Sacred Temples Are Not A New Idea

Temple worship is really not a new concept. If one looks carefully for it, it can be seen in the scriptures as early as The Garden of Eden itself.

The prophet Ezekiel actually compares The Garden of Eden to The Mountain of the Lord in Chapter 28.

13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

The next Temple experience can be easily discerned in the description of Jacob’s ladder, or El Bethel, which literally means “The Temple”.

Genesis 28: 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Jesus Christ promised His disciples this same temple experience in John 1, as He explained that He would be the way to open heaven and to introduce them to His father who was in heaven.

51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Moses had a Temple experience as he ascended the mountain called Horeb, known as the Mountain of the Lord. As Moses sought to bring the Children of Israel into the presence of the Lord, they rebelled and worshiped the Golden Calf. The consequence of their broken covenant was the inability to be in the presence of the Lord and so the Tabernacle was constructed as a mediatory place of worship or a place of learning until they were worthy of a Temple.

David desired to build that Temple but was refused the right because he was a “man of war”. Solomon, who represented “peace”, was the actual builder of the Temple for the Children of the Lord. In the Temple built by Solomon the “glory of the Lord” was exhibited.

2^nd Chronicles 7: 1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.

2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house.

3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

During the reign of Rehoboam, king of Judah, the Egyptian empire took the treasures of the house of the Lord and the temple became defiled. Ultimately it was completely burned to the ground by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.

Historically when the Persian Empire conquered the Babylonian Empire, King Cyrus who was the king of Persia, allowed the Children of Israel to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple of the Lord.

Ezra 6:5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

This rebuilt Temple is commonly known as the Temple of Zarubbabel. Although the Lord accepted the offering of the Temple as in the days of the Tabernacle of Moses, the glory that was felt there was not the same as was felt in the Temple built by Solomon. In Haggai chapter 2 it is recorded,

3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts:

5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

6 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.

9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

Even though the “glory” of the Lord was not exhibited in this temple or in the subsequent temple that Herod rebuilt, which is the Temple in operation during the time of Christ, the promise that the Lord gave of a “latter house” whose glory will be even greater than that of the Temple built by Solomon, was finally fulfilled with the building of His Temple in this last dispensation, the Kirtland Temple.

The description of the Kirtland Temple dedication as received in Section 109 of the Doctrine and Covenants reveals that once again the Heavens “shook” and the Law of the Lord was restored, creating a Latter Day Temple with an even greater degree of glory than that of the Temple built by Solomon.

The description of the Dedication is as follows:

“The dedication was set for Sunday March 27, 1836 after everything was cleaned up and ready, The doors promptly opened at 8:00 AM. Nearly one thousand people had gathered there waiting to get in. Some had to be turned away. They sang some songs written by some of the brethren; Sidney Rigdon offered a prayer and then spoke for two and one half hours. They then sustained the general authorities. The prophet Joseph then arose and offered the dedicatory prayers Among other things he said: "Thou hast commanded thy servants to build a house to thy name in this place. And now thou beholdest O Lord, that thy servants have done according to thy commandment...thou knowest that we have done this work through great tribulation; and out of poverty we have given our substance to build a house to thy name, that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself...And now, Holy Father, we ask thee to assist us, thy people with thy grace, in calling our solemn assembly, that it may be done to thy honor and to thy divine acceptance...And in a manner that we may be found worthy, in thy sight, to secure a fulfillment of the promises which thou hast made unto us, thy people, in the revelation given unto us that thy glory may rest down upon the people, and upon thy house, which we now dedicate to thee...And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with power which thou hast ordained to be poured out upon those who shall reverence thee in thy house... Let it be fulfilled upon them, as upon those on the day of Pentecost; let the gift of tongues be poured out upon thy people, even cloven tongues of fire, and the interpretation thereof. And let the house be filled, as with a rushing mighty wind with thy glory...That all the ends of the earth may know that we, thy servants, have heard thy voice, and that thou hast sent us." (DC 109: 2,3,10-12,22,36,37)

“One week after the dedication, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith, Jr. and Oliver Cowdery "standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit," and accepted the Kirtland Temple. After the appearance of the Savior, other heavenly beings appeared to Joseph & Oliver including Moses, Elias, and Elijah, each committing the keys of their respective dispensation unto them.”

Once again the Temple work of old has begun again, new. The authority has been given to administer in the ordinances thereof, by those who hold the priesthood keys, and the work of the Lord has begun to come forth, restored and authorized, within the walls of the LDS Temples of God. This is a sacred work and, as is labeled on the doors of the Salt Lake Temple itself, one that is described as “Holiness to the Lord.”

