More on the number 8

Even though we have addressed symbolism and ancient Hebrew frequently on this blog, we have not discussed the significance of numbers much. In ancient Hebrew, there is much meaning and symbolism connected to numbers beyond the numerical value. In fact, there are no separate numbers in Hebrew, but rather letters that also have a numerical value. Like A = 1, B = 2, etc. This is very common in ancient languages and I would guess most likely also the case among the Nephites. 

I was thinking of writing a post on the number 8, but Lord Wilmore beat me to it. (Yes, we read the same Val Larsen paper). I am still going to piggyback off of his post to add a few thoughts.

As he wrote, the number 8 represented new beginnings. On a grand scale, Israelites measured time in "worlds" or ages. There were seven days of creation. So the eighth day marked a new beginning, a new age with man in the paradisiacal garden. We know little about the time there. But from the fall we also count seven millennia, before a new heaven and a new earth. Seven is the completion of a full circle (seven itself being the number for completeness and perfection) and eight therefore the number representing a new age and a new beginning.

There are many examples of this symbolism in the scriptures. For instance:

• In Israel, boys were circumcised on the 8th day. This is connected to the covenant and a new creation. 
• In 1 Peter 3:20, Peter makes a point of there being 8 people saved in the flood, representing a new beginning for the earth
• In addition to the earth's baptism with Noah, 8 is obviously connected to baptism today as well because we are baptized at 8 years
• Jesus was resurrected on the "first day of the week", which is the day after the sabbath and can therefore be considered the eighth day

In addition to the eight generations before "new beginnings" in the aftermath of Nephite destruction, there are other uses of the number 8 fitting into this pattern. This post shows parallels between the Nephites and the Jaredites in fleeing Babel/Babylon before journeying to the promised land. Another parallel is the number 8 connected with the sea journey to a new beginning.

In 1 Nephi 17, Nephi is building a ship to sail to the promised land. Just before that, Nephi mentions that they spent eight years in the wilderness. In Hebrew, the number eight is "shemoneh" and comes from the root, "shamen", which means "to grow fat" and is therefore also linked to abundance. Notice what 1 Nephi 17:4-5 says:

4 And we did sojourn for the space of many years, yea, even eight years in the wilderness.
5 And we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were prepared of the Lord that we might not perish. And we beheld the sea, which we called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is many waters.

Bountiful certainly has that abundance and the eight years mark the new beginning. We find the number eight in the story of the Jaredites too, also connected to the sea journey (hat tip to Lord Wilmore for reminding me of that). It is mentioned in passing in Ether 3:1

And it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number of the vessels which had been prepared was eight) went forth unto the mount

Things like these are always a bit speculative. Perhaps the authors simply wanted to write how many years they spent in the wilderness or how many ships they built without further meaning. But I find it likely that Nephites brought Hebrew culture with them and, just like the authors of the Old Testament, frequently used symbolism of various numbers to highlight particular points or teach deeper lessons. 

Righteousness -- Part 3

In the previous two parts (here and here), I have written about the term, righteousness, in a particular context that Margaret Barker provides in this paper. It is fascinating to me how such a common word in the scriptures can have so much meaning when new context is provided. It has both changed and added depth to my understanding of certain verses. I know I am repeating myself, but this part from Barker's paper is important for the topic of this post.

the Bible writers said that God had bound all creation into one system[...] The bonds were called the covenant of peace, or the covenant of life and peace (Numbers 25.12; Malachi 2.5). Peace did not mean simply ‘absence of conflict’. The Hebrew word shalom implies far more: rest, balance, harmony and completion - we might nowadays say ‘a sustainable state.’ The story of the creation in the Bible says this was achieved when everything was very good and at rest[...] The Servants of the LORD had to maintain the covenant of peace. When it was threatened or damaged, they had to do whatever was necessary to restore it. And here we come to the word that forms the title of this talk; righteousness, tsedaqah. Righteousness describes both the action needed to restore the broken covenant, and also the result of that action. Righteous people had been restored to their intended place in the creation, and they then had to work to restore other parts of the covenant system. Righteousness meant the activity of making righteous, protecting and maintaining the covenant. Those who had been healed had to become healers.

With this as backdrop, I see the following verses in Alma 13 in a new light:

10 Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this high priesthood, there were many who were ordained and became high priests of God; and it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish...
13 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that ye may also enter into that rest.
14 Yea, humble yourselves even as the people in the days of Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after this same order which I have spoken, who also took upon him the high priesthood forever...
17 Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea, they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of wickedness;
18 But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the king of Salem; and he did reign under his father.

I'm highlighting a lot of words here that have direct connection to the quote I gave and the previous posts on this topic. Why do I highlight the name, "Melchizedek"? Because it means "king of righteousness" in Hebrew. "zedek" is just a different spelling of "tsedeq" that I wrote about in part 1 of this series. Do you see how well it fits the context? Alma talks about those who were high priests in the first temple period (obviously, because that is when Lehi left Jerusalem). They were examples of righteousness, restorers of the covenant of peace. Alma exhorts his listeners to follow their lead so they can enter into his rest, which is an indicator of the covenant of peace being intact. Melchizedek, the king of righteousness, is a great example of such a high priest. He established this peace in his society after the people had repented from "all manner of wickedness" (remember from part 2 that wickedness is the opposite of righteousness). With the Hebrew meaning translated, "Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem" becomes "The king of righteousness was a king over the land of peace".

Even though we know very little about Melchizedek, the description of him and his name matches perfectly with the idea of "righteous people [who] had been restored to their intended place in the creation, and [...] then had to work to restore other parts of the covenant system". Keeping in mind that angels can be heavenly or earthly ("angel" and "messenger" is the same word in Hebrew), this is a description of the "see an angel, be an angel" concept and the ministry of angels that Lord Wilmore has written about in previous blog posts. 

This is also the essence of temple worship and atonement. The high priest would represent the Messiah and enter into the holy of holies on the day of atonement to sprinkle blood on behalf of the people. This would symbolically restore the broken covenant and reestablish peace and harmony of the creation. Melchizedek as a high priest would do this and apparently managed to establish peace. We know little details, but we know that he is a type of Christ, the other king of righteousness ("after the order of Melchizedek" Hebrews 7:17). To quote the article from Barker again

When the prophets spoke of the earth staggering under the weight of human sin (Isaiah 24.20), of mountains shaking (Jeremiah 4.24), of stars falling from the sky like fruit from a fig tree (Revelation 6.13), they were seeing how the creation would be when it was no longer restrained and protected by the covenant[...] In crises such as this, they looked for the Righteous One to appear and restore the covenant (Isaiah 24.16). Isaiah described the Servant, the Righteous One who would make many righteous and bear away their iniquities (Isaiah 53.11). Making righteous meant removing the effects of distortion, enabling more people to become restorers. St Peter described Jesus as the Righteous One, the Author of Life (Acts 3.14-15)

This also helps me see the priesthood in a new light. The "order of the Son of God", that it was initially called, is what is described in the quote above. It was later called "the order of Melchizedek" or the Melchizedek priesthood, but as Alma 13 shows, it is exactly the same: It is the restoration of the covenant through righteousness. In his great lecture on the priesthood in D&C 121, Joseph Smith said:

...the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness (L&P 121:36)

The priesthood exercised in righteousness by people like Melchizedek restores the covenant of peace and enables more people to become restorers. Christ, the "high priest" in the letter to the Hebrews, is the ultimate example of that. It would of course be impossible without his atonement that Melchizedek and the temple rites merely foreshadowed.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18)

We have high priests after the order of Melchizedek in the church today too. It is structured a bit differently and they have a different role than 3000 years ago, but I think the same principles apply. As leaders in Christ's restored church, they exercise the priesthood in righteousness. They invite people to enter into covenants and administer the ordinances connected to those covenants. In line with ancient Israelite thought, this restores the old covenant of peace and harmony among God's creations. It leads people on the paths of righteousness to the fountain of righteousness. They are restored to their intended place in the creation and can help others achieve the same.