Sunday, January 10, 2010

New Series on BYU-TV: Messiah

The first episode was fabulous.  It's a don't miss show for all Old Testament students, as well as those teaching Old Testament in Gospel Doctrine this year.

Here's how BYU-TV describes the series: "In a day when many scholars have reduced Christ to a historical or purely figurative being, this seven-part documentary series stands to affirm His divinity by reconciling the historical Christ with the Christ of religious tradition. Filmed in part on location in the Holy Land and in conjunction with the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Messiah: Behold the Lamb of God is the first documentary that covers all phases of the Savior's life - spanning His premortal existence to the resurrection and restoration of the gospel - all told from a Latter-day Saint perspective."

Click here to find out when the next broadcast will be.



Friday, January 8, 2010

OT Lesson 3: Worlds Without Number

Moses 1:33, 35, 38 And worlds without number have I created…But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them. ...And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.

Moses 7:30 And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations;

So just how big is the universe?

With the help of the Internet and study that my father has done, let me give you some details about just how big the universe is believed to be. But first, a science lesson…

The distances, even to the stars within our own galaxy, are so enormous we must use two special techniques to express the distances. The first is scientific notation, or expressing numbers in powers of ten. The second, invented for astronomy, is the “light year”. This is the distance that light will travel in a year. If we could travel at the speed of light, it would take 1.28 seconds to travel from the earth to the moon.

Light travels at 168,000 miles per second which equates to 5,870,000,000,000 miles per year, or about 6 trillion miles per year. Expressed using scientific notation this is 6 X 10 to the twelfth power, or 6 with 12 zeroes after it.

186 000 miles/sec x 60 sec/min x 60 min/hr x 24 hr/day x 365 days/yr = 5,870,000,000,000 miles or a light year

The size estimates of the universe have evolved as telescopes have improved to probe deeper into space.

In the 1950s, the universe was thought to be one billion light years in diameter (6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 miles, or 6 with 21 zeroes after it).

In 1978, the estimated size of the universe was increased to 16 billion light years (with us at the center because we look outward in all directions, and we seem to be at the center according to astronomers).

In 1987, astronomers discovered galaxy 3C-326.1 at a distance of more than 12 billion light years and only ¾ the distance to the “edge” of the known universe – estimated then to be as wide as 32 billion light years. (Note that a quick check of Wikipedia indicates that the edge of the known universe is now believed to be 46.5 billion light years away, but I didn’t want to re-do the math in the following paragraph.)

If the estimated 32 billion light years is correct, the universe we can “see” with radio telescopes is about 200 billion trillion miles across, or 2X10 to the 23rd power number of miles (or 2 with 23 zeroes after it). This means that a light that flashes tonight on the outer edge of the universe will take 16 billion years to travel to where we are, and another 16 billion years to reach the opposite edge of the universe.


Old Testament Lesson 1

I love the Old Testament. Many of the first scripture stories we learned as children came from the Old Testament. Noah’s Ark. Joseph and his coat of many colors. Adam and Eve. Moses parting the Red Sea. Daniel and the Lion’s Den. Jonah and the whale. {Although, except for Daniel and Jonah, all of these stories are recorded in the first 100 pages of the Old Testament.}

Why is a study of the Old Testament important for us today, several thousand years from when many of the events took place?
  • It is a commandment of God. In the New Testament, Christ said “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39)”. The scriptures he was referring to books – many of which are now in the Old Testament – most likely the prophetic books, such as Isaiah, which indeed testified of the Messiah.
  • It is the “original testament of Jesus Christ”. As with all scripture, it persuades people to believe in Christ. Testament = testify = covenant
  • It contains principles of salvation and provides examples of righteousness. Those examples will help us solve many of the problems of today. What are some of the stories of the Old Testament that you find especially inspiring and meaningful? For me, the story of Joseph being sold into Egypt, and then his reunion with his brothers always brings me to tears. Joseph’s ability to withstand the tribulations of the betrayal, the imprisonment, and then becoming the second-most powerful person in Egypt is amazing – and his strength of character to avoid the seducing of Potiphar’s wife.
  • It is the foundation for all scripture. It set the path and direction for other books of scripture that would follow it.
  • It tells of God’s dealings with his covenant people. We learn of agency, laws, blessings, punishments, covenants – or in other words, the plan of happiness.
  • It foretells of the last days in which we live. It prophesies of both the first and second comings of the Savior.
  • Many prophets of the Old Testament are connected to our own day and were key players in the restoration (Moses, Elias and Elijah restored priesthood keys to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland temple; many were seen in the Vision of the Redemption of the Dead by Joseph F. Smith)

Joseph Smith, in the Lectures on Faith, stated that there are at least 19 noted men between the time of Adam and Abraham (a span of 2000 years) who had direct communication with the Lord, either seeing Him, hearing his voice, or both.

