Don Bradley'S Fair Presentation: What Are The Ashera And Nehushtan Parallels?

[DonBradley]

Ah, okay. Thanks a ton, Kevin!

[USU78]

Don, I am really anxious to hear what you have to say. We all are anxious, I believe.

[DonBradley]

Dr. Pepper Addict ;-) ,

 

Some of my thoughts, or similar thoughts, came up in the discussion some months back:

 

There is definitely a parallel to the brazen serpent in the Liahona. The Liahona parallels the brazen serpent in composition (brass) and how it is used (looking). (It's also interesting that both instruments are given proper names. While we call the ball the Liahona, the Book of Mormon just calls it "Liahona." Similarly, the brazen serpent is given the name "Nehushtan" [though this name may have been given later by Hezekiah, or by the Deuteronomists].)

 

And, of course, the parallel is made explicit in a couple Book of Mormon texts.

 

The Liahona also, interestingly, parallels another temple relic--"Aaron's rod that budded"--in its function as a divinatory device. And Aaron's rod that budded is, as I understand it, associated with the sacred tree/asherah of Israelite mother goddess worship.

 

So the Liahona would parallel not one but two temple relics associated with worship of the divine Mother.

 

Don

[DonBradley]

The issue of a sacred tree/asherah in Nephite temple worship is less clear. 

 

The Nephites unquestionably had a sacred relic they saw as an equivalent to the (mother goddess-linked) brazen serpent, since they draw the parallel themselves.

 

The sacred tree clearly functions as a crucial symbol in Nephite religion, as Nephi's vision, Alma's analogy, and other BoM texts show. But what is needed are the connections between this symbol and the Nephite temple in particular, and indications that the Nephites grew actual trees embodying the symbol. It would, of course, not be surprising if they grew actual trees, since the symbol of the tree itself comes from the presence of real trees in the world. But what's the specific evidence?

 

One of the best connections I see of the tree of life to Nephite temple worship is the centrality of the tree to Nephi's vision. David Bokovoy, in the very first Interpreter article, demonstrated the connections between Nephi's dialogue with the Spirit (about the tree, etc.) and temple worship. So, we do, in fact, have tree of life imagery centrally positioned in BoM temple texts.

 

I'm also exploring other angles and open to additional evidence.

 

What do you think?

 

What evidence is there that the sacred tree was connected with Nephite temple worship? And is there any direct evidence of that the Nephites grew such trees?

 

Don

[USU78]

The issue of a sacred tree/asherah in Nephite temple worship is less clear. 

 

The Nephites unquestionably had a sacred relic they saw as an equivalent to the (mother goddess-linked) brazen serpent, since they draw the parallel themselves.

 

The sacred tree clearly functions as a crucial symbol in Nephite religion, as Nephi's vision, Alma's analogy, and other BoM texts show. But what is needed are the connections between this symbol and the Nephite temple in particular, and indications that the Nephites grew actual trees embodying the symbol. It would, of course, not be surprising if they grew actual trees, since the symbol of the tree itself comes from the presence of real trees in the world. But what's the specific evidence?

 

One of the best connections I see of the tree of life to Nephite temple worship is the centrality of the tree to Nephi's vision. David Bokovoy, in the very first Interpreter article, demonstrated the connections between Nephi's dialogue with the Spirit (about the tree, etc.) and temple worship. So, we do, in fact, have tree of life imagery centrally positioned in BoM temple texts.

 

I'm also exploring other angles and open to additional evidence.

 

What do you think?

 

What evidence is there that the sacred tree was connected with Nephite temple worship? And is there any direct evidence of that the Nephites grew such trees?

 

Don

 

Of course there's no direct evidence that the Nephites had either religious art/iconography in or about their temple(s) that included trees or tree symbology.  You tell me where Nephi and Zarahemla were, then we can both start digging and taking polaroids!

 

Lehi/Nephi's dream(s) are a good place to start to look at the symbol, of course, as you know.  We include tree symbology in our own temple worship, and have artistic representations of sacred trees in all temples I've been in, and trees, especially/including the Tree of Life figure largely in the ritual.  I particularly love the depiction of the Tree of Life being artistically, dramatically and verbally being associated with water, as well:  water/tree shown together, as in Lehi's dream and in a certain place at a certain time are a powerful image of G-d Himself, constantly shedding His love and grace on a parched word from a paradisical spot, and may, as pointed out, represent even for us today a symbol of G-d's Consort as Mother from Whom life and love flow constantly, even during those times when G-d and the Master absent themselves from us for a season.

