Beehives

17 November

Beehives

A good friend called me the other day after returning from a business trip to Salt Lake City asking me what the deal was with all the beehives in Utah.  She noticed that everywhere she looked there seemed to be this overwhelming sense these meant more than what they portrayed.

A few years ago I wrote about the symbols on the Mormon temple you can read here, but for now let’s explore this symbol that Utah has adopted as its state symbol – the beehive.

The beehive symbol may seem innocuous to the unknowing.  When most people see this symbol they either think of honey or the phrase “busy as a bee” without realizing its spiritual implications.  The industrious work of the bee is only part of the story.

While bees do sleep they’re typically not asleep for more than 30 seconds at a time, meaning they are on the go with other bees in surrounding cells always bumping into theirs, waking them up.  Always on guard, there is never a time to rejuvenate or be fully rested.  The nectar they gather for a quick energy drink and the pollen they collect for their protein fix is what keeps them going.  Their main focus in life is to hunt for food to feed the hive who keeps the queen alive.

Bees and their hives have been known by various names throughout history and used by different cultures as a symbol of worship.  They’ve been referred to as Melissae in Greek mythology which was a reference to the virginity of the worker bees or tears of the Sun god Ra in the pantheon of Egyptian gods.  You can also find this symbol in Hinduism which is referred to as “Bhramari Devi, the bee goddess and her connection to the teachings of the chakras”.

The Masonic Lodge has also held the beehive in special regard and look to it as a symbol of industry with generative powers.  These two things are the common denominator in most, if not all, of the pagan groups who either worship or give special prominence to the beehive in their local cultures.

The Mormon Church has adopted the symbol of the beehive into countless things concerning church and state.  It’s the symbol of Utah; it’s on the temple and tabernacle, police and other government cars, government and church buildings, church affiliation groups (i.e. the 12-13 year old woman’s group known as the “Beehives”), ZCMI buildings, and the list just goes on and on.

In our article mentioned above I reported what the LDS Church News had to say about the beehive;

A number of leaders compared the honey bee with Church workers. In October 1898 general conference, President Joseph F. Smith said, “This country, in the beginning, was called Deseret — the honey bee — signifying industry; Utah, in the early days, was likened to the hive of bees… Everyone should be increasing, improving, and advancing in some way, and accomplishing something for his or her good and for the good of the whole.”

What concerns us about all this is how most Mormons don’t even stop to think of the spiritual ramifications when accepting or participating in these things.  Attaching your identity to something like this has spiritual consequences.  Take special notice of what the prophet Smith said at the General Conference quoted above.  He said “everyone should be increasing…”

Why must everyone be increasing?  How is this godly behavior and where in the Bible does it say that if you don’t have kids you go to hell?  Jesus told us the two greatest laws are to love the Lord God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself and on these two things lay all the law – Matthew 22:37-40.  Compare Jesus’ words with the Mormon prophet’s words and they’re not even close to sounding alike.

Ironically, the Bible has a lot to say about bees, but the Mormons have been told not to trust it because “many plain and precious parts have been taken away” (1 Nephi 13:26, TPJS, pg. 10).

God warned His children about bees many times and compared them to dangers they’d encounter with opposing armies.  Holman Bible Dictionary says this about bees;

Bees (deborah) are mentioned several times in the Old Testament. They were noted for their antagonism, and armies were compared to swarms of bees (Deut. 1:44). The bee gained fame in the story of Samson, for he ate honey from the carcass of a lion and later tested the Philistines with a riddle concerning the incident (Judg. 14:5-18). The bee also is referred to in Psalm 118:12 and Isaiah 7:18.

Deuteronomy 1:44; “And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.

In addition to all that the meaning of the bees is what is really in question here.  Remember the meaning of bees and beehives is work and multiplying. Working and reproducing for salvation isn’t the answer to God’s grace.  It’s hard to escape all this though when you’re continuously taught that you must work.  There are church callings needing to be filled, food storage that needs attending, temple work for the dead is always lurking and of course the spirit babies in heaven waiting to come down into worthy Mormon families.  It’s nothing short of daunting and exhausting.

Even the door knobs on the Salt Lake Temple have an emblem of a beehive and as I stated in the article about temple symbols, “the Book of Mormon tells its readers not to participate with anything that has secret combinations, yet their temples have been built with the imagery of Masonic symbols.  The very first thing you must touch on the temple is a Masonic symbol that literally opens the door to the occult.

The Encyclopedia of Mormonism (pg. 99) sadly describes how wonderful they think the beehive is and in its explanation went so far as to say it’s the “communal not individuality that created the persistent symbol” through Utah.  Unfortunately this is what the Mormons have been taught about their relationship with God.  It’s not because of their uniqueness and how God wants to have a personal relationship with them, but because of Joseph Smith and Mormonism that they’ll be saved.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Compare D&C 1:30 with Galatians 2:20 and John 21:17.

D&C 1:30; “And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually.

In Galatians Paul said “I have been crucified with Christ…”  In John, the text says “…do you love me?”  The Bible isn’t speaking corporately in these situations and in fact there are literally thousands of other verses demonstrating this.  God wants a personal relationship with each individual!

My question for the Mormon is this:

Remember the bee isn’t there for anything but to keep their queen alive.  There is no individuality in a beehive.

Are you living to have a relationship with Jesus or are you working to keep Mormonism alive?

We’re praying the Mormon people will stop and think about the items we’ve presented here and its true meaning.  We’re praying they detach themselves from this and other occult symbols found all over Utah and accept the true God of the Bible; Christ Jesus!

With Love in Christ; Michelle

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2 Responses to “Beehives”

  1. Luiz Nunes November 30, 2011 at 6:33 pm #

    One man and 3 women. That is the same in Mormonism, Islamism, Judaism.
    Only Christianism gives the woman the right place in a relationship: side by side, one man for one woman. That is what John 8:32 is all about!!!

    • lifeafterministry November 30, 2011 at 7:03 pm #

      Amen Pastor Luiz! Thanks for stopping by and commenting on our blog! It’s good to hear from you and see you!
      With Love in Christ; Michelle Grim

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