Lately I've been reading the new Saints book The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints put out. What a fascinating read. I've been learning so much about the history of the church that I never knew.
One of the most fascinating things I have been learning is how revelation is received and how the interpreters and seer stones work and are used.
First off, not everyone can be a seer. It is a divine calling and to see as a seer is a gift from God. Throughout history there have been those who have had this divine gift and calling.
Here is what I've gathered about how the interprets work. Essentially, they are like glasses that you put on. Although different from normal glasses, where the glass is transparent, the Urim and Thummim were sometimes composed of opaque onyx stones (like the ones used by the high priest in the days of Moses, see Ex 28:9-12, 30). Other Urim and Thummims could have been clear like crystal. I am not sure what they looked like entirely, except for the fact the ones that Aaron had were put in gold frames, while the ones the Brother of Jared had were put in silver frames (see JSH 1:1-35).
The definition of onyx stones according to minerals.net is as follows:
"Onyx is a gemstone whose description can have several connotations. Its most accepted gemstone definition describes a solid black Chalcedony, or a banded or layered black and white Chalcedony. The term Onyx is occasionally used to described any engraved stone with a solid color base, or it may describe any banded gemstone with parallel banding. In its solid black form, Onyx is the most traditional black gemstone."
These opaque rocks in frames are what the Urim and Thummim consisted of. Here are 2 pictures of onyx stones. The one of the left are Sardonyx (red onyx) stones from Wikipedia, and the one in the middle is a Black Onyx stone from cooksongold.com. The last image is one of the seer stones that Joseph had and used (image from Wikipedia).
At first thought, one would look at these stones and ask how can anyone see anything through an opaque stone? That's just it though, when it comes to seer stones you don't use your natural eyes to see anything. Essentially, these stones act as a portal, or gateway to the spiritual realm from which one peers with spiritual eyes into that realm and sees things as they really are, were, and are to come. Truth is made manifest and is not bound by time.
When Joseph Smith first got the plates he hid them in a hollow log for several days before bringing them home. When one of his family members asked about the plates and if they were safe, Joseph peered into the Urim and Thummim and saw them safe in the log, even though he was nowhere near them.
Then as he translated the plates he switched between the Urim and Thummim and the seer stone he had. Working much like the Liahona did, both the ancient word and the English word would appear and stay visible until copied down correctly then they would disappear and the next set of words would appear. In this fashion, Joseph didn't even need the plates open in front of him. Sometimes they sat on the table in front of him covered by a cloth while he translated. And then when he used the seer stone, which he placed in a hat to block out vision from his mortal eyes, the words would appear in the same fashion.
Overtime, as Joseph became more accustomed to the language of the plates and the spiritual realm, his reliance on earthly instruments lessened and he could translate the plates, without the aid of before mentioned items.
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Switching gears to discuss the other avenues of being a seer, the revelations Joseph received did not all come at once, but rather here a little, and there a little. Line upon line, over time. Joseph had to prepare himself spiritually to receive the mind and will of the Lord. People would often come to him with questions or problems they were facing and he would turn to the Lord for answers, much like ancient prophets. The Lord would then speak to him and through him where a scribe would then record the heavenly message.
Many doctrinal truths that we have now, came while he was studying the scriptures and pondering over them many a times with another individual. Baptism for the Dead, the 3 degrees of Glory, the spirit world, the premortal world, etc. All of these truths came precept upon precept as the dews from heaven distill.
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Being a Seer is not an easy task, and many times when Joseph made mistakes, his ability to translate or receive revelation was removed. Moroni came and took the Urim and Thummim from Joseph while Martin Harris was carrying the 116 pages to his family (D&C 10:1), and then took the plates from Joseph upon Martins return to Joseph after Martin had lost the 116 pages (which in our Book of Mormon copy is equivalent to 145 pages with each printers page being the equivalent of 1.25 pages in our current edition).
Many a times the Lord warned Joseph that his gift would be taken from him and given to another if he did not shape up. Yet, even when Joseph made mistakes, the Lord was patient and merciful towards him and gave him many second chances, including 4 chances to receive the plates in the first place.
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The Urim and Thummim (or Lights and Perfections as they are known in Hebrew) that Joseph had were the same ones given to the Brother of Jared by the Lord upon the mount (see Ether 3:21-28 and D&C 17:1). There are other Urim and Thummims that have been given by the Lord and used by other seers, such as the one the Lord gave unto Abraham in the Ur of the Chaldees (see Abr 3:1-4).
Lastly we learn that God resides in a sphere that is a great Urim and Thummim (D&C 130:6–11), and in translation of Book of Revelations (Rev 2:17) we learn that this earth in its celestial condition will one day be a great Urim and Thummim, and many within that kingdom will have their own Urim and Thummim with their new name written thereon (similar with how the 2 onyx stones that Aaron had as his Urim and Thummim had the 6 of the 12 tribes written on each stone).
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