Twice in the Book of Mormon, when
individuals fell as if dead under the influence of the Spirit of the Lord,
someone raised them by grasping their hand. This happened to Lamoni and his
wife (Alma 19:29-30) and later to Lamoni’s father (Alma 22:18-22), each of whom
came to know the Lord during the experience. While there are no exact parallels
in the Bible, in Revelation 1:17 the apostle John falls down as dead before the
risen Christ, who then lays his right hand upon him and tells him not to fear. Closer
parallels to the Book of Mormon stories are found in various pseudepigraphic
texts unavailable to Joseph Smith.
. . .
In light of these and other
accounts, the Book of Mormon stories of people falling into ecstasy and being
raised by a handclasp fits quite well into the ancient world from which the
Nephite record came. (John A. Tvedtnes, “Raised By a Handclasp,” in The Most
Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar [Salt Lake City:
Cornerstone Publishing, 1999], 215, 218)
Tvedtnes (Ibid., 215-16) references, and quotes, in parts,
the following texts. I am providing fuller quotations for those who may not
have access to such works:
Apocalypse of Abraham (A) 10:1-5:
1 And it came to
pass when I heard the voice pronouncing such words to me that I looked this way
and that. 2 And behold there was no breath of man. And my
spirit was amazed, and my soul fled from me. And I became like a stone, and
fell face down upon the earth, for there was no longer strength in me to stand
up on the earth. 3 And while I was still face down on the
ground, I heard the voice speaking, “Go, laoel of the same name, through the
mediation of my ineffable name, consecrate this man for me and strengthen him
against his trembling.” 4 The angel he sent to me in the
likeness of a man came, and he took me by my right hand and stood me on my
feet. 5 And he said to me, “Stand up, Abraham, friend of God
who has loved you, let human trembling not enfold you!
Apocalypse of Abraham (A) 11:1:
1 And I stood up
and saw him who had taken my right hand and set me on my feet.
1 Enoch 14:14-25:
14 And as I shook
is and trembled, I fell upon my face and saw a vision. 15 And
behold there was an opening before me (and) a second house which is greater
than the former and everything was built with tongues of fire. 16 And
in every respect it excelled (the other)—in glory and great honor—to the extent
that it is impossible for me to recount to you concerning its glory and
greatness. 17 As for its floor, it was of fire and above it was
lightning and the path of the stars; and as for the ceiling, it was flaming
fire. 18 And I observed and saw inside it a lofty throne—its
appearance was like crystal and its wheels like the shining sun; and (I heard?)
the voice of the cherubim; 19 and from beneath the throne were
issuing streams of flaming fire. It was difficult to look at it. 20 And the Great Glory was
sitting upon it—as for his gown, which was shining more brightly than the sun,
it was whiter than any snow. 21 None of the angels was able to
come in and see the face of the Excellent and the Glorious One; and no one of
the flesh can see him—22 the flaming fire was round about him,
and a great fire stood before him. No one could come near unto him from among
those that surrounded the tens of millions (that stood) before him. 23 He
needed no council, but the most holy ones who are near to him neither go far
away at night nor move away from him. 24 Until then I was
prostrate on my face covered and trembling. And the Lord called me with his own
mouth and said to me, “Come near to me, Enoch, and to my holy Word.” 25 And
he lifted me up and brought me near to the gate, but I (continued) to look down
with my face.
1 Enoch 15:1:
1 But he raised
me up and said to me with his voice, “Enoch.” I (then) heard, “Do not fear,
Enoch, righteous man, scribe of righteousness; come near to me and hear my
voice.
1 Enoch 71:1-3:
1 (Thus) it
happened after this that my spirit passed out of sight and ascended into the
heavens. And I saw the sons of the holy angels walking upon the flame of fire;
their garments were white—and their overcoats—and the light of their faces was
like snow. 2 Also I saw two rivers of fire, the light of which
fire was shining like hyacinth. Then I fell upon my face before the Lord of the
Spirits. 3 And the angel Michael, one of the archangels,
seizing me by my right hand and lifting me up, led me out into all the secrets
of mercy; and he showed me all the secrets of righteousness.
Eusebius, Preparation for the Gospel 9.27:
‘So Moses passed out and came to
the palace; and finding the doors opened he went in, and the guards here also
being sunk in sleep he woke up the king. And he being dismayed at what had
happened bade Moses tell him the name of the God who sent him, scoffing at him:
but Moses bent down and whispered in his ear, and when the king heard it he
fell speechless, but was held fast by Moses and came to life again.
