In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord. Temples are considered by church members to be the most sacred structures on earth.
128-626: The Provo Utah Temple (formerly the Provo Temple ) was a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in Provo, Utah , just north of Brigham Young University (BYU). The intent to build the temple was announced on August 14, 1967, by Hugh B. Brown and N. Eldon Tanner . The church's temples are a sacred space where church members make covenants and perform ordinances for themselves and their deceased ancestors. The temple
256-567: A miracle , and Aaron throws down Moses' staff , which turns into a tannin (sea monster or snake) (Exodus 7:8-13); however, Pharaoh's magicians are also able to do this, though Moses' serpent devours the others. Pharaoh refuses to let the Israelites go. After this, Yahweh inflicts a series of Plagues on the Egyptians each time Moses repeats his demand and Pharaoh refuses to release the Israelites. Pharaoh's magicians are able to match
384-783: A "House of the Lord", after which only members who are deemed "temple-worthy" by their congregational leaders are permitted entrance. Temples are not churches or Meetinghouses designated for public weekly worship services, but rather are places of worship open only to the faithful where certain rites of the church must be performed. The LDS Church has 367 temples in various phases, which includes 201 dedicated temples (192 operating and 9 previously-dedicated, but closed for renovation ), 3 scheduled for dedication , 48 under construction , 1 scheduled for groundbreaking , and 114 others announced (not yet under construction). There are temples in many U.S. states, as well as in many countries across
512-485: A background to the Exodus myth include the documented movements of small groups of Ancient Semitic-speaking peoples into and out of Egypt during the 18th and 19th dynasties, some elements of Egyptian folklore and culture mentioned in the Exodus narrative, and the names Moses, Aaron and Phinehas, which seem to have an Egyptian origin. Scholarly estimates for how many could have been involved in such an exodus range from
640-455: A controversial race-based policy . As of 2023 , all temple ordinances are unavailable to lesbian , gay , or bisexual persons who are in a same-sex marriage or homosexual sexual relationship, and to all transgender individuals who are transitioning or have transitioned. These restrictions have also garnered criticism from both outside, and inside the LDS church. To qualify for
768-433: A conversation with Woodruff, Logan Temple president Marriner W. Merrill stated that the contemplated public announcement prohibiting additional polygamist unions was "the only way to retain the possession of our temples and continue the ordinance work for the living and dead which was considered of more importance than continuing the practice of plural marriage for the present." Latter-day Saint temple building halted until
896-406: A current temple recommend can enter for worship. Temple (LDS Church) Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time (an "open house"). During the open house, the church conducts tours of the temple with missionaries and members from the local area serving as tour guides, and all rooms of the temple are open to the public. The temple is then dedicated as
1024-542: A desire to continue the ordinance work in temples was a significant consideration preceding Wilford Woodruff's decision (announced in his Manifesto of September 1890 ) that the church would discontinue its practice of polygamy . In 1887 the US Congress passed the Edmunds–Tucker Act , which disincorporated the church and directed federal officials to begin seizing its assets, potentially including its temples. After
1152-469: A few hundred to a few thousand people. Joel S. Baden noted the presence of Semitic-speaking slaves in Egypt who sometimes escaped in small numbers as potential inspirations for the Exodus. It is also possible that oppressive Egyptian rule of Canaan during the late second millennium BCE, during the 19th and especially the 20th dynasty, may have disposed some native Canaanites to adopt into their own mythology
1280-559: A four-story structure of 130,825 square feet. The temple was announced by the counselors in the First Presidency , Hugh B. Brown and N. Eldon Tanner, during a meeting with 28 local stake presidencies , on August 14, 1967. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on September 15, 1969. The temple was dedicated on February 9, 1972, by church president Joseph Fielding Smith. The two dedicatory services were broadcast to several large auditoriums on
1408-466: A genuine Exodus tradition from the Northern Kingdom, but in a Judahite recension. Russell and Frank Moore Cross argue that the Israelites of the Northern Kingdom may have believed that the calves at Bethel and Dan were made by Aaron. Russell suggests that the connection to Jeroboam may have been later, possibly coming from a Judahite redactor. Pauline Viviano, however, concludes that neither
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#17327726106451536-399: A global scale, church leaders announced an end to the one-year waiting period in most cases, except in relation to converts to the church, who are still required to wait a year after their own confirmation before entering the temple. Exodus from Egypt The Exodus ( Hebrew : יציאת מצרים, Yəṣīʾat Mīṣrayīm : lit. ' Departure from Egypt ' ) is the founding myth of
1664-483: A group of foreigners from Egypt comprised early Israel. Despite the absence of any archaeological evidence, most scholars nonetheless hold that the Exodus probably has some sort of historical basis, with Kenton Sparks referring to it as "mythologized history". Scholars posit that a small group of Egyptian origin may have joined the early Israelites, and contributed their own Egyptian Exodus story to all of Israel. William G. Dever cautiously identifies this group with
1792-460: A high official in the court of the Egyptian pharaoh . Exodus begins with the death of Joseph and the ascension of a new pharaoh "who did not know Joseph" (Exodus 1:8). The pharaoh becomes concerned by the number and strength of the Israelites in Egypt and enslaves them, commanding them to build at two "supply" or "store cities" called Pithom and Rameses (Exodus 1:11). The pharaoh also orders
1920-610: A historical Egyptian as a prototype for Moses has found wide acceptance, and no period in Egyptian history matches the biblical accounts of the Exodus. Some elements of the story are miraculous and defy rational explanation, such as the Plagues of Egypt and the Crossing of the Red Sea . The Bible does not mention the names of any of the pharaohs involved, further obscuring comparison of archaeologically recovered Egyptian history with
2048-682: A new covenant (Mark 14:24) in the same way that Moses' sacrifice of bulls had created a covenant (Exodus 24:5). In the Gospel of Matthew , Jesus reverses the direction of the Exodus by escaping from the Massacre of the Innocents committed by Herod the Great before himself returning from Egypt (Matt 2:13-15). Other parallels in Matthew include that he is baptized by water (Matt 3:13-17), and tested in
