The ancient Temple as presented in Jerusalem’s Model City
One question people usually ask those of us who have lived in Israel is this: “Are they building the Temple yet?” Our answer at this point has to be “no.” I personally believe that the physical Temple will someday be rebuilt, but I see no signs of it at present, although we seem to be arriving at such a time in history. Today we do have an impressive Great Synagogue built in Jerusalem and we have a few people running around with what they claim is the “cornerstone” of the Temple. That is about all we have.
However, if the Jews were to build the new Temple (the Third Temple) in the literal sense, it would probably signal the beginning of The Third World War. The new temple would traditionally have to be built on the Temple Mount. Today this area is still under Israeli sovereignty, but due to Middle-East politics, it is now virtually surrendered to the control of the Moslems. The whole temple area is thus a hotbed of controversy. The new temple would have to be built near, if not infringing upon, the area of the Dome of the Rock, a shrine very sacred to nearly a billion Moslems the world over.
Yet, in another sense, I have some good news. In spite of all this confusion and tension, the temple of God is now being built. It has actually been under construction for some time. The only problem is that the new temple is not so visible. It is a spiritual complex built by the Messiah himself and it involves each believer. Let us look at some aspects of this
new temple.
THE NEW TEMPLE IS BUILT OF LIVING STONES
In 1 Corinthians 3:16, the Apostle asks: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” In this passage and in many others like it, the Bible uses “you” in the plural and not in the singular, because it is only together that we make up God’s temple.
Thus, the new temple is being built of people, believing people. In 1 Peter 2:4-5, we read: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus.” It appears from this scripture and others like it that the work of temple building or edification of the Body of Christ, is to be a primary work of the Church (cf. Eph. 4:11-16). It is unfortunate that we hear so little about it in many places today.
Thus we all are as living stones. The problem with living stones, however, is that they wiggle around a lot and get all out of place. Sadly, a temple stone out of place becomes little more than a stumbling block. As the great spiritual temple of God is formed, certainly our brothers and sisters would appreciate it if we would find our place in that temple and lay our lives down so the building can proceed. There is another problem, and that is the matter of our fitting together. We sometimes have rough edges that keep us from joining well with one another. These need to be knocked off somehow. Fortunately, God has people in the body who are skilled at knocking off these rough edges. Thus, we really need each other, even if we do not feel that this is the case.
This assumes relationship. In Matthew 5:23-24 we read: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” The matters of being in one accord and having unity are necessary for the temple’s functioning, because the new temple is made up of people. They are the stones, the walls, the altar, the new Holy Place and even the Holy of Holies. Also, they are the ministers, the Levites and the Priests (1 Pet. 2:5). We read in Romans 12:1, that they even become a holy sacrifice to the Lord.
Many years ago it was my privilege to be associated with a dear old pastor, Bro. Jim Nochta. He was a special man with a loving heart. I learned much from him, but in time, a breach developed between us. Finally, in my pride and self-righteousness, I broke fellowship with this dear man of God.
Several years later, the Lord demanded that I go back and try to heal this breach. I did so, and what a wonderful blessing ensued. After my deep and sincere apology, God established a bond between us far greater than any bond we had before. We regularly corresponded about spiritual matters until God took this dear pastor home. I am so thankful that the Lord led me to heal this breach in the body. Surely, there are many other breaches that need healing with all of us. It is a necessity for the functioning of God’s holy temple.
THE TEMPLE IS HOLY
In Ephesians 2:19-22, the Apostle Paul says: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Here, we learn among other things that the new temple of God is holy.
In 1 Corinthians 3:17, Paul says: “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” The idea behind holiness is being set apart for God. Of course, un-holiness includes all spiritual and fleshly defilements. God wants a people pure in heart, pure in mind and body to make up his holy temple. In Ephesians 5:3-4, we have some very practical advice: “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
OUR CHALLENGE TO ENTER THE MOST HOLY
In Hebrews 10:19-25, we have one of the greatest challenges in the world. It is the challenge to enter the Holy of Holies where God dwells. This was unthinkable in biblical times. Only the High Priest entered this place, and he did it only on the Day of Atonement each year. For a common person to enter would have likely meant death.
However, now that the perfect Lamb has been slain for sin, that is Jesus (Yeshua), our Messiah, the veil has been rent, and the way is opened for our entering. The author of Hebrews tells us that we can now have confidence to enter through the veil by his blood (Heb.10:19-20). We see in scripture that access to God is made possible only by the blood of the Lamb. Our guilty consciences have now been sprinkled with the blood of Jesus (v. 22), just as the priesthood was sprinkled long ago (Lev. 8:30; cf. 1 Pet. 1:2).
We are then challenged to draw near, but it is stipulated that we must have a sincere heart (Heb. 10: 22). There are some other things necessary. We must come in full assurance of faith (v. 22). We must know in whom we believe and have full confidence in him. Like the priests of old, we must wash ourselves in pure water. In Temple times, the laver for washing was made of the looking-glasses of the ministering women (Exo. 38:8). This is undoubtedly a picture of the word of God. James possibly alludes to this when he says, “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (Jas. 1:23-24).
Then there is perhaps the most important requirement of all. Again we are reminded of our proper relationship with the body of Christ, which makes up this temple. We must spur other people to good works (Heb.10:24). Also, we must not give up meeting regularly with God’s people (v. 25). We should take seriously the matter of encouraging each other, especially as we see the day drawing near (v. 25). Encouragement is a wonderful thing. We can all remember times when someone “made our day” by giving us a little word of encouragement. Let’s find the good points in each other and compliment each other on these. Let us learn to encourage one another by using the Word of God (Rom.15:4).
Truly, the temple of God is rising and is nearing completion. True sacrifices are even now being made to God. There is the sound of pure worship going up to his ears. Perhaps we have not yet fully become a part of this magnificent structure, but for sure, many others are doing so. Now, we must each decide if we are going in all the way, even into theMost Holy Place. Our success in entering will depend not only on our relationship with the Lord, but on our daily relationship with the other members of His body.
-Jim Gerrish
July 2002