The Four Corners of the Earth

In Sunday School this week we were discussing the “gathering” or the "gathering of Israel." The question was asked about the “four quarters” of the earth, or the “four corners” of the earth.

I did not volunteer my answer because I thought it too complicated for a one-sentence answer, and concluded it would be better not to appear as the crazy guy in the back of the room, again.

I see these phrases as part of a larger, and mostly lost understanding of Israelite theology and imagery. In Kabalistic thought there are really only two things in physicality; “Creation” (existence, dividing, and scattering), and the “Chariot” (gathering, uniting, at-one-ing).

The imagery of the Tree of Life first shown in Eden has a river that flows from it, and it flows to the entire physical universe. It is the blessings of God. It is the power that maintains existence, it’s the laws of physics, it is the knowledge that saves, it is the power to exalt, it is covenants, it’s our gospel heritage.

This river immediately divides into four parts. These parts correspond to the four estates of man, or the Celestial, Terrestrial, Telestial Kingdoms, and Outer Darkness (non-redeemed state). All of these, even outer darkness is maintained by this flow.

Some would argue that tribes of the earth generally, as a group, adhere to one of these kingdoms.

Going to the four corners of the earth, would be analogous to following one of the four rivers to where that tribe exists, and preaching the gospel there. This is associated with the prophecy that the gospel would go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people (tribe).

Going to every tribe is a fairly new phenomenon. It was not always so. Even Jesus resisted teaching the gospel to those of questionable breeding. This latter-day process of taking the gospel to all four quarters is associated with the Abrahamic covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant is the means of salvation and exaltation. You can’t be a child of God and reject the Abrahamic Covenent.

The seed for this covenant is inserted by the blood of Israel being planted into each tribe by the scattering of Israel (intermarrying)(linage), or by individuals accepting the covenant and being adopted. (see Israel, LDS Topical Guide)

This idea of the four rivers is demonstrated in Ezekiel 47 where the river coming from the Temple exists in four depths. Nephi saw the river coming from the Tree of Life in levels of purity (REF). This water is also associated with final things as we see in Revelation 22. This idea can also be soon in many simple teachings and parables such as the Parable of the Sower, with its four outcomes.

Through this process, all the world will be blessed.

Believe all Things

You may have noticed I have been a bit preoccupied lately and have not been attending to my blogging as I should have. But I have been saving up topics to write on.

Today I did have a few minutes to spend browsing blogs, and one blog really caught my attention. I have seen it before, but did not fully appreciate it. Most of you have probably been there before, but in case you missed it, “Believe all Things” is really a great web site. It covers a wide variety of topics of interest to LDS folks, from What is an Endowment? to IG Farben and Hugh Nibley.

I found this little political clip there:

New LDS Web Site!

Welcome MormonsMadeSimple.com!

We have a new and welcomed addition to the LDS world of blogging.

This is a great little site to introduce people to the church. It explains what you may forget to tell them to prepare them for a new church experience. It has some basic entertaining videos, and more on the way. Welcome, Doug & Laurel!

Levels of Learning

I have been contemplating last week’s Sunday School Lesson. It was about receiving revelation, and the class started with a quote from the Prophet Joseph Smith:

“This principle ought (in its proper place) to be taught, for God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what he will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them…” (HC 3:379-80.)

In my spiritual journey I have observed with great interest this process of receiving knowledge, and the importance of knowledge. We are taught:

“1st key: Knowledge is the power of salvation. 2nd key: Make your calling and election sure.” (HC 5:403.)

“It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance.” (D&C 131:6)

So knowledge is associated with salvation, and I would suggest the knowledge we are willing to receive is directly connected to the kingdom we inherit.

