The Temple

Eden, Adam’s Commission, and the Expanding Dwelling Place of God

In the garden of Eden, God made his dwelling as a temple. While “temple” or “sanctuary” are not used in Genesis 1–3, Ezekiel calls Eden “the garden of God” and “the holy mountain of God,” containing “sanctuaries” (Ezek. 28:13-14, 16, 18), just as Israel’s latter temple was described as containing sanctuaries (Lev. 21:23; 1 Kgs. 6:29; Amos 7:9). Unsurprisingly, God was “walking back and forth” in Eden (Gen. 3:8) just as he does in the temple (Lev. 26:12; Deut. 23:14; 2 Sam. 7:6–7; Ezek. 28:14). Furthermore, a river flows from Eden (Gen. 2:10), just as a river flows from the eschatological temple (Ezek. 47:1–12; Rev 22:1–2). Like Israel’s later temple, the garden of Eden had a tripartite sacred structure with the waters of Eden at the core (the holy of holies), the garden (the holy place), adjacent to the water source and the uninhabited outer area of the world (the outer court). The tree of life of Eden is also represented in Israel’s temple by the lampstand outside the holy of holies in the holy place, with seven protruding branches, and the temple’s entrance is on the east side just like the temple (Gen. 3:24; cf. Exod. 15:17; Ezek. 40:2; 43:12). 

Within Eden, Adam has a missional purpose not only to guard but also to expand the boundaries of Eden until it fills the earth (Gen. 1:28). As a priest, Adam is to “work it and keep” Eden (Gen. 2:15), just as the priests were to “serve” and “guard” the temple (identical words used in Hebrew in Num. 3:7–8; 8:25–26; 18:5–6; 1 Chron. 23:32; Ezek. 44:14). Ezekiel even pictures Adam in priestly attire (Ezek. 28:13), with jewels that correspond to those listed for the high priest (Exod. 28:17–21). God commissions Adam to guard this sanctuary and fill the earth with his glory (Gen. 1:28). Adam and his descendants were to extend the geographical boundaries of the garden until Eden covered over and filled the whole earth with the presence of God. Sadly, Adam fails in his protective and missional purpose by admitting an unclean serpent that defiles this temple. As a result, Adam lost his priestly role, and God cast him out of the garden. 

Adam’s Commission and the Patriarchs

Adam’s commission to be a king-priest and expand the borders of the Garden-temple is passed down to Noah (Gen. 9:1, 7), Abraham (Gen. 12:2–3; 17:2, 6, 8; 22:18), Isaac (Gen. 26:3, 4, 24), Jacob (Gen. 28:3–4, 14; 35:11–12; 48:3, 15–16), and Israel (Gen. 47:27; Deut. 7:13). The following references show a taste of how the language of Genesis 1:28 is repeated :

Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”

Genesis 9:1, 7 “And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.… Be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.’”

Genesis 22:17–18, “I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring …; and your seed offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies [= ‘subdue and rule’], and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” 

Genesis 28:3–4 God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!”

God passes down the universal scope of the Adamic commission to Abraham and his descendants who must bless all the nations of the earth. Intriguingly, this Adamic commission is passed down to Abraham and his descendants in small sanctuaries. Just as Genesis 1:28 was to be carried out in a localized sanctuary (Eden) whose boundaries were to be enlarged, so this restatement of this commission happens in the context of building small sanctuaries. God appears to the patriarchs (cf. Gen. 12:8; 13:3–4), so that they “pitch a tent” (LXX: “tabernacle”) on a mountain, and build “altars” probably for sacrifice. This place is often called “Bethel,” meaning the “House of God.” The combination of these elements occurs elsewhere in the Old Testament that describe Israel’s tabernacle or temple. These small sanctuaries reflect how their progeny was to spread out from a divine sanctuary to subdue the earth. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob built holy shrine that dot Israel’s future land of promise and anticipate the Solomonic temple where God would take up residence. 

Tabernacle, Temple, and the Cosmos

Israel’s tabernacle and temple were more than just places of worship; they represented a re-establishment of the Garden of Eden’s sanctuary in a symbolic model of the cosmos. The tabernacle and temple were miniature representations of the larger, cosmic temple that would ultimately encompass heaven and earth. This symbolism began with the patriarchs, whose altars represented smaller sanctuaries, pointing toward a later, larger temple. Similarly, David’s preparations for the temple display the same characteristics as the altars of the patriarchs. Like the altars, a theophany accompanies the origin of Israel’s temple on a mountain (1 Chron. 21:16; 2 Chron. 3:1), leading to the building of an altar for burnt offerings (1 Chron. 21:26). Eventually, the place is called the “house of the LORD God” (1 Chron. 22:1).

Just as the boundaries of Eden were to be expanded until they filled the earth (Gen. 1:28), so the structure of Israel’s temple mirrored the structure of the cosmos. This structure, with its symbolic significance, pointed to how the dwelling place of God in the temple was to expand to fill the entire universe. Psalm 78:69 explicitly draws out the parallels between the temple and the cosmos, since God “built his sanctuary like the high heavens, [he built the sanctuary] like the earth, which He has founded forever” (see also Exod. 25:8, 40). Indeed, the temple is a model of the entire heaven and earth. God didn’t intend for this replica to contain his presence in one localized place; instead, God declares, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me?” (Isa. 66:1). Indeed, the temple was intended to be a small model of something much bigger; God and his universal presence could never be contained by any localized earthly structure.

