“Heaps”

The amount of mutli-layered symbolism in the scriptures never ceases to amaze me. This post will discuss the word “heaps” and how it is used to conjure two contrasting images regarding humans and covenants.

The positive context comes from a description of the creation:

⁶ By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

⁷ He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.

Psalm 33

This act of division allowed for dry land to appear, giving mankind space to experience mortality.

The ‘song of Moses’ in the Exodus account pays homage to the creation when describing the miraculous escape of the children of Israel from the Egyptians.

8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

Exodus 15

(source)

12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

Psalm 78

Similarly, as the covenant people cross the river Jordan, the word ‘heap’ is used twice to describe that miracle.

13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

14 ¶ And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;

15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

Joshua 3:13-16

Putting this together, we can see that the word “heap” has a positive connotation which reminds us both of God’s power to create and His power to miraculously preserve His covenant people.

The negative connotation of ‘heap’ is also interesting, and is best taught in the Book of Mormon. As the people forget God, they begin to seek after treasures of the earth such as gold and silver. Notice how Mormon uses the word ‘heap’ as he describes the Jaredites during a period of prosperity:

23 And they did work in all manner of ore, and they did make gold, and silver, and iron, and brass, and all manner of metals; and they did dig it out of the earth; wherefore, they did cast up mighty heaps of earth to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper. And they did work all manner of fine work.

Ether 10

The people, in their abundance, have begun to forget the miraculous hand of God who brought them to this land of promise. They have begun the age-old process of rejecting treasures from heaven in favor of the treasures of the earth. One chapter later, the people are in full apostasy and seek to kill the prophets. They also experience the consequences of covenant rebellion spoken by the prophets:

6 And there was great calamity in all the land, for they had testified that a great curse should come upon the land, and also upon the people, and that there should be a great destruction among them, such an one as never had been upon the face of the earth, and their bones should become as heaps of earth upon the face of the land except they should repent of their wickedness.

7 And they hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord, because of their wicked combinations; wherefore, there began to be wars and contentions in all the land, and also many famines and pestilences, insomuch that there was a great destruction, such an one as never had been known upon the face of the earth; and all this came to pass in the days of Shiblom.

Ether 11

‘Heaps of earth’ (seeking after gold) become ‘heaps of bones.’

Mormon also uses this word in describing the consequences of a bloody war among the Nephites. (See Alma 28:11.)

Finally, we get to the sermon of Nephi (son of Helaman) on the corruption of Nephite civilization, he says this:

25 But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against the day of judgment.

26 Yea, even at this time ye are ripening, because of your murders and your fornication and wickedness, for everlasting destruction; yea, and except ye repent it will come unto you soon.

Helaman 8

Conclusion

Putting it all together, we see that the covenant people ought to treasure up God’s mighty miracles, including the creation itself and marvel at His power to care for His covenant people. If we slip and instead seek to heap up the earth in search of treasure, we run the risk of ending up destroyed, ‘heaped up’ as it were.