When Moses went up to mount Saini, God gave him, among other things, the "blueprint" for the building of the Tabernacle, and told him: "that you make all things according to the pattern shown to you in mount"(Heb.8:5, Acts 7:44). But the question is, a pattern of what?
However, in accordance with God's instructions, Moses built the Tabernacle, and all the other things that were to be included. On completion it was consecrated and sanctified, to be carried by selected men from the Priesthood. Of course, it was inviolate! If it was touched by anyone other than the selected men, and the High priest, on the day of Atonement, that person died. But why?
Later in the history of Israel, Solomon was chosen by God to build the Temple or Tabernacle. On completion, again it was consecrated and sanctified. And porters were appointed to guard the entrances, to prevent the unclean from entering into it thus: "And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the Lord, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in"(2 Chron.23:19). Jesus also referred to porters guarding the door of the church, to prevent "thieves and robbers" from entering(John 10:1-3). That raises the question, how come that so many false ministers, who turned out to be "thieves and robbers," were able to enter into the church? A question I shall answer at a later date.
However, the question still remains, of what was the Temple a pattern? Jesus went up to Jerusalem to attend the Passover, and found hirelings selling animals. After he drove them out, he made a profound revelation thus: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up(John 2:19). The Jews thought that he was referring to the temple that took forty six years to build. But he was talking about his body, which he called a temple. So we learned, and the "we" refers to those that are capable of learning, that the pattern God showed Moses in the mount was the pattern of the human body, but especially the "inner man"(2 Cor.4:16).
This teaching is confirmed by the Chosen Vessel thus: "know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwells in you(1 Cor.3:16)? Of course, the spirit of God only dwells in the "Vessels of Mercy"(Rom.9:23).
Lots of people assembled for services with the Apostles and The Worldwide Church of God, but the majority of them were not called by God. If they had been called by God, the spirit of God would have dwelt in them, and they would never have fallen away from the church. But John was inspired to write: "They went out from us, but they were not all of us; for if they had been of us, they no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us"(1 John 2:19). So these people were never temples of God.
I am well aware, of course, that Rod Meredith, Victor Kubic and the gang of hanger-ons, that have coalesced around UCG for a salary, Dave Havir, Dave Pack, Jerry flurry, David Hulme and a hosts of other misguided people, are of the perverse opinion that others have left the church, but they have not! Yet, all of these crazy men teach that Christ is divided, and God is the author of confusion. For members and ministers often leave one group to join another, when something is said or done that makes them more unhappy, than they current are! If that is not teaching that Christ is divided, then I don't know what is!
This teaching is confirmed by the Chosen Vessel thus: "know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwells in you(1 Cor.3:16)? Of course, the spirit of God only dwells in the "Vessels of Mercy"(Rom.9:23).
Lots of people assembled for services with the Apostles and The Worldwide Church of God, but the majority of them were not called by God. If they had been called by God, the spirit of God would have dwelt in them, and they would never have fallen away from the church. But John was inspired to write: "They went out from us, but they were not all of us; for if they had been of us, they no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us"(1 John 2:19). So these people were never temples of God.
I am well aware, of course, that Rod Meredith, Victor Kubic and the gang of hanger-ons, that have coalesced around UCG for a salary, Dave Havir, Dave Pack, Jerry flurry, David Hulme and a hosts of other misguided people, are of the perverse opinion that others have left the church, but they have not! Yet, all of these crazy men teach that Christ is divided, and God is the author of confusion. For members and ministers often leave one group to join another, when something is said or done that makes them more unhappy, than they current are! If that is not teaching that Christ is divided, then I don't know what is!
To be continued