“And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified. For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things.” (D&C 88:38-40

Knowledge is associated with wisdom and law. What is the knowledge we are required to receive to progress? It is the Wisdom of the temple. This is the key to exaltation. Margaret Barker has pointed out a number of times in her writings that "Wisdom" is associated with an anointing, and the temple. (Barker, Temple Themes in Christian Worship - See the index for "Wisdom")

If we keep the same law as Joseph or the Twelve, the same knowledge will be revealed to us. The same ordinances will be sealed upon us, the same mysteries will show themselves, and we will be crowned with the same kingdom. God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34)

Not keeping the law is what prevents us from acquiring knowledge. We may receive the form, but not receive the law upon our hearts, hence we then lack the Holy Spirit of Promise.

In my personal journey I can look back and see things I did not know, and can usually pinpoint why I did not know them, why I was not “able to bear them.”

I suggest one reason we resist learning is because we defend what we think we know against further truth. For example the bible teaches us that Christ went and preached unto the spirits in prison. (1 Peter 3:19) While that scripture is true, it is really only true on one level. A fuller understanding of that topic is almost contrary to the original understanding:

“But unto the wicked he [Christ] did not go, and among the ungodly and the unrepentant who had defiled themselves while in the flesh, his voice was not raised; Neither did the rebellious who rejected the testimonies and the warnings of the ancient prophets behold his presence, nor look upon his face.” (D&C 138:20 & 21)

Sometimes by clinging to strongly to what we think we know prevents us from understanding things at a deeper level. The Zohar teaches us:

“There was a man who lived in the mountains. He knew nothing about those who lived in the city. He sowed wheat and ate kernels raw. One day he entered the city. They offered him good bread. The man asked “What is this for?”

They replied, “it’s bread, to eat” He ate, and it tasted very good. He asked, “What is it made of?”

They answered, “Wheat.” Later, they offered him thick loaves kneaded with oil. He tasted them, and asked, “And what are these made of?”

They answered, “Wheat.”

Later they offered him royal pastry kneaded with honey and oil. He asked, “And what are these made of?”

They answered, “Wheat.”

He said, “Surely I am the master of all these, since I eat the essence of all of these: wheat!”

Because of that view, he knew nothing of the delights of the world, which were lost on him. So it is with one who grasps the principles but is unaware of all those delectable delights deriving, diverging from that principle.” (Matt, Zohar Vol. 2, pg 176)

My suggestion, let’s clear away our pathology as quickly as we can, and learn what we are able to bear as soon as we can. (Healing)

My Wordie

I did not want to be left out, everyone is doing it, so I thought I would get one too!

Here is a visual representation of my blog from Wordie.

Click Here To Enlarge

Light Divided by Darkness

Ancient Hebrews sometimes thought of the creation as beginning in a spiritual realm (Ein Sof) and the our physical creation as being an extension of that “world” (Keter is the gate to that world), and as that power extended downward to make creation it was divided. This divided power can be likened unto images of Solomon’s Temple. The Holy of Holies (Celestial Room) was a cube, the Holy Place (Terrestrial Room) was a larger room representing the expanded, divided, or dilution of the law. Then the Outer Court (Telestial Room) which was even larger.

In Ezekiel 47 the imagery is extended into the world in three degrees of salvation, where a trickle starts at the temple. At thousand cubit lengths the trail of water expands, or divides until it becomes a rushing river. (see HERE)

The same idea is present in Nephi’s river, see my post on: ”Filty Water”.

I know this idea may be foreign among many LDS folks. Think of it this way. We know that the imagery of the Tree of Life is central to the LDS view of the creation, it is there at Eden and heals the nations of the world during the Millennium.

In the Garden of Eden this overwhelming symbol, the “Tree of Life” was shown to Adam. But there was another tree there, “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” This latter tree had no power on man until he partook of the fruit. It appears the partaking of this “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” is what divides or dilutes the influence of the Tree of Life, at least as it now effects man. It is man’s choice to partake of the forbidden fruit that causes the levels or degrees of creation. In a nutshell, it is what law we live that creates the purity of the water, and the corresponding kingdom.

