Admitted into God's Presence - The Temple Veil

Anciently, a veil or curtain separated the holy of holies from the rest of the tabernacle or temple (see, for example, Exodus 26:31—33; 2 Chronicles 3:14; and Hebrews 9:3, 5). The Lord instructed Moses that the high priest should not pass through the veil until he had been washed, dressed in priestly clothing, and brought a sacrifice (see Leviticus 16:2—4).


"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil" (Hebrews 6: 19)

Clement of Alexandria knew of people who were making "a perverse use of the divine words... they do not enter in as we enter in, through the tradition of the LORD, by drawing aside the curtain" (Misc. 7.17).
Clement goes on to show that Church tradition is older than heresy. These teachers, he said, "preserving the tradition of the blessed doctrine derived directly from the holy apostles, Peter, James, John and Paul, the son receiving it from the father (but few were like their fathers) came by God’s will to us also to deposit those ancestral and apostolic seeds" (Misc. 1.1).

This "tradition of blessed doctrine" is described elsewhere as gnosis, that which has descended by transmission to a few, having been imparted unwritten by the apostles." (Misc. 6.7).

It was acquired by "drawing aside the curtain", temple imagery for access to the presence of God, the privilege of the high priest.

The ultimate goal in passing the heavenly sentinels is to enter into the presence of the Lord, which is achieved by passing through gates or veils. In the Testament of Isaac 6:4, we read, "Then they (the angels) took me by the hand and led me to the curtain before the throne of the father." (James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, 1:909.)

In the medieval Sepher Hekhalot ("Book of the [Heavenly] Temples"), Rabbi Ishmael reports being presented at the curtain that hangs before God. (The Hebrew text was published in Adolph Jellinek, Bet haMidrasch, 5:187.)

The Second Treatise of the Great Seth 58:7-14, which has the resurrected Christ speaking of those who "did not put me to shame, they were not put to shame. Since they were not afraid before me, they will pass by every gate without fear and will be perfected in the third glory." (James M. Robinson, The Nag Hammadi Library, 366.)

See the mosaics and mural of the temple veil by Hamblin of Jerusalem)
Temple Mosaics from el-Khirbe Synagogue 
Temple Mosaic from Khirbet Samara
The Church of All Nations - Gethsemane

In the article, The Catholic Liturgy And The Mormon Temple by Marcus von Wellnitz he tells how the veil in the Catholic Church have changed through the centuries with some of the imagery and symbolism still recognizable.

This photo is of the Celstial Room in the Salt Lake Temple, looking toward the veil as it looked in 1912.
For more interesting photos of the Salt Lake Temple at the turn of the 20th century see the book, 'The House of the Lord,' by James E. Talmage, published in 1912. To read about how the Church was being blackmailed and the circumstances that brought about the first temple book and the controversial photos see Explaining the Temple to the World: James E. Talmage's Monumental Book, The House of the Lord

Also See:
The Second Comforter: Conversing With The Lord Through the Veil by Denver C. Snuffer, Jr. (book)

Ritual Embrace

Keven Barrney in Ritual Embraces and the Atonement explains where the word atonement comes from and it's meaning. He tells us how

"Nibley, in his Ensign series on “The Atonement of Jesus Christ” connected this conception of atonement to ritual embraces. From the basic sense of covering or encircling with the arms comes the Arabic kafata or suppliant embrace, which he sees as underlying 2 Nephi 4:33: “O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy rightesousness!” For visual representations of such embraces, he points to the ritual embrace (hpt) of the Egyptian funerary texts (for illustrations, see link in this post, 'The Ritual Embrace'). And, of course, although Nibley doesn’t explicitly make the connection, he certainly intends for us to extend the concept to our own ritual form of embrace, which we experience in the temple.
"Such an embrace represents a return to the presence of our Father, a reunion, where we may be reconciled to him and once again be “at one” with him."

Hugh Nibley in 'The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment' explains, "one of the most puzzling episodes in the Bible has always been the story of Jacob's wresting with the Lord. When one considers that the word conventionally translated by 'wrestled' (yeaveq) can just as well mean 'embrace,' and that it was in this ritual embrace the Jacob received a new name and the bestowal of priestly and kingly power at sunrise (see Genesis 32:23ff), the parallel to the Egyptian coronation embrace becomes at once apparent." (pg. 243.)

Compare Acts 20:10, where Paul raises a man from the dead with a sacred embrace. Also the Jewish apocryphon, Joseph And Aseneth, where Joseph gives his bride eternal life with an embrace and a kiss (15:5-6; 19:10-11).

Also See:
The Atonement of Jesus Christ
By Hugh W. Nibley
Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4
The Ritual Embrace
Holy Kiss

Ritual Knocking

The ceremonial entry into the church and to the altar in the sanctuary is also acted out in the ritual of the opening of the Holy Door, the Porta Santa at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and other carefully selected Churches. This rite is executed only every twenty-five years and represents the entry of the children of God into the presence of the Lord. Medieval medals struck for the occasion often show Christ on one side of the portal and the pope or the people on the other. The pope knocks three times with a golden hammer upon which the door is opened by the masons and he may enter through it and proceed to the sanctuary. The remainder of the clergy and the people then follow after him. A prayer said by Pope Clement VIII during the rite in 1600 demonstrates clearly that the ceremony does indeed portray entry into the temple of God. "Open unto me the gates of justice. When I am entered. I will praise my Lord. I will enter, O Lord into Thy house. I will adore thee in Thy fear in Thy temple." (The Catholic Liturgy 

and the Mormon Temple by Marcus von Wellnitz, pg. 32)

From the portico, you enter the Basilica through five heavy bronze doors: the one on the far right is called the "Porta Santa," the Holy Door, which is only opened during the jubilee year. It is normally walled up from the inside, and is only open during Holy Years - last during the Jubilee Year 2000. The Holy Doors found in some cathedrals symbolize the threshold that has to be crossed in order to achieve salvation.

