The two enormous Cherubs that guarded the Ark placed inside the inner sanctum of the Temple, enwrapping it with their wings (II Chr. 3:15; 5:8; Exo. 25:18; Heb. 9:5, etc.) closely evoke the winged figures of Isis and Nephthys guarding the ark inside which lay the deceased body of deceased Osiris (see Fig. 2).

They also recollect the twin winged guardians (or cherubs) that guarded the Tree of Life everywhere. The cherubs of Israel, of Phoenicia, of Crete, and of Mesopotamia also corresponded to the Egyptian sphinxes, and were often represented as such guarding the Tree of Life, just as the Great Sphinx of Giza guards the Great Pyramid.7

The two cherubs may well be the two kas (doubles or souls) of the twin gods (Osiris and Seth, etc.). These, in turn, are identified to the twin obelisks of the Egyptian temples and their twin pillars or pylons which represent the twin Holy Mountains of Paradise. This identification is also suggested by the text of Revelation, which speaks of two Jerusalems (Celestial and Terrestrial), two Temples (idem) and two gods (Christ and Jahveh) "who are their temples themselves", as well as their twin Trees of Life and the twin sources of the Elixir (Rev. 21:22).

The temples of Luxor and Karnak (see Fig.2 below) dated at the 19th dynasty (c.1,300 BC) can be considered typical examples of Egyptian temple architecture. The entire area was surrounded by a rectangular wall that delimited a holy court (the temenos). In front, stood a monumental gate or pylon flanked by two tapering towers which formed its jambs. These twin pylons had a truncated pyramid shape, as can be seen in Fig.3(a) below. This pylon led into a colonnaded room (called the hypostyle hall) illuminated by means of small clearstory windows. Through this hypostyle room, the inner court was reached via two other pylons and a series of halls.

At the far end of the inner courtyard was the temple proper (or inner sanctum), dwarfish in comparison to the huge pylons and hypostyle rooms. The layout was monumental in style and developed along a central axis aligned with the Cardinal Directions in most cases. The processions, typical of the Egyptian liturgy, took place along the center axis of the temple. This type of temple developed during the Ramesside period and continued essentially unchanged until the end of ancient Egypt.

In Fig.3 we show the temple of Ramses III built in Medinet Habu. As usual with Egyptian (and Hindu) temples, the complex was built by several succeeding monarchs. It was started by Queen Hatshepsut (at about 1460 BC) and enlarged by Tutmoses III. The former constructions were, however, eclipsed by that of Ramses III, who turned the temple into his mortuary temple.

In this beautiful reconstruction of Ramses' temple, several features are worth noting. Moving up from the bottom we have the landing stage at the Nile's bank, the low creneleted walls and the Guard Gate, the lofty towers and the crenelated walls of the Southeastern Gate (formally called Oriental Gate). This gate led to the front of the temple where we have the sacred pool and the small temple of Tutmoses. Next comes the huge pylon of the temple (shown at the center of Fig.3(a))with its four flagstaffs and the outer wall of the temple. This pylon leads into the outer court and, at the left, the Royal Palace (possibly a temporary abode of the King during his stays at the place).

Next we have the second pylon with its two guardians.