Elder Harold G. Hillam, First Quorum of the Seventy: Many struggle with the concept that the Old Testament is an exciting or interesting book. But, when we realize that the Savior quoted from the Old Testament both to teach and to defend Himself, we can understand its great significance. By studying the book and following Christ’s example it will bless us also.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Trivia questions for the first 10 Old Testament lessons

OT lesson 1: I’m using this trivia question to introduce how the Old Testament is organized, as well as to define the terms apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, Pentateuch, Torah, Talmud, and Midrash.

Q: What Israelite book of scripture, mentioned twice in the O.T., was quoted by Joseph Smith, but is not in the King James Bible?
A: The Book of Jasher. The Book of Jasher is mentioned in Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18. It is a history of the world from the creation until the period of the Judges in Israel. It has more information than is found in Genesis for that same period, which makes very interesting reading and clears up many confusing issues in the Bible. The Church does not have an official stand on its authenticity, but most likely it was a 12th-century compilation of old Jewish writings that may have been preserved on Noah’s ark, and handed down to other ancient patriarchs.

OT lesson 2: This question reinforces the name of Jehovah and that Jehovah is the God of the Old Testament.

Q: What is a Tetragrammaton? a. a tropical fish b. a four-letter word c. a translation aid d. Greek form of “holy war”
A: The word literally means “4 letters”. The particular four consonant letters used in ancient Hebrew to signify the sacred name of God which they did not utter. The four consonants are variously written IHVH, JHVH, JHWH, YHVH and YHWH and the words reconstructed by adding vowel points are variously supposed to be Jahaveh, Jahvah, Jahve, Jahveh, Yahve, Yahveh, Yahwe, and Yahweh. The name Jehovah is thought by scholars to be a false reconstruction of the incommunicable name. From latter-day revelation, however, we learn that Jehovah is the English form of the actual name by which the Lord Jesus was known anciently.

OT lesson 3:

Q: What is Adam-ondi-Ahman interpreted to mean?
A: Orson Pratt suggested that “Ahman” is the name of God in the pure Adamic language. Ahman is twice mentioned as one of the names of God in the Doctrine and Covenants. In each instance, Jesus Christ is called Son Ahman, suggesting Son God and son of Ahman (D&C 78:20; 95:17). Elder Alvin R. Dyer expanded on that information as he defined Adam-ondi-Ahman: “Adam” refers directly to Adam; “ondi” means nearby or connected with; “Ahman” means the Lord himself. Therefore a literal translation of the words “Adam-ondi-Ahman” could signify “The Lord Jesus Christ, through Adam unto mankind”. It has also been interpreted to mean several things: the Valley of God where Adam dwelt, Adam's consecrated Land, and Adam's grave.

OT lesson 4: This trivia question doesn't have anything to do with the OT, but it iss interesting nonetheless:

Q: Two of our Church Presidents have had warships named after them. Can you name these two Church Presidents?
A: The "SS Joseph Smith" (hull number 1119) and the "SS Brigham Young" (hull number 633) were both Liberty cargo ships, the largest class of civilian-made warships ever built. These Liberty-class ships were the workhorses of World War II, as they could carry almost 5,000 tons of cargo. The "SS Joseph Smith" was launched in June of 1943 and it eventually sank due to cracks that developed in the hull. The "SS Brigham Young" was launched in September of 1942 and served in the Pacific theater. It was decommissioned at Pearl Harbor in 1946 and then towed to San Francisco. In 1973 it was sold to California buyers for scrap metal.

OT lesson 5:

Q: What do the names “Cain” and “Abel” mean?
A: Meaning of the name Cain: Its Hebrew root means to "possess" or "acquire." The name Cain is confusing to us as it does to Bible scholars because so little is said about Cain in Genesis. Latter-day scriptures give us more insight into Cain and why his parents gave him the name Cain. Such was the hope of Eve in her new heaven-sent "possession," and hence the name Cain.

Abel's name is associated with a root meaning “vanity,” “breath,” or “vapor.” Figuratively it seems to carry the connotation of “temporary” or “transitory”, which is appropriate since he would be murdered by Cain.

