The Eternal Significance of Covenants

In the time of Jesus, the annual celebration of the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, culminated in the temple. On that day a high priest chosen for this specific role led the people into the outer temple courts. The high priest prepared carefully for Yom Kippur ceremonies and during the prior week lived away from his family in the temple. After a preparatory prayer he dabbed sacrificial blood of the flawless lamb on the four horns of the altar, ascended the steps to the veil of the temple, and alone went into the Holy of Holies. There, the only time each year when the sacred name was spoken aloud, he pronounced the actual name of God. At that moment all present in the outer courtyard prostrated themselves in prayer. The high priest represented them all, a diverse group of people, yet each of them saw Israel as one person. The sin of any was considered the sin of all; the righteousness of any as the righteousness of all. Standing now before God through their high priest, they, as a people, were being judged. He was to cleanse the sanctuary and thus symbolically cleanse them.

The high priest called down from God the power of atonement. The people believed that on that day their destiny was fixed. If they came to the temple contrite and repentant, they would be blessed in the coming year.  

In the book of Luke, we read that Jesus spent his last week as He, “abode in the mount of olives.” Later, He would atone for the sins of the world, to accomplish the work of His Father in “bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man”. When Christ died on the cross and finished His work, the earth shook and the veil of the temple was rent in twain. The veil, symbolizing Jesus Christ, the great High Priest, was rent or torn for us, just as our Savior’s body had been torn for us. For it was Christs atonement in Gethsemane and on the cross that opened the way for all of us to have the opportunity to symbolically enter into the presence of God the Father through the veil of the temple. 

Today, we do not need to stand outside the temple once a year to wait and hope that the offering is acceptable. Christ’s atonement broke the bands of death and gave us access through Him to the Father. Nowhere is this better taught than through the symbolism of the temple. In the 19th chapter of Leviticus, the Lord spoke unto Moses and said: “Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy; for I the LORD your God am holy.” The command for God’s people to be Holy remains in effect in our day. Holiness cannot be acquired casually. It requires great sacrifice. 

The sacred space of temples, allowing for the spiritual instruction of our Father in Heaven’s children, harken back to the beginning when the sacred space of the Garden of Eden provided the perfect place to teach our first parents the things of eternity. In that sacred setting, Adam and Eve spoke face to face with the Father and the Son and were sealed together as husband and wife for eternity. 

Prior to being required to leave the Garden for having partaken of the forbidden fruit, we read in the book of Moses, “Unto Adam, and also unto his wife, did I, the Lord God, make coats of skins, and clothe them.” 

Hugh Nibley has taught, “The proximity of the world in which we do not belong is a constant threat; and, preceding the endowment, Adam receives the garment that is to protect him as he goes forth into the world, not only against it, but against himself, from temptations and enticements in which he will find himself. It is a strict arrangement, but could one ask less of those who will “receive the fulness of glory and all that The Father has.” 

Elder Allen D. Haynie, in commenting about the garment they received, has said: “The significance of the giving of a garment by God to His covenant children and the receiving and wearing of that garment by His covenant children should not be considered ordinary. It is a most sacred exchange.” 

In addition to the gift of the garment and the protection it symbolized, God did not send Adam and Eve out of the Garden and into the world without resources to help them; they were taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and were given ordinances and made covenants to help them navigate a hostile world and keep their focus on the things of God. Covenants are the mechanism God uses to unite His people to Him. Truman G. Madsen said, “we are never required to make covenants in a setting where divine grace, the extension of Christs atonement, is promised to assist us in fulfilling them. With the covenant of sacrament comes the promise of His Spirit to be with us “always”. With the oath and covenant of the priesthood comes the conferral of priesthood gifts. With the solemn covenanting of temple worship comes “an endowment of power,” Christ’s power.” 

For me, my covenants represent the relationship that I have with my Savior, Jesus Christ. At first, I attended the temple out of obedience and because I knew that going there helped me, but I did not understand exactly how. The ordinances of the temple are ritualistic and symbolic, they are beautiful in their representation of the Savior but it has taken years for me to feel like I am finally gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of their meaning. I think this is the intention, as President Nelson has said, “The temple endowment was given by revelation and can only be understood by revelation.” In other words, the temple reveals and conceals, depending upon our level of spiritual maturity and preparation.

 When my youngest child went to kindergarten, I decided I would make a personal commitment to be in the temple more often. Now that it has been a few years I can see the gradual change within myself, countless prophets and apostles have testified of the “power of godliness” that is found within the temple, so I should not be surprised when I feel the effect it has had on me, but I am. The most distinct difference I can see in my life is having an increased sensitivity to spiritual promptings from the Holy Ghost. They are stronger, louder, more persistent and increasing impossible to dismiss or justify ignoring. Because of this I find myself being more obedient to the promptings I receive and in doing this I feel a stronger connection to God. I feel an increase of peace, despite the chaos which often swirls around me.  

I also see more clearly my weakness and feel the spirit working with me as I repent and try to improve. The promptings I receive for my family have increased as I navigate raising 5 kids, 3 of which are teenagers. The mental weight that I carry is only known by God, but with Him my capacity is increased and I feel like I can do it.  I feel like I have been given a life line from the temple and I know this power comes from keeping my covenants with God.

 Elder Christofferson has taught, “In all the ordinances, especially those of the temple, we are endowed with power from on high.4 This “power of godliness” comes in the person and by the influence of the Holy Ghost. We do not come to the temple to hide from or escape the evils of the world. Rather, we come to the temple to conquer the world of evil. As we invite into our lives the “power of godliness”, we are blessed with strength beyond our own to overcome the temptations and challenges of mortality and to do and become good.”

Just as the Fall of Adam and Eve was a step-by-step descent out of the presences of God, President David O McKay said the temple is, “a step-by-step ascent into the Eternal presence of God.” Last week when I went to the temple to prepare for this talk, I decided that instead of thinking about all the many things that weigh on my heart and mind, that I would focus on the symbols of the temple and how they testify of Jesus Christ. In doing so, I noticed that He is at the center of every symbol, every ordinance, every covenant, every blessing. 

As I stood at the veil of the temple I was reminded of the scriptures and prophecy of the veil in the temple of Jerusalem being rent in twain when Jesus Christ finished His atoning work for all mankind.  President Nelson shared: “Your garment is symbolic of the veil of the temple; the veil is symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ. So when you put on your garment, you may feel that you are truly putting upon yourself the very sacred symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ—His life, His ministry, and His mission which was to atone for every daughter and son of God.” 

Jesus Christ is the center of the temple, the center of our covenants, and the center of the temple garment. They are more than just a piece of clothing; they are a gift from God for us to remember Him. Emily Bell Freeman, General Young Women President of the church said in her last conference address, “I noticed people asking, Why should I walk a covenant path? Do I need to enter a house for making covenants? Why do I wear the holy garment? Should I invest in a covenant relationship with the Lord? The answer to these good and important questions is simple: it depends on what degree of relationship you want to experience with Jesus Christ.”

It is entirely up to us to choose what type of relationship we will have with the Savior. When we gain an understanding that we are children of the covenant, then we know who we are and what God expects of us. He is our God and we are His people. It is my testimony that Jesus is waiting for us to come unto Him in the temple. He is anxious to give us an outpouring of blessings that can only be given through obedience to His covenants. As we do this, we will become a new person, we will change to be the person that God knows we can be. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.