Five Essential Bible Truths – Part 5
The Temple of God
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The Cleansing of the Temple

The Day of Atonement’s focus was on the cleansing of the temple itself. During the past year, the guilt of the sin had been transferred from the sinner through blood and defiled the temple veil and both altars. Therefore, to cleanse the temple, the guilt of sin (represented by the blood from the sinner’s sacrifice) was “canceled” on the horns of the altars by applying a mixed blood offering! After the blood was applied, the temple itself was no longer defiled. Again, what is this mixed blood? It was the blood of the bull and the goat. The bull was the high priest’s offering and the goat was the Lord’s offering for the penalty of sin. The bull’s blood represented a sin offering for individuals. Christ is our sin offering. The blood of the goat represented a sin offering for the whole camp of Israel (corporate atonement). For God so loved the world! (John 3:16) When these sacrifices were mixed together, atonement was complete. The mixed blood, applied to the atonement cover on the Ark and horns of the altars, made the unholy into something holy! The blood of Christ not only cleanses us from our sins, it cleanses the temple, too!

The cleansing process also involved three pieces of furniture mentioned in the following order: the Ark of the Covenant, the Altar of Incense and the Altar of Burnt Offering. The “order” of atonement is described twice in Leviticus 16:20-33, which indicates that the specific order the high priest followed in cleansing Heaven’s Temple was important. First, the high priest offered atonement at the Altar of Incense and the last step in the atonement process was at the Altar of Burnt Offering. Notice the high priest offered atonement from the inside out – first the Most Holy Place, Next the Holy Place and then to the courtyard, where the Altar of Burnt Offering was located. After the high priest completed the cleansing process on the Altar of Burnt Offering, he placed his bloody hands on the head of the scapegoat. This act symbolized the transference of guilt from the temple to the goat. Finally, the scapegoat was led out into the wilderness to die. (Leviticus 16)

God prescribed a specific order to cleanse the Earthy sanctuary because the process parallels the concluding work of Christ in Heaven. On Earth, three articles of furniture were cleansed of guilt and restored to a holy state each year. Each act of atonement performed by the high priest shadows a specific event Jesus conducts in Heaven’s Temple. For example, the high priest’s atonement before the Ark represents phase one of the cleansing process in Heaven’s sanctuary. In 1798, God called Heaven’s court to order. At that time, the Father asked for someone, who was considered worthy of the calling, to take the book sealed with seven seals and begin to open each seal. (Revelation 5:1-6) Only Jesus, the Christ, was found worthy. He alone could make atonement for God’s law. He alone, in the entire universe, was born under the condemnation of law and tempted in every possible way, and yet, never sinned. He alone confirmed the holiness and virtue of God’s law by living a perfect life and then laying it down in humble submission as a perfect sacrifice. He alone was found worthy to restore God’s law to its rightful honor. He alone could reconcile an evil world to the Father and He alone could rescue the faith-full from the coming wrath of God that the law requires. (Romans 4:15; 5:9,10) Make no mistake about it! Jesus fully vindicated God’s character and restored the holiness of God’s law before He began cleansing Heaven’s temple.

After offering atonement for the Ark, the high priest moved to the Altar of Incense. During the past year, this altar had been contaminated by the morning and evening sacrifices (for corporate sins). The high priest sprinkled blood on the horns of the Altar of Incense and it was made clean. The parallel for this action is found in Revelation 8: 2-5. Just before the seven trumpets begin on Earth, services performed in Heaven’s Altar of Incense will come to an end. The angel will cast the censer down indicating that corporate daily intercession is no longer available. Jesus will step out of the way and consequently, God’s wrath will begin on Earth. As the seven trumpets blow in Heaven, corresponding events occur on Earth. Although these events will be horrendous, God’s wrath will be “mixed” with mercy. These Trumpets events are intended by God to awaken the whole world to the nature of His law, sin, penalty, grace and the orderly way He redeems man. These events will cause many people to put their faith in Jesus, the Lamb of God, and be saved.

