“if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Today is Palm Sunday. As I read the relevant passage from the Gospel of Luke recounting Jesus' triumphal return to Jerusalem, this part really caught my attention:

37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19, NIV)

This is the positive form of a theme we find in many scriptures, in which the elements of creation praise the Creator. Psalm 148 is a great example of this

1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights.
2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.
6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 148)

Here are a few of the thoughts I had as I studied:

1. As we are spiritually recreated in His image, we will echo these same sentiments. We will praise Him in our thoughts and our actions. In this sense, good works are an effect of the spiritual recreation, not its cause.
2. Psalm 148:5 applies equally to the physical creation of the world and the spiritual recreation of man. The physical creation took place by the power of the word (see John 1:1-3; Hebrews 11:3). It was prepared from the beginning to create a probationary state for mankind, to allow for repentance (see Abraham 3:25). The spiritual creation which then occurs in the heart of man takes place as we each heed God's commands and participate in sacred ordinances, also performed by the power of the word. In both cases, "He command[s] and they [are created]."

Once again, we find harmony between the doctrines of creation and covenant-making. There is a deep connection between these concepts, so much so that they share a primitive Hebrew root. It is just as natural for the children of Christ (see Mosiah 5:7) to praise Him as it is for the sun, moon, stars, and mountains to do so.

I'll close this post with the words of Alma-2 following his remarkable conversion, which were given to him by the Lord:

25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. (Mosiah 27)

Thoughts on Joseph, part 2

My last post was about Joseph and how the prophecies about the arc of the House of Israel map pretty cleanly onto the story of Joseph and his brothers.

In today's post, I'd like to go into some depth on the nature of Joseph's famous "coat of many colors." We'll talk about how it probably wasn't a "coat of many colors" and what it symbolizes.  We'll also talk about how the coat/garment is a very ancient symbol that can teach us quite a lot about Jesus Christ -- what He's done for us since before the foundation of the world, and how we go about binding ourselves to Him.

The Coat of Many Colors -- (Hebrew 'ketonet passim')

I don't know about you, but just hearing that phrase conjures an image of Donny Osmond on Broadway in my mind.

 

However, the translation of the Hebrew 'ketonet passim' suggests that we should probably think about this coat a little bit differently:

The familiar rendering “a coat of many colours” … is certainly incorrect. It is literally “a tunic of palms,” i.e. reaching to the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, differing from an ordinary tunic by having sleeves, and by reaching to the feet. The same word is used in 2 Samuel 13:18 of a dress worn by a princess … (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, my emphasis added)

And he made him פּסּים כּתנת: a long coat with sleeves …, i.e., an upper coat reaching to the wrists and ankles, such as noblemen and kings' daughters wore, not "a coat of many colours"  (Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, my emphasis added)

Although some scholars favor an interpretation that the coat was actually a patchwork of different fabrics passed down since Adam, I think it's most helpful if we think of Joseph's coat as a symbol of nobility or favored status.  He wore a garment suitable for a royal court, not the clothing of a laborer in the field.

A Symbol of the Knowledge of Divine Heritage

I don't know how Joseph felt about his coat, but when I think about his coat, I liken it to a knowledge of my divine heritage.  We are strangers here in mortality, gifted with a deep sense that we belong to something much grander than this fallen world. The coat is the symbol of this.

To expound on this point, I could go into tremendous detail about all the various ways this coat symbolizes elements of the grand design of God and our role in that design. Instead, in an effort to keep this post from becoming book-length, I'll limit my focus to just two key points, both of which can best be understood in the context of the clothing worn by the high priest of Israel:

Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honor (Exodus 28:2)

If you have difficulty connecting Joseph's coat to the temple, consider the Israelite High Priest's attire, which is described in exquisite detail in the Old Testament. This clothing included:

• White linen undergarments (a symbol of holiness, discussed in more detail below)
• A blue cloth robe (colored with a very expensive dye and woven to resemble a coat of mail). The robe had cloth pomegranates and golden bells along the bottom.
• An ephod (waistband and golden chains running over the shoulders). The chains held stones over the priest's shoulder containing the names of the twelve tribes.
• A breastplate with pouches for the Urim and Thummim.
• A turban with a golden plate upon which was inscribed the words: "Holiness to the Lord."

