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Find all our free content and join the project at thebibleproject.com SESSION 1 — THE HEAVENS AS “THE SKIES” 2 Completedby Date Meets Earth When Heaven from TheBibleProject A 12-Part BiblicalStudyonHeaven Session 6 Session 5 Session 4 Session 3 Session 2 Session 1 Session 12 Session 11 Session 10 Session 9 Session 8 Session 7

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thebibleproject.com Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New from the Holy Bible, New taken (NIV) are Scripture quotations marked Biblica, © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Copyright NIV®. International Version®, worldwide. All rights reserved of Zondervan. permission Used by Inc.™ are trademarks The “NIV” and “New International Version” www.zondervan.com Inc.™ by Biblica, Office Trademark and registered in the United States Patent Standard from the Revised (NRSV) are taken Scripture quotations marked © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the of the Bible, copyright Version permission. America. Used by Churches of Christ in the United States of worldwide. All rights reserved (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, “Scripture quotations marked a publishing Crossway, © 2001 by copyright English Standard Version®), All rights reserved.” permission. ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by from marking are our own translations Scripture quotations without any the original language. Copyright © 2017 The Bible Project Copyright Creative ­— Commons 4.0 Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0) BY-NC-SA International (CC 1 6 ISBN 978 0 9984168 Mackie & Jonathan Collins Timothy Written by Robert Perez Art Direction by Illustrations by Mac Cooper & Shiela Laufer & Shiela Laufer Mac Cooper by Illustrations Sherry Hames (Proofreader) Bible Project The Published by Layout Design by Xela Gold Xela Design by Layout Editing by and Line Editor) Melissa Binder (Developmental Editor) (Copy Woollard Whitney 501 NE 14th Ave. OR 97214 Portland, Table of Contents

How to Use This Guide

Big Picture

7 Session 1 | The Heavens as “The Skies”

17 Session 2 | The Garden Temple

27 Session 3 | The Great Split

39 Session 4 | God’s Rescue Mission

51 Session 5 | An Unexpected Encounter

61 Session 6 | The Tabernacle

73 Session 7 | God’s Confusing Presence

83 Session 8 | The Prophetic Hope

95 Session 9 | Heaven Invading Earth

107 Session 10 | Jesus as the Temple

119 Session 11 | Humans as God’s Temple

131 Session 12 | The New Heavens and the New Earth How to Use This Guide

This study guide consists of 12 sessions that you can tackle alone or with a group. Either way, we recommend undertaking only one session at a time, as each comes with a hefty load of recommended Scripture Our URL is thebibleproject.com reading. If you’re leading a group, visit our website to download tips for guiding the study. We’ll be moving through the biblical narrative chronologically, from the Garden of Eden to the construction of Solomon’s temple to John’s visions about the realization of a new creation. Each session begins with selections from biblical texts that we believe best set the stage for You’ll find recommended readings over here in the margin, which we also use for the lesson, but we’ll also point diligent readers to other passages for providing helpful tips, like this one. deeper context. Each session follows a consistent structure. We start with a lesson that captures the essential ideas of the session. Then, we move on to “Geek Out,” where we dig into the nerdy weeds of one or two concepts. Next up is “Dig Deeper,” where we invite you to examine relevant biblical stories like a true scholar—but with a little guidance. We’ll wrap up with a handful of discussion questions. If you’re working through this book alone, consider these questions as prompts for journaling. It’s important to note that we use a few different modern translations for most of the quoted and referenced Scripture passages: the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), the New International Version (NIV), and the English Standard Version (ESV). If a Scripture quotation is not cited, that means Tim Mackie provided the translation, usually to highlight a specific word from the original language. If you have a different translation at home, be aware that the study might focus Feel free to use the blank margin space for on the importance of a word that you don’t see in your particular note-taking. That’s why it’s here. English version. Let’s begin! Big Picture

Imagine heaven. See clouds? A pearly gate? Golden walls? For most of us, the word “heaven” conjures up a cartoonish image of a city floating on cotton, even if that’s not really what we believe God’s dwelling place is like. Time to forget all that. In this study, we want you to begin to think about heaven the way the Bible thinks about heaven.

This 5-minute animated video is an introduction to the ideas that we explore in this workbook. It is a perfect way to begin your exploration into the biblical theme of Heaven and Earth. Watch the video at http://go.jointhebibleproject.com/heaven+earth The Story of The Bible is massive. It’s daunting. And the idea of reading it all in Two Domains order—well, that sounds like a New Year’s resolution we’ve all tried and failed. But we believe the Bible is a profound and beautiful book telling one complete story from beginning to end, and we believe that one of the main themes of that story is the relationship between heaven and earth. When we use the words “heaven” and “earth,” we are talking about two different domains. Heaven is God’s domain. It is ruled by God. In heaven, God is the one who defines what is good and what is evil. It’s where God’s will is always done. The biblical authors call this domain by different names, including God’s kingdom, paradise, eternal life, and, of course, heaven. Earth is our domain. On earth, humans have chosen to be the ones who define good and evil. Biblical authors give this domain a few different names, too: the world, the present age, and the age of sin and death. Notice that two of those names imply that humanity’s domain is only temporary, an age, which, by definition, comes to an end.

The story of the Bible is the story of heaven on earth being ripped into heaven and earth, followed by God’s glorious mission to reunite these two realms once again. The 30,000- The Bible opens with God’s domain and humanity’s domain completely Foot View overlapping. It was literally heaven on earth—God’s domain flourishing on our beloved ball of rock and water. In the Bible, this paradise is represented as the Garden of Eden. But quickly we come to a rift. Humans rebelled, deciding they wanted a domain where they could define good and evil on their own terms. From Genesis 3 onward, the basic tension driving the story of the Bible is how God is going to rejoin heaven and earth. And that’s ultimately where the story ends: with a vision, a promise of divine space and human space united once and for all. So where are we now? According to the biblical narrative, we live in a time when heaven and earth are still disconnected, but not completely. The Bible shows us over and over that these two domains overlap. There are pockets of heaven on earth right now, and they’re growing. This workbook is designed as a thorough investigation of how the Bible discusses the tragic rift, the surprising overlap, and the final uniting of God’s domain with our domain. SESSION 1 — THE HEAVENS AS “THE SKIES” 6 7 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Genesis 1:1 (NIV) The Heavens The Heavens Skies” as “The the heavens and In the beginning God created the earth. Session 1 Session SESSION 1 — THE HEAVENS AS “THE SKIES” 8 1:1 is The Hebrewwordfor“theearth” inGenesis the groundwestandon. whole planet,butehrets means“land,” asin use the word “earth” to talk about the ehrets . In modern English, we usually “the Heavens”? What Are

even animalsaredividedup aseitherskyanimalsorlandanimals. sky.” Asthe story goeson,eachrealmistreatedseparately sothat The realmwherehumanslive is“theland,” andtherealmabove is“the translated as,“Inthebeginning Godcreatedtheskiesandland.” you’ll immediatelyseethatGenesis1:1couldjustasaccurately be special domainwhereGodlives. Readthefamiliarwordsagain,and In Genesis1:1,thewordshamayim above us.Itdependsonthecontext. dwells andrules(heaven). Othertimesthewordsimplymeanssky Sometimes thiswordisusedtoreferthedomaininwhichGod English wordthatgetsattheessenceofshamayim, as theEnglishword“heaven.” Butthere’s another, morebasic “heavens.” Thewordispronouncedshamayim, We needtointroduceyou totheHebrewwordthatwetranslate as “the sky.” the word“heaven.” Instead,theword“heaven” hereliterally means But Genesis1:1isn’t talkingabouteitherofthosethingswhenituses call ourvacationdestinationsorgourmetdesserts“heavenly.” also use“heaven” asasynonym for“paradise” or“bliss.” We casually city wheresomebelieve they’ll goafterthey die.Inmodern English,we most peoplesay “heaven,” they arereferringtothemystical, spiritual The wordheaven can have many differentmeaningsinEnglish.When of heaven? clear whatearthis.Butshouldyou picture herewhenyou think God splitcreationintotwocategories:heaven andearth.Itispretty everything weknowandlove inthisworld.Ittellsusthatfromday one famous openinglineoftheBibleintroducesGodasartistbehind “In thebeginningGodcreatedheavens andtheearth.” The is referringtothesky, nottoa and itcanbetranslated namely, “theskies.”

9 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK This might feel underwhelming. Maybe you thought Genesis 1:1 was Genesis 1:1 was thought you Maybe This might feel underwhelming. the terrestrial ball we call entire universe, about God creating the That sounds exciting. place we call heaven. earth, and the supernatural but it plain old sky and land? I guess that’s cool, But God making the God making an otherworldly place where as seem as exciting doesn’t from tell us what to expect After all, apps on our phones angels live. tubes can fly through the sky in giant aluminum We day. the every sky up there. get Wi-Fi can even wings. We with was enchanting. It was a realm the sky ancient readers, however, To it. but not experience sky, could admire the human reach. They beyond on it for water and sunlight, but could not fathom its depended They and earth meant heaven God separating this perspective, From reality. in and can learn to control, the domain that humans live separating our grasp. from the realm that we can see but is beyond place where he lives creating a supernatural In Genesis 1, God isn’t chapter of Genesis tells us the next from human. In fact, separate it’s on earth). (spoiler, and it’s not in heaven where God lives, exactly SESSION 1 — THE HEAVENS AS “THE SKIES” 10 In Hebrew, thewordfor“clouds” ispro- as “heaven” or “heavens,” though it is much less commonthanshamayim nounced context, this wordcanalsobetranslated shehaqim. Depending on the a Metaphor for God’s Domain . The Skyas

same characteristics astheskies.Or, toputitadifferentway: of hispresence.To say Godlives inheaven means thatGodsharesthe status andauthoritythanitisspeculationaboutthephysical location to meanboth“theskies”and“heaven” ismoreaclaimaboutGod’s than that,andwe’ll explore itmoreinsession7).Usingthesameword lived inthesky(weknowtheirperspective wasmuchmorenuanced this linguistictooldoesn’t necessarilymeanthey thoughtGodactually the wordfor“theskies”totalkaboutplacewhereGoddwells,but Because oftheseparallels, thebiblicalauthorsalmostalways used and transcendence ofthedomainwhereGodreignsanddwells. God’s domain,heaven. Theskiesareaperfectmetaphorfortheglory begin toseewhy theword“sky”becamesametodescribe as inapositionofauthority, andwedependonthemforlife.You can behold. Theskiesarevastandpowerful.They areliterally above us, skies areoneofthemostmysterious andawe-inspiring thingsto into thesky, you areoverwhelmed withitsbeautyandmajesty. The Put yourself intheshoesofanancientIsraelite. Whenyou lookup who isseatedonhigh. Who islike theLord ourGod, and hisgloryabove theheavens. The Lord ishighabove allthenations, Psalm 113:4–5(NRSV)

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“The sky” doesn’t do justice to a clear view of a starry night outside view of a starry night outside do justice to a clear “The sky” doesn’t The words “heaven” and “sky” are almost always singular in modern singular in modern and “sky” are almost always The words “heaven” That’s why word shamayim is plural. the Hebrew, English, but in biblical instead in our English Bibles or “heavens” we sometimes see “skies” of “sky” or “heaven.” the meaning of extension,” call this a “plural Hebrew grammarians It’s a or complex. because it describes something large word is plural word well in English, too. By nature, the linguistic trick that works to think sense It makes than “sky.” “skies” connotes something grander us as a vastness of things, not as a single thing. of the realm above city lights. Why Are Why Are “the to the end of a word ” Heavens” Plural? -ot or “ “-im” -s” in English). attaching In Hebrew, plural nouns are indicated by nouns are indicated by plural In Hebrew, (like “ (like SESSION 1 — THE HEAVENS AS “THE SKIES” 12 13 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK God places the sun, God places the sun, God creates the crea- God summons the land the summons God God separates the land the land God separates

God rests. GENESIS 1:14-19 GENESIS 1:9-13 GENESIS 2:1-3 GENESIS 1:20-23 GENESIS 1:24-31 GENESIS

DAY 3 DAY from the sea, and then summons the land to gen- vegetation. erate 4 DAY he appoints creatures, and, finally, to generate image to rule the land on his behalf. his humans in 7 DAY moon, and stars in the dome and appoints them moon, and stars in the dome and appoints them for the passage of time. as markers 5 DAY tures that live in the sea and the creatures that that creatures the and sea the in live that tures in the sky. live 6 DAY

God separates the the God separates God creates light and God creates light and God’s Spirit hovers over over hovers Spirit God’s Geek Out Geek As far as ancient people could tell, their land was surrounded by water water was surrounded by As far as ancient people could tell, their land dug deep enough. hit water if you also knew you’d side. They on every all this water was connected as one vast sea all around imagined They chaos and was and underneath. And for them, the sea represented and impossible to rule. as dangerous perceived TIER 2: THE LAND imagined all the water to be connected, they perceived Because they believed the great sea. They land as a kind of disc that was floating in this one disc. on all human life existed TIER 3: THE SKIES the land and giant dome over Ancient people imagined that there was a there was water above believed globe. They the glass of a snow sea, like saw water leaking through the dome. They was this dome, and that rain the dome itself. the sun, moon and stars as embedded into Today, we understand that the earth is a planet spinning around a star spinning around a star we understand that the earth is a planet Today, biblical a vast network of galaxies. However, in one small section of authors (After all, different view of the cosmos than we do. had a much telescopes.) have didn’t they as the universe and their neighbors understood The ancient Israelites which scholars of ancient on top of one another, three realms stacked describe as three tiers: Near Eastern history BELOW TIER 1: THE WATERS GENESIS 1:6-8 GENESIS 1:3-5 GENESIS1:2 - You can see the three-tiered view of the universe universe can see the three-tiered view of the You into Genesis 1: woven 0 DAY the chaotic and unordered state of the cosmos before God brings order and beauty to it. 1 DAY is not theHere “light” it from darkness. separates reflected is or sun the from emanates that energy which is a off the moon. God calls the light “day,” God depart- entity. period of time, not a physical and night, is an ancient ing light and dark, day fixed the created God that saying of way Israelite order of time itself. 2 DAY means from the waters below by waters above of the dome, which holds back the waters above. He calls the dome the “sky.” The Three-Tiered View of the Universe View (Biblical Cosmology) dome are being released through “win dows” (see Genesis 7:11) earth” (see Isaiah 40:22). (see Isaiah earth” supposed role of holding back waters high waters back of holding role supposed waters below by the “pillars of the earth” the “pillars of the earth” waters below by appears for the first time in Genesis 1:6, or “vault,” as “dome” and is best translated the latter of which captures the dome’s the the water above When it rains, above. flat disc-shape is called “the circle of the (see Psalm 75:3 or 1 Samuel 2:8), and its its and 2:8), 1 Samuel or 75:3 Psalm (see . It The Hebrew word for the dome is raqia The land is kept from sinking into the into the from sinking The land is kept SESSION 1 — THE HEAVENS AS “THE SKIES” 14 1. 1. c. b. a. always plural). on your translation, butinHebrew, it’s the wordissingularorplural depends refers tothesky. (Remember, whether that theuseofword“heaven” simply Look upthefollowingverses andnotice difference by lookingatthecontext ofsomebiblicaltexts. referring totheatmosphere.Let’s practice learningtotellthe domain ordwellingplace.Inmostcases,they weresimply wrote which you nowknowmeans“skies.” Butwhentheauthors are almostalways atranslation oftheHebrewwordshamayim, In theOldTestament, theEnglishwords“heaven” or“heavens” Dig Deeper Psalm 8:3 Genesis 7:19 Deuteronomy 4:11 shamayim, they weren’t always tryingtotalkaboutGod’s

2. 2. d. c. b. a. for God’sroyal domain. “heavens” isbeingusedasametaphor following verses andobserve how authority over allthings.Turn tothe metaphor toreferGod’stranscendent Here, theauthorsareusingskyasa 11:4 says “histhroneisintheskies.” God’s dwellingplace.For instance,Psalm In othercontexts, “theskies”canreferto Psalm 102:19 Psalm 14:2 Psalm 103:19 Psalm 33:13–14

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Notes Discussion when you come to mind What images think about heaven? ideas come from, and Where do those conjure up? do they what emotions and thoughts you Describe the feelings admire the sky. when you have of the sky and how it Discuss the quality land. is different from besidesWhat metaphors or descriptions to talk about the sky are used today God’s location?

17 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Genesis 3:8a (NIV) Genesis 2:8–9 (NRSV) The Garden The Garden Temple in in Eden, God planted a garden And the Lord he put the man whom he had the east; and there God made the Lord formed. Out of the ground that is pleasant to the sight every tree to grow and good for food… Then the man and his wife heard the sound of Then the man and his wife heard walking in the garden God as he was the Lord in the cool of the day… Session 2 Session SESSION 2 — THE GARDEN TEMPLE 18 The Hebrewwordedenisusedelsewhere An alternative translation of“Garden of Eden” wouldbe“gardenofdelight.” in Psalm 36:9 is literally “the river of eden.” in theBibletomean“bliss”or“delight.” For example, thephrase “theriver ofdelights” The GrandGarden 1 University Press,2013). of theHangingGarden ofBabylon:An Elusive World Wonder Traced (Oxford For more on ancient gardens, check out Stephanie Dalley’s to live andworkincommunitywithGod. Garden ofEdenwasnotadestinationtovisit,butplaceforhumans can imagineitwaseven grander. Andunlike otherancientgardens,the The GardenofEdenwasn’t designedby ahumanking,ofcourse,sowe king namedAshurnasirpalIIwholived between 883–859B.C.: Here isadescriptionofgardeninNineveh createdby anAssyrian were impressive, massive spacescreatedby kingsasoasesoflife. grandma’s garden oreven your localbotanicalgarden.Ancientgardens The GardenofEdenisdescribedasanamazingplace.Don’t pictureyour Garden ofEden,abountifulandsacredhome. and explore andcreatewithGod.IntheBible,thisspaceiscalled In Genesis2,wefindthatGodcreatedagardenwherehumanswork as ametaphorforGod’sdomain,it’stimetozoominontheland. Now thatwe’ve establishedanunderstandingoftheskiesandtheirrole Like asquirrelIpickfruitinthegardenofdelights… numerous asthestarsofheaven flowinthepleasuregarden… the garden;fragrance pervadesthewalkways, streamsofwateras quince, fig,grapevine.... Thecanalwater gushesfromabove into oak, tamarisk,walnut,terebinthandash,fir, pomegranate, pear, junipers ofdifferentkinds,almonds,dates,ebony, rosewood,olive, which Ihadcrossed:pinesofdifferentkinds,cypressesand in thecountriesthroughwhichIhadmarchedandhighlands trees inthevicinity. Iplantedseedsandplantsthathadfound meadows oftheTigrisandplantedorchardswithallkindsfruit a mountainpeak,andcalledittheAbundanceCanal.Iwatered “I dugoutacanalfromthe(river) UpperZab, cuttingthrough The Mystery ” 1

