Shining Sanctuary
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January 19, 2014 |
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 "And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
made ready as a bride adorned for her husband" (Revelation 21:2).
Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
Just like the holy city New Jerusalem, God desires for the sanctuary built by Manmin to be filled with the members who have become sanctified and give out their beautiful fragrance. So, He increased the power of the shepherd and the members' measure of faith day by day.
In 2014, He Himself will guide and prepare everything so that the shining sanctuary will be built beautifully; God's glory will be revealed greatly; and countless souls will reach salvation at the end time. Then, what is the meaning of 'Shining Sanctuary' and what is the will of God that He will put into it?
1. New Jerusalem, prepared by God for His beloved children
Revelation 21:2 says, "And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband." New Jerusalem is the city that God Himself has made ready for His beloved children. The city was prepared in the expression of His true and deep love that it was like a place 'ready as a bride adorned for her husband.' Here, 'husband' refers to believers and 'bride' to New Jerusalem.
The holy city of New Jerusalem is adorned just to be in the favor of those who will dwell there. Who are they that will enter New Jerusalem? They are those who preserve themselves without blemish from when they come into whole spirit until they meet the Lord. They are God's children who love God the Father and the Lord foremost and who are faithful in all God's house.
Revelation 21:10-11 says, "And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper." Apostle John expressed that the brilliance of the city of New Jerusalem was like a very costly gemstone. Actually, it is difficult to express its exquisite beauty and wonder with words.
Imagine yourself shining a light on a great pile of crystals. This New Jerusalem, that shines brilliant light, is the dwelling place for those who accomplish the heart of whole spirit. In other words, to the extent we approach becoming the heart of whole spirit, we can also be closer to the brilliant city of New Jerusalem. By the same token, to the extent our faith grows up and comes closer to the highest standard of spirit, the 'shining sanctuary' draws closer before us.
2. What does the 'Shining Sanctuary' refer to?
First, it refers to Grand Sanctuary.
God said that the 'Grand Sanctuary' is a model of New Jerusalem. He told us in more minute detail about its size and structure than before. Let me explain again just a part of it. The Grand Sanctuary has the 12 great pillars around its outside. They represent the 12 foundation stones of the city of New Jerusalem.
Those huge pillars will be made of bright and beautiful milky marble. The marble flowers of five petals will be sculpted to decorate the top of the pillars. Whenever a man of whole spirit is born through the 'five-fold gospel,' a 5-petal flower blooms in the flower garden of the shepherd's castle in New Jerusalem. In the center of the 5 petals is embedded a jewel. If 100 men go to New Jerusalem, 100 flowers will bloom. If 1,000, a thousand of these flowers will bloom.
There is a reason why God told us the meaning of the 5 petals. "I love you so much. You can surely change in the space of the shepherd as much as you please. Once you come to New Jerusalem, you can find such glory as this." These words convey the love of God's heart. About a decade ago, God already said that a sculpture of the 5 petals will decorate the 12 pillars of the Grand Sanctuary. The center of those flowers will have a jeweled ornament that corresponds to the 12 foundation stones of New Jerusalem. They are the exact replication of the 5-petal flowers in New Jerusalem.
From the jasper of the flowers on the 1st pillar to amethyst of the flowers on the 12th pillar, they will decorate the flowers like stamen of the flowers. When these jewel ornaments are exposed to light, they will shine with a brilliant luster. The 5 petal-flowers that are ornamented with 12 jewels and the 12 splendid pillars will help you feel the awesome beauty of New Jerusalem. On top of that, there will be panoramic aurora-like light added to it. So, can you imagine how beautiful the view of the Grand Sanctuary will be?
The gates of the Grand Sanctuary will be made in the image of 12 pearl gates of New Jerusalem. Revelation 21:12 describes that New Jerusalem has twelve gates, and at the gates stand twelve angels. In the same way, the Grand Sanctuary will have 12 gates leading to the Sanctuary's interior. These 12 gates are so huge. On each gate a huge angel as tall as the gate will be sculpted. The Grand Sanctuary will be constructed to become the model of the city of New Jerusalem just as God explained.
Just as the glory of God will fill the entire city of New Jerusalem, the beauty of God the Father will indwell the Grand Sanctuary. It will be the greatest sanctuary in the history of mankind and it will reveal the dignity and majesty of God the Almighty. It is because the Grand Sanctuary is symbolically the physical representation memorializing the victory of human cultivation by God. Therefore, the Grand Sanctuary itself will become the "shining sanctuary."
Secondly, it refers to the congregation who has accomplished spirit and whole spirit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 says, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" Therefore, God's children who received the Holy Spirit are all 'temples of God.'
Ephesians 2:22 says, "…in whom (in the Lord) you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." To the extent the children of God accomplish the heart of spirit and of whole spirit, their hearts will be the proper place where God can dwell.
I said earlier that the 5-petal flowers set with the 12 foundation stones of New Jerusalem will be sculpted on the 12 pillars of the Grand Sanctuary. The Grand Sanctuary will be decorated with light-shining jewels. As God the Father looks down on the Grand Sanctuary, it is His true children who accomplished whole spirit that shine most. Those who give the aroma from their hearts that God can receive with joy, and those who will shine more brilliantly than jewels; they are truly the 'shining sanctuaries.'
Suppose you opened a box and it is full of jewels. They are glittering beautifully. You cannot take your eyes off of them. To make us like such jewels as this, God has led the spiritual flow this far. Our God will make the 'Grand Sanctuary' which is like the jewel box as the shining sanctuary. In addition, He is refining us, who are like the jewels in the box, to make us the finest of jewels.
Then, what should we do to make ourselves a 'shining sanctuary'? I hope that you will think over the spiritual meaning of the 12 foundation stones of New Jerusalem (jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, and amethyst) and accomplish the heart like the jewels. Each precious stone symbolizes a specific spiritual heart. The "Beatitudes," the "Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit," and the "Spiritual Love" from 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 are contained in these 12 jewels. Therefore, when the hearts of these 12 foundation stones are consolidated, it is the heart of God and of Jesus Christ. If you want to know this in greater detail, refer to the "Heaven" sermon series on www.manmin.org or my book Heaven II.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, here countless members are being crafted into the finest jewels. The grand project of Canaan Sanctuary and Grand Sanctuary will start soon. I urge you to work even harder to accomplish the heart of spirit and of whole spirit until that moment comes. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will come out as one in the leading role of the shining sanctuary and become a partaker of the great and amazing glory.
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