Watchtower Study, Appreciate the Honor of Worshiping Jehovah in His Spiritual Temple, Week of January 1-7, 2024, Comments and Practical Answers.

Watchtower Study, Appreciate the Honor of Worshiping Jehovah in His Spiritual Temple, January 1-7, 2024, Comments and Responses.

“Worship him who made heaven and earth” (Rev. 14:7).

1. What is an angel saying, and what effect should his message have on us?

The angel is calling all nations to fear God, give Him Glory and worship the creator of heaven, earth and seas. The answer sought is that we should all worship Jehovah as the true god and appreciate the honor of worshiping our spiritual temple.

2. What is Jehovah's spiritual temple? (See also the box “What it is not”).

The spiritual temple is not a physical building, but a system established by Jehovah to be worshiped according to his will. It is based on the rescue and sacrifice of Jesus. It is mentioned in Paul's letter to the Hebrew Christians in the New Testament.

What is not

The spiritual temple is not the temple of Ezekiel's vision, which focuses on Jehovah's standards for pure worship and his modern-day restoration (Ezek. 40:1-5). 

It is not the “holy temple to Jehovah,” which refers to the anointed brothers who serve in the Christian congregation (Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 2 Cor. 6:16). 

It is not our spiritual paradise, that is, the environment of spiritual prosperity that only those of us who worship Jehovah in his spiritual temple enjoy.

3, 4. Why was Paul concerned about the Hebrew Christians, and how did he help them?

Paul wrote to the Hebrew Christians to encourage them, since many came from Judaism and could be mocked for not having a majestic temple, altars or priests. Furthermore, he urged them to understand the deep spiritual teachings, as some were still clinging to the law of Moses and did not fully understand the sacrifice of Jesus.

5. What do we need to understand, and why?

Paul explains that Jewish worship was only a shadow of what would come with Christ. It is crucial to understand the system of worship, in the spiritual temple, because it makes possible the forgiveness of sins and allows us to worship God according to his will.

THE TABERNACLE

6. What was the tabernacle used for?

The use of the tabernacle, also called the tent of meeting, was to gather the Israelites with the aim of worshiping God and offering sacrifices, and this tent or tabernacle was moved from one place to another in the desert.

7. When did the spiritual temple come into existence?

The tabernacle, used by the Israelites in the wilderness, served as a symbolic shadow presentation of Jehovah's Great spiritual temple. The spiritual temple became a reality in the 29th year of our era when Jesus, anointed with the Holy Spirit, began to serve as the great high priest there.

ILLUSTRATION

The tabernacle; see paragraph 7. 

THE HIGH PRIEST

8, 9. According to Hebrews 7:23-27, what enormous difference is there between the high priests of Israel and the great High Priest, Jesus Christ?

The big difference is that the high priests of Israel were imperfect and had to offer sacrifices for their own sins, while Jesus Christ, the great high priest, is perfect, undefiled and does not need to offer daily sacrifices.

ILLUSTRATION

The graphic “The Shadow and the Reality” shows elements of the worship that took place in the tabernacle. The high priest; see paragraph 9. 

ALTARS AND SACRIFICES

10. What did the sacrifices offered on the copper altar represent?

The sacrifices on the copper altar in the tabernacle represented the “Shadow” of the sacrifices that will completely cleanse the sins of humanity. However, these animal sacrifices could not achieve complete forgiveness, and were symbolic until the arrival of Jesus' perfect sacrifice.

11. On which altar did Jesus offer himself as a sacrifice? (Hebrews 10:5-7, 10).

Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice on the altar of God's will, representing perfect obedience to the Divine will. This sacrifice, mentioned in Hebrews 10:5-7,10, was unique and eternal, offering permanent Forgiveness to those who have faith in it.

ILLUSTRATION

The altar of burnt offering; see paragraph 11. 

THE HOLY AND THE HOLY

12. Who could enter each section of the tabernacle?

Only the Anointed priests could enter the holy of the Tabernacle, while only the high priest had access to the holy of holies, once a year. 

13. What do the Holy and the Most Holy represent?

In reality, the saint represents the special relationship of the Anointed Ones with God on earth, while the Blessed Sacrament symbolizes heaven, and the curtain that separates the two represents the human body of Jesus.

ILLUSTRATION

The Saint; The curtain; see paragraph 13. 

14. According to Hebrews 9:12, 24-26, why is Jehovah's spiritual temple superior?

Jehovah's spiritual temple is superior because Jesus, as high priest, entered heaven itself, presenting his perfect life to permanently eliminate sin. The perfection of Jesus' sacrifice surpasses the limitations of earthly high priests.

The Holy One; see paragraphs 13 and 14.

PLAYGROUNDS

15. Who served in the courtyard of the tabernacle?

In the shadows, the priests served in the courtyard of the Tabernacle. 

16. Who serves in each of the courtyards of the spiritual temple?

In reality, the Anointed Christians still living on earth serve in the inner court of the spiritual temple, while the great crowd worships in the outer court.

ILLUSTRATION

The copper fountain; the inner courtyard; see paragraph 16. 

THE HONOR OF WORSHIPING JEHOVAH

17. What sacrifices can we offer to Jehovah?

All Christians have the honor of offering sacrifices to Jehovah, using their time, energy, and resources to support the Kingdom. 

18. According to Hebrews 10:22-25, what should we never neglect? And what should we never forget?

According to Hebrews 10:22-25, we should not neglect the importance of prayer, sharing our hope, gathering with our brothers, and encouraging one another, especially as the day of Jehovah approaches. And we must not forget the teachings about the spiritual temple and the valuable honor of worshiping our great God. 

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

For what reasons was Paul concerned about the Hebrew Christians?

It is possible that they were mocked because they did not have a majestic temple where they could worship God, nor an altar on which to offer sacrifices, nor priests. Some of them still followed the law of Moses, but Paul explained to them that the sacrifices established by the law could not completely forgive sins. For this reason the law had been annulled.

Why is Jehovah's spiritual temple superior?

The spiritual temple is based on the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus as the great high priest entered heaven itself, presenting his perfect life to permanently eliminate sin. This makes it infinitely Superior and effective.

What should we never neglect, and what should we never forget?

Paul mentions several aspects of our worship that we should never neglect. For example, he talks about the importance of praying to Jehovah, telling others about our hope, gathering with our brothers, and encouraging one another, especially as the day approaches.

In the last chapters of Revelation, the angel of Jehovah says: Worship God. He says it twice to emphasize that it is something very important.