"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved..."(John 10:9). It is opened by the Holy Father during a solemn ceremony, and closed at the end of the Holy Years. During that time, thousands of pilgrims enter the basilica through that door to obtain indulgences. The two stone plaques above the door are in memory of the Jubilee of 1975 and the extraordinary Jubilee of Redemption in 1983. The Holy Door was decorated for the 1950 Jubilee by Vico Consorti with 16 bronze panels.
Holy Door (Porta Santa in Italian and Porta Sancta in Latin)

Hugh Nibley notes: "how the bishop leading the prayer circle in the Syriac Testament of Our Lord "stands with upraised hands and offers a prayer at the veil," after which he proceeds "to make the sacrifice, the veil of the gate being drawn aside." St. Augustine's version of the Priscillian prayer circle ends with the apparently incongruous statement, "I am the Gate for whoever knocks on me," which Augustine explains in terms of Psalms 24:7, referring to the veil of the temple." [Letters 237]. (John A. Tvedtnes; Temple Prayer in Ancient Times)

See Also:
Knocking 3 times on the Holy Door
The Holy Doors
Panels of the Holy Door

The Hand of God

(click all pictures to enlarge and read)
That the Lord is concealed behind some kind of barrier is borne out by many painting and stelae from churches and cemeteries in the early centuries of Christianity. God is never completely visible but only his arm can be seen as it is stretched out from behind a veil, a curtain, a cloud, or a screen, such as in the churches of Nola, SS. Cosa e Damiano in Milan; Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy; Parezo in Istria, and others. Even though the correct interpretation may elude the modern churchgoer, it is evidently an ancient symbol of great significance and transcendent reality.
The imagery of the atonement is there as the children of Israel were brought out of Egypt. Thus Moses: "But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh" (Deuteronomy 7:8).

Also See:
Power in the Right Hand
The Hand of God

The "Unpaired Ones"

Curiously enough, the historical writings of the Pistis Sophia have an account of the Lord's teachings which begins with a record of things the Lord has not taught the disciples prior to this visit. Especially interesting among these are references to "watchers" who guard the doors of "the Treasury of Light," and to a variety of angels which the author calls the "unpaired ones."(PS p. 2.) "Unpaired ones" seems an odd way to designate an angel, but compare the 132nd section of the Doctrine and Covenants in which we learn that to achieve the highest degree of glory in the Celestial Kingdom, we must enter into the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage. Those who do not abide the Lord's law of marriage "cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever and ever."(D&C 132:17)

There was an ancient practice of keeping men and women separate in the church, just as they were kept separate in the temple at Jerusalem. This practice also speaks of the symbolism of men sitting on one side of the room and the women sitting on the other side of the room in LDS Temples during the endowment ceremony. It is only after passing through the veil into the Celestial room do the two come together; a foreshadowing of Exaltation through the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage where they are sealed as husband and wife for time and all eternity and inherit the top kingdom of the Celestial Kingdom.

Also see:
Celestial Kingdom

Significance of Ancient, Geometric Symbols

By Herman R. Bangerter
An ancient philosopher once remarked that, "When God conceived the world, he geometrized." In other words, lines, curves, and angles are necessary pre-requisites, before anything can be built. A study of this science is called geometry. Whenever man became conscious of a truth, he always represented or expressed this truth by some geometric design or symbol. Even though languages or customs change, the thought or principle is eternally expressed in the geometric design of the symbol. Some of the earliest symbols are to be found in the constellations of stars, as they travel in their majestic orbits through the heavens.

The Temple in Salt Lake City, contains many of these ancient symbols, both inside and out, which portray many fundamental principles when properly understood. On the west wall we find the designs of the Big Dipper, which unfailingly points out the North Star, and serves as a guide to the traveler across the unchartered wilderness. So likewise does this symbol on our Temple tell the initiate, that herein he will find an unfailing guide, as he or she travels the journey of life, which will safely guide us back to our Father's presence.

We also have the Sun Stones, the Moon Stones, and the Earth Stones, which bring to our minds the Three Degrees of Glory, and that herein will be found the keys of the various kingdoms. The three spires on the East and the three spires on the West have a dual meaning. The three in the East are symbolic of the Presidency of Melchizedek Priesthood, and being in the East are the source of light. The three spires on the West are not quite as tall as the ones on the East, and are symbolic of the Aaronic Priesthood. Again the spires in the East are symbolic of the organization of the Church on the Eastern Hemisphere, by our Lord and Master, and the ones on the West are symbolic of the organidation [organization] of the Church on the Western Hemisphere, which is under the jurisdiction and guidance of Jesus and His Apostles. The Angel on the Eastern spire brings to our understanding, that, "The Law Shall Go Forth From Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem."

Let us briefly consider some of the simpler geometric designs which are used and learn their age-old meaning. The square, the equilateral triangles, and the circle are some of the oldest symbols in existence, and when their meaning is fully understood they reveal some of the profoundest principles of life. All symbols have a dual meaning - The exoteric, or material, is given to the curious, while the esoteric, or spiritual is only to be found by the sincere seeker after truth.

We will now draw these symbols, that you may better understand them:

(Temples of the Most Hight; pg.258.)

