TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Part
I
Dedicating the Temple
The Church Concept of God
|
Part
III
(3) The Man with the Writer's Inkhorn
—The Second Assignment
(4) The Dedication of Ezekiel's
Temple
|
Part
II
(1) The Dedication of the
Tabernacle
—Bringing Home the Ark
(2) Solomon's Temple
—Dedicating the Temple
before It Was Finished |
Part
IV
(5) God's True Temple
—"Filled with Smoke from
the Glory of God"
—What Happens Next?
—What Does the Dedication
of the True Temple
Portend?
—Why Is the Dedication
of God's Temple
Important?
|
Part IV
(5) God’s True Temple
"Filled with Smoke from the Glory of God"
At last we come to our reading on the dedication of God’s true
Temple recorded in Revelation 15:8. It reads:
"And the
Temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his
power; and no man was able to enter into the Temple, till the seven plagues of the seven
angels were fulfilled."
Here we see the final dedication of the true
Temple of God, which
Temple ye are. The moment comes when "the temple of the tabernacle of the
testimony in heaven was opened" (Revelation 15:5).
That is a strange statement. The Temple was a permanent structure
whereas the Tabernacle was a temporary one. We know what the
Temple represents easily. But
what was the "tabernacle of the testimony" (or witness)?
Only the Two Tables
of Stone
were in the Ark of the
Covenant
in Solomon's Temple. |
When the Ark was brought into Solomon’s Temple, there was nothing in it save "two
tables of stone." In 1 Kings 8:9 we read:
"There was nothing in the
Ark save the two tables of stone, which
Moses put there at Horeb, when the
Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of
Egypt." |
What happened to the other three articles? Where were
"Aaron’s rod that budded" and the "golden pot of manna?" Also,
Moses added his closing words of the Law in Deuteronomy 31:24-26:
"And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this
law in a book, until they were finished,
"That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the
Ark of the Covenant of the
Lord, saying,
"Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the
Ark of the Covenant
of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee."
We know this latter witness would not be needed with regard to the
saints, as they shall have proved their love for God to the full. However, the other two
items will be in the true Temple of God. We read concerning the golden pot of manna:
"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna."
Revelation
2:17
This pictured immortal life that will be theirs. Also, after Korah,
Dathan, and Abiram rebelled and were destroyed, Moses did not want another rebellion. In
Numbers 17 he ordered all the leaders of each tribe to place the "rod" of each
tribe leader within the Ark. Aaron also placed his "rod" there. We read in
Numbers 17:8:
"And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the
Tabernacle of
witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth
buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds."
This was the third witness establishing who were the ordained and
chosen representatives of God. No one could gainsay this, ever. The Lord’s choice was
abundantly shown. It was a witness forever. So, we believe, this might indicate that the
"tabernacle of the testimony" or witness would include three immutable proofs.
Tablets of the Law |
(1) The Temple of the Lord will house the tables of God’s Law and show that the
Temple class fulfill the "righteousness of the Law … who walk not after the
flesh, but after the spirit" (Romans 8:4).
The Temple of God will embody the righteousness of God, but will become
the "righteousness of Jehovah."
|
Golden Pot of Manna |
(2) The Temple class will partake of the "Golden Pot of Manna" reserved for the overcomers.
The Priests of the Tabernacle were not permitted to eat that
"manna," but we shall.
|
Almond Branch |
(3) In 2 Timothy 2:19 we read: "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure,
having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his."
None may question the Lord’s choice. Just as Aaron, who was
God’s choice, needed additional confirmation, so the true temple class will have this
seal of God just as Aaron’s rod that budded.
When the "Temple of the
Tabernacle of the testimony in
heaven" is opened, then it will appear as to whom are identified as being a part of
this Temple class.
|
The true
Temple will thus have what Solomon’s never had.
Solomon’s Temple only had one witness, which was the "two tables" of the
Law. Whereas, the true Temple will have three witnesses or testimonies, the "two
tables of the Law," the "Golden Pot of manna" and "Aaron’s rod
that budded," or the seal that they are indeed God’s dwelling place forever.
This opening or revealment of the true
Temple class must be what Bro.
Russell suggested when he told us the "tares would be burned" when they
recognize who the true church class is.
What Happens Next?
The proceeding has been the build-up to the
biblical climax. What
follows is most important. We read in Revelation 15:6-8:
"And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed
in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
"And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials
[bowls]
full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
"And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his
power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven
angels were fulfilled."
Trying to grasp the scenario’s meaning we notice it is not
until the Temple in heaven was "opened" that then "seven angels" or
messages come out of the Temple "having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and
white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles."
