Many years ago I developed the habit of purchasing the recordings of General Conference and listening to them over and over again in my car. It reached the point that I no longer listened to anything other than conference (or Mo Tab) while driving. Most of the time, since I am thick skulled, it isn’t until the 5th or 6th time that I hear a talk that I begin to hear what the speaker is saying. An example of this was a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott in April of 2009. In this talk Elder Scott mentioned that he had attended the temple every week for 14 years. He mentioned that if he ever misses, he makes it up on another date. After listening to this talk many times, sometime in July of that year the Spirit whispered to me “Scott, you need to attend the temple every week.” I obeyed.
Attending the temple every week has been an amazing experience. I attend the Salt Lake Temple 6:00 am session every Wednesday. This act of obedience has changed my life forever. My experience has taught me that revelation occurs while in the temple. Everything that happens in the temple has multiple meanings, however, most importantly I have learned that the endowment has little to do with Adam and Eve, and is a story about us individually. This week I had an amazing experience regarding the creation as depicted in the endowment. I would like to share a part of what I learned.
An important piece of what I am about to share comes from a wonderful book titled “The Hidden Christ” by James Ferrell, (the author of the very powerful book “The Peacegiver”). I highly recommend that everyone read it. It is available at Deseret and Seagull Books.
While in the temple this week, and after reading the first chapter in Ferrell’s book, I concentrated on the Creation as being not only about the creation of the earth, but about me individually. The Spirit moved upon me in a most wonderful manner. I began to understand something that I have believed for quite some time, that the pre-existence that we learn about in Sunday School is the kindergarten version of what really happened. Our pre-existence was a series of steps… call them probations, that tested our obedience. The earth had 6 creative periods… perhaps we did as well! Each test allowed time for the elements to obey. When they obeyed, another commandment was given. It wasn’t until the 6th creative period that God finally came down himself and created me in His image.
What does it mean to be created in His image? Is it really what we have always been taught? In the world of popular entertainment, stars are created all the time. Let’s use The Back Street Boys as an example. Somewhere along the line, some producer created a concept (image) in his mind that there was room in the industry for a “boy band.” This producer put together a series of tests or auditions to find individuals who were capable of reaching the producer’s vision. Ultimately the right boys were found. The producer didn’t create the boys from nothing- meaning he brought together matter and organized it into boys- he put together a method for boys that already existed to be created in his image. I am beginning to believe this is what is meant by us being created in God’s image.
In the Book of Abraham there is the very familiar story of Abraham seeing the Council in Heaven where he saw many of the “noble and great ones.” However, just prior to this story, Abraham sees another vision we pay little attention to. It is a vision of the heavenly bodies, including Kolob which is a star nearest to God. Ferrell draws an amazing parallel between the vision of the heavenly bodies and the vision of the spirits. He shows how they unfold in nearly identical fashion. I now quote Ferrell.
“Let’s begin by considering the content and structure of Abraham’s vision of the heavenly bodies:
1.If two heavenly bodies exist, one whose reckoning of time is longer than another’s, there shall be another heavenly body whose reckoning is longer still.
2.There are many great ones- stars- that are near the throne of God.
3.These are the “governing ones.”
4.One among them- the “greatest”- is: “nearest unto the throne of God,” or as God says: “nearest onto me.” This great one is called “Kolob” because it is nearest unto God, and its reckoning is after the reckoning of the Lord’s time.
5.Kolob is “set… to govern” the earth and other plants of the same order.
Compare this to the vision of the spirits that follows it:
1.If two spirits exist, one being more intelligent than the other, there shall be another more intelligent than they.
2.There were many noble and great ones who dwelt in the midst of God.
3.These will be made “rulers.”
4.“And there stood one among them that was like unto God.”
5.This one was sent to make an earth to “prove them herewith,” and he rules “in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences (Abraham’s) eyes have seen from the beginning.”
The parallelism is quite stunning. The stars and the spirits each increase in greatness as they approach God. Given the striking parallel structures of these visions, the vision of the stars gives us a way to visualize the relationship of the spirits with God- that is, our relationship with God. Like Jesus, the star nearest to God is the “first creation” and closest to God. We are told in the explanation of Facsimile No. 2 in the book of Abraham that there is another- a third- standing next to Kolob that holds the “key of power” or right to govern over the other heavenly bodies. So we have three entities at the center that govern all things, perhaps in the similitude of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost.”