 

I don't think anybody, you me or anybody else, is claiming that the asherah symbol, whatever it may have been, needs to be an object of worship by the Lehites in order to be useful in focusing worshipers' devotions and gratitude.  The Sacred Tree, as Nibley never tired of pointing out, is hardly out of place in temples and other places of worship.  To speculate, as I do, that the Lehites had good reasons for including tree symbology and, perhaps, iconography in their temple(s) is not far-fetched.  At least I haven't seen any argument that it is.  What I'm hoping to see is, like Kevin, folks coming up with good arguments that make its noninclusion in Lehite temple(s) unlikely.

 

Dr. Pepper Addict ;-) ,

 

Some of my thoughts, or similar thoughts, came up in the discussion some months back:

 

There is definitely a parallel to the brazen serpent in the Liahona. The Liahona parallels the brazen serpent in composition (brass) and how it is used (looking). (It's also interesting that both instruments are given proper names. While we call the ball the Liahona, the Book of Mormon just calls it "Liahona." Similarly, the brazen serpent is given the name "Nehushtan" [though this name may have been given later by Hezekiah, or by the Deuteronomists].)

 

And, of course, the parallel is made explicit in a couple Book of Mormon texts.

 

The Liahona also, interestingly, parallels another temple relic--"Aaron's rod that budded"--in its function as a divinatory device. And Aaron's rod that budded is, as I understand it, associated with the sacred tree/asherah of Israelite mother goddess worship.

 

So the Liahona would parallel not one but two temple relics associated with worship of the divine Mother.

 

Don

 

Naturally, there need not be a one-for-one correspondence.  The brass/bronze doodad in the pre-reform First Temple could easily be mirrored by both the Liahona and the Brass Plates, thus making disagreement between our speculations unnecessary:  both are made of the same stuff and one "look and live" to both their Torah and their Compass.

[Kevin Christensen]

The issue of a sacred tree/asherah in Nephite temple worship is less clear. 

 

The Nephites unquestionably had a sacred relic they saw as an equivalent to the (mother goddess-linked) brazen serpent, since they draw the parallel themselves.

 

The sacred tree clearly functions as a crucial symbol in Nephite religion, as Nephi's vision, Alma's analogy, and other BoM texts show. But what is needed are the connections between this symbol and the Nephite temple in particular, and indications that the Nephites grew actual trees embodying the symbol. It would, of course, not be surprising if they grew actual trees, since the symbol of the tree itself comes from the presence of real trees in the world. But what's the specific evidence?

 

One of the best connections I see of the tree of life to Nephite temple worship is the centrality of the tree to Nephi's vision. David Bokovoy, in the very first Interpreter article, demonstrated the connections between Nephi's dialogue with the Spirit (about the tree, etc.) and temple worship. So, we do, in fact, have tree of life imagery centrally positioned in BoM temple texts.

 

I'm also exploring other angles and open to additional evidence.

 

What do you think?

 

What evidence is there that the sacred tree was connected with Nephite temple worship? And is there any direct evidence of that the Nephites grew such trees?

 

Don

Have you read Bruce Jorgenson's essay "The Dark Way to the Tree?"

https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/literature-belief-sacred-scripture-and-religious-experience/11-dark-way-tree-typological

FWIW

Kevin Christensen

Pittsburgh, PA

[mfbukowski]

Lehi/Nephi's dream(s) are a good place to start to look at the symbol, of course, as you know.  We include tree symbology in our own temple worship, and have artistic representations of sacred trees in all temples I've been in, and trees, especially/including the Tree of Life figure largely in the ritual.  I particularly love the depiction of the Tree of Life being artistically, dramatically and verbally being associated with water, as well:  water/tree shown together, as in Lehi's dream and in a certain place at a certain time are a powerful image of G-d Himself, constantly shedding His love and grace on a parched word from a paradisical spot, and may, as pointed out, represent even for us today a symbol of G-d's Consort as Mother from Whom life and love flow constantly, even during those times when G-d and the Master absent themselves from us for a season.

