Leviticus Chapter 14

The Lord revealed his law to the children of Israel. We know this as the law of Moses, because it was revealed to the prophet Moses. The previous chapter of Leviticus, covered some of Gods law regarding leprosy. The Bible Dictionary defines leprosy as, “A terrible form of skin disease spoken of in the Bible.” Under leper we can read, “The disease was regarded as a living death.” In chapter 13, it discussed the law of Moses with regard to the leper and his garments. The law of leprosy continues as follows:

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;
4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:
6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:
7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.
8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.
9 But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.

When a leper was cleansed, he went before the priest out of the camp and the priest would look to determine if the leprosy was healed. Then, two living birds, along with cedar wood, a scarlet cloth (according to the footnotes) and hysop, were taken and one was killed in an earthen vessel over running water. Then the remaining bird, the wood, scarlet and hysop, were dipped in the blood of the first bird. Then the leper was to be sprinkled seven times, pronounced clean and the bird let loose. Then, the cleansed leper was to wash his clothes, shave his hair, and wash in the water. At that point, he was to return to the camp and remain out of his own tent for seven days. On the seventh day, he was to shave all his hair again and wash his clothes and his body in water to be clean. I think at this point, the person was prepared to return to the tabernacle because he was clean.

10 And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.
11 And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
12 And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the Lord:
13 And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:
14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
15 And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:
16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord:
17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:
18 And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord.

On the eighth day, the cleansed man, was to take two lambs without blemish, a year old ewe without blemish, flour mixed with oil for the meat offering, and a log of oil, and return to the door of the tabernacle. Then the priest who cleansed him, was to present the man before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle. The priest was to take one lamb for a trespass offering, and then make a wave offering with the lamb and log of oil. Blood of the offering was placed on the right ear, right thumb and right big toe, of the cleansed man. The priest was to place oil is his left palm, and then with his right hand, he was to use his right finger and sprinkle the oil seven times before the Lord. With the remaining oil in his hand, he was to touch the cleansed man’s right ear, right thumb and his right big toe where the blood had been placed, and then it was to be poured on his head.

19 And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering:
20 And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

The priest was to offer an atonement offering, after the sin offering, and then he would sacrifice the burnt offering. The meat offering would be made as well. Then after the offerings were made and the atonement made for this man, he would be considered clean.

21 And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;
22 And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.
23 And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the Lord.
24 And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord:
25 And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
26 And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand:
27 And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the Lord:
28 And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering:
29 And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the Lord.
30 And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get;
31 Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the Lord.
32 This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing.

If the man was poor, he could use a lamb and oil for the trespass and meat offerings, and two turtledoves or young pigeons for the sin and burnt offerings. Likewise, he was to bring them on the eighth day to the tabernacle door. The priest would still make the trespass offering of the lamb and oil as before and use the blood and oil on the cleansed man as mentioned before. Then, the priest would offer one of the birds for the sin offering and the other for the burnt offering, and make an atonement for the man.

33 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
34 When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;
35 And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house:
36 Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house:
37 And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall;
38 Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days:
39 And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house;
40 Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city:
41 And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place:
42 And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house.
43 And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered;
44 Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean.
45 And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.

The Lord went further to tell Moses and Aaron how to deal with leprosy when they finally arrived in the land of Canaan. At that time, if there was leprosy in a house, the owner was to tell the priest. I find it interesting that it would say in verse 34, “and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land”. It sounds like this was the case when a person was cursed of the Lord, and I wonder if that will come up again later in the Bible. In any case, the priest was to see that the house was made empty before he would look to determine if the plaque was there, so that the people of the house would not be made unclean. The priest would look to see the house, and if it appeared to have leprosy, it was to be shut for seven days. The priest was to look again, and if it had spread, the stones were to be removed and cast out of the city, the remaining house was scraped and the dust that was scraped off, was to be removed from the city. Then new stones, mortar and plaster, was to be placed on the house. If the plaque came again, the priest was to look again and pronounce it unclean. Then the house was to be destroyed completely and all the parts taken out of the city.

46 Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even.
47 And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.

Anyone who was in the house with leprosy, was considered unclean until the evening. Those who slept or ate there, were to wash their clothes.

48 And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plastered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed.
49 And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
50 And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water:
51 And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:
52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:
53 But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.
54 This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall,
55 And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house,
56 And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot:
57 To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.

If the house looked the same or better when the priest came to see it the after the new plaster had been put on the walls, then it was pronounced clean. The priest would take two birds, cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop to cleanse the house. One bird was killed in an earthen vessel over running water. Then the living bird, wood, scarlet and hyssop were dipped in the blood and running water. The the house was sprinkled seven times. The blood of the bird and the water was used in the house, along with the wood, hyssop and scarlet, in order to cleanse it. The living bird was then let go out of the city and an atonement will have been made for the house. It would then be clean.

The notes here, are my own interpretation of what I have read. It is interesting to me, to read how leprosy would affect people, their clothing and their homes like this. I have heard of experiences where death has left decay and rot in a home, so that is the closest I can come to understanding. It sounds like leprosy was a type of decay of the body, so maybe the idea is pretty close. The Bible Dictionary says the following with regards to leprosy:

There were apparently several types of leprosy, and the word is used in the Bible to designate other sicknesses or diseases. For example, clothing and walls were said to be leprous when they had patches of mildew or some fungous growth, as in Lev. 13:47–59; 14:33–37.

I don’t think I can adequately imagine what it was like, without witnessing the effects of leprosy for myself, and I am glad that I don’t have to at this point.