New Mormon Message: The Blessings of the Temple

This is a great new video that can be used to teach others about the Temple. I am sure it was produced because of the heightened attention the LDS Temple ceremony has been given because of media exposure at this time. I love the beautiful way in which our leaders have used this added media coverage to take the opportunity to teach others about the beauty of Temple experiences. Make sure to use this video in your Blogs, and Email messages and in every opportunity you can to teach about the Temple.

"This Is My Voice Unto All" Section 25

Section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants is most commonly thought of as the section where Emma Smith is given the commandment to organize the hymns of the Church into a book for "the songs of the righteous are a prayer unto" the Lord, but this section contains much more by way of counsel to the saints in all areas of life. Although the revelation may be thought to be specifically geared to Emma Smith the Lord adds a broader application when he states in verse 16, “And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my voice unto all.”

An overview of the Section can be divided into four areas of counsel to gain greater insights and instruction, as pointed out by Carol Cornwall Madsen in a Sperry Symposium Classic. They may be studied as follows:

Actions and Desires

Vs.2- Be faithful and walk in virtue.

Vs.4- Murmur not.

Vs.10- Lay aside things of this world and seek for things of a better.

Vs.13- Lift up your heart and rejoice. Cleave unto the covenants you have made.

Vs.14- Continue in meekness. Beware of pride.

Marriage Relationship

Vs.5- Comfort with consoling words in meekness.

Vs.6- Go with your husband.

Vs.9- Support your husband. Support your wives.

Vs.14- Delight in the glory which will come upon him, or Celestial glory.

Duties to the Church

Vs.7- Ordained to expound scriptures and exhort the Church.

Vs.8- Writing and learning.

Vs.11- Make a selection of Hymns.

Relationship with the Lord

Vs.1- Daughter or son.

Vs.3- Elect lady

Vs. 15- Crown of righteousness for obedience.

Some interesting insights that I learned from studying this counsel are as follows:

The word “receive” can be defined as “to admit a person to a place.” As the Lord explained the requirement for becoming His sons and daughters he specifies “all those who receive my gospel”. This act of receiving can be as simple as receiving Him into your heart, or a change of heart that is referred to in the scriptures.

Another word that stuck out to me was that of “meekness”. I loved the explanation that was given as meekness is “power under control.” Twice the Lord uses the word meekness, once in reference to the marital relationship and then again in our actions and desires. This is part of the process of “putting off the natural man.”

Lastly the term “elect” was used to describe Emma’s position in the kingdom. A simplistic definition of the term elect is given in Section 29 verse 7, “for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts.” Joseph Smith in his journal entry dated March 17, 1842 writes, “Elect meant to be Elected to a certain work.” We were elected to come to this earth, hear the gospel, be proven faithful, and do our job of gathering Israel. I believe anyone who is a member of the Church is an Elect individual under these terms.

Section 25 is so much more than just a commandment to organize the hymns of the Church.

Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet

On February 26, 1980 in a Brigham Young University address Ezra Taft Benson, who was then president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a “grand key” of knowledge. It was to “Follow the Prophet”. In reference to the upcoming 85^th birthday, soon to be celebrated by the Prophet Spencer W. Kimball who was prophet at the time, Benson stated that the best way to honor him would be to simply, “Follow the Prophet.” President Benson then gave fourteen fundamentals in following the prophet. Listen carefully as he expounds on each of them in the video below.

I believe that these fourteen fundamentals are still important for us today. Soon we will have the opportunity once again to be instructed directly from our Prophet and other church leaders during General Conference in April. Some of the direction and counsel we will be asked to live may seem hard. Perhaps some of the correction they have to offer may be stinging, or some may even have cause to find offense. I believe that the inspirational message that President Benson gave nearly 30 years ago, is just the counsel we need to hear today, for as he stated, “our salvation depends on them.”

“Not only is the Church growing in number today, it is growing in faithfulness and, even more important, our young generation, as a group, is even more faithful than the older generation. God has reserved you for the eleventh hour—the great and dreadful day of the Lord (D&C 110:16). It will be your responsibility not only to help to carry the kingdom to a triumph but to save your own soul and strive to save those of your family and to honor the principles of the inspired constitution of the United States.” Ezra Taft Benson

“Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”

• 1. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
• 2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
• 3. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
• 4. The prophet will never lead the church astray.
• 5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
• 6. The prophet does not have to say “Thus Saith the Lord,” to give us scripture.
• 7. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
• 8. The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.
• 9. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.
• 10. The prophet may advise on civic matters.
• 11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
• 12. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
• 13. The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.
• 14. The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.

Have you ever felt that the counsel given from our leaders was hard to follow? How did you deal with that dilemma?

"The Gathering of My People"

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the vehicle by which the scattered Children of Israel will be gathered. The keys to the gathering of Israel, which the prophet Moses holds, have been turned once again in this dispensation and the work has begun. This gathering is taking place each day, as people from all over the world come to an understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ and join with the saints in worshiping the Father through Him.