2176-603: A new exodus. American "founding fathers" Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin recommended for the Great Seal of the United States to depict Moses leading the Israelites across the Red Sea. African Americans suffering under slavery and racial oppression interpreted their situation in terms of the Exodus, making it a catalyst for social change. South American Liberation theology also takes much inspiration from
2304-647: A new one ascends the throne. According to Ezekiel 20:8-9, the enslaved Israelites also practised "abominations" and worshiped the gods of Egypt. This provoked Yahweh to destroy them but he relented to avoid his name being "profaned". Meanwhile, Moses goes to Mount Horeb , where Yahweh appears in a burning bush and commands him to go to Egypt to free the Hebrew slaves and bring them to the Promised Land in Canaan. Yahweh also speaks to Moses's brother Aaron , and
2432-467: A physical reminder of the obligation to observe the laws given at the climax of Exodus: "Look at it and recall all the commandments of the Lord" (Numbers). The festivals associated with the Exodus began as agricultural and seasonal feasts but became completely subsumed into the Exodus narrative of Israel's deliverance from oppression at the hands of God. For Jews, the Passover celebrates the freedom of
2560-561: A pivotal role in its promulgation. Many theories have been advanced to explain the composition of the first five books of the Bible, but two have been especially influential. The first of these, Persian Imperial authorisation, advanced by Peter Frei in 1985, is that the Persian authorities required the Jews of Jerusalem to present a single body of law as the price of local autonomy. Frei's theory
2688-525: A polemical Egyptian response to the Exodus narrative. Egyptologist Jan Assmann proposed that the story comes from oral sources that "must [...] predate the first possible acquaintance of an Egyptian writer with the Hebrew Bible ." Assmann suggested that the story has no single origin but rather combines numerous historical experiences, notably the Amarna and Hyksos periods, into a folk memory. There
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#17327726106452816-425: A potential historical parallel or origin for the story. Many other scholars reject this view, and instead see the biblical exodus traditions as the invention of the exilic and post-exilic Jewish community, with little to no historical basis. Lester Grabbe , for instance, argues that "[t]here is no compelling reason that the exodus has to be rooted in history", and that the details of the story more closely fit
2944-483: A story of the enslavement of the Israelites, the Plagues of Egypt , the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, the revelations at Mount Sinai , and the Israelite wanderings in the wilderness up to the borders of Canaan . Its message is that the Israelites were delivered from slavery by Yahweh their god, and therefore belong to him by covenant . The story of the Exodus is told in the first half of Exodus, with
3072-682: A temple for the use of the Norwegian Latter Day Saints. Meanwhile, Young urged the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo to redouble their efforts to finish the temple. By the end of 1845, the building was sufficiently finished to allow temple ordinances to be performed. Ordinances continued to be performed in early 1846 as the Mormons were forced to abandon the city. A small crew remained in the city and continued to work on
3200-642: A temple recommend, an LDS Church member must faithfully answer the following questions which affirm the individual's adherence to essential church doctrine: A list of questions were first introduced in 1857 and used to qualify whether an individual could enter the Endowment House , before the first temple in Utah was built. They reflected the context of the times, including questions about ones belief in polygamy, branding an animal that one did not own, and using another person's irrigation water. Since then,
3328-443: A temple, only church members in good standing who have a valid temple recommend are permitted to attend the ceremony. In many nations outside the United States, a civil ceremony, where required by the law of the land, has been immediately followed by a temple sealing. In the United States, a one-year waiting period between the civil ceremony and a temple sealing was required until 2019. In May 2019, to standardize sealing policies on
3456-400: Is a process which culminates in the participation by the couple in a ritual called the sealing ordinance; which involves pronouncing the couple as having a permanent marriage bond which persists even beyond death. This ceremony, among others, is taught as being vital to an individual's and family's exaltation status, following the final judgment . With the sealing ordinance being held inside
3584-409: Is associated with the Israelites living in booths after they left their previous homes in Egypt. It celebrates how God provided for the Israelites while they wandered in the desert without food or shelter. It is celebrated by building a sukkah , a temporary shelter also called a booth or tabernacle, in which the rituals of Sukkot are performed, recalling the impermanence of the Israelites' homes during
3712-413: Is general agreement that the stories originally had nothing to do with the Jews. Erich S. Gruen suggested that it may have been the Jews themselves that inserted themselves into Manetho's narrative, in which various negative actions from the point of view of the Egyptians, such as desecrating temples, are interpreted positively. Commemoration of the Exodus is central to Judaism, and Jewish culture . In
3840-524: Is generally dated to the 7th century BCE. The contents of the books of Leviticus and Numbers are late additions to the narrative by priestly sources. Scholars broadly agree that the publication of the Torah (or of a proto-Pentateuch) took place in the mid-Persian period (the 5th century BCE), echoing a traditional Jewish view which gives Ezra , the leader of the Jewish community on its return from Babylon,
3968-456: Is little of historical fact in it. The other position, often associated with the school of Biblical minimalism , is that the biblical exodus traditions are the invention of the exilic and post-exilic Jewish community, with little to no historical basis. The biblical Exodus narrative is best understood as a founding myth of the Jewish people, providing an ideological foundation for their culture and institutions, not an accurate depiction of
Provo Utah Temple - Misplaced Pages Continue
4096-490: Is responsible for the administration of temple operations and spiritual guidance for both temple patrons and staff. The first president of the Provo Utah Temple was Herold G. Clark, who served from 1972 to 1976. As of 2022, James W. Barry is the president. The Provo Utah Temple is currently being reconstructed and is closed. Once completed, a public open house will be held. Once dedicated, only church members with
