Brother Butler pictured Adam and Eve turning back, “…almost as if their question was, ‘How do we get back? We’ve left [God’s presence], we’re cut off, we’re mortal, we’re thorns and thistles. How do we get back?’ That’s their question. And an angel comes with the answer and he says, ‘I want you to offer sacrifice…I want you to take the firstlings of your flock and sacrifice them’…and the angel comes after many days and says, ‘What are you doing?’ And [Adam] says, ‘I don’t know…you told me to do this.’
“And, essentially, the angel says back to him, ‘This is the answer to your question. Your question was, “how do we get back? how do we overcome this?” And the answer is: it will be through the sacrifice, the blood, the heartbreaking death of an innocent creature. This thing you’re doing is…showing you the solution, it’s in similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten… There is a solution to this, and His name is Jesus. And it’s through His sacrifice that you’ll return to Eden (God’s presence) someday.” Brother Butler concluded by saying, “Even today, on our next Sunday, you will walk into the chapel and there will be an altar (Sacrament table), and your question will be, ‘How do I get back? How do I overcome this?’ And the answer will still be the same…the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.” (1)
Once again, the sheep of my pasture have taught me a lesson, have strengthened my faith in God’s beautiful plan of life and death, and of Easter’s hopeful message of spiritual and physical rebirth. May I never miss the symbolism in the temple–the altar, the sacrifice that prepared a way for us to return to God’s presence. May I never miss the symbolism of the Sacrament. May I never become so casual about partaking of the bread and water that I fail to see beyond the symbols to the spiritual truths they represent–to the Sacrificial Lamb who placed Himself on the altar and arose as our Deliverer.
Notes:
David Butler, from the “Don’t Miss This” podcast, (January 17-23, 2022–at approx. minute 1:05:30). See Moses 5:4-8.
And a beautiful essay on the symbolism of sheep https://latterdaysaintmag.com/sacred-symbols-in-the-sheep-shed/?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=scot-maurine-proctor&utm_content=Wednesday%2C+April+20%2C+2022
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