I think that while this was a very physical law for the people of Israel, which as I mentioned in my previous post, would have been a way to protect the people from destruction within, it is also in the scriptures to remind us of the way sin effects us and should be treated. Sin, like leprosy, is an infectious and cancerous condition of the spirit. It causes spiritual decay when left to spread. If a sin is great enough, it must be taken to the priest, meaning we must confess to our priesthood leadership, like a bishop. The bishop has the authority from God, to determine if the sin has reached the point of making us an unworthy individual to participate in the ordinances of the gospel. If we need to make a change, he will let us know. If we talk with him again, he will determine then if it causes us to be unworthy, or if we can again return to our normal standing within the gospel. We are not made to declare to the world that we are unclean, but the feeling of not being allowed to participate in sacred ordinances, or not being allowed to say prayers or participate during classes in church, is just as lonely a feeling as the lepers had, which were sent out of the city. It can feel like everyone knows and often times like many judge. Worst of all, you can feel the separation from the spirit that one has when they are worthy of it. When the efforts of repentance have been made, and the sin no longer thrives within us, we are asked to come to the Lord and partake of the holy ordinance of the sacrament. This is the ordinance of sacrifice that we participate in today. When we can worthily partake of the sacrament, we can be considered clean from that sin.

(NOTE: The manual I am reading along with this says that the birds represented first, the leper or natural man and the second, the man freed from bondage of sin.)

I may not be perfect in my interpretation, but when I think of the sacrifice ritual performed for cleansing, it makes me think of the Savior. If the stories of Christ healing the lepers in his minstry, is not enough to cause us to think of Him, there is more here. Two birds are like two individuals brought before the judge or priest, much like we will be brought before God, who is the final judge of us all. One, in an earthen vessel, or in his earthly body, is sacrificed along with wood, a scarlet cloth, and hysop. I’m not sure how the cedar wood was used then, but it reminds me of the wood of the cross, which the Savior was raised upon. A scarlet cloth is a clear reminder to me of the Savior; the symbol of being our king (used even by the soldiers who beat him), the imagery of removing our sins, and a reminder of the clothing he will wear when he returns again. Matthew 27:28 says, “And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.” Then Isaiah 1:18 quotes the Lord as saying, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”. Finally, In Doctrine and Covenants, the words of Isaiah are repeated in section 133 as follows:

46 And it shall be said: Who is this that cometh down from God in heaven with dyed garments; yea, from the regions which are not known, clothed in his glorious apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?
47 And he shall say: I am he who spake in righteousness, mighty to save.
48 And the Lord shall be red in his apparel, and his garments like him that treadeth in the wine-vat.

Then, the hyssop is a plant which was used during the Savior’s crucifixion. In John 19:29 we read, “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.” The blood, like His blood, is used with the water to cleanse the remaining individual. We are anointed by his blood and may be pronounced clean, or purified, through the blood of Christ, just as the bird was cleansed by the blood in the ritual. When we are made clean through Christ, we can be worthy to participate in all the ordinances of the priesthood. Therefore, we can be made worthy to receive all the blessings of the priesthood, promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Leviticus Chapter 11

In the book of Leviticus, the Lord continues to teach the children of Israel the law of Moses and all of its statutes and commandments. This instruction comes through the prophet, Moses, and his brother, Aaron, who was a high priest. The instruction continues as follows:

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

God created animals in all forms, but not all were made for man to eat. Within the law of Moses, they were given more strict commandments as to which animals were acceptable as food. Any that hooves, were cloven footed (two-toed), and chewed cud, were acceptable. This means animals such as the cow. Camels, coneys, and hares do not have the hoof, so therefore he was not acceptable. Pigs did not chew cud, so they were considered unclean and unacceptable as food. Because these animals were considered unclean, they were also not allowed to touch them when they were dead.

9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:
11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

Fish were acceptable food for the Israelites. Any other seafood, meaning those without fins and scales, were not acceptable. It sounds to me, like they were able to touch them if they were dead.

13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
15 Every raven after his kind;
16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.
21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;
22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.

As far as birds go, those that were unclean are listed as the eagle, ossifrage (vulture), ospray, vulture (falcon), kite, raven, owl, night hawk, cuckow (seagull), hawk, little owl, cormorant, great owl, swan (barn owl), pelican, giereagle (vulture), stork, heron, lapwing (hoopoe bird), and the bat. (Labels in parenthesis are from the footnotes found in Deuteronomy 14.) All creeping fowls were unclean if they walked on all four legs. I’m not sure which animals this meant. Those that flew or crept, and had legs not used for walking were clean. Certain insects were okay, such as the locusts, beetles and grasshoppers, but other insects were creeping things and not acceptable. Those who touch the dead bodies of unclean animals, were considered unclean until the evening. Any dead body of an unclean animal, was not to be touched or that person was unclean. The animals that had paws, when dead, were unclean as well. Those that had to move the bodies, were to wash their clothes and were unclean until the evening.

29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

Continuing on, weasels, mice, tortoises, ferrets, chameleons, lizards, snails and moles were not to be eaten. They were not to be touched when dead either because they were unclean. The Lord went further to say, that with these animals, if they died on anything, that was considered unclean as well. That thing was to be placed in water and was considered unclean until evening. An earthen vessel, was to be broken if it was touched by one of these when dead. The water in any container, or the food in the container, was to be considered unclean if any of these animals were dead in it. Any other tool that it fell on, was to be considered unclean and unusable, but if it died in larger amounts of water, the water was fine. If they died on seeds for farming, the seeds were clean, but if water touched it there, the water was unclean. If an animal they planned to eat, died on its own, it was unclean. If a man touched or ate it, he was to wash his clothes and be considered unclean until evening. Anything that creeps, without legs, I think, or slithered on its belly, or had more feet than the animals already mentioned, was considered unclean. They were not to do anything with them to make themselves unclean.

44 For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
45 For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

The Lord commanded the Israelites to be sanctified and holy, because God is holy. They were commanded not to defile themselves with any of these animals that were forbidden. The Lord gave them this strict commandment and instruction, to keep their bodies clean and pure.

