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PrevPrevious EpisodeHow Did Nephites Get Priesthood? (Part 10 of 12)
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More Details on the Liahona (Part 11 of 12)

Table of Contents: More Details on the Liahona (Part 11 of 12)

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One of the most sacred relics in the Book of Mormon is the Liahona, a compass-like object that Lehi found outside his tent while leaving Jerusalem.  The details of this object are not described very well in the Book of Mormon.  Historian Don Bradley has uncovered records that give more details about this mysterious object.

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Don:  In Gladden Bishop’s description, he says that around the outside side of the Liahona, and it’s still difficult for me to picture exactly, what it was supposed to look like, but it sounds like he’s talking about a face like maybe a compass face.  There are 24 diagrams or symbols around that central circle. So the pointers can point to these symbols. He doesn’t go into detail about how the Liahona functions, but picture it as having these symbols along the outside of a circle, and then having two spindles on it. Suppose that Lehi and his family want to go get food or suppose that they’re going to be led to get food, how will they know what the Liahona is pointing them to? How will they know if it’s pointing them to the promised land or to food or to water or to some other necessity? Well, the pictures around that central circle could be pictures telling what it’s pointing to. So one pointer could point to a picture of wild game, and then another pointer points the direction, so that the function of the two spindles would be, it points them to something and also tells them what it’s pointing them to.

Check out our conversation….

- More Details on the Liahona (Part 11 of 12) - Mormon History Podcast
Historian Don Bradley has found additional clues in historical records about the Liahona.

Don’t miss our other conversations with Don.

363: How Did Nephites Get Priesthood?

362: Who Stole the Manuscript?

361: Exonerating Lucy Harris

360: Masonic Golden Plates & Temple Theology

359: Temple Endowment in Lost Pages

358: Laban Killed During Passover

357: More than 116 Pages Lost?

356: How Much of BoM is Missing?

355: Re-Writing Oliver’s Words: Dirty, Nasty, Filthy Scrape?

354: Dating Fanny Alger

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More Podcasts with these Guests:

  • Joseph’s Magical Masonry (Part 6 of 7)
  • Masonic Legends & Gold Plates (Part 5 of 7)
  • Critics & Apologists (Part 12 of 12)
  • How Did Nephites Get Priesthood? (Part 10 of 12)
  • Who Stole the Lost 116 Pages? (Part 9 of 12)

Get more information on the people and things discussed in this episode:

  • Guest: Don Bradley
  • Theology: Book of Mormon, Mormon Scripture
  • Historical Mentions Mormon History
  • Tags: Church History, GT Podcast, iTunes, Liahona

Tell me when the next episode drops!

PrevPrevious EpisodeHow Did Nephites Get Priesthood? (Part 10 of 12)
Next ExpisodeCritics & Apologists (Part 12 of 12)Next

One Response

  1. Steve Lawrance says:
    January 31, 2020 at 6:37 am

    I imagine a programmed astrolabe when I think of the Liahona. In other words someone had travelled the Arabian peninsula and fed the information into the astrolabe so that oasis, sources of food, dangers and other important information could be accessed by one who knew how to use it. Once beyond the Arabian peninsula it would be of limited use except as a directional compass. It didn’t originate with Lehi, because of his surprise at finding it outside his tent, so maybe it was a gift from Ishmael.

  • Date: January 29, 2020
  • Guest: Don Bradley
  • Theology: Book of Mormon, Mormon Scripture
  • Historical Mentions Mormon History
  • Tags: Church History, GT Podcast, iTunes, Liahona
  • Posted By: RickB

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