Joseph, Known and Unknown: The account of ancient Joseph is truly a chiasmas paralleled by the modern story of Joseph. It is a prefiguring of the Savior's mission. In slavery, his identity is really unknown, yet he serves and saves those around him. Later, he serves and saves his brothers before identifying himself. Latter-day Messiah Preceded by a Joseph Messiah? "According to the Talmud, the Messiah will be a descendant…

Modern Finds Give Insights to Biblical Culture: The Biblical area of Haran may have been discovered in modern Iraq. Writings found in an ancient town of Nuzi give some insight to the culture of Biblical times: "NUZI is an ancient city in northeastern Iraq . . . discovered thousands of tablet-documents dating from the 15th-14th centuries B.C.E. . . . when deciphered, turned out to be extremely valuable . .…

Promise Kept: Isaac was a miracle child, born of Sarah who was ninety-years old and barren. One could ask, "what did the neighbors say?" Isaac in Hebrew means laughter, humor, amusing or delightful. Abraham and Sarah were delighted. A human impossibility became a God-given fulfillment. In the Lord's own plan, he kept his promises! A Chosen Birth Date: "According to the aggadah, Isaac was born to Sarah on the first…

Dead Sea Scroll People Move to the "Great Salt Lake": The Dead Sea Scrolls people moved away from wickedness to establish a singular community of righteousness. Their leader was called the "Teacher of Righteousness" and he had two assistants. There was also a council of "Twelve Overseers." They had an order following the 'righteous king', which is said in Hebrew, "Melech Zedek." The Dead Sea sect shunned others, and probably…

Abrahamic Covenant Before Abraham? It can be considered that the "Abrahamic covenant" was in existence before Abraham's time. The honor bestowed on this faithful dispensation leader was to have the covenant that eternally binds God and man named after him. A few others have been honored similarly, such as in "The Law of Moses" and the "Sign of the Prophet Jonah." New Name: It is a common practice among religious…

Jew's View of a Law Preceding Moses: "Noachide Laws, seven laws which were supposed by the rabbis to have been binding on all mankind even before the revelation at Sinai . . . Exegetically derived from statements made by God to Adam and to Noah, six of them are negative: not to 1) worship idols; 2) blaspheme the name of God; 3) kill; 4) commit adultery; 5) rob; 6) eat…

References to Enoch: "Enoch" appears in several apocryphal works. The Ethiopian Jews who claim to be descendants of King Solomon (and the Queen of Sheba) have brought their holy books from Ethiopia to Israel. Although they are recent in terms of age (less than two-thousand years old), they do contain two apocryphal books, one of which is the Book of Enoch. "Probably the most important work in pseudepigraphical literature deals…

Who Remembers the "Fall of Adam" Anymore?: The fall of Adam is one of the faded doctrines of Judaism. Discovery of ancient scriptures (The Pearl of Great Price) and the restoration of temples in modern times have restored understanding that was on the earth before. Following is a collection of Jewish thought on Adam, Eve and sin. Literal or Allegorical? "For most of the medieval Jewish thinkers, the biblical story…

Texts Before the Bible was Written: Before the Bible as we know it was written there were written correspondences between peoples in the Middle East. The oldest known writing may be the Ebla Tablets found in today's Syria. Approximately eighteen thousand ceramic plates were found. They even contained a language that had never been known before. Even more astounding was a set of plates that contained a sort of dictionary…

Pre-earth Life Exists Before New Testament: At the time of Jesus a Society of Jews that many call the Essenes lived at the Dead Sea. Their writings included inferences of "pre-existence." This seems evident because their scribes referred to the Messiah they expected as known by previous prophets and sages. Doctrine Changed: Again, the eighth century Jewish philosopher, Maimonides, eliminated references to a pre-earth life. Various writing of sages prior…

True Nature Of God Known in Antiquity: The anthropomorphic nature of God was known to the Jews at the time of Jesus. The Old Testament, as well as the Dead Sea Scrolls contain several references to God in 'human terms'. As the true nature of God is seen to diminish in history, true religion fades away. When Jewish Belief in God Changed: By the time the Crusaders were approaching the…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Turkey Tom[/caption] The Thanksgiving symbol of plenty, a horned basket, resembles the Jewish shofar, and of course, both Sukkot and Thanksgiving feature bountiful amounts of delicious, seasonally-inspired foods. Perhaps, most enjoyable part of Sukkot is the food. Okay, the traditional American Thanksgiving food is turkey, So, how is it that Israelis now consume more turkey per capita than anyone in the world, even counting American thanksgiving, so ubiquitous that…