I think of the details of this chapter, down to things touching the dead animals becoming unclean, and it causes me to reflect a bit. I can understand, from my point of view, why some of these animals were not acceptable to be eaten. Many of those that were unclean, were animals who ate other animals. Some unclean animals probably were not sanitary and would have made them sick. It’s not that all these animals were bad, though. I believe that it is okay for people to eat some of them today and still be considered as clean, because of the fulfillment of the law through Jesus Christ. And it seems a strange thing to have to break containers or not consume some of these animals which people eat regularly today. God has the power to make anything clean and holy. I think, more importantly, that this all had to do with how close they were willing to follow the law. When they ate or touched things that were unclean, they were not considered holy, or worthy to receive the promised blessings from the Lord, because they made a conscious choice to go against the law of God. They needed to learn obedience in all things, in order to have the presence of the Lord with them. Likewise, there are many things today which will make us unworthy of the presence of the Lord. The list of things in daily life now, which drive the spirit away, is so much more detailed and particular. The commandment to be holy is the same for us today. If we want to receive the blessings that come from our covenants, we have to live worthy of the spirit of God. Our worthiness is effected by the things we choose to come in contact with, whether it is partaking of something against the word of wisdom, listening to bad music, or looking at inappropriate material of any and all types. The uncleanliness that comes from these things, and so much more today, cannot be done away with simply by waiting until evening. Our worthiness only returns when we have gone through the repentance process and allowed the atonement of the Lord to act in our lives. We become holy through the Lord, Jesus Christ, and then we can receive the blessings of God.

Leviticus Chapter 10

Through Moses, the Lord gave the Israelites strict commandments to follow. They were told specifically, each detail in when to make sacrifices to the Lord, how to make them, who was authorized to make them and so on. One of the main things, was that there was priesthood authority to perform sacrifices, and only those who were in the Levitical line of Aaron, qualified. Because of their calling, the sons of Aaron were held to a higher standard. They were taught the specific duties of the priesthood and how to perform them according to the Lord’s direction. The book of Leviticus continues:

1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.
2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.
3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.
5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.
6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled.
7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

Nadab was the oldest son of Aaron, and Abihu was another son of Aaron. They did not follow the instruction of the Lord, and offered a fire that was not acceptable to the Lord. The word strange means forbidden or unauthorized. In Exodus 30:9 we read, “Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.” Fire of the Lord, devoured these men. Aaron was probably going to argue against what had happened, but Moses spoke to him. The Lord had a specific way to be glorified by the Israelites and there was no justification for what was done. Disobedience to the laws of God, requires consequences in order for the law to be just. It seems that Aaron was chastised for the wrong-doing, or for wanting to say something about it, but after Moses spoke, he held his peace. The manual that I am using as a companion to this study, poses the question, why would Moses place this event in the Bible? I think we are meant to recognize the importance of the duties of the priesthood. Not only is the right to hold the power of God authorized by God, but the specific ways to use that power, must also be authorized. Priesthood responsibilities should be performed in a manner that is pleasing to God, because it is the use of His power and represents His name.

Mishael and Elzapan, who were not men of the priesthood of Aaron, were called to remove the bodies and take them out of the encampment. Moses then told Aaron and his sons, that they were not to perform their rituals of mourning. But that if they did, they too would die and bring the wrath of god upon the people. They were to let the rest of the Israelites do the mourning for them. The priests were to return to their service in the tabernacle, because they had been anointed to do so. Nadab and Abihu had sinned against the Lord and any sign of mourning for their loss, would have shown that they mattered more than God. This is a reminder to me, that service to God is more important then anything else in this life. When we are called to do a work of the Lord, we need to see it through even if trials arise in our life that seek to pull us from our duty.

8 And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,
9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

Aaron was told by the Lord, that the priests were not to drink wine or strong drink when going into the tabernacle, or they would risk death. In this, they would be able to know what was holy and clean, or unholy and unclean. They would be holy and clean. And they would be able to teach the Israelites the things the Lord had revealed to Moses. Wine and strong drinks would probably cause them not to think clearly, which would not be acceptable to the Lord. Discernment is a gift of the spirit, which requires clarity of the mind. Likewise, a clear mind is necessary to be able to teach according to those things that the spirit impresses upon us. All those who bear the priesthood, should be worthy to do so. Abstaining from wine and strong drink, will allow them to be worthy of their priesthood.

12 And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:
13 And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons’ due, of the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire: for so I am commanded.
14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons’ due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.
15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the Lord; and it shall be thine, and thy sons’ with thee, by a statute for ever; as the Lord hath commanded.

The priests were told to partake of the holy meat offering with unleavened bread, which had been offered of the Lord. The wave offering was to be eaten with their families. The heave and wave offerings were for the priesthood.

16 And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying,
17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord?
18 Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.
19 And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?
20 And when Moses heard that, he was content.

Eleazar and Ithamar were the priests who took the places of their brothers who had been consumed. Moses was angry that they had burnt the sin offering of the goat, and had not partaken of it as they had been commanded. I think that eating the offering, according to the specific instructions given, was a part of the ordinance of making an atonement for the people. If done right, the offering was holy and acceptable. Aaron questioned Moses, if it would have been acceptable to eat of it, when his son had offered it and been consumed because it was unacceptable. This thought of Aaron, took away the anger of Moses. I think it would have been acceptable for the other priests to partake of the offering, or Moses would not have commanded it. However, they had allowed their own fears and opinions to get in the way. There are many times that we think we know better then what the Lord offers or asks of us. This is never true. In order to align ourselves truly with the will of God, we have to follow his commandments to the letter and not allow justification for going against it.

A little side note: I think the theme of fire is significant throughout the scriptures. We learn in the scriptures that it is the glory of God shown to the Israelites. Fire is a tool for giving holy offerings to the Lord. Fire destroys the wicked and many righteous individuals were spared from the effects of fire. Fire is something of great and terrible power, but God is greater and uses fire to humble the people. Fire is the description of the spirit given to men. I think it would be interesting to do a greater study of fire as it appears throughout the scriptures at a later time.

