Ancient Birth Customs - Nativity Story

Interview with Rebecca Holt Stay, Instructor of Biblical Studies - BYU Continuing Education

There's not a lot of description in antiquity of the details of something as mundane as birth. And so when it gets mentioned, it's usually done in some kind of symbolic context or in telling a story. And probably the most powerful place where a story of birth is told is in Ezekiel 16, which describes the birth of the nation of Israel. It has been born out of the waters of the Red Sea as a young girl. This girl will grow up to be the bride of God that He will marry at Sinai. And at this point, the description is given of that birth of that little girl. "As for thy nativity, in the day that thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast that washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. No eye pitied thee, to do any of these things unto thee, to have compassion upon thee" (Ezekiel 16:4-5). So by saying those things didn't happen, the text is saying that's the norm. This is what normally happens. You normally would have a midwife there who is going to show compassion on this child and help the mother.

Each of those steps is important. First, the umbilical cord would be cut, probably tied off. Then the child would be washed in order to get the blood off, and the next step is the salting of the child. Now there are a lot of symbols of what salt means in scripture. In terms of hygiene the reason for the salting is that the salt is an antibiotic, and it's going to kill germs that might be present on the skin of the child. Perhaps a disease it might have contacted from its mother at birth, or to kill anything that has gotten on its skin. So it has a very real healthy meaning, that's why it would be salted. Some of the symbols, some will say that because salt is given with the sacrifices at the temple, that this might be preparing a child as an offering. (see for example Leviticus 2:13). Salt is also a preservative, so it may be done to preserve the life of the child. Of course, that's also the hygienic purpose, is preserving the life of the child.

Then it mentions, you are "not swaddled at all." Now there's only two mentions of swaddling in the Old Testament and this is one of them. And a child being swaddled means wrapped in rags or clothes prepared for the purpose of providing a diaper and a covering for the child. Every child normally would be swaddled. The fact that she isn't swaddled is really unusual. Now because that's such a normal thing to do, it made me wonder, why would swaddling bands be a sign in the book of Luke? Because that's what it says, as the shepherds are being told to go and see the child, they are told: "You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger" (Luke 2:12). Every child is wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger is unusual. I really love the fact that the King James translators kept that french word, because 'mange' means to eat. And this is the bread of life who has been born (see John 6:51). Christ is the 'bread of life,' and we will ceremonially eat his body, and so that's suggested by that use of 'manger.'

So I decided I would look back into the Old Testament and see how swaddling bands could be a sign of anything? So the only other place that you find it, other than in this description in Ezekiel of swaddling every newborn child, is when you're in the book of Job. And God is responding to Job's questions about why do bad things happen to good people. And he essentially says, "What do you know Job? Where you there when I created the world? Where you there at the foundation of the world when I built the world?" And then he uses this beautiful metaphor for the creation of the world. He describes it as "who do you think shut up the sea with doors, when it then broke forth, as if it [the earth, newborn earth] had issued out of the womb? When I made the clouds the garments thereof, and thick dark clouds a swaddling band for [the earth]" (Job 38:9).

So here you have a newborn planet that has just been created. And it is wrapped in these clouds that are the swaddling bands. I love that, because the cloud is a symbol of someone in the Old Testament. That does relate to one person, and the cloud is the symbol of the presence of Jehovah. There is a pillar of cloud by day over His tabernacle. His chariot is a cloud. And so when he is born into mortality, He is wrapped in His symbol. In clouds, "trailing clouds of glory" does He come, from His Father who is His home, from the Wordsworth poem. [1]

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[1] Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood by William Wordsworth

Who were the Wise men? - Nativity Story

Interview with Rebecca Holt Stay, Instructor of Biblical Studies - BYU Continuing Education

"When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem saying 'where is he that is born King of the Jews, for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him'" (Matthew 2:1-2). No mention of them being kings. No mention of how many. No mention of how they traveled. But there's a lot of clues there about them. The fact that they were in the east when they saw the star, that's how I choose to read it, rather than that wherever they are, they saw the star in the east. But rather that they were in the east when they saw the star, and east of Jerusalem is where the vast majority of Jews were actually living at the time of Christ.

