Pearl of Great Price Central Facsimile 1 as a Sacrifice Scene

[_Shulem]

Look, I understand Shulem over at Mormon Discussions is raising some valid questions, and means well, in things we don't entirely understand. But it's important to note that he is not an Egyptologist and hasn't the training or expertise to discuss these things on a professional level.

And no, I don't know the king's name in Facsimile No. 3 or why Anubis doesn't have a snout. But I'm confident that there are parallels to help us better understand the messages of the Facsimile.

Would you like to hear a parallel?

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.

[Guest]

In the land of the Chaldeans, at the residence of my fathers, I, Abraham, saw that it was needful for me to obtain another place of residence;

Yeah, time to split because things weren't going so well with father Terah who had turned to idol worship. Time to pack the bags and head out.

And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.

Abraham sought the "BLESSINGS OF THE FATHERS" and the right to be ordained to the priesthood and lucky for him he was ordained a High Priest. Mission accomplished!

It was conferred upon me from the fathers; it came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundation of the earth, down to the present time, even the right of the firstborn, or the first man, who is Adam, or first father, through the fathers unto me.

This priesthood was purely patriarchal coming down from the fathers and it was conferred upon Abraham in that prescribed manner.

I sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the fathers concerning the seed.

Abraham sought an appointment to be ordained to the patriarchal priesthood of his fathers.

My fathers, having turned from their righteousness, and from the holy commandments which the Lord their God had given unto them, unto the worshiping of the gods of the heathen, utterly refused to hearken to my voice;

Hold the press! We know that Terah had an idolatry problem and Abraham ran out on him but here Abraham said "MY FATHERS" or in other words that seems to suggest his patriarchal lineage had become corrupt through apostasy! At least Terah went sour but who else does Abraham refer to? Abraham did say "FATHERS" (plural).

For their hearts were set to do evil, and were wholly turned to the god of Elkenah, and the god of Libnah, and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt;

Abraham now tells us that his FATHER'S "hearts were set to do evil" and became idol worshippers.

Therefore they turned their hearts to the sacrifice of the heathen in offering up their children unto these dumb idols, and hearkened not unto my voice, but endeavored to take away my life by the hand of the priest of Elkenah. The priest of Elkenah was also the priest of Pharaoh.

Abraham's concludes that his fathers were wicked. But how can this be? What's wrong with this story? According to the Bible the only fathers that had passed away before this time was his grandfather Nahor who died just a few years prior at the age of 148 (Gen 11:25) and Peleg having died a year earlier at age 239 (Gen 11:19). Recall that most of Abraham's patriarchs (fathers) were still alive at the time Abraham sought for the priesthood and received the Urim and Thummim whereby he learned astronomy (chapter 3) prior to going down into Egypt to sit on Pharaoh's throne.

According to biblical chronicles the following fathers in patriarchal order were still alive when Abraham sought the priesthood and condemned his patriarchal line for idol worship:

1. Noah
2. Shem
3. Arphaxad
4. Salah
5. Eber
6. Reu
7. Serug
8. Terah

HOLD THE PRESS, SHULEM WAS WRONG!

I suspect that when Joseph Smith compiled the Book of Abraham and composed the genealogical connections between Abraham and his fathers that he was not aware that almost all of Abraham's paternal fathers were still alive! Nonetheless, Smith's Book of Abraham brashly makes a blanket statement that Abraham's fathers had turned to idol worship although the only person mentioned specifically in the account is Terah. But what of the 7 grandfathers who were still alive -- were they idol worshipers? Noah? Shem? Where were they? Why didn't Abraham receive the priesthood from them?

I think the answer is obvious. Smith hadn't reasoned that they were alive and wrote them out of the script! It would have made a lot more sense if Abraham had been ordained by the grand patriarch Noah or the great high priest Shem. But not so. Instead, Smith deviates from rhyme and reason with the following:

Which Abraham received the priesthood from Melchizedek, who received it through the lineage of his fathers, even till Noah;

It makes no sense at all. The snippet in the D&C (given in 1832) makes it sound like the fathers were all dead!

Smith is caught with his pants down! Busted.

[_moksha]

Look, I understand Shulem over at Mormon Discussions is raising some valid questions, and means well, in things we don't entirely understand. But it's important to note that he is not an Egyptologist and hasn't the training or expertise to discuss these things on a professional level.

This makes me wish that Cassius University would grant you an honorary doctorate in advanced lettering.