The powers of the Tree of Life are divided or split to the level we wish to partake at. Within the thinking of ancient Egyptians, regarding the creation and redemption of man this idea is played out over and over. Hugh Nibley teaches us about this teaching as found in the Book of the Dead.

“The custom is mentioned in the Book of Breathings: ‘I am the one before whom Atum [Adam] has announced the Annals under the noble Ished-tree of Heliopolis’ … When the initiate ‘witnesses the splitting of the Persea-tree in the midst of Rostau,’ in the B.D. version, that, according to Thausing, represents the Creation, among other things the ‘splitting of 'good' and 'evil' ’…, the law of opposites set forth in the Shabako Creation text.” (Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment, Hugh NIbley, Deseret Book, 2nd addition, pg. 290)

The pillars of Jachin and Boaz stood in Solomon’s Temple representing these trees. The temple is a playing out in ritual form of these ideas of healing and death, justice and mercy, law and choice.

The choices of man have created an inequality in the universe. Things are at odds, there is no reconciliation, things are dying or running down to destruction.

It is the atonement of Christ that heals this splitting or dividing. It is in him that we must trust.

“I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.” (Ecclesiates)

It has long been held by some that this splitting or dividing is what is being spoken of in a symbolic way when God divides the light from the darkness during the creation narratives. This Idea has support from a reading of the Book of Abraham. In Abraham chapter 4, through 5:3 the seven creative periods (days) are described. The first act of creation is the creation of light (good) and it being divided by the darkness.

“And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light; and there was light. And they (the Gods) comprehended the light, for it was bright; and they divided the light, or caused it to be divided, from the darkness.” (Abraham 4:3&4)

Then verses 5 through 13 describe two more periods of creation. But then in verse 14 forward is when actual lights in the heavens are set up, which is the FOURTH CREATIVE PERIOD.

“And organized them to be for lights in the expanse of the heaven to give light upon the earth; and it was so.” (Abraham 4:15)

So the first day of creation can be thought of as the dividing of light and darkness, which in gospel terms is good (law) and bad (wrong choices), And the fourth day of creation is the placing of the actual luminaries in the physical heavens. (1)

What amazes me is when we learn more about ancient understandings of the plan of salvation, even as they come to us in fragment and corrupted condition, they can cause epiphany after epiphany when we read modern text such at the 88th. section of the Doctrine and Covenants where we are taught about light, law, choice, mercy, and kingdoms.
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1.) In actuality the fourth chapter of Abraham is the spiritual creation, it is not until a few verses into the fifth chapter that the physical creation is described. However, the spiritual creation works as a template to aid our understanding.

By The Power Of His Word

I would like to pose a few questions to my readers:

Established in LDS theology is the idea that before this world, we lived as spirits in the pre-earth life. There, we did not have physical bodies, but we were spirits. We also know that all spirit is actually matter, but more fine or pure.

We have some limited knowledge of what went on there. There was a plan put forward, some accepted it, and some rejected it. There was a great council, and so on.

For all of this to happen, we would have had to been able to communicate with each other. In this life a large part of our communication is spoken. We take air and modify it into varying waves or patterns. We can do this in our throats, or by machine. These spoken patterns have meaning. Our written words indicate, symbolize, or even attempt to mock our spoken words.

Speaking is placing intelligence into discernable and transferable patterns.

In the pre-earth life, how did we communicate? Did we breath a finer air and make intelligent patterns similar to what we do here?

What kinds of patterns of intelligence would we expect to see there? Light? Sound? Something else?

Christ is known as the “Word.” The “Logos.” He was the creator of the world. Was it by the patterns of intelligence that He created? Did these patterns make up the “spiritual creation” that is the foundation of physicality?

The Sepher Yetzirah teaches that all things that exist are founded upon “letters” or parts of speech, along with the numbers.

“Ten are the numbers, as are the Sephiroth, and twenty-two the letters, these are the Foundation of all things. Of these letters, three are mothers, seven are double, and twelve are simple. “(Chapter 1:1)

What say ye?