4224-584: Is that the Pentateuch does not give an accurate account of the origins of the Israelites, who appear instead to have formed as an entity in the central highlands of Canaan in the late second millennium BCE (around the time of the Late Bronze Age collapse ) from the indigenous Canaanite culture. Most modern scholars believe that some elements in the story of the Exodus might have some historical basis, but that any such basis has little resemblance to
4352-535: The Israelites whose narrative is spread over four of the five books of the Pentateuch (specifically, Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers , and Deuteronomy ). The narrative of the Exodus describes a history of Egyptian bondage of the Israelites followed by their exodus from Egypt through a passage in the Red Sea , in pursuit of the Promised Land under the leadership of Moses . The consensus of modern scholars
4480-525: The Qur'an , in which Moses is one of the most prominent prophets and messengers . He is the mentioned 136 times, the most of any individual in the Qur'an , with and his life being narrated and recounted more than that of any other prophet . A number of historical events and situations have been compared to the Exodus. Many early American settlers interpreted their flight from Europe to a new life in America as
4608-580: The Second Intermediate Period ("Hyksos period") and most are extremely anti-Jewish . The earliest non-biblical account is that of Hecataeus of Abdera ( c. 320 BCE ) as preserved in the first century CE Jewish historian Josephus in Against Apion and in a variant version by the first-century BCE Greek historian Diodorus . Hecataeus tells how the Egyptians blamed a plague on foreigners and expelled them from
4736-663: The Tabernacle was considered a "portable temple" by the children of Israel in the Old Testament. The first Latter-day Saint temple ceremonies were performed in Kirtland, Ohio , but differed significantly from the endowment performed on the second floor of Joseph Smith 's Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, Illinois, and the Nauvoo Temple . Kirtland ordinances included washings and anointings (differing in many ways from
4864-458: The Tribe of Joseph , while Richard Elliott Friedman identifies it with the Tribe of Levi . Most scholars who accept a historical core of the exodus date this possible exodus group to the thirteenth century BCE at the time of Ramses II ( 19th dynasty ), with some instead dating it to the twelfth century BCE under Ramses III ( 20th dynasty ). Evidence in favor of historical traditions forming
4992-545: The Tribe of Manasseh there. Moses then addresses the Israelites for a final time on the banks of the Jordan River , reviewing their travels and giving them further laws. Yahweh tells Moses to summon Joshua to lead the conquest of Canaan . Yahweh tells Moses to ascend Mount Nebo , from where he sees the Promised Land, and dies. The climax of the Exodus is the covenant (binding legal agreement) between God and
5120-589: The succession crisis , Brigham Young assumed control of the church's headquarters at Nauvoo, Illinois. While he and the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve made contingency plans for abandoning the city, he may have hoped that it would not prove necessary. For example, in early 1845, Young convened a conference at the Norwegian colony at Norway, Illinois , and announced a plan to build a Latter-day Saint town there with
5248-400: The 2666th year after creation (Exodus 12:40-41), the construction of the tabernacle to year 2667 (Exodus 40:1-2, 17), stating that the Israelites dwelled in Egypt for 430 years (Exodus 12:40-41), and specifying place names such as Goshen (Gen. 46:28), Pithom , and Ramesses (Exod. 1:11), as well as the count of 600,000 Israelite men (Exodus 12:37). The Book of Numbers further states that
Provo Utah Temple - Misplaced Pages Continue
5376-519: The BYU campus, including the 22,700-seat Marriott Center . Emil B. Fetzer, the architect for the Ogden and Provo temples, was asked to create a functional design with efficiency, convenience, and reasonable cost as key factors. The temple sits on a 17-acre site, with its surrounding landscaping featuring gardens, fountains, and walkways. These elements are designed to provide a tranquil setting that enhances
5504-475: The Bible, the Exodus is frequently mentioned as the event that created the Israelite people and forged their bond with God, being described as such by the prophets Hosea, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel . The Exodus is invoked daily in Jewish prayers and celebrated each year during the Jewish holidays of Passover , Shavuot , and Sukkot . The fringes worn at the corners of traditional Jewish prayer shawls are described as
5632-461: The City of Zion plan and designated four of these to contain temples: Salt Lake City (1847), St. George (1871), Manti (1875), and Logan (1877). The St. George Temple was the first to be completed in 1877, followed by Logan (1884) and Manti (1888). The Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to complete because of various setbacks and delays. It was dedicated in 1893. In the late 1880s and in 1890,
5760-580: The Exodus as a typological prefiguration of resurrection and salvation by Jesus . The Exodus is also recounted in the Qur'an as part of the extensive referencing of the life of Moses , a major prophet in Islam. The narrative has also resonated with various groups in more recent centuries, such as among the early American settlers fleeing religious persecution in Europe, and among African Americans striving for freedom and civil rights . The Exodus tells
5888-451: The Exodus events from comprehensive histories of Israel. Most mainstream scholars do not accept the biblical Exodus account as history for a number of reasons. Most agree that the Exodus stories were written centuries after the apparent setting of the stories. Scholars argue that the Book of Exodus itself attempts to ground the event firmly in history, reconstructing a date for the exodus as
6016-526: The Exodus story served as an "identity card" defining who belonged to this community (i.e., to Israel), thus reinforcing Israel's unity through its new institutions. Writers in Greek and Latin during the Ptolemaic Kingdom (late 4th century BCE–late 1st century BCE) record several Egyptian tales of the expulsion of a group of foreigners connected to the Exodus. These tales often include elements of
6144-596: The Exodus. The story may, therefore, have originated a few centuries earlier, perhaps in the 10th or 9th century BCE, and there are signs that it took different forms in Israel, in the Transjordan region , and in the southern Kingdom of Judah before being unified in the Persian era. The Exodus narrative was most likely further altered and expanded under the influence of the return from the Babylonian captivity in
6272-779: The First Presidency also dedicated a number of temples during Monson's administration. As of October 2018, Monson's successor, Russell M. Nelson , has dedicated the Concepción Chile Temple . The LDS Church has 367 temples in various phases, which includes 201 dedicated temples (192 operating and 9 previously-dedicated, but closed for renovation ), 3 scheduled for dedication , 48 under construction , 1 scheduled for groundbreaking , and 114 others announced (not yet under construction). It has been suggested that recent temple construction represents an attempt by church leadership to “re-energize” congregations in