We learn from this chapter, that the Lord is no respecter of persons. He commands obedience and the greater our covenants, the greater the expectation to obey. I think that the Lord needed to make an example of these men. The Israelites were coming from years among the Egyptians, without the presence of God with them. They had not had the priesthood with them. They needed to be given strict rules to help them to return to the Lord and to be His people. It is obvious that they did not immediately take the commandments seriously, as evidence by their actions when Moses left into the mount and they turned back to idolatry. The commandments are no less important for us today. We may not be made to die physically for choosing not to be obedient, but any choice to go against the commandments and not repent of our wrongs causes us spiritual death, which is eternally more significant. Their stories should stand as an example to us of how important it is to hearken to the Lord and follow His counsel.

Exodus Chapter 28

At this point in the Bible, Moses has been given instruction regarding the commandments, laws and judgments, and building of the Tabernacle. He spoke with the Lord in Mount Sinai, as the Israelites were camped at the base of the mountain. The word of the Lord continues as follows:

1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.
3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
5 And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.

Aaron and his sons were called to be priests unto the Lord. This lesser priesthood is now known as the Aaronic priesthood, after Aaron. He was instructed in what clothing and accessories Aaron was to wear, which would be consecrated for him and the holy purposes of the Lord. These included a breastplate, an ephod (which I think was a type of robe), a coat, a mitre (or some type of cap), and a girdle (or a belt or band).

I liked that those who were found with wisdom in their hearts, were going to be asked to make the sacred clothing for Aaron. Wisdom is an attribute of God. Those who had been blessed with that gift of the spirit, would have had the desire to do the work and the reverence to keep those things sacred as they worked. I always wonder what it would be like to be one to create something of beauty for the holy purposes in the temple. I am sure it is a sacred experience itself, and such a blessing to the righteous.

6 And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.
7 It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together.
8 And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel:
10 Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth.
11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.
12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial.

Aaron was to wear precious stones on the shoulders of his clothing, which would have the twelve children or tribes of Israel engraved on them. This was to be done to keep them in remembrance.

Names have a special place in the gospel. For example, so far in this study of the bible we have seen some receive sacred new names, such as Jacob being known as Israel. I think that having stones with all the names of the tribes in one place could have been a reminder that they were together even though they were twelve individual tribes. Eventually, those tribes would be scattered as prophesied many times. And yet, the Lord would promise that his work would include a gathering of these tribes again. The work will not be complete until after the Levites make their offering again in the temple or tabernacle of the Lord. In Doctrine and Covenants 13 we read the following:

Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.

To me, these stones would have been a beautiful reminder of the perfection (making whole) of the covenant people of the Lord.

13 And thou shalt make ouches of gold;
14 And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.

The ouches were the places on the clothing where the stones were set. Then there would be chains of gold attached to the shoulder pieces.

15 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.
17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.
21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

The breastplate was a breastplate of judgment and was to be made of the same matierials as the other parts of the clothing, which was fine linen of the colors of the tabernacle. It was also to have precious stones set into it, with the names of the twelve children of Israel, or the twelve tribes.

22 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of wreathen work of pure gold.
23 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
24 And thou shalt put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate.
25 And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod before it.

Again, there were to be chains of gold and parts where the shoulder pieces and breastplate would be able to connect.

26 And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod inward.
27 And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart thereof, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.
28 And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.
29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.

Moses was told how the two parts of Aaron’s clothing were to be connected. Aaron was to always wear the breastplate in the holy place of the Tabernacle.

30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.

In the breastplate, the Urim and Thummim would be placed. Aaron was called to be a judge of Israel, and keep a remembrance of this always.

31 And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.
32 And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent.

His ephod, or robe was to be made in a way, where it had no seams, but was all one piece with a hole, I’m assuming for his head.

33 And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about:
34 A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.
35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not.

On the hem of his robe, he was to have bells attached. The bells would make a sound, so that as he went into the holy place of the tabernacle and returned out of it, he would be heard and not die.

36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.
38 And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.

The phrase, “Holiness to the Lord” was to be engraved on a plate and then attached to the cap on Aaron’s forehead. He was to wear this always as he served. He was to be held accountable for all the holy things in the tabernacle.

39 And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.

All these parts of his clothing, were to be made of fine linen and beautiful craftsmanship.

40 And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty.
41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:
43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.

The sons of Aaron, were to have coats, belts, and hats also. Moses was to place these things upon the priests of Aaron. He was to anoint, consecrate and sanctify these men to minister in the office they were called to. This meant that these worthy men would be given the authority to serve in the holy tabernacle of the Lord. All of them were to be covered in sacred garments when they came to the tabernacle of the congregation (just outside the holy place), and by this and their worthiness, they would able to enter there.

When we go to the House of the Lord, or His holy temples, we need to sanctify ourselves. In prayerful preparation, we make sure that we are worthy to enter there. This does not mean that we must be perfect to enter, because no one is perfect in their life now. If we were, we would have no need to be here. Instead, we go to the temple with our hearts turned to Christ, having repented of those things that would make us unworthy and having left the things of the world behind. We need to enter the doors of the temple, with a willing heart and mind, and with a sincere desire to sin no more. With this, we can enter the temple with holiness to the Lord written in our hearts and mind, just as Aaron was to enter with those words literally upon his head. All those who are worthy and willing, have the opportunity to enter the temple and serve there. I love the temple. I am blessed to have the opportunity to be in the temple and to make and keep sacred covenants with the Lord because of it. I cannot imagine having the kind of happiness I have in my life, without this sacred opportunity.

