Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sunday, April 28, 2013
What are parents’ responsibilities to their children?
Sermon Topic Sunday, April 28, 2013 Elder Dennis Trudgen
Dennis
started out with a bit of a tangent on the Boston Marathon bombers. A
preacher had stated that he was so angry that he could have killed those
boys, but then thought “Matthew 7:1; judge not … who am i to judge?”
Well … if we are not to judge, then why put the surviving one on trial?
Why put anyone on trial? Why have laws? Why not just empty the jails,
if we are never to judge? (those two words, “judge not”, are only a
tiny piece of two full verses spoken by the Lord, showing the danger in
picking bits of Scripture out and discarding the rest … as the speakers
at Radio Bible Class have put it, “a text, taken out of context, can
easily become a pretext” msl)
Dennis then picked up on the bombers’
parents, and the statements they have made … the father threatened more
violence and attacks if the younger was killed, and the mother called
her son “a true angel”. Is this how we are to raise our kids?
1
Nephi 1:1 … i, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore, i
was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; … having had a
great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God ….
Mosiah 1:4-7 … King Benjamin understood the importance of his responsibility to teach his children
1 Nephi 1:173-174 … the records that Nephi and his brothers had
recovered from Laban were of great worth to them, in preserving the
commandments of the Lord to their children.
Ephesians 6:1-4 …
Children are commanded to obey their parents, and honor them (Exodus
20:12). Parents are commanded to not provoke their children to wrath
(Strong’s G3949, parorgizo, to enrage), but to bring them up in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Colossians 3:21 … Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
3 Nephi 8:52-53 … (Jesus speaking to parents) Pray in your families
unto the Father, always in my Name, that your wives and your children
may be blessed (The blessing of one’s children goes back at least to
Genesis 27, Isaac blessing his sons, and continues in Genesis 48 and 49
with Jacob blessing and prophesying over his sons and grandsons, and is a
tradition practiced by Jews today, of great significance to them msl);
and the command to the people of God to meet together often (see also
Hebrews 10:25).
Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (called the Shema, from the Hebrew
word for “hear” msl) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. This is
reiterated in the New Testament, and validated by Jesus as the greatest
commandment (Matthew 22:35-40, Luke 10:25-28)
Matthew 7:12 Therefore
all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so
to them, for this is the law and the prophets … the so-called Golden
Rule, which is commonly expressed as “do unto others as you would have
them do unto you” This also goes back to Old Testament times, and was
taught by the leading rabbis, such as Rabbi Hillel.
Jacob 2:62-63 …
Wherefore, ye shall remember your children, how that ye have grieved
their hearts because of the example that ye have set before them; And
also, remember that ye may, because of your filthiness, bring your
children unto destruction, and their sins be heaped upon YOUR HEADS at
the last day.
2 Nephi 3:10-12 … Lehi blessing his grandchildren thru
Laman (and in v. 14-16, the children of Lemuel) … if ye are cursed,
behold, i leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from
you, and be answered upon the heads of your parents (again, this
illustrates how highly regarded among the Jews, is the father’s
blessing). V.11 … for behold, i know that if ye are brought up in the
right way that ye should go, ye will not depart from it … where did Lehi
get this? From Proverbs 22:6.
Laman and Lemuel had a gread dad,
but chose to fall away anyway. The children of Godly parents do not
always choose the way of Godliness.
Other examples of Godly parents:
Alma Sr., a devout man of God, who came to faith from the witness of
Abinadi … Mosiah 11:159ff, had a son named after him, who was “a very
wicked and an idolatrous man”. The prayers of this devout and grieved
father were answered though, and Alma Jr. was knocked down while on the
road, and given a “talking to” by an angel.
Alma Jr., later in life,
a devout man of God from the time of his “talking to” … Alma 19:1-5,
had to deal with an erring son Corianton, who forsook the ministry and
committed sin with a harlot.
Lois and Eunice … 2 Timothy 1:5 Eunice
was Timothy’s Jewish mother, and Lois was his grandmother. 3:14-16 …
Timothy was taught the Scriptures from childhood … Paul reminds him of
God’s inspiration of the Scriptures and their importance for doctrine,
reproof, correction, and instruction.
So what is our duty to our children when they have done wrong?
Luke 15, the prodigal son … the father ran to his son, and restored him
to the family. He had to admonish his older son, who complained …
let’s be glad, your brother was LOST, and now is FOUND; he was DEAD, and
is now ALIVE. The emphasis in this passage, is REPENTANCE
(And an
ungodly parent who refused to fulfill his responsibility to his sons: 2
Samuel 2:12-3:14; High Priest Eli and what happened to him and his sons
msl)
2 Corinthians 7:10 … For Godly sorrow worketh repentance to
salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh
death. (See also Mormon 1:35-40 … the people sorrowed deeply for what
was happening to them, but it was not Godly sorrow to repentance, but
only the sorrow of the damned.)
Hebrews 12:5-10 … It’s not enjoyable
when the Lord has to chasten us, but just as a loving human dad
chastens his kids to teach them right and wrong, so God has to chasten
His children when we do wrong … and in fact, if we are not chastened by
God, we are not His children.
There is only SELF-LOVE in those who
will not correct their children. Those who support their children who
are guilty of hate crimes are full of hate themselves, and are the most
vile of sinners.
Our duty as parents is to confront the sin and seek their repentance , as did the examples we have throughout the Scriptures.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
How was the world judged in the past? And what’s been happening lately?
Sermon Topic Sunday April 21, 2013 Elder Adam Porter
How was the world judged in the past? And what’s been happening lately? …The days of Noah, and the Ark
Genesis 6:5, 11-12 … the world was entirely filled with wickedness and
VIOLENCE. People today angrily ask Christians “Where is your God when
such evil is done?”, but then turn around and condemn Christians for
being “judgemental” and worshipping a mean judgemental God when he does
act in response to great evil.
God did not UTTERLY destroy human,
animal or plant life. Every kind of animal was preserved. And Noah and
his family were found righteous … God always has His remnant (1 Kings
19:18 msl) For those who would say God is evil for destroying all those
people … how many more people could have been accommodated on the Ark,
if they had chosen to get on?
7:1 … 7 days before the flood started,
God called them into the Ark. Do we ask God for specific preservation
in our lives? …direction? …are we WILLING to have Him direct our
lives? (they sat in that Ark for a week after God closed the door …
during that time, could other people have chosen to knock on the door,
and been admitted? msl)
Noah PREACHED righteousness so that others would not perish (2 Peter 3:9)
7:11 … Noah was 600 years old when the flood started. The people on
the Ark had left families behind … that must have been a great sorrow.
Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth and their wives would have only taken
dependent minor children on the Ark with them … how many aunts/uncles,
cousins/nieces/nephews, siblings, adult children, grandchildren,
great-grandchildren etc. did those four couples leave behind, knowing
that they would never see them again?
6:19 Each creature AFTER ITS
KIND was taken into the Ark. All the different breeds of critters on
Earth came from those taken on the Ark.
The “fossil record” is used
to “prove” evolution from simpler creatures to more complex. Variations
in KINDS of critters since the flood prove “micro-evolution”, but there
is NO evidence of “macro-evolution”, or change from a simpler KIND of
critter to a more complex KIND. (the only thing that the fossil record
actually PROVES is that at some point in Earth’s history, billions of
living creatures were SUDDENLY, INSTANTANEOUSLY OVERWHELMED, buried and
hence preserved … gee, how could that have happened? msl)
7:16 …
God, the LORD, shut the door. There was only one door into the Ark, and
only one door into the Kingdom of Heaven (John 10)
7:18 … the
waters PREVAILED … all land was covered. Modern geology reflects this,
with fossils of sea creatures found on mountains (again, a creature can
only be fossilized by being instantaneously completely buried … a
creature lying dead would be picked away by scavengers and decay msl) …
The waters prevailed for 150 days; the fact that this is recorded shows
that they kept track of time back then.
8:7 … Noah sent first a
raven, which didn’t come back … a raven is a scavenger and could have
found any slimy thing to perch on … then he sent the dove, which came
back, and a week later the dove again, which returned with an olive
branch showing that the land was dried enough for plant life to grow;
and again a week later, when the dove did not return.
8:13, 9:1 Noah
and his family opened the Ark on the first day of the first month of
Noah’s 601st year, and left the Ark on the 27th day of the 2nd month
(they boarded on the 10th of the 2nd month the year before … they were
on the Ark for 382 days), and were commanded by God to multiply and
replenish the Earth, as were the creatures they took aboard. The
multiplication and natural selection have given us all the different
breeds of critters we have today.
8:20-21 … Noah built an altar and
offered sacrifices to the Lord, and the Lord smelled a sweet savor….
When we perform our daily work on Earth, does He smell a sweet savor?
8:22 … the establishment of the seasons, after the loss of the water canopy over Earth.
9 … the loss of relationship with the animal kingdom, the beginning of
eating animals for food, and the establishment of capital punishment for
the shedding of innocent blood; the command to repopulate the Earth,
and the covenant that God would never again destroy all life by flood,
with the rainbow as the sign. Other religions have taken the sign of
the rainbow and changed its meaning, but God’s covenant still stands.
The Lord always gives a sign of His covenants.
Ether 3:8, the Jaredite migration … their boats are also described as “tight like unto the Ark of Noah”
Hebrews 11 … where is the proof of your faith? Many today believe
there is a God, but choose not to serve Him. How does your faith
manifest in your life? V.7, BY FAITH Noah built the Ark.
1 Peter
3:18-21 … Jesus’ sacrifice is the ONLY one that is sufficient … death
has been overcome … water baptism is the answer of a good conscience
toward God, engaging one’s faith in repentance. (Phillipians 2:12, work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling) No half-heartedness on
our parts … give it ALL to God, He wants nothing less. There are those
who have gone into the waters of baptism without giving their heart to
the Lord … all they got was wet.
John 10:1 enter in by the DOOR
John 10:7-9 … I AM the door … there is no other ( 2 Corinthians 11:14,
the enemy masquerades as an angel of light, and offers all kinds of
false doors) … There is NO salvation in any other. Just as Noah and his
family entered into the only door of the Ark to be saved, and the door
was shut by God, so Jesus calls us to enter into salvation thru the only
door, and be closed into the fold by God.
3 Nephi 10 … Jesus
teaching His people in this land that He has NOT forgotten His covenant
with Jacob (Israel). 10:15 … for a small moment have I forsaken thee;
but with great mercies will I gather thee. The Jews would be a hiss and
a byword, and the Native Americans were also badly mistreated by the
Gentiles, but God will keep His covenant and restore them to their
lands.
Matthew 24 … what is yet to come? He will be coming! V. 35 …
heaven and earth shall pass away, but MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY.
Let us remember the words of Hymn #354, With A Steadfast Faith … They
truly inspire us to LIVE the Christian faith. And the chorus: Though
the sun and moon and starts shall cease, and the beauty of the earth
decay, Yet the Word of God, oh blessed be His Name, It shall never,
never pass away.
V. 37-39 … How many people just go on as they have
all along; living in the flesh and never heeding the warnings, til the
events happen. (Genesis 7:11; there was no time once the water burst
from the earth and fell from the sky for the people to build their own
boats msl) WATCH … for you do not know the day nor the hour.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
ANCIENT RECORDS ON METAL PLATES
ANCIENT RECORDS ON METAL PLATES
Tuesday night Scripture Study: ANCIENT RECORDS ON METAL PLATES, by Chris Moran
Is this picture really true?
Picture from a 1957 Publication
Keep in Mind
True faith in the Book of Mormon (or the Bible) does not require
Archaeological evidence, or evidence of writing on other ancient metal
plates. Early believers in the Book of Mormon had no knowledge of other
ancient writing on metal plates. At the same time, it is interesting and
worth our time to consider recent Archaeology and external evidence
that we can use to support the Book of Mormon.
The criticism of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon plates:
Quote from THE GOLDEN BIBLE, by M.T. Lamb, published in 1887:
Every good honest Mormon says “Yes,” and believes it fully. He believes
that the Book of Mormon is a true historical record of God’s dealings
with this ancient people upon this continent; that its contents were
“given by inspiration of God,” and “confirmed by the ministering of
angels;” that the men who composed its pages wrote as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost; that Joseph Smith translated it “by the gift and power
of God;” that it is, and was designed to be, a revelation of God’s will
to men, and a “guide in faith and practice.”
But after a very
careful study of the book, a conscientious and painstaking examination
of all the evidences he has been able to gather both for and against it,
the author of these pages has been forced to reject every one of the
above claims. He is compelled to believe that no such people as are
described in the Book of Mormon ever lived upon this continent; that no
such records were ever engraved upon golden plates, or any other plates,
in the early ages; that no such men as Mormon or Moroni or any other of
the prophets or kings or wise men mentioned in the book, ever existed
in this country; that Jesus Christ never appeared upon this continent in
person, or had a people here before its discovery by Columbus.
Quote from Stuart Martin, The Mystery of Mormonism (London: Odhams, 1920):
It does not seem to have been pointed out to the youth that gold will
corrode if left in the earth for the number of years those plates were
supposed to have been buried.
Some examples of the use of engraved plates in the Book of Mormon
Plates of Brass:
1 Nephi 1:61 – “For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews, and also
a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of
brass.”
Plates of Nephi:
1 Nephi 5:218 – “And it came to pass
that the Lord commanded me, wherefore, I did make plates of ore, that I
might engraven upon them the record of my people.”
Plates of Ether:
Mosiah 5:60-64 – “60 And the king saith unto him, I being grieved for
the afflictions of my people, I caused that forty and three of my people
should take a journey into the wilderness, that thereby they might find
the land of Zarahemla; that we might appeal unto our brethren to
deliver us out of bondage; 61 And they were lost in the wilderness, for
the space of many days, yet they were diligent, and found not the land
of Zarahemla, but returned to this land, having traveled in a land among
many waters; 62 Having discovered a land which was covered with bones
of men, and of beasts, etc., and was also covered with ruins of
buildings of every kind: 63 Having discovered a land which had been
peopled with a people which were as numerous as the hosts of Israel. 64
And for a testimony that the things that they have said are true, they
have brought twenty-four plates, which are filled with engravings; and
they are of pure gold.”
Mosiah 9:166-169 – “166 Now King Limhi had
sent, previous to the coming of Ammon, a small number of men to search
for the land of Zarahemla; but they could not find it, and they were
lost in the wilderness. 167 Nevertheless they did find a land which had
been peopled; yea, a land which was covered with dry bones; yea, a land
which had been peopled, and which had been destroyed; 168 And they
having supposed it to be the land of Zarahemla, returned to the land of
Nephi, having arrived in the borders of the land not many days before
the coming of Ammon. 169 And they brought a record with them, even a
record of the people whose bones they had found; and they were engraven
on plates of ore.”
The plates Joseph Smith received:
The plates
Joseph Smith received had been buried in a stone box by Moroni. These
plates that Moroni assembled were translated by Joseph Smith. They
consisted of the following records:
Plates of Mormon (content
independently written and content abridged by Mormon, including the
large plates of Nephi) The small plates of Nephi An abridgment of the
plates of Ether by Moroni A sealed portion containing the vision of the
Brother of Jared Writings of Moroni
What Joseph Smith said regarding the plates:
“He [Moroni] said there was a book deposited written upon gold plates,
giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the
source from whence they sprang.” (Times and Seasons, May 1842)
The following quotes regarding the plates Joseph Smith received are from http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Translation/Description_of_the_plates
(Source references can be found there)
Material
“which have the appearance of gold” – Eight Witnesses “golden plates” – David Whitmer
Some have suggested that the plates were an alloy of gold/silver, or gold/copper.
Alma 17:31-35 – “31 And now my son Helaman, I command you that ye take
the records which have been entrusted with me; and I also command you
that ye shall keep a record of this people, according as I have done,
upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all these things sacred which I have
kept, even as I have kept them: for it is for a wise purpose that they
are kept; 32 And these plates of brass which contain these engravings,
which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which have the
genealogy of our forefathers, even from the beginning. 33 And behold, it
hath been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be kept and
handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by
the hand of the Lord, until they shall go forth unto every nation,
kindred, tongue and people, that they shall know of the mysteries
contained thereon. 34 And now behold, if they are kept, they must retain
their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and
also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ. 35
Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto
you, that by small and simple things, are great things brought to pass;
and small means in many instances, doth confound the wise.”
Per Wikipedia.org:
“Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal.”
“Its high malleability, ductility, resistance to corrosion and most
other chemical reactions, and conductivity of electricity led to many
uses of gold, including electric wiring, colored-glass production and
gold leafing.”
Note also that gold is un-reactive metal. It does not
break down when exposed to the environment for long periods of time. It
does not react with water, oxygen (air), or acid. So if under the
ground, it will not react with anything.
Size of each plate
“7
inches in length, 6 inches in breadth” – Oliver Cowdery “six inches wide
by eight inches long” – Joseph Smith Jr. “seven inches wide by eight
inches in length” – Martin Harris “about eight inches long, seven inches
wide” – David Whitmer
Thickness of each plate
“of the thickness
of tin” – Oliver Cowdery “of the thickness of plates of tin” – Martin
Harris “thin leaves of gold” – Martin Harris “about as thick as
parchment” – David Whitmer “They seemed to be pliable like thick paper,
and would rustle with a metalic [sic] sound when the edges were moved by
the thumb, as one does sometimes thumb the edges of a book.” – Emma
Smith
Thickness of the whole volume
“a pile about 6 inches
deep.” – Oliver Cowdery “The volume was something near six inches in
thickness” – Joseph Smith “[W]hen piled one above the other, they were
altogether about four inches thick.” – Martin Harris
Regarding the
thickness, it is not noted whether they are commenting on the unsealed
portion, or the combination of the sealed and unsealed portions.
Weight
“weighing altogether from forty to sixty lbs.” – Martin Harris “I was
permitted to lift them. . . . They weighed about sixty pounds according
to the best of my judgement.” – William Smith (younger brother of Joseph
Smith Jr.) “I hefted the plates, and I knew from the heft that they
were lead or gold.” – Martin Harris
Note that 24K gold (100% purity)
with a density of 19.282 grams per cubic centimeter weighs 0.697 lbs.
per cubic inch. Assuming 6” x 8” dimensions of each plate, assuming no
gaps between plates/pages, and assuming a thickness of 6”, this volume
would weigh 6 inch x 8 inch x 6 inch x (0.697 lbs. / inch3) = 200.736
lbs. Again, this is with no gaps between the plates/pages, and 24K gold.
If 50% of the space consisted of air (gaps), this would result in about
100 lbs. If the volume was not quite 6 inches in height, the weight
would be even less.
According to Michael R. Ash (http://www.mormonfortress.com/gweight.html):
Heather Lechtman, in a 1984 article in Scientific America, addressed
the recent discovery of several large metal objects in South America…
Lechtman explains that the most important alloy discovered at these
South American sites was a mixture of copper and gold known as
“tumbaga.” When copper and gold are melted together they mix, and stay
mixed after they cool and solidify. This alloy was known not only in
South America, but in Mesoamerica as well. Tumbaga ranged from 97
percent gold to 97 percent copper with traces of up to 18 percent of
other metals, impurities, or silver. Once the gold finish was applied to
the tumbaga it would appear to be made of solid gold. Putnam explains
that tumbaga “the magic metal, can be cast, drawn, hammered, gilded,
soldered, welded, plated, hardened, annealed, polished, engraved,
embossed, and inlaid.” Nevertheless, tumbaga will destroy itself if it
is not stored properly. It is therefore interesting to note that the
Book of Mormon plates were laid atop two stones which lay across the
bottom of the stone box so that the plates would not be exposed to water
or dirt.
