Study No. 15

The Temples
in Type and Antitype

Introduction

This study shows that the construction of the first and second ancient temples were in fact a prophecy of the major events of the early and latter day Christian churches, including the precise circumstances of our church today.

Prayer Thought: 9T 16

 “Satan is a diligent Bible student. He knows that his time is short, and he seeks at every point to counterwork the work of the Lord upon this earth. It is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who shall be alive upon the earth when celestial glory and a repetition of the persecutions of the past are blended. They will walk in the light proceeding from the throne of God. By means of the angels there will be constant communication between heaven and earth. And Satan, surrounded by evil angels, and claiming to be God, will work miracles of all kinds, to deceive, if possible, the very elect. God's people will not find their safety in working miracles, for Satan will counterfeit the miracles that will be wrought. God's tried and tested people will find their power in the sign spoken of in Exodus 31:12-18. They are to take their stand on the living word: "It is written." This is the only foundation upon which they can stand securely. Those who have broken their covenant with God will in that day be without God and without hope.” {9T 16.1}

1. Read Ephesians 2: 19-22

The Apostle Paul makes a comparison (type) between the first (Solomon’s) temple and the early Christian church. Two points to notice are:

• • The temple was fitly framed together

  • Christ, the chief corner stone was rejected – Ps. 118:22; Acts 4: 10, 11.

  • This description reveals that Paul was making a comparison (type) with the FIRST TEMPLE built by Solomon, which was:
    
    (1) fitly framed together--its stones were precut and fitted in place at the site.
    (2) There was a problem with the chief corner stone.
    

  
  

  
  

2. The First Temple (Solomon’s Temple) in Type

Construction
1Kg. 5: 17, 18; 6: 7; Ps. 118: 22 – The stone for the foundation was rejected but became the chief corner stone.

Destruction
2Kg. 25: 1-11 – It was destroyed and robbed by the Babylonians. Its services were replaced with Pagan worship – Dan. 3: 1-7

Fallen Empire of Babylon
Isa. 45: 1-3; Dan. 5: 30 - Babylon’s fall freed God’s people and paved the way for the building of the second temple

3. The Second Temple in Type

Three decrees were made to rebuild the temple

1st decree
Ezra 1: 1-3 – Cyrus decreed that the temple be built but the Samaritans or factitious Jews frustrated the progress of the foundation and retarded its completion – Ezra 4: 4, 5

2nd decree
Ezra 4:24; 5:1-6 – A second decree came into effect and two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah helped the builders but the work was again frustrated by factitious Jews.

3rd decree
Ezra 6:1, 7, 11-15 – A third and final decree was made by Darius. It was a death decree which resulted in the work prospering through the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah and the finishing of the temple.

The second temple was nothing in comparison to the first, but it exceeded the first in glory because of the personal presence of Christ in it – Ezra 3: 12, 13; Hag. 2: 3, 9, 7; GC 24.1,2

4. The First Temple in Antitype,
The First Section of the Christian Church

Construction – Zech. 6: 12, 13, 15; GC 416; Matt. 21: 42; DA 597.5

Destruction – Dan. 8: 10-13; 11: 31 – Antitypical Babylon (Rome) massacred the Christians, cast out the truth and set up Papal worship in the early Christian church in AD 538.

Fallen Power of Papacy – Rev. 13: 10 - As a result of the Protestant Reformation, Papal Rome fell in 1798, paving the way for the restoration of true worship.

5. The Second Temple in Antitype,
The Second Section of the Christian Church

Three decrees were made to restore true worship after the fall of Antitypical Babylon, Papal Rome.

1st decree
Dan. 8: 14, Rev. 14: 6-12 – The first decree resulted in the restoration of true worship in 1844 when the three Angels’ messages came, but the work was frustrated by untrue SDAs - 5T 217

2nd decree
Another message after 1844, Righteousness by Faith - Rom. 4: 3-5 came in 1888. It was rejected – TM 80, 91. Thus the work was again frustrated by untrue SDAs.

3rd decree
Since the typical third decree threatened the lives of the disloyal men and nations, a third and final message, following 1888 must arise which is strong and severe. It will demand obedience and enforce judgment on those who oppose it. Like the type, this message will accomplish its mission. The only message that came to the S.D.A. church after 1888 is the message of the Judgment of the living in 1929. It will prosper through the prophesying of Sr. White and Bro. Houteff.


Like the type, the second section of the Christian church, the purified church, will exceed the first in glory. Its members will be symbolize horses - Rev. 9: 16-19, whereas the followers of the first section of the Christian church are symbolize as locust – Rev. 9: 3- 11

6. The woes Rev. 8: 13

The woes signify a change between the first four and the last three trumpets. Following the crucifixion of Christ and the ushering in of the New Testament era, the woes point to

(1) Satan persecuting the faithful and
(2) Satan persecuting the heathen in his effort to get them in the church.

7. The fifth trumpet Rev. 9: 1-12

This period is signified by the appearance of Christ, His crucifixion and resurrection, and the going forth of the early Christians to preach the gospel.

Star
Jesus, first advent - John 1:1-14; Rev. 22:16.