[Guest]

And his voice was unto me: Abraham, Abraham, behold, my name is Jehovah, and I have heard thee, and have come down to deliver thee, and to take thee away from thy father’s house, and from all thy kinsfolk, into a strange land which thou knowest not of;

Terah was an idol worshiper -- we get that, but does that mean all the kinsfolk had turn to idolatry? It seems so. Sounds like a good time to reconnect with Noah and Shem -- the good guys. Where are they hiding out?

Behold, I will lead thee by my hand, and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the Priesthood of thy father, and my power shall be over thee.

HOLD THE PRESS, SHULEM WAS WRONG!

So, Abraham is going to get the priesthood of his father but not under his father's apostate hands. We can understand that. So why not go up the ranks to get the priesthood from the next righteous father in line such as Shem or Noah? They were still alive although Noah was in his twilight with just few years left. Surely Abraham would want to visit Noah!

As it was with Noah so shall it be with thee; but through thy ministry my name shall be known in the earth forever, for I am thy God.

HOLD THE PRESS, SHULEM WAS WRONG!

There's the anachronism! "AS IT WAS WITH NOAH", or in other words according to Smith's story Noah is no more, he's dead. Abraham's ministry is a new beginning to mirror the patriarch from a former age. The problem is, Noah was still alive and Shem the great High Priest outlived Abraham by 35 years! Smith didn't realize this and goofed up his stupid story. Ha ha.

[Guest]

HOLD THE PRESS, SHULEM WAS WRONG!

:redface:

This post was deleted but prior ones with false information have been lined out and furnished with the above link to addional information below. I stand responsible for my errors and hasty shortsightedness.

I had forgotten that Smith, for the most part, was a damn good Bible scholar.

[_Shulem]

This is for shizts and giggles:

Old Testament Revision Manuscript

So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and lot went with him. And Abram was seventy & five years old when he departed out of Haran.

Book of Abraham Manuscript

I Abram departed, as the Lord had said unto me, and Lot with me, and I Abram was sixty and two years old, when I departed out of Haran.

Which one did Joseph Smith endorse? They both can't be true. The revision of the Genesis account agrees with the KJV. The Book of Abraham account, although a revelation, its submission to the Church via the Times and Seasons was not yet canonized.

75?
62?

Which is it?

[_Shulem]

HOLD THE PRESS, SHULEM WAS WRONG!

Oh how I had forgotten and which will make this the more interesting. I will have to RECANT and adjust my accusations and go back to my earlier posts and repent and post this notice. I confess, this is rather embarrassing. I should be embarrassed!

Evidence does suggest that Smith did in fact equate Melchizedek with Shem! I forgot about that! As it as turned out it's apparent that some of my own Mormon history has become dim. I certainly stand corrected. It only goes to show that what may appear to be isn't so. I'm going to have to turn from some of my early gloating as I have made a fool of myself. I have really made a mess of what I had grew to assume Smith did not know about the history. He was very much acquainted with the succession of the patriarchs and the chronicles in how they were interrelated.

From this definite account of driving the "nations apart, when the ancient hills did bow," all reflecting minds may judge that man was scattered over the whole face of the earth: And with the superior knowledge of men like Noah, Shem, (who was Melchisedec [Melchizedek]) and Abram, the father of the faithful, three contemporaries, holding the keys of the highest order of the priesthood: connecting the creation, and fall; memorising [memorizing] the righteousness of Enoch; and glorying in the construction of the ark for the salvation of a world; still retaining the model and pattern of that ark, than which a great, ah, we may say, half so great a vessel has never been built since; for another ark, be it remembered, with such a ponderous living freight will never be prepared as a vessel of mercy by command of Jehovah: That was so perfectly built as to brave the fury of the elements a year: and with the image of the tower whose peering top reached the sky in daring magnificence; and with that mighty combination of intellect, when the whole earth was of one language, and the plains of Shinar the capitol,-with all these and thousands of others,-where is the man so self biased for his own age, as to wonder who peopled the ruinous cities of the south, or reared the time defying mounds of the north?

Right. I need to get my facts straight. For that, I apologize. Silly me.

:redface:



I got off on a bad tangent.

[_Shulem]

I woke up this morning in a moment of dread when I suddenly remembered that Smith considered Shem and Melchizedek to be one in the same. How could I have forgotten that? So, I had to apologize for some of my earlier remarks in thinking Smith was ignorant and how he failed to keep up with the calculations of biblical chronology. I won't make that mistake or underestimate Smith again!

