To continue our discussion on whether God may dwell in temples on earth, and whether there exists a need for further temples after Christ, we might look again to the Bible to see if God dwelled in those sacred edifices which He commanded to be built in ancient times.
The first example that we might look at is Paul’s own theophany, which he experienced in the temple of Jerusalem shortly after his conversion: [Read more…]
The sacred ceremonies in which new monarchs are crowned kings and queens in the United Kingdom have significant parallels to the LDS Mormon endowment. These traditions stem from ancient times in English history, and have remained relatively unchanged in form throughout ages. The most recent coronation ceremony was on June 2, 1953, when Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne. This ceremony took place in Westminster Abbey, a well-known ancient church in London, England, signifying that this was a religious ritual.
The reason for the parallels to the temple ordinances is clear. The LDS endowment is, likewise, a coronation ceremony in which members of the House of Israel (Church members) are promised to become kings and queens, priests and priestesses, and are given all the rights, privileges, knowledge, and wisdom necessary in order to make that promise a reality. By doing so, members of the House of Israel become one with Christ (John 17), and therefore receive all that Christ has been given, including a crown, a robe of righteousness, and a throne (Rev. 1:6; Rev. 2:10; Rev. 3:21). The endowment is ancient, being given to our first parents, Adam and Eve. Since that time it has gone through many stages of apostasy, corruption, assimilation, and adoption into many different forms and by many different people. But glimpses of the temple ordinances can still be seen in these practices.
There are several points of interest to take note of in the ceremony, summarized and listed below, when Queen Elizabeth II was initiated, anointed, and consecrated as the sovereign of the United Kingdom: ((The full ceremony can be read at http://www.oremus.org/liturgy/coronation/cor1953b.html)) [Read more…]
Genesis 37 recounts the story of when Jacob gave a special coat to his son Joseph, which was said to have “many colours.” Later, Joseph was sold into Egypt by his brothers, his coat stripped from him, and returned to his father Jacob. Hugh Nibley gives us some interesting insight into this episode, and the special coat that Jacob gave Joseph. Apparently, Andrew Lloyd Webber was mistaken, as well as a number of other modern commentators: [Read more…]
This last week I finally swung by Seagull Book and picked up Dr. Andrew Skinner’s new book Temple Worship. I had heard about it before from ads, and from an excellent interview that Carol Mikita had with Dr. Skinner.
I’ve been impressed with the depth that Dr. Skinner approaches the temple subject, and the new insights he gives. It’s been very enlightening.
In the beginning he writes about the Savior’s atonement, and how in the temple we are taught that this sacrifice was established “from the foundation of the world” (Moses 7:47, Rev. 13:8, Moses 6:53-54), meaning it was central part of the plan of salvation that was established long before the earth ever existed. We knew that a Savior would be provided for us when we came to this earth, and that his name would be Jesus Christ, the same being who was the great Jehovah we knew then. We were all very aware of the suffering and sacrifice that he would make for us. We knew in detail how the atonement would work, and we were exuberantly confident in the way by which we could be rescued from the fall of Adam and Eve and our own individuals sins so that we could return to live with God. Dr. Skinner provides this sublime insight:
One ramification of this profound doctrine is that the ordinances of exaltation, including their general symbolism and specific tokens centering on the bodily sacrifice of Christ were in place and likely foreknown by us in our premortal existence. ((Temple Worship, p. 50))
Justin, a reader of Temple Study, brought to my attention that there may be more temple imagery in Matthew 25 than just the parable of the ten virgins. Indeed, the parable of the talents has some striking shadows and allusions to the temple too. In the same spirit Elder Robbins likened the parable of the ten virgins to our modern temple, let’s take a look at the parable of the talents “with the temple in mind” ((Lynn G. Robbins, “Oil in Our Lamps,” Ensign, Jun 2007, 44-48)). There may be many interpretations of these parables. The parable of the talents has often been attributed to how we use the talents, skills and blessings we’ve been given of God on the earth. But when we think specifically of the temple, these are some of the things that come to my mind: [Read more…]
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