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—a glorious time when —a glorious time when a temple for himself. Instead, he planted a garden where he dwelled Instead, he planted a garden where he dwelled a temple for himself. with humans. full access to God, and The garden was his temple. Humans had in one specific place in the were his image. Instead of setting a statue garden to symbolize his reign, he commissioned the living, breathing To be made in humans to be the figures that represented his rule. In an ancient city, the only site as grand as the king’s garden would would as the king’s garden grand the only site as city, In an ancient spaces Ancient temples were designated been the temple. have were of the gods. They the presence experience where humans could in the ancient world. structures arguably the most marvelous of ancient to the pyramids of ancient Mesopotamia the ziggurats From buildings temples in South America, these Mayan Egypt to the massive priests were Only and awe. transcendence were designed to evoke functioned as mediators temples, because they allowed inside most were revered, Temples the people of the city. between the gods and of animal- soldiers and large statues spaces, often guarded by exclusive creatures. like the had to go to a temple, which is why In order to meet with God you create God didn’t beginning of the biblical story is so fascinating. God to humans. No soldiers or scary statues standing had full access in the way. the garden as his temple not only because he know God saw We word used in the Genesis dwelled there, but also because of a key ancient temple, you In the inner recesses of every “image.” narrative: These was built to honor. would find a statue of the god that the temple embodiments of the god’s presence statues were considered physical were called “idols” or “images.” and authority in the land, and they the remarkable thing. In Genesis, God declared that humans Here’s God’s authority to reign given been the image of God means we have we what And that is exactly behalf. creation on his and rule over God ordered humans to multiply and subdue all see happen next. and power creation. God freed humans to use their own creative of imagination to spread the order and beauty of the garden into the God’s space and humans’ space were one and the same. rest of creation. rest of creation. domain us a picture of God’s domain and humanity’s Genesis 2 gives on earth­ It was heaven completely overlapping. (see (see God’s Temple God’s The Garden as Ancient Temples An Introduction to An Introduction upon the earth.” over all the wild animals of the earth, and and earth, the of animals wild the all over creeps that thing creeping every over - humans as his image, giving them “domin ion over the fish of the sea, and over the the the fish of the sea, and over over ion the cattle, and and over birds of the air, Hebrew words to refer to idol. Genesis 1:27). It’s one of the common Genesis 1:27). It’s one of the common In Genesis 1:26–28, God designates In Genesis 1:26–28, God designates The Hebrew word for “image” in the phrase in the phrase The Hebrew word for “image” “image of God” is pronounced tselem SESSION 2 — THE GARDEN TEMPLE 20 The Significance of SevenDays

seven-day ritualdedication. The prophetenvisions anewtempleinJerusalemandforesees EZEKIEL 43:25–27 seven-day ceremoniesintheseventh monthofthecalendar year. Solomon dedicatesthetempleinJerusalemwithtwoback-to-back 1 KINGS8:2AND8:65 tabernacle inthewilderness. The Israelites heldaseven-day ceremony todedicatethe sacred LEVITICUS 8:33–35 dedications connectedtotemples. In theOldTestament, wewitnessthreeotherseven-day ritual creation itselfwasatemplefortheirGod. immediately understoodaseven-day creationstorytomean that have so deeplyingrained inancientculturethattheIsraelites would before SolomonerectedthegreattempleofJerusalem.Thisritualwas ritual foratemplebuiltby aSumerianking morethan1,000years for theirdeities.We have ancientrecordsthatdescribeaseven-day built fortheirGod,butoftemplesamongneighboringnationsraised a seven-day ceremony. ThiswastruenotonlyoftheIsraelites’ temples In theancientIsraelites’ world,templeswerealways dedicatedwith and clear:CreationisGod’stemple. metaphorical. Instead,they wouldhave heardanothermessageloud would nothave frettedover whetherthenarrative wasaccurate or is bothconfusingandcontroversial today, buttheancientIsraelites The seven-day structureofthe creationnarrative inGenesis1:1–2:3 Geek Out

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in Jerusalem, which meant he could take up the work of up the work of nuakh in Jerusalem, which meant he could take Geek Out Geek On the seventh day of creation’s dedication ceremony, we’re told told we’re dedication ceremony, of creation’s day On the seventh it apart. But “rest” in this to set blessed the day that God rested and speakers. quite what we imagine as modern English isn’t context shabat, does not mean pronounced The word “rest” in Hebrew, word used to talk for that, we look to another important Hebrew is spelled rest. The verb about the meaning of the Sabbath and God’s nuakh, and the noun variation is menukhah. The word “settling means a It is used to describe how locusts settle upon in.” “rest” in the sense of “relaxation.” The word means, more precisely, “to The word means, more precisely, “relaxation.” “rest” in the sense of on the ground once to appear manna “ceased” example, For cease.” arguing “ceased” friends in the Promised Land, and Job’s arrived Israel see things their way. realized he would never with him when they God ceased. day, On the seventh work of creation? Well, So, what did God do after he ceased the it or how a group of people settle in a land. It’s a word field to devour appropriate for athat implies new activities are beginning, activities instance, in 2 Samuel 7:1, God instructed David new time or place. For to running his kingdom. from the world and its operations. God’s Sabbath was not a withdrawal it was the point at which he It was not a vacation or a nap. Rather, his place at the helm of stopped bringing order to creation and took what had been created. After God ceased, he settled in. of “Rest” The Real Meaning practice of Sabbath in the Jewish and of Sabbath in the Jewish and practice Christian traditions. , which means means which , shabat word Hebrew The “to cease,” is the origin of the word and is the origin of the word and “to cease,” SESSION 2 — THE GARDEN TEMPLE 22 a. grow rightinfrontofyou asyou read. come across.Asparklinggardenwill garden, plant,andpreciousmetalyou following passages,markevery single Grab ahighlighter. Asyou readthe 1. the atmosphereofEden. images showupinIsraelite structuresinordertoimitate the temple.Let’s take alookathowgardensymbolsand incorporate gardenimageryintothetabernacleand,later, doesn’t stopthere.Godinstructed Israelite leadersto The connectionbetweenthegardenandIsraelite temples of creationclearlyparallels seven-day dedicationceremonies. their godintheheartofatemple,andseven-day structure image onearth,justasancientworshippersplacedastatueof creation toancienttemples.Goddesignateshumansashis In theearlychaptersofGenesis,specialcareistaken toconnect Dig Deeper b. (thetabernacleblueprints) (thetempledesigns) Exodus 25–31 1 Kings6–7

his people. designed tohouseGod’spresenceamong incorporate gardenimages intobuildings God wouldhave toldtheIsraelites to the Israelites whoentered themandwhy Consider theeffectthesespaceshadon and thebuildingsyou justreadabout. the similaritiesbetweengarden on Reread Genesis1and2,reflect 2.

23 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Draw the garden you’ve found! the garden you’ve Draw SESSION 2 — THE GARDEN TEMPLE 24 Discussion presence ofGodinyour workandplay? Is your lifemarked by livinginthe work ofdailylife? presence innatureortheordinary When have you experienced God’sdivine experience withGod? How dothoseconnecttoyour stroll throughoreven workinagarden? feelingsariseasyouWhat thoughtsand experience withGod? How dothoseconnecttoyour space arouse? feelingsdoestheWhat thoughtsand Imagine enteringanancienttemple.

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27 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Genesis 2:15–17 (ESV) The Great Split The Great God took the man and put him in the The Lord And the of Eden to work it and keep it. Garden God commanded the man, saying, “You Lord but of of the garden, eat of every tree may surely of the knowledge of good and evil you the tree eat of it you shall not eat, for in the day that you die.” shall surely Session 3 Session SESSION 3 — THE GREAT SPLIT 28 “Did Godreally say, ‘You must not eatfrom anytree inthe “For Godknowsthatwhenyoueatfrom ityoureyeswillbe “You willnotcertainlydie,”theserpentsaidtowoman. When thewomansawthatfruitoftree wasgoodfor The womansaidtotheserpent,“We mayeatfruitfrom the The womansaid,“Theserpent deceivedme,andIate.” Then theLord God saidtothewoman,“Whatisthisyou The mansaid,“Thewomanyouputhere withme—shegave Then themanandhiswifeheard thesoundofLord God And hesaid,“Whotoldyouthatwere naked?Haveyou But theLord Godcalledtotheman,“Where are you?” Now theserpentwasmore craftythananyofthewild He answered, “Iheard youinthegarden, andIwasafraid wisdom, shetooksomeandateit.Shealsogaveto because Iwasnaked;sohid.” garden’?” have done?” me somefruitfrom thetree, andIateit.” must nottouchit,oryouwilldie.’” her husband,whowaswithher, andheateit.Thentheeyes from thetree thatisinthemiddleofgarden, andyou for themselves. naked; sotheysewedfigleavestogetherandmadecoverings food andpleasingtotheeye,alsodesirableforgaining trees inthegarden, butGoddidsay, ‘You mustnoteatfruit they hidfrom theLord Godamongthetrees ofthegarden. eaten from thetree thatIcommandedyounottoeatfrom?” animals theLord Godhadmade.Hesaidtothewoman, opened, andyouwillbelikeGod,knowinggoodevil.” as hewaswalkinginthegarden inthecoolofday, and of boththemwere opened,andtheyrealized theywere Genesis 3:1–13(NIV) 29 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK

Genesis 3:17–24 (NIV)

you will eat your food and you will eat the plants of the field. and you will eat the since from it you were taken; it you were since from and to dust you will return.” all the days of your life. all the days of your through painful toil you will eat food from it painful toil you will eat food from through to the ground, until you return and clothed them. And the Lord God said, “The man has now And the Lord and clothed them. of the tree out his hand and take also from allowed to reach east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword sword flaming a and cherubim Eden of Garden the of side east fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must you, ‘You about which I commanded tree the fruit from it,’ not eat from for dust you are which he from of Eden to work the ground the Garden from of life. the way to the tree flashing back and forth to guard mother of all the living. the man out, he placed on the he drove After had been taken. become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not bebecome like one of us, knowing good life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him So the Lord life and eat, and live forever.”

brow By the sweat of your It will produce thorns and thistles for you, thorns It will produce Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the Adam named his wife Eve, because To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate to your wife and ate you listened he said, “Because Adam To The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wifeAdam and God made garments of skin for The Lord “Cursed is the ground because of you; because “Cursed is the ground SESSION 3 — THE GREAT SPLIT 30 their covenant withGod. after theircenturies-longfailuretokeep and Babylon. Muchlater, Israel wasban- Banishment totheeastisnotrandom. East stretches all the way to ancientAssyria ished totrekthroughthatdesertagain of ancient Israel was a huge desert that The Great Split block entrytohisholypresence. full accesstoGod.Outsidethegarden,largeanimal-like creatures toil, frustration, and,ultimately, death.Insidethegarden,humanshad expanding creation.InGenesis3,welearnwhat’soutsidethegarden: abundant food,freedom,andtheopportunitytopartnerwithGodin We’ve seenthatlivinginsidethegardenresultedinabundantlife, allowed openaccesstoGod. evil for itself. And,asaresult,iswasbanishedtotheeast,no longer At theheartoftearishumanity’sdecisiontodefinegoodand from God’sspace,howheaven onearthbecameheavenand earth. Genesis 3isthestoryofthatsplit—howourspacebecameseparated being unitedagain. domains thatsplitapartand,withtimeandsacrifice,areslowly focused onamuchbiggerstory—acosmicstoryabouttwooverlapping There’s somuchtostopandexplore here,butremember, we’re has puzzledandintriguedreadersforthousandsofyears. Genesis 3isastrange story. Talking snakes? Amagicaltree?Thistext

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The cause of the split centers around a tree called “the tree of the the centers around a tree called “the tree of The cause of the split are told not to eat of it or Adam and Eve evil.” knowledge of good and But, to modern readers, the name will die. That’s pretty ominous. they bad. sound too doesn’t of good and evil” “the tree of the knowledge something an understanding of morality Isn’t Knowledge is good, right? for? we strive see how to and evil” of the words “good context But let’s look at the point in the biblical story, we should think about this tree. Up to this in over and over He does it God has been defining what was good. alone has the wisdom and Genesis 1. It should be clear to us that God what is evil). extension, authority to define what is good (and by Do seizing this authority. God was warning them against improperly and evil. not eat the tree of the knowledge of good clear that while humans had a lot of freedom it very The story makes were not God. They God’s creation, they and authority to rule over were made in the divine image. But they God because they were like get to define good didn’t meant they get to be God, which didn’t and evil for themselves. They needed to trust God’s wisdom about God’s wisdom about needed to trust They for themselves. and evil good and evil. figure whose purpose is to But along came a serpent, a mysterious them that seizing this knowledge will make It suggests deceive. “like God.” He didn’t just present them with an opportunity to try a present them with an opportunity to try a just He didn’t God.” “like to usurp God’s tasty snack. He presented them with an opportunity authority. moral a choice. Would The basic meaning of this tree is that it represented evil, of good and the humans trust God’s knowledge and definition define seize the opportunity to know and therefore or would they for themselves? good and evil of good and evil prioritizing knowledge Humans chose autonomy, evil for to define good and knowledge of God. By deciding above fashioned crude crowns for essentially Adam and Eve themselves, rejected their rulers. They and declared themselves themselves blessed role as images of God, and instead claimed to be gods. and earth to split apart. It was this decision that caused heaven

of Good and Evil The Tree of the Knowledge Tree The creates something that will be beneficial the for human flourishing. In this way, has historically been depicted as an apple as an apple has historically been depicted ated “good” seven times. In each case, each case, times. In ated “good” seven this pronouncement happens after God it clear that God is the pro- author makes what kind of tree it was. In Genesis 1, God calls the world he cre- vider and definer of all that is “good.” tree, but the Hebrew text does not specify tree, but the Hebrew text The tree of the knowledge of good and evil of good and evil The tree of the knowledge SESSION 3 — THE GREAT SPLIT 32 The tree oflifealso gets a nod inProverbs 3:18, 11:30,13:12,and15:4,wherewis- plant, itwasstolenby aserpent. Fun fact: Once Gilgamesh finally found the restores divineblessing. dom is described as a life-giving tree that The Tree ofLife symbol familiartohisIsraelite readers. forever. To getthatpointacross,theauthor ofGenesisadapteda is life itself. To live neartheauthorandsourceofalllifeistolive symbolizes therealitythatbeingincloseproximity toGod’spresence very clearthatGodisthegiver oflife.Inthegarden,treelife life hasmagicalpowerstobestowindependently. TheBibleis It’s importanttonotethatGenesis3doesnotsuggestthetreeof (Revelation 22:2NASB) and theleaves ofthetreeareforhealingnations.” of lifewithitstwelve kindsoffruit,producing itsfruiteachmonth; vision oftherenewedcreation:“On eithersideoftheriver isthetree the very endofthebiblicalnarrative, it’smentionedagaininJohn’s referenced asstandinginthecenterofGardenEden.Then,at mentioned, but itspresenceissignificant.First,thetreeoflife The treeoflifeisastrategic propinthebiblicalstory. It’shardly depictions ofthetreelife. and Israel. ItdatestotheninthcenturyB.C. andisoneofourearliest like thispotsherdfragment foundin theborderlandsbetweenEgypt Archaeologists have even discovered olddepictionsofsuchatree, Egyptian literature referstoasycamore that’sconsideredlife-giving. for amagicplantthatbestowsyouth andperpetual vitality, andancient neighbors. ThefamousBabylonian epicofGilgameshinvolves ahunt The treeoflifewasapopularmotifintheliterature ofIsrael’s second symbolictreeinthegardenofEden:life. of goodandevil. That’sthetreeeveryone remembers.Buttherewasa The leadtreeinthisstoryisundoubtedlytheofknowledge Geek Out

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Geek Out Geek to a domain of their own. temple in Jerusalem, where Statues of cherubim appear later in God’s animals, including as a combination of several were depicted they of were symbols and eagles. This imagery suggests they lions, oxen, temple in Jerusalem’s all creation. What made the cherubim statues was their location.distinct from their counterparts at other temples to the temple, the cherubim Instead of guarding the road or entrance stretched center of the temple, their wings were placed in the very which was considered the hot spot of the ark of the covenant, over God’s presence. After Adam and Eve exited the garden, Genesis 3 tells us God placed placed the garden, Genesis 3 tells us God exited After Adam and Eve to the to guard the way sword at the entrance cherubim and a flaming tree of life. What in the world? something, cherubim are not pudgy babiesFirst, let’s be clear about other-worldly creatures that with wings. Cherubim were intimidating, haunted the imaginations of the Israelites. session that ancient temples often had carvings learned in the last We in symbolically guarding the entryway, statues of large, animal-like the Sphinx in Egypt guarded example, addition to actual soldiers. For which were temple-tombs for the main road to the ancient pyramids, temples were Babylonian kings who were considered gods. Ancient with eagles’ wings and lions’ bodies. statues guarded by Eden were the real deal. This detail at the the cherubim outside Well, another indication that Eden was itself a temple, end of Genesis 3 is yet God’s holy space, humans had been banished desecrating and that, by

Cherubim and Swords describe carvings of cherubim, and Ezekiel Exodus 25:18–22 and 1 Kings 6:23–28 6:23–28 Kings 1 and 25:18–22 Exodus ters people had with them (in their dreams at least)! 1 and Isaiah 6 describe frightening encoun- SESSION 3 — THE GREAT SPLIT 34 before they enteredthePromised Read Moses’finalwordstotheIsraelites Adam andEven intheGarden? Promised Landmirrorthechoicebefore does the opportunitybeforeIsrael inthe Land in 2. Genesis 3:24and4:14. attention tothesimilaritiesbetween Adam andEve’s banishment.Pay special occurring justonegeneration after significance ofCain’s banishment Read 1. 1. a repeatedthemethroughoutthebiblicalstory. a fewOldTestament storiestoseehowbanishmentappearsas banished people—butitcertainlywasn’t thelast.Let’s examine Genesis 3isthefirsttimeinbiblicalnarrative thatGod Dig Deeper Genesis 4:1–14.Considerthe Deuteronomy 30:11–20.How

35 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Ezekiel Ezekiel Joel 2:3, Isaiah 51:3, and Read 36:33–36. These prophets are all after describing the ruined state of Israel Write enemies. being conquered by down all the allusions to the Garden of Eden. How does the arden imagery current tragedy? Israel’s reverse 3. SESSION 3 — THE GREAT SPLIT 36 Discussion world today? banishment play outinyour lifeorthe How have you seenthethemeofGod’s garden temple? banishing humansfromaccesstothe Do you thinkGodoverreacted by decision? What cameofthat let Goddefinegoodand evil for you. Share aboutatimewhenyou decidedto Explain. Did thatdecisionleadtoflourishing? for yourself. you decidedtodefinegoodand evil Share aboutatimeinyour lifewhen

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Genesis 12:1–3 (NIV)

and I will bless you; and you will be a blessing. and whoever curses you I will curse; will be blessed through you.” will be blessed through and all peoples on earth household to the land I will show you.” God’s Rescue Rescue God’s Mission

your country, your people and your father’s your people and your father’s your country, I will make your name great, I will bless those who bless you, The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from Abram, “Go from had said to The Lord “I will make you into a great nation, “I will make you into a great Session 4 Session SESSION 4 — GOD’S RESCUE MISSION 40 “Do notbeafraid, Abram. Then hesaidtohim,“Soshallyouroffspringbe.” Then theword oftheLord cametohim:“Thismanwillnot After this,theword oftheLord cameto Abram inavision: But Abram said,“Sovereign Lord, whatcanyou giveme

be yourheir.” Hetookhimoutsideandsaid,“Lookupat be yourheir, butasonwhoisyourownfleshandbloodwill my heir.” given menochildren; soaservantinmyhouseholdwillbe the skyandcountstars—ifindeedyoucanthem.” estate isEliezerofDamascus?” And Abram said,“You have since Iremain childlessandtheonewhowillinheritmy your verygreat reward.” I amyourshield, Genesis 15:1–5(NIV) 41 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK

the tower would empower them to “make a name for [them]selves.” a name for [them]selves.” the tower would empower them to “make This, of course, was the tower of Babel. the Hebrew word here. Remember, Notice the use of “the heavens” were building a tower so tall that the They means “the skies.” literally also recall that “the skies” was one of the most But top was in the sky. referred to the place where God Israelites ancient common ways that the the author is clear of this story, In the context and ruled. lived were for a good view; they just building the tower people weren’t the experience couldn’t trying to reach the realm of the divine. If they thought, perhaps, they tree of life in the garden as a gift from God, see the human desire to be divine rear its ugly head in a big way. build a city called “Babylon” In their arrogance, these people set out to thought They tower whose top is in the heavens.” and construct “a divinity on their own. could attain they After the story of the great split between God’s domain and our our great split between God’s domain and After the story of the By Genesis 11, the through human history. domain, Genesis flies Mesopotamia had swelled into a civilization. population in ancient the humans had recently innovated At this point in the narrative, could build cities faster, which means they mass production of bricks, before. ever stronger and taller than humans got used and new technology, Between fertile fields by This led to a culture marked to abundance pretty quickly. arrogance—the to arrogance that prompted Adam and Eve same In Genesis 11, we declare independence from God in the Garden.