Ferrell continues: “These visions suggest that spirits relate to God in precisely the same way and according to the same laws as heavenly bodies relate to God. What immediately follows the parallelism is an account of the creation of a heavenly body being made fit for the presence of God. This implies that the story of a heavenly body being prepared for God is also the story of man being prepared for God. The first step in such a process is to “take up orbit” around those who have been called to govern on the Lord’s behalf. By obeying in this way, we signal our willingness to obey the Lord.
“We will go down,” the Lord said, “and we will make an earth whereon these (spirits) may dwell.” Why? “In order to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.” “They who (do) shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever” – “glory in the same kingdom” with God himself.
“Let’s consider the creation in broad strokes to see how completely the earth was transformed by the creative process, and how that change mirrors the conversion that is offered to man.
In the beginning, before it had taken up orbit around the source of light, the earth was empty, desolate, and dark. This seems a pretty good description of man’s state so long as he insists living for himself, on his own terms, refusing to hearken to the light of Christ. But the spirit moved upon the darkness and the earth moved into proximity with the light. Under the influence of the light, a “firmament” or atmosphere of life sustaining air was formed above and around the earth. In this application to ourselves, we might consider this to be as representation of the nourishing influence of the Spirit in our lives. Under the influence of this light and within the protective canopy of this air or spirit, the earth began to come to life. Isn’t this what happens to us when we are nourished by the Spirit and bathed by the light? We, too, come to life as it were, and begin to bring forth good fruit.
Interestingly, it is a t this point in the process, after the Lord has sown his seeds and nourished his creation by his own light and spirit, that he then guides that creation into the orbit of those that he has set up to govern- the “lights in the firmament of heaven” the “greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night.”
I have a firm testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. I believe with all my heart that it is God’s work on the earth. I believe that it’s leaders are inspired. I know President Monson personally and know him to be a man of God. I know he is the prophet called to lead the church at this time. I also believe that there are others called to provide light in our lives. We have all been touched by others that have great light, but no particular standing in the church. The light is the light of Christ.
“Isn’t this how we grow as well, As we stay in orbit, as it were, of the light of Christ, and the Spirit, and as we follow that light, do we no bring forth more abundantly? Do we not sustain and nourish all that is around us? Do we not ultimately receive the image of God in our countenances?”
“The parallelism implies that the being who was able to create an earth that was able to come into the presence of God is the same being who can bring us into the presence of God. That being is of course the Savior. The Saviors various names testify of his creative role. On the first day, the “light of the world” introduced light. On the second day. “he that breath unto the people” introduced air. On the third day, the “living water, and the “true vine” introduced water, soil, and vegetation. On the fourth day, the light which is in all things” caused the sun, moon, and stars to shine on the earth. On the fifth day, the “fisher of men” brought forth fishes and fowls. On the sixth day, “the Good Shepherd” and “the Lamb of God” prepared an earth to bring forth the animals and all creeping things. And the Son of Man formed man and woman “in the image of God.”
Just as it was the Savior who transformed the earth, so, too, it is the Savior who transforms man.
Showing posts with label James Ferrell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Ferrell. Show all posts
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Putting Off the Natural Man
Perhaps one of the most basic teachings of the gospel, or perhaps the Plan of Salvation’s most basic principle is the need for the children of God to “put off the natural man.” In Mosiah 3 we read “19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”
The scriptures are full of metaphors of how each of us should do this thing. One of the most common phrases is that we must be “born again.” We teach that baptism is symbolic of dieing and burying the old self and coming out of the water a new person… one who has taken on the name of Christ. (In our culture when a woman marries a man, she takes upon herself his name. She is no longer known by her old name… just by that of her husband).
Since Adam and Eve partook of the fruit in the Garden of Eden and fell, it has been the duty of man to repent and to return to our Heavenly Father. In Old Testament times, the covenant people were commanded to live the law of sacrifice which involved the sacrificing of animals. In our day, we are still commanded to live the law of sacrifice but in a different way.
Christ stated in 3 Nephi 12:17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfill;” We also read in 3 Ne. 9: 20
“And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost,”
Today we are expected to sacrifice all things. We must be willing to lay all of our worldliness upon the altar. Joseph Smith taught “Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; … it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life” (Lectures on Faith 6).
