Five Essential Bible Truths – Part 5
The Temple of God
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After all the wicked are destroyed, the knowledge will keep all living creatures from ever doubting the purity of God’s heart again. Through this whole process, God has shown that He does not destroy those who rebel merely because they rebelled against Him. Instead, He has shown the horrendous outcome of sin. Sin must be destroyed. Complete annihilation of sin and sinners is the only way through the endless corridors of eternal life that insures a happy, holy and harmonious universe.

The concept of God’s Temple is an expansive subject and this is true because so much is involved with the sin problem. All of God’s ways, His government, His character, His judgment, have been scrutinized because of sin. The sin problem began in Heaven, not on Earth. Therefore, the concept of God’s Temple includes a number of issues that concern both Heaven and Earth. This is why there must be an Earthy/Heavenly parallel. Many Christians today think the PLAN of salvation is a one-dimensional subject in terms of their own salvation. There is more at stake in the PLAN of salvation than human beings receiving eternal life. In fact, it never ceases to amaze me that God even included human beings in the PLAN.

Earthy Function

The Earthy temple consisted of seven items: the Ark of the Covenant, the Table of the Presence (Shewbread), the Alter of Incense, the Alter of Burnt Offering, the Lampstand, the Laver and the tabernacle building itself. God purposely designed each Earthy item and gave it to Moses as a pattern. The function of each item provides details that contribute to the overall teaching objective of the temple. For example, the bloody stains on the horns of the altars and the veil between the Holy and Most Holy Place show how God transfers the guilt of sin from the sinner to the temple. The death of the innocent lamb demonstrates the price of grace. The seven-month religious calendar confirms that God has a linear process moving toward the full elimination and termination of sin. Remember, the teaching purpose of the tabernacle services reveals law, sin, penalty, grace and the orderly process that God follows to redeem sinful man. Let us examine each item in the Earthy temple and its related Heavenly parallel.

Two Altars

The presence of two altars, the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Altar of Incense, indicates that God is concerned with two types of sin: individual and corporate. This demonstrates that god considers the nature of the sin and the circumstances of sinners in different ways. The deliberate slaughter of animal sacrifices confirms that there is an inescapable penalty for sin: death by execution. The priests placed the blood of sacrificial animals on the horns of an altar to indicate that the guilt of sin is not forgiven or forgotten until a future time when the record of sin is cleansed. God provided a way for sinners to be relieved of their guilt, hut He did not make any provision to forgive sin itself.

Contrary to what most Christians believe, sin cannot be forgiven. While sin cannot be forgiven, sinners can be forgiven. At first, this statement appears contradictory. The death of Jesus, as man’s perfect substitute, proves that sin cannot be forgiven. Sin is the transgression of the God’s law. (1 John 3:4) The penalty for sin is death by execution and ignorance of God’s law does not mean innocence. However, if a person is ignorant regarding sin, God does not apply the guilt for sin to the sinner unless/until the sinner becomes properly informed. (Leviticus 4; 1 Timothy 1:13; James 4:17) However, once a sin is committed, the whole law has been violated. (James 2:10) The sinful act that causes the violation cannot be recalled and it is a matter of record. The unrelenting claim of the law is “once a sinner, always a sinner.” God’s creatures cannot bypass the moral law of God. The effects of law occur whether we are knowledgeable or ignorant of the offense. This is why the Bible says, “…be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23) However, God has provided a way for the guilt of the sin to be transferred away from the repentant sinner – Jesus Christ and His death paid the sinner’s penalty. The end result is that we are no longer under condemnation. (See Romans 5 and 8:1-2.) From this perspective, many Bible references speak of sins being forgiven. The implication, however, is that sinners are forgiven. The distinction between forgiveness of sinners and transference of sin is highly important! This concept uniquely explains why Christ had to die so that sinners could be saved. As this study continues, it will demonstrate how this process was taught through the Earthy temple.

The Sin Offering

God established a number of rules in the Earthy temple that determined which offering was appropriate for each sin. Different offenses required different methods of atonement or resolution. Each specification helps us understand the orderly manner that God follows in dealing with the sin issue. Because there are types and variations of sacrificial offerings, the following examples demonstrate a typical process. Remember, even though the subject of the temple is broad and encompassing, the focus remains the same: the revelation of law, sin, penalty, grace and the orderly process that god follows to save man. Keep the following two points in mind: The Bible record of Earthy temple services is not complete, however, you can be sure that God has preserved the essential details needed for our generation. (This also holds true regarding the ministry of Jesus. See John 21:25.) Second, the sheer number of laws and offerings are initially overwhelming to any Bible student. The Bible indicates all that is essential, so you are encouraged to carefully study the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers.

