Find out who and why we shouldn't trust their testimonies. The patriarchal blessing is a powerful shamanic evocation of ancient covnenants, telling the recipient that they are partaking of the promises made to Abraham. Gramps I have a grandson and it stated in his blessing he was of the Tribe of Juda. Has anyone else made similar observations? In Abraham we are told, And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father (Abr. According to the Bible, when Joseph brought his two sons to his father, Jacob, for a blessing, Ephraim received the birthright blessing in place of Manasseh (Gen. 48:13-20), one of the departures noted in the Bible from the custom of bestowing on the firstborn son the special privileges that belonged to him by right of primogeniture. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in the 14th chapter, from the 12th to the 27th verses. blessing is nothing like hers. The patriarchal office is one of blessing, not of administration, nor of counseling. Saying this person descended from Ephraim and this person didnt no longer makes any sense given our modern understanding of population dynamics. 31:9; cf. asos mens hoodies I thought it was interesting since he had been sealed to us in the temple as a baby. Our blessings can encourage us when we are discouraged, strengthen us when we are fearful, comfort us when we sorrow, give us courage when we are filled with anxiety, lift us up when we are weak in spirit. True Mormon salvation = godhood with multiple wives and countless spirit babies. I have different European, Native American and Middle Eastern ancestors. The house of Israel, in the original sense, meant the literal blood descendants of the house of Jacob. Why does Mormonism have so many false doctrines about our galaxy and the Lord? The Book of Mormon records that Joseph of old "obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel…to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord" (2 Ne. Our patriarchal blessings indicate what the Lord expects of us and what our potential can be. But I really like what was said in the OP about the tribes basically being all mixed in with the entire world population. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cohen_Modal_Haplotype. Upon that revelation we both concluded that bloodline has nothing to do with it, at least not with the significance most want to consider. That one is important but Im not convinced there is any deeper meaning. Its one of those things that sounds like a cool piece of ancestral trivia, until you learn that everyones grandpa and their dog were the prophets bodyguards. Joseph honestly thought there was some connection. Patriarchal blessings are sacred and personal. 2:10). I thought there was something unique to that until I worked as a temple worker for a few years and understood how the names really work. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Since that is way, way, waymore than the total number of people who have ever lived on this earth, how can that be possible? Why? He lived recently enough in the past that that kind of genealogical distinction makes sense. Those who have received a patriarchal blessing should treasure its words, ponder them, and live to be worthy to receive the promised blessings in this life and in the life to come. He served (serves) as Patriarch of the Manhattan stake. 20% of verses in the Book of Mormon contain the phrase "and it came to pass", Almost 4,000 changes to the Book of Mormon and over 7,200 Greek and Latin words found, Book of Mormon Artifacts; Smithsonian & National Geographic says no artifacts found. I think they did. The 10 th President of the LDS Church, Joseph Fielding Smith, said, "A blessing given by a Patriarch is intended to point out the path which the recipient should travel. 9:4). Ephraim (it was explained) is viewed as the missionary arm, the ones to restore the gospel. She is now 26. Like Ephraim's descendants, the tribe of Manasseh is heir to all the blessings and obligations given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. What can I do to feel better when I have sinned? This doctrine of adoption was understood by ancient prophets and apostles (e.g., Rom. For Latter-day Saints, identification of a person's lineage in latter-day Covenant Israel is made under the hands of inspired Patriarchs through patriarchal blessings that declare lineage. Sure is ridiculous when you think about what LDS, Catholics, and JWs believe in and do. It is more powerful in expanding the mind, enlightening the understanding, and storing the intellect with present knowledge, of a man who is of the literal seed of Abraham, than one that is a Gentile, though it may not have half as much visible effect upon the body; for as the Holy Ghost falls upon one of the literal seed of Abraham, it is calm and serene; and his whole soul and body are only exercised by the pure spirit of intelligence; while the effect of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile, is to purge out the old blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham. News from around the globe about Christianity & the ministries God works through. I was not ready for it but my Bishop pushed for me to get it. Someday there will be a big family reunion for all the children of our Heavenly Father. The lineage thing did not bother me so much. It has been a testimony to me that God knows His children well and as individuals. Should I be worried? James Russell Uhl. Are these incidents all coincidental, or well planned trickery? Deut. 12: 21 ), but the nearness to Jerusalem seems to have caused Benjamin gradually to become part of the kingdom of Judah. It has a meaning. For the official Church websites, please visit churchofjesuschrist.org or comeuntochrist.org. I pray that we will live worthily and seek the blessings that are promised us by the Lord through our family patriarchs and through our ordained patriarchs, and that we will strive to help conditions and circumstances so that these great promises can be realized. Why are there so many rules