6400-451: The Israelites can enter the promised land. The Israelites will have to remain in the wilderness for forty years, and Yahweh kills the spies through a plague except for the righteous Joshua and Caleb , who will be allowed to enter the promised land (Numbers 13:36-38). A group of Israelites led by Korah , son of Izhar, rebels against Moses, but Yahweh opens the earth and sends them living to Sheol (Numbers 16:1-33). The Israelites come to
6528-578: The Israelites complain about lack of bread and water, so Yahweh sends a plague of poisonous snakes to afflict them (Numbers 21:4-7). After Moses prays for deliverance, Yahweh has him create a brazen serpent , and the Israelites who look at it are cured (Numbers 21:8-9). The Israelites are soon in conflict with various other kingdoms, and king Balak of Moab asks the seer Balaam to curse the Israelites, but Balaam blesses them instead. Some Israelites begin having sexual relations with Moabite women and worshipping Moabite gods , so Yahweh orders Moses to impale
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#17327726106456656-515: The Israelites from captivity in Egypt, the settling of Canaan by the Israelites, and the "passing over" of the angel of death during the death of the first-born . Passover involves a ritual meal called a Seder during which parts of the exodus narrative are retold. In the Hagaddah of the Seder it is written that every generation is obliged to remind and identify itself in terms of the Exodus. Thus
6784-512: The Israelites mediated by Moses at Sinai: Yahweh will protect the Israelites as his chosen people for all time, and the Israelites will keep Yahweh's laws and worship only him. The covenant is described in stages: at Exodus 24:3–8 the Israelites agree to abide by the "book of the covenant" that Moses has just read to them; shortly afterwards God writes the "words of the covenant" – the Ten Commandments – on stone tablets; and finally, as
6912-457: The Israelites sin against Yahweh by creating the idol of a golden calf . As punishment Yahweh has the Levites kill three thousand of the Israelites (Exodus 32:28), and Yahweh sends a plague on them. The Israelites now accept the covenant, which is reestablished; they build a tabernacle for Yahweh, and receive their laws. Yahweh commands Moses to take a census of the Israelites and establishes
7040-399: The Israelites to commemorate this event in "a perpetual ordinance" (Exodus 12:14). Pharaoh finally casts the Israelites out of Egypt after his firstborn son is killed. Yahweh leads the Israelites in the form of a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire at night. However, once the Israelites have left, Yahweh "hardens" Pharaoh's heart to change his mind and pursue the Israelites to
7168-412: The Israelites to take a lamb on the 10th day, and on the 14th day to slaughter it and daub its blood on their doorposts and lintels , and to observe the Passover meal that night, the night of the full moon . In the final plague , Yahweh sends an angel to each house to kill the firstborn son and firstborn cattle, but the houses of the Israelites are spared by the blood on their doorposts. Yahweh commands
7296-579: The October 2021 general conference , church president Russell M. Nelson announced the temple would be reconstructed following the dedication of the Orem Utah Temple (which was dedicated in January 2024). The new design will not reflect the modernist plans of the original building, despite some opposition from community members. The new designs are similar to other contemporary temples, including
7424-641: The Orem Utah and Deseret Peak Utah temples. In February 2024, the church announced that following reconstruction, the temple would be renamed the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple. Throughout the 1960s, enrollment at BYU in Provo, Utah expanded, and church membership grew. The Logan , Manti , and Salt Lake temples were overcrowded, with about 52% of all temple ordinances being performed in those 3 temples. Construction in Ogden and Provo
7552-713: The biblical narrative. While ancient Egyptian texts from the New Kingdom mention "Asiatics" living in Egypt as slaves and workers, these people cannot be securely connected to the Israelites, and no contemporary Egyptian text mentions a large-scale exodus of slaves like that described in the Bible. The earliest surviving historical mention of the Israelites, the Egyptian Merneptah Stele ( c. 1207 BCE ), appears to place them in or around Canaan and gives no indication of any exodus. Archaeologist Israel Finkelstein argues from his analysis of
7680-522: The borders of Syria , where Osarseph gives the lepers a law code and changes his name to Moses. The identification of Osarseph with Moses in Manetho's account may be an interpolation or may come from Manetho. Other versions of the story are recorded by the first-century BCE Egyptian grammarian Lysimachus of Alexandria , who set the story in the time of Pharaoh Bakenranef (Bocchoris), the first-century CE Egyptian historian Chaeremon of Alexandria , and
7808-671: The brazen serpent had been made by Moses and was worshiped in the temple in Jerusalem until the time of king Hezekiah of Judah, who destroyed it as part of a religious reform, possibly c. 727 BCE . In the Pentateuch, Moses creates the brazen serpent in Numbers 21:4-9. Meindert Dijkstra writes that while the historicity of the Mosaic origin of the Nehushtan is unlikely, its association with Moses appears genuine rather than
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#17327726106457936-479: The building of the temple at Jerusalem. Pamela Barmash argues that the psalm is a polemic against the Northern Kingdom; as it fails to mention that kingdom's destruction in 722 BCE, she concludes that it must have been written before then. The psalm's version of the Exodus contains some important differences from what is found in the Pentateuch: there is no mention of Moses, and the manna is described as "food of
8064-618: The central spire was originally painted gold to symbolize the pillar of fire by night set upon a large white building that represented the pillar of cloud by day, referring to the Israelites in their exodus from Egypt spoken of in Exodus 13:21-22. In the temple, baptismal fonts rest on the back of 12 oxen, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel. Over the years, the Provo Utah Temple has undergone several renovations to preserve its structural integrity, update facilities, and enhance its spiritual and aesthetic appeal. The most significant prior renovation project began in 2003. The original designs for
8192-406: The condition of exaltation after the final judgment . They are also taught that a vast number of dead souls exist in a condition termed as spirit prison , and that a dead individual upon whom the temple ordinances are completed will have a chance to be freed of this imprisoning condition. In this framework ordinances are said to be completed on behalf of either the participant, or a dead individual
