("Temple" throughout this post refers to the Temple of Solomon or Tabernacle of Moses, not to modern LDS Temples).
In a previous post, I described the presence of what I call "allegorical Temple imagery" in the Book of Mormon. Various segments of the text symbolically connect images or vignettes from an author's life or experiences or teachings to evoke elements of the Old Temple or Tabernacle. This gives the text two layers: an overt, obvious one, and an allegorical one that refers to the various stations of the Tabernacle or Temple of Solomon. It sounds complicated, but once it is explained, it is easily grasped.
The basic concept is that some sections of scripture have multiple layers of meaning. The first layer is the obvious, literal one. But the imagery in this overt layer creates a symbolic layer beneath it—imagery that evokes the Tabernacle or Temple of Solomon. (For instance, fire might refer to the Atlar of Sacrifice; water to the Brazen Sea.)
The Torah
Moses wrote the Torah or "the Law," the first five books in the Bible. I believe that each of these books corresponds to, allegorically alludes to, a specific piece of furniture in the Old Temple or Tabernacle in the wilderness.
Genesis as the Brazen Sea
The first book, Genesis, contains accounts of the creation, mentioning "waters" and "the great deep." All things, humans included, are commanded to reproduce. Genesis tells us who begot whom. It tells of the destruction and death, and rebirth of the world associated with the flood, and Noah's family. The family histories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their wives are outlined, leading to the formation of the the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Abraham's servant first meets Isaac's wife, Rebekah, at a well with livestock. Jacob meets Rachel at a well, also with livestock. Joseph is described as a fruitful bough over a well. Taken separately, these things are simply a list of the major themes and events recorded in Genesis. But I believe their inclusion and emphasis was deliberate, because each of these things was meant to evoke a specific image beyond itself—each is a veiled reference to the Brazen Sea.
The ordinance of baptism represents birth, bath, burial and resurrection. The Font represents the womb, too. In Genesis, the earth is "born," followed by all life, and then humans. All are commanded to procreate. The earth is cleansed (buried) in the flood, and the survivors ride out the disaster inside an ark, a kind of coffin. They emerge as life is reborn. Genealogies include accounts of miraculous births, with stories of women bearing children.
Genesis records the creation of the House of Israel, the Twelve Tribes; there are twelve brazen ox sculptures at the base of the Font.
I believe Moses did this deliberately. Are there elements from other parts of the Temple in Genesis? Yes—there are mentions of altars and sacrifice, Joseph stores immeasurable grain to save Egypt, and so on. Can Genesis contain these other elements and still pertain primarily to the Laver or Brazen Sea? Yes. How? Sequence, the order of presentation, and emphasis. There may be water in other parts of the scriptures than Genesis, but a Flood that engulfs the whole world puts more emphasis on Genesis as a representation of the Font.
Exodus as the Altar of Sacrifice
The next book in the Torah is Exodus. Its imagery links it symbolically to the Altar of Sacrifice.
The Israelites begin the story by losing their firstborn sons in a slaughter. Moses is spared, and pulled from the water (sacrifices were ceremonially washed before they were killed) to become a prince. He becomes a shepherd (think sacrificial lamb), sees a burning bush atop a mountain (always a symbol of the Temple in scriptures), and is sent to free the children of Israel from Egypt. (Firstborn sons were to be atoned for at the Temple with the sacrifice of a lamb, or two doves if the family was poor, as with Jesus in Luke.) The Nile is turned to blood. Plagues fail to secure freedom for the Israelites, until God kills the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. The Israelites are spared because the blood of the Paschal Lamb is spread on the lintels and doorposts of their homes (blood was sprinkled on the four corners of the Altar). Burning fire protects Israel as the Twelve Tribes descend into the Red Sea. They go from killing sheep (Altar), to crossing the Red Sea (Laver), to the base of Mount Horeb, Sinai (the structure of the Old Temple). Moses enters Sinai (like the High Priest entering the Temple alone), and returns to find Israel worshiping a metal cow (a Font reference).
There are many references to other parts of the Old Temple in Exodus—manna could be Shewbread, etc. But the sequence that takes us from Laver to Altar continues in the Moses' next book, his allegorical Table of Shewbread.
Leviticus as the Table of Shewbread
The Book of Leviticus may seem like a jumble of rules and regulations by which Israel was supposed to live, the minutiae of the Law of Moses for which many modern Christians hold self-righteous contempt. How does this strange rule book evoke the Table of Shewbread? The Table was set like a modern kitchen table, only with ornate gold and silver vessels. The defining items on the Table were the twelve loaves of shewbread, one for each tribe of Israel. That means a place at the Table for everyone in Israel. It was a place for eating a spiritual meal, highly symbolic (this should strike a cord with Latter-day Saints who gather around the sacrament every Sunday).
Leviticus reads like a cookbook. Throughout it, interspersed with instructions about getting along with each other, are hundreds of references to food, smell, consumption (fire from heaven consumes offerings), cooking, preparation of food, kosher dietary guidelines, instructions for making acceptable sacrifices (more cooking, since many sacrifices were eaten afterward), and prohibitions for priest to imbibe wine. Food references crowd the pages of Leviticus. Chapter 21 even details how the Shewbread is to be offered, and lists the qualifications of anyone who touches or eats it. The "feasts of the Lord" (Lev. 23:6), including Passover, are set established by the Lord in the Hebrew calendar. Tithing of crops, flocks, and herds (all food) are commanded.
Numbers as the Menorah
I was once told that reading the Book of Numbers would cure insomnia. Perhaps readers would open their eyes wider if they were looking for symbols that evoke the Menorah. The Menorah represents the Tree of Life, and so a procreative theme undergirds Numbers.
Moses takes a census of the males old enough to go to battle (the Tree of Life was protected by cherubim and a flaming sword; hormones that enable procreation also amplify aggression). Laws of sexual purity are presented. Light is also prominent, as in the priestly blessing: "The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace" (Num. 6:25-26). A cloud rests on the Tabernacle by day, and a pillar of fire by night. Fire from the Lord consumes rebels. (Fire, light and darkness, day and night, are all motifs connected to the Menorah.) Aaron's rod blossoms and yields almonds in chapter 17 (filigree images of almonds decorated the branches of the Menorah). A brazen serpent is lifted up on a rod to heal the people bitten by fiery flying serpents (the Menorah, or Tree of Life, is associated with death, mortality, and a subtle snake in Eden). Balaam prophesies of the Messiah, The Anointed One (olive oil was used to anoint, and was the only fuel source for the Menorah's seven lamps).
Deuteronomy as the Altar of Incense
The Altar of Incense was where the priest burned sweet incense and prayed, morning and evening, for Israel. He interceded on their behalf, and as we read in Luke. Though the priest was isolated in the Temple, others participated in the prayer outside.
Moses recounts his interface with God: "I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to shew you the word of the Lord: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount..." (Deut. 5:5). Moses pled and interceded for Israel the way the priest did in the daily prayers at the Altar of Incense. In Deuteronomy, Moses turns from omniscient third person narrator to first person narrator, facing Israel toe to toe and shaking their shoulders, begging them to obey the Lord.
The fire and cloud are mentioned again in Deuteronomy 1, as well as speaking with the Lord in Mount Horeb. Moses sees the promised land, yet is denied entry, but he charges Joshua. (The priest stood before the Veil when he made the daily prayers with incense, by the entrance to the Holy of Holies, but only the High Priest could enter.) "And ye said, Behold, the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth" (Deut. 5:24). Sounds like the Altar of Incense.
They will be healed (Deut. 7:15) (a common thing to pray for). In chapter 27, they are commanded to build an altar. As they pass over the river Jordan (Deut. 27), conditions and covenants regarding blessings and cursings (promises of obedience) are made by all the people. They accept each curse for disobedience by shouting AMEN twelve times as the priests recite the rules (a common benediction for a group at the end of a prayer). Moses pronounces temporal and spiritual blessings (almost a patriarchal blessing) for each tribe. Then Moses disappears from Israel.
Joshua as the Ark
I wonder if Joshua knew what Moses was doing with the composition of each book of the Torah, because his book begins with the Israelites carrying the Ark of the Covenant across the Jordan. The river parts to allow Israel across on dry ground. (I believe this symbolizes parting the Veil and the entry of the High Priest into the Holy of Holies, where the Ark was later housed.) Joshua records dividing Palestine into lands of inheritance for each tribe (this probably represents being blessed after entering the Holy of Holies). In chapter 22, they set up a special altar as a monument near Jordan. No sacrifices or burnt offerings are to be made upon it. (This is a good description of the Ark—an altar, but nothing is sacrificed or burned there.) Phineas the priest then says, "This day we perceive that the Lord is among us..." (Joshua 22:31). (The presence of God was found in the Holy of Holies.) In chapter 24, Joseph's bones brought from Egypt are buried in Shechem. (The name "Ark" comes from a word meaning "sarcophagus.")
A Binding Tie
Nephi wove his life stories and teachings into images evoking the pattern, the floor plan, of the Temple of Solomon. Moses apparently did the same thing on a larger scale with Torah and Tabernacle. Though each book of the Torah contains elements that can (and should) be construed as references to all the articles of Temple furniture, I see each book as primarily belonging to a specific item. Genesis to the Laver, Font, or Brazen Sea; Exodus to the Altar of Sacrifice; Leviticus to the Table of Shewbread; Numbers to the Menorah; Deuteronomy to the Altar of Incense; and probably Joshua to the Holy of Holies.
Rather than ask why any author of scripture would take the time or trouble to use allegorical Temple imagery, I will simply note that this is more strong evidence that the Book of Mormon is what it purports to be—companion scripture with the Bible. This device is found throughout the Bible and Book of Mormon, like strands of the same golden thread in two separate tapestries. Common style indicates common authorship, and this pattern is in both books. The Torah and Book of Mormon share a common source, divine inspiration.
Whether by plainness or through symbols, each points us to Christ, to faith, to repentance, and to the Temple.
