The Tabernacle and the Temples of God given to us in scripture all are a type and shadow of many spiritual truths. Much can be learned from the study of these places, and it would be a study that could take years.
The imagery of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is very much a part of these places of sacrifice and worship. It would take pages and books to write all the things that are revealed to us by a study of the tabernacle and the temples of God. For the purpose of this entry, I would like to look at the reflection of the believer in Christ that can be found in the Temple. What is reflected about each of us by the temples of God?
Scripture tells us that we believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the temple of the living God (1 Cor. 6:19-20, 2 Cor. 6:16), because Christ dwells in us. This is not a temple made by human hands, but a temple built out of living stones, us, as we contain the presence of Jesus.
There are certain items that were given by King David and the people of Israel for the building of the Temple. If these items express a spiritual truth about us, we should look into it. The listing of materials is in 1 Chron. 29:1-2. When God was teaching Israel about the contents of His Temple, what wonderful things He was prophesying about us! These are the items listed to be used in the Temple:
Gold- pure, brilliant, precious, splendor in Hebrew.
As we contain Christ, we are to be pure in heart, and spirit, full of His glory and splendor.
"And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one."
Jn. 17:22
The brilliance of gold shines from us as we have been commanded to be the light of the world (Mt. 5:14).
Like gold, we have attained a precious faith through the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Pet. 1:1).
When we are tested by our Father, we are refined and come forth as pure gold (Job 23:10).
We are exhorted to be pure in thoughts, word, and deed, as we are pure n faith. The purer gold is, the more luster and value it has. When I lived in the beautiful state of Arizona, I had the opportunity to pan for gold. If you have ever panned for gold in a river or stream, you know that the luster, even from the smallest flake of gold, stands out in the pan taking your breath away. You know when you see it, that it is unmistakeably gold. As we reflect Christ in us, we walk in that beautiful luster. Imagine how that luster would stand out in a world of darkened understanding.
Silver- Unlike gold, silver is a white color. Silver was more often used for making coins through history. The Hebrew word for silver means "to long for, or to be longed for". It is a symbol of redemption. It is the money used to redeem something lost. We are to be spiritual silver. Instead of being something used for exchange in this world, we represent the fact that there was a cost to redeem us. We were bought with the price of Jesus' blood:
"For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" and "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men." (1 Cor. 6:20, 7:23)
Every time we shine as silver, we show how we long for the ways of God, and that He longs for us. Many traditional Jewish brides were and are adorned with silver, and Jesus tells the parable of a woman who loses a silver coin that was part of her bridal jewelry (Lk. 15:8-10), and how she rejoiced with all of her friends when she found it again. Jesus said this is the same with repentance in the Kingdom of God.
Bronze- In Hebrew, bronze has a meaning "to shine". Its root meaning deals with a bell, and ringing. Bronze is connected therefore, with a sound, and it is a sound that all humans recognize. The ringing sound of a bell, travels over long distances, and draws the attention of a community to listen. Its sounding has a significance, whether it be to call, to warn, to celebrate, to mourn, to alert to a time, and it is difficult to ignore (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpOQwvMY3wo). All believers should be a bell sounding in their communities. We should be sounding in the background of everyday life, calling, alerting, celebrating, warning, reminding of the time.
Iron- Iron refers to strength. Iron rubbed against iron sharpens. In this case, a believer's strength is not their own, but comes from the presence of the LORD as part of our life. He strengthens us to withstand and overcome. He strengthens us to endure. Iron combined with Him becomes steel in the furnace of testing. Iron is associated with warfare, and as all believers know, spiritual warfare is part of our calling. And our greatest spiritual weapon is our endurance. Our faith is of iron in strength, not because it is our faith, but because it is the faith of the Son of God (Gal. 2:20).
Believer it or not, the word "iron" in Hebrew also refers to the choicest of olive trees. Olive trees are not only valued for their abundant fruit, but for their valuable oil that comes forth in the press. Olive trees can endure, and live to very old age. They can withstand difficult conditions. As believers, we must have the same character as the olive tree, and produce the same abundant fruit and oil of anointing.
