A primary theme in Scripture
Is God’s temple-presence dwelling with His people since the
Garden of Eden (all the way) to Revelation, we see the picture
A garden-temple with a tree and river (Gen. 2: 8-10; Rev. 22: 1-2)
It starts and ends with a garden and God with men
Through covenant He condescends
So Adam was a priest to serve His God
Seen in Genesis 2: 15 by the verb avad (עבַָד)
In Genesis 1: 28 it is written
The LORD gives king Adam “the great commission”
Because this Holy God who transcends the heavens
Has commanded Adam to expand His (special-revelatory temple) presence (Gen. 1: 28)
Eden was God’s Temple, (Ezekiel 28:13-14)
On earth He walked (Gen. 3: 8)
Leviticus 26 has the same verb halak (הָלךְַ in Hitpael Stem; Lev. 26:11-12)
Because as the Tabernacle had this awesome function
Here in the Garden their God walked among them!
We’re told of gold in Genesis 2: 11
Because it’s a copy of the Holy of Holies in heaven
As a priestly-ruler
Adam had to subdue the earth and cast out the unclean intruder (Gen. 1: 28; 2: 15)
So in this Covenant of Works
If Adam spreads God’s temple-presence so that it’s covering the earth
Then Eternal Life will be won with no reverse
But exile and death is the judgment and the curse. (Gen. 2: 16-17)
So Adam is cast out, he no longer is blessed
Thus exile from God is the ultimate death!
And since Adam and Eve have disobeyed the LORD
The only way back to God is through the flaming sword! (Gen. 3: 24)
But God will raise one of Adam’s sons up in his place
To fulfill the great commission by abundance of His Strength
He’ll build a global temple--we will come and see His Face
And God will dwell among us through His Covenant of Grace!
A Holy God through His Covenant of Grace
Will dwell with His holy people in His holy place
This Holy God is going to dwell with His people
Through a Federal Head who expels all the evil
With their God in His temple-land, they’ll rest
Through an Obedient Man who withstands the test
In your presence we’ll be thrilled to adore Thee
Then the whole earth will be filled with Your Glory! (Num. 14:21, Hab. 2: 14; Isa. 6: 3)
Now in every single sinful people and culture
It makes sense we find temples, priests, and their altars
Because every person is a worshiper
But instead of God, it’s worthless idols that we prefer to serve
But the faithful Lord’s grace will restore
Genesis 4, Seth’s line “called upon the name of the LORD” (Gen. 4: 26)
That phrase is important, we’ll see it stated some more
In the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for sure (Gen. 12: 8; 13: 4; 21:33, 26:25)
Because unlike Babel where He banished nations, (Gen. 11: 4-9)
His plan with Abram is to build a temple-city in the land of Canaan (Deut. 12: 5-13; Ps. 132:13-14)
Where God appears to Abram and his blessed children
So they build Him altars--hence they’re “temple building! ” (Gen. 12: 8; 13:18; 26:25; 33:20)
Because He is the Covenant-God, yes the blessed Jehovah (YHWH)
As the text unfolds, He gets progressively closer
But Genesis 28’s the chapter
Where we see Canaan as a temple-land at Jacob’s “ladder” (stairway)
Because the LORD’s at Bethel ladder
Connected heaven to earth, echoing Eden, and foreshadowed the Temple (Gen. 28:12)
Since in astounding awe Jacob said it
“This is the House of God, the Gate of Heaven! ” (Gen. 28:17)
Though enslaved in Egypt, and burdened as servants
Yahweh frees His firstborn (son) to serve Him in worship (Ex. 4: 22-23)
Rescuing Israel, His precious sheepfold
At the Exodus to be His temple-people
Because this Holy God who transcends the heavens
Calls this kingdom of priests to expand His presence (Ex. 19: 5-6)
As a light to the nations, He plans to bless them (Deut. 4: 5-8)
But Sinai shows He demands His reverence
His Name is Yahweh (יהוה), which is tied in the Hebrew
To the related phrase, “I will be with you” (אֶֽהְֶי֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ)
First (in) the Tabernacle, He’ll abide in the Temple
The sacrificial system He provides for the sinful (Lev. 1: 1-4)
But what’s the Holy Land’s true meaning?
