Theophany in a Temple Setting

I wrote yesterday about theophanies.  It has dawned on me that there may be some of you who haven't heard that word before.  It refers to those times in the history of the world when a human being has seen and conversed with God face-to-face.  It is the most glorious manifestation of the gift of revelation. 

 

As I've studied the scriptures over the years, I have found that theophanies seem to occur in three setting: the tops of high mountains, the temple, or in a vision of heaven itself.  They also seem to have certain characteristics in common.  I'd like to talk about some of these today relative to John's theophany recorded in the Book of Revelation - or at least in the first few chapters that I have studied thus far.  Again, I am no expert, but it helps to clarify it for me when I write it down, so I hope you will bear with me.

 

John's theophany begins as he is "in the spirit" upon the Christian Sabbath.  He is taken away in spirit to a temple setting.  Some of the characteristics of this part of the theophany include God's voice like the sound of a trumpet.  This reminds me of what Moses and the Children of Israel heard at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19.)

John then sees seven golden candlesticks. The seven-branched golden candle stick or menorah was found in the temple (and, earlier, in Moses' tabernacle.)  It represented the Tree of Life from the Garden of Eden.  It also represented the Light of God.  During the reign of the Maccabees, the menorah stayed alight for 8 days and nights, even though there was insufficient oil, a miracle that led to the Jew's Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah - which Jesus Himself observed during His lifetime. (see John 10:22.) 

 

In the above picture from Wikimedia, you can also see the veil of the temple (behind which is the Ark of the Covenant); the table of shew bread, and the container of incense, which was to symbolically represent the prayers of the people to God.  Later in Revelation, chapter one, we learn that the candlesticks also represent the Church, remembering that the number seven means the whole or complete Church.  Even though John wrote specifically to seven branches of the church, I think it would be a shallow reading of the text to think that Christ isn't concerned about all of His Church, even today.

 

Then John sees the Savior. His hair and beard are white and He is "clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle." (Revelation 1: 13) This was the temple garment of a Jewish high priest, which also helps place this part of the theophany in a temple setting.  When John had seen the Risen Christ last, He looked as He had in life.  Now He was a radiant, celestial Being so filled with light that His eyes were as fire and His feet as brass and dressed in priestly garments.  This is interesting, for Paul tells us that Jesus was an high priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:10.)  

 

I'm sure that earthly words in any language are inadequate to describe Him.  Joseph Smith described a similar experience during his theophany in the Kirtland Temple (Doctrine and Covenants 110:1-4.)  I sometimes think that we don't fully appreciate the power of Jesus' saying: I Am the Light of the World!

 

Text copyright Gebara Education January 2013

Picture of Holy of Holies from www.common.wikimedia.com

Picture of an high priest before the Ark of the Covenant from www.jerusalem-4thtemple.com