themselves", were confounded and scattered.
• God covenanting with Abraham and later with the people of Israel led by Moses. As Abraham's seed they would be a covenant people led to the promised land. But after many centuries in the promised land they had become "ripe in iniquity" (1 Nephi 17:35) and were scattered and destroyed by the Babylonians
• Nephi belonged to a group that was rescued from the Babylonian destruction and received another promised land as part of a covenant (2 Nephi 1:5). But he saw a vision where he learned that it would not last forever. His people would eventually suffer destruction and scattering as well. 

This must surely be frustrating to Nephi. But just as surely, he must have found comfort in the fact that there would be an end to this cycle. In a future time, a remnant of the House of Israel would be established as a new covenant people to "no more be confounded". This choice of words is likely a reference to the Babel/Babylon factor that led to the previous failures. It is an expression of great hope for a future time when the cycle is broken and there will be no more Babel/balal. We live in this time. The new and everlasting covenant has been established, this time to stay. The gathering of Israel has started and there will be no more scattering and confounding on a global level. It is up to us to stay on the covenant path and learn from the past so it doesn't happen to us on a personal level either.