Ceremonial Clothing and Temple Worship

The Lord has always used clothing as an avenue for teaching symbolism. As early as in the book of Genesis we learn that the “garment” or coat of skin was a symbol of that which would cover. Unlike the fig leaves, or fake covering, the coat of skin taught of the sacrificial covering, pointing to Jesus Christ and the Atonement as the full covering of nakedness, or sin.

Ceremonial clothing has always been a part of Temple worship as well. In the book of Exodus the Lord gave detailed instructions to the Children of Israel regarding the clothing that was to be worn by the Priests who were called to officiate in the Tabernacle. This process of washing, or becoming clean, and changing of their clothes was an outward expression of the inward change that was to take place to be worthy to participate in the sacred ordinances.

Exodus 29:4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.

5 And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:

6 And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.

7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.

8 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.

9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest’s office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.

These garments of “glory and beauty” symbolized the change that was to take place of one nature to another or the act of “putting off the natural man.”

On one day of the year, known as the Day of Atonement, the High Priest of the Aaronic priesthood was instructed to make another clothing change.

Leviticus 16:4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

This Day of Atonement offering required that the priest enter into another level of sacredness, or the Holy of Holies, in the Tabernacle. This offering took place inside the inner vail, as the priest sprinkled the blood of the sacrificial bullock on the mercy seat itself. This most sacred offering required the priest to change into white linen garments, which symbolized the absence of sin and his worthiness to make this vicarious offering on behalf of all the house of Israel. It was a very visual way to instruct the people about the sinless state of Jesus Christ, and the upcoming sacrifice he would make on their behalf.

Leviticus 16:11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:

12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 ¶ Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.

The changing of clothing is symbolic of the progression one must make to enter into the presence of the Lord. It represents ones willingness to leave this world behind and seek for that of a better one. It is a beautiful way to learn about the application of the Atonement and the ability one has to “change”. It can be seen as easy as a simple “change of clothes.”

Tracing Your Priesthood Line of Authority

A few years ago, soon after my father-in-law passed away, my husband had some questions regarding his priesthood line of authority. In an attempt to find some answers, my husband wrote to Salt Lake and requested that they send him his line of authority. When he received the information, a letter of explanation was included that cleared up some misunderstandings that we had concerning which priesthood line should be considered his line of authority. I thought I would post this letter for those who might have similar questions.

The First Presidency recently directed that efforts begin to officially record priesthood line of authority information for selected offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood. Priesthood line of authority will be traced for:

• Melchizedek Priesthood conferral (usually ordination to the office of elder)
• Ordination to the office of high priest

Though ordinations to the office of seventy may be included in the above priesthood lines of authority, no separate line of authority is maintained for the office of seventy. Ordained bishops and patriarchs trace their priesthood line of authority through their high priest ordination. Priesthood line of authority is not recorded for Aaronic Priesthood offices.

When ordaining others to offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood, priesthood line of authority is determined by the priesthood office you hold at the time you perform the ordination. The following example will help explain.

EXAMPLE: If you were an elder when you ordained your first son an elder, your first son will always trace his elder line of authority through your elder line of authority. If you were a high priest when you ordained your second son an elder, your second son will always trace his elder line of authority through your high priest line of authority.

Once you have your line of authority:

• Share it with your family
• Give a copy to those whom you have ordained or will ordain
• Record it in your personal history

This information cleared up some questions we had concerning which line of authority my husband was to follow. He was ordained an Elder by his father and a High Priest by mine.

Because of the rapid growth of the church, the recording of a priesthood line of authority is no longer part of your church membership records. The responsibility of obtaining and recording a priesthood line of authority now solely rests on the individual. Make sure you have obtained and recorded your priesthood line of authority from the person who was authorized to bestow the priesthood on you. This is an important bit of information for you and your posterity.

Do you know your priesthood line of authority?

Do You Believe In Miracles?

A few years ago while I was teaching a Seminary class I made the ultimate blunder and asked the kids if they wanted to share a miracle that they had seen in their life. One of the boys proceeded to tell me about a really incredible catch that some baseball player on a major league team made that was an “impossible feat” and as the sports announcer called it “a miracle”, he was sure that is exactly what it was. This answer totally caught me off guard. What ensued from there was a personal study of what exactly miracles are.

I decided to look at what our church leaders would term “a miracle” and found a really great talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, simply titled “Miracles”. I would recommend this reading for anyone who has questions about miracles.

Some of my observations from my study of miracles are as follows:

The first thing I learned that one definition of a miracle is “a beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand and of themselves cannot duplicate.”

Do miracles exist today?

“To deny the reality of miracles on the ground that the results and manifestations must be fictitious simply because we cannot comprehend the means by which they have happened is arrogant on the face of it.” Howard W. Hunter

Elder Neal A. Maxwell termed those who deny miracles as “the anti-miracle mind set”, a group that Nephi prophesied would be present in the last days.

The word “miracle” is used in many different ways:

1) Some say any happening they cannot explain is a miracle. For example some would call a computer a miracle. The “catch” that my friend in seminary referred to might fit this category as well.

2) Tricks that some magicians and religious practitioners stage may be termed “miracles.” I loved a statement that Elder Oaks made when he cautioned “When we exaggerate a happening in order to dazzle an audience into thinking we have experienced a miracle or to enhance our stature in other ways” we are similar to those who perform at a religious revival. I believe this is referred to as teaching with sensationalism instead of allowing the spirit to reveal truth.

3) Many without authority will use the name of Jesus Christ to work what seem to be miracles, but pretenders are rejected of the Lord. (Matt. 7:22-23) This is a wonderful way to understand where the miracle comes from.

4) Not every miracle comes from God or mortal deception, some come from the adversary. Elder Oaks refers to Satan when he explained, “He will use these great powers to deceive, to give his corrupted copy of genuine miracles worked by the power of God.”

So does that mean that the priesthood must be used for any miracle to happen?

Genuine miracles can happen in two types of ways, both requiring faith:

1) Miracles worked by the power of the priesthood. God has provided the “means” through FAITH. (The means is the priesthood power.)

2) Genuine miracles worked through the power of faith, without specifically invoking the power of the priesthood also happen. These occur inside the church as well as outside. These miracles happen because of the prayers of the faithful.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie made this statement about faith, “Faith requires ‘assurance’ that God will hear our prayers and answer them. No person can have this assurance when he knows he is not living the way the Lord wants him to live. This is another key element in bringing about miracles. Faith requires repentance. Miracles require faith. So miracles require repentance. Therefore, faith and repentance (which result in righteous living) are the means by which miracles come into our lives.”

This illustration is so beautifully given when the prophet Joseph Smith, as a boy, exercised the power of repentance and expected a miracle as he prayed to know his standing before the Lord. What happened next was the miraculous visit from the angel Moroni, as recorded in the Joseph Smith History.

With this pattern set before us we can conclude, that what is needed in our lives to receive the miracles the Lord has in store for us, is simply given by the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood. The keys inherit in the restoration of that priesthood are stated in Section 13 of the Doctrine and Covenants. These keys have been turned to provide the doctrine of repentance, and of baptism, and the ministering of angels to be upon the earth again. Because of these keys it is by faith we can expect miracles in our lives everyday.

Do you believe in miracles?