In my recent reading of James Ferrell’s “The Hidden Christ”, I have been awed by the Old Testament and how literally every story in it points to Christ and the Atonement. Those of you familiar with his book “The Peacegiver” know how the story of Abigail points to the Savior. Consider how Moses struck a rock with his staff and water flowed forth. How many scriptures refer to Jesus as the “Rock of our salvation” and as the source of “living water”?
I learned another important lesson from Ferrell in chapter 12 of “The Hidden Christ”. I quote “Some people think the God of the Old Testament seems harsh, citing examples of punishments under the law, (death to transgressors by stoning, for example), and the commandment for the Israelites to kill every person that lived in the promised land when they were finally crossed into the land to occupy it. However, if you think of the body of Israel not as a collection of individual, but as a representation of a single person—one who is to be a follower of Christ—all of these harsh contradictions make divine sense, and Old Testament books like Joshua and Judges suddenly become illuminating guides to repentance and sanctification. We truly do need to wipe out all the temptations around us and stop dabbling in sin.”
He continues “Because Egypt, as it were was still in the Israelites, they were not allowed to cross into the Promised Land for forty years. As a body they had to become sanctified. One might wonder why all the people had to wait for the purification of the whole before they were allowed to enter into the promised land. Why couldn’t some have entered sooner on their own—when they, themselves, were ready”?
An even more difficult question might be why Moses was commanded the following: “But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee:” (Deut. 20:16,17). And “And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.” (Deut. 7:2, 3).
If we look at the Children of Israel as representation of an individual, how much of the world are we expected to give up? “All that is ungodly within each of us truly must be put to death or we will not be able to enter into the presence of the Lord. Furthermore, in order to become holy, we really do need to overcome all the temptations around us and stop dabbling in sin. If we are content to surround ourselves with unholiness, we, too, will become unholy and will therefore remain separated form the Lord, which, in the language of the scriptures, is death—spiritual death”.
Experiences in my own life have shown that the Lord expects a lot of me. I must put off the things of the world. I must not put my trust in the arm of the flesh. I must put off vulgarity and uncleanliness. I have learned for myself that the scripture we read in D&C 121: 45 is true
“Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.”
The scriptures are full of metaphors of how each of us should do this thing. One of the most common phrases is that we must be “born again.” We teach that baptism is symbolic of dieing and burying the old self and coming out of the water a new person… one who has taken on the name of Christ. (In our culture when a woman marries a man, she takes upon herself his name. She is no longer known by her old name… just by that of her husband).
Since Adam and Eve partook of the fruit in the Garden of Eden and fell, it has been the duty of man to repent and to return to our Heavenly Father. In Old Testament times, the covenant people were commanded to live the law of sacrifice which involved the sacrificing of animals. In our day, we are still commanded to live the law of sacrifice but in a different way.
Christ stated in 3 Nephi 12:17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfill;” We also read in 3 Ne. 9: 20
“And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost,”
Today we are expected to sacrifice all things. We must be willing to lay all of our worldliness upon the altar. Joseph Smith taught “Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; … it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life” (Lectures on Faith 6).
In my recent reading of James Ferrell’s “The Hidden Christ”, I have been awed by the Old Testament and how literally every story in it points to Christ and the Atonement. Those of you familiar with his book “The Peacegiver” know how the story of Abigail points to the Savior. Consider how Moses struck a rock with his staff and water flowed forth. How many scriptures refer to Jesus as the “Rock of our salvation” and as the source of “living water”?
I learned another important lesson from Ferrell in chapter 12 of “The Hidden Christ”. I quote “Some people think the God of the Old Testament seems harsh, citing examples of punishments under the law, (death to transgressors by stoning, for example), and the commandment for the Israelites to kill every person that lived in the promised land when they were finally crossed into the land to occupy it. However, if you think of the body of Israel not as a collection of individual, but as a representation of a single person—one who is to be a follower of Christ—all of these harsh contradictions make divine sense, and Old Testament books like Joshua and Judges suddenly become illuminating guides to repentance and sanctification. We truly do need to wipe out all the temptations around us and stop dabbling in sin.”
He continues “Because Egypt, as it were was still in the Israelites, they were not allowed to cross into the Promised Land for forty years. As a body they had to become sanctified. One might wonder why all the people had to wait for the purification of the whole before they were allowed to enter into the promised land. Why couldn’t some have entered sooner on their own—when they, themselves, were ready”?
