Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 45:15

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 45:15
"Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour."

I pondered if God really hides himself from us. It seems a yes and no answer. We were intended to have a veil of forgetfulness over us. That we cannot remember our pre-earth existence. We are to live by faith. Then I though about faith strong enough that the Lord cannot keep himself within the veil.

"And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting.
Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus; and he did minister unto him."
(Ether 3:19-20)

Day 3984

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 6:16

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 6:16
"A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it."

The footnote for window says "HEB tsohar; some rabbis believe it was a precious stone that shone in the ark. Ether 2:23-24"

It would make sense if Noah's ark was lite by precious stones that the brother of Jared would be familiar with this miracle and ask the same for their vessels. It's a good reminder to be familiar with the scripture stories and miracles.

"And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels? For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go by the light of fire.
For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth."
(Ether 2:23-24)

"And it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number of the vessels which had been prepared was eight) went forth unto the mount, which they called the mount Shelem, because of its exceeding height, and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass; and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount, and cried again unto the Lord, saying:
And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.
(Ether 3:1, 4)

I turned to the Sefaria which has the Talmud and Midrash, with 3,000 years of Jewish text. This is the section on "The Miraculous Light in Noah's Ark".

"The miraculous light within Noah's Ark, described as a pearl that illuminated the entire ark, adds a fascinating layer to the biblical narrative. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, an eighth-century midrashic work, elaborates on the biblical story of Noah's Ark, providing additional details and interpretations."

Rabbi Meir said: One pearl was suspended in the ark, and shed light upon all the creatures in the ark, like a lamp which gives light inside the house, and like the sun yonder which shines in his might, as it is said, "A light shalt thou make to the ark" (Gen. 6:16). Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 23:6

Day 3747

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 3:26

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 3:26
"For he had said unto him in times before, that if he would believe in him that he could show unto him all things—it should be shown unto him; therefore the Lord could not withhold anything from him, for he knew that the Lord could show him all things."

When did the Lord tell the brother of Jared that he would show him all things, if he believed in Him? I went back in the two earlier chapters and didn't see this mentioned. Maybe it was during those 3 hours the Lord stood in a cloud and spoke to him. I pondered on how the Lord telling you something like that would certainly make me strive to be worthy. It was a promise the Lord knew the brother of Jared could obtain. The brother of Jared must have been pondering on this while he was preparing those 16 stones out of molten rock. That pondering on what he believed the Lord capable of increased the brother of Jared's faith. That is why he could say to the Lord, "Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this." (vs 5) When asked by the Lord, "Believest thou the words which I shall speak? (vs 11)

"And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

This is why the Lord could minister unto the brother of Jared for "he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting." (vs 19)

The Lord will not appear to man if they doubt or want to consume it on their lusts. You need faith where it matters not if you see Him, for you already believe.

Day 3566

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Nephi 17:8-10

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Nephi 17:8-10
"And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.
And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?
And it came to pass that the Lord told me whither I should go to find ore, that I might make tools."

I contrasted this with another person in scripture, told to build barges to travel across the ocean. This was the brother of Jared.

"And he cried again unto the Lord saying: O Lord, behold I have done even as thou hast commanded me; and I have prepared the vessels for my people, and behold there is no light in them. Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness?
And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels? For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go by the light of fire."
(Ether 2:22-23)

Why was one told where to find ore to make tools, and the other told to present to the Lord how they would solve the problem of light in their vessels? Was it the manner in which the question was presented to the Lord? Nephi knew the Lord would instruct him and asked. The brother of Jared appears to ask somewhat in fear, maybe doubt. If the brother of Jared was to ask like Nephi he would have said something like "Lord, what would you have me do to light the vessel? As I pondered on both I realize that the Lord's way are not our ways. Both could have still had the same outcome. The brother of Jared's answer lead him to an amazing experience of the Lord revealing himself to him. I think both were inspired to ask the question the way they should.

Day 3366