Actually, this information can be used to my advantage in showing that Smith did believe in the literal existence of the early Patriarchs and that their long lives as listed in the Bible -- Shem/Melchizedek having lived for 600 years was no myth in the mind of the prophet. The Mormons are stuck with the literalism of Old Testament myth and the connections this raises with Shem having lived in Abraham's day and, beyond (by 35 years).

Not to get sidetracked on a tangent but I want to confirm Shem and then connect it to Smith's Book of Abraham to show that it can't possibly coincide with modern Egyptology.

He contrasted the forms of the government of the different nations with that which God design’d to establish as spoken of by the prophet Daniel. He particularly referred to the idea that the dominion of Japheth is extended over the whole earth and showed that it was destined to be transferred into the hands of Shem and his posterity.

Q. How many noted characters lived from Noah to Abraham?
A. Ten.
Q. What are their names?
A. Shem, Arphaxed, Salah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, and Nahor, Abraham’s brother. -[§ ii. ¶ 52.]-
Q. How many of these were cotemporary with Noah?
A. The whole.
Q. How many with Abraham?
A. Eight.
Q. What are their names?
A. Nahor, Abraham’s brother, Terah, Serug, Reu, Eber, Selah, Arphaxed, and Shem.

[_Shulem]

Here is Egypt's beginnings according to Smith's understanding:

Noah & wife
_____|_____


Ham & Egyptus (Zeptah) [1]
___________|____________
Pharaoh (Mizraim) & Egyptus (Kahtoumun) [2]


Ham: Several definitions have been attributed to this Hebrew name including hot, warm, fervent, sun burnt, dark and black. The earliest Egyptians were darker skinned and called the southern land kemet because of the black soil.

Egyptus: This name is from the Greek Aigyptos derived from the name Egypt (land of the Copt) and signifies the Two Lands.

Mizraim: The Hebrews referred to Egypt as Mizraim a name suggesting duality and signifies the two Egypts. The name Mesraim (Misr meaning red soil of the north) according to Josephus refers to the country of Egypt as the Mestre and the people of Egypt as the Mestreans. Similarly, Smith in his Grammar and Alphabet of the Egyptian Language, referred to Egypt as Ahmehstrah and the people as Ahmehstrahans.

Pharaoh: A Greek word which is translated as per-aa in Egyptian and signifies the Great House of the king.

_________________________________________
[1] Zeptah was the name of Ham's wife according to the Book of Abraham Manuscripts and signifies that which is forbidden.

[2] Kahtoumun was the name of Ham's daughter according to the Grammar and Alphabet of the Egyptian Language and is a distinction of royal female lineage or descent, according to ancient traditions.

[_Shulem]

Edited by Kerry Muhlestein & John Gee, 2012

While it is common to make blanket statements about Egyptian beliefs, characteristics, and tendencies, such characterizations ignore the rich and complex reality that lay behind 3000 years of cultural continuation. Part of the reason Egypt’s culture survived for so long was its ability to adapt, appropriate, reinterpret, and innovate, all within the larger bounds of cultural cohesion, correctness, and decorum.

Surely the beliefs and practices of an Egyptian during the 1st Dynasty were not completely congruent with those of the Twenty-Sixth.

. . . . as Egyptologists, we deal with an enormous expanse of time. It is simply impossible to be a specialist in every era of Egyptian history, nor are any of us able to be intimately familiar with every aspect of Egyptian culture in each phase of its history.

Here we see that Egyptologists Muhlestein & Gee can be reasonable and will title the beginning of ancient dynastic Egypt with the correct chronology established through the science of modern Egyptology which uses various means including astronomical star dating or the Sothic cycle of the heliacal rise of Sirius. These dating points used in conjunction with king's lists are firm and ever fixed! After a long Predynastic epic, the 1st Dynasty was established at about 3,000 BC with the opening stages of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt through the familiar kingly names of Narmer and Menes.

Isn't that right, Muhlestein? Gee?

The problem for Joseph Smith and his Book of Abraham is it does not harmonize with science and Egyptology. Smith's account uses mythical biblical chronology in order to establish his story of Egypt's Making.

Smith's dating system that relied on biblical myth is at serious odds with Egyptology! This is a problem that Muhlestein and Gee cannot solve and no amount of parallels can change the math. Math is math! This is where the Book of Abraham is fatally flawed and proven false.