Hebrews 9:6-10 “Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. (7) But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance; (8) the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. (9) It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience-- (10) concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.”
As revealed to us in the above quoted passage of scripture the first tabernacle was divided between the Holy place and the place called the Holiest of All where the presence of God dwelt, which was located behind the veil. In this passage the apostle Paul teaches us that way into the Holiest of All has not yet been revealed while the first tabernacle is still standing. The Holiest of All that Paul is referring to in this passage is the presence of God behind the veil in the heavenly temple, where no man has entered into except one, the Lord Jesus (Hebrews 6:19-20). The first tabernacle referred to in this passage is the physical temple that stood in the city of Jerusalem at the time this letter was written. And so although that temple has since been destroyed we are nevertheless still living in the same dispensation, for Paul teaches us in this passage that the first tabernacle is symbolic of this present time that we are currently living in. The reason why this current dispensation continues today is because scripture teaches us that the physical temple will be rebuilt once again (Revelation 11:1). And so Paul teaches us in this passage that the first tabernacle will remain standing until the time of the reformation, which is when the first resurrection will occur and the bodies of the saints will finally be redeemed (Romans 8:23). So how does that impact the saints? Our bodies can be likened to the first tabernacle, and in the same manner the temple of our bodies is also divided between the Holy place and the Holiest of All, our bodies being the Holy place and our spirits being the Holiest of All where the Spirit of God dwells. Because our natural bodies can be likened to the first tabernacle we do not yet experience the reality of God’s glory being made manifest through us. There is coming a day however when the saints will receive their spiritual bodies, and it is at that time that the glory of God will be made manifest through the saints.
Mark 9:1-3 “And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power." (2) Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. (3) His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit gives us some insight into what the saints spiritual bodies will look like, for in this passage we see our Lord’s body being transformed on the mountain. In Matthew’s account of this same incident he describes the Lord’s face as shining like the sun (Matthew 17:2). The reason the Lord’s body could be transformed like that, was because there was no sin present in His body, and our Lord described to us what the body is like when there is no sin present, for He said that the body will then become full of light (Luke 11:36). Unlike the Lord Jesus however, the bodies of the saints are contaminated with the sin virus, which means that God’s glory cannot at this time be made manifest through our natural bodies (Romans 7:23).
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (17) If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
I will close this section with one last word of caution. It is not a light thing to defile the temple of God, for in the above quoted passage of scripture the apostle Paul teaches us that if anyone defiles God’s temple, that He will destroy that person. And so those who choose to live a lifestyle of practiced sin run the risk of defiling their bodies i.e. God’s temple, and God will not be mocked, for that which a man sows that will he also reap (Galatians 6:7).
Michael E.B. Maher
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