The Temple – Entering Eden

Rediscovering the Significance of the Temple

Many modern Christians do not consider the temple because it was destroyed in 70 AD. This oversight leads to the neglect of sacrifices, the reasons behind them, and the true essence of feast days, reducing them to mere memorial observances. The essence of holiness and the sacredness of God’s presence are often missed. There’s a prevalent issue in Western society: a sense of entitlement, expecting God’s presence on demand, which is not in line with biblical principles.

The Temple and the Garden of Eden

When people think of the temple, they might imagine great walls, crowds, sacrifices, or worship, but rarely the Garden of Eden. Yet, the Garden of Eden is thematically linked to the tabernacle and the temple. Cherubim, for instance, appear both guarding the Garden of Eden and within the sanctuary of God. The Garden of Eden is where humanity first experienced an intimate relationship with God, received commands, and was sustained by God’s provision.

শর্ত Terms of Intimacy

Intimate communion with God requires approaching Him on His terms, not our own. It involves fortifying one’s spiritual being through carefully orchestrated circumstances that promote genuine connection with God. As the Psalmist said, to dwell in the house of the Lord is to experience God’s glory every day. The righteous, those who seek the Father, are like trees in God’s living room, experiencing His glory. N.T. Wright says that the original gospel is about aligning with God through covenant and participating in bringing heaven to earth.

Pillars of the Eden Theme

Whenever humans cultivate their relationship with God, it reflects the model of Eden.

• The Garden was not a life of leisure, devoid of responsibility, but was conditional on obedience to God’s commands. Adam received a positive command (to eat freely) and a negative command (not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil).
• Living in God’s presence required continual merit, not just a one-time grant. Adam had to continually obey to maintain his relationship with God.
• Defiance against God results in banishment from intimate communion with Him.

Eden and the Land of Israel

Following the flood and the Tower of Babel, God chose to limit His intimacy to Abraham’s descendants. The land of Israel is presented as an environment where the descendants of Abraham can cultivate a relationship with God. Leviticus 26 outlines the blessings of obedience, reminiscent of the Garden of Eden: peace, safety, fruitfulness, and God’s presence. God walking with them, just as He walked in the Garden. Isaiah confirms this conception of Eden, stating that God will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Disobedience leads to consequences, mirroring Adam’s banishment. A Garden of Eden type of intimacy with God is available only when a society is established according to His will, not our own.

Holiness and the Temple

Holiness is defined by restriction. If the commandments are designed to facilitate an intimate encounter with God in the land of Israel, then the temple represents the height of that intimate encounter. According to Joshua Berman, accountability increases when humans enter the domain of the divine. The Torah, containing God’s wisdom, can be likened to the Tree of Life.

The Temple Layout and Symbolism

The Tree of Life, or the Torah, should be found in the center of the Garden and, conceptually, in the Holiest of Holies within the temple. The cherubim, guarding the Tree of Life, are represented on the Ark of the Covenant and embroidered on the curtain separating the Holiest of Holies from the Holy Place. The temple’s entrance faces east, while one moves west to enter the courts of Israel, symbolizing moving towards God’s presence. Turning away from God is facing east. True repentance means turning back towards God.

Parallels between Eden and the Tabernacle

• God saw all that He had made, and it was very good, similar to Moses seeing the skilled work and it was beautiful.
• The heavens and the earth were completed, paralleling the completion of the Tabernacle.
• God blessed the Sabbath, and Moses blessed and sanctified it.
• Death was the decree for Adam’s disobedience, and death was banned from the temple. Those deemed unclean due to contact with death were barred from the temple complex.

The Revolution of Yeshua

Yeshua (Jesus) often targeted those affected by death, restoring them and allowing them back into the community and the temple. Zechariah uses Eden imagery to describe Jerusalem in the end of days. The crucifixion and salvation through Yeshua is about being in covenant with God and bringing heaven to earth.

Our Job Description

Torah is not our job description but the codebook of ethics. Our job is to be messengers of reconciliation, ambassadors of Christ. The mandate is to spread the message of reconciliation, instigating the day when the whole world knows the Father. As new creations in Christ, we should be planting seeds of love, turning towards God’s heart and will.

Application for Everyday Life

• Seek God’s Presence: Prioritize cultivating a relationship with God over seeking personal comfort or success.
• Obey God’s Commands: Recognize that obedience is essential for maintaining intimacy with God, as demonstrated by Adam’s example.
• Turn Away from Sin: Emulate the righteous by turning away from idolatry and sin, and instead, walk towards the Father.
• Establish Godly Communities: Work towards creating communities and societies that align with God’s will, fostering an environment for intimate encounters with Him.
• Embrace the Mandate: Fulfill the job description of a new creation by actively spreading the message of reconciliation and embodying the role of an ambassador for Christ.
• Live Intentionally: Be mindful of the direction in which your life is headed, ensuring that it aligns with God’s heart and will, rather than expecting Him to accommodate your desires.
• Pursue Holiness: Understand that holiness is defined by restriction and requires a commitment to living according to God’s standards.

Matthew Vander Els, pastor at Founded in Truth Fellowship.

For more Bible Teachings, visit our website.

References

• Genesis 2
• Genesis 3
• Genesis 6
• Genesis 7
• Genesis 11

Resources

• The Bible
• Joshua Berman, The Temple: Symbolism and Meaning Then and Now
• Joseph Good, Jerusalem Temple Study