Ernest Lehenbauer

Ernest Lehenbauer is the coauthor of the book The Seal of Melchizedek: The Modern Rebirth of an Ancient Symbol with Alan Rex Mitchell. He has three certificates of graduation from the Utah State University Institute of Religion, as well as a bachelor of arts in political science from USU. He has started several businesses and was a photojournalist during the Iraq War while simultaneously working as a Field Service Representative and certified Instructor Mechanic for the largest armored-vehicle company in the Middle East. He has lived and worked in countries such as Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Iraq, and now runs Seal of Melchizedek.com. He and with his wife, Peggy founded Seal of Melchizedek™ Jewelry & Art to celebrate and share the powerful messages of inspirational symbolism.

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Latter-day Saint Life

Why this symbol appears 10,000 times in the San Diego Temple

By Ernest Lehenbauer

June 14, 2015 10:45 PM MDT

The ancient “Seal of Melchizedek” is often represented as an eight-point star composed of two squares offset 45 degrees and overlaid (or interwoven). It is such a significant symbol that President Hinckley had it added to the Salt Lake Temple, and since then it has shown up in many more temples. Differing eight-point stars can also be found throughout the Conference Center. But how, you may wonder, is it a symbol of Christ, and when did this information come to light in modern times? The answers start with the design of the beautiful San Diego Temple.

11 Min Read