Three Knocks

[Guest tomk]

I want to ask about a sacred subject, one about which I am curious. I started talking about this in another thread and decided to begin a seperate thread.

I will endeavor to speak with great care and reverence, and encourage those who respond to do the same (please).

At a certain point in a certain place, we knock three times at a particular location.

This is a mystery to me, one of considerable opacity.

I welcome any online references that can help shed some light on this topic.

Is it significant that the number is three?

Is there more to the phrase "ask, seek, knock" particularly the word knock, as it relates to the temple?

Is there significance in praying morning, noon and night -- 3 times -- more than meets the eye?

I read in a book (see "Conversing with the Lord" on my profile) that there are 3 distinct "knocks" in 3 Nephi 19:

1st knock: verses 20-23

2nd knock: verses 28-29

3rd knock: verse 32

My current interpretation is:

1st knock: Baptism & Confirmation

2nd knock: Rebirth & Sanctification

3rd knock: Calling & Election Made Sure - Enter His literal presence while still mortal

Please respond privately if you like.

Also, please do not respond if you do not have something positive to contribute to the question at hand.

[skippy740]

3 seems to be rather significant in many areas.

Might I suggest that it can represent the Godhead? God the Father, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

[VisionOfLehi]

3 is often significant in Scripture and the Gospel.

By the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses?

How about when the angel Moroni visited Joseph Smith Jr.? He came three times.

There's other instances in the scriptures where something comes in a set of 3. I've noticed it, and it rather intrigues me. When I get to doing a full-blown scripture study that is one of the things I wish to observe.

[tiancum]

Knocking is to call attention to the person, to allow you to enter.

Each knock recognizes a distinct personage.

Also, the number three oft times symbolizes eternal....That is what you are entering into..from what I hear.

[Flyonthewall]

There are certain numbers that seem to hold some significance in the scriptures: 3, 7, 12, 40, to name a few. I think they mean something more than just a number, but not in any "numerology" way. As with anything in the temple, it is most likely symbolic of something, but I can't nail down the meaning.

[lilered]

Tiancum is correct u mondo

[Moksha]

Tony Orlando used to sing a song that included the words, "Knock three times on the ceiling if you want me".

Besides that, I do not know much about Masonry (or history and geography), but I do know that this "three knocks to enter" is one item that is exactly the same.

[Guest tomk]

How is the number 3 significant as far as "rending our veil of unbelief" and seeing as the brother of Jared saw?

[Hemidakota]

Remember what what was said afterwards the three knocks in the temple when the orator talks [ASK - SEEK - ENTER/OPEN]? Now compare the words to the three knocks. That is parallelism to the knock. As the temple is the model of heavenly objects.

[Hemidakota]

I have allot of classic examples how three is used over and over again in the BOM. In the first of the three visits to Laban, and apparently without a plan, Laman futilely asks Laban to relinquish the records. Next, the brothers follow Nephi's plan to offer their gold, silver, and other precious things for the plates of brass, only to have Laban take all this wealth from them and then try to have them pursued and killed. The third time, Nephi goes alone with no plan: "I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do" (1 Ne. 4:6). Finding Laban drunk in the street, Nephi is three times "constrained by the spirit" to kill him. The first is a simple in junction: Kill Laban. The second is the impression that the Lord had delivered Laban into Nephi's hands. Nephi thinks of three reasons why he could be justified in taking Laban's life: (1) Laban sought to take away Nephi's own life. (2) Laban would not hearken unto the commands of the Lord. (3) He had taken away property belonging to Nephi's family. The third constraint of the spirit adds the crucial, convincing element: "The Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief" (1 Ne. 4:13).