God created the cosmos to be his great temple in which he rested after his creative work. Nevertheless, his special revelatory presence does not fill the entire earth yet, since it was his intention that this goal be achieved by his human vice-regent[/priest], whom he installed in the temple sanctuary to extend the garden boundaries of God's presence worldwide [Gen 1:28]. Adam, of course disobeyed this mandate, so that humanity no longer enjoyed God's presence in the Garden, and the entire earth became infected with sin and idolatry in a way it had not been previously, even while yet in its still imperfected state.
Therefore, the statements about God's inability to dwell in any structure on earth not only refers to the Creator's transcendence but plausibly includes reference to the necessity for purification and re-creation before God's Shekinah presence, formerly restricted to heaven and the earthly holy of holies, can dwell universally throughout creation together with his multitudes of worshippers.
(p.138, Greg Beale, The Temple and the Church's Mission)
This is a summary of a large part of the argument of Beale's book. Unfortunately the book is a classic example of a great thesis buried in poor writing and then insufficiently and unimaginatively explored. A very frustrating mixture. I would recommend it, but wish someone could write another book with the same thesis.
Have you read Leithart's 'A house for my name'? Not sure it's quite what you're looking for, but there are some thematic similarities as far as I can tell.
ReplyDeleteShame you feel Beale's writing is so poor. I've not read it yet, so can't comment.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on Beale...
ReplyDeleteI've read Leithart quite a while ago and a bit too quickly. But listened to a fair amount of Jim Jordan and there is quite a bit of overlap with Beale. In fact it is interesting how much of the core things that Leithart and Jordan say are not as 'out-there' as you think when you first hear them. There has certainly been a lot in Beale that has not been new to me because of Leithart/Jordan - although it's nice to have from a independent perspective.
I'd like something that is a similar length to Beale also focused on the Temple (Leithart's book is quite wide-ranging) but not quite so blinkered.
But never mind.