Wings of healing and protection -- Part 2

This is simply a continuation from where I left off in part 1. It is just too much to cover in one post. So it's better to read part 1 if you have not done so but I will still give a very brief recap: The Hebrew word, kanaph, is translated into words as diverse as wing, skirt, border and edge in English Bibles. It is associated with protection and healing. In the last example from part 1, it was used by Ruth as an idiom for marriage ("spread your kanaph over your servant"). This was a request to Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer. The Book of Ruth is a beautiful story of an outsider who finds her place among the covenant people and is covered by the kanaph of God (Ruth 2:12) and her redeemer (Ruth 3:9). In this post, we will expand on this covenant relation.

Kanaph, gathering and covenants

The story of Ruth is only one of many examples of kanaph being used to gather and protect a covenant people. 

4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings (Hebr. kanaph), and brought you unto myself.

5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: (Exodus 19)

The same pattern shows up time and again. This is from Isaiah:

And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners (Hebr. kanaph) of the earth. (Isaiah 11:12)

And this is the voice of the Lord just after the great destruction in America before his appearance to the Nephites: 

4 O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you.

5 And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.

6 O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.

7 But if not, O house of Israel, the places of your dwellings shall become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers. (3 Nephi 10)

What to make of this pattern? When we enter into the covenant and gather together as Israel, the covenant people, we are under divine protection. The Savior is at the center. He is the redeemer that Boaz typified. He is the shepherd gathering his sheep. He is the hen gathering her chickens. We return to the "Christ and covenants" theme once again. No surprises there, really. But this divine protection is represented by kanaph that refers to His wings or garments covering us. I think God wants us to view covenants this way, as a place of refuge and healing, not a hassle with burdensome obligations. 

Temple connections

The relation of the protective kanaph to garments is interesting from a modern temple perspective too. They cover us and keep us safe. But the symbolism is ancient

8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt (Hebr. kanaph) over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.

9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.

10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. (Ezekiel 16)

Here, the Lord is covering the nakedness of his bride, Israel, washing, anointing and dressing her. We see the theme from Ruth played out where the husband covers the bride and offers protection and redemption, but there are also clear temple connotations. The garment covering our nakedness is Yahweh's kanaph. In fact, kanaph is found in the most holy place in the ancient temple. 

And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings (Hebr. kanaph) on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings (Hebr. kanaph), and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. (Exodus 25:20)

The kanaph in the holy of holies in the ancient temple covers the "mercy seat" (Hebr. kapporet). There is some uncertainty about the exact meaning of kapporet and what it refers to, for instance if it is the cover of the ark of the covenant or a distinct piece of furniture. This article makes a good case for kapporet being separate from the ark of the covenant and representing God's footstool. Regardless, the kapporet is placed on top of the ark of the covenant so the kanaph are protecting that too. 

It is perhaps obvious why the kanaph would protect the ark of the covenant and less obvious why they would cover and protect God's footstool? My interpretation is that the temple and especially the holy of holies is where heaven and earth meet. The cherubim with its wings represent heaven and the throne of God and the footstool is the earth. This ties into the concepts that Lord Wilmore outlines in this post. One thing we know is that the word, kapporet, is derived from the Hebrew word for atonement (kaphar) and is the place where the high priest would sprinkle the sacrificial blood on the day of atonement.

So let's try to get this straight. The kanaph are spread over the kapporet representing the earth as the place where the atonement is made. Underneath it is the covenant. "Christ and covenants" again. This is what the divine kanaph is protecting. Those who enter into the covenant are finding refuge and redemption, like Ruth the foreigner, like Israel in Exodus 19 and like the remnant and outcasts of Israel in Isaiah 11. Basically everyone who is willing to enter in. 

Consecration, Temple Incense, and Noah's Ark

My recent posts have dealt with symbols involving incense, noses and smells. We've connected these symbols to the concept of consecration. The symbolism surrounding incense is an aspect of temple worship (both ancient and modern) that is so foreign to our way of thinking that it really takes some effort on our part to draw meaning from the symbols.

In one of my recent posts I mentioned a fascinating presentation recently given by Dr. John Thompson. In it, he compares ancient Egyptian priestly rituals with later Israelite temple rituals. Incense plays an important role at multiple stages in both. My interest was sparked when he showed these images of priests carrying incense in cup-shaped objects held in their outstretched hands:

The paper I referenced near the end of that post details the connection between incense and the "hand as a cup" -- ancient priests carried temple incense in special object shaped like cupped hands:

From this paper

As the caption of the figure above mentions, Hebrew has these symbols embedded in its structure. Hugh Nibley points out that the Hebrew letter kaph means palm:

Incense was often burned in special holders made in the form of a cupped hand, the “golden spoons” of Exodus 25:29 . . . the “filled hand” (the Hebrew letter kaph כ means “palm”) is the widespread sign of offering sacrifice. (Hugh Nibley, “Sacred Vestments,” Temple and Cosmos, 106.)

The ancient pictograph for this letter resembles a cupped hand:

 (source)

Kaph is connected to the word "kaphaph" meaning bow down, bent, or bowed. 

This leads us to the second connection to the Hebrew language itself: male' yad.  This is an important term for consecration. It literally means "filled hand" and is used in connection with the temple many times in the Old Testament (see page 7 of the linked paper for a complete set of Biblical references).

Getting back to Noah's Ark

Here's where it gets really interesting. In the past several posts I've connected this concept of "sweet savour" to Noah, entering into the ark/covenants, and making sacrifice to God as a sign of consecration to Him. The "savor of rest" is the sign of a consecrated life that pleases God. With the idea of 'filled hand' in mind, notice this verse from Moses 7:

43 Wherefore Enoch saw that Noah built an ark; and that the Lord smiled upon it, and held it in his own hand; but upon the residue of the wicked the floods came and swallowed them up.

Noah's ark filled the hand of the Lord (playing the role of incense) while those who would not hearken to God's word were consumed by the floods. That's deep! (Pun intended.) And it really makes you wonder how this subtle symbol of consecration/hand-filling from biblical Hebrew made its way into the Book of Moses in 1830.

Think of God holding the ark in His hand and then look back at the Egyptian pictures up above of the priests holding incense. Beautiful symbolism.

Gold and the Two Ways -- part 2

This is part 2 of a series.  Part 1 is found here.

Gold and the Two Ways in the Old Testament/Book of Moses

A previous post discussing one meaning of the name Cain ("get gain") is worth mentioning in this context. The Book of Moses teaches quite clearly how Cain and Abel are archetypes for each of these two ways.  Abel brings an offering which the Lord respected (see Moses 5:20). Cain did not. "Who is the Lord that I should know him?" (Moses 5:16)

Abel's willingness to sacrifice even the fat of the firstling of his flock (a precious substance to be sure) would have led him to find this hidden wisdom, had he not been murdered by the secret combination Cain entered with Satan for the purpose of getting gain. It's a set up for the two ways: the way of life leads to hidden wisdom but requires a willingness to sacrifice riches, whereas the way of death leads one to enter a secret combination for the purpose of obtaining riches.

This seems to me to be essence of a foundational doctrine that shows up over and over again in the Old Testament.  Below is a sampling of examples in no particular order.  For each example, I'll highlight the "wisdom over worldly wealth" sections in green and the "worldly wealth over wisdom" sections in red.

Exodus 25

The Lord gives Moses specific instructions on how to build the tabernacle, stating explicitly that (1) it is to be made from the finest materials freely donated for that purpose (see verse 2; see also Exodus 35:5, 22), and (2) the tabernacle is to be made according to a heavenly pattern revealed to Moses on the mount (see verse 40).

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, ...
8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. ...
10 ¶ And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: ...
11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, ...
13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. ...
17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: ...
18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, ...
19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
23 ¶ Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: ...
24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,...
28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, ...
29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them. ...
31 ¶ And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: ...
36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. ...
38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. (Exodus 25)

Daniel 5

2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. (Daniel 5)

Proverbs 8

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. (Proverbs 8)

Lamentations 4

1 How the gold has grown dim,
how the pure gold is changed!
The sacred stones lie scattered
at the head of every street.
2 The precious children of Zion,
worth their weight in fine gold—
how they are reckoned as earthen pots,
the work of a potter’s hands! (Lamentations 4, NRSV))

Ezekiel 16

17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, (Ezekiel 16; see also this post)

Isaiah 2

7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:
8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: (Isaiah 2)

Isaiah 31

6 ¶ Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.
7 For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin. (Isaiah 31)

Conclusion

The final example I'll cite to conclude this section does not directly mention gold, but this pattern goes beyond gold itself. Notice how Isaiah describes "the daughters of Zion" during a period of covenant rebellion:

16 ¶ Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:
17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts.
18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,
19 The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,
20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
21 The rings, and nose jewels,
22 The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,
23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the veils.
24 And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty. (Isaiah 3)

In the midst -- Part 1

This has been mentioned several times on the blog before, but for the benefit of new readers and because many do not know about this ancient Israelite tradition (I didn't until quite recently), I will repeat some things about covenant making. At a time and in a culture where literacy was rare, covenants were not signed at the bottom of a piece of paper. In the Hebrew language, you literally cut a covenant. That does not make sense in English and is therefore translated differently. But it is found frequently in the Old Testament. This reflects the (somewhat grotesque to the modern Westeners) practice of cutting animals in half and walking through the carcasses. This act is the signature and a declaration that the covenant is taken very seriously. ("Let me be cut in half like these animals if I break the covenant").