The sin offering dealt with two classes of personal sin: willful sin and unintentional sin. Notice what the law says about unintentional sin: If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, he is guilty. When he is made aware of the sin he committed, he must bring as his offering for the sin he committed a female goat without defect. He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering. Then the priest is to take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.” (Leviticus 4:27-30)

If a man learned he had committed an unintentional sin, he (or the head of the house) had to appear at the Earthy sanctuary’s Altar of Burnt Offering with the required sacrifice. If he could not afford to produce the required animal, items of lesser value, such as birds or even flour, were acceptable to the Lord. (Leviticus 5:7) The priest, ever present and ready to serve, received the sinner’s substitute. The priest examined the offering very closely. He was more concerned with the sacrifice than he was with the sinner. The offering had to be perfect, without defect or blemish. Follow this process: A man, under the obligation the law, unintentionally violates the law (commits sin). Later, he learns of his guilt and becomes convicted that he must make atonement or the wrath (penalty) of the law will be upon his own head. (Obadiah 1:15) He believes the Word of God that says the penalty for sin is death by execution. He is sorrowful for his sin, after all, it was unintentional. The sinner obtains a perfect animal and takes it to the appointed place. (Leviticus 17:4) He lays his hands on the head of his substitute and confesses his sin to God. (Leviticus 1:4) Then he personally slaughters the substitute by cutting the jugular vein. (Leviticus 1:5) The priest captured some of the bright, red blood and sprinkled blood on the sides of the altar. (Exodus 29:16) In this fashion, the guilt of sin was transferred from the sinner to the goat (or lamb) by the laying on of hands.

The blood on the horns is a crimson record of his sin. Notice that the demands of the law have been met – death occurred by execution. A perfect substitute fulfilled the demand. The record of his sin remains on the altar. Even though the sinner cannot escape the obligation of law, for the moment, he is free of its condemnation. (Leviticus 3:16; Deuteronomy 12:17) However, this was not the final step in resolving the sin problem. Now that the Altar of Burnt Offering was defiled by the record of sin (the blood) that had stained its horns, the temple itself was in a state of desecration. To resolve this, God appointed a special day for the cleansing the temple called the Day of Atonement.

The process of atonement for a willful sin is slightly different. Before an individual could obtain atonement at the tabernacle, he or she had to make restitution to the victim. (Matthew 5:24) Notice what the law says: “Say to the Israelites: ‘When a manor woman wrongs another in any way and so is unfaithful to the Lord, that person is guilty and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give it to the person he has wronged. But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the Lord and must be given to the priest, along with the ram with which atonement is made for him.” (Numbers 5: 6-8)

Penalty and Restitution

So far, this study of the earthy tabernacle has revealed that God’s views the sins of individuals from two perspectives: willful and unintentional. Obviously, a person cannot continue in a pattern of committing the same willful sin and still be able to meet the demands of the law. This is why Paul wrote: “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.” (Hebrews 10:26) Further, God does not see willful sin in the same light as defiant sin, even though the penalty remains the same. Notice, “But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or alien, blasphemes the Lord, and that person must be cut off from his people.” (Numbers 15:30) The term “cut off” meant a person would be banished from the camp and have no inheritance. In the wilderness, banishment meant being cut off from every means of survival. So, what is defiant sin? According to Webster, defiance means to openly and boldly reject the authority or claims of another. God says there is no other God beside Himself. (Isaiah 45:5) God is King, the owner/master of man and He would naturally interpret defiance as an act of insubordination. Therefore, He told Moses, “Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.” (Exodus 22:20) Defiant sins cannot be atoned for and are unforgivable. (1 Samuel 3:14; Matthew 12:31)

God’s law defines a two-step process to resolve a sin that was committed. The guilt of sinning against God is atoned for at the tabernacle, but the guilt of sinning against man was atoned for by making restitution. The Lord required that restitution be made first to the victim, then the sinner could proceed to make atonement for the sin committed against God at the tabernacle. The amount of restitution varied. In minor cases, the restitution was 20%. (See Numbers 5:6-8.) In other cases, the amount of restitution could reach 500%. (See Exodus 22.) When Zacchaeus became “born again” believer in Christ, he gave 50% of his wealth to the poor, and then restored 400% to anyone that he had wronged! (Luke 19:8) The matter of restitution is very important in God’s government. In fact, the earthy tabernacle teaches that at an appointed time, God will require the offender to repay every wrongful deed done to the victim.

