1 AND it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number of the vessels which had been prepared was eight) [ The number eight always points to a new beginnings, purification, or the Atonement. It is found in association with temples, ordinances, or other holy themes. To help illustrate this, it helps if we first understand that the symbolism of eight is directly related to the symbolism of seven. In Genesis, we read: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished . . . And on the seventh day, God ended his work which he had made” (Gen. 2: 1-2). Seven, therefore, in the Hebrew tradition means finished, whole, or complete. What then becomes of the eighth day? The eighth day then becomes the first day of a new period. In other words, not the beginning, but a new beginning. By exploring a few scriptures, we see that this new beginnings represents purification the Atonement of Christ. For example, animals used for sacrifices stayed with the mother seven days, and then were slain on the eighth day. These animals were symbolic of Christ as an eternal sacrifice. Similarly, the priests of Aaron under Moses were to purge seven days, and on the eighth day they could enter the tabernacle, being purified, and make an atoning sacrifice. We learn in Ezekiel that “upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord” (Ezekiel 43:26-27). Also there were 8 people on the ark with Noah. ] went forth unto the mount, which they called the mount Shelem, [ IN temple context - he goes to the temple of the Lord. Shelem means "high, safe, secure." The word shalom is derived from that. Remember, shalom means you're safe. Shalom is a ladder, a high place." If you're going to a high place, it is a safe place, a secure place, a shelem. The brother of Jared went to the highest mountain around. Moses did the same thing. Lehi and Nephi did the same thing. So again this is a pattern. (Hugh W. Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Semester 4, p. 271) According to Catherine Thomas, the word shelem has three main Hebrew consonants forming a root word that spans a wide spectrum of meanings: peace, tranquility, contentment, safety, completeness, being sound, finished, full, or perfect. Shelem (and shalom) signify peace with God, especially in the covenant relationship. It also connotes submission to God, which we see in the Arabic words muslim and islam. In particular, shelem has reference to the peace offering of the law of sacrifice, which corresponds to the seeking of fellowship with God,78 and thereby has a relationship to the meanings of the at-one-ment; that is, shelem, fellowship, sealing, and at-one-ment have an obvious relationship. When the brother of Jared carried the stones in his hands to the top of the mount, whether or not a temple peace offering is implied, he sought a closer fellowship or at-one-ment with the Lord. Therefore, the mount is called shelem because of its exceeding height (see Ether 3:1), not because shelem means great height, but rather that it suggests a place that is suitably high for temple activity. [M. Catherine Thomas, "The Brother of Jared at the Veil," in Temples of the Ancient World, F.A.R.M.S., pp. 390-391One of the major clues to the location of the Jaredites on the coast of East Asia is the reference to a mountain of "exceeding height." There appear to be many such peaks along the Chinese coastline, virtually all of which are located either around the Gulf of Chili or south of the Yangtze River. Map VII identifies these peaks and shows their proximity to the proposed routes of the Jaredites into East Asia) (Randall P. Spackman, The Jaredite Journey to America, pp. 57-58, unpublished). ] because of its exceeding height, [ Called shelem because of its exceeding height (see Ether 3:1), not because shelem means great height, but rather that it suggests a place that is suitably high for temple activity. The great mountain that the brother of Jared visited would most likely have been located near the seashore where they were building their ships. Within 20 miles of Khor Rori stands Mount Samban (Sephar), which rises from the sea to a height of 6000 feet. It is the tallest mountain in all of southern Oman. Mount Samban (Sephar) seems to have been a mountain of extreme religious importance. Not only is it possibly the mountain where the Lord appeared to the brother of Jared, it is possible the mountain where the Lord appeared to Nephi, it is one of the few mountains that is mentioned in the Bible where it is known as “Sephar, a mountain of the east.” (Genesis 10:30). That the brother of Jared went to talk with the Lord at the top of mount Shelem, which was of exceeding height, is likewise interesting. High mountain peaks have often been the places where God has communed with his prophets. We have only to think of Mount Sinai with Moses (Ex. 19–20); the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John (Matt. 17); Enoch upon mount Simeon (Moses 7:2–4); Nephi receiving revelation on a high mountain (1 Nephi 11:1; 18:3); and still another mount known only to Moses (Moses 1:1, 42) to sense there is a pattern in this thing. Each of these events occurred on separate mountains, but all were sites of unusual spiritual experiences in which the Lord was present. A dedicated temple is the usual house of the Lord—often called the mountain of the Lord’s house—and is the place where he communes with his servants, but in the absence of a temple, mountain peaks have been used. Perhaps God chooses such peaks because they have not been polluted by sinful man. (For a discussion of mountain tops as places where the Lord has appeared to his prophets see Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 2:232–33.)] and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; [ Interestingly the sixteen stones are described as being “clear, even as transparent glass.” Although we do not know the exact date of the tower of Babel, it is commonly placed at about 2200 BC. We may wonder how early the art of glass-working was known. William S. Ellis, in the National Geographic Magazine for December 1993, reports that “the most reliable research places the invention of glass sometime in the third millennium before the birth of Christ, in Mesopotamia, or present-day Iraq and Syria” (43–44) and further “the earliest known glassmakers worked in Mesopotamia as far back as 2500 BC, crafting beads and other small objects to imitate precious stones” (44). Mesopotamia is the general area, and the date of 2500 BC indicates that glass may have been made as much as 300 years before the tower of Babel and, thus, substantiates the story of the brother of Jared. We do not need historical proof to confirm the record, yet it is interesting to see a bit of secular confirmation that it could have happened as the record said it did. How could Joseph Smith have known that? ] and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass; and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount, [ Where does he take the stones? To the top of the mountain High mountain peaks have often been the places where God has communed with his prophets. We have only to think of Mount Sinai with Moses (Ex. 19–20); the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John (Matt. 17); Enoch upon mount Simeon (Moses 7:2–4); Nephi receiving revelation on a high mountain (1 Nephi 11:1; 18:3); and still another mount known only to Moses (Moses 1:1, 42) to sense there is a pattern in this thing. Each of these events occurred on separate mountains, but all were sites of unusual spiritual experiences in which the Lord was present. A dedicated temple is the usual house of the Lord—often called the mountain of the Lord’s house—and is the place where he communes with his servants, but in the absence of a temple, mountain peaks have been used. Perhaps God chooses such peaks because they have not been polluted by sinful man. (For a discussion of mountain tops as places where the Lord has appeared to his prophets see Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 2:232–33.) Arabia is famous for its clear quartz, so transparent that it is cut into semi-precious stones called the “Diamonds of the Sultans” (also known as Desert Diamonds and Qaysumah Diamonds). These clear stones are found throughout Arabia and are mined in the Empty Quarter. Veins of quartz are found in the mountains of southern Oman. Today, Oman exports silicon quartz sand for production in semi-conductors. What does the quartz sand do with a silicon chip? Well it is used to store computer data. If a chip can be used to store data - why could it not be used to store light? There is also a gem found in southern Arabia which is called the “Oman Magic Perfume Gemstone” that soaks up liquids. If the gem is soaked in perfume, the stone remains fragrant for years. Again if the stones can store perfume why not light? ] and cried again unto the Lord, saying:

