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The Son of God, Jesus Christ was the embodiment of God’s Temple revealed in His humanity. Thus the Messenger of the covenant spoke and His voice was heard in His own Temple.
Christ was the glory of the sanctuary. The One whom all types of the Old Testament prophecies and object lessons have prefigured explained their significance.
The Desire of all nations came and filled with His living presence the house of worship. He was God Himself manifested in the flesh.
His soul temple was an example of purity for humanity and angels.
Today, as in His time, people who understand the character and mission of Christ experience reverence. They are filled with awe.
As they looked upon Him, they felt that they were looking upon the temple of the living God.
Table of contents
- God’s glory in His humanity
- Destroying and raising temple’s figure
- The temple as the abode of the divine presence
- Conclusion on Christ as the temple’s glory
God’s glory in His humanity
The Son of God condescended to take humanity. Thus His divine glory and majesty was veiled in it. Though He was fully divine and fully human, He shunned all outward display.
So, His human outward appearance hasn’t been an object of attraction.
For example:
- As many were astonished at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. Isaiah 52:14.
- And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire. Isaiah 53:2.
He lived in rude and unfriendly surroundings:
- He was despised and rejected by men. And we hid as it were our faces from Him. He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Isaiah 53:3.
- Though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9.
Only the beauty of heavenly truth must draw those who would follow Him.
The character of the Messiah had long been foretold in prophecies.
He desired people to accept Him upon the testimony of the Word of God.
In the death of Christ on Calvary’s cross, His soul temple seemed to be destroyed. But this was not so.
Through the cruel suffering and crucifixion, the Son of God completed His ordained work. This was established before the foundation of the world.
Jesus became the Lamb of God who took the sin of the world. John 1:29. Thus by His death He broke the chain of slavery to sin and death.
For example:
- For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2.
- Inasmuch as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same. That through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. Hebrews 2:14.
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Bojko Belovsky – founder of God’s Love Gateway
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This latter house should be greater than the former
Pointing to Christ’s time, God spoke by His prophet Haggai about the second temple:
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former. I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come. And I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. Haggai 2:9,7.
The former house mentioned here is the first magnificent temple that Solomon had built by the special appointment of God. Yet the latter house was greater than the former. The Son of God – Desire of all nations had come.
He was the embodiment of the holy temple of God.
Therefore, when the religious leaders asked Jesus for a sign, He said:
The queen of the south…came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Behold, greater than Solomon is here. Matthew 12:42.
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the God’s temple. It was rebuilt about five hundred years before the birth of Christ.
At the time of the second there were elderly people who had seen the glory of the first – Solomon’s temple. So, the prophet asked them:
Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? And how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison to it as nothing? Haggai 2:3.
Then he gave the promise that the glory of this latter house should be greater than the former.
But the second temple didn’t have the magnificence as the former. Additionally, it was not hallowed by visible tokens of divine presence as the first temple.
There was no:
- Manifestation of supernatural power to mark its dedication.
- Fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifice upon its altar.
- Presence of the ark, mercy-seat, and tables of the testimony.
So, the promise of God given by Haggai had been fulfilled with the presence of His Son. In Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Colossians 2:9.
Additionally, who is God himself manifested in the flesh. 1 Timothy 3:16.
The Desire of all nations had indeed come to His temple when Jesus taught and healed in the sacred courts. So, in His presence only the second temple had exceeded the first in glory.
Destroying and raising temple’s figure
It is important to understand what figure of speech Jesus had used. And also, how the religious leaders at His time had taken it and why.
Early in His ministry, Christ had cleaned the literal temple. He removed those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money. John 2:14.
The leaders wanted to know by what authority he had done it. They asked Him:
What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? John 2:18.
Jesus answered: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. He spoke of the temple of his body. John 14:19, 21.
On the cross he cried, It is finished, and bowed his head and died. After three days the angel rolled back the stone from the sepulcher.
Christ came forth and proclaimed Himself the resurrection and the life.
I am the resurrection, and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. John 11:25.
As people’s substitute, Jesus had won the victory for them. They became His inheritance, purchased at infinite cost.
And everyone who believes in His name, can be an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ. Romans 8:17.
The leaders have understood in a literal sense Jesus’ words, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
By misstating them they hoped to gain an advantage and condemn Him by the Sanhedrin and civil authority.
For example:
At last came two false witnesses who said: This fellow said: I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. Matthew 26:60, 61.
Even as misrepresented by the false witnesses, Jesus’ words contained nothing which would be regarded by the Romans as a crime worthy of death.
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I lay down my life for the sheep
Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down on myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment I received of my Father. John 10:17, 18.
