The Temple
Summary
The temple was always intended to express the indwelling presence of Yahweh with his people — from Jacob’s pillar of stone to the wilderness tabernacle, Solomon’s house, and the future age described in Revelation. The New Jerusalem needs no temple building because Yahweh and the Lamb are themselves the temple. This chapter traces that presence through the prophetic promises of a restored creation, a rejoicing wilderness, and a world at last filled with the knowledge of God’s glory.
John saw the ultimate fulfilment: "But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple." (Revelation 21:22)[1] When the divine presence is everywhere and accessible to all, no building is needed to locate it. Yet that end-state was prefigured by every earlier stage of the temple's history.
It began with Jacob at Bethel. Waking from his vision of the ladder and the angels, he set up the stone he had slept on as a pillar: "This stone, which I have set as a pillar, shall be God's house." (Genesis 28:22)[2] That stone-pillar points forward to Daniel's stone cut without hands that smites the image and becomes a great mountain filling the whole earth, (Daniel 2:34–35)[3] and to Peter's declaration that believers are "living stones" being built into "a spiritual house." (1 Peter 2:5)[4]
Paul describes the full structure: "Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:20–22)[5] The temple is not stone and cedar — it is a living community indwelt by the Spirit of Yahweh.
The prophets foresaw the renewal of the land that will surround this dwelling. Isaiah declared: "The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." (Isaiah 35:1)[6] Joel promised mountains dropping with new wine and hills flowing with milk. (Joel 3:18)[7] Ezekiel saw the desolate land become "like the garden of Eden." (Ezekiel 36:35)[8] Hosea heard Yahweh promise: "I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice." (Hosea 2:19)[9]
The justice and stability of that age is captured by Isaiah: "Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times." (Isaiah 33:6)[10] The inhabitants will learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9)[11] and false prophets will be ashamed. (Zechariah 13:4)[12] The tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:2)[13] will flourish like the tree in Psalm 1 planted by rivers of water. (Psalm 1:3)[14]
Jeremiah saw Jerusalem itself exalted as the throne of Yahweh, all nations gathering to it. (Jeremiah 3:17)[15] Zephaniah exulted: "The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness." (Zephaniah 3:17)[16] David's prayer at the founding of the temple becomes the anthem of the age: "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours." (1 Chronicles 29:11)[17]