Gene 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.Gene 3:22-24 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Ezek 43:1-4 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.
God placed a man in the Garden in Eden and He intended that Paradise
to be the home of mankind. The name “Eden” literally means Paradise,
or Heaven. Man was given a Heaven on earth, so to speak. But
man was driven out from this Paradise due to sin. In disobedience
to God, Adam partook of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil. God preserved the possibility of recovering man from sin
by banning him from the Garden of Eden where man could eat the fruit of
life and live forever. There is an obvious foreboding about the chances
of man’s consumption of the fruit of life with sin in his being in Genesis
3:22-23. The entire reason God drove man from the Garden was to keep
man from eating of the fruit of life.
What would cause God to drive Adam away from the Garden for fear that man might eat fruit of life? It can only be the result of an act of love. Having not yet dealt with man’s sin, to allow man to eat fruit of life and live forever would seemingly render man beyond recovery from sin.
We know today that Christ identified with us and died for us on the
cross. Since we were going to die, due to the sin that infected all
humanity, Christ could die in our stead. Unless man could indeed
die to begin with, Christ could not die in our places as us. The
Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world because that identified
with man’s need to die, that man might be freed from the necessity to die
to pay the price for sin.
So Adam lost his home. A king lost his throne and was banished
from his throneroom. I say that Adam was a king because God gave dominion
to him when He created him. Since we know that Kings were “anointed”
by God during Old Testament times, we understand that Adam was similarly
“anointed” to rule.
When a man became king, he was anointed with oil, indicating God’s
Spirit resting upon him to strengthen him to rule. When Samuel anointed
David, the Bible tells us that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him.
Thus the oil of anointing represented the Spirit of God. As oil oozes,
flowing over the skin to soothe and comfort, and is absorbed into one’s
flesh, the Spirit of God comforts us and is like spiritual “ointment.”
In fact, the term anointing comes from the term “ointment,” and the thought
of ointment is to be considered when thinking of the Spirit.
Jesus said the Spirit “anointed” him (Luke 4:18) in fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1.
Adam lost his anointing.
There were cherubims placed at the entrance to the Garden when Adam
was driven from there. We see the mention of cherubims throughout
the construct of the Temple of God as described in the book of 2 Chronicles.
2Chr 3:7 He overlaid also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubims on the walls.There were other “Garden” elements mentioned in the temple of God, also.2Chr 3:10 And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold.
2Chr 3:14 And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.
2Chr 3:16 And he made chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made an hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.With pillars like trees and pomegranates, the picture was definitely “Garden-like.” Even the candlesticks were shaped like trees.2Chr 4:13 And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars.
Exod 25:31-35 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.Why this entire Garden theme in the Temple? It seems that God’s mind was still upon the Garden of Eden from which man was driven due to sin. He still desired man to return. It was still His will to have a King in Eden ruling over the world.
The temple was a picture of the Garden of Eden. We already noted the fact that a vail was erected across the entrance into the “oracle” or the inner sanctum of the Temple. This Oracle, also called the most holy place, was where the ark of the covenant was positioned in the temple. And over the ark, upon its Mercy Seat, was where God’s presence manifested.
Upon this vail was the embroidered work of the cherubims that were first mentioned to be guardians of Eden’s eastern entrance, keeping or protecting the way of the tree of life. It is no coincidence that the entrance to the most holy place in the temple was on the east of that particular room. So we find that a person who intended on entering the most holy place would confront a barrier of a veil with the likeness of cherubims sewn into it, just as Adam would have confronted cherubims had he attempted to enter the Garden after his expulsion from it.
Indeed, the Temple portrayed the Garden of Eden, with the very account of Adam’s fall in view, due to the presence of a barrier of cherubims.
Consider these points. Man should have ruled the world from the
Garden under God. The temple is a portrait of the Garden in model
form. We must then conclude that the Temple involved the thought
of a man returning within the Most Holy Place, the counterpart of the Garden,
and ruling also. And this is precisely what we find!
Let us speak of the cherubims again. Ezekiel’s prophecies
involve cherubims and actually give us a description of what they looked
like. They are called “living creatures” in chapter 1 and referred
to in Chapter 10 as Cherubims.
Ezek 1:5-6 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.Among the many points of description, we must pay particular attention to the appearance of the four faces they had.
Ezek 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.In Hebrew culture, the Lion is the king of the beasts. The ox is the king of the cattle and the eagle is the king of the fowl. And then of course we have man, who was ordained king over the world in Genesis. This grouping of the cattle, beasts, fowl and man points us directly to the cherubims.
Notice the creatures that Adam named.
Gene 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.Particular attention is given to the cattle, fowl and beasts. Adam had authority over these creatures in particular. It is very important to notice this as we continue our study, for we read of these three classes of creatures elsewhere in the Bible in many places.
God gave Noah a covenant after the flood.
Gene 9:9-10 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.This covenant was with man, cattle, beasts and fowl. Clearly, the cattle, beasts and fowl have a special relationship with man and his God-given authority. The naming of the cattle, beasts and fowl are in the same story of Adam as Adam’s expulsion from the Garden where cherubims, having the faces of the cattle, beasts, fowl and man, were mentioned.
Cherubims symbolize mankind and his authority with God. They refer to the anointed human being, given rule to dominate the world and subdue it. This was no indication for man to dominate man, but rather for man to dominate the planet.
And the fact that Noah’s covenant made mention of these creatures, stresses
to us that God had Adam’s presence in the Garden in mind in Noah’s day.
And the presence of Cherubims throughout the Temple likewise shows this
picture of man’s dominion and anointing to rule the world. With the
temple was filled with the images of cherubims, emblems of man’s authority
in the Garden. The particular layout of the temple is reminiscent
of the Garden. We should pay close attention to the goings on in the temple,
for surely God would have a message therein concerning man’s return to
the Garden of Eden.
God speaks highly of mankind and the purpose of having created man.
Gene 1:26-28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.Man was made in God’s image.
1Cor 11:7 …man …is the image and glory of God:Not only is man the image of God, but also is referred to as God’s glory! So we could say that when Adam left the Garden, God’s glory left the Temple!
Wouldn’t it be nice to return to the Garden again? Wouldn’t it be nice to once again have authority that was ordained for mankind to have?
In our text we read from Ezekiel 43. There we read that Ezekiel had a vision of the Temple of God, and the eastern entrance to the temple was highlighted in this chapter. We read that God’s glory came from the east and his voice was like the sound of many waters. The earth shined with His glory. Recall that Paul referred to man as “the glory of God.” And this perfectly fits the scenario that Ezekiel claims he saw in the vision. We read that the glory that Ezekiel saw was, “…according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face” (Ezek. 43:3).
Let us turn to the vision by the river Chebar and see what the glory was described as there.
Ezek 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.Some have said this is an ancient eyewitness account of a U.F.O.! This was not an actual experience of Ezekiel’s eyewitness account of something that was physically in existence. Ezekiel saw a vision. Visions were never comprised of images that man was meant to interpret as literal realities. God was symbolizing something to Ezekiel.
Ezekiel continued to write of the four living creatures he saw there as mentioned earlier.. the cherubims. So we find that the “glory” he saw come from the east, as described in Chapter 43, involved cherubims. Here we have a temple and the idea of cherubims is noted alongside the temple! We are reading about something to do with Adam and the Garden of Eden again as we read Ezekiel chapter 43.
The glory of Chapter 43, described in chapter 1, also involved more descriptions of the cherubims. Among the many more descriptions of the cherubims, we also find description of the “chariot” in which the cherubims were carried. Wheels were mentioned. There was a wheel within a wheel. Eyes were said to be all over the wheels. And there was a firmament over the heads of the four cherubims. The firmament appeared to be like crystal. A firmament is an expanse, or base upon which something rests. It is a solid extended surface. A voice was heard over the heads of the cherubims, and a throne was positioned on the solid surface.
Ezek 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
So far we saw cherubims all over the temple -- the emblems of man’s anointing and dominion while in the Garden of Eden. And we saw the Garden layout with a most holy place reminiscent of the garden, barred by cherubims on a veil. And now we understand that the Glory Ezekiel saw coming from the east towards this temple involves cherubims again, and a throne with a man seated over the heads of the cherubims.
This picture of a king seated on a throne above the heads of others, and moving, is a familiar picture. Kings of old were carried in caravan style on a throne held aloft by servants using rods to carry the throne over their heads. What we see a King carried on his throne by servants as we read Ezekiel’s description of the glory of God! And all of this surrounds the Temple, that portrays the Garden from whence a King, Adam, lost his dominion. Man was created to be God’s image and the glory of God! It all fits perfectly!
What happens with this Glory of God, this human king held aloft on a throne?
Ezek 43:4 And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.Ezekiel saw the glory of God, a human king on a throne, accompanied by cherubims, enter the Temple in the eastern entrance. Was this not reminiscent of the expulsion of Adam from the eastern entrance to the throneroom of the Garden?
Gene 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.We are seeing a King return to the Garden in symbolic fashion when we see the glory of God enter the Temple in the eastern gate.
Who is this king? Who is this man?
Back in Chapter 1 of Ezekiel, we continue to read o the appearance of the man who sat on the throne.
Ezek 1:27-28 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
From his loins upward the man was the colour of amber. And
from the loins downward he was the colour of fire. And a rainbow
was around His head.
Read what John saw in the vision he received while at Patmos.
Reve 1:13-15 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks [one] like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire; his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Reve 1:17-18 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I [am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
John saw Jesus Christ in the same likeness that Ezekiel saw a man
sitting on a throne, called the glory of God.
The amber colour of the man from his loins upward was the golden girdle John saw on Jesus Christ. The fires from the loins downward were the legs like brass burning in a furnace.
Ezekiel saw a man indeed! He saw Jesus Christ in a vision of Ezekiel’s then-future. The earth shined with his glory in Ezekiel 43:2.
And John saw Him amidst seven golden candlesticks. The same candlesticks that were seen in the temple! Over and again we are seeing throughout the Word of God pictures that portray the scene of the Garden of Eden from whence King Adam was cast. But instead of seeing Adam return, we see another man, Jesus Christ, enter the Sanctuary to rule.
We see God's throne with a rainbow around it as Ezekiel saw a rainbow around the throne on the firmament.
Reve 4:2-3 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and [one] sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and [there was] a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.Contrasted to Adam, Jesus Christ is called the Last Adam.
1Cor 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit.When would this return to Eden’s Garden occur? When would this vision of Ezekiel be fulfilled? When would the King of Kings be transported on a throne of glory into the Temple of God’s Paradise on Earth?
Notice what the glory of God, this human king, said.
Ezek 43:5-12 So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. And I heard [him] speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me. And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, [neither] they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places. In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger. Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever. Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write [it] in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them. This [is] the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about [shall be] most holy. Behold, this [is] the law of the house.Israel represents the people of God. The Church is called “the Israel of God” in Galatians 6:16. “Israel” actually means “Prince with God.” It describes Adam in his ordained status as king under God. And the actual nation of Israel under Old Testament times symbolized humanity and the spiritual Kingdom of God made of people from all nations, saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, as Israel was saved from Egypt.
Israel speaks of a restored humanity, back in the Kingdom, with a man who is King. Jesus Christ is 100% God and is 100% human. Adam was thrust from the Garden due to sin. And since a man brought death, it was a principle that a man also had to bring resurrection from the dead (1 Cor 15:21).
Since one man, Adam, could cause many to become sinners by his single act, the principle holds that another sinless man could render many to be righteous by His single act. But the status of that one man would have to be like that which Adam held. And so Christ was supernaturally brought into the world without sin, as Adam was made. The only difference was that Adam’s parents were God and the earth. Jesus Christ is the Lord from Heaven (1 Cor 15:47).
