THE RECORD KEEPERS

In chapters 9 and 10 of Mosiah, we come to a flashback within a flashback.  When Ammon and the Nephites from Zarahemla found the people of Limhi, the descendants of Nephites who had left Zarahemla three generations earlier, they heard an account of their bondage to their enemies from Limhi.  As the king and record-keeper for his people, Limhi had records of the people dating back to his grandfather, Zeniff's, day.  These records are inserted into the Book of Mosiah.  For the next thirteen chapters, we come to know  these people, particularly the wicked King Noah (Zeniff's son and Limhi's father) and of the prophet, Abinadi, who was sent by the Lord to testify and to teach.  We are also introduced to a man named Alma, who was a priest in King Noah's court.* 

God's people have always kept records. From an early Hebrew prayer carved into the walls of an ancient Egyptian salt mine** to the Dead Sea Scrolls and beyond, we find evidence of the importance of keeping such sacred records.  In fact, in my scripture study routine this morning, I watched two BYU devotionals.  One alluded to the Diary of Anne Frank, the record of a Jewish family in Holland hiding from the Nazis in a secret annex. Apparently, just before the family moved to the annex, Anne heard a government representative on the radio say that the history of that time would not be found in the official records, but in the diaries and letters of the people who lived through it. Anne took that to heart and began to rewrite her diary in a form that she hoped might be published one day in the future.

~ ~ ~

Zeniff's record began with his account of his pilgrimage to the Nephite's ancient homeland, now in the hands of their enemies, the Lamanites.  One thing I like about Zeniff is his honesty in reporting.  He admits that he was over zealous to possess part of his former homeland to the degree that he was easily drawn into a dishonest contract with the Lamanite king. 

It reminds me of the old saying that "if one is to sup with the devil, one must use a long spoon."  My alternative would be "just don't sup with the devil!" The problem is that it is sometimes difficult to see who he is. Many wolves masquerade as sheep.  People who are honest in their dealings with others sometimes have a hard time seeing that these others may not be honest.

That was the case with Zeniff.  He believed King Laman when he said he would give them two sections of land and that he promised not to attack them.  Zeniff later realized, to his sorrow, that King Laman had no intention of keeping his promise.  The Nephites, being an industrious people, began to build cities and plant crops and raise herds of animals.  When they had accumulated sufficient wealth, the Lamanites fell upon them.  Zeniff was forced to arm his people for war.  Because they relied on the Lord, they were preserved in warfare.  

When his son, Noah, became king, the same could not be said.  This condition led to the downfall and bondage of this people.

~ ~ ~

In this blog, I am trying to be a covenant keeper by recording what the Spirit teaches me about the scriptures and how it applies to what is happening in my day. My mind is often led to other relevant sources from literature, music, even films.  My sister once asked if it was scary living in my brain.  Actually, it is exhilarating!

© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson, April 2020

Limhi

One reason why the Lamanites attacked Limhi's people

*Again, the complexity and internal consistency of the Book of Mormon boggles my mind.  I know that an uneducated farm boy of upstate New York could have written it. In fact, it is a miracle that he could have even translated, and would not have been able to do so were it not for the gift and power of God.

** written in an archaic form of Hebrew, it reportedly said "Elohim, save me," presumably written by a Hebrew slave as noted in the documentary Exodus Decoded by Simcha Jacobovici.

LIFT UP YOUR HEADS AND BE COMFORTED

Flashback: The people of King Limhi were in serious trouble.  They were descendants of a group of Nephites who left Zarahemla 3 generations. Their leader, a man named Zeniff, was so over-zealous to possess the lands of Nephi that he accepted an offer of land from the King of the Lamanites who, unbeknownst to Zeniff, only wanted to have these Nephites close so that he could enslave them.  Remember, the Nephites were an industrious people.  The more indolent Lamanites could reap the benefits of Nephite labor without doing the hard work themselves.

 By the time Zeniff's grandson, Limhi, was the king, the Lamanites were taxing them by taking 50% of all their grain, fruits, and flocks. And now, is this not grievous to be borne? And is not this, our affliction great? Now behold, how great reason we have to mourn.(Mosiah 7: 23)  

Limhi's father, Noah, had been a wicked man and a wicked and corrupt king.  He had led his people into wickedness and apostasy, culminating in the death of a prophet of God. When that level of wickedness occurs, the Lord lifts His hands of protection and the people are left to suffer the natural consequences. 

Limhi knew that their situation in his day was the direct result of the sins of the previous generation. His people were humbled and pleading with the Lord.  Limhi knew that the Lord will not succor my people in the day of their transgression, but I will hedge up their ways that they prosper not; and their doings shall be as a stumbling block before them . . . if my people shall sow filthiness they shall reap the chaff in the whirlwind; and the effect thereof is poison. . . . [and] they shall reap the east wind, which bringeth immediate destruction. (Mosiah 7: 29-30) The promise of the Lord [was] fulfilled, and [the people were] smitten and afflicted

The people had all but given up hope.  Their circumstances had humbled them (as circumstances often do) and they were turning again to the Lord. The answer to their prayers arrived in the form of a small contingency of Nephites who had left Zarahemla to look for them.  Their leader, a man named Ammon, was a descendant of Zarahemla and was, therefore, a Mulekites of the House of Judah. When Limhi came to know who Ammon was, his heart rejoiced for he knew their prayers had been heard and deliverance was near.

The King sent out a proclamation to his people that they gather at the temple the following day to hear what he had to say.  When the people were all gathered, Limhi spoke: O ye, my people, lift up your head and be comforted; for behold, the time is at hand, or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in subjection to our enemies, notwithstanding our many struggling, which we have made in vain; yet I trust their remaineth n effectual struggle to be made.  Therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice, and put your trust in God. (Mosiah 7: 18-19)

 ~ ~ ~

Today in our nation and the world, we are also in serious trouble. Since the end of World War II, we have systematically thrust God behind us. "God is dead" we proclaimed in the 60's. "If it feels good, do it!" we shouted in defiance. "Let's slaughter our unborn right up until the day they are due to be born and call it a woman's health issue." God forbid someone use the word infanticide; that is politically incorrect. For goodness sake, let's not offend anyone; but we can offend God, because He is dead!  "America is no longer a Christian nation," proclaimed our closet Muslim president. It is not okay to discriminate against anyone except Christians and political conservatives.  Let's make them demons in our media and pour out vitriol and hatred upon their heads.  Let's legally persecute a Christian baker because he won't make a wedding cake for two men. Let's encourage same gender marriage by making it legal and turn a blind eye when people use that legality as a political tool to seek converts to our lasciviousness among the children. 

The bricks are fallen down

We have sown filthiness.  Why are we surprised when we are reaping the whirlwind?  God has warned us over and over again since 1945.  We ignored the lessons of 9-11 and shouted in defiance: "The enemy has broken down our walls but we will rebuild because we are, of ourselves, strong and mighty." The bricks are fallen down,  but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars said Isaiah. We are too blind and proud to hearken. 

Apparently, it has taken a little virus, too small to see, to bring our nation and the world to its knees. Still, the defiant seek to blame the president who approached this crisis with - gasp! Prayer! - as a solution.  A few weeks ago, the world, at the request of the Lord's prophet, participated in a day of fasting and prayer. Thousands of people from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people arose to the challenge.  The Facebook page for the worldwide fast has gone viral as people bear testimony of the blessings of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thousands have once had the truth, have left it, and are now coming back to it in the face of this pandemic.

Pray for our Prophet and Apostles.

Pray for our President, Vice President and our national, state, and local leaders who are trying their best to deal with a crisis the likes of which have no parallel in recent history.  Pray for those on the front lines, for those suffering, and for their families. Especially,  pray for guidance as we approach these upcoming elections.  Don't look at party labels or even individual personalities.  Look at the philosophies each candidate endorses and examplifies by his or her words and behaviors. Line up their objectives alongside Satan's goals for the human race since the beginning and compare that to Jesus' and the Father's plan for the children of men. The line in the sand is becoming clearer every day. Do the best you can and leave the rest to God.  Then lift up your heads and be comforted.  We are in His hands and He loves us.

© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson, April 2020

THE WORLD IS NOT DIVIDED INTO GOOD PEOPLE AND DEATH EATERS (Albus Dumbledore)

As you might surmise, I am a Harry Potter fan.  I see types and shadows of Christianity all through the series,  just as I do in the  Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings Trilogy. In the wizarding world, I am quite taken by the wisdom of Albus Dumbledore.  In the title, is one of my favorite messages: the Professor is teaching Harry that there is more to life than just those two categories.  (Perhaps the best example of this is Dolores Umbridge who is not identified as a death eater, but who is anything but a good person!)