In the case of personal injury, notice the following decree: “But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.” (Exodus 21: 23-25; Leviticus 24: 19-21; Deuteronomy 19: 18-21) The basic idea of punitive law is equilibrium. In other words, if someone maliciously, with aforethought, harms another person, the law demands complete restitution before he or she can make atonement before God.  In the case of personal injury, the offender must experience the pain he or she willfully inflicted! To retard the growth of sin, God placed man under the operation of the golden rule. The rule states: “It will be done to you as you intentionally do to your victim, plus interest and penalty.” When Jesus was on earth, the Jews had twisted the corporate intent of the golden rule. They used it to serve as legal justification for personal revenge, especially against their hated enemy, the Romans. Jesus rebuked them for not understanding the corporate intent of the law when He said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:38,39) Jesus was affirming an important truth that revenge belongs to God. If man fails to secure Christ’s righteousness to fulfill the law, God will make sure at the appointed time that everyone is paid in full, plus interest and penalty. “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19) This should be especially meaningful for people who have been victims to painful injustice. God will ensure that lawful equilibrium is restored before He creates a new Heaven and a new Earth.

Summary – Sin Offering

Many people may already understand how the ceremonial services at the Altar of Burnt Offering pointed forward to the death of the Lamb of God. However, for individuals who are “plowing new ground,” here is a review of the seven essential points regarding the Altar of Burnt Offering that should be remembered:

1. The altar of Burnt Offering served the needs of individuals.

2. The priest placed the record of sin (the blood) on the horns of the altar. Until the altar was cleansed, the temple remained in a state of discretion.

3. The sacrificial animal had to be perfect.

4. The sinner killed his sacrificial animal after confessing his sin.

5. The blood of sacrifices was poured into a container at the base of the altar.

6. Sin, whether unintentional or intentional requires atonement. If a person committed a wrong against another person, he or she had to make restitution before he or she could present an atonement before the Lord.

7. Defiant sin cannot be forgiven (atoned for).

Altar of Incense

The golden Altar of Incense was located in the first room of the temple, the Holy Place. Like the Altar of Burnt Offering, this altar had four horns, one on each corner of the altar. There was one significant difference between the altars. On the Altar of Burnt Offering, the priests had the responsibility of keeping the fires burning around the clock. (Leviticus 6:12,13) On the Altar of Incense, God Himself ignited and sustained the fire so it never went out. (This understanding is reached by considering the following two points: Aaron’s two sons carelessly uses “strange” or man-made fire in the Holy Place (Leviticus 10:1-3) and the Bible never states that the priests maintained the fire on this altar.) Evening and morning, the priests burned a special formula of incense on the altar of Incense. The Israelites could smell the aroma of that incense, depending upon the wind, throughout the camp (up to six miles away). (Exodus 30:7,8) Like the altar of Burnt Offering, the Altar of Incense is named according to its purpose: the burning of incense. God told the Israelites not to duplicate or burn this special incense for any other purpose. The only time this incense was to be used was at the Altar of Incense. (Exodus 30:34-38)

The services at this altar represented a different level of atonement from the bronze Altar of Burnt Offering located in the courtyard. This altar was special in the sense that it was reserved for corporate sacrificial services. The high priest conducted evening and morning services at the altar that benefited the whole community. However, there is one exception. If the high priest sinned, this atonement had to be presented on the Altar of Incense since the sin was considered a much more serious offense to God than the sins of people who were not “close” to the Living God. (Leviticus 4:3-7) God held the high priest to a higher standard of accountability than ordinary people.