God the Father and His Son loved the world with infinite love. So, God had done all He could in giving Himself in His Son.
For example:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.
All this had been set in place beforehand, even before humankind creation, which God has done through His Son.
So, Revelation 13:8 describes Jesus as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Thus God hath saved us according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. 2 Timothy 1:9.
It had happened the way it was prophesied right after the fall into sin in the garden of Eden. Moreover, the way it was taught by the ceremonial instructions.
They all have pointed to Christ as the Messiah. By His atoning sacrifice on Calvary, He became the world’s redeemer.
Christ was the foundation and life of the temple. But, His shed blood on the cross had brought it to its end.
The temple services were typical of the sacrifice of the Son of God. They pointed to the great antitype, which was Christ Himself.
By His death He became the propitiation for the sins of the world – once and for all. Hebrew 10:10. Thus type met antitype in the perfect offering of the Son of God.
Furthermore, after His ascension to heaven Christ is our High Priest, officiating in the Heavenly Sanctuary. (Hebrews 4:14, 8:1.)
So, the phase of His earthly mission as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world is completed. It was all done according to the redemption plan of the Father and the Son.
The temple as the abode of the divine presence
God’s revelation to His people of ancient time was closely connected with the sanctuary. Both with the tabernacle in the wilderness and with the magnificent temple buildings.
Here God was:
- Worshiped and the sacrificial offerings were presented before Him.
- The breastplate of the high priest, set with precious stones, from which messages from Jehovah were received.
- In the holy of holies, overshadowed by the wings of cherubim, dwelt the perpetual token of the presence of God.
- The ark of the covenant, containing the tables of the law – the pledge of victory in battle.
The temple was designed to be an object lesson locally and for the world. The sacrificial system has typified the Saviour, who was to become the perfect offering for the sinful individual.
The Messiah typified in the ceremonial law is the very same Christ that is revealed in the gospel. He came just as the prophecies foretold that He would come.
In His life and death, type met antitype, and the ceremonies found their fulfillment. For example:
When He (Jesus) had opened the book, found the place where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to:
- Heal the brokenhearted.
- Preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind.
- Set at liberty those that are bruised.
This day this scripture is fulfilled in your ears. Luke 4:17, 18, 21.
Nearing the close of his earthly ministry, Jesus said:
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. And verily I say unto you, ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Luke 13:35.
Before He had called the temple His Father’s house. But God’s presence was withdrawn from the temple built to His glory when:
- Type met anti-type on the cross of Calvary.
- Jesus said, It is finished and the veil of the temple was supernaturally cut from top to bottom.
Unfortunately, not many at that time realized that God was no longer to be found in that palace of loveliness.
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You are the temple of God
Because of sin, humanity ceased to be a temple for God. But Christ, as the Son of God and the Son of man became the link, uniting God with people again.
Thus God dwelled in humanity by the incarnation of His Son. So, through His saving grace the hearts of men and women become again His temple.
To all who believe in Him, He gives power to become the sons of God. For example:
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12, 13.
It is because Christ took human nature that believers could become partakers of the divine nature (character). 2 Peter 1:4.
So, the soul temple of God’s children is to be sacred, holy, pure, and undefiled as Jesus was. For instance:
- Know you not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defiles the temple of God, He shall destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17.
- Depart you, go out from there, touch no unclean thing. Go you out of the midst of her. Be you clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord. Isaiah 52:11.
Christ’s own image, or character, is to be reflected in the transformed character of His people.
They are to be fitted for the heavenly building.
For example:
- For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:9.
- In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.
- And you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Ephesians 2:21, 22.
Conclusion on Christ as the temple’s glory
By God’s Son incarnation, God dwelled in humanity. Though perceived as a common man only by the religious leaders, He was the glory of the temple.
Christ ultimately fulfilled the symbolic prefigure of the ceremonial instructions of the sanctuary.
Through His saving and transforming grace one’s heart becomes God’s temple again.
Therefore, walk humbly with Christ, learning His meekness and lowliness. Thus your heart will become a temple for God’s presence.
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References
DA 33, 43, 705; SL 26; GC88 23; ST, Jun, 1886; ST, Jan, 1890; ST, Mar, 1894; – The Ellen G. White Estate
Where to go from here
- Read Isaiah 53 in KJV BIble – Full chapter study, following along this post references.
- How To Study The Bible? – Apply these principles for clear spiritual discernment.
- Grow in Christ category – Drawing closer to Jesus through the attraction of the heavenly truth in Him.
- God’s Love Content Hub – All Christ-centered teaching in one place.
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