This happens in Genesis 15:10 when God makes a covenant with Abraham. But in this case, Abraham falls asleep after he has cut the animals and God himself, in the form of a burning lamp, walks through the carcasses (see Genesis 15:17-18). God is the active part in the Abrahamic covenant giving all the promises. Back to verse 10, we read

And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

"In the midst" in the Old Testament

I happened to look up the word, "midst", and how it is being used in the scriptures. This is the Hebrew word, תָּוֶךְ (tavek). It comes from an unused root meaning "to sever", which makes it hard for me not to see the covenant relations of this word. It is sometimes used in a literal sense in the scriptures, but quite frequently, it seems to be used in a more spiritual sense. For instance, 1 Kings 6:19 describes King Solomon preparing the "inner sanctuary inside the temple". But the "inside" in this case is translated from the Hebrew tavek, even though we know that the holy of holies was not physically in the middle of the temple. Rather, it was the focal point, the most holy place, the center of attention, the heart of the covenant, so to speak.

Similarly, we find this word constantly popping up in the Old Testament in relation to important covenant themes.

• In the creation account, God made a firmament in the midst (tavek) of the waters to separate the waters of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:6)
• In the Garden of Eden, God planted the two trees in the midst (tevek) of the garden (Genesis 2:9 and 3:3).
• God talked to Moses out of the midst (tavek) of the burning bush (Exodus 3:2, 4) and again from the midst of the cloud on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:16). The covenant theme is especially evident when the events are recounted in Deuteronomy 4:12-13

12 And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst [Hebr. tavek] of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.

13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.

• In an act similar to the creation in Genesis 1:6, Moses parts the Red Sea and the Israelites walk in the midst (tavek) of the sea followed by the Egyptians (repeated over and over in Exodus 14:16, 22, 23, 27, 29, 15:19)
• In Exodus 25:8, the Lord instructs Israel to build a tabernacle

And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among (Hebr. tavek) them. (A more literal translation would be "dwell in their midst")

• According to Psalm 116:19, Solomon's temple was also in the midst of Jerusalem. Again, whether it was physically in the middle of Jerusalem is probably not the main point here.

Ancient Israel had the tabernacle and temple in their midst. It was God's dwelling place and represented his presence. In other words, God, the author of the covenant, was in the midst of Israel, just like he walked in the midst of the carcasses that Abraham had prepared. This is also expressed repeatedly in the Old Testament. Here is one example:

Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among (Hebr. tavek) the children of Israel. (Numbers 35:34)

"In the midst" in the Book of Mormon

Not surprisingly, we see a similar pattern in the Book of Mormon. I noticed in particular how Jesus is repeatedly described as being in the midst of the people in 3 Nephi. 3 Nephi is the heart of the covenant, the new covenant that Jesus brought to the Nephites. Consider these examples:

And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them. (3 Nephi 11:8)

12 So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.
13 And it came to pass that when they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground. (3 Nephi 17)

And it came to pass that while the angels were ministering unto the disciples, behold, Jesus came and stood in the midst and ministered unto them. (3 Nephi 19:15)

And Jesus again showed himself unto them, for they were praying unto the Father in his name; and Jesus came and stood in the midst of them, and said unto them: What will ye that I shall give unto you? (3 Nephi 27:2)

Just like ancient Israel had God in their midst, a branch of Israel in the Americas now had the resurrected Jesus in their midst.

There are many other examples of God/Jesus being in the midst. So many, in fact, that I will save them for my next post. But I want to end with a different example related to Lord Wilmore's recent posts about Nephi-II, Moses and Elijah. He made a point of the division "hither and thither" in this verse, echoing the parting of the sea by Moses and Elijah.

And it came to pass that there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them. (3 Nephi 10:1)

See his comments here under the subheading, "creation by division". "The midst" shows up again, echoing the creation and Moses parting the Red Sea, among other things. When the two-edged sword divides, that sword, often symbolizing the word of God, is in the middle of whatever it divides. In this case, Nephi as the conveyor of the word, played that role. God/the Word/the covenant in the midst can have this divisive effect. But hopefully, like the Nephites in 3 Nephi, we can all let Jesus take the center stage of our lives without causing division.

In part 2 we will see how this symbol is used in the uniting of heaven and earth.

Old Testament Temple Symbolism -- Exodus 26

This post is the next installment in a series of posts about temple symbolism in Exodus 25-28. The previous post in this series discussed symbols from Exodus 25.  This post will cover Exodus 26.

