East, south, north, and west are cardinal directions or points. “The temple is oriented toward the four world regions or cardinal directions,”34 wrote John Lundquist. Why are the cardinal directions significant, especially with regard to temples? The cardinal directions represent the totality of the earth and her inhabitants, and the temple has the capacity to impact all of earth’s inhabitants; furthermore, the Lord’s missionaries go forward in all directions to preach the gospel. Some scholars maintain that the axis—where the four directions meet in the center—designates where the temple is built.
The cardinal directions are affiliated with ancient and modern temples in the following ways: (1) The molten sea featured twelve oxen; three faced east, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced north (see 1 Kgs. 7:23, 25) (see entry “Oxen, Twelve”). (2) The order of encampment of the ancient Israelites around the tabernacle emphasized the cardinal directions (see Num. 2:1–31). (3) The Garden of Eden temple featured a river that “parted, and became . . . four heads,” which were named Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel, and Euphrates (Gen. 2:10–14). The text seems to imply that the four heads were oriented to the four cardinal directions.
The cardinal direction east is especially emphasized in temple settings, including: (1) The statue of the angel Moroni, situated on several Latter-day Saint temples, is often oriented eastward. (2) The significant phrase “Holiness to the Lord” is located on the east side of most Latter-day Saint temples. (3) Both the tabernacle and Solomon’s temple were oriented eastward, meaning the temple’s arrangement—court, holy place, and Holy of Holies—were ordered from east to west. Similarly, when the magnificent temple described in Ezekiel is built (see Ezek. 40–46), God’s glory will come from the east (see Ezek. 43:2, 4). (4) Three times east has significance in the Garden of Eden narrative (see Gen. 2:8, 10–14; 3:24; Alma 12:21). (5) For the import of the eastern towers of the Salt Lake, Logan, and Manti Temples, see entry “Tower(s).”
Richard Cowan explains the significance of east: “In ancient times, Israelite temples typically were built so that their main doorways opened toward the east. The rising of the sun announced the new day, symbolizing new beginnings and opportunities. . . . This eastward orientation symbolizes watching for the second coming of Christ, which has been likened to the dawning of a new day.”35