phareztamar
11-21-2014, 02:50 PM
The Angel Stood
And the angel stood, saying, rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
And which temple do we suppose John is to measure? The heavenly temple of God, or the earthly one? Is he to measure the same temple that Ezekiel measured some seven hundred years earlier? If he's measuring an earthly temple of God; it would either have to be before 70AD, or a new temple yet to be built.
A new earthly temple would never be recognized...let alone measured...by my Lord. Silly rabbit, the temple of God is fulfilled in Jesus, the Christ of God.
Consider that the wilderness tabernacle was uncomely on the outside, but pure gold within. Moreover it was a mobile temple of God, walking about with the people. This was the days of my Lord's flesh...which is the veil.
In contrast, Solomon's temple was regal within and without. Neither did it move about with the people, but was stationary in Jerusalem. Here is my Lord in his glorified state. There is no need for another earthly temple.
Add to this the unbending requirement...from ancient times...for righteous judgment. The sinless blood of a human man must be sprinkled on the mercy seat, to atone for the sin of a fallen human race. All of those years of animal sacrifice wouldn't do. And this my Lord did with his own sinless blood. To build, then, a new earthly temple and re-instate animal bloodshed would be pointless. The sacrifice was accepted, and the promise of the fathers poured out.
So we consider a heavenly temple which John is to measure. And in heaven again we must ask, which temple is John to measure? Moses was shown a tabernacle in heaven. Isaiah too:
saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
And of course Ezekiel measured a heavenly temple. But given that this is the book of Revelation...a book about the end...we may want to consider that heavenly temple which all of these others foreshadowed. For we know that my Lord built no temple in his thirty three years of life. And yet it is written:
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, behold the man whose name is the branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord.
Now if the branch will build the temple of the Lord...and he appeared not until the four thousandth year...then it sorta rules out him building any temple of God in heaven prior to his resurrection. Moreover we know that during the last 2,000 years, no new earthly temple has been built.
We might posit then...as did Paul...that the temple of the Lord which the branch will build, has been a temple-in-building since his glorification.
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit.
The construction materials here, are the born again souls of men. We who are alive today are the finishing touches...upon our death...to this 2,000 year old project nearing completion.
Perhaps this is the temple that John is to measure.
We're told little about this temple, as John's measurements are never revealed. We know that it has an altar of incense...which brings us full circle to the start of this sixth trumpet.
And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, which is before God.
If the veil is rent from top to bottom, then the golden altar of incense is directly before God.
We also know that this temple has them that worship therein. And oddly; they are not to be counted or numbered...but measured. That'll preach.
And finally...by extension...we are assured that the Lord is in this temple:
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
As these two witnesses embark upon their ministry, so begins the final three and one-half years of this sixth trumpet judgment.
And the angel stood, saying, rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
And which temple do we suppose John is to measure? The heavenly temple of God, or the earthly one? Is he to measure the same temple that Ezekiel measured some seven hundred years earlier? If he's measuring an earthly temple of God; it would either have to be before 70AD, or a new temple yet to be built.
A new earthly temple would never be recognized...let alone measured...by my Lord. Silly rabbit, the temple of God is fulfilled in Jesus, the Christ of God.
Consider that the wilderness tabernacle was uncomely on the outside, but pure gold within. Moreover it was a mobile temple of God, walking about with the people. This was the days of my Lord's flesh...which is the veil.
In contrast, Solomon's temple was regal within and without. Neither did it move about with the people, but was stationary in Jerusalem. Here is my Lord in his glorified state. There is no need for another earthly temple.
Add to this the unbending requirement...from ancient times...for righteous judgment. The sinless blood of a human man must be sprinkled on the mercy seat, to atone for the sin of a fallen human race. All of those years of animal sacrifice wouldn't do. And this my Lord did with his own sinless blood. To build, then, a new earthly temple and re-instate animal bloodshed would be pointless. The sacrifice was accepted, and the promise of the fathers poured out.
So we consider a heavenly temple which John is to measure. And in heaven again we must ask, which temple is John to measure? Moses was shown a tabernacle in heaven. Isaiah too:
saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
And of course Ezekiel measured a heavenly temple. But given that this is the book of Revelation...a book about the end...we may want to consider that heavenly temple which all of these others foreshadowed. For we know that my Lord built no temple in his thirty three years of life. And yet it is written:
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, behold the man whose name is the branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord.
Now if the branch will build the temple of the Lord...and he appeared not until the four thousandth year...then it sorta rules out him building any temple of God in heaven prior to his resurrection. Moreover we know that during the last 2,000 years, no new earthly temple has been built.
We might posit then...as did Paul...that the temple of the Lord which the branch will build, has been a temple-in-building since his glorification.
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit.
The construction materials here, are the born again souls of men. We who are alive today are the finishing touches...upon our death...to this 2,000 year old project nearing completion.
Perhaps this is the temple that John is to measure.
We're told little about this temple, as John's measurements are never revealed. We know that it has an altar of incense...which brings us full circle to the start of this sixth trumpet.
And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, which is before God.
If the veil is rent from top to bottom, then the golden altar of incense is directly before God.
We also know that this temple has them that worship therein. And oddly; they are not to be counted or numbered...but measured. That'll preach.
And finally...by extension...we are assured that the Lord is in this temple:
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
As these two witnesses embark upon their ministry, so begins the final three and one-half years of this sixth trumpet judgment.