The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God (Gregory K. Beale)

Description

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth … And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem … And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.”‘ (Revelation 21:1-3, ESV).

In this comprehensive study, Gregory Beale argues that the Old Testament tabernacle and temples were symbolically designed to point to the end-time reality that God’s presence, formerly limited to the Holy of Holies, was to be extended throughout the whole cosmos. Hence, John’s vision in Revelation 21 is best understood as picturing the new heavens and earth as the eschatological temple.

Professor Beale’s stimulating exposition traces the theme of the tabernacle and temple along the Bible’s story-line, also illuminating many texts and closely related themes. He shows how the significance and symbolism of the temple can be better understood in the light of contrasts to and similarities with Ancient Near Eastern assumptions, and offers new insights into the meaning of the temple in both Old and New Testaments.

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Endorsements

“The importance of this book therefore lies not only in the competent handling of its chosen theme, but in three other things: its evocative unpacking of the theme of the temple and its relations to broader structures of thought, including the kingdom of God; its modelling of the way biblical theology is to be done; and its capacity to cause readers to perceive fresh and wonderful things in the Scriptures, and to bow in worship and gratitude.”

-D. A. Carson

Table of Contents

Series preface

Author’s preface

Preface by Mary Dorinda Beale

Abbreviations

1   Introduction

2   Cosmic symbolism of temples in the Old Testament

3   The expanding purpose of temples in the Old Testament

4   The expanding end-time purpose of temples in the Old Testament

5   The ‘already and not yet’ fulfilment of the end-time temple is Christ and his people: the Gospels

6   The inauguration of a new temple in the book of Acts

7   The inauguration of a new temple in the epistles of Paul

8   The temple in 2 Thessalonians 2

9   The inauguration of a new temple in Hebrews

10 The world-encompassing temple in Revelation

11 The temple in Ezekiel 40-48 and its relationship to the New Testament

12 Theological conclusions: the physical temple as a foreshadowing of God’s and Christ’s presence as the true temple

13 Practical reflections on Eden and the temple for the church in the twenty-first century

Bibliography

Index of modern authors

Index of Bible reference

Index of ancient sources

Product Details

Title:  The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God

Author: Gregory K. Beale

Publisher: Apollos

Pages: 458

Binding: Paperback

Size: 21.3 x 17.9 x 2.9 cm

ISBN: 9781844740222