Ezra 1; 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Ezra 1:2
Introduction
What was the object of gathering the … people of God in any age of the world? … The main object was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation.
The Prophet Joseph Smith
Word Origin and Meaning
Every temple has the words “The House of the Lord” near the entrance. Let’s look at both terms: temple and House of the Lord.
Temple
There are seventy-six references to “temple” in the Old Testament, one hundred and six in the New Testament, eighteen in the Book of Mormon, nineteen in the Doctrine and Covenants, and four in the Pearl of Great Price.
1. Center of the Earth
The word temple comes from the Latin term templum, which carries significant meanings. The word templum designates a “template,” referring specifically to the point of intersection or “cutting” between the cardo (north-south axis) and decumanus (east-west axis). This was the center of the world and served as the fixed point from which one could accurately observe the heavens. Consequently, temples are described as “templates” to orient humans in relation to the cardinal directions in both heaven and on earth.
The first known mention of the word templum comes from the Roman scholar Varro (116–27 B.C.), for whom it designated a building specially designed for interpreting signs in the heavens—a type of observatory where one could “take one’s bearings on the universe”.
A temple also marks the sacred center of all things, where the four cardinal points meet. In the ancient world, this midpoint was considered the only place where a true temple could be built, as it symbolized where heaven and earth unite.
It’s interesting to note that Salt Lake City’s entire street grid is mapped directly from the southeast corner of Temple Square, serving as the city’s cardinal and numerical zero-point origin. Street names and numbers indicate precise directional coordinates and block distances away from the Salt Lake Temple.
2. Holy Space
The word temple is also related to the Greek temenos (τέμενος) which comes from the root meaning “to cut”. This refers to land that was literally “cut out” and dedicated specifically to God. It denotes a holy precinct or sanctuary that has been set apart and separated from common use.
Profane is the opposite of a temple and is derived from the Latin profanus (pro meaning “outside” and fanus meaning “temple”). It literally signifies that which is “outside the temple”. While the temple is the “cut out” sacred space of order, the profane is the space beyond its walls, associated with the disorder of the world.
In summary, the etymology of the word, temple, suggests that a temple is not merely a building, but a “scale-model of the universe” designed to serve as a center, a “binding point of heaven and earth”. It functions as a fixed frame of reference—a “knot” where the horizontal and vertical converge.
House of the Lord
The most common and significant name for the temple in Jerusalem was ha-bayit, which literally means “the Dwelling” or “the House”. This term was so distinctively Jewish that it was often used without further qualification to designate God’s residence on earth. Following the Jewish return from the Babylonian captivity, the rebuilt temple structure was known as “the Second House”.
Ancient Hebrews considered the temple the “house of the Lord” because they saw it as God’s actual and symbolic earthly home, where His presence was tangibly felt among them.
Several key theological and symbolic reasons explain why it was called “the House of the Lord”:
1. The Place of the Divine Presence
The Hebrew word for the Tabernacle, mishkan (משכן), literally means “dwelling place”. This term is derived from the root sh-k-n (“to dwell”), signifying that the structure was the fixed location of the Shekhinah (שכינה), or the Divine Glory. The fundamental purpose of building a sanctuary was so that God might “dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8), fulfilling a major goal of the Exodus.
2. The Throne Room of the Heavenly King
In ancient Israelite theology, the Holy of Holies (Qodesh Ha-Qodashim)—the innermost part of the temple—represented the throne room of the Heavenly King.
- The Ark as a Throne: The Ark of the Covenant was viewed as a representation of God’s throne, with the mercy seat (kapporeth) serving as the point where the Divine King’s feet touched the earth, linking the heavenly and earthly realms.
- God’s Headquarters: Scholars describe the temple as the “control room of the cosmos“ or God’s headquarters, from which He directs the universe and establishes divine law.
3. A Return to the Presence of Eden
The temple was seen as a prototype of the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve originally enjoyed the continual presence of God.
- Reversing the Fall: Entering the temple and proceeding toward the Holy of Holies was viewed as a symbolic “up-road” or journey of return to God’s presence, reversing the “down-road” of the Fall.
- Re-creation: When the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle, it was a sign that a “new creation”had been achieved, restoring the order and purpose established in the beginning.
4. The Dwelling of the Divine Name
The dedicatory prayer for Solomon’s temple emphasized that while God’s permanent residence is in heaven, His “name” dwells in the temple. This established a covenantal bond between Israel and their God; taking the Lord’s name in vain was considered a profound violation because that name was how the covenant was maintained and the sanctuary was sanctified.
5. A Place for Ordinances and Revelation
The “house of the Lord” was specifically designed as a place where God could reveal ordinances and teach the way of salvation.
- Instruction and Knowledge: It was a “house of knowledge” or a place of “divine tutorial” where members could learn of God’s purposes and have His will revealed through the Holy Spirit.
- Priesthood Authority: In this “house,” the power of godliness was manifest through ordinances that prepared individuals to “behold the face of God” and live.
Ultimately, the temple was called the house of the Lord because it was the one place where time, space, and humanity converged to meet the Divine, providing a “gate of heaven” for those seeking to return to their Father.
Summary
For the ancients, the House of the Lord, or the temple, was the literal and symbolic dwelling place of God on earth, where He manifested Himself among His people. Just as the route of the Fall led humanity eastward and away from God, the course taken by the high priest moved westward through the temple to return to the Divine Presence. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest’s entry into the Holy of Holies symbolically reversed the eastward expulsion from Eden, allowing him to return to the original point of creation.
