The Tabernacle, the Church, and the Kingdom of God

The Courtyard of the Tabernacle of the Congregation represents the domain of the Kingdom of God. The Tabernacle building, with its Holy Place and Most Holy Place, portrays the Church, the Body of Christ, the new Jerusalem, the holy city, the government of the Kingdom, the place of the Throne of God and of the Lamb.

The Church of Christ possesses the keys to the Kingdom of God: that is, the authority to govern the Kingdom. All persons who are part of the Church are part of the Kingdom of God and are kings and priests of the Kingdom.

We can study the relationship of the Church to the rest of the world in the following passages:

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. (Revelation 21:23)

The above verse is referring to the holy Jerusalem, which is known in the Scriptures as the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, the Church, the Body of Christ, the elect of God (Revelation 21:9).

The Scriptures refer also to the nations of saved people who are not part of the Church.

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 honour into it. (Revelation 21:24)

In Daniel 2:44 we notice the following statement:

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

The Kingdom of God is destined to fill the whole earth (Daniel 2:35). The Church, the new Jerusalem, will be the center of government for the earth just as the Tabernacle building governed and gave significance to the Courtyard of the Tabernacle.

All persons who are saved in these days are brought immediately into the Church (Acts 2:47) because the purpose of the present age is to build the Church, the Body of Christ, the Wife of the Lamb.

Each member of the Church of Christ is invited to press forward to a place of service and responsibility in the Kingdom of God. The fullness of the inheritance will go to the conquerors. In order to conquer we must give our whole attention to following the Lord Jesus (Revelation 3:21).

The believer in Christ passes into spirit realms of light when he dies. However, the spirit realm is not the eternal home of the redeemed of the earth (in spite of our beloved hymns). As soon as the new earth has been created, all the saved will be placed on it. There will be "nations of them that are saved" living on the earth forever (Revelation 21:24).

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