Latter-Day Temples and the Tribulation

Ezekiel 37 and Isaiah 2 have powerful revelations about the restoration of the Latter-day temple. Ezekiel says that when Israel is restored (church and kingdom of God after an Apostasy as well as a later literal restoration of the Jews to Israel), God will build His sanctuary and tabernacle among them. But this temple is not a Law of Moses temple because Ezekiel says that the temple will administer the everlasting covenant. But the Law of Moses was not everlasting but only preparatory. So, the sanctuary of Ezekiel and the mountain of the Lords house of Isaiah will be a temple after the order of Melchizedek and not Moses which will sanctify Israel (Christs church).

Ezek 37:26-28 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

Heb. 7: 11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

Later in Ezekiel, the prophet describes a huge temple that is as big as a nation. Ezekiel is not seeing a temple in heaven but likely the temple of Enoch in the City of Zion. Remember the entire city of Zion was so righteous it was taken to Heaven like Elijah. There are no temples in heaven. All of heaven is holy and there doesn't need to be a special place set aside for God in heaven. The whole place is His house. But this vision reveals that the concept of the temple is scalable. It begins in the individual heart and then expands to a sacred and holy building and then a city, and then a holy nation, until it fills the whole Earth. John in Revelations sees the eventual Celestial Earth which he describes as a "sea of glass mingled with fire." John commented how he saw "no temple there." That is the goal that there be no temple, but that the whole Earth become a literal heaven on Earth. Remember that Christ promises the meek that they should inherit the Earth.

Rev. 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

Daniel interpreting the dream of the King of Babylon saw the Great Idol with the head of gold, the shoulders of silver, the belly of bronze, the legs of iron and the feet of clay and iron. The head represented the Babylonian Empire, Silver are the Persians, Bronze are the Greeks, and Iron are the Romans. Then Daniel says that in the days of the kings represented by the clay and iron a kingdom would be established which will not be destroyed but will be everlasting. This last kingdom is not the church of Christ that Christ established during the days of the Roman Empire. Satan was given power to overcome that kingdom but not those righteous saints themselves who were the fruit of the Apostles labors.

Rev. 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

But, in the days of the European nations represented by the feet of clay and iron, will the Church of Christ be re-established and restored. It is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands which will strike the image in the feet and topple it and pulverize it to dust. Then that stone will grow until it becomes a great mountain (temple) and fills the whole Earth. The description of the mountain filling the whole Earth is a direct allusion to the temple which will grow and fill the whole Earth during the the Millennium. But the process will begin in this world in the Last Days and the days of the kings represented by the feet of iron and clay.

Just as the temple was central in both the New and Old Testament, the Latter-day Saints are also a temple building people. God says he does not dwell in temples built with hands. But LDS temples were and our build like the Temple of Solomon; by the direction of God. And we know that God and His presence dwelt in Solomon's temple.

Rev. 7: 2-3 And I saw another angel (Moroni) ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

However, latter-day temples are not like Solomons temple. LDS temples are Christian and Melchizedek priesthood temples and they administer the everlasting covenant which is prophesied in (Ezek 37) and it is the sealing in the forehead (Rev 7:3)(Rev 9:4)by God in preparation for and protection from the tribulation (Rev 7:14)(Rev 9:4). These are the 144,000 in Revelation who are symbolic for the 10-thousand times 10-thousand (100 million+)(Rev 5:11) ordained kings and priests unto God (Rev 1:6)(Rev 5:10). They represent the 12,000 from every tribe which symbolizes that those sealed and ordained as kings and priests will be from every nation, kindred and tongue and people and not just from one tribe. Also, these priests do not offer their own sacrifice like the priests during the time of the Law of Moses (Heb 5). These priests represent Christ and administer Christ's infinite and final sacrifice to others as instruments in His hands.

Rev. 1: 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev. 5: 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth

But no one taketh this honor except he be called as was Aaron (Heb 5:4). Accordingly, John sees that like Aaron, those who overcome and are sealed will partake of the tree of life (Rev 2:7), will be set apart as kings and priests, and will be washed and anointed, and clothed in white robes representing that they have been washed in the blood of Christ (Rev 3:5), they will be given a new name and take upon themselves the name of Christ (Rev 2:17)(Rev 3:12), and they will be made to sit in Gods throne with Him and receive all things (Rev 3:21)(Rev 21:7).

All worthy men and women are ordained and sealed in temples as priests and priestesses. In actual fact, LDS women are ordained to the priesthood as priestesses unto God. We just don't set them apart to the same offices in the priesthood which give them unnecessary responsibilities to preside in church which would take them out of the home. And the LDS don't just call doing nothing the the priesthood of all believers. We actually seal and ordain all the believers to the priesthood. And all worthy fathers lay hands on their wives and children and anoint the sick with oil, and baptize and confer the gift the Holy Ghost. Men and women officiate in the temple. And the women prophesy and have visions and dream dreams (Acts 2:17) and the men heal the sick and speak in tongues (other languages for the purposes of missionary work). And Christ will come and receive His people as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. And Christ will see eye to eye with His watchmen when the Lord brings again Zion (Isa 52:8).