| The Christian Life | December 1945 |
Then and Now
God’s Holy Temple
THERE is a living interest associated with the characters and scenes of God’s ancient people Israel. The temple and its arrangements played a very important part in their national life. It represented the meeting place between them and their God. The religious rites and ceremonies, as well as the reading of the law, were carried on within its gates. Israel’s priesthood, as representatives of God, offered the sacrifices of the people according to their law. The temple, accordingly, held a dominant place in the lives of all. Pilgrimages were made to it yearly from all parts of the land. Not only the people of Israel, but people from other countries were free to enter its gates and perform their ceremonies and bring their offerings to the God of Israel, under the direction of its priesthood. ‘These last were termed “the strangers in the land.”
The Temple Structure
There were three temples in Jewish history. These were all constructed on practically the same location and were in existence at successive points of time. The site of these temples was on a lofty elevation known as Mount Zion. This place had a commanding position, being on a plateau just above the city of Jerusalem, which lay to the southwest and west.
Solomon’s Temple was the first to be built. Not only was it the first, but it was the most magnificent. The Queen of Sheba, who had heard much about it, or, rather, about the wisdom of Solomon, who constructed it, declared, “The half was not told me.”—I Kings 10:7; II Chron. 9:6
The materials for this temple were collected during the reign of David, but he was not permitted to build it. The Lord’s reason given to David for not, letting him go ahead with it was that he had been a man of war. (I Chron. 28:3) Solomon’s reign was a peaceful one. So Solomon began to build this house of the Lord in the fourth year of his reign.
The Lord so arranged in the building of this temple that Solomon had materials in abundance as well as workmen skilled in all manner of gold, silver, ivory, precious stones, and wood. The timbers and stones were so finished at the quarries that the temple was brought together without the sound of a hammer.
In all this the Lord was constructing the temple as a type of the greater temple, the church, of which Christ is the Head. Its construction has been in progress during this Gospel age. By and by the true temple will be in readiness and the glory of the Lord will fill the house. Then the new dispensation being ushered in, the work of the new age will begin. The trials, chiseling’s and polishing of the church in this age, represented in the type by the preparation of the materials for the temple, will then have been a thing of the past. Then the church will be complete and ready for the glorious work of the priesthood.
With reference to this the Revelator writes, “And I saw no [literal] temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” (Rev. 21:22) In other words, what served in the type—the literal temple being the meeting place between God and man through Israel’s priesthood—will be fulfilled in antitype on a much grander scale. All mankind, the restitution class of earth, will be blessed by and through The Christ. This is God’s arrangement, and it is in this sense that God will have a permanent house in which he will abide—The Christ in glory. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?”—I Cor. 3:16
The Ark of the Covenant
The only piece of furniture in the temple proper was the ark. This was in the inner compartment and was not removed at any time. It was in a permanent resting place; that is, as long as the temple structure itself remained. This ark peculiarly represented God’s presence, and particularly pictured Christ and those in him who will have to do with the reorganizing work of the Millennial age. There were two cherubim with spreading wings and apparently looking down toward the base, or cover, of the rectangular box which contained only the two tables of the law. (I Kings 8:9) As long as the ark resided in the tabernacle it contained three articles—Aaron’s rod that budded, the golden pot of manna, and the tables of the law.—Exod. 16:33,34; Num. 17:10; Heb. 9:24
This ark was transferred from the tabernacle. The tabernacle was God’s temporary abiding place for the Israelites in their wilderness experience. It was during the early part of David’s reign that it was brought to the temple site. It may be mentioned that in transferring the ark from where it had rested in the days of Saul, it was carried aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. It is stated in this connection that the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom and all his household.—II Sam. 6:10-12
The special blessing of the Lord accompanied the ark when it as used according to the Lord’s instructions. For instance, in connection with the Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan, the priests bore the ark, and stood in the midst of the Jordan until all the people were passed over when the waters were divided. It was only when the ark was taken up by the priests and carried to the opposite side that the waters came together again. (Jos. 4:18) When the ark was placed in the temple there were only the two tables of the law that Moses placed therein at Mount Horeb. (II Chron. 5:10) When the Philistines captured it and tried to use it, there was the opposite effect, and they were glad to get rid of this curse to them. It was only when the ark was rightly used that it brought blessings to its users.
Solomon’s Temple Destroyed
All of Israel’s affairs were directed, or overruled, by God. Therefore it was necessary that all the divine instructions in regard to the temple, its construction, its priesthood, and its ceremonies be strictly carried out. It was to be a house that in a very special sense was the Lord’s dwelling. God was, in this matter, as well as in other arrangements, making types that were to be of special assistance to his called out people of this Gospel age. (I Cor. 10:11) Therefore, it was very important that the ceremonies be observed in a very strict way. The house itself was not to be defiled, but kept holy and pure.