Too little gold in the Book of Mormon plates would have
made them brittle, and too much gold would have made them too heavy as
well as increasing the danger of distortion during engraving. Thus,
according to Putnam’s calculations, the Book of Mormon plates (which
were probably tumbaga) were between 8 and 12 carat gold and thus would
have weighed between 53 and 86 pounds. To the eye, however, the tumbaga
plates would have had the appearance of pure gold. The research of
Robert F. Smith reveals that “if the plates were made of the tumbaga
alloy, other details fit into place. Take the color of the plates: The
plates are consistently described as ‘gold’ and ‘golden.’ When tumbaga
(which is red) is treated with any simple acid (citric acid will do),
the copper in the alloy is removed from its surface leaving a brilliant
.0006 inch twenty-three karat gilt coating. Indeed, this process was
used in ancient America. Plus, this surface covering is much easier to
engrave. Likewise, pure gold would be too soft to make useful plates.
But tumbaga is remarkably tough and resilient....” Not only did Joseph
Smith hit the nail on the head with the claim that the Book of Mormon
was engraven upon metal plates, but the Nephites could have chosen no
better material to vindicate their sacred scripture than tumbaga which
has the “appearance of gold.”
We do not know if tumbaga was used for
the Book of Mormon plates, but it seems likely that they would’ve been
made of an alloy of some sort that included gold.
Sealed vs. unsealed
“A large portion of the leaves were so securely bound together that it
was impossible to separate them.” – David Whitmer “What there was sealed
appeared as solid to my view as wood. About the half of the book was
sealed.” – David Whitmer
Rings
“[T]hey were fastened with rings
thus [a sketch shows a ring in the shape of a capital D with six lines
drawn through the straight side of the letter to represent the leaves of
the record].” – David Whitmer “bound together like the leaves of a book
by massive rings passing through the back edges” – David Whitmer “They
were bound together in the shape of a book by three gold rings.” – David
Whitmer “put together on the back by three silver rings, so that they
would open like a book” – Martin Harris “bound together in a volume, as
the leaves of a book with three rings running through the whole” –
Joseph Smith
Engravings
“[The plates] were filled with . . .
Egyptian characters. . . . The characters on the unsealed part were
small, and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of
antiquity in its construction and much skill in the art of engraving.” –
Joseph Smith Jr. “We also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has
the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship.” – Eight
Witnesses “There were fine engravings on both sides.” – John Whitmer
Engraved Plates in the Bible
Exodus 28:36-38 – “And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave
upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. And thou
shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the
forefront of the mitre it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron's
forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the
children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall
be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.”
Now to consider other plates found in the world…
Darius Plates Where Discovered: Found at Audience Hall (Apadana) in
Persepolis, Iran Description: Regarding the Darius Plates, the book
Ancient Writing on Metal Plates states that they were “trilingual, in
duplicate on two gold and two silver plates; ten lines Old Persian,
seven lines Elamite, and eight lines Akkadian sealed in a stone box.
Apparently the author thought the message was important and needed to be
preserved because the same message was found at Hamadan in one gold and
one silver plate... Discovered in 1938”.
Reference: Cheesman, Paul
R. (1985), Ancient Writing on Metal Plates: Archaeological Findings
Support Mormon Claims, Boutiful, Utah: Horizon Publishers &
Distributors, Incorporated.
Photos of the Darius Plates and
associated stone box can be found at the website for the Oriental
Institute of the University of Chicago.
Pyrgi Tablets Where
Discovered: Pyrgi, Italy Description: The Pyrgi Tablets were found in
ancient Pyrgi, Italy (modern day Santa Severa). According to J.T.
Hooker, “Shorter, but very important because of their historical
implications and because they provide us with the closest thing to a
bilingual inscription, are the texts inscribed on the three gold tablets
found at Pyrgi, the harbour of Caere (Cerveteri), (Because of their
great value they are kept in a bank vault in Rome. …) Two are in
Etruscan, one in Phoenician. A fourth tablet, in bronze and fragmentary,
also had an Etruscan inscription … The tables date from about 500 BC.”
Reference: Hooker, J.T. (1990), Reading the Past: Ancient Writing from
Cuneiform to the Alphabet, Great Britain: The Bath Press.
Note that though the tables date from 500 B.C., the Pyrgi tablets are in excellent condition.
Book on Gold Plates at Bulgaria Where Discovered: Found near Strouma
River in south-western Bulgaria Description: According to BBC News, “The
world's oldest multiple-page book - in the lost Etruscan language - …
contains six bound sheets of 24 carat gold … The small manuscript, which
is more than two-and-a-half millennia old, was discovered 60 years ago
in a tomb uncovered during digging for a canal along the Strouma river
in south-western Bulgaria. … The authenticity of the book has been
confirmed by two experts in Sofia and London, museum director Bojidar
Dimitrov said quoted by AFP. There are around 30 similar pages known in
the world, Ms Penkova said”.
Reference: BBC News (2003), “Unique book goes on display”. Retrieved April 25, 2011, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2939362.stm.
Interestingly, the book dates to 600 B.C., which is exactly when Lehi's
family in the Book of Mormon left Jerusalem (and had plates of their
own). This book has no signs of corrosion.
Diamond Sutra Gold Plates
Where Discovered: Five Storied Stone Pagoda in Wanggung-ri, Iksan,
South Korea Description: According to the website “Book of Mormon
Research”, “In 1965, a set of gold plates engraved with the Buddhist
“Diamond Sutra” was found in the five-story stone pagoda at Wanggung-ri,
Iksan, Chollubak province, Korea. Dating to the 8th century AD (the
Goryeo era ), they were placed inside a brass box measuring 10.3 cm in
height that was placed inside a stone box. The chest and solid gold
sheets are designated National Treasure No. 123 and are housed in the
National Museum of Korea in Seoul. The sheets are connected by hinges
and hence comprise a book or “screen.” ”
Reference: http://bookofmormonresearch.org/site_index/metal-records/far-east/korean-diamond-sutra
Jewish Gold Lamella
Where Discovered: Halbturn, Austria
Description: In 2006, archaeologists at the University of Vienna’s
Institute of Prehistory and Early History found an inscribed gold plate
in a third-century AD Roman cemetery in Halbturn, Austria. One gold and
three silver-plated amulets inscribed with pagan magical texts were
found in a stone sarcophagus in the cemetery. The gold-plated Jewish
amulet, rather than bearing a magical text, is inscribed with the Jewish
prayer known as the Shema (“hear”), found in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O
Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.” Like the text inscribed on the
gold plates of the Book of Mormon, it is scriptural in nature. The
inscription shares another feature with the Nephite record: though the
text is Hebrew, it is written using a non-Hebrew alphabet, in this case
Greek. (The Book of Mormon used reformed-Egyptian characters in its
composition.)