Zooming . Ziggurats . Ziggurats Through History Through form on top. In the flat deltas of eastern closest people could get to the sky. were large pyramid-shaped temples with temples with were large pyramid-shaped Mesopotamia, these high places were the the were places high these Mesopotamia, See Genesis 11:4 to read about the tural structure called a ziggurat tural a staircase or ramp leading to a flat plat- a staircase or ramp arrogance of these people. of these arrogance The tower of Babel was a massive architec- The tower of Babel was a massive SESSION 4 — GOD’S RESCUE MISSION 42 The story and genealogy of Abram’s family In Genesis11,theword“Babel”is playfully is locatedinGenesis11:10–32. more intheGeekOutsection. means “confusion.” We’ll talkaboutthis related totheHebrewwordbalal Introducing Abram The Problem with h Tower the which judgment, Godplantedaseedofredemption. But this,ofcourse,wasnoteven closetotheendofstory. Inhis power andhonorforthemselves. And,onceagain, Godbanishedthem. were stillnotcontenttobeimagesofGod.They wantedtoclaim on amuchwiderscale.Despitetheabundanceoftheircities,humans The rebellioninBabylon replayed therebellioningarden,but fits intothebiggernarrative. InGenesis 12:2,Godsays hewill make key wordsheretohelpreaders understandhowthisnewcharacter response tohumanrebellion,and theauthorofGenesisusesafew Abram’s story marksthebeginningofGod’slong-termstrategic will comeafterhim. the entirehumanrace. Now, itzoomsinononemanandthefamily that biblical story. Uptothispoint,thelenshasbeenzoomedoutinclude The introductionofAbram inGenesis12representsabig shiftinthe of amannamedAbram. a genealogythattracks afamilyaffectedby thescattering—thefamily Immediately afterthestoryabouttower, theauthorlaunchesinto the languagetoensurereadersnoticehistoryrepeatingitself: error earlierinthestory. TheauthorofGenesiseven usesparallels in from thecity—justlike AdamandEve werebanishedforthesame to worktogether. They scatteredintonewgroups,effectively banished So, heconfusedeveryone’s language,makingitimpossibleforpeople again, they weretryingtobegodsthemselves. might have actuallysucceededinattainingdivinity, butbecause,yet God wasnothappy aboutthisbuildingproject.Notbecausehumans which hewastaken. God senthimforthfrom thegarden totilltheground ofEden, from also from thetree oflife,andeat,live forever”— therefore theLord knowing goodandevil;now, hemightreach outhishandandtake Then theLord said,“Look,themanhasbecomelike God oneofus, over thefaceofallearth,andtheyleftoffbuilding thecity. speech.”one another’s SotheLord scattered themabroad from there down, andconfusetheirlanguagethere, sothattheywillnotunderstand that theypropose usgo them.Come,let beimpossiblefor todowillnow language; andthisisonlythebeginningofwhattheywilldo;nothing And theLord theyare said,“Look, andtheyhave onepeople, allone Genesis 3:22–23(NRSV) Genesis 11:6–8(NRSV)

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that the blessing served a strategic purpose: God promised that the a strategic that the blessing served to family would overflow to Abraham’s blessing and abundance given family moment, Abraham’s all the other families of the earth. At that to given and vocation became the carrier of the original blessing be nation on earth might one day humanity in the garden so that every reconnected to God. were because they and his family were not chosen Abraham Now, stories that follow highlight Abraham’s particularly great people. Many a profound This reality makes and his family’s dysfunction. frailty and earth is going to be of heaven the reunion statement. Whatever their own power or by be something humans achieve it won’t like, because of their own goodness. deserve build can’t go back to the garden to get eternal life. They Humans can’t been possible up to the sky to attain it. No. Eternal life has only ever humanity. as a gift. And that’s precisely what God wants to give once God wants his domain and our domain to completely overlap candidate calls an unlikely this happen, he graciously make more. To family is to to spearhead the project. God’s plan through Abraham’s on earth. nation restore blessings to every What makes God’s commitment to Abraham truly remarkable was truly remarkable was to Abraham God’s commitment What makes Abram’s name great, which connects to Genesis 11:4, in which the which the to Genesis 11:4, in great, which connects name Abram’s by themselves a name for to make attempted people of Babylon at divine power grasping to humanity In contrast tower. building a to this honor of a great name the God will grant honor, for their own and what he will bless Abram, God also says no-name family of Abram. a multiplying and Eve: of God’s blessing on Adam follows is a replay a fruitful land, and abundance. family, outlandish. He and his wife had this promise was downright Abram, To 70s. It were already in their children, and they able to have been never matters worse, make a tad too late. To God was maybe seemed like can imagine their land. You leave and Sarai God requested that Abram to becoming the way a list of the hurdles that blocked making Abram sure, God?” no land. Are you a great nation: “No children, his faith, and he left was a man of radical told that Abram But we’re When the family land despite those hurdles, trusting God implicitly. a new identity him a new name—in effect, God gave in Canaan, arrived . Abraham that reflected the promise he bore. He became

Is a Gift A Promise That Promise A humanity in 1:26–28. Genesis 17:1–8. Compare God’s blessing to Abram in in to Abram Compare God’s blessing on blessing his with 12:1–3 Genesis the earth will find blessing.” (Genesis 12:3) (Genesis blessing.” find will earth the Read about God renaming Abram in in Abram renaming God about Read “Through you (Abram), all the families of all the families of (Abram), “Through you SESSION 4 — GOD’S RESCUE MISSION 44 14:5–17 and47:5–15,Jeremiah’s 17–18. You canalsoseePeter andJohn’s ref- terror inJeremiah25and50–51. Check outIsaiah’s critiqueofthearrogant pride oftheBabylonian rulersinIsaiah erences in1Peter 5:13 andRevelation description ofBabylon as a super-human Babel =Babylon, Confusing! Babylon’s roots. The storyinGenesis11showshowpridewasatthecenterof called “Babylon.” of theBible,Revelation, allthenationsunifiedagainstGodare experiencing persecutionfromtheRomans.Andinfinalbook New Testament, Peter calledRome“Babylon” inalettertochurches even lived onaftertheempirecollapsedin539B.C. Muchlater, inthe was describedasalarger-than-lifeenemy. ThelegacyofBabylon grandeur. Theempireislater responsiblefortheIsraelites’ exile and against thekingsofBabylon, accusingthem ofhaving delusionsof of humanity’sprideandrebellion.TheIsraelite prophetsrailed After Babylon grewintoanempire,itcame torepresenttheworst in theOldTestament. This storyisaboutthegenesisofBabylon, the mostinfamous“badguy” but insodoingthey obscureaneven moreimportantconnection: Our Englishversions translate babelas“Babel”tohonorthewordplay, because theretheLord balalthelanguageofland.” (Genesis 11:9) to getthepointacross:“Thereforecity’snamewascalledbabel sounds like “Babel.” Here’s thekey linewithitsHebrewtransliteration confuse theirlanguage.TheHebrewwordfor“confuse” isbalal,which We knowthatwhentheBabylonians gottoococky, Godchoseto reproduce inEnglish. in Genesis11?It’sbecauseofaclever Hebrewwordplay that’shardto So why doallmodernEnglishtranslations renderthisword as“Babel” the OldTestament, andevery othertimeit’stranslated “Babylon.” 11 as“Babel.” ThisistheHebrewwordbabelthatoccurs262timesin Our EnglishBiblestranslate thenameofcityandtowerinGenesis Geek Out

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am = exalted = father, ram ab = father, h —> ab-ra ab-ram Geek Out Geek When we first meet Abram in Genesis 11:26, his name means “exalted “exalted name means in Genesis 11:26, his Abram When we first meet his name consisted of two parts: In Hebrew, father.” I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations.” made you I have the first is so simple we tend There are two things happening here, and “increase your As a sign of his promise to it completely. to overlook name. God increases the syllables in Abram’s numbers,” apparent in English. The Hebrew isn’t The second part of the wordplay of the word for the first letter is hamon. God takes word for “multitude” this: name, like and sticks it into Abram’s “multitude” But then Abram got a new name, and the selection is surprisingly is surprisingly got a new name, and the selection But then Abram playful. for name shall be Abraham; In Genesis 17:5 (NRSV), God said, “your is actually the result of a Hebrew wordplay: new name So, Abraham’s adding the first letter of the God increases the length of his name by word for “multitude.” Abraham’s Name Abraham’s SESSION 4 — GOD’S RESCUE MISSION 46 b. a. prophets describethispromisedday. following passagesandnotehowthe part ofGod’scovenant people. Readthe people fromallnationswouldbecome Israel’s prophetspromised aday when b. a. Genesis12:2 down theexact promisesGodmakes. God promisestoblessAbraham. Write Read thefollowingScriptures,inwhich d. 1. 1. throughout Scripture. rescue mission.Let’s take alookathowthispromisereappears and hisfamily. It’sapromisetohumanitythatGodison God’s promisetoAbraham isnotjustapromisetooneman 2. 2. Dig Deeper c. c. Genesis18:18–19 Micah 4:1–3 Isaiah 2:1–6and56:3–8 Zechariah 8:20–23 Genesis 17:5–8 Genesis 22:15–18

47 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Ezekiel . Notice Galatians 3 and Romans 4. Notice Jeremiah 31:31–34 and 4. Read firmly believed that the Apostle Paul by God’s new family was not defined anymore. ethnic lineage from Abraham God’s people were identified as Rather, faith. those who share Abraham’s , where the prophets foretell 36:31–34, where the prophets foretell that God would create a new covenant , 22:14–23 people. Then, read Luke where Jesus claims to fulfill this see? do you What similarities prophecy. 3. Read SESSION 4 — GOD’S RESCUE MISSION 48 Discussion does thatmeanforyou? through Abraham’s family, thenwhat God’s planistoreuniteheaven andearth us asspiritualchildrenofAbraham. If As followersofJesus,Paul woulddefine in ordertoprotectyou fromyourself? Has Godever disruptedaprojectofyours like God? asameanstomaketechnology ourselves In whatways dohumanstoday use 49 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Notes

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until I have done what I have promised you.” until I have done what I have promised keep you wherever you go, and will bring keep you wherever offspring. Know that I am with you and will offspring; and your offspring shall be likeoffspring; and your offspring shall be east and to the west and to the to the abroad the earth shall be blessed in you and in your the dust of the earth, and you shall spread the dust of the earth, and you shall spread north and to the south; and all the families of father and the God of Isaac; the land onfather and the God of Isaac; the land you back to this land; for I will not leave you which you lie I will give to you and to your which you lie I will give to you and “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your the God of “I am the Lord, of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God of it reaching and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that And he dreamed and lay down in that place. there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top was a ladder there the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the night, because the sun had set. Taking his headthe stones of the place, he put it under Encounter An Unexpected were ascending and descending on it. And the ascending and descending on it. were Lord stood beside him and said, Lord He came to a certain place and stayed there for there He came to a certain place and stayed Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. and went toward Jacob left Beer-sheba Session 5 Session SESSION 5 — AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 52 “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I “If Godwillbewithme,andkeepmeinthiswaythatI Then Jacobwokefrom hissleepandsaid,“Surely theLord is I come again tomyfather’s houseinpeace,thentheLord shall in thisplace—andIdidnotknowit!” And hewasafraid,and So Jacobrose earlyinthemorning,andhetookstonethat be myGod,andthisstone,whichIhavesetupforapillar, go, and willgivemebread toeatandclothingwear,go, sothat he hadputunderhisheadandsetitupforapillarpoured house ofGod,andthisisthegateheaven.” give one-tenthtoyou.” of thecitywasLuzatfirst.ThenJacobmadeavow, saying, oil onthetopofit.HecalledthatplaceBethel;butname said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the said, “Howawesomeisthisplace!Thisnoneotherthanthe shall beGod’s house;andofallthatyougivemeIwillsurely Genesis 28:10–22(NRSV) 53 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK

The story known as “Jacob’s ladder” is among the most popular Old ladder” is among the most popular Old The story known as “Jacob’s of the Red Sea up there with the parting narratives—right Testament other popular many in the lions’ den. And, like and Daniel’s survival and over, gets lost as it’s boiled down, over stories, its richness often story. into a children’s go memory of this story might grew up in the church, your If you his brother out of the this: Jacob, who once conned something like apparently does not pack first-born inheritance, goes on a trip and He manages to fall asleep with his as a pillow. that will work anything angels going up and down head on a rock, and has a wild dream about up and Then he wakes a flight of stairs between earth and heaven. it a name. pours some oil on the rock and gives What in the world? that words used in the text First things first, we know from the Hebrew staircase, not a ladder with rungs. was a large stone what Jacob saw stairways similar to the massive very was likely In fact, what he saw platforms where worshippersfound on ancient temples that led up to the sought connection with their god. dream, the staircase was not attached to a temple—at But in Jacob’s on earth, extending least, not to a building. It was just stairs resting to Jacob: This thing was up to the skies. The meaning of this was clear and humanity’s domain. a bridge, so to speak, between God’s domain “This is the gate throne room. into God’s heavenly It was a pathway Jacob said. The angels, who were God’s messengers, were of heaven,” showing that this place was a kind of going up and down the stairway, and earth. portal between heaven was following Jacob around Abraham, The God of his grandfather, and presence out in the middle of nowhere. his divine had revealed This was a God who chases people around. Chasing Us God’s Domain Is God’s Check this out in Genesis 28:17. SESSION 5 — AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 54 Story of Two Domains Jacob’s Roleinthe more thanweprobablyrealize.Thisisagift,ifhave eyes toseeit. his movement inourlives areoftensurprising.Heaven isatworkmuch which isstilltruetoday. Thestoryteaches usthatGod’scharacter and and earth,thatGodwasstillamonghumansifthey hadeyes toseeit— Jacob’s encounter showsthatGodwasonamissiontoreuniteheaven there itwas. heaven andearth,wenolongerhadaccesstoGod’spresence,yet comes burstingintothewilderness.Therehadbeenariftbetween the presenceofGod,whichwethoughtwasleftbehindingarden, him seethattherewasmuchmoregoingon.Thisstoryisabouthow where hewassleepingamundanespace,buthisvisionhelped touches downinthemostunlikely ofplaces.Jacobthoughtthespot and thehumandomainstilloverlap, thatheaven chasespeopleand The key takeaway fromJacob’s dreamisthat,somehow, God’sdomain he succeedsdespiteus. It’s areminderthatGoddoesnotneedustosucceed,butrather that Apparently, world. Godlikes usinginsufficientpeopletodohiswork. upright behavior, buttocarrydivineblessingstherestof Fortunately, theroleofAbraham’s familywasnottobeamodelof the familyinheritancethatshouldhave beenforhisolderbrother. a deceiver, andearlierinlifehadtricked hisblindfatherintogivinghim hadn’t exactly ledalifeofdevotion tohisCreator. Hewasknownas It’s agoodthingGodwascommittedtopursuingJacob,becauseJacob

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, which simply means “messenger.” The word can The word can , which simply means “messenger.” mal’akim Jacob had this incredible encounter with God, and, in response, he did encounter with God, and, in response, Jacob had this incredible odd: He took the modern readers as really something that strikes oil on it, and named propped it up, poured used as a pillow, stone he’d the place Bethel. was common cultural as a memorial marker Setting up a stone pillar though our it still is today, And, actually, in the ancient world. practice with engraved modern memorials are polished and professionally explanations. oil on something or someone was also common. It was a way Pouring temple. This aside for service in Israel’s or set something to consecrate a memorial stone. ritual could set apart people or items, like details about Jacob’s any give While the story in Genesis 28 doesn’t and of commemoration intent, his actions seem to fit those patterns sacred dedication. is that Jacob named the location “Bethel,” does highlight What the text with This story connects which means “house of God” in Hebrew. temple history when an Israelite an important moment later in Israel’s Genesis is telling an originwas built in this same spot. The author of story for the temple of Bethel. Geek Out Geek A key part of Jacob’s dream about the stairs uniting heaven and earth uniting heaven dream about the stairs part of Jacob’s A key or in “angels,” called are the figures going up and down it. They’re Hebrew, human or divine, which opens up a kind of messenger, refer to any fascinating can of worms. the have At this point in the story of two domains, humans didn’t could They could pray. option to enter God’s personal presence. They experience couldn’t see visions of God and hear from him, but they see God session, we’ll his presence as it was in the garden. In the next where establishing a mobile tent-temple remedy this situation by humans can enter his presence, at least on a limited basis.

Bethel Angels . word (angelos) spelled with English letters. Hebrew the translated who scholars Bible into Greek used the Greek angelos to translate mal’akim to translate anointing oil in Exodus 30:22–29. anointing oil in Exodus Other Israelite memorial markers include include markers memorial Israelite Other anointing oil in Exodus 30:22–29. anointing oil in Exodus It means “messenger,” and the first Jewish first the and “messenger,” means It Israel. (see Joshua 24:25– 27) (see Joshua 24:25– Israel. Read about the temple of Bethel in 1 Kings Read about the origins of Israel’s sacred sacred Israel’s of origins about the Read Rachel’s tomb (see Genesis 35:20), and 35:20), and Rachel’s tomb (see Genesis Read about the origins of Israel’s sacred sacred Israel’s of origins about the Read The word “angel” is actually the Greek is actually the Greek The word “angel” 12:29–33. Joshua’s renewal of the covenant with with renewal of the covenant Joshua’s SESSION 5 — AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 56 Angels (cont.)

angels showedheaven andearthwereinterconnected. the authorofstoryaboutJacob's “stairway” inGenesiswasthatthe function ofangelsinsteadtheirnatureororigins.Whatmattered to do? TheBibleoffersnoanswers,mainlybecauseitisfocusedon the earth? Dothey relatetoourspace-timedimensionsthesameway we When werethey created?Howexactly dothey bridgeheaven and questions thatthebiblicalauthorsnever address.Howmany arethere? The existence ofthesecreaturesthatlive inGod’sdomain raises many “sons ofGod,” oreven “gods.” called “an angel”or“a messenger,” andoccasionally, they arecalled Bible, thesefiguresaresimplycalled “a man.” Othertimes,they are earth, thenangelsweretheiranimatecounterparts.Sometimesinthe If templeswereinanimate,symbolicspacesthatbridgedheaven and simply carriedmessages;othertimes,they performed miracles and essentiallythey serve ashisexecutive staffteam.Sometimes,they characteristics ofboth.They arecreatureswhoinhabitGod’sdomain, messengers. They’re nothuman,butthey’re notGodeither. They share a prophet.Thisisourtraditional conceptofangels,God’sheavenly removed fromapersonalappearance, butit’smoredirectthansending But there’s athird way that God couldreachouttopeople.It’sone step messenger,” orinHebrew, mal’aki (weknowhimas“Malachi”). his is, God’s angels,that evenit’s strange though toourears,theprophets wereoftencalled prophets, andthey actedasGod’sspokespeople. And called were to carry a divine announcementonhisbehalf. InIsrael, thesefigures a meal with Abraham. Sometimes,Godsendsahumanmessenger who walksandtalkswithpeople,asinthestoryofGodhaving human for him?OnahandfulofoccasionsintheBible,Godappearsas But whatifGodwantedtoreachoutsomeonewhowasn’t looking Geek Out mal’akim. Oneofthemwaseven called“my

57 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK 2. Read the story about Joshua near Read the story about Joshua near Jericho in Joshua 5:13–15.