The Jews were taken into captivity in Babylon 600 years before the birth of Christ, and they never came home. Only a small contingent returned to Jerusalem. So the center of learning for the Jews was Babylon. And that's where the wise men would be. Wise men like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And so they will continue to be advisers to the court and will be literate, scientific men who in Babylon would be studying astronomy for the signs of the sky, and to determine when to have the holy days that are spoken of in scripture. So if you're coming to worship the King of the Jews, odds are you're Jewish. And you're reading about Him in a Jewish book, which would be the Old Testament.

And Isaiah in particular, has a lot to say about those who come to worship the King of the Jews. And I think that Christians asked a lot of questions as this story in Matthew was told and written down. They wanted more information. Where did they come from? What were their names? How did they get there? And so they turned back to their scriptures to find those answers. And so it's in chapter 60 of Isaiah, we get a lot of indication of where those answers came from.

It begins: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee" (Isaiah 60:1). So the light has arisen, the star is there. And in verse 3: "And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." So immediately we say "Aah! There gentile Kings!" And then it says: "a multitude of camels will cover thee, the dromedaries" (Isaiah 60:6) and so we have camels as the way they're coming, and in particular, dromedary camels. Coming from Midian, and Ephah, and Sheba. Well there you have the three countries, so there are three of them. And in particular, Ephah and Midian are middle eastern countries. Sheba is Ethiopia, and so one of these kings must be black. They'll end up with names from the early Christians being named Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior. Those are just honestly made up names, but they're great names! And then it describes what these gentile kings will bring: "they will bring gold and incense; and shew forth the praises of the Lord" (Isaiah 60:6). So in my mind I think, OK, we have Jewish men who are educated, and literate, and they read in the scriptures that there will be a star (that's from the book of Numbers) that will arise at his birth, in the prophecies of Balaam. So looking for that star, they search the heavens, and finding a star that they believe to be that star, they say "When that star arises, we got to get camels, and go. And what we need to bring is gold and incense." And so they will bring gold, which is a kingly gift. They'll bring incense, probably two different kinds, frankincense and myrrh. Frankincense was offered at the temple with every offering, both on the altar of prayer and the altar of sacrifice. Myrrh was melted down and mixed in a special recipe into the anointing oil of the temple, and was also used for anointing the bodies of the dead. So there's some great symbolism there.

And then goes on and talks about some other great pieces. "Doves in the window," and so we'll see doves in every manger scene (Isaiah 60:8). It has the "glory of Lebanon shall come to thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box to beautify the place of my sanctuary" (Isaiah 60:13). And so most of our sanctuaries, our churches, are decorated with the evergreen trees and branches, because Isaiah said so.

And I love the idea that these men read the scriptures and said "somebody's got to do it, why not us! We will be the ones who will fulfill the prophecies of the Lord and we will get to meet the Messiah!" And so it's really cool to think of those years (that at least two years that they traveled), and talked about what this is going to be like. And then to fall on their knees as they meet the Christ child and His parents. What an amazing moment that must have been to pay them back for their efforts.

The Heavenly Host - Nativity Story

Interview with Rebecca Holt Stay, Instructor of Biblical Studies - BYU Continuing Education

There appeared to the shepherds an angel of the Lord. "And the glory of the Lord shown round about them: and they were soar afraid. And the angel said, 'Fear not, I bring you good tidings of great joy!'" (Luke 2:10). Now of course, good tidings is the term that means 'gospel.' So "Good tidings of great joy." And 'joy' in the Old Testament is always associated with two things: one, with having children, and second, with receiving a forgiveness of sins. This combines both of those themes. And that is to be given to all people, "'For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.' And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God" (Luke 2:11-14).

Now when you speak of 'host' as a biblical term, 'host' or 'tsabaot' in Hebrew means army. Jehovah is called 'Yahweh tsabaot,' or Jehovah, the leader of the army. So what we're getting here is not a choir of putee little cherubs with pink cheeks and floaty wings, but rather it is much more like Gabriel coming. Gabriel's name means 'mighty warrior of God.' So when you see Gabriel, you should see an individual who has come in full armor as one of Jehovah's (Jesus') handpicked soldiers, and so that's who this is, is a military choir that has come to witness, and let people know, that the Commander and Chief of the heavenly host, the heavenly army, has been born. And that the battle is now going to ensue. And they know through their faith that their Commander and Chief is going to win this battle. And he will take back the keys of death and hell and open the prison doors and let us all go free. And thus "Tidings of great joy which shall be to all people!"

