The relationship between Jesus Christ and the Temple

As previously explained, the Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple (the First Temple) and humans, consist of three main parts: the outer court, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Therefore, there’s no way we could speak about the Lord Jesus without speaking about the Temple. Their relationship is so great that it’s impossible to dissociate one from the other. Especially, since we can see that the Temple was planned to represent salvation through Jesus Christ. Let’s take a look at the facts, so that we can have a better understanding.

Every time the Israelites stopped walking in the desert the Tabernacle was set up. It was set up from the inside out. For example, the Holy of Holies would be set up first and from there all of the other elements would be arranged until they reached the outer court. This means that God begins His spiritual healing from within; from within our most intimate: our spirit. It’s interesting to note that the divisions of the Temple also correspond to the levels of the human being: body, soul and spirit.

Take a look at the chart above. Notice how the outer court (A) consists of the main gate, the altar and the washbasin. This relationship demonstrates how the entire Temple was built thinking about the presence of the Lord Jesus. The gate, which was used to access the Temple, represents Jesus. “I am the door. If anyone enter by Me, he will be saved, and I will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9).

This means, that just like we must enter the Temple through the main gate; to have access to God, we must enter through Gate called Jesus. On the same graph, we can see that from the door to the Holy Place (B), a cross is formed (the red line from the door to the Altar of Incense) and above it, we find the Holy of Holies (C), where the Ark of the Covenant stayed (in yellow), which symbolizes God’s presence.

The gate of the Temple symbolizes Jesus Christ and His sacrifice (see chart). Through His sacrificial death on the cross, we now have access, not only to the Holy Place because the curtain was torn, but to salvation as well. However, everyone that decides to go through this door must, like Jesus, carry out their daily sacrifice towards salvation. That is, once we’ve entered through the door, we leave the world behind and abandon our own beliefs, wants and worldly desires.

After this comes the second step, which is the Altar (see chart, it’s the first place after the main gate). Right after passing through the main gate, we stand facing the Altar, where we’re given the opportunity to die for this world and find new life in God. Animal sacrifices were made on the Altar, which gave off a wonderful incense-like aroma to God. The same happens when we sacrifice our lives on the Altar. The aroma that exudes from our lives, namely, the fragrance that we have after our encounter with God, pleases Him greatly. Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD. (Exodus 29:18)

After the Altar, we come across the washbasin. Our strongest desire after having a true encounter with God is to be baptized in the water. Through this, we assure our death, so that we can rise out of the waters washed from our sins and clean of all impurities. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4

Note how everything was organized inside Solomon’s Temple. It was all designed and constructed with the purpose of salvation through the Lord Jesus. The outer court, for example (where the altar and the washbasin were), was an uncovered area. This means that Christians would have to pass through the gate (Jesus), sacrifice their will (on the Altar) and then get baptized (in the washbasin). All this, while they’re still in the outer court, exposed to all kinds of weather and temperature variations. In other words, because it’s unprotected, it can easily be hit by thunderstorms, rains and a whirlwind of problems; something that every Christian tends to experience once they accept Jesus as their only Lord and Savior.

Once they’ve overcome these tribulations, they can now enter the Holy Place, which represents our soul. At this time, the born-again Christian seeks to have a closer relationship with the Creator. As a result, he partakes and eats of the bread, which is the Word of God and the representation of the Lord Jesus, and quenches his thirst for the Holy Spirit, which is represented by the Menorah or Candelabrum (Read Zechariah 4:6). Therefore, the Christian is now fit to come before the Altar of Incense, which is nothing more than a prayer.

This doesn’t mean that if you don’t have the Holy Spirit, you’re not allowed to pray. It just means that it’s during this close and intimate time with God, represented by the Holy Place, that the Christian will be able to perform true and sincere prayers in favor of the Holy Spirit, considering that he’s no longer praying in his favor or for the fulfillment of his worldly desires, but is now praying in accordance with God’s will.

Notice how there’s a difference between the prayers held in the outer court and the Holy Place. While in the first we pray without understanding and in favor of ourselves; in the second, we pray with fear, reverence and willing to fulfill the desires of our Father’s heart.

Finally, after traveling down this Christian spiritual path, it’s time to enter the Holy of Holies (C). The Ark of the Covenant, which represents God’s presence, is the only thing we find here. What we learn from all this is that through Jesus’ sacrifice, we can now have access to Him. But if we’re not willing to sacrifice our life for His sake, we won’t be able to reach the Holy of Holies or eternal salvation.

For that reason, if we expect to be saved, we must observe the example the Lord Jesus left for us, which was and is to sacrifice. As we can see in the chart, sacrifices were offered at the gate, showing us that this is the only means possible to reach God.