Two Zions: As there are two gatherings, one spiritual and another physical, there are also two definitions of Zion, one in the heart and another in the place. What the Jews may not realize is that there are two chosen people that will have two Zion headquarters. Presently, there are two dedicated centers in the two "Zions" in the two "Tops of the Mountains," Jerusalem and Salt Lake City. The…

Family Importance for Jews and Latter-day Saints: Even with most theological differences, family is one of Joseph's and Judah's strongest similarities. The Bible appears to be more concerned with social and family relations than with individual ones, and thus puts more emphasis on being a good neighbor than it does on friendship. The Bible also warns against false friendship, saying that people might be attracted to a person solely because…

Two Reasons for Involvement: One of the traditional aspects of Judaism is to be involved in community and governmental affairs. This may have a two-fold purpose, one to serve the community and another to preserve its own rights and identity. Ethics: Whether establishing themselves within or part of a community, Jewish ethics and hospitality are an important life style. "Ethics are the principles by which man can live a good…

Modern Jewish Attitude on Sexuality and Morality: ". . . man must serve God with his soul and his body. A person's soul is that part of him that loves God and His goodness and wants to be like Him, and a person's body is the physical container of his soul on earth. Nearly all the mitzvot which God gave are to be performed with the body. Thus the physical…

Without Present-day Revelation: The Jews have turned to revere the scripture scrolls. The scroll cabinet, the "Ark," is said to contain the "presence of God," meaning the word of God. Visions Contain Pictures, Sounds: Reading the past scriptural event of Peter's Vision of the Sheet in New Testament times, can help us understand the value of present day revelation. During his prayers, Peter saw a sheet with knitted or knotted…

Religious Rights in Israel: The two legal systems, secular and religious allow religious people to take disputes or legal processes to their own judges. They include the Orthodox Jews, Moslems, Greek Orthodox, Armenians, Catholics, Syrian Orthodox and the Bahais. The Bahai religious courts are the only ones established after the State of Israel was recognized. Jewish Proselytizing: There is some Proselytizing done by the Jews to bring more Jews to…

Saviors on Mount Zion: On April 6, 1890, President Wilford Woodruff said, "We are called upon, as saviors on Mount Zion . . . to go forth and redeem our dead. I do not want to go into the spirit world to meet these people and have them say . . . 'You had power to enter into these Temples to get redemption for me, but you have not done…

Specific Seat for Elijah: The ancient eating arrangement at the Passover meal (Seder) was "U" shaped. The oldest was in the second seat with one of the youngest of his choice seated at his right hand, in the first seat. At the other end of the "U" shaped seating arrangement was an empty chair for Elijah, directly opposite the youngest and the oldest, symbolic–if you-please of Elijah turning the hearts…

Original Meaning of Faith Includes Works: The Hebrew word for faith is emunah probably derived from the word imun which means practice, procedure or work. Inherent in the word emunah is faith and works. "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (James 2:17) The three attributes of God-fearing people are faith (emunah), hope (tikvah) and charity (zedakah) or (hesed). Judaism has, however, evolved to the…

Torah–Word of God: The Bible is holy to Jews because it represents the Word of God. ". . . the Torah . . . is . . . God's direct statement. The halakhah, or Jewish law, which is the authoritative guide for a Jew's life, is mainly based on the Torah. “The custom of reading the Torah publicly . . . originat(es) with Ezra in the fifth-fourth centuries B.C.E. At…

The greatest deliverance of the Children of Israel was from the adversities and hardships in Egypt. It was a learning experience where a complete generation had to die and only the next generation was the one to enter the promised land to prosper there. "O Judah, and . . . Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD . . . believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper." (2 Chronicles 20) Lehi, Nephi,…

Jehovah is His name. Salvation is what He provides. Jehovah means "I Am." In Hebrew, the expression is so sacred that it is not repeated; Hebrew does not have an "I am." The shortened version of Jehovah is "Jeho." Connected to "shua." The abbreviation of "salvation" it is pronounced Jeho-shua. By the time Jeho-shua was transliterated into Greek, Latin and English, it became pronounced as Jesus. He is the "I…

When nations begin to "gather," there evolves a certain culture. First, the spirit of commitment is challenged by hardships and rejection long before the new society begins to mature and be accepted by others. Secondly, because of true faith in the Lord, the Children of Israel, anciently and in modern times did not, and do not let the hardships and the sometimes, violent rejection get in the way of pursuing…

