Sacred Stones #2

Crystal gemstones inspire many people with their beauty. But the power and symbolism of these sacred stones goes beyond simple inspiration. Since crystal stones store energy inside their molecules, some people use them as tools to better connect with spiritual energy(such as angels) while praying. In the Book of Exodus, the Bible andTorah both describe how God himself instructed people to make a breastplate with 12 different gemstones for a high priest to use in prayer.

God gave Moses detailed instructions for how to build everything that the priest (Aaron) would use when approaching the physical manifestation of God's glory on Earth -- known as the Shekinah -- to offer people's prayers to God. This included details about how to build an elaborate tabernacle, as well as the priest's clothing. The prophet Moses passed this information along to the Hebrew people, who put their individual skills to work carefully making the materials as their offerings to God.

Gemstones for the Tabernacle and Priestly Garments

The Book of Exodus records that God instructed the people to use onyx stones inside the tabernacle and on a garment called an ephod (the vest that the priest would wear underneath the breastplate). Then it presents the details of the 12 stones for the famous breastplate.

While the list of stones isn't completely clear due to differences in translations over the years, a common modern translation reads: "They fashioned the breastplate -- the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. It was square -- a span long and a span wide -- and folded double. Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. The first row was ruby, chrysolite and beryl; the second row was turquoise, sapphire and emerald; the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper. They were mounted in gold filigree settings. There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes." (Exodus 39:8-14).

Spiritual Symbolism

The 12 stones symbolize God's family and His leadership as a loving father, writes Steven Fuson in his book Temple Treasures: Explore the Tabernacle of Moses in the Light of the Son: "The number twelve often indicates governmental perfection, or complete divine governance. We can conclude that the breastplate of twelve stones symbolizes the complete family of God -- a spiritual Israel of all who have been born from above. ... The twelve names engraved upon the onyx stones were also engraved upon the stones of the breastplate. Surely this portrays a spiritual burden upon both the shoulders and the heart -- a sincere care and love for humanity. Consider that the number twelve points to the ultimate good news destined for all nations of mankind."

Used for Divine Guidance

God gave the gemstone breastplate to the high priest, Aaron, to help him spiritually discern answers to the people's questions that he asked God while praying in the tabernacle. Exodus 28:30 mentions mystical objects called "Urim and Thummim" (which mean "lights and perfections") that God instructed the Hebrew people to include in the breastplate: "Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord."

In Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary: Spreading the Light of God's Word Into Your Life, Earl Radmacher writes that the Urim and Thummim "were intended as a means of divine guidance for Israel. They involved gems or stones that were either attached to or carried inside the breastplate worn by the high priest when he consulted with God. For this reason, the breastplate is often called the breastplate of judgment or decision. However, while we know that this decision-making system existed, no one knows for sure how it worked. ... Thus, there is a great deal of speculation about the how the Urim and Thummim delivered a verdict [including making various stones light up to represent answers to prayer]. ... However, it is easy to see that in the days before much of the scriptures were written or collected, there was a need for some kind of divine guidance. Today, of course, we have God’s complete written revelation, and therefore have no need of devices such as the Urim and Thummim."

Parallels to Gemstones in Heaven

Interestingly, the gemstones listed as part of the priest's breastplate are similar to the 12 stones that the Bible describes in the Book of Revelation as comprising the 12 gates to the wall of the holy city that God will create at the end of the world, when God makes a "new heaven" and a "new earth." And, because of the translation challenges of precisely identifying the breastplate stones, the list of stones may be entirely the same.

Just like each stone in the breastplate is inscribed with the names of ancient Israel's 12 tribes, the gates of the city walls are inscribed with those same names of Israel's 12 tribes. Revelation chapter 21 describes an angel giving a tour of the city, and verse 12 says: "It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel."

The city wall's 12 foundations "were decorated with every kind of precious stone," verse 19 says, and those foundations were also inscribed with 12 names: the names of Jesus Christ's 12 apostles. Verse 14 says, "The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."

Verses 19 and 20 list the stones that make up the city's wall: "The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst."

http://angels.about.com/od/MiraclesReligiousTexts/a/Sacred-Stones-The-High-Priests-Breastplate-Gems-In-The-Bible-And-Torah.htm

Throughout history, people from many different civilizations have used crystals as prayer tools to help them connect with angels. But how can something physical like a crystal rock help someone communicate with a spiritual being like an angel?

It's all about electromagnetic energy. Crystals -- which form when atoms, molecules, or ions come together under pressure deep within the Earth -- can store and magnify electromagnetic energy that vibrates throughout the universe to certain frequencies. Angels -- who many people believe work within light -- radiate electromagnetic energy that also vibrates to different frequencies. So people sometimes choose crystals that correspond to the energy frequencies of certain types of angels to use in prayer, hoping to attract the angels with specific types of energy and perceive angelic messages more clearly than they could otherwise.

