The Hidden Temple Symbolism in Elijah vs. the Priests of Baal

What does Elijah's showdown with the priests of Baal have to do with temple work? More than you might think. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah rebuilds the broken altar of the Lord using twelve stones — one for each tribe of Israel — before fire falls from heaven and the people declare, "The Lord, he is the God." In this episode, we explore how this moment on Mount Carmel is a prophetic pattern of the Gathering of Israel: scattered tribes brought back to the altar, covenants restored, and hearts turned to the God of their fathers through the house of the Lord. This powerful interaction foretold in many ways our worship and sacrifice in our modern day temples.

In this episode we answer:
- Why did Elijah use twelve stones to rebuild the altar? (1 Kings 18:31–32)
- How does Mount Carmel foreshadow the latter-day Gathering of Israel?
- What is the connection between Elijah, sealing keys, and temple work? (Malachi 4:5–6; D&C 110:13–16)
- How does turning our hearts to our fathers "gather" Israel on both sides of the veil?

President Russell M. Nelson has taught that the Gathering of Israel is the greatest cause and greatest work on the earth today ("Hope of Israel," Worldwide Youth Devotional, June 2018). Elijah — the very prophet who called down fire on Mount Carmel — returned in the Kirtland Temple to restore the sealing keys that make that gathering possible.

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Scriptures and sources discussed:
1 Kings 18:19–40, D&C 128:18-19, 2 Nephi 31:17, Romans 6:3–6, D&C 128:24

Russell M. Nelson, “Thou Art the Christ”, April 2025

Meridian Magazine, Jeffrey Marsh , The Wild Ox and Covenant Israel- Israel’s Descendants and Their Latter Day Destiny, July 16, 2002

Family History Student Manual, Chapter 8, The Abrahamic Covenant

David A. Bednar, “The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn”, Oct. 2011

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 311; emphasis added). 

David A. Bednar, Temple Ordinances: Preparing to Return to God’s Presence, Liahona, July 2022

Joseph Smith, History of the Church: 4:425-26, 6:183-84



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Thinning of the Veil explores how the veil between heaven and earth grows thin as we engage in the Gathering of Israel — through temple worship, family history, and personal revelation. Hosted by Tia Smith, author of Patterns of Revelation: Spiritual Foundations for Hearing God's Voice.



#GatheringOfIsrael #TempleWork #Elijah #LDSPodcast #ComeFollowMe #ThinningOfTheVeil

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

So they take four barrels, they douse the altar, they take four barrels again, douse it a second time, do the same pattern the third time. Why didn't he do it four times? Why didn't he do it five times? The number is significant because the tribes of Israel, there's twelve tribes of Israel, four times three is twelve. So you have this altar with a bullock on it being doused with water with a trench around it, sacrifice in the middle, baptistry. You have a font with oxen on it, with a trench around it, being filled with water with the representation of the twelve tribes and house of Israel. That is so cool. But it even goes further because the number three, when you douse, he doused the water three times. In the baptistry, the work is done well in all in the temple everywhere, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. That number three is the special number, and we saw that represented in Elijah's experience, and we also see it represented in ours. But what is super cool is that in his life, thousands of years ago, he exhibited the pattern that we would follow as we look to do temple work in the last days in the gathering of Israel. Today we're going to be talking about that. He's had he had many experiences during his life, but today we're going to be talking about a certain situation, that of really battling with the prophets of Baal on the Mount Carmel. Now, in that pattern, you will see, and I will prove to you, that the echoes that would foretell the work being done in the latter days was in every detail of that particular experience. Now I know that it probably would have been better for it to come out earlier a couple weeks ago, but with my knee, um, that didn't happen. So I'm hoping that you'll forgive me for that and you will enjoy this as much as I do, even though the timing may be a little bit off. And now, really with that as well, I'm hoping that you will pray for me. It's two days and counting till I go into surgery. Surgery and sharks to me are kind of on the same level of fear. So I'm a little bit worried about going into it. I mean, I'm sure I'll be fine, but you know, it never helps to have prayers uh from lots of my friends who I think will help me get through it. And again, please like, subscribe, comment, share with your friends. Please, please, please. It helps to overcome this algorithm that seems to not like Latter-day Saints very well. So please do that. And then if you feel like you would like to donate to the podcast, the links are in the description. It really, really helps. You'd be surprised that the technology and the cost of technology that that really is present in running a podcast, not that's not even talking about the time. So if you feel like you can and want to, there's PayPal and Venmo and all the different ways that you can. So again, I'm just glad you're here with me and glad that I get to experience this with you before everything else happens. Next week, though, I'm super excited because we're going to be hearing from Brent Topp, and I'm also going to be posting something later on during the week. So please come back and join me. So today I wanted to kind of point to Elijah. Now we know, again, that he is important in the Latter-day Gathering for many different reasons. We know that he came to the Kirtland Temple and restored keys along with Elias and Moses. Before that period of time, when those keys were restored in Kirtland, there really was no general interest in mass about family history work. But as soon as that happened, uh committees started being formed, uh, clubs started being formed, and really this idea of preserving our ancestral heritage and making that a big part of who we are in our life, passing it down through the generations suddenly became important. Now, that foretelling and that work that really happened and accelerated was because of what happened in the temple. But how does that relate to the story that we just studied in Come Follow Me about this prophet of Baal on Mount Carmel and Elijah trying to help the people understand who the God of Israel actually was and the power that was contained within the knowledge of him as our creator and our Savior Jesus Christ. It's interesting because I think when I was reading through this again, studying, and everyone who knows me, I like deep doctrine, and it's the study and it's almost the chase of looking for the patterns. I was actually surprised myself as I was studying this. But I wanted to read something to you about Elijah's participation, not only in his life foretelling what was going to happen, but also what happened to us now in the latter days. This is what it says. It was it was some years after Elijah's coming that Joseph Smith began to teach about baptisms for the dead. On August 10, 1840, while preaching at the funeral of Seymour Brunson, Joseph Smith first mentioned this concept. Later, he gave the following instructions. And that's an article by Cynthia Doxey. Now, when we're talking about Elijah, specifically with the prophets of Bel on Mount Carmel, it's interesting because we can see this baptisms for the dead, just as it was started resonating with Joseph Smith, we can see the pattern already in Elijah's life, pointing us and Joseph Smith to the work that was going to be done in our day. Now, the question that should be on our minds through this whole episode is how long halt ye between two opinions, right? That was the that was the question that Elijah asked the children of Israel because they were, they were waffling between two uh gods, two ways of living. The invitation now is for us today. Elijah would be asking us the same question. If we were on a figurative Mount Carmel, which we are, and he was standing in front of us as the prophet, he would ask us that very same question. How long halt you between two opinions? It's a very valid question, and it's one that I believe he would literally be asking us today. Now let's study that this pattern then a little bit that happened on Mount Carmel. We're going to read in 1 Kings chapter 18, 19. Now, therefore, send and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal 450, and the prophets of the groves 400, which eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel. Now, what's interesting to know, and we learned in a conference talk by Amy A. Wright many years ago, she talked about Mount Carmel and how miraculous it was. Now, it wasn't necessarily one of those designated sacred houses, you know, mountains that would we could say was a temple, but it was a very sacred space for a lot of different people. And Elijah chose this specific mountain to have this interaction so that the children of Israel could decide. Now, the cool thing is about when he chose Mount Carmel, it was for a reason. We learned from Amy A. Wright that it stays green all year round, largely because there are tiny amounts of dew all over. So you have this