I don't often copy and paste articles on my blog, but I found this article online and knew that to
alter it in any major way would be a disservice, so I have copied it to my blog in an
effort to share this well thought out description of “The Temple Symbolism in
Genesis.” I hope you enjoy the
article. I have posted links to the
original article at the bottom.
The temple was a physical replica of God’s
heavenly abode. When Moses was first ordered to construct a temple, he was told
to make it portable — it was a tent, or tabernacle.
“Let them make me a sanctuary: that I may
dwell among them. According to all that I show you, after the pattern of the
tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall you
make it.” Exodus 25:8–9
In the Book of Hebrews we are told that the
tabernacle, and all its services, were “...patterns of things in the heavens...”
(Hebrews 9:23). The physical objects associated with the earthly sanctuary were
“...figures of the true...” (Hebrews 9:24) — the “...shadow of heavenly things...” (Hebrews 8:5). Each physical item had its spiritual counterpart in heaven. So, as long
as there was a tabernacle or temple on earth, there was a material reflection
of God’s heavenly palace for mankind to see. The temple represented God’s home
on earth. Of course, God does not literally dwell in temples made with hands
(Acts 17:24), and though the temple at Jerusalem was a true image of the
heavenly, in Hebrews it is made abundantly clear that the earthly sanctuary of
God is “...not the very image of the [heavenly] things...” (Hebrews 10:1). It was
only “...figures of the true...” (Hebrews 9:24).
If we wish to know what God’s heavenly
abode is really like, then we must understand the significance of the three
general compartments in the earthly sanctuary, the furniture, and the persons
(the priests) who served within the holy areas. All these physical things
typify spiritual counterparts in heaven. The heavenly dwelling place is where
God is at the present.
In the Book of Revelation, which depicts a
period of time yet future to us, John is transported by the Spirit into heaven
(Revelation 4:2). While there, he saw a throne with God seated on it. Around
the throne were 24 elders and four living creatures (Cherubim). Before the
throne was a seven branched lampstand and a sea of glass. The heavenly beings
gave glory and honor to the Father who sat on the throne (Revelation 4:2–11).
Inside this heavenly temple — the inner temple — John also saw individuals
worshipping God who no longer needed the sun for light (Revelation 7:16). In
the inner temple he witnessed the true “...ark of his testament...” (Revelation 11:19) and received the promise of manna (Revelation 2:17). And finally, the inner sanctum
contained “...the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”
(Revelation 2:7).
Outside the Holy of Holies and just to the
East of it was the general Holy Place. In it John saw a golden altar with
incense and a censor associated with it (Revelation 8:3). Located in front of
this incense altar, outside the Holy Place, was another altar under which were
the “...souls of them that were slain for the word of God...” (Revelation 6:9).
Everyone of these heavenly features was
represented in typical form by the physical sanctuary on earth. The complete
and permanent temple was that of Solomon which he built in Jerusalem. It had
all the heavenly factors exhibited. The celestial throne of God was portrayed
by the mercy seat located in the Holy of Holies.
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to
enter into the holiest [the Holy of Holies] by the blood of Jesus... through the
veil...” (Hebrews 10:19–20)
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy...” (Hebrews 4:16)
The throne of God is one of mercy. Also
within the holiest area of Solomon’s temple was “...the golden pot of manna...”
(Hebrews 9:4). Those who will eat of this manna “...shall serve him day and night
in his [inner] temple [the Holy of Holies]... they shall hunger no more,
neither thirst any more...” (Revelation 7:15–16).
The Ark of the Covenant
Alongside this pot of manna was the “...ark of
the testament...” (Hebrews 9:4). In the earthly tabernacle of Moses and the temple
of Solomon the slabs of stone on which were inscribed the Ten Commandments were
placed within this ark, a box-like structure supported by two horizontal poles
that enabled it to be carried. These stones were called the “...tables of the
covenant...” (Hebrews 9:4). These physical stones with their laws were meant only
for Israel under the Old Covenant. Spirit beings do not need these Old Covenant
physical regulations, so the ark of the testament in heaven does not have
within it the two tables of stone or the extra scrolls positioned in its
sleeves (Exodus 40:20; Deuteronomy 31:26).
Only the ark itself is in heaven. It
represents the external witness that God has the power to make any necessary
laws for the supervision of the universe. The ark could figuratively contain
different laws for the administration of the various phases of divine
government that God imposes on His creatures. Thus, the tables of stone which
originated from the granite outcroppings at Mt. Sinai were never positioned in
the heavenly ark. They were carved out of Sinai and only placed in the
tabernacle in the time of Moses.
