TempleProphecy.com
The Inner Court
The inner court of the temple is an example for us of the necessity of being cleansed of all
unrighteousness before entering into the presence of God to worship Him. In the Old
Testament, the blood of animals was offered to God for atonement of sins, because without
blood there is no atonement of sins (see Lev. 17:11). Yeshua (Jesus’ Name in the original
Hebrew) came to earth as our final sacrifice for sins, so that no blood must ever be offered on
our behalf again. Yet we are still required to actively participate in our own spiritual growth
and development to ensure that we are presented before God, by Yeshua (Jesus), as holy
and blameless every time we approach the throne to worship. The physical acts of worship in
the earthly temple and tabernacle model for us the spiritual acts of obedience that precede
EVERY pure worship experience with the Holy God.
The inner court of the temple is an example for us of the necessity of being cleansed of all
unrighteousness before entering into the presence of God to worship Him. In the Old
Testament, the blood of animals was offered to God for atonement of sins, because without
blood there is no atonement of sins (see Lev. 17:11). Yeshua (Jesus’ Name in the original
Hebrew) came to earth as our final sacrifice for sins, so that no blood must ever be offered on
our behalf again. Yet we are still required to actively participate in our own spiritual growth
and development to ensure that we are presented before God, by Yeshua (Jesus), as holy
and blameless every time we approach the throne to worship. The physical acts of worship in
the earthly temple and tabernacle model for us the spiritual acts of obedience that precede
EVERY pure worship experience with the Holy God.
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For Heart Cleansing
As priests of God (see 1 Peter 2:5), we minister in the presence of His holiness and must,
therefore, repent and be delivered from sin. Repentance begins when Yeshua (Jesus)
convicts us of sin, we confess our sin, and, with His help, turn from our sins to God. He
delivers us from evil by separating us from our connections to Satan and thereby releasing us
from bondage to sin. In order to be transformed from sinner to priest in any area of our lives,
we must lay ourselves on God’s altar to have Him burn up our flesh completely. Otherwise our
deliverance is incomplete, and we will return to the same sins. In Romans 12:1 in the
Complete Jewish Bible translation, Paul writes, “I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of
God’s mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please
him; it is the logical ‘ Temple worship’ for you.”
We began our study of the inner court in Leviticus chapter 1, in which God gives the
guidelines for burnt offerings. The burnt offering was a voluntary offering for sin atonement.
We studied offerings from the flock or herd in verses 1-13. There was, however, a third type
of burnt offering explained in verses 14-17: an offering of birds. Presenting a burnt offering
from the flock or herd represents laying our sinful nature, our flesh, before God. However,
there are times when we have not committed a sin with our bodies but Yeshua points out sin in
our hearts. During these times, we must present a burnt offering of birds. The body of a
young dove or pigeon is similar in size and shape to that of a human heart, thus the offering
of birds represents a cleansing of our hearts when physical acts of sin may or may not be
present.
When a bird is sacrificed, the head is removed, just as with the offering from the herd or the
flock. Hence, we still must address the root of our sin, the reason we continue to allow it to
dwell in our hearts, the spiritual strong man (see Matt. 12:29). The blood is drained out on
the side of the altar; you will recall that the blood is self-will, because self-will fuels our heart’s
deepest desires (see Jam. 1:14). Once surrendered, God can change our heart’s desires to
conform to His will for us (see Ps. 51:10-12, Jam. 4:7-10 & Rom. 12:1-2). The insides are
then removed, the NIV reads “scooped out,” and this is what we must allow God to do—scoop
out the impurities in our hearts. These are the desires, plans and emotions that displease
Him. The feathers from its neck are plucked out representing our haughtiness in trying to
conceal the contents of our hearts from God and hold on to plans that displease him. All of
these must then be immersed in the fire for a complete cleansing of our hearts making us fit
for service to our God (see 1 Sam. 16:7, 1 Chr. 28:9, Ps. 24:3-4 & Rom. 2:29).
As priests of God (see 1 Peter 2:5), we minister in the presence of His holiness and must,
therefore, repent and be delivered from sin. Repentance begins when Yeshua (Jesus)
convicts us of sin, we confess our sin, and, with His help, turn from our sins to God. He
delivers us from evil by separating us from our connections to Satan and thereby releasing us
from bondage to sin. In order to be transformed from sinner to priest in any area of our lives,
we must lay ourselves on God’s altar to have Him burn up our flesh completely. Otherwise our
deliverance is incomplete, and we will return to the same sins. In Romans 12:1 in the
Complete Jewish Bible translation, Paul writes, “I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of
God’s mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please
him; it is the logical ‘ Temple worship’ for you.”
We began our study of the inner court in Leviticus chapter 1, in which God gives the
guidelines for burnt offerings. The burnt offering was a voluntary offering for sin atonement.
We studied offerings from the flock or herd in verses 1-13. There was, however, a third type
of burnt offering explained in verses 14-17: an offering of birds. Presenting a burnt offering
from the flock or herd represents laying our sinful nature, our flesh, before God. However,
there are times when we have not committed a sin with our bodies but Yeshua points out sin in
our hearts. During these times, we must present a burnt offering of birds. The body of a
young dove or pigeon is similar in size and shape to that of a human heart, thus the offering
of birds represents a cleansing of our hearts when physical acts of sin may or may not be
present.
When a bird is sacrificed, the head is removed, just as with the offering from the herd or the
flock. Hence, we still must address the root of our sin, the reason we continue to allow it to
dwell in our hearts, the spiritual strong man (see Matt. 12:29). The blood is drained out on
the side of the altar; you will recall that the blood is self-will, because self-will fuels our heart’s
deepest desires (see Jam. 1:14). Once surrendered, God can change our heart’s desires to
conform to His will for us (see Ps. 51:10-12, Jam. 4:7-10 & Rom. 12:1-2). The insides are
then removed, the NIV reads “scooped out,” and this is what we must allow God to do—scoop
out the impurities in our hearts. These are the desires, plans and emotions that displease
Him. The feathers from its neck are plucked out representing our haughtiness in trying to
conceal the contents of our hearts from God and hold on to plans that displease him. All of
these must then be immersed in the fire for a complete cleansing of our hearts making us fit
for service to our God (see 1 Sam. 16:7, 1 Chr. 28:9, Ps. 24:3-4 & Rom. 2:29).