2 O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know [ In Hebrew, the word for "know" is the word yada, which means not only learning about something or someone but experiencing something or someone. It is not a superficial experience of God but a profoundly intimate experience. In the Israelite worldview, The Old Testament is the foundation of this experience. ] that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures [ i.e., physical bodies Several important theological concepts are involved in this verse: First is a statement regarding the character of the Lord, that he is holy and dwells in heaven. Second is a declaration that mankind is unworthy before the Lord, and the explanation that “because of the fall our natures have become evil continually.” The brother of Jared plainly declares that the fall of Adam has an effect on all mankind, making all of us mortal. This is the “natural man” concept taught elsewhere in the Book of Mormon, in the Bible, and in the Doctrine and Covenants. It is very evident that this great prophet had a knowledge of the Fall and of its effect on human nature. This concept is projected in Mosiah 3:19, saying that “the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam”; and in 1 Nephi 10:6, declaring that “all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely upon this Redeemer”; and Alma 22:13, 14, saying that because of the fall of man “he could not merit anything of himself” (see also Hel. 14:14–16; Alma 42:2–14; D&C 1:18–20). Through Isaiah the Lord spoke of unregenerated man, saying: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8–9). Because of the Fall which has come upon every man, woman, and child, a Redeemer is absolutely necessary, and that Redeemer is Jesus Christ. No one can be saved without him. A third theological tenet found in Ether 3:2 explains that the Lord is approachable through prayer, that he has commanded mankind to pray to him so that we may “receive according to our desires.” That we receive what we desire should be both a joy and a caution. This idea is frequently stated in the Book of Mormon, as in Alma 29:4; 41:5; and Jacob 4:15 wherein men have received both good and bad, “because they desired it.” ] have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, [ The Lord is approachable through prayer, that he has commanded mankind to pray to him so that we may “receive according to our desires.” That we receive what we desire should be both a joy and a caution. This idea is frequently stated in the Book of Mormon, as in Alma 29:4; 41:5; and Jacob 4:15 wherein men have received both good and bad, “because they desired it.” ] that from thee we may receive according to our desires. [ If we look at this from a temple context, is he not really asking the Lord to part the veil in his behalf? We will see that he is asking for the veil to be parted as he is asking God to reach his finger through the veil and touch the stones, therefore changing them. This is further brought forward in temple context in Ether 4:13 - as if you will he will bring forth even greater things. ]