"Fine-twined linen"

1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. (Exodus 26)

I was previously unaware of this phrase in the context of building the tabernacle. It certainly adds a new layer of depth to the Book of Mormon

I know "fine-twined linen" as a symbol of pride in the Book of Mormon (see 1 Nephi 13:7-8 and Alma 4:6). I connected "fine twined linen" to the concept of "pride of the eyes" in this post. Nephi connects "pride of the eyes" with a desire to get gain at the expense of the poor in 1 Nephi 13 and 2 Nephi 26.  

What I hadn't realized is that this effect of pride of the eyes in service the "great and abominable church" (see 1 Nephi 13:5 and 2 Nephi 26:20-21) is a direct corruption/inversion of God's command to Moses:

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. (Exodus 25)

When we seek to "get gain" and hoard treasure up unto ourselves because of pride, we are not making a free and willing offer to build God's kingdom and show devotion to Him through the act of giving to the temple.

Notice how "fine-twined linen" is also used in a positive context in the Book of Mormon, each time in conjunction with "blessed"/"prospered" or "great joy and peace":

22 And they were exceedingly industrious, and they did buy and sell and traffic one with another, that they might get gain. ... 24 And they did have silks, and fine-twined linen; and they did work all manner of cloth, that they might clothe themselves from their nakedness. ... 28 And never could be a people more blessed than were they, and more prospered by the hand of the Lord. And they were in a land that was choice above all lands, for the Lord had spoken it. (Ether 10)

29 And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever they stood in need—... and abundance of silk and fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth. 30 ... and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, ... 31 And thus they did prosper and become far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church. (Alma 1)

 

11 ... and thus they did become rich. 12 They did raise grain in abundance ... 13 Behold their women did toil and spin, and did make all manner of cloth, of fine-twined linen and cloth of every kind, to clothe their nakedness. And thus the sixty and fourth year did pass away in peace. 14 And in the sixty and fifth year they did also have great joy and peace, ... (Helaman 6) 

 

This "covenant abundance" dovetails with Enoch's Zion, where the people "flourish[ed]" and "were of one heart and one mind," and "there was no poor among them." (See Moses 7:17-18.) 

Goats' Hair

The next layer of the covering of the Holy Place is made from goats' hair (see Exodus 26:7), which is associated in several ways with repentance. Samuel Ridout's Bible commentary on the details of the Tabernacle includes the following:

In addition to its use for tents, this cloth of goats' hair was also, probably, what is called sackcloth: "The sun became black as sackcloth of hair" (Rev. 6:12). This was used in mourning and afflicting the soul, as in repentance: "They would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes" (Matt. 11:21). The raiment of John the Baptist was of camels' hair, similar to this (Matt. 3:4)...

As we have noticed, these coverings were made, not of the skin, but of the hair of goats. We will get later the significance of the skin, in connection with the next covering, of rams' skins dyed red. May we, without being fanciful, suggest a few thoughts in connection with the animals' hair?

It is the outermost covering of all, over the skin, and is the point of contact between the animal and the outer world; it is also the point of separation. The hair shields the animal from the rain, and protects it from extremes of cold and heat. Thus it indicates separation. So the Nazarite let his hair grow long in token of his separation from everything that would defile (Num. 6:5). If defilement came in, he had to shave off his hair in token that he had lost his separation. One of the signs of leprosy was the hair turning its color, or sometimes its falling out was the precursor of this disease (Lev. 13:30, 42). The vigor of separation not being maintained, defilement and sin resulted. (source)

Hair as a symbol of separation is interesting.  It reminds me of the concept of "Zion as an enclosed garden" which has reference to the Garden of Eden.  Of course we know that Adam and Eve were ritually clothed by God at the time of their expulsion from Eden, too.

The Book of Mormon mentions "sackcloth" four times.  Two of these occur in quotations from Isaiah (2 Nephi 7:3 and 2 Nephi 13:24).  The other two occur in the context of repentance:

25 And except they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily to the Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers, neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions; and thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me. (Mosiah 11)

9 And it came to pass that the judges did say unto Nephi, according to the words which had been desired. And it came to pass that when Nephi saw that the people had repented and did humble themselves in sackcloth... (Helaman 11)

We also see instances where intense darkness in the Book of Mormon leads to repentance (see Helaman 5:28-48 and 3 Nephi 8:20-11:41).

Acacia wood

This tree is common in the area where the Tabernacle was commanded to be built, and its wood was well-known as long-lasting and resilient. I suppose there is a practical as well as a symbolic significance to this wood.  In a similar way, the Book of Mormon frequently reminds us that the words of the sacred records will retain their brightness and stand as a witness against us at the day of judgment.  See this post for details and references.

Old Testament Temple Symbolism -- Exodus 25

 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.