Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

I had a very nice Christmas get together of my wife's side of the family. We all stayed at the Agate Cove Inn, a bed and breakfast in Mendocino, California (Northern California). This picture is what I saw from inside my room (actually I was a little higher and could see more of the beach). It was great, I can not describe how nice it is there. If you really want a nice get away, go there. Here is their link: Agate Cove Inn

And have a good new year!

-David

Mark Paredes (Reminder!)

Just a reminder about Bro. Mark Paredes speaking to a Jewish group 12/20/07 @ 7:00 PM, here is all the information - See you there! (Information)

Hot and Cold Water (Enoch)

A while back I wrote a couple posts about the water that flowed from the Tree of Life in Lehi and Nephi’s visions (Filthy Water). I described how in ancient thought it was understood that the pure water flowed from celestial realms into lower realms (kingdoms or glories). That these waters represent the blessings of God.

That these waters, or blessings include law and judgment, that at some point divide the righteous and the wicked. In-fact the water changes into three levels of purity (or impurity) as it flows into lower kingdoms.

This idea has not always been embraced by every reader. I found a similar idea that may be an earlier text, The Book of Enoch (2 Enoch).

The context is Enoch describing some disobedient “angels” that are punished in a valley where they reside. There is a river or waters running through the valley.

“And in those days shall these waters be to kings, to princes, to the exalted, and to the inhabitants of the earth, for the healing of the soul and body, and for the judgment of the spirit.” (The Book of Enoch, Wizards Bookshelf, 1983, pg. 81)

At one point the waters are flowing, then they turn to ice, then:

“For these waters of judgment shall be for their healing, and for the death of their bodies. But they shall not perceive and believe that the waters will be changed, and become a fire, which shall blaze for ever.” (The Book of Enoch, Wizards Bookshelf, 1983, pg. 82)

Another major homerun for Joseph Smith! How could he have known and used this flexible imagery from the ancient world without revelation?

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The Book of Enoch, Translated by Richard Laurence, html: [Link]
The Book of Enoch, [Download PDF]
Related Posts: Ezekiel 1, Revelation 22

Reincarnation

I have been having an email discussion with a fine fellow who describes himself as an “orthodox protestant Christian.” He has nicely taken me to task for the LDS view of reincarnation. He came to the conclusion that the LDS church and I believe in reincarnation because of statements made by apostates like Michael Quinn, and because the Zohar has several references to reincarnation.

First, it is not now, nor ever was LDS doctrine that people reincarnate!

The Zohar makes some references to reincarnation. But I don’t hold to every idea the Zohar teaches. The Zohar is a medieval attempt to record the “oral traditions of the Jews,” in story form, which I think was largely successful. But, it is not without errors. I don’t require things to be pristine to learn from them.

Here are a few statements on reincarnation from LDS leaders.

“Every once in a while believers in reincarnation spring some story about persons who have returned to earth in another body. The Prophet Joseph Smith says that reincarnation is a doctrine of the devil…” (Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 5, Purported Visions)

“Reincarnation is a false doctrine. Men are born, die, and are judged once.” (Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, vol. 3)

Here is a story from Joseph Smith's life, from his journal:

“He [Robert Matthews, alias Robert Matthias, alias Joshua the Jewish minister] said that he possessed the spirit of his fathers, that he was a literal descendant of Matthias, the Apostle, who was chosen in the place of Judas that fell; that his spirit was resurrected in him; and that this was the way or scheme of eternal life—this transmigration of soul or spirit from father to son.
I told him that his doctrine was of the devil, that he was in reality in possession of a wicked and depraved spirit, although he professed to be the Spirit of truth itself; and he said also that he possessed the soul of Christ. (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 Vols. 2:307)”

There is nothing in the Plan of Salvation which supports reincarnation.

Tragedy and Hope

This site is dedicated to spiritual topics. But I am going to make an exception here. Well, maybe it’s not really an exception because this book helped me form my theological/political views of the last days.

I am talking about the book “Tragedy and Hope” by the late Professor Carroll Quigley, of Georgetown University.

It was hard to find and expensive. But, here it is in an html format (great for searching).

If you want to know what’s really going on in the world you need to read this book.

Here is the link: Tragedy and Hope.

And if you just can’t read such a monsterous sized book, read the light version: The Anglo-American Establishment.

Note: I do not share Quigly's values and I interpret the data differently than he does, he only explained what is happening, and defined who the real enemy is. Do you want to know who the members of the "secret combinations" are? They are not Masonry. Ether said, speaking to us:

"Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get apower and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be. Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this asecret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up." [link]

Here is your chance to understand these verses.
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UPDATE: Here are some current links for those two books:

http://www.pdf-search-engine.com/tragedy-and-hope-pdf.html

http://www.pdf-search-engine.com/anglo-american-establishment-pdf.html

Happy Chanuka!

I think all of Israel, well, the world for that matter, can enjoy the celebration of Chanuka (Hanukkah), or the Festival of Lights.

The eight days of Chanuka represent the rededication of the “Second Temple” in Jerusalem at about 167 BC, when the oil lasted eight days instead of the expected one day.

“Hanukkah, from the Hebrew word for "dedication" or 'consecration', marks the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the forces of Antiochus IV and commemorates the 'miracle of the container of oil.' According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil.” [Wikipedia]

Ezekiel 1 - Four Creatures

We had previously discussed Ezekiel 47 and its significance in teaching about the four kingdoms (three of glory and one not of glory). This teaching of the four kingdoms is a the major theme in scriptural books that some might call “mystical” (ie Gen., Ezk., Zac., Heb., Rev., D&C 76, 88 and so on).

But you don’t even have to put a mystical spin on it, it is just plan old Plan of Salvation teachings, and in-fact that’s all true mysticism really is.

We see the same basic concepts being taught in Ezekiel chapter 1. That chapter is worth many books being written about it, but we only have a couple column inches.

In verse 4 we see the common symbol of a “whirlwind,” as in the Sefer Yetzirah it represents the commotion which is the creation, and the continuance of heaven and earth. In verse 5:

“Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.”

In verse 10 we can see the creatures had the faces of a man, lion, ox, and an eagle.

These are the same creature that John the Revelator saw as described in Revelation 4:6. In Doctrine and Covenants 77:3A the prophet Joseph told us what the four creature represent:

“They are limited to four individual beasts, which were shown to John, to represent the glory of the classes of beings in their destined order or sphere of creation, in the enjoyment of their eternal felicity.”

Otherwise known as the degrees of glory.

Both Ezekiel and John began their revelations with a view of the Plan of Salvation, the heart of Jewish Mysticism.

On a future post I will discuss the four creatures and the “wheels” as they turn. Stay tuned.