The Temple Shepherds - Nativity Story

Interview with Rebecca Holt Stay, Instructor of Biblical Studies - BYU Continuing Education

"There were in the same country as Joseph and Mary, shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flocks by night" (see Luke 2:8). We understand those to be the temple flocks, which were kept in the Bethlehem area just south of Jerusalem. And when you think of a field, it's not a field, its a hill. It's a very hilly rocky place. When my husband and I were there in the shepherd's fields of Bethlehem, a flock of sheep and goats went by. So it was a lovely experience.

But shepherd has a really deep meaning in the Old Testament. Shepherd in Hebrew is 'reu.' Now the feminine form of that is Ruth, but we'll see it in the man's name Reuel, which means shepherd of God, which is Jethro. And Moses is sent to Jethro to be taught how to shepherd God's people. But maybe more importantly, 'reu' has a second meaning and that is 'friend' because shepherds eat with the flock and therefore they are their friends. That's the connotation. So the shepherds are the friends of the sheep.

And these shepherds, and every shepherd would be out in the fields at lambing season because when the mother sheep drop the lambs there can generally be two born at the same birth. They need to there to witness which of the two lambs is the first born, because only one of those lambs will be acceptable at the temple as an offering for sin, as a first born, male, perfect lamb. And so they would have some red thread or string with them to tie loosely around the neck of the first born lamb in order to mark it as a first born. And thus it would be essential at the birth of the Lamb of God that shepherds are there to witness His birth as Mary's first born. And then just as the shepherds in the temple flock would indicate which are the first born and tell their leaders, and tell the priests at the temple which are the first born lambs, they would go out and say, "ah, the first born Lamb has been born." And bare testimony to the coming of that first born Lamb.

Gratitude & Thanksgiving

One of the things I have loved to do over the last while is to study the commandments of God and then try to see how the Savior and our Father in Heaven obey these same laws. We know that God is perfect and that He would not give us a law that He was not willing to obey Himself. In addition, God does not just give us laws and commandments to bind us down and subject ourselves to Him. These laws are methods that one gains power. God's laws are eternal in nature and are unchangeable.

C.S. Lewis, when deciding if he believed in a God, found that one of the strongest testimonies of God is the fact that certain rights and wrongs exist. For example, why is killing someone wrong in basically any culture in the world? Why is sleeping with another man's wife wrong in any nation of the world? How did we all decide that kindness, gentleness, love, and charity are right, while hate, envy, and discord are wrong? Is it just chance that what is right is right, and wrong is wrong almost anywhere in the world? After pondering this, C.S. Lewis came to the conclusion that there must be a greater Power behind these rights and wrongs. There must be a God.

One of these rights that has fascinated me is that of "gratitude." When I first began thinking how God obeyed this law, I was not quite sure how to answer it. I thought, why would God want us to be grateful? Why does God need gratitude? Is it just to build Himself up? Why would the scriptures say "And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments" (D&C 59:21). This is a very strong statement. This would mean that if ingratitude is one of the greatest of sins, gratitude would be one of the greatest acts of righteousness. Of course, God is God whether or not we are grateful to Him, so why gratitude then?

When I study these Laws of God I like to ask myself three questions (try it for yourself, you will be surprised by what you learn). First, how does God and the Savior obey this law? Second, why do They obey this law? And third, why would They want us to obey this law?

First, the greatest example of thanks is given by the Savior. In most of the prayers Christ gave, He gave only thanks. Here are a few examples of thanks the Savior gave to the Father:

Jesus feeds the 4,000 — Matt 15:36 "And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude."

Jesus feeds the 5,000 — John 6:11 "And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would."

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead — "John 11:41-42 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me."

Jesus gives the sacramental wine — Mark 14:23 "And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it."

