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

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

Yellow: Direct Response.

Dark Yellow: Additional Response.

Light Blue: Additional Points.

“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?

 IF AN angel spoke to you personally, would you pay attention? Well, it turns out that today there is an angel speaking “to every nation, tribe, tongue and people.” What does he say? “Fear God and give glory to Him, […] worship Him who made heaven, earth, sea, and springs” (Rev. 14:6, 7). We must all worship Jehovah; he is the true God. We are very grateful to be able to worship him in his great spiritual temple. What a great honor!

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

2 What exactly is the spiritual temple, and where in the Bible is it talked about? The spiritual temple is not a real building. It is the system that Jehovah has established to worship him as he wants, and it is based on the ransom, the sacrifice of Jesus. In the first century, the apostle Paul explained various details of this system of worship. We find them in the letter he wrote to the Hebrew Christians living in Judea.

 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?

3 Why did Paul write to the Hebrew Christians living in Judea? Probably for two important reasons. First, to encourage them. Most had been raised in Judaism, and the leaders of that religion may have mocked them for becoming Christians. Because? Because, unlike the Jews, Christians did not have a majestic temple where they could worship God, nor an altar on which to offer sacrifices, nor priests. That could have discouraged Christ's disciples and weakened their faith (Heb. 2:1; 3:12, 14). It is possible that some of them even thought about returning to practicing the Jewish religion.

4 Second, Paul pointed out to the Hebrew Christians that they were not striving to understand new or deeper spiritual teachings, the “solid food” found in the Word of God (Heb. 5:11-14). Apparently some of them were still following the Law of Moses. But Paul explained to them that the sacrifices established by the Law could not completely forgive sins. For that reason, the Law had been annulled. The apostle then taught them some of those deeper truths. He reminded them that because of Jesus' sacrifice they had “a better hope” that could truly help them draw closer to God (Heb. 7:18, 19).

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

5 Paul explained to his Hebrew brothers why the way they now worshiped Jehovah as Christians was much better than the way they had worshiped him in the past. He said that the Jewish way of worshiping God was only “a shadow of what was to come.” And he added: “But the reality belongs to Christ” (Col. 2:17). The shadow of an object is just a vague image of that thing, but it is not the real object. In the same way, the way the Jews worshiped God in the past was only a shadow of the reality that was to come. We need to understand the system of worship that Jehovah has established, the spiritual temple. Because? Because it makes possible the forgiveness of our sins and allows us to worship God as he wants. Next, we are going to compare the “shadow” (the Jewish way of worshiping God) with “the reality” (the Christian way of worshiping God). To do this, we will analyze what the Letter to the Hebrews says. This way we will better understand what the spiritual temple is and what relationship it has with us.

THE TABERNACLE

6. What was the tabernacle used for?

6 The shadow. Paul based his explanation of the spiritual temple on the tabernacle that Moses set up in 1512 BC (see the “Shadow and Reality” graphic). The tabernacle, also called the “tent of meeting,” was the place where the Israelites gathered to worship God and offer sacrifices to Him (Ex. 29:43-46). They took it with them whenever they moved from one place to another in the desert (Ex. 25:8, 9; Num. 9:22). They used it for almost 500 years until the temple in Jerusalem was built. Now, the tabernacle also represented something much better that would come later for Christians.

7. When did the spiritual temple come into existence?

7 The reality. The tabernacle was “a shadow of heavenly things” and represented Jehovah's great spiritual temple. Paul said, “This tent [or tabernacle] is a symbolic representation for our times” (Heb. 8:5; 9:9). So, when he wrote this to the Hebrews, the spiritual temple was already a reality. In fact, it came into existence in the year 29 AD. That year Jesus was baptized, anointed with holy spirit, and began serving as Jehovah’s “great high priest” in the spiritual temple (Heb. 4:14; Acts 10:37, 38).

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?

8 The shadow. The high priest represented the people before God. Israel's first high priest, Aaron, was appointed by Jehovah when the tabernacle was dedicated. But Paul explained: “Since death prevented the priests from continuing in office, there had to be many priests who succeeded one another” (read Hebrews 7:23-27). Furthermore, since these high priests were imperfect, they had to offer sacrifices for their own sins. That is a huge difference between the high priests of Israel and the great High Priest, Jesus Christ.

9 The reality. Our High Priest, Jesus Christ, “is a servant […] of the true tent which Jehovah pitched, and not man” (Heb. 8:1, 2). Paul explained that since Jesus “lives forever, his priesthood has no successors.” Furthermore, he said that Jesus is “undefiled, separated from sinners” and that, unlike the high priests of Israel, he “does not have to offer sacrifices daily” for his own sins. And what can we say about altars and sacrifices? Let's see the differences between shadow and reality.

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?

10 The shadow. Outside the entrance to the tabernacle was a copper altar on which animal sacrifices were offered to Jehovah (Ex. 27:1, 2; 40:29). But those sacrifices could not achieve complete forgiveness of the people's sins (Heb. 10:1-4). The animal sacrifices that were regularly offered in the tabernacle represented the sacrifice that would completely cleanse humanity of sin.

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

11 The reality. Jesus knew that Jehovah had sent him to Earth to give his human life as a ransom for humanity (Matt. 20:28). Therefore, when Jesus was baptized, he showed up to do what Jehovah wanted (John 6:38; Gal. 1:4). It was as if he offered himself on an altar. That altar represented the “will” of God, and Jehovah's will was for his Son to sacrifice his perfect human life. Jesus offered his life “once and for all” to atone, or permanently cover, the sins of all who demonstrate faith in him (read Hebrews 10:5-7, 10). Next, we will talk about the interior of the tabernacle and what some of its elements represent.

