Planning and Building the Tabernacle

This week I have chosen to do my post on the Tabernacle of Moses. I chose this topic because there are a lot of connections between the Tabernacle and our modern day temples. I wanted to help expand understanding on our temples to those that do not know much. I hope you enjoy this.

So, what things were a part of the Tabernacle of Moses? Well, here's a list:

-The Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:10)

-The Table of Shewbread (Exodus 25: 23, 29)

-The Sacred Lampstand or Golden Candlestick (Exodus 25: 31)

-The walls and covering for the Tabernacle (Exodus 26: 1, 15, 26)

-The entrance to the Tabernacle (Exodus 26: 31, 36)

-The outer courtyard (Exodus 27: 1, 9, 16)

-The Altar of Sacrifice (Exodus 27:1)

-The laver basen (Exodus 30:18)

-The Altar of Incense (Exodus 30:1)

Below is a diagram of the Tabernacle that I have drawn outlining the set up of the Tabernacle. If you reference with the picture above, the rectangle drawn here is the Tabernacle itself. I did not draw the boundaries of the courtyard.

I found it very interesting that there are nine chapters in Exodus dedicated to the planning and preparation of the Tabernacle but only 4 chapters on the building of it. This is much like the process we should go through when making important decisions. We need to take plenty of time planning and going over every option, but once we reach a decision, we need to act. And when we act we should not drag our feet about it. When you know what you should do, do it.

The chapters in Exodus outlining the planning and building of the Tabernacle of Moses is very significant to Latter-Day Saints, probably more so than other Christians. And why is that? Because the Tabernacle of Moses is very similar to our modern day temples. We are washed and anointed before we go through the endowment session just as the priests washed in the laver before entering the Tabernacle. There are 3 sections to the Tabernacle; the courtyard, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Our temples are divided much this same way. During the endowment session, there is a progression through these rooms ending with entering the Celestial Room, which is equivalent to the Holy of Holies. Our time in the temple is a time of reflection and prayer, just as the incense represents prayers reaching heaven. And just as the Tabernacle was built with high quality material just as our temples are built with high quality materials. These are just some of the examples. The differences between the Tabernacle and temples today are do to the fact that we do not live the Law of Moses anymore. Since we live a higher law, things have changed, like the sacrifice of animals. Instead of physical sacrifice, we sacrifice things like time, worldly wants, etc.

Why do we have temples today? To receive blessings and to perform important saving ordinances for ourselves and for those that have passed on so that we can make it back to live with our Heavenly Father for eternity. In the Old Testament Student Manual and Doctrine and Covenants 97, there is a clear picture of what blessings we receive and who receives them. In the temple we have the blessing of dwelling in the Lord's presence. The words "The House of the Lord" are engraved on every temple. The temple is the Lord's house and His Spirit dwells there. It is such a blessing to have a place to go where we can leave the cares of the world at the door and focus on nothing but the Lord and His plan for us. Another great blessing we receive from the temple is learning the mysteries of God. Things are taught in the temple that are too sacred to be talked about anywhere else. These are things that are crucial to know upon our return to our Father's presence. What a blessing it is to have that knowledge!

Who can receive these blessings? EVERYONE....as long as they are clean. Everyone is interviewed about their worthiness before they enter the temple. Those who are not members of the Church have a hard time with the fact that not just anyone can enter. They feel they are being excluded. I completely understand that feeling, but I am here to say that is not true! We wish that everyone could enter the temple! And we hope that everyone will take the opportunity to. But you have to attain they level of worthiness before you can enter.

I don't think I could ever explain how much I love the temple. I have received so many blessings as I have covenanted with my Father in Heaven and kept those covenants. I have received direction from Him that I would not have received in any other place. There is a spirit in my home that I would not have if it weren't for my temple attendance. And the greatest blessing I have ever received from the temple is the sealing of my family for time and all eternity. How grateful I am to have the peace of mind that this life is not the end and that I will not part with my family at death. The temple is the greatest place on earth!

Receiving the Call to Serve

I have loved reading the story of Moses this week. What a great man he was.