Dig Deeper Jacob wasn’t the only biblical character to get an unexpected to get an unexpected character the only biblical Jacob wasn’t surprise encounters look at three other Let’s visit from God. times of showing up at unlikely God’s habit that demonstrate and places. the space around the bush is called the space around the bush is called space that as in physical “holy ground,” Check out the encounter Moses and with God’s have the elders of Israel presence on Mt. Sinai in Exodus 24:1–18. Notice the similar language and imagery that appear in all these attention to what’s stories, and pay fire, and light different. Clouds, smoke, are all featured in these moments where and earth meet. What is the heaven significance of this common imagery? Read Moses’ encounter with God at Read Moses’ encounter with God at . Observe 3 the burning bush in Exodus similarities between this story and 5 how dream. Notice in verse Jacob’s God’s presence. by is marked 3. 1. SESSION 5 — AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 58 reveal himself? unlikely circumstancesinyour lifeto In whatways have you seenGoduse you inyour life? HowhastheGodofAbraham pursued encountered God. in your storywhereyou unexpectedly Share amoment,however ordinary, Discussion

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61 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Exodus 29:42–46 Exodus 25:22 (NIV) and speak to you; there also I will meet with the also I will meet with the and speak to you; there Then I will and his sons to serve me as priests. dwell among the Israelites and be their God. dwell among the Israelites and be their commands for the Israelites. dwell among them. I am the Lord their God. dwell among them. I am the Lord over the ark of the covenant cherubim that are meeting, before the Lord. There I will meet you There the Lord. meeting, before Aaron apart meeting and the altar and I will set be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of at the entrance to the tent of be made regularly tent of I will set apart as holy the by my glory. law, I will meet with you and give you all my I will meet with you and give you all my law, The Tabernacle who brought them out of Egypt so that I might them out of Egypt so that I might who brought For generations to come this burnt offering is toFor generations to come this burnt Israelites, and the place will be set apart as holy will place the and Israelites, They will know that I am the Lord their God, They will know that I am the Lord There, above the cover between the two There, Session 6 Session SESSION 6 — THE TABERNACLE 62 “to dwellorinhabit.” From thisword The Hebrewwordfor“tabernacle” ismish- the holyspace. God’s glorious presencethatdwelledin God’s See Exodus 1–14forthefullstory. comes the noun shekinah kan . It’sthenounformofverb shakan, Promise andPresence God FormalizesHis Abraham’s Family , which refers to God Rescues

have consistent access toGodasthey roamedinthewilderness. presence throughexperiences like Jacob’s dream,theIsraelites would residence inthemiddleofIsrael. InsteadofonlyencounteringGod’s was tobetheplacewhereGod’sgloryandpersonalpresence tookup for amobiletemplecalled“thetentofmeeting,” or“tabernacle,” which That changedinthebookofExodus. Godgave theIsraelites ablueprint presence theway theirneighborsdid. ones, afterall—butnoIsraelite hadbeenabletoseekthedivine They werevery familiarwith theholysites—Egypthadimpressive Up tothispoint,Abraham’s descendantshadn’t hadtheirowntemple. earth afterhumanitywasbanishedfromthegarden. way. Iteffectively createdaconsistentoverlap betweenheaven and the way fortheIsraelites toexperience God’spresenceinaradical elaborate tent,whichwouldserve asatypeoftemple.Thistentpaved At thispointinthestory, Godgives Israel theblueprintstobuildan God reassertedhispromisetomake themagreat,blessednation. and howthey handleddisputes.Inreturnfor theirobedience, business practices, howthey treatedtheland,whatthey ateandwore, covenant. Godgave theIsraelites rulestolive by thattouchedtheir the familyofAbraham withanancientkindofagreementcalleda After sometimeinthewilderness,Godformalizedhispromiseto God partedaseaforhispeopleanddrownedtheircaptors. Pharaoh changedhismindandhadsoldierspursuetheIsraelites, plagues onEgyptuntilPharaoh agreedtolettheIsraelites go.When murderer namedMosestoleadanextraction operation; thenrained them allslaves tothenative Egyptians.Godappointedanineloquent After they hadlived inEgyptforsometime,Pharaoh decidedtomake a fewgenerations, Abraham’s descendantsgrewintoasmallnation. of children,andthosechildrenhadalotchildren.Withinjust lot For context, though,here’s whatyou needtoknow:Jacobhada in thewildernessasthey experienced God’spresenceinanewway. famous exodus fromEgyptandspendtime,instead,withtheIsraelites For thepurposesofthisstudy, we’re goingtobreezepasttheIsraelites’

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Exodus includes detailed instructions as to how to build the tabernacle. includes detailed instructions as to how Exodus in the boring for most readers, but buried These sections are really are some significant details. weeds of technicalities camp and was to be set up in the center of Israel’s First, the tabernacle by golden The curtains were to be held up built of the finest materials. with gold, silver, space was to be decorated posts, and the whole symbolized skins, furs, and jewels. All of this fanciness animal brass, God was one of the greatest something profound. Hosting the Creator hosting a king. The only materials imagine, like could privileges you 25. This was to in Exodus fitting for such an honor are the ones listed no other. be a tent like in the tabernacle were toSecond, all the embroidery and metalwork was supposed to feeldepict garden images. Entering the tabernacle connection to the first and second chapters entering a garden. The like The tabernacle was a symbolic be more clear. of Genesis couldn’t where God and humanity recreation of the garden temple in Eden, Though God had banished humans from his once dwelled together. tabernacle to station that presence in the garden temple, he used the family. of Abraham’s same divine presence right in the middle was not somewhere The tabernacle was truly a gift. God’s presence in the skies or in another land. No, now God would dwell else, far away around the could build their lives among his people once more. They could see it and smell They rituals that connected them with their God. presence filled the tabernacle, God’s day. it and think about it every Israelites about the ark, guiding the hovered and fire and smoke through the wilderness.

The Tabernacle: The Tabernacle: A Mobile Garden A found in the tabernacle. Read Exodus 25:31–40 and Exodus 28:31– 25:31–40 and Exodus Read Exodus 35 for examples of the garden imagery imagery garden of the examples for 35 SESSION 6 — THE TABERNACLE 64 Repeating a word, as in “Holy of Holies,” is a Hebrewway ofaddingemphasis(think it wastheholiestplaceimaginable. call aplacethe“HolyofHolies”indicated of “KingKings”or“SongSongs”).To The ProblemThe With the Tabernacle See Leviticus 10.

who didn’t followprotocolpaidthepricewiththeirlives. follow procedure,you’re goingtogethurt.Andahandfulofpriests proximity to God’sholinesswaslike beingclosetothesun.Ifyou don’t lifestyle ofcompleteholiness.Andthestakes werehigh.Beingin God. Thisimportantjobrequiredattentiontoritualdetailsanda whose rolewastorepresenttheentireIsraelite communitybefore room, andonlyonceayear. Priestswereaspecialgroupofpeople called “theHolyofHolies.” Onlypriestswereallowedtoenterthis God’s presence,whichwasaroomatthecenteroftabernacle Even then,average Israelites didnothave accesstothehotspotof purification process. divine presence,they hadtomarkthemselves asholythroughthe the opposite ofallthosethings.IfIsraelites wantedtocomeclose the sourceofalllife.Buthumanspacewasnot.Itoftentotal God’s domainandourdomain.spacewasdivine,pure,holy, and At theheartoftheseritualswasunderstandingriftbetween bathing andabstainingfromtouchingthingsassociatedwithdeath. livestock. They alsohadtoundergocertainpurityrituals,suchas first they hadtosacrificevitalpossessions, such as or grain, wine, Average Israelites couldvisittheoutercourtoftabernacle,but may beaccessiblenow, butthataccesswaslimitedanddangerous. as hehadinthegarden,toaddressthatproblem.God’spresence Babylon. Asaresult,God’splantocomeandlive amongtheIsraelites, heaven andearthwashumanity’srebellionintheGarden generated sometension.Remember, thereasonforriftbetween The tabernaclebroughtGod’spresencetotheIsraelites, butitalso

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This new access to God—however limited—was really good news good news limited—was really This new access to God—however just about them. God’s this story isn’t But remember, to the Israelites. and earth nations and reunite all of heaven plan was to bless all the Abraham. through this family of of human the beginning of God’s invasion The tabernacle was just on earth that symbolized of heaven limited pocket space. It was a small, nce the whole earth with his unlimited prese God’s intention to fill and glory. See Exodus 19:6. See Exodus of New Creation The Tabernacle as a Sign Tabernacle The SESSION 6 — THE TABERNACLE 66 “Say toAaron:‘For thegenerations to Read aboutthepriestlyfamilyand the requirementsthey hadtomeetin Leviticus 8–10and21–22. his God.’” come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of (Leviticus 21:16) Israel’s Priests through cultural vehicles thatmadesense. he wasmeetingIsrael on theirtermsandrevealing himselftothem their priests.Godwasn’t endorsingtheircultureas superior; rather, Israelite templeswere embeddedinancienteasternculture,sowere himself totheminthecontext oftheirculture,notours.Justas does notexclude apersonwithphysical disabilities.ButGod revealed cultures have adifferentdefinitionoftheideal human—onethat priest whosebodywaswithoutdeformityofany kind.Modernwestern symbols or“ideal”humans.Intheirculture,thatwasembodied by a The roleofthepriestswastoberepresentatives, andthey weretobe priesthood istomissthecultural symbolism. in thebookofGenesis.However, toimposethatconceptuponthe value beforeGod?Yes, andamen!Thatisadeeplybiblicalideafound universe. Doesn’t theimageofGodinevery humanmake themofequal This goesagainstthegrain ofthemodernwesternview or misshapenfeatures. be adescendantofAaronandcouldnothave any physical disabilities Their actualbodiesweresymbols,too.To qualifyasapriest,you hadto to maintainaperpetualstateofholiness. associated withdeathordecay, suchasmoldordeadbodies.They had standards ofritualpurity. They weretoavoid contactwithanything holy presence.Israel’s priestswererequiredtolive by extremely high required auniqueway oflifethatsetthemaparttoworkinGod’s This smallteamrepresentedallofIsrael beforeGod,andtheirrole individual identities. and hisdescendants—buttheirrolewasmuchlargerthan In Hebrew, they werecalledkohanim. They wererealpeople—Aaron team thatperformedalltheimportantrituals.We callthem“priests.” Another importantaspectofthetabernaclewaspersonnel Geek Out

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The role of Israel’s priests also spoke to a bigger, deeper issue in the issue in the deeper to a bigger, priests also spoke The role of Israel’s domain were ever If God’s domain and humanity’s biblical story. a humans needed some kind of mediator, to be fully joined again, We represent humanity in its most ideal state. go-between who could ty, fulfills God’s calling and purpose for humani needed a human who the is precisely the way and who could represent God to us. This the ultimate priest andearliest Christians thought about Jesus, as see perfect humanity as well as perfect deity, In Jesus, we mediator. person. combined in one wise and loving Geek Out Geek the construction of the tent, and you would think this should be would think this should be the construction of the tent, and you moment when God comes to live And it is. It’s the glorious awesome. the main character among his people. But what happens? Moses, before God, cannot enter the space. How representative and Israel’s another the golden calf created yet sin in casting anticlimactic! Israel’s and earth, and it got in Moses’ way. rift between heaven and we see that Moses is is Leviticus, book in the Bible The next how is not surprising, given outside the tent in the first sentence. This see book, Numbers, and you’ll to the next concluded. But turn Exodus Moses has been allowed inside the tabernacle. How did that happen? book that’s full friends! It’s a big, complex my The book of Leviticus, that are utterly bizarre to modern readers. But pay of rituals and laws a remedy for attention to the fact that this intimidating book provided sin. This is the book’s main contribution to the larger biblical Israel’s that he of reminding Israel Those odd rituals are God’s way narrative. is committed to them and to forgiving their failures. The construction of the tabernacle begins in Exodus 25 and extends 25 and extends in Exodus The construction of the tabernacle begins The only story found in this sea to the end of the book. all the way idolatry in making the sad story of Israel’s blueprints is of architectural we come to that tragedy, and worshipping a golden calf idol. After

of Leviticus ” (Numbers 1:1). The Literary Location the tent…” (Leviticus 1:1). from the tent…” (Leviticus cle, see Exodus 40:35–40. cle, see Exodus him ness of Sinai, in the tent… permeates the New Testament book of book of permeates the New Testament www.jointhebibleproject.com Exodus 32–34. Exodus Moses’ inability to enter the taberna- For Hebrews, especially chapters 5–10. See our website for a video about Leviticus: Leviticus: about video a for website our See The story of the golden calf is found in in found calf is golden of the The story The concept of Jesus as a high priest The concept of Jesus as a high priest “And the Lord called to Moses and spoke to and spoke called to Moses the Lord “And to Moses in the wilder- spoke the Lord “And SESSION 6 — THE TABERNACLE 68 what isthepurposeoftheircalling? Exodus 19.Whoarethepriestsnow, and 2:9–10 andnoticehowPeter quotesfrom help inthiscalling?Thenread1Peter the laws spelledoutinExodus 20–23 priests” or“priestlykingdom”? Howdo it meanforIsrael tobea“kingdomof First, readExodus 19:1–6.Whatdoes 1. 1. crucial forseeinghowtheentirebiblicalstoryfitstogether. Understanding thecovenant, thetabernacle,andpriesthoodis associated withthetabernacletodescribewhathewasallabout. the scene,heandhisfollowersdrewuponimagesideas that followIsrael forthousandsofyears. WhenJesusappearedon Israel forthefirsttime,andestablishesahostoflaws andrituals covenant withAbraham, takes upresidenceamongthepeopleof narrative oftwodomainsheaven andearth.Godformalizeshis This storyaboutthetabernacleisamajormilestoneinlarger Dig Deeper

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Matthew Matthew 4:23–25 and Matthew . There’s a lot of a lot of . There’s Hebrews 9–10 1 Peter 1:13–16 and 2:9–10. 1 Peter 3. . Jesus came announcing God’s 5:13–16. Jesus came announcing God’s kingdom and called his followers to “good works” for others to see. How Read is this connected to God’s covenant with Israel? 4. Notice how Peter uses the language uses the language Notice how Peter of the tabernacle and priesthood to of Jesus’ describe this same vocation is this significant? followers. Why Read Read down all the details detail here, but write tabernacle that, about the Israelite with what Jesus accomplished in parallel How do his death and resurrection. the parallels help you understand why why understand help you the parallels Jesus died? 2. SESSION 6 — THE TABERNACLE 70 Discussion that remindyou ofGod’spresence? What ritualsandtraditions doyou have meaningful foryou? royal priesthood.Howisthisidentity Israel, they areachosenpeopleand Greek worldthat,justlike ancient tells Christiansscatteredallover the In 1Peter 2:9,theApostlePeter What promisesdoyou restin? meaningful promisestohispeople? What doyou considerGod’smost

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Psalm 8:1 (NIV) 1 Kings 8:27 (NIV) Isaiah 66:1 (NRSV) Deuteronomy 26:15 (NIV) and what is my resting place? and what is my resting and the earth is my footstool; place, and bless your people Israel… all the earth! You have set your glory in the all the earth! You even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. even the highest heaven, cannot contain heavens.

God’s Confusing Confusing God’s Presence

what is the house that you would build for me, Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling heaven, Look down from how majestic is your name in our Lord, Lord, How much less this temple I have built! Heaven is my throne But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, God really But will Thus says the Lord: Thus says the Lord: Session 7 Session SESSION 7 — GOD'S CONFUSING PRESENCE 74 Israelites Thought What the Ancient What Where Does God Live?

Jacob inadream. such aswhenhespoke toMosesthrougha burningbushorvisited could appearonearthoutsidethetabernacleinsurprisingmoments, also believed Goddwelledin thetabernacle.Israelites alsoknewGod dwelled What weknowforsureisthatthebiblicalauthorsdidn’t thinkGod God’s actuallocation. statement aboutGod’sstatusandauthorityrather thanaclaimabout God actuallylived. It’smorelikely thatallofthis“sky”imageryisa mystery. Butit’snotsoclearthatthey believed that’swheretheir because ofsharedqualities,suchasvastness,majesty, power, and We knowancientIsraelites associatedGod’spresencewiththesky where Godlives. reunion ofheaven andearthtoexplore thefascinatingquestionof In thissession,we’re takingabreakfromthenarrative aboutthe tabernacle thanitwasanywhere else? only symbolic,orwasGod’spresenceactuallystrongerinthe the tabernacleorinsky?Was God’spresenceinthetabernacle This createssomeconfusion.DidtheIsraelites believe Godlived in the Bible,alongsideideathatGod’spresenceisintabernacle. the heavens, asGod’sdomainisfoundfromthebeginningtoendof that associatedGod’spresencewiththesky. Theideaofthesky, or But rememberthefirstsession,wherewelooked atmany biblicaltexts the tabernacle. was anexciting andmiraculous thing.Godnowlived amongIsrael in and, even thoughthataccesswasextremely limited, this people, his since thegardenthatGod’spresencewasconsistentlyaccessibleto mission toreunitehisdomainandourdomain.Itwasthefirsttime The tabernaclewasamajorturningpointinthestoryofGod’s only inthesky. Asweestablishedintheprevious session, they

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1 Kings 8:27 (NIV)

