The first chapter of the Book of Mormon opens up with Lehi's vision as he sees "the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God" (1 Nephi 1: 8).
There are several noteworthy characteristics of such scriptural theophanies.
1. God is seated on a throne.
2. The setting is in heaven.
3. The setting is a heavenly divine council.
4. The Most High God presides at the council.
5. The throne is at the sacred center.
6. Participants in the council surround the throne in a circle.
7. There is a round dance with singing and praising God.
In this beautifully described theophany, Lehi sees God sitting on His throne and concourses of angels surrounding Him. Webster's Dictionary defines concourse as "an assembly," a "moving, flowing, or running together," or a "place where several roads, or paths, meet." These elements combine to describe a concept of moving, concentric circles around a sacred center.
You can click here for a link to read more about the ancient round dance. You may notice in this article, that "the Hebrew word for festival, or chag, originally meant a ring dance around a sacred altar."
In the ancient round dance the participants circled a sacred center (or an altar) and the circle was constantly moving with the participants singing praises to God. In temple psalms, like Psalm 24, it speaks of "the generation of them that seek him," and the Hebrew root of the word generation means "to go around in a circle." The words to the ancient psalms would be sung in an antiphonal chorus. The participants in the round dance would repeat the chorus, and thus in this psalm you find phrases being repeated like "Who is this King of glory?" and "the King of glory shall come in."
The Hebrew root for concourse comes from the idea of the sound of musical instruments, such as the harp, and is related to the sound of bees buzzing, which also communicate through a round dance within the hive. You can google "round dance bees" and see several links.
Nephi describes his father's vision by saying, "And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day. And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament" (1 Nephi 1: 9-10).
The sun would represent celestial glory. Jehovah descends out of His dwelling place (or throne) which is in the "midst" or sacred center of heaven. The "stars in the firmament" represent members of the heavenly council. In Job the "morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" during a heavenly council. Lucifer sought to take control of the heavenly council and exclaimed, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation" (Isaiah 14: 13). In Abraham, chapter 3 it states, "Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other" (Abraham 3: 18). In this council God saw the souls that were good and He "stood in the midst" (see v. 23). There is a distinct connection between stars and members of the heavenly council.
The symbolism of stars representing members of the divine council is enhanced by ancient beliefs regarding the round dance. The dance was supposed to imitate the order of the heavens with the heavenly planets circling the sun, the source of light and power. The concourses of angels circling the heavenly throne would imitate the pattern in the heavens.
In heavenly councils the "most high God" presides over the council. After all, the participants are considered "gods" or potential gods. Lehi exclaims "Thy throne is high in the heavens." When Lucifer sought the throne he said, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." Satan tries in every way to counterfeit, imitate, and compete with God.
Another psalm describes a divine council:
"God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. . . . I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High" (Psalm 82: 1, 6). Jesus quotes these verses in John, chapter 10, verse 34, as He is accused of blasphemy for saying He is the Son of God. Jesus replies that this psalm in their law affords them the same opportunity for which he is being accused--that of becoming a god.
This is important since Lehi is initiated into the council and becomes, in effect, part of the round dance as he praises the Most High God. Nephi records,
"He did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!
"And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God" (1 Nephi 1: 14-15).
Later in the Book of Mormon Alma experiences conversion and change of heart, and exclaims, "Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there" (Alma 36:22).
This fits a pattern established in the Bible. When Isaiah receives his calling he experiences a theophany. He records,
"I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
"Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
"And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah 6: 1-3).
In the ancient tabernacle and temple the mercy seat, which was the covering for the Ark of the Covenant, served as the throne of God in Israel. The cherubim with their outstretched wings was the covering for the throne (see Exodus 25: 20). These seraphims serve a similar purpose, and can be considered members of the divine council. The Most High God is represented in the superlative of "holy, holy, holy." The repetition of three times would mean the Holiest of All.
Isaiah hears the Lord ask, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" The Lord is asking who will be a messenger for the divine council. Isaiah responds, "Here am I; send me" (Isaiah 6: 8). Lehi and Isaiah (and perhaps every other prophet you can think of) are initiated as messengers for the divine council.
Another Biblical example would be as John the Revelator is caught up into heaven as a door is opened, and he sees "a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne."
John records,
"And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
"And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
"And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind" (Revelation 4: 1-6).
The seven lamps could correspond with the seven lamps of the candlestick located in the Holy Place within the tabernacle and temple.
Again, we have a throne surrounded with elders of a divine council, and later we read of beasts surrounding the throne, and voices proceeding from the council. They also praise God by saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come" (Revelation 4: 8).
The Book of Mormon opens in its beginning chapter with a grand theophany recalling ancient Biblical patterns.
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