Notice that each of the times Jesus provides food for the thousands He does it by thanking the father. It never mentions that He asks that a miracle be performed, or that the Father bless the bread and fishes, He only gives thanks.

It is also significant that to perform one of the greatest miracles, that of raising Lazarus from the dead, the Savior likewise gives thanks instead of asking for a blessing. It is almost as if thanks is the sanctifying and blessing power that provides these miracles.

The Father likewise obeys the law of gratitude. This gratitude is focused toward us, in that He showers down blessings on us as we obey His commandments. This is true gratitude. It is one thing to thank someone for something they have done. It is a higher thanks to give thanks through your actions, and in particular, giving thanks by giving something of value to another. We thank God for Him blessing our lives most often through prayer. God thanks us for doing the right, by blessing our lives even more. Note that God teaches us to give our gifts in secret. No other being obeys this more than the Father. He seeks to bless us in secret, so much so, that only when we are deeply looking for His hand in our life, will we see it. He does not flaunt the blessings He gives, He does so on a daily basis, yet we rarely see His works of thanks.

This leads us to the second question of why God and the Savior obey the law of gratitude. Let me suggest that one of the strongest reasons is the power that comes from gratitude. How much more are we endeared to someone when they give gratitude for what we have done. Especially when the gift we have given is nothing in comparison to what they could have done. God sees our meager gifts, brought to the altar, as magnificent gifts of the greatest value. He never belittles us for the imperfect efforts we give, in fact He sees these actions of faith as whole and complete. Why does He do this? After all, a perfect being should expect perfect efforts. Yet, He accepts whatever gift we give. Why? Because He knows that through His gratitude towards us, we will be drawn to Him and desire to bring an even more valiant effort to the altar. Through His accepting our meager gifts, He is teaching us of His perfect patience, long-suffering, and enduring love for us. As we see these true attributes of the Father, we long to be more like Him, we long to be with Him. In short, the power of gratitude, is the power to bring unification.

Finally, why then would the Father ask us to be grateful. Again, it is not because God needs our gratitude, it because we need gratitude. As we look for the hand of God in our life, we will better know and understand the true power of God. As we learn of who God truly is, we will better be able to have a stronger faith in what He can do in our lives. As we see the bounteous blessings He has given us, we will have faith that He will continue to bless us in the future. As we are weak, we will know that by relying on Him—because of the blessing we have seen in the past—we will gain the needed strength we need to endure to the end.

This Thanksgiving season, let us begin the effort of giving thanks on a daily basis. Let us look for the "secret thanks" that our Father in Heaven gives us. Let us count our many blessings for that which He has done for us. Like the Savior of the world, let us learn to give thanks for our blessings, instead of asking for more blessings. I am grateful to live in a wonderful, free nation. I am grateful for an incredible family, for amazing parents, and for devoted friends. And most of all, I am grateful to my Savior for all He has done for me. I am grateful he gave His life for me on Calvary, and that through Him I may return to live with my loving Father in Heaven.

Truly as the Psalmist wrote: "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto [His] name .... For [the Lord] hast made [us] glad through [His] work: [we] will triumph in the works of [His] hands" (Psalms 92:1,4).

The Tabernacle and the Temple

The text for this video is modified from the OT Student Manual on Exodus 25-30; 35-40.

"Out of the thunders of Sinai the Lord revealed a glorious plan by which He could redeem the children of Israel. The Lord opened the heavens to Moses and through him [taught Israel how to come back into the presence of the Lord through the atonement of Jesus Christ as represented by the symbolic progression of the tabernacle].

"Deep meaning is associated with the physical dimensions and plan of the tabernacle. They were meant to reflect spiritual patterns that are also reflected in [Latter-day Saint] temples today.

The Tabernacle of Moses

"The tabernacle and its court became a school in which the things of heaven were to be revealed to the Lord’s people. It was originally intended [that all Israelites would be able to progress from the outer court, to the holy place, and then into the holy of holies, symbolically reentering the presence of God]. … This symbolic journey, however, was denied Israel because of her pride and rebellion. Israel lost these higher blessings and became dependent [instead] on the officiating priests who acted as proxy [on their behalf].

