Previous posts have dealt with gestures of approach as we progress through the temple in a symbolic journey to enter God’s presence. These were used in ancient times to discern a friend from a foe, and thus, certain gestures could be seen from far away. The main steps of covenant making were followed anciently in a temple setting but also in personal and business transactions. In Jewish culture, this pattern is still followed.
The main steps of covenant making are:
- Historical background of the covenant and parties involved
- The party having more power extends the offer
- Witnesses of the contract or covenant
- Terms, conditions, bounds, and penalties for violation of the covenant
- Ritual act to seal the covenant
These steps can be seen in the covenant between Jacob and Laban in Genesis 31, the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood in D&C 84, and the New and Everlasting Covenant of Celestial Marriage in D&C 132.
In 1 Samuel 3, the Lord reveals to Samuel of His judgment against Eli and his sons for the sons’ immoral behavior and their corruption of the sin offerings. The fat of the sin offering, as the choicest part of the flesh, was supposed to be burned on the altar, but Hophni and Phinehas were intercepting the animals and asked for the meat to be given to them raw so they could eat the best parts, otherwise they would “take it by force.” This selfish act deprived the people of receiving a symbolic atonement, since they could not make a sin offering. This judgment against Eli and his sons came because Eli failed to restrain his sons. The priest is supposed to side with the Lord in every case once the holy anointing oil is upon him (see Leviticus 10:7).
Samuel was afraid to tell Eli of the Lord’s judgment against him, but Eli made him promise to spill his guts. He said, “What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee” (1 Samuel 3:17). This phrase, “God do so to thee (or me) and more also” is repeated many times in the Old Testament in covenant settings. But this is like the audio without the video. It begs the question, God do what? Bible scholars affirm that there is a gesture signifying what the penalty would be. David C. Mitchell in his excellent book, The Songs of Ascents,” gives a Mishnah account of the Levite singers in the temple putting the left hand over the ear and the thumb pressing against the throat to produce a trilling sound (page 101). But this was also seen as a gesture of the penalty for violating the covenant. Bible scholars have noted accounts where David played the harp and lyre “with his hand” to be seen as symbolic gestures of the hand.
In the ancient temple round dance practiced by the early Essenes as a prayer circle, gestures accompanied the dancing and singing. I will discuss this further when we get to the Psalms, but the circular motion of the round dance was a simulation of the Creation with the planets moving around the sun. Native Americans also participate in a form of the Round Dance.