I was particularly intrigued by the story of Moses being called by the Lord to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Almost everyone knows the story of the burning bush. Moses finds a burning bush that is not being consumed by the flames. He hears the voice of the Lord telling him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses responds with doubt. He does not feel that he is the kind of speaker the Lord needs (reading through it reminded me of Fiddler on the Roof. "For someone slow of speech he sure has a lot to say!" Makes me laugh every time :) ).

I love how the Lord responds through the whole exchange. Every time Moses brings up his inadequacy, the Lord is quick to respond with love and support. He tells Moses over and over again that He will provide the words He wants Moses to say. Although the Lord did get angry at Moses for his doubt, the Lord still provided an alternative mouthpiece for Moses, his brother Aaron.

There are great things we can learn from this story. In our church, we are given callings. We are asked to do the Lord's work within our wards in various areas, like Young Women's and Young Men's (teaching kids ages 12-18), Primary and nursery (teaching kids ages 18months to 12 years), Sunday School, Relief Society, Priesthood, etc. And we all do it voluntarily. There are a lot of teaching and leadership positions that can seem very daunting to undertake. Right after Chad and I moved into this ward as newlyweds, I was called to be the 2nd counselor in the Young Women's presidency. I was terrified! I was 20 years old, barely out of Young Women's myself. What experience did I have to teach these young women? When I found out that I was going to be serving with women ten years older than me who had gone on missions, I felt even more unqualified.

As I have served in this position the last year and a half, I have felt the presence of the Lord with me. I have found that the one thing keeping me from being a great leader, my age, actually has been a great asset, helping me to relate to the girls and the situations they are facing. And I have also seen that my life experience level doesn't make any difference, they just need a stable, temple worthy example to look up to. I know now that the Lord knew exactly what He was doing when He called me into the position. He knew that the girls needed me and that I needed them. He has helped me every step of the way to fulfill my leadership role. He has done the exact same thing for me as He did for Moses.

One more thing to add about callings. I read in Moses 1: 17, 25-26 a new piece of information about Moses's calling. He was actually commanded to call upon the Lord. And when he did so, he was about to behold the glory of the Lord. Prayer is key in holding a calling. As we kneel before the Lord and ask for direction, He will direct us.

Who was Melchizedek?

(Picture found here of Melchizedek blessing Abraham)

This has been a really fun assignment for me. I remember hearing about Melchizedek and who he was in Sunday school and seminary lessons here and there, but none of the information stuck with me. This assignment gave me a chance to dig a little deeper on my own and find out a lot of cool things about Melchizedek.

We know from Genesis 14 that Melchizedek is the king of Salem and a "priest of the most high God" (verse 18). We also know that he blessed Abraham and that Abraham paid tithes of all his possessions to Melchizedek. This tells us that he is a righteous man and a man of authority but, as I found out, this account does not do him justice.

As I studied other scriptures and resources, I found out a lot of interesting things about Melchizedek. He actually was called by a few different titles; Prince of Peace, King of Peace, and King of Heaven (Joseph Smith Translation Genesis 14: 25-40). These titles come from the fact that Melchizedek was able to establish peace in Salem after a time of great iniquity (Alma 13: 14-19). And along with holding the priesthood, he had a job much like the bishops of LDS wards do today. He ran a storehouse and collected tithes and offerings from people to distribute to the poor and needy (JST Genesis 14: 37-38). This is one of the main responsibilities those who are serving as bishop have today. It's so fun to see the similarities from the Old Testament to today!

The most fun part of reading up on Melchizedek was learning just how great of a man he was. JST Genesis 14:26 reads, "Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire." Wow! Even as a child he was very mighty! And in Alma, chapter 13 verse 19, it reads, "Now, there were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater." He was so great of a priest that the scriptures even say that there was no one greater than him. And he was so great that the greater priesthood of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was named after him.

What an incredible man Melchizedek was. And what an example he is to me. I am very grateful for the chance I have had to find out more about him.

If you, too, would like to find out more about him (for example, about the Jewish belief that Shem, the son of Noah, and Melchizedek are the same man), check out the LDS Old Testament Institute Manuel here.

Have a great weekend!