(An excellent source summarizing the priestly clothing is found here.)

The connection seems pretty clear to me. Like so many other aspects of the covenant, the symbolism of the sacred clothing flows two ways -- from God to man and from man to God.

1. In the sense that it is given by God to those with whom He covenants, the coat is a symbol of God's promises to the faithful.

Here are a few thoughts of mine about this first point.

• God promises great things to those who love Him -- things which cannot be discerned by the natural senses. The ornate coat is a symbol of this.
• God made coats of skins for Adam and Eve as they were being expelled from the Garden of Eden. The skins must have come from somewhere.  The association of the coats of skin with the principle of sacrifice is undeniable.
• Many centuries later, the symbol of the coat as a token of the covenant between God and His covenant people remained deeply engrained in Nephite culture. Alma 46 is a great example of this (see this post for more details).

2. In the sense that it is worn by faithful covenant keepers as a sign of their fidelity to that covenant, the coat is a symbol of a person's devotion to God.

The royal clothing is a reminder that we are 'strangers and pilgrims' on the earth. We don't belong here and this isn't our final destination. Paul teaches this beautifully when he teaches about the faith of Abraham and Sarah:

13 All these people died in faith without receiving the promises, but they saw the promises from a distance and welcomed them. They confessed that they were strangers and immigrants on earth. 14 People who say this kind of thing make it clear that they are looking for a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking about the country that they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return to it. 16 But at this point in time, they are longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God isn’t ashamed to be called their God—he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11, CEB)

I think of this royal clothing as an outward sign that a person is seeking the "heavenly country" that God has prepared those who will have Him to be their God.

Those who embrace their covenant with God understand it as a promise of protection.  It's literally a covering from destruction and other curses.  The Hebrew word for atonement is 'kafar,' which has reference to a covering or a close embrace.  Hugh Nibley explains:

The basic word for atonement is kafar, which has the same basic meaning in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic—that being “to bend, arch over, cover; 2) [to pass over with one’s palm &c., to wipe out, rub] … to deny, … to forgive, … to be expiated, … renounce.”  The Arabic kafara puts the emphasis on a tight squeeze, such as tucking in the skirts, drawing a thing close to oneself. Closely related are Aramaic and Arabic kafata, meaning a close embrace, which are certainly related to the Egyptian hpt, the common ritual embrace written with the ideogram of embracing arms. Hpt may be cognate with the Latin capto and the Persian kaftan, a monk’s robe and hood completely embracing the body.  ... Most interesting is the Arabic kafata, as it is the key to a dramatic situation. It was the custom for one fleeing for his life in the desert to seek protection in the tent of a great sheik, crying out, “Ana dakhiluka,” meaning “I am thy suppliant,” whereupon the host would place the hem of his robe over the guest’s shoulder and declare him under his protection...In reply, according to the ancient custom, the Master would then place the hem of his robe protectively over the kneeling man’s shoulder (kafata). This puts him under the Lord’s protection from all enemies. They embrace in a close hug, as Arab chiefs still do; the Lord makes a place for him and invites him to sit down beside him—they are at-one. (source)

We'll end this post with the poetic words of Nephi, who encapsulates the beauty of the symbol of the heavenly garment and the protection and promise it offers:

O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! (2 Nephi 4:33)

Melchizedek -- Part 2 ("when thy posterity shall...look upward, then shall Zion look downward")

This post is a continuation of part 1, where we discussed the nature of the everlasting covenant and the order of the Son of God. 