To the mob, the martyrdom of Joseph Smith was thought to be the end of "Mormonism." However, a biblical system of succession had been restored. It was the system God gave in ancient times. The similarity of the mission of Joseph Smith can be compared to Moses. The mission of Brigham Young could also be likened to Joshua. "And again, the duty of the President of the office of the…

Past Prophet's persecutions and martyrdoms reflect the past or show the future and teach us something about the ultimate sacrifice of the Lord. These prophets were models of their Master, the Savior, who would prophesy against the corrupt part of the Jewish government and the people who followed their wickedness. "And . . . he shall be led . . . as a sheep before the shearer is dumb. .…

Last Jewish Prophets Testified of Restoration: "Zechariah continued in the same task as Haggai; he too encouraged the Jews to rebuild the Temple. Zechariah reminded Israel that before God returned to the Temple the people must return to God through righteousness, justice, and mercy . . . Zechariah prophesied of the Golden Age of the Messiah when God's Kingdom would be established on earth." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) Precise Day Elijah…

Zion Building, Then and Now: Joseph Smith, the Prophet, was given the vision of settling a Zion, building a society and establishing communities that would bless and renew the land. He carried out this heaven-inspired yearning wherever he went or was forced to go. This is a pattern reflected in Jewish history. "Ever since the time of the first Babylonian exile over 2,000 years ago, Jews of the world have…

"Sinking to New Heights:" A phrase comes to mind that may help explain the apparent helplessness of many of God's choicest leaders, it is "sinking to new heights." The Savior's exquisite atonement for us has been somewhat foreshadowed or mirrored in the depths to which Job, Jonah, Nephi, Alma, Peter, Joseph Smith and many others, sank. How Does God Allow This? "If God is all-powerful and good, as Judaism claims…

Scattering and Gathering, Being Tempered and Taught: The early saints paralleled the experiences of the Children of Israel in Biblical times. It is also part of a pattern teaching us the plan of life where we leave Father's presence, come to this earth to by tried, tempered and taught and then have the opportunity to return to Father's presence. Joseph Smith's Role Is Summarized in Parable: After the destruction of…

The Word of the Lord Is for All People: Jews feel there are different laws for Gentiles and Jews. "Seven laws which were supposed by the rabbis to have been binding on all mankind even before the revelation at Sinai. They are referred to as 'Noachide' . . . since the whole human race . . . descended from the three sons of Noah, who alone survived the flood." (Encyclopedia…

Covenant, a Name of the Lord: The restored priesthoods are covenants between God and man. One of the many names that describe the Lord is "covenant." He is the Messenger ". . . the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant . . . " (Malachi 3:1) Attempts to Return to Original Organization: The Dead Sea Scrolls describe the Essenes organization…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Garden Tomb Israel[/caption] Similarly, at the Mount of Beatitudes, (Daniel) took us to a place below the church built on the top of the mount. There at the side of the mountain, looking down upon the Sea of Galilee . . . at the top of an untouched meadow . . . I felt strongly that the Savior had been there and had taught there. . . The experience…

Building a Security Wall: My Father's example taught me, "Never let what you cannot do, get in the way of what you can do." I'll add, "Never let what you do not know get in the way of what you do know." Hold fast to the truths that have already built part of a solid wall of security, without excuses! Dealing with a Gap in the Wall: In building terrace…

Key to Learning: The preface to these lesson supplements includes the first two verses of the Book of Mormon. Nephi gave the key to understanding the scriptures, the "learning of the Jews" along with the "knowledge of the mysteries of God." World of Words: The Old Testament only has about 8,900 different words (English has more tha 1,000,000), yet the illustrative capacity of the prophets is expressed through the images…

The First Word of Wisdom: In the Garden of Eden, there was a law of health, things you should and should not eat. The Lord gave the Children of Israel a law of health. The Jews call it the correct way, Kashrut or being kosher. The Kashrut has been modified throughout the ages, yet basics still remain from Mount Sinai. What is Kosher: Some Jews will not eat meat because…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Happy Family[/caption] The first thing he thought about, was: where can he and his family travel to in the next two weeks? He thought about travel first, not because of what he does professionally, but because of the power it has, to open a family's eyes to the beauty all around. Like Mark, I often think of the beauty of a loving family, the calming effects of a warm…

