Types

While reading my scriptures last night, I came across something interesting that Jacob said (imagine that; Jacob saying something interesting):

Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him. (2 Ne. 11:4)

Here, he’s saying that everything we have ever received from God is a type of Christ. I can see how things like the sun or the priesthood or mountains are types of Christ, but trees and animals and mosquitoes? I wish Jacob had been a little more detailed in this declaration.

20 thoughts on “Types

  1. Jacob is referring to the Scriptures, not just anything created by God. He says “all things given by God unto man”, in other words, the Law of Moses as previously referenced earlier in the verse. ROcks and trees arent taken to be types of Christ.

  2. Jacob, however, states “all things…from the beginning of the world”. Presumably, scriptures didn’t come about until Moses.

  3. “I can see how things like the sun or the priesthood or mountains are types of Christ, but trees and animals and mosquitoes? I wish Jacob had been a little more detailed in this declaration.”

    Ah, Kim, but that is part of the beauty of life…learning to truly see Christ–God’s hand–in all things! The Spirit teaches us, if we ask, and pay attention.

    Trees, in particular, are a marvelous symbol of family, and of the eternal nature of us all as Christ’s family….

  4. “Trees, in particular, are a marvelous symbol of family, and of the eternal nature of us all as Christ’s family…”

    Good point. And mosquitoes?

  5. Mosquitos eat blood to feed their young, Christ shed his blood that his children may be saved.

    I truely believe that all things around us typify of Christ. I gave a talk a few months ago on living a Christ Like Life, and how the Holy Ghost can teach us how things typify of Christ. It takes practice and pondering to see it, but as I teach my children I often find the way to do it. I also have found it in my career, and talents. It can be done.
    I don’t think it is just a scripture thing, but everything created that is good.

  6. That’s not a good analogy. Mosquitoes take blood from other beings to feed their young. Christ used his won blood to save his children.

  7. I actually think it is a very good analogy, my husband thought so too when I told him. Yes the Saviour sacrificed himself, but it is still the idea of saving children. I had other thoughts too, one being, a bite, is like sin, with repentance it goes away, but it has effects, and they can continue even with repentance. I also told him that all creation, except for man, is obedient to its creator, completely living up to it measure of creation. Like the Savior who was also completely obedient to the Father. The rest of are not, so hence we suffer for our actions and choices.
    What ever the case, I believe I’m taught through the Holy Ghost these analogies, you may not agree, but I know the source when they come, because for years now this is a topic I have pondered frequently, on a daily basis, and I know when I’m taught by the right source.

  8. “I actually think it is a very good analogy”

    How so? Other than the fact that there is blood and children involved, the analogy falls flat.

    Mosquitoes take another being’s blood; Christ took blood from no one.

    Christ anted his blood shed; people bitten by mosquitoes do not ant their blood drawn by mosquitoes.

    Mosquitoes feed blood to other beings; Christ fed blood to no one.

    Christ invites us to come to him to partake of the sacrifice He made with his blood; we do not invite mosquitoes (at least not directly) to come suck our blood.

    Christ is male; mosquitoes that draw blood are female.

    And so on.

  9. In reference to the scripture debate, I think kurt is right. And even if scriptures didn’t exist before Moses, the law of sacrifice did. Thus I believe “all things given by God unto man” has to do with the laws, commandments, and information given to man “from the beginning of the world”.

  10. Okay,
    Then what about the animals in the law of sacrifice, they have no choice, it is symbolic of the savior. We live by vicarious sacrifice, again, many symbols have no choice in the offering. The idea is that not every type is exact, it is similar. You talk about the Saviour and female, but there are types there as well, if you but look for them.
    All I’m saying is that there are types if you care to look and see, and get over the fact that perhaps it is not something we like. I don’t like mosquitos, I swell up badly when bitten, but hey if I can see the symbolism of vicarious sacrifice in the process I will.
    True christ did not “feed” us his blood but every week when taking the sacrament we are in symbolism partaking of his flesh and his blood.
    The church, is smbolic of the mosquito, as a female, compared to the bride, do we not accept his sacrifice.
    Again you may not agree, but to me and my mind it is clear as crystal, and the more I think the more I come up with that does typify Christ. If you are looking for the pat answer that is identical you will rarely find them because He is the ultimate example, but everything else contains parts and bits, and peices of his life, example and ultimate sacrifice and atonement for all of. Just something I believe in very much.
    Tanya

  11. “what about the animals in the law of sacrifice, they have no choice, it is symbolic of the savior”

    So, are you saying that Jesus was forced to perform His sacrifice?