You will notice that there are two triangles, one with the point downward, and the other with the point upward. These are combined in the symbol of the interlaced triangles, or the six - pointed star. The triangles when used separately gives each triangle a distinct and separate meaning. The one with the point upward, is called the symbol of manifestation on the material plane, and symbolizes mankind focusing their thoughts on God; the triangle with the point downward represents manifestation on the spiritual, or Divine plane, and symbolizes God's consciousness focalized on mankind. In the six-pointed star formed by the interlaced triangles we symbolize the blending, or uniting, of the physical and the spiritual.

The square represents building uprightly on a strong secure foundation. The circle, which is endless, is the universal symbol of eternal life. The square and the interlaced triangles are the only two equiangular and equilateral figures, the sum of whose exterior angles equals 360 degrees, or perfection, as symbolized by the circle. From these symbols, we learn that by building uprightly on a strong secure foundation, we unite the physical and the spiritual, and with them inseparably connected' as symbolized by the interlaced triangles, we have eternal life.

These symbols were often abbreviated: By taking an angle from the square we have an L, or the sign of the square; an angle from the interlaced triangles gives us a V, or the sign of the compass; and the merging of the physical and spiritual is symbolized by the X, which is often written —, or the line. These three symbols when united, and in their esoteric sense, mean LIFE, LIGHT, and LOVE, the eternal principles by which "all things HAVE BEEN, ARE, or WILL BE CREATED."

If we write them out we have the Latin word "LVX" which means light. If they are arranged in the form of the spiritual triangle with the point downward, we have the symbol of spiritual light, which is pure intelligence. If an individual is worthy of wearing this symbol on his breastplate, and continues faithfully in the service of the Master, he will receive the SPIRITUAL LIGHT, which will enable him or her to unite the physical and spiritual, and through the process of Divine Alchemy, change the mortal corruptible body into a Celestial Eternal Body and thereby have eternal life.

Whenever an individual consecrates his life to the service of God and to his fellowmen, he brings the points of the triangles together thus; which is preparatory to uniting them in the interlaced triangles, as they continue onward through a life of faithful service.
(Meaning of Endowments; pg. 259)

If we take the signs L-V-X, and read them as Roman numerals we have 50-5-10, which would be our equivalent to light. A study of the Great Pyramid in Egypt, which the Egyptians referred to as Light, or the Temple of Light, we find that it is built in courses of masonry which are arranged in courses of five and ten. In fact the word Pyramid comes from these two words, PYR, 5, and MET, 10. It is at the fiftieth course that the initiate, or mankind receives the light. Once again we read the true symbology of the Pyramid, L-V-X, in the Roman numerals, or in Latin, meaning Light, or a Temple of Light, or learning, or initiation into the mysteries of Godliness. It may be that in the Temple of LVXOR that many of these truths were taught for it is claimed by many that Solomon studied in Egypt, before returning to Palestine and building the Great Temple at Jerusalem. While very little is known at the present time as to what formed the basis of the teachings in Egypt, we do know that the principles of LIFE, LIGHT, and LOVE formed the basis of the teachings of the Temples in the Holy Land, and also is the basis of the teaching in modern Temples.

Whenever individuals are initiated into the mysteries of Godliness they then strive to bring into their beings that principle of balance which is symbolized by the lesser Seal of Solomon, in the five-pointed star. After meditation and instruction, they become adepts, and finally after mastering the Mysteries of the Kingdom, they become true priests, or priestresses [priestesses] after the Order of Melchizedek, as Masters of Spiritual Laws, by which they advance to the six-pointed star, or the Great Seal of Solomon, wherein the physical and spiritual become inseparably connected, in the Celestial Kingdom of Eternal Life.
(Temples of the Most High; pg. 260

L.V.X. alludes to the Latin word "lux", meaning light. This light refers to the spiritual illumination of gnosis. The letters "L", "V", and "X" also stand for Roman numerals which total to the number 65. According to Hebrew gematria, the number 65 stands for the name "Adonai", meaning "Lord". In the Holy Books of Thelema, Adonai is often used to represent the Holy Guardian Angel, or divine nature of every human being.

Scriptures:
"When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth." (Proverbs 8:27)

"He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting." (Habakkuk 3:6)

Judged By Our Actions, Words and Thoughts

We are taught in the Book of Mormon that God will judge us on the basis of our actions, our words, and our thoughts (see Mosiah 4:30; Alma 12:14; compare D&C 18:38; D&C 88:109; D&C 137:8—9; Isaiah 55:7; Matthew 12:36—37; Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21; Acts 8:22). According to 2 Enoch (J) 71:10, one can sin before God by word and thought, while in 3 Enoch 45:1, we read that the deeds and thoughts of all mankind are written on the curtain that hangs before God. The veil is symbolic of Christ who stands between us and God and who made atonement for all of mankind. The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs indicate that we should love in deeds and thoughts, in the heart (see Testament of Gad 6:1, 3; 7:7; compare Testament of Joseph 4:6).

An interesting belief or theory of some saints and theologians of the Eastern Orthodox faith has to do with what they call the “Toll-Houses” or “Aerial Toll-Houses.” This belief is in regards to the soul's journey after its departure from the body at the time of death. It is not a dogma of their faith and there exists some controversy among some of their theologians who feel it is a Gnostic or false belief. As with most things that are of the esoteric nature Gnosticism has gained a bad reputation and has become the catch-all label in modern Christianity to categorize those teachings least understood or lost in antiquity.


