| If You Only Knew What This Ring Means to Me David A. Roach, PM |
I was at the house of my mother's friend, one day, when she asked me if I was a Mason. Not knowing where this was
leading, I hesitated and then I replied that I am. She said that she had something that might interest me and to wait
while she retrieved it from a back room in her house. It was her dearly departed father's Masonic ring. He was a
Mason for over 30 years and had worn the ring for at least that long. She told me that none of her brothers were
Masons and asked me if I would like to have the ring. I immediately told her, "Yes, I would be most honored to have
this ring." I hugged her neck and was grateful to think that she felt that I was worthy of such a wonderful thing.
leading, I hesitated and then I replied that I am. She said that she had something that might interest me and to wait
while she retrieved it from a back room in her house. It was her dearly departed father's Masonic ring. He was a
Mason for over 30 years and had worn the ring for at least that long. She told me that none of her brothers were
Masons and asked me if I would like to have the ring. I immediately told her, "Yes, I would be most honored to have
this ring." I hugged her neck and was grateful to think that she felt that I was worthy of such a wonderful thing.
Later, as I looked at the ring, I began to ponder what it really means to me. I felt remorse for all those who would
never know how precious the symbols of this ring are.
never know how precious the symbols of this ring are.
The gold of the ring reminds me of Exodus 25 when God commanded the children of Israel to make the Ark of the
Covenant. He commanded that they make the Ark of acacia wood overlaid with pure gold. God had them place a
crown of pure gold around the top of the Ark. Then God had them build a mercy seat of pure gold with two cherubim
looking at each other and covering the mercy seat with their outstretched wings. The mercy seat, or seat of
propitiation, was then placed on top of the Ark. The Ark held within it God's covenant with man. Gold is the symbol of
God's glory and deity. The wood is a symbol of humanity.
Covenant. He commanded that they make the Ark of acacia wood overlaid with pure gold. God had them place a
crown of pure gold around the top of the Ark. Then God had them build a mercy seat of pure gold with two cherubim
looking at each other and covering the mercy seat with their outstretched wings. The mercy seat, or seat of
propitiation, was then placed on top of the Ark. The Ark held within it God's covenant with man. Gold is the symbol of
God's glory and deity. The wood is a symbol of humanity.
The acacia is a versatile family of plants. It grows in a variety of forms from the size of a thorny bush to that of a
large tree. It's a tenacious plant that will take root in even the driest ground. When used to make a door post, it
often comes back to life even though it appeared to be dead, sprouting limbs that can be formed into a beautiful
archway. And so it is a symbol of eternal life.
large tree. It's a tenacious plant that will take root in even the driest ground. When used to make a door post, it
often comes back to life even though it appeared to be dead, sprouting limbs that can be formed into a beautiful
archway. And so it is a symbol of eternal life.
Over 1500 years after the Ark was crafted, the acacia was again overlaid with the glory of God. Again a crown was
placed around the top of that which held God's covenant with all of mankind. Again, His mercy seat was placed on
top of a glory-clad vessel made of acacia wood as the propitiation for mans' sins. An acacia bush was used to make
a crown of thorns for this holder of God's covenant. An acacia tree was used to make the cross that lifted God's
mercy seat up so that all men might be drawn closer to Him (John 12:32). Jesus Christ was the mercy seat, the
propitiation, and the holder of God's covenant with mankind that covered the cross with His blood and God's glory.
He wore the crown of purity. He is the tender plant with the tenacious root of life eternal from dry ground. (Isaiah
53:2) That's what the gold of this ring means to me.
placed around the top of that which held God's covenant with all of mankind. Again, His mercy seat was placed on
top of a glory-clad vessel made of acacia wood as the propitiation for mans' sins. An acacia bush was used to make
a crown of thorns for this holder of God's covenant. An acacia tree was used to make the cross that lifted God's
mercy seat up so that all men might be drawn closer to Him (John 12:32). Jesus Christ was the mercy seat, the
propitiation, and the holder of God's covenant with mankind that covered the cross with His blood and God's glory.
He wore the crown of purity. He is the tender plant with the tenacious root of life eternal from dry ground. (Isaiah
53:2) That's what the gold of this ring means to me.
The ruby red background represents the blood of His sacrifice. But, just like the red in the stripes of our flag, it
also represents the blood of those men that died to make and keep our country free. It represents the sacrifice that
our brother Masons made throughout the ages when they gave their lives rather than to betray their brothers. It
amplifies the words of Christ, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." And
so the red is a symbol of God's love and man's sacrifice for man.
also represents the blood of those men that died to make and keep our country free. It represents the sacrifice that
our brother Masons made throughout the ages when they gave their lives rather than to betray their brothers. It
amplifies the words of Christ, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." And
so the red is a symbol of God's love and man's sacrifice for man.
