As we ponder the meaning and importance of Yom Kippur, let us take a few moments to consider some very important information about how Yom Kippur relates to the Marvelous Work and Wonder and to the Stick of Joseph. We’ll need to look at some passages at length, but we will, in the end, obtain some remarkable information from our study.
Let’s begin with Leviticus 16, where we read of the Temple ceremony surrounding the Yom Kippur ritual:
[1] And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;
[2] And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
[3] Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
[4] He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
[5] And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
[6] And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.
[7] And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
[8] And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
[9] And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
[10] But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
[11] And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:
[12] And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:
[13] And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
[14] And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
[15] Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
[16] And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
[17] And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
[18] And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.
[19] And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
[20] And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
[21] And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
[22] And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
[23] And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:
[24] And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.
[25] And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.
[26] And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.
[27] And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.
[28] And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
[29] And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
[30] For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
[31] It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
[32] And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:
[33] And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
[34] And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.(Lev. 16:1-34 KJV)
This ritual involves two goats, one appointed to YHWH and one to the “scapegoat” (KJV) or Azazel. The goat appointed to YHWH is sacrificed, representing the death of the Messiah. Then the High Priest, representing the resurrected Messiah, enters the Holy of Holies (representing the heavenly Holy of Holies). The High Priest is the only one who may enter the holy of holies, and then only once a year, at Yom Kippur. The High priest sprinkles blood on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant seven times, to cleanse the sanctuary of all of the sins of Israel. Then he comes out of the Holy of Holies, representing the returning Messiah, places his hands upon the Azazel (representing HaSatan) to confer all of the sins of Israel on the scapegoat, and then drives the scapegoat into the wilderness.
These important parts of the Yom Kippur ritual form the background for the typology presented in the Book of Hebrews, where we read in Chapters 8 and 9:
[1] Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
[2] A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
[3] For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
[4] For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
[5] Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
[6] But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
[7] For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
[8] For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
[9] Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
[10] For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
[11] And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
[12] For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
[13] In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.(Hebrews 8:1-13 KJV)
[1] Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
[2] For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
[3] And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
[4] Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
[5] And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
[6] Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
[7] But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
[8] The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
[9] Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
[10] Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
[11] But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
[12] Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
[13] For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
[14] How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
[15] And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
[16] For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
[17] For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
[18] Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
[19] For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
[20] Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
[21] Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
[22] And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
[23] It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
[24] For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
[25] Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
[26] For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
[27] And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
[28] So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.(Hebrews 9:1-28 KJV)
In these two chapters, the Messiah is pictured as the High Priest in the Yom Kippur ceremony (Heb. 9:4 & Lev. 16:12), in the Heavenly Holy of Holies, at the right hand of the throne (Heb. 8:1) where he is the “mediator of the New Covenant” (Heb. 8:6, 9:15) because of his blood (Heb. 8:3,9:12). Keep these important types in mind as we move forward:
- Messiah at the right hand of the throne in the Holy of Holies
- Enabled to “mediate” a “new covenant” because of his blood
- Something is accomplished seven times
OK, with the above information from Leviticus and Hebrews in mind, let us turn now to Revelation chapters 5 where important parallels to the above passages again place Messiah in the Heavenly Holy of Holies.
[1] And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
[2] And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
[3] And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
[4] And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
[5] And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
[6] And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
[7] And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
[8] And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
[9] And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
[10] And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
[11] And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
[12] Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
[13] And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
[14] And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.(Rev. 5:1-14 KJV)
Here again, Messiah is at the right hand of the throne (5:1, 7) and is the only one able to do something, because of his blood (Rev. 5:12). And this thing that he does, he does seven times (there are seven seals) just as the High Priest sprinkles the blood on the mercy seat of the Ark seven times in the Yom Kippur ceremony.
While in Hebrews 8-9, Messiah is in the heavenly Holy of Holies becoming “mediator of the New Covenant”, in Revelation he is opening a Sealed Book, sealed with seven seals. Let’s add the sealed book to our list of parallels and then turn to Isaiah 29, where we read more about this sealed book:
[1] Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
[2] Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.