There was no doubt that in the building of this house the Lord had in mind his anti-typical temple, the church in glory. Solomon also was typical of the “Greater than Solomon,” our Lord, in the kingship of new world dominion. The matter is stated thus: “Also I will ordain a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning. I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his Kingdom. He shall build Me an house, and I will establish his throne for ever. I will settle him in Mine house and in My kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established forevermore.”—I Chron. 17:9,11,14
God’s instruction to Solomon was very explicit. The Lord appeared to him and stated that he had heard his prayer. He also said that he had chosen and sanctified this house that his name might be there forever and that his eyes and his heart might be there perpetually. “But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and My commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; … this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to everyone that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house? And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshiped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.”—II Chron. 7:19-22
But Solomon’s heart was turned away because of his strange wives and he did not follow on to be wholly faithful to the Lord. Therefore, the Lord rent the kingdom from him. The temple was destroyed with the city of Jerusalem in B.C. 606.—I Kings 11:6-13
What a lesson there is in this! The apostle brings the matter very much to the point. He says, “For we are laborers together with God; … ye are God’s building. … Now if any man build upon this foundation … and if any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the, Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”—I Cor. 3:9-17
The Temple Rebuilt
King Cyrus, in the first year of his reign, issued an edict by which all Jews who chose to do so could return to Jerusalem for the special purpose of rebuilding the temple. He was evidently an instrument in the hands of the Lord for freeing his people from captivity, which had continued for seventy years. This is pointed out in Isaiah 44:28, which reads, “That saith of Cyrus, He is My shepherd, and shall perform all My pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” Jesus, in antitype, is this foundation: “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”—I Cor. 3:11
Fewer than 50,000 Jews returned out of all who were captive in Babylon. (Ezra 2:64,65) These were under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua. The Greek form of the word Jeshua is Jesus, and the word Zerubbabel means born in Babylon. How appropriate are these meanings! Jesus is the Leader and Guide of the church during this age, in their development and perfecting, and it is from the great apostate system called Babylon that they are being gathered to be prepared for their ultimate exaltation.
It was not an easy matter that faced these Israelites who wished to return. There was the long journey of about four months in the crossing of a desert country. This country was often beset by dangers from wandering tribes, bent upon loot. Also, some portions of it were infested by wild animals, which at night were liable to be destructive to flocks and herds. Then, too, there was the need of provisions and water for such a large company of people, as well as for the animals.
Besides this, there was to be taken into consideration the desolate condition of the site of the former temple, together with the fact that the city itself had been ransacked and destroyed. The place was without wails, the gates too, having been burned at the time Nebuchadnezzar came with his armies and overran the place and carried almost the whole population captive to Babylon, seventy years before, only a comparatively few being left as vine growers and farmers. And even these fled a little later to Egypt.
There was also the attitude of the inhabitants round about to be considered. They might be friendly, and they might not. It afterward proved that they hindered the work and caused much trouble in general, when the Israelites would not mix with them nor give them a part in the work, which the Israelites could not do and keep their covenant with their God.
How much in contrast was all this to the comparative comfort of Babylon! What a test it must have been for that remnant of Israelites who out of respect to the promises of God chose to return and who had sufficient faith in them to undertake such a journey! It surely required faith to trust their God in such a situation, and throughout the trip, and while they were engaged in the rebuilding of the temple.
But they had every reason to know that they would be carried through successfully, whatever situation would arise, or despite any opposition that would be encountered. The only stipulation on God’s part was that they remain faithful to their covenant with him. For had he not brought them through the Red Sea, and had he not been with them in their wilderness experience on their journey from Egypt to Canaan? And then, too, with a mighty power and outstretched arm he was with them in the passage through the Jordan and in the conquering of Canaan, even though because of failures on their part the land was not entirely conquered.
Modern Babylon
How meaningful this whole picture is for us who have undertaken to leave mystic Babylon, with all of its emoluments. Our erstwhile friends think that we are beside ourselves in deciding to renounce the comparative ease and luxury of the present for the hope of the high reward of union with Christ and those in him. True it is that there are many obstacles in the way of the fulfillment of our covenant. However, like his dealings with the Israelites of old, he has promised to be with us and to carry us through if we will but remain faithful to him.