To appreciate the significance of a corporate representation on this altar, notice this text: “If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lords commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, they are guilty. When they become aware of the sin they committed, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the Tent of the Meeting. The elders of the community are to lay their hands on the bull’s head before the Lord, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord. Then the anointed priest is to take some of the bull’s blood into the Tent of Meeting. He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle it before the Lord seven times in front of the curtain. He is to put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before the Lord in the tent of Meeting. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.” (Leviticus 4:13-18)

Notice two elements regarding the corporate sacrifice: First, it was possible for the whole community to sin against God unintentionally! Again, ignorance does not mean innocence. When the community became aware of the ignorant sin, God required atonement for the whole community. (Sin is never forgiven instead, sin is transferred.) Second, the sacrificial bull’s blood (the record of sin) was sprinkled seven times on the front of the veil or certain) that separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place. This signified that as a community, Israel had broken the law whose tablets were in the Ark. In order to provide temporary atonement for the community, the priest sprinkled the blood as close to the mercy seat (presence of God) as a sinful being could approach on a day other than the Day of Atonement. Then, blood was placed on the four horns of the altar. (Leviticus 4:7,18)

We also need to consider the continual or perpetual round of evening and morning offerings. The corporate sacrifice gives us a pattern for the process of the continual offerings, since both offerings were for unintentional sin committed in the camp. God required a perfect, one-year-old lamb to be sacrificed each evening at twilight and each morning just after sunrise. After the priest killed the lamb on the Altar of Burnt Offering, he carried some of its blood to the Altar of Incense and applied it to the horns of the altar. The high priest then placed a scoop of the special incense on the glowing coals of the altar and the fragrance flowed generously from the temple. In addition to the blood and incense, the priests placed small servings of wheat or barley flour, oil and wine before the Lord as offerings. (Exodus 29:40, 41; 30:9)

The services at this altar were the benefit of the whole community. This stands in stark contrast to the Altar of Burnt Offering that operated for the benefit of individuals. Why did Israel need a “community service” offered at the Altar of Incense every evening and morning? The camp of Israel needed continual atonement night and day so they could dwell in God’s presence. In other words, this “around-the-clock” atonement meant that if an individual sinned, the community sacrifice atoned for them until they could bring their personal sacrifice to the alter of Burnt Offering. The daily transfer of blood to the Altar of Incense allowed the Israelites to dwell in God’s presence without being destroyed. (Exodus 25:8) Understand that a sinner cannot approach God and live without atonement. (Numbers 8:19)

The concept underlying the daily, as the evening and morning services were often called, is very meaningful. While the services on the Altar of Burnt Offering pointed forward to the death of Jesus as the Lamb of God, the services on the Altar of Incense pointed back to the day when the Father and Son established a covenant for man’s salvation. (Psalms 2) On the day Adam and Eve sinned, Jesus entered a covenant with the Father agreeing to die as man’s substitute. (Exodus 24:8; Matthew 26:28) Jesus immediately submitted to the terms and conditions required in the PLAN of salvation which called for death. In fact, from that day forward, Jesus is called the “Son” of God. In this context, the word son means “one subject to” or “one in submission to a higher authority.” Consequently, Adam was called the “son of God.” (Luke 3:38) In effect, the covenant between the Father and Jesus stood in the way of the destroying angel that was prepared to execute Adam and Eve. Jesus became man’s intercessor at that very moment. (Hebrews 7:25) The Bible is clear – which helps us understand the necessity of an intercessor in Heaven.

The daily intercession of Jesus in Heaven coincides with the daily ministry of the high priest in the sanctuary service on Earth. The human race (the human community) was “atoned for” on the basis of the covenant, until Jesus could come to Earth, die and actually pay the penalty. The PLAN of salvation calls for an allotted time-period of grace (6000 years or less of intercession) so that “whosoever will” can learn of Jesus and receive Him as his/her personal sacrifice! This point is highly important because the services at the Earthy Altar of Incense parallel the services at the Heavenly Altar of Incense. In ancient Israel, there was a time each year when God would no longer receive the sacrifices of sinners. No further atonement could be made. If anyone was caught unprepared on that day, he or she was “cut off” from the camp. In the near future, the corporate services on behalf of humanity at the Heavenly Altar of Incense will terminate and the wrath of God will be released upon mankind. (Revelation 8:2-9:21)  Individuals who are unwilling to submit to the terms and conditions of salvation will be “cut off” from their Heavenly inheritance. (This point is enlarged upon in the section on the Feast of Trumpets.) Remember, the transfer of sin to the temple required an appointed time to cleanse the temple. Something had to be done with the record of sin (the blood) that was deposited on the horns of the altar. Notice this text: “Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns [the Altar of Incense]. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord.” (Exodus 30:10)

Most Christians think John 3:16 is the most beautiful text in the Bible. However, notice what the text really says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Did you notice that this text is really a “corporate” text? “For God so loved the world…” To appreciate the PLAN of salvation, we must understand that it is much larger than an individual matter. The PLAN involves the offspring of Adam and Eve and in order to include us, the PLAN has to be a corporate plan for the entire human race.