green heel all the time because there's water constantly there. Now, what's significant about that is that when we talk about the significance of dew, the significance of Mount Carmel in relation to Elijah trying to prove who God is and pointing to the work being done in the latter days, we can see this connection in Doctrine Covenants 128, 18 through 19. This is what it says. It is sufficient to know in this case that the earth will be sitting smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children upon some subject or other. And behold, what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead, for we without them cannot be made perfect, neither can they without us be made perfect, neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also. For it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fullness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union and welding together of dispensations and keys and powers and glories should take place and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time, and not only this, but those things which have never been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this the dispensation of the fullness of times. Then if we jump to nineteen, now what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness, a voice of mercy from heaven, and a voice of truth out of the earth, glad tidings for the dead, a voice of gladness for the living and the dead, glad tidings of great joy. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion, Behold, thy God reigneth, as the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them. I love that scripture and how it ties us to Mount Carmel, because it does, it shows us a couple things. First, those verses start out with the importance of baptisms for the dead. And this is literally Joseph Smith rejoicing. It's almost like he had the tongue of angels at the time. This was joy to his soul. It was salvation. Um, he was figuring this out, and this doctrine was so sweet to him. And as he was proclaiming this particular set of revelation, he includes the dews from heaven that we will be lighted upon with knowledge, and we will know who God is, which is exactly what was happening on Mount Carmel when Elijah was asking the people, let's figure out then who God really is. Let's see his hand, let's see what by what power he will show himself. And that is echoed in these verses through the invitation of doing the work for our dead. Behold, thy God reigneth, and as the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them. As we do the work, the knowledge of God and who he is descends upon us. I love that because it's through Temple and Family History work that we know who God is. And Elijah, by bringing everyone to Mount Carmel, was saying, You will know today, just as there's dew upon and waters this earth, you will know today who God is because of what happens at this particular altar. Now let's look at Kings 1821, first Kings, because now we're going to see the pattern that Elijah starts pointing to, and we can recognize it in the latter days. In Elijah 1821, it says, And Elijah came unto all the people and said, Here's the big question: how long halch ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him. But if Baal, then follow him, and the people answered him not a word. Now, what does that verse have anything to do with our work in the latter days and most especially the work for our ancestors in the temple? Well, President Nelson helps us to understand this. When we follow him, that was the invitation from Elijah. And when we follow him through the patterns that Christ has invited us to walk with him, we can start to see these two connecting dispensations that is miraculous and beautiful all at the same time. Now, President Nelson said, the Savior invites us all to follow him. So it's the same invitation. The Savior invites us to follow him. Elijah is inviting us to follow him. President Nelson and all the prophets continue to invite us to follow him. But where is he asking us to follow him to? He invites us to follow him into the waters of baptism and in time to make additional covenants with God in the temple and receive and be faithful to those further essential ordinances. All these are required if we want to be exalted with our families and with God forever. We are invited to follow him into the waters of baptism first for ourselves and then in the temples for our ancestors who have not yet heard the gospel or have not been allowed to make those covenants. So when Elijah says you're invited to follow him after we figure out if he is God, we have the same invitation in our day. And that that question, how long halt you between twin opinions, then still extends to us. And how do we know who God is? Well, look at Elijah's pattern, follow it, because it is almost exactly what's happening in our temples today. Now let's talk about that just a little bit more. In first Kings 18 23, re we read, Let them therefore give us two bullocks, and let them choose one bullock for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on wood and put no fire under, and I will dress the other bullock and lay it on wood and put no fire under. So this these parameters of this battle, I guess you'd say, are being set out. Now, what's cool that even in the setting up, we have a specific place. It's on Mount Carmel. We just talked about the importance and the significance of how that points us to temple work in the latter days. But we're also speaking about the actual way that this sacrifice gets set up. Now, following the laws at the time and how they used to make sacrifices, a bullock was chosen. And that's important to us why? Well, a bullock is an ox. So every time we walk into the baptistry, we see Elijah's um and this experience with the prophets of Baal literally playing out before our eyes. Now, they would take that ox and kill it, but this was the caveat that Elijah said, This is how you're gonna know that God is who he is. We are not going to personally light fire around it. But the one God who is the true God will be able to consume the sacrifice. Now, this points to a lot of things now in our day. We're in the baptistry. Is there sacrifice going on? For sure. And it's interesting that the oxen are holding up this font. And to for the purposes today, let's look at the font as an altar. The sacrifices being all offered on the altar in the baptistry. That's interesting because when we read Doctrine Covenants, part of the sacrifice in the temple is completing the work for our dead and putting putting it in the book of life, right? So we are literally echoing this pattern between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. And are we going to follow Elijah? Or are we really going to follow the prophets of Baal and all of their invitations? Because you can get confused nowadays. People say it's not important. Temple work isn't important. There's no further work to be