Topics Research¶
Question¶
Does the sanctuary imagery in Revelation follow a deliberate progression from the Holy Place through the Most Holy Place to 'no temple'? Map the compartmental progression and the vessel/function transformations. Does this progression match the DOA ritual sequence?
Topics¶
ATONEMENT (DAY OF)¶
Time of: EXO 30:10; LEV 23:27; 25:9; NUM 29:7 How observed: EXO 30:10; LEV 16:2-34; 23:27-32; NUM 29:7-11; ACT 27:9; HEB 5:3; 9:7,19,22 Key ritual sequence: garment change -> sacrifice -> censer with incense -> blood at mercy seat -> no man in tabernacle -> cleanse altar -> scapegoat -> priest emerges -> dwelling result Affliction of souls: LEV 23:29 -- "whatsoever soul that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off"
INCENSE¶
Formula: EXO 30:34,35 Uses: EXO 30:36-38; LEV 16:12; NUM 16:17,40,46; DEU 33:10 Morning/evening: EXO 30:7,8; 2CH 13:11 On golden altar: EXO 30:1-7; 40:5,27; 2CH 2:4; 32:12 In atonement: LEV 16:12,13 -- censer full of coals, hands full of incense, within the vail, cloud covers mercy seat SYMBOLICAL: Of prayers of saints REV 5:8; 8:3,4 PSA 141:2 -- "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."
TEMPLE¶
Sanctuary contents: Holy of Holies with ark (1KI 6:19; 8:6); Holy Place with lampstands (1KI 7:49), altar of incense (1KI 6:20; 7:48), table of showbread (1KI 7:48) FIGURATIVE: Of the kingdom of Christ REV 11; 14:15,17; Of righteousness against evil REV 15:5-8; 16:1-17 REV 21:22 -- "I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." Key distinction: naos (G3485, inner shrine, 16x in Rev) vs hieron (G2411, temple precincts, 0x in Rev)
ALTAR¶
Brazen altar for burnt offerings (EXO 27:1-8; 38:1-7) -- outer court Golden altar for incense (EXO 30:1-5; 37:25-28) -- Holy Place, "before the vail" (EXO 30:6) In Revelation: - Rev 6:9 (souls under altar -- unqualified thysiastErion, no chrysoun modifier) - Rev 8:3 (golden altar before throne -- thysiastErion to chrysoun to enopion tou thronou) - Rev 8:5 (fire from altar for censer) - Rev 9:13 (voice from four horns of golden altar) - Rev 11:1 (measure the temple and altar) - Rev 14:18 (angel from altar with power over fire) - Rev 16:7 (altar says "true and righteous are thy judgments")
SANCTUARY¶
The divine dwelling place: EXO 25:8 -- "let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them" Holy Place (first compartment): HEB 9:2 -- "the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary [ta hagia]" Most Holy Place (second compartment): HEB 9:3-4 -- "after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all [hagia hagion]; which had the golden censer, and the ark" In charge of high priest: EXO 27:21; LEV 24:3; NUM 18:5
HOLY PLACE¶
HEB 9:2 defines: "the first [compartment] wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread" Furniture: lampstand (EXO 25:31-40), table of showbread (EXO 25:23-30), altar of incense (EXO 30:1-10) Daily ministry: Priests entered "always" (HEB 9:6) to tend lamps, burn incense, replace showbread
MOST HOLY PLACE¶
HEB 9:3-4 defines: "after the second veil... which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant" Furniture: ark of the covenant containing tables of stone, Aaron's rod, pot of manna (HEB 9:4) Mercy seat (kapporet/hilasterion) above the ark (EXO 25:17-22) Access: "once every year" by high priest alone (HEB 9:7) Cherubim over the mercy seat (EXO 25:18-20; HEB 9:5)
GOLDEN CANDLESTICK / LAMPSTAND¶
EXO 25:31-40 -- seven-branched lampstand of pure gold Placed in Holy Place: EXO 26:35; 40:24; HEB 9:2 Daily tending: EXO 27:20-21; LEV 24:2-4 In Revelation: lychnia (G3087, lampstand) -- 7x ALL in Rev (1:12,13,20; 2:1,5; 11:4) Rev 4:5 uses lampas (G2985, torch/lamp), NOT lychnia -- different Greek word in throne room
COVENANT / ARK¶
Ark of the covenant: EXO 25:10-22; HEB 9:3-4 Contents: tables of stone (DEU 10:5), Aaron's rod (NUM 17:10), pot of manna (EXO 16:33-34) Location: Most Holy Place, behind the veil In Revelation: kibotos (G2787) at Rev 11:19 only -- "the ark of his testament [diatheke]" Appears at structural pivot between trumpets and bowls
PLAGUE¶
EXO 7-12 (ten plagues of Egypt) REV 15:1,6,8; 16:9,21 (seven last plagues) plege (G4127) -- used 7x in Rev 15-16 for the bowl judgments LEV 26:21 -- plagues sevenfold for sins (covenant curse language)
WRATH¶
thymos (G2372) -- 10 of 18 NT occurrences in Revelation orge (G3709) -- 6x in Revelation Key verses: Rev 14:10,19; 15:1,7; 16:1,19; 18:3; 19:15 Rev 15:7: golden bowls full of thymos replaces golden bowls full of thymiama (5:8)
TABERNACLE (FEAST OF)¶
LEV 23:34-43 -- 15th day of 7th month, seven days Celebration after DOA (10th day) -- five days later Dwelling in booths: memorial of wilderness journey REV 21:3: skene tou Theou meta ton anthropon -- "the tabernacle of God is with men" REV 7:15: "he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell [skenosei] among them" Fulfillment: direct divine dwelling after judgment complete