[3] And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.
[4] And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
[5] Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.
[6] Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
[7] And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.
[8] It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.
[9] Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
[10] For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. (Isaiah 29:1-10 KJV)
The Stick Joseph explains these verses as follows:
But behold, in the last days, or in the days of the Goyim, yes, behold, all the nations of the Goyim, and also the Y’hudim, both those who shall come upon this land and those who shall be upon other lands, yes, even upon all the lands of the earth, behold, they will be drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations. And when that day shall come, they shall be visited of YHWH Tzva’ot with thunder, and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm and tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire. And all the nations that fight against Tziyon and that distress her shall be as a dream of a night vision. Yes, it shall be unto them even as unto a hungry man which dreams, and behold, he eats, but he awakes and his soul is empty. Or like unto a thirsty man which dreams, and behold, he drinks, but he awakes and behold, he is faint and his soul has appetite. Yes, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Tziyon. For behold, all you that do iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder, for you shall cry out and cry. Yes, you shall be drunken, but not with wine; you shall stagger, but not with strong drink.For behold, YHWH has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, for behold, you have closed your eyes, and you have rejected the prophets, and your rulers and the seers has he covered because of your iniquity. (2 Nefi 11:18)
Isaiah continues:
[11] And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
[12] And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. (Isaiah 29:11-12 KJV)
And now, having encountered Isaiah’s reference to the Sealed Book, we can turn to The Stick of Joseph where we gain a great deal of understanding of these verses and this Sealed Book:
And it shall come to pass that Adonai YHWH shall bring forth unto you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered. And behold, the book shall be sealed, and in the book shall be a revelation from Elohim, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof. Wherefore, because of the things which are sealed up, the things which are sealed shall not be delivered in the day of the wickedness and abominations of the people; wherefore, the book shall be kept from them. But the book shall be delivered unto a man, and he shall deliver the words of the book, which are the words of those who have slumbered in the dust, and he shall deliver these words unto another. But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither shall he deliver the book, for the book shall be sealed by the power of Elohim, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept in the book until the own due time of YHWH, that they may come forth; for behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof. And the day comes that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the housetops, and they shall be read by the power of Mashiach. And all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be, even unto the end of the earth. Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it, except it be that three witnesses shall behold it by the power of Elohim, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein. And there is no other which shall view it, except it be a few according to the will of Elohim, to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men. For Adonai YHWH has said that the words of the faithful should speak as if it were from the dead. Wherefore, Adonai YHWH will proceed to bring forth the words of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seems him good will he confirm his word; and woe be unto him that rejects the word of Elohim.
But behold, it shall come to pass that Adonai YHWH shall say unto him to whom he shall deliver the book, Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may show them unto the learned, saying, Read this, I ask you. And the learned shall say, Bring here the book and I will read it. And now because of the glory of the world and to get gain will they say this, and not for the glory of Elohim. And the man shall say, I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed. Then shall the learned say, I cannot read it. Wherefore, it shall come to pass that Adonai YHWH will deliver again the book and the words thereof to him that is not learned; and the man that is not learned shall say, I am not learned. Then shall Adonai YHWH say unto him, The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do my own work; wherefore, you shall read the words which I shall give unto you. Touch not the things which are sealed, for I will bring them forth in my own due time, for I will show unto the children of men that I am able to do my own work. Wherefore, when you have read the words which I have commanded you, and obtained the witnesses which I have promised unto you, then shall you seal up the book again and hide it up unto me, that I may preserve the words which you have not read, until I shall see fit in my own wisdom to reveal all things unto the children of men. For behold, I am Elohim, and I am an Elohim of miracles, and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and for ever, and I work not among the children of men except it be according to their faith. (2 Nefi 11:19-20)
Immediately after the sealed book reference, Isaiah prophecies the restoration of the House of Judah saying:
[13] Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
[14] Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
[15] Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
[16] Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
[17] Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
[18] And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
[19] The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
[20] For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
[21] That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
[22] Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.