After the high priest provides atonement for the Altar of Incense, he moves to the Altar of Burnt Offering. The Israelites contaminated this altar throughout the year for their sin offerings. The high priest sprinkled blood on the horns of the Altar of Burnt Offering also cleansing it. The parallel for this segment of the atonement services is described during the seventh trumpet. The mystery of God will be accomplished just before the seventh trumpet sounds. (Revelation 10:7; Colossians 2: 1-3; Romans 11:25; 16: 25; Ephesians 1: 9-14; 3: 6-12) At that time, everyone will make his or her decision for or against God’s truth. The Holy Spirit will seal people in Christ or they will receive the mark of the beast. At the seventh trumpet, people will make their final decision and God will close the door to mercy.

Just before the door of mercy closes, however, a great number of people will be martyred for the cause of Christ. This is the meaning of the fifth seal. The blood of souls under the Altar [of Burnt Offering] indicates that these sacrifices are for the salvation of other people. The blood of martyrs will convince many people to take their stand for the cause of Christ. When each person has made his/her decision, the Altar of Burnt Offering will be cleaned. Thus, the cleansing of the Heavenly temple will finally be completed.

The only portion of the service remaining is to transfer the sins of the righteous to the head of the scapegoat (devil). This end-time parallel event will occur 1,000 years after Jesus takes His people home. Then all the inhabitants of Earth will be present to witness the results of God’s judgment and the restitution required by the saints. (Revelation 20:11; 1 Corinthians 6:1-3) Many more spiritual lessons can be drawn from the Day of Atonement service than can be described in these few paragraphs. This brief study is designed to cover the “big picture,” so you might begin to appreciate the direct relationship between the sanctuary on Earth and the temple in Heaven. God reveals a great deal about His future plans if we are willing to investigate them in His Word. If the Day of Atonement teaches anything, it teaches that God has a well-defined plan for dealing with the properties of sin. The complexity of issues involved with the resolution of sin proves how terrible sin is – it is much more hideous than human beings recognize. Throughout the endless ages of eternity, the people redeemed from Earth will study God’s law, sin, penalty, grace and the orderly way that He saved man. This knowledge, no doubt, will compel all inhabitants of the universe to never allow sin to rise again.

The Feast of Ingathering (Tabernacles)

The Israelites presented the last and largest display of firstfruits five days after the Day of Atonement at a feast called the Feast of Ingathering. The Israelites commemorated this seven-day feast at the end of the summer growing season and the title reflects the “gathering in’ of the last harvest. They also called this feast the Feast of Tabernacles because every Jewish male was required to go to Jerusalem to participate in this feast. There were not enough “motels” to accommodate such a large crowd, so they erected temporary tents (or tabernacles) for this joyous occasion.

Just as the Feast of Weeks illustrated the first phase of the Holy Spirit’s work on the human heart, this feast reveals the final work of the Holy Spirit on behalf of mankind. A great outpouring of Holy Spirit power will occur upon all people just before Jesus comes. (Joel 2:28-32) This final stage of the Holy Spirit ministry will be highly visible and marked by clear lines of demarcation. (Zechariah 4:6) Everyone will have the opportunity to know God’s truth and make his or her decision for eternal salvation. People who listen to the Spirit will be led into all truth. (John 16:13) People who refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit will be led into damnation by the devil’s evil schemes. (2 Thessalonians 2: 9,10) The people who love God’s ways (His truth) will have their faith severely tested. If they do remain loyal to God, they will receive a wonderful gift. God will give them the “gift of a sinless nature – a nature which will have no propensity or attraction to sin. Just before the first plague of God’s final wrath begins (the first of seven plagues), the faithful children of God will be granted a nature like Adam and Eve’s nature, before their sinful fall. (Hebrews 8: 10-13; Romans 1:17; 1 John 3:2)

