The Ancient Message in the Icons
I was awestruck the first time I saw this gold tablet! How intriguing! How mysterious! I had no idea who made it. I had no idea when or why someone would make it. All I knew at first sight was that it was written in first or second century Greek script. After a few hours of brain-racking labor, I was able to have a rough translation of the ancient Greek script. The one question that continued to fascinate me was, “why all of the pictures?” Obviously it was very costly to make this tablet from the best gold on earth of that day. Why would someone waste so much precious space on these tablets with pictures or Jewish artwork? Would it not be more practical to use that space to write more words in the first century Greek?
After three years of working with these tablets it struck me! I had seen these same “pictures” many times in Israel and in ancient mosaics. I said to myself, “These are not pictures! They are icons!” Israel was the crossroads of the world. It was the land bridge for trade from the ancient north to the ancient south. By the first century Jews were all over the known world and many of them would make pilgrimages to Jerusalem. How do you communicate in a multi-linguistic society; especially when many of the people cannot read or write? The same way we do today. Icons! The icons were a language in themselves.
The icons found on this tablet were very common icons people were familiar with in Israel in the first few centuries. These icons are what we would call predominately Jewish icons. If icons are a language in themselves, then the obvious question is what is the message in the icons?
I have already defined most of these icons in previous articles. These same icons have been found in many different places and the meaning of them is simple. Let’s look at these icons individually then we will put them together to determine the ancient message they were intended to convey.
The two pillars on the sides of the tablet are the icons of the pillars in front of the Temple. The pillar on the right was named Yachin and the pillar on the left was named Boaz (I Kings 7:21). I have described these icons in an article that is on our website titled “Temple Icons” under the Icons and Inscriptions tab on our web page. The two pillars indicate that these icons portray either the first Temple of third Temple. Since the message is prophetic it would be a message about the third Temple, which is yet to be built in Jerusalem.
2. Lion
The face at the bottom of the tablet is the face of a lion. This was a common icon in Israel. The lion icon represents the Messiah who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The lion is a king: the king of beasts. The Messiah is the king. He is like a lion. The Bible says when He roars the children of the West will tremble (Hosea 11:10). The text of this tablet connects this lion to the book of Revelation. John refers to Jesus the Messiah as a lion that is roaring in Revelation 10:3. I have written an article on the lion icon. It is titled “The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.”
3. Six Leaf Rosette
The two six-leaf rosettes at the top of the tablet leave little question as to the Jewishness of this tablet. The six-leaf rosette is the icon of the house of David. It comes from the crocus flower that grows naturally in Bethlehem Ephrata where David was born and raised. I have written an article on this on Digging Deep’s website as well.
4. The Holy of Holies
The triangle on top of the pillars of the Temple represents the Holy of Holies. I have established this in the article I wrote about the Temple Icons. This is the most crucial part of the icons on this tablet. The normal icon one would expect in the Holy of Holies is the icon for the Ark of the Covenant and the Shekinah glory of God. This Holy of Holies has a throne sitting on three pillars. This is the throne of God! God will sit on His throne in the Temple in millennium. What are the three pillars? The three pillars of the throne of God are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We typically consider the theology of the Trinity as New Testament theology. The truth is the Trinity is all through the Bible. The Early Church understood the Trinity without even having the New Testament. Jews have always understood the Trinity. The question is “who is the Son, which is the Messiah?”
In light of the icons and the writing on this gold tablet, what is the message the first century church left us? It is clear that the prevailing character of this message is primarily Jewish. The message is clear. The Messiah is getting ready to roar! He is about to come back and establish His kingdom. Who is the Messiah? Jesus of Nazareth, the son of the virgin Mary. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah from the house of David. I believe God will use this gold tablet as a tool to lead many Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah. God says all of Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26). If we take that verse literally, then there are millions who will receive Jesus as the Messiah in the near future.
Could it be that God has revealed this gold tablet now to be used as a tool to bring all of Israel to the Messiah?
© Dr. Steven L Smith
After three years of working with these tablets it struck me! I had seen these same “pictures” many times in Israel and in ancient mosaics. I said to myself, “These are not pictures! They are icons!” Israel was the crossroads of the world. It was the land bridge for trade from the ancient north to the ancient south. By the first century Jews were all over the known world and many of them would make pilgrimages to Jerusalem. How do you communicate in a multi-linguistic society; especially when many of the people cannot read or write? The same way we do today. Icons! The icons were a language in themselves.
The icons found on this tablet were very common icons people were familiar with in Israel in the first few centuries. These icons are what we would call predominately Jewish icons. If icons are a language in themselves, then the obvious question is what is the message in the icons?
I have already defined most of these icons in previous articles. These same icons have been found in many different places and the meaning of them is simple. Let’s look at these icons individually then we will put them together to determine the ancient message they were intended to convey.
- Yachin and Boaz
The two pillars on the sides of the tablet are the icons of the pillars in front of the Temple. The pillar on the right was named Yachin and the pillar on the left was named Boaz (I Kings 7:21). I have described these icons in an article that is on our website titled “Temple Icons” under the Icons and Inscriptions tab on our web page. The two pillars indicate that these icons portray either the first Temple of third Temple. Since the message is prophetic it would be a message about the third Temple, which is yet to be built in Jerusalem.
2. Lion
The face at the bottom of the tablet is the face of a lion. This was a common icon in Israel. The lion icon represents the Messiah who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The lion is a king: the king of beasts. The Messiah is the king. He is like a lion. The Bible says when He roars the children of the West will tremble (Hosea 11:10). The text of this tablet connects this lion to the book of Revelation. John refers to Jesus the Messiah as a lion that is roaring in Revelation 10:3. I have written an article on the lion icon. It is titled “The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.”
3. Six Leaf Rosette
The two six-leaf rosettes at the top of the tablet leave little question as to the Jewishness of this tablet. The six-leaf rosette is the icon of the house of David. It comes from the crocus flower that grows naturally in Bethlehem Ephrata where David was born and raised. I have written an article on this on Digging Deep’s website as well.
4. The Holy of Holies
The triangle on top of the pillars of the Temple represents the Holy of Holies. I have established this in the article I wrote about the Temple Icons. This is the most crucial part of the icons on this tablet. The normal icon one would expect in the Holy of Holies is the icon for the Ark of the Covenant and the Shekinah glory of God. This Holy of Holies has a throne sitting on three pillars. This is the throne of God! God will sit on His throne in the Temple in millennium. What are the three pillars? The three pillars of the throne of God are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We typically consider the theology of the Trinity as New Testament theology. The truth is the Trinity is all through the Bible. The Early Church understood the Trinity without even having the New Testament. Jews have always understood the Trinity. The question is “who is the Son, which is the Messiah?”
In light of the icons and the writing on this gold tablet, what is the message the first century church left us? It is clear that the prevailing character of this message is primarily Jewish. The message is clear. The Messiah is getting ready to roar! He is about to come back and establish His kingdom. Who is the Messiah? Jesus of Nazareth, the son of the virgin Mary. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah from the house of David. I believe God will use this gold tablet as a tool to lead many Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah. God says all of Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26). If we take that verse literally, then there are millions who will receive Jesus as the Messiah in the near future.
Could it be that God has revealed this gold tablet now to be used as a tool to bring all of Israel to the Messiah?
© Dr. Steven L Smith