In the early history of the Church Joseph Smith was instructed very specifically about those who would be gathered and the reasons He had for gathering them. In Section 10 of the Doctrine and Covenants He outlines some qualifications that are necessary for His people in order to be gathered.

D&C 10: 65 For, behold, I will gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if they will not harden their hearts;

66 Yea, if they will come, they may, and partake of the waters of life freely.

67 Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.

It is very easy to recognize these qualifications as the first four principles of the gospel, faith, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Today we can easily see those who are being gathered, by the number of baptisms that are taking place into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, through conversion because of the condition of their hearts. When they hear the “good news” they recognize it as a familiar voice. The Lord refers to these people as His elect.

D&C 29: 7 And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;

8 Wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the Father that they shall be gathered in unto one place upon the face of this land, to prepare their hearts and be prepared in all things against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked.

Look for the many reasons the Lord has for gathering His people.

D&C 38:31 And that ye might escape the power of the enemy, and be gathered unto me a righteous people, without spot and blameless—

32 Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high;

• To escape the power of their enemies.
• To gather a righteous people.
• To be given the Lord’s Law.
• To be endowed with power from on high.

Joseph Smith said, “What was the object of gathering the people of God in any age of the world? The main object was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation; for there are certain ordinances and principles that, when they are taught and practiced, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose. It is for the same purpose that God gathers together His people in the last days, to build unto the Lord a house to prepare them for the ordinances and endowments, washing and anointings, etc.”

D&C 38:35 And they shall look to the poor and the needy, and administer to their relief that they shall not suffer; and send them forth to the place which I have commanded them;

• To look to the poor and the needy.

D&C 38:39 And if ye seek the riches which it is the will of the Father to give unto you, ye shall be the richest of all people, for ye shall have the riches of eternity; and it must needs be that the riches of the earth are mine to give; but beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old.

• To have the riches of eternity.

D&C 38: 42 And go ye out from among the wicked. Save yourselves. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Even so. Amen.

• To go out from among the wicked.

Can you think of other times in the scriptures that the people were told to come out from the wicked?

In Section 37 the Lord gives counsel to the saints instructing them to gather to the Ohio, but is very specific with His instructions when he states,

D&C 37:4 Behold, here is wisdom, and let every man choose for himself until I come. Even so. Amen.

Why do you thing it is important for each man to choose for himself?

He also give further instruction for the saints as follows,

D&C 38:24 And let every man esteem his brother as himself, and practise virtue and holiness before me.

25 And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother as himself.

When it comes to the gathering of His people, why do you think it is important for every man to “esteem his brother as himself”? It certainly must be important, for the Lord has stated it twice!

The instruction to gather is prevalent in our Church today. We gather in Regions, Stakes, Wards, Sacrament Meetings, Priesthood meetings, Relief Society, etc. We gather today for the same reasons the Lord told the Saints to gather in all ages.

Elder Russell M. Nelson stated:

“The choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment. People can be “brought to the knowledge of the Lord” without leaving their homelands. True, in the early days of the Church, conversion often meant emigration as well. But now the gathering takes place in each nation. The Lord has decreed the establishment of Zion in each realm where He has given His Saints their birth and nationality. Scripture foretells that the people “shall be gathered home to the lands of their inheritance, and shall be established in all their lands of promise.” “Every nation is the gathering place for its own people.” The place of gathering for Brazilian Saints is in Brazil; the place of gathering for Nigerian Saints is in Nigeria; the place of gathering for Korean Saints is in Korea; and so forth. Zion is “the pure in heart.” Zion is wherever righteous Saints are. Publications, communications, and congregations are now such that nearly all members have access to the doctrines, keys, ordinances, and blessings of the gospel, regardless of their location.

Spiritual security will always depend upon how one lives, not where one lives. Saints in every land have equal claim upon the blessings of the Lord.”

In what ways do you participate in the gathering today?

Our First Parents Adam and Eve

I believe the scriptures are a wonderful place to look to find examples of valiant women who honored their role as wife and mother. Since March is designated as National Women in History month, I have decided to honor a few of the significant women who have played important roles in the history of the world.

One of the greatest women to have come to this earth is Eve. Eve is the ultimate example of the word mother, for she was designated “the mother of all living.” Being given the title of the first mother, Eve naturally can be looked to as a model for all mothers to follow.

Joined together as husband and wife, she and Adam in obedience lived by the perfect pattern, set by the Lord, for all families to follow. Being symbolically formed from the rib of Adam, Eve became a lateral partner with her husband. Working side by side in equality Adam and Eve raised their children in righteousness, teaching them, making “all things known unto them.” Such is the job of righteous parent throughout all time periods.