[23] But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
[24] They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. (Isaiah 29:13-24 KJV)
And immediately after the information about the sealed book, The Stick of Joseph further reveals to us:
And again it shall come to pass that YHWH shall say unto him that shall read the words that shall be delivered him, Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men, therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, yes, a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid. And woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from YHWH, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who sees us? And who knows us? And they also say, Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay. But behold, I will show unto them, says YHWH Tzva’ot, that I know all their works. For shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? But behold, says YHWH Tzva’ot, I will show unto the children of men that it is not yet a very little while and L’vanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest. And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. And the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be in YHWH, and the poor among men shall rejoice in HaKodesh of Isra’el. For assuredly as YHWH lives, they shall see that the terrible one is brought to nothing, and the scorner is consumed; and all that watch for iniquity are cut off, and they that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproves in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of no value. Therefore, thus says YHWH, who redeemed Avraham, concerning the house of Ya’akov: Ya’akov shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now grow pale. But when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify HaKodesh of Ya’akov, and shall fear the Elohim of Isra’el. They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. (2 Nefi 11:21)
From the above it’s clear that the Sealed Book is in fact the Stick of Joseph! Further, in a revelation given September 22-23rd 1832, Yosef ben Yosef identified the Stick of Joseph (Book of Mormon) as the “New Covenant”:
And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received, which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation rests upon the children of Zion, even all, and they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon, and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say but to do according to that which I have written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom. Otherwise, there remains a scourge and a judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion, for shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Verily, verily I say unto you, nay.(T&C 82:20 = D&C 84:54-59; RLDS D&C 83:8; 1835 Kirtland Edition 4:8)
Moreover M’roni was said to have “sealed up” the gold plates:
And now I, M’roni, have written the words which were commanded me, according to my memory, and I have told you the things which I have sealed up. Therefore, touch them not in order that you may translate, for that thing is forbidden you, except by and by it shall be wisdom in Elohim. And behold, you may be privileged that you may show the plates unto those who shall assist to bring forth this work. And unto three shall they be shown by the power of Elohim; wherefore, they shall know of a surety that these things are true. And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be permanently decreed, and the testimony of three, and this work — in the which shall be shown forth the power of Elohim, and also his word, of which the Father and the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh bears record — and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day. And if it so be that they repent and come unto the Father in the name of Yeshua, they shall be received into the kingdom of Elohim. And now, if I have no s’mikhah for these things, judge you, for you shall know that I have s’mikhah when you shall see me and we shall stand before Elohim at the last day. Amen.(‘Eter 2)
Likewise, the original 1830 Dedication page of the Stick of Joseph (Book of Mormon) says the following:
Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites; written to the Lamanites which are a remnant of the house of Israel and also to Jew and gentile; written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation. Written, and sealed, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed; to come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof; sealed up by the hand of Moroni and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by the way of gentile; the interpretation thereof by the gift of God.
Therefore, we reach this astounding conclusion:The Stick of Joseph is the Sealed Book, also identified as the New Covenant! Therefore, the Messiah becoming “mediator of the New Covenant” in Hebrews Chapters 8-9 is the same thing as opening the Sealed Book in Revelation 4-5!
Just as the prior covenant, the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, were a stone record kept in the gold-plated Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle, in a reversal, the gold plates of the New Covenant (the Stick of Joseph) were a gold record kept in a stone ark. In fact the stone box in which the gold plates were found in the Hill Cumorah, was actually called an “ark” in at least one early account (see The Lost 116 Pages; Don Bradley; Greg Kofford Books; Salt Lake City, 2019 p. 3. n. 2). Further, the Hebrew word translated as both “plate” and “tablet”—as in gold plates and stone tablets that both kept the record of the covenant—is the same word: luach (לוּחַ).
This Yom Kippur, let us reflect upon the Stick of Joseph. It is truly the Sealed Book taught by Isaiah, the New Covenant taught in Hebrews, brought forth from the Ark of the Heavenly Holy of Holies by Messiah, to accomplish the Marvelous Work and Wonder in these last days. How grateful we should be to realize we are the recipients and beneficiaries of this incredible record, prophesied to come forth for thousands of years.