“And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth.” Isaiah 5:5

“The “ensign” that is prophesied to be established—in the context, in the meaning of that day—had reference to a zodiacal, a constellation, a depiction of the heavens themselves. So, when an ensign is going to be reared and it’s going to tell you about how to walk in the paths of God, this is talking about something very, very different than what most of us today would envision. Zion is going to be a connection between heaven and earth. And at that

place, you will learn of the God of Jacob’s ways, and you will walk in His paths—becauseHeaven and earth will be connected, and the stairway connecting the two will be open. And the heavens and the earth will be reunited again.” Denver Snuffer, Talk 6. Zion

“A real temple is required for Zion because it is the mechanism for reorienting society. Through it, the standard of conduct for ordering peaceful lives is established, and society becomes centered on the temple for law, education, social structure, government, and coexistence. A real temple is a repository for knowledge and learning. It will include a library for study, teaching and learning. A real temple is indispensable for Zion because such a society is always built upon a heavenly pattern of cooperation and equality, making a city of peace or city of righteousness possible. It is the means to provide people with the information necessary to allow them “to govern themselves….Every soul is encouraged to rise up in this life and make the first ascension to God while in the flesh. Some have done so. Others will. Perhaps a great many will. But if there are believers who cannot or will not do so in this life, the temple is the means God will provide to allow the “least of the Saints” to likewise obtain a hope in Christ by an authorized covenant which will bind on earth and in heaven. Then they become likewise heirs of salvation and part of the great congregation to whom the Lord will proclaim: “Well done!” They will have a legitimate and authorized means for laying ahold of the promise of eternal life and continuing the long path of ascent to the Throne of God to dwell with Him and Christ. The LDS version of temple rites is insufficient to allow anyone to obtain the right to ascend to God’s presence in eternity. The Lord will fix this, as He intends to establish an Ensign to which all nations (meaning scattered covenant Israel) will return in the last days and there receive their crowns at the hands of servants who will minister covenants for this purpose (T&C 58:3).2 The whole temple message can be summarized in one brief statement: We are to be prepared in all things to receive further light and knowledge by conversing with the Lord through the veil. The ceremony of the temple is not the real thing. It is a symbol of the real thing. The real thing is when a person actually obtains an audience with Jesus Christ, returns to His presence, and gains knowledge by which they are saved.3 The temple is a revelation of the process by which one may pass through the veil to God’s actual presence.4 The purpose of a temple is to allow the communication of great knowledge and greater knowledge to restore what has been lost since the time of Adam, in order for people to rise up and receive the Holy Order.5 A temple in Zion is to be a place where He can come to dwell and not merely to manifest Himself to some.6
Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the last days’ temple clearly identifies it as a house where man will be instructed in God’s path (see Isaiah 1:5). It will be a facility where the God of Jacob will teach His pathway of ascent back to the Throne of God. Mankind will learn the laws governing that pathway.7 The purpose of the coming last days’ temple in Zion is to allow the communication of great knowledge and greater knowledge, and to restore what has been lost since the time of Adam.8 In the “Answer to Prayer for Covenant” the Lord explained: Whenever I have people who are mine, I command them to build a house, a holy habitation, a sacred place where my presence can dwell or where the Holy Spirit of Promise can minister, because it is in such a place that it has been ordained to recover you, establish by my word and my oath your marriages, and endow my people with knowledge from on high that will unfold to you the mysteries of godliness, instruct you in my ways, that you may walk in my path. And all the outcasts of Israel will I gather to my house (T&C 157:41). The main requirement of temples is to organize the living into a family. The organization cannot happen outside a temple. That is the only place God will allow the restoration, rites, ordinances, and covenant to be ministered. Heaven and earth will reunite and angels will attend to many of the required things when an acceptable temple has been built. “We think a temple can be built following a pattern based on current ordinances. There is no understanding of the ordinances necessary to organize the family of God again. Trying to fit the original full plan of God for mankind into our incomplete and corrupt model, and make it conform to our expectations will not work. There has not been a full restoration as yet.”

glossary of terms “Temple”

2 “Why a Temple?” April 29, 2016, blog post.
3 Passing the Heavenly Gift, 53.
4 Beloved Enos, 55.
5 “The Holy Order,” Q&A, 15, Oct. 29, 2017, transcript of recording.
6 “Scripture, Prophecy and Covenant,” March 27, 2017, 14, paper.
7 “The Holy Order,” Oct. 29, 2017, 4, paper.
8 Ibid., 30.
9 “Plural Marriage,” March 22, 2015, Sandy UT, 34, paper.