The creation-covenant connection

We have frequently written about the creation-covenant connection on this blog. A linguistic Hebrew relation between the two indicates a conceptual relation. All creation was initially bound through covenant. Wickedness and iniquity disrupts this harmony whereas righteousness restores and preserves it. This righteousness is the essence of the order of the Son of God or the priesthood of Melchizedek, the king of righteousness. It ultimately leads back to the Garden of Eden or Zion where harmony and peace of the whole creation abound. 

How? The priesthood and its ordinances manifest the power of godliness and cause us to "look upward". To repeat JST Genesis 9:22

And this is mine everlasting covenant, that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and look upward, then shall Zion look downward, and all the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth shall tremble with joy

This is such a beautiful verse. The poetic parallelism at the end is certainly typical for ancient Hebrew and not 19th century upstate New York language, by the way. Do you see the creation-covenant theme? In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. When we live in this mortal state on earth and embrace the everlasting covenant, we look upward and heaven and earth are reunited and rejoicing.

Enoch and his posterity

Another aspect of this verse is God speaking to Noah about his posterity. There is an interesting dynamic here that I have pondered. In the last post we saw that the covenant was closely linked to Zion. Enoch and his city were taken and JST Genesis 14:32 states

And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.

This implies that anyone with faith coming unto this order of God (the Melchizedek Priesthood) are translated and taken up to heaven like Enoch. This may seem strange, since Enoch and his city are quite unique in history. But reading on, this is explained

33 And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace.

34 And his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world

So Melchizedek was after this order and should therefore be translated and taken up to heaven like Enoch. We learn from these verses that Melchizedek "obtained heaven", but not the same way as Enoch. Instead, he established the heavenly order, peace, on earth in Salem (from the Hebrew word, Shalom, meaning peace) and then waited for a day when he would come to the city of Enoch that has been reserved for the latter days. 

And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the king of heaven by his people, or, in other words, the King of peace. (JST Genesis 14:36)

This idea is expressed in Moses 8:2 as well

And it came to pass that Methuselah, the son of Enoch, was not taken, that the covenants of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he made to Enoch; for he truly covenanted with Enoch that Noah should be of the fruit of his loins.

Enoch and his city were taken to heaven. They sought heaven and obtained it through righteousness by the holy order and everlasting covenant. But part of the covenant was to leave a posterity that would have access to the same order and the same blessings. Except they would have to try to establish this order on earth "looking upward" and have to wait for the latter days for the full realization of Zion, where heaven and earth would meet. One day, Enoch and his city in heaven will meet Zion on earth, consisting of his righteous posterity.

Enoch, Noah and Abraham

Promises concerning posterity is an important ingredient in the Abrahamic covenant. In fact, I think the covenant with Abraham is just a reiteration of the everlasting covenant that God made with Enoch and Noah but with some additional specific promises to him. Interestingly, Melchizedek in the JST is described as "ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch" before he blesses Abraham

And it came to pass, that God blessed Abram, and gave unto him riches, and honor, and lands for an everlasting possession; according to the covenant which he had made, and according to the blessing wherewith Melchizedek had blessed him. (JST Genesis 14:40)

I would not be surprised if the order of the covenant with Enoch had a lot to do with the blessing that Melchizedek gave to Abraham. Melchizedek is also described as a man of faith

26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness...

30 For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;

31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.

32 And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.

I know that I am repeating some of these verses over and over, but there is so much in here and I want to highlight the different aspects. In this case, my focus on faith and posterity leads directly to Paul's letter to the Hebrews. Chapters 5-7 discuss Melchizedek and his order and chapter 11 is a lecture on faith. I don't think it's a coincidence that Enoch, Noah and Abraham are mentioned as examples of faith in that order

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

It's a long passage but I have to include all these verse since it fits remarkably well with the scriptures quoted already in the context of the everlasting covenant. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob dwelling in tabernacles actually also fits the series on tabernacles/shekinah that I recently wrote, especially this part and this part, even though I only reluctantly introduce yet another aspect to an already complex topic.