Reference:
http://bookofmormonresearch.org/site_index/metal-records/israelitejewish/jewish-gold-lamella
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080316124416.htm
Roman Bronze Plates Where Discovered: Ancient Roman Dacia province (now
Romania) Description: A pair of ancient Roman military diplomas
inscribed on bronze plates were discovered in 1986 in present day
Romania.
The following content is from “Two Ancient Roman Plates”, by John W. Welch and Kelsey D. Lambert.
https://byustudies.byu.edu/PDFLibrary/45.2WelchLambertRoman-5cb374e2-ef73-48ea-9634-745d6d3ea9f8.pdf
The plates are 4.8 inches (12.2 cm) by 6.4 inches (16.2 cm). Each plate
is 1 to 1.1 millimeter thick, about the thickness of thin cardboard,
and weighs about seventy grams, or two and a half ounces.
A small
hole is found in two of the corners of each plate. Metal rings inserted
through these matched holes attached the two plates. They “acted as
hinges to the tablets,” so that the pair of plates could be opened and
closed like a book. Similar holes are found on all plates up until the
beginning of the reign of Hadrian (ad 117–38).
The plates were examined over several months. They were determined to be an authentic Roman military diploma from AD 109.
Drawing of the method used to bind and seal the plates. (1) The two
plates were attached with a ring in two of the corners. (2) The pair was
then closed up. (3) A wire was strung through two holes in the middle
of both plates. (4) The wire was twisted to fasten the plates snugly
together. (5) Wax was poured over the wire and impressions of the
witnesses’ seals were attached. (6) A metal box was secured over the
seals for their protection. Drawings by Michael P. Lyon.
Regarding the similarities to the Book of Mormon plates:
Beyond the fact that these plates offer one of the finest examples
found anywhere of ancient writing on metal plates, several specific
similarities evoke comparisons between these Roman bronze plates and the
gold plates from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon.
The Roman plates are a little less than five inches by seven inches.
Based on statements by various witnesses who saw or handled the gold
plates, the individual leaves were estimated to be six to six and a half
inches wide and eight inches long, close to the same size.
The
Roman plates are about one sixteenth of an inch thick, slightly thicker
than the Book of Mormon plates, which Joseph Smith described as “not
quite so thick as common tin,” and Emma Smith called “pliable like thick
paper.”
Pairs of Roman military diplomas were typically put
together with two rings, one in each of the two corners on the
right-hand side of the first plate. The plates of Mormon consisted of a
large stack of plates and thus were bound together through the back with
three large rings.
In both cases, one part of the text was open and
the other sealed, although in different ways. The Roman plates were
sealed to each other by a wire running through holes punched down the
middle of the plates. The lower section of the Book of Mormon plates was
sealed securely together and appeared to some to be as closed as a
block of wood.
Ashur Gold Tablet
Where Discovered: Ashur, now Qual'at Serouat, Iraq
Description: The gold tablet was found during an excavation around the
city of Ashur, now Qual'at Serouat, Iraq, by a team of German
archeologists led by Walter Andrae. The inscribed tablet, which was
discovered in the foundation of the Ishta Temple, is actually a
construction document, according to the judge. It dates to the reign of
the Assyrian King Tukulti-Ninurta I (1243-1207 BCE) who expanded the
Assyrian empire but was later killed by his son.
Reference: http://bookofmormonblog.org/category/gold-plates/
Regarding the Ashur table, notice the fineness of the characters and
the many that fit on this very small piece of gold (approximately 1” x
1.5” estimate based on the picture).
Sargon II Plate
Where Discovered: Iraq
Description: The Louvre Museum in Paris has some ancient plates on
display. Some are gold; others are made from other metals. They were
discovered during the excavation of the palace of Sargon II, the
Assyrian king from 721-705 BC. The site is known as Khorsabad, for the
modern-day Iraqi city nearby.
Reference: http://bookofmormonblog.org/category/gold-plates/
Silver Scrolls Where Discovered: Ketef Hinnom, west of old city of
Jerusalem Description: In 1979, two silver scrolls, or amulets, were
found in Ketef Hinnom next to the Scottish Church of St. Andrew in
Jerusalem. The scrolls contain an inscription of the Preistly
Benediction from Numbers 6:24-26. The scrolls are dated 7th century
B.C..
Reference: Yudkin, Gila. (2005, 2009), "Holy Sites: Gila's
Highlights - Let's see where the Priestly Benediction was found". From http://www.itsgila.com/highlightspriestly.htm.
Mayan Gold Discs
Where Discovered: Chichen Itza, Yucatan Description: During the 1950s
the Peabody Museum participated in a project at Chichen Itza on the
Yucatan Peninsula. Alfred Tozzer directed a team which dredged the
sacred well (cenote) at this site, and found a number of embossed gold
discs among the offerings which had been thrown into the sacrificial
well. One of these, in particular, bears in inscription in Mayan glyphs
around the edge of the disc. This is an excellent example of writing on
metal – one which scholars accept as genuine, insofar as the New World
is concerned.
Reference: Cheesman, Paul R. (1985), Ancient Writing
on Metal Plates: Archaeological Findings Support Mormon Claims,
Boutiful, Utah: Horizon Publishers & Distributors, Incorporated.
Orphic Gold Tablets
Where Discovered: Southern Europe, Gravesites
Description: A series of small gold tablets/plates that have been
discovered in southern Europe buried with the dead. They include
instructions regarding what they should do and say when they reach the
Afterlife. They are written on thin plates of gold. The label “Orphic”
is here referring to the Orphic religion popular in the ancient Greek
and Thracian world. They vary in date between 400 B.C. and 260 A.D.
Reference: http://www.heavenlyascents.com/2009/06/18/instructions-for-the-netherworld-the-orphic-gold-tablets/
Copper Scroll
Where Discovered: The copper scroll was found in cave 3 near Khirbet
Qumran. Description: The copper scroll contains inscribed ancient
writing. The copper scroll consists of two rolls of copper found at cave
3 near Qumran. The scroll lists locations for gold and silver
treasures. The photo below shows a picture of an original copper roll
before it was cut into sections (top right), the original copper scroll
fragments after being cut (now oxidized), the pot where the scroll was
kept (left), and a framed reproduction of the scroll.
Consider the following quote
“The Book of Mormon will remain in the realm of faith. It has a
bodyguard of scholars who now surround it and protect it from the frail
attacks often made on it. But even so, it's the witness of the Spirit
that matters most.”
Neal A. Maxwell
Thank you Chris!
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Charity … What comes to mind when we see that word?
Sermon Topic Sunday 4/13/13 Bradley Local Elder Dennis Trudgen (introduced by Adam Porter and Noah Jones) :-)
Charity … What comes to mind when we see that word? Dennis showed some
pictures of what people associate charity with….providing food to the
poor and needy etc.
1 Corinthians 12:28 God has set different
callings and offices and gifts in the Church … we do NOT all have the
same gifts. If someone tells you that all must, for example. speak in
tongues, that’s not in accordance with this Scripture. (See also
Ephesians 4:11-12, for the edifying [building up] of the saints)
These gifts and callings were lost for many years, restored in 1830.
Verse 31 … What is this “more excellent way”? This passage immediately precedes the chapter on charity!
1 Corinthians 13:3 … Though i bestow all my goods on the poor, and have
not charity, i am NOTHING. What is charity? Strong’s G26 … agape …
love, benevolence
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 … Charity is … kind, does not
envy (wishing we have something that someone else has), does not vaunt
itself (Strong’s G4068, perpereuomai, to be a braggart), is not puffed
up (self-pride … we want to feel important and be recognized) … the
opposite of charity is pride.
God wants us to take on His nature
instead of our own human nature. Charity is not our love for God, it is
our love for one another
Does not behave itself unseemly (Strong’s G807, aeschemoneo … indecency)
Seeketh not her own … see also Romans 12:10; Be kindly affectioned one
to another with brotherly love; in honour PREFERRING ONE ANOTHER. We
should be rejoicing when a brother or sister receives a blessing or gift
or calling from the Lord.
Is not easily provoked … James 1:19; slow to wrath
Thinketh no evil … in terms of brotherly love, thinks the BEST of
people (Matthew 7:1-2 and Mormon 4:24; how you judge others is how you
will be judged)
Rejoices not in iniquity … we are not to find
pleasure in sinning ourselves, and we must not gloat or rejoice when a
brother or sister sins (also refers to injustice) (or also, we should
not be entertained and pleasured by the sins of others msl)
Rejoices in TRUTH (justice)
Beareth all things … Matthew 5:38-41; Turn the other cheek Alma
14:27-50; The Lamanites who became believers, who called themselves
Anti-Nephi-Lehi, who buried their weapons of war so they would NEVER use
them again … they were so appalled by their former behavior. When the
enemy came upon them, they did not fight back. The early New Testament
church in the Old World had that attitude, insomuch that it converted
half the empire by the time of Constantine. They willingly walked into
arenas with gladiators and lions, and suffered all kinds of torture and
torment.
The Anti-Nephi-Lehis’ fellow Lamanites stopped killing them
when they saw how they willingly gave themselves … their rage was
stopped … and many of them were converted and grew the church even more.
Believeth all things … try to believe the best in all people
Hopeth all things … what are we to hope for? That the vilest sinner
come to the Lord! We are to reach out to the world … 2 Peter 3:9, God
is not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to
repentance.
Endureth all things … again, the persecution the Church
takes … John 15:18-16:3; Revelation 2 and 3, the letters to the
churches, acknowledging the persecution they were enduring and would
endure
Charity never faileth!!! The other gifts will pass away, but
not charity. We know in part, but when that which is perfect shall
come, that which is in part shall be done away. Now we see dimly, but
when we are face to face with Jesus we will see fully. Faith will be
replaced by knowledge and hope will end in fulfillment, but charity is
eternal
Now abideth faith, hope, and charity … but the greatest is CHARITY.
Moroni 7: 52 … cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all
…CHARITY IS THE PURE LOVE OF CHRIST … pray unto Father with ALL the
energy of your heart to be filled with this Charity.
When we are born again, we are given this gift … we shall be like him … we have this hope
We are saved by hope, because it keeps us heading in the right
direction. Not that hope is the only thing, but it is part of our
salvation
Moroni 8:29 … firstfruits of repentance is baptism; and
baptism cometh by faith, unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the
fulfilling of the commandments bringeth remission of sins (1 Peter 3:21,
the like figure whereunto we are saved by baptism ) … ACTING NO
HYPOCRISY … and then comes the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, who fills us
with hope and love.
We have an obligation to pray daily, always …
and be filled with His love by diligence of prayer, til the end come
when all saints shall dwell with God.
Scriptures tell us that just
because we give to the poor, it does not mean we have charity … and if
we don’t have charity, our giving is good for NOTHING.
p.763 Moroni 7:3 Mormon on faith, hope, and charity … it’s what molds us. They don’t just come, we have to do our part
Mormon says he knows that the church are Christians because of their
peaceable walk with mankind. It is given to man to judge between good
and evil. If a man being evil gives a gift, it is GRUDGING … because he
wants to be seen and admired (1 Corinthians 13:3,though I bestow all my
goods …) our idea of charity can be totally wrong. The bitter fountain
cannot bring forth sweet water, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit
(Moroni 7:9 and Matt. 7:18 and 12:33-34)
Hebrews 5:12-6:9 You
should be ready for strong meat, but you still need to be fed the milk
of the Word!! 6:1, leaving the basic principles … not laying again the
foundation! (once the foundation of the house is in place, you leave
off building it and begin to build the house msl) true repentance,
baptisms of water and Holy Spirit, laying on of hands, etc. The church
practiced these things for 1000 years, then lost them. And it’s all for
no good if there is no resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:19). Verses 4-6,
on loss of salvation (the Greek terms used here show that the writer is
not referring to someone who only got a small dose of Christ and was not
actually saved, but to someone who was “all in” and then fell away).
God is not going to do all the work … we must constantly maintain … to
pray, to have charity
The earth drinks the rain and brings forth …
that which bears thorns and weeds is rejected … but i think better
things of you; for God is not unrighteousness to forget your WORK and
LABOR OF LOVE (charity) … we DESIRE that you all show diligence
(faithfulness) … be not slothful (faithfulness)
All of the acts
shown in the pictures (feeding the poor etc) are acts of charity … which
is the one that is out of place? The picture of Jesus on the cross …
that is the ultimate act of charity.