Wood- The source of wood is a tree: a Tree of Life, a tree of the Kingdom of God, a fruitful tree, a shade tree, an evergreen tree. Wood is used as a building material. Wood is used as fuel for fire. We are to fuel a spiritual fire that burns in the hearts of men, the salvation of God. A tree is also used as a place of death: a gallows, a crucifix. Our lives end at a tree, the cross, and begin at the same tree. It is death to our flesh, but life to our spirit. The root meaning of "wood" in Hebrew, is to shut, like a door, to make firm. In the Temple of the Holy Spirit, we are in the image of Christ, a door. Many will enter the Kingdom of God through us. Once entered, the door is shut to all of the tools, schemes and lies of the devil. The door is shut, even as the bridegroom and the bride celebrate their marriage together (Mt. 25:10). The door is the place where the lovers of Christ are identified. It is the place of separation between those who are known, and those who are not known (Lk. 13:25-27). The door is the place where Jesus first approaches a person's heart and knocks. We are to be that place in a person's life, where Jesus is able to knock for the first or last time.
Onyx Stones- Onyx is a stone that is named for a whitish color, and refers to being "blanched". Blanching is a process of whitening, even as our souls are whitened as we are purified and perfected. Onyx is unique also because of the striped effect that exists across the stone. All forms of this mineral, even though they may vary in color, have that striping effect to some degree. The stripes of Christ from His suffering have an effect upon us, not just on the surface, but a deep effect that scores to the inward part of us (Isa. 53:5, 1 Pet. 2:24, Prov. 20:30). We carry the effects of His stripes in our lives, to be clearly seen by others. His stripes identify us, even as onyx stones are identified by their striping.
Stones to be set- These stones are stones that are set in place. They refer to the installation of the order of the priesthood. They also refer to abundance. We, as stones to be set, do not go in and out of the temple. We are set in order, and remain to serve God. Those who remain and are steadfast are a firm and fixed supply to the temple. Many of us go in and out of the church we attend as if it is our choice where and how we serve and worship. God has fixed us, and we need to remain constant where He has set us. He has set us there for a reason. We will not be removed.
Glistening Stones of Various Colors- This is an amazing description of us. Stones of various colors woven together as a weaver, or embroiderer would use variegated threads to create a whole. These stones were used to decorate the walls and floors. They glistened and reflected light. We should be so closely woven together as believers that we do not know where one ends and another begins, working together to create a whole. The Body of Christ is described as being "knitted together". The weaving or knitting together is the same as God describes regarding the forming of the embryo in the womb. This whole reflects and glistens with light, made up of many different colors. How beautiful.
All Kinds of Precious Stones- Those who are the Temple of the Holy Spirit are precious and costly. It cost the blood of our Father's only begotten Son to redeem us. We are precious in His sight. These stones are splendid, costly, glorious in the eyes of our Father. He esteems us and holds us most dear (Ps. 72:14). The meaning also refers to one of a quiet spirit. The world clamors with discord, but the Temple of the Holy Spirit is a haven of peace, quiet before the LORD to hear His voice, and in worship, with the sound of musical harmony.
Marble Slabs in Abundance- Marble here is the word "alabaster". In the natural, marble is a white stone, highly polished and porous. It is smooth and cool to the touch. In believers, to be that smooth, white stone, is to be a cool refuge in times of fiery trial. The coolness comes from our faith. We absorb the faith of the Son of God through every pore of our spirit, as marble absorbs. We need to make sure, that as porous beings, we do not absorb the stains of this world. The artist, Michelangelo, would search the marbles of the quarry looking for a piece that was as purely white as possible. It was from such a piece of marble that he sculpted his beautiful "Pieta", Mary holding the crucified Christ across her lap (see link below). But the alabaster I think of was the alabaster used in worship. A certain woman, who was a sinner, in gratitude to Jesus, came to a house where He was dining. She approached Him, broke open an alabaster box, and anointed Him with precious oils (Mt. 26:7, Lk. 7:37). One account mentions spikenard as the precious oil contained by the alabaster box. Spikenard was the essence that was used at the Incense Altar of the Temple. It was known as "HaKetoret", The Incense. We are the alabaster that contains the precious, costly, anointing oil of the Holy Spirit. We are the perfume that rises to God through our prayers, and deep spiritual worship.
We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. We are the House of God. We are to reflect the qualities of the precious items mentioned above, used to build and beautify the Temple. We are the Living Stones that house the Presence of God.
Our Father fills the Temple.
"The Pieta"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkS96E7gfFI
"God is Here"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOUSbLehBhA
"Sanctuary"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOUSbLehBhA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxB9VH3cCN4
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