Preserving the Sanctity of the Temple - Ancient

Specific Rules about Who Can Enter

The Lord has always had strict rules about who can do what in the temple. Here are some examples from the Bible:

• Moses' first encounter with the Lord foreshadows the sanctity of the temple. He saw the burning bush and heard the Lord's voice instructing him to remove his shoes because "the ground whereon [he stood was] holy ground". (Exodus 3:4-5)
• The Lord gave Aaron specific instructions about when and how to enter the "most holy place" - only the sons of Aaron and certain of the Levites are allowed to handle the ark (Numbers 4)
• The Phillistines took the ark and placed it in the temple of Dagon, their god. They were cursed until they removed it. (1 Samuel 5)
• King David wanted to build the Lord a house, but the Lord held that in reserve for Solomon (2 Samuel 7:1-13)
• because of the rules regarding it, king David was afraid to move the ark (2 Samuel 6:7-13)
• Uzziah, the son of Amaziah and a king over Israel transgressed, intending to burn incense in the temple, which was a duty reserved for only the priests. The priests forbade him to enter. He became angry and the Lord smote him with leprosy. He was cut off from the temple (lost his temple recommend, as latter-day saints would call it) for the rest of his life. (2 Chronicles 26:16-21)
• Belshazzar commanded that the vessels from the temple be brought so he and his concubines could drink wine from them. He was cursed and slain, his kingdom taken from him. (Daniel 5)
• the Savior braided a whip to drive out the money changers who "made [His] father's house an house of merchandise..." (John 2:14-17) He said to them: "my house is a house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Matthew 21:13)
• As had other prophets before them, the Savior went up into a mountain - now known as the Mount of Transfiguration - with his apostles and showed and taught them holy things. (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:1-9, Luke 9:28-36) 
• Paul speaks of "[hearing] unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for man to utter." (2 Corinthians 12:14)

The Need for a "Temple Recommend"

Ezekiel prophesied during the exile in Babylon concerning the rebuilding of the temple:

"Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart... shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.... and the Levites... yet shall they be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house..." (Ezekiel 44:9-11)

The Levites, who "kept the charge" of the temple, were responsible for seeing to it that those who were not Jews and were not living the faith were not allowed to enter the temple.

Concerning those who were allowed to enter the temple king David said:

"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.  He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.  In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved." (Psalms 15:1-5)

" Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." (Psalms 24:3-5)

In other words, only those who were of the faith and had demonstrated that they genuinely believed in God, loved their fellowmen, strove to live the gospel, and who lived honest lives were allowed to enter.

 


 The Temple: A Symbol of the Kingdom of God on the Earth

The reason for this strictness is that the temple symbolizes the interaction between heaven and earth. The veil of the temple symbolizes the veil between heaven and earth, with parts of the temple - including "the most holy place" - symbolizing our ability to enter into the kingdom of heaven through the veil, by the redeeming power of the Atonement of Christ. Jacob who became Israel called the temple "the gate of heaven". (see Genesis 28:17)

During His mortal ministry, the Savior taught Nicodemus about the connection between being born again through baptism and entering into the kingdom of God:

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)

We cannot enter into the kingdom of God - or the symbols of it - unless we have first been born of water and of the spirit and demonstrated that we have "taken hold of the covenant". 

Many people outside the LDS church think of the temple as being off-limits because of the strict admission requirements. However, another way to look at the temple is that it is, in fact, open to all who are willing to meet the requirements. To put it in Isaiah's words, the temple is a "house of prayer for all people" who "take hold of [his] covenant" and "join [themselves] to the Lord":

"Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people." (Isaiah 56:3-7)

Learn how to enter into - and take hold of - the Lord's covenant through baptism and obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel both anciently and in the latter days.