The tripartite structure of Israel’s temple confirms the expanding purpose of God’s temple, a structure that mirrors the tripartite structure of the cosmos. The three sections of the temple—the Holy of Holies, the Holy Place, and the outer Courtyard—symbolized different realms of the cosmos:

• The Holy of Holies represented the invisible heavens, where God’s presence was fully manifested and where cherubim, similar to those around God’s throne in heaven, symbolized the guarding of God’s divine presence.
• The Holy Place symbolized the visible heavens, reflected by the variegated colors of the numerous curtains resembling the visible sky (“blue and purple and scarlet yarns,” Exod. 26:31) with flying cherubim (winged-like creatures) woven into the curtains. The lamps on the seven lampstands in Solomon’s temple symbolized the heavenly lights (sun, moon, stars) and the creative work of God in forming the starry cosmos.
• The Courtyard symbolized the visible earth and sea, associated with the natural world and life on earth, as indicated by the large bronze washbasin (referred to as the “sea”) and the altar (linked to the earth, as they were built of uncut stones in the tabernacle).

This tripartite structure, with its symbolic significance, pointed to a larger cosmic purpose: the temple as a model of the eventual expansion of God’s presence to fill the entire universe. 

Interestingly Israel is repeatedly called the “garden of Eden”, (cf. Gen. 13:10; Isa. 51:3; Joel 2:3; Ezek. 36:35), partly perhaps because Israel was to expand the limits of the temple and of its own land to the ends of the earth in the way that Adam should have. This was Israel’s ultimate task, as is apparent from a number of OT passages prophesying that God will finally cause the sacred precinct of Israel’s temple to expand and first encompass Jerusalem (Isa. 4:4–6; 54:2–3, 11–12; Jer. 3:16–17; Zech. 1:16–2:11), then the entire land of Israel (Ezek. 37:25–28), and then the whole earth (Dan. 2:34–35, 44–45; cf. Isa. 54:2–3). Isaiah 27:6 even prophesies that in the latter days Israel will finally expand the garden sanctuary over the entire world: God will cause “Jacob to take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots, and fill the whole world with fruit.”

Israel, though, failed to carry out this commission, and they did not spread the light of God’s presence throughout the earth (Isa. 42:6; 49:6). Though the temple was to reflect Israel’s calling as a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exod. 19:6), Israel wrongly saw the temple as a symbol of their exclusive relationship with God, rather than a call to spread God’s presence throughout the earth. As a result, Israel was exiled because they committed idolatry and failed in this mission. God cast into an exile of darkness and chaos that reflects chaos before creation (cf. Isa. 45:18–19). So, God begins to build a new temple that would expand to fill the earth as he originally intended. How would this occur?

Christ and the Temple in the New Creation

The New Testament presents Christ and his followers as the temple in the new creation, since Christ is the temple toward which all the previous temples anticipated (2 Sam. 7:12–14; Zech. 6:12–13). Christ fulfills the prophecies of the temple so does the church, as an extension of Christ’s body. In Revelation, the vision of God’s presence filling the earth is finally fulfilled as the new heaven and earth are presented as a cosmic temple.

Christ as the Fulfillment of the Temple:

The Old Testament temples pointed toward Christ, the embodiment of God’s presence on earth. Jesus takes over the function of the temple by offering forgiveness of sin during his earthly ministry and becoming the ultimate sacrifice in God’s true invisible temple to which the sacrificial system pointed (Rom 3:25). His death and resurrection fulfill the redemptive purpose of the temple, as he becomes the “cornerstone” (Mark 12:10; Matt. 21:42; Luke 20:17) and the true “tabernacle” (John 1:14). The death and resurrection of Christ’s body from the dead should be understood as the destruction and rebuilding of the temple (John 2:19–22). The resurrection marks the beginning of a new creation. God’s tabernacling presence begins with Christ until that presence fills the whole cosmos at the end of the age.

The Church as the Temple:

At Pentecost, the tongues of fire depict God’s tabernacling presence with the church as in the heavenly temple (Acts 2:3; cf. Isa 30:27–30). Paul pictures the church being built together as a dwelling of God and holy temple with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20–22). Individual Christians (1 Cor. 6:19) and the corporate church (1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 3:12; 11:1–2) are called temples of the living God. Indeed, the church fulfills Old Testament prophecies for the temple (e.g., Lev. 26:11–12 and Ezek. 37:26–27 in 2 Cor. 6:16), since all the promises of God have begun their fulfillment in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20; 7:1). While the church begins to fulfill the eschatological anticipation of the universal expansion of the temple, there is still an expectation that God’s glory will consummately fill the cosmos.

Revelation and the Cosmic Temple:

In Revelation 21:1–3, John envisions the new heaven and earth as a cosmic temple where God’s presence finally fills all of creation. The new Jerusalem and new creation represent God’s tabernacle among His people. The new heaven and earth of Rev 21:1 is interpreted and pictured as the “new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven” where “the dwelling place of God is with man,” and “He will dwell with them” (Rev. 21:2–3). God’s presence is not confined to Israel’s temple or the church, but this presence now fills the entire heavens and earth. This fulfills the end-time goal of the temple in the garden of Eden, as the dwelling place of God now fills the earth. Now the entire heavens and earth are the temple and dwelling place of God. Therefore, there will be no small architectural temple like Israel’s old temple because the Lord and the Lamb will be its temple, radiating out their glorious temple presence and thus transforming the whole new creation into a big cosmic temple (Rev. 21:22). In this way, the temple prophecies (e.g., Ezek. 37, 40–48; Isa. 54) are fulfilled and completed. 

Conclusion

Christ’s death and resurrection inaugurate the new creation, where his presence dwells in his people and ultimately fills the entire cosmos. The church, as the temple, represents the beginning fulfillment of the temple prophecies, marking the already-but-not-yet aspect of the new creation. The temple is now embodied in Christ and the church, and this presence of God is expanding through the church until, one day, it will completely fill the heavens and earth at the end of time.