Thursday, February 28, 2013

Need I Remind You?

Reading:   Leviticus 19

Further examples of wrong doing and statutes concerning certain laws abound in chapter nineteen but the key to the chapter comes at the end of nearly half the verses...

LEVITICUS 19:37
37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the Lord. 
What is the key that I am referring to, "...I am The Lord."  Again, nearly half of the verses end with this reminder.  It is a not-so-subtle poke to our ignorant brains designed to immediately squelch the desire to complain or question the veracity of these laws, statutes and prohibitions.

Don't forget who I am
Don't forget what I've done
Don't question my reasoning

Refrain from doubt
Refrain from complaint
Refrain from anger

Have faith that I am
Have faith that I will
Have faith and believe

I am
I am The Lord
I am The Lord Your God

~Kipling

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Moloch, the Executioner

Reading:   Leviticus 18

Chapter eighteen primarily consists of "thou shalt nots" in regard to sexual relations, perversions, and abominations.  Most of the described acts are labeled either: "wickedness" (incest, pedophilia v.17), "confusion" (bestiality v.23), or "abomination" (homosexuality v.22).  Some of the verses are perplexing riddles (brother's wife's sister's daughter type stuff) but tend to boomerang back for understanding after a bit of rambling on.  One verse, however, had nothing to do with sexuality, brought up an obscure name, and didn't seem to fit in the chapter subject line at all...

LEVITICUS 18:21
21    And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. 
Who is Molech?  After doing a quick search on the name, I recalled why the name was familiar; two instances actually.  First, Molech is mentioned by John Milton in Paradise Lost (required reading for  anyone who desires a degree in English):
First, Moloch, horrid King, besmeared with bloodOf human sacrifice, and parents’ tears; Though, for the noise of drums and timbrels loud,Their children’s cries unheard that passed through fireTo his grim idol. Him the Ammonite
Milton gives Moloch the ignominous role of being the first pagan god to join Satan in his quest for dominion over, and destruction of, humanity.

The Second instance, also recalled from years at the University of Utah, was from a plate (31) called The Flight of Moloch, from William Blake, who called Moloch the executioner.  

Who is Molech? A very bad dude!  Basically, though, he is a Minotaur type figure (head of a bull, body of a man) that was an idol of worship requiring his subjects to sacrifice infants in his unholy name.  A statue of the beast would be heated up until it was red and then, in ritual fashion, a baby would be placed in the arms of the statue where it would be consumed by heat.  Loud drums and tambourines would be played to drown out the screams.  Brutal and an obviously horrific example of humanity going terribly wrong in its desire to please anything that might better life, no matter how extreme.

It's believed that the primary reason the Romans destroyed Carthage was due to Moloch worship by the Carthaginians.

Anyway, enough of that, some images are hard to erase which is why I have not added any links to the numerous pictures of Moloch worship.  Suffice it to say, Moloch was bad, is bad (there are many allusions to Moloch worship in modern times), and The Lord is quite clear that child sacrifice is a big fat, what-are-you-thinking, "No!"

~Kipling






Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Twenty-six Days

Reading:   Leviticus 17

In chapter seventeen, The Lord reiterates his prohibition on the drinking of blood and reemphasizes that sacrifices are to be offered only to Him, satanic offerings of any kind are strictly prohibited.  There is also a verse explaining when life begins; a trigger for the ever popular debate on abortion.  I believe in the sanctity of life and, understanding that life starts at the first beat of a heart, can unequivocally say, that life has begun and should not be terminated.  Now, I agree that every situation is unique and poses its own set of issues, so on, and so on, and in some cases there might be cause; but, 97.9% of the time, no!

I also want to make clear that I am not the supreme judge and will not hold my head above any other soul for choices made.  My place is to love and accept.  Finally, terminating a pregnancy is not held in the same regard as murder and, like all sin, there is a process of forgiveness that cannot be denied the contrite spirit.

But, in regards to this issue or any for that matter, please don't blindly accept or even listen to, the extreme voices out there.  There are zealots on both sides; from the physicians who peddle abortion to vulnerable women like ambulance chasing attorneys looking for a quick buck, to the crazies screaming pro-life, yes CRAZIES, who stand on street corners holding up signs of aborted babies to make a point.

For me it's as simple as the scripture...

LEVITICUS 17:11
11    For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. 
Here is stated the beginning of life, "...life of the flesh is in the blood."  We are talking about the flow of blood within the fetus, the first beat of a heart...to understand when exactly that is let me turn to a former heart surgeon and current Apostle of God, Russell M. Nelson:
 It is not a question of when "meaningful life" begins or when the spirit "quickens" the body. In the biological sciences, it is known that life begins when two germ cells unite to become one cell, bringing together twenty-three chromosomes from both the father and from the mother. These chromosomes contain thousands of genes. In a marvelous process involving a combination of genetic coding by which all the basic human characteristics of the unborn person are established, a new DNA complex is formed. A continuum of growth results in a new human being. The onset of life is not a debatable issue, but a fact of science.

 Approximately twenty-two days after the two cells have united, a little heart begins to beat. At twenty-six days the circulation of blood begins. (See J. Willis Hurst, R. Bruce Logue, Robert C. Schlant, and Nanette Kass Wenger, The Heart, 4th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978), p. 7.)

The woman's choice for her own body does not validate choice for the body of another. The expression "terminate the pregnancy" applies literally only to the woman. The consequence of terminating the fetus therein involves the body and very life of another. These two individuals have separate brains, separate hearts, and separate circulatory systems. To pretend that there is no child and no life there is to deny reality. 
     -Reverence For Life, April General Conference 1985 (Saturday morning session)
Again, for me, it's as simple as the scripture...life of flesh is in the blood...26-days...

~Kipling



Monday, February 25, 2013

Two Goats of the Atonement

Reading:   Leviticus 16

I always find it exciting when I discover the origin of a word.  I have discovered several since I began  my daily scripture study/blog posting (can't for the life of me think of any at this moment but I know I have written about a few).  Today I came across the word "scapegoat" and discovered its literal meaning...

LEVITICUS 16:8-10, 22
8    And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 

9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 

10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. 

22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. 
One goat would be sacrificed and the other would take upon him the sins of the people and be set free in a faraway land.  The ceremonial scapegoat represented a leaving of sin, or a loss of sin, meaning all the sins were carried upon the goat and no man knew where the goat, or their sins, were - sins were gone, taken from them, lost.

In terms of defining the word today, Dictionary.com states the definition of scapegoat as: A person or group made to bare the blame for others or to suffer in their place.  The curious thing, in regards to the definition, is the obvious lack of the sacrificed goat.  Who takes on that role?  If a person or group is made to bare the blame or sins of others where is the offered goat, the goat that does suffer, even death.  There were two goats, the offered and the escaped, we tend to place both meanings on the word today; a person is given the blame and suffers for the blame.