8320-583: The country, whereupon Moses, their leader, took them to Canaan. In this version, Moses is portrayed extremely positively. Manetho , also preserved in Josephus's Against Apion , tells how 80,000 lepers and other "impure people", led by a priest named Osarseph , join forces with the former Hyksos, now living in Jerusalem , to take over Egypt. They wreak havoc until the Pharaoh and his son chase them out to
8448-589: The dead , washing and anointing (or "initiatory" ordinances), the endowment , and eternal marriage sealings . Ordinances are a vital part of the theology of the church, which teaches that they were practiced by the Lord's covenant people in all dispensations . Latter-day Saints cite various Old Testament references to temple ordinances such as those found in Exodus 29:4–9 , Exodus 28:2–43 and Leviticus 8:6–13 . The words "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" can be found on LDS temples as referenced in Exodus 28:36 . Likewise
8576-420: The dead. The initiatory, endowment, and sealing ceremonies are today performed only within a temple. The sealing ordinance can be performed on behalf of dead couples; so long as the two living participants are of opposite sex they need not be married. It is also performed on behalf of living couples who wish to be legally married. In this manner, the ordinance is typically performed as a celestial marriage , with
8704-452: The dedication of two golden calves in Bethel and Dan by the Israelite king Jeroboam I , who uses the words "Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt" (1 Kings 12:28). Scholars relate Jeroboam's calves to the golden calf made by Aaron of Exodus 32. Both include a nearly identical dedication formula ("These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of
8832-417: The desert "[t]he two most significant NT passages touching on the exodus". John also refers to Jesus as manna (John 6:31-5), water flowing from a rock in the desert (John 7:37-9), and as a pillar of fire (John 8:12). Early Christians frequently interpreted actions taken in the Exodus, and sometimes the Exodus as a whole, typologically to prefigure Jesus or actions of Jesus. In Romans 9:17, Paul interprets
8960-494: The desert wanderings. The Christian ritual of the eucharist and the holiday of Easter draw directly on the imagery of the Passover and the Exodus. In the New Testament , Jesus is frequently associated with motifs of the Exodus. The Gospel of Mark has been suggested to be a midrash on the Exodus, though the scholar Larry J. Perkins thinks this unlikely. Mark suggests that the outpouring of Jesus' blood creates
9088-404: The desert; unlike the Israelites, he is able to resist temptation (Matt. 4.1-3). The Gospel of John repeatedly calls Jesus the Passover lamb (John 1:29, 13:1, 19:36), something also found in 1 Peter (1 Pet 1:18-20), and 1 Corinthians (1 Cor 5:7-8). Michael Graves calls Paul 's discussion of the exodus in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 and his comparison of the early church in Corinth to the Israelites in
9216-569: The duties of the Levites. Then the Israelites depart from Mount Sinai. Yahweh commands Moses to send twelve spies ahead to Canaan to scout the land. The spies discover that the Canaanites are formidable, and to dissuade the Israelites from invading, the spies falsely report that Canaan is full of giants (Numbers 13:30-33). The Israelites refuse to go to Canaan, and Yahweh declares that the generation that left Egypt will have to pass away before
9344-544: The endowment rather than live actors. Joseph Fielding Smith dedicated a temple in Ogden, Utah , and Harold B. Lee dedicated its twin in Provo, Utah . Spencer W. Kimball began a plan to build many more smaller temples according to standardized plans. Twenty-one temples were dedicated during his presidency, including the tiny Papeete Tahiti Temple —which has a floorspace of less than 10,000 square feet (900 m ). This trend has continued. Nine additional temples were dedicated in
9472-451: The exodus story of a small group of Egyptian refugees. Nadav Na'aman argues that oppressive Egyptian rule of Canaan may have inspired the Exodus narrative, forming a " collective memory " of Egyptian oppression that was transferred from Canaan to Egypt itself in the popular consciousness. The 17th dynasty expulsion of the Hyksos , a group of Semitic invaders, is also frequently discussed as
9600-504: The face of flat numerical growth. Most temples are built facing east, the direction from which Jesus Christ is prophesied to return. The spires and towers on the east end of multi-spired temples are elevated higher than spires and towers on the west side for this same reason, and to represent the Melchizedek, or higher, priesthood. Some temples, such as Salt Lake , Chicago , and Washington D.C. , have triple spires on each side of
9728-524: The first members of Smith's Quorum of the Anointed , or Holy Order, as it was also known, were made on May 3, 1842. The walls of the second level of the Red Brick Store were painted with garden-themed murals, the rooms fitted with carpets, potted plants, and a veil hung from the ceiling. All the while, the ground level continued to operate as Smith's general mercantile. After the early events of
9856-504: The first plagues, in which Yahweh turns the Nile to blood and produces a plague of frogs, but they cannot match any plagues starting with the third, the plague of gnats . After each plague, Pharaoh asks the Israelites to worship Yahweh to remove the plague, then still refuses to free them. Moses is commanded to fix the first month of Aviv at the head of the Hebrew calendar . He instructs
9984-526: The first-century BCE Gallo-Roman historian Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus . The first-century CE Roman historian Tacitus included a version of the story that claims that the Hebrews worshipped a donkey as their god to ridicule Egyptian religion, whereas the Roman biographer Plutarch claimed that the Egyptian god Seth was expelled from Egypt and had two sons named Juda and Hierosolyma. The stories may represent
10112-458: The following words from the Pesaḥim (10:5) are recited: "In every generation a person is duty-bound to regard himself as if he personally has gone forth from Egypt." Because the Israelites fled Egypt in haste without time for bread to rise, the unleavened bread matzoh is eaten on Passover, and homes must be cleansed of any items containing leavening agents, known as Chametz . Shavuot celebrates
10240-642: The granting of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai; Jews are called to rededicate themselves to the covenant on this day. Some denominations follow Shavuot with The Three Weeks , during which the "two most heinous sins committed by the Jews in their relationship to God" are mourned: the Golden Calf and the doubting of God's promise by the Twelve Spies . A third Jewish festival, Sukkot , the Festival of Booths,
