The Glorious Disturbance - Understanding And Receiving The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit

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A GLORIOUS DISTURBANCE INTERRUPTS PENTECOSTAL FESTIVITIES

Garrard, The Splendor ofthe Temple, shows colorful pictures of his carefully documented model. He says that "the temple was a vast building for its period, covering some thirty-five acres (fourteen hectares)-about one fifth of the area of the city of Jerusalem-with huge retaining walls built around its periphery to support the flat platform on which it was built." 5 The early Church was to be birthed there in a spectacular way, as we shall see in a few moments. Jerusalemwas situated and construction undertaken in a series of increas ingly higher levels that climaxed in the Most Holy Sanctuary. This progres sion was meant to symbolize ascending degrees of holiness, starting with the land of Israel itself, then the city of Jerusalem, then the great Temple structure with its courtyards. The spirit of this ascent is captured in Isaiah 2:3: "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." I have diagrammed it as follows. 6

10. The Most Holy

9. The Temple 8. Court of the Priests

7. Court of Israel 6. Court of the Women

5. Court of the Gentiles

4. The Temple Mount

3. City of Jerusalem 2. Walled Cities in Palestine

1. The Land of Israel

Both Jews and Goyim (Gentiles) could enter theCourt of the Gentiles, a huge open area paved with the finest variegated marble. Located mainly in the southern sector, surrounded by covered porches or colonnades, this great courtyard was as big (some estimate) as twenty football fields put together. This area housed the noisy market where oxen, sheep and doves (selected as fit for sacrifices) were sold; here also were located the tables of the devious money changers who drew the angry displeasure of Jesus (see Matthew 21:12; John 2:14). The next level was the Court of the Women, so called because this was as far as women could progress into the Temple. This court was closed to Gentiles. A balustrade (some say it was a simple four-foot fence, others a