Psalm 139:7–8 (NIV) if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. are bed in the depths, you my if I make “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest the highest even dwell on earth? The heavens, “But will God really built!” How much less this temple I have contain you. cannot heavens, Where can I go from your Spirit? Spirit? your can I go from Where there; are you If I go up to the heavens, presence? your can I flee from Where Beyond using physical metaphors to reflect God’s character, biblical biblical to reflect God’s character, metaphors physical using Beyond passage in a key addressed God’s location. However, authors rarely of God’s presence. how King Solomon conceived 1 Kings sheds light on the the establishment of the tabernacle—after after years Many killed Goliath David made it to the Promised Land, and after Israelites the construction king named Solomon oversaw and became king—a from marble The temple was crafted of a truly glorious temple. embellishments. It had bronze pillars and cedar with gold and silver and a huge upgrade crowning achievement paneling. It was Solomon’s had used up to that point. from the tabernacle, which the Israelites tells us God’s When the temple was complete, 1 Kings 8:10–11 up residence there. to take presence came in the form of a great cloud a surprising statement: Then, Solomon makes Solomon believed the divine presence was too magnificent for his the divine presence was too magnificent for his Solomon believed for the vast and majestic skies. temple or even In Isaiah 66, the prophet alone in this sentiment. Solomon wasn’t God had made all things. claimed no house could hold God because of this belief expressions Psalm 139 includes one of the most beautiful in the entire Bible: So, while we don’t know for sure what most ancient Israelites believed believed know for sure what most ancient Israelites So, while we don’t about the location of God’s presence, we do know that a number of leaders clearly considered his glory too great to be limited to the sky or the tabernacle. peace, which allowed him to focus on this peace, which allowed him to focus on this building project. was responsible for so much bloodshed, much bloodshed, was responsible for so Solomon was David’s son. Because David son. Because David Solomon was David’s God did not allow him to build a temple build a temple God did not allow him to (see 1 Kings 5:3 and 1 Chronicles 22:8– 10). Solomon, however, ruled in a time of ruled in a time of 10). Solomon, however, SESSION 7 — GOD'S CONFUSING PRESENCE 76 to thetemple.(seeDaniel6:10) miles away inBabylon, directedhisprayers your location.Even Daniel,hundredsof practice was toface the temple, no matter praying atfixed hoursoftheday, andthe The peopleofIsrael hadasacredhabitof If GodIsEverywhere, Why a Temple?Why heaven andearthfloodallcreationwithGod’s gloriouspresence. of hispresenceforeshadowaday whenanewkingwillreuniteallof heaven andearthdespitehumanrebellion.Together, thesefocal points tells ushestubbornlycreatedandmaintainedanoverlap between creation tellsusGodisCreatorofall.Andhispresenceinthetemple his presence.TheskiestellusGodisKingofall.Hispresence outin of thosespaces,buteachoneconveys aspecificmeaningabout everywhere? Yes, also,sortof. Godisnotcontainedorlimitedtoany and thetemple?Yes, sortof. Intheskies?Yes, sortof. Doeshelive So, let’stiealltheseideastogether. DidGodlive inthetabernacle to bereunited,andtheJerusalemtemplewaswhereitwouldstart. The templewasapotentsymbolofGod’sdesireforheaven andearth be moreaccessibletopeoplethanjustthoselivinginJerusalem. This specialexperience ofthedivinepresenceintempleoughtto presence increationwasn’t whatitcouldbe,wasmeanttobe. God wasalreadyeverywhere, surelytheIsraelites sensedthathis God’s fullandunlimitedpresencewouldfillallofcreation.Though and thetemplewasasymboloffuturehope—apromisethat,oneday, But itwasmorethanthat.God’sspecialpresenceinthetabernacle the temple,muchasMuslimsdirecttheirprayers towardMecca. hovering above it.They wouldeven directtheirprayers toward that hereallywasontheirside.They couldsee themysterious cloud a sourceofconfidenceandassurance fortheIsraelites—a reminder everywhere andrightthereinthetemple,divinepresencewas Even iftheIsraelites couldn’t explain exactly howGodcouldbepresent without muchexplanation. of Israel, thesetwoclaimsabouthispresencesitalongsideeachother among hispeopleinaspecialway. AndbecausetheCreatorisGod is presentinallofhiscreation,andcoursetheGodIsrael lives detail; they justclaimthatthisisthecase.Ofcourse,CreatorGod unique way. Thebiblicalauthorsdon’t ever explain howthatworksin came tothetabernacleand,later, tothetempleinJerusalema God’s presenceinallofcreationdoesn’t canceloutthefactthatGod

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Geek Out Geek tiered tiered session when we learned about the three- Think back to the first view of the universe. into broken as the universe perceived a recap: Ancient people Here’s the bottom was water—one giant, chaotic three distinct tiers. At ocean. In the middle was land, which they imagined as a disc floating land, which they ocean. In the middle was in the ocean. On top was the sky, which was encompassed by a dome in a dome in encompassed by which was was the sky, in the ocean. On top “heavens or “Heavens” embedded. were stars and moon, sun, the which up to the dome. referred to the space extending above” of dedication prayer With this in mind, let’s look back at Solomon’s really dwell on earth? The of the temple in Jerusalem: “But will God How much less cannot contain you. heavens, the highest even heavens, built!” this temple I have the phrase In Hebrew, “the highest heavens”? What does he mean by or “the skies of the of the heavens,” “the heavens he uses is literally the highest place visible to humans In a three tiered universe, skies.” that saying Solomon stretched that worldview, was the dome itself. and above must be present in the abyss King, God, as the exalted this space, according to Solomon, is not the dome. And even beyond to contain all of God’s holiness and enough or big enough grand to its limit. his concept of the universe He was pushing transcendence. New shows up in the the heavens above This concept of the heavens letter to the Corinthians. In 2 Corinthians too, in Paul’s Testament, about Jesus enthroned saw describes incredible visions he 12, Paul all creation, visions that were remarkably similar to what John above is what he saw language for explaining Paul’s describes in Revelation. which vision took him “up to the third heaven,” this fascinating. He says was universe of Solomon’s If the furthest extent he later calls “paradise.” goes one step further: the heavens Paul of the heavens,” the “heavens of the heavens! of the heavens throne use to describe this marvelous And what word does Paul In our heavens? the above the heavens above room in the heavens But in Greek? The word means we see “paradise.” English translations, throne room of God the transcendent The triple-heavens, “garden.” and Garden of Eden, where God Jesus, is none other that the paradise together in perfect harmony. Humanity live and was caught was caught was caught up to was caught up to See 1 Kings 8:27 (NIV). The Highest Heavens … up to the third heaven on the cross. (see Luke 23:43) on the cross. (see Luke paradise and heard inexpressible things.” things.” and heard inexpressible paradise belong the heavens, and the heavens of of heavens the and heavens, the belong See also Deuteronomy 10:14: “To the Lord the Lord “To 10:14: See also Deuteronomy term to refer to the garden of Eden in in Eden of garden the to refer to term of the Old the ancient Greek translation the heavens, the land and everything on it.” and everything the land the heavens, (2 Corinthians 12:2–4) is the standard standard the is paradeiso word Greek The and in Jesus’ words to the thief Testament, “I know a man in Christ who… SESSION 7 — GOD'S CONFUSING PRESENCE 78 earth? Whomighttheanticipatedkingbe? God’s missiontoreuniteheaven and to Read 2. this visualteachesaboutGod’spresence. attending fromabove. Considerwhat filling thetempleandheavenly creatures Isaiah’s descriptionsofGod’srobeas a visionofGodinthetemple.Notice Read 1. 1. complexity ofGod’spresence. few placesintheBiblewhereauthorsgrapple withthe Before weresumethestoryoftwodomains,let’sexplore a Dig Deeper verse 19.Howisthisconnectedto Psalm 72,paying specialattention Isaiah 6,inwhichtheprophethas 79 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK

. You might wonder, might wonder, Habakkuk 2:14. You 3. Reflect on this as a powerful metaphor “Why does he say waters cover the sea? the sea? waters cover “Why does he say The waters are the sea!” of how God’s presence will fully permeate creation someday. Read SESSION 7 — GOD'S CONFUSING PRESENCE 80 Discussion What doyou imaginethatwillbelike? presence willfillthewholeearth? Do you longforatimewhenGod’s the knownuniverse? that conviction dotoyour perspective of place thatcouldcontainGod.Whatdoes Solomon believed therewasnosingle Where doesthatideacomefrom? How doyou conceive ofwhereGodlives?

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Isaiah 65:17-25 (NIV)

the work of their hands. or plant and others eat. so will be the days of my people; doomed nor will they bear children to misfortune; they and their descendants with them. they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. they will plant vineyards still speaking I will hear. while they are and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. and dust will be the serpent’s on all my holy mountain,” my chosen ones will long enjoy says the Lord. the Lord, for they will be a people blessed by in them,

No longer will they build houses and others liveNo longer will they build houses and

For as the days of a tree, Before they call I will answer; they call I will Before They will not labor in vain, They will build houses and dwell in them; They will build houses and dwell in The wolf and the lamb will feed together, They will neither harm nor destroy

The Prophetic The Prophetic Hope

new heavens and a new earth. nor will they come to mind. and its people a joy. in what I will create, and take delight in my people; in it no more. will be heard an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; will be thought a mere child; will be thought a mere will be considered accursed. will be considered the sound of weeping and of crying the one who dies at a hundred a hundred the one who fails to reach for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight for I will create Session 8 Session

forever But be glad and rejoice

I will rejoice over Jerusalem I will rejoice The former things will not be remembered, “See, I will create “Never again will there be in it “Never again will there SESSION 8 — THE PROPHETIC HOPE 84 and noonewillmakethemafraid, Everyone willsitundertheirownvine Nation willnottakeupsword againstnation, They willbeattheirswords intoplowshares He willjudgebetweenmanypeoples The lawwillgooutfrom Zion,

He willteachushisways, “Come, letusgouptothemountainofLord, Many nationswillcomeandsay, it willbeexaltedabovethehills, the mountainofLord’s templewillbeestablished In thelastdays A fountainwillflowoutoftheLord’s house “In thatdaythemountainswilldripnewwine, never againwillforeigners invadeher. Jerusalem willbeholy; Then youwillknowthatI,theLord yourGod, for theLord Almighty hasspoken. and undertheirownfigtree, nor willtheytrainforwaranymore. and theirspearsintopruninghooks. and willsettledisputesforstrong nationsfarandwide. the word oftheLord from Jerusalem. so thatwemaywalkinhispaths.” to thetempleofGodJacob. and peopleswillstream toit. as thehighestofmountains; and willwaterthevalleyofacacias. all theravinesofJudahwillrunwithwater. and thehillswillflowwithmilk; dwell inZion,myholyhill.

Joel 3:17–18(NIV) Micah 4:1–4(NIV)

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Review whereabouts, we’re going to dive back into the story of two domains. of two domains. back into the story to dive going whereabouts, we’re before we took a break: what happened But first, let’s review SKIES AS THE THE HEAVENS he created and the earth, which is to say God created the heavens Now that we’ve cleared up some confusion around God’s around God’s cleared up some confusion Now that we’ve the skies and the land. We learned that biblical authors use “skies” and learned that biblical authors use “skies” and the skies and the land. We to talk about God’s domain or dwelling place. “clouds” THE GARDEN TEMPLE humanity in the garden God’s divine presence dwelled fully with were one. temple of Eden. His domain and our domain SPLIT THE GREAT God, and power over Humans prioritized their own knowledge God banished them evil for themselves. choosing to define good and and incompatible from his garden temple, creating two separate domains. RESCUE MISSION GOD’S family and came to dwell God formalized his promise to Abraham’s among them in a mobile temple called a tabernacle. This was the first and earth since Eden. between heaven long-term overlap God chose the family of Abraham to be carriers of the blessing he to be carriers of the blessing he God chose the family of Abraham and humans in the garden, promising to reunite heaven originally gave descendants. earth through Abraham’s AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER Jacob, learns through a wild dream that heaven grandson, Abraham’s entirely separated learned that God’s space isn’t earth. We can invade committed to. he’s from our space, and that God pursues people THE TABERNACLE SESSION 8 — THE PROPHETIC HOPE 86 The booksoftheprophetsmake upnearly 25 percent of theentire Bible and nearly 24–25. Read aboutthesplitofIsraelite king- tion and exile of Israel, check out 2 Kings one thirdoftheOldTestament. doms in 1 Kings 11–12.For the destruc- The Prophetic Hopeof Israel Falls Apart Israel New Creation or, asIsaiahsaid,“newheavens andanewearth.” (Isaiah65:17) envisioned God’sdomainrejoining withourdomaininanewcreation— God’s presenceasfillingtheearth inaspecialway. Inshort,they when allthenationswouldrally aroundJerusalem,and they described They imagined thisfuturetimeasanageofworldpeaceandharmony, land andrebuildthetemple,soGodcoulddwellamongthemonce again. prophets promisedthatIsrael wouldoneday returntotheirancestral future king,theMessiah,whowouldleadpeoplebacktoGod. The world. They foresaw thatGodwouldfulfill the promisethrougha that somehowGodwouldstilluseIsrael tobringhisblessingthe Abraham, despiteIsrael’s failure.They preachedamessageofhope, believed thatGodwasstillgoing tofulfillhisancientpromises The prophetsdidn’t onlyspeakofjudgmentanddoom. They deeply punishing Israel forcenturies ofinjusticeandcovenant rebellion. at workinthetragedy ofIsrael’s exile, viewingdefeatasGod’sway of they looked atIsrael’s historyinadifferentway. They saw God’shand The prophetssaw connectionsthatotherpeopledidn’t see,and It resultedinaheightenedawareness ofGod’spresenceandpurpose. unique momentsmarked theprophetsandchangedtheirlives forever. unique way, like JacobdidthroughhisdreamatBethel.Andthese Prophets werepeoplewhohadexperienced God’spresenceina understanding thebiblicalstoryandJesus’rolewithinit. from theirland.Thesebooksarechallengingtoread,butcrucialfor were writtenleadingupto,during,andaftertheIsraelites’ exile and earthisthedenseHebrewpoetryofprophets.Thesebooks The next stopinourquesttoseeScripturethroughthelensofheaven is thequestionIsraelite prophetswereintenselyinterestedin. call home,andthetempleisdestroyed. DidGodgive uponthem?This heaven andearth.But,instead,they nolongerhave theirownlandto What? Ithoughtthisnationwasgoingtoplay aroleinthereunion of and take theIsraelites intoexile. God allowedforeignempirestoconquertheirland,destroy thetemple, meltdown. They utterlyfailedtokeep thetermsofcovenant, so north, Judahinthesouth—andbothkingdomsspiraled intointernal But afterSolomon’s death,conflictsplitthenationintwo—Israel inthe the constructionoftempleinIsrael. of thefamousIsraelite reign kings,David andSolomon,whooversaw the Promised Land,they victoriously fendedoffenemiesandsaw the wander inthewildernessfordecades.Whenthey finallymadeitto After theconstructionoftabernacle,Israelites continuedto

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to the new creation. It’s a creation where heaven and earth come back and earth come back to the new creation. It’s a creation where heaven and in a world that will be recognizable in some ways, together, others unimaginable. also find scenes familiar to our own experience of this world, such as of this world, such as experience to our own also find scenes familiar build houses and dwell in them; will 65:21: “They this one from Isaiah and eat their fruit.” will plant vineyards they imagined a world that That sounds normal, right? The prophets and the broken good things preserved ours, but with all the is like things renewed. this poetry do more than it’s meant make It’s essential that we don’t tempting to analyze whether Isaiah 65:20 (“The instance, it’s to. For a mere child; the one whoone who dies at a hundred will be thought the accursed”) and ask why fails to reach a hundred will be considered the new creation. But that’s prophet is talking about aging and death in limits as we experience the wrong question. The point is that life’s through. New horizons will open up them in our world will be broken 100 will be child’s play. unimaginable. Turning that were previously more that this, as if it’s offering biological the passage say make To reading poetry. information, is to forget we’re creation is important Understanding this prophetic hope of new the apostles were raised because it’s the same hope that Jesus and as their own. with and embraced was based on this had arrived Jesus’ announcement that God’s kingdom hope. When the apostles spread the word that Jesus had died and was from the dead, it was the fulfillment of this hope. raised one step closer the world In Jesus, God had finally acted again, moving The language of the prophets is poetic, imaginative, and, frankly, really really and, frankly, poetic, imaginative, of the prophets is The language from mountains? Wine dripping for some modern readers. challenging farm melted into with babies? Weapons playing animals Ferocious pretty cool. that last one is Well, equipment? in to describe the indescribable—a change The prophets were trying to boggle your The images are supposed itself. the nature of creation is the only kind of language categories. Poetry mind and break your renewed world. and wonder of this appropriate to the strangeness down hills, we fantastical images of milk streaming alongside Yet to Jesus the Language Looking Ahead Wading Through Through Wading bondage to corruption.” when Jesus returned (see Acts 3:19–21). when Jesus returned (see Acts 3:19–21). Matthew 19:28, and Peter announced that that announced Peter and 19:28, Matthew the “restoration of all things” would happenwould things” all of “restoration the itself will be set free from its that “creation In Romans 8:23, Paul’s expressed hope is is hope expressed Paul’s 8:23, Romans In Jesus spoke of the “renewal of all things” in Jesus spoke SESSION 8 — THE PROPHETIC HOPE 88 “ask” or“inquire.” Thiswordsometimes There’s anolddebateabouttheoriginal Ecclesiastes 9:10,andIsaiah14:9-11. read Psalm 6:5, Psalm 31:17, Psalm 116:3, For more on these details about she’ol , similar Hebrewwordsha’al, whichmeans means “theplaceforinquiringthedead.” mancy, oraskingthedeadtopredict meaning of the Hebrewword future, andsosomescholarsthinkshe’ol common suggestionconnectsittoa describes theancientpractice ofnecro- Death: The Great Enemy she’ol A .

at all.Inshe’ol, everyone sleepsinregretandagitation. describe pointless, painfulconferencethatnever ends.Thebiblicalauthors delights andjoys thatcomewithGod’spresence.She’ol istheultimate God’s domainintheheavens, butitalsostands fortheoppositeof Not onlyisthegrave attheoppositeendofcosmosinrelationto “the depthsoftheearth” astherealmofdead. from theheavens. Thisiswhy thebiblicalpoetssometimestalkabout God isthesourceoflife,thengrave mustbethefarthestplace contrast totheheavens inthesky. Iftheheavens areGod’sspaceandif spatial locationofthegrave underthegroundisoftenemphasizedasa Since deathisthevery oppositeofGod’sdesire tocreatelife,the envisioned by thebiblicalauthors. of deathwithinthebiblicalstoryandthree-tiereduniverse often, descend upondeath.Butonlyrarely doesitsimply refertodirt.More The Hebrewwordfor“grave” isshe’ol, theplacetowhichhumans desire forhumanity. poetic portrayal ofthegrave. It’stheanti-Eden,oppositeofGod’s This senseoftragedy iswhy theOldTestament offerssucharichand life, buttheirrebellionwasasadforfeitureofGod’sgenerousoffer. humans’ domain.Thewholepointwasforhumanstoreceive thegiftof and oneofthesadrealitiessplitbetweenGod’sdomain In contrast, death(pronouncedmotinHebrew)istheultimatetragedy and soaccesstohispresenceisalsoeternallife. and Creatorofalllifebeautyjoy. To benearhimistotrulylive, The treeoflifeinGenesis2representedproximity toGod,thesource Geek Out she’ol isdescribedwithpoeticimagerythatexplores themeaning she’ol asaplacewherepeoplecan’t praise Godoreven speak

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Isaiah 25:6–8 (NIV)

a banquet of aged wine— he will swallow up death forever. the shroud that enfolds all peoples, that enfolds all peoples, the shroud all nations; the sheet that covers will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, will prepare On this mountain the Lord Almighty On this mountain the Lord the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will swallow up

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces. will wipe away the tears from Lord The Sovereign Geek Out Geek The most disturbing thing about death for the biblical poets was was thing about death for the biblical poets The most disturbing nature. In the view of the biblical and irreversible its inevitability toward death unless God path on a one-way authors, humanity was the divine to recover knew that if humans were ever They intervened. It the problem. humans fixed be because it wouldn’t gift of immortality, what’s described which is exactly a gift from heaven, to be would have the despair of the grave: how God reverses Watch in the book of Isaiah. a place of quiet and sad deprivation, the new creation is permeated creation is permeated a place of quiet and sad deprivation, the new and celebration. with abundance, joy, poets by the Israelite expressed of hope can find this same kind You in in which the authors balanced their fear of death or the Psalms, This that God is the good Creator. suffering with their conviction statements about God “redeeming” people from powerful in results the grave. The book of Daniel also contains this hope. It was written during a dark people rulers, and many foreign was oppressed by time, when Israel faithful who offering hope for the were killed. The book concludes by and up from the grave will wake they that one day died, saying have presence. in God’s alive find themselves The point of all these poetic descriptions is not to speculate about the the writers were painting a of the dead. Rather, fate or experience Death is the opposite of what God wants for humans. vivid contrast: God would do something about that. that someday believed And they He would bring about the death of death. , this scene is placed on a high , this scene is placed on a high she’ol to the depths of In contrast as humans could get. Notice that it’s mountain, as close to the heavens , to she’ol of fine meats and wines. In contrast with loads a great party, See Daniel 12:1–4. See Psalms 49:15 and 73:23–26. of the grave, see Psalms 49:7–9 and and see Psalms 49:7–9 of the grave, 89:47–48. For descriptions of the irreversible nature irreversible the of descriptions For SESSION 8 — THE PROPHETIC HOPE 90 significance ofthedistinctions? passages? Whatisdifferent?What’sthe garden ofEden.Whatissimilarinthese 2 fantastic visionandthenturntoGenesis after theirdestruction.Readthis Jerusalem andthenewtemplerestored In Ezekiel47,theprophethasavisionof 2. the garden. Note eachtimetheprophetreferences Read 1. 1. Let’s explore thegardenimageryinhiswritings. his hopeforrenewedcreationwasinspiredby thegardentemple. of Eden.HementionsEdenrepeatedlyinhispoetry, andmuchof The prophetEzekielseemstohave beenfascinatedwith theGarden Dig Deeper and reread the description about the andrereadthedescriptionabout Ezekiel 28:13,31:9,and36:35.

