Lax16,
They explain that just as the tabernacle of Moses and Solomon’s temple had symbolic “washing” and so forth and had a font with twelve oxen facing outward, these things happen inside a temple today. They explain that there are instructions and sacred covenants that involve understanding the plan of God’s creation of this earth and the plan of salvation for humankind, including sealing families together forever as a family unit.
How does this tie in with the Old Testament?
The words of covenant making are to be kept confidential because they are sacred promises to God, and to share them with others would be to make them “earthy” instead of “heavenly”. But they are simple promises–nothing mysterious about them.
This is not found in Judaism or Christianity.
I would estimate that perhaps a million LDS members are temple-worthy adult members, and that number grows each week.
How often do these million members from around the world attend the temple for their duties?
Those attending were mostly member families, which explains the large numbers of people and why they had to park at an LDS chapel and bus to the temple location since the parking there is limited.
Many came from out of state, such as Idaho. Why? There are temples in Idaho.
You are correct about “Christian tradition”. If you add in “Old Testament practice” then you have a very different situation. The LDS don’t believe that the New Testament was a complete break from everything the Old Testament had as doctrinal foundations, including of course the belief in the Promised Messiah but also the belief in temples, tabernacles, and “holy places” and that some things within the tabernacle and temple were so sacred that the general population was not told all the sacred details. Also, the Jewish marriage covenant “under a canopy” represents being “inside the tabernacle of the children of Israel” which is what the temple became at the time of Solomon.
Parker - There is no record of such rituals taking place in The Temple of Jerusalem. It was used for sacrifices and prayer. Not weddings, baptisms for the dead etc.
**from the Encyclopedia of Judaism: Temple
The inner walls of the Temple were paneled with cedar wood. The floor of the Holy of Holies was likewise of cedar wood, while that of the outer room was of less expensive cypress wood. The walls were decorated with carvings of gourds, cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom, and were encrusted with gold. There were doors to both the outer room and the Holy of Holies. The walls of the latter were decorated on both sides, and its floor was plated with gold (I Kings 6:29-30). The Holy of Holies was entered only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, by the High Priest.
The most important object in the Temple was the Ark, which was installed within the Holy of Holies. Inside the ark stood the two Tablets of the Covenant with the Ten Commandments. The Ark linked the Temple historically to the Shiloh Sanctuary, which had existed for 369 years, as well as to the Sanctuary which had accompanied the Israelites in the desert. Two wooden cherubs with outspread wings surrounded the Ark, symbolizing the Divine Presence.
In the outer room stood the main implements of the Temple’s daily worship: an Incense altar, the table for the Showbread, and ten lampstands (see Menorah). These were all made of gold or gilded. In front of the Temple stood a “sea,” an immense bronze water basin supported by 12 bronze cattle. Along the east front of the building stood ten smaller water basins, each on its own wheeled stand, five to the north of the entrance and five to the south. A bronze Altar also stood in the courtyard, which was used for the various Sacrifices, both communal and individual.
The Temple itself served as the site for Prayer and for the bringing of sacrifices to God. In addition to the different communal sacrifices offered daily and the additional communal sacrifices brought on the Sabbaths, festivals, and the New Moon (Num. 28-29), individuals offered their own sacrifices, either in thanks or as part of their atonement for sins committed through negligence.
The Temple was the site to which the Omer (the first barley measure, harvested on the second day of Passover) and the First Fruits (on Shavu’Ot) were brought. On Passover eve, all families were required to come to Jerusalem to offer the paschal sacrifice, the lambs being sacrificed in the forecourt of the Temple. Many of the Psalms were originally composed for use in the Temple.**
You might start to think about the Old Testament and the why of Solomon’s temple, but perhaps not so you might leave exactly as you had started out–with a misconception.
What misconception? I know what the The Temple in Jerusalem was used for and it has nothing in common with LDS temple rituals and design.
I suggest that a person really wanting to figure out the answer to that question, would do well to read about the importing of wood and other materials and the craftsmanship and specialness of Solomon’s temple as described in how it was built. Each LDS temple is to indeed be the “House of the Lord” with just as much care in its building and inspiring architecture as was the case for Solomon’s temple.
My daughter asked when she was very young, who lived in the castle?
