Temple of G-d Print E-mail
Written by Victoria Radin   

A Person and a Place

Biblical typology is the doctrine or belief that things in the Old Testament prefigured things in the New Testament. The Old Testament type pointed to the Messiah, Yeshua, bringing mutual illumination to both Covenants. For instance, the sin offering of the Old Testament pointed to and is given meaning by seeing its fulfillment in Yeshua's once-for-all sacrifice on the cross. Yet, His sacrifice would be meaningless without the Old Testament type to explain its purpose.

The various writers of the New Testament often pointed to the scriptural fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in the life of Jesus. They did this in order to demonstrate to their readers that G-d's blueprint for the redemption of mankind, which began with Abraham and his descendants, was judicially completed by Yeshua during His first advent and will be completed experientially when He returns to rule and reign from His Temple in Jerusalem.

Jesus said that His body was the Jerusalem Temple (John 2:19-21). In other words, the Wilderness Tabernacle as well as both the First and Second Temples prefigured the Messiah. Theologians and others have discerned much valid typology in this subject matter. They have made beautiful comparisons between the Wilderness Tabernacle and Yeshua in the materials used for its construction, the furniture, and the rooms thereof. To fully comprehend these types however, it is important to understand why G-d used the Temple to prefigure the Messiah.

G-d's Temple in Jerusalem was not just a magnificent structure from Israel's ancient past, but the place where man could meet with his Creator. It highlights one of the most important concepts in Jewish belief: that man has the capacity to have a direct, fulfilling, and continuing relationship with the Almighty. It is said that each aspect of the Temple service was a note in a harmony of Divine orchestration­­the priests, the Levites, the participation of the Israelites, the pilgrimage of foreign nations, the sacrificial service, the incense offering, the showbread, the menorah kindling, and the songs of the Levitical choir.

The Temple service was meant to be an act of rectification for all humanity and the focal point for the prayers of mankind (Isaiah 56:7c). The Temple was said to be a microcosm where every strata of creation was uplifted and brought into a state of pristine harmony in the service of the Creator. Within the Temple, all forces united to acknowledge Him, who brought them all into being, as the only reality, the Supreme Force which drives the universe.

Psalm 30, which is called A Song for the Dedication of the House, was written by King David. Although King David died before the Temple of G-d was constructed, he ordered that this Psalm be sung by the Levites during the dedication ceremonies of Solomon's Temple. Tradition teaches that it was also sung during the dedication of the Second Temple and that its refrains will again be heard during the dedication of the Third Temple. While Psalm 30 is very beautiful, it never once mentions the Temple or even makes allusion to that physical structure. Rather, it contains the powerful secret of the Temple's role and function in the life of man: enabling him to repent and dedicate himself fully to G-d, elevating himself to holiness in order to focus his energies on G-d's service in every aspect of life.

The song of dedication (Psalm 30) is for man himself whose body is meant to be the home to a G-dly soul, a brick in the House of G-d. The Psalm incorporates all the experiences and emotions of mankind. It is meant to direct one's attention to the fact that G-d sends trials so that man will seek Him. It is taught that it is only through the Holy Temple and its services that man can recognize this and find G-d.

It was from this Temple that the knowledge of G-d spread out to the entire world. And it was from this Temple that the anointing from which all the prophecies recorded in the Tanakh (Old Testament) originated. The prophet Haggai under this anointing revealed that G-d would cause the Second Temple to be greater than the first:

"and I will fill this house with glory, says the L-rd of HostsThe glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former.and in this place I will give peace, says the L-rd of Hosts." (Haggai 2:7, 9)

Indeed, the sages of Israel testified that the Second Temple was a magnificent structure. But through the device of mutual illumination that can be seen in Biblical Typology, it is clear that G-d was speaking of the fact that His physical presence would glorify the Second Temple making it greater than the First.  

 It was in the Second Temple that G-d manifested Himself in the person of Yeshua the Messiah, who, being the Prince of Peace, obtained for mankind peace with G-d. It is through Yeshua that man meets his Creator (John 1:1-3) and can engage in an ongoing, fulfilling, personal relationship with the Almighty. He becomes a brick in the House of G-d, a living stone in His Temple:

"...you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to G-d through Jesus Christ." (1Peter 2:5)

Although the purpose of the Temple was judicially fulfilled in Yeshua's first advent, the literal redemption of all mankind and true peace in the world will be not be experienced until Yeshua returns as the conquering King. In fact, a literal Third Temple will be built to which, it is believed, the Messiah will come.

Haggai's prophecy, the sages believe, reveals that the Temple of G-d, the Third Temple, is the key to true peace. It is the reason they must rebuild; and the reason, they say, that the enemies of Israel will try to prevent it. For in the final battle against Jerusalem, the prophet Zechariah says that all nations will come to wage war against Jerusalem. But those who fights against Israel will find themselves fighting against G-d Himself:

"for he who touches you [Israel] touches the apple of His eye." (Zechariah 2:8)

G-d has decreed that He will again rule His people, not just spiritually in their hearts, but also in the literal land of Israel:

"And the L-rd will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem." (Zechariah 2:12)

"And it shall come to pass, in the latter days, that the mountain of the L-rd's house shall be established.and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the L-rd, to the house of the G-d of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the L-rd from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:2, 3)

 
 
 
 
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