4 What is
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
ANGEL 8 - Psalms 8:4-5
No footnotes to the LDS version of our last scripture so we move on to the 4th entry from the Syntopicon:
4 What isa man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou b visitest him?
4 What is
WISDOM 8 - 1 Kings 3:5-14
The Hebrew for "a wise and an understanding heart" (v. 12):
לֵב חָכָם וְנָבוֹן "lev Hakham v'navon"
לֵב "lev" is the heart, the seat of wisdom in Old Testament Hebrew
חָכָם "hakham" means "wise, intelligent, knowing, skilled"
נָבוֹן "navon" means "intelligent, discreet, knowing." For Hebrew geeks it is the Niphal participle of the same verbal root as "haveen."
לֵב חָכָם וְנָבוֹן "lev Hakham v'navon"
לֵב "lev" is the heart, the seat of wisdom in Old Testament Hebrew
חָכָם "hakham" means "wise, intelligent, knowing, skilled"
נָבוֹן "navon" means "intelligent, discreet, knowing." For Hebrew geeks it is the Niphal participle of the same verbal root as "haveen."
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
ANGEL 7 - 2 Chronicles 6:18
The single footnote for 2 Chronicles 2:6 leads back to our first scripture in 1 Kings 8:27. The next entry in the Syntopicon takes us to 2 Chronicles 6:18.
18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!
This chapter parallels the account of Solomon's dedicatory prayer in 1 Kings 8 very closely.
18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!
This chapter parallels the account of Solomon's dedicatory prayer in 1 Kings 8 very closely.
Monday, January 11, 2016
WISDOM 7 - 1 Kings 3:5-14
The Hebrew for "understanding to discern judgment" (v. 11):
הָבִין לִשְׁמֹעַ מִשְׁפָּט "havin lishmoa mishpat"
הָבִין "haveen" we have met before "to distinguish/discern; to mark/attend; to understand/know"
לִשְׁמֹעַ we've also met a form of "leeshmoa" - to hear/listen/understand
מִשְׁפָּט "meeshpat" "judgment/decision" is a noun that comes from the same root we met in "lishpot" to judge.
הָבִין לִשְׁמֹעַ מִשְׁפָּט "havin lishmoa mishpat"
הָבִין "haveen" we have met before "to distinguish/discern; to mark/attend; to understand/know"
לִשְׁמֹעַ we've also met a form of "leeshmoa" - to hear/listen/understand
מִשְׁפָּט "meeshpat" "judgment/decision" is a noun that comes from the same root we met in "lishpot" to judge.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
ANGEL 6 - 2 Chronicles 2:6
The single footnote in the LDS Bible for 1 Kings 8:27 leads to the next verse on the Syntopicon's list as well - 2 Chronicles 2:6
A second reference here to "heaven of heavens," possibly the term used in Old Testament times to refer to what we would call the Celestial Kingdom.
The context of this verse is a message from Solomon to King Hiram of Tyre seeking to obtain supplies for building the temple. I find it interesting that Solomon finds it necessary to do what we Mormons are sometimes required to do, justify the expense and magnificence of a temple -
"and the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods" (v. 5).
Since temple dedications are an important part of our practice, it is interesting to note that the word translated "to dedicate" in verse 4 is
לְהַקְדִּישׁ "L'hakdeesh" (a Hiphil infinitive construct for Hebrew Geeks)
It's meanings are
6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
A second reference here to "heaven of heavens," possibly the term used in Old Testament times to refer to what we would call the Celestial Kingdom.
The context of this verse is a message from Solomon to King Hiram of Tyre seeking to obtain supplies for building the temple. I find it interesting that Solomon finds it necessary to do what we Mormons are sometimes required to do, justify the expense and magnificence of a temple -
"and the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods" (v. 5).
