Old Testament Temple

 Last Sunday we had the opportunity to go to a Seventh Day Adventist's Church in the afternoon because they were doing something they called Messiah's Mansion.  It basically was a recreation of the temple of the Old Testament.  Dave Butler recommended it on Instagram so I made an appointment and took my family.  It ended up being pretty cool.  They had members of their church teaching about the Old Testament temple.  And while I don't think they understand everything that we understand as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they knew the Bible well and did a beautiful job explaining the symbols of the Old Testament sanctuary/temple.  I tried to take notes on as much as I could.  My notes are a bit rough, but should help me remember in the future what I learned.

God has plan to help us return to God

Choose ye this day…Joshua

Isaiah 1:18

The temple consisted of three areas:

Outer court

Holy place

Holy of Holies

At-one-ment with God

Psalm 119:2

God’s word can be trusted

Moses erects tabernacle …6 months to build.  Lasted 487 years.  David talks to Nathan the prophet…wants to build temple but God says no because he is warlike. His son Solomon will build a temple.

Solomon builds temple.  45 feet tall.

Daniel 1 Nebuccadnezzar destroys city.  Takes Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego into captivity 70 years of captivity

Christ comes.  Visits temple in Jerusalem (city of peace)

We must invite Christ in

Galatians 5:16-17

Courtyard symbolizes Earth.  Brass mirror laver.  (Somehow I cut off the top half of the mirror laver...terrible photo!)   Altar of burnt sacrifice 

Temple helps us under plan of salvation 

Offered sacrifice at 9 am.  You come to temple, to gate, (red symbolizes…blood, blue…obedience, and white purity.  Purple …royalty). and enter courtyard.  

The law of God is His character. If you take away law, there’s chaos.  No peace or joy.  

1 Peter. ..holy nation, peculiar people 

Lamb inspected.  Enter on north side.  Confess sin to the lamb.  Cuts lambs throat…catches bloood and pours on 4 corners of altar The sinner takes knife and cuts dead lamb open.  Fat represents sin so is cut out and put on altar and burned.

Ashes represent sin being destroyed 

Lamb taken outside of camp and burned

Christ baptized.  Mirror laver symbolizes baptism.  The laver was made of mirrors from the women who served at the temple (Exodus 38:8 NIV)

Garden of Gethsemane…

John 3:16

Christ crucified at 9 am.  3 pm, he dies.

We must be ready when Christ comes.

Stuart:

Gold represents all Christ does for us in heaven.

Moses was given pattern for sanctuary 

Holy place…

Table of shewbread.  2 stacks of 6 loaves. Represent 12 tribes.  On table that looks like crowns.

Altar of incense…prayers of Saints ascend to heaven 

Blood put on 4 horns.  Recording sins.

Sprinkle sins 7 times.

Book of life…record of sins and deeds

Lamps trimmed every day by priests.

When light shine in it would look like a rainbow.

Bread of life.  Light of world.  High priest of good things to come. All symbolized in holy place.

Jesus prays for us.  

2 crowns representing 2 kings…Christ and Father.

Adversary said he would sit on throne of God and have His glory.

7 churches in Revelation…7 lights in candelabra 

Man cannot survive by bread alone but by every word that proceed out of mouth of God.  (Table of shewbread)

Incense…prayer.  We must communicate with God…speak and listen. Become friends with Jesus

Lights represent our light shining.  

Psalm 119:15

Holy of holies

Glory over ark of covenant in most holy place

2 angels on mercy seat. (Cherubim…guardians of throne)

Lucifer wanted to take God’s throne.

Once a year on day of Atonement the priest could enter holy of holies.  Would sacrifice a bull.  Put blood on horns of altar.  Sprinkle bloood 7 times on mercy seat and 7 times on ground

Moses has glory of God pass over and he wants to tell everyone how good God is.  You cannot come in the presence of God without being changed

Day of Atonement…bring 2 goats.  One is Lord’s goat.  Day of judgement.  Books opened.  Jesus’ name is written in book and this makes us forgiven and clean.  Sin removed out of life.

We can’t dwell with him in sin.  Must remove sin…repent.

Sin on scapegoat…”sins” poured on it and led to wilderness to die

High priest.

White robe…purity or righteousness

Blue…obedience

Ephod…apron.   Gold woven into tapestry…character of God woven into our character 

Breastplate…we are close to his heart

12 squares…12 tribes

We are his jewels

White cap..,pure thoughts.  Dedicated to Hod.

Crown…holiness to Lord.

Ark:  3 items…law of God.  (Laws help us to love.  Love is fulfillment of law.). The law is written in our heart.  Ark represents our heart.   Pot of manna. Christ represents manna. Bread of life.  Daily walk with him.  Sabbath special day to commune with him.  Aaron’s rod.  12 rods…life came into one rod.  Spirit gives life.  

John 14: 23