While visiting her in Colorado, my friend Jill Barton and I talked for hours about the amazing times we live in—a time when the prophecies and promises are being fulfilled and, according to the Lord’s prophet, a time when the Savior will soon come again. Jill and I both expressed our fervent desire not to “miss out” on any manifestation of Jesus Christ as He prepares to rule and reign on the earth.
This morning, I happened to open Instagram, and the first post on my feed was President Dallin H. Oaks’ post about visiting the Salt Lake Temple as a First Presidency with President Eyring and President Christopherson. He commented on the upcoming open house and the purpose of the temple:
Above all, we look forward to teaching about the sacred purposes of temples throughout the world. In the temple, faithful men and women receive divine instruction, sacred responsibilities, and spiritual power.
It is in the temple that eternal coverants are made that bind us and our families to our Heavenly Father and to one another for eternity.
He shared five pictures. The first picture showed the First Presidency and three other men standing in the Celestial Room.
The second picture stopped me in my tracks! It’s a picture of President Oaks and President Eyring looking into the Salt Lake Temple’s Holy of Holies!
I recognized it immediately. J.F. Savage photographed the Salt Lake Temple’s interior in 1911.
How incredible that our prophet and first counselor stand together with an open door to the Holy of Holies!
Just like in ancient times, when the tabernacle and temple contained a Holy of Holies, and the High Priest administered the sacred ordinance on the Day of Atonement, a latter-day prophet holds keys and God’s authority to administer in that holy place.
I had a flood of thoughts as I stared at the image of our prophet at the open door of that sacred space, acknowledging that the temple has been decommissioned and the space is not dedicated at the moment.
The First Double Portion of Manna
I love reading historical happenings on the Jewish calendar and typically use chabad.org. Last evening, President Oaks’ post went live on 22 Iyar, which is the anniversary of the first Sabbath when Israel received no manna. The camp of Israel received a double portion of manna sufficient for two days on Friday, and then on Saturday, the Sabbath, no manna fell.
Come, Follow Me – Israel Enters the Promised Land
This week, our Come, Follow Me study focused on chapters from Numbers, including the sacrifices, oaths, feasts, and wars, preparing the house of Israel to enter the promised land. Ten spies convince Israel that they could not conquer Canaan because the current inhabitants included giants. Moses and Aaron’s authority was challenged and confirmed. Plagues destroyed rebels. Moses and Aaron would not enter the promised land. Joshua was called and set apart to lead Israel.
In this week’s Come, Follow Me study, Deuteronomy records that Moses finished his instructions to the people to inherit the promised land. Moses saw the promised land.
Then in next week’s study, under Joshua‘s leadership, the House of Israel followed the twelve priests carrying the ark of the covenant—which was housed in the Holy of Holies—across the Jordan River parted by Jehovah. Everyone could see the ark and the twelve tribe priestly representatives.
Joshua 3:12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an .
14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
16 That the which came down from and rose up upon an very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the , failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
Twelve tribes passing through a highway in the midst of water, following those selected servants bearing emblems of the Holy of Holies.
Mother’s Day
President Oaks’ glimpse into the Holy of Holies and description of the sealing ordinance happened the weekend of Mother’s Day. Sealings are performed by the holy order of matrimony.
Some etymology on matrimony:
Matrimony: From Latin ‘matrimonium’ — literally ‘the state of being a mother,’ contrasting with ‘patrimony’ (father’s inheritance). …
Matrimony is therefore linguistically ‘the mother-state’ or ‘the condition that makes one a mother’ — the institution of marriage defined from the woman’s perspective and her role in legitimate reproduction and inheritance. …
The contrast between ‘matrimony’ (from ‘māter,’ mother) and ‘patrimony’ (from ‘pater,’ father) reveals Roman gender assumptions embedded in language. Matrimony is what marriage gives the mother legal status and a household. Patrimony is what death gives the father’s heirs — property and wealth.
The mother’s word governs marriage; the father’s word governs inheritance.
I see both matriarchal and patriarchal roles portrayed by this picture and President Oaks’ post.
