Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 3:4-5

Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 3:4-5

"For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:

Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days."

I knew what the ephod was, it was worn by a high priest and prophets. This colorful waistcoat with shoulder pieces and girdle contained stones engraved with the names of the 12 tribes. Inside the ephod was placed the Urim and Thummim. Which was prepared by the Lord to assist man in obtaining revelation and in translating languages. David describes asking questions and receiving answers through it. I didn't know what the teraphim was so I looked that up in the Bible Dictionary.

"Teraphim - Images of the size and form of a man used from patriarchal times and onwards in worship and for magical purposes both in Israel and in Babylon. To use teraphim was probably not to worship strange gods but to worship the true God in a corrupt manner."

I went back and read in the Bible Dictionary about the ephod and found "The ephod at one time became the object of idolatrous worship." So basically both the ephod and teraphim were possibly religious items that were perverted and corrupted and used in a manner not intended. Until the point the Lord removed them from the people.

This reminded me of what was said in the Book of Mormon about what is called seer stones, interpreters, or the Urim and Thummim.

"Now Ammon said unto him: I can assuredly tell thee, O king, of a man that can translate the records; for he has wherewith that he can look, and translate all records that are of ancient date; and it is a gift from God. And the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called seer."

(Mosiah 8:13)

The Urim and Thummim was returned in the latter-days. They were used by Joseph Smith in translating the Book of Mormon from the gold plates, and receiving revelation for our day.

"Also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim—deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted “seers” in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book."

(Joseph Smith - History 1:35)

After Joseph's translation was completed the Urim and Thummim was returned to the angel Moroni along with the Gold Plates. They will come forth again when the sealed two-third portion of the plates are translated. I hope I live to see that day.

Day 3024

Today's Favorite Verse: D&C 17:1

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 17:1

"Behold, I say unto you, that you must rely upon my word, which if you do with full purpose of heart, you shall have a view of the plates, and also of the breastplate, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with the Lord face to face, and the miraculous directors which were given to Lehi while in the wilderness, on the borders of the Red Sea."

This chapter is revelation received by the Prophet Joseph Smith on inquiry through the Urim and Thummim, regarding the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris were confirmed as those witnesses, and these are the items they would be permitted to view and then testify of there reality. Their later testimony is given at the beginning of the Book of Mormon.

What I found interesting is the mention of the Urim and Thummim. I am told in this verse that the brother of Jared received them when he talked face to face with the Lord. That event happened when he went to the mount Shelem with sixteen small white stones, clear as transparent glass. He asked the Lord to touch them with his finger so they would light the vessels the Jaredites would travel in across the ocean. The brother of Jared saw the finger of the Lord as he touched them and because of this the Lord revealed himself completely as they talked face to face. I have often wondered how these stones were used later since they were able to give off light.

The Urim and Thummim has been described as large spectacles that hooked into the breastplate for support in order to view through for translation. I had suspected at least two of these transparent glass stones became the Urim and Thummim. To me they would fit for being used inside spectacles. Now my question is where did the other 14 stones go? All of them could be seer stones. I can think of 15 people called as prophet, seer and revelator today. We would be one stone short if they had them. I suppose the Urim and Thummin itself would be the last one, since it uses two stones together. Isn't that interesting that there are 16 stones? The prophet would have two. 

Sometimes its just so fun to read the scriptures and see things like this pop up. I love how different sets of scriptures work together in answering questions. As I read thoughts just come into my mind and several months if not years later I stumble on the answers. This is such a marvelous way to learn patience. The Lord will answer as I'm ready to learn. Scripture reading is never boring. 

Day 436