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Wednesday, April 3, 2019

The Temple as a Type of Christ's Body

Did you realize that even the temple is a type of Christ? Let's examine the Scriptures to see what they teach us about this wonderful truth.

"Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' The Jews then said, 'It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?' But He was speaking of the temple of His body. So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken." (Joh 2:19-22)

Since we who believe in Him as our Lord and Savior are the Body of Christ, we, too, are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The temple was not only a type of Christ's physical body, which was destroyed and then raised again on the third day, but it is a type of the entire Body of Christ, which is the temple where God's Spirit dwells. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

"Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?" (1Co 6:14-15a)

"Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it." (1Co 12:27)

"Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1Co 3:16)

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1Co 6:19-20)

"Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, 'I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.' Therefore, 'COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,' says the Lord. 'AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.'" (2Co 6:16-17).

Therefore, we know that the Church is indeed the temple of the Holy Spirit, and as such it must be kept pure, holy, and free from idols. According to these verse, holiness and separation from the world are necessary in order for God to dwell among us and walk among us.

Paul also said to the people of Athens, "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands..." (Act 17:24). But as I said in my article Adam as a Type of Christ, God made man in His own image, according to His likeness (Gen 1:26-27). Therefore, man is perfectly suited to be be the temple in which His Holy Spirit dwells, provided it is pure and holy. We were made for this!

In the first-century Jerusalem Council, as they were considering whether to require Gentiles that were coming to Christ to be circumcised as some were insisting they be, James quoted from the words the Lord spoke through Amos the prophet:

"[Simon Peter] has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 'AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,' SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO. Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles..." (Act 15:14-19)

Here are the original words the Lord spoke through Amos: “In that day I will restore the fallen tent of David. I will repair its gaps, restore its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old..." (Am 9:11, Berean Study Bible).

James interpreted this passage from Amos about the rebuilding of David's fallen tabernacle as referring to the Church, which includes Gentiles as well as Jews, indeed all who believe in Christ. Jesus promised that He would build His Church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Mt 16:18), and according to James, the Church that He is building is in fact the fallen tabernacle of David that He is restoring. The purpose of this is so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord and all the Gentiles who are called by His name. Consequently, based on this interpretation of the tabernacle as a type of the Church, Gentiles are not required to observe the Law of Moses or be circumcised. 

Closing Words
Through the Scriptures, we have learned that the temple is a type of Christ's body, which was destroyed by crucifixion on Calvary and raised again on the third day by God's power. His Body is the temple in which God's Holy Spirit dwells, and it has been raised from the dead. We have also learned that the Church is the Body of Christ and thus also the temple of the Holy Spirit as well. We must keep ourselves holy, pure, and separated from the world as God requires, in order for Him to dwell among us and walk among us as He desires to do.

Through our study of this subject, we can learn many truths that strengthen our faith in Christ. I trust this has helped to accomplish that objective in your life as you have read this article. I hope you will come back again later to enjoy more articles on the types in the Bible.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Image of second temple may be subject to copyright, used per Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes.

Author's note Also see The Typology of the TabernacleThe High Priest as a Type of ChristAdam as a Type of Christ, Moses as a Type of Christ, and Noah's Ark a Type of Christ. You can access the Main Directory for Biblical Typology, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master. Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

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