Desert Roses wrote:Thank you, Rob, for the insights. One of the things that it brings to my mind is the reality that Joseph Smith could not have known the prophecies and symbolism of the various dates on which events fall. He did not start studying Hebrew until sometime well into the Kirtland period, IIRC. Yet there is tremendous symbolism.
I love that the Succoth (Sukkot) fell on the times that he was learning about and receiving the BoM. What a Feast of Harvest it is for the world; what a symbolic gift from God.
Interestingly that he was command to return each year, and it became four years that he did so.
• September 21, 1823 (Sukkot I) – Joseph prays and is visited three times during the night by an angel named Moroni. Moroni tells him about a hidden book and quotes scriptures from the books of Joel, Isaiah, and Malachi.
By the Jewish reckoning of time, at sunset it was the 22nd, where all three visits came on.
• September 22, 1823 – Joseph goes to the place where the gold plates are concealed, but is instructed by the angel Moroni not to retrieve them, as he was not prepared to receive them.
• September 22, 1824 – Joseph goes to the place where the gold plates are concealed, but is instructed by the angel Moroni it is not yet time to retrieve them.
• September 22, 1825 – Joseph goes to the place where the gold plates are concealed, but is instructed again by the angel Moroni not to retrieve them, the time has not yet come.
• September 22, 1826 – Joseph goes to the place where the gold plates are concealed, but is instructed by the angel Moroni not to retrieve them yet.
• September 22, 1827 – Joseph goes to the place where the gold plates are concealed, and is instructed by the angel Moroni that the time to retrieve them had arrived. This was a Jubilee year into Adonai (the Lord).
The autumnal equinox brings the fall season to the Northern Hemisphere on September 22. This is Rosh Hashanah/"Head of the Year", also called the Feast of Trumpets. It is the Jewish Yom Teruah/New Year (1 Observance Day). This is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim/"Days of Awe" (10 Observance Days).
Elijah's coming on Passover was his coming as 'John, the Baptist'. It was that the Jews were to look too! However Elijah's coming on Rosh Hashanah as the Messiah's forerunner, follows in the footsteps of Joseph Smith who was the Elias.Desert Roses wrote:Of course the symbolism of Elijah's return on Passover has been commented on by more than one GA in Conference talks. It is indeed a great and amazing gift for our day.
Aman...Desert Roses wrote:To me, these are simply testimony further that Joseph Smith was indeed chosen by God to restore the blessings of the priesthood in the last days, and that we are in the very last days.