Scripture: Hebrews 9:1-7

C.I.: The Temple of the Lord

(Heb. 8:5-6), “…who serve a copy & shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God….”

I. The Temple of the Lord is Holy!

A. A Place for Meeting God

1. God gave a precise description of what He wanted His people to build!
a. (Ex. 25:8-9), “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. – According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle – and the pattern of all its furniture, - just so you shall construct it.”
1) God gave a “pattern”- it wasn’t up to the people to determine how they were to worship God.
– He showed Moses what He wanted – He expected it to be constructed to His specifications.
2) The reason for such specificity – while the tabernacle was physically important for the Jews -
it had an even more important spiritual meaning for us – (I Pt. 1:10-12), “The prophets who
prophesied of the grace that would come made careful search & inquiry – seeking to know..”
3) Lets look then at what He had built – and then see how it applies to us today.

2. Lets begin by noting a layout of the inside of the tabernacle/temple (explain the difference).
a. #1 = Outer court – This was as close as those who were not God’s people could come.
1) (Num. 18:7), “…the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”
2) (Rev. 11:1-2), “There was given me a measuring rod like a staff; - someone said, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God… - And leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations.” – (Matt. 28:19), “Go & make disciples….”
3) Only God’s people (i.e., His priests) were allowed to enter into the holy place.

b. #2 = The Holy Place – Only God’s priests were allowed into the holy place.
1) This was where the daily worship to God by His priests was offered.
2) (Num. 18:6), “I Myself have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel … dedicated to the Lord, to perform the service for the tabernacle.” – God determines who are His priests!!!
3) Today, all Xns are His priesthood, (I Pt. 2:5, 9), “…you are being built up as spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God thru Jesus Christ.”

c. #3 = Candlestick – Continually lit, (Lev. 24:1), “…to make the lamp burn perpetually.”
1) God desired a Light in the midst of His priests – (Jn. 1:9; 9:5), “There is the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” – “I am the light of the world.”
2) Those who come to Jesus – will truly be enlightened by God – (Jn. 3:16, 21, 36), “He who practices truth – comes to the light – that his deeds may be manifested as wrought in God.”

d. #4 = Table of Shewbread (a/k/a “Bread of the Presence”), God’s presence & providing for priests.
1) (Ex. 25:30), “You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.”
2) (Lev. 24:9), “It shall be for Aaron & his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place.”
3) Today the Lord’s Supper is symbolic of His presence with us, His people – (Mt. 26:26-28).

e. #5 = Altar of Incense – also to be kept burning perpetually.
1) (Ex. 30:8), “When Aaron trims the lamps at twilight he shall burn incense. – There shall be
perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.”
2) (Psa. 141:2), “May my prayer be counted as incense before You.”
3) (Rev. 5:8), “…golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints.”
4) God still desires for His people to offer up our prayers unto Him perpetually (I Thess. 5:17).

f. #6 = The Veil – This stood as a separation between the Mercy Seat and the people of God.
1) (Ex. 26:33), “The veil shall serve as a partition between the holy place & the H. of holies.”
2) Only the high priest could go past the veil – and then only 1/year & then only w/blood.
3) When Jesus died for us on the cross – and shed His blood – He made it possible for us to come into the presence of God!!!
4) (Matt. 27:50-51), “And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. – And behold, the veil in the temple was torn in two – from the top to the bottom.”
5) (Heb. 9:19-20), “We have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, - by a new and living way – which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh.”

g. #7 = Ark of the Covenant – The holiest spot in all Israel
1) It contained 3 items: Manna (God’s provision), Aaron’s rod (God’s priest), 10 Command
(God’s precepts). On top were cherubim & the “Mercy Seat” (God’s Pardon!!!).
2) Once/yr. the high priest would enter the H/h with blood – to atone for the people’s sin!
3) (Heb. 9:11-12), “But when Christ appeared as a H.P. of the good things to come, He entered thru the greater & more perfect tabernacle, not made w/hands, that is to say, not of this creation; & not thru the blood of bulls & goats, but thru His own blood, - He entered the holy place once & for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”
4) The temple was a great thing – but what it symbolized is FAR GREATER!!!

B. The Temple of God & the God of the Temple Cannot be Separated!

1. The Jewish temple no longer exists – but our Lord’s spiritual temple still stands!!
a. Jesus promised He would build a new temple … and He has!
1) (Jn. 2:13-21), “Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. – He found in the temple those who were selling oxen & sheep & doves, & moneychangers…
2) “Body” = a Dual fulfillment (His fleshly body – I Cor. 15:4), “…and He rose again on the
third day, according to the scriptures.”
3) “Body” = His spiritual body, the church – Col. 1:18).

b. So if we are to worship God & be received by Him – we must be in His temple.
1) (I Cor. 3:16; II Cor. 6:16), “Do you not know that you are a temple of God?” - “For we are the temple of the Living God.”
2) So we cannot say “yes” to Jesus – w/o also saying “yes” to His temple (the church)!

c. How then are we to understand the Old Testament with its temple if we are the temple today?!
1) If you are not a Christian… - (Gal. 3:23-27), “Before faith came we were kept in custody under the law….”
2) If you are a Christian - but having been living like it… - (I Cor. 3:17), “…for the temple of God is holy, AND THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE!”