Concerning “Toll-Houses,” Fr. Seraphim Rose’s book ‘The Soul After Death’ tells us that, "following a person's death the soul leaves the body and is escorted to God by angels. During this journey the soul passes through an aerial realm which is ruled by demons. The soul encounters these demons at various points referred to as "toll-houses" where the demons then attempt to accuse it of sin and, if possible, drag the soul into hell."
According to this teaching, every person during life has demons that attack him, and "shoot their arrows at them", as Church Fathers say, that "arrows" being thoughts that suggest committing sins. These demons write down every sin that they persuaded people to do, and even thoughts that people accepted and complied with, but did not, for whatever reason, actually actualize them. When a person repents for a sin, and confesses it in the Holy Mystery (Sacrament) of Confession, it is by God's Grace and Power erased from the demon's papers.

When the soul dies, on the third day it is carried by angels towards Heaven. On that way, they must go past 20 aerial toll-houses, which are huge groups of demons arranged according to specific kinds of sins. When a soul accompanied by angels gets to a toll-house, demons that tempted that soul during their life approach and accuse it of sins. The sins that are written on papers of demons have to be "paid for" by a person’s good deeds in life, such as prayer, fasting, asceticism, doing works of mercy, etc.
The demons often accuse the soul of sins that they tempted them with, but the person didn't comply with, of sins that were repented for, and in that case one of the angels, the one which was the person's guardian angel, speaks for the them, saying that those are lies, and that payment is not necessary, taking the soul to the next toll-house.
If a person has sins that they didn't repent for, and does not have enough good deeds to pay them off, the demons of that toll-house grab him, and take him to hell. Here the sins ones are “accused” of at each of the different “toll-houses:”

• On the first aerial toll-house, the soul is questioned about the sins of the tongue, such as- empty words, dirty talk, insulting people, ridicule, singing worldly songs, too much or loud laughter, and similar sins
• The second is the toll-house of lies- besides plain lying also- braking oaths, braking vows given to God, taking God's name in vain, hiding sins during confession, and similar
• The third is the toll-house of slander- judging, humiliating, embarrassing, mocking and laughing at people, and similar
• The fourth is the toll-house of gluttony- overeating, drunkenness, eating between meals, eating without prayer, not holding fasts, choosing tasty over plain food, eating when not hungry, and similar
• The fifth is the toll-house of laziness- where the soul is questioned about every day and hour spent in laziness, neglect of serving God, of prayer, and missing Church services, and also not earning money by honest and hard work, not working as much as you are paid, and all similar sins
• The sixth toll-house is the toll-house of theft- stealing, robbery, whether small, big, light, violent, public, hidden
• The seventh is the toll-house of covetousness- love of riches and goods, not giving to charity, and similar
• The eight is the toll-house of usury, and also loan-sharking, overpricing, and similar
• The ninth is the toll-house of injustice- being unjust, especially in judicial affairs, accepting or giving bribes, dishonest trading and business, using false measures, and similar
• The tenth is the toll-house of envy
• The eleventh is the toll-house of pride- vanity, self-will, boasting, not honoring parents and civil authorities, insubordination, disobedience, and similar
• The twelve is the toll-house of anger and rage
• The thirteenth is the toll-house of remembering evil- hatred, holding a grudge, and revenge
• The fourteenth is the toll-house of murder- not just plain murder, but also wounding, maiming, hitting, pushing- generally injuring people
• The fifteenth is the toll-house of magic- divination, conjuring demons, making poison, all superstitions, and similar
• The sixteenth is the toll-house of lust- fornication, unclean thoughts, lustful looks, unchaste touches
• The seventeenth is the toll-house of adultery
• The eighteenth is the toll-house of sodomy- bestiality, homosexuality, incest, masturbation, and all other unnatural sins
• The nineteenth is the toll-house of heresy- rejecting any part of Orthodox faith, wrongly interpreting it, apostasy, blasphemy, and all similar sins
• The last, twentieth toll-house is the toll-house of unmercifulness, failing to show mercy and charity to people, and being cruel in any way

We know that Satan and his demonic followers stand opposite God and righteousness and perdition means “destruction,” carrying the connotation of being eternally lost.
The name Satan depicts the devil’s role as an “adversary” in the Old Testament (Zech 3: 1-3), or as an “accuser” in the New Testament (Rev. 12: 9). John refers to him as the “accuser of our brethren” (Revelation 12:10). Every Old Testament reference to Satan is in the context of an adversary bringing an accusation (see Job 2; Zech 3). The word devil means “slanderer” and is the English word used to translate two Greek words with different meanings:
(1) diabolos, “the accuser,” which is synonymous with the Old Testament Satan (Zech. 3:2).
(2) daimonion, a demonic being, or evil spirit (Matt. 9:32).

Also See:
The Keeper of the Gate

Passing by the Angels-Ancient Teachings

The sentinel angels are posted at the gates to prevent the unworthy from entering into the presence of the Lord.

"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life." (Revelation 21:27)

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14)

The guardians of the heavenly gates or veils are mentioned in a number of ancient texts. The third-century Christian writer Origen noted that the Orphian Gnostics believed that seven archons guarded the gates by which the soul ascends to heaven (Contra Celsum 6:24-38). ( Compare the seven steps to God mentioned in Questions of Ezra A:19-21.)

According to 3 Enoch 18:3-4, an angel guards each of the doors of the seven heavenly palaces. The angels who guard the doors of heaven are mentioned in 3 Enoch 18:3; Chronicles of Jerahmeel 18:1, cf. 20:1-2; and Hekalot Rabbati 22:1. The guards of the gates of the aeons are also mentioned in Pistis Sophia 32, while Pistis Sophia 86 notes the nine guardians of the treasury of the light, which is the highest of the heavens in Gnostic lore. Even the Bible notes (Revelation 21:12-13) that twelve angels guard the twelve gates of the heavenly Jerusalem. In this respect, these heavenly gatekeepers are paralleled by the Levitic porters (doorkeepers) who served at the tabernacle and in the temple. (1 Chronicles 9:17-27; 15:18; 16:38, 42; 26:1-19; 2 Chronicles 8:14; 23:4-5, 19; 31:14; 34:13; 35:15; Ezra 2:42, 70; 7:7, 24; 10:2?; Nehemiah 7:1, 45, 73; 10:28, 39; 11:19; 12:25, 45, 47; 13:5. The band and officers sent by the chief priests to arrest Jesus were undoubtedly Levitic guards.)

