the brother of jared and the temple.

Many months ago a friend shared a deep insight into Ether 3 from the Book of Mormon and the parallels between the Brother of Jared's experience of seeing Christ and our temple experience.

I read that chapter this morning and was struck by a few more things, which I'd like to share.

So the Lord has commanded the Brother of Jared (BoJ) to build a bunch of ships so that they can cross the ocean and land in the Americas. However, these boats are completely dark inside. BoJ asks the Lord to spare them from traveling in complete darkness. The Lord asks, "Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?" (Ether 2:25).

BoJ goes to mount Shelem. No idea where that is, but it's interesting that we call temples the Mount of the Lord. It is on this mountain that BoJ has the sacred experience of seeing Christ. So first parallel: a mountain as a temple.

Then he moltens 16 (2 for each boat) clear stones from a rock. BoJ came to the Lord with his own solution and he went through a great amount of effort and preparation. For me when I go to the temple, my best experiences are when I've come to a conclusion through study and I have done actual preparation. It is then that I get answers, things are confirmed or I'm redirected and things become clearer. Second parallel: preparation.

He asks the Lord to illuminate these rocks. Basically he's asking for greater light. In the temple we go there to 1. preform saving ordinances for ourselves and then for those that have passed on and 2. to receive greater light and knowledge; to get answers. Third: increased light (and knowledge).

Christ illuminates these stones and because of BoJ's faith he actually see's Christ's finger touching the stones. BoJ is pretty freaked out because he had no idea that God and Christ had physical forms. Christ explains that he has seen his spiritual body (Christ had not come to fulfill his earthly mission yet). But the veil between heaven and earth is parted and the BoJ is shown basically everything. We pass through a veil before entering the Celestial room in the temple. It is a room that is symbolic of being in presence of God. It is there that I usually get the answers that I'm looking for. I open the scriptures and am lead to answers. Fourth: passing through a veil to receive knowledge.

Lastly (for now) we learn about the plan of salvation, the fall and the nature of God in Ether 3. The purpose of temples and the Atonement of Jesus Christ is to redeem us from the effects of the fall of Adam and Eve: death and sin. Christ even says to BoJ "Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you." Fifth: learning how we can become saved, what our relationship with God and Christ is, and understanding God's plan.

The temple is great. Seriously.