All of the offerings and laws under Moses and Aaron were fulfilled in the mortal ministry of Jesus Christ, inluding that of both the scapegoat and sacrificial goat.  The Savior has been referred to as the ultimate scapegoat but I would submit that he also filled the role of the ultimate sacrificial goat as well.  Let me explain...when Jesus knelt alone in the garden of Gethsemane...
  He suffered so much pain, "indescribable anguish," and "overpowering torture" (John Taylor, The Mediation and Atonement (1882), 150) for our sake. His profound suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He took upon Himself all the sins of all other mortals, caused Him "to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit." (D&C 19:18) "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly," (Luke 22:44) saying, "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." (Matt. 26:42)~James E. Faust, The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope (October General Conference, 2001 - Saturday morning session).
This act, willingly suffered, fulfilled the sin offering to God as the sacrificial goat.  The second act, being raised upon the cross, fulfilled the role of the scapegoat as a visual offering for man.  Jesus, willingly, died upon the cross for all to see.  He took upon him the sins of the world and died for them (in a sense, he and the sins of the world were lost, taken from the sight of man) this was the act of the second goat, the scapegoat, witnessed by all and likewise celebrated as the visual depiction of the atonement (as attested by the symbolic use of the cross and statues in cathedrals everywhere).

The difference in this act, and all sacrifices offered to this point, was the willingness of the Savior to suffer both on the cross and in Gethsemane.  He accepted the call of his father, he accepted the sins of the world, he accepted the suffering and accepted his mortal demise willingly.  No other sacrifice did so of their own volition!  If asked, I'm sure none of the various animals would have accepted their untimely bloodletting and yet the Savior did just that - suffered for all willingly.  He was indeed the ultimate scapegoat and sacrificial goat.

~Kipling


Sunday, February 24, 2013

Medical Ignorance Exposed

Reading:   Leviticus 14-15

And now, as promised two blog days ago, is the great and wondrous chapter on fighting infection.  Keep in mind that the instruction given here was way before its time in terms of medical understanding and yet the guidelines, if followed today, would be deemed medically appropriate...

LEVITICUS 15:2-7
2    Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean. 

3    And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness. 

4    Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean. 

5    And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 

6 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 

7    And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 
For those among you that may be a bit confused, as I was, no shame, the term "even" means "evening."  So any contact with the patient, or contact with anything that has been around the patient, requires the priest to cleanse himself and his clothes and keep clear of others till evening.  Come on now, you must admit that this is pretty cool.  Moses and Aaron were given concise guidelines to abate the spread of infection thousands of years before doctors understood the importance of cleanliness.  Even as recent as the Civil War, doctors were moving from one patient to the next without washing their hands or sterilizing their tools - insane!

In the Saturday morning session of the 1992 General Conference, Russell M. Nelson (a heart surgeon, so he knows what he is talking about) gave an awesome talk, Where is Wisdom:
 Mankind's unfamiliarity with the scriptures has sometimes brought sorrow to great numbers of people over long periods of time. The suffering that has resulted from such ignorance is truly tragic. May I illustrate with excerpts from history that pertain to the spread of infection. 

 In the nineteenth century, health officials and others were concerned about pollution of the air, not by visible smoggy hydrocarbons of today, but by an invisible miasma that was blamed for almost any infection. In 1867, for example, Lord Lister indicted bad air as the chief cause of infection. (J. Lister, "On a New Method of Treating Compound Fracture, Abscess, etc., with Observations on the Conditions of Suppuration," Lancet, 1 (1867): 326.) Because of that, in 1869 Simpson from Edinburgh urged that hospitals be taken down and rebuilt every few years. (J. Y. Simpson, "Our Existing System of Hospitalism and Its Effects," Edinburgh Medical Journal, 14 (1869): 817.) Such an extravagant practice was also advocated by other experts. (L. A. Stimson, "Bacteria and Their Influence upon the Origin and Development of Septic Complications of Wounds," New York Medical Journal, 22 (1875): 144.) 

 Even Florence Nightingale, a living legend following her heroic efforts in the Crimean War, failed to recognize the transmission of infection from one patient to another-this despite her careful notations that wound infection accounted for 40 percent of postoperative mortality. (See Edward Cook, The Life of Florence Nightingale, 2 vols. (London: Macmillan and Co., 1913), 1:352-438.) 

 But others missed the connection, too. For centuries, lives of innumerable mothers and children were claimed by "childbirth fever"-infections unknowingly transmitted among the innocent by unwashed hands of attendants. (See Ignaz Philipp Semmelweiss, Die Aetiologie, der Begriff und die Prophylaxis des Kindbettfiebers, reprinted from 1861 ed. (New York: Johnson Reprint Co., 1966), pp. 102-13.) 

 It was only a short century ago that the great work of Koch, Pasteur, and others proved that infection could be caused by bacteria in contaminated body fluids-or infected issues-passed from one individual to another.  
With these highlights of history in mind, may I quote the word of the Lord recorded long ago in Leviticus, chapter fifteen: 
Nelson quotes the verses I have noted above and then continues...
 Several verses follow which re-emphasize and illustrate those important principles. Then we read this conclusion: 

 "And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall ... wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean." (Lev. 15:13.) 

 Thus, our loving Heavenly Father had clearly revealed principles of clean technique in the handling of infected patients more than three thousand years ago! These scriptures are in complete harmony with modern medical guidelines. (See Isolation Techniques for Use in Hospitals (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1970), p. 9.) But during those many millennia, how many mothers needlessly perished? How many children suffered because man's quest for knowledge had failed to incorporate the word of the Lord? 
No way I'm going to try and follow that - thank you Dr. Apostle Nelson!

~Kipling
























Saturday, February 23, 2013

Freckles & Baldness

Reading:   Leviticus 13:29-59

Fear not, oh ye freckled or bald ones for ye are clean!

LEVITICUS 13:38-43
38 If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots; 

39 Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean. 

40 And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean. 

41 And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean. 
Continuing on with the plagues of the skin, it was immensely refreshing to find these verses declaring freckles and baldness, even forehead baldness, normal and considered clean in nature.  Of course the priests must still check it for signs of uncleanliness but, for the most part, these were not to be branded as deformities or signs of leprosy - whew!

Okay, I must apologize for the misleading blog from yesterday...I thought that the leprosy discussion was only in one chapter but it continues on even into the next.  The exciting "infection" stuff doesn't occur until the chapter after that...sorry.  But, as for today, let us rejoice in the cleanliness of our bald and freckled ones!

Here is a relevant (kind of) quote from one of my favorite intellectuals, Karl Pilkington:
That's the problem with having a bald head.  It exaggerates the shape.
~Kipling

Friday, February 22, 2013

The Institution of Quarantine

Reading:   Leviticus 13:1-28

Continuing on with the lectures of clean and unclean, we now turn to the first few verses of Leviticus thirteen where God speaks with Moses and Aaron concerning leprosy, plagues, boils and other such skin ailments...

LEVITICUS 13:2, 4
2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: 

4 If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days: 
It is fascinating to read this chapter in that it deals with various ailments and the subsequent quarantines that are assigned to each; isolating infections!  Sending the ill to quarantine-like isolation areas in order to wait-out infections is awesome...I'm not going to give too much away because I can only write about the verses I read for today's blog (the meat of this topic comes in later verses so please read tomorrow for the full story).  Anyway, the priest shall, "...shut up him that hath the plague seven days." This verse plainly sets the precedent of quarantine.

The idea of quarantine is paramount in the reading and a great lead-in for tomorrow so, looking up the meaning...
Quarantine: A strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease
We find that the primary purpose of isolating someone, in medical terms, is to "...prevent the spread of disease."  Was this purpose adequately explained to Aaron and Moses or was it deemed simply as an act of removing the unclean as a course of religious duty?  I don't know but, either way, it certainly was visionary and millennia ahead of its time in medical knowledge.

Side note:  Guess what the eighth definition of quarantine is?  You're going to laugh but I'm not pulling your leg, this is a direct quote from Dictionary.com, ready...the eighth definition of quarantine is:   A period of forty days

I know!  It's crazy!  The number is popping up everywhere - I should have enjoyed myself a little more during my fortieth year on earth but who knew?!

~Kipling

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Mathematical Chauvinism

Reading:   Leviticus 12

After the clean and unclean edibles chapter (11), the law of clean and unclean extends now to people, starting with pregnant women.  Chapter twelve is primarily about childbirth and the period of uncleanliness that attends to both the mother and the child wether male or female (if distinguishable)...

LEVITICUS 12:2,4-5
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. 

4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. 

5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days. 
I am sure you would like me to dig into the chauvinism of this section in that when a female is born there is a period of uncleanliness, for both the mother and daughter, which is double that of a male child; interesting as that may be, I am not going to throw my two bits at the cosmic reasoning of God.  What I will do, however, is jump all over the symbolism of the number 40 again (see An Arc-Cotangent Irreducible Number).

Right then, here we see the biblical conundrum (the number 40) creep onto the pages again, cleverly disguised as two equations:
  1. When the woman gives birth she must wait 7-days then an additional 33-days if her child is male...insert the clicks of my trusty abacus here, and...yes, as I thought, 40-Days!  
  2. If the child were female then the mother must wait two-weeks (14-days) and then an additional "...threescore and six days (26-days)."  Toss that jumble of numbers into your calculation blender and what do you get, 80-days or two periods of 40-days!
I'm a mathematical genius!

As for relevance...I have none at this time...

~Kipling


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Bacon: To Eat or Not to Eat?

Reading:   Leviticus 11

Now I have a better understanding of why the Jewish religion so disdains the flesh of pigs...

LEVITICUS 11:7
7    And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. 
There it is...pigs don't chew cud and are therefore unclean to eat.  Chapter eleven of Leviticus gives the entire menu of what is considered clean and healthy to consume versus those items which are not.   I would go deeper into the various categories of animal (ie. beasts, fowl, fishes, and creeping things) and what, in each category, is considered clean but, as a Christian, I pretty much eat everything so I will skip the details.

Why, you might ask, do I, as a Christian, choose not to follow this particular law, as contained in the Old Testament, and yet do follow others that seem, in the eyes of many, outdated as well (such as homosexuality).  Let me try and explain...far be it from me to understand the ways of God - meaning - I'm sure God had a reason to forbid the people from eating certain animals (ie. hogs notoriously carried various infectious elements that caused trichinosis; fever, muscle weakness, and diarrhea).  it quite simply may have been for obedience porpuses or simply to maintain a healthy populous based on cooking methods of the day - don't know.  What I do know is that Peter, of the New Testament, had a dream (Acts 10:10-15) and though that dream had multiple meanings, especially pertaining to missionary work, it does put an end to the law of Moses pertaining to clean and unclean eats...

10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance. 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

As for modern day interpretation of the law, in regards to Jews, I think it stands more as an obedience issue than anything else.  Here is a link to a great explanation from the Fly Fishing Rabbi...Why Do Jews Not Eat Pork.

I applaud anyone who abstains from something as a point of self-mastery, especially those who choose not to eat the delectable bacon, and say, "Well done, carry on (more for me)."

~Kipling


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Termites of Joy

Reading:   Leviticus 8-10

Putting your house in order requires an earnest effort to set an example and teach your children appropriate truths and lessons.  So what are those lessons, the essential ones?  It is a good question...

Aaron learned this lesson in a tragic fashion; two of his sons, ordained priests, were literally devoured by fire after they made inappropriate offerings to God (Leviticus chapter 11).  Aaron and his remaining sons were commanded not to mourn the loss of them or they too should die.  So what was the lesson?

LEVITICUS 10:10-11
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. 
There are two essential lessons that we as parents need to emphasize in our teaching; the difference between holy and unholy, clean and unclean.  Teach the difference, make sure your children understand the difference. Return often to your children with examples and questions regarding these poles of difference.  Again, clean and unclean, holy and unholy, must be understood and easily recognized.  In order to teach the statutes of God effectively, these two essential lessons must be paramount in the process.

Below is a portion of a talk from Russell M. Nelson, Set in Order Thy House, delivered in the Sunday morning session of the October 2001 General Conference.  It is very appropriate to the topic of teaching and holding tight to your family in these turbulent times:
 Parents and children should realize that strong opposition will always come against the work and will of the Lord. (See Moro. 7:12-19) Because the work (and glory) of God is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life as a family, (See Moses 1:39) it logically follows that the work of the adversary will strike directly at the heart of the home-the family. Relentlessly Lucifer attacks the sanctity of life and the joy of parenthood. 

 Because the evil one is ever at work, our vigilance cannot be relaxed-not even for a moment. A small and seemingly innocent invitation can turn into a tall temptation which can lead to tragic transgression. Night and day, at home or away, we must shun sin and "hold fast that which is good." (1 Thes. 5:21) 

 The seditious evils of pornography, abortion, and addiction to harmful substances serve as termites to erode the undergirding strength of a happy home and a faithful family. We cannot yield to any iniquity without putting our families at risk. 

