EZEKIEL 40:28 - 41:26 "THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST": 1 Cor 6:19 says, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your
own?" God has not ordained the rebuilding of a
NATURAL TEMPLE in Jerusalem. Neither will He bless the re-institution of animal
sacrifices. In the NT, the Greek word used for "Temple" in the Gospels and Acts is "heiron" which is the natural
building. After that, it uses the word "naos" which means the "inner sanctuary" of the heart or the
heart of the church. "Naos" is never used as the
term for a natural building. That being
said, Zerubbabel may have used Ezekiel's description in the re-building after
the captivity. The plans given to
Ezekiel were for the same purpose as those given to Moses for the Tabernacle
and to David for the Temple of Solomon. Many
believe Herod used Ezekiel's plans to enlarge and embellish Zerubbabel's
temple. Herod's Temple may have served
as the WOMB to bring out the True Temple - God's elect through the ages.
The description of the tables, altars and implements for the
slaughter of animals for sacrifice make it impossible
to place this temple at ANY time subsequent to Calvary. God has no pleasure in the blood of bulls
and goats (Heb 10:4-6)! This vision was
to give us hope for being restored by the True Temple, not "made with hands".
I want to list several witnesses to this fact: "Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?" Acts 7:48-49 Acts 17:24
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands"; Acts 17:24 2 Cor 5:1
"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." 2 Cor 5:1
"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;" Heb 9:11
"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:" Heb 9:24
There would be no purpose to another natural Temple. Ezekiel's vision was symbolic of RESTORATION. Of a dwelling-place of God, indwelt by the Spirit of God.
RESPONSE: This must be very important to God because there are so many chapters to describe the details and precision of this building. We have two warnings: never sweat (no works of the flesh) and so we must constantly enter the "rest of faith". And to re-orient our lives around God. Keep Him at the center of our focus at all times. Our lives are holy and everything about us is holy. This is why we see ourselves as stewards, which is the DIRECT OPPOSITE OF "POVERTY". Our Father owns it all, and we are His Sons, Stewards and Servants. And so the NT interprets this as, "having nothing, and yet possessing all things." (2 Co 6:10)
JAMES 4:1-17
RE-ORIENTING MY LIFE AROUND GOD: Dealing with our desires: We all have desires, some good and some not-so-good. There is an abysmal hole in us that demands to be filled. What we have to realize is that only God can fill us. Anything else is a substitute or counterfeit and won't have the ability to satisfy. In fact, James calls us adulterers when we use substitutes for God to make us happy, and it makes the Holy Spirit jealous (He is protecting what He believes is His!) The world says that it is healthy to want "good self-esteem" (The word "self" should be a red flag.), or to want "the American dream", or whatever it being advertised on television. Actually, the whole world system is based on lust.
The cure: A lifestyle of repentance - of "drawing near to God". Repentance is NOT being sorry for your sins - Jesus already dealt with that when we were saved. Repentance is "turning toward God and drawing near", as opposed to living independent of Him. To "purify our heart" means to stop being double minded. We can't be centered on God and centered on ourselves at the same time! We humble ourselves (thru neglect) and don't just laugh it off - centering our lives around God will FREE US!
Presumption: This does NOT say we are not to be discerning and judge someone else's behavior. What it DOES say is that when we are self-reliant rather than God-centered, then we are disqualified from judging anyone else. It also says that when we have our own agenda, we are not always free to "do good" when we see a need.
RESPONSE: I don't know about you, but I know that the reason I argue with my husband is because I want my own way. That is the world's way of getting what they want. God's way is to center our lives around Him; He will give us what we ask for when we are submitted to Him.
PSALM 118:18-29 (another Psalm in the "Deuteronomy Psalms"):
That makes this a Psalm connected with entering into God's Rest (Hebrews 3 and 4 equate "the Land" with "God's Rest" - a place of settled faith, living as tho God were present and visible) Psalm 118:24 is my favorite verse in the Bible and I recite it every morning. In case I forget, it is stenciled on my bathroom wall. It is my declaration that God is in charge, this is the day God made for ME and I choose to be happy. We enter the "gates of righteousness" because Jesus made us righteous by His blood - FOREVER. His blood is much stronger and more lasting than the bloody sacrifices spoken of here.
PROVERBS 28:3-5
List of warnings: A usurper is like rain that washes everything away, providing nothing. If you say you are a Christian, then you must not agree with tyrant, but stick up for the weak and disenfranchised.
No comments:
Post a Comment