Temple Themes

Animal sacrifices were a major component of the Law of Moses. There were basically two categories of offerings—the compulsory offerings, such as the sin offering and the voluntary offerings, such as the burnt offering and the meal, or grain, offering. The meal offering is called a “meat” offering in the scriptures, but it’s the only

Moses was commanded to make holy garments for Aaron and his sons, who would become the high priests. The garments were made for beauty and glory (Exodus 28:2). Job 40:10 states, “Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.” The garments consisted of a breastplate, an ephod, a robe,

Moses is commanded to build a tabernacle. The Lord called it a “sanctuary,” so He could “dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). The Hebrew word for dwell is shakan, and it’s the root of the word Shekinah.   The Shekhinah (שכינה) is the Hebrew term for the divine presence or “dwelling” of God on Earth, symbolizing

The Lord covenants to make Israel a “peculiar treasure.” Moses ascended Mount Sinai and received a revelation from God. He promised:   “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: “And ye

The children of Israel were delivered from bondage thanks to a three-part revelation from the Lord to Moses. There is a lesson here. Revelation comes a piece at a time and “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” (2 Nephi 28:30; see also Isaiah 28:13). Those precious gems of

The word hand occurs 21 times in these Come Follow Me chapters of Exodus 7-13. In every case, in these chapters, it’s the Hebrew word yad. This is the open hand meaning power, means, or direction. The phrase “to give the hand,” is equivalent to making a pledge or entering into a covenant.   The

I am profoundly grateful for the influence of the temple in my life. As I contemplate the atonement of Jesus Christ during this Holy Week, my heart is full of gratitude and love for my Savior! I think of how Jesus rescued me when I was a practicing alcoholic with no sobriety in seven years

When Moses is called to deliver the children of Israel from bondage, he asks the Lord saying, “Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say

The presence of God is personified as the Lord appears to Moses at the burning bush. To stand in the Lord’s presence and not be consumed is to experience the glory of God. Moses sees “the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2). Jesus gave the parable of the rich man and

Just before Jacob yields up the ghost, he gives each of his sons a patriarchal blessing. In your own patriarchal blessing, you can find your declaration of lineage and attach the corresponding tribe to your personal blessing. I add a word of warning though. Unless you descend through Ephraim, Manasseh, or Judah, you will have