Coronation Ceremony in Mosiah 1

Coronation Ceremony in Mosiah 1-6

The coronation ceremony usually took place at the time of the new year, this was the time of rebirth and new life which the ancient near eastern cultures depended on for the symbolic recreation of the world and the establishment order from chaos. This required that the Son of God be placed on the earth to rule. The new year represented the creation the "time of the first time" or "in the beginning" when the first man became the king and priest unto his posterity and all of creation. The first man was given dominion (priesthood) and told to subdue the earth (create a kingdom or inheritance) and then give his people (his posterity or assumed posterity) a "Name" providing prosperity and protection which becomes the responsibility of the crowned king.

The endowment of power is to create a king and priest unto God, to become a rightful heir, and receive the blessings of kingship, to become a A prophet, priest, and king to ones posterity or subjects. The land or kingdom over which the king will rule is his rightful inheritance, the dominion he receives is the authority of God to rule in behalf of Him (i.e. the priesthood).

This coronation as seen by Hocart in his book on Kingship, or Istrum and Patai on instillation rites lists the events of a coronation ceremony (see appendix A). This ceremony is seen in the Book of Mormon in Mosiah as King Benjamin is about to enthrone his son Mosiah. The events of this time of coronation are explained in terms of Christ being the real king, for it is his enthronement that sets the pattern for the coronation ceremonies of the ancient and modern world, and the enthronement or "endowment of power" in the temple. The temple ceremony is a coronation ceremony, where a man, a son of God, is endowed and found worthy through initiation ceremony and rites of enthronement and passage, to be a legal heir and recipient of the blessings of his father, now to be equal to, and prepared to inherit all that his father hath, to rule and reign forever.

Mosiah 1

1. The new king must summon the people: 1:10

10. Mosiah is to make "a proclamation" that the people" may be gathered together" that the king may declare the name of the new sovereign. It is the responsibility of the new king to make the summons and proclamation for the "New Year" rites.

2. "Give this people a name" 1:11-12

11-12. This is part of the creation motif that must show up in the new year festival, it is a time of creation and recreation. And existence is dependant upon the reception of a name. The last act of Michael (now Adam) as a member of the Creation Presidency and co-creator of the earth, and in the position of Patriarch and Priest/King to his posterity, must name the animals thus giving them identity and existence, the final act of creation. The name gives identity to not only a individual but to a nation as well. This is evident in the Book of Mormon as the first king takes upon himself the name of Nephi, and the people of Nephi call themselves the Nephites. Also in Genesis Nimrod builds the tower (as in Mosiah) to make a name for his kingdom and people. Abraham is told as he leaves his family, his home, his inheritance, and his identity as a member of a nation that he will receive a new land, numerous posterity, and that God will make his name great thus giving him the identity that he was to loose. The identity that King Benjamin will give his people shall never be "blotted out" except through sin and transgression (vs.12).

3. The bestowal of responsibility, and national treasures. 1:15-16

15-16 In this private interview the king gives his successor, his son, the keys of the kingdom vs.15. The national treasures are passed on to the new king to save and protect. The national treasures of any nation contain within them the symbolism of the records, the sword and the ball or director. In order for a nation to have a legitimate identity that the subjects can believe in there must be a history of its origins contained in the sacred records. These records contain the inspired organization of the country, nation or culture. It is always to the history that one must turn to realize that God has set them up as an entity. Also, to be divinely created a nation must believe that God will protect. Even our United States motto "In God we trust" implies this concept also "one nation under God, indivisible" carries the thought of divine protection as the sword of Laban represented to the Nephites. Lastly the leaders, presidents and kings must be guided by God. They must seek inspiration and direction and then lead the nation in the way of truth and light. Thus we see the Nephite National Treasures represent those things that give identity to a nation, and these sacred treasures must be protected by the sovereign. Just as our constitution and the rights guaranteed by the inspired document must be preserved and protected by the president of the United States.

The concept of the scepter that symbolizes the authority to rule, it is in some texts called "the writing in the hand" In Egypt it is the "waas" scepter which signified authority or priesthood. It is in the crown jewels of England that the royal scepter is seen. This concept is verified in Jewish tradition as the "staff" Traditions states that when Adam left the Garden he took with him a staff made from the tree of life, (which would never die) and this staff was passed down to each patriarch as they took on the responsibility to be the Priest/King over the righteous posterity of Adam. This same staff ended in the hands of Jethro, who received it from his fathers from Abraham. When Moses came to the wilderness after being banished from Egypt, he sought for the hand of Zipporah. Jethro according to tradition stuck the staff into the ground when an unworthy suitor came for his oldest daughter and touched the staff he would die (her dates were obvious limited). Moses, however, was no only able to grasp hold of the rod but was able to pull this shoot of the tree of life from the ground (reminds you of the stories of King Arthur and the sword in the stone). Thus Jethro, Moses's new father in-law, knew that Moses was worthy to carry on as the righteous priesthood holder and receive the staff. This rod is given to Aaron and is known as "the Staff of Kings". This is the rod that never dies that buds as a sign for divine acceptance and manifestation. This too is the staff like unto the one Joseph the husband of mary has which budded in the temple indicating that it was him that was to be the step-father of the King of Kings. Don't forget the Rod of Jesse, i.e. the staff or rod of kingship in Isaiah.

4. Coronation takes place at the temple. 1:18

18. The people gather at the temple. It is at this sacred place the worlds come together. This point becomes the sacred spot, the center place, and the place where God communicates with man, where time and space come together. Here the ordinances and rituals of kingship can be binding in the world of the gods, the world of the living and the world of the dead. It is at the temple that the creation began, here also the first man and woman were united and crowned and given dominion over the earth. Coronation is a temple ordinance anciently and in the modern world.

Mosiah 2.

5. The census. 2:2

2. The census takes place at the time of the new year, and or coronation. Temple Scroll col. 57. "And they shall take a census on the day on which they make him king of the children of Israel." This is the time of the year that Joseph returns to his home town with the espoused Mary to be taxed (April, tax traditions linger long) and to be counted. Taxes and tax time was used as a time to count the people in the kingdom. Taxes from a vassal state were based on the census. The fact that it is mentioned in Mosiah, that the census could not be taken indicates that tradition mandated the counting.

6. Time of sacrifice. 2:3

3. The new year was the time of Sacrifice, the "firstlings" were sacrificed in the beginning of the year when the the lambing season begins. There is a difference between the "firstborn" and the "firstling" of the flock.

7. According to the Jewish Manner, i.e. The Torah. 2:3

28. The king is the Judge. 3:21-26

29. The end of the themes of eternity. 3:27

Mosiah 4

30. Proskynesis, the falling to the earth. 4:1

31. The recollection of the AGolden Age@

when all men were Brothers. 4:7

Mosiah 5

32. The acclimation of Yes. 5:2

33. Willing to be obedient. 5:5

34. The new Name. 5:7-14

37. Teacher to teach and remind them of the oath and covenant that was entered into. 6:3