[ In the next two verses the brother of Jared pleads with the Lord to be merciful and have pity on the people. ]

3 Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity, and hast driven us forth, and for these many years we have been in the wilderness; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, [ He says that he is there for light, but his words reveal that his greatest concern is his unredeemed nature. He even appears to be afraid of the Lord's anger here and is so over- come with his inadequacy that he seems to be fighting the temptation to withdraw. It is with deliberate courage that he presses on past this fear, taking heart in the knowledge that the Lord has commanded him to ask and receive what he needs in spite of his fallen nature. ] and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness; [ To me it sounds like he is pleading with the Lord that they do not want to croos the ocean in darkness but they will if that is what he wants them to do. Submission to God's will whatever it is., ] but behold these things which I have molten out of the rock.

4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, [ The brother of Jared did all he could to bring it into being and defined precisely what remained for the Master to do. ] O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea. [ Note the specifics with which he asks. Note the work that the Brother of Jared has already undertaken in preparing the stones, climbing to the top of the mountain to ask - denoting that he got himself in the right frame of mind as well in order to ask. “The brother of Jared’s answer to this question required diligent effort on his part. He climbed Mount Shelem ‘and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones’ [Ether 3:1]. He then asked the Lord to touch those stones so that they would bring forth light. Carefully consider the needs of our family members, make a plan to meet those needs, and then take our plan to the Lord in prayer. This will require faith and effort on our part, but He will help us as we seek His assistance and do His will” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2003, 15; or Ensign, May 2003, 16). Our own decisions. He also wants us to take our conclusions to Him frequently for His confirmation. When the brother of Jared asked the Lord about the matter of light for the vessels, the Lord answered with a question of His own: “What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?” (Ether 2:23). According to President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973), the Lord’s question was similar to saying the following: “‘Well, have you any good ideas? What would you suggest that we should do in order to have light?’ . . . “Then the Lord went away and left him alone. It was as though the Lord were saying to him, ‘Look, I gave you a mind to think with, and I gave you agency to use it. Now you do all you can to help yourself with this problem; and then, after you’ve done all you can, I’ll step in to help you.’” After considering the possibilities, the brother of Jared demonstrated his great faith by asking the Lord to touch 16 stones and supply light. The Lord answered this plea and not only provided light for the vessels but gave this faithful man a vision unlike any other. President Lee concluded: “This is the principle in action. If you want the blessing, don’t just kneel down and pray about it. Prepare yourselves in every conceivable way you can in order to make yourselves worthy to receive the blessing you seek” (Stand Ye in Holy Places [1974], 243–44). ]

5 Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men. [ Note the further declaration regarding God’s character and potential, having “all power,” even “great power,” and being able to do whatsoever he wanted to benefit man. However, natural, fallen man is so far beneath the level of God, and understands so infinitesimally little about the works of the Lord, that even when the Lord shows forth great power they often fail to see the significance, and it “looks small” to them. I think Nephi had the same thing in mind when he wrote that what some esteem to be of great worth, both to the soul and body, others trample under their feet (1 Nephi 19:7). He also said: I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be. (2 Nephi 32:7) And Jacob said it like this: O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. (2 Nephi 9:28) Paul likewise was acquainted with this condition that is so prevalent among mankind, and he correctly stated that the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, for they are discerned only by the Spirit. And being without the Spirit, the natural man sees the wisdom of God as foolishness (1 Cor. 2:14). I think these passages convey precisely what the brother of Jared meant when he said that the work of God looks small to the understanding of men. ]

6 And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. [ First mentioned in Ex. 8:19 When the “finger” of God appears in the Bible, as opposed to his “hand” or “arm,” it seems to indicate the writing of God and therefore his intentions—whether in law, creation or judgment. Jesus exemplifies this meaning when he writes with his finger in the dirt, perhaps listing off the sins of his opponents. ] And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood ; [ A spirit has the appearance of flesh and blood even though it is spirit material. We know from Doctrine and Covenants 129 that if the brother of Jared had tried to touch the finger of the Lord he could not have felt it, since mortals cannot physically feel a spirit body. The very fact that section 129 poses the physical handshake as a means of detecting the difference of a spirit from a resurrected body is evidence that a spirit has the appearance, if not the texture of a body, and cannot be differentiated by the eye alone. ] and the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear. [ Standing now before this cloud-veil, having asked for light, the brother of Jared is stunned to see a finger appear- ing through the cloud-veil. He falls to the ground, struck with fear, because he knows what he sees. What he had held for so long in his "eye of faith" has just been visually confirmed. He has, to use Moroni's language, "ren[t] that veil of unbelief" (Ether 4:15) with his persistent believing-as- though-he-were-seeing, and has in some marvelous way operated the law that quickens and focuses his spiritual eyes. He had asked for the finger to touch the stones, and that is what he saw-what he asked for and believed. As Elder Packer observes, the world says, "seeing is believing: show me!" "When," he says, "will we learn that in spiritual things ... believingis seeing?Spiritual belief precedes spiritual knowledge." ]

7 And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him: Arise, why hast thou fallen? [ The Lord asking the question: What’s wrong with you? ]

8 And he saith unto the Lord: I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood. [ So the Brother of Jarad responds with "I knew not that the Lord has flesh and blood, and I thought He might smack or smite me! ]

9 And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith [ It was not the brother of Jared's perfect knowledge that dissolved the veil; rather, it was his exceeding faith. “As a rule, prophets are invited into the presence of the Lord, are bidden to enter his presence by him and only with his sanction. Moroni says: "And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, because of the promise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the veil" (Ether 12:21). The knowledge given by the Holy Ghost, the first com- forter, is not a perfect knowledge, though it prepares and draws the seeker to that perfect knowledge. Faith, produced by the revelations of the Holy Ghost, is an assurance or pre- knowledge that what the Lord says is true (see Alma 32:34). But faith is designed to proceed along and become perfect knowledge, which is seeing something for ourselves after we have believed in, and been obedient to, the assurances of the Holy Ghost. Faith is not an end in itself, it is a means to an end, and that end is to be like and to be with the Lord. When we say in our testimony meetings, "I know that the Lord Jesus lives," without having actually seen him, we mean that the Holy Ghost has given that assurance to our souls. But we do not have a perfect knowledge until, after an extended period of probation, we see for ourselves as the brother of Jared did. Joseph Smith observed, "Men at the present time testify of heaven and of hell, and have never seen either- and I will say that no man knows these things without this." 6 Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ leads in one direction and that is into the Lord's presence. The brother of Jared, on the other hand, seems to have thrust himself through the veil, not as an unwelcome guest but perhaps technically as an uninvited one . . . Obviously the Lord himself was linking unprecedented faith with this unprecedented vision. If the vision itself was not unique, then it had to be the faith and how the vision was obtained that was so unparalleled. The only way that faith could be so remarkable was its ability to take the prophet, uninvited, where others had been able to go only with God’s bidding.” Holland, Jeffrey R. Christ and the New Covenant. 23. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1997. ] thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. [ So from this example we can see that the Lord may be doing things in life right along side of us, but because of our lack of faith we do not see his hand. ] Sawest thou more than this? [ Or what else did you see? It must have been with pounding heart that the brother of Jared answered. ]

10 And he answered: Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me. [ A further dialogue takes place at the cloud-veil, the Lord testing the brother of Jared's desire and preparation, a test in a way to see if his confidence will wax strong in the Lords presence. Among the fundamental doctrinal truths contained in the foregoing passage, we find that a spirit has the appearance of flesh and blood even though it is spirit material. We know from Doctrine and Covenants 129 that if the brother of Jared had tried to touch the finger of the Lord he could not have felt it, since mortals cannot physically feel a spirit body. The very fact that section 129 poses the physical handshake as a means of detecting the difference of a spirit from a resurrected body is evidence that a spirit has the appearance, if not the texture of a body, and cannot be differentiated by the eye alone. Secondly, because the brother of Jared had such great faith (exceeding that of earlier prophets), he was able to see the Lord. Thirdly, this event demonstrates that a person must personally ask and seek to obtain spiritual blessings. At first the brother of Jared saw only the finger of the Lord. The Lord asked him if he saw more than this. Then the brother of Jared asked to see more. There is a principle at work here: the Lord was nurturing and nudging him along to the point where he would ask to see more—priming the pump, so to speak, until he finally says, “Lord, show thyself unto me” (v. 10). ]

11 And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak? [ Notice that the Lord tests the brother of Jared and gets a commitment from him before he showed him more. His faith is tested in that he knows what he has seen, but now he is asked how he will perform in the future to what he is going be taught. It is a commitment to the future. This is seen in the words: “Believest thou the words which I shall speak?” This called forth the additional verbal affirmation that God is a God of truth who cannot lie. Having obtained the necessary commitment, the Lord then showed himself to the brother of Jared and told him he was redeemed from the Fall and brought back into the presence of the Lord. The Lord also identified himself as Jesus Christ, who had been prepared and appointed from the very beginning as the Redeemer. ]

12 And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things [ That there is a God, that there is an atonement. ] ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; [ The Brother of Jared is told, as he is washed clean in the blood of the Lamb, “Thou art redeemed from the Fall and therefore art brought back into my presence.” The Brother of Jared then enters into the environment of God as he passes through the veil. ] therefore I show myself unto you. [ The veil is parted and the brother of Jared is admitted into the presence of God. Every other time before this event Christ came to Adam at Adam-Ondi-Ahman and administered comfort to Adam, He also appeared to Enoch and others, but in every case Christ came to man’s environment; what happen's here with the Brother of Jarad is the first instance recorded in scripture when man is taken to Christ’s environment. See the distinction? This was the first time since the creation that a man was redeemed from the Fall of Adam. What occurred at the Fall? That’s right, two deaths—physical death, and being removed from the presence of God, which is spiritual death.]