10368-476: The grounds are open to everyone, only church members who hold a current temple recommend enter the temple to participate in the ordinances. In large part because of its location across the street from a Missionary Training Center and proximity to BYU, the Provo Utah Temple was one of the church's busiest. In 2016, the Provo City Center Temple was dedicated, making Provo the second city in
10496-638: The hardened heart of Pharaoh during the Plagues of Egypt as referring to the hardened hearts of the Jews who rejected Christ. Early Christian authors such as Justin Martyr , Irenaeus , and Augustine all emphasized the supersession of the Old Covenant of Moses by the New Covenant of Christ, which was open to all people rather than limited to the Jews. The story of the Exodus is also recounted in
10624-433: The history of the Israelites. The view that the biblical narrative is essentially correct unless it can explicitly be proved wrong ( Biblical maximalism ) is today held by "few, if any [...] in mainstream scholarship, only on the more fundamentalist fringes." There is no direct evidence for any of the people or events of Exodus in non-biblical ancient texts or in archaeological remains, and this has led most scholars to omit
10752-460: The idea the marriage bond lasts after their death, or for "time and all eternity". A "time only" modification can be made to the ordinance, such as when the surviving widow of a celestial marriage wishes to legally remarry. In addition to the ordinances listed above, 19th-century temples were host to other ordinances that are no longer practiced such as the baptism for health and baptism for renewal of covenants. In 1922, Heber J. Grant discontinued
10880-512: The idolators and sends another plague. The full extent of Yahweh's wrath is averted when Phinehas impales an Israelite and a Midianite woman having intercourse (Numbers 25:7-9). Yahweh commands the Israelites to destroy the Midianites, and Moses and Phinehas take another census. Then they conquer the lands of Og and Sihon in Transjordan , settling the Gadites , Reubenites , and half
11008-419: The itinerary lists in the books of Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy that the biblical account represents a long-term cultural memory, spanning the 16th to 10th centuries BCE, rather than a specific event: "The beginning is vague and now untraceable." Instead, modern archaeology suggests continuity between Canaanite and Israelite settlement, indicating a primarily Canaanite origin for Israel, with no suggestion that
11136-516: The land of Egypt", Exodus 32:8). This episode in Exodus is "widely regarded as a tendentious narrative against the Bethel calves". Egyptologist Jan Assmann suggests that event, which would have taken place c. 931 BCE , may be partially historical due to its association with the historical pharaoh Sheshonq I (the biblical Shishak ). Stephen Russell dates this tradition to "the eighth century BCE or earlier", and argued that it preserves
11264-581: The mighty" rather than as bread in the wilderness. Nadav Na'aman argues for other signs that the Exodus was a tradition in Judah before the destruction of the northern kingdom, including the Song of the Sea and Psalm 114 , as well as the great political importance that the narrative came to assume there. A Judahite cultic object associated with the exodus was the brazen serpent or nehushtan : according to 2 Kings 18:4,
11392-587: The modern portion) and the washing of the feet ordinance. For nearly four years, beginning in 1842, Smith's Red Brick Store functioned as a de facto temple—the site of the first washings, anointings, endowments, and sealings. In contrast, the grand edifice known as the Nauvoo Temple was in operation for only two months before the Latter Day Saints left Illinois for the West. Preparations to initiate
11520-532: The narrative of Israel's rescue from Egypt there is little hint that they will be brought anywhere other than Canaan – yet they find themselves heading first, unexpectedly, and in no obvious geographical order, to an obscure mountain." In addition, there is widespread agreement that the revelation of the law in Deuteronomy was originally separate from the Exodus: the original version of Deuteronomy
11648-416: The northern prophets Amos and Hosea , both active in the 8th century BCE in northern Israel , but their southern contemporary Isaiah shows no knowledge of an exodus. Micah , who was active in the south around the same time, references the exodus once ( Micah 6:4–5 ), but it is debated whether the passage is an addition by a later editor. Jeremiah , active in the 7th century, mentions both Moses and
11776-462: The number of Israelite males aged 20 years and older in the desert during the wandering was 603,550, which works out to a total population of 2.5-3 million including women and children—far more than could be supported by the Sinai Desert . The geography is vague with regions such as Goshen unidentified, and there are internal problems with dating in the Pentateuch. No modern attempt to identify
11904-509: The oasis of Kadesh Barnea , where Miriam dies and the Israelites remain for nineteen years. To provide water, Yahweh commands Moses to get water from a rock by speaking to it, but Moses instead strikes the rock with his staff, for which Yahweh forbids him from entering the Promised Land . Moses sends a messenger to the king of Edom requesting passage through his land to Canaan, but the king refuses. The Israelites then go to Mount Hor , where Aaron dies. The Israelites try to go around Edom, but
12032-459: The people gather in Moab to cross into the promised land of Canaan, Moses reveals Yahweh's new covenant "beside the covenant he made with them at Horeb" (Deuteronomy 29:1). The laws are set out in a number of codes: There are two main positions on the historicity of the Exodus in modern scholarship. The majority position is that the biblical Exodus narrative has some historical basis, although there
12160-486: The practice of baptisms for health in the church. The second anointing is a rare, but currently practiced ordinance for live participants, and (less commonly) vicariously for deceased individuals, though, it is usually only given in absolute secrecy to a small number of members after a lifetime of service. The LDS Church booklet " Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple " explains that Latter-day Saints "do not discuss
12288-639: The presidency of Ezra Taft Benson and two in the brief presidency of Howard W. Hunter . Under church president Gordon B. Hinckley , the church dedicated 77 temples. In 1997, Hinckley introduced a standardized, smaller temple plan designed to bring temple services to smaller or remote congregations at a reduced cost. The first of this new generation of temples was completed in 1998 with the Monticello Utah Temple . The original plan called for 6,800 square feet (630 m ), later increased to 10,700 square feet (990 m ). Subsequent revisions to
12416-476: The presidency of Joseph F. Smith , who announced two additional temples: Cardston, Alberta (1913), and Lāʻie, Hawaiʻi (1915). Cardston became the first Latter-day Saint temple dedicated outside of the United States. Smith broke with the previous tradition (established since Kirtland) of building temples with upper and lower courts. Temples previously had been ever larger, but the Laie Hawaii Temple
