Bible Studies
The Temple of God (Heb. 8:1-5)
Series: Additional StudiesIntroduction:
1. In recent studies about Jerusalem consideration was given to Herod’s temple. 2. Through computer generated reconstructions we were able to visualize something of what the temple of the first century was like. 3. Of course, the temple of Herod’s day was preceded first by the tabernacle, second by the temple of Solomon and third by the temple constructed by those returning from the exile under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Ezra. There is yet another temple, one that Ezekiel saw in a vision, that rounds out the O.T. revelation about the house of God. 4. The tabernacle and the temple were powerful symbols of God’s presence among His people, the nation of Israel. 5. But the passage we have just read in Hebrews says that the tabernacle (and by implication the temple) is a copy or shadow of heavenly things. 6. What is it that God is trying to teach us through the tabernacle and temple structures? The fact that He established and continued these memorial structures for thousands of years should cause us to pause and ask, “What does this mean?”Discussion:
I. That God meant something is evident by the Hebrew writer’s observation that God warned Moses saying, “See that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” What was that pattern?A. The book of Exodus chapters 35-40 gives the details of the construction of the tabernacle.
B. The tabernacle was a tent-like structure, but not like we think of tents. It was very elaborate in nature and very expensive, although it was designed to be moved from place to place and reassembled wherever God led His people.
C. Its construction began with the command that the people contribute the materials necessary for its construction (Ex. 35:4-9). They actually brought so much that they had to be restrained from giving (36:5ff).
D. God inspired skilled workmen Bezalel and Oholiab, filling them with His Spirit, in wisdom, in understanding and all knowledge and all craftsmanship to make the designs working in gold, silver and in bronze, in cutting stones, and carving wood. He filled them with skill in engraving, designing, and embroidering, and they taught others to do the work required. They worked in fine metals, wood, stone, including cloth materials and leather.
E. When the tabernacle was erected it consisted of three separate areas laid out E to W.
1. The court. Entering from the E the first thing you would come to was the altar of burnt offering, then the bronze laver for washing.
2. An outer room known as the Holy Place. On the N side was the table of showbread, and across from it on the S the golden lampstand.
3. An inner room known as the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies). Directly in front of the Most Holy Place was the altar of incense. It was in the Holy Place, but associated with the Most Holy Place. Inside the Most Holy Place was the Ark of the Covenant with its mercy seat overlaid with gold with golden cherubim on either side.
F. It was at the tabernacle where the various offerings and sacrifices were made.
1. The High Priest, on the Day of Atonement, entered the Most Holy Place.
a. He had offered a sacrifice first for himself and then another for the people before entering the Most Holy Place.
b. It was there he sprinkled blood on the mercy seat for the forgiveness of sins.
2. Other priests served regularly in the offering of sacrifices, maintaining the table of showbread and the golden lampstand.
3. Other Levites served in various supporting capacities at the tabernacle.
G. After the tabernacle was erected the most important event is described in 40:34ff. The cloud of the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
H. Thus, this is the pattern referred to in Hebrews. Interestingly, the details of the meaning of the tabernacle are not spelled out in Scripture. Much like a parable, the message of the tabernacle was supposed to be clear to the observer. While all the details might not be clear the central message was obvious. Sin caused a separation between man and God. Blood had to be shed for forgiveness, but God was patient with His people and maintained His presence with them even though they were imperfect.
1. This did not mean that God overlooked or ignored sin. The very opposite! The tabernacle called attention to sin, its consequence of death and the forgiveness of God.
2. The tabernacle did not mean that high-handed defiance was tolerated. Numbers 15:22ff makes it clear that despising the word of God was punished by execution. Sins committed unwittingly, unintentionally, in error, through weakness or ignorance were dealt with through the sacrificial system associated with the tabernacle.
II. The tabernacle was moved from place to place during the wilderness wanderings. When Israel took possession of the land of Canaan the tabernacle was brought into the land. Not much information is given about the tabernacle and its services during this period, but there is evidence of its continued function (ex. 1 Sam. 21:1ff) during the days of King Saul and David.A. It was David who determined to build a house for the Lord of a more permanent nature.
B. The site selected had an interesting history.
1. Solomon, David’s son actually built the temple.
a. It was built in Jerusalem on Mt. Moriah (2 Chron. 3:1).
b. This was the place where the Lord had appeared to David.
2. It was the place where David had offered a sacrifice to God on the threshing floor of Ornan (Araunah) the Jebusite (2 Sam. 24:18-25).
