Earthly Versions

[Dave Pedersen]

Hi there. I have not posted much but thought to contribute this general idea for a conversation. I'd like some input about the idea of how it is the earthly or material which actually exists serves to represent a higher form. How they are both treated as real by God and yet one aspect can be far transcendent to the base.

 

Anyone familiar with music knows about overlapping harmonics. Octaval intervals determining the interactions of chords throughout an unlimited range. For instance the temple of God. We know it is to be located on Mount Moriah, where Isaac was to be sacrificed. And if I understand correctly where also Jacob's pillar was first found as his pillow.

 

The temple mount.. Why would God consider it to be His favorite place? We know from the new testament that we are to understand our bodies to be the temple of God. And also we together compose the body of Christ. So then we see the several being true and what can we learn from this? Is not all of the material a synchronistic co-existent manifestation of that which eludes our present experience but to which we aspire? I see the totality of what we are told to be a cross section of a transcendent harmonic of the greater reality. Abiding in Christ, the kingdom of heaven is truly within us.

 

Another example of prime significance is Christ as Passover. The Passover Lamb. Not only does the practice of "Easter" introduce the unclean where it ought not it also serves to keep hidden this truth of our Passover Lamb with all it's scriptural underpinnings of which today's Christians are so often unaware.

 

The struggles of nations.. Are they in the clearer reality a more momentous struggle? When North and South Korea are locked in an uncertain stalemate does the cause and inspiration reside out of our sight in the greater realm? Or even if completely synchronous does one claim cause over the other?

 

In the ancient nation of Egypt, do we not see our state of bondage in this flesh age? The wandering in the wilderness due to disobedience, our life in this fallen flesh? Their hope and expectation to attain to the promised Holy Land our hope of life eternal as the children of the Most High? Reading Ezekiel 31 makes me wonder about the nature, the reality, of Eden. Is it not Earth?

 

It makes me wonder where does the representation cease? Or does Father make eternal room for the base example? I guess it depends. What will we think of Jerusalem ten thousand years from now? Will we know it as an actual city or an ancient illustration of the human condition provided to a flesh eyed people?

 

We are taught that the enemy covets the mercy seat. He will "stand in the holy place" claiming to be God. Must it needs be in a specific geographic location? This temple mount? More importantly as to the outcome, we must know our enemy covets the inner temple which belongs only to God, His place of abiding with us.

 

Perhaps in all eternity this fount and communion of love is the only reality which ever always matters.

 

 

[William H.]

Interesting subject matter. Perhaps I will come with some examples too, in due time!

The Temple?

I agree "the kingdom of God is within you" (Lk.17:21) and "that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own"(1 Cor.6). Such spiritual truths having been revealed to us in our walk according to God's blueprint. While we see spiritual truths greater than any material (physical) substance, we still have use for all fruitful instruments. So when we recieve revelation of what a symbol means, a physical thing gains spiritual context. (For the Spiritual to interact with the physical in a physical way it uses a vechile- example: flesh / Emmanel- God with Us- The Living WORD)

So when i personally think -"Why would God consider it to be His favorite place?"-, (it being The Temple Mount) I reflect on it's original purpose in God's blueprint for all peoples. (While there is some debate in religious circles of what all took place at this site) Many point to this site as the orgins of the creation of man and even the center of the universe.

We know that Israel was choosen to:

1) bring forth The WORD - being Christ as well as the written (and oral) Word.

2) serve as an example to the Nations (World) of what it was to have a Relationship With God (which is the most basic meaning of the name Israel).

And of course the physical temple which was the captial (heart) of Israel was put in place according to God's blueprint and thus He was pleased with it for a time and used it according to His will. It was this "Shekinah Glory" that makes the location the most "holy" in Judaism even in times where a physical temple doesn't stand (neither is there a kosher Levitical priesthood).

So for those who are unable to see past the physical into the spiritual, they maybe decieved if any physical temple, man, or priesthood is raised up in this location before Christ returns, after which we know the Eturnal Kingdom will again have its captial in this location (New Jerusalem). (I believe in the generation of the Figtree and 2 Pet.3:9 so in ten thousand years i hope that i have a place in the kingdom according to God's Grace). I think its safe to say that Jerusalem of today is best understood as a barometer to all watchmen.

The Passover Lamb?

Amen, I agree Christ fulfilled the Passover (sacrifice)!

The struggle of nations?

I would say there is much support for earthly kingdoms (leaders) being the hand of spiritual powers. When Jesus remained silent before Pilate, Pilate responded "knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above:" Later, "Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross" INRI /

We have lucifer claiming authority of earthly kingdoms.

We have Eph.6:12

We have discriptions of the forces of Gog and Magog, the Beast system (NWO), The World, The Leaven of the Pharisees and Saducees,....

(Dan.10:12-13)

Eden?

I agree, "Eden" as spoken of in Eze.31 is to be considered in a spiritual context. Just as The sons of God are called stars, spiritual beings and flesh men are liked unto trees throughout the WORD. However, I wouldn't attempt to say that Eden wasn't ever to be seen in a physical sense (Gen.) seeing as man consists of both spirit and dust and was placed in Eden.

The Mercy Seat?

Amen, I agree the enemy seeks to disrupt our individual walks with The LORD (temples).

 

When properly dividing the WORD i tend to look for both a physical and a Spiritual layer, and yet at times one is often stressed more than the other, Spiritual always being the more significant (yet both are used to open up other layers). God has beautiful ways of relaying messages to those of us with spiritual eyes and ears.

There are those who like to claim that the WORD is Only to be taken in a "literal" way never considering figurative language (metaphors, figures of speech, idoms, types...). I often think to myself, how much of the WORD have they read? I ask myself, how would they understand parables? Sometimes a thing can be so simple that we overlook it.

Example: a metaphor when Understood, is it not Literal?

 

 

 

[gary daniel harrington]

Remember Adam and Eve were to keep it simple. They didn't...that's when things got Real' and complicated ! I think man kind's been confused ever since. Thank God for "God". Only He seems to truly know what's going on. Remember not even Jesus knew the time of His return !*