A Rainbow of Colors

People have created a metaphysical system of identifying angels according to light rays of seven different colors that correspond to different energy frequencies. It's based on seven different light rays, which loosely correspond to sunlight or a rainbow’s colors: blue, yellow, pink, white, green, red, and purple.

Some people believe that the light waves for the seven angel colors vibrate at different electromagnetic energy frequencies in the universe, attracting the angels that have similar kinds of energy. They've matched crystals that feature similar kinds of energy to the light ray that best corresponds to that type of energy. People can follow that system to choose certain crystals to use when praying for help from the angels about specific issues in their lives.

Divine Order

The connection between angels and crystals reflects God's design, writes Claire Robertson in her book The Angel Within: "Crystals, like angels, are a thread that unites all cultures across the planet throughout time. If angels are the golden thread that pulls all religions together, then crystals are the silver one that, if we hold onto it tightly, will pull every person and culture on mother Earth together as God intended it to be. ... Each soul on this Earth has an ancient crystal knowledge buried within them that enables them to communicate with the elemental kingdom and re-connect themselves with the powerful rhythm of life that pulses around us in cosmic and divine alignment. Each of the archangels has specific crystals associated with them, as do our chakras; and it is no mistake these overlap -- once again in divine order."

Beautiful Purity

In her book Angel Healing: Invoking the Healing Power of Angels through Simple Ritual, Claire Nahmad writes that angels can naturally relate to crystals because crystals are beautiful, pure matter: "Angels and crystals share a natural affinity because crystals are manifestations of matter exalted and purified until they independently radiate the spirit of beauty and perfection. The molecular complexity of crystals allows angelic consciousness to resonate with their vibrations and even to dwell therein. We can, therefore, use crystals to assist us to contact the angelic realm, and to receive amplified healing emanations from it, due to the streamlining effect of the crystals upon these emanations, which helps them to penetrate deep into earthly dimensions and sustains them in a highly functioning state."

Nature Angels

Author Doreen Virtue calls crystals "nature angels" in her book Crystal Therapy: How to Heal and Empower Your Life with Crystal Energy: "Crystals are members of the mineral kingdom in the physical world. In the spiritual world, they belong to the 'elemental realm,' which encompasses the spirits that guard, heal, and protect the planet. ... These beings are 'nature angels,' who are denser than guardian angels. Density means that the beings' energy vibrates at a slower rate, enabling us to see and feel them with our physical senses."

Crystals can be especially useful as tools for praying for healing, writes Virtue, because crystals "are record-keepers and storehouses of memories and knowledge about the earth’s spiritual healing history." Angels and crystals can work powerfully together to bring about healing, she comments: "Asking for heaven’s help, by connecting with the angelic realm while working in focused partnership with the mineral family, ensures a potent interaction based in love and grace. This combination of realms, celestial and elemental, blends the power of heaven and earth to create a magical formula of healing."

Crystal Balls

Another way that crystals have been used throughout history to contact angels is a controversial practice called "scrying" -- using crystal balls to invoke angels and try to gain spiritual knowledge from them, which may be revealed in the form of a vision inside the ball. Some people embrace scrying as a way to try to learn about the future from angels, but others say that's spiritually dangerous because it's a form of divination (which religious texts like the Bible, Torah, and Qur'anwarn against) that can lead to contact with fallen angels instead of holy angels.

In his book Crystal Balls & Crystal Bowls: Tools for Ancient Scrying & Modern Seership, Ted Andrews writes that people worldwide have been tempted to gaze into crystal balls, hoping to gain some spiritual knowledge as a result. Many civilizations have embraced the practice, he writes: "Many legends and tales speak of its use. Its practice is found in Greece, Rome, and throughout Mesopotamia. The Druids of England utilized gazing, as did people in Scotland, France, Germany, and elsewhere throughout Europe. Egypt, India, Babylon, and Persia also had their crystal-gazing practitioners."

Perhaps the most famous use of crystal balls to communicate with angels happened in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, when the queen's advisor, John Dee, used a crystal ball to hold what he called a series of conversations with angels. "Between 1581 and 1586, and again in 1607, Elizabethan England’s most highly regarded natural philosopher, John Dee, talked with angels about the natural world and its apocalyptic end," writes Deborah E. Harkness in her bookJohn Dee's Conversations with Angels: Cabala, Alchemy, and the End of Nature. "With the aid of an assistant, or 'scryer,' and a crystal called a 'showstone,' Dee attempted to see through the dark days of his own time and into what he hoped was a bright and promising future."

Dee attracted a lot of attention for using a crystal ball as a tool to try to gain knowledge about the natural world from angels in a systematic way. " ... the angel conversations confirmed Dee's belief that the natural world was analogous to a text," Harkness writes. "But the Book of Nature was not a reliable text; it was an imperfect, corrupt, and decaying text that could not be read properly. The angels gave Dee the exegetical and restorative tools to read, understand, and rectify the Book of Nature."

http://angels.about.com/od/Crystals/f/What-Is-An-Angel-Prayer-Crystal.htm