to obey for salvation if Mormonism is a Christian church? The majority of modern blessings have designated Ephraim or manasseh as the main link in this tracing, but others of every tribe of Israel have also been named. It is a common feature of patriarchal blessings to declare the tribe from which the person receives the blessing descends. Find out why! It contains personal revelation and instructions from Heavenly Father, who knows our strengths, weaknesses, and eternal potential. Second, guided by the spirit of prophecy, the patriarch will pronounce blessings and may also provide promises, cautions, or admonitions that apply specifically to you. These prophets wrote many things concerning the last days, the gathering of Isreal, and the events surrounding both the tribes of Ephraim and of Judah. May 30, 2012 | AAAA AskGramps Website, Bible, Blessings, Family Roots | 3 comments. In the 19th century, a lot of Mormons were fond of the notion that Joseph and our other prophets were descended from Jesus himself. The southern kingdom was nominally comprised of two tribes: Judah and Benjamin (which basically had been absorbed into Judah), and the northern kingdom of the remaining ten tribes. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. (Genesis 49:8-10). Its nice to have that extra copy of the will around with some reassuring words that you havent been disinherented, I suppose. Some rights reserved. Yet, the Church considers themselves to be a Christian church. The purpose of a patriarchal blessing is (1) to identify the tribe of Israel to which the individual belongs, whether literal or "adopted", along with the responsibilities and blessings associated; (2) to bless the member with knowledge and the spiritual gifts that may be obtained by obedience to gospel principles; (3) to give advice or help to What I can say is that Im certain the lineage does not come by rote thinking on the part of the Patriarch if they are in tune with the Spirit which they should be but Ill accept that there could be exceptions. I met David Stewart (of cumorah.com) years ago and he mentioned that he tracked patriarchial lineages online from people whod volunteer that info. Next on the list so you can trace your ancestry back to Adam? (On the topic of repeated, personal revelation). The tribe provided the first king in the person of Saul ( 1 Sam. Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Biographical Sketches Of Joseph Smith The Prophet And His Progenitors For Many Generations. I've only devoted a few Saturday mornings to this scripture study project, but the [.] No one need assume that he or she will be denied any blessing by reason of not being of the blood lineage of Israel. Where else in the modern world can you have a shamanic experience? Patriarchal blessings are available to baptized church members upon their request. She has 17 descendents (4 children, 8 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren), but only one heir to her throne, Prince Charles. The patriarch who gave my father his blessing had spiritual vision to see beyond this life. We will be expected to fulfill the duties of our tribe both in this life and the next. Why must Mormons follow a prophet and not God? The most distinguished Benjamite was the apostle Paul ( Rom. This has bothered me for over thirty years. 43 And they entered into Euphrates by the narrow places of the river. If you look at how the office of patriarch came about, you find that Joseph may have been just a little jealous of Brigham for coming up with the idea of patriarchal blessings first and so elevated his own father to patriarch over the whole church. There has been ample speculation about the fate of the Lost Ten Tribes in both Jewish and Christian sources, which exploded in the 17th century. admin on volusia county school schedule; tribe of ephraim lds patriarchal blessing In such a case, there may be more of a powerful effect upon the body, and visible to the eye, than upon an Israelite, while the Israelite at first might be far before the Gentile in pure intelligence. The blessing of one . Original Content Copyright 2008-2011 J. Max Wilson. Knowing these two facts gave me an added sense that I was literally serving my brothers. Arguing about whether Native Americans are literal descendants of Lehi doesnt make much sense either. The Lord says to disregard the prophet who speaks a lie in His name - Deuteronomy 18:20-22, See how the Mormon canon of scripture contradicts itself & the Bible, The Early Christian Church's Statements of Faith. King Benjamin refers to the faithful as the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters thus being able to be spiritually begotten through faith (Mosiah 5:7), and thus coming into the family of Christ through a spiritual birth. To give another example, look at Queen Elizabeth. Mormons damn themselves when they dont obey ALL of Gods laws if you break even one youre guilty of breaking them all James 2:10. I think the point of this post and thread is to get past a bit labels like son of a whore and son of a prophet at least in a certain sense (the sense of are we not all beggars, or are we not all children of Adam and Eve?), Coincidentally, since my last post, I came across this germane passage in Romans 9: .. Diversity and Unity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Environmental Stewardship and Conservation, Joseph Smiths Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women, Peace and Violence among 19th-Century Latter-day Saints, The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage, Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham. No blessings have been alike that weve come across in the stake. Jesus said; "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Your an idiot. But serving as a bodyguard to Joseph Smith is not one of them. In a similar vein, Ive always found D&C 15 and 16 a fascinating phenomenon. Our patriarchal blessings indicate what the Lord expects of us and what our potential can be. Teaching Children about Patriarchal Blessings, What a