One final issue needs to be considered regarding the Altar of Incense. Burning incense represents God’s willingness to hear our prayers and petitions. As the fragrant odor was continually offered before God, it reflected man’s true condition as a sinner and the hope that this sweet smell might make Israel’s petitions for atonement more favorable. (Even the people who worshiped pagan gods burned incense to predispose their gods to favor them. 1 Kings 11:8) In other words, God’s requirement of incense reveals our degenerate and offensive condition. We are sinners. Because we reek of sin, we cannot comprehend our sinful, degenerate state God sees us. The Altar of Incense confirms man’s hopeless condition and God’s faithful promise. Man sticks and cannot save himself. Therefore, God masks our offensiveness with the fragrance of prayer that we might come near to Him with out requests. The burning of incense on the altar is directly associated with the prayers (petitions) of the saints. (Revelation 8:4) As the sweet fragrance of the incense rises from the fiery coals of the altar, God looks favorably on the petitions of His children. Few things affect Almighty God like the sweet prayer of humble and contrite believers. (Luke 18:10-14; Hebrews 11:6)

Summary

To review, here are five points about the Altar of Incense:

1. The Altar of Incense was dedicated to the services of the community.

2. The evening and morning services on the altar provided continual or daily around-the-clock atonement.

3. The evening and morning services point backward to the covenant between the father and the Son – the day Jesus became man’s intercessor. The daily intercession of Jesus in Heaven will come to an end at a point in the near future.

4. Each day, the record of sin (the blood) was placed on the horns of the altar.

5. At an appointed time each year, the record of sin on the Altar of Incense was removed. Thus, atonement for the altar was an annual event.

No Veil in Heaven’s Temple

The Earthy tabernacle had a veil that separated the holy place from the Most Holy Place. The Heavenly Temple does not have or need a veil. The Earthy tabernacle, however, had a thick curtain separating its two rooms for three reasons:

First, as a practical matter, the veil represented a shield of protection to the priests who ministered in the tabernacle for the consuming glory of God. (Exodus 40:3; Leviticus 16:2) In Heaven, Jesus does not need this veil. He sits at the right hand of the Father and is not threatened by the glory of the Father. In fact, Jesus shares in that glory! (John 17:5)

Second, the veil divided the Earthy tabernacle into two rooms. The outer room was called the Holy Place and its services parallel “standing issues” regarding man’s salvation. (A standing issue continues to be in effect until a timely fulfillment terminates the matter.) The services involving the inmost room, the Most Holy Place, parallels the final phase of Christ’s work in Heaven’s Temple. God allowed the high priest to go behind the veil and enter the Most Holy Place only one day a year – on the Day of Atonement. Therefore, if we depend on a parallel as proof for a Heavenly veil, we fall short, for there is no record of annual services in the Heavenly tabernacle. (Hebrews 9:25,26) However, perhaps the strongest evidence against the Heavenly Temple having a veil is this: The veil on Earth was torn open from top to bottom at the death of Christ. Why then, should a veil in Heaven’s Temple (if one did exist) remain intact after Jesus’ death? If the one on Earth was open. (Matthew 27:51)

Last, the Bible does not indicate that Heaven’s Temple has two rooms. Yes, Paul’s discusses the ministry of Christ as taking place “in the inner sanctuary” or Most Holy Place, “in the presence of the Father.” However, Paul is using an Earthy point to reference to describe the ministry of Christ in Heaven, not the physical location of Christ. Paul clearly states that Christ’s location is “at the right hand of the Father.”(Hebrews 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12)

The Earthy sanctuary cannot and does not look like the Heavenly Temple. Instead, the earthy temple services parallel Heaven’s process. Think about this from a Heavenly perspective for a moment. God’s response to sin was to seize the opportunity to reveal certain characteristics about Himself that were previously unknown. Because of sin, the whole universe is now aware of the properties of law, sin, penalty, grace and restoration. This is a topic that the hosts of Heaven barely understand before sin occurred. So, the study of the Earthy sanctuary is a shadow of the realities that are involved in the PLAN of salvation.

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