One significant historical fact that recurs is the constant takeover of the little land of Israel. Our archaeology shows close to thirty major different levels of conquering and habitation. The conqueror’s quest was to secure the "Crossroads of the East." It reached from the North, sometimes governed by Assyrians, Babylonians and others and extended South to Egypt and the gateway to Africa. Babylon, (today’s Iraq) was one of the major conquerors.

"From more than two thousand years before the start of the Common Era, the Babylonian Empire went through many changes of rulers and dynasties. In 612 B.C.E. Nebuchadnezzar became the ruler of Babylonia and shortly afterwards, in 586 B.C.E., conquered Judea, destroying the Temple and exiling the Jews to Babylonia. These exiles formed a large Jewish community who yearned for their homeland; as we read in Psalm 137: "By the rivers of Babylon we sat and cried, remembering Zion . . . How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning."

"Babylon, the capital city of ancient Babylonia, is called by Isaiah "the glory of kingdoms." Over the years the city was destroyed, rebuilt, then destroyed and rebuilt once again. When the Neo- Babylonian Empire was built at the expense of the Assyrian Empire, Babylon was made the capital of the new Empire, and underwent a vast program of public building and fortification. In excavations of Babylon, two palaces of King Nebuchadnezzar have been uncovered. One of them is assumed to be the location of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, considered in ancient times to have been amongst the Seven Wonders of the World." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

In 586 B.C.E., Nebuchadnezzer captured the city of Jerusalem, and on the biblical date of Tish'ah be-Av (the 9^th of Av) he had the Temple destroyed, carried off a large part of the population into captivity and put Zedekiah and other Judean notables to death.

"Daniel and the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel were eyewitnesses to all these events and the biblical books bearing their names testify to the political and spiritual crises which confronted Judea during this period. According to the Book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar suffered greatly for destroying the Temple. He was beset by dreams which he could not understand. One of them, a vision of a magnificent tree cut down in its prime was interpreted by Daniel for the king as a personal warning of many years of madness that were about to come upon him, during which time he would eat grass and live like an animal." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

Prayer, alone as well as by those who accompanied him was able to lead Daniel through the confusing dreams of Nebuchadnezzar. The children of Israel have always thought and spoken in illustrative imagery. The Old Testament only has about eight-thousand-nine-hundred different words, (English has about eight-hundred-fifty-six-thousand words) yet the illustrative capacity of the prophets is expressed through the images that are given. Hence, Daniel was able to interpret the king’s dreams using "the learning of the Jews" as well as being "Highly favored of the Lord." (See 1 Nephi 1:1-2)

"Dreams have fascinated people through the ages. The Biblical view was that dreams are divine communication --- events transpiring on a supernatural plane. Thus, dreams were regarded as omens, which could be interpreted only by visionaries or prophets, who were in touch with this "divine dimension." In the Bible, "dreamer," "prophet," and "magician" are related terms. Joseph was one such interpreter; he explained Pharaoh's dreams of the fat and thin cows as symbolizing seven years of plenty followed by seven years of hunger (Genesis 41). God's promise to Abraham about the inheritance of the land of Israel came in a dream (Genesis 15) and Samuel's first prophecies were stimulated by God's calling to him in a dream (Samuel 1:3)." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

One of the often used images in dreams, visions and general instruction was of stone. Here are some examples.

Altars and Temple:

"And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it." (Genesis 28:18)

"And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth" (Genesis 28:22)

"And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar." (Genesis 31:45)

"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." (Isaiah 28:16)

. . . made without hands . . .

"And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it." (Exodus 20:25)

"And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor ax nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building." (1 Kings 6:7)

The Lord: "But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel . . ." (Genesis 49:24)

"Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God." (Leviticus 26:1)

"And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell." (Deuteronomy 4:28)

. . . his steadfastness . . .

"His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone." (Job 41:24)

. . . the "Chief Cornerstone" is rejected . . .

"The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." (Psalms 118:22)

"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?" (Matthew 21:42)

"To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner," (1 Peter 2:4-7)

The word of the Lord:

"And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. (Exodus 24:12)

The defender of Israel:

"And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth." (1 Samuel 17:49)

The Prophets and Apostles - with the Lord:

"And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone." (John 1:42)

"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;" (Ephesians 2:20)

Stones or rocks are still placed on Jewish graves as reminders of the stone built temple and an innate desire to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Apparently, it was and will be made with stone - and the Rock of Salvation will come to that Temple!

Gold and silver represent the wealthy nation of Babylon and the term "gold and silver" is a commodity as well as a metaphor for wealth. When used properly it is pleasing and used considerably in the temple construction. When misused, it represents a snare and detriment to a Godly life.

"Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold." (Exodus 20:23)

"And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;" (Genesis 41:42)

"Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? (Genesis 44:8)

"And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more." (Numbers 22:18)

 

"The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God." (Deuteronomy 7:25)

"But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living . . It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. (Job 28: 12-15 )

"Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold." (Psalms 119:127)

"How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!" (Proverbs 16:16)

 

"They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity." (Ezekiel 7:19)

"Awake, O kings of the earth! Come ye, O, come ye, with your gold and your silver, to the help of my people, to the house of the daughters of Zion." (Doctrine & Covenants 124:11)

 

"Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation." (Doctrine & Covenants 128:24)

Another metaphor used to denote hardness and obstinacy is brass and iron, yet in proper use they have a value of strength.

"For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder." (Psalms 107:16)

"I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:" (Isaiah 45:2)

"Because I knew that thou [art] obstinate, and thy neck [is] an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;" (Isaiah 48:4)

"Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth." (Micah 4:13)

Clay usually indicates the formation and shaping of God’s people, even as a creative metaphor in that we are "formed out of clay." (Job 33:6) In this sense, some suggest, the European nations were "formed" or "shaped" out of other ancient nations.

"But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand." (Isaiah 64:8)

"And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it." (Jeremiah 18:4)

"O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel." (Jeremiah 18:6)

Analyzing the various metaphors we can see that beyond the riches and apparent beauty of man’s creations, what is more solid, prevailing and will continue to exist into eternity is the "Rock" or "Stone," the King of Kings, the Lord of Lord!

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