Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 47:1, 5

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 47:1, 5
"Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over."

I was going to look for Elder Renlund's conference talk where he spoke of "waters to swim in". Where we immerse ourselves in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the healing that comes from temple blessings. Then I found this interesting quote about the water.

"The Prophet Joseph Smith proclaimed: “Judah must return, Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the temple, and water come out from under the temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to rebuild the walls of the city and the temple, &c; and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance.” (Teachings, p. 286.) The waters issuing forth from under the temple and the healing of the Dead Sea may occur when the Lord Himself sets foot upon the Mount of Olives, causing this mountain to divide in two and create a large valley.
(Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi, "Prophecies of the Restoration", (27-34)

Day 4026

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 44:5

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 44:5
"And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary."

We are given the same charge today in the holy temples. To enter a dedicated House of the Lord one must be interviewed, found worthy, and present a recommend with two signatures to worship inside. Once inside the quiet of the Lord's house, we are able to ponder all that we see, hear and feel. It is such an amazing time, with so many temples being built around the world. Before they are dedicated the world is invited to a free public open house. There they can experience the peace founds inside, and feel and see the reverence we hold for the House of the Lord.

Day 4025

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 40:3-4

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 40:3-4
"And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.
And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel."

Ezekiel sees in vision a very detailed temple. The angel walks him throughout the whole temple, out buildings and courts, measuring each detail as they go. Ezekiel recalls every detail and records it. I wondered if the second temple in Jerusalem followed those measurements or was it only intended for the temple of the last days?

I learned it resembled Solomon's temple, but the second temple (Temple of Zerubbabel) was built on the same site by not initially built like it. Herod's expansion of the second temple greatly remodeled and expanded the complex but it doesn't appear to match the temple Ezekiel saw in vision. Ezekiel's temple has not been built.

“In most of its essential features Ezekiel’s ideal followed closely the plan of Solomon’s Temple; so close, indeed, is the resemblance, that many of the details specified by Ezekiel have been accepted as those of the splendid edifice destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar."
"The plan provided for even greater exclusiveness than had characterized the sacred area of the Temple of Solomon; the double courts contributed to this end."
(James E. Talmage, "The House of the Lord", 1914, pp. 44-45)

Day 4024

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 38:16

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 38:16
"And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes."

I have learned that what I used to picture as end times is not how things are turning out. I never pictures things would become as they are. One thing I used to picture is that I would always stand with Israel. Oh, the whole world could come against them, but I knew they would prevail. Now I see this a little differently. The way things are going the world could absolutely have cause to come against them. Never would I picture how things are lining up. I have left off from trying to figure this all out. The only thing I do know is I want to be right with the Lord and not leave anything left undone. Prophesy will be fulfilled in the Lord's own way and time. The only thing that needs hurrying is the gathering of Israel, helping others to come to Christ, on both sides of the veil. As for wars and oppression of others I want nothing to do with it.

Day 4023