D&C 14-17: CFM with Sam: Witnesses of the Book of Mormon
Section 14: teaching the great things to someone entirely new to the experience.
A lesson goal-setting?
Section 14 is an interesting case study in teaching the greater things with simplicity. The first six verses, as noted in my previous post, are an invocation common among multiple sections. Then God commands David Whitmer 'to bring forth and establish my Zion' and 'keep my commandments in all things.' I'm sure that David has no idea what 'my Zion' will turn out to be, yet, he is pointed in this direction from the beginning. The second part, 'keep my commandments', is something that David can certainly grasp and fulfill in his current state. God then points David toward the ultimate reward, eternal life, and a tiniest glimmer of the ultimate goal. Check out the pattern that God took him through
Terrestrial (Zion) ----> Telestial (Commandments) ------> Celestial (Eternal Life).
What do you make of this? Its almost as if God stretches David's vision of his role, then tells him something within his understanding, then says that if David continues that path of what he knows, he will find something greater than anything he could conceive in his current state.
It seems then, that God gives David a path forward - 'if you ask the Father in my name in faith believing, you shall receive the Holy Ghost... that you may stand as a witness' after which comes a reminder of who David is talking to and who David himself is. 'Behold I am Jesus Christ ... and thou art David'. Perhaps this is a reminder that God knows the plan; he knows the end from the beginning.
A note from H&J
It is hard to get into the minds of the early saints because they experienced both extremes of terrible persecution and glorious heavenly manifestations that they had that very few of us, for better or for worse have experienced. Added to the messy mix of great duress and great exulting was the fact that none of these people were perfect; they had to deal with their internal mortal journey just like all of us under these conditions. This may help us to understand why certain of Joseph's companions witnessed great and marvelous things, then turned away from him, but still never denied the heavenly manifestations that came about in his presence.
It is important to understand that the evidence to these people of heavenly manifestations was overwhelming. Today, we look back historically and see the individual weaknesses of Joseph, his companions, and society at the time. We read of the miraculous events as a historical (or for doubters, a cultural) phenomenon but we didn't actually experience them. Joseph's companions DID experience these things. They literally had these experiences. Here's an extract from H&J's commentary.
"Some imagine that the first associates of the Prophet were dupes, who took his words at par without evidence. This is far from true. They believed because the evidence was overwhelming...:
Soon after the arrival of a letter from Oliver Cowdery Joseph sent for me to come to Harmony to get him and Oliver, to bring them to my father's house. I did not know what to do. I was pressed with my work. I had some twenty acres to plow, so I concluded I would finish plowing and then go. I got up one morning to go to work as usual, and on going to the field, found between 5 and 7 acres of my ground had been plowed during the night. I do not know who did it, but it was done just as I would have done it myself, and the plow was left standing in the furrow."
This incident was related to Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith by David Whitmer, on the 7th of September, 1878, forty years after he had left the Church. It was to him a miraculous evidence, the force of which he never denied.
Section 15 and 16
Section 15 and 16 are identical commandments to both John and Peter Whitmer Jr.
H&J mention the futures of both these early saints. Both were among the eight witnesses to the Book of Mormon. John was excommunicated in Far West from 'failing to account properly for $2000 of church funds' and did not return, 'but he always maintained that his testimony concerning the Book of Mormon was true.'
they then relate this fascinating experience that happened AFTER John Whitmer's excommunication (I'm not sure the circumstances leading up to continued association of John with the saints). During the persecution in Missouri, on 5 April 1839 (John Whitmer was excommunicated 1838) fifty men swore that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed the Prophet. on 26th of April, they said that they would kill any apostle in Far West who was to 'take leave of the saints' according to a prophecy made by Joseph Smith, thereby planning to falsify his prophecy. Under threat of this murder, Theodore Turley, told them 'In the name of God, that Revelation will be fulfilled.' He then turned to John Whitmer and in more or less words asked him if he had really seen the plates... 'all I know is that you have published to the world that an angel did present those plates to Joseph Smith." John Whitmer replied, "I now say, I handled those plates; there were fine engravings on both sides, I handled them; they were shown to me by supernatural power."
Peter remained true to both the church and his testimony and died in 1836.
Section 17
Some time on the Urim and Thummim
I don't plan to speculate too much on the full nature of the Urim and Thummim, but I would like to point out some interesting things about these mysterious tools of revelation. The Church has a great short explanation in the Bible Dictionary. These tools were used anciently and by Joseph Smith but I know of no one who has this tool, nor who can use it today. H&J give an interesting account in the original Hebrew text of 1 Samuel where Saul asks ' O Jehovah, the God of Israel, why hast thou not answered thy servant this day? If the iniquity be in me, or in Jonathan my son, give Urim; and if it be in thy people Israel, give Thummim'.
As the Bible Dictionary notes, Urim and Thummim means 'lights' and 'perfections' or 'manifestations' and 'truth' Hugh Nibley writes extensively on a strange, almost mis-placed-like line in the Egyptian Book of Breathings 'Stone of Truth is thy Name!' This is associated with being cleansed in the hall of the Two Maats, Maat being justification, truth, judgment, even 'the very essence of all divinity' personified'. In fact, the Egyptian writing would say 'Stone of Maat is thy name'. In the Gospel of Bartholomew, the gardener mentions 'and I found the Stone, the Great Interpreter. In Revelations, it mentions 'to him who overcometh, I will give a white stone' and we know that the earth will become a Urim and Thummim in its glorified state at the end of the Second Coming.
While there is a consistent pattern of seers and holy men using this type of device, We really don't know much about it. Hopefully we can study carefully and diligently and receive greater light and knowledge on this one day.
Witnesses of the truth
H&J mentions a number of interesting historical events that are related to this section, which is a preparation of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon.
After the three witnesses had their experience where an angel showed them the plates and other things, Joseph Smith returned home and told his Mother '...I feel as if I were relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy for me to bear and it rejoices my soul that I am not any longer to be entirely alone in the world.' I find this a most insightful glimpse into the life of a prophet.
another account has to do with Martin Harris, after he left the church. He was asked whether he actually believed that he had seen an angel, to which he replied: "Gentlemen, what I have said is true, from the fact that my belief is swallowed up in knowledge; for I want to say to you that, as the Lord lives, I do know that I stood with the Prophet Joseph Smith in the presence of the angel, and it was in the brightness of day".
My first testimony of the truth of the Book of Mormon came from reading the testimonies of the three witnesses and the eight witnesses. I hope you can feel the Spirit tell you that the words these men spoke, and continued to speak even after they left the church, are true.
Comments
Post a Comment