Patriarchal Blessing Can Do for You. A patriarchal blessing has two main purposes. Your Patriarchal Blessing, New Era, Nov. 2005, 4. But now Im just really curious whether that was local practice or churchwide policy. A prophetic promise fulfilled but one which with modern knowledge seems rather unimportant. Mine is really me. Many of Ephraim's descendants are being gathered first, for they have the responsibility of preparing the way for the gathering of the other tribes (D&C 113). Maybe his last name had something to do with it ( very prominent church last name). So, can tribes truly be found if they are no longer distinct? So whether the lineage was literal or not, it influenced me for the better. Seeing that the majority of declared lineages today are Joseph (primarily Ephraim) I believe that this in essence means we represent the northern kingdom or the lost 10 tribes as a whole. Similarly, the recipient of the blessing should not assume that everything mentioned in it will be fulfilled in this life. The majority of modern blessings have designated Ephraim or Manasseh as the main link in this tracing, but others of every tribe of Israel have also been named. An essential part of a patriarchal blessing is a declaration of lineage. We all, hopefully, believe the gospel and try to live it as best as we can. . tribe of ephraim lds patriarchal blessing. Perhaps its all really about just getting organized in the last days. They like the rituals, and even some of the garb of the priesthood. Ive been asked this question, and had a thought hit me that seemed correct at the time. If you were a man and lived in Nauvoo with the prophet, guaranteed you served as his bodyguard, at some point. 32, right (16 +16)? As a person studies his or her patriarchal blessing and follows the counsel it contains, it will provide guidance, comfort, and protection. A patriarchal blessing is a sacred guideline of counsel, promises, and information from the Lord. Church members are counted as a descendant of Abraham and an heir to all the promises and blessings contained in the Abrahamic covenant (see Abrahamic Covenant). The Twelve Tribes according to their inheritance of land in Palestine were as follows: Eventually the northern kingdom ran afoul of the great world power at the time, Assyria. Rumors were his wife did it as well. For further understanding of the prophecies and promises as they relate to the tribe of Judah, I would suggest that your grandson study the writings of Isaiah, Ezekial, Joel, Jeremiah, and Zechariah. As a person studies his or her patriarchal blessing and follows the counsel it contains, it will provide guidance, comfort, and protection. If you're a Christian & feel you're speaking a different language, learn about the differences here. 42 That they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land. All our blessings were *exactly* the same word for word. Mormon Salvation vs. Biblical Salvation. Ten of the tribes revolted and followed Jeroboam as their king and became known as the Kingdom of Israel or the Kingdom of Ephraim. In the second half of the 8th century B.C. McConkie, Bruce R. A New Witness of the Articles of Faith, pp. I believe the prophesy (D&C 133:26-34) of a specific group representing the 10 tribes gathered in from the North has already been fulfilled with the influx of converts from Northern Europe who came and made up a large portion of the membership in Utah and laid the foundation for full work of the gathering of Israel from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people (D&C 77:11) in these last days. What does it mean to be from the lineage of Joseph? The Patriarch who did my blessing years earlier before my spouse was still Patriarch and did my spouses blessing. Everyone baptized into the gospel belongs to one of these 12 tribes, but what does it mean if you don't belong to the same tribe as your family? Evidences and Reconciliations, arr. One of the most important blessings available to worthy members of the Church is patriarchal blessings. G. Homer Durham (1960), 75. Salt Lake City, 1985. Whether his children directly through bloodline or through adoption, we are heirs to both the blessings and responsibilities of the Abrahamic covenant. How can different children from the same family descend from different partiachal lines? Were all adopted into the covenant relationship. ", The Mormon pioneers trekking across America is re-enacted every year by faithful Mormons to honor the faith of their ancestors. How many ancestral slots would there be at that time depth? So, with that framing, what do patriarchal blessing lineage assignments mean to you? Many Latter-day Saints believe that they are of the branch of Ephraim, of whom Joseph prophesied (2 Ne. How does swearing secret oaths glorify God? Because each of us has many bloodlines running in us, two members of the same family may be declared as being of different tribes in Israel. It is important that we study this promise and its attendant responsibilities so that we can know what is and will be required of us. Her patriarch later told her that none of the Lao people were descended from any tribe, but that another ethnic group in Laos (called the Mongs) were all descendants of Gad. To learn more about patriarchal blessings, you can read these articles in the Gospel Library at www.lds.org: About Patriarchal Blessings (New Era, Mar. The lineage stuff came along later and developed its own sort of mythology and internal logic. I read my deceased parents blessings, from a different Patriarch, and what a difference. Members of other tribes, however, hold different roles and responsibilities. The Mormon Church takes part in a unique ritual where they receive a patriarchal blessing. Its meaning lies in how we honor each other as believers perhaps. I dont see any of us better or different than others just because we come from a different tribe. A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z, Book of Mormon: Title Page From Book of Mormon, https://eom.byu.edu/index.php?title=Ephraim&oldid=4550.