DAILY TEXT, Friday, July 18, 2025, He made us to be a kingdom and priests to his God and Father (Rev. 1:6).

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Friday, July 18, 2025

He made us a kingdom and priests to his God and Father (Rev. 1:6).

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. 14:1). While they are still here on Earth, God anoints them with His Spirit and adopts them as His children. The Holy One of the tabernacle represents this special relationship they have with God (Rom. 8:15-17).

The Most Holy of Holies in the tabernacle represents heaven, where Jehovah resides. The “curtain” that separated the Holy of Holies from the Most Holy of Holies represents Jesus’ human body. 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 for humanity, Jesus opened the way to heavenly life for all anointed Christians. To receive their heavenly reward, the anointed must also leave behind their fleshly bodies (Heb. 10:19, 20; 1 Cor. 15:50). w23.10 28 par. 13. After being resurrected, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place of the spiritual temple, where all anointed Christians eventually join him.

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

Without a doubt, the system Jehovah has established for pure worship, based on the ransom and priesthood of Jesus Christ, is far superior. The Most Holy Place, into which Israel's high priest entered, was made by human hands, and he entered it with the blood of animals. But Jesus entered the holiest place of all—"into heaven itself," into Jehovah's presence. There he presented the value of his perfect human life for all of us "to do away with sin by his own sacrifice." (Read Hebrews 9:12, 24-26.) Jesus' sacrifice, the greatest of all, completely cleanses sin. We will see below that we can all worship Jehovah in his spiritual temple, regardless of whether we have the hope of living in heaven or on earth.

Who served in the tabernacle courtyard?

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

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

The Reality. Before becoming priests with Jesus in heaven, anointed Christians still living on earth faithfully serve Jehovah in the inner courtyard of the spiritual temple. The great laver of water in the tabernacle and temple reminds them, and all Christians in general, of the importance of staying morally and spiritually clean. And where does the “great crowd,” who loyally support Christ’s anointed brothers, worship God? The apostle John saw them “standing before the throne” and rendering “sacred service” to God day and night. The great crowd does this on earth, in the outer courtyard of the spiritual temple (Rev. 7:9, 13-15). How wonderful that we all have a place to worship Jehovah in his spiritual temple!

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