As much as I pretend to be anti New Year’s resolutions, (“It doesn’t mean anything, it’s just another day!), I found myself making a few. One of those was to get back to writing consistently. So here we are, trying again to return to my original purpose, which was to hold myself accountable for scripture study and share what I was learning.
I am repeatedly impressed by how many themes are hiding in the scriptures waiting to be discovered. There seems to be no end. I don’t know how helpful it is to share or explain those themes, as it seems part of the charm is in stumbling upon the theme and letting it dazzle you as it unfolds in real time. Maybe the magic is in the discovery. On the other hand, maybe I can point someone in a direction and they can have their own journey that leads to edification?
This little discovery began in the Old Testament, in Malachi 3:1-3. These are oft-quoted verses about the second coming, with a concluding statement about the Lord purifying the “sons of Levi” so they can “offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” In my experience this last bit about the sons of Levi is usually brushed over pretty quickly as a little too esoteric to be addressed. But the thoughtful reader will recognize the language about the sons of Levi and their offering. They would likely think of another famous verse, D&C 13, where we read John the Baptists’ words used when he restored the Aaronic Priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Again, a well known verse used often especially with the young men, but we just sort of skip over this bit at the end about the sons of Levi and this righteous offering they are supposed to offer.
Yet later in the restoration, Joseph Smith gave us some clues, if not outright interpreted this prophecy from Malachi 3 and D&C 13 in D&C section 128. When 128 was written, Joseph was dealing with serious persecution and frequent incarcertation. At the same time he was consumed by the recently revealed concept of baptisms for the dead. As he wrote, “that subject seems to occupy my mind, and press itself upon my feelings the strongest, since I have been pursued by my enemies” (128:1).
After explaining the doctrine of redemption of the dead, which I won’t recap here, he closes the epistle quoting Malachi 3 almost directly, in verse 24:
Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.
Now there may be more this offering from the sons of Levi than what is described here. But at least an interpretation of that offering that would be offered by the Sons of Levi (priesthood holders) is the offering of temple work for the dead; ultimately a record of all the work done for the entire family of God. Notice Joseph adds this about the offering: that it will be worthy of “all acceptation.”
This concept of an acceptable offering got me thinking. I thought first of Cain and Abel, whose stories revolve around two sacrifices, one that was acceptable to the Lord and one that wasn’t. Questions came: Why was Abel’s offering accepted? Why was Cain’s rejected? What makes the difference between an acceptable offering and one that will be rejected? What am I offering the Lord, and are my offerings acceptable?
I searched the scriptures for following terms: offering, sacrifice, acceptable, and for other accounts of offerings being accepted or rejected.
It turns out this theme of acceptable offerings is woven throughout the scriptures. As I explored I found multiple profound gems teaching me about why the Lord requires sacrifice, the blessings in store for those who are willing to sacrifice, and the nature of acceptable offerings. I was taught by the Holy Ghost about the quality of my own offerings to the Lord and where and how I could be more acceptable.
I could go on, but I will leave it at that. In a sense, the quality of our own offering to the Lord in righteousness will one day determine our eternal state, just as Christ’s acceptable offering solidified His.
If you find yourself intrigued, have your own scripture journey where you discover all the Lord has to teach about sacrifice, offerings, righteousness, and acceptance. It was certainly a worthwhile study for me.
Brigham Rupp 