An even more difficult question might be why Moses was commanded the following: “But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee:” (Deut. 20:16,17). And “And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.” (Deut. 7:2, 3).
If we look at the Children of Israel as representation of an individual, how much of the world are we expected to give up? “All that is ungodly within each of us truly must be put to death or we will not be able to enter into the presence of the Lord. Furthermore, in order to become holy, we really do need to overcome all the temptations around us and stop dabbling in sin. If we are content to surround ourselves with unholiness, we, too, will become unholy and will therefore remain separated form the Lord, which, in the language of the scriptures, is death—spiritual death”.
Experiences in my own life have shown that the Lord expects a lot of me. I must put off the things of the world. I must not put my trust in the arm of the flesh. I must put off vulgarity and uncleanliness. I have learned for myself that the scripture we read in D&C 121: 45 is true
“Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.”
Monday, December 28, 2009
Joseph, Son of Jacob
It has probably become obvious to most of you that I read a lot. I really enjoy reading. I wake up around 5am every morning and try to read for an hour and a half before going on my morning run or swim. On great days like today I wake up at 4:30… well rested and can get two hours of reading in! I always give top priority to scripture study. I feel like I read intently and that I think about and ponder the things I am reading. I really try to understand what I am reading. Then something happens like happened this past weekend. I read someone else’s commentary on a particular topic or scripture, and it is something that I never would have thought of on my own. I can see someone else’s inspiration…. and wonder about my own.
For Christmas I received James L. Ferrell’s new book “The Hidden Christ; Beneath the Surface of the Old Testament”. It is a great book by a man who has had a big influence in my life with another of his books “The Peacegiver.”
Chapter 7 in “The Hidden Christ” is on the topic of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by his brothers. Coincidentally this is exactly where I am reading in “The Book of Jasher.” In Jasher the story goes into much more detail than the Old Testament. I have been really enthralled by the story and have had a hard time putting it down. However, after reading Brother Ferrell’s comments on this story… I see that I have missed the point entirely!
Ferrell write’s “The story of Joseph in Egypt is one of the most stunning in all of scripture. There is far more to Joseph and his story than meets the eye, however. For example, do you know that the story of his saving Israel from the drought is exactly parallel to the story of how Israel is being saved through the Book of Mormon in the latter days? And do you know the extent and depth to which Joseph’s story is parallel to the Savior’s? And how his brothers’ stories are parallel to ours? And how the story of the reunion of Joseph with his brothers is also a story of our reunion with the Lord? And how that story will stir your soul when you see it? Joseph is as relevant today as ever. After all, he dreamed about us.”
Farrell goes on to explain how Joseph saved Israel in two ways: he saved them temporally by providing them food, and he saved them spiritually by providing them deliverance. These two types of “saving” came to Joseph by the means of two dreams. They are a s follows: “And he said unto his brothers, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.” (Gen. 37: 6,7). In the next verse Joseph related his second dream. “And Joseph dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me”. Jacob rebuked his son: “Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow ourselves to thee to the earth?”
Ferrell writes “What are we to make of these two dreams? On one level, the interpretations seem obvious: Both imply that the family would bow before Joseph. But why two dreams? And if two dreams, why two different dreams? What meaning might there be in their similarities and differences?”
While both dreams imply that Joseph’s family would bow to him but only the second one includes his mother and father, and the sun, moon, and stars. Ferrell goes on to explain why the first dream implies that his family would bow to him temporally and the second dream implies they would bow spiritually.
Everyone knows the story of how Joseph saved his family temporally so I will not go into detail on this one. We know that when his family came to Egypt looking for food, they bowed before him. This was a fulfillment of this prophecy.
Farrell continues “Jacob recognized that Joseph’s role in providing food to the house of Israel and saving them from death was a direct fulfillment of the prophecy communicated in Joseph’s dreams. But Jacob also recognized, as Joseph’s dual dreams suggested, that there would yet be a future deliverance at Joseph’s hand—this one a spiritual deliverance: ‘Thy brethren shall bow down unto thee, from generation to generation,’ he declared, ‘unto the fruit of thy loins forever; For thou shalt be a light unto my people, to deliver them in the days of their captivity, from bondage; and to bring salvation unto them, when they are altogether bowed down under sin.