14 Behold, [ Jesus will explain his mission to the brother of Jarad. #1] I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, [#2]I am Jesus Christ. [#3]I am the Father and the son. [#4]In me shall all mankind have life, [ A significant statement occurs at this juncture which deserves further comment because it has been reworded in our current edition from the way it read in previous editions. The Lord touched the sixteen stones, causing them to shine with visible light. In all editions of the Book of Mormon from 1830, the Lord said in Ether 3:14, “In me shall all mankind have light and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.” This makes a marvelous metaphor since the topic of light started this whole episode, and having illuminated the stones, the Lord says that he is also the source of light to mankind. However, since 1981 the word light has been replaced with the word life. The statement now reads: “In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.” The change of wording from light to life was brought about in the following manner. During the preparation of the 1981 edition, it was brought to the attention of the Brethren that even though all printed editions of the Book of Mormon to this time had read light, the printer’s manuscript, from which the type was set for the first edition of the Book of Mormon, clearly said life. The Scriptures Publications Committee, consisting of three members of the Twelve, unanimously agreed that life was a stronger word than light, and since the manuscript read life, the correction should be made. An examination of the context also justifies this correction, for they who believe will become the sons and daughters of Christ. They are thus spiritually begotten by him and are given eternal life, which includes having eternal light, but is far, far greater. ] and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.

15 And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, [ In the account of the Lord revealing himself to the brother of Jared, we find the Lord saying, And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast" (Ether 3:15). The Book of Mormon student might be confused about such a statement in light of the biblical accounts of the patriarchs. However, Kent Jackson notes that when the Lord appeared in ancient times, he did so as the Father, and when he gave revelation to prophets, he spoke of the mortal mission of Jesus Christ in the third person, with the words of and from the perspective of God the Father, as though Jesus Christ were someone else. . . . The appearance to the brother of Jared is the first recorded manifestation of Jehovah in which he appeared and identified himself as the son. The uniqueness of this situation lies in the fact that Jehovah appeared to Mahonri Moriancumer in his role as Jesus Christ -- rather than as the Father. Never before, as far as we can tell from the scriptures, had Jesus Christ shown himself unto man. (and interestingly, nowhere else in the scriptures do we have a clear example of Jehovah appearing as Jesus until his coming in the flesh. As Moroni reported, "Having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus" (Ether 3:20. To the brother of Jared, Christ revealed his complete nature: God who would become Man--Jehovah, the Father, who would become Jesus, the son. Perhaps the unprecedented nature of this appearance is a reason why the Lord commanded that the account not be made known in the world until after his mortal ministry (Ether 3:21). (Kent P. Jackson, "Never Have I Showed Myself Unto Man," F.A.R.M.S., 1991) Perhaps verse 15 should be noted with some explanation, since it seems to imply that the Lord had never appeared to man on this earth before that time, when in fact the scriptures record that he had appeared to Adam (D&C 107:54) and to Enoch (Moses 7:2–4, 28, 29) and to many other patriarchs (D&C 107:54), all of whom date earlier than the brother of Jared. This is not as much of a contradiction as may first appear, but it is a statement of degree. In an earlier appearance of the Lord to the brother of Jared recorded in Ether 2:14, the text precisely says that the Lord “stood in a cloud and talked with him.” The cloud was undoubtedly a necessary barrier to the clarity of the vision. Evidently what is meant in the statement we are discussing is that the brother of Jared on mount Shelem saw the body of the Lord in greater clarity and fuller detail than in the earlier vision and also more clearly than the earlier patriarchs had. This was apparently because of the greater faith which he possessed (see vv. 9 and 15). (For a longer discussion of this subject see Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions 2:123–26.) ] for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.

16 Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; [ Christ tells the Brother of Jared, “Thou hast seen the body that I shall take upon me.” It is 2200-2500 years before Christ is born in the flesh. After the Brother of Jared is brought into the Lord’s presence, the Lord says, “Never before this has man come before me with such great faith.” ] and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh. [ This is the first time anyone has ventured through the veil, and when one is in the presence of God, and now that he haas gone through the veil what is time like? There is no time! You see things as they are, as they were, and as they are to come. You see things as they are in the past, as they are in the present, and as they will be. Thus Christ tells the Brother of Jared that he is seeing the body that he shall take upon himself...it has not physically happened yet, but from that vantage point (the absence of linear time), it is as though it had already occurred. So yes, he sees his spirit and his body. The Brother of Jared, in the environment where God lives, has entered a dimension without time. This is a place where things past, present, and future are always manifest, and thus the Brother of Jared could see things as “they shall be.” Moroni experienced the same thing when he saw the world from the beginning to the end. ]

17 And now, as I, Moroni, said I could not make a full account of these things which are written, therefore it sufficeth me to say that Jesus showed himself unto this man in the spirit, even after the manner and in the likeness of the same body even as he showed himself unto the Nephites.

