My list of topics to study almost always far exceeds my time constraints. As a result, I often find myself unable to get to something in a reasonably timely manner. When I do manage to go back and study that topic, I inevitably find myself wishing I had learned those lessons earlier!
This post is an example of that. In the April 2019 General Conference, Elder David A. Bednar spoke about preparation to enter the temple. In his talk, Elder Bednar quotes a talk given by President Nelson in 2010, inviting members to prepare by reading Exodus 26-29, among other suggestions. This has been on my "to do" list ever since, and today I finally began to check it off.
This excellent video gives an overview of some of the symbols of the ancient tabernacle.
I'd like focus this series of posts on symbols found in Exodus 25-29 which can also be found in the Book of Mormon. I added Exodus 25 to my studies and found a few notes worth sharing. I don't intend for this list to be comprehensive. Instead, I'll limit my focus to symbols of the ancient tabernacle which readily connect to Book of Mormon themes.
An offering from the heart
With that introduction out of the way, let's start in Exodus 25. There is an important verse which caught my attention at the very beginning of this chapter:
2 Tell the Israelites to take for me an offering; from all whose hearts prompt them to give you shall receive the offering for me. (Exodus 25, NRSV)
Moses was to receive offerings, given willingly according to the promptings of the heart by the children of Israel, from which he would construct the temple.
This is beautiful. A gift given freely from the hearts of the covenant people to build the house of God, wherein man and God may become one.
The Book of Mormon speaks volumes about the importance of having a soft, willing heart. It is the key to understanding the word of God. Consider this post, in which Stisa demonstrates the connection between a soft heart (soil), the word of God (a seed), and the tree of life (harmony with God) which will spring up in our hearts as we nourish and nurture the word. Alma-2 touches on these topics in Alma 5, Alma 12, and Alma 32.
This leads us quite naturally to the next symbol -- the lampstand.
The lampstand, a symbol of the tree
31 “Hammer pure gold to make a ·lampstand [L menorah]. Its base, ·stand [shaft], flower-like cups, buds, and petals must all be joined together in one piece [C its tree shape suggests that the Tabernacle represented Eden where God and humans lived in harmony]. ... 40 Be very careful to make them by the ·plan [pattern] I showed you on the mountain [25:9]. (Exodus 25, Expanded Bible)
The Expanded Bible is a study tool I particularly like. The dots and brackets indicate places where multiple readings are worthy of mention. 'L' indicates a literal reading of the Hebrew. 'C' indicates a comment by the translator. Notice the comment at the end of verse 31, which tells us that the tree shape should point our minds to Eden, "where God and humans lived in harmony."
When Alma teaches us to plant the seed in our heart, he builds the case that by so doing we will find everlasting life:
41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.
43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you. (Alma 32)
The description of the fruit in verse 42 mirrors Lehi's description of the fruit of the tree of life (see 1 Nephi 8:11-12)
Note also that the lampstand is to be made of "pure gold," which suggests to me (as I'll demonstrate in future posts) a connection to the celestial realm. Furthermore, it is to be "all ... joined together in one piece," symbolizing unity and harmony with God. Alma's father speaks of this unity at scene of covenant-making at the waters of Mormon:
21 And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.
22 And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became the children of God. (Mosiah 18)
Notice similar wording in Alma 32:41 above, where Alma exhorts us to "[look] forward to the fruit thereof." That fruit comes not only by looking to God but also seeking harmony with the saints.
The lampstand seems to be one of those symbols that was very well known to covenant-keeping Israelites, but might not be as familiar to us. Learning about the importance of the lampstand in ancient temple worship, to quote President Nelson, "underscores the antiquity of temple work and the enduring nature of its ordinances.”
The lampstand sat in the Holy Place and provided the only light that was allowed in that space. In modern temple worship, lighting or physical progression/movement is used to symbolize rejecting the ways of the world and the philosophies of men and committing to live by the light of God's commandments. Only then are we prepared to receive a greater portion of the word. (See Alma 12:9-11)
The Book of Mormon presents two different versions of the "tree of life" theme. In one sense, we walk the covenant path, led by divine messengers (cherubim holding the word of God) upwards to the tree of life. This is found in 1 Nephi 8, Alma 5, Alma 12-13, for example. In the second sense, we prepare our own ground, our heart, and plant the word of God there. Over time, with faith and great diligence, we find the tree of life springing up inside us and bringing forth fruit. This is found in Alma 32 and to some degree in Mosiah 18.
Both presentations are beautiful, and each version emphasizes different aspects of the purposes of mortality.
It is worth taking the time to read this excellent post from Stisa summarizing many Book of Mormon connections to creation themes. There is a deep interconnectedness in the scriptures, pointing us to this rich and rewarding line of study.
Conclusion
I'll end this post with the final instruction of the Lord to Moses regarding the creation of the lampstand:
40 Be very careful to make them [the lampstand and lamps] by the ·plan [pattern] I showed you on the mountain [25:9].
The temple is indeed the sacred space between heaven and earth, where we can learn God's patterns. Just as Nephi went to the "mount oft" and there was shown "great things" by the Lord (see 1 Nephi 18:3), so we prepare to live with God through our temple worship.
The next post in this series will cover temple symbols in Exodus 26.