ILLUSTRATION

The altar of burnt offering; see paragraph 11. 

THE HOLY AND THE HOLY

12. Who could enter each section of the tabernacle?

12 The shadow. Inside, both the tabernacle and the temples built later in Jerusalem were similar in design. There were two compartments: “the Holy Place” and “the Most Holy,” which were separated by a curtain (Heb. 9:2-5; Ex. 26:31-33). In the Holy One there was a golden candlestick, an altar for burning incense and a table for the bread of the presence. Only “the anointed priests” could enter the Holy One to fulfill their sacred responsibilities (Num. 3:3, 7, 10). In the Holy of Holies was the ark of the covenant, which was made of gold and represented the presence of Jehovah (Ex. 25:21, 22). The only one who could go beyond the curtain and enter the Holy of Holies was the high priest. On the Day of Atonement, which was celebrated once a year, he entered with the blood of animals to atone for his own sins and those of all the people (Lev. 16:2, 17). Over time, Jehovah used the holy spirit to reveal what these elements of the tabernacle actually represented.​—Heb. 9:6-8. 

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

13 The reality. There is a group of 144,000 Christians who have been anointed with holy spirit and enjoy a special relationship with Jehovah. They will serve as priests in heaven with Jesus (Rev. 1:6; 14:1). While they are still here on Earth, God anoints them with his spirit and adopts them as his children. The Holy One in the tabernacle represents this special relationship they have with God (Rom. 8:15-17). The Holy of Holies of the tabernacle represents heaven, where Jehovah lives. “The curtain” that separated the Holy One from the Holy Sacrament represents the human body of Jesus. His flesh was a barrier that prevented him from entering heaven as the great High Priest of the spiritual temple. By giving his human body as a sacrifice on behalf of humanity, Jesus opened the way to heavenly life for all anointed Christians. In order to receive their heavenly reward, the anointed must also leave behind their bodies of flesh and blood (Heb. 10:19, 20; 1 Cor. 15:50). Jesus, after being resurrected, entered the Holy of Holies of the spiritual temple, where eventually all the anointed Christians gathered with him.

ILLUSTRATION

The Saint; The curtain; see paragraph 13. 

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

14 Without a doubt, the system that Jehovah has established for pure worship based on the ransom and priesthood of Jesus Christ is far superior. The Holy of Holies into which the high priest of Israel entered was made by human hands, and he entered there with the blood of animals. But Jesus entered the holiest place of all: “in heaven itself,” before the presence of Jehovah. There he presented the value of his perfect human life for all of us “to put away sin by his own sacrifice” (read Hebrews 9:12, 24-26). The sacrifice of Jesus, which is the greatest of all, completely cleanses sins. Next, we will see that we can all worship Jehovah in his spiritual temple, regardless of whether we hope to live in heaven or on Earth.

ILLUSTRATION

The Holy One; see paragraphs 13 and 14.

PLAYGROUNDS

15. Who served in the courtyard of the tabernacle?

15 The shadow. In the tabernacle there was a courtyard: an open, fenced area where the priests provided their services. In the courtyard was the great copper altar on which the burnt offerings were presented. There was also a copper laver in which the priests washed with water before fulfilling their sacred responsibilities (Ex. 30:17-20; 40:6-8). In the temples that were built later there was also an outer courtyard, where non-priests could worship God.

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

16 The reality. Before becoming priests with Jesus in heaven, anointed Christians still living on Earth faithfully serve Jehovah in the inner court of the spiritual temple. The great fountain of water that was in the tabernacle and in the temple reminds them, and all Christians in general, of the importance of staying clean in a moral and spiritual sense. And where do the “great crowd,” who loyally support Christ’s anointed brothers, worship God? The apostle John saw that “they stood before the throne” and that they gave God “sacred service day and night.” The great crowd does this on Earth, in the outer court of the spiritual temple (Rev. 7:9, 13-15). How good it is that we all have a place to worship Jehovah in his spiritual temple!

ILLUSTRATION

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

THE HONOR OF WORSHIPING JEHOVAH

17. What sacrifices can we offer to Jehovah?

17 All Christians have the honor of offering sacrifices to Jehovah. How can we do it? Using our time, energies and resources to support the Kingdom. As the apostle Paul told the Hebrew Christians, we can “always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips, which publicly declare his name” (Heb. 13:15). By giving our best to Jehovah, we will show that we appreciate the honor of worshiping him.

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

18 (Read Hebrews 10:22-25). In the final part of his letter to the Hebrews, 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 we see the day [of Jehovah] approaching.” 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 (Rev. 19:10; 22:9). Let us never forget the profound things we have learned about Jehovah's great spiritual temple or the precious honor we have of worshiping our great God.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

For what reasons was Paul concerned about the Hebrew Christians?

These Christians were born and continued to live in Jewry. They had no temple, they had no altar, nor did they have priests. Furthermore, many were still guided by the law of Moses, which is why Paul wrote to them to encourage them.

Why is Jehovah's spiritual temple superior?

The high priest had to make a sacrifice once a year, with the blood of animals for the forgiveness of the people. But Jesus entered heaven itself, before the presence of Jehovah. There he presented the value of his perfect human life for all of us, to eliminate sin through his own sacrifice.

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

We should never neglect our prayers to Jehovah, nor should we speak to others of our hope, nor should we stop meeting with our brothers to encourage one another. And we must not forget the profound things we have learned about Jehovah's great spiritual temple.