Now; Finished and dedicated

 

The next thing I would take notice of is the building of the temple which was a great type of three things, viz. 

- of Christ, especially the human nature of Christ, and 

- of the church of Christ, and 

- of heaven. 

The tabernacle seemed rather to represent the church in its movable, changeable state here in this world. 

But that beautiful, glorious, costly structure of the temple that succeeded the tabernacle, and was a fixed and not a movable thing, seems especially to represent the church in its glorified state in heaven. 

This temple was built according to the pattern shown by the Holy Ghost to David, and by divine direction given to David in the place where was the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite in Mount Moriah, 2 Chronicles 3:1 ["Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord … in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite"]. 

[This was] the same mountain and undoubtedly the very same place where Abraham offered up his son Isaac, for there is said to be a mountain in the land of Moriah, Genesis 22:2, which mountain was called "the mountain of the Lord" as this mountain of the temple was, Genesis 22:14, "And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as was said to that day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen." This was the house where Christ dwelt till he came to dwell in the temple of his body or human8 nature, which was the antitype of this temple, as appears because Christ on [the] occasion of their showing him the temple of Jerusalem says, "Destroy this temple [and in three days I will raise it up]," speaking of the "temple of his body," John 2:19–21.

This house or an house built in this place continued to be the house of God, the place of the worship of his church, till Christ came. 

Here was the place that God chose where all their sacrifices were offered till the great sacrifice came and made the sacrifice and oblation to cease. Into his temple in this place the Lord came, even the messenger of the covenant. 

Here he often delivered his heavenly doctrine and wrought miracles.9 

Here his church was gathered by the pouring out of the Spirit after his ascension: Luke 24:53, speaking of the disciples after Christ's ascension, and they "were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God." And Acts 2:46, speaking of the multitudes that were converted by that great outpouring [of the Spirit],1 "And they continued daily with one accord in the temple." And Acts 5:42, speaking of the apostles, "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus ‹Christ›." 

And hence the sound of the gospel went forth, and the church spread into all the world.

213.3 It is here worthy to be observed that at this time in Solomon's reign, after the temple was finished, the Jewish church was risen to its highest external glory. 

The Jewish church or the ordinances and constitution of it [is] compared to the moon in the Revelation 12:1, "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed [with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars]." 

And as this church was like the moon in many other respects so it was in this, that it waxed and waned like the moon. From the first foundation that was laid of it in the covenant made with Abraham, when this moon was now beginning to appear, it had to this time been gradually increasing in its glory. 

This time wherein the temple was finished and dedicated was about middle between the calling of Abraham and the coming of Christ, and now it was full moon. After this the glory of the Jewish church gradually decreased till Christ came, as I shall have occasion more particularly to observe afterwards.

Now the church of Israel was in its highest external glory. 

Now Israel was multiplied exceeding so they are said to have become like the sand on the sea shore, 1 Kings 4:20. 

Now the kingdom of Israel was firmly established4 in the right family, the family of which Christ was to come. 

Now God had chosen the city where he would place his name. 

Now God had fully given his people the possession of the promised land and they now possessed the dominion of it, all in quietness and peace, even from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates.  All those nations that had formerly been their enemies quietly submitted to 'em; none pretended to rebel against them now. 

Now the Jewish worship in all its ordinances was fully settled. 

Now instead of a movable tent and tabernacle they had a glorious temple; the temple the most magnificent, beautiful, and costly structure that was then, ever had been before, or ever has been since. 

Now the people enjoyed peace and plenty, and sat every man under his vine and fig tree, "eating and drinking, and making merry," as 1 Kings 4:20. 

Now they were in the highest pitch of earthly prosperity, silver being as plenty as stones, and the land full of gold, and precious stones, and other precious foreign commodities brought by Solomon's ships5 from Ophir and that came from all other parts of the world.6 

Now they had a king reigning over them that was the wisest of men and probably the greatest earthly prince that ever was. 

Now their fame went abroad into all the earth, so that they came from the utmost parts of the earth to see their glory and their happiness.7

Thus God was pleased in one of the ancestors of Christ remarkably to shadow forth the kingdom of Christ reigning in his glory. David that was a man of war, a man that had shed much blood and whose life was full of troubles and conflicts, was more of a representation of Christ in his state of humiliation, his militant state wherein he was constantly with his enemies. 

But Solomon that was a man of peace [was a representation] more especially of Christ exalted and triumphing and reigning in his kingdom of peace. And the happy glorious state of the Jewish church at that time did remarkably represent two things: 1. that glorious state of the church on earth that should be in the8 later ages of the world, those days of peace when "nation shall not lift up [sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more],"9 and 2. the future glorified state of the church in heaven. 

The earthly Canaan never was so lively a type of the heavenly Canaan as it was then when the happy people of Israel did indeed enjoy it as a land flowing with milk and honey.1

_____

Now: OT (949) NT (407) BM (1231) DC (209) PGP (46)

Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation (Mosiah 26:1)

And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; (Mosiah 26:3)

And now in the reign of Mosiah they were not half so numerous (Mosiah 26:5)

Now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church. (Mosiah 26:8)

Now there had not any such thing happened before in the church; (Mosiah 26:10)

And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled;  (Mosiah 26:13)