So let me try to sum this up: From the foundation of the world, there is an everlasting covenant binding all creation together in peace. The fall and the iniquity of man as a result of the fall, disrupts the covenant. But Enoch, being called after the order of the Son of God, managed to restore the covenant of peace and establish Zion. His city was taken to heaven with a promise that one day, the seed after him who similarly enter into this order and covenant, will meet them in a grand reunion of heaven and earth. Consequently, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham and other 'Tsadiks' (Righteous Ones) were not immediately taken up to heaven like Enoch. Rather, they were preserved, received promises concerning their posterity and tried to establish peace in their circumstances while longing for a future "city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God". 

As Abraham's seed, we too can "look upward" aided by the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood in which "the power of godliness" is manifest. "Then shall Zion look downward" and we will also one day become its citizens, no longer being "strangers and pilgrims". 

 

'New life' as an early Christian/temple theme (and major mantic symbol), part 2

This is a continuation of my last post. In part 1, we looked at the ancient story of Cain and Abel and how the same lessons were taught by Jesus. To someone unfamiliar with the ancient symbols found in the Cain and Abel story, it might seem that Jesus was teaching radical new doctrine, when in actuality He was restoring the original understanding of the doctrines of the Israelite religion, which had been suppressed centuries earlier. Hundreds of years before Christ, Jacob preserved a wonderful summary of the original religion in Jacob 4:4-10. He wasn't the only one -- we'll get to some additional examples in the next few posts.

Grasping this idea can unfold new layers of meaning in very familiar verses, as we have already seen with Matthew.

As this concept clicked in my head, I understood the words of Paul on faith in a new light. Here is what Paul said about Abel as he spoke about what it means to have faith (I've included the KJV first followed by the same verses from the Expanded Bible, which offers some helpful notes and alternate translations):

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11, KJV)

3 It is by faith we understand that the ·whole world [universe; cosmos; ages] was made by God’s ·command [word; Gen. 1] so what we see was ·made by something that cannot be seen [L not made from/by visible things].

4 It was by faith that Abel offered God a ·better [more acceptable] sacrifice than Cain [Gen. 4:4–8]. God ·said he was pleased with [commended him for; bore testimony to] the gifts Abel offered and ·called Abel [commended him as; testified that he was] a ·good [righteous] man because of his faith. Abel died, but through his faith he is still speaking [12:24]. (Hebrews 11, Expanded Bible)

Faith led to Abel's more acceptable offering to God, an animal sacrifice in the manner taught to Adam by the angel (see Moses 5:5). Obedience to that ordinance (and an understanding of the doctrine of Christ underpinning that ordinance) allowed Abel to find life eternal (though he died, "through his faith he is still speaking"). From this we learn that true faith (as it was initially taught by angels) is centered on a belief that God is the Creator, that He knows best, and that we must constantly strive to hearken to His voice.

In the following chapter, Paul makes another reference to Abel's offering in direct comparison to Christ. All of this is given in the context of a description of God's church that is loaded with temple/covenant imagery:

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12, NRSV)

What happens to our faith when we begin to view the temple the place where we come to exercise our faith in God, the place where we can "come to Mount Zion ... and to innumerable angels in festal gathering"? What is being celebrated? That we have found new life in Christ, the "mediator of a new covenant" through His blood which was shed for us.

Faith begins with hope in a better world and that hope leads us to a new life in Christ. Everything we do as we follow Him is best thought of as a celebration of what He did for all mankind. To reiterate Jacob's words from the last post, "... we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us." (Jacob 4:4)

How can we know if these are new ideas or ancient ones?

The Book of Mormon provides a key to answering this question, but as I mentioned above, it is not the only place where these ancient understandings were recorded. Margaret Barker (a Methodist scholar of the Bible) has spent her life uncovering the most ancient understanding of Israelite temple worship and symbols.  She is an excellent resource on this topic. In the next post, I'll review some of the sources she cites to demonstrate that the concept of "new life" is an ancient doctrine of the first Israelite temple, not an early Christian invention.