done. Christ did it all. Or there's people who don't even believe. There's so many opinions out there that this question, how long halt you between two opinions? It's how long do you halt between many opinions? How do you know God? Follow him into the temple. Follow him to the sacrificial altars. Now, let's kind of go a little bit further with that. Each temple has a baptistry with a large font for proxy baptisms. We all know that. We go into the temples. The font rests on the back of 12 oxen sculptures that represent the 12 tribes of Israel. Now, isn't that interesting? And we're going to come back to that, the importance of that in just a minute. But the oxen also represent the strength and power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So you can see with even when you walk in before you even do the work, Elijah's experience on Mount Carmel is literally there playing out, and we are choosing to participate just as the house of Israel did in his day. Remember, Elijah is the one that was promised would come back and bring the sealing power. So his life should have echoed the work that was going to happen in the latter days, because that was his calling to participate in, that he was invited to participate in. So everything that you look at in Elijah's life should point to his work being redone and re-invited in the latter days. You can see that the minute you walk into a temple in the baptistry. Now let's look at another very similar situation and pattern. In 1 Kings 18 24, it says, And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. So now you have their parameters. How you're going to be able to decide is if the fire comes and consumes the sacrifice. Does that have anything to do with our temples in our day? How do we know who God is? And how do we know by fire what we're invited to become? Because we have the same invitation in our temples. In 2 Nephi 31, 17, we read, We were baptized by immersion in water for the remission of sins. We must also be baptized by and immersed in the Spirit of the Lord, and then cometh the remission of sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. In our covenantal relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ, He is consuming us as we walk the covenant path. The Holy Ghost is literally helping us to become the sacred. And part of that process is the baptism of fire. We are immersed in the Spirit of the Lord. What was the invitation from Elijah back to the house of Israel in his day? You will know who God is because the fire will come and consume the sacrifice. We cannot receive or attain to that level of invitation of becoming like our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ without entering into the temples. Fire is a necessary step and a necessary ingredient for us to grow and to become. And it will come in miraculous ways, as it did for Elijah. Now let's look at the next thing that's really, really cool in this pattern. In 1 Kings 18 9, we read, and it came to pass when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither Voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. Now, just as the place was important and the setup was important in Elijah's time, so was the timing. You had the prophets of Baal all day long trying to get this fire to come down and to consume the sacrifice. And this whole time the house of Israel is watching. They're trying to decide. They're like, okay, they're looking for fire, right? Then comes the evening. Now, the evening sacrifice is very symbolic. In the Insign in April 2013, there was an article called Behold the Lamb of God, and it explains this about the evening sacrifice. John also records that the Last Supper occurred the day before Passover. Thus, the Savior was likely bound and crucified at the same time the Passover lambs were being sacrificed at the temple. This is cool because Elijah's invitation and the power of God starts to happen at the evening sacrifice. The evening sacrifice sacrifice pointed to the Savior Jesus Christ's sacrifice. They celebrated it at the time of Passover. When did Elijah come? In the Kirtland Temple, it's the same timing. It's the same celebration. It's the same pointing us to the Savior Jesus Christ. And within that sacrifice on Mount Carmel, we see the timing even pointing us to the restoration in the Kirtland temple. Did Elijah's life literally span across the generations? Did his patterns of living span across the generations? Yes. And it's just even in this little encounter in front of all the house of Israel that we can learn so much from this and realize that God is in the details. He knew that Elijah was going to um have this battle of helping the people to understand who God was. In fact, he probably revealed it to Elijah how it should be done. Knowing that the same pattern would repeat itself by his power in our day. God is in the details, my friend. Even in the details of the lives of Elijah, most assuredly he's in the details of your life. Now let's read about sacrifices in the Bible dictionary because we're talking about the timing of the evening sacrifice was important, but also the way that the sacrifice was done was important. We read the burnt offering got its Hebrew name from the idea of the smoke of the sacrifice ascending to heaven. The characteristic rite was the burning of the whole animal on the altar. As the obligation to surrender was constant on the part of Israel, a burnt offering called the continual burnt offering was offered twice daily, morning and evening. So we see the importance of the burnt offering. When it was offered, even the smoke represented a connection to God. When these sacrifices were made, it was an invitation from the priest to sanctify the sacrifice and to sanctify the person that he was standing in behalf of. Does that echo our work in the temple today? Absolutely. Our prayers are ascending to heaven as we sacrifice, hoping that revelation will flow and that God will see and accept it as a sacrifice that is worthy. It is the same pattern back then as it is now. Now, these sacrifices were primarily meant to teach the Israelites about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And when we think about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we can even see the connection between the work in the temple and even on when we get it for ourselves. But the sacrifice also represents baptism. Baptism by immersion is beautifully symbolic, not only of the washing away of sins, but of death, burial, and resurrection. So you have the evening sacrifice, the time was important. In baptism, we literally that plays out in the ceremony of baptism. Because when we are put under the water and brought back up, it symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So this sacrifice that Elijah was offering was also, again, echoing our work being done in the temple, pointing us to what this to the work that the Savior Jesus Christ would do in his time, and point us to