BOOK SUMMARY: FROM EDEN TO THE NEW JERUSALEM - CHAPTER 2A: PAGES 13-20 - FROM THE SACRED GARDEN TO HOLY CITY: EXPERIENCING THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Read Revelation 21:1-3.  Scripture ends with God dwelling with humanity in a new creation. The Scripture starts this way as well, but sin ruins this communion. All of Scripture between these passage shows how God restores fellowship with humanity so that we may once again dwell with God on earth.  Whereas Genesis presents earth as a building site, Revelation describes it as a finished city where God wells with people from every nation.

OVERVIEW
After Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden, God’s presence is associated with heaven while He occasionally descends to meet with selected individuals. When He reveals Himself it is always for a particular purpose. To Abraham God revealed a promise of land, seed and blessing.

In Exodus we see the Divine rescue of the enslaved Israelites from Egypt. This results in the construction of a lavishly decorated tent that becomes God’s dwelling place in the midst of Israel. The meta-story is moving forward with God dwelling permanently within one nation.  Soon Israel occupies the land of promise (Canaan) and the tabernacle (tent) remains in Shiloh for some time. It is eventually replaced when a temple is built in Jerusalem during the reign of Solomon (959 BC). Because the temple was in Jerusalem the entire walled city is viewed as God’s dwelling place on earth. This continued for nearly 400 years as God coexists in a unique way with the citizens of Jerusalem.

In 586 BC the Babylonians destroy the temple and walls of Jerusalem. The Jews were carried off into captivity for 70 years. Eventually the Persians come into power and under the rule of King Cyrus permission is given to the remnant of Israel to return to Judah to rebuild the temple. This second temple was completed in 516 BC. The wall was still in ruins and God used the governor of Judah, Nehemiah, to see this project to completion.  The prophet Malachi ends with God telling Judah that He will personally come to visit the temple. God refers to Himself as the Messenger of the Covenant.

The next major development in the meta-story is the coming of Jesus to earth.  Jesus comes to tabernacle among human beings (Read John 1:14). This is the next stage in God dwelling with humanity. On several occasions we see Jesus entering the temple. In a remarkable statement, He refers to His body as the temple. He claimed that He would raise it up in three days after it was destroyed (John 2:19).  Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension to heaven make it possible for the next phase of God’s place to take place.

God’s presence on earth with humanity has gradually progressed from garden to tabernacle to temple to Jesus and now to the church.   With Jesus ascension to heaven the promise of the coming Holy Spirit takes place on the Day of Pentecost. God’s presence associated with the temple is now associated to the newly created church. The church quickly grows and is comprised of Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles. Together they are the new temple in which God resides. As the church expands throughout the earth, God’s dwelling place is expanded. And as Jesus predicted, the Jerusalem temple is destroyed as an act of judgement against unbelieving and covenant breaking Israel. This happened in 70 AD when the Romans sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. The ever-expanding church has replaced the Jerusalem temple.

The Biblical meta-story records one final phase in the process of God dwelling with humanity over the whole earth. In this stage all things are made new and His glory will fill a rejuvenated earth.  In the new creation God will dwell with His redeemed people. The theme or motif of God’s presence on earth alongside humanity is an important part of the Biblical meta-story.

THE MOTIF OF TEMPLE
Read Revelation 21:15-18.  It’s not a coincidence that Revelation uses Jerusalem and temple language. It’s meant to help us make connections between Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem and what God is ultimately doing. This final Jerusalem is extraordinary in that its proportions are that of a perfect cube like the Holy of holies (see 1 King 6:20). While the Holy of holies was overlaid with gold, the New Jerusalem is pure gold leading us to conclude that the New Jerusalem is an expanded Holy of holies. The Holy of holies is now a massive “city”.  Revelation 21:22 says that there is no temple in the city because the Lord is its temple. It’s worth noting that Revelation describes the New Jerusalem as the bride of Christ which has the glory of God. With Christ as the true temple and cornerstone, and by virtue of our connection to Him as living stones, we are both connected to God and indwelt by God (in union with God). Revelation is communicating, not so much that the church is a spiritual building or city, or that God is a physical temple, but that we are in union with God, living together.  Remember, this is apocalyptic language. It’s meant to reveal and uncover truth through the use of vivid imagery. It has a literal meaning but uses a vision to communicate that truth. When you place these passages back into the meta-story they begin to make more sense.

QUESTIONS
1.  Did you ever stop to consider how the opening of Genesis has a lot in common with the end of Revelation?  Why do you think that is?

2.  How does Adam and Eve’s relationship with God start out? What happens to Adam and Eve’s relationship with God after sin?  How is this contrasted with the end of Revelation?

3.  When you consider the tabernacle in the wilderness, what comes to mind? Nothing? Confusion? Mystery? Irrelevance? Intricate rules and ceremonies? Something else?

4.  How does your understanding of the tabernacle change knowing that it’s about God reestablishing His dwelling place among humanity of earth as He starts with one nation?

5.  Have you ever considered the significance of Jerusalem being called the City of God (See Psalms 46:4, 48:4)?

6.  In both the tabernacle and the first temple, God’s presence filled His dwelling place. In what ways was this fulfilled in the 2^nd Temple era?

7.  What and where is the temple now? How has this expanded God’s plan to dwell on earth with humanity?

8.  What is the final phase of God’s plan to dwell with humanity on earth?

9.  How does these meta-story and theme about God dwelling with humanity change your understanding or the way you look at Scripture?

10.  Revelation can be confusing at times. It’s not supposed to be. How does understanding the end scene of Revelation help you understand how the meta-story is developing?  Does understanding temple imagery help make sense of some of the mystery?