Since temple dedications are an important part of our practice, it is interesting to note that the word translated "to dedicate" in verse 4 is
לְהַקְדִּישׁ "L'hakdeesh" (a Hiphil infinitive construct for Hebrew Geeks)
It's meanings are
- "to set apart for sacred use, to consecrate, hallow, sanctify"
- "to regard as sacred, to keep holy"
- "to hallow, sanctify, reverence"
Monday, January 4, 2016
WISDOM 6 - 1 Kings 3:5-14
The Hebrew for "an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad:
לֵב שֹׁמֵעַ לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת עַמְּךָ לְהָבִין בֵּין טוֹב לְרָע
לִשְׁפֹּט
לֵב שֹׁמֵעַ לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת עַמְּךָ לְהָבִין בֵּין טוֹב לְרָע
לֵב שֹׁמֵעַ
understanding heart - "lev shome'a," Literally "a heart hearing/listening/understanding." The verb Shama' can also carry the connotation of "hearkening/obeying."לִשְׁפֹּט
to judge - "lishpot" carries additional meanings of "to rule/govern, to decide controversies, to execute judgment."
לְהָבִין
discern - "l'haveen," literally "to distinguish/discern" with additional meanings of "to mark/attend/understand/know." Interestingly it shares the same root as the preposition, "beyn" - "between" that follows it. To distinguish is after all to distinguish BETWEEN two or more things.Friday, January 1, 2016
ANGEL 5 - 1 Kings 8:27
In the Davidic Kingdom did God listen to prayers uttered in or towards the temple in a different way than those that were not?
It is important to note that Solomon makes it clear that only a certain type of prayer "toward" the temple would be efficacious. When Israel or "any man" of Israel (v. 38), has sinned to the extent that they now need to be delivered from that sin's consequences, a prayer toward the temple has to be accompanied by some inner realities. Israel must turn again to the Lord and confess his name (v.33), turn from their sin (v. 35), repent (v. 47), and "return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul" (v. 48). And the Lord's response will be to every man "according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest" (v. 39).
As with any ordinance, it was an "outward sign of an inward reality" or it meant nothing at all. The bread and water of the sacrament mean nothing without a broken heart and a contrite spirit. The waters of baptism wash away nothing of any significance if the ordinance is not entered into with "real intent" to take upon one's self the name of Christ and to follow him (2 Nephi 31:13).
So what was the role of the temple in a prayer uttered towards it by the Children of Israel in the time of the Davidic monarchy? Like any outward observance the Lord gives to his people, it was a symbol that served to focus their intentions and their faith. To do it in the prescribed way was a sign of their obedience of and their conformity to the Lord's revealed instructions.
In our own day President Hunter called upon the Saints to "establish the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of their membership." He asked us to make maintaining and using a temple recommend a kind of focus that showed our commitment to the restored gospel.
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1994/10/the-great-symbol-of-our-membership?lang=eng
It is important to note that Solomon makes it clear that only a certain type of prayer "toward" the temple would be efficacious. When Israel or "any man" of Israel (v. 38), has sinned to the extent that they now need to be delivered from that sin's consequences, a prayer toward the temple has to be accompanied by some inner realities. Israel must turn again to the Lord and confess his name (v.33), turn from their sin (v. 35), repent (v. 47), and "return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul" (v. 48). And the Lord's response will be to every man "according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest" (v. 39).
As with any ordinance, it was an "outward sign of an inward reality" or it meant nothing at all. The bread and water of the sacrament mean nothing without a broken heart and a contrite spirit. The waters of baptism wash away nothing of any significance if the ordinance is not entered into with "real intent" to take upon one's self the name of Christ and to follow him (2 Nephi 31:13).
So what was the role of the temple in a prayer uttered towards it by the Children of Israel in the time of the Davidic monarchy? Like any outward observance the Lord gives to his people, it was a symbol that served to focus their intentions and their faith. To do it in the prescribed way was a sign of their obedience of and their conformity to the Lord's revealed instructions.
In our own day President Hunter called upon the Saints to "establish the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of their membership." He asked us to make maintaining and using a temple recommend a kind of focus that showed our commitment to the restored gospel.
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1994/10/the-great-symbol-of-our-membership?lang=eng
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