life

The Egyptian Ankh, “Life! Health! Strength!” – Part 1

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Detail of Hathor shrine at Hatshepsut's temple in Luxor, Egypt

Egypt figures a central role in the religion of the ancient Near East, where much of our canon of scripture owes its narrative and existence to this locale.  Even the Book of Mormon tells us it was written in “reformed Egyptian” (Mormon 9:32).  The most interesting aspect, to me, is the adoption into Egypt of traces of the rites and ordinances of the temple of God, and its priesthood.  Unfortunately, the ordinances were apostate forms, the priesthood invalid, and all was done in imitation of the true order:

Pharaoh, being a righteous man, established his kingdom and judged his people wisely and justly all his days, seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generations, in the days of the first patriarchal reign, even in the reign of Adam, and also of Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom, but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood. (Abraham 1:26)

But even so, the fragments of the ordinances that are extant in artifacts and texts are very educational.  In Hugh Nibley’s classic work The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment he says:  [Read more…]

Temple Worship among Post-Exile Jews

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Excavation of Jewish settlement on Elephantine Island, Egypt

First of all I’d like to thank all those who have participated in the TempleStudy feedback that was posted yesterday. I have received a good number of responses, and most were very positive. Some even compared my methodology, albeit detrimentally, as similar to Hugh Nibley’s, for which I could not be more flattered. If I am able, in the least measure, to be compared to Dr. Nibley, I am very grateful. I also received many ideas for topics and directions which will help to continue charting the course here. I’m glad to see that there is so much support for this site, however inadequate my research or conclusions may be. Mostly we are trying to sit at the feet of some of the greatest LDS scholars here, and learn as we go along. And just to quell some uncertainties, I have not entertained any thoughts of quiting TempleStudy anytime soon. We’ve just begun!

I’d like to draw some attention to the great research on the temple that was presented in the latest Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, 16/2 (2007). Two articles in particular in this issue have the temple as a major theme, namely, “A Tale of Three Communities: Jerusalem, Elephantine, and Lehi-Nephi” by Jared W. Ludlow, and “Service and Temple in King Benjamin’s Speech” by Donald W. Parry. We’ll review Ludlow’s study today. [Read more…]

Mammon’s Cover-up

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Scan of Temple Worship book cover

I noticed something yesterday that I thought was a good and oxymoronic example of how the adversary likes to distract us from what is important, to divert our attention onto more worldly pursuits, and tempt us to stay away, both in mind and body, from that which is holy.

This image is a scan of the front of the recent Temple Worship book by Dr. Andrew Skinner. I bought it at Seagull Book, and as you can clearly see, it was “15% OFF.” Unfortunately, this large yellow sticker directly covers a beautiful painting entitled Bountiful Temple by Al Rounds. While I am appreciative that the book cost me less than the listed price, such a bold advertisement covers up a lovely representation of the house of the Lord.

While this is likely an unconscious and unintentional cover-up, Satan uses similar tactics to divert our focus away from what God would have us think about, and to concern ourselves with those things of the world. The Adversary would have us believe that money, work, careers, fashions, gold, jewelry, cars, houses, boats, and the like are more important than holy things, particularly our participation in the temple. Don’t let him fool you. Mammon’s concerns are a cover-up of those things which are more important.

A Reply to Sonnet 18

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William Shakespeare once wrote a sonnet about love, probably the best-known among the 154 he wrote – Sonnet 18. I heard a beautiful song on YouTube this morning sung by David Gilmour and put to the words of this sonnet. It inspired me to write this reply:

What would thy lines in memory provide,
When life’s dear moments in our presence shine?
Thy constant words recall a former tide,
But lasting coupled souls far more we pine.
In heaven’s home where flames eternal glaze,
A thought so pleasant swiftly warms a heart;
Yet hand in hand together we’ll be raised,
A perfect seal upon our heads support.
The pen makes her a summer sun so bright,
Still there’s one Son whose gift comes most supreme;
Atonement brings us to the Source of light,
And further binds our love in endless beam.

So don’t chance breath or eyes alone to save,
That which the Christ can keep beyond the grave.

-Bryce Haymond