There
is an Arab village close to Hebron that is called Yatta. An old synagogue of
the first century was found there with characteristics of Levitical use. Some
even suggest it to be the wilderness area of Judah (tops of the mountains)
where John the Baptist (a Levite) might have lived. "Everlasting is also
used to signify the eternal, lasting, and enduring nature of some particular
thing. For instance: the ‘everlasting covenant’ (D. & C. 1:15), ‘the
everlasting gospel’ (D. & C. 36:5), ‘songs of everlasting joy’ (D.
& C. 45:71), ‘an everlasting inheritance’ (D. & C 57:5), ‘the
everlasting hills.’ (D. & C. 133:31.)" (Mormon Doctrine, Bruce
R. McConkie, Pg.243)
Isaiah Connects Savior’s Majesty with Mountains: Isaiah, who knew the
mountains of Judah, also knew the Lord and combined the majesty of both in
teaching us about the Savior. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the
feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth
good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God
reigneth!" (Isaiah 52:7)
Majesty of the Mount of Olives: Looking at the sacred event that
redeemed us from the sins of life, bruises of experience, captivity of
conscience, blindness of bigotry, hurt of hearts broken, poverty of stinginess
and the imprisonment of self pity, we are drawn to the Mount of Olives. Two
thousand years ago, He sank below all things, experiencing deeper depths than
we would ever reach so that we would never have to. Bleeding from every pore of
His body, he was stained for us. How beautiful upon the Mount of Olives are the
feet of Him who brings good tidings. Good tidings are the "good
news," the gospel of joy.
Isaiah Writes Savior’s Words: Isaiah wrote the words of the Savior’s
testimony seven hundred years before the Savior would speak them. "The
spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach
good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that
are bound;" (Isaiah 61:1) "The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath
sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised . .
." (Luke 4:18)
Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement: Although the principle of "one
atoning for our sins" in Judaism has diminished over the years, one day
every year is set aside as the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. "The tenth of
the Hebrew month of Tishrei is Yom Kippur, a day of fasting and prayer for all
Israel, a day which has been significant to Jews throughout the ages. The Day
of Atonement is the last of the Ten Days of Penitence which begin with Rosh Ha-Shanah,
and is the climax of the repentance and soul-searching incumbent on every Jew
during this period." "Perhaps the most beloved ritual of the Day of
Atonement, Kol Nidrei is . . . chanted before sunset as the . . .
worshipers are wrapped in tallitot and some even robed in white gowns (kitels)."
(Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
Constant Prayer to Rebuild Temple: Since 1967, when Jerusalem became
open for Jews, congregant’s weekly response is "Next year in
Jerusalem-rebuilt." This is an expression of rebuilding the temple in the
mountains of Judah. "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us
go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he
will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall
go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (Isaiah
2:3) "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the
way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,
even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come .
. ." (Malachi 3:1) "I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
wherefore, gird up your loins and I will suddenly come to my temple. Even so.
Amen." (Doctrine and Covenants 36:8)
Sacred Clothing for Worthy People: How beautiful upon the mountains of
Judah and Joseph are the feet of Him who brought salvation to all of us! How
beautiful are the garments of them that are worthy to bow at His feet. Jews use
garments to remind them of ancient temple rituals. The garment is called a ‘Tallit’
and it has four sets of Zizit (strings), with knots that are reminders of the
binding covenants. "According to the Bible, God commanded the Jews to wear
fringes on the corners of their garments as a reminder of the Lord's
commandments: ‘And it shall be unto you for a fringe that ye may look upon it
and remember all the commandments of the Lord’ (Numbers 15:39). This fringe
is called zizit." "The tallit is usually white and made
either of wool, cotton, or silk . . . Although the ordinary tallit is
worn only in the synagogue, strictly observant Jews wear the tallit katan (small
tallit) under their upper garments the whole day." (Encyclopedia
Judaica Jr.)
White Garments for Sacred Events: In many Jewish weddings, a special
white garment is worn called the Kitel. "In Ashkenazi tradition it is not
just the bride who wears white on her wedding day. The groom, too, stands under
the canopy wearing his white kitel, or robe, over his wedding finery.
The day of their marriage is a solemn one for the bride and groom. They pray
that their past sins will be forgiven and they can start their life together
afresh. The white of their clothing symbolizes the purity and the forgiveness
of sin for which they are hoping. For this reason a similar garment is used to
clothe the dead for burial. The kitel therefore also serves to remind
the wearer of how brief life is, and of the necessity for atonement."
"The kitel is traditionally worn on those important occasions when
the Jew is concerned with such thoughts. It is worn during prayer services on
Rosh Ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur; at the seder on Passover eve; by the hazzan on
the eighth day of Sukkot when the prayer for rain is recited and the first day
of Passover during the prayer for dew." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
Feasts that draw us to the Lord: In the ancient Temple, there were great
"feasts" that centered around the proper and meticulous ritual of
sacrifices. Even in modern times, the subject of sacrifice connects with
Temples. "The Hebrew term for sacrifice, korban, is from a root
meaning ‘to draw near,’ and originally denoted that which was brought near,
or offered, to God. It is also possible that the term signified ‘that which
brings man near to God’ and, indeed, a late aggadic source interprets
sacrifices in this sense." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)