Key
deliverance from sin and death - the Gospel - Rev. 20:1, 2; 1:18; Luke 4:18, 19

Bottomless Pit
earth in its state as a prison house for sinners. (Rev. 20:3).

Smoke
Christ's crucifixion. The sacrifice of the ceremonial system prefigured Christ's sacrifice. (AA 14; DA 632).

Darkened sun and air
darkness over the land from the 6th hour to the 9th hour. (Mark 15:33).

Locusts
Christians, told not kill (Matt. 5:38, 39). Swarm as locusts (Acts 2:41, 47).

Crowns like gold
the authority of Christ. (Matt. 16:19).

Hair of women
church (woman) their glory - 1 Cor. 11:15; Jer. 6:2; 2Thess. 1:4.

Teeth of Lions
power to kill. (Acts 5:1-11).

Breastplates of Iron
Faith and love. 1Thess. 5:8; Acts 5:42.

Sound of wings
... to battle - Fearlessness. Acts 20:20-22

Their King
Jesus. (1 Cor. 10:1-4)

Abaddon
destroyer of His enemies. Luke 19:14; Deut. 12:2, 3.

Apollyon
exterminator of wicked. Rev. 19:15-18.

Tails
Laity. Romans 12:5

Stings
torment to the wicked. Acts 4:16-18; John 12:19.

Five months
crucifixion to Ezekiel 9.

Glad to die but cannot
ready to die Acts 20:18, 19, 23-27; 21:12, 13; cannot - Dan. 12:1; EW 34; Luke 17:31, 33.

8. The sixth trumpet Rev. 9:13- 11:14

This period brings to view the liberation of the church from her long bondage to the tyranny of church-state rule; God’s Spirit filled last day messengers; their message and followers; and the time of harvest.

The time of the sixth trumpet is located by the command from the ‘golden altar’ to “loose the four angels,” showing that it sounded sometime before the veil to the Most Holy apartment of the heavenly Sanctuary was lifted (1844). Also, the future tense ‘shall’ is used to describe the prophesying of the ‘two witnesses’ for 1260 days (Rev. 11:3), showing that at the time the trumpet began sounding, this period was yet future.


The angels prepare themselves on four successive occasions for the eventual execution of death upon the wicked. By the threefold message (fire, smoke and brimstone) are the wicked killed.

•The river Euphrates - typifies Babylon; waters where whore sitteth. (Rev. 17:15). Capital city of ancient Babylon built on both sides of the Euphrates. (Jer. 46:10, 13; PK 523, 531).

•Angels loosed - set church free from Babylonian captivity (Jer. 29:10) after 1798.

•Four-fold message: (1) "An hour" - "fear God and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come." - Rev. 14:7; (2) "a day" - "the great and dreadful day of the Lord." - Mal. 4:5; TM 475; Isa. 63:4; (3) "a month" - "the latter rain in the first month" - Joel 2:23; Rev. 18:1; EW 277; 5T:254; (4) "a year" - the year of the redeemed (sealing and deliverance of 144,000) - Isa.63:4.

•Horses - gospel workers under different circumstances. (Zechariah 14:20).

•Horsemen - angels who do the killing.

•Breastplate of fire - protection of the spirit.

•Heads of lions – fearless in their efforts to spread the truth

•Fire, smoke, brimstone - threefold message

•Fire - power of the Holy Spirit.

•Smoke - sacrifices of Christ.

•Brimstone - destructive judgments of God.

•By these three (fire, smoke and brimstone) was the third part of men killed – slain before probation closes – Isa. 60:12

•Serpent -like tails - converts with which they do hurt - active part in work.

9. Events of Rev. 10 and 11 to take place before the seventh trumpet sounds

The mighty angel 
the message of William Miller. (GC 331; 7ABC 971).

Measure the temple
the temple being measured is a symbol of investigating and judging the worshipers fidelity to truth. (Ephesians 2:20-22).

The temple
dead saints from Adam to 1844.

The altar
dead saints from 1844 on, to come up in special resurrection of Dan. 12:2. (EW:285; Dan. 12:2)

Those who worship therein
the living saints; 144,000. (EW 15)

The court...measure it not
the great multitude, no man can number. (Rev. 7:9) Rev. 11:13 - Symbolical

The remnant
the righteous

The seven thousand
all the unrighteous

The tenth part
the church which is purified. Since God's part is 1/10, representing the tithe, then 1/10 of the city would represent God's church (SDA) among all the churches.

The city
The Christian world

The earthquake
the shaking in the SDA church (EW 270).

10. The seventh trumpet Rev. 11: 15

The sounding of this trumpet brings the Judgment to an end and announces that the "kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord." The mystery of God is now finished (Rev. 10:7). He which is holy and just must remain so, and likewise, he which is filthy (Rev. 22:11). It is also a time for saints to receive their reward. The opening of the temple now indicates the end of the judgment; the close of probation. Then no man will be able to enter the sanctuary "till the seven last plagues are fulfilled."

That the 7th trumpet will not sound until after the gospel closes also proves that the trumpets bring destruction upon the wicked that reject the truth.

Conclusion

This study revealed that in every age, after each sealing period the rejecters of God's truth and mercy bring destruction upon themselves. It also revealed how we may be sealed in our time and thus escape the terrors of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, the judgment of the living.