The Holy of Holies
But what else was located in the Holy of
Holies? In heaven there were twenty-four elders. On earth these were typified
by the twenty-four priestly courses (each headed by a chief priest) who
performed the regular daily services in the temple on a rotation basis (2 Chronicles 24:1–19). The father of John the Baptist was portraying the role of
one of these heavenly elders when he administered in the eighth course of the
twenty-four orders (Luke 1:5, 8).
There were also the Cherubim in the
heavenly temple. Statues were made of them and placed near the mercy seat in
the earthly temple. Also within the Holy of Holies was “...Aaron’s rod that
budded...” (Hebrews 9:4). This staff was made from a limb of an almond tree
(Numbers 17:8). The almond is the earliest of the springtime trees to blossom
in the Holy Land. It represents new life — the first new life of every new
year. This rod made from an almond tree was typical of the tree of life located
in the Garden of Eden.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise [park or garden] of God.” (Revelation 2:7)
With this reference to the tree of life, we
are ready to investigate the theme of this Exposition: “The Temple Symbolism in
Genesis.” The events associated with the story of Adam and Eve, the Garden of
Eden, Cain and Abel, the land of Nod, etc., will take on normal temple features
which anyone in the time of Moses would have recognized. Even in the New
Testament the scenes within the Garden of Eden were reflections of things in
God’s heavenly temple. John told the Ephesian church that they could have a
right to partake of “...the tree of life...” located in God’s paradise in heaven
(Revelation 2:7). There was once an actual “tree of life” in the Garden of
Eden.
If all the symbolic features have literal
counterparts (which they do) then this “tree of life” could have been
represented by a real almond tree growing in the Garden of Eden. But there was
also another tree in the Garden called “...the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil...” (Genesis 2:17). Our first parents were allowed, at the beginning, to eat
of any tree of the Garden. Only the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was off-limits to them. If it's possible that the tree of life was the almond tree,
what was this latter tree? The identification may also be given in the Bible.
We will show this in due course.
The Plan of the Temple
It is necessary to recognize the basic
patterns of the temple before one can grasp what happened (in a symbolic way)
with the story of Adam and Eve. The temple had three compartments with major
pieces of furniture located within each of them.
Note that the entrance into the temple was
from the East. Only Israelites were permitted to pass the eastern gate and
enter the court of Israel. On the West side of this court, and just before the
entrance into the Holy Place, was the “altar of burnt offering.” This was the
altar on which animals were sacrificed. Into the next compartment (the Holy
Place) only the priests could enter — they also entered from the East. And into
the third room (the Holy of Holies) only the High Priest could go on the Day of
Atonement — again he could only enter it from the East. I am emphasizing that
the entrance to all compartments was from the East. There is an important
reason for this that I will explain in a moment.
The Temple and the Garden of Eden
When Adam and Eve were put into the Garden
they were in a state of moral and spiritual perfection. As a result they were
able to observe God in a visible sense and even talk with Him at particular
times of the day. Only after they sinned was this privilege taken away. This
occurred when they were cast out from the Garden.
Before they sinned, however, they were in a
very privileged state. Of all the multitudes of spiritual beings in the
universe, how many of them are able to have such a close and daily contact with
the Creator God? Just very few — probably those associated with the throne
itself such as the Cherubim and the twenty-four elders. But in the Garden were
two human beings in the closest of association with God Himself. It must have
been like a heaven on earth! And indeed, that’s just what it was, in a symbolic
way. It was as if God’s celestial palace temporarily had come to earth. Even
the Garden, the Cherubim of the Garden, the altar built by Cain and Abel, the
land of Eden, and the land of Nod are all connected with the temple symbolism
and are direct images of God’s heavenly abode. And for the brief period of time
before the sin of Adam and Eve, "heaven” was really here on earth.
In the Garden our first parents were able
to talk face to face with God. But note an important point. They only had
conversations with Him at certain times of the day. They did not see Him on all
occasions. It was “...in the cool of the day...” that they came into “...the presence of
the Lord God...” (Genesis 3:8). The expressions “cool of the day” and “the presence of
the Lord God” were a part of temple language. “The cool of the day” was the period
when the Sun got lower in the sky and the cool sea breezes normally swept over
the Palestinian region. This was the time of the evening sacrifice (1 Kings 18:36; Daniel 9:21) — about three in the afternoon. This was the time when the
animals were being regularly sacrificed (and also in the morning about nine
o’clock). At these times the people were then reckoned as being in the
presence of God.
