RTW 2024

“The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

Haggai 2:9

Then he said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.”
Zechariah 4:6

The temple:

• The temple was a sacred place but ultimately a picture, a visual reminder of God with us. The new temple was not less in the eyes of God. It wasn’t the temple but what the temple represented that would bring greater glory. 
• The physical representation is not the end game: We don’t worship the temple, the church building, the sacraments–we worship Jesus.
• When Jesus died the veil was torn in two, like Jesus saying, “I don’t need this structure in order to be with you.” Jesus in the flesh shows us who God is. 
• Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?
  1 Cor 6:19a.
  You ὑμῖν (hymin)/your ὑμῶν (hymōn): plural pronouns. οἴδατε (oidate): 2nd person plural of “To know, remember, appreciate.” Our bodies as a temple would have been understood as a wider concept than just our individual selves. When they heard temple language, they would not have thought just individually–they would have thought on a more comprehensive scale–a dwelling of God with us as a people.

Zerubbabel/Joshua:

• They were symbolized by olives trees on either side of the lampstand. A priest-king(governor/prince) rulership in the line of David and line of Aaron.
• Melchizedek (gotquestions.org) A king and priest. Jesus was considered a high priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 6:20)
• People got confused thinking earthly king, earthly reign, but Jessu was embodying a NEW kind of leader, a priest-king that was interested in a kingdom that was nor about power or prestige but about love and sacrifice.
• Only the high priest could go behind the curtain into the most holy place. Jesus did this and tore it in two to show that He was accessible to anyone. We are now a royal priesthood and co-heirs with Christ. (1 Peter 2:9, Romans 8:17)

Don’t worship the symbols. Worship the God who gives us symbols to remember who He is and what He has done.