As partners, Adam and Eve became co-creators with Deity, to build and organize bodies of mortal men. This partnership made them literal parents, or progenitors, of the entire human race. As their children we can all fondly call them Father Adam and Mother Eve. Thus the Lord declared, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be done flesh.” The pattern for procreation was clearly established on this earth, patterned after what was in Heaven before.

Eve was created in the image of God, and deemed “very good” by Him. She learned to call upon the Father in the name of the Lord as she learned to pray. She and Adam blessed the name of the Lord, and were taught the law of sacrifice as it pointed to the last great sacrifice, Jesus Christ. These concepts of prayer, calling upon the Father through Jesus Christ, and offering sacrifices, they lovingly taught their children.

As a mother, Eve knew the heartache of loss. She understood the effects of both the spiritual death and the physical death, learned very clearly through the example of her children Cain and Able. Eve also knew great happiness and joy in her posterity with the gift of an obedient child in Seth. She understood the blessing she received, in that, a righteous posterity would continue on the earth through his line. Eve received all the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ and enjoyed all of the gifts of the spirit. As a great mother and teacher she sought to prepare her posterity for all the same blessings she enjoyed.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie stated:

"Thus, in the beginning, the perfect pattern is set for perfecting the family. The man and the woman are together in worship; they are together in teaching their children; they are together in establishing the family unit that hopefully will endure in the eternities ahead, thus giving eternal life to all those who earn it."

In a time where the sanctity of marriage may be in question, and the importance of the role of mother is at stake, I am grateful for the example set by our righteous first parents, Adam and Eve.

Fig Trees and Priesthood

The scriptures use symbolic language and teachings. One of the symbols that I have been fascinated with is that of the fig tree. I have noticed that each time a reference is given in regard to the fig tree one might also be able to substitute it with “priesthood” and find some interesting comparisons.

The fig tree has long been known as the symbol of abundance, fertility and sweetness. The fruit of the fig tree has a tough peel, often cracking upon ripeness and exposing the pulp beneath. The interior is white with a seed mass bound in jelly-like flesh. It is very sweet to the taste. The common fig bears two crops of fruits. The first crop is the “breba” crop, which appears in the spring relying on the last season’s growth. The second crop is borne in the fall on the new growth and is known as the main crop, or the crop of actual value.

Some further information might be interesting as well; this was taken from an old Bible Dictionary that was published in the mid 1800’s.

Fig- three kinds are cultivated: 1. The early fig, ripe in June, green in color. 2. The summer fig, ripe in August, is sweet and the best, purple in color: and 3. the green fig, which remains on the tree all winter. It is one of the few plants which grow wild all over the country. The fig-tree puts forth its earliest fruit-buds before its leaves and the foliage forms a very dense shade. It grows best near a fountain or stream. The sycamore fig grows to a large size in Palestine and Egypt, sometimes 50 feet in circumference, and is evergreen. The fruit is purple, smaller than the other kinds, sweetish, and not so valuable. They ripen from November to June. The wood is used for many purposes, as it is almost the only large tree in Egypt.

As I believe that the fig tree and fruit thereon represent the priesthood organization and the fruits of the priesthood, I have found some interesting symbolism when considering this application in the teachings of the scriptures.

In the account in Matthew 21 the Savior teaches a wonderful lesson using the fig tree. It is interesting to note that in this account, the story of the fig tree is nestled between the cleansing of the Temple, and the Priests inquiring about what authority Christ had to teach. Both are very instructive as to the type of Priesthood holders who were abundant during this time period.

The cursing of the fig tree seems to serve as a lesson concerning the priesthood.

Matthew 21:19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

I believe that a statement was being made as to the condition of those who professed to have the priesthood at that time period because there were only showy leaves upon the branches but there was no fruit. The priests who officiated in the Temple at the time were all show, but could produce no fruit. The cursing of the tree, in that it soon died, in my opinion, was an illustration of the soon to be apostasy that would occur because of the unrighteous priesthood leaders.

Another illustration of the unrighteous use of the priesthood during the time of the ministry of Christ is illustrated in Luke. On a side note, the Savior’s ministry was a little over three years. I believe He was allowing the priesthood holders to have a “change of heart” before He took that responsibility away from them completely.

Luke 13:6 ¶ He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

Again in Luke also we can find another description of the type of priesthood that was being practiced by the priests in the Temple.

Luke 6: 43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

Fig leaves were used in another illustration of priesthood authority. When Adam and Eve found they were naked, they tried to cover their nakedness, but did so with “false” priesthood. This priesthood, represented by fig leaves, would not be good enough to save them without the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which was represented in the coat of skins. The fig leaves are now on the tree and as we are performing sacred acts in the temple dressed in white, WE have become the beautiful fruit. Yes, the beautiful fruit is now on the tree.

Matthew 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

What other correlations can you find if you thought of the fig tree as an illustration of priesthood authority?