The Importance of Understanding the Temple and Its Services

Even though there are no Temple services today, it is very important to have a basic knowledge of what went on there. Remember, the Scriptures were written in the context of a functioning Temple its services, and the people were familiar with what went on there. We have shown many times on this website the importance of understanding the Temple services and how they relate to the Messiah, his ministry, and the Scriptures themselves. We have presented teachings about the Temple services like the Daily Tamid and all the festivals, the steps when bringing korbanot, the significance of the courts, the sacrificial area, and many other things. Now we would like to show you several more Scripture portions and how they relate to the Yom Kippur service. The Scriptures we will be looking at is Peter’s vision in Acts 10 and the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matt 25. We will be quoting from a book called, “The Temple Revealed in Creation” by Dinah Dye, because it gives us a rare understanding of how we can use our understanding of the Temple and its services and how that understanding can give us insight into the Scriptures.

First, we are going to look at Peter’s vision of the sheet coming down in Acts 10.9-29 from Dye’s book, p. 121-123, where Dye says, “On Yom Kippur, the high priest immersed five times. Four out out of these five tevilah (immersions) took place on the roof of the Parvah chamber. This rooftop mikvah (immersion bath) was constructed exclusively for his use on this day….The meaning of Parvah is unknown, but it is likely connected to parvah, cow, since the hides of the sacrificial animals were tanned and kept there for the priests. Because whoever stood on the roof was visible to those standing in the inner courtyard, the priests held up a white linen sheet made of costly material. This allowed the high priest some privacy as he immersed in the mikvah, dried himself with the sheet, and dressed in his white linen garments…The key to deciphering Peter’s vision is found in the purpose and the meaning of the linen sheet. Peter received the vision during his stay at SImon the tanner’s home in Jaffe…While Peter was praying on the roof of the tanner’s house, he saw heaven open; the heavenly curtain was pulled back to reveal the Holy of Holies. The first connection to Yom Kippur is found here: before the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, he prayed, immersed, and changed his clothes on the roof of the Temple’s tanning chamber. Then a voice told the hungry Peter to slaughter and eat. This is temple language that describes animal sacrifices which were food for the priests. Peter saw a large, white linen sheet lowered from heaven by its four corners. The priests held a linen sheet by its corners to give privacy to the high priest. On the sheet, Peter saw all kinds of unclean animals: four-footed animals, crawling creatures, and wild birds. The message being conveyed was neither a repudiation of the laws of ritual purity nor approval for eating non-kosher foods. The message was that the Gentiles who believed in Yeshua, considered unclean because of their ritual impurity, had been made ritually pure.”

Dye continues to comment on the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matt 25.1-13 on p. 123-125 by saying, “In a similar vein, the parable of the ten virgins depicts the procession of the high priest to the Temple: a journey made seven days before Yom Kippur. On the morning of the journey, officials arrived at the high priest’s home in Jerusalem in order to pray, instruct, and counsel him regarding the important day’s services. As they prepared to leave the Temple, a shout rang out calling the people to give honor to the high priest. The procession was accompanied by great fanfare and celebration. Those who lived in Jerusalem came out of their homes wearing white garments and carrying candles and burning torches. Every window was decorated with brightly lit lamps. A crier shouted for the people to give honor to the House of David and then to the House of Levi. Those with the highest status walked closest to the high priest. Descendants of Israel’s kings ewalking first. Close behind were the singers, musicians, and trumpeters. Next came those who prepared the incense and baked bread; then walked the Temple guards and the Temple treasurers. The Sanhedrin then joined the procession followed by 250 priests. Each priest walked with his staff in his hand to clear the path for the high priest who was the last to walk. Many times the procession continued well past midnight, and most carried torches in order to light the way to the Temple. Once the high priest arrived at the Temple gate, he made his way to the Palhedrin chamber where he was sequestered for the next seven days. On the first day of his service, he went into the holy sanctuary to kindle five of the lamps in the seven-branched menorah. A little later he would prepare the last two. The kingdom of heaven is like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps to meet the groom. In the march to the Temple gate, the high priest represented the bridegroom. Those who served the in Temple-the priests and Levites-were the bridesmaids. THe Holy Temple itself was the bride, and the Holy of Holies was the bridal chamber/womb where the marriage would be consummated and new life produced. In Yeshua’s telling of the parable, five bridesmaids carried no oil to serve the menorah’s lamps while the other five came prepared with their flasks. When the bridegroom was late in arriving, the bridesmaids fell asleep. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, the crier shouted, “The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him!” The five with oil were prepared Temple servants were were ready to perform their services. The oil in their lamps represented Wisdom poured out in the form of the Spirit because of Yeshua’s ministry in the heavenly Holy of Holies.”

We believe that these are two excellent examples of how we should study the Temple and its services in order to have a deeper understanding of what the Scriptures are really saying. We have many articles on this website about the Temple services in our Temple 101 and Temple 201 series. We also recommend two books called, “The Temple And Its Services” by Alfred Edersheim, and, “The Temple-Its Symbolism and Meaning Then and Now” by Joshua Berman.