WHICH TEMPLE DOES THE BEAST SIT?

WHICH TEMPLE DOES THE BEAST SIT?

This article is a posted comment on a previous post by destinedtoberevealed entitled:   Mystery Solved!!! The Identity of Mystery Babylon Is Revealed- End Times Revelations Revealed.

The redeemed, righteous person is the temple of God.  The Holy Spirit, as a down payment for the fulfillment of the Spirit at the coming of Jesus, is within each Christian. This statement is never in doubt.  The writings of Paul have several occurrences of this truth.

1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJV  (16)  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  (17)  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Does this mean the beast/antichrist portrayed as sitting in the temple of God will be sitting within the temple of the individual person?  I can actually see this concept as a symbolic possibility.  I am not saying a new temple will not be built in Jerusalem, but God will never claim a stone and mortar temple (in my opinion) as His temple, because the temple of God is now the multiple redeemed individuals.  If anyone, including a redeemed person, does actually believe the beast/antichrist is the Messiah and/or God, it could be assumed the Holy Spirit would leave and allow the mental faculties of the person to think as they like which would be to place the AC as the “god” of their mind.

2 Thessalonians 2:4 KJV  (4)  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

It would be difficult to believe the beast could actually inhabit the temple of God that is in a believer.  The temple of God is there because the Holy Spirit is there.  The beast cannot sit inside the Holy Spirit, but could sit in place of the Holy Spirit.  The unbeliever is not inhabited by the Holy Spirit or the temple of God.

The English word “sitteth” or “sits” does not necessarily mean “to take a seat” as in a chair or throne.  It can be defined as:  set; confer; to settle; and importantly – to confer a kingdom.

Thayer Definition:  1) to make to sit down  1a) to set, appoint, to confer a kingdom on one  2) intransitively 2a) to sit down 2b) to sit 2b1) to have fixed one’s abode 2b2) to sojourn, to settle, settle down

It could be possible in a symbolic, representative play-on-words fashion, but is it the answer to the scripture question?  There appears to be some important aspects of scripture left out of the line of reasoning.

Below is a list of imported merchandise listed in Revelation 18.  It is all used as temple furnishings and apparel.  It someone could explain to me any symbolic significance for this, it would be greatly appreciated.

The Merchandise of the Temple     There is a large inventory of merchandise listed in Rev 18:12-13 which is of special character.  Some commentators who consider New York, Rome, London, or Mecca as the MB must think that God, an angel, or John may have just listed an arbitrary catalogue of items that do not have much relevance to the afore mentioned cities, but they are mistaken.  These items are requisites for the temple’s features and functions particularly the apparel of the high priest.

The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.   (Revelation 18:12-13 KJV)

And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls.  (Revelation 18:16 KJV)

Purple, Scarlet, and Fine Linen     Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet:…   (Exodus 26:1 KJV)

Other temple items made from these materials are:  the tabernacle curtains; the temple veil; the gate of the court hanging; the ephod, girdle, breastplate, and pomegranates of the high priest’s apparel.

Notice that the color, blue, is missing from the merchandise inventory although it is required in the Exodus 26:1 list.  Blue fringe was to be worn by Israelites as a perpetual reminder of God’s commandments and not to go whoring after false gods and idols.  It may be the idea of Satan or the AC to eliminate the color blue.

Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:   (Numbers 15:38-39 KJV)

Gold, Silver, Precious Stones, and Pearls     It appears that the people of Israel/Jerusalem will adorn themselves in a provocative and gaudy mode much like the symbolic manner that God accused Israel of doing when she started whoring with false gods and idols.

“They even sent for men from far away; when the messenger arrived, those men set out. For them you bathed, painted your eyes, and decorated yourself with jewelry.  (Ezekiel 23:40 NET)

And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD.   (Hosea 2:13 KJV)

Gold, Silver, Precious Stones, Brass, Iron, Wood, and Marble     Gold, silver, precious stones, along with brass, iron, various woods, and marble are also materials to be used in the building of the temple and its implements.

Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.   (1 Chronicles 29:2 KJV)

Silk     Israel/Jerusalem was also clothed by God with silk, for one of the materials listed.

I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. (Ezekiel 16:10 KJV)

Thyine Wood     The word, thyine,  is not found in the Bible other than in Rev 19, however the Encyclopedia of Biblical Literature, V1, associates thyine to algum wood, which is  sometimes called almug wood.

And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.   (2 Chronicles 9:10-11 KJV)

Ivory     Ivory will be used to construct a throne.

Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.  (1 Kings 10:18 KJV)

Cinnamon, Odours, Ointments, and Frankincense     These items are parts of the temple offerings and each one can be referenced by referring to Exodus chapter 30.

Wine, Oil, Fine Flour, Wheat, Beasts, and Sheep     These are necessary items for the daily offerings and can be referenced by referring to Exodus chapter 29 for each item.

The ten horns (kings/rulers) will hate Jerusalem the harlot and they will destroy her.

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.  (Revelation 17:16 KJV)

The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, (Revelation 18:15 KJV)

The announcement of the destruction of Babylon occurs prior to the seventh trumpet but it appears to take place during the bowl judgments of God.  Grievous skin sores, water turned to blood, fiery scorching sun, a painful darkness, thunders, lightning, the horde from the East, and a great earthquake will accompany the 10 kings as they prepare to destroy Mystery, Babylon the Great.

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.   (Revelation 14:8 KJV)