It’s a temple-land which Joel 2 calls a new Eden (Joel 2: 3)
And since Adam failed
The Cherubim from Eden were sewn on the Tabernacle veil
The palm trees, gold, and tree of life made it very clear this was an Eden-like Sanctuary
Second Samuel 7, God’s promise to David
His offspring will build a house of God that is sacred
Not the first temple, the sons of Solomon stained it
Although the Temple-Tent of David’s fallen, He’ll raise it (Amos 9: 11-12)
Which God promised in the Prophets by Amos
One’s coming who will build a Temple for all of the nations! (Isa. 56: 6-8; Acts 15:16-17)
But as Adam was cast out for sin and was banned, (Hosea 6: 7; Gen. 3: 24)
Israel is exiled from His Temple and Land (Hosea 9: 15)
The Hebrew Bible ends, needing much fulfillment
So Cyrus tells the exiles, “Go up! ” Rebuild it! (2 Chr. 36:23)
A Holy God through His Covenant of Grace
Will dwell with His holy people in His holy place
This Holy God is going to dwell with His people
Through a Federal Head who expels all the evil
With their God in His temple-land, they’ll rest
Through an Obedient Man who withstands the test
In your presence we’ll be thrilled to adore Thee
Then the whole earth will be filled with Your Glory! (Num. 14:21, Hab. 2: 14; Isa. 6: 3)
Haggai said the second temple’s lacking glory (Haggai 2: 3-9)
From that which Solomon’s temple had before, see (Ezra 3: 12-13)
So the Gospel of John will remind us
That the promised Messiah’s glory embodies Shekinah’s (John 1: 14)
Because God the Son “tabernacled among us” (ἐσκή νωσεν ἐν ἡ μῖν)
All that the temple foreshadowed, Christ has as the substance (Col. 2: 17; Heb. 10: 1)
No wonder He calls Himself The “Temple” in John (John 2: 19-21)
As the fullness of Deity, He’s the Presence of God (Col. 2: 9)
He’s Jacob’s Ladder, angels on Him are descending (John 1: 51)
He is “the Way, ” hence the gateway to heaven (John 14: 6; Gen. 28:12, 17)
Plus He’s the Priest-Lamb who’s washing the sinful (John 1: 29)
In John 7, as He taught in the temple, (John 7: 28)
Jesus the Lord has mentioned
He gives the Living Water flowing out the temple from Ezekiel 47 (John 7: 37-39; Ezek. 47: 1, 9)
In the 11th chapter of John
His sacrifice gathers to God
His children scattered abroad (John 11:51-52; 1 Chr. 16:35; Ps. 106:47)
Restored from exile!
His kingdom of priests extends (1 Peter 2: 9-10)
When His Holy Spirit is poured on Gentiles! (Eph. 2: 18-22)
Zechariah 6 a text describing this
“The Branch” will build the Temple, the Blessed Messiah, friends! (Zech. 6: 12-13)
And verse 15 says those “who are far off “
Will come and build the Temple of our God (Zech. 6: 15)
And we can tell that text, seen in Ephesians 2 (v. 13, 19)
Is alluding to the LXX, speaking of me and you!
Because “far off” Gentiles are brought near by the Cross (Eph. 2: 13)
Because God not only came to dwell with us
Now the Holy Spirit of God dwells in us! (Eph. 2: 21-22; 1 Cor. 6: 19)
Through the Perfect-Servant-Priestly-Worshiper
He’s the true meaning of every piece of furniture (Heb. 10: 1)
Interceding for His people, who for sure (Rom. 8: 34; Heb. 7: 25)
By His blood on the Mercy Seat are secure! (Heb. 9: 11-12; 10:10, 14)
Resurrected, to the Father He boldly ascended (1 Peter 3: 22)
Intercedes for us in the Holy of Holies in Heaven (Heb. 9: 24-26)
And not the earthly copy (Heb. 8: 1-2, 9: 24)
So until He returns
God’s earthly Temple is the Church—His Body (2 Cor. 6: 16-7: 1; Eph. 2: 18-22; 1 PT. 2: 5)
Now it’s certainly vital
Since we’re His holy-priests-temple-people, let’s be purged from our idols (2 Cor. 7: 1)
Don’t be passive as Christians, be active in missions
Through the Church, Christ will accomplish Adam’s Commission (Matt. 28:18-20)
And Hebrews 11 says that Abraham
Knew Canaan prefigured the heavenly sacred land (Heb. 11: 8-10, 16)
Though the Temple is Christ, and His True Church
The Land Promises are fulfilled in the New Earth: (Ps. 37:11=Matt. 5: 5; Rev. 21:22)
Where in fullness God will tabernacle among us (Rev. 21: 3-4)
In the Master who loves us, we’ll be glad in His Justice (Rev. 15: 3-4, 19: 1-3)
Forever, we’ll bask in His Compassion’s Abundance (Eph. 2: 7)
The earth will be full of His glory, vast and humongous! (Rev. 21:23, 22: 5)
A Holy God through His Covenant of Grace
Will dwell with His holy people in His holy place
This Holy God is going to dwell with His people
Through a Federal Head who expels all the evil
This Loving God gave Himself for us to give Himself to us, just to dwell with us
In your presence we’ll be thrilled to adore Thee
Then the whole earth will be filled with Your Glory! (Num. 14:21, Hab. 2: 14; Isa. 6: 3)