Restoration of the Priesthood
Next week, on May 15, we commemorate 197th anniversary of John the Baptist’s restoring the Aaronic Priesthood. Peter, James, and John also restored the Melchizedek Priesthood in late May or early June of 1829.
The Melchizedek Priesthood holds the right of presidency, and has power and authority over all the offices in the church in all ages of the world, to administer in spiritual things (Doctrine and Covenants 107:8.)
God’s priesthood power enables ordinances, like the sealing of families together, to be efficacious now and eternally.
The Rent Veil
I tread reverently here.
The New Testament records that when Jesus died, the veil of the temple was rent, exposing the Holy of Holies, which housed the throne and presence of God.
Mark 15:37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the .
38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
More than just rending the physical temple’s veil, Jesus Christ’s atoning triumph rended power from death’s grasp. Resurrection’s miracle threw open mortality’s graves, and resurrected saints crossed that veil into the eternal presence of God.
Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the of the temple was from the top to the bottom; and the earth did , and the rocks rent.
52 And the were opened; and many of the ,
Paul, teaching Christians about removing their personal and collective veils, said:
2 Corinthians 2:16 Nevertheless when [the people’s/someone’s heart] shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. . . .
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a the of the Lord, are changed into the same from to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Jesus said a similar thing as He restored His church:
Doctrine and Covenants 67:10 And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you … that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual.
The Lord told latter-day Saints that a general veil rending will happen at His coming:
Doctrine and Covenants 38:8 But the day soon cometh that ye shall see me, and know that I am; for the veil of darkness shall soon be rent, and he that is not purified shall not abide the day.
And John, in his apocalypse, saw a time that not only would a veil not be needed at all, but a structural temple as we know it would not be present. The type and symbolic purpose of the temple in pointing to Jesus Christ would reach perfect completion, for He is the veil and the temple.
Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God and the Lamb are the of it.
Sanctify Yourselves
After hearing talks my whole life about preparing to enter the Lord’s presence, today I saw the Lord’s prophet visually leading the way into the Lord’s presence and inviting me to
yourselves therefore, and be ye : for I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 20:7.)
And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow…And the Lord came down in a , and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto [them] (Numbers 11:18-25.)
And Joshua said unto the people, : for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you (Joshua 3:5.)
Veil o’er the Earth
The first thought that came to my mind when I saw that open door was a musical one.
The veil o’er the earth is beginning to burst
It’s been bursting for decades! But that phrase’s significance is so faith-filled, hope-filled, and prophecy-filling!
Here are the original six verses of “The Spirit of God.”
- The Spirit of God like a fire is burning;
- The latter day glory begins to come forth;
- The visions and blessings of old are returning;
- And angels are coming to visit the earth.
- The Lord is extending the saints’ understanding—
- Restoring their judges and all as at first;
- The knowledge and power of God are expanding
- The vail o’er the earth is beginning to burst.
- We call in our solemn assemblies, in spirit,
- To spread forth the kingdom of heaven abroad,
- That we through our faith may begin to inherit
- The visions, and blessings, and glories of God.
- We’ll wash and be wash’d, and with oil be anointed
- Withal not omitting the washing of feet:
- For he that receiveth his PENNY appointed,
- Must surely be clean at the harvest of wheat.
- Old Israel that fled from the world for his freedom,
- Must come with the cloud and the pillar, amain:
- A Moses, and Aaron, and Joshua lead him,
- And feed him on manna from heaven again.
- How blessed the day when the lamb and the lion
- Shall lie down together without any ire;
- And Ephraim be crown’d with his blessing in Zion,
- As Jesus descends with his chariots of fire!
- Chorus:
- We’ll sing and we’ll shout with the armies of heaven:
- Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
- Let glory to them in the highest be given,
- Henceforth and forever: amen and amen!
With Russell M. Nelson,
I testify that Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of Israel, leads this, His Church. He is preparing to come again. May we likewise prepare to receive Him.
May we, with Jesus Christ’s divine approval, walk through that open door in the Holy of Holies and His eternal presence!
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