The only way man could bring resurrection from the dead was for one of us to be sinless. And God could not send an angel to die for our sins. An angel cannot identify with us and die as us. Simply put, we are not angels. The only way possible for a man to exist without sin was for God Himself to become manifest in flesh as a man (1 Tim 3:16). And that man could die in our places and thus identify with us.
But when would this entrance of man back into the Garden be fulfilled?
Another note we must look at is the Ark of the Covenant that was
placed inside the most holy place.
Exod 25:10-22. And they shall make an ark [of] shittim wood: two cubits and a half [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put [them] in the four corners thereof; and two rings [shall be] in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. And thou shalt make staves [of] shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them. The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. And thou shalt make a mercy seat [of] pure gold: two cubits and a half [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims [of] gold, [of] beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: [even] of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth [their] wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces [shall look] one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which [are] upon the ark of the testimony, of all [things] which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.The ark was a chest with a Mercy Seat upon it, held aloft when transported by people holding staves. This is precisely the same picture we saw in the Glory of God in Ezekiel’s vision. A man sat on a throne held over the heads of the cherubims. The ark of the covenant is a picture of a King’s throne to be transported by servants holding it over their heads in honour of the King. Cherubims were on the Mercy Seat!
So long as the Ark was transported with staves, we know that the
King was not permanently situated inside the throneroom. We read
in Ezekiel’s vision that the glory of God was transported from the east
into the temple’s east gate. And then His glory filled the temple.
The literal temple of Israel experienced this same picture centuries before Ezekiel saw the vision.
2Chr 5:1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in [all] the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.Solomon built the Temple of God. Upon its completion, all the leaders of Israel were summoned to the dedication of the temple. And the Ark of the covenant was fetched.
2Chr 5:2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which [is] Zion.The bringing of the ark involved a particular fashion of transport. We noted that staves were inserted in rings upon the ark that the ark might be carried using these rods. David learned the hard way that the ark must only be transported using men carrying it with staves.2Chr 5:5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that [were] in the tabernacle, these did the priests [and] the Levites bring up.
1Chr 15:13-15 For because ye [did it] not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.It was carried to Israel, after having been absent in the hands of the enemy, upon an ox cart. And when the ark slipped and began to fall from the cart, a man named Uzzah steadied it and was struck dead because he touched the ark.
I wondered what the significance of carrying the ark with staves was until the Lord showed me what I am writing in this study. The ark represented God’s glory and Kingship being transported as though on a throne held aloft over the heads of the King’s servants! Imagine the degradation of a King riding in His throne on an ox cart!
2Chr 5:7-9 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy [place, even] under the wings of the cherubims: For the cherubims spread forth [their] wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And they drew out the staves [of the ark], that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day.They brought the ark into the most holy place, the very room that identifies with the Garden of Eden, whose veil of cherubims barred people out! And then they removed the staves. The ark had been constructed in Moses’ day, and from that day until this day of temple dedication,. The staves remained in the ark to be used to carry the ark. But finally the staves were removed this day to indicate that the King is here to stay!
When would this be fulfilled?
2Chr 5:11-14 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.After the ark was placed in the Most Holy Place, 120 priests blew trumpets, and singers began to sing. When they finally sounded forth as one single voice, in one accord, suddenly the temple was filled with God’s glory and the priests fell on their faces and could not stand and minister any longer.
This parallels the vision Ezekiel saw in Chapter 43 of his prophecies. He saw the glory of God enter the east gate of the temple, as the ark was carried through the east gate into the Most Holy Place. And God’s glory filled both the temple of Solomon and Ezekiel’s temple.
Hebrews 9 reads that the tabernacle is a grand display foreshadowing the work of Christ and the New Testament. Obviously the Temple likewise is a foreshadow of Christ’s work.
