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All the building is growing into a temple in the Lord—Eph. 2:21:
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The Greek word rendered “temple” in verse 21 means the sanctuary, the inner part of the temple.
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The church is the temple of God; as such, it is the sanctuary of the holy God, the temple in which the Spirit of God dwells—1 Cor. 3:16-17:
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The temple of God in verse 16 refers to the believers collectively in a certain locality, whereas the temple of God in verse 17 refers to all the believers universally.
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The unique spiritual temple of God in the universe has its expression in many localities on earth; each expression is the temple of God in that locality—Eph. 2:21-22.
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There is no temple in the New Jerusalem, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple—Rev. 21:22:
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The holy city Jerusalem as a whole will be the Holy of Holies; hence, there will be no temple in it—v. 16.
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This inner temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb—v. 22.
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The entire building of God’s house, His sanctuary, is in Christ the Lord—Eph. 2:21.
Morning Nourishment
1 Cor. 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?... The temple of God is holy, and such are you.Rev. 21:22 And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
In 1 Corinthians 3 the church as God’s building is the temple of God, and the One who dwells in this temple is the Spirit of God (vv. 16-17). The temple of God in verse 16 refers to the believers collectively in a certain locality, such as Corinth, whereas the temple of God in verse 17 refers to all the believers universally. The unique spiritual temple of God in the universe has its expression in many localities on earth. Each expression is the temple of God in that locality. (CWWL, 1969, vol. 3, p. 542)
Today’s Reading
Revelation 21:22 clearly says that in New Jerusalem there will be no temple. The Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. In the Old Testament the tabernacle of God was the precursor, or the forerunner, of the temple of God. New Jerusalem as the tabernacle of God (v. 3) will be the temple of God. This indicates that in the new heaven and new earth the temple of God will be enlarged into a city. The three equal dimensions of the city (v. 16) indicate that the whole city will be the Holy of Holies, the inner temple. Hence, there will be no temple in it.The Greek word for temple in verse 22, naos,... denotes the inner temple, the Holy of Holies. This inner temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb, signifying that God and the Lamb will be the place in which we serve God. The holy city as the tabernacle of God is for God to dwell in, and God and the Lamb as the temple are for us to dwell in. In the new heaven and new earth, the New Jerusalem will be a mutual dwelling place for both God and man for eternity.
The entire city of New Jerusalem is the Holy of Holies, and God and the Lamb are the temple in this city. If we put these two points together, we shall realize that this city is God and the Lamb. Because the whole city is the Holy of Holies and because the inner temple is God and the Lamb, the city is God and the Lamb.
The whole city is called the tabernacle (v. 3)... The tabernacle is the precursor of the temple. Before the temple appears, there is the tabernacle. But when the tabernacle comes into its fullness, it becomes the temple. Therefore, we need to keep three points before us: that the whole city is the Holy of Holies; that the temple is God Himself and the Lamb; and that the whole city is the tabernacle. When we put all these points together, we see that God Himself is the whole city of New Jerusalem.
However,... the whole city of New Jerusalem is also a living composition of all God’s redeemed ones. On the one hand, God is the entire city; on the other hand, the city is a living composition of the redeemed. If you find this difficult to grasp with your natural mind, let me ask you this question: Do we not say that the church today is Christ, and do we not also say that it is a composition of all the believers? On the one hand, the church is a composition of all the believers; on the other hand, Christ is both the Head and the Body. Hence, we have the term, the Body-Christ. First Corinthians 12:12 indicates that Christ is not only the Head, but also the Body... The principle in both the church and New Jerusalem is the same.
The church is the enlargement of Christ. Christ Himself is the individual Christ, but the church is the corporate Christ, Christ enlarged and expanded. Therefore, the church is Christ’s expansion, Christ’s enlargement. In like manner, New Jerusalem is the enlargement and the expansion of the Triune God.
On the one hand, we shall be the New Jerusalem; on the other hand, it will be God and the Lamb. It is the same in principle with the church today. On the one hand, we are the church, and on the other hand, the church is Christ. (Life-study of Revelation, pp. 731-732, 735)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1970, vol.1, “The Fulfillment of God’s Purpose by the Growth of Christ in Us,” chs. 3, 6-7