Again, please remember that the words in all-caps are not being shouted, merely emphasized....thanks msl
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Dead Sea Scrolls and the Book of Jubilee
Tuesday night Bible Study Guide
Elder Dennis Trudgen
Dead Sea Scrolls and the Book of Jubilee
Question: “When they found the Dead Sea Scrolls the Book of Jubilee was
in there. The Dead Sea Scrolls are important in the sense of backing
the King James Version but yet this one of the
banned books and still was with the Dead Sea Scrolls being a part of the book.”
In Addition, I received a couple of follow up questions relevant to our
question of the week: “Didn't Mary also write a gospel?” And, “Is it
any accident that the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in close
proximity of time to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. In the book
of Ether we are promised the more would come forth when we are able to
receive it. Ether 1:109 Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will shew
unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of
unbelief. also in the book of Mormon we find Mormon 4:14 And whoso
receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the
imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things
than these. …Do you think the Dead Sea Scrolls could be the greater
things?”
pseud·e·pig·ra·pha
1. Spurious writings, especially writings falsely attributed to biblical characters or times.
2. A body of texts written between 200 B.C. and A.D. 200 and spuriously
ascribed to various prophets and kings of Hebrew Scriptures.
ca•non•i•cal (kəˈnɒn ɪ kəl) adj. Also,ca•non′ic.
1. pertaining to, established by, or conforming to a canon or canons.
2. included in the canon of the Bible.
3. authorized; recognized; accepted.
I Nephi 6 : 5 3 And I did read many things unto them, which were
written in the book of Moses; 4 But that I might more fully persuade
them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer, wherefore, I
did read
unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; 5 For I did
liken all scriptures unto us that it might be for our profit and
learning. 6 Wherefore, I spake unto them, saying, Hear ye the words of
the prophet,
II Nephi 3 : 29 28 And upon these, I write the things
of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the
plates of brass: 29 For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my
heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit
of my children. 30 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord;
and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen
and heard.
Alma 10 : 17 Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction.
Alma 17 : 32 And these plates of brass which contain these engravings,
which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which have the
genealogy of our forefathers, even from the
beginning.
Helaman 5
: 126 And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto
them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began
to be fulfilled.
III Nephi 11 : 29 And he saith, These scriptures
which ye had not with you, the Father commanded that I should give unto
you, for it was wisdom in him that they should be given unto future
generations.
John 7 : 42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ
cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where
David was?
John 10 : 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
John 19 : 36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
II Timothy 3 : 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
II Peter 1 : 21 20 Knowing this first, that no
prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.For the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
II Samuel 23 : 2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts discovered between
1946 and 1956 at Khirbet Qumran in what was then British Mandate
Palestine, and since 1947 known as the West Bank. They were found on the
northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name. The
texts are written in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Nabataean, mostly on
parchment but with some written on papyrus and bronze.[2] The
manuscripts have been dated to various ranges between 408 BCE and 318
CE.[3] Bronze coins found on the site form a series beginning with John
Hyrcanus (135-104 BCE) and continuing until the First Jewish-Roman War
(66–73 CE).
The scrolls have traditionally been identified with the
ancient Jewish sect called the Essenes, although some recent
interpretations have challenged this association and argue that the
scrolls were penned by priests in Jerusalem, Zadokites, or other unknown Jewish groups.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are divided into three groups; copies of texts
from the Hebrew Bible, which comprise roughly 40% of the identified
scrolls, texts from the Second Temple Period like the Book of Enoch,
Jubilees, the Book of Tobit, the Wisdom of Sirach, Psalms 152–155, etc.,
that ultimately were not canonized in the Hebrew Bible, which comprise
roughly 30% of the identified scrolls, and sectarian manuscripts
(previously unknown documents that shed light on the rules and beliefs
of a particular group or groups within greater Judaism) like the
Community Rule, the War Scroll, the Pesher on Habakkuk and the The Rule
of the Blessing, which comprise roughly 30% of the identified scrolls.
Apocrypha writings above Book of Tobit, Wisdom of Sirach, Psalms 152-155
“The presence of 'apocryphal' psalms such as the Prayer of Manasseh,
and the Psalms of Solomon, which were considered inspired by many Jews
around the turn of the era, along with the
presence of apocryphal
psalms in 11QPsa indicate the distinction between canonical and
apocryphal psalms had not been clarified before the advent of
Christianity." (The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 2, p. 610)”
The word 'Apocrypha' comes from the Greek root word Apokruphos meaning
'hidden'. It was generally accepted to include writings whose origins is
doubtful (spurious) or known to be false and heretical. It was not
until 1880 that the American Bible Society voted to remove the
"Apocrypha" Books from the King James Version. Five years later, the
Anglican Church officially removed the
Apocrypha from their English printings of the KJV by the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Book of Tobit
"If the Devil, or an evil spirit troubles anyone, they can be driven
away by making a smoke of the heart, liver, and gall of a fish...and the
Devil will smell it, and flee away, and never come again anymore."
Tobit 6:5-8.
Tobit 12:9 states that “alms doth deliver from death,
and shall purge away all sin.” There are also historical errors as well
to deal with. For example, Tobit claims to have been living when
Jeroboam revolted (circa 931 B.C.) and still living when Assyria
conquered Israel (circa 722 B.C.). He would have had to have lived over
200 years to see both events. (Tobit 1:3-5; 14:11).
Wisdom of Sirach
“Sirach is accepted as part of the Christian biblical canon by
Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican,[4] and most Oriental Orthodox but
not by most Protestants.”
Water will quench a flaming fire; and alms maketh an atonement for sin”. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 3:3, 30
Sirach 12:4-7 advices, “Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner.
Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly; hold back
thy bread, and give it not unto him...give unto the good, and help not
the sinner.”
Gospel of Mary
The Gospel of Mary is a collection
of writings attributed to Jesus as told through and for Mary of Magdala.
As with most Gospels, it is unlikely she wrote it herself; it is more
likely that followers of her Church wrote it. John D. Crossan has stated
in Jesus, a Revolutionary Biography that there is sufficient evidence
to accept that there was a church that was in Mary's name and that it is
likely Mary was the leader and preacher. Karen King, in The Gospel of
Mary of Magdala goes into depth not only on the Church, but its
theology.
The confrontation of Mary with Peter, a scenario also
found in The Gospel of Thomas, Pistis Sophia, and The Gospel of the
Egyptians, reflects some of the tensions in second-century Christianity.
