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In this episode, we begin to look at the prophetic profile that is contained in the Bible about a future prophet who will be like unto Moses. This Biblical profile predicts a change in behavior, and a period of time when the prophet leads the people astray. Links in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants identify Joseph Smith as the subject of the profile.
1 Cor. 1:27-28
D&C 35:13
D&C 1:19
D&C 124:1
Deuteronomy 18:18-20
Deuteronomy 13:1-5
Deuteronomy 8:2
Deuteronomy 34:10
Numbers 12:6-8
2 Samuel 7:12-15
Exodus 32:30-33
Numbers 20:7-12
Exodus 17:5-6
Malachi 2:5-14
2 Nephi 27:5
Psalm 106:23
D&C 84:23-
JST Genesis 50
Great Podcast. I agree with your understanding of Jospeh as a type and shadow of Moses. Thanks for putting this together. Couple questions….obviously you believe “moses” in the old testament is a type and shadow of Jospeh Smith. It is also apparent to me in scripture that the Sanhedrein sent priest and Levites to “identify” whether John the baptist was, Elijah or The Messiah (John 1:21). Which tells me that these old testament “types and shadows” would be fulfilled by individuals who possessed certain “qualities/tokens/signs–Marks.” Jesus obviously knew he was the Christ–he overcame the temptations of Satan in the wilderness which is why he and paul had power to cast out devils. The brethren taught that Paul also obtained an endowment “through” Christ–the symbol of his being blind, and then his eyes are opened directly relates to passages he wrote to those receiving an election of grace (romans chapter 11) and the “rest” are left in a state of “blindness”.
Question 1: …if Moses is a type and shadow of Joseph, then do you believe there are specific people who will be fulfilling “specific” roles contained in scripture as we approach the return of Christ….obviously you believe the Davidic Servant is an “office” fulfilled by a person. Do you also believe “Elijah coming before the great and dreadful day”, as well as, “The 144000” as well as “The Bride” are offices? Meaning they will be fulfilled by individuals coming “out of’ the church ( i mean “out of” in a dual way)?
Jenny-
Sorry about the delay in responding, I have been out of town.
“if Moses is a type and shadow of Joseph, then do you believe there are specific people who will be fulfilling “specific” roles contained in scripture as we approach the return of Christ?”
Yes I personally do. (if Searcher or MD differ in their interpretation they are welcome to respond. We have not discussed this in detail with each other)
In our next podcast we will parse the amazing prophecy in Leviticus 16 and note that there are a specific number of players involved in the latter day atonement offering intercession such as a “young bullock” for a “sin offering” and a “ram” for a “burnt offering” and also “two kids of the goats” from among the “congregation of the house of Israel”. One for a “sin offering” and one for a “burnt offering”. , etc., etc., etc.
Each of the offerings mentioned in that prophecy are referring to a specific individual among the elders that the D&C refers to as the “first elders” and also the “first laborers of the last kingdom”.
We will attempt to address some of these issues such as the coming of Elijah and the 144,000 in part two of this series.
Thank you for some thoughtful questions to be pondered prior to and during the next episode.
….obviously you believe the Davidic Servant is an “office” fulfilled by a person. Do you also believe “Elijah coming before the great and dreadful day”, as well as, “The 144000” as well as “The Bride” are offices? Meaning they will be fulfilled by individuals coming “out of’ the church ( i mean “out of” in a dual way)?
Awesome. I’m excited about the next podcast! I look forward to learning about the offerings. I asked the question because I also think these will be fulfilled by individuals. I was curious how you all felt. Thanks for sharing.
On a side note, just a thought about Moses striking the rock. It was against the Law to use steel to strike stones / use a metal tool to cut stones out for the alter of sacrifice. (These stones had to be unhewn for the altar). (Exodus 20:25, Dueteronomy 27:5). It is interesting to me that Moses “struck a stone” with his rod not once but twice to make “water” in the “desert” to feed thirsty people (these words provide symbolic application for me). I also think it is important to note that at the second temple in jerusalem, the Sanhedrin met in the Hall of Hewn stones (in my opinion this is suggesting they were the “stones” that made up the kingdom. This particular place in the temple was built out of the side using unhewn stones—-which symbolically implies a lot about what the Sanhedrin believed about themselves and their authority. Christ was the stone carved out of the mountain without hands. My point is. Maybe Joseph Smith sinned by attempting to build the kingdom “with hands.” (Striking a stone twice). He did build One temple and then another. I think Jesus response to the Pharisees after they reject the baptism of John fits this perfectly for me “ And think not to say within yourselves we are the children of Abraham and we only have power to bring seed unto our father Abraham; for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children into Abraham. “. (Matthew 3:34-36 JST).
In reference to your use of Malachi 2 as indication that Joseph may have been guilty of polygamy, I am wondering if you have any way to tell whether the Hebrew indicates singular or plural subjects and objects in these verses. The first part of the chapter is speaking to “priests” and that could filter all the way to the end of the chapter. Verse 4 talks of the covenant with Levi, which could be an individual or a collective covenant regarding the priesthood. It appears that Levi began well, but “ye” departed out of the way. Again, is this a singular or plural “ye”? This could be Joseph Smith as an individual, or it could be priests as a whole.
The later verses say that “Judah hath dealt treacherously”. Haven’t you said in other places that Brigham Young represents Judah taking control of the kingdom? Again, these verses related to dealing treacherously with the wife of thy youth could be specific to a person, or it could be what was happening in Utah under Brigham Young.
I’m not trying to pick apart your theory. I just don’t have the resources I need to really understand the grammar in this chapter to see if it is consistent with what you are saying or not.
Great observations!
Obviously we each need to come to terms with the translation for ourselves.
Personally, I think it is both. I think there is a person (singular) that is the covenant servant and yet, as we will address in the next podcast, the atonement statute prophecy makes it clear that there are multiple people involved as well, even more than the two primary sacrifice goats in the statute. It is not just one individual that is involved in the intercession (and the taking on of sins as a result of the intercession).
I believe the covenant of Levi is clearly presented in Section 13.
So there is a covenant servant of Levi that shows up in many passages of scripture, and yet, there are several that participate in the covenant of Levi intercession.
One of the things that separates the Latter day saint theology from protestant, new testament Christianity is the merging together of OT theology and history with NT Christianity and the concept of priesthood that can be traced back to the “Sons of Aaron” and the “Sons of Moses” and the significance of the covenant of Levi-
I like the “covenant of Levi” narrative in Malachi because it interrelates so directly to the “sons of Levi” narrative in the D&C.
“..and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.”
“..and your memorials for your sacrifices by the sons of Levi, and for your oracles in your most holy places wherein you receive conversations..”
“..and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness..”
Okay, I checked a Spanish translation and found this:
13 And this have ye [pl.] done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your [pl.] hand.
14 ¶ Yet ye [pl.] say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee [sing.] and the wife of thy [sing.] youth, against whom thou [sing.] hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy [sing.] companion, and the wife of thy [sing.] covenant.
15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed [pl.] to your [pl.] spirit, and let none deal [pl.] treacherously against the wife of his [pl.] youth.
16 For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed [pl.] to your [pl.]spirit, that ye [pl.] deal not treacherously.
17 ¶ Ye [pl.] have wearied [pl.] the Lord with your [pl.] words. Yet ye [pl.] say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye [pl.] say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
It looks like “thee” is singular, and “ye” is plural, so the grammar isn’t lost in the KJV. We just aren’t used to making the distinction between them.
Asking if the underlying text indicates plural or singluar you/ye is a great question. In verses 1-9 the you/ye in Hebrew is plural, talking about the priests that departed out of the way, deviating from the law he gave through “Levi’s” mouth. Then in verse 13 the Hebrew you/ye switches to singular as it refers to dealing treacherously with the wife. In verse 17, it switches back to plural again to discuss wearying the Lord.
As for the resources, BibleHub.com is your answer. Here’s the link to the Hebrew for Malachi 2:14 (https://biblehub.com/text/malachi/2-14.htm) The last column contains the morphology, just hover over the words in blue and the decoder will pop up and you can see that the uses of you/your are second person-masculine-single.
Thanks! You beat me to it. From what I see, then, the only singular is when the plural priests are being chastised as individuals in how they treat their individual wife(s).
Hi guys; great show as always!
As a word nerd, I just had a thought about the term “cover”.
We read in the prophecies that the seers will be covered, which is most obviously a reference to their eyes being covered as the heavens closed, resulting in blindness and presumptuous speaking. There are also passages that use the term cover as a description of forgiveness/atonement, like when one’s nakedness (sin) is covered. That only strengthens the idea that the seers are blinded because of the iniquity of the people, but retain the mercy of the Lord because their sins are “covered”.
Anyway, just a small thing that I thought was kind of fun. God is the greatest poet ever, so there are a lot of interesting word things in the scriptures that aren’t readily apparent from a surface reading. All the more reason to search! ?
I love it!
That interpretation is a very real possibility IMO, especially since it possibly presupposes and integrates the other interpretation as you have pointed out.
Thanks for sharing
Here’s another poetic layer for you. The Hebrew word that gets translated into English as “atonement” is kaphar, and means…to cover. It’s also the word used in Exodus 25:17 when God tells Moses to make a mercy seat to “cover” the ark of the covenant. And the same word used in Exodus 32 when Moses tells the people after the golden calf incident that he will go up “to make an atonement” for them.
That’s fantastic! There is such value in looking at the original languages. I’ve spent a lot of time at BibleHub.
And, wasn’t Christ standing on what was probably the mercy seat when He appeared in Kirtland?
I enjoyed the updated recording and revisiting the scriptures on this topic. So many scriptures prophesy of Joseph Smith and foreshadow his life and mission. While thinking about them, I was reminded of Isaiah 57:17-19. Could it be added to the list as well?
“For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.” Exodus 20:17 specially warns against, among other things coveting “thy neighbour’s wife…”
Isaiah is describing someone who the Lord smote because of his covetousness (coveting his neighbor’s wife?) and going off in the way of his heart and yet, even so, says the Lord will heal him. “Heal him” links to 3 Nephi 21:10: “But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.”
Seems to fit. In his intercessory role Joseph was acting out the sins of the people–polygamy– and he sinned “against the wife of [his] youth.” That’s definitely ONE of the reasons he has been marred in the eyes of the world (made “contemptible and base before all the people” Mal. 2:9). At least, those that believe he practiced polygamy. And thus, for that and other reasons, the Lord was wroth and smote him, but at some point will heal him.
I feel it’s another prophetic witness foreshadowing Joseph’s life and mission. What do you think?