the work that we help him with in our time. Now let's read 1 Kings 18 30, because it it keeps it continues. And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me, and all the people came near unto him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, and unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name. Now remember, what was on the altar? It was the oxen. The cool thing is it also represented the house of Israel. Now how did Elijah repair? Because we have us and all of the rest of the people who have lived on the planet, do we need repairing? Absolutely. So the first step that Elijah took was to repair the altar because it was broken, which symbolizes so beautifully the power of Jesus Christ in repairing our lives. And through that invitation to walk into the temples and to do it for our dead, we are repairing the generations. And what, how do we repair the generations? Well, Elijah began by building the altar with 12 stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob. Every time, again, we walk into the baptistery, there's 12 oxen. And these 12 stones, these standing stones, really have been, I mean, we read it in Joshua, we read it in so many different places. It's this constant pattern that the Lord is showing. Now, we also know that Elijah and all of the prophets were looking forward to our day. Why? Because the house of Israel, represented by the number 12, would come and save their kindred, their family, their dead, because that could not be done in their time. So this repairing is now for us to do. In the pattern of even the building back up of the altar that was destroyed by the prophets of Baal, as Babylon does, the invitation of repairing comes through the house of Israel. And what happens on the altars, this 12 symbolic numbers, how does Elijah then work with that to help the people to know who God really is? Now, this is a cool article, and it was written by Jeffrey Marsh in Meridian magazine. And I love the way that he worded it. He said, long before they were born, members of the house of Israel were foreknown and forecalled to a covenant responsibility to assist in the salvation of all mankind. They were called and prepared from the foundation of the world, according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works. With prophetic foresight, Moses was inspired to bless the descendants of Joseph with the responsibility to gather Israel in the latter days. He prophesied that the work done by Joseph's descendants would eventually cause all of Israel to dwell safely in the Lord and to triumph. The twelve oxen which uphold the twelve baptismal font, which uphold the temple baptismal font, represent the twelve tribes of scattered Israel. They are placed face facing outward in every direction of the compass, north, south, east, and west. Joseph's modern day descendants are to receive their own temple blessings and then under the direction of the living prophet, a modern-day Moses or Elijah, travel to the four quarters of the earth and push or gather the Lord's people together into the restored covenant. Now, this is important because Moses was a visionary, Elijah was a visionary, they they worked many mighty miracles. The priesthood power that they exhibited was very, very clear in their lives. But we also know that they saw things. What all of what they saw, we don't know. But what we do know is that they had hope because we, as their children, would come forth in the latter days, repairing and building back up the altars that had been broken, proving to the house of Israel and the rest of the world that God is who He says he is. He is a God of power, He is a God of mercy, a God of justice, and a God of love. And our Savior Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the means whereby we come back into their presence. And all of our forefathers and mothers were so excited and put so much hope in this little handful of people, as Bergham Young said. And Elijah is showing that pattern on Mount Carmel by using the time of day, the place, the altar, the sacrifice, and by building it up with the 12 stones, because it the kingdom of God cannot be built, but only through the tribes of Israel. Because that is the covenant line. That is the line that is was foretold and was called upon way before we were even born to help in this mighty work. Now, in 1 Kings 18, 32 through 35, this is super cool. Look and see if you can kind of visualize in your mind, or if you're looking at the screen, hopefully there's a visual reminder of what we're talking about here. And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he made a trench about the altar, so great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order and cut the bullock in pieces and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time, and they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time, and they did it the third time. And the water ran around about the altar, and he filled the trench also with water. So this is super cool, because when I was reading this and looking for the patterns, all of a sudden the image of a baptistry popped into my mind. He's built it on the 12 stones. We've already echoed that that is the 12 oxen around a baptismal font. We've talked about the font itself being a sacrificial altar where sacrifices are made. But here's the description of Elijah's how he did that. He literally built a trench around the altar. Now, when you look at a baptistry, it's sitting down in the ground. And to me, to my eyes, in my opinion, there is in most temples, I don't, I haven't been in all of them, but most temples have this space around the altar, a trench, you would call it, right? And I love that this is connecting again to Elijah's preparation for them to understand who God is. Even in the trench, we see that pattern today. Then you have the water situation. He tells them to go bill, go fill four barrels of water. Because this is what he's gonna do. He's gonna say, look, this is gonna give no one an excuse to be able to say that Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father, that they're not God, right? And this time they're pointing, uh, Elijah is pointing to the God that he worships. Because if he douses it with water, there's no way that fire could come. He's literally showing the people that this decision shouldn't be very hard for you at all. So he takes four barrels of water and he does that three times. What does he do with that? Now that's interesting when we're looking at the barrels of water. If you take the four barrels of water, they filled them up, they go, they went and doused the altar with water. That should bring back images of a bapt baptismal font, right? You have this filling up of water. But he asked them to do it three times. So they take four barrels, they douse the altar, they take four barrels again, douse it a second time, do the same pattern the third time. Why didn't he do it four times? Why didn't he do it