18 And he ministered unto him even as he ministered unto the Nephites; and all this, that this man might know that he was God, because of the many great works which the Lord had showed unto him.

19 And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting.

20 Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, [ It is not the ordinance that contains the power of redemption; it is the character of the individual. What happened to the Brother of Jared was the reality, not the ordinance, which is the hope of a future reality. The record says that after he was brought back into the Lord’s presence, he could not be kept from without the veil; he could come and go as he pleased! Much of what he learned while on the other side is what is contained in the sealed portion of the plates. (See Ether 3:21-28.) ] he could not be kept from within the veil; [ For him it was not the hope for a future reality, it was not an ordinance, he was redeemed. The record says that after he was brought back into the Lord’s presence, he could not be kept from within or without the veil; he could come and go as he pleased! ] therefore he saw Jesus; and he did minister unto him.

21 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt not suffer these things which ye have seen and heard to go forth unto the world, until the time cometh that I shall glorify my name in the flesh; wherefore, ye shall treasure up the things which ye have seen and heard, and show it to no man.

22 And behold, when ye shall come unto me, ye shall write them and shall seal them up, that no one can interpret [ In the Hebrew traddition to interpret something means to make a connection with something in the Torah ( The first 5 Books of Moses in the Old Testament ). This is done to communicate greater teachings, and direct the reader to specific scriptures and teachings. When the word interpreted is used it is a key for us that there are hidden teachings for in the Torah relating to this topic, go look for it. ] them; for ye shall write them in a language that they cannot be read.

23 And behold, these two stones will I give unto thee, and ye shall seal them up also with the things which ye shall write.

24 For behold, the language which ye shall write I have confounded; wherefore I will cause in my own due time that these stones shall magnify to the eyes of men these things which ye shall write. [ Moroni used the Urim and Thummim or 'interpreters' to provide the revelatory translation of Ether, he had to do it by the gift and power of God the same way that Joseph Smith did. See Ether 4:4. Or (Urim and Thummim (Hebrew, meaning ‘lights and perfections’), the very same instrument that Joseph Smith would later use.) given by the Lord to the brother of Jared would "magnify to the eyes of men these things which ye shall write." According to Randall Spackman, one of the most attractive, recent suggestions is that Urim is derived form the Assyrian u'uru, meaning "to send forth" and related to the noun urtu, meaning "a divine decision." Thummim may be related to the Assyrian noun tamatu, meaning "an oracle." Therefore the two terms might constitute a Hebrew hendiadys, a combination of "two formally co-ordinate terms--verbs, nouns, or adjectives--by 'and,'" which terms "express a single concept in which one of the components defines the other." The order of the terms is immaterial. Given the foregoing approach, the phrase "Urim and Thummim" could read as meaning "a divine decision in answer to a question" or "sacred answer," denoting the use to which the object was put. [Randall P. Spackman, The Jaredite Journey to America, p. 127] According to Tom Cryer, the joining of heaven (the spiritual) and earth (the material) is shown by a heaven based triangle pointing downwards, manifesting God's focus upon man, and merging with an earth based triangle pointing upwards manifesting man's focus upon God. This merge forms a hexagram or a six-pointed star. This shape is known as the Magen David "Shield of David" or Seal of solomon. The uniting of the two directions symbolize the blending of the physical with the spiritual. The interlaced triangles as seen on the flag of Israel is a sign of the Messiah, or son of God. some Jewish historians have suggested that the ancient sign of Judaism originated by interlocking two crystals each in the form of an equilateral triangle. These crystals were two special stones called seerstones or interpreters or the Urim and Thummim, which is Hebrew for "lights and perfections" (see illustration). The sixteenth century Chilam Balam book from Yucatan refers to "the three cornered precious stone of grace" as being born "when the earth was submerged, when there was neither heaven nor earth." (Makenson) A pair of overlapping triangles crown the central circle of the Aztec calendar. A scepter used by Xipe Totec, an Ancient Mexican Deity, was "a staff with two triangles and a circular section through which he looks to see the futures." (Burdland:102) [Tom Cryer, Visual Sermons, pp. 68-69]. ]

25 And when the Lord had said these words, he showed unto the brother of Jared all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would be; and he withheld them not from his sight, even unto the ends of the earth. [ The idea of a heavenly being showing a mortal "all the inhabitants of the earth" (Ether 3:25) is not without precedent. Midrash Rabbah Exodus 40:2 notes that as Moses was about to descend from the mountain, God "brought him the book of Adam and showed him all generations that would arise from Creation to Resurrection, each generation and its kings, its leaders, and prophets."85 Terrance Szink, of the Department of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University, suggests that Moses also received the urim and thummim with the records on Mount Sinai. The sacred oracle, first mentioned in Exodus 28:30 appears in such a way as to hint that it already existed before the high priestly clothing with which it became associated was made. Szink also suggests that the tables of stone given to Moses on the mountain may not have been prepared by God at that time but may have been hidden there earlier, under the Lord's direction, by a prophet charged with protecting the ancient records.86 The fact that the two tables had been "written with the finger of God" (see Exodus 31:18: 32:15-16; compare Deuteronomy 4:13; 5:22; 9:9-11) does not mean that he wrote them at the time that he spoke with Moses on the mount. After Moses broke the two tables (see Exodus 323:19; Deuteronomy 9:15-17), the Lord did not simply write up another set but had Moses prepare the new tables (see Exodus 34:1,4). Moses then spent forty days with the Lord, during which time the prophet, not the Lord, wrote on the tables (see Exodus 34:28-29). [John Tvedtnes, The Book of Mormon and Other Hidden Books: Out of Darkness unto Light, pp. 129-131] [See the commentary on 1 Nephi 14:26; 2 Nephi 27:7]. ]

26 For he had said unto him in times before, that if he would believe in him that he could show unto him all things—it should be shown unto him; therefore the Lord could not withhold anything from him, for he knew that the Lord could show him all things.

27 And the Lord said unto him: Write these things and seal them up; [ Both Moroni and Nephi commented on the contents of the sealed part of the plates; they both gave similar testimonies that supplement each other. Nephi, quoting Isaiah, said that the sealed portion contained "a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof" (2 Nephi 27:7; see v. 10). Moroni described the sealed portion more specifically, saying it contained the vision shown unto the brother of Jared of "all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would be . . . unto the ends of the earth" (Ether 3:25). Thus the sealed portion will establish once and for all that God does know all things from the beginning and has revealed them periodically to his prophets so that the people will not give credit to idols or men for his great works on the earth (see 1 Nephi 19:23; 20:3-7; Isaiah 48:3-7). (Monte S. Nyman, "Other Ancient American Records Yet to Come Forth," in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, vol. 10, num. 1, 2001, pp. 57,58) The striking contribution of these verses is that not only did the Lord manifest himself to the brother of Jared, but he also showed him all things pertaining to this earth: past, present, and future. A record of this was written by the brother of Jared, and was later translated by Mosiah (Mosiah 28:11–19). Moroni also engraved this record on the plates that we now call the sealed portion of the gold plates that the Prophet Joseph obtained from the Hill Cumorah. These sealed plates contain a record of the “very things that the brother of Jared saw” (Ether 4:4) and are identified as a revelation of all things from the “beginning of the world to the ending thereof” (2 Nephi 27:7, 10). Several of the Lord’s prophets have seen similar visions of things from the beginning of the world to the end. This, no doubt, was the case with Adam, and Enoch, and Lehi, Nephi, Isaiah, John the Revelator, and Joseph Smith. Such was also the experience of the brother of Jared. The prophet Moroni said that “there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest to the brother of Jared” (Ether 4:4). Moroni has given us only a very small part of the account in the book of Ether. ] and I will show them in mine own due time unto the children of men.

28 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that he should seal up the two stones which he had received, and show them not, until the Lord should show them unto the children of men.