Exodus Chapter 23

The Israelites are being led by the Lord, through the prophet Moses. They have been led to Mount Sinai, where they have had a witness of the Lord. At this point in the book of Exodus, the Lord is giving them laws and judgments to follow in order to be an obedient and happy people. These things continue as follows:

1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

As I mentioned in the previous two posts, this is purely my understanding of these things and as I did not live then, there may be some things I don’t understand fully. Anyway, the Lord tells them that they are not to lie about what they have witnessed. They are to be honest in their dealings with others. They are not to speak against one another in an evil way. The footnotes references the word slander from the Topical Guide, which says to see also backbiting, deceit, gossip and lying. Any of these things are unrighteous and should not be a part of the lives of those who follow the Lord.

2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

I think they were not to raise riots and uproars according to wickedness. In the footnote we read, “Thou shalt not follow the crowd to do evil, neither speak up in a lawsuit, being influenced by the majority, to subvert justice.” The people were not to influence the judgment in an unjust way, by allowing the crowd of people to make false statements. This is another verse reminding them that honesty is of great importance, no matter what the situation.

3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.

The Joseph Smith translation says that the word poor is actually wicked. That changes the meaning of this, which I was not understanding previously. They were not to favor a wicked man in his cause to do evil. I think that sometimes today, our courts will side with someone who has a lot of money or influence, instead of giving them just rewards for their crimes. I think that this is what the Lord was telling them not to do. Those who placed judgment on others, were to do so justly and not according to the ways of man. In addition, the Lord may have been telling them that they were not to take from others unjustly because they had something they wanted. I think this is a lot like placing an heavy burden of tax or judgment on someone who was undeserving of that, just to have more themselves.

4 If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

They were to be honest when they came upon someone else’s livestock wandering. They were not to take it for themselves or let it continue to wander even, but were to return it to the owner, even if they were an enemy. They were to help their enemy with their burdens and not to harass the poor beggars. In short, they were to be charitable and serve those who needed help, no matter who they were. They were not to hurt the righteous or innocent, or their acts would not be justified by God. Those who judged, were to do it justly and with honesty.

8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

The footnote for the word gift, references the word bribe. They were not to allow bribery, because it blinded those who were wise and would go against righteousness.

9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
13 And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.

It was said to not oppress any stranger, in the last chapter I believe, so this must have been an important rule to live by. The Israelites are reminded that they were not always in their own land and knew what it was like to be strangers in a land. They were to treat strangers as they had wanted to be treated themselves.

Also, they were given instruction on how to take care of their land. They were told to plant and harvest fruits and grains for six years, and then on the seventh year, they were to leave the land alone (sabbatical year) for the poor and the animals to eat. They were to do the same with their vineyards and such as well. They were to provide welfare to those in need. Likewise, they were to work only six days of the week and then have a day of rest on the seventh day, the Sabbath. This was wisdom, so that all would be rested and refreshed for another week of work. Again they are reminded to follow after these things of the Lord and nothing from any other god. There is a footnote in verse 13, which references Joshua 23:7. In this verse, it talks about not causing others to swear to their gods. If we believe that we are not to worship false Gods, then we should not push others to go to their gods, but instead we should help to bring them to the Lord.

14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
17 Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God.
18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.
19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.

There were to be three feasts during the year, the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of the harvest, and the feast of ingathering. (Deuteronomy 16:16 calls the feasts, the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of weeks, and the feast of tabernacles.) The feast of unleavened bread was a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt, also called the passover feast. The feast of harvest happened when they had harvested from their fields. The feast of ingathering was when all those who worked in the fields were given their break from field labor because the harvest was done. They were to bring the first fruits as an offering to the Lord at three times in a year. Then all the men of the Israelites were to sanctify themselves and make sacrifice to the Lord.

20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
25 And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

The Lord would send an angel, or a guide, before them, so that they would be led in the way the Lord desired for them. He was to guide them to the promised land. He would be holy and on the errand of the Lord, to be obeyed and not trifled with. They would loose him as their guide, as we loose the gift of the Holy Ghost, if there is any transgression of the laws of God. If they would follow this angel, they would be protected and delivered from all their enemies, with the Lord on their side. This was a promise also given to Abraham if he would be faithful. All his kindred would be blessed to have the Lord on their side, to protect them from their enemies. We can also be blessed with safety from our enemies, if we remain faithful and worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. The Israelites would be protected from sickness, if they would hearken to all the direction of the Lord. They were told not to worship other gods, or do the works of those who worshipped false gods, but instead they were to destroy those images and overtake those people who worshipped them.

26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.
28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

The women would not be barren, or unable to have children. It seems also that the children would not die from miscarriage during this time. The people would live to their age of fulfillment. Others would fear the name of the Israelites, because of their strength in the Lord. I can just imagine hearing of the destruction the Israelites brought as they regained their land, and how other nations would fear and tremble over that. The other nations would be driven out of their land a little at a time, so that the land would still be good for them and their flocks. Then they would be able to inherit the land the Lord had promised to their ancestors. They were not to make any agreements or promises with those of other nations, and any others who remained in the promised land would be sinning against God. The Lord tells them that if others remained, their worship of false gods would be a temptation for the Israelites.

The laws of the Lord, given to the Israelites, may seem strange or different to us today. We live in a different time, but the reason for these things is the same. We are given laws of God, in order to help us stay worthy of His presence in our lives. We cannot worship other gods, we cannot be dishonest in our dealings with others, we cannot take advantage of others and so on. We may not be required to give feasts, but we do need to partake of the sacrament regularly so that we can be reminded of the Lord and His atonement. All of our men are expected to take on the mantel of the holy priesthood of God and then be diligent in the responsibilities that come with it. If we are faithful to these things, we will be worthy of our own angel of the Lord, or rather, the Holy Spirit of God. He will be our guide and lead us to the eternal promise land that we are striving towards. I am glad that we have laws to follow, so that we can know if we are on the right path back to our Father in Heaven. I look forward to returning to his presence again one day and I hope to be worthy of all He has promised to me.

