~The New Jerusalem~


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Chapter:# 16
Seven Tabernacles

 

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. Revelation 21:22

 

Now we come to the precious truth of the Tabernacle of God, for this Tabernacle is the final completed hope for they who would overcome and eventually for all mankind and creation. It is my purpose to reveal that there were in fact 7 Tabernacles in scripture, 7 completed examples and 7 areas of witness needed in our lives if we are to complete our courses as overcomers and come into the 8th and final Tabernacle wherein God Himself and the Lamb of God become the eternal abode for all creation. This is the hope that consumes me every single day in my personal life, that this consummation would be done and that right quickly, for the earth is reeling to and fro under the weight of the increase of the Mystery of Iniquity and if ever there was a time of needing the Lord to complete His processings, surely it would be now. However , the Lord is still urging us to press onward in our faith taking one step at a time until we come into the completed whole He promises.

 

It was very necessary in the last two writings to explain the new age infiltration into the ranks of the overcomers. The reason for my explanation was to show unto you that you cannot come into the Tabernacle which is the Glory of God and the Lamb, and which covers the entire scope of the New Jerusalem, unless you are HOLY. The defilements of this day are making corrupt the walks of some of our brethren who are falling into weird doctrines. Every form of new age mentality is creeping in which is causing us to see a great falling away. This falling away into new age deception is easy to discern if you but look at the person with their new doctrine. All you need see is that the cross is removed from them, that the cross no longer works in power to deliver them from the man of sin which is fallen flesh. That is the purpose of new age doctrine.

 

So just prior to revealing the Tabernacle of God I wish to take one more moment and show unto you Galatians 2:20 written above. This is important to our understanding for coming into the true Tabernacle of God.

 

One of the base texts for modern scripture translation is called the Emphatic Diaglott of 1206, a Vatican Catholic document used now by the Jehovah Witnesses. The Emphatic Diaglott  was produced by a Christadelphian named Benjamin Wilson, (with no credentials in Greek). Wilson denied the personal pre-existence of Christ before his birth, the entire incarnation doctrine, being anti-trinitarian himself. I believe that the translation of Galatians 2:20 was the foothold needed by new age spirits to gain a foothold in the church to deceive and to steal like a thief the pure simple truth of the Gospel. In fact, I believe that this verse along with just a very few others were the verses that have now lent themselves the room needed for current new age deceptions to take place. For in the Diaglott the first words of Galatians 2:20 read like this:

“With Anointed, I have been crucified.”

 

I see the subtle discrepancy in this which is causing present day pollutions in the realm of spirit, even though this was penned over 800 years ago. For the statement above could very well be translated – I “WAS” crucified with Christ, not I “AM” crucified with Christ as is the proper interpretation. The difference is that the cross is not a current experience or necessity for this portion of text. The cross is way back there when Jesus died upon it, not for now, not for the cancelling out now of our fallen iniquity. That the cross WAS an entity which I somehow mystically was a part of and therefore I don’t need it now. This is FALSE. This interpretation is the groundwork for new age spirits to gain a foothold and for Lucifer to ride the backs of the ungodly at will, taking them deeper and deeper into false truths gendering itching ears.

 

I say all that to state to you that the final Tabernacle where the Glory of God and the Lamb are the Tabernacle in which all are brought with no structure or building, cannot be entered while in a state of BEARING NO CROSS. When you finally enter this final Tabernacle, THEN the cross will have done its work and THEN you will no longer have the flesh nature to experience. For I believe that the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and God and the Lamb being the Tabernacle of the New Jerusalem ARE THE SAME. And this coming and this revelation cannot be done outside of the lives of they who have overcome as Jesus overcame. I prophesy to you that the coming of Christ will be the Glory of God in Tabernacle, and that this coming will be ONLY to those who are in the overcoming walk, still bearing the cross and still obeying the voice of the Lord in Holy instruction. This coming is real and it will separate those who deem themselves as having BEEN crucified and those who are STILL on the cross. Those who say they “were” crucified without the present working of putting off the man of sin won’t have much more to overcome will they?!?! The cross must continue to work in us until the life of the flesh has ended or the Lord appears, anything otherwise opens the door to this falsehood entering in. As long as you are in a body of flesh and blood, you will need to appropriate that cross.