The role of the heavenly sentinels, often called "thrones" because they are sometimes described as sitting on thrones, is noted in the third-century A.D. Apocalypse of Elijah 1:7-11:

"Therefore become sons to him since he is a father to you. Remember that he has prepared thrones and crowns for you in heaven, saying, 'Everyone who will obey me will receive thrones and crowns among those who are mine.' The Lord said, 'I will write my name upon their forehead and I will seal their right hand, and they will not hunger or thirst. Neither will the son of lawlessness prevail over them, nor will the thrones * hinder them, but they will walk with the angels up to my city.' Now, as for the sinners, they will be shamed and they will not pass by the thrones, but the thrones of death will seize them and rule over them because the angels will not agree with them." (*The thrones are of the angelic host (cf. Colossians 1:16 and many early Christian pseudepigraphic works). Hence, in ascending heaven, one must "pass by" these angels.) (James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, 1:736-37.)

In one of the Nag Hammadi texts (Second Treatise of the Great Seth), Jesus promises that those who accept him "will pass by every gate without fear and will be perfected in the third glory." (James M. Robinson, The Nag Hammadi Library, 366.)
Epiphanius, a fourth-century bishop of Cyprus, cited the Gospel of Philip as saying, "The Lord revealed unto me what the soul must say as it goeth up into heaven, and how it must answer each of the powers above" (Against Heresies 36:13). (Cited in Montague Rhodes James, The Apocryphal New Testament, 12.)

Chapters 33-40 of the Coptic 1 Jeu describe how Jesus instructed the apostles regarding the seals, names, and ciphers (hand-signs) they must use in order to prompt the "watchers" or guardians of the various heavens to open the veils and allow them entry. (The term "watcher" is used in both the Bible and in pseudepigraphic texts to denote angelic guardians around the throne of God.) The account in 1 Jeu 33 is typical. It uses blanks and number-codes to conceal material that should not be revealed.

"When you come to this place, seal yourselves with this seal: This is its name: . . ., while the cipher 70331 (?) is in your hand. Furthermore say this name . . . three times, and the watchers and the veils are drawn back, until you go to the place of their Father and he gives (you his seal and his name) and you cross over (the gate into his treasury)." (Carl Schmidt and Violet MacDermot, The Books of Jeu and the Untitled Text in the Bruce Codex, 83. In 2 Jeu 44, some of the names and seals are given only when one arrives at the various heavenly gates.)


Another revealing passage is found in 1 Jeu 49:

"But when you reach the six aeons [archangels], they will restrain you until you receive the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, because it is the great mystery which is in the treasury of the innermost of the innermost. And it is the whole salvation of the soul. And all those who will receive that mystery will surpass [pass by] all the gods, and all rulerships of these aeons, which are the twelve aeons of the invisible God, for this is the great mystery of the unapproachable one which is in the treasury of the innermost of the innermost. Now because of this, every man who will believe in the Son of the Light must receive the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, so that he will be completely perfected and completed in all mysteries . . . Then again when the pathways are purified I will give to you the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, and its defences and its seals and its ciphers and its interpretations. You yourselves, my disciples, if you have received these, when you are about to come forth from the body you will become pure light. And you will hasten upwards one after another, and go forth to the places in which all the aeons are spread out, until there are none upon the pathways, until you reach the Treasury of the Light. Then the watchers of the gates of the Treasury of the Light see the mystery of the forgiveness of sins which you have performed and its defences and all its injunctions. And they see the seal on your foreheads, and they see the cipher in your hands. Then the nine watchers open to you the gates of the Treasury of the Light, and you go into the Treasury of the Light. The watchers will not speak with you, but they will give you [their] seals and their mystery." (Ibid., 117-119.)

Most of chapter 50 contains a list of the various individuals who will give to the individual their seals, mysteries, and the name of the Treasury of the Light.

Regarding the soul's destination, the text says,
"Again you will pass in to their interior to the rank of the veils which are drawn before the great ruler (king) of the Treasury of the Light. They will give to you their great mystery and their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. And they will be drawn back until you cross over and pass into them, until you reach the great Man, he who is the ruler (king) of this whole Treasury of the Light, whose name is Jeu." (Ibid., 122.)

In one of the Nag Hammadi texts, the Apocalypse of Paul (V,2) 23, we find the apostle encountering angels at the gate of each of the ten heavens, who open to him because he was accompanied by the Holy Spirit. When he arrived at the seventh heaven, he encountered an old man who interrogated him. The Spirit instructed the apostle, "Give him [the] sign that you have, and [he will] open for you.' And then I gave [him] the sign . . . and then the [seventh] heaven opened." (James M. Robinson, The Nag Hammadi Library, 259.)


In a Mandaean text about the ascent of the soul to the realm of light, the soul is told, "O Soul! You are ascending to the Place of Light, wherefore do you cry to the great and sublime Life? Give your name and your sign which you received from the waves of water." (Werner Foerster, Gnosis: A Selection of Gnostic Texts, translated by R. McL. Wilson (Oxford: Clarendon, 1974), 2:247.)

