The Mountain of the Lords House

 

When Utah applied for Statehood, they chose the name Deseret. Those who made such decisions in D.C. chose, instead, the name Utah after the Ute tribe.  It was years later when someone learned the one of the meanings of the word Utah is The Top of the Mountain.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, when the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it.  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.[1] (2 Nephi 12: 2-3)

 

The Mountain of the Lord’s House

Throughout the history of the world, men of faith have often gone to the mountains in order to receive revelation and direction from God. When Moses prepared the Tabernacle, it functioned as a place wherein Israel could have that mountaintop experience.  The Temple in Jerusalem served the same purpose. But that was only the beginning.  Isaiah and Nephi both testified that in the last days, prior to Christ’s Second Coming, the mountain of the Lord’s house would be established in the top of the mountain.

 

We have seen that prophecy fulfilled in our day as temples dot the earth. As of 2022, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had 168 operating temples, with another 68 announce, 41 under construction, and five undergoing renovations.[2] People all over the world truly can say, Come, let us go to the House of the God of Jacob and He will teach us His ways.  In ancient Israel, only the high priest could complete the full temple ordinance and then, only on the Day of Atonement.  He symbolically represented Israel.  However, today, any worthy member of the Church can go to the temple and receive instruction from God. In the temples, we can gather Israel from both sides of the veil.

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[1] Also see Isaiah 2: 2-3

[2] Conference Report, October 2022

In ancient Israel, the Tabernacle in the Wilderness was created by Moses to God's specifications.  It symbolically represented man's journey from the Fall in Eden or the world; to a holy place representing the covenant of God with man; finally, to the holiest place or Holy of Holies which represented a return to God's presence.  The temple in Jerusalem followed the same pattern.  What is interesting is that not all of the Children of Israel could walk that journey. Only the High Priest could walk the full distance and pass through the veil into the Holy of Holies and even he could only do so once a year on Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement.

In our temples today, we make a similar journey from Creation to Fall, to the lone and dreary world; into a holier, lighter place within God's covenant and ultimately to the Celestial Room, returning to God's presence through the veil.  The difference is that any worthy member of God's Church and Kingdom can make the journey for himself or herself, learning from God and entering into His sacred covenants.

All of the temples dotting the world have become the Mountain of the Lord's House, a place of learning, a place of prayer, a place of promises, a place of hope, a place of peace.