'Rightly Dividing the Word'
Jesus, the Temple of God
Phi 2:5-7 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Jesus was a man born of the virgin Mary. Within Him dwelt the Spirit is God thus making His physical human body the temple of God. After His death and resurrection, the physical bodies of Christians are temples of God.
I Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Furniture in the Temple
Outer Court
John 19:33 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
1. Brazen Altar
Our Lord Jesus crucified outside Jerusalem shed His blood, to provide His precious blood to the brazen altar for the cleansing of sins.
2. Bronze Laver
At His death, our Lord also pour out water along with His blood to provide pure water for the brazen laver for sanctification.
Heb 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
The Holy Place
3. Table of Shew Bread
John 6:51 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
The unleavened shewbread on the golden table was food for the priests. Jesus, the Bread of life became the unleavened shewbread.
4. Golden Lampstand
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
Jesus was the Anointed One or Christ, so He was the anointed oil used in the golden lampstand to produce light.
Bread and Light Revealed
John 14:15-17a "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth,"
When we keep His word (eat the Bread of life), then He will give us the Spirit of truth (oil of anointing), who will guide us into all truth (light)
John 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
5. Golden Altar of Incense
2 Cor 2:15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
Because our Lord willingly offered Himself as a living sacrifice to suffer and die for men, He was the sweet fragrant incense used in the golden altar of incense.
The Holy of Holies
6. The Ark of Covenant
Heb 9:4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;
Our Lord was of the order of the Melchizedek's Priesthood (budded rod of Aaron, the Priest), and the two tablets of the Ten commandments was fulfilled by Jesus being the Word made flesh. So Jesus fulfilled the items in the Ark of the Covenant.
7. Mercy Seat
Exo 26:34 You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy.
God was on the mercy seat in the Temple. Jesus' ministry on earth was filled with grace (mercy) and truth thereby fulfilling the mercy seat of God.
Psa 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.
At His death and resurrection, our Lord Jesus had completely fulfilled the requirements of the Temple of God by also becoming the perfect gift/offering for each furniture in the Temple.