The compass reminds me to subdue my passions, keeping them in due bounds. The square to be fair to
everyone. Together they remind me of where they are positioned in the Lodge resting on top of the Holy Bible. They
rest there pointing to the standard that teaches us how to subdue our passions and how to become righteous men.
The Holy Bible is our rule and guide in our faith and practices and is by far the Great Light of Freemasonry
throughout the world.
everyone. Together they remind me of where they are positioned in the Lodge resting on top of the Holy Bible. They
rest there pointing to the standard that teaches us how to subdue our passions and how to become righteous men.
The Holy Bible is our rule and guide in our faith and practices and is by far the Great Light of Freemasonry
throughout the world.
The blue behind the "G" reminds me of God's royalty; that I should always honor His sovereignty. That the Blue
Lodge always recognizes the sovereignty of God over the sovereignty of man. That in God's eyes we are all on the
same level, under the same heaven, and subject to the same judgement in the end.
Lodge always recognizes the sovereignty of God over the sovereignty of man. That in God's eyes we are all on the
same level, under the same heaven, and subject to the same judgement in the end.
The "G" is the most important symbol on this ring and in the Lodge. It represents two things. The minor
representation of the "G" is geometry. Geometry is thought to be the science used by God to create the universe.
The primary representation of the "G" is that it is the Saxon equivalent of the Hebrew "Yod". The "Yod" is the initial of
the ineffable name of God. "Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rides upon the heavens by his
name JAH, and rejoice before Him. A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy
habitation." (Psalms 68:4) The Hebrew could not speak the ineffable name of God out loud. They were only
allowed to spell it without vowels: JHVH. The "G" stands for JEHOVAH.
representation of the "G" is geometry. Geometry is thought to be the science used by God to create the universe.
The primary representation of the "G" is that it is the Saxon equivalent of the Hebrew "Yod". The "Yod" is the initial of
the ineffable name of God. "Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rides upon the heavens by his
name JAH, and rejoice before Him. A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy
habitation." (Psalms 68:4) The Hebrew could not speak the ineffable name of God out loud. They were only
allowed to spell it without vowels: JHVH. The "G" stands for JEHOVAH.
When I wear this ring Jehova-Nissi, which is to say, "Jehovah is my banner". And though I don't worship this ring
or any other physical representation of anything on this earth, I find peace and joy in the fact that it reminds me of
Him who is the Creator and the Great Architect of the Universe: Jehovah God. "For he looked for a city which had
foundations, whose builder and architect is God. " (Hebrews 11:10)
or any other physical representation of anything on this earth, I find peace and joy in the fact that it reminds me of
Him who is the Creator and the Great Architect of the Universe: Jehovah God. "For he looked for a city which had
foundations, whose builder and architect is God. " (Hebrews 11:10)
It reminds me of His endless love in that while I was yet a sinner He loved me enough to give His Son for me.
Likewise I should be ready to give of my life for others. When we pause for a moment or a day or a longer period of
time to give a portion of our lives to help others we are practicing that love which Christ practiced for us. He stopped
being in the form of God for a moment and came down to this earth as a lowly human. By doing so He died to
Himself and to His position in heaven. In human form He died to His own needs and even proclaimed, "I came not to
be ministered and not to be served; I came to minister and to serve." And thus He did all the way to the cross where
He made it possible for all of mankind to be saved. So, when we die to our own desires, to our own likes, to our own
comfortable lifestyles, and to our own stations in life to serve or minister to the needs of others, we are living the
blessed lifestyle of the Christ who served us all.
Likewise I should be ready to give of my life for others. When we pause for a moment or a day or a longer period of
time to give a portion of our lives to help others we are practicing that love which Christ practiced for us. He stopped
being in the form of God for a moment and came down to this earth as a lowly human. By doing so He died to
Himself and to His position in heaven. In human form He died to His own needs and even proclaimed, "I came not to
be ministered and not to be served; I came to minister and to serve." And thus He did all the way to the cross where
He made it possible for all of mankind to be saved. So, when we die to our own desires, to our own likes, to our own
comfortable lifestyles, and to our own stations in life to serve or minister to the needs of others, we are living the
blessed lifestyle of the Christ who served us all.
And that my friends and brothers is what this ring means to me.
This article appeared in the April 2001 Issue of "The Louisiana Freemason" magazine.
To see others like it, click on the lamp
To see others like it, click on the lamp