Religious Studies Talk

Doug · Guest

In the prophecy of Revelation 11:1-2, John was given a reed, like a
rod, and he was told to measure the temple of God. The prophecy
describes the temple of God as surrounded by an outer court, that
was given to Gentiles. John was told the dimensions of the outer
court were not to be measured.

Revelation 11:1-2
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood,
saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and
them that worship therein.
But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it
not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall
they tread under foot forty and two months.

Paul called the Church a holy temple in Ephesians 2:19-22. Also,
every believer is individually a temple of God, and a dwelling
place of God's Spirit, as Jesus was. John's prophecy quoted above
pictures the Church as the temple. The outer court surrounding the
temple is the area occupied by those outside of the church.
Christianity consists of both those who form the temple, and those
who occupy its outer court.

The whole area of the Jerusalem temple in the time of Jesus was
about 35 acres. The outer court, called the court of the Gentiles,
is where the moneychangers and merchants were doing their business,
when Jesus came and cast them all out, calling them thieves.

Matthew 21:12-13
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that
sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the
moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the
house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Josephus described the colonnades around the outer court of the
temple:
"All the cloisters were double, and the pillars to them belonging
were twenty-five cubits in height, and supported the cloisters.
These pillars were of one entire stone each of them, and that stone
was white marble; and the roofs were adorned with cedar, curiously
graven. The natural magnificence, and excellent polish, and the
harmony of the joints in these cloisters, afforded a prospect that
was very remarkable; nor was it on the outside adorned with any
work of the painter or engraver. The cloisters (of the outmost
court) were in breadth thirty cubits, while the entire compass of
it was by measure six furlongs, including the tower of Antonia;
those entire courts that were exposed to the air were laid with
stones of all sorts" (Jewish War 5. 5. 2).

See http://www.bible-history.com/jewishtemple/

According to the above website, "Anyone was allowed to enter the
outer area, which was therefore called the Court of the Gentiles.
The actual Temple was enclosed by a balustrade, and at the
entrances to it were warning notices, one of them is now in a
museum in Istanbul. It says that foreigners have freedom of access
provided they do not go beyond the balustrade which went all around
the central edifice and which no uncircumcised could cross without
incurring the death penalty."

Circumcision of the flesh was a requirement for a person to be
admitted to the Temple. In the case of the spiritual temple, the
Church, the requirement for admission is circumcision of one's
heart. Paul said, "For we are the circumcision, which worship God
in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence
in the flesh." [Philippians 3:3]

The court of the Gentiles pictures the status of those who, while
they carry the label Christian, and claim Christianity as their
religion, lack the "circumcision of the heart," that the apostle
Paul refers to in Romans 2:29, that distinguishes genuine
Christians. Many of those who are Christians by name, or by
association, or by some circumstance, whether of birth, or
nationality, or race, etc., have never personally come to Christ,
or studied the Bible.

As at the temple at Jerusalem, anyone could enter the outer court,
so it is for the spiritual temple, the Church; anyone can find some
type of church or denomination to join, or even form a new one, as
some have done; but that, by itself, is not entering the kingdom of
God.

Many people have been baptised as infants, and attended a church, or
grew up cherishing some brand of Christianity. Probably, most have
never questioned their inherited religious affiliation. So, many
people occupy the equivalent of the outer court of the temple in
Revelation 11:2; they are Christians by association.

John said the holy city was to be "trodden under foot by Gentiles"
for 42 months, the symbolic three and a half years, that represents
the entire age of the church. This is the last half-week of the 70
weeks of Daniel 9:24-27, when Christ confirms his covenant with
believers. The "holy city" is another metaphor of the Church. The
ones who belong to Christ are "trodden under foot," not the ones
who oppress.

John's prophecy suggests many of those holding powerul positions in
the various Churches and denominations and cults, are not "Jews
inwardly," but lack the "circumcision of the heart" required to be
in God's temple.

Jesus said, in Matthew 5:3-10:
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for
they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children
of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Isaiah said those who refrain from evil are blessed.

Isaiah 56:2
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth
hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth
his hand from doing any evil.

Jesus referred to the following verses in Isaiah when he drove out
the merchants who did business in the outer cout of the temple.

Isaiah 56:6-7
Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to
serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants,
every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh
hold of my covenant;
Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in
my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called
an house of prayer for all people.

Since Jesus cleaned up the outer court in the Jerusalem temple, and
drove out the merchants and moneychangers, will he do something
similar in the spiritual temple's outer court as well? How else
will God's temple become a "house of prayer for all people"?

--
Doug

http://vinyl2.sentex.ca/~tcc/OP/

Bill M · Guest

Why on earth should anyone believe this ancient nonsense???

"Doug" <tcc@sentex.net> wrote in message
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