91 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK John 4:1–14. Note how Jesus turns this conversation about water into a this conversation about himself as the source conversation of eternal life. How do his metaphors in of sacred rivers upon the stories draw Genesis 2 and Ezekiel 47? 3. Read SESSION 8 — THE PROPHETIC HOPE 92 Discussion new creation? if, like theprophets,your hopewasinthe What wouldbedifferentaboutyour life resonated withyou themost?Why? fromthissessionWhat linesofpoetry trying toconvey? What doyou imaginetheauthorwas were themostmind-bogglingtoyou? fromthissessionWhat linesofpoetry

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Mark 1:15 (NIV)

Matthew 6:9–13 (NIV)

on earth as it is in heaven. our debtors. as we also have forgiven the evil one.” but deliver us from hallowed be your name, good news!” of God has come near. Repent and believe the of God has come near. your kingdom come, your will be done, Heaven Invading Invading Heaven Earth

Give us today our daily bread. Give us today our daily bread. This, then, is how you should pray: And forgive us our debts, And forgive And lead us not into temptation, “‘Our Father in heaven, “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom “The time has come,” he said. “The Session 9 Session SESSION 9 — HEAVEN INVADING EARTH 96 his blood,shedonthecross. things onearthorinheaven, by makingpeace through and through himtoreconcile tohimself allthings,whether For Godwaspleasedtohaveallhisfullnessdwellinhim, of Godisinyourmidst.” people say, ‘Here itis,’ or‘There itis,’ becausethekingdom of Godisnotsomethingthatcanbeobserved,norwill God wouldcome,Jesusreplied, “Thecomingofthekingdom Once, onbeingaskedbythePhariseeswhenkingdomof sixty poundsofflouruntilitworkedallthrough thedough.” to? Itislikeyeastthatawomantookandmixedintoabout Again heasked,“WhatshallIcompare thekingdomofGod and thebirds perched initsbranches.” took andplantedinhisgarden. Itgrew andbecameatree, shall Icompare itto?Itislikeamustard seed,whichaman Then Jesusasked,“WhatisthekingdomofGodlike?What Colossians 1:19–20(NIV) Luke 17:20–21(NIV) Luke 13:18–21(NIV) 97 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK

Jesus was a prophet, and his favorite topic was heaven and earth and earth heaven topic was a prophet, and his favorite Jesus was this reality. of God” to refer to “the kingdom used the phrase uniting. He is has spread that he in Jesus’ time. Word lived you Just imagine with everyone rush into town village, so you passing through your whole him speak—your one chance to hear else. This is your community’s one chance. town again, what’s not visit your Knowing he may What does he say? else? everything above the one message he prioritizes has arrived.” “The kingdom of God teachings, such Jesus is most often associated with his moral Today, reputation but that yourself, love others as you as his command to love To his of the message he valued most. is not actually a reflection teacher, not viewed primarily as a moral Jesus was contemporaries, long dormant promisesbut as a new prophet announcing that the was finally coming to pass. Heaven Isaiah were of prophets like earth, just as the prophets predicted—and Jesus invading aggressively presented himself as the one making it happen. is alerted to Jesus’ core concern for the arrival of radar Once your instance, For un-see it. It’s everywhere. can’t God’s kingdom, you Jesus teaches his disciples to ask God to Prayer. consider the Lord’s else. Heaven ask for anything bring his kingdom to earth before they and he wanted it to be the top priority, earth was Jesus’ invading disciples’ too. God Clearly, had arrived? What did it mean that the kingdom of God Jesus somehow, Yet, had not thoroughly renewed all of creation. and settling into signaled a new arrival of God’s domain overcoming our domain. of our domain. No longer In Jesus, God began a full-throttle invasion of the temple or short, was God’s domain limited to the inner sanctum on-site, and he was was The general Israelites. visits to key dream-like of was going to break down the gates This army recruiting an army. and earth were going to unite. Heaven . Victory was unavoidable. she’ol Jesus’ Topic Favorite Jesus’ SESSION 9 — HEAVEN INVADING EARTH 98 ant andgive hislifeasaransom formany.” Mark 10:43–45: “Whoever wants to servant, andwhoever wantstobefirst become greatamongyou mustbeyour must be the slave of all, for the Son of Man didn’t cometobeserved, buttobea sev- An Unlikely Kingdom

of humanity’sdomain. farther intoearth,thatGod’sdomainwouldreclaimmoreand followers topray every day thatGod’skingdomwould advance with thearrivalofJesus,itbeganmoving into ours.Jesustaughthis That right-side-upreignofGodexists fullyinGod’sdomain,and ways oflivingandthinkingareturnedupside-down—orright-side up. the rejects.God’skingdomisastrange one,whereallofournormal that themostpowerfulmembersofhiskingdomwereslaves and through militarymightorcoercive power. Rather, Jesustaught the kingbringingdivineruletoIsrael. Buthewouldnotbringhisrule Jesus presentedhimselfasthekingprophetshadhopedfor— army-less warrior;andthroughDavid, ano-nameshepherdboy. wandering andlong-childlesspatriarch;throughGideon,acowardly, military, wit,orresources.ThinkofGod’sworkthroughAbraham, the they weremostdependentonGodandleast dependent ontheirown reminding hislistenersthatIsrael wasthemostsuccessfulwhen from humankingdoms.JesusrepeatedlypointedtotheOldTestament, called “thekingdomofheaven”—was, andis,fundamentallydifferent What isthekingdomofheaven like? Thisinvading kingdom—also

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On another occasion, some religious leaders asked Jesus when Jesus when asked On another occasion, some religious leaders their mind, the coming he thought God’s kingdom would come. In from Israel that would liberate a political revolution kingdom involved assumed the arrival of the kingdom would be an Roman rule. They unmissable event. notice the coming of God’s kingdom. wouldn’t But Jesus told them they It would be inconspicuous, hidden in plain sight. Only those with eyes already missed it. The In fact, he said, they’d to see it would know. of This was a not-so-subtle way kingdom of God was “in their midst.” now.” “The kingdom is talking to you pointing to himself and saying, kingdom here God’s heavenly he was inaugurating Jesus believed on earth. He was initiating the reunion of God’s domain and humanity’s seed. And with his band of a few hundred domain. He was the tiny followers, God’s kingdom was taking root. When Jesus talked about the kingdom of God, he often did so he often did so about the kingdom of God, When Jesus talked tales that help people are short, fictional Parables through parables. kingdom. about this right-side-up revelations understand challenging of God was about how the kingdom Jesus told a parable One day, but just wait. The kingdom of God has been seed now, a tiny like planted, and it will grow. like a tiny mustard seed that grew into a huge tree and became a like grew into a huge tree and became a mustard seed that a tiny familiar to his been very birds. This visual would have home for many and day mostly made up of subsistence farmers audience, which was seed had immense the tiniest understood that even laborers. They knew a single seed could nourish one bird for a few potential. They and fed thousands of birds. hours or grow into a tree that sheltered inspecting in the audience that day, leaders were also Skeptical with him and his were unimpressed They Jesus and his movement. And whether or not the leaders understood his entourage. ragtag It might look this parable: meaning, Jesus had a message for them in

Is Talking The Kingdom The Kingdom Through Parables Through For this story, see Luke 17:20–21. see Luke this story, For For the parable of the mustard seed, see of the mustard seed, see the parable For Mark 4:30–32. SESSION 9 — HEAVEN INVADING EARTH 100 “Kingdom” by the Numbers Of Heaven kingdom heretoearth. last, Matthewportrays JesusastheonewhobringsGod’s heavenly authority inheaven andonearthhasbeengiven tome.” From firstto has comenear,” withhisfinalwordstothe disciplesin28:18: “all Jesus’ firstpublicwordsinMatthew4:17,“thekingdomofheaven You cansee Matthew’s pointmostclearlywhenyou compare to earth(our domain). rule onearth.Hewasbringinghisexisting ruleinheaven (hisdomain) According toMatthew, Godwasn’t simplyestablishingabrand-new preference. It’sasubtleclarification. But Matthew’schoiceof“kingdomheaven” isn’t justalinguistic a traditional way totalkaboutGod’sdwellingplaceordomain. It’s nosurprisetoyou atthispointthat“heaven” or“heavens” was in MarkandLuke, “thekingdomofGod.” the phrase, “kingdomofheaven,” insteadofthemorecommonphrase other Gospels,buthealsotalksaboutitdifferently. Mostoften we find In Matthew, Jesusnotonlytalksaboutthekingdommorethanin chapters 3–24.(That’s2.6timesperchapter.) It iseven morefrequent.Jesusmentionsthekingdomover 50timesin MATTHEW (That’s 2.5timesperchapter.) Jesus mentionsGod’skingdomnearly45timesinchapters4–22. LUKE’S GOSPEL (That’s 1.5timesperchapter.) Jesus bringsupthekingdomofGodnearly20timesinchapters1–14. THE GOSPELOFMARK Gospels. Taking noteofthewordcountisalessoninitself: “Kingdom” isoneofthemostfrequentwordsJesusspeaksin Geek Out

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2 See George Ladd, "Gospel of the Kingdom" (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI, 1990). (Eerdmans, Grand of the Kingdom" See George Ladd, "Gospel Geek Out Geek An interesting puzzle that has exercised the imaginations of Bible the imaginations of Bible that has exercised An interesting puzzle of the language Jesus used to is the diversity readers for a long time of God. talk about the kingdom God’s heavenly believed of his teachings, it’s clear that Jesus In many in himself, it had “arrived” He said present reality. reign was a clear and his teachings a person could him and living by following and that by God’s kingdom. These “receive” or “seek” or even or “see” “enter” that reign is an earthly reality heavenly indicate that God’s phrases here and now. can be experienced yet—at arrived it if hasn’t But Jesus also talks about the kingdom as he said, When he taught his disciples to pray, least not completely. implying that it was not present, but future. kingdom come,” your “May return after the resurrection as “the Son of about his future He talked Man coming in his kingdom.” or a future hope? So, which is it? Is the kingdom a present reality is it an earth, or rule something that has invaded Is God’s heavenly impending promise? One minute Jesus and yes.” It seems that Jesus’ answer was “yes will come; then a few pray the kingdom as something you portrays can “seek” as something you moments later he talks about the kingdom following him. Our stark either/or in this moment by and “enter” Jesus’ vision of the help us in explaining categories simply won’t kingdom. heavenly as a metaphor scholars use the word “inauguration” New Testament to help us understand what’s going on. In the ancient world, before it took time for an entire empire telecommunications and Twitter, to longer for even be notified that a new king was on the throne—and that king to personally visit each district. So, though a new king was the kingdom to fully it took a while for ruler, technically an inaugurated his rule in person. A theologian named George Eldon experience to capture the and not yet” “already Ladd used the handy phrase dual present and future reality. kingdom’s 2

Kingdom of God The Present-Future The Present-Future presence of God’s kingdom is called “The presence of God’s kingdom is called “The See Matthew 6:10 and 16:28. See “enter” in Matthew 5:20, “seek” in in Matthew 5:20, “seek” in See “enter” Matthew 6:33, “see” in Mark 9:1, and 9:1, and in Mark Matthew 6:33, “see” George Ladd’s important book on the George Ladd’s important book on the Presence of the Future.” “receive” in Mark 10:15. “receive” SESSION 9 — HEAVEN INVADING EARTH 102

answer somequestions: Scan throughtheseteachingsagainand 2. the words“kingdom” and“heaven.” Read 1. 1. parables foundinMatthew13.Let’s digdeeperintotheseteachings. are foundintheSermononMountandacollectionofJesus’ The heaviest concentrations ofJesus’teachingonGod’skingdom Dig Deeper d. Whowillfinditmoredifficult? easier toenterGod’skingdom? c. Whattypesofpeoplewillfindit equated withseekingthekingdom? b. Whatkindsofbehaviors are experience thekingdomofheaven? a. Whatdoesitmeantoenteror Matthew 5–7and13.Highlight

103 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Write down all the things the kingdom is in the list Reflect on the list. What’s “like.” What’s missing that that surprises you? expected? would have you 3. SESSION 9 — HEAVEN INVADING EARTH 104 Discussion been atasteofheaven andearthuniting? How hasyour experience withJesus not trueinyour life? How arerealitiesofthekingdomtrueor ofGod’skingdom? announcement that you seeJesus’mainteachingasan Which storiesmake moresensenow touch oninthissession. Think aboutfamiliarparables wedidn’t

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John 1:1–14 (NIV)

to become children of God— children born not born not of God— children to become children though the world was made through him, the him, the though the world was made through husband’s will, but born of God. husband’s him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those to all who did receive him. Yet among us. We have seen his glory, the glory seen his glory, have among us. We the from of the one and only Son, who came of natural descent, nor of human decision or a or a of natural descent, nor of human decision coming into the world. He was in the world, and coming into the world. He was in the world did not recognize him. He came to that him. He came to that world did not recognize not receive which was his own, but his own did right who believed in his name, he gave the Father, full of grace and truth. Father, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling became flesh and made his dwelling The Word The true light that gives light to everyone wasThe true light that gives light to everyone the Temple Jesus as as Jesus not overcome it. not overcome made that has been made. In him was life, and made that has been made. In him was light; hemight believe. He himself was not the shines in the darkness, and the darkness has shines in the darkness, and the darkness things were made; without him nothing was made; without him nothing was things were The light that life was the light of all mankind. came only as a witness to the light. concerning that light, so that through him all him all concerning that light, so that through was with God, and the Word was God.was with God, and the Word He was with God him all in the beginning. Through testify was John. He came as a witness to Session 10 Session In the beginning was the Word, and the Word and the Word In the beginning was the Word, There was a man sent from God whose name sent from was a man There SESSION 10 — JESUS AS THE TEMPLE 108 had spoken. Then theybelievedthescripture andthe words thatJesus from thedead,hisdisciplesrecalled whathehadsaid. temple hehadspokenofwashisbody. After hewasraised temple, andyouare goingtoraiseitinthree days?”Butthe They replied, “Ithastakenforty-sixyears tobuildthis it againinthree days.” Jesus answered them,“Destroy thistemple,andIwillraise us toprove yourauthoritytodoallthis?” The Jewsthenresponded tohim,“Whatsigncanyoushow house willconsumeme.” His disciplesremembered thatitiswritten:“Zealforyour out ofhere! StopturningmyFather’s houseintoamarket!” their tables.To thosewhosolddoveshesaid,“Getthese scattered the coinsofthemoneychangersandoverturned drove allfrom thetemplecourts,bothsheepandcattle;he exchanging money. Sohemadeawhipoutofcords, and selling cattle,sheepanddoves,otherssittingattables went uptoJerusalem.Inthetemplecourtshefoundpeople When itwasalmosttimefortheJewishPassover, Jesus John 2:13–22(NIV)

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their journey. to set up shop among the changers for money It was also common wanted to the region all over After all, those visitors from vendors. These businessmen made a hefty profit buy animals for sacrifice. cash for local coins. their clients’ foreign exchanging was that the high priest had recently decided What was new that year the temple walls to inside the to relocate all this business from outside of corrupt decisions onsacred courtyard—the latest in a recent series he was enacting a symbol. By bringing the sacrificial system to a halt at least for a little while, and declaring it all corrupt, he was declaring the conversation God’s justice on the temple. This becomes clear by that follows. During the spring holiday of Passover, hundreds of thousands of of of thousands hundreds of Passover, spring holiday During the the story of their celebrate to Jerusalem to flocked ancient Israelites Jesus and his 30 A.D., around Egypt. One year, from exodus ancestors’ were caused a scene witnesses among them—and disciples were forget. to ever unlikely during to sell animals near the temple It was common for merchants visit the temple from distant villages to Some Jews traveled Passover. did not bring animals with them on often and they for the holiday, This space was supposed to be set aside high priest. the part of Israel’s was a place for merchants Now it for worship, repentance, and prayer. serious cash. to make none of this. And Jesus was having the temple, as did all faithful Jews. It was the place where Jesus loved earth, the place God made his presence with had overlapped heaven So when Jesus found that it had become a to his people. available with was, he overflowed corrupted shell of the beautiful symbol it once righteous anger. whip, he turned Jesus came in swinging. Armed with a homemade the coins all over changers, scattering the tables of the money over present, including their everyone scaring floor of the temple, likely as he yelled Jesus had gone crazy thought must have animals. People Father’s house into a market!” at the merchants, “Stop turning my ancient prophets, who would one of Israel’s like Jesus was behaving and controversy public stunts to generate often perform outrageous attention to their message. He was not only staging a protest, draw

- Jesus Rages Jesus Rages at the Merchants for its purification, including Zechariah for its purification, including Zechariah for his startling actions. chants and money changers into the changers into the chants and money hundreds of years earlier, and many Old Old and many earlier, hundreds of years Mekhilta) that preserve a memory of a memory of Mekhilta) that preserve Caiaphas the high priest allowing mer allowing priest high the Caiaphas these texts were part of Jesus’ motivation these texts temple precincts. This is precisely what temple precincts. This is precisely what There are a handful of passages in later passages in later There are a handful of There had also been issues with corruption pointed to the need passages Testament 14:20–21 and Malachi 3:1–4. It seems that seems It 3:1–4. Malachi and 14:20–21 Jewish texts (called the Talmud and the and the the Talmud (called Jewish texts Jesus seems to be reacting against. SESSION 10 — JESUS AS THE TEMPLE 110 587 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar besiegedJerusalemand destroyed Solomon’s beautifultemplein Jesus Responds With aRiddle

rebuilding this kind of magnificent structure in three days was crazy talk. decades underway, some46years inthemaking.Everyone knewthat they returnedaround520B.C. ByJesus’time,atotalrenovation was were exiled toBabylon. Aless-impressive version wasrebuiltwhen the templebuilding.Ithadbeendestroyed before,whentheIsraelites The peopleconfrontingJesusclearlythoughthewastalkingabout temples beingdestroyed? Andwhatisthe“threedays” referringto? Huh? Whatdoesthishave todowithanything? Why ishetalkingabout prove hewasaprophet.Instead,respondedwithriddle: challenge toJesus,theleadersdemandedthatheperformasign authority hehadtowaltzinandactlike heownedtheplace.Asa The JewishleadersimmediatelyconfrontedJesus,askingwhat “Destroy thistemple,andIwillraise againinthree it days.” John 2:19(NIV)

