Come Follow Me with Taylor Halverson (Doctrine and Covenants 129-132, November 8-14) – powered by Happy Scribe
What is it like to live with God?
D&C 130 might provide a bit of a clue of what it will be like to be with God. Let’s turn to that section versus 8, 9, 10 and 11. The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. This Earth in its sanctified and immortal state will be made like unto crystal will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell there on whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom or all kingdoms of a lower order will be manifested, those who dwell on it and this Earth will be Christ’s.
Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 217 will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known, and a white stone is given to each of those who come into such a Kingdom. Whereupon is a new name written which no man knows safety that received it. The new name is the key word we’ve talked before about the meaning of these words, Urim and Thummim, which I think are worthwhile to mention again. These are ancient Hebrew words in the plural.
They actually mean “lights” and “truths” or “perfections.”
What we learn here is that when we enter God’s Kingdom, we will have all access to all light and all truth and all perfection in the plural that we will be with those who also have all light, all truth, all knowledge. We will be as God is. That is His desire to save us in his glorious Kingdom and help us to become as he is. And the European thumb is the symbol of what that means. One of the symbols and what’s amazing is we live in a world today with all sorts of interesting gadgets, the Internet or smartphones and we might imagine some ways that a smart device is a bit like a germ and thumb them because we can learn so much knowledge.
But imagine if you actually had full access to all truth from all time periods and all wisdom and all goodness and all virtue and all loveliness. It wasn’t just something in the palm of your hand. It was embedded in your heart and in your soul. That’s what I think of when I read these verses. When I think of the Southern Kingdom.
Now I’m sure that celebrate Kingdom is probably far more glorious than I can even describe here. But I encourage all of us as we think about how can we aspire even now to experience just a bit of what God has to offer in the next life? How can we get more of lights and truths and perfections? Are we daily turning to God in prayer? Are we daily meditating and thinking about how we can be a bit better?
Are we turning to the words of God’s chosen prophets in scriptures or modern day Church leaders? We’re taking the time to be guided by the Holy Spirit to make good choices that bring light and goodness into the lives of those around us and in our own lives. So wherever you might be, let the phrase Urum and thumb be a guide to you and encouragement that now and today you can have light and truth and the promise of more light and truth in the world to come. If you continue.
Faithful.