Finally, Adam and Eve sinned. They ate of the
tree of which they were forbidden. This tree, like the tree of life, was also
in the middle of the Garden. But with their partaking of it, God was angry and
sent them out of the Garden. Never again could they enter the Garden in this
life.
“And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is
become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his
hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from
the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the
east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every
way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22–24)
This episode has some very significant features
associated with it. Observe they were expelled East of the Garden. Cherubim
(angelic beings — later connected with temple symbolism) were also stationed at
the East gate to the Garden with a flaming sword to prevent Adam and Eve from
re-entering. When this happened, the
tree of life became off-limits to them. Their face-to-face contact with God
came to an end. The Cherubim guarded the East entrance (the only gate) into the
Garden and forbade anyone to enter. We will see in a moment that these features
represent precise arrangements found in the later tabernacle and temple.
Cain and Abel
Our first parents were cast out of the
Garden — never to re-enter in this life. They still remained, however, in the
territory of Eden. It is important to note that the “Garden” and the country of
“Eden” were not synonymous. The Garden was in Eden, but the Garden did not
represent all of Eden. Adam
and Eve were simply expelled from the Garden that was in the land of Eden. They were still able to
live in other regions of Eden.
Adam and Eve then had children. The first
of which we have record were Cain and Abel. Cain became a tiller of the ground
— he raised fruits and vegetables. Abel was a sheepherder (Genesis 4:2).
“And in process of time it came to pass,
that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings
of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to
his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain
was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
And the Lord said unto Cain, ‘Why art thou wroth? and why is thy
countenance fallen? If thou doest well,
shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.
And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.’ And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it
came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his
brother, and slew him.” (Genesis 4:3–8)
There are three major points to consider in
this narrative. First, both men decided to bring offerings at a set time of the
year — on a particular day. The phrase “in process of time,” in Hebrew, means
“at the end of days.” It often signified the end of the agricultural (or civil)
year and was near the beginning of Autumn. Recall that the
Israelites were required to appear three times in the year at the temple
(Exodus 23:14–17). One of these occasions was “...at the end of the year...” (verse
16). This was the season of Tabernacles. Cain brought token offerings of his
crops “at the end of days.” This shows the brothers must have appeared before
God at a precise time near the Autumn of the year. This means they must have
been told by God when to bring them.
Second, they also must have been told where
to bring them because they “brought” their offerings to one altar.
Third, they were no doubt told what to
bring. God would hardly have been angry with Cain unless he brought offerings
not sanctioned by God.
This is similar to what happened with the
later Israelites in regard to the temple. They were told when, where, and what
to bring to the temple. All sacrificial offerings could only be presented at
the sanctuary. Under no circumstances was any other location allowed
(Deuteronomy 16:5-16). With Cain and Abel, the same factors are in
evidence. Back at that time, they went to the area where they knew God had been
dwelling — He was a resident of the Garden. They built their altar as close to
God as possible near the East entrance (the gate or door) to the Garden.
When the proper time came they both offered
their gifts, waving them in sacrificial praise to God whom they believed to be
in the Garden. God then issued His approval of Abel's offering, but He was
displeased with Cain’s offering. The older brother no doubt had been told to
bring a lamb or goat, but Cain offered fruit and vegetables. God was not
pleased and Cain’s countenance fell. God then answered:
"...Why art thou
wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
If thou doest well [in the future and bring the proper sacrifice], shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not
well, sin [a sin offering] lieth at the door..." (Genesis 4:6–7)
Many people for generations have stumbled
over the meaning of this verse. Yet it is quite clear what is meant if one
understands that temple language is being used. God was really being merciful
to Cain. The mercy was this: If Cain would repent and still bring the proper
offering, “if you do well”, then he would be accepted; but if he did not do
so, then “sin [a sin offering] lies at the door.” This “sin” was a
sin-offering. God said that He would provide a sin-offering which would lie “at
the door.” What was this door?
The Gate of the Garden, the Door of the
Temple
The matter becomes understandable once this
“door” is identified. The word in Hebrew is {pehthagh" and refers in other parts
of the Old Testament to the entrance of any tent (Genesis 18:1), but more
particularly to the “...door of the tabernacle...” (Exodus 29:4), or the “...door of the
temple...” (Ezekiel 8:7, 16), or “...the door of the east gate of the Lord’s house...”
