Scripture Blog

This weblog is my personal online scripture journal. I try to read the scriptures each morning as I exercise on my cross-trainer. It has a great impact on my life and my testimony of the Savior and his restored church. The journal is really for my own benefit but I have set it up as a web log in hopes to benefit anyone else that may be interested. "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost..." 1 Nephi 10:19

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Exodus 30 - 34

We know that -

"...God spake all these words... (ten commandments)" (Old Testament Exodus 20:1)

to the people -

"...and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was..." (Old Testament Exodus 20:21)

And -

"...Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do." (Old Testament Exodus 24:3)

And then -

"...Moses wrote all the words of the LORD..." (Old Testament Exodus 24:4)

Of which

"...he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient." (Old Testament Exodus 24:7)

And when Moses was on the mount for forty days and nights, the Lord -

gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God..." (Old Testament Exodus 31:18)

It was these stones tablets that Moses -

"...as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount." (Old Testament Exodus 32:19)

A short time later -

"...the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest." (Old Testament Exodus 34:1)

Much later Moses tells the people -

AT that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount,...I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark." (Old Testament Deuteronomy 10:1 - 2)

It appears the same words were on each writing, but we learn in modern revelation -

"...the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two other tables of stone, like unto the first, and I will write upon them also, the words of the law, according as they were written at the first on the tables which thou brakest; but it shall not be according to the first, for I will take away the priesthood out of their midst; therefore my holy order, and the ordinances thereof, shall not go before them; for my presence shall not go up in their midst, lest I destroy them.
2. But I will give unto them the law as at the first, but it shall be after the law of a carnal commandment..." (JST Exodus 34:1 - 2)

The Prophet also added the following which was lost -

"And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, save the words of the everlasting covenant of the holy priesthood, and thou shalt put them in the ark." (JST Deuteronomy 10:2)

I have wondered what the actual words were. I wonder if the words were something like this -

"For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.
34 They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.
35 And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me...therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 84:33 - 38)

"And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 84:39)