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But Jesus wasn’t talking about the temple building. He was talking talking talking about the temple building. He was But Jesus wasn’t about himself. claiming was calling himself a temple, therefore be clear: Jesus Let’s thing to do that This was such a strange that God dwelled in him. no one in the moment caught on. In John’s Gospel, John takes a break in Gospel, John takes caught on. In John’s no one in the moment the riddle understand he didn’t that even the story to tell readers at the time. God dwelled in temple buildings, in the sky, in all the earth. in all the earth. in temple buildings, in the sky, at the time. God dwelled dwell in people. He didn’t where God and humanity But there Jesus was, claiming to be the place met together in harmony. came to see eventually This is how John and the other disciples John begins his Gospel with that famous Jesus as well, and that’s why became flesh and made his dwelling among line in 1:14, “The Word is the same word for as “dwelling” The Hebrew word translated us.” in the Old Testament. “tabernacle” tabernacled among us. and metaphorically Jesus literally implied that he was taking Jesus constantly did and said things that the role of the temple, such as forgiving people of their sins. over would sacrifice a lamb or goat at the temple as Israelites Normally, their sins. Then Jesus came along, a means of atonement to cover sins are atoned for simply because he said so. announcing that people’s Jesus’ cryptic riddle was a category-busting enough, As if this weren’t The Jewish leaders would prediction of his death and resurrection. his body in three days. Jesus, and he would in fact raise in fact destroy Gospel. In John in John’s This connects to another claim included the Lamb of God, 1:29, John the Baptist sees Jesus and shouts, “Look, Jesus was not only the first the sin of the world!” away who takes human temple, but also the ultimate sacrifice. over by turning with the sacrificial system. Not Jesus did do away own death. canceling the need for sacrifice with his tables, but by his the only sign that would prove With this riddle, Jesus was saying resurrection. The death and miraculous authority was his voluntary body of the risen Jesus would be the new temple, the fulfillment of the the ancient prophets. of by promise spoken

Jesus as a , the verb form form , the verb Human Temple , which means “tent” “tent” which means , skene of was his body. After he was raised from from he was raised After of was his body. of the noun of or “tabernacle.” had said. Then they believed the scripture the believed they said. Then had his dwelling” is skenao made as purification offerings for Israel’s image that either refers to the lambs image that either refers to the lambs sins or to the lamb that was slain for the sins or to the lamb that was slain for the the dead, his disciples recalled what he recalled what he the dead, his disciples and the words that Jesus had spoken.” In John 1:14, the Greek word for “made In John 1:14, the Greek word for “made Passover meal. Passover The “lamb of God” is a rich Old Testament The “lamb of God” is a rich Old Testament John 2:21–22: “The temple he had spoken he had spoken John 2:21–22: “The temple SESSION 10 — JESUS AS THE TEMPLE 112 “anointed king.” Jeremiah 15. Zechariah lived in the period after the exile Read Manasseh’s storyin2Kings 21,and In Hebrew, thiskingwascalled the ancientpropheticpromises. and templeshowsthathedidnotviewthe and the building of the second temple. The the prophetic critique of Manasseh in messiah,” whichtranslates to events of his own day as the fulfillment of fulfillment the dayeventsas own his of fact thathestillhopedforyetking another , orinEnglish,“thehamashiach The Messiah’s Zeal forthe Temple the merchants,justlike theprophetssaidhe would. He wasthatfutureking.Andon thatday inthetemple,hekicked out in thetemple. doubt theprophets’hopeforthisfuturekingwasonhismindthat day Jesus knewtheOldTestament Scripturesby heart,andthere’s no and economicone-upmanship. experience heaven andearthreunited,aplaceunsulliedby greed the templetoaplaceofpureworship,wherepeoplecould truly intended here.Zechariah hopedanewkingwouldcomeandrestore for “merchant”or“trader,” andthat’smorelikely whattheprophet Hebrew wordforCanaanite,kena’aniy , wasalsoacommonterm no longerbeaCanaaniteinthehouseofLord ofHosts.” The In Zechariah 14:21,theprophetwrote:“And onthatday therewill who wouldchangeallthat.TheMessiahcomeandcleanhouse. trusted toprotectthetemple,thenGodwouldsendakingsomeday and honortheholinessoftemple.IfIsrael’s present kingcan’t be day GodwouldsendanewandbetterkingfromDavid’s linetorebuild Israel’s kingsintohopeforthefuture.Theprophetsbelieved thatone After exile, theprophetschanneledallofthisdisappointmentwith and exile asdivinejustice. idols intothetempleprecincts.Theprophetsvieweddestruction especially Manasseh,whohadintroducedtheworshipofCanaanite destroyed by theBabylonians, Israel’s prophets blamed thekings, When Solomon’s templefellintodisarray, andwaseventually ancient Jerusalem,Solomon’s templestoodnext totheroyal palace. overseen, andprotectedby kings.Kingsalsoappointedpriests.In The templewasconsideredaroyal institution—a placethatwasbuilt, he wasdoingwiththatwhip. Israel’s prophets,andthishelpsusunderstandwhatJesusthought modern readers.Buthisresponsehadanancientpedigreeamong Jesus’ angryoutburstinthetemplemay seemabitextreme for Geek Out

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Geek Out Geek Outrage at the temple establishment didn’t start or end with Jesus. start at the temple establishment didn’t Outrage Jesus was not alone in know from other historical sources that We the happening there. At this time in history, his disgust for what was and was sold to the highest bidder, position of the high priesthood prone to corruption. their pushback against theOne community in particular stands out for in the desert near a sect lived temple establishment. A breakaway Jewish group a radical Here lived “Qumran.” is called place that today The community’s leadership known for producing the Dead Sea Scrolls. to the had withdrawn included a number of former priests who corruption. wilderness to protest the temple’s sent a letter leaders had even Not long before Jesus’ time, the group’s of how the to the priests in Jerusalem debating the technicalities (Think Marin Luther’s 99 sacred worship rituals were being performed. was also responsible for theses, but without a Reformation.) The group Scriptures. on Old Testament text a collection of commentary crafting book of Habakkuk, called the One of these, which focused on the short priest.” high priest in Jerusalem, “the wicked after Jesus’ death, the Jewish people in and around About 30 years first against the Roman Empire. One of the rebels’ Jerusalem revolted burned his house They targets was their own high priest, Ananias. as well as as an act of revenge, to the ground and had him executed become compromised the priesthood had believed purification. They a partnership with the Roman authorities. negotiating by

Israel vs. The Establishment 2,000 years in clay jars and discovered in in jars and discovered in clay 2,000 years This letter is known today as “4QMMT.” This letter is known today The Dead Sea Scrolls were preserved for for preserved The Dead Sea Scrolls were 1948. SESSION 10 — JESUS AS THE TEMPLE 114 specifically, themeaningofhisdeath? How doesPaul describeJesus, Read 2. with God’stemplepresence. which isakey templewordassociated different usesoftheword“dwell,” Read 1. 1. Paul andPeter incorporate thisideaintotheirteachings. continues throughouttheentireNewTestament. Let’s explore how This dualpresentationofJesusasboththetemple and sacrifice sins. earth overlap and aswelltheanimalsacrificeoffered forIsrael’s The GospelofJohnpresentsJesusasthetempleinwhichheaven Dig Deeper . Note the Colossians 1:19and2:9.Notethe Colossians 1:20and2:13–14.

115 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Ephesians 2:4–7 and Ephesians 1 Peter Romans 3:24–25, 1 CorinthiansRomans 3:24–25, . Circle the word 1:18–19 and 1 Peter 5. 4. 3. Take a moment to draw all these texts all these texts a moment to draw Take and their metaphors together: Sacrifices took place in the temple where God’s presence dwelled. How does all this help us understand what happened when Jesus died and was raised? 2:21–22. How is Jesus described here? Read “blood.” How is Jesus described here? How is Jesus described “blood.” Read 5:7, SESSION 10 — JESUS AS THE TEMPLE 116 Discussion furthering thekingdomofheaven? How couldyou usethatzealfor that you wanttotearsomethingdown? thingsmakeWhat typesof you somad God’s temple? What doesitmeantoyou thatJesusis that construct? nice, too. How doesthisstorychallenge and soweoftenexpect Christianstobe Today, weoftenthinkofJesusas“nice,”

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Acts 2:1–4 (NIV) Ephesians 2:19–22 (NIV) sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of sitting. They saw what seemed to be strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit filled All of them were them. together in one place. Suddenly a sound like together in one place. Suddenly a sound heaven from the blowing of a violent wind came him the whole building is joined together and being built together to become a him you too are foundation of the apostles and prophets, with foundation of the apostles and prophets, and began to speak in other languages as the and began to speak in other languages and filled the whole house where they were they were and filled the whole house where and also members of his household, built on the dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. fire that separated and came to rest on each of that separated and came to fire Spirit enabled them. Humans as Humans God’s Temple God’s Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and and no longer foreigners are you Consequently, When the day of Pentecost came, they were all all were When the day of Pentecost came, they Session 11 Session SESSION 11 — HUMANS AS GOD’S TEMPLE 120 acceptable toGodthrough JesusChrist. house tobeaholypriesthood,offeringspiritualsacrifices You also,likelivingstones,are beingbuiltintoaspiritual 1 Peter2:5(NIV) 121 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK

of violent wind and saw what appeared to be tongues of fire what appeared of violent wind and saw descending on each of their heads. What is going on here? of fire? Wind? Tongues God first came to dwell in the tabernacle, when In the Old Testament, over and fire settling his presence appeared in the form of wind at the dedication of the Holy of Holies. The same thing happened temple. Solomon’s the only time his presence God’s arrival at his holy houses wasn’t burning bush and later appeared as flames. Moses met God in a Commandments in a fire storm atop Mt. Sinai. the Ten received tongues of fire descended onto Jesus’ followers, says So, when Luke was arriving and settling be more clear: God’s presence he couldn’t was not a tent or an into a new temple. But this time, that temple opulent building. It was the body of Jesus’ followers—individually became mini-temples in which God’s holy They and collectively. presence dwelled. 12 disciples. Then, in Acts, we see the Holy Spirit coming to all of Jesus’ Spirit coming to all of Jesus’ 12 disciples. Then, in Acts, we see the Holy heard the sound were together in a house when they followers. They Jesus was not accepted as a legitimate prophet by the leaders of the leaders of as a legitimate prophet by Jesus was not accepted with a Roman he was arrested and executed Jerusalem. Eventually, called a cross. torture device Jesus told his disciples that he execution, The night before his was as a guide that he would send them the Holy Spirit and leaving, mission. to continue his kingdom of Jesus breathed that Spirit onto his circle After his resurrection,

Fire and Wind Fire Wind and Fire and Fire Wind Symbolize Presence The Arrives Spirit With which was a Jewish festival celebrating which was a Jewish festival celebrating For the tabernacle, see Exodus 40:34–35. 40:34–35. Exodus see tabernacle, the For the temple, see 1 Kings 20:18–21. For 3. For burning bush, see Exodus the For Deuteronomy 16:10. Deuteronomy See John 14:16–17 and 20:21–22. See John 14:16–17 and the Mt. Sinai story, see Exodus 20:18–21. see Exodus the Mt. Sinai story, the end of the harvest. For more about more about For the end of the harvest. Pentecost, check out Exodus 34:22 and 34:22 and check out Exodus Pentecost, The Spirit arrived on the day of Pentecost, of Pentecost, on the day The Spirit arrived SESSION 11 — HUMANS AS GOD’S TEMPLE 122 This challenge from Paul is found in 1 This challengefromPaul totheCorinthians the Corinthianscollectively. Corinthians 6:12–20. words for “you” are plural, referring to all is found in 1 Corinthians 3:16–17. You can’tthe all tellinEnglish,butGreek Major Implications your bodies.” your own;you wereboughtataprice.ThereforehonorGodwith Spirit, whoisinyou, whomyou have received fromGod?You arenot saying, “Doyou notknowthatyour bodiesaretemplesoftheHoly sleeping withtheprostituteswhoworked there.Paul calledthemout, conversion habitofeatingritualmealsinthelocalpagantempleand One groupofmenintheCorinthchurchhadcontinuedtheirpre- believers tochangetheirbehavior andviewtheirbodiesdifferently. Paul alsousedmini-templestatusasthefoundationforcallingnew serious communalresponsibility. That’s intense.ApparentlybeingthesacredtempleofGodcamewith temple issacred,andyou alltogetherarethat temple.” anyone destroys God’stemple,Godwilldestroy thatperson;forGod’s all areGod’stempleandthatSpiritdwellsinyour midst?If a corruptionofGod’snewtemple.Hewrote:“Don’t you knowthatyou not tolettheirpridedividethem.Why? Becauseheconsideredit For instance,theApostlePaul warnedfollowersofJesusinCorinth major implicationsforearlyChristians. We quicklylearnintheNewTestament thatbeinglittletempleshad

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New Testament and to the church’s identity as “Jesus’ body.” The The as “Jesus’ body.” identity and to the church’s New Testament and as the place where heaven themselves early Christians saw earth overlapped. As mini-temples, meant a shift in vocation. Being God’s temple also became top priority for the early Christians. furthering the kingdom to share the good news were told to go out to all the nations They This reality, being God’s temple, is foundational to the entire to the entire being God’s temple, is foundational This reality, God’s presence asthat Jesus is the risen king of the world, spreading and his disciples the kingdom of heaven, inaugurated went. Jesus they and subduing the earth with it. This was with multiplying were tasked to multiply and subdue to Adam and Eve a reboot of the blessing given to bless all the nationsthe earth. It was a fulfillment of God’s promise through the Israelites. of the prophets’ dreams It was also the beginning of God’s fulfillment build a new temple would that a future anointed king, or “messiah,” look quite it didn’t and return the Promised Land to God’s people—but a temple Instead of a temple building, God raised expected. they like to the And instead of returning Jerusalem through a body of believers. for all of creation to a renewed humanity, he began restoring Israelites, the whole earth is his Promised Land. SESSION 11 — HUMANS AS GOD’S TEMPLE 124 Jesus’ followerscanbefoundin1Peter 2:1–11. Peter’s useoftempleimagerytodescribe For purity laws, check out Leviticus 12–15. Spirit Purifies The Holy of healingandhope,foreveryone. liberated toknowtheholyGodandhislove forthem.It’saspace place wherepeoplelearnthey arebeloved childrenwhohave been humans torediscover their trueidentityasimagesofGod.It’sthe relationships have noplacehere.Thenewtemple issetapartfor new humanity. Destructive behaviors thatruinpeopleandhealthy personally, rightthereinsideyour ownbody. Thechurchisthe domain, righthereinthemidstofoldcreation.Andeven more The churchistheplacewhereGod’sdomaininvading humans’ your soul.” then later, “Abstain fromsinfuldesires,whichwagewaragainst malice andalldeceit,hypocrisy, envy, andslanderofevery kind.” And temple withchallengestoanewway oflife:“Ridyourselves ofall This iswhy Peter surroundshisdiscussionofthechurchasnew It isdedicatedandsetapartforlifebeautyallthatgood. microcosm ofheaven onearth,anddeathhasnoplaceinthatspace. Being God’stempleisaserioustask.Thewassymbolic God’s wisdom.Inourspeech,bodies,andinallofrelationships. It shouldbringourunderstandingofgoodandevil backintolinewith this realityshouldreshapeevery aspectofourlives andourbehavior. divine presenceofJesusiswithhispeoplethroughtheHolySpirit,and have aseriousresponsibilitytomaintainpurityasmini-temples.The But letusquicklyfollowthatupwitha“yes”; followersofJesusdo ancient Israelite culture. carry outthesacrificialritualsandholinessritesspecificto to much lessancientJerusalemwithitstemple.So,“no,” wedon’t have Well, noandyes. Followers ofJesusarenotboundtoany onecity, purity laws? If ChristiansareGod’snewtemple,dothey have toupholdthesame and decay outofthetemple. Israelites fromEgypt.Ithadbeenessentialtokeep symbolsofdeath ever sinceGodcametodwellinthetabernacleafterrescuing Now, remember, enteringGod’stemplerequiredritualcleansing—

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Geek Out Geek There is a remarkably close connection between the Holy Spirit and and close connection between the Holy Spirit There is a remarkably the wind and fire Bible, and it goes well beyond God’s temples in the earlier in this session. symbols we explored Spirit the author of Genesis introduces the On page one of the Bible, as the key agent through whom God created the universe as his as his universe agent through whom God created the as the key the the chaos. From over of God was hovering the Spirit temple, saying to the creation of temples. the Spirit was closely linked beginning, very about the authors talked “Spirit” was also how the Old Testament and powerful presence of the Creator God at work personal, invisible, ruakh, and the word for “Spirit” is spelled within the world. In Hebrew, biblical used by This word is repeatedly refers to “wind” or “breath.” in the world long before authors to identify God’s energetic presence Jesus came on the scene. a man named Bezalel when Exodus, comes from of this A great example God as the lead designer of the tabernacle. was commissioned by told he was “filled with the Spirit of God, with wisdom and We’re was at work in the Similar to Genesis 1, God’s Spirit understanding.” an empowered human world to create a temple, but this time through agent designing a mobile tent. after the Jerusalem temple had been destroyed, story, Later in Israel’s future hope of the prophets. When role in the a key God’s Spirit played he knew obedient Israel, Ezekiel imagined a new temple and a new, to be the work of God’s Spirit. In Ezekiel 36, we that both would have come to presence would one day find the promise that God’s creative inside the tabernacle inside his own people, just as it once lived live God’s Spirit would recreate the hearts and the temple. Ezekiel believed him. and obey could truly love of his people so that they

the Temple See Genesis 1:2. The Spirit and The Spirit and erment in Exodus 31:1–11. erment in Exodus Read about Bezalel and his Spirit empow- SESSION 11 — HUMANS AS GOD’S TEMPLE 126 Ezekiel’s famous vision about the valley of imagery fromthedepictionofhumanity’s creation inGenesis1:26–28and2:7. dry bonesdraws mostofitslanguageand the Temple(cont.) The Spiritand

people ofGodasthenewtemple. the statementsofJesus,Peter, andPaul establishingthenewcovenant Old Testament passageslike thesefromEzekielwerefoundationalfor recreated peopleandto“put[his]sanctuaryamongthemforever.” a promisefromGodtomake an“everlasting covenant” withthe as theculminationofGod’srescuemission,Ezekiel’svisionincludes Spirit fills a valley of dead bodies, remaking them as new humans. Then, of bringingtolifeanewlyformedhumanashedidinthegarden,God’s Genesis 2,asGod’sSpiritcomestoenliven human bodies.Butinstead that explores thisSpirit-filledhumanity. Ezekiel seesareplay of After thisremarkablepromise,wefindinEzekiel37asymbolicvision He wrote: Geek Out careful tokeep my laws…you willbemy people, andIwillbeyour God. put my Spiritinsideyou andmove you tofollowmy decrees andbe from you your heart ofstoneandgive you aheart I willgive you anewheartandputspiritinyou; Iwillremove Ezekiel 36:26–28(NIV) offlesh.AndIwill