Jewish Rituals Look Forward to the "Great Day:" Religious Jews still practice many forms of ancient rites and rituals whose meanings have become distorted or lost over many years. With the restoration of priesthood, we are privileged to comprehend how the "New Covenant" restores the true doctrine. Old rituals contain signs of the "Great Day of the Lord to Come." Remembrance and Looking Forward: Although "wine and bread" are partaken…

"Heaven and Hell:" Even though there is little discussion of after life among the Jews, heaven and hell appear in much Jewish commentary. "The souls of the righteous enter paradise . . . 'there is no eating or drinking . . . no envy, hatred or competition . . . the souls of the wicked enter hell . . . where they undergo purification before they too can enter paradise…

True Nature of God Diminished: By the time the Crusaders approached the Holy Land, a prominent Jewish philosopher, Moses Maimonides, began collecting writings and interpretations of other Jewish sages to codify and centralize them. He included 'Thirteen Articles of Faith.' The first three declared that God cannot be explained, thus eliminating reference to the anthropomorphic nature of God. Meaning Lost on Resurrection/Death: The Jewish interpretation that God has no .…

Entire Encampment of Israel Was a "City Temple:" (Apparently it will be that way again when the Lord returns to Jerusalem): "In pre-Temple times . . . anyone who was tameh (unclean) was forced to go outside the marked boundaries and was forbidden to return until he had completed the purification ritual." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) Washing and Temples: The call to go to the temple includes, "He that hath clean…

GOD'S MATH IS DIFFERENT THAN MAN'S: The Law of Tithing was given as a part of the plan to teach, by means of serving each other, how to develop a total commitment to serving Him. God's instruction is to bring the tithes, 10%, to him so that the remaining 90% will go farther than the 100% ever could. JEWISH VIEW OF TITHING: There is still some biblical meaning, yet Jews…

SABBATH, IDENTIFIES PEOPLE OF COVENANT. SABBATH, A COMMANDMENT EQUAL TO ALL THE REST. SABBATH, FOR ANIMALS. SABBATH, A DAY OF JOY. SABBATH, A DAY OF LIGHT. SABBATH, A DAY OF RITUAL. SABBATH, A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE. SABBATH, COMPLETION OF THE CREATION. Want More Doctrine and Covenants Gospel Doctrine Supplements?Download Our Doctrine and Covenants Gospel Doctrine Supplements Click for the full Doctrine and Covenants Supplement story Click for a summary of…

KEY TO RECOGNIZING THE MESSIAH: The true meaning of the Messiah's life and those who testified of Him is the SPIRIT. The word for spirit in Hebrew is Ruach Elohim, the breath, the wind of God. "And Moses said . . . Would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!" (Numbers 11:29) A GIFT: As previously stated, there are…

FIRST MODERN KIBBUTZ: The significant difference between the "United Order" and the "Law of Consecration," is that the "United Order" is like the modern version of the Jewish Kibbutz, reflecting similar "legislated" cooperative efforts as was done anciently. "In 1909, on land purchased by the Jewish National Fund, the first kibbutz, Deganyah, was established. By 1914, the yishuv . . . the Jewish community . . . numbered some 85,000."…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Mormon Travel To Capernaum[/caption] At Capernaum, there are two doorways in and out of the synagogue. After the temple was destroyed, all synagogue entrances (coming from Jerusalem) were closed and a back door was opened. The symbolism may mean that we are now coming from the Diaspora into the place of worship and must return to the Diaspora. Jews' synagogue prayers used to end with the hopeful words, "Next…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Sabbath Wine & Bread[/caption] To the Jews who commemorate the first two reasons for the Sabbath, a sip of wine is partaken, followed by bread. The prayers recited include a recollection of the past, with an eye to the future where an even greater deliverance is anticipated. In this sense, it is a chiasmus that focuses on the atonement in the center. The Savior’s atonement began with suffering and…

UNIQUE DOCTRINES TODAY REFLECT THE PAST: Doctrines that seem unique among the Latter-day Saints, provide, on closer examination of Jewish traditions and, Biblical texts, a verification of the principle of restoration. The following paragraphs show apparent links to the past. ". . . God is represented by the two names of God–Elohim and YHWH. The former stands for justice and the latter for mercy. Though they may seem contradictory, one…

JEWISH VIEW OF A LATTER-DAY JOSEPH: When the Chief Rabbi, Avraham HaKohen Kook was appointed in Palestine in the 1920's, Jews asked if they could now build the Temple (destroyed since year 70 A.D.). He said that priestly rights were gone and referring to the great 12th century rabbi Moses Maimonides, said, in effect, "We are waiting for a Messiah Ben-Joseph, to him will be given the keys of the…

