The Temple of the Lord
A Prophecy Regarding the Kirtland Temple

by
Lynn Ridenhour

This essay is a prophecy.

I am uncomfortable if we individualize the temple of the Lord to mean our personal bodies only. Likewise, I’m just as uncomfortable if we delegate this truth to mean an external building. Both positions, I believe, are extreme. Somewhere in the middle is found the will of God—regarding the temple of the Lord.

In one sense, both positions are true but limited when presented alone. Yes, Paul says that as individuals we are the temple of God (I Cor.3:16). But the Lord also says in the D&C "…it is my will that an house should be built unto me…" so "…my presence shall be there…" (94:3a,4a,b RLDS).

So often Christian truth is found in polarization. Neither truth is "true" when presented without the other. Both are "true" when connected, and each is incomplete without the other. Example: the Incarnation. Connecting Christ’s Transcendence with his Immanence. Add one more example: the Temple of the Lord. Both external and internal.

I’m going to make a prediction. Or be bold and prophesy. The Lord of Hosts is about to return to his external and internal temple! The glory of the Lord in our day will rise upon his people and come suddenly to the Kirtland Temple.

Consecrated Places

The Kirtland temple, I believe, is God’s monument to this present dispensation—the dispensation of the fullness of times. It is a place where God will once again meet with his people. There is nothing wrong with sacred spots—places where the Lord meets with his people. The Bible is full of examples. Jacob at Bethel and Peniel, Mount Moriah, the tabernacle in the wilderness, Solomon’s temple, the Upper Room, the manger. These are consecrated places. Not because any of them is sacred within itself but because God met his people in these places. It is God that makes the place hallowed. Not the ground.

The Kirtland Temple was such a place.

God initially met with the saints in the Kirtland temple during the beginning of this dispensation and it’s my conviction—he’ll meet with us once again in the Kirtland temple at the close of this dispensation. Let’s review…

The Kirtland Outpouring

The year is 1836. The year the Kirtland temple is completed and dedicated.

Over 1,000 saints attended the ceremony. The Savior appeared in five different meetings held in the temple. Visions, including a vision of the Father and Son, were beheld at eight meetings, and the congregation saw heavenly beings or angels in nine meetings. In other sessions many Saints reported that they experienced such manifestations as the gift of tongues, the sounds of a mighty wind, a pillar of fire resting down upon the temple roof, prophesying, and the voices of angels (Joseph Smith’s Kirtland, p.170).

Truly, heaven and earth met.

Joseph said, "…The gifts which follow them that believe and obey the gospel…began to be poured out among us, as in ancient days…"

I tell my Pentecostal/Charismatic friends, the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our day did not begin in 1900 out west in California on Azuza Street. It began in the Midwest in a little town called Kirtland, Ohio, sixty-four years earlier! Most of my friends have never heard the marvelous story of the great outpouring that accompanied the early Saints. It was a Pentecost, indeed, and a time of rejoicing. I would say—a time unparalleled in our day. So few of today’s Christians know about it.

Zebedee Coltrin, eyewitness, wrote,

"…I have seen the power of God as it was on the day of Pentecost…I saw the Lord…The angels of God rested upon the Temple and we heard their voices singing heavenly music…"

Hear Lorenzo Snow, another eyewitness:

"…There [in the temple] we had the gift of prophecy—the gift of tongues—the interpretation of tongues—visions and marvelous dreams were related—the singing of heavenly choirs was heard, and wonderful manifestations of the healing power, through the administrations of the Elders, were witnessed. The sick were healed—the deaf made to hear—the blind to see and the lame to walk, in very many instances. It was plainly manifest that a sacred and divine influence—a spiritual atmosphere pervaded that holy edifice." --Biography of Lorenzo Snow, p.11

Daniel Tyler wrote, "…All felt that they had a foretaste of heaven…and we wondered whether the millenium had commenced…"

So great was the outpouring that our beloved Prophet was constrained to write,

"…It was a Pentecost and an endowment indeed, long to be remembered, for the sound shall go forth from this place into all the world, and the occurrences of this day shall be handed down upon the pages of sacred history, to all generations; as the day of Pentecost, so shall this day be numbered and celebrated as a year of jubilee, and time of rejoicing to the Saints of the Most High God." --History of the Church, 2:432-33

Joseph, under the inspiration of his pen, writes "…the occurrences of this day shall be handed down upon the pages of sacred history…" That hasn’t happened yet. That prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. Church, I submit—not enough of us are handing down the story of Kirtland to our children. I believe, because of the lack of knowledge among today’s Christians regarding these widespread occurrences, events of 1836 have yet to reach their full impact. There will come a day when the Body of Christ will know. Eyewitness John A. Boynton’s prophecy shall be fulfilled. "…Within that house God will pour out his spirit in great majesty and glory and encircle his people with fire more gloriously and marvelously than at Pentecost because the work to be performed in the last days is greater than was in that day." --May 6, 1834, Kirtland, Ohio

God will "…encircle his people with fire more gloriously and marvelously than at Pentecost because the work to be performed in the last days is greater than was in that day…" What a blessed promise preserved for our day.

Saints, we have work to do. The end is near. I see four types of believers, and only one of the four types is busy preparing for the great outpouring. Generally speaking, there are four types of Christians:

 

1. Old Testament Saints
2. New Testament Saints
3. Church Age Saints
4. Restoration Saints.

Old Testament Saints

Old Testament Saints were "types and shadows" Christians. They lived their lives in the Old Testament by ceremony, sacrifice and ritual, namely temple-going. I have found conservative "fundamentalist" Christians by and large to be "Old Testament" Christians. They define their lives by sermons and church-going, good works and duty as the full expression of their Christian walk. They are not prepared for the coming outpouring.

New Testament Saints

New Testament saints were examples of his "dynamos," his power. They healed the sick, raised the dead, and comforted the bereaved. Evangelism and spreading the gospel—the good news of his resurrection—was their battle cry. New Testament saints were evangelists, proclaimers at heart. Today’s evangelical Christians are "New Testament" saints. Spreading the gospel and church planting define their Christian walk. These saints are not prepared for the outpouring.

Church Age Saints

Church Age saints are "Living Epistles" of the Body of Christ—expressions of His image in our midst. Church Age saints demonstrate love feast gatherings every week. Charismatic/Pentecostal Christians are "Church Age" saints. They minister "body life," thereby equipping the saints as Living Epistles of the Body of Christ. These saints are not prepared for the outpouring.

Restoration Saints

Restoration saints are "preparation saints." They live by the book of Joel, preparing the world and Church for restoration. Their function is to prepare the Bride of Christ to dwell in His continual presence. These saints are busy preparing for the outpouring.

Let’s be restoration saints in our day!

What Are We to Expect?

 

1. Expect the Sons of God to Come Forth.

   The Bible speaks of a group of overcomers, the manifested Sons of God, who will assist God the Father in restoring the creation to its former beauty and glory (Rev.2:26, Rom.8:19).

   These saints will possess their full inheritance and be recognized as a Pattern Son, the glory of His creation. Jesus is their Elder Brother. He is not ashamed to call them "brethren" (Heb.2:11). They will possess the same powers Jesus possessed, "…without limitation." Miracles and healings will occur like never before. Revelation gifts such as the word of knowledge, the word of faith, and the word of wisdom, will especially go forth for all the world to see.

   Expect the Sons of God to come forth first here in America, God’s New Jerusalem. The glory begins here! God will visit America and begin gathering all nations to New Jerusalem.

2. Expect the Prophetic Ministry to become Mainstream.

   Moses’ saying, "…Would to God all the Lord’s people were prophets…" will become a reality. God is raising up latter-day prophets this very hour, prophets who are not afraid to speak "…thus saith the Lord…" Prophets who hear from heaven and who deliver messages, not sermons, to the flock. Revelations, like rain falling on parched ground, will once again guide the Church. Faith in the supernatural will once again be the norm.

3. Expect the Shekinah Glory to Return.

   Israel, during her trek through the wilderness, walked under God’s Shekinah glory. A cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night led them. Latter-day Israel will also experience His Shekinah glory. The Church has yet to walk under His glory cloud. But we shall. My prophetic inclinations tell me, "…the Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple…" (Malachi 3:1).

   That temple, I believe, is both the Kirtland temple and our temples of the Holy Ghost. It’s both. Have we forgotten, we were created to contain His glory. We’re meant to house His glory--the presence of the Lord in a brilliance of light. That manifestation of Divine Presence—His Shekinah glory—dwelt with the Israelites continually. Such is the Sign of the Son of Man—His continual presence.

   His continual presence will return to the Kirtland temple. His glory will be visible. That consecrated place will no longer be a tourist attraction. The temple will become the Sign of the Son of Man in these endtimes—His Shekinah. Joseph’s dedicatory prayer will be fulfilled, "…For thou knowest that we have done this work through great tribulation…that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself to his people…"

4. Expect Extraordinary Visitations from Personages, including the Lord.

   Angelic ministry will increase one hundred fold during the endtime. Special visitations from Moses and Elijah are to be expected, as well as from other saints. The Lord in his glorified body will visit his own. These visitations will not affect us like his anointings, but will have a much deeper and lasting effect. We will love his appearings and "…see him as he is." We will be permanently changed "…from glory to glory…"

5. Expect His Presence to be Continual.

He will come and remain. God and Christ will visit the temple. Christ’s glory will not depart. In comparison, anointings "come and go." They’re "in part." The filling of the Spirit is our down payment, the earnest of our inheritance. But the Shekinah glory—his visible presence—will remain on us. The Spirit abode upon Jesus and "remained" on him while he was here the first time (Jn.1:33). Jesus received the Spirit without measure. So shall we. The Spirit will stay this time.

I believe the Shekinah glory of the Lord will rest upon his temple—both internal and external—during these last days.