A temple pattern in the Book of Mormon, continued -- More about shaking

4 Yet now ... be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts:

5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

6 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2)

As in all things, I learn more and more as I go.  In this post, I'd like to add more depth to the concept of shaking which was discussed in this recent post. Shaking and covenants are deeply connected. In the earlier post, we looked at Mormon's declaration (found in Helaman 12) that "by the power of his voice doth the whole earth shake" and "by the power of his voice, do the foundations rock, even to the very center." 

Mormon also says of mankind: "they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide."

This juxtaposition of creation and God's commandments really speaks to me. It is true that we are agents unto ourselves (see Doctrine & Covenants 58:28). We came to His creation, this earth, as a result of a promise we made with God to follow Jesus Christ. To the extent that we live according to His purposes, we "shall have glory added upon [our] heads forever and ever" (Abraham 3:26). If we violate His purposes, we are misusing His creation.

Each of us has the opportunity (and obligation) to "rend that veil of unbelief" (Ether 4:15) and remember some important truths:

1. We are strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (See Hebrews 11:13.) 
2. Our time here is short and our eternal destiny depends on how the choices we make during this time of probation. (See Alma 42:7-10, 23-24.) 
3. The everlasting covenant is the only path to eternal life. (See Doctrine & Covenants 45:5-10.)

In the words of the Psalmist: "A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. ... Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures ... Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, NIV)

Shaking in the presence of God

The earth is God's creation, intended for man's use according to His purposes.  

The arrival of God (v. 18) is heralded by these awesome forces of nature serving like a king’s outrunners (2 Sam. 15:1; 1 Kings 1:5) and by a loud blast of the horn. See also 1 Kings 19:11–13; Hab. 3:3–5; Pss. 18:8–16; 68:9–10. Outside the Bible these phenomena also appear in theophanies, particularly of storm gods. In Israelite tradition, although the LORD is no mere storm god, these motifs were taken over to describe the overwhelming power and majesty of the direct experience of the divine. (Berlin, A., Brettler, M. Z., & Fishbane, M. (Eds.). (2004). The Jewish Study Bible (p. 147). New York: Oxford University Press.)

Along the same lines, each of us is His child and subject to His power.  Thus, to the extent that we are unworthy servants (or caught by the power/kingdom of the devil), when we stand in His presence we are shaken to the center. (See Doctrine & Covenants 10:56.)

An illustration from Moses and the children of Israel

I'll illustrate this pattern using a story from Moses and the children of Israel.

In Exodus 19, three months after their miraculous rescue from bondage in Egypt, Moses "went up unto God" and conversed with Him.

3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, 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:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 19)

In verse 8 we learn that "all the people" agree to these terms.  In other words, they accept the covenant God has offered them. Then the Lord tells Moses to "sanctify" the people in preparation of His appearance to them.

10 ¶ And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about... (Exodus 19)

After setting the terms of the covenant, receiving agreement from the people, and preparing them by sanctification and "set[ting] bounds," the Lord "came down upon mount Sinai."  Here is the description of how the creation reacted:

16 ¶ And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. (Exodus 19)

It is in this context, with the people prepared and a boundary set that God gives Israel His law.

The Everlasting Covenant as a "light to the world"

With all of this rich symbolism in mind, I'll close this post with powerful words from Doctrine & Covenants 45, with some emphasis added by me:

1 Hearken, O ye people of my church, to whom the kingdom has been given; hearken ye and give ear to him who laid the foundation of the earth, who made the heavens and all the hosts thereof, and by whom all things were made which live, and move, and have a being.
2 And again I say, hearken unto my voice, lest death shall overtake you; in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved.
3 Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—
4 Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;
5 Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.
6 Hearken, O ye people of my church, and ye elders listen together, and hear my voice while it is called today, and harden not your hearts;
7 For verily I say unto you that I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the light and the life of the world—a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
8 I came unto mine own, and mine own received me not; but unto as many as received me gave I power to do many miracles, and to become the sons of God; and even unto them that believed on my name gave I power to obtain eternal life.
9 And even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me. (Doctrine & Covenants 45)