Many have been called out of Babylon during this harvest period of the church. They have renounced the transient things of this life for the more glorious things held in reservation for those who are faithful to the Lord. And even in this present life these have a joy and peace that the world knows not of. It is indeed the “peace of God, which passeth all [human] understanding.” (Phil. 4:7) Like Abraham of old these seek for a “city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God,” although the hope held out to the church now is much more glorious than was the hope of Abraham. (Heb. 11:10) Ours is the hope of being joint-heirs with Jesus in his Kingdom, while of course we know that the hope given to Abraham and the faithful prophets of old was earthly.
Israel Again in Idolatry
After the Israelites had been back for a short period there was some lagging in the building of the temple, owing principally to the opposition of the inhabitants round about. It was not long before they began to build themselves houses, failing, for this reason, to continue work on the temple. One of the first results of this was that their crops became lean, and soon it was difficult for them to get enough to eat. As there were two prophets among them, Haggai and Zechariah, these were consulted. Haggai’s reply was, “Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come that the Lord’s house should be built. … Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in celled houses, and this house lie waste?”—Haggai 1:2-4
Then they were urged to consider their ways and to apply themselves to building the temple. It is evident from this Scripture that temporary structures for themselves were all they needed until the temple was finished. Apparently many at that time desired to put off the work of the Lord until a future time, saying that the time hadn’t come for that. So with many now—they are inclined to put off to a future time the work that should be going on now with reference to the preparation of the antitypical temple. Some even are saying, “My Lord delayeth his coming.”
The work of the Israelites then proceeded, through the encouragement of the prophets, and the temple was finished. It was finished in about twenty-one years from the time it was started.
In the reign of Artaxerxes, it was reported to him that the Jews were rebuilding the city and the wall of Jerusalem. The report also stated that if they did this they would again be rebellious and that that was why their city had been destroyed before. The king, on looking up his files, found it to be true that this was the case, and accordingly sent word that the work should be stopped until another command was issued. This second command was given thirteen years later when Nehemiah came on the scene and obtained permission from King Artaxerxes to proceed with the building of the city and wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 2:1) This was in 454 B.C.
How remarkable it is that this earlier work was not permitted to proceed, for in Daniel 9:25 we have a prophecy concerning the first advent of Christ: in which the time measurement dates from the “going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem.” If this prophecy had dated from the earlier work what a confusion would have been caused! But we know that the Lord has full control of all things and it is not possible that divine prophecy can ever fail of accurate fulfillment.
It was a short time before this that Ezra, one of the leading Jews still in Babylon, secured a decree from the king to go to Jerusalem and see how matters were getting along there. He took with him a small company of people, also considerable gold, silver, and vessels for the temple, and sacrifices for the altar.
Ezra found upon his arrival that conditions were not what they should have been. He found that the Israelites had not kept separate from the people of the surrounding territory. Many had intermarried and taken strange wives contrary to the divine decree for this covenant people. Even the priests and the Levites were involved. (Ezra 9:1,2) This matter called for a thorough reformation, which Ezra instituted; and there was much weeping and prayer on the part of the Israelites lest the wrath of God again be upon them as it was when their land was desolated. This was about seventy-five years from the time that they had first begun to build the temple. They should have learned by this time that only in obedience to their covenant with God could they expect to be blessed as a people. What a lesson in watchfulness this is for those who in this harvest time have come out of Babylon! How much on guard we should be lest we let these things slip.
Cleansing the Temple
The temple was again rebuilt in Herod’s time. This took forty-six years. (John 2:20) Then it was called Herod’s Temple, to distinguish it from the two which we have already considered. Herod added a large enclosure outside the court which was called the Court of the Gentiles. It was in this that there was considerable trafficking in animals and changing of money in connection with the sacrifices.
The shekel was then the lawful money to be used in the purchase of animals and doves, etc. The coining of these shekels and half-shekels had been discontinued for about 140 years, hence they were at quite a premium. This gave occasion for money changers to make unjust charges for these shekels in exchange for the regular coin of the empire.
This coin of the empire was denominated “Caesar’s” money.
Our Lord overturned the tables of these money changers. He stated, “My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” (Matt. 21:13) This act of his was his first after his assumption of authority as King, when he rode into Jerusalem on that memorable day, and later pronounced their house left unto them desolate.—Matt. 23:38
Similarly, Christ has now come and is present, doing first a work that was typified by the cleansing of the temple at his first advent. This is the harvest of the Gospel age. The time has come for judgment and it must begin at the house of God. Hence our Lord has assumed his office of Priest and King, the temple class, the church, being His chief concern. This work has been going on during the harvest. The separating, the sifting, of God’s professed people, has occupied considerable time.
When the temple of God will be complete beyond the veil, with the last member of the church, then will come the inauguration of the great King and his bride and this judgment will extend to the world. Then the glory of the Lord will fill the true temple and the new dispensation will be fully ushered in.