New Tabernacle, New Temple, New Jerusalem

The earthly tabernacle and temple were built upon the pattern of the heavenly tabernacle. Upon their earthly completion and dedication, the shekinah glory of the LORD filled them so that no one could go in. There is also a heavenly completion of God's judgments prior to the last plagues of His wrath when His glory fills the heavenly tabernacle so noone can enter; and I believe we are nearing that time.

The Tabernacle

“And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud stayed thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:33-35)

Solomon's Temple

“And all the men of Israel assembled themselves to king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. . . . And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim. . . .And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. . . . When your people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against you, and shall turn again to you, and confess your name, and pray, and make supplication to you in this house: Then hear you in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to their fathers. . . . For you did separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be your inheritance, as you spoke by the hand of Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O LORD God. . . . That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. . . . And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath to the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days. On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.” (I Kings 8:2-66)

Solomon bringing up the ark into the temple began on Tishri 1, Feast of Trumpets, and lasted a week. Then they held solemn assembly for the week of atonement with Yom Kippur on the tenth. Then they dedicated the Temple during the 8 days of the Feast of Tabernacles, Tishri 15-22, and sent everyone home on the twenty-third of Tishri according to II Chronicles 7:10.

Heavenly Tabernacle

“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, you King of saints. Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name? for you only are holy: for all nations shall come and worship before you; for your judgments are made manifest. . . . And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.” (Rev. 15:2-8)

I see a pattern to the times the LORD's glory filled the tabernacle/temple after completion of work which brought about a successively greater period of worship from the first earthly tabernacle and temple to Ezekiel's temple built in the new earthly Jerusalem to the heavenly New Jerusalem which has no need of a temple.

After Jesus comes with all the saints who have died and His Bride still alive meets them in the clouds (I Thess. 4:14-17) and we aid Him in destroying the wicked (Psalm 149:5-9), then the Earth and space junk will be destroyed with fire and recreated (II Peter 3:7-14).

New Heaven and Earth

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Rev. 21:1-3)

Though Jesus will “tabernacle with us” (John 1:14), He will yet build the temple He revealed to Ezekiel in the new earthly city of new Jerusalem.

Ezekiel's Temple

“In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was on me, and brought me thither. In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me on a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.” (Ezekiel 40:1-3)

On Yom Kippur, Tishri 10 in 572 BC, Jesus showed Ezekiel the temple which will be built during His millennial reign.

“And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. And I heard him speaking to me out of the house; and the man stood by me. And he said to me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the middle of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their prostitution, nor by the carcasses of their kings in their high places. . . . Seven days shall you prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish. Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves. And when these days are expired, it shall be, that on the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings on the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, said the Lord GOD. ” (Ezekiel 43:4-7; 25-27)

The priests are to cleanse the temple with many animal sacrifices during the Feast of Tabernacles as in the days of Solomon.

Heavenly New Holy Jerusalem

“And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God . . . And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.” (Rev. 21: 10-23)

It's dimensions are too large to rest upon the Earth [pictures], so it will orbit the Earth like a glowing space station. After Christ's millennial reign and His final Great White Throne judgment, He will remain in the heavenly Jerusalem as the nations continue on His edenic Earth no longer encumbered by a sin nature or a Satan or a mortal body. Wow.

His Word is everlasting, and He has given us all the history and instructions needed for the 7,000 years of man's struggle against sin on Earth until the ultimate victory.