Posted by Elana Janson on October 26, 2014 at 01:58:01:
The understanding of the word “temple” and the construction of the “New Jerusalem” in Revelation in 2014 was already apparent in the words that Paul wrote to the Ephesians in AD 60.
In my previous post I said that I thought that I had said what I could say about the book Revelation because I have so often repeated myself on this Forum. But no, again the Spirit opens my eyes to the living words of Scripture.
Take a close look at Rev 21:10-27
King James Version (KJV)
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain,
and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
This section is in two parts: verses 10-21: The structure that has symbolic meaning and then 22-27: those that shall dwell therein.
This is such a profound image of life after death and one might feel that no more need to be said. Because I believe I understand its symbolism and how it is the culmination of what is said in Scripture take a moment to look at the words used in Revelation and what Paul wrote to the Ephesians.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians
Ephesians 2:18-22
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:18
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Those that have studied this website will know that the whole development of the Christian Church in the past two thousand years is referred to as the “temple” (Rev 11:1 “measure the temple of God”) in Revelation. On earth through our Christian faith we have (as Paul says) access “by one Spirit unto the Father”. Revelation confirms this through Rev 21:22 “’And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” The “temple” refers to the Church on earth and in life after death God and the Lamb (Christ) are there.
Ephesians 2:19
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
The whole image of Rev 21:12-13 reveals that the gates of the New Jerusalem are open to the North, South, East and West of the entire earth.
Rev 21:12-13 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Ephesians 2:20
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
See how Revelation confirms these words
Rev 21:14
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Ephesians 2:21
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
St Paul uses the same image of a “temple” building that is later given by God, the Father in c AD92 to John on Patmos that we today through the understanding of Revelation can know is the image of the growth of the Christian Church over two thousand years. Amazing!
Ephesians 2:22
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
What Paul says here in one verse is actually the basic understanding of Revelation. Revelation reveals in its symbolism how through the complicated history of the past two thousand years of the development of the Christian Church and the spread of the faith to the entire world – each Christian and each Christian community in history and to-day is “builded together”. Their faith on earth ultimately makes them part of the New Jerusalem. This is the meaning that lies within the symbolic structure in the New Jerusalem in
Revelation, chapter 21.
“For an habitation of God through the Spirit.”
The ultimate habitation of God with Christians of all nations is revealed in Revelation 21:22-27.
A holy temple
With the knowledge of Revelation the words of Paul reveal the power and continuity of the Spirit of God from the first century AD right up to the understanding of the Revelation of Jesus Christ in 2014. Through the word “temple” and words of Revelation (that are also found in the words of the construction of the tabernacle and the first temple of Solomon in the Old Testament) also the power of the Spirit of God in the hearts and minds of all believers from the earliest times of the Bible.