3. Even more interestingly it is the place where Gen. 22:1-9 says that God directed Abraham to go to make an offering of his son Isaac (Gen. 22:1-9). Thus, it was known as a place of sacrifice, a place that memorialized God making provision for the acceptance of sacrifice in place of the death of the sinner. Indeed in Abraham’s case God even provided the sacrifice rather than requiring the death of Isaac. The book of Genesis identifies the place as “the mount of the Lord” (22:14).
C. The temple of Solomon’s day must have been magnificent.
1. Its description is given in 1 Kings 6.
2. It took seven years to build it.
3. It was modeled after the tabernacle with Holy Place and Most Holy Place, an alter, a laver, table of showbread, golden lampstand, and altar of incense.
4. Everything was prepared and King Solomon and the priests brought the ark of the covenant into the temple. The description of what happened is found in 1 Kings 8:5-6, 10. “The glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”
5. But Solomon knew God did not dwell in temples made with hands (1 Kings 8:27). But this place certainly called attention to God’s commitment to our forefathers. It was the place to which prayers for forgiveness could be made. It symbolized God’s gracious provision for sacrifice in place of death for sin.
D. But it was not long until Solomon turned from God and began to build high places for the worship of idols—Chemosh and Molech (1 Kings 11:1ff).
1. After his death the kingdom was divided and Jereboam built idols in Dan and Bethel to rival the house of God in Jerusalem.
2. Conditions deteriorated in the northern kingdom until they were taken captive by the Assyrians.
3. But things were not much better in Judah and Jerusalem. Worship at the temple was neglected. Sometimes it was a place for the worship of idols. There were times of restorative attempts, but ultimately the southern kingdom was taken into Babylonian captivity and the temple lay in ruins, destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
4. Ezekiel had seen in a vision the glory of the Lord departing from the temple (Ezek. 10).
III. For seventy years Israel was in captivity until King Cyrus of Persia allowed the captives to return to their native countries.A. Jeremiah had predicted it (25:12; 29:10).
B. Cyrus said, “The God of heaven has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:2).
1. Thus Ezra and Zerubbabel with the support of King Cyrus returned to Jerusalem and worked to rebuild the temple.
2. Some rejoiced at the rebuilding, but the older ones wept who had seen the first temple (Ezra 3:12).
C. Upon its completion there was no “glory of the Lord” that filled this house of God.
D. This temple structure lasted until about 20 B.C.
IV. In about 20 B.C. Herod began the work of rebuilding the temple.A. This rebuilding is described in Josephus’ writings, the Mishna, the Talmud and another Jewish document known as Middoth.
B. This, of course, was the temple structure that Jesus and the disciples of the first century knew.It swallowed up the temple of Zerubbabel’s day.
C. It was a magnificent structure, completed only a few years before its destruction in 70 A.D.
V. The temple of God as described in the N.T. There are two ways the temple is referred to in the N.T.A. The people of God themselves are living stones built up as a spiritual house. Christ Jesus himself is the corner stone (1 Pet. 2:4-5).
1. 2 Cor. 6:16 says, “We are the temple of the living God.”
2. Eph. 2:20-22 refers to the people of God as “having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord.”
3. There is a sense in which God dwells in us. Not that deity can dwell in this paltry body any more than He could in Solomon’s temple, but the special relationship is there and He directs, controls and forgives.
B. But in Heb. 8 and 9 something else is under consideration.
1. In this temple imagery Christ is the High Priest.
2. He has entered heaven and there sprinkled His blood in that Most Holy Place, once for all.
3. The earthly tabernacle (temple) is only a copy and shadow of the heavenly.
4. It appears to me that this is the temple of Ezekiel’s vision (Note chap. 43 esp.).
a. It is a temple where the glory of the Lord fills the house (43:5).
b. It is the place where God dwells among His people (43:7).
c. It is the place of circumcised hearts (44:7) and where people are ashamed of their iniquities (43:10).
5. This is the place where we come confidently before the throne of God because we have such a High Priest who offered Himself for our sins and is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him (Heb. 7:25-28).
Conclusion:
1. Would you be a worshiper in this temple? 2. Then take hold of the blessings available in the true tabernacle, which God pitched, and not man. 3. Receive the sacrifice and the forgiveness that God provides (cf. Gen. 22:8). 4. “Come then and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of God” (Isa. 2:3).