five times? The number is significant because the tribes of Israel, there's twelve tribes of Israel, four times three is twelve. So you have this altar with a bullock on it being doused with water with a trench around it, sacrifice in the middle, baptistery. You have a font with oxen on it, with a trench around it, being filled with water with the representation of the 12 tribes and house of Israel. That is so cool, but even goes further. Because the number three, when you douse, he doused the water three times. In the baptistry, the work is done, well, in all in the temple everywhere, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. That number three is a special number. And we saw that represented in Elijah's experience, and we also see it represented in ours. Now, in come unto Christ, this is what it says about baptism. Baptisms in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are performed by immersion. Now, think about this. Elijah is dousing this altar with 12 barrels of water. He's immersing the altar in water. Let's read that again. Baptisms in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are performed by immersion, meaning a person is immersed all the way underwater and brought back up. The Bible tells us that when Jesus was baptized, he went up straight away out of the water. Baptism by immersion is beautifully symbolic not only of the washing away of sins, but of death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism signifies the end of your old life and birth, an old way of life and birth to a life committed to Christian values. So in the baptisery font, and even in non-temple situations, when we're doing our own baptisms, immersion matters. Well, Elijah knew that in his day, immersion mattered to him as well because it will show the power of God. It will show the power of Jesus Christ, echoing the pattern of him whose plan it is, and the work that he performed, the vicarious work. Remember, the work of the Savior was a vicarious sacrifice. The priests, in sacrificing the animals on the altar, were acting vicariously on behalf of the whole house of Israel. We go into the temples also being immersed in water, acting vicariously in behalf of those who have not had that chance. This symbolism just when it started kind of, it was weird, it kind of just started appearing in my mind. I would read the scripture, and all of a sudden, these different images would come into my mind about the work that we do in the temples. And it's so beautiful because remember, Elijah's work was not over. He didn't die. He waited until it was time for him to come forth and restore back this opportunity to prove to all of us who God was, to give us the opportunity to choose who we would follow into the waters of baptism to the temple. Now, when we're thinking then again about 1 Kings 18, 36, we're talking about authority here now, because this is also important. And it came to pass at the time of the sacrifice of the evening sacrifice, which we just talked about, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. So this is instructive because why did he say those words? The prophets of Bel all day were yelling different kinds of words, they were even cutting themselves, trying to get their God to show the people this miracle. But even in this prayer, very, very simple prayer, we see the pattern pointing to us in our day. First of all, Elijah was called a prophet. The authority matters. The work done in the temple is done under the authority of priesthood holders that were given the authority from the heavens. Moses, Elias, and yes, Elijah. Latter-day Saints believe that baptism must be performed by someone who holds proper priesthood authority. That authority directly from Jesus Christ was returned through the restoration of his church. So we have the place that's significant, we have the sacrifice, we have the way that the sacrifice was immersed in water was significant. Now we also know that the prophet Elijah himself was significant, not just then, but now. And he says, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known that thou art God in Israel. How do we know? The invitation, Elijah says, This is how you will know how God is. In the Family History Student Manual, we read, This covenant is known as the Abrahamic covenant. All who accept the gospel and are baptized are seed of Abraham, either literally or by adoption, and are entitled to the same blessings he was promised through their faithfulness. In calling down the powers of heaven in this sacred prayer, he references Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Who is their God? Well, we know Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father is their God. In our work in gathering in the latter days, we also know that we are the seed of Abraham. When he prayed for the seed of Abraham to the power of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that power to be shown, it is also echoing in our day. Elijah literally is and continues to invite us along with the other prophets to participate as the seed, literal seed of Abraham, in showing the world the power that rests in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, because of what our Savior accomplished in his life and allowed to be restored then and yet to come. There are many things that we still have yet to have restored back to us, but there are many things that the prophecies are coming, and God is continually showing his hand. Our Savior is continually showing us his power and especially revealing that power within us. The work for it's in the work of the gathering that we gain power as Elijah did. Doctrine Covenants 128 24, we read Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand, and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap, and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us therefore, as a church and a people, and as latter-day saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness, and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation. I know I use that verse a lot, but it's one of those pillars of doctrine that we should be studying. 128 Doctrine Covenants is one of those, it echoes past patterns. What is the sacrifice? Well, the sacrifice must be purified. By who? Well, the sons of Levi are offering the sacrifice. Are you or are you a son and daughter of Levi as you go to the temple? Well, they were priests and priestesses. That same prayer that Elijah uttered is the same doctrine that we find in this particular verse. We are to walk through a fire. The fire was to consume the sacrifice. And as we walk through the sacrifice and perform it, the Lord sanctifies us as we save our dead. That's how you know who God is. That's how you know who you can choose to follow. You don't any longer have to halt between two opinions. In first Kings 1837, hear me, O Lord, hear me, that these people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. This was Elijah's plea.