Exodus Chapter 22

The Israelites have been camped at the base of Mount Sinai. They witnessed the appearance of the Lord in a cloud and the Lord began to instruct them in the commandments of God. After the original 10 commandments, they were also given specific judgments for certain offenses they would have to deal with. The laws and judgments of God continue as follows:

1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

My understanding of this verse, and those which follow, is only based on what I gather from reading it and the footnotes provided in the LDS version of the King James Bible. The judgement against stealing would at most be that the person who stole would be required to return five oxen in the place of one stolen, or four sheep for one sheep stole.

2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

If a thief was killed in the act of stealing, or breaking in, the person who killed would not be killed for his act against the thief. If he is caught, but not killed, the person who caught him would not be punished. He would be required to make up fully for the theft and if he had nothing to repay the owner, then he would be sold as a servant. If there was not doubt of the theft because he was caught in the act, he would be required to pay twice what it was worth.

5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.

If one man allows his flock to eat in another’s field or vineyard, he would be required to give the best of his own field and vineyard to the other person.

6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

Anyone who started a fire would be required to make up for the loss of grain from that fire.

7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods.
9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:
11 Then shall an oath of the Lord be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.
12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.
13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.

If one person was borrowing the property of another, or taking care of it for him, and it is stolen, the thief would make double the restitution. If they cannot find the thief, then the judges would decide if the one who had the property when it was stolen would be required to pay the other back. If there is a fight over who owns something like an ox or a shirt, they were to go to the judges and whoever is found to not be the owner would make restitution up to double. If an animal is lent to another and is lost, hurt or dies; they were to make an oath that they would not take it out by taking something belonging to the other. If it was stolen he was to pay back for the loss. If he could show that it was destroyed, he was to show that thing to the owner and would not be required to make up for it.

14 And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.
15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.

The one who borrows anything and cannot return it because it was hurt or died, then he was to make up for the loss. If the owner was around, then he would not have to make up for it.

16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

Any man who seduced a woman who was not already belonging to another by betrothal, was to ask her to wife. If her father would not allow it, the man was to pay him what would have been paid to a husband for a virgin wife, or her dowry.

18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

Those who practiced witchcraft or sorcery or bestiality were to be put to death. The Joseph Smith Translation for verse 18, says “witch” references that a murderer should not be allowed to live.

20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

Those who made sacrifices to any other God, was to be destroyed.

21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

If there was a stranger in the land, they were not to be treated unkindly.

22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;
24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

The widows and fatherless were not to be treated unkindly either. Those who were not kind to them, would suffer the wrath of the Lord to the point of death.

25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
26 If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:
27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.

Giving money to the poor, was not to be used as a way to keep them indebted. They were not to charge interest to the poor. When something needful was borrowed, it was to be returned. The Lord would know of any wrong doing because of the cries, or prayers, to Him.

28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

The Lord deserved respect and so did whomever ruled the people of Israel. The people were not to curse God for the trials of their lives. They were also not to curse the prophets who were God’s chosen leader of his people.

29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

The Israelites were given a reminder that they were to give of the first fruits and firstborn of their families and flocks.

31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

They were reminded to be holy men to the Lord. They were not to eat any of the animals determined to be unclean because it had died on its own or by other animals.

Just like the previous chapter, this one does not have a lot in the way of gospel principles. These rules were established to help those who wanted to be covenant people of God, that they could stay worthy of all the blessings the Lord had promised to them. Today we still have laws of God to follow in order to remain faithful and worthy of the blessings of our own covenants.

Exodus Chapter 19

The Israelites have been delivered from Egypt and are wandering in the wilderness at this point of the book of Exodus. Moses has established judges for the people, to ease his burden and keep them strong in the Lord. The people have been blessed with many miracles already and are sustained daily by the Lord. Exodus continues:

1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

After three months, they have arrived in the land of Sinai, which is a desert in the wilderness. They camped near mount Sinai. Moses went to pray to the Lord, in the mountain. The Lord told him to talk to the people about what they had witnessed in Egypt and to tell them that if they would be obedient and keep their covenants with him, they would be the treasure of the Lord, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. They would have the power of the priesthood of God, which would set them apart as a holy people, different from all others on the earth. This is an amazing promise to those who reverence and love the Lord. It is the same promise that exists today, to those who are willing to make covenants with the Lord through the proper priesthood authority.

7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.
9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.

Moses did as he was told, and the people chose to be a covenant people with the Lord. Moses returned to the Lord with this response and was told that the Lord would come to them in a thick cloud. The people would hear the Lord and then believe Moses from then on. Moses told this to the people. I think that the Lord has appeared many times in the cloud, because the human eye cannot look upon him. This gives imperfect humans the opportunity to be in the presence of God and hear his words, and to have some physical representation of God to witness. I think that this may have also been to require a certain degree of faith that seeing the Lord would not have required.

10 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

The Lord told moses to have the people sanctify themselves for the next two days. They were to be clean physically and spiritually. This was in preparation for the appearance of the Lord to the people upon mount Sinai. They were instructed not to go into the mountain or even touch any of it. If they did, they would die. When they heard a trumpet sound, they were to come to the mount.

14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

Moses went to the people and told them to do these things the Lord had commanded.

16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
20 And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
21 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.
22 And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.
23 And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
24 And the Lord said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Lord, lest he break forth upon them.
25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.

On the third day, they witnessed thunder and lightning. Then a cloud went on the mount and a trumpet was heard. The people gathered at the base of the mountain. The mountain was shaking and had smoke and fire coming from it because of the Lord. The trumpet got louder and Moses spoke. God answered him and then the Lord appeared on mount Sinai. Moses was called up to the mount because he was the chosen prophet of the Lord. He was told to tell the people to stay where they were, so they would not die from seeing the Lord. Moses was told to go and return with Aaron, but no one else. Moses did as the Lord commanded him.

In our own lives, we need to follow these same commandments given to the Israelites. When we are preparing to do and witness sacred things of the Lord, we need to be sanctified, clean and worthy. We must be worthy before entering the waters of baptism. When we desire to enter the holy house of the Lord, his Temple, we must be worthy as well. We have not been promised death upon entering, if we are not clean. However, being unworthy to enter the temple and make covenants, and yet doing so, would bring destruction to our souls, which is far worse then physical death. I am grateful that I was baptized, have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and have been worthy to enter the holy temples of the Lord. I believe that the temple is God’s holy house and that He could be there. I know that in order to be there, I need to be living worthily and preparing myself. I cannot imagine my life without the blessings that can be received through temple attendance. I hope that I will continue to sanctify myself and become worthy to be in the presence of the Lord some day.

Notes on Patience – Growth to Our Potential

Patience is something that is tested in my life every day, as I am sure it is for most of us. I thought that perhaps it would be a good idea for me to begin a study that was a bit more in depth so that I could know how to gain a self-mastery that I do not have right now. I hope that my readers will enjoy following this series of posts on patience and that it may help someone else out there, as much as it has helped me. To see more posts, check out Notes on Patience

But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, … (2 Corinthians 6:4)

I want to live a life that is truly worthy of all things that God has promised to his faithful and covenant people. If I am to fully prove my worthiness, then I will have a great number of trials. This is because trials are what help us to grow into the soul that we have the potential to become. Without trials we remain in the state we are in, or worse, we takes backward steps towards someone much less worthy. I cannot prove myself in these many trials by having a great deal of patience. Those who are worthy disciples of Jesus Christ and children of the promise, live with much patience.

How Do We Sustain the Priesthood as the Authority of God on Earth?

As a woman in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), I am a member of one of the largest women’s organization in the world. This group is called the Relief Society. Several years ago, a declaration was written for the Relief Society and the posts in this series are an attempt to apply this declaration to my life more. In this attempt I will be breaking down the parts of it into questions that I would like to try to answer through study. To view other posts related to this declaration, go here: Relief Society Declaration.

We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction. As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar. We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who:
Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.
Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes.
Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.
Delight in service and good works.
Love life and learning.
Stand for truth and righteousness.
Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth.

The next question in this series is how do we sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on Earth? Notice that I did not make this question how do I know that it is the authority of God, or is the priesthood the authority of God. That is because I know that it is and cannot question it. I have had many experiences in my life with the power of the priesthood and the spirit has confirmed to me that it is God’s authority for man to act in his behalf on this earth. I needed with this post, to ask a question that I would be able to apply directly to my life at this time or at least cause me deeper reflection. Of course the first step to sustaining it would be to believe that it is that authority, so if you do not know that for yourself, I suggest that you seek for a confirmation of that truth for yourself. (Some of my previous posts directly related to the priesthood: The Priesthood, Priesthood Organization, The Church of Jesus Christ Today. Other resources related to the priesthood authority can be found here: Gospel Principles, Restoration, Topical Guide-Priesthood, Authority)

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I often raise my hand in church when it is announced that a young man or man will be ordained or advanced in the priesthood. In Doctrine and Covenants 20:65, we read, “No person is to be ordained to any office in this church, where there is a regularly organized branch of the same, without the vote of that church;”. This vote is a witness that I sustain them in the priesthood. It is important to understand what it means to sustain them and sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on Earth. In order to approach this question, I looked up the definition of the word sustain. The online search provided the following explanations: “Strengthen or support physically or mentally”, “Cause to continue or be prolonged for an extended period or without interruption”, or to “Uphold, affirm, or confirm the justice or validity of”.

What can we do to strengthen or support the priesthood? I don’t think that we strengthen the priesthood in a way that gives it more or greater power, because the power of it comes from God and not from man, but there are ways to support it. When we support something, we bear the weight of it. The power of the priesthood is a great responsibility to those who hold it. In the church we often talk of bearing the priesthood of God, so in order to support it, worthy men need to be willing to receive that responsibility. Doctrine and Covenants 84:40 says, “Therefore, all those who receive the priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved.” Receiving and bearing the priesthood, is to make an oath and covenant with the Lord. In addition, they need to be capable of fulfilling their duties as bearers of the priesthood. To give it the support it needs, they need to be able to do this in a way that is adequate to fulfill its purposes. In Isaiah 52:11 we read, “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.” The priesthood is of the Lord and so it cannot be borne by those who are not prepared and worthy for it. Therefore, men who are willing and able to bear the priesthood, need to make and keep themselves worthy to use it in the way that God has intended. As a woman, I do not directly bear the priesthood of God. Something of which I am actually okay with. However, I still need to be a supporter of the priesthood. I can support in several ways as well. One is, that I can do my part to help men be worthy and able to bear the priesthood. As a wife, I need to keep myself on the right track, so that I do not draw my husband from the things that would keep him worthy of this privilege. When necessary, I need to be willing to stand up for what is right and help the men around me become more worthy. I know that my influence for good in this respect is great. If I was a mother to boys, which I am not (yet), I would have the duty to raise them to be worthy of this opportunity. As a woman, my support can come from showing that I approve of men having the priesthood, and in fact, I should encourage the use of it often. Doctrine and Covenants 107:1 reads, “Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.” Both men and women support the priesthood, by learning what its purposes are, and caring that those purposes are fulfilled. In Ephesians 4 we learn of the callings within the priesthood and their purposes.

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The purposes of the priesthood are the perfecting of the saints, work of the ministry and edifying the body of Christ for unity of faith and unity in knowing the Son of God. This way we will be firm in the faith, so that when life hits us, we will not falter because of the ways of the world. Therefore, I sustain the priesthood by encouraging men to be worthy to bear it, being a good example of righteous living, learning about the reason for the priesthood, caring for its success on earth, and encouraging the men in my life to use the priesthood.