Recall the King’s words in Ezekiel’s vision:
Ezek 43:7 And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, [neither] they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.Notice the element of the place of His throne where he would dwell forever. The inauguration of the Temple in 2 Chronicles 5 and the vision of Ezekiel in chapter 43 refer to the same event that was yet to come. The idea of removing staves to no more transport the ark in 2 Chronicles, and the mention of the King dwelling there forever, both point to a time when Christ would enter the Garden/Sanctuary to permanently sit as King of Kings over the earth.
The King has returned, and man must remain clean and not repeat Adam's sin again. This is entirely a reference to man's overall return to the Garden of Eden in symbolic fashion.
When would this be fulfilled? The clues are provided for us. 120 priests blew trumpets and the glory filled the house. This very thing occurred already!
Acts 1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)120 people entered an upper room as directed by Jesus Christ just before Jesus left the world. H e told them to wait there to receive the Holy Ghost baptism of power.
Acts 1:4-5 And, being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith he], ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.And a particular day arrived that happened to be the day the 120 were in one accord, just as the 120 priests blew trumpets with one accord. And as the priests and singers were as one voice, unified, and the glory filled the temple, we read:
Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.The interesting thing about the event was that cloven tongues of fire sat over each of the 120. This same picture is seen in the Tabernacle in the wilderness.
Exod 40:33-34 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.When the ark was placed in the holiest of the Tabernacle, the same thing occurred. The glory filled the house, but we also read that the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night covered the tent.
Exod 40:36-38 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD [was] upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.The pillar was their leader. And when we read of the pillars of fire over the heads of the 120 in Acts 2, we are seeing an indication of the TEMPLE or TABERNACLE in the form of the people!
1Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?The fulfillment of the temple being filled with God’s Spirit after the glory of God entered the Temple’s east gate was a prophecy in vision of the event of returning man in dominion to the Garden once again! And this occurred on the day of Pentecost! It already happened!
When is this going to occur? It already occurred!
Ezekiel saw a vision of the day of Pentecost when the Church was filled with the Holy Ghost. Israel was a model of the human race redeemed to God. The Temple was a model of the Garden and the palace of man’s dominion with God. Jesus Christ is the man upon the throne, the very Glory of God.
1Cor 11:7 …man …is the image and glory of God:Those who are pushing everything over into a future heaven are wasting their christian lives, for they now have dominion and power through Jesus Christ. There is a heaven to come after this life is over. I believe that. But God never intended us to wait until Heaven to enjoy dominion.2Cor 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Roma 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)When did that verse say we could reign? “In life.” Now.
Reve 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.Jesus already made us (past tense) kings and priests. We are in the actual Garden right now! It is a spiritual position. And if we are waiting for death to go to heaven before we can enjoy victory and dominion, we are wasting our entire Christian lives on earth!
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.Jesus died, was buried and already resurrected from the dead. That is past history. It has been accomplished long ago. After He resurrected, He ascended.Roma 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?
Isai 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me, saith the LORD.
Ephe 1:19-22 And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places], Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church,We are presently seated with Christ above all enemies! Presently! It’s already done!Ephe 2:5-6 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
Too many believers know nothing about this great victory we have today!
But I am glad that the Word of God reveals this to us.
You may have all the victory anybody can possibly have, but if you
do not know it, then you will never enjoy it. Paul told us we are
seated with Christ above all powers. And he pre-empted that truth
by saying this:
Ephe 1:15-18 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,We need to have our eyes of understanding opened up to see what is ours. That is why this Bible teaching is so important for you. When you know what victory you have you can enjoy it and no longer waste your Christian life away in defeat.
We are in the Garden now. Those in it have passed through the flaming sword.
Gene 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.At this entrance is a sword. It is God’s Word. It cuts every way. Your entire life must be given over to the Lord in order for you to enter this Garden. And once you do enter, do not waste your Christian life in defeatist mentality as so many have.Hebr 4:11-12 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Thank God that there is a reign we can experience in life.