Jewish lore has similar beliefs. In Hekalot Rabbati 17:1-20:3, the adept passes through the seven doors of the seven heavenly temples, past angels whose name he must give, while presenting a seal, in order to enter the presence of God. The names and seals given to the angels are also mentioned in 3 Enoch 48D:5.


In the Pistis Sophia, the resurrected Christ tells how, when he descended from heaven, "the heavens opened" (Pistis Sophia 4). During the post-resurrection ascension, when he arrived at the gate of the first sphere, the gates opened and the dwellers of the sphere saw "the mystery of their name" on his garment and were surprised that he passed without them knowing (Pistis Sophia 12). The same thing happened in the second sphere (Pistis Sophia 13). When he ascended to the gates and veils of the twelve aeons, both opened for him (Pistis Sophia 14). He then ascended to the veils of the thirteenth aeon, which drew apart for him (Pistis Sophia 29).

A similar story is found in the account of the vision attributed to the prophet Isaiah but thought to have been written in the mid-second century A.D. We learn that Jesus had to give passwords to angels while descending through the seven heavens to be born on earth:

"And those who kept the gate of the (third) heaven demanded the password, and the LORD gave (it) to them in order that he should not be recognized . . . And again I saw when he descended into the second heaven, that there again he gave the password, for those who kept the gates demanded (it), and the LORD gave (it) . . . And again I saw when he descended into the first heaven, that there he gave the password to those who kept the gates . . . And again he descended into the firmament where prince of this world dwells, and he gave the password to those who (were) on the left . . . And I saw when he descended and made himself like the angels of the air . . . he did not give the password." (Martyrdom and Ascension of Isaiah 10:24-25, 27, 29, 31). (James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, 2:174.)

In some early Jewish stories, the individual ascending to heaven is challenged by one or more angels who threaten to kill him, but is then rescued. Thus, Rabbi Ishmael reported that when he arrived at the heavenly palace, the angels were about to cast him out, but God sent the angel Metraton. "He grasped me with his hand before their eyes and said to me, 'Come in peace into the presence of the exalted King'" (3 Enoch 1:1-5). (Ibid., 1:255-256.)

The Jewish Zohar, though compiled in the thirteenth century, contains many elements taken from earlier sources. Zohar Leviticus 78b says,

"Blessed are the righteous in this world and the next, because God desires to honour them and reveals to them profound secrets of the Holy Name which He does not reveal to celestial holy ones (angels). And therefore Moses was able to crown himself among those holy ones and they were not able to touch him, though they are like a burning flame and coals of fire. For otherwise how could Moses have stood among them. When God commenced to speak with Moses, the latter desired to know His holy names, disclosed and undisclosed, each one in fitting manner, and thus he came closer and learnt more than any other man. When Moses entered into the cloud and came among the angels, one named Gazarniel came up to him with flames of fire, with flashing eyes and burning wings, and sought to wound him. Then Moses mentioned a certain holy name which was traced with twelve letters, and the angel was utterly confused; and so with all the others." (Maurice Simon and Harry Sperling, The Zohar (New York: Rebecca Bennet Publications, 1958), 5:86.)

This story seems to be reflected in Zohar Exodus 58a, which says that when Moses went on the mountain, "a certain great angel, whose name, according to tradition, is Kemuel(Camael?), and who is appointed guardian and chief over twelve thousand messengers, sought to attack him. Thereupon Moses opened his mouth and uttered the twelve letters of the Holy Name which the Holy One had taught him at the bush, and the angel departed from him to a distance of twelve thousand parsangs. And Moses walked in the midst of the cloud, his eyes flaming like coals of fire." (Paul P. Levertoff, Maurice Simon, and Harry Sperling, The Zohar (New York: Rebecca Bennet Publications, 1958), 3:180.)

Passing by the Angels-LDS Teachings

Here is the definition of the endowment as given by Brigham Young:

"Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the House of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the Holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell." (Journal of Discourses 2:31).

President Young spoke on this topic a number of times. Here is a collection of statements on this subject by Brigham Young:

"Will you abide our counsel? I say again, my soul for any man's, if they will abide our counsel, that they will go right into heaven. We have the signs and token to give to the porter at the door, and he will let us in" (History of the Church 7:240).
"I and my brethren have received our endowments, keys, blessings - all the tokens, signs, and every preparatory ordinance, that can be given to man, for his entrance into the celestial gate" (Journal of Discourses 1:278).
"When we talk of the celestial law which is revealed from heaven, that is, the Priesthood, we are talking about the principle of salvation, a perfect system of government, of laws and ordinances, by which we can be prepared to pass from one gate to another, and from one sentinel to another, until we go into the presence of our Father and God" (Journal of Discourses 2:139).
"He has taught you how to purify yourselves, and become holy, and be prepared to enter into His kingdom, how you can advance from one degree to another, and grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth, until you are prepared to enter the celestial kingdom; how to pass every sentinel, watchman, and gate keeper" (Journal of Discourses, 2:315).




"All the riches, wealth, glory and happiness that we shall ever possess in heaven will be possessed on and around this earth when it is brought up into the presence of God in a sanctified and glorified state; and the sanctified ones who enter through the gate and pass the sentinel into the New Jerusalem, and into the presence of the Father and the Son, are the ones who will inherit the new heavens and the new earth in the presence of God, for here is the eternity, the glory and the power" (Journal of Discourses 10:35).


"Those who are counted worthy to dwell with the Father and the Son have previously received an education fitting them for that society; they have been made fully acquainted with every pass-word, token and sign which have enabled them to pass by the porters through the doors into the celestial kingdom" (Journal of Discourses 10:172).

"It is absolutely necessary that the Saints should receive further ordinances of the house of God before this short existence shall come to a close, that they may be prepared and fully able to pass all the sentinels leading into the celestial kingdom and into the presence of God" (Journal of Discourses 12:163-164).