So what does that have to do with today's post? This: It is simplistic to look at the peoples of the Book of Mormon as either Nephites - the good guys - or Lamanites - the bad guys. There are so many Nephites who are "bad" and there are Lamanites who are "good." Simple two-dimensional categories are not reality.

Unlike the Westerns of the 50's, you can't always tell by the color of their hats!

Here are some of the other sub-groups of people to look for:

• The Kingmen - Nephites who wanted to do away with the judges and return to a monarchy
• The Zoramites
• The Order of the Nehors
• Other apostate Nephites like Amalakiah and Ammoron
• Converted Lamanites (who were often better people than their Nephite counterparts
• King Noah, the priests of Noah,  the people of Limhi, the people of Alma 
• And, of course, the Gadianton robbers and other secret combinations bound by covenant to Satan.

As a writer I know that flashbacks can be tricky to

use and still maintain internal consistency. 

In addition to all of the different cultural and religious groups, much of the story is told in flashbacks.  Limhi tells the story of the people of Zeniff who returned to the Land of Nephi, including details about the wicked King Noah, Abinadi, and Alma.  When Alma the Younger and the four sons of Mosiah return from their missions, they share their stories with one another and we meet people like King Lamoni and Amulek.  These stories are so seamlessly woven together that it is difficult to know the players without a program!

Join me in reading the Book of Mormon this year.  You will find yourselves on a grand adventure to equal anything in Narnia or Middle Earth and even more compelling than the Wizarding World of England. The best part is that these stories are true, not high fantasy like the others. These were real people who lived and died in real time.  The drama is real, as is the joy and the sorrow.  Most compelling of all is the reality of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  We can watch groups of people caught in the pride cycle, anti-Christs, prophets and kings, rich and poor, peaceful and warlike, brave and cowardly, sober and licentious.  Their tale is a blueprint of what we are seeing in our world today.  Someone once said that if we fail to learn from history, then we are doomed to repeat it.  We will either learn the lessons they failed to learn or we, too, will be swept away.  The choice is ours.

© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson, April 2020

KEEPING SCORE

Let's look at the cultures or peoples we have thus far met in the Book of Mormon:

Lehi and his wife, Sariah and their children - Fled Jerusalem to escape the coming destruction from Babylon and to save Lehi's life. Their sons were Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi.  There were also daughters.

.

Ishmael and his family - Lehi's cousin who joined them in the wilderness by God's invitation.

Their cultural identity was as descendants of Joseph, son of Israel.   They had lived near Jerusalem. They would have been living the Law of Moses. They spoke Hebrew, but were able to read and write Egyptian. Their clothing, food and customs would have been customary for Jews of that time.

Zoram - A Jew who served Lehi's cousin, Laban. He traveled with them after sharing an oath of mutual trust before God.  Zoram never violated his oath and stood beside Nephi throughout the years.  He married one of Ishmael's daughters.  He and his family were numbered among the followers of Nephi.

~ ~ ~

At the death of Lehi, the family split into family tribes.  Later, that split solidified into two basic groups. 

Those who followed Nephi (the Nephites) included Sam, Zoram, and Lehi's two youngest sons, Jacob and Joseph, who were born in the wilderness.  Nephi's sisters also went with this group.   They took the brass plates, the Liahona, and the sword of Laban with them, so that their language and culture and religious beliefs remained pure. The Nephites are described as fair and delightsome and pure and delightsome (2 Nephi 30)  . . . they had Christ for their shepherd; yea, they were led even by God the Father. (Mormon 5: 17) Nephi taught them to be industrious and to labor with their hands (2 Nephi 5: 17), including building a temple.

Those who followed Laman, the eldest son, (the Lamanites) included Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael.  Laman felt that, as the eldest, he should have the birthright, including the right to rule.  He resented that his younger brother, Nephi, had taken the lead.  These people also resented the fact that Nephi kept the plates and other sacred things from their father.  They saw Nephi, not as a prophet and leader, but an usurper and thief.  The sons of Ishmael resented being taken away from their home and riches to be dragged through the wilderness, living in tents.  They also didn't regard Nephi as a prophet and they didn't acknowledge him as their leader.  They resented that their father, who was old, didn't survive the trek across Arabia, dying in a place called Nahum. None of them kept the Law of Moses and none believed in the coming of a Messiah.  They were described thus: And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations. (1 Nephi 12: 23)

~ ~ ~

When King Mosiah (a Nephite) takes his people out of the mountainous Land of Nephi into the valley, he finds an entire city: Zarahemla.  The Nephites learn that they aren't the only people whose ancestors traveled to the New World at the time of the Babylonian conquest. The Old Testament tells us that the King of Babylon commanded the death of all of the King of Judah's sons. Then the king himself, Zedekiah, was blinded and dragged away in chains.

