The Jewish Temple
A Jewish
Temple
was not the same thing as a synagogue, or church. Still, many Christian
churches, and indeed, the Jews, in our times have adopted the name “Temple”
as the word signifying their common place of worship. This might instill a
solemn feeling to the visitors, but it is not in line with what a Jewish
Temple was intended to be used for.
There a some clear
evidences of a true Temple of God;
- The erecting of Temples
were commanded, directed, and
approved by God (while meetinghouses are built where-ever they are
needed).
- Only people who had made covenants with God could
enter the Temple (whereas anyone is invited
into a church or meetinghouse).
- Special ordinances were performed in the Temple
that could not be performed anywhere
else.
- The presiding High Priest of
the Church received revelations from
God in the Temple, in a
special place intended for that purpose.
- The Temple
was the abode of deity upon the earth.
- A special setting apart was
required by those who served to administer the ordinances of the Temple.
- Those who were allowed to
come farther into the Temple
than others were forbidden to
discuss the holier matters of the Temple
with those who were not invited there. It was not so much that it was
secrets, but rather, that it was sacred; and the policy of God has always
been not to cast pearls before the swine.
After 40 days Jesus
was presented in the Jewish Temple.
It
was the law in Israel
to present all firstborn children of a mother (if that child happened to be a
male-child), unto God. This was done to help the Lord’s people remember that he
had saved all their firstborn, while all the firstborn of the Egyptians died.
After these boys were presented they were intended for service in the Jewish
Temple. However, their parents were to redeem their son
from duty by paying a ransom. The actual temple service was performed by the
Levites:
15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all
the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both
the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.
16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.(Exodus 13:15-16)
15 And after that shall the Levites go in
to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering.
16 For they are wholly given unto me from
among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb,
even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel have I taken them unto me.
17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I
sanctified them for myself.
18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
(Numbers 8:15-18)
15 Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring
unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn
of man shalt thou surely
redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
16 And those that are to be redeemed from a
month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary,
which is twenty gerahs.
(Numbers 18:15-16)
Most such babies were not
presented in the Jewish
Temple as such, since the Temple
was far away from were people lived. But as it happened, Jerusalem, and consequently, the Temple,
was not too far from where Jesus was born.
Well, Jesus was not
just any child, He was the Son of
God, the Messiah, and perhaps it was the obvious thing to do for Joseph and Mary
to take Jesus to the Temple
to present him unto his Father. Now,
there is another possibility; In the Jewish Temple at that time there served a
holy man named Simeon. He had been promised, by the Holy Ghost, that he would
see the Messiah before he died. God always make good on his promises. Is it
absolutely unlikely that Joseph was commanded by the Angel to take his Son to
the Temple, (their own
Angel, as it seems), even the Arch-Angel Gabriel? Be as it will with this thing; Joseph and Mary did take baby
Jesus to the Jewish Temple,
and there the promise of the Lord unto Simeon was fulfilled:
Jesus was presented to
Simeon when he was formally given over to God. From that day on,
Joseph and Mary were devoted to protect and prepare the Messiah with everything
God had and would entrust them with. No doubt they all knew who the child was;
22 And when the days of her purification
according to the law of Moses
were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem,
to present him to the Lord;
23 (As it is written in the law of
the Lord, Every male that openeth
the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that
which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young
pigeons.
25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same
man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel:
and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was revealed unto him by
the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's
Christ.
27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple:
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom
of the law,
28 Then took he him up in his arms, and
blessed God, and said,
29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of
all people;
32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
33 And Joseph and his mother marveled at
those things which were spoken of him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto
Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of
many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own
soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the
daughter of Phanuel, of the
tribe of Aser: she was of a
great age, and had lived with an
husband seven years from her virginity;
37 And she was a widow of about
fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God
with fastings and prayers
night and day.
38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks
likewise unto the Lord, and spake
of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 And when they had performed all things
according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city
Nazareth. (Luke
2:22-39)
When the firstborn sons were presented unto the Lord in the Temple,
they were presented to Jehovah. And
who is Jehovah? Jehovah is none other than Jesus
himself, before he was born into the world! And now, in obedience to
the commandment of the pre-mortal Jesus, the mortal Jesus is presented unto the
Lord. Of course, the “Lord” that Jesus is presented to is not himself. He is
presented unto none else than his Father, who in Hebrew has the plural name Elohim.
As you follow the link: “Jesus In The Temple”
you will;
- Learn what Jesus did in the Temple
at twelve
- See how Jesus disqualified the Temple in Jerusalem
as the House of God
- See how Jesus longed for a
worthy temple to be erected
- See how Jesus still fought to
restore the Temple to what it
should be
- See how God
finally showed clearly that the Temple
was of no consequence any more
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