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This is the plea of every prophet past, present, and probably will continue to be.

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So you have the spirit, you have the power, and the calling of Elijah. And we're pointing to this on Mount Carmel. His calling was evident then. Now, this is awesome because this is being pointed to in our day by Joseph Smith. The spirit, power, and calling of Elijah is that you have power to hold the key of the fullness of the Melchizedek priesthood and to obtain all the ordinances belonging to the kingdom of God. That's Elijah's mission. Then, inviting the house of Israel, now inviting the house of Israel. President David, Elder David A. Bednar said, as you respond in faith to this invitation, your heart shall turn to their fathers. That's echoing Elijah's prayer. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be implanted in your hearts. This is Elijah's prayer to a T. He references Abraham. He references the turning of hearts, and Elder Bednar is again pointing us to Elijah's mission and calling and power. Your patriarchal blessing with its declaration of lineage will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you, he says. Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will increase. Your testimony of, remember, we're trying to decide who we should follow. Here's the promise that Elder Bednar says: your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. And I promise you, you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your life.

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What happens? God shows his power.

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And all of the people there, the house of Israel that were invited to come, saw the miraculous power that is present in a prophet of God.

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It surely convinced them. Are we convinced nowadays?

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Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when they all saw the people, and when they when all the people saw it, they fell on their knees, and they said, The Lord, he is the God, the Lord, he is the God.

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Fire finally fell.

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In Doctrine Covenants 133 41, we read, which is the citation or the reference on fire in the previous verse of 1 Kings that we just read. This is the reference, and it shall be answered upon their heads, for the presence of the Lord shall be as the melting fire that burneth, and as the fire which causeth the waters to boil. When fire comes down from heaven and is sanctified, that is how the presence of God comes to the earth. We every day, every time we go into the temple, that is the invitation to come into the presence of God. Echoing the pattern in Elijah's days and now the invitation that we have in our day. But it's your choice, it's my choice. How do you know who is the correct God? Is it the God that everyone is worshiping nowadays? There are many gods that are being worshipped today. Do they have power to bring you back into the presence of God? Do they bring the fire necessary for that? No. The only way that that can happen is through covenantal relationship, through priesthood authority to our Savior Jesus Christ. Now, God's work and his glory, remember, is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man and to prepare us to live in a higher and holier way so we can return to his presence. David E. Bedner says, in his infinite and eternal mercy, the Lord, through his prophets and apostles, has continually invited his sons and his daughters, meaning you and me, to prepare for his coming and become a Zion people. That's the invitation. His presence will be there. We must be sanctified. We must be as the sacrifice on that altar to be worthy to stand in Zion with him. He follows, ready to be raised up to meet him. And always central to that preparation has been learning the doctrine of Jesus Christ, exercising faith in him, repenting, and receiving sacred covenants and ordinances. The Lord desires to gather his children in this dispensation and has revealed things which have been kept hid from the foundation of the world, all things pertaining to this house and the priesthood thereof. He encourages all of us to prepare to return to his presence, made possible through his atoning sacrifice. Behold, it is my will that all they who call upon my name and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel should gather together and stand in holy places. He desires every single one of us to see the miraculous indications that he is God, as was evident on Mount Carmel that day for Elijah and the people there. He wants us to participate in the exact same way. And he has set it up almost word for word, pattern-wise, symbolically, for us to participate in it, just as Elijah. And there are many things yet to be revealed. The prophet President Nelson said the church hasn't been fully restored yet. Well, my goodness, if we can't participate in the things that have been restored, what get what how do we think that we will be invited then to participate in the many things yet to come? We won't. Elijah says, Come to the mount and see the power of God. Our prophets say, Come to the mount and see the power of God, and feel it, and be sanctified by it. What will be the cost if we waffle in our opinion of which God we should follow? What is the cost? Because there was a cost for Elijah and the prophets of Baal, probably more the prophets of Baal, really. In 1 Kings 18:40, it says, And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Ba, let not one of them escape. And they took them, and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slew them there. Now that's pretty harsh. But we can also learn from that pattern. What is the cost of us halting between two opinions for very long? The prophets are clear, the invitations are very, very clear. It's not hidden behind some doctrine that we can't figure out. It is the doctrine of the blessings coming from our forefathers, the house of Israel, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We have brought here at this time because we can do it. We can do it. And now the temples are available for us to really bring this fulfilling of dispensations to pass in preparation for the second coming. Let's then read these last couple invitations from Joseph Smith, because here is the cost. This doctrine presents in a clear light the wisdom and mercy of God in preparing an ordinance for the salvation of the dead, being baptized by proxy, their names recorded in heaven, and they judged according to the deeds done in the body. This doctrine was the burden of the scriptures. The saints who neglect it in the saints who neglect it in behalf of their deceased relatives do it at the peril of their own salvation. Just as the prophets of Baal lost their lives because the God they worship did not have the power to save them, we also then stand in the same place. If we do not go to the temples and do the work for our ancestors, we do it at the peril of our own salvation. Elijah gave the people many chances to decide. He let the prophets of Baal decide for themselves, but in the end the power of God will always show through the correct authority. We have the same invitation to be an Elijah nowadays. I'm going to end with this statement because it goes to the cost and the invitation. This is Joseph Smith. We are several, many, many years past this particular warning. The saints have not too much time to save and redeem their dead, and gather together their living relatives, that they may be saved also before the earth will be smitten and the consumption decreed falls upon the world. I would advise all the saints to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to the temple, that they may be sealed and saved, that they may be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth. And if the whole earth, the whole church should go to with all of their might to save their dead, seal their posterity, and gather their living friends, and spend none of their time in behalf of the world, they would hardly get through before night would come when no man can work. Joseph Smith's warning is the same that Elijah had to the house of Israel. You don't have any more time to decide which God you're going to follow. You don't have any more time to halt between two opinions. Before the consumption that is decreed, and there was a consumption decreed on Mount Carmel. A sacrifice was consumed. Power was shown. The presence of God by the presence of fire was symbolized there. We go to the temple, sacrifice, we are cleansed and prepared for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to be in his presence. And who's going to be there with us? Elijah. It has been his calling since he accepted it. Many thousands of years ago, it continues today. And you can be assured that we will yet see and hear words from his own mouth at some point. Because in Zion, all of that is coming. And I can't wait for that day. When we're able to stand in Zion with all of our friends and family from generations past, all of the prophets that we've heard about and read about. From a prophet of old, from a prophet now, and from our Savior Jesus Christ to come and follow him into the pattern of sacrifice, vicarious work that we may be brought into Zion. Welcomed back into his presence, not just hoping, but knowing that he is our God. Have a great week, my friends. I hope that you have found this enlightening and join me a little later on with another short episode. It's going to be awesome. And again, thank you for your prayers. I would lie if I I would lie if I saying that I'm not worried about it, but it's in God's hands, and all is well. Carry on, my friends. Bye.