We learn from this account in the Book of Mormon that one of Zedekiah's sons survived.  Mulek may well have been and infant when he was spirited out of Jerusalem by an unknown group of people trying to preserve his life and the line of Kings since David. These people were led by the Lord and eventually came to the Land of Promise across the sea. Because they literally had to drop everything and run (probably in the night), they didn't have any records or scriptures with them.  Because of this, their language had become corrupted in 300 years.

The last keeper of the Nephite records prior to King Benjamin was Amaleki.  We find this account of the Mulekites in the final verses of the Book of Omni:

Mosiah discovered that the people of Zarahemla came out of Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah. . . was carried away captive into Babylon.  . . . they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the hand of the Lord across great waters, into the land where Mosiah discovered them; . . . their language had become corrupted; and they brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their Creator; and Mosiah, nor the people of Mosiah, could understand them.  Mosiah caused that they should be taught his language . . . and . . . the people of Zarahemla, and of Mosiah, did unite together; and Mosiah was appointed their king. (Omni 1: 15-19)

So now we have some of the major groups in the promised land, all of them led there by the Lord: The Nephites, the Lamanites, and the Mulekites, Through the Mulekites, the Nephites learn of an even more ancient group who were led to these shores at the time of the Tower of Babel.  We'll talk more about them later. 

(Just an "Oh, by the way," archaeologists have found what they believe to be the royal seal of Mulek.)

Seal of Mulek

© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson, April 2020

INTERNAL CONSISTENCY OF THE BOOK OF MORMON

Back in 1 Nephi we read that Lehi and his family travel by ship and arrive in the Promised Land.  No one knows for sure where that was located; we do, however, know that they built along the coast in the Lowlands.  In 2 Nephi, we learn that Lehi grew old and died.  Without the influence of their father to stay their hand, Laman and Lemuel began to make open threats against their brother, Nephi.

Mayan city of Tikal in the highlands of Guatemala, a possible site

 for the City of  Nephi.

Nephi was warned by the Lord that his only recourse for the survival of his family and people was to separate themselves from these wicked brothers and flee into the wilderness, far enough away that it would not be worth the effort for the elder brothers to pursue the younger.  We read Nephi's words:

. . . the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi, should depart from them and flee into the wilderness, and all those who would go with me. . . I did take my family, and also Zoram and his family and Sam . . . and his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters, and all those who would go with me.  They did journey in the wilderness for the space of many days. And after we had journeyed. . . we did pitch our tents.  And my people would that we should call the name of the place Nephi. . .  (2 Nephi 5: 5-8)

All that we know of this land of Nephi is that it was in the mountains.  There the people of Nephi built a city and a temple.  They lived there in peace for a long time.  The followers of Laman and Lemuel never gave up their fathers' traditional hatred for Nephi and his people and frequently traveled closer and closer to the Land of Nephi and began to attack and harass the Nephites. Around 130 B. C., the danger became so great that the Lord warned their current king, a man named Mosiah the First, to leave the land and flee northward, away from their enemies.  The record keeper was a man named Amaleki.  Here are some of his words (from the book of Omni, chapter 1.)

Ruins of a city in the Valley of Central Mexico

Mosiah . . . being warned of the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi . . . into the wilderness - And . . . he did according as the Lord had commanded him. . . . they were led by many preachings and prophesyings. . . . they were admonished continually by the word of God; and they were led by the power of his arm, through the wilderness until they came down into a land which is called the land of Zarahemla. (Omni 1:11-12)

Here they met a completely different people, the followers of the Mulekite King, Zarahemla. We learn later that these people also left Jerusalem just prior to its destruction at the hands of the Babylonians.  They were a group who were protecting the youngest son of King Zedekiah of the Jews, a child name Mulek.  The two people became one people and chose Mosiah to be their king. Later, after the death of Mosiah, his son, Benjamin was chosen king.  We just finished studying the words of King Benjamin as recorded in the book of Mosiah

Amaleki was the keeper of the records at the time of Mosiah the First's death.  Not having any children of his own to pass along the record he was keeping, he chose to give it to Benjamin, knowing he was a good man and a prophet in his own right.

Amaleki then concluded his record by relating the story of a group of Nephite men who decided, for whatever reason, that  they wanted to return to the Land of Nephi. In his own words:

And now I would speak somewhat concerning a certain number who went up into the wilderness to return to the land of Nephi; . . . they went up (remember, Nephi was in the mountains?) into the wilderness . . . and they were all slain, save fifty. . . and they returned again to the land of Zarahemla.

[Later,] they took others to a considerable number, and took their journey again into the wilderness. And I, Amaleki, had a brother, who also went with them; and I have not since known concerning them. (Omni 1: 27-30)

Whew! What a complex story full of different peoples and cultures, translated by a young, uneducated farm boy in a few months in 1829.  By contrast, it took J.R.R. Tolkien more than 10 years to write the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  People have spent years studying Tolkien to delve into the complex cultures of the peoples of Middle Earth.  Tolkien was supported in this lengthy quest by members of his group, the Inklings, especially his friend, C. S. Lewis, to make sure that it remained internally consistent.  LDS scholars, many of whom have spent their lives studying the Book of Mormon, have found that the people, cultures, geographical references, and - most importantly - doctrine are as internally consistent as anything that came from the mind of Tolkien.

While the Book of Mormon does not read like the Lord of the Rings (nor was it intended to) it also introduces diverse cultures and people, geographical references, and Christian doctrine in a way that is just as complex and just as internally consistent.  A 19 year old farmer could not have written it! I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book.  I received the testimony when I was 18 as a witness from the Holy Ghost (see Moroni 10).  Everything I have learned since has served to strengthen that testimony. Scholars are making finds that support Joseph and the Book of Mormon; on the points that early critics used to "disprove" the Book of Mormon we are now finding evidence supports the Book.  That fact, in and of itself, is a testimony strengthener for me.

© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson, April 2020

SUNDAY HOME CHURCH

Do not suffer your children to argue . . . 

It never ceases to amaze me the way the Lord works.  In our lesson yesterday, we finished King Benjamin's address, learning about those things we must do to retain a remission of our sins.  My son chose the opening hymn, Love at Home.

There is an interesting story here: I remember reading in Mosiah when my children were young how King Benjamin told parents that they must not allow their children to fight and argue.  Satan is the author of contention and when the family bickers, they are inviting him in.  In response to that teaching, whenever my kids would bicker, I would start singing Love at Home, as loudly as I could.  My kids all grew up hating that song, but it did make them stop fighting, just so I'd stop singing!  That few seconds' interlude was all they needed to break the rage cycle and get them back into their thinking brains. It didn't dawn on me until this morning that what I had been doing singing to my arguing children was following King Benjamin's admonition.  I don't think it has yet occurred to my son that my singing was in response to this verse.  But the Lord remembers and now, so do I!

© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson, April 2020

SEAL YOU HIS

A large stone was placed at the entrance  of Jesus' tomb to seal it.

Note the wax seal over the rope on the stone in this reenactment.

At the conclusion of his address to his people, King Benjamin expressed his hope that the people would always remember the Son of God and keep His commandments.  He wrote: 

Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his that you may be  brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of Him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen. (Mosiah 5: 15)

In the ancient world, sealing attested to the 1) authenticity of the document or artifact; and 2) that the document or artifact was under the protection of someone in authority. The practice was used for centuries, both before the Advent of Christ and after. Even today, when families are sealed in the temple, they receive Christ's acknowledgement of the authenticity of the marriage and Christ's protection that the family thus created will last beyond death and into the eternities.

Many ancient seals have been unearthed by archaeologists attesting to this common practice. 

This ancient Israelite seal says: Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, King of Judah.  By imprinting his seal upon anything of importance, Hezekiah is stating, in fact, that the document or object legally belongs to him.

When we are sealed to Christ, He is acknowledging for all eternity that we belong to Him; we are His adopted sons and daughters,(Mosiah 5: 7); and joint heirs with Christ. (Romans 8: 17)

The  importance of sealing is represented in John's marvelous apocalyptic vision recorded in the Book of Revelation, the scroll with seven seals. Modern-day revelation tells us that each seal represented 1,000 years of earth's history.  The seals protected this history and only one with authority, Jesus Christ, was authorized to open each seal and reveal its contents.