"But that loss of privilege in no way implies that the tabernacle lost its significance for Israel. … Though the fulness of [temple blessings were] withheld from Israel, the layout and construction of the tabernacle itself symbolized our progress toward perfection.

"There are three major divisions or areas in the tabernacle: the outer courtyard; the first room of the tabernacle proper, or holy place; and the inner room, or holy of holies. In modern temples three levels of life are also depicted by rooms in the temple: the world, or telestial, room; the terrestrial room; and the celestial room.

"'[The world] room depicts the world in which we live and die. Here instruction is given regarding man’s second estate and the manner in which he may overcome the obstacles of mortality.

"'The terrestrial room is symbolic of the peace that may be attained by men as they overcome their fallen condition through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.

"'The celestial room symbolizes the eternal joy and peace found in the presence of God.'

"If we compare the three divisions of the tabernacle with these three levels of spiritual life, we find some interesting parallels and insights.

A comparison of the courts of the Tabernacle with the layout of modern-day temples

The outer courtyard (the world or telestial room)
"The first thing encountered as one entered the main gate [of the tabernacle] was the altar of sacrifice. Here the various animals and other offerings were slain and offered to the Lord [representing the sacrifice of the only begotten Son]. Strict obedience and sacrifice were thus required as the first step in the symbolic progression towards perfection and entry into God’s presence. This first step could be likened to having faith in Christ and repentance. Jesus taught the Nephites that He had fulfilled the law of Moses, and now the sacrifice required of them was 'a broken heart and a contrite spirit,' which would lead to the baptism with 'fire and with the Holy Ghost' (3 Nephi 9:20).

The lavar in front of the tabernacle

"Directly in line next in the courtyard was the laver, or basin of water, which was used for washing and cleansing. …When Solomon built a permanent temple, he placed the laver on the backs of twelve oxen, a symbolism carried on in modern temples. Since the baptismal font itself is a 'similitude of the grave,' where the 'old man' of sin is buried, the symbolism of the laver seems clear. Once the natural man is sacrificed ([or] put to death through a broken heart or sincere and deep repentance), he is cleansed by both the waters of baptism and the fires of the Holy Ghost. Once this cleansing is done, he is prepared to leave the world, or a telestial way of living, and be born into a higher state of spiritual life.

The holy place (the terrestrial room)
"Three articles of furniture were found in the first room of the tabernacle: the table of shewbread, the sacred candlestick, and the altar of incense. Each article had its own significance. The table of shewbread, which had the bread and wine changed each Sabbath day, was a symbol similar to the sacramental emblems of today. They typified the body and blood of the Son of God, of which the spiritual person partakes consistently so that he can have spiritual life in Christ. The candlestick, or lampstand, with its seven branches and its olive oil symbolized the perfect light of the Spirit through which the spiritually reborn person sees all truth.

Furniture found in the holy place

"The third article in the holy place was the altar of incense … which stood directly in front of the veil [representing the prayers ascending to heaven before the veil of the temple]. This altar suggests the third dominant aspect of the person living by the principles and ordinances of the gospel, that is, consistent seeking of the Lord’s power and revelation through prayer.

The Holy of Holies (the celestial room)
"Just as the celestial room in modern temples symbolizes the kingdom where God dwells, so did the holy of holies in the ancient tabernacle. The only article of furniture in this inner room was the ark of the covenant, which the Lord Himself said was the place where He would meet Moses and commune with the people. Both on the veil, separating the holy place from the most holy, and on the lid to the ark were cherubim, or angels. This use of angels provided a beautiful representation of the concept taught in latter-day scripture that one passes by the angels on his way to exaltation (see D&C 132:19).

The ark of the covenant found in the holy of holies

"In summary, the tabernacle and its plan and the ordinances thereof illustrate the grand and glorious symbolism of mankind’s progress from a state of being alienated from God to one of full communion with Him [where we enter back into His presence through the Atonement of Jesus Christ]."

Ancient Jewish Wedding Feast

This year I hosted the second ever Ancient Jewish Wedding Feast. It was not quite as big as last year (we had around 80-90 people last year), but we still had a good turnout. With the smaller size, I was able to focus a little more on getting video of the wedding procession (see above), including some video footage using a GoPro and a drone. The evening began with the reenactment of the betrothal ceremony, followed by the one year preparation (or waiting period) where we set the table for the feast, the wedding procession and the actual feast. All in all, I think everyone had a great time!

