Ancient and Modern Temples

           Just as accient prophets built altars to worship God, we too have altars today. The Bible Dictionary defines altar as "Used for sacrifices and offerings and for sacred ordinances of the gospel..." Altars are then expounded and a temple is built where altars are used inside and outside the temple. Examples of temples in the ancient times are Solomons temple, Temple of Zerubbabel. Today there are over 120 functioning around the world. These temples are used to become closer to God, to do gospel ordinances like in ancient times.
       One of the special sacred ordinances done in the temple is marriage. A sealing between husband and wife to be with each other for eternity, making covenants with God that they will each do the best they can to help each other and be loyal. In Genesis 24 it explains that what God thinks about marriage.

• God loves covenant marriages
• First Rebekah married Jacob then he loved her
• covenants are the important part- love is a choice
• You choose whether to love or not
• As you grow together love will grow if you try
• Marriage should be in the covenant and the Lord will provide a covenant marriage, if you put your faith in Him and it will all work out
• We must do our part, then ask him to do His
• Specific prayers= specific answers 

    It was instructed by God that Jacob should not marry a Canaanite (someone outside of the gospel) God wanted Jacob to marry someone righteous in the covenant to raise righteous children and have them keep the covenant. 

     In Genesis 28: 12 Jacob tells of a dream where he sees a ladder on the Earth and the top of it went into Heaven, and Angels were traveling on this ladder. In Verse 13 He sees God sitting at the top of the ladder and gives Jacob a blessing of posterity, his children will be as many as the dust of the Earth. In verse 17 he realizes he is at a house of God. Jacob names the place Bethel. beth=house el=God, House of God. In verse 18 he makes a pillar to remember where it is so that he can come again and visit.

     Today anyone can go to the temple, however only those that are worthy can go inside.

Being worthy means

• Baptized by immersion into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Obeys the word of wisdom
• Keeps the commandments of God
• Obeys the law of Chastity 
• Has a testimony of this gospel and has faith in God and Jesus Christ. 

After temples are built, and before they are dedicated there is a space of time where anyone can go inside the temple worthy or unworthy and see what the temple is like inside and have a tour and learn more about the temple. These are called open houses, and every temple will have one for at least a month. This is a great time to learn more about the gospel and about temples and a chance to see the inside beauty and more about what goes on in the temple.