King Benjamin told his people that Christ would seal them His if they would make a sacred covenant with Christ to:

• Take upon you the name of Christ (v. 8)
• Always remember Him I (v. 12) 
• Do His will and to be obedient to His commandments (v. 5) 
• Be steadfast and immovable. (v. 15)

My greatest desire is that Christ may seal me His.  I express my desire by covenant every time I partake of the tokens of the Sacrament. My promise it that I take upon myself His name, always remember Him, and keep His commandments which He has given me (see Moroni 4: 3-4; Doctrine and Covenants 20: 73, 79.)   

In return, I may always have His spirit to be with me.                                  Who could ask for anything more?

© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson, April 2020

ATONEMENT - PIVOTAL POINT IN HISTORY

I mentioned in an earlier post that the Nephites were living under the Law of Moses and many of their traditions as described in the Book of Mormon are more at home in Ancient Israel than modern-day America. Many Jewish converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have recognized these things as testimony of a translation of an ancient record.  

One theme I mentioned already is the Feast of Tabernacles. Another familiar theme that was likely familiar to the Nephites was the ordinance of atonement found in the Law of Moses.  In the link, Book of Mormon Central, there is a video* that quite fascinated me.  It is called Understanding the Day of Atonement: Yom Kippur.  I was amazed at how seriously Ancient Israel recognized and observed this most sacred day in the Jewish calendar. It took place five days before the Feast of the Tabernacles - Sukkot - so that Israel could be free from sin when they celebrated, with Thanksgiving, the blessing they received from the Lord.  Understanding them all together helps us see connections that ultimately prepare us for the Great and Infinite Atonement in our lives. The observance begins on the day of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana.  It is followed by ten days of self-reflection and repentance among the people.  The tenth day is Yom Kippur.

The Tabernacle and, later, Temple had three sections or degrees of Holiness: the Outer Court, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies.  Before the high priest could enter, he had to ceremonially cleanse himself before he could represent all of Israel.

The ceremonial garments of the High Priests were described in great detail by the Lord.  Moses had the garment prepared for Aaron. Each item had symbolic meaning for Israel.  

On the morning of Yom Kippur, the priest wore this ceremonial garments and burned incense on the altar of incense. This altar was in the Holy Place in front of the veil.  The burning incense represented the prayers of the people to the Lord.

When this was completed, the priest laid aside his ceremonial robes, washed himself in the laver or basin in the court of the temple, and clothed himself in a pure white tunic, sash, and turban.  During the course of the ordinance, he would repeat this five different times.  He was now prepared to officiate in the Holy of Holies. He would first make and atonement for his own sins, and then the sins of all Israel. 

I love researching complex ideas through pictures.  I'd like to do that now.

There are three animals involved: a young male bullock and two male goats.  The priests draw lots.  One goat represents Israel; the other is called the scapegoat and in many ways prefigures Jesus Christ. 

The priest lays hands on the bullock and transfers his sins to the animal.

The bullock is ceremonially slain and its blood caught in a dish

The High Priest then enters the Holy of Holies through the veil

He takes a live coal from the altar and burns incense before the 

Ark of the Covenant.  The smoke fills the room and represents

the presence of the Lord

The priest leaves, then washes, and returns with the blood.

He sprinkles seven drops upon the Ark of the Covenant

to purge his own sins.

The priest then sacrifices the goal representing Israel.  He reenters 

the Holy of Holies and sprinkles the goat's blood on the Ark.

This is to cleanse Israel collectively for their sins.

All the sins of Israel are transferred to the scapegoat.  This innocent goat is

then turned out into the wilderness to die for the people's sins.

This is a strong symbol of what Jesus Christ would do for us all.

I don't know if the Nephites observed Yom Kippur or not (there is not mention of it in the Book of Mormon) but they certainly understood the concept of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is the single most important thing ever to happen in the Eternities.  I believe that is why King Benjamin spent so much time teaching his people about the Atonement.   With Jesus Atoning Sacrifice, He fulfilled the Law of Moses.  The veil in the temple was rent in two as God's children were reconciled to Him through the blood of the Lamb of God.  They rejoiced and looked forward to His coming as we now rejoice in His victory over sin and death and look forward with hope for Him to come again.

The Gospel is eternal and Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  How I love Him!

© Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson, April 2020

* Understanding the Day of Atonement