"Curious Workmanship" Redux

[Guest tomk]

I ran across this phrase - curious workmanship - while studying the Book of Mormon last year. I would like to share my feelings about it.

Before I do, I would like to mention that one thing that I have learned while studying the scriptures is that certain phrases are repeated so often, or often enough, that they can often act as "signals" to the reader that an important principle or doctrine or idea is being presented.

For example, if I am reading a verse and find I am asking myself, "Now, where have I heard this phrase used before?" I have learned to stop and do some quick searching on the phrase to see where it is used in other places. This can sometimes open very interesting doors into aspects of the Gospel I previously did not fully understand. Sometimes it does not seem to yield much at all. But either way, the further investigation is beneficial.

Such is the case, I believe, with the phrase "curious workmanship".

When I do a search for this phrase on lds.org, here is what I get back:

1 Ne. 16: 10

10 And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.

1 Ne. 18: 1

1 AND it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.

Alma 37: 39

39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.

Ether 10: 27

27 And they did make all manner of weapons of war. And they did work all manner of work of exceedingly curious workmanship.

On just the surface level, these verses are describing the following as having a curious workmanship:

The Liahona

The timbers used in Nephi's ship

Weapons of war

In each case, God was the source of the curious workmanship.

In the case of the Liahona, it just appeared on the ground outside of Lehi's (the partriarch, I just realized) tent.

In the case of the timbers, Nephi was inspired by God on how to construct the ship and how to form the timbers. Nephi did not possess this knowledge in and of himself. He needed to be inspired of God in order to know what to do.

In the case of the weapons of war, the weapons that were fashioned were of a curious workmanship -- again, their manufacture was inspired by God.

Alma spells it out for us in his counsel to his son, Helaman:

Alma 37: 39

39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.

The first part of the verse really catches my attention:

And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship.

The Liahona, the timbers of the ship, the weapons of war -- all are works of God - not fathomable and certainly not duplicatable by man. ONLY GOD can work after this manner of workmanship.

In the case of the Liahona -- the Liahona acted as a guide and a source of specific instruction to Lehi's family in the wilderness.

Now, replace the word Liahona with the phrase The Holy Ghost and what you end up with is:

The Holy Ghost guides and directs us through the "wilderness" ( through mortality ). What's more, like the Liahona, this guidance, this direction and instruction that we receive IS A CURIOUS WORKMANSHIP.

In other words -- the path leading to our salvation and exaltation is already prepared for EACH ONE OF US. It was prepared from the foundations of the earth upon which we stand. The path is customized for every person. There is a general direction that we ALL are to follow -- that we have in common. BUT -- there is also an individual path that we each must follow on our own as well. This part, especially, is a CURIOUS WORKMANSHIP. It is a path that we cannot fully understand. It is of God. Only God understands why He is asking us to do certain things during our lives, endure certain challenges and trials. We look at our lives and sometimes do not understand the WHY. But rest assurred - it is a CURIOUS WORKMANSHIP and we are in the Lord's hands!! He is capable of orchestrating the millions of variables - people, places, things, knowledge, protection, guidance, inspiration, etc. - needed to power our recovery from the effects of sin and to bring us home. It is a curious workmanship how He does this...and ONLY HE can do it!!!!! We cannot get ourselves home no matter how smart we are!!

Note also that the effectiveness of the Liahona (read Holy Ghost) is determined by the FAITH and DILIGENCE we give unto the direction we receive!!!

-Tom

[lilered]

Good post Tom. That is why he is God and we are trying to be like him.

[rameumptom]

Years ago, I was reading a psalm in the Community Rule scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls and thought it looked very familiar. I opened my Book of Mormon to 2 Nephi 4, to Nephi's Psalm. Both psalms follow the same pattern, beginning with discussing writing and ending with discussing God as a rock (both use the term "rock" twice).

Clearly patterns exist in ancient documents that are shared by later writers.

[Arosophos]

Note that the person to whom the curious workmanship (technology) was given already had access to the Holy Ghost, which evidently could be enhanced.

[Hemidakota]

Yes, Tom you are on something here. Elder Jeffery R. Holland, in his book, 'Types and Shadows...', he mentioned in the chapter 'The Liahona', stating that Alma saw a type and shadow of Christ in this director that marked the way based on there faith [Alma 37:39-41].