(Ezekiel 10:19).
In the case of Cain and Abel, they
constructed their altar at the East gate of the Garden just in front of the
Cherubim which guarded its entrance (Genesis 3:24). God was indicating to Cain
that he still had a chance to obtain a proper offering and offer it. Cain, on
the other hand, was a tiller of the ground. He had no lamb to give unless he
got one from his brother. God understood the problem, so He added further: “if
you do not well” (even if Cain was unable to obtain the proper animal
sacrifice) God would have a sin-offering to lie “at the door” of the Garden
where the altar was located.
The next phrase has been an enigma to many.
“...and unto you shall be his desire, and you shall rule over him.” This
expression is explained in Genesis 3:16. Like a wife desired her husband and
like a husband ruled his wife in Old Testament times (Genesis 3:16), so Cain
would have a sin-offering provided for him that would allow him to rule over
“sin.” It simply meant that Cain would gain mastery over sin — over his
mistakes — by an offering provided by God. (Genesis 4:7). This was a noble
gesture of grace on God’s part. Yet in spite of this act of mercy, Cain did not
obtain the proper animal, nor did he accept God’s grace of supplying a
sin-offering for him to master sin. He responded with something very bad and in
no way in accordance with the divine command. He offered up his own brother.
“And Cain talked with Abel” (Genesis 4:8).
They got into an argument. “...Cain rose up against
Abel his brother, and slew him.” (Genesis 4:8). This murder took place in the
field. God then reprimanded Cain. “What have you done? the voice of your
brother’s blood cries unto me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10). In later times
it was recognized that the murder of Abel was a sacrifice of one of God’s saints.
Such sacrifices symbolically took place on the altar of God. Jesus said: “That upon you [Pharisees] may come all the
righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the
blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom you slew between the [inner] temple
and the altar.” (Matthew 23:35)
In Revelation the blood of righteous saints
was also reckoned as flowing from the altar from whence they were figuratively
sacrificed: “...I saw under the altar the souls of them
that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and
they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, do you
not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?’” (Revelation 6:9–10)
This is very similar to what God said about
Abel. “...The voice of thy brother’s blood cries unto me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10). Clearly, a New Testament connection was made between Abel and the
end-time martyrs mentioned in Revelation. Like Abel, their blood was dripping
down from their sacrificed bodies into the pool located under the altar. This
receptacle for blood was supposed to be for that of animals, but in the case of
righteous Abel (and all the other martyred saints), their deaths were considered
human sacrifices — killed on the altar of God. Abel’s murder was too much for
God to take:
“Now are you [Cain] cursed from the earth,
which has opened her mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand ... a
fugitive and a vagabond shall you be in the earth.” (Genesis 4:11–12)
Whereas Cain had worked in the same area of
Eden with his brother and parents, he was now to be sent away from the land. He
was to be a wanderer — one without a fixed abode. He was to live at a distance
from God, even “out of His sight.” Cain considered this almost too much to
carry.
“...My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Behold, you have driven me out from the face of the earth [the land where Cain
lived]; and from your face shall I be hid...” (Genesis 4:13–14)
Cain’s punishment involved him being
“driven out” from the land he formerly tilled, and away from the “face” of God.
“And Cain went out from the presence of the
Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod [Wandering], on the east side of Eden.” (Genesis 4:16)
What marvelous teaching is found in this
latter scripture once it is understood that temple language was being used by
Moses. Note that Cain was sent OUT OF EDEN. He went East of Eden. And by
leaving Eden, he “went out from the presence of the Lord.” Now look at the second
diagram. It will be similar to the
outline of the temple which we gave earlier, but this time we will involve the
story of Adam and Eve, the Garden, the Cherubim with the flaming sword, the
altar of Cain and Abel, the land of Eden, and the land of Nod [Wandering]. It
has excellent teaching.
The Tabernacle of Moses
The whole story revolves around the later
design of the tabernacle of Moses — and the temple of Solomon. The Garden in
which Adam and Eve were first placed was later represented by the Holy Place
into which only priests could enter. When Solomon built the temple at Jerusalem
he decorated the outside and inside walls of the Holy Place in a way that made
it look like a garden.