And of course this is clearly and obviously reaffirmed this very year, a couple of times so far and perhaps more to come.

[mfbukowski]

The brass/bronze doodad in the pre-reform First Temple could easily be mirrored by both the Liahona and the Brass Plates, thus making disagreement between our speculations unnecessary:  both are made of the same stuff and one "look and live" to both their Torah and their Compass.

 

If we had the plates, or when we do have them, I wonder how they will feature in all this.

Edited May 8, 2014 by mfbukowski

[DonBradley]

USU78,

 

I see a stronger parallel of the brazen serpent to the Liahona than to the brass plates, but, as you say, there's no reason both can't be parallel to the brazen serpent. I certainly think the brass plates (along with the Liahona) were among the relics enshrined in the Nephite temple.

 

Thinking about this more, it is interesting that the two artifacts Alma chooses to focus on in Alma 37 are the brass plates and the brass compass/Liahona, and that the compass is used to symbolize God's word, which was contained on the brass plates. Hmmm

 

 

About the tree--I don't think the Nephites need to have had a physical tree in their holy of holies in order for tree symbolism to have had special meaning in their religion, and even specifically in their temple worship. However, the question of what artifacts were in the Nephite temple is central to my own inquiry about Nephite temple worship. So, I'm interested in evidence that the tree was an important symbol to them and also interested in evidence that they did (or didn't) have an actual sacred tree/tree of life in their temple.

 

Don

[DonBradley]

Have you read Bruce Jorgenson's essay "The Dark Way to the Tree?"

https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/literature-belief-sacred-scripture-and-religious-experience/11-dark-way-tree-typological

FWIW

Kevin Christensen

Pittsburgh, PA

 

Kevin,

 

Thank you for the link. I read this a long time ago, but, in light of my present inquiry, I definitely need to read it again now.

 

Don

[USU78]

USU78,

 

I see a stronger parallel of the brazen serpent to the Liahona than to the brass plates, but, as you say, there's no reason both can't be parallel to the brazen serpent. I certainly think the brass plates (along with the Liahona) were among the relics enshrined in the Nephite temple.

 

Thinking about this more, it is interesting that the two artifacts Alma chooses to focus on in Alma 37 are the brass plates and the brass compass/Liahona, and that the compass is used to symbolize God's word, which was contained on the brass plates. Hmmm

 

 

About the tree--I don't think the Nephites need to have had a physical tree in their holy of holies in order for tree symbolism to have had special meaning in their religion, and even specifically in their temple worship. However, the question of what artifacts were in the Nephite temple is central to my own inquiry about Nephite temple worship. So, I'm interested in evidence that the tree was an important symbol to them and also interested in evidence that they did (or didn't) have an actual sacred tree/tree of life in their temple.

 

Don

 

I've been having more thoughts on Aaron's rod.  Maybe this helps your inquiry and maybe not.  Let's see.

 

Aaron's rod, for LDS, represents that which in man's hands accomplishes G-d's work, finding water in the wilderness, calling down the judgments of G-d upon those who oppress G-d's chosen people, strengthening and supporting G-d's chosen prophet and priest in their functions as leaders of G-d's people out of oppression and into freedom, and accompanies/leads His people through a cleansing baptismal rebirth at both the Red Sea and the Jordan.

 

It is also a symbol of resurrection, both in its association with the people's birth as G-d's people at the Red Sea and at the Jordan, and in its budding:  G-d can take lifeless, useless flesh and enliven it . . . and its planting and budding and this side Jordan demonstrates that G-d continues to abide with His people even though they've been cut from their roots, smoothed and polished through affliction, and then thrust into alien earth that becomes its own . . . a metaphor of Israel's blossoming in the desert.

 

The rod is thus emblematic of the priesthood, G-d's enduring care, the resurrection, the covenant, and etc.  It makes Aaron's rod a kind of catch-all for G-d's relationship with His people, all of them, and the world He made for them.  You can arguably match up the functions the rod performs and the things it represents with every other cult/ritual object in the Debir in Solomon's Temple.  I won't elaborate just now, but just wanted to point out how versatile a tool "[His] rod and [His] staff" really are.