* As of General Conference in October 2015 we have 148 Temples in Operation; 14 under construction; and 11 have been announced. We are blessed by building temples. Moses and the Children of Israel were commanded to build a Tabernacle. Their Tabernacle was a portable one so they could take everywhere they went. They valued it as greatly as we value our temples today. The tabernacle and the temples are similar because they both are a house of the Lord where people can feel close to Heavenly Father and Jesus, but they have different functions. Their tabernacle and our temples both act as sanctuaries, which are holy places or places of safety. The Tabernacle consisted of The Most Holy Place(Holy of Holies) which was the location of the Ark of Testimony (commonly referred to as the Ark of the Covenant) and The Holy Place was the location of the Altar of Incense, the Candlestick, and the Table of Shewbread. These two rooms were separated by the veil. Outside these two rooms was the Laver, which was a water basin, and the Altar of Sacrifice. There was also and Outer Courtyard. There was a fence that surrounded the Tabernacle and it had a gate which opened up for entry and exit.
The symbolism: Candlestick (with seven lamps): The Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost
Table of shewbread: The Savior's body (similar to the symbolic meaning of the
sacrament)
Altar of sacrifice: Giving ourselves completely to God, giving up sin, and relying on
the great and last sacrifice of the Atonement of Jesus Christ
Altar of Incense: Prayer (we can approach God through prayer)
Laver (basin of water): Cleansing, such as through repentance and baptism.
Some of the ordinances required for exaltation can only be received in the the Temples.
* Moses blessed (consecrated) Aaron, his brother, to be a priest. Because Aaron was a priest he wore sacred clothing. It was described in great detail. The ephod which is an apron; the mitre which a cap; the breastplate which had twelve gems representing the 12 tribes of Israel with their names on it.
The Lord of uses symbols to teach or remind us of gospel truths. Items of clothing are sometimes used this way, especially in the temple. While God wanted the priests to be physically clean, their spiritual cleanliness was more important. The priests were set apart to perform their sacred duties in the tabernacle much like the temple workers today. In Exodus 29:43-46 God promised the Israelites:
He would meet them, He would sanctify them, He would dwell among them, He would be their God, and they would know He's God. The Lord prepares certain people to build the tabernacle.
Before the Lord finished speaking to moses on Mount Sinai He gave him an additional reminder. God told Moses to make stone tables and He would write His law on them.
* Moses had been on the Mount 40 days even though it wasn't until his seventh day there that the Lord actually did any thing. The people had begun to wonder if something had happened to Mose because he was gone so long. While Moses on the Mount, Aaron had the people bring their gold jewelry and he melted it down and made a golden calf idol. the people were riotus, unruly, and immoral. When Moses came down from the Mount with the tables in his hands, he was so angry at what he saw that he threw the table down on a rock a broke them in to pieces. Then he burnt the golden calf, crushed it to powder, and made the people drink it. He said that the people who wanted to follow him should come and stand with him. The sons of Levi stood by him.
Moses pleaded with Heavenly Father for the people. Because He did't participate in sin with the Children of Israel, he was worthy to be in the Lord's presence. He offered himself as an atonement for them. The Lord commanded Moses to create another set of tables and he would write on them again. The second set of tables had less on them. Israel was not given the Melchizedek Priesthood the second time. They only got to keep the Aaronic Priesthood because they were not ready for the higher law.
* Moses told the Children Israel to observe the Sabbath Day. Bezaleel and others were called to build the tabernacle. Israel brought there offerings to these workers. They are given instructions for setting up, equipping, dedicating for washing, anointing, clothing the priests to properly officiate.
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