 Satan wants us to be miserable just as he is. (See 2 Ne. 2:17-18, 27) He would animate our carnal appetites, entice us to live in spiritual darkness and doubt the reality of life after death. The Apostle Paul observed, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (1 Cor. 15:19) 
A powerful elbow to the gut of desire, eh?  Ultimately, joy comes from the understanding of holy, clean, choices and abstaining, thoroughly recognizing, that which is unclean and unholy.  As parents it is hard to sometimes make the distinction between holy and unholy, clean and unclean, and often times we may choose incorrectly in our haste to keep moving forward but, once the bad choice is recognized, immediate action must be taken to correct the wrong and return to truth swiftly.  The longer we wait, the longer we justify or question wether something truly is wrong, the tighter the
anchor of deceit grows heavy around our neck.  Get upright as soon as possibly, don't hesitate!

The termites of joy, mentioned in the title, are Satan's seditious evils; our carnal desires that nibble away at our happiness until the very foundation is gone and we are lost in the darkness of our own inner betrayal.

~Kipling



Monday, February 18, 2013

A Warning for Edward

Reading:   Leviticus 1-7

First, after reading today's title, who among you immediately thought of the vampyric character from the Twilight series?  Sad, truly sad, but you are correct in your whimsical association.  We will get back to Edward later...

The opening chapters of Leviticus are filled with the order of offerings.  A lot of the instruction is redundant, repeated over and over for each type of offering, but that is the process of God's teaching - line upon line, precept upon precept.  The types of offering are:

  1. Burnt Offering
  2. Meat Offering (AKA - Meal Offering)
  3. Sin Offering
  4. Peace Offering
  5. Trespass Offering
Each offering is a type of animal sacrifice with instruction on: how to kill specific animals from oxen to pigeons, what to do with the various parts, from fat and organs to the blood of the offering, and even the manner by which to season the offering (oils, salt, etc.).  The Lord also explains which sins require which type of offering and which animal to use in each instance.  The descriptions are quite specific, visual, and a bit gruesome if not for the ultimate purpose.  

Side note: There is a book by Andrew John Jukes, Law of the Offerings: The Five Tabernacle Offerings and Their Spiritual Significancethat may shed some light on the various offerings from a Christian point of view.  I'm interested by haven't the time, so, it's on my list (hint, hint).

I'm not going to delve into the offerings as a topic because their is too much to render, if you know what I mean, but I would like to point out the follow...

LEVITICUS 3:17, 7:27
17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood. 

27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. 
There you have it - to partake of blood, in any manner thereof, is to be cut off from the presence of God.  That is the warning to Edward and the ultimate fate for all who choose to follow in his bloodthirsty footsteps - Don't be vampires kids!

Okay, fictional characters aside (yes, he is fictional), the warning is significant because of the integral role blood plays in existence, not only as the giver of life, but also as the ultimate sacrifice of life.  Blood is a vital segment in each of the five offerings and ultimately in the very atonement of Jesus Christ.  To drink blood is a mockery of the blood sacrifice of our Savior, a pure act of evil born of Satan and practiced throughout the world in rituals as old as time.

~Kipling





Sunday, February 17, 2013

The Cloud and the Fire

Reading:   Exodus 39-40

After an exhaustive period of direction concerning the construction and adornment of the tabernacle, along with the requisite dress for the presiding attendants, the tabernacle was finally completed, "...Moses finished the work (v.33)."  At this point, The Lord descended upon the tabernacle...

EXODUS 40:34-38
34    Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 

35    And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 

36    And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: 

37    But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. 

38    For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. 
The Lord inhabiting the tabernacle was a great act of forgiveness in that it showed God had forgiven the Israelites for the golden calf debacle and was willing to dwell amongst them.  The people then, from that point onward, could always rely upon, and find assurance from, the presence of God.  By day there was a cloud upon the tabernacle and a visible fire by night.

Understanding that the people moved only when the cloud lifted up from the tabernacle and lead them, it would be interesting to know the time frame of rest (days) between journeyings.  I would venture a speculative guess that it was a forty day stretch between their spurts of travel (see An Arc-Cotangent Irreducible Number).

It is also interesting, but largely irrelevant, that, in verse 38, the cloud is referred to as, "...the cloud of The Lord," and yet the fire is not given the Lord's ownership (ie. the fire of The Lord) though both were representative of His presence within - further contemplation required.

~Kipling

Saturday, February 16, 2013

My Kingdom for a Knop

Reading:   Exodus 37-38

What, pray tell, is a knop?

EXODOUS 37:21
21 And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it. 
It is apparent that The Lord wanted knops "...under two branches of the same." I do hope Moses, and Bezaleel (the master craftsman), understood what a knop was because there is no clear understanding of what it is today, other then conjecture and speculation.  All scholars seem to agree that it was some type of knob or egg-like ornament but again, there is no perfect definition.  The most concise answer comes from Biblestudytools.com:
The word no doubt signifies some globular thing resembling a small gourd or an egg, though as to the character of the ornament we are quite in the dark.
I like this answer because the scholars honestly state that, in regard to the character of a knop, "...we are quite in the dark."  Other sites don't relent on their knowledge (another strike against the Wiki folks) and I find that uncomfortably presumptive of them.

Ultimately, the various required knops are an insignificant item in regards to the overall purpose of the tabernacle but I was curious, so I looked.  The Lord wanted knops and I am sure that Bezaleel understood what type of ornamentation a knop was and adequately constructed the knops as dictated. Enough of the knop talk...

~Kipling

Friday, February 15, 2013

Donations Refused

Reading:   Exodus 36

A rare thing happens in this chapter - the people are restrained from contribution!  You heard me right...the charity and willingness of the people to provide the means by which the tabernacle would be built and adorned was too much and they had to be instructed to stop donating.  No way that would happen these days!  Can you imagine a charitable organization making a statement that their coffers runneth over and thank you but no thank you...NEVER!

Keep in mind that the Israelites were not poor by any means, remember they had borrowed the riches of Egypt prior to their great exodus so they had plenty of "stuff."  They found themselves lacking in food, water, weapons, and medical supplies, at times, but riches they did have.

The setup here is with the master craftsmen who were chosen to create the Tabernacle.  They could have kept the extra supplies for themselves as payment for their work, for that matter even Moses could have kept the excess riches, but all were righteous men and chose not to fill their own pockets with wealth but use only that which was needed and refuse the rest - pretty awesome!

EXODUS 36:4-7
4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; 

5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make. 

6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. 

7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much. 
"The people were restrained from bringing..." I cannot fathom such a thing.  What a change from all the murmurings of not to long ago.  Maybe the Levite extermination of the 3,000 wicked calf dancers roused a sense of faith in the people, hmmm...

~Kipling

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Blue, Purple, & Scarlet

Reading:   Exodus 35

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Symbolism abounds in colors (ie. white = purity, cleanliness, etc., black = death, sin, etc.).  There are many references to colors in The Bible and one would be hard pressed not to question what specific references might mean.  In chapter thirty-five of Exodus, there are several verses that note a specific combination of colors - blue, purple, and scarlet.  The more I came across the combination, the more I found my curiosity peaked as to the symbolism.  Here is one example...

EXODUS 35:6
6 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, 
There are four other references to the combination of blue, purple and scarlet in chapter thirty-five and twenty-six references to the combination in the Old Testament.  Why is it significant?  Am I projecting an enigma that doesn't exist or is there something to it?  I couldn't find any information on the color combination specifically but I did find a plethora of sites that defined color meaning.  I'm not going to list all the meanings, there are copious amounts, but here are the most prominent in regards to the Bible:
BLUE   =   Heaven, Holy Spirit
PURPLE   =   Royalty, wealth, majesty
SCARLET   =   Atonement, sacrifice
Blue is the color of the sky and therefore it is easy to define blue as a memento of heaven; likewise, scarlet is easily equated with blood so atonement and sacrifice can be drawn as simple comparisons.  Purple, however, isn't so easily defined...the reason purple has acquired its station as a color of wealth comes primarily from shellfish - in biblical times, hundreds, if not thousands, of the mollusks were crushed and pressed in order to make a sufficient quantity of purple dye for one garment.  The cost for purple cloth, as you can very well imagine, would have been quite exorbitant and available only to the most wealthy.

So in the book Exodus, The Lord wants Moses to adorn the Tabernacle and dress the attending priests with these three colors.  The Israelites had to produce the materials to create the Tabernacle and priestly garments (a show of sacrifice) and, once complete, the Tabernacle would be a place of the most high order.  A heavenly place, a place of worship, a place of reverence, and, most important, a place of sacrifice and atonement.  These colors were of the highest regard by all and, though I don't think there was any real meaning in the specific combination of blue, purple, scarlet, I do think the desired sacred ambiance could not be achieved without each.

~Kipling


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Obsta Principiis

Reading:   Exodus 34

Today I found myself caught up in the numerous areas by which The Lord draws attention to idol worship.  In particular was the stern warning against mingling with the locals; like the Egyptians the Canaanites were an idolatrous people and, in no uncertain terms, Moses was to forbid the Israelites from cavorting with these people...

EXODUS 34:15-16
15    Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; 

16    And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. 
The terminology, "a whoring after their Gods," is vivid in its usage and quite applicable in that one must give up something precious for gain.  In this instance, The Lord is warning Moses that the sons of Israel will give up their precious beliefs and succumb to idol worship in order to please the locals (the Canaanite women).  Matthew Henry explains it like this...
...If they espoused [married off] their children, they would be in danger of espousing their gods; such is the corruption of nature that the bad are much more likely to debauch the good than the good to reform the bad. The way of sin is downhill: those that are in league with idolaters will come by degrees to be in love with idolatry; and those that are prevailed upon to eat of the idolatrous sacrifice will come at length to offer it.  
Obsta principiis—Nip the mischief in the bud. 
Great insight don't you think?  Nip the possibility of sin early, while in the bud of thought, and sin will be avoided.  If the boys are forbidden from socializing with the locals they will avoid the mishap of falling for one and thereby also avoid the downhill slide that will lead to idol worship.

~Kipling

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

A Simple Test

Reading:   Exodus 34:1-3

Yeah, I crashed after just a few verses today but they were heavy versus filled with much goodness.  Moses returned to God, after the golden calf debacle, and was instructed to make two new tablets of stone - he broke the previous two when he saw the wickedness of the people.  What is interesting here is that The Lord directed Moses to make the tablets of his own hand whereas He created the first two tablets.  Maybe a lesson in humility? Also, The Lord explained that the higher law (Melchizedek Priesthood) would not be on the new tablets as it had been on the first set.  It is obvious that the people are in need of a much longer pilgrimage to understand and embrace the God of their fathers and are not ready for the higher law.  Finally, in verse three, The Lord sets up another test, subtle but sure...

EXODUS 34:3
3    And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount. 
Did you catch it?  Okay, so, as you might recall, the last time Moses went up to the mount and conversed with The Lord it was a 40-day period.  In that time the people became restless and did a little golden calf dancing - not good.  So, "...no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen." Can they handle another 40-day stint without their spiritual leader or will they tumble down the slope of iniquity?  That, my friends, is the test.

~Kipling

Monday, February 11, 2013

Consequences Delivered

Reading:   Exodus 33

The people of Israel had angered God greatly and His wrath was such that even Moses, who had been in the presence of God on several occasions, could not look upon Him and live.  After cleaning house, having the Levites execute judgement upon 3,000 men (yes, to the death of each), Moses returned to The Lord...

EXODUS 33:20
20    And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 
Now that is the King James Version of the text (KJV) and yet there is so much more as translated by Joseph Smith (JST)...
20    And he said unto Moses, Thou canst not see my face at this time, lest mine anger be kindled against thee also, and I destroy thee, and thy people; for there shall no man among them see me at this time, and live, for they are exceeding sinful. And no sinful man hath at any time, neither shall there be any sinful man at any time, that shall see my face and live.  
Now I'm not sure as to why Moses was unable to see God's face, the sin, as we know it, was performed by the evil part of the Israelites, not Moses.  So either, Moses was at fault for his reaction to the people, his judgement and harsh dealing with them (which I don't believe is the case because The Lord commanded him to deal with his people or He would), or Moses was at fault for some unknown sin we are not privy to.  The only other explanation could be that Moses had not committed any sin but that the wrath of God was so intense that Moses could not physically handle the change in God without suffering mortal death.

Needless-to-say, Moses was being taught a great lesson here; a lesson about the importance of discipline and following through with promised consequences.  Could Moses have talked with his people sternly and made a decent showing of wrath, sure he could; but, having dealt continually with the naysayers among the people since leaving Egypt, it was time to make a greater statement.  The commandment was simple, if you worship idols you will be put to death, Moses had to literally execute the judgement portion of the commandment or all the commandments would be deemed as good advice versus serious laws with serious consequences.  I'm sure it was difficult for Moses to give the command to kill but it had to be done.  Moses learned a valuable lesson and the Israelites learned a very hard truth - God will not be mocked!

