For ancient Israel, the temple was a sign of the Lord's presence among the people. From the tabernacle constructed with divine guidance by the children of Israel in the wilderness to Soloman's temple and Zerubbabel's temple in Jerusalem, these sacred structures were the central place of worship and revelation. Although these ancient temples were destroyed long ago, deep insights ad profound parallels can be found in studying their purpose and use, as well as their relationship to present-day worship. "One common thread connecting ancient and modern temple worship, is the notion of going to the house of the Lord to 'appear before the Lord.' " explains popular speaker and author Richard Neitzel Holzapfel. "Whether it is ancient or modern temples, the Lord's name is praised and exalted." Drawing from his own research and that of other scholars, Richard Holzapfel sheds new light on the study of the Old Testament temples - those sacred places that can be characterized as, in the language Jacob used to describe the holy site of Beth-el, "the gate of heaven."