“He carved all the walls of the house round
about with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, within
[on the inside walls] and without [on the outside walls].” (1 Kings 6:29)
Israelites came into the court of the
temple and looked westward beyond the altar of burnt offerings towards the Holy
Place, it looked like a garden protected by Cherubim. This exactly depicts the
Garden in Eden.
When Adam and Eve were at first in the Garden,
they could talk with God at certain times. He was “...among the trees...” (Genesis 3:8). The two important trees (the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil) were located “...in the midst of the Garden...” (Genesis 2:9). And
in the Holy of Holies (in the “middle” of the temple), was placed Aaron’s rod
that budded and produced almonds. This rod was not attached to the earth; it
needed no water or nutrients to cause it to grow. It represented life coming
from a supernatural source. It was a fit description of the tree of life. The
tree of life was no doubt symbolized by the almond tree.
But there were many kinds of trees in the
Garden (Genesis 2:9; Ezekiel 31:9). But the main type that Solomon most
associated with the Garden was the palm — the date palm (1 Kings 6:29). In
fact, in Solomon’s temple only the date palm figured prominently. This was also
the case with Ezekiel in his future temple. So, alongside the main almond tree,
it could well be that a date palm represented the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil. Eve “...saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to
the eyes...” (Genesis 3:6). This could well describe the dates that grow in
clusters near the top of the palm tree.
Maybe it was or maybe not, but within the
future temple as described by Ezekiel there are representations of Cherubim and
palm trees directly inside the Holy of Holies (Ezekiel 41:18–20, 25–26). This
could show that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, in the midst of the
Garden alongside the tree of life (the almond) was the date palm. Of course, there is nothing wrong with date palms or
the dates they produce, but if God said not to eat from a tree of the Garden
(be it any type of tree), it became bad — not for the tree — but for any who
would partake of it. This is the essence of the narrative.
Further Temple Teaching
Cain was sent into the land of Nod, East of
Eden, away from the presence of God. He became cut off from the Eternal. God
then gave him a “mark” to show that Cain was not completely forgotten and that
a measure of protection would be afforded him and his descendants. Cain became
a representative of all Gentiles. They were reckoned as being in Nod (wandering
— without a fixed spiritual home). And while they could approach the East
entrance to Eden, they could not go in. A barrier was placed around Eden. The
altar which Cain and Abel constructed in the area of Eden near the East gate
(door) of the Garden was out of bounds to those who lived in Nod.
This condition existed throughout the
antediluvian period. But with the great flood of Noah, everything was destroyed
— the Garden, the altar, the barriers, etc. When Noah and his children began to
repopulate the earth, none of these former things were retained — except in the
memory of man, and only in symbol. In the time of Moses, however, God selected
the Israelites to be His nation — in favored status to Him. Moses was ordered
to build a tabernacle which resembled the condition that existed in the
pre-flood age. Outside the tabernacle was represented the land of Nod. The
court on the inside of the tabernacle (the court of Israel) was Eden. The Holy
Place was the Garden. The Holy of Holies was the center of the Garden. The
tabernacle not only represented Eden and the Garden, but it was also a physical
type of God’s heavenly abode.
The Israelites were reckoned as being in
Eden like Adam and Eve were. However, even the privileged nation could only go
to the East entrance to the Holy Place — which represented the Garden. Into the
Holy Place (the Garden) only the Aaronic priests could go at the time of the
morning and evening (the cool of the day) sacrifices. And even the priests were
barred from entering “the midst of the Garden” — the Holy of Holies. They were
only able to get close to the curtain that separated the outer Garden from its
midst.
Only once in the year was anyone allowed to
enter the Holy of Holies. On the Day of Atonement the High Priest, after many
ceremonies of purification, and after he clouded the entire inner chamber with
incense so that the mercy seat would be hidden from view, was able to push the
curtain aside and briefly step into the inner sanctum. After he did his
required duties, the curtain came down once again, and the Holy of Holies (the
midst of the Garden) became closed for another year. This showed that while the
tabernacle stood, God still reckoned barriers between Himself and mankind.
While Adam and Eve before they sinned were
able to witness God’s presence, their sins caused them to be sent from the
Garden (the Holy Place). Cain and his descendants were sent further East — they
were expelled from Eden and went to Nod. But when the Flood came the Garden,
the altar, Eden, etc. all disappeared from earth. Mankind now found itself
without any physical area on earth in which God dwelt. That’s why the early
descendants of Noah wanted to build a tower “to reach to heaven” (Genesis
11:1–9). They wanted to reach God, to have access to His heavenly presence. But
God would not allow it. He had been angry with man for his ways, so He changed
their languages and scattered them into all the earth. He sent all mankind into
a condition of “Nod.”