~Kipling


Sunday, February 10, 2013

Seed of Levi (Assassins)

Reading:   Exodus 32

The third son of Jacob was quite a battle-tested, mean, sword-worthy, warrior of a man.  He, Levi, along with his older brother Simeon, took part in one of the greatest plays of retribution ever recorded (see Double Dragon).  I bring this up because I wanted to refresh your memory as to who Levi was...now, fast forward several generations and we find the descendants of Levi mixed among the Israelites that fled Egypt.

Moses had been away for 40 days, conversing with God, and the people had given up hope of ever seeing him again.  In their anxiety, the Israelites decided they needed something to give them hope and therefore created a golden calf (in less than 40-days they fell to idolatry even after all the miracles they had witnessed - crazy!!).  In the midst of their discussion, God explained to Moses that his people had fallen to idolatry and...

EXODUS 32:8-10, 14
8    They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 

9    And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 

10    Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. 
Moses, frustrated with his "stiffnecked" people but pleading for mercy, asked for some time that he might deal with them.  The subsequent response from God is somewhat confusing (in the King James Version of the Bible)...
14    And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. 
Why does The Lord have need to repent?  If He is "all" there should be no mistake made that needs retracting, right?  Well, in the JST (Joseph Smith Translation) version of the verse, God's response makes a lot more sense...
14    And the Lord said unto Moses, If they will repent of the evil which they have done, I will spare them, and turn away my fierce wrath; but, behold, thou shalt execute judgment upon all that will not repent of this evil this day. Therefore, see thou do this thing that I have commanded thee, or I will execute all that which I had thought to do unto my people.  
Moses is directed to "execute judgement" and he certainly does!  Moses discovers that the Levites, descendants of the crazy rape-revenging Levi, are among his followers and gives them the task of taking up the sword against the idolatrous faction of the people.  They do as instructed and slay 3,000 men - BOOM - how's that for executing judgement!  The blood of Levi proves strong in his seed...done!

~Kipling



Saturday, February 9, 2013

Sunday Observance

Reading:   Exodus 30-31

For our time, keeping the Sabbath Day holy is a very subjective thing; but for Moses and the Israelites the commandment was a little more serious (okay a lot more serious)...

EXODUS 31-15
15    Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 
Rest, take a load off, relax, smell the roses, look at the beauty of the sky and earth and enjoy the companionship of your loved ones, worship together, break bread together, sing joyful and uplifting songs with each other, smile, be happy, rejoice, or be put to death!

Now, obviously, things have become a touch less serious in regards to this commandment and it, like the Passover, took on a different weight as introduced by the ministry of Jesus (discuss that later).  These days there are many suggestions for what should and shouldn't be done on the Sabbath; some believe in strict obedience and have rules in place to enforce the observance of the day, others are much more lenient and emphasis merely church and family togetherness.  I have seen many different levels of Sabbath day observance and can't say that what works for my family would work for others, again, it is a subjective thing.

My wife and I came from different family observances and it took some time for us to meld into what we felt was appropriate but I think we have a solid system now (though it does need some work).  I truly believe some of my happiest moments have been sitting around with family, snuggled on the couch, a fire blazing in the stove, watching a show (we could certainly choose more appropriate material to watch on Sunday but we are together: laughing, jumping, crying, and enjoying something as a unit).  Others have joined us on Sundays and that is okay too, as long as we are together.  We just need to work on our attendance of meetings (punctuality especially, my bad influence not Angela's).

Like I said, there are a myriad of opinions in this area and I have sifted through many trying to find a talk that really connected with me, how I feel, and how I understand and try to observe the Sabbath.  My search culminated in a fantastic talk from James E. Faust, entitled The Lord's Day (Saturday afternoon session, October General Conference 1991).  Here are some excerpts from that talk...
 In biblical times this commandment to rest and worship was so strict that a violation of it called for the death penalty. (See Ex. 31:15.) Even the earth was given a sabbath rest: "But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard." (Lev. 25:4.) 

 ...Jesus reaffirmed the importance of the Sabbath day devotion, but he introduced a new spirit into this part of worship. (See Matt. 24:20.) Rather than observe the endless technicalities and prohibitions concerning what should and should not be done on the Lord's day, he affirmed that it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath. (See Matt. 12:12.) He taught us that "the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day" (Matt. 12:8) and introduced the principle that "the sabbath was made  for man, and not man for the sabbath" (Mark 2:27). He performed good deeds on the Sabbath, such as healing the man with palsy (see Mark 2:1-12) as well as the man with the paralyzed hand (see Matt. 12:10-13). So the divine mandate of Sabbath day observance in our day is now more of a manifestation of individual devotion and commitment rather than a requirement of civil law. 
... Over a lifetime of observation, it is clear to me that the farmer who observes the Sabbath day seems to get more done on his farm than he would if he worked seven days. The mechanic will be able to turn out more and better products in six days than in seven. The doctor, the lawyer, the dentist, the scientist will accomplish more by trying to rest on the Sabbath than if he tries to utilize every day of the week for his professional work. I would counsel all students, if they can, to arrange their schedules so that they do not study on the Sabbath. If students and other seekers after truth will do this, their minds will be quickened and the infinite Spirit will lead them to the verities they wish to learn. This is because God has hallowed his day and blessed it as a perpetual covenant of faithfulness. (See Ex. 31:16.)  
 ... Where is the line as to what is acceptable and unacceptable on the Sabbath? Within the guidelines, each of us must answer this question for ourselves. While these guidelines are contained in the scriptures and in the words of the modern prophets, they must also be written in our hearts and governed by our conscience. Brigham Young said of the faithful, "The spirit of their religion leaks out of their hearts." (Journal of Discourses, 15:83.) It is quite unlikely that there will be any serious violation of Sabbath worship if we come humbly before the Lord and offer him all our heart, our soul, and our mind. (See Matt. 22:37.) 
 What is worthy or unworthy on the Sabbath day will have to be judged by each of us by trying to be honest with the Lord. On the Sabbath day we should do what we have to do and what we ought to do in an attitude of worshipfulness and then limit our other activities. I wish to testify unequivocally concerning the blessings of Sabbath day worship in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 
The key point comes in the last paragraph...
"We should do what we have to do and what we ought to do in an attitude of worshipfulness  and then limit our other activities."
I know the "attitude of worshipfulness" is lacking in my home and we need to work on that; but, we do try and limit our activities, attend church (especially to partake of the sacrament), avoid work as much as possible, and more than all else, we make every effort to be together.

~Kipling

Friday, February 8, 2013

Waving and Heaving

Reading:   Exodus 29

The rites of burnt offerings are given in this chapter and, except for all the bloody parts, are fairly understandable and straight forward; however, there was a sticking point that really spun my head around...