What is our role in causing the priesthood to continue or be prolonged without interruption? Doctrine and Covenants 13:1 reads, “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth. . .” A promise was made to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, that the priesthood would not be removed from the earth again, but that does not mean that we will always be able to access it if we are not living righteously and faithfully. Priesthood power requires both a worthy bearer to use it, and a faithful receiver of its blessings. We sustain it by not only being worthy to use it, but by believing in it. The priesthood is the power from God and we have to have faith in Him for it to work. In the book of Matthew we read the following:

57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Even the Lord, Jesus Christ, did not work the miracles of the priesthood during his ministry, when those who should have received its blessings did not have faith and believe in Him. The faith we have today, also needs to be in Jesus Christ, because the priesthood is His power on earth. If we loose that faith, the priesthood will not work in our lives. We sustain the priesthood of God, by believing in God and His power.

How do we uphold, affirm, or confirm the justice and validity of the priesthood authority of God? One of the things that we need to do today, is recognize and witness that God’s authority and power are on earth today, as they were in times of old. In Exodus 40:15, we learn of the priesthood authority as it was given to Aaron. It says, “And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” Many people are willing to believe that the prophets of old had the priesthood authority, but they are not willing to accept that it can exist in our time as well. In Moses 6:7 we read, “Now this same Priesthood, which was in the beginning, shall be in the end of the world also.” It has been restored in its fullness and can be used today. There are many who believe that it was never removed from the earth, but it was. Those who feel this way, claim to have priesthood power from God, but they do not. During the apostasy that followed the death of the apostles of Jesus’s time, the priesthood was taken from the earth. The people were not living worthy to act on God’s authority. I believe that the authority was once again restored with the power of the priesthood, when Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery asked God about baptism. (See D&C 13:1 found above) In Doctrine and Covenants 27:12 we read, “And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them;”. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received the priesthood power through the laying on of hands, first by John the Baptist for the Aaronic priesthood and then, by Peter, James, and John for the Melchizedek priesthood. In order to uphold, affirm or confirm the justice and validity of the priesthood, we need to have our own testimony that this is the truth. We need to know and share that the priesthood of old was indeed the power of God. We need to believe and share that we do in fact have the priesthood on earth today and that it is also the true power and authority of God. The spirit will testify to those who accept the blessings of the priesthood in their lives, of its truth and power. To sustain it, we need to be willing to share what we know about it and the blessings of it, with those who are willing to listen and learn for themselves.

I am so grateful for the priesthood. This past few months of study about it, has caused my testimony to be strengthened in many ways. I know that priesthood of God was given to man in the beginning of time on Earth. Adam was the first bearer of the priesthood on Earth and it continued on the earth during all times when men were worthy to bear it. After the great apostasy, the priesthood was restored to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery by the hands of those with the authority from God to ordain them. The priesthood is on the earth today and we, both men and women, should be willing to sustain it, so that the work of God will continue to roll forth.

Genesis Chapter 35

Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of father Abraham, is a faithful and blessed man of the covenant. He has family that has been using their agency contrary to the way of God. The book of Genesis continues:

1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.
2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:
3 And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

God calls Jacob to go to Bethel where he had seen the Lord, when he had ran away from Esau years earlier. In Bethel he was to build an altar to renew his covenants with God. Jacob gathered his family, having removed the things which were distracting them from God, and took his journey to Bethel as he had been commanded. I’m assuming his family repented of their idolatry and wicked ways before leaving with him, so this probably did not happen overnight. Jacob remembered that God had been good to him and delivered him from the anger of Esau, when he had returned to this land with his family. It is so important for us to remember the blessings that God gives to us, because it helps us to remain faithful and obedient to his commandments.

6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Beth-el, he and all the people that were with him.
7 And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
8 But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth.

Jacob built an altar in Bethel in the place where he had seen the Lord before. Then his mother’s nurse passed away and was buried there. I am sure that she had been seen as a member of the family and that it would have been sad to loose her.

9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him.
10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.
11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;
12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.
13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Beth-el.

The Lord appeared to Jacob and he was given a new name, Israel. Then God renewed his covenant and promise with Jacob, as he had with Abraham and Isaac. This promise was that if Jacob would remain faithful and obedient, he would be the father of many nations and the land of promise would be his and the land of his descendants. The blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are always tied to the concept of multiplying and replenishing the earth. Part of our faithfulness to God, is shown in our willingness to obey this commandment, which was given to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. It is truly that important.

16 And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.
19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem.
20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.

Rachel was pregnant again and in its difficulty, she died during childbirth. Her son was called Benjamin.

21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.
22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:
25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:
26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padan-aram.

Israel took his family and went to the land near the tower of Edar, which I believe was still in the land of Cannan. Reuben was the oldest of Israel’s sons and I imagine he was a grown man at this point because it has been several years since he first married Leah (Reuben’s mother). Reuben had an affair with Bilhah, which would have been just as much against the covenants that Israel and Bilhah had made as it would be today. I get the feeling that Reuben was a bit of a rebellious soul even at a younger age.

27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.
28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.
29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Jacob (Israel) went to visit his father Isaac when he had reached the old age of 180. Isaac died and was buried by his sons, Jacob and Esau.

What I get out of this chapter is that life is about returning to the Lord. Jacob was commanded to do something and so he guided his family to repent and return to the Lord so that they could be worthy of the task they had before them, meaning building the altar and giving an offering to the Lord. We all make mistakes. We all have times when we loose our way, even a little, and we need to remember the blessings and return to the Lord. Life is not about being perfect now, it is about heading in the right direction. Life is about returning to the straight and narrow path towards eternal life. When we are worthy, we can go to the altar today, which we find in the house of the Lord (the temple), and there we can make our own covenants and offerings to the Lord. When we do these things, we are promised to receive the blessings that God has in store for us. I am so grateful for the atonement and repentance, which make it possible for me to return to the Lord.