KEEP IT IN MIND: Jews have traditional symbols which “keep God’s word in front of them” at all times by binding leather phylacteries (Tfillin) on the arm and forehead as well as a Mezuzah on all Jewish doorposts. The words in the ‘Mezuzah’ and in the ‘Tfillin’ are summarized in Deuteronomy 6:4-17. RETURNING AND PROSELYTIZING: Returning to the Land of Israel is like returning to the Lord. Those are as…

A VOICE OF CHEER: Just about every time the heavens open, those with the Lord’s spirit are brought up to greater “cheer.” To those, the Lord’s voice is comforting. “For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand . . . if ye will hear his voice . . .” (Psalm 95:7) GATHERING AND REMEMBERING: On one hand, the Jews,…

[caption align="aligncenter"]Desert in Israel[/caption] On the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, an old inn has been restored to represent a New Testament parable Jesus told. Modern Christians call it the "Good Samaritan Inn." The truth is that Jesus never used the term "good" Samaritan. Let’s take a closer look . . . A lawyer, challenged Jesus, the Lawgiver: "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 10:25) Jesus, who…

GOD CHOOSES THE DAY: To better understand the miracle of the restoration and the day that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially organized, let us go back to Biblical times. Isaac, a miracle child, was born of barren Sarah who was ninety-years old. “According to the Aggadah, Isaac was born to Sarah on the first day of Passover.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) RESTORATION ON JESUS’ BIRTHDAY, PASSOVER:…

[caption align="aligncenter"]The Sea of Galilee is Calling![/caption] Israel is a good land, where Jews, Moslems and Christians raise their families. A feeling of peace and youthful growth exists even though its history is almost as old as civilization. The country itself is about 65 miles wide and 200 miles long. There's no gold or silver here to make the land worth conquering. Even the late Golda Meir chided Moses, "He…

ANCIENT JOSEPH GIVEN AUTHORITY: Ancient Joseph was authorized by his father when Jacob laid hands on Joseph’s head. “. . . parents place their hands on the heads of their children when they bless them. (. . . in the Bible, Jacob blessed his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, by placing his hands on their heads.) Placing the hands on another person is symbolic not only of transferring blessing but also…

AS VIEWED BY JUDAISM, FAITH (AND WORKS): “Belief in God's existence . . . is taken for granted and is the basis of the Bible. The biblical word emunah (and its other forms) which is often translated as ‘belief’ means ‘trust’ or ‘confidence,’ which is something quite different. “Judaism insists on belief, faith and good deeds (which are also called mitzvot); but by themselves they are not enough.” (Encyclopedia Judaica…

CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF THE HOLY GHOST: The Hebrew word for breath and wind (ruach) is closely related to the word spirit. Ezekiel spoke of breath bringing life into dead bones (etzemot). As the sticks (ETZ-emot) of the body are clothed again with flesh and come alive again, so shall the stick (ETZ) of Judah, the dead skeleton of a once true and living religion, come together with the stick of…

WITHOUT ACCEPTING REVELATION, WE FORGET: In modern Jewish thinking, “looking to God” and “revelation” are almost figurative and have become unexplainable. “. . . various phrases are used when describing appearances of the Divine, for example kavod (‘glory’) or shekhinah (. . . ‘Divine Presence’) or davar (‘word’ of God).” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) PAST REVELATION, A GUIDE FOR THE FUTURE: “The same Prophets who have contemplated and described the .…

PATTERN OF PREPARATION: The preparation that Joseph Smith went through is part of a pattern identified throughout the scriptures and also evident in Jewish tradition. Many of the Jewish holidays have extensive preparations that are as important as the holy day itself. “The Sabbath before Passover is known as Shabbat ha-Gadol . . . a . . . [reading from the Prophets] referring to the day on which Elijah the…

HEAVENLY VISIONS THROUGHOUT TIME: Whether it was Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Ezekiel or any of the prophets of old, the people’s reaction to vision was either very negative or supportive. Some of those visions happened outside of Israel (Ezekiel) and even came to what Jews call a “Gentile Prophet,” (Baalam). Many of those visions foresaw the time of the restoration. EZEKIEL’S VISIONS EQUATE RESTORATION AND RESURRECTION: “Ezekiel prophecy starts on a…