Finally, God selected Abraham to be the
father of a nation which would be responsible for leading man (in a
step-by-step way) back to God. By the time of Moses, the Abrahamic family had
now reached nationhood. Moses built the tabernacle, and Israel was brought back
into Eden once again. A middle wall of partition was erected, however, that
kept all Gentiles out. God even put restrictions on Israel. Even they were told
to stay out of the Holy Place (representing the Garden). The Aaronic priests
were allowed to go in. But no one was permitted in the Holy of Holies except
the High Priest on the Day of Atonement — and even then he (the holiest man on
earth, symbolically) was not allowed to see the mercy seat. All of this shows
that God still had several barriers which kept many sections of mankind away
from an intimate association with Him.
The Revelation of “the Mystery”
Through Christ (who was the sin-offering
that God first told Cain about, which God would place on the altar at the door
of the Garden by grace) through that offering the whole barrier system was to
be abolished. Instead of a step-by-step expelling of man eastward into relative
oblivion (as happened with Adam, Eve, Cain, the antediluvian world, and those
at the tower of Babel), all the barriers to God as shown by the temple (and the
Garden) were to be removed in Christ. Paul said, “...the middle wall of partition...”
has now been broken down (Ephesians 2:14). This means that the Gentiles (like
Cain) who were in a state of wandering and without any fixed spiritual home,
can come into the court of Israel where the altar is located. This got them
back to Eden. But there is more than simply getting access to the holy altar.
Once the “sin-offering at the door” is
accepted they can join hands with Israelites (with both peoples now called “the
new man” — not Israelite or Gentile), and both walk up the fifteen steps into
the Holy Place. The Cherubim no longer will keep them out with their flaming
sword. They are now back in the Garden from whence our first parents were expelled.
But that is not the end. When Christ died on the cross, the curtain in the
temple that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. "the midst of the
Garden,” was supernaturally torn in two from the top down (Matthew 27:50–51).
In Hebrews we are told that the destruction of this final barrier now gives us
“...boldness to enter into the holiest [the Holy of Holies] by the blood of Christ
... through the veil...” (Hebrews 10:19–20).
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
What glorious teaching! All the obstacles
that God set up in a progressive sense to alienate Himself from man (in a spiritual
way) from the time of Adam and Eve onward, He has systematically abolished
through the work of Christ Jesus.
“Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,
even the law of commandments contained in ordinances [decrees of separation];
for to make in himself of two one new man, so making peace;” (Ephesians 2:15)
All the commandments and decrees which God
formerly ordained to separate Himself from various peoples, have been removed
in Christ. Adam and Eve, Abel and Cain, Israelite and Gentile, you and I, are
now back “in the Garden” — and now in the very midst of it. We do not even have
to wait for “the cool of the day” to come into contact with our Father. We now
have a constant presence — in a spiritual sense. And the day is soon coming
when we ourselves will be spirit beings (1 Corinthians 15:42–55).
When that day arrives, we will not only be
able to talk with God face to face as did our first parents, but “...we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2). As God is Spirit, so
will we be. We will then be “as he is” — as His own Spirit-born children. This
is far more glorious than it was with our first parents. Indeed, reaching this
position is the very purpose for living. Our experience with sin, with an
alienation from God, with suffering, will help us for all eternity to love God
our Father in a much greater way than our first parents were able to
experience. What a glorious future awaits mankind through Christ.
The Holy of Holies is now open to all
people on earth without social, racial, or outward religious distinction. It is
Christ who has redeemed Adam and his family to Himself. Christ’s death on the
cross and His resurrection from the dead are mankind’s guarantee of a certain
salvation. It comes to us by God’s grace, not man’s works. One day all humanity
will understand this truth.
Source:
The Temple Symbolism in Genesis, Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D, 1977, Edited and expanded by David Sielaff, March 2004
If you like this article, or any of the other information on this web site, please consider following me. You'll be one of the first to be notified when I create new content! You'll find the section at the top of the right hand column on this page. It says, "Follow Tribulation Harvest by Email." After entering your email address, you may be prompted to sign in to your Google account. Thank you!!!
Repent and be forgiven! Believe and be saved!
TribulationHarvest.net