OT lesson 6:

Q: How big was Noah’s Ark?
A: 300 cubits = 450 feet long, by 50 cubits = 75 feet wide, by 30 cubits = 45 feet high – so the ark was 50% longer than a football field and 3 stories tall. [from Genesis 6:14-16 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.]
Gopher wood: Scholars have speculated that it was a species of cypress or cedar.
Pitch: asphalt or bitumen in its soft state, called slime
Window: see footnote in the LDS edition of the Bible and we learn that some rabbis believe that the “window”, translated from the Hebrew word “tsohar”, was actually a precious stone that shone in the ark.

OT lesson 7: Although this question was about a Book of Mormon individual, I used it to introduce the purpose of patriarchal blessings and a definition of lineage.

Q: What was Lehi’s lineage?
A: Tribe of Joseph, through Manasseh. [See Alma 10: 2-3 I am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi... And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by the hands of his brethren.] However, Ishmael was of the lineage of Ephraim, bringing Ephraimite lineage to the promised land.

OT lesson 8: I used this question to introduce the concept of a “new name” when we make covenants, which happened when Abram and Sarai were renamed Abraham and Sarah.

Q: Who was the Zionist visionary that promoted the modern-day gathering of Jews to Israel and became the first prime minister of Israel in 1948?
A: David Ben-Gurion

Hebrew names typically include mention of the parents’ Hebrew name. Therefore, the name David Ben-Gurion actually means “David, son of Gurion”. Other examples include Simon Peter (referred to usually just as Peter) when the Savior called him Simon Bar-Jonah which means “Simon, son of Jonah”. Many have probably seen the movie Ben-Hur; the lead character, Judah Ben-Hur means “Judah, son of Hur”. When someone coverts to Judaism, the convert chooses a new Hebrew first name. For men it is usually Abraham or Avraham and for women it is often Sarah or Ruth. Since the convert has no Jewish parents, it is common to add “ben Avraham”, or son of Abraham. For women the addition is “bat Sarah”, daughter of Sarah.


Both in the O.T. and today, a new name is often involved when we make covenants with God.
  • When we are baptized, we take upon ourselves the name of Christ.
  • Temple follow the same pattern.
  • Upon entering mortality, infants are given a new (earthly) name and blessing (although not a saving ordinance like baptism, because we know that little children have no need of baptism until they are eight years old).
  • The Doctrine & Covenants tells us that “Those who come into the celestial kingdom” shall be given a white stone whereon is written a new name.
There are examples of the body of the Church having a new name. Isaiah prophesied of the restored Church: “Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.” (Isa. 62:2) It may well be that the new name, a name necessarily limited to latter-day usage, is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (D&C 115:4) In the Book of Mormon, a group of converted Lamanites were renamed the Anti-Nephi-Lehis.

Genesis 17:1, 5, 15 AND when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

When their names were changed, they then had the Hebrew letter “heh”, one of the abbreviations for the Hebrew name of God which Jews were never to write in its entirety. Hebrew letters each have a lot of symbolism associated with them. This letter connotes to “take seed” and to “behold or receive revelation”.

OT lesson 9:

Q: Which OT event came as the result in part from the discovery of new building technology (“oven-baked bricks”)?
A: The tower of Babel; before the bricks were all adobe, or sun-dried, and they crumbled under stress.

OT lesson 10:

Q: How long can camels go without water? If a camel is thirsty, how much water does it need to rehydrate itself?
A: During the hottest part of the year, a camel can go for a week or more without taking a drink. And during the cooler months, they sometimes go for six months without drinking. Even when water is available at wells and water holes, camels drink only if necessary. If they have used up a lot, they can gulp down as much as 30 gallons of water in just 10 minutes.

What other ways is a camel perfect for desert life?
  • To protect their eyes, camels have long eyelashes. If sand gets into an eye, a camel has a third eyelid that moves from side to side to wipe the sand away. The eyelid is very thin, so a camel can close its third eyelid during sandstorms and still see.
  • To keep sand from blowing into their noses, camels can shut their nostrils.
  • Their short coats help to block out the heat of the sun.
  • A camel's head has built-in sun-visors to help keep the bright sunlight out of its eyes. There are broad ridges of bone above each eye. These stick out far enough to shield the eyes when the sun is overhead. The ears of camels are small to make it harder for sand to get in them.
  • The huge feet of camels help them to walk on sand without sinking into it. A camel's foot can be as big as a large plate.
  • Camels humps help them to survive in the desert. The humps are masses of fat that nourishes them when food is scarce. They store about 80 pounds of fat in their humps. As the camels use this fat, their humps shrink.