The groom and bride, parents, friend of the bridegroom, and myself

The bride and groom listening as I explain the betrothal process

The groom pours the 'cup of covenant' for the bride

Women of the group help prepare the bride for the wedding procession and feast

The bride being readied with her gold-coin headdress

Food set out and ready for the wedding feast

Food ready for the wedding feast

Guests light their oil lamps in preparation for the coming of the bridegroom

The parents of the bride head the wedding procession

The bride being carried in the bridal litter (or aperion) to the wedding feast

Guests enjoy the wedding feast

The bride and groom enjoy the wedding feast with their guests

The groom and bride with oil lamps

Some of the wedding feasts participants holding their oil lamps

One of our younger participants with an oil lamp

Tabernacle of Moses Camp

Here are some of the pictures I took at the young men's Tabernacle Camp. It was an experience I will never forget, and I hope there will be many more like it in the future. The chance of a lifetime!

The outer courtyard with the altar of sacrifice, the bronze laver, and the sanctuary

The outer gate with the altar of sacrifice

A closeup of the horn of the altar of sacrifice

The Tabernacle bronze laver

The bronze laver with the Tabernacle sanctuary in the background

The Holy Place with menorah, altar of incense, table of shewbread, and the High Priest

The table of shewbread in the Holy Place

The bread and wine pitcher on the table of shewbread

The menorah and altar of incense

The menorah oil lamps lit within the Holy Place

Incense burning on the altar of incense before the veil of the Tabernacle

Altar of incense and the clothing of the High Priest

The ark of the covenant with the veil of the Tabernacle in the background

The two cherubim on the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant with the ten commandments in the background

Inside the ark of the covenant showing the blossomed rod of Aaron, the ten commandments, and the pot of manna

A pillar of fire by night lights the sky above the Tabernacle of Moses

Tabernacle Camp

This past weekend I was privileged to participate in a historic, first of its kind, Tabernacle camp. During the four days the young men built the Tabernacle, camped around it, then learned about the various parts, services, and symbolism of the Tabernacle. A special emphasis was placed on the Aaronic priesthood, and on how the Law of Moses pointed to the Savior Jesus Christ. Needless to say, it was kind of a dream come true for me! Below is a short day-by-day review of the activity.

Day 1 - Wednesday

The first day began with the young men being divided into twelve groups, reminiscent of the twelve tribes of Israel. Each tribe was given a letter of the Hebrew alphabet to differentiate the tribes. The young men were then rotated through twelve different activities throughout the day. Six of the classes focused on the symbolism of the lamb, incense, oil, water, the rod of Aaron, and the Hebrew meanings of several words. During these classes, the young men from the tribe took something with them from the class (such as purified water, oil, incense, etc.) that they would then take into the Tabernacle on the third day of the camp. Two of the twelve activities were devoted to having the young men help build the Tabernacle of Moses. These 'shifts' were spread throughout the day so that each tribe was able to participate in building a different portion of the Tabernacle. In addition to the spiritual classes and the building of the Tabernacle there were four relay-type activities.

Young men lifting the support beams in to place for the Tabernacle (photo by Cordell Moon)

Young men hammering in the stakes for the Tabernacle main structure (photo by Cordell Moon)

Lifting the main canopy covering for the sanctuary of the Tabernacle (photo by Cordell Moon)

The Tabernacle nearing completion (photo by Cordell Moon)

I taught the class on incense and helped the young men understand why incense was used in ancient times, and how it relates to modern-day worship. During the class I burned the specific combination of incense that is described in the book of Deuteronomy.

A young man smelling the incense that would have been burned at the Tabernacle (photo by Cordell Moon)

At the close of the first day, the young men all gathered in the almost completed Tabernacle to bring in the furniture into the Tabernacle. The shofar was sounded and several young men carried the menorah, table of shewbread, altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant inside the sanctuary. It was quite the experience! A symbolic 'last stake' was then pounded into the ground by several of the leaders.