The parallel nature of Joseph’s dreams suggest that this future spiritual deliverance would parallel the pattern of deliverance established in Egypt. This pattern was as follows:
1. Joseph was broken off to a place apart from the rest of the House of Israel.
2. Joseph resided in a distant land, unknown to his family.
3. The experiences of Joseph in the distant land prepared for the salvation of Israel.
4. Israel began to be saved when they learned of Joseph who was separated.
5. The house of Israel bowed before Joseph.”
Israel’s spiritual deliverance unfolds in precisely the same way.
Just before his death, Joseph prophesied “And it shall come to pass that Israel shall be scattered again; and a branch of the fruit of the loins of Joseph shall be broken off, and shall be carried away into a far country.” (JST Gen. 50)
Ferrell continues “This prophecy is fulfilled in the story of Lehi, a descendant of Joseph, who was led away from the land of Israel to a land apart”.
In order to keep this post as short as possible, I will not go on to explain how this prophecy is fulfilled by Lehi’s move to the promised land. It seems quite obvious to those familiar with the Book of Mormon. I recommend Ferrell’s book to those want more. I would however like to outline another point of Farrell’s and that is how Joseph as a temporal and spiritual deliverer, was a type and shadow of the Saviors temporal and spiritual deliverance.
Ferrell write “Consider the majesty of Joseph’s deliverance: He saved Israel from physical death, and will save Israel from spiritual death. In overcoming the two deaths, the beloved son of Israel is in the similitude of the Beloved Son of the Father.
The following are true both of Joseph and the Lord:
• He is the beloved son.
• He reveals that he will rule over Israel.
• The children of Israel reject him out of jealousy and hate. Notwithstanding their mistreatment of him, he seeks out his brethren on behalf of his father
• But the children of Israel conspire to kill him.
• He is betrayed by the hand of Judah—or in Greek, Judas.
• He is sold for the price of a slave of his age.
• This very attempt to destroy him sets in motion events that will eventually save the house of Israel from death.
• He resists temptation perfectly.
• He begins his public mission of preparing salvation for Israel at the age of thirty.
• He provides bread for Israel, saving them from death.
• He offers that bread without a price.
• In the offering of that bread, he offers the opportunity to repent.
The extent of the parallelism is remarkable. When we understand that Joseph is a similitude of the Savior, the relationship with his brothers suddenly takes on a very personal significance. For, in an important way, Joseph’s brothers are in similitude of us. Through our sins, we, in effect, have thrown the Savior into the pit. We are the cause of his suffering—suffering that has a type in Joseph. “
As I read this chapter this morning, I couldn’t help but weep. I wept for the suffering that the Savior bore for me. I wept that I hadn’t seen this parallel by reading the story on my own. I also wept as I thought of the prophet Joseph Smith. As a young man, and as unlearned as he was, Joseph Smith nor any other man, could ever have fabricated a story that is so intertwined with the Old and New Testaments. Prophecy was fulfilled by Lehi bringing his small family out of Jerusalem into the promised land. My personal witness was strengthened today.
For Christmas I received James L. Ferrell’s new book “The Hidden Christ; Beneath the Surface of the Old Testament”. It is a great book by a man who has had a big influence in my life with another of his books “The Peacegiver.”
Chapter 7 in “The Hidden Christ” is on the topic of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by his brothers. Coincidentally this is exactly where I am reading in “The Book of Jasher.” In Jasher the story goes into much more detail than the Old Testament. I have been really enthralled by the story and have had a hard time putting it down. However, after reading Brother Ferrell’s comments on this story… I see that I have missed the point entirely!
Ferrell write’s “The story of Joseph in Egypt is one of the most stunning in all of scripture. There is far more to Joseph and his story than meets the eye, however. For example, do you know that the story of his saving Israel from the drought is exactly parallel to the story of how Israel is being saved through the Book of Mormon in the latter days? And do you know the extent and depth to which Joseph’s story is parallel to the Savior’s? And how his brothers’ stories are parallel to ours? And how the story of the reunion of Joseph with his brothers is also a story of our reunion with the Lord? And how that story will stir your soul when you see it? Joseph is as relevant today as ever. After all, he dreamed about us.”
Farrell goes on to explain how Joseph saved Israel in two ways: he saved them temporally by providing them food, and he saved them spiritually by providing them deliverance. These two types of “saving” came to Joseph by the means of two dreams. They are a s follows: “And he said unto his brothers, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.” (Gen. 37: 6,7). In the next verse Joseph related his second dream. “And Joseph dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me”. Jacob rebuked his son: “Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow ourselves to thee to the earth?”