Passing by the Angels was also taught by some of the other apostles of Brigham Young’s day. Here are some of these declarations:

Heber C. Kimball:

"Joseph always told us that we would have to pass by sentinels that are placed between us and our Father and God. Then, of course, we are conducted along from this probation to other probations, or from one dispensation to another, by those who conducted those dispensations" (Journal of Discourses 6:63).

Orson Pratt:

"We shall enjoy all that has been put upon our heads, and, through the Priesthood, and signs and tokens that have been revealed, come forth in the first resurrection, and pass by the sentinels and the Gods that stand to keep the way of eternal lives" (Journal of Discourses 8:106).

Orson Hyde:

"I tell you, Joseph holds the keys, and none of us can get into the celestial kingdom without passing by him. We have not got rid of him, but he stands there as the sentinel, holding the keys of the kingdom of God; and there are many of them beside him. I tell you, if we get past those who have mingled with us, and know us best, and have a right to know us best, probably we can pass all other sentinels as far as it is necessary, or as far as we may desire. But I tell you, the pinch will be with those that have mingled with us, stood next to us, weighed our spirits, tried us, and proven us: there will be a pinch, in my view, to get past them. The others, perhaps, will say, If brother Joseph is satisfied with you, you may pass. If it is all right with him, it is all right with me" (Journal of Discourses 6:154-5).

The Lord also told Joseph Smith that those who enter into eternal marriage, if they remain worthy, "shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fullness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever" (D&C 132:19).

Bosom of Abraham

In the Jewish Encyclopedia on-line Kaufmann Kohler explains the Jewish view of the meaning of ABRAHAM'S BOSOM:

In the New Testament and in Jewish writings a term signifying the abode of bliss in the other world. According to IV Macc. xiii. 17, the righteous who die for their faith are received by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in paradise (compare Matt. viii. 11: "Many shall come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven"). In Ḳid. 72b, Adda bar Ahaba, a rabbi of the third century, is said to be "sitting in the bosom of Abraham," which means that he has entered paradise. With this should be compared the statement of R. Levi (Gen. R. xlviii.): "In the world to come Abraham sits at the gate of Gehenna, permitting none to enter who bears the seal of the covenant" (see Circumcision).

In the Hellenistic Testament of Abraham it is Adam, the representative of humanity, who sits at the gate of hell and paradise; the Jewish view of later times placed Abraham, the progenitor of Israel, in Adam's place. This was also the view of the New Testament writers as presented in Luke, xvi. 19-31, the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Lazarus, the beggar, died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's Bosom; the rich man died and was put into Gehenna, where he saw Lazarus in the Bosom of Abraham, full of joy, whereas he suffered great torment. Thereat he cried: "Father Abraham, have mercy on me!" and finally he asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his father's house to admonish his five brothers to lead lives characterized by repentance, in order not to meet the same fate as his own. Whereupon Abraham said: "They have the law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets; let them be mindful of these, and they will enter paradise as well as Lazarus." On Lazarus (Eliezer) and Abraham see Geiger's "Jüdische Zeitschrift für Wissenschaft und Leben," vii. 200. It is plain that Abraham is here viewed as the warden of paradise, like Michael in Jewish and St. Peter in Christian folk-lore ("Texts and Studies," v. 55, 69, Cambridge). Of Abraham as attorney pleading for Israel, R. Jonathan also speaks (Shab. 89b).

Acquiring the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Being Born Again

Joseph Smith proclaimed, "Being born again comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances." (History of the Church, 3:392; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith about July 1839 in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards.) Temple attendance can increase ones spirituality and draw one closer to the Savior through the gift of the Holy Ghost. We are to be worthy and seek after these gifts.

Luke 11: 13 tells us that to obtain the Holy Ghost in our lives we need to ask.
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him."

Elder Henry B. Eyring

"The foundation is a burning desire to qualify for that gift. Most of us who are members of the restored Church have enough faith to want the Holy Ghost at times. That desire may be weak and intermittent, but it comes, usually when we are in trouble. For us to be led upward to safety in the times ahead, it must become steady and intense.
The problem for most human beings is that when things go well, we feel self-sufficient. You remember the warning:
"And others will he pacify, [again speaking of Satan] and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well -- and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell" (2 Nephi 28:21).
And later comes the warning:
"Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost" (2 Nephi 28:31)."

So we need to have a burning desire to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion and we need to actively seek and ask for this gift. The scripture declares in 2 Nephi 32: 3-5:
“Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.
Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.
For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.”

As LDS we talk about the Burning in the Bosom… "Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong..." (D&C 9:7–9)

We have all heard from our critics concerning the Holy Ghost and the “Burning in the bosom!” There are those who believe that we should NOT trust our feelings or the way in which Holy Spirit operates in our lives to understand the things of God. Secularism is on the rise in the U.S. and we see many Christian Churches losing members.  More and more are becoming atheists and ungodly.
These non believers demand that, "the things that one believes about the world and the universe in which we live should be based on reproducible physical evidence interpreted with logic and reason, and not subjective feelings such as a “burning in the bosom.” They believe that decisions based on emotion instead of fact seldom benefit anyone and that the failure to recognize relevant facts is an attribute of magical thinking. They believe that a worldview based mainly on “burning bosom” decision making, evidence seen with “spiritual eyes,” or the expectation of supernatural intervention, must be considered at least naïve and irresponsible. And at its worst, magical thinking can be dangerous and even fatal to the decision-maker and others (sometimes many others)".