EXODUS 29:27-28
27 And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons: 

28 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the Lord. 
Say what?  I'm sure you understood all that perfectly well, right?  I certainly did not and had to reread several verses ahead and behind to finally come to a workable understanding of it all.  Okay, so there are two kinds of offerings discussed here: a wave offering and a heave offering.  I supposed that there was some great definition to the words but, in fact, there is not...
  • Wave offering:  an offering literally waved to and fro so as to signify, "Here it is."
  • Heave offering: An offering literally heaved up and lowered, up and down, again to make known its presence and gift unto God.
The offering was to be displayed by waving and heaving and then a portion of the offering was placed on the alter and burned, signifying God's portion, and the other portion was to be consumed by the offering priests.  The idea being that they might feast together in fellowship, God and man...
...He supped with them, and they with him. Their eating of the things wherewith the atonement was made signified their receiving the atonement, as the expression is (Rom 5:11), their thankful acceptance of the benefit of it, and their joyful communion with God thereupon, which was the true intent and meaning of a feast upon a sacrifice. 

-Matthew Henry
I agree with the atonement concept afforded here because I do believe, through constant practice of burnt offerings and the Passover, that the partaking of the symbolic flesh and blood of the Savior was an easier transition to make; as a replacement versus an entirely new idea.  All this ritual was put into place to teach God's children of the importance of sacrifice and gratitude thereby increasing faith and strengthening power - it's a process.

~Kipling


Thursday, February 7, 2013

Breastplate of Judgement

Reading:   Exodus 28

Aaron and his sons are to be anointed and administer to the people as priests.  The garment of office for Aaron, as chief judge, is described in these verses...

EXODUS 28:29-30
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. 

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.
So the breastplate of judgement that Aaron is to wear contains the Urim and Thummim and that is quite significant considering the Urim and Thummim is considered the Lights and Perfections of God.  So Aaron, as the judge of the Israelites, will wear a garment that houses, not only a reminder of his origin in the names of the children of Israel, but also a discerning tool in the Lights and Perfections.  When you consider that the Urim and Thummim aid in translation I am sure that they can also provide adequate translation of truth from speech as well.  What better way to offer righteous and unfettered judgement then by wearing and utilizing the power of this heavenly tool - truly a breastplate of judgement.

~Kipling

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Become a Lighthouse

Reading:   Exodus 26-27

More instruction to Moses in regards to the construction of the tabernacle, the alter for burnt offerings, the holy place, and the holy of holies - a lot of emphasis on the curtains and veil.  At the end of chapter 27, after the blueprints have been sufficiently ordered, there is some instruction given about the lamps and oil and the requisite need for constant attendees...

EXODUS 27:20-21
20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. 

21 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel. 
Not sure why, in the first verse, the term "oil olive" is used as opposed to "olive oil" but it is apparently correct and worthy of some insight on another day.  The important thing here is to understand the meaning of light.  Aaron and his sons are given the task of ensuring the lamps are lit every day, with pure oil, early in the evening and remain bright until morning.  I think this is very symbolic in that it requires service of man to maintain and provides an ever shining beacon to all that, "this is the place of God."  It reminds the people that God is a true God and capable of all, it reassures, gives strength and, more than all else, is somewhat of a lighthouse, a beacon to all, a faith builder.

We too are asked to shine forth our light, to be an example to others and guide as opposed to blindly following.  If we do our part; read, pray, study, increase faith, and attend our meetings, we are effectively keeping our lamps lit and shining forth in the darkness of this ever discouraging world.

Light on!

~Kipling


Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Show Me the Bread

Reading:   Exodus 25

This chapter was filled with instruction about building a tabernacle, the ark of testimony, a table, and a candlestick.  There were a whole lot of cubits (about 18") peppering the text and a lot of other terms that I wasn't too familiar with.  One in particular was, "shewbread."  I have an idea as to the meaning but decided to put the proverbial microscope on the word.

EXODUS 25:30
30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway. 
My brain hurts!  Invariably, whenever I start to search for answers, I find articles that simply blow my mind.  Here again, in researching shewbread, I have discovered some intense narratives.  The lengths that people go in order to understand the relevancies of things...hmmm.  Anyway, one site (Hope of Israel Ministries, edited by John D. Keyser) calls the bread "enigmatic" and even goes as far as to state, "The mystery of the showbread has never been adequately explained, or revealed." Of course they spout their theory as to the bread but, added to some of the other hypothesis I read, the singular purpose and definition is somewhat muddled.  

There is also an article by Barry Carter, Cone Shaped "Shewbread" that really dirties the water by documenting the evidences from Egyptian writings and hyroglyphs showing that shewbread was in fact not an edible substance at all but most likely a type of gold.  The article was interesting and I do think there may very well be some truth to it but I'm not convinced.

Frankly, I'm overwhelmed by the sources and knowledge out there and simply don't care to debate or spend any excess time trying to understand it all.  My existence, my salvation, my eternal soul, is not hanging in the balance because I can't come to the bottom of "shewbread." It's fun to look things up and read from various opinionites but, ultimately, to dig into mysteries is to avoid realities and  ignore the importance of living.

As for the definition of "shewbread;" this is what I'm going with (thank you Bible Dictionary):
 (lit. "bread of the face" or "presence bread"). The name given to 12 unleavened cakes placed in two piles on the Table of Shewbread, which was made of acacia wood and stood on the north side of the altar of incense in the holy place (Ex. 25: 23-30). Frankincense as put upon each row (Lev. 24: 7). The shewbread was changed every Sabbath day and the old loaves were eaten by the priests in a holy place (Lev. 24: 9). In the shewbread the 12 tribes were perpetually presented before God; yet it was wholly consumed by man; thus it provided both a sacrifice and a communion. On one occasion the shewbread was given to David to eat (1 Sam. 21: 6); the Lord drew from this incident the lesson that the law of charity overrides every ritual law (Matt. 12: 4; Mark 2: 26; Luke 6: 4). 
There you have it...