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Geek Out Geek The concept of a human as a temple was not common in the as a temple was not common in the The concept of a human Jewish culture of Jesus’ day. But he wasn’t the only person who had the only But he wasn’t day. Jewish culture of Jesus’ such an idea. desert, the ones who produced in the that lived Remember that sect and wrote commentaries on Old Testament the Dead Sea Scrolls too shared Jesus’ anger at the corruption of the Scripture? They priesthood. against its temple and railed that inspired Jesus, and on the same prophetic text reflected They the Old that the new temple promised by too discerned so they not necessarily be a building, but could prophets would Testament had long members of this sect became followers of Jesus. They is if any realized of them hoped to be the new human temple, but whether any this dream remains a fascinating question that is now lost to history. be a “sanctuary of humans.” this sect of strictly In a document scholars call “4QFlorilegium,” on this idea, writing that this future expounds observant Israelites sacrifices before God, namely “sanctuary of humans” would “offer that their small, obedient believed They obedience to the Torah.” the corrupted monstrositycommunity was, in fact, the new temple, not a future king to drive standing in Jerusalem. Their hope was for their community to become corruption out of Jerusalem and invite new temple leaders. Israel’s Jesus was not alone in This is fascinating because it shows that the prophets was not a new claiming that the new temple promised by an anointed king, or “messiah.” building, but a new community led by were was still around in Jesus’ time. They know that this group We after his death—around the from the desert about 30 years driven know in Jerusalem. But what we don’t same time as the Jewish revolt

An Enlightened Sect An Enlightened compilation of excerpts. 11 caves the scroll was found. 11 caves tents, often in Latin. For instance, instance, For Latin. in often tents, is a Latin term for a “florilegium” instance, “Q” stands for “Qumran.” instance, “Q”

· A number indicating in which of the · An abbreviation of the location. For of the location. For · An abbreviation · A summary title of the scroll’s con- in the following way: tion of excerpts found in cave number four number found in cave tion of excerpts at Qumran.” the scroll are 2 Samuel 7:10-14, Exodus All of the Dead Sea Scrolls are categorized Thus, “4QFlorilegium” means “the collec- Thus, “4QFlorilegium” in explored texts The Old Testament 15:17-18, and Amos 9:11. SESSION 11 — HUMANS AS GOD’S TEMPLE 128 Peter emphasizing thepriesthood? “priests,” “sacrifice,” and“praise.” Why is time underliningallthewordsrelatedto Read allof1Peter 2:4–10again,this 3. texts. Whatdothey allhave incommon? consider why Peter quotedfromthese and Psalm118:22.Readeachverse and Peter quotesfromIsaiah8:14,28:16, into thelanguageheusedtoteachthisconceptJesus’followers. role, individuallyandcollectively, asthenewtempleofGod.Let’s dig Peter thoughtitwasessentialthatnewbelievers understandtheir calling humans“stones”? “temple,” and“stone.” Why isPeter all thewordsassociatedwith“house,” Read 1. 1. Dig Deeper 2. 2. 1 Peter 2:4–10,andunderline 129 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK

Notes Discussion How do you experience the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit experience you How do on a daily basis? purifying you that we are What does it mean temple? God’s collectively church, both locally think about the and globally? challenged early Christians to Paul that honored their in a way behave life inner temple. What things in your are not consistent with the sacred task of being God’s temple? How does this change the way you you the way How does this change

131 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Matthew 19:28–30 (NIV) The New Heavens Heavens The New Earth The New and I tell you, at the Jesus said to them, “Truly of all things, when the Son of Man sits renewal you who have followed on his glorious throne, judging the me will also sit on twelve thrones, And everyone who has twelve tribes of Israel. or sisters or father or left houses or brothers or fields for my mother or wife[s] or children and times as much a hundred sake will receive first are will inherit eternal life. But many who first. be will last are who many and last, be will Session 12 Session SESSION 12 — THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH 132 its templeistheLord Godthe Almighty andtheLamb. like jasper, clearascrystal…Isawnotempleinthecity, for the gloryofGodandaradiancelikeveryrare jewel, city Jerusalemcomingdownoutofheavenfrom God.Ithas me awaytoagreat, highmountainandshowedmetheholy am makingallthingsnew”… And inthespirithecarried no more… And theOneseatedonthrone said:“See,I heaven andthefirstearthhadpassedaway, andtheseawas Then Isawanewheavenandearth;forthefirst been groaning inlaborpainsuntilnow… of thechildren ofGod.We knowthatthewholecreation has bondage todecayandwillobtainthefreedom oftheglory it, inhopethatthecreation itselfwillbesetfree from its not ofitsownwillbutbytheonewhosubjected the children ofGod;forthecreation wassubjectedtofutility, For thecreation waitswitheagerlongingfortherevealing of worth comparingwiththegloryabouttoberevealed tous. I considerthatthesufferingsofthispresent timeare not Romans 8:18–22(NRSV) Revelation 21(NRSV)

133 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Earlier in this workbook, we explored the Old Testament prophetic prophetic Testament the Old we explored Earlier in this workbook, and of all creation—a time when God’s domain hope for the renewal the prophets used fully reunite. Remember, humans’ domain would milk would new creation, saying language to describe this imaginative with babies. wild animals would play stream down hills, and Jesus had believed this simple hope. They Jesus’ apostles shared temple, but it was a new process and raised started that recreation clear that not all of creation had been renewed. he said the world would one reflected on this future hope, When Paul glorious freedom we’re from its bondage to decay”—a be “liberated day still waiting for today. from the full life of heaven. At this present moment, the earth is cut off a woman in childbirth. But it groans like use a biblical metaphor, To do see it. We when we can’t the new creation is here, taking form even out an we might make like sense hints of it now and then, though, just it One day belly. woman’s elbow or foot poking from within a pregnant emerging from the womb. a new baby will be pushed forth into life, like

See Romans 8:21. A New Creation A The Apostles Hoped for for Apostles Hoped The SESSION 12 — THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH 134 The accountsofJesus’resurrectionappear- 28, Mark16,Luke 24,andJohn20-21. Revelation 21:1–5. In John20:19,therisenJesusappeared ances to the disciples are found in Matthew ances tothedisciplesarefoundinMatthew For thisimportantclimacticvision,see Luke 24:31and24:36forsimilarsurprises. suddenly in a room with a locked door. See All New Things or All Things New? All Things

completely reunite. Jesus iswhatwillbetrueforallcreationwhenheaven andearth simultaneously thesameanddifferent.Whatwastrueofrisen the futureofuniverse walked outofthetombonEaster morning, heavens andearth” inthebookofRevelation. Hewasconvinced that precisely whatJohnwastryingtocommunicateaboutthe“new This paradox of“thesameJesusandalsoadifferentJesus”is New Testament. this moment,soallthey coulddoistelltheodd storieswefindinthe baffling thedisciples.Therewerenocategoriesthatpreparedthemfor from ours.Heinexplicably appearedanddisappearedfromrooms, body wasphysical, itwasphysical inaway thatwasclearlydifferent the disciplesdidn’t even recognizehimatfirstglance.AndwhileJesus’ But theresurrectedJesuswasalsodifferent.ReallySomeof with thesameJesusthey followedupinthehills ofGalilee. hands andfeet.Therewasnomistake. They weretouchingandtalking kingdom ofGodover thecourseofafewweeks.Hehadscarsonhis He atefoodanddrank wineandtalked withhisfollowersaboutthe hope: theresurrectedJesus.TherisenJesuswasphysical, nota ghost. To answerthatquestion,wehave togobackthesourceofJohn’s So, isGodmakingallthingsnew, orishemakingallnewthings? all thingsnew.” “passed away,” Johnsays heheardGodannounce:“Behold,Iammaking saying, “Isaw anewheaven andearth” andthatthefirstcreationhas In thisvision,Johnpresentsuswithaparadox. Assoonashefinishes earth—a clearreferencetothevery beginningofthebiblicalnarrative. symbolic visionofthatgreatrebirth.Hesaw anewheaven and In thelastbookofBible,Revelation, wewitnessJohn’s

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This is why John used apocalyptic symbols and metaphors to describe John used apocalyptic symbols This is why He wasn’t prophets used poetry. the Old Testament just like this event, he of what was to come. Rather, a video-perfect version transcribing Sometimes, conviction. an unexplainable was attempting to express symbols will suffice. only metaphors and and the new creation as a marriage of heaven John first described as both a city and a bride, coming down is represented earth. Heaven the domain and landing on earth, much like out of God’s heavenly John called the city-bride a “new in his dream. staircase Jacob saw that he could only describe it in terms It was so marvelous Jerusalem.” of brilliant stones. John. It was the first andJerusalem itself was a powerful symbol for holy house, the first cityonly city where God resided in a permanent At the heart of the Israelites’ where kings worshiped the true Creator. ultimate Promised Land: all Promised Land, Jerusalem represented the of restored creation. and earth as the descent of a new He depicts the reunion of heaven Jerusalem that was corrupted and the old Jerusalem. Unlike kings, the new Jerusalem would be ruled of Israel’s most dishonored by God, not by This new city would be built by a divine king. by of life, which can dispense nourishment to all the to the eternal river of God himself. new creation because it flows from the presence represented by account of a garden, humanity wasn’t But in John’s a couple. John describes seeing all the nations there, working to John, did in Genesis. For cultivate the garden as Adam and Eve the fulfillment of God’s purpose through Jesus would result in the of humans to their place as co-rulers of God’s world, ready restoration creation into uncharted territory. to work with God to take The end of the biblical story is really a new beginning. human hands. the Garden of Eden as an image to describe the John also employed accessible to all and the tree of life there, renewed creation. He saw its roots had access eternally yielding fruit. It could do this because

Symbols of a New Creation ets Isaiah (see Isaiah 2, 11, 60–62) and ets Isaiah (see Isaiah 2, 11, 60–62) and of jewels that decorated the high priest’s high priest’s the decorated jewels that of new Jerusalem imagery from the proph- breastplate in Exodus 28:15–21. breastplate in Exodus Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 40–48). the new Jerusalem are taken from the list from the list the new Jerusalem are taken Revelation 21:1–5. Revelation The precious stones John lists to describe describe to lists John stones precious The John adopted most of his new temple and and his new temple of adopted most John John’s vision about the new creation is in new creation is in vision about the John’s SESSION 12 — THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH 136 Unanswered Questions

the newcreation. and God’sownpersonalpresencewillpermeateevery squareinchof nation willbeblessedthroughthepowerofresurrectedJesus, garden, andthegloryoftemplewillfillwholeearth.Every will bereplacedwithlife.Thewholeeartharecreationofthe will oneday completelyunite.Allthingswillbemadenew. Death This isthehopeofstoryBible:God’sdomainandour creation wouldberebornjustasJesuswasresurrectedfromthedead. our curiosityaboutthenewworld,buttoinstillconfidencethat unanswered—and that’snotabadthing.John’s goalwasn’t tosatisfy John’s visionsleave mostofourquestionsaboutthenewcreation

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to the 12 tribes of Israel is adapted from Ezekiel’s vision of from Ezekiel’s vision of is adapted to the 12 tribes of Israel the new Jerusalem in Ezekiel 40. temple was cubic specifies that the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s in shape. · The image of a city on a high hill with 12 gates corresponding gates corresponding · The image of a city on a high hill with 12

· The concept of a cube is derived from 1 Kings 6:19–20, which from 1 Kings 6:19–20, which · The concept of a cube is derived Geek Out Geek John was a master of the Hebrew Scriptures, and his vision of the new the new the Hebrew Scriptures, and his vision of John was a master of from the biblical poets of images drawn creation is a kaleidoscope was to create a visual collage of Old Testament and prophets. His goal of these images. with the meaning us to reckon metaphors that forces descriptions of the new Jerusalem physical is John’s A great example city is a perfect cube, heavenly the apostles. After this, John says 12 told that each side being 12,000 stadia, or 1,400 miles. Then we’re in Revelation 21:15–21. He says the heavenly city has four sides, city has four sides, the heavenly 21:15–21. He says in Revelation Then the 12 tribes of Israel. each with three gates, corresponding to which correspond to the he mentions 12 huge foundation stones, or about 200 feet. walls were 144 cubits high, the that defies mathematics, and some people a structure This sounds like trying to document a blueprint. He was it at that. But John wasn’t leave meaning. deeper a craft to references Testament Old distinct two using break this down: Let’s The results of combining these references only make sense on a sense on a only make The results of combining these references work. But it, the numbers just don’t try to draw If you symbolic level. goal was to communicate that Ezekiel’s idea of a new Jerusalem John’s would actually be one giant temple with the same qualities as the temple. Holy of Holies in Solomon’s temple Still confused? It means there will be no need for a physical or Holy of Holies in the new creation because the fullness of God’s of the new creation will be God’s Holy All presence will be everywhere. of Holies.

Literally Metaphorical up the other two thirds. cubits) took up one third of the entire cubits) took up one third of the entire For the 12 gates of Ezekiel’s vision, see vision, see the 12 gates of Ezekiel’s For Ezekiel 48:31–34. see disciples, 12 of selection Jesus’ For Matthew 10:1–4 and 19:28. temple space. The outer holy place made made place holy outer The space. temple The cuboid Holy of Holies (20 x 20 x 20 The cuboid Holy of Holies (20 x 20 x 20 SESSION 12 — THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH 138 The phrase “gouptoheaven” isfoundin you couldn’t find what you’re looking for. looking you’re couldn’twhat youfind (For examples, seeDeuteronomy 30:12or (which, inbiblicaltimes,wasimpossible), Proverbs 30:4.) Rather, it’susedtodescribesomething that isimpossibleforhumanstofind. the Bible, but it doesn’t relate to afterlife. Even if humans could go up into the skies Do We GotoHeaven When WeDie? the Lord.” even inthefaceofdeath.Theresultdeath,hesaid,wasbeing “with Paul talked about thetruehopethatdrives Christianfaithfulness, 2 CORINTHIANS5:6–9 would gettobe“withChrist.” death wouldn’t be so bad.Itwouldmake thePhilippianssad,buthe Paul discussedhispossibleexecution inaRomanprison,andhesaid PHILIPPIANS 1:21–24 saying, “Today you’ll bewithme inparadise.” Jesus spoke to therepentantcriminalbeingcrucifiednext tohim, LUKE 23:42–43 about being“withJesus.” experience afterthey die.They allusethesamephrase: Ourhopeis New Testament passagesthatspeaktowhatJesus’followerswill isn’t theway biblicalauthorsthoughtaboutit.Let’s lookatthe to God’speopleafterthey die.Itjustmeansthat “goingtoheaven” This doesn’t meantheBiblehasnothingtosay aboutwhat happens anywhere intheOldorNewTestaments inrelationtodeath.Notonce. to heaven” afteryou die.Thephrase “gotoheaven” doesn’t appear There isnoteven onepassageintheBiblethattalksabout“going Get readyfortheanswer. things aChristianshouldhopefor? followers ofJesus“gotoheaven?” Isn’t goingtoheaven oneofthemain common andpressingquestions:Whathappensafterwedie?Don’t But, sofar, ourdive intothisstoryhasn’t addressedoneofourmost and evil forthemselves. and wherehumanshave staked outtheirownrealmanddefinegood representations ofspaceswhereGodrulesanddefinesgood evil heaven andeartharen’t simplyseparate livingquarters,butthey are split andfuturereunionofGod’sdomainourdomain.We know We’ve establishedthatthemainfocusofbiblicalstoryisunion, Geek Out

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Geek Out Geek them for precise information about what we will experience after we after we we will experience them for precise information about what be unconscious until the new essentially we’ll die. Some people believe to be with Jesus right away. creation is fully realized. Others expect is clear: Death is not the end hold, the takeaway view you Whichever death and came out the for followers of Jesus. Just as he went through so also his people can existence, physical other side in a transformed hope for the same. Our ultimate hope is to inhabit reborn creation with the one who died was reborn on our behalf. Both Jesus and Paul believed that not even death could separate death could separate that not even believed Both Jesus and Paul would be with him and that Jesus’ followers people from God’s love, after death. of existence this disembodied mode does not envision Paul However, Corinthians 5:2 (NIV), Paul In 2 desirable. as permanent, or even to be clothed with our wrote that in this world “we groan, longing here to a resurrected body believers referring He’s .” dwelling heavenly Paul, the end For Jesus. are finally made like will inherit when they a restored physical but rather goal is not disembodied bliss in heaven, from heaven. which is a gift existence, our mortal bodies rot in But what about the interim period, when the ground? And he wasn’t as “falling asleep.” describes this interim experience Paul It was common in Jewish alone in using sleep as a metaphor for death. ancestors” was a common down with my “lay culture. The phrase to describe death. The prophets described death as way Old Testament as “waking up.” a form of sleep and the hope of future resurrection analyze so we shouldn’t Remember that these are poetic metaphors, For uses of “falling asleep,” see Acts 7:60, see Acts 7:60, uses of “falling asleep,” For See Philippians 3:20–21, Romans 6:4–6 Romans 6:4–6 See Philippians 3:20–21, and 1 Corinthians 15:20–28. 3:4, and 1 Corinthians 15:20. 1 Thessalonians 4:13, John 11:11, 2 Peter 1 Thessalonians 4:13, John 11:11, 2 Peter SESSION 12 — THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH 140 renewed creation. mind ashecrafted hisvisionofthe invited intothebrillianceofJohn’s We promise.Andasyou do,you’ll be 2. Do itagain.You’ll noticenewthings. What’s different? both accounts. What’sthesame? down every imagethatappearsin Write reborn heavens andearth. Revelation 21–22,whichdescribesthe original heavens andearth.Then,read Read revisit theBible’s bookends: information islikely toreshapetheway you readScripture.Let’s We’ve learned alotinthese12sessions,andthatnew 1. 1. Dig Deeper Genesis 1–2,whichdescribesthe

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Notes Discussion What questions do you have about what what about have What questions do you will be like? the new creation reality seem comforting? Does this future Explain. Exhilarating? Strange? hope change if your How would you was in the future reunification of heaven reunification of heaven was in the future and earth? Conclusion

The Bible is a unified story that leads us to Jesus— the one in whom heaven and earth are being reunited. Our hope of seeing God’s domain and our domain fully rejoined is what drives us to follow Jesus and pray that more of heaven invades more of earth, and more of us. 143 HEAVEN & EARTH WORKBOOK Acknowledgments

Co-writing this workbook was a fun process of discovery for both us. We launched The Bible Project with the Heaven and Earth video, and we always felt that these ideas were worth exploring in greater depth. Jon cranked out the first draft; then Tim made it too long and wordy; then Jon made it concise again, and so on! We’re grateful for the wise editing skills of Melissa Binder who helped us bring coherence to the entire workbook. The illustrations were created by the talented Robert Perez, Mac Cooper and Sheila Laufer, and the layout design comes from the creative mind of Xela Gold. Thanks to Miriam Chesbro for juggling all the balls necessary to keep the project moving forward, and thank you Whitney Woollard for your love of copy editing and proper English grammar! Exploring the relationship between heaven and earth in the Bible has been a transformative experience for both of us. We hope that your imagination and your heart are captured by this amazing story. May you think bigger and better thoughts about how you could join Jesus in his mission to reunite heaven and earth. Tim Mackie & Jon Collins Thank you for using this workbook! We hope it has aided you in seeing how the theme of Heaven and Earth weaves through Scripture and ties the story of the Bible together. The Bible Project is crowdfunded non-profit devoted to explaining the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus. We create short films that are free to watch and download as well as supplemental material (like this workbook) that expands on our videos. This workbook is free to download in PDF form from our website. From there you can also join the growing number of people who support this endeavor. The Bible Project is an ecumenical project serving all Christian traditions. We are located in Portland, Oregon. Please say hi!

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