The final two phases of the Holy Spirit’s work demonstrate God’s great compassion for the human race and His deep desire that not one person be lost. First, the Holy Spirit stirs each person’s mind and heart to consider the ways of God. The individual who responds to the Spirit’s prompting will recognize his/her need for Jesus Christ as a perfect substitute. The people who accept Jesus Christ will then willfully submit themselves to the Gospel of Christ. (John 14: 15; 1 John 2:5) with this decision, they are reckoned as righteous (imputed righteousness), even though the moment of glorification (God’s gift) has not been given yet. (Romans 8:1) During the time of the trumpets, each person’s decision to follow God’s ways will be tested. Then, at just the right time during the closing scenes of Earth’s history, those people who pass the final test of faith will be granted a new nature. The righteousness of Christ will be imparted to every faithful child of God! (Colossians 1:27; Revelation 10:7) When this process is completed, God’s people who are still alive will no longer need an intercessor or mediator in Heaven. Every one of God’s children will be sealed in a righteous character. Jesus marks this highly important moment by declaring,  “Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile; let him continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.” (Revelation 22:11) Later, at the end of the seven last plagues, Jesus Christ will appear in the clouds at the Second Coming. At this time, He will change the mortal bodies of saints into immortal bodies (glorification). (1 Corinthians 15:53)

Notice the following parallels: In ancient times, man prepared the soil and planted the field. God watered the seed and brought forth the harvest. The union of humanity with divinity is apparent in this illustration. The Feast of Ingathering point forward to the Second Coming, when the final ingathering of all the saints occur. Down through the ages, faithful Christians have prepared the soil and planted the world field. God waters the seed and brings forth the harvest just in time for the ingathering. With great joy and rejoicing, men and woman, boys and girls will “tabernacle” in the Heavenly city of God until Jesus Christ creates a new Heaven and a new Earth.

Just like the other harvests, the firstfruits of the last, great harvest will be presented before the Lord. The firstfruits of the harvest are 144,000 men and woman who serve God as prophets during the Great Tribulation. (Revelation 7:1-4; 14:4) Since the firstfruits of the earthy harvests were the exclusive property of the high priest of Israel (Numbers 18), the 144,000 servant/prophets (firstfruits) will belong to Jesus, man’s High Priest. They will accompany Jesus throughout eternity and serve Him wherever He goes.

The 144,000 will be the first to experience the gift of the new nature. They receive the “gift” of righteousness from Christ first because they are sealed first. (Revelation 7:1-4) similarly, those who live by faith and stand firm for the truth as it is revealed in Jesus Christ will be sealed just as the 144,000 were sealed. Then, at the end of the Great tribulation, Jesus will “gather in” the faithful. There will be a great feast filled with good food, inexpressible praise and joyous celebration! (Revelation 19:9)

The Sum of All the Parts

The Lord is righteous in everything He does. “He is the Rock, his ways are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he…” (Deuteronomy 32:4) The Earthy and Heavenly temples confirm that god is upright and just. His works are perfect and His ways are beautiful beyond words.

In this brief study, we have examined several elements of the Earthy and Heavenly temples. We have analyzed the Heaven/Earth Linkage Law and have observed the parallel operations of both temples. We have reviewed the Earthy temple’s essential services and examined their practical applications. We have studied the temple furniture, the annual feasts and their meanings. In every aspect of the temple services, we have observed how the ministry of Jesus is revealed. It is clear that god used the earthy sanctuary and the Heavenly Temple of God as a teaching tool for human beings to grasp the PLAN of salvation. Indeed, all the lessons learned from this study point to the revelation of all that Jesus is!

High Priest

Finally, no study about the Temple of God would be complete without considering the High Priest’s appointment. We can glean numerous and beautiful illustrations as we study the details of this position. In the case of Aaron, Israel’s first high priest, the story begins with the call of Moses.