~Kipling

Monday, February 4, 2013

An Arc-Cotangent Irreducible Number

Reading:   Exodus 24

Wow! There are a lot of number sleuths out there! When reading today's verse I came across the number 40 and, having recalled the rains of Noah's flood along with the tempting of Jesus and other events, I started wondering why the number was significant.  Upon further investigation I have discovered that the number appears 185 times in the Standard Works:
  • Old Testament (122)
  • New Testament (23)
  • Book of Mormon (30)
  • Doctrine & Covenants (8)
  • Pearl of Great Price (2)
So, what then is the significance...there is a lot of interesting reading out there, from all sorts of scholars and opinionites (I made that word up), but the consensus seems to lean toward the theory that the number wholly represents: 
  1. 40 DAYS:  A test or trial period; a significant period of learning 
  2. 40 YEARS:  passing of a generation
There was a lot to comb through but I really found the following paragraph from E. W. BullingerNumber in Scripture: Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significancequite succinct and to the point:
How is the number forty related to TRIALS and TESTING? 
Jesus Christ was tempted of the Devil 40 days and 40 nights. Jesus was seen 40 days by His disciples after His resurrection. It was 40 years from the crucifixion of Jesus until the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD. Moses was 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in the desert, and 40 years in the wilderness leading the children of Israel. Moses was on Mount Sinai twice with God for 40 days and 40 nights receiving the Law. Twelve spies investigated the Promised Land for 40 days. Elijah was 40 days at Mount Horeb. Jonah preached that judgment was to come to Nineveh in 40 days. Ezekiel laid on His right side for 40 days symbolizing Judah’s sins.
Baffling isn't it?  Anyway I tend to get caught up in these kinds of crazy things but can't always rationalize their meanings in my brain - still find it fascinating though.  If you really want to dig into the number 40 a good place to start is with a paper called The Significance of the Number 40 by Todd Dennis and Richard Anthony.  I don't agree with all of their conclusions but they certainly did their homework and truly fleshed out the inner workings and theoristic (made that word up too) possibilities of the number. 

Here is the verse that started this whole investigation.  Moses is on his way to commune with The Lord and receive the tablets (Ten Commandments)...

EXODUS 24:18
18    And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.  
Just a little more food for thought:

  1. We work a 40-hr week.
  2. Women are pregnant for forty weeks.
  3. Some Russians believe that ghosts of the dead linger at the site of their death for forty days.
  4. Some brands of alcohol are bottled in a 40oz. container, "Where's my forty?"
  5. One of my favorite U2 songs is called 40 (from the album War, 1983).
  6. American Top 40
  7. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
  8. Muhammad had 40 followers to spread the religion of Islam.
  9. Since 402 + 1 = 1601 is prime, 40 is a Størmer number (yeah, whatever - see title).
  10. Negative forty is the unique temperature at which the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales correspond; that is, −40°F=−40°C. It is referred to as either "minus forty" or "forty below".
I was going to list 40 things but I'm tired...

~Kipling





Sunday, February 3, 2013

Strength of Character

Reading:   Exodus 23

Peer pressure is no joke.  I have found myself down roads I would typically avoid merely because I wanted the approval of friends.  It truly is a sad state of being to realize you are somewhere you never wanted to be due to the wiles of peer pressure...

EXODUS 23:2
2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
The first part of this verse is straight forward - if everyone else is doing something, or leaning towards, or aspiring to do evil, DON'T FOLLOW!  But the second part if the verse is a little more cryptic in its language; basically though, if you are required to give testimony, to "speak in a cause," don't decline (slide) toward the voice of others in order to wrest (twist) the truth.  Speak the truth, only speak the truth, don't let the crowd dictate your voice.

As I have aged, and gained wisdom through experience, I have found my own way on many occassions, contrary to the crowd, and in all aspects of my personal life (my beard, an 11-inch braided fumanchu, is a clear indication of that).  My choices have not always been the correct ones, and I have learned some hard lessons, but I can honestly say I have not been a follower.  Don't get me wrong, I do try and walk in the paths of righteousness as dictated by the gospel and example of Jesus but my walkways are not always instep with others that follow Him.  I have found myself much less concerned about how others view me (especially those in my own faith whom I often find extremely judgemental and unwilling to compromise their own stubborn practices no matter how obtuse or strained they are in relation to the teachings of God).  These days I care more about how my actions will effect my wife and children more than any other influencing factor and I pray, sincerely pray, that my children learn this skill early in their lives (it saves a tremendous amount of sorrow).

I must admit that I had great trepidation about releasing my first novel (Bouncer).  I was concerned about the critical reviews it might garner but ultimately released it for publication after reading the novel to my wife and children and receiving their raving endorsement.  Here to, writing this blog, I have found myself concerned about certain words or opinions that might offend; but, have overcome that as well - don't like it, don't read it!  I bring this up because I want to illustrate that even now I find cause to listen or find sway in the crowd - it never ends - the trick is in contemplation, knowledge of yourself, and ultimately faith that there is a higher power that would not lead you down the wrong road.  Sometimes the crowd is right.  Listen, pray, then decide!

I know I have rambled on quite a bit today but this is a big topic and I have watched my teenaged children make choices based on their friends and the sway of the crowd - it stings.  I want to scream at them to watch out.  I want to protect them from the oncoming traffic of sorrow through wrong choices.  I want them to trust and believe what my wife and I try to teach from our own experiences.  There is so much they can learn but I also realize that they are as I once was (a stubborn, independent fool that believed I knew everything) and the pain of lessons learned must be endured.  It hurts to watch but is so uplifting when the knowledge is realized through their personal experience and positive growth.

Finally, I want to share a portion of a talk from W. Craig Zwick from his address, We Will Not Yield, We Cannot Yield, delivered at the April 2008 General Conference:
  Ethan, a young friend of mine, approached his mother with a weighty question. Like most teenagers, Ethan wants to be independent, self-sufficient, and surrounded by good friends. He is trying to make good choices on his own. He is exceedingly valiant, works hard on his grades, and studies the scriptures daily. Like all young people, Ethan faces tremendous temptations. It comes in the halls of his school, on the Internet, in the movies and music. It can be heard in bad language and seen in provocative clothing. That which is wrong is often made to look right. Anxiety and fear of rejection are common among teenagers. Peer pressure is often overpowering. Ethan was feeling bombarded with opposing values. 

  This is the question he asked his mother: "Mom, do I need to lower my standards to keep my friends?" 

  It is a profound question for each of us to consider at all stages of life. Are we lowering our standards to fit into our neighborhoods? Are we altering our values to suit the situation in the workplace or to be popular at school? 

  Ethan's loving mother answered him with a resounding no. 

  I, too, unequivocally answer, "Don't do it, Ethan. Never forget that you are a son of God. He loves you. Live by your standards. Stand up for what you believe in. Sometimes it is not easy, and you may be standing alone for awhile. Look for friends with integrity and character, then go to them and express appreciation for their examples. You might even find someone who has been feeling as lonely as you. Pray for guidance and protection from the Lord. He will sustain you. He will become a trusted friend, and you will discover that your example will attract many friends who will take courage from your strength of character." 
Let others take courage and direction from your "strength of character" don't let your character be defined by the dictates of others - especially when the others follow the dictates of evil!

~Kipling