MEASURE THE TEMPLE OF GOD
Revelation 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
This last book of the Bible requires one to be cast upon all the other 65 books for it’s understanding. For it is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him.” (Revelation 1:1) And all the scriptures are given to reveal His Person! They are not given to learn a theological formula for obtaining eternal life! John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Jesus Christ is the Eternal Word! John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
And the Lord Jesus Christ is the ‘measure’ by which we ascertain the identity of the true church, the temple of God! Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Therefore those who seek religious prophesy, or a glimpse into future times instead of seeking Him in the scriptures, shall always be in error. For they will ‘wrongly divide’ the word of truth, not being ‘approved’ of God. 2 Timothy 2:15 Study (‘endeavor’), to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Peter states that when some come upon scriptures hard to be understood, they “wrest” them. That is they torture and stretch them out of shape. 2 Peter 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Here are but two examples of scriptures being wrongly divided. The Lord Jesus stated, I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2,3) Carnal minded religionists say that means he was ‘going to heaven to build me a mansion!’ So I guess he stopped by Home Depot and picked up some lumber and carpenters tools? No! He meant that he was going to the cross to prepare believers a place of redemption and acceptability with the Father! Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
And in another passage almost always wrongly divided is Revelation 4:1,2. Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
Those who wrongly divide this, governed by carnal reasoning say, “This is the rapture of the church! John was immediately taken up to heaven!” But nothing could be farther from the scriptural truth! For just a simple reading of verse two defeats that error! For it does not say, “Immediately I was in heaven!” It simply states, “And immediately I was in the spirit!” John is found weeping in chapter five of this book. He was weeping because the approaches to God as found in the Old Testament, or Covenant were “taken away.” So there he stood not knowing how the church was now to approach God!
Therefore he was taken up from the old, carnal way of approaching God by the law, through animal sacrifice, into the spiritual understanding by faith in the blood of the Lamb of God – the Lord Jesus Christ! Hebrews 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And as Christ is spirit and life, so those who seek the meaning of the scriptures must seek Him in their spiritual application. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. True worship of him is not to be had at just a set time and a set place. True worship is to be realized when one comes, whatever the time, and whatever the place, to adore him in the spiritual condition of the heart, sought only in the truth as it is revealed in Him! John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
This being the case, we have deceived ourselves in getting up on Sunday morning and driving over to the “church building” assuring ourselves of the accomplishment of true worship. That concept is what caused the Jewish nation to lose fellowship with Jehovah God! For if one is not in a worshipful condition in his heart, which worship alone is sought by the Father, he shall not worship by the practice of tradition once he arrives at his designated place. Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Of course we should not fail to “assemble ourselves together” when we are given that opportunity. But we only truly assemble together, when we spiritually meet together at Christ’s throne, irregardless of our physical location, worshipping him in spirit and truth. Jesus warned of seeking God to be restricted to only a designation location! Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
But let God speak for himself. Carefully read the following verses with a spirit broken away from only formal religion. Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Remember the Lord Himself said, “true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” Therefore it may well be that God is receiving more true spiritual worship in the individual hearts of his believers at a time of being shut off from the routine practice of traditional religion due to a pandemic.
For then fearful hearts will sincerely and earnestly seek the Lord in all honesty, casting all their care upon him, for they seek to know that he cares for them in that hour. 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. For whereas they were just going through religious practices in their church meetings, then they are isolated from the Body and have to give attention to the Head Himself! For as has already been stated, this kind of worshipper is the only one sought out by the Father! Mostly the experience of organized religion is not truly in the spirit. It is mostly just the “inordinate affections,” (human emotions gone over the limit), enflamed by demonic spirits.
And since we are to measure the temple, let us make sure that we know what is God’s definition of the temple. Here is what the scriptures reveal concerning the temple of God. John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Therefore we come to see that the true temple of God is Christ and all born again believers! 2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Just as an improper relating to the scriptures reveals none but those who practice only their traditions of religion, so those who seek, in an humble heart to obey the word reveals them to be the true, spiritual temple of the Lord! Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
And we must not measure ourselves by other religionists. We must measure ourselves by the spiritual word. 2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
The Apostle John was amazed at the woman he was shown, thinking she was the church. And he was the apostle whom Jesus loved. He was the apostle who lay on Jesus’ breast at supper! Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. 7 ¶ And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
And some of the true churches which were begun by the preaching of the apostles had already come to be related to as “the synagogue of Satan!” Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
Therefore is it any wonder that even this little article’s suggestion that our practiced religion is false upsets you? When such a man as John the Apostle has to be corrected, why should not we? Luke 13:23 ¶ Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
May God have mercy!
Pastor Gene Breed
February 05, 2021