The young men gather as they prepare to bring in the Tabernacle furniture

View of the Tabernacle and campsite from a drone as the young men gathered inside the outer courtyard

Day 2 - Thursday

The second day began with an early morning devotional given by the stake leaders. The young men then again participated in twelve activities throughout the day, three devoted to the more spiritual side of things, and the rest part of an intense eco-challenge designed to help form greater unity within the individual tribes. The three spiritual classes consisted of the bread of life, the Tabernacle pieces, and the clothing of the High Priest. I of course, taught the class on the High Priest. As part of the class, I dressed up one of the young men while explaining each of the eight pieces of clothing worn by the High Priest.

Me explaining the significance of the clothing of the High Priest (photo by Cordell Moon)

The bread of life class, each tribe making a loaf of bread for the table of shewbread (photo by Cordell Moon)

Young men carrying a boulder as part of the eco-challenge (photo by Cordell Moon)

Young men carrying one of the members of their tribe as part of the eco-challenge  (photo by Cordell Moon)

The second day ended with a fireside given by an emeritus area authorities, and one of the stake leaders. The winning tribe of the eco-challenge was also then recognized and given an award of a lobster dinner for the following day.

Day 3 - Friday

The third day began with two groups of rafting for the young men, followed by a full tour of the finished Tabernacle of Moses. During this tour, the young men from the tribe took the various pieces they had collected from the previous two days (such as water, incense, oil, etc.), and brought them to the Tabernacle. They first came to the gate, singing a hymn as they entered the outer court (as was done in Biblical times when an Israelite would enter the Temple). They then took their lambs to the altar of sacrifice where they learned of the symbolism of the Law of Sacrifice and how it related to the Messiah (no lambs were actually killed as part of the camp). They next poured their water (that they had purified from a stream) into the laver, and learned about the importance of being clean before entering the Temple of God. The young men then entered the Holy Place and learned of the menorah (adding oil and lighting the lamps), the table of shewbread (adding their shewbread that they had made), the altar of incense (burning their incense on the altar), and the veil of the Tabernacle. They then entered the Holy of Hollies (adding their 'rod of Aaron' to the ark) and learning of the importance of symbolically entering the presence of God.

Young men with their lambs in the outer courtyard of the Tabernacle

Young men leading their lambs around the altar of sacrifice (no lambs were killed)

View showing the altar of sacrifice, the laver, and the Tabernacle sanctuary

A leader teaching the young men about the menorah found in the Holy Place

The young men being taught about the table of shewbread (or showbread)

A leader teaching about the altar of incense within the Holy Place

A view showing the ark of the covenant within the Holy of Hollies

The night closed with a powerful fireside within the outer courtyard of the Tabernacle. The Stake Relief Society president gave perhaps the most powerful talk, saying that she hoped the young men, having built the Tabernacle, would now bring it home with them, just as ancient Israel carried the Tabernacle with them as they traveled in the wilderness for 40 years. At the conclusion of the fireside, the tribe captains stood and pointed towards the back of the sanctuary, where a huge spotlight shown up towards heaven, symbolically representing the pillar of fire. Needless to say, it was quite the experience! As the young men left the Tabernacle, they broke up into wards, and had individual testimony meetings.

One of the tribe captains speaking during the fireside within the outer courtyard

The stake president speaking to the young men during the Tabernacle fireside

People gathered around the lit Tabernacle and pillar of fire after the conclusion of the fireside

The "pillar of fire by night" lighting the sky during the fireside and testimony meetings

Day 4 - Saturday

On the last day of the Tabernacle camp, they young men took down their tents, took down the Tabernacle, and headed back to their homes. Just prior to taking down the Tabernacle, several groups from the stake came and toured the Tabernacle. The young men, instead of their leaders, took many of the parents through, teaching them the things they had learned during the camp. I also had the opportunity to teach two more classes on the clothing of the High Priest to the parents and families who came up for this last day.

The Tabernacle camp was an experience I will never forget. I hope it will only be the first of many, held throughout the nation and world, teaching young men (and I think young women as well) about the importance of the priesthood, sacrifice, the atonement, and the Savior Jesus Christ.