Peter and Andrew represent orthodox positions that deny the validity of
esoteric revelation and reject the authority of women to teach. The
Gospel of Mary attacks both of these positions head-on through its
portrayal of Mary Magdalene. She is the Savior's beloved, possessed of
knowledge and teaching superior to that of the public apostolic
tradition. Her superiority is based on vision and private revelation and
is demonstrated in her capacity to strengthen the wavering disciples
and turn them toward the Good.
Book of Jubilees
“The Book of
Jubilees sometimes called Lesser Genesis (Leptogenesis), is an ancient
Jewish religious work, considered one of the pseudepigrapha by
Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Jubilees is
considered canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as well as Jews in
Ethiopia, where it is known as the Book of Division (Ge'ez: Mets'hafe
Kufale)…. Jubilees covers much of the same ground as Genesis, but often
with additional detail... Jubilees covers much of the same ground as
Genesis, but often with additional detail, and addressing Moses in the
second person as the entire history of creation, and of Israel up to
that point, is recounted in divisions of 49 years each, or "Jubilees".
The elapsed time from the creation, up to Moses receiving the scriptures
upon Sinai during the Exodus, is calculated as fifty Jubilees, less the
40 years still to be spent wandering in the desert before entering
Canaan — or 2,410 years.
Four classes of angels are mentioned:
angels of the presence, angels of sanctifications, guardian angels over
individuals, and angels presiding over the phenomena of nature. Enoch
was the first
man initiated by the angels in the art of writing, and
wrote down, accordingly, all the secrets of astronomy, of chronology,
and of the world's epochs. As regards demonology, the writer's position
is largely that of the deuterocanonical writings from both New and Old
Testament times.
The Book of Jubilees narrates the genesis of angels
on the first day of Creation and the story of how a group of fallen
angels mated with mortal females, giving rise to a race of giants known
as
the Nephilim. The Ethiopian version states that the "angels" were
in fact the disobedient offspring of Seth (Deqiqa Set), while the
"mortal females" were daughters of Cain.[13] This is also the view held
by Simeon bar Yochai, Clementine literature, Sextus Julius Africanus,
Ephrem the Syrian, Augustine of Hippo, and John Chrysostom among many
other early authorities. Their hybrid children, the Nephilim in
existence during the time of Noah, were wiped out by the great flood.
However, Jubilees also states that God granted ten percent of the
disembodied spirits of the Nephilim to try to lead mankind astray after
the flood.
Jubilees makes an incestuous reference regarding the son
of Adam and Eve, Cain and his wife. In chapter iv (1-12) (Cain and
Abel), it mentions that Cain took his sister Awan to be his wife and
Enoch was their child. Also, it mentions that Seth (another son of Adam
and Eve) married his sister Azura. Contains the story of Genesis pretty
much chapter by chapter but curiously, mentions Israel often some 2500
years before their existence. No mention of the
Melchizedek that
Hebrews says was the High Priest. It also talks about the feast days and
holy of holies before the birth of Israel. It also does not have the
latter day prophecies found in Gen 49 or the story of the angel guarding
the Tree of Life. DLT)
According to this book, Hebrew is the
language of Heaven, and was originally spoken by all creatures in the
Garden, animals and man, however the animals lost their power of speech
when Adam and Eve were expelled. Some time following the Deluge, the
earth is apportioned into three divisions for the three sons of Noah,
and his sixteen grandsons. After the destruction of the tower of Babel,
their families were scattered to their respective allotments, and Hebrew
was forgotten, until Abraham was taught it by the angels.
Jubilees also contains a few scattered allusions to the Messianic
kingdom. RH Charles in 1913 wrote: "This kingdom was to be ruled over by
a Messiah sprung, not from Levi — that is, from the Maccabean family —
as some of his contemporaries expected — but from Judah. This kingdom
would be gradually realized on earth, and the transformation of physical
nature would go hand in hand with the ethical transformation of man
until there was a new heaven and a new earth. Thus, finally, all sin and
pain would disappear and men would live to the age of 1,000 years in
happiness and peace, and after death enjoy a blessed immortality in the
spirit world."[3] ^ a b c The Book of Jubilees (Int., tr.), from "The
Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament", by R. H. Charles.
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913
It was well known to Early Christians,
as evidenced by the writings of Epiphanius, Justin Martyr, Origen,
Diodorus of Tarsus, Isidore of Alexandria, Isidore of Seville, Eutychius
of Alexandria, John Malalas, George Syncellus, and George Kedrenos. It
was so thoroughly suppressed in the 4th century that no complete Hebrew,
Greek or Latin version has survived. There is conjecture among western
biblical scholars that Jubilees may be a rework of material found in the
canonical books of Genesis and Exodus The Book of Jubilees claims to
present "the history of the division of the days of the Law, of the
events of the years, the year-weeks, and the jubilees of the world" as
revealed to Moses (in addition to the Torah or "Instruction") by Angels
while he was on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights.[2] The
chronology given in Jubilees is based on multiples of seven; the
jubilees are periods of 49 years, seven 'year-weeks', into which all of
time has been divided. According to
the author of Jubilees, all proper customs that mankind should follow are determined by God's decree.
Until the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS), the only surviving
manuscripts of Jubilees were four complete Ge'ez texts dating to the
15th and 16th centuries,… Between 1947 and 1956, approximately 15
Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in
Hebrew.
Dating: The dating of Jubilees has been somewhat problematic
for biblical scholars. While the oldest extant copies of Jubilees can
be assigned on the basis of the handwriting to about 100 BC, there is
much evidence to suggest Jubilees was written prior to this date. For
example, the author of Jubilees seems to be aware of 1 Enoch's "Book of
Dreams"; of which, the oldest extant copy (DSS-13 4Q208) has been carbon
dated to ca. 200 BC. Generally agree the book was written (135-105
B.C)…And yet, many scholars continue to subscribe to Robert Henry
Charles's view that Jubilees could not have been written before the
events of 1 Maccabees, due to perceived cryptic references within the
text. As a result, general reference works such as the Oxford Annotated
Bible and the Mercer Bible Dictionary conclude the work can be dated to
160–150 BC.” From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ether 1:109, Mormon 4:14: Do you think the Dead Sea Scrolls could be the greater things?
Daniel 12 : 4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book,
even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
shall be increased.
III Nephi 12 : 3 And when they shall have
received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try
their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things,
then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them. 4. And if it
so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater
things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation. 5 Behold I was
about to write them all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi,
but the
Lord forbid it, saying, I will try the faith of my people;
therefore I, Mormon, do write the things which have been commanded me of
the Lord….(See also Ether 1:90-114; 1 Nephi 3:190-191; 2 Nephi 12 : 72
(Book of Lost tribes), Alma 17 : 32-34 (Plates of Brass)
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