 

Here then are the Tabernacles listed in scripture and a brief description as to how they are worked into the lives of they who are apprehended by God.

 

THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES or if you will the Tabernacle set in the wilderness. Exodus 25. This was the original pattern revealed by God to Moses for the outlay of God’s will towards man and of man’s eventual growth in God. The pattern of the Tabernacle was not just revealing the nature and character of God, but was the pattern for becoming HOLY. Not only so, but the Tabernacle is repeated in the heart and mind of anyone who overcomes for they become a Tabernacle after the same pattern in their spiritual walk.

 

THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID.

And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.

Isaiah 16:5 KJV

 

In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.                                                           Amos 9:11-12 KJV

 

And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.   Acts 15:15-18 KJV

 

The Tabernacle of David is the pattern of restoration. The prophet Samuel rescued the Ark from the Philistines with very dramatic miracles of the power of God. David later puts but a tent over the Ark, that was the Tabernacle of David, which tent blew down. How great the testings of the Spirit! This Tabernacle is the example of the overcomer being built up in God in company as the Army of the Lord, as those who conquer all things related to the fall. This is the pattern of sonship given to those who conquer in their own lives their own personal iniquity by bearing their crosses. It is this completed company of Overcomers that the Lord will appear in and will give manifested bodies of Glory when He comes. These will restore all things and be the rulers over nations and will be the manifested New Jerusalem in the earth in that day. That day is STILL TO COME.

 

THE TABERNACLE OR TEMPLE OF SOLOMON. The first temple erected by Israel while in their own land. It is the wall of this temple that still exists in modern Jerusalem now called “the wailing wall”. The wealth and power of this depiction is so much in contrast to the defilements of the idolatries of the surrounding nations at that time. Also, the whole of the earth was in peace while Solomon reigned and built the temple of God. For the overcomer this temple depiction is necessary for the temple was built in absolute silence with no sounds of construction. This depicts the hidden or secret and silent work done in the lives of those waiting for the full promise of God to come as God from the inside out builds us again.

 

THE TABERNACLE OF ZERUBBABEL. From Ezra to Zechariah Zerubbabel is chosen to build again the house of God after the 70 year captivity of Israel in Babylon. The pictures of Zerubbabel in this building are phenomenal truths of the shakings and judgments of God that are to come at the end of the age just prior to the return of Christ.  For the overcomer this temple represents the ending of earthly governments and of the power of Babylon, political, religious and economic. For in the Kingdom of God the Lord rules by ONE, and that rule is by He who has been given a name which is above every name. And the overcomer by obedience in their earthly walk comes into this same rulership.

 

HEROD’S TEMPLE.  Now we see the repeated violation of the pattern for the temple in King Herod’s reign in Israel and particularly in Jerusalem. For this pattern Herod laid out was similar in blasphemy to that of King Ahaz who defiled the original pattern of the temple in Jerusalem and caused Urijah the priest to commit sin before God. You can read the account in 2 Kings chapter 16. Herod had also defiled the pattern and set the temple up as a COMPROMISE to the truth. There is much to this but suffice it to say that this represents vain denominational standards by which truth is held in a form of Godliness, but the power thereof is denied. 2 Timothy 3:5. This is the same temple of Herod that Jesus as a young boy was found in by Joseph and Mary when he taught the elders in Jerusalem. It is also the same temple which He proclaimed Himself as the messiah by reading from the scroll of Isaiah. Luke 4:18 Also this was the temple wherein Christ made a whip and drove out the sellers and marketers.

