Symbols, Signs, Tokens, Clothing & the Holy Garment

In the holt temple, there are signs, symbols, & tokens connected to each ordinance. In this lesson we will learn about the reasons why the Lord uses symbols & signs to teach and how they can bless our our lives.

We'll also learn about the symbol and token that is the Garment go the Holy Priesthood.

Symbols:

When you see the American Flag, what feelings or thoughts do you have?

What does it represent?

In America, the flag represents freedom and those who have fought for and died for our freedom. It is shown respect and honor. 

It is a Symbol. It can mean something different to everyone. There is rich history attached to this symbol. 

The American Flag is an example of a symbol.

David A. Bednar said:

“We should not disclose or describe the special symbols associated with the covenants we receive in the sacred temple ceremonies. Neither should we discuss the holy information that we specifically promise in the temple not to reveal.”

The temple is the house of the Lord. Everything in the temple points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ. We may discuss the basic purposes of and the doctrine and principles associated with temple ordinances and covenants.”

In a symbolic way, the teachings and rituals of the temple take us on an upward journey toward eternal life, ending with a symbolic entrance into the presence of God.

The characters depicted,

the physical setting,

the clothing worn,

the signs given,

and all the events covered in the temple are symbolic.

When they are understood, they will help each person recognize truth and grow spiritually.

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Signs, symbols & tokens help us learn about the ordinance and covenant we make with the Lord. There is so much that can be learned from each one.

Think of some examples of “symbols” that Jesus used in scripture to teach?

QUOTE: “The Lord Himself, the Master Teacher, in His own teaching to His disciples taught constantly in parables, a verbal way to symbolically represent things that might otherwise be difficult to understand. He talked of the common experiences drawn from the lives of His disciples, and He told of hens and chickens, birds, flowers, foxes, trees, burglars, highwaymen, sunsets, the rich and the poor. … He talked of the mustard seed, of the pearl. He wanted to teach His hearers, so He talked of simple things in a symbolic sense. None of these things is mysterious or obscure, and all of them are symbolic” (Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple, 8).

Why do you think the Savior used symbols when He taught?

Click and read:

• We can all relate to symbols.
• Symbols provide the potential for deeper learning- at our current Spiritual level/capacity
• The Lord wants us to study and ponder the meanings so the Spirit can teach us.
• We can learn something new each time we attend because symbols are infinitely deep 

Signs:

A great example of signs, is Sign Language. 

We can use 1 sign, made with our hands, to communicate a thought.

What do each of these signs mean?

Purpose of Signs:

-“A memorial or something to preserve a memory of a thing.”- Webster Dictionary

-Convey sacred information to God and to our fellow believers

-A way to memorialize or remember the covenant

There are signs given for each covenant. You will remember them as you attend the temple often.

We do not share them outside of the temple.

Tokens:

In Gospel terms, what are some examples of tokens?

The Sacrament

 The bread and water are the tokens we take to represent that sacrifice and ordinance. It represents the Ordinance of Baptism and reminds us of the covenants we made when we were baptized.

Tokens of Christ

Nail prints in his hands and feet as tokens of identification for his disciples in both the Old World and the New World.

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Signs & Tokens can represent:

Receiving authority

Prayer

Worshipping

and more

The Purpose: Really helpful external symbols to draw our hearts closer to our Savior and help us visualize our covenants in different ways.

1. They help us to memorialize and remember our covenants in sacred ways.

2. Brigham Young made it clear that part of their purpose is to enable us to walk back into God’s presence and gain eternal life. They serve as identifiers and authenticators.

President Brigham Young succinctly described the endowment from a different perspective. He observed that the endowment will prove to be vital for us after we leave mortality:

“Let me give you a definition in brief. 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” (Discourses of Brigham Young, comp. John A. Widtsoe, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1941, p. 416).

The signs and symbols taught in the temple, are our 2-step authentication process that enables us to walk back into God's presence.

Summary: 

Almost every aspect of the temple ceremony is symbolic. This means that each person should prepare to be as spiritually sensitive as possible to the symbolic nature of the temple endowment.

Temple Clothing

How you usually dress can affect how you feel and act.

Picture how you would dress at these different events:

Christmas party attire, game day uniforms, cleaning the house outfit

Temple clothing is sacred and can help us better connect with God.

“Not only can wearing them change the way we feel about ourselves, but each item also teaches us something about our relationship with God.” -Kim Gibbs

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Temple Clothing in Scripture:

The Robes of the Holy Priesthood can also reflect how we are trying to emulate the Great High Priest Jesus Christ (Hebrew 4:14–16; 10:18–20).

The epistle to the Ephesians compares virtues to specific pieces of clothing in describing the armor of God, wearing the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and girding the loins with truth (Ephesians 6:13–17).

The priest wore a girdle or sash that some have interpreted as symbolizing moral restraint. And finally he wore a mitre or headdress that bore a plate with the inscription “Holiness to the Lord” (Exodus 28:36). 

Endowment Ceremonial Clothing:

We carry our endowment ceremony clothes in, with us to the session.

Then change into them at certain points.

*Even the “putting on” of them is symbolic*

Robes

Apron

Sash

Veil & Hat

“They represent our readiness to go to work, specifically to do the ordinance work within the temple and build the kingdom of God outside its walls as well” -Kim Gibbs

Garment of the Holy Priesthood

In the Initiatory Ordinance (next temple prep lesson) we are authorized to wear the Garment of the Holy Priesthood.

The garment represents many things:

The Atonement of Jesus Christ

His grace 

Our covenants-marks on garments

Modesty

Remind us of the power we are endowed with

Look for so many more symbols of the Holy Garment

Scriptural History of the Holy Garment

1. When Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden, they were naked, which represents their child-like innocence. But just as infants aren’t meant to stay infants, Adam and Eve had a greater purpose to fulfill and had to move beyond this child-like innocence. And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron. (Exodus 29:5)
2. And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen. (Exodus 28:39)
3. And thou shalt make them [the priests] linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach. (Exodus 28:42)

My 'claimed & covered' testimony: