THE TEMPLE & JESUS

December 28, 2014 Bethel Sunday School Lesson ~  

Focal Scripture:  John 2:13-3:16

Today we connect the dots of the meaning and purpose of The Temple and how it relates to Jesus and to us.  We observe Jesus and the first Passover of His ministry; and the first Pharisee who received the New Birth.  Jesus comes to the Temple for the first time in His ministry and creates a lasting memory!  Let's look at the Temple and remember why it was made, what has happened to it, and where is it today?  We connect the dots to understand Jesus' actions and how they apply to us today.

We need to take a look at the instructions that God gave about a place for His Presence to be among His People. 

He first gave instructions for the Tabernacle in the 40 years of the nation Israel roaming in the wilderness (Exodus 25); and then through David’s desire for God to have a permanent House, God gave him instructions on how to build the Temple that was actually built and called Solomon’s Temple 

(I Chronicles chapters 22-29; 2 Chronicles chapters 2-6).  That Temple was destroyed when the Babylonians came and took the Israelites captive and destroyed The Temple and Jerusalem.(Jeremiah 27)  Then as we read in today’s lesson, Herod built the last Temple.  The future Temple (show menorah) will be built during The Tribulation. (Daniel 9 & 11, Matthew 24)

It is Passover (Exodus 12) that has brought Jesus to Jerusalem and the Temple.  Let’s remember that Jesus would have been coming to Jerusalem for the Passover every year of his adult life.  Can we imagine how this moment was brewing in His heart.  Judgment and cleansing must begin in the House of the Lord.  The House of Prayer and Worship had become a place of merchandise and politics. 

Passover was to remember what God had done in freeing the Israelites from bondage in Egypt and looking forward to Him sending the Messiah who would free them from the bondage of sin.  The shedding of blood was the means that brought life from possible death.  I think Jesus was also thinking about the Passover that would come in a couple of years that would be that moment when the Perfect Passover Lamb would shed His blood redeeming the world from SIN.

As Jesus cleansed the Temple of all that was not honoring God, so we must do the same with our bodies.  (I Corinthians 3:16-17)  1John 1:9  As we accept the revelation that all those born again of The Spirit become the new Temple of God, we are given a heavy role as High Priest. (1 Peter 2:9)  We are greater privileged because we don’t just enter into the Holy of Holies, but the Holy of Holies is within us and The Presence of God dwells there.  Consider why we must be Holy – set apart for God!  Consider how we enter His Presence and why we come to Him.  We ARE the new Body of Christ and we need to have the same zeal He did about the Temple…it was consuming!  We must be as harsh as He was about getting rid of everything that would prevent worship, prayer and concentration of Almighty God.

My personal challenge is that it should be “a delight…not a duty!”

There was those in the Temple who were observing Jesus actions and I’m sure some became fearful, some angry and some pleased.  One such person was a Pharisee named Nicodemus.  He must have followed Jesus when He left the Temple to privately speak with Him because He observed Jesus actions and his spirit was moved to believe that Jesus was from God.

Jesus tells Nicodemus what he must do to be saved and explains to all of us about “being born again!”  Let us listen again and examine ourselves to be sure that we have The Son of God born in us as well.  We will be changed forevermore and the characteristics of The Son of God will become evident in our lives.  Do we need to do some cleansing?  How about a beautification makeover?  How about some praising?  Today is the day of salvation, now is the acceptable time!  (2 Corinthians 6:2)  We have the prospect of a new year for a new beginning…for new life!  Let’s make 2015 a Jubilee Year unto The Lord!

THE TEMPLES:

First – The Tabernacle

Solomon’s Temple

Herod’s Temple

The Born Again

Tribulation Temple

How close are we to the building of the last temple mentioned in Revelation?

 The Temple Institute in Jerusalem is making plans for the 3rd Temple to be built.

The Golden Menorah is already made and stands encased outside in the Old City. 

Here's a picture I took when I was there: