Solomon’s Temple had a molten sea which rested upon twelve oxen, as described in 2 Chronicles 4:4-5:
“It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
“And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.”
Our modern temples have baptismal fonts patterned after this molten sea with the font on top of the twelve oxen. The oxen face in the four cardinal directions, reminding us of the river that went out of the Garden of Eden and parted into four heads (Genesis 2:10). The Garden of Eden was the first temple. The four cardinal directions are composed of two pairs of opposites—north and south and east and west.
The pairing of opposites in the scriptures is called a merism. Examples are:
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8).
“For verily I say unto you that I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the light and the life of the world—a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.” (D&C 45:7).
A merism is not just about the beginning and the end, or A and Z, but it’s about everything in between. It expresses a totality. In the first example, the Lord is ever present in the past, present, and future. In the second example, Jesus is the Light of the World always shining in darkness and light. Alma addresses his audience to include all people by using a merism:
“And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again.” (Alma 5:49).
Alma includes the old and young and bond and free, but then in Book of Mormon plainness, he explains the merism by including the aged, the middle aged, and rising generation. The middle is mentioned.
The word merism is derived from the Greek word merizo or meros, meaning “to divide, distribute, or share.” This means that Christ “ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth” (D&C 88:6). That sums it up. He is “in and through all things.”
The root of the word is also significant. The Lord wants to share EVERYTHING He has with you and me! He promises, “And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him” (D&C 84:38).
The twelve oxen represent the twelve tribes of Israel. This entails an all-encompassing gathering of Israel on both sides of the veil. Missionaries are sent to the north, south, east, west, and everywhere in between. While the oxen represent all the tribes, there is an emphasis on Joseph’s descendants and their role in gathering Israel. “His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: (likely a wild ox) with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.” (Deuteronomy 33:17).
The molten sea described in 2 Chronicles was decorated with flowers of lilies. Jesus compares our potential glory with Solomon and the lilies of the field:
“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
“And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30).
Could Jesus be speaking about the lilies in Solomon’s Temple? The tops of the pillars in the temple also had lily work (1 Kings 7:19). If you think those lilies are spectacular, think of how much more He will clothe you! Temple ordinances involve symbolic clothing rituals. We can put on the “robe of righteousness,” (2 Nephi 9:14) symbolic of being clothed with righteousness, power, and glory.
