Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
The promises that God makes to Israel are a theme in this week's Come, Follow Me reading. Exodus 24 focuses on the covenant Israel makes with God. Even though chapters 25-30 are not part of the reading, its focus is on the planning of the tabernacle and how it is designed to teach us, and lead us back into God's presence. This is true of Sabbath day observance. The sabbath day should be a delight and is a sign that we can give to God. President Russell M. Nelson has asked himself What sign do I want to give to God? The answer has blessed his Sabbath day worship.
Sacred Temple Clothing: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2020-01-0100-sacred-temple-clothing?lang=eng
The symbolism of High Priest's clothing
Clothed in Holy Garments: The Apparel of the Temple Officiants of Ancient Israel by Alonzo L. Gaskill (https://rsc.byu.edu/ascending-mountain-lord/clothed-holy-garments-apparel-temple-officiants-ancient-israel)
President Russell M. Nelson: “In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath,” said Elder Nelson. “It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, ‘What sign do I want to give to God?’ That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear.” (https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/the-sabbath-is-a-delight?)
Sabbath Day Training Materials: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/broadcasts/archive/general-conference-leadership-training/2015/10?lang=eng
The act of drinking the water alludes to the trial of an adulteress (see Numbers 5:12-31).
“Three times the making and the worshipping at the calf [is called] a ‘great sin’ (Exodus 32:21, 30, 32). It so happens that this phrase is a legal term found in Akkadian documents from Ugarit and Egyptian marriage contracts, and it always refers to adultery.” (Sarna, Exploring Exodus, 220).
President Spencer W. Kimball: “Yet today we worship the gods of wood and stone and metal. Not always are they in the form of a golden calf, but equally real as objects of protection and worship. They are houses, lands, bank accounts, leisure. They are boats, cars, and luxuries. They are bombs and ships and armaments. We bow down to the god of mammon, the god of luxuries, the god of dissipation.” (CR, Oct. 1961, p. 33.)
Also D&C 124:84 equates the golden calf with not following the counsel of the prophets.
“Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church … Isolated statements are often taken out of context, leaving their original meaning distorted.” (https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/approaching-mormon-doctrine)
“The word shone is used to translate the Hebrew verb qaran, which is from a noun meaning "horn." It here depicts radial beams of light, like the "horns" of morning—the rays seen over the horizon before sunrise. (A mistranslation in the Latin Bible of Michelangelo's time caused him to put horns on the head of his heroic statue of Moses!)” (Ellis T. Rasmussen, A Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament)
Teaching Thoughts:
Sacred Temple Clothing: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2020-01-0100-sacred-temple-clothing?lang=eng
The symbolism of High Priest's clothing
- Ex 28:6-12-Two Onyx stones - Symbolic of the house of Israel on his Shoulders
- Ex 28:6-12 - Apron - Symbol of Priesthood and Work
- Ex 28:6-12 - Colors
- Blue =Godly, spiritual, divine appointment
- Purple = Power, royalty, majesty
- Scarlet = Blood, blood of Christ, life
- Ex 28:15-21 - Breastplate – 12 Stones (Sardius, Topas, Carbuncle, Emerald, Sapphire, Diamond Ligure, Agate, Amethyst, Beryl, Onyx, Jasper) - Symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel
- Ex 28:30 - Urim & Thummim - Hebrew term that means “Lights and Perfections.” An instrument prepared of God to assist man in obtaining revelation from the Lord and in translating languages.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bd/urim-and-thummim?lang=eng)
- Ex 28:31-32 - Ephod of Blue - Symbolic that divinity has no beginning or end
- Ex 28:33-35 - Border - Bells & Pomegranates - Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate is a symbol for righteousness, because it is said to have 613 seeds, which allegedly corresponds with the 613 mitzvot or commandments of the Torah. For this reason, and others, many Jews eat pomegranates on Rosh Hashanah, which is itself a festival falling over the Day of Trumpets.
- Ex 28:36-38 - Cap & Mitre - Holiness to the Lord
- Ex 28:39 - Embroidered Coat - Fine Flax Doubled - Symbolic – white = purity. The coat becomes a symbol of Jesus Christ. On Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) the priest wore the linen coat, which (in the minds of many Christians) indicated that he was officiating as a type of Christ (see Leviticus 16).
Clothed in Holy Garments: The Apparel of the Temple Officiants of Ancient Israel by Alonzo L. Gaskill (https://rsc.byu.edu/ascending-mountain-lord/clothed-holy-garments-apparel-temple-officiants-ancient-israel)
President Russell M. Nelson: “In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath,” said Elder Nelson. “It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, ‘What sign do I want to give to God?’ That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear.” (https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/the-sabbath-is-a-delight?)
Sabbath Day Training Materials: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/broadcasts/archive/general-conference-leadership-training/2015/10?lang=eng
The act of drinking the water alludes to the trial of an adulteress (see Numbers 5:12-31).
“Three times the making and the worshipping at the calf [is called] a ‘great sin’ (Exodus 32:21, 30, 32). It so happens that this phrase is a legal term found in Akkadian documents from Ugarit and Egyptian marriage contracts, and it always refers to adultery.” (Sarna, Exploring Exodus, 220).
President Spencer W. Kimball: “Yet today we worship the gods of wood and stone and metal. Not always are they in the form of a golden calf, but equally real as objects of protection and worship. They are houses, lands, bank accounts, leisure. They are boats, cars, and luxuries. They are bombs and ships and armaments. We bow down to the god of mammon, the god of luxuries, the god of dissipation.” (CR, Oct. 1961, p. 33.)
Also D&C 124:84 equates the golden calf with not following the counsel of the prophets.
“Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church … Isolated statements are often taken out of context, leaving their original meaning distorted.” (https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/approaching-mormon-doctrine)
“The word shone is used to translate the Hebrew verb qaran, which is from a noun meaning "horn." It here depicts radial beams of light, like the "horns" of morning—the rays seen over the horizon before sunrise. (A mistranslation in the Latin Bible of Michelangelo's time caused him to put horns on the head of his heroic statue of Moses!)” (Ellis T. Rasmussen, A Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament)
Teaching Thoughts:
- Happy Sabbath! How will your Sunday be a delight? What sign will you give to God?
- What will you put on your Sundae?
- Missionary moment roleplay (seeing God and Exodus 33).
- Symbolism in the Old Testament teaches and testifies of Christ.
- Discussion on today’s ‘golden calves.”