    “True christ did not “feed” us his blood but every week when taking the sacrament we are in symbolism partaking of his flesh and his blood.”

    No, we’re not. We eat bread and water, the act of which reminds us of the body and blood involved in Jesus’ sacrifice. We do not believe in transubstantiation.

    “The church, is smbolic of the mosquito, as a female”

    Okay, so now we are children of the Church, and not children of the Christ? Now I am more confused.

  12. I think the most reasonable reading of Jacob’s phrase “all things which have been goven of God…” is that Jacob is referring to commandments and revelations. In the context of his sermon this makes more sense than reaching the somewhat absurd conclusion that every particle of matter in the universe that has ever been touched by the influence of God is a type of Christ. If we appropriately limit the meaning to commandments and revelations, it is easy to see how the sacrifice of animals, practiced from the beginning by Adam, was a typifying of him.

    I do still have difficulty in seeing how certain portions of the Law of Moses are a direct type of Christ. But I’m willing to be patient and try to learn gradually, by study and especially by faith, how this can be true. I believe Jacob presents a truth that we may spend the rest of our lives and beyond trying to grasp.

  13. “If we appropriately limit the meaning to commandments and revelations, it is easy to see how the sacrifice of animals, practiced from the beginning by Adam, was a typifying of him.”

    I agree, but if this was the menaing, why didn’t Jacob say that? Why did he say “all things”?

  14. Again, if you examine the context of the statement–what comes before and after it–I think it shows that Jacob’s general topic is revelation and commandments. Since he’s already placed his audience in that context it’s not needful to clarify “all things.” If I’m standing in front of a Thanksgiving table and say, “Everything looks great,” I don’t hasten to add, “not including the mutilated corpses on the field of battle on the other side of the world.” You already know there are limits to what I’m talking about.

  15. Let’s examine it then.

    Verse 4:

    “Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.”

    Here Jacob outlines not only that proving to others the coming of Christ delights his soul, but his coming was the purpose of the Law of Moses and all things given to man from God is a type of Christ.

    Verse 5:

    “And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death.”

    Note here that this verse starts with the words “and” and “also”, signifying that the delight his soul receives from the covenants and God’s grace, justice, power and mercy are in addition it what was stated in the previous verse.

    Verse 6:

    “And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that save Christ should come all men must perish.”

    Once again, using the word “and”, Jacob adds to his list of things that bring delight to his soul.

    So, here we have a list of several items.

    If anything, it would seem that the latter part of verse four is related more to “the truth of the coming of Christ” then it is to that mentioned only in verse five.

    For what it’s worth, I don’t see how anyone can suggest the chapter (all eight verse of it) is about covenants or the law of Moses when there is only one mention of each.

  16. So if I understand your position correctly, you believe that (1) every single particle of matter, every moment of time, every thought, in short every thing that exists is encompassed under the heading of “all things given by God unto man” and that (2)every one of them is somehow a type of Christ and his coming. I don’t think there’s anything wicked about believing this (that I can think of right now). But with due respect, I do think it leads to some thinking that gets downright silly–the above discussion of mosquitoes being an excellent example.

  17. “So if I understand your position correctly”

    You understand my position incorrectly. I have no position. I am trying to understand Jacob’s position.

  18. Then it’s good to know we’re both engaged in the same search for understanding. I wish you well.

  19. Sorry I haven’t been around for a while to blog, but I am studying hard for my CFP finals in Nov.

    I am intrigued by this discussion, though.

    Just as a thought, look up D&C88:13, in relation to what Jacob said.

    If you want to go further, study the Facsimiles in the Book of Abraham, which will ultimately lead to a study of Egyptian religion, which we are told was “seeking earnstlyto immitat that order established by the fathers in the first generations,…” (Abraham 1:26)

    You may find that maybe all is not as strange as it appears in Jacob’s comments.

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