The symbolism of the Five Golden Rings as the first five Books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy) is especially fitting, I think.
Gold symbolizes wealth and enduring quality, worth, and even truth. It is used for awards (gold medals and trophies). Gold is mentioned early in the Bible—in relation to the location of Eden. “A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there.” Gen. 2:10-12.
Gold is used as a measure of Abraham’s wealth. Rebekah is given golden earrings as a betrothal gift. Joseph’s brothers bring gold to Egypt to purchase grain during the famine. The tabernacle and all the furnishings for it are covered with gold.
Sadly, not every use of gold was for good. During the Exodus, the Children of Israel used their gold jewelry to create the golden calf and the people had to drink the ground gold as part of their purification. Before settling in Canaan, the people are warned against the temptation of the gold of the inhabitants of the land or their golden idols.
Jesus condemns the Pharisees for trusting more in gold than in God. "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred?" Matthew 23:16
A ring is a circle. Rings have been found in ancient tombs. The circle is the symbol of completeness, eternity, infinity, and God. Most religions use circles—think of Stonehenge, the Wheel of Life, halos. The Celtic cross has a circle in the center representing the sun. We talk of being part of the ‘inner circle’ or having a ‘circle of friends’.
There is the well known poem by Edwin Markham that epitomizes the way God works:
Outwitted
He drew a circle that shut me out--
He drew a circle that shut me out--
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!
As 2008 draws to a close, it might be a good time to think what counts as gold in our lives and what circles we draw.
Are you bringing people into the enclosure of God’s love or drawing a closed circle to keep them out?
