Iconography.

In the first reading from the Kebra Negast, we are struck with many instances of icons, some of which are "idols" and other which are Christian. The treatment of these icons is not always consistant, however, and exploring the verious icons yields insight on their meaning.

First Abraham denounces his fathers sale of wooden, metal, and stone hewn idols, bowing to the "Creator of the heavens and the earth," at which point "He removed fear from him" (10). Moses is then instructed to construct the Ark of the Covenant. Yet, is this not just another construction of wood and metal to be worshipped? Page thirteen tells that the arks purpose was the containment of God's Law, not to be worshipped itself. The Queen of Ethiopia also recognizes the value of wisdom over gold or silver, in another rejection of material idols over less tangible but more valuable abstracts (22).

How can we resolve some of the conflicts we see between the Queen and Abraham's rejected idols and Moses' ark?

First, we might note the nature of the ark. When God commands Moses to build the ark, it is for the purpose of containing God's Law and some other major and minor artifacts. The passage describes the contents of ark as spirtual, made by God not the artificer, man. The contents are magnificent and spiritual. "A habitation of His glory" and "a habitation of the Godhead, Whose habitation is in heaven" (13). All of this seems to suggest that the ark, the box itself, contains nothing physical. Since the spiritual things it contains cannot are not at all physical, it is merely a physical symbol of more important things. This icon is only valuable when viewed as a symbol, and not as just an object.

In Abraham's situation, he also rejects physical idols for something more abstract. He turns to the horizon and speaks to a Creator that he cannot see. After this faith in the abstract, God apparently physically manifests and speaks to Abraham, and takes away his fear. But whether or not a physical manifestation occured, it was still merely representative of Abraham's Creator, as it was not physically a fiery man in the fiery chariot who formed the earth and the heavens.

Abraham overcomes his fear when he stops believing in physical idols and believes instead chooses to believe in his idea of a Creator. (We must remember that this decision was made before any physical manifestation, whether or not such a manifestation happened). The Queen of Ethiopia reasserts this message, in her love for wisdom. She explains that wisdom is more valuable than gold or silver, because wisdom cannot be lost or stolen, and is held in the heart, not the physical world.