That is a good starting place, but two things more are necessary
before the seven "plagues" can be poured out.
|
Living Creature
like a Lion
represents Justice |
(1)
"One of the four beasts [justice]" must give "seven golden vials [bowls]
full of the wrath of God" to these seven angels. They cannot deliver their plagues
without a bowl or means of communicating the plague.
(2) The
Temple must be dedicated and
"filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to
enter into the Temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled." |
What three conditions must be met before the plagues can be
poured out?
|
(1) What
are the Divinely supplied
"bowls" and when have they been provided?
(2) Has the true
Temple been dedicated, being
filled with God's glory?
(3) How can we explain that no
"man was able to enter into the temple" during its dedication? |
Could anyone become a part of the
Church class after
the first plague was poured out? No! Those who believe the "plagues" have been
poured out simultaneously with the Harvest need to explain how they were able to enter
this Temple. No man is supposed to enter the
Temple until the plagues are
"fulfilled."
Somehow these three conditions must be factored into the equation
in order to give a close fit to the Scripture to make it all harmonize. Only a token
delivery of the plagues could be possible in the Harvest.
What Does the Dedication
of the True Temple Portend?
The purpose of this study is not to get into the pouring out of the
"seven last plagues," but to deal with all the scriptural prerequisites before
this can happen. The scriptures are very plain that the seven last "plagues" are
not poured out until after the "Temple was filled with smoke from the glory of
God."
Just as Solomon’s Temple was dedicated before it was completed in
the full sense of the word, so the true Temple may be dedicated and
"filled with
smoke from the glory of God" while some members remain this side of the veil.
 |
"And
I heard a great voice out of the Temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour
out the vials [bowls] of the wrath of God upon the earth." Revelation 16:1
Now they were given the bowls only shortly before the
"Temple" is filled with God’s glory. Our verse just quoted from Revelation
16:1 indicates they are commissioned to "pour out their bowls" which had just
been provided. |
In other words, we do not see a long time lapse between the time the
"angels" are given their "vials" or bowls and the dedication of the
true Temple. Nor do we see a long time lapse after the true
Temple is "filled with
smoke from the glory of God" until they are commissioned to go forth and deliver
God’s judgments primarily upon the Christian world.
Why Is the Dedication
of God’s True Temple Important?
Sometimes we read of these great events with only a passive
interest, thinking, yes, it is wonderful that God dedicated his
Tabernacle and Temples
before he allowed them to enter into service. However, we see the Lord has gone through a
lot of pages of His Word dwelling on these matters, with a lot of careful detail to convey
certain lessons to us.
The
Tabernacle was several months in making, but it was put together
and dedicated in one day. None of the blessings of that
Tabernacle arrangement were
available to anyone until the dedication was complete.
God is not remiss about manifesting his glory when the time comes for
His edifices to be instruments of blessing. We have spent long hours trying to understand
the Tabernacle and its services, but sometimes forget that the
Tabernacle would not be the
same were it not for the fact that it was filled with God’s glory. When that
happened, then we are certain that this was not some imagined structure that Moses made.
God gave Moses instructions in the Mount, and finally when it was made
and put together we have absolute proof that this whole arrangement was blessed by God
because God’s glory rested upon it. Even more than this, from that day forward all
the children of Israel saw the "cloud" over the
Tabernacle by day and the
"pillar of fire" by night.
This was a phenomenon that could not happen except by God’s power
and glory, and the people witnessed this. There is no possible chance of this being a
fairy tale.
The City of Babylon represents Christendom
Coals of Fire represent God's Judgments
which will destroy Christendom after the Bride of Christ, the Temple Class,
is Glorified. |
The man with the "writer’s inkhorn" marked those who sighed and cried for
the abominations done in the city.
The house of the Lord was not "filled with glory" while the
marking with the inkhorn progressed.
It was not until that work was completed that he received his second
assignment of scattering "coals of fire over the city"—then the house was
filled with "glory."
|
God’s true
Temple is also "filled with glory," but
not until the "seven angels" are given seven "golden vials [bowls]" to
pour out the "wrath of God." Before the "plagues" could be poured out
they had to wait for the glory of the Lord to "fill the
Temple." Then from the
Temple "filled" with God’s glory the "seven angels" proceed to
pour out their "vials [bowls]."
Here in a nutshell is our review of our lesson today. In the world of
politics they say, "The Devil is in the details." However, in God’s Word we
find that the Devil tries to get us to avoid sweating the details.