Unlike the critics, LDS believe in the witness of the Holy Spirit and the "burning in the bosom" as part of gaining knowledge and truth. LDS scholar Blake Ostler in an interview addressed these views and gives some amazing insight in answer to the Mormon detractors…..he tells us:

"So...would it be realistic to say that you think religion deals more with the emotions as opposed to reality of science, dealing with facts and what is out there for real?"
"Well, I think that's too reductive."
"What science demonstrates is...without emotion we can't make choices...we can't even think rationally without feelings...they go hand in hand. Rationality requires feelings....rationality requires emotion." Antonio Damasio and Oliver Sacks, world-renowned neural physiologists have demonstrated this with their patients..
"For instance they had a group of people who had some brain damage in an area that effects their emotion to intertwine their emotional states with their cognitive states. They couldn't make any decisions. They were completely incapable of decision making. The reality is without their emotions, without their feelings they have or we have no way of evaluating what's better and what's not. Or in making any decisions at all."

In his Oct. 2009 conference address, “To Acquire Spiritual Guidance,” Elder Richard G. Scott tells us:

“Impressions of the Spirit can come in response to urgent prayer or unsolicited when needed. Sometimes the Lord reveals truth to you when you are not actively seeking it, such as when you are in danger and do not know it. However, the Lord will not force you to learn. You must exercise your agency to authorize the Spirit to teach you. As you make this a practice in your life, you will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance. Then, when that guidance comes, sometimes when you least expect it, you will recognize it more easily.”

We are admonished to read the scriptures daily…feast upon the words of Christ to gain an enduring testimony and the become more spiritual.

President Henry B. Eyring

"Just as pondering the scriptures invites the companionship of the Holy Ghost, so does doing the things we have been told to do and doing them promptly. We are promised that the scriptures and the Holy Ghost will tell us all things that we should do. When we go and do what we have been told and do it the best we can, we qualify for more instructions of what to do. If we do not act, we will not receive further instructions."

President Henry B. Eyring

"Now, there is a wonderful way in which all the things about which we have spoken work together. Desire for the Holy Ghost leads us to the prayer of faith. Pondering the words of the Savior in the scriptures increases our capacity to recognize the voice of the Spirit. The Spirit and the words of Christ tell us all things that we must do. And as we do those things, we qualify for further inspiration by the Spirit. And, in time, that companionship of the Holy Ghost changes us. We feel the effects of the Atonement. Our desire for light increases, and so we pray with greater faith that our prayers will be answered. The scriptures open up to us more clearly, our power to obey becomes greater, and we are drawn ever upward, higher and higher, toward purity and happiness and eternal safety." (see 3 Nephi 27:20; Alma 19:33; 3 Nephi 9:20).

Prayer is so very important:

“And it came to pass that when Ammon arose he also administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni; and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing—that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil.” (Alma 19: 33)

As we gain the guidance of the Holy Spirit we become “born again” or “born of the spirit” “a new creature”

“And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.” (3 Ne. 9: 20)

Concerning the Last Days and Standing in Holy Places President Henry B. Eyring reminds us that,“fear shall come upon all people, but you and I know that the Lord has prepared places of safety to which He is eager to guide us.”

President Ezra Taft Benson

You will live in the midst of economic, political and spiritual instability. When you see these signs—unmistakable evidences that His coming is nigh—be not troubled, but, “stand … in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come” (D&C 87:8). Holy men stand in holy places and these holy places include our temples, our chapels, our homes, and the stakes of Zion, which are, as the Lord declares, “for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth” (D&C 115:6).
Heed the Lord’s counsel to the Saints of this dispensation: “Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord” (D&C 133:10).
This preparation must consist of more than just casual membership in the Church. You must learn to be guided by personal revelation and the counsel of the living prophet so you will not be deceived. Our Lord has indicated who, among Church members, will stand when He appears:
“And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.
“For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.
“And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation.
“For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver.” (D&C 45:56–59; italics added.)

We all know that the oil in the wise virgins’ lamps was spirituality and it is something that cannot be shared but only cultivated on our own only through a personal relationship with the Savior and living by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

President Eyring tells us,

"As the challenges around us increase, we must commit to do more to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Casual prayer won't be enough. Reading a few verses of the scripture won't be enough. Doing the minimum of what the Lord asks of us won't be enough. Hoping that we will have the Atonement work in our lives and that we will perhaps sometimes feel the influence of the Holy Ghost won't be enough. And one great burst of effort won't be enough. Only a steady, ever-increasing effort will allow the Lord to take us to higher ground."

Elder Richard G. Scott tells us:

"I am convinced that there is no simple formula or technique that would immediately allow you to master the ability to be guided by the voice of the Spirit. Our Father expects you to learn how to obtain that divine help by exercising faith in Him and His Holy Son, Father in Heaven knew that you would face challenges and be required to make some decisions that would be beyond your own ability to decide correctly. In His plan of happiness, He included a provision for you to receive help with such challenges and decisions during your mortal life. That assistance will come to you through the Holy Ghost as spiritual guidance. It is a power, beyond your own capability, that a loving Heavenly Father wants you to use consistently for your peace and happiness.

President John Taylor wrote:

“Joseph Smith, upwards of forty years ago, said to me: ‘Brother Taylor, you have received the Holy Ghost. Now follow the influence of that Spirit, and it will lead you into all truth, until by and by, it will become in you a principle of revelation.’ Then he told me never to arise in the morning without bowing before the Lord, and dedicating myself to him during that day.”

May we all seek not only to keep the Sabbath day Holy but also strive to have the Holy Spirit as a constant companion and make every day Holy by dedicating it each morning to the Lord.

"That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day" (D&C 50:24)