God appeared to Moses at the burning bush and “called “ him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. At the time he was called, Moses had been a Shepard for 40 years. He was very reluctant to undertake such a huge task at the age of 80, since he had already attempted to deliver Israel at age 40 and failed. Moses foolishly complained to God and tried to excuse himself from the responsibility by saying he did not know the language. (Exodus 4:10) His greatest worry was that the Israelites would not believe him. The adversities of life humbled Moses and he knew that he could not, in his own human strength, accomplish such a task. Therefore, to assist Moses with this responsibility, the Lord sent Aaron, Moses’ elder brother, to be the spokesperson. It did not take long for the elders of Israel to recognize the “priestly calling” of these two Levite brothers. (A priest is one who is appointed by God to represent men before Him. Hebrews 5:1) God confirmed that He was speaking through Moses and Aaron by using incredible manifestations of divine power. The people of Israel listened and responded, and soon like Pharaoh, came to regard Moses like God and Aaron as a prophet. Notice: “Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.” (Exodus 7:1)

In temperament, Aaron’s character lacked the fortitude and directness that Moses demonstrated. When God commanded Moses to meet Him on Mt Sinai for 40 days, Aaron capitulated to the demands of the people and allowed them to create a golden calf. Although Aaron’s character was flawed, one of his positive virtues was the willingness to listen and be sympathetic toward the people’s needs. This attribute reveals an essential characteristic about the position of high priest – he must love people. The high priest should have a special burden for the people of his “flock” and do whatever he can to serve them and meet their needs. (Obviously, Aaron went too far and sinned against God when he allowed the people to build a golden calf.) At the same time, since the high priest stood between God and the people, he had to satisfy God’s needs, as well.

Moses anointed Aaron with oil as the high priest of Israel. (Exodus 30:30; Leviticus 16:32) In this role, God appointed him to conduct the “essential” services of the tabernacle. His sons were also anointed as priests and they conducted the routine services in the sanctuary. Aaron’s firstborn son was to be his successor in the office of high priest. Remember, Pharaoh and the people considered Moses like God, and Aaron as his prophet. This arrangement revealed two fundamental aspects regarding Christ’s ministry in Heaven! Jesus is both, King of kings (role of Moses), and Lord of lords (role of Aaron). (Revelation 19:16) Jesus’ role as High Priest includes both authority and mediation. Only Jesus can balance these two roles perfectly. Jesus loves the human race and is willing to do whatever it takes to save people. Jesus listens to people and responds to their needs. He knows our struggles, as no one else does. (Hebrews 4:15) However, Jesus also loves His Father and is anxious to defend the righteousness and purity of God’s government. The methods Jesus uses are perfectly aligned with the will of God. Is this a conflict of interest? Can Jesus actually please god and sympathize with man? Yes! For He is both man’s perfect substitute and the Lamb of God. (Romans 5:10) He alone can resolve the issue of man’s salvation and exonerate god from Lucifer’s falsehoods.

Someday, all the angels of Heaven and the people of earth will marvel at what a wonderful person Jesus Christ is! A day is coming soon when Jesus’ words will be fulfilled: “By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knew will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.’ All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame.” (Isaiah 45: 23-24)

Conclusion

We have a friend in Jesus. He is a friend who understands our needs. He also understands our limitations, weaknesses and foolishness. Notwithstanding, He is willing to be our High Priest and present us before God without a blemish. He is willing to save us and grant us power to overcome the ravages of sin. He is willing to release us from anxiety, doubts and bad habits. He has the power to do all of this and more! Why not surrender your heart to Him! Why not say, “Lord, I am willing to go, be and do all that you ask.” If you are willing, He will enable you to succeed in all that He has asked you to do! You have a friend in Heaven who loves you so much that He was willing to die the second death for you. Can mere mortals comprehend such love? Not easily. That is why we find it difficult to call on Him to help us with our greatest needs. However, be sure of this, He is capable of dealing with any problem you are wrestling with today. So, let Him help you. He is ready. Are you ?

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