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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4a
A most splendid sanctuary had been made, according to the pattern
showed to Moses in the mount, and afterward presented by the Lord to
David. The earthly sanctuary was made like the heavenly. In addition
to the cherubim on the top of the ark, Solomon made two other angels
of larger size, standing at each end of the ark, representing the heavenly
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angels always guarding the law of God. It is impossible to describe
the beauty and splendor of this tabernacle. There, as in the tabernacle,
the sacred ark was borne in solemn, reverential order, and set in its
place beneath the wings of the two stately cherubim that stood upon
the floor.
The sacred choir united their voices, with all kinds of musical
instruments, in praise to God. And while the voices in harmony,
with instruments of music, resounded through the temple, and were
borne upon the air through Jerusalem, the cloud of God’s glory took
possession of the house, as it had formerly filled the tabernacle. “And
it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that
the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not
stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord had
filled the house of the Lord.”
King Solomon stood upon a brazen scaffold before the altar and
blessed the people. He then knelt down, and with his hands raised
upward, poured forth earnest and solemn prayer to God, while the con-
gregation were bowed with their faces to the ground. After Solomon
had ended his prayer, a miraculous fire came from heaven and con-
sumed the sacrifice.
Because of the sins of Israel, the calamity which God said should
come upon the temple, if his people departed from him, was fulfilled
some hundreds of years after the temple was built. God promised
Solomon, if he would remain faithful, and his people would obey all
his commandments, that that glorious temple should stand forever in
all its splendor, as an evidence of the prosperity and exalted blessings
resting upon Israel for their obedience.
Because of Israel’s transgression of the commandments of God,
and their wicked acts, God suffered them to go into captivity to humble
and punish them. Before the temple was destroyed, God made known
to a few of his faithful servants the fate of the temple, which was
the pride of Israel, and which they regarded with idolatry, while they
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were sinning against God. He also revealed to them the captivity