 

THE BODY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. This was the actual physical body of Jesus that was born of Mary and that walked the earth in the gospels. This body of Jesus is seen as the first body that would be raised eternally from the dead. Christ typifies His body as the “temple” which would be destroyed and raised again in 3 days. This body is the body God accepted as the final sacrifice of the Mosaic order. In fact, the high priest Caiaphas wrote a letter to the Jewish Sanhedrin after Jesus died on the cross stating that the temple and the ordinances and sacrifices were to be shut down for he had “Killed the final sacrifice”. Caiaphas had a revelation of Jesus as the lamb of God, the temple of fullness, the one who was perfect as a house for God. The Apostle Paul later states that God was IN Christ during His passion on the cross, reconciling the world unto Himself.

 

Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.

John 2:18-21 KJV

 

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV

 

 

A SPIRITUAL HOUSE.  This is the house that Christ builds called His church, the general assembly of the firstborn, the building made without hands prophesied by Daniel and several others. This is the temple that God filled with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost and by which Christ prophesied of the victory of His people.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Matthew 16:18-19 KJV

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 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. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

1 Peter 2:4-7 KJV

 

This is the body of Christ during the church age, the body of believers in the earth. Not only so, but the depiction of the New Jerusalem also is as a shadow or unction of this body, revealing itself as the perfected spiritual house that God gives unto the earth. The New Jerusalem in its depiction as the church of Christ is sort of dual in being revealed that way because the final depiction of the New Jerusalem is seen in the next section, the 8th view of the Tabernacle.

 

 This is now the end of the depiction of the 7 Tabernacles or temples in the scripture. The temple I am personally looking for however is ONLY IN THE NEW JERUSALEM.

 

The 8th and Final Tabernacle, the Lord God Almighty and of the Lamb

John the revelator makes a statement here. I must say that this statement is one of the most exciting and favored scriptures I hold in my heart. Here stands John, seeing the New Jerusalem descend out of Heaven from God to settle upon the earth. He stands just after thousands of years of Jewish history, of the age of the law and of the age of the church. He stands here on Patmos after the world has seen these 7 previous temples and he views this vision, his passion being very evident. And John’s mouth drops open in amazement, and written here in this very text of scripture is a most wondrous declaration. For John in absolute wonder and with the voice of loud declaration says: “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” 21:22

 

This has got to be the epitome of all the workings of God! For now we see no physical viable fleshly existing temple. We see the GLORY OF GOD AND OF THE LAMB being the final eternal temple into which all in time will come. How this absolutely amazes my faith. All the other examples of tabernacles and temples are swallowed up in this one final display of the great grace of God. Nowhere in this vast City of God is there a temple found EXCEPT that God HIMSELF IS THAT TEMPLE. And dear reader, everything is being drawn up into that temple! And in the center of the Temple, THE THRONE which in the next writing I will begin to reveal.

 

Let these words sink into your spirit in the life and vitality of the hope of the Gospel. For the Lord is the final resting place for creation. Only that which is HOLY and PURE and UNDEFILED will enter this temple, and God has promised that ALL WILL ENTER. For the purification of the fallen creation is God’s work, and it shall be completed, and all shall disappear in the temple of His Glory!

 

(Vision)

“As I beheld this scene I saw that the feet of God were on the edge of the sea of glass, that as He sat in His Throne, that the place of His feet was glorious. The feet of the Lord on the edge of this sea were there as He ruled over all that was in the sea. And I saw that great serpent leviathan, the dragon and the beast, and the false prophet and all men who bore the image and the number of his name within this sea of glass mingled with fire.

 

Then looking up I saw that God had both hands and arms outstretched over the sea of glass. From His left hand was issuing forth a flowing realm of brimstone and fire, a hot pouring forth supplying the sea with the heat needed to create this glass. Out of the right hand of God issued forth a flowing realm of living water, raining down on the sea on the lives of the just and the unjust.

 ( Not the end of the vision )

 

To be continued…….
Kenneth B Visscher
Copyright