Ferrell writes “What are we to make of these two dreams? On one level, the interpretations seem obvious: Both imply that the family would bow before Joseph. But why two dreams? And if two dreams, why two different dreams? What meaning might there be in their similarities and differences?”
While both dreams imply that Joseph’s family would bow to him but only the second one includes his mother and father, and the sun, moon, and stars. Ferrell goes on to explain why the first dream implies that his family would bow to him temporally and the second dream implies they would bow spiritually.
Everyone knows the story of how Joseph saved his family temporally so I will not go into detail on this one. We know that when his family came to Egypt looking for food, they bowed before him. This was a fulfillment of this prophecy.
Farrell continues “Jacob recognized that Joseph’s role in providing food to the house of Israel and saving them from death was a direct fulfillment of the prophecy communicated in Joseph’s dreams. But Jacob also recognized, as Joseph’s dual dreams suggested, that there would yet be a future deliverance at Joseph’s hand—this one a spiritual deliverance: ‘Thy brethren shall bow down unto thee, from generation to generation,’ he declared, ‘unto the fruit of thy loins forever; For thou shalt be a light unto my people, to deliver them in the days of their captivity, from bondage; and to bring salvation unto them, when they are altogether bowed down under sin.
The parallel nature of Joseph’s dreams suggest that this future spiritual deliverance would parallel the pattern of deliverance established in Egypt. This pattern was as follows:
1. Joseph was broken off to a place apart from the rest of the House of Israel.
2. Joseph resided in a distant land, unknown to his family.
3. The experiences of Joseph in the distant land prepared for the salvation of Israel.
4. Israel began to be saved when they learned of Joseph who was separated.
5. The house of Israel bowed before Joseph.”
Israel’s spiritual deliverance unfolds in precisely the same way.
Just before his death, Joseph prophesied “And it shall come to pass that Israel shall be scattered again; and a branch of the fruit of the loins of Joseph shall be broken off, and shall be carried away into a far country.” (JST Gen. 50)
Ferrell continues “This prophecy is fulfilled in the story of Lehi, a descendant of Joseph, who was led away from the land of Israel to a land apart”.
In order to keep this post as short as possible, I will not go on to explain how this prophecy is fulfilled by Lehi’s move to the promised land. It seems quite obvious to those familiar with the Book of Mormon. I recommend Ferrell’s book to those want more. I would however like to outline another point of Farrell’s and that is how Joseph as a temporal and spiritual deliverer, was a type and shadow of the Saviors temporal and spiritual deliverance.
Ferrell write “Consider the majesty of Joseph’s deliverance: He saved Israel from physical death, and will save Israel from spiritual death. In overcoming the two deaths, the beloved son of Israel is in the similitude of the Beloved Son of the Father.
The following are true both of Joseph and the Lord:
• He is the beloved son.
• He reveals that he will rule over Israel.
• The children of Israel reject him out of jealousy and hate. Notwithstanding their mistreatment of him, he seeks out his brethren on behalf of his father
• But the children of Israel conspire to kill him.
• He is betrayed by the hand of Judah—or in Greek, Judas.
• He is sold for the price of a slave of his age.
• This very attempt to destroy him sets in motion events that will eventually save the house of Israel from death.
• He resists temptation perfectly.
• He begins his public mission of preparing salvation for Israel at the age of thirty.
• He provides bread for Israel, saving them from death.
• He offers that bread without a price.
• In the offering of that bread, he offers the opportunity to repent.
The extent of the parallelism is remarkable. When we understand that Joseph is a similitude of the Savior, the relationship with his brothers suddenly takes on a very personal significance. For, in an important way, Joseph’s brothers are in similitude of us. Through our sins, we, in effect, have thrown the Savior into the pit. We are the cause of his suffering—suffering that has a type in Joseph. “
As I read this chapter this morning, I couldn’t help but weep. I wept for the suffering that the Savior bore for me. I wept that I hadn’t seen this parallel by reading the story on my own. I also wept as I thought of the prophet Joseph Smith. As a young man, and as unlearned as he was, Joseph Smith nor any other man, could ever have fabricated a story that is so intertwined with the Old and New Testaments. Prophecy was fulfilled by Lehi bringing his small family out of Jerusalem into the promised land. My personal witness was strengthened today.
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