Noticing Symbols in Our Studies
For Discussion: “Symbolism: A Divine Means of Instruction” by Michael N. Allred
https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-4-no-3-2003/symbolism-divine-means-instruction
“I believe that God is vitally interested in the way His gospel is presented. Often, the presentation or method of instruction makes all the difference not only in acceptance but also in understanding.”
“Flour is an excellent symbol for forgiveness in that it embodies the deeper symbol God often uses to describe what He gives so that we may live. When Jesus fed the five thousand, He did so by offering loaves of bread (see John 6:4–13). Later, He taught that He had been sent from His Father to give “life unto the world” (John 6:33). He then connected the dots between what He had done earlier in feeding bread to the thousands to satiate their hunger and what His larger mission was in providing spiritual nourishment to satisfy mankind’s spiritual cravings: “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger” (John 6:35).”
One day as I was pondering this subject, listening to music while visiting a fairly distant unit in my CES assignment, one of the songs caught my attention. I must have listened to it four or five times as it spoke with music and lyrics about this principle of the earth being a divine symbol of God’s love and concern for His children. The song is “This Is My Father’s World,” by Amy Grant, a popular Christian singer.
Truly, “symbols are the timeless and universal language in which God, in his wisdom, has chosen to teach his gospel and bear witness of his Son.”[18] For me, the symbolic images of scripture imprint doctrine into my long-term memory. (Quoting Joseph Fielding McConkie)
I like the following statement by Joseph Fielding McConkie, as it challenges us as gospel scholars to focus our study more intently on symbols and how doctrine often flows through them: “To be fluent in the language of the Spirit one must be fluent in the language of symbolism.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland provided a powerful metaphor when he questioned, “Are we really nurturing our youth and our new members in a way that will sustain them when the stresses of life appear? Or are we giving them a kind of theological Twinkie—spiritually empty calories?”
Adam Miller from Seven Gospels: The Many Lives of Christ in the Book of Mormon
. . . in both cases, all of these signs are clearly and unequivocally anchored to God’s single-minded intention to save us. What should we make of Samuel’s cosmic signs? And, perhaps more urgently, what should we make, in general, of signs in relation to the work of salvation? To start, I’m not sure how to think about the importance of cosmic signs like these. I’m not sure how to think about what role they could—or even should—play in my conviction that Jesus is the Christ. And I especially don’t know what to do with these particular cosmic signs. The post-Einstein cosmology that informs my understanding of the universe could hardly be more different from the assumed cosmology of Samuel’s first-century audience. But, more to the point, I can’t help thinking that signs are, in general, a slippery, oblique, and strange way to help save people. If our salvation is at stake, why work through signs at all, let alone ambiguous signs in the sky animated by divine intentions nested three layers deep? Why not take a more direct approach?
But Jesus also warned his disciples against the seductive dangers inherent in signs, “for false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect” (Mark 13:22). And most emphatically, Jesus sharply criticized those who, “except [they] see signs and wonders . . . will not believe.” He told those who asked him for “a sign from heaven” that only “a wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas” (John 4:48; Matthew 16:1, 4).
My theory, roughly, is that signs with redemptive value always point to God in the world, not to God outside the world.
Or, again: my theory is that signs have redemptive value when they indicate how God’s presence is already operative and available in this world, rather than when, in God’s presumed absence, they appear to function as signs of his transcendent reality beyond this world.
Where the first kind of sign nurtures faith in Christ’s active and ongoing presence in this world—and, thus, is redemptive—the second kind undercuts it by implying God’s absence.
These cosmic signs were designed, Samuel says, with the intent “that ye shall all be amazed, and wonder, insomuch that ye shall fall to the earth” (Helaman 14:7). And then, rocked from our self-absorbed stupor, we might finally see what’s already obvious and “believe on the Son of God” (Helaman 14:8).
Which brings me full circle to my theory of signs: that the point of a sign with redemptive power is to call me back to this work of repentance, to wake me up to God’s presence—here and now—in this world, and to aid my efforts to continue in this presence forever.
Miller, Adam S.; Welch, Rosalynde F.. Seven Gospels: The Many Lives of Christ in the Book of Mormon. Deseret Book Company.
Look for patterns: Example - Elder David Bednar's talk - “Be Still, and Know That I Am God” - He repeats the following statement eight times in a 15-minute talk:
“God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.”
Every word is intentional (in some general conference talks)
“Now, it's easy enough to say these are horrible destructions, natural disasters. We see more of these today than we would like to. But the ancients would've seen this in a very particular way. . . . [the} wind, . . . fire . . . sea. . . . earth. And the way the ancients looked at things, these were the four primal elements. You have wind, earth, fire, water, and those elements that constitute the building blocks of creation are being undone.” Eric Huntsman - Follow Him Podcast
Virginia Hinckley Pearce Cowley: How nature is obedient to God - From Latter-day Saint Women Podcast: Virginia Pearce Cowley - Self-Worth and Potential - Replay, Mar 17, 2021
“I think there are some things that are operating now because of everybody in real time with social media and everything that it's hard to get out of that. For my granddaughters at this point in time I look at them and I think one of the most healthy things that I can do with them is to get them outside, is to go for a hike. Say any of you guys want to go for a hike today and they usually want to go but I think there's something really calming about going into the natural world without your phones and without other people and without your makeup and without your, you know, and just seeping in that feeling of nature.
You know, Sharon Larson, who was also in the General Young Women Presidency at one point, said to me one time, the reason nature is so restorative is that you're surrounded by complete obedience and I said, what? And she said, well, think about it, the laws of nature absolutely operate. So every leaf is obedient to the laws of nature.
Everything is. I thought, that's a really nice thing. And it's no wonder when people talk about[…]”
Symbolism in The Earth - The Earth has a spirit - communication through the heavens/skies, grounding, meditation, etc.
Searching to see God in all things is a better way to live
Always read the footnotes from general conference talks, essays, etc.
We work to recognize patterns and signs - A wakeup call or reminder to pay attention and notice the symbolism and give more consideration to what is around us
Jasmin Rappleye on Scripture Plus Instagram Account, September 27, 2024:
“When the resurrected Jesus showed himself to the disciples in Jerusalem and the Nephites in ancient America, he used his hands as a token or symbol or recognition for who he was, which can help us better understand our own temple worship.
In Jerusalem, the disciples knew that Jesus had died. They watched it happen, so when the resurrected Christ appeared, they needed to know that he was really alive again. That this was the same person. So Christ let them clasp his hand as a token of his identity.
In the new world, the Nephites could clearly see that this man who descended from heaven was alive. In order to verify that this was the prophesied messiah, they needed to know that he had really died. So Christ let them feel the prints in his hands and the wound in his side as a token of his sacrifice.
In the Latter-day Saint temple and in the sacrament of the Lord's supper, we make sacred covenants that help us become disciples of Jesus Christ. We promise to take upon ourselves symbols of Jesus Christ, so that when we meet our maker at the end of our lives, Christ will be in our hands, hearts, countenance, in everything we are, and we will be identified as a true follower of Jesus Christ.”