12544-430: The recommend, indicating their approval of that member's worthiness. The individual also signs the recommend, acknowledging the responsibility to remain eligible to hold the recommend. Most recommends are valid for two years. Temple ordinances have historically been unavailable to some members. For about 130 years (between 1847 and 1978) all LDS endowment-related temple ordinances were denied to all Black women and men in
12672-557: The references to Jeroboam's calves in Hosea (Hosea 8:6 and 10:5) nor the frequent prohibitions of idol worship in the seventh-century southern prophet Jeremiah show any knowledge of a tradition of a golden calf having been created in Sinai. Some of the earliest evidence for Judahite traditions of the exodus is found in Psalm 78 , which portrays the Exodus as beginning a history culminating in
12800-500: The remainder recounting the 1st year in the wilderness, and followed by a narrative of 39 more years in the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, the last four of the first five books of the Bible (also called the Torah or Pentateuch). In the first book of the Pentateuch, the Book of Genesis , the Israelites had come to live in Egypt in the Land of Goshen during a famine, under the protection of an Israelite, Joseph , who had become
12928-630: The sacred atmosphere of the site. Views about the architectural design from the temple have been seen as representing the "pillar of cloud" by day, and the "pillar of fire" by night, guiding the children of Israel . The structure stands four stories tall, constructed with precast concrete, gold anodized aluminum grills, and bronze glass panels. The exterior is characterized by its rounded shape, single spire, and Gothic-like arch designs, each chosen for their symbolic significance and alignment with temple traditions. The interior features murals, crystal and glass chandeliers, and gold detailing, found throughout
13056-505: The same sex as the participant ("on behalf of the dead" or "by proxy"). Ordinances performed in the temple include: Most ordinances are performed by proxy only on participants who have already completed the ordinance. Similarly, most ordinances are completed only one time for a participant in a lifetime and all subsequent temple ordinance participation is seen as acting for a dead individual. Baptism, confirmation, and priesthood ordination are usually performed in temples only when on behalf of
13184-463: The seventh through the fifth centuries BCE than the traditional dating to the second millennium BCE. Philip R. Davies suggests that the story may have been inspired by the return to Israel of Israelites and Judaeans who were placed in Egypt as garrison troops by the Assyrians in the fifth and sixth centuries BCE, during the exile. The earliest traces of the traditions behind the exodus appear in
13312-504: The shore of the Red Sea . Moses uses his staff to part the Red Sea , and the Israelites cross on dry ground, but the sea closes on the pursuing Egyptians, drowning them all. The Israelites begin to complain, and Yahweh miraculously provides them with water and food, eventually raining manna down for them to eat. The Amalekites attack at Rephidim , but are defeated. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, convinces him to appoint judges for
13440-504: The sixth century BCE. Evidence from the Bible suggests that the Exodus from Egypt formed a "foundational mythology" or "state ideology" for the Northern Kingdom of Israel . The northern psalms 80 and 81 state that God "brought a vine out of Egypt" (Psalm 80:8) and record ritual observances of Israel's deliverance from Egypt as well as a version of part of the Ten Commandments (Psalm 81:10-11). The Books of Kings records
13568-541: The slaughter at birth of all male Hebrew children. One Hebrew child, however, is rescued and abandoned in a floating basket on the Nile . He is found and adopted by Pharaoh's daughter , who names him Moses . Grown to a young man, Moses kills an Egyptian he sees beating a Hebrew slave, and takes refuge in to the land of Midian , where he marries Tzipporah , a daughter of the Midianite priest Jethro . The old pharaoh dies and
13696-553: The standard design further increased the size and complexity of the temples. The majority of the temples dedicated under Hinckley's tenure were of the smaller design, but one particularly noteworthy achievement was the rebuilding of the temple in Nauvoo, Illinois , known as the Nauvoo Illinois Temple . Hinckely's successor, Thomas S. Monson , dedicated 26 temples during his time as church president. His counselors in
13824-604: The story told in the Pentateuch. While the majority of modern scholars date the composition of the Pentateuch to the period of the Achaemenid Empire (5th century BCE), some of the elements of this narrative are older, since allusions to the story are made by 8th-century BCE prophets such as Amos and Hosea . The story of the Exodus is central in Judaism . It is recounted daily in Jewish prayers and celebrated in festivals such as Passover . Early Christians saw
13952-459: The temple featured a golden spire with an angel Moroni covered in gold leaf atop the spire. This statue was later removed from the plan. Thirty-one years after the temple's completion, a statue of the angel Moroni was added to the spire, which itself was changed from gold to white. With the current renovations that commenced in February 2024, the designs do not include an angel Moroni statue. In
14080-728: The temple for time only. It may only be used in conjunction with a standard temple recommend. A limited-use recommend is available to members who have not yet received their endowment or who have not been a member for one year. These may also be issued to a group for a single visit to the temple, to youth 11 and older, or to others for specific cases. Those without recommends occasionally need to enter temples after dedication during fires, medical emergencies, or building inspections. They are escorted by temple personnel during such visits. Temples may offer introductory tours to new local firefighters and emergency medical technicians during regularly scheduled maintenance periods. The LDS temple wedding
14208-444: The temple ordinances outside the temples". To enter the temple, an individual must be baptized, and after one year, may seek a temple recommend , which authorizes admission to the temple. The person is interviewed by their bishop , during which the candidate is asked a series of questions to determine worthiness to enter the temple. The individual is also interviewed by his or her stake president . The bishop and stake president sign
14336-432: The temple recommend questions have changed significantly, though less so in recent years. The standard temple recommend authorizes a member who has been baptized at least one year prior to take part in all temple ordinances and is valid for two years. A recommend for living ordinances is given to individuals who are participating in the endowment for the first time, being sealed to a spouse, or anyone being married in
14464-758: The temple representing three different offices in both the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthood . A statue of the Angel Moroni , stands atop many temples built after the Salt Lake Temple. The statue design represents the Latter-day Saint belief that Moroni was the angel spoken of in Revelation 14. LDS Church members perform rituals (termed ordinances ) within temples. They are taught that temple ordinances are essential to achieving
14592-613: The temple until April 30, 1846, when it was formally dedicated in a private ceremony by Joseph Young , the senior of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy . It was used for three months, then abandoned in late summer 1846. The completed temple was eventually destroyed by fire, and the remaining structure was later demolished by a whirlwind . Upon reaching the Great Basin , Brigham Young began to build settlements based on
14720-580: The temple was closed for a time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic . It reopened on May 11, 2020, for limited use, and then completely reopened on June 14, 2021. A temple-to-temple run is held annually between the Provo and Provo City Center temples. A temple is where church members go to make sacred promises, or covenants, and perform ordinances for themselves or on behalf of their deceased ancestors. These ordinances include baptism and confirmation , washing and anointing , endowment , and sealing . While
14848-568: The temple will be known as the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple . Since Provo's early years, a hill just northeast of downtown Provo was known as "Temple Hill". Instead of a temple, however, the Maeser Building was built on the hill in 1911 as a part of the BYU campus. A 17-acre (69,000 m) block of property at the base of Rock Canyon was chosen as the site for the Provo Temple. The preliminary plans called for
14976-466: The temple's function and aesthetics. Incorporated into the design are symbolic elements representing the Bible and Book of Mormon which provide deeper spiritual meaning to the temple's appearance and function. Symbolism is important to church members. These symbols include the central spire and baptismal font. To members of the church, the central spire represents reaching upwards to heaven. In this temple,
15104-402: The temple, designed to create a spiritually uplifting environment. The temple had 6 instruction rooms, used for the endowment , and 12 sealing rooms, all surrounded by a circular hallway, and has a total floor area of 128,325 square feet (11,921.8 m). The general contractor for the temple was Hogan and Tingey. Symbolic elements are integrated into the design, providing deeper meaning to
15232-549: The tribes of Israel. The Israelites reach the Sinai Desert and Yahweh calls Moses to Mount Sinai , where Yahweh reveals himself to his people and establishes the Ten Commandments and Mosaic covenant : the Israelites are to keep his torah (law, instruction), and Yahweh promises them the land of Canaan. Yahweh establishes the Aaronic priesthood and detailed rules for ritual worship, among other laws. However, in Moses's absence
15360-486: The two assemble the Israelites and perform miraculous signs to rouse their belief in Yahweh's promise. Moses and Aaron then go to Pharaoh and ask him to let the Israelites go into the desert for a religious festival, but he refuses and increases their workload, commanding them to make bricks without straw . Moses and Aaron return to Pharaoh and ask him to free the Israelites and let them depart. Pharaoh demands Moses to perform
15488-500: The work of a later redactor. Mark Walter Bartusch notes that the nehushtan is not mentioned at any prior point in Kings, and suggests that the brazen serpent was brought to Jerusalem from the Northern Kingdom after its destruction in 722 BCE. The revelation of God on Sinai appears to have originally been a tradition unrelated to the Exodus. Joel S. Baden notes that "[t]he seams [between the Exodus and Wilderness traditions] still show: in
15616-423: The world, following South Jordan, Utah , to have two active temples. The two temples are 2.4 miles apart. As of 2022, the temple served stakes from the cities of Provo, Orem , Vineyard , Midway and Heber City . Notable presidents of the temple include: Since its dedication in 1972, the temple has been overseen by a series of temple presidents, each serving for a term of three years. A temple president
15744-519: The world. Several temples are at historical sites of the LDS Church, such as Nauvoo, Illinois , Palmyra, New York , and Salt Lake City, Utah . The importance of temples is often emphasized in weekly meetings, and regular participation in "temple work" is strongly encouraged for all Latter-day Saints (LDS). Within temples, members of the church make covenants , receive instructions, and perform sacred ceremonies and ordinances , such as baptism for
15872-551: Was built with a modern single-spire design, similar to the original design of the Ogden Utah Temple . The spire is on top of a rounded base constructed on a rectangular foundation. In 2021, the church announced plans to reconstruct the temple after dedication of the Orem Utah Temple . The temple closed for reconstruction in February 2024. In the same month, the church announced that following reconstruction
16000-412: Was completed to ease the impact on the other temples. The Ogden and Provo temples were built at the same time with similar designs to increase efficiency and economize the building process. In the spring of 1983, major flooding in the region threatened the temple. On May 29, 1983, the city, with help from volunteers, turned Temple View Drive into a temporary river. In 2020, like all the church's temples,
16128-510: Was demolished at an interdisciplinary symposium held in 2000, but the relationship between the Persian authorities and Jerusalem remains a crucial question. The second theory, associated with Joel P. Weinberg and called the "Citizen-Temple Community", is that the Exodus story was composed to serve the needs of a post-exilic Jewish community organized around the Temple, which acted in effect as a bank for those who belonged to it. The books containing
16256-424: Was designed by architect Emil B. Fetzer and was dedicated in 1972 as the church's seventeenth constructed and fifteenth operating temple. It was the sixth temple built in Utah, and the first in both Utah County and Provo. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on September 15, 1969, conducted by Brown. The site was also dedicated on the same day by Joseph Fielding Smith . It
16384-574: Was smaller than the Nauvoo Temple had been. Both Cardston and Laie were dedicated under church president Heber J. Grant , as was a temple in Mesa, Arizona . George Albert Smith dedicated the next temple in Idaho Falls, Idaho . David O. McKay dedicated five additional temples including one in Bern, Switzerland —which was the first temple dedicated in Europe and the first temple to use film recording of
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